Monday, February 15, 2010

Thanks for making the trip so incredible...

So, where in the world do I begin?? This weekend was just incredible. I told a few of you while I was down there, that this trip could not have been ANY better. (well...maybe winning $1300 dollars would have made it better, but instead I airball the halfcourt shot in front of 6000 people) haha.

Before I left for this trip, I made a very long post at the beginning of this thread, just talking about how insanely generous Gonzaga fans are. This trip has just proven that point even further. I'm still curious WHY you guys treated me so well...?? I mean, honestly, from the free car rides, people paying for my meals, people giving me free zags stuff, people giving me discounts on zags stuff...it just seemed like it never ended!

Probably the most fun part of this trip, and HILARIOUS if you ask me, was the fact that I LITERALLY got stopped on campus, around town, or at the games because somebody recognized me! "Hey, are you Woohoo?" "Hey, you're the guy that's here from St. Louis right?" "Hey!!! Woohoo!!!!!". I'm not even kidding when I tell you I was stopped or recognized AT LEAST 40 times. My FAVORITE part about all of that was just getting to talk to so many amazing people, and so many great zags fans. That's probably the thing that I loved the most about being in Spokane, was just seeing SO many zags fans, and not just that, but so many PASSIONATE zags fans.

Spokane is such a beautiful city...you guys have everything there! The scenery is just beautiful (and I know there was TONS more to see), you've got a very nice looking city, tons of entertainment, and most importantly...you have Gonzaga. I already plan on dropping some little hints to the wife that we should move to Spokane. I mean, heck, if Kaleb is gonna be starting at the PG spot in 19 years, shouldn't we be a LITTLE closer than Missouri?? I'm not sure the wife will go for it, but I have to try.

But back to the trip, it just couldn't have gone any better at all. When I was coming down here, there were a few things I wanted to accomplish...Get some good GU pictures, see a couple wins, and maybe grab a few autographs. Here is what I got------Over 200 incredible pictures, one huge win over a conf rival and another stomping, got to sit in the Kennel Club for 2 games and experience Zombie Nation (INSANITY), be at halfcourt in front of a PACKED house (I will NEVER forget that feeling!!), got to meet probably 40+ posters, got to play basketball with some Washingtonians, got 5x more zags gear and memorabilia than I could EVER have imagined, got a basketball signed by the entire team and coaching staff, a miniature basketball signed for Kaleb by his favorite zag (Pendo), and got autographs and pics with Sorenson, Calvary, and Pendo. And that's just the BIG stuff, I got to see SO MUCH...and meet so many cool people.

The only thing that made me sad on this entire trip, was the fact that I could see myself being really good friends with so many of you guys. I felt like I got to know about 5 or 6 of you really well while I was down there, and it's sad to think that I might not see some of you again for years, if ever. But it WILL be my mission to get down there with Mrs. Woohoo and Little Hoo soon, I HAVE to share that with them.

Lastly, and I'll try to make this part quick, I wanted to throw out some 'thank-you's'. I'm not going to list everyone here, because it'd be impossible to do so, but there are a few people I REALLY want to thank...but I need to give a SPECIAL thank you to El Voce. He really made this trip epic for my bro and I. He took us everywhere...he had a cool story for everything...and he did everything from buy us breakfast, to buying Kaleb a little "Spike" dog. I can't thank him enough. El Voce is SUCH a nice guy, and I am so thankful to him for his help this weekend, it honestly wouldn't have been HALF the trip if it wasn't for him. Then there is Gonezagaga, he and his wife Stacy are seriously two of the nicest, most sincere people you will ever meet. Both of them were just so nice to us all weekend, and they had a smile on their faces every single time I saw them. After I spent a half down in the student section, I got back up to my seats next to them, and Stacy had taken a ton of pics of my bro and I from those seats with a very nice camera. And she seemed so excited about it! haha. They seem like two of the coolest parents someone could have. Then their is PargotheDestroyer. My bro and I were talking on the way home, there is no doubt in my mind I'd be very good friends with PtheD if I lived down there. He is freaking hilarious. He showed us an incredible time on Friday, and went out of his way to drive us around and back by the condo about 19 times, and all the way out to the Air Force Base and Swinging Doors. Had such a good time with him. And zagpower and his wife Ann, once again, their generosity is amazing to me...I won't go into detail HOW generous they were...but they were generous, and I don't see how I deserved what they gave me. But THANK YOU. Now I just have to explain to my wife how I brought back so much cool stuff, AND still had money left over, haha. Thanks again guys...

