This is a really strange week of the year. It’s spring break, so roughly half the town is someplace significantly farther south (and therefore significantly warmer). Warsaw gave in to the annual exodus a long time ago and doesn’t schedule any sporting events during this week so its students and coaches can take a break. It’s pretty quiet around here. So what is a local sportscaster to do? Well, the normal course of action is for me to go through the 16th edition of the spring checklist, which means completing tasks like moving the snow blower and ice fishing equipment out to the shed and getting the lawnmower ready for a summer of trimming the grass at the Grossman Compound. But the cold, rainy/snowy weather has really made it tough to get out and do much. I’m no Mr. Fix-it (just ask Mrs. Grossman), but during the week of spring break I have the one thing I don’t have very many other weeks of the year – time. Time to take on chores that take … well … time. But it’s just not working out. When the best day to be outside is going to be yesterday, which was a sunny day but only about 43 degreees, it’s just doomed. I had hoped to get the boat out and terrorize a few crappie hangouts – not happening. Now, there certainly have been good things that have come from being sequestered inside this week, which is supposed to be the week we pack away the winter doldrums and burst out like spring foliage. I am teaching my 6-year old how to play checkers. She has been playing checkers on my phone occasionally through the winter, but never like this – with the black and red checkered board unfolded and round checkers lined up in three lines on either side. No time clock. No computers. Just two brains, in this case one quickly fading and another with unlimited potential and a wealth of creativity. I beat her a lot, but it got harder as the week went on. She’s going to be really good at checkers, and a lot of other things when she grows up. I have had a lot of time to think so far this week. I was looking back on the craziest basketball season ever – so many good moments and so many not-as-good. Thinking about the places we went, the people we met, the games we saw. Hearing the roar of the Tiger crowd in my ears as I sit here in my recliner in the basement. Coming to work on a Monday and having co-workers ask to hear my call of that weekend’s incredible comeback win. And now, with 25 years of calling games here in Warsaw in the rear view mirror, wondering how much longer I am destined to do this. But there is work to be done in the here-and-now. We will be broadcasting a handful of Tiger Baseball and Softball games this spring on News Now Warsaw (99.7 FM/1480 AM). Tiger Talk returns this Saturday in its spring form at 9 a.m. I have this crazy ambition to get all of the record books for all of the sports teams at WCHS in the same place at the same time and merge them into one giant document. That’s how I roll. I am also reintroducing myself to my wife, who sees very little of me in an upright, non-sleeping state during the winter. She still wants me around, and for that I am grateful. And those crappies are still going to be swimming around those honey holes. Hopefully I won’t have to wear my ice fishing clothes in the boat while I go see if I can put a few in the frying pan.
