MattMang23
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As soon as UConn won Saturday night, my buddy got on the computer and bought a ticket to the championship game Monday night. He flew down Monday, went solo to the game and came home Tuesday morning. No hotel- just winged it. These are his thoughts and experiences:
So here it goes:
I woke up at 9AM Monday morning to the realization that “Holy !! I am going to Dallas to watch UConn play for the national championship!!!” It was like a dream and I couldn’t believe it. Instantly the butterflies (or in this case deathly nerves) kicked in and I couldn’t stop shaking all morning. I spent the morning watching Mike & Mike and Colin hearing analysis on the game and listening to everyone out there not give us a chance and all I could think of was good, we like it this way. The rest of the morning I was trying to figure out how I was going to get to the stadium from the airport, stadium to Dallas to party, and from Dallas to the airport for my flight in the morning. After not finding much info I decided to just wing it. Finally, after a quick breakfast and shower, it was time to hit the road with nothing but the clothes on my back; my lucky “Hi5tory” UConn Shirt, Hat and jeans; with that Combo we have not lost this year so I was feeling good.
Got to the airport around 1:30 for my3:30 flight but didn’t get through security until almost 2:30. Went straight to the bar and downed 2 bud lights real quick and got on the plane. Once in the air, the excitement over where I was heading kept building so I had to try and calm them down with 4 vodkas on the plane. Thought we were making good time until the pilot came on and said that due to heavy headwinds, we lost about 30-40 minutes in the air and actually didn’t land until almost 7; leaving me just over an hour to get to the Stub Hub center to pick up my ticket, make it through security and into my seat for introductions. I had bought a shuttle pass for the day that was taking people from Centre Point Station to AT&T Stadium but was told they were running at least an hour at that point so I grabbed the first cab I could and told him to step on it and get me to the game ASAP!! Once in the cab as we were merging onto the highway, some 20 minutes from Arlington, the first thing I see is what looks light a huge white structure out in the distance; yeah it was the stadium. Holy guys!!!! If I could see it from 20 minutes away imagine how gigantic it would seem up close.
Anyways, the cab got me to the stadium at approx. 7:40 leaving me 30 minutes till tip. I sprinted down the street about 2 blocks to get to the Stub Hub pick up center, and as I am passing people, nearly everyone is wearing the wrong shade of blue. There were so many Kentucky fans it was insane. If we outnumbered Michigan State 10 to 1 at MSG, they had to easily have us outnumbered 30 to 1. “No matter, we’re UConn and we thrive on being the underdogs and there’s gonna be a lot of upset Kentucky fans leaving this stadium tonight” is what I thought to myself. I get in and out of Stub Hub with about 20 minutes left till tip and start making my way to the stadium (which is across the street at this point), but still a long ass walk. In the security line, Kentucky fans get the “C-A-T-S CATS CATS CATS” chant going; and along with about 10 other UConn fans I saw we quickly countered with “U-C-O-N-N UCONN UCONN UCONN and a quick UCONN! HUSKIES!” Chant. Here is when it starts to hit me the stadium is going to be electric tonight.
I get into the stadium and up to the main concourse; and realize my seat is on the opposite side of the stadium; with only about 5 minutes to go until tip. I start booking it as fast as I can towards my section (108, row TT, seat 21) and as I am halfway there, Darius Rucker starts singing the national anthem. That was not expected and one of the more underrated parts of the game in my opinion. Finally, I make it to my seat just as they are starting the Kentucky player intros. Once they’re done the UConn intro video starts and here come the guys one by one and I can feel myself getting more and more excited. “From Roxbury, MA #13 Shabazz Napier!!!!!!!!!” AHHHHHH LETS GO BOYS TIME TO GET IT DONE!!!!! In my seat/section there was not another UConn fan within 1,000 people of me, no exaggeration, I was on an island and that’s ok, cause we all know I can piss the other guys off!!
The ball goes up and UConn wins the tip and eventually after a missed shot by each side, scores first and takes the lead! I go crazy. Kentucky answers and then on the next play Daniels drives baseline and dunks over Dakari Johnson and I lose my !!! Make a statement DD we aint scared is all I thought. Defense keeps the pressure up, Shabazz does Shabazz things, Boat with a couple leak outs off turnovers and one crazy move that left 3 Kentucky players to pick up their shorts and we’re up 30-15. At that moment I look up at the monstrosity of a screen and think “OMG!!! We’re going to destroy them and #4 is coming home with us.” Well immediately after that the zebras decide to interfere and call Daniels and Boat for their second fouls; UK makes a run and we head into halftime up 4. All things considered UK fans are thinking they have us right where they want us, and I am thinking ok refs called 3 fouls on Kentucky in 20 minutes even though we attacked the rim often, they didn’t come back till Boat and DD were on the bench, we got this and we’re 20 minutes from the bringing home the ship.
