Play Ball!!! Let the season begin....

Sunny, windy, and cold over the weekend, typical late March weather.  Temps in the upper 30s, lows near 20, and a bite to the air.  The week ahead, the first of the high school baseball season in Ohio, looks much the same.  High in the low 40s...some snow by Wednesday, and a mixed bag for Friday....the first week of the season usually goes something like this, lots of cancellations, and a mixed bag of conditions.  This season?  Time will tell.

Tonight I have on the schedule a Junior Varsity contest...of the 45 on my docket, only 4 are non varsity, today being one, with this Saturday a JV double header here in Celina...after that, all but one, a JV game in Celina April 15th, will be Varsity contests....how many the rain and cold will knock out, is always a crap shoot.  I prefer few cancellations, but getting anything above 65% in is a good spring.  I already received a tournament assignment, today being the first day those are allowed to be handed out.  A double header Sectional D4 request at Crestview on May 7th...a place where I have done many a game over the last decade plus.  The District, Regional, and State assignments will be handed out later...not sure what, if any I get, but regardless, I am looking forward to baseball season...by far the favorite of the three sports I officiate, just like it was my favorite to play and coach.

Hockey and Basketball Final Four Set____

The NCAA Final Four was decided in both basketball and hockey over the weekend...the basketball, needless to say, was a bracket busting weekend.  Duke, Kansas, and Ohio State, all joined Pittsburgh, as Number 1 seeds on the sidelines....Butler a 8, Virginia Commonwealth an 11(tying for the lowest seed ever), Kentucky a four, and UConn a 3, made the show, with nary a one or two seed getting to the dance.  Go Butler!

Meanwhile Hockey's Frozen Four were decided in a busy weekend...Miami Ohio, with Celina's Cody Riechard in goal, were ousted by New Hampshire.  Cody had a great game, making 31 of 33 saves, but the Redhawks, a number 1 seed, could provide him no offense in a 3-1 loss(the final goal coming with a empty net).  New Hampshire was ousted by Notre Dame last night to set the final 4 with two teams each from the CCHA and WHA.   Michigan, joins the Irish, Minnesota Duluth, and North Dakota in the finals at St. Paul in 10 days....Go "Fighting Sioux".  The NCAA hates the Sioux, because of the nickname.  The "bean counters" have been trying to blackmail North Dakota into dropping the nickname, and it appeared successful until last week when the North Dakota Governor, House and Senate, passed a law deeming that the nickname will stay.  Expect a court fight from the politically correct assclowns in the NCAA.

Go North Dakota!  

So the last week of March begins....by the end of this one, it will be April, and Spring, with the snow, rain, sun, wind, warm and cold, will have began in full....get out and enjoy!

back later>>>>

Photos-top left...Baseball begins, that is me, about 25 pounds heavier, and a couple of years younger, working the plate....Hockey's Frozen Four kicks off in St. Paul on April 7th. Celina's Cody Riechard in goal for Miami...and The Fighting Sioux...The team logo and name the PC Brigade at the NCAA hates...screw those asshats...Go Fighting Sioux!