I was in downtown Lakeland on Sunday for another event and happened upon the Florida Criterium Championships. Luckily I had my camera and was able to take a few shots. The full photoset is here.

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Polk County Sports Marketing has begun work on their new cycling guide/map and they need your help. How? If you're an avid cyclist they want to know your favorite rides/routes.

Here's a note from Kris Keprios at PCTSM:

Do you have a favorite ride in Polk County? Do you know the safest places (and not so safe places) to ride? If you do, share it with the visitors and Polk County citizens that will be viewing this guide. You can submit your route or suggestions by email to Kris Keprios at kris@centralfloridasports.com. PCTSM is accepting the route directions as turn-by-turn, or if you have a map highlighting the route, that is even better. The Polk County Cycling Guide is one of the most requested guides that PCTSM produces, as Polk County is a favorite among visitors to Florida who cycle.

I'll be sending in a few, how about you?

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Past former Winter Haven spring trainers, the Boston Red Sox, are playing the current "former" Winter Haven spring trainers, the Cleveland Indians in the ALCS game 4 tonight. With the Sox down 2-1 in the series, can they turn it around tonight? Are there any Winter Haven Sox fans left or have they all been converted to the dark side?

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The South Florida Bulls were bumped up another spot this week with the losses of Wisconsin and USC! What a year of "firsts" for the Bulls! Congratulations guys! This alma mater is very proud! The Bulls tackle UCF Knights in Tampa this Saturday (Oct 13) in what appears to be another sell-out crowd. Anyone have tickets?

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Last week USF Football got its first ever AP ranking of 23. With this week's win over North Carolina, they have moved up to #18! This coming Friday, the 28th, will be against USF's highest ranked opponent yet, number 5 West Virginia, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. If you can find tickets, come out and support some Polk County stars like Benjamin Williams (RB) from Lake Wales and quarterback Matt Grothe from Lake Gibson!

www.gousfbulls.com

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Each week Sports Illustrated columnist Rick Reilly pens an interesting/witty article. This week's column features Lakeland's famous baseball impostor, Bill Henry (or maybe's he's not Lakeland's...if you catch my drift).

Reilly's column mentions Lakeland of course as well as the Ledger and Florida Southern College.

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Back in June I noted that Polk County School Board member Tim Harris had created a blog. Tim hasn't been blogging much (three total posts), but he does have a new one up. It's concerning Hooter's sponsorship of the Lakeland High School football program.

I certainly agree with his view that the brand image that Hooters has created and continues to market is not what a school district needs to allow to be promoted on its campuses nor at its events.

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers web site has a news story posted announcing a long-term partnership with Publix:

As the team’s newest Pewter Partner, Publix continues the Buccaneers’ tradition of partnering with category leaders. Publix plans strong branding and store-level activation as part of their alliance with the Buccaneers.

"We are proud to announce this partnership with Publix," said Buccaneers Executive Vice President Bryan Glazer. "The Buccaneers and Publix are the two powerhouse brands in West Central Florida and our new partnership is a natural fit. Publix is an outstanding company, and we look forward to working closely with them on new and exciting initiatives."

If you remember, Publix was a 'Pewter Partner' many years ago. That partnership culminated with the Bucs winning the Super Bowl in 2003. The next year Publix dropped their sponsorship...perhaps they saw the future of the franchise :-)

Anyway, they're back together again.

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WorldGolf.com recently reviewed Southern Dunes in Haines City, FL. Tim McDonald says:

An easy drive from Orlando, Southern Dunes Golf and Country Club in Haines City is like finding the Mona Lisa in a trailer park: It's a strikingly imaginative Steve Smyers-designed golf course that ranks among the best in Florida golf.

I'm not sure if the 'trailer park' thing was a joke or a serious quip.

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The Sun-Sentinel has an article about the connection between sea-planes and the Central Florida region. Winter Haven is mentioned in the article.

McManus says that seaplane pilots overall "have a tremendous safety record." More than 15,000 of them, including singer Jimmy Buffett, have earned their water wings at the world-renowned Jack Brown's Seaplane Base in Winter Haven, which draws clients from around the globe.

Here is Jack's web page.

