#RacersDeserveABid

Look at the starters' cheering for the walk-on teammate. Yep. THAT is why I love this team. // Photo by Tab Brockman.

I didn’t expect to love this basketball team like I do.

Sure, I’m a Racers fan. We go to nearly every home game and some away games. My second-grade girl likes that her school colors are the same navy and gold that represent Murray State University. I think she’ll forever remember Donte Poole was #11. My kids learned how to spell R-A-C-E-R-S before a lot of other words. {And, really, my kids just make cute fans. See? Here’s Ben. And Cate. And with Dunker.}

Yes, we’re just talking about sports here. But we like to go to the games together. Greg and I like to support our alma mater this way. I’ve learned a university has a different presence in a small town.

In 2011-12, my two favorite basketball teams had incredible seasons. I’ve been a University of Kentucky fan my whole life. I was born and raised to cheer for the Wildcats. But in 2011-12, I realized investing time to watching a small-town team is different than following a big-name team on TV. {Read more about that here and here and here.}

And, again this year, on the same day Kentucky finished the regular season 31-0, I was mourning the Racers first loss in 26 games. Yes, what Kentucky did was AH-MAZING. Yes, I’m cheering for the Wildcats to win the whole NCAA Tournament.

BUT I wanted my Racers to beat Belmont. I wanted my Racers to get the automatic bid to The Big Dance from our one-bid, mid-major conference. Only one time has the Ohio Valley Conference had two teams in the NCAA Tournament – and that year the conference commissioner was on the selection committee and moving on to the mightier Big Ten.

The Racers had 25 straight wins this season – the nation’s second-longest win streak behind perfect Kentucky – and an undefeated conference season. (It’s only the fifth time ever an OVC team has had a perfect conference regular season.) They were ranked #25 in the AP poll and #24 in the coaches’ poll the week before the OVC Tournament. Scouts come to watch Cam Payne, the sophomore star guard, more than once.

Of course, I’m still hoping “Murray State” shows up on CBS’ Selection Sunday bracket. I love the stories of sports – and this is a good story. There’s a #RacersDeserveABid social media campaign happening because people love this team. {Tweet that.}

We love Coach Prohm and how he leads this team. Yes, he teaches them basketball strategies, but he also teaches them about being men who lead their families and communities well. This is a team that prays together and the players talk about faith in their post-game interviews and on Twitter. {And speaking of Twitter, be sure to read Justin Seymour’s defense of why #RacersDeserveABid.} These guys smile when they play – even in close games. This is a team that cheers for each other in a way I’ve never witnessed.

We sit in the second row across the court from the Murray State bench at all the home games. And sometimes I watch the guys not playing more than the ones who are dribbling and shooting.

I remember when Payne was on the bench and someone else hit a big shot. He was the first one up on his feet cheering for his teammate. The walk-on player who doesn’t see any action until the Racers have a more-than-comfortable lead cheers when the scholarship players make shots and dunks and steals and defensive stands. And when that walk-on player hit a 3 earlier this season? The bench went nuts. {See the picture at the beginning of this post? Yeah, that moment epitomizes this team.}

So, yes, I think this team deserves a NCAA Tournament bid. Yes, I realize sometimes we don’t always get what we want out of life. Sometimes other people get lucky – you know, like banked in 3-pointers. Sometimes the story doesn’t go like we expect. But I do like stories where the good guys overcome adversity – which these guys did, if you remember that Thanksgiving tournament in Nashville – and end up winning.

Winning the game is awesome. But winning in life is even better. Let’s give these guys a chance to write more of this story.

But if Murray State doesn’t get invited to the big dance, the story isn’t over. I would take a home NIT game. We learned last year these “other” tournaments can be fun too.

And, hey, go Racers! We love you regardless of how this chapter ends.
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Here are some other Racer-related stories this week I've loved. And they're written by actual sports writers ... 

• I'm the coach, so I'll make the case for Murray State @ SportingNews.com
• Any system that omits Murray State is a system that needs adjusting @ CBSSports.com
• Murray State exposes painful flaw in NCAA tournament selection process @ FoxSports.com

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Ten Things I Learned in March

1. Being sick as a mom may mean enduring more than laying on the couch.

I woke up with a stomach bug when we were in Nashville, Tenn., the second weekend of the month. Puking in hotel and mall bathrooms is no fun. I know, the mall. I was only at the mall because that's where Rainforest Cafe is and my son had been talking about going there for AN ENTIRE YEAR. Seriously, since last time we went. So I couldn't back out on him ... or our table of 18. Really. One table of seven kids 10 to 2 years old and another table of 10 adults and a baby.

