Beyond the Arc

Cable TV

2010-03-24T16:27:00.003-04:00

It's been a whole week. Things have slowed down, including my activity on this blog (for which I apologize - see footnote for more on this), but let's be serious: I'm never going to be too far from the gym.

For starters, I've been diagnosed (as I may have mentioned before) with Restless Leg Syndrome. So it wasn't a doctor who diagnosed me, big deal. All I'm saying is that I get a little antsy without some physical activity during the day.

To settle my RLS, I've been keeping busy. I'll play some pickup with the returning guys off and on, head into the gym alone to shoot a little bit - it takes a bit more coaxing for the ball to go into the basket these days - and I try to lift several times a week. This old, withering body of mine won't transform into Rambo all by itself, you know. Pretty soon all I'll need is a bandana, some eye black and a jungle to rampage.

Much to the delight of my mom, I've been able to routinely get to class for the first time in several months. My professors are also delighted. They no longer have to field my emails about our next road trip. You're welcome.

Luckily the NCAA Tournament resumes tomorrow. It's been a long few days of baseball highlights. Nothing against baseball (well, maybe not NOTHING), but the season is just too long. Let's be serious- from April until November there won't be much to see on TV besides some strikeouts, a few diving catches, fewer and fewer home runs (the MLB is really cracking down on steroids - or so they say) and maybe a new season of Jersey Shore.

I'll be looking forward to the commercials.

I'm also going to start a poll for my dad. We need to find him a hobby because for the last 18 years or so his summers, falls and winters have been spent watching me play basketball. I was thinking bowling, but he's left-handed. Something about gravity and the earth's rotation tells me he'd only be a good bowler in the southern hemisphere somewhere; and I don't think my mom will let him move to Australia anytime soon. Herding cattle crossed my mind but we're hard-pressed to find a pair of chaps or stirrups in Erie so here we are back at square one.

He just caved a month or so ago, however. He and my mom have cable television now for the first time in about five years. That's a start.

Is waiting until this weekend for another one too much? Text "YES" or "NO"

Madness

2010-03-18T17:45:00.003-04:00

The madness has begun.

We're only halfway into day one of the NCAA Tournament, and already there are more close games, overtimes and buzzer-beaters than in all of last year's tournament (just heard that stat on ESPN, but I knew for myself that the games have been crazy).

It's been a week since our season ended, and the initial shock and pain has begun to wear off. It was difficult to watch the conference championships last week, seeing teams celebrate their invitation to the Tournament. That's where we wanted to be. But the dust has settled.

And these games are too good to miss.

Watching the tournament I find myself - like many people - rooting for the underdogs and anxious for an upset. The thing that makes it different for me is that I, as I'm sure my teammates and other players like us, see myself in that situation. Had we gotten in, we would be a 13, 14, 15 seed fighting to pull off an upset of our own. So as the low(er) seeds go, as do I.

So as Danero Thomas of 13-seeded Murray State knocked down a game-winning jumper at the buzzer, I smiled to myself as his teammates mobbed him at midcourt. I know the feeling of hitting a game-winning shot, but I can only imagine making the one that defeated a 4th-seeded team in the NCAA Tournament as millions of viewers hold their collective breath, fingers crossed for an upset.

The weekend gets sweeter as I came across a pair of tickets for the night session of first-round games held here in Buffalo. So tomorrow night, I'll be enjoying Gonzaga/Florida State and then Syracuse/Vermont...in living color.

I can only hope for a couple games just like the ones I've seen so far today. But no matter how the games go, I'm at the NCAA Tournament. Unfortunately I'm not playing, but I'll be there and I'm sure at some point during the games I'll see myself out on the court as I live - if only for a moment - vicariously through the guys playing in front of me.

Foul

2010-03-18T11:40:00.003-04:00

Recoiling back into a regular human existence is going to take some getting used to.

After the initial shock and a weekend of irregular sleep and, well, pretty much everything else (for two days I slept in three to four-hour shifts and ate in between), I'm getting back on schedule.

I have even taken up racquetball with a couple other senior teammates for a little off the court exercise. Ever tried three-man racquetball? Three college basketball players (we're a bit larger and more aggressive than the typical 50-plus year old goggle-clad racquetballer), three rackets and a little blue rubber ball whistling off the walls while we bob and weave to avoid the walls, each other and each other's rackets.

It's poetry in motion.

Luckily for the three of us, the team played pickup yesterday. Getting out onto the court was relaxing - yeah I was a bit out of shape, but it felt nice to run around a little bit with the guys.

You see, there's something about pickup basketball that you just can't find anywhere. It's like a disfunctional family on Thanksgiving.

Getting to the gym, everyone is in great spirits. We're doing what we love and with no pressure from fans or coaches so it's as free as it gets. So guys joke, laugh, and tell stories as we warm up shooting around.

Then, like that first dicey conversation at the Thanksgiving table, someone calls a foul.

May as well call the National Guard because there's bound to be a riot.

Of course the player who missed the layup got fouled. Why else would anyone ever miss a layup? (this is sarcasm)
And of course the player he called the foul on "didn't touch him." It was a clean block - "all ball."

It doesn't end that quickly, because it wasn't "all ball." The fouling player "slapped my hand; you could hear it."
But, taking a page from the rulebook, "your hand is a part of the ball," so the fouling player is off the hook.

Right?

Wrong. Now players from both teams begin arguing for their teammate. Amid the commotion, the most level-headed of the group will shout, "Just shoot for it!"

Which leads to the foul-ee shooting for the ball because why would "I" shoot for it if "I" didn't touch you?

Whichever way this ends up, we will hear, "the ball never lies." Let me explain. If the foul-ee makes it, the ball doesn't lie because he made the shot which essentially means the player was fouled. If he missed, the fouler's team gets the ball and the ball doesn't lie because it really was not a foul.

Phew

But before play resumes, we have to know the score. Yeah right.

Through all that arguing, everyone forgot. We play games all the way to the astronomical number of five, so it's understandable to lose track.

There goes another five minutes counting baskets. "Wait, no you didn't score that was last game."

...and so on...

Afterwards, there is usually some bad blood in the locker room because someone played well, someone else didn't and someone's team lost every game. And the insults come raining down on the losers.

And this, ladies and gentlemen, is what makes pickup basketball so great.

Dirty Laundry

2010-03-15T16:32:00.003-04:00

In a waiting game following our conference quarterfinal loss to Miami we, well, waited. And unfortunately on Sunday night we got the news that we would not be playing in a postseason tournament.

Just like that.

I'm left with schoolwork and a whole bunch of dirty laundry.

I'm only kidding - well not about the work and laundry but - it won't be so bad. Although the season ended a bit prematurely, I had been preparing myself for what would inevitably come this spring: for the end of the season and my career as a Bull. Today honestly just feels like a day off of practice. String together a couple months of days off though, and you get my final half semester of college.

I don't want to turn into a vegetable (and I also suffer from a mean case of Restless Leg Syndrome), so the couch potato thing won't work out for me either. Good thing.

For the next few months I'll be doing my self-prescribed Beach Body workout in between classes and laundry. Maybe by the time I'm done with school I'll have become enough like Rambo to go to the beach (or to put on a tie and go into work...I can't wait to get a job and work all year long ::sarcasm::).

I do want to take an opportunity now to thank everyone who has supported the team and myself over the past few years. There were some ups and downs, but it was a great run. And also thanks to the family and friends who were around before I got to Buffalo that helped me along the way; and to those who will be around now and in the future, after basketball.