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The Part 8 is a joke, but it seems that this story is an everlasting saga. NBC Channel 3 in Cleveland reports that Goodyear AZ has approved a user agreement with the Indians:

Under the agreement the Indians would pay a $100,000 a year lease for 20 years to use the stadium and practice fields for Spring Training. The agreement also includes two five-year renewal options.

The agreement also works out how profits will be divided between the Indians and the town of Goodyear.

Spring training games are expected to begin in Goodyear, Arizona in 2009. The Indians currently use facilities in Winter Haven, Florida.

Also today the Goodyear City Council made moves to secure the 75 acres and the $10 million dollars needed to build the stadium and related infrastructure.

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Motorcross star Bubba Stewart has his fair share of merchandise. Just a quick search turns up a number of items named after the Haines City native. Oakley features Bubba on their site along with his signature series goggles.

A few years ago Bubba was featured on a huge Oakley billboard in London. I once saw a photo of this, but I can't seem to find it now.

Bubba also has his own shoes. They're produced by FOX a well-known motorcross gear brand. They also make a nice set of 'Stewart' pajamas :-)

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Alan Snel recently visited Polk County for a cycling trip along State Road 17. His trip was for an article in the Sun-Sentinel.

This morning at 7 a.m., I met cyclist Andrew Young from Winter Haven in Dundee on State Road 17 -- a Florida scenic highway that runs along the state's famed "Ridge." The ridge is Florida's hilly backbone, running north-south from Haines City to Frostproof through Polk County. Lots of orange groves, trailer/RV parks, new residential subdivisions and small towns like Dundee, Lake Wales and Babson Park are along the route.

There are a number of photos from the ride in Alan's post.

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Reading that headline you might say, huh? Well here's the back-story. David Briscoe has lived in the Winter Haven area since 1987 and was a skier at Cypress Gardens. He now runs a wakeboard school that travels the country. Before moving here David lived in New Hampshire and is being inducted into a local sports hall of fame.

The Dover, NH paper ran a feature article on David and his upcoming induction.

David Briscoe would like to regard his induction into the Rochester Sports Hall of Fame as proof that even a self-described "dork" can come from nothing and be whatever he wants.

A 1985 Spaulding High School graduate, Briscoe lettered in ice hockey for the Red Raiders before taking up the sport of wakeboarding, which was just gaining prominence in the years following Briscoe's graduation.

"It's a huge honor," Briscoe said about his Hall of Fame induction. "Every time I go up there, it's sometimes tough because I'm not recognized for what I've done in the sport. I've traveled the world, so it's a nice honor to be recognized by your hometown."

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Spring training is gone, but there will be plenty of baseball in Winter Haven in early May as the Chain of Lakes Stadium hosts the Florida Community Colleges Athletic Association (FCCAA)/ National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region VIII Baseball Championships May 4-8th. The teams competing are:

Santa Fe Community College
Palm Beach Community College
Chipola College
Manatee Community College
St. Petersburg College
Central Florida Community College
Miami Dade College
Gulf Coast Community College

The game schedule is as follows:

Friday, May 4th: 10 AM, 1 PM, 4 PM, 7 PM
Saturday, May 5th: 10 AM, 1 PM, 4 PM, 7 PM
Sunday, May 6th: 4 PM, 7 PM
Monday, May 7th: 10 AM, 1 PM, 4 PM (IF), 7 PM (IF)
Tuesday, May 8th: Championship Game at 4 PM

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Brian Wilmer visits baseball stadiums across the U.S. and blogs about them. In his most recent update he reviews Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland. At his previous blog he has reviews of a number of stadiums. How did Joker Marchant do? Here are the grades. You can read his post for all the details.

Concessions: A-
Between-innings entertainment: F
Sight lines: B
Promotions: NA
Parking: A
Quality of baseball: C
Overall grade: B-

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Today was the last game of 2007 Spring Training for the Cleveland Indians in Winter Haven, FL. The Tribe played, and lost to, the Toronto Blue Jays by a score of 6-2. I attended the game and shot some photos, 103 to be exact. It was nice to see Polk County Commissioner Jean Reed and Winter Haven City Manager David Greene at the game.

