What’s it going to be? Warm or cold? Ugh. Such is March.
It must be March. I am paying close attention to college basketball and was delighted to watch North Carolina State upset UNC in the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game. 5 games won in 5 days for the 10th seeded (in that tournament) Wolfpack. How big a deal is this? NC State last won this tourney in 1987. Having UNC and Duke within Levi Garrett spitting distance from each other along Tobacco Road and NC State 25 miles down the road makes this unlike anything in college sports I can point at. Well done NC State.
So much went on this past week.
Eric Carmen, the great singer-songwriter, passed away. Whether as the lead man in The Raspberries or singing All By Myself, Boats Against the Current, Never Gonna Fall in Love Again, Hungry Eyes, or Make Me Lose Control, Carmen was one cool cat. From Cleveland, Eric Carmen will be missed. He is one I wanted to hear in person that I did not get to. That makes me sad.
When I looked at the calendar on March 11 I did a double take. No, I thought. It can’t be. Yes. It has.
30 years since The Moody Blues played in Evansville. These pictures were taken because I had a PHOTO PASS. I wish our camera had been a little better. We can call it a true sign of the times.
Thirty years later, Justin Hayward was playing a show in the old country this week.
Justin is on tour in the UK. He comes back to the United States for a tour in July. I doubt I will make that one.
A few folks told me I was overreacting when I wrote some time ago about the changing face of college football. When I listened to Nick Saban talking about the same thing this week I just shook my head in agreement. All I can say is, at this point, something has to get better. Look for us to suffer through an awkward season with no PAC-12 and conferences going through growing pains. A few conferences and many players will be going to the bank watching their budgets swell. What else could this be about?
I must say the North Harrison High School Hodgepodcast has been a great thing so far. The students and faculty member I have sat down and jawed with so far have had a good time. I really believed in the concept. I thought it would work. Through five episodes, we have not had to STOP! and start over again. Every syllable has been from the heart. We’ve talked about music, track season, academics, science teaching, archery, future plans, and more. In upcoming episodes we will be discussing baseball and the upcoming school play.
HOW ABOUT THAT MID-SOUTHERN CONFERENCE!
I know. This is an old photo. I have not been to the Brownstown Central High School gym since they installed the new floor. Given it was designed by a guy who stood up in my wedding, I should be ashamed. I am.
I am not ashamed to report that the Class 2A BCHS Braves and the class 3A Scottsburg Warriors, both members of the Mid-Southern Conference will be playing the State Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on March 30th. The high schools have to wait for the NCAA Tourney stop to clear out before it is their turn.
Last week I was a bit critical of the plight of listening to the Braves games on radio. Can’t really blame myself. Rare is the time I can make it through an entire broadcast. Gladly, I can report that, for whatever reason, the announcers were much improved this weekend. I don’t know if they were inspired by the “burp” one of them turned loose before tip-off (the burper did say “Excuse me.” and that was encouraging) or the fact that there was just a little more consistency about the recognition of the players. All I can say is keep up the good work. I was able to hang with both games this weekend.
Tomorrow will be a good day for me. I have been looking forward to my 56th birthday.
Speaking the rights…
Danny Johnson