It was the flashes that always stuck with me. The ball levitates from a referee’s hand at halfcourt, two tall guys jump toward the outskirts of heaven and the perpetual motion machine comes alive. And the flashes. Early days, it was thousands of Instamatic camera. Later, it was the built-in flash from thousands of cell … Continue reading Flashbacks to Final Fours: The event I revered more than any

Hearing the news of Howard Schnellenberger’s death took me back to one of the biggest bowl upsets I ever covered. And looking back at the surroundings of that bowl game, it was a reminder of how much politics veers into sports – and how change sometimes feels imperceptible at best. Schnellenberger, who died at age … Continue reading On Howard Schenellenberger, a bowl upset and a tiresome blueprint

Funny the odd things that stick out, looking back at something you covered more than 18 years ago. I remember the incongruity of a heavyweight boxing contender on stage at a press event, playing a game of chess against a seventh-grader named Carlos Harbert. This, when his opponent had most recently been in the news … Continue reading Mike Tyson, the persistent fighter who just won’t go away

To watch the replays even now, the crash doesn’t seem so destructive. We’ve seen dozens and dozens that look more frightening. When it happened, it didn’t even really grab my attention from my press box seat at Daytona International Speedway. I was more focused on the sprint to the start-finish line, my stomach more in … Continue reading What I’ll never forget from covering that fateful 2001 Daytona 500

There’s the expression about how much you didn’t know you missed something until it was gone. Having sat through more live sporting events than most anybody you know, I suggest we’ll soon be able to take that one step further:. I didn’t know how much I had missed until it was gone – and then … Continue reading Live! In-person! Venturing out to watch a UAH basketball game

Willard Scott, naked people, Paul McCartney, The Weather Channel, an obscure long-snapper, the Make-A-Wish Foundation and all-night typing. You have your Super Bowl memories. I have mine. I went to six Super Bowls, enough to have nice memories and to remind me that the circus can get old. These VI days, I’ll recall each of … Continue reading My Super Bowl memories: Paul McCartney, as seen from row HH

Willard Scott, naked people, Paul McCartney, The Weather Channel, an obscure long-snapper, the Make-A-Wish Foundation and all-night typing. You have your Super Bowl memories. I have mine. I went to six Super Bowls, enough to have nice memories and to remind me that the circus can get old. These VI days, I’ll recall each of … Continue reading My Super Bowl memories: The solemn 9/11 tribute and the introduction to Tom Brady

Willard Scott, naked people, Paul McCartney, The Weather Channel, an obscure long-snapper, the Make-A-Wish Foundation and all-night typing. You have your Super Bowl memories. I have mine. I went to six Super Bowls, enough to have nice memories and to remind me that the circus can get old. These VI days, I’ll recall each of … Continue reading My Super Bowl memories: It’s the naked truth

Willard Scott, naked people, Paul McCartney, The Weather Channel, an obscure long-snapper, the Make-A-Wish Foundation and all-night typing. You have your Super Bowl memories. I have mine. I went to six Super Bowls, enough to have nice memories and to remind me that the circus can get old. These VI days, I’ll recall each of … Continue reading My Super Bowl memories: Bundle up, Make-a-Wish … and wishing the game ended differently

Willard Scott, naked people, Paul McCartney, The Weather Channel, an obscure long-snapper, the Make-A-Wish Foundation and all-night typing. You have your Super Bowl memories. I have mine. I went to six Super Bowls, enough to have nice memories and to remind me that the circus can get old. These VI days, I’ll recall each of … Continue reading My Super Bowl memories: Miami’s nice, and the job’s a snap