NCAA: Kristen Strawbridge Final Four Weekend

EDITOR'S NOTE: SportsHollywood's Kristen Strawbridge followed Indiana throughout the NCAA Tourament and attended the Final Four Weekend. Here's her report:

March Madness…a catchy marketing phrase that truly came to life for me this year. Like many people, I am annually affected with the fever that accompanies the NCAA men's basketball tournament. However, it has quickly turned into March sadness for me in the recent years. After a string of tournament disappointments, which usually resulted in me crying on the bathroom floor, Indiana was back where it belongs…in the Final Four! For the entire month of March, I couldn't sleep, couldn't eat, but of course I could drink. I had one thing on the brain…basketball. Nothing else seemed to matter at all. Seriously, is there a pill I can take for this condition? I'd have to pass though because I enjoyed every minute of it.

It all started on selection Sunday. I anxiously awaited the announcement of the tournament bracket. When it was announced that the Hoosiers would be playing the opening rounds in Sacramento, it was obvious that a road trip was in order. IU quickly disposed of Utah and UNC-Wilmington to reach the Sweet Sixteen. We threw a party like the Sacramento Radisson had never seen before. I escaped the weekend with only a few minor injuries and a lost shoe. I bid goodbye to everyone and told them we would see each other again in two weeks. Who stood in our way now? Only Duke…not even a problem!

What a difference two weeks makes. Of course, a little victory over the defending champions helped as well. The small gathering of fans in Sacramento had grown to an all-out Hoosier invasion of Atlanta. The town was literally engulfed in a sea of red. Everywhere I turned was another proud and probably intoxicated IU fan. I venture to say that there is no other university in America that treasures basketball as much as Indiana, and it was obvious during Final four weekend. I didn't know they played basketball in Oklahoma…apparently I was right on that one! I made it my personal mission to convert any non-believers, and that proved rather successful. A Maryland fan even bought drinks for our table before the championship game. Talk about the art of persuasion!

The entire weekend was my hoop dream come true. We were all united in Hoosier hysteria. From students to alums to casual fans….everyone was the same age at the Final four! There were parties, pep rallies, and functions around the clock. I even managed not to get kicked out on any of them. There was a close call at the Nike party though! Not even a fierce southern thunderstorm could dampen our spirits. A massive dance party erupted in the streets surrounding the Georgia Dome after IU's victory over Oklahoma. That scene will be engrained in my memory forever! After all the controversy and drama that has surrounded our university recently, this was indeed a well-deserved celebration. The team may not have left Atlanta with a trophy, but that was just a technicality. Indiana University and its fans were the true winners of the NCAA tournament this year. It has taken me a full week to recover from all the excitement of March madness, but now I am ready to go again. See you in New Orleans next year!

April 10, 2002

Kristin Strawbridge Kristen attended Indiana University, where she started the "GO IU Girls" cheerleading squad and appeared at all of Bobby Knight's basketball games. She went on to become a cheerleader for the Chicago Bulls, and now works as an actress. For more of Kristen, click here!