"In the blinking of an eye, that moment is gone." If you're a fan of the song 'One Shining Moment' as I am, you recognized that line right away.

 

I realize what I'm about to say is cheesy and I'll take some heat, but I don't care. The video montage CBS puts together at the end of the tournament to the song 'One Shining Moment' is not just one of my favorite parts of March Madness, it's one of my favorite things in all of sports.

I've been listening to the song, watching this video and loving it for nearly a quarter of a century. As a member of the WVU athletic department during the run to the Final Four in 2010, I listened to the song on the bus en route to each game during the tournament. My own pre-game ritual, if you will. I've listened to it every day of every tournament since then as well (yes, including today).

 

I know, I know. That's ridiculous. And over the top. So be it.

 

In my opinion, the song (and better yet, the video) perfectly capture what March Madness is all about.

 

It's a special event that provides special memories every year. When your team is in it and you are fortunate to witness a run like we've seen WVU make six times in the last nine NCAA Tournaments they've been a part of, you want a way to relive and remember those times when the run ultimately ends. The One Shining Moment video provides that.

 

The NCAA Tournament is one of the best events in all of sports, in my opinion. The win or go home nature of the tournament is what makes it so exciting. And so heartbreaking. The wins are intoxicating. A chance to fight another day. The losses are crushing. The end of a season (and in some cases, careers) thrust upon you in, as the song says, "the blinking of an eye."

 

The runs to the Sweet Sixteen are fun. You've got two wins under your belt and you get a few more days to enjoy the publicity that comes with being one of the last 16 teams standing.

 

It also makes the end hurt even more. The more you win, the more you can start to see the ultimate prize. What seemed so far away at the start of the season in November is now only a couple of wins away. To quote 'One Shining Moment' again, "the time is short and the road is long."

 

The Mountaineers experienced this on Thursday night in Cleveland. Had you told most Mountaineer fans in November that this team would get to the Sweet Sixteen they would have thought you were crazy. But, they would have signed up for a season like that in a heartbeat.

 

The tournament makes us greedy, though. A couple of fun, exciting wins to the start the tournament, lead us to wanting more. Who's next? Let's go. We're ready.

 

Unfortunately, West Virginia has the misfortune of running into one of the best college basketball teams we've ever seen. Kentucky has already won more consecutive games in a season than anyone ever has. They are probably not done either.

 

The first week of the tournament was great. The end, however, was swift and devastating. There was no question, West Virginia was a tremendous long shot to upset Kentucky Thursday night. But, to only score 39 points while giving up 78 and suffering through one of the worst losses in NCAA Tournament history was not the way a team wants the season to end.

 

The bad taste from Thursday will linger for a while. Perhaps it will provide some added motivation as this group of mostly young Mountaineers returns to take another shot in 2015-16.

 

Once the dust settles, I think most people will come to appreciate what a tremendous season it was for West Virginia.

 

So many new players, an entirely new way of playing and two straight seasons without making the Big Dance had lowered expectations around the West Virginia program.

 

25 wins later, this group of guys should be commended. Not just for winning games, although that was impressive. I think they should be applauded for how they all handled their roles.

 

They bought in. They put the team above their own needs. They all contributed. Do you know how rare that is in today's sports world? Heck, the world in general.

 

For that, they deserve praise. It was a fun ride. Sometimes the best adventures are the most unexpected. I think we saw that this season.

 

So, feel disappointed the road ended in Cleveland. Be disappointed in how it ended. Be disappointed we won't get to watch this group any more.

 

But, also remember to take a moment and thank the players.

 

They made West Virginia basketball fun again. They made West Virginia basketball relevant in March again. That will be the One Shining Moment legacy for this 2014-15 team.

 

Editor's Note: photos by Ben Queen of benqueenphotography.com