As most of my most loyal and above average in everyway readers know, I usually write about some mundane, although mildly entertaining snapshot of life with one sport or another as the backdrop. This week is different. It’s sports and sports only. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the Trigg County basketball team, also known as Mike’s Maniacs, are as exciting to watch as any non-blood sport legal in Kentucky. Take my advice and take advantage of the halftime to use the restroom. Those of us who didn’t Friday night were more than a little anxious after the 3rd overtime.

The venue Friday night was Wildcat gym. The opponent was Lyon County. The Lyons and the Wildcats, and a catfight it was. They had the size advantage by a few feet if you add it up, and starting experience by several years. But heart and a will to win goes a long way in every human endeavor, basketball included. I haven’t been as excited as I was during the three overtimes since I found out you could buy birthday cakes without it being your birthday. Here’s the real quick skinny on that deal. I always really looked forward to my birthday, not for the gifts (good thing) but for the cake; a good, old white cake, with white icing, and some little colorful curly decorations all over it. No candles required but they somehow add a little something if you got them. I have been to many birthday bashes where they come out with some fancy smancy job with four different kinds of chocolate six stacks high that took days to make and cost big bucks. Don’t they know where Washer’s grocery is? They must not have an aunt like my Aunt Pat (THE queen of cakes). Real birthday cakes are one layer and, like chili, are better the second or third day. Anyway to get down to where the rubber hits the road, I was walking into Washer’s grocery one day several years ago and I had to go right by the bakery. There was some birthday cakes out that only needed the name iced on to be official. I thought how especially good they looked, but alas, my big day was months away. I almost got to the checkout with whatever I had gone in for and I realized nobody was watching the bakery. I didn’t know the young cashier and I was sure she didn’t know my birthday. So, I casually ambled back over to those life’s anniversial delights and grabbed one anonymous birthday cake to-go. I waited until there wasn’t a line and went in like today is the day. Two minutes later I was in the truck with a half sheet of happy birthday to me. I showed up at my folk’s house for our Sunday dinner and brought out the prize with much fanfare like a golden goose stuffed with truffles only to be informed it’s fairly common knowledge one can purchase these cakes anytime of the year regardless of the date’s significance.

For the rest of this column, read this week's Cadiz Record.