Random Thoughts: Lincolnview & more

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

This week’s Random Thoughts center around this fall, WOSN television, 1996-97 Lincolnview Lancers, Major League Baseball and former Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton.

Fall, 2020

With spring sports having gone by the wayside due to COVID-19 and summer baseball and various camps in limbo, many people are wondering what’s in store for fall, 2020 high school sports.

In a memo sent to member schools last week, Ohio High School Athletic Association Executive Director Jerry Snodgrass addressed it.

“Certainly, there are many unknowns,” Snodgrass wrote. “It is premature to release any of the many plans we have and are currently working on. However, every potential scenario is being discussed just in case so we can be prepared.”

“Whether fall sports are delayed, played without fans, shortened (hopefully NONE of those) . . . but all scenarios are being worked on just to be prepared.”

In other words, the OHSAA is making plans and hoping for the best.

WOSN

To our friends at WOSN television – the West Ohio Sports Network in Lima – well done.

Like any sports outlet, WOSN has had to find alternate programming to fill the airwaves during this time of no other sports and in my book, they hit a homerun over the weekend by showing Lincolnview’s 1997 basketball state championship run.

I enjoyed watching it and I’m sure it brought back plenty of good memories for Lincolnview fans.

Lincolnview

Ironically, I saw the 1996-97 Lincolnview Lancers basketball team in the Division IV state semifinals, but I was on the other end of things.

I was broadcasting the game for WLKR radio in Norwalk, which meant I was covering it for Norwalk St. Paul. We knew Lincolnview was good and we knew St. Paul was good too.

What we didn’t know was Lincolnview was so good that on that particular day, they could have beaten anyone in Division IV, Division III and maybe even Division II.

If I’m not mistaken, the 88-49 final score still stands as a record for margin of victory in a Division IV state tournament game.

MLB

I could be very wrong here, but I’m getting the feeling that if there’s Major League Baseball this year, it really won’t start until July 4.

There have been proposals to play all games in Arizona or Arizona, Texas and Florida, but those ideas don’t seem to have much traction, especially among the players.

It just feels like we’re moving toward an all or nothing situation – games played in each team’s home stadium, with a shortened schedule (perhaps 80 games), or no season at all.

Andy Dalton

Out of all the NFL teams that Andy Dalton could have signed with, Dallas seemed like one of the least likely ones, but good for him.

Even though I’m a Browns fan, I wish things had gone better for him in Cincinnati. He’s probably not what you’d consider an elite quarterback, but he’s certainly a decent or better one.

Who knows how things would have turned out in Cincinnati if he had a slightly better supporting cast.

If you have thoughts on any of the above subjects, feel free to email me at sports@thevwindependent.com.