Some Random Thoughts on a Windy Day

Ok, so I haven't blogged in a while...ok I haven't blogged in a really really long time. I've just been busy, I swear! I mean, honestly, shopping for shoes on J.crew to wear to my best friend's wedding takes precedence, right?

Anyway, there are a few rambling thoughts in my head today that I guess have gotten shaken loose thanks to these Hurricane force winds! So here goes: my random thoughts on a random Monday in March.

I feel bad for spring sports in Kansas. I mean, we get all this build-up throughout football season and when that's over it's like, don't worry, basketball season is next, and then we're calmed down until state basketball and we get all hyped up again and then it's like...dead. Spring sports just don't hold the same cache as fall and winter sports. Want to know one of the main reasons why? Highlights don't always happen right away. In fact, sometimes they don't happen at all. Want to know something kinda funny? I was covering a baseball game in Washington last spring and I got to the game in the top of the second inning and it was 1-0. It was a rivalry game between two very good schools and it proceeded to be an intense pitcher's duel. Want to know what I had to use as a highlight? Not a sacrifice bunt, not a sacrifice fly, no no, I had to use a balk. A balk. A BALK!!

This is why spring sports are so much harder to cover than volleyball, basketball and football. We simply don't have time to do most of these spring sports justice. Luckily, however, we at Channel 12 have been given a phenomenal outlet known as the Catch it Kansas show. We will continue (once March madness is over) to produce the show through the end of school. A lot of work for us, but in the end, I feel like we may actually, finally be able to do spring sports justice.


It's been over a week now that state championship basketball games were played. I was up in Topeka for the 5A games. Unfortunately, the game that should've been the championship matchup between Bishop Carroll and Bishop Miege was a semi-final game that Carroll ended up losing. I like the Carroll girls team, I like Julia Marshall, Abby Henning, Abby Fawcett, all the girls on that team. They work hard in order to improve their talent, they're kind, they're not whiny, and they're good sports. Not sure I can say the same about their coach. Look, I understand the team had just lost a game that they should've won. I get that. I understand it's emotional. Heck, I was emotional after the game! I was rooting for Carroll! But that does not give Coach Racine any excuse to shove his hand in my face walking off the court. I was doing my job, walking up to coach, keeping my distance and asking as politely as possible if he might be available for a couple minutes after he's done talking to his team for an interview. He proceeded to shove his hand in my face, in front of everyone in the stands, and say very tersely that he wasn't going to do an interview.

Cut to the locker room after the game. My photographer Tim and I stand patiently outside, waiting for coach to get done talking to the girls and trying to respect the fact that they just lost a heartbreaking game. I start chatting with the Wichita Eagle reporter who is there too, we compare notes, talk about other games, etc. A minute or so later, Tim, my photographer, tells me our battery is running low and he needs to go grab another one. He hustles off, and the minute the Carroll head coach sees Tim leave, he beckons the Eagle reporter into the hallway to give him an interview. I am a little upset, but not about to bust into that interview, wanted to give coach his space, all that jazz. Well, he gets done with that interview, Tim gets back, and Coach starts to leave. I walk up to him and say, "Excuse me coach, if I could just grab you for one or two questions.." He then cuts me off, says that he is not going to go on camera for anything, and walks away.

I get the emotion, I get the let-down, I get it, trust me, I've been there as an athlete myself. But what I don't get is one adult treating another adult like that when we're both just trying to do our jobs. I'm not sure what I did wrong but I'd like to know so I don't make the same mistake again.


Wow, after about a month of forgetting to blog I've now written way more than I anticipated. Hopefully, it had some sort of flow but it most likely did not. I've been reading a lot of Chuck Klosterman lately so that might explain a lot about this post.

Hopefully, everyone out there is having fun watching March Madness which has obviously driven me insane for the time being.