No worries, the tables were right next to each other and other adults paid attention to my two kids while I laid my head on the table between gulps of Sprite Zero and water. My brother-in-law told me wanting to drink anything was progress. Maybe he was right because I didn't throw up any more that day, of course, I didn't eat anything either.

We then avoided the Lego, Disney, Build-a-Bear and Bass Pro Shop stores so I could return home to my couch, where a sick momma truly belongs. Thank God for my husband and my friend Holly who was visiting from Texas who picked up my parenting slack.

2. An entire week of snow days is welcomed, but then that next Monday morning that comes right after the time change is hard. 

On March 10, I had to wake my 4-year-old Ben up for preschool for the first time ever, I think. Of course, that was also the first day in March school had been in session, thanks to two weekends and a snow week.

Oh, and, hey, did I mention that Monday reached 65 degrees and the kids got to play outside after school? Yes. And all the mommas rejoiced.

3. A friend who gives my daughter the gift of words blesses me. 

Speaking of Holly visiting from Texas, she brought my girl some books from her childhood. Those were in addition to the ones she mailed the week before she came. And then she taught her how to play Words with Friends. What sweet gifts of encouraging a love of words, which Holly and I share and are happy to pass along to Cate.

4. I really like to read non-fiction, but fiction is a good way to let my mind relax.

I recently finished "Love Idol" by Jennifer Dukes Lee. It's a book that allowed me to see some truths God has been trying to teach me in recent years in a new way. It's truly been a life-changing journey and that book has been a valuable resource. I finished the book several days ago and I'm still thinking about it. Meanwhile, I started reading Harlan Coben's new book, "Missing You." Nothing like a little suspense to balance all the internal processing.

I also recommend another book I read this month: "Surprised by Motherhood" by Lisa-Jo Baker. It officially releases on April 1. You can read my review here.

5. Dads have good parenting stories too.

In a momma-dominated blogging world, it was refreshing to have dads guest post on my blog earlier this month. In an continuing effort to embrace imperfection, I've loved digesting "No More Perfect Kids" by Jill Savage and Dr. Kathy Koch. In conjunction with their book release week, I had some dads come share their own stories of realizing their kids aren't perfect and never will be. {Oh, yes, consider that another book recommendation for you!}

6. Those postseason college basketball tournaments that aren't the NCAA Tournament can be fun if my favorite team is playing. 

Murray State is in the semi-final round of the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament. Yeah, the CIT. I've made fun of all these acronymed tournaments that aren't the NCAA too. But, hey, my Racers are still playing. And the games have been the kind that make the arena loud. That's March Madness ... at least on some level.

7. "House of Cards" is a good show. 

Who knew Netflix original productions would hook me like that? Kevin Spacey is so good as Frank Underwood. I like the behind-the-scenes drama of journalism and politics colliding and I enjoy the suspense of the story unfolding. Speaking of drama, "The Good Wife" has been rocking this season and "Scandal" is nuts in a way that keeps me watching.

8. Winning a local trivia night fund-raiser is fun.

Along with our two best other couple friends, we came in first out of 14 teams. The TV Theme Songs category really helped us. We brought home enormous Hershey's bars, trophies and gift certificates. {See picture at the top of the post!}

9. My kids have never been into a movie like they are Frozen.

The music. The characters. The story. They love it all. Yes, they, my 4-year-old boy is into almost as much as his 6-year-old sister. We had March 18 on the countdown app on my phone and they literally waited by the door for the UPS man to deliver the package from Amazon. He showed up about 4:30 p.m. that afternoon and they started watching it at 4:31 with much rejoicing. They watched it three other times that week and haven't stopped talking or singing about it.

I don't usually care about animated movies, but I like "Frozen" as much as any animated movie I've ever seen. That's not hyperbole; that's the truth. It's right up there with "The Lion King" for me.

10. When I find songs I like, I listen to them over and over. 

My most played songs this month are Ellie Holcomb's new album "As Sure As the Sun," NeedtoBreathe's "The Heart," and MercyMe's "You Are I Am."

Tell me about your March. What have you seen and heard and read and experienced?
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I'm loving documenting life with these monthly along with Emily Freeman. Here are previous month's recaps from 2013: June. July. August. September. October. November. And 2014: January. February.

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The Madness of March

Usually basketball for us Murray State fans is over by now. Even if the Racers make the NCAA Tournament, they've never made it out of the first weekend. That's part of cheering for a mid-major team that only can make The Tournament by winning the conference tournament.

