Happy 4th of July......

[Big Mike]

Say what you want.....IMO we are lucky to live in this great country! Happy Independance Day!

[tornado]

Mike- you are right on - but I think it is way more than luck - it is because a great and loving God has blessed us for well over 200 years with a free nation and great people to lead us - and I hope it continues for our children and children's children!

Speaking of that- I took a bunch of kids & went to watch the 4th of July parade in West Peoria - supposedly the longest running 4th of July parade in Central IL!

There was a tremendous turnout and for the kids - floats, bands, fire engines, clowns, and just about anything else you'd expect in a parade plus..
..all kinds of toys, bead necklaces, coupons for restaurants (and of course political literature) and, of course, candy tossed from the floats, marchers and parade entrants.

But a big contingent from Bradley University was in the parade...
lots of staff members, Chris Reynolds (who took the time to step aside & autograph his rookie card for me!- Thanks CR!),
and numerous athletes including several of the Bradley basketball players.
They interacted with the kids & fans and seemed to be having a great time - being honored and cheered by those in the crowd who were BU basketball fans!
Go Braves!
...can anyone identify the BU players? and I don't mean the ones in disguise







on the far left is Athletic Director Dr. Chris Reynolds in gray shirt..
a couple people to the right of Dr. Reynolds, in the back, is women's basketball coach Mike Brooks with, I believe, his son who appears to be grabbing for KaBoom!
Bobby Parker is in the middle with shades on..
then in the rear on the far right are Pete Hanley (black t-shirt), Davante Cooper (black t-shirt partly obscured by Pete), Scottie James (gray t-shirt), then I believe Joel Okafor in a red t-shirt just in front of Scottie...
The tall guy in front of Pete is Pat Sullivan, VB asst., and the guy in white in front on left is the new WBB asst Dustyn Yung



one more pic

[Big Mike]

Okafor, Cooper, Hanley and James!

[tornado]

You are some kind of fan, Mike!!

the players were actually impressed and delighted that some of the fans knew them by name...it obviously endeared the Peoria crowd to them!

[Da Coach]

Another picture of the Bradley players and other Bradley people as they were marching in the West Peoria parade.

[Chico]

Steve Tarter in today's PJS said Kaboom was there. But no mention at all of the rest of the BU players, staff etc. Typical Urnal.

[Da Coach]

Steve Tarter in today's PJS said Kaboom was there. But no mention at all of the rest of the BU players, staff etc. Typical Urnal.

I am not sure Steve is a Bradley fan, so he could probably recognize Kaboom, but might not have recognized Scotty James, Davante Cooper, Joel Okafor, and Pete Hanley.

[tornado]

or the other 30 or so personnel that all had Bradley gear on representing BU

[Chico]

or the other 30 or so personnel that all had Bradley gear on representing BU

Beat me to it T.