Follow David Helman’s blog here: www.lsureveille.com/cm/2.3471/blog/2009basketball
 
“Bill, I have a feeling we are about to embark on a most unprecedented expedition!”Thus spoke Ted Theodore Logan, and Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure began.Now, I’m hardly about to travel through time in a phone booth situated outside the Circle K across the street from my apartment, but I am several hours away from boarding a plane to Greensboro, N.C., to cover LSU in the NCAA tournament.I’ve watched the tournament religiously since I was somewhere around six. I remember Arizona’s unprecedented run to the ’97 national title, and I remember when two 8 seeds – Wisconsin and North Carolina – got to the Final Four in 2000. Of course there was LSU’s surprising run in ’06, and “The Shot” by Mario Chalmers to lift Kansas to glory last spring.But up until now, my only March Madness experience that didn’t involve a TV was when I had the chance to watch No. 1 Florida play No. 9 Purdue at the New Orleans Arena in the second round of the ’07 tournament.It was a 74-67 UF win – hardly riveting stuff.But starting tomorrow I get to share a city with two of the legendary programs of college hoops and two of the biggest rivals in all of sports – Duke and North Carolina.I can’t forget to mention one of the most successful programs of the past decade in Texas.The Longhorns have gone to 10-straight tournaments with five Sweet 16 appearances, two Elite Eight appearances and a run to the Final Four in 2003. Texas has also boasted superstar names such as T.J. Ford and Kevin Durant in recent seasons.You also can’t forget about Minnesota and its coach Tubby Smith – one of the truly big names in college basketball along with Roy Williams, Coach K, Rick Pitino, Jim Boeheim, etc.Throw in Butler, one of the more successful mid-major programs of the last few years, and LSU, the team I get paid to cover, and I’m understandably jacked.As a rabid college football fan coming from a college football state, I’m more than a bit ready for some massive culture shock. I completely expect Greensboro to be decked out in the Tarheels’ baby blue or the royal shade of Duke.I want to see hoops freaks spitting venom about the 2-3 zone and Coach K’s clout with the refs the same way Louisianians fume about Nick Saban’s tricky blitz schemes and the fact that Chad Jones has just now made the switch to safety after two seasons of college ball.Maybe I’ll even get to see the first NCAA tournament win of Trent Johnson’s LSU career. But more on that when I’m actually in North Carolina.For now, March Madness is underway (Morehead State defeated Alabama State, 58-43, in the tournament’s play-in game) and I’m ready for magic.Until I post again,”Be excellent to each other … and party on, dudes!”David HelmanSports Writer
 
 
 
—-Contact David Helman at [email protected]