Happy anniversary!

To quote CBS Sports announcer Jim Nantz's prelude to "One Shining Moment" after Florida's 2006 NCAA Final Four basketball national championship win:

"The shared experience, always the best ... Northwestern State, the little guys playing like a giant, they made us all take notice. It's doubtful they'll ever be underestimated again."

St. Patrick's Day, 2006. Auburn Hills, Michigan. As if you didn't remember. From my seat, a few snapshots and reflections to enjoy:

Memories of the usually placid Southland Conference commissioner Tom Burnett pounding his fist in joy on the press table, venerable Demons athletic trainer Ed Evans hugging Vic the Demon, assistant coach Mark Slessinger's wild dance across the court, Voice of the Demons Patrick Netherton trying to shut off my mike so anyone listening could understand what had just happened, and SID assistant Brian Seiler dashing to the locker room to retrieve Jermaine Wallace (no explanation needed) for CBS's postgame interview keep flashing through my mind ...

As well as the gleams on the faces of CBS announcers Verne Lundquist and Bill Raftery, who had really been blown away by our coach in their visit the day before the Iowa game. It was great working with Verne, who of course was a fixture in Dallas and didn't have to be told where Natchitoches was or how to say it.

In fact, his wife had often traveled here as a regional marketing rep for Lincoln Mercury.

Every time a new model came out, she toured the regional dealerships in east Texas and north Louisiana to be sure the salesmen knew all about the features on the new car.

The next morning, Verne told me that when he got back to the hotel late that evening, after broadcasting three more games, he called his wife in Colorado, as he always does. The first thing he told her was, "Honey, the team from Natchitoches won."

After our loss to West Virginia, he thanked me for having had the chance to do our games. I just don't think that happens all the time. Neither does the head coach having the SID deliver handwritten thank you notes to the CBS announcers, producer and director before the second game in the tournament.

Great memories. They come up every year at this time.

What a great reason to always celebrate St. Patrick's Day!

Doug Ireland, SID