Newt's Notes

Keep up with men's basketball captain Charles Newton as he blogs about the 2010-11 season!

October 18, 2010 -- Have I said how much I love this team? We've started practices now and are on our 3rd day of 2 a days. We are just working our butts off trying to get better one step at a time. I haven't posted a blog in a while, but to catch ya'll up to date - We had a great pre season, just working hard and spending a lot of time as a team lifting with Coach Pugh and Coach E (our former point guard) and playing pick up. Bassey got injured during a game of pick up last week when he went up for a block and then ended up landing on his wrist. The diagnosis was a broken and dislocated wrist, he had surgery and we've heard that he'll be out for quite a while. We just want him to get better, but we are going to miss him, he's a big part of our team. Everyone is coming along well, and it's great to see some of the new guys come into their own as we grow closer as a bunch. I love the position I'm in on this team because as long as everyone is doing well, then I am, and that seems to be the case! Coaches have been doing a great job getting us prepared for this year. We've got a fun schedule ahead of us, but the only game on our mind's is Carson Newman!

Dominican Republic - August 25 - Man, today was our last official day here in the Dominican republic! We woke up about 7 to get ready to go deep sea fishing which we soon found out would not be a successful venture!!! Mitch and dennis the menace got sick and I kinda felt bad, but it's all apart of the game!!! We did a different kind of fishing than I'm used to, we just rode the boat the whole time and didn't ever cast out, which was disappointing. After we got back to sosua we went shopping in the market and I got some real nice paintings, the guy wrote "newty island" on one which made it sweet!!! I also got some vanilla cigars which were amazing man I love em, I don't prefer to smoke, but if I do it's cigars. I hope Daddynewt will hit a couple at katies wedding with me. When we got back we just hung out until our dinner reservations at the Mexican restaurant which was realllly good! Now I'm about to pass out I'm so tired, adios!!!

Dominican Republic - August 24 - First game of the day over. We played in the tiburones gym that we were at last night and we murdered the team. After the game we got to see the guy that plays on the Dominican national team, I got to talk to him a little bit and he was real cool he spoke English and all that! We all just kicked it at the hotel in between games and rested, but when 3:45 hit we were all ready to head to our next game and we played like it. Came out a little out of sync, but about 5 minutes into the 1st quarter we got our stuff together and started rolling. We ended up beating this team by about 30... The story of the night though was having conejo play!!! Sutton put him in and he can still play a little! I was impressed by coach sutton too, everybody on the team loved that move. Since conejo went in and he was Wiping the sweat off the floor, I took over his duties gladly!!! Great moment. We are headed back to the Telly now, can't wait to fish in the morning!

Dominican Republic - August 23 - Man, these days are running together. Zb and me were just talking about this, it's crazy haha... Today was an off day so we woke up at about 830 got some breakfast then everyone except murph, TB, juney, and bass headed to the mercado (market) and beach spot for the locals while those 4 rode ATVs for 5 hours. The market somewhat reminded me of china with the bartering and overly aggressive vendors, I love it!!! I started a tradition with pearls in china to get my mother and bumps a piece of jewelry every time I go some where foreign so I got them a necklace each. After walking around I went and just enjoyed the beautiful view of the cove... That is until Jud probably came to me with the best idea he's ever had-banana boat!!! It was 7 dollars per person and everyone except for him, matt, n myself got scared because of a freak accident that happened last month where there were a few casualties, but we were all in! I rode front because I knew I was going to tip us at least once haha, so sure enough as soon as we got out a little bit further I started rocking the long inner-tube type inflatable device and flipped us on our first turn. I kind of thought Jud and Matt would be a little upset, but they loved it- a true attribute to how good our guys are-then we got to shore grabbed Z and went at it again!!! I think big li (Liam) russ and a few others decided to do it too eventually. Coach Payne said that he went snorkeling there and it was amazing, the way he described it makes me want to do it, even though I've watched A LOT of shark week and I know they prefer to attack in murky water, I'm still a little suspect of the fact that they don't come around, but hey when in Rome right coach? Haha... Inside joke. The rest of the day we just kicked it at the beach and pool! Zb me and Byron are a killer water volleyball team, don't let anyone tell you any different. Later that evening matt, murph, jud, Mitch, swans, Byron and myself along with the coaching staff, conejo, hoss, will and his wife went to the local professional game. The tiburones were pretty good a good fast break team. They have a guard that starts sometimes for the Dominican national team. The thing though was he didn't even impress me the most, this guy number 22 did. He was a monster- fast, long, and athletic!!! He was dunking everything, blocking Most and had a never ending motor. The reales had a guy that reminded me every bit of Daniel northern. The atmosphere there was crazy! It wasn't completely packed, but you couldn't tell from the sound, it was lovely!  That's all for today, catch ya tomorrow!

Dominican Republic - August 21 - What's up! Same schedule today as yesterday... Woke up early went to grab some breakfast then hit the road for Santiago, after the 2 hour drive we pulled up to the gym where we were playing at an our eyes were wide open as we saw the building, it was a thing of beauty. Iglesia de baloncesto-basketball temple. The team we played was a newly formed professional over there and the players were good. We won the game, but that is honestly not even the most important thing that we are doing here. The people we are touching and getting a chance to see are what's important. 3 of the kids, including Michael, came back. After the game we drove through places where conejo and hoss are from and then back to the go ministries church for lunch and to rest. Today we couldn't sleep, we were in there joking around and stuff just cracking on each other., we've got some great guys, some funny characters!!! We went to meet the mayor too! Great guy, it was cool to hear him talk with chikki translating. We lost our last game, but we played hard, they were a very good pro team. We are on our way back to the hotel so I'll check in tomorrow!!!