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
