Feb. 21, 2011
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By Marc Daniels
UCFAthletics.com
EL PASO, Texas (UCFAthletics.com) - It has been one of those weeks that happens a few times per year. I find myself on the road calling games and wake up wondering what town I am in and often think twice on the plane about where I am flying. So was the case this week as the UCF men's basketball team embarked on a journey across the country playing three games in six days. So, high above land somewhere over the mountains in west Texas I gathered some thoughts about what I witnessed traveling a few thousand miles to New Orleans, Birmingham and El Paso.
James Carville: The political pundit was courtside for the game at Tulane. Carville is a huge sports fan and loves the LSU Tigers. He also teaches at Tulane and supports the Green Wave. Wearing his green Tulane cap, he rooted his team on. And when Tulane was up 11 on UCF he hooted and hollered. As UCF rallied to get the win Carville was a little more subdued. I cannot confirm, but I believe he blamed the Republicans for the loss.
UCF fan in Birmingham? Not really: After the team's shootaround on Saturday, as the players and coaches headed back on the team bus, a man asked if he could get the team to sign some autographs because he is a big fan of the Knights. It sounded genuine and he had a UCF coffee mug and two basketballs and some pictures. So players and coaches obliged by signing for him. He even got our student managers to the sign the ball. Wow. What a fan. Then Marcus Jordan came out and the fan asked if Marcus could sign the ball and take a few pictures, all 12 of them. Marcus was kind, as he always is in situations like this, and signed everything. Later that night as the game started, I spotted that same fan. He was across from the UCF bench, third row, cheering for...UAB.
You guys have a game?: Airports are always interesting. It's perfect to people watch, overpay for bad food, buy magazines you would normally never buy and kill time. It never amazes me when people stop and look at a group of young men wearing the same warmup outfits walking together and ask "Are you guys a basketball team? You traveling to a game?" No, the group just likes to dress alike and travel to airports around the country making you think they are a team.
70 degrees warmer: The last time UCF was in El Paso, the temperature was 0. When we arrived Sunday late afternoon it was a bit warmer. It was 70 degrees. People are still talking about the snow storm that hit two weeks earlier when UCF's game against UTEP was first cancelled.
Football season is around the corner: Someone did stop me in the Dallas airport on a layover. The person asked me what kind of football team UCF was going to have this season. He said he watched UCF beat SMU in the conference title game and then beat Georgia in the Liberty Bowl. Then he said how much he loved watching that quarterback...Jacory Harris. Oops. Hey, at least he knew who we played in two of our biggest games of the season.
Knights notes and more: Kudos to Terry Rooney's team for getting a sweep of Siena to start the baseball season. It will be critical for his team to win as many of these games at home to start the season...Props to UCF trainer Andy Reber. Andy works with the men's basketball team. Why are we mentioning him? Because we have not in the past and his parents are huge UCF fans...Final thought: Just finished reading Pat Williams' new book. The long-time Orlando Magic executive has penned a book on the life of John Wooden. Pat was recently diagnosed with cancer. I have known Pat for over 20 years and is one of the most positive people I have ever met. He says he is on a "mission to remission." He has a battle in front of him, but knowing Pat, he will attack it and win. I believe he will and pray for him as well.
Marc Daniels' From the Press Box runs several times per month on UCFAthletics.com. Listen to Marc during UCF football, men's basketball and baseball radio broadcasts on the UCF Sports Network. Each weekday, Marc hosts The Beat of Sports on ESPN Radio 1080.