[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Our (MTD, Jr., and me) basketball season is over except for the Ohio Special Olympics Final Four the last weekend of this month. And so we leave for Florida this afternoon after his last class of the week before the start of his Spring Break for one week of umpiring women's college and girls' H.S. fast pitch softball.

We are driving to Florida and will be staying at my sister's condo while we umpire. I have been monitoring the weather and we are going to have some tough driving later today. Southern Ohio, Eastern Kentucky, and Western West Virginia have Winter Storming Warnings until 01:00pmEST (07:00pmEST for WV). Cincinnati is expecting 3 to 5 inches of snow; Lexington, KY, is expecting 7 to 10 inches of snow; and Charleston, WV, is expecting 8 to 12 inches of snow. If we take I-75 (the route will most likely take, 99% chance of taking) we will go through Cincinnati and Lexington; and if we take I-77 we will go through Charleston. Oh well, we will just drive slow.

For all of my fellow basketball officials in the affected areas, take care and be careful. And for everybody (especially in the NE) just remember the two sweetest words to a Cleveland Browns fan: SPRING TRAINING!! Because the Indians are finally becoming a team to watch.

MTD, Sr.