Creighton 63, Wichita State 62
The Morning After History
What can I possibly type here?
I mean, the Jays GAVE that game to WSU. Sure, the Shox made some big plays down the stretch, but Dana Altman's strategy to seemingly go into Four Corners mode with 9 minutes left to play was about 6 minutes too early.
Not that in 15 years anyone will remember that, though. All they'll remember is Booker Woodfox.
---
We are at the Sheraton this weekend, in the shadow of the Scottrade Center, and we've of course run into a couple (read: hundreds) of Jays fans at our hotel. Two such Jays backers, a young husband and wife, brought along their 10-week old son, probably one of the youngest CU fans in St. Louis this weekend.
20 minutes after Booker's shot swished through and sent the Shox packing and the Jays advancing, I saw this young dad in the concourse. With bewilderment and sheer joy on our faces, I asked him how many years the game's ending took from his life.
After we both exchanged random answers, he put it the best way I can think of when trying to sum up Woodfox's shot (and his all-around play this year). While holding his baby, all dressed in blue, he said "One day we'll tell him he was at this game, and we'll try to share with him the legend of Booker Woodfox."
---
For awhile, the only thing that seemed legendary about the game was the inevitable choking away of a 22-point lead. I'm sending this from the hotel lobby so I won't get into the game's specifics, but one of the folks in our traveling party put it best. He said he watched CU play the best basketball and worst basketball of its season in the same 40 minutes, and I think that's a fair assessment.
But in March, "survive and advance" becomes every team's battle cry.
Thanks to the Legend of Booker Woodfox, that's what they did.
What can I possibly type here?
I mean, the Jays GAVE that game to WSU. Sure, the Shox made some big plays down the stretch, but Dana Altman's strategy to seemingly go into Four Corners mode with 9 minutes left to play was about 6 minutes too early.
Not that in 15 years anyone will remember that, though. All they'll remember is Booker Woodfox.
---
We are at the Sheraton this weekend, in the shadow of the Scottrade Center, and we've of course run into a couple (read: hundreds) of Jays fans at our hotel. Two such Jays backers, a young husband and wife, brought along their 10-week old son, probably one of the youngest CU fans in St. Louis this weekend.
20 minutes after Booker's shot swished through and sent the Shox packing and the Jays advancing, I saw this young dad in the concourse. With bewilderment and sheer joy on our faces, I asked him how many years the game's ending took from his life.
After we both exchanged random answers, he put it the best way I can think of when trying to sum up Woodfox's shot (and his all-around play this year). While holding his baby, all dressed in blue, he said "One day we'll tell him he was at this game, and we'll try to share with him the legend of Booker Woodfox."
---
For awhile, the only thing that seemed legendary about the game was the inevitable choking away of a 22-point lead. I'm sending this from the hotel lobby so I won't get into the game's specifics, but one of the folks in our traveling party put it best. He said he watched CU play the best basketball and worst basketball of its season in the same 40 minutes, and I think that's a fair assessment.
But in March, "survive and advance" becomes every team's battle cry.
Thanks to the Legend of Booker Woodfox, that's what they did.
posted by Creighton Otter at 9:12 AM
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