Spring madness

Palm Coast Observer
Opinion

Welcome to March, readers. The month where many itch their throats, sneeze uncontrollably and hate the fact that their cars are covered in that yellow stuff we all despise — pollen.

Away from sports, I’m usually not a fan of March. It means winter is just about over, the cold temperatures are pretty much gone.

And don’t forget the pollen.

For those of you who suffer from allergies, you know exactly what I’m talking about. (I just had to wipe off my keyboard from sneezing three times before I even got to type this sentence.)

If you don’t suffer from allergies, lucky you!

But I’m willing to go through the pain because March is a fantastic time for sports.

Spring Training is under way. The NBA is nearing the playoffs. March Madness is right around the corner. What’s not to love?

Last week, I went to the FPC vs. Matanzas baseball game.

The Bulldogs got a run in the bottom of the sixth inning to win 6-5. Simply watching that game made me realize how anxious I am for the baseball season to start. It’s crazy to think that it ended in October, but it feels like yesterday.

Later this month, I will be headed to Port St. Lucie to catch the Mets and the Cardinals play. It’s a trip I do every year with a bunch of friends, notably my publisher, John Walsh. He’s a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan, so it makes for a lot of fun.

I’ll never forget last year’s trip. It was the coming-out party for Mets first baseman Ike Davis. He was red-hot all spring. The Mets were losing in the top of the ninth inning, when Davis uncorked on an opposite-field homerun. I was going crazy, though I looked like a fool sitting in a sea of Cardinal red. I didn’t care, though.

And it gets better.

In the bottom of the ninth in a tie ball game, ex-Met Ruben Gotay went yard, giving the Cardinals the walk-off victory.

It was Spring Training and the game didn’t matter to most people, but it still matters today as John gives me flack occasionally. Maybe later this month, I’ll wait until the game is over to go ballistic. And hopefully, ex-Met pitcher Raul Valdes (who is now with the St. Louis Cardinals) doesn’t get in the game and stymie the Mets batters.

Contact Andrew O’Brien at [email protected].