Hello From Florida

TigerBlog brings you greetings from Orlando.

He's here for two reasons: 1) NCAA men's lacrosse rules committee meeting and 2) Bill Tierney's induction in the IMLCA Hall of Fame Saturday night. 

Okay. Three reasons. It's warm here. 

He came down yesterday on his first experience since being TSC Pre-Check certified. He applied online last week and made an appointment. When he was there, he was told it could take up to 60 days before he'd hear back and to not contact TSA until 60 days had passed.

Then he got an email the next day with his TSA Pre-Check number. If you've ever flown out of the Orlando airport, then you can appreciate the value of having a pre-check number.

He flew out of Newark yesterday morning. As he waited as his gate, he heard an announcement from an adjacent gate that said something along the lines of "we won't have to get a different aircraft after all. Maintenance says that the problem is fixed."

Is that encouraging? 

As for his own gate, the announcement for boarding did not say "Orlando." No, instead it said "now boarding flight to Mickey Mouse."

TB has never been to Disney World. Apparently there were people on his plane who have been and are going again.

Also, last year there was a youth cheerleading festival at the same hotel as the lacrosse convention, and apparently that's the case again. The flight seemed to be fairly well stocked with parents and children who can't wait to get the cheering going. They even had some in the airport by the gate.

TigerBlog was in seat 40F on his flight yesterday. When the plane landed, literally everyone around him stood up as soon as the seat belt sign went off. Yeah, no. What does that say about human nature? 

This is TB's second year of a four-year rules committee term. Last year was a non-change year, so this year figures to be a bit more interesting. TB brought his rules suggestions with him to Florida.

What could possibly be more fun than talking lacrosse rules? TB would have to say that if there has ever been a perfect match of a person and task, it's he and the men's lacrosse rules committee. 

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Speaking of lacrosse, is 700 pounds a lot? 

That's the amount that Princeton men's lacrosse sophomore face-off man Andrew McMeekin deadlifted the other day. Seven hundred pounds? 

McMeekin, who made the all-tournament team last year as Princeton won the Ivy tournament, is a bit of a moose. TigerBlog asked Matt Madalon last year if McMeekin could play another position besides face-off, and when Madalon asked which one, TB said "linebacker?"

Anyway, TB did a search for things that weigh 700 pounds. This is what he learned:

* a vending machine
* a V8 engine
* an ATM machine
* a 14-20 foot sailboat
* 110 bricks
* an unloaded U-Haul trailer
* two NFL offensive tackles

In other words, 700 pounds is a lot, and Andrew McMeekin is one strong individual.

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The Princeton Athletic calendar is pretty thin for the rest of the month, with final exams and holidays and such. Between today and New Year's Eve, there are only 18 remaining competitions for the Tigers. 

One of them is today, when the men's hockey team heads to Sacred Heart to play the first end of a home-and-home. 

When the schedule first came out, TB wanted to go to the game at Sacred Heart, which is TigerBlog Jr.'s alma mater. It's always fun to have a Princeton-SHU matchup.

Also, Sacred Heart has a relatively new rink that is supposed to be beautiful. The Pioneers have been in and out of the Top 20 for the last few years.  

This year's edition is 8-6-0, 8-3-0 in the American Hockey Conference. These will be fourth and fifth meetings in the series and first in 10 years.

Face-off at SHU is at 7 tomorrow night, and then teams then meet against at Baker Rink at 7 Saturday night. That game will be the second game of a Baker Rink doubleheader, with the women against Quinnipiac at 3.

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Lastly, TB leaves you with this photo, which needs no explanation to Princeton fans: