Thanksgiving in South Padre Island
November 23, 2006 | Men's Basketball
It definitely wasn't your ordinary Thanksgiving day for the Badger men 's basketball team. Unless any of them had previously spent the day practicing, eating at a hotel, swimming in the Gulf of Mexico and relaxing poolside. And since the player who hails from the southernmost location is Alando Tucker, and his hometown is Lockport, Ill., I'm going to assume not.
We arrived in South Padre Island last night, flying from Madison to Browsnville, Texas, and then busing about an hour to South Padre. The trip was rather uneventful, about two hours and 45 minutes in the air, all smooth sailing. There was a small road construction cone incident on the bus ride but it was resolved after about a half mile.
Today started with breakfast at 8:30 a.m. and then practice from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. The South Padre Island Convention Center is about a 15-minute drive from our hotel. The gym is fairly new and seats around 2,000 people. I would have posted some pictures of it on the photo gallery but the AA batteries I bought at the hotel gift shop weren't of the highest quality. Luckily, there is a Circle K gas station out in front of the hotel and I was able to get a pair of Energizers to snap off the three photos currently posted in the gallery. Don't worry, there will be plenty more tomorrow.
After practice, we bussed back from the hotel. Everyone, that is, except for assistant coach Gary Close and my roommate and Mr. Everything, Otto Puls. Remember, I said it was about a 15-minute bus trip. As we left, they were walking across the street and were planning on simply walking the length of the beach back to the hotel. How long could it take, right '
Well, we got back to the hotel around 1:30 and sat down to Thanksgiving dinner at around 2 p.m., complete with turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potatoes and corn on the cob. There was also salad and cheesecake and cookies for dessert. For being at a hotel, the meal was surprisingly good. The turkey and ham were not the processed kind but the real deal and very tasty. The stuffing had a little kick to it, I think it was green peppers, so it gave us a little South Padre flavor.
About 30 minutes into the meal, we noticed Gary and Otto weren't around so we alerted the hotel staff to keep the food out. Video coordinator Joe Robinson tried to get Gary on his cell but it went straight to voicemail. We finished eating and all were ready to head up to our rooms about 20 minutes later. As we were walking to the elevator, we saw Gary and Otto making their way through the pool area and into the hotel. It only took them an hour and 40 minutes. At least they worked up a big appetite.
After the meal, the guys had some free time and most of them went down to the beach and took a dip in the Gulf. They then made their way back to the pool area (the heated portion). Then it was off to some film study on Missouri State at 6:30 p.m. and another meal at 7 p.m. There was a near-crisis when the ice cream was thought to have run out, prompting Gary to ask Otto, 'Wanna go for a walk' I hear there's a good ice cream place only 20 minutes away.' That got some laughs. Luckily no one had to go anywhere as the hotel stuff eventually dug some up.
Last note for today; I love technology. As I type, I am sitting poolside, on my laptop, connected to the hotel's wireless network allowing me to post this on UWBADGERS.COM. Not to toot my own horn but it IS 9:15 p.m. on Thanksgiving. Such dedication!
We play tomorrow at 11 a.m. against Missouri State. The game will be televised by CSTV (channel 407 on Charter in Madison and channel 610 on DirectTV). Look for updates here following the game.
To see the Badgers in South Padre Photo Gallery, click on the 'Photo Galleries ' button on the left-hand navigation and click on 'Special Events. '