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Jon Sladek is one of the many Cleveland Indians fans who travel to Winter Haven for Spring Training. However, like more and more people, Jon writes a blog: World's Most Tortured Fans. Jon recounts his recent trip to Winter Haven in a blog post from March 29, 2007.

It's always interesting to read an outsider's perspective about WH and Polk County. From Jon's post:

First off, as you enter the small town of Winter Haven, Fla., you see Cleveland Indians banners hanging from street light posts around town. Can't quite describe how odd a sight that is in some obscure Florida town some 1000 miles from downtown Cleveland.

We were ushered into the parking lot by about three of Winter Haven's finest in what looked more like a high school football game traffic than anything to do with professional baseball.

Jon likes Chain of Lakes Park:

Now here is the greatest thing I can say about Spring Training. Chain Of Lakes Park is a smaller, more intimate venue than what the Akron Aeros play in. It is the equivalent of watching a band like the Red Hot Chilli Peppers play in one of the the smaller bars in the Flats.

I expect to find more blog posts from Spring Training visitors, as I do I'll link them up.

Update: Speaking of other posts...here's one from an 'excited' fan:

When the time finally arrived, we walked across the parking lot to Chain of Lakes Park. I was shaking like a condemned man being led to the gallows. But unlike said doomed criminal, I was so excited I was afraid I might do a puppy pee in my britches, when he hears the master return home after a long day. We walked to our seats, V.I.P. seats, field level, right in front of third base. Joe, concerned for my well being kept asking me if I needed to breath into a paper bag. And ignoring his frequent admonishments to calm down and shut up, I continued acting as if I had eaten a pound of sugar and chased it with a gallon of Red Bull.

For many people, a trip to Winter Haven is much like a religious pilgrimage to their own Mecca.

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Roger DeWitt from Lakeland has created a photoset on Flickr of the Detroit Tigers spring training. As of this morning he has 90 photos. Check 'em out.

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The Ledger has launched some blogs. (The Ledger is a client of mine, but I was not involved with the development/launch of these blogs) With that out of the way let's take a look under the hood.

Chuck over at Lakeland Local has some initial impressions. I especially agree with #3 on his list. Nowhere on the blog posts does it list the name of the author. That's one of the biggest tenants of blogging, taking ownership of your own words. It's kinda surprising from a journalism standpoint. I think however it's more a result of the platform they're using (iUpload) and not an omission on the part of the blog authors.

I'm looking forward to Lenore's blog, specifically since she said they (meaning the journalists at the paper) would never blog. Of course at the time I think she had the definition and purpose of a blog somewhat mixed up. Her first post sums up what we can expect.

The big issue with any newspaper blog is will the journalists adopt the methodology or just the tool? We'll check back in a few months from now and see.

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Now that the University of Florida Gators have won the national championship in football and also hold the title for basketball there is only one question.....will non-Gators be able to live with their gloating-Gator friends?

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Over at Lakeland Local, Chuck speculates that the new name of the Lakeland Tigers baseball team will be the Flying Tigers. Good guess, Chuck. I did some digging around and found that the domain name LakelandFlyingTigers.com was registered by the Detroit Tigers on Nov 8th.

Registrant:
Detroit Tigers
2125 North Lake Ave.
Lakeland, Florida 33805
United States

Registered through: GoDaddy.com, Inc. (http://www.godaddy.com)
Domain Name: LAKELANDFLYINGTIGERS.COM
Created on: 08-Nov-06
Expires on: 08-Nov-11

As of now there is nothing but a 'parked' page at the new domain name: LakelandFlyingTigers.com. The team is scheduled to hold a press conference this morning to announce the new name.

Let's see if we're right.

Update: The only Google result for "Lakeland Flying Tigers" is on the MowtownSports.com message board on Oct 8th:

Received an insider hint today that the new Lakeland name will be the "Lakeland Flying Tigers". It has been mentioned before and I only have one source, so this is not confirmed. Would love to see some ideas for the logo even though I'm sure the Plan B Marketing already has them on order. Southpaws head is a little big for a flying helmet.

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Polk County motocross superstar James 'Bubba' Stewart won a pair of races over the weekend in Las Vegas and earned $100,000 (not bad for a weekend of work).

