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The View From Press Row
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| Episode Four: The 100 Free Prelim Swim Saturday, March 20, 2010 Prelims, 100 Free One final blog from the NCAA Division I Swimming & Diving Championships. You'll hafta forgive me for not being lengthy (or maybe you'll be grateful?), but I've gotta be up at 4 a.m. to leave for the airport, which is only four hours from now, so I need to wrap things up here pretty quickly, so as my college roommate used to say after a near all-night of studying, I can sleep fast. We've seen plenty of fast here in Indiana, with Lindsey turning in two personal and Davidson-best times in three swims. There were hopes of finaling in an event, but for Lindsey to finish 30th in the 50 free and 28th in the 100 free (in the whole country!) is really really awesome. And to set a new personal best in the 200 free, a race she doesn't love swimming, is pretty cool too. There was no disappointment amongst this crowd. After her morning swim, we grabbed lunch at Chipotle (I'm pretty sure Lindsey's been thinking about Mexican food ever since we mistakenly thought we had discovered an On The Border Tuesday night) with Lindsey's parents and sister and headed back to the hotel for an afternoon of napping/studying/basketball watching. We went back over to the finals, which came down to the final relay in exciting fashion. Florida finished as they needed to in third in the final 4x100 relay to win the 2010 NCAA Championship, and the Gators were chomping to "We Are The Champions." Seriously, great song. Below, you'll see the video of Lindsey's final swim and one more interivew, where she discusses her race and her overall experience. Thanks for following along on our journey. I've had a great time, and I hope that I have given you a little window into what it's like for a student-athlete to compete on the highest level. Looking forward to seeing what next year holds for Lindsey and Davidson swimming (John already wants a 160-page media guide like Auburn. So there goes my July.) Swim Number Three Results: 100 Free Saturday, March 20, 2010 Prelims, 100 Free Once things start rolling, they just roll. Lindsey won her heat in a personal and Davidson-best time of 49.55. Swimming in heat four with five left to go, it was unclear how it would hold up. But there are a lot of fast swimmers here, and Lindsey failed to final on the final day. Auburn's Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace won the prelim out of the seventh heat with a time of 47.74, one of two swimmers to go under 48. Check back later... I'll post complete results when available, and video of Lindsey's final swim and a final interview on her championship experience. Suit Em Up: Third and Final Day Saturday, March 20, 2010 Prelims, 100 Free Because of some (not-so) routine wear and tear, my cell phone battery lasts only one day. So if I forget to plug it in at the end of the day, it dies in the middle of the night. I forgot to plug it in last night, which as tired as I am feeling today, could have been tragic. But we have a pretty good relationship, so my 7 a.m. alarm went off, I snoozed it and it died. Thanks, buddy. I don't know exactly what that means, but I'm taking it to believe the gods are on our side. The coffee fairy (sorry, John) came with the good stuff again, and Lindsey and Jessica joined us in the lobby, and we were off for the final morning of competition at the NCAA Division I Swimming & Diving Championships. Today's competition is the 100 free, an event that Lindsey and John have been very excited about all week. Lindsey will swim out of heat four in lane three. With nine heats and only 16 spots, making the final will be a challenge, but that's what we are here for. With Oasis' Champagne Supernova setting the tone, the lanes are full of swimmers getting ready to go. As far as team standings go, through 14 events, Stanford is leading the race followed by Georgia, Arizona and California. And for all you swimming junkies out there (and I know you are out there), we met Pablo Morales yesterday on our way out the pool. He won gold medals at the 1984 and 1992 games, and I'm told he's a really big deal (per John, naturally). John got up the courage to speak to Pablo, now coaching for Nebraska, yesterday a.m. so on the way out of the pool, he passed Jessica and I waiting for John. He musta noticed our Davidson gear, because he asked Jessica if she was the 100 sprinter from Davidson. Jessica did not stand in for Lindsey, so Pablo turned to me. Is it you? Nope, sorry she stayed at the hotel tonight. Oh, well tell her I said good luck. I think this means good things, too. Will be twittering live updates all morning @DavidsonWildcat, and updating here with results asap. So ya'll come back now. Also, check out the video of yesterday's 200 below. Episode Three: The 200 Free Prelim Swim Friday, March 19, 2010 Prelims, 200 Free If I'm being honest, I'm starting to lose track of my days just a little this week. In athletics, we don't really operate on a traditional work week schedule anyways, and I have very little understanding of what a "typical" American weekend must feel like, but when you're on the road for an extended period of time with a team, things just start to blur together. After this morning's prelim session, our group sort of went its separate ways. Jessica went to lunch with a friend in town, Lindsey went to eat with her family, and John and I were successful in locating a place to eat with tvs to catch some of the NCAA men's basketball tourney. Post lunch we all went our separate ways, which for me meant checking in with work and beginning work on Episode Three of our video diary. And of course, a little more basketball (WOFFORD! so close. And Jim Nantz cannot remember how to say Stephen Curry correctly any longer.) A few hours later, Jessica, John and I headed back over to catch the finals session. The swimming pair watched from the pool deck, while I took my seat on press row (media snob remember) to watch the finals and the live stats of Davidson baseball at Furman simultaneously. Once the finals wrapped, which included a new NCAA record in the 100 breast, we swung by the hotel to pick up Lindsey and hopped over to Noodles and Co. for dinner. After a quick interview with Lindsey on this morning's 200 free prelim, we parted ways til the morning, and I made my way to the hotel restaurant because I needed the social interaction to pull me through the work I needed to finish before the evening was over. While completing Episode three and writing up the Davidson baseball's comeback win over Furman in the opening game of the series, I met a group of Tennessee swimming parents who wanted to know what school I swam for. No, I'm the SID for Davidson. Davidson, Davidson... Carolina? A parent offers. Yeah, you might have heard of Stephen (or Stef-on, if you're Jim Nantz circa 2010) Curry? OH YEAH! I tell them all about how much I have enjoyed the atmosphere this week, especially my seats next to the Georgia fan section. They do not seem amused. A little while later, go to bed, they tell me. I would love to, I respond. But you all take for granted when you go home and read those stories on www.utsports.com. Somewhere, there's an SID sitting in a hotel restaurant writing a story. And tonight, that SID is me. Swim Number Two Results: 200 Free Friday, March 19, 2010 Prelims, 200 Free Lindsey finished second in her heat with a new personal best and Davidson record time of 1:48.76. The plan was to swim aggressively and go out fast, to prepare for tomorrow's 100, one of her strongest events. Lindsey burned her heat on the first 100, finishing with a 51.71 split. I haven't talked to either yet, but I gotta assume they are pretty pleased with that swim. @J_young's twitter certainly suggests as much. Overall, Lindsey finished 55th in the event. Check the website for complete preliminary results, which I'll post when available, and check back later for video of the morning's swim. Lindsey's got one more shot to final, swimming the 100 free prelim tomorrow morning. Suit Em Up: Day Two Friday, March 19, 2010 Prelims, 200 Free Good Morning blogosphere. John brought coffee again this a.m. (!), and we're back at the pool for day two of the action at the NCAA Division I Swimming & Diving Championships. Back in my front row media spot, which in typical SID fashion, I have claimed for the week. It's a pretty good location, Georgia fans not withstanding, on the aisle side directly above lane one on the side of the pool opposite the starting blocks. I think I shall keep it. Lindsey's swimming the 200 freestyle today, her self-proclaimed least favorite of her three events on her program this week. If you read the Q & A I did with Lindsey before the championships, you learned that, like any good sprinter, she prefers the shorter 50 and 100s to the 200. But she and John have been discussing strategy since the prelims wrapped up yesterday and she's ready to do it again. Excited for her 100 tomorrow, too. The 200 free will be the fourth event of the day, and Lindsey is in the third lane of the first heat along with Katie Radloff of William & Mary, a regular-season opponent. The 200 medley relay kicks off the day, followed by the 400 IM and 100 fly. After the 200 free, the 100 breast and 100 backstroke wrap up the morning session. Check back later for updates on Lindsey's finish and later in the day for Episode Three of our video diary. I'll be twittering throughout the morning as well, sometimes useful information, like lanes and times, sometimes entertaining (IMO) and fun facts. Like how Hootie and the Blowfish's "I Only Want To Be With You" will always be an awesome song. Thanks for reading! Episode Two: The 50 Free Prelim Swim Thursday, March 18, 2010 Finals Lindsey finished the 50 free ranked 30th in the country, which didn’t final but is still pretty awesome. More than awesome. It's really freaking awesome. I don’t know if Lindsey or John really knew what to expect, but I think they both came out of the day pretty pleased. Not content, but pleased. After the prelims finished up, we caravanned to Chili’s, which in my humble opinion is always a home run. I would use a swimming metaphor, but I can’t think of parallel. A splash? Since it was around 2 in the afternoon, we did not have much competition for 10-person tables, a nice benefit to a late lunch, as Lindsey’s parents, sister and grandparents joined John, Jessica and I for bottomless chips and salsa, etc. etc. Post lunch, Lindsey and co. made a Target run (how did I not end up in that car?! Probably for the best, says my bank account) and John and I hit up RadioShack for an adapter for the radio (so we don’t have to listen to Indiana radio anymore, even though he doesn’t have any Lady Gaga on his iphone) and (more!) Starbucks. We spent the next few hours watching basketball (seriously?!) and making the second episode of our video diary. John went to take a nap and Lindsey and Jessica were (supposed to be) studying. The four of us met back up and went over to watch the evening finals. This is easily the largest and fastest swim meet I’ve been to, and I really like my front row media seat. John, Lindsey and Jessica watch from the pool deck with the other swimmer people, but I need to be able to access my e-mail, twitter and Facebook and well, I think we already established I don’t have a smart phone. I am also a media seating snob it would seem. And I had to finish Episode Two of our video diary, which includes footage of Lindsey’s 50 free race and a post-swim interview. I think I could get into this iMovie stuff. Watching basketball in the hotel restaurant and working on my “film,” a pair of Stanford swimming parents was wowed by my movie making skills. I’m sure they haven’t seen a lot of people make movies, though. Once finals wrapped up, the four of us head back towards the hotel with a quick pit stop at the Applebee’s located a convenient stones throw away. Yes, Lindsey’s interview is filmed in an Applebee’s booth. And no, boss, James Cameron probably won’t make this decision. My apologies. We work with what we got. Signing off for the day. Lindsey kicks off competition in the 200 free tomorrow morning in the 11 a.m. prelims. Follow along on twitter at @DavidsonWildcat for the most up-to-date updates and check back here later for some more of my witty banter. And as always, thanks for reading. Swim Number One Results: 50 Free Thursday, March 18, 2010 Prelims, 50 Free Lindsey tied for 30th in the prelims of the 50 free with a time of 22.75. The winning time was Georgia's Anne-Marie Botek with a swim of 22.16. Will post complete details later. The top 16 in the event advance to the evening session, so Lindsey fails to make her first cut. We'll be back in the morning for the 200 free prelims, and a second chance to final. More details later. And probably another video. If you're lucky. Suit Em Up Thursday, March 18, 2010 Prelims, 50 Free The day started off with a text message from John that there was Starbucks waiting in the room next door. A girl could get used to this. When I went to make the collection, Lindsey and Jessica, who joined the party last night, were waiting for the elevator on their way down to the hotel's breakfast buffet. I finished up upstairs and joined the swimming trio for a quick bite to eat. The morning-of-the-meet mood was easy and the coffee was flowing freely. Lindsey's dad and sister made an appearance and there was some discussion of the heat sheet, which John fetched this a.m. along with the Starbucks. After the girls grabbed their stuff from the room, we piled in the Rav4 and made the five-minute drive to the Boilermaker Aquatic Center, our home away from the hotel for the next few days. Lindsey, John and I came over for a practice session yesterday, but the energy at the facility is completely different today. There are swimmers, coaches, team personnel, parents everywhere. I grab a (PRIME-TIME) seat on press row above the competition lanes and set up shop. While Lindsey is warming up and John is alternately pacing and chatting with coaching buddies, I am busy making an iMovie of our first two days in Indiana. Check it out on the Davidson Wildcats YouTube channel. Competition is underway now, with the 200 freestyle relays complete. Lindsey's event is the fourth of the day, after the 500 freestyle and the 200 IM. We