More Columns From This Author

The good, the bad and the ugly
December 14, 2011

After the Hokies dominated the hopeful ‘Hoos in Charlottesville over Thanksgiving weekend, only to be totally thrashed a week later by Clemson in the ACC championship game, neither camp was very happy until the BCS again proved that you really can win by losing.

Et tu, Joe
November 30, 2011

After introducing myself to the community through this column, I soon wrote opposing pieces on the tremendous life benefits taught through sport and then on the evil of sport perpetrated by the unbelievable power and money that are a part of today’s athletic scene.

Already a yearning for Spring
November 16, 2011

“You better get out here this weekend. In a couple of weeks you’ll wish you had baseball.” The offhand comment of Nats’ color commentator, F.P. Santangelo provided the very small nudge needed for the Halls to make one more trek up 95 to celebrate baseball in our nation’s capital.

No room for the little guy
October 12, 2011

“It’s the End of the World as We Know it (And I Feel Fine),” R.E.M.

A blown save
September 7, 2011

This week we are in the midst of the Little League World Series, which joins the Olympic Games and the World Cup of Soccer as the only three sporting events truly global in nature. Last week, 43,000 fans flooded Lamade Stadium, as a local team from nearby Lock Haven took on the youngsters from Kentucky.

The Season’s Mid-Point
July 20, 2011

The All-Star break is upon us and hope springs eternal for a dozen or so major league teams. As always there are the usual suspects, along with a few surprises. One thing is certain: the cream always rises to the top over the course of a baseball season.

Is playing by the rules even possible?
June 22, 2011

“If the game of life ended tonight, would you be a winner?” Thus begins the text of Jim Tressel’s book, “The Winners Manual.” In Tressel’s case, the answer is no longer clear.

You Never Know
June 1, 2011

One of life’s great truisms can be found in the words of Forrest Gump: “Mama says life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.”

The best that's ever been
May 4, 2011

Sports fans love to debate the relative merits of contemporary players as well as players from different eras. The liveliest of these debates was the Snyder-Mantle-Mays discussions that dominated the streets of New York in the 1950’s and continues among baseball aficionados today.

Squirrels baseball better with age
April 14, 2011

“I guarantee you, for all the success and fun we have had, we will never be as bad as we were in 2010”, so spoke Richmond Squirrels Vice President and COO Todd “Parney” Parnell at the conclusion of the Squirrels inaugural season.