Just What I Needed

Are there times when you really feel dumb? I mean just silly stupid. That was me last night.

I was fortunate enough to get to play in VCUs Charles Barkley Celebrity golf tournament yesterday, and found myself during the cocktail hour talking to VCU senior center Calvin Roland.

(Side note: NBA legend Moses Malone was my assigned celebrity, and while Big Mo is an incredibly nice guy and fun to talk with, he is a lousy golfer.)

But anyway, back to Calvin Roland. If you remember, Roland is the guy that transferred in to VCU from a small juco in South Carolina. He played his junior season, but was redshirted last year after incredible back pain made it hard for him to even stand up. His comeback to play for VCU this year is about the ninth most difficult comeback in his life.

Mind you, I learned all of this about an hour after I spoke directly to him. Roland mainly hung out on the left arm of his new coach, Anthony Grant. I figured that he was there to represent the team–clad in a shirt and tie, smiling in a gentrific manner, shaking hands with everyone who walked up to him, Roland was playing the part well.

I had no idea that Roland was there because he was the recipient of the first Charles Barkley scholarship.

You see, Roland is now in grad school, which is an amazing accomplishment considering Roland was hit by a car when he was a child and doctors epected him to die. It is amazing considering he held down a regular job his freshman year in college, along with playing basketball and going to school. It is incredible to think that after his mother lost her job, the family was evicted from their home, and were homeless. Roland slept in locker rooms, friends houses, and the office where he worked.

To hear Calvin Roland speak last night in front of a crowded room and sports stars sent chills up my spine. The word basketball never came from his mouth, yet he managed to talk about how he persevered because he wanted to set a good example for his two younger brothers that they could make it, no matter what.

Afterwards, Barkley himself took the mike and talked about how proud he was of Roland. Barkley talked about Louis Armstrong and quoted Stan Kenton, saying that he was on top and it was his job to send the elevator back down for the next guy.

Think about that the next time you curse a 15-foot birdie putt that lips out.

Thunder Road

Coupla things for you today…awhile back I promised “tough stretches” in the conference season. Today I’ll actually deliver on that promise.

***

I’ve got to lead off with a bit of a surprising note…then again, no. Unless I’m reading it wrong, exactly ZERO of the 13 games of ESPNs Bracket Busters will be televised on the Mothership. I see six on the Deuce, five on ESPNU, and 2 on friggin ESPN360.

I get to 13, but check my math.

Now, I honestly cannot remember if any were on ESPN last year, but that is merely a data point. I’d think, considering George Mason and Wichita State and Bradley and ODU and every other mid major that caused havoc last March, some ESPN time is due.

Maybe not. There’s always Pro Darts, the Women’s Professional Lawn Bowling championships, or the World Car Washing Association to televise.

Just me, I guess.

***

Key Stretches in Your Team’s Season
Keep in mind these are conference games only…

Delaware
This is an interesting season for the Hens. Losing Nananana and getting a new coach on a bad team would worry me. That’s why opening the season at VCU, at JMU, at Hofstra, home with Towson, and then at ODU is not exactly what the doctor ordered.

Drexel
The Dragons have perhaps the most balanced schedule, but a midseason Travelocity web site has them: at UNCW, home VCU, at Nor’Easter, home ODU, home Towson, at Hofstra. Whew!

George Mason
They’ll open at the Daskaslasckiaskis Center, but it is a five-gamer that is the key: at UNCW, home Delaware, home ODU, at VCU, home Hofstra that will seed the Patriots. Side note: it could be a tired Mason team playing Hofstra on ESPN2 on 2/10.

Georgia State
Wow. Poor guys open the season at Hofstra, home Drexel, and home Towson. But that’s not even the hard part. The Panthers play three home games–VCU, Nor’Easter, and Drexel–and then hit the road to Mason and ODU. After Bracket Busters they get The Dub. Head coach Michael Perry is, after all, a University of Richmond guy. I’m nto saying; I’m just saying…

Hofstra
The Pride’s early season is dotted with toughies, but hosting Drexel and then traveling to Mason followed by at ODU will be a telling part of their season. When they get home from Norfolk, they get what will surely be a tough Bracket Buster game and then host UNCW.

James Madison
Poor Dean Keener. He starts the season in Norfolk, and after hosting Delaware gets to host VCU and Drexel; then gets to head to the beach for The Dub and back to Fairfax for Mason. Oh, and then it’s ODU again. Take a headcount when the bus leaves for Wilmington. I’m betting the number is smaller on the way home.

UNCW
You know, I’m starting to think nobody has it easy. Benny Moss and the boys start the year in Boston. These are beach guys and they get Boston in December. Good thing they come home for Hofstra. But then to the road and Drexel and on their way back at Mason. Oh, they host Ga. State but then go to VCU, go to Towson, host Drexel, host ODU, and host Mason. After the gauntlet, it’s three straight roadies. I hate to lay out their entire schedule, but it ain’t pretty folks.

