As readers of this column know, I don’t like my crystal ball. It brags when it’s right and makes excuses when it’s wrong. But I have to give it credit. It had a heck of a good fall and winter.
So I reluctantly went to the drawer where I keep my crystal ball and took it out. Before it could say anything I blurted out, “Congratulations. Your last three predictions were right on the button.”
I’d never seen it so startled. “You, congratulating me?” it said. “Now, that’s one for the books. Are you sick?”
I IGNORED the sarcasm. I said, “Well you predicted the UTEP Miners wouldn’t win more than five football games last season and that they wouldn’t make a bowl game. They won only five games and didn’t make a bowl game.
“Then you said the New England Patriots would be favored over the New York Giants in the Super Bowl but that the Giants could win because they finish games strongly due to coach Tom Coughlin’s emphasis on conditioning. That’s exactly what happened.”
BY THIS TIME the crystal ball was grinning from ear to ear and was about to speak when I stopped it.
“Wait,” I said. “There’s more. Then you said the Miners wouldn’t even make .500 in basketball in Conference USA this season because of their youth. They didn’t.
“I’m telling you, that’s one whale of a record. You were three for three.”
By this time the crystal ball was lit up like the New Year’s ball in New York and rolling around with glee on the floor like a little kid.
When it stopped, it said, “ Finally. Finally you recognize my brilliance. Haven’t I been right time after time after time …”
I knew it would start to resort to its usual obnoxious self so I put my hand over its mouth, picked it up and put it back in its drawer.
TRIVIA QUESTION: St. Louis once had a Major League baseball team not named the Cardinals. Do you remember the name? Answer at end.
OOPS! DEPARTMENT: In my last column I stated that 2012 inductees into the El Paso Athletic Hall of Fame will be chosen tomorrow, Monday, by the Hall’s board of directors. Actually, there is a distinction. There’s a president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer and then there is an eligible voting membership. All have a vote, not just the officials. Note: Any person can join the voting group but must be a member of the Hall at least a year and attend at least three meetings before that person is eligible to vote.
TOM CIABURRI, a member of the El Paso media also known as “Joe Fan,” can’t hide his enthusiasm for the women’s basketball team at UTEP. He writes:
“Hey, how about the Miner women basketball team? (Athletic Director) Bob Stull is going to have to write some big bonus checks for coach (Keitha) Adams (because of) winning the conference regular season and tournament, being conference coach of the year and getting invited to the Big (NCAA) Dance.
“That was a Don Haskins type coaching (season) for Adams. Gloria Brown reminds me of UCONN’s great post player, Tina Charles. Just a monster under the boards and once she starts making her shots, unstoppable.”
JAMES ARTHUR Lyle, warmly known as “Flip” by his friends, has garnered another award. He competed in his 300th triathlon on March 3 at White Sands Missile Range and won in his 65-69 age group. After the race he was presented the U.S. Military Sports Association Athletic Award by the garrison commander. Is he something special, or what?
ANSWER to trivia question: The St. Louis Browns.
1 Apr