Oh the Madness

The month of March brings St. Patrick's Day, spring break, and, of course, March Madness. Growing up in the Hoosier Boilermaker State, basketball is a big deal. This time of year we are in the midst of high school sectional tournaments. If you have ever watched the movie Hoosiers, you get a little taste of what it's like to experience basketball in Indiana. Our beloved Pirates will play tonight against arch-rival Batesville for the chance to play for the sectional championship tomorrow night. For the first time in school history, the Pirates are undefeated.
As in Un. De. Feated. Do you know how hard that is? They are the only team in the state of Indiana with a perfect record this year. We are proud of them, and it will be a hot time in the ol' gym tonight. Go early, or you may not get a seat!

Of course, my two all-time favorite players are now semi-retired from the game, but we sure did enjoy watching them play for the blue and white back in the day. They were not undefeated, but it didn't make us any less proud of them. In fact, learning to be a good loser is just as important as learning to be a good winner. Participating in sports allows kids the opportunity to learn life lessons about hard work, perseverance, being a team player, and keeping a positive attitude no matter the final score.

My Favorite (basketball) Pirates

Andrew

 Jonathan

In keeping with the March Madness theme,  we'll go a bit deeper into the archives with a nod to our Boilermakers. It was March 1995 when we made the trip to Lexington to see our Boilers play in the first round of the tournament. The team was anchored by the 'Big Dog', Glenn Robinson, and we were excited to see just how far they could go. 

Our nephew, Kevin, flew us down in their airplane. Here we are, ready to go, at our tiny little local airport.

 That's Andrew, David, and yours truly in front,

Josh, Kevin, and Jim behind us.

We were thrilled with our court side nosebleed section seats at the top of Rupp Arena. I honestly don't even remember who we played, but I do remember we cheered when the other team came out on the floor. It's hard to see from way up there!

(Do you think the boys kept their #1 fingers up for the entire plane ride?)

We did win that game, though, and we continued with our team spirit during spring break in the Cayman Islands. Here is Andrew watching the game. Must have been an exciting one! :)

Happy March Madness everyone! 

Go Pirates! 

Boiler Up!