Friday, September 13, 2013
Football picks...no betting please
KANSAS HIGH SCHOOL
Russell at Ellsworth
Victoria at St. John
Tescott at Natoma
Lincoln at Sylvan-Lucas
Beloit at Smith Center
Republic County at Sacred Heart
Washington County at Minneapolis
Chapman at Southeast of Saline
Goodland at Norton
Oberlin at Phillipsburg
Plainville at Ellis
Hill City at Osborne
Stockton at Trego
Ulysses at Great Bend
Caney Valley at Conway Springs
Olathe South at Shawnee Mission West
Shawnee Mission East at Lawrence
McPherson at Hays
Louisburg at Eudora
Wichita Collegiate at Buhler
Andale at Rose Hill
Topeka High at Topeka Hayden
Emporia at Manhattan
Riley County at Centralia
Wichita Northwest at Dodge City
Hutchinson at Haysville Campus
Topeka Seaman at Junction City
Derby at Andover Central
Blue Valley Northwest at Gardner-Edgerton
Shawnee Mission North at Leavenworth
Holton at Santa Fe Trail
Rossville at Abilene
Colby at Scott City
Concordia at Wellington
Russell at Ellsworth
Victoria at St. John
Tescott at Natoma
Lincoln at Sylvan-Lucas
Beloit at Smith Center
Republic County at Sacred Heart
Washington County at Minneapolis
Chapman at Southeast of Saline
Goodland at Norton
Oberlin at Phillipsburg
Plainville at Ellis
Hill City at Osborne
Stockton at Trego
Ulysses at Great Bend
Caney Valley at Conway Springs
Olathe South at Shawnee Mission West
Shawnee Mission East at Lawrence
McPherson at Hays
Louisburg at Eudora
Wichita Collegiate at Buhler
Andale at Rose Hill
Topeka High at Topeka Hayden
Emporia at Manhattan
Riley County at Centralia
Wichita Northwest at Dodge City
Hutchinson at Haysville Campus
Topeka Seaman at Junction City
Derby at Andover Central
Blue Valley Northwest at Gardner-Edgerton
Shawnee Mission North at Leavenworth
Holton at Santa Fe Trail
Rossville at Abilene
Colby at Scott City
Concordia at Wellington
Baileyville B&B at Quinter
Madison at Marais des Cygnes Valley
Pike Valley at Thunder Ridge
Meade at Lakin
LaCrosse at Hoisington
COLLEGE
Kansas at Rice
Massachusetts at Kansas State
Alabama at Texas A&M
Ole Miss at Texas
Mississippi State at Auburn
Wisconsin at Arizona State
Iowa at Iowa State
Tennessee at Oregon
Fresno State at Colorado
Kent State at LSU
Stanford at Army
Louisville at Kentucky
Tulsa at Oklahoma
Notre Dame at Purdue
Georgia Tech at Duke
Boston College at USC
NFL
Dallas at Kansas City
Denver at N.Y. Giants
San Diego at Philadelphia
Washington at Green Bay
Miami at Indianapolis
Carolina at Buffalo
St. Louis at Atlanta
Minnesota at Chicago
Clevleand at Baltimore
Tennssee at Houston
New Orleans at Tampa Bay
Detroit at Arizona
Jacksonville at Oakland
San Francisco at Seattle
Pittsburgh at Cincinnati
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Missing in action....
I'm appalled. APPALLED, I tell you. Has it really been almost 11 MONTHS since I last visited this site and posted something? That's got to change. I just don't have room to post all I'm thinking in 140 characters on Twitter (@davidsteinle) or Facebook, where too many people are inviting me to play childish games, posting recipes or other links I have no interest in.
Okay, if you've missed my life since then, here's a brief summation. Obviously, I'm not going to bore you with all the details of every stinking day, but I'll do my best.
OCTOBER
26-27--I have nobody to cover in the Kansas high school volleyball tournamnets. Going stir crazy!
30--Football playoff game, Weskan vs. Thunder Ridge in Kensington. Longhorns win easy. Listen to Norton's heartbreaking loss to Sacred Heart on the drive back to Russell.
NOVEMBER
2--Smith Center leads Sterling 16-0 at halftime, but loses 26-16 after Riley Gaylon scores four touchdowns. Little did anyone know what would be coming in a few days.
3--Less than 24 hours later, I'm in Otis with my esteemed publisher, Jack Krier, watching Thunder Ridge win a bruising game with Otis-Bison, 28-18.
7--Smith Center football coach Roger Barta and his trusty lieutenant, Dennis "Big Hutch" Hutchinson, retire. Barta ends his 35-season tenure with the Redmen with a career record of 323-68, 8 state titles, plus that record 79-game winning streak.
9--Holton wins one of the most exciting football games I have witnessed in Kansas, ousting McPherson 31-27 in the 4A quarterfinals.
