It's Friday, and I just landed here in New Orleans and arrived at the hotel moments ago. It was not your regular travel day for me as I was unable to fly with the team last night. I will tell you why, and get on my soap box a little later in this musing.
Score one for the travel gods again. I know I lead a charmed existence travelling on charter flights with a professional team. I try to keep my head down and enjoy it since all commercial travel has been ruined for me thanks to flying with the team for the last six years. It is the fourth or fifth time in the last two years that I've been on the "milk run commercial hope its on time to catch the connector flight" special and I have sat in the last or second to last row on each occasion. You know, where your seat doesn't recline and once you assume the position in your seat, it's a major ordeal to get out to ahem, use the facilities. See what I mean about the travel gods getting even? To boot, the flight from Chicago to New Orleans on a tiny crop dusting puddle jumper this morning had nothing on any rollercoaster ride at any major theme park. It's not quite as much fun though when you're 25,000 feet in the air.
It brings to mind the time when my broadcast partner, Eric Smith and I travelled commercially over the holidays in December a couple of seasons ago, with John Rusin and Troy Clara from the TV crew, and "E" sent a text from the front of the plane saying something along the lines of "I can't die like this". We look back and laugh now but "E" was the definition of "bah humbug" that day.
Ahhh yes, the charter where there is no waiting, heck the plane waits on you. No crowded airports or check in gates and enough leg room for a guy like me of average height that it's enough to have you longing for it when it's gone.
Today's travel was necessitated by an awards presentation last night in Toronto. My brother Mark, who happens to work for the "world wide leader" ESPN, and I were granted one of the most highly regarded awards from our alma mater, York University. The Bryden Awards, named after Bruce Bryden, a member of the undergraduate class of 1964 and the first president of the Alumni Association who contributed mightily to York, are given every year for a number of accomplishments.
Last night our distinction was given under the category "Redefine the Possible" which is a loose translation of York's Latin motto "Tentanda Via", "The Way Must Be Tried". It was terrific to be there with family, some of the TV and radio "poobahs" notably Nelson Millman and John Shannon, who are responsible for me being at my current post, and my teammates and coaches from days gone by on the Keele St. campus.
OK, I'm up on the soap box now as Mark and I are examples of what happens when good parenting, gets reinforced the right way. You never believe your parents right? But funny how your folks happen to get really smart when someone else says the same thing. This point was also eloquently reinforced by CBC Radio's Jian Ghomeshi with a number of humourous stories about his own father and an immigrant upbringing. Bob Bain has been the head coach at York for over 35 years and is nearing retirement. He keeps saying he's going to retire but as a coach it's in his blood and just hard to let go. But Bob was and still is more that just a coach. He was the right guy at the right time for me and many others when they played ball at York. He helped reinforce things that all parents tell their children and it came at critical time for yours truly.
I have always said Canadian basketball at all the university and college level is the best kept secret in this country and if a guy like Bob Bain had been south of the 49th in the United States and spent that long coaching in one spot, he'd have arenas, buildings, and all sorts of scholarship funds named after him and with any luck that might still yet happen. It also speaks to guys like Michael Katz, head coach at the University of Toronto after winning five national titles at the college level, Jim Flack (a former York Yeoman) at Sheridan College, and lifers like Steve Konchalski at St.F.X. in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. There's Dave Smart at Carleton U, who is winning like a young Ken Shields, who was at University of Victoria, winning titles like Canada's version of John Wooden. All these guys don't always get the respect they deserve for putting time in to basketball programs but more importantly into young men to produce productive citizens. To the "Bainer" from both the Jones boys, a heart felt thank you. OK I'm off the soap box now.
Thanks also to the folks from York, Guy Burry, Lindsay Reid, and all the others from the Alumni Association that put on a great event.
Oh yes, NBA basketball tonight in New Orleans. Just a few things that make you go hmmmm and wonder. How long until Chris Paul gets frustrated and wants out of the "Big Easy" because he's a one man show and a one man team right now. Talk about a thin line-up, wow.
Today's Shout out: goes to all those NBA reporters who follow teams via commercial travel. I think about all the beat writers go through to bring coverage to people and I can do nothing else but tip my hat to them.
