The ritual of cutting down the nets is complete, the operations folks are boxing up the team bench chairs to ship back to the schools, camera equipment is being taken down and the last of the Louisville fans are leaving the Scottrade Center.  It's time for the clean up now, and a time for reflection on UConn's marvelous season.

"This team, this is all something that is brand new for them," said head coach Geno Auriemma. 

"Their journey was a little bit different.  A little more improbable, maybe for them because of the lack of depth or whatever, but this one is going to be real special because of the way we did it.  It just means a lot to me that for as much as Renee (Montgomery) gave the University of Connecticut, we were able to give her something back."

The best part of winning a national championship might be the party that starts after the final horn sounds.  The tickertape fell from the ceiling, cameras rushed on the court, and the biggest prize in Division I women's basketball was handed over to Connecticut ... the NCAA trophy!  It will be an all night celebration for the Huskies and this was only the beginning.  They will go back to the NCAA hotel where their anxious fans await to celebrate the championship! 

By the way President Obama, Tina Charles can't wait to see you ... and I'm sure the rest of the team is super excited for a trip to the White House!

Connecticut remained flawless in NCAA title games tonight, winning the program's sixth national championship and first since 2004 with a 76-54 defeat of Louisville.   They ended their incredible season with a perfect 39-0 record.   As seniors like Renee Montgomery move on to their next challenge in life, they will be able to take this accomplishment with them ... always a national champion.

Blocked shots, steals, three-point plays ... everything is pretty much going the Huskies' way right now.  I'm not sure how they make it look so easy, but Connecticut has stretched its' lead to 22 points with 11:45 left in the game.  They are starting to feel it now.

The Huskies are going to fight for that perfect season and national title ... they have come out of the locker room on a 5-0 run in the first 2:44 of the second half.  And Husky fans certainly do not need any prompting from the video spots running on the big screen of players encouraging them to yell and cheer ... they share the team's hunger for that title.

As Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma sits and waits with his assistants for the start of the second half, probably the last thing running through his mind is the latest award he collected today ... but that doesn't mean I can't tell you about it. 

Auriemma was named the winner of the 2009 Naismith Women's College Coach of the Year by the Atlanta Tipoff Club today, garnering his sixth award in the 23 years the Club has named one.  He has won the award two straight years, and his total of six is more than any other coach.  Tennessee head coach Pat Summitt has five in her trophy case. 

Connecticut's shots are falling and the Huskies tightened up their defense in the last few minutes of the half, pulling away to lead 39-29 at the intermission. 

Remember, the Cardinals were down by 12 at the half to Oklahoma ... don't count them out yet.  I'm sure Jeff Walz will have some adjustments for his team as he's probably tellking ESPN's Holly Rowe in this picture, and we'll see if they can come back one more time.  One of the key things I'm sure Walz will focus on is getting Angel McCoughtry back to being a factor in the game.  Since the score was 15-15 at 11:43 in the first half, she has not scored a point.  She has 11 for the game right now.

While I was writing this entry Oklahoma's Courtney Paris walked in the building down the stairs in the section of Sooner fans, getting a standing ovation from the whole arena.  Paris knows what a Louisville comeback looks like ... watch out Huskies.

UConn has just gone one a 6-0 run, and Louisville head coach Jeff Walz called a 30-second timeout to slow down the pace and have his Cardinals regain their composure ... of course, the Huskies' run has not dampened the Louisville students' spirit ... they are still standing and cheering on their Cardinals.

We're deadlocked at 15-15 with 11:17 remaining in the first half, and it looks like the Louisville doubters have fueled Angel McCoughtry's fire.  She has 11 of her team's 15 points, and seems to be on a mission to beat the Huskies single-handedly.  Let's just see if her teammates can step up, and help the Cardinals hang in there as they attempt to pull of one of the biggest upsets in women's basketball history ...

After falling behind 16-2 against Oklahoma in Sunday's semifinal game, Louisville looks determined to get off on the right foot tonight ... and at the first TV timeout the Cardinals have a one point lead, 9-8, on the Huskies ... Angel McCoughtry, who didn't have a field goal in the first half against the Sooners already has five points.

Whew, we've tipped, and these two teams are off to the races ... both team's star players already have a basket ... Angel McCoughtry drained a three and Maya Moore sank a two-pointer in the first minute of action ...