10--Thunder Ridge is on its way back to the 8-man Division II state championship game following a 44-22 pasting of Sharon Springs. A shower just before halftime signals the arrival of a cold front which will drop temperatures 35 degrees later that evening.
17--Thunder Ridge's bid to
30--First basketball game of 2012-13, Smith Center hosts Victoria in twinbill.
DECEMBER
7-8--Call four Smith Center basketball game for the school's television channel during a tournament in WaKeeney. Lady Red wins both, Redmen settle for split.
11--Long, long trip to watch Smith Center play basketball in Courtland vs. Pike Valley. Get home just before 1 a.m.
14--MCL round robin wrestling tournament in Phillipsburg.
31--Watch LSU lose Chick-Fil-A Bowl to Clemson from a hotel room in Kansas City. Will sleep in to ring in 2013.
JANUARY
1--By time I fully wake up, the Rose Bowl is on. I probably didn't miss much.
3--Back to Russell and the grind.
5--After missing the tournament in 2012, I spend the whole day at the J.R. Durham Invitational in Norton. As usual, it's two-thirds covering wrestling, one-third social hour.
7--After refusing to watch BCS national championship game in 2012, knowing LSU would lose to Alabama, watch the Crimson Tide take apart Notre DAme 42-14. Brent Musberger probably drooled all over his flip charts describing Katherine Webb, girlfriend of Crimson Tide quarterback A.J. McCarron.
8--Witness Russell basketball for the first time this season by going to Southeast of Saline. Girls win, boys lose yet again.
18-19--MCL basketball tournament semifinals and finals at Hays. 12 games in less than 30 hours. Ellis girls and Phillipsburg boys claim championships.
26--Western Kansas Tournament of Champions wrestling in Oberlin.
FEBRUARY
1--Smith Center Lady Red avenge loss in MCL tournament final by blasting Ellis on the road 76-48.
2--Panther Classic at Phillipsburg is back on after it was canceled in 2012 by snow.
3--Super Bowl XLVII in my native New Orleans, first Super Bowl there since January 2002. Ravens take 28-6 lead before power goes out in the Superdome, causing 34-minute delay. 49ers rally after the delay but fall short, 34-31. Joe Flacco named MVP as John Harbaugh outcoaches older brother Jim.
14--Beginning of adventure in Norton with basketball doubleheader vs. Ellis. Late foul in the boys game allows Railers to win 65-64 on free throws.
15--Regional wrestling tournament starts. Almost eight hours of grappling in crowded gym involving most of the state's best in Class 3-2-1A.
16--Second day of regional wrestling. Afterwards, I make the silly decision to drive east on US 36 to Kansas City. This will come back to haunt me. REALLY haunt me.
20--It's snowing in Russell and points west. Heavy snow. No snow in Kansas City yet, but
21--Kansas City takes its turn getting blasted by Old Man Winter. How am I going to get to Hays in time for state wrestling?
22--Somehow, I get to Hays in plenty of time for the start of the state tournament, which was pushed back from the normal time of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. I-70 is an unholy mess, especially from Abilene to Salina and again from Wilson to Hays. Like driving on glass.
23--Norton wins its second
25--Snow has canceled many basketball games this night, but somehow, Smith Center boys are playing Oakley. Jump in the car and make the 105-mile trip west. Redmen lose 64-54.
28--I'm going to
MARCH
1--In Plainville for girls doubleheader. Smith Center and Ellis win to set up rematch for berth in state tournament.
2--Back to Norton. Russell girls clinch first berth at state since 1974. Beloit boys end Phillipsburg's great season.
6--Go to Hutchinson for Russell's first game in 3A girls state tournament. Broncos oust Caney Valley 50-42.
7--After spending night in Wichita, drive all the way to Manhattan to watch Smith Center in 2A girls state tournament. After Lady Red blast Sedan 61-35, it's back to Wichita to sleep, then back to Hutch for Russell vs. Garden Plain.
8--Russell loses to Garden Plain 57-35. Listen to Smith Center-Sterling in my room. Lady Red wins 62-59, meaning I'm on my way back to Manhattan in the morning.
9--It's raining all the way on my trip from Wichita to Manahttan. It's raining HARD in Topeka. The drive will be worth it. Lady Red defeat Jefferson County North 63-55 to win their first state championship and Smith Center's 15th overall. Stay for the boys title game, where Republic County ousts Meade in overtime. Drive back to Wichita after, which is a prudent move, since areas west of Salina get surprise winter storm later that night.
12--Finally, it's time to go home. It was a lot of fun.
14--I'm in pain. Real pain. Tendinitis in right arm. I'm in dire need of Aleve. I'm also going to have to miss MCL-Northern Kansas All-Star basketball games at Smith Center, because I can't lift my arm to shoot pictures without pain.
