Looks can be deceiving...

John Calipari... the coach of the #2 ranked Memphis Tigers reminded me... that looks can be deceiving. It all happened when I was down in Huntington, WV this past weekend visiting some good friends... Josh & Sarah Perry. Josh landed us some tickets to Saturday's Marshall - Memphis basketball game. How often can you see a #2 ranked team play in person. Going into the game... Marshall had no chance... but that just makes the game that much more exciting.

And we have a blast... because this is how college basketball should be watched. We stuff into the 8,000 capacity gym to see if David can knock off Goliath. Not wanting to sit in our nose-bleed seats we stand in the "unofficial standing" section. But on this night Mr. Security Guard is taking his job very seriously... and chases us off to find seats 2 or 3 times. Not wanting to be on the run all night... we look for options.

It is at this time that we notice that there is a block of open seats... right in the middle of the Memphis section. It looks like none of the parents have traveled with the team to the game. So we decide to sit in among the Memphis fans until the rightful owners of the seats come and kick us out. But they never come.

So we enjoy the entire game... from the sixth row... as Memphis fights off a couple of runs and eventually blows out Marshall by 23 points. We have been cheering our lungs out for Marshall the entire time. I'm even starting to lose my voice a bit.

So after the game... I put on my sea-blue parka and we head down to the court to cut across to our exit. I notice that they are blocking off the passage and the Memphis team is getting ready to pass right in front of us... so I stick out my hand. That is when John Calipari... seeing my Memphis blue jacket, in the midst of the small crowd of Memphis fans... grabs my hand, puts his other hand on my shoulder and then says to me and the crowd behind.... "Thanks for traveling down to the game to support our boys!" How hilarious is that.

But it proves a point doesn't it. Looks can be deceiving can't they? You can't tell the character of a man by the color of his skin. You can't tell the status of a persons heart by their external appearance. You can't really know a person... if you base your knowledge by what you see on the outside... because there may be an entirely different person inside.

Coach Calipari... saw my blue-jacket... the Memphis crowd... my outstretched hand... and thought I was part of his team. But under that coat... was a full-blown Marshall fan... who had rooted on the thundering herd to a dismal defeat.

Congrats Coach on a superb win... and a timely reminder.