The Paul Monitor #4: Ten Things I Think I Think

Remember last week’s column? You know, when I said that I really hated not being able to work? Yeah, this week, I really didn’t even have a moment to breath, much less sleep (I’ll get to that later). There’s so much that I would like to talk about that I decided to steal from a much better writer — Sports Illustrated’s Peter King — and just throw as much as I can out there and see what sticks. Everybody take a deep breath, this should get interesting.

Ten Things I Think I Think
1. Whatever Potomac’s Quiana Kizer and Kyani Jacobs ate for breakfast on Friday morning, give me some of that. The two Panthers combined for 35 of Potomac’s 44 points in a win over Forest Park — the Bruins’ first regular-season district loss since 2006. How much have the Panthers improved since the beginning of January? They lost to Forest Park, 73-49, in their first meeting. Sure, a lot of credit has to go to a certain new coach on the sidelines, but man, Kizer and Jacobs took it to the crazy-talented Bruins.

2. I think the Battlefield girls gymnastics team’s near-victory at the Cedar Run District Championships proves how exciting high school gymnastics can be and how much it would stink if it’s cut out of the budget. Gymnastics looks to be getting the axe in Fairfax County and Prince William can’t be that far behind. Of course, I understand the current economic climate and how much gymnastics teams cost the schools — I’m just saying it was fun ride on Wednesday night.

3. I think that I’m also extremely excited about the possibility of Osbourn Park’s Jacquie Teets performing at the Northwest Region tournament. Coach Mandy Seal told me that Teets has been working on a bars routine for the Feb. 14 meet. Teets was injured in a horrific car accident last summer and has not been able to perform for the Yellow Jackets all year. Seal said that her absence has been tough on the team and everybody is looking forward to her possible return. This being my first year in Prince William, I have yet to see Teets — a key component in the Yellow Jackets’ back-to-back state titles — perform. It’s bravery and determination like this that makes me love high school sports.

4. I think that the Forest Park wrestling team is good — like, really good. At the Cardinal District meet, the Bruins had seven first-place finishers and three second-place finishers. There’s only 14 events, mind you. That means that the Bruins had a wrestler in the finals in all but four weight classes. That’s impressive.

4a. I also think that this was a really good idea and plan on doing it again real soon. Why do all work when I can get a charismatic athlete to do it for me? As my teachers used to say, “Paul, stop talking.”

5. I think that I’ve also noted something very interesting during my three years of watching high school wrestling. In high school, competition can get a little ****. Tempers can flair and things can get a little heated. I see it all the time on basketball courts and football fields. I **** all that macho bravado. Do the players know how embarrassing that they look in a stare-down during the first quarter of a 7-5 basketball game? You know where I don’t see that though? On the wrestling mat. In a sport dripping with testosterone, not once have I seen kids — who are trained to physically dominate opponents — lose their head. I fact, I see the opposite. After a particularly close match between Forest Park’s Josh Moore and Woodbridge’s Evan Greenleaf on Saturday — one in which Moore pulled out a 20-19 victory — both wrestler embraced in the center of the mat. I was impressed by the level of respect both wrestlers showed to one another. That’s a credit to their coaches and the sport as a whole.

6. I think that the 7 a.m. signing ceremony for the Woodbridge football players nearly killed me. Being in a profession where getting to bed by 3 a.m. is considered “hitting the sack early”, a 5:30 a.m. wake-up call is ******. I didn’t even bother going to sleep. I was glad to be there, don’t get me wrong, but I think Red Bull and Valentine’s Day-colored donuts from 7-11 were the only two things keeping me going.

7. I think that I should also give kudos to Stonewall Jackson High School for a very nice National Signing Day ceremony for Damien Thigpen. Being a closet Notre Dame fan (don’t tell anybody), I was secretly hoping he would sign with the Irish, but UCLA makes a heck of a lot of sense for the speedster.

8. I think that these are my Top 5 boys basketball teams right now:

1. Gar-Field
2. Potomac
3. Woodbridge
4. C.D. Hylton
5. Battlefield

Honestly — and I’ve said this from day one — I have no clue. I still firmly believe that any team in the Cardinal District can beat any other team. There is no way to pick winners. I have the Indians at No. 1 because of their nice win over Hylton on Friday. Woodbridge’s win on Friday and Saturday gives them the No. 3 spot and the Panthers are at No. 2 despite the loss to the Vikings on Saturday. Battlefield, I just don’t know. At one point they were 7-0 in the Cedar Run and I declared them locks to win it. They’ve had a mini-meltdown as of late but I’ll keep them in the No. 5 slot.

9. I think that these are my Top 5 girls basketball teams right now:

1. Forest Park
2. Stonewall Jackson
3. Osbourn Park
4. Potomac
5. Woodbridge

Not much changing from last week. I don’t put much stock in the Bruins’ loss to Potomac. I great win for the Panthers, sure, but not a huge loss for Forest Park. Stonewall continues to roll and the Yellow Jackets have been impressive all year. Of course, Potomac gets a bump from their victory and I still like the Viking girls.

10. I think that everybody should join the Prince William DigitalSports’ Facebook Group and add “PrinceWilliam DigitalSports” as a friend. Those cocky jerks over in the Northern Region copied me and already have over 200 friends. We’re sitting just below 100. That don’t sit right with your boy.

Add Prince William Digital Sports as a Friend on Facebook!