written by Mike Unger
9:30 a.m. -Â Morning everyone. Well, we're two and half days from game time, and two and half hours from the send-off rally on the steps of the Mary Graydon Center. Hopefully the weather will cooperate. I'll try and get the blog updated at the airport this afternoon, but if there isn't enough time, I'll post a rally and travel recap when we arrive in Birmingham this evening.
In the meantime, click here to view an editorial cartoon by AU alum Nate Beeler in today's print edition of the D.C. Examiner.
4:20 (central) -Â The Eagles have landed in Birmingham. After a long day of travel, the team touched down about 30 minutes ago, and everyone is now relaxing at the Embassy Suites.....somewhere past downtown.
The day started just after noon, when the sun peeked out to join hundreds of fans chanting "Let's go Eagles!" on the main quad. TV cameras and reporters jostled for position as the team emerged from the Mary Graydon Center for a short but spirited event.
"We hope to go down on Friday and make the AU community proud," Travis Lay told the crowd.
Is that all?
"And hopefully come back with a win." Pause. "My team's correcting me. Make that two wins."
The team boarded the bus, which was parked right on the quad, and around 12:30 hit the road for Dulles. Seconds after the bus began creeping away from hundreds of cheering fans, assistant coach Mike Brennan quipped "Do we have Mercer and Garrison?"
When the laughter died down, everyone did a subtle double take toward the back of the bus to make triple sure that the back court duo were indeed on board. Check.
Right after we left, the skies opened up and it began pouring. Still, this was by far the least trafficy trip I've ever made to Dulles. Next time you have to go there, my advice is to leave at 1 on a Wednesday.
Sitting on the bus outside the tarmac (for a not-short amount of time), manager Ashley Scotland, whose video camera hasn't left his hand, led a short rendition of "End of the Road." Who knew Boys 2 Men had staying power?
The site of the smallish Embraer 145 charter jet caused a bit of trepidation, but overall the two-hour flight was smooth and almost everyone dozed off.
The team is settling into their rooms right now, and will reconvene later tonight. Tomorrow there's practice at the arena and an off-site venue, and I'll be able to update the blog much more frequently. Thanks to everyone who's emailed me, I'll try and get back to each and every one of you as soon as possible.
8:30 -Â These guys clean up quite nicely. The fellas donned their Wednesday-night best for dinner at J. Alexander's. Steaks, chops, and seafood were on the menu, and almost no morsel of food went uneaten. It's lights out at 11 for the players - the rest of us will be lucky if we can make it that late. It's been a long day, and tomorrow's schedule is packed, starting with a news conference with the players at 11:20. I'll be posting a mess of new entries starting tomorrow morning, so be sure to check back bright and early. Thirty-nine hours until tipoff.
 Thursday's Blog
