1977: A Madman Turns 40: 2017- Day 87

  I was this close (---) covering the Oscars for today's A Madman Turns 40. But I just can't up and pass on a chance to talk about the Marquette Golden Eagles winning the NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four. It's not because I'm a fan of them. I just can't miss any chance to discuss how the Tarheels of North Carolina were this close (---) in winning the National Championship!

    See in my family, it's a good thing when Carolina loses! 

    As you know I was born in North Carolina and if you think we're a bunch of back woods hicks who are ignorant racists and prejudice (we're the home of HB2, that stoopid bathroom bill, for goodness sakes!!!)- well, you haven't meet a UNC fan or a UNC alum from North Carolina. 

    Before I go any further, a UNC fan from anywhere other than this state is tolerable. But if you were born in North Carolina and you like North Carolina- well there's only one way to describe them and words doesn't do it any justice. Just watch this video...

   Growing up in this state in the 80s and 90s, when you'd say anything like how you like Duke or State or the NC School For the Blind, you'd get bullied by a UNC fan. Typically, they are wearing seersucker suits that look like they came from Col. Sanders estate sale. They get really exasperated and they make sure you are told it's your Southern Heritage to like the Tarheels. Well, I'd like to point out that several buildings at UNC were named after supporters of another type of 'southern heritage'- slavery.

     OK- I'm getting off topic. But I can't stand that antebellum attitude that family members and family friends have when it comes to UNC. It's very embarrassing. It's probably why I have embraced the Pittsburgh contingency of my family. We've a superiority complex when it comes to the Steelers but the reasons to like the team doesn't include a fondness for the good ole days of white supremacy either. (BTW- a native-born Carolina fan never goes out and say that they are racists. But if you listen carefully to their reasons of being a UNC fan, it's very disturbing. It only gets exacerbated by the local media who feel like they have to turn the tri-annual DUKE/UNC match-ups into a miniature Civil War.)

I'm not sure why Kareem Abdul Jabbar
is wearing a Marquette tee. He went to UCLA.
Also don't know where his arms went either...

     Anyways, 40 years ago today- Marquette lead by Al McGuire won their first and only National Championship in Men's Basketball and they beat the Tarheels to do it: 67-59.

A post-victory photo of the Marquette Men.
Calling the Final Four the Big Dance came from their Coach Al McGuire,
hence why everybody looks like they are going to prom.

    Now it's 40 years later and UNC has a chance to win again. But my money's on a Gonzaga/ Oregon match-up (with Zaga winning) and I've got a very good chance with that happening next weekend.

    Until tomorrow...