March Madness hits the UK
I'll be the first to admit it. I have a problem.
Usually, back in the states, be it during the summer or maybe more often during the school year, I will watch between 1 to 3 hours of Sportscenter a day. 10pm, midnight, and again at 2am. It doesn't matter that it's the same exact show, taped and replayed.... I feel psychic when I know exactly what witty catchphrase or mindnumbing stat that Peter Gammons is ready to lay on me.... not to mention Harold Reynolds and the rest...
I am addicted to Sportscenter. Stuart Scott, Kenny Mane, Linda Cohn, even the occasional Dan Patrick.... Trey Wingo, why the hell not.... But, now living in a country where Formula One Auto racing and Snooker get more tv coverage than Basketball, I'm feeling the heat.
There was a point last week, while reading Howards End, I actually conjured up Craig Nantz's voice and the life altering CBS Sports NCAA March Madness theme song, and I actually had goosebumps.
My pool this year is a joke- I couldn't tell you who won the Big XII, how Iowa finished in the Big 10 (11) or who was in the running for the Wooden Award.
I haven't read Sports Illustrated in 7 months.
I'm not all that coordinated or athletic, but combining athletics and television or athletics and chance (ala betting) and I'm hooked. I won't brag that I beat everyone's ass in a pool I entered last year, but let's just say that this year I'm hoping to at least get 1 of the Elite 8 right.
I feel just about as competant as those monkeys they have pick Presidential Candidates or Super Bowl winners on slow news days. Cows they have wander through fields and poop on posters of the opposing teams, hoping for a clear result.
If it helps, UEFA Cup football action continues to pick up, but there's somthing different about watching people who can openly admit to being bribed and overpaid... the College game at least leaves a bit to be uncovered or investiaged- an aura of mystery to the game.
_________
Today, a few of us (Brando, Emily, Mark and myself) visited the town of Eastwood, hometown of DH Lawrence, a famous Nottinghamshire author who penned our current novel, Sons and Lovers. Along the way, we stopped at a pub from the book (Mark picked up the tab) and I thought to myself "How many other English majors are sitting back at Luther, kicking back with their professors and enjoying a nice cold one at 11:45am?"
Not many, I should hope. otherwise the story blows.
A few pictures from Eastwood:
Otherwise, today marked Bishop and Shane's arrival to London to meet up with Nick, as well as Mom and Darol's landing from Munich.... In about 22 hours, I'll be basking in the glory of the Astor Court Hotel in West End and hopefulling reliving some Parisian and Munich(ian) tales and at some point meeting up with friends.
Until then, 120 pages of Lawrence to read, and a very interesting redpepper sauce to make for dinner...
(three cheers for my 150th official post.... watch as I pretend to get a life)
posted by Kevin @ 4:44 PM
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