"Hey...baby...stop your crying!"

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Anyone who has played…or watched…Little League baseball knows that the kids on the field are told to ‘talk it up out there’, which means you’re supposed to be saying things like “hey batter, batter…SWING” or “c’mon pitch…strike this guy out” and harmless stuff like that. The intention is to keep the players focused on the game (I’d take naps, chase butterflies or try to squash bees in the outfield) or to disrupt the hitter from making contact. This chatter continues throughout baseball ranks, but the yelling to disrupt a hitter comes more from the stands than the players as things reach the pro level.

Then there’s basketball and foul shooting. I don’t know how anyone shooting and important foul can concentrate on the shot with what’s going on behind the backboard…which is made of glass…by the fans to disrupt the shot. In football, quarterbacks sometimes need to call time-outs so because the noise from the stands is so deafening that the players standing five feet from them can’t hear what’s being yelled to them.

You’re probably wondering about a point…and there is one. David Ferrer, professional tennis player, was competing in a match in the Sony Ericcson Open recently when he was distracted by a baby crying in the stands. It rattled him so much that, after blowing a point, he directed a forehand lob into the stands in the direction of the baby. Although the ball didn’t come close to the baby…apparently he couldn’t put the ball where he wanted it in the stands any better than he could on the court…the crying stopped…and he went on to lose the match. Anyway…what is it about concentrating in tennis (and golf, I suppose) that is different than baseball and basketball? I mean…could there be anything harder or requiring more concentration than hitting a baseball that’s dipping and moving at speeds approaching 100mph from a mere 60 feet away? Somebody help me…

I spent another night doing nothing. My sore throat was better, but the coughing and hacking got worse and I didn’t feel like moving a muscle. On top of that, it snowed. I’m hoping to get in a long ride this weekend since I’ll have to do 56 miles in three weeks. I’m running out of time.