NCAA Championships

It’s go time. 

Covid restrictions are finally lifting, just in time for possibly my favorite track meet, the NCAA Championships. The University of Oregon has hosted probably 8 times in the last decade or so. 

#SpoiledRotten

We have to be Covid cleared in advance; either a full vaccination card or testing. They request officials be screened and get their gear on Sunday….I don’t arrive until Tuesday (#LivingInTheSticks)…..next opportunity is 0630 Wednesday, first day of the meet. Hmmm….I plan to drive over Tuesday, so I ask the meet ops boss for clarification. She says, Tuesday check-in is primarily teams, but we’ll make an exception for you. 

Great. I arrive at Autzen Stadium, the football venue. Get my clearance sticker. Go to swag pickup. ‘Sorry, officials can’t get your credential and gear until tomorrow morning.’

Hmmmm…i was told otherwise. Them: ‘Who told you that?’

The meet ops boss. Aka your boss….In five minutes, I have my gear, and I’m on my merry way. 

I call chief umpire Ryan, recently arrived from Iowa, and I meet him for a drink at the Valley River Inn. 

He has no gear or credential, ‘because they told me I couldn’t get my stuff until tomorrow.’ 

I guess it pays to ask questions! But now the chief umpire is mad at me…though he did buy my a ginger whiskey. 

                                     

                         

Lane County goes to low risk today. So the ticket office is OPEN! Let’s fill this beast. 

Nice swag. Finally get me one of those floppy sun shade hats. 

Unmemorable catered dinner at the track; I eat all the cauliflower and half the lasagna. Meh. 

Watching the hammer throw from the concourse. 

`

First day…no rain in the forecast, so i leave my raingear in the car.

Then it pours. Here’s the MVP of the meet: my rubberized shoe covers like motorcylists wear. But I have a feeling Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper would turn their noses up. 

The actual MVP is my man Tim, a fellow umpire who got stuck in traffic and arrived late.  He was surplus, so he offered to walk the 3 blocks to my car and grab the gear. I owe that man a big drink!

Great names in the men’s 100…Ismael, Micah, JoVaughn. But none of them can hold a candle to former Arkansas sprinter Kenzo Cotton…100, 200, 4x100, 4x400, built like Eric Heiden…and an Academic All American. The lad is going places. 

In the 4x100m relay, runners 2-4 are allowed to put tape marks on the track; when the incoming runner passes the mark, the outgoing runner takes off and hopefully is near full speed for the baton pass. After the runners go, we highly experienced officials have the job of removing yards of tape and collecting the surplus rolls. EBay, anyone? 

 Alex, I’d like “Something I’ve never heard in a 4x400m Relay” for $1000. The answer: What is “BYU takes the lead?” That school is not known for sprint prowess. 

Found my boy Chuck. When he’s not capturing the track world as a professional photographer, he moonlights as an MD. One of his daughters made the NCAA final, and his other daughter qualified for the Olympic Trials next week. Oh btw, he was the first NM resident and the first Notre Damer to run a 4 minute mile. I’ll see Chuck a lot in the next two weeks!

Chuck and i do get into a violent argument, though. He says the best Mexican food in Albuquerque is at Barela’s, and I can't imagine anything better than The Frontier. I think i need a verification trip. 

The second day’s catering is a really yummy chicken and yakisoba dish. Too bad i just ate sushi at Market of Choice. 

I wear my raingear all day Thursday, and it worked. No rain. I won’t be so lucky for the next two days, but I’ll do my best. 

And I'm getting smarter...my inside coat pockets have long johns, a bandana, the aforementioned boots, power bars, etc....I feel like a guy hocking fake watches in Times Square...

                                                 

The REALLY important people....starters. I try to be nice to people who carry guns. 

                                                       

Billy Crystal in City Slickers....."and a spaceship lands." The stadium sure does look extra-terrestrial. 

                            

Umpire briefing before the fun. 

                                         

In the "I know a guy who knows a guy" category....parking on or near any college campus is impossible. My host worked at this mini mart literally across the street from the track, and procured me a parking spot behind the dumpsters for the duration. A three minute walk to the track?!? It literally does not get any better than this! And the store is amazingly stocked; on any given day, you'll see Olympians walking in to buy pork rinds and wine. 

                                          

Friday is men's finals, and my life flashes before my eyes in the 1500. Oregon kid Cole Hocker has a shot at the title and is a huge crowd favorite. On two separate laps, right in front of me, he's involved in distinct and separate kerfluffles. With a lump in my throat, I do my duty and write up the incidents. He wins the title with a furious sprint, but if he's disqualified, I imagine I will be banned from setting foot in the state ever again. Fortunately, the contact was accepted as 'Just Racing,' and the victory stands pat. 

The Oklahoma State team is sitting behind me, screaming their fool heads off for their guy in the steeplechase. Contending for the win, he eats Mondo over the last barrier and does well to finish third. (Translation: Mondo is the track material. He caught a food on the hurdle and went down hard. Sad panda).

NC A&T has come out of nowhere to build a powerhouse team. Coach's kid and sophomore Randolph Ross drops a ridiculous 43.85 in the 400m. If he does that at the Olympic Trials, he'll almost certainly be leaving Tokyo with a relay gold medal (and world record). That relay team will be stacked and unfair. 

Curry chicken was decent. 

                                        

A Saturday morning stroll up Spencer's Butte. Hint: a whole lotta uphill. 

 

Driving to the meet for the final day. Sun is shining, birds are chirping, and I am absolutely blaring 'Birdland' by Maynard Ferguson (thank you to my HS band teacher Rick Coulter for opening my eyes). Music seriously does not get any better.....google it. 

Pulled turkey with mac and cheese. Portions too big...i ate half. And my college classmate Tim has much better game. 

                   

The meet director asks me why my incident reports from the previous day ended up in the steeplechase pit. I have no idea, since I didn’t write up any fouls at that end of the track. Turns out, the head umpire had a paperwork malfunction and lost control of the documents I gave him. At least I didn’t take it personally!

A tiny Air Force senior wins the women's steeple with a furious sprint and perfect lean. I guess Colorado Springs isn't a country club after all.......signed, Navy '87. 

(no, USAFA really IS a country club)

NC A&T girl wins the 100/200 double in lightning fast times. Where did that school come from?!?

Nice trophy for the worthy and swift. 

Texas A&M freshman Athing Mu breaks her own 400m NCAA record, then runs a ridiculous anchor leg in the mile relay. Her times put her among the best in the world....she's a FRESHMAN. I'd bet her on the Olympic podium in 2024, and wouldn't rule her out for this year, either. 

After she receives her trophy and walks off the track in front of me, she squeals to her teammates, "SO FUN!"

Another classic name in the women's 5000m: Poppy Tank of Utah. 

No worries, Phil (Knight). I took care of your track for you. 

                                     

See y'all next week! Same bat time, same bat channel.