21--Goodbye Russell. For the rest of the month. I'm going to Kansas City to get some rest and enjoy my favorite hotel, the Kansas City Airport Marriott. Get stuck in room over weekend watching the NCAA basketball tournament due to snow. Kansas and Kansas State play at Sprint Center in downtown KC. Jayhawks win twice. Wildcats upended by LaSalle.
28--Side trip to Belleville for first track meet of new season. Nice drive on US 36 from St. Joseph. Leave early so I don't have to drive in too much darkness, and indeed, the sun is up until I almost reach Hiawatha.
29--Leave Kansas City and drive to Columbia to watch LSU-Missouri baseball series. Get to see old friends Bill Franques, Jim Hawthorne and John Scheibe from days at LSU, and Dave Neal and Larry Conley from Fox Sports. LSU will sweep series.
APRIL
1--Six-hour drive back to Russell. Track season is in full swing this week.
5--Norton track meet. Good day, nice weather, great people.
9--No track meet due to bad weather. Redmen Relays in Smith Center rescheudled for following Friday.
12--Frigid at Redmen Relays. Temperatures in low 50s. I need all four layers. Still have trouble with wind.
26--Pass on all track meets to spend weekend in Kansas City.
MAY
2--It's 40 degrees on May 2. I'm sleeping in.
3--Russell Relays
8--After getting takeout from Buffalo Wild Wings on previous three trips to Kansas City, I decide to eat in the restaurant. Uh oh.
9--MCL track meet in Hill City. A cold front decides to pass through during the meet, and a brisk north wind cuts to the bone.Fortunately I have all the cold weather gear still in my car except long pants. But a parka, a turtleneck and shorts will do just fine.
10--Smith Center athletic banquet. Strange to be holding it on a Friday night. Roger Barta brings down the house.
15--As I'm drving to Kansas City, I discover a big chip in my windshield. I'll need a new one, costing $250. I end up staying in KC over a week, playing lots and lots of trivia at Buffalo Wild Wings and dreading the upcoming state track meet.
23--Windshield is fixed. On to Wichita. Oh no.
24-25--The state track meet goes much better than planned. Weather cooperates. Athletes perform well.
27--For first time since I can remember I actually get out of Wichita following state track on Monday as scheduled. Work is going well on getting stuff done for papers.
THAT'S IT FOR NOW...MORE TO COME.
Okay, if you've missed my life since then, here's a brief summation. Obviously, I'm not going to bore you with all the details of every stinking day, but I'll do my best.
OCTOBER
26-27--I have nobody to cover in the Kansas high school volleyball tournamnets. Going stir crazy!
30--Football playoff game, Weskan vs. Thunder Ridge in Kensington. Longhorns win easy. Listen to Norton's heartbreaking loss to Sacred Heart on the drive back to Russell.
NOVEMBER
2--Smith Center leads Sterling 16-0 at halftime, but loses 26-16 after Riley Gaylon scores four touchdowns. Little did anyone know what would be coming in a few days.
3--Less than 24 hours later, I'm in Otis with my esteemed publisher, Jack Krier, watching Thunder Ridge win a bruising game with Otis-Bison, 28-18.
7--Smith Center football coach Roger Barta and his trusty lieutenant, Dennis "Big Hutch" Hutchinson, retire. Barta ends his 35-season tenure with the Redmen with a career record of 323-68, 8 state titles, plus that record 79-game winning streak.
9--Holton wins one of the most exciting football games I have witnessed in Kansas, ousting McPherson 31-27 in the 4A quarterfinals.
10--Thunder Ridge is on its way back to the 8-man Division II state championship game following a 44-22 pasting of Sharon Springs. A shower just before halftime signals the arrival of a cold front which will drop temperatures 35 degrees later that evening.
17--Thunder Ridge's bid to
30--First basketball game of 2012-13, Smith Center hosts Victoria in twinbill.
DECEMBER
7-8--Call four Smith Center basketball game for the school's television channel during a tournament in WaKeeney. Lady Red wins both, Redmen settle for split.
11--Long, long trip to watch Smith Center play basketball in Courtland vs. Pike Valley. Get home just before 1 a.m.
14--MCL round robin wrestling tournament in Phillipsburg.
31--Watch LSU lose Chick-Fil-A Bowl to Clemson from a hotel room in Kansas City. Will sleep in to ring in 2013.
JANUARY
1--By time I fully wake up, the Rose Bowl is on. I probably didn't miss much.
3--Back to Russell and the grind.
5--After missing the tournament in 2012, I spend the whole day at the J.R. Durham Invitational in Norton. As usual, it's two-thirds covering wrestling, one-third social hour.
7--After refusing to watch BCS national championship game in 2012, knowing LSU would lose to Alabama, watch the Crimson Tide take apart Notre DAme 42-14. Brent Musberger probably drooled all over his flip charts describing Katherine Webb, girlfriend of Crimson Tide quarterback A.J. McCarron.
8--Witness Russell basketball for the first time this season by going to Southeast of Saline. Girls win, boys lose yet again.
18-19--MCL basketball tournament semifinals and finals at Hays. 12 games in less than 30 hours. Ellis girls and Phillipsburg boys claim championships.
26--Western Kansas Tournament of Champions wrestling in Oberlin.
FEBRUARY
1--Smith Center Lady Red avenge loss in MCL tournament final by blasting Ellis on the road 76-48.
2--Panther Classic at Phillipsburg is back on after it was canceled in 2012 by snow.
3--Super Bowl XLVII in my native New Orleans, first Super Bowl there since January 2002. Ravens take 28-6 lead before power goes out in the Superdome, causing 34-minute delay. 49ers rally after the delay but fall short, 34-31. Joe Flacco named MVP as John Harbaugh outcoaches older brother Jim.
14--Beginning of adventure in Norton with basketball doubleheader vs. Ellis. Late foul in the boys game allows Railers to win 65-64 on free throws.
15--Regional wrestling tournament starts. Almost eight hours of grappling in crowded gym involving most of the state's best in Class 3-2-1A.
16--Second day of regional wrestling. Afterwards, I make the silly decision to drive east on US 36 to Kansas City. This will come back to haunt me. REALLY haunt me.
20--It's snowing in Russell and points west. Heavy snow. No snow in Kansas City yet, but
21--Kansas City takes its turn getting blasted by Old Man Winter. How am I going to get to Hays in time for state wrestling?
22--Somehow, I get to Hays in plenty of time for the start of the state tournament, which was pushed back from the normal time of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. I-70 is an unholy mess, especially from Abilene to Salina and again from Wilson to Hays. Like driving on glass.
23--Norton wins its second
25--Snow has canceled many basketball games this night, but somehow, Smith Center boys are playing Oakley. Jump in the car and make the 105-mile trip west. Redmen lose 64-54.
28--I'm going to
MARCH
1--In Plainville for girls doubleheader. Smith Center and Ellis win to set up rematch for berth in state tournament.
2--Back to Norton. Russell girls clinch first berth at state since 1974. Beloit boys end Phillipsburg's great season.
6--Go to Hutchinson for Russell's first game in 3A girls state tournament. Broncos oust Caney Valley 50-42.
7--After spending night in Wichita, drive all the way to Manhattan to watch Smith Center in 2A girls state tournament. After Lady Red blast Sedan 61-35, it's back to Wichita to sleep, then back to Hutch for Russell vs. Garden Plain.
8--Russell loses to Garden Plain 57-35. Listen to Smith Center-Sterling in my room. Lady Red wins 62-59, meaning I'm on my way back to Manhattan in the morning.
9--It's raining all the way on my trip from Wichita to Manahttan. It's raining HARD in Topeka. The drive will be worth it. Lady Red defeat Jefferson County North 63-55 to win their first state championship and Smith Center's 15th overall. Stay for the boys title game, where Republic County ousts Meade in overtime. Drive back to Wichita after, which is a prudent move, since areas west of Salina get surprise winter storm later that night.
12--Finally, it's time to go home. It was a lot of fun.
14--I'm in pain. Real pain. Tendinitis in right arm. I'm in dire need of Aleve. I'm also going to have to miss MCL-Northern Kansas All-Star basketball games at Smith Center, because I can't lift my arm to shoot pictures without pain.
21--Goodbye Russell. For the rest of the month. I'm going to Kansas City to get some rest and enjoy my favorite hotel, the Kansas City Airport Marriott. Get stuck in room over weekend watching the NCAA basketball tournament due to snow. Kansas and Kansas State play at Sprint Center in downtown KC. Jayhawks win twice. Wildcats upended by LaSalle.
28--Side trip to Belleville for first track meet of new season. Nice drive on US 36 from St. Joseph. Leave early so I don't have to drive in too much darkness, and indeed, the sun is up until I almost reach Hiawatha.
29--Leave Kansas City and drive to Columbia to watch LSU-Missouri baseball series. Get to see old friends Bill Franques, Jim Hawthorne and John Scheibe from days at LSU, and Dave Neal and Larry Conley from Fox Sports. LSU will sweep series.
APRIL
1--Six-hour drive back to Russell. Track season is in full swing this week.
5--Norton track meet. Good day, nice weather, great people.
9--No track meet due to bad weather. Redmen Relays in Smith Center rescheudled for following Friday.
12--Frigid at Redmen Relays. Temperatures in low 50s. I need all four layers. Still have trouble with wind.
26--Pass on all track meets to spend weekend in Kansas City.
MAY
2--It's 40 degrees on May 2. I'm sleeping in.
