I have my share of March Madness Memories, both good and bad.<\/p>\n
Among the bad–last year, when I finished dead last in my own pool<\/a> and looked on in agony as the fabulous Blue Devil duo of Redick and Williams ended their otherwise stellar careers<\/a> on a down note to LSU.<\/p>\n But anytime your favorite team plays deep into the tourney or wins it all, it’s a good year; and needless to say, as someone who bleeds Blue Devil Blue<\/a>, my good years far outweigh the bad. Of course, barring divine intervention, Duke will not go far this year (I have them making the Sweet 16 after eliminating perennial tournament underachiever Pitt, then falling to UCLA), and considering my poor track record in prognostication, I turn my attention this morning to some good March Madness memories from the past.<\/p>\n 1992: I was in my tiny Nashville flat when Laettner took The Shot<\/a>. I had a tough job that night, helping to entertain a couple of friends who had little interest in basketball while trying to watch the gripping ending to the regional final between Kentucky and Duke.<\/p>\n We had finished dinner and were working on desert, and I had at least managed to convince everyone to move from the kitchen to the living room where the TV was located. Trying to keep one eye on my guests and carry on polite conversation while keeping the other eye on the TV was a tough balancing act, but I did the best I could. But as Duke looked finished in the closing seconds, I stood and began to pace, as is my custom.<\/p>\n I don’t really remember the first few seconds after Laettner’s winning shot–euphoric haze I guess. I do vaguely remember Eyegal and my two guests fetching the step ladder and peeling me from the ceiling. I remember one of my guests laughing and saying, “Mike, I had no idea…” I didn’t know if he was referring to my being a Duke fan or my capability of losing all semblance of rationality and letting loose with a loud, “barbaric yawp.”<\/a><\/p>\n