Games belong on traditional stage

December 24, 2013

The place where modern football got its start will soon be losing one of its most honored traditions.For the past 24 years, the Ohio High School Athletic Association has held the state football championships in Stark County - either at the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Fawcett Stadium in Canton or Paul Brown Tiger Stadium in Massillon.Each venue is intimate (seating around 18,000), historic (built in the 1930s) and has become a premier arena for high school football at the grandest stage."It's the mecca," Berlin Center Western Reserve coach Andy Hake said before the Blue Devils' 2011 ...

‘… And on earth peace, good will toward men’

December 25, 2013

"And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.And ...

National media attention shaped a young LeBron in high school

December 27, 2013

In ritual-like fashion, my Saturday nights as young boy in Youngstown would be spent at the Beeghly Center. Youngstown State University's basketball arena would never be filled, the Penguins were never really good either, but my father and I were devout.He's not a YSU alum, nor a Youngstown native, but it was the best outlet to show his pre-teen son a high level of organized basketball.One Saturday, though, there was more buzz surrounding the Beeghly trip. The Penguins weren't even playing.A local high school, Springfield Local, was hosting Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary. Billed as the top ...

We fail every day

January 1, 2014

I choose every day to follow the path God has laid out for me.I fall every day.I fail every day.And, when I fail, I don't stop trying to follow God's path.I don't stay on the ground because I failed.I get my fat behind up and return to that path.I will never understand why "failure" is such a bad word in our society.We all fail.Someone who gets 98 on a test failed to get 100.No one in the NFL drafted Warren Moon and Ryan Leaf went No. 2.Three members of the 1987 NBA Draft are in the Hall of Fame - David Robinson, Scottie Pippen and Reggie Miller.One of the next 237 players drafted in the ...

Best of all time

January 6, 2014

I got home at oh-dark-thirty Saturday night/Sunday morning, sat down and turned on the tube for a few minutes.Although I have seen the movie before, I got into "Bobby Jones: A Stroke of Genius" in a different manner than before.Being a golf pro for some 17 years before getting back into the journalism business, I had read numerous items about Jones and heard some stories.This time, though, I watched the final 45 minutes with the thought that he was the best golfer to ever live.Ever.I am a huge fan of Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Tom Weiskopf and Johnny Miller (yep, I'm old). I now a fan ...

Some things hard to figure

January 13, 2014

I have never understood the voting for the Baseball Hall of Fame as much as I am not a big baseball guy.It befuddled me that not one person had ever received 100 percent of the votes.Not one.Not Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Tom Seaver, Willie Mays, Ricky Henderson, Tony Gwynn, Cal Ripken Jr., George Brett, Nolan Ryan, Johnny Bench, Carl Yastrzemski, Ty Cobb, Mike Schmidt, Honus Wagner, Stan Musial or Ted Williams.And I will never buy the "no one has ever so no one ever will" argument from these guys.Who in the world can look at themselves in the mirror of the guys who did not vote for those ...