More Thoughts

I'm sitting in a little hotel in Yakima, Washington, tying up a few loose ends after the first day of a high school basketball tournament.

Last night, while watching games back-to-back involving teams I cover, some rather sad thoughts occurred to me.

Here are these strapping young men and women, readying themselves to leave high school in another few short months. They are the picture of health. And with all the talk of war, I wonder what lies in wait for them in the coming months.

With all the talk of war, it's young people barely older than these basketball players who will be asked to fight and, perhaps, die. Not the Donald Rumsfelds of the world. Not the Dick Cheneys. Not even that NASCAR winner over the weekend who said, as soon as he got out of his winning car, spouted off about how we all have to trust our pResident and go to war with Iraq.

I won't tell you my response to the NASCAR dude, other than to mention the gist of it was `Just shut up and drive the damned car.'

I got back to the hotel last night in time to listen to Ted Koppel discuss reports of how Rumsfeld, Cheney et al had drawn up this Iraq strategy in 1998 as part of a think tank. I actually read this in a story by Joe Conason, or someone like him, as far back as 2000. At that time, the writer predicted, there would be a move made against Iraq at some point during the Bush Misadministration, although at that time he felt it might be tabled until the second term.

Not to digress.

I just worry about what's in store for these kids. Economically, they have huge deficits to repay. There won't be Social Security for them, at least not in the way we know and understand it. The price of college for those not lucky enough to land a scholarship is skyrocketing.

And if they're lucky, perhaps one out of the entire field of athletes in this 32 team tournament will become wealthy in their own right. But that's stretching the statistics.

They deserve better than that.

More soon.

Odds 'n' Ends

A few of the things I think about while I'm covering basketball game after basketball game:

1. It's almost Spring, which means that, instead of commenting about the warmer weather, it's very safe to observe `The crocuses are up!' Personally, I don't have a bloomin' clue what a crocus is, nor would I recognize one if I tripped over it. But, gee, doesn't that make it sound like I do?
   
2. Ron Santo was hosed. The former Chicago Cub third baseman should have been voted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame.
   
3. I have a solution to the whole Pete Rose brouhaha. I've gotten so damned tired of this `Let me into the Hall of Fame' whine. The man bet on baseball. He was given a lifetime ban. Betting on baseball is serious enough to keep you out of the hall – look at what's happened to Shoeless Joe Jackson if you don't believe me. When he's dead, he becomes eligible for induction. Not before. Does he deserve to be in Cooperstown? Yes. Does he deserve to pound his chest and stand alongside Ernie Banks and Willie Mays, Henry Aaron and Stan Musial? Not on your life. Get over it.
   
4. I just finished reading Robert Crais' latest Elvis Cole novel, ``The Last Detective.'' It was fabulous. Crais is among my favorite authors – ranking up there with Robert B. Parker, Elmore Leonard and James Ellroy.
   
5. Speaking of Parker, his 30th novel starring Spenser is released on March 10th. It's called ``Back Story and I'll have finished reading it on the 11th. If you're interested in hearing an interview with Parker, who talks about completing Raymond Chandler's book ``Poodle Springs'' and other topics during an hour-long NPR interview, click here.
   
6. At first, I was excited to see Bill Maher coming to HBO in the time slot vacated by Dennis Miller. Then I saw that he had, as a permanent guest, the psychopathic Ann Coulter. I now officially refuse to watch.
   
7. Here's a tip if you're ever going to cover a boxing match from ringside: Never wear a white shirt to the fights. For that matter, never wear a favorite shirt to the fights. If you sit along the ring apron, where they like to sit us press folk, you're inevitably going to be covered in blood from the fighters. Oh yeah, and plenty of sweat. And if you're really nice, someone may spit his mouthpiece on you. Now that's a treat. Not.
   
8. Some of the music I've been enjoying lately while driving around in my newer car: Alison Krauss + Union Station Live; Diana Krall Live in Paris; and Dave Grusin's tribute to Henry Mancini, Two For the Road. In case you were wondering.
   

More soon.