Sports Beat column - March 27, 2007

Sports Beat
March 27, 2007

Sports Beat by Bill McCaffrey

So Tubby Smith moves from Kentucky to Minnesota to take over a down trodden team and capture the winning spirit like Tubby established at Tulsa , Georgia and Kentucky . Five SEC titles, five SEC tournament championships and a National Championship and yet the criticism became louder and stronger and I ask you why? Orlando "Tubby" Smith is a great coach and not an A minus coach that ESPN's Doug Gottlieb called him. There are not too many coaches that can compare to Smith as a good man and a caring coach, a winning coach and not an A-one but an A+ coach.

All of Maryland not just Southern Maryland should be proud of him, a great man and a great coach. The State of Kentucky should be ashamed of itself for driving Tubby to Minnesota where he will do well and improve on his winning record of 76%. I remember well his career at Great Mills High School and High Point College . Move over Ohio State , Indiana , and Michigan , there's a new top gun in town and he'll be gunning for the Big Ten hoops crown. Exiting the Big Ten is Iowa coach Steve Alford who's going West folks to New Mexico . Retiring is Maryland grad Dr. Tom Davis who is stepping down at Drake. Former Arkansas hoops coach Nolan Richardson will coach the Mexico men's national basketball team.

GOLDEN GLOVES BOXING

March 30th at the Greater Waldorf Jaycees Bobby Magruder is hosting the finals of the Washington Golden Gloves championship finals and what a show it should be. It's got music with a tribute to James Brown with Charlie Taylor and Kurt Gibbons and the National Anthem performed by Ginger Lynn Byron. Ten count in honor of Rose â¤¦Bettyâ¤? Magruder (Bobby's mother), Magoo Magruder, James Brown, Steve Mamakos, Willie Pepp, Jerry Joe Ferguson, Harry â¤¦Bubbaâ¤? Lehman, Juanita Renee Bovell and service men and women serving in the US and abroad.

Thomas Stone High School junior ROTC Color Guard under the leadership of Sgt. Major Henson. Honored guest Mack Lewis. Sportsmanship Awards go to Taveon Washington and Joseph Yingling. Ring Card girl Crystal Milana (2006 playboy model). Two featured girls bouts â¤³ Ginger Gousman vs. Waldorfâ¤s own Shari Moten and Shante Jordan vs. Tyrieshia Douglass followed by 20 championship bouts. In last weeks bouts at the Sugar Ray gym Superheavyweight Seth Mitchell of Old School gym beat James Love, Bernard Adams stopped Charles Johnson, Dominic Wade beat Jimson Adebusoye, Marcus Heathman KOâ¤ed Sylvester Jones and Dwayne McRae won over Akinyanju Abodurin.

Also on the card on March 30th will be two of the top young fighters Dusty Harrison (105 lbs) and Chris â¤¦Rockâ¤? Warden (114 lbs) both fighting out of the Old School gym in Clinton, Maryland. On Friday, April 13th the Regional Championships will be held at the Greater Waldorf Jaycees featuring the DC and Maryland champs against the Virginia-North Carolina and US Navy and Marine champs. Music â¤³ a tribute to the late, great sax man Joe Stanley featuring Jimmy and the Blue Dogs with the National Anthem to be performed by Bruce Swaim on the sax. Ten count in honor of Joe Stanley, Harry Beaulieu and to all the US servicemen and women around the world. Crystal Milana will be back as the Ring Card girl. The Lackey High School Junior ROTC Color Guard under the leadership of Colonel Gilbert will be on hand.

SPORTS NOTES

The officials in the Georgetown-North Carolina NCAA tournament were terrible and just as bad as the â¤¦Coach Kâ¤? cheerleader Billy â¤¦I am the Greatestâ¤? Packer who has gotten worse not netter over the years. Where are they now: Kenny Clem, Adell deBoar, Marlene Billy, Dorothy Scates, Harriett Lamer, Ruth Estelle, and Joan Hazzard, Bill â¤¦the Nerdâ¤? Livingstone, JoAnne Briggs, Pricilla Harrison, Dick Coons, Vera Mae and Janet Hood, Tom â¤¦Goofyâ¤? Myers, Joan Tassett and Jerri Cox? Look-a-Likes: Ray Huff and Haystacks Calhoun; Ed â¤¦Downtownâ¤? Brown and â¤¦Dancing Harryâ¤?; Oliver Kay Fletcher and Don Knotts; Bette Wisecarver and Dorothy Lamour.

Our deepest sympathy goes to the families of the following:
Bobby Rohr (Great Coolidge HS grad and triple sports star in the 1940's)
Rich Abell, Sr. (St. Anthony's HS grad and former Brentwood Town Council member)
Robert Sidney Sinker (Central DC HS grad)
Harry F. Kendrick, Jr. (Dunbar DC HS grad)
William T. Cuddy (Western HS grad)
Louise E. Walker ( Central DC HS grad)

Ric Flair brought his brand of cheerleading to the Florida Men's basketball team before they won two tournament games this past weekend. Flair and Florida coach Billy Donovan are good friends. Why didn't Roy Williams go inside to Hansborough in the closing seconds of regulation time instead of one shot from outside the arc? Williams was really out coached by John Thompson III. The Glen Burnie Moose is hosting a dinner buffet and the popular Ronnie Dove on Saturday, May 19th from 6:00 p.m. to midnight, you get both for $25 in advance and $30 at the door. For information call Sandy at 301-346-0296 or Dave at 440-760-5944, Ronnie Dove puts on a great show and the food will be good also. My favorite artist Jeremiah Stermer is now selling his fine easel paintings direct, contact him at www.jeremiah.stermer.com or 410-494-1795. He has great works available now.