expect her to be on around 12:30 p.m. Like Mark over at the NCAA Wrestling Championships (mabrumbaugh@davidson.edu), I'm available by e-mail (labiggers@davidson.edu) for questions or comments all afternoon. I'll be here most of the morning, bookmarked by the Georgia and Tennessee parents, just taking it all in. Take a break from non-stop basketball and check back for updates later. Gone Swimming Wednesday, March 17, 2010 NCAA Division I Women's Swimming & Diving Championships Yesterday, I set off for Lafayette, Ind., the site of the 2010 NCAA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships with Davidson head coach John Young and junior swimmer Lindsey Martin. Over the next several days, my co-worker Mark Brumbaugh and I will be dual-bloggging our parallel experiences at the NCAA Wrestling and Swimming Championships. (I expect I’ll be winning, but I’m a little biased). I will be your tour guide as Lindsey becomes the very first Davidson swimmer ever to compete at the NCAA championships. All aboard... After an assist from assistant swimming coach Kylie Gamelier, John, Lindsey and I boarded the plane to Indiana by way of Atlanta (seriously, it’s like a sick joke South, and I’m over it). Even though I got in line behind the couple with two babies, I still beat the pair through security. The flight itself was fairly uneventful, but for my US Weekly and the endless enjoyment I get from remembering the Jerry Seinfeld standup routine about seatbelts every time I fly. We were barely up in the air before we were landed in Atlanta, and a Perrier (not mine) and a Coke Zero (mine) later (for a steal at only $1.39 each), we were back on a plane. @J_young twittered all the details. Trying to finish a baseball release on Andrew Barna being named the SoCon Player of the Month (!!), I toyed with the idea of using my Verizon Card on the plane, but fearing a mammoth cell phone bill and the ensuing wrath of SID Marc Gignac, decided against it. The second flight had Parks and Rec on the in-flight cable AND peanuts. Major upgrade. Bonus points for remembering to bring my own headphones. Who’s an experienced traveler now? This girl. After securing our silver Rav4 from the Budget, we made the hour-ish long drive from Indianapolis to Lafayette. Not knowing I couldn’t navigate myself out of a paper bag, John hands me his iphone (ha, smart phones. As if.) UM, we got a little lost, but Lindsey, the above-average navigator, quickly got us back on track. Good thing we brought her along, I said sarcastically. Sure enough, we made it safely to Lafayette, and though the peanuts (two bags!) were good, we needed food. This proved a little more difficult than we hoped, as apparently a lot of restaurants in Lafayette close at 10 p.m., but IHOP never disappoints. I settled on an omelet and the swimming pair had pancakes, brought to us by probably the nicest waitress in the history of IHOPs. Seriously. We checked into our hotel, which was one convenient exit down. Several other teams are staying in our hotel as well. At breakfast the next morning, I see Cal, Virginia, and Missouri, and in typical college athletics road trip style, the tables in the lobbies are full of athletes studying. John and I take part in the continental breakfast, and he goes to get us checked in and I go to field e-mails from senior men's basketball player Bryant Barr about Nothing but Nets (May 2! Check it out!). Around 1 p.m. Lindsey joins us and the three of us go grab a sandwich at a bagel shop by the Purdue campus before making our way to the Boilermaker Aquatic Center. The facility, as expected, is impressive with a two sets of lanes and a diving well. While John is at the coaches meeting, Lindsey gets in some laps. The pool, complete with an NCAA logo underwater and NCAA banners and those of competing schools around the spectator’s deck, is quiet with just one other swimmer in the water. Once she finishes, Lindsey joins me at the media worktable overlooking the pool, where we are eventually joined by John. After a few hours of downtime at the hotel, it is time for dinner. Lindsey’s parents and sister have just arrived and we are meeting her grandparents at Olive Garden, our first strikeout last night. I love meeting the student-athletes' families, and this one is warm and welcoming, even allowing me to ride back with them to the hotel as John departs for the airport to pick up Lindsey’s teammate and roommate Jessica Delgehausen. Competition begins tomorrow, with Lindsey kicking off her schedule with the 50 freestyle at the 11 a.m. prelims. Thanks for reading, and will check back afterwards. Senior Day 4.0 February 25, 2009 Davidson vs. UNC Greensboro A couple hours before tipoff of the Wildcats' 60-56 win over UNC Greensboro Wednesday night at Belk Arena, I updated my twitter (which i still think a strange exercise, even stranger when used by media outlets as a source) to reflect senior night for WILL, Steve, Dan and the WL, minus Steven. Within seconds, responses from former men's basketball SID Joey Beeler and the BIG CAT pour in. Seems like just months ago we were doing this for MAX, Civi and Andrew and not at all like years ago when Beeler was 'that guy hugging Stephen Curry on TV' everywhere we went. But it is senior night for the Four: Will Archambault, Stephen Rossiter, Dan Nelms and Bryant Barr, with the one conspicuously missing and always and forever a part of this class: Stephen Curry. The four of us started this journey together (super senior ROSS-I-TER had a head start), and I know a lot of you do, but I do not know Davidson basketball without them. As I watched Will, Dan, Steve and Bryant, escorted by their parents and photographed by their loved ones (and fiances!), take center stage to meet their head coach, I found myself reflecting on the last four years. I can't really remember these four as freshmen. What I remember most about that first season is that skinny kid from Charlotte causing a buzz and really annoying Gary Williams in the NCAA tournament. I remember watching that game with colleagues and student-athletes alike in the volleyball team room and how much fun that was. The year after, I'll always remember. That weekend in Detroit forever occupies a special place in my memory bank. The pictures are truly worth a thousand words. Last year was different with the pressure to succeed almost tangible at times. Learning to bear it and redefine it. Wanting so badly to repeat the greatness while the decision weighed on everyone. And this season hasn't played out the way we would have written it if we could. One of the first blogs I wrote this season was that after Stephen things would be OK. We knew we'd miss him, but not this much. So as I sat and watched the game, I wanted to win so these Four, who have given Davidson so much to be proud of, could take their curtain call and remember the fun times fondly. I hope they all hugged the youngest McKillop afterwards for making that possible. And years from now, when I think back on this senior class, and when I watch them play in their final SoCon championship in a few weeks and receive their diplomas a few months later (should I get a B.A. or a B.S.?), it won't ultimately be the basketball that I'll remember. It'll be the reasons I am able to say yes, this really is that special of a place, to the so many people that have asked me over the years since the run of 2008. The notes on my desk when I'm "late" for work. The heys from the hallways. The post-game high fives. The pranks. The SID lunches. Dart games and photo shoots. SIDIOTY applications. The graduation announcements. The wedding invitations. I have watched over the years as these four have transformed from shy freshmen into team captains and homecoming kings and ambassadors for the game and the kind of people that leverage their influence to raise thousands of dollars for malaria in Africa. In a few weeks, I cannot wait to watch the other, the missing one who has grown exponentially from the skinny kid no one wanted to the All-American prankster to the one just getting started on what I'm sure will be a wondeful rollercoaster of a journey. Even if his diploma doesn't say it (yet!!), he'll always be a part of this team, and I promise you he watched and cheered. March 6, I'll be one of many in a Davidson 30 jersey cheering wildly for him. Leaving the post-game celebration at our local Brickhouse and popping into the senior celebration to say goodnight, the WL asks, "Have you met my parents?" That's what I'll remember. Just my way of saying, Thanks guys. Make us proud the rest of the way, in basketball and in life. Rolling Along February 6, 2010 Davidson vs. Georgia Southern It's been a while since I've written, and while I was away, it seems the 'Cats have put together a nice little four-game winning streak. Maybe I shouldn't write. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) I don't have a lot of thoughts to share about last night's 84-74 win over Georgia Southern. Mostly, I'm just glad it's over. Trying to break a full-court press for 40 minutes isn't exactly what I would qualify as good entertainment, though you can't fault the Eagles for trying. It nearly worked in Statesboro, and according to the scoreboard, it seemed to be working last night. Only, it didn't really feel that way. It felt like Davidson was squarely in control, despite what the numbers said. With JP KOOLman (or another moniker I heard floating around last night, but I don't wanna embarrass anyone...) pouring in 17 first-half career points, Davidson turned a three-point deficit into a 10-point lead with 13 unanswered points and rolled (in slow motion?) to its fourth straight SoCon win. Four Davidson players finished in double figures and one senior finished just one point shy of the 1,000 career point mark and all the 'Kicks from 'Cats' t-shirts sold. It was a good night at Belk Arena. (And a huge thanks to all who bought a t-shirt to support Kicks From 'Cats: Phase II. With your continued support, The Lagos Project will give kids from Andrew and Frank's home country their own chance to succeed. You can still help.) With all but the final margin decided, a very entertaining Georgia Southern head coach acknowledges the relentless "Sit Down CAR-L" chants from a highly entertaining D-block with a wave of the hand. Then much to everyone's delight, he sits. But only for a second. After all, there's a press to break. But for Sims January 9, 2010 Davidson vs. App. State 13-for-19 from the field. 5-for-7 from deep. 13-for-13 at the line. 44 points. I think a year ago, we all know whose line that could be. But not this day. Not in Davidson’s 78-68 loss to Appalachian State. “He played like a guy who has played in this gym for three years,” said a resolute Coach McKillop in his post-game interview. “He was spectacular.” “I don’t think anyone has scored 40 on us,” said a resilient JP Koolman in his post-game interview. “But I’ve never seen him play before.” Well, I have. And he’s been good, but he’s never been 44-points-good. But the day belonged to Appalachian State’s Donald Sims, doing his best Stephen Curry impersonation. All. Day. Long. The day (entertainingly, everyone kept saying “tonight” in the post-game) started out (more-than-)OK for the Wildcats, who led by as many as 12 nearly halfway through the first half. But Davidson just had no answer for Sims. (I miss MAX. especially during in-bounds plays in front of the table). After Isaac Butts scored the first basket for the Mountaineers, Sims recorded App’s next eight points to single-handedly keep his team in the game so he could single-handedly win it in the second. Davidson’s scoring was more balanced, with five players with at least five points after the first 20. And that too seemed OK, even good at times, as the Wildcats built their 12-point lead at the 12-minute mark behind back-to-back treys from the youngest McKillop and the WL. Appalachian State cut it to three behind a 13-3 run, but Davidson scored the next seven to push it back to double-digits. And with just five minutes left in the period, the basketball gods seemed in the Wildcats’ corner. But for Sims, who scored eight of his 21 first-half points. With the rest of the supporting cast adding four, suddenly we’re all knotted up at 35? “They made key baskets at key times,” Coach summarizes, succinctly, accurately and painfully. “We missed key baskets at key times.” That statement pretty much summarizes the second half. A KOOLman bucket at 15:57 knotted the score at 44, one of four ties in the final period, and Davidson would break through, finally, to lead by one on a layup from Steve Rossiter with 6:58 to go. But for Sims. Who scored nine of the Mountaineers’ next 10 unanswered points to give App. State a nine-point lead. Who netted 23 second-half points, to seal the game and steal the arena record. Still doing his best Stephen Curry, Sims was deferential and humble in the post-game. It was the first time I’ve seen someone score 44 points. It was entertaining, but it was not enjoyable. Momentum: Shifting? January 4, 2010 Davidson vs. Samford My sister won Bobcats tickets for her company’s corporate suite for tonight’s game versus the Chicago Bulls and elected to invite someone else. And then elected to tell me over e-mail, “Figured you wouldn’t mind.” As usual, she’s right (don’t tell her I said so). A basketball game is not exactly how I’d chose to spend my day in-between home basketball games (FYI: catch the streaking Wildcat women tomorrow in non-conference action against Longwood at 7 p.m.), leading up to Saturday’s double-header. Thanks, but no thanks. (No offense Bobcats... Sort of?) I worked 21 games of basketball last week (a PR for sure), but last night’s 66-56 win over the Samford Bulldogs was easily more exciting than the lot. With the hot-handed Bulldogs connecting on 7-of-10 three-point attempts in the first half, Samford had Davidson on its heels. Eight first-half points from the youngest McKillop had kept the game close, before a layup from J.P. KOOLman tied things up at 14 with just over 10 minutes in the period. But Samford’s Andy King, Josh Davis and Brian Friday answered with eight quick points on three straight treys and suddenly it’s Samford with a 23-15 lead with 6:38 to go and... GRRR. Getting fouled after a steal, Friday’s second free throw gives Samford its largest lead of the game, and a bit of panic is setting in? For me, but maybe not these Wildcats. KOOLman and Big