Durham Delight

By: Andy Gripshover

In the words of Brent Musberger, YOU ARE LOOKING LIVE at the lobby of the Courtyard by Marriott in Durham, North Carolina. I'm actually on the official lobby desk computer, which makes me awesome (well more awesome than I usually am.) I'm getting ready to broadcast field hockey, # 1 Maryland @ # 11 Duke, at 1 PM this afternoon. As always, you can listen live at wmucsports.com. My broadcast partner Brian Kapur has already covered most of the key points of today's game (read: all I've got to say is that as long as Maryland shuts down Survilla, which they should with all the great players at the back they have, they'll probably roll) so I'm going to focus more on the wild and wacky adventures we've had so far in Durham.

-We made epic time on the trip down. Left at a little after 9, rolled in just before 2 and that included a stop for food at a rest stop where everyone thought a Wawa was prominently involved but instead it was Subway and Dunkin Donuts and that led to massive disappointment. At least from BK and I. Not that Subway and Dunkin Donuts are bad food, quite the opposite actually, but we haven't had Wawa in our lives since the one in College Park tragically closed down a month or two in to my first semester in the fall of 2007.

Not much to discuss about the ride down. It was a school day so the players were studying for most of it. BK and I shot the breeze, slept, and got some reading done (not all at once.) He played around on his Blackberry a lot and I turned green with envy. I need a Blackberry. Someone donate me $600 so I can get one. Seriously I DO need a new phone since my current but who knows when I'll actually get one. Hit me up with that $600 donation and we can speed up the process.

-Last time I was in the Triangle was two years ago for Maryland/UNC women's lacrosse. It was then I first experienced the joy that was Sonic. This time around, I have finally experienced the joy that is BOJANGLES. If you've never heard of Bojangles, it's basically a very southern fried chicken fast food place. You might be thinking Popeyes and you wouldn't be totally off but Popeyes is more cajun New Orleans style and this is more southeastern ACC country. The chicken though tastes almost exactly the same; it's the fries and biscuits that differ and I hate to say that Popeyes has 'em in both departments but that's not entirely fair; there might not be a better food on Earth than Popeyes biscuits. Anyway Bojangles is still very good and if you're a sweet tea fan, you must have their "world famous" iced tea. It won't let you down. If you want to feel like you're in the South, the atmosphere at the place and the food you taste will definitely quench your needs in that regard as well.

-In the very same shopping center as that Bojangles, we entered a Big Lots that made us feel like we were in a parallel universe. BK described the place as "Wal Mart meets Marshall's." My description was much less flattering and cannot be printed, but this certainly was an interesting place to explore. Before yesterday, I can safely say that I had never seen a toy Black and Decker tool set but now I can. Before yesterday, I couldn't say that I got a two liter bottle of Pepsi for $1.15 but now I can. And before yesterday, I couldn't say that I had ever encountered a desk that had a electric guitar clock on top of it but hey, we're in the South, you gotta expect (or at least not be shocked by) that kind of stuff.

One disappointing aspect: we passed by slippers and saw Duke, N.C. State, Wake Forest, even East Carolina and Charlotte slippers...but no UNC. Being in Durham, I hoped that this was an anti-UNC store that refused to carry UNC products even though Chapel Hill is literally right down the road. I guess it furthered strengthened the Duke/UNC rivalry in my eyes. Unfortunately we later saw some UNC glasses and plates which broke my heart and I've still yet to fully recover.

-There aren't many perks of being a journalist over an athlete. One of them is being able to order a Baconator with large fries and a large chocolate frostee the night before a game, walk past the team in the lobby with it, hear one of them remark "well that's not fair", and then head up to your room to eat it and watch the epic ending to Twins/Yankees. Life is good.

Well, it's 11:15 and it's time to board the bus. Once we get back on our feet in College Park, expect a wrapup post reviewing the game and the trip as a whole. Until then, take care and remember to listen to Brian and I today at 1 on www.wmucsports.com. Your Terps, Your Station.