That Stings

TigerBlog was out on the bike the other morning when he got stung by a bee.

He never saw the culprit. He just knows that he had his right hand on his handlebar and then all of the sudden - wham, someone else showed up.

It had been awhile since TigerBlog had been stung by a bee. He didn't like it anymore this time than he did back then.

Still, being the tough guy that he is, TB persevered, making it two more times around the loop in Skillman Park, finishing as planned. TB has no idea what happened to the bee.

Do bees really die after they sting someone? Is that a myth?

If it's true, then that was an awfully big commitment on the part of the bee. For one thing, TB didn't do a thing to him. Why the violence?

For another, it was such a nice morning.

Is it really Aug. 11 already? Yikes does this month zoom by.

The coming forecast suggests that the next week will not see temperatures higher than 81 in Princeton, which is extraordinary for this time of year.

And what time of year is it? Well, it's time for things to start rolling around here again.

The first practices of the year for fall teams will be beginning. The first game is two weeks from today, a women's soccer game at home against Monmouth.

Remember how TigerBlog has been saying that he'll feel really old the day that the son or daughter of an athlete he covered at Princeton shows up on a Princeton roster. It hasn't happened yet - but it's coming really close this fall.

Julia Simkus will be a freshman on the women's soccer team. She is the daughter of Rich Simkus, the former Princeton men's basketball player. Oh, and Abby Simkus, a Penn grad.

It's not the same as when it'll be the child of someone who was competing here when TB covered Princeton for the newspaper or was already working here, but hey, Simkus' daughter?

When TigerBlog first started doing radio for Princeton, it was for men's basketball, way back when. The play-by-play man was David Brody, and he and TigerBlog would do the road games together. The first game TB did was at Michigan State in the 1989 Oldsmobile Spartan Classic, where Princeton defeated Arkansas-Little Rock and then lost to the host team in the final.

By the way, before Princeton played Michigan State, then-assistant coach Bill Carmody said that if Princeton was outrebounded by 15 or fewer, it would win the game. Princeton was outrebounded by 16 - and lost by two, 51-49. Why does TB remember that?

Also by the way, the Princeton-UALR game was the first TigerBlog would broadcast for the Tigers. It was the 1989-90 season. Who was the starting five?

TB will give you a few paragraphs to figure it out.

So anyway, Julia Simkus will be on the women's soccer team.

Even though the 2017-18 academic year is right around the corner, it's not quite the end of the summer for Princeton alums, or one assistant coach.

Robby Andrews, assistant coach for men's cross country, competed in the first round of the 1,500 at the World Championships in London yesterday afternoon. 

And the Major League Lacrosse playoffs begin this weekend, with Princeton well-represented.

Tom Schreiber, the MLL leader in assists for the regular season, is with the Ohio Machine, who will host the Florida Launch in one semifinal tomorrow. The other semifinal has Kip Orban and the Rochester Rattlers at Denver to face an Outlaws team that has Zach Currier, Ryan Ambler and Gavin McBride.

Currier finished his first MLL regular season 13th in the league in assists and tops among rookies, despite being a middie.

The Major League Lacrosse championship game will be held a week from tomorrow in Frisco, Texas.

TigerBlog was trying to remember which Princeton alums have won MLL championships in their careers.

Kevin Lowe definitely did. He remains the only player ever to score an overtime goal in an NCAA championship game and an MLL championship game.

Matt Striebel and Ryan Boyle won more than one MLL title. Trevor Tierney won one. TB is pretty sure Tyler Fiorito was the backup goalie for Chesapeake when it won in 2012 and 2013. Is that everyone?

If he's missing someone, TB apologizes.

Oh, and the trivia answer: Matt Henshon. Matt Eastwick. Kit Mueller. George Leftwich. Sean Jackson.

And with that, have a great weekend.