You've been told that your end point is something important. What could it be?
A lecture? An exhibit? A tour of a new building? What?
If you're TigerBlog, you don't usually do well in situations like this. He wants answers. He doesn't want to have to guess. Even worse, he doesn't want to have to keep asking what's next.
His escort on this sojourn was his friend Pattie Friend, whose husband Lloyd was in the Class of 1965 (that's a foreshadow, by the way). For her part, she was playing it up in a big way, pretending to be lost, saying "is it left or right" and then "oh yeah, this way."
She could probably tell that she was starting to annoy TigerBlog. How could she not?
He asked only one question: "Is this going to be fun?" She just smiled.
Eventually, the long and winding road led to the football stadium. There, in one of the tunnels near the top of the stadium stood a man in a pair of khaki shorts and an orange collared shirt that said "Princeton Golf" on it.
TB, though, immediately thought of a different sport. The man was, after all, Cosmo Iacavazzi, one of the greatest athletes Princeton has ever known and the captain of the 1964 undefeated football team.
Did this tell the story, though? No, it didn't — not even when Cosmo first extended his hand for a firm handshake.
This all left TB more confused than ever.
Little did he know that one of the greatest honors of his life was about to come his way.
"On behalf of our class," Cosmo said, "it's my privilege to let you know that you have been chosen to be an honorary member of the Class of 1965."
Was this on the level? Was this some sort of joke?
"This is for real," Cosmo said.
Once he realized that this was on the up and up, TB couldn't stop smiling. An honorary member of the Class of 1965?
That's the class that featured Cosmo, as well as another fairly well-regarded athlete — Bill Bradley. And men like Johnny O'Brien, who grew up at the Milton Hershey School before playing football at Princeton and then returning to the school as its headmaster after a successful business career. There's a limitless amount of respect for that trajectory.
The Class of 1965 has certainly left its mark on this University. Its roster is a series of alums who have lived by the University motto: "In the nation's service and service of all humanity," and they have incredible contributions in the areas of government, the military, business, medicine, law, athletics and so many others.
And now TB is an honorary member. That's something that overwhelms him.
When you go to work at Princeton in your 30s, you're not thinking that one day you might be honored by any class, let alone one as legendary as the Class of 1965. You're just thinking about what needs to be done that day, that season, what game might be coming up.
TB has had that same attitude in the 31 years he's been doing this. It's why he continues to write here everyday, because every day brings with it something special to be shared, with another challenge to be creative.
It's why he also still gets that same feeling of excitement for gamedays. It's why he sits here now ready for the start of the 2025-26 athletic year, and why he is already looking forward to the opening weekend of field hockey in early September, even if it's still June.
Of course, there is one fair question to be asked: Why did the Class of 1965 choose TigerBlog for this honor?
Cosmo said it was in recognition and appreciation of all of the years that TB has been chronicling the athletic achievements — and the athletes — of the Class of 1965 and all the other Princeton classes. That was something that made TB's heart flutter and resulted in an ear-to-ear grin.
TB hasn't done this for the recognition. He's done it because it's always been something he's passionate about and something that has challenged him.
In all of his time at Princeton, he's never once applied for another job anywhere else, in athletics or anything else. This is what he's wanted to do, and this is where he's wanted to do it.
And that's why, come Monday, there will be another entry here.
But it'll come from someone who has been changed a bit by his meeting with Cosmo.
Honorary? Yes.
Honored? More than you know.
Thank you to everyone in the Class of 1965 who supported this.
TB is proud to be your newest classmate.
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