It has been awhile but I’m back for a new post. The last time I posted something, Shabazz Napier hit a game winner against Florida that sent Gampel into a frenzy. Fast forward to today, and UConn is one win away from a National Championship. Not many people had their bracket with Connecticut selected as one of the finalists. One of my good friends, Tim Fontenault has been covering this special team since the beginning as the beat writer for UConn’s school newspaper, The Daily Campus. The beauty of this friendship is that I have constant access to someone who knows the team better than I do. He has been able to travel to Memphis for the AAC Tournament and has been to Buffalo, New York City, and now Dallas for this NCAA Tournament.
Tim took some time out of his busy schedule to talk about Dallas, UConn, and fried gator.
“How was the trip down to Dallas?”
Tim: The trip to Dallas was good. Hartford to Charlotte was uneventful, but I’ve never been more excited to purchase something in an airport, but that something was a Charlotte Hornets snapback. There was a celebrity presence on the plane from Charlotte to Dallas in the form of Langston Hall, a member of the Mercer basketball team that knocked off Duke in the Round of 64.
“What’s the stadium like?”
Tim: The stadium is ridiculous in multiple meanings of the world. The place is overwhelming in terms of its size and grandeur and seems like an unforgettable place to watch a football game. As a venue for the Final Four, it is atrocious. Never should a basketball game be played in front of 79,444 people. The court is not 100 yards long like a football field, it’s 90 feet. If you are up high, you’re watching on that massive video board. From my spot, I had to watch a lot on the board. I was blessed to be there and blessed to be in the front row of media on the baseline, but I had a massive TBS stage and a student section in the way of an elevated court.
“How’s the UConn fan base in Dallas?”
Tim: For having about four or five days to prepare and having the most expensive travel (I’m guessing), UConn was very well represented. Big Blue Nation from Kentucky and the Florida and Wisconsin crowds were more distinct, but UConn had a decent crowd, especially among students, some of whom sat on a bus for 30 hours.
“What kind of celebrity crowd are at the games?”
Tim: A lot of former UConn players came down here for the game. Jeremy Lamb, Hasheem Thabeet and Caron Butler made the trip from Oklahoma City. Donyell Marshall, Taliek Brown and Khalid El-Amin are here, as are Doug Wiggins and Kyle Bailey, just to name a few. Other celebrities in the crowd included Jerry Jones (obviously), Troy Aikman, LL Cool J, Chris Daughtery, Drake, Johnny Manziel and athletes rooting for their schools, including Chandler Parsons, who brought Dwight Howard to root for Florida, and Wisconsin’s Russell Wilson and J.J. Watt. Montee Ball was also there for Wisconsin, and while wearing a frog outfit, he was nearly kicked out of the stadium after getting upset that security would not let him into the Badgers’ student section. Wisconsin students tried to urge security to let him in.
I heard you tried fried alligator. How was it?
Tim: Fried alligator is absolutely delicious. I had heard it tastes like chicken, and it really does. It’s an interesting version of popcorn chicken.
What were your thoughts on last nights game?
Tim: UConn showed that it is never out of any game and that even when a team tries to make Shabazz Napier irrelevant, he is always going to find a way to beat it. The Huskies were resilient and fearless against the best team in the country, ending the Gators’ win streak the same way it started: with a loss to UConn.
Did you get to talk with the team after the win? If so, what’s their general attitude about tomorrow?
Tim: I did talk to the team after the game. They were quite excited to let people know that their Dec. 2 win over Florida was no fluke and that they deserve to be in the championship game, no matter how little anyone believes in them.
What’s your general attitude on tomorrow night?
Tim: UConn is a great team. Kentucky is a great team. This matchup is so weird in the sense that UConn beat Florida twice and lost to Louisville three times while Kentucky beat Louisville twice and lost to Florida three times. It is hard to get a read on how that affects the matchup. Kentucky is taller and stronger, but so were Michigan State and Florida. It’s going to come down to UConn having to defend an Aaron Harrison three from 500 feet away.
What is on your agenda between now and tip-off tomorrow night?
Tim: There are two viewing parties for the women’s game at the Final Four tonight. I’m going to the Hyatt Regency, where the men’s team is staying, to watch the game with UConn fans, and I believe Donyell Marshall is supposed to be there. Then after that, I’ll make sure to watch Game of Thrones, obviously.
Freshly Pressed Sports 