Now Exiting Pleasantville

So, my Zags are out of the tourney (insert sad face here). I still say that we have an exceptionally young team, so all is not lost. Robert Sacre, who I contend is the best all around player of the Zags (despite the argument for Steven Gray), is a red shirt Junior--so barring drafting to the NBA early, we have at least one more year out of him. I speculate, although very early at this point, that those two years should be awesome. I also love the look of Harris, Stockton, Dower, Carter, etc for the following year.


Also, as a Zag fan I took great joy in the BYU fans' signs that read: "Zags have Stockton, BYU has Jimmer." This sign was hilarious to me on two fronts. The first: they could be comparing him to David Stockton; which is awesome--a senior to our walk on freshman. The second is perhaps they were comparing him to David's dad John. All I have to say to that is, John was a Zag 30 years ago, and college play means nothing to the NBA (i.e.: lame comparison, talk to me after almost 20 years in the NBA).


I could go on pouring out my undying love for the Zags, and I'm sure I will at a later date. (Please take note of the photo below and the Zags' fan in training.) But I have never been so happy to exit Pleasantville.  

My niece, the youngest Zag fan in the family!

I don't know if you've ever seen the Reese Witherspoon movie or not, but Jimmer Fredette of BYU is straight from that fictional town in my eyes. During the movie, the Pleasantville High School basketball team can't miss a shot; it doesn't matter where the shot is taken from. This was Jimmer the ENTIRE game. People were guarding, the shot went in. Shot taken feet, and I mean FEET, above the arc and it went in. Just passed the ball and immediately went up--it went in. It would have been pretty... if I wasn't a Zag fan. 


All that being said, I'm very happy he's graduating. BYU joins the WCC next year. I look forward to seeing them again, especially without Fredette (and Jackson Emery for that matter).  We'll see them in conference play in January 2012, and am certain (and pray) that it won't be a repeat of this game.

Will the Seed Flower?

That's the question that being a Zags fan I have to ask. For the past 12 years, we've performed underwhelmingly for 68% of our appearances.  That being said, we've performed exceptionally well (75%) of the time we were a number 10 seed or lower in the bracket (lowest being a 12 seed).

Simply put: the Gonzaga Bulldogs are on the top of their game when they are the underdog. I firmly believe we can make to the Elite Eight this year, and it's not just because I'm a Zag-faithful. Even Dick Vitale has the Zags going that far.

The Zags aren't even playing a "new" team in the tourney for their first game. They, in fact, played St. John's the opening round in 2000--a tourney in which they were a 10 seed and went to the Sweet 16.

Matt Santangelo scoring over St. John's in 2000. Photo from azstar.net

Beyond the seed and the team the Zags will play, if you're superstitious--and I am--you can also look at the bracket they are playing in. This year they are in the "southeast" bracket, which in the past was usually referred to as the "south" bracket. The two times the Zags have been in the "South/southeast" bracket, they've also made it to the Sweet 16.

I realize I'm making a great superstitious argument for why my Zags should go far in the Big Dance. But the truth is, out of the four brackets, the Southeast bracket is a wild card. It will truly depend on who plays the best game on which day; not, "they don't stand a chance against that powerhouse." As long as Mark Few brings the young Zags to play, the biggest competition in our bracket is Wisconsin.

So, let the Madness begin and I have my fingers crossed that we indeed see Wisconsin this tourney!

 

Feel Like Dancing!

 My Zags did it again! Mark Few is going to the Big Dance again and I can feel a jig coming on! To say I'm excited is putting it mildly. Last night I about drove my television crazy by constantly turning it back to the game to check the score, and I was thrilled when I could finally celebrate. (I also want to note here that I knew the Zags would continue to dominate.)

The ZAGS!!!!

I know what you're wondering, why wasn't I watching the game. The basic answer: I'm superstitious. The long answer is: When I've been able to watch conference (WCC) games this season, the Zags have lost. Out of conference play, they've won. So, I eagerly waited for score updates and refused to tune into my boys for longer than 8.5 seconds. Superstitious much? Very when it comes to my teams. I will make sure to where the right shirt, shoes, sit in the same chair, and even drink the same type of beer if the moment calls for it.

Posted by GonzagaBulldogs twitter account. The trophy is back home!

Also, last night means I'm not quite as angry that I was traveling this coming Sunday. I was on pins and needles trying to figure out how I was going to watch Selection Sunday while on a plane. Now it's just a question of where in the bracket the Zags are, not are we in a bracket. I will still be eager to see, but I won't be grumpy I can't watch.

All that being said, if (and hopefully when) the Zags make the Sweet 16, I pray they go to Anaheim. Parts of my superstitions will go out the window because I. WILL. be. there.

PS-If you love March Madness, don't forget to fill out your bracket after Selection Sunday!

Speech Trumps Privacy

I was a political science minor in college and I thought that I learned alot from one of my favorite people: Dr. Robert Carley. But this week I have to question how much I really learned based upon a Supreme Court ruling.

One of my favorite people: Dr. Robert "Doc" Carley.

In my Constitutional Law class we learned that a person's rights only existed as far as someone else's rights started. In other words, your rights are sacred as long as they don't infringe upon someone else's. Apparently, the Supreme Court of the United States doesn't agree... at least not in regard to Freedom of Speech and Right to Privacy.

The horrible, non-profit "church" I mentioned in an earlier post was granted their right to freedom of speech by the Supreme Court. This allows them to continue picketing/protesting families' private funerals for soldiers and any other funeral they think will earn them press. It's disgusting that the Supreme Court finds that right more important than protecting the privacy of those who lost loved ones fighting for the very rights we are discussing here.

I expected more from our esteemed Justices. I thought that our "sensitive" society would hold the privacy of mourning more dear. Clearly, I was wrong; but I having a sneaking suspicion that I wasn't the only one proved wrong.