Something positive from big time sports

A repost of my March 25 SlapShots column published in the Woodford Sun.

Cynicism comes naturally to the sports reporter.

It seems that each week I find another negative story to focus on. Arrests. Cheating. Sex scandals. Outrageous comments.

Boorish behavior seems almost the norm for the big time athlete. And unfortunately that leads many sports fans, and detractors alike, to share the cynicism, to assume the worst. Players and coaches tend to find themselves guilty until proven innocent, especially those part of winning programs.

For all of its on court success this season, the University of Kentucky basketball team is no exception. I recently had a conversation with a colleague who insists the program is tainted and that scandal will eventually seep out of the darkest corners of Rupp Arena.

Why? Because he sees the program as a win-at-all cost organization led by a win-at-all cost coach. He reasons that the school will cut corners, recruit bad characters and ultimately mingle with the seedy cast inhabiting the shadows of big time NCAA hoops.

He might be right.

But the evidence, at least in the early going, does not support this notion,

For all of its impressive accomplishments on the court, this UK squad has matched its basketball success with equally notable “decent human being” moments off the court, outside the glare of the spotlight.

One story made national news last week. Rebekah Sims was celebrating her 16th birthday at P.F. Chang’s in Fayette Mall. Wildcat players happened to be sitting at a nearby table, celebrating their SEC Championship. When Rebekah’s older sister asked Patrick Patterson if the players would sing “Happy Birthday,” he arranged a restaurant wide serenade for the birthday girl. Then the players gave her their SEC Championship cake the restaurant had made. But it wasn’t over. About five minutes after the team left, Josh Harrellson returned and presented Rebekah with a basketball signed by the whole team.

“Do you think this would make a good birthday present?” Harrellson reportedly asked as he presented the ball from behind his back.

No, it wasn’t really a big deal. Unless you are a UK fan celebrating your 16th birthday. And that small gesture illuminates something bigger about the character of the kids playing for UK, a fact not lost on Rebekah’s dad, Brian Sims. He sent out an e-mail that ultimately brought national attention to the Cats’ little act of kindness.

“To try to debunk some of the beliefs about the team and the things they’re accused of,” Sims said. “They’re good kids. I think it’s a bad rap.”

He told the Herald-Leader he was referring to commentators’ talk about DeMarcus Cousins’ temper and the notion that UK players are thugs.

Sounds like Sims has experienced the cynicism.

It’s true; singing “Happy Birthday” and giving away a cake and ball doesn’t really prove anything. But consider this: they didn’t have to do it. The players could have easily said, “Sorry, we’re busy.” Or they could have dutifully performed the song and gotten back to their party. But they didn’t. They went above and beyond, and I think that says something about the character of these kids.

And that’s not the only story I’ve heard about UK players going out of their way to engage in a little kindness.

A co-worker had a child participating in a basketball camp at UK last fall. After a session, he and his son ran into John Wall in the hallway. The father asked Wall if he would sign an autograph for his son, who was suddenly overtaken by a fit of shyness. Wall said, “Sure,” and then bent down to face level with the awestruck little boy, stuck out his hand and said, “Hi, I’m John Wall. What’s your name?”

Here’s another. A little boy of about 5-years-old recently approached Cousins. The boy looked up and down the UK big man’s 6-foot-11 frame and finally said, “I like your socks.” Big Cuz scooped the boy up into his arms, ran his hand through the youngsters’ curly locks and said, “I like your hair.”

Small gestures to be sure. But they give us tiny glimpses of a bigger picture. And that image looks pretty good right now.

Sure, the team may eventually disappoint us. Cousins may blow a gasket and embarrass Wildcat nation. Calipari may prove himself the cheater many assume him to be. Cynicism may yet be validated.

But for now, I will give the Wildcats the benefit of the doubt. I will assume the best. And I will enjoy a wonderful moment for the state and the university.

After all, what fun is cynicism, really?

Quick Shots

This year’s NCAA Tournament gods seem intent on mocking my column last week, in which I pooh-poohed low seed teams’ chances to win in the Big Dance. Fifteen lower seeded teams won games in the first two rounds. That said I still don’t support expanding the tourney field and thus expanding the rewards of mediocrity.

The University of Kentucky showed up to the tourney with the one thing needed to make it a nightmare for every other NCAA team pursuing that elusive National Championship – an outside shooting game. In the first two games of the tournament, UK blistered the nets from behind the arc, hitting 22-of-54 3-pointers. (What happened against West Virginia?)

A chill still hangs in the air, but the Woodford County High School baseball and softball teams kicked off the 2010 season the week of March 21. That means warm weather can’t trail far behind.

