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3:50:00 PM EST
Hearing Tapes 'n Tapes
Notes From Press Row at the DC Regional
My brother Chris and I had credentials for last night’s DC regional action (thanks, Schrages!). We’ll tell all about it on Monday night’s Sports Bloggers Live (featuring a Final Four preview with Michael Wilbon), but here are notes from the games that were…
-- Definite homecourt advantage for GMU. I’ve lived within 20 minutes of their campus all my life and barely knew they had a team, but they’re probably filling a quarter of the Verizon Center right now, with the rest being a mix of Wichita St., UConn, Washington and non-partisans.
-- Chris just pointed out the “shocker” cheerleader.
-- We’re in the front row directly behind Mason's bench and neither of us can believe how lucky we are.
-- GMU's Jim Larranaga has coached over 600 games but this is the biggest. He recognizes the magnitude of it but is the eye of the storm nonetheless, and his players love him.
-- Jai Lewis is chill. Really chill. No wasted movement. Large man. Droopy eyes. He's the grand poobah of the Pats, and Chris has a class with him.
-- Mason starts with three quicks 3s. 9-0. WSU timeout. Larranaga immediately reminds his bench it’s a “40-minute game.” We’re basically inside the huddle. This is awesome.
-- GMU’s band plays “Living on a Prayer” and their team, an 11 seed, is up 15 in the Sweet 16. It’s really hard not to cheer (first rule of press row: no cheering).
-- It’s also hard to be at a game and not have a beer or five (second rule of press row: no drinking).
-- Sitting to my brother’s left is ACC legend and Mottram family favorite Mike Gminski (G-Man!). He’s doing sideline analysis for CBS and when, upon passing, I refer to him as “G-Man” he does not seem amused. He’s also wearing a gold hoop earring and suspenders. We can't stop imitating him. I wish Will Ferrell would star in his biopic.
-- While were here, this is a partial lineup of press row right now: SI’s Stewart Mandel (nice guy), Fox’s Yoni Cohen (Yoco Hoops!), the host of Around the Horn (he has a gellin' mini-mullet), ESPN’s Tom Rinaldi, TNT’s David Aldridge (such a dork), L.A. Times’ J.A. Adande (why’s he here?), SportsLine’s Gregg Doyel (don’t read him, didn’t interact) and Gene Wojciechowski (seems cool). They were all stoked to get my business card, I'm sure.
-- Mason’s bench has a Let’s Go Guy. He looks like your high school's JV football coach and screams “Let’s go!” at the players repeatedly during every timeout. One-trick pony, but highly entertaining.
-- Chris’s friend Britt just texted to say, “You both look fat on TV.” I look over at the monitor and realize you can see us every time the ball is in Mason’s court. I immediately begin texting all my friends. It’s safe to assume this is not normal press row behavior.
-- Will “Spider Arms” Thomas posterizes a Shocker and nearly brings the damn house down.
-- Mason is up 16 and most of us are watching ‘Nova-BC on the monitors.
-- Mason's Lamar Butler (SI cover boy) makes an ill-advised runner in transition and Larranaga is pumping his fists and whistling on the sideline. The man has a world-class whistle.
-- Chris notices that the WSU cheerleaders are all giving the naughty, naughty shocker sign. Either their faculty and alums are really cool or very out of touch.
-- The Mason fans are chanting “C! A! A!” as the mid-major Super Bowl comes to a joyous close and the Cinderella from Fairfax, VA takes home the trophy.
-- We’re behind UConn's bench this time, which is nice because I think six of these guys will be in the NBA by '07.
-- Between games we walk by UConn's locker room and hear Hilton Armstrong yell, “This is what we’ve waited all year for!” Simple enough but the tone, the setting, the situation, well, I'm not sure if I mentioned it, but this is awesome.
-- Chris says Washington's Mike Jensen looks like Ivan Drago. I concur.
-- Jim Calhoun looks like our Grandma Fran.
