I will never be King of the World. Heck, when you choose this profession, with the requisite hours and pay, you’re lucky to maintain a figurehead’s grip over your home, your health, and your bank account. If I’m ever named benevolent dictator of Maine high school basketball, however, you’d better believe some things are going […]
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Boys’ basketball tournament predictions
Here is one observer’s shot-in-the-dark at how things might shake out in Augusta and Portland: Class A East Hampden has an easier path to the final than Edward Little, despite the supposed advantage for the No. 1 seed in that department. Brewer beat Hampden, gave EL fits, and has five interchangeable, 6-foot-3-ish parts on the […]
The Hot Corner: Auburn surgeon makes big Bang in non-traditional environment
Have you heard the one about the bariatric surgeon, the devout Mormon and the triathlete who walked into a mixed martial arts fight? They’re the same guy, and if you didn’t see that coming, allow Dr. Steve Bang of Auburn to change your perception of an increasingly popular but still widely misunderstood sport. “At some […]
The Hot Corner: Four-time champs has nice ring, but Brady, Belichick didn’t need it
The debate is over. With four Super Bowl championships in an era designed to prevent sustained excellence, Bill Belichick and Tom Brady are the greatest coach and quarterback in NFL history. Now, the equally indisputable truth: Such debates are stupid. Professional football is the ultimate team game. Apologies to baseball, but in a universe where […]
Why the Patriots Will Win: Because nobody’s better at playing the bad guy
Had a peculiar conversation with the boss (aren’t they all?) when discussing this assignment for this publication. “Mike’s the new guy,” one of us thought aloud. “We’ll let him deal with making the case for Seattle to win the Super Bowl.” This was a situation where I recognized the ridiculousness of the statement in mid-sentence. […]
The Hot Corner: Evidence, common sense outweigh noise in Patriots’ debacle
What an embarrassing week to be a fan of … Western civilization. Seriously, when considering the events of the past eight days, the New England Patriots couldn’t be any farther down the list of violators in relationship to the social contract. Imagine President Bill Clinton, a decade-and-a-half after the Monica Lewinsky foolishness (a sign that […]
The Hot Corner: Patriots, Seahawks two great teams that should look great together
It hasn’t happened often in your lifetime, if you aren’t old enough to remember when the New England Patriots couldn’t beat an egg, but the two best teams have made it to the Super Bowl. And by the grace of God, Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, for the sixth time in 14 seasons, those same […]
The Hot Corner: Gifts and good tidings for all
It’s the holiday season, so whoop-dee-doo, and dickory-dock, and don’t forget that you’re probably in hock. Yes, I refer to this profession as a labor of love for many reasons, not the least of which is that it doesn’t bestow upon me the riches to buy lavish Christmas gifts. Check that. I don’t have two […]
The Hot Corner: Grab a hat, put on a shirt and enjoy moment
They call showcases such as Sunday’s shellacking at Gillette Stadium “hat and T-shirt games,” although that generally is a misnomer. No self-respecting pro football enthusiast that I know has ever worn apparel touting a division title. Well, present company excluded. I’m a starving artist living on a fixed income. If it’s available on a rack […]
The Hot Corner: Snubs more fun than solutions?
It bugs the bejeebers out of us, those who embrace the game of football as the standard-bearer of no-frills and no-baloney. The idea that any significant gridiron decisions are made by men wearing suits and ill-fitting sweaters in a conference room — even if those men had a proud history in the game dating back […]