This Orange will keep fighting

Last Thursday was somethin' else.

I was at my friends' home in the midst of finishing up dinner and cleaning up when I remembered that SU was playing UConn in the Big East Tournament. I checked ESPN quickly to realize, hey, we're not getting creamed (at 2nd quarter, 6 min. left), considering it's UConn (read: strong team). Actually, this is a close game! Aaron let me turn on the TV and he and Susan were quickly sucked in. I was jumping up and down, burying my face on the couch, hitting the pillow, yelling OMG! OMG! Four overtimes? Five overtimes?

The game lasted SIX overtimes; neither team could get ahead very much to secure a win throughout the game and subsequent overtimes, until the sixth overtime when SU scored a three pointer right off the bat and finally gained enough, winning by 10 points. Those of you who don't really care about basketball or sports, you can at least appreciate that six overtimes is rare and it is a long time to be running around on the court. For those of you who like sports and basketball: HOLY COW, right?! And to my fellow Orange crew: was it not the sweetest thing ever!?!?!?

We ended up losing the championship to Louisville a few days after -- but!! I have a feeling that when asked, 5-10 years from now, you'd struggle to recall the 2009 Big East champions but you might still remember that everyone was buzzing about the epic battle between the Orange and the Huskies.

I was just riveted by the team for fighting so hard and not letting go. Through the entire game I was a bit stressed out, thinking, I better not get my hopes up (it's UConn!). I was telling myself that it's okay if they don't win, they're at least making UConn work for it, and they're really awesome, they're tired because they played the night before, blah blah blah. And yet, I knew they did stand a chance, somehow, because they fought on. A friend and fellow SU alum said to me, "I was just so proud of them," even though they didn't win the championship. Yep. This is why I like college ball. This is why I appreciate (true) fans of sports teams (even though I may make fun of the sport itself): No matter your team's W-L record, they're your team, and you root for 'em, you stick with 'em.

My team showed me that I have such hesitant faith, such cowardly disposition towards winning. Even now, I'm lowering my expectations for the tournament (to begin this Fri.). Can't help it. But they also showed me that I would've been okay if we hadn't won that game because my faith doesn't hinge on them winning, rather, it keeps going because they keep on fighting, and it keeps going simply because they're my team. So my bracket will - must - have the Syracuse Orange going all the way. Because!