1:22 am - Finally headed to bed after finishing production work. Show in 6.5 hours. Shoot me.

12:52 am - Yes!!!! It didn't want to but it started! Now I've gotta let it run and let everything defrost as both my front and back windows are iced over. Everybody's got their scrapers out except me. I'm not going anywhere so I might as well let it defrost as opposed to putting in the effort to scrape.  Chelsia is dressed like an eskimo waiting for the bus to move because it pulled up beside her car and thus she can't get out.

1:03 am - Everything's off the bus and it's moving so my willingness to help with anything is now expired as the last of the players (Chels, Brandi, and Emily who were all stranded behind the bus) can now leave.

1:14 am - Home sweet home. I'm wiped. Thanks for coming along with on the ride with me and the Lady Raiders the past few days. It's been fun. Let's do it again soon. Let's just not go to Jonesboro.

8:00 pm - We're almost two hours from game time and the girls have started to loosen up. The familiar sound of laughter is back in the back of the bus as it should be. Losing sucks, but there's no reason for them to let it ruin the time together. They'll look at the film and get to work tomorrow or monday but after a 5 day grind, its time to relax a little bit.

8:29 pm - Ok. Today officially sucks. It started with Georgetown beating UConn making my first pick wrong. Then Wisconsin beat Purdue. And then Georgia Tech beat Duke not only making me 0-3, but meaning my Dukies lost! And then to top off my horrible basketball picks, Mizzou beat Kansas State which Curtis had as his big headed prediction which he hadn't gotten right for in months!

Then football happened and the Jets beat the Bengals. Wrong. And now the Cowboys are HOUSING the Eagles. That would make me 0-6.

Add in our girls loss which looms largest on my mind and the fact that the boys are down 2 at half when they should be killing UALR and today just sucks. Thank god I'm going home.

Although there's no way my car starts...

12:49 am - Pulling into the parking lot! Now the moment of truth. Will my car start???

12:14 pm - Now on 24. Home stretch. 22 miles till the exit.

12:13 am - There is nothing more frustrating on a ride home than passing the sign for the closest airport. We just passed the airport.

12:05 am - Whooooooo!!!!! On 440!!! On to 24 then its Boro bound!

11:27 pm - Alright I'm really tired. Now I wish I had a pillow. Badly.

10:32 pm - Wow. The bus driver just stopped so he can go take a leak or something. Could he really not wait??? Less than 100 miles to Nashville. C'mon man!!!

9:31 pm - Got my NBA fix and got to listen to the best rant ever. Ryen Russillo went on for about 5 minutes about this terrible tv ad. It was hilarious!

8:50 pm - Halftime in the game so I'm listening to the NBA Today Podcast. Also we're driving through Memphis meaning we're in the right state again!

8:05 pm - 50 miles to Memphis. Could be worse.

7:34 pm - Good news: we have Cowboys/Eagles on the bus. Bad news: the road is bumpier than a before picture in a proactive commercial.

6:40 pm - Packed up and rolling out. Let the bus ride from hell begin.

6:13 pm - Game over. UALR wins 63-43 in dominating fashion. Few bright spots and this team doesn't care about moral victories. A lot to digest.

5:52 pm - This bus ride is going to really really really really suck. The execution hasn't been good so coach's are gonna be upset and the players have played poorly so they're gonna be upset. I'm a fan so I'm gonna be upset and well that's pretty much everyone on the bus.

5:58 pm - Coach Case just walked in. Time to go talk to him.

6:03 pm - Case said the boys are ready to play after the heartbreaker on Thursday. Hopefully they drill em.

5:35 pm - MTSU still has nothing on offense outside of Alysha. Also have an addendum on the cheerleader. She's actually part of the dance team. Which is better. Dancers can dance and cheerleaders are smiling programmed machines during games.

5:21 pm - Girls are back out after halftime and I'm just dumbfounded. They're down 34-20 and have yet to hit a jumpshot. This team can shoot with anyone but they're 0-8 from 3 point range and haven't hit a single jumpshot inside the arc. Hopefully the change in ends means a change in fate. The ends actually look to be lit a little differently. The side we were on is a little darker so hopefully we can put some down in the second half. The missed assignments and mental errors have to stop for a comeback though.

