The return of “Paul’s Potpourri”…

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One of my favorite column formats when I was an “ace cub reporter” as my stepdad called me was a few short graphs on several different subjects. I used to call it “Paul’s Potpourri”. A fad called Throwback Thursday has become popular on the social networks so in a Throwback Thursday of my own here’s a 2014 version of “Paul’s Potpourri”…

NFL? NHL? I’VE GOT A BETTER IDEA….

So Seattle (NHL expansion franchise) and Portland (possible relocation spot for the NFL’s Oakland Raiders if they don’t get a new stadium) have been in the news regarding new pro sports teams. Seems like every year either Seattle or Portland is connected with some new pro sports franchise (see Sacramento Kings to Seattle…Phoenix Coyotes to Portland) but I’ve got the thing that would work really, really well here. A NASCAR track…

NASCAR has been looking at putting a track in the Pacific Northwest for years…most recently in 2010 in Kitsap County. Two of the sport’s best drivers are from Washington state (Kasey Kahne from Enumclaw and Greg Biffle from Vancouver) and there’s a nice big spot of land in the Winlock area which would make for a perfect spot. The track would draw from not only the Seattle area but also from Portland too…Winlock is about an hour and a half up/down I-5 from these two cities. Call me crazy, but I think it would work.

NCAA MARCH MADNESS…MAY THE “FOURS” BE WITH YOU

About 45 minutes ago the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament aka “March Madness” began in earnest as the field of 64 begins play. Millions and millions of dollars is wagered on the tournament and seems like everyone’s got a bracket filled out.

The national pundits pointed to a couple of the number-four seeds, Michigan State and defending champ Louisville, as favorites. The other two number four seeds, UCLA and San Diego State, could make some noise as well.

Me? I’m terrible at two types of game and sporting things. One is Bingo, and the other is filling out a bracket. But, I do so every year and every year someone who knows little or very little about college basketball seems to win the pool. For the record I have Florida, Michigan State, Baylor and Louisville advancing to the Final Four, with Florida beating Louisville to win the title. Florida State in football and Florida in basketball…makes sense, right?

UPDATE ON LAST WEEK’S BLOG…

From the yes-I-need-more-ammo-for-my-switch-baseball-and-football-argument…we have had more rain in the Portland/Vancouver area through March 19 than we had in January and February COMBINED. Further proof that football would go better in spring and baseball in the fall. One of my Little League baseball coaches added “hey, they already play baseball in the fall…it’s called the World Series”.

AND FINALLY….

A Reds pitcher was hit in the face by a line drive yesterday evening. There’s nothing more frightening than a line drive back at you when you’re on the pitchers mound…in my time as a pitcher in slowpitch softball I’ve taken one off the shins and gloved a line drive inches from my forehead. Catching isn’t the safest spot in the world either…a couple of years ago I watched my son get flattened by a baserunner.

While there is a movement to make sports safer with equipment (small helmets for pitchers are being developed) and rule changes (major league baseball outlawed home-plate collisions as long as the runner can get to the plate) the bottom line is injuries are going to happen. But where I sit from the cheap seats if we can do anything at all to minimize injuries, that’s a good thing.