On Wednesday, April 9, noted sports journalist Peter King came to Colgate and delivered an advice-laden and football-themed speech to students at his “favorite coffeehouse,” The Barge Canal Coffee Co. Best known nowadays for his column, “Monday Morning Quarterback,” on SportsIllustrated.com, King engaged his audience just as he draws millions of viewers each week to his football insights. Later in the day, King also stopped in at The Maroon-News’ offices to speak with members of the editorial staff.

At the Barge, King spoke for about an hour to seniors on how they can best prepare themselves for life after Colgate. Having gone through the process himself as a graduate of Ohio University, he could relate to many of the experiences currently being undertaken by the Class of 2008. His key messages, such as building experience and making oneself worth employing were well received. When appropriate, he also threw in some football quips, as in becoming a willing team player and demonstrating versatility to be able to multitask. For someone who writes for a celebrated magazine and appears on television talk shows as well as the radio, King exemplifies the meaning of a well-rounded individual. By taking on a wide variety of sports projects, he has been able to do different things, which has made his career both interesting and enjoyable.

When he’s not busy at his computer composing his newest article, King can often be found on the road, traveling to a host of cities and countries. Most recently, he undertook a week-long United Service Organizations goodwill mission to Afghanistan with three NFL players, Luis Castillo of the San Diego Chargers, Tommie Harris of the Chicago Bears and Mike Rucker of the Carolina Panthers. Seeking to lift the spirits of the troops stationed throughout the country, King and the players provided solace and a diversion for the soldiers by engaging in conversations about Spygate, the controversy surrounding the New England Patriots, to Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Farve’s retirement. He relayed this message to the group of seniors gathered at the Barge in order to remind them of what lies beyond the Colgate bubble. Sometimes, taking a step back and realizing how fortunate we are gives an added sense of appreciation of those things that we hold dearest to our hearts.

None of his football columns would be complete without a shout-out for the Barge. In this week’s edition, his final reflections thank Colgate for the gracious hospitality provided during his visit and the tasty offerings and serene environment of Hamilton’s best-kept secret.

“Every community in America should have a coffee shop like The Barge in Hamilton. People drinking great coffee. Conversing. Thinking. Reading. Lots of people reading. No TVs. I’m serious: It’s almost worth the trip even if you have no intention of doing anything else in central New York,” King said.