As a young millennial, I’m accustomed to having reasonable expectations placed on me that I’ll probably eventually, maybe, live up to, but not right away.
I didn’t hit my first significant adult growth spurt until I was around 17. On the first night that I had my driver’s license in hand — a glorious moment of teenage freedom — I got into an accident after haphazardly backing out of a local hot dog joint’s parking lot to head to the McDonald’s next door. I could’ve simply, you know, walked over rather than taken the hit to my parent’s insurance. (I’m almost proud of that as a badge of honor, honestly.) Following a lot of hand-wringing (and general laziness), I took until the late spring of my senior year of high school to pick a college to attend.
If you think about my upbringing long and hard, I’m probably the darling of every cushy national columnist who is out of ideas. I am the poster child for folks who still center my generation as the core of all modern problems in syndication. Thank you, John Fitzhammersimmons, but I don’t do interviews.
So, if anyone knows arrested development despite being given the golden ticket, it’s me. By that same token, if anyone knows what Gonzaga (-22.5) bettors went through in their almost-not-quite upset against 16-seed Georgia in the Men’s NCAA tournament, it’s me.
It was supposed to be sunshine and rainbows throughout for the No. 1 overall-seeded Zags’ against Georgia State. It was their warmup to the real tournament. And yet, the Bulldogs had what seemed like a tenuous 35-33 halftime lead. Then, Georgia State wouldn’t go away.
Justin Roberts hits the tough jumper 💪@GeorgiaStateMBB is keeping it close against the Zags 👀 #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/qIlLu8hifR
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 17, 2022
With Gonzaga (and their bettors) on edge, it seemed the worst news would come to pass: The best team in men’s college basketball was about to fail and, eventually, get a pat on their head.
Well, not if Drew Timme (32 points) had his say.
3️⃣0️⃣-piece for Drew Timme 😤@ZagMBB is rollling #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/rN2aUzFU24
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 17, 2022
From a 54-54 tie around halfway through the second half, Gonzaga went on a run. Let me rephrase: They finally lived up to everyone’s immense pressure. The Bulldogs were so dominant and recovered so well in the second half of the second stanza that they even looked like they would now cover their massive pregame spread. All was well in Buffalo and bettors’ lofty dreams everywhere. That is until the game outcome was wrapped up and they surrendered five points in the final minute.
Ouch. What a way to deliver an unwieldy and uncertain bad beat.
If you’re a Gonzaga bettor, at least they won straight moneyline, right? Does that make you feel better? I’m going to assume not if you took -10000 ML.
Even still, how many teams can score almost 40 points in 12 minutes in a 93-72 win? I’d venture to guess it’s the same as someone going through the awkwardness of puberty and first-time responsibility simultaneously before falling flat on their face, only to get back up again.
Despite fears they might never amount to anything, despite the obvious disappointment permeating the players’ parents (in the stands), the Bulldogs, eventually, did what they were supposed to on Thursday afternoon.
Can’t we all relate?
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