Truth be told Giants have already been

February 2, 2008

    PHOENIX — Truth be told, the Giants have already been written off.     They’re only here to observe New England’s official coronation as one of the National Football League’s elite teams for the ages.     A lot of the Giants are buying into that theory and attempting to run with it. Plaxico Burress has gone as far as to guarantee an upset. His teammates, while not nearly that brash, appeared content to avoid the spotlight this week and permit oddsmakers to stay the course, installing the Patriots as heavy favorites. ...

Super Bowl notebook

February 3, 2008

PHOENIX — WILL PLAY FOR FREE: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers are not being paid to perform their 12-minute set for tonight’s Super Bowl. Petty and past SB artists such as Paul McCartney, Prince, the Rolling Stones and U2 are more than willing to provide their services, considering nearly 100,000 million will be viewing both domestically and internationally. Past history suggests the Super Bowl halftime acts have enjoyed record windfalls from escalating sales following their brief gigs. According to a spokesman for the NFL: “We have major artists and bands contact us ...

Passing the torch: Manning to Manning

February 4, 2008

GLENDALE — Not bad, little bro. Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning wasn’t the only family member inside a wild New York Giants lockerroom. You couldn’t miss Peyton in the crowd. The Colts’ quarterback who celebrated a SB win just a year ago, didn’t mind joining in this party for the ages. “I was thrilled last year, but this is right there with that one,” Peyton smiled. “All week, when I had a chance to talk with Eli, I told him to keep his composure. ‘Don’t get rattled,”’ I said. ‘”No matter what the circumstances.’” Peyton was relishing his brother’s ...

Girls teams happy to have earned their championships

February 4, 2008

In sports teams earn the right to be called champions. The New York Giants aren’t the only ones who woke up this morning calling themselves champions. The girls basketball players from St. John, Monroe Central, Barnesville and Indian Creek went back to school today with some shiny new hardware to show off. Those four girls’ basketball teams laid claim to OVAC basketball championships during Saturday’s inaugural Wheeling Hospital OVAC Girls Basketball Championship and by virtue of their victories earned the right to be a champion. It’s been well documented how OVAC champions ...

Knight’s a winner with this writer

February 6, 2008

Although I’m a sports writer, I wouldn’t consider myself a basketball junkie. I do like the sport, especially high school and college, but that’s where it stops. I’m nearing my 49th birthday and as long as I can remember, Ohio-born Bobby Knight has been roaming the courtsides. However, that all changed Monday when the venerable 67-year-old head coach abruptly announced his retirement from the working ranks. Knight, who has served as head coach at Army (1965-71), Indiana (1971-2000) and Texas Tech (2001-08) for a combined 42 seasons, told the nation he was “tired.” Tired ...

Zorro: The total package

February 7, 2008

In late August 2007, Legend Of Zorro went to post in her first Grade B race at Wheeling Island. Zorro had captured three out of her first four races — Maiden by 2 lengths, Grade D by 7 1/2 lengths and Grade C by 4 1/2 lengths — and was the betting favorite to continue her rapid climb up the ladder. Although the Darren Henry Kennel youngster finished third in the Grade B trip (only her fifth career start), it was apparent from Zorro’s effort that she was going to be something special. She experienced all kinds of trouble (actually hopped over two dogs during the race), but never ...