I have always had a special place in my heart for my university's sports teams. When I attended Towson University it just changed it's name to Towson State University (from Towson State College) and became a Division I school. I covered sports for the school newspaper after a year as a member of the track team. I became a writer after I changed my major to partying after my freshman year.
On March 8th, our president entered the locker room of our baseball team (flanked by multiple university police officers) and informed the team that the team would be eliminated at the end of season. The reason was due to (what else?) finances. The players responded by using duct tape to black out their team name.
From that moment in time, my Tigers went on to win the Colonial Athletic Association conference and will be one of the top 64 teams that will participate in the NCAA tournament that begins this weekend. It will be their first appearance in 22 years.
“I was thinking this morning about the feeling in my stomach the day they announced we’d been cut,” Tigers Coach Mike Gottlieb, a Towson alumnus now in his 26th season as the team’s head coach, said on Wednesday before practice. “It was like a death in the family. That’s the kind of feeling I had. And to be here today talking about our season — a season that’s still alive — there’s just so much happiness. I don’t have words to describe it.”
The story doesn't end there. Parents of the players banded together, got a lawyer and created a non-profit with the possibility of taking the school to court. I learned the type of clout that Towson had while I was at the school when, after mentioning to one of my instructors that I wanted some hands-on experience, made one phone call and the next thing I know I was writing copy for WBAL- Radio, the number one news station in the area. The copy that I wrote while there was read on the air. Wow.
Long story short, Governor Martin O'Malley funded the program for another two years. It's my hope that Towson rallies around this support and represents well in the tourney. Heck, I may even buy a hat.
Friday, May 31, 2013
Friday, May 24, 2013
Tribute
While you are watching sports such as the NBA playoffs, major league baseball or NASCAR, or actually playing sports, this is the time to remember why you can. We as a country will be paying tribute to the fallen servicemen who gave their lives so we can.
I try very hard not to take this holiday for granted. Not just because both of my brothers served, but also because I don't want to ever forget the special men and women who help to give me the ability to write this blog without having to keep my head down to avoid mortar fire. There are some places in this world where you can't do that.
Throughout history, many active players heard the call and put their careers on hold to serve their country. Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller volunteered two days after Pearl Harbor to serve. Warren Spahn won a Purple Heart and Bronze Star while serving in World War II. Jackie Robinson served as a Lieutenant during WWII, having trained with the first black tank battalion to serve in combat. Pat Tillman volunteered to become an Army Ranger and served in Afghanistan in response to the 9/11 attacks.
It is here that I must say that these are just major examples of athletes who have made this sacrifice. I take this angle only because this is a sports blog. I don't want to take for granted the other athletes (and non athletes as well) who also helped maintain our way of life. They are to be appreciated for their service as well.
So while you are watching (or playing sports) this weekend, take the time to acknowledge the heroic men and women who make it possible. I just did.
I try very hard not to take this holiday for granted. Not just because both of my brothers served, but also because I don't want to ever forget the special men and women who help to give me the ability to write this blog without having to keep my head down to avoid mortar fire. There are some places in this world where you can't do that.
Throughout history, many active players heard the call and put their careers on hold to serve their country. Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller volunteered two days after Pearl Harbor to serve. Warren Spahn won a Purple Heart and Bronze Star while serving in World War II. Jackie Robinson served as a Lieutenant during WWII, having trained with the first black tank battalion to serve in combat. Pat Tillman volunteered to become an Army Ranger and served in Afghanistan in response to the 9/11 attacks.
It is here that I must say that these are just major examples of athletes who have made this sacrifice. I take this angle only because this is a sports blog. I don't want to take for granted the other athletes (and non athletes as well) who also helped maintain our way of life. They are to be appreciated for their service as well.
So while you are watching (or playing sports) this weekend, take the time to acknowledge the heroic men and women who make it possible. I just did.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Shout - Out
I have this thing about wearing the jerseys of certain players. Generally, the jerseys that I wear on a regular basis are athletes that have retired. It's a respect thing. My limited collection includes Hakeem "The Dream", Dr. J (which I really love because cause it's his Nets jersey), MJ and Allen Iverson.
Probably will get my Ray Lewis jersey later this year. Don't tell my Skins fan friends.
The only player's jersey that I rock who is still playing is my boy D Wade. I told my significant other that I really liked him because I peeped him out from his days at Marquette and have followed his career ever since. She surprised me by buying me his jersey while she was vacationing in Miami, not knowing about my code thing. So I gotta rock it, you know. It's a respect thing.
There might be another jersey that I might be wearing of a current player in the near future. The past week has been pretty tough in the state of Oklahoma. The grade of the recent hurricanes that tore through there were upgraded to a five out of a possible five. That means the winds were more than 200 miles per hour.
It's times like these where what the former Skins coach Joe Gibbs used to say that the "character guys" step up. I'm not talking about the usual real heroes such as the firemen, policemen and just regular neighbors that step up. I'm talkin about guys like homeboy Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder making a play like a 4th quarter pick six interception.
KD made a million dollar donation to the Red Cross toward the healing process for the state. No press conference. No fanfare. He just said here. Now. That how he rolls.