This year's Racers were a fun surprise. We went into the season thinking we'd be watching a rebuilding year. And we were, but then mid-way through the season something changed. The Racers were winning and having fun doing it. They played as a team. They smiled often. They don't seem cocky and self-absorbed.

I'm not sure another basketball season will ever top our Racers of 2011-12, but this team will go down as a favorite of mine. And all but one of them will be back next year. So we were bummed when the Racers lost in the semi-finals of the conference tournament earlier this month in Nashville. {I subsequently woke up the next morning with a stomach bug, so I'm not sure I could have survived watching a second game in my sickly state, but that didn't matter.}

Then Murray State accepted an invitation to play in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament. I know, I know. Until this season I've made fun of every postseason tournament that isn't the NCAA Tournament. To me, the CIT has been one of many tournaments for the teams that couldn't make The Tournament.

And then this favorite team of mine won its first game in the CIT on the road and hosted its second game. Yes, we were there, decked out in navy and gold, cheering for our Racers, who won. Game Three is tonight in Murray, and we'll be there again.

Yes, it's still a tournament for teams that didn't make The Tournament. But one of those teams is my team. And they're fun to watch. It's technically a rebuilding year, so it's a good chance for these younger guys to get in some real-game experience. Plus us fans to get keep watching basketball.

Go Racers!

NCAA Tournament side note :: I was born and raised a Kentucky fan, so I still cheer for the Wildcats. They're still playing in The Tournament too. In fact, the Wildcats are going to play their biggest rival in what's sure to be a dramatic game on Friday night. Admittedly, the Racers have become my first basketball love, but Kentucky isn't far behind.

Who do you cheer for in all this March Madness?
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R-A-C-E-R-S! Racers! Racers! Go Racers!

Around here, March means basketball. 

We spent Friday night and all day Saturday in Nashville, where our Racers were playing in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. We wore blue and gold all weekend, stayed in a new-favorite hotel, ate good food, visited with friends, ran into other friends, and enjoyed being together.

For you basketball fans, Murray State beat Eastern Kentucky on Friday night to advance, but then lost in a heart-breaking game to Belmont. Even so, I'm so glad we were able to watch these two games. After a season with some ups and downs coming on the heels of last season -- the best ever in MSU history -- these games made me proud to be a Racer.

Friday night the game didn't tip off until about 8:30 p.m. Y'all. My kids usually go to bed around 7 p.m. So the game didn't end until 10:30ish and then it was a little after 11 by the time we got into our hotel room. And, well, you know, it's exciting to stay in a hotel. So it took the kids some time to settle down in their pull-out-bed and it was around midnight before all was quiet from their portion of the room, which was actually their own room.

We managed to sleep in a little and then had a leisurely morning eating breakfast and hanging out at the hotel before we went to Opry Mills mall, where we had lunch at Rainforest Cafe with friends and shopped some. And then it was on to the championship game.

Most of the day was full of me being proud of how my kids behaved and reacted. I truly treasure the words from my non-momma friend who reminded me in an email exchange that making memories is an important part of parenthood. She's right. And, you know, I didn't take a ton of pictures like I tend to do, especially during a road trip. I was thankful for the time to be truly present with my family, laugh with my husband, and just enjoy each other.

Do like college basketball? Who will you root for in March?
________
Look back at our other trips to the OVC Tournament: 2012. 2011. 2010. 2009. 2008.

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To Charleston we go ...

After my girl gets home from school this afternoon, we'll be heading to Charleston, S.C.! It's crazy to me we're headed to this city I love for the second time in five months. But we love road trips and our Racers are playing in the Charleston Classic. Plus my aunt and uncle live just a couple hours from there, so we'll spend some time with them too. And both my mom and my mother-in-law are going with us {hello, mini van ...} so the kids, especially, will soak up time with both grandmas, at the same time.

Truthfully, after three months of full-time school for the first time in our lives, this trip is coming at a good time for us, especially my girl and me. It'll be good to get away, be together, root on our Racers, spend time with family, explore the city, and eat good seafood. It's kind of like a pre-Thanksgiving Thanksgiving, except I'm going to eat fish instead of turkey the next few days and we'll watch basketball instead of football. 
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This Week's End

I'm not sure how we fit everything we did into our weekend, but I'm glad we did because it was full of fun times.


