Temporary: Don't get too attached

[Wayne23]

Star was consistently in foul trouble at Center. I moved him to PF and the foul trouble disappeared. Yes, he is a monster. He just moved up to #1 on the Norton list. BUT... he was outplayed by the Maryland Center in the Preseason NIT.
We're #14 right now, but we should move up, our schedule is a little easier from here on.

[Wayne23]

12/12: #25 Wisconsin, 7-2, is here. We feel like we can own the paint against them.

12/13: Early lead. Up 12 at the half. 13, 7 for Kean. We're controlling the inside and taking good care of the ball. No one is in foul trouble. Lead goes to 20.

91-65. Star and Kean were unstoppable, Star had 21, 13, 3, 4 blocks, Kean had 19, 12, 3. 14, 4, 8 for Wink, 15, 5, 4 for Joon.

+34 in the paint, +16 RBs, 8 TOs.

[Wayne23]

12/15: 5-3 Villanova is here. Disappointing season for them so far. They're better than they've been playing. Hope they don't get it together against us!

12/16: Up 8 after 10. Up 9 at the break. 17, 5 for Star. We're dominating inside.

80-54. 25, 10, 3 for Star, who is more than living up to his name! 15, 7, 2, 3 steals for Joon, 10, 12, 3 for Kean.

+15 RBs, 12 TOs to 18. We outshot them 48% to 39%. +20 in the paint.

We're 8-2, #11.

I've met someone. No, not Lu. I went to the library. I was looking for a book by John Wooden on his coaching methods and philosophy. I'm not the library type and I was lost. A woman came up to help. I don't want to say love at first sight but I definitely felt something

She helped me. I introduced myself. She's not into sports so she had no idea who I was, which was kind of nice, really. She actually asked what I did here. When I told her she was a little embarrassed that she didn't know.

Again, I kind of liked it that she truly didn't know.

We talked for quite awhile. She's here to get a Ph. D. In library something or other.

Anyway, when she said she had to go back to work I totally surprised myself and asked her to lunch. She totally surprised me again when she said yes!
I'm off to Indiana but we're going to get together when I get back. This feels strange but very cool.

[Wayne23]

12/26: Our last pre-conf game is with 7-5 Butler, here. They're having a down year. I don't think they can score enough points to beat us.

All of our students did well academically in the Fall semester.

12/27: Early lead. The lead goes to 20. 52-31 at the half. 18, 6 for Star and we seem well in control of this one.

85-62. A walk in the park. Double doubles for our two big guys again. I hope at least one of them stays rather than going to the pros. 22, 10 for Star, 14, 13, 4 blocks for Kean. PG Don John had 16, 4, 3.

+17 RBs, 12 TOs, +20 in the paint.

So I got together with Michelle, the librarian. We went to the Dog Lane Cafe, a great place, just off campus, walking distance, actually, and we walked there together. I had their excellent chili and a half sandwich- corned beef on rye. She had vegetable soup and a half tuna.

We talked very easily about a wide variety of things. I keep saying I'm one dimensional, the dimension being college basketball, but that subject never came up and I managed to hold my own in the conversation.

I have to confess that I am crazy about "nerd girls," and that term fits Michelle perfectly. She looks like a nerd- but in a VERY attractive way, dresses like a nerd, thinks like a nerd, talks like a nerd, has nerdy mannerisms... I am attracted to all of it.

We're going to a play on the weekend. It's a student production and Michelle knows one of the actors.

This is so not like me.

1/1/2022: We end pre-conf play at 10-2, #10, NET #1. +12.5 PPG, +12 RBs (#2 in RBs), -2.2 TOs (12.3, which is a little too high).

Del Star leads us in 4 categories, 24.2 PPG, 13.3 RBs, 2.8 blocks, 1.9 steals. Will Kean is 2nd in all 4, 15.6, 9.3, 1.2, 1.1. Ry Wink gets 4.7 assists and Don John gets 4.3. No changes to the lineup anticipated.

