Aug 16, 2009

Running around the country!


Hello Everyone

Some people have been getting on me about not updating the blog so here is the update! I hope I can remember what all to talk about as a lot of things have happened since the last blog. I went up and worked the Michigan University camp which was a great experience, visited one of my old teammates and best friend in Florida, and went on a road trip out east with my grandparents. That should give me plenty to write about!

Ann Arbor and the Michigan camp was a great week for me and possibly my career in coaching. My old coach and friend from Butler, Jeff Meyer was the one that hooked me up with the position. It was much like any other college camp, but the reason I did it was to broaden my networking. Going through business school at Butler I believe I heard about how important networking is about 22 times a class. They are right though especially when it comes to the coaching world. There were a lot of other coaches I was able to meet and speak with. Coach Beilein reminds me a lot of coach Lickliter, humble, hard worker, and very passionate about basketball. It was a lot of fun the entire week, but I think that had a lot to do with the 10 kids I coached. I had kids that were going to be 9th graders. We won the championship so that always makes things better. I had one of the best compliments from one of the kid’s parents. They came up and said they have been coming to the Michigan camp for over 8 years and I was the best coach they have had. I was very flattered, but then they said they were going to send a letter to Michigan as well. That was just gravy on top after a great week in Ann Arbor. I also got to get a sneak peak of the big house, and stand in the middle of the field. It would be much better if the 100,000+ ppl were in there, but still a very cool stadium.


I also spent my annual week down in St. Petersburg, Florida with Brian Ligon, a teammate from Butler. Like usual we had a great time. I tried my hand at wakeboarding and can’t say I did a very good. I almost got up on the last one and then the rope snapped on me. We spent some time at the Ferg’s sports bar where we ordered 50 wings and watched UFC 100 and met some unique people! We also had a day of firing the BB gun, we won’t go into details on that one! I also introduced Brian to the world of hooka, not that I am an expert. I just have been to one in Europe! I think I’m ready to go back already (to Florida not the hooka bar!).

Finally, I took a trip with the grandparents and one of my little cousins to the northeast. The purpose of the trip was to see my brother graduate from the navy Chaplin school in Newport, RI. I must say not everyone is as lucky as me to have grandparents like I do. It is amazing how loving these two people are. They decided to drive over 28 hours for a 2 hour graduation. They are so loving and supportive of all 29 million grandchildren they have (ok maybe it is only 21). The crazy thing is the each grandchild thinks they are the favorite. That is amazing that my grandparents are able to share that much time to build a relationship with all of them that they all believe they are the favorite. I know my grandparents have no favorites, but Never the less I’m still the favorite grandchild!!! I think that my brother said it the best in an interview he had, he said “My grandpa always told me I was a crone and I represent that name”. My Grandparents have showed us what it means to live a good Christian life and they have never disappointed me in 25 years!

Well back to the road trip we left on a Sunday morning and made it to Binghamton, NY. We then drove the rest of the way to sterling, MA. That is where my great uncle lives. It is about 50 miles outside of Boston. We spent a day there and went through a giant corn maze. Who knew we would go out east and go through a corn maze! I was ordering clam chowder like I had never had it before, but man it was so good. I was also able to get an entire Lobster and prime rib for $20. We then drove in to Newport, Rhode Island which was about an hour in a half from sterling. That place was beautiful. They had some huge mansions and something they called a cliff walk. It was three miles long and ran next to the water, just beautiful. We took a trolley around the city to see everything. It was like 102 degrees so that was not a lot of fun. My parents and Loren did not know I was coming out so the look on their face that evening when we ran into them was priceless. Loren graduated the next morning in a short, but nice ceremony. After that we drove over to Boston and took a trolley around the city and also a water ferry. We also went to cheers and got some food. I must say that is a terrible idea. If you are ever in Boston and want food, do not go to cheers! It was a cloudy and chilly day, but very fun. We finished up our road trip with a stop to Niagara Falls. That place is absolutely beautiful. The last time I was there it was freezing and was half frozen still. I liked going in the summer a little better. The trip was fabulous and I ate like a king. We just had a ball. I hope I get an opportunity to take a road trip with my grandparents again sometime soon!


Until next time

This is BC gone for now!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Brandon,

good pics and great update!

your grandparents are the best! :)

Big Al

Anonymous said...

What about new season? Had you already signed anything?