If hoops is the love story of the city, The Big East Tournament is Valentines Day.
Anyone in the city will tell you the same, and the rest of the world should agree.
To me, Big East Tournament games were more than wins and losses.
They were moments, and stories Ill remember and tell for a long time.
Im glad he did.
A perfect fit to a Big East title game.
March 7th, 1997- Big East Semifinals
My cousin Colleen was home for Spring Break from Boston College.
She had an extra ticket to the doubleheader that night.
Naturally she asked two of her brothers if either wanted to attend.
At the time, I couldnt comprehend the decision, again I was 9.
A few hours later we were headed to the Garden.
-I remember a few distinctive things about that night.
It was that it was the first time I was introduced the raspy yet iconic sounds of Bruce Springsteen.
-Howard Sterns Private Parts was released the same day.
Something I later did for a friend in college.
Colleen still tells people about the semifinal game at family parties.
Turned out to be an instant classic, with Taliek Browns 30 footer stealing the show in overtime.
March 8th- March 11th, 2006- Big East Tournament
No detailed explanation necessary.
Kyle McAlarney of Notre Dame was an AAU teammate and Levance Fields of Pitt was a high school teammate.
I was working a charity event as an intern for the Knicks at Chelsea Piers that night.
Late in the game my trips were limited as my the event got busier and busier.
I had to revert back to the text updates.
One of the last texts was tied…headed to OT.
As I walked out of the bathroom and read it, Charles Smith was headed in.
He looked at me and goes, Oh man…I thought we woulda had them beat by now.
I got another text, Pitt
wins, just as Charles Smith walked past me again.
I said, Hey Charles..Pitt won.
He smiled and goes Yes as he gave me a huge high five.
March 12th, 2009- Big East Quarterfinals
Pitt and UCONN had two great matchups earlier in the year.
Each time UCONN was #1 in the country, and each time Pitt won.
The Big East Tournament Semifinals was set to be the 3rd time the teams met that year.
I had one class Friday morning then Spring Break, and planned to race home for the game.
That plan of Pitt-Uconn went to crap, as West Virginia dealt Pitt a 74-60 beating.
Turns out, I should have paid more attention.
The bar was set up with a back room of pool, shuffleboard, etc.
Most of the time we congregated in that room, and left the front to the toothless townies.
I happened to walk up to the front to order a drink just at the right time.
As I looked up at the tv, the score was close with about two minutes to go.
I figured, what the hell let me at least ride it out and watch.
I didnt move the rest of the night.
The game became an epic that had more twists and turns than an SVU episode, and wouldnt end.
I found myself asking, Do you effin believe this game right now?
At the end of the fourth overtime, the tvs go out.
You hear a bars closed from the owner.
It was 1am and the horrific state of Massachusetts prohibits sales in most bars after 1am.
One was glued to the TV the other was leaning back in a recliner.
The game eventually ended with Syracuse winning.
Ladies and gentleman, youre 2007 NIT Champions, WEST VIRGINA !
In 2010, West Virginia was in a classic with Georgetown during the Big East Final.
While he was ecstatic during the celebration, he didnt forget about that 2007 mishap.
We caught it live, but it would have escaped the ear of the average fan.
