Back from Knox

The Benster is safely ensconsed at his new alma mater, Knox College. The level of "HYYYYPE" in western Illinois has increased substantially.

It was a happy and exciting trip -- few things are more fun than starting out in a new chapter in your life and the modern American college campus can be a very pleasant place to spend four years. Like a lot of smallish liberal arts schools, it has a bit of a lived-in feel; Benster's dorm room is large but the ancient radiator in the corner lets you know it's an older building. It's a nice setup for him, though, because the living space is directly atop the student union and cafeteria, so he and his crew can just roll down the stairs and get their meals, pick up their mail, etc.

The grandees at Knox gave us all a formal welcome before we said goodbye, including high-minded speeches from a couple of deans and the president of the college. One thing the president said was interesting. She implored the freshly minted students to listen to differences respectfully. That's not news. What was newsworthy is that she said this -- liberals, listen to the conservatives. I will be curious to see if this actually happens, because conservatives views aren't particularly welcome on many college campuses these days.

Benster will continue to grace this feature with his accumulated football wisdom; we're figuring out the logistics of it but he's committed to the bit.