Sunday, January 18 10:16 AM

9:34 AM

I know that I said the blog was going to end earlier but I felt it necessary to pass along what happened on our return flight.  Our plane which was supposed to leave at 4:30 had maintenance work done on it so we did not board until 5:15.

We then sat waiting to be de-iced for about 40 minutes.  When we were told to turn off the phones again after de-icing we knew that the Eagles took the lead 25-19 but later in the flight the captain told us the bad news.

When we finally landed we had to wait on the runway for over an hour because there was such a long line of planes waiting to be de-iced that we could not get to our gate.  At 8:30 PM we finally got off of the plane.

I am finally back home - drained and bummed but, as I said earlier, the boys will be back.

Thanks for reading . . . here ends tghe blog (again).

2:54 AM

Very disappointing. We had to hustle out of Cintas and are now on the bus to catch our 4:30 flight.

The day was complete frustration on all fronts – most importantly the game.

Besides that I had many radio issues, both in the studio and with our connection, the wireless in the arena kept disconnecting which meant that I have to reconnect and go through process of uploaded the ESPN scoreboard, game tracker and logging back into email while trying to call the game.

Not much else to say. The mighty Explorers will bounce back. I hope to see everyone on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Here ends the blog.

11:45 AM

Radio issues. We have been connected to the station for 15 minuts but only during the pre-game opening does the connection start breaking up.  I think we might have it straightened out.

11:24 AM

Breaking news! Baked corn in the media room! This is HUGE! The Pennsylvania Dutchman in me is beaming right now. I love baked corn but have never ever eaten it outside of Maggie Eberwein's dining room at 104 N. 9th Street in Emmaus, PA on Thanksgiving or Christmas. So, this is a big deal. Baked corn! In Cincinnati? There was also excellent pulled pork.

On a more serious note - it's great coming here because of the war reception we always get from the Xavier broadcasters. As soon as we walk in we are greeted with big smiles and hearty hand shakes from the radio crew of Joe Sunderman and Byron Larkin and the television analyst Steve Wolfe. Even in the worst of times for our program these guys had kind words and were great to talk to. I really enjoy seeing them once in regular season and during tourney time. Class acts all around.

As is the case whenever you get to the arena we sit down and trade notes with these guys - pronunciations, recent games, general thoughts and so forth. I can tell you that there is much respect for the Explorers here among the attending media.

Sitting next to me is the stringer hired by the Philadelphia Daily News - Mark Schmetzer who just leaned over and stated that he feels that "Explorers" is one the greatest nicknames in college basketball. I agree with him. He also went to La Salle High (the Lancers) here in Cincy.

I guess I better get to work.

Go Explorers!

Time to get on the bus. First, I have to print out the Penn stats that my buddy and Penn S.I.D. Mike Mahoney sent over after they defeated NJIT yesterday. I will have these and their media guide ready for Coach G. when we get on the bus after the game.

9:16 AM

It's Game Day! This is it Explorer fans - a chance to take down a top 15 team.

Yesterday's practice had a particular intensity and purpose that comes only with a big game. I can't wait to see how the guys respond. Not much else to discuss. Breakfast was the standard buffet in the hotel restaurant - a good spread. As usual, team meal is four hours before tip-off.

I will check in either before we leave or at Cintas Center

11:16 PM

Back from dinner. I could not blog between practice and meal because we had too little time to get ready and leave.

The Montgomery Inn is a legendary restaurant in Cincinnati and I think just about every team that plays Xavier and UC goes there for team dinner. We have been going there for the entirety of my career at La Salle - a tradition that has spanned five coaches on both the men and women's sides. Ribs are the big draw at the Montgomery Inn but everything is delicious and there is always a huge line to enter no matter what time of day. They have a vast array of sports memorabilia on display and the guys just love it.

Every time we are there someone stops by the table to wish us good luck or just to say "hello". Last night we were approached by the cousin of former La Salle volleyball player Amanda Woods ('05?) who came up to wish us luck.  She also showed me a picture of Amanda's newborn.  Congrats Amanda and husband!

Ryan, Steve and I spent a good three hours in the lobby just trading La Salle and baseball stories and cracking each other up.

No spades tonight. I will check in tomorrow.

3:16 PM

We are now at Cintas Center practicing for tomorrow's game. Initially, we were supposed to do an hour in the auxiliary gym and an hour on the game floor but I guess the Muskies ended practice early so we are on the main floor from the start.

More bus stuff . . . it's always a little disconcerting when you get on the bus in a town, say Cincinnati, where you and your travelling party does not live and the bus driver says, "Ok you guys just tell me where to go . . ." I guess having more visits here than anyone on the bus and being proud of my travel/directional acumen - I should have been able to navigate from the start but we do not stay in the same hotel every year and never take the same route to the arena. So, I can't really take charge until we get in the general vicinity of the University. But anyway, isn't that what we pay the bus company for?  "Ok, welcome to Washingtn, DC -now if any of you can tell me where the Lincoln Memorial is - I'll have you there in a jiff."

