Energy, enthusiasm, a little showmanship, and an adequate grasp on lyrics- that's all we ask. Put all of these together, and you've got yourself a memorable Greyhound Lounge performance. The crowd goes crazy, you're bombarded with atta-boy's and high-5's, and you proudly strut your way back to your seat, relieved and ready to enjoy the rest of the show.
Fail to put forth your best effort? You won't like where you're headed.
During my four years of college ball, Greyhound Lounge was annually one of our most anticipated team traditions. As the event drew nearer, we'd analyze which freshmen we thought would shine, and, of course, which ones would tank- which ones would think they were better than they actually were, and which guy would use his time behind the mic to finally bust out of his shell.
It was hazing in its most innocent form- and every year the stage was set for a new crop of singers to have their moment.
The day of the event is usually arranged for the first long bus ride of the season. The team loads onto the bus- the upperclassmen loose and excited, the freshman and newcomers looking more like they're walking into a final exam- and then, it begins.
Ladies and Gentlemen, MLU has officially doubled its staff. Today, we welcome Chet Steadman into the Minor League University family- but do him a favor: don't call him "Rocket."
Chet was a college teammate and buddy of mine, and although he's graduated on to the business world, he is one of the most baseball-minded people I know. We spent our years in the dugout together rattling off countless movie quotes, solving riddles, exchanging trivia, and teaming up on a handful of unforgettable pranks. Always trying to outdo each other, a group of us at the end of the bench in our freshman year were once referred to as the "comedy henchmen" by our head coach- he was not always pleased with our in-game antics.
Chet's the kind of guy who would hit a home run and walk back into the dugout claiming he "Just missed it." The type of guy who will stand on first base after a dribbling groundball and pretend to stretch his back; innocent in the eyes of the common fan, but I know he's really checking the outfield scoreboard to see if he was granted a Hit on a play he knew was most likely an Error. He's the guy who offers comic relief when you most need it, and even more so when you don't- he's essential to any team, and now he joins the MLU squad.
He will serve as a contributing writer on anything related to the game that catches his eye. Writing with a quick wit and a deep understanding of just what goes on in a ballplayer's head, Steadman is a big off-season pickup for MLU.
