From the News and Sports Desk

What a season

2007-11-12T12:58:00.000-08:00

As I sit at home with a gallon of tea in front of me due to a serious case of laryngitis and a nasty cold, my first time calling out sick in over a year has given me time to reflect on what was one heck of a football season. If I have my count correct, I did something like 35 games in between Middlebury College, the Ice Storm, UVM and high school. There are days in which I would think, "Gee Fells, you are insane for keeping up this pace." The reality of it is that man alive, this thing some would call work sure beats working for a living.

Middlebury College wins its first ever NESCAC title with a 21-19 victory over Tufts down in Boston. The team this season was simply outstanding, and was a blast to watch. Freshman quarterback Donald McKillop played more like a senior, and the defensive unit was simply unreal this season. Credit Coach Ritter for opening up the playbook a little more and really making things exciting. The Middlebury parents as always were wonderful to me. They more or less ordered me to join them in the post-game tailgate parties, and their warmth, kindness and allowing me to get to know them and their kids meant the world to me. This is one of the many reasons covering the NESCAC and the Panthers is so much fun for me.

UVM saw their season end on Sunday with a 28-0 loss to the Ravens on a frigid day in Barre. Credit Ravens coach Mike Salmon's defense and Warren Bombardier for getting open for a couple of huge touchdowns. Don't credit the officiating crew who as always were simply awful. When Darren Haynes gets upset about a series of calls, you know the officials are bad. Darren is about as laid back as the day is long, and he actually had to be restrained by his coaching staff after another typically abysmal series of calls that went against the Cats. Also, when someone as equally laid back in Mike Salmon gets upset, you know there is something wrong. Darren, thanks for your kindness, insight, and humor this year. Let's do it again next season. To Mike and the Ravens, bring home the title next week!!!!

The Ice Storm this season gave us more thrills than can be described. Not only did they go 15-0, but Rob Joy showed us all what it means to have guts. For those who were not at the EFL title game, Rob took one of the most sickening shots to the knee I have ever seen. The entire crowd could hear him screaming, and no one expected he would come back into the game again, much less walk without a limp for the rest of his life. What did Rob do? He only caught the game winning TD pass with four seconds to go in the game on one leg. Way to go Rob, and congrats to the Ice Storm.

High school action saw guys like Taylor Devarney run wild, South Burlington upset Middlebury to get to the state finals, and more thrills than I can even remember right now. Vermont does not get enough credit for their play on the gridiron. Man alive, in between South Burlington, Essex, Middlebury and all of the other teams I covered this season, people should take notice and do so now. We may be a small state, but we have athletes here that are as good as there are in the country. Coming from California and seeing some great football in my day, this is saying something.

To stray from football for a second, I would like to thank the Vermont Frost Heaves for inviting me to play in their fan fest. Being on the court again was a blast, and hitting a nice little 22 footer was even better. My final professional line: 1-2 from the field, 1-2 from three point land, no boards, no assists, no fouls, and 248 shirt pulls telling Lafftery to get my butt out of the game before I needed oxygen.

This may sound like a goodbye, but trust me, it isn't. This week we start our coverage of Saint Michael's college basketball, both men's and women's as well as hockey as well. Saint Mike's is a tremendous school with amazing people. I cannot wait to do the broadcasts of the games, as well as doing PA this coming weekend. High school hockey and basketball is coming too, and I still can't believe I get paid to do what I do for a living.

Now to take my second nap of the day............

I would be remiss if I did not send my best to my father-in-law Erik who is in the ICU at Dartmouth. Get well soon old man...........

Hamilton at Middlebury preview

2007-10-31T05:33:00.000-07:00

Hamilton at Middlebury—Youngman Field at Alumni Stadium

Needless to say, this is a must win for the Panthers, and the Continentals can play spoiler as Middlebury looks for its first NESCAC title since 2000. Currently the Panthers are tied for first at 5-1 with Tufts whom they play next week. Tufts is at Colby to take on the Mules, so if both teams win today, as many expect them to do, next week’s game will be for the NESCAC title.

Middlebury comes into this afternoon’s game with a record of 5-1 following last week’s 22-14 victory over Trinity. The game that was played in a driving rain was delayed twice due to lightning which had to throw the timing off for both teams. On his way to Rookie of the Week honors, Donald McKillop was 14-22 for 145 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. David Randolph had 32 carries for 70 yards and Timothy Dillon had a game high six receptions for 64 yards and a score.

The Panthers defense and special teams was very impressive against the Bantams. Middlebury’s defense was able to hold Trinity quarterback Eric McGrath to only 7-30 for 158 yards and an interception to go along with his 68 yard TD strike to Joe Clark. After the middle portion of the first quarter, McGrath was held to only 53 yards through the air. Middlebury was able to shutdown the Bantams running attack as they rushed for only 87 yards. The biggest play of the game for the Panthers came with 11:02 to go in the game when Jack Britton pooched a punt inside the Trinity one yard line. Two plays later Erik Woodring tackled McGrath in the end zone for a safety to give the Panthers a two point lead. Later, Timothy Dillon would snag a 25 yard TD strike from Donald McKillop and the Panthers kept their hopes for a NESCAC title alive. For Middlebury, Erik Woodring had 14 tackles, including three and a half for losses, Nathan Clancy had 11 tackles, and Brian Marcks earned NESCAC Defensive Player of the Week honors with five tackles, a forced fumble, broke up three passes and had an interception.

Hamilton comes into today with a record of 2-4 on the season following their 34-9 loss to Williams. In that game Williams quarterback Pat Lucey was 14-25 for 223 yards and a pair of touchdown passes, and Brian Morrissey carried the ball 31 times for 162 yards and three scores. The only touchdown of the game for Hamilton came with 7:30 remaining when Claudius Zorokong returned a kickoff 83 yards for a touchdown. Williams out gained the Continentals 425-265. Hamilton quarterback Dan Hood was 19-36 for 186 yards and threw an interception.

Hamilton has struggled this season as they have scored only 75 points in six games, but have played better of late. The Continentals opened up the season with losses to Tufts, Wesleyan and Trinity, but have rebounded to win two of their last three, including a 20-0 victory over Colby.

Hamilton is lead on offense by senior quarterback Dan Hood. Hood is a 5’11, 180 pound senior out of Simsbury, CT. For the season, Hood is 82-167 for 968 yards with four touchdowns and six interceptions. His two leading receivers are Joe Rinaldo and Maxwell Foster. Rinaldo is a 5’8, 195 pound senior from Canastota, NY. Rinaldo has 24 receptions for 235 yards and a score. Foster is a 6’1, 185 pound sophomore out of Sherborn, MA. Foster has 20 receptions for 397 yards this season. The team’s leading rusher is Mark Snickenberger, a 5’11, 195 pound freshman from Wellesley, MA. Snickenberger has 69 carries for 341 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

On defense, linebacker John Lawrence leads the team in tackles with 42, he has seven and a half tackles for a loss, has three interceptions and three and a half sacks. Lawrence is a 6’0, 215 pound sophomore out of Baldwinsville, NY. Also look out for safety Matt Pittarisi who leads the team in interceptions with four. There are two Vermonters in the Hamilton defensive starting lineup. Nick Rockwell will get the start at one of the linebacker positions, he is a 6’3, 238 pound senior from Shelburne. Rockwell is fifth on the team in tackles with 32, he also has three and a half tackles for a loss along with an interception and a sack. The other Vermonter getting a start today is defensive tackle Derek Donovan. Donovan is a 6’2, 260 pound junior from Stamford. Donovan has 19 tackles this season with two coming for losses.

By the numbers:

On offense, Middlebury comes into today’s game leading the conference in rushing at 171 yards a game, they are third in scoring with 24 points a contest, and are third in total offense at 348 yards an outing. On defense, the Panthers lead the conference allowing only 12 points a game, they are number two against the pass, are third in total defense, but only seventh against the run allowing 120 yards a game.

Hamilton is ninth in scoring offense with only 12 points a game, are fourth in passing, and are last in the conference in rushing as they gain only 86 yards an outing. On defense, the Continentals are ranked sixth in the conference allowing 21 points a game, and are ninth against the pass, but are stingy against the run as they allow only 83 yards a game.

Keys to the game:

On offense, this may be more of a passing game for the Panthers than what is the norm. Donald McKillop will have to play another strong game, and may see his arm tested more than in weeks past with Hamilton being ninth against the pass, so that will be a key. David Randolph and the running backs will have to be patient against a Hamilton run defense that is one of the best in the conference. The defense will just have to do what has become the norm over the years and that is play hard and aggressive against a team that does not put many points on the board.

Hamilton will have to do what many have not been able to do and that is play keep away from Erik Woodring, the NESCAC’s leading tackler with 13 a contest. But, with guys like Brian Marcks, Brian Young, Alex Buggy and a whole host of others, it is like picking your poison when it comes to the Panther defense. Hamilton may need to do the unexpected against the Panthers and try to trick the defense just a bit. On defense the Continentals will have to try and confuse Donald McKillop, the freshman out of Poway, California. McKillop tossed five interceptions against Williams with a variety of defensive sets by the Ephs. McKillop is poised, but is still a rookie, so he may see some sets he has never seen before.

My take on the ABA

2007-10-24T18:30:00.000-07:00

As I drove to and from Maine for the Middlebury/Bates football game on Saturday, my mind drifted as I dodged moose poop, various road kill, and tried to figure out where on the back roads of Maine, Cow Hampshire and Vermont I could get coffee and take a much needed pee break. When it drifted, the state of the ABA came to mind. Yes, I laughed quite a bit at some of the outrageous things I have seen and heard, but then I composed my three brain cells and came up with the following...........

I really think that the end of the league is near and that it will not survive the season. There is just too much going against it right now, mainly the Play On deal falling through. The league does not have any money right now, there is very little coming in, and the reputation of the league has scared away potential corporate sponsors.

The league needs money, but with the way Mr. Newman has run his league, he won't get any from anyone. Brad is in a terrible position where he has fantastic ideas but Mr. Newman refuses to listen to him because Joe thinks he is always right about how the league should be run. As we have seen, he is quite delusional in his thoughts.

As it stands now there are teams that have not been heard from, others jumping leagues or folding, and the crucial piece of this puzzle is that there isn't a cent of revenue coming in. Combine that with astronomical debt, I simply don't see how the league can survive.

For the teams that are run well, like those in the Northeast, I would get out before the ship sinks. Obviously there are teams who run themselves well, draw well, and have the overall concept as to how to run a team. Those teams should in my opinion leave the league and create their own. Have Alex Wolff be commissioner, involve the guys from Strong Island in the new league, as well as a select few who will set guidelines and follow them.

Minor league basketball has a place in sports, but just not the way it is being run now. Look at the CBA for example that has been around forever. They have solid teams, strong guidelines, conduct extensive due diligence on prospective teams, and as a result they have been a success. Their players are scouted, and signed by not only overseas teams, but NBA teams as well.

The only solution is for Joe to sell the league. Sources have told me there is an offer on the table but he has declined to sell. If Joe doesn't sell the league, it goes down the toilet. When the league goes down, he will probably be forced into bankruptcy. Obviously this is something Joe does not want to see happen to himself and his family.

Many may give James of the Bulldogs a hard time, but at least he is trying. Owners like Larry seem to have these grand plans for their teams, but they don't do a darn thing about it. Words are one thing, actions are another. This is a league that seems to be all talk, but the action does not exist. Give James credit, he at least tries to make his team solid and has done a good job with publicizing his new franchise.

Brad Hester is just too good for this league. I know some don't seem to care for the man, but he has solid ideas, strong desire, and a love for the game. A man who cares as much as he does and works as hard as he does deserves a better fate.

Hang it up Joe, and do it before you tarnish the reputation of all of minor league basketball and take some good people with you.

Trinity at Middlebury preview

2007-10-23T15:08:00.000-07:00

Trinity(4-1) at Middlebury(4-1)—Youngman Field at Alumni Stadium—Middlebury, VT

Middlebury is 4-1 on the season after their 13-0 victory over Bates on Saturday in Lewiston. Donald McKillop was 19-31 for 227 yards, he did not throw a touchdown but did throw an interception. David Randolph had 20 carries for 88 yards and a one yard touchdown run; Gary Cooper added the other score for the Panthers. James Millard caught five passes for 80 yards in place of the injured Derek Polsinello and Charlie Holm caught five passes for 59. Penalties killed the Panthers as they had a touchdown run by David Randolph called back on a holding call, and Charlie Holm negated a big run with a personal foul penalty.

The Middlebury defense was outstanding in holding Bates to only 189 yards of total offense. Bates quarterback Brandon Colon was only 7-26 for 82 yards and was picked off twice. The first of those interceptions was picked off by Brian Young who ran it back 48 yards to the Bobcat seven yard line. Two plays later David Randolph punched the ball in from a yard out. Bates was able to keep the ball away from Erik Woodring, the Panthers leading tackler as he had only five stops on the afternoon. Nathan Clancy lead the way with seven stops, Michael Quinn added six. Middlebury sacked Colon twice with the sacks coming from Paul Thibodeau and Eric Kamback.

The Panthers out gained the Bobcats 378-189 and held the ball for five minutes longer than the Bobcats. Middlebury’s defense was able to hold Bates to only 2-13 on their third down conversions.

Middlebury comes into today third in total offense, second in rushing yards and are fourth in the conference in scoring at 24 ppg. The defense is going to be the key to this afternoon’s contest as they are number one against the pass, are second in scoring defense allowing nine points a game, but are seventh against the run. Middlebury is plus four in the turnover department which will be a factor today. Individually for Middlebury, Andrew Matson leads the team in receptions, yards and touchdowns with 21 receptions for 302 yards and is second in the conference intouchdowns with five. David Randolph is the team’s leading rusher with 90 carries for 407 yards and four touchdowns. Erik Woodring leads the conference in tackles with 64, he is in the running for the NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Trinity shares Middlebury’s 4-1 record after their 54-13 victory over Bowdoin. Jordan Quinones carried the ball 15 times for 107 yards and two scores; Robert Jackson had 18 carries for 88 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Eric McGrath was 15-29 for 197 yards and a pair of touchdown passes to Justin Holliday. Holliday finished the afternoon with six receptions for 120 yards. The Bantams dominated on both sides of the ball as they outgained the Polar Bears 476-158 and held Bowdoin to only 74 yards on the ground. Trinity converted an incredible 15-19 on third downs and went 7-7 in the red zone.

Trinity is a team that is simply loaded on both sides of the football. Quarterback Eric McGrath is second in the NESCAC in passing with 1,259 yards and he leads the conference with 13 touchdowns. For the season McGrath is 93-185 and had thrown six interceptions to go along with his 13 touchdowns. Running back Jordan Quinones is fifth in the conference in rushing at 82 yards a contest. McGrath has some weapons to throw to in Joe Clark and Justin Holliday. Clark has 19 receptions for 339 yards and leads the NESCAC in touchdown receptions with seven. Also look out for Justin Holliday who has 17 catches for 250 yards. As a team, the Bantams lead the conference in scoring at 34 ppg, and are second in passing and in total offense. On defense, the Bantams are touch allowing 15 points a game, are third against the run and are second in total defense.

Keys to the game:

Middlebury HAS to control the football and play disciplined football. The Panthers have been plagued by penalties the last few weeks, and against a team like Trinity, that could hurt them. Donald McKillop has to take his time and be selective in his passing. Trinity is outstanding on the defensive end and will probably try to rattle the freshman QB. Trinity has 22 quarterback sacks on the year so the offensive line will have to be strong. On the defensive end they will have to try and contain Eric McGrath and all of his weapons as they can be deadly.

Trinity will have to play the style of play that has them scoring 34 points a game. McGrath is a good quarterback who has a balanced attack behind and in front of him. McGrath has an offensive line that has allowed only eight sacks this season. The defense will try to confuse Donald McKillop, and that is something that will be key as for the most part McKillop does not make many mistakes. The Bantams will also have to contain a very good Middlebury defense lead by Erik Woodring. The Panthers are very strong with a supporting cast of Alex Buggy, Chad Gurrerro, Brian Young and a strong host of others.

The Bantams lead the all-time series 23-8 and won last year’s meeting 40-9.

In other action, Amherst is at Tufts, Wesleyan is at Bowdoin, Hamilton is at Williams, and in a battle of winless teams, Bates is at Colby.

ESPN 1490 WFAD and on the web at www.wfad1490.com at 12:30 Eastern Time.

The wild weekend that was.......

2007-10-22T05:19:00.001-07:00

It was a good and hectic weekend for the sports clown with another three game in three day stretch. No, I am not complaining, as I still can't believe they pay me to watch and talk about football.

Friday night in the rain and wind, it was Essex taking on Burlington with Essex winning this one 20-0. Essex has a solid team with Peter Dietrich and Max Librizzi sharing quarterback duties, and with the Nicasio cousins playing very well on both sides of the ball, it was a fairly convincing win for the Hornets. Burlington is not a bad team by any stretch of the imagination, they have just been killed by injuries on their front line. The big blow for the Seahorses was when quarterback A.J. Dusablon was knocked out of the game in the second quarter. A.J. is one tough kid, and although I did not see the hit as I was following the ball, it had to be nasty for A.J. to go down and to miss the second half. Thankfully for both teams, they were playing on turf as the rain was torrential at times, but the press box wasn't spared. George Commo and I were drenched with the wind whipping the rain into the booth. We had to cover our equipment and our written notes were soaked.

Saturday was Middlebury at Bates with the Panthers moving to 4-1 with a 13-0 shutout of the Bobcats. As always, the Middlebury defense was outstanding, but the offense was sluggish. Middlebury should have been able to put at least 27 points on the board, but they committed dumb penalties at the wrong times. One of those penalties cost the Panthers a touchdown that was called back on a holding call.

Bates is a very nice campus up in Maine. The field was surrounded by a new building to the north end zone, and you could see a good part of the campus from the field. We almost didn't get on the air on time though as we were having issues with the phone line. Andy Walter, the Bates SID, did a great job getting things back up and running so we could go on the air on time.

The drive up was nice, but I learned not to trust Mapquest directions. Mapquest had me going over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house and I got so lost. Finally, after driving around in circles, I found a mail carrier who got me to where I needed to go, although it was a bit late. Not his fault, I blame Mapquest. Needless to say, I asked one of the locals how to get home and it was a nice straight shot. Route four to 108, 108 to Route 2 and on home. Why couldn't it have been that easy on the way there? Oh yeah, I followed Mapquest so never mind.

Sunday, after getting home late and getting up late, I made the easy trip to Barre for the UVM/Ravens semi-pro game. UVM dropped a tough 10-7 decision in a game that was pure defense. These guys were just beating the tar out of each other, and the offenses just could not get going at all. My intern at WSKI, Tanner Acebo, ended up doing PA and did an awesome job. This is one FANTASTIC kid who just wants his shot at doing sports, and is learning that the more you do, and the more opportunities you take advantage of, the more exposure and experience you will get. Great job kid, keep it up.

Here are the totals for this weekend:

Miles driven: 631

Road kill: It was a light week, even on the backroads of Maine with only eight that I could see. But, I did see someone with a dead moose in the back of his pickup on Sunday, but that doesn't count as road kill.

Coffee consumed: Six cups while on the road.

Minutes spent lost in Maine: 45

How bad will I embarass myself?

2007-10-17T04:45:00.000-07:00

This is the proverbial question of the day is how will I possibly embarrass myself? Now many say that I do that on a day by day basis when I open my mouth, but of course I disagree with that....Somewhat. But anyway, as I have been known to do, I digress. Alex Wolff of the Vermont Frost Heaves gave me a call last week wondering what my schedule was for the weekend of November 3rd and 4th. After going through the book, seeing the Middlebury football game and nothing on Sunday, relayed that in which Alex said, "How would you like to suit up for us?" I told him that well, I don't think I can play pro ball, my wife would kill me, in which he cut me off and said, "Well, we are doing a fan fest that Sunday in Burlington and are inviting members of the media to play in a scrimmage." Ahhhhhhhhhh, yes, now that I can do.

The Heaves, who are the class organization of the train wreck known as the American Basketball Association, are holding scrimmages, three point contests, and slam dunk competitions in preparation for the season. This is great PR, and a great way to get the fans involved in what has become one of the biggest draws in Vermont sports. The team is classy, its owner is classy, and the staff is one of the best in all of minor league sports. What they do is to have a member of the community, or in this case the media, be the "13th man" and actually play in an ABA game. This is one of the better league rules, and rewards those who are active in the community, or are former players/coaches and allows them to show off their skills.

Now what skills I have left are debatable at best. I played in high school, had a decent jump shot, could drive to the inside, and was a bit of a pain in the butt on defense. But, it has been quite some time since I have actually played in an organized game. I would love to be able to play more than once every five years, but this annoying thing known as my blown knee tends to get in the way of such endeavors. Sometimes breathing sets the thing off, and Lord knows the steep steps in some press boxes tend to make it scream things that are just not suitable for the FCC, or for that matter, my mother and nieces.

But, do you think I am going to miss this? Heck no. I actually went out the other day and started shooting some jumpers and did a little bit of light running. The knee screamed, but it was a good scream. The threes started coming back to me, and I actually hit four or five in a row. Not too bad for a radio guy who is just a wee bit out of shape.

Now, the big question will be, how bad will I do in the game? I know full well that Coach Voigt will laugh hysterically when he puts me in the game, and anyone who has seen my writing on the ABA will start drooling at the thought of a hard foul on me that may put me into Lake Champlain on the fly. (I have insurance, so it is all good.) Now, if Jeff Mongeon is one of the officials, he will probably call a foul on me for something like sweating on the ball, or some other foul that isn't even in the playground hoop rule book. Do I care? Heck no. This is the one chance to play in an actual game in front of actual fans. Media types don't get this kind of chance. We just babble on and on about the sports we cover and rarely have the time to actually play.

This will be FUN, and I can't wait to suit up. Sunday the fourth at Burlington's Memorial Auditorium for what will be a great chance to see the ABA champs in action.

Middlebury at Bates preview

2007-10-16T05:05:00.000-07:00

Middlebury (3-1) at Bates(0-4)—Garcelon Field—Lewiston, Maine

Middlebury 3-1 is on the season after a 30-22 loss to Williams. Freshman quarterback Donald McKillop had his roughest outing of the season going 26-45 for 223 yards and threw five interceptions to go along with his two TD passes. On the bright side for the Panthers, David Randolph carried the ball 14 times for 124 yards and Andrew Matson had 11 receptions for 123 yards and two TD catches. Matson now has five touchdowns on the season.

The Panthers defense showed they are human as they allowed 402 yards in total offense to the Ephs, but held the NESCAC’s leading passer Pat Lucey to only 171 total yards and he did not throw a touchdown. The Panthers allowed 402 yards in total offense with 231 of those coming on the ground. Brian Morrissey had 27 carries for 137 yards and three scores, while Kevin Flynn added 66 yards on ten carries. Erik Woodring had 19 tackles, a fumble recovery and a blocked PAT as he earned NESCAC Defensive Player of the Week honors. Alex Buggy was strong as well with an interception to go along with three tackles.

The Panthers have played very well on both sides of the ball and have opened up the offense a bit this season. Coach Bob Ritter has some experience in the backfield with David Randolph, and receivers like Matson, Derek Polsinello and Timothy Dillon that can stretch the field. The receiving corps also does a very good job of blocking down field. On defense, Erik Woodring is having a career season as coming into today’s game he leads the conference in tackles with 59, has seven tackles for a loss, a sack, a fumble recovery and a blocked PAT. The defensive backfield is strong as well with Nathan Clancy, Brian Marcks, Brian Young and a host of others.

By the numbers, Randolph leads the team in rushing with 329 yards and three touchdowns. He is followed by freshman Gary Cooper with 136 yards and a pair of scores. On the receiving end, Matson leads the team with 17 receptions for 263 yards and five touchdowns. Timothy Dillon has caught 12 balls for 150 yards to rank second. On defense, Erik Woodring leads the team in just about all defensive categories. On special teams, James Millard is dangerous averaging 28 yards a return; he had an 80 yard kickoff return for a touchdown on the opening play of the season against Wesleyan. Middlebury ranks third in scoring offense at 26 ppg, and are fourth in total offense with 367 ypg. On defense, the Panthers allow 14 ppg and are second in the conference against the pass.

Bates is 0-4 on the year and have struggled this season. The Bobcats are coming off a 41-21 loss to Wesleyan, a game where Essex Junction native Zack Librizzi went 13-22 for 173 yards and a pair of touchdown passes. Librizzi also carried the ball nine times for 121 yards and two scores, one of those scores was a 79 yard jaunt. For the Bobcats, quarterback Brandon Colon was 12-24 for 156 yards, did not throw a TD pass and had two balls picked off, one of them went back the other way 100 yards for a touchdown, that coming from John Freres. On the ground, Greg Thornton carried the ball 12 times for 51 yards while Judd Smith was 12 for 38 and two TD runs. Bates was able to convert 11 of 18 on third downs and helf a slight edge in time of possession.

By the numbers, Bates has been outscored 131-67 and are averaging 268 yards a game in total offense while allowing 410 a contest. Opponents average 219 yards a game on the ground with Bates averaging only 98. Quarterback Brandon Colon is 54-115 for 658 yards with four touchdowns and five interceptions. Greg Thornton leads the way in rushing with 41 carries for 159 yards and a score. On the receiving end it is Matt Gregg with 14 catches for 174 yards and a TD; Ross Van Horn has 14 for 164 and Tom Beaton has caught 12 passes for 191 and two TD’s.

On the defensive end, Kyle McCallister leads the team and the conference with four interceptions running one back for a score. Todd Wilcox leads the team in tackles with 40 and tackles for a loss with three and a half. Graham Raymond is second on the team in tackles with 34 and has three and a half tackles for a loss.

Keys to the game:

Middlebury has to shake off their loss to Williams and that means quarterback Donald McKillop basically forgetting about his five interception performance against the Ephs. McKillop will have to regain the form of the first three games which he was stellar and made very few poor decisions and reads. On defense, the Panthers just need to do what they have been doing this season and that is attack as statistically, Bates has the worst defense in the league as they are allowing close to 33 points an outing.

Bates needs to be patient and somehow keep the ball away from Erik Woodring who has created havoc on defenses this year. They will also have to be quick on the passing game as with guys like David Ellis, Chad Gurrerro and a host of others, the Panthers will create problems in the backfield.

In other action, it is Colby at Hamilton, Wesleyan at Amherst, Bowdoin at Trinity and Tufts is at Williams.

What a Saturday night

2007-10-15T04:44:00.000-07:00

Unreal. Simply unreal, mind blowing, and just about every other superlative known to mankind is what would describe the Ice Storm/Watertown game on Saturday night in Colchester.

This was a game for the ages. These are two teams who beat the snot out of each other, but have mutual respect as well. It was cold, it was raining, and the stands were packed. Trust me, if you weren't at that game, you missed one that I will be replaying in my mind for 20 years and then some. The Ice Storm came in at 14-0 on the year, and had defeated Watertown by only a point in their last meeting. The difference was a missed field goal as time expired and that was the closest the Ice Storm came to a blemish on their perfect season.

The game itself was a chess match from the beginning, and went back and forth and back and forth throughout. An Evan Hicks 38 yard field goal in the second was the only score of the first half as the teams slogged through the mud and muck. The fans were needless to say totally into the game as there were times I couldn't hear myself, or my play-by-play guy because of the insane amount of noise.

What the game boiled down to was one of the gutsiest performances I have ever seen in any sport. In the fourth quarter, with the Ice Storm down 8-3, Ice Storm wideout Rob Joy took a NASTY hit. The hit was so bad, and his knee went in directions I didn't know possible that I thought he wouldn't walk again. The screams could literally be heard across the field, and no one thought Rob would ever play again. Well, Joy ended up coming off the field under his own power, but again, with the ambulance coming, we thought he was done. Well folks, he was far from being done.

The Ice Storm got the ball back with about four to play needing a TD to win. Quarterback Brad Ruderman, who had been off target all game long finally got hot. He found Austin Partain for a gain of 15, Zach Howe picked up another big gain, and then........Joy came back on the field, with everyone thinking "Huh????" and caught a pass for a huge first down with about two to go.

Fast forward to a fourth and one, 30 seconds to go, no Ice Storm time outs and make it or go home time. Rudy threaded the needle to the human highlight film known as Austin Partain on a play I still can't believe happened. Austin, with two men on him, and the ball behind him made a circus catch at the three, Rudy spiked the ball to kill the clock, and there was time for one, maybe two plays to go with ten seconds on the clock.

Then, the incredible happened. Rob Joy, the man who could barely walk, caught a three yard TD pass with 3.9 seconds to go in what proved to be the game winning TD. He had two guys just draped all over him, and somehow he managed to make the catch. Rob threw his helmet in celebration, he was mobbed, and Colchester High School was louder than I have ever heard it before. After the game, Coach Perez said that he had told Rob not to go back on the field because he wanted Joy to be able to walk sometime during the rest of his lifetime. Good thing Rob doesn't listen very well.......

The post game party at Franny's was beyond insane. Everyone went nuts when the trophy came in, and no one could stop talking about Rob's performance. One of the funny things was when the guys went up on stage to sing "We Are the Champions" and Russell Humphries literally dragged me up to sing with them. He told me that I was a part of the team, get my hands on the trophy and sing dammit!!! (Thankfully, no one could hear my horrible singing voice.)

