Wrestling with Disappointment

Have you ever expected something to happen and when the decision was made you were left out in the cold? You know how it is. In your mind you plan for it; you visualize it; you simply know it's going to happen and then it doesn't. Ugh! Ugh! Ugh! Ugh! Words cannot express the deep disgust that you have. I mean there is something deep inside that just ticks you off.

Now that it's happened you just don't know what to do with the frustration. You try to ignore it and think you will be better in the morning. Well,the morning is here and I am still ticked, still unsettled, still trying to figure it out. Why? Why? Why?

I tell myself that it is not a big deal ... it's not worth it ... get over it. Okay, I am going to move on. Today, I am not going to stew over this. Today, I am going to think positive, look for the best. I am going to look at what I have left and not what I have lost. Today is a new day. I am going to enjoy it. Whew, I feel better already. Thanks for listening. I hope you have a great day.

Oh, are you wondering what I was ticked-off about? Okay, I will tell you... if you insist. I am furious that the NCAA committee over-looked the South Carolina Gamecocks for the 2009 basketball tournament. The Gamecocks had 21 wins and 8 losses in the regular season. Did you know that they were 10-6 in the conference play and were co-champions in the SEC East. Here's what you may not know ... never before in the history of the Southeastern Conference has a team gone 10-6 in conference play and not been invited to the dance. Give me a break! Maryland got an invitation with a losing conference record. The Terps were 7-9 in conference play. I know ... they play in the ACC and supposedly the SEC is down.

Is the SEC really down or have you been listening to the sport's reporters? You see they started saying that the SEC is down before the season ever started. They decided before the first bucket was made that the SEC would not be good this year. It's just not right.

Okay. Let me breathe ... who, who, who, he .... who, who, who, he. Okay, the good news is that South Carolina was invited to the NIT Tournament. We will join the likes of Kentucky, Florida, Auburn, St. Marys and several other notable teams. As you know, the NIT has a great history. It was once "the" tournament to be in. Let's be honest ... would you rather play in the final four in Detroit or in New York City? Hmmm... I love NEW YORK! That's right. The Big Apple ... that's the goal now.

What if South Carolina won the NIT? Hmmm. Now that I think about it, I am not sure that would be good. That would mean that the Gamecocks would be the NIT Champions three times since the turn of the century. Is that good? I don't know. I am still processing all of this.

Here's how I feel today. I feel like a guy that could not get a date for the prom and ended up going to the dance with his sister. Oh well, let's make the best of it.

-- Marty
3/17/09