Where's Kevin? Where's Honey?

May 17, 2011

Dear friends, colleagues, UAA fans and Honey lovers,

It's been five months since I ended my road trip to visit the universities of the UAA. Five months since the soccer matches, cross country training and football games.

I miss it. It's hard to re-create the spirit, the smells, the sounds, the cheers in my room here in Atlanta. But I'm shaping it. I'm also reaching out to the athletes from the past from each school who personify the mission of the University Athletic Association. My plan is to solicit two alumni from each school and use their stories and their successes after graduation to show how important the UAA is.

I will soon post the first profile in this series, about Dr. Marsha Harris, who helped lead the NYU women to their national basketball championship.

A couple of months ago I was made an offer I couldn't refuse: To work for a few months editing newsletters for the fabulous Website, WebMD. Funnily enough, I keep running across the names of medical researchers at Chicago and Rochester and Washington in the stories we write about the latest medical research.

Because of my work at WebMD, I have had to cut back the time I am spending on the book. But I am still working on it.

It's graduation time, and that makes me think of all the athletes who will be heading off to jobs or graduate school and who will be leaving their organized sports lives behind. Leaving it behind for the first time in 15 or 16 years. What a shock it will be for them come September, when there are no practices, no bus trips, no team meetings. What there was, however, was a great education and a great experience of pursuing your sport at the highest level. The UAA is so established now, it's hard for newcomers to imagine what sports at your schools used to be like. The athletics programs existed long before the UAA. But no doubt the quality of competition and level of commitment would not be what it is today if that group of presidents hadn't gotten together in 1985 to get the ball rolling.

It's graduation time, and that makes me think of the juniors and sophomores who will be stepping into new roles next season. And the freshmen, who think they are hot or think they are not, who will be joining the veterans of Brandeis or Case or Carnegie Mellon.

There's a very good reason that people get teary at this time of year: What the seniors have accomplished is great and what they will accomplish is great. It makes folks proud, and sad, and ready. My own son, in fact, graduates this Sunday from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts.

And next fall, everyone will do it all over again. The UAA's 25th season.

Thanks to all who have helped with the UAA book along the way.


Kevin Austin
P.S. Aren't you forgetting about Honey? My trusty home on wheels is going just fine, parked halfway between my driveway and a pupular tavern known as Manuel's. I got mufflers now. And my couch doesn't turn itself into a bed when I hit a bump. And the black water tank doesn't leak anymore. On occasional weekends,  Honey and my girls, Claire and Leia, head to a nearby state park for a long weekend.

UAA Schools in Latest Basketball Polls

Brandeis University is the only UAA school in the latest (Nov. 30) D3 men's basketball poll.
 NABC D3 Men's Basketball Poll

Two UAA schools, Washington University and the University of Rochester, are ranked in the latest (Nov. 30) D3 women's basketball poll.
WBCA D3 Women's Basketball Poll


UAA Men's Basketball Schedule and Scores

UAA Women's Basketball Schedule and Scores

NCAA Volleyball Tournament Starts Friday

Emory's volleyball team celebrates winning regional championship Sunday.

Volleyball
Here are the matchups for the volleyball championship this weekend at Washington University, with each team's national ranking in parentheses. Wash U, Emory and NYU are all in the same bracket, so there won't be an all-UAA final.

12:30 p.m. Friday - University of St. Thomas (12) vs.  Juniata College (3)
3:00 p.m. Friday - Calvin College (10) vs. University of Massachusetts-Boston (24)
5:30 p.m. - Emory University (1) vs. Christopher Newport University (5)
8:00 p.m. - Washington University in St. Louis (3) vs. NYU (15)

Check the Wash U web site for more information and live coverage on Friday. Washington University Athletics

Soccer
Emory will play Wheaton in the next round of the NCAA women's soccer championship Friday in Abilene, Texas, at 2:30 p.m.

The teams do have at least one common opponent in the regular season: The University of Chicago. Emory lost at home to Chicago 1-0, and the Maroons lost on the road to Wheaton 1-0.

