WACO, Texas — What an emotional roller coaster ESPN+ took us on in Episode 2.
As we begin our post-Episode 2 blog of "Our Time: Baylor Basketball," the biggest takeaway was how much new women's basketball coach Nicki Collen struggles with parts of the job.
Personally, I loved the behind-the-scenes look at what her day in Waco looks like away from her office and from the practice facility. I think it offered incredible insight into her life.
If you haven't seen the episode, yet, it goes into what her nights at home in Waco look like. From using her dishwasher as a drying rack because she lives alone to long-distance parenting.
She talks about why her husband and three kids stayed in the Atlanta area, because they had their lives established. With 16-year-old twins and a 14-year-old, she said it was best that their lives weren't interrupted as much, a sacrifice for any parent.
I can't imagine not being able to hug my kids every night, when I'm blessed to become a father. You could see the raw emotion as she talked about needing to FaceTime her family as often as possible, to help with the occasional flight back east to be with them.
That was by far my favorite scene through the first two episodes.
But there were also exhilarating moments and happy moments.
Hearing Scott Drew said they'd had less than five days as a whole team before tipping the season opener off against Incarnate Word gave me anxiety, and I don't even have a dog in the fight.
It explained why his Bears seemed to open the season slower than many of us were expecting them to. Obviously, hindsight affording us an advantage, the Bears have seemed to figure it out.
I was really happy late in the episode that elite-level athlete LJ Cryer and I are equally skilled at one thing: Golf. Although I've gone a whole lot more than once in my life.
Cryer and Jordan Lewis' relationship was really cool to get a sneak peek at as they enjoyed Topgolf. I wonder if they can tell me who to contact to get an hour or two in Baylor's VIP bays.
All-in-all, I enjoyed Episode 2. Hug your loved ones tonight, y'all.