Jimmy Johnson won – again. The 48 drove to victory on Bristol’s short track. I vacillate between hating Jimmy for his dominance and loving him for his excellence.

Quote of the Week

“To be honest, he’s a terrible trash talker. I mean, that was the worst job I’ve seen in my life. He just kept saying the same thing over and over. Come with a momma joke or something.” – DeMarcus Cousins on Wake Forest center Chad McFarland.

Puck to the Head

This week’s puck flies at the head of aforementioned Wake Forest center. McFarland refused to shake hands with Cousins before the Cats’ second round game against the Demon Deacons. I understand the trash talking and physical play that McFarland is known for. It’s designed to throw an opponent off and get under his skin. It’s all part of the game. But the pre-game handshake refusal crossed the line. McFarland proved he isn’t the savvy player he’d like you to think. He’s just a tall skinny jerk.

Did refs steal the game?

My March 11 SlapShots column printed in the Woodford Sun.

The players and coaches all saw it.

The fans packing McBrayer Arena on the campus of Eastern Kentucky University saw it.

And the 10,000 plus people logging onto ckysports.com to watch the game live or view the replay saw it.

The only ones who didn’t see it were the ones who count – the referees.

Trailing Henry Clay by one point, Franklin County High School senior Lyndon McKee collected the rebound off a missed trey and shoveled the ball back into the basket at the buzzer, giving the Flyers an apparent 1-point victory in the quarterfinals of the 11th Region Tournament.

The Franklin County celebration was short lived.

The three-man referee crew ruled the shot was taken after the buzzer. They waved the basket off. Henry Clay waved bye-bye.

A big red light comes on in the backboard when the clock strikes zero. It clearly illuminated after the shot hit the glass. The bucket should have counted.

Flyer fans, players and coaches went from stunned to livid in a matter of seconds.

“The referees blew the call. Franklin County won the game,” one Flyer supporter emphatically stated on Facebook.

He’s right on one count. The refs blew the call. They blew it bad. And the crew made it worse by refusing to utilize the available video replay to get the call right.

But the Flyers did not win the game.

Really, I checked.

And as egregious as the missed call was, I refuse to blame the refs for the Flyer loss. Franklin County must ultimately take responsibility for the outcome of its game.

Yes, the refs blew it. Yes, if the refs get that call right, the record would look a whole lot different. And yes, in a sense, the call yanked a win from the Flyers’ grasp.

But as my dad always used to say, “If a frog had wings, he wouldn’t bump his butt every time he hopped.”

Here’s my point. Refs mess up. We all know this. Kentucky high school officiating ranks somewhere between dismal and pathetic. But ultimately, a team must accept responsibility for its performance on the court or field. So, if you don’t want the refs to determine the outcome of a game, don’t put yourself in a position to allow the refs to determine the outcome of the game.

Franklin County put itself in that position and it got burned.

Consider this: Michael Samples missed both of his free throw attempts. He hits one, the game’s tied.

Or this: Brandon Jennels shot 0-for-9 from the field. He hits just one basket, the Flyers win.

Or even this: Henry Clay’s Wes Kimball stole the ball and hit a layup with 25 seconds to go in the game. Hold on to the ball, Flyers, and it’s you advancing to the semi-finals.

I could go on. Literally hundreds of factors work together throughout the course of a game to determine the outcome. That final call looms large because it was the final call, and it stands out in the minds of players and fans. But the officials didn’t singularly determine the game’s outcome, any more than any of the factors I just mentioned, or the hundreds that I didn’t.

And I believe another thing makes us quick to pin the loss on the backs of the refs. We live in a society that seeks first to place blame and hesitates to take responsibility. It’s a whole lot easier to play the blame game than it is to look into the mirror and admit that we didn’t quite play well enough to win.

Franklin County lost the game. Did the Flyers play well enough to win? Not quite. Did they deserve to win? No.

Franklin County put itself in a position to allow the refs to determine its destiny. Next time, don’t do that. Hit those free throws. Protect that ball. Drain those shots. Play better defense.

Because excuses don’t show up on the stat sheets.

Quick Shots
Lady Jacket Alyssa Lucas finished the season ranked fourth in the state in 3-point shooting. The Woodford County junior hit 78 threes off 203 attempts. She averaged 2.8 made treys per game. Lucas actually hit one more than Kasey Young of Danville, who holds the number three spot. But Young played two fewer games. Lucas has made 152 career threes, placing her fourth on the all time list at Woodford County High School. Brittany Henderlight holds the school record for career made threes with 216.

