Somewhere Along the Road

"Good morning" came just a little bit earlier today. The vans were scheduled to pull out of the PPAC parking lot at 6:30AM sharp and I did not want to be the last one aboard. Everyone gathered on time and each crew set out for their destinations. One van departed for Sioux City, IA to follow the Ladies on their quest for a national title and and ours headed for Branson, MO to cover the Men's team. Ten hours later Dr. Mike Fratzke, Dr. Scott Turcott, Dr. Randall King, Nate Foster, Derrick Hughes, and I rolled into Branson ready to meet up with the Coach Tonagel and his Wildcats at the Dixie Stampede. Along the way, I learned that with such a wide array of "expertise" populating our van, it's amazing what jewels of knowledge and life lessons one can pick up on.

Put these little nuggets away for later use someday: An iron can be used to cook a steak if absolutley necessary; Northwood University, a potential second round matchup for the men, is coached by the legendary Rollie Massimino; some people actually catch catfish with their bare hands; the mascot for Aquinas college is a saint bernard named Nelson; there really once was a Chef Boyardee; and In-N-Out Burger is hands down the best hamburger chain ever! This is only but a sampling of the profoundities that we discussed.

Part of the fun of a road-trip is getting to know each other a little better by sharing stories in order to pass time along with the miles. However, it's time to get back to "work" now and talk about why we are doing this in the first place. This next week will be the culmination of the most successful season in the history of Indiana Wesleyan University Basketball. One that has been a privilege to cover as WIWU TV play-by-play voice for the men's team and host of Wildcat Week. Congratulations to the coaches and players of both teams on what they have already accomplished. Now, best wishes for an even greater finish. Let the games begin!