Random thoughts from Reno - too early in the morning Sunday -sitting in the coffee shop at the El Dorado Hotel waiting for my wife and kids to get up.
1. Rob Spear, the Idaho Athletic Director (and UM alum) just came by and crushed my hand with a hearty congratulations. Like everyone in college athletics, he is in this to change lives and had very complimentary things to say about the program and the kids at UM.
2. All of the players I talked to in the elevators were gentlemen and very warm and open.
3. The Griz players' parents are a great bunch, particularly the moms - they have bonded together and are a classy group. Most of the parents were sat down low in the stands with us (which were bad seats because you couldn't see through the scorer's bench) but we got a kick out of looking back at Fab's parents who were nervously pacing in the highest row by themselves - she was crying after the game. She was so nervous during the game that she had to leave the stadium for a long stretch during the second half. Whenever Fab shot a free throw, she had to cover her eyes so she didn't jinx him. They have a baptism to attend in Australia next week and probably will miss the dance.
4. It is too bad that there weren't co-MVPs - Mike and Ahmad both deserved the honor.
5. I felt bad for Karl Nicholas because he didn't get meaningful time in the last game - he is going to be a special special player - and, getting into the game was huge - but, he has the maturity to know that his time is coming. I would have liked to see him guard Bliznyuk - I think he has both the height and the quicks to do the job.
6. The dance team was a HUGE factor in this tournament - they got the crowd going with the Montana - Grizzlies cheers and I think they provided the energy to bring us through those first two tough games. Hopefully, the program will be able to send them to the dance, but, if not, they will get a contribution from me.
7. The Griz fans had the best headquarters bar - the Brew Brothers is a pub somewhat like the Red Robin in the mall - plus a brewery. After the game, the players and assistant coaches all came in with the crowd cheering. Fab and Bobby had the tournament trophy and patiently posed with fans for photos. My wife thinks Timmy is a sweetheart - I don't think other teams think the same as she does.
8. Travis appeared to have a dozen or so family members at the tournament - I think they partied somewhere where they could have some privacy after the game.
9. The Reno venue was great as far as I am concerned. I was prepared for the worst. There were way more fans at each event than I expected. The price of a ticket was $86 for the men's all-session and the same for the women. A lot of people didn't buy both packages - it would have been nice to have the Big Sky forego a little bit of revenue and permit people into the women's game with a men's ticket. The women's games were great and they deserved more fans.
Although downtown Reno is old and a bit dirty (nothing like Vegas), the complex of the Silver Legacy, Circus Circus, and the El Dorado made it possible to spend all the time I wanted wandering from hotel to hotel through a very large over-the-street walkway - a distance of about 4 blocks. Our 3 young kids hung out at Circus Circus while we preferred the Roxy Restaurant and Bar. We went out for Brazilian steak one night - should have stayed at the hotel.
Boise may be easier to get to next year, but it will certainly lack the carnival atmosphere of this complex - the basketball venue was only a block away - we could hang out at Brew Brothers and then in about 5 minutes be in our seats at the stadium. I'll miss that at Boise - the kids certainly won't have anything like Circus Circus to keep them entertained. I don't know what we will do for 7 days in Boise when we don't have games - I hope UM can designate a bar as fan headquarters that is as nice and convenient as Brew Brothers. We were close to our hotel room and we felt safe with the kids wandering the arcade at Circus Circus. I guess they will sit in the hotel room at Boise and play video games.
10 Be sure to watch Savannah Smith from Northern Colorado next year. She reminds me of Bogdan Bliznyuk (sp?) - both play the game about as well as possible. Both are "masters of the angles" and do amazing things - you can't guard them close or they can get by you - you can't double them because they will find the open player - you can't back off because they will hit the 3. I am impressed that the Lady Griz could play Northern Colorado so close given all of the injuries to Lady Griz players this year.
11. The Klinker girl from Fairfield that is a freshman at Idaho is going to have a nice career for them.
12. Rob Spear just came by again with another "Congratulations and have a safe trip." I haven't met anyone here that I didn't like.
13. I didn't once see our AD mixing with the fans at the hotel, the casino, or Brew Brothers - I think that is a big part of the job. I realize that our new president could possibly have taken the time time for this trip but perhaps next year?
14. Wife and kidos just showed up - time to pack the Suburban and hit the road for a very long drive. Thankful for the video player in the back seat and Sirrius radio so we can listing to the pairings for the dance.
15. I don't think we should take the kids out of school for another week to head for the dance but maybe I'll pose than to my sweetie at an opportune time - I'll have a lot of that on the way home.