If you can't catch the game live or on television, there's no reason to miss a minute of action ... you can follow the game on the GameTracker ... check out the different ways to keep up to date ...

http://www.ncaa.com/brackets/basketball/women/

  The game officials are on the court, getting reading for the action themselves.  Lisa Mattingly, Dee Kantner and Clarke Stevens will be keeping them honest out there on the court, while Sue Blauch is standby official.

When you're a kid, everything looks bigger, but having an official ball boy or girl position might be a little overwhelming in front of over 20,000 people at the biggest women's college basketball game of the year ... but although they are looking around a bit wide-eyed, they look to be having a pretty good time as they wait for the teams to come out for introductions.  I'd be sweating ...

We are less than two hours from tip-off and the final touches are being put on the Scottrade Center for the big game.  The ushers are in place, and the doors are ready to open for the sea of anxious fans.  There is a sense of calm before the storm ... I wonder if the players and coaches are calm or anxious.  I'm going to go sit out on the court and check it out.

Renee Montgomery knows what it's like to win a championship, but if the Huskies can pull out a victory against Louisville on Tuesday night, the senior may savor this one a little bit more.  She led South Charleston High School to three straight West Virginia Class AAA titles in her first three years in high school, and came to expect victory at the end of her season. 

When her team lost the state title in her senior season, she couldn't believe it and, when she got to perennial power UConn at the college level, she understood how much more difficult it would get.

"After losing the championship game in my senior year of high school, and then losing in my first three years at Connecticut, I realized you're not entitled to win championships," said Montgomery.  "I think if we win tomorrow I'm going to appreciate it a lot more."

UConn head coach Geno Auriemma wants to get his senior that trophy tomorrow night more than anything, but knows "not all fairy tales end with the prince taking the princess home and living happily ever after."

"Sometimes, it doesn't end right," said Auriemma.  "I guess in a short period of time we'll find out.  But I don't know that I've wanted anything more than I want this."

Sometimes, it does work out how we dream it, but of course everyone has their own different dreams.  Louisville's Angel McCoughtry has actually dreamt about winning it all, too.  "... putting on the hat, running up and down the court.  So, hopefully my dream can come true tomorrow."

For the first time in over 20 years, two male coaches will meet in the NCAA Division I Women's Championship as Louisville's Jeff Walz and Connecticut's Geno Auriemma battle with their teams on Tuesday.

Auriemma is 5-0 in NCAA title games with the Huskies, but Walz is also undefeated in his experience as an assistant coach for Maryland in 2006.

"I know many people have said Geno never lost a national championship game," said Deseree' Byrd.  "But neither has Coach Walz.  Like I said, we still want our doubters.  They add fuel to our fire. This is the national championship - anything can happen.  And we're going to leave it all out on the floor."

The last time male coaches met in the title game was in 1998 when Auburn's Joe Ciampi and Louisiana Tech's Leon Barmore.   Barmore's Lady Techsters won the title, 56-54.

I'm not one to talk about signs and superstition and fate, but when I overheard this little nugget from Deseree' Byrd, I was intrigued.  Since she was a child in Cincinnati, Ohio, every time someone in her family would she a Cardinal, they would blow the bird (not Byrd) a kiss.  This was before Byrd ever thought about playing basketball for Louisville.

The Louisville Cardinals are now about to play in their first national title game in the city of the St. Louis Cardinals with their point guard named Byrd.  The MLB Cardinals will open their 2009 season against Pittsburgh this afternoon at Busch Stadium ... that's a lot of birds, Byrds and Cardinals in St. Louis this week ...

Good morning.  I woke up to snow flurries this morning - the first time this Floridian has seen snow in years - but it has not amounted to anything and is now a light rain.  (Thanks for buying me the much-needed trench coat Mom.)

My day started in search of a new digital camera, and my quest took my through midtown, past Saint Louis University, to Radio Shack where I was in and out in 10 minutes as my taxi driver waited.  I've never had very good luck with digital cameras - I'm too klutzy to take them around with me everywhere without dropping them, so we'll see how this new fancy red one works out for me.  I tested it the taxi back to the hotel, and despite the rain on the car window, it looks like it does the job.  Plus, we now have blog photos again!

So, although it's the kind of day that is better spent curled up next to a fire with a good book, there is no gloominess in the Scottrade Center.  There's a lot going on.  Players and coaches will spend the better part of the next three hours getting drilled by the media on the match-up between the Huskies and Cardinals tomorrow night.

