Alone

[Wayne23]

1/4: 77-82 at #20 Florida. We blew a 13 point lead. They got it to 4 at the half and it was close most of the way. Their starting guards combined for 42, and that did us in, especially late. 16, 8, 3 for Gray, 18, 1, 5 for More. We played well except for 18 TOs.

1/7: 62-64 to #6 Tennessee here. Damn! 24 lead changes, 11 ties. We had it last, set up the shot for Lews, an open 16 footer off a screen, and it front rimmed out.

Frustrating loss. The good news is we've played 2 ranked teams in the SEC and were competitive against both.

1/11: 64-85 at my old team, Georgia. Down 19 at the half.

We're 0-3 in the SEC and #8 Kentucky is next. Not good.

1/14: 59-82 at home. For the 2nd straight game we were never in it.

1/18: 77-72 at Texas A & M. We desperately needed a win. We led most of the way. 18, 6 for Lews. +17 RBs.

1/21: 79-48 over Arkansas. 42-17 at the half. 17, 16, 3 for Murt, 12, 7, 5 for Gray. +20 RBs.

12-5, 2-4, tied for 9th, RPI #29. It's a tough conference.

[Wayne23]

1/25: 86-79 at Missouri. We took charge in the 2nd half. 24 for Lews, 17, 7 for Gray, 10, 12, 6 for Holt.

1/28: 74-54 over Mississippi here. Solid win to bring us to .500 in conf (4-4). 21, 5, 3 for Lews, 19, 7 for Murt. 9 TOs.

2/1: 85-73 at South Carolina. Tied at the half, then we took over. 16, 10, 4 for Murt, 15 for Lews. +11 RBs.

5 of our next 6, and 6 of our next 8 are against ranked teams, 3 on the road.

2/4: 89-71 over #23 Florida here. We led for the last 35 minutes. 25 for Lews, 16, 11 for Murt. 10 TOs.

2/8: 64-78 at #3 Tennessee. Tough team. We never quit but they were the better team.

2/11: 73-64 over #14 Venderbilt here. Great win! They led by 11 early. 26 for Lews, 15, 8, 5 for Gray, 10, 10 for Murt. We played well.

17-6, 7-5, alone in 7th. RPI #27.

Work continues to go smoothly. I feel like I'm back in shape after the brain surgery. I'm hiking often and the boat requires some physical exercise, so that helps too. I'm also playing volleyball in the holo. It's 3 players on a side so more of a physical workout than the standard game.

[Wayne23]

2/15: 99-72 at Mississippi ST. We led by as many as 33. 20, 8, 3 for Holt, 20 for Lews, 17, 9 for Murt. +24 RBs.

Murt hurt his hip. He's day to day.

2/18: 71-91 at #22 Auburn. They were the better team. Murt was limited in what he could do, which didn't help. He'll be fine for our next game.

2/22: 84-81 over #20 LSU here. Close all the way. We won it on a three by More. We wanted to set up inside for Murt but it didn't happen and More just launched the three to beat the clock. 22, 16 for Murt, 21 for More, 15 for Lews.

We're 9-6 in conf with 3 to play, and a chance to finish 5th, but 6th or 7th is more likely.

2/25: 91-65 over #25 Georgia here. 50-28 at the half. 38, 4, 3 for Lews, 13, 11, 4 for Gray, 10, 4, 10 for More. +11 RBs.

3/1: 54-73 at #13 Kentucky. We knew this would be a tough one. We stayed with them for a little more than half the game but then they pulled away.

3/4: 83-57 over Texas A & M here. 7 players with 10 or more. +11 RBs, 11 TOs.

We end the regular season at 21-8, 11-7, RPI #22. Tied with Kentucky for 6th, the #7 seed. +6.8 PPG, +8.4 RBs, +0.9 TOs (14.7). Lews leads us with 18.2 PPG. Murt gets 12.7 and 9.2 RBs. More gets 4.1 assists.

I'm still in really good shape, working full time again

[Wayne23]

3/7: We play #10 seed Texas A & M, 16-13, 7-11, in the 1st round. Beat them twice in the regular season.

3/8: 82-83. They won it on a halfcourt shot at the buzzer. It was close all the way. Lews fouled out with a minute and a half to play, which hurt us. Our 2 forwards were both playing with 4 fouls. We took an 80-79 lead with 3 seconds left on Murt's dunk. He had 22 and 20. +25 RBs, but in the end we came up short.

We're in the Dance but our seed probably won;t be great.

3/12: #8 seed East. We play #9 Arizona ST, 21-11.

3/16: 83-70. We led for the last 32 minutes. 18, 9 for Murt, 19 for Lews. +15 RBs.

#1 seed, #1 ranked Michigan ST, 33-2, in the 2nd round. Uh oh!

3/18: 51-73. Hell of a team! We actually led by 6 early and by 4 at the half. But they crushed us in the 2nd.

We're losing 3 starters, PG Jon More, PF Key Holt, and C Kam Murt.

4/3: #1 Michigan ST is the champ.

4/4: Awards: Shut out. I'm shocked that Murt didn't make at least the 2nd team.

4/9: Staying.

4/23: We need $.

No.

22-10. Not bad for our first season here at Alabama. Overall, 254-109, .700, for 11 seasons.

[Wayne23]

5/1: #29 recruiting class.

I'm seeing a lot of deer like creatures. No doubt they're trying to escape the big cats, but it's curious that i'm seeing so many of them lately.

6/5: 2 guys transferred out but neither really figured to play a major role. We're looking at transfers.

6/16: We get a very good looking PG and an equally good looking PF.

6/26: 2 scholarships.

7/1: As I feared might someday happen I'm locked out of the holo except for the basketball program. That makes no sense to me. I can get into the hoops program but nothing else.

7/15: I'm prepping food in the dome, showering, using the toilet... Good thing I made preparations for this. No idea how long it will last.

8/1: I'm getting by and doing what I need to do. I've tried to "cheat" by getting Mal, Jed, Len, and Emma into the basketball program but no dice. I also tried to step outside of the Coliseum in the holo to go for a walk but that didn't work either. Not sure what that means regarding road games. I suppose it means we'll be transported by bus to the airport, as has happened in the past. I didn't actually go through that, just skipped over it and met my players at the other team's facility. We'll see how that goes.

The deer like animals are still everywhere as I travel to and from construction sites. I'm not seeing them being hunted by the cats. Weird.

8/14: I am able to make home visits to recruits, and, I think, to do everything else related to coaching, but nothing unrelated.

8/21: We offer to a PG and a C.

9/1: So all I have of the holo is the basketball program. I can't hang out with Mal or my friends, can't boat, can't hike, can't play volleyball, can't eat at restaurants, can't go anywhere.

For exercise I'm using a treadmill I had 3D printed here in the dome, just in case. Walking outside is too dangerous with the big cats and the bears. When I travel it's under heavy protection and it's directly from the starting point to the destination. Going for a walk or a run would be suicidal.

9/18: We get the C, #47.

Caribbean Challenge vs. Nebraska. Tougher schedule.

9/25: We get the PG, #52.

I'm missing having people, even virtual people around. The coaches, players, secretaries, A. D... are all just basketball related. I've never had a non-basketball related conversation with any of them; they're not programmed for it. And the dome seems awfully small. The holo was as big as I wanted it to be.

10/2: 1st day of practice. We're not as strong at guard as I'd like to be. Solid inside though.

We're picked to finish 3rd in the SEC, That would be great.

10/18: Still locked out. Life is exceedingly boring. I do have an electronic reader, fortunately, but work, coaching, treadmill- not enough to make life interesting, or at least not as interesting as I'd like it to be.

I cannot figure out what's going on with the wildlife here. Something seems to have happened to the predators. I'm seeing other animals that would be regarded as prey, and they don't look or act threatened.

11/11: More than four months since I was locked out.

The rainy season has begun and it is starting off as a bad one. Minor flooding already which does not bode well for what may lie ahead.

[Wayne23]

11/14: We start tomorrow!

11/15: 62-44 over George Washington in our home opener. Great D. They shot 29.2%. 10 TOs.

79-62 over Dayton here. 15, 4 for SF Ben Gray. 8 people had between 5 and 15. 11 TOs.

2 minor injuries, starting C Jude Rich hurt his back and is day to day, and sub guard Dan Pugh is out for about a week with a shoulder problem.

Still locked out of the holo. The rainy season is almost tropical. Flooding and flash floods all over the settlement.

11/20: Both of our recruits sign.

Ranked #20.

11/22: 82-53 at Canisius. 50-25 at the half. 17, 3, 4 for PG Ron Will, 14, 2, 4 for Lews, 12, 5, 7 for Gray. +11 RBs, 10 TOs.

11/25: 74-64 at Eastern Illinois. We led all the way. 27, 3, 3 for Lews, 10, 14, 4 for Gray. +14 RBs.

No idea what happened to the predators but animals usually at the bottom of the food chain are running and hopping around everywhere. I wonder if some sort of disease is hitting the predators.

The rains are heavy and steady. Travel is dangerous because of all the floods, flash floods, puddles...

11/29: 72-71 over Buffalo here. They led by 13 early, 8 at the half. We caught them with 2 1/2 minutes left and it was back and forth until the end, when Lews hit a 16 footer off a screen. Balanced scoring with 6 guys having between 9 and 12. 9 TOs.