16. Go Griz! I'm glad we made a family vacation out of this.
1. Rob Spear, the Idaho Athletic Director (and UM alum) just came by and crushed my hand with a hearty congratulations. Like everyone in college athletics, he is in this to change lives and had very complimentary things to say about the program and the kids at UM.
2. All of the players I talked to in the elevators were gentlemen and very warm and open.
3. The Griz players' parents are a great bunch, particularly the moms - they have bonded together and are a classy group. Most of the parents were sat down low in the stands with us (which were bad seats because you couldn't see through the scorer's bench) but we got a kick out of looking back at Fab's parents who were nervously pacing in the highest row by themselves - she was crying after the game. She was so nervous during the game that she had to leave the stadium for a long stretch during the second half. Whenever Fab shot a free throw, she had to cover her eyes so she didn't jinx him. They have a baptism to attend in Australia next week and probably will miss the dance.
4. It is too bad that there weren't co-MVPs - Mike and Ahmad both deserved the honor.
5. I felt bad for Karl Nicholas because he didn't get meaningful time in the last game - he is going to be a special special player - and, getting into the game was huge - but, he has the maturity to know that his time is coming. I would have liked to see him guard Bliznyuk - I think he has both the height and the quicks to do the job.
6. The dance team was a HUGE factor in this tournament - they got the crowd going with the Montana - Grizzlies cheers and I think they provided the energy to bring us through those first two tough games. Hopefully, the program will be able to send them to the dance, but, if not, they will get a contribution from me.
7. The Griz fans had the best headquarters bar - the Brew Brothers is a pub somewhat like the Red Robin in the mall - plus a brewery. After the game, the players and assistant coaches all came in with the crowd cheering. Fab and Bobby had the tournament trophy and patiently posed with fans for photos. My wife thinks Timmy is a sweetheart - I don't think other teams think the same as she does.
8. Travis appeared to have a dozen or so family members at the tournament - I think they partied somewhere where they could have some privacy after the game.
9. The Reno venue was great as far as I am concerned. I was prepared for the worst. There were way more fans at each event than I expected. The price of a ticket was $86 for the men's all-session and the same for the women. A lot of people didn't buy both packages - it would have been nice to have the Big Sky forego a little bit of revenue and permit people into the women's game with a men's ticket. The women's games were great and they deserved more fans.
Although downtown Reno is old and a bit dirty (nothing like Vegas), the complex of the Silver Legacy, Circus Circus, and the El Dorado made it possible to spend all the time I wanted wandering from hotel to hotel through a very large over-the-street walkway - a distance of about 4 blocks. Our 3 young kids hung out at Circus Circus while we preferred the Roxy Restaurant and Bar. We went out for Brazilian steak one night - should have stayed at the hotel.
Boise may be easier to get to next year, but it will certainly lack the carnival atmosphere of this complex - the basketball venue was only a block away - we could hang out at Brew Brothers and then in about 5 minutes be in our seats at the stadium. I'll miss that at Boise - the kids certainly won't have anything like Circus Circus to keep them entertained. I don't know what we will do for 7 days in Boise when we don't have games - I hope UM can designate a bar as fan headquarters that is as nice and convenient as Brew Brothers. We were close to our hotel room and we felt safe with the kids wandering the arcade at Circus Circus. I guess they will sit in the hotel room at Boise and play video games.
10 Be sure to watch Savannah Smith from Northern Colorado next year. She reminds me of Bogdan Bliznyuk (sp?) - both play the game about as well as possible. Both are "masters of the angles" and do amazing things - you can't guard them close or they can get by you - you can't double them because they will find the open player - you can't back off because they will hit the 3. I am impressed that the Lady Griz could play Northern Colorado so close given all of the injuries to Lady Griz players this year.
11. The Klinker girl from Fairfield that is a freshman at Idaho is going to have a nice career for them.
12. Rob Spear just came by again with another "Congratulations and have a safe trip." I haven't met anyone here that I didn't like.
13. I didn't once see our AD mixing with the fans at the hotel, the casino, or Brew Brothers - I think that is a big part of the job. I realize that our new president could possibly have taken the time time for this trip but perhaps next year?
14. Wife and kidos just showed up - time to pack the Suburban and hit the road for a very long drive. Thankful for the video player in the back seat and Sirrius radio so we can listing to the pairings for the dance.
15. I don't think we should take the kids out of school for another week to head for the dance but maybe I'll pose than to my sweetie at an opportune time - I'll have a lot of that on the way home.
16. Go Griz! I'm glad we made a family vacation out of this.
