First off, all you Sequim boys basketball fans, an update: no game tonight, thanks to the bad weather. Look for the Wolves (4-9 in league, 7-10 overall) and Vikings (13-1, 15-2) to tip off tomorrow night at 7 p.m. The girls’ game in Poulsbo has been similarly shifted to Wednesday night with the tip-off at 7 p.m.

SHS wrestlers ready

Look for Sequim High’s wrestlers to be in top form this weekend at Washington High School in Tacoma, the West Central District regional tourney that’s one step below the MatClassic final.

For those terribly interested (and heading to the tourney), watch for these potential match-ups for Sequim grapplers:

125 pounds — Taylor Gowdy against Jesus Gonzales from Fife. Gowdy is a two-time state competitor and Gonzales is the Nisqually League sub-region champ.

130 — Nick Grinnell and Kainan Landhol of Fife. Grinnell looks to be in top form after a mid-season concussion (literally) knocked him out of the Rainshadow tourney final. Landhol is the top challenger at 130. After losing 2-1 to Grinnell on Saturday, Jared Henden of North Mason is seeking revenge.

135 — Joe Hutchison versus Klahowya’s Ammon Jensen or David Flynn of Steilacoom. Jensen beat Hutchison at last weekend’s sub-regional late but the Sequim senior looks for revenge. Hutch may have to beat Flynn (ranked No. 10 at 140 pounds just to get to that rematch, however.

140 — Anthony Drabek against Dario Rodriguez of Fife, currently ranked No. 8 in state. This is a semifinal match-up if it happens at all. Should be a good one, with the winner possibly getting Klahowya’s Joe Sawyers (ranked No. 8 at 135 pounds) in the finale.

152 — Alex O’Donnell is hungry for state, qualifying three consecutive years for regionals and missing a state berth each time. He won the sub-regional’s top seed and may face Washington’s Rene Alvarez in the final.

189 — Ethan Hinton looks like he’s poised to make a run at the 189-pound state title, Ranked No. 6 headed into the sub-regional, Hinton may face James Watkins, the Steilacoom strongman, in the regional finale. Hinton wasn’t challenged much at sub-districts.

285 — Bummed from a pair of losses this season to John Camp, Port Angeles’ No. 1-ranked heavyweight, Thomas Gallagher is seeking his first trip to the state. He cruised at sub-regionals and figures to have a tougher time with grapplers like John Rhodes of Fife (No. 7 in state) at regionals.

A-Roid talks

Say it ain’t so, Alex.

By now every newspaper in the country has ripped former Mariners slugger Alex Rodriguez for his role in taking performance-enhancing drugs. The Yankees slugger admitted to using something illegal — although he wouldn’t say what — in his years with the Texas Rangers (2001-2003).

I guess we should have seen this coming. I mean, did we really think we could find a trustworthy baseball star that puts up the kind of numbers A-Rod does? He’s put up video game-worthy numbers since he broke onto the scene in 1996 with a .358 average, 36 bombs and 123 RBIs with Seattle.

Look at the stats a little more closely, particularly in the Texas years. Look back at his Seattle numbers as well. Notice something funny? In a stadium (The Ballpark at Arlington) a little more hitter-friendly, A-Rod has slightly better stats. And he claims he wasn’t using as a Mariner.

Now, he says he’s clean and has been since moving on to New York. Really? Let’s take a look at Rodriguez’s averages:

Team (seasons)    AB    2B    HR    RBIs    Avg.     SLG        
Seattle (1996-2000)    586    38    37    115    .315    .576
Texas    (2001-2003)    621    30    52    132    .305    .615
N.Y.    (2003-2008)    574    29    42    123    .303    .573

Well, if nothing the guy is consistent. Yes, there is a bump there at 2001 but is it that big of a change? And doesn’t his consistency as he’s grown older mirror a lot of how ‘roiding Roger Clemens has stayed at the top of his game? Admittedly, Roger is older, but it seems to me there’s not a lot of contriteness from A-Rod. Yes, he said he’s sorry. No, he didn’t say exactly WHAT he was sorry about (what he used, specifically) other than doing something “illegal.” He maintains he didn’t know he was nailed for using after the 2004 season (although reports maintain players were told) and he insists he hasn’t used since.

Sorry, I’m not buying it. And I don’t think a whole lot of others are either.

Despite the disbelief, I’m not an Alex hater. I loved the guy when he was here, felt spurned like a newly spurned ex-boyfriend when he took the money and ran to Texas, and couldn’t help but feel some sorry for the dude when Yankee fans got on his case year after year.

But this is too much. I’m sooooo tired of baseball players thinking they have to have something a little extra to be “on top of their game.” I understand A-Rod’s reasons, but I don’t feel sympathy. Don’t want all that pressure, Alex? Then don’t take the money. Want to play for the love of the game without all the pressure from fans, agents, the media et al? Quit the game, become a working stiff and play sandlot ball. Otherwise, play the game, and play it right … or all that fury fans threw at you before will become a hellstorm now.

Amazing … five of the players (Bonds, Clemens, McGwire, Sosa and now A-Rod) I thought were the best of the best are now locks to never see the Baseball Hall of Fame without a ticket.

I do have a solution, however: Everyone in major league baseball is REQUIRED to take performance-enhancing drugs. Come on, folks! Let’s level the playing field! No one will wonder who is taking, who isn’t. We can change the record books to Pre-Needle/Post Needle. Records will be ridiculous! Fans will love it! Kids will go to their local sports memorabilia dealer seeking their favorite players’ signature drug. The ‘roid rage would create more fights — and you know how sports fans love fights!

And we can finally put these guys into the Hall of Shame where they belong.