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By Ira Kaufman
For the Mirror
I followed Mike Krzyzewski -- Coach K -- and Duke on the road to the Final Four from Greenville to San Francisco to New Orleans.
Thirty years ago, as a Duke law student, I was in the Spectrum in Philly when Christian Laettner hit the game-winning shot against Kentucky, and at the Final Four in Minneapolis where Duke beat the Fab Five Michigan team for Coach K's second title.
This final run following Coach K was a nice bookend to three decades as a Blue Devil fan.
The NCAA tournament is so much fun to attend in person because you are able to watch four games over two days or two games in one day.
Greenville, South Carolina, which hosted Duke's first two rounds, was a perfect venue, as fans from all of the teams, especially Auburn, partied at the downtown bars and hotels, just blocks from the arena.
San Francisco hosted Duke's Sweet 16 and Elite 8 games in the Golden State Warriors' new home, the Chase Center.
This was the first time San Francisco hosted March Madness in 80 years, and while the Chase Center is a tremendous venue and the games -- Gonzaga vs. Arkansas and Duke vs. Texas Tech -- went down to the wire, the NCAA tournament got swallowed up in the big city as fans stayed in different parts of town.
I rarely saw anyone sporting their school colors as I walked around town.
On the other hand, New Orleans is the perfect venue for the Final Four.
Carolina, Duke, Villanova and Kansas fans took over the entire town as the French Quarter turned into a huge college party with fans of all ages, including me.
The Jam Fest concert on Sunday was epic with thousands of fans watching Macklamore and Imagine Dragons and Charles Barkley on the waterfront.
While I am no fan of a 70,000-seat football stadium hosting a basketball game, the NCAA created a new lower bowl of the stadium on top of the football seats, improving site lines.
The Carolina-Duke rivalry is the greatest in sports because both teams have been consistently great, the teams play each other at least twice a year, and the schools are located just a few miles apart.
Shakespeare could not have written a better storyline than Duke vs. Carolina, meeting for the first time ever in the NCAA Tournament, in Coach K's final game.
Even Villanova fans, after their loss to Kansas, stayed in their seats to watch this game for the ages.
At the end of the game, Duke, just like in years past, reverted to wild 3-pointers instead of having Paulo Banchero take over the game.
Duke played horrendous defense on Carolina's Caleb Love, who hit big shot after big shot at the end of the game.
Coach K's record against Carolina stands at 50-48, but No. 47 and No. 48 will be remembered forever by fans of both teams. Even if Duke wins the next 50 games, Carolina fans will never let the Blue Devils forget their last two games.
I was fortunate to sit just 11 rows off the court for the championship game.
Even though Carolina jumped out to a 40-25 halftime lead, I could see the Tar Heel players getting tired at the end of the first half from the frenetic pace of the game.
Like a boxer throwing too many punches early in a fight without getting a knockout, Carolina actually tired itself out, and Kansas stepped up its defensive intensity in the second half.
In classic, old-school basketball form, instead of shooting 3s, Kansas went to its center, David McCormack, who should have won the Most Outstanding Player, for their final two baskets in the game to win the title.
Duke and Coach K's road ended in New Orleans, but I am positive that the excitement of March Madness will continue for years to come.
Ira Kaufman, an Altoona native and Mountain Lion graduate, hosts IRA on Sports on trueoldiesfla.com on Monday night from 7-8 p.m. It is also available on Soundcloud & iTUNES, search Ira On Sports. His column appears occasionally in Voice of the Fan.