The Blade

[Wayne23]

11/20/’30: 75-58 over Kansas, here. 20, 3, 4 for PG Mike Stow, 17, 8 for C Don Renk, 15, 8 for SF Tai Tain. 6 TOs, 37 RBs.

81-62 over #13 Gonzaga, also here. 20, 7 for Tai to lead us. 12 for guard Josh Calb from the bench. 8 TOs, 40 RBs. Great start to the season!

We’re ranked- #17.

This week we’re at 0-1 Penn (in Harrisburg, PA), then home vs. #1 Maryland (now located in Charleston, W. VA.), 4-0.

Many people in the U. S., and abroad where they can get them, are living on warehoused foods- beans, rice…

Millions, if not billions of people have transferred. In some cases countries ignored the tick and just kept transferring people. Disasters are everywhere with those countries’ transferred populations.

Others prudently waited for the fix, which Dr. Grande and her team shared with whoever asked for it. The countries in the latter category are now working as rapidly as possible to transfer people. Those in the former category are in an unimaginable mess. More protests and rioting around this issue. The world is in a disastrous state in many places.

11/27/’30: 77-58 at Penn. 25, 8 for Tai, who is off to a great start. 15 TOs, 39 RBs.

71-52 over #1 MD here. 31, 6, 4 for SG Briq Arn. 11 TOs, 39 RBs.

We’re #10, RPI #12.

On the road this week, first to #2 Marquette, 5-1, then to Asheville, N.C. to face 2-1 Wake Forest.

12/4/’30: 63-75 at #2 Marquette. We really did not play well. 23 TOs was the biggest issue. Allowing 15 threes was another. 12, 10, 2, 4 for Don.

We escaped, 67-66, at Wake Forest. +8 RBs, 18 for Tai, 17 for Briq, 13 for Josh Calb, 14 RBs for Don, 8 assists for Mike Snow. No one ever led by more than 9. At the end Mike found Tai for an open 14 footer which went in with less than a second left.

This week we host #17 Providence, 5-2, now located in Fort Wayne, IN. Then we travel to 3-3 Michigan ST.

12/11/’30: 74-62 over #17 Providence. 18, 3, 3, 1, 2 for Tai, 12, 13, 2, 2, 2 for Don, 15, 3, 4 for Mike. 9 TOs, 38 RBs.

84-73 at Mich. ST. 32 for Briq, 11, 10, 6 for Don. 38 RBs but 20 TOs.

This week we host #3 UNLV, 8-1, then we travel to #10 New Mexico, 7-1.

We are +10.7 PPG, +9.7 RBs, but only +0.8 TOs. 13.3 per game is too many.

12/18/’30: 74-77 to #3 UNLV here. 18, 9, 2, 3, 2 for Don, 24, 4, 2 for Briq. TOs are becoming a problem, 18 tonights. This was a rare game where we did not rebound well. At the end they hit a three with 3.1 to play, and we missed one but we didn’t get a good look on it.

84-68 at #10 New Mexico. 52 in the 1st half, and we never trailed. All 5 starters played very well. 13 TOs, 42 RBs.

We’re 8-2, #9, RPI #1.

We host #23 LSU, 7-2. They now play out of Birmingham, AL.

12/25/’30: 82-54 over #23 LSU. 5 in double figures. Dean Smid is making a strong case for starting over Rod Kent, and we’re going to make that change. 11 TOs, 45 RBs.

We close out pre-conf. play at 9-2, ranked #9 RPI #1.

This week we host 4-7 Oregon, now playing in Boise, ID.

This was the best XMas in a long time. It was wonderful to have all of us together (in a chamber) for the holiday. Lots of laughter, cheer, hugs…

[Wayne23]

January 1, 2031: 69-47 over Oregon. 20, 13, 1, 3, 2 for Don, 14 each for the starting guards, and 9, 9, 2, 2 for Dean Smid in his 1st start. He held his man to 2 and 4. 9 TOs, 44 RBs.

This week we’re at 4-8 Arizona ST. Then we host 9-6 Stanford, playing out of Bakersfield, CA.

We had a little “Happy New Year” gathering in a chamber. This will undoubtedly be my last year on Earth, and I hope to transfer as soon as the season ends, sometime in mid- to late April.

India and Pakistan are at war over food and water. The same holds through among various countries in Africa and Asia. Every possible resource is being used to transfer people as quickly as possible but it takes time. Still, every person who transfers takes a bit of the pressure off. An estimated billion people have “gone over.” Approximately 3.6 billion more are waiting their turn. About 3.4 billion are refusing the process, almost all of them for religious reasons.

1/3/’31: The 18th module launched successfully with 11 people and various supplies aboard.

1/8/’31: 83-69 at Arizona ST. 7 guys played well, and it was not as close as the final score indicates. 14 TOs, 34 RBs.

75-64 vs. Stanford here. 17, 12 for Don, 20, 7, 3 for Tai. 15 TOs, 34 RBs.

We’re 12-2, 3-0 in conf., #7, RPI #1.

This week we host Oregon ST, 8-6, 1-2, playing in Twin Falls, ID, then we’re at #16 Cal, 12-2, 2-1, playing in Fresno, CA.

An estimated 100 million people transferred this week, most in industrialized countries. Houseboat living is increasing among those who do not plan to transfer, and who can manage it.

1/15/’31: 71-59 over Oregon ST. Big game for Don Renk, 18, 19, 4, 3, 4. 21 for Briq, 11, 1, 8 for Mike. 12 TOs, 39 RBs.

60-68 at Cal. We gave up 13 threes and shot 7-22 on threes, and that was the difference. 11 TOs, 32 RBs. The game was in single digits all the way and we didn’t play badly, just weren’t able to knock down shots at crucial times. Mike Stow tweaked hi back. He won’t miss any games but he will play less than usual for a week or so.

This week it’s 8-10, 2-3 Wash ST here, then Wash., 9-7, 4-1, tied with us in 2nd place, there. They share a facility in Spokane.

1/22/’31: 68-67 over Wash. ST. We were a little lucky. We turned them over on their last 2 possessions and Tai drained threes both times- we had only 3 threes all night. 17 each for Tai and Dean, 13, 8, 3, 3, 3 for Don. 10 TOs.

79-72 at Wash. 6 in double figures and good team play against a talented team. Tai had 18 and 10. 14 TOs, 40 RBs.

We’re at 7-11 Utah, then we host 5-13 USC, playing out of Las Vegas.

We’re alone in 2nd, 1 back of UCLA.

+10.4 PPG, +8.6 RBs, +2.4 TOs. We’re down to 12.9 per, but that’s still too high.

Many college hoops players and other spring semester athletes around the country are taking courses in chambers. All are trying to hang in until the end of the semester, during the first week in May for most. There’s no way the college World Series will take place anywhere other than in transfer land.

Water and food wars are happening in more and more parts of the globe. Industrialized countries are sending “transfer teams” to speed up the process of transferring people. 250 million people transferred last week.

1/29/31: 65-76 at Utah. We didn’t defend well at all tonight. 16 TOs and we let them shoot 50%.

75-49 over USC. 19, 11 for Don, 19, 4, 2 for Briq, 8 TOs.

This week we’re at #4 UCLA, 17-3, 9-0, 2 up on us. They play in Carson City, NV. If we are going to have any chance at catching them we need to win this game. Then we host 7-13, 4-5 Arizona.

Papa Joe says the robots are 100% functional and ready to go. They will travel on the module that goes into orbit in Feb.

Major league baseball has announced that the 2031 season will be played by transfers. NFL football and NCAA football have announced the same thing. NCAA spring sports will all have abbreviated seasons, as will the NBA and NHL, which will hold playoffs in April. NCAA also made it official that this will be the last non-transfer hoops season.

[Wayne23]

2/5/’31: 65-68 at UCLA. Their PG hit a 30 footer at the horn. We had 38 RBs but 17 TOs. They took 17 free throws we took 5- and missed all 5. So it’s our own fault that we lost.

65-44 over Arizona. 7 guys played well. 4 TOs.

Center Don Renk is #5, and SG Briq Arn #26 on the Norton list.

Briq sprained a finger. Day to day.

This week we’re at 11-11, 7-4 Oregon. This is a big game since they are one back of us. We won by 22 here. Then it’s Arizona ST, 8-14, 4-7. We won by 14 there.

2/12/’31: 86-58 at Oregon. 26, 6, 5 for Mike, good numbers for the starting 5. 7 TOs, 40 RBs.

68-54 vs. Arizona ST. 13, 12 for Don, 6 in doubles. 13 TOs, 34 RBs.

Don Renk is #4 on the Norton list.

2 up on Oregon, Stanford, and Wash, 2 back of UCLA with 3 to play. I’d say we’ll finish 2nd!

At 16-11, 8-5 Stanford, who we beat by 11, and at 12-12, 5-8 Oregon ST, who we beat by 12. A win in this game locks up 2nd place.

2.3 billion people still waiting to transfer, but the lists are not accurate. Many of those have died as casualties of war, thirst, famine… Others will never be found in time to transfer. Remember, none of these will go onto our modules, or onto microchips that we manage. The UN and individual countries are in charge of them.

2/19/’31: Not to be, 63-69 at Stanford. We blew a 13 point lead late and Stanford scored the last 8 points, 2 threes, two free throws. 40 RBs, only 12 TOs, but we didn’t shoot well, esp. at the foul line. That’s two games we’ve lost pretty much because we couldn’t hit from the line.

78-65 at Oregon ST. They stayed with us for more than 30 min. Our front line and bench saw us through. 9 TOs, 40 RBs.

We’re one up on Stanford and Wash. with 1 to play. We’re at home with 19-7, 9-6 Cal. They won by 8 there. This is a huge game for them. A win will likely move them up to where they’ll get a 1st round bye in the Pac 12 tourney.

