I'm A Lucky Charm!

Last night I went to my first Alabama basketball game in 3 years. I haven't seen The Crimson Tide play since I saw them be the last team to beat Florida before the Gator's 2006 National Championship game. I figured if I was lucky enough to see Florida lose twice by Alabama (earlier that football season, and the basketball game), I would end my basketball-going days on that note. But, the Heels weren't taking over ESPN coverage last night so there was no need to stay at home and hoot and holler at the television, so I got dressed and went to Coleman Colesium.

I was fortunate enough to have Ryan Powell, the Alabama Graduate Assistant, put me in good floor seats (well, except for the excessively large Gatorade coolers in front of me), right behind the Crimson Tide bench. It was strange to me not having Coach Gottfried in his Sidney Lowe look-alike red blazer daunting the sidelines. But, Coach Pearson, Dunlap, and Pettway, obviously did something right to get the momentum changed. Arkansas got the hell beaten out of them. (Maybe it was something in the excessively large Gatorage coolers in front of me).

I walked into Coleman Colesium dressed in the same oxford shirt and jeans that I wore to the Carolina game. The only change was my button. I slipped on the "Roll Tide" button and left the "Tar Heel Born" one at home. Right when I walked up the steps to the, I have to admit - very, very pretty colesium, I heard a familiar sound. Expecting to hear 'Sweet Home Alabama' I heard 'Sweet Caroline', and it almost felt like I was going to walk in and see Tyler Hansbrough and Roy Williams. But, with all the Crimson everywhere and the absence of Final Four banners, legendary jerseys, and the prettiest hardwood floor in the country, I knew I wasn't at the Dean E. Smith Center. Simply, I put all biased thoughts aside and walked down to my seat with an open-mind.

I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the boys play a good game of basketball. You could see it in their faces and attitude that they had been missing a sort of lively energy that seemed to carry them through the game which, for the majority of the game, was a 20 to 30 point lead. When Ryan met me after the game, I was "happy to admit" that Alabama could have run with anyone in the country that night. There was 4 or 5 minutes of sloppyness, but when your Interim Coach has a conference game that he can put every single player in the game, and have them score, you have to put your Carolina obsession aside and appreciate and respect that. And I did, the whole night. I think I was more excited than the darn Graduate Assistant. I guess that's the "coach" in everyone. I remember running my best cross-country race or playing my best soccer game, and Dad, as my sister and I like to call him - "Coach Dad", always made us be humble and no matter the excitement, there were things that weren't perfect.

To top it all off, I got to see the 'behind the scenes' of the Alabama Basketball world and saw locker rooms, offices, and the empty office where someone will move in and take over the program next year. Whoever that may be??? I'm still anxiously awaiting the Alabama Athletics Department's decision on this one. I guess my Tar Heel nature kept speaking without thinking when I compared every little thing to 'the way it is at Carolina.' Well, I've never been lucky enough to see the locker rooms and Coach Williams' office. I got to see Alabama's, and I am grateful for that. Like I said in my earlier post this week, I'm a part of this school and last night I finally stepped back and took it for all it's worth.

But, seriously, anyone reading this that wants to offer me a behind the scenes tour of the Carolina Basketball world, by all means... ask away! I think you know my answer.