It should be a pretty full day ... and you never know what they'll have to say! 

Well, tonight the BIG EAST won an NCAA Championship - we just don't know which team can put their name on the trophy yet.  Connecticut and Louisville have met before with both games coming out in the Huskies' favor - a 93-65 victory during the regular season and a 75-36 win in the league tournament.

Louisville knows what to expect, but they also know they have a tough road ahead on Tuesday night.

"Well, we know Connecticut is a great team," said Louisville senior Angel McCoughtry. "And a big upset, Big East, and if we have two Big East teams in there it's really good for our conference. We're glad to have two Big East teams in the national championship. We have a lot of respect for Geno and his program, and we're just going to come out, play hard. We know what to expect. We played them twice -- we're going to come out and play hard and hope to win."

All I can say is wow ... the top-ranked and unbeaten Huskies have definitely lived up to their billing and they deserve to compete for a national title on Tuesday night.  UConn handled Stanford easily, winning 83-64, and they looked like they expected victory ... there was never any doubt.  And although, there were smiles and joy to finally get to a title game for first time for any of the current players, there was a sense that they knew they belonged there.

UConn has won five national titles -- 1995, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004 - and after improving to 38-0 tonight will look to tie the 2002 squad at 39-0 against Louisville.

Connecticut senior point guard Renee Montgomery is the nation's most experienced player with the most career starts of any Division I player.  The native of St. Albans, W.V., has started 147 career games, but tonight is definitely her most important one as she looks to win her first NCAA title as a member of the Huskies' squad.  

She has started a school-record 139 games, but has fallen short of a trophy in the last three years - the Huskies lost in the Elite Eight her first two seasons, and then fell to Stanford in the semifinals last year. 

Montgomery has left nothing to chance tonight, contributing a team-high 26 points with 3:40 left in the contest.  She's hungry to get to that title game on Tuesday night ... and it shows.

Connecticut is known not only for winning, but winning big, and with only eight minutes left in tonight's game, the Huskies look like they are right on track to come close to their 31.1 point average scoring margin. 

The Huskies have won all of their NCAA Tournament games by at least 18 points, and despite the Cardinal's best efforts UConn is up by 22 points.

Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma no doubt expressed the chance of a letdown during his halftime speech after what happened to the Sooners, and his players responded by coming out of the locker room on a 9-0 run in the first couple minutes of play.  The Huskies stretched their lead to 22 points and do not look like they are slowing down anytime soon.   Make that an 11-0 run now ... whew ... I can't keep up, and neither can Stanford right now ...

A similar beginning and a similar halftime score, but will there be a similar ending.  No. 1 Connecticut leads Stanford, 37-34, at the half, but can the Cardinal stage a comeback like we just witnessed in the Louisville-Oklahoma game?  Give me 20 more minutes and I'll have that answer.

As the fans wait for play to restart, a video tribute of late North Carolina State head coach Kay Yow played on the big screens ... and it moved the crowd to a standing ovation.  So far, the teams have heeded the advice that Yow left with us before her passing ... 'Play hard, hang tough, go the distance.' 

While listening to the Cardinals and Sooners in the postgame press conferences, everyone in the room rode the emotional roller coaster between winning a chance to play in national title game and ending their season with a tough loss. 

Jeff Walz described how he just needed his players to stick to the plan he and his staff has worked on over the last four days, and Angel McCoughtry told him during the press conference that they finally believed him.  He said it was embarrassing to witness his team fall behind so fast in the first few minutes of the game, and sitting Angel down on the bench helped her to calm down and refocus and follow the game plan.  The man will now be coaching in his second national title game - he was an assistant on the Maryland staff when the Terrapins won in 2006 - and I'm sure he has a plan for whichever team the Cardinals face on Tuesday.

After not making a field goal in the first seven minutes of the first game, and being down 16-2 to start, Louisville never lost its cool and made a thrilling come back to win their first-ever Women's Final Four game, 61-59. 

It wasn't over until the absolute last second as Oklahoma's Nyeshia Stevenson's last field goal attempt rimmed out.  Stevenson dropped to the floor after the miss, holding her face in her hands, but senior Ashley Paris - one of the Sooners' true leaders -- picked her up and consoled her teammate. 

