Basketball = Motion + Emotion

What's the perfect antidote to February cabin fever in Iowa? High school basketball tournament games.....that's what! If our boys' team wins its district final game tonight, they will play next at the arena shown in this photo, the McLeod Center at the University of Northern Iowa.

Last evening, our team had a game, even though we didn't have classes yesterday. Evidently, due to all the cancellations we've had, the rules are being relaxed to allow the basketball tournament schedule to stay on track. I didn't go to the game last night, but Husband went.......I washed milkers so he could get there on time. Its good for him to have to go to a game alone once in a while.......I spent years going to games without him when the kids were younger. Turnabout is fair play in this case.

Tournament games always start at 7 p.m., which is right when we're milking. I would really like to go to tonight's game, but it is 30 minutes away, so there's no way we'll get there. Our son is a sophomore. He suits for varsity, and is basically the 7th man on the team, sometimes playing quite a bit, and sometimes not playing at all, depending on the dynamics of the game. Defense is his specialty......Husband always says, "Offense awes fans, but defense wins games." Whether that's true or not, I don't know. Our son is also a starter on the junior varsity team, so he's had a busy season, often playing in several games each week. That's how it goes in small high schools.

Husband and I made it to a few regular season games, when the boys' games don't start until 8 p.m. Its fun to join the crowd of fellow cabin fever sufferers.....its like group therapy. Mostly, I like to watch people. Emotions can run high at sporting events, of course, providing lots of entertainment, on the court and in the bleachers. Where else, really, can you witness so much motion and emotion, all at the same time!! I enjoy sitting on the opposite side of the gym, to watch the antics of our coach as he calls plays, roars his disapproval of something, and throws his arms up in frustration. He's a show all to himself!

The group of boys on the team this year are coachable and lowkey, not prone to mouthing off to referees, thank goodness, and they are playing very well together. Its a joy to watch a team that plays as a team!

If you're following a high school basketball tournament action.......have fun, and I hope your favorite team wins!!! (Unless they happen to be playing against MY favorite team!)