Long Way from Home: Trip to South Bend

It is the end of December. What does it do in the north and northeast at this time of the year? It snows. Luckily, the weather didn’t affect our travel plans too much. The flights lifted and landed without a hitch.

Now to the trip…
Indiana looks identical to parts of middle to eastern Pennsylvania (my old stomping grounds). The drive from Chicago to South Bend could be even more uneventful than the ones I used to take from Allentown to Lancaster. Snow on the ground, trees submitting to the chilling temperatures, billboards advertising scummy bus stops and sleazy hotels and never ending cornfields except without the corn. It was like a scene out of Ethan Frome (if you haven't read it, don't bother, bunch of symbolism that climax's with a tragic sleigh ride down a mountain side. Hope I didn't ruin it)

The ride to South Bend was bleak. It was 5pm and pitch black outside accompanied by an occasional snow flurry. The trip back was even bleaker. The loss to Notre Dame set a pair of records we hope never again get broken. Fewest points scored in a game (31) and most turnovers in school history (43). The last game before holiday break got us again…

Purcell Pavilion is as good as advertised. What makes a pavilion a pavilion? What makes an arena an arena? Stadium? Hall? What’s the difference? Anyway, the recent renovations make Purcell Pavilion top notch. Still no video board? But after talking with the SID, he passed along that the video board will come next year (they needed to raise more money, which for Notre Dame is really a non issue). I can only imagine, it might end up being the size of the Bobcats scoreboard at TWC Arena. I digress, the banners hanging from the rafters are intimidating, the pro style seating creates awesome sight lines and to sell out of season tickets and slam 8,000+ people in there days before a major holiday is unprecedented. Of the 8,000+, I’d venture that maybe 400 of them were actual students. A lot of community support was just like Coach Aston warned the team about.

But when you boil it down, a court is a court. They all span 94 feet and a cylinder at each end. Its basketball. Even Coach Aston agreed. The only gym she felt shell shocked in was Pauley Pavilion (Go figure another pavilion that regularly haunts visiting teams) and rightfully so. She even met the man himself that day!

I’m writing this on the bus to Chicago, looking for inspiration from the scenery, looking for something to turn me from my hellacious mood, but coming up with nothing but dead trees, dusting of white stuff and a billboard for ‘Big Billy’s Truck Stop and Rest Area’. Adding to the buzzkill I already had.

It Felt Great To Be A Fan For Once

A sport is a dish best served with a group of friends, cold beverages, high definition, outstanding passion and a win.

From time to time, I feel like working in athletics sucks. I can't fully enjoy a game of my alma mater because I am working them. No time to be a fan. It’s cliché but I have green blood in my body. I’m naturally more invested in the outcome of a game then someone who collects a bimonthly paycheck, but does not have that UNC Charlotte diploma hanging in their office. It’s fact.


(If I had Spears and Jones on top of me like that, I think I might wet myself...This reminds me of that scene in Goodfellas, Spears is Ray Liotta and Jones is Joe Pesci.)---------------------------------------->

Having to work every home game slowly sucks the fandom out of my body. Dating back to my days as a student, I’ve never watched a basketball game inside Halton as a fan. Never sat in the stands, stubbed a ticket, pregamed at Picassos or screamed at the referees. That’s six years and counting! Don’t get me wrong I often have the best seat in the house and enjoy my all access credential, but it becomes physically painful to sit emotionless only cheering and jeering on the inside when we hit a big three or the refs make an obvious blunder. And half the time after the game, I have no idea what happened in the game. I don’t get a feel for the game when I’m running camera.

Saturday was different. With the men’s team in Louisville on ESPNU and no other home athletic event on tap the rest of the weekend I was able to unleash complete and total fandom in the privacy of my own home along with some of my closest Niner friends.

It was liberating. Refreshing. Awesome.

We pregamed, postgamed, watched, yelled, dissected, cursed, cheered, drank, ate and celebrated. It certainly would not have been as enjoyable if we lost, but we didn’t lose. We won by 22. It almost felt like a mirage. The game started, led from the getgo, Braswell looked like Tim Duncan, won by 22 points and then it was gone.

