I should be in Houston.

I’m sure many of you had some sort of plan in place to get there as well. Some of you probably have money sunk from the hope/expectations of Pitt being in Houston. This is the selfish, self-pitying, disappointed part of Pitt not making the Final Four. Beyond simply my love of Pitt and the joy I would take in seeing the Men’s Basketball team still playing, winning and being one of the four teams in Houston. There were selfish interests.

I was going to go to Houston for free if Pitt made it.

You probably noticed that Buick is one of the major corporate sponsors for the NCAA Tournament this season. They had a little extra money in the sponsorship budget after dropping Tiger Woods last year.

The ads have been a mix of their new car product lines and their “Buick Human Highlight Reel.” The “growing online archive to document and celebrate the amazing stories of human achievement with student-athletes, alums and fans.” Kind of interesting to look through some of the stuff, and that anyone can submit their own story (though, it doesn’t mean it will be approved).

More importantly than those corporate ads and feel-good stories. Scholarship money. A new annual scholarship from Buick.

Buick has also started Buick Achievers, a $4.5 million annual GM Foundation-funded scholarship program designed to recognize and reward 1,100 students who demonstrate excellence in both the community and the classroom. It will provide 100 outstanding students who major in the science, technology, engineering, mathematics, marketing, business administration or other related fields with up to $25,000 a year, for up to four years.

So if you are or know someone that fits those parameters. Definitely check out that site and consider applying.

As for how I was going to benefit, if Pitt had made the Final Four. Well, it would have been sweet.

Buick is flying/has flown one school-related blogger from each participating Final Four team plus a guest down to Dallas. From there, Buick hooks you up with one of their cars and you drive from Dallas to Houston. Hotel and Final Four tickets are included. You also get access to Buick sponsored events during the Final Four weekend.

So yes, we are talking almost an entire all-expense paid trip to Houston was there as long as Pitt kept winning. I had convinced the wife to let me go, leaving her stuck with the kids for the duration. I have owed her big, but it would have been worth it.

I had debated making the other ticket available on the blog as some sort of contest. Then realized that person would have to spend a lot of time putting up with me, sharing a hotel room, the car trip. Better for most of you to suspect I’m a bit of an ass, rather than confirm it for one person. So in the end it was going to be myself and a friend making the trip.

If Pitt had made it, I would have been flying out Thursday and been staying in Texas until Tuesday. I’ve tried not to take the loss too personally.

So thanks for the opportunity, Buick. And to whoever the Butler guy that is there. I just want you to know how much I hate you.

For the record, I’m not getting compensated for this post. I wasn’t asked to do any posting about this stuff unless Pitt was going to the Final Four. But they have some good stuff going, and I hope they keep it up. Plus, you know if they are ever looking to enter into corporate sponsorship with individual blogs…