October 11, 2005
I flew back to DC from Iowa on Monday and it only took me twelve hours door to door. Remind me next time that I should drive. Grinnell College, located in Grinnell, IA, has a very pleasant campus and is filled with bright and energetic young students (including my daughter). The train tracks running alongside the campus suggested to me that this liberal arts school of 1,400 students in central Iowa perhaps should be known as "The Little College That Could."
The Division III athletic facilities are quite good and though the football team lost 62-14 to league opponent Monmouth College (Illinois) over the weekend, the campus is already getting excited about the hoop team with their now ESPN-exposed run & gun offense.
While at Grinnell, I lunched with a former classics classmate from my student days, Dennis Hughes. Dennis, the son of former GU English prof Riley Hughes (deceased), is now a classics professor at Grinnell. We swapped stories of former mentors Fr. Bodnar and Fr. Kelley from our days of studying Greek and Latin together. And, I learned from Dennis that Josiah Osgood, the son of Grinnell's current president, is a classics professor on the Hilltop. It's a small world. And classics do rule!
Newly completed Darby Center is home to the high-flying hoop Pioneers
My picks for most interesting contests this coming week:
> Men's Soccer: The Hoyas (7-5) host #13 ranked Maryland (8-3) on rain-drenched North Kehoe Field. The Hoyas have already knocked off local rivals Howard and American. No rest on the horizon either. Notre Dame comes to town on Saturday and #23 ranked Creighton on next Tuesday. All are must-see games!
> Football: I don't understand the vagaries of football scheduling, but two seasons ago, the Hoyas (3-3) faced Cornell (2-2) in Ithaca. Last year, we did not play them at all. This year, we are back in Ithaca to play the Big Red on their homecoming weekend. I won't care about fair if we beat them, just like last time.
> Women's Soccer: After splitting games with two Big East opponents last weekend, the Hoyas (11-3-1) will meet the #23 ranked West Virginia Mountaineers next Sunday after facing an underdog Pittsburgh squad (2-8-3) on North Kehoe on Friday.
> Swimming & Diving: Opening weekend for the Hoya natators (0-0) with the local Potomac Relays on Friday. On Saturday, we will open the doors of Yates to let the smEagles from Boston College swim in our Big East pool. Let's send them right back to their ACC north country with a big L.
Last week, the Hoya athletic teams posted an overall win-loss record of 2-6 and earned a 1st, a 3rd and a 12th place finish in standings competition.