2/22/’31 Module #19 launched successfully. 11 people and lots of “stuff” on board.

“Alvin, I wish you had gone on this launch. The situation is deteriorating with alarming speed down there. 7 and one half weeks is a very long time. I am very concerned.”

“If we lose early in the NCAA tourney I could go sooner, Papa Joe.”

“No, Alvin. The launch will not be ready earlier, or at least not more than a few days earlier.”

I’m rolling the dice.

2/26/’31: 80-56 over Cal. No contest. We played like we wanted it, which we did! 11 TOs.

We end the regular season 21-6, 12-4, alone in 2nd place, 2 back of UCLA. Ranked #10, RPI #2. +10.8 PPG, +7.1 RBs, +3.4 TOs, and down to 12.2, almost to where I like it.

[Wayne23]

3/5/’31: No one goes pro. Don Renk is #6 on the Norton list.

3/10/’31: We play 11-17, 7-9 Arizona, #6 seed, in the round of 8 in the Pac 12.

74-58. We led all the way. 16, 11 for Don, 15, 6, 2, 2, 2 for Tai. 15 TOs (sigh), 33 RBs.

#5 seed Oregon, 11-17, 6-10, beat Stanford so they’re next in the semis. We beat them by 22, then 28, and their starting SF is out with an injured back.

3/11/”31: 76-62. We never trailed. 20, 4, 2, 5, 2 for Tai, 18, 2, 3 for Briq, 12, 6, 5 for Mike, 10 for backup guard Josh Calb. 10 TOs, 32 RBs.

As expected it’s #5 UCLA, 24-5, 14-2 for the title. But, their starting C tore his ACL, and their starting SF has a sore calf. We lost by 3 last time, there.

3/12/’31: 73-55. We were on fire! It was 30-30 at the half. We adjusted, went on a 17-5 run to open the 2nd half, and never looked back. 26 for Briq, and 6 other guys had between 7 and 10 points. Terrific D won this one though. 15 TOs but they had 19.

This will get us a #1 seed, possibly #1 overall but not probably. Here we go!

Not in the East.

Not in the Midwest.

#1 in the South. We’ll play SIU-Edwardsville, 18-13. I’ll take it!

A serious attempt was made to destroy our launch site. It became a veritable war zone, with many casualties on both sides, but no irreversible damage was done. There will be a delay of about 7-10 days. The site defense, which was extremely strong, has been beefed up about 5 fold. The deal is that anyone involved will be transferred on the day of the launch, and taken along. These people will be launched separately the same way Papa Joe and the others were launched, moments after the module goes up.

3/17/’31: 76-61. They played hard. We wore them out at the end and the final score was the biggest margin. 14, 14 for Don, 16, 4, 4, 3 for Tai. 8 TOs, 34 RBs.

St. John’s, 22-10, is next.

3/19/’31: 72-65. We were down 14 with 13:22 left. I did what I rarely did and ranted at my kids. I also changed up some things on D. We outscored them 27-7 from there on. 14 TOs (+8), +6 RBs. We are not playing the way I want us to be playing in March.

Next up is #21 Memphis, 23-9. They’re 3-2 in their last 5 so they aren’t playing well either.

3/24/’31: We worked very hard in practice after the last game and we think we’re ready.

62-58. “Survive and advance” I guess. Don saved us with 17 and 17. We had 45 RBs (+16) but 17 TOs (-3). Keep working.

It’s #16 New Mexico in the Elite Eight. We beat them by 16 at their place.

3/26/’31: 80-58. Finally! But not ‘til the 2nd half. It was tied at halftime. 22, 2, 4 for Briq, 16, 11 for Tai, 13, 13, 3 for Don, 11, 3 for Rod, 8 for Josh. 9 TOs, 39 RBs.

UNLV, #1 ranked, #3 RPI in the round of 4. They beat us by 3 at our place. They were +6 RBs, +2 TOs. We’ll need to do better.

3/28/’’31: “My great fear is nuclear weapons. There is no great incentive NOT to use them, go in, get whatever you want, then transfer; stay alive with stolen food and water as long as necessary. No cancer fears. I am somewhat amazed that it has not yet happened.

“We think we can launch the final module on 4/20. We have crews working night and day. I hope that this is not too late.”

Yeah, I hope so, too!

4/1/’31: 78-65 and an all Pac 12 final. More on that in a minute. We took a lead 8 minutes in and stretched it to 11 at the half, 21 with 15 to go. 19, 5, 3 for Mike Stow. We had all kinds of foul issues but the bench really came through. We had to go to #9 on the depth chart Lat Hey, who averages 4.6 min. when he gets in at all. He had 12 in 20 minutes tonight and played good D.

It’s UCLA for the title. They won by 3 in Feb. but then their starting C tore his ACL and we won by 18 for the Pac 12 title. Their strength is their backcourt. If we can stay close to even there, and match their bench production, or close to, we’ll be fine.