Ben Allison combined for five points to cut the Bulldog’s lead to 24-20, but King’s second three of the half deflated the crowd and stalled the would-be momentum. And so it went. Each time the ‘Cats would score, the ‘Dogs would answer, punctuated by Trey Montgomery's offensive rebound/putback/buzzerbeater to lift Samford to a 33-29 lead at the half. And it seemed like the second half was just more of the same. A layup from Jake Cohen at the 16-minute mark made it a one-possession game at 34-31, but Davis scored five straight points to push the margin back to eight. Two straight threes from BMcK, and Davidson’s down just two with 12:01 to go. Momentum: shifting. But John Peterson answered again for Samford, silencing the crowd with a layup at 11:33 and making it a two-possession game... GRRRR. But... wait... just... a ... second. Something's happening. “I know exactly when it happened...” athletic trainer Ray Beltz offers. When? Because I have a theory, and I want to see if we agree. “I was in the hallway,” he offers, diplomatically as ever. 9:51. Missed Layup by Samford’s Kaylin Johnson. Block by Ben Allison. Jake Cohen, Johnson, Allison tangled under the basket. Jake Cohen, exit stage left. Cut to nine straight points from the WILDcats, including a monster breakaway dunk from Allison and back-to-back daggers from Lil McK and JP KOOLman. Momentum: shifted. From there on out, it was all Davidson, as the ‘Cats built as much as a 13-point lead. And there’s Samford fouling late en route to the 10-point, 66-56 loss. And so, no one really knows what the Southern Conference season will hold for these Wildcats (or in general, here's looking attacha, Tar Heels ... GRRR), but it’s time to find out. Momentum: shifting? My magic eight ball says too soon to tell, but here's hoping for a fun ride. And The Oscar Goes To... December 28, 2009 Davidson vs. Penn In tiny, quaint Davidson, we’re pretty far removed from the celebrity scene. I mean, sure we’ve had some run-ins with some famous people over the last few seasons – King James, Dick Vitale, Joe Gibbs, etc. etc., but for the most part, Belk Arena is not exactly the place you find celebrities sitting court side to see and be seen. So word got around quickly that a real-life celebrity was to be in attendance to witness the Wildcats’ 79-50 win over Penn Monday night. As I arrived courtside – very casually and incognito, of course — an hour before tipoff, there he was, one of only a handful of people watching the Davidson Wildcats shoot around. Well, probably watching his son Malcolm, a freshman at Penn, shoot around. O.M.G. Coach Boone! (Confession: I might know Remember the Titans by heart... I know football, but what you did with those boys. You’re the right man for the job ... You’re a hall of famer in my book... etc. etc.) All “How was your holiday?’ chatter was trumped by two-time Academy Award winner Denzel Washington. Um, he’s kind of a big deal. Denzel is undoubtedly very, very cool... His black conductor’s cap cannot tell a lie. (His IMBD biography calls him the ‘tall, strikingly handsome leading man of films and television.” Um, CHECK.) But what was pretty cool about Denzel on Monday night at Belk Arena was that he just one of thousands watching what turned out to be a pretty good show. For the Wildcats, at least. Davidson opened up a 21-8 lead behind a pair of treys from the W.L. and the first of five for the youngest McKillop. In the game, the pair combined for eight of the Wildcats’ 13 treys on the evening. Hey, what’s your favorite Denzel movie? I asked the W.L. post game, post radio appearance, post win. “Man on Fire... OHHH... say Brendan was a man on fire!” Um, have we met? I probably said that every time he made a shot all night. “The Man’s on Fire!” Clearly, He Got Game. I conducted an informal survey of Davidson players, coaches and staff, meaning, basically I shouted ‘What’s your favorite Denzel Washington movie?” at whomever I happened to run into after the game. Here’s a quick breakdown (I did not provide options. They just watch a lot of movies together.): Man on Fire: the W.L., Asst. coach Jim Fox. Pelham 1,2,3: Ben Allison (though, he wasn’t thoroughly convincing.) Glory: Student Assistant Coach Billy Thom, Asst. coach Landry Kosmalski, DOB TI, assistant director of marketing Richard Agner, SID Marc Gignac. Training Day: Clint Mann, J.P. KOOLman, athletic trainer Ray Beltz. He Got Game: Asst. Coach Matt McKillop, Will Archambault, Nik Cochran. Remember the Titans: Brendan McKillop, Steve Rossiter, A.J. Atkinson Malcolm X: Team photographer Tim Cowie, ticketing director Jamie Hendricks. (Is he in Malcolm X? ...He IS Malcolm X.) The Preacher’s Wife: Me. (Kidding. Kinda. That’s an awesome soundtrack, though.) Denzel Washington: Cry Freedom, Glory, Malcolm X and Training Day. (Confession: I did not ask him, though I wanted to. I learned this on IMBD. You can too. I also learned that he vacations with his family in Italy every summer, and “where he handles or uses sidearms, there's always a scene of him swiftly ejecting a bullet from the loaded chamber by pulling back the slide assembly and subsequently catching the bullet before it falls to the ground.” You’re welcome.) Collectively, the Wildcats carried a 46-19 lead into the break. They won the second half by just a bucket, but won the game handily, 79-50. It was the sort of outing the ‘Cats needed after (what I read was) a tough weekend in New York and not even Denzel could steal the spotlight. Finding A Voice December 17, 2009 Davidson vs. The College of New Jersey First of all, apologies. I haven’t written since Nov. 7. Before Thanksgiving. Before the snow storm canceled my Christmas trip to The Big Apple. Before Tiger Woods. (…Too soon?) I have been meaning to, and I have wanted to. But I just haven’t quite been able to. Because much like this team, I am still finding my voice. Of course, I like to write about wins, and forget about losses. I also can’t write about what I can’t see. But by these criteria, I should’ve easily been able to write about Davidson’s 78-37 win over Fredonia State in Belk Arena on Nov. 25. And yet … nothing. For the past three years, I knew what to expect and thus, how to write it. See... While Stephen was entertaining you on the court, he was entertaining us off of it. And thus, there was always plenty to write about. He’d make daily visits to our office, usually for interviews, but sometimes just to watch youtube. He always greeted with an enthusiastic high five (LISA!) and proceeded in a very specific pattern around the office. No. matter. what. Those not in their seats were treated to air high fives. (Riiiiichard! Imaginary Richard!) You could always count on The Cheese to do something noteworthy. Everyone depended on him. The players, the coaches, the students, the fans, the marketing department, the ticket office, the Southern Conference, CBS, ESPN. We are still learning how much. And I am no exception. Writing about Stephen (and Andrew and Jason and Thomas and Max and co.) was easy. Because I knew him. I know you’re probably tired of hearing the ‘Without Stephen’ story. Me too. But there’s something to it. Because we are still figuring it out without him. His roommate, the WL, carries on his traditions admirably, and this week, he inducted transfer Clint Mann. While juniors and seniors tend to have no problems wandering confidently into the SID office, others are not always so. Typically, Clint lingers in the doorway, as Bryant and I encourage him. “You sit over there,” the WL directs. He enters hesitantly and sits where he’s told. Proceeds to eat his lunch quietly as the WL and I go through our routine. How was class? What did you learn? When is practice? Do you like this (t-shirt/poster/newspaper ad) design? Too girlie? We explain things to Clint. Like who is who. Like what we do. Like why Bryant’s supposed to eat lunch in the SID office at least once a week. Because it’s just what you do. Because I said so. “It’s your first SID lunch!” I tell him. “This is a REALLY big deal.” Though I don’t think he believes me. “What’s SID?” he asks, seriously. But he’s beginning to warm up now. We all laugh. Because he doesn’t know. (Sports information department. You're standing in it.) Probably has no idea about this blog. And I know this isn’t really a game story. But you can read the actual game story for the play-by-play. There you will find Steve Rossiter’s double-double (Stats people love to write about double-doubles. As if 10 rebounds is significantly better than nine... It’s not.) There you will find Jake Cohen and J.P. Kuhlman. And the WL. When I finally decided I could write about this team, my (very weak) attempt at an interview with one of the new kids failed. Next time. But I got it on good authority that Clint Mann and Will Reigel DID coordinate their game-day outfits. In the future, I hope to write more game-like stories. But please, just be patient with me. We are all still getting to know each other. A.S. I.F. November 7, 2009 Davidson vs. Lenoir-Rhyne It’s basketball season? No matter how masterful you are with words, you can’t express inflection. So what I was thinking as I turned onto Baker Drive today was not, “It’s basketball season?” as in “Did basketball season ever really end?” But rather, “It’s basketball season?” as in… “Really? Are you sure?” Because quiet isn’t even the right word to describe this offseason. I can count the interview requests on one hand. Not one single photo shoot. ESPN hasn’t called, and it seems no one is talking about These Wildcats. Yet as I arrived today for the Wildcats scrimmage against Lenoir-Rhyne, early and way ahead of the crowd, I found a Wildcat and a coach working out in the gym. A couple of freshmen walking the hallways. Working. Quietly. Getting better. And as I hit the trails for inspiration in anticipation of flexing my rusty writing muscles, I thought, Yep. It’s here. It really happened, and He’s not coming back to save us. By now, we have adjusted to life A.S., (my cell phone is always exactly where I left it, for one) but now we get to see how it plays out on the court. I used to joke and say that I was the same year as Stephen, because we both arrived to Davidson at the same time. And like a lot of people, I don’t know Davidson Basketball without him. In our freshman year, the Wildcats had lost seven seniors and were picked to finish fourth in their Division. Fourth out of four. The expectations were low, but they were there, and we heard a ton about this skinny kid from Charlotte who was going to be an impact player, Just you wait and see. Our sophomore year was magical. You remember that, of course. Good times never seemed so good. So good. So good. But by junior year, the expectations changed. Suddenly they became the game. At the very least, the Wildcats needed to replicate that success and at the most, well, we were going to Disney World. The pressure, the expectations at times seemed tangible. We all felt it, but it was His to bear. But as I pounded the hills, I wondered, how do you manage expectations when there are none? You can’t. You don’t. You just play. Sitting in my office Friday, Super Senior Steve (can we go back to Stephen now?) Rossiter asks if I’m coming to the game. Nah, I tell him. I’m pretty much over you guys. Anyways, I was only in it for SteFF-in. Yeah, that’s what I thought, he responds. Sarcasm perfectly pitched. But of course, I came. And so did you. Because you wanted to see what Davidson Basketball A.S. was like. And in my humble estimate it was pretty. good. I didn’t take a ton of notes about the actual game, but I noted the monster dunk from WILL A. (um, yes. more please.) And I very much enjoyed the offensive rebound from the WL to J.P. to WILL A that resulted in a bucket for Super Steve. “That’s gonna make the highlight reel,” I heard later. And while there’s no way to tell, I felt proud that I jotted it down nonetheless. But exhibitions aren’t about highlight tapes (just ask Syracuse… too soon?), they are about learning. So what did we learn tonight? We learned that life A.S. is gonna be just fine. Four guys in double figures. An “equal opportunity offense,” as Coach McKillop called it in the post-game. And you can bet he’ll be stressing about those 20 turnovers, demanding his Wildcats take better care of the ball. And without a defensive stopper, he’ll continue to mold his into a “team of defenders.” But polls are just polls. And opinions are just opinions. Yes, even mine. But This Team? A.S. I.F. After Stephen, Is Fine. |