Now back to the usual. Tuesday will come. I will film Derrio Green hitting a 30-foot three pointer and sit stoically on the sideline as the crowd erupts. But ya know what, every now and then I may crack a slight smile.

A House Divided...

I know this will rub some people the wrong way, but I am a Louisville basketball fan. You can't blame me, I spent my young and impressionable years there and they won a National Championship when I was a youngster living there in 1980. After my family moved to the Charlotte area in 1983, I watched from afar as the Cardinals were able to capture another title in 1986.

Charlotte and Louisville were conference foes in the Metro for a time and renewed their rivalry when they were both Conference USA members up until just a few seasons ago. My dad took me to some games at Charlotte when Louisville came to town (I remember wearing red and being treated very fairly by the home crowd, even when my Cardinals took the road loss here in the Queen City).

I know that Charlotte and East Carolina (the 49ers previous men's basketball opponent) were Conference USA foes, but the games between the Niners and Cincinnati and Louisville were classics, and even I knew this as a fan of one of Charlotte's opponents. Halton Arena became an impossible place for great teams to win. Going back in time to channel my previous fandom, I will admit that I hated for my team to have to travel to play in Charlotte (with the exception of my being able to watch the game in person) because I feared taking the loss.

I now work for the Charlotte 49ers, so I am a traitor to my former fan base. I made the conscious decision to not have a rooting interest in the Cardinals if somehow the teams should play one another. I didn't realistically think that the day would come when I would have to face this scenario. Saturday is going be very difficult for me. I am taping the game because I have plans during the time the teams will play, so I will actually work very hard to block out any knowledge of the game while I'm out on Saturday (if you have my number, DO NOT TEXT OR E-MAIL ME during this period -- I won't even bother to check my e-mail and I won't look at your text, but I'll know who gets put on the naughty list after the fact when I check the time you tried to spoil my watching enjoyment) and I will try to watch the game in its entirety on Sunday morning.

This is my first time facing this day I have been dreading. I have met many of the guys for Charlotte and I have to admit, knowing them and the coaching staff compels me to pull for the 49ers. These are great guys and I want them all to do well. I guess I don't have to be loyal as a fan to the department, but it is hard not to when we work in the same place and we get to know one another. But, this will be the first time in my life I will be against Louisville.

I am admitting that I am using this blog entry to sort of talk out my issues. I don't necessarily want credit from you, the loyal 49ers fan, for my joining your bandwagon for good officially, starting with this game. I just need to talk out my internal struggle, which I am anticipating for this contest. This is a lifetime of being a fan that will unravel for me in this later stage of my life. I may need some support. I abandoned my former clan and am looking for a little understanding. Part of me feels I cannot lose in this game, but other parts feel that I cannot win.

I miss this series. It was good for both programs. There were some classic games and a little venom and a lot of respect. It's weird being on the other side, but it's now to the point for me that I am unsure which side the "other side" is anymore.

OK, I think I talked myself to the conclusion. I am a Niner. This Saturday will finally prove it. It's the last step in my conversion. I talked the talk, but now I will have to walk the walk. I've never converted over as a fan before. I think I can do this. I once felt like a stranger in a strange land. I originally thought I could get away with dual citizenship, but I have had to choose a side and choose to be a member of Niner Nation. I pledge my allegiance to you, Charlotte 49ers.

GO NINERS!!! LET'S TAKE THOSE CARDINALS!

(that felt good, thanks for the sounding board)

--Ryan Rose
Charlotte Media Relations
Former Louisville Native

Thankful for Women's Hoops!

From all of us in the Charlotte 49ers Athletic Department to all of you, the faithful members of the Niner family, we wish you the very happiest Thanksgiving. We hope you enjoy spending some quality time with your family and wish you safe travels this weekend.

If you are at the house and want to be entertained, give A.J. Mead a listen from the Bahamas as the 49ers women take on South Dakota State Thursday and either Indiana or Virginia on Friday.

Be safe out there and get some great shopping deals!

Photo Blog: Trip to Bahamas

This is the high school we are playing at...'Feed the Spirit' is their slogan and it looks like the jaguar is smoking a tornado...guess he's eating the spirit!

