European Vacation To Keep UI From Getting Rusty Cravens Rides His Vandals In Practice Heading Into Trip That Starts Today

This will not be a sequel to Chevy Chase’s European Vacation movie.

There will be some fun (sightseeing) and games (seven) during the University of Idaho men’s basketball team’s 16-day trip to Europe. The Vandals depart from Spokane this afternoon and touch down in London on Tuesday, take a 3-hour bus tour and then begin a routine of a roughly a game every other day.

For one thing, the only credits in Chase’s movie were the kind that rolled up the screen at the end. Several Vandals can earn two credits if they complete the course load that goes with Comparisons of European and American Sports Cultures. The UI course requires, among other things, a daily log and a 5- to 15-page paper.

And while Chase lived it up overseas, UI coach Joe Cravens seems to have impressed upon his team that this trip is mainly about individual improvement.

At least that appeared to be his message when he exploded during Thursday’s practice in Moscow.

There are various stages in a Cravens’ volcanic eruption. There is the obligatory screaming. Then the fire-engire complexion surges into his ears and cheeks. Then the head on a swivel, like one of those toy bobbing-head dogs, so each player doesn’t feel ignored.

Then it’s over.

“He’s on the war path today,” a spectator noted.

“He’s on the war path every day,” a player responded.

“Without a doubt, we’ve been able to focus in on three or four kids,” Cravens said. “This has gotta be a huge help for us. A lot of guys can benefit from this trip.”

Especially Bjorn Magnussen, 6-foot-9 redshirt freshman center, guard Kris Baumann, who played sparingly last year as a freshman, forward James Jones, who started early last season before slumping, and forward Chad Coates, who saw considerable time as a freshman reserve.

UI will take eight players, including guards Ben Johnson and Mark Leslie, who played their senior seasons last year. It will be role reversal for those two, who were ironmen last season but will be called on to spell players such as Baumann on this trip.

In fact, Leslie will be playing for an Austrian club team in one game next week against Wichita State, auditioning for a fulltime pro job.

Magnussen and guard Jared Mercer will make the trip, but under NCAA rules they can’t play in games because they redshirted last season. That leaves eight game players, including Leslie and Johnson. That means lots of minutes for seniors-to-be Harry Harrison and wing Shawn Dirden, junior-tobe Nate Gardner, Coates, Jones and Baumann.

When not at games or practice, Cravens said the Vandals will take advantage of the rare opportunity to visit foreign countries. The team will visit Austria, Hungary, England and possibly Czechoslavakia, with trips planned to a World War II concentration camp, a nuclear reactor plant and perhaps a lake resort near Budapest.

“I’ve been told they do a great job of entertaining you,” Cravens said. “We’ll be taking a bunch of trinkets and gifts to exchange.”

They’ll also be taking along an interpreter - not Chase, if you were curious - to bridge the language barrier. Cravens also has a handy list of about 15 key Hungarian words, such as “igen” (yes), and “nem” (no).

As for the competition, Cravens said UI will open with an Austrian club team, then play three games against the Hungarian national team and three more against the Hungarian junior Olympic team.

Cravens expects physical opponents and officials hesitant to use their whistles.

“We’re about to see the zenith of homering,” Cravens said.

To help prepare for the trip, UI has been scrimmaging against ex-Vandals, led by Deon Watson and Orlando Lightfoot. Both played pro ball overseas last year. They join Leslie, Johnson and former UI swingman Chauncey McBride to form a formidable fivesome.

“I think we’re just excited,” Cravens said, “and apprehensive. I mean for Kris Baumann (from tiny New Plymouth, Idaho), going to Boise is a big deal.”

No, this isn’t your average road trip.