In Eckleburg's Eyes - 1/9/2009, Part 1

News & Notes from Wednesday, January 7th, 2009

-On Wednesday afternoon, I went to UT for the first day of class. I arrived to find that parking all over campus had been cordoned off for the 9 pm basketball game. Not wanting to be late on the first day, I actually parked on the track! I made it to my class on time only to find that my class on that night had been cancelled...for the semester.

-RGB appeared to inform the class that the professor, MHZ, was suffering from a hip injury and forced to cancel all of her classes for the semester. She will spend the semester convalescing in Atlanta, where her husband works. I then agreed to take two classes from RGB this semester, essentially the only classes I could take. I will be in Adult Learning (EP 525) over four weekends and on Tuesday nights, I will be taking a course called Ethical Issues in Adult Education (EP 527).

-I then went to the UT Book & Supply Store to buy my books. I was surprised to that discover LRT, a friend from church, was working there. She told me that her sister MST had gotten into her first wreck the previous night. Thankfully, she was not injured. MST also recently lost her job at Moe’s Southwest Grill and is getting minimal playing time for Bearden High School’s basketball team. Keep Mo in your prayers.

-I returned home and got to see my uncle REN, who was returning my pickup truck, and my cousin, HLN. She will be dancing at halftime of the Lady Vols’ basketball game against Alabama on February 12th. If anyone wishes to join me, let me know.

-On Wednesday night, I returned to campus with MPW and RAW to watch the Tennessee basketball team play Gonzaga. Gonzaga is a team with a team with a recent history of good success and strange looking Caucasian stars. The Bulldogs had already beaten the Vols in Orlando on November 30th.

-Amazingly, we were early! We arrived at 8:42 pm. Even MPW, RAW, and I can make a 9 pm tip. We saw a lot of people we knew. We first ran into JTL and I met his father-in-law. When I complimented his daughter, JTL told me not to suck up, as “that’s my job”.

-We also saw, KLD, WJA and TYP, RHF (aka “Coors” aka “The Silver Bullet” aka “The only thing than can kill a werewolf - sorry very inside joke) from church. Just before entering, we also ran into BAP who was struggling to sell an extra set he had on the lower level. It was great to see so many acquaintances.

-For the first time all season, there was a big game atmosphere. Chris Lofton’s parents, Frank and Kathy, were in attendance as was Dane Bradshaw. How big was the game? For the first time all season my primary concern was not whether or not I would get free chicken.

-The halftime show, performances by the dance team and cheerleaders, did not reflect the big game atmosphere.

-In the second half, ALK visited us and wound up sitting with us throughout the entire second half. Her student seat was actually worse than ours on this night. How is that possible, you ask? The lower section of fans filled early and her upper level students seats were directly behind the goal.

-Despite the atmosphere, the unthinkable happened. For the first time since 2006, the Vols lost at home. Down two and on defense with the game all but over, Dane Bradshaw livened the crowd up and the Vols forced a turnover and bucket to send the game into overtime. The team payed poorly in the extra period and lost 89-79. To add insult to injury, prototypical Gonzaga star, floppy headed Matt Bouldin lit the Vols up for 26 points.