A Game of Epic Proportion

Now I don't claim to be a basketball fan by any means. Well, I'm a casual basketball fan. Like a heavy smoker vs a social one, I take a puff every now and then - theoretically, of course. When I do decide, by chance, to watch a game its usually satisfying. I'd like to think I know a good game when I see one. Tonight, even if I didn't have my bball glasses on, the 20th ranked Syracuse v 4th spot UConn game would've stopped me in my tracks, and it did.

I'm aware I have practice at 945am today but I am avidly watching as there is little over 1 minute left in the game that has gone to its sixth overtime. For the first five overtimes (yeah, thats right)  Syracuse had not lead at all, only to pull away in the sixth overtime with seventeen points and a final score of 127 to 112. I can't imagine the euphoria in Madison Square Garden right now, there's no better place for this game to have happened. Those with tickets got their money's worth six times over. Everyone in that stadium and in front of the TV got to practice their "You've GOT to be kidding me faces" tonight.

Thank god for free throws to seal the deal, or we'd be here for a legendary  seventh overtime. If only Syracuse's player had released the ball a tenth of a second sooner to sink his beyond clutch three pointer at the end of regulation time both teams wouldn't have had their players going 57 minutes in a game. Entire squads of starting players wouldn't have been fouled out forcing teams to put in walk ons who had only played for 20 minutes that year. Only if. If that amazing three pointer had counted, I wouldn't be marveling right now, in my exhausted state. 

The heart both teams showed tonight for a ridiculous 3 hours and 40 minutes of play is something I hope to have a fraction of when its on the line for me. The words from a bad space-themed Tim Allen movie seem fitting right now: "Never give up, never surrender," which is exactly what Syracuse did.

For the girl who doesn't watch basketball, I'm glad I caught this one.

Game over.

PS, if you're interested in a more detailed relation of tonight's events, here is a complimentary link: "Syracuse survives longest game in Big East history with epic win over UConn"