The Life of Cameron: A Dispatch from Dallas: Final Four Edition

Well, consider that line item crossed off the Bucket List - although, after that experience, a new line item might have to be added: "Attend every Final Four". The fact that the three games were held in AT&T Stadium (aka JerryWorld, home of the Dallas Cowboys, and the site of a previous Dallas trip to witness Michigan get shellacked by Alabama) only made the trip more grandiose.

When they say everything is bigger in Texas, they aren't lying. The video-replay screens (40 yards wide!). The VIP special guests (see photo below). The egos (see Jerry Jones-related comment above). The steaks (and the bills, although on that I can luckily only assume).

Amongst the trees: me with Artis Gilmore and Bill Walton

It's probably easier to list who wasn't there than to go through all the celebrities and sports-world dignitaries who were. Nestled snugly between an endless build-up of NFL Draft hype and the revered and stately launch of Masters Week, the Final Four is the center of the sports universe for a three-day bacchanal of excitement, drama, last second three-pointers, and heartbreaking near-misses.

The media were there: Mike Lupica, John Feinstein, Kenny Smith, Bonnie Bernstein, Rachel Nichols, Jim Nantz, Doug Gottlieb, Jay Bilas and Dan Shulman all strode past us at one point.

Basketball dignitaries were also in the house: coaches being honored were Tubby Smith, Roy Williams, Jim Larranaga, and Jim Calhoun, while former Michigan coach Bill Freider was just wandering around aimlessly; players being honored included Grant Hill, Alonzo Mourning, and several other, anonymous ones (yes, there are famous sports figures even I don't recognize!); NBA legends glad-handing in the VIP section (which led to such surreal experiences as a giant presence looming over my shoulder and in a deep voice insisting I take a picture with him. I turned around to see Bill Walton sitting down next to me. I meekly told him I enjoyed his broadcasting, which was literally the first thing to come to my mind, and he retorted that I might be the only one who does. He then chased down fellow Hall of Famer Artis Gilmore to join the two of us in a photo. As we were leaving the VIP to navigate our way back to our seats across the stadium, another large man flagged me down and insisted I take a photo with him. He turned out to be Hall of Famer Moses Malone. Like I said, surreal.)

Moses Malone

Other celebrities in attendance: Kentucky super-fan and extremely famous rapper Drake was sitting approximately 15 feet from us. Phil Knight, the founder of Nike, was also right there in the Kentucky section. Marcus Camby, who played for Kentucky coach John Calipari at UMass in the mid-90s, was sitting right behind us, looking about 40 pounds heavier than his playing days...which ended last year. Other former Calipari mercenaries, er, players were there - John Wall, Anthony Davis. The UConn section featured Ray Allen and Rip Hamilton. On the big screen they showed Johnny Manzeil, who elicited a chorus of boos, and Bill Clinton sitting next to George W. Bush in a luxury suite, which elicited a chorus of cheers. Sitting in front of Clinton and Dubya was Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo; amateur lip-reading determined that Clinton quipped, "They're clapping for you, Tony", when that motley trio was on the forty-yard wide screen. A welcome change, I'm sure, for Mr. Romo, after the last few Cowboys seasons.

Did I mention we sat court-side?

Nice seats!

The entire experience was supremely memorable. My lone gripe - c'mon, Michigan! Don't lose the game before! I want it to be maize and blue confetti next time I'm lucky enough to attend.