Thanks guys. Thanks for allowing me to be a part of this, and to become part of the Ice Storm family. As I kept saying over and over and over again, what a run. What a season, and what a group of guys. 15-0, EFL champions and you did it in style. Wow..........

The other big game........

2007-10-12T13:34:00.000-07:00

Saturday night at Colchester High School, the Vermont Ice Storm take on the Watertown Red and Black for the Empire Football League title and I simply cannot wait.

Why can't I wait you may ask? Not only because this is a title game, and I get pumped for those, but this is a world class organization with world class people. For those who are not familiar with semi-professional football, these are guys who actually pay to play. They pay dues to the team (which is a non-profit organization) and pay for their own equipment. In other words, these are guys who play for the love of the game and they are darn good at it.

These are world class people. Guys like Jeff Miller, Russell Humphries, Brad Ruderman and so many others have treated me like a member of the family since we started broadcasting their games. It is funny, there was one time that out of the blue Russell said to me, "Chris, remember, you are part of the family now. You have been good to us, we will be good to you. If you ever need ANYTHING, you call us and you will have an army behind you." Man, I am just a media guy and he said this and meant it. I have been invited to team gatherings, and the team banquet at the end of the year. How can you not root for them?

Head Coach Doc Perez has given me access to the team that I could not have dreamed of. Doc will answer any question and take all day if I need it. When I needed a color guy for a Middlebury College football game, Doc didn't hesitate to offer his services. Now, as Doc is a college professor with a love of pontification, getting him to stop talking could have been an adventure, but he was fantastic. But, he was a bit disappointed that both teams were in the no-huddle so he couldn't talk as much as he wanted to. (Sorry Doc, I had to.)

The fan support is tremendous and they are amazing. Not only do they cheer for EVERYTHING, but they are fans who applaud the opposing team as they are coming off the field. Their attitude is that without the other team, there would not be a game, so the fans show their appreciation. Where else would you find that sort of attitude and consideration? I will answer that for you; nowhere.

As guys like former player Jerry Rascoe know, I rip on the Storm when they are not doing well, but I cannot help but root for them. Their class, their openness, and desire to win, yet be classy at the same time is refreshing and appreciated. Why they don't get more coverage than through us just simply blows my mind. (Well, Channel Three and Five do a good job, but no one else does.) They are the fifth ranked team in the nation and yet cannot seem to get the respect of the rest of the media.

Thanks Dawn, Doc, Scotty, Rudy, Kevin, Peety and the rest of the gang for treating me like family. You guys are incredible and you deserve the best. As I am a guy who wears my heart on my sleeve, let this be my way of saying thank you for the hospitality, the kindness and the friendships I have developed through this team.

Now, I have just one more thing to say to you guys..........BRING IT BOYS!!!!!!!

Middlebury/Williams preview

2007-10-11T05:25:00.000-07:00

Just remember, you can catch the game live on ESPN 1490 WFAD starting at 1:05 Eastern Time and on the web at www.wfad1490.com.

Williams at Middlebury—Youngman Field at Alumni Stadium

Middlebury comes in to this afternoon’s game with a record of 3-0 on the season after last week’s 19-13 victory over Amherst. David Randolph had 18 carries for 68 yards and a pair of scores, and Donald McKillop had another solid game going 15-34 for 168 yards and did not throw an interception. On the defensive end, Eric Woodring had 15 tackles and an interception and Nathan Clancy had eight tackles for the Panthers.

Middlebury opened up the scoring on their first drive as David Randolph capped off a nine play 60 yard drive with a 32 yard TD run to make it a 7-0 game. Jack Britton then kicked a 24 yard field goal with 3:33 to go in the first and it was a 10-0 Middlebury lead. Amherst got on the board with 1:18 to go in the quarter as Guy Matsis tackled David Randolph in the end zone for a safety and at the end of one it was 10-2.

The Amherst offense got on the board two minutes into the second as Lucas Loeffler connected with Brandon Bullock on a nine yard TD strike, with the PAT it was a 10-9 game. Then with 5:39 to go in the half, David Randolph ran one in from ten yards out, his second TD of the game to make it 17-9. Middlebury tacked on a safety a minute later and at the half it was a 19-9 game.

The defenses took over in the second half as we were scoreless until the last minute of play as Bullock and Loeffler connected again on a seven yard TD pass to make it 19-16, but the ensuing onside kick failed, Middlebury ran out the clock as the Panthers moved to 3-0 with a 19-16 victory.

For the season, Middlebury is among the top of the list in most defensive categories and that defense will be put to the test against the Ephs passing attack. The Panthers are second in the NESCAC in scoring defense and fifth in the nation in that department. Middlebury is also second in the nation in turnover margin with a plus seven. The Panthers are outscoring their opponents 84-26 and are converting third downs at a rate of 45 percent. One of the stats that stands out is that the Panthers have outscored their opponents 38-2 in the first quarter and 21-0 in the third. In other words, Williams defense will have to start out strong as the Panthers can get on the board early. Middlebury leads the conference in rushing offense at 197 yards a game, are third in scoring offense at 28 points a contest and are third in total offense at 363 yards an outing. One note on the offensive end is that the Panthers have attempted the fewest passes in the NESCAC.

Williams—1-2 on the season after a come from behind 31-26 victory over Bates to win their first game of the year. Patrick Lucey went 31-44 for 348 yards and four scores and Brian Morrissey carried the ball 24 times for 130 yards and a score. Nick Caro caught six passes for 115 yards and Craig Sundberg had a pair of TD receptions. Kevin Flynn earned NESCAC Player of the Week honors as he had 276 all purpose yards against Bates. He carried the ball 11 times for 66 yards, had two receptions for 42 and had 123 yards in kick returns.

Williams has struggled this year as in the opener they were upset by Bowdoin in a game that saw the Ephs turn the ball over seven times. Many say that the Ephs have not lived up to expectations this season, but this is a Williams team that can put up points behind Morrissey, Lucey and the talented bunch of Williams receivers. Defense has been an issue for the Ephs this year as they are last in the NESCAC in scoring defense allowing 33 points an outing.

Keys to the game:

Williams will have to keep their hands on the football as they have the worst turnover margin in the NESCAC and with Middlebury having the best. Pat Lucey will have to be careful with the ball as the Panthers throw many different sets at their opponents which could confuse Lucey and the offense. They will have to contain the running attack of David Randolph, Gary Cooper and Eric Rostad as they can be deadly. With a freshman quarterback in Donald McKillop, I expect to see the Ephs throw different sets at the rookie to see if they can force him into bad decisions.

For the Panthers, they will have to stop the passing attack of Pat Lucey. Lucey is the leading passer in the NESCAC and is very well known for burning teams with his strong fleet of receivers. On offense, the Panthers will have to control the clock as they do not want the ball in Pat Lucey’s hands.

Series:

The Ephs lead the all-time series 61-17 and have not lost to the Panthers since 2000. Middlebury has not defeated Williams at home since 1987.

The weekend of insanity

2007-10-08T04:56:00.000-07:00

First off, congratulations to the Vermont Ice Storm for their 31-19 victory over Chategueay on Saturday night in the slop and mess of Colchester High School. The Storm move on to take on Watertown on Saturday night for all of the marbles in what should be an incredible game. Pack Colchester High as this will be the first football title game outside of high school to take place in Vermont. Get em boys.

Now, for the insanity that was the weekend. Friday night I had the Springfield/Montpelier game down in Springfield as the Cosmos won that one by two scores. The field in Springfield has to be one of the nicest in the state because of its setting. The field is surrounded by trees, the stands are always packed, and the press box is way up on a hill, so the view was simply outstanding. I guess we were the first radio crew to broadcast a game there in the last four years, so that was some fodder for the broadcast. It was funny, as the Yankees/Cleveland game was going on, the guy running the scoreboard kept asking me if I could find out what the score of the game was. Too bad I couldn't tell him the Yankees had lost while we were still there.

So, I get home at midnight, listen to the Sox win and then wake up six hours later to head to Amherst, MA for the Middlebury/Amherst tilt. Coffee in hand, bagel in hand, it was a very nice trip down with the foliage and the assorted road kill that was on the side of the road. It was a great game with the Panthers moving to 3-0 on the year, and they will be a team to contend with this season in the NESCAC. The offense was strong and the defense continued to live up to all of their expectations. It was a brutally hot and humid afternoon and I was sweating my tail off up in the booth. Good press box, food there and ready, and a Sports Information staff that is top notch.

About two seconds after the game was over, I was in the car and headed back up north for the Ice Storm/Titans game. Now, as we have been broadcasting Ice Storm games for two years, and getting to know the players as I have, there was no way in the world I was going to miss this game. Mother Nature had other ideas as from about Exit One on I-89 on up, it was pouring rain and as foggy as a typical day in San Francisco. I finally got there with about six to go in the half to the cries from Dawn Miller of, "Oh sure Chris, fly right on by me and NOT SAY HELLO!!!" Ah yes, it is good to be loved. Anyway, I hobbled my tail on up to the booth, grabbed the headphones and mic, and sloshed my way over to the mud pit. I would like to thank the Chategueay quarterback for calling one of the most boneheaded plays in football history which gave me something to talk to Offensive Coordinator Scott Agulia about during the half. On the last play of the half, this guy tossed a pass down the sideline when he should have taken a knee, and Bomby returned it 70 yards for a score. Talk about a shift in momentum and the QB leaving his brain at the border.

So, I was drenched, and of course Stormy was being himself and doing everything in his power to mess up a guy who was starting to get so pooped that I was seeing three of him. Trust me, one is bad enough. So, Doc gets even wetter with the post-game Gatorade bath and the cheerleaders mud wrestled in the slop at mid-field. Ah, I love female mud wrestling and football together.

Because I am one who doesn't seem to know the meaning of the word "rest", I got out of bed the next morning and headed to Barre to do PA for the Vermont Ravens/Exeter game. This game was in many ways a pure disgrace to football as Exeter showed up with a grand total of 12 players. Yes, 12 players and one of them got hurt so the 11 on the field had to play every single down. How a team can be that disorganized just blows my mind. The guys from Exeter played very well under the circumstances, but to show up with only 12 guys makes me wonder about the league itself.

As it was a 42-0 game, I had to do something to keep myself awake and the fans involved, so UVM coach Darren Haynes was my target of the afternoon. I kept razzing him about filming the game and that he was stealing signals in the mold of Bill Bellicheater. Being the tremendous guy that he is, Darren just gave it all back and we had a great time. Darren is this huge guy who could probably still play the game and is one of the nicest guys on the planet. Anyone who takes my grief and doesn't kill me is good in my book.

Totals for the weekend are:

Three games in about 26 hours.
Road kill: I counted 28 dead things on the side of the road.
Coffee consumed: So much that I had blood in my coffee system.
Miles on the car: 792
Times cursing Mother Nature on Saturday: 43 on 89 alone.
Time spent hanging out with the tailgaters: About ten minutes as the play-by-play mobile had to get back home for the Storm game.

Until next week when Darren Haynes will probably be breaking down the signals of some poor team that he stole.......

Middlebury/Amherst preview

2007-10-03T05:39:00.000-07:00

Great week last week for the Panthers as they mauled Colby 41-0. I don't think Colby is that bad of a team as they had a strong opener, but I think the variations Coach Ritter has thrown into the offense has made the Panthers more difficult to defend.

For those who may have been listening to the broadcast last week, I had the good doctor, Vermont Ice Storm head coach Doc Perez doing color. The man knows his stuff, and I was quite pleased that the man who can talk for hours without breathing knew when to actually allow me to talk. (Sorry Doc, just picking on you.)

Anyway, here is the preview of the game on Saturday against Amherst. (My notes, but this is actually the way I write up pre-games.) You can catch the game live on ESPN 1490 at 1:05 or on the web at www.wfad1490.com.

Middlebury at Amherst—

Pratt Field, Amherst, MA. Capacity 8,000

Middlebury—2-0

Middlebury is 2-0 on the season and are ranked sixth in the latest NCAA Division III New England poll. The Panthers are coming off a 41-0 victory over Colby in last Saturday’s home opener. Donald McKillop went 11-14 for 172 yards and threw three TD passes, all to Andrew Matson. McKillop also ran for a two yard score. The big blow came early when on a fake punt, Steve Hardin went 66 yards for a TD which seemed to throw Colby off their game.

On the defensive end, Erik Woodring, the senior from Cos Cob, CT had 15 tackles, including four for lost yardage and a sack on his way to Defensive Player of the Week honors in the NESCAC. The Panthers picked off three passes from three different Colby quarterbacks as Middlebury has now allowed only ten points in its first two games. Middlebury ranks second in the NESCAC in total defense allowing just five points per game.

Amherst—2-0

Amherst is 2-0 on the year after last Saturday’s 30-6 victory over Bowdoin. Aaron Rauh carried the ball 31 times for 159 yards and a score while Eric Mesmith rushed 23 times for 131 yards and a pair of TD’s. Overall, Amherst outrushed Bowdoin 331-23 and outgained them 390-250. There were two other key stats on the offensive end as the Lord Jeffs held the ball for 36 minutes and converted 12-20 times on third down.

On the defensive end, the Lord Jeffs were outstanding in holding Bowdoin to only 23 yards on 31 rushing attempts. A.J. Scola, a junior defensive back from Holden, MA picked off a pair of passes for an Amherst defense that ranks first in the NESCAC in total defense allowing just three points a game.

By the numbers:

Middlebury comes into today’s game ranked second in the NESCAC in scoring offense at 32.5 points a game and are second in rushing at 227.5 yards a contest. The Panthers are second in the NESCAC in passing efficiency and are third in total offense with 377 yards a game. The telling stats for today’s game are on the defensive end where Middlebury is allowing just five points a game to rank second in the conference. Middlebury allows only 169 yards in passing a game to rank third. Overall, the Panthers are second in the NESCAC in total defense as they allow 277 yards a game and have forced five more turnovers than what the offense has given up.

For Amherst, their defense is what tells the story as they are ranked first in total defense, scoring defense and yards against the run. The Lord Jeffs are second in pass defense and are a plus four in the turnover department.

Individually, David Randolph is fifth in the NESCAC in rushing with 68 yards a contest. Donald McKillop is second in passing efficiency going 24-40 for 296 yards with three TD’s and two interceptions. On defense, Erik Woodring is second in the conference in tackles with 25; David Ellis is third in the conference with two and a half sacks.

Amherst has a deadly one two punch in the backfield as they have the NESCAC’s top two rushers ion Eric Nesmith and Aaron Rauh.

Overall:

This is a game in which the offenses will have a challenge in scoring points with the top two defensive teams in the NESCAC facing off. For Middlebury, expect to see quite a few different sets as they try to contain the running of Nesmith and Rauh. Amherst has only put the ball in the air 37 times this season, but Middlebury will still have to guard against the pass with sophomore Lucas Loeffler at the helm. Amherst will run and run as is evident by the Amherst media guide which says, “Handing the ball off this season will be sophomore Lucas Loeffler.”

I expect a strong game out of AJ Scola as well as tri-captain Rob Grammer along with linebackers Mike Flanagan and Nick Boehm. Again, this is a team that is deadly against the run, so Middlebury’s running backs in David Randolph, Gary Cooper, and Burlington’s Andrew Plumley who in his college debut had nine carries for 40 yards. My prediction will be much like last year, a defensive battle with Middlebury winning 10-7.

All-time:

Amherst leads the all-time series 19-13, but lost last year’s meeting 7-3 in Middlebury. The defenses were outstanding as both teams gained just over 200 yards in total offense. In that game, Eric Nesmith had 105 yards on the ground for the Lord Jeffs, but the Middlebury defense was able to keep him out of the end zone as the defense sacked Amherst QB Nick Kehoe five times lead by Kevin Ryan’s two sacks.

Bless me bloggers for I have sinned

2007-09-25T15:34:00.000-07:00

Well, I now know from a few people that my various rantings and ravings have been missed, so I am now actually taking the time to.........WRITE SOMETHING!!! Yes, I know, there are the few fans out there who enjoy my babble, most notably my Aunt Jean, so here it all comes!!!

Michael Vick is a tool. He needs to suck it up, get ready to go to jail, and maybe he will learn some skills besides how to kill dogs while he is in the joint. Lord knows he is not going back to the NFL, so Mikey, learn something.

The Sox are slumping, the Yankees are evil and all is normal in the world. Jabba the Hut Chamberlain should have been suspended for throwing at Youk, but Selig loves Steinbrenner, so nothing happened.

Go Niners, Rex Grossman stinks, the Eagles uniforms on Sunday looked like a bad Van Gogh painting, but they won anyway. (Sorry boss, but the uniforms really were horrible.)

Now, onto a serious note, the Middlebury Panther football team REALLY looks good. Coach Ritter is starting a freshman at quarterback and he showed more poise than one would expect for a freshman. Donald McKillop is the man's name and he threw for 3,000 yards last season at Pownal High School near San Diego. He ran well, he managed the clock well, and for the most part made solid decisions. Gary Cooper, another freshman from Phoenix looked fantastic as well. Quick feet, moves well and hits holes with explosive speed. But, how can I forget James Millard who ran back the opening kickoff of the season 80 yards for a score. On defense, Erik Woodring just blasted Wesleyan quarterback Zack Librizzi a couple of times, and Alex Buggy played like he had been shot out of a cannon. Solid offensive performance and the usual outstanding defense for the Panthers.

One thing about the Wesleyan game. When Woodring knocked the daylights out of Librizzi, Zack came up more than a little wobbly. Librizzi was shaking his head, rubbing his head, and looked very woozy. (Thankfully he was fine.) Well, being the play-by-play guy that I am, I said something like, "Librizzi, who just got clobbered by Woodring, is up slow, shaking his head and looking like he is trying to shake the cobwebs loose." Well, since my voice carries, some guy about five rows in front of the press box yells up at me, "OH, where did YOU get your medical degree?" So, I came back when Librizzi had to call time and said, "To the fan that is in front of me questioning my medical knowledge, allow me to rephrase my statement. As Librizzi is rubbing the back of his helmet, is blinking repeatedly and shaking his head, I am of the opinion that Librizzi MAY have had his bell rung." Was that proper? Of course it wasn't, but he did provide me some entertainment when the requisite dirty look came flying my way. Never tick off the broadcaster, especially when he is flying solo.

For the Wesleyan trip, here is the running total of totally useless information to everyone but me:

Miles driven: 507
Cups of coffee: 4
Potty stops: 2
Times cut off after hitting the Mass line: Too many to count. Same statement for the Connecticut drivers who make Boston drivers look like an 80 year old lady out for a Sunday drive.

Until next time.......

Down Stormy Down!!!

2007-07-31T05:30:00.000-07:00

For those of who were listening to the Ice Storm/Plattsburgh game on WCAT, you heard a new wrinkle that we have in the broadcasts. With the purchase of wireless equipment by the good old boss, I had the chance to roam the sidelines during the game, and will be able to for the rest of the season. This gives us the ability to provide insight into what plays are being called, the mood on the sidelines, injury updates, and interviews with fans and the like. What it also does is to make me the target of one big mascot who likes to have fun at a crazed Sports Director's/Sideline Reporter's expense.

I have just this to say to Stormy the Ice Storm's mascot--Revenge is mine dude. You may think you are a cool guy with your prancing around in your furry suit, but you are toast. For those who were at the game, and listening, this crazed thing decided to try and throw me off my game. Drenching me with water? Hey, all it did was cool me off on a hot night. Chasing me and catching me while I was trying to talk? Man, I have a knee that will be part titanium next year, (Surgeons are welcome to apply for the job.) so catching me is as hard as winning the 40 against a fleet of turtles. Beating me upside the head with a hot dog, that hurt a bit, but I have a hard head so it didn't really effect me. The body slamming and pinning me to the turf? Stormy, you outweigh me by a ton, so you even think that was a challenge? My nieces can pin me with one arm, so no real challenge there. (By the way, they are four and two, so that says something about your competition there bear boy.)

Not only did you do all of that, but then you had to one up me by showing me up after I dared to be hoisted as part of a cheerleader stunt. Remember, you have padding around that suit and I don't. If you fall, you bounce. If I fall, I shatter and my wife kills me because we will be shelling out dead presidents in medical bills. Remember, you are not so tough and I have a devious mind so, THBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBT.

You have no idea of the practical jokes I pulled in college there furball. I pulled jokes that had guys crying in their beers. (Ben Gay is a wonderful tool to use.) Just remember, it may not be this week, it may not be the next, but listen to me now and hear me later girly bear, you are mine. I will win, I do not lose, and you will be going back to your den crying for Momma Bear. You have to do better than what you did on Saturday if you are going to beat the master. BRING IT HAIRBALL!!!!!

Hester Tries to Change the ABA

2007-07-27T04:14:00.000-07:00

Okay, okay, I just can’t seem to take it anymore. I have been quiet about the American Basketball Association for some time now, but the things the league has been doing of late have made me laugh. Of course, I am easily amused, but that is another story in itself.

First, the good of what has been going on. I have been talking with ABA VP of Operations Brad Hester about the state of the league, and to his credit, he has been very honest about the shortcomings of the ABA. As opposed to its CEO, Brad wants to do something about the problems that have plagued this league for the last seven years.

To review, the ABA has seen over 70 teams fold since its rebirth back in 2000-2001. Franchises are supposedly awarded when the $10,000 “market reservation” fee clears the bank, which is the league’s only source of income, but several teams have joined on installment plans or without paying at all. Because of this, the league has no motivation to keep teams in the league. If one folds, another comes in and the ABA has another ten grand in its pocket. There have been countless problems with players not being paid, franchises moving in mid-season, teams being added in mid-season, and findings that owners have criminal records after their franchise was on the books. Owners fold teams without notifying fans, and some teams have had up to four arenas in one season. Combined with the fact the ABA is facing numerous lawsuits claiming fraud and misrepresentation, and SEC filings state the league is 17 million dollars in debt but has only $450,000 in assets, this is a league that is in trouble.

Brad Hester is the VP of Operations for the league and also the stepson of CEO Joe Newman. He was brought into the league last season after running a Store Manager for Lowe’s in Anderson, Indiana for five and a half years. Hester comes from a sports background having played and lettered in three sports in his high school career. In college, Brad played football for two seasons.

When Brad first came into the position with the ABA, he was facing a league in total chaos. Teams were folding left and right, stats and standings were never updated on the league’s website, and the schedule had to be changed and modified seemingly every other minute. There were, and still are PR problems as well as CEO Newman is known for tearing apart fans and media who question him on the league’s issues, and has a horrible reputation with the press. Brad sees these problems and is working to bring revenue into the league and improve its image.

Last year the league only played 63% of its schedule, a number that has been consistent over the years with teams folding and moving in mid-season. This is an issue Brad has had to deal with since he came to the ABA last year. It can’t be any less than a Herculean task to maintain a schedule, ensure games are played, and maintain the league with teams being in constant flux. To combat the issues with teams missing games, Hester is requiring teams to post a three thousand dollar performance bond. The bond will pay for expenses if a team fails to make a game, therefore reducing the financial burden on the team expecting to play and attract fans in their home arena. If a team does not miss a game, the money from the bond is returned to the team with interest. Take the bond requirement, and the fact that if a team misses a game, they will be fined. If they miss a second game, they will be removed from the ABA. This is a far cry from what has been expected from teams in years past.

Another issue fans and scouts have had is the fact that virtually none of the teams in the ABA keep individual and/or team stats. As a result, scouts have a difficult time figuring out which ABA teams to look at for their domestic or international squads. To combat this issue, Hester is requiring all teams to purchase and use the Joc Trac scoring system. This is a scoring system used by many college teams and can track the most minute of stats. Joc Trac also has the ability to transmit game stats straight into the ABA website, which will allow fans to see what is going on with their favorite teams, and allow scouts to have a better idea of who is doing what. This is something that has not been done in years past.

Other things that Brad would like to see in place, but have not happened yet include each team having a functioning website. As we are in the 21st century, fans will look to the web for updates on how teams are doing, news on the team, stats, etc. In the last couple of seasons, there have been very few teams with websites, therefore reducing the amount of exposure they receive from the media, and in turn fans. It is difficult for a team to attract fans to the arenas if no one knows they are around. Some of the websites that are running have obviously not been proofread. Take for example the Georgia Gwizzlies. When I looked at the Gwizzlies site a couple of weeks ago, there were 32 grammatical and spelling errors. Other sites either don’t exist, or are running but with numerous broken links. This is a problem Hester acknowledges and knows that for PR sake has to change. The date teams were required to have this done was July 1st, but the majority of teams have failed to meet this deadline.

What all of this comes down to is if CEO Joe Newman fully backs Hester on these radical changes. In years past, Newman has not been strict on teams who do not meet their obligations to the league. Rules tend to be able to be bent depending on who the owner is, and the statement “The team has been removed from the league for failure to meet its obligations” is simply a line. Multiple sources have told me that only one of the 70 teams to fold in the last six years have been suspended by the ABA. The rest of the teams have simply gone out of business without a trace, only to be replaced by another team either during the same season, or the following.

Newman and the league are facing numerous PR issues due to the actions of CEO Newman. Newman is not PR savvy as he has even called me a “disgrace to my profession” and in an e-mail following an article on the Mississippi Miracles said that I “must have failed your (Being mine) journalism ethics classed in college. Many e-mails have been posted on various websites by fans in which Newman calls fans names, degrades them, and attempts to humiliate them. Combined with the fact that Newman does not put any real news about the league on the ABA website, by his own doing, he is helping to ruin the reputation of the organization.

Newman has said that he wants the league to have 100 teams and for it to be the largest professional sports league in the country. If Newman continues to expand the league by simply taking a check, or a promise, and not conducting any sort of due diligence on prospective owners, he will not come close to that number. Like I said earlier, Newman takes the check and that is about it. According to multiple current and former owners, bank records are not checked, background checks are not done, nor is it even checked to see if a team has a venue in which to play. If the first check clears, you are in; it appears that plain and simple.

The latest in the ABA’s line of problems are the lawsuits that have been filed by the Jaloza group seeking control of the ABA. It has been found by a jury that the ABA and CEO Newman were in violation of an agreement in which he (Newman) avoided repaying a debt to the group. Contained within the agreement was a stipulation where Newman would make the Jaloza group partners in the ABA. In turn, Newman then moved the ABA into another shell company, avoiding having to fulfill his obligations to Jaloza. The decision could end up costing the ABA its license, and force ABA teams to cease and desist using the ABA.

The ABA has tremendous potential with the low cost of tickets, and the accessibility fans have to the players and coaches. The Vermont Frost Heaves proved that this season as they turned out fans in droves to the Barre Auditorium and to their second home in Burlington. This potential can only be reached by all of the teams if in my opinion CEO Newman listens to those who surround him. He has to relinquish some of the power he has and has to trust those with ideas that will improve the league. No longer can Mr. Newman have a set of rules and not enforce them. If he does not enforce the regulations Mr. Hester has suggested, this is a league that will not be around in the next two seasons. All of the bad press, what press there is, will increase, and the fans will no longer continue to support a league that says they will do one thing and then does another.

Where Are the Monsters Fans?

2007-07-19T14:21:00.001-07:00

Has anyone noticed that the Vermont Lake Monsters are off to their best start in years? How about that Bill Rhinehart is leading the league in RBI and their middle infield has been solid, and their hitting has been timely? Too bad others haven't seemed to notice this.

In checking attendance figures, and being at a couple of games this season, the numbers are down despite the fact the Lake Monsters are playing as well as they are. Average attendance right now is 2,556 fans per game. Historically, I am not exactly certain as to if that is much lower than in previous years, but there just don't seem to be as many fans at games as there were this time last season.

I have a couple of theories on this. First of all, fans just don�t seem to believe that this team is for real. We have suffered through many long summers where the Monsters/Expos have been terrible, and their strong start is just a dream. Where they think it is a dream, they go back to sleep and back into the former reality of Vermont not being a good ball club.

My second theory is that fans have become so jaded that they think the strong start will be followed by a 14 game losing streak in which C.J. and the staff go back to the days of sleeping in the dugout until the losing streak is snapped. They must think that if the Monsters are doing well and they support the team, then they start losing that being at the games actually jinxed our beloved Lake Monsters.

I would like to say that I think the fans are scared of Champ, and that fans fear one of these days he is going to eat some poor child for lunch, but this is not the case. I spoke with Champ the other day and he told me there is no way possible he would ever eat a child. There just isn't enough meat on their bones, and munching on opposing players and umpires is more appetizing and pleasing to the palate.

People!! Listen up!! This is a good team the Nationals organization has put together. Now that Major League Baseball is no longer in control of the team, there is more of an emphasis on winning, and not just on player development. Look at the fact there are first and second round draft picks on this club. Look at the fact that Darnell Coles, an 18 year Major Leaguer with a World Series ring is running the team. How about Boomer Whiting who stole 73 bases this season with Louisville. 73 bases is just unreal!! He is worth the price of admission right there.

Get out there and support this team as they are good. Fill the stands, cheer these guys on, and enjoy some of the best baseball this area has seen in years. See you at the game tonight.

Hot Dog Eating Record Set....Yuck

2007-07-05T05:09:00.000-07:00

Well, there was some good sports that happened over the Fourth of July. The Sox won, the Yankees lost, the Mountaineers pulled one out, and a new speed eating record was set. Yes folks, for some reason, we now call speed eating a "sport".

On the fourth, in the annual Fourth of July hot dog eating slopfest at Coney Island, Joey Chestnut broke a world record by chomping down 66 hot dogs in 12 minutes. Yes, you read that correctly; some glutton ate more hot dogs in 12 minutes than I do in five years. My question is, why in the world do we glorify how much someone can eat?

Have you all seen people walking in the streets these days? I swear, the average person I see has enough fat and goo on them to make a whale feel jealous. These are people who don't know the meaning of exercise, and their idea of a diet is to cut down to three trips to Burger King a day. I actually heard someone say, "Well, I am drinking a Diet Coke, so the pizza I am eating for lunch today balances things out." Are you serious??

One of the major health problems in the US today is obesity. People are exercising less and eating more in one day than most people eat in a week. Obesity leads to heart disease, diabetes, back problems, and countless other medical issues. To many, exercise is going from the couch to the fridge for another gallon of ice cream. Now I will admit, I don't get to the gym much due to my excuse for a knee, but, before I do a game, I walk the field at least once, and when I do Mountaineers games, I shag flies and catch for Manager Russo when he is hitting fungos. Is it enough? No, it isn't, but I do what my body is capable of on a certain day. I also do push ups and situps to compensate for the fact I can't do much because of my knee.

Am I tooting my own horn here? No, but I am pointing out that exercise and a decent diet is possible. To my original point, we are glorifying excessive eating as a "sport" when obesity is a major problem, and is bordering on a health epidemic. I can just see some 450 pound guy walking down the street, talking about Joey Chestnut and his 66 hot dog feat. "Hey Martha, now there is a sport I can do. I will train hard. I will eat and eat and eat until I can eat no more. I want to be just like him and I shore will be famous!!" "You do that Harry, and I will make sure I take on another job to pay the medical bills when your heart explodes so bad that George Bush thinks Vermont was the victim of a terrorist attack."

People! Stop eating! Coney Island and everyone else, stop promoting over-eating!! We have a problem on our hands that is draining the health care system of resources and is adding to our already skyrocketing insurance premiums. We are not sending a good message here. We are promoting gluttony and bad health.

Off to eat my apple for breakfast now.......

Never Annoy the Broadcaster While He is on the Air

2007-07-04T05:05:00.000-07:00

In the past year or so in the who knows how many games I have done, I have encountered some strange things. I have seen 200 foot hockey goals, helmets being knocked off, and even a 6-3-4-2-6-5-2-6-7 double play. (Yes, I actually looked that up in my scorebook before writing this.) Never before though had I experienced what I did on Friday night down in Montpelier.

Now, to preface this just a bit, I was doing color for the Mountaineers/Keene game for our sister station ESPN 1240 WSKI in Montpelier. Kyle Doreau, the play-by-play guy, tends to refer to the "plate" as "the dish". At first I thought it was strange, but as time went on, I grew to enjoy the creativity and hearing something different. Well, there was a fan who doesn't really care for Kyle's choice of words. In between the second and third innings, a fan with a radio hiked up from his seat about two rows behind the plate, and actually yelled at Kyle, "It's the plate, not the dish you moron!!!" Kyle's jaw dropped, and I started laughing hysterically, almost to the point that I couldn't go back on air without somehow composing myself. This was like lighting a match to gasoline. We started having too much fun with that guy's comments.

Out of the break, I made a comment that Curt Smith really needed to be more patient at THE DISH. Also, that the home plate umpire was calling way too many pitches that were off THE DISH. The whole thing then spiraled from there. All of a sudden, the ball was a sphere, the mound was the hill, the base was the bag, and when someone broke a bat, that turned into, "Well, it looks like Cather shattered his piece of lumber and he now needs a new stick." In around the fourth inning, we dubbed the game "Synonym night at the ballpark."

It got worse. The wall was the fence, Manager Russo was "Skipper Russo", and we went on and on. It got so bad that the fan who yelled at Kyle shut off his radio and watched the game in peace. Other fans though were roaring at our diatribe, and after the game a few came up to me and offered other suggestions for terms we could use. The bullpen should be the "warmup area", a bat boy is now a "Small child who carries bats", (Thanks to Jason in Montpelier for that one.) and I got a couple of other ones e-mailed to me, but of course now I can't find them.

Lesson to fans. Don't yell at us for what we say on the air unless we get our facts wrong. I was REALLY tempted to yell at the guy to come into the booth, do our job, and then let us rail on him, but thankfully the brain stopped the mouth before any damage could be done. I think the guy would have pulled a Wally Backman on us and destroyed the booth.....Yes, if you give us ammunition, we will use it.

This public service announcement is brought to you by sportscasters everywhere.

Randomness from Fells

2007-06-28T04:49:00.000-07:00

Random musings .....

In the sports world of local interest, the Lake Monsters are actually playing well. No, really, I am not kidding. The Nationals have finally invested some money in the team, and in turn have some solid ballplayers. Instead of 30th round picks and free agents stocking the team, the Monsters now have first and second round picks with the team. Guys like Hassan Pena, Colton Willems, and Bill Rhienhart are going to be fun to watch this season. The ballpark has a new feel to it, and the fans actually feel this team has a chance to do well this year. This is quite a change from what the fans have been used to for the last ten or so seasons.

Don't get me wrong, I love the Vermont Frost Heaves, but the league itself is a world class sham. I have gone off on the ABA in the past and will continue to do so until CEO Joe Newman either resigns or is forced out. Newman continues to award franchises if the "market reservation" fee clears the bank, and he has no clue what the words "due diligence" mean. Teams fold left and right for what Newman calls "A failure to meet the league obligations" because when the check clears, that is it. Teams don't have credit checks run on them, performance bonds are not required, he does not check to see if a venue has been secured, or even see if basic marketing such as a functioning website will be up and running. Speaking of websites, the Georgia Gwizzlies (No, that is not a typo) have the worst site I have ever seen. The big problem is the guy who did it has no clue how to spell. The last time I checked it, there were 23 spelling errors which is just poor. My two year old niece spells better than these guys.

The Vermont Ice Storm are off to a good start after their 44-6 victory over the Northeast Hurricanes on Saturday night. This is a team that is simply loaded with talent. Jeff Miller has come out of retirement, (We knew he wouldn't stay retired) Brad Ruderman is back at quarterback and looking solid, and newcomer Zach Howe catches everything that is within the city limits. Kevin Fournier still plays defense like he has been shot out of a cannon, and even their kicker is good. This is one scary and loaded ball club.

My congratulations to the Center City Little League Yankees who won their first city title in their 50 year history. I have been honored to coach in this league for the last three seasons, and it has come a long way. This is an inner city league whose kids may not have much as far as material goods, but they have hearts bigger than the state. Congratulations to the coaches and volunteers who have made this league what it is today. The scary thing is that it will only get better. Watch out everyone, Center City is good.

Until next time, catch me at the Mountaineers games, Cannons games, the Ice Storm, or wherever I manage to end up.

Mountaineers/Torrington pre-game

2007-06-24T14:35:00.001-07:00

Mountaineers: 7-8 after last night’s 6-3 loss to Manchester. The Silkworms were able to run on Chad Durakis who only threw out two of seven baserunners. Manager John Russo said after the game that part of the problem with Durakis was the fact that A.J. Balsinde has a high leg kick which gives catchers less time to get the ball down to second or third. Durakis also has some problems with footwork that is being worked on, and he has had problems “slipping on the plate” when he tries to throw out runners who try to steal.

The Mountaineers should have been able to hit off of Manchester pitcher Tim Stringer who came in with an ERA of 12.96, but they were able to only produce seven hits off him. Manager Russo blames the lack of offensive production on himself saying that it was one of the worst games he had ever managed. He said after the game last night that he needed to be more aggressive on the bases and failed to do so. Part of the problem right now for the Mountaineers is the fact they have played 15 games in the last 16 nights and are flat out tired. The pitching staff has been stretched thin, and with Cary Pillagian unavailable due to tendonitis in his throwing shoulder, that is one less arm the Mountaineers have in the bullpen. With a much needed day off coming tomorrow, the pitching staff will be able to rest up a bit.

Other notes: Kyle Massie is expected to start tonight. He is hitting only .111 (2/18) but with the team as banged up as they are, Massie will get some time tonight. Massie is also taking summer classes at UVM, and with his schedule and the team’s, it has been difficult to get him at bats.

Pitcher: Matt Gaggioli, Established himself as the ace of the team. 1-2, 0.95 ERA, 15 H, 2ER, 16 K in 19 innings; opposing hitters batting only .224 against him. Went the distance in Wednesday’s rain shortened 4-0 victory over Holyoke. First time all season Gaggioli had any run support.

Torrington: 10-3, first place in the Southern Division. How good is Torrington? They defeated Team USA 4-3 last night. Lead by Garrett Green who leads the team in hitting, RBI and total bases. Hitting .365 with no homers and nine RBI; 23 total bases and four doubles. Hit .324 with one homer and 35 RBI at San Diego State this season, also stole six bases in six attempts. As a team, the Twisters are hitting .245, but their pitching is strong with a team ERA of 2.23; opponents are hitting only .223 against them. 19 players on their roster come from Division One programs, so the team is loaded and has strong experience. Two players have been drafted by Major League teams; Bryce Lefebvre by San Diego and Ryan Cisterna by Washington (47th round).

Pitcher: Kurt Houck: 6’6, 210, rh, James Madison. 2-0, 0.90, 4H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 9K, 10 IP. With James Madison: 4-8, 8.30 ERA, 108 H, 67 ER, 40K, 32 BB in 72 innings. Opponents hit .353 against him.

Two UVM products return to the area tonight in Joe Serafin and Eric Thompson. Serafin pitched in just one game tossing six innings, allowing eight hits, one run, struck out one and walked three. For the Twisters, Serafin is 1-0 with one save in four appearances, striking out six and not walking a batter in six and a third innings. Thompson was 3-6 in 14 appearances with an ERA of 7.44 striking out 40 and walking 26 in 52 innings; opposing hitters hit .327 against him. For Torrington, Thompson is 0-1 in two starts with an ERA of 7.43, striking out 13 and walking eight in n13 and a third innings. He has allowed 16 hits and 11 earned runs; opponents are hitting .286 against him.

The game will be live on ESPN 1240 in Montpelier starting with the pre-game at 6:20; Kyle Doreau and I will have the call starting at 6:30.

The Mountaineers--Fun and Insanity

2007-06-14T04:52:00.000-07:00

Ok, ok. I know the last column was a bit on the outdated side and has been sitting here for about three weeks, but I blame a busy schedule and a nasty case of writer's block for that. Writer's block is one of those strange things that hangs around like a cold that just won't go away. The fingers go to type and the brain says, "Ummmmmmmm, I don't think so." Don't even get me started on what it has been like to speak for the last couple of days.

Anyway, baseball is back in Central Vermont with the NECBL champion Vermont Mountaineers back in action down in Montpelier. This season I am doing color on the home games for our sister station ESPN 1240 WSKI down in Montpelier and to say the least it has been interesting. First of all, this is my first baseball gig, so there have been some bugs to be worked out like when to speak. Baseball is such a conversational game, and although I can have a conversation with a tree, this is a different animal all together. Where I have been used to doing play-by-play, NOT talking and walking over the play-by-play guy is harder than I thought it would be. Thankfully Kyle (Mountaineers play-by-play guy) is good at dealing with an old fart, and hasn't killed me yet.....Yet being the key word.

Speaking of Kyle, this kid is good. Kyle is a 22 year old college student hired by the Mountaineers to do play-by-play and to be honest, I was more than a bit apprehensive about working with someone 15 years younger than me. It turns out I didn't have a thing to worry about. Kyle is about as sarcastic as I am, is a walking baseball encyclopedia, and has the abililty to roll with things as well as anyone I have worked with. I have tried tossing things out to him to make him crack up, and I am getting there. Now, all he has to do is to mention PA announcer, and frequent target Norm James babysitting Thomas Jefferson and being roommates with Moses, and I am off in the land of hysterical laughter. Too bad it tends to happen when we have five seconds to go before we go back on air. Chemistry is one of those all important things when doing games, and Kyle and I seemed to have it nailed within about two pitches.

As an organization, the Mountaineers are as classy as they come. Bear in mind, the Mountaineers, along with all NECBL teams are volunteer run organizations and are non-profits. The players aren't paid, nor are the people who run the concessions, ticket takers, and everyone else who works with the team. This is a passionate group of people who enjoy giving their time so fans can enjoy a night at the ballpark. The fans themselves cheer on the Mountaineers, and have been known to cheer good plays by opposing teams. Man, that just doesn't work in Boston or New York!

Manager John Russo is open, candid, and will talk baseball and answer questions for as long as he can. Getting updates on injuries, who he will be playing and why, along with other insights into the game is just plain easy. John is a very laid back guy with an agressive style of play on the bases. Hit and run, squeeze plays, and solid baserunning has been a trademark of John since he came to Vermont. The thing about him is he truly loves being in this area. He seems to relish in the fan support, and getting out and experiencing the state. Talk to him sometime and you will hear the enthusiasm he has for managing and the state.

GM Brian Gallagher has to be one of the hardest working people in all of sports. Brian works in the school system by day and is the GM by night. Brian knows everything about everyone on the team, and manages to have all of his volunteers in the right place at the right time. He has also had to have the patience of a saint in dealing with me at times. I am one of those guys who wants every minute piece of information, and he has been patient and generous with his time in providing me with what I need. I swear though, one of these days he will strangle me. Considering he is about 6'4, that is something I just don't want to happen.

Now Norm (Moses) James is just hysterical. Norm is the PA guy for the team, has a wicked sense of humor, and doesn't seem to mind being the target of Kyle's and my endless cracks. Of course, we have to watch out because he tosses it back with the best of them. Norm also has one of the most pure voices I have ever heard. He is so smooth in his delivery and is in a sense the "anti PA announcer". What I mean is that many, including myself, tend to be over the top in announcing players names, promotions, etc. Norm does his thing just like he is talking to anyone, and to me, that makes him one of the best. One doesn't have to sound like a lunatic to make people listen, and Norm's style is one that just seems to fit the team and area.

Folks, I don't do this gig for the money, I do this because I get to be around guys like Russo, Norm and the players and do things like shag flies before games. This year will be a blast and I will have more updates on the team throughout the year.

As a side note, it was ESPN Radio night at the ballpark last night and I got to throw out one of the first pitches. In front of a crowd of 987, I threw a strike to pitcher Justin (Don't call me Justine) Gustie. I figured if I bounced one, Kyle would NEVER let me hear the end of it. Also, considering an eight year old threw out one of the pitches and was perfect, I had just a little pressure on me.

A tidbit from the new UVM football team

2007-06-07T05:11:00.000-07:00

I got this in my e-mail from Darren Haynes, the coach of the newly formed UVM club football team that I thought would be of interest to everyone.

UVM Football Club in Jeopardy?

BURLINGTON, VT -- In January of 2007, the University of Vermont Football Club was
recognized by the Student Government Association by a unanimous decision. Over the past
five months, the team has participated in six spring practices and has raised over $20,000 to
begin it’s inaugural season this August. However, the Football Club had been considered too
“high-risk” by the UVM Risk Management Department. Because of this, the Football Club will
not be covered under the General Liability Policy that covers all other club sports, including the Rugby Club, Basketball Club, Cycling Club, and others.

Statistics show that football is not the sport that results in the most injuries. According to the
Loyola University Health System, in 2005 the number of emergency room injuries resulting
from basketball was 512,000, cycling reported 485,669, and football 418,260. The National
Electronic Injury Surveillance System All Injury Program from 1982 - 2001 tracked 88 direct
and indirect fatalities attributed to basketball, 31 to soccer, and only 22 to football. Clearly,
football would not be the most dangerous club sport at UVM and we do not understand why
football is not being approved.

Another concern is that in the event of an injury, an individual may decide to sure the University. Clearly, and injury anywhere on campus, during almost any activity or sport, could
result in a lawsuit. To imply that association with the sport of football makes lawsuits more
likely is absolutely absurd.

The student-athletes that comprise the Football Club have worked very hard getting ready for
their debut on August 25 of this year. Players are participating in individual, summer workout
programs while the coaching staff is busy preparing practice schedules. The community is
already buzzing with excitement and ready to see the first Catamounts football team since
1974. The Football Club should be given a chance play a positive role in the University's
development and well-roundedness. We ask that UVM give Club Football the chance to bring
the University of Vermont something it has been missing for over 30 years.

Vegas and the NBA

2007-05-21T06:53:00.000-07:00

Vacation in Vegas:

Well folks, for those of you who actually missed my updates last week, I was on a much needed vacation out in the fantasy land known as Las Vegas. My wife was there on business and I was out there so we could spend our second anniversary together.

First off, observations on Las Vegas. The place is just a total and utter fantasy land. Not only are there the lights, the glitz, the glamour, and all of that fun stuff, but there is just so much more and it all has to do with the people there.

At 4:00 in the morning on Monday, I saw five Elvis impersonators playing the evil game of three card poker. Thankfully I was only watching as I would have lost my shirt, but it was interesting seeing these guys play while trying to get out of character. When I got done watching them, I did some meandering and found there were a ton of people playing that early in the morning. One guy had been drinking since birth and had a bottle of champagne that he was drinking from. Finally, some kind waitress brought him a glass which with a belch, he declined.

Now, here is what was really interesting. While I was watching another game, I randomly asked the dealer what NBA All-Star Weekend in Vegas was like. She said, "Oh, the media didn't report things correctly--It was much worse." She then went on to tell me the horror stories of waitresses and dealers being physically assaulted, casinos closing due to the mayhem, fights breaking out, and pure overall chaos. Her final words to me were, "If this town ever holds another All-Star game, I won't work. I have the vacation time, I will take the week off. It was awful."

Being the reporter that I am, I couldn't let this one go. So, as I couldn't sleep anyway, I asked another random waitress the same question, and she gave me the same answer saying, "It was horrible. I have never seen it so bad in this town before." She went on to say that she believes there is a coverup being orchestrated by the City of Las Vegas. The reason being is the mayor wants an NBA team there so bad that he is willing to do just about anything to make it happen.

The stories of the utter mayhem of All-Star Weekend continued when I went over to the New York/New York to do a spot on WCAT's new weekly show. One pit boss told me there were two gang fights inside of the casino with guns drawn, and that there were 20 reported rapes that weekend alone. Some local reports said crime went up 80 percent that weekend alone. These stories continued all week. Female employees at one establishment were told not to come into work for their own safety; the ones who did work needed armed escorts to their cars because they were afraid for their safety. Out of the 14 casino employees I spoke with, all of them said they would never work if the All-Star game came back to Las Vegas.

In talking with these employees, I asked them what they thought of an NBA team actually coming to the city. All of them said they think it is a bad idea, and not just because of the problems that occurred over All-Star Weekend. The problem they said is that the average fan in Las Vegas would not be able to afford to go to games. Their thought, and I agree with them is the casinos would buy up all of the tickets and give them to the high rollers. The team would of course know they could charge high prices because of this, therefore normal fans just would not be able to go to games. Another factor is that in order for the NBA to come to Las Vegas, not just the Vegas franchise would have to be pulled from the betting lines, but so would the entire league. From what I have been told, and it has not been confirmed by the NBA, this is something the NBA will not budge on.

I have not been able to reach the NBA, or the City of Las Vegas for comment on these allegations. If any of this proves to be true, there is a serious problem here. Does the mayor want a team in the city so bad that he is willing to encourage a cover up by the casinos as to what really happened? With the NBA's dwindling reputation among fans, is the reward greater than the financial and other risks? The other question I have is if this was just an isolated type of incident? Will the same problems occur if a Las Vegas team is playing a regular 41 game home schedule, or did all of this happen because of the fact is was All-Star Weekend? It should be interesting to see how this all plays out.

Delta can bite me

2007-05-20T10:33:00.000-07:00

Yes, there were good parts to my much needed vacation out to Vegas. The weather was gorgeous, room perfect, and I found out that Las Vegas is one of the strangest places on the face of the planet. More on that in a later post, but now I have to rant about the perils of flying.

I am convinced that Delta Airlines is the worst airline in the country. I have had my problems with Delta, but NOTHING can possibly compare to my trip home. It took me 22 HOURS to get back home. 22 hours, that is not an exaggeration. Here is what happened:

Getting out of Vegas was easy enough. My flight to JFK was delayed for about a half hour which was no big deal. I sat to a very pleasant British couple who had spent ten days in Vegas and were going to spend another four days in New York before heading home. That was the good. I got to JFK and because of my bum knee needed a wheelchair to get to my next gate. A miracle happened and it was actually waiting for me, but had to wait ten minutes to leave for my next gate. When we finally got going, the woman pushing me along stopped TWICE to chat with her friends. Grrrrrrrrrrrr, no tip for her.

The insanity really began when I got to the gate. First off, at JFK Delta has about 15 flights going through one gate which leads to mass confusion. Passengers have no clue what is leaving when, when flights are boarding, etc. Anyway, my flight was delayed, and when it came to boarding, Delta was looking for volunteers to give up their seats because my flight was overbooked. Considering I would have had to go to Manchester through Syracuse, and then take a bus to Burlington, there was no way I was doing that. After another plea from Delta, they finally gave up and started boarding the flight.

When I got on, the flight was delayed even more because of the fact Delta does not know how to count. When booking the flight, Delta gave the same two seats to four passengers!! So, we spent another 20 minutes trying to figure that out. When that was straightened out, they needed volunteers to give up seats because of a "weight imbalance". I decided to be nice and took the offer of a $400.00 voucher, meals, and a CONFIRMED seat ("Confirmed seat" comes into play later on) on the 3:45 into Burlington. That was my first mistake.......

I get off the plane and go to the gate to be booked on the 3:45 and waited for 15 minutes before being told I needed to go to the Customer Service desk to be booked and to get my goodies. Then all hades broke loose.

First I was told the 3:45 flight didn't exist. When told the agent what I was told she said, "Do you want me to lie to you and tell you there is a 3:45??? Fine!! There is a 3:45; are you happy now?" After another 15 minutes of just waiting around, I found out not only was there a 3:45, but there was a 1:20 as well. Hmmmmmmmm, this popped up out of nowhere didn't it? I finally got to a supervisor who told me that instead of being confirmed on the 3:45 I would have to go standby, and I could go standby on the 1:20. I was then told I could get a $200.00 check instead of vouchers, which was good considering I will never fly them again anyway. So, another 15 minutes later, the checks finally arrive and of course, the two agents cannot figure out how to fill the things out. That took another ten minutes or so, and my patience was just about shot. Meanwhile, a supervisor was supposed to be trying to find out if I could fly on another airline.....She forgot. Oops. When the agents finally figured out how to fill out the check, I was told I could cash the thing at a Citibank inside of the terminal. I needed it since I had been in the same clothes for 24 hours and I was beginning to stink just a bit. Anyway, I guess they told me about the alleged bank to get me out of there as it didn't exist!!!! GRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!

So, I grab breakfast, try to find the bank and couldn't, and then caught five minutes of sleep on the floor with about 100 other passengers who will never fly Delta again. I can't sleep on planes, so it was the first time I had shut my eyes in about 24 hours. So anyway, the 1:20 comes and I ask where I am on the standby list. I was told to wait around, I did, and at about 2:00 with the flight still showing as boarding, I ask the gate agent if I got on the flight. I was told, "Oh, that left 10 minutes ago." Thanks for sharing moron!!

Finally, I found a Travelers Aid place that would cash my check, so I cashed the bugger and got all touristy clothes to cover up my stench and then grabbed some lunch. Well, the 3:45 came, and of course that was overbooked and had another one of those infamous "weight issues". FINALLY, one of the supervisors actually decided to be helpful and arranged for me to be on the 7:00 out of LaGuardia on USAIR. He arranged for a cab, which he said would be paid for, and I took off in hopes I would make it home by Memorial Day. Guess what?? The cab wasn't paid for!! Another 50 bucks I am out, and I head to check in for the 7:00.......

PROBLEM!!!! The guy didn't book me on the flight!!! I was standing at the desk with my eyes rolling into the back of my head and I started drooling and dreaming about shots of something very strong and plotting death against Delta. The US Air agent actually managed to get me on the 10:00, so I had some serious waiting around to do which gave me more time to plot death against Delta. After a full body cavity search at security, I headed off to the bar where fellow travellers and I plotted more death against Delta. It turns out that I won the travel hell story of the day award, so the bartender kept me well fueled with a good Riesling out of some country. Normally I would retain this information, but at this point I was reaching 36 hours without sleep, so I barely remembered my own name.

Mind you, my beloved wife had problems of her own. We had to take separate flights since she was on business and I was on a free ticket from Delta because they had screwed something else up. I know, that is a real shock. She was wonderful as she knew my trademark patience was gone. To make this LONG story short, I got a standby seat on the 9:00, that had been delayed, and when they called my name I cheered. By the time I got to bed that night, I had been in transit for 22 HOURS!!!!! I think when I called a Delta supervisor, who gave me 5,000 frequent flier miles for my horror, I called the nightmare "Horrendous ineptitude" and she agreed. I still have to call them again with the US Air and cab debacle. I want my 50 bucks back!!!!

I learned that I cannot stand New York because of the utter rudeness of the people there. Granted, there had been delays and cancellations from the previous day, but they were just NASTY!!! Not only did they snap at me a few times, but passengers who were having the same problems were getting brushed off and snapped at. Note to self, avoid JFK and Delta at all costs. Walk, run, crawl to your destination if you have to, just DON'T FLY DELTA!!!!!

Viva Las Vegas!!

2007-05-11T09:17:00.000-07:00

The blog is taking next week off as I head on a much needed vacation to Las Vegas. My wife has to be there on business and since Monday is our second anniversary, the company told her to take me along. Other than doing a spot on WCAT's new weekly talk show, I will not be anywhere near a computer for a week.

Speaking of my beloved wife. I cannot believe it has been two years that we have been married. I am not the easiest person in the world to deal with. I tend to talk sports 24/7, and at times don't say much at home. This isn't because I don't want to talk to her; sometimes I just don't have much to say. She has put up with this, my long hours during various seasons, and my absence from home while coaching Little League. When it comes to Little League, she realizes that it not only gets me out of the house for some rare exercise, but she realizes that coaching kids is part of who I am and what makes me tick. For this, and so many other countless things is why I love this woman as much as I do. Guys like me just aren't supposed to get this lucky in life. Thankfully I am that exception. I love you honey.

My heroes-Shane and Mac:

2007-05-11T09:10:00.000-07:00

I will admit, that I have had my share of people I look up to in this crazy life of mine. When I was a kid it was Kirby Puckett, Cal Ripken, and Rod Carew. Currently, I have two idols and they are both kids.

Many of you know the story of Mackenzie Pratt, the Lamoille High School three sport star who is recovering from cancer. Mac has had to endure countless chemotherapy treatments for the disease which came back late last year. It isn't just the fact that Pratt is beating this
horrible disease, it is the way she is doing it. I talked with Pratt before doing the Lamoille/U-32 basketball game, and she has an attitude that is simply contagious. She smiles, she laughs, she jokes, and is bound and determined to beat this disease. There are so many superlatives that have been used to describe her. Mainly words like "courageous", "determined" and "fearless" come to mind from all whom I have talked to about Mac. She will talk about her fight, and when talking to her, you can see the pure determination in her eyes when it comes to beating cancer.

One of the best moments of my broadcasting career came in the final moments of the Lamoille/Mount Abe Division II title game at the Aud in Barre. Mac took part in warmups, and was on the bench for the final. With the game in hand, coach Tim Messier inserted Mac into the game for the final minute. When she took off her warmups and went to the scorers table, the Aud went nuts. When she entered the game, not only did the Lamoille fans give her a standing ovation, but Mount Abe's fans and players did as well. After the game WDEV's Rich Haskell who was broadcasting the game said he had never cheered on the air before; when Mac got into the game, he came close. I on the other hand am not as professional in that respect and caught myself wanting her to score. When she missed, I was bummed. When she got her hands on the championship trophy, I literally had tears in my eyes.

Shane Bergeron is a kid whom I have the pleasure of coaching in the Center City Little League. Shane is in remission from Hodgkins Disease, but is playing first base and pitching for my beloved Red Sox. At a benefit for Shane, he was walking around collecting donations, but there was a catch to it of course. If you wanted to rub Shane's bald head, you had to donate. Looking at him, you could tell he was sick, but he sure wasn't acting it. With protective big sister Molly at his side, Shane talked to everyone, but didn't seem to understand why all of the attention was being given to him. Let me tell you why. Shane is one of those kids who when my wife and I have kids, I want them to be like. He is quiet, articulate, perfectly mannered, and SMART. Not only does he understand the game of baseball, but he understands the game of life more than us adults ever will. This of course is with the exception of his parents.

Jeff is the head coach of the Center City Red Sox and along with his wife have had to endure the worst nightmare of any parent. I was talking to Jeff last night during our 5-5 tie with Colchester, and he said that when Shane was diagnosed, it just didn't seem real to him
that his son had cancer. He said Shane had just got done with all-stars and the family was gearing up for a fun summer; then reality hit and it hit hard. Instead of playing all summer, research had to be done on the disease; planning had to be done for treatments, and the
reality of the situation had to sink in. Shane is fighting this disease and beating it because of his parents. I don't know Jeff's wife well, but I have gotten to know Jeff well in the last year or so.

Jeff will not allow Shane to not beat cancer. Jeff rides Shane harder than any of the kids on the team, but only because he wants Shane to be a normal kid. Guess what Jeff, I hate to break it to you, but your son is far from normal; he is exceptional. His attitude is contagious, and in some of the things I have had to overcome in life, I thought I had guts. What Shane and your family have had to go through, and the way you have done it makes things I have dealt with look like a hang nail.