4:45 p.m. Friday
After four mornings of Marketplace 29 A.D. with 136 kids and volunteers from 30 churches {seriously!}, we had a family night to give parents and siblings a chance to experience some of the marketplace themselves and hear more about what their kids had been doing this week. It was officially from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., but I was there from 4:45 to 8:15 p.m.

9 p.m.
After we finished wrapping up an encouraging, powerful week in a make-shift first-century marketplace, Greg and I went to Racer Madness while the babysitter did home and watched TV while our kids slept. I'm finally in baseball mode here at the end of that season {more on that in a minute ...}, but I still haven't gotten over Murray State's last basketball season so I'm happy for another college basketball season to begin. Granted, no team will probably ever compare to the 2011-12 Racers in our hearts.

We saw the guys play with the returning players and were entertained with 3-point shooting and dunk contests. Isaiah Canaan {not surprisingly} won the 3-point shooting contest after initially tying Stacy Wilson, who was impressive. And we won free tickets because of it! Before the contest, the players randomly drew a section number and whoever won, each person in that player's section received a voucher for two free tickets to the Nov. 24 game against Old Dominion. So, from Section 108, thanks for your precise shooting, Isaiah!

THIS is Racer basketball: 38 conference regular-season and tournament championships. 15 NCAA appearances. 25 consecutive winning seasons {tied for fourth in the nation}. And so it begins again ...

11:24 p.m.
Despite walking in the house ready for bed, I got caught up in the end of Game 5 between the Cardinals and Nationals. If you didn't give up on the Cards and go to sleep, you understand. With one out remaining in the win-to-advance game, the Cards managed to finish their comeback, first tying the game and then scoring what managed to be two winning runs.

After some celebratory texting with friends, I went to bed around midnight.

8:45 a.m. Saturday
My college friend Laura, her husband and their three boys -- 3-year-old Atticus and 1-year-old twins, Sawyer and Townes -- arrived for the day of MSU Homecoming festivities.

9:30 a.m. 
My favorite of this town's many parades begins. And, as always, it's entertaining ...

I'm telling you, if you are raised in this small town of ours, you are an expert parade-watcher by age 5, if not earlier. It's not even surprisingly if you've walked {or been pushed!} in a parade before you're 2. There are parades for Fourth of July, Homecoming, Veteran's Day and Christmas. All that candy collecting is serious business ... 

11 a.m.
With our friends, we ate lunch at Los Portales. There was much conversation, laughter, salsa and cheese dip.

12:20 p.m.
Cate had a soccer game. Our friends' kids napped.

3 p.m. 
We walked in right as the football game between Murray State and UT-Martin was starting. It was an exciting game that didn't involve much defense on the part of either team. The Racers fell behind, but they had a chance toward the end. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough: 66-59 Skyhawks.

6:30 p.m. 
After meeting back up with our friends and leaving our combined five kids 5 and younger with my generous mother-in-law, the four of us adults headed to Murray Christian Fellowship's alumni party. {Just for the record, the two youngest were already down for the night ...} It's a tradition of catching up, remembering, laughing and eating in a way that takes us back to our days in this campus ministry that was an essential community in so many of our lives.

10:45 p.m.
Home. Bed. Ah ...

So. What did YOU do this weekend?
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969.42 miles and counting ...

It's been a busy week.

The kids and I went shopping in Paducah {47.1 miles one way} on Monday for some wall art for the lake house. We were successful and had a good time. And I discovered the spicy chicken sandwich {with pepper jack cheese!} at Chick-fil-A. I can't believe I've been missing out on this. We ended up solving our grill problems at the lake house that night {14.1 miles each way}, Cate befriended the neighbor there, and some evening fishing happened.

She fishes with some sass.

Ben wanted to fish kiss this fish.

Tuesday was just busyness here. I worked at Greg's office like I do once a week. Cate at t-ball practice. And then we took Cate to the Murray State Basketball Banquet. I've never been before, but this was a good year to try something new in support of this team. I'm glad we went, although had I known we'd get to interact with some of our favorite players last week at Cate's school, we may not have gone. Either way, listening to coaches, players and Neal Bradley, the awesome radio voice of the Racers, recap the season made me want it to happen all over again. Right now.

She drew circles around Donte while writing on the program.

Wednesday we took a road trip with Courtney and her kids to the Nashville Zoo {122 miles away}. Us two moms shared two meals together with our four kids, saw lots of animals, handed out 15 snacks {no exaggeration}, supervised bathroom stops that never seemed to be in sync with one other, laughed often, and heard few complaints and tears from our kids.

