Many people have requested my take on Princeton's epic buzzer-beating victory over Harvard from yesterday afternoon. At this point, though, what can I say about it? As sad as it is to admit, my heart was honestly pounding during the last few minutes of the game. Always a pessimist (or, as I like to say, a "realist" . . .), I assumed the game was over just before the Tigers were set to inbound the ball from the baseline with 2.8 seconds to go. Harvard seemed destined to steal the victory away from the Tigers, and I was already mentally planning my "It was a great season; just hanging tough with a team as talented as Harvard at a neutral site is impressive" routine. Then, Douglas David changed everything, and I began wondering when / where / who Princeton will play in the NCAAs instead of whether or not they'd get an invite to the NIT (I don't think I could have dealt with another appearance in the budget CBI . . .).
As you'd expect, I was running around my studio apartment screaming after the win. Even though the refs had to go to the monitors to review the shot, I knew it was good. I was overjoyed, I was proud to be a Princeton alum, and I was excited for the opportunity that lies ahead for Princeton's hoops team. Then, I was emailed the following picture from a friend (and fellow Tiger alum) who was at the game in New Haven, and my mood shifted. While watching the game on my computer and following diligently from afar was satisfying, the contrast between the celebration (alone) in my dorm room and the celebration in the photo below made me realize what I had missed by not being there.
How I wish I could have been somewhere in that sea of orange and black . . .
While the analogy might be a bit of a stretch, the Princeton finish reminded me of the U.S. Soccer Team's last-second victory over Algeria in the 2010 World Cup. The main difference for me (other than millions of viewers) was the fact that I wasn't at the Princeton game in person. While I'm certainly more of a basketball fan than a soccer fan, and care about Princeton hoops more than I ever will about U.S. Soccer, this couldn't top the World Cup match. Witnessing a moment of greatness like these in person changes the entire experience. While you can see a last-second goal or shot on TV as well as (or better than) you can in person, what you can't really feel from home is the roar and vibration of the crowd, the shift in energy from one fan base to another, and the bond you form by sharing the moment with thousands of other similarly dressed, similarly insane fans.
A lot of talk in sports nowadays revolves around new technology, and how improvements in television and online sports consumption will slowly start to erode ticket sales. Ask the people who went to New Haven for the Ivy League basketball playoff yesterday, however, and I'd bet they'd tell you that they are more likely than ever to attend another sporting event. While not every game you go to will give you the dramatic finish that Douglas Davis and the Princeton Tigers did last night, even the remote chance that something that special might occur should be enough to keep fans rolling through the turnstiles.
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