Y2K-U: Cousin Dan's Weekly Update

So, it actually happened. Not so much that Virginia beat Duke, coming back from eight down in the last three minutes, watching Josh McShuffle miss a four-footer at the regulation buzzer, then getting an absurd game-winner from Sean Singletary with a second to go in overtime.

And not even the start-to-finish domination of Miami, which actually turned out to be an 11-point victory because the Lords of the Backdoor needed to hook some Cane backers up. No, what we’re talking about here is that after NC State’s thrilling win over the Heels on Saturday night, the Virginia Cavaliers have a chance, with a win tonight, to lead the ACC outright.

And if and when that happens for the first time in the Cenozoic Era (Ed’s note: Cousin Dan actually has no idea the last time Virginia led the ACC in February, but he assures us it was “long, long ago”), it gets the whole column.

I mean, isn’t that what sports is about? You take the time to follow a team, attend every single one of its NCAA Tournament games in a ten-year span (yeah, that one loss to Gonzaga, in 2001), and you get to rejoice when things finally turn your way. Kinda like Red Sox fans, but less irritating and eager to share their plight.

In any case, as noted, if my beloved Hoos emerge victorious in College Spark (motto: you bring it, we’ll burn it!) this evening, it will complete a stunning in-season transformation from irrelevant to outright conference leader.

So, for one week, we’ll take a break from bashing current Dukies (another day, another lesson on how the opposing team can celebrate at Cameron, and on J.J. Redick Day, no less) and former Dukies (speaking of J.J., tee-hee); celebrating Kevin Durant (37 and 23!), Acie Law IV (stones in the win over Kansas!), and Peyton Manning (MVP by the sweetest two words in the English language—de fault!).

Which brings us to good ol’ Maryland tonight, the best darn public school in the state of Maryland. Yes, for years, we Hoos have been limited to the ever weak sauce of academic smack against our neighbors to the North; well, that and jokes about Ralph Friedgen weighing more than an actual refrigerator.

But now, Virginia has a better basketball team than the Terps; Maryland is only favored by 3 tonight, surprising given the fact that the ACC desperately needs Maryland to start playing to make the Big Dance, which in turn means that today’s officials will probably be Karl Hess, Duke Edsall, and Darryl Strawberry.

The end result of all of this is that it’s time for your humble correspondent to enjoy the ride until and unless it comes crashing down. (And with a roadie at Virginia Tech next, a split this week would be dreamy). The column will be back and less, uh, provincial next week. In the meantime, if someone could just figure out how I could get the Comcast Sports Network for just one night…