Michigan Trip Pt. 1

So I got up at 4. Yea, dawg, it was early. I took a shower and ate a peanut butter jeally sandwitch and took off with mama. I had luckly my addidas michigan bag and my michgian pack pack that I use with the motorcycle. We got to the airport and I had to take out my bottles and give them to mama, even my hair stuff. THis was the first time a trip with American worked, alothough I was only 20 minutes late it was amazing. THe first flight sucked cause I was in a crammed old properller plane on the endge and seriously no position was comfortable to sleep in, none at all. I tried the all, trust me. Hardly slept at all. Stopped in Dallas and took my time changing terminals and getting food and magazines. Then in Detroit I landed super excited. I wastched part of the soloist on the flight and it was weird. I got to Detroit and I texted Rina and then walked outside to wait for the next 20m as they kept getting lost. Finally after forever they came up and it was Rina and Mark. Mark looks like an elf with his hair and his chin beard and patch under his mouth and his earls and nose and brownish look. They was so excited to see me. They kept like buzzing. Mark made a comment about "well, I guess no bike after all"..and I was like what? And he said no money fo the bike. And I said, no; I already have one. And then what commenced was a series of "WHATTT!!!" by Rina and no way and why didnt you tell me and ahhhh and a bike? and shut up! and Tell me more! and all the above. Hahaha. I was like...so you dont read my blog?? Hhahaha. The Lesson of the Day: Read DP´s Blog...or else... or else you will be oblivious to the awesomeness adventures of DP the Great.

Tuesday was a lot of fun. M first real day. I had fun with all the kids especially jake and luke and little jordan. Then I got to run some of the small 3 on the games and that was wow what a challenge but how funny. THen I got to reff some of the older games. My first game was Indiana with Ben, which was my team,a gainst Novak. I was getting accomsoed to reffing beause it was my first one ever. I had to adjust what I was watching and how I was blowing the wiste and everything.Sure I let a lot slip in the beggining and I didnt know who was on whoes team,s o often I would blow the wistle and look for either ben or ovak to give me a direction. There was no pressing on defence and so a lot of times I would shout to the kid to back off instead of blowing the wistle. One time I had to yell like 6 times and Ben was like blow your wistle already. I think the most famous part of that first game was definatly when I lew the wistle near the half court line and yelled "You kids need to have more discernment!"...and all the kids looked up to me with big eyes in a completely confused manner and Novak turned to me and said, "Pinedo, what the corn is that? How do you expect the kids to know what that means when I dont even know." I was like, um, good point. So I gave them a quick run down and it was all good and I kept going and Indian lost by 1 point at the end. That loss killed Ben and my reputation for discernment might never lave the face of the earth. Later I had to do 50 pushups of redemtion for my Iniana team so that they would elt me stand on the sideline again; it was hillarious.

And for all out you out there who DONT know what discernment is, here you go...
discernment |diˈsərnmənt| noun 1 the ability to judge well : an astonishing lack of discernment. 2 (in Christian contexts) perception in the absence of judgment with a view to obtaining spiritual direction and understanding : without providing for a time of healing and discernment, there will be no hope of living through this present moment without a shattering of our common life.

Camp was cool Weds. Busy and full again. Today we had a lot of competitions. I was having with Jake and Luke and Jordan Vergollo and the kids were loving me. We would play knock out and they would all go against me. It was so much fun. They all know me by nae and love to talk to me. They also didnt want me to reff their games, team Indiana didnt at least. The camp ended and then I was told by will to talk to the new strength and conditionaing coach, Jon Sanderson about babysitting for him tonight. I rebounded for Novak for an hour and then I went back to the appartment and waited for Sanderson´s call but I got none. So I finally left and hung out with the bros at the cathern house at the diag and with Bethie and Rina too and Elfie. It was cool.

Thursday worked all day. Camp ended at 11:30. Indiana was coached by me and we had a heartreaker loosing tot he number one team by 1 point, 23-25. At the very end with 3 seconds left our chubby tall kid dribbled down the court and shot up a trhee and got destroyed and no foul as the buser went off. If we would have gotten the foul he would have gone tot he line for 3 shots in an attempt to tie or even win the game. But no. Bull.I had like 4 kids cry it was sad but they played really good and they played liek champs and I did excellent coaching I wont lie and I was calling plays and speciall double team help side with one of their good players and we were getting boards and some good ball rotation it was great. Camp was over and I had to sign all the kids shirts just like I was a player, it was hilarious. All the players an me had a sharpie hahaha and LLP and Ant were all like, DP, we see your signature everywhere hahaha.

