[freddot5]

Wild, thanks for an incredible article as others have mentioned. My involvement (and my spouse's) in Stanford WBB goes back even further. I accidentally found the 1990 final on CBS and was partially hooked. Had too much stuff with our children and work to get season tickets or even to go to LA for the 1992 Final 4. In 1993-94 took the children who were still at home to several games and the Regionals at Maples where we lost to Purdue. By now we were all in and purchased season tickets and joined the Fast Break Club. In 94-95 went to the Regionals in LA but had a major conflict and couldn't go to Minneapolis for the Final 4. 95-96 saw us at the Regionals in Seattle (wins over Auburn and Alabama) and a loss to Georgia in Charlotte. Starting with Charlotte we (or at least I) attended every Final 4 that Stanford was in up until this year. We were at many of the regionals but not all. Had lottery tickets for 1998 in Kansas City but sold them and went to the Finals in 1999 (San Jose) and 2000 (Philadelphia) even though Stanford was not participating. The hardest loss was the 1997 loss to Old Dominion. We commiserated with Kate Starbird's parents in the rain after the game (they were happy she wasn't injured). I never watched a replay of that game until a few months ago when I came across a YouTube copy by accident. Maybe it's the time passing but the fouls on Folkl seemed even less real. We were in Row M behind the bench and had really good views. I can understand how Tara has never watched it. Probably the most fun was the dismantling of UConn in 2008 as Wild has noted. While I knew we couldn't be at the games this year, the result was what we had been waiting for. The TV coverage (technical not the announcing) was superb but nothing like being there in person and interacting with all the fans. I have always been a basketball nut (grew up on the East coast in the 50"s with small Catholic men's basketball that ended each year with the NIT (NCAA was not the big deal it is today). What I did find out many years later was that my mother played basketball in the early 30's (she graduated from college in 1934). How the game has changed. I've gone on too long. Congratulations to Stanford and all the wonderful fans on this site and let's hope that the Cardinal can do it again next year. My spouse and I will certainly be there and hopefully in person.

[freddot5]

Wild, thanks for an incredible article as others have mentioned. My involvement (and my spouse's) in Stanford WBB goes back even further. I accidentally found the 1990 final on CBS and was partially hooked. Had too much stuff with our children and work to get season tickets or even to go to LA for the 1992 Final 4. In 1993-94 took the children who were still at home to several games and the Regionals at Maples where we lost to Purdue. By now we were all in and purchased season tickets and joined the Fast Break Club. In 94-95 went to the Regionals in LA but had a major conflict and couldn't go to Minneapolis for the Final 4. 95-96 saw us at the Regionals in Seattle (wins over Auburn and Alabama) and a loss to Georgia in Charlotte. Starting with Charlotte we (or at least I) attended every Final 4 that Stanford was in up until this year. We were at many of the regionals but not all. Had lottery tickets for 1998 in Kansas City but sold them and went to the Finals in 1999 (San Jose) and 2000 (Philadelphia) even though Stanford was not participating. The hardest loss was the 1997 loss to Old Dominion. We commiserated with Kate Starbird's parents in the rain after the game (they were happy she wasn't injured). I never watched a replay of that game until a few months ago when I came across a YouTube copy by accident. Maybe it's the time passing but the fouls on Folkl seemed even less real. We were in Row M behind the bench and had really good views. I can understand how Tara has never watched it. Probably the most fun was the dismantling of UConn in 2008 as Wild has noted. While I knew we couldn't be at the games this year, the result was what we had been waiting for. The TV coverage (technical not the announcing) was superb but nothing like being there in person and interacting with all the fans. I have always been a basketball nut (grew up on the East coast in the 50"s with small Catholic men's basketball that ended each year with the NIT (NCAA was not the big deal it is today). What I did find out many years later was that my mother played basketball in the early 30's (she graduated from college in 1934). How the game has changed. I've gone on too long. Congratulations to Stanford and all the wonderful fans on this site and let's hope that the Cardinal can do it again next year. My spouse and I will certainly be there and hopefully in person.