http://youtu.be/wjyePvq5T_8
I woke up this morning in Cincinnati and decided I had to go to Indianapolis in route to Traverse City. When I said this on the video about a Brad Stevens sighting I was just hoping he might be riding down the interstate at the same time. Oh, and for those of you who don't know who Brad Stevens is, he is the boy wonder coach who took Butler Men's Basketball to back to back NCAA National Championship games. In my opinion he is the greatest coach since John Wooden. Butler University has an enrollment of 4500 students; a school in the Horizon League where no one goes to championship games.
Once in Indy, I reached my exit for HWY 31 to Traverse City; which low and behold was also the same exit for Butler University. So, I go left instead of right and drive through one of the loveliest neighborhoods I have been through in a long time. Stunning homes, leaves of Fall coming at me like rain. I started to be worried that Butler wouldn't hold 'little school that could' mystic I'd imagined. I thought that until I realized there is no sign bigger then a no uturn sign directing you to Butler University.
When I find the campus it takes me 30 seconds to cover it from end to end; quickly finding the famed Hinkle Fieldhouse....I literally became giddy like a teenage girl....check out how nervous and excited I am that I might actually see Brad Stevens that I completely mispronounce Hinkle Fieldhouse....so sacrilegious.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLh1qWKaCAg
So I enter Indiana's Basketball Cathedral and am struck by how much it is just like a high school gymnasium. I am in a foyer of sorts but I can see that the hall from the foyer to the actual gymnasium is about 6 feet. Nothing like the Coliseum at UGA. Then a reach that wrap around hall and go to lift my sun glasses and Holy Shit, he is standing right there to the left. I panic, and suddenly feel like I really am going to wet my pants. Since he was left I went right and I know my lips were moving with the 'oh my God, he is right there, act cool' whole thing. Ahead I see a sign for the women's room. OK, you have to go to the corner, then up a wooden ramp; they totally are the little school that could. I reach the top of the ramp and enter 1974. The stalls wooden doors, painted Bulldog Blue and the are small individual sinks with Grandma's tile on the walls. I wonder if Coach K's wife would ever pee in a place like this.
Once I have refreshed myself in the ladies room. I notice there is a small store. I buy time and a brand new edition Butler Basketball T-shirt, the book Underdawgs and $52 later I emerge determined. I come back around the corner to the door where I can see a few players shooting around. Just like high school; you can stand in the doorway to the gym and the game is right there. I feel like I am on a covert mission. I am certain I can't take pictures of players from the team who went to back to back National Championships much less the coach, without a press pass. But I forget this is Brad Stevens and Butler Basketball where they are much more concerned with did a player get enough time to study for the OChem exam; it is like Coach Stevens is the only one who knows that that is actually how you compete with the Duke Universities of the world.
I see a group come through the outside door and realize it is one of those campus tours. There is a Junior or Senior walking in with a small group. maybe 15 folks and she actually doesn't say a word. When she brings the group to the door of the gymnasium; and by this time Coach Stevens is being interviewed by a single reporter with one camera guy. She looks at the group, who I have of course 'joined', with a knowing look; only I don't know what it means. There is one guy that says, 'oh, man, there he is' and he grabs his phone. It is out and he is trying to tell the pretty blond in the group how great this moment is and he is waving the phone around like he really wants to sneak a picture but is afraid he will get in trouble. I use him as a decoy.
I see Coach from behind and am hoping he will turn around, then I see him move with the reporter and hope I can see him there and then finally; they all stand still and I see him right in front of me.
I swear right after this picture, Coach looks right at me, so when I pull the camera away, I make a point to be looking at a different part of the gym. Like he was really looking at me - ah, that 14 year old again!
So, he wasn't really looking at me. He was however, cool. He made sure all his players present were interviewed before him. And in the hall I overheard a plan for several young men to meet for Men's Group where 'the lecture was really awesome this week'.
The rest of the trip for this day has been a blur. And it was actually a very long rest of the trip. About midway up Michigan I came across a radio station that played 'all the songs you know the words to', 97.7; and sure enough I did know all the words. Songs like Cool Change and Air That I Breath. It was awesome; I barely noticed it was raining cats and dogs. I didn't arrive at the hotel until 11 so am just now mapping out tomorrow.
If I had someone to play the high low game with right now I would say the high was knowing that the Butler really did do it with with less material items and more grace and perseverance just like I imagined; and the low would be that Indiana and Michigan are the windiest places on earth; so far. It was so windy when I stopped to get gas the nozzle almost blew out of the car...
Recipes: I totally forgot to eat a meal today, but I did have a banana.
Roadtrips: states covered today were Ohio, Indiana and Michigan
Renovations: It is awesome to get to see people we really admire in person...that is the only way you get to know if they really are worth the admiration. This man Stevens speaks through cadence the Gospel of Basketball and Life to his kids...and I just want to be in the same room and be inspired, and today I was.
No comments:
Post a Comment