After graduation, we kept on cheering. My friends and I joined our cheers with my sister and her KU friends in '02 (Maryland - sadly I watched us self destruct in person in ATL) & '03 (Syracuse - where I heard an earful from a close friend) as we lost in the final 4 back-to-back. And then we saw Roy leave in abrupt matter to go back to UNC.
With the arrival of Bill Self we continued to win, but had a little trouble cracking anything above the elite 8 (but we were still happy making the tourney). That was until now…The KU season started out great! We seemed to be pacing one of my other favorite teams – Memphis.
But Memphis kept winning and KU could never secure the #1 as we dropped games to K-State (bitterness), Texas and Oklahoma State. I argued with my friends in Memphis. I was practically begging to see a KU vs. Memphis match-up in January & February as the smack-talk flew about who which team was better.
But the road to the final 4 paved the way for my ideal match-up KU vs. Memphis to become a reality. And I have to say the victory was both thrilling and bittersweet. I’m not sure a writer could have predicted a better script for this year’s tourney. I'm proud to be a Jayhawk and a KU alum. But honestly I was sad how my hometown, family and friends became a bit deflated after the loss. Hopefully as time passes we can all look back and just reminisce about what an amazing game the championship was… I know I will remember it fondly. ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK, GO KU!!!
PS – I’m going to have trouble waiting around another 7 months until basketball season to start-up again.
