I just finished watching Oklahoma defeat Tulsa in a barnburner, 70-64, and as the game rolled on, I became aware of a strange feeling I had inside. I was rooting for Tulsa, but that's no surprise. I always root for the underdogs, and Tulsa certainly qualifies. They came into the game 2-5, including home losses to such luminaries as Wright State, Lamar, and Wichita State, and a 30+ loss to Oral Roberts.
But I found myself caring, really caring, that Tulsa pulled the game out. It was a stronger feeling than my usual "I always pull for underdogs" sentiment. It's not like I'm a Tulsa fan by any means. Before tonight, I couldn't name a single Tulsa player, nor tell you whether they were 7-0 or 0-7 coming in.
Then the mystery's resolution revealed itself in a flash. In watching the game, I was remembering a part of my childhood.
It was a childhood rite of passage that I hope most sports fans share: secretly watching games on TV or listening on the radio past your bedtime.
You had to be stealthy to pull it off. If it was TV you were watching, the sound had to be kept all the way down, and you had to take care to minimize the glow emanating from the television; watch on the dimmest setting you can stand and cover yourself and the TV with a blanket, creating a tent-like affect. Do not verbally react to anything you see. If it's the radio, put the radio under the pillow, with your head over it. No headphones! You may need to hear your surroundings. Keep your hand on the volume switch and be ready to turn it all the way down if footsteps approach your room.
The one time I got caught, it was because my stepdad "heard a click." This is why you do not attempt to turn off the TV or radio if you need to make a quick I-am-asleep-getaway! Instead, turn the volume all the way down, and if it's TV, play with the brightness controls. Some older TVs like mine would let you dim them into appearing to be off.
Four games across two sports remain in my memory banks as the Great Games I Was Supposed to Be Asleep For.
One was a Monday football game between the Saints and Steelers. Research indicates it was November 19th, 1984. I first attempted to locate the game, looking around 1987 and 1988. I am surprised and impressed to discover I was actually merely 8-years-old when my devotion to sports turned me to deception and cunning. My dedication was rewarded, as I was rooting for the Saints to win. They did, 27-24. I listened to the soft radio call of the game, and I must of fallen asleep in the middle; I could have sworn, looking back, that the Steelers had won.
My other three memories involved TV, and the NCAA tournament.
March Madness has always been my favorite sporting season. I used to hate that my birthday fell in the middle of it (March 11th). I don't want a party. I don't want to unwrap another sweater from my grandmother. I want to watch basketball.
In terms of basketball gluttony, nothing tops the first round of the Big Dance. I like the current CBS format of bringing us the first round, but it wasn't always that way. Used to be, ESPN would try to choke in as many games as they could starting at noon (Eastern time) and going to 11 at night or so, and CBS would bring us their version of Midnight Madness with an 11:30 PM game. It was this game that I would covet, and watch under the tent of my largest blanket.
In 1988, that was UNLV, the fourth seed, squeaking past 13th-seeded Southwest Missouri State 54-50. In 1987, it was also UNLV, this time a one-seed, throttling poor Idaho State in Salt Lake City. It was Idaho State's only NCAA tournament appearance, but if it makes them feel any better, this kid all the way from Akron, Ohio remembers it.
The night after Idaho State/UNLV, the late late CBS game was, yes, Tulsa vs. Oklahoma. It was a great game. Tulsa led for much of it. They seemed to be led, if memory serves, by several bushy-haired, mustachioed, bespectacled Kurt Rambis lookalikes. But they could not quite hang on to upset and much like tonight, Oklahoma prevailed in a tight one, 74-69.
Tonight, I subconsciously relived a fond memory of my youth. For that I say, go Golden Hurricane.
So readers, tell me about the most memorable I-was-supposed-to-be-asleep game of your childhood. What techniques did you employ to get away with it? The submitter of the best answer will be highlighted in my next column and in the lead-in. That means your name will appear on the Sports Central front page for a few days! Woo-hoo!
Let's see what's on the Wire...
There's a little puff piece on King LeBron turning 20 on December 30th. Just think, he might be the most talented basketball player on the planet, and in another year he will even be allowed to drink! He's just a kid all the way from Akron, Ohio. I'd like to tell you that I knew him or his uncle's cousin or whatever, but I didn't. When he was in high school and a lot of his teammates were signing letters of intent with the University of Akron, I would fantasize that he would not want to leave his friends and sign, too, leading the Zips to national prominence. That didn't happen, although ESPN.com's "Page2" ran an item on April Fool's day suggesting just that.
I'm glad I'm not a hockey fan. Four of the last five wire items on the NHL is each of the last four day's "lockout log," including games lost that day, for the season, total days lost, etc. Depressing.
From the college basketball wire, I learn that Concordia (MN) came back from a halftime deficit to defeat Augustana (SD) 89-84 in overtime. Justin Vandenberg led Concordia scorers with 20.
I bring this game up to say, "Bless the Associated Press." There's over 330 Division I college basketball programs, and even that is too narrow of a scope for them.
Finally, the wire reveals that LSU has received permission to talk to both Houston Nutt of Arkansas and Bobby Petrino of Louisville. If I'm LSU, I take Petrino out of those two.
Anybody have Tulsa/Oklahoma tickets for me next year?
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