4/3/’31: 89-71 and title #9! Tai had 27, 2, 3 in his last game for us. Briq had 18, 4, 2, Mike was terrific with 11 assists and 13 points. Don only scored a free throw but had 11 RBs. We shut down their backcourt but their bench was incredible, 51 points (starters had 20!). Still, after a tight first half, 44-46, we woke up and realized we had to defend against the subs too! We put it all together in the 2nd half.

4/4/’31: Awards: Don Renk NCAA tourney MOP. 2nd team all American. In conf., Don was POY, Def. POY, 1st team, along with Tai and Briq. Mike Stow made 2nd team and I was COY.

4/14/31: Our launch site was attacked again today. The sophisticated defense technology and the large number of personnel saved us. No harm was done but there was a loss of several lives.
We’re still looking at a 4/20 launch.

4/19’31: I asked for a budget increase. Got $12,000! 30-6, 12-4, won the Pac 12 title, won the national championship. Team Prestige is up to 67. After 40 years I’m at 1084-287, .791. 9 national titles. Going to go one more year- in a chamber as a transfer, with this team to try for title #10.

4/20/’31: I was on the module and it launched successfully. There was an attempt to shoot it down with a rocket but our defenses stopped that from happening. On my way to the moon. I will transfer when we get to the dark side. Can’t wait to be with my loved ones.

4/22/’31: I transferred a few hours ago. It feels completely and weirdly… not at all different. So I’ll coach one more year here and then start a 1,000 year run, starting at a very small school in a very weak conference. After this coming season I’ll check in with my audience every century or so. Papa Joe assures me that this coming season will be exactly as it would have been on Earth, and that coaching after that will be as well.

It is unbelievably wonderful to have my family with me again. All of us in the two families live in a huge, rambling Papa Joe designed home. The way it works is you program something and you are at your destination. The “commute” to the gym takes 3 seconds to program and less than a second to execute. I’m 63 years old and I look it but I feel about 28- everyone feels that way unless they were younger than that when they transferred.

[Wayne23]

5/26/’31: I wonder whether dates and time mean anything over here, but we do keep track and I will refer to them as I have been doing all along. I’ve now been here a little more than a month. Here’s what a typical day looks like, more or less. I’ll start after my last sleep period of the previous day. I take about 2-3 minutes to fall asleep, sleep for about 10 minutes, and take 2-3 minutes to wake up. Mai and I coordinate our sleep periods unless there’s a reason why we can’t.

12:00 midnight-12:15 a.m.: Sleep, then go for a 5 mile run. There’s no need to exercise here but I’ve always done it, I enjoy it, and there’s something to be said for routines.

1:00-1:15 a.m.: Shower. No need for this either but it feels good. 15 minutes includes undress, dry off, comb hair, dress.

1:15-1:45: Catch up on what went on in the world, both on the ship/city and here in the transferred world. Earth is no more, in any sense whereby we would want to communicate with it. I’ll discuss that at another time.

Incidentally, the 2x2 “rock” is still housed in the ship/city. There was some concern regarding the last transfers bringing worms, ticks, viruses, Trojan horses… but that doesn’t seem to have happened., The robots have nothing to do so far, which is great!

1:45-2:00: Papa Joe and I visit during this time. It is always great to chat with him. This is sometimes extended, sometimes includes others, usually Lili, if anyone.

2:00-2:15 Breakfast. It is whatever I want it to be, often something sweet like strawberry shortcake, blueberry, apple, lemon, chocolate pie, a Belgian waffle, cheesecake, or more than one of the above. My sweet tooth kicks in at this time. Remember, all I need to do is punch in the code and the food is prepared in just a few seconds, and it comes out exactly as I like it. The first 2-3 times I have a particular food I tweak the recipe to my taste, which also only takes a few seconds. Hot, black dark roast coffee goes with the meal. And of course calories are not a worry.

2:15-3:30: Reading time. I love to read, and now I have the time.

3:30-4:30: Prepare for practice; this is done with the coaching staff.

4:30-7:00: Team practice.

7:00-8:00: Coaches’ meeting- analyze the practice, prepare for tomorrow’s practice, scouting reports, recruiting reports… Game prep if we’re in season, previous game analysis, also if we’re in season…

8:00-8:15: Sleep period

8:15-8:30: Lunch. Usually a green salad, maybe soup, a ½ sandwich, fruit… Again, hot, black, dark roast coffee.

8:30-10:30: Watch film of our team and upcoming and/or potential opponents, with staff. Note taking, comments, discussion of things to work on…

10:30-12:00: Visits with family and friends.

12:00-2:00: Phone calls, emails, texts- correspondence of all kinds.

2:00-4:00: Recruiting visits during the recruiting season, analysis of potential recruits, Jucos, and transfers at other times.

4:00-4:15: Sleep period

4:15-5:00: Dinner with the extended family. Usually Indian, sushi, Mexican, some kind of Asian, Italian… Each family member selects his/her own meal but we eat together and “visit.”

5:00-8:00: Team study hall. Most team members choose to live as college students, in dorms or apartments. A few live with their parents.

