Last week, my family and I were in Myrtle Beach enjoying the 55 degree weather with 20 mph winds out of the north and 55 degree ocean water...what wonderful weather for spring break, but there are a few things I wanted to write about this week.
First, how about them Braves? Borden wins the 1A state championship in boys' basketball. I still cannot wrap my mind around that. What an awesome thing for the community and for the coaches and players. And what about Coach Doc Nash? His name is usually associated with any job that opens in the area, but now would have to be considered for many in the state. Knowing Coach Nash, he has said numerous times that he isn't going anywhere that he is happy and successful at Borden, so why leave? He's the Brad Stevens of 1A basketball...except with a championship.
I have known Coach Nash since he was 16 years old and have enjoyed watching him grow and mature as a person and a coach. He has gone from "shoot it before you turn it over" coach his first year, to playing good man to man defense primarily, running a very good offense, and holding the ball in a delay at the end of games. His evolution has taken him from losing to our team at Henryville his first year in the first sectional game of his career, to being a coach that I shouldn't be mentioned in the same paragraph because of his accomplishments.
It is spring in southern Indiana and I have already caught some high school baseball games this weekend when the weather was a little warmer. I love baseball, my first love, but high school is the most pure in my opinion. Kids playing for the love of the game, it just doesn't get any better to me when it comes to America's past time. Watching Silver Creek and Columbus East was enjoyable as their coaches run disciplined, organized programs, then throw in some pretty good players and that is a good recipe for success this season.
The University of Louisville is in the final four for the second straight year. I believe they are going to win this season because their defense has been stifling at times. Whether they win or not, it has been a great season for them and their fans. Our prayers go out to Kevin Ware. What an awful break in every sense of the word. It was an emotional moment during the game and after for everyone watching. His response, the team's response, Coach Pitino's response and all of Duke's personnel showed that many times we have to be reminded to put sports in its proper perspective. I hope Ware comes back next year stronger than before and goes on to have a great career. On a kinda sidenote, how about how in today's world, he will be able to watch that break occur for the rest of his life because of youtube. It was downloaded almost immediately, but I have zero desire to watch it again.
Finally, U of L women's upset of Baylor and Brittany Griner may have been the greatest upset in women's college basketball history and definitely the greatest that many people were not watching. They weren't watching because they do not watch women's college basketball which is highly unfortunate for them especially if they like a pure form of basketball. I believe that it is the best basketball played beneath the rim which is what most of us see on any given weekend in high school games.
