Opening Day of the baseball season was a success as the Yankees, Mets, and Blue Devils were all winners. The Yankees came from behind to defeat the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The Mets spoiled the home opener for the defending World Champion St. Louis Cardinals. The Blue Devils broke open a 2-2 ballgame and defeated Chester, 10-2. Let's hope the success continues throughout the season. Okay, maybe not for the Mets...............The baseball field at Ellenville High School looked in great shape for Opening Day. Congratulations to the Maintenance Department for getting the field ready. Two early season games against Liberty have been changed to scrimmages because the Liberty field was under snow and water until just recently�����Don't forget that the Blue Devils Varsity Baseball team plays in Cooperstown on May 8 against Tri-Valley. This will be the fourth consecutive year that the two teams have played on Doubleday Field. Tri-Valley won the first two games and the Blue Devils took last year's contest. Tri-Valley is a class school and the two teams have developed a friendly rivalry over the last few years. You didn't get this from me, but May 8 would be a great day to develop a virus, call in sick to work, and travel up to Cooperstown to support the Blue Devils. A great high school baseball game, lunch in one of those nice restaurants, a visit to the Baseball Hall of Fame, and the outstanding ambience of Cooperstown just might help you get over that 24-hour virus����..Coach Merrill Conner feels that this year's Blue Devils baseball squad is the deepest he's had since taking over the program. The Blue Devils made some mental errors in their first game, something that can be expected in early April, but the team does have more pitching than in recent years, and good pitching beats good hitting�����107.9-WELV Radio continues to do an outstanding job. I'd like to see the station make some more improvements. First, lose the "new" moniker. The station has been around for over a year. Secondly, it would be nice if the school district-sponsored station developed a more structured program for the students. It's nice that D.J. (fill in some silly radio name) can recite the nation's Top 30 hits, but the program should have more teeth. How about developing a credit bearing course with some local college that has a Communications major? And there is absolutely no reason that the Blue Devils home baseball and softball games cannot be broadcast�����When we return from Spring Break vacation, there will only be eleven weeks of school left. As the weather gets nicer, be sure to get down to the fields and check out the Blue Devils in action. Our spring teams are competing in baseball, softball, track and field, golf and tennis�����March Madness has to be the greatest time of the year for a sports fan. It's a shame we all can't get off from work for the tournament's day games, but a real sports fan makes due. We enter the office pool and try to predict the Final Four teams. We take extra restroom and drink breaks to pass the television and check the scores. And, we all stay up late on a Monday school night to watch the Championship game�����April is a great time too, as the baseball season opens and the NFL Draft makes every fan an optimist. For me, I just know that my beloved Cleveland Browns are undefeated in 2007. I know the New York Jets and Giants fans feel the same way�����Area golf enthusiasts will get the opportunity in the next two weeks to play as the local courses begin to open. Many golfers will even play in the rain. Not me. Playing golf in the rain is no fun. If I want to get that wet, I'll go swimming...............When the kids were little, they used to enjoy looking at the "Where's Waldo?" books. The great debate continues to go on, but perhaps, it's time for somebody to put together a "Where's Wal Mart?" book. Until next time!

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