Curtis Grad In Louisville Band Talks About Elite Eight Weekend of Horror, Tears and Victory

(Editor's note: Patch contacted Carly Kaiser, a Curtis High grad who plays the trumpet for the University of Louisville band and has blogged for us. She shared her experience during one of her school's most-emotional weekends ever in basketball. Here's what she wrote for us)

Some of you may (or may not, its fine, I understand) remember when I blogged a little bit when I first moved out to Kentucky to attend the University of Louisville. Well, it's been about three years now and junior year is in full swing and what a ride it has been. This particular entry was inspired by recent events with the Louisville basketball team, both our men's and women's teams.

To refresh, just like my days back at Curtis, most of my free time here is occupied by playing in the pep band at basketball games. This has always been a really fun experience. This trumpet is probably the best investment that my parents put on me. With the Louisville band we have traveled all across the country. New York City, Hartford CT, Portland, Denver, Phoenix, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Charlotte NC, and most recently Indianapolis. Call me a band nerd all you want, but it really has opened the doors for some awesome traveling and sight seeing. Best part? It is all paid for.

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Okay, that’s not the best part. Of all the experiences, seeing both of our teams develop as players as well as people has been something cool to see. Being so close to them, all us in the band joke about how we feel apart of the team. But honestly, we really do. When they win, we do too. After the Cardinals won the Big East championship this year, Coach Pitino came over and told us to join everyone on the court in celebration. When we travel, he always takes time to personally thank us and tell us that he and the players really appreciate what we do. I cannot say enough how in love with this team I am.

That is what made this most recent Elite Eight game against Duke the biggest emotional roller coaster of my life.

The hype around this game is unbelievable. Duke is always a powerhouse in basketball, and their Coach K and our Coach Pitino on the court are pretty big rivals with an awesome history. Going in, Coach K was 11-1 in Elite Eight games. Our men's team is rolling into this off of one of the best comebacks ever in the last Big East, and just beat Oregon in the Sweet 16 (awesome). This game was also the first time since 2003 that Duke was the lower seed in the Tournament. How crazy right?

Going in, we were all very nervous—but confident. We respect Duke (they beat us earlier this year) but they’re not unbeatable. Whoever won this game was going to win the national championship, end of story. About half way through the first half, the game was going beautiful. Back and forth, no clear winner, exciting as can possibly be. Our players are playing phenomenally, so are Duke’s guys. Tension continued to rise as the game continues on. Then suddenly, there's a snap.

The pep band was seated below the raised court. So my view was pretty much from the player's knees and up. Kevin Ware went for the ball and just pretty darn high and came down. We heard a snap, but honestly I thought someone just clapped. When he fell, most of us didn’t think much of it. Players fall all the time, and not being able to see the floor we just assumed he’d pop right back up. Then a Duke player went completely pale and looked away. Next, our guys on the court all just collapse and start hysterically crying. With no idea what on earth was happening, I looked to the bench and saw absolute horror and shock.

(Click here to view a CNN photo gallery of the incident. Kaiser, by the way, can be seen in picture No. 10, on the far left of the band)

Originally, I just thought Kevin flew off the edge into the bench. Boy, was I wrong. Eventually I saw his leg, but once I saw it there was a towel over it, but it was still completely obvious that I was seeing the outline of a completely split tibia. Instantly, Lucas Oil Stadium went silent, all we were able to hear the sobs of our team and the paramedics going to work. I have seen many injuries in my day, but like everyone says, nothing compares to this. What has really stuck with me is how the players reacted; it really was a testament to how strong of a bond this family has. When one went down, they all went down.

With the band being so close and attached to this team, we all felt some of the pain. Putting the exact emotion into words is very difficult, but this was the first time in my life I ever cried at a sporting event. Not only for Kevin, but for the team. Only one player, Luke Hancock, was able to handle actually getting near Kevin to comfort him. Look at the replays, I cannot emphasize enough the emotion that was on that court. Pitino called the team over to talk to Ware, all he kept repeating was “don’t worry about me, I’m fine, go out an win this thing.” And boy, did they ever.

With a final score of 85-63, they did it. On the podium, Chane Behannan put on Kevin's jersey. For the second year in a row, our boys are going to the Final Four. There’s a mantra out at UofL that goes “L1C4” which means “Louisville first, cards forever.” What those guys did on the court that night personified what the really means. For the second time in my life, I cried at a sporting event.

Little did we know, the night was not over.

Out in Oklahoma City, with Kevin Durant in attendance, our women’s team was playing their Sweet 16 match up against the Goliath of a team, Baylor. Ranked No. 1 overall, the defending champions went into that game on a 32-game win streak lead by the 6-foot-8, 2012 Division I Player of the Year, Brittney Griner. Needless to say, the half of the pep band that flew out to OKC only packed for one night. It wasn’t that we doubted our team, it was just that, c’mon, this is BAYLOR we’re talking about.

By the time the Indy band got on our bus after the game, we turned on the satellite just as half time was starting and we could not believe our eyes. We’re up by 19? We’re shooting at 75 percent? We have sunk 15 free throws? What on Earth is going on? As if we could be MORE excited after this Duke win, our ladies are absolutely killing Baylor!

The second half did not fare well for Louisville. The lead dwindled and dwindled and with about two seconds left, with a score of 81-81, Monique Reid was shooting her second free throw to win the game. It went in. Baylor frankly grabbed the ball, hassled down the court, but ran out of time. This cannot be real life. But they did it. ESPN is calling it the biggest upset in women’s basketball history.

Easter 2013 has to be the best Easter ever. The tremendous comeback win over Syracuse in the Big East Championship game this year was being hailed as the most memorable game of the year. Not anymore. This post-season is without a doubt the most memorable post-season I think any team has ever had.

Louisville first, Cards forever.