mailing it in.

IUPUI's men's team had a non-conference game Saturday night against IU Southeast, an NAIA team. IUPUI won the game going away. The score was something-to-something. This is what happens when teams of different divisions play one another -- nobody cares.

This is, by no means, meant as a dig against IU Southeast. They knew it would take the best game of their lives to beat IUPUI. It would be like IUPUI playing Kentucky...oh wait, we did that a couple years ago. But that was in The Big Dance, so it mattered just a bit more.

When NCAA D-I teams square off against NAIA teams, it's rarely entertaining. Therefore, everybody mails it in for the night. Even the fans were sitting on their hands all night. When the outcome is all but assured -- despite what any coach worth his or her salt will tell you -- nobody pays much attention to the details.

Believe it or not, though, I thought I was going to lose my voice during the game. I was surprised to find that I was not in good voice when I got to the gym last night. Usually, a game after a night of hanging out until 2 a.m. drinking beer gives me a perfect "whiskey voice." Not this time, apparently. I have to be careful, though. A couple seasons ago I lit it up pretty good one night. The following day gave me a double-header and I gave a performance for the ages...on Alternate Reality Earth, where mistakes are celebrated.

Lacy, who used to work the press row phones for us, scolded me and told me I was no longer allowed to go out the night before a game. It was humbling, I must say, getting chastised by a 21-year old.

But back to last night....

I'm sure nobody noticed a difference in the radio broadcast or the in-game PA announcing; but believe me, our performances were yadda-yadda-yadda.

Come back in February when we play Valparaiso at Conseco.