Northeastern
I stand corrected: this may be the most balanced schedule of the bunch. Bill Coen gets two homers to open the year: The Dub and ODU. Two tough roadies in January: at Drexel and at Mason. I’ll point to a four-game stretch as we head down the home stretch as key: home Drexel, at Towson, at Hofstra, and home Towson.

ODU
This is the schedule I like the most in terms of fun. We’re going to know something early: the Monarchs start the year in Boston and then come home for Mason, head back north onto Long Island, then back home to host Delaware and then Drexel. Late in the year there is a three game home stretch interrupted by a road Bracket Busters game: VCU, Hofstra, at BB, Towson. Think finishing kick.

Towson
I love these guys, and we’ll find out early if I’m smart. The Tigers host Mason on 1/10 and then travel to VCU and then Hofstra before coming home to face The Dub. Hoo-baby! Drexel at Towson closes the season. I say again: hoo-baby!

VCU
The Rams open the spring semester with a difficult three-gamer at home: Towson, UNCW, and ODU. As a reward, Anthony Grant gets to go to Mason and then to Drexel. The Rams also get to go to ODU and to UNCW back-to-back in middle February.

William & Mary
This could be a fate-sealing schedule for the Featherless Tribe. Mid Janaury brings Mason to town prior to a roadie at Hofstra and at ODU. The season ends with Tony Shaver at UNCW, home Drexel, at Bracket Buster, at Drexel, and home ODU. Egad.

What Would You Say

Bunch of stuff for you this evening. Finally found some time…

I’ve updated this blog. Down the right hand side I updated the links. In addition to my favorites (Kyle Whelliston and Ken Pomeroy), I included a link to the CAA Insider. It’s run by a handful of guys from Drexel and they do a good job. I push you there because they discuss in depth an issue I hate and choose to avoid as much as possible: recruiting. I realize just because I hate it doesn’t mean you do.

Importantly, I also updated the project status and gave you a new excerpt. It’s from chapter 9 and tells a stroy from the middle of the season. Enjoy it.

BTW–we’re looking at late January for release, and I’m beginning to cull together my book tour. More info when that time comes.

***

I spoke to three coaches today. It was my first conversation with the new head man at Northeastern, Bill Coen, and I came away impressed. Coen wants to look forward–for obvious reasons–but I didn’t get a sense of coachspeak. Last year was last year, and this year is his. I don’t know boo about him, but I’m betting he’s a workaholic. The Huskies will be prepared.

Dean Keener was very open and honest. He ducks nothing. He was comfortable going on and off the record with me though barely knowing me. You have to like that. I can say this: Colby Santos.

And finally, Pat Kennedy was, as always, a blast. I can write at a pretty good clip, but I can’t keep up with Kennedy. Notable: Gary Neal has dropped 22 pounds and changed his body via a strong weight lifting program. Kennedy is excited. This isn’t the same Towson team you’ve gotten to know. Any prognosticator that puts the Tigers in the second division doesn’t know this league.

Never Nervous Alibi

That’s for you fans of The Outfield, which is where I will be roaming in about two hours as The Tavern plays for a Henrico County softball championship.

As if you cared.

But my alibi stands: a few days at the beach, a few days on the golf course, and a few days catching up have taken their toll on this blog.

So I owe you. Big time. I know this.

***

I can say I’ve had a few conversations in the past week with some connected folks.

Bruiser Flint remains as much fun to talk with as anyone in the league. Shoots straight, and there’s zero Nuke Laloosh-isms. Interviews that normally last 30 minutes run about 10 minutes with Flint, and at the end you are sad, because you wish it was the other way around.

As for his team, Flint didn’t say Drexel was the worst shooting team in NCAA history last season, but he was close. Lance Feurtado, are you listening?

New VCU coach Anthony Grant is high on forward Michael Anderson’s chances to shine, and he admits he needs to get to know the league. He is impressive.

Blaine Taylor is also a truth-teller: he doesn’t know any more about Arnaud Dahi’s progress than anybody else. It’s a matter of testing it out. I’ve always found it entertaining and more than a bit curious when a basketball (or football) coach gives you five minutes on the progress of a torn ACL…as if two conversations with a trainer equates to eight years of schooling.

(There’s a tip for you–be wary of long winded explanations from coaches about subjects they really know nothing about. In Congress, they call it a filibuster. In college basketball, unfortunately, it’s called a good quote. Sad.)

Tom Pecora remains entertaining. I asked about the “target on your back” syndrome and he started talking about building a house. Love that guy.

***

Anyway, just wanted to let you know I’m around. I figure at some point–since everyone else in the free world is doing the same–I’m going to have to buckle and give you my Summer Selections on how the conference will shape up.

Peer pressure, you know.