Lydia Love Is A CAT-Operating Country Girl Who'll Drive MAGA Crazy, ARod Banks In A $10k Shot & Poker Chaos
I love OutKick, but I can't believe how great it was to not work this weekend or pay attention to social media for work
Instead, I spent the weekend going to youth sporting events and throwing indoor batting practice to my boys and a neighborhood kid while mixing in watching two high school travel soccer matches featuring the daughters of an old friend of mine.
What did I learn this weekend?
High school-level travel soccer is INTENSE and FAST. I'd never witnessed this level of girls' soccer on a sideline, but I was very impressed at the speed and the size and athleticism of the girls.
My friends were in from Buffalo playing a LEAGUE GAME against Toledo. They were supposed to drive from Buffalo to Dayton on Friday after work for a LEAGUE game against Dayton, but that was canceled due to weather, so, instead, parents drove 4 ½ hours to Toledo for a 90-minute match.
The travel sports world continues to amaze me.
Anyway, I watched the girls (one is a freshman and the other is a junior) play in their respective matches. I was warned that the Toledo club is tough and it took about 30 seconds into the freshman match to see what I was warned.
To their credit, Buffalo lost 2-1 in the freshman match, but it could've been 6-1.
My weekend observations:
- Toledo's scouts went out and found the biggest (I mean that as a compliment) and fastest soccer players they could get. There was a right-side striker who was built like Saquon Barkley (again, I mean that in a complimentary, she's a total athlete way) and it took her about 20 minutes before she took a pass in the middle of the box, made one turn to her right and smoked the ball into the back of the net.
- I was told by my Buffalo friend that they don't have big sports domes like we have in NW Ohio. His girls play in a tin roof dome that really isn't a dome. It's not a true indoor complex.
- In other words, if you want to make a fortune in Buffalo, find investors and open a true bubble dome for soccer, indoor girls' softball tournaments, flag football teams, etc.
- Over in the batting cage at the same dome, my own kids had a Sunday morning BP session with the neighborhood kids. NO, I didn't start a travel team. I just rented the cage to get the kids active in the middle of the winter. In our one hour, I determined that Screencaps the III is ready to hit the ball this year compared to last year when a 95-year-old had quicker bat speed than SCIII.
- Screencaps Jr. is ready to rip the ball this year. He needs to work on getting around on an inside fastball, but the swing is strong.
- It's $30 an hour to rent the dome batting cage, which also comes with an area to work on grounders if nobody has it rented. I think that's a helluva deal.
Oh, and I bought a new golf bag Sunday during the 45 minutes of free time I had
For the first time in my golf career, I bought a golf bag that has a cooler bag that will fit a six-pack of beer.
I was worried about what my buddies would think about the accessories like the quick-grab ball holder, but Millennial Chris B. in Bowling Green said that's a perfect place to rest a hot dog and I was instantly feeling better about my purchase.
Maybe I'll get three TNML logo golf balls to put in the quick-grab.
What's something you keep in your golf bag that you're surprised more people don't carry? I will have more storage space in this bag than I've ever had before. What should I be carrying?
Email: joekinsey@gmail.com
A Screencaps reader ends up at an Ohio State baseball game in Jacksonville & snaps this photo of an OSU hitter who happens to be the son of one of my high school baseball teammates
— Tim T. writes:
Sunny 51 degrees with a 21 mph wind out of the due north. Pleasant in the sun, freezing in the shade. Buckeyes win 8-3.
Kinsey:
That's Matthew Graveline, who is now considered one of the Big Ten's better prospects. He's out of Centerville, OH. I went to high school with his father, Brandon, who took my catching job as a senior because he had a much better arm. I still started at 3B, RF, LF and served as a captain.
Now, his son has a bigger arm than his dad and hits better than any of us with his eyes closed.
Small world.
Thursday Night Mowing League in the Tropics
— Dave in Rhode Island shares:
Hey Joe! Had a great vacation in Puerto Rico last week - golf, excursions, great food and weather. Had to rep TNML in the El Yunque National Forest - the grass down there was lush and had me longing for that first mow of the season. Back to brutal cold winter up here in the 401 - boo!
— Dave in Minnesota writes:
1. I live in a suburb of the Twin Cities, and therefore, am not ready to mow my lawn yet.
2. I believe I am ineligible for the TNML competition because I mow my lawn every three days. Not a typo.
3. I have made modifications to my Toro push mower specifically for striping purposes.
4. I want to have a conversation with members of the TNML to discuss what I can do to improve the striping of my lawn.
Other comments:
The Farmington Steak House is excellent. Some friends and I make a monthly trip to a steak house in the Twin Cities, and it is in the rotation.
I have been involved in organized baseball as a player, coach and umpire for over 7000 games. When I coached traveling ball, we played in the local traveling league of about 50 communities broken up into divisions, 5 or 6 weekend tournaments - only one of which required a stay in a hotel - and the State Tournament.
