Strike One: In a normal year, Colorado High School baseball coaches would be lamenting the latest version of “Snowmageddon” right about now, while wondering exactly when they might get their teams back on dry ground to resume a season that would have just barely begun.
But there’s absolutely nothing “normal” about the past 12 months. And in this particular case, that’s not such a bad thing.
High school baseball – along with sports like track and field and girls’ soccer – had their seasons wiped away completely last spring by the pandemic. Unlike their college counterparts, the kids involved could not be granted an extra year of eligibility. They just lost it. But this year, with the high school sports calendar scrambled by the pandemic, these spring sports – which normally start in March – have been given a gift of sorts. They won’t have to watch the local weather reports every day and wonder if and when they can squeeze in a baseball game in between blasts of snow and wind. The start of the season has been delayed until early May. The fact of the matter is that these student-athletes are going get to compete in their sports in far more appropriate weather conditions.
If you’ve ever sat through a day-long track meet in March, you understand why this year is going to be sooooo much better for athletes and fans alike.
On the downside, the condensed season will be slightly shorter than normal, and many of the participants will have already gotten their diplomas before they finish their season seasons. Still, it would be a great idea if the Colorado High School Activities Association considered a permanent move that allowed spring sports to be played…in the spring.
This year’s baseball schedule begins May 4th and concludes on June 12th. That’s five weeks. It includes 18 regular season games instead of 23 but will still be followed by a full state play-off slate. If CHSAA started future seasons in say, mid-April, for instance, would allow for a full slate of games and track meets and only stretch until the end of May, or about six weeks. That’s doable.
Look out your window right now and ask yourself if this is a good idea or not.
Yes, I know there is still bad weather, including snow, in April and even May. Some things can’t be avoided. But the instances and the severity of storms that time of the year, and the amount of time it takes fields to melt and become playable again, is far more manageable.
Expect a move to permanently push the start of the spring sports season back into April to pick up steam after this fair weather spring sports season concludes. Everyone is going to love it.
Strike Two: You’ve no doubt seen or read something on social media or elsewhere asking “Who is the most prominent person to graduate from your high school?” In most cases, it’s an athlete or entertainer. Who’s more prominent than they are?
I graduated from Northglenn High School (a long time ago.) The mighty Norse have produced numerous professional athletes (present company included) including football players Tony Ramirez, Jack Weil and Dan Ralph for example. We’ve also produced local media personalities like Doug Ottewill (Mile High Sports Magazine) and James Merilatt (104.3 The Fan.) We even produced a screenwriter, Rick Ramage, who has written movie scripts and worked with some of the biggest names in Hollywood.
Northglenn is also the alma mater of MLB Network star Lauren Gardner. So there’s that.
These are the names you’ll see listed when my high school is the subject of that “prominent graduate” question. But there’s a name missing that few people know off the top of their heads…but should. A true hero.
Laura Strickland Richardson graduated from Northglenn High School in 1982. She was no slouch in athletics, earning high school All-America honors as a swimmer. But like the commercial says, she decided to turn pro in something other than sports.
After earning her college degree in Psychology, Laura – who got her pilot’s license at age 16 – became a member of the United States Army. That would have been an achievement all in itself, having a military career that has spanned more than 35 years and counting. But Laura – who grew up right up the street from me – has gone on to do extraordinary things during her life. She fought in both Iraq and Afghanistan and has a Bronze Star among her numerous decorations. She was the military aid to Vice President Al Gore, flew Blackhawk helicopters and has earned promotion after promotion.
Today, Laura Strickland Richardson is a Lieutenant General, and assumed command of the United States Army North in July of 2019.
Last week, President Joe Biden nominated Richardson to become the commander of the United States Southern Command. When confirmed, she will become the nation’s second ever female four-star General.
Laura is a bad ass. The rest of us aren’t.
Being remembered by your school for exploits on the playing field is one thing. But those don’t compare in any way to achievements on the battlefield. Even though sports are our thing, sometimes it’s good to step back and reflect on what is really important and why the real heroes don’t play sports.
Strike Three: Speaking of heroes. Every Broncos fan remembers Vance Johnson, the mercurial wide receiver and member of the “Three Amigos” back in the late 1980’s when John Elway was throwing touchdown passes and leading Denver to three Super Bowls.
Most fans don’t recall that Johnson was a track and football star at the University of Arizona. He won numerous meets, competed in the Pan Am games and was an alternate for the USA Olympic team before spending a decade with the Broncos.
Like a lot of professional athletes, when the spotlight faded and real life became…not so much fun, Johnson struggled…to put it mildly. He fell into a life of drug abuse and financial schemes, and he nearly died. He lost his son in a motorcycle accident, and the trauma caused him to fall into a drug induced coma. His life was a mess.
Then, about seven years ago, cloaked in anonymity, Johnson finally got help. Recovery is a long process, but after years of working at it, he has turned his life around and earned himself a place among those who can stand tall and acknowledge their addiction while they celebrate their sobriety.
There is a certain amount of cache that still clings to a guy like Vance Johnson, even after all he’s been through. He can be a better role model now than he was when he was catching touchdown passes from Elway. Hence, his name now adorns the Vance Johnson Recovery Center in Las Vegas where he and a full staff of highly trained professionals offer the same kind of help and support Vance got when he was at his lowest point. But Johnson is taking it a step further. He’s going back on TV…this time in a different uniform.
The TV network A&E will feature Johnson and his facility in their hit show, “Intervention” starting on March 15th.
It’s one thing to seek help and work on recovery in private. It’s totally another to put yourself out there for everyone to judge, including many who may not have even known about Johnson’s struggles since he retired. Anonymity is a hallmark of recovery programs for a reason. By tossing that aside, Vance Johnson could be doing more for viewers than he ever did while we donned predominantly orange.