Why College Basketball Is Better Than The Pros.

Sure, my Gauchos ended up losing at home in a crazy finish to Northridge, 69-70. But between the student section, the passion, and the unparalleled excitement, this game once again proved to me why college basketball is better than the NBA (and I'm not here to bash the NBA, in fact, we'll have a Celts/Lake post later today). Similar to my "college football is better than pro" argument, college basketball just has that special something that keeps you coming back. And it's not all about March Madness. It can't be. My Gauchos don't really do well when we get to March, so that can't be it.

College basketball must be awesome, if this post is coming on the heels of the UCSB/CSUN game over the weekend. The battle between me (and my wife) and my father (and cousin) went down at the Thunderdome, and it didn't finish pretty for the Gauchos. Jordan Weiner hit a sweet 3 that brought the Gauchos close, 66-68. On the inbound pass for the 'Dors, the UCSB defense was so intense that the CSUN player receiving the pass stepped out of bounds. Just like that, UCSB had a stellar chance. James Nunnally steped up and bricked a long two, but the ball bounced off of a CSUN player, and out of bounds. God was obviously giving us all the chances we needed in this one. Another chance, with 5.5 on the clock. The inbound pass was picked off by the Matadors, however, and their player was fouled. He drained his shots to ice the game, despite another 3 from the Gauchos. How do you get so many chances, and not make good? Rough loss.

Now 11-8 (4-4 in the Big West), UCSB are now tied for third in the Big West with Pacific (12-9, 4-4) and SLO (9-11, 4-4). We've got LBSU (13-10, 8-2) and the aforementioned CSUN (8-13, 5-3) ahead of us, as we continue through the campaign. Next up is a huge bash with UoP (memories of Tom Cockle yet again) on my birthday! I can't wait.

Now back to the point of this post. College basketball is better than the pros. Sure, you had Matt Damon, Jimmy Kimmel, and Carrot Top at the Lakers/Celtics game on Sunday, but does that compare to the student section at the Thunderdome? Would you rather hang with celebrities, or screaming Gaucho-holics who sing beautiful chants with bellies full of Natty Ice and Freebirds? The two main chants from the SB/CSUN game made me laugh out loud, and long for the days when I would pound shots of St. Brendan's Irish Cream before getting on public transportation to cheer my Gauchos on at the T-Dome. 

I'll allow the "Daily Sundial" newspaper to supply the story,

"Throughout the game, the wild UCSB student section chanted, 'Cal State Poor!' and 'You live with your parents and we live by the beach.'"

God, I miss college.

-- Sent from my Palm Prē