When I was a kid I would shovel a foot of snow off the driveway just so I could shoot hoops. I’d be out there in 25 degree weather, a parka and snowmobile gloves, bouncing a frozen basketball on ice. More times than not it would happen after listening to the Wisconsin Badgers game on the radio.
I would act like I was on the team and countdown the clock to take the last shot. I’d do it over and over, calling out the radio broadcast with current Badgers passing the ball to me.
Clyde Gaines, over to Larry Petty, he dishes to Claude Gregory, to the top of the key, Tarrolly takes the shot! Clank.
Eventually I’d make one and the driveway arena would erupt in cheers.
This was the 70’s and 80’s and the Badgers were terrible back then. In fact, so bad, I lost track of them in the 90’s until they sorta “showed up” in the Final 4 in 2000.
After that Final 4 in 2000, I was interested again and over the next few years it’s safe to say I became a little obsessed. The Badgers were good??? This was unbelievable to me.
I have watched Badger games like a religion. The Big 10 network is a fixture on my TV and I literally don’t miss a game. Every year I’d think, THIS is the team, only to have the rug pulled out in painful March Madness fashion.
Saturday night, I sat on my couch in relative silence as the clock ran out and they held off Arizona to go back to the Final 4. It was like a dream, and in many ways, a relief. I WOULD see it in my lifetime.
Bo Ryan had led Wisconsin to 13 straight tournament appearances, and never been to the Final 4, until now. And I will be right there with him in Dallas watching live as 80,000 fans roar and millions watch on CBS.
But there’s a catch, my half Ironman is the next weekend in New Orleans. Thankfully it’s a taper week, but I’ll be driving all over the South and sitting in a car wanks my body more than running 10 miles.
I’m actually feeling good about the race, but so much of my strategy is mental preparation. It will be hard to focus with such a major distraction. Maybe I’ll run laps around the Jerry Dome at halftime or something just to keep my head straight.