Dec. 19, 2008

Friday, December 19 - Roadtrip to Cornell
The Explorers make their first ever appearance at Cornell and meet the Big Red for just the fourth time overall. Two of those meetings have come in neutral site match-ups. I will try to update you on the team's travels on what looks like it may be a tricky roadtrip. - Kale Beers (Director of Athletic Communications/Play-by-Play)

Friday, December 19 - 10:53 AM
The team is practicing now and the bus will roll out shortly thereafter. Right now weather.com says that it is 24 degrees and snowing in Ithaca with that snow picking up later in the day to a rate of an inch per hour. A quick scan of towns between here and there show lighter amounts of snow - so, maybe things will be under control by the time we get to upstate New York. We shall see . . .

1:05 PM EST
We have just pulled out of Hayman Center and are on our way. When I started to load the bus at about noon it was dark, dreary and drizzling. Now, as we depart, it is raining pretty steadily.

When we got on the bus we were pleased to see that our favorite driver, Mr. Jim Henderson, was going to be hauling us. Jim has been driving us frequently over the years and, although we don't always get him, we have had him a bunch of times and like when we do.

The slight bummer is that we do not have a posh new bus like last time. Jim told us that he is assigned a new bus but that it is getting some work done. I guess we will make due. A bus is a bus.

First movie is started. Dark Knight. Good thing I just saw it last night . . .

3:09 PM EST

We are now crawling along I-476 North just short of the Hickory Run service Plaza in bumper to bumper traffic. I am looking at the southbound side and it seems totally covered with snow though there are some cars moving. I am not sure how that has happened since this storm wasn't a surprise or anything. I have been travelling the Northeast Extension all my life and it is usually drivable and salted during snow storms.

This could be a long trip.

4:40PM EST

The traffic kept moving but the snow on the road didn't get any better. We saw a few cars sliding and a tractor trailer that could not get up the entrance ramp.

Now we are off of the Northeast Extension and there is no snow. The road is also cleared and we are moving at a pretty good clip.

Second movie is Stepbrothers.

Almost in New York.

9:34PM EST

Soooo . . . that . . . was . . . an . . . adventure. We are at the hotel now and since my last post - much has happened.

The weather started to deteriorate again when we got into New York and the Binghamton vicinity. The roads were pretty brutal and it was very stressful if you kept an eye on the road. So, it was best to concentrate on the movie (Stepbrothers) - which was alright. Same old Will Ferrell stuff, which Coach G. and I are great fans of, but nothing too great.

Driving through small towns like Cortland you could see that the area had taken a great deal of snow. The roads are not interstates and less maintained so the last 30-40 miles really took a long time. The guys started asking more and more frequently "How far?", "How many more miles?", etc. You could tell they were wearing tired of being on the bus.

We were going straight to the restaurant before checking into the hotel. We hit the exit for Route 79 and headed up the ramp . . . where we got stuck. The ramp wasn't salted or plowed and we got stuck right at the top just before the intersection.

After maneuvering for a little bit it became clear that Mr. Henderson was not going to be able to easily get us unstuck.

Fortunately, the restaurant was right at the top of the ramp so we let the guys out to walk the few yards to the restaurant while a few of us stayed with the bus. After continuing to try to shimmy and rock the bus little by little, Jim eventually had to back all the way down the ramp and get back on Rte. 79. We continued down the road for two exits, turned around and hoped the ramps were better in the other direction.

We hit the ramp back at the troublesome intersection coming from the other direction and were fortunate enough to get a green light which allowed us to roll right through at the top.

Even maneuvering through the parking lot in the mall where the restaurant was proved to be challenging.

The interesting part of this whole thing is that new Director of Basketball Operations, Eric McNelley - a native Floridian who recently relocated from Miami - had been experiencing his first bit of real snow. What an introduction! Welcome to the great white north MAC!

He also found that getting around on foot in the white stuff wasn't very easy either.

Well, eight-plus hours after leaving Hayman Center, we are at the hotel.

The guys want a game of spades so I am going to head down the hall and try to keep the record strong.

Fight on Explorers!

11:34PM EST

Spades Game #2:
Paul & Yves - 364
Rod & Kale - 353
Season series tied at 1-1

Yes, they got us. Rodney and I rallied from a 213 to -91 hole but lost by a single book down the stretch. Well played game by both sides. Paul and Yves might actually be learning how to play. Maybe.

BTW - apologies for messing up the title of the movie we watched.  I actually saw that I listed it wrong and thought I corrected it but I guess I didn't.  Of course we watched DARK Knight.  I listed it as "Black Knight" earlier.  Guess I am still having flashbacks from last road trip when Army got stomped.

That's going to do it for the night. Check in tomorrow . . . we will start the blog early.
Good night and GO EXPLORERS!

GOOD MORNING EXPLORER FANS!!!! IT'S GAME DAY!