4:48 pm - I know I'm supposed to be professional-ish but one of UALR's cheerleaders is smokin hot. I know that's not PC but I mean that 100% as a compliment!!!

4:42 pm - A lady just got to shoot a free throw for $200! Give me a ball!!!! And she missed. I want in on UALR's promotions!!!

4:36 pm - Reed just fed Alysha's and said "take her!"...she proceeded to take 5 dribbles and throw the ball out of bounds

4:30 pm - The lady who sang the National Anthem changed a few of the notes. I didn't hate it though. Wasn't in love with it, but it didn't suck.

4:33 pm - UALR does there starting lineups to "Sandstorm" (techno song). Love the song, but poorly done.

4:18 pm - Just went in the media room to try and grab some food and grab a drink and saw Mark Sanchez throw a bomb to Braylon Edwards. It hit him right in the hands. So obviously he dropped it. Sanchez should know that that's a horrible place to hit him by now.

4:27 pm - 3 minutes to tip. So ready for this game. Disappointing fan turn out. The arena is filled in the two corners though. One with MTSU fans who have made the trip (around 30 of them) and the opposite corner with a group of kids. National Anthem time now.

4:04 pm - I just saw that Jackie Pickel has "confidence" written on her shoe. That was her big issue at the start of the year. Keyword was. She's played remarkably well starting really with the UT game.

4:05 pm - Just had to help Alysha stretch. She stretched against my table and it moves so I held it steady. I call that a contribution to the game! And hopefully a win!

3:53 pm - "Party in the USA" just came on during pre-game warmups. Anne Marie immediately goes "uh-oh!" and Alysha looked at me as she ran by and goes "this is my song!" Clark's still singing and dancing and can't keep a straight face. Glad to see she (along with everyone else) is loose before a big game.

2:49 pm - At the arena and all set up. I've got the whole "TV booth" to myself. It's a table right at midcourt. I have this as excellent.

3:03 pm - Anne Marie was the first out to shoot (like always) and she was shortly followed by Jackie and others. I don't know why those two are always the first two out but I'll ask eventually.  It could be a "I want to be the first one out there" thing or it could also be they just get changed faster than everyone else. Who knows.

2:18 pm - Also who knew that Little Rock was the place to be? I apologize Arkansas, you're not so bad. Jonesboro though, you still suck.

2:17 pm - Apparently that bus isn't Ron Whites. Its Lil Waynes. How you mess that up is beyond me but I've been told both. I'm just a reporter. Don't shoot me.

2:03 pm - Ron White is doing a show next door and his bus is parked outside the hotel. I wonder if we can switch drivers...

11:11 am - Still waiting on the pre-game meal back at the hotel. The girls I'm pretty sure have it by now because it was ready when we got here but I'm last on the totem poll (which is how it should be) so I'm still waiting.

9:04 am - It's taken me a few days but I've realized that no one on this team talks more trash than Alysha. Now granted she has the skill and a half to back it up but she challenges her teammates constantly. That's part of being a great leader. And a funny part at that. I don't know if she talks trash to her opponents in game and I'm pretty sure she doesn't, but on the practice court she's always chirping.

8:40 am - At the gym for shootaround. The day of shootarounds are always fun to me because you normally get to see the multiple days of practice and scouting all come together. If you don't that typically means you're going to lose (for the record that doesn't happen here). Also in completely unrelated news, I've been talking with people back home and it is frigid there. As in campus is a giant ice cube. There is absolutely no way my car starts tonight when we get back. This is gonna suck.

7:33 am - Everyone else is gone. I was told be on the bus by 8. I think instead of chillin down here I'm gonna go back upstairs and fix my hair. And by fix I do mean fix. Its horribly messed up at the moment.

7:15 am - Downstairs for breakfast and I'm shocked because I expected everyone to be down. Instead its just Jackie and Anne Marie. They're 1st for everthing!

7:00 am - You forget how nice sleeping in is until you're woken up in the middle of a dream at 7 am. That just happened.

10:11 pm - Just learned a valuable travel lesson and was lucky to learn it the easy way. Room service is a hell of a lot less expensive if you pick it up and its not actually room service. For one, you don't have to tip because nobody serves you. You're your own waiter. It's takeout which is really slow fast food.  Also you don't have to pay the room service fee. I have that as excellent. Also excellent was the sandwich I had. Grilled chicken on ciabatta bread with tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella. So good.