Tonight's game is what the Women's Final Four should look like every year - a battle of sheer will and determination until the bitter end.  I can't wait to hear the what the coaches and players have to say about this game ... check back in a few ...  

The stars of the Louisville-Oklahoma match-up are living up to the hype tonight ... the Paris twins have combined for 26 of the Sooners' 50 points, while McCoughtry and Bingham have contributed 27 of the Cardinals' 55-point total.  

I have no doubts that regardless of the outcome in the next 3:42, either team will be ready on Tuesday night for the winner of the two powerhouses Connecticut and Stanford, which has been played as the 'real national championship game'.  This is not a game for second-place ... these teams are impressive and it will be a fight in the final moments ...

A very different Louisville team is on the court right now, and Angel McCoughtry is sparking that surge with a few field goals (she didn't hit one in the first half), beating Courtney Paris to a few rebounds and a blocked shot at the 11:58 mark that sent Cardinal fans into a tizzy.  Angel has been their go-to girl all year long - leading the BIG EAST in scoring, rebounding and steals - and now she's displaying the leadership skills she's know for on the court ...

Cardinal fans have never been down tonight, but they are louder than ever, and when your team comes back from a 12-point halftime deficit in the first four-and-a-half minutes of play, you have a right to scream and cheer. 

Louisville head coach Jeff Walz must have had a great halftime talk with his players ... the Cardinals have come out of the locker room on a 7-0 run ...

Statistics don't always tell the story, but tonight, so far they do.  Louisville shot 22.2 percent from the field and was 0-for-7 from three-point range ... ouch.  The Sooners weren't exactly on fire with a 42.2 shooting percentage, but they outrebounded the Cardinals 27 to 17 with Courtney Paris leading the way with 11.

We're ready to start the second half, and I'd like to see some more shots go swoosh ...

We're at the half, and although Louisville has made some attempts at runs, the Oklahoma has an answer for everything the Cardinals throw their way.  Courtney Paris, who now has 49 straight games with a blocked shot, is like a human fly swatter, while Ashley Paris (10 points) and the rest of the crew equally contributed to a 34-22 lead at the break for the Sooners.

At the latest timeout the Louisville band just played "We're Not Going To Take It" ... the Cards cut their deficit to six with 3:30 left in the half, but the Sooners quickly got it back to double digits and are still looking strong.

This is the first time I've seen Oklahoma's Courtney Paris play in person, and my first reaction is the she is probably one of the most fierce competitors I've ever had the pleasure of watching.  I'm just glad I get to watch, and not get boxed out under the basket as she grabs another rebound to add to her NCAA all-time leading total.

After falling behind 16-2, Louisville finally hit their first field goal with 12:33 remaining in the first half ... Deseree Byrd hit a jumper and Candyce Bingham followed with layup.  We'll see how things settle down now, or if the Sooners will continue to control the pace. 

Oh, and a side note, I just dropped my digital camera on press row, and it has completely frozen up ... I'll probably be a touch wordier tonight to make up for the lack of photos.

It took almost six minutes for the Cardinals to get their first points on the board, and they still have not made a field goal.  Candyce Bingham hit a pair of free throws at the 14:13 mark ...

From the very first tip Oklahoma has been in control, and Louisville hasn't made a shot yet ... of course, it's early, and the Cardinals have yet to settle into their game.    We're at the first TV timeout at the Sooners are up 6-0 ...

So, there's less than 30 minutes until go-time and at this point all the preparations have been made.  The coaches - Louisville's Jeff Walz and Oklahoma's Sherri Coale -- are in the locker room giving their final speeches for what undoubtedly will be one of the biggest games of their players' lives.  Is there something special or different that one of them will say that will make a difference in the first half?  Stay tuned ...

Oklahoma senior center Courtney Paris added to the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award for NCAA women's basketball to her trophy case yesterday.  The award, which was presented to her at the Sooners' open practice, honors the nation's top senior student athlete in their respective Division I sport. 

Paris, a four-time All-American, will also graduate with academic honors and has been an active participant in community service projects, including favorites such as the Special Olympics and Sooner Big Sis' program. 

Congratulations Courtney - you've got CLASS!

Well, the doors have finally opened at the Scottrade Center and this pair of Oklahoma fans are already sitting down to enjoy some popcorn on their comfy new seat cushions they received as a nice memento tonight. 

