beast of the east
Active member
I saw some of you there, but I sat by myself on the Union turnpike side of the bleachers.
When Mullin says it was surreal for him, I know what it means. I felt like Marley in "A Christmas Carol". It was like observing something that was happening but it didn't seem quite real, like I was there but not there. Aside from some catcalls to Mullin - he acknowledged a couple of them, and some warm applause, the place wasn't rocking. If I had to guess the entire audience is covered with scabs from pinching themselves over the events of the past 72 hours.
On the way out I chatted with a student who interns in the AD. I asked him if there is a buzz on campus, and he said there is - an important aspect if CA is to become a student destination next season. I picked up my Sealy bobbleheads - another intern went to great lengths to verify I was a season ticket holder, while the other one joked that they have so many I could take a case.
Read between the lines people. If you are a casual fan, or just want to relive the glory days you can soak up all the sentimentality of the day. There was plenty. But for Mullin, as much as he is thrilled to be home, this is a lion returning to his hunting grounds. He came here to be kind of the jungle, and there is nothing sentimental about building a top 20, top 10, top 5 team. He intends to do it the old fashion way, to patrol his old hunting grounds, to find the next Chris Mullin, or Walter Berry, Lew Alcindor, or any number of kids starring for other schools. He may still have that boyish grin, but the same way he was all business on the court, that's the way he is going to approach this job.
The real BOTE may have just taken the reigns of a dusty old relic, and is going to give it his best not to just restore it, but to raise it to new heights.
When Mullin says it was surreal for him, I know what it means. I felt like Marley in "A Christmas Carol". It was like observing something that was happening but it didn't seem quite real, like I was there but not there. Aside from some catcalls to Mullin - he acknowledged a couple of them, and some warm applause, the place wasn't rocking. If I had to guess the entire audience is covered with scabs from pinching themselves over the events of the past 72 hours.
On the way out I chatted with a student who interns in the AD. I asked him if there is a buzz on campus, and he said there is - an important aspect if CA is to become a student destination next season. I picked up my Sealy bobbleheads - another intern went to great lengths to verify I was a season ticket holder, while the other one joked that they have so many I could take a case.
Read between the lines people. If you are a casual fan, or just want to relive the glory days you can soak up all the sentimentality of the day. There was plenty. But for Mullin, as much as he is thrilled to be home, this is a lion returning to his hunting grounds. He came here to be kind of the jungle, and there is nothing sentimental about building a top 20, top 10, top 5 team. He intends to do it the old fashion way, to patrol his old hunting grounds, to find the next Chris Mullin, or Walter Berry, Lew Alcindor, or any number of kids starring for other schools. He may still have that boyish grin, but the same way he was all business on the court, that's the way he is going to approach this job.
The real BOTE may have just taken the reigns of a dusty old relic, and is going to give it his best not to just restore it, but to raise it to new heights.