9:24 pm - I just realize Little Rock reminds me of home. You go everywhere on a highway. Here its 630. There its 85 and 385. And its a real city. But not huge. Lots of suburban areas. I'd love to go check out the river but I don't think I'm gonna make it down there.

9:19 pm - In a cab on the way back to the hotel after the show. It was a pretty good show. Solid work by the two idiots. Had a nice chat with one of the managers of UALR who was waiting on me to leave as I was waiting for the cab. Real nice guy.

3:48 pm - I'm pretty sure that I'm a genius. We can't hear back through the unit that we have to do radio in but thanks to my brilliance and my cell phone I think we're gonna be ok.

4:00 pm - The girls are shooting and I really want to go help rebound. Instead I'm sitting in a chair courtside and Anne Marie is the current shooter in front of me. I'm fairly sure she hasn't hit the rim on any of her makes. Her stroke is so pure.

4:03 pm - A ball just rolled my way as Jackie walked over to shoot in my corner. I passed. She scored. That's an assist in the score book.

3:15 pm - It's only been a day since the team has practiced but it feels a lot longer. Yesterday was a different type of practice as I said so I guess it feels more distant. I wonder if I'll get to showcase my supreme rebounding and outlet pass skills again? I'm telling you. I'm a beast.

IMG00242.jpg

3:12 pm - Headed to practice. Curtis and I are going to be on air tonight at 6 with me from the arena. As we're driving we passed this. Its a frozen water fountain. How cool is that???

1:34 pm - The managers left a while ago to get lunch for everybody. They're going to Wendy's. I'm hungry. I hope they're getting close.

12:40 pm - Back upstairs. So much warmer. Also Jake is leaving to go get lunch meaning I can turn the TV off and get some work done. Except for the part where I no longer feel like working.

12:25 pm - Hot off the presses! Tyler Smith has been dismissed from the UT basketball team. I've already written the article for Sidelines and I'll post it up once my wonderful editors approve it. I'm still in the board room and I'm going to have to leave soon. Feeling is going in my fingers.

11:59 am - It's getting cold quickly. I don't know how long I'm going to last in here.

11:56 am - This hotel is freezing. They had to turn the heat off in the Lobby and all "common areas" to fix something. I'm trying to do some work and I can't sit in my room because Jake is having TV ADD and can't pick a channel he likes and thus I'm having trouble focusing. I wound up in the board room on the 2nd floor because it's slightly warmer than everywhere else.

11:18 am - Bidness time. I just got a text from Curtis asking if I want to do the radio show tonight, which I obviously do because that's less things I have to worry about tomorrow which is game day. If I do it tonight it'd be from the arena so now I've got calls to make. First to our SID Travis then probably to their SID.

11:23 am - Just left a message with UALR's SID. I've gotta make sure that I'm allowed in the arena when I want to be because they could be practicing and then I obviously can't be there. Unless I wear a blindfold. This is radio...it could work!

10:53 am - I'm getting lazy. We were able to sleep in this morning and I slept till around 8:45. I should have hopped on my computer (which I did) and put something up (which I didn't). So I'll recap the morning so far. I went down to breakfast and there weren't that many people there yet. Soon the girls and the coaches started filing in. At some point "Fallin for you" by Colbie Caillat came on and soon after Jackie started singing it. It was a stirring randition. I told her so.

I finished breakfast then stayed downstairs talking to Mr. Palmer for a while then I came back up. Now I'm here in the room. Consider yourself caught up.

9:32 pm - I wish Double Tree delivered their signature cookies to the rooms. I'm gonna have to go get one.

5:00 pm - Five seems so early to be eating but I'm hungry. This is gonna be good.

5:58 pm - I got a create your own pasta dealio and it was hella good. We can get desert if we splt it with someone so Zach and I are getting a cheesecake.

6:09 pm - Got the cheesecake. Covered with fudge and caramel. Looks good.

6:11 pm - Cheesecakes gone.

6:30 pm - Leaving the restaurant and I've got work to do! Gotta finish my championship game preview.

6:45 pm - No! We're taking the girls to the movies who want to go first. Are you kidding me???

7:00 pm - Finally headed to the hotel. I'm gonna have to hurry.

