Wednesday, March 9, 2011

- - -Another epic zags trip- - -

Where do I begin?? This was just such an unbelievable trip....and I am SO sad to be home!! Las Vegas was GORGEOUS, the weeather was GORGEOUS, and that St. Mary's game was GORGEOUS!! haha!

It was so incredible to see the number of zags fans in Vegas! Everywhere I went, there were zags fans. Every place we ate, every casino we were in, every stripper that dan......I mean.....haha, JUST KIDDING! But no, really, it was so much fun to high five about 2,000 people throughout the weekend, haha. I also got to meet some AWESOME posters. Thanks to all those of you posters that stopped me to say hi, or text me to organize a meeting, or set up a special breakfast/meeting spot for posters. All in all, I would say I met close to 25 posters. It was great. And they were all just as cool as I'd always imagined. I really wish I would have had a couple more days to get to know some of you more. Besides the 2.5 hour delay, the plane ride home (at least from Vegas to Denver) was great, because it turns out that at least 80% of the passengers were from Spokane! A flight attendant asked all Spo residents to raise their hand, and nearly all of them shot up! So I got to talk 'zags' all flight, and it was with people that REALLY knew the zags. It was fun while it lasted. It took 15 minutes at my office this morning, and someone came in and congratulated me (and the zags) on winning the WAC.....umm....yeah....it would be quite an accomplishment if the zags won the WAC!

Back to the trip. My wife and I (and AzZag) got the chance to meet a few players at Mandalay Bay after the St. Mary's game. They were all such cool guys, but ESPECIALLY Meech and Stockton. I'll tell you what....there is not a nicer kid than Meech. He went out of his way to shake all of our hands, and thank us for coming, and said it was really nice to meet us. It really made me a little depressed for a minute, to think (and pray) that he never reads our zags forum. He is such a nice kid. But that night at Mandalay Bay, meeting all those guys for a bit, REALLY topped the trip off.

I really appreciate everyone who followed along on my trip, I really enjoy doing these trip blogs. Hopefully you enjoyed a few of the posts or pics as much as I enjoyed taking/talking on those topics. Hopefully I'll have a chance in the coming seasons to have other trip blogs for you! Thanks again to those posters that stopped me to say hi, or searched me out. It was so cool to meet all of you. Thanks most of all to Mr. and Mrs. Ghostzag, they are the ULTIMATE Gonzaga fans. You guys will never understood what you do for me when you help me go on these 'dream trips'. And that's exactly what they are and have been, DREAM TRIPS. Without your help, there's no way I could ever even consider going to Spokane or Vegas....and both times you helped me, I literally felt like I had won the lottery. They have been more than just 'zag trips'. And about Vegas...I can never thank you enough for this experience....like I have told you before, Mrs. Woohoo has always been a 'casual' zags fan, but I could not have been more proud when I look over at her during the St Mary's game, and she is screaming and shouting and jumping and clapping along with me. She fell in love with the zags this weekend, and that in itself is SO AWESOME! I am so excited to see her keep falling more and more for this team. She just kept commenting all weekend on how amazing the fans were, and how great the team and players are. She is finally getting a glimpse of why this University is different than others. Thank you for giving this huge gift to me, and I'll never come close to being able to repay you guys.



GO ZAGS!!!!!!

