Student Blogger: Will Cornelius

The saddest day of the year is the day baseball season ends. -- Tommy Lasorda

Like it or not, baseball is officially over and the Yankees are champions.  Tommy Lasorda is right, it is the saddest day of the year.  Maybe that is why Dave Walters was out of the office today..or maybe it's because his beloved Phillies are traveling back to Philly today instead of taking batting practice for the would-be game seven (just kidding Dave, but I had to go there.)  Regardless, baseball season has reached its end, and much like the professionals, baseball here at Guilford has slowed down for the remainder of the fall.

In college baseball, the fall season is almost always concluded with an "end of the year "meeting, where each player meets with the coaching staff individually to discuss their role on the team for the upcoming season.  Once classes resumed after fall break, it was time for our meetings with Coach Black.  My meeting went relatively smooth this year, but I suppose that is one of the advantages of being an upperclassmen.  At some point in your four-year career, you must learn to be comfortable with your identity as a player and understand where you're fitting within the program.  But as the individual meetings come to a close, the only thing left to do is gear up in the weight room to prepare for the grind that is a college baseball season. For those that do not know, we play somewhere around 40 games (except its about to more this year after we make our run through some postseason play) so it is easy to let your body wear down.  Currently, we lift around three days a week with conditioning, and usually a steady diet of basketball, in between.  

For me personally, however, the rest of the year is about focusing on my studies and getting everything ready for life after Guilford College.  Registration for the spring semester begins next week, so that has been on my mind while the applications for law school are constantly looming and calling me from their position on my desk.  Applications and the real world are a serious concerns, and probably among the most stressful items on my plate, but I have been trying to actually go out and enjoy my senior year whenever possible.  Speaking of enjoying my time, I just realized that I leave for Tampa in less than three weeks and couldn't be more excited about not having to wear my crazy hat (if you haven't seen/worn it..you need to. It IS that awesome) in the cold North Carolina weather.  But I believe that's pretty much all I have this time..kind of boring I know, I will try harder next time for all you haters.  Shout out again to the World Champion Yankees..and hats off to hip hip Jorge Posada, just because he is my boy, and Mo Rivera..arguably the best closer in the history of the game.  It is always crazy to witness history in progress, and make no mistake about it, no baseball franchise will ever win 27 World Series titles. That is just flat out ridiculous.  Sorry..I am ranting when I should be doing homework.  Thanks for stopping by though.  I will have something new up in the next few days, maybe even talk about my upcoming article for the Guilfordian on Title IX (which is apparently a dirty, dirty word on campus.)  Thanks again and until next time...be easy.

-- WC

"You are never really playing an opponent. You are playing yourself, your own highest standards, and when you reach your limits, that is real joy."  -- Arthur Ashe    

As promised...

As promised, I am back with at least one more update before classes resume.  However, since there isn't much going on in the Guilford community because of fall break, I suppose I get to bore you with my own personal antics.  In all seriousness though, fall break was a pretty uneventful time for me.  Greensboro is my hometown, and because very few Guilford people are from the area, the campus was pretty barren.  The good news was all the extra sleep.  I don't think I got up before 11 a single time.  The few times I did manage to roll my lazy self out of bed in the morning I went in to work.  For those who don't know, I have been fortunate enough to score an internship at the ACC, working specifically in football operations.  As the championship game approaches, preparations become more intense and the excitement grows.  All the interns, including two other Guilford students, will fly to Tampa to help work the event...so needless to say, Dec. 5th cannot come soon enough.  I am freezing in Greensboro, and I can only imagine how nice it will be to be able to wear short sleeves again in sunny Florida. 

But perhaps the best part of fall break could be considered work-related.  Like a true ACC fan (or maybe just a true Florida State fan) I ventured to Chapel HIll for the thursday night game between Carolina and Florida State.  I took my friend Julian and fellow ACC intern Paulette.  Thanks to a hook up from a friend inside the UNC athletic department (you have to love networking) we had good seats in the student section.  Of course, there may have been four others sporting FSU colors amongst the seas of that sickening baby blue color, but I was definitely one of them and certainly enjoyed the comeback win -- 30-27...Go Noles!  

I also had plenty of time to follow the MLB postseason.  Touche to Dave Walters and his beloved Phillies on being the first team from the NL to reach back-to-back World Series since the Braves back in the 90's.  However, the city of brotherly love will probably run into the buzz saw in the fall classic because the Yankees look poised for another crown.  A-Rod, Jeter, Tex, Damon, and Swisher..and who could forget my boy Jorge Posada (Hip Hip Jorge!) That lineup is so stacked.  I would also be remiss if I didn't mention that the once undefeated Vikings fell to the MEN from the Steel City this afternoon.  What a great few days actually...FSU has a huge comeback win, the Steelers take care of business, and the Angels/Yankees series is postponed so that I can actually enjoy the game.  But unfortunately I am back in Hege Library trying to mentally prepare myself for the week ahead.  That means I must actually leave here and get some work done.  Thanks again for stopping by, I will try to have something new up midweek.  Until next time...be easy.

--WC

"Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them" - Shakespeare

Pop champagne like we won a championship game...

