Demons in the Snow

Well, it wouldn't be a road trip with NSU if the Demon basketball team didn't find some snow along the way.

In Milwaukee, it was the worst blizzard in two years that shut schools down. Now, in Cookeville, Tennessee, it is several inches of giant snow flakes when we were anticipating just "a light snow shower."

For whatever reason, when the Demons get anywhere out of the Deep South, they find the snow...or the snow finds them.

Either way, this collection of mostly Louisiana kids have become snow veterans. So if some wayward snow shower should hit Louisiana (probably in March with the way our weather goes) don't expect the Demon basketballers to be wide-eyed...they've seen it all before.

Scenes from the BracketBusters trail

Blips not on the FAA radar but noticed on the Demons' journey to Smoky Mountain country for Saturday night's game at Tennessee Tech...

... Thanks to NSU Alumni Association board member Jimmy Williams and some hard-working Delta employees, the team avoided missing its flight from Alexandria even though a new charter bus company never showed up to take the team to the airport.

With the bus already 10 minutes late for our 3:45 departure Friday and word coming that the bus wouldn't be in town anytime soon, the team split into seven cars and headed south. There was a time, before 9/11, that a late airport arrival wasn't such a big deal, but those days are gone.

Williams, who is the economic development director for the England Airpark which oversees the beautiful new terminal at Alexandria, was able to pave the way for a quick transition for the team when we arrived about 45 minutes before departure. Thanks, Jimmy!

... We had a super stewardess on the Delta commuter flight from Alexandria to Atlanta. Her welcome enthusiasm made everybody smile. She also led a cheer for the Demons as the flight taxied toward our terminal at Hartsfield Airport.

... On the plane from Atlanta to Nashville, Centenary president Dr. Ken Schwab, who said hello ... and on both the flight to Atlanta and to Nashville, and in fact all season long, it's been fun and fascinating to see people recognize the NSU logo and express excitement at being around the team that had the big first-round NCAA Tournament win last year.

....While waiting on our bags in the Nashville airport, coach Mike McConathy noticed a taller fellow who he said looked a lot like former Demon guard Alann Polk. He was right. There's a strong resemblence, if you discount the broad shoulders, between Alann (who lives in Dallas with his wife Angela, the former SLC Women's Basketball Player of the Year for NSU) and retired NFL star Eddie George.

Always outgoing Jermaine Spencer approached George, who said he was picking up his son. Spencer, by the way, was wearing a T-shirt that read "SportsCenter, No. 6 Plays of the Day" ... to the amusement of his teammates and coaches. Michael McConathy has one, too.

... The team practiced this morning at Vanderbilt in a gymnasium, not their unique arena. Discussing that iconic college basketball venue last night, Coach McConathy told me he likes the idea of relocating the benches at Prather Coliseum along the baseline as they are at Vandy's arena. Hmmm, more prime seating courtside, more fun, more revenue? ....

...Now we're in Cookeville, and the team is relaxing before a 8 p.m. shootaround at the Eblen Center tonight. The drive over from Nashville took about 80 minutes and carried us into the foothills of the Smoky Mountains. It is beautiful country on a crisp, picture-perfect February afternoon. We may wake up with a blanket of snow, they say. We'll let you know!

You're sworn to silence

By reading this, you agree not to tell anybody you know in Providence, R.I., until after this weekend.

Jeffrey O'Brien, a young soldier stationed at Fort Polk, is home in New England to propose to his girlfriend. She has no idea. Her parents have given the green light. He and his girlfriend have known each other for nine years, so there's a great foundation.

Jeff was in the next seat on the Delta flight Thursday evening from Alexandria to Atlanta, as I was with the Demon basketball team flying to Nashville on the way to Saturday night's game at Tennessee Tech.

Jeff graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 2002. He's a little nervous about the proposal. He bought the ring on his own. That takes courage. He has that in spades.

Jeff is back home in the USA after a tour in Afghanistan. In June, he's heading to Iraq -- based on our conversation, without reservations and with a lot of pride.

He is a big URI Rams fan and is hoping they can make the NCAA Tournament. He was disappointed he missed last year's March Madness because he was stationed in an isolated region of Afghanistan, literally sleeping on the ground, without any telephone or internet connection for many weeks at a time. He said he was surprised to be involved in so many firefights. He said the diversion of resources to Iraq has allowed the Taliban to provide some significant resistance in Afghanistan.

He got a kick out of talking college hoops and being on the plane with the Demons. I can guarantee you, I got a thrill out of sitting next to him and I told him that we all appreciated him and his brothers in arms.

And I wished him good luck this weekend. That, he appreciated, too!

Some different McConathy Magic....

This little bit of thievery and sweet dish definitely do not remind us of the elder Mike McConathy, who was a bit more known for shooting, rather than defense and passing. However, it is number six on the SportsCenter Top Ten plays of the day.

Check out ESPN this morning

About 50 minutes after the hour, each hour this morning, NSU Demon basketball is showcased on ESPN's SportsCenter.

A play involving Michael McConathy and Jermaine Spencer is No. 6 on the SportsCenter "Plays of the Day." SportsCenter edition that originally was telecast last night is replayed throughout the following morning, providing tremendous exposure for NSU.

The play was also featured in the "College Basketball GameNight" show on ESPN last night as one of the "Gem Gyms." Of course, the highlight came from the Fox Sports Net Southwest telecast of NSU's 67-57 win last night at Stehpen F. Austin.

Hurry to your TVs for a look about 50 after the hour throughout the morning!

Thanks for your support of NSU and Demon basketball.