Next Up: LMU at Vegas

I wrote a long post with insightful analytics, which disappeared into the ether when I hit send. So, I just hope the Pilots show up for this game and play well, win or lose.

up7587 wrote: So, I just hope the Pilots show up for this game and play well, win or lose.

A few of us have talked about "showing up" in Las Vegas by car, but as none of us are yet 21, we're wondering if a 32 hour road trip will be worth it if the Pilots go out after one game.  And as Spring Break doesn't begin until the weekend after the tournament, we're not sure at least two days of missed classes is worth the possibility of a one-and-done.

What would you do?

I’d study.

OldePilot wrote:I’d study.

I'd like to say I would have stayed back and studied, but we all know that would be a lie.

As for Vegas under 21, there is still plenty to do, but Vegas is way more fun when drunk!

Seeing as the Pilots' game is at 6PM on Friday, you could leave after classes on Thursday, drive for 8 hours, catch a nap, drive for 8 more hours Friday, and get there in plenty of time for the game. Win or lose, you could return home by Sunday ('cause we ain't winning Saturday), and be back to classes on Monday. So, only missing one day. And sleeping is overrated anyway.

OK, now in my dad voice, be sure to check the mountain pass road conditions, and have the needed safety equipment. There are some lonely stretches of road on that trip.

Gee, I think I'd still study

Well this season has been a bit of a disappointment. A 4-14 conference record is right about where the prognosticators (both human and machine) had pegged the Pilots, if I recall correctly. But I held out hope that we'd punch above our weight just a bit, and perhaps make it into the top 6 of the conference. My disappointment isn't just that we finished in 9th, but that I think we played below our potential.

I'm hoping the Pilots can win this evening. It would be nice to have something good happen for the guys at the end of another rough season.

It seems like there could be some major upheaval in the WCC this offseason. Should be interesting to see how the dust settles, and how the Pilots are positioned next fall.

Regardless of what happens with the composition of the league and the rosters of the other teams, here's hoping that we keep our young talent, and that all of these near-misses this season do what we've always heard they are supposed to: prepare us to take a significant step forward next year!

StudentPilot wrote:A few of us have talked about "showing up" in Las Vegas by car, but as none of us are yet 21, we're wondering if a 32 hour road trip will be worth it if the Pilots go out after one game.  And as Spring Break doesn't begin until the weekend after the tournament, we're not sure at least two days of missed classes is worth the possibility of a one-and-done.

What would you do?

What was the decision, StudentPilot? Did "a few" of you make the road trip for this game?

I'd love to hear from any PN contributors who are in attendance what the extent of the UP cheering section is for the game tonight. I can't imagine too many fans deciding it is worth their while this year. It wasn't for me. I'll be on my couch in North Portland, watching on BYUtv.

- Blow a double digit lead/run
- Scoring droughts like the Sahara Las Vegas desert
- Phil gets foul trouble early
- Can't capitalize in close games

#justportlandthings

Turns out D1 basketball is a lot like little league - how much time you get depends on how well you know the coach.

Post game radio with Kramer: https://vocaroo.com/i/s00rJaSWmBI2

NoPoNeighbor wrote:I'd love to hear from any PN contributors who are in attendance what the extent of the UP cheering section is for the game tonight. I can't imagine too many fans deciding it is worth their while this year. It wasn't for me. I'll be on my couch in North Portland, watching on BYUtv.

The Pilot fan attendance is pretty good, although I didn't see any road weary students. There are lots of other games besides the UP ones, and plenty of other activities, too.

NoPoNeighbor wrote:What was the decision, StudentPilot? Did "a few" of you make the road trip for this game?

Sunny and nice now after being chilly earlier this morning in Zion after spending last night in St. George, but yes, after exploring Las Vegas all day Friday, we went to the reception and game last night.  It was easy to find tickets and empty seats midway up behind the UP bench.

Long story short, I was given two airline passes and the loan of a car in Las Vegas, and then asked my girlfriend if she'd like to go to Las Vegas....and here we are, both of us for the first time.  

Staying in Mesquite tonight, and back to Portland tomorrow.

A contributor to this forum advised me to "get out and have fun while you're still in college with few obligations...studying is over rated."  Boy, was he right!

StudentPilot wrote:

NoPoNeighbor wrote:What was the decision, StudentPilot? Did "a few" of you make the road trip for this game?

Sunny and nice now after being chilly earlier this morning in Zion after spending last night in St. George, but yes, after exploring Las Vegas all day Friday, we went to the reception and game last night.  It was easy to find tickets and empty seats midway up behind the UP bench.

Long story short, I was given two airline passes and the loan of a car in Las Vegas, and then asked my girlfriend if she'd like to go to Las Vegas....and here we are, both of us for the first time.  

Staying in Mesquite tonight, and back to Portland tomorrow.

A contributor to this forum advised me to "get out and have fun while you're still in college with few obligations...studying is over rated."  Boy, was he right!

Nice work, StudentPilot! That's how you take advantage of an opportunity. WCC tourney, national park visit, Vegas, all in one weekend. Kudos. And did you take the photo? If so, it's beautiful! I don't know what you're studying at UP, but looks like you could supplement whatever field you go into with some photo work.

Back to the game...

This final game was an good representation of the woes the Pilots faced (inflicted upon themselves) all season long.

Very unfortunate for Hartwich that his last collegiate game went as it did. His worst game of the season? 7 minutes played, 2 rebounds, 0 points, 4 fouls. Didn't play at all in the last 16 minutes of the game. A disappointing way to go out.

Picture taking in Zion was pretty easy.  The nice people at the motel in St. George told us right where to sit and what time the best morning sunlight should be...the rest was just a click of a smartphone camera.  

We took a lot more pictures on Saturday and Sunday when we took a driving tour of the Lake Mead area and a flying tour of the Grand Canyon....but I'm sure you've all been there.

As both of us wanted to ride up front in the airplanes that flew us around the Grand Canyon (we're both aspiring pilots and wanted some time with our hands on the controls), we took separate aircraft.  She flew with a young guy who was too much like Tom Cruise (no worries, his girlfriend was in the back seat), and I flew with an old and grumpy guy who had flown gunships in Vietnam.

Thanks to the airline passes, the borrowed car, and the advice that studying was "over rated," we only missed one class each and had the time of our lives.  

StudentPilot wrote:. . . and I flew with an old and grumpy guy who had flown gunships in Vietnam.

DD, was that you?

Great trip, SP. Glad you made it.

up7587 wrote:DD, was that you?

Nope, I flew another kind of "gunship," but you can imagine why this gunship pilot might be grumpy....


Phouc Vinh, Vietnam, 1970.