So my 10 year-old son and I head up to the Indiana game today. At halftime it's 24-7 and my son looks at me and asks if we can leave, go throw the football around in the parking lot, and listen to the game on the radio on the way home. (He's sad that it looks like we're gonna get blown out again... little did we know). We had already tailgated for awhile and we live over an hour south of the stadium, so it's already been a long day. So I said cool, no problem bud, and we head off.
We parked at the RAC (I don't have football season tix anymore). So we're on the bus headed back to the RAC when I jokingly say to my son "When we get back, let's try to sneak into the arena, maybe see if any of the guys are shooting around (he's a huge RU hoops fan, too). He gets all excited. Meanwhile I'm thinking to myself OK yeah maybe we catch a glimpse of a player working out, I dunno, who knows if the doors are even unlocked, I don't know their practice schedule, bla bla bla. But I figured it was worth a try.
We hop off the bus and lo & behold, one door is unlocked. So we go in and sure enough, I see Caleb and Montez shooting around. So we get all excited and we head over to the handicapped area to watch. So we're sitting on the folding chairs in the handicap section and we notice more and more players are starting to filter onto the court. Looks like the start of a practice. What impeccable timing!!! But how long before we get booted? And sure enough, about 5 minutes into our stay, a security guard comes over and tells us we can hang until practice begins, but once it starts we're gonna have to leave. OK sure, I get it, no problem.
Flash forward 10 minutes later and out of nowhere, here comes Coach Pike walking right up to my son and I. In the handicapped section. I immediately stand up, smile at him and say "Hey coach, well this must be our cue." He smiles and says "Hi I'm Coach Pikiell, so why don't you two be my guests for the day. Come down courtside with me, I'll show you where to sit and you can stay as long as you want, stay the entire practice."
Wait, excuse me, are you serious?!?! Is this really happening? That's all my son and I could think of, even 2.5 hours later after practice was over! Yes they practiced for 2.5 hours straight, and yes we stayed the entire time. Pike noticed us from the court, walked ALL THE WAY up the stairs and over to the handicap section, escorted us to 118 and when we got down on the court, he said to my son "I want you to meet a couple of my friends", and he introduces us to Geo and Issa, who were all smiles and posed for pics with my son. In fact, ALL the players were nice. They all would turn, look at my son and I, and smile. Doorson chatted with us and fist-bumped us. A member of the coaching staff (Steve Hayn, Senior Advisor) came over to us and chatted with us for 10 minutes. Plus Pike and I BS'd together all the way down to the court, talking about the Indiana game (I told him we were losing, he sounded pissed, ha), and about how he had a recruit in the building today, etc. etc. I mean it was insane, totally unexpected and seriously one heck of a memorable experience.
Posting one pic below. Oh and side note, the one on one battles they do are INSANE. They call no fouls, pair 2 guys up, and they just go at it! It was wild! Overall just such a great experience, and since it wasn't a practice open to the public, (we were literally the only fans there) there was cussing, yelling, I mean it was definitely REAL, ha. So great.
Bottom line, we've got a good one folks. I know we already know that but man, we are blessed. This man is genuinely a great man. A lot of coaches have egos. This man has ZERO ego. And he doesn't know me from Adam, yet he treated my son and I like we were high-rolling booster alums. He thanked US for swinging by. I mean it was insane. I can't say enough about the man.
Photo from the practice:
We parked at the RAC (I don't have football season tix anymore). So we're on the bus headed back to the RAC when I jokingly say to my son "When we get back, let's try to sneak into the arena, maybe see if any of the guys are shooting around (he's a huge RU hoops fan, too). He gets all excited. Meanwhile I'm thinking to myself OK yeah maybe we catch a glimpse of a player working out, I dunno, who knows if the doors are even unlocked, I don't know their practice schedule, bla bla bla. But I figured it was worth a try.
We hop off the bus and lo & behold, one door is unlocked. So we go in and sure enough, I see Caleb and Montez shooting around. So we get all excited and we head over to the handicapped area to watch. So we're sitting on the folding chairs in the handicap section and we notice more and more players are starting to filter onto the court. Looks like the start of a practice. What impeccable timing!!! But how long before we get booted? And sure enough, about 5 minutes into our stay, a security guard comes over and tells us we can hang until practice begins, but once it starts we're gonna have to leave. OK sure, I get it, no problem.
Flash forward 10 minutes later and out of nowhere, here comes Coach Pike walking right up to my son and I. In the handicapped section. I immediately stand up, smile at him and say "Hey coach, well this must be our cue." He smiles and says "Hi I'm Coach Pikiell, so why don't you two be my guests for the day. Come down courtside with me, I'll show you where to sit and you can stay as long as you want, stay the entire practice."
Wait, excuse me, are you serious?!?! Is this really happening? That's all my son and I could think of, even 2.5 hours later after practice was over! Yes they practiced for 2.5 hours straight, and yes we stayed the entire time. Pike noticed us from the court, walked ALL THE WAY up the stairs and over to the handicap section, escorted us to 118 and when we got down on the court, he said to my son "I want you to meet a couple of my friends", and he introduces us to Geo and Issa, who were all smiles and posed for pics with my son. In fact, ALL the players were nice. They all would turn, look at my son and I, and smile. Doorson chatted with us and fist-bumped us. A member of the coaching staff (Steve Hayn, Senior Advisor) came over to us and chatted with us for 10 minutes. Plus Pike and I BS'd together all the way down to the court, talking about the Indiana game (I told him we were losing, he sounded pissed, ha), and about how he had a recruit in the building today, etc. etc. I mean it was insane, totally unexpected and seriously one heck of a memorable experience.
Posting one pic below. Oh and side note, the one on one battles they do are INSANE. They call no fouls, pair 2 guys up, and they just go at it! It was wild! Overall just such a great experience, and since it wasn't a practice open to the public, (we were literally the only fans there) there was cussing, yelling, I mean it was definitely REAL, ha. So great.
Bottom line, we've got a good one folks. I know we already know that but man, we are blessed. This man is genuinely a great man. A lot of coaches have egos. This man has ZERO ego. And he doesn't know me from Adam, yet he treated my son and I like we were high-rolling booster alums. He thanked US for swinging by. I mean it was insane. I can't say enough about the man.
Photo from the practice:
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