Love and baseball: My boys

No, not the TV show, my basketball boys. You know, the ones I "adopted" the summer before their freshman year at MSU in 2004. They played their last ever game at Breslin Center today, and through the wonderful thoughtfulness of the msuspartans Web site, I got to watch the senior ceremonies.

No, I'm not one bit embarrassed to say that I cried.

I wasn't particularly close to Travis, but G, ID and Quise were a special part of my last year of college. I'd get up early and get them at the dorms and drive them to class. I was with ID the first time he saw snow ("Dawn? It's beautiful but I'm FREEEEEZING!") and I have the honor of hitting him with his first snowball.

I took G to his first party as an MSU student. I also gave ID a piggyback ride on the way back to campus that night, a ride that lasted about 3 steps until my legs gave out.

I went shopping with Quise at Brick City more times than I care to admit. ID, Quise and I spent 3 hours at Meijer the day they finally got out of the dorms and into their first-ever on-campus apartment. We spent WAY too much money but it made the house look so nice. I remember Quise chasing me down the aisle with a set of kitchen knives he really wanted, and all of the old people staring at us like we were crazy.

I remember when they went to the Final Four in 2005, and G got me tickets so that I could sit with his family. I remember afterward once we were all back in East Lansing, Quise tried to give me his Final Four plaque for playing mom to those guys for so long.

I remember the first time I went back to MSU after moving to Florida. I stopped by the apartment to take ID to class and Quise was still asleep. I went and jumped on his bed until he woke up and started yelling...and then he recognized me and his face just lit up. I miss those hugs.

I miss spending $50 at the Arby's drive-thru just to feed the three biggest friends I've ever had. I remember Quise yelling at me to wash my truck, and then giving up and telling me he'd do it for me in the parking lot once the snow melted.

I remember helping G study for classes, and editing his book reports. I remember the day I got kicked out of MSU -- one semester before I eventually graduated -- climbing up in their bed and bawling my eyes out, until Quise offered to go talk to Coach Izzo for me to see if there was anything he could do to help.

They were my big, little brothers. I loved those three like you wouldn't believe, and each one of them will forever have a special place in my heart.

I hope they all go on to great basketball careers, whether that's in the U.S. or abroad. They're wonderful guys, and I'm proud to say I knew them better than most had the chance to.

It was amazing to see my guys be able to raise the 2009 BIG TEN CHAMPIONS banner to the ceiling at Breslin after they won their final home game.

I wish them the best in the tourney, but even if they don't do well, I'll love them anyway. :)

No matter how old they get, they'll always be my boys.