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| Aaron Craft after losing to Dayton (via @SportsNation) |
With them, they brought several things that I find myself missing on a regular basis. They are minute things. Things most here might not even understand, but they are things we recognise at the drop of a pen:
- It helped that the hotel had WiFi so the three of us could refresh our phones constantly to check scores (and so that I didn't run right through my crummy data plan on O2). We were the noisy Americans at the table in the hotel restaurant giddy at every update from Buffalo, chatting about the now iconic (memorable maybe?) photo of Aaron Craft laying on the court. #Crafting they call it now.
- Always pull for the ACC really meaning... I'll pull for everyone but Duke, sorry MA. When I arrived to the hotel on Friday afternoon after uni, Duke was stuck in a nail bitter against Mercer that they would eventually lose 78-71. And whilst I breathed Come on Mercer underneath my breath, I kept getting reminders of, "Oh Allen, you want the ACC to do well!". I stayed up late on Tuesday AND Thursday watching NC State. The Wolfpack have my support, especially the women who I grew up hearing about and learning the values of Kay Yow. But Duke. That'd hurt. And it would be immoral.
- Friday and Sunday: Carolina took the court at 11PM GMT to play Providence, but it meant Gameday attire. When I arrived at the Premier Inn for to head out for dinner, I was greeted by another Carolina jumper looking back at me. Smile at the little things -- when we wear our Carolina best. And it doesn't matter if we are watching from Westfield, Cornelius, or Greensboro, or if we are in Syracuse, East Rutherford, San Antonio, or Detroit, if we win we lay the same clothes out for the next round. Carolina Rituals.
- Saturday was a lounging around my house day. Just like we do back at the 408 in Cornelius. Basketball was on my laptop. Pizza on the table. Nancy & I watched. MA read and listened in. Every so often she would chime in about a story she read on Huffington Post or something she saw on Sportscenter. I watched it 9am-3pm most days for my lady, Jade McCarthy. Its nice talking New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks, Johnny Football, and Jadeveon Clowney. These are the moments we sometimes take for granted, but when you only get to do it once or twice in a seven month span, you miss it. I wouldn't have it any other way even if we were 4,000 miles from home.
- Return to Sunday. Carolina was playing Iowa State at the same exact time I had a hockey game in Sheffield that my parents had agreed to come to. MA watched intently with the parents of two of my housemates. Nancy "watched" from inside the Cafe with her iPad flipped on to the Carolina game. I love hockey, don't get me wrong, but I would've given everything to be up there with her watching the Carolina game. From an early age it became a way of life -- Regionals, Final Fours, the Smith Center.
This may seem a cheeky way to get in a post about basketball, sure, but it is really about the time I got to spend with my parents where we had a few moments of familiarity. Upon their arrival they mentioned eating at Macaroni Grill in Chicago before their flight; subtle name drops of places and people take you back where you well up inside.
My parents gave up a lot to allow their youngest to not only leave home, but to fly across the ocean to attend university. That isn't easy for anyone to do when I used to be an hour and half drive away. I tip my hat to them for every opportunity they've given me.
Oh! When in doubt. Always pick guard play. I did it 2011 with Kemba and Lamb. Should've done it with Napier and Boatright this year I guess, heh.
Cornelius 408 Bracket Challenge: 1) Allen, 39 pts; 2) MA, 35 pts; 3) Nancy, 28 pts.
I think we all wanted a piece of that bill.
Oh! When in doubt. Always pick guard play. I did it 2011 with Kemba and Lamb. Should've done it with Napier and Boatright this year I guess, heh.
Cornelius 408 Bracket Challenge: 1) Allen, 39 pts; 2) MA, 35 pts; 3) Nancy, 28 pts.
I think we all wanted a piece of that bill.
