A Weekend in Boringham

I spent my second weekend of spring break in Birmingham, Ala. in hopes of experiencing some March Madness.  I was there mainly to follow my Tennessee Volunteers, but I also was hoping to get to see some good college basketball.

The day started with the Tennessee-American game.  Somehow, the game I wanted to be the least dramatic, ended up being the closest one of the day.  As I watched the Vols pull it out at the end, I was receiving text updates on the other games in progress.

Between games, I left my seat to catch some of the action in the Western Kentucky-Drake game.  It was tight, but I was hungry so I stepped away from the masses surrounding the TV.

I came back to my seat and heard some guy raving about the shot some kid made to win the game for Western Kentucky.  Great, I even missed watching the excitement on TV.

The second game, Butler vs. South Alabama, was one we all expected to be a good one.  It wasn't.  Butler picked South Alabama apart in the second half on their way to a 20-point victory.

My brother and I went on a search for food (which by the way, downtown Birmingham seems to lack).  On the way, I received the update that San Diego had just won a close game over Connecticut.  I would find out later that they won on a shot with seconds to go.

We headed back to the arena for session No. 2.  Much of the orange in the arena had been replaced with Louisville red.

There was a lot of talk that this Oklahoma vs. St. Joe's game could be one of those first-round upsets.  Well the talk was wrong, and, in this game, we got hit with what I like to call the "underdog tease." 

They keep the game within reasonable distance.  Sometimes they might tie it, but they always make key shots to keep it close.  However the last five minutes always belong to the favorite. They assert themselves and hit the free throws necessary to win the game.

Although sometimes, that miss is just enough to make you think the underdog has a chance, but it's all deception.

During this game, the text updates continued, telling me that Vanderbilt is getting pounded by Siena.  Not that I'm surprised.  That team, especially Shan Foster, can't play outside Memorial Gym.

The nightcap comes in the form of Louisville vs. Boise St.  I look at all the Louisville fan support around me.  There's no way they keep this one close, but I stick around anyways.

Boise gives them a decent first half, but we decide that, if the game isn't within 10 points at the 15 minute mark, then it's not worth staying.

It isn't.  And we get back to the hotel in time to catch the end of the Villanova vs. Clemson game.

This is where the real horror comes to me.  All four of these great upsets occurred at one location.

Two buzzer-beaters.  The first time ever that the four lower seeds win at one site.

Maybe I should have done like everyone else and spent my spring break in Florida.