I reached for the orange juice this morning, and then poured a glass of sunshine.
I followed that up with a half a grapefruit and I swallowed the sun.
Do I sound strange to you ?
As February drags on, and we focus our eyes to Vancouver, I am keeping a patriotic eye on our men and women, but another eye on the assembly of major league players in Florida and Arizona.
Why ? Cause it is what I do, it is what drives my personal buss through the cold stretches of along Canadian winter. We have half a month left before the calendar strikes March, and once they close the games of the 21st Winter Olympics, you will see more visuals of guys running sprints, more pictoral shots of cactus and palm trees, while the old and the young gather to stand by railings watching the spring rituals.
It is better known as Spring Training , and while it seems to go on forever, it is a neccessary evil, it fuels small business in these 2 states, and it makes us in northen climbs feel the sun on our faces as if we were in Dunedin, Sarasota, Yuma, or Phoenix.
As a sure sign of spring in Ontario is the crocus in bloom, or the robins building the nest, the sights and sounds are pure heaven to me. Spring time in Florida, with players running sprints represent the end of our dark soujorn, and the melting of a winter layer off our bodies. If you live in California, or Texas, or Alabama, this all meaningless dribble. But, if you are a citizen of Thunder Bay, Winnipeg, Wawa, Ottawa, Toronto or Hamilton, the end of winter is cause for celebration.
That is why for many it will quietly creep on us, because of our focus in British Columbia and the games, so when they do all their goodbyes and thank yous, and close things down, it will be the end of the month. Then, as it always happens, the newsies will report certain goings on in warmer areas, where the snowbirds flock to, like it just happened over night.
For me however, I know better, because I have had the other eye focused and know what will occur at the end of this week. Pitchers and Catchers begin officially reporting, although some venues have some very early birds building their nests , and most of those are hopefuls, trying to get a game of catch, a stretch, some light running, an edge , or a leg up.
Some vets want to hold onto long time positions like Jason Varitek of the Red Sox, and there are always veteran pitchers who have only minor league deals, who want another year in the Show.
Those mini dramas will begin to play out in earnest a week or so, and I will be watching and listening as they develop.
I will report on some these battles as the weeks continue, because I think we have this Olympic thing pretty well covered, don't you ?