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Home sweet home! (well...after this hour long drive from the airport) haha
Wow! Okay, so I'm in Denver now, approximately 2 and a half hours behind schedule. I'm set to land in Missouri at about 2:45am! (barring no more delays). So anyways, I had noticed earlier that there was a guy wearing UW gear about 3 rows in front of me. So...midway through the flight we hit some SERIOUS turbulence, the plane dropped like 20 feet out of nowhere. It was really scary. For at least 10 seconds, I was certain that I was going to die. Haha. The only thing I could think of at that time, was that if I'm going down in this plane, at least I'm taking a UW fan with me!! Hahahaha.
Still sitting on the plane and haven't budged!! Yikes! It's okay though 80% of the people on board are zags fans, so it's cool with me! I love talking Gonzaga basketball with people who actually know a thing or two about the team. I swear I found a 'fan' in Missouri a few weeks ago, until he said, 'Yeah, I really liked that guy that played a few years back....Andy Morrison.'
UH OH!! Southwest said maintenance is checking something in our of our engines, and we have been sitting here for 45 min, and they still don't know when we will take off!! Maybe I get one more night in Vegas??? Woohoo! Haha
Getting ready to hop in a taxi to head to the airport. BUMMER! What an amazing trip....I'm sad it's over, but ecstatic about all of the amazing things my wife and I got to do, including seeing one of the best zags games I've ever seen in person, AND winning the WCC championship tourney to top it all off. Wow. Gives me chills. ---------I'll post a 'wrap up' entry tomorrow sometime.

My wife's new crush (they make a pretty cute couple, if I must say so my self, haha)

Holy crap

Monday, March 7, 2011

I'm in the cafe that's here in my hotel (where the Gaels are also staying), and Coach Bennett is here, and half the players. Steindl is sitting right next to me with his head in his hands, looks devastated. It reminds you that these are all kids who want to win so freakin bad. Coach Bennett is sitting with his kids on his lap, rubbing their heads and kissing them. I'm still glad we beat their A, but I'm just saying....1% of you has to feel had for em.
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHNDIDHDJDHDBIJDKALIDHBDND!!!!!!!!!!
WHAT A GAME!!!!! WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOO!!! I love Mr and Mrs Ghostzag!!! OH MYYYYT GOOOOOSSSSSSHHHH!!!!!

I'm Freakin out.....MAN!!

This place is ROCKIN!!!!!!!

This is hotter than any lingerie she could ever wear!! Wwooooooohhhhooooooo!!!

Gametime BOOOOIIIIIIIII

Congrats to the lady zags!! Alright guys, let's follow their lead!!
Ummmmm....the lady zags are freakin awesome

The random 'Alone in the elevator, make a cool pose' picture

From last night, one of Carters HUUGE freethrows

GUBoards breakfast function. Had a GREAT time!!

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Woooow....so the first half of the game was a little ho-hum, but it certainly didn't end like that huh?? The WCC refs just amaze me...some of those stupid little fouls they called were just hilarious...but anyways, we got the win. That's all that matters at the moment. Huge game tomorrow!!! We were already talkin trash with St Marys fans tonight. It is gonna be INTENSE!! And I can't wait!!
Having a GREAT time at the game so far!! Zags are taking care of business!! I've met a ton of awesome zags fans so far. I love seeing how many die hard GU fans get out here to Vegas, it really says a lot. I'm also very impressed with the Kennel Club section. They probably only have 1/5th of their group here, but they're making some noise. I've met at least 12 posters so far, and it's so great to put a face with the name!! Thanks for those of you who have tracked me down tonight, and I hope to see you tomorrow night for yet another zag WCC championship!!!! What an amazing night so far!!

PERFECT view!!!!

Look at all these zags fans!!!! It's amazing!!!

The stingray of DOOOOOM!!! And I touched him!!

Gameday attire!!! I feel like a super hero when I put this on. (and I'm really not sure why I am standing on the bed for this picture....)

I just passed a St Marys player in the elevator. I can't remember his name but he was the one that missed some HUGE FT's at the end of the zags/St Marys game last week. I didn't say anything, but I gar him a congenital nod saying 'thank you'.
Breakfast buffet for 5.99??? HOLLLLAAAAAA!!!!
THE DAY OF ATONEMENT HAS BEEN MADE UPON US. T-minus 11 hours and counting!!!! Woooooooohoooooooo!!!
AzZag almost got into a fight with a Gael fan just now. It was awesome.
Gualum will be SO proud, I have officially made it until 1:15am tonight, and we are STILL out having fun!! Haha

This is about $140 worth of drinks! Haha

Saturday, March 5, 2011

At dinner with the Mrs. Just a few minutes ago, totally out of nowhere, she tells me "Ya know, I can't wait to watch the zags tomorrow.". WOOOOOOWW!! That was one of two things that I've been wanting to hear/see before I die!! (The other one is that I want to see a penguin on a trampoline).

