It's not too early to think about baseball season. I couldn't resist posting this view of one of the gates at Fifth Third Field, home of the Toledo Mud Hens. If you don't know what a mud hen is, it's a bird otherwise known as the coot.

Clearly, this movement is way bigger and more permanent than I imagined. I thought it'd be like how for a while all girls knew how to knit - like all girls were going to want to be in a roller derby team? Well, the fad is not ending, and there's an Akron team starting up!

The team is called the Rubber City Demolition Dolls (so fitting, and feisty), and they want roller girls, coaches and volunteers! According to the flyer I was given, all derby girls must be over 21, be willing to learn, be dedicated, and have health insurance. And from what I know about derby girls, I'm pretty sure that that need for health insurance is pretty valid. Check them out! At the least, hopefully soon, Akron will have another rip-roaring event to go to on a Friday night.

Just after I apparently revealed my massive ignorance by not knowing that Columbus already had a soccer team, I luckily found it that it doesn't matter. As much as I do love soccer, which I do, I love another rough-and-tumble sport more. Hockey!

Not just hockey, but hockey being played in Cleveland! A hockey team called the Lake Erie Monsters! Yes! The Lake Erie Monsters are part of the American Hockey League franchise, and will be playing the 2007-2008 season at Quicken Loans Arena. The Monsters are actually owned by some of the same people that own the Cleveland Cavaliers, so we're keeping all Cleveland teams close together. The team will be playing as the affiliate team for the Colorado Avalanche, and they just don't know how lucky they're going to be.

Apparently, a ton of market research was done to decide upon the name the Lake Erie Monsters, a name chosen for its fun, its aggressiveness, and its obvious ties to the region. The logo is a very spiky M with a glaring eye monster eye - ha ha ha, for an actual monster! Like we have in Lake Erie! Team colors will be wine, yellow, blue and black, which to my mind is an odd combination of colors, but maybe I'll be surprised. I'm just happy they didn't try to tie in orange and brown for the Browns. Who cares, though, because hockey is back, and it'll be here this October! Yay!

The Steel Valley Triatholon Club is a not for profit group in Northeastern Ohio and Western Pennsylvania that is interested in developing multisport disciplines like triatholons for the area.

Originally the YMCA Tri Club, which began in 2004, the SVTC has over fifty members now. As stated on their website, the club's mission is to provide training information and opportunites and to increase the number and quality of racing options in the area. Members of the club receive discounts at their sponsors' places of business, such as chiropractic offices, massotherapy, podiatric offices, cycle shops, and much much more. It's also a great place to make new, like-minded friends and acquaintances. So if you're intro running, cycling and swimming, you should definitely check out the SVTC website for more information.

Ready, set, go!

A few years back I saw Robert Dafford painting the Portsmouth Floodwall Murals when he was almost done. I was astounded. First, I wondered what it would be like to see that long expanse of cement and know that I was responsible for putting something worthwhile there. If he ever had the jitters, his work doesn't show it. Each section is spectacular--dazzling even. A must see.

Now, I know there are other murals in Ohio, but if you only can see one, and I don't care if you live in Toledo, head to Portsmouth. This is a chance to brush up on Ohio history besides. Start on the east end and head west to go in chronological order of the history of the area from the time of the Mound Builders to one of the last panels that pays tribute to Portsmouth's motorcycle heritage. Ohio's first motorcycle club was founded here.

Portsmouth's history also includes Branch Rickey (credited to integrating baseball for signing up Jackie Robinson), Roy Rogers and the founding of Methodism. The details are all there-including a treacherous looking scene of a great flood that happened several years back.

Here is some insider information that you would miss unless some told you it was there. Dafford's wife and kids are in the mural, and so is Dafford. His wife and kids, if I remember correctly, are in the panel of a modern day scene called "The Gateway." I think it's his wife who is holding the bicycle and looking out from the mural. If you look, either in the pair of sunglasses, or the motorcycle hub in the motorcycle panel, you'll see the reflection of a man. That's Dafford; at least I think that's where he is. If you go to Portsmouth, you can get someone to give you a tour of the floodwall. Keep an eye out for the cat that's painted on a corner edge. You'd swear it's 3-D and real, but it's flat.

In case you're not going to make it to Portsmouth any time soon, here's a link to a You Tube tour of the floodwall by Cheryl Shuman, the Portsmouth native who has made it big in Hollywood as "the Optometrist to the Stars." She's been capturing the essence of Portsmouth and her relationship to it in videos. There are a couple of seconds of her getting to the murals, but once she's there her commentaries are interesting and the tour feels intimate.

Here is also a link to an article that was submitted to the Library of Congress by Governor Ted Strickland back when he was Representative of the 6th District.

Two favorite Ohio pastimes are off-road 4-wheeling and barbecuing. This dude manages to combine both. At least he doesn't lose his sense of humor.

Yes, it's finally snowed to the point that it looks like it counts. Sledding, cross-country skiing, down-hill skiing, the possibilities for outdoor winter fun have arrived. If it lasts, here are some places for some good sled riding if you get the chance. One possibility is to head to a metro park. At Columbus Metro Parks, Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park, Blacklick Woods, Highbanks and Sharon Woods have sledding hills.

In Cleveland, check out The Chalet in Mill Stream Run Reservation for tobogganing, and for sledding there are several possibilities that range from Hinkley to Rocky River to Chagrin Falls. Within the options there are some places that have lights for night sledding.

For any of you who live in other parts of Ohio, here is a website: Ohio Sled Riding Locations. It lists 64 sled riding hills across the state. There are comments, as well as details,about a hill's steepness and location. If you have your own sled hill favorite and want to share, submit it to the website and let us know here as well.

If you've ever thought about getting away from it all, here's an option. This photo was taken by Mike Kapusky at Gilboa Quarry. If you want to go down to the deep yourself, get in touch with Paul Verbanick of Aqua Marine Scuba Diving, Inc. He sent me this photo which was taken during one of his class sessions.

There is no time like the present to start scuba-diving. I've been working on a travel article about scuba diving in Ohio and came across one scuba diving instructor who I want to highlight. Paul and Karen Verbanick own Aqua Marine Scuba Diving, Inc. which is touted as having "The Most Convenient Classes in Ohio." Paul said that even if only a couple people want to take lessons, that's a class. This is a great way to have quality family time. He'll arrange classes that will be convenient for students. Initially, classes are taught at a swimming pool until the final dives at Gilboa Quarry located a few miles from Ottawa, Ohio.

There are reasons why I've never taken up scuba diving but after looking at Paul's website and talking with him, I'm rethinking this.

One of the excuses I might use for not scuba diving is: I'm not the best swimmer. (That's really not true, but it's an excuse I might give.) It wouldn't work anyway because a person doesn't have to be an excellent swimmer to scuba dive--the requirement is being able to swim 200 yards and be able to float or tread water for 10 minutes. That's for a PADI Open Dive Certification. (Paul also offers advanced scuba diving classes as well.)

Another excuse might be: scuba diving is expensive. Wrong again. For less than $400.00 I can have enough classes to get certified and have the equipment rental provided, so I can get dive practice to get certified without having to invest in my own scuba gear . I suppose scuba diving is not that cheap either, but it's not out of financial bounds either.

Another excuse might be: I don't have the time. Another wrong notion. One can learn to dive in two weekends and earn certification in two weeks. Doable.

Really, I don't have a whole lot of excuses to not take up scuba diving. Since I keep writing about it, maybe I should put my money where my keypad is. If you are at all thinking about going into the deep end yourself, go for it. Ohio is not a bad place to dive--more on that later.

The photo is of a whale shark. It was not taken in Ohio, but it was taken by Paul on one of his dive trips to someplace warm. Hey, that's another thought.

Saturday I came home expecting to go to the movies. Instead, I found myself lacing up bowling shoes and lobbing balls down a bowling alley an hour later. I haven't been bowling in years and it was a blast. The secret to good bowling has to do with the bumpers. My five year old and his friend beat the three adults since gutter balls don't exist when there are rubber bumpers that fill those pesky gutters. One kid won each game.

The reason for the bowling outing is because my friend read an article about cheap family entertainment. Bowling was on the list. For two games and my shoe rentals it was $12. For two hours of fun, I say it's not bad, particularly since Saturdays at Capri Lanes 70s and 80s rock music is played the whole time. It was a "do you remember that song" kind of experience and made me think I should haul out some of my albums. Yes, I still have some.

