Cold Outside, Et. OUCH!

The photos above made yesterday's short drive from our house to my sisters' home more than just a bumpy trip over stone-hard ice ridges in the roads. 

Yes, the ice has been around long enough that it's getting dangerous for walking and irritating for driving. 

Nonetheless, I haven't heard or uttered a lot of complaints about our continued cold, dry weather.  

And, so much of the time the scenes are breath-taking, to say the least.

Speaking of breath-taking-----a lot of wind came out of ZAGS fans' sails last night as the Bulldogs suffered a last-second, piercing loss to the Bulldogs---Butler-style that is.

Lots of "if's" associated with that game, which turned out to be one of destiny for a certain young Butler player. 

What "IF" some of those missed lay-ins by the ZAGS had fallen into the basket?

What "IF" Elias Harris had NOT been called for the foul when the Butler player rammed Elias?

What "IF" Kelly Olynk had caught David Stockton's pass from the sidelines with under 4 seconds left and Gonzaga leading?

Lots of "what if's" in any loss in any sport.   We all know that, but it doesn't make it feel any better.

I did come up with a "what IF" Gonzaga HAD won the game last night?  IF they had won, the mobbing of that historic gymnasium floor at the end of the game would have been a bit lackluster----considering the small number of ZAGS fans in the crowd.  

And, better yet, Gary Bell, Jr. would not have been mobbed by a bunch of giddy Bulldogs from Indiana.  He's lucky to have gotten away with his life, being in the wrong place at the wrong time when the wrong ending happened. 

While reading the Spokesman-Review account of the final seconds in last night's game, I did learn something that soothed the sting a bit this morning.

Seems "eavesdropping" won the game for Butler, and it wasn't a sore loser who reported it.

The Spokesman sportswriter had quotes from the Butler player who sank the game winner.  

The player overhead Coach Mark Few telling his team what to do with those final seconds.  In his eavesdropping, he learned that David Stockton was going to pass the ball to Kelly Olynk.  

So, he stationed himself right near Olynk.  When the pass went a little high, the Butler player snatched it, raced toward his basket and then hurled the ball and himself into Butler history.  

So, as they say, "It's just a game."  When they say that, though, it still hurts to watch your favorite team lose in such a squeaker.

But it doesn't hurt at all to think back on the great sportsmanship displayed especially by Kelly Olynk during the game and to know that last night's contest will probably be talked about for years.

It WAS a great game.  GO ZAGS!  We love our team, through thick and thin.