Premature To Call North Little Rock Best Ever

These days are a blur while attempting to follow 14 boys and girls championship basketball games in Hot Springs.

That's why I can only offer tidbits today instead of focusing on a single topic. That's my excuse, anyway.

BEST EVER?

The 7A boys state championship game wasn't 20 minutes old when someone suggested North Little Rock was the best high school team to ever take the court in Arkansas.

Hold on, hoss. Time for some perspective.

North Little Rock certainly has an impressive resume after beating Springdale 89-81 to finish 26-2 on the season. The Charging Wildcats are 54-3 the past two seasons with back-to-back state championships.

But I'll stick with the 1980 West Memphis team led by Keith Lee and Michael Cage, a rebounding machine who played 15 years in the NBA. The Blue Devils finished 30-0 in 1980 and 30-0 the following year after Cage left for San Diego State.

There are other considerations for best-ever, including the 36-0 Conway team of 1976 and the 35-1 Little Rock Parkview team of 1992. North Little Rock is very good, but it's unclear whether the Charging Wildcats are even the best team in the state this year.

Jonesboro and Parkview both beat North Little Rock, and they played for the state championship in 6A. That's even more reason why 7A and 6A should be combined for all sports except, maybe, football.

PHONY FAN

I saw a familiar face while covering the basketball action at Summit Arena in Hot Springs Thursday. He was the fan (parent?) who sat behind me in Conway and criticized his own team and one player in particular.

"What's she doing out there? She contributes nothing to the team," he said loud enough for everyone in the area to hear.

Sure enough, Mr. Loud Mouth was in Hot Springs on Thursday to celebrate in Conway's championship after 74-67 over Fort Smith Northside. The girl he criticized at the state tournament in Conway contributed six rebounds and an important basket to help hold off a comeback attempt by Northside.

I've heard obnoxious fans before, but this guy may be the worst. Most who gripe at least have the decency to leave the gym before criticizing their own players and coaches.

ODD COUPLE

What does clean-cut Mitch Mustain and rocker Gene Simmons of Kiss have in common?

Arena League football.

Mustain made his starting debut Saturday at quarterback for San Antonio against the LA Kiss, whose co-owners are Simmons and Paul Stanley. Mustain, 26, is counting on a big season as a starter after being a backup last year at San Jose.

The former Springdale/Arkansas/Southern California quarterback knows time is running out if he ever hopes to sniff an NFL training camp.

GOODBYE, RUBY

Anyone who's enjoyed a baseball game at Arvest Ballpark knows Ruby, the black Labrador who followed Monty Sowell all over the facility as he completed his work as head groundskeeper.

Wherever you saw Monty, you saw Ruby -- even in the pressbox where Monty would flip Ruby a burger or two as a treat.

Monty had to put the aging Ruby to sleep last week, which triggered an outbreak of sympathy on Twitter from those who knew her.

"Not even my dog, but this loss is tough," former Naturals general manager Eric Edelstein tweeted after hearing the news.

Minor-league baseball is in a constant state change, and even Monty had been replaced after six years as head groundskeeper. Arvest Ballpark promotes itself as the home of the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, AA team of the Kansas City Royals. The real team, the one constant, was Monty and his lovable black Lab, Ruby.

She will be missed.

Sports on 03/16/2014

Upcoming Events