In 1999, both the girls' and boys' basketball teams were on the front page of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution – even listed before the president, the politics, the wars, and how much dumber the world got since we slept the night before.
 
The reason was this: both teams had made it to the Final Four – together. The picture was the kids crossing the street while cheerleaders waved pom poms, car horns were blown, students, teachers and administrators cheered.
 
I write this feeling something special is going on – maybe amplified because I went to a dunking contest Saturday afternoon and a boys' basketball game broke out. Only a night after every girl – starter and non – took to the court to finish off a rival. 
 
Anyway, both teams are off to the Elite 8 – tougher games are ahead, as it should be and, as the movie said, "it's the hard that makes it great."
 
Now, both teams feature a King and a Queen – two McDonald's All Americans – but to be very clear, both have solidarity around them, good teammates around them, ones that can make headlines if the King and Queen had to take their royal rests for a while.  
 
With the girls', the schedule is a balance, and it has no choice but to be. The out of region schedule would make every coach squirm, while the in conference one releases so many from the bench that the subs are veterans even before we make plans for Christmas break. 
 
And the girls have conquered Macon before, with sometimes the security to get inside more troublesome than the opponents. The guys haven't had the confetti fall on their heads as I write this, but they've played under that huge scoreboard, know what it means to walk into that huge cathedral down I-75.
 
I remember the picture of 1999 – fortunately for the AJC I didn't take it nor do I take credit for the article itself, as I haven't shot a free throw since 1978. 
 
But I feel something here. It was amplified by another Caleb dunk or a kick out pass to Devin or other stars that surround the big named one. And Hailee, while putting up points on only one leg, has so many to pass to – some who won't see a prom for two or three more years.
 
An older fellow, I just want to express my appreciation for this – we've ticked off girls' and boys' wins this year before the opening tap, the only question was making the over/under at times.
 
Anyway, the girls play again Tuesday, the boys Wednesday - both at home. These fingers want to type "Bears Roar into the Final Four" but this time both. Together. As one. Maybe they'll be a picture – or to get more up to date – a video of all this – all of it. The whole varsity program. 
 
After all, both girls and boys get invited to every dance – and every dance needs a king and queen. Then again, every king and queen needs so many good people that helped them get there to begin with. It takes a village - every starter and every bench seat matters. Again, as it should be. 
 
Go Bears. And stay tuned.