Retiring, Sort of

Well I am retiring, sort of.  As some of you know, I have spent the past couple of years as a play by play man on WFCO radio  and LSN TV.  By my count just this year, I have done over a dozen football games either on radio or tv, and close to 30 basketball games on radio and tv.  Last week I was able to call the Fairfield Christian baseball game on WFCO (most of the games can be listened to again, if you have nothing better to do, by going to www.wfcofm.com and clicking on the sports section).  It will be my last game for a while.  While I enjoy doing the games, my schedule becomes tighter in the season of Lent.  Baseball games begin at 5 pm and go into the early evening.  I DO have evening meetings, so that necessitates my inability to call baseball games.  More importantly, though, I want to see my son, Mark, play baseball during the season and Mark takes a priority over the play by play duties.  I still get invitations to do some games, and perhaps I will take a game or two, but family comes first.  So, for the next few months, I will be taking a break.  So I am retiring, sort of, until I am asked again to call a high school game.

Time begins

There is an old baseball saying: Time begins on Opening Day.  I went to the Indians opener last Friday after the District Board of Directors meeting in Cleveland.  I took my daughter Emily and we enjoyed the day together.  You can't really have a bad day at the ballpark.  The Tribe lost in typical Indians' fashion, giving up a slew of runs in the first four innings, driving most fair weather fans out of the ballpark.  This was fortuitous for Emily and I, as we moved down into the box seats in the lower deck to watch the rest of the game.  While disappointed in the Tribe loss, it was great to spend the day with Emily at the ballpark.  There were some reasons for optimism regarding the Indians this weekend: the play of Jack Hanaman at third, the hitting of Travis Hafner, the pitching of Justin Masterson and the rest of the bullpen.  If the Tribe gets some pitching they MAY surprise this year.  But what do I know, I thought OSU would win the NCAA tourney and I picked the Blue Jackets to make the playoffs.  That being said, it is good to have baseball back.  After running some Coroner errands I will be watching some baseball this afternoon, thanks to the free MLB preview this week.  The Brewers are on, followed by the Cardinals/Pirates tonight.

The National Championship Game

U Conn vs. Butler.  It is the national championship game in college basketball tonight.  I must admit, seeing as OSU is out of the tournament, I have lost a lot of interest in the games.  My attention is turned to baseball right now.  But who do you like tonight?  I think U Conn will win, but I will be rooting for the Bulldogs.  I hope I see a headline tomorrow as in: Butler Did It

April Fool

Usually my lovely wife plays an April Fool's joke on me.  Her sense of humor is notorious: last year she called my barber to ask him to tell me that I had lice in my hair.  April Fools!  A few years ago she had a friend call me and offer to sign me and my hard of hearing pooch up for dog hearing aids.  April Fools!  Luann hasn't struck yet, but it is only April 4.  She can strike at any time.  I must be ready.

Seeing as it has been a while since I posted (I apologize) I noted that my last post dealt with my faith in the Blue Jackets ability to make the playoffs.  Was I ever wrong!  April Fools!  The joke has been on Blue Jacket fans for the past ten years.  The team has largely been incapable of putting forth an effort night in and night out.  And seeing as how this team did not compete last night against the Blues, I am wondering if my faith will prove to be in vain.  Oh, I know that this team has been out of the playoff hunt for a while.  But will they be able to compete next year?  This team has so many holes, can any GM fill them all in one off season?  Major changes are needed for the Jackets.  The fan base is eroding.  I will remain a fan, but will the others?  The Blue Jackets have proven to play an April Fool's Joke on all hockey fans in Central Ohio again.  Yes, the joke is on me.

Can we believe?

