It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
01/02/23 08:08
February 1, 2023 (Vol. 17 No. 8) - It's the first day of February, which means there are only 28 days until the Month of Madness. March Madness, that is. If you love - or even if you just like - college basketball, this is the best time of the year. Suddenly, Joe Lunardi's opinion matters. It's all about making the NCAA tournament field. Once you are in, anything can happen. Just ask the folks at North Carolina State University. Like many, I fell in love with college basketball in college. Growing up, I was a passionate fan of the Baltimore Bullets. College hoops were hardly on my radar. However, Charles "Lefty" Driesell came to College Park, Maryland, and totally changed my perspective. That was the year before I enrolled at the University of Maryland. Even then, I noticed that something special was happening. When I got to College Park, I was fortunate to work with a film crew that shot game footage for the Terps. That allowed me to get up close with the players and coaches and to see exciting games on the floor of the arena. The energy and excitement in Cole Field House was unmatched. That included an amazing pre-shot clock game in which the Terps slowed down the game - the score was 4-3 at the half - and upset second-ranked South Carolina on a buzzer-beater. I was even present for the first-ever Late Night, Lefty's way of telling everyone that the Terps were ready to compete. I had never seen anything like it - until I joined the faculty at the University of Kansas and started seeing games at Allen Field House. As good as it was when I was in college, the game time atmosphere at Kansas is the best I've seen. Keep in mind that I've seen games at Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium, North Carolina's Carmichael Auditorium and Dean Dome, Iowa State's Hilton Coliseum, and even a Final Four in Indianapolis. All had great atmospheres - but none can match the electricity of The Phog. As for the NBA - forget it. You can keep the pumped-in music and phony light shows. And who cares to watch 48 minutes of one-on-one basketball? College hoops are beautiful because they are played as a team sport. And at Allen Field House, the fans are an integral part of that team. Bring on the Madness! With apologies to Christmas, this is the most wonderful time of the year! That''s it for now. Fear the Turtle!