8:00-12:00: If there’s a game this is when we “travel” to it (a few seconds to the destination, whether our gym or the opponents’ gym), warm up, play, meet with the press afterward, do an “instant analysis” with the team, and travel back to the starting point. If no game this is free time for everyone.

Again, while this is a fairly typical day it varies. Friday is “family day.” Nothing is scheduled for anyone. All are free to relax, “travel” to other cities or countries, just hang around, play games in or out of a chamber… Papa Joe and some others work anyway.

Papa Joe is still running the world, checking on activities, progress, problems on the ship/city, as well as here in “transfer land.” There are few problems among transfers, but humans are humans, even after transfer, and difficulties do arise. We all have the capability of “walking away,” but that is not what always happens.

The ship/city is a different matter. There, “real life” continues, and humans have problems, whether those of human interaction, problems related to on ship life, to the food/water/waste systems… Papa Joe, or at times his designee, arbitrates.

We are in motion, heading to the stars, but it will be a long time before we approach another potentially habitable planet.

6/12/’31: We grab 2 transfers, junior PG Jeff Sims from LSU, and junior PF Irv Shea from UConn. We’re ranked #14 preseason.

6/26/’31: 2 scholarships. We need guards. We’re looking at 8, all guards.

8/7/’31: 5 nominees for the Norton award: SG Shep King is #21, PF Ad Flow is #25, C Vern Blam is #26, SG Briq Arn is #46, and SF Mike Dix is #50.

8/21/’31: We offer to 2 top 15 PGs.

9/18/’31: We’re going to the Coaches Classic where we’ll start with Iowa. Loaded with ranked teams.

9/25/’31: Got one PG, Milt Scot, #18 right now. Lost one but offered to another PG we really like.

10/2/’31: Got the 2nd PG, Shep Lay, #27. We are really high on both of them!

First day of practice. Threepeat could happen!

We’re picked first in conf.

11/6/’31: We have a lineup but it could well change. This is my 41st season and I’ve never had so much strength at so many positions. There simply are not enough minutes to go around. We’ll begin with Juco junior Shep King and senior Briq Arn starting at guard, backed by senior Mike Stow. Soph Josh Calb and Juco junior Dee Tor are very good and they’re waiting in the wings. Frosh Vern Blam and junior Rod Kent will start inside. Frosh Ad Flow will start at SF. Juco junior Mike Dix will back up the bigs with Juco Joe Hart waiting for minutes.
We start as the #9 seed at the Coaches Classic. We’ll play #8 seed Iowa. We should be seeded higher.

Oh, that thing about one more year... I may go for 45. We'll see how it goes.

Papa Joe repeatedly assures me that coaching here is absolutely the same as coaching back on Earth. Does that mean every game’s score would be repeated? Of course not. Back in the “real world” if we played say, Kentucky, 10 times, we’d get 10 different results, and each team would likely win some of the 10.

[Wayne23]

11/20/’31: Great 1st week! 73-59 over Iowa. Too many TOs, too many fouls, but a solid win in the 1st round of the Coaches Classic.

76-57 over #1 seed, #12 ranked Michigan in the round of 8. Still too many TOs but we were in charge most of the way.

78-69 over #4 seed, #25 Syracuse in the semis. This was a battle but we came on late. 17, 13 for Vewrn Blam in the middle, 21 for Briq Arn. 12 TOs, 40 RBs.

65-51 over #2 seed, #4 ranked Mississippi ST for the title. We never trailed. 12, 13 for Vern, 18 for Briq, 13, 6, 5 for Shep King at guard, 8, 10 for Ad Flow at PF. 46 RBs, but again, too many TOs, 18.

We’re ranked #1.

This week it’s a rematch against #18 Syracuse, 2-1, there. Then we’re at 0-1 New Mexico.

We don’t play at home until game #8.

And yes, there is a home court advantage. Two kinds of people make up the audience and it is controlled by the NCAA. The “home crowd” is made up of transfers who choose to identify with the team (They can identify with 2 teams and attend their games), and “created people” like those in the chambers. The neutral and away crowds are done via a formula based upon attendance for the past 5 years, combined with how well a team is doing, again, made up of both kinds of people.

Oh, teams are back in their proper locations. No floods, famines, plagues in transfer land.

11/27/’31: 80-55 at #18 Syracuse. 6 in doubles, 48 RBs, 11 TOs. We really played well. Vern had 14, 15, 3, 2, Ad Flow 11,1 3.

Rod Kent sprained a toe. Out for about 10 days.

75-61 over New Mexico. 21, 19, 2, 2, 2 for Vern, and 6 others put up numbers. 43 RBs, but 14 TOs.

We drop to #3 in the polls? What did we do wrong? RPI is #8, maybe that’s it.

At 2-2 Gonzaga then finally home with #2 Marquette, 6-0.

12/4/’31: 65-50 at Gonzaga. 12, 14, 3 for Vern, 17, 5, 3 for Mike Dix, 8, 15 for Ad Flow, 14, 6, 2 for Shep King. 46 RBs.

