Here’s a few tids and bits as we are almost halfway through May with just two weeks left in the high school regular seasons for most, one week for tennis:

—- Good words from FCBL Commissioner this week that you can check out, posted on line yesterday and also in the Sunday Telegraph print edition. The best thing was the fact he has a realistic view of the the major differences between the Futures League and the New England Collegiate Baseball League. The FCBL franchises are for profit, the NECBL teams are not and also are said to be partially subsidized by MLB. Thus the NECBL arguably gets better prospects, more national Division I players. Most of those would be gone by the time the Futures League has its playoffs. That’s why the FCBL plays into early August, for more home dates and more $$$. One visiting GM once bristled when we suggested cutting the season back by three or four games – that’s how close the profit margin could be.

The other note was the revelation that Brockton’s plan is to have its new independent pro Frontiere League team, which opened this past weekend, subsidize the FCBL Rox, which are under the same ownership. Not happening. The huge overhead in the independent baseball world will certainly be a problem. The guess here is that the Futures League will be keeping a close eye on that situation.

But Paolucci is one of the best interviews around, because he is very often the voice of reason. And isn’t that what a commissioner is supposed to be?

— Please, please, please NHIAA, the get boys lacrosse finals off the same day as baseball, softball and boys volleyball, Saturday, June 8. It would be better again to have them all at one site, on a different day. But we doubt that will change. Sigh.

—- Maybe it’s just us, but other than another way to make money, was the Tom Brady Roast really necessary? Sure, great idea, but as Brady said, that’s how it always was in the locker room anyway. These things were popular way back in Hollywood in the 1970-80s, but in today’s less carefree world, you can usually bet somebody’s going to be offended.

It did however, serve one purpose: Drew Bledsoe told FOX Radio’s Colin Cowherd that Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft spoke privately together for a little while. It was likely time for Belichick and Kraft to part ways, and the coach often doesn’t help himself, but the way the Dynasty constantly tore down the certain Hall of Fame coach was simply not cool.

— The Battle of the Bridge was fun and entertaining, but not much tense drama. The best game was the North-South boys lacrosse game, and the teams will play each other again this coming Wednesday, (not part of the BB) along with the girls, 4 and 6 p.m. respectively at Stellos. But it was nice to once again see the memory of former South coach Bill Monsen honored with prsenetation to the boys lax winner of the Monsen Cup.

The one thing you had to enjoy was the Tuesday night softball game at Rivier’s Raider Diamond. Great atmosphere, and the coaches and players absolutely loved it, even though the game was only a five inning 15-3 South win. It was a softball celebration. Even the Titans seemed to have fun, and the positive atmosphere new coach Jen Hall is creating, highlighting the little steps the program is taking, is a good step.

And don’t forget there is still one more event on the schedule, co-ed Unified Track this coming Thursday, May 16, at 3 p.m. at the North track.

— Toughest loss of the spring sports season: Rivier’s recent Great Northeast Athletic Conference semifinal boys lacrosse defeat at home at the hands of Dean College. It was the first time the Raiders have hosted that round, and they’ve had some dynamite players. Men’s lacrosse in these eyes is one of if not the most competitive sport in the conference. But kudos to longtime Riv coach Jay Delanoy for the program he’s built. “There’s a lot of good teams in the conference,” he said, “and it’s a battle to who gets to call themselves champion.”

But Delanoy knows what he’s built and will continue to build.

“The early guys, the Kyle Grahams, the Clark Plummers, the Lynches, they’ve built the foundation which made other guys want to come here,” Delanoy said. “And these are the guys that are seniors now, every senior class leaves a stronger legacy than the one before it. That’s how you build a culture, that’s how you build a program. It’s through character and people.”:

Fantastic. Frame those words.

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