Little League season is fast approaching and I'm fired up, ready to see the Blytheville Youth Sportsplex parking lot full again and soak up the atmosphere.
Wednesday night, we had the Coach Pitch coaches meeting/draft, and it went pretty well. This year's group of coaches seems to work well together.
Along with Danny Spicer, Larry Fikes is coaching the Nibco Braves with me. Larry is one of the better umpires in the area.
Our team includes my sons Parker and Keaton, Larry's son Trey, Danny's son Devan, Matthew Rose, Tru Walker, Levi Seward, Mason Moore, Ryan Bevill, Brittany Stone and Ahmad Turner.
I'm looking forward to the season.
As one of the other coaches said, this level is about fun and fundamentals.
It is competitive, in that teams keep score, but it's not to the degree of the upper age groups like the 11- and 12-year-olds.
The kids are still learning the basics at this level.
It should be a fun season, one I'm anxious to see it get under way.
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On Saturday, we had the evaluations, which happened to be the same day as Keaton's fifth birthday.
He is actually supposed to be playing T-ball this year, but the kind folks with the Blytheville Baseball Softball Boosters allowed him to move up and play with Parker, as he did last year in T-ball.
With T-ball and Coach Pitch on the same nights, odds are their games would overlap, making it difficult to catch both games.
By them being on the same team it will make it much easier, and I am appreciative.
Instead of four games a week, the boys will be involved in two.
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I think ad rep Harry Darby is umping Coach Pitch again this year.
Hopefully there won't be too many heated exchanges at the plate, because his cubical is next to mine.
Harry has already threatened to toss me, so it wouldn't be wise to go Lou Piniella or Billy Martin on him.
Parker and Keaton might not understand if their old man got ejected.
Better bite my tongue on those bang-bang plays at the plate.
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If your friend, co-worker or family member isn't wearing green today, be sure to give them a pinch.
To learn why, check out Christina Weber's piece on St. Patrick's Day, Page 1 of today's edition.
I decked the boys out in green so they should be fine at school.
I've always relied on my eyes when I forget to wear green. Some people buy it, some don't. Just in case, I threw on a green sweater this morning.
It's a good thing too.
Ad rep Stacy Riley was roaming the office, pinching people, today.
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The NCAA Tournament technically started Tuesday, but for all intents and purposes, it begins today.
As bad as my football picks were last year, I'm a little leary of giving my Final Four.
I played it a little safer with my bracket than the football predictions.
My Final Four has three No. 1 seeds and one No. 2.
I've penciled in No. 1 Ohio State and No. 1 Duke on one side, and No. 1 Kansas and No. 2 Florida on the other.
If my bland bracket holds true (it probably won't), Ohio State will beat Kansas in the national championship game.
I have my mom's beloved Memphis Tigers losing to Arizona in the first round, the first time I can remember ever picking against them as a first-day loser.
That might be a good omen for Tiger fans.
mbrasfield@blythevillecourier.com