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Is bigger better?
In the case of the enlarged districts in New Mexico high school football, I say, yes, bigger is better. And not just because all three Valencia County teams, Belen, Los Lunas and Valencia, qualified for the playoffs.
The expansion has brought more variety to the schedule, started new rivalries while preserving old and given teams more games to prove their worth in district action.
Survey, says
Occasionally, polls and rankings are mentioned in the News-Bulletin sports section about area high school athletics. While there are coaches’ polls, I prefer using the MaxPreps survey because it is the same rankings that the New Mexico Activities Association relies on in its criteria for determining the teams selected for postseason competition.
Sally Marquez
Now that October has come and gone, Sally Marquez is officially retired as executive director of the New Mexico Activities Association, a position she held for 12 years. I hate to see her go.
Marquez was a steadying force, seemed reasonable and had only good intentions for students and member schools. The NMAA appears to be in a decent spot as she hands over the reins to longtime NMAA associate director Dusty Young. Good luck to both.
Obnoxious football fan
Continuing a crusade I wrote about recently, why are obnoxious fans allowed to spew their garbage? At a recent high school football game in Albuquerque, a man cheering for the home team yelled at the game officials the entire contest, moving from one end of the stadium to the other. His voice echoed throughout.
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Eventually, he flashed obscene gestures across the field at the Los Lunas contingent, who were just cheering. Why didn’t school officials, ushers or security stop this immediately? It takes the joy out of the game for everyone and sets a horrible example.
Yankee yahoos
As an American League fan, I was rooting for the Yankees in the World Series ... until I wasn’t.
After two New York “fans” ripped the ball out of the glove of the Dodgers’ Mookie Betts, who had reached into the stands to make a catch, my allegiance changed.
I couldn’t stand the idea of those jerks celebrating a Yankee championship, which of course, they didn’t.
BHS bleacher rescue
When a man fell on the bleachers during a Belen High School volleyball match earlier this season, people scrambled to help. That included Felicia Wortman, BHS assistant softball coach, and Steven Contreras, athletic coordinator for Belen Consolidated Schools, comforting the man and getting him aid. Great job.
Sports by numbers
During my story last summer about high school participation numbers, Los Lunas baseball was inadvertently omitted. LLHS baseball had 43 participants last spring, with a 3.1 grade point average. Not too shabby.
Holland heading north
After narrowing his options to three, former Los Lunas basketball standout Jalin Holland selected Colorado as his college destination. I like the choice.
My brief interaction with Buff’s coach Tad Boyle last summer was positive. Colorado plays in the mighty Big 12 and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
Holland also considered New Mexico, but the Mountain West Conference is in a state of flux, with schools coming and going. Plus, the Lobos received commitments from two guards shortly before Holland made his public announcement.
Let’s get (less) physical
The WNBA, which I have been touting here for more than a year, wrapped up its most successful season with the New York Liberty beating the Minnesota Lynx for the championship.
It didn’t come without controversy, with the Lynx coach blasting the officiating. What I didn’t like in the finals was how physical the play had become. The appeal of the WNBA, to me, is that the game is played in pure form, with the emphasis on passing, shooting and solid defense. WNBA executives would be wise to keep it that way.
Radio silence
When listening to a game on the radio, it is so frustrating when the play-by-play announcer doesn’t give the score regularly. Presumably, most radio listeners are in their vehicles, getting in and out of their cars and not glued to the action.
Honestly, keeping fans updated on the most important part of the game, the score, is Announcing 101.
Obscene Olympic moment?
After my column on Olympic memories was printed in July, I received some good-natured ribbing about leaving a certain R-rated pole vault story off the list.
I did start to write about it but felt obliged to hit delete after remembering that this is a family newspaper.
