Time Out by John Bernhardt

“Everything has a purpose, even this, and it’s up to you to find it.” —Socrates
I gravitated to a movie choice that was totally unfamiliar. Donna Pangburn, a gold medal winner at her craft, was surprised I’d never seen the film but assured me that for me it was a homerun. And, the timing was perfect; summer, gymnastics, Olympics.

I’m sure movie critics called it predictable, formulistic, even cheesy. Who cares? Donna was right, “Peaceful Warrior,” a 2006 movie, was the perfect choice for the end of July at the start of an Olympic summer.

With the media spotlight shining on the alleged high profile steroid use cases of professional sports stars like Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, and Lance Armstrong, an important back story is sliding under the radar. The use of Appearance and Performance Enhancing Drugs (APEDs) by high school students in America is skyrocketing.

By John Bernhardt
To know him is to like him. Many mornings, coffee cup in hand, he holds court at Hess or another morning gathering spot greeting by name almost everyone who walks through the door. A friendly, open, smiling countenance invites laughter, and he is comfortable poking fun at himself to ignite good times. More than anything, everyone recognizes that he is genuine, the real deal.

By John Bernhardt
Has baseball’s moment passed? Matthew Futterman pondered that question as it relates to baseball’s health in America in an article he wrote for The Wall Street Journal last spring. In Delaware County the answer to Futterman’s question seems clear: baseball’s glory days are over and the sport is in a spiraling and perhaps fatal decline.

“Positive anything is better than negative nothing,” said Elbert Hubbard, the American writer and publisher.

I have to admit, I’m a bit leery over “Travel Ball” – sport specialization that limits participation to one sport where students practice, train, and compete in only that sport.

It was a “where were you when it happened” kind of night. Years from now New York Met fans will remember vividly where they were and what they were doing on the first day of June in 2012, when Johan Santana ended the longest team run without a no-hitter in major league baseball history.

My wish for every youngster would be that they discover the wonders of the backyard. It might simply be the joy of being outside breathing in the fresh air and enjoying their natural environment. It might be the miniature zoo of unique and fascinating insects and ‘bugs’ that captures their fancy. Perhaps it’s the flora found there that sparks their interest and lets the imagination run wild. Better yet, the backyard might become a shape changer; a jungle, a pirate ship, the frontier, a racetrack, the sandlot, as many enchanting venues as the imagination can create.

Baseball is the perfect sport to enjoy in perfect weather. There is nothing quite like lacing up your spikes and tossing around a baseball when the sun is shining, the sky is blue and the thermometer pushes past 70 degrees. Especially in March!

December has come and gone and we’ve started a new year. Before you know it, the days will be getting longer and it will be time for spring training and baseball. Just thinking about an upcoming baseball season makes the winter ahead of us seem manageable. That is, if you’re not a Mets’ fan.