HORIZONS

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN SCOTT NUSS
I’m feeling a little bit like the underdog right about now. Since my last column, some very good columns have been written. I’m not quite sure how this one is going to turn out, but I’m sure going to try to make it worth your time to read it.

First, I have to say that I absolutely loved the editorial written by Tom Stoppel a couple weeks ago. Ironically, I was considering writing a letter to the editor expressing some of my very similar feelings.

As an umpire, I did notice a difference in the way some fans acted at games. Some otherwise rowdy fans suddenly calmed down. I know I wasn’t the only one who appreciated his editorial, though. I’m certain many area recreation directors also appreciated it.

I know it’s a little bit late, but thanks, Tom!

Bob Woelk’s “King of the World” column was another piece I enjoyed. With the recent accidents on U.S. Highway 50, if I were ever king of the world, I would demand that Highway 50 be made into a four-lane, divided highway.

It’s unfortunate that nearly 10 people had to die on that road before somebody figured out things weren’t being done right. I can only hope the construction they are doing on that road is of high enough quality that the road will be completely open for several years before more work is needed.

On a completely unrelated topic, my latest thing to chuckle at is the competition between TV news stations, particularly in the weather department. Every time a severe storm moves into the Wichita area, I turn on the television and see three different versions of the same computer art displayed colorfully on my TV set.

I know competition is a huge key to the free enterprise system we live in, but weather is weather. To me, it all comes down to which radar picture I can interpret better.

A huge competition has erupted recently on the radio waves. After one station in Wichita was forced out of business by another radio station, a new radio station started for the simple goal of putting the first culprit out of business.

This station claims that it will play 10,000 songs in a row without commercials, and the commercials they do run are asking their listeners to call the other radio station and tell them how bad they are. They’re even going so far as to give the phone number of their rival to listeners.

What people aren’t realizing is that this “radio station” is just simply a computer with a limited play-list connected to a radio broadcasting device. The station is not employing any people.

I’m wondering what’s going to happen when they get their 10,000 songs played. Are they going to fold again, or are they going to start running commercials so they can employ some people?

It will be interesting to watch-or listen, as the case may be-to what goes on.

I recently caught myself in a competition this summer: the competition between summer baseball and summer basketball leagues.

I coached one of Hillsboro’s 13-15-year-old baseball teams. Instead of a fun baseball season, the season turned into a game of rescheduling contests so certain teams could compete with their full rosters instead of with rosters cut down by basketball commitments.

Hillsboro isn’t the only town that had this problem, so I’m not picking on just us. Having gone through the Hillsboro school system, I know how important basketball is to the community. But I don’t understand why basketball season, which is already longer than any other high school athletic season, has to extend even longer into the hot gyms of summer.

Personally, I think it’s hurting summer baseball programs in rural communities. By no means am I suggesting that kids should not play basketball, but I wish summer baseball programs didn’t have to suffer because of it.

Baseball tournaments are starting up everywhere, which means the end of summer must be just around the corner. It doesn’t feel right that I’m going to be a sophomore in college, but that’s what they’re telling me, so I’m not going to argue with them.

I hope you have a great July, and, if you’re planning on traveling to Newton, you might consider Kansas Highway 15.

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