3--Russell Relays
8--After getting takeout from Buffalo Wild Wings on previous three trips to Kansas City, I decide to eat in the restaurant. Uh oh.
9--MCL track meet in Hill City. A cold front decides to pass through during the meet, and a brisk north wind cuts to the bone.Fortunately I have all the cold weather gear still in my car except long pants. But a parka, a turtleneck and shorts will do just fine.
10--Smith Center athletic banquet. Strange to be holding it on a Friday night. Roger Barta brings down the house.
15--As I'm drving to Kansas City, I discover a big chip in my windshield. I'll need a new one, costing $250. I end up staying in KC over a week, playing lots and lots of trivia at Buffalo Wild Wings and dreading the upcoming state track meet.
23--Windshield is fixed. On to Wichita. Oh no.
24-25--The state track meet goes much better than planned. Weather cooperates. Athletes perform well.
27--For first time since I can remember I actually get out of Wichita following state track on Monday as scheduled. Work is going well on getting stuff done for papers.
THAT'S IT FOR NOW...MORE TO COME.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Thursday chiller
It's cold. It's windy. The bad news? I have a football game tonight. Welcome to week nine of high school football in Kansas, where many teams have to play on Thursday because the state playoffs for four divisions--4A, 3A and both divisions of 8-man--get underway the following Tuesday, all so the Kansas State High School Activities Association can finish the football season before December 1 and make sure it doesn't conflict with basketball and wrestling.
I'm staying home tonight for Russell's finale with powerful Scott City. The Beavers are aiming for their fourth consecutive undefeated regular season, while the Broncos come in 1-7 and are likely going to post their worst record since going 1-8 in 2001. Scott City will play either Cimarron or Holcomb in the playoffs Tuesday.
Last weekend was a mixed bag. The football game between Smith Center and Bennington was quite exciting. Smith Center went ahead with 6:37 left, but missed the 2-point covnersion. Bennington drove deep into Smith Center territory in the final minute, but the Redmen's Taylor Zabel saved the game by wrestling the ball away from the Bulldogs' Heath Thornhill in the end zone. Had Thornhill hung on, the game would either have gone into overtime (Smith Center has already played two overtime games this season, defeating Oberlin and Ell-Saline), or the Bulldogs could have won with a 2-point conversion. Smith Center's 22-16 win gave the Redmen the Class 2-1A, District 6 title. They'll host Republic County in a gmae
I got my new iPhone when I got back from Bennington. I'm learning the ropes rather quickly.
Smith Center did not win the volleyball sub-state at Oberlin last Saturday. The Lady Red gave it all they had, rallying from a deep hole against Ellis in the semifinals to knock off the Railers in three sets and advance to the final, but Hill City was the better team, and it showed. The Ringnecks did not lose a set, and defeated Smith Center 25-20, 25-17 in the championship match. Hill City will play in the Class 2A state tournament Friday and Saturday at Emporia. The Mid-Continent League has never produced a volleyball state champion, and I'm hoping the Ringnecks change that.
I'm stuck with another football game tomorrow night, Ellis at Oakley. I wish I had volleyball to cover, but it wasn't to be this year. Life goes on.
I'm staying home tonight for Russell's finale with powerful Scott City. The Beavers are aiming for their fourth consecutive undefeated regular season, while the Broncos come in 1-7 and are likely going to post their worst record since going 1-8 in 2001. Scott City will play either Cimarron or Holcomb in the playoffs Tuesday.
Last weekend was a mixed bag. The football game between Smith Center and Bennington was quite exciting. Smith Center went ahead with 6:37 left, but missed the 2-point covnersion. Bennington drove deep into Smith Center territory in the final minute, but the Redmen's Taylor Zabel saved the game by wrestling the ball away from the Bulldogs' Heath Thornhill in the end zone. Had Thornhill hung on, the game would either have gone into overtime (Smith Center has already played two overtime games this season, defeating Oberlin and Ell-Saline), or the Bulldogs could have won with a 2-point conversion. Smith Center's 22-16 win gave the Redmen the Class 2-1A, District 6 title. They'll host Republic County in a gmae
I got my new iPhone when I got back from Bennington. I'm learning the ropes rather quickly.
Smith Center did not win the volleyball sub-state at Oberlin last Saturday. The Lady Red gave it all they had, rallying from a deep hole against Ellis in the semifinals to knock off the Railers in three sets and advance to the final, but Hill City was the better team, and it showed. The Ringnecks did not lose a set, and defeated Smith Center 25-20, 25-17 in the championship match. Hill City will play in the Class 2A state tournament Friday and Saturday at Emporia. The Mid-Continent League has never produced a volleyball state champion, and I'm hoping the Ringnecks change that.
I'm stuck with another football game tomorrow night, Ellis at Oakley. I wish I had volleyball to cover, but it wasn't to be this year. Life goes on.
