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Grab The Remote Sports Fans, April and May is Your Time!

Major League Baseball:  First Week of April

The 2013 season actually kicks of March 31, but all 30 teams will have played by

April 2^nd.  Can the Giants repeat and reach dynasty status?  With a healthy Matt Cain and Buster Posey, they should be near the top—and of course we can’t forget the loveable fluffy Panda, Pablo Sandoval?  Will the A’s catch lightening in the bottle like they did a year ago? The Green and Gold had a solid relief corps and a key surprise was

Clovis’ own Ryan “Cookie Man” Cook. Can the Cuban Missile Yoenis Cespedes put up MVP Numbers?  The Angels added mighty Josh Hamilton to the mix, to go along with the rookie of the century Mike Trout.  Jared Weaver is Cy Young worthy every year—but is their bullpen up to the test? The Dodgers have the dough, and added former Cy Young Zack Greinke, but will it be enough to catch the Giants? Does the Giants’ recent success give this old rivalry some added juice?  The Padres are moving in the fences at Petco Park to add some excitement, but will the team provide any?  That’s why you play the games!  Sorry Cubs fans, there is always next year. By the way, it only seems like the

Yankees and Red Sox play 150 games a year!

Fonz’s Forecast:  Washington DC, finally brings home the bacon—Washington Nationals

                             Win the World Series.

Longshots:           Think Blue, Blue Jays and Royals. 

Movies to get you in the Mood:  The Natural, Moneyball, and Trouble With the Curve

Men’s Division I College Basketball Championship, Atlanta GA,

Final Four Saturday April 6; Finals Monday April 8

March Madness actually rolls into April!  If there is one day you have to watch

Basketball, it has got to be April 6!  68 teams have been whittled down to 4!

Heartbreak, elation, and every emotion in between is experience during this tournament.   If you were born near 1965 you remember when in 1978 Indiana State’s Larry Bird, and Michigan State’s Earvin “Majic” Johnson, made this a household event.  I remember 1980 when Darryl “Dr. Dunkenstein” led the University of Louisville to the title.  I practiced his dunks on my nerf hoop for weeks after.

Fonz’s Forecast:           Louisville or Indiana

Longshots:                  Gonzaga. Small school from the West hopes to upstage

                                    all the rest.  Gonzaga is playing for underdogs everywhere.

Movies to get you in the Mood:  Hoosiers; Glory Road 

The Master’s: April 4-7, Augusta GA  

Golf’s best complete for the vaunted Green Jacket at the Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia.  With Tiger on the course, there will be always be plenty of shot making and drama. Love him or hate him, the man is built like Adonis and wow can he strike a golf ball! If you haven’t seen the Golf Boys music video, all I can say is, who says golfers don’t have personalities? Augusta just oozes with history and tradition.  The course was idea of the legendary Bobby Jones.  The Masters and the Final Four, Wow, Atlanta will

Be rocking!

Fonz’s Forecast:   Ricky Fowler won me over with his Flat Bill bit.

Longshots:            Clovis West alum and current Cal Bear Michael Weaver

                              Is in the field.  Weaver finished 2^nd in last year’s US Open

                              amateur to get in the field.  Dustin Johnson, belongs here

                              too-every drive he hits is long!

Movies to get you in the mood:  Tin Cup, Bagger Vance, and for you hard core golf

                                                    Enthusiasts, Bobby Jones-A Stroke of Genius

April 15:  Tax Day.  Get refund, upgrade TV and/or cable package!

April 20, NBA Playoffs Begin.

The Finals don’t roll around until June, but this should tide basketball fans over

until then.  The last 3:00 of playoff basketball, good theatre!  Can anyone stop

LeBron and the Heat, well the Thunder, Spurs and Clippers hope so!

April 24-26:  NFL Draft:

The NFL draft takes place in Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

Having football withdrawals, well then here you go.  Three days talking about

whats-his-name from a what-cha-ma-call-it-state all over the country.  The first pick still gives me a chill—what Red blooded American lad wouldn’t want to be the number #1 pick.  Niner’s fans have to wait until pick #31, as the Niners pick next to last in the first round.  Raiders fans (sigh), unless there is a trade, the Silver and Black picking third.

Cinco De Mayo, May 5 

I really loooove when Cinco De Mayo falls on the first Saturday in May.  Read Below.

Kentucky Derby, May 7

The first of Horse Racing’s Triple Crown, and can I just say, I loooove this race!

Personally, there is nothing like gathering around to sing, My Ole Kentucky Home.  (When the sun shines bright, on my old Kentucky Home….) The Ladies Hats, the Mint Juleps, the tradition, this event high on my Bucket List!  Don’t forget the Preakness on May 21 in Baltimore—this is the second leg of the Triple Crown.  The Derby runs

the first Saturday in May every year.

Fonz’s Forecast:            At press time, Shanhai Bobby appears to be the favorite;

Longshots:                     Mac The Man;  It’s My Lucky Day

Movies to get you in the Mood:  Secretariat and SeaBiscuit

May 25, The French Open Begins

Not to be left out, the second of four Grand Slam Tennis begins on Sunday.  If you

Can’t sleep, there are usually matches on all night due to the time change.  The great

Thing about this tournament is all the upsets; and that orangish clay the players slide on.

American players typically struggle here.  Can anyone forget injured Michael Chang serving underhand versus the stoic machine-like Ivan Lendl?  Rain delays common

during this tournament, especially the early rounds so plan accordingly. I just to enjoy hearing retired broadcaster Bud Collins announce at Roland Garos, his voice was so regal!  That sticky clay also makes for some very, long rallies.

Memorial Day, May 26 The Indianapolis 500

Wouldn’t it be great if NASCAR drivers would cross over for the Indy 500?

The milk for the winner—I love that!  As a kid, I always pulled for A.J. Foyt.

Why, well, he had the same initials as my Dad and Big Bro. Still, the two auto

races in my mind, are the Indy 500 and the Daytona 500. The Old Brickyard,

a special place indeed.

May 26-May 29, Bay Bridge Series A’s vs. Giants

Oh la, la—now for my money, is just doesn’t get any better than this!  Who do I root for?

Come on now, can’t we all just get along? (Psst, didn’t you get the “fuzzy” Panda, and Moneyball hints?)   Giants fans all say their #1 rival is the Dodgers, and well OK, I get it.

But who do they hate to lose to more?  The Giants Yard is beautiful, but have you checked the ticket prices?  Ouch?  Take the family to an A’s game dad, and you can get afford to get the kids a souvenir, and still have enough change left over for a slurpee and a Nation’s Burger on the way home!