It's cold but who cares? It's football time

After a 6-plus hour bus ride, the Bulldogs have arrived in Fort Wayne, Ind.

As we began to cross the Ohio-Indiana border, we were greeted by a snow storm. Nothing real bad, just a lot of blowing snow to make visibility a little difficult. Fortunately, it didn't last long, and by the time the Bulldogs got to Bishop D'Arcy Stadium for their walk-through, only a few flurries were blowing around. And the snow was gone by the time we left the field.

It's been fun watching this team. The whole ride up, this was just another bus ride to yet another game. However, once we arrived at D'Arcy Stadium, the excitement quickly began to show.

A number of players ran around the field - some in just T-shirts, to get the feel of the field and of course the feel of the cool air.

You could see on every one's faces - The Bulldogs have made it the NAIA Playoffs. Union has arrived.

I don't know what the final outcome will be tomorrow, but I guarantee you this is going to be a memorable weekend.

Random thoughts

• It was kind of neat driving past Georgetown en route to Fort Wayne. I mean, for years, Georgetown has been THE hurdle that Union couldn't get over. A number of losses to the Tigers prevented Union from winning the conference title and kept the Bulldogs out of the playoffs. And now, Union has posted back-to-back wins over Georgetown, the Bulldogs are in the playoffs, and the Tigers are not. It's definitely a new day.


• Seeing Bishop D'Arcy Stadium in person made me realize how nice Burch/Nau Field really is, especially after the upgrades the past two years. Bishop D'Arcy Stadium is a nice facility, and how sports turf and is used for football and soccer. But the only thing I'll take over BDS over Burch/Nau Field is the home grandstand. BSD has a large seating area with the stands stretching 20-25 rows (maybe more) up and a covered concessions area under the grandstand. Yet, Burch/Nau Field has a much better playing area and I'm partially to the press box as well. And the little additions to Bulldogs' home turf - the fence, the golden bulldogs, the covered picnic area, the paved walking track - just set Burch/Nau Field apart.


• I'm excited about the future of the Bulldogs. Yes, I know the season isn't over yet, but I can't help to think about potential of this group. There are no seniors on the offensive line and just ONE junior on the two-deep. Union will lose just one player at the skills positions on offense. However, the defense is a different story as the Bulldogs have four seniors who either start or play a big role including three linebackers. Of course, Union had some big holes to fill this season and made its way to the postseason, so anything's possible.