In between Shane and Mac, I hope I can handle adversity like this close to the way they have. Yes, I will admit, there are kids who I look up to.

Opening Day with Center City

2007-05-06T08:45:00.000-07:00

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, a gorgeous Saturday in Burlington. The weather was stunning, and there was enough electricity in the air to power Burlington for a year. Yes folks, it was Opening Day in the Center City Little League.

This is something that took MONTHS of planning. Brian Pine, who is the new president of the league, took on a herculean task in organizing what had to be the best Opening Day in my three years in the league. We had Champ, we had tons of food, we had Mayor Kiss tossing out the first pitch, and man alive, the kids looked great.

I have been coaching in the Old North End for three years now, and will coach there when I have kids and my kids have kids. These are kids who live in one of the poorest areas in Vermont, but they have a spirit about them that is second to none. I got to Roosevelt Park at around 9:30, and there were already a dozen kids throwing a ball around. Mind you, the Opening Ceremonies didn't start until 11:00. The kids were in full uniform, and were already chomping at the proverbial bit to have their pictures taken, eat hot dogs, and to meet Champ. The pure joy in the kids eyes was just unreal. All these kids want to do is to play. It doesn't matter to them if they win or lose, they just want to get out and play with their friends.

I remember being a kid out in my hometown of Lafayette, California and getting geared up for Opening Day. We had ceremonies like Center City does, but we had a parade through downtown Lafayette. We would all gather with our teams, get in the back of pickup trucks, and scream and yell for the entire town to see. It was the one time that a kid, being me, who didn't play much, who wasn't that good, got to feel like a superstar. Hopefully that is the feeling the kids of Center City had on Saturday morning.

When it came to the opening game between my Red Sox and the Yankees, man alive the kids were jazzed up. The work we had put in so we could all show off for the neighborhood was going to be shown off for everyone. The Yankees, who were expected to win the battle between the two teams in Center City, were given a pretty good run. We were down by nine going into the fourth, but my guys were not going to give up. We put up a five spot in the fourth, and then pressed on to make it a game. We ended up losing 13-7, or something like that, but to me the score didn't really matter. My guys just refused to give up, and for that I was as proud as could be. It is going to be one heck of a season, and the next five weeks are going to be a blast.

More as the season goes on.........

Vacation dilemma

2007-05-06T08:35:00.000-07:00

Ok, small problem here that I am allowing the loyal two or three readers of this blog to decide for me. As some of you know, I am headed to Las Vegas next Sunday for a much needed week of vacation. Delta has changed my itinerary so instead of 90 minutes in Cincy and about the same in Salt Lake, I now have 30 minutes in Cincy and 40 in Salt Lake. Now, bear in mind that I have a torched knee and need wheelchairs to get me from gate to gate.

Here is the decision that needs to be made. Do I risk it and keep the flights what they are now, or change them. The alternative is a Burlington/Atlanta/Vegas trip that would give me a four hour layover at Hartsfield. Decisions!! I hate decisions!! (No comment from my dear and adoring wife who knows these decisions just kill me.)

Any suggestions for Vegas? I am writing two articles while I am there. One on the Las Vegas 51's of the Pacific Coast League, and another where I will enter as many FREE slot tournaments as I can while my beloved wife is working.

Oh, and if anyone has comps they would like to throw my way so I can take my gorgeous and wonderful wife out to dinner for our anniversary, I do take donations. It will be two years for us on May 14th, and I still can't believe she has put up with me for this long. I still wonder how a guy like me got as lucky as I did in marrying her.

The Return of the Utica Wreckers

2007-05-02T13:59:00.000-07:00

For those who are fans of basketball parody, especially that of the ABA, below is the latest from CBA historian Chuck Miller. Chuck is a freelance writer who is currently researching the old Eastern League. The ABA is a comedy show in itself, and Chuck has made it even more so in his latest musings comparing the ABA to the troubled USBL. Enjoy. Copied from www.oursportscentral.com

After what their press releases deemed as a "truly successful and unchallenged season in the ABA," the uncrowned champion Utica Wreckers have announced that they will enter the USBL.

Fans of the most popular ABA franchise not run by a Sports Illustrated reporter will thrill at the skills of 53-year-old center Schultz Dooley, full-blooded Native American forward Tyree Elk Deer, multi-sport cross-checking forward Sylvain Lemieux; nine-year-old point guard Purlie Scarvin; 15-time NBA champion head coach Bill Corona; the colorful dance team "Utica Mary and the Wrecked'em," the ultra-exciting mascot "Pickup," and the team's all-time leading scorer, a starting point guard that goes under the nickname of "Magpie."

"The USBL is folding faster than the underwear in my clothes closet," said team owner and starting point guard Joe Newman, "And this is the chance we've been waiting for to claim our second championship. You know, in the ABA we were undefeated against all teams that played us ethically and fairly - there were some franchises that did not understand what ethical and moral meant, and we don't count games against those as having been played. Meanwhile, we're going to assume the remaining schedule for one of the USBL teams - can't remember which one, maybe it's those NEPA Breakers who thought they could go it without us - and prove that we are the unstoppable force of minor league basketball."

The Wreckers have already claimed a 6-0 record in the USBL by assuming wins against New Jersey, Long Island and Jackson. "We were willing to play them, but they didn't show up. So we take the wins and that already puts us in first place," said Newman.

The Wreckers' first game in the USBL is scheduled to be against the Albany Patroons on Sunday, May 5th. More information to follow.

Randomness............

2007-04-30T13:59:00.000-07:00

Random Thoughts from the week in sports:

First off, the NFL Draft--

--The draft had some serious surprises. Locally, David Ball wasn't selected, but has signed a free agent contract with the Chicago Bears.

--How about Brady Quinn dropping all the way down to the 22nd pick? That was something I did not see happening. I figured he could go anywhere from the third pick to maybe 12, but alas was wrong. I was actually thinking for awhile that Quinn would be the first pick with the logic being that Al Davis is in charge, so anything can happen.

--What wasn't a shock was Troy Smith being picked up in the fifth round. Smith has great ability, a strong arm, but he just isn't tall enough.

--Randy Moss to the Patriots for a fourth rounder threw me off a bit. Not just the fact the Raiders took a fourth for him, but that Moss the Pats are willing to take a chance on him. Moss is a tremendous talent, but as we all know, he is a bit of a malcontent. Bellichick will have his hands full, but if anyone can turn Moss around, it is Bellichick.

The Yankees:

Although the Yankees free fall isn't the fault of Joe Torre, I think he will be gone by Wednesday. Steinbrenner is fuming over the Crankees being in last place, but with all of the injuries to their pitching staff, what does he expect? The offense is there, and they can put up runs in bunches, but with a staff of rookies on his pitching staff, it is difficult to win while allowing eight runs a game. Torre, who is one of the best managers the game has ever seen, will end up being the fall guy when it is Brian Cashman who hasn't made the deals and failed to develop strong pitching in the farm system. Torre can only make do with what he has.

The Red Sox:

Deadly offense and strong pitching has this team rolling right now. The only concern I have is on the defensive end with Mike Lowell having an awful season at third, and the middle infield hasn't exactly been stellar. If Lowell sews up the holes in his glove, this is a team that very well could win 105 games this season.

The NBA:

Now, I don't follow the NBA much anymore because, well, it is the NBA. What has to be pointed out though is my beloved Golden State Warriors are up 3-1 on the Mavericks. Now, I know the Warriors had the Mav's number throughout the regular season, but I don't think anyone could have seen this one coming. The rest of the NBA Playoffs.......Who cares?

Sad News:

The Saint Louis Cardinals must think they are snake bit following Sunday's tragic death of pitcher Josh Hancock. Hancock's SUV crashed into the back of a parked tow truck and he was killed instantly. First Darryl Kile, and now Hancock. Terrible things are happening to one of the classiest organizations in all of sports.

Other stuff:

I had a blast doing the Opening Ceremonies for the Middlebury Little League on Saturday, and my own team in the Center City Little League kicks off on Saturday. We have a young team, we are going to have to scrap for runs, but man these kids have come a long way in a short period of time. There is nothing like being out on the field with a bunch of kids who are playing the game because they want to be there. If you are out and about on Saturday morning at 11:00, head over to Roosevelt Park in the Old North End and check out our Opening Ceremonies. Champ will be there, and some great baseball between my Red Sox and the Yankees will be the season opener.

This just in.......

2007-04-30T06:50:00.000-07:00

According to Ralph Cindrich, the agent for former Spaulding and NFL standout David Ball, Ball has signed a free agent contract with the Chicago Bears. Ball, who was not selected in this past weekend's draft, is expected to make a run at the team's fourth receiver spot. Terms of Ball's deal were not disclosed.

My weekend with Special Olympics

2007-04-23T11:25:00.000-07:00

Spring is here!! Spring is here!! The snow is gone, people are back outside, and life is back to being warmer here in the Green Mountain State and it is about time!!

This weekend was a busy one for me, but I am not complaining at all. Saturday and Sunday, I was honored to speak at the Opening Ceremonies and announce medal winners at the Special Olympics Spring Games at UVM. For many years, I have been a volunteer with Special Olympics and this is an organization which means the world to me.

These are individuals who have taught me what it really means to live life. The athletes have various developmental disabilities, but hold down jobs, perform community service, and in the case of one athlete, he is training to be a Special Olympics coach. (Way to go Greg.)

What people don't seem to realize about those with developmental disabilities is they have abilities the rest of us just don't have. These are people who see people for what they are and not what society thinks they should be. It doesn't matter if you are black, white, Asian, or any other race; they like people when they are nice to them. If you smile, they smile back.

I talked in the opening ceremonies about what they have taught me about life, and they have taught me more than I can even comprehend. They ran, they put up some killer three balls, but when they did something we would call failure, they just smiled. I have never seen so many high fives, loud cheers for opponents, and playing a game for what it is; a game. I saw one woman who started crying out of pure joy when she received her fourth place ribbon. I probably would have taken a match to the thing and had a ceremonial burning.

I was talking to one of my neighbors earlier on in the week and mentioned I would be at Special Olympics volunteering. He then started doing his imitation of a disabled athlete saying even he could beat one of them in a race. Well, he may be able to beat one of them running, but he will never compete with the class and style these guys and gals do. Remember everyone, these are individuals who are the same as you and I are. The only difference between us is our needs are different, and they have abilities we simply don't have. Being able to see people for what they are, for who they are, and being able to cherish playing a game is something we can all learn from. Thanks everyone for putting my life, and the lives of others into perspective again.

The week from my eyes.......

2007-04-17T15:22:00.000-07:00

It has been an interesting week in the local and national sports scene. First off, as we all know by now, Don Imus has been canned due to his insensitive and racially charged remarks against the Rutgers women’s basketball team. Personally, I think the action taken is appropriate due to the extreme nature of his comments and the ignorance Imus displayed in making them. Now, it is time to move on.

This strange season known as spring…..Does it really exist? The weather has played havoc with the local schedules, and at this rate, baseball season will be played in August with college, high school, and Lake Monsters single admission tripleheaders being played at Centennial Field. How about this one? The Norwich baseball team has yet to play a home game and at this rate may not play one all season. The high schools will be forced to play an abbreviated season with the state playoffs basically being the whole season. Again, Mother Nature, what can we do to make up for our misdeeds? Do we sacrifice George Bush to you, or would you just spit him out and tell us to keep him? We want spring!! We need sunlight!!

The ABA owners meetings have concluded with the promise by CEO Joe Newman that all of the games this season will actually be played. Considering this year the league played 77 percent of its regular season games, and had playoff teams dropping like temperatures in Vermont, I will believe it when I see it. Here is the scary thing, Newman actually seems to believe there isn’t a problem. Hello!!!! When only 77 percent of games are played due to folding teams, scheduling issues, and a schedule that had to be made up on the fly by league executive Brad Hester, maybe that is a good number. Well, no, not really. On a positive note, the Frost Heaves cleaned up the post season awards handed out by the league. Congratulations to coach Will Voight for winning Coach of the Year honors; Mike Healey for winning G.M. of the Year, and the team for winning the award as the league’s Expansion Team of the Year. Oh yeah, probasketballnews.com lists the Heaves as the top team in all of minor league basketball. Way to go guys.

Finally, I wish to extend my condolences to the families of the victims of Monday’s senseless massacre on the campus of Virginia Tech University. The shootings were senseless, and emphasize the need for gun control in this country. I know there is the argument that guns don’t kill people, people kill people, but I can’t buy the argument. Try making that statement to the families and friends of those who were killed by a lunatic who could go out and buy weapons that are made to kill.

Just horrible

2007-04-16T09:31:00.000-07:00

As is being reported by all of the major news networks, 20 are reported dead and 28 are injured after a shooting at Virginia Tech University. And yet, we don't need gun control......Sad.

A Muzzle for Imus

2007-04-10T09:51:00.000-07:00

Two weeks. Two weeks off is what Don Imus gets for his insensitive, racially charged, moronic, uneducated remarks against the Rutgers women's basketball team. Personally, I think the man should be fired, but that is another story.

Shame on you Imus. Shame on you for looking at this world from a point of view that is not only not human, but purely uneducated and moronic at the same time. Picking on the Rutgers women's basketball team?? Give me a break. These are women who define the term "student-athlete". These are individuals who are busting their tails not only on the basketball court, but in the classroom as well. Rutgers is one of the best academic institutions in the country, one with a storied history of turning out some of this country's best scholars and human beings. You have to degrade them by calling them "Nappy headed ho's"?????? Bear in mind that female student athletes have a significantly higher rate of graduation than their male counterparts. Again, you missed that bit of information in your "research" before you went on the air.

How little do you know about humanity as a whole? The last time I checked, regardless of race, color, or creed, we all bleed the same color. We are human beings who should not be set apart by race; we should be set apart by our kindness towards others, by our contributions to society, and by seemingly little things like our intelligence and kindness. Instead, you broke things down to what mankind has done since the beginning of time, and that is judge others by their sex, or color of their skin. Shame on you Imus.

Why don't you have the class of the Rutgers basketball team? In a press conference, the team spoke of how hurt they are, how you have attempted to diminish the fact they made the National Championship for the first time in school history. Coach Stringer was correct in saying, "Before you are valedictorians of their class, future doctors, musical prodigies, and yes, even Girl Scouts," she said. "They are young ladies of class, distinction, they are articulate, they are brilliant, they are gifted." Oh yeah, they have agreed to meet with you to help create an understanding as to why you said what you did. They are better people than I am; I would have laughed in your sorry face.

Why in the world does it matter what color their skin is? Again, the last time I checked, we are all human beings and deserve equal respect. For some reason, you decided they do not deserve the respect you feel is a right, and not a privilege. You demand that respect, why don't you show some yourself?

This was not a slip of the tongue for you Imus. Somewhere, somehow, you developed these views on those who are not white. Where did they come from? While you are sitting on your ranch, will you actually explore why you said these things? I doubt it, you don't seem to think.

Bear in mind, this was not just racist, but sexist as well. Would you have made the same type of comment about a male? Women, as well as minorities, have had to fight for every bit of respect they deserve in this society of ours. Women are still systematically, and in many cases institutionally discriminated against. Thanks to you, we have taken yet another step back in the fight for equality among women and minorities.

A two week suspension is nothing to you. Imus, you will continue to stick your foot in your mouth in the name of ratings and it just doesn't seem to matter the hurt you have inflicted on others. These are individuals you wouldn't know if you tripped over them. Two weeks isn't enough. I think you should be fired.

Your "apology" was a joke. The only reason you bothered to apologize is because you were called on what you said. If no one had said anything, you would have continued on your hate filled rants on blacks, hispanics, women, and anyone who is not male and white. Do you really think what you said was wrong, or are you just covering your tail?

Instead of celebrating a tremendous accomplishment, the Rutgers basketball team has to deal with you and what you said. Are you happy now? I know that the Rutgers basketball team isn't happy.

Random Ramblings.......

2007-04-09T04:59:00.000-07:00

Those of us who write for a living, or in my case, part of our living, will on occasion run into something that is a killer to our ego's(No comment from my wife or boss), or our dwindling sanity known as writer's block. My blog has suffered a bit, and thoughts are coming as quickly as above freezing temperatures in this rumored season known as spring in Vermont. So, here are the random thoughts of the last week.....

Spring?? It is really coming?? UVM played in the snow on Sunday at Centennial, and Cleveland and Seattle may have to play doubleheaders for a month straight if this weather keeps up. Oh Mother Nature? Whatever we have done to annoy you, we apologize. We want spring. We want to be outside without freezing, and we don't want to see Cleveland/Seattle matchups all season long. We are sorry for global warming, the Republican party, and anything else humanity may have done to annoy you. Please, bring us spring.

Don Imus has done an amazing job of sticking his foot in his mouth with his comments on the Rutgers women's basketball squad. Some have suggested a week suspension, some two, some more than that. Really, what I want is for you to run things through the brain before they go out the mouth. Your comments were insensitive, lacked thought, and reeked of racism in a society where it seems we have not learned our lessons from the civil rights movement. Next time, when a thought like that is seeping out, just stop and leave it at that.

Kudos to Alex Wolff for saying he will stick it out in the ABA. The league is a disaster right now, but Alex has the class to stick things out. I have been told by sources within the league that there is change coming, but it will take some give and take by CEO Joe Newman. For the good of what could be a strong minor league, Joe needs to do more giving than taking.

Dice-K is the real deal. This guy may not have a "gyro-ball", but with the other seven or eight pitches he throws, he will keep hitters off guard and guessing. All I wonder is if all of his comments are literally translated by his translator. Is the REAL answer to the question, "Daiske, how do you like Boston so far?"; really, "Man alive, the traffic stinks, the ballpark feels like a closet, and why did I sign with these guys anyway? I should have stayed home, but the money is better here." I think I need to learn Japanese........

Does the Easter Bunny lay eggs? Why don't we have an Easter Chicken? Chickens lay eggs, so there should be an Easter Chicken!! That makes sense to me!!

On April 21st and 22nd, the Special Olympics will be holding their Spring Games at Patrick Gymnasium. Head on over there to see athletes who don't play for glory, money, or anything else. These amazing individuals play because they can. They want to be on the same playing field as everyone else, and just love being out on the courts. As a long time volunteer with the organization, I am honored to have been asked to be a part of the Opening Ceremonies, and to perform PA during the basketball games and skills competition. These are individuals who have always amazed me with their heart, passion, and ability to be more human than those of us who don't have apparant disabilities. Head on over to Patrick and cheer these guys and gals on. Also, take the time to talk to and listen to them. It is amazing what these athletes will teach you about life.

Is it spring yet? Please, can it be spring?

The ABA

2007-04-01T07:12:00.000-07:00

This is an article I wrote for the Vermont Guardian that was picked up by Our Sports Central and a couple of other papers.

Another horror story from the ABA:

Of late, it seems to be one thing after another for the troubled American Basketball Association. As the Vermont Frost Heaves prepare for Thursday night’s title game against the Texas Tycoons, ABA CEO Joe Newman, and the league is under fire once again.

In an exclusive interview with the Vermont Guardian, the owner of the Mississippi Miracle, Mother Annie Williams told me of her plight in the ABA. She spoke of games being scheduled with just a couple of days notice, a schedule that was always changing, and in the case of this past week, promises that were once again broken by the head of the ABA.

In an article I wrote last week, I spoke of the countless problems the ABA has encountered this season, capping off with the defending champion Rochester Razorsharks withdrawing from the playoffs and league due to the way the playoffs have been run. When Rochester dropped out, it created a scheduling problem in which Mississippi, who had advanced two rounds without playing a game, and Wilmington who was set to play Rochester in the second round facing off. According to Mother Williams, CEO Newman told her on Friday morning that the team had to travel to Wilmington for a Sunday game, insinuating that if they didn’t, a victory would be awarded to Wilmington. When Williams balked at the cost, Newman said he would take care of all expenses, and would pay the standard 25 percent of the gate to the visiting team. This is when the difficulty started.

First, there were logistical issues as Williams had sent her team home, not knowing when their next game would be played. Williams had to scramble to get a team together, and with purchasing tickets 48 hours in advance, seats were difficult to come by. According to Williams, “We had to have our guys fly out of four different airports so we could make the game. This cost me over six thousand dollars. Mr. Neuman assured me that he would help with the expenses (airline tickets, hotel stay, etc for the entire team) and I have an email stated that he would help with the expenses. After several phones calls with Mr. Neuman, I did agree the team would make the game, on Sunday, and I purchased one way tickets to Wilmington (on my personal credit card) to play that game, so the playoff schedule would remain in tact. We were able to purchase one-way tickets for the team, because of the last minute notice. If the schedule would have remained in its original scheduling, we would not have to purchase these one way tickets, but would have ample time to drive to Wilmington and not fly.”

Upon the team’s arrival in Wilmington, the least of the team’s worries was Mr. Newman had booked one less room than they needed; that was easily taken care of. What was not easily taken care of was the bill. When it came time for the team to depart Wilmington, Williams was told the bill still had not been paid. The hotel allowed the team to stay for an extra night, but were told to leave the following day. During this time, Williams was scrambling to try and reach Mr. Newman to have the bills taken care of. When Newman did not return her calls, she reached Vice President of Team Operations Brad Hester who told Williams, “The expenses have to be approved by Joe.” When she told him the expenses had been approved, and were done so in writing, Mr. Hester said he would get back to Mother Williams, but did not. Williams also says she has sent “several e-mails” to both, none of which have been returned. On the ordeal, Williams says, “This is extremely unprofessional, disrespectful and disappointing to me as well as our team. As far as we know, we are the only team in the ABA league that has not received any support or any financial support from this league. We have been treated very poorly since our inception of this team.”

In response to these charges, CEO Newman stated in an e-mail, “Teams are responsible for their own travel to playoff games. The playoff format does call for the home team to give the visiting team 25% of the gate receipts to offset travel to the playoff game - and I assumed that Wilmington did that as Vermont will for Wilmington for last night's game. The league has subsidized travel regularly (the league subsidized Wilmington's visit to Vermont in fact), but we did not guarantee to return Mississippi to Mississippi after the game.” Newman then said he would be in contact with Mother Williams. In response, I asked Newman to get back in contact with me when things had been resolved. (So I could make the decision to run the story or not) He responded with, “I'd suggest killing the story. Lots of things are said out of disappointment. There really isn't a story here.”

This is the latest in a long line of charges against the ABA, and specifically CEO Newman, alleging promises have been made for financial help and not followed up upon. Williams has said she intends on leaving the league, and anonymous sources say at least four more teams may follow suit as a result of problems with the ABA. As I stated in a previous article, this is a league with enormous potential, it is the running of the league, and the lack of organization is where there are issues.

I wish I could say this is my work.....

2007-03-24T12:57:00.000-07:00

For those of you who may follow the ABA, this is a parody on the league by Chuck Miller. Chuck is a regular poster(as am I) at www.oursportscentral.com and one of the country's leading experts on minor league basketball. With the exception of the Frost Heaves and some other organizations in the league, the ABA is a bit of a disaster. Here is Chuck's view on the league in a HYSTERICAL manner.

I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for professional basketball in the history of our nation.

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, wrote the thirteen rules that became professional basketball. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of underprivileged basketball players who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of working for the Globetrotters.

But one hundred years later, the basketball player still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the basketball player is still sadly crippled by the manacles of unethical and immoral leagues like the CBA and the Premiere Basketball League, and the chains of discrimination from the NBA D-League and the USBL. One hundred years later, the hoopster plays in front of a driveway hoop in the middle of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the hoopster is still honing his skills at Pop-A-Shot at the local mall, and finds himself an exile in his own land. So we have come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.

In a sense we have come to our nation's capital to cash a check. Made out for $10,000, and made payable to ABA Properties, LLC. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent rules of basketball, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all owners, yes black men as well as white men, but most importantly black men, Hispanics, women, Hispanic women, etc., would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of fan-friendly basketball at affordable prices.

Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to Hammond, go back to Toledo, go back to Nashville, go back to Brooklyn, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed. Let us not wallow in the valley of despair.

I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day our league will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We are better than any professional basketball league in the world. All leagues are created equal - but the ABA is created more equal than anyone else."

I have a dream that one day on the Finger Lakes of New York, the immigrant owners of the Rochester Razorsharks will come back to me and say, "Mr. Newman, we are sorry for causing you such grief, please accept our humble apologies and this check for $100,000 for your trouble."

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, the Mississippi Miracles will be transformed into a championship squad as soon as they actually play a playoff contest.

I have a dream that my little children and grandchildren will one day live in a nation where they won't have to go on OSC and hear anybody say nasty horrible things about their father and grandfather, and that they will not be judged by the spelling of their surname but by the content of their wallets.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day, down in Arkansas, that the RimRockers will leave that demon-scum NBA-financed minor league, and come to me and say, "Mr. Newman, sir, we made a horrible mistake, we'll come back and work with that America's Next Top Model contestant and build a team that will outdraw anybody else in the state of Arkansas, and here's an extra $200,000 for our franchise fees that we didn't pay for the past two years."

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall have an ABA team, every hill and mountain shall support our red-white-and-blue message, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of me shall be revealed, and all hoopsters shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to Indianapolis with. With this we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope, and provide fan-friendly entertainment at affordable prices. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into such money-making ventures as Starz In Motion, DBands, a Red White and Blue concert, an ABA reality series, and a new line of ABA dried meats, available at your local Costco or Wal-Mart. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to donate all your money to me together, knowing that we will own the world of basketball one day.

This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My hoops league 'tis of thee, sweet land of subsidy, of thee I sing. Land where the Hardhats died, land where the Champions got fried, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."

And if America is to be a great nation this must become true. So let freedom ring from the crappy springtime roads of Vermont. Let freedom ring from the godawful stench that is New York. Let freedom ring from the wherever the hell Beijing is playing these days!

Let freedom ring from the Molson-tainted rivers of Quebec!

Let freedom ring from the STD-infected populace of Maryland!

But not only that; let freedom ring from the home of the Anderson Champions!!

Let freedom ring from the wham bam thank you ma'am of Bellingham Slam!

And when this happens, When we allow freedom to ring, when we take the money from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to spend it all up that day when all you suckers, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Check has cashed! Check has cashed! thank God Almighty, the Check has cashed!"

A slight deviation from sports

2007-03-19T15:13:00.000-07:00

I promise, this will be a small deviation. As the four year point of the war is here, I learned that an old aquaintance of mine has made it back to San Francisco alive and well. It has been what seems a lifetime ago since I saw Mike. Now that I think back, it has been 16 years since I have even seen any of the guys I grew up with in Lafayette, California. Regardless, I remember Mike and his family very fondly, and when my mother told me he was home safe, I was relieved.

On the other side of things, there are so many who are in Iraq fighting a war which seems to have no purpose. We are in a position where even President Bush's former supporters are now speaking out against our policies in the Middle East. This is not meant as an anti-war rant, it is meant as a simple statement to end the war now. I want all of the soldiers who are in Iraq to coin an old phrase to "Be Like Mike". In this case it isn't to be like Michael Jordan; it is to be like Dr. Mike Deboisblanc and come home from this pointless war in one piece.

More from the Sports Desk tomorrow.

My first podcast

2007-03-14T04:11:00.000-07:00

I have moved into the 21st century. This is for the Vermont Guardian on the Rice/Burlington title game on Monday night. Hopefully there will be more of these, and maybe one on the debacle known as the ABA. (No offense to the Frost Heaves, they are the class of the league.)

http://www.vermontguardian.com/Audio/Burlington-RiceTitleGame.mp3

What a Saturday it was

2007-03-04T08:52:00.000-08:00

To steal a line from one of the greatest broadcasters of all-time Jack Buck, "I cannot believe what I just saw." Well, on what turned out to be an amazing Saturday of high school basketball in Vermont, I ended up thinking that phrase roughly 429 times in the span of two games.

I am still trying to digest what happened on Saturday. I started in Brandon for the boys Division II quarterfinal game between Otter Valley and Montpelier. At one point Otter Valley was up ten, but that was not the story as the Solons came back to bounce Otter Valley 87-85 in FOUR overtimes. Yes, four overtimes and this one could have very well gone five. Shayne Morrissey hit a running one hander with seven tenths of a second to go in the fourth overtime to win it in a game that still defies description. But, Otter Valley's coach called time as Montpelier rushed onto the court, so the Otters still had a chance to win it but a 60 footer went wide and Montpelier could continue a well deserved celebration. Coach David Moore was so overcome with his kids' performance that he was in tears after the game. Montpelier kids were in tears, and Otter Valley's kids were in tears. When the game went to a third overtime, both coaches were standing together at half court and shook hands with smiles on their faces. Yes, this was one for the ages with 24 lead changes, an Otter Valley kid who didn't play much hitting for 13 with a few clutch threes, and 24 kids who just refused to give up. When I talked with Shayne Morrissey after the game, the smile on his face was as wide as the arena. One for the ages this one was.

The second game of my doubleheader was in Barre for the Division II girls final between Lamoille and Mount Abe. On paper, this thing was going to be a blowout as Lamoille had beaten their tournament opponents by an average of 43 points going into the final. Mount Abe was a low scoring team who had beaten top seeded Vergennes to earn their trip to the title game. We all had Lamoille winning by 40 or more....Wrong answer, this is the post-season tournament.

