A Nice Gesture

We're headed up to Barre, Vt., today to see the Vermont Frost Heaves of the ABA play the Halifax Rainmen. Because we are going to see several old friends prior to the game and I slept until 7:15 (sue me ;-), we are leaving in about 20 minutes, so there isn't much time for the ol' blog this morning.

One thing. ...

I staffed last night's game between the Dartmouth men's basketball team and Cornell for the Associated Press. During a timeout in the game I went over to the New York Times writer who was traveling with the Big Red and keeping a journal of the team's Harvard-Dartmouth trip to share something with him that really impressed me.

Many of you know that when Dartmouth sports information director Kathy Slattery Phillips died in November I started a web page where people could share their memories of Kathy. One of the people to post a few thoughts was Cornell basketball coach Steve Donahue. With Times writer Pete Thamel trying to paint a behind-the-scenes picture of the Ivy League-leading team and its coach, I thought he should know what Donahue did and how much it was appreciated, so I spent a minute or two talking with him.

Thamel asked that I email him a link. I was pleased that he, like those of us around here, thought enough of Donahue's gesture to write about it. I have to admit, however, I was a bit surprised to see myself mentioned in his posting (that surely wasn't the intent) and definitely weirded out to be referred to as a "gentleman."

In case you are interested, by the way, you can find the full Times blog here. Scroll down to read the various updates from Thamel's weekend on the bus, in the hotels and in the gyms with the team.

I'm considering asking Buddy Teevens if I can do the same thing with the Dartmouth football team for one game this fall. Thoughts?

Looking for a gift for that Dartmouth football fan? How about a Dartmouth football T-shirt from the Co-op? Find one here. (In the newspaper business, an item like the preceding one is "filler." Can you tell I'm in a hurry to get out of here?)