From the Cheap Seats: Random Thoughts

By Ryan Stonebraker
Sports Editor, Tipton Conservative

I have some random thoughts this week so this column will not take on a normal theme.  The winter sports seasons are beginning and events start the week of the 21st.  Our 2016 Winter Sports Preview section will be out a week later, previewing our coverage schools of Tipton, North Cedar, Wilton and Durant.  Thanks for reading this week, we’ll see you at the game very soon - RS.

Good Luck Finding the Football Playoffs

One of the signs that I am almost ready to start the winter sports seasons is when the Iowa High School Football playoffs are on television.  For years, they have been on regular, free television and not on cable.  Not this year.

In a stunning move by the powers that be at the Iowa High School Sports Network and/or the Iowa High School Athletic Association, semifinal and final games will only be on Comcast and ESPN3 if you are fortunate to get that.  

In doing this, they have undoubtedly gained financially, however, they have alienated their fans, especially fans that do not have cable at $50-$60 a month.  

As a non-cable guy, I will miss seeing the games this year.  I already have missed a dramatic last second touchdown pass that gave Pella a win over Cedar Rapids Xavier in the 3A semifinals.

I can only assume that this arrangement will be for basketball as well.  I would offer up that if you don’t like this let the IHSSN or the IHSAA know your feelings.  

Until that time, I’m more than good watching the IGHSAU state events on Iowa Public Television.  I watched most of the volleyball championships on IPTV Friday.  Iowa Public Television has an awesome presentation of their title matches and with their partnership with CISN (Central Iowa Sports Network), you can see all of the state rounds for volleyball and basketball.  

A Good Man (Kitty) Down

It was a tough week at the newspaper last week.  We lost one of our longtime faces that many of you recognize.  Our very own Norman T. Kitty was put down last week after going downhill recently.  Norman was the first one to greet me for late night or early morning writing or newspaper layout.  He was curious about people and your best buddy when he deemed you non threatening.

Norman was here when I came to the paper in the summer of 2005 and had been here a few years before that.  Legend has it that he just wandered in the back door of the paper one day and didn’t leave other than for hunting a meal until last week.  They say that cats have nine lives.  I would say that Norman had double that.  He routinely would fight with others cats and have to visit the vet to get patched up, but I like to think that he was protecting us from the perils of the neighborhood.  Stories of his tagging along in people’s cars or wandering in other businesses around the paper are legendary and will live for years to come.

It will be different around the paper, but I’m glad that for almost 12 years our little buddy was here to walk besides us as we did our work to get the news out.  He will be missed.

Finally made it!  

Last Friday, I finally made it to my last River Valley Conference gym.  Bellevue.  I have been to Bellevue for football, baseball and softball games, but not for a basketball game.  Getting to basketball and volleyball games for RVC South schools is easy.  I like to travel around and support the teams I cover on the road as well, but I just haven’t gotten to Bellevue.  I have seen basketball at both Cascade and NE Goose Lake gyms, Camanche and Monticello since the RVC came to be.  I have seen volleyball in all but Monticello too.  

I know several people in Bellevue and I have always wanted to get up there.  I missed my opportunity when North Cedar was in the Big East with annual winter trips to Bellevue and in the early years of the RVC.  

Last Friday our family went to the River Valley Conference middle school and high school honor band concert.  It didn’t matter that there wasn’t an athletic competition, I still enjoyed it.  Bellevue didn’t disappoint.  I was transported back to old Big East days.  The Bellevue gym reminded me a lot of the gym that North Cedar played in at Stanwood when I first started here.  A small, quaint gym with character and charm that any hoops enthusiast would love.  I’ll have to try to get up there for a hoops game this winter.