It was a weird day today for many different reasons.

First off, the unfortunate incident with the Albany River Rats bus getting into an accident on Interstate 90 early Thursday morning.

"My heart goes out to the River Rats family," said Siena coach Fran McCaffery at his weekly luncheon. "So many times we are in that same boat."

With all the travel college teams due, both McCaffery and Siena women's coach Gina Castelli understood how frightening that could be, especially since they are in a guardian type role with regards to their student-athletes.

"Even when our assistants are recruiting, we’re often on the Mass Pike and that’s a dangerous place because you can’t see the ice," Castelli said.

McCaffery says he's had the same bus driver for every trip and that's something that is very important to him.

"It’s one thing I have always been an absolute stickler about - we have the same bus driver," McCaffery said.

He went on to say that their driver, Willy Wakefield "is as big a part of the Siena basketball program as anybody."

Then, I got into work and saw that Saint Rose senior captain Evan Lane had been kicked off the basketball team.

I've had the chance to speak with Evan a couple of times over the past two years and he has always seemed like a hard-working kid, who gives 100 percent.

I've also been able to speak with coach Brian Beaury on many of occasions and I'm sure he's making the correct decision or at least the necessary one.

On top of that, I did my first spring sports story on the UAlbany lacrosse team (who I guess didn't get the message that it's still 25 degrees out) for Friday's paper edition.

Also, I was at Siena to do something for the paper on the team winning the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference title last night due to Rider's victory over Niagara.

All in all it was one of the stranger days I've seen since I've been in the business.