Munch Musings from E. 53rd and Hamm Avenue

Hope you and yours have been better than good and truly I wanna see you, meet you & greet you at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario all week as the Cleveland Guardians host the Seattle Mariners then the Toronto Blue Jays. You know how important these games and this team is to me and so many others and yes, a part of it is #BaseballIsTheBest and I will be at all the games this week with the scorching temperatures! Anything over 75 is too hot for me (must be my Slovak blood) and for most of the games I will give you updates on NEO Sports Insiders from the stands as a fan, NOT from the glorious comfort of the press box.

A couple of other quick notes before I get to the main course.

* Interesting that before the NBA finals started I noted that Dallas winning the West shocked me. Yes, the Dallas Mavericks have Luca and KyMe but the rest of the roster, especially the front court is manned by JAGS (Just a Guy) and although they are in the NBA and I am not they are not capable or talented enough to win a championship. I also must ask that this comes from a media person who will remained unnamed as he noted “I hate the Celtics but love KyMe (yes, he said Kyrie) so my inquiry is “what did you do when World B. Flat played for Boston?

* An NHL note…here’s hoping the Edmonton Oilers can build off of their brutal beatdown of the Florida Panthers. I just can’t root for a team who plays in a strip center! Yes, the man between the pipes for the Panthers “BOB” is brilliant but I can’t go for that!

Now down to the meat and potatoes…many of you who follow High School sports on the North Coast know the name Sean O’Toole. Sean has been head coach at Euclid High School, Saint Ignatius High School and now is the current AD of Gilmour Academy and he is also the President of the Greater Cleveland Basketball Coaches Association. Sean has some serious health problems and for more 411 Matt Ghoul who covers HS Sports for the Plain Dealer and Cleveland.com has a touching story about “Coach”. Sean lost a leg below his knee and truly needs prayers plus if you are able to contact him with a call or text please do. He is currently in Fairview Hospital. Knowing Sean, he’ll come through this and be courtside before you know it at a HS or youth Hoops games/camps.

Sean means so much to so many including my family. From his days at Euclid (also some time at Garfield Hts) to St. Ignatius and now Gilmour Academy, Sean O’ Toole personifies his HS Alma Mater’s description of its family as #MenForOthers. Coach is one of the most selfless servants I have ever met and the proof is in accolades from other Coaches he has gone against to parents and students including student athletes plus some of the biggest and most important tributes one can get being involved in Hoops in NE OHIO…props and respect from the streets…from playground courts to hot HS gymnasiums, the respect for this man is as special as he is special to so many. Talk about getting his players and their families backs? That is in his bio!

I met Sean covering HS games then when my oldest son enrolled at St. Ignatius. I went to Sean as I knew he was the kind of man, coach and teacher that could send some encouragement my son’s way as he was not enamored at attending St. Saint Ignatius High School from the get go. Sean got with him as he needed help in his summer basketball camp and used my son on the Freshman team as needed. He checked in often to make sure he was immersed not only in the school’s culture but enjoying himself and being worthy in earning the mantle as a rep of the #MenForOthers. The bottom line? Sean just did do this for MY son but for thousands of others he has come in contact with through the years.

I smile when I think of the worth the price of admission “hardwood battles” Sean’s WILDCATS had with the wonderful Eric Flannery and his St. Edward High School EAGLES! The late, great Jimmy D’Amato (JIMMY D baby) one of the all time best HS Hoops officials to ever grace the NE Ohio hardwood always drew the Wildcats-Eagles matchups and he treasured doing these game as much for the rivalry as for getting to be on the court for teams coached by O’Toole and Flannery. Truly special. Think about that…a Ref’s respect for the Coaches made him feel honored to draw these games.

I know many are praying for Sean and sending positive energy his way. Please add yours self to this list. Get better COACH, your family at home and extended family truly need you around.

Read more of my musings and thoughts plus “All Good” narratives at www.neosportsinsiders.com and yes indeed #MunchOnSports is powered by Ganley Chevy Of Aurora and the Ken Ganley Automotive Group.

.Please take care of each other and it’s your world, pay attention. Always enjoy every sandwich and for now ADIOS AMIGO, long may you run.