It's been over 20 years since I got my first basketball hoop. I have stories for days and memories for the ages. I'm looking forward to the next part of my life, but there will always be room for the last 20-plus years of that I spent on the court. We hear it all the time, but the years really do fly by. Enjoy the ride.

"It's not about the breath's you take, but the moments that take your breath away..."

[editor's note: Don't stop reading my blog just because the season's over. I can assure you I'll have plenty of stories for you until my Van Wilder college experience is finally over in May. If I stayed here any longer they might have to name a building after me or something. Five years? Some little kid was born, learned to talk, walk, eat on his own and tie his shoes since I've been at UB. While I developed my jump shot, this little kid developed a taste for his favorite food, probably has a favorite color, started playing his favorite sport and experienced chicken pox. That's an eternity.]

Apollo 11

2010-03-10T16:03:00.003-05:00

In arguably the most exciting week of the college basketball season, conference champions are crowned and tickets to the NCAA Tournament are punched.

A bit cliche I know, but when you're a part of it all as we are this week in Cleveland, the excitement builds each and every day.

This year we played the first round of the MAC Tournament at home - our win over Toledo this past Sunday afternoon. A playoff game yes, but the atmosphere here in Cleveland is a complete 180. All the teams stay in the same hotel (more on that later). With a mall attached, players often cross paths during downtime. Signs and flyers for the MAC Tournament litter the landscape as you are the main attraction.

And the games are played at Quicken Loans Arena, home of LeBron James and the Cleveland Caveliers.

Back in the day, weekend-long summer basketball tournaments were what we lived for. High school and travel teams getting by in dingy hotels with four guys to a room. The opposing teams stay right next door and three games in a day is a light day.

This weekend in Cleveland is as close to that as it gets. Just up the stakes, increase the crowd and upgrade to an NBA venue and you have the MAC Tournament.

As I said earlier, more on this hotel.
The Renaissance Hotel in downtown Cleveland, Ohio is an historic landmark renovated for the contemporary 21st Century traveler. Nestled proudly adjacent to Quicken Loans Arena and mere minutes from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, this beautifully decorated establishment is attached to a three-story shopping mall that spans several city blocks.

I've probably booked like ten rooms for them just from that paragraph. You're welcome.

The real excitement comes in the crapshot that is room assignments. You see, not all the rooms are the same. You might feel cozy in an average-sized (yet elaborately decorated) hotel room with your typical two bed, one television, desk and chair square setup with a bathroom. Or you could luck out with a stretched rectangle that houses two beds, a desk, a chair, full-size couch with coffee table, and two TV's - oh, plus a bathroom and a closet of course. Then again, you might stumble into a forgotten closet that, aside from two beds and a TV, provides just enough room for you to stumble over your bags on the way to the bathroom.

In five years coming here I've had all three. For my final tour? Look behind door number two - now I just need to decide whether to lay in bed or relax on the couch.

I can pretty much watch both TV's. And both remotes work both televisions. This makes for some interesting channel surfing. Especially at bed time when all you want to do is turn one TV off, but hitting the Power button turns one off and the other on in a vicious back-and-forth game that ends in me getting out of bed and turning both TV's off by hand.

Unfortunately now I'm not in my room - it somehow slipped the minds of the hotel's upper management to provide wireless internet access to the rooms. No, I am currently at the Caribou Coffee shop in the mall, where ownership has realized that it is 2010 and provided free wi-fi. Business is booming.

We're heading over to the arena later this evening to get a feel for it. It's a new experience for some guys and we want to get the jitters out before game day.

Before I go, however, I'd like to mention something that has been bugging me this afternoon. On the bus to practice this morning the Apollo 11 moon landing was the topic of discussion. We have a few guys on the team who blasphemously believe that the historic steps Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin took were staged. Yes I know, hard to believe but there are those out there who mistakenly think that Hollywood setup the "hoax" that was mans' first landing on the moon. I didn't even pursue the conversation on the bus. It just grinds my gears.

For years as a kid I wanted to be an astronaut. It wasn't until high school that I realized you have to be a real-life rocket scientist to even begin thinking about that career. I thought you just had to go to space camp. Since I'm missing the part of the brain that understands higher math, my NASA career ended abruptly. Not, however, before I discovered the NASA channel and downloaded the Solar System App for my iTouch.

I'm not far behind, Neil. I just need a little calculus help.

When's the last time you used calculus in real-life anyway?

Pecos Bill

2010-03-03T15:11:00.006-05:00

My last regular season practice came on a cold, sunny March morning in Oxford, Ohio. It was a tired morning - one of those days that an extra hour of sleep would sell for more than its usual fare. But I can't complain. Several hours before, during our short, seven-hour bus trip, I was lucky enough to settle into a rare comfortable position and knock out for a few hours.

After a bowl of cereal, an especially smooth cup of strawberry-banana yogurt and a blueberry muffin, my gears were churning and I was ready to hit the floor for what would be the last practice before the last regular season game of my last year here at UB.

And I'm happy to say it was a good practice.

Now back to this bus trip.

I really don't know how I fell asleep, but I woke up to a heated debate. Several guys believe that Shaq is one of the best big men of all time. Well, Coach disagrees (of course). Coach has been a "Shaq-hater" for at least as long as I've been here; needless to say, this topic fires him up.

The discussion went from the obvious names like Kareem and Wilt (who are hands-down better than Shaq) to more dicey comparisons like David Robinson, Dwight Howard and Tim Duncan. Nene' even got thrown in the mix. But after checking stats (remember, it's 2010 so the internet is readily available via cell phone even on a bus in the middle of Nowheresville, Ohio) and watching old videos and asking everyone from assistant coaches to the team's radio broadcaster (see "Smurf," January, 2010), the argument carried on.

I honestly don't even have a conclusion to the story I just shared. Disappointing? Not considering that after seven hours on a bus plus two-hours at dinner, this topic is still yet to be settled. Shaq (barely) made my top ten big men of all time. Check it out:

Kareem
Wilt
Moses Malone
Bill Walton
Hakeem
Bill Russell
Patrick Ewing
David Robinson
Shaq
Tim Duncan

I may have left out a few names, but this is more or less a pretty solid list in my opinion. And I'm sticking to it. Tim Duncan is on the fence, but I was unable to come up with another name off the top of my head right now. My apologies.

This is not nearly the first time an argument has arisen from the back of the bus. Are you kidding? What else would we do besides argue to pass the boredom that comes from the hum of tires spinning on concrete for seven hours?

Just today, on the way back from practice we had a pseudo-argument over speed. First, there was some confusion as to how fast Deion Sanders ran the 40-yard dash. The world wide web assured us it was 4.19 seconds. Conversation over, right?

Wrong.

Of course guys now begin storytelling. We hear things like, "I would run a 4.3," and, "Well if you're running a 4.3, then I'm running at least a 4.2." For the speed-challenged reader, I'll let you understand that neither one of these times is very realistic. I could believe a 4.4 by one of our guys, possibly a lucky 4.38 or 4.39. Maybe. With the wind at his back. But a 4.2?

Then came the high school glory days stories where everyone on the bus swore they ran below a 4.5 - in high school, mind you. Which obviously relates to "at least a 4.3 now." We even learned that one of us ran a 4.3 in high school wearing only socks.

That must have been the same day that Pecos Bill lassoed the tornado and Paul Bunyan dug the Grand Canyon.

But these are what keep us close and make the hours pass by. There's never a lack of interesting stories - and heated arguments.

Senior Night

2010-03-01T15:45:00.004-05:00

After a tough loss at Akron it was time for my final home game ever as a UB Bull.

