Random Thoughts: very random edition

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports

This week’s installment of Random Thoughts centers around Mother Nature, more shot clock news, the NCAA Women’s Final Four, an open note to the NCAA, and paying big bucks to park.

Mother Nature

Mother Nature just wasn’t having it last week – very few spring sports games and events happened as planned. I’m guessing 90 percent or more of local games were postponed due to seemingly non-stop rain.

Here’s hoping this week is better – a lot better.

More shot clock

If you read last week’s Sports page, no doubt you saw that someone jumped the gun with news of a high school shot clock in Ohio. No formal proposal was submitted to the OHSAA. Make no mistake though, it’s coming – the proposal and in all probability, the shot clock itself.

Once the proposal is submitted by the Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association, it’ll be the OHSAA’s nine member Board of Directors that makes the decision – yes or no. Either way, it’s not expected to be a unanimous decision. Five yes votes are needed.

Honestly, I’ll be shocked if it doesn’t pass. I will find it extremely interesting if, when the time comes, the vote is close, like 5-4. I do expect at least 1-2 no votes.

If all goes as planned, the shot clock will be used as the girls and boys varsity level during the regular season only, not the tournament, during the 2027-2028 season. That seems a little odd, but apparently that’s going to be in the proposal. The 2028-2029 season is when it would be fully implemented, regular season and tournament.

Women’s Final Four

Did anyone really see UConn losing in the national semifinals? I didn’t. Did anyone see UCLA winning the national championship by 28 points? I sure didn’t. It was an interesting Final Four to say the least.

To the NCAA

Dear NCAA,

Please stop playing any and all NCAA Final Four games at football stadiums or other similar-size multi-use facilities. Thank you.

Signed,

All fans

Pay to park

It happens during big sporting events in big cities – hefty parking fees. For example, parking for last week’s Cleveland Guardians home opener against the Chicago Cubs was as much as $70 or $80. That was for lots or parking garages closer to Progressive Field. If you didn’t mind walking a bit, it was cheaper.

It did get me thinking – how much are you willing to pay or how much have you coughed up to park for a few hours? Personally, the most I’ve ever paid is $50 and that has an asterick – I was reimbursed. It was also during the 2015 NBA Finals and it was the cheapest price around. I wound up walking 4-5 blocks in a not so great area.

Maybe it’s just me, but I seem to have a problem being willing to pay top dollar for parking.

As always, if you have thoughts or comments on any of the above topics, feel free to email me at sports@thevwindependent.com.