Happy Hump Day! It’s a Wednesday and a very nice day it is. The sun is blazing in almost clear, blue skies. The temperature is passing 32 at this early morning hour, and the weather forecast indicates we’re no longer in that daily unstable weather mold. In fact, the Channel Six guy Kevin Mannix says, except for a possible weather event Friday night into Saturday morning, there are no real storms on the charts for us in Southern Maine.
Another reason for this being a happy day is the Red Sox began their trip through the Major League Baseball season yesterday. Josh Beckett is on the comeback trail after a season of injuries and he started off demonstrating he is definitely coming back. The Sox whipped the Tampa Bay Rays yesterday at Fenway Park. The Rays were the team that eliminated Boston from the post season play last year.
The Portland Sea Dogs begin their season tomorrow. The Sea Dogs are, of course, a minor league team of the Red Sox. Many former Dogs are now in the majors, including the heart of the Red Sox. I think it’s about six former Dogs now on the Sox roster. They include Dustin Pedroia who began this year right where he left off last year, and John Lester who will start today’s game against the Rays.
In another sport, the University of Connecticut women’s basketball team completed an undefeated season with the NCAA national championship last night. The Lady Huskies are one mighty powerful team. They went 39-0 this season and it is the third time they’ve gone undefeated. No other team has matched that record.
I watched part of the game last night as I don’t stay up to watch sports events unless the Gators are involved. I would stay up for a World Series game if the Red Sox were in it. The game started looking like Louisville had a chance to at least stay in the game. And they did for 12 or 15 minutes. I think one of the prettiest drives for a layup I’ve seen turned the game around. Huskie Maya Moore took a pass off a steal by Renee Montgomery. One dribble, put the ball in one hand, and flew about two feet off the floor for six feet or so and laid it in.
One could almost see the Louisville girls just let down. In those final minutes of the first half, UConn built a lead to almost 20 points and never looked back. With the game well in hand and with the Championship all but already decided, I headed to bed.
I had been in the same position the night before when the University of North Carolina punished Michigan State University for the men’s NCAA basketball title. The biggest difference in the two wins was the way they happened. The women’s game was close for a few minutes. UNC totally dominated from the opening tap.
Basketball is now behind us for the year. Well, except for the NBA and NHL. Even though the Celtics have already made it into the playoffs, I won’t see many of those games. Shucks, I won’t see any of them. I find professional basketball to be just plain boring. I’m not happy with myself for taking a happy post down to a negative one, so I’ll wish the Celtics the best in their coming championship series.
I do like hockey, except on TV. The television broadcasts of hockey are just plain awful, and I think the ratings prove me correct on this one. Hockey at the arena is super. Television doesn’t do it justice. Nevertheless, I hope the Bruins also win their upcoming championship series.
As I said, it’s a Wednesday and a great one for baseball fans. And college football is only five months away.
GiM
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