Running Diary: Orange Blues

Matt McDonough, Daily Campus columnist and WHUS sports director Andrew Callahan, WHUS sports director Chris Jones and I traveled up to Syracuse for the UConn men's basketball team's loss to the Orange last weekend. Here's our story.

Friday

2:02 p.m.: Andrew was the driver on the road trip. Not only due to the fact that he has a car, but Matt and I are terrible drivers, especially on the highway. It's scary. After Drew picks Matt and I up, Chris needs to get radio equipment from Garrigus Suites. We run into Daily Campus managing editor Mac Cerullo outside Putnam Dining Hall. As we pull away, I can tell he's jealous we're making the trip. 

3:13 p.m.: As we cross the Massachusetts border, Chris is blaring "Lonely People," from Boston's Boy Sammy Adams. Not my first choice of music. Let's just say I paid too much to see Sammy for free at South last semester.

3:17 p.m.: We pass the Basketball Hall of Fame on our left. There's an LA Fitness across the street from the Hall of Fame. I wonder if my expired LA guest pass would suffice to get me into the Hall to shoot around.

3:21 p.m.: We pass American International College's hockey arena. It's safe to say with that facility they're not getting into Hockey East anytime soon.

3:29 p.m.: An old blue truck passes us, and to our shock there is a Husky painted on the side. On one of the doors it reads "Connecticut Huskies." Matt wrote his license plate number down: ICKB20. If the guy driving that truck reads this article, I'll buy it from you. It didn't look like it was in that great of shape, but anything is less embarrassing than driving your mother's minivan around.

4:17 p.m.: After driving through the countryside of western Mass, we cross the New York border with Coldplay's "Paradise" playing. I wouldn't describe it as paradise. Looked more like Storrs. In fact, most of upstate New York reminded me of the movie "Wrong Turn." You know, the one where incestual mutants in West Virginia go on a killing spree because the Big East won't let them leave for the Big 12?

6:17 p.m.: Turning Stone Casino was a perfect place for a quick pit stop. My back was really hurting me. I understand why Jim Calhoun can't coach yet. I'm not sure if my back was aching due to the car ride, or the fact that I finally hit triple digits on the rowing machine. It only took four years.

8:56 p.m.: The four of us all lost cash at the casino. Someone please teach me how to win at roulette or blackjack. I suck. After the casino we arrive at the Ramada in Liverpool, N.Y., a short drive from Syracuse.

11:25 p.m.: A taxi driver picks Matt and I up and brings us to Marshal Street in Syracuse. A block off campus, Lucy's Bar provides a beach-theme atmosphere. Maybe that's how the Orange got in the ACC. That was the closest thing to the Atlantic Coast we saw on the trip.

Just a couple of tips in case you ever visit the Syracuse campus: "What does the circus and UConn have in common? They both have two more rings than Syracuse," is not a good icebreaker if you're trying to meet people. And if you're a male talking to a female, "Orange you glad we met?" is not a good pick up line.

Saturday

2:34 a.m.: The cabbie drops us back off at the hotel in Liverpool. After Lucy's Matt and I walked up the street to Syracuse's version of Hunting Lodge Road. We met a couple of friends at a frat party. Some of the Syracuse students we were introduced to were way too nice to us. Even after hearing we were visiting from UConn, they didn't talk as much smack as one would think. It still didn't make me hate Syracuse any less, though.

9:50 a.m.: Wake up in the Ramada and have to scramble to get our credentials before the game. After parking the car, Matt and I hit up a tailgate blocks from the Carrier Dome. There were over 100 people there and a DJ playing music. This is 11 a.m. before a basketball game. UConn needs to start doinqqqg this.

12:16 p.m.: I enter the Carrier Dome for the first time. It's a unique setting and a really cool atmosphere.

1:05 p.m.: Tipoff between No. 2 Syracuse and UConn.

Sometime around 4 p.m., I forget: I don't need to go into detail about the game. It was on national television, I'm sure most of you watched it.