Check the Emory web site for more information and live coverage on Friday. Emory Athletics

Article About UAA Road Trip on ncaa.org

Sunrise in Jamaica Plain from the house where my son lives.

Good morning from Boston, where I slept in a house without wheels last night.
Visiting my son Benjamin for two days before heading to Atlanta on Sunday. (Last month I visited Joe, my older son, in Brooklyn during my NYU stop.)
There's a break in conference play in soccer, and the volleyball and cross country championships are coming up. NYU hosts the cross country championships at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx on Oct. 30 (take the 1 or 9 train and get off at 242nd Street). Case Western Reserve University hosts the volleyball tournament in Cleveland on Nov. 5-6. Conference play in soccer resumes Friday and Sunday.

There's an article about the UAA and my road trip on ncaa.org. Check it out.


Go to article posted on ncaa.org

Vote For Your Favorite Warm-up Play List

Rick Lackner, the Carnegie Mellon football coach, had asked one of his assistants to put “Duke of Earl” on Rick’s phone as his ringtone. Rick graduated from Carnegie Mellon in 1979 and has been the head coach since 1986.

Rick Lackner likes "Duke of Earl."

But the assistant couldn’t find it, so he set Rick’s ringtone to Rap Tone from Verizon.

Funny.

Here is the 2010 version of “Duke of Earl” – the warm-up music that several teams blast across the stadium or court while they are warming up before a match.

Typically, players suggest the songs and a person in each athletics department approves the music.

Tell me which list you like best by voting in the poll on the blog at uaaroadtrip.blogspot.com. I tried to spellcheck the list and ruined two laptops in the process, so forgive me the spelling inconsistencies

(I need a driver: After Emory plays Rochester in Atlanta next Friday, I need to drive to Chicago in time for the Sunday morning matches. 1,100 miles. No way that Honey, Claire and Leia can do it by ourselves. Any intrepid souls out there who want to help me drive to Chicago? Getting home will be your problem. kevinsquieraustin@gmail.com)

Number 1

All I Do is Win - DJ Khaled; Give Me Freedom - Mando Diao; Til' I Collapse - Eminem; DJ Got Us Falling in Love - Usher; I Made It - Kevin Rudolph; Electric Feel - MGMT; Power - Kanye West

8 Dynamite - Taio Cruz; Lip Gloss - Lil Mama; Teenage Dream - Katy Perry; Teach Me How to Dougie - Cali Swag District; Baby I Like It - Enrique Iglesias; Diva - Beyonce; Cooler Than Me - Mike Posner; Hard - Rihanna

16 Let It Rock - Kevin Rudolph; Can't Handle Me - Flo-Rida

JayZ

18 Misery - Maroon 5; Fuego - Pitbull; Just Dance - Lady Gaga; That's Not My Name - The Ting Tings; Somebody to Love - Justin Bieber; Jai Ho - Ar Rahman; Love is My Drug - Ke$ha; Everybody - Backstreet Boys; Spice Up Your Life - Spice Girls

Number 2

“bittersweet” -The Verve;  “hip hop saved my life” - Lupe Fiasco;  “wasteland” -10 years; “Right here right now” - Fat boy Slim “Ghetto gospel” - 2pac “anytime” - Eve 6; “aint no rest for the wicked” - Cage the Elephant;  “Let it rock” - Kevin Rudolph; “finally moving” - Pretty Lights; “fast car” – Wyclef Jean

