Sweet(s) Talk. …

I figured I should write a column, to make you all aware that I survived the regular seasons of all the winter sports, with some team’s seasons already complete. If you see me in a gymnasium during “March Madness” someone who may have a smelling salt in the pocket or purse, please give it to me, it wouldn’t hurt to get me through the next couple weeks of Madness. …

With last month’s Pine Mountain ski jumps, being my first experience attending in a professional capacity, I got a taste of how much goes into putting on that annual event. I was shown the utmost hospitality by all the Kiwanis Ski Club members, with my friend David Verley of Norway, in particular, showing me parts of the facility that most people don’t get to see. As I told KSC president Nick Blagec a few days after the event was over, the two days I was there didn’t seem like work to me for as much as I enjoyed it and I already can’t wait until next year’s event. …

Staying on the same topic, I had quite an interesting time talking to some of the jumpers, well, the ones that could speak well enough English to let me interview them or take the time to chat with me. The foreigners who struggled with English, or chose to portray to, did put two and two together when they saw my camera and note book, uttering in English “REPORTER?” which I got a kick out of. But the one that I had the best time talking with was Sondre Ringen of the country Norway. I emphasize the country of Norway, because as many of you know, I reside and grew up in the local Norway community. When I told Ringen of that fact he asked how far away my house was from the Big Hill. Once I told him, he said “You come 11 miles to get here, I come 32 hours from place with same name.” I got a kick out of him and his analogy of the situation. …

Hard to believe that the Major League baseball season will be upon us in approximately two weeks. The highlight of the offseason for my Milwaukee Brewers happened late last week, with their All-Star outfielder and 2018 NL MVP Christian Yelich signing a 9-year, $215 million contract, which will essentially keep him in Cream City for the next decade. To paraphrase him in his press conference after signing his contract “I have absolutely no desire to go play anywhere else, or to live in any other city. I am dedicated to the direction we’re moving, which is towards continuously contending for a championship.” He’s an incredible player, with an ego as small as the market he plays in; hard not to get behind a guy like that. Well, unless you’re SOME Cubs fan who thinks the sun in the U.S. rises and sets over the North Side of Chicago for the six months of the MLB season. …

On Thursday night, I took my first team ride on a school bus to cover a game since accepting this job back in August. I got on a school bus with the Niagara Lady Badgers basketball team, as they traveled to Elcho High School to take on 24-0 Oneida Nation in a WIAA Division 5 Sectional semifinal game. Badgers head coach Karl Lamoreaux and JV coach Miranda Cretton extended the invitation and I must say, I enjoyed it. The girls played as hard and as tough as they possibly could, considering they were up against an undefeated M&O conference foe who had defeated them twice in the regular season.

The Niagara faithful traveled there in full force, despite the foul weather that night. They were loud and proud of their Lady Badgers, who were in the game all the way through the contest. Shout out to bus driver Dennis “Strawman” Anderson for getting us home safely, despite U.S. Highway 8 not being fit for a snowblower, let alone a school bus full of people. Nice job getting us home Straw. …

(Matt McCarthy can be reached by call (906)-774-2772 ext: 222 or by email:mmccarthy@ironmountaindailynews.com)