I see that Florida State pulled out that game in OT. They are now 15-3 and Douglas has 25 points so I will let him off the hook.

Xavier SID Tom Eiser just dropped by practice to hand off game notes, credentials, timing sheets and parking passes and make sure we are all set in other areas.

During stretch Paul, Yves and Rod sit in the middle of a circle made up of the rest of the team and lead the count. During this time Vernon and Steve do extra condition and run laps around the court. At Charlotte those laps were around the upper track at Halton Arena. I have to ask Coach if there is anything behind it other than the obvious. I also need to sit Vern down and have a more in depth discussion about his goggles. Hopefully I will have something tomorrow.

PROGRAMMING NOTE: I just learned that our radio station is moving studios within the next few weeks and, therefore, will not have the ability to receive live callers during the first few Dr. John Giannini Radio Shows. This is a bummer because that was one of the exciting things about putting the coach's show back on the airwaves. So, if you were deciding to stay home and call in this week and/or next - don't.  You will not be able to call in - just emailand IM so we need to see live you at the Moose!

More on the radio show . . . We are planning on adding guests to the program and when the phone thing gets straightened we will even do a "Mystery Guest" type of thing with former players. The Ath Comm staff is also helping me put together a quiz for attendees to take each week with the winner getting some sort of prize or prizes. I also will ask a poll question at the start of each show and we will ask listeners to weigh in and announce the results at the end of the show. If anyone has any suggestions of such questions - feel free to shoot me an email. The first show is this Tuesday at 7:30 PM at the Ugly Moose.

Closing thought before ending this entry: During pre-practice huddle Paul broke with the following; "We are going to play hard play with heart, cut down on turnovers and no mental mistakes."

2:11 PM

Great, quick work out. I was watching Florida State-Maryland in the fitness center on ESPN News and saw that it went into overtime. Toney Douglas had a long three-point attempt at the end of regulation . . . but he didn't hit THAT one, now did he? Of course. It would be great if FSU could keep rolling it's been a decent ride so far for the `Noles.

I've got a very limited amount of time to get ready for practice so I will get to the IPod list in a second but first a few things:

1) Degler accused me of being a suck-up when I got Coach G. some bourbon chicken this morning. I told him, "Why not? Maybe he'll put me in the game tomorrow."

2) I wanted to say "hi" to Paul Coady who emailed me last night (lasallesid1@aol.com) to tell me how much he enjoyed the blog. I neglected to respond then so I figured this would be a good spot to tell him, "thanks". I am glad he enjoys this. Same goes for Mike Licata who checked in just before tip-off in Charlotte but questioned my having Crowded House on the IPod.

. . . with that, here are the bands that the IPod gave me on shuffle during my run.

Short run. Short list. It isn't as 80's heavy so I don't feel the need to explain my lineage:

Sugar, Afghan Whigs (a Cincy band), At the Drive-in, Pete Townshend, The Format. Concrete Blonde, Van Halen, Social Distortion.

Time to hit the shower.

1:04 PM

We are now in the hotel. We had an extended wait at the Cincinnati airport (which is actually in Covington, KY) because our flight landed 40 minutes early and the bus company wasn't reachable to get them to adjust.

It is weird but there always, always, always seems to be some quirk with the bussing situation in Cincinnati. I would say that in the 13-18 visits over the years there has been about 6-7 different incidences including one a few years back where the bus was so late that we missed our practice time at the gym and so Coach G. set up a walk-through in the baggage claim area using a water bottle to represent the ball. I don't know why or what it is but noting with the bussing ever goes smoothly when we come here.

Today is going to be a little tight. We leave for practice at 2:40 PM and then may go straight to dinner after that. For that reason I am going to squeeze in a quick workout now. As with most times that we come to Cincy my very good friend Ryan Gates will come to visit and to help us out on the radio with stats and producing. Ryan and I roomed together in 1998 in our first years with the Erie SeaWolves (then Class A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates) and we have been great friends since. He is now the general manager starting up an indie baseball team in Ohio called the Lake Erie Crushers. His most memorable visit came in our last game against Xavier at the Cincinnati Gardens when I was on the air alone in 2000. The Explorers stunned the Muskies and everyone in the house with an 80-49 drubbing behind Donnie Carr who was recovering from pneumonia, Julian Blanks and company.

Because I will want to catch up with Ryan and Degs it might make a game of spades with the guys difficult to pull off. We can't be play late with such an early wake-up tomorrow required for the noon game so we may have to squeeze it in at the airport tomorrow. I already can guarantee that Paul and Yves will accuse me of ducking them.

Saturday, January 17

9:37 AM

I am now on the plane and we are cruising at high altitude on the way to Cincinnati. I have a great, near heart-breaking story to share about our usual quest for bourbon chicken but first, let me explain to you the sight of boarding this plane.

