Los Tigres

Like much of the world, TigerBlog had braces when he was in high school.

His orthodontist was in Red Bank, not far from where last year's Ivy League administrative meetings were. Ah, what a sight TB made back then, with his long hair, parted in the middle, and a mouth full of wires, all while checking in at around 5-10 and weighing about 125 pounds, if that.

Somehow, he made it work.

Braces were a bit of a pain, what with the inability to chew gum and all. And they sort of were uncomfortable when you got them tightened every few weeks.

TB was supposed to wear his retainer for some undetermined period of time, though he's pretty sure he only did so for one or two nights.

Fast-forwarding to present day, TB is now up to a second child who is going down the path of braces.

TigerBlog Jr. has already had his braces and in fact lost two retainers in about five minutes each before settling in on his third.

When TBJ first got his braces on, TB was struck by how little it appears that the whole process has changed in the decades since he had them. Wires. Go back every few weeks. A year or two later get them off. On to the retainer.

Of course, maybe the entire technology is different, and TB just doesn't know it. He was just a bit surprised by how familiar the whole process was.

TBJ chewed gum, ate pizza, consumed Starbursts and did basically everything else you're not supposed to do during his braces experience.

Up next is Miss TigerBlog, who went last week to have brackets put on her teeth and now goes back this afternoon to get a fixed retainer, which will be on her teeth for six months, after which time it will be determined whether or not she needs full braces. TB is guessing she will.

Because he has to take her to orthodontist this afternoon, TB won't be here to see the bus load up as the Princeton men's basketball team heads off for its 10-day trip to Spain.

TigerBlog has gone on two international trips, both with the men's lacrosse team (2008 to Spain/Ireland, this past June to Costa Rica). Both are among the highlights of his time working here.

An international trip is a great experience for the entire travel party. It's a reward for the TB types (athletic trainers, team doctors, faculty fellows, administrators, whoever makes the trip) for their support of the program, and it's a great chance for them to really get to see the inner dynamics of the team.

It's even greater for the players, and - thanks to the generosity of the Friends of Princeton Basketball - it's something none of them will ever forget.

To have the opportunity as a college athlete to go to a foreign country with your teammates and to mix practice and competition with educational, cultural and service activities is incredibly special.

The men's basketball trip will include four games, during which Princeton will wear its super-cool "Los Tigres" uniforms. TB would love to see the team wear those for a game during the regular season.

There will be a trip to a soccer game (TB thinks a Barcelona game), among other stops along the way in Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia. All of it will be chronicled daily on goprincetontigers.com.

Mitch Henderson was a player at Princeton when the team went to Italy prior to the 1997-98 school year. The Tigers went on that year to be 27-2 and ranked in the Top 10 nationally.

In 2004, the women's soccer team took a trip to Germany and then reached the Final Four. The 2009 men's lacrosse team reached No. 1 in the national rankings after its Spain/Ireland trip.

The women's basketball team last year went to Senegal and France and came back to become the first Ivy League team ever to reach the national Top 25.

This isn't to say that all foreign trips lead directly to success the following season, but there is a lot to be said about the opportunity for additional practice and games, not to mention serious team bonding, that occurs on one of these trips.

The level of excitement as the bus pulls away to start the trip to the airport is almost visual.

The Tigers will head out early this afternoon to start their journey.

They will have an amazing time.