close

Tidbits from the print stocking

By Bobby Fox. The Greene County Messenger 4 min read

With Christmas just days away, both kids and adults will soon be gathered around the Christmas tree to tear into this year’s haul of toys, gadgets, clothes and more. However, if you grew up in the household of Ron and Rachel Fox, those presents were merely the main course of a gift smorgasbord. The morning actually started with unloading a stuffed stocking hanging tantalizingly from a nail on the wall.

As usual, the sports world will have plenty for you to enjoy on Dec. 25. Whether you are a fan of the NBA, college football, NCAA basketball or the NBA, there will be plenty of options to take in. However, before you check the TV to peruse this year’s holiday selections, please enjoy a few athletic tidbits from the print stocking that I have provided below. Enjoy and have a Merry Christmas!

Congratulations to Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, who took home the 2014 Heisman Trophy Award. Even though Mariota, who led his Oregon Ducks into the much hyped four-team Division I playoffs, was perceived as an easy and expected selection, his win was big for the NCAA on several levels.

First of all, Mariota is the first winner without the immaturity issues and off-field drama of the previous two winners, Johnny Manziel and Jameis Winston. Some may say he is the first problem-free winner since then-Alabama running back Mark Ingram took the trophy in 2009 (Cam Newton, 2010 and Robert Griffin III, 2011).

Secondly, and this may not be politically correct, but Mariota, who is a native of Honolulu, is the first player of Polynesian lineage to be a Heisman winner. The NCAA has to be pleased with the fact that they can showcase more of its diversity on such a huge stage …

… Moving to the NHL, it’s hard to believe that a childhood disease like the mumps has stolen the headlines when it comes to Canada’s greatest athletic export. However, is it any surprise that the budding epidemic is centered in Pittsburgh?

I’m not making that statement as some sort of comment on the cleanliness and hygiene of the city. Rather, it seems as though any time there is some sort of bizarre hockey malady, there is usually a player in a Penguin sweater involved.

All kidding aside, this potential outbreak of the disease in the Pittsburgh locker room could cripple the team for a period of time. While Sidney Crosby and Beau Bennett have already been sidelined with swollen glands, three other key members of the team are likely headed for quarantine in the near future. In fact, they may already be benched by the time this story hits the newsstands.

Defensemen Robert Bortuzzo and Olli Maata will clearly be missed. However, the fact that Marc-Andre Fleury could be missing from between the pipes for between one and two weeks, if not longer, would appear to loosen the grip the team has on the number-one spot on the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference. Losing Fleury for any length of time would be further exacerbated by the fact that their only other option in the crease is Thomas Greiss, who has been inconsistent at best …

… Finally, plenty of people knew that the Jefferson-Morgan wrestling team was going to be pretty darn good with stars like Gavin Teasdale, Brendan Howard and Ian Wolfe, among others, leading the way. However. few could have predicted that arguably the top boys and girls teams in Greene County would also be wearing Orange and Black.

As of this past Wednesday, the Rocket girls sported a perfect 6-0 record, and the boys were 3-2 after winning their first three games of the season. While the J-M boys face some stiff competition in Section 3-A, this season could be a memorable one for the Rocket hoopsters.

CUSTOMER LOGIN

If you have an account and are registered for online access, sign in with your email address and password below.

NEW CUSTOMERS/UNREGISTERED ACCOUNTS

Never been a subscriber and want to subscribe, click the Subscribe button below.

Starting at $4.79/week.

Subscribe Today