This is the look courtside...actually this is where my radio booth will be setup. I've never called a game from the baseline, but hey first time for everything. As you can imagine, its a primitive setup. The one shotclock is located all the way on the sideline. Not sure how Kendria Holmes (our PG) is going to like that?

Just another view from our resort. Its a nice place. The casino is closed though! Yea don't ask. I was looking forward to pressing my luck, but they closed for a week! One week out of the year and they close down this week. How unlucky? Or maybe I'm lucky to be unlucky? Whatever, thats the view!

OK OK I can't take photo credit for this one. Our strength coach Matt Parvis caught this postcard-like image with his digital camera one night on our way to dinner.

Ahhh...crystal blue and it goes on forever....jealous yet?

Literally, I go down the elevator, take about 15 steps and I am standing right here...Apparently we have a little event planned with jetskis, banana boats and other fun water toys tomorrow...

They drive on the left side of the road...I braced myself on a few occasions thinking we were going to wreck. Takes some getting used to.

I haven't seen one of these courts since I was in elementary school...its like the old volleyball court we had at Charlotte for a year...small squares cross-hatched with each, its very bouncy and slick. I think they call it a 'sportcourt'?

The local 'Y' where our girls practiced after a loooooooong day of air travel

I dont know what relevance this has, but its our coaches and players unloading the equiptment van b4 practice.

Trying to get through customs...luckily everyone just breezed right through..first time I ever used my passport

Every wonder what a 4:30am bus trip from the loading dock of the SAC to the airport after just getting back from a game 4 hours previously looks like? Well, that's it. Such a lively bunch. I dont know who Mohit is talking to on the phone at this hour? I know for a fact our strength coach slept on the training room table that night.
Ok, get this...
We arrive at the gate just in time. Literally I stroll up to the terminal and we start boarding. Then we proceed to taxi around for a good 20minutes before the pilot comes over the loud speaker to inform us that our plane has a technical malfunction and we need to head back to the terminal. This is the scene once we unboard...bodies lying everywhere. Frustration with airports is taken to another level when they keep you from getting to a place like the Bahamas.

Anatomy of a Road Trip

Last week, I was told that the Charlotte women's volleyball team was going to take a bus ride up to the Atlantic 10 Conference Championships. Knowing that I would be traveling with them to the tournament, I went into a brief panic. I don't regularly travel with volleyball for budgetary reasons, but I do go with baseball in the spring when they play road games. I also know that men's soccer made it a bus trip last week to Rhode Island for their conference tournament. I know they had a huge sleeper bus, but that's a long way to ride. At least the travel party for volleyball is about 20 so we all get to stretch out in our own seats.

The reason I panicked was because a nine-plus hour bus ride means I'll have to fill lots of time. I went out and bought a game for my Playstation Portable and hit the library for a couple of novels. I also got a pocket Sudoku game to keep my interest. We play hearts on the bus with baseball, so I don't fuss with entertaining myself on the bus with baseball. I am not a fan of getting on my computer while on the bus as it wears my eyes out quickly, but I will if I have to write a post-game story and release it to the media.

Unlike the players, I cannot sleep on moving vehicles easily. Planes and cars aren't good for me for sleeping, but I found I can sleep on trains with ease. I also brought the "Would You Rather" game in case the players wanted to go with that. Coach Correll brought Bunco and another dice game. I remembered on my trip with volleyball to Clemson last month that we did play "Catch Phrase" on the vans on the way back, so I know this is a gaming group.

The first hour of the trip (we left right before 1 p.m.) was spent trying to rig the wireless internet hub to work. Several of the girls had papers to turn in and homework to do, so we have to enhance the antenna on the back of the unit to get it to transmit to the back of the bus for everyone to use. Once that was enabled, it was fairly quiet as many players were on computers until the sun started going down around 5 p.m.

I noticed that typing on a moving vehicle makes you tired, as many of the players slept on pillows and blankets for the better part of the afternoon after homework was done.

