Random memories: -Watching Joe Lawrence launch a buzzer beater from the corner to beat TCU in the '86 NIT on St. Patrick's Day. I headed straight to the Orange and Brew and celebrated big time. -A year later, sitting in an empty C.J's on a Sunday afternoon in total shock as the Gators crushed Purdue to go to their first Sweet 16. -St. Patrick's Day 1988, I spent the evening at Danny's downtown and left at 11:30 so I could be home for the tip-off of our game against St. John's. I remember the first two minutes (barely) and then fell asleep and didn't know we'd won until I read about it in the Alligator the next day. -Two days after my graduation I did a cold call on Norm Sloan. I walked into his office and had a 30 minute chat with him. He was an odd guy, but as nice as could be. He was highly approachable (I thought there was a 50/50 chance he'd shoot me). -In the winter of 1989 I'd graduated and was living in DC. I called my dad on the phone and had him put the receiver next to the TV so I could hear the call of the game at LSU that clinched our first SEC title. -St. Patrick's Day 1989 brought a huge first round loss to Colorado State. This was the beginning of ugly end of the Sloan II era. -In March of '93, I left a Washington Capitals hockey game in the 2nd period so I could go home and watch the Gators lose to UK and pretty much clinch a non-appearance at the Big Dance. -St. Patrick's Day 1994, I had to fly out to Dallas the next morning at 6 for a work conference. I'd spent St. Patty's day working 15 hours and finally left work with just enough time to buy a 6-pack and get home for our first round game against James Madison. We played like sh*t, but thankfully JMU didn't play much better. With a chance to win in the last few seconds a JMU guard tripped coming up the court and turned the ball over. -A week later (and years before Directv and the Mega March Madness package) I was stuck in DC having to watch Michigan/Maryland instead of UConn/UF. They'd have live "look-ins" every once in and awhile (mind you, look-ins in those days were nothing more than an image the size of a matchbook stuck in the lower corner). It got to be so weird, a Terp friend of mine who was in Key West kept calling me for Maryland updates since he was stuck with the Gator game down there. The game reached the end tied and with UConn on the line. Their stud player missed both shots and somehow we won in OT. -Two days later, Craig Brown drowns three straight treys against Boston College and the Gators head to our first final four. -My seats at the Final Four were horrible. I was in the last row behind one basket. President Clinton was there so security was at a high level. So high, that standing directly behind me at the top of the arena was a secret service guy with a high-powered rifle (I was worried about taking out my flask of Wild Turkey). -The loss to Duke that year was painful. I despise Duke and blowing a 13 point lead really hurt. At my hotel the next day I ran into to former Duke coach and current broadcaster Bucky Waters who told me not to despair because the Gators would be back in the Final Four soon. -We lost on a last second shot in the first round of the 1995 and it spoiled a perfectly good St. Patrick's Day. -I saw Lon Kruger before the 1995 FSU football game and I took it as a good omen. Little did I know that it would be a good omen for the football team and Kruger would soon be gone. -The next couple of years were a blur of memories, a great road win at Rupp, a heartbreaking NIT loss to Georgetown and waiting endlessly (and breathlessly) for my internet connection to WRUF to buffer. -1999. A great come back against Penn and a heartstopper win against "The Show" brought the Gators to the Sweet 16 against Bing Crosby's old school. I won't go into the sad details, but when people ask why I drink I show them the last ten seconds of that game. -St. Patrick's Day once again! I glumly sat in Murphy's in Alexandria, VA. Somehow we forced OT against an overmatched Butler team, but were still down with only seconds left. Like the UConn game in '94, our opponent missed two foul shots and we were alive. A quick outlet pass to Teddy D and then a pass in the lane to Miller who shoots a leaner that gently bounces around the rim and drops beautifully through the net! Survive and advance baby!!!! -A week later we played #1 seed Duke. Not only a #1 seed, but the #1 team in the land. We led at the half, but like the '94 Final Four things were starting to slip away. Then like magic we woke-up and hit three pointers, Carlos Boozer fouled out and Mike Miller made 100 foul shots down the stretch. Tears ran down my face as the clock hit zero! -Forward 8 days ahead and another ACC foe awaits. We started off crushing them and then letting them back in the game, but we finally wore them down and won going away. For the first time in my life, the last college basketball game of the year would mean something. -MSU's senior laden squad wouldn't be denied. It was amazing we were still within striking distance at any point in the second half. The defining moment came when Teddy D fouled media darling Cleaves and Cleaves sprained his ankle. Fudge Packer complained about how hard the foul was, but take a look at it sometime. Cleaves throws an elbow at Teddy at the last second and that's when he lands wrong. If he'd followed through with his lay-up he probably wouldn't have hurt himself. This game bummed me out for a long time. -In 2002, I was in Ft Wayne for work, but flew out early in the morning and landed at Washington National as our game with Creighton was winding down. I watched the end of regulation and the first OT standing outside of a California Pizza restaurant. As the 2nd OT started, suddenly I couldn't see anything. It turned out that two girls inside the restaurant had ordered Coronas and done the trick where you put a lime in the bottle, put your thumb over the top and turn the bottle upside down so the lime will drop to the bottom. The problem with this is, if you pull your thumb off too quickly beer will spray everywhere. By the time I could watch again, Creighton was hitting a miracle shot for the win. -December 2002, I witness Maryland's first home non-conference loss in years, as the Gators hand the Terps their first loss at their new arena. -Winning the 2005 SEC Tourney was a shock and still is. -Michigan State, Manhattan and Villanova. All miserable memories. -2005 brings more of what I've been living the past 20 years. Great wins (LSU, FSU, etc...) and Rolaids moments (both UT games and both USC games), but here we sit on the verge of another Sweet 16. Florida college basketball has been an unbelievable rollercoaster ride. I can't wait for the ride to start up again tomorrow night. As always, Go Gators! Stats