' ' Cinema Romantico: A Digression: "Got to love the Drake!"

Monday, March 10, 2008

A Digression: "Got to love the Drake!"

One of my blogging resolutions for 2008 was to prevent myself from digressions - usually, as you know, in relation to music or collegiate sports - unless something absolutely spectacular took place. Well, allow me to apologize in advance, but something absolutely spectacular has taken place and must be addressed.

This year's NCAA Basketball Tournament will mark the 22nd year I have followed it and it will also mark the first year that the team residing in my hometown of Des Moines, Iowa, the Drake (enrollment: 5,000) Bulldogs, will participate. In fact, it will be the first time since 7 years before my birth that the Drake Bulldogs will be participating in the NCAA Tournament, which is to say it is their first trip to the so-called Big Dance since Nixon was in the White House - 1971, to be exact.

This is beyond cool. And so in honor of their bewildering and truly awesome accomplishment I would like to offer some strangely prescient dialogue (circa: 1993) from the greatest television show of all time, with George meant to represent any college basketball naysayers who might still not believe in the Pride of the Des Moines Area and Jerry, Elaine and Kramer meant to represent those of us who do.

Congratulations, Drake, and I dearly hope your magic carpet ride continues for a few more games.

George: "I don't even like Drake."
Jerry: "You don't like the Drake?"
George: "I hate the Drake."
Elaine: "I love the Drake."
Jerry: "How could you not like the Drake?"
George: "Who's the Drake?"
Elaine: "Who's the Drake?!"
Jerry: "The Drake is good! Kramer, do you like the Drake?"
Kramer: "I love the Drake!"

3 comments:

Wretched Genius said...

And if you watch the pre- and post- game interviews with the players, it is clear that Drake is an academic school as opposed to an athletic one. The players are humble, modest, and eloquent. It's quite refreshing, and speaks well of our homeland.

Rory Larry said...

My parents have been ranting and raving about Drake's season every time I talk to them for three months. I've never heard them so passionate about sports. I am glad to hear that a school I once went to for one class is going to the big dance.

nashbabe said...

Be ye absolved from thy digression. I digressed, as well. I'm a Drake alum who graduated before these guys were born, and I'm just as pleased about them as you appear to be.

http://nashbabe.blogspot.com/2008/03/dont-stop-believing.html