|
|
SPORTS
—
Submitted photo
Freshmen Emily Williams and Carolann Mitchuson, eighth-grader
Carey Hunter and seventh-graders Morgan Forsee, Danielle Ransdell
and Ashley Parks qualified for
Nationals.
Cheerleaders
headed to Nationals
Basketball
Rebels
avenge loss
JV
races past Eminence
9th
boys edge Bearcats
Girls
dunk Lady Demons
JV
shuts down Wiliamstown
Olympics
cater to everyone
On
the Sidelines
Tim
Mandell
I don’t care much for the NBA or NHL.
The NBA seems too boring, and even though I know it can’t
be summed up this simply, I still find myself describing the NBA
this way — place four of your offensive guys around the
perimeter, forcing four defenders out to the perimeter, then have
your best player post up and go one-on-one with the guy defending
him.
I know that’s not the way it is, but it’s the way
it seems to me, and it seems to lead to boring games that end
with scores in the 60s, 70s and 80s.
Forget about the NHL.
It wasn’t that interesting to begin with, and they didn’t
help their cause by shutting down for an entire season.
Did anyone notice there was no NHL last year?
About the only thing I noticed was that some of the NHL’s
greats were denied a farewell season.
Like Mark Messier.
One of the most respected and successful players to ever suit
up, and his retirement went pretty much unnoticed.
Plus, how can you watch a winter sport played on ice where the
defending champion is from Florida.
I used to watch just about any sport that came on television.
I religiously watched professional baseball and football and college
football and basketball, sometimes watching several games at once.
I watched some NBA, NHL, tennis, golf, boxing and soccer.
Now, I mostly just watch some NFL, some MLB, occasional fights
on HBO and Kentucky basketball.
I used to be a sports nut, but last year I didn’t even watch
the Super Bowl between New England and Philadelphia and I haven’t
sat through an entire NBA Finals in years.
I just don’t get excited anymore about watching sports.
Maybe it’s because I’ve been a sportswriter for nine
years and want to get away from sports when I get off work.
Maybe I’ve become jaded by all the high salaries and TV
timeouts and all the problems and problem makers in sports.
Maybe I’ve just found other interests.
But no matter which sports I watch, or don’t watch, there
is one event I never miss — the Olympics.
In no other event can athletes from all around the world get a
chance to compete against each other and for their country.
There’s something magical about the Olympics.
And you don’t have to be a sports fan to appreciate it.
It’s athletes from all around the world — from big
countries to small countries, from well known superstars to easily
forgettable names and faces, all doing the one thing most anyone
would love to do — be one of the chosen few to represent
their country.
To compete for your country.
Besides, how can you not like an event where some long-haired
grubby dude wins the gold medal and on live television describes
the experience as “radical”?
|
|
