NCAA Basketball Tournament Sure Hasn't Disappointed

I sure missed it last year.  This is by far my favorite of any pro or college playoffs.  One and Done, you know, if you don't win.  It's all out.

In the first two rounds I pull for every Little Guy versus Big Guy team and all the Underdogs.  I sure enjoyed the runs by Oral Roberts (which sent everyone to their smart phones to find out where this school was), Abilene Christian, Ohio and Loyola.

And how about perennial powerhouses Michigan State and UCLA having to play in.  Even better, those two One and Done player schools Kentucky and Duke not making the playoffs at all.  Loved it.

Anyway, I would normally be pulling for Gonzaga tonight as they are Little Guys not in a Power 5 conference, but you've got give UCLA credit, man those were great games, especially the Alabama one.

So, I'll have to see who I will pull for in that game.

--RoadDog

About That Loyola Mania

**  I learned that my pronunciation of it was not necessarily correct.  I have always called the school Li-yo-la.  It was pointed out that it should be Lo-yol-a..  I stand corrected.

**  Of course, the tournament's sweetheart, Sister Jean.

**  Those great Loyola scarves.

**  A team's team.  Those guys really played together.

**   Cameron Krutwig, the big freshman center, played at nearby Jacobs High School in Algonquin which made him a crowd favorite here in McHenry County.  Saturday, somebody had a huge cutout of him and whenever they raised it, the place went up for grabs.

**  Then there is the Maguire University Jollymen who are big Loyola backers.  The group started in 1963 when Loyola won the tournament.  They even got the NCAA to recognize them as a school and the NCAA wasn't happy too happy when they found out Maguire University was actually MaGuire's Bar.

**  And, of course, there was that historic NCAA National Championship in 1963 when Loyola had four black starters.

Just Too Much.  --RoadDog

What a Run!! Congrats to Loyala

Was I watching the NCAA Tournament?  You Betcha.!!  And it was a great one.  A whole lot of fun.  To me, the NCAA Basketball Championship is the best sporting event of the year.

And, even with all the close games and upsets, especially the UMBC win over Virginia, the best time was watching Loyola.  It was the only team from Illinois or Wisconsin in the game and talk about your underdogs.
I didn't say anything before this because that would be the kiss of death.  But since they were eliminated in the Final Four Saturday, I am going to say it now.

Wow!!  We sure had fun and so did a whole lot of people around here.  The first game we watched at Donovan's Reef in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, and it was a big Loyola crowd.    We watched the Nevada game at Fatty;s in DeKalb, Illinois, and again, it was a huge Loyola-pulling crowd, even though DeKalb is home to NIU.

Then, the regional championship game we saw at Half-Times in Johnsburg, Illinois, and it was a standing-room only crowd as well.  Lots and lots of cheering.  We saw the Final Four game at Half-Times and it was even more crowded.

Looking Forward to Next Season With a Ramblin' On the Mind.  --RoadDog