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Kicks from 'Cats — The Final Phase June 3, 2009 By Morgan Clark, Assistant Director of Marketing As I sit looking at all my mini bottles of shampoo, sunscreen, and toothpaste (because we’re only allowed a carry-on!!), it finally hits me that I really am going to Nigeria. I can recall meeting with Chris Dunn back in November, when he brought to my attention Andrew’s good deeds involving his trips back home to Nigeria. At the time, Chris (a Davidson alum), wanted to highlight Andrew’s good deeds and organize a shoe drive to collect more shoes for him. I remember thinking, this is an awesome cause, and Andrew sounds like a wonderful basketball player – a role model for all athletes and students alike. I had no idea what to expect with organizing a shoe drive/promotion for the BracketBusters game, and I definitely had NO idea HOW we would get any shoes we raised TO Nigeria. Luckily, after some research, some alumni effort, and a little bit of fate, Samaritan’s Feet came into our lives and thus began our trip to Nigeria. A- I was amazed by the sense of community that surrounds Davidson – a community that raised over $14,000 for shipping & socks, and 500 pairs of new basketball shoes. I can’t stop repeating it. B- Samaritan’s Feet donated 10,000 pairs of shoes & worked with Andrew to plan our 10 day trip – I can’t WAIT to see what life is like through Andrew & his family’s eyes, and to see all of the locations for distribution that Andrew has picked out. C- I got to know Andrew, Frank, and many others that rallied behind the cause. I am amazed by the forward thinking of these students, and I challenge others to be more like them. If everyday, we thought about others just a little bit more, the world could be a much better place. I have no expectations for this trip – other than to be amazed. I am so excited to help put a small dent in a world that needs so much help, by helping others achieve a better life – all just by having a pair of shoes. We take so much for granted here in the States where our lives are really so simple and our problems are so small, if you take a step back and think about them. Andrew really said it all – “engaging giving in ways that foster accountability long after the physical act is performed, is what should be the major goal.” I’m going to Nigeria to help achieve that goal. And it’s all thanks to you – the Davidson community – for making Kicks from ‘Cats a reality. Nigeria, Here We Come... June 1, 2009 By Andrew Lovedale I am really delighted and feel blessed about a rare opportunity to venture in Nigerian Terrain on a mission that is beyond me. As a person used to going home alone on vacation, I am excited that God is using many others and I on this trip not just to perform a physical act, but to bless them from within with our time and passion for service. I have always been sure of what I wanted to do in life, but the outcome of the shoe drive, further projected me into the realm of service. Davidson is a truly special place, and I have the community, faculty, staff, athletics department and especially, my lovely, lovely teammates for lending me their ears in the first place. A lot needs to be done in developing nations and more than just giving and expecting results, engaging giving in ways that foster accountability long after the physical act is performed, is what should be the major goal. Sports have taught me that the good of the whole is better than the good of the individual, education has taught me that the well of knowledge is endless and could always be tapped into, and Faith has taught me that with God, alll things are possible and who more can we lean on than He, whose wisdom begins where that of Man ends. Teaching children to embrace sports, get their education and put God first will help foster accountability and that is what I am really excited for. The trip will involve giving shoes, basketball and health clinics but more so, those going to affect lives, I pray will also have their lives changed forever. Time at home is always fun but time at home spent serving, is priceless. Nigeria, here we come.... We're Going to Africa! May 31, 2009 On Friday morning, 13 others and myself will travel, (via Atlanta, ob-viously) to Nigeria, to spend 10 days working with Samaritan’s Feet, distributing shoes and a message of hope to those less fortunate than most of us. The trip is the final leg of a long journey, one unique to each member of the team. If you have read this blog over the years (and I am humbled that you would), you are familiar with my voice and excessive use of exclamations and parentheses (sorry!). By now, you have probably read Andrew’s story as well — the story that started it all — but we’ll both be sharing our stories once again. (Andrew, tomorrow!) In the week leading up to our departure, I’ll ask other team members to share their experiences with you. Hopefully, we will continue to share our story, as internet access allows, once we arrive and as the week rolls on. As I write, I’m trying to remember exactly how I came to this point. I remember being asked to help design the “Big Cat,” and then the “Drive” T-shirt, and I remember interviewing Andrew for the feature story on the “Kicks from ‘Cats” shoe drive. I remember sitting in the room with Morgan Clark (assistant director of marketing, also going on the trip) and delivering the news of 10,000 pairs of shoes being donated by Samaritan’s Feet to Andrew, who was, naturally, overwhelmed. I remember watching as Davidson fans dropped off shoes by the hundreds at the Butler game and meeting Samaritan’s Feet founder Manny and jokingly telling him of my wish to travel to Nigeria to deliver the shoes. I told my parents that night, too, and my boss, but I still think I was joking. And yet, somewhere along the way, I became personally invested, and a few weeks, later Morgan and I were having lunch with Bruce Bodman of Samaritan’s Feet to turn in our applications and application fee. Still, there was the matter of raising $3,500, and I honestly don’t think I thought it would happen. But I was overwhelmed by the generosity of so many, especially within the Davidson community, friends, family, co-workers and even complete strangers. And without any stress or sweat, I raised the funds, and in just four short days, it’s really happening. (WE’RE GOING TO AFRICA!) I’m bringing very few expectations to the trip. I am excited to visit a place I have always wanted to see, though not naïve enough to believe that 10 days in two cities will give me a complete picture of a people or a continent. I expect to be stretched in lots of ways — mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually. Already, we’ve been asked to pack for the week in our carry-ons, in order to maximize the amount of supplies we can take in our checked luggage. I know it’s not about me, but if we’ve met, you know that to me, 10 days without a hair dryer is a PRE-TTY big deal. (Sorry in advance). I expect to fall in love with the children and the culture. Adventurous by nature, I’ll probably eat some things that others will shun, and I’ll definitely do some shopping, hopefully making some quirky finds. We’ve been invited to a wedding the day we arrive, so I expect I’ll do some dancing. I expect to understand Andrew and Frank more completely after experiencing their hometown and meeting their families. I expect to learn a little bit more about myself and about my place in the world. I’ve been on missions trips in the past, and I’ve done it all… singing, dancing, children’s shows. But it’s been a long time, and I feel I may be sorely out of practice. So to this week of no expectations, I bring a willing attitude. And as I leave my hair dryer behind, I don’t really know what to expect (though of my hair in the humidity, I have a pretty good idea). But I hope that you will come along for the ride. And as always, thanks for reading. In The NIT Men's Basketball at South Carolina March 17, 2009 It is Monday morning at the office. Yes, THAT Monday morning. (OK, maybe more like mid-morning, but that’s beside the point.) The office is eerily quiet. Like spring-break quiet magnified by 100, and it’s more than possible that I’m the only one downstairs. But before long, associate head coach Matt Matheny wanders in. Grabs the paper. Sits down. We chat a little. He reads the paper. Glances at the TV. “How do you feel about the NIT?” “Honestly, I’ve never been to the NIT. So I don’t know. How do you feel about it?” About the situation, I feel like everyone else around the program. Sad, disappointed, sad, and angry, but mostly, sad. After last year’s run, the expectations on this team were great. We know now, and some of us probably always, too great. I believed until the Selection Show was over. Mourned. Moved On. If the ‘Cats can do the same, what I feel about them is pretty good. A few hours later, we get the draw: at South Carolina. A few days later, we are at South Carolina. In the NIT. Which is different from the NCAA Tournament in a lot of ways. There are no charter flights. No scheduled practice sessions. There is no pre-game press conference. No need. No one carrying a microphone reporter to reporter, waiting to be acknowledged by a moderator insisting that you identify yourself before asking a question. No one making you pour your can of soda into a cup with the right sponsor on it. (Which, come to think of, is nice actually.) But there are similarities, too. Fans, buses and ticketing questions. Mascots and cheerleaders. Credentials and name cards. And it’s still win or go home. And Tuesday night, it was pretty clear pretty early these Wildcats were going to win. The game was misleadingly close in the first half, and when the Gamecocks attacked, the ‘Cats answered every time. They surrendered the lead just once, but from around the 10-minute mark in the second half, it felt like a win. And you know what, it felt good. In the shadow of last season, it’s tough to say if it felt as good. I think we’d all rather be dancing. And yet, there is MAX doing a little dance after forcing a T.O. late in the game. There is the WL doing a little dance on the bench (to be fair, who doesn’t love Sir-Mix-A-Lot’s Jump On It). There stands The One the Tournament will Miss, icing another game at the free throw line to the too predictable chants. Standing there, he looks so little like the one who inspired the baby-faced, curfew thoughts of old and much more like the one who routinely drops 30 to the crowd's delight. And when it's over, he still looks like the one who enjoys it. These Wildcats look like they want to survive and advance. And afterwards, I can’t help but think about Gonzaga. The energy, the emotion that cannot be matched here. Those magical moments in the locker room. In the post-game. In the hotel. But there is Matt Matheny, on the phone in the tunnel, with a simple fist pump and head nod. And yes, coach, I think I could like the NIT. Fun Men's Basketball vs. Georgia Southern, Elon Feb. 28, 2009; March 2, 2009 How fun is it for you to watch him play every game?, comes the question from my newest friend, court side (yes, court side) at the 90-78 win over Elon Monday night. I think his question is rhetorical, but I answered anyways. It’s a lot of fun. Later, I got a text message from a high school friend. Lauren, is that you on the end of the table at the Davidson-Elon game? ...Yeeees, what are you doing here? I came with some friends. To watch Curry, came the response. It’s weird, isn’t it, when worlds collide? Makes me think about how three years ago, I didn’t know Stephen Curry existed. About how, being from Charlotte, I was familiar enough with Davidson’s basketball tradition to take the job. About how I heard, don’t expect much this year, we lost a ton of seniors and scoring... blah blah blah. I didn’t really know Coach McKillop, but I heard him talking about this freshman, this Stephen Curry. And I heard about how unusual this was for him. I remember first noticing Jason Richards, thinking this kid is pretty good. Not knowing that he was only just arriving, too. And I will always remember when they arrived. I can’t remember people not knowing about Stephen, but I remember that first season when the media requests started pouring in for “Steven Curry.” Sometimes, Steph-On. But never Steff-in. I can’t remember Stephen Curry, before he became a fixture in the SID office. I remember Stephen, DOBO Jeremy Henney and Will Bryan making a mask of Jason for PTI. Explaining who Charlie Rose is, and why he should make good choices about clothing for national television. I remember, after Detroit, probably after the summer, discussing this blog. Someone said, you should do it without saying his name all season. Maybe you did, maybe you didn’t notice, but I took the challenge. There’s no way you can come up with 30 nicknames, he says, mocking me. And yet, every week... What are you gonna use this time? He will inevitably ask. I have no idea. I’m going to need you to do something funny or inspiring before you leave today. And he will try. They weren’t all great, and The Cheese probably doesn’t care for the one that seems to have stuck, but this is the story as we have written it. His story. It’s going to take something great, something extraordinary, to get your name mentioned, is his challenge. I wanted 50 points, but Saturday, 30 needed 30 to become the all-time leading scorer in Davidson history. I think we can all agree that’s extraordinary. You can’t script this stuff. And while I made notes on all 30 points, the moment is what we’ll remember. Nearly turned over, Stephen saves it, and with a jumper in the paint, becomes the greatest in Davidson history. The ensuring ovation leads me to believe you think he’s fun to watch, too. Monday at Elon? It was fun to watch the whole lot of Wildcats, wasn’t it? Going into the do-or-die Southern Conference tournament, I very much like looking at the final box score. I very much liked another impressive outing from SteVe Rossiter. The WL. (Yes, I did the claws from my faux seat on press row). WILL. Andrew. It was fun. What’s next? SWAGGER Men's Basketball vs. Greensboro Feb. 26, 2009 No one on the corner has swagger like us. Again. Collective exhale. This is how Wildcat nation is feeling after the Davidson men’s team’s 70-49 win over UNC Greensboro Wednesday night at Belk Arena. Around here, things have been just a little off lately. After the loss to the College of Charleston Feb. 7, we weren’t even sure how to run the post-game. You see, the winning team goes first. And well, suddenly, that was not the Wildcats. I put down my thoughts after that loss, and then suddenly, it’s been four games since. Some of that is due to the fact, sure, that’s it’s easier for me not to write when it isn’t all roses and kittens around Belk Arena, but mostly it’s due to the fact that it’s officially baseball season at Wilson Field. (Four games this weekend if you need to get your fix.) I really meant to write and share my thoughts after the four games in between Charleston and last night, but life happened. I made the trip to Furman, but ended up writing the game story. And then there was that thing with the ankle heard round the world. Though I will tell you that my Valentine’s Day dinner at Chick-fil-A with SID Marc Gignac, Davidson play-by-play extraordinaire John Kilgo, and color guy Kenny Loggins was pretty special. (Complete with a cappella singers in tuxedos, free cheesecake and carnations.) And what can I say about The Citadel game? If you are looking to read negative reviews, sorry, you just won’t find them here. That’s just not what I do. The players and coaches are friends and colleagues, and for all, I have deep respect. Except when I lose in darts. And anyways, that’s what the Internet is for. And as I was glancing over the stats and making the post-game books Saturday after the Butler game, I was thinking about six losses. And how many teams in the country would love to have six losses. And how I could easily name the six, but not more than a handful of the 23 wins. And last night... Last night just felt right. Felt familiar. Didn’t it? The Joker ended up with 20 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in 26 minutes. There were highlight-reel worthy dunks from Frank Ben-EASY (the people love some Frank