Mount Abe came out tough, and when I say tough, I mean tough. Mount Abe played tenacious defense and actually lead Lamoille by one at the break. The crowd was as loud as I had ever heard as I was saying on air that we could have an upset in the making. Mount Abe finally fell apart a bit at the end and ended up losing 41-32, but that was not the full story. Mount Abe played their hearts out and just refused to give up. Jade Dingler, a late season call up from JV hit for 11 points, and those kids were playing the game of their lives but came up a tad bit short. But, even that was not the full story.

With about 30 seconds to go in the game, Lamoille coach Tim Messier pointed to the bench to make a few substitutions, and going to the scorers table was Mackenzie Pratt. Mackenzie has missed about half of this season after her second recurrence of cancer. Pratt has been the emotional leader of this team with the team playing this season for her. If this was a typical player and a typical kid, this would be a nice gesture. For Mac, it meant something.

Mackenzie has a spirit about her that makes grown adults admire her. She has an amazing attitude about her disease, and in the times I have spoken with her, she has been smiling, positive, and knows she will beat this horriffic disease. She could be seen before the semi-final game smiling, laughing, and clowing around with her teammates. Before the title game, she was the ring leader in keeping her team loose. Well, when Coach Messier put her in the game, there was not a dry eye in the house. She hugged her teammates when she was at the scorers table, and bounded onto the court to a standing ovation from both teams. She even got a chance to score and I remember Mac getting the ball underneath and saying, "Man, I hope she hits this!!!" She missed the shot, but got the rebound so at least she got a board. After the game, she was happy to be a part of the game, and told me that she just wanted to feel like she was part of the team. Well Mac, you did much more than that. Yes folks, this is what the post season is all about.

Why Vermont high school basketball needs a shot clock

2007-02-28T15:28:00.000-08:00

We have heard the arguments over the last few years as to if high school basketball in Vermont is in need of a shot clock. Some say the need is there to speed up the pace of the game and prepare kids for the next level. Those who are opposed say a shot clock will ruin the game and diminish the emphasis needed on fundamentals. After covering Tuesday night’s Rice/Essex game for the Vermont Guardian and ESPN Radio, I have very strong opinions on the subject.

Tuesday night’s semi-final game had to be one of the most boring games I have ever seen. Rice came out hard, got a big lead, and then sat on it. At one point of the game, I started clocking the time of Rice’s possessions, and I believe it was three times they held the ball for over a minute. One possession in the third quarter, Rice held the ball for a minute and 45 seconds. Yes, there was an Essex foul in there, but that came at the one minute mark of that trip down court. It was so bad that during a 30 second time out, one of the officials came over to me at the press table and said, “I have two words for you Chris ‘shot clock’”. We were all looking at each other wondering when the game would end and if we could stay awake for the entire game.

Here is why I believe there should be a shot clock in the high school game. First of all, I don’t agree with the argument of “it diminishes the skills of the players”. With a shot clock, players have to think quicker, they have to be able to find the open look, and passing has to be sharper because there is a time limit to shoot. On defense, players are encouraged to pressure more. There is the added incentive to force the offensive team into a turnover and to play the shot clock and not just the game clock.

Secondly, we had the discussion in last month’s issue of Varsity Magazine on how Vermont student/athletes have not been able to attract college recruiters for scholarship opportunities. I believe one of the reasons for this in basketball is because college recruiters and coaches don’t know how kids will react with a 30 or 35 second shot clock. They don’t know if a potential recruit can shoot under pressure, they don’t know if they can run an up tempo type of game, nor do they know if a point guard can manage the clock on a possession by possession basis.

For a coach, their way of coaching would change. Coaches would not be able to play stall ball starting in the second quarter. When it comes to the end of a game, teams also would not be forced to start fouling with three to go so they can get the ball back. Teams would have to shoot, creating rebound chances, and a greater chance to come from behind. This would add more excitement to the game.

The prime example of needing a shot clock goes back only a couple of years when on January 12, 2005, Milton and BFA-Fairfax faced off in a boys game in Milton. The final score was a mind numbing 5-2 BFA victory. Here is the thing; that was the halftime score! Neither team scored in the second half, nor did either team go to the free throw line. This was a deliberate attempt by Milton’s coach to slow the game down as he felt he did not have the offense to hold down BFA. Bob Johnson of the Vermont Principals Association was quoted as saying, “It had to have been one of the most boring games in the world.”

More excitement in the game, better skill development, and more of an emphasis on coaching is why I believe there should be a shot clock in Vermont high school basketball. Being a former coach, I would have welcomed a shot clock because of the reasons I mentioned. I also think their fundamentals would have developed more, and I as a coach would have had to think on my feet more. We need the shot clock to avoid yawners like Tuesday’s Rice/Essex game and the infamous Milton/BFA game.

Rinks and courts of dreams

2007-02-26T09:14:00.000-08:00

The Aud in Barre, Patrick Gymnasium, Krietzberg Arena, and the Gutterson Fieldhouse. These are the places Vermont high school athletes dream of in their sleep, and even in their daydreams in the middle of history class. These are the arenas where the Vermont high school hockey and basketball title games are held. It is the dream of winning a state title, and certain immortality in their hometown. The hits are harder, the slapshots have a few more miles an hour on them, and all of a sudden a kid who has a 15 foot range on her jumper can all of a sudden hit from 20 with a player in her face. It is tournament time in Vermont.

Not only is this an incredible time of the year for the fans and the players, but for those of us who write about and broadcast the games, there is a certain amount of magic for us as well. Most of us are former athletes who never played in a playoff game, much less got off the bench in our high school careers. We see things from another point of view. The crowds are booming, and we feel the electricity in the arenas to the point we are convinced that if the energy was bottled up, the City of Burlington could be powered for a month. Our calls seem to get better, phone lines myseteriously have amazing clarity, and our voices aren’t shot at the end of the night. In fact, forget Ernie Banks saying of “Lets play two”; we want to broadcast three. Yes, this is special for us as well.

The games I have seen during this year’s tournaments have been nothing short of amazing and spectacular. In the boys Division One hockey semi-finals, unbeaten Rutland needed an Alexander Porrier backhanded goal in the second overtime to end BFA Saint Albans dream of another title in a 3-2 Rutland victory. In the girls Division II semi-finals, Missisquoi and Montpelier had to go to overtime, but in part due to some horrendous officiating, the Solons lost 2-1. In the opener, Burr and Burton needed double overtime to defeat Northfield. How can I forget the boys Division II title game where Colchester came from two down in the third to tie the game, then seeing their dream of a second straight title come crashing down in the second overtime as Burr and Burton took out the Lakers 3-2.

There are so many stories that are yet to be written in this year’s tournaments. Down at Lamoille, the Lady Lancers basketball team wants to win a title for their captain Mackenzie Pratt who is out for the rest of the year while she undergoes cancer treatment? How about the 12th seeded Milton boys team who want to win for Jeff Cota, their 6’7 big man who has a rare form of bone cancer? Burlington’s boys team wants to send Tyrone Conley to UNH with their second consecutive title, but of course Rice could stand in the way as Pat Bergmann wants to avenge Burlington ruining the Green Knights chance of a perfect season. When it comes to the Barre Auditorium, who cares what the matchup and storyline is? This is the Aud!! Sports Illustrated rated the Aud as one of the best venues in all of high school basketball. There will be cowbells ringing, and entire towns showing up to cheer their teams on. So many stories to tell, more to come during the next ten days.

I know, I know, I have been slacking......

2007-02-25T07:51:00.000-08:00

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know I haven't posted in almost two weeks, and please forgive my sins of the blog world. I do have a good excuse, I have been sinking my brain cells into the dream world of Vermont broadcasters--The state hockey and basketball tournaments. I have called two double overtime hockey games, one that went a mere single overtime, and saw Montpelier's girls hoop team get upset by Milton last night. So, I do have an excuse, and there will be more to come on the tournament later on in the week. Now, I need a day off....

HYSTERICAL posts

2007-02-09T09:11:00.000-08:00

There is a guy named Chuck Miller who is one of the biggest basketball junkies I have ever talked to. With all that is going on in the ABA, (Which is a MESS!!! More on that in another post) Chuck has written a parody on the league complete with a ficticious team and tidbits from soon to be ousted CEO Joe Newman. Check it out, you will DIE laughing.

http://www.oursportscentral.com/boards/showthread.php?t=4786

Shot clock guy......

2007-02-09T03:54:00.000-08:00

Thursday night I had another night without a game to call, and well, I was in the mood to go to a game instead of calling a game. Being the fan I am, staying out of an arena is like keeping a fat person away from the gravy fries at Nectars. So, with the Frost Heaves in town to play Bellingham, I made the trip down I-89 to the Aud in Barre.

When I got to the arena, I was honestly prepared to sit in the stands, maybe jot down a few notes and yap with the throng of fans bearing "Free Kerry Lyons" shirts that sit behind the Vermont bench. Kerry is a guy who made it through the open tryout, worked his way through vet's camp, and was offered a contract. Kerry is one of the world's nicest guys who signs autographs, talks to the kids, and is having a blast just being on a pro team. When I asked him how things were going, he said, "Chris, I had my ten minutes of fame when I played in the first game, and the rest is gravy for me. I am just loving this whole dream." By the way, Kerry hasn't played since, and during blowouts the mob yells "We want Kerry" in hopes he will get some PT. I am convinced Kerry would wax the floor of the Aud on his hands and knees if he was asked to. He is one of the guys who will literally do anything to hang on to the dream of playing pro ball.

So, as I was meandering around and checking things out, Mike Healy of the Heaves asked me if I was working or watching the game. When I told him a little of one and more of the other, he asked if I knew how to run the shot clock. When I answered in the affirmative, he asked if I would be willing to run the thing. Hmmmmmmmmm, courtside seat, get to listen to the players, listen to Coach Voigt work the officials; it didn't take me more than a quarter of a second to say yes.

Mike gave me the rundown of the rules, which buttons to press, which switch to hit to light up the 3-D lights, and I was ready to rock. I played with the 3-D lights and ran the shot clock to make sure I knew how to press buttons, and I was officially a shot clock operator. Before the game started I was given final instructions by the refs who said not to reset quick; wait a half second to make sure there wasn't another change of possession, or that something else had not happened that would make them stop play to reset the clock. Once they did that, I was ready for a night of hopefully not having cowbells thrown at me because I couldn't press a button.

More or less, I managed to get through the game without any problems. There was once the refs had to stop the game because I reset the clock when I shouldn't have, but other than that, and a few times I didn't even start the thing, it wasn't a bad night. My main problem was seeing the action. Yes, I was in the best seat in the house, but when subs came into the game, I couldn't see a darn thing. Man alive those guys are tall!! Even when they are sitting they are two feet taller than I am when I am standing on a chair, so I had to wiggle my way around so I could see if a ball had in fact hit the rim or not. Finally, one of the ladies doing the scorebook politely asked the guys to sit so we could see. Man, I should have thought of that, but I was a rookie, so I knew my place.

The most fun I had in the whole experience was listening to the coaches and the players. Coach Voight was riding the refs hard, mainly because they didn't have a clue. "Be consistent!! Just be consistent!! That is all I ask!!" is what I heard about 200 times. The best was when a Vermont player got nailed for a foul, that in the NBA would be a continuation foul, no free throws and no basket. There was one small problem; there is no continuation in the ABA!! Oh yeah, Will was livid at that one, and I actually thought he would get a technical because he was red in the face and screaming. Oh yeah, he was a good two feet on the floor too, but who cares about that detail? By the way, the refs were just awful and that is being nice. At one point I was convinced it was going to take a visit from the medical examiner in order to have a foul called. Yes, it was that bad.

The game itself was a blast. 1,500 fans were in the building, ringing cowbells, and screaming their lungs out. The stat guy/webmaster/PR guy/everything guy from Bellingham said he hadn't seen anything like this in the last couple of years. He said his team was looking forward to the long trip from Washington because they knew it would be a packed house, and the fans would be loud and into the game. During the games that take place during timeouts, he kept on saying, "Man, why didn't I think of this?" He simply raved about the game, the rules, and the total class of the Vermont organization. He said, "We haven't had to worry about a thing except playing since the minute we got here."

Hey Mike, if you are reading this, let me know when you need a shot clock guy again. Next time I promise I will get the 3-D lights right and will start the clock when I am supposed to. Folks, the ABA itself is in trouble with the CEO being ousted, along with countless other issues, but don't let that keep you away from Heaves games. The atmosphere is as the guy from Bellingham said, "This is like a Duke game at Cameron Indoor!!"; the fans know their stuff, and it is great basketball. Tickets are cheap, parking is free, and the players sign autographs until they are kicked out of the arena. Good show Alex, keep it up.

Middlebury at Norwich

2007-02-05T16:59:00.000-08:00

I have to admit that I am a fan at heart. I know that being in the media, people seem to think those of us who cover the games do it because we have to. The reality of it is we don't get paid jack, our hours are long, and our wives look at pictures of us to remember what we look like. We do this because we are fans, and we love covering games like Middlebury and Norwich.

When I arrived at Kreitzberg at 1:00 for a 3:00 game, the parking lots were packed. When I found a parking spot somewhere close to Randolph, I walked up to the guy who was directing traffic and said, "Man, and I thought I was early". He shrugged his shoulders and then looked at the line of cars coming up and said, "I think they thought they were early too." When I got to the doors, there were already people lined up for tickets. Luckily, I have this cool thing known as a press pass and walked my way into the arena so I could get ready for the game.

When I walked in, I could already feel electricity in the air. I dropped my stuff off and sauntered across the arena so I could say hello to George and John from WDEV, and John and I started talking about radio stuff, then the discussion came to the game itself. John told me that for only the second time this year, the students would be around for a game. In other words, the cadets would be loud; especially since ESPN U was televising the game live. We both sat back a bit, looked at the pristine ice, and said that it doesn't get much better than this.

These are two teams who have healthy respect for each other, yet beat the daylights out of each other on the ice. To say the fans were into it is like calling the Grand Canyon a hole.....It is understating things just a bit. Scott Miller, who is the Sports Information Director at Norwich, and doubles as the PA guy got the crowd going early when the Cadets took the ice. Scott was frantically flying around the arena before the game trying to get everything done, and I offered to do PA for him so he could do other things. Scott said, "Chris, I am too much of an ego-maniac to give up the mic." Scott, who is one of the better SID's around, then got the crowd fired up and ready to go. (It turns out he is a pretty good PA guy as well.)

When the puck dropped, the crowd was even more nuts. With every Norwich hit, the crowd roared. When the crazies in the corner knew the ESPN cameras were on them, they went even more insane. When Nikita Kashirsky opened the scoring with a jaw dropping, falling backhanded goal with 51 seconds to go in the first; the place EXPLODED!!! When he started off the second with another one, I thought my eardrums were going to pop. The joint was going insane, and I was loving every second of it. Yes, I would have loved to see a Middlebury victory, but I was having such a blast just being there. The fans know their stuff, they love their team, and they love the game. Games like Cal/Stanford; Harvard/Yale, and of course Norwich/Middlebury is why I love sports as much as I do. (Throw in Campolindo/Miramonte from my high school days, and Rice/Burlington as well.) It is the rivalries, the passion, and the respect and handshakes after the game that make covering sports so much fun.

On a personal note, I would like to send my best to my father-in-law who was rushed to the ER late last night. Hang in there, and get well soon.

Shame on you

2007-01-30T04:05:00.000-08:00

Many of you in the Champlain Valley know about Jeff Cota, the Milton basketball player who is suffering from a rare form of bone cancer. From all accounts, Jeff is a tremendous kid who is fighting this disease as only a kid can, and has a great attitude on his recovery. His teammates have been supportive in driving to Boston to keep him company during his treatment, and he has the full support of the Milton, and basketball community.

Last week it was reported that items, including an X-Box were stolen from Jeff's home while he was in Boston receiving treatment. The X-Box was a gift to help him stay occupied while home bound and recovering from chemotherapy treatments. To the little twits who broke into the home, shame on you. Jeff has CANCER, and needs everything possible to help keep his spirits up. Stealing something because you either want to hawk it on E-Bay or are too lazy to get a job to buy one yourself is simply a disgrace. You think you have it bad? Think about the kid who is literally fighting for his life right now. He has drugs pouring through his system that make him sick for days on end, not being able to eat, he is losing his hair, and is stuck either at home or in a hospital. Mommy won't buy you an X-Box, or you don't want to get a job? Deal with it. Jeff and his family have problems that you, the thieves cannot even comprehend. I hope the police catch you, and for your sake, I hope the Milton basketball team doesn't get their hands on you; there may not be much left after they are done.

Get well soon Jeff, we are all pulling for you.

Best wishes.........

2007-01-29T11:31:00.000-08:00

I will write about the Burlington/Rice game later on today, but first of all, something that is just a bit more important.........

Myself, and the rest of the crazies in the Burlington blogosphere would like to extend best wishes to Peter Freyne who disclosed in his blog that he has been diagnosed with Hodgkins Disease. Peter is a great guy, and one of those writers who just tells it like it is. Peter, get well soon and hang in there. You can beat this!!!!

Thoughts from the last couple of weeks.......

2007-01-22T11:41:00.000-08:00

It has been an interesting couple of weeks for me. I did a five game in five night stretch two weeks ago, then decided to slack off with only three last week. A couple of technical glitches would have added a couple of games to the tally, but technology does have its moments.

This week, it is Burlington/Rice part II and that is going to be NUTS!!!! Rice won the last meeting 56-55 on a Kevin Gamache three with six seconds to go in the game to give Burlington their first loss of the season. Friday's game should be equally as good, and it will be another packed house at Burlington High School. I expect a game similar to the last one with tight defense, and quite possibly another one point game. Rice is unbeaten, and I would like to think that the Sea Horses are looking for a bit of revenge for Rice handing them their first loss of the year. Pat Bergmann is a beast, Gael Shungu is also very good for Rice while Tyrone Conley is one of the best in the state(Along with Bergmann), and I have been very impressed with the play of freshman Joe O'Shea. Prediction: Burlington 65 Rice 63.

Questions from the mailbag:

"Chris, where have you been for the last couple of weeks?" Working, working, and suffering from a hellacious case of writer's block. Reading about Loyal Ploof this morning helped break that.

"Who will win the Burlington/Rice game on Friday night and are you carrying the game?" See above for the prediction, and the game will be carried on WCAT. The pre-game is at 7:30, tip-off at 7:45. John McDevitt and I have that one. By the way, I have done one game with John as my color guy and he is just awesome. For a guy who had only done one game before this year just blows my mind; the man is good.

"Can Colchester repeat as the Division II champs in hockey?" I think they have a solid shot, but they are going to get a run for their money from Burr and Burton. I am really hoping those two teams will meet in the title game because I have a feeling it could be as good of a game as last year's title matchup. (Colchester 1-0 over Harwood in overtime, and it was a CLASSIC!! One of the best games I have ever seen at any level.)

"You talked about Mackenzie Pratt on a couple of your broadcasts; how is she doing?" From what I hear, she is doing well. She underwent treatments last week and was weak and tired, but in great spirits. I talked to Mackenzie before the Lamoille/U-32 game and she is just amazing. She has a great attitude, a great outlook, and is so positive about beating such a horrible disease. She is also a great person and has an energy to her that makes you root for her. I will tell you this, I am one of many who is in her corner.

Just when I thought I had seen it all.......

2007-01-22T04:09:00.000-08:00

Ok, ok, I know I have been taking a hiatus from blogging due to a ton of games over the last couple of weeks, and I will get to those in a later post. What has me blogging this morning instead of preparing for tonight's game is the unreal story in the Burlington Free Press that Loyal Ploof has decided to run for the Burlington City Council as a..........REPUBLICAN??????????????????? Loyal, have you lost your mind????

How in the world can a guy whom we all think is as much of a democrat as they come go over to the other side? Is he thinking that he will pick up more than 54 votes by changing parties? I mean come on Loyal, what has gotten into you? I know you say that your fiscal conservative thinking blends in well with the Republican party, but this is nuts!! You have fought for those in the Old North End, tried to gain economic prosperity for those in the area, and basically have left leaning ideals. Now you are a Republican??

Sorry Loyal, I love ya and all from coaching together in the Old North End, but this is just bad and it will make you look bad. This is either a publicity stunt, or you are somehow trying to hang on to a falling political career. The Republican party will see through this, and Charity Tensel will eat you for LUNCH!!! (Then have room for a snack later.) Loyal, really, is this an early April Fools joke?

Ohio State/Florida

2007-01-08T17:35:00.002-08:00

How stupid is Florida???? Florida wins the toss and for some inane reason decides to defer their decision to the second half. What does this do? It puts the ball in Ohio State's hands with Ted Ginn, Jr who is a deadly return man back to receive. Ginn gets the ball on the seven and goes 93 yards for a score; 7-0 OSU just 14 seconds into the game. Why the hell do teams defer????? Why put the ball in Ginn's hands to start the game??? Morons........

It is going to be a loooooooooooong week

2007-01-08T17:22:00.000-08:00

Yes folks, this is going to be one long week, but one which is the reason I do what I do. This week, I have five games in five nights with nine different teams. Tomorrow night it is boy's basketball on WSKI as U-32 takes on Hartford. Wednesday it is boy's hockey with U-32 at Middlebury on WFAD; Thursday night back in Montpelier on SKI, the U-32 girl's basketball team takes on Lamoille; Friday night on WCAT it is boy's basketball as South Burlington is at Burlington; then to cap it all off, Saturday night it is boy's hockey on CAT with South Burlington at Burlington.

I will be checking in during the week with recaps of the games.

I don't like pink

2007-01-04T15:26:00.000-08:00

Well, pink can be a nice color in the proper form. It looks good on small children, in a nursery, but NOT good when that bright pink is in fact the color of my eye. Yes folks, I have developed a nasty case of pink eye, AND of all things my eardrum ruptured last night. Health wise this has not been a good couple of days. It is so bad that I can barely see out of my left eye(But yes boss, I will be in tomorrow morning....) and the doctor actually had the gall to ORDER me not to leave the house until tomorrow morning at the earliest. So, those of you in Montpelier who may have been expecting my dulcet tones for the Montpelier/Oxbow game, you have my apologies. I am stuck in the house washing the sheets, scrubbing down everything I have even looked at, and researching some stuff on the Frost Heaves. If I couldn't read or work at the computer, I would have gone nuts today.

This is the first time I have had to miss a game due to illness, and somehow I feel guilty. Ok, I know I cannot control an eardrum splitting, or a bright pink eye, but I still feel like I should be at the game. Mom, I know you read my rantings, and I have this to say......IT IS ALL YOUR FAULT!!!! You see, my dear and wonderful mother instilled a work ethic in me that makes it almost impossible for me to call out sick. Mom's attitude is if she is breathing, she can work. Yes, I am breathing, but even I had to sit back and think of the following:

A) I can barely see out of my left eye because of all of the built up crap.

B) My ear is so clogged that driving could be an adventure. I have never been behind the wheel when I have had too much to drink; with my equilibrium out of whack, and the previously mentioned sight issue, I was a bit of a hazard. Walking is like I am drunk, so climbing the ladder to the Montpelier High press box would have required a net be down below for my own safety.

Yes Mom, and to my dear wife, I actually decided to be smart instead of my usual stubborn self. (Or wait, is it prideful?)

Back from vacation

2006-12-28T12:34:00.000-08:00

Ah yes, after flying from Oakland to Salt Lake City, continuing on to Cincinatti, and then on to Burlington, I have returned to the great old north of Vermont. I returned with a nasty cold thanks to my nieces, a greater appreciation of said nieces, and a desire to throttle Delta Airlines.

First, the good of the trip. It was great to see the family again and to see how BIG my two nieces are. They are both AMAZING children who are creative, happy, affectionate, and SMART!! Lucy, who is a couple of months short of two, showed off to me that she can count to ten, and turned an orange slice into a lady bug which she then promptly ate......Along with everything else in the house. Janie, who is now four, greeted me with a massive hug and a kiss, then promptly asked where her aunt was. Thanks Janie, it is good to know where I stand.....When we left the Bay Area yesterday, Janie told me she loves me, planted a couple of kisses on me, and then I didn't want to leave.

Now for the ugly.....I hate Delta Airlines. I could deal with two connections on the way home, that is just standard. What I couldn't deal with was the fact that this beaten up and battered sportsclown couldn't manage to get a wheelchair. Now for those who know me, you know I am not totally disabled by any means; I just have an aching and creaking left knee which makes simple things like walking without searing pain impossible. I knew full well with tight connections, there was no way I could hobble, stop every minute or two, and make the flights, so I requested a wheelchair through customer service. Not only did I do that, but told the flight attendants(Who were VERY nice) the same, and it was to be taken care of. Do you think it was? Strike one!!!!

Going from Burlington to Cincy, there was one, but since we had to change concourses, the dude left me at the bus and I had to hobble up a flight of stairs and then drag the leg behind me. Ya know, he could have called ahead and asked someone to meet me!! I am not hard to miss!! I had a bag, ESPN shirt, and dragging the dead weight of my leg behind me. Not difficult!!! My wife had to fly up ahead to make sure they knew I was hobbling along and would eventually be there, and we ended up making the flight by a hair.

The way home was an adventure all in itself. We got to Salt Lake City with a chair waiting but no one to drag my gimpy butt to the next concourse. I waited, asked for a lift, was told to sit, and someone would be there. Five minutes later, no dude or dudette to drag me, so I had to drag myself. One gate agent actually told me I did not need a chair. Holy fark, I almost lit her up but then realized I had another tight connection to make and had to hobble in a hurry. Yes, we made that one too but I was in serious pain.

Fast forward to Cincinatti where I had again arranged the chair, and it was waiting for me thanks to a very kind and vigilant flight attendant named Jennifer who made sure my chariot awaited. The designated driver was hysterical when he said he was expecting an old man. He took me to the bus, we cracked jokes, and he actually called ahead to have someone meet me. Small problem........No one was there. I asked a couple of people for a lift, they looked at me like I had three heads. Finally some old coot had me hobble with him to get a chair, and I was at the gate. Oh yeah, one more thing.....Man alive that is a long walk in the commuter terminal to get from the gate area to the actual gate. A lift would have been nice!!!

Of course I fired off a nice little e-mail to Delta about the whole deal. Needless to say, I was one miserable radio dude whose knee needs to be chopped off with a chainsaw.

Live from San Francisco..........

2006-12-23T15:24:00.000-08:00

Yes folks, I am in fact in San Francisco for some time with my family and a much needed vacation. This vacation thing is kinda cool actually. I wake up, my uncle has made coffee, Mom has made breakfast, and the only thing I am forced to do all day is play with my nieces. I think I can live like this...........

The only thing of note that would interest anyone but myself is my wife felt her first ever earthquake this morning. Yuppers, it was centered about five miles from here and registered 3.5 on the Richter scale. It only lasted a few seconds, and of course I thought it was funny. I get to town and an earthquake hits. Ah yes, the pleasures of being home.

Happy holidays everyone, my nieces are tugging at my knees and are demanding I have a tea party with them.

The world as we know it is ending.........

2006-12-19T08:35:00.000-08:00

No, Babe Ruth is not back from the dead; George Steinbrenner did not grow a heart, but something else of monumental proportions happened.......I stopped being stubborn for a mere day.

As some of you know, I have the absolute knee of doom. I have had it scoped twice, I can walk without searing pain for about ten seconds a day, and the doctors have said they can't do a stinking thing. Well, my beloved wife and I are heading out west for five days with my family, and we have a TIGHT connection in Cincy. When I say tight, we are talking 35 minutes tight thanks to Delta and their love of inflicting torture on their passengers. Now, I am as stubborn as the Republican party is corrupt. I don't care if my body will fall apart with the next step, I am still taking the step because I simply don't know any other way. Either that or the family genetics get in the way which means there is a glossy photo of us in Websters next to the word "stubborn". Anyway, back to the connection. With the connection as tight as it is, and with as miserable as walking is, I conceded that I will need some assistance getting from one terminal to another in less than three days. So, I called Delta and told them I need an old person mobile at the gate.

When I mentioned this to my wife, she almost had a coronary. "My husband?? Ask for help?? What alien took control of your brain that made you actually do something logical??" (I kicked her with the good knee, fell over, and she laughed.) So, if you see someone hiding their face at the airport in Cincy, leave me my one bit of humility and don't laugh so hard your ribs break. I am doing this ONLY because I want to get back to my beloved San Francisco so I can eat Mom's food, drink her booze, and spoil my nieces ROTTEN!!!! (Only because I can give them back...Sorry sis.) I am still stubborn, still a pain in the word the FCC wouldn't like me to use, and always will be!!!! There is no getting around it world, regardless of what you do!!! Well, there is, but only for tight connecting flights. I blame this all on Delta and genetics........

The stretch run.......

2006-12-17T09:05:00.000-08:00

Ah yes, after doing three games in four nights, I can now really start counting down the days until my much anticipated vacation. Today one part of the body will be taking a much deserved day off........My voice. Yes folks, after doing two hockey games and a basketball game with more or less non-stop talking, my voice is cooked, toasted, killed, mauled, and silent. Now civilization as we know it is probably quite pleased that I sound like an obscene phone call gone horribly wrong, but it happens. The interesting thing should be tomorrow when I go into work and do my usual thing. I can picture it, "I'm Chris Fells, or something resembling Chris Fells with.......".

