Triumph As A Walk On

Due to the overwhelming fan support and demands of another blog, I am back. (Thanks mom,Sam, and coach Richey) With a game against Winthrop University and our team desperately needing a win, I don’t want to take the attention off of the team but I’m just trying to keep the fans happy by writing my blog.

After the last blog I feel as if I only touched on the negative side of being a red shirt walk on at a Division 1 school. I will say that I am very grateful for this opportunity; there are lots of perks being an athlete such as free gear. This is probably the reason I still go to practice every day , items such as: book bags, shoes, sweats , bags, underwear, socks and shorts( I just got a pair of Lebrons from Coach brooks, I’m going to look fresh in practice). This explains my frustration this year when I was home for my 6 day Christmas break and half of my presents were socks and underwear. (I was still very grateful for these MOM and Dad, but I thought I made it clear that I got free socks and underwear) The only problem with being a walk on is when the team gets free gear; they’re not exactly making sure that you get your clothes first. I can say I have gotten everything the scholarship players have gotten (except for the free tuition and books) just sometimes I am stuck with the XXL attire. At 6’3 and white I’m just not crazy about my clothes hanging off of my body like some of my other teammates.

After I told my story of my worst day of a walk-on the previous blog, I wanted to share my greatest triumph. No, it wasn’t in the scrimmage when I knocked down the game winning 3pt shot over K-mart, our most athletic player. No it wasn’t when I was on our team’s poster after not being sure if I would be included since I am a walk -on. No it’s not the free Zaxbys after home games, which is a very close second. (Thanks Zaxbys) The highlight of my still short and hopefully long walk on career (walk-ons are not guaranteed a spot on the team from year to year) happened at the Moore’s house, a friend of our coaching staff. One night they had the team over for a delicious BBQ dinner. No disrespect to the CSU cafeteria, but the same food 3x’s a day 7xs a week get’s old. So when people have us over for dinner it does mean a lot. If anyone reading this wants to have the team over we would be sure to come over please contact Charlie “C-dub” Whitt. If the team cannot make it, Glenn and I will be there for sure. Back to the point, we were at the Moore’s house and Glenn was waxing Coach Powell in ping pong. Austin and I were on the Wii. Coach Powell decided he wanted to be funny and kept running into me so we started boxing each other out. This is when I grappled him up and had him in a head lock. He then used his famous “chill” so I let him go. At that point he tried being sneaky as a snake and tried throwing me over his hip. I then grabbed him and picked him up and leg swept him to the ground like hulk Hogan manhandling a small child (I love coach Powell and I hope he doesn’t make me run an 8 for this Blog). Glenn then came down and gave him the 3 count sealing the victory. At this point Coach Powell gets up and challenges me to a rematch in the half court circle the next day at practice explaining he didn’t want to mess up the family’s furniture. (I’m still waiting for him to challenge me on the court)

Finally I don’t want to give out my big secret to other teams in the big South, (our basketball conference) but I want to make it known that I hate Velcro. It makes me sick to my stomach to see it, to touch it and to see it being ripped. Some may wonder why this is a big deal but if I was on the road, the opposing team’s student section could really distract me if they had Velcro in the stands. The two reasons I decided to go ahead and post was first, I don’t travel this year so I won’t be leaving the friendly confines of the BUC DOME. Second, it probably won’t be to big of a deal if they distract me in warm-ups as I will still be on the bench next year even when I’m eligible. Back to the BUC DOME, which is our small gymnasium and it’s the smallest division 1 gym in the country, (I think there is elementary schools in the state of Texas who have gym’s twice as big) but we call it our home. Don’t be fooled by the size, we will pack it out wall to wall and it will be rocking. The only complaint I have is the fans need to have chants. I sometimes feel as if I would be more valuable to the team in the stands leading the student section. But then I remember that coach Radebaugh could ask me what play would work, or more realistically Omar or Jamarco maybe be thirsty and need a drink. Anyone in the Charleston area please come out and support CSU basketball and our boy Jo’el Lamb(#15, Glenn’s roommate and our homie) as they take on the eagles of Winthrop on Tuesday January 20th at 7:30pm. I will take my usual seat at the end of the bench in a tie. Much to Glenn’s dismay, he will not be in his usual attire due to the slight healing of his shoulder. He has been asked (told) to warm-up with the team. He is still redshirted and not able to play. The only change is that he now breaks a sweat and has to take a shower after the game (delaying his arrival to Zaxbys which delays my arrival since I am his ride). Glenn will also post tomorrow after the game and my next post will update my knocking players off my still to beat list for horse, there has been some breaking news, I have beaten another scholarship player just no room in this blog.

Yours Truly,

Sweeney