7:19 pm - Well so much for that. I saved what I had done earlier but apparently the website doesn't think so. Therefore I'm gonna have to do an abbreviated "keys to the game version."

7:26 pm - Done with that. Picking Alabama 28-24. Don't feel great about it but we'll see.

7:30 pm - Kickoff. Going into tweet mode.

4:37 pm - All the girls must have napped because the back of the bus is rambunctious again. Usual suspects: Clark and Lymon. Its like a law firm of goofiness.

4:36 pm - Driver still sucks. Have to turn around. Again. When we have directions and a GPS. How about listen to one of them.

4:21 pm - Heading to dinner at Macarroni Grill. For once all the girls beat me to the bus. There's food involved. Go figure.

12:45 pm - As we pulled out, I saw the Chic-Fil-A car. The liscense plate said moo haul. Hilarious.

12:38 pm - Lunch is at Chic-Fil-A and how we were so efficient in ordering and getting our food is beyond me. 25 of us eating later its back to the hotel.

12:02 pm - Practice is over. I got to help rebound at the end meaning I contributed. I had a few solid rebounds and passes back out. I got skillz.

10:57 am - This arena is pretty nice. It actually has suites which is unheard of for a Sun Belt arena as far as I know.  Practice has been relatively light so far, with far more game-planning and doing walk throughs than full speed practice. This is to be expected as a) its the day after a game and b) its the first day of scouting a new team and the game's not until Saturday.

9:46 am - I still haven't seen a sign for UALR. Of course as I type this we see the welcome center. There's not a giant picture of Derek Fisher. Garbage.

9:27 am - The bus driver is still inept. We just had to turn around in a parking lot. On a positive note, I now know where the amtrak station is in Little Rock if I ever want to come back. And yes that could be possible. Unlike the rest of this wretched state, this is a legitimate city. Tall buildings, nice hotels, and I even think I see some suburbs out in the distance.

8:10 am - I'm up! I'm up! I'm rooming with one of the managers and his alarm was a country song. I'm a northern, city boy. I can think of just a few things I'd rather wake up to.

8:23 am - Headed down to breakfast and hey look who it is! Waiting for the elevator I ran into Alli and Khadejia. I guess they found their room and its on my floor. This elevator is taking forever.

8:26 am - Finally its here. As in the elevator. And there are quite a few people in here. Guess we're getting the sardine treatment.

8:35 am - That was a solid breakfast. Standard buffet done Double Tree style (no dad, that doesn't mean they had cookies). The bacon was thick and cooked just the way I like it.

9:00 am - Headed back downstairs to head to practice. No witty punch line here. Sorry to disappoint.

9:07 am - It is fuh-reezing on this bus. Insell isn't gonna be happy and I don't blame him.

12:05 am - At the hotel finally. Funny mix-up: they gave Coach Clark and Coach Head the wrong key. They opened the room to Alysha waving at them. Wrong Clark.

11:42 pm - We can see the skyline of Little Rock. I'm just impressed there's a city in this state with a skyline.

10:39 pm - It's started to snow making the decision to leave tonight excellent. Good news is that the Laker game is on. Schweet.

10:31 pm - Film study is over for the night. I wish the direct tv would work so I could watch the Laker game.

10:25 pm -
Coach: "How far are we?"
Front of the bus: "80 miles"
Girls: "Collective groan"

10:01 pm - We are on back roads and I don't like it. I'm so glad Little Rock is a real city.

9:21 pm - Back on the bus and already headed for Little Rock. Everyones pretty tired except Alysha. Because she didn't play she's still got energy and is being her usual self. Chelsia's also really excited because we've got a pizza for every two people.

9:31 pm - Enjoying the win is officially over. The dvd is going in for the conference championship game from last year against Little Rock so the girls can take notes. Coach Clark is also handing out scouting reports. Once again, focus and structure are the key in preparation.

6:33 pm - I'm sittin next to Mr. Palmer with a headset on. Getting to learn how a radio broadcast is really done and he's a consumate professional.

5:17 pm - Well this is kinda cool. Apparently the players get to run through a tunnel for introductions. It would be much cooler if it wasn't tucked away in a corner and also if there's not smoke it could be the lamest thing since I guaranteed Miami would be Wisconsin in the Champs sports bowl by 40. Whoops.