At halftime I walk around some to check out the stadium and in the process I pass Anthony Davis and Doug Gottlieb. Get back to my seats and the second half starts ugly and slow. Niels misses another wide open 3 with about 17 minutes left and all I am saying to people around me is he is a 50% 3 point shooter and he hasn’t made one since late in the Iowa State game, he is due and he has to knock one down soon. Finally, Bazz finds Niels in the corner and he drains an open 3 against the zone!!! BOOYA!!! Its our time. Back and forth for a bit till Bazz drains a 3 with about 8 to go and I scream out “THAT’S THE ALL AMERICAN!!!” Juilius Randle answers with a drive and the UK fan next to me screams “THAT’S THE FUTURE ALL STAR” No arguments from me. Niels hits another three on the pick and pop we get a stop and a couple buckets and next thing I know we’re up 9 and I can feel that title. At this point I said to the guy next to me, I will give you guys credit for one thing, your females are much more attractive than ours. Guys there were so many beautiful blondes in UK gear I couldn’t stop staring and whipping my head around… Anyways back to the game.
Some more ugly basketball takes place over the final four minutes except for the Daniels lay in and Kromah getting a huge offensive rebound and then hitting 2 from the line. That’s a senior play is what I was thinking. Then with 26 seconds left I break out my phone and hit record so I can forever have the video of the final seconds of championship number four, Kentucky misses a few threes finally Boat secures the rebound and breaks away from the pack 3… 2…. 1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cannons go off confetti starts raining down and I hear the most beautiful words I’ve ever heard in person “THE UCONN HUSKIES ARE YOUR 2014 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” I am in shock at this point I cannot believe it. I just keep one hand in the air one on my head, spinning around looking at the stadium, then the scoreboard, then the floor and letting it all sink in that I just watched our school win a national championship in person. It was a like I was dreaming and kept waiting for someone to pinch me and wake me up. After all the UK fans pile out I make my way as close as possible for the trophy presentation, Bazz and KO’s interviews, and of course the cutting of the nets!!! I have now had the privilege of watching our Huskies cut down the nets for a Big East Championship, a NCAA Regional Championship, and the granddaddy of them all THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!!!!! I just kept looking for UConn fans to hug and high five I was overcome with joy and emotion, although it almost felt surreal and wasn’t quite sinking in.
After watching “One Shining Moment” (and wondering why CBS had so many Kentucky clips and not UConn, hello we just won the title assholes) I made my way up to the concourse to buy the championship shirts. While standing there, Shabazz’s mother walks by me, I stop her and say thank you Carmen!! Thank you for making him stay and get his degree!! A few more minutes of celebration/hugging/just looking around thinking Holy we actually did it, WITH ME HERE NONETHELESS, I felt the weight of the world come off my shoulders. I now wouldn’t have to be blamed for us losing and instead I get to celebrate a championship in the stadium with the team and fans it was just incredible. Finally they kick us out of the stadium and I catch the shuttle back.
Now unfortunately, Downtown Dallas is not close to the airport and there is not public transportation to it. Additionally, bars closed at midnight so I was not able to go celebrate like I wanted to. Instead I sat in the airport for 8 hours without sleeping. When the stores opened I bought the Dallas Morning News and USA Today and started reading the articles and quotes from coach KO and players as to how much they fought, stuck together through adversity of the last 2 years and came out on top. This is when the emotion got the best of me and I began tearing up right there in the middle of DFW airport and I could care less. WE DID IT!!!! The rest of the time was spent traveling back but I kept getting stopped and high fives or head nods and the congratulations from complete strangers in Dallas, in Charlotte and in New York and it was an incredible feeling. We made it to the top boys, its where UConn belongs.
“We are not Cinderella. We are Connecticut. And we were born and bred for this. We don’t chase championships, championships chase us” – Kevin Ollie
It truly was a dream come true. Never in my wildest dreams did I think id ever make it to a final four, much less the championship game to watch UConn play, let alone win.