Now, we have some teams in the area that seem to have been formed to send parents to the poor house. Thousands of dollars just to be on the roster, then thousands more to play in a few tournaments around the country. The parents think that this will make their kid the next MLB superstar. After watching videos of some of the games, the kids are not enjoying the experience. The parents hate it also.
Locally, the players on the field that look like they are having the most fun is the adult amateur town all teams. Ages in these leagues vary from 16 to 80. Townhall in Minnesota and Wisconsin is huge.
Kinsey:
Dave, you have a couple of options to talk striping with TNML members.
You can ask questions via the TNML Twitter page, if you have an account.
Or…
You can ask questions via the TNML Facebook page, if you have an account there.
Or…
You can ask specific questions via email and I can forward responses.
Also, I did the math on Dave's 7,000 figure. That is 19 straight YEARS of Dave's life, if he coached, played or umped a game a day. To put this into perspective, Cal Ripken played in 3,001 career MLB games and 443 minor league games.
Email: joekinsey@gmail.com
Readers offer Jonathan in Denver advice on Canadian fishing trips to honor his brother who recently passed away
— Great American Vern from the PNW offers:
Joe-I may be able to help Jonathon in Denver keep a promise to take his brother's children fishing in Canada. I started research 2 months ago to find the best place to catch Northern Pike-a fish I've never gone after. I looked in Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan, N, Dakota, and British Columbia. Reindeer Lake in Saskatchewan offered the largest Pike-up to 50 inches! The problem is getting there-not easy.
I have booked a week in B.C,- involves 4 hr drive to Vancouver, pick up the next day by lodge for 2+45 hour flight to lake and then the fun begins. In 6 days we will fly 4 times by float plane to any of over 70 lakes and/or streams with a guide.
Destination is dependent on what we want to catch-N Pike, Walleye, Lake Trout, Bull Trout, Rainbows, or Grayling! The flyouts alone are worth the trip! Total price of trip is less than $6,000 US-Includes air trip to lodge and back, 4 flyouts, guides every day, 3 meals/day, lodging in lakeside cabins and any and all equipment-fly fishing or spinning.
More than happy to share with Jonathon any info I have. Have him email or call me.
— Joe writes:
Had to respond to the request for a Canadian fishing trip. For 20 years, I have gone to the same lake as your dad - Kabinakagami. But we go to a different lodge, Kaby Lake Lodge. Its owners are Tom and Michel Watson - yes, Dick's brother. Kaby Lodge provides a better experience for sure. We've heard some horror stories from windy point. Would highly recommend Kaby. Same lake, better experience! And 1000 fish in one trip is no exaggeration...
Having a few drinks to get through a daughter in dance
— Marty in Idaho writes:
I did my stint with travel ball when my son was in high school. He was on a travel lacrosse team that required thousands of miles in the GMC. Games were actually interesting and not much drinking was going on.
Now dance recitals for my darling daughter? That’s a whole other level of devotion. I loved my prepubescent daughter for sure, but after paying for the dance lessons, then a different costume for each of four numbers she is in, and arriving at the recital to find there are 64 (I kid you not) dance numbers, my neighbors and I decided some drinking action was required.
Analyzing the dance program allowed the men to gather in the parking lot by the car with the cooler and then slip into the venue when a daughter was due on stage. Worked like a charm.
Society has a real problem with flight attire
— Franco says:
My all-time favorite post about what people wear on airline flights.
I have decided I cannot do the $40 capsule if I ever go to Tokyo
Eagles at the Sphere
— Tom B. in Alexandria, VA gives us a report:
Saw the Eagles at the Sphere this weekend. Just an amazing venue along with a great American band. The combination of the great music (those old guys can still do it!) along with the video and lighting effects is incredible. The place also sits 18,600 people which was surprising to me. Don Henly said during the concert that they are now "content creators".
Made me think of ScreenCaps.
Want to give Jonathan my condolences too. Cancer sucks.
Also want to say I support drinking (responsibly) at kids' sports events and birthday parties. The days can get very long...
Thanks for all you do and all these long days. Very much appreciated!
Reader request: Could Mike T. send us a photo of egg prices in Italy?
— Travel Ball Hardo Chris B. in Houston asks:
I have no idea if this X post is accurate below, but it got me to thinking...
Maybe ask the T's to send pics of egg prices when they go to the store along their European travels.
The Ts in Sicily
— Mike T. writes:
Valley of the temples, Agrigento, Sicily
Notice the Greek ruins in the background
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That is it for this Monday. I have to cut this one short, but there are at least another 25 or so emails to go.
Let's crank it up, guys. It's the end of February. By the end of March, some of you in the mid-South will be cranking up mowers for the first time and preparing for battle. Spring is about ready to sprung.
Go have a great day.
Email: joekinsey@gmail.com