In one of the most epic senior night celebrations of all time, six of us - plus a senior manager - would be honored before the game. Needless to say, the game against Ohio would be starting a few (well, more like 15 or 20) minutes late.

But wait, there's more.

Prior to the Senior Night festivities and the game, the pregame clock wound down to just over a minute to go. The next thing I know I glance up and the clock has jumped back to six minutes remaining. I remember thinking, "That's funny." But didn't think much of it at the time.

Then, approximately five minutes later, the clock wound back up to six minutes again. At this point we've had over ten extra minutes of warmup.

I don't want to get tired, so I take a walk to our bench for some water and discover en route that there was a malfunction with the sound system. Apparently, just before we took the floor a fuse blew or something, releasing a deafening shriek from the arena speakers. I heard peoples' ears started bleeding (okay, that's an exaggeration).

Luckily, a few minutes later the MC, Jerry, announced that the problem had been fixed.

And the crowd...goes...wild...

With the speaker SNAFU taken care of, it was time for Senior Night and the annual senior walk, parents in hand, to midcourt. The experience was surreal; I can remember Senior Night the year I was a freshman here at UB. Time really does fly.

Amid the commotion and the ceremonies, there was a game to be played. And in typical Senior Night fashion, we won a doozy, 72-69.

But Senior Night is over, and with one regular season game left we're in position to get a bye in the first round of the conference tournament. The focus is on sealing that bye with a win at Miami of Ohio.

And with the Olympics over, it's time for everyone to watch college basketball again. I mean, it's March now. Let the madness begin...

Stop Staring

2010-02-20T19:12:00.002-05:00

I must have done something to please the basketball gods this weekend.

Up by three points with seven seconds left in regulation against St. Peter's College, I inbounded the ball against a full court press. With two timeouts left I threw a poor pass that was deflected and stolen, leading to a game-tying three-pointer by the Peacocks.

So we headed to overtime.

The game was back and forth from there; your regular barn-burner until the ball went out of bounds under our basket with 2.4 seconds left. After a time-out where coach drew up a play, we walked back onto the court.

Coming off a double screen I caught the ball in the corner and wanted to shoot but my defender was all over me. Knowing I had plenty of time (2.4 seconds is a long time believe it or not), I faked a shot and as my defender jumped to block it took a dribble left and shot.

The buzzer sounded as the ball arced through the air

...and then shot straight through the net. Game winner.

I had just gone from making a boneheaded inbounds pass (I should've called timeout) to hitting the game-winning shot in overtime.

Nothing like a nice emotional swing on a Saturday afternoon.

After post game pizza we road through New York City, past Times Square and across Madison Avenue; through the Holland Tunnel and another tunnel that I can't remember, before finally arriving at JFK international airport.

Where we will spend the next three and a half hours before our 11pm flight home.

We're flying JetBlue and I'm ready for the in-flight entertainment. TV's on the backs of every seat - doesn't get much better than that.

Except, on the way here when the captain turned off our TV's 20 seconds before the finish of an especially close Olympic Cross-Country Ski race.

Talk about a buzzkill.

Luckily curling is on in the terminal now - the US Women are cutting it close with Germany.

So it's goodbye New York City and hello Buffalo with a Bracketbuster win under our belt.

Curling

2010-02-18T11:09:00.005-05:00

There was a bit of a situation on campus Tuesday. Sitting in class, I received a text message via the UB Alert System (usually utilized for notifying us of snow days, vacation days, etc.). It read, and I quote, "The Police have evacuated Lockwood Library. Please stay away until further notice. 4:40pm."

Hmm.

Despite my burning curiosity, I kept away from the library after class and headed to Alumni for study hall. About an hour later, one of our advisors walked into study hall and told us we had five minutes to evacuate Alumni Arena and go home.

That's it. No reason, just leave.

Luckily, the entire campus was being evacuated at once (brilliant) so I was faced with a traffic jam reminiscent of an Armageddon-esque movie. If you've ever tried to find a parking spot at UB during the day, you know how many cars are here - now try escaping with every single one of them leaving at the same time with only one four-way stop sign to direct traffic.

Police cars and ambulances were scattered all around. I finally heard word that someone had apparently seen a guy walk into the library with a shotgun.

Not the kind of thing you really want to hear.

Fortunately I made it home safe and turned on the news to find that no harm was done and campus eventually was announced "safe."

The next day we learned that the situation was a false alarm. Whether someone thought they saw something that wasn't or the whole thing was made up we'll never know. At least we know things are safe and aside from the evacuation plan that pretty much created a campus-wide gridlock, security seemed on top of things.

So with that behind us we now have a Bracketbuster game to look forward to on Saturday afternoon. We play at St. Peter's in Jersey City. What do you think the chances are of seeing Snooki or The Situation in the stands?

Probably zero, but a kid can dream.

I've been thoroughly enjoying the Olympics lately. I'm so glad it's 2010 because before the Games even began I had set my DVR to record everything. Now all I have to do is flip through my recordings and pick out the events I want to watch - without commercial interruption. Minus pairs figure skating I think I've pretty much seen it all including the Kroeans' SNAFU in the 1500meter short track speed skating final that gave Apolo Ohno his record-tying silver medal and USA's silver/bronze double in the event that should have been swept by the Koreans.

If you missed it I strongly urge you to search it out on YouTube - it's quite the race.

Oh, and tune into Curling. Give it five or ten minutes and you'll be hooked. It's like extreme shuffleboard on ice...with a raucous crowd.

And even though the Jamaicans failed to qualify for the first time since Cool Runnings, I'll be watching the Bobsleds slide down the ice with my cowbell ready.

BEFORE THE HEAT GOT TURNED UP

2010-02-16T17:16:00.005-05:00

Editor's note: this is the unfinished post that was started the day of the campus-wide evacuation. I apologize for an recurring or repeated themes, but it stands as evidence of the scare of Tuesday evening. I wrote this at approximately 5:30pm on Tuesday - and was unable to complete or post it. Thanks to "autosave" its contents were able to be recovered today, two days following its original conception. The incidents described below occurred prior to those discussed in the "Curling" post. Thank you

It was pretty in pink Saturday as we tipped off a mens'/womens' double-header. In support of cancer awareness, we all laced up our shoes with pink laces while the womens' team donned all pink home jerseys for their game.

The crowd delighted us with pink t-shirts creating a "sea" of pink that cheered us to victory against Kent State. It was a nice bit of revenge after they beat us badly at Kent.

Ironically, our pink game was the day before Valentine's Day.

ps: I hope you all had a great Valentine's Day.

Our victory on Saturday afternoon began a great weekend. Now it's time to get back to business as we play Bowling Green tomorrow night.

Meanwhile, the Olympics have begun. While the Winter Olympics might host a more eclectic set of sports, I love the Olympics and have been tuning in as much as I can. It's 2010; I used my DVR and recorded the entire Olympics before they even began. Now I can watch everything - without commercial interruption - anytime I want.

It's like the Jetsons.

Ibuprofen

2010-02-11T17:26:00.003-05:00

Today's been a pretty normal day. Not much excitement or surprise except for the juice squirting out of my elbow.

A couple days ago I reopened an old battle wound and in the process managed to inflate some kind of balloon in my elbow. Now I have a nice, natural puff surrounding my left elbow. Nothing big - I've had this happen many times before and actually enjoyed the best game of my high school career with a nasty juice bubble on my right elbow.

It's nothing a little ibuprofen and some antibiotics won't clear up in a couple days.

Ibuprofen is like duct tape for athletes. Really, the stuff's magical; you can use it for anything.

Jam your finger? Ibuprofen.
Headache? (whether from an elbow or because professors don't realize we have lives and hit us with hours of homework) Ibuprofen.
Sore muscles? Ibuprofen.
Sprain an ankle? Lots of ibuprofen.
Hydrocodine making you sick after surgery? Even more ibuprofen (in this particular case, disregard dosages on bottle).
Hangnail? Suck it up.

I know my mom has been making frequent appearances on the blog recently, but there's no such thing as too much attention so Mom, please don't worry. My elbow is fine, really. It's just a little swollen.

I think I'm going to cook dinner for myself tonight. I made some spaghetti with clam sauce the other day and it tasted pretty good. When you make your own food it tends to taste a little better, so I might be patient and do it again tonight. Who knows what's on the menu, though. Looks like I'll be surprising myself. All I know is that they used to call me Master Chef back in culinary arts class.

Just saying...

Mom

2010-02-09T16:02:00.002-05:00

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

2010-02-08T16:43:00.003-05:00

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?

2010-02-01T13:48:00.005-05:00

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)

2010-01-26T17:33:00.003-05:00

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

2010-01-22T17:37:00.003-05:00

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

2010-01-20T15:09:00.002-05:00

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

2010-01-16T18:19:00.010-05:00

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.

Triple Jump

2010-01-14T11:30:00.004-05:00

So game one of MAC conference play went pretty well.

We beat Miami of Ohio to start league play 1-0. Now we're hanging out in Bowling Green, Ohio before our game against the Falcons tonight.

It was a nice little five-and-a-half hour bus ride from Buffalo - which was so graciously and thankfully extended due to our impeccable timing: hitting Cleveland at exactly 5:00, aka rush hour. Not to worry, though. I actually found a comfy position and got a couple hours' sleep on the ride.

You must understand: trying to sleep on a bus might be one of the most difficult things you could ever try to do.

Try to sit up? Your neck snaps way back before the headrest catches it - no good. Slouch? Your knees smash into the seat in front of you - no good. Lean against the window? Your head bangs off the window every time you hit even the slightest bump in the road - no good.

Lay down across two seats, plus the aisle and onto the first seat across? Every time somebody uses the bathroom they step on your legs and wake you up - no good. In all honesty, I have no idea how I fell asleep. But I did. Excellent.

When I did wake up from my nap, we were in Bowling Green, Ohio and in the parking lot of The Crackerbarrel Country Restaurant. For some reason, we love Crackerbarrel. I think it's just because we play a lot of games in Ohio and it's pretty much the only place around.

One good thing is the missing peg game that sits on every table. Last year, a manager and myself discovered the solution. We now never cease to amaze whoever we sit with by our incredible peg jumping know-how.

The triple jump is the key. Nap time.

I Cleaned

2010-01-08T21:07:00.004-05:00

Our first conference game is tomorrow - a home game against Miami of Ohio. This past week was our last long break between games and my last winter break as a college athlete (well, as a college student in general really). From here on out, it's gameday every three or four days until the MAC Tournament in March.

So I'm relaxing here at home, watching some TV without a paper to write, a quiz to study for or something to do besides nothing.
I DID clean the house today...and I think there's some laundry downstairs that I should finish up.

I guess nothing was a bit of an exaggeration.

Things pretty much go like this over a long week of practice over break:

-wake up, head to Denny's for team breakfast at 8:30
-after breakfast, usually go right over to the gym and relax (sleep) in the locker room until...
-practice at 11 (or 11:30, or 11:45...)
-late lunch in the conference room with the guys
-make it home sometime before dinner
-rest, eat, hang out, etc. until bed

This past Tuesday night our usual regimen was interrupted with a trip to: Canada?

That's right, we all headed across the border for dinner at a new Brazilian Steakhouse called 'Brasa.' According to our coaches it would be a top-notch deal; dress code, the whole nine.

Suited in our finest threads, the guys piled into the coaches' cars and - passports in hand - sped north into Canada.

The coaches weren't lying. We sat down and received our instructions. Dinner was a little like this: we helped ourselves to the salad bar. Not quite your run-of-the-mill salad bar, as it was packed with cold cuts, cheeses, appetizers, salads, fruit and even marinated quail eggs (which, for the record are pretty good).

Back at the table, we each had a coaster - red on one side, green on the other. Once we were sitting, about five Brazilian guys dressed to the 'T' in cultural garb walked around carrying huge spits of meat. Every kind of meat; there was several types of steak, roast beef, chicken, sausage, lamb and even grilled cinnamon-covered pineapple. If your coaster was showing green, these "Gauchos" came by and sliced you off a little piece of meat. If it was red, they left you alone until your stomach told you to flip to green.

It was one of the best dinners I've ever had - and of course was a blast, as usual, with the team.

Unfortunately, on the way home, a Canadian-born teammate didn't have the proper paperwork to make it back into America. Therefore, our whole car was taken upstairs into customs where said teammate was interrogated and finally set free.

With our stomachs full, we finished our last few days of practice before tonight - the eve of our first MAC game.

So sleep tight...we'll see you tomorrow at Alumni.

Are You Famous?

2010-01-04T17:21:00.003-05:00

I apologize for the hiatus; I'll make it my New Year's Resolution to try to get on here more often.

With that aside, let's get to the juicy stuff...

...after a tough performance in a first-round loss to Jacksonville, we bounced back well in the consolation game versus Liberty and won. Overall, the Florida trip was alright - we learned a lot though, and that's very important heading into the conference schedule.

The morning after our game we were awakened promptly at 3am. It wasn't a fire drill, either. No, this was actually what time we needed to wake up in order to make it to our 6am flight home. The lobby of the Radisson looked like a scene straight out of Night of the Living Dead as 25 or so of us (coaches, etc included - yes, they get tired too) shuffled out of the elevators and out onto the bus.

It was still dark outside.

We arrived at the airport ten minutes later. Security had been heightened due to the Christmas terrorist events, and apparently people in Orlando are related to Punxatawny Phil and like to wake up at 4am to get to the airport. The place was jammed.

And it was still dark outside.

We made it through the gate with only slight delay - for some reason, the lady behind the baggage desk thought I was our manager, Matt, and gave me his tickets even though I obviously showed her MY photo ID with MY name on it. It's a good thing they caught the miscue before I went through security or else they probably would've called in the reinforcements and had me deported. Phew! Made it through security.

It was still dark outside.

Finally we made it onto the plane and to Atlanta, then from Atlanta on to Buffalo. We were back by about 10am, which was nice.

And it was finally light outside.

As we were traveling through the airports, however, I saw something that I've taken note of in the past on our journeys across the nation. It's hard to miss a group of 15 oversized guys all wearing identical jumpsuits clambering onto airplanes or through airports. Needless to say, we've gotten more than our share of strange looks and awkward questions through the years.

Some of the more common ones are as follows:

Tilting their head up, looking skywayd, "Oh my god...who are you?"

or

Still tilting their head up, "How tall ARE you??"

or

With a look of absolute confusion, "Do you play for the Bills?"

Because obviously NFL football teams carry only 15 players and the letters 'u' (Bulls) and 'i' (Bills) look strikingly similar.
(note: sarcasm)

A personal favorite of mine, however, came on a trip earlier this season. We had a few hours off and were walking through a mall that was adjacent to our hotel when a few middle school girls spotted us.

"Are you famous?"

Without hesitation at least three of us turned and replied, "Yup."

After looks of amazement, we enlightened the poor girls to the fact that we were a college basketball team from Buffalo and that they had probably never heard of any one of us.