Ben-EASY, eh?) and the Big Cat, fan favorites Can Civi (happy birthday from the D-Block... A-maz-ing.) and Will Reigel making steals and layups. And that NASTY four-point play. But mostly, there was a win. And there was Swagger. Again. REBOUND! Men's Basketball at Wofford Feb. 12, 2009 After a stunning game (I would not, could not say the L word) against the College of Charleston in Belk Arena on Saturday afternoon, the WILDcats rebounded nicely with a 78-61 win at Wofford Thursday night. The SID party bus left Baker Sports Complex around 4 p.m. and arrived in Spartanburg one (amazing) road-trip CD later, and just in time for Chick-fil-A in the press room. We settled into our seats, which, because we were needing so many of the few spaces available for non-TV folks, ended up on the official scorer’s table. I don’t know how I feel about sitting next to you guys, SID Marc Gignac jokes. (I think.) I go over the names with the P.A. guy (Me: It’s STEFF-in. Him: Yeah, I know.) and give him the probable starting lineups. “I’m not usually that excited about coming to these games,” he tells me. “But today, I’ve been ready all day. I made plans to drop off my car and get to the game early. It’s like having a front-row seat for something the rest of the nation wishes it could see.” Then he gives me a cookie. And I think we could be friends. Wofford is having its second-ever sellout, and first of the season, thanks to this Wildcat traveling circus, so you could say they aren’t quite used to this. Excuse me, ma’am. Do you know where my seat is? A Terrier fan asks me as I head down the stairs to the table. No sir, I’m sorry. I don’t work here. From my seat, I am asked more questions I cannot answer. When is the anthem? Where do I put this microphone? THAT THREE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A TWO!! Sub, sub, sub. I like being close to the action, but really, I just wanna watch the Charlotte Bobcats’ Rhythm Cats and eat my cookie in peace. On the court, the game doesn’t start out the way I prefer, either, with the Terriers taking a 2-11 lead. But an 8-0 Davidson run, punctuated by the first three of the night from I can’t Believe it’s not Butter, (You know because he’s on a roll. Da dum dum, ching.) puts the ‘Cats within one. That momentum, though, is stifled by a circus three from Wofford’s Jason Dawson as the clock winds down, and the Terrier dance troupe hits the floor for a performance, appropriately, to Britney Spears’ Circus (YES!). After the insanely long horn (ah, now I remember this guy), a full-court pass from D.O.B.O. TI (subsequently very pleased with himself) and the cheerleaders throwing McDonalds cheeseburgers (way better than T-shirts), WILL Archambault hits a floater to cut the lead to three, 16-19, at the 11-minute mark. To chants of “U-S-A. U-S-A,” no less, from the students. Did they check the roster? They are gonna tire of that chant quickly, I predict. Andrew LOVEdale converts on an and-one play to knot the score at 19, and Land o’ Lakes sinks a pair of freebies later to keep it tied at 23, but that ‘Cats can’t seem to shake those Dogs. Butter Buds decides — because that’s pretty much what it looks like — to score 11 straight points (inspiring assistant SID Matt Harris to protest “Stop hitting me!” MY bad...), and get Davidson in position at the half, trailing just 41-36. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous, but I’m always nervous when trailing. I feel a lot better when the WL, MAX and Country Crock hit three straight 3’s to open the frame, and even better when Parkay’s floater in the lane puts the ‘Cats up a pair, 47-45, grabbing the first lead of the night with 17 minutes to go. Davidson grabs a 10-point lead almost effortlessly, and Wofford takes a quick T.O. The music gal cues Rocky, and you have to give her credit for trying, but no, this one belongs to the ‘Cats. Run the clock, Steph! Run the clock, (naturally with the lead at 15 and just two to play) come the instructions from the bench. And yet, there is a pass to Steve Rossiter and another to a wide-open Andrew LOVEdale for an easy two. And 25 seconds left on the clock. In the timeout, there is good-natured laughing and plenty of “Sorry, Coach, I tried” looks. Afterwards, Wofford head coach Mike Young grabs the mike and thanks his fans for coming. And thanks Davidson for making it happen. Class act. And then he wants to know where to put the microphone. “How many points did he end up with?” A woman asks over my shoulder. “And I don’t need to tell you who he is, right?” No ma’am. 39. Rebound! Bummer Men's Basketball vs. Coll. of Charleston Feb. 7, 2009 Major bummer. Big-Time Atmosphere Men's Basketball at UNC Greensboro Feb. 5, 2009 Thirteen conference games into the season, and the ‘Cats’ 75-54 win in Greensboro is the first road conference contest I’ve been able to make. From tales told of the other six (and the details I’d read on Spartanfest), I brought a pretty high level of anticipation to the Greensboro Coliseum Thursday night. I’ve been to the Greensboro Coliseum before, though, it didn’t look very familiar as the Sports Info Sable arrived. The bounce house wasn’t inflated yet (major bummer), but the tailgaters would not be deterred by the 20-degree weather. After getting directions (ish) from the guy in the bright orange jumpsuit, we made our way into the arena. Sort of. First we went looking for the media entrance at the Southeast corner (compass, anyone?), and after going through the boat/hot tub show, down the ramp, up the ramp, through security (where my laptop had a nasty encounter with the concrete floor) and past the mascot holding room (love a half-dressed mascot) we found the media room. (Hooray!) We settled into our spots on press row, directly behind the Wildcat bench — assistant SID Matt Harris alongside the Davidson broadcasting team, and I, rubbing elbows (...you can’t blame a girl for trying) with the NBA scouts in attendance. I haven’t sat by you at a game yet this year, I tell Matt. This will be fun. (Mostly for him.) Yeah, but I’ll be writing about scoring runs, and you’ll write about ushers in Tuxedo vests. Touche. But, did you see those guys??? A-maz-ing. I make a joke (also, amazing) about how Greensboro SID Mike Hirschman is running a tournament game, and sure enough, the table workers demand I pour my Diet Pepsi into a Gatorade cup. Last time I checked they played for the same team, but OK, yes, ma'am... just one second. The game gets underway, off to a bit of a shaky start, with Greensboro jumping out to a 7-1 lead. I’m very much enjoying my seat behind the bench, especially as Coach McKillop burns an early TO to have a quick conversation with his team, who promptly responds with a 16-0 scoring run (See... I can do runs, too.) It is in the middle of this when The Dilemma goes to the line for three tries, only to miss two and draw chants of “Overrated.” Time on the clock, 13:36. (Other arena happenings of entertainment value: The Wave. To which a scout asks, Am I in a time warp? A ‘Hair Ball’ graphic on the board. After a miss, and Steve Rossiter offensive board, put-back and foul call.) “I think that’s what happened to me, too,” interjected Steve Rossiter, who made 6-of-11 gimmies. “I thought they were chanting at me.” Rossiter earned his way to the line, though, time after time, finishing the night with career-highs in points (14) and rebounds (13), in what his coach called his most complete game as a Davidson basketball player. Greensboro head coach Mike Dement called him relentless, a player that just runs through you, afterwards. The Spartans chipped away, answering with their own scoring run of 13-8, to cut the lead to just 26-20. A missed breakaway layup, halting a 5-0 mini-spurt, would have given Greensboro, and this crowd, new life. But Davidson allowed just a pair of baskets for the rest of the half, as six different playas (including a nice Dan Nelms steal to Andrew LOVEdale dunk, The Dilemma's an alley-ooooop to MAX and spectacular hanging layup) put the difference at 37-24 at the break. After a halftime performance featuring the Zooperstars! Alex Frogridguez (easily the best with a 50 cent impersonation), Lebronco James and Whale Gretzky, things picked up right where they left off, and the ‘Cats started to build on their lead. Basketball is a game of runs, though, and Greensboro would mount one final challenge, cutting the lead to just six on a pair of free throws by Daniel Oliver. Another missed opportunity for the Spartans, this a missed dunk (don’t waste your shots, Damian Eargle, name of the game winner), and the ‘Cats were off to the finish line for their 43rd straight SoCon win in front of 11,687. “It was a big-time atmosphere,” McKillop said post-game. “A first-class environment. For the Southern Conference to have this is very special. Congratulations for putting on such a great event.” And on Saturday, the ‘Cats get another big-time stage as Dick Vitale and ESPN2 come to town for the Cats v. Cougars match-up. Another big-time atmosphere. Wear Black. Inspired Men's Basketball vs. Western Feb. 2, 2009 I didn’t write this column after the last home game. (And I’m still surprised (thanks for reading!) how many people noticed.) Sometimes the time gets away from me, and my thoughts are no longer ...timely. Sometimes I let other people write, or take submissions from pseudo-sports information staff members. (Thanks, Tim Cowie! Will B!) And sometimes, I just can’t find any inspiration. (I know, I know. I’m getting needy.) And so, I posed this question to a certain POY-Candidate/Sports Info Temp after the Furman game. How do you keep the energy up when you’re up by 20, 30... 35 on somebody? Do you ever just hit the court and think, um, yeah, this one is over? Before tipoff? No, no, NO. You never think that, comes the horrified reply. Luckily, I am far from indicative of the pulse of the team, but after spending a good part of Saturday afternoon shouting (kind words!) at my TV, I am a little less inclined to feel such. (COME ON LOBSTAH!!!! ...YEEEEES!) But last night, well, that was inspiring. I’m not sure what exactly made the difference. Was it the pair of road games? Was it the near-scare at Samford? Was it the weather? Whatever it was, there was a lot of energy in Belk Arena last night. On the court, the players were feeding off it. And, as Western entered with a decidedly physical approach to their game plan, the Wildcats responded by making it rain indoors. The WL, the youngest McKillop, WILL. Lots of threes. Lots of hands making claws. (!) And that guy. Assuming this was in your scouting report, but if there’s someone you’d probably not wanna (elbow, er) anger, he’s, um, the one with the 30 on his back, because he will drop in 12 points in, say, 1:27? (I did math.) It’s loud in here, no matter what the score. There’s chest-bumping. Table slapping. And there’s a guy in full-body purple spandex. (Think Spiderman in purple. I’m thinking the costumed White Lobstah vs. the purple wonder at halftime. But this is why I do stats, not promotions.) And that mega-swat by Andrew LOVEdale before the break? That one nearly brought the house down, and has me (SO) excited for Saturday’s visit from Dickie V (OH, ARE YOU SERIOUS? THE BIG CAT, BAAAAAABY!) The off-that-poor-guy’s-back inbounds play in the next period, from The Temp might be too much for the guy to handle... Is it Saturday yet? And if the half-time margin of 49-31 isn’t enough, the ‘Cats open the second period with 12 straight courtesy of five different playas and roll to the 89-65 win in what was easily the most balanced offensive display I can recall. With no use for his T-shirt, the purple guy surrenders it to MRS. Curry and slinks off. Uninspired. Nothing Ordinary Men's Basketball at Samford Jan. 31, 2009 Especially by Tim Cowie I am not a writer. Unlike Biggers and Kruse, who somehow make words flow like water rolling over stones in a quiet forest stream on a fall day, I write with the prose of a hot, humid August afternoon. What I know is what I see. This week, my eyes had the privilege to see behind the scenes of our men’s basketball program. There is no ordinary week in a college basketball season. Unless you consider “ordinary” being – class, practice, play, class, practice, fly, play, class, practice, fly, play and practice again, only to start another week. If that’s ordinary, so be it, but what I can tell you, there is nothing “ordinary” about our men’s team, the staff, and the journey that they lead. What tidbit of information can I give you about their journey? What inside scoop is there to be had? What really goes on behind the scenes that make our team so special and different than the rest? Why do we win 41 consecutive SoCon games, have a record of 18-3 and are the nation’s basketball darlings? It’s simple really. In the minds of the players and coaching staff, we are simply trying to win the next basketball game. Practice prior to the Samford departure is as it always is – focused on details. Defense. I don’t know if Bob speaks the often said cliché – “defense wins championships,” but it’s inherent in what they do. Ask Landry Kosmalski this week if he believes that and how that affects results. Details. Flight. Don’t know if you realize this, but UT-Chattanooga and Samford are not easy road trips on any day. Certainly not easy on a Wednesday and a Saturday of the same week. A bus trip twice in one week, let alone a commercial flight would have meant long days and more importantly, extended missed class time. A faithful alum made this week possible. Two charter flights, well-rested team, two wins. Jealous? I understood the question. I understood why it was mentioned. What I didn’t see is extravagance. I saw take-out from the Soda Shop, normal pre-game meals, vans to the airport driven by staff, a plane that was a far cry from the luxury private jets we hear auto and bank execs take for weekend jaunts, a bus with missing overhead storage doors (albeit a driver that just graduated from NASCAR school), post game showers in another building and pizza while on the bus going back to the airport. I mention this not to make you think the team isn’t grateful. Important – extremely. Extravagant – hardly. Thankful – most certainly. Jealous – are you crazy? The “Shot.” All of us had expectations of how the Samford game should play out. We just witnessed in one fashion or another a great road win over a team that all of us fear (all meaning – everyone