Waiting for the other shoe to drop

Headlines and sidelines - Westville mayor Roger MacKay won a foot race against the county Warden and three other mayors last week, as part of the Mayor's Challenge (Pictou mayor Joe Hawes didn't show). This had something to do with Active Pictou County, a campaign to get people off the couch and into physical activity.

MacKay's councillors over in Westville later presented him with a trophy to mark the grand occasion. It's true that MacKay's fellow competitors were a combined... oh I don't know, just ballparking it... about a thousand years old. And it's true that they might have lost a step or three, and it's true that their metabolisms are now dormant. Or maybe it just looks that way. But anytime you can win something and get a first-place trophy, it has to be considered a good moment.

On the talk of politicians and athletic ability, I thought George W. Bush should great reflexes when that guy threw his shoes at him during that press conference in Iraq. Bush's instincts took over; there are times in life when instinct serves you better than intelligence. By going with the flow, you can get by with less-than-average intelligence and I think George W. Bush is proof of that. The journalist who did the shoe-throwing also exhibited solid arm-strength and accuracy, it must be said.

Non-sports thought of the week: I'd like the Prime Minister to appoint me to the Senate. Seeing as how Stephen Harper wants his appointees to share his ideology, my first order of business would be to recommend a nice long vacation for everyone in Ottawa, even as the economy starts to flatline. Please, someone start biffing shoes at our national leaders - it makes for great entertainment and might even wake them up.

Carlo Colaiacovo is starting to blossom in S. Louis. The shut-down defenceman now has five points in 10 games with the Blues, after being traded from the Toronto Maple Leafs last month in a controversial move that had Pictou County reeling. I don't know what's worse, the Carlo trade or the Mumbai terrorist attacks.

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No ball hockey for me at the 'Y' the past couple of weeks, but I'm working on my three-point shot during the a.m. It's not that hard once you find the range, and I'm starting to wonder what the big deal is about hitting a 23-footer. I think I could join the local men's basketball league and take right over, nail threes and break league records, but then again I think a lot of things.

One of the basketball-playing Johnson brothers from out Pictou west way gave me advice on my follow-through in September, and some guy named Travis showed me a couple of defensive techniques a while back. It's paying off. I find watching the NBA more boring than that time I went clamming out toward Parrsboro, but basketball is serious fun to play. Even when you're by yourself. Especially when you're by yourself.

Kevin Adshade is the sports editor at The News.