2012 down, ‘13 on the way
It would be hard to think of anyone that had a better New Year’s Day than Craig Bohl. The coach of the Bison got effectively a lifetime deal from NDSU on Tuesday. The man deserves every penny, though. Had someone told me five years ago that a Bison game would become a “tough ticket” I would not have believed it, but Bohl has done that.By: Dave Selvig, Jamestown Sun, The Jamestown Sun
It would be hard to think of anyone that had a better New Year’s Day than Craig Bohl.
The coach of the Bison got effectively a lifetime deal from NDSU on Tuesday. The man deserves every penny, though. Had someone told me five years ago that a Bison game would become a “tough ticket” I would not have believed it, but Bohl has done that.
Most of us, at least I didn’t, have a day like that. It was more business as usual. A long year down, while another looms.
How will it play out, who knows, but here’s a brief swami-style forecast, without the bitter wind chill.
January = Schedule
Jamestown superfan Jim Christ, along with the Sun sports staff, will be put through the meat grinder this month. January is always brutal schedule-wise, but this one seems worse. If we make it through at least we have gorgeous February weather to welcome us — not.
February = Miracle on ice
However the girls hockey season turns out, Brad Schaack and his Blue Jays are a great story. Last week in Crookston, Minn., the team dressed 10 skaters and a goalie. Meanwhile, towns the size of Grand Forks and Bismarck field just one team! If the Blue Jays were to win state, which is a longshot, but who’d bet against these girls, the Knightriders and Blizzard should have to split into two teams. That’ll teach ‘em to mess with a team half their size — literally.
March = Draft time
Aarhus, Rodgers and I are already looking forward to fantasy baseball. If we can survive January and February we will have earned it. I know one thing, I won’t be taking Brett Lawrie in the first round again this year — guy was a wreck.
April = Finally, maybe?
Pulling for Big Ten football and basketball teams has been brutal the last decade. The last team to win a national title from a sport anybody cares about was Ohio State football in 2002. Come Final Four weekend, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio State, Illinois and the Golden Gophers are capable of winning it all. College basketball is down in general, which also helps.
May = Mathematically eliminated?
With the haggard roster the Twins are cobbling together, they’ll likely be in a spirited battle with the Royals for fourth come May. Actually, Kansas City has spent some money this winter, so have the Indians, so it’s very possible the Twins will be in a thrilling 2-team race for the No. 1 pick with the Houston Astros, who move to the American League this season.
June = Relief
The schedule is light and the weather is nice. It begins exactly 150 days from today.
July = Dying
Legion baseball, that is. Every Class A American Legion baseball team goes to state because there are only what eight, maybe nine of them anymore. Outside of LaMoure’s strong program, Class B teams in our area have nearly dried up. It’s sad.
August = Amateur ball
Tom Gould and R.D. Brown have kept amateur baseball alive to the point now where there is moderate growth. To keep things going in the right direction, next year they are implementing a very good rule. To boil it down, teams will be permitted to have a maximum of four current college players. The Jamestown Elks have been a college team in recent years, and considering the quality of players JC coach Tom Hager recruits, it wasn’t fair to the more, um, seasoned guys, to be facing a bunch of college ringers. This is a good move by T.G and R.D., of course, that’s the only kind they make.
September = Purple return
How the Vikings are in the playoffs, I have no idea. Two things should be locks: Adrian Peterson as MVP and Leslie Frazier as coach of the year. Expectations will be entirely too high for 2013 based on the mirage of 2012, but then again what do I know, I predicted 4-12 back in August.
October = Why?
The state boys soccer tournament will be held in Jamestown.
November = Why? Part II
State volleyball in Minot — four years in a row? OK, so Minot is centrally located? Not. Easy access to hotel rooms? No. Other than that it makes perfect sense.
December = Groundhog Day
Another year in the books, or as Yogi Berra so aptly put it, “It’s déjà vu all over again.”
Sun sports editor Dave Selvig can be reached at (701) 952-8460 or by e-mail at dselvig@jamestownsun.com
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