Seniors' parting comments

Sometimes you just can't help but notice comments on the flipside of senior pictures.
While looking over some wallet-sized photos my daughter accumulated prior to high school graduation recently, I thought it would be refreshing to share some of the notes traditionally exchanged before seniors part ways.
For comparison's sake, I wish I had some of my own, but, unfortunately, I didn't have any friends with whom to swap.
Here's a sampling from the class of 2004:
"You are such a good friend and I'm glad I got to know you in history this year."
"We had a good time in 'Lit' this year. You are such a great personality. Always follow your dreams."
"I'm so glad we're almost outta here. You've been a cool friend, so stay that way."
"I'll never forget the fun times we had in Spanish IV. Stay the same and don't change for anyone."
"I'm glad that you've been my friend through high school. You are probably one of the coolest girls I know and you're different from everyone else."
"I love you. I want to marry you. You are hot."
"We have been beside each other for the last four years in many of the same classes. I will even miss you hogging my locker mirror, but most of all, I will miss laughing with you."
"I hope you'll be safe next year with your bad self. I'll have to visit you at college and party."
"Hey girl, it's been fun knowing ya these past four years."
"You are a natural-born wild child. Keep rockin'."
"We had so much fun, especially in senior privilege and Espanol. Don't ever forget me because I will never forget you."
"It's always nice to meet someone as perverted as me. Good luck."
"You were my first friend here. We finally made it. We've been through so much together. You always stood by me when times were hard."
"All those awesome times together will never be forgotten. You're such a good friend and I hope that I will be able to say that for years to come."
Sniffle, sniffle.
Pixley
While in a local hospital emergency room recently, I ran into former Youngstown State defensive back Derek Pixley.
Pixley, paralyzed from an auto accident after his playing career that included the Penguins' first I-AA national championship season, was more cheerful than I am on any given day.
He reminisced how he, as a safety, defensive linemen Pat Danko and outside linebackers Chris Vecchione and Kevin Brown formed a diamond-shaped mouth of doom that swallowed up opponents' running backs.
Pixley, a former East High Golden Bear, now lives on the West Side. YSU still gives a Pixley Hit-of-the-Week honor to the player making the hardest tackle.
Local connection
On the same night Oscar de La Hoya was barely beating Germany's Felix Sturm in Las Vegas, Jeff Lacy of St. Petersburg, Fla. was fighting Vitali Tsypko in Joplin, Miss.
Lacy, trained by former Golden Gloves boxer Dan Birmingham of Austintown, remained at 16-0 after his June 5 bout. The scheduled 12-rounder with Lacy's WBC Continental Americas/North American and USBA super middleweight titles on the line ended with an accidental head butt in the second round. The no-decision also left Tsypko, who is from the Ukraine, at 15-0.
Birmingham also trains Winky Wright, the junior middleweight who remains the true 154-pound champion despite having the WBC part of it stripped.
New strategy
Recently, Montreal's Tomo Ohka became the first major league pitcher in more than five years to bat higher than ninth in the starting lineup. Despite moving up in the batting order, Ohka -- since injured -- went hitless in two at-bats. On the mound, however, he worked 62/3 strong innings to lead the Expos' 6-2 win over Cincinnati. At the time, with his team having lost eight of nine, Expos manager Frank Robinson said he batted Ohka eighth in the lineup "to try something different."
XJohn Bassetti is a sportswriter for The Vindicator. Write to him at bassetti@vindy.com.