Whenever I walk into Wal-Mart, I always try to check out the things that are sitting up front, see if I can get some special deals.

What I saw Wednesday night was certainly special, and maybe a little bit more. Matt Malott, you know you’ve come along way with your picture on a cake at the local wal-mart. Congrats buddy.

Dare I say — local celebrity? Of course.

There’s no doubt the Hays High Indian senior baseball player has earned the status, at least in the eyes of baseball fans from all three local facets, Hays High, Jr. Legion and Legion. Malott has come a long way through the system and has made the most of his hard work over the years with a great run so far in his senior campaign with Frank Leo’s Indians.

Batting in the leadoff spot for the 7-3 Indians (entering today’s doubleheader with Garden City), Malott is hitting .343 with a team-high 13 runs scored and four driven in. He is also a team-best 12-for-12 on stolen base attempts with a .465 on-base percentage.

When he’s not doing that, Malott is working on the mound as one of four starters for the club, earning a 1-0 mark so far with a 3.87 E.R.A. in five appearances and two starts. Keep working hard this season, Mr. Hays baseball. I have never watched a more deserving player of every accolade he can get. Keep up the good work.

For those of you that know me, you’ve probably already heard the shark story from Cocoa Beach, Spring Break 2001. For those of you that haven’t, here is a brief, and of course, edited roundup.

I am the kind of person that once I get something in my head, nothing will stop me from getting it done. So, here’s the jist behind my nickname.

While I was in college, an organization I was deeply involved in took a spring break trip to Cocoa Beach, Florida. While there, we took in many sights and visited with several area businesses, but night time was all about fun.

After a night out on the beach, our trek back to the Wakulla Motel brought my friends and I across the foulest smelling fish ever, as though it had been rotting in the sun the entire day.

All it took was one mention of the fact that this 6-foot, 100-pound dead fish would make a great gag to wake up to on your doorstep, and I was all about getting it back to the hotel.

So, with little help (about 50 feet) from a good friend, we got started. It wasn’t long before I hoisted the giant fish on my shoulder and started my journey. With fish juice dripping down my backside and a huge weight on my shoulders, I nearly made it all the way back, dropping it about three blocks short after over 3 long miles.

Four showers later, a thrown away pair of shoes, the stinch still stuck with me, and even looking at the pictures remind me of the smell. The look on their faces along with the gags upon my arrival, and a new nickname, are memoires that will certainly last a lifetime.

So, as a preview for this new feature on hdnews.net, remember that I am a person that believes in going all out. More often than not, there is not much that I won’t say, and obviously, few things I won’t do.

Thanks for reading.

Welcome to my blog. I am your host, Nick McQueen (a.k.a Sharky). Check back for what will hopefully be daily updates as well as a story explaining how I became known to many as Sharky. This blog will not only explore the experiences I have covering prep and collegiate athletics in the Hays area, but I will often share my views on just about anything else that comes to mind.

Be sure to check this blog as often as possible, along with my fellow sportswriter and good friend’s blog “Conor’s Corner.”