Kawasaki’s James Stewart, of Haines City, Fla., walked away with $100,000 by winning both Friday and Saturday nights’ events at the Rockstar Energy Drink U.S. Open inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

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Golf anyone? I have a few extra weekly passes to the FUNAI Classic PGA golf tournament at Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL. The event is October 19-22nd. The badges are also good for the practice rounds earlier in the week.

If you're interested, leave a comment or e-mail me.

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The Lakeland Dreadnaughts are ranked number two in the Sports Illustrated preseason listing of the Top 20 high school football teams. The top 20 list is part of the August 28th issue which will appear on newstands shortly. The list is also available at SI.com.

Similar to the USAToday rankings released earlier today, Hoover, AL is ranked #1. Lakeland and Glades Central, both ranked by USAToday, are joined by another Florida team in the SI list. St. Augustine, FL is ranked #16 by SI..

The main focus of the high school football preview in SI is Hoover, AL, but Lakeland is mentioned again in the 10 Games to Watch sidebar. Lakeland's Sept 16th game against St. Xavier of Cincinnati, OH is one of ten that made the list.

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The Lakeland Senior High School football team was ranked #3 in the USAToday 2006 Super 25 Football Ranking. The first preseason rankings were published today as part of a USAToday focus on high school football. The only other Florida school in the top five was Glades Central, Belle Glades, FL.

1. Hoover, Ala. (14-1)
Returning starters: 17. Opens: Saturday vs. UMS-Wright (Mobile) in Montgomery.

2. Byrnes, Duncan, S.C. (15-0)
Returning starters: 12. Outlook: Offense that averaged 51.8 points guided by QB Willy Korn (4,164 yards, state-record 53 TDs), who throws to Randall Hawkins and Antonio Snoddy. LB Stanley Hunter is top defender. Beat Hartsville 55-20 in opener Aug. 18 for 26th win in row. Next: Saturday vs. No. 5 Glades Central (Belle Glade, Fla.) (ESPN, noon ET).

3. Lakeland, Fla. (15-0)
Returning starters: 11. Outlook: RBs Chris Rainey (1,571 rushing yards, 20 TDs) and Jamar Taylor (1,217 yards, 27 TDs) in powerful backfield for Super 25's final No. 1 in 2005. The 6-5, 300-pound Pouncey twins, G Markice and T Michael, are left side of OL. Pounceys and four others say they'll sign with Florida. Opens: Friday at Venice.

4. Lufkin, Texas (14-1)
Returning starters: 15. Outlook: Returns nine offensive starters, including QB Jeremy Clayborn (2,448 passing yards, 24 TDs) and WR Dez Bryant (16 TDs). Jaime Fernandez 16-for-21 on FGs in '05. LB A.J. Penson (98 tackles, five sacks) tops defense. Opens: Sept. 1 at Evangel Christian (Shreveport, La.).

5. Glades Central, Belle Glade, Fla. (12-1)
Returning starters: 17. Oulook: No-huddle offense set in motion by QB Bryan Mann (28 TDs) and quartet of receivers, Taurus McKinley, Deonte Thompson, Travis Benjamin and junior Eddie Poole. Offensive line, which averages 320 pounds, includes Maurice Bynes (6-4, 335) and Ernest McCoy (6-5, 330). Johnnie Lee Dixon and Damien Berry anchor secondary. Opens: Saturday at No. 2 Byrnes (Duncan, S.C.).

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John Harris, a columnist for the Toledo Blade has an article published Sunday that speculates on the future of the Cleveland Indians in Winter Haven.

Forever and a day, the idea of the Cleveland Indians leaving their longtime spring training home in Winter Haven, Fla., was barely a blip on the radar.

The Indians would never leave Winter Haven. Winter Haven would never desert the Indians.

But as the Indians look for ways to improve on and off the field, the franchise has had some loose ends develop recently, which might or might not mean anything....

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Over at I4Jamming Robert discusses the the most recent salvo in the ongoing soap opera that is the Cleveland Indians spring training in Winter Haven.

City Manager David Greene told the Lakeland Ledger, in effect, that the city's attitude is for the Indians not to let the door hit 'em on the backside on the way out of town.

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Polk County Sports Marketing has announced the winners of the 2006 Polk County All Sports Awards.