12/1: On my way to a construction site I spotted a dead cat along the side of the trail. Got out of the vehicle (a modified golf cart) surrounded by my robotic guards, and took a close look. Noting to say what caused the death but the cat had no signs of having been attacked. Then I looked off into the woods and spotted a couple of other dead cats. It was too dangerous to enter the woods to explore. I summoned a robotic worker to take blood and flesh samples of the dead cat near the trail. I'll hang on to them. I'm really frustrated that the holo lab is not available as I think the samples might be of use. I put them in a freezer compartment, took them back to the dome, placed them in a freezer there, then went back to work.

12/2: 76-70 over Bradley here. We led most of the way but they stayed close. 23, 3 for Lews, 17, 8 for Gray, 10, 9, 4 with 5 steals for C Jude Rich.

6-0, #20, RPI #18.

I took a ride around the perimeter of the settlement. More dead cats and now bears along the way. Doesn't seem to be affecting the deer-like animals or other prey. Weird.

[Wayne23]

12/6: 88-83 over Virginia Commonwealth. We led all the way but they got it to a one possession game twice in the last few minutes. 27, 9, 4 for Rich, his best game yet. 17, 4, 6 for Lews. 11 TOs.

We have a tougher pre-conf schedule this year and it's leading to some real challenges. Yes, we've won all 7 of our games but we've had to work for the wins, which I think is good.Week off until the next game.

I am truly getting frustrated with being locked out of the holo. It limits me in so many ways. It's 5 months as of tomorrow. I also want lab work done on the samples I took from that dead cat, and later from a dead bear. I feel like I need to know what's going on and whether it poses any danger to me, and to the future settlers.

The rainy season ran long this year but it seems to have ended. Still floods, flash floods, puddles on the "roads" (which are just paths)...

12/13: 89-86 in OT over Iowa ST at the Coliseum. We blew a 19 point lead, came back with a three at the end of regulation by PF Pero Buga to get it to OT, then won it on Bret Lews' three at the end of OT. Hell of a game and an ulcer producer. 13, 10, 6 for Gray, 17, 4 for Lews, 16, 7 for Buga. We really had to fight for this one!

12/15: Headed for the Caribbean Challenge vs. #6 Nebraska, 4-2. We're the #3 seed.

12/16: 84-63. Solid win. 24, 6 for Lews, 12, 15, 3 for Rich. +13 RBs, 9 TOs.

#7 seed Hawaii, 4-4, in the semis.

12/17: 90-69. Another solid win. 18, 9, 3 for Gray, 20, 4, 3 for Lews, 13, 2, 5 for PG Ron Will. 6 TOs.

#4 seed Florida ST, 7-2, for the title.

12/18: 86-75 and the title. 19, 6, 4 for Rich, who seems to be improving with every game; great looking freshman! 13, 8, 3 for Gray. 11 TOs.

Never hurts when the top seeds lose before you need to play them.

12/20: 86-62 over Murray ST at home. Big 2nd half. 24, 6, 6 for Lews, 18, 12, 3 for Rich. +18 RBs, 9 TOs.

One more pre-conf game after a week off.

I took a large contingent of robotic guards with me and walked through a section of woods. Dead cats and bears everywhere, in various stages of decomposition. I had the medical robot take lots of samples, which we have frozen. The damned holo needs to re-open before we can do anything, of course.

12/27: 74-70 over Southern Cal here. We were down 12 early. 18, 12, 3 for Rich, 15 for Lews, 11, 6, 5 for Gray. 5 TOs.

1/1/2234: We end pre-conf play at 13-0, #12, RPI #6. +13.1 PPG, +4.3 RBs, -4.3 TOs ( a terrific 10.4). Lews leads us with 17.5 PPG. Rich gets 12.6, and 8.6 RBs. Gray gets 12.4 and 6.9. 4.1 assists for Will.

[Wayne23]

1/3: 75-66 in OT over Kentucky here to start SEC play. We blew a 12 point lead went down by 5, then came back to tie it at the end of regulation. We dominated the OT. 25, 4 for Lews, 16, 5, 3 for Gray. This KY team isn't that good. We should have won much more easily.

1/6: 55-65 at #5 Tennessee. Our 1st loss. They led most of the way. We got it close a few times but never seemed to be able to hit the shot we needed at the key moment. 22 for Lews, 12, 5 for 6th man forward Chan Walk. No one else did much. We shot 31.7%. -9 RBs. They're a tough team.

1/10: 77-83 in OT to Auburn here. Damn! Again, we blew a lead- 12 points. Then we didn't show up for OT. 23, 7, 5 for Lews, 15, 7, 4 for Gray, 15, 4, 3 for Rich.

Prey animals are kind of overrunning the area with no predators to thin the numbers.

