Hoops Dreams: The Musical

My beloved Northwestern Wildcats once again did not make the NCAA post-season basketball tournament.  This is not a shock.  They have the longest streak of any major college team never to have made the tourney.  But that doesn't do the reality justice -- they are, in fact, the ONLY major college to never have made the post-season.  That goes back to 1939.  Or 76 years ago.  (This could change soon.  The played a lot of close games against ranked teamed this year, and ended up with a respectable record for a lousy season -- and have what is considered a strong class of recuits coming in next year, and most of their best players coming back.  And a good, young coach in Chris Collins, son of legendary coach Doug.)  

On the other side of the coin, the NU women's basketball team had quite a good year, and ended the regular season ranked #22 in the country.  And they're in the post-season tournament, with a #7 seed in the region.  So, it's been nice to read the coverage about them in the sports pages here.  The elves back at the homestead are excited, too, and send their best.

(And good news!  The NU women's team will be broadcast on ESPN 2 tomorrow -- Friday -- at 11:30 AM Los Angeles time, 1:30 PM here in Chicago.  

Hey, it counts.  When you follow Northwestern sports, you takes what you get.  Between them and the Cubs, I have a lot of catching up to do.

In the meantime, I figured it best to play the Northwestern fight song, "Go U Northwestern."  But to be appropriate and faithful to the moment, it's from a recording that comes from even before the NCAA baskeball tournament began.  This isn't the NU marching band, but a recording by Dell Lampe and his Orchestra, in 1929.  It also includes the "lost" introduction to the song, which I (and I assume most people) have never heard.

Okay, I completely understand that a 1929 dance band orchestra might not be everyone's favorite way to hear a college marching band song.  So, for those of you who prefer something different, here is the Northwestern fight song played by mariachis...

Now, I'm sure that that should pretty much satisfy most anyone, it's a mariachi fight song, after all, and between that and the dance band, it should be plenty.  But I know, too, that we have some high-brow elites who read these pages, so for you folks, here is the Northwestern fight song performed by opera students at the university's School of Music.

Oh, okay, here's the real deal, with the Northwestern Wildcat Marching Band.

For all those who made it through all four versions, you are now eligible for an honorary degree.