Basketball practice is about to begin, so ... let's watch them play softball!
That's right, Wednesday afternoon at 5 at the Demon Diamond, there will be softball of a skill level we hope not to see from Northwestern athletes next spring.
The Demon basketball team is having its annual softball game to signal the end of preseason conditioning and individual workouts, and the impending launch of real honest-to-goodness basketball practice Thursday evening.
Assistant coach Mark Slessinger initiated the tradition close to nine years ago after his arrival in the second season of Coach Mike McConathy's tenure. Slessinger, hailing from the suburban Chicago area, sees his role in staging the game to be somewhat Harry Carrayesque.
There is highly irreverent commentary, delivered by Sless, on the public address system as the players and staff go through their bases ... errr, paces.
It often looks like a Michael Jackson sighting -- somebody wearing one glove on their hand for no apparent reason. But it's always somewhat competitive because these are, after all, athletes who like to compete.
If you thought Jermaine Wallace's shot to beat Iowa was impressive, you were right. But his shot over the left field wall in this game was titantic at the outset of the 2005-06 season.
Coach McConathy, as he often does, mans the grill for this one. It's basic fare, usually, although in the 2005 contest he did bring some elk out of his freezer at home, just for grins to see who might enjoy a different flavor.
What will happen this Wednesday evening? One thing's for sure. It will be over in time for the team to be in the stands at Prather Coliseum at 7 for the Lady Demon volleyball game. Other than that, no predictions, except that the score will be a little bit like the Devil Rays-Red Sox game Tuesday night.
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