Until I saw Bergman's comment from the previous post, this post was sure to be a rambling, completely incoherent blurb about my former love for Roy and yada yada yada. Now, since he gave me some questions to base things on, it will only be a semi-rambling, semi-coherent blurb.
Quick back story for the non-college-basketball-fans (let's pretend for a second that are actually some of them out there who have continued to stick with this blog for the last month): Roy used to coach KU, for 15 years. He was one of the most beloved coaches in the country. However, while he had Kansas in his heart, he had North Carolina blood coursing through his veins. Roy almost left for UNC in 2000, then gave a tearful, heart-felt speech turning down the job, saying he was a Jayhawk for life. Flash forward 3 years. Following a heart-breaking title game loss, Roy is asked if he is interested in the once-again-vacant UNC head coaching position. Roy replies, on national TV, "I don't give a shit about Carolina." Flash forward 1 week. Roy takes the Carolina job. Flash forward 2 years. Roy wins that national championship that proved so elusive while at KU.
First off, no, I will not be cheering any harder since this game is against Roy. The buildup will be more intense, making this probably the most intense sporting event in my life (that's scary huh Alex? Hope you have bail money put aside for tomorrow night), but every win in the Final 4 is special, whether or not we're playing Roy and/or UNC. My favorite moment as a KU fan was the semifinal win over Marquette in '03, and it is why I have a framed portrait of that game in my office. (We also threw a pretty decent rager at Culligan that night, featuring the girls from Minneapolis that St. Aubyn, Fundy, and Russell met in Cancun. Anybody remember that? I was blaaaaacked out!) I will be crushed if we lose this game, but no more crushed than when we lost to 'Cuse in '03, or Maryland in '02, or Bucknell in '05, or Rhode Island in '98, or Arizona in '97, etc. etc. you get the point.
On the same token, no, even if we win this game but lose the title game, it will not make things OK. Beating Roy in the semis will give me no consolation if we can't win the whole shebangabang. That will only help me for shit-talking purposes against all the Carolina fans that I'm friends with (and Baby Jesus knows there are a lot of them.)
However, on the other hand, will I still hate Roy if we do win the natty this year? That's a great question, one that I can't completely answer right now. As of this moment, I would be inclined to say not as much, no. That has more to do with just being at peace as a KU fan in general, however, than my hatred of Roy. I will not suddenly like Roy again, but if we win it all, a lot of basketball-related things I have bitterness towards (Roy, Gerry McNamara going unconscious, Bucknell, Keith Langford's bullshit foul call, shooting 12-30 from the free throw line, Juan Dixon, Lamar Odom, Mike Bibby & Miles Simon, Grant Hill's amazing dunk) will be diminished. That's just reality.
Since this is my only basis of comparison as far as my teams winning championships, and since it is a pretty decent analogy anyway, I liken this to the Red Sox in 2004 (the whole Roy to Carolina thing mirrors the Johnny Damon to the Yankees scenario, too, doesn't it?) Looking back on it now, yeah, it makes it sweeter that they came back from 0-3 down in the ALCS, and that it was against the Yankees, but at the time, all I was cheering for was a win. After Game 7, when it all sunk in what just happened, it became more special, but when you're in the moment, all you want is for your team to win, not for someone else to lose. So basically once the ball tips on Saturday night, all the Roy stuff goes out the window. However, having said ALL THAT, I would LOVE to see this image on a television set Saturday night:
Holy as I'm re-reading this right now, this is probably the worst thing I have ever written, as far as quality writing is concerned. Fuck it I'm not editing it. Can you tell I'm delirious about this game right now? That is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever written in my whole life. At no point am I anywhere near anything that can be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having read that. I award myself no points, and may God have mercy on my soul. Fuck it, dude. Let's get this game started.
"A simple 'wrong' would've done just fine."
