Go U! Go U! Mass! Go U Mass!

I received a copy of the UMass Alumni magazine in the mail last night. I was again confused as to how UMass found me - how do they know where I live? How do they know that I moved? How do they do it? I read the alumni magazine for the first time ever last month because one of my favorite New York artists was featured on the cover. I was delighted to learn that he was an alumni!

This month featured Bill Pullman and a bunch of micro-articles about polymers.

Most importantly, however, the magazine featured an update on all of the members of the 95-96 men's basketball team, ten years after the team went to the final four.

Ah, the nostalgia.

Now. I don't remember anything from college. The only thing class-related I remember is the professor biting it on the stairs in Bio285. In Hasbrouke? I think.(Sidenote 1: I also remember the codes for classes, such as Chem111 and Psych131.) (Sidenote 2: Bio285 was Molecular Biology of the Cell - that may not have been the exact name - and is the only class from college that became relevant in my professional life - everything else I "learned" in college was superfluous.) (Sidenote 3: it would have been helpful had I learned something other than how to calculate molarity in any of the four chemistry courses I took while in college, because that information is sort of important now and I don't have it.)

I do, however, remember all of the basketball players from that team and the team the year before. Remember "Rigooooooo....."?

And Ross Burns? Hah!

This was an exciting article to read, and not because of the basketball team. Oh no. It was because of a picture of... The Fat Guy!

For those of you who didn't go to UMass or have no concept of UMass basketball during that era, that year was insane. Sports fervor. I hate sports and even I was caught up. I waited in long lines on mornings when it seemed to be twenty below zero to secure tickets to games. I got to games hours early to rush in to get the good seats. I was trampled by crowds. I made a sign when the game was televised. I chanted along with the fans, I wiggled my fingers during foul shots, and most importantly, I cheered when The Fat Guy ran by.

The Fat Guy was literally called The Fat Guy. He was just a crazy fan who showed up to each game with a collection of signs and proceeded to run around The Mullins Center to generate enthusiasm.

Awesome. I haven't thought about The Fat Guy in forever. I'm not that he's ever crossed my mind since graduating.

The only thing that was disappointing about the article was that the picture of The Fat Guy was from the era when The Fat Guy started losing weight. He was still overweight, but not as Fat. Of course we were distressed to witness him wasting away, but it was appropriate given that the team itself began to decline after their year of glory.

Ah, college. It's the non-academic experience that has the most influence.