I don't know about the rest of you all out there, but Section 9 baseball/softball tournament time is my favorite time of year.

It's been a long, wet, chilly spring for the most part thus far but the weather always seems to heat up when the games start to matter. There certainly should be no shortage of action on the diamond this week -- whether it's baseball or softball -- and there are plenty of area teams that have a legitimate shot of making some serious noise in the postseason.

I know it always seems like our teams in Ulster and northern Dutchess Counties get treated like second-class citizens to teams from Orange and Sullivan Counties when it comes to tournament time, but if we learn anything from the state champion Coleman Catholic girls basketball team, it's that you never know what could happen.

You just have to play the game. Good luck!

In the wake of Sunday's little dust-up, if you want to call it that, between the Orioles' Aubrey Huff and the Yankees' Joba Chamberlain, a question crosses my mind.

When did sports stop being fun?

In case you didn't see what happened, the normally demonstrative Chamberlain, who's been criticized in the past for his antics, gave up a home run to the normally reserved Huff. As he rounded the bases, Huff gave off two first pumps for Chamberlain to see -- the first as he was rounding first and the second he touched home.

It was a clear shot at Joba.

I'm not in favor of over-the-top celebrations, but when it comes to Joba or Frankie Rodriguez or Jonathan Papelbon, at least those are natural and not intended to show up an opposing player. I have never seen any of those players pointing or glaring at an opponent while celebrating.

In Huff's case, showing up his opponent WAS his intent.

I've seen enough local high school and college games to see that raw celebration and that raw celebration is good.

Can't we let grown men be boys sometimes.