Zagmania Ii: Sequel May Actually Be Better
Spike Q. Gonzaga’s routine has been anything but that.
The lovable bulldog that answers to the name Q. - after last year’s point guard Quentin Hall - keeps getting passed off to a dog sitter.
Things aren’t about to change soon.
“He’s used to going to events and things,” said Q.’s owner, Gonzaga University assistant athletic director Mike Hogan, who leaves today with the Gonzaga men’s basketball team for the NCAA tournament’s West Regional in Albuquerque, N.M. “But Albuquerque is out of the question, unless the hotel will take him and someone else will baby-sit him.”
It seems Q. - adopted by Hogan during last year’s first wave of Zagmania - is about the only creature on campus who isn’t trying desperately to get to New Mexico. Welcome to Zagmania, the sequel.
Once again, Matt Santangelo, Casey Calvary, Richie Frahm & Co. are generating dogged excitement.
“It’s more insane this year,” said Carol Schoentrup, an employee at the university bookstore. “But it was crazy last year too.”
Schoentrup and her fellow workers are bracing for a record day because Gonzaga’s shipment of Sweet 16 merchandise is expected in today. But Monday was hardly a time for slacking. More than 420 merchandise orders were made on the gozags.com Web site.
While many Zagnuts flocked to the bookstore, others waited in line for tickets. Students began showing up at 6 a.m., three hours before tickets went on sale.
The Zags play Purdue at 4:55 p.m. (PST) Thursday. The winner advances to Saturday’s 1:40 p.m. regional final against the winner of the Wisconsin-Louisiana State game.
“It’s about the same as it was when we went to Phoenix (site of last year’s West Regional),” Hogan said. “We had about the same number of students and boosters.”
The four schools playing in Albuquerque were allotted 1,250 tickets each. Gonzaga’s share was sold out by Monday afternoon. While Zagmania sweeps across campus (try going 10 feet without seeing a “Go Zags” sign), first-year coach Mark Few continues to make every attempt to stick with his routine. It isn’t easy.
“It feels very similar to last year,” said Few, an assistant coach on last year’s team. “You see the whirlwind tornado spinning out of control, but you’re kind of in the eye of the storm where you’re focusing in on Purdue.”
It seems like a normal game week, he added, “yet you do 12 national radio interviews by noon and then you meet Curry Kirkpatrick downstairs and talk with Jim Rome.”
Kirkpatrick’s piece for ESPN will air before Thursday’s game. Few appeared on Fox Sports Northwest’s `The Last Word with Jim Rome” Monday night. He’s also scheduled to be on today’s radio show (9 a.m.noon 790 AM).
While the Zags draw national attention, there’s also this little thing called “studies.” The team leaves tonight after two days of classes followed by an afternoon send-off at Martin Centre.
Santangelo, a fifth-year senior point guard, had one class to attend Monday night.
“I’ll be there,” he said Monday afternoon. “It’s tough. For one thing, you’re tired. And you just can’t get your mind off it. There’s so much going on. It’s a defining moment in our lives.”
This sidebar appeared with the story: NUMBERS Need tickets?
Gonzaga’s ticket allotment for the NCAA Tournament West Regional sold out Monday. Those still looking for tickets should call Louisiana State University at 225-388-2184 or the University of New Mexico ticket office at 505-925-5626.