SWISH!

Back at my alma mater, there's a big school-wide basketball tournament that's a huge event called "Hoop Madness"! It started my senior year and has been going very strong ever since. This year, a team of "Prepsters" took the courts in light pink, popped collars, pearl necklaces, side ponys and argyle knee socks! 

On the back of every shirt, the team put their entire names, for instance if I were part of the team, I would have been "Catherine Anne Rudder"! All the team members got into it! 

I LOVED this team idea the minute my Mom told me about it and I couldn't wait to see the photos! I even got to see a few more from facebook. A million years ago when I played in the same tournament, my team name was "The Scrubs" and we got numbers screen-printed on the back of our shirts--I wasn't kidding, people take it seriously!

From one prep to another, I'm so proud of this team! 

xxKatie

Home! Home! Home!

This is my hometown. It is crab pots, Old Bay, plebes, flip flops, American flags and hot dogs in the Summer. It is boat shows, the most magnificent trees turning, and Indian Summer, knee socks, Navy Football and colonial colors in the Fall. It is chilly, frozen anchors, quilted coats, Tall Jamaicans, heat all the way turned up and high school basketball in the Winter. It is shorts, boat shoes, the annual Sock Burning, .05K, and lacrosse in the Spring.

It is Annapolis, MD.

I am so unbelievably, ridiculously thankful to be home for a few weeks!

xxKatie

Only Time Will Tell

I'd say it's more like, "Only I will tell time" or something like that! 

Over the weekend, I invested in this little number. I was in Target for a few home supplies and stumbled upon this little guy and decided I could do well with a watch. I think I rely on my cell phone too much and use it too often, so this is one way I am trying to check it less. If I know the time, I will be less likely to look at my phone to check the time, right?

Here's hoping!

So far, this Times T5D601 is comfortable and useful. For a digital watch, it was remarkably easy to set and the directions were clear and I could reset it without them. The display is great even with my polarized sunglasses on. The digital light is a little big hard to see, but in real darkess it is useful and works well. I'm not a runner or anything so I won't really need to use the timer function, unless we change a certain ShakeWeight competition going on in my house from the timer on my cell phone to the timer now on my watch...hmm. Anyway, I really like it so far and I'm excited to wear it more.

It is certainly a sporty looking watch and not as fashionable as the one my roommate picked up and isn't really trendy or anything. Mine is pink (of course! I'm sure a few of you out there are rolling your eyes...) and pretty girly, but like I said, it's pretty sporty which you can't escape. 

I hope it holds up since you can't replace the band, but I'm excited to wear it more!

Do you wear a watch or do you rely on your phone for the time?

xxKatie

P.S.: Be sure to enter the Gybe-ho giveaway! Only a few more days!!

Croquet: The Annapolis Cup

Thanks to Skyler, one of my favorite people in the world back at home for reminding me of the fabulous Annapolis tradition of THE Croquet game of St. John's College vs. the Naval Academy. It is a hallmark event in Annapolis, as any native Annapolitan will tell you. It is a traditional event where everyone dresses to the nines and you strictly follow the Annapolis dress code. The St. John's College website describes the event for this year as:

The Johnnies and the Middies face off for this year’s 29th annual Annapolis Cup competition on Saturday, April 30, at 1 p.m. on the front lawn of the St. John's College campus.  Spectators picnic on the lawn, swing dance, dress in Gatsby-like fashions, and listen to the St. John’s Freshman Chorus and the U.S. Naval Academy’s Trident Brass Band.


Facts from St. John's College about the match:
1. St. John’s has won the Annapolis Cup 23 out of 28 matches; the Mids have taken the trophy five times.
2. The day before the match, the Johnnies have lunch with the Mids at the Academy mess hall, where the Imperial Wicket for the Johnnies formally challenges the Mids to a match.
3. Courtesy and good sportsmanship are expected of all players. No players may throw a mallet or hit a ball in protest or anger. No trash talk is allowed
4. The match opens with music. The St. Johns’ freshman chorus sings and the Naval Academy Trident Brass band plays. The Johnnies emerge in their surprise uniforms. At 1 p.m., the ceremonial first ball is truck and champagne bottles pop open.

Check out a FABULOUS slideshow with previous years' photos here!! The pictures are from my hometown newspaper, so I can't post them directly, but DEFINITELY check them out!!

xxKatie

Breakin' Out the Jackets

No, it's not cold here (although I do complain about the weather often...)! I don't mean cold weather jackets. These are a different kind. They're for winners. They're usually green and highly coveted. The competition to get them lasts an entire week and resembles nothing like a reality TV show. Across the United States people (not only sports aficionados) know what they mean. They have a small yellow emblem on the pocket and are full of tradition and pride. Although sometimes they can belong to a game of a slow moving pace, these jackets aren't just given to anyone. You all MUST know what I'm talking about by now!!

It's MASTERS WEEK! 

As I said on facebook yesterday, I'm so jealous of all the folks getting to go to Augusta this week! A lot of the Sports Management majors here at USC get to actually intern at the Masters since we're so close to Augusta! I have a few friends who are heading down to work it and I have a few other friends going to enjoy all the fun festivities!

Is anyone going to the Masters this week? What day? Have you ever been before? Do tell!!

xxKatie

Get Your Preak(ness) On

Today is the Preakness Stakes in MD! I'm betting on Paddy O'Prado because I like his name and I know next to nothing about horse racing. His odds are 9-2 and so from my intro to stat class last semester I think that those odds aren't good. (I just looked it up and he has an 18.2% chance of winning based on stats alone). In honor of the Preakness, I designed my own jockey silk online:

Do you like it? (haha, of course it's pink and green!)

I'm also on the Preakness website, and it gives betting etiquette for any of you who are making the bets in person:

WHAT TO SAY AT THE WINDOW:

1. Say which track you're wagering on.

2. Say which race you'd like to bet on.

3. Say how much you want to bet.

4. Say what type of wager you want to make.

5. Say the number of the horse or horses you'd like to bet on.

Examples:

"At Pimlico in Race 3, give me $2 to win on the 5 horse."

"Race 4, I'd like to bet $2 Exacta, 1 and 4."

It is all very interesting and I wish I knew more! I'll be checking out all the pre-race and post-race fashion and the colors that the horses are wearing. Let's all say a little prayer that everyone (jockeys and horses) make it through this race safely and get back to the gate! 

Best of luck to everyone betting!

xxKatie