Mom

After fielding phone calls and text messages from my mom all night long, I've decided to propose a compromise via the internet and my blog.

My mom doesn't want anything further to happen to me. This is understandable considering the barrage of bumps and bruises I've taken in my five years at UB. As a matter of fact, just today in the hunt for a loose ball I re-opened a nasty little cut on my left elbow. Our trainer skillfully patched it up but there was a good bit of blood running down my arm at first.

So instead of resorting 100% to Freudian tactics for the remainder of the season, let's look at it like this...

...from now until the end of the regular season, we play every Wednesday and Saturday. This means we have two days of practice between each game, giving us over twice as many practices as games. That being said, I will wear my padded knee sleeve everyday in practice to avoid bumping my knee, but will play the games free as a bird.

Mom?

And in other news, my ingenious sister called to my attention my "Freudian Slip." Actually not a Freudian Slip at all - I was completely mistaken. Directly quoting my sister, "the whole blank slate thing (also known as "tabula resa" in latin) was originally attributed to Aristotle, later St. Thomas Aquinos, but in the sense you're talking about John Locke. ;-) THAT is what a Niagara University liberal arts education gets you - philosophy 101 m'friend!"

I apologize for all you Freudiacs out there for the mix-up. I knew it was one of those old philosopher guys, though. I know what I'm talking about.

"m'friend."

Sigmund Freud

We finished off the NBA portion of our schedule (five games, ten days, four states) with our first-ever win at Toledo. It wasn't pretty, but a win is a win is a win and we'll take it.

A few things have happened recently, so I'll try to shed some light.

I found a penny on the gym floor during shoot around at Toledo.

I forgot my knee sleeve in Buffalo for this trip.

And that's where the story begins. You see, ever since tearing my ACL and MCL at the end of my freshman year, I have worn a simple Neoprene knee sleeve just to keep my joint from getting cold and stiff. Earlier this season I banged my knee on the floor and suffered a bone bruise that kept me out a couple days. In response to that I began using a different sleeve - one with a little bit of padding on it. It's more comfortable and lighter than my old sleeves and even has padding so it's been a welcome addition to my armor. Unfortunately I forgot it for our Central Michigan/Toledo road trip.

When I realized I had forgotten it (which wasn't until after the Central game), I began thinking. I began thinking of the days when I was young when our bones were rubber and our bodies could twist and turn and fall and smash without even a whisper of pain. Then I fast forwarded to now.

Currently I wear ankle braces on both ankles (everyone does these days), my new knee pad/sleeve and I get my right wrist taped due to a slight sprain I acquired a few weeks ago. I feel like a knight going into a jousting tournament.

Call me crazy, but good ol' Sigmund Freud snuck into my head. Don't ask me why or how, but the guy started making some sense. He had some theory (I think it was him) about coming into the world and going out the same way. Start fresh and end fresh, right? Makes sense. When we're little we have no responsibilities, no school, no job - just fun. When we retire, pretty much the same deal (as long as you saved up your money).

So with one month left until I play the final regular season game of my career, I actually listened to that kook Freud. I ripped the tape off my wrist, disregarded my knee sleeve and ran onto the floor feeling free as a bird (still strapped on my ankle braces, though - for obvious reasons).

Maybe old Sig is full of it, but I felt good and we won the game. Looks like I'm going to be going out just like I came in.

Sorry, Mom.

Billy Joel?

It's been awhile, I know. I apologize but we're in the midst of five games played within ten days in four different states. Needless to say we've been busy.

Got a nice road win at Northern Illinois on Saturday afternoon to end our three-game slide and now we're back at it again tonight against Western Michigan at home.

And I'm starving.

But we eat our pre-game meal in about a half hour so that's the good news.

I'm going to rewind a bit to yesterday, though, and our 1:30 practice. For the first time in what seems like forever, I was able to sleep in and relax all Sunday morning before practice. After a delicious breakfast (I recommend the Original Pancake House to anyone who hasn't been there) I headed to the gym and was greeted outside the locker room by...

...a group of high school kids dressed in tuxedos and black dresses?

Obviously I was caught a bit off guard, but you never know what they're up to in Alumni Arena so I shrugged it off and went on getting ready for practice until...

...these high school kids began singing. Like angels.

I'm not even joking I thought a CD was playing in the hallway until we opened the door and the heavenly voices of twenty-some adolescents nearly melted our hearts with the sweet sounds of their voices. I don't even remember what song it was that they were singing - something by Billy Joel I think - but whatever it was I almost raked my wallet for a few bucks to throw them for the afternoon entertainment.

