Georgia did win the tournament.

The only real risk of writing a blog, or just opening your mouth, for that matter, is the opportunity for people to misinterpret what you have said. Or making a mistake in what you say, which is also common. Saturday, I called my parents after the Georgia Men's Basketball team had beaten Kentucky, a matchup about which I have always been rather conflicted, and was excited because a freshman from Dunwoody had hit the winning shot which sent them to the following game against Mississippi State. My sister, who answered the phone and who has very little interest in anything about basketball in general, was quick to let me know that I had mistaken a salient fact about the player from Dunwoody.

Then, I called Susan and Kevin on Sunday after Georgia had virtually run away with the SEC tournament championship against Arkansas, to see if Kevin had seen the game. I had already talked to Frank and Dad about the game. As soon as I started talking about Georgia, my sister was quick to say that that was SEC and they didn't care anything about the SEC, since it wasn't the ACC.

Well, la de da. All I was trying to get from her was whether Kevin had seen the game. Next, in my excitement, I stated that virtually all of my favorite teams were going to be in the NCAA tournament, another subject about which my sister could care less. I stated that it didn't look like Kentucky was going to be there and she again showed her lack of interest. I opined that it didn't look like Gonzaga and Florida State would be in the tournament either. It wasn't a factual statement, just an opinion. Since neither had won their tournament or been involved in the championship game, I thought, I didn't think they would be there.

Well, then I get a voice message from Kevin informing me that "unlike that unworthy team from Athens, which barely eked a spot in the tournament with the SEC tournament victory, that Gonzaga and Florida State were going to be in the tournament." Again, la de da.

Look, I know that Georgia was at the bottom of the SEC east before the tournament. I know that of all the 64 teams in the NCAA tournament they probably have the least likely record to appear in the tournament. I also know that it was very very unlikely that at the beginning of last week anyone would have thought that Georgia would be in the NCAA tournament. I know all that.

I also know that the tournament selection is a hit and miss proposition. There are always teams that feel that they should have been in the list of schools included in the dance. I know that. I also know that, with the exception of Tennessee, which got beat in the semifinals of the SEC tournament, there is no team in the SEC which matches up well with UNC or Duke in the ACC this year. As far as that goes, other than Kentucky, not many schools in the SEC match up with Duke and UNC in any year or in history.

But for goodness sake, sister, show a little, just a little, excitement about something that your brother is excited about. I wasn't looking to lord it over anyone. I also know that you have little interest in basketball. And I appreciate your desire to support and show interest in your husband's interests. But I didn't mean anything belittling by what I said. I'm sorry if you took it that way.

Never mind. Happy St. Patrick's Day.