77-62 in our home debut against #2 Marquette. 11, 19, 2, 2 for Ad Flow, 18, 6, 4 for Shep King. Rod Kent and Mike Stow played well from the bench. 47 RBs, 12 TOs.

Back to #1, RPI #1.

#6 Charlotte, 6-2 is here. Then 3 more on the road. 1st is #5 Villanova, 6-2.

The last days, or maybe the end times on Earth. It was really ugly. India nuked Pakistan. China nuked both Japan and Russia. Whoever had nukes pretty much used them. Wars, famine, thirst, radiation were everywhere. The race to transfer people ended with 2.5 billion transferred and sent into space, nowhere near our ship/city. 5.5 billion remained on an Earth that was pretty much out of resources to support them. More than 2 billion of those stayed against their will and evidence indicates that the religious fanatics who DID want to stay persecuted these people. The 5.5 billion died, horribly. If not all of them, then nearly so. Papa Joe estimates that perhaps 1-3 million survived, at least short term, but there is nothing for them. If they do indeed survive it will take generations, perhaps centuries for them to make life worth living.

It all happened very quickly, within days of the last module’s departure. All of our people either made it to the ship/city or transferred. Not one of our people missed this boat!

12/11/’31: 78-59 over #6 Charlotte here. 17, 11 for Vern, 18, 3, 2 for Briq, 13, 4, 5 for Mike Stow from the bench. 40 RBs, 14 TOs.

71-62 at #5 Villanova. 20, 3, 3, 3 for Shep, 13, 8 for Vern, 12, 5, 2, 2 for Briq, 7, 11, 2, 1, 2 for Mike Dix, 7, 4, 4, for Mike Stow.

We’re 10-0. 2 nine point games and all the others double digit wins.

At 3-5 UNLV, then at #7 Michigan, 6-2. We won by 19 at the Coaches Classic.

12/18/’31: 80-59 over UNLV. 17, 3, 3 for Shep, 14, 5, 2, 2 for Rod Kent. 10 TOs, 36 RBs.

72-64 at #7 Michigan. We led all the way but never by more than 15. 29, 7, 3, 3 for Shep King.

Home all week. First it’s 6-5 Penn, then #5 Arkansas, 8-1.

December 25: 76-53 at Penn. Teamwork, great D, really gfood bench play, 36 RBs, 5 TOs.

86- 68 over #5 Arkansas here. 23, 7 for Vern, 20 for Briq, good bench play, 31 RBs, 7 TOs.

At #22 Oregon, 7-4, to start conf. play.

At the end of pre-conf. play we’re 14-0, #1, RPI #1. +15 PPG, +13.1 RB per, +1.6 TOs but 12.6 is still too high.

All of us together for the holidays. It can’t be beat!

[Wayne23]

1/1/2032: 94-82 at #22 Oregon. 23, 4, 7, 7 for Shep, 18, 7, 2, 2 for Vern. 9 TOs. We have lots of weapons.

We host 5-8 Arizona ST, then travel to 5-8 Stanford.

1/8/’32: 82-64 over Ariz. ST. 18, 10, 2, 2 for Vern. 6 in doubles, 6 TOs.

70-71 at Stanford and the streak ends at 41. Back and forth all night. They got the ball last, with 10.3 left, and they worked the clock, took an 11 footer as the clock ran out, and it was good. 13 TOs, 41 RBs, 17, 12 for Vern, 15, 7 for Rod. They had 8 threes we had 3.

This week we’re at 4-10, 1-2 Oregon ST, then we host 2-12, 0-3 Cal.

1/15/’32: 78-35 at Oregon ST. Overpowering! 45 RBs.

[B]70-51 over Cal. [/B]15, 9 for Vern, 12, 8, 4, 2 for Mike Dix. 8 TOs, 38 RBs.

At 8-8, 2-3 Wash. ST, then home with 7-9, 2-3 Wash.

1/22/’32: 78-56 at Wash. ST.

83-53 over Wash.

2nd place in conf. behind Arizona who hasn’t lost, 7-0. We’re #1 in the country, TOs down to 11.8 per, +2.7. We’re overpowering people, +16.8 PPG, +12.7 RBs.

7-11, 4-3 Utah is here and then we go to 5-13, 1-6 USC.

1/29/’32: 94-65 over Utah. 20, 15, 3 for Vern. 8 TOs, 45 RBs.

81-56 at USC. 39 RBs, 11 TOs.

C Vern Blam is #3 on the Norton list. SG Shep King is #8, SF Mike Dix #25.

Some challenge this week. We start at home with 9-11, 3-6 but always dangerous UCLA, then visit 15-7, 8-1, Arizona, tied with us for 1st.

We don’t live on the ship/city in that we’re transferred and on a microchip but we have a lot of interaction with those who do.

