The "Name" or "What are you talking about in the middle of summer?"

So RH was saying he didn't "get" the name. That makes sense, since many people don't remember back in the 70's and 80's when Joe Dean was one of the people on the SEC basketball TV broadcasts that used the phrase often. It was his catch-phrase and I heard it many times. Over the past several decades, I've easily been to hundreds of Bama basketball games and watched hundreds more on TV. Its not difficult if you go to most of the home games and always try to attend the SEC basketball tournament every year - Atlanta, Nashville, Knoxville, Lexington, Orlando, Memphis, Birmingham on some type of rotating basis. An exciting road-trip and three or four days of college basketball all rolled together.

Now historically these road trips have always been eventful and packed with humorous stories about the participants. But until I can think of a way to create aliases to mask the true identity of my fellow travelers over the years, then I'll have to hold off on recounting these tales. But there was always at least one truly entertaining or outright hilarious tale that we'll always remember. This would hold true for the bowl game trips as well as the basketball games since things always seem to get wilder on the road. Many tales from Dallas, New Orleans, Atlanta, Orlando and other locales will have to remain confidential to protect the identities of public figures.

But since its summertime and there's no college basketball and no football, this has been mostly golf. So unless local Steve and Young Justin get too scared of the 90 degree days to get out on the golf course, it will likely remain that way for a little longer. So, there's your answer RH - a basketball blog name that at least was unique and raised a question as to the origin.

Ah yes, Memorial Day, the start of summer. This is the chance for everyone to ease into the season. To get your feet wet in the cool lapping waves at the beach. To relax floating down a clear stream astride an inner tube. Sounds wonderful doesn't it?



But this was not the choice for this year. instead we celebrated

Memorial Day perched alongside a hillside in Autauga County overlooking the Alabama River. This was the Capital Hill RTJ facility. More specifically, the Legislator course. As the temperature soared into the mid 90's, we spent about 5 hours hitting and chasing a little white ball. Make that lots of hitting with a fair amount of searching, followed by some moarning several prematurely drowned golf balls.

The four of us gathered in Prattville that morning: transplated Steve, local Steve, young Justin and myself, to celebrate transplanted Steve's visit from the far north. A brief respite from the rigors of working on a ladder for the previous 72 hours for transplanted Steve. Nevermind the flesh-withering humidity, it was time for golf. Actually, it was a delayed start for golf, as transplanted Steve, minus his beloved mini that was stranded somewhere in the far northland, had to make his trip to Prattville in a 3rd hand-me-down car that was somewhat unwilling to start that morning. Once he arrived we rushed to the first tee, ignoring the snide remarks from the starter about being late for our tee-time, and began another adventure in golf. Of course, with this group, every round is an adventure.



Transplanted Steve discovered that his driver wouldn't fit in his travel golf bag, so he was forced to compete with his 3 wood. The lack of distance off the tee, didn't seem to hurt his game very much, since he finished solidly in second at the end, with a match and 2 greenies. Young Justin did very well and locked up the final match with a clutch putt on the 18th hole. Luckily there were no major problems during the round, no wrecked carts, no one fell into the stream, no alligators nipping a young Justin's heels. Just a very hot start to the summer season on the course.

Of course, transplanted Steve is on a mission to find golf in the far north, within close proximity to fresh lobster, for us to visit sometime later this year. That should be an interesting outing for all.