These posts are usually related to our thoughts on the stories we cover.....not today folks. Today's my first day back in St. Louis after 4 of the most memorable days of my life. You see, I'm a Kansas girl through and through. And that means I bleed blue. KU blue that is.

I grew up on KU basketball, and can remember game stats and game stories from 20 years ago! That also means I can remember every NCAA tournament heartbreak since our win in '88. From not even being eligible for the tourney in 89, to Roy getting us to the final four in '91 only to lose to those hated Dukies. From a semifinal loss in '93 to Roy's alma mater North Carolina, to screaming in horror as our shooting guard inadvertently kicked the ball out of bounds in the final moments in a loss to Rhode Island. From the 34-1 team packed with future NBA stars who left us devastated in '97, to being totally baffled by the zone defense of Syracuse in 2003. I can't tell you how many tears have been shed in Kansas in the month of March.

But this year felt different. That feeling that we Kansas fans get...when we know our title dreams are slipping away...I didn't have it this year. Not even when we were down by 9 with 2:12 to go. And as we clawed our way back into the game, and Junior guard Mario Chalmers hit the 3-point shot of his life to send this game into overtime, we KNEW. This time it was ours. And I can't even begin to describe how amazing it was to hug total strangers, to high-five kids as well as people so frail they could barely stand. I can't say I really appreciated Queen's "We Are the Champions" until thousands of us created a chorus and sang it what seemed liked 20 times that night.

I also couldn't help but think about the power that the love of the game has. When your team is triumphant every fan is your best friend. It doesn't matter what your differences are, that one unifying thing triumphs socioeconomic status, race, religion, political affiliation. For a few fleeting moments there is a unity that is almost beyond words. And for a few moments (okay, HOURS) for me Monday night, my heart was so full for my alma mater, for our fans, for our players and for the joy of experiencing a unity that I only wish everyone could experience. It makes me love college hoops more than I thought I could. And it makes "remembering the Alamodome" that much sweeter.

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