We went to the show last night. It was a comedy and it was really funny. We went out for a drink with Michelle's friend in the cast afterward. I have a crazy week but we're getting together for lunch in the Rome cafeteria on Wednesday.

I told Lu.

"Actually, Joe, I've been seeing someone for awhile. We've got a good friendship and I hope we keep it, but we weren't going anywhere romantically."

(Author's Note: My Dynasty Reports usually have a LOT of backstory. This one didn't so I'm adding some.)

[PointGuard]

(Author's Note: My Dynasty Reports usually have a LOT of backstory. This one didn't so I'm adding some.)

Yeah...but...you may have to change the title from "Don't get too attached".

[Wayne23]

Great point, Point!

[Wayne23]

1/2: We start the season at 6-5 Central FL. I don't see how they can beat us. We're +15 on the boards, and they've played a weak schedule.

The conf isn't very strong this year, unfortunately. We may not go undefeated but I'd be shocked if we lose more than 1, or at most 2, if we stay healthy.

1/3: They're right with us early. Down 2 at the half. They've hit 8 threes. We'll put a stop to that! We're shooting and defending poorly. Going to Max D and man-to-man. Down 1 with 10 to go. Not good.

83-75. We outscored them 12-4 in the last 2 minutes. It took a LONG time, but we got there.

24, 15 for Star, 24, 4 for Joon, 16, 9, 3, 7 steals for Kean.

+17 RBs, 12 TOs. +15 at the line.

1/4: Michelle and I had lunch at an Indian place today. We walked there. She had never had Indian. It was a buffet so she got to sample lots of different kinds of Indian food, none of it too spicy. She said she liked it, and she seemed to. I really like it when we walk to and from where we're going. It gives us a chance to be together for more time.

She's coming to the game Friday. It's her first time attending a basketball game- at any level. I have her sitting next to Coach Sall's wife so that she'll get a little help understanding what's going on.

[Wayne23]

1/5: 7-5 Tulane is here. They've played one game vs. a ranked team and got their doors blown off.

1/6: We take the lead right away. 39-24 at the half. 14, 9 for Star, 10, 6 for Kean. +8 RBs, 6 TOs. Lead goes to 20.

75-56. Great D, never a game.

28, 18, 4 steals for Star, 18, 12 for Kean, who should have been nominated for the Norton.

+19 RBs. Not happy with 17 TOs. +26 in the paint, +16 on 2nd chances.

We'll need to go to a tougher conference next season.

Michelle waited with Ginnie Sall after the game and I tried to be as quick as I could getting out of the locker room. It was still an hour, but that's much quicker than usual.

We went out for a drink and a snack. She said she didn't understand a lot, but she found the game very exciting. She asked me to teach her more about hoops, which made me very happy.

During the season I'll never get to see her as often as I want to but we're moving fairly quickly with this, and it feels so right.

[Wayne23]

1/9: At 10-4, 0-2 Houston. We have a huge edge inside.

We're up to #7 in the polls.

1/10: They jump out to a quick lead. They hold the lead and get it to 14, then I max the D and go to man. Down 1 at the half. Star played only 6 minutes due to fouls, and we didn't play D. We start the 2nd half strong.

81-61. 17, 11 for Kean, 13, 10 for Star. 13, 4, 3 for Tsir.

+21 RBs but 15 TOs. We outshot them and were +13 from the line. +14 in the paint.

[Wayne23]

1/12: 7-7, 1-2 Tulsa is here. They don't have much fire power.

1/13: Slow start but we eventually take the lead. Up 11 at the half. Good inside play, only 4 TOs.

69-51. Not much O but terrific D. 15, 7, 2, 4 steals for Kean, 10, 14, 5 blocks for Star, 11, 4, 4 for Wink.

8 TOs to 23. We held them to 30%. +22 in the paint.

Seeing or talking with Michelle every day. Lots of texts as well.