-- Armstrong is definitely the most amped of the UConn players. Actually, he might be the only one with a pulse. These guys are beaten-down dogs.
-- From the tip it’s obvious Calhoun coaches with anger. After nearly every play he wheels around and yells and curses at the bench for something. His style is a complete 180 from Larranaga’s.
-- Washington's Ryan Appleby is so goofy looking. He would’ve been a perfect double for Billy Hoyle. At least then Hoyle could play. Still wouldn't be able to dunk though.
-- Calhoun pulls Marcus Williams out early for a turnover, sits him down and gets right in his face: “Are you trying to put on a [bleep]ing show or are you trying to win a game?” Williams’ gaze does not meet Calhoun’s glare. Ever.
-- Danny freaking Ainge just sat down next to us! I want to ask who he’s scouting so badly but he’s got a Blue Tooth in and I can’t tell if he’s on it or not.
-- Brandon Roy is really gifted. Best player on the court. Seems like he’s moving in slow-mo. Maybe that’s why he’s All-America.
-- Chris is looking at his brackets to see how the Florida-Georgetown game affects him. We do not belong here.
-- UConn's Ed Nelson is an absolute beast. He looks 35. I can’t believe he’s in college. And how’d he end up on this team, nevermind actually in the rotation?
-- Oh, no. Nelson has a stain on his shorts. An “oops, I crapped my pants” stain. It's bad. Real bad.
-- David Jones from the Harrisburg Patriot-News informs me that Calhoun is a “soulless [bleep]ing corpse. As bad as it gets. This is corporate basketball right here.” Agreed.
-- There’s a TV guy behind me who looks like Norm MacDonald and goes by the name Joe Zone. Hilarious.
-- Chris says these seats are "better than high-def."
-- UConn is down 5 and Rudy Gay has 1 point, 1 airball and 2 fouls at the half. Ainge is not impressed.
-- Speaking of Gay, he keeps looking at me during timeouts. Maybe it’s not just a name but a lifestyle.
-- Gay makes a nice up-and-under move and Ainge’s eyes light up. Ainge is also craining his neck to see the Florida-Georgetown game on my monitor. Joakim Noah to the C's?
-- Roy and Gay get in each other’s face for a double T. Gay does not try to kiss him. It's Roy's 4th foul which just kills Washington.
-- Whoa, UConn has a Let’s Go Guy too! Unlike Mason's Let’s Go Guy, UConn’s looks like a legit head coach. Therein lies the difference between David and Goliath.
-- Rashad Anderson makes some threes to tie it up at 55. A UConn bench guy screams, “He’s the microwave!” Somewhere, Vinnie Johnson smiles.
-- Jones asks Ainge, “Who you watching, Danny?” Ainge replies with a smile, “Appleby.”
-- It’s 73-72 and Verne Lundquist and Bill Raftery, who are calling the game for CBS, look like they couldn't be happier. Love those guys.
--UConn, down three and in the double bonus, brings it up with less than 10 ticks left. Washington chooses not foul and the Microwave hits a three to tie the game at the end of regulation. Even though UConn and their fans are completely unlikable, that was freaking amazing. Watch Chris's video of it.
-- Predictably, UConn puts Washington away in OT. Their fans are doing that annoying Yankees-style chant: “Marcus! Williams!” Mason fans, yes, Mason fans, respond with, “Over! Rated!”
David and Goliath. Sunday afternoon. We'll be there again. Cheering on the inside.
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Bummer - you didn't get to ask Marcus Williams if he could give you a killer deal on a new laptop?
I'm pulling for GM and Florida tomorrow - would love to see a couple of ex-Friars in the Final Four.
I've been to one NCAA tournament - second round in Providence, '81, for the game of Ainge's life - he threw down 37 as BYU dismantled UCLA. Course, my dad got the tickets because Notre Dame was playing James Madison - Irish in a snoozer.
3/26/06 9:01 AM
UCONN WILL WIN IT.