Fever’s unlikely championship an indelible part of Hoosier Hysteria

By Bob Johnson
First Posted: October 23, 2012 - 1:03 am
Last Updated: October 23, 2012 - 1:03 am

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It wasn’t just a championship game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday night, it was a celebration, a homecoming, a melodrama and an affirmation all rolled into two-plus hours of a most hysterical Hoosier basketball moment.

Yes, the result was the first WNBA championship for the Indiana Fever, a gritty 87-78 win against defending champion Minnesota. But it was so much more than that.

This was a snapshot of everything that makes basketball the favorite son (and daughter) of folks in Indiana.

The celebration began long before the opening tip, with video messages from local sports celebrities bringing rousing cheers from the crowd.

The support of Indianapolis Colts and Indiana Pacers players for this Fever team is genuine and sincere. Those not there in person opened their wallets to buy blocks of tickets to make sure the place was packed with fans.

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