So if you ever see us wandering aimlessly around an airport near you, don't be afraid to say hi. Just keep in mind that our tallest player is 6-10, we are basketball players and no, we do not play for the Bills.

Have a good one, and Happy New Year.

Sky Miles

2009-12-28T18:45:00.005-05:00

With Christmas swiftly in the past, it was time to get back on the court. December 26th brought our first practice in two and a half days.

And for a few guys, December 26th turned out to be one heck of a day...

...for myself, a short 90-minute drive from Erie before our 1:30pm practice was a piece of cake. For others, the day erupted into quite an extravaganza.

Let's see, a couple guys had a nice four or five hour drive through the rain and slush that brought them to Buffalo mere minutes before practice.

I'll let you know that immediately following practice we were bussing to the airport and flying to Orlando. So that's 1:30 practice, lift at 3:30, bus out at 5:00 for a flight at 7:00 with a layover in Atlanta then finally hit Orlando at 12:30 and the hotel by about 1:00am.

As I was saying, there were other guys who had it a little bit worse. One, from Boston, flew Boston to Buffalo at 8:30am, practiced and flew to Florida. Another, from Palm Beach, actually flew from Florida to Buffalo in the morning, practiced, then flew BACK to Florida several hours later.

Then there was my man from Arizona. This guy flew from Arizona to Detroit before things got a little wild. Turns out, the terrorist who lit his legs on fire actually did so in the exact gate my teammate's flight was boarding. He happened to be getting some food when he saw some commotion (the guy lighting his legs on fire). Needless to say, the flight was delayed and he arrived in Buffalo just in time to pack his jersey and board another plane to Florida.

Nothing like a few frequent flyer miles.

So yeah, Christmas was over and it was time to scoot down to the Sunshine State (it's raining) for a little more basketball.

Time for dinner, though. Hopefully tonight nobody spills their water.

Hockey

2009-12-22T14:33:00.003-05:00

Before I get into anything, I'd like to introduce everyone to a great Christmas song that I've come across the last couple years.

"Christmas Wrapping" by Waitresses.

We're in Green Bay, Wisconsin right now for our game against none other than the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. We arrived here after a long day of traveling yesterday. After a 90-minute flight from Buffalo to Chicago, a two-and-a-half hour layover in the Chicago airport - where the workers sang Christmas songs over the intercom - and a 25-minute teeter totter of a flight, we finally arrived in Green Bay. But we gained an hour in Central Time, so a seven hour travel day was really only six.

Oh, and for those of you who don't plan on making a trip to Green Bay in your lifetime: it's just like they say it is on TV. It's cold, snowy and Packer-crazy. You can see Lambeau Field from our hotel. We actually ate dinner inside the stadium last night. And yes, I had cheese...I mean that's what they do in Wisconsin, right?

--Historic Lambeau Field

Brett Favre's restaurant is right around the corner from our hotel, as is UW-GB's arena, which they share with a semi-pro hockey team. I mention the hockey team because the basketball court, like in many arenas, is placed on top of the ice so the "coldness" seeps right up through. At shoot-around this morning we unknowingly decided to stretch at midcourt. I think I have frostbite.

It's almost time for our pre-game meal here at the hotel. It's a real nice hotel, only downside is that our room seems to have some quirks. For some reason we have no curtain for our window so I had to resort to piling my pillows around my face to block out the light streaming in from the parking lot all night. Our beds are missing a blanket - we have the bottom sheet and a comforter but no soft, warm layer in between. The thermostat is set to 62 degrees but the heater has been running all day and the actual temperature reads somewhere around 70 (which is also wrong - it must be almost 80 in here right now). And our sink is on steroids...turn the knob a bit to wet your toothbrush and the flood gates open, tearing the toothbrush from your grasp. But the shower is great, and that's really all you can ask for - that and comfortable beds, which we also have.

The dinner bell rings...

Cookies

2009-12-19T23:08:00.004-05:00

It's been awhile since we last played, and we still have a few days before we play again. We've used the week to work on a few things in practice, but big gaps in between games are always a drag.

Once you're in season you just want to keep playing.

The semester is over and the students on campus have all begun to head home for winter break. Having played basketball all my life I have never experienced the epic vacation that other students enjoy. This is a good thing, because instead of sitting on my keister eating cookies, I'm in the gym every day at practice. And there's nothing quite like being in shape.

Let's just hope once I'm done playing I don't end up looking like Santa Claus.

Things get a little slow around campus with no one around. But at least I don't live in the dorms anymore - don't have to risk forgetting my UB swipe card and becoming locked out of the residence halls in the snow for hours until the snow plow guy finagles a way through the locked doors for us (that really happened, by the way). I also don't have to worry about my roommates stealing my towel and clothes from the shower and locking me out of the room (the kind of thing that happens during long winter days in the dorms...and another true story).

So, speaking of Santa Claus, I decided to try my hand as the guy in the big red suit while I had a little free time.

He can keep his job.

There is absolutely nothing easy about finding gifts. Not that I wanted it to be easy, but c'mon - can I catch a break? Have you ever noticed that when you're looking for something specific it just seems to disappear off the shelves? I've discovered the BEST Christmas gifts in summertime only to forget them by the holidays.

What a terrible strategy.

My strategy this year? Not much better. I made a couple trips out but found nothing. Spent a couple fruitless nights surfing the web. Don't sweat it though, because even though my bags are empty, my head is full of ideas. With ideas like these, all it takes is a few quick stops at a few spots and Santa Claus is comin' to town.

And remember, there's absolutely nothing wrong with shopping on Christmas Eve.

It's actually quite a rush.

Happy Shopping

Sir Smiley

2009-12-13T15:42:00.004-05:00

Before our game against Buff State yesterday, I briefly chatted with the television commentator. I knew him from working the sidelines at UB football games, so we exchanged hellos and he said he needed some "filler" for the broadcast.

After discussing some players I'd played against in high school and some facts about my hometown (he actually graduated from Mercyhurst College, which is in Erie), he asked me for some interesting tidbits about the guys on the team.

And it came up: who has the best nickname?

Being around guys everyday in the locker room, it's almost a sure bet that you'll acquire at least one nickname. Last names are always a safe starting point, and from there nicknames can range from abbreviated pronunciations of a name to something completely irrelevant.

It's almost impossible to choose the BEST nickname.

Fortunately, I was blessed with a pretty unique last name. Smiley has served as both a namesake and a permanent nickname almost since I can remember. Alterations have been made through the years as I have been called "Smiles," "Sir Smiley," "S-Dot" (the S-Dot being the first letter of my first name and a period, as in 'S. Smiley'), among others. So for the most part I have escaped any ridiculous nicknames.

For the most part.

Somehow I've taken on the nickname "Sunshine" (most likely in reference to the California-bred quarterback from Remember the Titans) as well as "Ugly" (don't ask me why) and "Li'l White" (television show reference).

Nicknames can also stem from unique physical traits or celebrity look-alikes. I don't really look much like anyone famous - I have gotten a few Steve Blake comments - so I managed to dodge that bullet.

All in all, nicknames keep things light and add some fun to the locker room environment. They create and also strengthen memories - and nicknames almost always stick, no matter how outlandish they might seem.

So to continue my story, I wasn't able to give the broadcaster a "best" nickname.

We ended up winning the game, which is always a good feeling. A few of my buddies were up from Erie to watch, and they enjoyed themselves as I showed them a little taste of Buffalo - including a trip to Red Robin for burgers and bottomless french fries.

No Heat

2009-12-11T21:24:00.004-05:00

I was not quite a junior in high school when I first stepped on the Niagara University campus. My sister would be going there in the fall - studying musical theater nonetheless - among the Vincentian monks.

