Feeling left out

It has been a great basketball season for West Tennessee as there were multiple teams from this side of the river playing in the state tournament on the girls side this past week and on the boy’s side this week. One of the great thrills of being a sports writer is covering a state tournament, and this past week, all the guys that do what I do were at the state tournament covering some of the local teams.

I have been lucky enough to have covered two trips by the Fillies basketball team to the state tournament, three times for the boy’s baseball team, and I have covered three state football title games. It has been over two years now, however, that I have been to the state tournament because the teams I cover are not playing at state.

So, it makes me a little envious of my cohorts as they parade around the Boro as some of the teams chase a state title. The great part of it (and it’s the reason I am jealous) is that it’s a lot of fun watching the kids you have covered for an entire season make a run to a Gold Ball. I enjoy watching a sporting event as a whole, but it is also a joy to see how a season all comes together.

The McKenzie Lady Rebels are a great example of what I am writing about in the sense you could see the run they have made to the state tournament coming a couple of years ago. As I write this week’s column, the Lady Rebels were one hour away from playing for the Class 1-A title. This team has been on the outside of this for the last two years and now you see it coming to fruition.

You win a state title in a couple of different ways, it starts first with talent, second with a good coaching staff, and thirdly it takes a little luck. McKenzie has talent, they have a great coach, and I am sure there has been some luck along the way to the state title game. It’s fun for the fans to see a state title game and to see your team win. It is also satisfying for a sportswriter who at times feels like work, but he also has more knowledge of what it takes to win a title because he is on the front lines so to speak. I wished I was there this week, but maybe next year will be my turn.

For more of my ramblings and opinions, check out The Beating Around the Bush podcast available on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Facebook and other places you listen to your podcast.

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