Again, I didn't list everyone, mainly because I don't have an extra 5 hours to type! But to everyone who brought me something, and there were a TON of you, THANK YOU. From the sweet zags alarm clark, to a Christmas hat, to t-shirts, an awesome bookmark made out of my ticket stub, to a huge rubber #1 finger, the extra game ticket I was really needing for my host that was wanting to see the St. Mary's game, to all the drinks people bought me, and zags stickers, tattoos, etc...good grief. Obviously, like I said, people were generous to me. Thank you guys, honestly...and thanks to everyone who just stopped me to say hello! Like I said, that was one of the best parts. But it was just so incredible to FINALLY meet Bobzag and some of the famous posters like Angelo, hondo, El Voce, MDABE, gamagin, Bocco and Russell Brevin....to name a few...

Let's see...who am I forgetting?? :-)

Ghostzag- I'll say it for the 15th time, you will NEVER know what you (both of you) have done for me. Never. You did more than fly me to Spokane for a home game, you gave me a trip that I will be talking about for the rest of my life!! You helped me meet half a dozen former zags, then entire current zags team and coaching staff, 40+ posters, and countless other zag friends. You have given me the opportunity to REALLY become good friends with a bunch of posters, and I am so thankful for that. I just can't stop looking at the video's and pictures I took down there, I STILL get chills watching the zombie nation video and me kissing the bulldog. And not just that, but I KNOW you guys did some behind the scenes work to get me some of this special treatment. I still don't fully understand why you guys picked me, but I am so thankful for that opportunity, and I hope now that it's all said and done, you guys are still happy with your decision. I'll never be able to pay you guys back for this. You guys have a lifelong friend in St. Louis. Thank you...


Just wanted to say that I laughed so hard everytime somebody mentioned that their spouse was making fun of them this weekend when they tried to explain WHY they were coming to meet me. I heard it at least 5 times, a spouse would say "You're going to the bar to meet...a guy you met on the internet?" Hahaha. So funny. One of my friends asked me last night, why the heck anybody cared that Nathan Chase came to Spokane. I was asking that myself, over and over this weekend, because I don't really know. Not only did you guys CARE that I was in Spokane, but you treated me like a rock star. I tried to explain to this friend all of the amazing stuff you guys did for me, and he says "So...you made some good internet friends, that's exciting, did anyone give you any valuable Pokemon cards?" HA HA HA HA HA. I guess nobody is going to understand any of this unless they know Gonzaga, huh?


Also, one of the most important parts of this trip....thank you SO MUCH to the parents of GUinStL for letting my brother and I stay in their beautiful home while we stayed on Spokane!! She even made an INCREDIBLE chocolate dessert, and fed us a couple of other times. Between Ghostzag and the parents of GUinStL, without you guys, I probably could not have afforded to go, so thank you so much. Just another incredible display of Gonzaga generosity...

PS- If I left you're name out of anything, do not be sad...I honestly couldn't list everyone I met, or wanted to thank, there were just too many of you. But I loved meeting every one of you.

Hopefully at some point down the road, I can pay this all forward.

Thanks again everybody...and thanks for following my blog. I had SO much fun doing it.

****edited to add- Thank you FATHER of GUinStL for waking up at 3:30am to drive us to the airport!!!!!!!!


If anyone wants any pics I took with them, or you have any pics that YOU took and want to email them to me, PLEASE DO SO!!!

Here's my email.

nathanchase82@yahoo.com

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Multimedia message

Dont ask me how I got all this stuff home!!!! This isn't even everything I got down there, probably 90% or so. But you want to know what is CRAZY?? At least 60% of this stuff wasn't GIVEN to me, or sold to me at an insane discount....