Later that year, I attended a Purple Eagles' basketball game. Ironically, they were playing the University at Buffalo. At this point I knew little of UB. It was simply another college we passed in the car on our way to see my sister at Niagara.

The game was a barnburner, coming down the last final seconds. To the dismay of the home crowd, Turner Battle hit a pull-up jumper from about 15 feet to win the game for the Bulls.

Now, some six years (or maybe more - once you get to be my age, they all seem to run together) later, I found myself on that same court on the second floor of the Gallagher Center. This wasn't the first time I'd played at Niagara since I first watched that game from the stands, but it would be my last.

What a way to go out.

In another tight game, we beat the Purple Eagles 86-80 in front of the usual packed house at Niagara. I texted my sister immediately following the game- needless to say, she was a bit upset.

It's always a thrill playing at Niagara - the gym isn't big by any means (it seats maybe as many people as my high school gym) but the energy the crowd brings is great. I say this mainly because - due to its proximity to UB - there is always nearly as many Buffalo fans in the stands as there are Purple Eagle fans.

This makes for an amazing basketball environment as student sections banter back and forth with increasingly inventive and insulting cheers while the players go at each other on the floor.

::elapsed time: 30 minutes::

So I'm sitting here staring at my computer screen trying to figure out a way to tie up the end of this blog post. As you can see, it's been a half hour and I've got nothing. It's a good thing today was the last day of classes for the semester because I think my mind just left on a little vacation.

Boilermaker

2009-12-05T21:45:00.003-05:00

Lost a tough one today at Purdue. We learned a lot I think, and should be able to use this game to help us in the future. They're ranked number four in the nation, and were probably the best team we'll face until the postseason so it was a good experience. Disappointing still, but good.

One burning question remains...what is a Boilermaker?

It's like the age-old question Celtics fans used to post on signs during the epic Boston/LA NBA Finals battles between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. What's a Laker?

Luckily, we live in 2009 because I googled it.

Apparently a Boilermaker is some sort of craftsman, a steelworker. Good to know.

Thank goodness for Wikipedia.

Now as for a Laker? You're on your own with that one.

Resting up tonight in the hotel. Early wake-up tomorrow before a two-hour bus ride and a 90-minute flight back to Buffalo.

Niagara on Wednesday. Always looking ahead.

Seven and a Half

2009-12-04T21:58:00.000-05:00

That monkey was getting heavy.

Getting our first win at home took two games too long, but – like they say – the third time’s a charm. Our win over Army last night gave us this season’s first victory in Alumni Arena.

Late in the first half I caught an elbow (or a shoulder, or a clenched fist) that split my lip open pretty good. According to the rules, if you’re bleeding play stops and you have to come out of the game until you’re all cleaned up.

At this point the game was finally getting some rhythm and I was enjoying myself on the court. Naturally I didn’t want to come out of the game. Here I am, running down the court after my little collision, frantically licking my bottom lip to keep the blood from showing and/or oozing down my face. Blood tastes awful.

I felt like Edward from the Twilight saga (no, I’ve never seen the movies or read the books – I’m not a big vampire guy, but I know about Edward; he’s the main character or something).

Anyway, I made it one time up and down the court before play stopped for a foul. The referee looked at me like I was the childhood monster from his bedroom closet before I admitted to him, “Yeah, I’m bleeding, sir.”

They took me out of the game and I made my way over to our trainer, Jim. After one quick look at my lip, he goes, “Yup,” and calls the doctor down to follow us to the training room.

“Yup,” is pretty much the universal code for, “You’re going to need stitches.”

So Jim and the doctor whisked me away and sewed me right up – I only missed a few minutes of the game and was back out on the floor.

I’m sitting here now trying to count the number of times I’ve gotten stitches (almost exclusively from basketball – the only exception being when I Superman-dove off a couch and the corner of an end-table reached out and punched me in the chin when I was two years old).

Let’s see…seven and a half, final answer. (The half stems from a practice in Las Vegas where Jim was sure I needed stitches. We waited over five hours in an emergency medical center before being informed that the Steri-strips – pretty much little pieces of tape that hold your skin together – were sufficient enough.)

My chin (as mentioned above), the top of my head, twice above each eye, my elbow (ran into the cameraman under the basket) and now my bottom lip. Each instance has its own story and I remember every one vividly.

Long story short, I could pretty much give myself stitches if I had to. It goes a little like this:

Doctor: How’d it happen?
Me: I don’t know, must’ve been an elbow or something.
Doctor: Is your Tetanus shot up to date?
Me: Yes. I get stitches like twice a year.
Doctor: (as he covers my face with white paper – I guess to control bleeding?) Are you claustrophobic? Are you okay with this tissue over your face? Are you allergic to anything?
Me: No. Yes, I’m good. No.
Doctor: Okay, this is the medicine to numb the area. You’ll feel a needle pinch (I hate needles) and then a burn. (he repeats) A pinch and a burn. (again) A pinch and a burn.
Doctor: (as he pokes a needle and thread through my skin) Does this hurt at all?
Me: (depending on whether the medicine numbed the correct area) No, it’s fine. (or) Ahh! Yeah, it does.
Doctor: (usually asks me some random questions about me or the game or the season)
Me: (I politely answer the questions, however vague they may be)
Doctor: Alright, you’re all set.
Me: Thanks a lot

That’s when I take a look at my new battle scar – and in yesterday’s case, my swollen, stitched (only three stitches this time) and un-kissable lip.

But beauty is in the eye of the beholder…

…we won the game – I can deal with drinking sideways out of a straw for a few days.

Leftovers

2009-11-28T17:52:00.003-05:00

It's been a couple days since we lost to Canisius. We've had a little time to lick our wounds and make some progress in practice.

I'm proud to say that you'll see a stronger, fresher, hungrier Buffalo basketball team on Thursday and for the remainder of the season.

But don't think I've forgotten about everyone's favorite holiday (ok, that's an exaggeration - it's not even MY favorite holiday), Thanksgiving. Amidst the commotion of the basketball season it's easy to lose track of time...if you gave me a million dollars for telling you the date today? No dice - I have no idea. I think it's still November, though.

Luckily, my hometown of Erie, Pennsylvania is only about 90 minutes from Buffalo. I scooted home Wednesday night (to the surprise of my mom - I didn't tell her I was coming home) and was able to spend Thanksgiving Day with my parents. Since my mom's a mom and my dad was a Boy Scout, they were obviously prepared for Thanksgiving dinner.

Understatement of the century.

When we sat down to dinner, it was myself, my mom and my dad at the table. Happily sitting in front of us was a 30lb turkey (they really do make them that big - must be steroids or something) and HEAPING plates of mashed potatoes, stuffing (my favorite), green beans, cranberry sauce and rolls upon rolls upon rolls.

Needless to say, the back seat of my car was overflowing with leftovers that now sit in our refrigerator as breakfast, lunch and dinner for the rest of our lives.

As I returned to the court Friday, my dad did the same. I only had practice but Dad was suiting up for the First Annual Greenville (PA) High School Alumni Basketball Game. He had been prepping for this game for months, hitting the gym alone and with my mom lifting, shooting and everything in between so he would be in tip-top shape.

You see, my dad's basketball team was (and still is) Greenville High School's all-time winningest team. He and his teammates had a reputation to uphold.

My mom witnessed what was almost an amazing upset. The opposing team, consisting of more recent Greenville graduates took an early lead and held the lead into halftime. The old guys (literally - my dad's team was an average of 20+ years older than their opposition) mounted a furious comeback, cutting the deficit to one before finally falling to the young guns by seven.