When I pulled up on the shuttle bus to the arena there were hundreds of people waiting at the door to get in and when I just checked a few moments ago the lines were already long at the souvenir stand, and the cashiers were counting a lot of cash.  Didn't look like the recession was hitting too hard.

The ESPN set is ready to go, and the pre-Women's Final Four show will begin at 5:30 p.m. CT with Trey Wingo, Kara Lawson and Carolyn Peck getting you ready for the games if you can't be with us in St. Louis.  

Looks like Louisville is on the court and stretching, and watching the fans stream for the Cardinals' first-ever Women's Final Four appearance.  

The day everyone has been waiting for is finally here, but there is still a lot of time between now and tipoff. Luckily, there is plenty to do in St. Louis. If you're a women's hoops fan, head down to Hoop City -- it's free and there are lots of games and prizes for all ages.

This morning I headed to the America's Center to check it out, and specifically to see members of the Divison I State Farm Coaches' All-America team volunteer at the NCAA's Youth Education through Sports (YES) program partnered with the Special Olympics. The clinics were conducted by Betsy Blose, head coach of the University of North Carolina-Asheville, and her staff with the help of the All-America Team.

I watched Maryland's Kristi Toliver (pictured right) and Marissa Coleman, Auburn's DeWanna Bonner and Ohio State's Jantel Lavender teach dribbling, shooting and rebounding skills to over 25 Special Olympics athletes and the smiles could not have been wider. High fives were flying!

If you're not into clinics or competitions, there is still a lot to do, like walking around AT&T Arena where the walls are lined with photos of past Naismith Trophy winners -- the highest honor in women's college basketball.  This year's finalists -- UConn's Maya Moore and Renee Montgomery, Louisville's Angel McCoughtry and Oklahoma's Courtney Paris -- will join the ranks of former winners like Notre Dame's Ruth Riley, LSU's Simone Augustus and UConn's Diana Taurasi. 

And, if you don't think you'll make the Naismith finalist list anytime soon, you can always get your photo snapped with the trophy for a keepsake like these Wisconsin fans did.

I must say, though, that my favorite part of Hoop City was doing a taste test of Coke Zero -- actually a shot contest with one of the guys in the Coca-Cola Zero Pavilion.  Supposedly, I 'won' the contest, but I do not recommend doing shots of Coke Zero at home.  It tastes good, but is probably better when it goes down sip by sip.

So, now that I've got a few hours to explore before tip-off, I'm going to go find out where that constant smoky BBQ smell is coming from ... I'm sure it will not be too difficult to find some St. Louis Style Ribs ... all I have to do is follow my nose.  Back to basketball later ...

In the days leading up to the Women's Final Four, student-athletes and coaches not only have to worry about game time, and the experience can get a little crazy if you do not take it in stride.  Just today, there were autograph sessions, press conferences and practices open to the public, and then, there are normal responsibilities like watching film and team meetings.  

Believe me, I'm tired, and most of my day was spent figuring out which way to turn in the halls of the Scottrade Center.  But, at the same time, the hoopla is kind of fun, and I didn't see any pouting faces while getting lost, just probably a little anxiousness to get on with the reason why we're here.

UConn head coach Geno Auriemma said that he says the same thing every year at regionals or the Final Four, '... game time never gets her fast enough.  There's a million things you have to do and I obviously know they have to be done.  But I know I speak for the players.  I wish game day was today, but it's not.'

As I watched Louisville practice, they looked they were having a great time enjoying their first trip to the Women's Final Four, making sure to wave to the fans, practicing their half-court shots and stopping on the way out of the arena to give that last fan a signature.  The Cardinals looked to be savoring the moment, like they and the other three teams should be. 

Stanford's Jayne Appel admitted to being more nervous at last year's open practice than during the semifinal game with Connecticut as she went through her first Women's Final Four experience. Certainly, there's a lot to be nervous about, but Appel - who scored a school-record 46 points against Iowa State in the Berkeley Regional final - seems to be keeping her cool this time around.

Stanford head coach Tara Vanderveer, who has won two NCAA titles and led the Cardinal to seven Final Four berths, acknowledged how much the event had grown over the years.  Before Stanford's trip to Tampa in 2008, Vanderveer's last Final Four was in 1997, and well, times have changed.  'There's so much more coverage.  There are so many more things going on.  The arena is full.  It's always been a great experience, but now it's just that much more exposure for women's basketball and you see it at the Final Four.' 