5:24 pm - Decided to take a walk around and found out that Jeff Dunham is going to be visiting here. They get the biggest comedian in the world in terms of popularity and we got the biggest in stature (Ralphie May). At least I don't have to go to school in Jonesboro!

5:28 pm - As usual Anne Marie is the first one out getting shots up. Meanwhile the ASU players are still just getting here.  I was just told that I'll be allowed to film the pre-game talk.  I hope it's a good one.

5:34 pm - Anne Marie just saved a kid's life! He was walking by the court and one of her teammates threw a ball out to her just a bit outside. She was able to get a hand on it and stop it so it didn't hit Sparkie in the head. Between that and her hitting the half-court shot today I'm predicting a big game out of 30 tonight.

5:39 pm - A lady in a jacket saying "The Convo" just walked by. I guess that's the nickname for the building (The Convocation Center). That makes "The Murph" seem like the most brilliant nickname of all-time.

5:41 pm - They are testing sound and just did the wolf noise. If that thing howls frequently tonight the person hitting the button might be howling too.

5:51 pm - Alysha was rebounding and for some reason threw a ball out my way. I guess I was open?

5:57 pm - Time to head into the locker room.

6:15 pm - Now back out. The team was given some key points on ASU's personnel and scheme by Coach Hodges who did the scouting for this game. Insell obviously joined in as well. After that Insell shared a few thoughts. No "win one for the Gipper" speech like I was hoping for but it didn't really matter because I didn't get it on camera and here's why: the locker room was the size of a closet and I was stuck in the corner. For home games I get to film from the back of the team room, getting everything the coaches say with them saying it. Here I got Coach Hodges' back when he was talking and his back standing closer to me when Insell was talking.

6:21 pm - Also I'm now allowed to officially report that Alysha Clark is out tonight. This is her second straight game out due to a sprained ankle. I don't think we're going to need her to win this one though. It was a 40 point game last year.

4:57 pm - Inside the arena and at my seat. Its way down on the end of press row which I hate. There is nothing better than the games where I get to sit at mid court. Seeing that I'm credentialed as student television and that I'm on the road, I didn't really expect this to be one of them.

5:10 pm - I've been to the arena early for games before but never like this. I'm on press row and the coaches are all sitting on the bench across from me and we're still 1:45 till tip-off time.  I really just don't know what to do with myself. I would love to go sit and chat with them simply because I love talking hoop, but I'm fairly sure that's not an option.  That's the one thing I love about hanging out at guys games is my pre-game chat with Coach Case. I don't get to do that this trip.

4:47 pm - My iPod just died. We're basically at the arena. But this would be a note to self. Charge it.

4:36 pm - Next year I need to travel with football. I want a police escort somewhere. That's officially on the life's to do list.

4:33 pm - A car with MT flags just drove by! I hope they're not the only ones.

4:30 pm - Wheels up! Oh. Wait. Wrong form of travel. We are headed to the arena though. Spent the afternoon with SVP and Sportsnation. Aka my usual routine.

1:46 pm - Just found out that I can't ride back from Little Rock with the boys meaning I can't stay for their game. Apparently this blog and a radio show aren't "media" enough for Coach Davis to let me stay the extra night and ride back with them. Well that sucks.

1:50 pm - Shootaround closed as usual with half court shots. No one got it on the first try but Anne Marie nailed her 2nd attempt.

2:10 pm - Back at the hotel and I got handed an O'Charley's bag of food. These girls get fed like champions.

2:13 pm - That last comment was an understatement. Chicken, rice, broccoli, and baked potato for the pre-game meal.

2:40 pm - I'm full. I don't even know if I'm going to eat the press food at the game, and I never turn down free food.

12:56 pm - The amount of scouting that's done is amazing. Its like they know every possible thing Arkansas State could possibly do.

12:44 pm - Apparently all I had to do was complain. They turned on the lights in here. Now its obnoxiously bright. I'm squinting. Be careful what you wish for!

12:41 pm - On second thought this is a broke man's version. The lighting in here is terrible and the place kinda feels old. Still nice but old nonetheless.

12:22 pm - Just walked into the arena and I'm impressed. This place reminds me of a poor man's version of South Carolina's arena.

12:17 pm - They have an Olympic Dr. Which is completely appropriate because they've had 3 olympians (pause).

12:16 pm - Pulling into campus. Which looks, well, like the rest of town. Barren, bland, and relatively uninteresting.

