This, that and another thing or two.

The Harlem Globetrotters bring to mind happier times. Times when ABC’s “Wide World of Sports” was still shown in black and white. When Jim McKay was young. When we were young enough to be full of optimism.

The Globetrotters were an event. Just like the “Wide World of Sports” telecasts of barrel jumping and auto racing at Monza, the Globetrotters were a staple of the program.

There also was a movie that came out in 1954 titled “Go, Man, Go!” about the team that showed the serious side of the business. The Globetrotters were involved in some serious games from time to time.

In 1948 and 1949, the team played the NBA champion Minneapolis Lakers and beat them both times. The NBA, of course, discontinued the series.

While I don’t go back quite far enough to have seen them play the Lakers, I do remember the Globetrotters playing in places such as Russia and China – forbidden places to most Americans.

I can remember the Globetrotters playing on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier.

I remember Goose Tatum, Marques Haynes, Curly Neal and Meadowlark Lemon. I remember them making me smile. The players’ names have changed, but they are still making people smile.

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How strange was it to see the Maine hockey team wearing home whites and being booed?

It’s not sour grapes, Maine played well and lost. But there’s nothing a member of the NCAA hockey committee could say to convince me that Maine should have had to travel to Ann Arbor, Mich., for a first-round game in the NCAA Tourney.

Nothing.

I don’t care what possible scenarios they were concerned about, this was a situation that never should have occurred.

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Tucked away, probably to a small TV audience last Saturday afternoon, was the U.S. men’s soccer team in action against Venezuela. For the record, the U.S. completely outclassed their opponent in winning 2-0.

While casual soccer fans have turned their attention away from the game since the end of last year’s World Cup, followers of U.S. soccer must be excited.

The team is stronger than it was last summer, and coach Bruce Arena can draw from a pool of talent that is continually growing.

Graybeards, at least in soccer terms, such as Earnie Stewart, Frankie Hejduk, Eddie Pope and Cobi Jones are being called up to groom younger players such as Carlos Bocanegra and Bobby Convey, who are already influencing the squad.

The world, yes, read world, is talking about 13-year-old American Freddy Adu. And the speculation is that Adu will be on the 2006 U.S. World Cup team at the age of 17.

For long-suffering U.S. soccer fans, laissez les bon temps rouler.

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With the Celtics appearing vulnerable and the Bruins appearing, well, to be the Bruins, it sure did a body good to see baseball get started for Red Sox Nation on Monday.

No matter whether we actually believe this is really the year or not, we will hang on every pitch, complain about every move or non-move management makes or doesn’t make.

Hope springs eternal. If nothing else, it is also a step closer to the golf season.

Don Perryman can be reached at 990-8045, 1-800-310-8600 or dperryman@bangordailynews.net.