Putting my iPod on Shuffle - Tiffin Advertiser Tribune (blog)

Combining sports and music here, as best I can anyway. I'll try to make a sports reference for each song.

1. Song: Tenth Avenue Freeze-out

Artist: Bruce Springsteen

Sports context: One could write that Bruce is from New Jersey and work that into a bit about the New Jersey Devils. But I am not an NHL fan, so that won't happen here. Congratulationson the Stanley Cup Finals, though.

Freezeout? Maybe since all of our area baseball and softball teams didn't make the state tournament, but this has been the best spring season I can remember for local teams. But it's a good song.

2. Song: Season Suite, Spring.

Artist: John Denver Sports context: I am a huge John Denver fan, which probably drops whatever coolness factor I have with people about 10 percent. Don't care.

Denver was a singer-songwriter who could always some things up without seeming too over the top. In this case, he makes me think of my first year as sports editor.

"Everything that's cold and gray is gone."

It seemed that after Christmas, I couldn't wait for the long days of spring. Winter was mild this year, yes, but the reality is that for the first time, the short days got to me for the first time. So when spring arrived, I embraced it, and the sports that came with it.

"Rejoicing in the differences. There's no one just like me. Yet as different as we are we're still the same."

I love baseball and football. I love music and Mystery Science Theater and Leslie Nielsen movies. You may not like all those things. You might prefer basketball and hockey and auto racing. That's more than OK. I'm glad we have readers who have different interests. It helps us learn what people want to read. As for all those other things, how can one not love Leslie Nielsen?

3. Song: First of May

Artist: Bee Gees

Sports context: This is a song from the early days of the group, before disco, before platform shoes, before John Travolta walked around with paint cans in New York City in the greatest opening to a movie ever.

The first of May? That's when sectionals and league track meets start. It also is the first sign that things are winding down.

4. Song: Hot Burrito, No. 2

Artist: Flying Burrito Bros.

Sports context: Can't really make it work here, because of the somewhat lazy title. Gram Parsons wasn't around long, but was around long enough to bring country and rock together with this group. It's a great song in a great album. Chris Hillman often is overlooked for his contributions to the country rock movement.

5.Song: Dry Your Eyes.

Artist: Neil Diamond

Sports context: This song is a live performance from The Band's Last Waltz album. Apparently Robbie Robertson was friends with Diamond, which would explain why he was included in a show with Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Muddy Waters and Dr. John. It also explains why a Neil Diamond song is on my iPod. To the athletes whose careers ended this spring, some in heartbreaking fashion, I would tell them that even though good times always end, new good times always begin.