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Show THE OGDEN VALLEY NEWS Page 12 Volume VI, Issue II May 1, 2002 One Voice on the Family — For the love of a child By Janet Hoffmann My fifth child is getting ready to leave home for the second time. You know how they are—they come and go. What a bittersweet experience. This time it is a more bitter experience because she is going so far away, but it is also a sweeter experience because she is off to serve others. As I prepare for her departure, I realize that when a child of mine leaves home, I always reflect back on raising them, and how fun it was. I don’t remember the bad times . . . only the wonderful times. What a blessing those memories are to me. I remember hugs and kisses and holding them on my lap. I remember their smiles. Their laughter still sounds in my memory. What great days they were, and what great days they still are. One of my sons, and his wife I should add, are expecting their first child. It doesn’t matter how many grandchildren I have, each is so special. Just as each of your own children are. My seventh grandchild thinks she is less loved because we don’t have as many pictures of her as we do the oth- ers, but parents know how that goes. The first or the last is the one that gets the most or least of something. Don’t even try to be equal because it just doesn’t work. Just love them all! Remember they won’t be there long. Even though it is wonderful to see your children grow, it is sad at the same time to see them not need us—as if they ever did. I have one son who tells me he raised himself. I decided that children really do raise themselves, but we can still be an influence. That is really all we really want to be. And don’t worry that you’ve been a bad example. We can’t do anything about the past, but we can be a better example for the future. Besides, sometimes our bad example helps them want to be different. Adversely, sometimes our good example wants to make them be different. Just try to be the best person you can—starting over each new day, and loving them as much as you can. Now that’s the easy part for me. What a blessing our children are. Give all those cute kids a hug. Come V i sii t U s Valley Junction Inn NBA Update By Jen Beasley Student Reporter If NBA Playoffs are a time for close games, tough rivalries, and unexpected outcomes, then this season is a prime example. The unexpected has already arisen in the first round seeding, as New Jersey and Boston both made the postseason after extended absences, while Sacramento snagged the West from the dominant Lakers. Perhaps even more surprising, though, are those not gracing the court. Heat coach Pat Riley will be absent for the first time since 1981. Perennial playoffs ball clubs New York and Phoenix, who both went to the finals in the nineties, find themselves with early vacations this year. The Bucks—my early-season pick to represent the East in the Championship— failed to even make the cut. And while none of us really expected the Wizards to see post-season play, it is a strange league indeed that has Mike sidelined in June. Rivalries abound this year. In the first round, third-seeded LA is to play sixth-seeded Portland—their third meeting in as many post-seasons. If history repeats itself, as I expect it to, the Lakers should have no trouble advancing to the next round. The Utah Jazz will renew a playoff rivalry with the Kings that was put on hold by last year’s early exit courtesy of Dallas. While Sacramento has never won a playoff series against the Jazz, Arco Arena is by far the toughest in the league, and the Kings had no qualms about beating Utah in either building during the regular season. This series promises not to be as close as those from the past, and the Jazz will be lucky not to get swept. Third-seeded Boston and sixth-seeded Philadelphia will continue their ancient rivalry in what will probably be an uneventful series win for Boston. With Allen Iverson in the equation, this matchup might be interesting, but as long as he’s hurt, there is no Answer for Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker. The fourth-seeded Hornets find themselves in an interesting situation. After fighting back from a slim-to-none chance of even making the playoffs in February, Charlotte gained the home-court advantage in the first round. The irony: Hornet owners have jaded fans with their intentions to move the team, so it is likely that Charlotte’s home-court advantage over Orlando will be a near-empty arena. My pick for the most exciting first round series is the four-five Dallas/Minnesota match-up. Both teams are young, athletic, and deep, and whoever wins the series will be the wild card in the Finals race in the West. I give the edge to Dallas, but if Garnet controls the low post throughout the series, Minnesota will win. Detroit found themselves on the losing end of a seesaw battle with New Jersey for the best record in the East, but still managed to earn their highest playoff ranking since the Bad Boy Era. Playing the Vince Carter-less Raptors, the Pistons ought to be a shoo-in to the second round, but then again, Toronto has a better winning percentage without Carter than with him. The two-seven San Antonio/Seattle series will be a battle between the Spurs’ big men and the Sonics’ guards, and the opposite styles of play should mean very high scoring games. This is a match up that will be won with depth, and San Antonio all but has it sealed. In the West, it’s likely that the top four seeds will win all of their respective series, but the East is too close to call. Expect the zone defense and the new faces to add a different feel to the playoffs this year and, above all, expect the unexpected. Questions? Comments? Feel free to email me at FanJazzer@aol.com. 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