Not a cloud in the sky here in Mountain View. Looks like its gonna be a nice weekend.

Chris had a huge victory last night at the Saint Francis versus Serra basketball game. SFHS lost (51-61), but you couldn't tell from the good vibes that were filling the building during and after the game. Last year, Serra brought a huge cheering section and typical of Saint Francis in recent years, the Lancers had virtually no students at the game. Chris happened to be there doing a radio station broadcast, and was humiliated by the experience. He would not let that happen this year.

The promise of free-dress on Monday if 150 kids came into the Rage Cage cheering section worked better than anyone could have imagined. It was a football game crowd at a basketball game. The Rage Cage was packed, loud and rowdy. The second floor was packed with students too. The whole gym looked more like a mandatory school rally than like a sporting event. But more importantly, they cheered. They ensured that the Lancers had a home-court advantage, when, in past years the others teams cheering sections drowned out the SFHS student section, if there was on at all. The team was able to close a 25 point deficit in the 4th quarter and come within a few points of tying it in the last couple of minutes. The place went absolutely wild. The second floor students even stood up! (...WITHOUT me yelling at them like at the Bellarmine Basketball game) What otherwise could have been a blow out, ended up being a really exciting and fun game for everyone.

When the Serra crowd tried to pull a Bellarmine and started using some...disrespectful...cheers, their deans jumped on their case, kicked one guy out, and had the whole student section exit the gym before the end of the game, leaving the Lancers to celebrate their moral victory. So after the final buzzer rang, and the band began playing the alma mater, the Rage Cage and the team got together and sang it. They then filled the court, hanging out, talking, laughing. There wasn't a disappointed face in the gym. Chris, who had lost his voice by the 4th quarter, was just smiling.

All year, Chris has wanted to show his school that it can be fun to have spirit, go to games, and cheer. It makes high school a more memorable and fun experience. Last night, it seems that his dream was realized. What a nice early 18th bday present for my little brother.