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As we approach the dog days of
summer, many of you (two or three) readers have asked me
from time to time about my allegiance to a certain
mid-western Major League Baseball team.
Said team has been at or near the top of the National
League Central for much of the season.
Yeah, I know, I'm puzzled, too.
This team, which features a color and a namesake that is
scarlet in nature, is in the midst of a six-game slide,
yet still remains in the hunt. This team is hitting the
ball well, but suffers through pitching woes, especially
out of the bullpen. You ask why
I'm being so cryptic in mentioning this team by name?
Because, as has been the case lo these past 21 years,
every time I bring this team up by name, it always
induces some sort of skid. It
doesn't matter what my magic mood ring says; it makes no
difference what sequence I wear my familiar hats; if I
mention this team by name in this corner of my current
publication, bad things happen.
Those of you who support the Cardinals and Cubs who wish
to scorn me, however, to them I say this: there's a lot
of season left.
* * * Five of our high school
seniors were honored at the recent Best of the West
banquet at Dyersburg High School.
Richard Vandergrift, who was a long-time sports guy for
the Covington Leader, puts on a top-flight event and
this is, indeed a presitigious thing. Honorees at this
function include Haywood County's Tony Delk, who has
made himself a nice NBA career and Ashley McElhiney.
If you are tabbed for one of these honors, do not accept
it lightly. Vandergrift, who has left journalism to work
with Covington's youth programs, has established a fair
and equitable way of making sure coaches, administrators
and media all have input for these honors.
Vandergrift leaving the newspaper business is indeed a
blow to this industry. But his work with the prestigious
BOW is appreciated.
* * * Huntingdon's Brian Nellett
will be representing Carroll County in the TACA
Tennessee-Kentucky All-Star game. While Nellett will
continue his athletic career as a baseball player for
Itawamba Community College, he'll quickly shift gears
again to play football for the Tennessee squad.
This is a big honor to be named. The Class 2A state
championship defensive MVP is worthy. And he'll be
walking in the midst of greatness, too. Several major
college players and NFL stars have taken part in this
game. In fact, Tennessee players
will dress in the same locker room used by the Vols.
Last year, Ricky Mathis, who represented McKenzie in the
game, said the lockers have the names of all those who
came before. In fact, Mathis said he was in Peyton
Manning's locker. It is a great
honor to be selected for such an event.
When you consider guys like Chad Clifton, Will
Ofenheusle and Tim Couch have played in this game, it
really gives you an idea of what kind of legacy you will
follow and leave at the same time.
* * *
There has been an awful lot of excitement surrounding
McKenzie's trapshooting teams. At no time in the past
have three teams from the same school moved on to
represent Tennessee in a national event, but after last
week's performance in the Tennessee scholastic
trapshooting tournament in Nashville, McKenzie has
broken new ground. The McKenzie
Junior Novice teams 1 and 2 qualified while the high
school senior novice team advanced. Some of the scores
rivaled those of the experienced classes.
In addition, Elizabeth Russell and Meredith McKinney
each captured state championships for individual
shooting. It seems that McKenzie
is right on target and has its crosshairs on a national
title. |
