Feb. 23, 2010

Questions and comments for the Stout's Motor Coach Travel Blog can be sent to lasallesid1@aol.com

6:42 - Good alumni function  . . . saw some new faces, some old faces.  Good time.  Clarification:  the previous figure I gave you forthe Smith Center renovation project was for ALL phases, not phase 1.

5:05 PM - I just arrived at the arena and set up the radio gear.  Now, I am going to walk down to McFadden's to take in the alumni function.  The team will not arrive for a while so I took a cab.  That was interesting.  I tipped the bellman and asked him if the cab took credit cards since I was concrned about having enough cash to pay the cabbie.

I told the cabbie where I wanted to go and he stared blankly at me in the rear view mirror.  "Smith Center.  George Washington University . . . 22nd and H . . ."  Finally, I just said, "Drive, I will guide you."  How do you not know how to get to a major university in this city that is just about 2.5 miles away?

After a brief wrong turn that dead ended us at a security gate at the State Department, I got us here.  Then, the cabbie pulled the old "We don't take cards" routine.  I told him I knew he had to and finally he relented.  What a hassle.  OK  off to the alumni event.

3:35 PM - Making the first blog entry from the Alumni Bus, which is just passing Newark, DE as we speak. I wanted to get blogging earlier but it took longer than possible to post the Atlantic 10 Commissioner's Honor Roll story. I mention this because the Explorers had an A-10 best 119 student-athletes on the honor roll. Great job by the student-athletes, coaches and academic support staff at La Salle.

We're watching the La Salle-Saint Joseph's game from 2008 (thanks to the McGonigles for supplying a bevy of DVDs to choose from.) Its neat to watch our current seniors (as sophomores) and of course our fellow athletic department staffer, Sherman Diaz.

Phil Telan, Dan Shea and Jessie Bonkoski did a remarkable job once again with food, beverages and organizing the trip. We left from Stutz's Candies in Hatboro shortly after 2:30 PM with a nearly packed bus. While I've met many alumni in my six months on the job, I'm looking forward to meeting some more on this bus and getting to know the ones I've already met.

Steve McGonigle volunteered to post a victory-blog on the way home. I'm holding him to it. I'll be back to check in later. Its back to some emails and game preparation for me.

- Kevin 

2:12 PM - This running report is coming by special request today from a reader who sent me an email asking about it.  I ventured down to Roosevelt Island and, since I didn't even consider running outside, I didn't have any long sleeves except for a heavy sweatshirt. 

I decided to just head out with two layers of short-sleeved t-shirts - my dry-fit ING Philly Distance Run shirt under one of my favorites- a well-worn white "La Salle Basektball" t-shirt given to me by the women's team about nine years ago.  I was wondering to myself if the wind by the water was going to be too strong and whether I had enough clothing on as I approached the entrance to the trail that leads down to the river when emerging from below came a woman running . . . in a tank top and shorts . . . pushing a baby carriage . . . through the snow . . . I now knew I was not going back for the sweatshirt.

The temperature wasn't bad at all.  I had a knit La Salle hat and, other than my hands geting cold, I was fine.  The real challenge was the snow, mud and fallen trees.  For most of the trail around the island it was just a bit sloppy though I was forced to take the high-road inner trail since the lower trail that features the coolest part - a planked board walk that snakes across the swamp at water level - was impassable.

It became clear that today's run was going to have nothing to do with pace and speed.  As I was just about complete with my lap I ran into some severe conditions on the south side of the island.  My pace basically came to a halt as I couldn't get through trees and mud and had to double back several times.  Eventually, I realized that the illusion of finishing with dry feet was a pipe dream.  My old platoon sergeant SSG Mitchell, Charles Torpey or at least Bear Grylls would have been proud as I just sucked it up and plowed through the muck and mud.  (I think this is the second time Man vs. Wild has made it into the travel blog this season.)

After I made it through this area I decided to vote myself off the island and cross the access bridge back to the mainland.  I stayed north on the concrete running path along the river.  Within 50 yards I felt like I was preparing for a prize fight with Ivan Drago.  The path turned back into an elevated planked boardwalk which was completely snow covered.

OK - I have lots of email to check and calls to make back to the office.  Plus, tea meal is coming up and I need to be ready to get to the alumni function at McFadden's by 5:00 PM.

