SPORTSBEAT: by columnist Peter Jakey
I?m not really interested in replacing my 19-inch Hitachi television set, but if I win the Huron Sports Boosters raffle next week, I?ll do it. It?s hard to imagine another TV in my living room. I?m one of those people who doesn?t like to replace things just because a product is bigger, faster, or better. It?s got to be broken, or not working properly, before I haul it off to the Rogers City transfer station. We?ve had our Hitachi set for about 15 years, and over the last three years there were two occasions where channel three would switch to channel two by itself. It would do it so often it made it impossible to watch anything.
On both occasions I got out the Shop Vac and cleaned the dust out, which has prolonged the life of the set. Family members say it has too much green, and that?s usually a sign it?s on its last leg. That statement was first made about four years ago. So based on the fact that the TV still works, I?m not interested in keeping up with the Joneses, unless I?m the lucky ticket holder in next week?s drawing.
THE HURON Sports Boosters have been selling raffle tickets for a couple of months, and now it?s time to give the prizes away. The boosters picked a great game — late in the season — that would have one of the largest crowds, as the Hurons host Posen a week from tomorrow (March 5) in a rematch of last Friday?s game. It was an emotional evening in Posen, with a standing-room crowd, and now Rogers City will be looking to even up the season series. In last year?s games, each school won the home game. Nearly everyone is back from both squads. Adding to the excitement of the evening will be the halftime drawing. I think it?s been an easy sell for the boosters as they have five tremendous prizes to give away, with the grand prize being a 50-inch high definition television set.
THE BOOSTERS had talked about giving away a brand new vehicle, but during these financially strapped times, I was glad to see they went with the list of prizes they did, because it kept raffle ticket prizes down. If the boosters went with the vehicle, it would have meant a ticket would be $20 each. With this drawing they are five for $20, or $5 apiece. In addition to the big screen television, the boosters are raffling off a Dell home computer, a chest of hand tools, a DeWalt miter saw, and the fifth prize is 10 oil changes at Pennzoil of Rogers City. Booster president Mike Stempky said there are plenty of tickets left. Proceeds from the raffle will go back into all of the sports programs at RCHS. It?ll also p
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It?s another dose of reality television, as ESPN, during a critical ratings period, looks for a new anchor on its show ?Dream Job.? The first installment was on Sunday, but I?m debating if I?ll watch next week?s program. It mirrors ?American Idol? as the contestants perform, such as Sunday?s program where they wrote their own material and had to present sports highlights, and have to get grilled by the judges. It really shows how difficult being a sports anchor would be.
The guy I thought did the best job was voted off by viewers in online polling, but survived the first week?s cut because the judges were split over two other contestants. The winner of the nine remaining anchor-wanna bees shows will receive a one-year contract with ESPN. I?ll probably keep up with the progress of the contest on the Internet.