For every action in sports, there is a swift, exaggerated overreaction. You can thank the glut of cable networks, talk radio outlets and social media platforms for that. As a wise man (Winston Churchill? John Lennon? Bugs Bunny?) once said, if you can’t beat them, join them. My highly caffeinated Twitter feed attests to my […]
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The Hot Corner: Gruesome loss, but no time to panic
Let the overreaction begin. It is how fandom operates in the National Football League, that once-a-week train wreck we all criticize ruthlessly but from which we can’t look away. Eight days ago, both real and bandwagon followers of the New England Patriots were obsessed with the meaningless goal of running the regular-season table. Ridiculously meaningless, […]
The Hot Corner: Cosgrove taught Maine value of loyalty. Were we listening?
Jack Cosgrove was University of Maine football coach for such a long time that it is easy to forget what he inherited. After a brief period of national prosperity during the Mike Buck era, the Black Bears’ coaching office was equipped with a revolving door. Perhaps you watched with detachment on Friday as Iowa held […]
The Hot Corner: Football repeat? Difficult. Four at once? Ridiculous.
Meet the new champs. Same as the old champs. In the space of about 23 hours this past weekend, the four reigning high school football state champions evolved into four repeat high school football state champions. Those of us paid to write and broadcast such details reported this anomaly with disarming, matter-of-fact, oh-by-the-way detachment, as […]
H.S. Football Head to Head: Time to put regionals in neutral?
That leads to my talking point for this week’s edition. We recently saw the regional field hockey championships contested in Portland and Waterville. Regional baseball title games are held in Standish, Augusta and Bangor. North and South tennis championships are played at an off-campus location. Hockey regionals drop the puck at a neutral site. (Well, […]
The Hot Corner: MPA playoff choices keep games in positive light
To paraphrase that dapper womanizer from the beer commercial and social media memes, I don’t always defend the Maine Principals’ Association. But when I do, I prefer to recognize what similarly thankless lives we lead. Parallel lives, even. When you attempt to provide the eye in the sky at activities that involve children, an emotional […]
H.S. Football: Oakes’ semifinal playoff prognostications
Portland 42, Bangor 0 Windham 20, Cheverus 14 Thornton 38, Scarborough 13 Bonny Eagle 32, Deering 20 Brunswick 34, Mt. Blue 19 Brewer 28, Skowhegan 26 Westbrook 22, Falmouth 20 Marshwood 32, Greely 14 Old Town 26, Foxcroft 6 Winslow 28, MDI 8 Yarmouth 31, Fryeburg 20 Wells 20, Cape Elizabeth 15 MCI 35, Orono […]
H.S. Football Head to Head: Better to say ‘bye,’ or hello to another game?
Sometimes words have two meanings, as Led Zeppelin taught us, and when we’re in late October or early November, bye has only one connotation to those of us paid to keep our tunnel vision directed at high school football. It’s the off week which some of the best teams in the state receive as a […]
H.S. Football Head to Head: Predictions
Although they aren’t battle-tested going into the Class A North playoffs, the Portland Bulldogs have a team that’s built for this time of year. Hard to say which element I like more: the one-two punch at running back, or the smothering defense that hasn’t allowed a point in, oh, a month. Seeds will hold up […]
H.S. Football: Oakes’ Week 9 prognostications
Bangor 21, Edward Little 19 Cheverus 48, Lewiston 14 Cony 26, Mt. Blue 22 Leavitt 36, Greely 14 Yarmouth 35, Mountain Valley 7 Cape Elizabeth 21, Gray-New Gloucester 12 Wells 34, Poland 6 Spruce Mountain 30, Fryeburg 27 Oak Hill 27, Traip 6 Dirigo 33, Old Orchard Beach 8 Lisbon 20, Boothbay 0 Winthrop/Monmouth 12, […]