It is incumbent upon sports writers to make predictions, and it is especially common to do so at the start of a new season, or the start of a new year. Predictions carry little value, mine especially.valentines day flowers ideas
Take, for instance, my picks in Berkshire League girls basketball. Two years running I picked Wamogo, alienating the entire league and, in the process, dooming the Warriors. This year, I went in another direction. So, what team is the last remaining girls unbeaten? Wamogo, of course. The primary objective of a prediction is to make coaches and athletes, moms and dads, angry. It works like a charm every season.
A coach often refers to a preseason pick as a kiss of death.
And while coaches say they don’t want to be the team you pick, when you don’t pick them, they are piqued that they were not picked.
I am not clever enough to make any of this up. They have college courses on this stuff: Coach PO’d 101. They have college courses on journalism, too. Sure wish I had gone to one.
Now that the holidays are behind us, and presumably cold and messy weather ahead of us, let us piece together the great games and exciting moments on the schedule. Bust out your iPad, iPhone, Droid, or, if your still living in the past, your handy pocket calendar, and circle these days:
valentines day flowers ideas
Predictions: Let’s get this out of the way here and now: In the BL, I predict that the league champion will be (insert the name of your team). You are superb, breathtaking, incredible. I weep with joy when I see you play.
In the NVL, clearly, no one has a chance to beat (insert the name of your team). Heck, you could beat most college teams.
For the NVL girls, the best is clearly Holy Cross. Sorry, but really, what else can I say?
They really could beat some college teams. In the SouthWest Conference its the Pomperaug girls, all the way. That was easy.
Swimming: One of the best meets of the season is upon us, or is it? The Pomperaug-Cheshire meet is scheduled for Friday at the Cheshire Community Pool, but, with the bubble still not bubbling, the meet is, unlike the bubble, up in the air.
This will be a dandy, whenever they swim it, and if they swim it.
In the NVL, sources tell me that when Holy Cross swims Sacred Heart it will be epic. This year, the best Holy Argument may take place, not in a gymnasium, but in the John Reardon Pool.
Plug this date into your calendar: the Hearts and Crusaders go at it Feb. 17.
Game of the Week : There are many good games this week, but I can’t help but think that when the Sacred Heart boys visit Holy Cross Tuesday, it will be another Holy Epic. Michael Mallory is still a long time away from seeing the basketball court, and that might even things up a bit. When the Hearts and Cross are close, no game is better.
Game of the Month : On Jan. 16, the Mercy High girls come to Waterbury to square off with the Crusaders. Both teams are in the top 10 in state polls, and it should really give us some insight into how far this Cross team can go in March. This Crusaders need a game or two like this. If you like girls basketball, you need to be in The Pit.
Game of the Month (Feb) : The Pomperaug ladies have two dandies scheduled at home next month: Newtown Feb. 3, and Lauralton Hall Feb. 14.
That first Hall game, a loss, was a regular season game, but, it did not count towards the SWC standings. Ahead of the league tourney, these are the Panthers’ two big tests.
Just a thought : Was watching some of the highlight videos we did last season at the NVL boys basketball tourney, and it reminded me of how great it was in the Reggie O’Brien gym when the league put seats under each basket.
Naturally, things got out of hand and a few fans were tossed. You know how NVL fans can get. I was told that we just might have temporary bleachers set up this year at both ends of the gym. Great, great, great idea, as long as we have NVL bouncers on hand.
NVL Brass drama : The Seymour girls play at Watertown Tuesday, and we’ll know more after this game, but I have a feeling that a lot of Brass will be on the line when the Indians meet Wolcott again on the final night of the regular season for both teams, on Valentine’s Day no less, in the Eagles Nest.
On ice : Cheshire won a onegoal game the last time they played, but the Rams meet Watertown- Pomperaug in hockey again Jan. 11. Two state finalists meeting on the Taft rink should heat up the winter chill.
A Perfect 10 : If gymnastics is your thing, there is no meet better than the one Saturday in Southbury. The annual Pomperaug Invitational hits the mats at 10 a.m. The event kicks off the gymnastics season and always features the best gymnasts in Connecticut. Last time I went a wayward vaulter crashed into me and sent me flying over to the balance beam. Gymnastics IS a contact sport.
OK, maybe there weren’t many predictions in there, but now your high school calendar is chock full of ideas as the winter season spills happily into 2012. Have a great year.
Take, for instance, my picks in Berkshire League girls basketball. Two years running I picked Wamogo, alienating the entire league and, in the process, dooming the Warriors. This year, I went in another direction. So, what team is the last remaining girls unbeaten? Wamogo, of course. The primary objective of a prediction is to make coaches and athletes, moms and dads, angry. It works like a charm every season.
A coach often refers to a preseason pick as a kiss of death.
And while coaches say they don’t want to be the team you pick, when you don’t pick them, they are piqued that they were not picked.
I am not clever enough to make any of this up. They have college courses on this stuff: Coach PO’d 101. They have college courses on journalism, too. Sure wish I had gone to one.
Now that the holidays are behind us, and presumably cold and messy weather ahead of us, let us piece together the great games and exciting moments on the schedule. Bust out your iPad, iPhone, Droid, or, if your still living in the past, your handy pocket calendar, and circle these days:
valentines day flowers ideas
Predictions: Let’s get this out of the way here and now: In the BL, I predict that the league champion will be (insert the name of your team). You are superb, breathtaking, incredible. I weep with joy when I see you play.
In the NVL, clearly, no one has a chance to beat (insert the name of your team). Heck, you could beat most college teams.
For the NVL girls, the best is clearly Holy Cross. Sorry, but really, what else can I say?
They really could beat some college teams. In the SouthWest Conference its the Pomperaug girls, all the way. That was easy.
Swimming: One of the best meets of the season is upon us, or is it? The Pomperaug-Cheshire meet is scheduled for Friday at the Cheshire Community Pool, but, with the bubble still not bubbling, the meet is, unlike the bubble, up in the air.
This will be a dandy, whenever they swim it, and if they swim it.
In the NVL, sources tell me that when Holy Cross swims Sacred Heart it will be epic. This year, the best Holy Argument may take place, not in a gymnasium, but in the John Reardon Pool.
Plug this date into your calendar: the Hearts and Crusaders go at it Feb. 17.
Game of the Week : There are many good games this week, but I can’t help but think that when the Sacred Heart boys visit Holy Cross Tuesday, it will be another Holy Epic. Michael Mallory is still a long time away from seeing the basketball court, and that might even things up a bit. When the Hearts and Cross are close, no game is better.
Game of the Month : On Jan. 16, the Mercy High girls come to Waterbury to square off with the Crusaders. Both teams are in the top 10 in state polls, and it should really give us some insight into how far this Cross team can go in March. This Crusaders need a game or two like this. If you like girls basketball, you need to be in The Pit.
Game of the Month (Feb) : The Pomperaug ladies have two dandies scheduled at home next month: Newtown Feb. 3, and Lauralton Hall Feb. 14.
That first Hall game, a loss, was a regular season game, but, it did not count towards the SWC standings. Ahead of the league tourney, these are the Panthers’ two big tests.
Just a thought : Was watching some of the highlight videos we did last season at the NVL boys basketball tourney, and it reminded me of how great it was in the Reggie O’Brien gym when the league put seats under each basket.
Naturally, things got out of hand and a few fans were tossed. You know how NVL fans can get. I was told that we just might have temporary bleachers set up this year at both ends of the gym. Great, great, great idea, as long as we have NVL bouncers on hand.
NVL Brass drama : The Seymour girls play at Watertown Tuesday, and we’ll know more after this game, but I have a feeling that a lot of Brass will be on the line when the Indians meet Wolcott again on the final night of the regular season for both teams, on Valentine’s Day no less, in the Eagles Nest.
On ice : Cheshire won a onegoal game the last time they played, but the Rams meet Watertown- Pomperaug in hockey again Jan. 11. Two state finalists meeting on the Taft rink should heat up the winter chill.
A Perfect 10 : If gymnastics is your thing, there is no meet better than the one Saturday in Southbury. The annual Pomperaug Invitational hits the mats at 10 a.m. The event kicks off the gymnastics season and always features the best gymnasts in Connecticut. Last time I went a wayward vaulter crashed into me and sent me flying over to the balance beam. Gymnastics IS a contact sport.
OK, maybe there weren’t many predictions in there, but now your high school calendar is chock full of ideas as the winter season spills happily into 2012. Have a great year.
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