Although it seems like it was just yesterday UConn was in Detroit, battling the entire motor industry, every victim of the economy, America, fireworks and the guy who sings that "Proud to be an American" song, the Huskies are now just 31 days away from their 2009-10 season-opener against William & Mary in Gampel Pavilion.

In order to start the transition to basketball season, we'll be counting down the days until the first game -- in classic TheUConnBlog fashion (i.e. inconsistently) -- and honoring our forefathers along the way. (And you can check out all of the entries here.)

And while we've missed some of the big ones already, I'm pleased to open this series (borrowed, in part, from the visionaries at EDSBS) with perhaps my favorite UConn player ever: Rashad Shaheed Anderson.

Although he may be somewhere in Europe, reliving the good ole days with Khalid over tea and crumpets, he's still nailing last-second daggers in my heart.