Lucas was Woodford County’s representative on the 11th Region All Tournament Team.

Boy, NASCAR sure did back itself into the corner. As the 2010 season kicked off, NASCAR announced that it was loosening rules on bumping and aggressive racing, hoping to inject more excitement into the sport. The rule was also widely interpreted to mean drivers had a little more leeway to police themselves on the track. Well, it sure worked. During the Kobalt Tools 500, Carl Edwards took matters into his own hands and intentionally wrecked Brad Keselowski, continuing a long running feud between the two drivers. And Keselowski deserved it. The No. 12 has left a trail of wreckage in his wake since moving up to the Sprint Cup Series. He wrecked Edwards last year at Talladega and caused a wreck that knocked the No. 99 out of most of last week’s race. But not even Edwards expected the nasty crash that occurred, with Keselowski's car flipping into the air and crashing into the fence upside down. Keselowski took exception.

“To come back and intentionally wreck someone, that's not cool -- you could have killed someone in the grandstands," Keselowski said. "It will be interesting to see how NASCAR reacts to it. They have the ball. If they're going to allow people to intentionally wreck each other at tracks this fast, we will hurt someone either in the cars or in the grandstands.”

Well, NASCAR reacted harshly. On March 9, it handed down a three-race probation. So apparently NASCAR wants to put the genie back in the bottle. In the meantime, I’ll be watching next week to see who Keselowski wrecks.

Quote of the Week
“We have so much growing up to do. I’m really worried on that front. If we’re not changing, we’re going into that big tournament where we are. And that’s worrisome to me.” – University of Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari.

Puck to the Head
This week’s puck flies at the head of Ben Roethlisberger. The Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback is being investigated for sexual assault. Again. This time the alleged assault took place at a Georgia night club. Roethlisberger has also been sued by a woman who claims he raped her at a Lake Tahoe hotel back in 2008. Really, Ben? I wouldn’t think it would be that hard for you to get a date.

The nature of a miracle

A reprint of my SlapShots column published Feb. 25 in the Woodford Sun

Monday, Feb. 22, marked the 30th anniversary of the “Miracle on Ice.” That day, the U.S. Olympic ice hockey team, made up completely of amateur college players, defeated the mighty Soviet team at Lake Placid in the 1980 Winter Games.

The day before the anniversary, the current U.S. squad pulled off a pretty big upset, beating favored Canada 5-3 in an Olympic preliminary round match-up in Vancouver.

As the Canadians seem compelled to remind us, hockey is their game. And as annoying as that statement has become, it contains some truth. The Great White North birthed the sport, and despite the inroads American and European players have made over the years, Canadians dominate the National Hockey League. Canada stacked its Olympic squad with NHL firepower and star power, and they remain heavily favored to win the gold on their home ice.

But the young, spunky American squad skated into the Olympics with a chip on its shoulder, and the Americans pulled off the upset. It’s a poignant reminder that a collection of all-stars doesn’t necessarily equal a great team.

Make no mistake – this was a huge win for the Americans. It was the first victory over a Canadian Olympic team since 1960. And it came on Canadian home ice, in an arena overflowing with a hostile crowd. On the upset scale, it was something akin to Gardner-Webb knocking off UK at Rupp.

Seriously – it can happen.

Still, some pundits have gotten a little carried away with the U.S. win.

Perhaps it’s the proximity to the anniversary. Perhaps it’s the fact that the average American instantly associates hockey with the upset of the Russians. Perhaps it represents some desire to recapture the past or generate some buzz. Whatever it is, some commentators have tried to tie the upset of Canada to the Miracle game of 1980.

Sorry – not even close.

First off, you just can’t equate one squad of NHL players beating a slightly better squad of NHL players with the history-making upset of the Soviet machine. Every player competing in last week’s game between Canada and the U.S. plays in the NHL. But that 1980 team was all amateur. Just a bunch of kids really. And the Soviets? Well yes, they were all amateur too.

*wink-wink, nudge-nudge*

In fact, that Soviet squad whipped the NHL All Star team in the months before the Olympics. They were, in essence, a professional team, and some still argue that the Soviets fielded one of the best hockey teams ever assembled.

But the thing that truly set that 1980 Olympic match-up apart from every other sporting event was its time and place. It was the rare sporting event that transcended sport. Al Michaels summed up the significance of the game in the opening moments of the TV broadcast.

