Oct. 22, 2003
The Irish woke up to another spectacular day in Barbados. Members of the team
seemed to sleep in longer this morning - the sun and fun from the previous day
seems to have caught up with them.
The squad had a good practice for about an hour at the gym following breakfast.
It's been tough to practice really hard in the gym because it is so hot and the
building is not air conditioned.
After practice, some of the players headed to the beach for a dip in the water,
while others just stayed by the pool. The sun was particulary strong today so many of the players did not stay out that long considering that they had a game
to play tonight.
The atmosphere was festive at the game, as both teams entertained the crowd with
some one-on-one showmanship.
Following the game, the Sir Garfield Sobers, the most famous cricket player ever
(the building where the games are being played is named after him), stopped by
the locker room to meet Coach Brey and the team. It was mentioned that he was
knighted by Queen Elizabeth of England a few years back - a truly prestigious
honor. Many of the players were signing autographs after the game, while Chris
Thomas handed two of his wristbands to two very appreciative youngsters who
seemed to be big fans.
When the Irish returned back to the hotel, Coach Brey informed the players that
there would be no practice tomorrow and that they should just rest up for
tomorrow night's final game. Most of the players headed to a local
establishment called Bubbas to catch the end of the baseball game and watch
ESPN highlights. After that, I'm sure most of them were headed to bed as
everyone one of them seems to be really tired.
It's been an incredible trip so far and everyone seems to be enjoying just
spending time together. Three more days remaining!