Calling something that houses 625 people a city may be a bit of a stretch but it is a city in most ways. People live near each other, they have all of the conveniences and all of the hassles of a city, they live near their work, whether they are part of the ship’s crew, whether they grow food, work in recycle and reclamation, do scientific research, cook and/or serve in the dining halls- and so on.

Some of the residents have been on the ship/city since the first launch, 1/3/’29, a little more than 3 years ago. Others arrived 9 ½ months ago. Major, and I mean MAJOR adjustments have had to be made.
First, it’s here or it’s nowhere. They can’t send back to Earth for anything. They grow it, make it, find it, create it, or do without it. If a medical issue comes up, and they have, the medical folks here solve it or the patient lives with it or dies from it. They have all of the most up to date medical facilities, including but not limited to robotic surgery, stem cell technology, medications targeted to the individual’s own DNA…

If something was forgotten back on Earth it will never make it here; it’s gone forever.

These people are still in their own bodies and need to eat, sleep, eliminate wastes, exercise, do the work that needs to be done on the ship. Believe me, they have it a great deal tougher than we transfers do! There’s no going back for me but there’s also no way I would if I could.

[Wayne23]

2/5/’32: 75-48 over UCLA. 17, 5 for Mike Dix, 15 for Briq. 9 TOs.

75-58 at Arizona. 23, 2, 4, 4 for Briq, all 5 in doubles.

14-8, 7-4 Oregon is here, then we go to 10-13, 6-5 Arizona ST.

We’re 2 up on Stanford and Arizona.

2/12/’32: 94-61 over Oregon. 21, 2, 6 for both Shep King and Mike Dix. 8 TOs.

69-48 at Arizona ST. 18, 11, 3, 2, 6 for Vern, 28 for Shep.

Stanford, 15-10, 10-3, the only team to beat us all season, is here this week, followed by 6-18, 3-10 Oregon ST.

Vern Blam is #4, Shep King #7 on the Norton list.

2/19: 82-72 over Stanford. This team knows how to play us. We never trailed but they kept it close. 19, 12, 1, 2, 3 for Rod Kent, 10 TOs, 37 RBs.

81-57 vs. Oregon ST. 20, 4, 6, 4 for Shep, 19, 6, 2, 2, 2 for Mike Dix, 14, 12, 2 for Rod, 14, 5, 2 for Mike Stow.

We’re 3 games ahead with 1 to play.

We travel to 8-18, 6-9 Cal to end the regular season. Beat them by 19 at our place.

2/26/’32: 63-60. We didn’t shoot well, we didn’t defend well, we didn’t handle the ball well, we didn’t rebound well. I used a lot of bench and we got by- barely. I guess maybe we’re tired. We’ll have some time to recover before the tourney starts.

We end the regular season 29-1, 15-1, #1, RPI #1, 4 up on two games up.

March 5: Joe Hart, a junior Juco who didn’t crack our lineup, declared for the NBA.

Vern is #5, Shep #8 on the Norton list.

The legs seem rested as we await the tourney.

[Wayne23]

3/10/ ’32: It’s #8 seed USC, 11-17, in the quarter finals.

79-53. 18, 13 for Vern. 31 for the bench. 40 RBs, 5 TOs. #4 seed Oregon, 18-10, 10-6 in the semis. We beat them by 12 and 33.

3/11/’32: 80-58. 27, 3, 4 for Shep, 35 RBs, 12 TOs. And it’s our nemesis, #2 seed Stanford, 18-12, 11-5, for the title. They beat us by 1, we beat them by 10.

3/12/'32: 71-48. It was never a game. 12, 13 for Rod but everyone played well. 40 RBs.

We’ll be #1 in the East, 32-1, #1, RPI #1.

And we are #1 overall. We play a play-in winner.

3/16/’32: 71-44 over 14-17 North Florida. #9 seed Oklahoma, 21-10 is next.

3/18/’32: 81-55. 2nd straight walk in the park. 39 RBs, 9 TOs.

#4 ranked, #4 seed Charlotte, 30-5 is next. Too good for a Sweet Sixteen opponent. We won by 19 in December.

3/23/’32: 71-53 over #4 Charlotte. 6 in doubles, 36 RBs, but 18 TOs.

It’s #3 seed, #7 ranked Villanova, 28-7, 13-3, in the Elite Eight.

March 25: 69-46 over Villanova. 17, 12, 4, 3 for Vern, 12, 12 for Rod, 11, 9 for Mike Dix. 47 RBs, 10 TOs.

Headed to another Final Four. We’ll play #20 ranked, #5 seed UNLV. We beat them by 21 earlier in the season. On the other side it’s unranked #8 seed Tulsa vs. unranked #9 Louisville. Strange year with all these upsets. I’m battling overconfidence. If my guys just show up they’ll lose.

4/1/’32: And we almost did lose, 80-74.The only thing we did well was rebound, but we had enough of a talent edge.

And it’s #8 seed, 26-10 Tulsa for the title.

4/3/’32: 88-71 and title #10! 19, 10, 3 for Vern, 21, 5 for Rod, good games all around.

