Spizzlepop invades Portland

How wonderful that you guys were able to get together. Sounds like a great afternoon.

Rob, I too got to meet Spizzlepop yesterday in Portland! What a small world it is. And better yet, tomorrow, our boys teams will play each other in the championship game. I agree, he's a great guy. It is funny to meet hsbbwebsters because you really do feel like you've known them for years.

Spizzlepop

Interestesting question for you---we have seen a multiude of discussions regarding the so called "compressed schedule" impacting the students academics--how to the athletes at the University of Hawaii handle it with all the traveling ?

I am quite jealous though that my sons alma mater New Mexico State is in the same league with Hawaii now and this years league playoffs are in Hawaii--wasnt that way when he attended


Just interested in the academics aspect

CaBB:
Spiz told me he met you. What you didn't say was that he was with you as your son hit his first collegiate home run!

Congratulations!

I would be the most interested to meet gotwood4sale just to see if he spoke in photographs in real life as well.

It is truly wonderful to finally meet old friends for the first time. Thanks so much for the kind words, Rob and CaBB. It was a real treat to sit and share some great college baseball. And as Rob noted, I was also a fortunate witness to a bit of history! Beau Fraser, CaBB’s son, hit his first collegiate home run soon after I sat down to talk with her and her husband.
Beau Fraser (what a great baseball name!) is a star in the making. He’s a heavy hitting freshman catcher who destroyed Rainbow pitching all weekend. He plays like a veteran and I'll predict that he’ll soon be the #1 receiver. I don’t see how they can keep Beau out of the Pilot’s lineup. Awesome kid and a great bat!

Speaking of awesome catchers, my timing wasn’t quite as spot on with Rob’s son. Jeff was out of town on a spring break trip. For now I’ll have to settle for reports and updates from Rob on his high school season, and look forward to being a Duke baseball fan next year.

As for invading Portland... well I kept the plundering confined to the wife's peanuts. Portland is a great American city, and PGE is a real gem of a ballpark. You can feel the history and appreciate the timeless nature of baseball with a manually operated scoreboard. The variety of sight lines is amazing. I’d never been to a park before, where you can sit literally on the field and enjoy a beer and a brat. Such a shame that the city announced the past weekend it’s plans to convert PGE into a facility for unspeakable acts (sokker!!!!) and build a new yard for the Beavs.

I sure would like to return someday and watch a game when the temps are in the 70s or 80s. I bet the PCL is a great league for players, especially when they're in Portland.

TR,
The USD along with UH Hilo dropping to D2 was actually a double whammy for the Bows. It used to be that they could start a week early and get their inter-island rivalry going, but no more. Still, they manage to get quality non-conference opponents to come out for a series. UC Irvine, Mississippi St, LMU, and Coastal Carolina don’t come all that way to lay around on the beach; they come to play a pretty good baseball team.

Travel has always been a challenge for the Bows, but I never hear anyone whine about it. All trips to the mainland are at least 6 days, and sometimes up to 12 days. They take 4 trips this season, with Minnesota being the furthest destination and 8 days being the longest.

School is a high priority and the players treat it accordingly. They always take an academic advisor with them, and they have study hall every night, even while on spring break. I have no idea how they did it in the pre-internet days. I really don’t think Hawaii athletes are any different than those on the mainland, but Coach Trapasso really keeps their noses to the grindstone.

spizzle

Advisors are fine but what about class curriculum amd exams ---it certainly is no walk in the park for the players

TR,
As with all athletes, curriculum issues arise in conflicts with practice as much as with games. I suppose afternoon labs are the classic example, and besides they're hands-on classes and really can't be made up. I think exams are different in that they can be made up or submitted electronically.

Spizzle

I was just wondering how they took care of it

When my son traveled they took the exams before the trip they even if out sequence

No matter how you cut it , it aint easy

Wow Spizzle, that is high praise coming from such an experienced baseball dad. My humble son would be embarrassed if he reads this. As a mom though it warms my heart to hear praise about my son. He is an extremely hard worker and is passionate about baseball.

Kudos to your team for winning the championship of the Rose City Invitational. What a great game and great sports on both sides. Very classy kids and parents. We certainly got our money's worth in 12 innings! I'm sorry your son didn't pitch against us but he sure looked great when I saw him pitch the day before. It's always interesting to me to see the scouts all sitting together and their guns going up in unison for a good pitcher. Good luck to a classy team the rest of the season.

PGE Park is a beautiful venue for a baseball game. It really is a shame it's going to be converted for s****r.

And, Rob if you're around during this season come up and say Hi. Would love to meet you and your son.