Friday I worked all day at teh freakin office getting the next big camp ready. Then I got out at 5 and ran to borrow Alex´s car to go to pick up Carlito Tostido and I was excited to show him the ropes in this great city.




Saturday we woke up and we were supposed to leave at 7:30 to go to Lake Michigan but it was raining and I was unsure what to do. The weather were mid 70s all day botht there and here and I was unsure if we should go all the way over there. SO I called it off and instead we would get together and make some breakfast and then figure it out. So we went and made a massive breakfast that took like an hour to make and took almost as long to clean as it did to make hahaha. And then we descided to take off to lake mihcigan anyways cause it cleared up but then Rina was called to work unexpected. Carlos took a nap for a while. Then I took carlos and mark and bethie to Crisler to check it out and thenw e picked up Rina and went to Marks house...because unbeknown to us the ENTIRE time that Mark had a freakin River run through his back yard. Yea, what the heck?? Why didnt I know this earlier? But I tell you what...it was chill tubing down that river. It was awesome, aweosme aweosme. And we are only half way done on the trip! Camp starts again tomorrow!

Part of our breakfast

Carlos taking his siesta

Carlos trying to show Bethie how to play ball

Me infront of Mark´s house

Basketball Camp

So we had basketball tam camp and I was the assistant coach to Coach long. It was going to be pretty fun and I would be able to do my thing. So Fridya came and I Woke up early, went to the gym, packed, and got to campus to leave with the basketball team. Coach rented a E-series big white van and we drove it all the way there. It was super hot in San Marcus, over 104 not including real feel. We played our first game and won. That was really nice. We were able to sub people in and our and still have control of the game. The other team was a 1A. The second game was not in the pracice facility but in the main stadium, which was pretty ugly. They finished constructing it the year before Coach Long went there to school. We played against this team that didnt have very much sportsmanship because they pressed the entire game, even if they were up 40 or 50. Rediculous. Then we ate at jack in the box and elliot was complaining already. I was having a good time and then we crashed. I was in room 442, carlos in 445, and skunk was in my dorm room.


Saturday was really long. Woke up early and showered. Wentto eat with the team. Really by but not super hot because it was in the morning. Then we ha our first twofames. Did terrible in the first and better in the second. Lost both. Then lunch and that was fun. It was super hot again. We lost the other two games but whatever. Our boys were really tired. When we got back to out rooms we had an hour off so I slept the whole time with skunk and his friends in the room with me listening to winsin and yandle on my iPhone. It was a very needed one hour nap. Then we had dinner and I had this aesome taco salad that was really cool. Then I was feeling good. So the two hour break that we had I took off running to the gym and played basketball in the practice facility like I did at crisler and I loved it. I was just sinking everything and three after three and shot after shot. I was making all of them at will from the top of the key right infront of the three line. I also made my free throws like none other. I made 12 in a row, then 17 and finally 30, my new record. Man, I'm darn good now atthem free throws. I don't even have to think and they go in and even when I do think and put a lot of pressure and see all them high school kids looking at you and yelling "miss!" I still made them. It was a bunch of fun, especially since everyone thought I was a college player with my gear on. I got back and showered and then we took off.


When I got there I talked to the concession dude which apparently was an assistant coach of the Texas state team at age 25. He was a manager at ut el paso and then a grad assistant there. An then went somewhere else fir a litlle and is now here. He was really estatic about being at Michigan and a basketball manager. He said to meet as many peope as I could and make them connections. He also said that if I could do video work, I could get a job anywhere, cause veryone hates it and few can do it. That might be my ticket in. Imagine getting starts at Michigan? That would be amazing. The dudes name is chris judge ad he gave me his card and saaid to keep in touch.

first of the last 2 games we started the youngest ones and they played the whole first half. We got enielated. They neededthst but they were really scared. It was like 32-2. Second half we beat them 16-14 and it was a good game. That was in the main stadium. Then we went to the other stadium and did really good. We were down by 19 with 7:15 to go, we ha a quick time out an then a made a come ban and almost won in regulation and then went to sudden death and lost after some heated noncalla and a jump ball and the whole thing and they made a lucky shot at the end. We should have win but whatever. The boys are tired ad going to bed.






