Bradley Associate Athletic Director Bobby Parker is travelling with the men's basketball team to the Bahamas Aug. 11-16 and is providing daily updates throughout the trip in his "Blogging with BP" feature.

It has been "Perspectice Check Monday" on Paradise Island. As I am reflecting back on the day, I am reminded of how great we have it in the United States and how many things we take for granted that I suspect many people around the world would consider luxuries.

I begin by offering three apologies:

1) I apologize to all of those loyal Bradley fans back home who are wanting as much detail as possible from our trip. To say I have been battling Internet issues today would be an understatement. Based on Sunday's success with WiFi and the expectation of more WiFi at Sir Kendal Isaacs Gym, I fully anticipated the ability to blog or tweet throughout tonight's game and even intersperse some pictures and video along the way. Unfortunately, the WiFi network at the gym was not available and I cannot afford to run up huge international data charges on my phone or tablet. So, despite bringing three internet capable devices with me to the gym, I was limited to keeping my scorebook and stewing for the full 40 minutes.

2) I apologize for the lack of video in today's game recap or blog. I did not give great instructions to my videographer during the game and the clips are simply too long to edit. I will make every effort to include video tomorrow, and with a little luck, I might even get at least a couple clips cut from today's shoot.

3) I apologize for griping as I type from the Atlantis resort in the Bahamas.

So, back to taking things for granted. I am clearly spoiled by my ability to surf the web all day on a high speed internet connection, but I have been reminded that, generally speaking, visitors to resort properties like Atlantis are not expected to spend their time in their room in need of the Internet to work. Despite purchasing international data plans for both my phone and tablet, as well as purchasing WiFi access at Atlantis for a ridiculous rate, the combined access is far worse than my outdated DSL connection at home. I have been throwing a day-long tantrum and my poor wife just became the unfair sounding board of my rant back home in Peoria. I can be a real peach. Sorry, Honey.

More importantly, the drive from Atlantis to the gym puts many more important things into perspective. It is quite amazing how much money is being spent on Paradise Island on a daily basis - it has to be seven figures daily - and you should see the size of the Disney cruise liner in the harbor, yet when you cross the bridge into Nassau, poverty is everywhere. I have seen plenty of unthinkable poverty in Juarez, Mexico and throughout areas of Brazil, and I would not place what I saw today in that category. However, to think thousands of people are living in little more than shacks within sight of this resort is pretty head scratching.

THOUGHTS FROM MONDAY'S GAME

• Freshman guard Stefan Zecevic is more athletic than I realized. He did not shoot the ball well tonight, but he is scrappy around the basket and is not afraid to stick his nose into the trees to fight for a rebound.
• Omari Grier can shoot as advertised, but I would like to see him square his feet a little better. To be fair, the court has four 3-point lines, but Omari twice made shots with his left foot squarely across the counting arc. In a 3-point game, the loss of those two points was big.
• Xzavier Taylor will set Bradley's career blocked shots record. Okay, that is a bold, and perhaps unfair statement based on one game against a Bahamian pro team. I get it. But some guys just have a knack for the blocked shot and Xzavier has that knack. I think he will get enough playing time this year, too, to get a good jump on the record.
• We are better than 4-for-25 from 3-point territory and 8-for-18 from the free throw line. Though a clear attempt at an excuse, we left Peoria at 4 a.m. Sunday morning and I am sure the guys have spent their share of the last two days in the sun. Plus, they have gone through two pretty exhausting weeks of practice that was far more intense than regular-season practices. Safe to say their legs are a bit heavy and I think that was evident in both the shooting and the fouls.
• Speaking of the fouls: 35-17 was ridiculous. We knew very well coming in that the officiating would not be favorable and that point was made perfectly clear when Tyshon Pickett was called for a touch foul that you would never see back home 19 seconds into the game. To give you an even better idea of what we were up against: Stefan Zecevic was deliberately elbowed in the temple, an automatic flagrant in today's college basketball world, and he was called for the foul. Apparently his head hurt his opponent's elbow.
• It is also worth noting that junior forward Auston Barnes did not play Monday. He is expected to make his Bradley preseason debut Tuesday.

RANDOM THOUGHTS

• Can the United Nations decide which side is correct for driving and make it universal around the world? Did someone in Great Britain decide that since we won the Revolutionary War they would get their revenge by building cars with steering wheels on the right side for cars to be driven on the left side. Isn't the right hand the dominant hand for most people, regardless of country of origin? Why would you want the gear shift on the left side?
• Since cars drive on the left side here in the Bahamas, should I also walk on the left side of the hallway and use the left side of staircases? If not, why?
• Will the Bahamian change I am collecting be accepted back in the United States? I realize I am in a foreign country and I am not complaining. It seems to be acceptable to take my American dollars and make change with the local currency, so I am to assume it carries the same value. I can't wait to try my flower-shaped and quarter-sized dimes back home.

Until next time ...

Blogging with BP
Aug. 11, 2013:  Travel recap
Aug. 9, 2013:  Live Stats for the Summer of Thunder Classic
Aug. 8, 2013:  Bradley Athletics Provides Family-Friendly Entertainment Options
Aug. 7, 2013:  Recapping the Bahamas Preview Luncheon and Scrimmage
Aug. 6, 2013:  Check out the Bradley Team Store
Aug. 5, 2013:  Introduction and Bahamas Preview

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