I had some pretty good games this week. The first one was a bit of a yawner as Colchester just crushed Middlebury in boy's hockey 9-1, but that was followed up the next night with a track meet of a boy's hockey game in which Montpelier pressed Lyndon into submission by nine. Last night I had the Burlington/BFA Saint Albans girls' hockey game which was a GREAT game. Alas, the voice started going in the third period. Oops.

Two more this week and then I am headed to San Francisco for five days of spoiling my nieces and catching up with the rest of the family that I haven't seen in a year and a half. To say the least, I can't wait.

Vermont Frost Heaves

2006-12-10T08:40:00.000-08:00

At long last, after bending my schedule, and then finally getting the time, I made the trip down Interstate 89 to Barre, Vermont to finally attend the latest game in town; the Vermont Frost Heaves of the American Basketball Association. The Frost Heaves are the brainchild and dream of Sports Illustrated writer Alex Wolff, who wanted to bring basketball to his adopted home state. Alex is a prolific writer, having written countless books on basketball, and basically being obsessed with the game from about 30 seconds after being born.

The ABA is a struggling minor league with countless problems and issues ranging from corrupt owners, to corrupt upper leadership, and teams who have folded in mid-season, failed to pay their players, and whose commissioner has all of the PR skills of a two year old who is throwing a tantrum. Last year, the league played half of its games, but yet commissioner Joe Newmann has plans to expand his league to over 100 teams. Don't let these statements turn you against the Frost Heaves, Alex Wolff is a man who if others follow his lead can turn this league into a success.

So, after calling the Saint Michael's/LeMoyne game on WCAT, I made the trip down I-89 to the Barre Auditorium. "The Aud" has been recognized by the USA Today as one of the top ten venues in the country for high school basketball with great views of the court, and an intimate and LOUD environment. The Aud is packed for the state basketball tournaments, and everyone I bumped into seems to have a memory of one game or another from years past. Barre is a blue collar area whose fans know their basketball who have the days counted down until the next game at the old brick arena.

Alex is a man who as my mother would say "gets it". Being a Vermonter, Alex has honed in on what will bring fans to the games. All of the products sold and produced are environmentally friendly, and are tied into the local economy. The team bus is low emission, and the concessions are all done by local companies from Central Vermont and are very affordable. Forget the standard cold hot dog with a soggy bun; Alex had a place with fresh grilled sausages and hand made crepes. Tickets are a bargain at 12 bucks for a balcony seat, and the parking is free.

Some of the players themselves have local ties. Dana Martin starred at Stowe High, Burlington product and Saint Michael's standout B.J. Robertson gets some time, and local favorite Kerry Lyons who hasn't seen a second of playing time this year has a cult following because of his easy going manner and the fact he hasn't stopped smiling since the tryout sessions. All of the players willingly sign autographs before and after the game and have been known to hold impromptu teaching sessions while they are warming up. Coach Will Voigt is a graduate of Cabot High School who is a basketball savant. At the age of 30, he has already coached college ball, and overseas at the pro level. He has worked with the San Antonio Spurs, and many say Will has a solid chance at being an NBA coach.

The fans are entertained during timeouts and in between quarters with a variety of promotions including a race where kids go from one sideline to the other and change the banners in front of the scorers table. Fans are recognized, by the PA guy who keeps yelling for more ringing of the cowbells (Don't ask, they gave me a migrane and I had to block them out) and throwing out facts about Frost Heave players. The Aud holds about 1,500 and I think I counted 50 empty seats.

The quality of play isn't bad, but it could be better. These are guys who are hanging on to their dream of playing professional basketball and are doing everything they can to hold on. The pace is frantic as only seven seconds are allowed to cross mid-court, and if the ball is turned over in the backcourt, and the opposing team scores, an extra point is awarded. Quebec City was able to turn two field goals into three points, and another two three pointers into four. Defense is emphasized, and if you can't run for 48 minutes, then get in shape.

The fan experience is tremendous, the staff goes above and beyond, and owner Alex Wolff is a class guy who deserves all of the success in the world. He is bringing affordable basketball to an area in need of something to hold onto, and if the commissioner of the league would stop handing out franchises to anyone whose check clears, the league may make some money for everyone and not just those in the family of Mr. Newmann. Alex has marketed the team, is a PR genius, has gotten out in the community, and made a name for his team. Many teams in this league have not done that and have failed miserably; including six teams who have folded this year. Off the record I was told two more and possibly three more will fold in the near future. If every team follows Alex's model, and Mr. Newmann REQUIRES all prospective teams do the same, the league will grow. If Mr. Newmann fails to do that, his league will go into the sunset.

More from the old job.......

2006-12-06T15:03:00.000-08:00

First of all, thanks to Cathy Resmer for linking my blog in her "Tuesday Linkdump" section. It is good to see that people are reading my ramblings.

Now, to more of the questions I get asked about my duties at ESPN Radio......

1) "Why don't you do more local sports coverage?"

We do what we are able to as far as covering action in the area. There are only two of us doing games being myself and Larry Richards, so unless cloning is now legal, there is only so much we can do while keeping our sanity and preserving our marriages. Actually, wait, more games may save the marriages........

2) "What sport is the most difficult to call?"

So far, I have to go with hockey. I did a game last week in Middlebury and the action is so quick, there are so many changes, etc that it is difficult to keep up with it all. Football you have more time to talk about the play, and there is are some breaks in there. Hockey, the play doesn't stop and when it does, it is a quick turnaround. The voice tends to get a bit tired during those games.

3) "Why are there so many commercials, and why can't you give more analysis during timeouts instead of going on and on about sponsors?"

Simply, because I want to get paid. Advertisers pay our salaries, heating bill, insurance, etc. We promise sponsors a certain number of mentions, and we do that and a bit more. Again, we do have bills to pay.

4) "Who has the best press box?"

Middlebury College has the Taj Mahal of press boxes when it comes to football. It is heated, the view is fantastic, stats are quick, and the food is always hot. In high school, Essex High is fantastic. There is PLENTY of room, and again, the munchies are good and we are treated very well. Colchester High is tied for first as well because of the size and the true hospitality shown by Leigh Mallory, the AD at the school.

5) "Who has the worst press box?"

Trinity College in Hartford is pretty miserable. The parking is terrible so I had to lug my equipment for quite a distance, and the thing resembles a tin can. Simply horrible.

More later on this week or next.......South Burlington/Middlebury tomorrow on WCAT 1390 at 6:45, then Saint Mike's against Le Moyne at 1:15 on CAT and WRSA.

Random Vermont thingy

2006-12-03T07:18:00.001-08:00

You are 77% from Vermont!

You probably got a lower score because, even though you're a real Vermonter, you must be one of those rednecks who failed history.

How Vermont are you?
Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

Holy crap, have I turned into a Vermonter?

This crazy job......

2006-11-25T13:31:00.000-08:00

Time and time again I get asked about my job, how I do it, why I do it, etc. Well, here are some of those questions and the straight forward answers:

1) "Hey Fells, your Sportscenters are 90 seconds long, so that takes you about five minutes to do?"

Ummmmmmm, no. Let's take the morning Sportscenter update. First off, I have to go through the 20 or so e-mails that hit between 8pm and 5am to pick out the important scores, stories, etc; condense those, and throw them into the script. Then, for the scores that didn't get e-mailed to me, I have to go through the Free Press, Press Republican, Times Argus, and the Rutland Herald for what I missed. I pick apart which scores are important, then toss those in the script. I usually edit things down, read it over once, edit again for time, and then voice it into the computer system. After that it has to be edited for slips of the tongue, brain, and for time. (Try saying some Eastern European name before the first cup of coffee hits.) Throw in the music bed, double check for time, then send it over to station number one. THEN, scripts have to be modified for each station so they can be tailored for each listening audience. Repeat the editing process, and four 90 second Sportscenters take me about an hour and 45 minutes; including e-mailing/file transferring over. Weather spots(three of those) take about 15 minutes total since I copy and paste those from a service. Repeat the process for the afternoon with details on certain games.

2) "How long does it take you to prepare for say a college football game?"

About eight to ten hours or so. Each week, I would contact the opposing team's Sports Information Director for updated stats and a Word version of their roster, go over their previous games, look at play trends, etc. Then, read over the roster about 15 times in order to avoid totally relying on memory for numbers, names, hometowns, etc. Then, writing a 22 minute pre-game show takes me about four hours or so with editing; lineup halftime guests, have plenty of material for injury timeouts, get all of the sponsor tags, record the promos, make sure my color guy has all my notes, and prepare for the weekly coaches' show. So yeah, about eight to ten hours, sometimes longer.

3) "How about basketball?"

Less time since I only need to go over the roster about three times. It is less since there are only 12 players on each team and it is easier to take a quick look down when I blank on a name.

4) "If I want a career in sports, what is the most important skill to have?"

Two things: First of all, be able to think on the fly. During a game, you never know what in the world is going to happen. You never know if there will be a 29 lateral play, a record broken, or a 20 minute injury timeout. Having the ability to improvise and talk about anything is a very important skill. Also, BE ABLE TO WRITE!!!!! I had an intern last year who told me he wanted to get into radio because his writing skills stunk and in radio he wouldn't have to write. HAH!!!! Trust me, you can't do everything from memory, and what do you think I am doing now? My scripts are written, intros are written, I write TONS of notes that are in small paragraph form, I write commercial script, and tons of other stuff. If you can't write, what you say on air can sound moronic and that is the last thing you want.

5) "I hear that pay in radio isn't good; why do you do it?"

It sure as hell beats working for a living. Seriously, how many people can say they love their jobs? I can!! I watch sports, I talk about sports, I write about sports, and guess what? I actually get paid for it!!!!! Man, this is every sports junkie's dream!! Now granted, I could make more money doing something else; in fact I took a serious pay cut to take this job, but there is something to be said for being happy.

Off to the grocery store. After all, I do need to be domestic.......Before I watch football.

Alive and well......

2006-11-22T04:04:00.000-08:00

Yes, I am alive and kicking after the college and high school football seasons. The season was a drain on the three braincelled mind of mine as I had many roadtrips, many miles logged, and the task of trying to commit to memory about 150 new players a week. Trust me, that never happened and I was forever relying on notes so I didn't sound like a total moron.

The football season was a fun one; my first as a broadcaster. Since July, and this includes the Vermont Ice Storm, I did 36 games, logged a ton of miles on the old car, and now have been able to braindump the season a bit so I can prepare for the hockey and basketball seasons. My wife is pleased with the fact that I will not be taking daytrips that start at 4:00 in the morning, ending at 11:00 at night when I am seeing purple iguanas from driving for too long. Yes, those little suckers play games with you after driving for 11 hours, and being on the "A" game for another six while at the game. Now, she only has to get used to three or four games in a week, but at least the trips are local.

Saint Michael's basketball is going to be a blast this year. Both the men's and women's teams have shown quite a bit of improvement. If the men can get consistent play out of Chris Cayole, and Brendan Mullins continues his improvement, this could be a team to contend with in a wide open Northeast Ten. In the first three games Brian Monahan has showed he can rebound, and the youngsters have grown up a bit in the past year. Running and gunning seems to be the way to go for this team.

The women are now 3-0 and are rolling. The Rayner twins look fantastic, and Anna Florent could be the most improved player in the conference. Two freshmen, Meg O'Shea and Alexis Keller are two good shooters with quickness and good defensive skills. Allison Dunn is shooting from long range well, and coach Jen Niebling has this team looking very strong. If they can play the first half the way they play in the second, this is a team that could very well make the NCAA Tournament this year.

The trip to Hamilton.......

2006-11-06T14:32:00.000-08:00

Off to Hamilton for another drive around the NESCAC.

Well, the drive down to Hartford last week was about as exciting as watching paint dry. Thankfully my last trip of the NESCAC season had a little bit more scenery as I made my longest trip of the year to Clinton, New York for the Middlebury/Hamilton game.

First of all, as much as I love my job, travel is the least glorious part. Some writers and broadcasters get to travel by plane, or even with the team on the team bus. I on the other hand get to travel in the luxury and style known as my 2000 Hyundai with vanity plates and 115,654 miles on the thing. The most fun part of the beginning of the travel day is waking up at 3:45 in the morning after getting home at 10:00 following a high school playoff game and trying to find a 24 hour gas station in Northern Vermont that at least serves Green Mountain coffee. Yes, those of us in the media are coffee snobs as it must have significant caffeine content and have a little flavor to its robust aroma. Ah yes, the glory of it all.

Anyway, as is my habit, I digressed. (Just ask my wife about that, she could tell you some stories.) When the sun comes up, the drive from Burlington, VT really is a nice one. In Vermont, the drive takes you through the towns of Shelburne, Vergennes, Addison, and then miles of hills and farms. Word to the wise, if you don’t like the smell of various animal dung, roll up the windows and turn off the air. There is about a 15 mile stretch of Route 22A in which the smell is so bad, the car automatically speeds up about ten miles an hour to get away from the stench. Upon entering New York state, the obscure and the downright amazing become evident. First for the obscure since that is what I do best. When driving in between the state line and the New York Thruway, (interrupted by I-87) counted 14 Baptist churches (yes, I counted; I was bored) with various messages saying things like “Jesus is Lord”, “YOU were God’s best decision”, and other various messages looking to convert heathen tourists into Bible quoting messengers as they go to spend their milk money at the outlets. Also, if you are going to make this trip and don’t have satellite radio; go get one now. In Vermont I was able to hear Dana Jewell of WDEV giving me the local news and mentioning next Saturday’s “state holiday”; the opening of deer hunting season. Ah yes, if you are going into the woods of Vermont for the next couple of weeks, just remember to wear orange, it will save your life. If you don’t wear orange, some dude named Bubba who has had two cases of beer for breakfast will somehow confuse you for a four point buck. “Dayum, I could have sworn that thang had antlers. Ah sheeewt, I guess we can still mount him on the wall next to the 57 Chevy we shot last year.”

Now to the downright spectacular. When the sun comes up over the Adirondack mountains, the view is simply stunning. Route 29 takes you through the Adirondack State forest and the road is literally surrounded by trees. For a few moments, the trees envelop the road and one feels like they are in some sort of natural tunnel. Despite the fact the temperature was in the low 30’s, I still opened up the windows so I could smell the trees and the various lakes and streams I was experiencing. I was tempted to take a side trip to some of the various historical sites along the way, but held off since I did have a game to do.

Once I got onto the New York Thruway, I was very pleasantly surprised with the scenery. As I bombed my way towards Clinton, the drive takes you along the Mohawk River and into the hill country near Oneonta and Cooperstown. If you glance off to the right, you can see the dams and the hills that lead you into some of the small towns of this region. I have to admit that being the baseball addict I am, when I saw the Cooperstown exit, I was tempted to call the boss, say I was sick, couldn’t do the game and head to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Thankfully I am not that stupid and then turned my attention to passing a semi that was going only 45 mph.
When I arrived at Hamilton College, I was beyond impressed. I went to the first building to find a restroom and ask where the Student Union was so I could grab coffee and breakfast, and it turns out the man I asked directions from was none other than head football coach Steve Stetson. Steve wasn’t content with just giving me directions, he offered to walk me over, and to give me a brief tour of the campus. Hamilton boasts a brand new 9.7 million dollar science center, a new athletic facility, new training rooms, and countless other improvements to their academic facilities. The campus blends the old and the new to near perfection and it creates a wonderful setting for Hamilton students to study and learn. I also have to say this for Coach Stetson, he is truly a world class man. Here he was, two hours before a game, and he was taking the time to give me an education on the school he loves, he bought my breakfast, and then we talked more about the school and his football team. He had a recruit to talk to before the game, and he kept apologizing for the fact he had to run and keep our visit short. Trust me coach, I was thrilled you took the time to give me a tour and appreciate some very good company after a very long early morning drive.

Here are the final, and obscure stats from a season's worth of NESCAC road trips: (Yes, these are actual counts)

Cups of coffee consumed: 17
Cans of energy drinks guzzled: 4
Times I said, "Crap, where am I?": 7, all during the Hamilton trip.
Buffett CD's listened to: 7
Times I did three games in the weekend: 2
Miles driven: 1,784
Gas stops: 11
Times I screamed, "Why don't I have satellite radio???": 238
Cops who passed me: Only four, I leave so early in the morning they aren't even awake yet.
Tolls paid: $18.30
Times I called my beloved mother to ask if she listened to the game: 4
Times she actually listened to the game: A big fat gigantic goose egg.

Home stats next week, but those aren't nearly as interesting.....

The Middlebury Tailgate.......

2006-11-01T15:18:00.000-08:00

Well, this week I was going to write about the trip down to Hartford for the Middlebury/Trinity game, but the weather was nasty, it was all freeway, and due to some automotive challenges when I got to the game I wasn’t able to do the usual walk around the campus. Instead, a tradition the parents of the Middlebury Panther players have made me a part of.

Tailgaters in college football are everywhere. There are the tailgates done by clubs, organizations, alumni groups, and in this case the parents of the players. It all started for me when I received a very nice e-mail from George Hrdina, the father of running back Stefan Hrdina who was complimenting me on the quality of the broadcasts. I went to go say hello at the Colby game and was offered breakfast, coffee, and even some snacks for the game. I was then more or less ordered by Donna Secor, the mother of captain and defensive back Scott Secor, to join them after the game and for the rest of the gatherings throughout the season.

To say these guys and gals put out a spread would be like calling the Grand Canyon a hole. There is chicken, pasta, drinks of the adult variety, but most importantly, it is a chance for the players to talk to their families, and get a good lunch after a hard fought game. In the case of Saturday’s game at Trinity, there was a cake for linebacker Eric Woodring whose birthday was on Sunday and of course everyone sang happy birthday to Eric.

Being someone who isn’t used to being on the inside so to speak, I have gotten a chance to get to know the players and their families in a more relaxed setting. Tiger Lyon’s parents fly up from El Paso, Texas for every game, and his sister comes for the home games. Scott Secor’s parents come from Lake Odessa, Michigan, and Mac Conn’s family came out from my old stomping grounds in Piedmont, CA. This is something the parents do for every game and they love every second of it. I have learned that Scott Secor was injured as a freshman, and barely knowing anyone always had a room full of friends in his hospital room to keep him company and give him real food. By the way, Scott already has a job lined up on Wall Street. This weekend I met Eric Woodring’s family for the first time, along with about another 10 family members of other players that Donna introduced me to. I am getting the chance to find out what makes these players the outstanding young men they are, and just how tight knit the entire Middlebury College family is. This is a point of view that most broadcasters don’t get the chance to get. Thanks everyone for making me feel part of the family.

By the way, as I say hello to this wonderful woman during every broadcast………Hi Donna!!!!

The drive to Williams

2006-10-25T03:53:00.000-07:00

When I was assigned the play-by-play duties for Middlebury football on ESPN 1490, I knew that covering Division III football would be fun because of the competition, the academics, and a couple of players I bumped into the previous year. Being a history buff and one who enjoys good scenery and a good story or two, the road trips were going to be fun as well.

Two weeks ago I was in Williamstown, Mass., the home of the Williams Ephs. Once the sun comes up in central and southern Vermont, the drive is one of the most spectacular you will ever see. Now going through Rutland isn’t the fun part, but when you get outside of Rutland it is nothing but wide open spaces, and more trees than even a transplanted Vermonter could imagine. During the fall, the natives complain about slow drivers on Rte. 7 who are trying to look at the leaves while driving and dodging moose, but I am convinced even they sneak a peek here and there to remind them they deal with the nasty winters in exchange for some colors.

The first real city one sees outside of Rutland is the historic city of Bennington, Vt. Bennington is the site of one of the Battle of Bennington, one of the more memorable battles during the Revolutionary War. At the site of the Bennington Battle Monument, American colonists stored important food and weapons which the British tried to, but were not able to capture for their own troops. You can see the 306 foot high monument for many miles outside the city. Williamstown itself is about a stone’s throw from Bennington. Having never made the trip, I was surprised to see the Williamstown sign about five minutes outside Bennington. Williams College was founded in 1793 and is one of the most prestigious institutions of higher learning in the USA. Williams holds the distinction of not only holding the first organized baseball game in 1859, but Williams was the first college whose graduates wore caps and gowns.

Being a football historian, I was interested in one of the great traditions in college football: The Walk. The walk takes place if Williams defeats their longtime rival Amherst. The players will walk up Spring Street to Saint Pierre’s Barber Shop where owner Roger Saint Pierre has cigars lined up, and the upperclassmen will shave the heads of the freshmen on the squad. When I walked into Saint Pierre’s, I was actually going to get my hair clipped while talking about the history of The Walk. Well, there was one small problem in they don’t take credit cards, and I was dumb enough to leave my debit card at home. I did end up spending a good 45 minutes talking to Roger about the tradition, its evolution, and looking at the wall of pictures that adorn the walls. When I asked Roger how he got involved in this, he laughed and shook his head a bit. He said it was unintentional, but it snowballed. He said about 40 years ago, after a win against Amherst, the players asked if they could walk up to the shop and celebrate. Well, the beer flowed, the heads were shaved, and a tradition was born. Roger said this is one of the greatest traditions in all of college football, and one he is pleased to be a part of. Roger said to me, “Well, things have changed though. It used to be that the kids would come in here, have a few beers, and do their thing; but that was years ago and the state is a little tight on those things nowadays.” When I asked why the tradition is so important to the team he thought for a second and said, “For the seniors, I think it is their way of holding on to their college football careers for just one more minute. You see, these are all kids who are not on athletic scholarships, and most likely won’t play football again. If they can hold on for just one more second, it seems to complete their careers and they are ready to move on.”While Roger was talking, I was looking at the pictures on the wall and just picturing what it would be like to be in that small barber shop with 80 guys smoking stogies and shaving the heads of their freshman teammates into outrageous styles.

Thinking about it made me wish I was about six inches taller, 50 pounds heavier, and had SAT scores about 600 points higher so I could take part in such a tradition. It seems simple, but it is one of those things that make a memorable experience even more memorable.

NESCAC this week.........

2006-10-18T04:23:00.000-07:00

Here are my fearless, if you want to call them that, predictions forthe weekend in the NESCAC. Now, I tend to write more about the NESCAC because it is a conference I cover for ESPN Radio up here in the woods of Vermont. It is a good conference with some quirks, but the level ofplay is pretty good. The one thing I don't like is the fact they don't play outside of their own conference and do not play in the playoffs. I will spout off more on that later.

Bates at Middlebury: Bates is a perennial loser, and Middlebury's defense has been tough this year, with the exception of last week's 40-9 loss at Williams. Middlebury's defense will do well against theBobcats, but the offense has to start kicking it up a notch or two. Prediction: Middlebury 10 Bates 3.

Hamilton at Colby: Hamilton scored their first points of the year lastweekend, and their defense looked as good as it has all year. Colbyhas the weapons on offense, but haven't been consistent of late.Prediction: Colby 17 Hamilton 0.Williams at Tufts: This is by far the game of the week in the NESCAC. Williams has a potent offensive attack and their defense isn't half bad either. Jon Dreckenhan and Brendan Fullmer will give the Tufts defense fits all afternoon. Prediction: Williams 35 Tufts 21.

Trinity at Bowdoin: Let's see here, perennial power Trinity againstBowdoin, a team that has only scored 13 points this season. Trinity 49Bowdoin 10.

Amherst at Wesleyan: I actually like this Wesleyan team as they aremuch improved from last year. Zack Librizzi has put up good numbersand is running that wide open offense very well this season. Freshman Danny Granatell had a fantastic game last weekend with seven receptions for 111 yards and I think that is what the kid needs to getgoing. Amherst will put their share of points on the board with their strong offense, but in the upset special of the week: Wesleyan 24 Amherst 20.

Now for my feelings on the NESCAC and not playing out of conferencegames and not going to the Division III playoffs. I understand thefact that NESCAC schools have strong academic traditions, and league officials don't want teams to take more time out of the classroom than need be. Ok fine, I can deal with that, but doesn't their current schedule and not playing outside the conference do a disservice to the teams? Take for example Middlebury College and not playing outside of the NESCAC. There is a fantastic rivalry up here between the Panthers and Norwich University that has not been played in years. Norwich and Middlebury are the only two schools in Vermont that play at any levelof college football. This was a rivalry that packed the respective stadiums, and was a game the entire state got involved in. Rivalries like this are what makes college football what it is today. Bring it back!! Let the teams play at least one game outside of the conference so rivalries like this can be played and continued. Especially in a state where there are only two college football teams, I think this rivalry needs to be brought back so at the bare minimum, there can be some bragging rights in the Green Mountain State.

When it comes to the playoffs, how can a team like Trinity prove theyare as good as they really are if they don't go up against competition outside their conference? This is a team who has won 33 of their last 34 games and are one of the best teams in New England. How can theyprove they are one of the best in the nation if they don't face outside competition? To me, this is a joke, and a couple of coaches I have spoken with want to have the ability to prove themselves at a national level. If other schools with equal academic traditions inDivision III football can make the playoffs, why can't the NESCAC?

That's all for me, time to prepare for the Middlebury/Bates game. For those outside of Central Vermont, you can catch the game on the web atwww.wfad1490.com. Alan O'Donnell will have the color commentary, I will have play-by-play duties. Pre-game at 12:30, kickoff at 1:00 Eastern Time.

Not a pretty weekend

2006-10-16T14:40:00.000-07:00

This weekend wasn't the best for Middlebury College football, or college football in general. The Panthers were crushed 40-9 down in Williamstown, MA, and the Miami Hurricanes proved to the college football world why they are the biggest joke in the game.

Middlebury took it on the chin with a 40-9 defeat at the hands of Williams. Tiger Lyon looked a little unsettled at quarterback throwing for only 74 yards and three interceptions. I do have to say though that the Williams offense is just incredible. Jon Dreckenhan and Brandon Fullmer are two of the best receivers, if not the best in the NESCAC. Fullmer had two touchdowns and 105 yards, while Dreckenhan had 74 yards and had a couple of impressive catches. The Ephs offensive line was able to hold the Panther defense sackless and in check for the entire game. The game plan of coach Ritter was questioned by a few after the game as they thought he should have opened up the offense a bit more in the second half. As one fan told me, "Everyone knows what play is going to be run when they break the huddle; the offense is just too predictable." Next week the Panthers are at home against Bates.

Now to the Miami/Florida International game. What an incredible joke and travesty that was. Miami proved to the world they have no talent and have a team made up of a bunch of thugs. Guys swinging helmets, stomping on opposing players, players using the brawl as a rallying cry, and the Miami TV clown roaring saying things like "That is what happens when you come into our house!!!" is disgusting and reprehensable at best. Larry Coker should be fired, the players involved in the brawl should be suspended for the rest of the season, and the NCAA should look at the possibility of cancelling the rest of Miami's season.

The football team has guys on scholarship who have criminal records longer than my arm, and those guys are only there for football. I doubt many of those clowns know what the inside of a classroom looks like. I am sickened by the actions of both teams, but Miami's helmet swinging display made me ill. Here is the funny thing, the players involved were suspended........FOR ONE GAME!!!!! Lord, that isn't a suspension, that is like putting your kid in the corner for five minutes as punishment. Miami and the ACC should be ASHAMED for their lack of discipline and something needs to be done by the NCAA.

Yes, there is some blame to be laid on Florida International. They were the guys who roughed up Miami's holder and started the whole debacle. There have been punishments laid down by coach Don Strock with two players being tossed off the team. The thing I am reacting the most to is Miami because of their long and notorious history of on and off field transgressions. Like I said above, if you can play football, you get into Miami. Criminal record? No problem!! GPA of 0.27? Can you run the 40 in 4.3? Come on over!!!! Unbelievable. This program needs to be blown up and started again from scratch. Would you ever see this happen in the NESCAC? Not in a million years which is another reason I love Division III football.

Now I know the Panthers are for real.....

2006-10-09T07:12:00.000-07:00

Ok, I know I said last week that the Middlebury Panthers are for real, but this week I really mean it. No really, I mean it.

Chalk another one up for the Middlebury defense as they chalked up a 7-3 victory over Amherst to go 3-0 for the first time since 1993. Kevin Ryan had another two sacks to not only break the team record for sacks THREE games into the year, but is within three sacks of breaking the NESCAC record as well. Did I say this is only three games into the season? Scott Secor was a monster on special teams, Erik Woodring was all over the place, and Alex Buggy did some damage as well. Folks, this is a defense that is third in the NATION in total defense. I am not kidding when I say my voice was shot after they shutdown Amherst on the last drive of the game.

This week, the defense needs to keep up what they have been doing, but the offense needs to kick it into gear in a big way. Williams is the team that ended Trinity's 31 game winning streak and has a very strong defense as well. Special teams and defense help, but the offense needs to start putting some points on the board as well. If the offense doesn't start scoring some points, I have a feeling they could lose to Williams. The game is on the road in Williamstown, MA and the Ephs are deadly on their home field. Take into consideration this is homecoming weekend, the Ephs have to be favored coming into Saturday. Of course, we all know what the defense can do, and if the offense starts hitting on all cyclinders, Middlebury could very well be 4-0 at the end of the weekend. I am not throwing out a prediction yet.....

Catch the game on ESPN 1490 starting at 1:00, kickoff is at 1:30. Also, you can catch the game on the web at www.wfad1490.com. All games are now being sold on CD for $20.00 a game, and $100.00 for the season which includes the weekly coaches show that airs on Thursday nights. Drop me a line here, or call 802-388-9000 to order.

