March 28, 2024

Back from vacation and to reality of the grind

It’s not often sports writers can find too many gaps for vacation days throughout the year. If we wait until the seasons are not going, the options are very limited.

That didn’t sit well with my wife’s family when we were all trying to decide when to go on our bi-annual vacation.

My pick was end of July and early August right after summer sports end and just before fall sports begin.

That wasn’t a popular choice with the family, and it was a more difficult time to reserve rooms at the timeshare in our desired location.

So, like in most situations, the wife’s wishes won out.

So for two days last week and last weekend, I was MIA from work. And this week, the boss is out of town.

Don’t worry, we’ll be back at it as a team and ready to rock and roll when the postseason begins next week.

I can’t say I feel refreshed. Four days isn’t a ton of time but it was good to get away and just detach from my every day life.

We were able to take our 2.5-yearold daughter to the Dixie Stampede, which is Dolly Parton’s dinner show in Branson. It was a good family show and as long my daughter enjoys it, then it’s a successful night to me.

We also got to cruise around the city in limo. That wasn’t as fun as I had hoped but mainly because the air wasn’t working right. And it was way hotter in Branson than it was in Iowa.

The final full day I was in town, we hit up Table Rock Lake and rented a boat.

That was really fun. And my arm strength got put to the test when I decided to jump on a tube a couple times. What a blast that was.

The family got to stay until Saturday, but I left Wednesday to return home. And as fun as vacation is, I was happy to be back. I enjoy normal life and don’t like to veer too far away from my routine.

I was bummed on Friday when my first chance to see the Newton baseball team and former player now head coach Dustin Brisel was rained out. I’ll get the chance to see the Cardinals at their doubleheader this week.

That will take me down memory lane a bit as I spent a good two-plus years covering the team when Brisel was playing.

There’s a game every night somewhere to cover this week. But things are always much more challenging when it’s just one person handling all the duties. Wish me luck.

As someone who has followed the NBA since I was in high school, I was excited to see my Minnesota Timberwolves put together a package that got them two first-round picks at last week’s draft.

I like Karl-Anthony Towns and, as someone who has rooted for Duke basketball since he was in grade school. I really liked the Tyus Jones pick.

I think the Wolves got two players who want to be in Minnesota and are paired with two other stars in Andrew Wiggins and Ricky Rubio who are anxious to turn the franchise around.

Get ready. the Wolves will be relevant again. Maybe not next year but soon.

LeBron James opted out of his contract with the Cavaliers. Don’t make too much of that though. He’s not going anywhere.

I didn’t think Kevin Love would stay in Cleveland, but after him and LeBron met out in California last week, it looks like I could be wrong. I would like to see what the Cavs can do in the playoffs with a healthy James, Love and Kyrie Irving.

That should be interesting to watch if Love decides to stay.

Hopefully we get some games in this week.

The rain hasn’t been too kind lately. The farmers aren’t happy I am sure. There is a such thing, to me, as too much rain. We are at that point.