“There’s a lot of people in this building who do not know the difference between a blue line and a clothesline. It’s irrelevant. It doesn’t matter because what we have, have had, is the rarest of sporting events. An event that needs no buildup, no superfluous adjectives. In a political or nationalistic sense, I’m sure this game is being viewed with varying perspectives. But manifestly it is a hockey game. The United States and the Soviet Union on a sheet of ice in Lake Placid, New York.”

Indeed, it was merely a hockey game. But for a Cold War era America desperately looking for some sense of optimism, for a reminder of her greatness, for some sign that she would prevail – the game meant much more.

And so an amazing triumph, a bunch of college kids beating the Soviet hockey juggernaut, dramatic in its own right, became something much bigger. It captured an entire country’s imagination. It united a nation. It renewed a sense of pride and hope in the United States.

And it stands as arguably the greatest sports moment in history.

As a hockey fan, I can only hope that the current U.S. squad generates half the interest as the 1980 team. But as big of an upset as the win over Canada was, it received far less attention, and as I type this, the news cycle has moved along to the next big thing.

But that 1980 game … that one lives on. It reminds us that sometimes the little guy triumphs. It reminds us of the power of “team.” And it serves to remind us that sometimes miracles happen.

Do you believe in miracles?

Quick Shots
Due to space and time constraints, I don’t normally give a lot of coverage to junior varsity squads. But the girls’ basketball JV team deserves some ink. The Jackets obliterated Paris 46-11 on Feb. 19 to end its season with a 20-1 record. The only defeat came against Franklin High, and Woodford avenged that loss in the JV District Tournament. Down 27-19 with 1:30 to go, the Jackets scored 11 straight points to pull of a 30-27 win. Shannon McClintock served as the team captain. Chelsey Ford was the leading scorer averaging 12.3 points per game. Jessica Morgan dominated inside as the leading rebounder, averaging just fewer than 10 per game. Shelby McDonald and Anastayzia Reed also started, while Hannah Worrell and Alicia Miller were the first two subs off the bench. Emily Harlow, Emma Kroger, Jamie Muth, Leah Shelton, Audrey Swindell and Bethany Walton all played on the team. Congrats girls!

Here we go again. Jimmy Johnson won another race, taking first at Fontana. It was the 48th career win for the No. 48.

Congrats to the WCHS cheerleaders for their fifth place finish at State!

Quote of the Week
“That elephant on their back just got a little heavier.” – NBC commentator on the pressure team Canada must be feeling after losing to the U.S. on its home ice.

Puck to the Head
This week’s puck flies at the head of Russian figure skater Evegni Plushenko for whining after American Evan Lysacek beat him out for the gold medal. Plushenko apparently felt entitled to the gold simply because he can do a quadruple jump. Never mind that he teetered his way though his program while Lysacek skated nearly flawlessly. “Quad is quad. If the Olympic champion doesn’t know how to jump a quad, I don’t know,” Plushenko said sniveling. “Now it’s not men’s figure skating. It’s dancing, that’s my point.”
Looks to me like ya got beat by a dancer, Plushenko
That’s my point.

Some thoughts on the resignation of WCHS football coach Chris Tracy

Reprinted from my Feb. 18 SlapShots column

Coaches come and coaches go.

That’s just part of the life of every sports program. But that doesn’t make it any easier for those left behind when a coach makes the decision to move on.

The Woodford County High School football team lost a good one when head football coach Chris Tracy made the decision to step down and accept the coaching position at Franklin County High School.

The move is understandable. Heading to Franklin County represents a homecoming for Tracy, and he sees the change a great opportunity for him and his family. So I don’t fault him for pursuing the Flyers position.

But I’ll be honest, I’m going to miss Chris. I’ve not only grown to respect Tracy as a coach and an educator, he’s become a friend.

And to make matters worse, I now face the prospect of having to train a brand new Yellow Jacket skipper.

Coaches are notoriously hard to train.

Chris Tracy was the first Woodford guy I met when I took over as the Woodford Sun sports editor. I’d been on the job exactly one day when I covered my first Yellow Jacket football game, a 49-34 win over Bardstown. Tracy made the transition from big city news guy to small town sports editor a lot easier through his kindness and respect.

Chris was easy to work with, and believe me, when it comes to coaches that’s not always the case. Win or lose, he always answered my questions. He never seemed put off, never bristled and never refused to answer the tough ones. In fact, Tracy would often bring up controversial issues on his own accord. I always appreciated the fact that he never made excuses. He refused to use referees, field conditions or outside circumstances as scapegoats for a bad performance.

But what truly sets Christ Tracy apart is his love for his kids.

You can criticize Chris’ choice of offensive systems. You can question his play calling. You can say he ran the ball too much, or didn’t run it enough. But nobody can legitimately say that he didn’t care about his players.

In fact, Chris Tracy cares more about the kids on his team than he cares about football.

And once again, in the world of high school sports, that’s not always the case.

Don’t get me wrong; Chris wants to win. He harbors a deep and intense competitive streak. But he always emphasized learning. He always seemed more concerned about making sure his players grew up into good citizens as opposed to great football players. He always looked at the big picture.

Chris emphasized academics. He taught life lessons. He never neglected the spiritual. More than once, I’ve seen the coach put his arm around a kid’s shoulder, pull him close just to share a few encouraging words.

Tracy leaves Woodford County with a 36-39 record, but that’s not his legacy. His legacy resides in the hearts and minds of the kids he coached over the last seven years. Lessons learned. Character built. Boys grown into men.

Yes Chris. We will miss you.

Good luck at Franklin County – until that Friday nigh you play Woodford.

Quick Shots
The University of Kentucky put the fan in fanatic. The Wildcat faithful proved once again that when it comes to basketball passion, no place on earth comes close. More than 22,000 fans packed Rupp Arena for a TV show on Feb. 13. Not for a game. Not even for practice. They came just to watch ESPN broadcast its GameDay program the morning before the UK – Tennessee match-up. Talk about over-the-top. “We’ve never seen anything like this,” GameDay host Rece Davis said. “This place is so special.” Special – or downright insane.

The kickoff of the 2010 NASCAR season had some bumps in the road – literally. Chunks of pavement came loose, forcing officials to delay the Daytona 500 twice for patch jobs. It seemed as if city road crews were doing the repairs. You know, one guy working and a whole gaggle watching. After more two hours worth of delays, Jamie McMurray won the storied race. Fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr. made all the waiting worthwhile, charging from 10th place to second in the span of one lap to challenge for the win. At least that part was exciting, because if you think watching care drive in circles for hours is boring, you should try watching them sit parked.

That said, the guys at FOX did a pretty good job of keeping things interesting during the delays. Thank the NASCAR gods that this didn’t happen during TNT’s coverage.

The Woodford County High School basketball teams are both peaking at just the right times. With the post season less than two weeks away, both Jacket squads earned big wins. The girls’ team upset Anderson County 50-49. And it didn’t look like a fluke. The Lady Jackets went toe-to-toe with the top team in the 8th Region. Not to be outdone, the boys’ team beat West Jessamine, a Sweet 16 final four team last season and then turned around and took out 15-win Boyle County. It looks like the Jackets are poised to make some noise in the postseason. Wins at the end of the year can make up for a lot of early season frustration.

Is it just me, or have the Olympic opening ceremonies gotten kind of creepy?

Quote of the Week
“That car has no idea how old I am.” – Mark Martin, 51-year-old NASCAR driver

Puck to the Head
This week’s puck flies at the head of the International Luge Federation officials. They claim the death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili during a training run before the start of the Vancouver Olympics had nothing to do with “deficiencies in the track.” But they built a big wooden wall to cover the steel beams that Kumaritashvili hit at over 90 mph, and placed padding on other exposed beams. Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like that might have been a better plan before the crash.

Should they stay or should they go?

A repost of my Jan. 28 SlapShots column

University of Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari rarely engages in “coach-speak.” I appreciate that about him.

Every sports fan has heard “coach-speak” before – those virtually meaningless clichés rolled out when the coach doesn’t want to say what he actually thinks. For instance, when asked about a player leaving school early for the pros, 99 out of 100 coaches will rattle off some mundane statement about the athlete doing whatever he thinks best for himself and his family. And after a lot of verbiage, fans and media remain with only the vaguest notion what the coach really thinks.

But oh no, not Cal. No sir. We know exactly what he thinks. The Wildcat skipper embraces the exodus.

When asked if John Wall might possibly return next season, Cal all but showed his superstar point guard the door.

“He had better not be,” Calipari said during an appearance on the Dan Patrick radio show. “I am saying that if he came to me and he was the No. 1 pick in the draft and he said that he wanted to come back, we would probably be wrestling around on the floor. Because there is no reason other than me trying to win more games that he should come back.”

Ahh – honesty.

Agree or disagree, Calipari has an agenda, and part of that agenda involves sending players on to the NBA. And he would gladly see others depart the Bluegrass State along with Wall.

“If we do something unique and special, we’ll lose a bunch of guys. Will you be happy? I’ll be happy.”

Granted, Cal’s optimism stems from the fact that he has no plans to face next season with an empty chamber.

“If something unique and special happens, its reload. Let’s go. Who’s next? And I’d be happy.”

