(SOMEWHERE BETWEEN SALT LAKE CITY AND EUGENE) The Oregon Duck men's basketball game with BYU didn't go as planned. The Cougars were too good on defense and the Ducks aren't quite ready to take the next step.
BYU won the game 79-54, but Oregon was within seven points early in the first half and would have cut the lead to four if EJ Singler's three had been good when the game was 40-33. Instead, BYU went on a 13-2 run and that was that.
This was my first trip with an Oregon team since baseball last May and it was a reminder of the good and bad of travelling with a big group like this.
The good:
· People calling out "Go Ducks!" when they see us walking in the airport or eating a meal in a restaurant. Its also cool when a fan of another team sees us together and refuses to smile. Usually a sideways glance and a smug look is all they give us.
· Knowing you are representing the U of O everywhere you go. This is a privilege to me.
· Being treated as a member of the team by players, coaches and staff. These guys don't know we all that well, but a pat on the shoulder by a guy as he passes by on the way to his seat on the bus or plane is a big deal to me. It means more than I can explain with words.
· Staying in a nice hotel and knowing you are getting paid to do what you love. In fact, here's what the view looked like outside my room in downtown Salt Lake City:
The bad:
· The time it takes to eat a meal as a team. Easily a two hour endeavor, unless it's a buffet breakfast or some kind of set up where you can serve yourself.
· Getting to the airport two hours early and shuffling through lines until you get to your gate, where we usually sit for an hour before boarding (or is that bored-ing?)
· Losing. Whether in baseball or basketball or Parcheesi. It sucks.
I had a few challenges getting the game on the air. Normally, there are a few unexpected hurdles to clear for every game. I expect a missing cord, a dead battery or a challenge with the place where they put me. This time, I had several that really stressed me out before the game.
First, I felt hung over Saturday morning. Not because I drank too much (or anything, actually) Friday night, but because I slept in. I get up at 4:00am every weekday at home. By 5, I am sufficiently caffeinated. Saturday I slept til 9 and felt like I had been hit by a truck. I didn't eat much breakfast and spent the rest of the morning trying to rally instead of working on my pregame prep.
When I did get it going, I started on the BYU cheat sheet and didn't have much on paper for Oregon when we left for the arena.
Once we got there, I was trying to get my stuff together while a technician was pushing my stuff around to get the stats monitor up and another fella was trying to help me connect to an ISDN line for the call back to IMG headquarters.
The end result was a mish mash of information where I needed it, more papers strewn around than you can imagine and a guy behind a mic trying not to hurl.
Thankfully Chris Gerahty, the team SID, offered to go on the air with me to fill in a bit and once the game started it all kinda just kicked into gear. Despite the loss, I feel pretty okay about my job on the air, even if I did call Carlos Emery 'Carlos Rogers' and the Ducks 'the Indians' once (that I know of).
Here is the view I had from my position in the arena:
The stadium isn't the old Salt Palace, but it is the same floor upon which the Jazz played the NBA Finals against Michael Jordan and the Bulls. The players (and I) were fascinated by the fact that on that floor and on a specific spot Jordan hit the iconic free throw line jumper that beat the Jazz in the 1998 NBA Finals. You know the shot when MJ shoved Bryon Russell out of the way and then hit the shot.
I admit when I stood there, I got a little chill.
Speaking of chill, its nice to get out of Salt Lake, though it's a nice city.
I have a busy week ahead, with Roseburg basketball, lots going on at the office and a few chores to finish at home. I predict I will be on my roof stringing lights by sundown tomorrow. My youngest daughter, Raegan will no doubt be on the ground, telling me which ones are crooked. It'll take hours, but they will be straight. I promise.
Brian
