Category: Sports

Recent Posts

“Wild times … we don’t know what’s going on”

Those were the words that signified the beginning on the “the new normal.” March 11, 2020 was the day the United States was truly introduced to the novel coronavirus, or as we came to know it, COVID-19. Diseases like this have come and gone around the planet before, but generally the United States has been geographically isolated from the worst of the recent past. With these words spoken by ESPN announcers prior to the NBA Utah Jazz-Oklahoma City Thunder game scheduled for that Wednesday evening, normal American life began to grind to a halt. And the desperate search for toilet paper was just about to get underway…

The NBA prepares to postpone the first game due to the pandemic.

When enough time passes, and we, as a society, take a look back on this event (“these interesting times,” “these uncertain times,” “these unprecedented times,” “the new normal,” “massive governmental failure,” and any other phrase you would like to add to this list…) I believe the postponing of this basketball game will be the singular event that got the nation’s attention: This situation is serious, we’ve never seen anything like it in almost a hundred years, and we don’t know what’s happening next.

To almost every extent, this uncertainty remains, over two months later. We’ve become familiar with words and concepts that are new to our modern society. Face masks. “Social distancing.” Pandemic. Wild times, indeed.

There is a lot of we still don’t know. There’s a lot to be sad about, a lot to be mad about, and a lot to be frustrated about. I’ve always tried to create posts on this site that inform, entertain or uplift. Honestly, I haven’t posted since the beginning of March because I don’t know what’s appropriate. But we still have lives to lead, and there are still things to say. And, as John Krasinski showed us for eight episodes during “these unceratin times,” there is still Some Good News…

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Music, Sports

QuickPost: Jack Fleming

I was just discussing with Allison the legendary West Virginia University sports broadcaster Jack Fleming and recounting how he could set the scene of any Mountaineer football game. Home games were especially exciting, as his tone would rise and fall with that of the “Pride of West Virginia” performing their pre-game show behind him.

As an example, watch below as Jack sets the scene for a Halloween matchup with the Penn State Nittany Lions:

A true West Virginia treasure, the “Voice of the Mountaineers.”

Music, Sports

Lincoln High Band preps for 2014 season

The 2014 Lincoln Band performed a few selections from their upcoming halftime show on Thursday at the Shinnston City Park. The band is getting ready to “Light ‘Em Up” this season with their selections, including “My Songs Know What You Did In the Dark” and “Thnks fr th Mmrs” both by Fall Out Boy.

(And, yes, they’ve prepared the Lincoln High School fight song.)


Check out the other videos after the break….

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West Virginia 69, Marshall 34

So, at least one sports team didn’t disappoint me this weekend… The Mountaineers manhandled the visiting Thundering Herd from Marshall by a score of 69-34. It looks like the 70 points put up in the Orange Bowl back in January was no fluke… 😀


Here’s a little YouTube video recap, courtesy of WVU SportsBuzz:


Sports, Television

If you want the Olympics, you don’t want Suddenlink

So, after chatting with a Suddenlink support specialist it appears that those of us in north central West Virginia who have Suddenlink for TV and Internet will be unable to watch any Olympic coverage online this year.
It appears that you must subscribe to both CNBC and MSNBC to be “allowed” to watch content online. Well, unfortunately for us WV folk, CNBC is not available for subscription, thereby knocking all Olympic coverage out the window for us.

So much for being able to recommend Suddenlink for TV and Internet. They had a decent track record with me prior to this. But don’t even get me started on Dish network… Much worse.

Sports

A hint of promise

I’ll admit it: I’m not the biggest baseball fan in the nation. But, I do enjoy watching the Pirates play when I get the chance, usually on ROOT Sports. This year I did make it to two games in Pittsburgh, however, and it’s a fun atmosphere at PNC Park.

There was a hint of progress in Pittsburgh, at least early on in the season, and it’s difficult to look at an entire season and pinpoint one game that defined it, but I would say the 19-inning loss to Atlanta back in July was the beginning of the end. But it was nice to see the Pirates back on top, even if only for a few days.

In this video, some of the Pirates thank the fans for their support. We look forward to seeing more from them in 2012!

 

Event, Sports

More than just a game

Ryan and I went to see the Harlem Globetrotters strut their stuff at the WVU Coliseum in Morgantown on Monday.

I had never seen the Globetrotters in person, but I’ve probably globetseen them do their routines on TV 50 times.  I think what we saw on Monday was probably the same Globetrotter material they’ve performed for the past twenty years (at least).

Of course there are some new wrinkles, like Globie’s music.  But I think I’ve seen Globetrotter football many times before; it never gets old.

It was great to hear Ryan laugh at the fun stuff and even get concerned when “Handles” starts playing for the Generals.  I think he saved his biggest laugh for “Big G” smacking the ground repeatedly and generally just flipping around in a goofy fashion.

It was just nice to sit and enjoy watching a game where no one was concerned about the final score.  The game was more than a game… It was an event.