We recently lost a very near and dear friend when the 2009 College Basketball season came to an end. I was asked to say a few words in his memory today. I jumped at the opportunity, as I considered CB to be a very good friend of mine.
Waiting for CB’s arrival was like having a little brother or sister on the way. Back in September, my excitement was uncontainable. I read every article and watched every preview show that I could find. My ear was resting against the belly, and baby CB was kicking.
On November 10th, he was finally born. It was a Monday. “What are the chances of being born on a Monday?” I thought to myself. After consulting some mathematicians, I learned it was a 1 in 7 chance. Interesting. Opening day saw the Duke Blue Devils beat the Presbyterian Blue Hose by 31. Devils beating up on a bunch of religious kids. The birth of CB already had a ‘Damien: Omen II’ feel to it. I decided to stay away for about a week. Then I finally met him for the first time.
It was the O’Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tip Off, and he was just beautiful. He showed off Missouri and Xavier, who would both go deep on the year. I was busy noticing the little guys though. Virginia Tech and Fairfield both did me very well, and CB and I were well on our way to a beautiful friendship.
Things went really well after that, as we hung out often and did our thing. As long as we had each other, nothing else really mattered. He was always available on a multitude of channels, and I would do my best to visit them all. It was a give and take relationship, and for the most part it worked. I recall one Sunday we became inebriated together and he swore that he would never betray me. I believed him, but I was also a fool in love. What did I know?
Sure, we had our rough spots early on. I recall one Saturday. CB was an adolescent now. You couldn’t tell him anything and he was always right. Well I had been drinking, and out of the blue I decided to lay a nice chunk of change on the Vanderbilt-Georgia Tech Over. I don’t even know why. Looking back, I was probably just worried that I was losing my friend. In classic teenager fashion, GT and Vandy paid no mind to my wishes and walked all over me. CB was beginning to change. And although we would remain close, things would never be the same.
We always kept in touch, and even when we didn’t see each other for short periods of time, I heard of the great things he would do for others. CB had one very strong feature, and that was the Big East. It was such a dominant trait, that when he walked into a room, people took notice. Louisville, West Virginia, Connecticut, Marquette, Syracuse, Villanova, and Pittsburgh would all go on to do great things. But as much as everyone else got to enjoy them, they were never very kind to me. I couldn’t ever try to visit with CB without those Big East bullies making their presence known. It drove a wedge between the two of us that could never be healed. But I never stopped loving him, and I visited as often as I could.
From that point on, I could never hang out with CB without the Big East being there. I would bring up the Big 10, the Pac 10 and the Big 12, but it would go unnoticed. I guess the important thing is that the Big East was being good to everyone else. I just couldn’t figure them out. Maybe it was personal, maybe it wasn’t. We found a way to co-exist for the sake of CB. I was getting the short end of the deal, but it was at least manageable.
I flew out to Vegas for CB’s blowout retirement party. Regardless of our rocky times, I knew that deep down we still had much love for each other. He brought along 64 of his best friends, including those seven Big East bullies. I kept a good outlook. Then the games started.
I hadn’t been beat up that bad since I was initiated into my fight club. Free alcohol eased the physical pain, but nothing could heal my heart. He told me he would never betray me. He lied. And it wasn’t just the Big East. Everyone took their turn beating up Bread. In spite of all this, I knew that CB still cared about me, as did I, him.
As the end drew near, I remained loyal. It was the Final Four, and I made a decision to make things right between me and the Big East. It just so happened that both Connecticut and Villanova remained as two of the final four teams. In a show of faith, I placed a couple of hefty wagers on both of them. UConn and Nova were just as surprised as I was. But in a final act of defiance, both teams were blown out in easy fashion. I was devastated.
I wasn’t even there for CB in the end, and I should’ve been. The Big East was nowhere to be found, and the Tar Heels destroyed another nemesis of mine in the Michigan State Spartans. With the conclusion of that game, College Basketball was gone.
To be honest, this eulogy has me second guessing everything. Maybe we were never as close as I thought we were. Perhaps I was just being used for my money. I’m glad you’re gone CB I’m glad it’s over! (Until next year.)
Waiting for CB’s arrival was like having a little brother or sister on the way. Back in September, my excitement was uncontainable. I read every article and watched every preview show that I could find. My ear was resting against the belly, and baby CB was kicking.
On November 10th, he was finally born. It was a Monday. “What are the chances of being born on a Monday?” I thought to myself. After consulting some mathematicians, I learned it was a 1 in 7 chance. Interesting. Opening day saw the Duke Blue Devils beat the Presbyterian Blue Hose by 31. Devils beating up on a bunch of religious kids. The birth of CB already had a ‘Damien: Omen II’ feel to it. I decided to stay away for about a week. Then I finally met him for the first time.
It was the O’Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tip Off, and he was just beautiful. He showed off Missouri and Xavier, who would both go deep on the year. I was busy noticing the little guys though. Virginia Tech and Fairfield both did me very well, and CB and I were well on our way to a beautiful friendship.
The good old days
Sure, we had our rough spots early on. I recall one Saturday. CB was an adolescent now. You couldn’t tell him anything and he was always right. Well I had been drinking, and out of the blue I decided to lay a nice chunk of change on the Vanderbilt-Georgia Tech Over. I don’t even know why. Looking back, I was probably just worried that I was losing my friend. In classic teenager fashion, GT and Vandy paid no mind to my wishes and walked all over me. CB was beginning to change. And although we would remain close, things would never be the same.
We always kept in touch, and even when we didn’t see each other for short periods of time, I heard of the great things he would do for others. CB had one very strong feature, and that was the Big East. It was such a dominant trait, that when he walked into a room, people took notice. Louisville, West Virginia, Connecticut, Marquette, Syracuse, Villanova, and Pittsburgh would all go on to do great things. But as much as everyone else got to enjoy them, they were never very kind to me. I couldn’t ever try to visit with CB without those Big East bullies making their presence known. It drove a wedge between the two of us that could never be healed. But I never stopped loving him, and I visited as often as I could.
From that point on, I could never hang out with CB without the Big East being there. I would bring up the Big 10, the Pac 10 and the Big 12, but it would go unnoticed. I guess the important thing is that the Big East was being good to everyone else. I just couldn’t figure them out. Maybe it was personal, maybe it wasn’t. We found a way to co-exist for the sake of CB. I was getting the short end of the deal, but it was at least manageable.
I flew out to Vegas for CB’s blowout retirement party. Regardless of our rocky times, I knew that deep down we still had much love for each other. He brought along 64 of his best friends, including those seven Big East bullies. I kept a good outlook. Then the games started.
I hadn’t been beat up that bad since I was initiated into my fight club. Free alcohol eased the physical pain, but nothing could heal my heart. He told me he would never betray me. He lied. And it wasn’t just the Big East. Everyone took their turn beating up Bread. In spite of all this, I knew that CB still cared about me, as did I, him.
Just say no
I wasn’t even there for CB in the end, and I should’ve been. The Big East was nowhere to be found, and the Tar Heels destroyed another nemesis of mine in the Michigan State Spartans. With the conclusion of that game, College Basketball was gone.
To be honest, this eulogy has me second guessing everything. Maybe we were never as close as I thought we were. Perhaps I was just being used for my money. I’m glad you’re gone CB I’m glad it’s over! (Until next year.)
