This is something even James Franco could get excited about.

While the Academy Awards host seemed like he’d rather be at a Pirates-Diamondbacks game than hosting the Oscars Sunday night, I’m sure even he would get his blood pumping for some Butler County sports awards.

It’s that time of the year, you know. Everyone likes awards. Everyone likes winning them even more.

Soon, the sports staff will sit down to pick the Butler Eagle Boys and Girls Basketball All-Stars.

These are my early picks for coaches and players of the year.

•

Boys coach of the year:My nominees are: Matt Clement, Butler; Karen Davis, Union; Art McCray, Summit Academy; Rob Carmody, Mars.And my winner is: Davis.She got her team to the state playoffs for the first time since 1994 after losing three starting guards, including the area’s leading scorer, Scott Booth, after last season.Plus, just watch her pace back and forth in front of the bench. Sometimes, she’s more entertaining than the game itself.•

Girls coach of the year:My nominees are: Josh Meeker, Union; T.L. Eller, Grove City; Tony Howard, MarsAnd my winner is: Meeker.Union was coming off a pair of “disappointing” seasons, which in Damsel Land is only 15 wins per year.No such disappointment this year.•

Boys player of the year:My nominees are: Allan Eaton, A-C Valley; Christian Locher, Mars; Brian Giesler, Slippery Rock; Bobby Swartwout, Butler.And my winner is: Locher.Very rarely does a player reinvent himself the way Locher has.He started his career as a 3-point shooter and finished it as a slasher.•

Girls player of the year:My nominees are: Caitlin Baxter, Butler; Morgan Siebka, Slippery Rock; Tina Lipps, Union.And my winner is: Lipps.Averaging a double-double, you can’t ignore what she means to the Damsels.And one bonus award:•

The least understanding of the space-time continuum:My nominees are: The Klingons; Marty McFly; the WPIAL.And my winner is: the WPIAL.A few years ago, the WPIAL tried to hold two soccer playoff games 90 minutes apart, not realizing that a soccer game lasts, well, 90 minutes.This winter, the WPIAL was at it again, trying to play two postseason basketball games 90 minutes apart.Very few of the second games started on time, prompting a crush of humanity as fans wanting to see the second game waited for the first game to end.Mike Kilroy is a staff writer for the Butler Eagle.