Click here for more tidbits about Sunday's games in my Women's Final Four notebook. 

Twenty-one seventh and eighth grade girls from the St. Louis area got the chance to experience of being sports journalists as they participated in the Junior Journalism Workshop today.  They covered press conferences and asked questions, took photos, watched practices, soaking up as much information as they could, and will turn it into blog entries in the next couple days.  They were nominated to participate in the program by local Boys and Girls Clubs. 

Young journalist Erica Franklin, who was following Oklahoma today, asked the question, 'Do you ever feel like you play in your sister's shadow?'  to Oklahoma senior Ashley Paris, and twin sister four-time All-America Courtney Paris. 

Ashley quipped back, 'Most of the world plays in Courtney's shadow.  It's not just me.  And obviously she's a post and I'm her twin sister and she's done so much for women's basketball and so much for our program that naturally I play in her shadow.  But I enjoy it.  I signed up for it.'

When Louisville's time was up at the Cardinals' press conference, senior Angel McCoughtry sought out a question from one of the young journalists, and then was asked if she had any superstitions before games.  Angel said she just goes out there and plays.

Not too shabby for your first day girls.  Keep up the good work.

The 2009 Women's Final Four officially started with a bang as the four teams were introduced at the Salute Presentation tonight by TV commentators Debbie Antonelli and Beth Mowins. 

The masters of ceremonies for the evening welcomed each team's head coaches and two players up to the stage, giving the audience a chance to get to know the teams a little better. 

One of the most touching highlights of the evening was not about the current coaches or players, but a member of the women's basketball community that was recently lost.  In lieu of individual gifts to commemorate the evening, the NCAA donated the funds to the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund.  Yow, the former North Carolina State head coach, was one of the founding members and past presidents of the WBCA, and lost her battle with breast cancer a short time ago.

Another inspirational figure -- U.S. Olympian Jackie Joyner-Kersee, welcomed student-athletes and guests to the area she grew up, as the East St. Louis, Ill., native spoke of accomplishing goals and dreams.  Joyner-Kersee, a six-time Olympic medal winner, should know about achieving what it takes to reach the pinnacle of her sport.

A full day of events begins first thing tomorrow morning with the 4Kay Run.  I'll be running around the city -- well, probably walking -- trying to catch up with the participants, and then will see what the coaches and players have to say just one day before the big games. 

Thanks for the memories you are about to make teams -- we salute you!

Finally made my connection with time to spare to stand in the deli line, when who do I see but the face of women's college basketball - Tennessee head coach Pat Summitt.  No pictures to prove it since my camera was on the bottom of my briefcase, so you'll just have to believe me that I received a pretty good sign from the basketball gods that I was getting closer to my final destination. 

Then, I realized Coach Summitt was on my flight to St. Louis, but I would not want to create a first-class faux pas by stalking her in the front of the airplane.  So, I hope she and the several other women's hoops coaches from various schools on my flight enjoy the ride.  I'm already anxious to get this plane on the ground and start the festivities.

I'm heading to the Women's Final Four Salute Presentation at the America's Center tonight, so check back for some photos and feedback from the event. 

We're cruising at 32,000 feet and I'm wondering when that complimentary beverage is coming ...

I'm sitting on the tarmac in an airplane waiting for the mechanics to make sure there is nothing wrong with the brakes -- because, well, you need brakes to stop! -- and it's supposedly extremely windy in my connecting city of Atlanta -- but that has not dampened my excitement of heading to St. Louis to experience the best of what women's college basketball has to offer this season. 

A Connecticut-Stanford rematch from last year's Final Four should provide for an entertaining 40 minutes on Sunday, while first-timer Louisville and four-time All-American Courtney Paris and her Oklahoma teammates will surely put on a good show for women's hoops fans.

But it's not even the games that I'm most looking forward to -- it's all of the hoopla surrounding the event.  I've attended the Men's Frozen Four in the Arch City a few years ago, and I'm expecting the city will be as gracious a host as they were for hockey fans.  There are so many cool things to take in during a road trip like this --old friends, touching stories, celebrity fans, and usually some good food.  Oh, yes, and I almost forgot the basketball!  So, stick with me.  I will eventually get to St. Louis, and plan on having a great time!