Friday, October 19, 2012
One-sided place
Bennington is like no other football stadium I've seen, even in rural Kansas. Both groups of fans will be sitting on the same side, and as luck would have it, Smith Center has the fans behind their bench. The press box is next to nothing, and Smith Center's TV and radio are in the stands and had to run an extra, extra long extension cord to an outlet inside a box on a light pole. Interesting indeed. The field is oriented east-west, which means the sun will set behind one end zone rather than behind the stands, which is the case at most stadiums. Smith Center, Shawnee Mission North and Moscow are skewed to certain degrees and the sun sets at odd angles in those places.
I had to make a couple of stops in Salina before coming up to Bennington, and I decided to go to the Cozy Inn, a famous hamburger joint downtown. It's not much, just a counter and six stools, and four of them were taken up by patrons. I got 12 cozys--which are like Krystal and White Castle burgers--to go and ate six at Bennington when I arrived. I made Jesse Rhea, the radio play-by-play announcer for KQMA, jealous but he acknowledged it was a smooth move.
The new iPhone is waiting at home. I'll charge it, sleep and then activate it before leaving for Oberlin. I'll have to learn it on the go tomorrow, but I just want to learn enough to use Twitter and a couple of other applications. I'll take next week to learn more now that I don't have volleyball until the weekend, if at all, and no football until Thursday.
Okay, time to pack the computer and get the camera ready. Probably won't check in until I get back to Russell, but who knows.
I had to make a couple of stops in Salina before coming up to Bennington, and I decided to go to the Cozy Inn, a famous hamburger joint downtown. It's not much, just a counter and six stools, and four of them were taken up by patrons. I got 12 cozys--which are like Krystal and White Castle burgers--to go and ate six at Bennington when I arrived. I made Jesse Rhea, the radio play-by-play announcer for KQMA, jealous but he acknowledged it was a smooth move.
The new iPhone is waiting at home. I'll charge it, sleep and then activate it before leaving for Oberlin. I'll have to learn it on the go tomorrow, but I just want to learn enough to use Twitter and a couple of other applications. I'll take next week to learn more now that I don't have volleyball until the weekend, if at all, and no football until Thursday.
Okay, time to pack the computer and get the camera ready. Probably won't check in until I get back to Russell, but who knows.
Only on Fridays? Come on
This only on Fridays blogging has got to stop. I have got to find a way to make myself do this more often during the week, if not every hour of every day, at least once a day or maybe twice. But I keep leaving long gaps in between entries, and my life is lost, never to be recovered. Once I lose a day, I lose it forever, even with my great memory, and I can't recover it.
Tonight, I'm heading to a new venue to cover Smith Center football. I will be in Bennington, a small hamlet about 10 miles north and east of Salina on Kansas Highway. If I were the adventurous sort, I could drive up US 281 from Russell and then take K-18 all the way across past Waldo, Luray, Lucas, Sylvan Grove, Lincoln and Tescott, but (a) I don't have that kind of time (I do, but I would rather not waste it) and (b) I'm not that adventurous today. I want to go to Salina, fill up on gas and get a snack, and then drive up the rest of the way before the game. I want to get there by 5 p.m. so I can relax and be focused on the task at hand.
Smith Center has won all three of its district games and is 4-3 overall. If the Redmen win tonight, they will clinch a playoff berth. I suspect they will. Bennington is 4-3, but they have beaten mostly sub-par teams, and they tend to give up a lot of points to the better teams on their schedule, including 44 to Plainville two weeks ago.
I have to make a beeline back to Russell, because I have to be out of the house by 9 a.m. tomorrow morning to go to a sub-state volleyball tournament at Oberlin, which is 150 miles from Russell. I've been to Oberlin each of the last five years for the annual track meet hosted by Decatur Community High School (Oberlin is in Decatur County, and the other school district in the county, Jennings, no longer exists; thus the Decatur Community name), but I have been to only one other event at Oberlin, and that was back in first year in Kansas.
I remember it well. It was a wrestling regional tournament. I didn't cover the first day, since the semifinals weren't contested until Saturday morning that year. I stayed the night before in Colby after covering a basketball game in Ellis, and when I got up, it was 6 degrees below zero, the ice on Jack's Buick LeSabre was thick, and the pop in the trunk had frozen. I also remember snow being piled up along the sides of the narrow K-25 between Colby and Atwood, which scared me a bit, since it was my first Kansas winter, and I wasn't used to driving on snow. It got worse the next year; I went into the median on I-70 just east of Hays, and then I slid off the road one morning going west from Russell; I got out that time, but had to cancel my trip to Hays.
I have now covered events on every Kansas county seat on US 36 between St. Francis and Washington, and also in Kensington, which is on the highway between Phillipsburg and Smith Center. Tomorrow will be a very long day, since the volleyball matches don't start until 1, and I'm guessing the Lady Red will play for the title, and if they don't, Ellis will. I'll probably end up in Colby tomorrow night and then drive back Sunday to Russell.
