Tuesday

I know I still owe one more Cotton Bowl posting, but it's time for a scattershooting as I catch up a little.

We're still waiting for winter to start in Alabama-- it's been chilly a few times, maybe even cold once or twice, but it's been really nice most of the time. Maybe it's payback from the hideous weather we had last spring. Who knows. But nobody has freaked out three days in advance about a remote possibility of snow flurries, so it's a good thing.

I also find that as much as I love watching football and basketball (college, not NFL or NBA), I find that I spend too much emotional energy in these games. I let the actions of 18-22 year-old kids (who have more invested than me and want to win more I want them to) determine whether I'm going to have a good day. It's been like that for years and years as I watch UTEP and now Kansas State play. I'm starting to realize that nothing really happens to me during or after the games, and that I still have things to do after I watch, and that I am in charge of how I feel, win or lose.

It's a maturity thing and will probably will help prevent things like blood vessels popping. I'll try to have fun, of course, but try to have a little bit of disconnect, win or lose.

And following my marathon, I've found that I am a bit of a magnet as far as people asking me about it. I like these people, and I'm not upset about it, it's just that I'm not good at being the center of attention. It's kind of like at my wedding, where all our friends and family came to see Ann and me. It could be worse, I suppose-- I could've stolen a car and gotten attention that way. But it's been nice to have folks ask me about it or congratulate me.

And pitchers and catchers are starting to report. Yes, spring training is here, and baseball season has started for the colleges. For some reason I find myself wanting to watch baseball. Part of it is likely because of the nice weather, partly because I just read an autobiography of Braves broadcaster Pete Van Wieren, who spent 33 years calling Atlanta baseball games. I remember watching some of those games as a teenager and as an adult-- not religiously, but I vividly remember the technical aspects of those telecasts-- how spot on and informational and technically sound they were. No glitches, nothing. very easy to watch, even if the baseball itself was pretty hideous.

More to follow.