Seen around the Tournament

A nice man offered to take our family group while we were waiting to get into the first game of four during yesterday's first round of tournament games.  We spent the better part of 12 hours at or near the venue.  It was a long stretch, but it didn't seem that long because of all the sights, sounds, interesting people and great basketball competition.

University of California Irvine fans, all ready to promote a little Anteater spirit.

This plate looks attractive, but the consensus among the fans was that food offerings at Key Arena could be higher quality and actually available.  Apparently, several vendors ran short of supplies and knowledgeable manpower. The folks sitting above us yesterday attended the NCAA tournament in Spokane last year and said the food operation was much better. 

Hotdogs, anyone?

More than likely the tallest player in the NCAA Tournament.  He plays for UC Irvine, and every time he stuffed a basket the crowd roared in approval. Mamadou Ndiaye stands 7 feet, 6 inches tall. His team came just two points short of upsetting Louisville yesterday.

Louisville cheerleaders and their Cardinal mascot perform during a timeout.

During the break between sessions, we all found food and drink at the Seattle Center Armory.  Annie also found some of her Groundspeak colleagues/friends who were attending the games.

I met these fine folks from Anaconda, Mont., yesterday morning.  We hit it off, especially after learning we'd all been school teachers and that we know of some of the same peeps. I also learned a little Gonzaga Campus history regarding the Charlotte Martin Center, named for an Anaconda native..

In Sandpoint, we don't see too many scalpers outside Barlow Stadium or the school gyms, so the sight in Seattle was a novelty for me. 

When you find your assigned seat for a long day at the tournament, you get to know your row mates rather well, especially when it's time to stand while other humans squeeze their way through the tiny area between rows.  While Bill had a retired high school basketball coach commentating throughout the games, I became well acquainted with Ali and Rich to my left.  Ali works at Microsoft.  Later in the day, we had become new best friends enough that Ali asked me to take their photo in their March Madness shirts.  Nice people, as were the majority we met.  We did get to see the back of one man's head as he blocked our view throughout the entire pre-game warm-up.  He was definitely the "last man standing" in our section, and he seemed quite happy in his space.  Takes all kinds.

Action outside the venue.

A legendary coach with a definite sense of style:  Rick Pitino from Louisville.

I never did figure out what this was all about, but it helped  set the carnival-like atmosphere at the tournament.

This young man was in a league of his own as he masterfully dribbled his special ball around the venue.  When I asked to take his picture and then learned his first name, I decided he will some day be a star.  His parents gave him the first name of "Stockton." 

Bisons, Bulldogs, Cardinals AND Anteaters!  Love those mascots.