J. EDMUND BARNES

Ah, summer. Baseball is king of summer. From parents out watching their kids getting their first taste of the game at the recreation department’s T-Ball fields to the people sitting down on Zephyr Field’s levee to watch the major league baseball hopefuls swinging for the fences, to me lounging on the couch in front of the tube watching the ubiquitious Cubs play (and lose) on WGN. Yes, baseball and nothing but baseball during summer. Which isn’t to say there isn’t anything else on ESPN right now. Yeah, sure, the Stanley Cup finals are on, too. I saw bits and pieces of the Avalanche – Blues games over the weekend. I’m not a hockey fan, but I can appreciate the game. Any sport where a team has a designated enforcer’ is OK in my book. As for the games themselves, I think that Colorado is going to have some serious problems with New Jersey. The Avalanche seems prone to giving away leads and having to fight their way through vicious overtime cycles. Then again, they could sweep the series in four. As for the NBA playoffs, well, the less said the better. Which isn’t to say anything bad – I just haven’t been watching them. The Lakers have been playing some of the most physical ball yet seen – it seems like if you drive the lane and go for the lay up then you’d best expect to be laid out on your back. Again, I’m not watching too much of that. Professional basketball doesn’t grab my interest the way that college hoops does – while the level of play is better on the individual level, there is often something lacking in the team’s spirit. Bad behavior on and off the court has also spoiled the game for me. I firmly believe that there is an appropriate time and place for that sort of thing. Like in a hockey game. I won’t lie- I watch hockey for the fights. The back-and-forth aspect of your typical hockey match is tailor-made for the occasional fisticuffs – one team gets bored or frustrated and lets of some steam by hitting someone. There’s a little hooking and jabbing, and then both players get a two-minute cooldown break in the penalty box. It’s just part of the rhythm of the game. But during summer, that rhythm is off. Summer isn’t about post-season angst, unless you happen to be a fan of hockey or basketball. Summer should be a time of relaxing and slowing down. In the wet heat of a Louisiana summer slowing down is the unwritten law of survival. Around here, baseball’s pace is just about perfect. J. EDMUND BARNES can be contacted at L’Observateur (P.O. Box 1010, Laplace, La, 70069, 652-9545) or by email at josephusbarnes@hotmail.com.