I feel like a tackling dummy as I sit here writing this week's Out of Bounds with cold-flu-like symptoms. To make matters even more fun, the air-conditioning unit is running in the Annapolis "bureau" of the Blade-News. Granted, it is 70 degrees outside today. But let's face it: 70 degrees in October is different than 70 degrees in June.

Sitting at my desk on a warm Halloween afternoon and hoping that there is no swine anything in my body, it occurred to me that we have not even reached the true flu season yet. Once winter kicks in and the virus really starts going around - because as everyone tells us, "Oh, there must be something going around" - it will be time to take what seems like drastic measures to protect ourselves. Honestly, the measures taken to reduce our chances of contracting the swine flu virus - or any flu virus - is not that drastic.

If everyone washes their hands, uses paper towels to open public rest room doors and maybe uses a few "pumps" of antibacterial hand sanitizer each day, the majority of the people should be fine.

He's no doctor, he just plays one on television.

One of the fears of the swine flu is that it attacks the immune system, leaving the door open for other illnesses such as pneumonia and staph infection. Everyone should be taking vitamins regardless of the swine flu, but now is the time to begin if you have not already.

Stay hydrated! Our bodies need water to survive - luckily the earth is 75 percent water so, by all means, enjoy a cup every hour or two.

One of my biggest concerns is how the winter sports season is going to play out in regards to the swine flu. I really look at the BHS and BBGC wrestling programs because there is no other sport that puts an athlete so close to their opponent. A fear of mine is that mass hysteria will set in and nobody will play any winter sports this year - let's not get drastic.

As long as parents and coaches keep the best interest of the athletes in mind, everything should be fine. Maybe have hand saitizer with the coaches of all winter sports and have it there for the athletes to use in between periods, quarters and halves.

Note: Last week San Antonio Spurs player Manu Ginobli took one good swipe at a bat that was flying around AT&T Center and he nailed it dead to the ground. Immediately after Ginobli handed the lifeless creature to an event staff worker, a coach gave Ginobli a few squirts of hand sanitizer. But, Ginobli published on his Facebook page that he, in fact, had to get rabies shots. But at least the hand sanitizer was right there on the Spurs' bench.

Of course, there are flu shots available these days - talk to your primary care physician and ask him if getting a flu shot is right for you. Receiving vaccines these days is an important matter to consider, regardless of the decision.

For information, visit the Web site for the Center for Disease Control at www.cdc.gov.

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With all that said about the swine flu, I cannot wait for the winter sports season to begin. I know that Pete Ward will have his Bowie High wrestlers primed and ready to defend their share of the 2008 county title, shared with Eleanor Roosevelt and Parkdale high schools.

There are a few wrestlers I am hoping take a substantial leap forward and bring home state tournament berths to Bowie. KeyShaun Ward, Caleb Jackson and Joshua Sanders are such good athletes and if everything goes right for them in 2009-'10, there is no reason that each of those three guys should not be competing at University of Maryland, College Park in March.

Look out for little brother, KeyShaun. Pete "Don't call me Pee Wee" Ward looks to build on his success from last season. Though both Ward wrestlers have been schooled by their dad/coach Pete, they will be up against a lot of good wrestlers from throughout the county and beyond this season.

There are two wrestlers in particular who I would love to see take the county by storm and, despite what any wrestling purist or prognosticator would tell you, these guys have the heart to make a run at a state tournament appearance. Michael Sanjines and Thomas Santone each proved in 2008-'09 that their hearts can be bigger than any 300-pounder. Santone wrestled at 130 pounds last year and Sanjines tipped the scale at 103 pounds.

Bowie High will miss Robert Broadus and Jordan Cherry, both graduated and moved on to college. But there are some young athletes on this team - Dara Martin, Evelyn Santone, Aric Harris and Donnie Edwards to name just a few of the Bulldogs who, in my opinion, will contribute to the team's outright win of the 2009-'10 county title.

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As the winter season rears its head, here is to good health for all student-athletes, especially those from our little nook of the state: Bowie, Mitchellville and Glenn Dale. There are tremendous coaches in the Bowie area: Charles Cherry (BBGC wrestling), Michael Hines (BHS girls basketball) and the newly hired Darrell Brooks (BSU men's basketball).

Considering that Bowie sports seem to be in rather good standing, I think I'll sit back and enjoy being sick as much as possible.

Cheers! (Where is my blankey?)