We got to be up close and personal to some animals.

The bamboo makes for a nice photo backdrop.

We watched the flamingos for quite some time ...

... and then Cate pretended to be a flamingo!

"My turn. Flamingo too," says Child #2.

Today I've been in town again. We went out to the lake house to be there while the guy to install the Internet service and then we met Sarah, Davey and Atticus at Pagliai's so we could catch up while the kids played on the indoor playset. Really, there should be more restaurants like this. Later, I'm going back to the lake house to meet the cleaning lady.

Tomorrow we're going back on the road to check out Dinosaur World in Cave City, Ky. {155.1 miles away}, for cousin Evelyn's birthday. Then we'll continue northeast to the Lexington area {123.8 miles} where we'll spend two nights for a day at Keeneland with family and more time with friends.

We'll come home {267.7 miles from my dearest friend's house, where we're staying} Sunday and this week's miles will total more than 969.42 with the driving around town here where I live, there where I shopped, there were we detoured in Nashville because we missed our exit somehow, there where we'll visit people we love and watch horses. This is life. Not every week is like this. But life is good. And I'm grateful for the journey.

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Dear Donte ...

We established she has a crush on Donte Poole. She is a mixture of proud, excited and nervous when she hears his name, especially when he scores. When she hears anything about the Racers, her next comment is usually about Donte Poole. Or just #11. And she often uses his whole name. 

{Read the first installment about her crush.}

So when her preschool sent home a note saying some Racer players were coming to play with the kids, she was ready to meet Donte. Again. She talked about it so much that 2-year-old brother Ben was saying, "Meet Donte" yesterday morning as we were getting ready to go play with the Racers at Cate's school. 

What would you do if you were preparing to meet your crush for the second time?

Cate decided to write a note. Really, it's a two-sentence love letter.

Donte, 

You are my favorite Racer. I like to watch you play. 

Love, 

Cate Taylor

And included on the bottom was a picture of Donte and Zay Jackson playing together.

Seeing her give the note to him and watching him listen to her every word was sweet and honest and innocent. And I loved being a mom and witnessing this moment. I hope she remembers it. If not, I'm documenting so we can tell her all about it when she's grown up, probably with some other crush that makes her daddy and me nervous.

Unlike their first week last month, Cate was brave this time, standing right next to Donte. She still doesn't grasp why he isn't going to play at Murray State anymore. But we wish him well and thank him for helping our girl love basketball.

_______

During the play time with the players, another Racer may have captured her heart. The kids were divided into four teams for a relay event that concluded with guys who are given college scholarships to play basketball shooting household items. See Ivan Aska there under the basket? Yeah, he's shooting a roll of paper towels. Anyway, Cate was on LaTreze Mushatt's team.

Admittedly, she was disappointed she wasn't on Donte's team. But I reminded her that LaTreze would be back next year and he wears #4. Something about the number being the same as her age {although she won't be 4 for much longer ...} is cool to her. That seemed to help.

Then Team LaTreze won the relay event, which lead to this awkward "We're #1!" pose ...

See, perhaps LaTreze is winning over her Donte-lovin' heart. I can't blame her for choosing #11 as her favorite, but truth is we want her to like basketball next season when she's 5. I'm thinking she'll be cheering on #4 anyway.

_______

Yes, Ben was with me. And, yes, of course he wanted to meet Donte too. Last time he gave the players fist pounds. This time he just ran toward them, fully expecting them to pick him up. Or at least bend down to his level ... 

That's Ben and Donte. 

LaTreze was great with the little ones. He asked Ben what his name was and Ben pulled on his shirt and said, "Murr Tate." Um, well, yes, that's what your shirt is about. But what's your name? He just pulled up his shirt and laughed. I have no idea what he was really thinking, but he seems proud about whatever it is.

Ben ran, like full-force ahead ran, toward Ed Daniel. And Ed scooped him up. After the picture, they walked around and Ed even lifted Ben up toward the basketball goal, helping him shoot. I asked if Ed babysat, but he just laughed. I guess that's a no.

These guys are finished playing basketball this season. Two of the four are seniors and are going to leave Murray sooner rather than later. They gained national attention this year. They won more games than any other Murray State team. They were ranked higher than any of the Racer teams who came before them. Yet they still came to a preschool and played, laughed, hugged, and smiled with a bunch of kids who have loved them from a distance.

________
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On, on, U of K ...

I was 16 months old and already a Kentucky fan.

You've heard me talk much about the Racers this basketball season. Unfortunately, they aren't playing anymore. But my other favorite team is.