What I discovered with this bowling night out was the Zen of bowling. The point is clear. Knock as many of the pins down as you can. Keep your hand steady and straight and your eye on the arrows. I'm not all that good at it, but it was great having a night out with friends where we could visit and play. We liked it so much we plan to make this a monthly outing. Next time, I'll look in our Entertainment Book since there are several coupons for bowling discounts.

Here is a website link I found to help you find a bowling site in your area of Ohio. And here is another one to the Ohio Bowling Leagues and Bowling Center homepage.

I'm sure you've all been reading along with David Beckham's change to the LA Galaxy from Real Madrid. No? I'm quite shocked. I thought most young women, I mean young men, would be excited at this revitalization of professional soccer. The man's got a five-year deal that could end up being well over $50 million! Major league soccer in the US is hoping to be revved up with all of this attention, and Cleveland is going to benefit!

Yes, we are. Cleveland and Twinsburg are the new homes of the Cleveland City Stars, a member of the United Soccer League and owned by the Cleveland Soccer Foundation. We can expect to see them play other pro soccer teams from Baltimore, Maryland; Cincinnati; the states of New Hampshire and Massachusetts; the country of Bermuda, and Charlotte, North Carolina! Big doings. I myself am really excited at this, both because I love soccer and because the team will be holding their home matches at Cleveland State University's Krenzler Field, and that is so close to me! I think this is going to be tons of fun.

I was reading the New York Times article on Jim Tressel and the bizarre dichotomy between his sterling behavior and the not-so-sterling behavior of his players, and it mentioned a great statistic: how many Ohioans would vote Jim Tressel in as a major politician, based solely on his performance as the head coach at OSU. Quite a few, is the response. (Exact number?) I can't really blame them; I'm from Berea where the Tressels are from (I once had his brother as a teacher in sixth grade; and there is a Tressel street), so we love the Tressels without question.

But I'm also a Clevelander, and so here's my thought: who would win in a political race between LeBron James and Jim Tressel? That is a tough question. You have LeBron "King" James, bringing the Cavs and Cleveland's sports back into the national spotlight (sportlight?). He's young, he's energetic, and he'd obviously be able to get the entire youth vote. But what about Jim? Been around for a while, also getting national recognition for his team. A little more of a leader (corralling young football players year-round has got to be good for leadership) and obviously a little more mature than 22-year-old LeBron. But who would win? Let's see some votes!

Painful as it might be to revisit, I thought I'd pass along some of my game notes from yesterday's debacle.

Florida punched us in the I
Florida's defense packed the line whenever OSU went into the I formation, obviously knowing the Buckeyes mostly run from that set. The weakness of the I is the time it takes for the running back to reach the line, and on the crucial 4th and 1 run in the second half, by the time Wells hit the non-hole most of Florida was waiting for him. This formation works well against teams with weak front lines, which certainly doesn't describe Florida.

OSU lost the 5 on 4
OSU tried, unsuccessfully, to block the four-man rush with just their core linemen, sending four wideouts and the tight end out. Once Florida proved this was impossible, OSU began keeping in a blocking back, which made it even more impossible for Smith to find an open receiver.

Mano a mano they kicked us in the can-o
Judging from Smith's reactions, Florida's defensive backs must have blanketed OSU's receivers. I'm guessing once Ginn went out, Gonzalez drew the best of them, and never became a factor. This bodes ill for next year, and makes me wonder if the club has much outside speed coming back.

Blitz hits the ***ts
OSU began the game attempting to rattle Florida quarterback Chris Leak by bringing pressure with blitzing linebackers. Unfortunately, Peak proved very mobile,. The game plan had him rolling out frequently, and the pass plan was obviously to concentrate on short, quick passes. OSU didn't touch him until the game was essentially over. By then, they'd dropped into a three-man rush with eight in coverage, which was more successful.

Defensive line studs play like duds
Remember Quinn Pitcock? Was he with the team yesterday? David Patterson? At the beginning of the season, OSU's defensive line was touted as their strength. Last night, they not only failed to penetrate on pass rushes, but were consistently caught gawking on draw plays and failing to force runners wide on the corners.

