Well that sucked. It turns out my former enthusiastic ownership of the world’s best Michigan State sweatshirt was more upsetting to the basketball universe than I had realized – I’m willing to shoulder whatever blame you think is fair. It was a great game sure, the only non-blowout of the night and could have easily swung the other way in the last minute there. I didn’t necessarily think KU would win it all (again) this year but definitely would like to have seen them take out Rick Pitino and Louisville. Thanks to Gonzaga and Memphis also losing I’ve now lost a total of three out of my final four (and given how well Villanova’s been playing I wouldn’t be surprised to go for the shutout), putting me near the bottom of the possible points column in the quasify pool. You can check the standings here if you really want to. Mikey’s tied for first with the all top seeds bracket. Cold-hearted bastard that he is he picked MSU to win.

Category	Options options options!!		Edge
Name	Humanitarian	Fiesta	Depends where your morals lie.
Location	Boise	Tuscon	EVEN
Winning conference	Big 12	Big 12	EVEN
Losing conference	Big 10	Big 10	EVEN
Margin	mega-21	mini-3	Blackjack!
Winning score	42	24	Answer to life, the universe, everything!
Affiliation	Non-BCS	BCS	The BCS is big ball of scam.

The choice is clear. Rock chalk monkey pox!

This feels good. This feels really, really good. It feels (forewarning, heresy) better than the Red Sox winning last year. It feels way better than the Patriots last couple. Twenty years since they last won it under Larry Brown, Mario Chalmers gave us another chance with a game-tying three from nowhere. I started doing the math just (the middle school years are fuzzy) – I moved to Kansas in the fall of 1988, just after the Jayhawks last won. Two decades, two great coaches, too many chances to lose again. Fan-friggin-tastic.

This slightest of margins has brought the Kansas Jayhawks into the final four to make it an all top seed affair. In the ten years since I graduated, this is the third time we’ve reached this point. For the sake of collective recollection, in 2002 we lost in the semifinal to eventual champion Maryland (who humiliated an over-matched Indiana for the championship). In 2003, our last year with Roy Williams as coach, Wayne Simien and pretty much the same team made it back to the championship game where we lost by three to that rat-bastard Carmelo Anthony and Syracuse. The negative feelings that were generated by this single game pretty much ruined the cities of Syracuse and (courtesy of the Nuggets) Denver and the state of Colorado for me ever since. Now, after five years under Bill Self and two horrible first round humiliations (Bucknell, Bradley), we’ve reached this point again. Next Saturday will finally bring the best possible matchup the bracket had to offer, Kansas and Bill Self vs. North Carolina and Roy Williams for a shot at the championship. Rock friggin chalk Boston Jayhawks!

PS. The grace afforded me by winning empowers me to allow JP back into the circle of trust despite her treachery. A moment of silence for our dearly departed Big XII homies.

PPS. The fact that we won also allows me to be a Stephen Curry fan for the rest of his inevitable NBA career. I hope that’s some consolation little dude.

*A weekend highlight that would have happened regardless of my corporal presence in Austin was the Jayhawks thumping the Longhorns for their third consecutive Big XII championship.

I found myself without a way to watch the KU game tonight (particularly critical given it was against Texas). Typically I have to hope that a game like this is on one of the networks or suffer the arduous block long walk to The Sports Depot where the Kansas Alumni Association hangs out (with their alarmingly growing supply of babies). Or, best case scenario, head to Newton to see them play BC. Since ABC was showing Dance Wars: Bruno vs Carnie Wilson and the wind chill tonight is stupid cold I had given up on watching it (note, foreshadowing). Instead I had to get too clever by half and let the cruel mistress technology ‘solve’ all my problems. Instead of grading papers I stuttered through 45 minutes of what had to have been the choppiest stream of basketball ever. Thanks Logitech+Dell+ESPN+Skype+Ebay+lack of respect for some law I’m guessing+friends with cable!

PS. The Jayhawks friggin lost at the buzzer with a miss by Mario Chalmers.

PPS. JP was at the game, undoubtably cheering for the wrong team. I can never talk to her again.

PPPS. My personalized Triscuit commercial (a low fat Kraft ‘Food’ ‘Product’!) turned out to be the highlight of the night. You’re welcome Nabisco!!

Orangey goodness is not just for Juliuses (Julii?) anymore. Congrats to the Kansas Jayhawks, 2008 Orange Bowl champs. Rock Friggin Chalk. NP reminded me that he scored tickets for us to see KU whomp BC this weekend, should be great.