The Victory Bell

The Victory Bell

One Time, One Place

MBB: The magic of coming together in St. Louis

Paul Oren's avatar
Paul Oren
Mar 05, 2026
∙ Paid

ST. LOUIS - There’s nothing quite like the buzz of a hotel lobby.

Travelers from all locales and walks of life coming together for a singular moment. Thinking of all the coincidences that have to line up for that particular group of people to be there at that particular time and place creates a feeling larger than my own existence.

It’s hard not to be romantic about the human experience.

This thought has been circling my mind as I’ve been watching people fill the lobby of the St. Louis Union Station Hotel, Valparaiso’s home away from home for the 2026 Missouri Valley Conference tournament.

This post is for paid subscribers

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2026 Paul Oren · Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start your SubstackGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture