Coach: The Sweet 16 of early spring things to do

College basketball's March Madness has entered week two, and we are now down now to what is famously called the Sweet 16.

In keeping with this Sweet 16 theme and the corresponding basketball bracketology, today's column will feature a 16-team battle for - are you ready for this? - the best in leisure, recreation and sport in the early spring for Glenview and Northbrook residents.

Brace yourself now, as we present our top 16 mid-March things to do in Glenview and Northbrook, and then play them off in bracket-style competition to find our eventual champion.

No doubt there will be some surprises, a few shocking upsets along the way and, of course, some expected favorites advancing, but that is all part of this whimsical journey on the road to this slightly bizarre Final 4.

Round 1

• Pinstripes for bowling and bocce ball vs. watching boys or girls lacrosse action on Loyola's elevated sports fields: Tough one right off the bat. But have you been to Loyola's upper sports complex on a cold and windy March early spring day? When the wind blows up there, it can cut through you like a knife through butter. Brutally chilling at best. Sorry, lacrosse; I will see you in April. Northbrook's Pinstripes advances!

• Northbrook's Hi-Five Sports Club spring basketball programs vs. a visit to Dick Sporting Goods: I love the gang over at Hi-Five and their plentiful array of sports for young kids, but have to give the edge here to an early "stock up on spring sporting goods" visit at our favorite (is it the only one left?) sporting goods store, Dick's in the Glen.

(Editor's note: I could only think of two - Glenview and Schaumburg - and was also curious, so I texted my cousin, who manages a Dick's Sporting Goods in Texas: First, she thought it was weird I had a "quick, work-related question." With her typically very funny, dark, deadpan sense of humor, she asked "What, did somebody from here rob a bank up there?" But then told me there are "30-ish" Dick's Sporting Goods in Illinois, and that she was currently folding T-shirts. She's also happy to see Dick's moving on in the bracket. - Mel)

• Barnaby's in Northbrook for pizza vs. outdoor run or walk in the park: Another tough one. Yes, it is great to finally be able to get outside for our running and/or walking exercise, BUT. The most underrated and long-standing pizza place on the North Shore is our very own Barnaby's. No better place to celebrate the first days of spring. In our first big upset, Barnaby's and that delicious thin crust pizza shocks outdoor running and advances to round two!

• The Velodrome in Northbrook vs shoveling snow: Wait? What is shoveling snow doing in the early spring Sweet 16? Answer: C'mon gang, haven't we been here before? Those of us who think now that March has arrived and we have finally "made it through winter!" ... don't we always come away disappointed? Most definitely do not put the winter shovel away just yet! In our most shocking upset to date ... shoveling snow overcomes the always popular Northbrook bicycle racing venue for mid-March things to do.

• Park Center Fitness Center vs. the start of high school baseball: Love the beginning of high school baseball, one of the true first signs of spring, but still can't get visions of parents freezing sitting on the cold aluminum bleachers, batters shivering as they await pitches, and outfielders jumping up and down just trying to stay warm while the cold wind blows. The fitness center, and our commitment to personal fitness, takes this one, easily.

• Visit to the Glenview Dairy Bar vs. high school boys volleyball: Talk about underrated sports! Boys volleyball is right there among the best. Fast, powerful, exciting and, best of all, indoors where it is nice and warm. But volleyball is fighting here against a beloved tradition. There is something sentimentally symbolic about the sign indicating the long-awaited opening of Glenview's iconic Dairy Bar. It kind of signals "a new beginning," and that we've made it through winter. In a really close one, Dairy Bar advances!

• Pickleball vs indoor golf at Heritage Park Golf Club: Another tight battle. The full-swing simulator at Heritage Park Golf in Northbrook is pretty darn cool, and for our many avid golfers awfully close to the real thing, but pickleball right now has so much momentum and popularity (and you can play indoors or outdoors, which is a big advantage this time of year) it is hard to stop. Give it to pickleball in a tight one.

• Glenview and Northbrook Park District yoga classes vs. The Dawg House in Glenview: Couple of Cinderellas here. First, when did the Dawg House open? How did I miss that? Located in the Glen and featuring all kinds of unique hot dogs, including the Noo Yawka, The Muddy Dawg, and - brace yourself here - the Oki Dawg (with chili, pastrami, ranch dressing, mozzarella cheese and grilled onions). How does yoga compete with that? Well, it says here they do and they can. As good as those wild dawgs sound, the 101 different types of yoga classes that are available advance, because we all needed a little mental and physical Kumbaya after a long winter, right?

Round 2

• Pinstripes vs Dick's Sporting Goods: Bowling, Bocce and the fine folks at Northbrook's Pinstripes takes another one! They make it to the Final 4 as the pocketbook needs a little break after that first spring visit to Dick's.

• Barnaby's for Pizza vs. Shoveling Snow: Shoveling snow continues its amazing spring tourney upset advancement. Who woulda thunk it? (me, for one, after many Aprils, let alone March days, clearing the late snow from the driveway). Moment of silence for, still, the most underrated pizza in town, but wow! Shoveling snow shocks the world (or maybe just the few people reading this) and makes it to the coveted Final 4.

• The Park Center Fitness Center vs The Dairy Bar: Two Glenview stalwarts do battle here. Give the edge to the Dairy Bar. I know, cold March days are hardly ideal for eating ice cream, but just driving by and seeing the Dairy Bar's "open for business" sign is symbolic. It warms the hearts of many a Glenview faithful, letting us know that the real spring is not far off.

• Pickleball vs Yoga: Really, it's no contest. In a runaway, the momentum and incredible recent popularity of pickleball wins an easy one. I know the stretch and meditate crowd will not be happy with me here, but the game with the funny name just has too much mojo to overcome.

Final 4

• Pinstripes vs shoveling snow: We love the bocce and the bowling, and the food and entertainment at Pinstripes is not bad either, but amazingly, and almost without precedent, shoveling snow wins this match up and has advanced to the finals of our early spring things to do contest. Absolutely shocking!

• The Dairy Bar vs Pickleball: Two titans collide. How do you pick a winner between these two? But we must. Give it to the "pickle people." That the game can be played both indoors and outdoors probably makes the difference in the end. What a dramatic and motivating run, though, by our beloved Dairy Bar!

The Championship

• Pickleball vs shoveling snow: An amazing final match up, but all good things must come to an end; such is the case for the snow and the shovel. The two of them shocked everybody by advancing to the finals, but alas, the final step was a bridge too far. Pickleball? Step to the podium and accept your trophy. You are the champion!

A special thank you to all our fine competitors, and also too anyone who dared make it this far in today's column. I do promise to get plenty of rest and be back with, at least, some level of normal programming next week.

• Jon Cohn of Glenview is a coach, retired PE teacher, sports official and prep sports fan. To contact him with comments or story ideas, email jcsportsandtees@aol.com.