You guys are so awesome....and treated me WAY too good this weekend.

I'll update the blog one last time tomorrow morning with my recap post.  Have a good night.

Multimedia message

But there IS something wonderful in Missouri!!!! (boy does he look overjoyed!! Lol)

Multimedia message

Woohoo....welcome back to crummy weather and boring Missouri...ugh

Multimedia message

Sitting at the airport....a very somber wait for the plane. Had the most amazing, incredible, formiddable (not sure what that word means, but it sounds good right there) time here, and I'm very sad to leave. I'm also very excited to see Kaleb and Mrs Woohoo though! Goodbye Spokane!!!!!!!!!!!!

Recap and final post coming soon!

Wakey wakey....plane leaves at 5am. (please note- I love getting up at 3:30am. And by 'love', I mean it makes me want to throw up).

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Last Thank You of the night....

goes to the one and only Ghostzag (both of you!!). I didn't post your pic, I started to and was going to try and put something clever (like you are my friends aunt and uncle or something, haha), but decided not to at the last second.

Thank you...I'll thank you even more tomorrow on my 'Last Post' post.

But anyways, the final post of tonight needed to go to you guys for sure, Ghostzag.

Multimedia message

A better pic of Wade and his wife Stacy, THANK YOU GUYS for the game tickets!!! Had ao much fin chatting with you both, and once again, you won't find two nicer people in the entire history of the universe.

Multimedia message

My buddy Chris (PtheD), took this pic of his television....SWEEEEEEET!!!

Multimedia message

Some live action

Multimedia message

THANK YOU Casey!!! This guy and AJ (who I am SOOOO mad I didn't get a pic with) made my night freakin incredible by gettin me and my bro down into the kennel club. Him and the students around us made us feel like part of the gang. Such a cool kid. Thanks again AJ and Casey. And thanks to the 2 or 3 students that came over and said hi, glad you've been following along the blog. Anyways, incredible...how many dads get to spend a night cheerin in the kennel club?? Wow

Multimedia message

How bout a look from inside player introductions??!! Courtesy of Woohoo!!

Multimedia message

Multimedia message

Quite possibly my favorite video clip of all time....(well...there IS that one from my college days, when I....nevermind, that probably doesn't count).

How cool is this video though!!!! From INSIDE the kennel club!!!!

Multimedia message

These two guys made my night! Pendo signed a personalized autograph on that miniature basketball for my son Kaleb. Could there be two nicer zags?? Awesome

Multimedia message

Lurknomore and Woohoo (nice to meet you!)

Multimedia message

Zags pre-game meeting spot

Multimedia message

Round 30

Multimedia message

For those that recommended this place, sorry, didn't get a chance to eat here, but at least I got this picture!!

One Last Night....

This is it folks, I'm not gonna be out late at all after the game because my flight leaves at like 5am tomorrow morn. So, either come to Jack and Dans at 5:30, or catch me at the game to say hi.

And even if you've already talked to me this weekend, make sure to say goodbye tonight before the game is over!!

Multimedia message

Wife just sent me this one, having an incredible time but missing this guy a lot!!

Multimedia message

Multimedia message

Love this picture!!

Multimedia message

First person to guess where we're eating, wins....a high five.

Reminder---Jack and Dans, 5:30 tonight

Please be there!!
Having a drink with the bro and El Voce at the hotel bar at the CdA resort. He told me to drinks were on him and to order whatever I wanted....so I ordered a 200 year old bottle of champagne.


Then he asked me how I was getting home? Haha

Multimedia message

Had to stop for El Voce to rest at least 19 times

Multimedia message

On the boardwalk at Coeur d'Alane

Multimedia message

Multimedia message

Has it been 8 seconds?!? Has it been 8 seconds?!

Multimedia message

BEAUTIFUL

Official Pre-Game Event!!

Hey everyone, 5:30 at Jack and Dans!! PLEASE come!!

Woohoo

Do you REALIZE how lucky you are?!??

We just went to Fred Meyer (thanks for the tip Gonezaga), and I bought some SWEET zags shorts and a headband. They had like 5 racks of zags stuff, do you guys realize JUST how lucky you are to have all this stuff at your fingertips and multiple stores?! In Missouri, if I go into a store and they have one zags hat (and it's ALWAYS the standard blue hat with a bulldog), I consider myself lucky. You guys have so much stuff at so many stores. Incredible!!!!


On our way now to Ceour Delane (spelling??), beautiful drive so far.

Multimedia message

Inside the Collectors Zone with the owner, Ann, wife of Zagpower. Two of the nicest people you'll ever meet, by the way.

Multimedia message

This is the Collectors Zone, AWESOME store!! You need to check it out sometime, 106 N Evergreen I believe, in the Spokane Valley. They have some zags stuff that nobody else has!! Check it out. Thanks Ann!!!!!!

Multimedia message

Here is PtheD and gu03alum playing shuffleboard at the Swinging Doors. The teams are me and 03alum (Team Awesome) vs PtheD and Travis (Team Excriment). I came up with the team names

Friday, February 12, 2010

Having some GREAT zags conversation at the Swinging Door
And we r joined by gu03alum!! Woohoo!!

Multimedia message

Multimedia message

Having a drink with the one and only Bocco!
5 minutes from the Swinging Doors. I'm excited to find out why it's called the Swinging Doors...will the front doors actually be swinging doors? Or maybe it's called that because they have doors that trade places with other doors (get it?) ok....sorry, weak joke

Multimedia message

Woohoo gave it everything he had, left it all on the floor...

Multimedia message

Zags r up on Air Force, 13-4

Multimedia message

Zags, take note, need a slight bend at the knees, square up...

- - -Swinging Doors- - -

Hey yans, after basketball we are heading to the Swinging Doors. I'll be eating dinner then grabbing a few drinks. This is the official invite to EVERYONE. Probably gonna be around 9 o'clock, I'm gonna post an update here after while to let you know if 9 is still pretty accurate.

Oh, and just wanted to give a shootout to the guy that stopped and said hi at David's Pizza during lunch today! I forgot to blog it right when it happened and forgot his name!! I THINK it was Andrew?? Sophomore here at GU. Anyways, very cool guy. Hope to see you at the game.

On our way to Fairchild Air Force Base

We're on our way right now to play some hoops at the base, and I am gonna DESTROY some people!!!!! (and by 'destroy', I mean I'll probably throw up and pass out on the floor because I'm so out of shape).

With my bro, PtheD, and gaurdu. First time meeting gaurdu, cool guy.

You gotta watch these two clips from me at the game

This first clip is me IN the kennel during Zombie Nation, crazy crazy crazy!!! I'm there in the front row in the white hat- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMSXVqdmBrs

This is another view of my halfcourt shot- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPsN_2a7CC4
Final scores for golf today, Zagsdan (even par), Travis (plus 1), Woohoo and PargotheDestroyer (plus 2). I would tell u how many holes we actually played before we stopped because of the rain, but then our scores wouldn't seem NEAR as awesome. Zagsdan is a golfer tho, very good!

Multimedia message

Hahahaha, 2nd drive of the day!!! I lose the head of my driver! We were Rollin

Multimedia message

Golfing with PtheD, my bro, zagsdan.....and it starts raining ON the teebox. For some reason, I think Samhan had something to do with this

If you have a sec, throw a vote in for Bouldin

Lowe's senior CLASS award- http://www.seniorclassaward.com/vote/mens_basketball_2009/

Cousy award- http://www.cousyaward.com/vote.php

Multimedia message

This is the pizza talking (and he has an Italian accent), "You may have won the battle Woohoo, but I will win the war...".    Woohoo- "What does that even mean??". Anyways, delicious pizza

Multimedia message

Mr. Italian Sausage pizza, you are about to embark on a legendary battle for your life with woohoo...

Multimedia message

We never actually ate when we were here last night, so we're gonna grab some pizza and head to the golf course.

Multimedia message

Just a picture to show u what I'm wearing (white Gonzaga basketball shirt), so if u see me out and around, u know it's me and can stop me to say hi.