Number 3

 “empire state of mind new york new york mashup “Boondock Saints Theme song “Brooklyn Go Hard” - Jay-z, featuring Santigold; “Ooh Ahh” - Grits ft. Toby Mac “Over (Hypercrush Remix)- Drake; “1901” – Phoenix; “Memories” - Kid Cudi; “Space Jam” - Quad City Djs; “Give Me the World” - Zak!“The Thrill” - Wiz Khalifa; “You Ougtha Know” - Das Racist; “Awesome” - XV
“Call on Me” - Eric Prydz; “Mais que Nada” - Sergio Mendes
“Who Dat” - J.Cole; “Under the Sheets” - Chiddy Bang featuring Elie Goulding
“Speak no Americano- Yolanda Be Cool; “Wavin Flag Celebration Remix” - K'Naan; “Power” - Kanye ; “Immigrant Song” - Led Zepplin; “Brooklyn Girls” - Charles Hamilton “W.a.l.e.d.a.n.c.e” - Wale
“1504” - Whitest Boy Alive; “Streamline” – Newton; “I Wish I Broke You” - White Panda
“Pursuit of Happiness” -  (Steve Aoki remix) - Kid Cudi; “It's Tricky” - Run DMC; “Hey ya”  OutKast; “California Love” – Tupac; “Blow Up” - J.Cole; “Smells like Teen Spirit” – Nirvana “Vertigo” - U2; “All-Star” - Smash Mouth; “Roc Boys” – Jayz “Til I Collaspe” - Eminem; “Welcome to NYC” - Jay-z Juelz Santana Cam'ron

Number 4

“empire state of mind” - jay z; “teenage wasteland” - the who; “power” - kanye west; “bring em out” - ti; “waka waka” - shakira; “jai ho” - pussycat dollz; “shooting star” - lmfao; “bang bang” - k'naan
“anyway you want it” - glee cast; “enter sandman” - metallica; “bulletproof” - la roux hypercrush remix; “no te veo” - casa de leones; “dynamite” - tao cruz; “let me think about I" - ida corr; “i like it” - enrique iglesias; “alejandro” - lady gaga skrillex remix; “no getting over you” - david guetta; “always be my baby” - mariah carey

Number 5

“Back In Black” - AC/DC; “Patiently Waiting” - 50 Cent (featuring Eminem)

“Up All Night” - Drake featuring Nicki Minaj; “I'm Shipping Up to Boston” - Dropkick Murphys : whole song; “Cinderella Man” – Eminem; “Uptown” - Drake; “Duffle Bag Boy” - Playaz Circle; “Wavin’ Flag” - K’naan (World Cup 2010 Anthem); “Hot Like Sauce” - Pretty Lights; “Space Jams Theme Song” - Quad City DJ's; “Paradise City” - Guns N' Roses

“Crazy Train” - Ozzy Osbourne; “Despicable” – Eminem; “I'm Illy” - T.I. : Start

“If I Can't” - 50 Cent; “Lose Yourself” – Eminem; “One Day” - Matisyahu

“Dope Boys” - The Game; “Play Your Cards” - Yung Joc

“Numb” - Linkin Park; “Megalomaniac” - Incubus

“Hysteria” – Muse; “Hells Bells” - AC/DC 

Number 6

“Jump Around” - Jock Jams; “Tambourine” - Eve; “Imma Be” - The Black Eyed Peas; “Get Like Me” - David Banner ; “Up in Here” - DMX; “Rude Boy” (remix) - Rihanna featuring Rick Ross-; “Take it Off” - Kesha – ; “Celebration” – Madonna, featuring Akon; “Memories” - David Guetta featuring Kid Cudi; “Teach Me How to Dougie” - California Swag District

Major Lazer ft. Vybz Kartel- “Pon de Floor” -

The Game ft. Tupac and Easy E- “How We Do (Remix); Jock Jams- “Boom Boom Boom” -

Missy Elliot- “For My People” -; “Good Ol’ Fashion Rump Shaker” - The Hood Internet: Beastie Boys vs. Matt and Kim; “Bombs Over Baghdad” - Outkast-

Jay-Z ft. Swizz Beatz- “On to the Next One” -

The Hood Internet (Michael Jackson vs. Ratatat)- “Billie “Wildcat” Jean”

Armand Van Helden- “You Don’t Even Know Me” -

“Feel So Good” Mase;  “Can’t Stop” – Girl Talk

Jason Derulo- “Ridin Solo” - (Remix)

