I called a foul on Rick Mahorn

Just back from a wild and whacky trip to Northern Michigan, Metro Detroit, and all points between. Above is a photo of me, famous Detroit Pistons Bad Boy Rick Mahorn and Macker Maniac Tom Cole. I called a foul on Mr. Mahorn. More on that later.

We left Friday afternoon for Traverse City and everything that could go wrong did. It started with terrible traffic around Springfield. The classic "Let's block off an entire lane of interstate highway for no reason" snarled things for about half an hour.

Traffic was bad on I-80/94 so we decided to cut around through Kankakee. It was all good until it started raining sideways, and we couldn't see two feet in front of. We get to the sprawling metropolis of Momence, and there's a freight train backing up traffic for miles.

We ditch the line and head north up Ill. 1 and after bullheadedly refusing to get a map, I finally stop. Permission granted to Shey Fey for shooting me at this point ... anyway we go through Merrillville and of course hit every red light in the history of the world.

We get around Chicago and north of Grand Rapids and by now it's late, really late, as in, we are more than two hours behind schedule. Then it starts raining sideways again near Cadillac.

We went through Buckley at about 2:30 a.m. Not many people can say that. Shey Fey says, "Is there anything north of this place? WHERE THE HECK ARE WE?"

So of course after several wrong turns we finally find the hotel in Traverse City, and there's some sort of nightclub in the hotel and several wedding rehearsal parties and drunk people milling around all over the place. The gal at the counter says, "Oh, your room is above the lounge and the band plays until 2 a.m. tomorrow, sorry about that."

I was too tired to care. The next thing I remember I was parking next to the tournament site about three hours later with no idea where or who I was. Going through three time zones and getting lost in Indiana twice does that to you.

Gus was awesome on Saturday with classic Northern Michigan weather, cool and misty in the morning, sunny and breezy in the afternoon, more mist later in the day. Small tournament but really nice people, highlighted by Rick Mahorn appearing as a guest of major sponsor Great Wolf Lodge.

Mahorn was a member of the infamous Detroit Pistons Bad Boys teams of the late 80s and early 90s, and has the NBA championship rings to prove it. That was a long time ago, because Big Rick doesn't move as well anymore. In fact, Rick doesn't move at all.

We had his team play on Dream Court Saturday and Tom Cole did play by play and at one point I though maybe Mr. Mahorn was going to strangle poor Tom when he said, "Isiah can't help you now Rick. JORDAN RULES! JORDAN RULES!"

Then I call a foul on Mr. Mahorn and he glared at me but fortunately I can still run.

All in good fun, I assure you.

Shey Fey said the band kept her awake for a while Saturday night but after about 9 p.m. I don't remember anything.

Sunday was cool and breezy and misty again, and unfortunately it rained hard near the end of the afternoon, but we got done and lived to tell about it.

Great trip east to Pontiac and Auburn Hills to see family. I am very proud of Kaylee Sullivan!

On the way home last night Shey Fey again interjected sanity and we stayed in Michigan City, in a new hotel by the new Culver's. HUGE. Don't tell anybody in Quincy.

Thanks to Sarah for watching the dogs, Bella and Lucy were overjoyed to see us and were very well cared for.

No more Michigan adventures. Well, at least not until August ....