Can You Say Ali Farokhamesh?

Can you say Ali Farokhamesh (A’lee Fa-rouk’ha-mesh)?

After this past weekend, absolutely! Even if you’re only a casual college basketball fan, you’re probably proclaiming the name Ali Farokhamesh!

As matter of fact, not only can you repeatedly rattle off the tongue-twisting name Ali Farokhamesh with absolute confidence, you can also spell it, syllabicate it and quickly correct the butchery of those who stutter when they can’t make it past the first three letters of this stellar guard’s last name.

Ali Farokhamesh. The Rook to his team mates, is arguably the number one story in this year’s NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament and the one player mostly responsible for manufacturing America’s first bout of mania during this Spring’s March Madness.

Expect Farokhamesh-a-mania to flourish for at least another five fabulous days until the Sweet Sixteen resumes next Saturday in St. Louis. Little Ali’s created the kind of Big Dance buzz that rivals Cincinnati’s Big O’s scintillations of the early 60’s, Michigan State’s Magic’s mesmerizing moves of the 70’s, Jimmy V’s vanquishing the vaunted Phi Slamma Jamma in the 80s, Duke’s dazzling Laettner’s turn-around in the early 90’s and the Cuse’s Freshman Phenom Carmelo’s captivating college fans earlier this decade.

Ali Farokhamesh. The only thing wrong with him is his six foot height generously exaggerated on the Northern Iowa Panther’s basketball team roster. However, in spite of this one accepted aberration, everything else is sooooo very right about this thick, hairy legged, under-sized Midwestern kid with the receding hairline and the barely pronounceable last name who was willing to take crazy, calculated career defining shots on the biggest stage during one of the biggest games of his life against heavily favored opponents before a nationally televised audience.

Ali Farokhamesh. A name never to be forgotten for a lifetime of Big Dances. Forget the March Madness heroes of NCAA Tournaments past. Move over Magic (Johnson), Michael (Jordan) and Manning (Danny). Wipe Wilt (Chamberlain) and Walton (Bill) off your list. And don’t even challenge me with the name Mario Chalmers. Ali has emerged as the Hero of Heroes and Prom King of the Big Dance…even if he never makes it past the Sweet Sixteen.

Ali Farokhamesh. Get used to hearing and seeing a lot of this alphabet soup of a name. Ali’s two tournament game heroics will be constantly replayed, analyzed, dissected, fawned over and enjoyed in our living rooms for all of America to enjoy…..at least until he and his Panthers lace ‘em again next weekend.  

Ali Farokhamesh. The reason why teams play the game….any game….is because even the number one seeded, more highly touted, athletically gifted, tremendously talented teams on PAPER must show up every night to take on unknown overachieving underdogs. But when these nationally ranked titans overlook scrappy Goliath killer mid-major teams like Northern Iowa, unheard of players like Ali Farokhamesh, rise up, seize the moment and write their own chapter in NCAA Basketball Tournament history.

Ali Farokhamesh.  Yup, I love writing his name as much as I love saying it. Thanks to this Iowa City native and Kirkwood, Iowa Junior College transfer guard for making my March Madness so memorable already.

Ali Farokhamesh. All the best next weekend in St. Louis to you, Mr. Fearlessly Firing Shooting Guard with the twin fire hydrant legs when your Northern Iowa squad squares off against another favored five for a spot in the Elite Eight.

Trust me, at tip-off, sports fans across America will know who you are and will eloquently and effortlessly be able to say your name - Ali Farokhamesh.

Straight talk. No static.

MIKE – thee American made voice on sports.