Perhaps you've heard. Kentucky is playing Louisville in the first of the two Final Four games on Saturday night. Perhaps you've been living under a rock and you have no idea. But, if you care, I'll be wearing blue for the occasion. If you know me even a little, this isn't a surprise.

But there may be someone asking: But didn't she grow up near Louisville?

Why, yes, I did. Actually, I lived 16 years plus three summers just 26.9 miles from the University of Louisville. The Big Blue rival was a little farther {82.9 miles} to the east. But here's the thing: My parents both went to UK. Dad played football there from 1968-72 and Mom probably helped him with some of his classwork. They both graduated from there and shortly after secured season football tickets. Football, I know. But sometimes they did take me high into the rafters up Rupp Arena to watch basketball.

I know the UK fight song too.

In 1997, I enrolled in Murray State University. I was ready to move farther than 82.9 miles away, yet I did my parents a favor and stayed in the state. You know, tuition is enough as it is. UK was my back-up school. But I liked Murray State. And there was a journalism program at this school I was just learning about so far in western Kentucky that it's as closer to Tennessee, Illinois and Missouri's capitals than it is to Frankfort.

I adopted the Racers. Eh, maybe they adopted me.

But I never let go of the Wildcats. We even went to the Final Four last year to root on the blue and white.

Admittedly, this year was different for me, even as Wildcats stayed atop the national polls. I watched some games on TV. I knew the players, and even developed opinions about them like any good fan. I read stories and kept up with the team. But I was whole-heartedly invested in my Racers, who also only lost on regular-season game.

We have season Murray State basketball tickets. {Well, we have football too, but this is about basketball right now.} I have pictures of my young kids in Racers shirts, like me in my Wildcats one above. My daughter's crush on a player is shaping her love of basketball. And I have a son who thinks anything involving a ball is worth watching, although, yes, he'd rather be the one with the ball. We went to the OVC Tournament and followed the Racers to the Big Dance. And I really didn't want their season to end.

But basketball isn't over. {Hold on, baseball, I'm coming to you soon.} The Wildcats  -- the team I've watched my whole life -- are still playing. And they're playing a team whose arena is a mere 73.5 miles away in front of a charged national audience. It's not just their regular-season proximity. There also history and competition and stories that drive this rivalry.

And I have no hesitations for whom to cheer, even if I did just for a minute have some compassion for Rick Pitino after reading Rick Reilly's column. Forgive me. Reilly is a long-time favorite writer of mine. That's rooted in my childhood too. When my dad's copy of Sports Illustrated would come in the mail, I'd turn to the back first and read Rick Reilly. The way he tells stories drew me into sports and helped make me a fan.

I even already had a team. And that team is still playing basketball. Oooohhhh ... C-A-T-S! Cats! Cats! Cats!

________
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{Racers} Game Two

Notice my UK shirt poking out from underneath ...

Our third-round tickets got us in to see our two favorite teams play in the NCAA Tournament, so all day I wore my UK shirt under my Murray State shirt. The plan was to take off the Racers shirt for the second game of the night. 

But Marquette beat my Racers 62-53 after I really thought my team was going to win. And I just couldn't take off my game-one shirt. 

I was sad. I was proud. 

Coach Prohm has led this team in his first year as a head coach in a way that makes me proud. As a parent, I love the way he encourages the players to be men with humble, generous character. As a fan, I appreciate the way he represents our town. As a person, I'm inspired. My heart was glad when I read he's staying in Murray.

And then there are the three seniors. They've won more games {104} than any other basketball class to come through tradition-rich Murray State. Donte Poole. Jewuan Long. Ivan Aska. You three will be missed but remembered. And we'll be glad to hear about the great things you do when you leave this place. And one of you helped my girl fall in love with basketball.

Junior Ed Daniel played the best game I'd seen from him. He was tough and big and steady and focused. Even with Big East Player of the Year Jae Crowder crowding the lane. And, folks, he's coming back. Hopefully star Isaiah Canaan will too. 

Big Blue Nation -- awaiting the #1 Wildcats -- hoped on the Racers' bandwagon for awhile. I've seriously never heard so many people cheer for Murray State. Maybe those Kentucky fans just remember too much about Dwayne Wade. Maybe they appreciated the talent from a fellow Bluegrass school. Whatever the motivation, UofL's home was rockin' for the Racers. 

Admittedly, I even briefly contemplated how to make a trip to Phoenix work. I thought my Racers were going to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time. 

