Hello from downtown Atlanta! Our current road trip continues on in full swing. We got it started on the right foot with a very solid 94-70 win at Piedmont College on Friday. We coaches expected the guys to show some level of rust in terms of execution, having not played a game in fifteen days due to final exams. However, the guys competed and played well together, and they really defended in the second half to put the game away. It was a good road win.
After the Piedmont game we headed straight to Atlanta, where we've had a productive weekend so far. After we arrived on Friday evening we broke off into smaller groups and did some exploring of the city. I had the pleasure of eating dinner at a place called the The Varsity, which is the largest drive-in restaurant in the world. The double bacon cheeseburger and fries did me well – more healthy eating for Coach Post on the road!
Growing up and later attending college in New York City, I would always look at tourists with a little bit of derision, as they fumbled with their maps and just looked generally confused. So naturally, I was that guy on Friday night in Atlanta, map in hand. I guess karma caught up to me a little on that one. At least I made it back to the hotel without being hustled or ending up in Alabama. Successful evening!
We then had a busy Saturday here in this southern gem of a city. After breakfast our group headed to the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site. The site was created in 1980 to preserve and commemorate the life and legacy of Dr. King. We spent some time walking through the visitor center, which contains a number of exhibits detailing the key moments in Dr. King's life. Later we walked through Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Dr. King gave many of his inspirational speeches over the years. We then moved on to view the final resting place for Dr. King and his wife. Their crypt sits in the middle of large reflecting pool on one side of the site.
It was a very powerful experience for all of us. Obviously Dr. King's message of freedom, equality, and nonviolent resistance to oppression has served to inspire untold numbers of people over the years. Being able to literally walk in the same places where Dr. King once did was truly moving.
We spend a great deal of time focusing on the basketball side of things, but it is always important for coaches to keep perspective and balance. It is not that what we do isn't important or worthy of effort and dedication. However, when you stop to consider the unbelievable struggles that people like Dr. King went through, the immense challenges that they rose up to meet, and the amazing impact that they had on the lives of others, it makes you appreciate all that you have and inspires you to lead a life of significance.
After viewing the MLK historic site we headed off to practice. We were very fortunate to have secured a fantastic location for it: the Georgia Tech men's basketball practice facility. It is not everyday that a Division III team can practice in an ACC-level facility. You could tell that the guys were really enjoying it. Buoyed by our big-time surroundings, we had a very spirited workout in preparation for LaGrange.
We finished off the day with a delicious dinner at a sports-themed restaurant named Stats here in downtown. Having just arrived back in the hotel, we look forward to another long (but successful) day tomorrow. In the late morning we will travel to LaGrange and hopefully grab another win before we start the 10-hour journey back to Newport News.
So take a break from your Sunday football watching and follow along at cnusports.com. I look forward to checking back in with the hopefully happy recap next week. Until then, good luck finishing up your holiday shopping…Go Captains!
