Mar 22 2006
The Other March Madness
Thursday morning I leave for Kansas.
Every year (well, this is the second year), my brother and I go see our only living grandparent at his home, which we all use as a home base for the final two days and nights of the National Junior College Basketball Tournament.
Granddad and my brother are golf nuts, so we try to hit the links, weather permitting. His home course, Prairie Dunes, is a beauty to behold, even if you don’t know a three-iron from a lob wedge. It is the site of the 2006 US Senior Open, and the 2002 US Women’s Open. Regardless, Granddad gives out after nine holes.
He’s 93.
Granddad has held season tickets to this tournament event for at least 40 years, and he and my late grandmother went together for the first 30 or so. The seats are on one end, right behind the goal, but close enough to see the action on both ends. He buys an extra so that the three of us can go together.
A few years ago, my wife and I went to visit him, and we went to the games. A year or two later, I made the trip alone, but got the idea to invite my brother the next year. I only wish that we had started right after my grandmother passed away in the mid ’90’s.
This year, the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith (formerly Westark) looks to be a strong contender, as they won their first two games to make it to the semifinals Friday night. Even if they lose that night, we are guaranteed to see them play again, because there is a consolation round. The other semifinal game is Friday night, too, and then the two championship games (championship bracket and consolation bracket) on Saturday. It would be nice for them to win, after the Razorbacks flamed out of the NCAA tournament in the first round. Maybe then the “real” UA can pull some talent from guys who know how to keep it together.
Sorry to my Canadian readers for all this US sports talk. Let me think of something sporty AND Canadian to say. Ummmm…. hockey. There, that help? I hope, because that’s about all I know about that sport.
I’m not sure how much I’ll be updating my blog while I’m gone. My brother and I parked outside an IHOP for our access last year, as Granddad has no broadband and my only dial-up is an Aristotle account I still have from 1995. Great deal if you only need it sometimes, because they charge $0.50/hour, period. No flat fee. They are an Arkansas company, by the way, and their Web design division has won several awards.
It’s about a 400-mile trip for me. Kind of makes me want an in-dash DVD player. Not that I would engage in such wreckless behavior, but come on. It happens to be one of the most boring drives ever.
Stay tuned.
Did you know that lacrosse is actually the official sport of Canada?
That’s sort of weird considering how few people actually play it. Relatively speaking.
I did not know that. Lacrosse would be a lot of fun to watch, but there’s not much opportunity for that around here. Although, I have heard of college teams in the US. Mysteriously, their games do not appear in the news.
Have a great time bud!
A golf course in Hutchinson, Ks? Who’d have thought it!
Good thing we got rid of all of those buffalo … they can really throw off your drive! The ruts and buffalo patties play havoc with the golf carts, too.
(I can make fun of Kansas, being a native Kansan myself!)