... I think the high of Monday night is finally wearing off. I'm beat today ... But it sure has been a fun ride ...
After the game ended Monday night, I soaked up all the postgame coverage and read a multitude of stories about the game. It was 1 a.m. before I was settled enough to try to sleep ...
And on Tuesday, nothing could tear me down. I proudly wore my KU sweatshirt to work and there were times I wondered if my cohorts thought I was smoking pot because I was so smiley and giggly ...
Every time I read an e-mail from a Kansas friend telling me about his or her experience watching the game, I'd giggle a little. Or an image from the game would pop into my head while I was walking through the office, or driving, and a random smile would break over my face. I was on air.
In the hours since Mario's Miracle, I've been reading a whole lot of stories and e-mails about people's hearts stopping, the atmosphere inside Allen Fieldhouse during the game, the throngs on Massachusetts Street, grown men getting emotional, the wrenching comparisons to the Syracuse game in 2003 -- and, of course, the missed opportunities by Memphis -- in what certainly appears to be going down as one of the greatest games in college basketball history ...
A lot is being made of the missed free throws by Memphis, and the chaos of the last 10 seconds in regulation. That Memphis players didn't foul. And that John Calipari didn't call a timeout ... I'm not buying any of that stuff. There's no telling how it might have played out had Memphis committed a foul or Calipari called the timeout. The bottom line is Kansas showed their experience, balance and held their poise and willed themselves to win. They were the better team. Period.
Here's some of the lines that have made me smile ...
Mike Freeman, CBSSports.com ...
Mark Snyder, Detroit Free-Press ...
After the game ended Monday night, I soaked up all the postgame coverage and read a multitude of stories about the game. It was 1 a.m. before I was settled enough to try to sleep ...
And on Tuesday, nothing could tear me down. I proudly wore my KU sweatshirt to work and there were times I wondered if my cohorts thought I was smoking pot because I was so smiley and giggly ...
Every time I read an e-mail from a Kansas friend telling me about his or her experience watching the game, I'd giggle a little. Or an image from the game would pop into my head while I was walking through the office, or driving, and a random smile would break over my face. I was on air.
In the hours since Mario's Miracle, I've been reading a whole lot of stories and e-mails about people's hearts stopping, the atmosphere inside Allen Fieldhouse during the game, the throngs on Massachusetts Street, grown men getting emotional, the wrenching comparisons to the Syracuse game in 2003 -- and, of course, the missed opportunities by Memphis -- in what certainly appears to be going down as one of the greatest games in college basketball history ...
A lot is being made of the missed free throws by Memphis, and the chaos of the last 10 seconds in regulation. That Memphis players didn't foul. And that John Calipari didn't call a timeout ... I'm not buying any of that stuff. There's no telling how it might have played out had Memphis committed a foul or Calipari called the timeout. The bottom line is Kansas showed their experience, balance and held their poise and willed themselves to win. They were the better team. Period.
Here's some of the lines that have made me smile ...
Mike Freeman, CBSSports.com ...
Holy crap. How many times did you breathe into a paper bag during that one?Chris Dufresne, Los Angeles Times ...
The game was over, Memphis had won on a Monday, freshman Derrick Rose was going to be the star and Coach John Calipari was finally going to get his due.
Cue the confetti and the CBS theme music.
But then it wasn't over.
Mark Snyder, Detroit Free-Press ...
Kansas, which rallied against Memphis on Monday to grab the national title, might have been the nation's most talented team in each of the past three years. But an NCAA tournament first-round loss in Auburn Hills two years ago and a regional final loss in San Jose last year showed the team needed more seasoning.Tom Keegan, Lawrence Journal-World ...
It wasn't until Monday's national championship, at the latest possible moment -- in overtime of the season's final game -- that those lessons paid off.
It didn’t come without first dragging such a passionate fan base through agony, because that’s just the way it works. Down nine points with less than two minutes remaining, the team with nine lives had one left.My friend Glen ...
I am still in a bit of disbelief that we pulled that off. Being down by 9 with 2 minutes to go, it felt like KU vs. Syracuse and another punk freshman (Carmello Anthony then, Rose now) somehow pulling off a win that we should have had. Then the steal and 3. Then missed free throws. Then Mario's Miracle shot. I like the fact that when we win championships, they are games for the ages...Dick Jerardi, Philadelphia Daily News ...
You can watch hundreds of games and never see another like it. There has never been anything like it in the championship game.
In the final 2 minutes of regulation, I counted 10 things that had to happen for Kansas to come from nine points behind to tie the game - six on Memphis' side, four for Kansas. If just one of those things goes the other way, Memphis wins the title. None did and KU won it, 75-68, in overtime.
My friend Tom ...
... I mean, how many times have we seen a KU game come down to a helter-skelter last-minute dear-sweet-christ-go-in shot, and how many times have we seen it clang off the rim, or get blocked (like KU vs. Syracuse in 2003...) ... THIS time was different ...
My friend Liz ...
a One of the best title games ever? KU better believe it
a It takes 20 years, but stars align again for Kansas
a Chalmers sends Kansas to OT, championship win
a Chalmers' last-second three highlights amazing final
a Kansas coach Bill Self moves from the bench into the driver's seat
a With newly minted national title in hand, Bill Self looking for 'security' from Kansas
a Musing On A Miracle ... And A Top 10 for 2008-09
If that miracle three-point Kansas basket doesn't bring out this baby, I don't know what will!!! I thought Memphis had 'em for sure; then the big shot. Whew! Memphis deserved to lose, since they couldn't hit a free throw to seal the win in the final moments. Fundamentals, fundamentals, fundamentals.The Wichita Eagle ...
The Jayhawks' wonderful run all the way into April gave us the precious experience of coming together to cheer and marvel at the team's performance and to revel in hearing our underappreciated state's name spoken with awe.Grant Wahl, Sports Illustrated ...
When it was over, as confetti cannons belched and chants of Rock Chalk, Jayhawk echoed through the Alamodome, Rush and Manning, player and assistant coach, met at half-court for a long embrace. Talk about your college hoops flashbacks. On a glorious spring night 20 years ago in Kansas City, a transcendent number 25 in Kansas blue (Manning) led the Jayhawks to a national title. On Monday night in San Antonio, another number 25 in Kansas blue (Rush) helped take over a championship game that appeared lost and put KU back into the history books. The calendar may be different, and the uniform shorts a little longer, but that championship feeling?And here's a few more good reads ...
It's timeless.
a One of the best title games ever? KU better believe it
a It takes 20 years, but stars align again for Kansas
a Chalmers sends Kansas to OT, championship win
a Chalmers' last-second three highlights amazing final
a Kansas coach Bill Self moves from the bench into the driver's seat
a With newly minted national title in hand, Bill Self looking for 'security' from Kansas
a Musing On A Miracle ... And A Top 10 for 2008-09
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