Tonight is the one of the busiest sports nights of the season. 44 high school basketball teams will tip off the playoff season, 11 games on the boys side, 11 on the girls side. Tomorrow, it's an even larger schedule, 70 teams involved, 15 boys games and 17 girls games. It is a basketball fans delight...
...and a sports producers horror. How can you possibly cover all those games? The answer, you can't, so you spend hours pouring over the brackets trying to find the most competitive game, the best matchups, the places where upsets are possible and last, but certainly not least, logistics.
There are several boys and girls doubleheaders set tonight and tomrorow. Those are logistical winners. The committee, in my view, has done a great job of staggering starting times. I'm sure they didn't do it to make our jobs easier, but they did, allowing us to get to more school and be able to feature more Section II athletes, which is the ultimate goal of every FOX23 Time Warner Cable high school sports show.
Quick time out for a thank you: To all the coaches and scorekeepers who take the time to report their scores, thank you very much. We rarely get to cover a game from beginning to end, so getting your help with a score report and some statistical information is huge. Thank you for all your help this season!!!
I read with interest this morning a Times Union article about the Bethlehem teachers working with the school on its budget situation, with consideration to some possible contract adjustments to help. That the teachers union would even consider this is commendable. Superintendent Michael Tebbano, according to the article, will release a proposal for the budget cuts Wednesday night. If the teachers do decide to adjust the contract or offer some "givebacks", I hope the school board and superintendent will remember that when the economy turns around. There are an awful lot of businesses with their hands out right now honestly looking for help. Hopefully, they too will look in the mirror and ask themselves, when times were good, did I help and if the answer is no, will reconsider next time they have a chance.
Just my thoughts. I always welcome yours. Please post a comment here or e-mail me at richbecker@fox23news.com
