It’s about that time when students are sick with pneumonia or mononucleosis, thanks to this silly weather change. But that sure as heck won’t stop us from preparing for the wackiest holiday. HAPPY HALLOWEENY! I freaking love this holiday! Everyone is so serious about Halloween.

There I was, standing in Garrett’s hot, musty basement Tuesday night with about 20 people beside me. After going through two tornado warnings, we were down there for about 20 minutes. I don’t know if it was going to be serious, but I kept my cool. Before it was over, a woman asks us, “Do you all know Jesus?” Got me to thinking.

This is where I dust off my big foam “No. 1″ finger, take out my pom-poms and go absolutely nuts. Everyone, welcome to Hoops Nation. March is when it’s most important, but November is where it all begins. It’s when we thank a higher being for letting Dr. James Naismith invent the finest sport ever played.

“New York, N.Y., it’s a wonderful town.” You’re in a New York state of mind when you go there. Everyone wants a bite of the Big Apple. Those are all good, trite phrases for America’s biggest city, and I do agree with them. But I’m like Frank Sinatra: Chicago’s my kind of town.