2017 NCAA Final Four - University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ

April 1 & 3, 2017: 8 years ago I went to the Final Four for the first time thinking it might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to watch my UConn Huskies in person in Detroit.  Fast forward to 2017 and I had the opportunity to go to my 4th Final Four, but for the first time it wasn't in support of UConn.  Instead, I got to cheer for my other favorite team, the Gonzaga Bulldogs, who finally busted through their proverbial NCAA ceiling to reach the Final Four for the first time.  After 2 exciting semifinal games between Gonzaga and fellow first time Final Four participant South Carolina as well as Oregon and North Carolina on Saturday evening, the stage was set for a Monday night showdown between one of the bluest of college basketball's bluebloods in North Carolina and a Gonzaga program that very few knew even played D1 basketball less than 20 years ago.  While the outcome of the game didn't turn out as I hoped since the refs utterly mucked the game up after halftime, it was still another memorable visit to one of the greatest annual sporting events in the country!

Sunny and 80 degrees outside U PHX Stadium on Championship Day!

Court looks pretty small in a cavernous stadium doesn't it?

Glad my seats weren't up there!

Coach Few and Coach Williams with a pregame greeting

Opening tip of the National Championship!

Nigel Williams-Goss from Gonzaga with the baseline jumper

Williams-Goss pulls up over UNC's Theo Pinson

The confetti flies for the 2017 National Champions - North Carolina