Lofty Goals

As I continue my journey of recovering from an ankle sprained twice within two months (January and February), I have worked my way back onto the basketball court at the campus rec center. Rest assured, I am only shooting free throws and practicing my 180-degree turnaround fall-away jumper, and I am consistently turning down all requests to even out odd-numbered groups of Chinese graduate students who want to get a pickup game going.

Tonight I had to resist the extra special incentive for trying to get in a pickup game when I saw various members of the Iowa State men's basketball team taking on all challengers. While standing on the sideline I got this picture of Calvin Godfrey putting up a jumper while fellow freshmen Jordan Railey and a partially-obscured Melvin Ejim look on.

There is something oddly intriguing about wanting to get in a game like this just so I could someday tell my future children, "Hey, see that guy with the name Godfrey playing professional basketball on TV? He dunked on me once at the Rec! Awesome, right!?!?"

The sky's the limit, baby. The sky's the limit.

Hangover in Hilton

A few weeks ago, I asked Adam one of the most important questions I have ever asked him: if the Cyclone men made the post-season, how far would he be willing to travel to see them play? Before I even finished the question, he answered: "Anywhere." We were lucky enough to see the women play in the NCAA tournament here in Ames last spring and we'd love to be able to see the men play in the post-season as well.

Unfortunately, that's probably not going to happen after last night's pathetic attempt against Texas Tech. Our guys looked hungover and were never able to dig themselves out from an early deficit. Texas Tech was clearly the team who wanted to win the most. I've never seen Hoiberg as upset as he was during last night's game, and based on some of his post-game statements, I think the guys can look forward to some punishing practices this week!

There were a couple of bright spots last night, though:

• The student section chanting "Throw a chair!" at Texas Tech's coach, Pat Knight, son of the legendary basketball personality Bobby Knight
• This license plate, which we saw on our way out of the parking lot--Boone from Boone:
  

After a game like that, I'll take my amusement wherever I can get it!

EDITED TO ADD: If you're interested in seeing an extremely annoyed Fred Hoiberg, here's his post-game press conference.