The Washington Times - February 27, 2009, 04:19PM

Spent much of the afternoon at Comcast Center, which has been interesting as Maryland’s final home women’s basketball game approaches in the next few hours.

But before getting to some other business, there’s something really cool that’s passing through town most people would know nothing about.

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Television analyst Debbie Antonelli has crisscrossed the country over the last couple months, but just after Christmas she picked up something really neat.

Namely, this:

geno tie

At first glance, it just looks like a photo of a tie taken on a cell phone (that happens to be knotted by some sportswriter who hasn’t worn a tie in almost four years).

Namely, a really, really nice tie.

That shouldn’t be a shock, since it is Connecticut women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma‘s tie. Antonelli got Auriemma to agree to give it to her after the Huskies pummeled South Carolina back on Dec. 28.

Since then, Antonelli has taken it nearly everywhere she’s worked, and it’s passed through the hands of (among others) Rutgers coach Vivian Stringer and Tennessee coach Pat Summitt.

Antonelli’s long-term plan for the tie? An auction at the end of the season, with the proceeds going to the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund.

That should fetch some good money for a great cause. And it’ll also explain why there’s the possibility Brenda Frese, Kristi Toliver and Marissa Coleman might all have their hands on a well-crafted tie before the night is out.

—- Patrick Stevens