Play ball !!
Well, not so fast. Looks like snow is covering the infield.
Spring high school sports got hit with a technical foul when another snow storm moved through the region early Monday morning. Between the snow and ice that was still prevalent Tuesday and what will undoubtably be soggy fields later in the week, makeup games are already the order of the day.
Likewise, consider the following to absorb your take on global warming. Daylight saving time is already upon us, which gives everyone one extra hour to view the snow in their yard. The first day of spring is this Thursday, but don’t even think of putting away the snow shovels and ice melt quite yet. The Salem Red Sox play their season opener April 3rd. Someone was reading the Old Farmers Almanac-that opening 4-game set is in Myrtle Beach.
The Star sports department was set for last Sunday’s NASCAR Food City 500 in Bristol before inclement weather forced us to the pits. A two hour rain delay at the start and 3-hour delay after 125 laps caused the checkered flag not to be dropped until 9:30 p.m..
We’ll regroup for the August Night Race at Bristol where temperatures should be back above freezing. The big question on everyone’s mind is whether The Chief will successfully defend his media day legends car championship from last June. Got to admit The Chief looked like Rusty Wallace in taking the media day shootout going away.
If Whitey Taylor gives the green flag, I’m planning on taking some practice laps at the Franklin County Speedway this spring to hopefully avoid a repeat of my disqualification at Bristol last June. Everything was quickly forgotten on that DSQ when I joined Greg Biffle in the Bristol Mustang pace car to take the lap racing title on the big-time banked 1/2 mile oval. The August race should be a dandy. I’m already set with a pair of Loudmouth pants called ” Pole Position.” Should be a crowd pleaser at “The Last Great Colosseum”
What a whirlwind week for college basketball in Virginia. First, those unstoppable Cavaliers winning the ACC championship over Duke in the Sharpie-throwing, technical foul Blue Devil debacle. I’ve got to agree with Coach K that that “T” was a little much. UVa. opens play Friday night in Raleigh against Coastal Carolina.
Then, we get the upstart VMI squad receiving their first postseason bid in 37 years with a CollegeInsider.com 32-team men’s tournament spot against Canisius. VMI wasn’t placed in a position to pay the $ 35,000 rights fee to host the first-round game. Thus, the Keydets travel to Buffalo, NY where they will play in the Canisius 46-year-old bandbox that seats only 2,196. Joining VMI in the CIT was Norfolk State ( Tuesday vs. Eastern Michigan).
Getting bids to the College Basketball Invitational were Radford (Wednesday vs. Oregon State), Old Dominion (Wednesday vs. South Dakota State) and Hampton (Wednesday vs. Penn State).
Now, to Virginia Tech where the 9-22 Hokies dismissed head coach James Johnson on Monday. The move makes a statement by new Tech AD Whit Babcock, who will be trying to turn around a Tech athletic program in disarray. It may be a dubious distinction, but the fact remains: in coming weeks, Virginia Tech may be the only athletic program in NCAA history that will be paying three basketball head coaches and two athletic directors, ALL at the same time.
What better time to hit this week’s mailbag, where NASCAR racing and NFL at The Greenbrier Resort claim center stage.
Dear Wild Bill: I know you’re a media guy at Bristol. What was the deal with the late caution flag Saturday night? (Wallace/Floyd)
Well, Wallace it wasn’t a caution FLAG. As heavy rain began falling with less than 3 laps to go, the tower flagman supposedly accidentally leaned into or backed into the caution override button. That’s what I call “ending” the race.
Dear Greenbrier guru: What’s this talk about a NFL team having preseason camp in White Sulphur Springs? (Charles/Roanoke)
Not just talk, Charles. Jim Justice has hit another home run. The New Orleans Saints will conduct their training camp late-July to early-August at The Greenbrier. Justice committed to building 3 practice fields (2 natural turf, one synthetic grass) along with a 55,000 square foot multi-purpose building equipped with meeting rooms, weight rooms, locker rooms, training and physical therapy facilities, kitchen and dining. Along with The Greenbrier Classic, a busy summer for sure..
Until next week, send your resort questions to [email protected]. I’m heading out to run my pass routes.
-Bill Turner