First, because I am such an accomplished traveler . . . I have the foresight and diligence to take my heavy winter jacket off while waiting to be ticketed and packing it in my travel bag. I don't need to sweat with a cumbersome jacket and it is one less item to lug through security. Sounds like solid thinking - right? Of course it does -works for me every time. I am super quick getting through security - it's almost like a NASCAR pit crew - my system. Now, having made this flight to Cincy close to 20 times over the past 13 seasons I do know one thing - and that is that we get small commuter jets for these trips - it's just how the airlines do it. So, I know this already. But, what I forgot, or failed to anticipate, is that these small planes do not have jet ways! So, outside I go to stand on the tarmac waiting to board the plane and my jacket is packed in my travel bag. I reiterate . . . it is cold out there! Brilliant Beer-z!

Now, about these planes . . . they are very small - and most people in our traveling party - including coaches - are about 6 feet 5 inches or taller. This makes for an unbelievably awkward and slow and uncoordinated seating process in the plane. All of the guys have to hunch over - a lot - to even walk down the aisle. They can't stand upright. Then, if anyone is in the aisle seat and has to get up to allow someone to the window while the rest of them are still backed up to walk down the aisle? What a mess. It's good to be 5'9 . . . or 5'5 in Brother Ed's case.

We flew out of A terminal today instead of the standard B or C. This prompted me to make near catastrophic tactical decision that could have thrown the diet and nutrition of the trip into chaos immediately. Not as familiar with this terminal, I led Coach G, Degs and Pappy Owens to the food court in A concourse where I know there is an Asian food vendor. After a long walk we found it - but, alas it was only serving breakfast food - and supposedly bourbon chicken is NOT considered breakfast food?! I happen to love breakfast so I settled for an omelet but Dr. G. gave up and returned to the gate disappointed.

My omelet was horrible so I made the gutsy call to hustle over to B/C concourse and get the bourbon chicken to go. For an extra dollar you can get a second meat (like orange chicken or pepper steak, etc) so I ordered two items but made them both bourbon chicken and got a second to-go plate and rushed back to the plane. Coach seemed very pleased, surprised and relieved when I gave him his share of the bounty. I got back just in time to board the plane - and to wait on the runway in the 12 degree weather. But balance as been restored.

7:28 AM

Umm, I hate to state the obvious here but . . . it's cold out there! Like any other trip, dressing and packing for a basketball roadie requires some thought. I like to wear team travel gear so that I can show our colors in public and be associated with the team as a group but it is too cold to wear just team sweats. On the other hand, I don't want to pack two jackets. Plus, what am I going to wear for the return flight requires added foresight since I will have to find room to pack my foam rubber #1 Eagles finger, my Brian Dawkins jersey and molded Eagles foam rubber hat so I am properly clothed to represent the NFC champs which will be a reality by the time we touch down back in Philadelphia Sunday at about 6:00 PM - such issues! Just kidding . . . kind of.

Coach Adler and I arrived at the airport precisely as the team was getting off the bus. Shortly after that my broadcast partner Steve Degler joined us in line. If we had it tough getting up early in the cold - imagine how his day started having to wake up even earlier in Berks County where it is likely even colder and drive over and hour to get to the airport! Maybe I will turn the mouse over to Degs at some point during this road trip to see if he has anything to add. We'll see abut that - the most clever things that guy has to say are when he's making fun of me! Of course, I kid. Degs and I have known each other for about 13 years now and have been calling games together at La Salle since 1996. He's the consummate professional and has been an awesome teammate on the radio for so long. It's great knowing that I can leave pre, post and halftime shows in his more than capable hands so that I can see to my Sports Info duties. And, it helps that we are great friends and can have a good time calling the game that we have loved all of our lives.

Time to set out for some food . . .

6:55 AM

So, I am sitting at my house waiting for Coach Adler to pick me up for a ride to the airport. The team is scheduled to leave Hayman Center at 7:00 but it is pointless to drive in there at 6:30 only to turn back around and overcrowd the bus on the way to the airport when we can just leave from home and arrive at the same time. Thankfully, Coach Adler and I live close by and he is always kind enough to give me a ride when the situation calls for it. If he had to go to the office first my girlfriend Suzanne would have had the unlucky assignment of waking up to drive me. So, I am sure she is thankful too.

The problem with this arrangement, however, is that I need to make sure that I have everything in order when I leave the office on Friday night - which is why I didn't get home until about 7:30 PM last night. The laptop bag with all the accessories (wireless card, pens and pencils, muse, jump drive, spare battery, etc. - oh and the laptop itself), the radio gear with the camera and it's related stuff (batteries, upload chords, tape, etc.) and paper goods (notes, media guides, etc.) all need to be in order and taken home or else there is a late night/early morning trip to the office which defeats the point of saving gas and time by car pooling in the first place.

I will wrap up this entry for now but I am not sure when I will get it uploaded. I need to format a new release on GoExplorers.com and then send it and instructions to our editors in New York/San Diego to attach it to the Travel Blog icon. So, that probably will not happen until at least when we are at the gate at the airport.

Go Explorers!