ON DECK: Gonzaga's rise in college basketball
Somewhere, buried deep in my closet, is an Adam Morrison jersey from his playing days at Gonzaga.
Coming from the Pacific Northwest, I've always had a soft spot in my heart for the Cinderellas from Spokane. I remember when they first burst onto the scene in 1999 — advancing as the No. 10 seed through No. 2 Stanford and No. 6 Florida, with Matt Santangelo running the point, Richie Frahm knocking down jumpers and Casey Cavalry inside.
They shocked the world by going to the Elite 8, then made people realize Gonzaga had a legitimate program when they advanced to the Sweet 16 the following two years.
That's what makes this year so amazing. The Bulldogs are currently ranked No. 3 in the country and considering the crazy way things have worked this season, could find their way to the top in the country. And it all feels very — normal. Mark Few has turned the little team from eastern Washington into a national juggernaut. What's more amazing? He's stayed in Spokane this entire time.