4/4/’32: Vern got NCAA tourney MOP, 1st team All American. Shep got 2nd team All American. I got national COY. In conf., Vwern ran the table, POY, frosh OY, Defensive OY, 1 st team, along with Shep and Mike Dix. Rod Kent made 2nd and I got conf. COY.

4/23/’32: The NCAA has decreed that all human coaching records can continue for one more year so I am staying. After that human records will be “cast in stone” and only transfer records, player, coach… will remain. These first two seasons will count in both categories.

I ask for a budget increase as I go for the fourpeat. I am at 1122-288, .796. Hoping to win a title and get to .800. Team Prestige is at 70.

I get just under $13,000.

10 titles, with a little luck 11, with the same luck more than 1150 wins, and when they close the book I’ll be on top in those two categories- maybe tied for titles, maybe alone on top.
I will probably move to a small school and start over after next season. Let’s see what a million year career might look like!

[Wayne23]

5/18/’32: #9 preseason. We should be #1, but okay.

“It’s nearly time for us to be on our way, Alvin.”

“On our way, Papa Joe?”

“Yes. We have been with the people here for long enough. They are becoming too dependent upon us. If they are to be successful on this very long term mission they cannot continue to use us as a 'Deus ex machina.' They must learn to make their own decisions and arbitrate their own issues. I have told them that we will separate on January 1, 2033.”

“And how did they take the news?”

“Not well.” (I laughed.) "But they will do this. They must do this.”

6/12/’32: Looking at some transfers. One good one, but UConn got him.

6/26: Lots of graduations, but mostly guys who didn’t play a lot. 6 scholarships to fill. I’d like to get 3 and 3.

8/7/’32: 7 on the Norton list: PF Irv Shea #8, PF Ad Flow #13, C Vern Blam #18, PG Milt Scot #19, SG Shep King #27, SF Mike Dix #37, and PG Sol Lay #44. I’m guessing playing time may be an issue!

8/21/’32: We offer to 3 PGs, an SF, a PF, a C.

“They tell me we cannot leave.”

“Can they do that, Papa Joe?”

“Not sure… Our robots can solve many problems but they are all solved from within the 'rock.' This solution must come from outside the rock, so we are … investigating. Please keep this confidential. We are working on a few possibilities and disclosure would complicate matters.”

“Not only do I not want to talk about this, I don’t even want to THINK about this!”

Evidently we have a new religion, or sect, or something that is gaining footing on the ship/city. And it isn’t good. More on that later.

9/18/’32: We get 2 bigs and a small. No early season tourney. 15 ranked teams on the schedule, counting both in and out of conf.

[B]9/25/’32: Got ‘em all.[/B]

“And so I say to you, ‘how many angels can dance on the head of a pin?’ … We know, do we not? BILLIONS!!! Billions of misguided earthlings who thought they could find eternal life without seeking eternal salvation! Most of those billions, brothers and sisters, most of those billions have gone who knows where? Well, we know that as well, don’t we? THEY’VE GONE STRAIGHT TO HELL!!! But… BUT… here on our ship we have 11,249 transfers- right here. Right on this ship. So right next to us 11,249 angels- Satan’s angels- are dancing. Are we going to allow them to make a mockery of all that is good and decent and holy? ARE WE!!!”

Yeah, it went on like that for quite a while. Best estimate? 106 of the 625 have joined “Angels FOR (capitalization is theirs) Jesus,” a brand new religion that has just formed here. They want to destroy the rock and all of the transfers within it. Great!

“We thought we had done a good job of selecting our people, of making certain that they were all emotionally stable.”

“There’s been a lot of incredibly huge change, Papa Joe.”

“I suppose so. In times of great stress a certain percentage of the group will snap. But one of six is a large number.”

“Well, no one has ever faced larger changes and more uncertainty.”

“Yes, that is so.”

“What do we do now?”

“We are negotiating with the people in charge of the ship/city-”

“You and your people are in charge!”

“No, I mean the people on board who are in charge. As far as we know none of them have joined the sect. We want to go- now!”

“And?”

“We, and they, are working on it.”

10/2/’32: We have a powerhouse. I may just play 8 guys 25 minutes each. We’ll see. We’re picked first in conf.

11/6/’32: We have a lineup but I’ve never done so much “job sharing.” PG will be split evenly between frosh Milt Scot and Sol Lay, both of whom will back up senior Shep King at SG. Soph Ad Flow and senior Mike Dix will share SF equally. Soph Vern Blam and senior Rod Kent will get most of the inside minutes backed up by junior Irv Shea, a transfer from UConn. All of this is likely to change as we move forward.

We’ll start with 2 at home, St. John’s and #3 Duke.

“144 people on the ship/city now identify as members of ‘Angels FOR Jesus.’ They loudly advocate for our destruction.”

“Why don’t they just advocate for kicking us off the ship, Papa Joe?”

“No, no. We are Satan’s angels and must be destroyed.”

“So we need to get out of here.”

“Believe me, Alvin, we are working on it!”