Tom King

Here are a few tids and bits as we continue on into the blah month of November, which actually was given plenty of excitement to start with the high school soccer tournaments.

First, the incredible week of soccer was something. We thought we couldn’t top that night at Stellos with North vs. South in the boys soccer semis, but then we got the South-Hanover final in front of packed stands.

But it might be time for the NHIAA to consider either not having soccer championship doubleheaders or at least starting the games earlier.

It’s more often than not now that the games go into overtime and eventually penalty kicks. And often the sudden death rounds of penalty kicks. No one knows that better than the champion Panther boys who lost to Winnacunnet in 13 rounds of PKs last and won the title this year in 11 rounds.

And speaking of 11, that was the time things ended at Stellos last

Friday night. At least it was a Friday night, but either earlier starts, separate days or locations might have to be in order as the Lebanon-Oyster River game at Stellos also went to PKs and the Division I game started at 8:30.

– Second, what about penalty kicks as a way of deciding things? It’s all throughout the sport, so it likely won’t change. But we like what high school field hockey does, with reduced number of players on the field. Try that, and ditch the off-sides rule after two regular 10-minute overtimes. You can bet a game will be decided with just as much drama.

– The uproar over Mac Jones grabbing Carolina’s Brian Burns by the leg and branding him as a dirty player was ridiculous. True, Burns hurt his ankle on the play, but please people, calm down. You’re an NFL quarterback knocked flat, the game moving at 100 miles an hour, and you know you’ve fumbled the ball and the guy who hit you is starting to run. What’s your first thought/instinct? Probably that he has the ball or is about to get it, etc. Believe it, the kid is not a dirty player. So calm down, Panthers. He’ll probably be fined but so should a lot of NFL refs for their recent performances.

– Still on Carolina, once it was determined that quarterback Sam Darnold had broken his shoulder, there was a big movement to push the Panthers to bring back Cam Newton. As of this writing, that’ hadn’t happened, but that’s not going to say that it hasn’t by the time you read this. But either way, one thing is clear: Those fanatics in Charlotte obviously didn’t see Newton play last year or this summer. Yes, rolling eyes emoji.

– Don’t forget, the Division I and II high school basketball season is starting a little earlier than normal – by about a week, Dec. 10 – but ending waaaay earlier than we can ever remember. Let’s just say that March Madness won’t refer to the Division I and II girls and boys basketball tournaments.

The bulk of the regular season is January , and very early February. Care to guess when the tourneys start? Try February 8 and 9. Kid you not. The championship games? Try Feb. 19.

The only division playing in March will be Divisions IV.

This was all supposed to take place last year, but the change in the season schedule was postponed a year due to the pandemic. Teams will be playing at times three games a week to get things done early, and while a few will be going out of state to play in holiday tournaments, there will be some regular season games after Christmas.

Ice hockey, however, will remain pretty much as usual with the finals on March 12, returning it seems as of now to SNHU Arena.

But with basketball, it will be different, for certain. Everything will seem a little different because remember last year thanks to the pandemic teams didn’t begin playing games until Jan. 15, and it was even later for Nashua teams due to a pandemic pause.

– Hard to believe Red Sox manager Alex Cora wasn’t one of the three finalists for American League Manager of the Year. The finalists are Dusty Baker (Astros), Kevin Cash (Rays) and Scott Servais (Mariners).

Remember, the voting is done before the playoffs. Dusty Baker? Please. Cash? His team was in the World Series the year before. Servais, definitely. But really, did anyone think the Red Sox would make the playoffs? Cora is certainly paying the price for his part in the Astros cheating scandal. So is A.J. Hinch, who did a great job with the Tigers and should have been a finalist with Cora and Servais.

Meanwhile, this self-proclaimed Yankees fan is stuck with Aaron Boone. Sigh.

Tom King can be reached at tking@nashuatelegraph.com, or on twitter @Telegraph _TomK.