By Roger Grossman
News Now Warsaw
WARSAW — The holidays are filled with traditions.
You do not need me to list them back to you — you know what I am talking about.
In early January, one of the most underrated traditions is eating leftovers.
Immediately when you read the word “leftovers,” your mind goes to containers of pasta dishes and other sides in your fridge that were great the first time around, but not so much after the joy of the holidays ends.
But we often fail to consider the goodies of Christmas that are timeless — like Christmas candy, fudge, and other things like them.
Hopefully, you look at this combination of stories like a container of your favorite leftovers that you forgot you had.
Our first subject is one you all have been begging me to comment on, and I wouldn’t bite…until today — flag planting.
What is that? It’s when a football team wins on the road and a player takes one of those big flags the cheerleaders use and try to jam it in the middle of the giant logo at the 50-yard line as part of the celebration of their victory.
Let’s be real: It’s not celebrating … it’s taunting.
It’s unsportsmanlike.
It has no place in sports.
I find it more annoying than anything, and I don’t see myself losing my mind over it. But it’s disrespectful and it should stop.
And how dumb do you have to be to try to stick a flag in the ground of a field turf stadium?
What do you do about it? Keep in mind that the game is already over when this happens, so it’s not like the officials can throw a flag and penalize a team for doing it.
The only thing you can do is fine a school for it, and how big would that fine have to be to actually make someone think twice about doing it?
Second subject: Notre Dame.
I could not be happier with how this football season has turned out, especially when you consider how it started.
There were fans who were speculating that Marcus Freeman would not survive the season after losing to Northern Illinois in South Bend. And it sorta felt like it might turn out to be true.
But they got it together and now are one win away from playing for a national championship.
And weird as it might sound, they have a real chance to win it.
By the way, how epic would it be if it turns out to be a Notre Dame-Ohio State final? Sporting America would lose its collective mind.
Next thing: I think I am ready to make a high school basketball rule change.
No, no…not the shot clock rule, the jersey number rule.
I would like the National Federation of High Schools to open up all numbers 0 through 99 for teams to use on their jerseys.
Currently, only numbers 0 through 5 from 0 to 55 are allowed. The reason is because officials used to signal the jersey numbers of players who are called for fouls with one hand. Now they do it with two hands like their colleagues in the NBA and college.
I have fought this one for a while, but not anymore. But that comes with a giant BUT in the middle of it. I support that only under the condition that no varsity or junior varsity player can have the same number. In other words, if I have a game program and it says #23 is Grady Jones on the JV, and #23 checks into the varsity game, it better be Grady Jones.
Yes, I have a somewhat (ok, a significant) motivation for wanting this rule change and the stipulation to become the law of the land. I hate broadcasting a game and having someone check into the game and you can’t figure out who that player is.
I hope you understand.
Last one: the color of the football.
OK, some humor is intended here, but I am also not kidding.
It feels like the football is so dark that I can’t see it on TV. That’s more true on field goals and extra points than regular passing plays.
Watch an NFL playoff game this weekend and when the ball is kicked on a field goal or extra point, see if you can see the ball when it gets above the defensive linemen.
I can’t…because the ball blends in with the fans in the stands.
Yes, I need new lenses for my glasses. Thanks for asking.
Let’s lighten up the color of the football so it’s easier to see.
Happy New Year. Stay warm.
