February frenzy?

Thanks to it being leap year, we get an extra day of February today.

Hooray. Don't you just want to give it a leap-year leap?

Makes you want to shovel some more snow, just for fun. Spring and warm weather can't get here soon enough, and they won't, because the calendar is holding us hostage in February one more day.

Why can't we have a June 31, or a July 32, every four years?

Tonight will have a March Madness feel to it with regional finals taking place in boys basketball and the Class 3A and 4A state semifinals going on in girls basketball downstate.

But it's February -- 29.

If I could grant an "extra" something, it wouldn't be one more day in February.

Keeping with the basketball theme, this winter I'd grant an extra point to Antioch's Andi Potkonjak against Cary-Grove, Warren's Sarah Boothe against Waukegan, Wauconda's Lauren Mead against Zion-Benton, Carmel's David Venegoni against Joliet Catholic, Grant's Mike Shields against Wauconda, Grayslake North's Clay Henricksen against Round Lake, and Round Lake's Vernon Randolph against Lakes.

Each player, except for Randolph, scored 29 points in those respective games. Randolph dropped 39 points on Lakes.

Maybe it's me, but 30 and 40 just sound better.

I'd grant an extra second on the game clock to every player who hit a shot just after the buzzer sounded.

I'd grant an extra minute before every game to every PA announcer, so he could check the pronunciation of those tough-to-pronounce names of certain players and coaches.

For the record, it's Antioch freshman guard Andi "Pot-cone-ee-ak" (Potkonjak), Grant senior guard Heather "Rich-ee" (Ruetsche) and Warren senior guard Kristin "Mez-ee-s-key" (Mierzejewski).

I think.

No wonder they call Mierzejewski "Juice."

I'd grant an extra hour of sleep to every player who's up past midnight doing homework after a tough game or practice.

I'd grant an extra season to Carmel forwards Becca Janssen and Jenna Korte, both of whom missed the entire season due to injury. Fortunately for them, they're both juniors.

I'd also grant an extra season to Grayslake North senior center Alex Lowry, who played only 7 games before ripping up her knee, ending a promising season.

I'd grant an extra win for Round Lake's girls, whose 24 victories tied the school record.

I'd grant an extra win for Stevenson's 19-win boys team, too, because, like 30 and 40, 20 sounds better. (No offense to Lake Zurich, which shocked the county Tuesday night by denying the Patriots their 20th win).

I'd grant Grant senior forward Jamie Swanson an extra jersey for each game, so she could change into it at halftime.

There might not be a player who works up more of a sweat during games. Swanson works hard, and her soaked jersey is proof.

I'd grant Libertyville senior guard Joey Aiello an extra vowel in his name, because seven isn't enough.

I'd grant Lakes' girls and Antioch's boys an extra win each, because 1 is the loneliest number.

I'd grant Grayslake Central girls coach Roger Lass an extra season, despite a 20-loss campaign, because there's not a program around that needs stability at the head-coaching position more. (Lass is the Rams' fourth head coach in the last four years).

Moreover, the Rams won four of their last six games and boast a talented returning group that could include Alison Metzger, Megan LeBaron, Laura Stark, Katelynn Putkonen, Alexandria Scarbro and Katheryn Dickson.

I'd grant an extra pitch to the voice of anyone who has the courage to grab a microphone and sing the national anthem before a crowd at a game.

Maybe the toughest song in the world to sing well. So many people crack, and their voice with it.

"And the rocket's red glare!"

Are you kidding me?

I'd grant an extra free throw to any player whose foul shot is interrupted by a single fan who screams or says something loud to distract the shooter.

Not because it's against the rules -- it's not -- but because it's obnoxious.

Let the real madness -- March Madness -- begin.

Oh, wait. It's still February.