but the team), on their home court, 9,000 plus fans, with of course, the exclamation point for the night being the “Shot.” Samford, on the other hand, is another game and for the team, another milepost on the season’s highway. There are no thoughts of the journey traveled. They are focused on the next milepost. They don’t look into the dark distance, straining to see what can’t be seen. There are no forks in the road, only the next milepost. Trust. Oh, we all know Trust, Care, Commitment by now. I saw trust in other forms this weekend. The trust that Bob has within his staff. Today, Coach Fox confidently broke down the scouting report. By the way, for all of you message board naysayer’s, Coach Fox had it down pat. I’m not going to divulge the details, as that would betray the opportunity that was bestowed upon me. I will say, that while sitting in a sold out Hanna arena, this school, nestled quietly in a valley at the tail of the Appalachians, searched for something within to make the “Magic City” proud. As the game unfolded, I sense an extreme case of deja vous, reminded of Fox’s pearls of wisdom. Trust. The team trusts the staff to guide them through good games and bad. Outside of a few dressed in Davidson red, 5,200 white clad fans don’t understand what “trust” means to our players and our program. To look in our player’s eyes, you don’t see fear. Was today a banner day? No, far from it. Did we shoot well, execute offensively, jump in the path of the cutter, for that matter, heed the words of Coach Fox? No. As fans finished rolling their remotes searching for SportsSouth, fought with Teamline to hear John Kilgo (anxiously waiting to see how long it took to hear about dogs and a balancing bowl lady) or furiously typing 26 pages on the message board, the likes of “Stan” and others found ways to worry about an impending loss. Yes, there were some “home run” passes, defensive lapses, mistimed shots, and a bad foul or two. Never, was their fear or doubt from those that allowed me to join them on this journey. A quiet confidence, gained from hours of attention to detail. A trust that can’t be imposed, purchased or transferred, but gained only through total commitment. A commitment that started 20 years ago. So while others were wringing their hands, writing thread upon thread or screaming at their computer or TV about why Steve passed the ball behind his back, Steph made the "home run" pass or Andrew didn’t finish a power move, I sat quietly in the stands. I sensed with the rest of the team, the confidence that Andrew would get the next rebound or Steve would quietly slip from the high post to deliver two points off of a perfectly delivered “single” by Steph. I sat there confidently expecting Bryant to make two free throws. Feel free to write about 50 percent free throw shooting statistics, but with this team it wasn’t Bryant at the line, it was his entire team. For that matter, it wasn’t Steph that made the “Shot” earlier in the week; it was the defensive stop, the Andrew rebound and Bryant running out on the break. Details. We can talk about the five security guards on the bus to help the guys get from the locker room, the throngs of waiting children and the adults that pretended that they were there only for their children, but ultimately it was just about another milepost. The plane lands, the vans fill, and “Killer” is off to Shady Acres. The quiet drive back to campus leads one to think only of the next milepost to be reached on Monday. There is no straining into the darkness. Leave it to others to think of the Coliseum up the road in the “Gate City” or how to “black out” an arena for the likes of Vitale and Patrick. I am confident that this team moves forward, not trying to live with Elite 8 expectations or how to replace the likes of Thomas, Boris and Jason. They move forward knowing they were better than they were at the beginning of January, confident that with hard work and commitment, they will be better at the beginning of March. They move forward with only one milepost in their midst. The 10 Most Exciting Things Men's Basketball vs. Furman Jan. 21, 2009 It’s a running joke around here. (And they can’t laugh at you if you’re laughing, too, my friends.) It’s a running joke around here that I write for mostly my entertainment. It’s true, of course, but I like to think that a few people in cyberspace are entertained along the way. (And I need at least two hands now to count readers... Thanks Mom!) And yet, if ever there was a time to retitle this blog, “The View from Press Row of Things that Entertain Lauren and Gavin Other Than The Game,” this was it. Because on the court, well... the ‘Cats won, 83-43. The stat lines were good, as they will be when you shoot 55.6 percent from the field as a team. The Ringer was 12-of-18 overall, 6-of-10 (!!) from behind the line, with five assists and five steals. WILL (he’s earned his capital letters now, I think) Archambault added another 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting. MAX, the WL, Ben Allison and Dan Nelms all added at least a pair of baskets, and Andrew LOVEdale turned in another solid effort with seven rebounds (All Defensive!), five points and three blocks. Even Steve Rossiter (not even... rather, additionally) finished with nine points on a lone made bucket after going 7-for-8 at the line (coaching point 1: make your free throws). But there was excitement, too. If I were, indeed, mailing in this column (and I know, by now you have your suspicions), I would have made a list of the top 10 most entertaining things of the night. Because I’m sure there were at least 10. There was the D-Block chanting, “We want shirts; We want shirts” just before the 8-minute media timeout, a call answered, swiftly, by assistant SID Matt Harris and His Amazing T-shirt Launcher (which he dubbed later in the office one of the Top 10 moments of his life.) That media timeout – and the game, really, punctuated by a rim-rattling exclamation point (!) of a dunk from Frank Ben-Eze. There was MAX-Pauhlus-Gosselin leaping over the scorer’s table for a loose ball despite a 40(ish)-point lead (coaching point 2: value the basketball) much to the crowd’s delight... and WILL’s ... and Steve’s. Suffocating Wildcat defense that allowed just four (FOUR!) Furman points in 17:10 in the second half. The debut of the new fan student newspaper, yet to be named (students, submit your suggestions to athleticsmarketing@davidson.edu for a chance at 10 Wildcat Pride Points. Non-student winners, a shot at normal pride points). Doing the Lobster Claw. Another sellout crowd. A trophy for College Athlete of the Year that could (might?) easily double as the most expensive candy dish in the history of college apartments. And there was TV Teddy. Confession: I love the guy. And I love, even more, the fact that he worked this game. If it were up to me, he would work them all. I’m not a coach (coaching point 3: have an act), so my reasons are purely selfish. But someone get the man a reality show. And yet, with all the excitement on the court (see, I’ve proven it...), I got a mid-game text that read, correctly, the 10 most exciting games in Belk Arena today were in darts. THAT would be a good Top 10. This is Addictive Men's Basketball vs. Elon Jan. 14, 2009 Especially by (SID protege) Will Bryan So a little over a year ago, Davidson won a classic conference grudge match at Elon University. Many remember Stephen Curry's eight points in the final minutes as a defining moment of the season. I remember that night as the time when Lauren Biggers emerged as the preeminent Davidson basketball blogger. She took over my blog (Will's World) that night and never turned back. Tonight, I return the favor. I promise a few less of these (!) and a little less of that screwy Mac-centered formatting…(I was just told I can't change that). So we're back for SoCon play in Belk Arena. Another capacity crowd was on hand and students were back in school (I don't remember that break being this long when I was here). This crowd had all the familiar faces and a few new ones, as Joe Gibbs joined us in the arener with his new season tickets. This stretch is all about familiarity and repetition. Same coaches and same players that we know and love (Ola ola ola ola). Same trends (Is Brett James sparking a comeback again?) But in the end, it's Davidson on top. For the 42nd time in a row (including tournaments), Davidson came out on top against one of those familiar squads with the SoCon logo on their jersey. So what set this one apart? Well, there was the focus on interior scoring at the beginning (Rossiter scored his four points in the first three minutes). What about those five blocks and that rebounding advantage (36-33)? Steph did his thing again. It actually made a message boarder eek that he's back (he's back?!?). Dagger three at the end of the half off a 50-50 ball that made new Elon assistant Wes Miller slam his clipboard and Bob McKillop nod. This was the learning experience that you can't just sit on your laurels with a 22- point halftime lead. "We need to be killers." Steph said. What about you as the best passer in college basketball? Head rub…look to the ground. "Home runs…I need to work on those six turnovers I had. We hadn't prepared for that full court pressure since we only had time to look at their half-court sets." That's what this is about. Learning on the fly. Springing new leaks and fixing some old ones. Print off the box score. Go to the Brickhouse and do it again next week. It's almost addicting in its repetition. Be careful Lauren. I might not want to give this back up now. When's the next home one? Next Wednesday? Hmm... Lucky Number Seven Women's Basketball vs. Georgia Southern Jan. 10, 2009 There’s a team in Davidson playing some pretty good basketball right now. They have the best record in the Southern Conference. Sport a perfect league record. Boast the pre-season Player of the Year on their roster. No, not those Wildcats. Sports Illustrated isn’t knocking down the door to get these interviews and beat writers from Charlotte to Germany (!) aren’t angling for access. The casual sports fan couldn’t name (or even mispronounce) a single player on this roster, and I’m willing to bet they don’t get hounded for autographs at the mall (phone numbers, probably, but not autographs). But while you’ve been caught up in the MADness surrounding the Davidson Wildcat men’s team (and rightly so, kettle), the other team that plays in Belk Arena has quietly rolled to a perfect 7-0 Southern Conference record. The Wildcat women’s team picked up their lucky number seventh win yesterday afternoon in a 65-54 win over Georgia Southern. Four (!) Wildcats finished in double figures, led by a monstrous effort from junior Julia Paquette with 20 points on 9-of-14 shooting. Preseason SoCon POY Mercedes Robinson finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds, getting her fifth straight double-double on an offensive rebound and put-back in the last minute of play to punctuate the ‘Cats’ win, and junior Alex Thompson turned in another solid performance with 13 points on 4-of-9 shooting along with five assists and ZERO turnovers. But this one took 17 second-half points from No. 24, sophomore Ashley Lax (held scoreless in the first) to seal the deal. The Wildcats got big performances from Julia (nine points!) and senior Mandy Halbersleben (SEVEN REOUNDS!) in the first half, but were deadlocked at 26 entering the second. This one needed LAX, who scored her first bucket with 11:45 to go. And just didn’t stop. Afterwards in the training room, I caught up with her for a few minutes. (Delivered to her “interview” and encouraged by Mercedes, “Don’t be scared of Lauren.” Thanks 'Cedes.) What happened for you in the second half, I want to know? “I want to score and I wanted to beat this team,” she answers like a seasoned pro. “I just tried to figured out what I can do to make that happen. Just relaxing and looking for more opportunities.” Saturday afternoon, LAX capitalized on those opportunities, as her Wildcats stayed perfect in league play. “Like Coach said after the game, there’s no reason for us to play tentative because this is something the school has never done before. So there’s no pressure,” she says. “I can honestly say that we care about each other, and I want to do it for the girl sitting next to me.” And you? You should see it. Just Dance Men's Basketball at Duke Jan. 7, 2009 “Well, that was worth it,” one Cameron crazie said to another as they were leaving the court. I remember being a college kid trying to get good seats for a big-time game, so I get what that means. And for my part, I’d agree. The two-hour drive was definitely worth it (The media room had popcorn shrimp!). As our entourage made its way back down South I-85 after the Wildcats’ 79-67 loss at No. 2 Duke, a song came on the mixed CD I made for the trip. (ROAD TRIP!) “Just Dance... Gonna be OK.” I snack on an Oreo McFlurry in the back on the school’s Sable (which doesn’t have a very good turning radius, it would seem), and Lady GaGa somehow sums it up. It didn’t really feel like it was gonna be OK when the ‘Cats trailed 37-24 at the half or when the Blue Devils stormed to a 26-point lead five minutes into the second period, though. At the break, I abandoned “press row” (seriously???) and, after finally finding a women’s restroom (where oddly enough not one person said a word about the game... we are at a game, ladies, no?), ran into Davidson’s own volleyball coach/photographer Tim Cowie, who offered his take. That it would take a “Georgetown effort” for a Wildcat victory. Being superstitious, and having had a similar conversation at last season’s comeback at Greensboro, I liked, and agreed, with this assessment. But then. Then the Blue Devils opened the second period with an 8-0 run, before pulling ahead an intimidating 26-point margin. But then. Then a Georgetown effort. “All of a sudden, it’s an 8-point game, and Lance is at the line. How the hell did that happen?” Coach K (can’t spell it. Don’t want to look it up... Sable, remember.) asks in the post-game. Because Andrew LOVEdale would not be denied. 15 points. Seven rebounds. FOUR BLOCKS. It was HIS ball. No matter which way it bounced or which Duke defender was taller. Except for those precious few late. Because The One they Taunt Futiley would not be denied. 29 points. Eight rebounds (REBOUND!). Six assists. Two steals. The lane was his, so you’d better, um, move or be moved. Defenders finally couldn’t keep up and his shot refused to not go in. Except for those precious few late. And so they sit at the podium afterwards. “We got better as a team today,” Coach McKillop tells the room. And these two. “That late loose ball scrum indicates that we gave everything we had.” “Our system,” assesses The One whose Name they Still Mispronounce. “We found out how to execute it. They made that big second-half run, and we got down by 20, but we didn’t panic. We got some stops down the stretch.” “We didn’t do what we were supposed to do, which is win a basketball game, but like Coach said, we got better,” LOVEdale offers. And it’s true. It wasn’t a win. And I won’t write that it was a moral victory. But it wasn’t a loss. Because this team... This team will get better because of it. In the meantime, just dance. It’s gonna be OK. Welcome Back Men's Basketball vs. Samford Jan. 3, 2009 This guy I used to work with in another lifetime had this idea of a “drive-up song.” Every time he pulled into the stadium, whether in the morning, afternoon or evening, he’d put on the same song. An interesting idea, and guy for that matter, to be sure, but I started thinking about it as I pulled into Belk Arena for Saturday’s 76-55 win over Samford, (and not into the back lot without my parking pass. Mister parking lot attendant, if you happen to read this, I told you I work for Davidson... really, really, sir, I swear.) “Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back.” Christmas break is one of the good parts about working for an academic institution, and two weeks off is literally an eternity in athletics, where pretty much every day is a work day, and there is little distinction between weekday and weekend. And after three days of high school basketball at the Bojangles Shootout tournament, benefiting Dell Curry’s Athletes United for Youth foundation, it was nice to be back in my normal spot on press row, complete with media timeouts, shot clocks, and yes, Sweet Caroline. The familiar sounds of Coach McKillop, easily claiming the night’s best-dressed award in pin stripes en route to his 350th Wildcat win, from the bench. (TI TIE WATCH: Baby-doll pink. Three stars.) “Andrew!” “Steeeeeeeeve!” “Come on, Steph.” This game never really in question, it was good to see Mr. 2000 live and in color again, wasn’t it? With 21 points on 7-of-14 shooting (5-of-6 from downtown) along with eight assists, four steals and four rebounds, it was easily his best performance of 2009. Joining Wildcat greats John Gerdy and Fred Hetzel, he becomes just the third player in Davidson history to reach the plateau. “Scoring that much is pretty cool for me because of the few people who have done it,” he says in a long-distance “interview” from south of the border. “To be named with those greats is an honor.” Ever polished, he adds, “But we can’t let it be a distraction.” And while not everyone was back to work or school – the students still on break, including Mr. Wildcat and personal fav White Lobster, absent, the crowd did not disappoint nor, for that matter, were they disappointed. Along with the 21, Ben Allison and Will Archambault dropped in 12 each in solid efforts, as all but three ‘Cats found their way into the scoring column in a good look balanced attack. “It means a lot to have that many people at the game over Christmas break without the students there,” Mr. 3000 (?) continues. “And with this road stretch coming up we needed a solid performance at home.” And to keep it light and lest anyone else wonder... seriously, the mouthguard? It was one of two favorite moments from Saturday’s game. (The other, btw, is Will not-in-my-house Archambault’s serious shakeoff of a defender and subsequent trey - a third straight from the same spot on the wing. Complete with intense glare.) The action stopped, game decided, he drops his trusty (note: clear) mouthguard under the basket, fumbles it a few times before popping it back in. “I didn’t really think about how dirty it was before I put it back in because the play was about to start and I had to protect my teeth.” To an impressive chorus of “eeeeewwwws.” If we’ve taught you one thing, let it be that people are always watching. 5,223 on Saturday afternoon at Belk. It was good to be back, wasn’t it? The Last Six Minutes Men's Basketball vs. Chattanooga Dec. 13, 2008 “This doesn’t have the last six minutes.” I have just delivered the stats book to Coach McKillop, sitting in our office-turned-media-holding-room and awaiting his turn at the podium after the ‘Cats’ 100-95 Win over the Chattanooga Mocs Saturday night. Naturally, he flips to the last page of the book. Naturally, he is right. “HM. OK. Let me go find it.” The last six minutes, after all, sort of was the game. Assistant SID Matt Harris has two last pages from which he is writing the game story from press row, which, naturally, should be twice as good. Problem solved, crisis averted. With all of the last-six-minuteless books and the last page in hand, it’s back to the copier (Have you seen the SportsCenter commercial with Lebron James and Stuart Scott? With Lebron looking for paper jams, exasperatedly, and Scott scoffing, ‘Chosen one.’ If only.) Try writing a game story for this one without the last six minutes. Talking about the game in the office before the game, projections are made. (I’m pretty superstitious, so don’t worry. Nothing crazy.) Someone else is due for a big game, and we also would like for The Mouthguard to duplicate his performance in Belk against this team from a season ago. He doesn’t, but there is Andrew LOVEdale trying, with 14 rebounds to Chattanooga’s 19 in the first half. (14! 19 minutes!) And Will Archambault, five-for-five with a team-leading 13 points in 12 minutes off the bench. But the ‘Cats trail four, 44-40. But there are 20 minutes left. The WL hits a three as does The One who color coordinates, after a pair of gimmies, and the ‘Cats are up four behind an 8-0 run in 2:30. Game on. (I met the costumed version of the WL at the NC State game. A friendly freshman named Morgan, whose hallmates chipped in $80 for the suit and paint, after he was recruited by Wes the Boxer. Looks a torturous way to watch a game to me, but on him, I’m a fan. Next, a dance…) But the ‘Cats just couldn’t seem to shake the Mocs, and soon another Stephen reclaimed the lead for his team. (Sounded weird, didn’t it? Another Stephen?) Will and The One in White would put the ‘Cats on top again, 53-50, but again, the other Stephen for two. Chatt, 58-57. Well, let’s just get further ahead next time. And when the youngest McKillop made a layup for his 11th and 12th points to give the ‘Cats a 12-point lead, it felt a pretty good distance with three minutes left. Not keys-shaking good, but close. The gap ballooned over the next minute to 94-81 and fingers were flying over keyboards. And then a 14-3 run, in 1:24 (!), and it’s 97-95… wait, 97-95? Fortunately, fouling The Mouthpiece to win a game hasn’t proven a great way to win a game, and he hits 3-of-4 from the line to put the 100-95 win in the books. (Do we get biscuits? Washer fluid? Tacos? Coffee? What?) And the Wildcats, 1-0 in the league, survive and advance in the Southern Conference. And there’s a knock at the door. “Did you find it?” I did. A Year and Five Days Ago Men's Basketball vs. NC State Dec. 6, 2008 The last time the Davidson Wildcats played at Time Warner Cable Arena it wasn’t called Time Warner Cable Arena. The opponents weren’t simultaneously members of the all-mighty ACC and underdogs. There was no such thing as a White Lobster, and it’s quite possible that The King had never even heard of his newest BFF. The AP story started like this: “Gerald Henderson scored 21 points and Greg Paulus had two key baskets and a steal in the final 2 minutes as No. 7 Duke remained unbeaten by holding off pesky Davidson 79-73 on Saturday.” A year and five days later: “Stephen Curry had just drilled a 30-foot fadeaway despite an awkward release that resembled a set shot - and it was too much for his buddy LeBron James to take.” Well, one thing’s for sure, this was nothing like the last time the Wildcats went Uptown. This time, Davidson brought a national ranking. Defended it. The battle on the boards? Won it. A late lead. Held it. These Wildcats have, in fact, come leaps and bounds in a year, and in the light of the RBC Center, Sweet Caroline and that really cool police escort, the journey sometimes gets taken for granted. After the game, I took my dad and my uncle, both NC State alums, to the post-game press conference. “I’m not very happy right now,” my uncle says, and I am reminded that not everyone in the world pulls for Davidson. Strange. Behind the podium, sits a subdued trio of Wildcats. It’s a scene that looks and feels strangely similar to a season ago, but I’m struck by the profound difference. A season ago, A Coach and Two Wildcats sat on the stage mutedly, sadly answering questions about running with the big boys. A year and five days later, A Coach and Two Wildcats sat on the stage mutedly, thankfully answering questions about Lebron James. Weird. It's Good to Be Home Women's Basketball vs. Furman Dec. 2, 2008 The Davidson Wildcat women kicked off the 2008-09 home portion of their season with a (tidy) 67-57 win over the Furman Paladins in their Southern Conference opener at Belk Arena Tuesday night. Leading the way was once again preseason SoCon Player of the Year Merecedes Robinson, who finished with 18 points, nine rebounds and a “She’s got six of their points already” declaration from the other team’s head coach around the 10-minute mark in the first. (Um-hm, coach, (cough, cough) preseason Player of the Year…I'm just saying...) Sophomore Ashley Lax tossed in 17 points (four from long-range), and junior Alex Thompson finished with 10 points, seven assists, a steal and a pair of nose plugs. (The nose plugs, incidentally, from an injury incurred during a collision in player introductions at South Carolina between Thompson’s nose and Julia Paquette’s elbow. Ah, unlucky.) Apart from a lone exhibition, it was the first time these Wildcat women have played at Belk this season, so we’re still getting to know each other. These ‘Cats are still getting to know each other, too, but a pretty challenging non-conference schedule and some serious road environments tend to speed up the process a bit. “It’s a whole new season,” Alex said of kicking off conference play. “We try to look at preseason and the non-conference games and apply what we learn to the conference season.” Tuesday night the ‘Cats kicked off the SoCon season with a win over Furman. A good start and a great result in a homecoming of sorts. “There’s more heart and desire on this team than on any team I’ve been a part of,” Alex offers. “And that’s saying something because I’ve been on some pretty special teams.” 2008-09, part II, is officially under way for the Wildcat 2008-09 women, and I’m looking forward to getting to know them. Scoreless, Pointless Men's Basketball vs. Loyola (Md.) Nov. 24, 2008 Well, as the wise head coach put it after the game, that was one for the memory banks. From the very first possession, it was clear that this wasn’t your average day at Belk Arena. Well, maybe not the first possession. That one was, after all, THE shot attempt and miss for the first period. Loyola’s Isaac Reid grabs the rebound (REBOUND!) and dishes to Jamal Barney, who lays it in, and then... wait... HUH? “HE’S GOT TWO GUYS ON HIM,” delights stats runner/associate head Wildcat football coach Brett Hayford. “THEY ARE PLAYING MAN TO MAN, AND HE’S GOT TWO GUYS.” And it worked, briefly, as the Grey Hounds took a 9-4 lead behind four missed baskets and a whole lot of confusion. But adjustments were made as the youngest McKillop ably took over the point and Will Archambault became the sixth man the ‘Cats needed, connecting with Andrew LOVEdale and scoring five straight points to lift the Wildcats ahead 11-9 and for good. From there it was all Wildcats, who did a pretty good job answering the one-man-band question, and by the time the 18-0 run (18-0!) ended, the ‘Cats were up 22-9 and this one was good as done. “They gotta come of it now,” D-Line coach Hayford is insisting. “Have to.” But alas, Gary’s revenge continues, and in the corner, The Cheese Stands Alone. Well, sort of. In Monday’s story, I promised a scene-stealer, and boy, did Patsos try, living up to my top billing and proving a writer’s dream. When finished instructing (loudly) his players at the table on the defensive scheme (TRIANGLE!), he turns to interact with the crowd, explaining, “We’re not as smart as Davidson. We’re working on it.” ... Chatting with a ref about questionable elbows, “I just don’t want a fight. I’m in a peaceful mood.” ... To a player about to enter the game, “Try not to hit the backboard the next time you lob it.” And so it went. If you were there, you’re gonna wanna remember this one. “Put it in your memory bank” along with Gonzaga, Greensboro and Elon, but for the most opposite of reasons. 