It is bright and sunny in Ithaca, NY. There is snow falling but nothing that is going to lay on the ground. It's mostly just blowing around.

The girl at the front desk says that we got six inches - though I am trying to confirm that via TV, newspaper or internet. Right now the Verizon wireless connection is going a bit slow.

They tell me that we are about five miles from campus and about 10 minutes travel time - so let's hope today is less eventful in the bus.

I was able to haul my butt out of bed early enough to already get a long run in so I feel great and ready for game day. For those who care, here are some of the bands that came up on the Ipod: Band of Horses, The Alarm (remember, I am a child of the 80's), Sparta, The Police, Rival Schools, Placebo, The Law (a dollar for anyone who know who or what THAT band is), Tears for Fears (see - 80's), The Clash, Guided by Voices, Guns & Roses, The Foo Fighters, The Postal Service and Night Ranger - yes, THE Night Ranger (I have no shame).

I will check I after team meal.

11:39 AM EST

Here is how smart I am: After waiting through slow loading and connections with the wireless card last night and this morning . . . as I logged off after the last post I looked to my left, and what should I see? But free wireless internet cable looking at me. So, this entry will go much more quickly. Now that it is time to check out f the hotel . . .

Kimmani, Rodney and Ruben are in the room getting their ankles taped by Trainer Dan. My usual roommate is Steve Degler but with Degs not on this trip I am rooming with Dan Kontos. That means that - at about this time before the game - our extra table in the room becomes a trainer's table.

On the TV is the Eagle Bank bowl where Navy is playing Wake Forest at RFK Stadium in Washington, DC. Ironically enough, as they were talking about it, Paul Johnson walked in. He said the last time he was at the old stadium was for a Nationals' game.

Bus leaves in about 20 minutes so I better pack up and get ready to head to the lobby.

See you at Newman Arena!

Go Explorers!

1:07 PM EST

We are in Newman Arena which is pretty cool. It is mostly flat wooden bleachers with a 15 row by 15 seat square of chairback seats in the middle of the section behind the scorer's table. I shot a little video and will hope to post it on the bus ride home.

I enjoyed the bus ride in to campus. What a beautiful campus. It's one of those classic campus type of places where the whole city is the campus or vice versa. There are lots of stone buildings, winding roads and even a waterfall. I have heard about the gorges in Ithaca but there is a pretty impressive one right here in the middle of campus as you cross a bridge.

Traveling through this part of New York and observing the town names I noticed something . . . these are all names of towns and/or schools in this general area: Cornell, Cortland, Colgate, Corning . . . what's up with that? It's as if the colonial sign maker only had so many letters in his stencil kit . . .

20 minutes to pre-game . . . time to go. Talk to you post game - or perhaps at halftime.

FIGHT ON EXPLORERS!

2:51PM EST

Halfway there and things are looking good so far. Vernon is indefinite with bruised ribs but has not played at all in the first half.

Cornell is a smart, scrappy, hustling team. Explorers need to take care of the ball.

I recruited Kevin Hyslop, who made the trip to shoot some action video for us. Much thanks to him. Hope to have that and maybe an interview post-game.

Time to read stats on halftime show. I apologize in advance for any typos!

5:21PM EST

Well, so much for our first trip to Ithaca . . . What a heartbreaker. Everyone is silent and upset except for the coaches comparing thoughts quietly in the front of the bus.

We just saw why Cornell is picked to win the Ivy again I guess. They got a career high out of the seven-footer Foote with J & T working their tails of on him but surely Vernon would have lightened that load if he were healthy. But, just when you make some ground on the inside, the shooters knock down triples. They only made five three-pointers but every one was a crusher.

47 fouls were called in this game with only 14 total coming in the first half. The teams combined to shoot 60 free throws (Cornell 37, La Salle 23). The last field goal for either team came with 2:02 remaining until Ruben hit a layup with 15 seconds left and the game over.

I actually heard a Cornell fan behind me yell this, "Come on! Let them play." Here's what was interesting about the comment - It came after a La Salle foul that put a Cornell player on the line with the outcome still very much in question.

Just a warning . . . it may take a while for things to get done. In these back hills I can't keep a steady wireless signal so, every time I get close to uploading one of the stat pages or something else - I get dead-ended and have to start all over. So, rather than burn through laptop batteries, I am just going to write this blog entry and hope we eventually reemerge where I can get a clean signal.

Same thing goes for video . . . we shot some stuff but I lost battery midway through the upload and there is only one receptacle on the bus - so I might scrap it altogether. Thanks for your help anyway Kevin.

The roads are much clearer and easier to pass today. Hopefully, this means we can get home at a decent hour.

I will post again if anything of interest happens - if not, from all of us with Explorer basketball and everyone in the La Salle University Athletic Department . . . please have a safe and enjoyable holiday season. Merry Christmas and GoExplorers!

Kale Beers