“A national disaster is something that we can’t control at all,” Durant said. “And to have it hit so close to home — I call Oklahoma City my home now — it’s tough to go through. But we’re a city that comes together and we’ll bounce back from this. It’s tough. It’s tough right now. But the sun’s gonna shine soon. So we’ve just got to stick together.”
To paraphrase Redd Foxx from the movie Harlem Nights, I like stuff like that.
Probably will get my Ray Lewis jersey later this year. Don't tell my Skins fan friends.
The only player's jersey that I rock who is still playing is my boy D Wade. I told my significant other that I really liked him because I peeped him out from his days at Marquette and have followed his career ever since. She surprised me by buying me his jersey while she was vacationing in Miami, not knowing about my code thing. So I gotta rock it, you know. It's a respect thing.
There might be another jersey that I might be wearing of a current player in the near future. The past week has been pretty tough in the state of Oklahoma. The grade of the recent hurricanes that tore through there were upgraded to a five out of a possible five. That means the winds were more than 200 miles per hour.
It's times like these where what the former Skins coach Joe Gibbs used to say that the "character guys" step up. I'm not talking about the usual real heroes such as the firemen, policemen and just regular neighbors that step up. I'm talkin about guys like homeboy Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder making a play like a 4th quarter pick six interception.
KD made a million dollar donation to the Red Cross toward the healing process for the state. No press conference. No fanfare. He just said here. Now. That how he rolls.
“A national disaster is something that we can’t control at all,” Durant said. “And to have it hit so close to home — I call Oklahoma City my home now — it’s tough to go through. But we’re a city that comes together and we’ll bounce back from this. It’s tough. It’s tough right now. But the sun’s gonna shine soon. So we’ve just got to stick together.”
To paraphrase Redd Foxx from the movie Harlem Nights, I like stuff like that.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Defense....Defense....
Most NBA playoff seasons, I always pick a favorite team as they traverse through the grind of the post season like Jay-Z. I would root for my home team the Wizards but, well, you know.
This year's squad is the Memphis Grizzlies. They currently have a 3-1 lead on the defending Western Conference champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
This year's team appeals to my old adage that defense wins championships. The Grizz have three (!) players that made this year's NBA All-Defensive Team. Guard Tony Allen was the top vote getter with 52 votes, his running mate Mike Conley made the second team and center Marc Gasol (yep, Laker Pao's brother) was selected Defensive Player of the Year, even though he only made second team. Now that's a go-figure. An even slicker move was Memphis shipping their top scorer and offensive threat Rudy Gay to Toronto in a three player deal in which they got quiet as kept d-guy of his own Tayshaun Prince and his championship experience. He's a four time All-Defensive player himself.
Even though they got rid of Gay (who I am a fan of, actually), the Grizzlies did not forsake offense totally. Marc is averaging a robust 19 points per game to go with his eight boards. He has a twin tower teammate of his own in eleven year vet Zach "Z-bo" Randolph, who is averaging 18.9 and 8.8 boards himself in this playoff season, including a 23 point and 12 rebound effort on Monday. I am also becoming a Mike Conley fan. While you may be initially familiar with the name from his father who was a two-time Olympic medal triple jumper, junior has made a name for himself. He was second to future teammate (and boy) Greg Oden in the Mr. Basketball voting for Indiana and almost won a NCAA title with Oden at the Ohio State University. He is currently averaging 18 points and seven assists a game this playoff season.
Even though most of you would not enjoy a possible Griz - Spurs West final, in my best Bart Scott, I can't wait.
This year's squad is the Memphis Grizzlies. They currently have a 3-1 lead on the defending Western Conference champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
This year's team appeals to my old adage that defense wins championships. The Grizz have three (!) players that made this year's NBA All-Defensive Team. Guard Tony Allen was the top vote getter with 52 votes, his running mate Mike Conley made the second team and center Marc Gasol (yep, Laker Pao's brother) was selected Defensive Player of the Year, even though he only made second team. Now that's a go-figure. An even slicker move was Memphis shipping their top scorer and offensive threat Rudy Gay to Toronto in a three player deal in which they got quiet as kept d-guy of his own Tayshaun Prince and his championship experience. He's a four time All-Defensive player himself.
Even though they got rid of Gay (who I am a fan of, actually), the Grizzlies did not forsake offense totally. Marc is averaging a robust 19 points per game to go with his eight boards. He has a twin tower teammate of his own in eleven year vet Zach "Z-bo" Randolph, who is averaging 18.9 and 8.8 boards himself in this playoff season, including a 23 point and 12 rebound effort on Monday. I am also becoming a Mike Conley fan. While you may be initially familiar with the name from his father who was a two-time Olympic medal triple jumper, junior has made a name for himself. He was second to future teammate (and boy) Greg Oden in the Mr. Basketball voting for Indiana and almost won a NCAA title with Oden at the Ohio State University. He is currently averaging 18 points and seven assists a game this playoff season.
Even though most of you would not enjoy a possible Griz - Spurs West final, in my best Bart Scott, I can't wait.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)