• 2006 Professional Athlete of the Year is James "Bubba" Stewart
• 2006 Male Amateur Athlete of the Year is Chris Rainey
• 2006 Female Amateur Athlete of the Year is Monica Arguello
• 2006 Male Collegiate Athlete of the Year is Nick Diyorio
• 2006 Female Collegiate Athlete of the Year is Megan Brown
• 2006 Dick Goleno Award for Excellence in Journalism goes to Roy Cummings
• 2006 Bernie Little Sports Executive Award goes to Don Bridges
• 2006 Charles Richardson Commissioner's Award for Perseverance in Sports goes to Robin Wagman

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The final Polk County memory I'll share actually did not happen in Polk County. It happened in Orlando. On a soccer field. At Bishop Moore High School, my alma mater.

One of the most memorable soccer games I ever played in was against Lakeland High School.

Continue reading "Memoirs of a non-Polk County Floridian - Part 3" »

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The official release was just posted to the Florida High School Athletic Association web site: FHSAA girls, boys basketball finals to remain in Lakeland.

"We had two outstanding proposals for the tournaments from which to choose," FHSAA Commissioner John A. Stewart said. "But Lakeland had an advantage in that they continued to offer their facility for both the girls and boys finals. We are pleased to renew our relationship for these events with them."

Said Mike LaPan, Director of The Lakeland Center: "The Lakeland Center has a long and successful history of hosting the girls and boys basketball finals. We look forward to the opportunity to build the event for the FHSAA and our community. Our interest is to grow the partnership well into the future and have Lakeland become the recognized destination for the student-athletes to strive for as they compete for a coveted state title."

Congrats to Mark Jackson and his team at Polk County Sports Marketing.

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According to an Orlando Sentinel article the competition for the 2007 and 2008 high school boys basketball championships is between Lakeland and Orlando. Lakeland has hosted the tournament for quite some time, but Orlando is looking to lure the Florida High School Athletic Association event away from Polk County.

Kyle McClanahan said it was a nice road trip with his Winter Park basketball team to the state tournament in Lakeland last month. But he likes the sound of playing at Orlando's 17,000-seat TD Waterhouse Centre a lot better.

Granted the idea of playing on such a big stage is great, but there are some drawbacks. One of which is attendance relative to the space. I'd love to believe that we're in Indiana and that a state high school tournament would fill a major arena but that's not the case in Florida. Each year the tournament draws appox. 2000 people per day session. Imagine 2000 people in the 17,000 seat T.D. Waterhouse Centre. Or you can look below:

Of course in the case of the tournament most people would fill the lower bowl but it's not a packed house. There is nothing more depressing than seeing a half empty stadium. We've all seen the early college bowl games where half the stadium is empty, I feel sorry for the kids playing. It also doesn't look good on TV.

Attendance v Capacity is a known issue for the girls tournament. From the Sentinel article:

Allen Johnson, director of the Orlando Centroplex, said the determination was made that TD Waterhouse Centre is too big a building to make sense for the girls tournament, which drew paid attendance of 9,424 over four days in February.

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Red Trail Racing of Lakeland will host an Urban Mountain Bike race in downtown Lakeland this Saturday April 8, 2006 from 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. The race will take place in the Iowa Avenue parking garage and along Lake Mirror. Iowa Avenue will be closed between Lakeland’s City Hall and Lakeland Electric. A portion of Lemon Street will be closed at Massachusetts.

Spectators are admitted free and can view the outlined course along Iowa Street and the Iowa Street Garage from designated positions. Ray Wells, promoter of the event said, “There is no other mountain bike event like this in the country that we are aware of. In fact, I am not aware of any other urban mountain bike race in the nation.”

StreetX will take place between the Urban Mountain Bike heat races. StreetX is a combination of dual slalom and motocross that takes place over a 200-yard course laden with obstacles.

Prizes for the Urban Mountain Bike Race include: Medals for the top three finishers of each round, prizes for top three series finishers and cash prizes for the top five expert division winners: 1st $150.00, 2nd $125.00, 3rd $100.00, 4th $75.00 and 5th $50.00.

For more information and to get a diagram of the course visit www.redtrailracing.com.

