Changing of the Seasons....weather, sports, life, etc...

Even in this "Leap Year", February has flown by, and will turn into March before the week is finished....and it appears that this month will go out with a roar.  Wednesday, February 29th, we are scheduled to see 60 degree temperatures with a good chance of sever thunderstorms....March will bring cooler, but not below temperatures.  Nothing on the weather horizon would suggest any snow storms are likely, but you never know about March, I have seen some dandy snow events, although most are short lived, and with the changing direction of the Sun, usually the white stuff doesn't stick around long.

Dartball Tournament___

Shorthanded we kicked off the Dartball Season Ending Tournament winning the first in the best of three, 4-3 over Mt. Tabor, but were eventually knocked out, losing back to back, games 2 and 3, by 6-1 and 4-2 scores.  So with the exception of the All Star Game on March 12th and the ending Banquet the following Monday, my season is finished until early next November.  I reverted to tossing at the triple mark yesterday, since we were short a couple of our better players, and finished 6 for 14, with 4 triples and an equal number of RBIs...some changes will be forthcoming next season, as our mix of young players and real old guys, tries to find a winning formula.

Youngest son Hal, working out of the house since Thanksgiving, and the birth of their first child/our first grandchild, Kasyn,  went back on the road, this trip to Canada, yesterday, a quick turnaround, and he returns today or tonight.

In Basketball,  oldest son Sam worked video for the Ohio State/Wisconsin game yesterday, as the high rated Buckeyes lost again...their second home loss of the season, and their 5th Big Ten defeat....shooting 9 for 17 from the free throw line, in a close game, will get you defeated every time.  My Duke Blue Devils struggled at home as well, to lowly Virginia Tech, but managed to get the game to overtime where they prevailed 70-65....that game was played Saturday afternoon. 

Rain canceled the Daytona 500 yesterday, it is scheduled to run at Noon today, but just talking to my old horse training buddy Tom, who lives in nearby DeLand for the winter...it is still raining, and the race may be in danger again this afternoon, although with lights, they may hold that weather window open.

For all intensive purposes, my basketball officiating season ended on Friday night, as the Celina Bulldogs took both the JV and Varsity games from Lima Bath.  With the exception of a youth tournament at Parkway High School on March 8th, I am done for the season...and frankly glad it's over...all the season, temperature wise, was mild, the basketball season, least of my favorite to officiate, was a long one. 

With no games this week, my schedule is limited to doctor appointments on Wednesday and Thursday, and a baseball banquet and business meeting at Van Wert, where we will down Wings and Beer at Frickers Wednesday night, if we don't get blown away by the predicted storms.

back later>>>>

Photos-NASCAR's Jimmy Johnson holds his daughter waiting for the rain to end yesterday at Daytona...it didn't, and the race was postponed, hopeful to get it in today...Dartball season has all but ended for me, just the All Star game in two weeks on my schedule....and I spent a clear Saturday night trying to get a few evening and night shots of a waning Moon...with varying degrees of success, or not.

Full Baseball Schedule/Rising Blog Numbers/Obummer's Poopy Platform

A quick one hour Freshman Boys Basketball Game at Russia(Rue' She') last night, and back home....finished the night by working on the coming Baseball season schedule, and came to figure out...I have NO OPEN DATES left in the coming spring season.

The regular spring high school baseball season begins on March 29th...scrimmages begin a couple of weeks before that, and the Sectional Tournaments begin May 8th. With the exception of Good Friday April 2nd, and the Sunday's throughout the season, every game date is closed...gonna be a busy Spring, providing we don't get an over abundance of rain and/or snow. Add my tournament schedule{as yet to be completed} and the pre season scrimmages, it appears that I will have approximately 60 games this spring, including a couple of triple header Saturdays broken down this way. 50 Varsity and Varsity Tournament Contests, 9 JV games, and a Junior High game on Wednesday April 21st, to complete my schedule.

Regular readers of this blog know that I officiate 3 High School sports, Baseball, Football, and Basketball, I also used to do Soccer, but just don't have the time for that Recreational Sport work these days. Baseball has always been the favorite, and as no surprise it is the one that I am most prolific in scheduling, it is also the one that I have moved up the ego ladder as well. Football I do the entire spectrum from Youth League to Varsity games on Friday Nights...Basketball is my 3rd sport, and I enjoy it, but have little interest in doing battle with varsity coaches and leather lung fans on Friday and Saturday nights, preferring to do the lower level games from JV to Junior High. I don't see that changing, especially now that I've reached the 60s.

Make no mistake, there are egos involved in all levels for officials and of course, coaches. Basketball seems to be the most ego driven sport for varsity officials, in coaching it's a toss up between basketball and football. Not a criticism, but a honest view from my over 50 years around sports, and 40+ years playing, coaching, broadcasting, and officiating, High School Sports.

Anyhow, my favorite sport season, Baseball, is just around the corner{Rules Meetings start in 2 weeks}, and my first scrimmage is slated to being March 22nd, first regular season contest is, weather permitting, Continental at Wayne Trace in a Varsity match-up.

Viewing the Blogger Numbers____

I have been on Blogger since late July of 2007...up until last fall, my number of visitors has slowly risen from an average of 60 or so per day with page views at around 100 each day. All of a sudden, with the death of Ted Kennedy, and a photo of him fat and bloated sailing around The Vineyards, was placed on the blog, things have taken off since then....

January has over 4 1/2 days left, and I have already topped every month in this blog's history for visitors, and will top the page views before the day ends....no, the number are not earth shattering, but the improvement is noted with appreciation, that like minded folks stop by, whether on purpose, or by hitting an accidental "code word". With time left in the month, my numbers say that over 2500 have visited this month, and over 4000 pages viewed. The averages have risen to 105 visits and 165 page views per day.

Thanks to All!!!!

Hey Barry, thanks for the Sh*tty Mess you've created____

Our extreme leader and chief faces America tonight for his first State of the Union Address. Excuse me, I won't bother watching...every time this fool opens his Marxist Pie Hole, lies spew forth. Tonight he will try to convince all{and the lap dog media, except Fox and Talk Radio will agree}, that he is all for cutting spending. Liar! He will also put out the BS that he is a "Populist". Liar! I'll be getting back from my basketball games about the time Barry starts his BS, but I'll pass on watching him. I'd rather have Root and Bridge work done.

Speaking of Obama and Company...it is reported the following cartoon, sent to me by my cousin Moe in Michigan, "Poopy Obama" was drawn and created by an 8th grade girl right here in Buckeye Land....I'll check on the facts later, but regardless who came up with this...it is right on target. "Head's Up"!!!!! And Barry, you and your left wing Lap Dogs can shut up about this being "Bush's Fault"....He's been out over a year, take the blame, you are more than eager to take any credit for your disaster of a first year in office.

Off to take care of business, with Basketball tonight...

back later>>>>>

Photos-Baseball Season is coming down the path, and my Spring Calender is full, rainouts and Sundays are the only off day I will get for 2 months. The Site Meter numbers just keep increasing...must be doing something right,or pissing a few off that they feel the need to stop by. And just where are you on the Obama Perch?