Multimedia message

I just posted this because it's my favorite 'New Kids on the Block' pose. Off to the campus now.
The days don't get much nicer than this my friends!!

There is NOTHING that could have made it better!

Wow....and I know I've been saying 'wow' a lot lately, but that's the only word that comes to mind lately! That game last night was everything I thought a zags game at the MAC would be, plus some.

If I had to sit in the very top row, in the very corner of the MAC, I would have been the happiest person in the world...but I got to spend most of the first half on the front row of the kennel club!!! What an experience! I'll tell you what, that's the most fun I've had in a long time, but boy am I paying for it!! I feel like I need to ice my ankles!! Haha. Those guys just don't stop! Every second of the game, they are hopping, jumping, and screaming...and being in the middle of all of that just gave me chills. And then, to top it all off, I got to shoot the halfcourt shot for $1300!!! I'm still convinced that ball was heavier than regulation size, hehe. I STILL cant believe I airballed it!! Oh well, walking out on that floor in front of a packed house was something I never thought I'd get to do. Kissing the bulldog was really special for me. It just kinda came to me while I was walking out onto the floor, and it was one of the coolest feelings you can imagine.

In my first day, I met SO many cool people. ElVoce was the BEST tour guide I could have asked for, we went everywhere, saw so many great places, and he had backstories for just about everything. Then I got to meet tons of posters at Domini's and David's pizza, it was fantastic, they were all such cool people, and a bunch of them brought me zags stuff! Crazy!! Thank you to those of you who did that, that was super nice of you. And thanks to all those people who just stopped by Davids pizza for like 5 minutes to meet me, even though you couldn't stay for pizza or anything, I'm glad I got to meet you all.

One of the most interesting feelings I've ever had, was yesterday when I was getting recognized all over campus by random people!! My brother just kept laughing because he couldn't believe it. I would say at least 15, maybe 20 times, somebody would stop me and want to say hi, or they'd yell out, 'Hey Woohoo!!', or they'd say, 'Hey there's the guy doin the blog!'. It was just hilarious. I met salsageek walking down the sidewalk, he's a really cool guy, I'm glad he stopped me. But there were just countless people stopping me, that would say they never post, or rarely post, but they're following the blog. Funny stuff.

Thanks again to Gonezagaga and Ghostzag for last night. I can't believe the journey is just beginning here in Spokane!!

Plans for today- Golf, maybe play basketball at the air force base, grab dinner somewhere cool...no plans really set in stone, just kinda enjoy things around Spokane.

Multimedia message

The reason I got HOOKED on zags basketball!!!!!!! Wooooooohooooooooo!!!!!!!

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Multimedia message

Post game celebritory ammencement process.....begins here, Jack and Dans

Multimedia message

Multimedia message

Matt Bouldin, P....M.....T.....A

Multimedia message

You can't see them very well, but here is Mr. and Mrs. Gonezagaga, and they provided my bro and I our game tickets for St Marys AND USD!!!! *cue the sound of angels singing* thanks you guys so much!

Multimedia message

Foster (he's really not all that tall when you're standing 4 steps above him)

Multimedia message

Im the first one to shoot....AIRBALL!!!!! I was SO nervous, my arms felt like jelly!!!! Thanks AJ!!!

Multimedia message

Yeaaaaahhhhhhh!!! I am right in the middle, left row, red shirt and white hat!! Woooow!!!

Multimedia message

Wow....
Just wanted to say I miss you Ashley and Kaleb!!! Love you

Multimedia message

It doesn't get any better than this!!! I'm going out on the court for player introductions, and then shooting a halfcourt shot at halftime!!! Goooo zaaaagggssss!!!

Multimedia message

The line outside was INSANITY!!!! I love it!

Multimedia message

Davids pizza, got to meet about 20 people here!!! So much fun, they're all even cooler in person than online!!

Multimedia message

Check out this gift a13coach brought to Dominis!! A clock that is PRE-set to Washington time!! Is that a perfect gift or what?!? Thanks a13!

Multimedia message

Basketball exhibit at Foley library....INCREDIBLE. The history in this room gives me tingles in some very special places.