Yes, Calipari makes no bones about turning UK into a farm system for the NBA. He’s not a dumb man. The players may not stay around for more than one or two seasons, but he knows that if he develops a reputation for sending his boys on to the main stage, he will always have a long line of kids waiting to step in for their shot. And Cal also knows that a steady stream of NBA prospects means winning teams and championships.

That’s what he wants. That’s what the university wants. And that’s what the fans want.

This attitude doubtlessly disturbs the purists among us – the idealists who cling tenaciously to the pristine concept of the student-athlete.

And I will admit, there is a part of me that would like to see every player on every team earn their degrees. A little yearning deep inside to see college sports more about the college than the sport. But as I’ve reflected on Calipari’s words over the last few days, I’ve come to realize that I’m nothing but a hypocrite.

I spent four-and-a-half years earning my first college degree, followed up by two more years roaming the hallowed halls of academia pursuing a second degree. Why? So I could move into the work world and earn a good living. So I would possess the tools I need to succeed in my chosen field. And if I could have accomplished all of that in one year, would I given up those other five years of schooling?

You bet your hockey stick I would.

So why is the standard any different for John Wall? If one year playing at UK proves enough to earn him the No. 1 NBA draft pick – the pinnacle of his chosen field – why should he hang around Kentucky? We go to college to prepare for our career. If he’s ready to go – God bless him.

There will be plenty of role players working their way through the Wildcat program. They will contribute to the team and earn four-year degrees. Every now and again, we’ll see a Patrick Patterson. He will likely leave the Cats after his junior year – with his degree. And we will rightly praise their hard work and hold up their academic achievements.

But these players rank no better or no worse than the Walls of the world. Each player – each individual – must chart her or his own path through life.

As for Calipari, he’s about winning games. And he seems to think that recruiting the best with the promise of helping them achieve their dream of going pro is the best way to get that done. Believe me, if Coach Cal brings a winning tradition back to UK, the fans won’t complain. And neither will the administration. The ex-UK players making millions in the NBA surely won’t complain. Seems to me everybody wins.

And for those who really want to embrace academic rigors as a student-athlete, there’s always Vandy.

Quick Shots
It looks like NASCAR plans to go old school. There’s a saying in stock car racing. “If you ain’t rubbin’ you ain’t racin’.” Looks like there’s gonna be some racin’! NASCAR announced last week that it will lift its ban on bump drafting at the Daytona 500. They will also up the horsepower in the season’s opening race with the largest restrictor plate since 1989. NASCAR said it plans to encourage drivers to show more aggression and emotion in the upcoming season. As a Kyle Busch fan, lets just say I can’t wait to see how this works out.

One fairytale had to trump the other. In two equally compelling storylines, the Saints kicked a field goal in overtime to beat the Minnesota Vikings 31-28 and punch their ticket to the Super Bowl. In one storybook, you had the 40-year-old Bret Favre showing guts and determination, repeatedly picking himself up off the turf as the New Orleans Saints defense pummeled him play after play. Not even an ankle injury could knock him out of the game. You can’t help respect the toughness and tenacity of the old bird. In the other storybook, you have the Saints, hailing from the Big Easy, still recovering from Hurricane Katrina. The Saints had never made it to the Super Bowl and their triumph symbolizes the resurgence of the city itself. You can’t help but share a little joy with the people of New Orleans. It’s just a shame both fairytales couldn’t have happily ever after endings.

I can admit when I’m wrong. I never expected Kentucky’s freshman laden squad to be this good. And after watching the Wildcats dismantle Arkansas, it appears they really are this good. The pollsters agree, making UK the unanimous No. 1. No doubt, there remain plenty of opportunities to slip, but this team has the potential to win it all.

And then UK traveled down to South Carolina. No. 1 - Wow, that didn’t last long.

Quote of the Week
“I keep hearing about this time out. People I’m closest to are going to demand I take some time off, but I tried that already. I tried a day and a half, and it didn’t work.” – Florida Gator football coach Urban Meyer.

Puck to the Head
This week’s puck flies at the head of former major league baseball player Jose Offerman for attempting to punch an umpire in the head during a Dominican Winter Baseball League playoff game. Offerman, serving as interim manager for the Licey Tigers, took a swing at the first base umpire while arguing a call. Offerman played 15 years in the majors. In 2007, he was arrested for assaulting an opposing pitcher and catcher with a bat while playing in the minors. On second thought, a puck to the head might not faze this guy.

Coaches - should they stay or should they go?

