This week, the NCAA basketball season got underway in earnest — always a fun time — full of hope and curiosity as you begin to gauge where your alma mater(s) are compared to the competition. Who's going to be "tough" this year? Can anyone be this year's George Mason? et cetera. And the best thing is: compared to the mess that college football is every January, you know that come March you'll get all your answers.
Of course, the most important question of any basketball season is: who will win the ACC? Having gone to grad school in Chapel Hill, I am of course a little biased to North Carolina. This year's team should be another strong one, with 4 of 5 starters returning from last year's 23-win team, plus a strong freshman class. A couple of early games against Ohio State (Big Ten — pffft) and Kentucky will be an interesting barometer for this team. Of course, all that really matters is beating Dook. The Heels opened up the pre-season NIT by beating up on Sacred Heart.
My other alma mater, where I went to college, is the University of Delaware, which is unfortunately not quite as much of a basketball powerhouse. The Fightin' Blue Hens opened up their season tonight by taking one on the chin against Marist. Despite making the tourney a few times early in this decade, expectations are low this year for the Hens. They have a new coach (an assistant from St Joe's in Philly) and are not predicted to contend in the Colonial Athletic League.
It's good to have college basketball back. Go HEELS! Go HENS!
Stevil 
WAHOOOOOWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
I almost mentioned this week's earlier win by U Va over 10th-ranked 'Zona (Pac-10 — pffft!), but I thought I'd leave that for true alumni to blog and comment on… :)
My mother-in-law went to Delaware and every single year goes to the Homecoming basketball game with some of her college buddies. Ever been to the Glass Kitchen restaurant? She dragged me there the last time we were in DE (her parents and siblings live in "slower lower" DE) and I was told it's the traditional locale of post-Homecoming game eating.
HAH — my mom was born in Slower Lower, so I can't really say too much! ;) I've been to the Glass Kitchen before — its a fun place to go when you want to get "out of town" so-to-speak. I have to say that I spent a lot of time (some might say too much time) in the Deer Park tavern — and that was before they added the ferns, thankyou.
So now in addition to your parents, your in-laws need a blog so they can leave Hens comments! ;)
I do miss the Hen football games — we used to tailgate for hours before the games. There's a core group of my old pals that set aside one game a year where everyone tries to make it — such a great excuse for everyone to get together. Why do I remember the ones in the mud and rain as being the most fun???
You guys all went to UD?? How cool!! Dare I ask, what major and year? I am BS-Chemistry 1987.
99!?!? Crap, do I feel old…stinking whippersnappers…
Can I mark a comment with [this is crap]? You're lucky you live so far away now…
Anything to get Steve all riled up!!! For me, it will always be Go Orange!!!