Time of possession leads to depression
Bad offense leads to bad defense and vice versa. The Bucks inability to string together first downs kept the defense on the field way too long. The longer they were on the field, the less able they were to respond to Florida, so by the time the offense got back on the field, they were overeager and feeling pressure. In football, this avalanche picks up speed incredibly fast.

The good news is that this tends to exaggerate the difference between teams. A few good early breaks for the Buckeyes could have made a huge difference in the game. One less injury, penalty, reception or sack at the beginning of a game can change things dramatically, like a snowball starting down a snowfield. Keep in mind that the Gators only won the second half 7-0.

Tressel's creation was our deflation
Troy Smith won the Heisman by following Tressel's directions- refuse to throw into tight coverage, take his time to study the field before releasing, scramble away from slow Big 10 lineman, and toss the ball to Ohio-fast wideouts. These attributes came back to haunt him. He had time to find his primary receiver, but didn't release if they weren't totally open. He was able to juke the first line of rushers, but didn't realize that once juked, these players had the speed to recoup and run him down. He had a few moments to throw on the run, but OSU's wideouts were unable to separate from the Florida defensive backs. I suspect Smith dropped a full round in the draft with last night's performance.

The next new thing in football
After last night's game, look for half the teams in the country to incorporate aspects of Florida's confusion offense. Between this game and the whipping USC put on Michigan, we might be witnessing the death throes of Big-10 ball.

Fifth down
What about next year? The Bucks will need to rebuild the offense, but Tressel is a masterful recruiter, and I have no doubt there are more stars on the horizon. It takes a great coach to pick his team up off the mat of such a loss, but he's proven he is that coach.

Last night's national championship game between OSU and Florida proved to be the Titanic struggle everyone expected. Unfortunately, it was the Buckeyes that ran into a deadly obstacle and sank like a rock. Florida took OSU apart in the first half and coasted to a 41-14 victory.

This was no upset, either. The Gators used a dink-dink offense, rarely threw more than a few yards downfield, and used the speed of their receivers to consistently turn the passes into significant gains. The controlled offense kept the chance for turnovers low, and quarterback Chris Leak did an excellent job of keeping the chains moving. Florida exposed the lack of speed of OSU's cornerbacks and outside linebackers time and time again by beating them to the corner, and took advantage of the deep drops in the middle of the field with slant passes for first downs.

The Florida defense was the real star of the game, however, keeping the high-powered OSU offense to under 100 yards for the game. Ted Ginn Jr. started the game with an electrifying kickoff return for a touchdown, but shortly thereafter left for good with an ankle injury. In his absence, the Florida backs were able to cover the OSU receivers man on man, leaving Smith with no-one to throw to and free linebackers to contain his scrambles.

Not that he had the time to throw. The Florida defensive line destroyed OSU's pass protection, and Smith's penchant for deliberating on which receiver to throw to resulted in five sacks. Smith, for the first time this season, was unable to outrun the defensive ends while scambling, leading to an interception and a fumble. He might want to hide his Heisman before the repo man comes looking for it.

Coach Tressel will be criticized, I'm sure, for ignoring the OSU running attack. Once they fell behind by 14 points, the Gators began to play pass defense first, and OSU persisted in attempting to throw the ball.

OSU finishes the season 12-1. Every other team in the nation would have killed for a chance to play in this game. Unfortunately, the better team won last night.

Condolences to the team, and better luck next year. And thanks for all the great games you did win this year. The pain of this loss will fade, and in time we can appreciate it for what almost was.

Now I think I'll go burn a couch.

If any of you out there are not quite sure what the big deal about the Ohio State football team is and can barely follow the game, there's help. Here is a website that can explain the upcoming Buckeyes vs Gators game's nuances. The Buckeye Commentary is a blog that contains graphics and photos in addition to words to help people understand the strengths of each team.

The website Buckeye Extra is a Columbus Dispatch creation with various bloggers giving their take on their own Buckeye experiences. For example, Heath Schneider, who won the Buckeye Blogging contest last year, is now a regular blogger. He's in Glendale right now sending out missives about his experience.

The Buckeyes vs Gators game is also getting attention elsewhere. In Orlando, Florida a bar called The Thirsty Gator is gearing up for the big game, and is planning on packing people in. There's also an article in the Cincinnati Enquirer about people who are actually Gator fans but happen to work or live in Ohio right now.