Unfortunately I didn't have the opportunity to hear them perform (practice), but I'm sure they sounded just as wonderful in the arena with microphones and the whole deal. And I'm sure their parents took them all for ice cream after the concert.

Oh, how I miss the days.

But back to today. It's time to eat then get a little rest before tonight.

Had to answer a few questions for the media after shoot around, but I don't even remember what I said. They ask some funny questions sometimes so I end up just giving a stock answer - I might've answered two questions the same way. At least he had questions, though. Some guys come in and just tell you a story before they point the microphone at your face.

I mean what am I supposed to say when a reporter goes, "It seems like you guys have been shooting the ball pretty well recently," and then just stares at me?

"Um, yes, yes sir we have?" Please at least ask a question. Please.

But that's neither here nor there. It's game day so I'll see you on the court.

Ladybugs (again)

It was one of those weeks you wish you could have back. Two losses on the road in games that didn't display how well we can play. But like I've said before, the next game's right around the corner and after a couple good practices we're back at it at home on Thursday.

On top of that, we missed an entire week of school - the second week of classes at that - so it's been nice catching up with all of my professors and the work I've missed (note: sarcasm).

I'm taking Greek Civilization and I think I missed the entire Bronze Age - which lasted several hundred years or something.

Perfect.

But can we take a few steps back to the Ohio game on Saturday afternoon? Do you remember the ladybug I mentioned saving during Friday's practice? Well turns out that there was a bit of an infestation. During the entire game, there were ladybugs absolutely everywhere. At one point during a time-out I reached for a towel and as I raised it to my face to wipe some sweat I saw like eight ladybugs staring back at me.

Can I please have a new towel?

But back to the present...

Since school's back in session, study hall hours are in full effect. As a matter of fact, that's where I am right now until my roommate gets out of class and I can head back home. As you can see, I'm surprisingly caught up on school work - ahead actually (really, Mom I swear!). This was obviously the ideal opportunity to catch up on this blog and let you all know how things have been going and what I've been up to.

I'm not up to much and things have been going alright. There you have it.

Class is out so it's time to get food and go home. Hope your dinner is as good as mine will be.

(I have no idea what's for dinner, but let's be serious...I'm hungry and I like good food so dinner will be great)

There's an App for That

Right now we're hidden somewhere in West Virginia for our game tomorrow against Ohio University. Apparently it's Father's Weekend at OU, so all of the hotels within an hour (I still don't know how that's possible) are booked. So we're here, in Parkersburg, WV, sitting in our hotel watching deer and small rodents run around outside.

Wednesday's game against Kent State didn't go well. We were slow and sloppy and it showed as we lost pretty badly. After the game it was time to refresh our minds and prepare ourselves for another MAC road game.

We had a good practice today - lots of energy and enthusiasm which is exactly what we'll need come tomorrow afternoon. I even found and rescued a ladybug from the court during one of the drills. Take from that what you'd like, but I kept the little guy alive.

However, just as we were leaving the gym a bird flew in...so I hope that little lady bug found a good place to hide.

I'm serious, there really was a bird in the gym.

We stopped in town for lunch before our long commute back to the hotel. On long rides such as these and much longer ones (like the six-hour grind that stares us in the face tomorrow evening) we find ways to amuse ourselves. Most members of the team have either an iPod Touch or an iPhone - it's 2010, we try to keep up with the times - so Apps have quickly made their way around the team.

Most of us go for the free games, which are usually very simple, very addictive time-killers that make for some extremely competitive bus rides. Oh, and more trash talk than you'd find at a garbage dump.

I have reigned superior in Tap-Tap Revenge 2, an iPod version of guitar hero, where I continue to blow the competition out of the water. Wait, what competition?

Several guys recently downloaded Jungle Crash, as did I. Quickly working through its 40 levels, it's now a race for the high score in arcade mode. So far our manager, Jack, is on top.

Unblock Me, a simple game where you have to find a way to rearrange blocks in order to help the red block escape has mesmerized a couple guys. I stay away from it except for recreational playing. It's a good way to keep your brain sharp but also a good way to become extremely frustrated.

I'm sure next week will bring us a new App, but until then, keep practicing.

It's time for a little studying before dinner.

