8 APR 08: THE LOOK OF A CHAMPION
"You rooting for Memphis?" said the woman approaching me from behind Monday night. Yes, that university's players wear blue - just like my alma mater Kansas. But on this night, I wanted the Memphis basketball players to think of home, and Beale Street. You know, singing the blues....
"Well no, Ms. Baribeau," I answered quietly. I recognized the voice as Rachel Baribeau, the reigning queen of Columbus sports media. WEAM-AM talk show partner Mike Vee was NOT with her. He may have already been in Knoxville, preparing to spot all the cheating the Cottonmouths will face tonight.
Rachel Baribeau was part of a group, which dined Monday night at Loco's on 13th Street. I went by myself to the bar, because I honestly don't know any other Kansas graduates in Columbus. Even the transfers to Fort Benning can't be trusted - since so many of them move here from Fort Riley, which is much too close to Kansas State.
"I'm surprised most of the experts, quote-end quote, are for Memphis," I told Rachel Baribeau. "Kansas seems to be much more balanced." Then Baribeau spouted off some facts about the Tigers which went right over my head. I didn't see them play UCLA last Saturday. I watched the only game that mattered....
"The Braves are on," said another woman who sat next to me at the bar during the first half. "Maybe they have something against baseball...." You can always spot the people visiting Columbus on vacation.
"Not tonight," I said to the woman - and lowered my head to show the blue Kansas Jayhawks cap on my head. Not to mention the Orange Bowl victory T-shirt my brother mailed me. I don't even mind if he bought it for half-price outside the stadium, after the game.
"You'll have baseball for the next six months," I explained to the woman. "But on this night...." The woman seemed to understand. Well, maybe. She and her man moved somewhere else in the restaurant a couple of minutes later.
There was one TV to the left of the Loco's bar which could have been turned to baseball. But for some reason, it was left on WGN in Chicago - which showed a marathon of "America's Funniest Home Videos" reruns. As if Tom Bergeron's face there would distract viewers away from "Dancing With the Stars"?!
Rachel Baribeau and her group left Loco's before halftime. That's when I told I'd be blogging about the Kansas-Memphis championship game. She invited me to call her show today between 4:00 and 7:00 p.m. -- and you can count on me doing it. It's time Columbus learned how to put the Rock Chalk before the Jayhawk....
BIG PREDICTION UPDATE: Kansas rallied from nine points down in the last two minutes, to win the NCAA men's basketball championship 75-68 in overtime. The Jayhawks won the title in 1988, now win it again in 2008. So if I keep working out on a regular basis, I should be alive for the 2028 tournament.
"Not impossible," I said to myself when Kansas was down by nine with two minutes left in regulation. I was on a youth league team which was down by ten with two minutes left, yet came back to win a playoff game. It was thrilling for me to... well, watch from the bench as a substitute.
The Achilles' heel of Memphis tripped up the Tigers late in the game, as players missed several key free throws. That's one "bar" I think more college students should be encouraged to hit on a regular basis....
Alaska native Mario Chalmers hit a three-point shot with 2.1 seconds left in regulation, to tie the game for Kansas. Jayhawk radio network announcer Bob Davis called him "Super Mario" long before I thought of it....
(Until Monday night, the most famous Chalmers in the history of the University of Kansas was Chancellor E. Laurence Chalmers. He was in charge during the Vietnam conflict, and many considered him too liberal. What does it say when Kansas State has a Chalmers Hall, while Kansas doesn't?)
But anyway: Kansas scored the first six points of overtime. But then Memphis clawed its way back, and CBS sportscaster Jim Nantz declared the score "71-68 in the first overtime." First?! This game only seemed as scripted as pro wrestling.
But Kansas prevailed, to finish a tournament with plenty of parallels to the 1988 title. In both years, the Jayhawks won the Midwest Regional in Detroit. In both years, Danny Manning was on the bench - first as a player, now an assistant coach. And if history keeps repeating itself, a Republican will be elected President in November.
It was amazing to see former Kansas coach Roy Williams in the stands with a Jayhawk sticker on his shirt -- two days after K.U. topped North Carolina in the semifinals. If he can repent, any sinner can....
So I turn on WEAM-AM to celebrate the big win by Kansas Coach Bill Self, and finish this victory blog. So what does ESPN Radio's SportsCenter update anchor say? "Oklahoma State needs a head coach. Bill Self is an Oklahoma State alum." To which I said in response - "Awwwwww, shut up."
By the way, am I the only person who gets a bit choked up when CBS plays "One Shining Moment" at the end of the men's basketball finals? In years past, I have. This year, I sang along. To borrow from a radio preacher I heard in Atlanta years ago, the Jayhawks shot me happy....
If you came here for an update on events in Columbus - hey, I tried as best I could. But for one night, it was a celebration for my old school. In fact, it's the second big celebration for Kansas fans in about three months. You might say I partied like it's 1988.
P.S. Thank you, WLTZ, for providing our title today. Did you take a good look at the champion Jayhawks? In this case, looks are NOT deceiving....
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BURKARD BULK MAIL INDEX: 627 (+ 23, 3.8%)
TRUDGE REPORT, DAY 37: Spring cleaning, 75 minutes. Total: 121.8 miles run, 14.5 walked
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