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Once again covering all bases with that headline :-)

Over at I4Jamming Robert has some thoughts on the on-again/off-again relationship between the Cleveland Indians and the City of Winter Haven. Some other items on the subject:

- Naples Daily News story on the Indians moving to Cape Coral
- Beacon Journal article on new homes for the Indians

There is an obvious economic impact from the team being here, but I think far too many residents don't know or care about that. Even with the economic benefit, it doesn't look good when the players complain about the area.

Of course we can get some information right from the source:

What is their situation in Winter Haven?
-- David B., Tucson via Cleveland

You know that old Crosby, Still and Nash song, "Love the One You're With"? It's kind of like that, David.

The Indians aren't thrilled to be at the Chain of Lakes complex, in its current state, and the city doesn't really want them taking up valuable property that is prime for development.

But for now, the two sides are stuck with each other, and it's conceivable they could be together for 17 more years.

Here's why. In 1994, the Indians signed a 10-year commitment to have Spring Training in Winter Haven that lasted through 2003. The contract included four, five-year extensions, and it's up to the Indians to exercise them.

The club is in the first of those five-year extensions now. If they use all of them, they could be in Winter Haven through 2023.

Your comrades in Arizona have tried to woo the Indians, but the state wants a pair of teams to share a complex, not just one. So the Indians would need a partner to move there.

Here in Florida, other cities, most notably Cape Coral and Apopka, have expressed interest in having the Indians, but money, of course, is an issue. In the wake of all the hurricanes to hit here, the state doesn't have the funding to build the Tribe a new ballpark for Grapefruit League games.

What might end up happening is a renovation to the current facilities in Winter Haven and a long-term stay. Because, hey, "If you can't be with the one you love," well, you know the rest.

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Over at Out of Bounds, Greg Eno has a post about some historical Detroit Tiger moments in Lakeland specifically related to baseball managers. Greg looks back to 1966, '73, '78, '80, '85, plus many more years with anecdotes related to the Detroit Tiger's manager. Here's an item from 1966:

Spring training in 1966 meant the harbinger of one of the worst seasons in Tigers history - and not because of anything that happened on the field. Manager Charlie Dressen was throwing one of his famous chili parties for his team. The manager would make a vat of chili and help the players enjoy it - a real bonding kind of thing. Only in '66, Chuck Dressen felt a twinge in his chest after the party and it turned out he had a heart attack. Eventually that summer, Dressen would take ill with cancer, too. His replacement, coach Bob Swift, also fell ill. And thus the Tigers became the first - and only - big league team to lose two managers in one season to illness. Sadly, both Dressen and Swift died within weeks of each other. Not a good year, 1966.

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Writing on his Indians.com diary Ryan Garko says this about the WH:

As for the rest of my day, there is really not too much else that goes on. Most of us stay at a hotel right by the Chain of Lakes complex, and there is not too much to do but play some video games, watch movies and go out to dinner. If you like Chili's, Applebee's and the Outback, then Winter Haven is the place to be. Other than that ... well, Opening Day is only 38 days away.

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Over at Indians.com reporter Anthony Castrovince checks in from Winter Haven with a few restaurant related tidbits:

Winter Haven often gets blasted as the purgatory of Spring Training sites. But hey, last I checked, it's a tad warmer than 16 degrees, and it still has the following local establishments worth checking out, should you make the trip down here to see the Tribe:

1. Andy's Igloo. Before I came down here, I heard from several sources that this little diner provides the best milkshakes on the planet. Dare I say, it lived up to the hype. So much so, in fact, that I might have to name my first-born child Andy -- boy or girl.

2. El Norteno. Mexican food at its finest. But if you're in the over-21 crowd and you get the same bartender my crew had, efforts to order certain beverages might go unfulfilled by the language barrier. I recommend sticking with the international language that is "Corona."

3. Pasquale's Pizza. OK, confession time. I've yet to have a chance to check this place out. But enough people have recommended it that I have no choice but to believe it's the real deal. I guess you could say it's the Andy Marte of pizza joints.

Pasquale's has become a favorite of this blogger :-)

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The Cleveland Indians will hold BBQ at Cypress Gardens on Friday, March 3 from 4:30-10:00 p.m. The GRAND SLAM BBQ will feature the entire Indians spring training roster who will be present to sign autographs and mingle with the fans.

Tickets for the event are $65 (or $30 for Cypress Garden's pass holders) and include admission to the park. You can purchase tickets at the Cypress Gardens Group Sales Office or call 863-324-2111 and select option 3.

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USAToday has published 30 Spring Training Tips, including these local mentions:

9. Snag 'em

One of the best places to snag a baseball is in Winter Haven, Fla., where the Indians train.

During batting practice on the first practice field, Indians regularly go deep to fans waiting on a slight hill.

This camp also offers a great opportunity for autograph-seekers. The first field the Indians reach after leaving the clubhouse is about 50 yards away. Other fields are 250 yards away, giving fans plenty of time to ask for autographs before and after practice.

14. Other roads to avoid ...

• Think U.S. 17 in Florida looks like a direct route from Fort Myers, Winter Haven and even Kissimmee and Orlando? Have all day? You'll be hard-pressed to find an out-of-the-ordinary place to stop for lunch.

• I-4 between Tampa and Orlando has improved immensely, especially the part between Tampa and Lakeland. But the interstate is still notorious for its slow drivers, and it often gets ugly about the time you reach the interchange with U.S. 27 about 25 miles south of Orlando.

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Former Lakeland resident Ryan Gilchrest, now a writer for the Macon Telegraph, is blogging from Daytona Beach during the lead-up to the Daytona 500. In a recent post Ryan discovered the free wifi service at Crispers:

In my continuing quest to find free wireless, I've traded in the dim interior and bad service of Denny's for the bright colors and tasty cuisine of Crispers.

I have a soft spot in my heart for Crispers. It started up in my hometown of Lakeland, Fla., when I was in junior high school. I remember when it was this little sandwich place next to the movie theater. Now they have something like 70 locations in Florida.

If you are ever in Florida, and you like a good soup, sandwich and salad place, I highly recommend Crispers.

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Spring Training officially starts when pitchers and catchers report later this week. For the Detroit Tigers, picthers/catchers report on Wednesday, Feb. 15th and position players report on Monday, Feb. 20th. The Cleveland Indians start on Thursday, Feb. 16th with pitchers/catchers reporting followed by position players reporting on Tuesday, Feb. 21st.

For Cleveland fans Indians Intelligence has on off-season review of the Indians.

Update: The Detroit Tigers Weblog is also looking forward to Spring Training

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I opened up today's Ledger and found a profile of my step-uncle Dewey Tomko. It's a great in-depth piece.

One thing I will always remember is seeing Dewey at my wedding. Dewey was in Vegas for a poker tournament that weekend but flew back on a red-eye came to my wedding then flew back out that night. He always puts family first.

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Spring training is right around the corner, and in preparation for the fans the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians have published some quick guides:

Fan Guide: Cleveland Indians

Fan Guide: Detroit Tigers

What do the teams think of our area?

What else is there to do in Lakeland?

There's more to do than there used to be, even compared with a few years ago. Lakeland and Polk County are part of what has been called the "I-4 Corridor," which has seen an upswing in population and development in recent years. Much of that has filled in the north and south ends of the city. About a mile west of the ballpark -- or one exit west on I-4 -- is U.S. 98, along which rest a slew of restaurants and chain stores north of the interstate. Just as many eateries, stores and hotels can be found on the south side of the city, about 20-30 minutes from the ballpark, depending on traffic. In between, and about a couple miles south of the ballpark, is downtown Lakeland, which has seen a renaissance of its own with smaller restaurants and hotels. It's a walkable area with free parking in the evening.

What else is there to do in Winter Haven?

Take the kids to Cypress Gardens, a boardwalk-style amusement park with four roller coasters and a giant Ferris wheel. Or take advantage of the boating, fishing and water skiing available on the chain of 16 freshwater lakes. Looking for a great milkshake? Hit up Andy's Igloo. Looking for a slice of pizza? Try Pasquale's Pizza. Both are close to the park. And if you're looking for a postgame brew, try Beef O'Brady's sports bar.

One interesting note is that the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin in Orlando is the official Spring Training resort of the Cleveland Indians. I guess that's a nice way of saying that Winter Haven doesn't have any MLB-caliber hotels.

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