You'll have to ask my dad for a more accurate play-by-play. But from what I hear, it was a heck of a game - and the crowd was going wild.

As we all know, Friday was also Black Friday. Did I go shopping? No.

Should I have? Yes.

Why?

Because shopping on Black Friday and on Christmas Eve (I've done both) is something everyone should experience. There's just nothing like it. So if you missed Black Friday, save those last few presents for Christmas Eve and make a game out of it: see if you can finish your Christmas shopping on time. Oh, and cross your fingers that what you're shopping for is still in stock.

Now THAT'S a good time.

Enjoy your leftovers...

Don't Change the Channel

2009-11-22T13:54:00.007-05:00

Life on the road.

It's a struggle to stay afloat - I guess we're pretty good swimmers. In another nail-biter away from Alumni Arena we pulled off an overtime win at Towson.

Aside from some parents (who came to the games in Maryland) garnering a few more grey hairs, our four-day, two-game road trip couldn't have gone better. Stealing two games on the road against good teams makes the airport food taste so much better on the flight home. It was just Quizno's but I swear it may as well have been steak and shrimp.

As this was our first road trip of the year, it seems appropriate that I share some hotel and travel tips with you:

-Always gain control of the remote as soon as possible. This prevents the possibility of a "flipper"- or roommate who changes the channel every time a commercial comes on. Flipping A: causes one to miss a majority of the show you actually want to watch; B: expedites the deterioration of one's attention span; and C: causes one to miss the good commercials!
-Upon arrival to hotel, always call shower (e.i. "shotgun shower," much like calling shotgun on a car ride.). This enables the practice of proper hygiene and limits time spent laying sweaty in the bed you will be sleeping in later that night.
-Set multiple alarm clocks. Wake-up calls rarely work right or are on time, hotel clocks are NEVER set to the right time and are usually even unplugged (see next bullet.).
-Gain control of outlets for phone/computer/iPod charger. This often involves hijacking the outlet that houses the bedside lamp and/or alarm clock-radio. Failure to capture the bedside outlet can result in trans-room hikes just to charge your stuff.
-Always scoop up all the bathroom essentials you can. Hotel soap, shampoo, (conditioner if you like to be silky smooth), lotion and even laundry bags come in very handy on long road trips.

Home game Tuesday night. Let's rock.

Dear Navy

2009-11-20T16:35:00.010-05:00

Dear Navy,

I would like to compliment you on what may have been the nicest campus I've had the pleasure of visiting. We didn't go sightseeing, but got our own "tour" of your grounds when our kamikaze bus driver got lost. While getting lost is an expected occurrence on most road trips, this was a bit different. We were lost amidst hundreds of brick buildings that all looked the same on skinny streets that didn't fit our bus. And this guy thought he was Keanu Reeves in Speed.

And the fact that your campus is pretty much an island made the adventure even more thrilling as we nearly boarded a few sea-worthy vessels attempting to back out of a one-way street.

It was cool seeing all your "midshipmen" (editor's note: that's what the students are called- this was another topic of discussion. We knew at Army they are called "cadets," but we were unsure as to the proper title for Navy students; we asked one of the players during a pause in the game.) roaming campus in uniform - and we thought about how cool it would be if all of OUR clothes had our names on them. Laundry would be so much easier.

But I greatly respect what you do. The regiment you live under is incredibly demanding, I know - and that's to be commended. I certainly couldn't do it.

Also, midshipman whoever-he-was that sang the national anthem joined the ranks of Jimi Hendrix and Whitney Houston with his performance before the game. I mean it was unreal. This little baby-faced guy in uniform walked out to midcourt looking like a teenaged Matt Damon.

Then he started singing the national anthem and the voice of God just rocked the entire arena. I mean your boy made the "Let's Get Ready to Rumble" guy sound like a little mouse. Seriously.

It was at about this time when things got real. We battled through a sloppy first half and just kept plugging away in the second on our way to a ten-point victory.

Then it was time to boogie back into the locker room - with a win.

Oh, Navy: thank you for the locker room accommodations. The individual vanities made me feel like Marilyn Monroe. It was beautiful. (see below)

Next time, though, could you please turn on the air conditioning? It was 60 degrees outside, which I understand may be chilly for you here in Maryland, but I don't understand why the gym roasted us like Hot Pockets. By the second half the towels on our bench may as well have been underwater.

But I have no problem with a little home-court advantage. It's things like these that make games and seasons fun.

Sincerely,

Mr. Smiley

ps. We are now in Towson to battle your neighbors, the Tigers.

Towson's Arena - sight of tomorrow afternoon's showdown

2012

2009-11-19T13:06:00.003-05:00

I'm sitting in my hotel room in Annapolis, Maryland getting some R&R after doing a little research on the topic of discussion last night on the bus and during dinner- 2012 and the "end of the world," according to the ancient Mayans.

You see, on the flight from Buffalo I read an article about the catastrophic results that will stem from our melting ice caps. I brought this up with a few teammates who abruptly began sharing new facts from the Discovery Channel about the ancient Mayans' prediction of the beginning of the end of the world in December, 2012.

Apparently the poles will shift, slowly causing absolute havoc complete with terrible storms, tsunamis and earthquakes. This, according to the experts on the Discovery Channel, has actually happened to the Earth before. It's our planet's way of "cleansing" itself.

We've all heard the story of the "face on the moon." Theorists believe that beings before us - who lived on the moon - built it the same way we've built the pyramids in Egypt and the Great Wall of China as a way to remind and show us that they were here. We're not sure of the relevance of this random fact, but it seemed like it had a little to do with our discussion, so we let it go.

Other members of the team pitched in theories they had heard about what will happen on 2012. Someone heard (from an unknown source) that in 2012 the energy in our bodies will become truly aligned and we will become superhuman.

Maybe someday one of our discussions will spur one of us to change the world.

Until that time, I'll simply continue to enjoy and contribute to them every way I can.

But when stuff gets crazy in 2012, don't say we didn't warn you.

Game One

2009-11-16T08:58:00.003-05:00

The close ones are the fun ones - but also the toughest to swallow.

Last night we dropped our first game at home to Vermont by one point.

It was a sloppy yet exciting game; frustrating and fun at the same time. Both teams made runs taking the crowd out of the game then bringing them back in until a final free throw put the Catamounts up by one for good.

Games like this lead to a lot of thinking and "what ifs." It's important to focus on what we did well and correct our mistakes in practice before we suit up on Thursday at the Naval Academy.

It was a disappointing start, but there's a lot of season ahead of us. Our upcoming road trip will be a test - at Navy and at Towson - but it is also a great opportunity to play the game we love and get back on track.

Lots of schoolwork to get after today - have to get ahead, we're leaving Wednesday afternoon for Annapolis.

Jump on It

2009-11-14T19:46:00.013-05:00

We love our fans.

There's nothing like hearing the roar of the crowd when you're out on the court.

So when we're given an opportunity to interact with fans - especially students - we jump on it.

And on Friday night we did just that - literally.

It was Stay Up UB, a huge slumber party in the student union from 6pm until 2am. Food, games, music and most importantly pajamas kept students fed and entertained. As a kick-off to our season we were asked to do a little special something at about 8 o'clock.

What did we do, you ask?

We challenged our dance team, the Dazzlers, to a little competition. And we were not to be taken lightly.

Dancing to "Jump on It," we had only minutes to rehearse the performance of a lifetime...

Once we hit the dance floor all eyes were on us, and we pulled off the upset of the century.