12:12 pm - I've noticed a lot of "Go Red Wolves" signs. Love a town that gets behind a school. Ok, so its the only thing here, but you can't win em all!

11:54 am - On the bus. Everything is so organized. Jerseys and 2 water bottles on every girl's seat. Structure is a huge part of a winning environment.

11:48 am - Waiting on everyone to go to shootaround. I'm early because I have to be meaning waiting will be a common theme this week

Day 2 in Jonesboro. Also known as the last day in Jonesboro. Yessssss.

8:10 am - Ummm...it's dark in here. I'm used to my apartment which is bright at 6 am but it's incredibly dark. My phone says its 8 am but my mind and body is saying it's 4 you idiot, go back to bed.

8:25 am - Are you kidding me????? I hopped in the shower and when I hopped out 5 minutes later I found out a good bit of the shower had hopped out before me. The floor was soaked. And where were my 1 pair of jeans and my 1 pair of shorts? Yeah, that would be on the floor. Now it's time to borrow some sweats and head down to the dryer. Also the coffee here is garbage. So watery and no real creamer to put in it. Breakfast better go better.

8:45 am- Alright things are taking a positive turn! Breakfast is not just solid, it's actually really good. Biscuit and gravy, potatoes, and eggs that, despite they're fake, watery look, were actually really good. Add in a yogurt and I'm set!

8:46 am - On second thought I do have one tiff. The orange juice has pulp. A lot of people love pulp but I don't get it. I want my wake up process to go as smoothly as possible (which obviously hasn't happened this morning) and pulp free orange juice is smooth. Pulp is not. Not catastrophic though.

9:10 am - My swimming clothes (as in clothes that went swimming, not a bathing suit) are done and now I'm headed back to my room. There's nothing to do until 12 when we get on the bus for shootaround. No idea what I'm going to do between now and then.

9:24 am - Alright figured it out. Going to listen to the Scott Van Pelt show from yesterday. Being an ESPN insider definitely has its perks in terms of being able to go through the archives meaning I can listen to and download old shows. This is where a ton of our sound bytes come from for radio.

10:30 am - Solid show but it's over and I've still got an hour and a half until load up time. Now listening to the NBA Podcast with Ryen Russillo. Being a basketball "expert" requires work!

7:45 pm - Done with dinner and headed back to the hotel. Got a steak and it was overcooked. C'mon man!

6:06 pm - Our bus driver is inept. He really doesn't have a clue where he's going.

5:58 pm - Headed out to dinner. We're going to Outback because its the nicest place in Jonesboro. As one of the managers said, welcome to Arkansas.

4:55 pm - Pulled into the hotel. Bloods back in my legs again. Now the check in process.

4:41 pm - 13 miles to Jonesboro. This didn't suck as bad as it seemed.

3:54 pm - Traffic didn't last long. Thank god. Now hopping on I-55 and just passed a sign for Arkansas State. Inching closer.

3:54 pm - Traffic. Noooooooooooooo!!!

3:49 pm - Just passed over the Mississippi River into Arkansas. Went through Memphis really quickly as opposed to Nashville which took forever.

3:30 pm - Rome now on the tube. I can't stand him. And Sportsnation is on ESPN2 right now. I love them.

3:03 pm - Wow. Just stood up for 30 seconds and could feel the blood coming back to my legs. Don't think that's healthy.

2:14 pm - I would like to sleep but the sun is right in my eyes and its really bright. Closing them means that uncomfortable its bright through my eyes feeling.

2:03 pm - The back of the bus is actually quiet. I'm shocked.

1:43 pm - Its really bright. I don't own sunglasses. Splendid.

1:38 pm - Also my ears hurt like hell from my headphones so I had to take em off. This will add to the boredom but at least Sportscenter is on.

1:37 pm - Just finished two blogs. We're not even close to Memphis. Boredom could become a severe problem.

12:44 pm - We just passed a sign for Nashville State Tech Community College. Insert punchline here.

12:29 pm - We have direct tv in the bus!!! And we're watching Sportscenter. Life doesn't suck.

12:26 pm - This group of girls is the most ridiculous group of people I've ever been around. I can hear the eruptions of laughter through my headphones.