Okay, here are some of my high school football picks:
Smith Center over Bennington
Phillipsburg over Minneapolis
Oberlin over Ellis
Plainville over Republic County
Beloit over Norton
Osborne over Pike Valley
Stockton over Palco
Trego over Hill City
Thunder Ridge over Northern Valley
Hoisington over Russell
Scott City over TMP-Marian
Salina South over Hays
Salina Central over Great Bend
Shawnee Mission East over Shawnee Mission West
Topeka over Junction City
Manhattan over Washburn Rural
Hutchinson over Garden City
Derby over Wichita East
Blue Valley over Pittsburg
Emporia over Andover
DeSoto over Spring Hill
Paola over Prairie View
Wichita Collegiate over Rose Hill
Holton over Topeka Hayden
Andale over Nickerson
Lakin over Holcomb
Garden Plain over Hutchinson Trinity
Caney Valley over Neodesha
Meade over Elkhart
McLouth over Valley Falls
Madison over Peabody-Burns
UPSET: Atwood over Ness City
Tonight, I'm heading to a new venue to cover Smith Center football. I will be in Bennington, a small hamlet about 10 miles north and east of Salina on Kansas Highway. If I were the adventurous sort, I could drive up US 281 from Russell and then take K-18 all the way across past Waldo, Luray, Lucas, Sylvan Grove, Lincoln and Tescott, but (a) I don't have that kind of time (I do, but I would rather not waste it) and (b) I'm not that adventurous today. I want to go to Salina, fill up on gas and get a snack, and then drive up the rest of the way before the game. I want to get there by 5 p.m. so I can relax and be focused on the task at hand.
Smith Center has won all three of its district games and is 4-3 overall. If the Redmen win tonight, they will clinch a playoff berth. I suspect they will. Bennington is 4-3, but they have beaten mostly sub-par teams, and they tend to give up a lot of points to the better teams on their schedule, including 44 to Plainville two weeks ago.
I have to make a beeline back to Russell, because I have to be out of the house by 9 a.m. tomorrow morning to go to a sub-state volleyball tournament at Oberlin, which is 150 miles from Russell. I've been to Oberlin each of the last five years for the annual track meet hosted by Decatur Community High School (Oberlin is in Decatur County, and the other school district in the county, Jennings, no longer exists; thus the Decatur Community name), but I have been to only one other event at Oberlin, and that was back in first year in Kansas.
I remember it well. It was a wrestling regional tournament. I didn't cover the first day, since the semifinals weren't contested until Saturday morning that year. I stayed the night before in Colby after covering a basketball game in Ellis, and when I got up, it was 6 degrees below zero, the ice on Jack's Buick LeSabre was thick, and the pop in the trunk had frozen. I also remember snow being piled up along the sides of the narrow K-25 between Colby and Atwood, which scared me a bit, since it was my first Kansas winter, and I wasn't used to driving on snow. It got worse the next year; I went into the median on I-70 just east of Hays, and then I slid off the road one morning going west from Russell; I got out that time, but had to cancel my trip to Hays.
I have now covered events on every Kansas county seat on US 36 between St. Francis and Washington, and also in Kensington, which is on the highway between Phillipsburg and Smith Center. Tomorrow will be a very long day, since the volleyball matches don't start until 1, and I'm guessing the Lady Red will play for the title, and if they don't, Ellis will. I'll probably end up in Colby tomorrow night and then drive back Sunday to Russell.
Okay, here are some of my high school football picks:
Smith Center over Bennington
Phillipsburg over Minneapolis
Oberlin over Ellis
Plainville over Republic County
Beloit over Norton
Osborne over Pike Valley
Stockton over Palco
Trego over Hill City
Thunder Ridge over Northern Valley
Hoisington over Russell
Scott City over TMP-Marian
Salina South over Hays
Salina Central over Great Bend
Shawnee Mission East over Shawnee Mission West
Topeka over Junction City
Manhattan over Washburn Rural
Hutchinson over Garden City
Derby over Wichita East
Blue Valley over Pittsburg
Emporia over Andover
DeSoto over Spring Hill
Paola over Prairie View
Wichita Collegiate over Rose Hill
Holton over Topeka Hayden
Andale over Nickerson
Lakin over Holcomb
Garden Plain over Hutchinson Trinity
Caney Valley over Neodesha
Meade over Elkhart
McLouth over Valley Falls
Madison over Peabody-Burns
UPSET: Atwood over Ness City
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Saturday morning follies
This morning is already off to a rolling start, and we're still an hour away from volleyball.
As I'm pulling out of my garage, I discover a gaggle of plastic pink flamingos on the lawn in front of the house. I was upset, and I left a voice mail for dad on his cell phone. Then it got worse.
