Stories from the Hyatt

By Mark Buckets

It was Valentine’s Day 2008. Naturally, I thought it would be fun to spend it with my lovely girlfriend who enjoys basketball from time to time.

So where better to spend it then the Hyatt in Downtown Milwaukee - which happened to house the Pittsburgh Men’s Basketball team for the weekend.

This post isn’t a recap of tonight’s victory for Marquette at the Bradley Center. Nor is about the struggles of the Pitt Panthers without two of their most important players, Mike Cook and Levance Fields.

This is about networking. It’s about spending Valentine’s Night waiting in the hotel bar adjacent to the conference room where the Panthers were spending their night collectively watching Casablanca - or studying game film.

I met a writer from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - whose name will remain confidential - and we shot the breeze for hours. I tried to convince him to join Drive & Dish - apparently we couldn't pony up the cash - as a guest columnist.

And just as the team was adjourning from their meetings, a familiar face emerged from the double doors of the Gilpatrick Conference Room: It was Head Coach Jamie Dixon, who was as unassuming as he appears in public.

As he left and headed for the elevator, I bid adieu to my newfound contact in journalism, and walked - okay, I walked briskly - towards the lift.

Jamie Dixon held the elevator door for me - I was like a kid in a candy store.

And even though I was unable to delve into the litany of questions I had scrambled on a hotel napkin- needless to say we weren't able to talk much - it was an eye-opening experience and dispelled the rumors of how uptight coaches really are.

As a blogger - thanks for the correction T.S. - you find stories in the unlikeliest of places.

I know I did.

Trashtalk Superstar Adds:

Wow. Mark Buckets is a "journalist" now.

Not me.

I'm just a blogger (and some would say a muckraker and a new media, internet punk).

But I guess Mark Buckets is going highbrow.

Good lookin' out, dawg.