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.
No comments:
Post a Comment