I'm back ... anyone home? Someone pick me up off the doorstep, it's freezing out here! So did you miss me last Sunday? Please say yes ...

About last week ... There's always something out there to write about, but with the local athletes doing so much, from water polo and volleyball playoffs to the things they'll do for a milk can, it gets one tuckered out, and I didn't even play.

Besides, my mind was wandering more that usual. How could I tell? When I heard Houston Street was part of the package the Oakland Athletics sent to Colorado for Matt Holliday, my first thought was how it might affect the map of Kings County, but on my drive to work, I was reminded it was Houston Avenue that graces our fine county.

So, with that out of my system, a few thoughts that I hope will be worth that second cup of coffee on a Sunday morning, as we debate if it'll be the MLS Cup or the Grey Cup that'll capture our attention this afternoon instead of another Raiders loss.

l Several members of Hanford High's football team took a break from practice for this week's playoff game ... but fear not, Bullpup fans, it was for a good cause.

They, along with some Hanford High cheerleaders, were visiting local elementary schools as part of the READY program, a joint project of the Hanford Elementary School District, Kings County office of Education and several other county districts.

The program is designed to provide homework assistance and tutoring, educational games related to curriculum, and enrichment activities that will develop and increase participants' self-confidence, self esteem and social skills, according to the HESD Web site.

"The kids get very excited to see us," said senior running back Conner Kurtz, who came up with the idea of participating in the READY program.

A typical session, Kurtz said, will see three or four players and cheerleaders take questions from participants, then go out to the playground for some games.

"Some of them want to play football, others basketball. As athletes, we do whatever they want to do," Kurtz said.

Questions from the youngsters run the gamut, Kurtz noted.

"Somebody once asked what countries we have played," he said. "Everyone wants to know about Cougar (Williams, the 'Pups star wide receiver-defensive back)."

The number of players involved has grown as word spread, Kurtz said.

"I'm always glad to talk to them about sports," he said. "It helps them see there are opportunities in sports," he said.

l While most of Hanford and Hanford West's teams were idle last week, some of the teams picked up important honors.

The following teams were among winners of the Central Section's Academic Champions for the fall season: Hanford and Hanford West football, Hanford West girls golf, Hanford girls water polo, Hanford West and Hanford boys water polo, Hanford girls cross country, Hanford boys cross country.

l Judging from the number of T-shirts still being worn celebrating Fresno State's "Wonderdog" baseball champions, people still haven't gotten over that improbable College World series win either.

Now, KMJ's Paul Loeffler (who I still remember as that first baseman from Los Banos who made the Jeopardy teen tournament and became a nice piece of cash for yours truly when he wrote a profile on him for Cal-Hi Sports) has captured all the drama of the regular season and postseason in his "Underdogs to Wonderdogs," including excerpts from game play-by-play and celebrity comments running the comments from B (ESPN's Chris Berman) to Z (veteran Fresno baseball figure Gus Zernial).

In the always-a-local angle dept., as our column guru Herb Caen would say, recall Hanford's Gene Escat was on that team, and Bulldog superfans Jim and Sharlene Gomes of Lemoore even rated a mention on page 97.

For details, call 233-6633 or www.wonderdogsbook.com.

Richard de Give is The Sentinel's sports editor. Reach him at 583-2430 or at rdegive@HanfordSentinel.com. Richard's Fearful Football Forecast runs weekly at www.hanfordsentinel.com/blogs.

(Nov. 23, 2008)