Buffalo Basketball 1
Dazzlers 0

Rumor has it that our monumental upset was caught on tape. I'm not sure how true that is because I thought my video of our rehearsal was all the evidence that might ever be found. So keep your eyes peeled, as will I, for what may be the greatest dance performance since Michael Jackson's Smooth Criminal.

Game day tomorrow.

Time for some rest before seeking a little revenge against Vermont.

The Floating Jersey Effect

2009-11-11T08:41:00.007-05:00

I wear my practice jersey backwards.

Somebody has to do it. Before me, someone did. Before him, someone else. After me? I'm sure someone will.

This Smiley kid is just another crazy superstitious athlete.

False. Let me tell you how it all began.

I came into Buffalo a skinny, 155 lb freshman who needed food like a fish needs water. For a little extra "encouragement," my coaches ordered me practice gear a size too big. I would "fill out" and "grow into it," they said.

To my defense I have gained between 15 and 20 lbs since then...but I digress.

My practice jersey sagged like those hand-me-downs from your older, bigger brother. Our jerseys are fashioned like most other jerseys in the world in that they have a V-neck. Well, my XXL-Tall V-neck slung lower than the plunging neckline of a supermodel, leaving all kinds of extra jersey flailing around my scrawny little arms while I played.

Needless to say, this became a bit bothersome.

So to counteract what I like to call the "floating jersey effect," I simply flipped it around. Now, the V-neck was in the back and what was supposed to be the back of the jersey fit snugly up to my neck. All the extra jersey found itself comfortably behind me, out of the way of my arms, the ball and my shot.

Four years later, I still wear my practice jersey backwards. Now it's not so much protection from the "floating jersey effect" - it's more of a silent tribute to those who came before me as well as to the reality that a skinny little guy with a painfully high metabolism can in fact fill out over time.

So to all you little guys out there, keep eating...and be patient, for patience is a virtue, young grasshopper.

Eight Days

2009-11-07T23:08:00.003-05:00

I'm just sitting back relaxing on the couch in my living room after another Saturday of basketball.

Today was our first go-round suiting up and playing under the lights; an exhibition game against Daemon College brought fans into Alumni Arena for the first time this season.

We won, but similar to the scrimmage last week, tonight wasn't about the score. It's still time to learn and tonight we learned a lot about ourselves. With one week left until our rematch with Vermont, we know what we have to work on. Eight days and we rock 'n roll.

Tomorrow's staring me in the face with dirty dishes, loads of laundry and a trip to the library among other fun activities (the word "fun" here is being used very loosely) so it's time to get some rest. But not before a final snack before bed because you can never eat too much when you're a skinny little guy like me.

Refresher: darks in cold, colors in warm, whites in hot. Always hang dry to prevent shrinking but don't forget the courtesy spin through the dryer to fluff.

Enjoy your football. Happy Sunday.

A Real Opponent

2009-10-31T17:53:00.002-04:00

Ever since our final game of the season last year, we've seen nothing but a whole lot of blue and white in the gym.

Postseason, summer and fall workouts match us up against a whole lot of ourselves. For anyone who has played pickup basketball, you know it can be fun going up against close friends - it can lead to some very competitive ball as well.

For six and a half months, the University at Buffalo Men's Basketball team has been at each other's throats. And it's not just basketball; we compete day in and day out at everything from video games to favorite sports teams' successes and failures (Steelers, Penguins and Chicago Bulls, if you were wondering. So yeah, I've had a pretty good run this year) to who can cook the best chicken.

Then we woke up this morning.

It was time, for the first time in over a half-year, to compete against somebody who doesn't wear "Buffalo" across his chest.

So at eight o'clock this morning we headed to Denny's. Our everyday breakfast spot over Christmas break (dining halls are closed, fortunately or unfortunately depending on how you look at it) would prematurely host us before our trip to St. Bonaventure...bus leaves at nine.

...you'll have to pardon me if I begin to wander or sound disjointed - I'm writing this while watching Halloween on TV. Michael Myers just seems to get to me sometimes. I don't know if it's the mask, the knife, the screaming or the fact that the guy just doesn't ever die...

We boarded the bus promptly at nine and pulled out of the parking lot even more promptly at approximately 9:30 (note sarcasm). The ride is a roller coaster of weather-beaten country roads that literally had us out of our seats on more than one occasion. In between swallowing our stomachs and clutching our seats for dear life, we spotted far more cows than people outside - as well as very limited cell phone service (by very limited, I mean zero bars).

St. Bonnie's graciously offered up their finest locker room accommodations, and 15 oversized basketball players cozily suited up in a room with ample space for no more than ten middle school cross-country runners (this much is expected on the road).

When we squeezed out of the locker room it was all business. We took the court with a gameday mindset and didn't stop working until the scheduled three 20-minute sessions had ended. Ultimately we had "won" the scrimmage, but it's about getting better at this point and I think we did some things today better than we had several days ago. That's progress, and progress over the course of our long season will put us in good situations down the road.

We were out of St. Bonnie's as quickly as we had gotten there (save a few extra minutes to shower - no soap and hand towels were readily available). Before we knew it our Subway bags were empty and we were fighting to get comfortable on the bumpy trip home.

About two hours (and a handful of early bird trick-or-treaters) later, I find myself here in bed, watching Michael Myers brutally attack anyone dumb enough to venture into a dark room without first turning on the lights. It was a long day for only 60 minutes of basketball, but it's 60 minutes I wouldn't have rather spent doing anything else.

I remember youth basketball years ago, spending Saturdays in the gym then going home to watch college basketball on TV, telling Mom and Dad I wanted that to be me when I grew up. Now here I am, on a team of great players, still having fun on Saturdays.

Oh- Michael Myers just claimed another victim.

Happy Halloween

Welcome To Beyond the Arc

2009-10-28T16:59:00.000-04:00

October in Buffalo is infamous for bringing cold weather.

But no matter what it’s like outside, October also brings the beginning of basketball season.

For the last four years I’ve welcomed the frigid temperatures knowing that just around the corner, I would be stepping back onto the court for another season as a Buffalo Bull.

This year, my fifth and final season donning the royal blue and white, is no different; only this time around, walking into our first official day of practice, expectations run high.

The first day of practice carries a uniqueness that is unsurpassed by any other practice all season. Everything finally comes together as last season’s successes and failures are formally put to bed while a summertime of hard work gets an opportunity to be put on display.

That in mind, we headed into practice on October 16th ready to wheel and deal. The energy was high, the mood was good and as first practices go, the night whistled along beautifully.

A great start to what should be an even greater season.

It had been just four short years ago on the same October night … I had laced up my size-12 Nikes (I wear an 11 1/2, but as a freshman have little pull in the equipment room shuffle; an extra pair of socks would have to do), and marched onto the Alumni Arena floor for my introduction to college basketball.

Coming from Erie, Pa., I had only witnessed big-time college basketball on television. Erie is home to two Division-II basketball teams who draw “large” crowds of two to three thousand fans for a big game. At Buffalo I walked into a seven thousand-seat arena everyday and have played on the road in front of as many as 25,000 screaming fans.

For one, final season, I am a part of the magic that is college basketball. Now I am living the dream I’d had since my second birthday when my inaugural shot on a brand new hoop swished cleanly through the net.

Through hard work, grueling road trips, fantastic victories and bumps in the road, the 2009-2010 Buffalo Bulls will make sure of one thing: we will never lose sight of our goal. This season follow me from Beyond the Arc through a season that promises to be one to remember.

See you at Alumni Arena!!!