SUnday we had the tournament. We lost our first game against our ins city rivals, IWA, and then beat the team we lost last night at the very end. THen we drove back adn the boys were really tired but I had a good time. Successful? For sure. We came in hoping to win 1. We won two. And I got to coach and really saw some action there on the bench and I had a lot of experience and a lot of coaching, and most importantly, am leaving with connections and a good memory with being with my brothers and my old basketall coach. By the way, on the trip back Coach Long finally figured out that I was colour blind and he explained "No wonder! That makes all sence! I used to yell at you when you would throw the ball to the other team and now it makes all sence! I feel so bad now." Hahaha. Gotta love it!

First Entry!

Hello World. My name is Daniel. You can call me DP. I am 18 years old, and my birthday is in 9 days. I am a freshman at the University of Michigan. I am in the school of Kinesiology, studying Sports Management. I am currently a manager for the Men's Basketball Team, so yes, I know Belien, Manny, at the rest of the gang.

Its March 24th right now. I just finished writing the second phase of a very indepth exsecutive project for my sports management 101 class. My group is proposing a Insulated Evaporative Cooling Cap for Adidas. Dont beleive me? Check out our model at:
http://www.hammacher.com/publish/71245.asp?source=Nextag&keyword=71245&cm_ven=NewGate&cm_cat=Nextag&cm_pla=APPAREL&cm_ite=71245

Besides that, I am busy with many other things. For the record: I hate econ. Its terrible. Baaa. And my English 225 professor hates me. Movement science is hard but I have a B in it. I have no idea what I have in SM101.

Yesterday was my bro's birthday. His name is Carlos and he turned 8...I mean 16. I call him Hotdog. Others call him Carlito Tostido. Whatever you call him, make sure he acts his age. Hes a smart cookie, and finally starting to grow and mature as well.

I have less than a month to go. Today is the 24th. I leave April 19th! Its a saturday. I finish the 15th, so I will have wednesday through friday to get ready for the trip back. I cant wait! News on my summer plans to be announced.

Some cool news: Well, Michigan did not make it to the NCAA tournament. I guess that isnt cool news. But it is cool cause now it is individual training, so I dont have to go everyday and give my 4 hours of life for free anymore...only an hour and 1/2 now. The Hockey team won the CCHA Championship. You can read about it here: http://media.www.michigandaily.com/media/storage/paper851/news/2008/03/24/IceHockey/Straight.To.The.Top-3279831.shtml . Terrelle Pryor went against the maize and blue and went to their scarlet and grey arch enimy instead: http://media.www.michigandaily.com/media/storage/paper851/news/2008/03/20/CampusLife/Pryor.Spurns.m.For.Ohio.State-3276829.shtml . Something cool just popped up on the Michigan Daily. The University got a few million dollars by the millitary to make a spy bat. Pretty much this mini bat robot will be 6 inches long, a 1/4 of a pound, and completely life sustaining. It will recharge its battery from the sun, the wind, vibrations, and even dipping in water and letting it evaportate. It will be able to detect motion, heat, and send video and audio information to troops. This thing is rad; totally 21st century technology. I am so excited! It reminded me of batman, haha. Check out these two links for more info: http://media.www.michigandaily.com/media/storage/paper851/news/2008/03/24/Academics/u.Helping.To.Develop.BatLike.Spy.Plane-3279852.shtml and http://www.ns.umich.edu/htdocs/releases/story.php?id=6409 for a concept picture. Awesome, isnt it?

Umm, lets see. It snowed friday. So we had a white Easter! It was really cool! Today I felt like I had to get rid of the coat for once, so I just went around campus in my shirt. The sun was out and the snow looked real pretty. It was only 33 degrees outside, so at least it wasnt freezing. It felt great.

Well, this blog seems adicting. Anyone who really knows me knows that I live to explain everything in detail. So this blogg looks like the place for me. DP's Blog. I like the sound of it. And hopefully you do too. So if you like what you see and want more, let me know and give me a holler! Go Blue and talk to you later. Cheers -DP