So when they didn't win and Marquette went on a game-clinching run, I couldn't take off my MSU shirt. I couldn't trade the navy blue for the royal blue. Not yet. I wasn't ready. 

Meanwhile, my favorite Wildcat -- Darius Miller -- was playing a fabulous game. And my least favorite -- Marquis Teague -- was showing me why Coach Calipari recruited him and starting to win me over. I saw famous super fan Ashley Judd across the floor behind the UK bench. And I decided to take pictures. 

I grew up a Big Blue fan. I can list favorite Cats. I went on a crazy, quick road trip to Houston last year because I thought those Cats could win it all. I'm a UK fan. 

Yet my alma mater stole my heart. 

 

We have season tickets and I put the games on my calendar when the schedule is released. My friends know our social lives in the fall and winter revolve around the basketball games. It's been this way for years. This year started out no different.

But no basketball team ever has captured my heart like the 2011-12 Racers. So I wore my Murray State shirt the rest of the night. Even while I cheered for the Cats with the little energy I had left.

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There are pictures from the three tournaments games we watched here. And my earlier blog post is here. Want more? Subscribe to get "Insights" in your inbox. Or follow me on Twitter.

{Racers} Game One

Photo by Jeff Moreland

To say I was excited when Murray State was put in the Louisville site for the second and third rounds of the NCAA is an understatement. I told some people I was so, so excited and stinkin' excited. Those phrases don't even do it justice.

So, yes, we watched sixth-seeded Murray State beat Colorado State, an 11 seed, 58-41 earlier today. It was the first game of the real tournament (not counting those play-in games) and it was the first time the Racers have ever been the higher-seeded team.

That's just how this season has been. Full of firsts. Perhaps there will been thoroughly compiled list later.

But for now I'll just say the Racers (31-1) gutted out a win in an ugly game that included a disjointed offense but a respectable defense. And champions find ways to win.

And when your team wins, it keeps playing. That's what I told my 4-year-old girl who rooted on the Racers with us today. (My 2-year-old boy spent the day with Grandmom. See? Another perk of being in my hometown Louisville.)

Oh, and I'm a born and bred Kentucky fan. Being in the Yum! Center was an experience, especially since I didn't have to watch the Cardinals. My ticket Saturday will get me into see two games. Murray State will play Marquette. And Kentucky will be there too. Perhaps we can get Big Blue Nation to cheer for the navy blue team.

Just for 40 minutes.

Perhaps.

I know for whom I'll be cheering. Like you see us doing in the photo above, pump your arms in the air and say, "R-A-C-E-R-S! Racers! Racers! Go Racers!"

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(And much thanks to photographer Jeff Moreland for waving to me from the court and then later catching us in action. We worked together at the Richmond Register, where I was a reporter from 2002-03.) Want more? Subscribe to get "Insights" in your inbox. Or follow me on Twitter.

She {hearts} #11

My girl has a crush on Donte Poole.

And, frankly, I think it's adorable.

She notices when his name is mentioned during a game and likes to watch him score. She was overwhelmed with emotion when he was named the MVP. She notices the number 11 -- like in the grocery store frozen food aisle -- and relates it to his jersey. She doesn't understand why he has to graduate and not play any more games in the CFSB Center.

Yet she was a nervous wreck when even thinking about meeting him. So much so, she hid behind Greg's leg during her first impromptu opportunity. I wasn't sure how it would go when I told her we could meet him at the Racer pairings party.

We got to Racer Arena yesterday afternoon and the line was already formed to meet the players. We stood it in and gave her periodic pep talks: "He's just a regular guy. A new friend. You are good at making friends." "He likes to meet kids. He'll be glad to see you." "Just say, 'Hi, I'm Cate.' and give him a five." Between the pep talks, I realized I didn't bring anything interesting to have the players sign. Good thing some newsprint team pictures were available for unprepared moms like me.

She got out "Hi" out and managed a five. She stood and painfully grinned for a picture with Donte. And then she moved on until she said Jewuan Long, who she also managed to meet, greet with a five, and stand in front of for another picture before proclaiming she was finished because she met her two favorite players.{Side note: She took both photos to share time at school today. And apparently she talked quite a bit about her experience. Crush material, I'm telling you.}

Meanwhile, Ben gave all the players fives and pounds.

And he wasn't responding to the players' interactions. He stuck his fist out and said, "Pound?" all the way down the table. The guys were good sports. They laughed. They high-fived. They pounded. 

