The Battle With-In Almost Matches The Battle On The Court!

Something happened that has a battle going on inside of me.

I am really trying to be good.

It is hard, but after what has happened, I want my actions to be kind and considerate of others’ feelings and of course I want to be humble about it. 

Really I do.

You see, in my quiet time this morning…I had much to be thankful for, but at the same time, I wanted to scream out to the world…“I told you so”

But I didn’t.

It is like the Apostle Paul said in Romans 7:15,  (This is the New International Version):

“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do…I do not do, but what I hate, I do!”

I am sure you are wondering what battle is raging on inside of me and I will get to the point quickly now.

Sports! I have always been a sports fanatic.

Particularly, College Basketball, the Big 12 Conference …and even more precise, the Kansas Jayhawks basketball team and the NCAA Basketball Tournament.

As I mentioned in another post, The Midwest Region is usually ignored when all the sports analysts are making their predictions about who might win the tournament.

The Big 12 Conference had 7 teams (out of 10) invited to the final tournament of the Season.

Of those 7 teams, the Kansas Jayhawks were ranked a number 1 seed.

Three other conferences had a number one seed also, Virginia, Villanova and Xavier.

Virginia and Xavier lost early on in the tournament and the analysts AND fans said this is the first time in history that the tournament lost all the top seeds, (several #2 and #3 seeds went own also) …and then they added, with the exception of #1 Villanova.

Did they forget #1 seed Kansas was still in the tournament?

Did they also forget that three other Big 12 Conference teams in addition to Kansas, advanced to the Sweet 16 out of a field of 68 teams?

The #3 seed, Texas Tech, #5 seed West Virginia and #9 seed Kansas State (K-State) and of course #1 seed KU, Kansas University Jayhawks.

The next round of games, called the Elite 8, had three of those four Big 12 teams advancing.

Texas Tech, Kansas State and Kansas University Jayhawks. 

Being ignored by the commentators was almost as bad as them saying these teams would lose in the first rounds, therefore dismissing them and their hard working coaches and players.

Now, these forgotten teams of the Midwest, played their games hoping to move on to the Final Four teams in the tournament.

And Kansas appeared to have the toughest match-up of them all with Duke and Coach K of the ACC Conference.

“Blue Bloods”, the commentators acknowledged….now that Kansas and Duke were playing. 

Wow! Had we moved up in their views?

Perhaps Duke validated the Kansas Jayhawks.

But it was short-lived, as 99.9% of all the analysts predicted Kansas would go down in a big embarrassing loss to perhaps the best basketball program in history, Duke.

Duke with the famous Coach and the top players who would go on to the NBA because of their talent.

And yet…

This team of players from the Midwest…who played together as a team…. and not any one particular star (or stars) player…this no-name-in-lights team, beat the Duke Blue Devils in a game that kept everyone on the edge of their seat on Sunday night.

It isn’t over yet.

But entrance into the Final Four is.

There are two more games to go before anyone can claim the title of Champions of the NCAA Tournament.

But the Final Four is an HONOR and for Kansas to be there with Villanova and Loyola and Michigan is amazing and exhilarating.

We certainly are not a Cinderella team…that would be Loyola, the unexpected small college team in Chicago. (Villanova and Michigan are frequent winners.)

Kansas has been to the Final Four, in 2012 and we did win it all in 2008 and 1988.

And one would think that after all these years, the Kansas Jayhawks might garner a bit of respect from the big Sports Names in Basketball.

But that is okay…and I will not gloat or brag. Instead we will keep cheering on our team.

And who knows who wins next Saturday’s Kansas match-up with Villanova,… a really, really good team of players and coaches.

And it is ok if the commentators and analysts pick Villanova to win. (Which they already have)

I am happy and grateful to just be in the Final Four…although I do think we have a chance to advance another game….and perhaps one game after that for the title.

For me it is like my royal blue T-Shirt says:

You Can Take The Girl Out Of Kansas, But She Will Always Be A Jayhawk!

Win or Lose.

Have a great and Blessed Day!