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May 28, 2004 - Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels March 24, 2004 Writing the Pine The perfect spring break for a sports fan Joe Zavala So what's the perfect spring break for a sports fan? It's leaving work early for no particular reason. It's sagging into the couch on a lazy afternoon and watching Duke play Illinois � or Gonzaga, or North Carolina, or Kentucky or anybody for a spot in the Elite Eight. It's heading down to North Mountain Park to watch Ashland High pitcher Chad Hegdahl disect the strike zone. And it's leaning back, while taking it in, and explaining to junior the difference between a curve ball and a slider, a split finger fastball and a regular fastball, a changeup and a fat pitch, if there is one. It's playing catch on a sunny day. It's playing chess on a rainy day. It's letting the dishes pile up. It's catching up on dishes with the radio turned up and tuned in to the game. It's pumping up the tires, brushing off the cobwebs, hopping on the mountain bike and burning up a trail for the first time. It's finally finishing that book, starting a new one and finishing that too. It's dousing a glove with leather softener, placing a ball in the pocket, duct-taping it shut, placing it under your mattress, then taking a nap and feeling productive at the same time. It's pulling down those old baseball cards, showing junior, then buying more. Together. It's jumping in the car, rolling down the windows and driving. It's draining an 15-foot put for birdie. It's missing a 15-foot put for birdie. It's making six straight jump shots in the weekly pickup game, all against that jerk with the spin move. It's hearing the crack of the bat. It's smelling popcorn. It's a Sports Illustrated, an empty house and your favorite chair, together at last. It's a barbecue with the neighbors. It's the pssst sound of opening a new can of tennis balls - one the most underrated joys in all of sports. It's walking past the gym and not stopping. And not feeling guilty, either. It's digging out the mit, the baseball, the football, the soccer ball, the volleyball and the frisby, throwing them all in the back seat, heading to the park and letting junior pick, even if that means you spend the next hour playing tag. It's going on a walk. It's taking a nap. It's watching a spring training game, falling asleep, waking up, then catching the last three innings. It's rolling down the windows, cranking up the radio and driving to nowhere in particular. It's letting the answering maching do its job. It's playing football on the beach with your shoes off. It's roasting a hot dog over a camp fire. And, it's helping junior improve the one athletic skill he has a chance to master: climbing a tree. It's joining him. Then It's climbing down, closing your eyes and listening to the breeze whispering through the branches. Together. DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams