You ever hear about the guy who is so charismatic that he could captivate an audience just by reading the phone book?

Well, go to a major university’s spring commencement ceremony, and that’s exactly what it is, about two or three hours of one name after another and another and another … and 30,000 people are hinging on every word.

That was last weekend’s experience for this writer at Georgia Southern University, where graduation was held at Allen E. Paulson Stadium. Was there to see my nephew in cum laude gear walk the stage as a graduate of the College of Business Administration.

Makes me think of others I may know who earned their degrees at this time of year, and I certainly want to send early congratulations to the Colquitt County High Class of 2017 as we are two weeks away from your special day.

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Football schedules. On this topic, it is hard to find the baby bear’s bed. Show somebody a football schedule, and he might have the daddy bear reaction, “That’s too hard!” Or, take another list of games for an upcoming season and you hear what the mamma bear exclaimed, “That’s too soft!”

Where does the Colquitt County High slate for the fall of 2017 fall in the bear family’s range? Different people will have their own take. Mine is that, when you are at elite status as a program, the schedule should be opportunities to prove that week after week. So you should at least try to lean towards the daddy side of the baby.

Easier said than done, I know.

As a sports reporter, I like for every game I cover to be competitive. These are the better stories to write. Doesn’t always work out that way, sad to say.

As a mere fan of a college football team like the University of Georgia, I am not going to make big plans to see the Bulldogs play Samford. Once before, that was because I have no desire to watch a blowout. After what happened in the Nicholls game last season, add not wanting to see my guys struggle in a “check” game to the list of excuses.

“Check” game, you ask? That’s when the power school plays host to the mid-major opponent, and the mid-major guy gets a nice sum of compensation for making the trip. Sometimes you get the Appalachian State over Michigan miracle of 10 years ago or 2013’s Georgia Southern triumph against Florida.

Speaking of which, here’s a request: When schedule cards are made for the 2017 season, while we are marking home games/away games and region/conference games, can there also be an indication for the “trap” game? Maybe also explain what that means exactly. Still working on other 21st Century terms like “bucket list” and “friend zone.”

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The Packer baseball season may have ended quietly last weekend against the tough Parkview squad, but hats off to the Region 1-7A champions for providing their fans with an entertaining campaign. Must also recognize that special accomplishment for junior pitcher Ethan Phillips in throwing a seven-inning no-hitter at his first playoff game vs. McEachern.

It’s just my opinion, but with the mercy rules that exist in high school baseball and softball a seven-inning no-no is the only kind about which to get excited. If you can beat a team in five – or even three – innings, where was the challenge in that?

How hard, though, is it to throw the no-hitter at the higher levels, like college ball? The change in bats some years ago makes it a bit easier. I remember watching when University of Georgia baseball pitcher Robert Tyler of Cordele took a no-hitter into the ninth inning only to have it broken up by a long pinch-hit home run. He still won the game shown on the SEC Network 7-1 over Alabama.

I am happy to report that last week Florida State softball did get even with Florida at home in front of 2,500 people. It took 11 innings, but the Seminoles won 3-1 on a walkoff home run. But before that, Florida’s pitcher Kelly Barnhill recorded 21 strikeouts in more than 10 innings. If that’s just 10 innings, you’re talking about two whiffs per frame (sorry, you can’t get 1/3 of a K).

In contrast to that, I looked up some statistics for a West Georgia softball player I covered from her high school career. She made All-Gulf South Conference first team. Up and down the batting list for this conference are players with far more hits than games played. So it’s like everyone has somebody who’s guaranteed to break up a no-hit bid in any given game, any given at-bat.

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And to Packer baseball, basketball, soccer, etc., you have a big fan in football coach Rush Propst.

“Winning breeds winning,” he said Tuesday in recognizing the accomplishments of the other Colquitt programs in 2016-17. Propst added how it creates a better environment in the school when they pull for one another, and he gave props to the middle school coaches for encouraging the “dual sport athlete,” saying that he’s seeing more of that now than ever before.

“Tony Kirkland is one of the finest baseball coaches out there,” said Propst. And for Rondesha Williams of the girls and Andy Harden of the boys basketball teams, he’s predicting Final Fours and beyond very soon.