Of course the bus had TVs and a DVD player, so several movies accompanied us up to Ohio. We watched "Up," "John Tucker Must Die" and "Out Cold" for the trip up. We started out well, but the movies got progressively worse. To find out more about these movies, hit one of my Top 10 favorite Web sites, IMDB.com. You should be able to tell by the casts which ones were good.

I passed between my PSP, the Sudoku and one of my novels. Stacy Hummer and assistant coach Casey Harris were buried in books for the majority of the trip. Team manager Colton Jacobs played Madden 07 on his laptop, while trainer Dan Jacobs (no relation) slept under his fleece blanky. Correll enjoyed the movies, as it appeared he was having nothing to do with reading a book.

We ended up stopping for dinner at the original Bob Evans near Point Pleasant, Ohio. All but two players had breakfast foods (lots of pancakes and one player has crepes), while the coaches and support staff had hearty meals (several salads, some turkey and chicken dishes).

I expect the trip back will be more game-oriented. This seemed more like a business trip on the way up since it appeared homework and the match ahead were on players' minds.

We pulled into the Dayton Marriott a little after 10 p.m. and went over our schedule for Thursday. Practice and a short trip to the Dayton Mall before more study time is on the docket before gameday Friday, which will take place at 5 p.m. against Xavier. Should Charlotte win that one, they would play host Dayton on Saturday at 5 p.m. Here's hoping for a good result for the girls in green. Stay tuned for the coverage at www.charlotte49ers.com.

--Ryan Rose
Media Relations Office

November Madness Capped Off With The Men’s Soccer Programs Return To the NCAAs

Fans of college basketball are familiar with the phrase “March Madness”. Well around the 49ers athletic department this month is November Madness. Charlotte hosted the A-10 Women’s Soccer Tournament the first weekend in November. The highly successful 49ers women’s soccer program reached their third straight A-10 Championship game. Then, the following weekend (November 13), the 49ers men’s basketball program defeated UNC Asheville in their regular-season home opener; while, the 49ers concluded their regular-season at home against Temple. The defending A-10 Champion 49ers women’s basketball team tips off their regular-season on the road at East Carolina last weekend as well.

While, the 49ers basketball programs continue to play non-conference games this month. This weekend, the 49ers volleyball team will attempt to claim their first A-10 Tournament title in Dayton.

This brings me to one of the most exciting events this month for the 49ers athletic department. Charlotte’s nationally-ranked men’s soccer team returns to the NCAA Tournament after a 12-year hiatus when they host UNC Wilmington in the first round, Thursday, November 19 at 7 pm.

Charlotte’s men’s soccer program made regular appearances in the NCAA Tournament in the 90’s with five appearances in a seven-year period from 1991-97. In 1996, Charlotte won three games and advanced to the College Cup. Charlotte’s NCAA Tournament game against UNC Wilmington this Thursday, will mark the 49ers first NCAA Tournament home game since the 49ers defeated Hartford, 3-0, to advance to the College Cup, December 8, 1996.

When the 49ers face UNC Wilmington in the NCAA Tournament, the game will remind long-time 49ers men’s soccer fans of Charlotte’s first NCAA Tournament team. UNC Wilmington is coached by 49ers men’s soccer standout Aidan Heaney, who had his jersey retired in 2002. Heaney, an All-Metro Conference and NSCAA All-South Region selection in 1991, was Metro Defensive Player of the Year that year. Heaney still holds the school record for single-season and career goals against average as well as single-season and career shutouts records.

Charlotte women’s soccer coach John Cullen has ties to both the Charlotte 49ers and UNC Wilmington teams. Cullen played for the 49ers on their first two NCAA Tournament teams in 1991 and 1992. Cullen was a teammate on the 1991 team with Heaney. Cullen gives his thoughts on the 49ers return to the NCAA Tournament and former teammate Heaney.

“It was great thrill and honor to represent the school on the national stage,” Cullen said. “As a former player those were great days. I am excited to see the program back on the elite level. Congratulations to the Jeremy Gunn and the rest of the coaching staff and the players for reaching the NCAA Tournament. I am also proud of a former teammate and friend Aidan Heaney for how well he has done at UNC Wilmington. As a former player it is exciting to see our program return to the national stage.”