I usually take old US Highway 40 to get to I-70 to go out to Hays and points west, but with the heavy rain--I could see it coming down sideways when I turned on the high beams--the road was wet everywhere and I couldn't go faster than 35 MPH without taking on significant water. I decided to turn around and pick up I-70 at US 281. Problem is, 281 has poor drainage, especially in the few blocks just south of old 40. Fortunately, it got better as I got closer to I-70.
The rain finally let up at Gorham. I called dad on my mother's cell phone and I told him about the flamingos. He told me it's some sort of prank with high school kids. I'm guessing our house was an easy target because they knew where I lived and today is my birthday. He said don't worry about it, and maybe I should leave the flamingos on the lawn to show it doesn't bother me.
It didn't rain any more going up US 183 to Phillipsburg, but the road was slick, and there were the few numbskulls who wouldn't dim their high beams coming toward me from the other direction.
Between Stockton and Phillipsburg, it was foggy. There were a couple of points where I could barely see in front of me, and I had to slow way down.. Still, I made it to town in time to get gas (I was almost completely empty) and pull into school at 7:40 a.m.
First matches start at 9 a.m. Smith Center is up right away vs. Osborne, so I'm on the air first thing. At least they don't play back-to-back, which will give my voice a rest.
This is my eighth MCL volleyball tournament. I haven't been in Kansas that long, have I? I guess so.
As I'm pulling out of my garage, I discover a gaggle of plastic pink flamingos on the lawn in front of the house. I was upset, and I left a voice mail for dad on his cell phone. Then it got worse.
I usually take old US Highway 40 to get to I-70 to go out to Hays and points west, but with the heavy rain--I could see it coming down sideways when I turned on the high beams--the road was wet everywhere and I couldn't go faster than 35 MPH without taking on significant water. I decided to turn around and pick up I-70 at US 281. Problem is, 281 has poor drainage, especially in the few blocks just south of old 40. Fortunately, it got better as I got closer to I-70.
The rain finally let up at Gorham. I called dad on my mother's cell phone and I told him about the flamingos. He told me it's some sort of prank with high school kids. I'm guessing our house was an easy target because they knew where I lived and today is my birthday. He said don't worry about it, and maybe I should leave the flamingos on the lawn to show it doesn't bother me.
It didn't rain any more going up US 183 to Phillipsburg, but the road was slick, and there were the few numbskulls who wouldn't dim their high beams coming toward me from the other direction.
Between Stockton and Phillipsburg, it was foggy. There were a couple of points where I could barely see in front of me, and I had to slow way down.. Still, I made it to town in time to get gas (I was almost completely empty) and pull into school at 7:40 a.m.
First matches start at 9 a.m. Smith Center is up right away vs. Osborne, so I'm on the air first thing. At least they don't play back-to-back, which will give my voice a rest.
This is my eighth MCL volleyball tournament. I haven't been in Kansas that long, have I? I guess so.
Waking up to rain
It's pouring outside. I am supposed to leave at 6 a.m. for Phillipsburg and the Mid-Continent League volleyball tournament, but I'm considering jumping in the shower and leaving early so I can navigate my way through the rain. Or do I wait until it passes? I'm guessing I should
Last night's football game was sloppy. Thomas More Prep committed 16 penalties for 121 yards yet still won 36-26. The Monarchs led 22-0 with less than four minutes left in the first half before the Broncos scored on a pass. TMP scored a touchdown on its opening drive of the second half and got the ball back after Russell fumbled the ensuing kickoff, but the Broncos held, and cut the margin to 29-18 by the end of the period. However, that was as close as it got. Russell scored a touchdown on a trick play with seven seconds to go, but it was far too little, far too late.
It was chilly last night, but I had adequate layering, so it wasn't that bad. The wind picked up in the second half, but I've seen far worse in Kansas.. The sweatpants were definitely a wise investment. They were much easier to wear over the leggings than jeans.
I've got a long day ahead of me. Probably not going to be home until late. But it's that time of year.
Last night's football game was sloppy. Thomas More Prep committed 16 penalties for 121 yards yet still won 36-26. The Monarchs led 22-0 with less than four minutes left in the first half before the Broncos scored on a pass. TMP scored a touchdown on its opening drive of the second half and got the ball back after Russell fumbled the ensuing kickoff, but the Broncos held, and cut the margin to 29-18 by the end of the period. However, that was as close as it got. Russell scored a touchdown on a trick play with seven seconds to go, but it was far too little, far too late.
It was chilly last night, but I had adequate layering, so it wasn't that bad. The wind picked up in the second half, but I've seen far worse in Kansas.. The sweatpants were definitely a wise investment. They were much easier to wear over the leggings than jeans.
I've got a long day ahead of me. Probably not going to be home until late. But it's that time of year.
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