The Cooling Rack: Pep Rallies: They're not just for High School Anymore

I think I remember enjoying high school pep rallies, but I'm not sure. Sometimes it was fun to see what the ASB had cooked up for a skit, it was always amusing to watch our hoochie cheerleaders with their latest booty-bumping choreography, and if there was some sort of court for some sort of dance, I enjoyed looking at the male eye candy. Never cared for the dates on their arms, but teenage boys cleaned up in suits, you betcha.

However, I was usually playing in the band for said pep rallies, so... you may understand why I say I think I remember enjoying them.

But this one was totally different. The day after Duke took the title of NCAA champs in Men's Basketball, the campus was a-flurry and they quickly set up a "Welcome Home" rally-type pep thing. I was going to go swimming at our complex pool since it was pushing 90, but a friend talked me into going. I guess it was a good thing, too, because the only Duke blue shirt I have is a maternity shirt, so it forced me to finally pull THOSE things out again. (It used to be my Dodger blue shirt, but look what a cross-country move makes you do - change loyalties.) But honestly, the event turned out to be much more cool (as in "hip" or "rad" or "groovy", not temp-wise) than I thought it would be. I texted Ted to join me, but some mean ol' professor had him in a mandatory meeting right through the whole thing. It was like Christmas on campus (as in "exciting" or "anticipatory" or "pine-scented", not temp-wise), yet there were Scrooges keeping their Bob Cratchits clustered away in air-conditioned classrooms. Meanies.

Don't know what kind it is, but I stopped mid-stroller-push to stare at this Pinky-Burst tree. The business school is right behind.

This was the scene upon entering - scoreboard was set to the final score of the championship game, and they were replaying the entire 40 minutes from the night before. Every once in a while they'd cut to the news coverage of the team landing at the nearby airport, getting on buses, and traveling back to campus. Each cut to the live transport was accompanied by raucous applause. Southerners and their sports... Gotta love 'em. Yes, I totally joined in.

The disgusting aftermath of the haul up the hill in humid 90-degree weather, pregnant, pushing a fat baby. The only redeeming quality is the nice rack I'm a-sportin'. Go, girl!

If you didn't watch the game, shame on you, but if you did, you know that it was a nail-biter right to the end. Even the last seconds were filled with stomach-churning agony as we watched that last half-court shot get so close to completely changing the outcome. So when that scene replayed on the scoreboard, the entire stadium erupted in cheers as if it had just happened, and amidst all that cheering, the team walked in. NICE TIMING, WHOEVER WAS IN CHARGE OF THAT.

The illustrious and now more decorated Coach K, saying some very kind words (sans crazy game eyebrows and pursy lips) about his team:

And...the very cute and very charming and very kind Jon Scheyer. He was one of the seniors who just said a few words of thanks to everyone. They all kept it nice and short and sweet and grateful - not cocky at all, so it was right up my alley.