The Center of the Universe

The often used characterization  "Center of the Universe" is noted to describe a litany of places, depending on who you ask. For sports fans, that Mecca of all places can extend from the Super Bowl to the NCAA Final Four and all points in between.

For me, that place is the Southeastern Conference Men's Basketball Tournament. I made my first trip in 2001 to Nashville, ironically the first time the tournament has been held in the Bridgestone Arena and the site of the tournament this year, and immediately was in basketball heaven.  Ole Miss, on its way to the 2001 NCAA Tournament, was  defeated by Kentucky in the finals, who were led by Tayshaun Prince. 

I was hooked.

At that time, the arena naming rights were owned by Gaylord Entertainment but the adjacent watering holes remained the same in downtown Nashville on legendary Broadway. From Legends to The Stage, there is never a dull moment in the "Music City." 

While the tournament is all about basketball for five days, it also has nothing to do with basketball. For the past 12-years, Dr. Bruce Longest, Casey Clark, Joel McNeece, Kent Moore and I have made the trek across the country to the festivities each year. The countless drives to Atlanta and Nashville became enjoyable each year, as the group needed the hours of driving to catch up on the previous year's happenings. The conversations were always filed away to revisit again and it all centered around the food and music.  The past two years, I have been on hiatus but I look forward to joining the group for a few days this year and hopefully full swing in the future.

As you can imagine, with five different people come five different viewpoints of genre's and eras. Many enjoy the 70's and 80's rock era and some the 70's and 80's easy listening choices. An ardent Ole Miss fan, Longest is quite the purveyor of the arts and brings his expertise of Broadway. There is never a shortage of show tunes, led by the group Abba from the critically acclaimed show "Mamma Mia." The Eagles, Jim Croce, Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp and Don McLean always provide the perfect backdrop. 

As we all grow older, the music stays the same. So do the arenas, the exquisite food and friendships.

Next weekend when I walk inside the Bridgestone Arena, I am sure I will be engulfed by the royal blue of the Big Blue Nation of Kentucky. The swarms of Wildcat fans flocking south for the week will turn the arena into Rupp Arena-South. I can recall a conversation I had with a couple from Bardstown, KY about why they traveled al the way to Tampa, FL to see UK in the tournament. The older gentleman replied, "It's the only way we get to see our Cats play in person. We simply can't get tickets at Rupp Arena." 

People wonder why an arena that seats almost 24,000 is always filled? 

Demand

UK has won 27 of the SEC's 53 conference tournaments. No, that's not a typo, it's the Big Blue Nation.

This tournament is essentially the only place you can go where you can possibly hear a "Hotty Toddy," "Maroon-White," "Roll Tide," "Ooooooooo C-A-T- S Cats Cats Cats"  and "Wooooooo Pig Sooey!" all in one day.

Do yourself a favor. Call a few friends and pack a few clothes. Jump in your car and reach for the cooler. Roll the windows down, crank up the volume to "Jack and Diane" and relive the days of yesteryear. At that point, if you listen close enough, you will be warmly greeted; "Ladies and gentleman, welcome to Bridgestone Arena, the site of the 2013 Southeastern Conference Men's Basketball Tournament."

Yes, it's the "Center of the Universe."

Brad Logan is a regular contributor to Mississippi Sports Magazine. He is a native of Bruce, MS and currently resides in Mississippi. You can reach him by following him on Twitter: @BradLoganCOTE and his blog: www.CornerOfTheEndzone.blogspot.com