There’s a smile on my face and a bounce in my step. And you know what? A lot of you have it too. We’re still on a bit of a basketball high thanks to the West Virginia University Mountaineer’s win over Kentucky Saturday night.

People who aren’t from West Virginia just don’t understand this love affair we have with the Mountaineers. We don’t have a professional sports team, so those college students-kids-are our heroes. We adopt them as our own and have such pride in their accomplishments. They put our often-maligned state on the map.

We understand it. Coach Bobby Huggins understands it; he’s a Mountaineer. Coach Bill Stewart understands it; he’s also a native. Even the players, who are overwhelmingly not from West Virginia understand it. You know why? Because they feel the love from the Mountaineer Nation. They become part of us and want to win games, tournaments, titles, for us. Yes, you and me. They want to make us happy because it makes them happy too. It’s a family thing and they get it.

Coach Huggins has said that if his team wins the NCAA title, he’s going to take the trophy on a statewide bus tour so the fans, a real part of his team, can experience the joy and pride it brings-up close and personal.

I can’t wait for that day. You’d better believe I’ll be watching the game Saturday and cheering for my team.