I spent two and one half hours watching the Blue Jackets last night.  They played in LA, the game began around 10:45 and ended close to 1:15 am but I am not complaining.  The Jackets won on the road against a previously undefeated team (the Kings) at home.  It was a back and forth game, the Jackets took the lead, then it was tied, the Jackets once again took the lead, and then it was tied.  The Kings took the lead and then the Jackets tied and then went ahead late in the game.  All throughout the game I was waiting for the other shoe to drop, for a Jacket turnover leading to a Kings goal.  But it didn't happen.  The third and fourth lines of the Jackets were the stars of the game.  They competed and kept the team in the game until the last five minutes, when the skill players took over.  Nash had an unbelievable move to score a goal, then scored an empty netter to seal it.  Some writers were saying that if the Jackets got three points on this three game road trip, it would be a successful trip, four points would be an overwhelming success.  Well, they got two points last night and if they played the way they did last night in the upcoming games, there is a possibility that they can take all six points on the trip.  Now, I am not saying that they will.  The Ducks and Sharks are  tough teams to play in their own rinks.  I will be happy for one point in the next two games.  But the way the Jackets are playing, who knows?   They can win the next two.  So why not be greedy?  Garon will probably get a start in goal in one of the next two games, and he has played well this season.  Can we believe in this team?  Is it a playoff team?  Maybe, but after watching the game late last night, I do know that hockey is fun again in Central Ohio.

Don't Over React, Browns Fans! Give Me a Break

There are those in the media today who want to err on the side of caution.  They are telling Browns fans: "Don't over react!  Don't go over board!  You are setting yourself up for disappointment if you think that this Browns team is THAT good.  You are setting yourself up for disappointment if you think that the Browns have a CHANCE for the playoffs because they don't.  Isn't that sweet, that these media types caution Cleveland fans so that we won't be disappointed or hurt?
Give me a break!  I am 54 years old and have been following Cleveland teams all of my life.  I have seen more years of bad baseball than I can remember.  I remember the Drive, Red Right 88, the Fumble, and Coach Marry's "there is a gleam, men." I have seen the Browns move and was at the rebirth of the franchise.  I was at the Miracle of Richfield and witnessed a hope for a Championship for the Cavs being squashed when Jim Chones broke his foot.  I have witnessed the Quitness and the Decision and have seen "the SHOT".  I have had more than my share of disappointment following Cleveland sports.  My sports heart has been broken more often than not. and now I am supposed to not get excited, even over react when the Browns beat two potential Super Bowl teams?  How do I know that the Browns WON"T make the playoffs this year?  I do I know that Colt McCoy won't become a star that we all hope he will be?  I don't know, and nether do the so called experts.  No one knows, that is why they play the games.  And that is why I am a sports fan.  I watch because the unexpected happens.  For Cleveland, the expected is major disappointment.  I have experienced it, and will experience it again.  So what will it hurt if the Cleveland sports fan over reacts?  It hurst nothing.  Will we be disappointed?  Hey, I have been disappointed in Cleveland teams for over 50 years. I am tired of getting excited over a new uniform for the home team ( I like the Indians' new look, by the way).  I can handle it, so can Cleveland.  So over react if you want to Browns fans.  It is okay.  A fan is a shortened term for the word fanatic.  Fans root for the name on the front of the jersey.  All we want to see is our team win.  When they do we rejoice. When they don't, we are disappointed.  But we don't need anyone telling us to not to get our hopes up.  We can handle it.  We always have, and we always will.

Here we go, Brownies, here we go!

The late Jack Buck, voice of the St. Louis Cardinals, made famous the saying: "I can't believe what I just saw."  The same can be said of the performance of the Cleveland Browns today against the New England Patriots. Who would have thought that the Browns would have dominated a Super Bowl contending team?  For two games in a row? Remember that they had defeated the Saints before the bye week, and now the Patriots.  My son, Mark, just got back home from the game and said the place was "insane".  That is a good thing, from watching it on tv, it reminded me of the old days of the Browns, before 1999.  Before they were stolen from Cleveland by Baltimore.  Perhaps we are seeing right before our eyes the rebirth of a franchise.  It is about time.  Now the younger generation can start to catch a glimpse of the passion and the love Cleveland has for football, Browns football.  Here we go Brownies, here we go! Woof Woof