At the semifinals of the Women's Sun Belt Basketball Championship, I'll be among some pretty prestigous company. I'll be rubbing shoulders with seasoned reporters who have been covering this tournament for decades, Sun Belt Conference officials (including the commish, Wright "Big Daddy" Waters), and ESPN comentators and crew.
But even when I'm in the midst of such media heavyweights, I will stand above the rest. I mean, I stand above them anyway, but...well, you know what I mean...
And do you know why?
Because I'll be laminated.
When I asked to receive my media pass at the Sun Belt tournament today, I expected a credential worthy of a mid-major conference tournament. Instead I got a flimsy piece of paper that almost tore in half when I took it out of it's folder.
It didn't have my name on it or what media outlet I was representing. It only had the letters ME on it, which I hoped stood for something like "Mr. Excellent".
This was unprecedented. I went to the WKU-MTSU game a couple weeks ago, and that credential had my name on it. I could have made a better credential with the back of a business card and a shoestring.
Determined not to be subject with a slipshod press pass, me and my fellow Herald representatives decided to do something about it...
But first we had to eat.
So we moseyed over to the Brick Pit, a tar-paper barbeque shack that was all the rage on Hilltopperhaven.com. When we got inside we saw that not only had they allowed every customer ever to write on the walls and ceiling, but the place had been visited by the likes of Michael W. Smith and Franklin Grahm.
And if this place was good enough for some of the holiest men in America, then it was sure as hell good enough for us.
After dinner, we cruised through downtown Mobile, which was suprisingly placcid for 7:30 pm. We even under some river and saw and battleship. I tried to sink it, but I kept guessing the wrong coordinates.
After our little excursion we ate some ice cream at Marble Slab creamery, before heading over to FedEx Kinko's to get legit.
As the only customers in the store, we felt pretty important. We handed the clerk the four media passes, two reporters, two photo. And followed her around like a herd of puppies as she laminated, then cut the passes into neat professional credentials. Now all we had to do was beg the Sun Belt people to give us some nice looking lanyards to match.
After getting back to the hotel, we watched all the videos on Youtube, watched Luke the photog nearly have a heart attack, then went to bed after a nice, full day.
So when you're watching WKU and Arkansas State play in the semifinals, look for me.
I'll be the only one laminated.
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Sun Belted Day II: Rib-Mobile
We woke up at the crack of eleven to begin our day. The shower felt like I was washing in a coffin, but I got to see College Gameday, which I usually don't wake up early enough to see on Saturdays.
The campus of South Alabama was a hop, skip, and a jump away from the hotel. I gave a impromptu tour of the campus I have never visited before and we parked and got our media credentials.
The pre-game meal consisted of pizza. A step down from Diddle's offering of barbeque, potato salad, and baked beans but some food is better than no food. I ate about a pizza and a half.
The game itself was enough to give me indigestion. In the first haf conference player of the year only got three shot attempts, and by the grace of GOD was the game tied going into halftime.
After the twelve-minute mark, when Kelly got her fourth foul, I actually began discussing what would happen if the Lady Toppers got bounced in the first round for the second straight year. But fortunately soon after that the Mean Green was unable to buy a bucket, and that allowed Western to fight back for an eventual 61-53 victory.
And, after a pretty thrilling finish we know face Arkansas State in the semifinals after they beat South Alabama 53-52.
That about ends my day at the Mitchell Center, so if anyone knows a good place to eat around Mobile, please let the Tall Dude know.
The campus of South Alabama was a hop, skip, and a jump away from the hotel. I gave a impromptu tour of the campus I have never visited before and we parked and got our media credentials.
The pre-game meal consisted of pizza. A step down from Diddle's offering of barbeque, potato salad, and baked beans but some food is better than no food. I ate about a pizza and a half.
The game itself was enough to give me indigestion. In the first haf conference player of the year only got three shot attempts, and by the grace of GOD was the game tied going into halftime.
After the twelve-minute mark, when Kelly got her fourth foul, I actually began discussing what would happen if the Lady Toppers got bounced in the first round for the second straight year. But fortunately soon after that the Mean Green was unable to buy a bucket, and that allowed Western to fight back for an eventual 61-53 victory.
And, after a pretty thrilling finish we know face Arkansas State in the semifinals after they beat South Alabama 53-52.
That about ends my day at the Mitchell Center, so if anyone knows a good place to eat around Mobile, please let the Tall Dude know.
Sun Belted Day 1 Part II: Auto-Mobile
Well, we're here...finally...in the chilly confines of Mobile, Alabama. The Lady Toppers first-round game is less than 12 hours away, and I'm hoping...PRAYING...that the team gets past the quarterfinals unlike last season. After all, it's what I deserve after the jaunt down here...the mother of all road trips...
It started off well enough. Class were cancelled at Western ahead of any bad weather, so me and A-Rob were able to get out an hour ahead of schedule to begin our journey, albeit in a miniscule Cheverolet Geo Prizm.
The photogs and us convoyed down to the interstate, till briefly getting seperated in traffic. Me and the dude were getting kind of hungry, so we decided to stop and eat at an Arby's/Loves Truck Centers. We attempted to contact the photogs, but neither of them were answering their phones.
After we ate, the dude took the wrong exit and we took a twelve-minute detour until we were finally able to get back in a southward direction. This would prove to be critical for the events to come.
Meanwhile, the photogs were making their way to Birmingham, Alabama. Reaching the city, the decided to stop at a Wendy's and grub. That is when the nightmare began...
Just after me and and the dude passed through Birmingham, one of the photogs gives me a phone call. He then proceeds to tell me that they are broke down somewhere on the side of I-65. I thought they might be behind us, but by God's grace we actually passed them as I was talking on the phone. We were able to stop, pull over, and render assistance.
I thought it might be something that the four of us could solve by putting our heads together, but after lifting the hood and seeing the timing belt casing ruptured and the belt itself hanging out, as if trying to escape, I knew we would have to tow this sucker.
In the hour and half we were waiting for the tow truck, we had an excellent view of the sunset over Birmingham, as well as Alabama traffic patterns. Now, I don't know too much about Birmingham as a city, but to see all the traffic leaving as compared to the traffic coming in, you would have thought Mothra was attacking or something.
Once the tow truck arrived, we dumped the busted car in the small town of Pelham, where were told that it should be fixed on Wednesday. So that's means at least one team will have to make it to the finals, or there is going to be one lonely photog in Pelham.
So now, the Prizm that was already too small for two people now had to fit twice that amount. I'm just now regaining feeling in my legs.
Four hours later we arrived in Mobile suffering from rigor mortis and hungry as a whale on a diet. We stopped in a IHOP before checking in two the Ashbury Motels and Suites.
We drifted on to sleep to the soothing sounds of the people above us using the bathroom, and prepared for Day II, where I was going to have to put some work in...
It started off well enough. Class were cancelled at Western ahead of any bad weather, so me and A-Rob were able to get out an hour ahead of schedule to begin our journey, albeit in a miniscule Cheverolet Geo Prizm.
The photogs and us convoyed down to the interstate, till briefly getting seperated in traffic. Me and the dude were getting kind of hungry, so we decided to stop and eat at an Arby's/Loves Truck Centers. We attempted to contact the photogs, but neither of them were answering their phones.
After we ate, the dude took the wrong exit and we took a twelve-minute detour until we were finally able to get back in a southward direction. This would prove to be critical for the events to come.
Meanwhile, the photogs were making their way to Birmingham, Alabama. Reaching the city, the decided to stop at a Wendy's and grub. That is when the nightmare began...
Just after me and and the dude passed through Birmingham, one of the photogs gives me a phone call. He then proceeds to tell me that they are broke down somewhere on the side of I-65. I thought they might be behind us, but by God's grace we actually passed them as I was talking on the phone. We were able to stop, pull over, and render assistance.
I thought it might be something that the four of us could solve by putting our heads together, but after lifting the hood and seeing the timing belt casing ruptured and the belt itself hanging out, as if trying to escape, I knew we would have to tow this sucker.
In the hour and half we were waiting for the tow truck, we had an excellent view of the sunset over Birmingham, as well as Alabama traffic patterns. Now, I don't know too much about Birmingham as a city, but to see all the traffic leaving as compared to the traffic coming in, you would have thought Mothra was attacking or something.
Once the tow truck arrived, we dumped the busted car in the small town of Pelham, where were told that it should be fixed on Wednesday. So that's means at least one team will have to make it to the finals, or there is going to be one lonely photog in Pelham.
So now, the Prizm that was already too small for two people now had to fit twice that amount. I'm just now regaining feeling in my legs.
Four hours later we arrived in Mobile suffering from rigor mortis and hungry as a whale on a diet. We stopped in a IHOP before checking in two the Ashbury Motels and Suites.
We drifted on to sleep to the soothing sounds of the people above us using the bathroom, and prepared for Day II, where I was going to have to put some work in...
Friday, March 7, 2008
Sun Belted Day 1: Snow-Mobile
Today is the day me and ARob, the men's beat reporter, leave for Mobile. In what I hope is not a horrendous omen for the rest of the trip, we have snow, rain, ice, and balmy 28 degree weather to drive in. I'll blog after we get to Mobile, that is if I'm still alive.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Welcome UP
I've always sucked at introductions, so I'll make this short. Welcome to The Weather Up Here, my new blog. I've been putting it off and putting it off, but now I finally have the stones to crack open my cerebellum and spill out my opinions upon you the willing populace.
I thought a fitting start to my blogging career would be my coverage of the Women's Sun Belt Basketball Tournment in Mobile, Alabama. I expect to be blogging on the regular down there, so by all means keep checking back.
I've come up with what I thought was a pretty clever title for this little introductory series:
SUN BELTED
Okay so it's not really clever, but I like it...so screw y'all.
I thought a fitting start to my blogging career would be my coverage of the Women's Sun Belt Basketball Tournment in Mobile, Alabama. I expect to be blogging on the regular down there, so by all means keep checking back.
I've come up with what I thought was a pretty clever title for this little introductory series:
SUN BELTED
Okay so it's not really clever, but I like it...so screw y'all.
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