It has been 210 days since my heart was broken in half. And 210 days since I sat in the upper deck of the Metrodome, voice gone and head pounding, thinking about what could have been.
But that day is now a distant memory. It has been pushed to the back of my mind where I choose to think of the events that transpired that fateful March day as a positive experience. For there is a new season upon us, and it promises to be one filled with anticipation and success.
The college basketball season kicked off this past Saturday as the clock struck 12:01 a.m. In the early hours of Saturday morning, Midnight Madness consumed the campuses of big-time basketball universities across the nation. North Carolina witnessed the first appearance of Roy Williams as the leader of the Tar Heels. In Lexington, Tubby Smith arrived in a \Back to the Future"" type automobile as thousands of fans cheered on the 'Cats.
Yet in Madison the basketball world was quiet. You could hear a pin drop on the floor of the Kohl Center because the UW campus was preparing for a prime-time college football match up between two top 15 teams. In fact, the only sign of basketball life were the brave souls that have been camped out for weeks to ensure a front row glimpse at the back-to-back Big Ten champions.
I guess it doesn't bother me that basketball wasn't on the radar screen this weekend. With GameDay here, and a battle of two unbeaten Big Ten powers, Wisconsin football deserved the attention it received.
Don't get me wrong, I am pleased with the performance of our football team this season. Nonetheless, this weekend seemed to echo a trend that has resonated on this campus, and throughout the nation, the past two years. Wisconsin basketball does still not get the respect it deserves. It's funny though, because that does not bother me, and it certainly should not bother Bo or any of the players.
The past two years they have snuck up on the Big Ten. After a dismal start to the 2001-'02 non-conference season, Wisconsin grinded out Big Ten play to finish in a four-way tie for first place. Last year was a little more gratifying as the Badgers knocked off Illinois at home on a Devin Harris free throw with :00.4 on the clock.
This season should provide much of the same. Once again, no one is picking the Badgers to win the Big Ten. Michigan State seems to be the outright favorite, and that is fine. Let the Badgers hide behind Coach Izzo and the Spartans this winter. Don't let it bother you that Wisconsin might not be ranked in the top 20 to start the season.
Because come March, instead of battling solely for a Big Ten title, their goal will be something bigger, a spot in San Antonio, and a chance at the National Championship.
Cary Dohman is a junior majoring in Journalism and History. He can be reached for comment at sports@dailycardinal.com
