By By Austin Bishop / EMG Regional Sports Director
Aug. 18, 2002
Soaking in the sounds of a Sunday while wondering whatever happened to Roberto Duran …
Are the Major League baseball players crazy?
The fans are finally getting back into the game and now they are looking at a possible strike.
To be honest, I'm not even interested in the reasons, and neither are 99.9 percent of the fans. But, it's not the reasons for the strike that seem insane to me. It's not even the ludicrous fact that they are considering it at all.
It's the timing that is nuts, nuts, nuts.
Somebody needs to give these guys a calendar. They are planning on walking out a day before college football season kicks off in full force.
Think about that a minute.
While most people have one sport that they love with a passion, sports fans as a whole enjoy multiple sports. What sports fans really want is something to fill that spot in their life that craves an event to watch or a team to follow.
Baseball certainly gives them that. But so does college and pro football.
And high school football hits full swing across the state on the very day that baseball plans to call it quits.
The football stands will be filled at places like Southeast Lauderdale, Neshoba Central, Philadelphia, Laurel and Heidelberg Academy.
Whether or not the Padres, White Sox, Mariners or Rangers are playing will not be of any concern to those fans. At least not at that moment.
And the next day Mississippi State travels to Oregon, Alabama plays in Birmingham, Ole Miss opens the season in Oxford and Jackson State invades Hattiesburg to take on Southern Mississippi in a game that is already an official sellout.
Will those people really be worried about the Orioles, Twins, Reds and Expos?
Will we miss baseball?
Are they striking at the worst possible time?
If the players have a point to make, perhaps they should consider striking at the beginning of Spring training when the fans are getting eager to see the new season arriving. Perhaps even in June when the NBA and NHL playoffs are your only competition.
But to strike right at the beginning of football season when the fans will have something else to focus on is nuts. Not to mention arrogant.
The best thing that could happen to baseball over the next two weeks is that somebody walk up to the players with a calendar and point out to them what time of year it is.
Prep football
kicking off
Newton County Academy hosted a seven-team jamboree on Friday night, and Copiah Academy hosted one on Saturday.
All of that means this the prep football season kicks off on Friday night.
The Mississippi Private School Activities Association begins its season on Aug. 23 with several area teams taking part.
Lamar School travels to Waynesboro to open its season against Wayne Academy for the second consecutive year. On the same night, Newton County Academy travels to Leake, Kemper Academy hosts Hebron and Heidelberg Academy pays a visit to Columbia.
The MHSAA season begins the following week, with Lake entertaining Newton High School and Noxapater hosting Weir on Thursday, Aug. 29 to kick off the weekend.
Each team has its share of dreams and hopes this season and only time and games will tell who will have success on the field.
Make sure your
games are reported
Once again The Meridian Star sports staff is looking forward to a successful prep sports season.
We are willing to run the results of every high school team in the area. To get your results in the paper a coach, or his appointed representative, can phone in that information as soon as possible after the game.
The phone number is 1-800-232-2525, ext. 3226 or 3235. The local number is 693-1551, ext. 3226 or 3235. The information can also be faxed in at 1-601-485-1275.
If you get voice mail, just leave the full information there. For softball, leave the leading hitters information, big hits or big plays, and score by innings and hit totals if possible. For football leave the scoring plays in order, score by quarters and any statistical leaders you may have.
Make sure you have first and last names for both teams.
All coaches are also encouraged to send in a copy of their roster with numbers and the correct spelling of names. The fax number is listed above.