Springtime is quickly approaching which means it’s also time for the annual Flames Club Gala! In a world where Revenue Share and NIL Collectives are at the forefront of college athletics, a strong Flames Club will certainly help with athlete retention. The second annual gala allows Flames fans to get together and raise money. No one supports the Flames Club without joining the Flames Club more than Richie Longshots! Which is why I decided to write this blog. 

Normally I would say no free ads but I decided to amplify a major part of the evening, the silent auction. An opportunity to win a wide range of prizes, some Liberty related and some not, to help raise money. I decided to dust off my bloggin’ shoes with a breakdown of my favorite seven prizes that I might find myself bidding on from the auction list (in no particular order).

You can browse all items for auction by clicking here.

Announce The Baseball Starting Lineup

Imagine the ultimate power you have with a captive audience all listening to you ready to announce the lineup at a baseball game. I like to believe I would do it normally, but once that mic was handed to me I would turn into Michael Buffer. I’m actually fairly sure I would be off-script by the clean-up spot and by the six-hole Nick Pierce would be wrestling the mic away from me while I announce random people from LU Twitter in the stands.

SITTING ON THE THIRD BASE LINE, A BUSINESS MAJOR FROM PARTS UNKNOWN, JBSSSSSSSSSS TRAP PHONE

WANDERING AROUND THE CONCOURSE ASKING FOR SELFIES, A JUNIOR HERE AT LIBERTY, JENNNNNNNAAAAA, NICELEYYYYYYY

LIVING IN NASHVILLE TENNESSEE IN THE MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE JERSEY AND GROUP OF FIVE GUYS HAT, HE IS A TWO TIME GRADUATE OF LIBERTY UNIVERSITY, JEREIMIAH FLINUCMMMMMMMM

What I would be willing to pay: $100

Woman’s Tennis Blue Visor

There isn’t a Liberty thing in sky blue that I wouldn’t buy. Not a thing. Doesn’t matter the team and it doesn’t matter the font. I’m going to buy this regardless of the price. Mike Hagan (or whoever he sends from the Flames Club to read to this blog to make sure I didn’t do anything bad) if you’re reading this blog just keep bidding on this and I’ll keep trying to win it. I’m finally at that age where wearing a visor works. I have my annual golf trip with the boys in July and I need this visor like I need air to breathe.

What I would be willing to pay: $75

Six Night Stay at Disneyworld

Now obviously this has nothing to do with Liberty but a six-night stay a mere HOUR from LEESBURG? The LAKEFRONT CITY? That alone is worth it but I guess being an Uber from the happiest place on earth works too. For those who don’t follow me on twitter you wouldn’t know that my wife and I go down to Disney a couple times of year. Epcot is the greatest place on earth (sans Boondocks on New Years Eve) and there’s just a great vibe in the air when hanging at the parks. I’m not a Disney adult, I’m an adult who enjoys going to Disney. The only problem is the resort isn’t in the Disney bubble. Need that disney bus pulling up at 7:30am dropping me off at the park ready to take down Epcot.

What I would be willing to pay: $1000

Mrs. Longshots and I at the House of Mouse.

Kaidon Salter Signed Program

I’m addicted to winning things in auctions. I was recently at a gala for my employment and they too had an online silent auction. When there was an hour left I looked through the site for prizes that I wanted and were within my price range. I began bidding like the apocalypse was near. When all of those things were added up I was on the hook for $800 for things I didn’t need. Luckily, I was outbid in the end and only ended up on the hook for $250 worth of nonsense.

The point is I need to win something and judging by many people’s tweets they’re acting like Kaidon went back in time and stole the Lindbergh baby instead of taking a blank check to go play for the most polarizing coach and program in the nation. If I have to be the person to bid on this I’ll absolutely be that guy. I’m not going to sit here and act like he didn’t help us get to the Fiesta Bowl (shout out Boondocks).

What I would be winning to bid: $50

First Pitch at a Liberty Baseball Game

One of the things on my sports bucket list is to throw out the first pitch at a baseball game. I recently crossed an item off the list when I was at a hockey game in Las Vegas and a hat trick occurred and I got to throw my hat on the ice.

There are three possible outcomes should I win this:

Best Case: I throw 87 on the black (I’m a herky jerky righty) and Coach LeCroy sneaks me on the 27 man roster right away.

Worst Case: I airmail the pitch ten feet over the catches head and it hits the netting behind home plate. 

Most Likely: I let Ben Blair throw the pitch so he can see what it feels like to throw one pitch and not have the team lose 9-0. 

Even if I throw the pitch myself and George Dubya that thing down broadway there will be some baseball blogger that claims I spiked the ball three feet in front of home plate while wearing a “Coach Chadwell makes no mistakes shirt”.

What I would be winning to bid: $150

Dinner for 4 with AD Ian McCaw

The only reason I would want to win this is because I saw someone tweet that they wanted to win this so they could give Ian some suggestions about scheduling P2 teams. 

Imagine thinking that after scheduling games against Ol’ Miss, Arkansas, and Virginia Tech that suddenly Ian decided to just stop? Imagine thinking you know more than the AD who has been at the forefront of the Golden Era of Liberty Athletics? 

Anyway, very curious how this works. Who picks the restaurant? Who gets the tab? Flames Club? Chad? Going to follow this one closely. 

What I would be winning to bid: $500

Ride on the Flames Club Truck in the Homecoming Parade

Saving the best for last because this is the one I want. Me and seven other Liberty fans riding in the back of (one of the) the world famous Flames Club Truck. The only question is who do I take. Do I take anyone? Do I just parade myself down the parade route? I’m on a generational fantasy run over the last 365 days (Fantasy EPL, football, a weekly DFS Golf Champion, and I just won fantasy hockey) so I might just make it all about me. I also could celebrate my 2010 Broomball team that went to a Cinderella run to the final four but idk how to get in touch with the rest of those guys.

Honestly the move is the take the Fiesta Bowl Crew. Me, Chad, CT, Zach, Dennis, JVP, KDA, and Austin Marsh (if he’s allowed on). Yes I know I didn’t include Jon, he’s locked in before games and doesn’t have time for my shenanigans. 

There’s also a good chance if I won this that it turns into a Dave Portnoy Roger Goodell situation and the powers at me just don’t let me participate. Only one way to find out! 

What I would be willing to pay: $500