“Dynamite” - Taio Cruz-

Ying Yang Twins featuring Pitbull- “Shake” -

Fatman Scoop- “Put Ya Hangs Up” -; Big Tymers- “Still Fly” -

Chris Brown featuring “I Lil’Wayne and Swizz Beatz- Can Transform Ya” -

Jay-Z- “Beware of the Boys”; Kanye West- “Touch the Sky” -

“Get U Home” - Shwayze-

Number 7

“G Joint” - Styles P; “Rock Star” - R Kelly ft. Kid Rock & Ludacris

“Turn me up” - Benny Benassi; “You make the rain fall” - Kevin Rudolf featuring Flo-Rida

“Mayhem” (Take me away) remix - Tyrese; “Can't be touched” - Roy Jones Jr.; “Up, up and away” - Kid Cudi; “So Krispy” - Kinfolk kia shine; “Magic” - B.O.B featuring Rivers Cuomo

“Under Pressure” – Queen; “Wavin Flag” - 2010 World Cup Anthem lyrics by k'naan

“Im'ma shine” - Young Bloodz; “Infinity 2008” (radio edit)- Guru Josh Project; “Rebels of the Sacred Heart”  - Flogging Molly; “Welcome to the jungle” - Guns and Roses

“Til' I collapse” (Remix) - Eminem; “Still Bleeding” - Super Mash Bros.; “Sandstorm” - Da Rude

“Get it on the floor” – DMX; “I Made It”  - Kevin Rudolf featuring Birdman, Jay; Sean, lil Wayne; “Rock this party” (Everybody Dance Now remix by DJ Flash 2006)- Bob Sinclair

“Say Yeah” - Wiz Khalifa; “Stronger” (A-Trak Remix) - Kanye West; “Whiskey in the Jar”  - The Pogues; “Hero” - Nas Featuring Keri Hilson; “Make Way” - Birdman featuring Fat Joe and Lil Wayne; “Hate Me Now” - Nas; “Top Back” - T.I.; “Go Getta” - Young Jeezy featuring R. Kelly; “All i do is win” - DJ Khaled Featuring Ludacris, Rick Ross, T-Pain, Snoop Dogg

Number 8

Flower - Moby; Miss Me - Drake; Teenage Crime - Adrian Lux; Yeah Ya Know - T.I. ; Hate It or Love it - The Game; Get By - Talib Kweli; Thug Motivation - Young Jeezy; Right Above It - Lil Wayne; X Gon' Give it to Ya -DMX; Hero - NAS; Bottoms Up - KeKe Palmer; Welcome to Atlanta - Jermaine Dupri; You're the Best - Jose Esposito; Chicago Bulls Intro

Number 9

 “300/Here Comes The Boom” - 300/Nelly; “Say Yeah” - Wiz Khalifa; “Danger Zone” - Kenny Loggins; Bone Thugs n Harmony mashup; “Shake Ya Tailfeather/ Halftime/ Let Me Clear My Throat/Jump Around” - Nelly)

“Oh Let' Do It ” - Waka Flocka Flame; “Warrior ” - Nelly; “Android Porn” - Kraddy; “Imma Shme” - Youngbloodz; “Bass Head” - Bassnectar; “Til I Collapse” - Eminem; “Ghosts n Stuff ” - Deadmau5; “It's My Time” - Fabolous; “Like a Wavin' Flag” - K'NAAN; “Black & Yellow/Drive It Like You Stole It” - Wiz Khalifa/The Glitch Mob; “All I Do Is Win” - DJ Khaled; “Someday” - Flipsyde)

“The Pretender” - Foo Fighters)

Oh, The Places We've Parked

Honey next to the field and track at Fauver Stadium, University of Rochester.

Parking lots, mostly.

Actually, parking lots exclusively. (There's three adverbs for you, David K.)

Honey and I have parked in Jersey City, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Rochester and Waltham, Mass., so far on our tour of the University Athletic Association.

As in life, some lots are level and some are not. Some have trains close by. VERY CLOSE BY.

Honey at Brandeis in Waltham, Mass.

Liberty Harbor Marina, Jersey City.

Here's to the lots we've known.

Guess which one is my favorite?

Editor's note: New York University is in no way associated with Jersey City, N.J.

Intersection of Carnegie Avenue and CSX in Cleveland.

Honey across Forbes Avenue from Carnegie Mellon.