Middlebury College football is for real

2006-10-04T14:39:00.000-07:00

After doing the play-by-play for the first two games of the Middlebury College football season, I have come to a conclusion that this team is for real. The Panthers defeated Colby 23-0 on Saturday, a game that Kevin Ryan set a NESCAC record for sacks in a game with SIX!!! Six sacks is a career for most guys and this man did it in a game. Overall, the defense is playing out of their minds, and is now the top rated defense in the conference.

On the offensive end, Stefan Hrdina is on his way to NESCAC first team as he piled up a very workmanlike 94 yards against Colby, while Tiger Lyon continued to make smart decisions at quarterback. I am liking the way the offensive line is protecting Tiger and giving Stefan some room to run.

On special teams, Steve Haushka has been punting and kicking very well. Haushka has been putting his punts inside the 20, and has put a few kickoffs through the end zone leaving opponents in poor field position.

This week will be a test as they play a very tough 2-0 Amherst squad. Amherst has a strong defense and a triple threat in Mark Hannon who can catch, is the league's leading receiver, and has a 64 yard punt return for a touchdown. If Middlebury is to win, they will have to cover Hannon like a blanket, and the offensive line will have to protect Lyon. Look for a good game with my prediction being Middlebury on top but only 13-7 in what should be a tight defensive game. Catch the action on ESPN 1490 at 12:30 Eastern Time, kickoff is at 1:00. The broadcast is also available on the web at www.wfad1490.com.

Why does this keep happening?

2006-10-02T13:00:00.000-07:00

Another day, another shooting in our schools. For those who haven't heard, three kids are dead, seven others injured when a man looking to get revenge for an incident that took place some 20 years ago, took hostages, then executed three young girls. This happened at an Amish school in rural Pennsylvania.

This is just flat out disgusting. People actually wonder why I firmly believe there should be strong gun control laws. Well folks, this incident, along with the Essex shooting and last week's shooting in Colorado are why guns should be melted down and used as manhole covers. I simply don't buy into the argument that guns don't kill people, people kill people. Give me a break, the lunatics who go and kill CHILDREN have the tools to go and kill whomever they want because we believe we should have the right to bear arms. Our founding fathers did not have killing CHILDREN in mind when they said militias have the right to bear arms.

What do we do about this? Nothing will happen because the right wing feels guns are good, no one should get in the way of barring citizens from having these toys of death.

Schools are supposed to be a place where children feel safe and can learn. Kids should not have to be afraid to go to school fearing they may be shot. Take the gun issue aside, why are these lunatics targeting kids and schools? These are precious, innocent children with full lives to lead who are being killed and there is no explanation. I hate this. I hate hearing about kids dying because we as a country cannot control guns. My wife and I want kids, but I am scared to death about what they will encounter in school. What a world we live in.......

Yowzers

2006-10-01T10:06:00.000-07:00

The marathon for the weekend is almost done and I am in the final stretch. Thursday night I had the coaches' show with Middlebury head coach Bob Ritter, then the real fun started. Friday night I did color for the Milton/Colchester game, then left at 5:30 Saturday morning for Waterville, Maine to do the Middlebury/Colby game. Right after that one, I booked it out of there and bombed my way back to Colchester in a record four hours and 45 minutes to do the second half of the Ice Storm/Lake City game. Total time in the car, nine hours and 53 minutes, 740 miles, abour 20 bucks in tolls, some really bad food, and good riddance to Lake City.

The weekend at Middlebury.......

2006-09-25T15:22:00.000-07:00

Well, game one is under the belt, and I lived to tell about it. The game itself was good, a 10-7 Middlebury in which the Panthers scored back to back safeties in the first quarter. Now that is something we won't see for a long time.

Broadcast wise, it went far better than I thought it would. I was a wee bit nervous and snippy before the game due to a technical problem, but I threw in the backup plan and it went without a hitch.

Well, one hitch. I had one of the legends of Middlebury football, Mickey Heinecken as a guest on the halftime show and for some unknown reason, and unknown until today called him Mickey Gilcrest. Why I did that, who the fark knows? Chalk that one up to not writing notes down when the trusty SID gives me my guest.

Game two at Colby this weekend, the other games I have are Milton at Colchester and Lake City at Vermont in the EFL playoffs. I will hopefully get to that game around the second quarter, but everyone will be in the capable hands of Larry Richards until then. Airtimes for the weekend are 6:45 on WCAT for the Milton/Colchester game; 12:30 for the Colby/Middlebury game (WFAD) and 7:15 for Lake City at Vermont. (WCAT)

Bumper sticker

2006-09-20T09:23:00.000-07:00

My dear mother sent me the text of a bumper sticker she saw on her way home........

Democrats are sexy...Have you EVER heard of a great piece of elephant?

I love it!!!!!!!!

Are we ready for some football?

2006-09-19T15:02:00.000-07:00

This weekend, the college football scene in Vermont gets into full swing as Middlebury College opens up their 2006 season against Wesleyan University.

This should be a good game, and one of interest for those in Chittenden County. Former Essex High School star Zack Librizzi makes his return to Vermont as the Wesleyan quarterback. Librizzi was a first team all NESCAC selection last year, and lead the conference in passing yardage and total offense. The Middlebury defense, lead by Scott Secor, will have their hands full. Despite the fact Wesleyan was 0-8 in the NESCAC, this should be a good game between two teams with strong football and academic histories.

The Panthers come into Saturday's game after going 3-5 last season. The Panthers lost their first three, but then came back to win three of their last five. Senior quarterback Tiger Lyon is back and will get the start under center. Lyon has a young offensive line to work with, but has Second Team All-NESCAC running back Stefan Hrdina behind him. Hrdina lead the team in rushing last year, and was second on the team in receptions. Hrdina looks like he hasn't missed a beat from last year, as he had a 64 yard romp in the annual Blue/White scrimmage. Lyon has a good arm, good instincts, and can run the ball when he needs to. On defense, the Tigers are strong with Secor, along with linebacker Alex Buggy. Buggy hits hard and gets his defense riled up with his intense style of play and his leadership.

This should be a good one. Catch the action on ESPN 1490 starting with the pre-game at 12:30; Alan O'Donnel and I will have the call of the game with kickoff time set for 1:00. If you can't catch the game on the radio, go to www.wfad1490.com.

Six days to go

2006-09-17T09:49:00.000-07:00

Six days and counting. Yup, six days is what I have before the opening of my first official football play-by-play gig as the voice of Middlebury College. (Division III) Am I nervous? Are you nuts? If I wasn't nervous there would be something seriously wrong with me.

Now, I know football, and have been doing quite a bit of warming up as the color voice of the Vermont Ice Storm, and doing high school football on Friday nights. I have sat in front of the tube and filled the DVR with college and pro football games and done mock play-by-play. On my way to Middlebury, I do the play-by-play of a cop pulling over a trucker. Yes, I am obsessed but ready to get the first game out of the way.

As I have learned, and the approach I will use is to picture describing the game to someone who has never listened to a single down of football. I am not one for "Lyon is going to run a 32 slot A go nuts zip 42 on six". It will be more of, "Lyon is in the shotgun, one back to his left, two receivers to the near side, one to the far side with Colby putting defensive backs right up on the Panther receivers." That is more friendly to listeners and will keep my brain from exploding.

Will I mess things up? Of course I will. Believe it or not, announcers are human and mess things up a bit. We can prepare and prepare, but then when game time hits and we can't hit the rewind button on the DVR, things are different. We may see something we actually didn't, call the wrong guy carrying the ball, or miss a tackle or three. The game moves fast, and three hours feels like three minutes. Am I looking forward to this? Does a baby go goo?

This week starts pure chaos for me. Coaches show on Thursday, high school game in Plattsburgh, NY on Friday, Sox Show on Saturday morning, Middlebury game that afternoon. The next week, repeat, but the Middlebury game is on the road at Colby, then I have to FLY back to Vermont for the Ice Storm/Lake City rematch part II in which I will be late and start doing color in about the second quarter. Ah, the glory and fun of it all.

By the way, in the announcer game from hell, Vermont took out Lake City last night 34-27. COUNTLESS problems before the game, and we had to do the game from the bleachers. I am not going there right now as I am still infuriated with some people(Not having to do with the Ice Storm or the station.) during the pre-game. Once I calm down, I will get into some more detail.

Primary predictions

2006-09-12T12:31:00.000-07:00

For what it is worth, here are my predictions for today's primaries:

US Senate(Republican): As much as I would like to say Rich Tarrant will lose, I just don't see it happening. Tarrant has the money, has been campaigning for much longer than Greg Parke, and the citizens of Vermont actually believe his anti-Bernie campaign ads. Parke, although he is running a much cleaner campaign, hasn't been campaigning for nearly long enough, so Vermonters don't know enough about him. The ads with his daughter are cute and all, but he should have started sooner.

Senate(Democratic): Sanders by a landslide.

Raniville vs Shepard: Rainville in this one. I actually like Martha because she is more of a moderate and has taken her shots at the Bush Administration. She seems to be very level headed, and obvioiusly has the experience in running the Vermont Guard to be able to make an impact in Washington. Yes Charity, there is a republican out there I would actually vote for.

What have we really learned?

2006-09-11T14:46:00.001-07:00

As we all know, on this day in 2001, the United States suffered the worst attack on American soil in its history. Thousands were killed, even more injured, and countless lives were effected by this horrific act of violence. The question remains, what have we learned since then?

Since 2001, we as Americans don't trust anyone; thankfully this includes President Bush and his administration who have used 9/11 as a rallying cry to keep them in office. Republicans keep spouting off that they will make sure we are safe, and the Clinton administration failed in countless ways to prevent a tragedy such as this. But, that is not my point in all of this.

The main thing that we as Americans have learned is how to be even more ignorant towards others. Many see a Muslim walking down the street and assume they are a terrorist. Those from the Middle East are given extra pat downs at airport checkpoints because they of course could be carrying a bomb or other device. Mosques are vandalized, Arabs are discriminated against, and there is no understanding for them as individuals, nor do we even try to understand the Muslim religion, we just run away and taunt.

The reality of it is that Islam is a religion based on peace. Muslims are devout in their faith, and want peace in the world and not violence. Because of the actions of a few devout and fundamentalist believers in Islam. As is all religion, Islam is one that is subject to interpretation, and some will interpret the Koran in ways that suit their own personal agendas. This is no different from Catholocism, Judiasm, or for that matter any form of religion. I read things one way, you read them another. In the case of those responsible for the 9/11 attacks, they interpreted the Koran to preach violence and to eliminate those who do not believe the same as they do. What we have Americans have done is to condemn the religion because of the actions of a relative few and not the majority.

What can we do to heal? Learn, listen, and read. Read about the Koran and you will find verses saying Allah does not condone the senseless killing of others, he condones it. "Whosoever kills a human being without (any reason like) manslaughter, or corruption on earth, it is as though he had killed all mankind. And whoever saves a life it is as though he had saved the lives of all mankind." (The Holy Quran 5:32) " This is a message of peace and not one that said to kill over 3,000 innocent people.

We need to learn to learn, and to persue knowledge of what happened and why. Systematically discriminating against millions because of the actions of a few will not allow us to move on; we will simply keep living in the past.

We interrupt this bout of cynicism......

2006-09-06T13:43:00.000-07:00

Ok, I have been a cynic of late, but I am going to stop.......But just for a minute.

I would like to thank the Vermont Ice Storm, Vermont Lake Monsters, Vermont Frost Heaves, Saint Michael's College, and the organizers of the Miss Vermont USA pageant for their TREMENDOUS generosity. On September 10th, a benefit will be held for Shane Bergeron, a nine year old kid in the Old North End who is suffering from Hodgkins Disease, and has an inoperable tumor. All I have mentioned have donated items that will be auctioned off during a silent auction at Sunday's benefit. Your generosity is very much appreciated.

Another note on the Ice Storm: I asked if I could place a donation jar at the entrance so donations could be collected. Well, that wasn't good enough. Volunteers went through the stands collecting donations. Through the pass of the hat, and the folks from the Miss Vermont USA pageant donating two baskets that were raffled off, $500.46 was raised for Shane's care. All proceeds will go to the family to help with medical and other costs. Thanks everyone for helping out.

If there is anyone out in the blogosphere who would like to donate anything, just drop me a line through here.

Fells

Part Two.......

2006-09-04T04:03:00.000-07:00

Well, it is about 7:00 in the morning, I have writer's block for some promo spots I need to write, so here goes my cynicism part two......

I kinda like my country, in fact I love my country. Even with this love of the good old US of A, I have a problem with a couple of things. First of all, why do we even say the Pledge of Allegiance when there is one key line that isn't even true? "One nation, under God(Which shouldn't be there anyway due to separation of church and state), with liberty and justice for all." We all know, THAT sure isn't true.

We are a country that believes in, and practices discrimination against blacks, hispanics, women, and of course homosexuals. President Bush wants a constitutional ammendment banning marriage between same sex couples, and not allowing them to have certain rights when it comes to home ownership, medical decisions, etc. This is a policy that Bush has out in the open, and yes, it is discriminatory. If it wasn't for religion, this would not be a problem. We use the Bible, and some warped belief system that says we can discriminate against others because the Bible says so. When it comes to "Liberty and justice for all", this does not apply with same sex couples. (Oh yeah, we also turn away when their rights are violated because they are different.)

Look at the civil rights movement and to go back even farther, the Civil War. The concept of liberty and justice did not apply for African Americans; we held them as slaves against their will!!! African Americans were servants who didn't have any rights at all. They were beaten, tortured, and executed for the color of their skin. When it came to the 60's, blacks couldn't even sit in the front of a bus, and had to drink out of different water fountains!! There wasn't the concept of equality there, and nor does there seem to be much in this day and age. We still assume a black man is guilty of a crime before trial, while the white man seems to be the innocent victim of everything. Nope, no liberty and justice for all, just the white man.

If you are not a WASP in this country, you do not have the same right to liberty and justice as I do. We will find a way to kick you off of your land(Native Americans), openly discriminate against and take away rights(Homosexuals and blacks), and in the even more modern context, hold you in prison without the right to a trial. ("Enemy Combatants") Laws change to suit our own purposes, and President Bush is one of the ringleaders of this. When it comes to the post 9/11 era, we break our own laws, and violate our own principals because it suits us. Why in the world should some suffer in prison without being charged with a crime, no evidence that they have committed a crime, and hold them until we feel like releasing them? (Look at the Rolling Stone article from two weeks ago about the KID being held in Cuba, that is just chilling.)

No, we do not believe in liberty and justice for all. We should either ditch the pledge of allegiance, or at least rewrite the thing so it is accurate. Any suggestions?

My own cynicism--Part One

2006-09-03T09:16:00.000-07:00

Ok, I will admit, I have become more and more of a cynic as time has gone on. When I was young, I would take everything at face value, but not anymore.

Somehow, and for the life of me, I don't know how this happened, but on my Saturday show on WFAD in Middlebury, I got into the topic of the obese. As we all know, this society is starting to explode. More and more, I see these massive people raiding the grocery stores of chips, dip, and anything that says "HIGH in fat!!!" Why is it that these lazy people feel they must clog their arteries, cause potholes from walking, and deplete the financial resources of insurance companies? Yes piggies, your fat costs us money. Things like diabetes, heart disease, blown knees, (Hey, I am a skinny former athlete, so we can't go there with my blown wheel.) and every other disease we can attribute to being fat costs us money!! Now, why are we like this? Hmmmmmmmmmmmm......

1) We are a society who thinks we should be catered to, and we can do what we want. We can now order pizza from our remote controls, there are recliners that have refrigerators, and the thought of actually walking to the store makes us want another donut. We are lazy slobs!!!!! Walk to the stinking fridge or if you need to go two blocks to the store to get Twinkies, WALK!!! I see so many people who will get in their cars for that two block trip, drive around for a parking spot for 20 minutes, and then get a motorized cart to wheel themselves around the store because walking may actually get some blood flowing. Give me a break......

2) We love being slobs. Food is a symbol of something in this society. Just listen to the ads on ESPN Radio. There is one ad that focuses on salty food and hot dogs as a reason to enjoy a football game. Oh yeah, that is why I watch football, it is an excuse to eat!! Forget the game, forget hanging out with people, it is for the pretzles, pizza, burgers and beer. GAG!!!!!!!!

Lay off the freaking donuts and go for a walk dammit!!! It may hurt for awhile, but it is good for you!! Exercise off those balls of gooey fat, but don't eat chips while doing it. It KILLS me that I can't exercise as much as I used to because of my darn knee. I love walking with my wife, playing softball, and getting out. I go insane because the best I can do are knee bends for physical therapy without feeling like my knee will explode like an atom bomb. Exercise is good!! My cholesterol is a buck 65, resting heartrate is 58, and I will be like the rest of the family and live to be 95. Yes, I eat Burger King before I do play by play or color for a game, but it is my ritual, I do it once a week, but to serve my penance, I park at the OPPOSITE end of the parking lot and walk to the field. Oh yeah, I also do a lap around the field when the knee lets me.

Can you tell I am sick of fat people? They make me gag, vomit, etc. It is so bad nowadays that there is a woman in Florida who sued a hospital because after she had her stomach stapled, she raided the fridge in the nurses station. She sued because they did not lock the fridge and could therefore eat to her heart's content. Oh yeah, her staples broke. THE CHIPS MADE ME DO IT!!!! THEY CALLED ME!!!!! IT IS THE HOSPITAL'S FAULT I HAVE NO &#%ING SELF CONTROL!!! My point is, these people can't even blame themselves for being fat slobs, they have to blame others.

I am going back to my couch, game, and ice bag now. I walked around the fair yesterday for four hours and the knee is telling me how much of a moron I am. Why did I do it? I am stubborn, stupid, and needed the exercise. The latter of the three was a good thing though. Fresh air is always a beautiful thing. As a side note, someone at the fair saw me dragging the knee from hell around and offered me a wheelchair. I wouldn't take it and started laughing because I saw a 500 pound thing in a wheelchair because they were so fat. The conversation I overheard was "I'm hungry, I need a blooming onion."........

What used to be my pet project......

2006-09-01T11:49:00.000-07:00

As some of you know, I have been involved with the ALS Association of Northern New England for the last couple of years. My involvment came following the diagnosis of, and subsequent death of my Uncle Hal. Last year, we raised over $35,000 for patient services and research, but this year there has been NOTHING!! Nada, zip, zilch, and squat. This is an organization right now that is a total and complete disaster.

It all started when our development director Tonia Zampieri left. Tonia was dedicated, talented, and simply amazing. Since her departure, the state of Vermont has been neglected and ignored. From November until May, we did not have a development director. The office moved to New Hampshire, and no one was notified of the change. Many of us made phone calls trying to get the walk efforts started, and no one could be bothered to tell us what was going on with the office, and no one could be bothered to even return our phone calls.

When the new development director came on, we thought there would be progress; well, there wasn't. This was not Karen's fault. She came in to the job six months behind in development, had a mountain to over come, and did everything in her power to try to get something going. Well, because the organization wouldn't even kick out $200.00 for a walk kickoff, wouldn't help with publicizing the event, and seemed to be sitting on their hands wishing the state would seceed and become part of Canada, she resigned. Karen did everything she could to work towards getting a Burlington walk going, but she received no help, no information, and no support from her administration.

When Karen told us(the volunteers) what was going on, I sent an e-mail along to Executive Director Joanne Saint Pierre, and other members of the board of directors. Four days ago she finally bothered to get back to one of the volunteers and claimed she e-mailed the rest of us. Well, none of us received the e-mail. Either she doesn't know how to use the computer, or she is lying. From what I have seen and heard, I believe the latter of the two.

There is horrendous mis-management going on in this organization, and those who suffer from ALS are suffering for it. There isn't a cent being raised in this state for patient services and no one seems to care. I sent a rather nasty e-mail back to Joanne and expect to hear from her again in six months. This is not the way a non-profit should be run, and I would do backflips if something changed within the organization. Until it does, I will not do a thing in support of the ALS Association. I am also investigating to see what else is really going on there. This is a mission of mine since my uncle was very near and dear to me, and my family. These people are learning one thing, don't make me mad.

The Essex Shootings

2006-08-25T04:01:00.000-07:00

Needless to say, yesterday was not a good day in our community. The shootings yesterday in Essex have the area, and myself in a total state of shock. This is something that just doesn't happen in our area, but now it has.

I heard about the shootings while doing my usual prep work for the Ice Storm game, and my Sox show down in Middlebury. When I heard about them, reporter mode kicked in and I booked it down to the scene to do reports for WVAA. The scene itself was chaos, but organized chaos. The police had the situation under control, but there was still so much confusion, and so much information coming in, it was just staggering. This was my first shooting as a reporter, and I never want to have to cover another one for as long as I live.

What still has me in shock was when one of the witnesses to the shooting found out her sister in law was one of the dead. We were all talking to this woman before she found out, just trying to get some information as to what happened, and found out that she had not heard word on her. The police pulled her aside, we thought to get her away from us, but the reality was that she was being told her sister in law was one of the dead. When we heard the screams, we knew exactly what she was told, no one had to tell us. When I say that every hair on my body was standing up straight would be an understatement. Those are screams I think I will be hearing for a long, long time to come.

As a reporter you have to keep your professional distance so you can be objective about a situation. When you leave the scene of an incident like this, the reality of what you have seen kicks in. This was a horrible incident, something I hope no one ever has to go through. I haven't gotten those images out of my head yet, and I don't think I will for awhile.

Yeah, yeah, I am actually alive.....

2006-08-24T11:56:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am alive, so the reports of my demise just aren't accurate. Baseball season has had me going out of my little mind, and with football season fast approaching, there hasn't been much time for a life. By the way, for the liberal folk out there, Air America has moved to AM 1070 with ESPN going 24 hours and is now on AM 1390. ESPN 1390 will have coverage of high school football on Friday nights, along with Saint Michael's College basketball and hockey. We are working on the high school schedule for both sports, so stay tuned for that.

Speaking of football, there has been football going on in Burlington, but not many people seem to know about it. The Vermont Ice Storm of the semi-pro Empire football league are in first place in the Northern Division of the EFL. The team is made up of about 50 guys, none of them are actually paid. The reality is these guys actually pay to play, and are hanging on to their football careers, and in some cases are looking for a college scholarship.

Let's see here, their coach is a college professor, and quarterback Brad Ruderman is a freaking engineer. Yes, the guy has a degree in Mechanical Engineering and is still playing football. Austin Partain is a nutsoid wide receiver who was born without the ability to be fearful of anything. Austin can not only run around tackles and make DB's go into therapy for all the times he makes them miss, he goes right through guys. At 5'8/160, I have seen him go through 260 pound linebackers without a scratch. Guys like Jason Young, Kevin Mattot, and the ageless Troy Canada, who at 40 hasn't lost a step, make it look like running the West Coast offense as easy as putting on your shoes in the morning. By the way, Troy isn't a guy who is just playing football, he is going for his freaking PHD.

These are good, solid ballplayers, but world class guys as well. This is a group of guys who bust their tails on the field, work regular jobs, but still find the time to go out in the community and make a difference. Defensive Tackle Pierre Cotton coaches basketball in the Old North End, and is a caseworker for the state. When I mentioned I was working on a benefit for one of the kids I have coached who has Hodgkins Disease, he offered to do anything he could to help. Many of the guys go out and work with basketball teams, football teams, and the Special Olympics. Forget working 40 hours a week, and going to practice, their attitude is they need to make a difference in the world. Why don't the guys who make a gazillion dollars a year have this attitude?

Oh yeah, they play good football too. A few weeks ago they took on Lake City, and it was a game for the ages. 37-31 in overtime, and for a football fan, it couldn't have gotten much better. Back and forth, back and forth, and a chess match between the coaches that was just incredible. Ruderman threw for three scores and then ran for two more. (His first two carries of the YEAR, and he scores on both of them.) The last score in regulation was a four yard Ruderman scramble with 30 seconds to go. Overtime was theirs. Eight plays, 73 yards in about two minutes, and it was time to head to Franny O's for the post game party.

This week, the Ice Storm take on Ottawa. If they win, they go to the playoffs with their seeding to be determined. The last regular season game of the year is in Plattsburgh for a rematch against Lake City in what should be a classic. This week is at home against Ottawa at Colchester High School, game time is at 7:30. Get there early, these guys normally fill the joint, but there is always room for more.

The Vicarious Life of a Sportswriter/Sportscaster

2006-07-02T13:17:00.000-07:00

The Vicarious Life of a Sportswriter

The night started off simply enough. I headed to Colchester on Saturday night to do a rehearsal of sorts for WVAA’s broadcasts of the Vermont Ice Storm of the Empire Football League. Well, the boss called and told me he was sick, and the press box didn’t have a phone line, so we couldn’t test the equipment anyway, so I needed something to do while I was scouting the team. When I heard Linda, the team’s Game Day Operations Coordinator yell, “Hey Chris!!!”, I knew she would put me to work.

The task Linda asked me to do was to be a member of the “chain gang”, the guys who hold the first down yard markers. Ok, this seemed easy enough, hold up a stick and move ten yards when there is a first down or change of possession. I figured even a sportscaster/sportswriter could do this without much of a problem, so with the shot to have the best seat in the house, I readily agreed.

As I should have known, there is much more to this than it appears. I talked to the guys who would be with me for the game. As I had to get ready to do this in about two seconds flat, I couldn’t grab paper and a pen, so I am basically making up these guy’s names. The guy carrying the down marker is Pete, a longtime coach at Mount Abe and Otter Valley. Pete’s first piece of advice to me was, “Watch the guy with the white hat. When he signals first down, we move. Also, when you are the lead guy(where the original line of scrimmage is), place the stick right behind where I put the down marker. If you don’t someone can get hurt. Secondly, the guys on the opposing teams can be real jerks. One time when we were playing Worcester(MA), the game got so nasty, and the Worcester players were so rowdy, that with 30 seconds to go in the game, the officials told us to get off the field. The players were yelling at us, cursing the Ice Storm, etc, so they didn’t want us to get hurt. Once the final gun went off, everyone was fine, but that tells you how heated these games get.”

The man I will call “Coach” was a goateed individual with a wicked sense of humor. When I asked him what to do when a player came at you, he simply said, “Run and don’t get killed. Make sure you run AWAY from the field, and watch out, you might trip over one of the guys, and with as tiny as you are, we may need a coroner.” (I am a massive five foot eight and weigh in at a buck fifty.) Coach told me he had been taken out more than once by a player. He told me he was watching the ball carrier coming near the sidelines, and he was about four yards away, so no big deal, right? Well, a defender came flying right at him and Coach didn’t have a prayer and got taken out. He wasn’t hurt, but needless to say, I had one more thing to watch for.

The game got underway at around 6:30, and this was the Ice Storm’s first pre-season game before they start the league season against Saint Lawrence Valley. The Ice Storm play in the highest level of semi-pro football and are not paid a cent; in fact, they pay a hundred bucks a season to play. These guys practice twice a week, and hold regular jobs, so they are playing for the fun of the game. Coach told me this is a great way for the guys who are younger to keep sharp, and maybe they will get a shot at a college scholarship, or be able to play Arena ball, or head to Canada to play in the CFL.

Again, this whole holding the chains thing seemed easy, but of course I was wrong. You have to watch the ref and the linesman, keep up with the guy at the other end when a first down is made, you are keeping track of the players to make sure some 290 pound monster doesn’t turn you into compost, and are also making sure you are paying attention enough to know when to move and when not to move. I pulled about three different brain cramps in the first five minutes of the game when I didn’t set the post right, and then stopped about 20 yards away from where I should have after a Seacoast first down. “Stripes”(The linesman), then yapped, “Hey sportswriter, don’t they teach counting in journalism school?” When I yelled, “I was a social work major!!”, he just shrugged his shoulders and proceeded to throw a flag for a false start. The guy who got called for the penalty delivered the line of the night when he said, “I didn’t move!! I just moved my hand!!”

Thankfully I only made a couple of mistakes for the rest of the game, so I was able to enjoy the relentless amount of harassment I was getting from Pete, Coach, and Stripes. Stripes was just hysterical in his relentless barbs, and his explanations to coaches about calls. In the second quarter, Coach told me I was officially baptized as a member of the chain gang. On a Seacoast sweep to our side, I had three guys who hadn’t missed a meal in 30 years coming straight at me. I dropped my stick, moved back, and then almost got taken out by another defensive player coming in at about 200 miles an hour. I swear, if I would have moved three inches to the other side, I would have been in the hospital with multiple fractures and contusions. Of course, the guys were laughing hysterically, and Coach said, “I told you to watch the entire play!!” By the way, you are now an official member of the chain gang; you almost got killed.”

The Ice Storm ended up losing the game 21-18, but thankfully it was only a pre-season contest. With about three minutes to go in the game, Stripes asked me what I was going to title the article. I shrugged my shoulders and tossed some weak ideas out there, when he gave me the title. When I laughed, he said, “Hey, you are doing something most of you pansies don’t do.” Thanks for the title Stripes, and you had better be reading this thing or I will never let you blow a call without eternal grief ever again.

Opening Weekend with the Lake Monsters

2006-06-30T10:39:00.000-07:00

This is an article yours truly did and was published in this week's edition of the Vermont Times.

The sun was out, the bats were cracking, and over the weekend at Centennial Field in Burlington, it was the beginning of a new area in Vermont baseball as the Vermont Lake Monsters opened up their 2006 home season against the Tri-City Valley Cats.

