The Strib recently reported that Minnesota’s major sports teams were a combined 0 -13 for 2016.  So, I thought maybe everybody could use a little sports cheer up . . . and the Super wanted me to help rearranging (i.e., purging) our bookshelves.

Alexandria

[73 years later and Hal Haskins is still the gold standard for Cardinal roundballers.]

[Our first year in retirement – thought we went to state every year?  😉 ]

Golf

[OK, this could have fit under Alexandria as well.]

[I had a friend who did the legal work for this tournament.  The week after it was over he invited me to play Congressional (yes, yea, it’s who you know).  The course was still in Open condition, and we played from the championship tees (he showed me where Tiger hit every drive).  I had a 45 on the front, I thought not bad.  I lost it on the back.  It was a hot day and we were carrying our bags – gave me a new appreciation for the golfers and their caddies.  Congressional made me feel like I needed to be a mountain goat.]

[Remember the Gophs were Penn State’s first ever Big Ten game.  I rode up in a bus put together by the Nittany Lion alumni club.  Oy!  Gophs played well but lost in a high scoring game.  I saw the Gophs play in Happy Valley one other time while I still lived “out East.”]

[The season taken away from us.  The Super and I hadn’t planned on going to Final Four that year because we were making our first trip to Europe the following week.  Then the Gophers made it – so I had to go.  No lodging reserved, no tickets either.  We somehow lucked into the downtown Hyatt right next to the stadium and with a view of the state capitol.  We bought tickets on the street from a Kentucky family who sold them to us a face value.  Everything was falling into place . . . until we lost a close one to Kentucky in the semi-final.  Sold our tickets to the final to Kentucky fans and headed for Europe.]

[Our D.C. “home” team – well, when it wasn’t Georgetown.  Wolf Blitzer was a regular at their games; President Clinton came once when the Patriots were ranked in the Top 10.]

Final Fours

[My first was Indiana’s undefeated year, 1976.  Played at the Philadelphia Spectrum where we bought tickets at the gate the day of the games . . . boy, did that ever change over the years!  From 1982 on we were pretty much regulars, and probably why I was able to fill in all 50 states when that “question” went around on Facebook.  And, of course, we always have to thank Basketball Dan for being our travel agent and tour guide.]

[Michael Jordan won it . . . ]

[Jim Valvano running around the court looking for someone to hug . . . ]

[Yay for our Hoyas . . . ]

[Missed Villanova in ’85; Louisville won but I have no memories . . . ]

[Keith Smart won it for the Hoosiers . . . ]

[Danny and the Miracles . . . ]

[Missed Michigan in ’89 . . . ]

[The last year the Final Four was held in a basketball arena – and it showed in that the scalper ticket prices were too rich for our blood.  We watched UNLV win from our hotel room . . . ]

[Well, it was in Colorado . . . ]

[Duke . . . ]

[Duke (again) . . . the Super’s Hoosiers were here and we didn’t have tickets.  We were trying to score them on the street, but Minneapolis has (had?) a strict anti-scalping law.  We heard a scuffle behind us and two plain clothes cops had a guy pinned to the sidewalk with their pistols out – for scalping?  The Super started crying thinking she’d never be able to get into the games.  Then we ran into a guy who had tickets, and we followed him to a bar a couple blocks from the stadium.  They completed the transaction under the table . . . just like a drug deal!  Oy!  Just shows to go yuh!]

[Tarheels . . . ]

[Sooie Pig and 40 minutes of hell . . . ]

[UCLA . . . ]

[Missed ’96 with Kentucky, this was Lute’s year . . . ]

[Tubby and the ‘Cats . . . ]

[UConn – unfortunately (or is it “fortunately”?) we didn’t know Crazy Dave yet . . . ]

[Mateen Cleaves and the Spartans . . . ]

[UConn – In Minnesota now, not going much anymore, much easier to sit home and watch it on the big screen TV . . . ]

[Tarheels – we just happened to stop by after a long road trip through out the West . . . ]

[Florida – well, the Super got her Masters Degree there . . . ]

[Duke (again) . . . we were for hometown Butler.]

Twins

[Oh Happy Days!]

Cars will soon have the Internet on the dashboard. I worry that this will distract me from my texting.  ~ Andy Borowitz

Up next:   Josie and girls’ hockey.