So before I even begin, I know I'm slacking, but thank you to Reid and Flud who continue to hound me about my lack of recent activity.  So much has transpired that I honestly do not even know where to begin this little nostalgic journey to the past two weeks. But I guess it is NEVER too late to get hype over Team C taking the Intrasquad World Series Championship.  It was definitely an intense weekend.  My boys lost a heartbreaker in game one, blowing a big lead and ultimately losing on a walk-off homerun -- never an easy pill to swallow.  But despite dropping the always important game one, the boys in black rallied for a win in game two and forced the game three rubber match.  Not be overlooked is Kyle Wooden, who might be the best pure hitter in Guilford history, and he still has two years left!  But regardless of his gaudy stats, the intensity and adrenaline was there from the get go.  The concept sounds rather juvenile, but believe me, check out a baseball-style world series like this and you will understand why these things carry the weight they do (as if the t-shirts aren't enough.) Just to give you a glimpse, however, both sides are intentionally hitting players with pitches in response to the game.  Crazy? Maybe.  But game three was a HUGE deal and everybody left it all on the field.  Despite the constant jawing and trash-talking, Team C took care of business through the home stretch and came out with a game three win a "champagne" bath to cool down.  What a great feeling, and in all actuality, I think i have been on the winning team in every year I've played in the IWS.  

However, with the most important weekend of the fall over, I was forced back into my library cocoon to grind out the final week of exams. After two late nighters, I finished the semester on a high note and am now enjoying every minute of fall break.  I don't care if you chatted up Tim Tebow, he would tell you that a break from your sport is a crucial aspect of collegiate athletics.  Off days are amazing, and this fall break is no exception.  Not that I'm not excited to hit it hard when I get back, but the break is certainly welcome.  That's really all I have for now...but I promise promise promise to have something new up in the next few days.  Thanks again for stopping by, I appreciate the view.  Until next time..be easy!

-- WC

"You owe it to yourself to be the best you can possibly be - in baseball and in life."

- Pete Rose 

Round two...

Hey guys, what's going on?  Sorry for the delay, but like I said last time, I had exams the whole first part of this week.  Glad to back on here though, and again, I appreciate the view.  This week has been pretty rough, I must admit.  But this weekend was awesome.  Saturday and Sunday, Team C (the best intrasquad team on McBane Field) took care of business all weekend.  Pretty sure I went hitless on Sunday, but I will take that as long as we keep dominating Team A and win those coveted t-shirts.  But as fun as the baseball was, the reality of exams sank in as soon as I got back to my apartment.  A quick bit for dinner coupled with a venti starbucks got me going in the library, as preparation for my sport finance exam began.  I wouldn't use the word procrastination, but I certainly could have made my own life a little easier if I started on Saturday -- but my best friend left for the army that day, so i felt like that took precedent.  But despite my spotty time management skills, the exam itself went well, even though my sleep cycle was definitely interrupted with the late night studying. Like it or not, however, it was time for the second exam of the week.  This time sport law, which i just finished taking about an hour ago.  I would say this class is probably my forte, to bust out my SAT vocab dictionary.  But seriously, I do have a huge interest in law school, and arguing is my legitimate second language.  So..if the shoe fits, right? But regardless of my interest in the subject, Bob doesn't make the class or exams any easier, so my date with Hege Library last night lasted until 2 am..and definitely reconvened at 10am this morning for some last minute cramming.  But by far, the highlight of the day so far was rolling through the Chick-Fil-A drive-thru this morning blasting techno and trying to persuade the attendant to dance alongside.  Unfortunately, he wasn't cooperative, so I had to go about my day as usual, but at least the biscuit he gave me was crucial study food for the upcoming cram session. With the exam over, I am back at my apartment letting anything and everything deter me from doing work now so I can get ahead for later.  I swear, facebook will be the downfall of college students in the future.  I'm serious. I wish I could even begin to quantify the amount of time I have wasted on that stupid (but oh so necessary) website.  But I think its time for me to head out.  I have to grab some lunch, force myself to close my laptop, and workout all before practice at 5:30.  Thanks again for the view, I am going to try to update here a little more regularly.  Hope you enjoyed it.  Until next time...be easy!  

-- WC

"Success is preparing yourself mentally and physically everyday so you can do the little things that will help you accomplish your bigger goals." - Franklin Ross

Let's give this blog thing a shot...

Hey guys, hope everything is going well for you.  Thanks for stopping by my page!  For those of you who don't know me, my name is Will Cornelius, senior sport management major at Guilford.  If you snagged me off the street for a casual convo, you would probably meet the determined side of me that's tunneling towards graduation with law school heavy on my mind.  If you happened to catch up with me on the field or in my apartment, you're most likely to see my more playful side -- the one that can probably find a way to laugh at anything and that's certainly not afraid to Get Silly! (<-- soulja boy tell 'em) I will try to post a creative blend of both, but don't hold it against me if I end up ranting because my research methods course kept me up all night (literally, I still haven't slept.) Sadly though, I must head out.  It's probably a good idea if I actually start the work that was left me, then eventually crash for a power nap.  But I appreciate the view, and don't be afraid to come back.  I will have some updates throughout the weekend, with highlights from baseball intrasquads and the not-so-glamorous aspect of the student-athlete lifestyle -- cramming for exams after spending seven straight hours practicing on the baseball field. Until next time..be easy!