This weekend, the Upper Arlington Golden Bears will be making their first appearance in the men's basketball final four since 1939. Back then, Hitler was chancellor of Germany while FDR was battling dust storms and the Great Depression here at home. Frank Lloyd Wright was building "Falling Water" and the Golden Gate Bridge had just opened. That year, the Golden Bears blew up like the Hindenberg in an electric storm burning up the competition and winning the Ohio high school Championship. But just as suddenly, the program disappeared like Amelia Earhart over the Pacific before finally returning to the big dance this year.
Having lived and worked in Upper Arlington for the past 17 years, I just had to make a note of what an amazing accomplishment this season has been. I can't imagine how much work these players and coaches have put in to get to this point. It's been even more fun watching through the eyes of my ten year old son Owen. He takes his basketball to school everyday and sports his UA basketball gear with pride. To kids Owen's age, players like Kevin Vannatta and Danny Hummer (and Logan, Harrison, Wes, etc.) are rock stars on par with Aaron Craft and Andrew Wiggins.
Just for some perspective, here are things that did not exist the last time UA made the final four in basketball:
Body Deodorant / Electric Hand Dryers / Tupperware / Twist Ties / Soft Serve Ice Cream / Felt Tip Markers / Credit Cards / Lint Rollers / WD-40 /
When the guys weren't practicing perhaps they were reading the latest new books "The Hobbit" or "Of Mice and Men" or catching "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" at the moving picture show.
Anyway, win or lose, congrats to the Upper Arlington Golden Bears for an amazing season!
Colin Gawel owns Colin's Coffee in UA and writes things like this on slow mornings. You can read all about his life in the best selling book "Hitless Wonder - A Life in Minor League Rock n Roll".