When Hoops and Baseball Clash

Big weekend for both basketball and baseball.  What you say?  Baseball!   Surely you don't consider the day that regular players report to spring training a big deal do you?  Well, no, that is not what I am referring.  I am referring to the start of major college baseball's real games.  Two top 20 teams are engaged in a series at Rice this weekend.  Stanford won round one Friday night 5-3, but there are still two games to play.  Over at Houston the Cougars blasted UT-Arlington 15-5 and likewise will continue playing.  The seasons for Houston Baptist, Texas Southern and the whole Big 12 are also now underway.

If you ONLY pay attention to baseball on the major league level I suppose the first day of full rosters in camp is significant.  Right now we are in the optimistic reporting phase in the papers and other media.  Everyone is just so happy for spring to be coming that the warts have been covered and rose colored glasses donned.  That is OK.  That is almost as much a rite of spring as the bloom of new flowers.  Water will seek its own level soon enough.

In addition to baseball--be it college or spring training-- basketball is heading toward the stretch.  Never mind that with the stretch to begin in the NBA the All-Star game won't even be played till Sunday.  The fact is that two-thirds of the season is finished.  Teams that are not in playoff position now (Rockets) will have a very hard time getting there in the few games left.  Collegiately, there are only two weeks left in the regular season.  Trying to win as many games as left for preferred post season position is the major project for most teams.

Saturday Texas Tech is at Baylor in one of the B12 features.  We will have that game on FoxSports SW/Houston at 7pm.  Tech is not a post season factor, but Baylor is in a very precarious position.  They SHOULD be one of the Big 12 teams that gets an NCAA invite.  But they also may not get an exceptional seed.  Winning out...at least till the league tournament will help them greatly.  So, the game has significance. 

Sometimes we get carried away with speculation and looking ahead and forget to just have fun with what is right in front of us now.  Life is too short to always be looking five years down the road.  Baylor is pretty solid, but not perfect right now.  Before Bear fans start worrying about what will be the makeup of the team after Lacedarius Dunn leaves why not just enjoy what Scott Drew's team is now?  The Bears are scrappy and while not deep do have talent among their top seven or eight players.  And they do have Dunn who is the alltime leading scorer in Baylor history.  Baylor men's basketball may never reach the levels of the #1 ranked Lady Bears this year.  Yet, they are just as exciting and they also have a chance to succeed in the post season.