The Prince George's Community Foundation will honor Steny Hoyer (Majority Leader US House of Representatives), MD Lt. Governor Anthony Brown, and former MD Secretary of Planning Audrey Scott at their Awards Program at Upper Marlboro's Camelot on April 18th at 6 p.m. Hoyer gets the Lifetime Achievement Award wile Brown and Scott get civic leadership awards. For event information call Terri Roberts at 301-218-4500 ext.2 or Chris Sutterfield at 410-267-0410.

The General Meeting of the 100 Club of Anne Arundel County will be held at the Fire Training Academy , 8501 Veterans Highway , Millersville at 6 p.m. on April 2nd. What Baltimore Colt Hall of Famer was born in Guamala? It's hard to believe department! ESPN canning Joe Theisman on Monday Night Football and keeping Toni Cornheiser and Mike Tirco. Joe was the best of the three and Cornheiser was the absolute worse! Tirco was a tweener-ho hummer. Like the ultimate â¤¦Sports Chickâ¤?, Toni C. is lucky to still be on the air even Rex Snider can do a better job than either one of them. Give me Amber, Snyder, Chris Cole, Bob Long or Phil Jackman and you'd have a super MNF.

In another ho-hum move it was announced that Hasbeen Rahman will fight Ray Mercer. Has been fighting again â¤³ who cares?

WE GET LETTERS

Bill, He just touches the tip of the iceberg on the Caps problems but at least some media member in this town finally addressed that there is a problem. The Washington Post doesn't even care about the Caps anymore as evidenced by the fact that a guy with a terrorist name covers them on a daily basis. Tarik Mohammed or something to that effect?? If only the media hadn't cared so much back in the 90's when hockey "no-nothing" Tony Kornheiser continually criticized an annual Caps playoff team and quality organization. Tony was too busy being wooed by Susan O'Malley and her so-called marketing skills. Well Tony got his wish, noone talks about hockey in this town anymore because the current owner and GM have driven it into the ground with their poor management. It is a joke and a superstar like Ovechkin and a top NHL goalie like Olie Kolzig are being hung out to dry with no supporting cast. I'm tired of hearing about draft picks and prospects from McPhee and Teddy AOL. It is clear the Caps can't draft well and their development skills are pitiful. Anybody could have picked Ovechkin. They still haven't drafted a defensemen worth a damn since George has taken over. Ed

Ed, Correct again. Bill

Bill, You were in the House of Delegates for a long time, how did you get started and who had the most influence on you? Jim Lucas

Dear Jim, Peter O'Malley and Steny Hoyer gave me my start, along the way Mike Miller, Louie Goldstein, Marvin Mandell, Don Schaefer, Parris Glendening, Tim Maloney, and Denny Donaldson. I'll give more details on this subject in my book that should be ready to go later this year, it will also contain much more. Bill

Bill, Thanks again for the wonderful column. Was sad to see the Maryland men out of the March madness but, of course, we (especially my Rhonda and I - they creamed Yale's longtime rival, Harvard) will be cheering on the Lady Terps to take the championship again this year. Shay Doron is my personal favorite on this amazing team, because of her talents, leadership, big heart for the team and her personal history. You hear that Ivory Latta up there with #1 rated North Carolina ? And how special is it to see the second generation of Patrick Ewing, Jr. and John Thompson's coaching son play so well for Georgetown ? Can always spot Patrick, Jr. by the way he moves on the court, so much like his famous father. Any sign of a cherry blossom or two up there? Hope you are feeling better on this absolutely gorgeous first day of spring. Your #1 fan in Daytona Beach , Dale (aka Miss Jane, Linda, Delores)

Dear Dale, Cherry blossoms set to arrive on April 15th. Still very depressed. Bill

Dear Friend of the Dystonia Foundation:
We are writing to invite you to participate in Dystonia Advocacy Day in Washington , D.C. on Wednesday, April 18, 2007.

The goal of this day is to inform our legislators about dystonia and how it has affected our lives, and to urge them to increase federal funding for additional medical research to find the cure and more effective treatments for dystonia.

For the first time in history, all Dystonia Advocacy Coalition (DAC) organizations will participate. Members of the DAC include the Benign Essential Blepharospam Foundation, DySTonia, Inc, Dystonia Medical Research Foundation, National Spasmodic Dysphonia Association, and the National Spasmodic Torticollis Association. This is a milestone for our community and will strengthen our voice and advance our issues. We will be heard!

