In some of the various NCAA Tournament pools I'm in, I'm doing well-winning one, seventh in another, third in yet another. But the one I've cared the most about is my family pool, which has always included my parents, myself, my Uncle Rick, and my Grandparents.
For years, I dominated the pool. Then, going back to 2002, I made some bad picks and got burned. Two years later, I met a girl that left me little time to "study" college basketball and thus suffered a terrible showing in 2004. Last year I was preparing for a wedding with said girl and immersed in an internship. Let's just say my final position wasn't pretty.
This year, I was back in top form, after picking LSU as my surprise pick and hitting 12 of the Sweet 16's and five of the Elite 8's, I was running away with the family pool.
That was until my grandpa came out of nowhere with Florida as his national champion and started piling up points.
This has become increasingly incredible for two reasons: first, he picks Gonzaga to win every year; basically since I told him how good they were back in the early part of the decade with Dan Dickau. Unbelievably, he didn't go with the Zags this season, in a move that thoroughly stumped the family.
Secondly, it's ironic he has a chance to win this year with Florida, especially since he passed away last Wednesday.
Believe me, I've laughed about that a couple times while fighting back tears-if you knew my grandfather, this is him to a T.
He'd had a rough couple years; lung cancer, some heart problems and feeling ill in general. But he never said a word about it. Early last week, after he'd been told he was in fatal condition, he was comforting us, sharing stories and cracking jokes with everyone who came to visit.
We were given a chance to say our goodbyes, and though he was attached so many wires and medicines, he was still very coherent.
So coherent, in fact, that when my mother asked who was going to be her partner in the family euchre battles, he famously declared, "Well, don't get Brian." We all laughed because my grandfather and I have had an ongoing war of wits for more than a decade. If he won a hand in cards or beat you at something, he'd just smile, take his index finger and point gently to his head as if to say, "It's all up here-I've got it and I know it."
As the Final Four unfolded Saturday night, and with rooting interest in LSU and UCLA, as well as cheering for George Mason as a Hickory Huskers of the modern age, I found myself pulling for the Gators as if I was a longtime fan or an alumnus.
Suddenly, this Florida team has a look of destiny to them-for multiple reasons, but mainly because it would be fitting if they won.
If Florida does in fact win tonight, I'll smile, knowing that my grandfather is somewhere grinning, using that finger to gently point to his head. He always did have the upper hand.
I like to consider myself a logical person, so I always want to know how someone arrived at a certain conclusion. I knew why my grandpa always picked Gonzaga, but why the sudden change. My uncle had asked him that question too, three weeks ago after he had turned in his sheet.
Why Florida? Why not Gonzaga? What was it that my grandpa saw in this Florida team? Was it the Gators youth? Their athleticism? Their three-point shooting?
"Because," he said, "I love Florida. I don't know anything about them, other than the coach. But I love that state and I always enjoy going there." He was referring to the fact he and my grandma have been going there from January thru April nearly every year since 2000.
He continued, "Is it wrong to pick a team just because you like the state?"
No, no it isn't-not this time. Go Gators.
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That was until my grandpa came out of nowhere with Florida as his national champion and started piling up points.
This has become increasingly incredible for two reasons: first, he picks Gonzaga to win every year; basically since I told him how good they were back in the early part of the decade with Dan Dickau. Unbelievably, he didn't go with the Zags this season, in a move that thoroughly stumped the family.
Secondly, it's ironic he has a chance to win this year with Florida, especially since he passed away last Wednesday.
Believe me, I've laughed about that a couple times while fighting back tears-if you knew my grandfather, this is him to a T.
He'd had a rough couple years; lung cancer, some heart problems and feeling ill in general. But he never said a word about it. Early last week, after he'd been told he was in fatal condition, he was comforting us, sharing stories and cracking jokes with everyone who came to visit.
We were given a chance to say our goodbyes, and though he was attached so many wires and medicines, he was still very coherent.
So coherent, in fact, that when my mother asked who was going to be her partner in the family euchre battles, he famously declared, "Well, don't get Brian." We all laughed because my grandfather and I have had an ongoing war of wits for more than a decade. If he won a hand in cards or beat you at something, he'd just smile, take his index finger and point gently to his head as if to say, "It's all up here-I've got it and I know it."
As the Final Four unfolded Saturday night, and with rooting interest in LSU and UCLA, as well as cheering for George Mason as a Hickory Huskers of the modern age, I found myself pulling for the Gators as if I was a longtime fan or an alumnus.
Suddenly, this Florida team has a look of destiny to them-for multiple reasons, but mainly because it would be fitting if they won.
If Florida does in fact win tonight, I'll smile, knowing that my grandfather is somewhere grinning, using that finger to gently point to his head. He always did have the upper hand.
I like to consider myself a logical person, so I always want to know how someone arrived at a certain conclusion. I knew why my grandpa always picked Gonzaga, but why the sudden change. My uncle had asked him that question too, three weeks ago after he had turned in his sheet.
Why Florida? Why not Gonzaga? What was it that my grandpa saw in this Florida team? Was it the Gators youth? Their athleticism? Their three-point shooting?
"Because," he said, "I love Florida. I don't know anything about them, other than the coach. But I love that state and I always enjoy going there." He was referring to the fact he and my grandma have been going there from January thru April nearly every year since 2000.
He continued, "Is it wrong to pick a team just because you like the state?"
No, no it isn't-not this time. Go Gators.