THE OTHER SIDE OF SPORTS

Eddie Michels on Marty St. Louis (see below)… St. Louis a finalist for the 2013 Ted Lindsay Award &  the Art Ross scoring Champion for 2012-13 season, and the best – Coach St. Louis (Photo USA TODAY Sports Images / Kim Klement)

    When one interviews a major league ball player working his way back from an injury one might think the main subject would be baseball.  Well wrong fans as my discussion with New York Yankee outfielder Curtis Granderson was about anything but.

    Prior to Tuesday May 6, 2013 extended spring game in Clearwater  I ask him if I could question him about his progress.  Then I ask him about his home town and the conversation quickly went to taxes, Illinois vs Indiana.

    It seems Granderson’s little Illinois village is near the state line and he gave an in depth and knowledgeable description of the differences in taxes including gas being 30-cents a gallon cheaper.

    Who says ball players are a bit lacking in the brain department as Curtis Granderson for one is not.

Curtis Granderson’s first action since February 24th spring training was this week in Clearwater. (EDDIE MICHELS PHOTO)

    Oh, did I forget to mention he is college educated and he does take time to be really nice to the younger fans.

    Moving on to the NHL and the Montreal-Ottawa game this past weekend.

    When the only ones not fighting were the goalies the refs and linesmen had their hands full.  Of course the score was like 4-1 Ottawa early in the third at the time so the players must have figured that beer sales were slow so by fighting the fans would have another and stay till the games end.

    Over 230-minutes in penalties were whistled, not a hockey match at all.

    On the local hockey scene I personally whistled a gamer on a local player for swinging his stick at an opponent striking the player twice with the toe of the stick twice on his lower back before I could stop play.

    The high schooler had already been cited for two minor penalties now he got a major and game misconduct.  Then on his way off the ice he admitted he did it intentionally.

    Not to worry fans, opponents and parents know he will screw up again sometime and one of us in the stripes with assess the proper penalty.

    Now as to our national past time at the Little League level.  In other words the level of the game that parents/adults try to do through their and their neighbors children what they couldn’t do in their collective youths.   Good use of the word their, eh?

    I won’t start to approach what I have seen and heard since January even with a pound of salt but you the educated readers know what I am referring too.  Let the kids have fun and maybe teach them a bit about the game.  Don’t try to influence them in any way other than it’s a game and games are intended to be fun!

    Now to the umpires both male and female at this level of the game, come on at least know the rules.  It seems these umpires think because they are volunteers or low paid they don’t have to do a good, better, best job possible when wearing the blue.  Some can’t even get the simplest of calls right, you know, fair/foul, safe/out , ball or strike.  Yes there are those who try their best but they are overshadowed by those who don’t.  Enough said!

    Now to finish this issue on a positive note how about the Lightning’s Martin St. Louis.   I saw the NHL scoring champ this past Sunday as he was watching his son’s hockey game.

    St. Louis I understand does help with the coaching when he is available and he doesn’t yell, scream or holler at the kids.  He is the ideal coach for kids.

    A great way to give back to the community, eh!

    So until then…