Spring Break
The Final Four, a fan's view
Paresh Jha
Issue date: 4/10/09 Section: Sports
It was the quickest decision I had ever made. The Huskies had just derailed the Boilermakers and my Huskymail account had great news. I could have tickets to the Final Four. The Final Four, the pinnacle of collegiate basketball - and I had the opportunity to share in all the glory. Half an hour later, my friends and I had purchased tickets and mobilized the trip. All UConn needed to do was beat Missouri and we would simply be a 12-hour drive from the best possible completion to the best senior year ever.
Two days later, Kemba Walker gave me the keys to the Motor City with his game-changing performance against Missouri. Wait a second, the Motor City? Detroit? This was where the end of our season would be determined? I would have to drive over 740 miles to a city with more problems than Eric Devendorf? The answer was yes and most of us could care less whether it was in Detroit or Vancouver. We were going to the Final Four!
The next week was a blur. We had to rearrange exams, assignments and get all our work done in advance. That was all easier said than done, considering that any free moment we had was devoted to preparing or simply obsessing with the trip. The logistics were a nightmare. We had to find cheap hotel rooms in a decent area outside Detroit for about 17 people. Yes, 17. That also meant we needed three cars, one which would have to be a minivan. After settling on a Super-8 in Sterling Heights, Mich., we were all set and ready to go.
The drive to Motown was too exciting. I say too exciting because the lack of sleep is something I am currently paying for. We figured that driving throughout the night was the best way to do this. A lack of traffic and a hotel booked for just Saturday and Sunday night made our decision for us. We got onto I-84 west at approximately 10:00 p.m. Friday night. My shift to drive was going to be from 2:00 a.m. onward. I knew I had to rest up for the graveyard shift but my body could not agree with my mind. The excitement for the trip was emanating from person to person and car to car. By the time 2:00am rolled around, I had gotten around six minutes of sleep.
Two days later, Kemba Walker gave me the keys to the Motor City with his game-changing performance against Missouri. Wait a second, the Motor City? Detroit? This was where the end of our season would be determined? I would have to drive over 740 miles to a city with more problems than Eric Devendorf? The answer was yes and most of us could care less whether it was in Detroit or Vancouver. We were going to the Final Four!
The next week was a blur. We had to rearrange exams, assignments and get all our work done in advance. That was all easier said than done, considering that any free moment we had was devoted to preparing or simply obsessing with the trip. The logistics were a nightmare. We had to find cheap hotel rooms in a decent area outside Detroit for about 17 people. Yes, 17. That also meant we needed three cars, one which would have to be a minivan. After settling on a Super-8 in Sterling Heights, Mich., we were all set and ready to go.
The drive to Motown was too exciting. I say too exciting because the lack of sleep is something I am currently paying for. We figured that driving throughout the night was the best way to do this. A lack of traffic and a hotel booked for just Saturday and Sunday night made our decision for us. We got onto I-84 west at approximately 10:00 p.m. Friday night. My shift to drive was going to be from 2:00 a.m. onward. I knew I had to rest up for the graveyard shift but my body could not agree with my mind. The excitement for the trip was emanating from person to person and car to car. By the time 2:00am rolled around, I had gotten around six minutes of sleep.
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BOB CLINTON
posted 4/10/09 @ 9:22 PM EST
Your right .We should be celebrating their final four not what we feel they should have done. They gave their best and we should be thanking them for a great season and good luck in their future . (Continued…)
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