I love you all. GO HUSKIES. BLEED BLUE!!!!!
So here it goes:
I woke up at 9AM Monday morning to the realization that “Holy !! I am going to Dallas to watch UConn play for the national championship!!!” It was like a dream and I couldn’t believe it. Instantly the butterflies (or in this case deathly nerves) kicked in and I couldn’t stop shaking all morning. I spent the morning watching Mike & Mike and Colin hearing analysis on the game and listening to everyone out there not give us a chance and all I could think of was good, we like it this way. The rest of the morning I was trying to figure out how I was going to get to the stadium from the airport, stadium to Dallas to party, and from Dallas to the airport for my flight in the morning. After not finding much info I decided to just wing it. Finally, after a quick breakfast and shower, it was time to hit the road with nothing but the clothes on my back; my lucky “Hi5tory” UConn Shirt, Hat and jeans; with that Combo we have not lost this year so I was feeling good.
Got to the airport around 1:30 for my3:30 flight but didn’t get through security until almost 2:30. Went straight to the bar and downed 2 bud lights real quick and got on the plane. Once in the air, the excitement over where I was heading kept building so I had to try and calm them down with 4 vodkas on the plane. Thought we were making good time until the pilot came on and said that due to heavy headwinds, we lost about 30-40 minutes in the air and actually didn’t land until almost 7; leaving me just over an hour to get to the Stub Hub center to pick up my ticket, make it through security and into my seat for introductions. I had bought a shuttle pass for the day that was taking people from Centre Point Station to AT&T Stadium but was told they were running at least an hour at that point so I grabbed the first cab I could and told him to step on it and get me to the game ASAP!! Once in the cab as we were merging onto the highway, some 20 minutes from Arlington, the first thing I see is what looks light a huge white structure out in the distance; yeah it was the stadium. Holy guys!!!! If I could see it from 20 minutes away imagine how gigantic it would seem up close.
Anyways, the cab got me to the stadium at approx. 7:40 leaving me 30 minutes till tip. I sprinted down the street about 2 blocks to get to the Stub Hub pick up center, and as I am passing people, nearly everyone is wearing the wrong shade of blue. There were so many Kentucky fans it was insane. If we outnumbered Michigan State 10 to 1 at MSG, they had to easily have us outnumbered 30 to 1. “No matter, we’re UConn and we thrive on being the underdogs and there’s gonna be a lot of upset Kentucky fans leaving this stadium tonight” is what I thought to myself. I get in and out of Stub Hub with about 20 minutes left till tip and start making my way to the stadium (which is across the street at this point), but still a long ass walk. In the security line, Kentucky fans get the “C-A-T-S CATS CATS CATS” chant going; and along with about 10 other UConn fans I saw we quickly countered with “U-C-O-N-N UCONN UCONN UCONN and a quick UCONN! HUSKIES!” Chant. Here is when it starts to hit me the stadium is going to be electric tonight.
I get into the stadium and up to the main concourse; and realize my seat is on the opposite side of the stadium; with only about 5 minutes to go until tip. I start booking it as fast as I can towards my section (108, row TT, seat 21) and as I am halfway there, Darius Rucker starts singing the national anthem. That was not expected and one of the more underrated parts of the game in my opinion. Finally, I make it to my seat just as they are starting the Kentucky player intros. Once they’re done the UConn intro video starts and here come the guys one by one and I can feel myself getting more and more excited. “From Roxbury, MA #13 Shabazz Napier!!!!!!!!!” AHHHHHH LETS GO BOYS TIME TO GET IT DONE!!!!! In my seat/section there was not another UConn fan within 1,000 people of me, no exaggeration, I was on an island and that’s ok, cause we all know I can piss the other guys off!!
The ball goes up and UConn wins the tip and eventually after a missed shot by each side, scores first and takes the lead! I go crazy. Kentucky answers and then on the next play Daniels drives baseline and dunks over Dakari Johnson and I lose my !!! Make a statement DD we aint scared is all I thought. Defense keeps the pressure up, Shabazz does Shabazz things, Boat with a couple leak outs off turnovers and one crazy move that left 3 Kentucky players to pick up their shorts and we’re up 30-15. At that moment I look up at the monstrosity of a screen and think “OMG!!! We’re going to destroy them and #4 is coming home with us.” Well immediately after that the zebras decide to interfere and call Daniels and Boat for their second fouls; UK makes a run and we head into halftime up 4. All things considered UK fans are thinking they have us right where they want us, and I am thinking ok refs called 3 fouls on Kentucky in 20 minutes even though we attacked the rim often, they didn’t come back till Boat and DD were on the bench, we got this and we’re 20 minutes from the bringing home the ship.
