The week that was and is

Over a breakfast of banana pancakes, eggs over easy, crispy bacon, and a fresh orange, washed down by two cups of coffee laced with French Vanilla cream, consider this: If star-gazing was a sport, Saipan would be a world class sports facility.

I wouldn’t trade our January to April weather with anyone. Okay, unless they gave me a boatload of cash. But it would have to fill a nice-sized boat, not a dinghy, kayak, or canoe.

Hey, weather is important to my emotional well-being. The first time I became aware of that was in Gainesville, Florida when the sun did not shine for two weeks and I got depressed for no other reason. Low pressure in the atmosphere somehow affects my chemical make-up. Tropical storms give me the heebie-jeebies.

When the barometer goes up, so does my attitude. I get high when it’s high pressure.

Which is to say, I feel good about the ideal conditions that will (probably) grace tomorrow’s XTERRA. The lagoon is calm and clean, as good an ocean swim as any in the world. Or so I’ve been told by visiting professional triathletes. The challenge and beauty of these hills is at the top of the circuit too.

What a great way to start a weekend chock-full of outdoor sports here. All of the fields will be used, thanks to the addition of 500 youth soccer players.

Does the week start on Sunday or Monday? How there can be confusion about that confuses me. Calendars have Sunday as the first day but the weekend needs Sunday as much as it needs Saturday. For me, Monday is the first day of the week.

Which is to say, the week started out gloriously with the championship of the first-ever Budweiser Tinian Dynasty Invitational Inter-Hotel Basketball League, capping a tremendous achievement by the hosts. For seven weeks, the Tinian Dynasty brought over five teams from Saipan and their entourages, providing food and rooms, with well-organized games. Attendance was robust as was the competition.

Tuesday night saw another large crowd at Capital Hill ball field for the Government-Business league softball playoffs. With attendance approaching the sport’s halcyon days when it was played at Mt. Carmel field, whoever came up with the idea of putting a ball field on Capital Hill deserves a medal (wink wink).

Wednesday night saw two tight, well-played games: playoff basketball in the Ada Gym and a regular season game between two of the better Budweiser Saipan Major League. Unfortunately those two facilities are not up to snuff: the Ada Gym needs a major make-over and the lights at Palacios Field are substandard. Got stimulus money?

Thursday night the Big League will play a regular season game, probably low scoring as pitching and defense have been excellent this season, which portends well for the CNMI in this year’s regional tournament.

Friday night is championship night for the Budweiser Basketball League.

Saturday is XTERRA, plus Little League baseball, Pohnpei Softball League, youth soccer, and junior tennis.

Sunday is no day of rest for me either as there are more sports all over the island. And then more on Monday.

For sports fans like me at this time of year, the week never ends, it just rolls over. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Well, yeah, maybe for a house full of cash. But not a one-room shack.