Final Four 2012—Dancing on Bourbon Street: A Message to the Players

Ahh, the smooth sounds of jazz in the air, followed not far behind by the tempting scent of fresh seafood and the chatter of the locals just eager to share a story.

This, my friends, is New Orleans.

If you have ever had the chance to visit, you know exactly what I’m talking about. And why I believe the remaining teams have already won the top prize.

Oh sure, they would love to cut down the nets, heck, who wouldn’t? But I say, let basketball escape you for just a moment and enjoy your surroundings.

With all the pressure put on kids nowadays in high profile sports, it seems they don’t even have the chance to experience what they have actually accomplished.

A once in a lifetime opportunity.

The Final Four teams' Kentucky, Louisville, Ohio State and Kansas shouldn’t be worried about winning the game(s) in New Orleans: they should be worried about living.

Wins, they come and go. But an experience such as New Orleans, might be a once in a lifetime occurrence.

Now, of course winning the national title might be the same once in a lifetime chance, but this is college not business. These KIDS should be out there enjoying every last drop of a culture because they might never get the chance to experience it again—at least not in this first class way.

Basketball will always be there in some way, shape or from. Life experiences can’t be taken for granted.

So Wildcats, Cardinals, Buckeyes and Jayhawks, take a tip from me—enjoy this. You have earned it. Don’t look back saying the only part of New Orleans you saw was the Superdome. Yeah, it’s cool, but in the end, all basketball courts are the same.

New Orleans? It’s a whole other world.