The sequel to Snakes on a Plane.....Snakes on a Strip

I'm not sure why she wanted this picture SOOOO bad?? She can get a picture like this with me ANY night she wants

Lunch with Mrs Woohoo at a Mex place RIGHT on the strip. Very cool. BEAUTIFUL day. I keep hollering at every zags fan that walks by. Lots of fun. Doesn't get much better than this!

Woohoo vs Ezcure (the second this pic was snapped, I drove and dunked on Ezcure for an And1). PS- I'm lying

Sitting patiently in the hotel, waiting for Mrs Woohoo to finish putting on her face (What I call it when she is applying makeup). Then heading to McDonalds for breakfast and coffee.

Friday, March 4, 2011

Big day planned tomorrow, and I am DOG TIRED, so I'm heading to bed!! Yes, it's 11pm. Haha.
Ughhhhhhhh.....I ate to much. Oh, and everyone found it slightly entertaining that it was a very expensive buffet, yet I ate pizza, French fries, and mashed potatoes. LAY OFF ME!!! Haha
$25 per plate buffet. Nathan- 1 Vegas- 1

Woohoo and AzZag!!

Back at the hotel! Beautiful

Sat down at Black Jack with $32, left with $42!!!!! Nathan- 1 Vegas-0

Which one is me? You get 3 guesses

"Oh beautiful, for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain!!". (or something like that)

Landage has commenced!!! The flight was excellent, all except for the moment when we crossed time zones. The instant that happened, I felt a small part of me die inside.
Good news and Bad news......the good news is, I got Ashley and I each a Venti drink from Starbucks, so I am finally feeling awake and great!! Bad news is, now I'm broke!!! Haha

PARANOID!! Haha

Okay, so its 4:45am. We leave for the airport in about 10 minutes.  I'm REALLY glad I am awake now because I've had this recurring fear for the last 2 weeks that I would oversleep and miss my flight to Vegas.  I had my alarm set for 4:30am, but it was pretty funny how worried I was about not waking up on time.  For instance, I opened my eyes in a panic this morning because I was SURE I missed the flight already, so I jumped out of bed and grabbed my phone to check the time....4:07am.....whew. So I laid back down.  I started thinking about all the incredible things I'm about to do this weekend, and all the cool people I'll get to meet, and the awesome zags games I'm gonna see, and then I dozed back off....*opened my eyes*.....OH NO!!!  What time is it?!?!  I think I missed my flight!!!  Jump out of bed, grab my phone....4:09am....son of a.  Haha.  So I turn back over and close my eyes, and then have this weird freakin dream that I'm on a playground, and a little girl falls off the swings and lands on her face, and her teeth go through her cheek and she's got a big hole in her cheek because of it!!  CALL AN AMBULANCE!!!  So I call 911 (in my dream), and the firetruck comes(I know, haha, a firetruck??).  I get into the firetruck, and they take me to the to the school bus yard for some reason, and I get out and say 'You guys need to clean the windshield on this firetruck'.  I WAKE UP.....OH MY GOSH OH MY GOSH OH MY GOSH!!!!  I missed my flight!!  I fly out of bed, grab my phone....4:14am. Hahaha.  Guess I'm excited huh?


Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Vegas Trip in T-minus 3 days and counting....

I started getting short of breath last night as I watched the clock tick down on CSB, realizing that the next game Gonzaga played....I would be in attendance.....AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

Still doesn't seem real. These last 3 days will probably take an eternity.