Here's the list: E'nuff Z'nuff "Fly High Michelle" (laughing as I write this but I actually hand-picked this song to start), Sponge "Plowed", Jimmy Eat World "Lucky Denver Mint", Richard Ashcroft "C'mon People (We're making it now)", Love Spit Love "Superman", Robert Plant "Tie Dye on the Highway", Bob Mould "Bad Blood Better", Midnight Oil "Put Down that Weapon", Blondie "Call Me", Michael Penn "No Myth", Orbit "Electric", Van Halen "Ain't Talkin 'Bout Love"

12:55 PM - Continuing the conversation I had with Brad Bower from GW.  Like us, they are continuing to fight an ongoing battle to increase student attendance.  It should be noted that personally, I feel like our student attendance has been the best this season, in many years.  Our home attendance is going to be skewed because we had blizzards on two of our weekend dates and that will give the overall number a real solid jolt.  However, the fact is that the student side of Gola Arena has been well represented almost every game this season and they should be commended.

Regardless, it's a fact that student attendance at all collegiate sporting events has taking a serious hit in all but the most major programs in America over the last decade.  There are a few different theories but most evidence seems to suggest that the mass availability of gaming systems, the fact that everyone has internet access and the accessibility of cable TV are contributing factors in this.

Whatever the answer or reasons - it brings us to the conversation Brad and I had this afternoon. We exchanged the ideas that our respective schools have implemented to draw student attendance (pizza give-aways, shoe give-aways, coaches and players interacting with the student body, free tickets, Twitter and Facebook, etc.) and, like almost any other area in collegiate athletics, it reminded me that being on the road and collaborrating with one's peers makes one realize that most schools of similar or near-similar make-ups endure the same challenges.

11:39 AM - GW sports info director Brad Bower just approached me and his timing was great as I was just about to tell you about the changes to the Smith Center.

He told me that phase I of their expansion of the Smith Centet was completed and it involved new lights for the game court, the team benches and press rows have been flipped from their former sides of the court.  The student section has subsequently been flipped and the side that prevously held the students, behind the team benches and scorer's table, has been changed to add chairbacks where there was previously all bench-style bleachers.  The game floor is also new but the most noticable is a V.I.P. suite area beyond the one base line.  There are two rows of fold-up chairs in front of a glass windowed facade. Behind the glass and few feet down is an open air lounge area.  (think the renovated area behind home plate at Dodger's Stadium for you baseball fans). These are not the only changes however, the downstairs squash and raqutball courts have also been converted to different usage.  I will check that out later.

Apparently, the next phase will begin at the end of hoops season.

Another thing Brad and I talkd about was our respective efforts to draw the student fans back.   GW used to have one of the most robust and active student fan bases in the conference but it has dropped off considerably in the 14 years since I have been coming here.  Of course, part of that can be blamed on some of the tough times the the Colonials have gone through recently but this was a perennial NCAA team just a few years ago.  I will expand upon that more thoroughly a bit later but right now we are wrapping up and need to exit the gym.

11:13 AM - We are at George Washington's Smith Center for walk-though.  There are a few notable changes to this house since last seen that I will detail momentarily.

We had a 9:30 wake-up for team breakfast in the hotel restaurant.  Breakfast was great -pretty much any option you can imagine from cereals to made-to-order omelets to sausage gravy, fruits, waffles, etc.

It is really warm out here and I am looking forward to an outdoor run with possibly no sleeves.  It is hard to believe that just days ago this place (like Philly) looked like the ice planet Hoth (I am not really a Star Wars geek - I swear) and that we are bracing for another potential pounding tomorrow.  The view of Roosevelt Island from a distance in the bus seems to indicate that there is still a lot of snow cover on those trails but I am going to give it a shot anyway.  If it is too treacherous I will just come back across and stick to M Street.

As I mentioned, Kevin Bonner is coming down today.  He is jumping on the fan bus at 2:30 with our group of fans.  There is still time and room for anyone to get on that bus if they are interested.

Tuesday, Feb. 22

11:36 PM - Long time between posts but my wireless card is officially inop.  I have concluded that there is something wrong with the software and will need to reload it.  If anyone has any expertise in Sprint wirless cards - I would welcome the advice. 

We stopped at Texas Roadhouse in Delaware for a meal.  This way - we got to eat at a normal time and all of the hectic DC traffic had subsided by the time we got down here.

With such ample room on the bus we had plenty of space to spread out.  I decided to mix things up a little bit by sitting away from my traditional seat and, instead plopped down in front of Trainer Dan Kontos. 

Before we watched anything on the DVD the guys had a study hall.  All of them had their required work out and were required to study the 40 minutes between leaving school and arriving at the restaurant.  Assistant Academic Support Services Director Christine Cahill was waiting by the bus with specific instructions of who needed to do what and Sean Neal was a good proctor making sure that all the guys were working.

Not much else to report.

5:25 PM - We are heading out for the roadtrip down to George Washington for tomorrow's game.  Kevin had to cover lacrosse today so his office is a bit shorthanded so he will join us tomorrow.  It's very rainy and miserable outside.  I will post more from the bus.