The Single A affiliate of the Washington Nationals made a major change back in November, changing the nickname of the team from the Expos to the Lake Monsters. The change was made as a result of the parent club’s move from Montreal to Washington in 2004, and the team wanted to break away from the old club, and start a new tradition with the new name. Back in November, General Manager C.J. Knudsen told me the new name reflects the character and tradition of the Champlain Valley, and incorporates the legend of the mythical sea creature “Champ” that lives in the waters of Lake Champlain.

The nickname change added to the excitement of another Opening Day at the 100 year old ballpark. Many fans told me they were excited about the opening of the season, and could not wait to spend some quality time watching the Lake Monsters. John Anderson of Waitsfield told me, “I am still getting used to the new name, and I know I will still call them the Expos for a long time. I just hope the new name will bring a better team to the field this year.” Anderson said this as his kids were nipping at his heels asking Dad if they could have a hot dog and a Coke.

As per tradition, both teams had their rosters introduced, and the Lake Monsters took the mike from C.J. and introduced themselves to the announced crowd of 3,814, and of course slapped hands with Champ while running onto the field. The loudest cheers were reserved for returning fan favorites Brandon Conway and Mike Daniel, along with manager Jose Auguacil who returned to the team the previous Friday after a change in the organization moved manager Edgar Caceras to manage the Potomac ballclub in the organization.

While there have been changes in the name and logo of the team, some things will just never change. Back with the team are the front office staff, along with longtime PA announcer Rich Haskell. Haskell returns to the mike for his 13th year with the team, a tenor that has seen him miss only one game. Rich told me the only time he missed a game was the third game of his first season, but he did have a good excuse; his wife was giving birth to their only child across the street at Fletcher Allen. Of course, the Expos(oops, Lake Monsters) beloved mascot Champ is back to get the fans riled up, and keep the kids occupied while their parents ponder which of the players will eventually make it to the major leagues. The in between innings promotions remain the same with games like Human Bowling, the frozen t-shirt contest, and Champ shooting t-shirts into the stands with his trusted shooter. (Although in game two of the series, the thing did misfire, and one t-shirt traveled a grand total of about six inches, drawing laughs from the crowd.)

A few of the other changes the team has made come in the form of the concessions and entertainment for the kids. The team has jazzed up its speed pitch game, and added a bouncy tent where kids can get all of their energy out by bouncing up and down for three minutes at the cost of just a buck. The food, which has always been good and very reasonably priced, now features the Monster Dog, and a pulled pork sandwich that will have your stomach begging for another one, two, or three. Longtime on-field emcee Jamie Scavatto has been replaced by “Rockin Ruby” as Scavatto has moved on to devote more time to his duties in the sports department at Channel Five.

The highlight of the second game of the series had to be when a three year old boy threw out the ceremonial first pitch. Now, this was something for the books. Here is this tiny kid, playing catch with the players before the game, being chased around by the players, and throwing some balls that would rival tosses of mine. Of course, when he threw the first pitch, it was a strike, and drew the loudest ovation of the night from the crowd of about 3,200.

On the field, well, it was not a good weekend for the Monsters as they dropped the first two games of the series in pretty ugly fashion. Opening night, the Lake Monsters dropped an 8-4 decision, a game that saw two Tri-City runners score from second on wild pitches, and an assortment of mental and physical errors lead to a very unhappy manager and fans. The bright spot was Brandon Conway, who came into the game with a lifetime batting average of .160. In the second, Conway hit a three run shot, his first in 222 lifetime at bats. This could be a make or break year for Conway, as if you can’t hit above .200, regardless of defensive prowess, you won’t be in baseball for very long. After the game, Manager Jose Auguacil said he was disappointed with the play of the team and said, “We will not have this type of performance again.” Well, he shouldn’t have said that, as on Saturday night, the Lake Monsters dropped a 7-5 decision to Tri-City in a game that saw the Lake Monsters snag defeat from the jaws of victory. The Lake Monsters held a 5-4 lead going into the seventh after scoring four in the bottom of the sixth. In the top of the seventh, the bullpen fell apart again with the Monsters giving up four runs in the inning. On the night, the relief pitching was not up to par, and the defense was sloppy with Vermont committing four errors. The poor defense, and pitching had manager Jose Auguacil quite angry with his players, as he went straight to the clubhouse with his team. After about 15 minutes, one member of the Lake Monsters staff came out of the clubhouse shaking his head and said, “Man, I am so glad I am not a player right now.” About five minutes earlier when someone was coming out of the clubhouse, I could hear Auggie yelling in a couple of different languages at his players. Some of the words cannot be repeated in a family publication.

Game three of the series turned out to be much better for the Lake Monsters as they pulled out a 3-2 victory over Tri-City. Brandon Conway continued his hot hitting with a two RBI single in the fourth, and Mike Daniel added an RBI triple. Of course, it got dicey in the ninth as Tri-City put two on with one out, but Juan De Los Santos was able to get Christopher Johnson to ground into a game inning double play, and for the first time this year, the famous victory balls were thrown into the stands to celebrate the victory. Before the game, Auggie told me he had some words for the team following the previous night’s game. He said the team needs to focus on the fundamentals and getting the job done. He said this is a very good ball club and they just need to play together. With the way the team played on Sunday night, it looks like they listened.

This was Little League Day at the ballpark with Little Leaguers from all over the area getting discounted tickets to attend the game. Before the game, the players and coaches paraded around the park to the cheers of the 3,200 on hand. Before the game, Lake Monsters players took a tremendous amount of time to take pictures with and sign autographs for the kids and parents. Brandon Conway told me he enjoys Little League Day and feels it is his responsibility as a professional ball player to be a role model for the kids. Conway said, “Being a role model is important to me. It wasn’t too long ago that I was one of these kids asking for autographs. Some of the smaller kids are really shy, but they warm up to you.” Conway’s statement is one that was repeated by many of the players. Lake Monsters players seem to enjoy the interaction with the fans, and take the time to say a few words to each kid that asks for their signature.

After the game, it was pure chaos on the field as it was “Have a Catch Night”. Can you imagine about 200 kids on the field, playing catch with their parents, and having free baseballs flying around? While I was walking around taking pictures, I thought I was going to need a helmet to avoid getting nailed in the noggin. One parent told me being able to play catch on the field with his son is one of the highlights of the season. “These guys do such a great job getting the fans into the game and doing things like this. It isn’t too often that a professional team allows a bunch of kids to play catch on the field. What a great experience for them.”

One final note, I was grabbing some fries in between innings, and one of the vendors I had talked to asked me how the story was going. One fan piped in and said, “Make sure you mention in your article how wonderful the players and staff are. We love coming to the games because they are all so nice and have so much to do when the kids get bored. Where else do players actually sign autographs without asking for money?” Ah yes, you have to love Centennial and the Lake Monsters.

Canseco is back.....HUH????

2006-06-30T10:20:00.000-07:00

As I said in a post this morning, it looks like Jose Canseco is back in action and will be playing with the San Diego Surf Dawgs of the Golden Baseball League. Canseco, who has admitted to using steroids in his major league career will suit up and play in his first game on Monday against Chico as the DH and will PITCH this season.

I just got off the phone with Brian Watkins, the General Manager of the Surf Dawgs for his take on Canseco's signing. Watkins told me he had heard that Canseco was playing in a men's league up in Long Beach and was hitting the ball very well. He thought Canseco would be a great addition to the team, so he was approached, and soon after was signed to a contract that will pay Canseco the league minimum of $2,500 a month. Canseco actually mentioned he would like to pitch for the team, the team didn't ask specifically about that when they started talking. As some may remember, Canseco pitched while he was with Texas and promptly threw out his arm.

Brian did tell me the league has a no-tolerance policy when it comes to steroids. Nine players were banned from the league for the use of steroids last season. He also told me the signing of Canseco will be good for the league, good for the fans, and will help to attract attention to the fact there is minor league baseball in San Diego. Yes folks, this is a publicity stunt of epic proportions.

Why? Why in the world would a team want to sign Canseco other than for publicity? Canseco has admitted to using steroids during his major league career and seems to be known more for that than the fact he hit over 400 homers in the major leagues, is a former AL Rookie of the Year and AL MVP. If Canseco actually plays the field, I wonder if he will have another ball bounce off his noggin and into the seats.....

The league needs help as far as attendance, but it shouldn't need it this bad. San Diego signed Ricky Henderson last year, but Henderson at that time could still play the game. Canseco on the other hand doesn't have a prayer of making it back to the bigs. His reputation is tainted, and there is no way a major league team will pick him up, even if he can hit balls into Tijuana. I wonder if a ball goes into Tijuana if it needs a passport.......

The world must be ending......

2006-06-30T04:17:00.000-07:00

From the website of the San Diego Surf Dawgs.......Steroid boy is back?? He is pitching?? Good Lord Jose, GIVE UP!!!!!!!!!! I love the part of the release that calls him "A longtime sports and pop cultural icon." (Coffee shot out of my nose at a record speed when I saw that one.)

Just when I thought I didn't have much to talk about on the show this week.......

6/29/2006(Pleasanton, CA. June 30, 2006) The Golden Baseball League announced today that former American League Rookie of the Year, MVP, and Home Run Champion Jose Canseco has agreed to contract terms with the league and will join the San Diego Surf Dawgs beginning Monday, July 3rd and will play in the game that night at 7:05 PM versus the Chico Outlaws in Chico, CA.

A press conference is scheduled for Monday, July 3rd at 2:00 PM at Nettleton Stadium, located on the Chico State Campus in Chico, California.

Canseco will have a dual role with the Surf Dawgs as he will become an every day Designated Hitter for the team, and will showcase his knuckleball as member of the team’s pitching staff.

“We are thrilled that Jose has decided to become a member of the Golden Baseball League,” said GBL President Amit Patel. “We strive to provide a high quality entertainment product, and Jose will undoubtedly be entertaining for our fans.”

Canseco, 41, has had a spectacular professional baseball career. In seventeen big league seasons he was named Rookie of the Year and American League MVP, was selected as a member of six All-Star teams, and played in four World Series -- winning championships with the 1989 Oakland Athletics and 2000 New York Yankees. This will be his second stint in a professional Independent League. He previously played for the Newark Bears in the Atlantic League in 2001 and had his contract purchased by the Chicago White Sox.

“We are excited to be the venue Jose has selected to prove to major league organizations that he can still be an asset to a big league ball club,” said GBL Commissioner Kevin Outcalt. “His signing provides yet another opportunity for the league to give our fans and our communities a great baseball experience.”

“I’m excited to have Jose on the team, for both his playing abilities and for his veteran leadership,” said San Diego Surf Dawgs Manager Terry Kennedy. “We can use his offensive power to get us into the playoffs to defend our title, and I’m very interested in seeing him pitch to see if he can help us there as well.”

A longtime sports and pop culture icon, Canseco’s notoriety raised to record heights in 2005 with the publication of his autobiographical best seller “Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant ‘Roids, Smash Hits, and How Baseball Got Big” that detailed steroid use in professional baseball. Now weighing a sleek 230 pounds, down almost 30 pounds from his playing days, he has agreed to be subjected to the GBL’s tough drug testing policy that immediately expels any players found using steroids or illegal drugs. Last season nine players, out of over 200 tested, were terminated from the league for illegal drug use. “Jose will be treated consistent with all of our players regarding drug testing,” added Outcalt.Canseco will be playing for the league maximum of $2500 per month. He will also be entering into a marketing agreement with the Golden Baseball League which includes a special Jose Canseco apparel line and interactive events with fans and kids at all of the League’s ballparks.“I’m looking forward to having fun in professional baseball again, as I’ve really missed it,” said Canseco. “I love what this league is doing for players, communities, and families, and I want to be part of it. Rickey had a great experience with the Surf Dawgs last year and it will be great playing for Terry Kennedy and reminding him of the stomping my A’s gave his Giants in the ’89 World Series!”

Random babble........

2006-06-28T10:25:00.001-07:00

First of all, I applaud the vote shooting down a proposed Constitutional ammendment that would make the burning of the flag illegal. While I would never do it myself, burning the flag is a way we can show our disapproval of the US government. Hey, if the KKK still has free speech, why can't burning the flag still be seen as legal?

Andrea Yates should be burned at the stake and tortured for what she did to her children. She admitted it, so why the retrial? Give me a break.

The surgically repaired knee is still in a state of disrepair. I have been referred to a specialist, but the specialist can't see me until August. I shall now continue my steady diet of ice and Aleve, which I take by the dozen.

Did you see the meltdown of the minor league manager the other night?? YOWZERS!!!! Man, that guy must have taken lessons from Earl Weaver, Lou Pinella, and Billy Martin. The base throw and the "cleaning" of the plate had me dying with laughter.

The Red Sox cannot be stopped, that is all there is to it. Ten straight wins, Papi is tearing it up, and the Yankees are going down. Class move on the part of Sox fans last night when they gave Pedro a standing ovation. Pedro was just phenominal when he was with the Sox and deserved every bit of adulation he received.

Finally, best wishes to one of the icons of sports journalism, Peter Gammons, who is recovering from surgery to repair a brain anurysm. Gammons is the most knowledgeable of the baseball writers out there, and is a class act. Get well soon Peter, and we will see you back on ESPN sometime soon.

The Sox and Steroids

2006-06-24T05:23:00.000-07:00

The fun continues in Major League Baseball with the disclosure in an ESPN the Magazine article by Amy Nelson that former Red Sock pitcher Paxton Crawford took steroids while with the club. In the article, which is on newsstands now, Crawford goes into great detail as to the drugs he used, why he used them, how they were administered, and that other players in the Sox clubhouse knew of his drug use and seemed to blow it off. Crawford, and to his credit, did not name names, says there were others on the team who were using performance enhancing drugs. In the article, Crawford says he started using steroids to help his recovery from a back injury. He said when he started using a drug called Winstrol, he saw his fastball jump about four miles an hour in speed and his breaking pitches had a sharper break on them. (Quote at the end of the article)

Teammates of Crawford’s have strongly denied that others were using drugs in the Red Sox clubhouse. In an interview with John Tomase of the Boston Herald, former Red Sock Jeff Frye said, “I would say most of the guys on the team wouldn’t even remember who Paxton Crawford was, that’s how little he was there,” I think Paxton’s a guy that probably saw things a little differently than everyone else.” Former third baseman John Valentin told Tomase, ““He wasn’t with us very long in 2001,” Valentin said. “For him to speculate that the team was doing steroids, how would he even know, per se, if he’s a young player?”

Folks, I have bad news for you…..This whole thing with steroids and performance enhancing drugs is just getting uglier and uglier by the SECOND!!! It was once thought, and being totally uneducated on the subject I thought the same thing, that pitchers would not benefit from the use of steroids and other drugs and man I am wrong. Doctors say that using human growth hormones and steroids helps to aid in recovery time. In an article by Buster Olney in the same issue of ESPN the Magazine, former pitcher and current ESPN analyst Orel Hershiser says, “A 32 year old pitcher using steroids can jump back ten years in time.” Yes, the drugs do help pitchers. Again, according to Crawford, the drugs helped add speed to his fastball and increase the break on his curveballs. Yes, this is a problem that must be solved now, but now isn’t quick enough. These guys are cheating and in many cases, there isn’t a way for them to get caught as there is not a reliable test out there to detect the drugs. Of course, the union will not consent to blood tests, so it is like they are denying there is a problem, or even worse are enabling their players to cheat. This must be stopped. I happen to agree with Keith Olbermann who said baseball needs to shut down the season until they come up with a solution to the issue. These are drugs that will ruin players’ lives through roid rage, and the countless other physical and psychological problems the drugs can cause with long term use. Baseball has a problem with cheating and I want it to stop now.

Opening Day with the Mountaineers

2006-06-13T06:53:00.000-07:00

First of all, my sincere apologies to Brian Gallagher, the General Manager of the Mountaineers. I posted this yesterday with some incorrect information, and in reading his comments on the piece, realized the tone was not what I intended it to be. For this, you have my apologies, and the promise I will proofread for more than grammar the next time.

At long last, with rain clouds up above, and teeth chattering, the Vermont Mountaineers of the New England Collegiate Baseball League were able to get their home season underway. As a bit of background, the NECBL has been called by some as being a step behind the Cape Cod League as far as talent goes, with others, including some in Major League Baseball saying the talent level is very much equal. These are kids who are still in college, and are looking for a chance to show off for the big league scouts. One note about the league is they play with wooden bats. In the NECBL, you will not hear the obnoxious ting of aluminum. Wooden bats are used so players can better prepare themselves for the professional ranks. The players are not paid, and are housed by volunteers throughout Central Vermont. Only the coaching staff and the General Manager are paid a small stipend for their season of work. Along with the Central Vermont setting, this team seems to fit into what makes Vermont so unique; its ability to bring people together who just want to play and work hard, but do all of it outdoors.

The fans in Montpelier are something else, and other teams fans should model those of the Mountaineers. The fans know their stuff, know the game, and at one point did something one doesn’t see very often; cheering for the opposing team. After a sixth inning Pittsfield home run, I swear, the cheers for the opposing player was as strong as it would be for a Mountaineer. The fans here have class, which is something one will not see in Major League parks, or for that matter, some minor league parks. Recreation Field is in Montpelier, Vermont, the smallest state capital in the US. With a population of only 9,000, Montpelier's other claim to fame is the fact it is the only state capital that does not have a McDonalds. There are a couple of chain stores in this quiet little city that has close to no crime, but you cannot get a Big Mac in Montpelier which leads to its charm. Vermonters believe in keeping things small, and local. Larger corporations can get their money in other places, Vermont prefers to keep theirs at home so they can support local businesses. The Statehouse sits right in the middle of downtown, and craft stores and other smaller businesses line the streets. Recreation Field is set back off of Elm Street, in a residential area of the city. The parking is limited, so there are always free shuttle busses running from various parts of town.

The park itself is one you would expect to see back in the days of baseball where there wasn't a steroid controversy, and astro turf wasn't even a thought. The park seats about 1,500 or so in one of those old fashioned covered grandstands. On many nights, you can catch fans sitting on lawn chairs down the first and third base side, which gives the kind of homey feeling to the park. Of course, one can still get their fill of hot dogs, chicken dinners, and every piece of merchandise one can eat, or wear for that matter. The park itself is surrounded by the trees that have made Vermont so famous. Being in such a wooded area makes you step back a bit, and really enjoy kicking back with a hot dog and soda(No beer, this is a family friendly environment.) and watching some good baseball.

As this was Opening Day, the usual pre-game festivities with introductions of both rosters, the mascot, and the team sponsors taking place. The mayors of both Barre and Montpelier threw out ceremonial first pitches, along with sponsors and a couple of kids as well. Once the festivities were out of the way, we were ready to play some baseball. The Mountaineers took an 11-4 decision over Pittsfield(MA) on a strong nine strikeout performance by Chris Freidrich. Of course, being college kids, there were five errors, a few wild pitches and passed balls, along with some braindead baserunning by both teams, but that was here nor there. In between innings, the mascot was holding court, and the usual antics with kids running through cones and throwing baseballs for prizes kept the announced crowd of 1,224 well occupied when the game started getting ugly on both the field, and when the temperature dropped again.

I will be doing more of these types of things as the season goes on for both the Mountaineers and the Lake Monsters. I will be working for both over the course of the season, as well as my writing duties for the Vermont Times, and my duties with ESPN Radio.

A plug for a local business

2006-06-13T06:47:00.000-07:00

Check these guys out over at www.mobile-barista.com. These guys are a mobile coffee service that has everything you would expect to see at Muddy Waters, or any of the local shops, but they come to you!!! Erik was kind enough to make me a nice Cafe Mocha that made getting up at 4:30 all the more tolerable. Erik and the woman he was with(Sorry, I spaced on her name) are really nice people, so check them out, and help support a local business who will help get you through your day.

A little self promotion......

2006-06-12T07:57:00.000-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

The ALS Association of Northern New England is pleased to announce the appointment of Chris Fells as the Corporate Chair, and John Keshavan, Vice President with Chittenden Bank, as the Walk Chairman for this year’s Burlington Walk to D’Feat ALS. The walk takes place on Saturday September 16th at Burlington’s Oakledge Park. According to Development Director Karen Bugler, the walk hopes to raise over $35,000 for patient services, advocacy, and equipment for those who suffer from ALS.

Fells, who is the Sports Director for ESPN 1070 in Burlington, and ESPN 1490 in Middlebury says he is honored to be named to this position. Fells said of his appointment, “I have worked with the ALS Association for the last couple of years, and am looking forward to helping raise as much money as we can for this cause. My uncle passed away from ALS on April 16, 2005, so this is a personal mission of mine to end the disease.”

Fells has also issued a challenge to the listeners of his weekly show on WFAD in Middlebury. If the Yankee fans in audience can out fundraise the Sox fans, Fells will do pretty much anything the Yankee fans want him to do…Within reason and within the bounds of the law. An early suggestion is for Fells to do an entire show on the Yankees, without saying anything negative about the team. This is a feat that Fells calls, “Close to impossible, but I will do whatever it takes.” Fells has a personal goal to raise $5,000 for ALS.

The ALS Association of Northern New England is also proud to announce that ESPN 1070 WTWK, and ESPN 1490 WFAD will be the radio sponsors of the event. For more information on sponsorship opportunities, or to volunteer for the walk, please contact Karen Bugler at 866-257-6663.

One more thing.......

2006-06-09T08:06:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I have been involved with the ALS Association of Northern New England for the past couple of years. As mentioned in a previous post, my beloved uncle passed away from the disease on April 16th, 2005, and I am devoted to help in any way I can to find a cure for the disease. Today I was honored to be named Corporate Chair of this year's Walk to D'Feat ALS in Burlington. If there is anyone out there who would like to volunteer for this year's walk, make a donation, or lend support in any other way, please make a comment on this post, and I will make sure to get back to you.

My personal goal this year is to raise $5,000.00 for ALS research. Please go to www.alsanne.org and click on the walk link on the left hand side. Go to Burlington Walk, and make a donation towards my goal, the name of the team is "Fells Finishers".

The latest baseball scandal

2006-06-09T07:51:00.000-07:00

Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse for Major League Baseball, they did. It was disclosed yesterday that Jason Grimsley of the Arizona Diamondbacks had his home searched by federal agents, and has now admitted to the use of Human Growth Hormones. (HGH) In this investigation, Grimsley has admitted to the use and receipt of steroids, amphetamines, and HGH for the purpose of enhancing his on-field performance. He then provided details on other athletes who have used these drugs.

There are a few issues in the latest black mark against Major League Baseball. First of all, MLB has known there is a problem with HGH, but as there is not a reliable test for the drugs, there has not been an effort to enhance testing, or work to develop a reliable test. Secondly, one of the big questions is who will be implicated in this case? Will Barry Bonds finally have his name formally attached to allegations of the use of performance enhancing drugs? Who else will be named, and what are the consequences and ramifications for Major League Baseball? Are we now talking lifetime bans for those who use these drugs, and what in the world will be done about this?

Grimsley is a fringe ballplayer whose career is now over. Now that he has implicated current and possibly former players, he will never be able to even coach Little League. His name will forever be associated with ratting out other players and could end their careers as well. I do have to give Grimsley credit for doing what he did. Yes, he was under just a little bit of pressure with FBI agents hounding him and asking him about his and the others involvment in this mess. At least he had the guts to give names, and I hope that something is done about performance enhancing drugs not just in baseball, but in sports as a whole.

What do I propose? I propose a ZERO tolerance policy for steroids and other performance enhancing drugs. If you are caught, and I don't care what caliber of player you are, you are gone. Gone, done, bye-bye, and hasta la vista baby, you are banned from baseball for life. I know, I know, there is the pressure to succeed, and the pressure to win titles and put more Ben Franklins in their pockets, but it has to be done based on natural ability and hard work; not by using drugs to get ahead. What sort of message is this sending to the kids who want to play in the Major Leagues? It tells them that ability doesn't mean squat!! All one has to do is work out a bit, and take loads of drugs and that will make them millions. Forget working at it, just cheat, that is all it takes!! Good Lord.......

Another question is if Grimsley will spend time in jail for his alleged possession, distribution of illegal drugs, and the allegation he laundered money as well. I think he does need to serve time if for no other reason than to send a message that this type of activity simply will not be tolerated. Even though Grimsley says he will retire, he needs to be served with a lifetime ban from baseball on both the major and minor league levels. I want to make sure he does not represent the game I have coached, played, umpired, and will cover for as long as I am around. I love this game. I love baseball as much as I do anything with the exception of my beautiful wife and my family. (Sorry baseball gods, nothing comes before them.) I grew up watching games and wished I could play professionally. Alas, with bad wheels and the inability to hit a curveball, I will only be playing slow pitch softball. I do not want to see yet another black mark be placed on the game I love.

More on the show on Saturday at 9:00 on WFAD.

The Frost Heaves new mascot.......

2006-05-30T11:17:00.000-07:00

Here we go, the Vermont Frost Heaves new mascot..........

Memorial Day

2006-05-29T05:18:00.000-07:00

On this Memorial Day, I would like to say thank you to the men and women of the armed forces who have sacrificed their lives for this country. Those who have fallen paid the ultimate price for their country and should never be forgotten. Rest in peace......

To my Uncle Dick(Who is a trained killer, but is a teddy bear at heart), Uncle Bob, and my late Uncle Bud, thank you as well.

Mayor Kiss and guns

2006-05-28T12:06:00.000-07:00

This is a bit delayed, but it has been a busy week. Mayor Kiss held a press conference on Friday which was meant to discuss the upcoming budget cuts, and progress on the budget. What it turned into was the opposite of what he wanted.

Yes, Kiss did discuss the budget, and how there will be some cuts, but where this is all speculative, and hasn't been voted on, nothing is set in stone. What it looks like is the city will be facing about a three percent tax hike due to shortfalls in property tax revenue. The interesting thing was how the topic of gun control was brought up.

The conference started with the announcement of a shooting in the Old North End, and since this was the second such incident in the last couple of weeks, the obvious questions over public safety came up. After a couple of minutes of not much of anything on the subject, talk about the budget came up, but safety and guns was brought up at the end of the session. Kiss said(while trying to dodge the question) that he would like to see a dialog started about guns in Burlington, and when pressed further, said he would like to see Burlington become a gun free zone.

Ummmmmmmmm, Mayor? I hate guns as much as anyone, if not more so, but what you are proposing would violate yet another federal law. Believe it or not, it is in fact legal to possess guns in the US. You cannot possibly want to propose that the gun toting Vermonters would actually let you go through with this!!!

The new mayor seems to have a problem in the fact he is not thinking things through before he speaks. Dare we forget his comments about making Burlington a safe haven for illegal immigrants? (Again, telling the police to violate the laws of this country.) Man alive, Peter and Bernie didn't even say things like that. Kiss is an idealist, which I respect, but I also believe in following the laws of this country of ours. The mayor is starting to establish himself as having the reputation of being a renegade, a reputation I don't think he wants so early in his tenure as mayor. If he keeps these kinds of statements rolling out of his mouth, he will be a one term mayor, and only one term.

Contraction in baseball

2006-05-25T12:49:00.000-07:00

There are a couple of franchises Major League Baseball has been talking about moving; the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and the Florida Marlins. Here is my take on that…..Just disband the teams, blow them up, and hold a dispersal draft. I don’t have anything against the teams, other than the fact they are terrible, it is just that first of all, they aren’t drawing fans. The other day in Florida for the Marlins game, what did they draw, 6,000? The Marlins are a team who has been good in the past, winning a couple of World Series titles, but every two years they hold a fire sale and get rid of their talent, then start rebuilding yet again. How in the world is a team supposed to keep its fans if they don’t know who will be on the field from one second to the next, much less from year to year? This is a team you would think would draw decent crowds with the Cuban population in Miami. They are baseball addicts in Cuba, but even the Cuban fans don’t come to the games. Why? Because it is a terrible team with terrible ownership.

Here is another thing about the Florida teams. Has anyone noticed the quality of pitching has gone down the tubes since the latest round of expansion? Now, I am just too lazy to look up the figures, but the league ERA has to have gone up over the years. Look at this year and the number of 10-9 or 13-10 games we are seeing. Those aren’t baseball scores, they are football scores. Now I could be a total cynic and say that ERA’s are going up because of steroid juiced ballplayers like Barry Bonds, but for once I won’t go there. Pitching in the majors is just terrible!!! Do you know why? There are too many of them out there, so the quality has gone down the toilet. If Selig goes with his original plan from a few years ago and contracts a couple of teams, the quality of play goes up, and with the higher quality of play, revenue will go up as well. No longer will Major League Baseball have these pathetic crowds of 6,000 for a game, because fans will actually care again since the games will be better. I know the player’s union won’t buy into this because it will mean the loss of a few hundred jobs per team, and the cities where minor league teams reside will suffer as well, but I really feel that for the sake of the game, this just has to be done.

Briefly........

2006-05-23T12:53:00.000-07:00

Before I do the dishes, and head to the field to coach a baseball game.......

Is this weather ever going to change?? Good Lord, coming back from Middlebury last week, I thought I would need an ark to get home. The weather gods are screwing with me.....

The Da Vinci Code presents interesting theories, and I wish the religious zealots would stop their whining. It is fiction, but the real fear has to be that there may actually be some truth to what Dan Brown has to say. The Catholic bashing is one thing, but what if Jesus was actually married and had a child? Why is that such a problem? Is it because it goes against what everyone was taught as a kid? How dare there be another theory out there!!!

Barry Bonds is still an @sshole, case closed. By the way, I hope the kid who caught the ball gets a small fortune for the thing. I give credit to the kid for saying he hates Bonds. Good, add another to the long list of people who can't stand the jerk.