Go Beavers

These are heady times to be a person with a relative starting her freshman year at Oregon State. They just won their first NCAA championship in anything since the 1940's, a 2-games-to-1 heart-stopper in the College World Series. A poor North Carolina player got his tar heel stuck in the dirt, causing him to throw the ball wildly past the first baseman. I don't know what inning that was (like most people, I didn't and will never watch the College World Series), but I hear it was the play of the game. Get a mascot that's not a dirtied-up body part, Tar Heels. And that goat doesn't count.

We visited Corvalis (the home of OSU) a couple of weeks ago, my wife and I, and had some bad chinese food. I got an "Oregon State Beavers" t-shirt while we were there, which is totally in fashion now that they've won something. Maybe I can sell it for double price. It's orange, so probably not.

Also in sports, an alumnus of my alma mater is actually doing something with her life, unlike the rest of us. Amanda Kuca, who just graduated from Concordia University Wisconsin (CUW), took 8th in the nationals for the 3000m steeplechase last week. Concordia doesn't even have steeplechase stuff on their track. How did she get so good? She's my new running hero. Suzy Favor Hamilton, you're in second now. And Prefontaine, you're just crazy. And dead.

She takes over as Women's distance coach at CUW next spring. Also, I think she just qualified for the olympic trials next year. She's trained for at least 631 straight days. The next (insert name of USA historic women's steeplechase hero here)? You betcha. Read the interview.