A Storybook Finish and Welcome Continuation

March 13, 2005 Anaheim, CA -- Fingernails? Who needs them? Excitement? It was there!

With what Pacific had done to Utah State in Logan , there was plenty of nail-gnawing during the Big West Championship game in the shadows of California Screamin' and beautiful palms. A Double-digit lead with the clock ticking down was still not enough to calm many in the crowd. No, this wasn't Fantasy Land . It was Reality Land as the Aggies finally put a full game together against the regular season champions. No last second shot was allowed to drain the life out of the Aggies. No Aggies being led out of the arena in cuffs. Just a group of the most excited fans in Anaheim that night storming the court hoping to wet their hand on hard earned sweat from one of those ecstatic Aggie men's basketball players.

Plenty of fans wanted more than to touch a shoulder or be fortunate to “slap some skin” with an Aggie player, some wanted a huge and even a kiss. Coaches, managers, and administrators felt the love as well. A certain hug in particular told the entire story of the season and perhaps several seasons. Spencer Nelson found his head coach after his trip to the visiting team's bench to shake hands and congratulate his opponents in their perfect regular season and second place tournament finish. After Spencer had played, in his words, some forty years of basketball, his team finished their final Big West Conference game as Tournament Champions!

Some hugs are obligatory, like the quick hugs by players to some members of the athletic department administration and some rabid fans jumping, screaming, and running around the court as though they just discovered that Cialis could cure what ails them. Some hugs are genuine and all time comes to a standstill as years of hard work and respect freeze time momentarily. At this moment even Stew Morrill couldn't keep a smile from his hardened face. Time seemed to pause if not freeze for a moment. The hug between the player and his coach and the ensuing smiles were as priceless as the events that lead up to this moment.

Following a season of disappointment and letdown from uncanny losses to seemingly undeserving teams, the championship game Saturday was even more pleasurable by personally upsetting the perfect regular season champions. It was not unlike enjoying a spectacular dessert after a most satisfying five-star meal. Unlike Logan , there was no bright yellow rope in the Anaheim Convention Center . Students and fans were allowed to flow unto the court freely to celebrate with the team and enjoy the moment with some of the most bizarre antics seen that night. Based on their faces and gestures, you would almost believe some of the fans had also played in that game and were direct causes of the Aggie team winning that game. Sometimes the sense of order a physical rope provides creates the opposite in reality and the Anaheim Convention Center staff was wise in their decision to allow some celebration to occur and some emotional energy be released.

Fingernails? I am sure the beautiful young lady who sat next to me will have time to grow her nails in the future – probably not in the near future however. The Aggies are going to the Big Dance and there will probably be more nails shed. More fingers abused and more nerves frazzled in the coming days as the Aggies continue what they started in Anaheim . Where will they go? The physical location is not as important as the fact that the location is part of the NCAA Tournament. There will be no home post-season game this season, but Aggie fans from around the world can easily accept that reality!

March 13, 2005 © by TrueAggies.com