The Drive:
      The Steelers win in Super Bowl 43 brings my memory right back to Detroit and Super Bowl 40. I was working for the ABC in Harrisburg and the Steelers were my beat. We spent a week in lovely, uh- scenic Detroit in the dead of winter. The hotels were fine, and Ford Field is the Camden Yards of NFL stadiums. Awesome indoor facility. Superb. But doing live shots outside of the Stadium in cold and snow was not my idea of Super Bowl week. I was looking for the sled dogs and wondering where the next Ididarod checkpoint was. What also sticks out in my head was the security. It was the most intricate and extensive I’ve had to deal with. The Steelers win that day made my job pretty easy, but the week leading up to it—far from it. They shouldn’t allow those games in non-warm weather cities. It’s just too hard to get around under time constraints when the weather is awful.

  The Fairway:
      Michael Phelps clearly was thinking he’s just your average 23 year old. Apparently he didn’t get the memo. Sports heroes are expected to walk on water, and the only thing better than when they do—is when the DON’T.  Strange society we live in, we love to watch the famous and powerful unravel. I, for one, really could care less what Mike does outside of the pool. But if he breaks the law, then he should be charged. If he’s not a choir boy..then sponsors will react accordingly. Fair enough, His choice.  But it is unfair to expect the guy to be anything other than himself. He will eventually gravitate towards the guy he feels most comfortable being. Maybe he’s not cut out to be a role model. That’s OK too.

The Green:
      If I hear one more baseball/steroids/who did it and who lied about it/story…I think I’m gonna throw myself through a plate glass window. I really can’t focus anymore.
A-Fraud is..who we thought he was. (Stealing from Dennis Green’s rant here).  But I’m beginning to think they need to roll back the record books to everything about 1985 or so. Do any of these numbers even matter? It’s like playstation stuff. How many of these records are bogus? Does 61 still stand? What about 755? I’m beginning to really think they do. It’s the right thing to do.

The Jar:
    March Madness is nearly upon us. Connecticut looks scary. I wouldn’t want to play ANYBODY in the ACC that gets in. They will all be ready. And hats off to the Staunton River girls…for running the table in the always tough Seminole District. Quite an accomplishment.  The Floyd County girls are awesome…and I really like both Cave Spring and Pulaski County. The VHSL should be a blast. I’m trying not to slight anybody, but Franklin County’s girls, Radford boys, the Fleming Boys…all have been solid throughout the year. This should be a great run to Richmond. Can’t wait. Finally, I’ve been hearing from a lot of old friends this winter….so I leave you with…“the poets down here don’t write nothin’ at all..they just stand back..and let it all be.”