I simply must find a way into the holo.

1/13: 71-84 at #7 LSU. They took a big early lead and never looked back. 19 TOs, which is way more than usual. 15, 5, 3 for Gray, 3 of our starters fouled out.

They went to the line 37 times, we went 17.

1/17: 98-70 over Arkansas here at home. 43, 5, 4 for Lews; terrific night! 16, 6, 3 for Buga. 5 TOs.

1/20: 92-84 at Vanderbilt. 26, 6, 5 for Lews, 23, 8 for Rich, 15, 6 for Gray. +16 RBs, 10 TOs.

16-3, 3-3, 14, RPI #12. In a 4 way tie for 5th.

At LONG last, I'm able to get into the holo. Sent the samples to the lab in there. It will be a few days before we know anything.

[Wayne23]

1/24: 81-62 over Mississippi ST here. 30, 4 for Lews, who has been on fire. 15, 5 for little used backup forward Tom Gelb. 9 TOs.

It's a virus of some kind that is killing the predators. No idea why it's not killing the other animals. The holo scientist wants samples from prey animals. I have the robots seeing to that. Evidently there is little chance that this will be dangerous to me or to the 50,000 who are on their way here. I'm not so sure. I drink the planet's water, eat the crops the robots are growing here, at least to an extent, breathe the air...

1/27: 66-80 at Missouri. We fell way behind early. 21, 6, 10 for Gray. We didn't play well at all.

1/29: The prey animals have the virus but it doesn't seem to be having any effect on them. The scientist says it is extremely likely that many cats and bears have survived this so I need to continue to take my usual precautions. Evidently there's no way to know the survival rate for the predators without doing a lot of on site study, which will probably not happen, although I'm considering possibilities.

1/31: 82-72 over Georgia here. We led all the way but never by more than 12. 15, 10 for Rich, 17, 3, 4 for Gray. +9 RBs.

In a 4 way tie for 4th at the halfway point.

I'm considering having the robots set up cameras in lots of places in the wild, in order to get an idea of how many cats and bears are around.

2/3: 72-50 at Kentucky. After the battle at our place I thought this one would be tougher. 20, 3, 4 for Lews, 16, 11 for Rich. 11 TOs.

Starting PG Ron Will hurt his wrist. He's day to day and shouldn't miss a game.

2/5: The cameras are set up in a dozen locations in various parts of the unexplored territory. The robots report that they saw no cats or bears but it may be that the noise they inevitably made kept the predators hidden. The cameras will project into a room in the holo and it will be monitored by holo beings who will report sightings to me on a daily basis. Of course we have no idea how many cats and bears there were to begin with.

2/7: 51-80 to #7 Tennessee here. Ouch! We got beat up in the 2nd half, 23-50. -20 RBs; I never remember doing that badly on the boards.

2/10: 71-62 at South Carolina. 14, 10, 3 for Rich, 16, 3, 4 for Lews, 14, 8, 6 for Gray.

20-5, 7-5, #15, RPI #15. Alone in 6th in the SEC.

There seem to be plenty of cats and bears in the woods but they don't seem to be coming near the settlement. By the same token, when setting up the cameras the robots reported seeing lots of corpses in various stages of decomposition. So again, no way to know the percentage of survivors. It has to be fairly low though, given the huge numbers of prey animals.

[Wayne23]

2/14: 77-46 over Florida here. A romp. 23, 12 for Rich, 20 for Gray, 17, 4 for Lews. 9 TOs.

2/17: 82-51 over Texas A & M. Another easy win. 23, 4, 7 for Lews, 17, 10, 4 for Gray, 12, 14, 4 for Rich. +21 RBs.

2/21: 74-53 at Mississippi. 25 for Lews, 12, 4, 6 for Gray. +11 RBs.

In a 2 way tie for 3rd with 3 to play.

After gathering data for some time the holo experts seem to think that about 50% of the predators were killed by the virus. That's based on numbers we're seeing and numbers of prey going unmolested.

2/24: 64-77 at #19 Auburn. We didn't play very well. 17, 6 for Rich, 16, 4 for Lews.

Tied for 4th with 2 to play.

2/28: 101-73 over #10 LSU here. Huge win! 61 points in the 1st half. 27, 3, 5 for Lews, 18, 10 for Rich, 18, 3, 7 for Will. 9 TOs.

3/3: 72-74 at Arkansas. We just lost to the last place team in the conf. I'm disgusted.

We end the regular season at 24-7, 11-7, alone in 5th place. #17, RPI #16. +9.6 PPG, +3.7 RBs, -3.6 TOs (11.3). Lews leads us with 19.3. Rich gets 12.6, 8.3. Gray gets 12.6, 6.2. Gray leads in assists with 4.5.