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.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Monday, January 29, 2007
Best wishes.........
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!!!!
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!!!!
Monday, January 22, 2007
Thoughts from the last couple of weeks.......
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.
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.......
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?
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?
Monday, January 08, 2007
Ohio State/Florida
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
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 will be checking in during the week with recaps of the games.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
I don't like pink
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?)
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?)
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