We awoke the next day around 8 and ate our free continental breakfast. We met our other friends in the lobby of our hotel and laid out our plan for the rest of the day. After getting ready and packing up, we checked out of the hotel room and found a place to park the rental for the remainder of the day.
Once we were parked downtown, the plan was to wander around the streets and see as much as we could. We started out at Meehan's again, and ate lunch. Delish. We were there for a few hours and Louisville fans were spilling out into the streets. They had taken over this entire portion of Peachtree! It was a sea of red everywhere you looked. When we decided to make our way down the street more, headed in the direction of the Georgia Dome, we didn't make it far. We wound up about 4 doors down at the official U of L pep rally and tailgate party. Drinks were being served, big screen TVs previewed the night's game, fans crowded into the large hall, the pep band marched around the room, and the excitement was palpable, to say the least.
We met up with many other friends who were in town for the game here. We had a few drinks and talked with other fans. We were doing anything we possibly could to contain ourselves before the game. We decided to march our way closer to the stadium after a while.
We went back into the streets filled with red. We followed the masses towards the CNN center. Once there we ate again, fast food, but enough to settle ourselves for the night. The great hall was full of fans and rival cheers echoed through the atrium. It was almost game time.
We marched back into the streets and immediately found ourselves surrounded by other fans, pushing their way towards the Dome. We stood in line for quite a while before we were metal detected, searched, and scanned in. Once in we found our seats right away. We had about 40 minutes to tip off.
We sat and watched as fans poured into the huge covered arena. Music echoed through the air and the bands took turns blasting out the fight songs.
Eventually the bands' music stopped. The arena fell silent for a brief second, and then fireworks rang through the air. An American flag was unrolled across the court and Travis Tritt sang the national anthem (Bonus! He's one of my fav's!). At this point the fans could hardly control themselves. People screamed and yelled and I was already almost in tears. I was a nervous wreck. I have unwavering faith in the great team we had built for this game, but I wanted more than anything for them to be able to leave Champions.
The first half was excrutiating. The Michigan fan next to me was catty. James and I had bought our tickets off of a ticket exchange site and apparently the tickets we had bought had originally been her daughters. She looked me up and down and said "I see you got a really good deal on my daughter's tickets... I was hoping they were going to a Michigan fan."
Instead of the appropriate remark ("Bitch."), I instead smiled and said "Thank you". We really did appreciate the tickets and were amazed that we were able to find them at face value two days before the game. She eyed me once more and tried another jab, "Well, my daughter is a teacher and she was here for the Final Four games, but since she is a teacher she had to work today." She paused and waited for my response. "So your daughter's a bitch too?"
Yea right. These things go down a lot better in my head. So instead of a snide, hateful return I simply replied, "Oh your daughter is a teacher? I am a teacher too. But at my school, we cancel class if the students are playing in the National Championship."
She stopped. Eyed me once more, up and down, like most people do when they find out I am an adjunct professor, then refused to even look my way the rest of the game. I am ok with that.
So, needless to say, in addition to the catty woman I sat next to the entire game, the scoreboard had me on the edge of my seat. I couldn' even scream out my demands. I was frozen. Halftime came and I couldn't move. I stayed in my seat and watched the fans around me. Not many had moved. The game was way closer than we were expecting, and, after the final four game, against Wichita State, hardly any of us could stomach another close second.
But, alas, the Cardiac Cards live up to their name. We fought through the second half. Tit for tat, point for point, foul for foul. It seemed to go back and forth forever. I was finally able to open my mouth and be the obnoxious super-fan that I really am.
"MAKE A RUN, SIVA!"
"KICK IN THOSE BURNERS, RUSS!"
"I LOVE YOU, GORGUI!"
and finally...
"LUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUKE!"
Our little Luke Hancock had come to the rescue, again. Three's arched through the air and sank in the basket. We were coming back, but it was still too close for comfort.
Finally, we were down to the last 2 minutes. The clock ticked off seconds that felt like hours. I swear basketball time slows down. The ball raced from one end of the court to the other. At 1:20 I could feel my chest seizing up. I was sitting on the edge of my seat, my knees bearing down on the poor man sitting in front of me. I yelled. I screamed. I covered my face. I could not even look at James.
At :36 I was practically on all fours, climbing my way down to the court. I was bellowing, screeching.
At :10 I was crying. The last few seconds were filled with foul shots that ultimately guaranteed our win. My chest felt as if it was going to explode with pride. The last few seconds clicked off of the timer and I almost fell to the floor.
It is one thing to watch a team you support win a title chamionship. It is a whole different, overwhelming feeling to watch a team you have seen grow and develop over years, a team you have connected with and know, a team you admire and support, a team you see in the classrooms and on campus, a team you love, win it all.
I could not be more happy for these boys. They truly exemplify what it means to be a team on and off the court. the deserve this championship for many reasons.
When the buzzer sounded and the fireworks exploded, the announced yelled "Louisville Cardinals are the 2013 NCAA National Champions". I was in tears. My throat hurt from yelling and holding back my cries. James leaned over and hugged me. I was in shock. We have watched this team all season, with our season tickets, and we love this team. Our alma mater had made us proud.
We watched as streamers fell from the ceiling. Fireworks exploded high above the court. Fans cheered and yelled and cried and jumped.
The friends who were sitting around us climbed down to our row and we all celebrated together. We watched as the players took turns hugging and cheering. We cried as they played "My old Kentucky home" over the loudspeakers. We smiled and chanted when they lowered the basket to let Kevin Ware cut the net.
It was all over. The CARDS cheer rang through the air. It pulsed from one side of the court to the other. People eventually began draining out of the Georgia Dome. We slowly made our way out, into the streets, where the CARDS cheer followed us. All throughout the city of Atlanta Louisville fans ran, cheering, celebrating. We took over the streets. We flowed through the city, cheering the whole way.
Everywhere you looked people were hugging, cheering, running, overjoyed. For the first time, since before I was born, The University of Louisville won a National Championship.
We enjoyed our walk back to the car. Slowly passing the exuberant fans and cheering with them. We were in for a long drive back to our home, 7 hours away.
In under 48 hours, we had arrived in Atlanta, met all of the fans, won a national championship, and turned around the bring it home.
It was amazing. It was spontaneous. It was a weekend that I will remember for the rest of my life.
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