Sweet Sixteen Is in the Air

I just returned from the Davidson campus, and this is what I saw:

Coach Bob McKillop's house, which directly across the street from campus, decorated with toilet paper and a homemade banner.

The CBS Early Show crew scoping out campus for their remote on Thursday morning.

A 17-page waiting list (and growing) for Sweet Sixteen t-shirts in the bookstore.

Parents and prospectives being led on a campus tour (bet they'll get a good impression). 

But this is also what I saw:

The campus going about its business. Students studying. Students going to and from campus. It made me remember that at Davidson, time doesn't stand still for basketball, because it's not all about basketball.

Also, chatted for a little while the bookstore folks. It's safe to say that this little run is helping revenues. On Tuesday, the store did 8 times its typical best day of the year. And that's not even counting Internet orders, which figure to add another 30 to 50%.

And I heard this from students: The Davidson trustees have kicked in the cash to make it possible for any student who wants to, to attend the Sweet Sixteen in Detroit for free. Free transportation and hotel rooms for two, and a free ticket. That could be as much as $400/person. Do the math. Finally the television announcers, if they get wind of it, have something else to talk about besides the "free" on-campus laundry.