cto
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This is the third part of a three-part post that had to be split up because the site does not allow more than four pictures in a post.
10) Obligatory sight-seeing report: The group (players, staff and fans) saw everything... and I do mean everything... in Lake Como, Venice, Florence and Rome (as well as in Siena where we stopped en route to play a game). Venice's canals and St Mark's Square; Florence's amazing churches, museums and renaissance history; Rome's incredible sites (e.g., the Coliseum, the Forum, the Vatican and St. Peter's). Hard to select a picture, but I will go with Michelangelo's "David" at the Galleria Dell Academia in Florence.
11) Happy unexpected bonus! Siena is one of my favorite cities in the world, and I've always wanted to attend the Palio horse race there. Sadly we missed it by one day (it was held on August 16, and we stopped in Siena to play a game on the morning of August 17). However, we arrived there just in time for the huge and noisy parade by the victorious Rhinoceros Contrada . Note the rhino on the drums. The Rhino Contrada (or ward) had won an exciting race around the town square the previous night with a riderless horse after its bareback rider got pushed off his steed by another rider (permissible Palio behavior). Jeremiah Maher and I had actually watched the race on his cell phone at our hotel bar in Florence, so we knew all about the Rhino's great victory. Two videos here, watch them both if you're interested. The riderless-horse video is amazing. ..
In summary... It was a fabulous trip -- for the players, the staff and the 20-25 fans who were so fortunate to participate. The team members really seem to like each other, and one could witness their "bonding" as the trip progressed. And the newcomers showed a lot of talent on the court. Joe Girard, for example, is not a one-dimensional player. He shot more than 40 per cent from behind the line, but he also showed more quickness and athleticism than I expected.
The team, the staff, and the fans did everything together, so it was an amazing experience for the fans in the group. I did not know the majority of "the fans" prior to the trip, but we all became very good friends as the trip progressed.
Oh, and then there was the food. The team, staff and fans ate most meals together ... and did we ever eat! The food was so good. I was literally afraid to step on the scale this morning. And all I've had today was a Dunkin Donuts "power breakfast sandwich" --- which I ate at 5 p.m.
As a final note, I have never seen Jim Boeheim so relaxed, happy and outgoing. He was just "one of the guys" ... who waited in line like everyone else and didn't seem annoyed by it ... or by anything else.
Really dumb PS: This picture of Florence's Duomo (where Jim Boeheim and the team climbed the 463 steps) was supposed to be part of # 3.
Somehow it disappeared when I cut the post into three parts.
10) Obligatory sight-seeing report: The group (players, staff and fans) saw everything... and I do mean everything... in Lake Como, Venice, Florence and Rome (as well as in Siena where we stopped en route to play a game). Venice's canals and St Mark's Square; Florence's amazing churches, museums and renaissance history; Rome's incredible sites (e.g., the Coliseum, the Forum, the Vatican and St. Peter's). Hard to select a picture, but I will go with Michelangelo's "David" at the Galleria Dell Academia in Florence.
11) Happy unexpected bonus! Siena is one of my favorite cities in the world, and I've always wanted to attend the Palio horse race there. Sadly we missed it by one day (it was held on August 16, and we stopped in Siena to play a game on the morning of August 17). However, we arrived there just in time for the huge and noisy parade by the victorious Rhinoceros Contrada . Note the rhino on the drums. The Rhino Contrada (or ward) had won an exciting race around the town square the previous night with a riderless horse after its bareback rider got pushed off his steed by another rider (permissible Palio behavior). Jeremiah Maher and I had actually watched the race on his cell phone at our hotel bar in Florence, so we knew all about the Rhino's great victory. Two videos here, watch them both if you're interested. The riderless-horse video is amazing. ..
In summary... It was a fabulous trip -- for the players, the staff and the 20-25 fans who were so fortunate to participate. The team members really seem to like each other, and one could witness their "bonding" as the trip progressed. And the newcomers showed a lot of talent on the court. Joe Girard, for example, is not a one-dimensional player. He shot more than 40 per cent from behind the line, but he also showed more quickness and athleticism than I expected.
The team, the staff, and the fans did everything together, so it was an amazing experience for the fans in the group. I did not know the majority of "the fans" prior to the trip, but we all became very good friends as the trip progressed.
Oh, and then there was the food. The team, staff and fans ate most meals together ... and did we ever eat! The food was so good. I was literally afraid to step on the scale this morning. And all I've had today was a Dunkin Donuts "power breakfast sandwich" --- which I ate at 5 p.m.
As a final note, I have never seen Jim Boeheim so relaxed, happy and outgoing. He was just "one of the guys" ... who waited in line like everyone else and didn't seem annoyed by it ... or by anything else.
Really dumb PS: This picture of Florence's Duomo (where Jim Boeheim and the team climbed the 463 steps) was supposed to be part of # 3.
Somehow it disappeared when I cut the post into three parts.
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