This important annual event brings together dystonia affected individuals and families from across the U.S. for legislative activities which include: an afternoon of comprehensive advocacy training the afternoon of Tuesday, April 17, a dinner with a presentation by Dr. Mark Hallett of the National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), a morning breakfast ceremony featuring the presentation of the Dystonia Public Policy Award, and a full day of meetings with your Representatives and Senators. The Tuesday advocacy training topics will include: How to make a Hill visit, the current climate on the Hill, role playing, and so forth. Legislative visits will be arranged for you in advance, and you will be given a map of your assignments, directions, and leave behind materials for each of the offices you visit. All volunteers who have participated in these events in the past have found them to be an incredibly rewarding and empowering experience and were proud to have exercised their right to communicate with elected officials.

If you will participate in Advocacy Day please contact Jennifer Molski, Director of Network Services, at jmolski@dystonia-foundation.org or by phone at 888-346-3673. If you need more information about the day please contact Public Policy Vice Chair, Todd Spotti at tspotti@att.net or phone Washington , D.C. Advocacy Day volunteer, Sally Presti at 301-627-1657.

Thank you in advance for your consideration of our important work. Jennifer Molski Director of Network Services Dystonia Foundation www.dystonia-foundation.org

1948 WASHINGTON SENATORS

Last week I looked at the 1947 Washington Senators, this week I'll take a glance at the 1948 Nats. Joe Kuhel took over as manager and the Nats escaped the cellar which belonged to the Chicago White Sox. Mickey Vernon and Early Wynn had terrible seasons and at seasons end were traded to the Cleveland Indians for Eddie Robinson, Ed Klieman and Joe Haynes in one of the worse trades the Nats ever made. Gil Coan was back, Al Kozar was new to the infield, and Carden Gillenwater was closing out his major league outfield career. Stan Spence had been traded before the season to the Boston Red Sox for Kozer and Leon Culberson. Buddy Lewis sat out the season, tried a comeback in 1949 but fell short of it and retired for good in 1949. Gerry Priddy was gone but Al Evans and Jake Early divided the catching duties.

Rae Scarborough won 13 games and had the second best ERA (2.82) in the American League. Wynn, Sid Hudson, Walt Masterson, Mickey Haefner and Forrest Thompson started and Tom Ferrick had ten saves. Coan (23) and Vernon (15) were two and three in stolen bases. Eddie Stewart (13) and Eddie Yost (11) were second and third in triples in the American League. Cleveland and Boston were in the World Series and the Indians won. It was the days of Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Bob Feller, Warren Spahn, and Johnny Sain (Spahn, Sain and rain was the battle cry of the Boston Braves). Stan Musial, Ralph Kimer, John â¤¦Big Catâ¤? Mize, Bill â¤¦Swishâ¤? Nicholson and Bobby Doerr.

To me it was a great time, I loved Griffith Stadium, the beef barbeque, hot dogs, coke, peanuts, sitting in the bleachers with Terry Maher, John Pavlides, Don Saccardi, Phil Sullivan, and sometimes Jack Funderburk and in 1949 I remember seeing the Nats play a game with the Phillies (I took Shirley Carr to that game). Summers were great baseball, movies, Glen Echo, Marshall Hall, the Hot Shoppes, Strates shows on Benning Road , Beverly Beach, Triton Beach , Harold Harbor , North Beach , Chesapeake Beach , Carlings Park ,, Gwynn Oak, Ocean City , concerts at the Watergate and the Capital Rock Creek Park , Haines Point for the submarine races and Cherry Lane in Southeast.

How's this for another look-a-like, Howard Stern the tasteless DJ and Patrick Pannella? It's about time for the DC Divas to return to action. Ready for a repeat? Chris â¤¦The Rockâ¤? Warden has the hardest punch since Tommy Hunt and Harry Ditzelhurst in the early 1950's. Stan Heath got the ax as menâ¤s hoops coach at Arkansas . John Calipari got an extension to 2012 at Memphis . Ritchie McKay who got the ax at New Mexico is the new men's basketball coach at Liberty . Here's another look-a-like â¤³ Ironhead and â¤¦Stinky faceâ¤? Pond.

Our deepest sympathy goes to the family of Leon â¤¦Mule Trainâ¤? Heath who passed at age of 78 (former Redskin back, drafted in 1951 out of Oklahoma ). Also to the family of Monte Zucker (Roosevelt DC HS grad and DC Teachers College grad) Former Bullet Jeff Ruland is out as basketball coach at Iona . How many of you went to Merridan Hill Pak on Sundays with your Mother or Grandmother. You know Roy Yanosh would do a better job on MNF than Toni â¤¦Cornballâ¤? Cornheiser. For that matter David J. could to. Cornball needs to retire! I'd like to get Emmett Lanier, Billy Via and Manny Crupi on my â¤¦Inside Sportsâ¤? show to talk about Washington Senators baseball in the 1940's. Also I'm still waiting for Bernard Brooks, Sr., Donnee Gray and Chesnut to put together that Gwynn Park get-t0-gether for my show. My favorite place for Mac and Cheese, soul fries, and sweet potatoe pie is Henry's Soul Cafe© in Ft. Washington.

Is David J. ready for a move?

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