A reprint of my Jan. 21 SlapShots column published in the Woodford Sun

Calvin and Hobbes ranks as my all time favorite comic strip. Calvin and company seldom failed to illicit at least a chuckle, while at the same time providing some pretty insightful commentary on the world we live in.

In one strip, Calvin finds himself in a neo-cubist world, a perspective revealing every side of every object in his room.

“It all started when Calvin engaged his dad in a minor debate. Soon Calvin could see both sides of the issue. Then poor Calvin began to see both sides of everything. The traditional single viewpoint had been abandoned. Perspective has been fractured.”

I felt a little bit like Calvin, suddenly transported into a neo-cubist world, as I followed the saga of Lane Kiffin’s sudden departure from the University of Tennessee football program to take the helm at USC.

On the one hand, I can’t blame a man for wanting to move up the career ladder. To better his position. To grab opportunities as they come along that will ultimately benefit himself and his family.

Kiffin has deep ties to USC and Southern California. He served as an assistant coach for the Trojans from 2001 to 2006, first as a wide receivers coach and later as offensive coordinator under Pete Carroll. He played his college football at Fresno State University. It really shouldn’t surprise anyone that Kiffin would jump at the opportunity to head home and coach one of the premier football programs in the country. I mean really, can you blame him? Can you honestly say you wouldn’t do the same thing in his position?

And fans should know by now – the college football coaching carousel does nothing to foster loyalty. After a couple of losing seasons, the same Volunteer fans and school administrators piously pontificating on Kiffin’s lack of character and fidelity would have picked up the former Vol coach and buried him under the turf of Neyland Stadium faster than the Tennessee band launches into Rocky Top after a Volunteer touchdown.

But come on, Lane. One season? Fourteen months was all you could give? Kiffin didn’t even stay long enough for the orange ink to dry on his letterhead. And that brings us to the other side of the coin. What about the players?

They are the ones who bear the brunt of the ever-shifting coaching landscape of college football. Perhaps players should expect it. But should they? Is it unreasonable to ask that a coach show some loyalty to the kids he recruited. Some sense of commitment to the promises he made?

Coaching football isn’t just about climbing the career ladder. It’s about educating and molding boys into men. What do we teach them about commitment and integrity when we make promises and sign contracts, only to bolt at the first next-best opportunity? Shouldn’t the almighty me become subservient to a greater principle at some point?

But do we expect a coach to stay in the same place forever?

Welcome to my neo-cubist world.

“The multiple views provide too much information. It’s impossible to move. Calvin quickly tries to eliminate all but one perspective.”

So deep in the subplot of this story I find a character who helps snap things into focus and who reminds me that there remains at least a shred of integrity in the world of big-time college football - Duke coach David Cutliffe.

Cutliffe was an offensive coordinator at Tennessee. He also served as head coach at Ole Miss back in 1998. He’s an SEC guy. He took the reigns of the struggling Duke program two years ago. The Blue Devils compiled a 9-15 record over the past two seasons under Cutliffe. As you might guess, Duke isn’t exactly a “destination” position.

But Cutliffe decided to stay, turning down the opportunity to coach a big time program in a big time conference. He said that he wanted to finish what he started at Duke.

“After much thought and consideration, Karen and I reached the decision that Duke is the place for our family,” Cutliffe said in a statement. “We have the best coaching staff in the country, and are convinced that we will continue to build a successful football program that both the Duke and Durham communities will be proud of.”

Cutliffe had a message for those thinking he was sure to take the Tennessee job.

“People that think that was automatic just don’t know me very well.”

There are all kinds of reasons Cutliffe might have turned down the UT job. But I’d like to think that it’s simply because Cutliffe possesses a measure of personal integrity. A desire to see something through to the end. A measure of respect for the kids he coaches and a sense of obligation to his promises.

As Calvin struggles to eliminate all but one perspective, his room snaps back to normal.

“It works. The world falls into recognizable order. ‘You’re still wrong, Dad,’ Calvin says.”

So yeah, I can see Kiffin’s side of things. But you’re still wrong Lane.

Quick Shots
Whew! Another close one for the Wildcats. Kentucky narrowly escaped Auburn with a 5-point win after blowing a 19-point lead. As one publication put it, the Cats have just about used up their nine lives.

I’m no Minnesota Vikings fan, but I can’t help but pull for Brett Favre. As an almost 43-year-old man, I find his youthful exuberance while playing a young man’s game inspiring.

Quote of the Week
“College coaches lie. How do these guys sleep at night? It’s unfair, of course, to include all coaches in the Liars Club, but it’s an odious and ever-expanding group. Put Lane Kiffin in a room with Jeff Jagodzinski, John Calipari, and Rick Pitino and you could make a polygraph machine explode.” - Dan Shaughnessy, Globe columnist

Puck to the Head
This week’s puck flies at the head of Massachusetts Democrat senatorial candidate Martha Coakley for calling former Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling a Yankee fan. Schilling summed up how ridiculous the statement was in his blog. “I’ve been called a lot of things. But never, and I mean never, could anyone ever make the mistake of calling me a Yankee fan. Well, check that, if you didn’t know what the hell is going on in your own state, maybe you could.”

WCHS athletic trainer gets the axe

Winner of the 2009 Kentucky Press Association Best Sports Story - Class 3 Weekly (circulation over 4,600.) Originally published July 9, 2009

The Bluegrass Community Hospital announced last week that it has eliminated the athletic training position at Woodford County High School, leaving the future of Walker Terhune’s job unclear. The announcement left school officials scrambling to find alternative funding with the start of football, soccer, cross country and volleyball practices only weeks away.

Terhune served as the Yellow Jacket athletic trainer for three years, providing on the field medical care and rehabilitation services to athletes in every sports program at the school. Bluegrass Community Hospital employed Terhune and contracted his services to the WCHS.

Bluegrass Community CEO Kathy Love said eliminating the position, along with the athletic trainer at Midway College, will save the hospital about $100,000 per year.

“We always have to preserve our core hospital services,” she said. “It was a painful decision.”

The hospital did not eliminate any other positions, and Love emphasized that the organization remains financially sound.

“We’re not in any sort of crisis,” she said. “We are tightening our belts.”

Love cited a drop in donations, as well as cost pressures with driving the decision to eliminate the athletic trainer positions. A rise in uncompensated care has strained the hospital’s budget, and uncertainties in the health care industry regarding the possibility of healthcare reform have administrators taking proactive measures. Love said that regardless of what form healthcare reform takes, she expects future cuts in provider reimbursements.

Woodford County High School assistant principal and athletic director Bob Gibson said that the school has already started looking for other healthcare organizations to partner with in order to keep an athletic trainer at WCHS – preferably Terhune. He said that school officials have meetings scheduled for later in the week.

“We may be able to get everything back on board,” he said. “Obviously, we would want to maintain not only the position, but the individual.”

Neither state law or the Kentucky High School Athletics Association require Kentucky schools to have a trainer on staff, but Gibson said that he recognizes the importance of the athletic trainer for health and safety of Jacket athletes.

“It’s of vital importance to our program.”

Gibson said that he understands the hospitals decision and that he doesn’t want people to perceive Bluegrass Community as the bad guy.

“They’ve been a big sponsor of our programs,” he said.

It remains unclear whether the Woodford County School Board will provide any funding for an athletic trainer if the school cannot find another healthcare organization to foot the bill.

“Obviously, we just found out last week,” Superintendent Scott Hawkins said. “We’re trying to explore all of our options. If we can keep an athletic trainer, we certainly want to do that.”

But dollars will factor into the decision.

“We don’t know what costs we’re looking at. We’ll see what kind of expenses we might be looking at. We want to provide quality service at a price that we can afford,” Hawkins said. “We’ll have a much clearer picture once we have some of these meetings and see what our options are.”

Yellow Jacket football coach Chris Tracy expressed concern about the possibility of going into late summer practices without an athletic trainer on the sideline. Last summer, Pleasure Ridge Park football player Max Gilpin died after collapsing during practice on a hot August evening. Prosecutors charged PRP coach Jason Stinson with negligent homicide. There was no athletic trainer at the practice when Gilpin succumbed to the heat.

“After what happened in Louisville, I don’t know that I want to be out there doing what we do without a trainer,” Tracy said.

Several WCHS athletes reacted to the news of the possible elimination of the athletic training position with dismay.

“I don’t really know what to say right now. I’m kind of in shock,” Yellow Jacket soccer player Katrina Ott said.

Terhune helped Ott rehab several injuries and she credits daily sessions with him for getting herself healed and back on the field faster. She said that she probably took his presence on the sidelines for granted.

“It’s really important to have a trainer at your convenience,” she said. “Sometimes when you’re hurt, coaches are not as qualified and don’t know.”

Terhune not only heals the body, he serves as a mentor and trusted adult figure in the lives of many Woodford County athletes.

Senior Jay Tackett, a soccer and football player, posted his feelings on the Woodford Sun Sports Facebook page.

“This is terrible. Woodford’s losing an awesome sports trainer. Walker’s been a great friend of mine through all my years of high school and he would be greatly missed.”