12:19 pm - One thing I've noticed is that everyone has a pillow...but me. When I asked what I needed to bring it would have been nice to have been told. Oh well

12:12 pm - Headphones on. Also I just got really tired. If I was a betting man I'd say I'm out before we get off 24 in Nashville.

12:00 pm - And we're off. I'm at the front of the bus with the staff and the girls are in the back and there is much giggling. No idea why. I blame Chelsia

Rooooaaaaaddddtttttrrrriiiiipppppp

Apparently staying in one place just isn't my thing. It's time to hit the road again, this time via bus to Arkansas with the Lady Raiders for their two game road trip against Arkansas State and UALR. We leave today (Tuesday) for their game tomorrow, then head out Thursday for Little Rock for Saturday's double header against UALR.

9:30 am - Up and at 'em. This is way later than New Orleans. I have that as a plus.

10:05 am - Headed to the Murphy Center and holy cow it's cold. Flurries for the second straight day. Wonderful.

10:20 am - Here at the Murphy Center and practice is in full effect. The sounds of basketballs and Coach Insell's voice.

10:40 am - It never ceases to amaze me how simple the game of basketball is and how many different ways there are to screw it up. That's not a knock on the girls at all, but a tribute to Coach Insell because he's able to simplify it so much. Also every time they do exactly what he wants it works to perfection. It's amazing. It shouldn't be this easy.

11:30 am - Time to load up the bus and head out. Or at least start the process. Tons of bags and food and other stuff to load up first.

11: 34 am - Zaxby's!!!! They told us we'd have lunch on the bus but Zaxby's? Win!

12:00 pm - And we're off. I'm at the front of the bus with the staff and the girls are in the back and there is much giggling. No idea why. I blame Chelsia. She's typically at the center of any shennanigans.

12:12 pm - Headphones on. Also I just got really tired. If I was a betting man I'd say I'm out before we get off 24 in Nashville.

12:19 pm - One thing I've noticed is that everyone has a pillow...but me. When I asked what I needed to bring it would have been nice to have been told. Oh well.

12:26 pm - This group of girls is the most ridiculous group of people I've ever been around. I can hear the eruptions of laughter through my headphones.

12:29 pm - We have direct tv in the bus!!! And we're watching Sportscenter. Life doesn't suck.

12:44 pm - We just passed a sign for Nashville State Tech Community College. Insert punchline here.

1:37 pm - Just finished two blogs. We're not even close to Memphis. Boredom could become a severe problem.  Also my ears hurt like hell from my headphones so I had to take em off. This will add to the boredom but at least Sportscenter is on.

1:43 pm - Its really bright. I don't own sunglasses. Splendid.

2:03 pm - The back of the bus is actually quiet. I'm shocked.

2:14 pm - I would like to sleep but the sun is right in my eyes and its really bright. Closing them means that uncomfortable its bright through my eyes feeling.

3:03 pm - Wow. Just stood up for 30 seconds and could feel the blood coming back to my legs. Don't think that's healthy.

3:30 pm - Rome now on the tube. I can't stand him. And Sportsnation is on ESPN2 right now. I love them.

3:49 pm - Just passed over the Mississippi River into Arkansas. Went through Memphis really quickly as opposed to Nashville which took forever.

The pyramid in Memphis is way cool

3:54 pm - Traffic. Noooooooooooooo!!!

3:58 pm - Traffic didn't last long. Thank god. Now hopping on I-55 and just passed a sign for Arkansas State. Inching closer.

4:41 pm - 13 miles to Jonesboro. This didn't suck as bad as it seemed.

4:55 pm - Pulled into the hotel. Bloods back in my legs again. Now the check in process.

5:58 pm - Headed out to dinner. We're going to Outback because its the nicest place in Jonesboro. As one of the managers said, welcome to Arkansas.

6:06 pm - Our bus driver is inept. He really doesn't have a clue where he's going.

7:45 pm - Done with dinner and headed back to the hotel. Got a steak and it was overcooked. C'mon man!

8:55 pm - Halftime of the Orange Bowl. This game has been everything it was hyped up to be. In other words its boring and I'm not sure why I'm still watching.

10:07 pm - The game hasn't gotten any better but I can't turn it off because it's still close. This should be called "inside the mind of a sports addict".

12:08 am - Alright time for bed. Sorry today hasn't been more exciting. Welcome to Arkansas.