Be careful what you wish for
By Keith Kubisiak, for Wausau Pilot & Review
I started last week’s column with “Although there weren’t any half-court buzzer beaters in the opening weekend”. Well, I guess I got what I asked for. Hell, it never worked when I was a kid chatting it up with the chubby guy, in the red outfit and a white beard around the holidays. Maybe all of my requests will start coming my way in my later years of life! However, I believe I will have to rethink my requests (i.e. winning Powerball numbers).
The Badger game was one for the ages, albeit a loss. It was game that will be talked about for years to come. It showed the gritty determination of this team. The game had more ups and downs than a 1970’s waterbed. The Badgers were down eight points with three minutes left in the game. They managed a comeback that was capped off with an improbable, off-balance 3-point basket that took the game into overtime. This basket will be etched in Badger fans minds forever. Not only for the basket itself, but for the subsequent “belt” motion by Zak Showalter in the direction of Wisconsin’s favorite adopted son, Aaron Rodgers.
I was hoping that writing the column this would be cathartic. Let’s just say…I was wrong. I wish that Kahlil Iverson would have delivered a crushing dunk, one that Badger fans know that he is capable of with :34 seconds on the clock in overtime. It would have sealed the game. I wish the Badgers didn’t have their signature four-minute scoring drought in the first half when they were up by 11 points. I wish the Badgers would have defended the in-bounder in the final possession of OT. I wish Chris Chiozza, from Florida, wasn’t so damn fast! I wish Chiozza missed the mirror image shot of Zak Showalter’s.
Nope.
Writing the column this week was not cathartic. It opened back up a wound. Don’t worry, though, I’ll work through it. It will just suck watching the pregame show during the Final Four when we will have to relive it over and over during the “how did each team get here” segments. I will probably have to leave the room.
Here is your Final Four viewing information:
Final Four
Saturday, April 1, 2017
6:09 p.m., CBS: No. 1 Gonzaga vs. No. 7 South Carolina Announcers: Jim Nantz / Bill Raftery / Grant Hill / Tracy Wolfson
8:49 p.m., CBS: No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 3 Oregon Announcers: Jim Nantz / Bill Raftery / Grant Hill / Tracy Wolfson
National Championship Game
Monday, April 3, 2017
9 p.m., CBS: Semifinal winners Announcers: Jim Nantz / Bill Raftery / Grant Hill / Tracy Wolfson
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the media darling of this year’s tournament: South Carolina head coach, Frank Martin. If you haven’t heard or seen him, you need to. His ability to motivate will make you want to run through a brick wall (in a good way) after listening to him. I am pretty sure he will be getting a major contract extension after the Gamecocks performance in the tourney this season.
After Monday we can move our collective wishing to your favorite baseball team. I am wishing for the Brewers to not embarrass themselves in the NL Central. They are picked to have a 70-win season in fourth place just ahead of the Cincinnati Reds, former Brewer Scooter Gennett’s new team. Gennett was claimed off of waivers by the Reds earlier this week in a somewhat surprising move by the Brewers. My advice for all fans? Keep your expectations low, and you will never be disappointed. This will need to be my new mantra for this year’s Milwaukee Brewers.
About the author:
Keith Kubisiak is a self-proclaimed sports junkie. He will have an opinion with a heavy dose of snark, and hopefully a bit of humor, on everything from local sports to the pros. Kubisiak is a lifelong Wisconsin resident, with the exception of one year living just outside of Cleveland that he still says is the worst winter of his life.
The author is a huge fan of the Badgers, Packers, and Brewers. Even though he is not a big fan of the NBA, the Bucks are very slowly starting to grow on him (it’s about time.) He played youth hockey for nine years with aspirations to play Division 1 hockey, but lacked two things on his quest: ability and talent, shortcomings which, sadly, are also evident in his golf game. His passion for sports will be very apparent as you read “My View…From the Couch.” Reach Keith at [email protected]. On Twitter as @keithkubi.
