The conversation went something like this: Larranaga: ‘hey, you’ve been here 25 times, you don’t need to take notes. This is my first time.’ While I didn’t hear what Packer had to say – I was too busy holding a small microphone in the general direction of the court -  I am sure Packer just smiled and nodded and made some comment about how much he likes the Patriots’ chances this weekend. J
Anyways, the players looked sharp, although Lamar Butler airballed his first 3-point attempt. And despite the background conversation of several thousand people, you could still hear Larranaga’s piercing whistle to his players. If the Final Four were a whistling contest, I am sure he would triumph in a landslide. I actually think it’s loud enough for dogs to hear.
Several hours later, the Mason pep band was victorious over UCLA, Florida and Louisiana State in a band-off at the adjacent Convention Center. I guess the judges must like Bon Jovi because Living on a Prayer is a Mason band staple. I think them winning might be a better sign than Butler shooting an air ball.
No matter what’s happened throughout the NCAA Tournament, Mason has persevered. You need a zone defense to stop North Carolina, coach L had one. You want to see a blistering outside shooting performance against Wichita State, just ask Butler, Folarin Campbell and Tony Skinn. You need money play from your underclassmen, meet Campbell and Will Thomas.
And if you want chemistry, look no further than the Patriots. They have it in excess.
That is all for now. Until then, keep the faith Platoon Members. I will check in with you guys before tomorrow’s games. And afterwards, win or lose.
Peace,
Kipp

We got there on time and in plenty of time to see them practice and listen in on their press conferences. It would have been a lot nicer to have more time, but sometimes these things just can’t be avoided.

Soon, we’ll be free from work responsibilities, at which point we plan on checking out all (or at least some) of what downtown Indy has to offer.

Or, maybe not – not yet anyway. We just heard a siren which may or may not have been a tornado warning. The local channels don’t seem to be too concerned – at least not with tornadoes hitting downtown Indy – so I feel better about that. Still, the weather isn’t pretty; the lightning is frequent and strong and there is definitely a strong wind.

The weather people on Channel 6 keep talking about a tornado warning in Hendricks County, which doesn’t help us a whole lot, because we don’t know where Hendricks County is. (And they just mentioned towns called Winchester, Martinsville and Richmond, along with Blacksburg County. Where are we again?)

I thought it would be cool to chase a tornado, being a moderate weather buff. However, I never had any interest in a tornado chasing me.

The view outside of our 14th floor provides views of the RCA Dome, the state Capitol and several other downtown buildings. The sky is not nearly so pretty as these strong thunderstorms bear down on us. The white canvas that covers the dome is a stark contrast to the black sky just beyond it. The flags above the Capitol are straining and look like they’re about to fly away.

The lightning is still going strong, and the rain just came pouring down. The poor news reporter could barely stand up, while the weather folks – safely back in the station – reported that he was probably seeing wind gusts stronger than 50 mph.

“I wonder what the tourists are thinking,” the news reporter said. “All those people from UCLA and Florida.”

Uh, we don’t get many tornadoes either.

The sky has lightened, to a bizarre, hazy pink. The Eli Lilly building was barely visible a moment ago, now again is crystal clear.

At least the storm is moving quickly. Not that I’m worried about it, it’s just that it’s cutting into my recreation time. And I better send this along before our power gets cut, as it has been in some parts of downtown.

Eager to see the nation’s media darlings practice tomorrow and then hit the Indy nightlife. I have been assured that the blues scene is outstanding by one local that flew with me.

There was little evidence of George Mason Green and Gold on Thursday but I expect that to change on Friday. I am anxious to see how the locals will react to the Patriots. After all, Indiana is the home of Hoosiers and Milan High School, the ultimate basketball underdog that won a state championship.

One thing is for sure, it feels like the Sports Oscars with ticket scalpers patrolling the sidewalks, college players hanging out in hotel lobbies (i.e. West Virginia’s Kevin Pittsnogle), coaches and ex-coaches (Matt Doherty and Craig Esherick to name a few) picking up their luggage and walking into their hotels. Meet and greeters are everywhere and everyone is so friendly. And to think the players are the only ones being jocked.

Well, that is all for now.

Talk at ya, soon.

So my first night in Indy is headed for a bust. That’s all right though, there are several more chances to take advantage of what the city has to offer.

Downtown seems very quaint. Indy is, after all, the nation’s nineteenth-largest city. But when I grew up, my family and I made frequent trips to Philadelphia and occasional trips to New York. Now, with frequent trips into D.C. to see my wife, bigger cities don’t feel that big and the biggest cities feel closer to normal.

The end of rush hour seemed almost funny, with cars streaming out of parking garages to a traffic back-up that looked about four blocks long. Even at 6:45 p.m., when I noticed the back-up, DC traffic is only making baby steps towards clearing out for the night.

The very idea of me being here seems kind of quaint. In our house, my wife is usually the one doing the traveling. She’s a staffer for Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.), so to stay in touch with her constituents requires business trips to Las Vegas or Reno (it’s not as much fun as it sounds; her day is filled with meetings and she often travels by herself, meaning there’s not nearly as much fun in going out and raising hell).

Last week, she spent most of her week in Reno and Carson City, Nevada’s capital city. While she went westward, I spent most of my time following Mason. Whether it was attending practices at the Patriot Center or the Washington Regional at the Verizon Center, I soon came to realize that over a five-day span, I saw Mason coach Jim Larranaga more than I did my own wife.

That trend will continue. My wife isn’t here – the Senate is in session, which means leaving is a no-no – and she even has to give a speech in Vegas on Sunday before returning a day later. Meanwhile, Larranaga has press conferences scheduled for tomorrow and a game on Saturday.

We’ll be here through Monday, no matter what happens with the Patriots on Saturday night. Our flight leaves Tuesday, so that’s when we’re headed back. Until then, I’ll talk to my wife for a few several-minute conversations and listen to Larranaga extol the virtues of his university in 15-minute bursts of words.

But there are worse places to be right?

Now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s bed time. At 7:37 p.m.