The annual tradition was upheld as the baton has been passed from the former local organizer Chris to Annette recently. Chris is in the process of moving to Chicago, poor guy especially with the brutal winter happening. Annette did a marvelous job making the arrangements despite the original venue suddenly closing days before. I personally was thrilled to go with the Third Base Restaurant closer to work than downtown.
I met some newer people from our alma mater who I hadn’t run into last time. An Army nurse in San Antonio (good for her!), the gentleman with the hat attended a few years before me so he could tell me his war stories of when the beer flowed like water and generally nice people. I guess there’s something wrong my generation, I grew to dislike a good-sized number of classmates. However, when I see their accomplishments in the alumni magazine, I applaud. I don’t wish them any harm, disgrace or failure. Schadenfreude won’t suddenly make me richer or more successful.
Let me get to the game. This year the opponent was Xavier which I think is a lesser, Jesuit rival in Cincinnati. Marquette managed to pull ahead fairly early and controlled the game from then on. Home-court advantage is my guess. Still, I shouldn’t be making any plans with the 60:1 bet I have with the Mirage on the Warriors (not the Golden Showers) winning the NCAA championship. Seems they’re about .500 in both their conference and overall record. They’ll need to with the conference tournament to get an invitation because I don’t think they’re a big enough name like UCLA, UNC or Notre Dame to be wedged in.
Let me assure you though. I haven’t gone soft on my criticism for how the Jesuits run Marquette like a medieval fiefdom. Plus there’s too much emphasis on having a basketball dynasty. If your kid chooses a university based upon its sports team, you’re probably wasting money. Marquette should emulate Northwestern or a school that’s more effective assisting its graduates achieve gainful employment. Not be a more expensive, private diploma factory. I do thank my alma mater belatedly for those mandatory classes I hated taking (Philosophy, Theology, Statistics namely) but they’ve come to my aid in the clutch. I’m amazed how little other college graduates know. I’m even more embarrassed over how few can write a complete sentence.
I digress…
It was a nice afternoon of conversation, fattening food, cold beer and some pretty decent basketball.