10 Things That Make Me Joyful: Number 8

8. I am going to write this post at the risk of two accusations: first of all, that my positive, or “joyful,” posts are shorter than my negative, or “angry,” ones; and secondly, that I will be told I am writing about something so much more mundane and unimportant in comparison to issues like abortion, war, the economy, etc. On the first point, allow me to say that I am a human being, and as such I do not feel guilty for complaining more than I show gratitude. We’re all that way, almost without exception—I humbly wish that weren’t the case, but something in our DNA keeps us from going out of our way to acknowledge when things are good as opposed to bad.

Anyway, I’d like to write a little bit about one of the things that brings me joy in this realm. College basketball is the topic to which I refer. Tonight, as many of you know, was the annual spectacle known as “Duke vs. North Carolina.” Well, this clash of titans actually happens twice in a season, once at Duke and once at Carolina, but the game at Cameron Indoor (Duke’s very small but very exciting and ultra-traditional setting for all its home games) is generally the most exciting due to the intimacy and intensity of the environment. The “Cameron Crazies,” thousands of spoiled rich kids who attend the university, essentially jump up and down, scream, cheer, yell, cry, laugh, boo, emote during the entire course of the game. If you know anything about me, you probably know that I myself am one of them, except for the minor detail that I have to watch the games from home. I live much closer to Durham, North Carolina, than I once did, but am still a couple of hours away and not exactly in a position to buy tickets and attend the spectacles in person. ’Tis tragic.

Despite that, and despite the fact that I watched my Dukies collapse in the second half tonight against the confounded Tar Heels, I love it. Every minute of it. (Duke’s loss to Carolina is somewhat balanced out by my real alma mater Michigan State’s decisive victory at Michigan. So much for that series evening out again…let’s keep it that way for a while, shall we?) It’s exciting, it’s confusing, it involves courage and passion and teamwork and yet individual bravery and glory. I hear so many football fans complain that basketball is too erratic, too lucky, not physical or masculine enough. I beg to differ…personally, I love both sports. College football is another one of my passions. I used to attend many games at Spartan Stadium while a student at Michigan State from 2003 until 2005. Nonetheless, my best memories of watching sports will always be of basketball…of watching the Final Four while on spring break and seeing Duke win its first two national championships, back to back mind you, under Coach K; of seeing their third successful title game in 2001; of going to my first MSU game in the big beautiful Breslin Center; of seeing the 2005 Sparties take down both Duke and Kentucky, the first team to ever beat both those programs in the same NCAA Tournament… I hate to sound too much like Dicky V—it’s not my style to attempt to steal someone else’s style—but I completely fathom his devotion to, and desire for, the game. Had I played basketball myself in junior high or high school, I might feel this sensation even more strongly, but alas, I did not. That will always be a regret of mine. In any case, I can always watch. After all, “it’s awesome, baby.”