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The Racers are a sixth seed and play Colorado State at 12:15 p.m. {Eastern} Thursday in Louisville to open the NCAA Tournament. The game is on CBS, so you should tune it, even if it means taking a long lunch break, and root on the Racers.

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{Racers} The OVC's Greatest

I have a confession before I tell you about our weekend: I can't stop listening to this song ...




I know. It's an R&B song. And that's not what I usually listen to. But, seriously, I bought it on iTunes this afternoon and I have already listened to is six times. And that doesn't count the two times I listened on YouTube.

Here's the thing. "The World's Greatest" reminds of the Racers. 

In case you've been living in a cave that doesn't get ESPN, our Murray State Racers are 30-1. In fact, they were the first team to get 30 wins. Kentucky did it the next day. But, still, my small-town team is having a season we'll never forget. They're going dancin' in the NCAA Tournament, and we're rooting for a Louisville, Nashville or Columbus (Ohio) first-round site. Seriously, how fun would that be?!

So, back to our weekend. We went to Nashville. We had a peaceful, sunny drive down, but tornado sirens were going off when we got there. Instead of going to eat at Old Spaghetti Factory like we wanted to, we just went on the arena. We figured a concrete building was a safe place. Indeed. We ended up in the basement with other Racers fans.

 

She especially likes to cheer for Donte Poole, as evident by some of my tweets from the weekend:

• Cate, 4, wanted to say hi to @yungdtae but she got shy. That's a picture I wish we'd gotten for all the times she calls him her favorite.
• Cate is acting like a girl with a crush and grinning every time @yungdtae is mentioned or seen.
• Even though my 4-year-old has no idea what a MVP is, she just got choked up when @yungdtae was recognized.

Commentary on sporting events is my favorite use for Twitter.

Anyway, back to Nashville. MSU played Friday in the semi-final round against Tennessee Tech and dominated, coming away with a 78-58 win.

There was much blue and gold there, especially Saturday when tornadoes were no longer a threat. Word is of the 6,600 fans, all but several hundred were MSU fans. It was the conference championship in the hometown of the other team. Yep. A little surprising, even conflicting with Tennessee State's spring break, but we'll take. it.

 

 And we'll take the win. 54-52. Whew, Racers. Way to play like champions!

OVC Champions! And I got to hear "The World's Greatest" for the second time after first hearing it on Senior Night.


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Bustin' the Bracket

You may have seen, there was a Racer party on ESPN last night. Dick Vitale even joined the 8,825 people and the most media I've ever seen at the CFSB Center. The Racers ... well ... raced over St. Mary's, settling some national talk about whether Murray State was legitimate.

And we had fun watching.

Former copy editors at The Murray State News unite. It was a fun time sharing our row with Alyson and her family. They like the Racers as much as we do. And our girls bonded from the moment they met at our pre-game meal at Los Portales ...

Yes, she's proud of her sign. And Greg looks awfully serious, especially considering he's wearing an Afro. If you've watched a Murray State basketball game, you've probably noticed #2. He has big hair. And he likes to dunk. And take charges. And he usually wins the Racers the tip.

So that's Ed Daniel. He has great hair and he plays tough.

And he and Dickie V inspired a poster. A newspaper friend Photoshopped Ed's hair onto Dickie V's head and I printed it as an 18-by-24-inch poster at Office Depot and added cut-out letters. And this all was inspired at 11 p.m. Friday -- 18 hours before tip-off.

But the sign was a success.

Even Dickie V thought so.

Not only was Dickie V in the house for the BracketBuster game, but it was also Senior Night. These three seniors -- Ivan Aska, Donte Poole and Jewuan Long -- tied the number of wins by a class with their win over St. Mary's last night. It's not over yet. There are two more regular-season games and hopefully some post-season wins. And that's not all. They've given to this community and treated people right.

People hung around after the game because it was really more of a Racer party and nobody wanted it to end. So we took a family photo while we were waiting. Coach Prohm had an extended Senior Night with a highlight video and comments from Coach Kennedy, who had coached all these guys until this season. Lots of media -- really, more media than I've ever seen anywhere in Murray -- were there to watch ...

Yeah, OK, one more shot of our sign ...

Seriously. AWESOME, BABY! is right. About the whole night.

And, really, the season so far ...

They're still hoping there's more to the story. The fans are too. Trust me. But we're proud of our Ohio Valley Conference champions.

Really, it's worth dancing about. Right, girls?

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Yes, of course, I took more photos. Feel free to browse. Want more? Subscribe to get "Insights" in your inbox. Or follow me on Twitter.