At halftime I walk around some to check out the stadium and in the process I pass Anthony Davis and Doug Gottlieb. Get back to my seats and the second half starts ugly and slow. Niels misses another wide open 3 with about 17 minutes left and all I am saying to people around me is he is a 50% 3 point shooter and he hasn’t made one since late in the Iowa State game, he is due and he has to knock one down soon. Finally, Bazz finds Niels in the corner and he drains an open 3 against the zone!!! BOOYA!!! Its our time. Back and forth for a bit till Bazz drains a 3 with about 8 to go and I scream out “THAT’S THE ALL AMERICAN!!!” Juilius Randle answers with a drive and the UK fan next to me screams “THAT’S THE FUTURE ALL STAR” No arguments from me. Niels hits another three on the pick and pop we get a stop and a couple buckets and next thing I know we’re up 9 and I can feel that title. At this point I said to the guy next to me, I will give you guys credit for one thing, your females are much more attractive than ours. Guys there were so many beautiful blondes in UK gear I couldn’t stop staring and whipping my head around… Anyways back to the game.
Some more ugly basketball takes place over the final four minutes except for the Daniels lay in and Kromah getting a huge offensive rebound and then hitting 2 from the line. That’s a senior play is what I was thinking. Then with 26 seconds left I break out my phone and hit record so I can forever have the video of the final seconds of championship number four, Kentucky misses a few threes finally Boat secures the rebound and breaks away from the pack 3… 2…. 1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cannons go off confetti starts raining down and I hear the most beautiful words I’ve ever heard in person “THE UCONN HUSKIES ARE YOUR 2014 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” I am in shock at this point I cannot believe it. I just keep one hand in the air one on my head, spinning around looking at the stadium, then the scoreboard, then the floor and letting it all sink in that I just watched our school win a national championship in person. It was a like I was dreaming and kept waiting for someone to pinch me and wake me up. After all the UK fans pile out I make my way as close as possible for the trophy presentation, Bazz and KO’s interviews, and of course the cutting of the nets!!! I have now had the privilege of watching our Huskies cut down the nets for a Big East Championship, a NCAA Regional Championship, and the granddaddy of them all THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!!!!! I just kept looking for UConn fans to hug and high five I was overcome with joy and emotion, although it almost felt surreal and wasn’t quite sinking in.
After watching “One Shining Moment” (and wondering why CBS had so many Kentucky clips and not UConn, hello we just won the title assholes) I made my way up to the concourse to buy the championship shirts. While standing there, Shabazz’s mother walks by me, I stop her and say thank you Carmen!! Thank you for making him stay and get his degree!! A few more minutes of celebration/hugging/just looking around thinking Holy we actually did it, WITH ME HERE NONETHELESS, I felt the weight of the world come off my shoulders. I now wouldn’t have to be blamed for us losing and instead I get to celebrate a championship in the stadium with the team and fans it was just incredible. Finally they kick us out of the stadium and I catch the shuttle back.
Now unfortunately, Downtown Dallas is not close to the airport and there is not public transportation to it. Additionally, bars closed at midnight so I was not able to go celebrate like I wanted to. Instead I sat in the airport for 8 hours without sleeping. When the stores opened I bought the Dallas Morning News and USA Today and started reading the articles and quotes from coach KO and players as to how much they fought, stuck together through adversity of the last 2 years and came out on top. This is when the emotion got the best of me and I began tearing up right there in the middle of DFW airport and I could care less. WE DID IT!!!! The rest of the time was spent traveling back but I kept getting stopped and high fives or head nods and the congratulations from complete strangers in Dallas, in Charlotte and in New York and it was an incredible feeling. We made it to the top boys, its where UConn belongs.
“We are not Cinderella. We are Connecticut. And we were born and bred for this. We don’t chase championships, championships chase us” – Kevin Ollie
It truly was a dream come true. Never in my wildest dreams did I think id ever make it to a final four, much less the championship game to watch UConn play, let alone win.
I love you all. GO HUSKIES. BLEED BLUE!!!!!