0-3, three fouls. The rest of the band: Lovedale: 8-for-14, 20 points, 10 boards. The WL: 6-for-12 (all treys!), 18 points. Bond, Aaron Bond: 4-for-5, 11 points, nine minutes. Will Archambault: 5-for-9, 13 points, four assists. SteVe: six points, six boards, six assists. And afterwards, I turned over most of my post-game duties to assistant SID Matt Harris to attend press conferences. Standing in the classroom listening to the Band Leader, there’s a tap on the window, and there’s the Cheese, making faces while waiting his turn. I’m sure there’s some disappointment — scorers like to score after all — but you wouldn’t know it. In the press conference there is laughter and joking, as he concedes to “not knowing what position” he was playing and having “the best view in Belk Arena tonight.” And so it went, and in the greatest of dramatic twists, the one seeking the spotlight was upstaged by the one who can’t avoid it. Without scoring a point. Second Chances The Davidson Wildcats beat the Florida Atlantic Owls 76-60 in the second game of a double-header, or the third round of Dick’s Sporting Good’s NIT Tip-Off, at Belk Arena Friday night. Loyola of Maryland beat James Madison 64-54 in the first game of the day. With the NIT running this show, things were a little different. The post-game press conference location was switched to accommodate the media meal, which was served at halftime of the first game. The benches, the scorer’s table and the floor all got logo makeovers. With season ticket holders and staff members needing tickets, familiar faces weren’t occupying their usual seats. The View from Press Row was, um, different. From our spot on the scorer’s table, we get pretty acquainted with the opposing bench, and tonight was no exception. Loyola’s head coach Jimmy Patsos is one whose reputation proceeds him, and I was told several times over that I was going to enjoy him. Working a neutral-site game can be difficult, but Patsos’ personality – that doesn’t even begin to do it justice – made focusing on the game at hand even less intriguing. I really just wanted to watch him. He’s shouting (REBOUND!) and jumping and spitting and running and switching from enthusiasm to disgust as quickly as you can say rebound (!). He told one of his players to shoot threes like rainbows. Without cracking a smile. Simply saying, this guy is worth the price of admission and could challenge The Shining Star for the crowd’s attention tomorrow night. When he left the court, I hope it was for a nap. By the time the Wildcats hit the floor, things started to feel normal again. Kevin was back on P.A., the WL welcomed the ‘Cats to the jungle, the D-block was in living color and Davidson was off to a quick start with back-to-back treys. The shooting was just so-so, according to, you know, my ridiculous standards, but the rebounding (REBOUND!) was impressive. After a FAU jumper cut it to 17-12, Big Ben Allison misses a three-pointer try but MAX grabs the board. Two more ‘Cats take shots that won’t go with Will Archambault pulling down rebounds in between before The Star (Folks, we got a star!) buries it from deep to push the lead back to eight at the second media timeout. He points to thank the passer. (Always thank the passer. And remember the little people.) It was a possession – extended three times over - that was typical of the evening. The ‘Cats finished with a 49-38 rebounding edge, including doubling the Owls on the offensive boards, 20-10. Playing large and in charge, Andrew LOVEdale and SteVe Rossiter had 15 and 12 rebounds, respectively. In the game, offensive rebounds equal second chances. In the fourth round of the NIT Tip-off, you get a seecond chance to catch a double header. See Patsos. For the Wildcats, still chasing the perfect game, it’s a second chance to fine-tune theirs. A Tale of Two Halves It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. It was the age of wisdom. It was the age of foolishness. It was the epic of belief. It was the epic of incredulity. OK maybe it wasn’t quite so dramatic. I first read “A Tale of Two Cities” in the ninth grade, and to be honest, didn’t get it at all. Even now, some of its essence is probably lost on me, but for some reason, it popped into my head when I thought of how best to describe the men’s basketball team’s 97-70 win over the Winthrop Eagles Friday night at Belk Arena. It was, in the simplest of descriptions, a tale of two halves. Because I spent the greater part of the day traveling to and fro the SoCon volleyball tournament, I didn’t get to spend the usual part of my day breaking down the night’s matchup, studying box scores, watching film ... er, making ridiculous predictions. From what I did gather, though, predictions were heavily in favor of the experienced Davidson Wildcats, hosting the inexperienced Winthrop Eagles. The first half, though, didn’t exactly play out that way, with the score tied four times and the lead – held by the Eagles for more than a simple stretch – changing hands five times. The Eagles’ Cameron Stanley put up 13 points, and kept Winthrop in the game, 41-35 heading into the second half. Andrew LOVEdale, though, was having none of it, putting up huuuuuge numbers of his own. 16 points, 11 rebounds in the first half on 7-of-9 shooting. He was playing so huge that in the second half, he collected a faux rebound on the second of three free throws, and he smiled about it. He finished with 20 points and 15 rebounds and connected at least three times on rockets from Will Archambault, who had a massive game with 12 points, six rebounds and five (!) assists. LOVEdale wasn’t the only Wildcat putting together a nice half, but most of the others did so in the second. When it was all said and done, five ‘Cats were in double-figures, led by 30 points and 13 assists from America’s Sweetheart. Converted forevermore, SteVe Rossiter put up 13 – including a perfect 3-of-3 from the line (sigh, free throws), and Bryant Barr, known forevermore as “the white lobster” finished with 11. I’m not sure where this nickname originated, but I know that a) I like it, b) it’s complete with a hand signal, and c) that kid in the student section in the white lobster costume tonight = awesome. “That’s probably the most awesome costume ever,” director of basketball operations “TI” said afterwards. Or something very similar, I’m sure. “Did you see my mascot?” the actual white lobster asked. With a smile. In her first night on press row, SID assistant Alex was enjoying her new view. “You can hear everything,” she tells me, amazed(ish), before observing the students. “What is that flag... and why is that guy dressed like a ... shrimp?” I filled her in, and she seemed to like what I was putting down. A few other things I took away from this evening: If I had three wishes, I would wish that 1. No one would ever use the ‘airball’ chant again. Ever. 2. Fans who choose to scream only at the referees about ‘double-dribbling’ and ‘hand checking’ and ‘charging’ would never, ever sit near me. Ever. And 3. The Wildcats could play every half like tonight’s second half. (Correction: (Yes, I’m officially running corrections now.) Kim Murphy sang the national anthem on her 21st birthday at last Friday's game. Kelsey Foremost did the same on Tueday, her 22nd birthday. My apologies to these ladies for mixing them up, a belated happy birthday and job well done to both, and a thanks to Kim for the help...) Working out the Kinks The Davidson men’s basketball team officially opened the 2008-09 season (in front of SELLOUT crowd) with a 107-83 win over Guilford (late, late, late) Friday night. It was a game that didn’t exist on the “tentative” schedule, and one that made for a long day in Davidson athleticville, tacked on to the end of a volleyball match. (I tried to get into my apartment with my work key tonight. What does that mean? Sidebar: I'd very much like to wish a congratulations and happy birthday to the Davidson student who sang the National Anthem AND managed to have her 21st birthday Tuesday AND Friday. If only I had been so smart.) After Tuesday night’s (shaky?) exhibition win over Lenoir-Rhyne and just before the team’s heavily-anticipated trip to Oklahoma for the first round of the preseason NIT, it became a needed game. After Tuesday’s night (lackluster?) win, there were some questions swirling. There were kinks exposed; wrinkles that needed to be ironed out. The trademark defense? A bit pedestrian? The shooting? Average? The ball control? Yikes? And rest assured, the Guilford game wasn’t perfect, but you gotta feel a lot better about life with one of these in your pocket for a rainy day or a trip to Oklahoma, no? The defense? Stifling. The Quakers went home with 39 turnovers. 39! The ‘Cats scored 55 points off of those turnovers and posted 25 (25!) steals. The shooting? I think you’d be safe to say the new arch won’t negatively affect certain Wildcats, as four reliable Davidson shooters finished with at least a pair of treys. And oh, the ball control... The good guys’ assist to turnover ratio: 18-14. The others: 13-39. And yet, one particular line rises above the rest: 29 points, 10 assists, 1 (1!) turnover, and 9 steals. Three rebounds and a block on 9-for-20 shooting. Only one Wildcat has ever recorded a triple-double, so you can be sure I lobbied that He be put back in to get it. (But, come’on. He’s So Close. Puuuuh-lease.) But, Friday night wasn’t about triple-doubles. Friday night was about working out the kinks. And from the malfunctioning shot clock to our malfunctioning printer on press row, there were plenty of kinks. Eventually, we got the clock back on and the printer back in action. And some of those stat lines suggest the other kinks are working themselves out, too. Practice? You're Talking About Practice? After the women’s team opened their 2008-09 season with an exhibition win over Mars Hill on Sunday afternoon, the 20th-ranked men’s team did the same, getting an 87-54 exhibition win over Lenoir Rhyne Tuesday night at Belk Arena. Which means, both teams have played an exhibition. Which means, play time is over. Which means, basketball season is officially upon us. Plenty of people asked me if I was going to resurrect this blog again. A few were sincere; a few I’m pretty confident were making fun of me, but nonetheless I am back, because well, I’m as superstitious as the rest of them, (except for maybe athletic trainer Ray Beltz.) And well, I wrote about last season, and that seemed to go pretty well. It is because of last season that the excitement for this season is um, exciting? You know, you’ve read all the preseason hype. The projections. The expectations. It’s why you came to watch an exhibition. A glorified practice. When I got to work Tuesday, SID Marc Gignac and statistician extraordinaire Gavin McFarlin are already busy getting the media room set up. It’s 10 a.m. You can feel the energy in the air. I abandon my bag and start helping to put chairs around the tables and soon SteVen Rossiter wanders in. He’s mumbling something about an early class getting cancelled, but he jumps in to help. “I was so excited I couldn’t sleep last night,” I tell him. “I took a Nyquil,” he answers back. I think we are both kidding, but you can never be sure. He goes to class; we go to work(ish). 4 p.m. rolls around. 4-6 p.m. is the dead zone in athletics, when most of the day’s work is done, and you just wait for the evening’s event to come. Finally, it’s game time, and there are a lot of people in the seats to watch a game that really doesn’t matter much. And that’s what you keep telling yourself as you look up for the better part of the first half and realize this is close. Too close. Closer than the players and coaching staff would like. But ultimately, you remember, it doesn’t matter. What matters is the learning. The game-time atmosphere. The simulation of real-time situations against players not on your team. And well, the score, which says we win. And we win big. Not pretty, but handily. Sure, the coaching staff will have plenty of things to study this week before opening the season, for real, against Guilford at 9 p.m. Friday. But don’t worry; they love that. Imagine an exhibition that was perfect. What would be the point? It’s like decaf coffee. No, we will all learn. The players will learn what worked and what didn’t. The coaching staff will learn who is ready and who maybe needs a little help. Even that player who dropped in 41 (41?), but seemed (too) concerned about eight turnovers afterwards. (“Traveling shouldn’t be a turnover.”). He’ll learn something, too. Exhibitions expose weaknesses and mistakes. Expectations are because of last year’s success. Last season, good as it was, is over. Friday night, practice is over. It's Basketball Season For coaches, this season began the day after the last one ended. For players, summer meant camps, drills and conditioning. For sports information and marketing, well, we’ve been busy, too. And around town, the excitement is palpable. Even at church this morning, one greeter said to the other, “It’s basketball season at Davidson!” as I walked in. Sunday afternoon at Belk Arena, it’s officially basketball season again. While the energy surrounding the 20th-ranked men’s team is off the charts, the old saying “All ships rise with the tide” more than applies to this women’s team, who opened the 2008-09 season with a 75-48 exhibition win over Mars Hill Sunday afternoon at Belk Arena. And Davidson’s other SoCon Preseason Player of the Year, Mercedes Robinson, dropped in a mere 20 points and 10 rebounds to ensure it. The senior from Mansfield, Texas is the top returning scorer for the Wildcats, averaging 12.7 points and 8.4 rebounds a game a season ago. And with all that (decidedly deserved) chatter about the school’s other POY, Mercedes sometimes flies under the radar. (She says in a game of one-on-one she would let Him win, btw.) But if you don’t make it a point to see her play at least once this season, you lose. Her play is so consistently good you sometimes forget to notice her. “She has 20 points?” Women’s basketball SID Gavin McFarlin, already in mid-season form, calls it a quiet 20. Mercedes, though, is neither quiet, nor shy. She wonders into the SID office and quickly makes herself at home in the chair. The point of this story is to introduce you to a player you should know. (She cites The Color Purple as her favorite movie, Erykah Badu as her favorite artist, and Mexican as her favorite type of food. Oh, and she has a job lined up for next year already... running Davidson’s neuro-science lab for a year before going on to medical school.) “I was honored,” she says of being named SoCon Preseason Player of the Year. “I wasn’t expecting it, so I guess I just got more excited about the season. But there is some added pressure, too.” The point of an exhibition is to stimulate a regular-season game. “It lets us get out all the jitters,” she says. “They show us exactly what we need to work on and give us the opportunity to prepare for a real game.” Mercedes’ play certainly wasn’t the only thing the coaching staff will feel good about after today. Point guard Alex Thompson added 12 points and six assists, and junior forward Julia Paquette was dominant inside, finishing with 13 points, two blocks and five rebounds. Likewise, the game tape will reveal weaknesses to address as the Wildcats begin working towards topping last year’s third-place finish in the conference. “Our only expectation is to win a championship,” she says. “That’s the mindset that we have worked with all year. We are young, but I think we definitely have the talent to get it done.” Mercedes and the women’s team won’t have to wait long to find out. Saturday in a 3 p.m. contest at Winthrop, things get official. |
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