Golf analyst Andy North has mind on Badgers while Fraschilla family focuses on Spokane
(Joe Faraoni / ESPN Images)
With his beloved Wisconsin Badgers (the West region’s second seed) preparing for tomorrow’s Round of 32 match-up with oregon, ESPN golf analyst Andy North is prepared to follow Bo Ryan’s team to the Final Four. Even if that means a late arrival for ESPN’s coverage of the Masters the following week.
“Well hopefully I’ll have a good excuse for showing up late before we go on the air in Augusta,” he said, pointing to the title game on Monday, April 7.
A resident of Madison, Wis., North and his wife Sue attend as many Badgers games as possible and his support of the team is well-known in his home state. He plans to be on hand in Milwaukee again tomorrow, after witnessing the Badgers’ win on Thursday.
“It’s going to be a great three weeks,” he said. “I like our segment of the draw. I think there are some schools there that scare you but we’re the type of team that can beat anybody when we play well so that’s the kind of thing you need to look at. And hopefully you go through these three weeks and guys make shots and you do the things you need to do to win.”
North played collegiate golf at the University of Florida prior to his professional career that included two U.S. Open titles, but if it comes down to the Badgers against No. 1 Florida, his rooting interests won’t change. (The earliest that match-up could occur is in the title game.)
“Not at all,” he said. “These (Badgers) are our guys. I’m pretty close to most of these kids who are playing and it’s hard to go against that. Florida’s got to be the favorite to win the whole thing. But it’s all about upsets and you just hope one of those upsets is not your team.”
Matt’s Harvard team is playing out of the East region (beating Cincinatti on Thursday and meeting Michigan State tomorrow) while James’ Oklahoma squad was upset by North Dakota State in the West region. The “pod system” had brought the brothers together in Spokane, although the earliest they could have met on the court would have been in North Texas at the Final Four.
Imagine that: 351 teams, 68 make the Championship and eight cities host the second and third rounds. The odds for the brothers to be in the Tournament AND at the same site were slim – (perhaps our friends at FiveThirtyEight.com could calculate just how slim!).
“We’ve always been a basketball family,” said Fran in the midst of preparing for his post-season assignments for ESPN. “Whether it was coaching or working for ESPN, I’ve shared so many special moments with the boys because of the sport. And it means a lot to me to be able to share in the moments they are creating for themselves.
“I’m sure James and Matt will remember being part of the NCAA Tournament for a long time,” he said. “They don’t get to see each other often because they’re busy with their seasons, so this was a coincidence and a treat that they ended up in the same city.”
Papa Fraschilla has work duties that are keeping him from Spokane (he is calling both the NIT and NCAA women’s tournament this week) but, he said, “I’m keeping a close track on their teams through the rest of my family, including my wife Meg, who is in Spokane.”
– By Mike Humes