Breakfast

We're sitting in our hotel here in Ohio - I'm not sure exactly what town we're in, but I know that we stay here for both Kent State and Akron.

And I know that they have the best breakfast here of any hotel we stay in. But it's Kent State tonight.

My cousin is a freshman at Kent and she's coming out to the game, so it'll be nice to see her. It's been awhile.

But let's rewind a bit to Sunday afternoon and our game against Akron: finally we meet again following our loss in the MAC Championship Game.

Before the game even began, you could sense the energy and anticipation. Seats in Alumni Arena were filling up long before tip-off and players on both teams were anxious to get things going.

Amid all the excitement there was a basketball game and it went pretty well. Guys were playing hard and we came out on top. It was a great feeling walking off the court with a win against the Zips.

The beautiful thing about college basketball though? Rise and shine early Monday morning for practice. There's no time for celebrating - or sulking for that matter. It's always time to move on to the next game.

So after two good practices we boarded the bus to Kent, Ohio. It was a short trip, only about three and a half hours. But after tonight's game we head to Ohio University for our game Saturday afternoon before traveling back to Buffalo late Saturday night.

That's a whole week on the road.

So if you see any of my professors this week, let them know I'll be thinking about them and about class. Tell them I'll see them soon.

But it's game day and I need to get a little rest. Just laying in bed watching the Australian Open - James Blake is currently losing to Del Potro in a match that happened yesterday. I already know Del Potro wins, but why not watch some good stuff while I relax?

Enjoy your Hump Day.

Smurf

We've all done it.

Messing around in our driveways as kids...

"Three...two...one..." and we hurl up a shot "at the buzzer."

If our scrawny arms happened to get the ball up and through the basket we went berserk, feverishly running through the front yard and down the street with our hands raised, yelling, "And the crowd....goes....WILDDDD!"

(Of course, if we didn't make it, we simply replayed the scenario over and over and over again until we did finally made the game-winning shot. If only it worked like that in real life...)

Growing up making that shot in the driveway was always an exciting way to end the day after Mom called us in for dinner.

But there really is no comparison to experiencing that exact childhood dream on the floor in real life.

Except the crowd didn't go wild. They just sat down, silent.

Let me explain how all of this shook down:

We were on the road at Bowling Green, home of the Falcons. Buffalo has only won one game (ever) at Bowling Green. It was my freshman year.

editor's note: I am now, proudly, the only UB Men's Basketball player ever to win two games at Bowling Green.

Needless to say, it's not an easy place to play.

Before the game, I was sitting in the locker room. It was just me, one teammate, our head coach and the radio announcer - for identity purposes we'll call him Smurf (you'll see why).

I'm lacing up my shoes as Smurf walks over toward Coach for his usual pregame interview. Making his way across the closet that they gave us as a locker room, Smurf trips over a gym bag or something and nearly falls on his face.

You have to understand, Smurf is not what you would call a tall person. He stands maybe 5-5.

Coach obviously witnesses his stumble, laughs and yells sarcastically, "Whoaa! Careful!"

To which I add, "It's alright, he wouldn't have too far to fall anyways."

This brought a chuckle to my teammate, myself and even our coach. But Smurf - who is quite tired of our short person jokes, shoots back at me, "Real funny. You better not miss a shot. And if you hit the game-winner I'm gonna say 'Why the heck would they give HIM the ball to take the last shot?' on the radio."

I'm not lying, that really happened.

And as fate would have it, in a tie game with about eight seconds left to play our point guard came off a ball screen and pitched the ball back to me. From a few steps beyond the arc, I caught, turned and fired a rainbow that dropped straight through the net.

Unfortunately, amidst the excitement and chaos, I had forgotten what I had told another teammate before our last game. I had said that if I hit the game winner, I'll do a dance (I demonstrated said dance) and "beat the beat." ("beating the beat" is a move made popular by a new reality television show - if you're not familiar with it, don't worry - you're not missing much.)

My teammate reminded me of my broken promise today. I was bummed.

Obviously I would never really beat the beat after hitting a shot. But still...

***special thanks and a huge shout-out to Hugh (hope I spelled that right). His driving expertise got us safely to Bowling Green, Ohio and back - and was without a doubt the reason I was able to hit the game-winner. You're the man, see you soon.


It's time to get some food and get some rest because tomorrow is our game against Akron. We've been hungry for a shot at the Zips since last season's MAC Championship Game, so head over to Alumni Arena and check out what should be a barnburner.