I've been afraid to mention this because it seems so tenuous: My college alma mater actually has a ranked men's basketball team. Not only that, they appear to be headed to the NCAA tournament.I mean, Good Lord, do you have any idea how bad the Drake Bulldogs have been for the past few decades?
From ESPN (Drake a blessed reminder of college hoops ecstasy):
All of America wonders how Drake has become the surprise story of the year in college hoops.According to what I've picked up in the alumni newsletter and other media, the Bulldogs started the season expected to finish dead last in the Missouri Valley Conference. They have a brand-new coach this year (the son of the previous coach) and two of the starting players are former walk-ons to the team.
Drake already has won its first Missouri Valley Conference title since 1971, and the Bulldogs are a lock for the school's first NCAA Tournament berth since '71. Before Saturday, they hadn't beaten a top-10 opponent in 26 years. They hadn't had a winning Valley record since 1986. They have finished last in the Valley 11 times since '71.
And they've managed to pull an incredible season out of seemingly thin air. A real Cinderella story.
My husband, also a Drake alum, is excited. They've even inspired me, who only has a mild interest in most sports, to jump on the bandwagon. It'll be the first time ever that I fill out a NCAA bracket, and actually care about one of the teams. (Yeah, now I've cursed them.)
Their schedule shows them playing Tuesday night against Missouri State, then Saturday against Wichita State, then on to the conference tournament next week. Saturday's game is supposed to be on ESPN 2. You know it'll be on in our household.
Here is the trick... you can't care about any teams in the bracket, cause then you will pick them due to heart string pulss, when they really haven't a snowballs chance in h-e-double toothpick of winning! Good luck with the bracket though!
ReplyDeleteWell, nothing is official until they announce the brackets.
ReplyDeleteBut I do know that my brackets have all sucked in years when I didn't care about the teams, so caring now can't hurt. :)
My husband's solution when he cares about a team? Two brackets: one following his heart and one following his head.
Haley,
ReplyDeleteI happened upon your blog as I was searching for posts on the drake basketball team. You have a great site here.
My wife currently works at Drake, and I am an MBA student. I must say that this has been an amazing and magical year. We have been able to attend most games, and will be going to the NCAA games (wherever they may be).
It's great to see Drake get some "national love." I recently posted about the bulldogs as well, if you are interested.... http://leadershipramblings.blogspot.com/2008/03/good-luck-drake-bulldogs.html
@Eric -- Thanks for stopping by and looking around.
ReplyDeleteIt really is great to see the Drake Bulldogs getting some national love. It truly has been a remarkable season for a remarkable team.
And now I need to figure out how to arrange my work schedule so that I can go to the bar with my husband and watch them PLAY IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT!