tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19063115025983568102024-03-05T10:52:17.952-05:00LIP SERVICEA periodic inside view of sports and life.Ken Lipshezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12765267331754282870noreply@blogger.comBlogger252125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1906311502598356810.post-33705773106715232822023-12-30T14:49:00.001-05:002023-12-30T14:49:51.776-05:00<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Neighbors in Time of Need</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">The pain associated with death and dying that paid our
family an extended visit over the last year came to a somber culmination Friday
when our matriarch and my wife’s mother Fayna Birnbaum was laid to rest.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I’ve never been much comfort to anyone during times like
these dating back to my dear mother’s untimely passing at 66 in 1990.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve never had to arrange funerals or quite
understood the role of funeral homes. I’m good at crying and caring, but I’m
prone to flee from the nuts and bolts of the discussion.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">For the first time, I sat around a table at a funeral
home and helped deal with the task at hand, and coming away from that
experience, I’m forever grateful we chose Farrell Funeral Home on Franklin
Square in New Britain.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">My wife Lisa graduated from New Britain High with owner Bill
Farrell, and I got to know him in passing during my sports writing career at The
New Britain Herald as a prominent figure in the Hardware City to the World.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Bill, his son Mike and their staff left no stone unturned
to spare the family any burden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
biggest issues were addressed and flawlessly executed in one brief meeting. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">On Friday, everything was in order for a beautiful
ceremony that I’d be proud to share with you a bit later in this
discourse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plenty of umbrellas were on
hand with the skies threatening for the umpteenth day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rows of seats were arranged graveside.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">But their true mettle and dedication to their craft arose
when further adversity reared its ugliness at precisely the wrong time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">The terrain at the Beth Alom Cemetery on Allen Street is
rather treacherous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a steep
hillside, and the Birnbaum plot was at the back after the hill has crested and
began to slope down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Footsteps are even
more difficult because of the pitting left by previous interments.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">A woman whose name I need not mention slipped down a
small slope and fell down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had spent
the last few years as Fayna’s very best friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They would chat multiple times a day, the way so many of past
generations did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The conversations were
very soothing for Fayna as she declined.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Thankfully Lisa’s brother Neil is a doctor, as is his
wife Ruth and their son, Aaron.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lisa’s
good friend Connie, a nurse by trade, was standing right next to the woman when
she went down. The comforted her and put her in a chair, but the family had the
responsibility of setting up the ensuing luncheon.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">The Farrells stepped right in and saw to her needs as the
family moved on to the final stage of the process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They showed kindness beyond compare and
compassion to aid the stricken woman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They sat with her as the ambulance arrived and made sure her possessions
were safe.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I can’t say enough about how the Farrells and their
friendly entourage settled our jangled nerves as we paid our final respects to
Fayna, whose contributions to the city as a New Britain General Hospital
volunteer were massive.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I have a much different understanding of compassion at
such times thanks to Bill and company, and for that we want to thank them with
all our hearts.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">While we’re thanking people, I must include my sister
Marji, whose compassion is also off the charts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Like the brunt of us, Marji was ailing with some strain of what’s been
haunting so many of us in this time of strange weather.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She could hardly speak for days with
laryngitis, but that didn’t stop her from arranging a warm graveside ceremony.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Marji’s husband Harold, another person at the top of the
compassion list, is an accomplished flute player.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He brought smiles to the face of Fayna and
other folks at the Jerome Home nursing facility with the holiday season
impending.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">He played softly, the gentle notes wafting through the
air like we were all nestled in a corner of heaven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The skies were so grey and our hearts were
aching but Harold’s music lifted us as we settled in for 20 minutes of readings
and two eulogies. My God, Harold and Marji, how can we thank you!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I also want to mention that the Birnbaum’s cemetery plot
is adjacent to that of a man whom I treasured as a resource of New Britain
sports and history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bart Fisher,
one-time Herald sports editor, passed 10 years ago at 68.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I loved Bart, and couldn’t spend enough time
with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was a New Britain historian
without equal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He used to tell us, “You
give me any subject in the world and I’ll tell you how it’s tied to New
Britain.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I’ll revisit Bart in my wrap-up.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">We had lunch at Great Taste, the venerable Chinese
restaurant on West Main Street, where Fayna and her late husband David were far
more than just customers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their food is
exceptional – has been for decades – but as with the Farrells, the owners did
everything to lighten our burden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">It’s all over now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A page has been turned in our life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A new chapter has begun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fayna is
out of pain now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No more of the worries
that frazzled her for months.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">As I summed it up in my mind, I recalled how my time
writing sports at The Herald enabled me to get very familiar with New Britain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bart was instrumental at the start of my Herald
career, and I tried to carry his torch after he moved on to Central Connecticut
State University’s sports office.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">As each day passed, I became more in tune with New
Britain and how it differs from other cities of similar size.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m proud to have made my contribution, and
even prouder of the love that Fayna helped course through town. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Happy New Year to all, and please make 2024 a damned
sight better than its predecessor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d
like to have a cup of coffee, or a Great Taste order of General Tso’s, with
everyone.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Ken Lipshezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12765267331754282870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1906311502598356810.post-22395070515583034072023-12-11T16:25:00.000-05:002023-12-11T16:25:13.965-05:00More than the games have gotten worse<p><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif;">One of
the great blessings of my life is having been spared from any hospital stays
since I was 16.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">That was
the summer of 1968.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember bits and
pieces of the experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To nobody’s
surprise, I can best sort through it if I put it in baseball terms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">1968 went
down in baseball annals as the Year of the Pitcher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame righthander
Bob Gibson, perhaps the best ever if you ask me, recorded an ERA of 1.12.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Detroit’s Denny McLain won 31 games, the
first to break the 30-win barrier since Dizzy Dean in 1934.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>MLB starters threw 339 shutouts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">Mickey
Lolich tossed three complete games in the World Series to lead the Tigers over
Gibson and the Cards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">I
watched the 1968 All-Star Game from a bed in St. Raphael’s Hospital in New
Haven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If memory serves (give me a
break; it was 55 years ago), the great Willie Mays singled off Luis Tiant of
the Cleveland Indians the first inning and scored the game’s only run for a 1-0
National League victory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mays reached
second on an errant pickoff attempt, took third on a wild pitch and scored on a
double-play ball.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pitchers took over.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">Aah,
those were the days!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tight, briskly
played ballgames.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No weird geeky
statistics.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">Baseball
wasn’t the only item that was better in those days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Visiting the hospital in 1968 wasn’t exactly
fun, particularly for a teenager who hardly knew why the hell he was even
there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apprehension bracketed my body
and mind as the nurses, student nurses, aides and interns did their best to brighten
my spirits.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">Since I
was 16, I was placed in a pediatric unit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The toys that filled the solarium and the pastel colors on the walls
softened the apprehension.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kind, elderly
volunteers went from bed to bed like gentle grandparents making sure fear left
the room.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">Wouldn’t
you think that the hospital system would be much better 55 years later?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">My
wife’s mother is currently in New Britain General Hospital, which we were quick
to discover is now part of Hartford HealthCare. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">I can’t
comment on the medical attention she’s getting because I’m not a physician, but
the services in the hospital are nowhere near the 1968 level.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I certainly wouldn’t blame the hard-working
souls who work there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’re just doing
their jobs, and doing the best they can, but there simply are not nearly enough
of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">My
mother-in-law was on the third floor, where they had two nurses caring for 38
patients.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The incessant beeping of calls
for help were like the soundtrack of a horror movie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hospital administrators would have had to go
to the Cloning Department five times for the department to run efficiently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I was sick that may be the last place I’d
want to be.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">So what
has happened since I went in for my childhood adjustment so long ago?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wish I knew half of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the other hand, maybe I don’t want
to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those are not the type of statistics
on which sports fans care to dwell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suffice
it to say that drawing up a plan for renewed efficiency and high-quality care
requires money and lots of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
massive majority needing hospitalization can’t come close to affording it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">Less
populated countries like Canada have socialized medicine, but I’ve heard
terrible tales about waiting lists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
seems Canadian residents often prefer to be treated here because timing is
critical.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can the US government pay the
bills?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Should the government be
responsible?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">I’m not
into political arguments, but even the person on the streets can see that
something’s amiss as soon as they pass through the beautiful lobby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t wish to discuss which party was in
power when the crisis took a turn for the worse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What I do know is we’re sending billions
overseas and don’t appear to have the resources to take care of our own.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">When politics
enter the fray, I start scanning the Comcast grid for a ballgame because I’m
out of my league.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, Major
League Baseball is just another indicator that something is dreadfully
wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t have money to improve
hospitals but the Los Angeles Dodgers have $700 million to hand to Japanese
superstar Shohei Ohtani over the next decade?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">Sure, we’re
talking about apples and oranges here but no one can deny that something is
indeed dreadfully wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Ken Lipshezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12765267331754282870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1906311502598356810.post-54694522676561544142023-11-27T14:29:00.000-05:002023-11-27T14:29:02.907-05:00Unionville a center for coffee and good tidings<p><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif;">As the
effects of the pandemic tightened their grip on us, I couldn’t help but think how
important it is to get back to basics as a means of coming together against a
common enemy.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">We
stayed home for days and weeks on end, venturing out for necessities only –
food and medicine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we began to
circulate again, we focused on all the small businesses in our area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many of them never recovered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are friends and neighbors who generally
supplied us with quality goods and services for years and were now thrust into
survival mode.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">We did
our best to comply.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We shopped for
produce, vegetable plants and flowers at places like Jillybean’s on Route 6 and
Hein’s Farm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We dined at locally owned
and operated establishments, even when hard times forced cutbacks, the sudden need for outdoor
dining and created staffing problems.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">We would
all like to believe that the COVID nightmare has passed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The politics of it continues to shake the very
foundation of common sense, but Americans have always persevered well in the
face of adversity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sure enough, as the
masks began to disappear, the community surged back toward normalcy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s that surge that should define the
experience, and we witnessed a sign of it Wednesday morning.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">Two new
coffee spots have opened in Unionville recently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We haven’t gotten to Bruno’s on Mill Street
yet, but we went to The Daily Grind in Depot Place to kick off our
pre-Thanksgiving festivities.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">The
coffee was great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had bagels, and
they were also top-notch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it wasn’t
the food or drink that captured my thoughts.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">Two members
of the Farmington Police Department stood near the window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A young family enjoyed their breakfast treats
at a table across the room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Others came
and went.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everybody chatted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone was friendly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Community indeed can be restored if we seek face-to-face communication ahead of that addictive rectangular device in your pocket.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">These
are the scenes you don’t see while local and national news reports center on the
hatred that grips our world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We need reminders
that there still are smiling faces out there, people with their hearts full of
holiday cheer, folks who would go out of their way to help a neighbor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not prone to lose sight of life’s
pleasant side, but the national issues are so divisive that it’s easy to lose focus.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">Not
everyone is consumed by the dark world of social media, and we’ve
got to meet and communicate face to face to restore the virtues of American
culture that got us though the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, two World Wars,
a cold war, the errorism of 9/11, a pandemic, and terrorism abroad. The guy you may be calling
names on Facebook because of his political views has aging parents, growing
children and the need for compassion just like you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you had met at the Daily Grind instead of a
forum that breeds antagonism, you’d be smiling instead of cursing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">The
Daily Grind is the realization of a long, difficult process shouldered by a
true Unionville legacy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll call it the
Evan Parsons Project, with all due respect to musician Alan Parsons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we arrived in town we grew to appreciate
Parsons Hardware in Unionville and the Parsons automobile dealers in Farmington
and Plainville.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Evan has now taken the
baton and brings his family name back into the mainstream of Farmington life.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">Evan took
the time to chat candidly with us as business flourished.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Life has come full circle here and we hope
The Evan Parsons Project bears fruit like his ancestors’ endeavors did for
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s all up to us as residents and consumers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whether you pay Evan a visit, drop into Bruno’s,
dine at local restaurants and use local services, it’s all money that stays in
the community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing against Dunkin’,
which I believe is managed by people who care, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m hopeful that all three coffee shops thrive.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">So what
are we waiting for?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s think globally, but act locally and go have a
cuppa Joe!<o:p></o:p></span></p>Ken Lipshezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12765267331754282870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1906311502598356810.post-73486385831584988242023-11-20T12:58:00.000-05:002023-11-20T12:58:50.066-05:00Yanks net 31st straight winning year yet fans moan<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Heartfelt congratulations to the New York Yankees on
another winning season.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">That’s right. Despite all the grousing and groaning
from discordant Bronx Bombers fans across the Evil Empire, these Yankees
finished at 82-80. That’s a winning record, in case those throughout the seven
boroughs need remedial mathematics.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I know quite well that finishing out of playoff
contention and being mired in fourth place does not meet Yankee expectations,
but need I remind New York fans that while winning championships may be
expected every season, it isn’t some sort of megalopolitan birthright that you
win more championships than any other team.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In fact, the New York Yankees have not had a losing
season since 1992. For 31 years, Yankee management has desperately doled out
exorbitant contracts and snatched pick-of-the-litter free agents to amass such
a string of winning seasons. Meanwhile, the lowly peons in such second-tier
cities as Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Washington D.C., Detroit – virtually every
other city with a franchise – cannot approach that rate of success.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">You would think the Yankees finished 50-112 like the
A’s, 71-91 like the Nationals, or even 78-84 like the Red Sox, or 74-87 like
the overhyped, mismanaged Mets. No, the Yankees, despite injuries and the
paucity of athletic players, were once again on the winning side of the ledger.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Yet the whining emanating from the $500 seats at
Yankee Stadium would make one think the facade has caved in. No, although perhaps
they were focused on the denizens of MetLife Stadium and the raging
disappointment that NFL 2023 has brought New Yorkers. Fire Cashman, they howl. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Fire Boone! Release Stanton! Hal Steinbrenner is
terrible. Ah, here comes that eternal holier-than-thou sentiment that I’ve been
hearing for 60 years. That holier-than-thou 20/20 hindsight that makes their
whining as unlistenable as Roseanne Barr singing the National Anthem.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Well, let me say that generally my heart bleeds for
the downtrodden, but you’re just one team of 32. And not one of those teams,
not even the cash-laden Dodgers, can boast of such a 31-year run. In fact, the
Dodger string of winning campaigns is a “modest” 13 years. They shop the annual
MLB fire sales magnificently, don’t they?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Cardinals had a 15-year legacy of winning
baseball snapped this season. The Red Sox put together 14 seasons between 1998
and 2011 before their rollercoaster ride through the early 21<sup>st</sup> century.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So where is this heading? Major League Baseball must
establish ways to balance the playing field. The MLB Players Association gained
an upper hand after the Curt Flood case and obviously is reluctant to give back
to the fans who pay the freight. Don’t fans in Pittsburgh and Cincinnati rate
the same opportunity to see their teams succeed as those in the cities that MLB
yearns to have in the postseason? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A Dodgers-Yankees World Series represents a ratings
coup for MLB as it battles to maintain its foothold in the advertising race. A
Twins-Brewers World Series would be rather calamitous as MLB scraps for the
dollars that have shifted toward the NFL, NBA and the two most popular college sports,
football and basketball.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Wouldn’t you think that odds would have favored at
least one losing season since Jay Leno debuted on the Tonight Show? At least
once since Bill Clinton was elected President? If only former NFL mogul and
purveyor of parity Pete Rozelle were still around. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The NFL benefited and
continues to do so in an environment where the population centers don’t always win. Green
Bay, a city of 107,395, is Titletown USA. New York City, with the 8,804,190
still hanging around after the COVID migration to New England and the
Adirondacks, is as sorry a football city as exists in NFL lore. </span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Yet the NFL prospers as the premier sports league in
America, turning what was once just Sunday afternoon into 17 national holidays. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So quit your bellyaching, New York. You’re not
better than anyone else.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Ken Lipshezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12765267331754282870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1906311502598356810.post-10818764844091519792023-11-16T17:15:00.001-05:002023-11-16T17:16:21.671-05:00He Does His Best For Peace and Love<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">Richie
Furay is a rock ‘n’ roll pioneer.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">The
79-year-old native Ohioan brought his lyrics of love and catchy tunes to
Buffalo Springfield, Poco and the Souther-Hillman-Furay Band through the 1960s and 1970s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More recently, Furay, who will retire from live performances in May as he turns 80, brought them to the
Katharine Hepburn Cultural Center and Museum on October 25.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">Furay, a
member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, is one of the godparents of a musical
genre that has always been my favorite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was dubbed “country rock” back then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">Buffalo
Springfield was a virtual all-star lineup that included Stephen Stills and Neil
Young before they gave us “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” and “Ohio.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Among its biggest hits was Stills’ protest
song, “For What It’s Worth,” which became an anthem shortly after its release
57 years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">Like so
many of the era’s great rock acts, Buffalo Springfield crumbled when the
artists developed conflicting notions about what the future might hold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Furay united with Jim Messina, Rusty Young,
Randy Meisner and George Grantham to form Poco in 1968.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Timothy B. Schmidt replaced future Eagle
Meisner and Messina was gone by 1970, but Furay’s lilting voice and the upbeat
nature of his music coursed through the genre.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">Furay
left Poco in 1974 to form the Souther-Hillman-Furay Band, his sound having
attracted legions of fans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the
numbers didn’t add up to success, he became drawn to Christianity and became a
pastor in the Denver area. It was his Christian demeanor that was on display
after his stellar performance at The Kate.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">The
tradition at The Kate is for artists, if they’re so inclined, to meet and chat
with their fans after the show as they sell their music, shirts, caps and the
like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve had the chance to chat with
many of my favorites and as the show ended, I felt compelled to meet him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all, his music is part of my life’s
soundtrack.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">He
chatted amiably with some folks and made his way toward me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a time for the cellphone to beep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My son Jason sent me a very ominous text – “Dad,
whatever you do, don’t look at the news.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I quickly texted back.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">“What
happened?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did (Celtics great Jayson)
Tatum get hurt?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is there more Hamas
treachery in Israel?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">He
piqued my curiosity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to find out
what happened.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">My wife
Lisa and I had just returned from a nice trip to Maine and had only been home
for a few days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The report Jason was
alluding to was the mass murder in Lewiston.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>No, please, not in Maine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We went
up there to escape from I-84 road rage and the other grim occurrences that now
happen where too many people live too close together.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">Yes, the
report said 22 people had been shot and the gunman was still at-large.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A peaceful evening of music was tainted by
the painful reality of 21<sup>st</sup> century life in our country.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">Richie
Furay looked at my reaction to what I had just read and his instinct told him
something was wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I held the
cellphone up so he could read it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">A tear
formed in the corner of his eye as he scanned the news.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked at me and said, “What is wrong with
us?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Richie, I wish I knew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt a deeper connection with him as a
contemporary who spent a lifetime singing songs of love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I shoveled out many dollars that I shouldn’t
have spent to have his soothing music in my library.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">“Good
Feeling To Know,” which Richie chose not to perform at The Kate, was always a
go-to song when I was feeling down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Kind Woman.” “Sit Down I Think I Love You.” “Go And Say Goodbye.” “Pickin’
Up The Pieces.” They were sung with love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That’s what so many artists in the genre did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Love was the prevailing emotion that occupied
our hearts as we entered the real world, married and had kids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The chance meeting between Richie and I nearly
60 years later showed how the Life Meter has gone from love to hate during our time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That wasn’t how we planned it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had more faith in humanity that peace
could truly prevail beyond just the music.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">I wish I
could present you with a happier ending. Less than two weeks later, Hamas
displayed the barbarity that an idealistic songwriter like Furay could never have
comprehended with its senseless attack on innocent people, most of whom were
enjoying a concert at the time.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">Richie
couldn’t understand how that could happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Neither can I.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hate, you see, has
dumped love onto the back pages of life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m glad a vestige of the love and innocence we once enjoyed could
return to us, even if only for a fleeting moment.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Bookman Old Style, serif;"><u><i>A Good Feeling to Know</i></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: Bookman Old Style, serif;">When I need good lovin' I always come home to you. </span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif;">You free my lifetime of the blues.</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif;"><i>Yes I got that old time feelin' burnin' deep inside my soul and I'm yours, baby I'm home.</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif;"><i>And it's a good feeling to know. It's such a good feeling to know. Oh it's a good feeling to know. Somebody loves you.</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif;"><i><u>Kind Woman</u></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif;"><i>I got a good reason for loving you. It's an old-fashioned sign. I kinda get the feeling like, mmm, you know when I fell in love the first time.</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif;"><i>Kind woman, won't you love me tonight. The look in your eyes.</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif;"><i>Kind woman, don't leave me lonely tonight. Please say it's alright.</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif;"><i><br /></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Ken Lipshezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12765267331754282870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1906311502598356810.post-30492768808794040142023-11-15T15:48:00.000-05:002023-11-15T15:48:23.521-05:00An Autumn Weekend -- Football and Music<p><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The transition between two of my greatest pleasures was
delightful.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">On Saturday, we attended a live sporting event for the
first time since well before the first wave of COVID, courtesy of the
Connecticut High School Coaches Association and its well-managed relationship
with the UConn Athletic Department.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The CHSCA, dealt a crippling blow in September with the
sudden passing of director Joe Canzanella, moved forward with its annual
induction ceremony slated for pregame and halftime of the football game between
the Huskies and Utah State. The rain abated just in time and despite cloudy
skies, the event went off like clockwork.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">On Sunday, with the sun shining brilliantly, we shifted
back to our music scene by attending an outdoor concert at a quaint family farm
in East Haddam. While Shakedown Street provided its consistently seamless
tribute to the Grateful Dead, children and adults danced, wandered the garden
and visited the domestic animals on hand.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">PLAYING “THE RENT”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The last time I attended a UConn football game at
Rentschler Field in East Hartford was September 12, 2009. I remember it well
because on that day, I was inducted into the CHSCA Hall of Fame, which has its
home on the Rentschler concourse.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Later that year, I was honored along with my induction
class at the CHSCA’s annual banquet at the Aqua Turf in Southington. My dearest
friends came from around the country to be with me for what truly was my finest
hour. To have my likeness on a plaque at Rentschler and to have a gorgeous ring
commemorating the moment mean more to me than anything else I’ve accomplished
professionally.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Memories of that day 14 years earlier came back to me as
we entered tent for pregame festivities. Since I retired from the Meriden
Record-Journal in early 2018, I hadn’t seen many of the people who made my 28
years on the state sports beat so enjoyable.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">That grand New Britain gang from those days immediately
pierced through the meteorological gloom. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Michelle Abraham remains the volleyball coach at New
Britain High after all these years. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When I started at the New Britain Herald in 1992, her
teams were suffering. The Golden Hurricanes lost nearly every match they played
that year, saved only by winning matches against tiny Class S school Housatonic
Regional. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Seven years later at East Haven High School, Michelle
guided an incredibly skilled, deep and focused young women to a Class L state
championship, despite being down 2 games to 0 against the likes of powerhouse
Cheshire. I wept as I watched one of the
more remarkable comebacks I’ve ever witnessed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Michelle is the epitome of what makes the CHSCA as
essential as it is festive. The records of those teams were not of the utmost
importance to her. Of course, she wanted to win as much as any coach who ever
commanded a sideline huddle, but she was driven by her commitment to her
student-athletes, on and off the court.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Her mission has not diminished. Neither has her passion
for fulfilling it. She also has so much love for many of those she met along
the way, and I’m delighted to be counted in that number, all these years later.
She graciously referred me to Executive Director Canzanella to do some writing
for CHSCA. I was delighted. My computer keyboard has been rather silent since
leaving Meriden, yet I knew I could step right in and hit the ground running
for any organization that needs my services.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Four days after we discussed the possibilities, Joe
Canzonella, 71, was dead of a fatal heart attack. Canzonella and retired New
Britain High athletic director and football coach Len Corto were truly like
twin sons of different mothers. The burden was on Len, Michelle and others to
pick up the pieces of an organization nurtured for 31 years by the late
Southington High baseball coach John Fontana until his death in October 2019.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Lenny addressed 25 or so on hand for the informal pregame
brunch. He introduced David Benedict, UConn athletic director, who made a short
but poignant impromptu speech that had most heads nodding affirmatively. The
relationship between UConn athletics and the CHSCA is surely strong. A visit
from venerable UConn legacy and New Britain native Andy Baylock, the Huskies’
former baseball coach who still throws batting practice in his mid-80s,
represented a powerful link in the chain between the organizations.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When Lenny’s thoughts turned to Joe, he wore his emotions
on his sleeve, as both he and Joe were prone to do. His voice cracked. He
fought back the tears. The two had forged a powerful bond, enabling CHSCA to
maintain its integrity across the scoop of high school athletics in
Connecticut. He reinforced that CHSCA was going to continue its mission the way
Joe and John would have wanted.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Lisa and I had an enjoyable
day. We didn’t even mind paying $27 for two Chick-fil-A sandwiches and a $6
bottle of water. The weather improved, but unfortunately UConn faltered, losing
34-33 when a potential game-tying extra-point placement was blocked. We all
felt for the UConn kids and Coach Joe Mora, but that’s the nature of
competitive athletics.</span>Ken Lipshezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12765267331754282870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1906311502598356810.post-61059237715795455302019-07-26T11:19:00.001-04:002019-07-26T11:22:33.895-04:00WRESTLING'S SOUTHLAND: A LEGACY OF LOVE<br />
Ray Southland stood at the head of the class.<br />
<br />
When I was assigned to cover high school wrestling back in 1992, all I knew was the orchestrated, pre-ordained legacy of what is known as the professional version of the sport. I attended a high school that didn't even offer wrestling as a varsity sport. Only hockey was spoken during the winter season in Hamden.<br />
<br />
So when I was gently pushed toward wrestling in 1991-92, my facial expression must have screamed to the close-knit community that I didn't know the difference between a fireman's carry and a single-leg takedown.<br />
<br />
Ray Southland was among a group of officials whose incredible passion for the sport propelled him well beyond his appointed duties. I had many questions. Ray offered all the answers, not only efficiently in basic terms but with his love for the sport sparkling in his smile. Ray's sincerity, thoughtfulness and his profound love for the young athletes were so fluent, leaving no doubt in my mind that his broader mission was softening life's difficulties for all he knew.<br />
<br />
Working with officials like Ray was a tremendous asset for a reporter looking for angles that superseded victory and defeat. Extrapolating their perception of the teams and individuals they scrutinized and the gnawing issues wrestling faced facilitated my ability to write more insightful pieces that transcended championships. <br />
<br />
Among the ways Ray stamped his outgoing, candid personality on an issue was discussing the difficult calls he sometimes had to make. When calls would affect the outcome of bouts and matches, he was forthcoming in discussing it with me, fully knowing that he could be laying himself open for controversy if I wrote the issue up a certain way.<br />
<br />
Wrestling, perhaps more than less grueling scholastic competitions, served as an excellent foundation for the lives of former competitors now spreading the gospel that Ray helped lay out. I saw a comment from former Southington All-Stater Zach Bylykbashi that echoes my feelings. Bylykbashi said he was always uplifted when he saw that Ray was going to officiate his matches because he respected his competence and understanding.<br />
<br />
I regrettably never had an opportunity to know Ray beyond the wresting arena, but I can discern exactly how he approached his work as a secondary school teacher and administrator. Those who had the chance to work with Ray at Washington Middle School in Meriden will continue to benefit from his style, his demeanor and his unbridled passion for improving life around him. His words of guidance came directly from his heart, depositing a sparkle in his eyes that conveyed righteousness, integrity and authenticity, intermingling as part of the legacy he leaves behind.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Ken Lipshezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12765267331754282870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1906311502598356810.post-12146126892551766372019-06-26T16:38:00.000-04:002019-06-26T16:38:08.377-04:00HUSKIES, YOU NEVER SHOULD HAVE LEFTI've been reading about the conference changes in UConn athletics with great interest and I thought I'd offer my taxpayer's portion of the millions we must cough up to support the transfer from the American Athletic Conference to the Big East.<br />
<br />
Generally I believe the move is good for UConn and the fan base. The contrived inanity of former football coach Bob Diaco's ConFLiCT is stirring testimony that rivalries with other AAC teams just lacked the luster to stimulate football and basketball fans into opening their wallets, although losing records don't help either. <br />
<br />
The notion of Division I football was a complete travesty right from the start. <br />
<br />
With all due respect to head coach Randy Edsall, the idea that the 2011 Fiesta Bowl that through sheer luck and administrative lunacy pitted UConn against Oklahoma was as rare a commodity as a snowstorm in Satan's kitchen. How in heaven's name was the Big East champion presented a slot opposite a Big 12 team in a bowl game? The whole system is so driven by money and is so lacking in what college football fans deserved to see that I wonder if somebody -- anybody -- found that match-up compelling.<br />
<br />
Oh, but it stirred the juices in UConn faithful that football could follow the route that Geno Auriemma and Jim Calhoun forged on the basketball court. Geno won it all! Jim won it all! Randy can do it, too? Poor fellow had no chance, although I certainly can't blame him or his successors for giving it that old college try.<br />
<br />
To become an Oklahoma, a school must have a decent percentage of in-state scholastic players talented enough to make up the team's core. Trust me as a longtime scholastic football reporter in Connecticut; that was not going to happen here. I can count on my hands and feet the number of top-flight Division I prospects I saw play over my 28-year career. I can count on one hand how many of them opted to play for UConn. UConn was never going to be an Oklahoma, no matter how many times Geno may have thrashed their women's hoop team.<br />
<br />
But the cockeyed optimists who made the decisions couldn't be told that. Hence, we built Rentschler Field, which has hosted more empty seats than the factories that produce them. Meanwhile, the Huskies were whiffing on the likes of Aaron Hernandez, the Reed brothers David and Jordan, and Tyler Matakevich of St. Joseph (Trumbull) now the Steelers.<br />
<br />
UConn football was fun to watch in the old Yankee Conference. It was fine in the Big East, as it was. But delusions of grandeur after that Fiesta Bowl will now cost the beleaguered taxpayers a massive AAC exit fee and an entry fee for a league to which UConn could have still belonged. And what of UConn football as an independent? Do you think Notre Dame is interested in paying a visit to The Rent?<br />
<br />
When you tag the costs of change to the $40 million athletic deficit and the rest of the financial problems Connecticut faces, we're in a mess even bigger than a 5 p.m. drive through the I-84 Mixmaster. The extra $15 million or so that this move will cost won't help our tax dollars fix the state's transportation infrastructure. It won't appease corporations from fleeing for the bright lights of Boston. It just gets added into a deficit column that compounds the erroneous judgment that makes Connecticut a great place not to retire.<br />
<br />
With all that negativity out in the open, I see a glistening future for basketball, particularly the women's program. Thanks to Geno, Chris Dailey and assists from their magnificent array of alumnae, the Huskies have overcome the lack of competition in the AAC to remain the finest program in the nation. Given their brilliant scheming to shore up last year's lack of depth, the excellence will continue. The common-sense based strategy fomented by Auriemma and Friends is as refreshing as it is effective.<br />
<br />
I don't foresee the same future for the men. Coach Dan Hurley's sideline antics are far too over-the-top for my tastes and I don't see him being competitive for the elite high school players, no matter what The Hartford Courant chooses to project. I see the athletes that Kentucky, Duke, North Carolina, Kansas, Florida, Gonzaga, Villanova and now AAC foe Memphis vie for and their names don't seem show up when they post their college lists.<br />
<br />
As my astute friend and founder of UConn Daily John Silver capably debates, the Huskies don't loom as one-and-done proponents but can still hold their own. After all, he says, they've won four national championships. <br />
<br />
Can they do it again? Sure, anything is possible, but we'll have to see if Hurley can pass up the one-and-done talent level and coach the kids who hang around for two, three years to the top of the brackets. There may be another Kemba Walker, Shabazz Napier or Jalen Adams out there who slips through the cracks, but it took a Hall of Famer to find them, and he's at St. Joseph in West Hartford now.<br />
<br />
But regardless of where the Huskies of the Hurley Era land, seeing Villanova, Georgetown, Seton Hall and St. John's back on the slate will be a nice lift. Few will pine for Central Florida, South Florida, Tulsa, Tulane and East Carolina, although I must say it is going to be a treat to watch Memphis and the games with Cincinnati were always competitive.<br />
<br />
It's also great that UConn games will remain available on what modernists call "linear TV" instead of this ESPN+ streaming folderol. I'm not an advocate of New York City media entity SNY portraying UConn as its very own but at least I can still get it by using the television in my living room and not sending ESPN any money. I would imagine the sweet SNY deal that UConn probably would have lost was more tantamount in returning Big East-ward than nostalgia.<br />
<br />
The sports end of what's transpired suits me fine but as with the reconstruction of the XL Center and all the other million- and billion-dollar projects, I have one burning question: Can we afford it?<br />
<br />
<br />Ken Lipshezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12765267331754282870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1906311502598356810.post-44883938488613552042019-05-24T15:20:00.000-04:002019-06-27T13:04:24.561-04:00A Re-Introduction and RenewalLife has changed significantly for me since I last posted a blog, as life is prone to do over 10 years.<br />
<br />
A torn meniscus in my right knee and psoriatic arthritis effectively ended my days as a sports writer/reporter in the scholastic domain in January, 2018. I was ready for it anyway having passed my 65th birthday and growing weary of contemporary journalistic principles.<br />
<br />
Sports reporting today is rife with rumor-mongering, speculation and conjecture, a far cry from what enticed me to the medium as a child and student. I was always anxious to research news-oriented stories and feature pieces on worthy scholastic athletes as a service to the reader. Any speculation or opinion on my part was limited to columns with my photo on top, an indication that what was written below was not necessarily the opinion of my newspaper du jour.<br />
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For example, The Hartford Courant today (May 13, 2019) ran a story from The Washington Post that erstwhile Boston Celtics guard Kyrie Irving being reunited with Lebron James for the Los Angeles Lakers "could be on the table."<br />
<br />
Sure it could be, but I wonder if that table has one, two or three legs because it sure doesn't come your way from the steady sphere of reality. The writer indicated her source was an ESPN commentator speculating on his radio show. Aha! We know that this yap crap on radio, television and sprinkled liberally across the internet is essential to drawing clicks, page views or whatever it is that the media thrive upon today so they can mislead advertisers and retain their shrinking niche in American culture.<br />
<br />
I see it ad nauseum in forums that once reported the truth and I don't have the slightest inclination to be any part of that. Writers that can't match the tense of their verbs to their subjects go off on absurd tangents and bend their opinions to lure unsuspecting readers searching for positive reinforcement about their teams. I've heard it referred to as "click bait" -- websites needing a reaffirmation of relevancy to lure in advertisers. They'll mislead the reader in any way they can to get that page view.<br />
<br />
Kyrie purportedly is joining the Lakers because he and Lebron were seen chatting with their lips shielded to prevent lip-readers from eavesdropping? Surely they were talking about reuniting after their uneasy existence in Cleveland, right ESPN? Hey, I think Kyrie could have just as easily been asking Lebron what he thought of the Peloponnesian Wars and their effect on modern-day Greece. <br />
<br />
Greece, as in slippery slope? Yeah, I'd apply that to the piece of dreck in The Courant. If Kyrie should end up playing elsewhere or stay in Boston, does the Post and Courant have to print retractions? Thankfully not because retractions would fill the space every day.<br />
<br />
So, I've removed myself from the scene. What little is available on scholastic sports no longer piques my interest. My intense interest in minor league baseball for over 30 years left my consciousness when the Eastern League departed New Britain under venal circumstances. What the hell is a Yard Goat anyway and what does it have to do with Hartford? I have not even been to Dunkin' Donuts Park.<br />
<br />
The downside of my reclusive mantra is that I had made some sincere friends and had the pleasure of entertaining discerning readers who must wonder what the heck happened to me. <br />
<br />
Well, I've had about a year-and-a-half to contemplate where I'd like my life to go, and I know that writing should be a part of it. Some small media outlets and internet concerns inquired about my availability but sheepishly asked if I'd be willing to write for free. While money has never been a big issue with me, I'm heavily into respect. Respect for a gift that God was good enough to grant me. Respect for my opinions that are probably not shared by many but are nonetheless my intellectual property to project as I see fit. If I'm going to write for free, I'm not going to conduct interviews and run up mileage on my 14-year-old Avalanche. If my opinions send you scooting for the "ist" page (you know, sexist, misogynist, racist), too bad.<br />
<br />
I cannot readily opine on scholastic sports or the minor leagues anymore since I'm removed from those realms. I do enjoy my sports on television -- most notably basketball because I'm completely averse to what Major League Baseball has become. I enjoy interjecting my opinions on related matters.<br />
<br />
So is Kyrie going to the Lakers? Is the sun going to be shining on my birthday in August? What will swallow us first, the pathetic financial condition of our state or the hideous specter global warming that no amount of money or attention can alter? Heck, I don't know. Kyrie doesn't know. ESPN doesn't know, and The Washington Post must have other assignments into which its sports reporters can delve.<br />
<br />
I'm not going to offer the same unsubstantiated junk here, and whether or not people want to read it is up to them. I'm just going to use this space to let off some steam, sports-related or otherwise, and those who wish to read along, you're welcome. Those who don't like it, simply use your ESC key.Ken Lipshezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12765267331754282870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1906311502598356810.post-38821042225546807052015-01-30T12:10:00.002-05:002015-01-30T12:52:31.809-05:00"BLOUNT-LY" SPEAKING, HYPE IS HORRIBLE<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Aah,
what a great time of the year it is!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">To
augment the joy we derive by straining our back muscles shoveling away a foot
of “global warming,” we get to sit in front of the fireplace and read the
latest Super Bowl hype. And you thought the expense of newsprint was one reason
why everything is shifting toward digital. How can they fill column space with
such drivel?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
its never-ending urgency to create the news instead of report on it, the media
inflates (no, I won’t go there again) the saga surrounding LeGarrette Blount’s
commentary about the Patriots’ defense not being immortal. It conjures up the notion
of reporters scrambling to satisfy the concept that they even need to be on-site
a week before this overblown affair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But,
the reporters are just doing what they have to do, and modern-day mainstream America
has such an unquenchable thirst for soap-opera antics.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Pats’ running back, who wore out his welcome in Pittsburgh, said the Patriots’
defense is not immortal. I’m neither an anatomist nor a pathologist but human
beings, and thus the grouping of human beings, do not live forever. He stated
the obvious. If that’s all there is to write about, leave the column space for
something important, like some questions and answers about strategy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Given
the subject matter of Blount’s views on immortality, I can understand why his
gregarious Seattle counterpart Marshawn Lynch lampoons the pregame falderal,
although I wouldn’t condone his methods. What is there to say? Do we really
need to know who Brady’s favorite actor is and what he eats for Christmas
dinner?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’m
glad I don’t have to cover that junk. If I did, I’d become a gentleman farmer.</span></div>
Ken Lipshezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12765267331754282870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1906311502598356810.post-24941953765340527982014-01-22T15:01:00.004-05:002014-01-22T15:05:02.471-05:00MY LOVE IS STRONGER THAN MY FEAR OF DEATH<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><u>The tale of 2 men who lovingly touched so many lives</u></span></i></h2>
<div>
The obituary page in Wednesday's Hartford Courant told a sobering story of two men taken from us who did everything in their power to make life better in the greater Bristol area and beyond.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Francis W. Mullins, 89, and Theodore C. Scheidel, Jr., 69, have passed on and many people are so much the better having known them and benefitted from their munificence.</div>
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Fran Mullins served the American Legion baseball program in Connecticut for 60 years, but even moreso in Bristol and the surrounding area covered in Zone 1. Teddy Scheidel, perhaps the most dedicated public servant I've ever seen grace a local stage, was Burlington's first selectman for 26 years.</div>
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The highlights of their stories confirm that they knew each other. Mullins was the personification of the Legion program and all for which it stood having served as state tournament director and Zone 1 chairman. Among the many legacies Scheidel left us was a Legion team that he initiated in 1999 and lovingly helped administer until 2012.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I am so glad that I nominated Mullins for the Connecticut Sports Writers' Alliance in 2006. I vividly recall the conversation I had with him when I told him that he would be receiving a John Wentworth Good Sport Award, emblematic of giving back to the community through sports. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Phone calls generally drip with the commonplace, sometimes sad, but rarely do you get to make them to tell a worthy person that he or she is being honored. The awestruck nature of Fran's response is the full reason behind why I treasure my work with the Alliance. Rarely do you have such an opportunity to spread some joy in a person's life while reaping financial byproducts that help put aspiring sports journalists through college.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I knew Scheidel much better. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
When I first moved to the region in 1990 and was looking for work, I hooked on with <i>The Bristol Press</i> as a freelance writer. Naturally, my goal was to become a sports writer but I welcomed the challenge put forth by suburban editor Linda Smith when she asked if I would cover the Town of Burlington.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I called Teddy's office to gain some background, made an appointment at the new Town Hall that he was so instrumental in building. When I walked out, I had a new friend. He always wanted to please people, an element so tragically diminishing as people move faster and faster through the pages of their lives. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
When I told him of my dedication to baseball, he told me that he was a diehard Dodger fan, dating back tothe days of his boyhood when the team was in Brooklyn. He related a story of how his father took him to games and the thrill of rooting for Gil Hodges and Duke Snider. I'm sure an L.A. Dodger cap is in the keepsakes he leaves behind.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
His willingness to share his knowledge with a struggling reporter trying to make an impact in town affairs was remarkable. Years later, he still remembered my name. I recall his coming to a New Britain Rock Cats game, an encounter which enabled us to rekindle our friendship.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
He spoke of days at his beloved Lake Waramaug with his dear friend Denise. When he spoke of her, he reminded me so much of the "Moonlight" Graham character in "Field of Dreams" played so exquisitely by Burt Lancaster and the familiar way he referred to his wife. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
"I've got to be getting home. Alicia will think I have a girlfriend," he said with a wink and that broad Lancaster smile.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
In that respect, Teddy's story all comes together. The Legion ball team. Nassahegan Athletic Fields. A love of baseball. A sincere familiarity in the way he shaped his words that made everybody feel like they were among his closest friends.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The way a man dies isn't nearly as important as the way he lived. The emphasis in the lives of Fran Mullins and Ted Scheidel are reflected in what they gave to others, and no man could strive for a greater legacy.</div>
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Ken Lipshezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12765267331754282870noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1906311502598356810.post-49537108129934301022013-07-22T15:11:00.003-04:002013-07-22T15:11:58.198-04:00GROWING WITH THE CHANGES<h2>
<i>"Continuity gives us roots; change gives us branches letting us stretch and grow and reach new heights."</i></h2>
<br />
I actually saw this marvelous quote when I searched the internet for something that would define the last few years of my professional life. Imagine my surprise when I found that this was the intellectual property of a friend -- Pauline R. Kezer -- tossed in among words of wisdom from people like Einstein, Churchill and Shakespeare.<br />
<br />
Pauline was Secreatry of State from 1990-94. I met her through her husband Ken, the former New Britain High baseball coach who became a friend during my 15-year tenure at the New Britain Herald. That kind of brings the parameters of this blog full circle.<br />
<br />
I've never responded well to change. When I went from two pillows to one, I couldn't sleep. When I went from Hellman's Mayonnaise to Miracle Whip, I could no longer eat tuna salad. When I go from the comfortable confines of my Chevy Avalanche and to my wife's claustrophobic Honda to save money on gasoline, I wind up needing a chiropractic adjustment.<br />
<br />
Man do I hate change, but when it comes to my professional career, the latest one has become a Godsend. I hope the CFO at my new newspaper, the Meriden Record-Journal, doesn't see this because he may want to reduce my salary, but I'm loving this.<br />
<br />
I left the Herald in November, 2010 for a crack at running a weekly sports sections for the [Farmington] Valley Press/West Hartford Press. I enjoyed the writing and the reporting. The people of those towns reacted extremely well to my work. But all that gets nullified when you have a nitpicking psychotic for a publisher who almost drove that baby into the ground.<br />
<br />
By June, 2011, I was washing my hands of that awful experiment and began freelancing. Freelancing is great if you're financially set and the opiate of seeing your name in print just refuses to ebb, but when you can use the cash and you have to keep searching for work, it's a tough racket.<br />
<br />
I worked for some great papers, like the Portland (Maine) Press-Herald, the Worcester (Mass.) Telegram, the Union Leader in New Hampshire, to name a few. I've worked for others who have taken their time about paying, which means I have to lean back on the days working at my parents' collection bureau to get the funds due me.<br />
<br />
That's all gone now. Employment at the MRJ is a blessing, and I'm trying my very best to churn out quality stories for my new readers. The one overlap with my past is Southington, which in my opinion ranks among the top 10 sports towns in the state. When it comes to the rest of the circulation area -- Meriden, Cheshire and Wallingford -- I'm a newcomer. Being a native of nearby Hamden has helped with the transition. <br />
<br />
Inevitably what makes or breaks a job experience are the people with whom you work, particularly those who make the decisions. Personally, I've found it unsettling to be a boss in this business. I'd prefer to concentrate on my own work and be a viable part of a dynamic team and that's what it's all about in Meriden.<br />
<br />
The sports editor is Bryant Carpenter. I've known Bryant for more than 10 years. We crossed paths in the field when teams from our respective circulation areas clashed and we developed a mutual respect. Working on the same team with him is a treat because of his deep respect for his colleagues and genuinely good- natured demeanor.<br />
<br />
It sounds like a basic thing, but today's younger generation seems to rank power above people. Working relationships are hard to foster when the person at the top is bent on reinforcing the hierarchy instead of focusing on the product. Some power-mongers are subtle, others blatantly overbearing, but neither approach works well with me. At MRJ, we're all working together and that means happy days for our readers. I've been working in this business for more than 20 years and it's nice when somebody asks for my opinion or my help instead of playing dictator like the charlatan at my previous full-time stop. I know it sounds ultra-corny but a happy employee is a productive employee.<br />
<br />
The third member of our writing team is Sean Kroffsik and a nicer guy you'll never meet. I've know Seanie for awhile and I've never heard him say a bad work about anybody, nor has anybody I know ever said a bad word about him. I'd have to work awful hard at being nice to develop that kind of personality but it comes naturally for Sean. Lord knows I've failed at it since I know of a few people who would gladly take away my second pillow and put Miracle Whip on my turkey sandwich if they had the chance. And those are only the ones I know.<br />
<br />
The two guys who work on the desk are George Dalek and Paul Rosano, and they're great guys, too. They have to be to wade through my copy, eliminate some of the flowery adjectives and toss out the typos. A tip of the chapeau to the talented guy I replaced, John Petit. Filling John's shoes isn't easy because he's so talented and so passionate. <br />
<br />
Folks who know me know I'm heavily into history. Through five years at the Bristol Press and 15 at the Herald, put together volumes of copious notes on sports at the local schools. When I went to the weeklies, I began accumulating information on Simsbury, Avon, Granby, Canton and West Hartford. My time in West Hartford was particularly heartwarming. I am missing my friends there and come the fall, I'm going to miss the awesome coaches at Conard, Hall and Northwest Catholic.<br />
<br />
But as the old door closes, new ones open. I get to work with some pretty great athletic directors and coaches at my new schools with whom I've made acquaintance. It'll take some time to revise my history books but I'll get her done.<br />
<br />
I hope y'all will stay with me for what I hope is the final chapter of my career. I have a feeling we're going to enjoy some memorable times and I'd like you to be on board.<br />
<br />
<br />Ken Lipshezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12765267331754282870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1906311502598356810.post-56973408695069425402013-06-16T15:15:00.000-04:002013-06-16T15:15:00.822-04:00NOSTALGIA IN THE OLD HOMETOWN<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="text-indent: 0.2in;">It’s Father’s Day and I’m trying to
figure out why we get more nostalgic as time goes by.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.2in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.2in;">Is it simply a consequence of chronology – we’re
spending more and more time here so we leave more and more footprints?</span><span style="text-indent: 0.2in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.2in;">Yet surely the majority of people think about
nothing but the moment.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
I raise my glass to my Facebook
friends who lean toward the nostalgic, with special thanks to Mr. Hamden
Plains, Ralph Santoro. Ralph is one of
those guys who I didn’t spend enough time with – he was chillin’ on Church
Street while my boys and I were bombin’ around on Belden Road.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Ralphie was astute enough to get
interested in photography and almost always had a camera slung over his
shoulder when I’d run into him at those great places we went back in the
1970s. Consequently, he snapped a few of
me during a time when I wasn’t doing a heck of a lot of posing. Photos of me in my 20s are pretty darned
rare.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Through the miracle of Facebook,
scanners and Ralph’s diligence, I was flipping through his collection of Hamden
nostalgia and readily recognized so many of my old friends. Most of them I haven’t seen in 20 to 30 years
like that wild bunch of Spring Glen guys – the Lee brothers, the Boyle
brothers. Some of them I see from time
to time, like Brooksvale Park caretaker and good buddy Vin Lavorgna and Billy
Mezzano.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
A few of the guys pictured are
sadly gone at much too young an age.
Gary Conte, half-brother of one of my best friends Andy Vas, perished in
a Long Island Sound boat mishap along with Paul Mangan, Billy Ford and Billy
Collake on Memorial Day 1975. That’s
nearly 40 years ago, and their faces are etched in my mind.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Another wonderful guy – Joe Gambardella,
brother of Andy and Leo – passed away within the year. I spent many happy hours with the
Gambardellas at their house that was demolished so Dunkin’ Donuts would have
more parking spaces. Ralph remembers. So does my dear friend Sharon Davis, who
married Andy G. It pains me that I haven’t
heard from Sharon in about 40 years, but shift happens.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Next Saturday (June 22), Hamden
will be the scene of two nostalgic shindigs.
A group of guys led by Belden Road’s own Pete Sportino founded The
Mighty Metropolis group of Facebook, which is now more than 1,700 members
strong. We had a get-together at
Glenwood (best hot dogs on Planet Earth; where Hamdenites will always find an
old friend) and now we’re re-convening at Brooksvale Park (10:30 a.m. to 4:30
p.m.) where Ranger Vinny certainly will be a gracious host.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
The Hamden Plains Park Reunion is
scheduled to take place at Outer Space, 295 Treadwell Street, Hamden from 4 to
7 p.m. Live music will be provided by
The Slides (original rock) and Broadway Hearts (piano-based rock). I’d like to hit both but sometimes life
intervenes.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Back to Ralphie’s photos … . The old block on Dixwell Avenue where the
Strand Theater once stood tugged at the heart strings. I remember when sister Marji used to work
there and we’d take in all the hits of the day – “Deliverance” and “The Poseidon
Adventure” come to mind. I can still
smell that delectable combination of mildew blended with stale popcorn bathed
in that exquisite drawn butter. If
Yankee Candle Company had that scent, I’d have to get a few.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
He’s got photos of his mother Myra
and the dance studio she ran on Church Street, including the newspaper clipping
about Little Ralphie making his stage debut at Oakdale when he was 5. That’s where he gets that dynamic stage
presence he exhibits during his musical gigs.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
The photos from the Blizzard of ’78
were classic. That’s when my Datsun got
buried under a snow bank and I went without a vehicle for quite a spell. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
My old buddy Vinny “Bear” Pantera made
sure I got to work at the Hamden Public Works Department every day. Geez, I hope I thanked him enough. Thought I saw Vinny one day a few years back when
I was covering Rock Cats baseball, but it was his twin brother Mike. That’s a mistake anybody can make.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Vinny played hockey for Hamden High
during the years before Fairfield Prep made recruiting a priority. I remember the twin rinks on Sherman Avenue hosting
a team from Sweden and the place being packed.
Ah, the days when high school sports drew a crowd! Vinny was a burly defensemen who patrolled a
section of the ice where no West Haven forward would care to tread.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
I can’t continue without paying
homage to the Shultz clan. Big Kirk and
Little Richie, are the twins that look nothing alike. Younger brother Scott yearned for the city
life. Youngest brother Bruce lives on a
ranch in Montana. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Middle brother Craig settled down
in Hometown on followed in father Dutch’s footprints by pouring out his heart
to youth sports, primarily girls basketball.
I remember when Craig took up lacrosse.
I wondered what the heck he would do that for. Now, all these years later, I’ve covered my
share of lacrosse and fully comprehend how he got attached to the sport.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Hey, I know I’ve missed a lot of
good times and great people, particularly the great days when The Family – Ron Sambrook,
Andy Vas, Johnny Coassin and Ray DeAngelis and I – were wandering Grateful Dead
Heads. The Great Bus Ride to see Jerry
Garcia at Waterbury’s Palace Theater, courtesy of Ken Dubin, was a
classic. A longer one all the way to
Norfolk, Va., courtesy of Lenny Young, was even crazier since it was something
like 20 hours round trip. </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Thanks for letting me spout. On this Father’s Day, I urge you to remember
your families, remember your friends, remember those who have passed before us
and do something nostalgic. </div>
Ken Lipshezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12765267331754282870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1906311502598356810.post-27054238562414417392013-06-02T09:39:00.001-04:002013-06-02T09:39:04.037-04:00HARRIS LOWERS THE BOOM ON HIGHER SEED<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
<o:p>(Berlin Citizen exclusive)</o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
<o:p><span style="text-indent: 0.2in;">VERNON – The clouds were gathering
in the first inning.</span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
The Berlin High softball team used
its patented small-ball style of offense to load the bases with no outs, but
Rockville’s All-State pitcher Kaitlyn Lajoie struck out the third and fourth
hitters in the Redcoats order.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Early momentum, so vital in a game
where runs would almost surely be at a premium, was hanging in the balance.
Exactly which way the game would turn rested with the next hitter, pitcher
Makayla Harris.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Harris consummated a long at-bat
with a two-run double to left and went on to pitch a gem in a 3-0 whitewash of
the defending Class L champion and third-seeded Rams in a quarterfinal clash
May 31 in the stifling heat at Rockville High School.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
The memory of last year’s
tournament ouster was thick in the air.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
The sixth-seeded Redcoats were one
pitch away from securing a second-round win at Brookfield 364 days earlier, but
wound up losing 3-2 in eight innings. Berlin coach Jason Pires analyzed the
game <i>ad nauseam</i> and took full
responsibility. Harris, just a sophomore at the time, gained the kind of
experience that nothing but playing the game can teach.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
“I’d be lying if I said last year
didn’t cross my mind when the bottom of the seventh started,” Pires said.
“We’re not that team. I knew it wouldn’t happen again. I knew we were winning
this game when it got to the seventh.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Lajoie and Harris waged a memorable
battle as opposing pitchers. Each gave up only three hits. Neither issued any
walks. Lajoie struck out 10 and Harris countered with nine. The first inning
at-bat was a microcosm of their personal battle.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Brittany Sullivan began the game by
beating out a bunt. Megan Wicander tapped back to the mound but with the first
baseman charging, the bag was left uncovered. Courtney Silvia slapped a
grounder toward the hole. Third baseman Megan Gardiner made a diving stop, but
Sullivan beat the throw to shortstop Emily Burg covering.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
“We knew their game plan,”
Rockville coach Frank Levick said. “We knew that first inning they were going
to bunt the first four or five batters. Kids just didn’t cover the bags.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Two outs later, the burden of
producing runs was on Harris.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
In the midst of a 10-pitch at-bat,
she rifled a liner outside the bag at third and it struck Sullivan in foul
territory. Harris got a chance to breathe as the trainer tended to Sullivan.
Emily Ference came on to pinch-run.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
When a Lajoie delivery bounced to
the backstop, Ference boldly dashed home with the first run.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
“Put her name out there front and
center,” Pires said. “Emily Ference doesn’t play much. She was a jayvee player
a lot of the year. She came in in the hugest spot and that was an enormous
thing she did taking off on that. We made them make the play and that was what
we preached.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
“I can’t be yelling at you to go or
not go. You’ve got to make the decision and it’s got to be immediate and she
got in.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Harris ripped a double to left
scoring the game’s final runs.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
“I took a big breath and I was
ready,” she said. “I had time to settle down [after the line drive struck
Sullivan]. The team would have been a little more rattled if [the productive
at-bat] hadn’t happened, but I’m sure we would have gotten pumped up in the
end.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
As Pires said, Harris was the rest
of the story.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
A two-out error and a single by
Stephanie Kurowski put runners at the corners for Rockville (20-2) in the
second but Harris retired the side on a comebacker. Rockville managed an
infield hit in the third and a single to center by Michelle Correia in the
fourth but neither made it to second base.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Harris retired the final nine hitters.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
“Makayla is not overpowering but no
one hits spots like Makayla,” Pires said. “They’re not the first team that’s
been frustrated by her. They think they’re going to smack her all over the
place. They don’t and they don’t know why. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
“It’s not fast but every pitch
moves. Nothing is where they think it’s going to be. She throws three pitches
and she throws them all well.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Sullivan returned to the game after
sustaining the ankle and was none the worse for wear. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Wicander made a running catch of a
line drive by Rockville cleanup hitter Courtney Oliva leading off the fourth
inning among her three putouts. Third baseman Kaitlyn Guild had two assists and
a putout. Harris fielded her position flawlessly with two assists, as did first
baseman Kat Burek with six putouts.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
The Redcoats (20-3) advance to the
semifinals to meet undefeated, second-seeded Masuk. Site and time were
unavailable at press time.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
<br /></div>
<h2>
<o:p style="text-indent: 0.2in;"> </o:p><b style="text-indent: 0.2in;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">CLASS L SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT</span></b></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-size: 9pt;">Quarterfinal<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Berlin 6, Rockville 4<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<i><span style="font-size: 9pt;">(May 31, Rockville High)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Berlin</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> <b>Rockville</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> ab r h bi ab r h bi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Sullivan ss 3 0 1 0 Skoly lf 3 0 1 0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Ference pr 0 1 0 0 Burg ss 3 0 0 0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Wicander lf 3 1 0 0 Lajoie p 3 0 0 0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Silvia cf 3 1 0 0 Oliva rf 3 0 0 0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Guild 3b 3 0 1 0 Pettengill c 3 0 0 0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Burek 1b 3 0 0 0 Correia 2b 3 0 1 0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Harris p 3 0 1 2 Kurowski cf 2 0 1 0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Anderson rf 3 0 0 0 Turgeon ph 1 0 0 0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Veach dp 2 0 0 0 Gardiner 3b 2 0 0 0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Germano 2b 0 0 0 0 Ose 1b 2 0 0 0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Asal ph 1 0 0 0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Patterson c 2 0 0 0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Totals 26 3 3 2 Totals 25 0 3 0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Berlin 300 000 0 – 3 3 1<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Rockville 000 000 0 – 0 3 0<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">E –Sullivan. LOB – Berlin 2, Rockville 4. 2B – Harris.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Berlin<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> ip h r er bb so<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Harris W 7 3 0 0 0 9<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Rockville<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Lajoie L 7 3 3 3 0 10<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">WP – Lajoie. T – 1:23. A – 120.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Records – Berlin 20-3; Rockville 20-2.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
<br /></div>
Ken Lipshezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12765267331754282870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1906311502598356810.post-54201440654696898652013-05-21T11:03:00.000-04:002013-05-21T11:03:43.180-04:00IMPROVING BERLIN LAXMEN WIN FINALE<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></b><span style="text-indent: 0.2in;">BURLINGTON – The end
of the Berlin High boys lacrosse season came like that final day of vacation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 99.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
The Redcoats know
a long winter awaits with the constant reminder that they were unable to
qualify for the Class M tournament, but the sweet smell of a late May victory
will serve as a refreshing finish as well as a building block for campaigns ahead. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 99.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
The program continues
to surge forward under the guidance of coach Scott Rossi, who has worked hard
for a decade to gain Berlin a foothold among the growing number of lacrosse
towns in central Connecticut.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 99.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
He envisions a
positive future after the Redcoats concluded their campaign with a
scintillating 13-12 victory over tournament-bound Lewis Mills at Malerbo Field
that ended with a hard swallow and a wipe of the brow.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 99.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
“We’re taking steps
in the right direction,” Rossi said. “I think now what we really need to do is
improve these kids’ lacrosse IQ and that it’s not an individual game with just a
lot of dodging and good stickwork. To win at the varsity level it has to be a
complete team effort.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 99.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
The seniors went
out on a high note, led by jitterbugging attackman Nick Mangiafico, who tallied
five goals and assisted on another. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 99.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
Greg Buck, headed
for a college career at Albertus Magnus, notched a goal and an assist. Long-stick
midfielder Tyler Bouchard made some key defensive plays. Wojtek Zak, Jordan
Kinney, Mason Paul and Jey Soucy also finished out their scholastic careers.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 99.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
Replacing the
scoring punch that the lightning-and-thunder combination of Mangiafico and Buck
provided will be the primary concern as the program advances. Juniors Jordan Kradas
(3 goals, 3 assists), goalie Matt Cote (8 saves), attackman Ben Tomascak (3
goals, assist), midfielder Luc Bolduc and defenders Anthony Duong and Sean Pollack
will form the core for 2014.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 99.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
“We’re definitely
looking for some guys who can step up and finish for us,” Rossi said. “We have
some guys on this team who have the potential. They just lack the confidence
and experience right now.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 99.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
Bolduc is expected
to be among the leaders.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 99.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
“We’ve taken a
good step forward,” Bolduc said, after the win over Mills. “This is only our
second year. We had four wins last year. Now we have six (6-10). We have a lot
of juniors coming back and I think we’re going to do good.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 99.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<b>WHEW!</b> The Redcoats rode a dominating third
quarter to gain the necessary edge against Lewis Mills, which cruised through
the Western Connecticut Lacrosse League unscathed in 10 games but went 1-5
against outside challenges.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 99.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
Trailing by two at
the half, Berlin used three goals by Mangiafico and two by Kradas to take a
10-8 lead heading into the fourth quarter.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 99.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
“[Kradas has] really
developed,” Rossi said. “He came on late to the varsity program last year. He’s
been a starter all season. He’s still developing as an aggressive attacker and
goal-scorer, but there’s no one better as a set-up man for us.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 99.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
Buck’s goal with
8:30 remaining gave the Redcoats an 11-8 lead but the Spartans, in need of a
win to gain a home-field advantage in the first round of the Class S
tournament, knotted the game at 12 with 2:16 to go.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 99.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
Bouchard nimbly
picked up a ball at midfield to ignite the game-winning attack. A centering
pass from Kradas to Tomascak restored the one-goal lead with 1:23 left.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 99.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
With 10 seconds
left, Mills was in a desperate way. Possessing behind their own goal, the
Spartans elected to go over the top with long-stick midfielder Patrick Keegan
supplying the shot. The ball one-hopped Cote and he deflected it safely away
like a catcher blocking a pitch in the dirt. The ball kicked to the corner as
time ran out.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 99.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
“The saves Matt
comes up with are absolutely huge,” Rossi said. “Matt’ll make those save right
on the crease, one-on-one. He never falls asleep on you and never gets caught
out of position. This is a very steady goaltender.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 99.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
David Borovsky was
the primary source of offense for the Spartans with three goals and four
assists. Griffin Hayes had three goals.</div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">“This game wraps up our season pretty good,”
Bolduc said. “It’s a team we beat last year but they definitely improved. We
improved, too, though. I think it’s a good win to end the season on and we
should be proud of that.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span>
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> BOYS LACROSSE</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Berlin 13, Lewis Mills 12</span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.2in;">
<i><span style="font-size: 9pt;">(May 20, At Malerbo Field, Burlington)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.2in;">
<b>Berlin 3 1 6 3 – 13<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.2in;">
<b>Lewis Mills 4 2 2 4 – 12<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.2in;">
<b>Goals</b> – Berlin: Nick Mangiafico 5; Jordan Kradas 3; Ben Tomascak 3; Greg Buck; Cam Criniti. Lewis Mills: Dave Borovsky 3; Griffin Hayes 3; Connor Hall 2; Matthew Borovy; Cameron Fletcher, Trevor Watts.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.2in;">
<b>Assists</b> – Berlin: Kradas 3; Buck; Criniti; Mangiafico, Tomascak, Sean Pollock.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.2in;">
<b>Saves</b> – Berlin, Matt Cote 8; Lewis Mills, Jack Reitz 10.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.2in;">
<b>Shots</b> – Berlin, 38-27.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.2in;">
<b>Records</b> – Berlin 6-10; Lewis Mills 11-5.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.2in;">
<br /></div>
Ken Lipshezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12765267331754282870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1906311502598356810.post-5514420753201925872013-05-16T15:35:00.003-04:002013-05-16T15:35:27.495-04:00BOYLE NETS 5 AS HALL LAX LADIES EDGE FARMINGTON<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 81.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">WEST HARTFORD – With the Farmington High girls
lacrosse team a recent graduate from the CCC South to the CCC North, Hall coach
Steve Boyle witnessed a marked improvement in his next-door neighbor’s program.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 81.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Both team came into their clash with identical
records, both overall and within the conference’s premier division.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 81.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">The Indians’ slick scoring combination of sidewinding
playmaker Maureen Gallo and aggressive finisher Abby Arena fell a notch behind
early. They kept the heat on but never recovered against Hall’s offensive
onslaught.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 81.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Alannah Boyle scored five first-half goals and the
defense never allowed Farmington to slip within three as Hall posted a 14-11
victory Tuesday afternoon at Robert Chalmers Stadium.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 81.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">“We did some really beautiful things in the first half
in transition, which I think showed that we had a lot of different weapons,”
Hall coach Steve Boyle said. “That was a lot of fun, but was it a little closer
than I would have liked? Yes, but it was a result I pretty much expected.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 81.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Alannah Boyle scored the game’s first goal two minutes
into the game and Farmington (10-3, 3-2 CCC North) promptly tied it on a pass
from Maureen Gallo (goal, 5 assists) to Lauren Batton. But the Warriors (11-2,
4-1) scored five of the next six goals over a span of 10 minutes to gain firm
control of the match. The only Farmington goal during the stretch was a
free-position shot by Arena (5 goals).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 81.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">The key to Hall’s surge was that Megan Tracy dominated
the draws and kept the ball out of Farmington’s offensive zone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 81.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">“We call Megan ‘Sparky’ because she’s our little
sparkplug,” Coach Boyle said. “She likes to do the draw. You don’t normally
have one of your shorter players doing the draw, but she’s so feisty and
competitive that when she wins it, she’s in transition right away and it takes
some of the pressure off the other kids.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 81.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Farmington coach Jeff Manaresi felt his girls had to
control the draws in order to be successful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 81.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">“We had to have the ball,” he said. “I told them at
halftime, good things would happen and if they had the ball, bad things would
happen. It was going to be a matter of who had the majority of the possession
[time].”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 81.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">The Indians twice closed the gap to two in the first
half, but never truly threatened to take command. They improved their defensive
play in the second half, totally neutralizing Boyle, but Hall’s offensive
diversity proved too much for the visitors to overcome.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 81.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Farmington, playing its first season against the CCC
heavyweights and holding its own, trailed 10-5 at the half but quickly sliced
the deficit to three as Batton assisted on goals for Arena and Audrey Gallo. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 81.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">But by the time the midway point of the half rolled
around, Hall restored its lead to 12-7. Rachel Aronow curled in on goalie Jadin
James from behind the net, then Emily Kenny secured the rebound of a shot by
Boyle and scored.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 81.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">The Indians again closed the margin to three when
Maureen Gallo found Megan Brockleman with 4:04 left, but Hall responded
emphatically when Hayley Mullins (3 goals, 3 assists) set up Tracy with under
three minutes remaining.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 81.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">The Warriors put the ball on ice for much of the time
left, thanks in large part to a steal by defender Mackenzie Molodetz as Arena
bore down on goal with a minute to go.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 81.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">“We did pretty much what we wanted to do on
offensively but they’re a tough team and they have some really good offensive
players,” Manaresi said. “When they had it, they could beat us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 81.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Manaresi exuded confidence at halftime despite the
five-goal shortfall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 81.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">“We’ve played hard all year,” he said. “I know the
group I’ve got this year will never quit. We’re always in it. We’ve come back
from goals down other games so as long as they keep at it, which I know they’re
going to do, we’re in every game.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 81.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Hall’s amplified defensive pressure forced turnovers
that contributed to the early lead. The turnovers stopped in the second half
and control of the draw evened out. Hall’s All-CCC goalie Maddy Hooper (8
saves) had her usual impact on the outcome.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 81.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Farmington previously played in the CCC South with
most of the programs newer to lacrosse, but was bumped up this season to make
room for the first-year Bristol co-op team. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 81.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Glastonbury holds a slight edge over the Warriors for
first place as the North’s only unbeaten team. The Tomahawks turned back Hall,
9-7, on April 25 in Glastonbury.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 81.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 81.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
<b><span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">GIRLS LACROSSE<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
<b><span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Hall 14, Farmington 11<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
<i><span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">(May 14, Chalmers Stadium)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 81.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<b><span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Farmington
5 6 – 11<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 81.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<b><span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Hall 10 4 – 14<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 81.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<b><span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">First Half</span></b><span style="font-size: 9.0pt;"> – 1. Hall, Alannah Boyle (Emily Kenny) 1:02; 2.
Farmington, Lauren Batton (Maureen Gallo) 2:21; 3. Hall, Hayley Mullins (Rachel
Aronow) 2:41; 4. Hall, Aronow (Mullins) 3:15; 5. Farmington, Abby Arena 5:22;
6. Hall, Boyle 5:45; 7. Hall, Hannah Cho (Shelby Saunders) 6:01; 8. Hall,
Lauren Romano (Aronow) 7:25; 9. Farmington, Linna Jalinskas 12:34; 10.
Farmington, Arena (M. Gallo) 19:08; 11. Hall, Boyle 19:50; 12. Farmington,
Arena (M. Gallo) 20:29; 13. Hall, Mullins 22:01; 14. Hall, Boyle (Mullins)
22:33; 15. Hall, Boyle 23:28.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 81.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<b><span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Second Half</span></b><span style="font-size: 9.0pt;"> – 16. Farmington, Arena (Batton) 26:54; 17.
Farmington, Audrey Gallo (Batton) 33:28; 18. Hall, Aronow 36:16; 19. Hall,
Kenny 40:15; 20. Farmington, M. Gallo 41:06; 21. Hall, Mullins 44:37; 22.
Farmington, Arena (M.Gallo) 45:28; 23. Megan Brockleman (M. Gallo) 45:56; 24.
Hall, Megan Tracy (Mullins) 47:03; 25. Farmington, Jalinskas 48:44.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 81.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<b><span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Saves</span></b><span style="font-size: 9.0pt;"> – Farmington, Jadin James 6; Hall, Maddy Hooper 8.
Shots – Hall, 24-21.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 81.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<b><span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Records</span></b><span style="font-size: 9.0pt;"> – Farmington 10-3 (3-2 CCC North); Hall 11-2 (4-1).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
Ken Lipshezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12765267331754282870noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1906311502598356810.post-45476132104505192492013-05-04T14:06:00.004-04:002013-05-04T14:10:13.072-04:00HALL RETAINS MAYOR'S CUP<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
By Ken Lipshez</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
WEST HARTFORD – The warm spring sun
kissed the day like a blessing from above.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
The grandstands at the University
of Hartford’s Fiondella Field filled up quickly with parents, youngsters from
the youth leagues and some of West Hartford’s leading citizens, all yearning
for a positive experience and a firm commitment that winter is gone and spring
is here.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Hall versus Conard has a special
place in the hearts of every city sports fan, no matter what the sport. Through
the hard work of the West Hartford Amateur Baseball Association – the
brainchild of Rick Sanford and Steve Meucci – the schools’ baseball teams lined
up on one field and the softball squads clashed adjacently.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Let the record show that the
Warriors won the baseball game, 7-4, behind the stellar work of plucky senior
pitcher and game Most Valuable Player Jacob Kochen. Softball remains the domain
of the Chieftains, who put a 19-2 thumping on the improving Hall team.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
But the event superseded winning
and losing, as Hall coach Jeff Billing so eloquently stated after the game.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
“It’s awesome. Coming over here,
literally arriving and walking out on the field you can see a different bounce
in their step,” said Billing, now in his third year guiding the Warriors. <br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
“It’s such a great thing that the
University of Hartford lets us come here. It’s such an amazing thing that Rick
Sanford and Steve Meucci put all the effort in to make this happen. To get all
the town baseball teams here out at second base for the National Anthem before
the game. The atmosphere here feels like you’re playing professional baseball.”<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Billing cited a comment made by his
athletic sophomore shortstop Neil Kelley that will warm the hearts of Sanford,
Meucci, Mayor R. Scott Slifka, State Senator Beth Bye, Athletic Director Betty
Remigino-Knapp and anybody anywhere who values the role of sport in the lives
of America’s youth.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
“He said, ‘Coach, this is the most
fun I’ve ever had on a baseball field.’ Win or lose, it’s an awesome
experience. I’m really happy we started this and I hope this never ends. I hope
there’s a 50th anniversary of the Mayor’s Cup,” Billing said.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Slifka called it, “a West Hartford
holiday.” Remigino-Knapp expressed the win-win nature of the event considering
that the price of admission and any subsequent donations would be placed in the
coffers of the West Hartford Food Bank and the West Hartford Relay for Life.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
But after the trimmings of the
event were cherished, the reality was that the afternoon had to be painted
either red or blue. Kochen made sure it was blue.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
“I had to hit the strike zone but
not leave anything over the plate for them to hit,” Kochen said. “Conard’s a
really good hitting team. They can put any strike in the zone in fair territory
and hit it hard. So, hit your spots, hit the outside, throw some offspeed to
the good hitters and not let them get a really good piece of the ball.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Given the choice of facing South
Windsor Wednesday or mounting the steep hill at Fiondella, Kochen opted to
wait, and it was there where he crossed paths with destiny.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
“This is a memory he’ll now have
for the rest of his life,” Billing said. “MVP of the Mayor’s Cup his senior
year? He had never played varsity baseball before this year.”<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
While his performance didn’t match
the one-hitter thrown by George Lund in the inaugural Mayor’s Cup in 2012,
Kochen sternly threw strikes when he needed them most. He spread out eight hits
in a route-going effort, walked four, struck out two and benefitted greatly
from Hall’s flawless defensive work.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
And the Hall bats were relentless
against Conard’s two best pitchers – southpaw starter MaxVogel-Freedman and
right-hander Charlie Fisher.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Reid Silverhart lashed
Vogel-Freedman’s first pitch of the game into center for a solid single. Kelly
drilled the second pitch inside the bag at third to put two in scoring position
before the mustard had settled on the hot dogs. The tone of the game was firmly
set.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
“We won the game after two
pitches,” Billing said. “If you can jump on people, especially as the visiting
team, you’re going to put a lot of pressure on people.”<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Silverhart score on a fielder’s
choice grounder by Jon Greenfield. Just as Vogel-Freedman appeared to have put
early jitters behind him, a passed ball enabled Kelly to make it 2-0. The
mistake was a sign of things to come. <br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
“Defensively we’re not playing as
well as we’re capable or need to,” Conard coach Ty Bongiovanni said. “It’s put
a lot of pressure on the pitchers because mentally they’re changing the way
they pitch because of it. They feel they need to strike out more guys than they
really need to. I think it’s changing the way we approach just about
everything. Our bats are totally different when we’re losing than when we’re
winning.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
The bottom of the Hall order
darkened Conard’s day in the second frame. Ben Horwitz singled and raced to
third on a hit by Lucas Huber. Horwitz scored on a throwing error and Kelly
laced an RBI single plating Huber.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Hall made it 5-0 in the third and
ended Vogel-Freedman’s stint. Singles by Will Cook and Dan Nunes set the table.
Horwitz walked and Huber earned a painful RBI when he was hit by a pitch with
the bases full.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Conard battled back with single
tallies in the third and fourth innings.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
John Dinucci singled, stole second
and scored on a double by Brendon Rossmeisl. After Alex Goroshko reached on an
infield hit, Caleb LaRosa hit a laser to left, but Huber snared it and doubled
off Rossmeisl at second.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
The Chieftains climbed within three
in the fourth when Fisher was hit by a pitch and scored on a single by Mike
Eddy, but Hall began executing a successful end-game in the fifth. Nunes doubled to left and scored on
a single by Zach Dobbins.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
A little extra insurance at the
University of Hartford seemed only suitable. Silverhart, who Billing dubbed the
offensive MVP, started the sixth with a single, stole second and scored on an
error – one of two dropped infield pops by Conard on the day.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
When the final out was made, the
Hall defense remained on the field and Bongiovanni ambled to the mound.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
A special young man – Conard’s
senior manager Phil Prieto – came to the plate for an honorary at-bat.<br />
<br />
Prieto,
a mentally challenged youngster who cannot play competitively due to safety
issues, crushed a pitch into the right-field gap, circled the sacks and slid
head-first into the home-plate dust.</div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">It was a feel-good finish for a memorable
afternoon.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> 2013 Mayor’s Cup Baseball Classic<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> Hall 7, Conard 4<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: 9.0pt;"> (May 3, At Fiondella Field, University of
Hartford)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Hall</span></b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> <b>Conard</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> ab r
h bi ab r
h bi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Silverhart dh 4 2 2 0 Litke
2b 4 1 1 0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Kochen p 0 0 0 0 Dinucci
rf 3 2 2 0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Kelley ss 4 1
2 1 Rossmeisl c 3 0 1 1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Greenfield 1b 4 0 0 1 Gorashko
ss 4 0 2 1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Cook 2b 2 1
1 0 LaRosa 1b 3 0
0 1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">DHorwitz pr 0 0
0 0 Fisher dh-p 3 1
1 0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Monos rf 4 0 0 0 Vgl-Frdmn
p 0
0 0 0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Nunes cf 4 1 2 0 Muchin
3b 2 0 0 0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Dobbins 3b 4 0 1 1 Fracasso
ph 1 0 0 0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">BHorwitz c 2 1 1 0 Venora
lf 1 0 0 0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Huber lf 2 1
1 1 Balesano ph 0 0
0 0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> Eddy
cf 3 0
1 1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Totals 30 7 10 4 Totals 27 4 8 4<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Hall 221
011 0 – 7 10 0<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Conard 001
100 2 – 4 8 4<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">E – Rossmeisl, Fisher, Muchin 2. LOB – Hall 7, Conard
9. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">DP – Hall 1, Conard 1.
2B – Kelley, Nunes, Rossmeisl. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">SB – Huber, Nunes, D. Horwitz, Silverhart, Dinucci. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">SF – LaRosa.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Hall<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> ip h r
er bb so<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Kochen W 7
8 4 4 4 2<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Conard<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Vgl-Frdmn L 2.2 7 5 4 2 6<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Fisher 4.1 3
2 1 1 2<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">PB – Rossmeisl. HBP – by Kochen (Fisher, Balesano); <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">by Vogel-Freedman (Huber; by Fisher (Cook). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">A – 300. T – 2:11. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Records – Hall 7-5 (3-4 CCC West); Conard 7-4 (4-2).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
<br /></div>
</span>Ken Lipshezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12765267331754282870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1906311502598356810.post-87877482714761194812013-04-27T13:46:00.001-04:002013-04-27T13:46:20.997-04:00CIAC ADVOCATES BALANCING THE FIELD<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
I have heard and generally agreed
with the undercurrent of protests asserted by public high school coaches and
fans about what they perceive as the unfair advantages that “schools without
borders” possess, primarily in basketball.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
For the purpose of simplifying that
statement without accusing anyone of unethical practices, we’re talking about
the decades-old concept of parochial schools, and more recently magnet schools,
luring students based on athletic merit. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
It’s like the old ethnic jokes once
deemed funny but now relegated to back alleys. The words are uttered in bar
rooms, at water coolers, at dinner tables and in the grandstands at scholastic
games, but rarely in a public forum. Many are tired of Xavier-Middletown
dominating football, Fairfield Prep controlling Division I hockey and a
significant number of these schools tilting the basketball floor, so they vent
… off the record.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
The CIAC reacted from in 2006-07
when the CIAC Boys Basketball Committee and tournament director Bob Cecchini
developed an enrollment-based format accented by a “plus factor” to add some
balance. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
To implement a point system that
would determine in which class (S through LL) a tournament-bound team would
compete, institutions deemed “schools of choice” by the state (with the
exception of schools commonly defined as tech schools) automatically had their
“enrollment” number doubled. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
All member schools would then be
assessed additional numbers based on their tournament success over the previous
four seasons. “Bonus” points would be added on the following basis: 10 for each
semifinal appearance, 25 each time a team reached the final, 50 for winning championships.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Using the 2012-13 boys basketball
tournament as an example, schools with less than 372 male students (using criteria
from the previous school year) were slotted in Class S. Those between 372-505
were grouped in Class M. Class L contained schools with male populations
between 506 and 711, while Class LL was reserved for those above 711.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
St. Joseph-Trumbull, despite having
438 male students, was shifted from Class M to LL. First, the 438 was doubled
to 876, then 180 bonus points were tacked on because the Cadets in the previous
four years had made it to the semifinals three times (30 points), finals twice
(50) and won two titles (100). Thus, the recruiting penalty (if I’m permitted
to use that term) gave St. Joseph a sum of 1,056, placing it in the same
stratosphere with much larger cross-town rival Trumbull (enrollment of 1,062).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
The CIAC said some schools feel the
procedure falls short of achieving its goal.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Now, a change to the system is on
the horizon that would presumably help further balance CIAC postseason
tournament fields, and since there are rumblings coming from committee members
in other sports (read girls soccer), the proposed formula would be feasible across
the spectrum of team sports.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
The CIAC Board of Control on
Thursday approved a proposal from a Board sub-committee for the utilization of
a simpler formula. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Any team from a “school without
borders” that has advanced to the quarterfinals or beyond in each of the
previous three seasons would be bumped up two divisions. Those that have
advanced the quarterfinals or beyond in two of the past three seasons would be
bumped up one division. Those that have advanced to the quarters or beyond just
once over the last three years would not be subject to change.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
The proposal will be debated at the
committee level before it becomes official practice. The new system could be
implemented as soon as 2013-14.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
“We’re taking it to both basketball
committees,” Cecchini said. “If they go with it, we’ll go with it.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
The following is an example of how
last March’s tournament structure could have been configured differently had
the new system been in place:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
The Capital Prep boys basketball
team made it to the quarterfinals or beyond in 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12.
Under the proposed system, the Trailblazers would have had to compete in Class
L this past year. Under the current system, even the factor of doubling the
school’s male population (71) and adding the points for tournament success kept
Capital Prep well within Class S.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Hartford-based Classical Magnet
(160 boys) advanced to the quarters or beyond in 2010-11 and 2011-12, but did
not in 2009-10. Thus, the Gladiators would have been forced up to ‘M’ in the
most recent tournament instead of competing in Class S.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Initially, no school would move up three
divisions, but the possibility exists that a Class S school could eventually be
forced into ‘LL’ if it keeps winning. If/when the three-year evaluation
indicates the team is no longer winning at the same rate, it would be dropped
back down.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
The level of dissatisfaction almost
surely boiled over because of winter doings at Capital Prep.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
I am not privy to what goes on
there, but to field championship-caliber basketball teams when your boys number
71 and your girls enrollment sits at 121 is not apt to happen by chance. To
make matters worse, the coaching staff of the girls team evidently took
particular delight in burying its foes.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
If you think what controversial
football coach Jack Cochran did in terms of score management was something less
than ethical, consider the numbers for which Trailblazer coach Tammy Millsaps
was responsible.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
In going 18-0 against state competition,
the Capital Preparatory Magnet School won its games by an average of 46.1
points per game. No typo there, that’s forty-six point one. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
They humiliated their overmatched
foes in the Constitution State Conference (largely tech schools) by 44 points
per game, and then really turned it up in the Class S tournament. If you’re not
sitting, please do so in case you get light-headed as your mind processes these
scores:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
CP “edged” Old Saybrook in the
first round, 79-21. They must have really had it in for Valley Regional
(100-27) in the quarterfinals. Fourth-seeded Morgan was a 94-36 victim in the
semifinals and No. 3 Thomaston lost 84-55 in the final.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
The problems there are multifold.
My first reaction is that the word “integrity” must be considered profane at CP.
My second is, I’m relatively certain the people behind that embarrassing
display were operating within the framework of regulations. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Next, the CSC admitting a shark
like Capital Prep to traverse the same waters as innocuous minnows like Parish
Hill (serving Chaplin, CT), Putnam and the state’s vo-tech schools is either a
humongous oversight or downright cruelty. Losing by 45 points can’t be doing
the young female athletes at those girls much good.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
If the girls hoop committee enacts
the new system, Capital Prep will play in Class L next year. That “punishment”
doesn’t come close to fitting the crime, but it will have to do for starters.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
When the plans for magnet schools
were taking root during the legislation of the Sheff v. O’Neill education
lawsuit, I knew their presence in Hartford would undermine proud, longstanding
sports traditions at Weaver, Hartford Public and Bulkeley. What I did not
consider is that it could someday undermine the entire state.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Let’s hope both boys and girls committee
members will accept the new system for the good of Connecticut scholastic
basketball. Let’s also hope that the CIAC can continue to develop measures to
further effect balance, but I’m not sure a separate tournament for schools
without borders is feasible at any time in the near future.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
<br /></div>
Ken Lipshezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12765267331754282870noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1906311502598356810.post-10513494686840790632013-03-06T22:44:00.000-05:002013-03-06T22:45:34.667-05:00NEW BRITAIN FALLS TO RIDGEFIELD IN OT<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">NEW BRITAIN –
Disappointment was the foremost emotion that gripped New Britain High boys
basketball coach Todd Stigliano as he emerged from the season’s final postgame
discussion.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 94.5pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But other
thoughts pervaded his mind. He talked about deep respect for Ridgefield, which
had just ousted the Hurricanes from the Class LL tournament with a 63-57 overtime
victory, and the Tigers’ Division I-bound star Kurt Steidl. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 94.5pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He also spoke of
the offseason commitment that he and as many as nine returning juniors would
have to make in order for New Britain to make a deeper tournament run.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 94.5pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The respect for
Steidl, the 6’6 guard who heads to the University of Vermont next fall, echoed
through the atmosphere at Chick Shea Gym. His tangible contributions were 31
points and 20 rebounds, but his greatest asset cannot be defined by numbers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 94.5pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “[Monday] night in the fourth quarter, he had
13 or 14 against Greenwich and they quoted him in the paper as saying, ‘I knew
it was my senior year and I had to take over the game.’ Tonight, he just willed
it,” Stigliano said. “He did whatever had to be done for his team to come out
with a win. As sad as it is for me, you have to give him credit.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 94.5pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The eight-seeded
Hurricanes (18-6) were in prime position to advance to the quarterfinals.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 94.5pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">A three-pointer
by Michael Robinson – New Britain’s only one of the game – and a free-throw by
Craven Johnson gave the ’Canes a 51-44 lead with 5:21 left in regulation. But
the next four possessions brought three turnovers and Daequone Clark missing
the front end of a one-and-one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 94.5pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">They still held
a three-point lead as the time remaining slipped under a minute. When Steidl
handled near the top of the key, he was double-teamed, but the Tigers deftly
beat the overload. Two passes around the perimeter gave Jeff Racy an open look
from beyond the arc in the left corner and the game was tied with 31 seconds
left.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 94.5pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Stigliano called
timeout with 20.2 seconds remaining. Annuel Saint Juste dribbled about 15
seconds away and unleashed a 25-foot jumper that caromed off the rim. It wasn’t
what Stigliano dialed up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 94.5pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“He’s obviously
a good shooter and he’s hit a lot of buzzer-beaters,” Stigliano said. “He waits,
waits and hopes the [defender] backs up a step and he can hit at NBA range. But
no, that’s not what we discussed. I wanted him to get the ball but I wanted him
to get it going to the rim. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 94.5pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“You want to be
aggressive, try to get something underneath, you can get a rebound or try to
get somebody to commit a foul. … It’s not his fault. He’s trying to help his team.
It just didn’t work out that way.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 94.5pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Overtime
featured a Ridgefield parade to the foul line. Steidl went 7-for-9 from the
stripe and the ’Canes offense went stagnant. They turned the ball over twice
and misfired on all five of their field-goal tries. Ridgefield’s trapping 1-3-1
zone – a defense New Britain rarely encountered – effectively collapsed on
Johnson and Hyman in the paint and walled off Saint Juste from impacting the
outcome from long distance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 94.5pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“I feel
inadequate dealing with that 1-3-1,” Stigliano said. “I feel like I didn’t get
them to understand what I wanted to have happen and we got stagnant. We couldn’t
figure it out. We couldn’t get the ball where we wanted to get it. We didn’t do
a good job moving the basketball.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 94.5pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But Steidl was
the story. He committed his fourth foul with 4:36 left in the third quarter and
Ridgefield ahead 32-31. The Tigers initially expanded their lead to six in
their star’s absence but the ’Canes ignited their transition game and ended the
quarter with an 11-0 run.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 94.5pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Steidl’s fifth
foul never came. He scored 10 points and grabbed seven rebounds in the fourth
quarter and dominated the extra period.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 94.5pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“I just wanted
to win this game so bad, I had to be smarter on defense and smarter on offense by
not going into charges,” Steidl said. “I was just being a smarter player so I
could be out on the court with my teammates and we could get the win.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 94.5pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Johnson (22
points, 12 rebounds) and Curtis Hyman were powerful forces inside, but New
Britain missed 10 of 11 from three-point range.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 94.5pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“They’re really
athletic at every position,” Ridgefield coach Carl Charles said. “We knew they
had a strong inside game. You could see evidence of that the way they attacked
the basket. I thought they’d have better perimeter shooting.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 94.5pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Robinson had six
assists but was unable to get the open looks he had Monday against Staples.
Clark had 10 points in his final game. Kevin Tirado, the only other senior, had
two points and played aggressive defense in reserve.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 94.5pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 94.5pt; text-indent: .2in;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.2in;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Class LL Boys Basketball<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.2in;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ridgefield 63, New Britain 57 (OT)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.2in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 9pt;">(2nd Round, at Chick Shea Gymnasium)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.2in;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">RIDGEFIELD (18-5):</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Charles Irwin 0 0-0 0, Jeff Racy 2 2-2 7, Matt Brennan 2 3-3 9, Pat Racy 7 0-1 14, Kurt Steidl 9 12-14 31, Jonathan Hicks 1 0-0 2, Andrew Barton 0 0-0 0, Chip McClelland 0 0-2 0, Dan Greenberg 0 0-0 0, Zach Ward 0 0-0 0. Totals 21 17-22 63.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.2in;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">NEW BRITAIN (18-6):</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Daequone Clark 4 2-3 10, Curtis Hyman 5 0-2 10, Michael Robinson 1 0-0 3, Annuel Saint Juste 3 4-5 10, Craven Johnson 6 10-14 22, Isaiah Vasquez 0 0-0 0, Kevin Tirado 1 0-0 2, Ronday McCray 0 0-0 0, Curtrell Hyman 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 16-24 57.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.2in;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ridgefield 16 14 10 17 6 – 63<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.2in;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">New Britain 11 16 18 12 0 – 57<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.2in;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Three-point goals:</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> R – J. Racy, Brennan 2, Steidl; NB – Robinson.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.2in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 94.5pt; text-indent: .2in;">
<br /></div>
Ken Lipshezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12765267331754282870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1906311502598356810.post-74873060475541718142012-12-27T13:24:00.002-05:002012-12-27T13:25:13.582-05:00HILLHOUSE LOSS SERVES PURPOSE FOR NB<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="text-indent: 0.2in;">(As published on the New Britain City Journal website)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Todd Stigliano emerged from his postgame
meeting after meeting Hillhouse on December 19 sensing his New Britain High
boys basketball team learned valuable lessons.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Stigliano is as competitive as
coaches come. Obviously members of his fraternity detest losing, but Stigliano
came away from the 61-55 setback against Connecticut’s most storied scholastic
program with the kind of facial expressions generally reserved for victory. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
“They aren’t the best team in the
State of Connecticut by accident,” Stigliano said. “We didn’t just go out and
play a nobody. We played by far the toughest team in the State of Connecticut –
physically tough, mentally tough. Nobody quit, and that’s what matters for us.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
New Britain has the depth and
talent to go deep into the Class LL tournament this season. The Hurricanes have
size and strength in frontline starters Craven Johnson and Curtis Hyman. Curtrelle
Hyman is a capable reserve. They possess crowd-pleasing athleticism in
multitalented swingman Daequone Clark. They have backcourt symmetry and a
wealth of riches in Aramis Hernandez, Sheveran Williams-Hardy, Michael Robinson
and Annuel Saint Juste.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
The ’Canes will have to go through the
likes of Hillhouse at some point if they are to fulfill their goal of winning a
state title.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
“I wanted to see what we were made
of early in the season,” he said. “They don’t hand out state championships in
game three.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
“We’ll get another chance at it.
The question is will we be ready. From what I saw, we’ll be ready.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Hillhouse is a formidable outfit.
Andre Anderson, a prolific running back for the Academics’ Class M champion
football team, has an explosive first step and shoulders that only preparation
for football can chisel. He has that gift great point guards have to find a way
to the glass.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
His running mates are rangy sniper
Bobby Bynum and Shane Christie. The three guards combined for 73 percent of
Hillhouse’s points. When their arching three-point shots caromed off the rim, they
kept shooting.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
The Acs led by just five points
early in the third quarter when Bynum (game-high 22 points) flipped in four
treys within 2½ minutes. The lead suddenly soared to 39-28. The Hurricanes
trailed by 10 heading into the final four minutes but their confidence had
grown. They realized that like them, the Acs laced up their Nikes one eyelet at
a time.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
“I thought our big guys boxed out
better than they had but I told the guards they had to help,” Stigliano said. “There
were a lot of long rebounds, and even though we did a decent job of boxing out,
it wasn’t enough.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
“With a team like that, it’s a
toughness thing. That’s why they rebound so well. … They killed us on the glass
and that’s the difference in the game.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Statistics bore him out. New
Britain shot 33 percent from the field (18-for-54) and Hillhouse shot 32
percent (21-for-66). Both shot a disconcerting 54 percent from the foul line. Although
Johnson grabbed 17 rebounds and Curtis Hyman had eight, the Acs had five guys pounding
the offensive boards.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
“[Craven and Curtis] went hard all
night,” Stigliano said. “They had to be physical. They had to outjump people
who were bigger. I’m proud of them.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Based on his team’s approach,
Hillhouse coach Renard Sutton isn’t likely to write a profound treatise on strategy.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
His immensely gifted stars go into
a weave when they get the ball in their attack zone. When Bynum and Christie
get looks from beyond the arc, it’s bombs away. The other option is Anderson
using that first step to penetrate the lane for a layup or an assist. They go
about their business confident that they own the glass.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Their defense is coast-to-coast
pressure, with sticky halfcourt traps often leading to breakaway hoops and
thundering dunks. Turnovers (26) were devastating, and that’s where Stigliano
knows the ’Canes can improve.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
“I said if we could keep the
turnovers under 20, we’d have a chance to win the game. We need to be tougher
and smarter with the ball,” he said.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Foul shooting, he said, will also
have to get better. The combination of missed free throws, giveaways and losing
the battle of the boards combined to shatter any dreams of upset.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Yet as the Acs made their way back
to New Haven, Stigliano was smiling. New Britain’s growth over four challenging
quarters served as superb preparation for the league schedule that lies ahead.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
“If you get into a position come
tournament time where you haven’t felt the tournament atmosphere, then you don’t
know how your kids are going to react,” he said. “At least now, our kids are
used to what happens when the other team makes a big play and the crowd erupts.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
The ’Canes encountered such
surroundings when they fell in the Class LL quarterfinals last March at Fairfield
Prep.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
“You need to be ready for that and
this game helps you prepare,” he said. “What do you do, down 10, everything
going wrong and the crowd is against you? Do you have what it takes inside to
step up? And we responded.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Are lessons learned from game three
that result in a defeat be absorbed well enough for New Britain to make a deep
tournament run? If the fabled March winds prove to be of Hurricane proportion,
Stigliano and his boys will remember the night of December 19.</div>
Ken Lipshezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12765267331754282870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1906311502598356810.post-10632363519630146452012-10-11T01:31:00.001-04:002012-10-11T01:31:10.917-04:00PLAINVILLE'S PASSION FOR THE PAST<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
The
down-to-earth nature of Plainville’s sports heritage is shaped to some extent by
the town’s geographical distinction – a village bookended by much larger
municipalities.<span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
When Byron J.
Treado III and his group of selected sportsmen crafted a means of preserving the
legacy through the Plainville Sports Hall of Fame, he touched a chord that for
14 years has emotionally moved men and women whose colorful athletic exploits
once buzzed through the community.<span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
The
13<sup>th</sup> induction dinner held Saturday night that filled Nuchie’s
Restaurant in Forestville served as stirring testament to how Plainville’s
sports heroes scattered across the nation can revel in reuniting in celebration
of bygone triumphs.<span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Perhaps the
greatest of those triumphs came on November 27, 1971, when a Plainville High
football team that hadn’t beaten Southington in 23 years broke through with a
giant-killing moment, an 18-14 victory in the Blue Knights’ lair.<span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
The conquering
hero was quarterback Jeff Palmer, son of the late, long-time Plainville
coach/educator/administrator Charlie Palmer and a member of the Hall of Fame’s
Class of 2006. Emotions overtook Jeff as he revisited the camaraderie of a great
moment frozen in time with former teammates and townsfolk who reveled in his
accomplishment.<span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Joining Palmer
in this year’s class were former major league baseball player Earl Snyder, his
PHS teammate Brian Biskupiak, two-sport star Jeff Sengle, swimming and track
star Mary Boiczyk Westkott and lifetime athletic contributor Rich Buchanan. The
state championship baseball squads of 1983 and 1984 piloted by 2003
Hall-of-Famer Ron Jones were inducted as teams.<span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Palmer and
Snyder tugged on the crowd’s heart strings when their speeches came to a stop in
mid-sentence because they were overcome by sentiment. Biskupiak entertained with
the kind of deadpan humor that would have made George Burns snicker.<span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Buchanan shared
a poignant personal moment from nine years ago when he strived to prepare
himself mentally for undergoing colon cancer surgery, dipping into the lessons
he absorbed from Charlie Palmer and legendary basketball coach Pat Riera. Their
lessons, Buchanan noted, were reinforced by the famous speech by Jim Valvano,
stricken with terminal cancer yet pleading, “Don’t give up. Don’t ever give
up.”<span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Boiczyk
Westkott took a similar approach, extolling the virtues of her late swim coach
George Choiniere and the role he played in shaping her life. <span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
“He was not a
technician of the sport. He was not a conditioner of athletes. He made us want
to be fast, he made us want to be successful, he made us want to be a
team.”<span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Sengle, who
went on to a career with the United States Secret Service that included
protecting former President Bill Clinton, mixed a little humor with his memories
when he said, “I can promise you that my speech will have nothing to do with the
economy.”<span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Jones, as
spokesman for his two teams, dwelled on the “us against the world” mentality
that served as the centerpiece of his dynamic motivational skills.<span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Treado, who
stepped down as chairman of the dinner two years ago in favor of Keith J.
D’Amato, stitched it all together as toastmaster, keeping the honorees and
dinner guests alike on the edge of their seats with colorful perspective and
scintillating surprises.<span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
For those who
missed it, or wish to revisit a memorable evening, Nutmeg TV (Comcast channel
95, AT&T channel 99) filmed the proceedings for 7 p.m. airings on October
17, 21 and 27.<span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
PHS athletic
director John Zadnik kicked off the evening with the presentation of the Byron
Treado Founders Award to recent graduates Tom Dinda and Chris Kuzia, both of
whom were unable to attend because they were away at school.<span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Zadnik capably
cut through the din of a crowd still settling in when he said, “I’d like to ask
you for a moment of silence, please … for the Boston Red Sox.” The Yankee fans
chuckled and the Sox fans hissed, but there was no doubt that Zadnik got their
attention.<span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Jones, a
lightning rod for criticism during his coaching tenure due to his fiery nature,
explained how his antics were all part of the plan as he led up to the induction
of the 1984 team. The season came to a head with the Devils playing Berlin for
the championship before a huge crowd at Beehive Field.<span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
“[The Berlin
people] were all over me from the first pitch and I was loving it,” said Jones,
his blistering rhetoric still very much a part of him nearly 30 years later.
<span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
“I wasn’t
playing. That crowd could yell anything they wanted at me. They weren’t going to
rattle me and my players that night would be able to do what they did best –
above the pressure of any crowd and that was to play the Plainville way – hard,
clean and aggressive, blue collar. …<span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
“What a night!
I won an Oscar and our program had secured back-to-back
championships.”<span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Snyder played
briefly for the Cleveland Indians and Red Sox after a brilliant career at the
University of Hartford and an excellent minor league stint in the Mets system.
But it was his time winning championships at PHS, with close friends and fellow
Hall of Famers Biskupiak and Brian Edge by his side, that he said he cherishes
the most.<span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.2in;">
Treado built up
toward Sengle’s induction with a personal letter of congratulations that he
secretly procured from Clinton himself. <span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Biskupiak kept
the gathering in stitches with his Letterman-like list of secrets of success.
His third rule to live by was, “Don’t wait until your junior year in high school
to get braces. ... Do yourself a favor. You don’t want a metal-filled prom
picture to surface on Facebook.”<span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Ken Lipshezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12765267331754282870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1906311502598356810.post-51595177601398928682012-10-04T13:41:00.002-04:002012-10-04T13:41:36.033-04:00PRAYING FOR PAT<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Life's peaks and gulleys were
never so vivid to me than over the last 48 hours.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Pat Neshek is a sidearming right-handed
relief pitcher for the Oakland A’s who spent parts of three seasons with the
New Britain Rock Cats. He ranks among
the most genuine people I’ve ever encountered in the 30 years I was around
professional baseball.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Neshek was riding the crest of elation. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
After five big league seasons with
the Minnesota Twins and San Diego Padres, he overcame the trauma of Tommy John (ligament
replacement) surgery on his pitching arm and the ensuing rehabilitation. He retraced his minor league steps and played
an active role in his team’s improbable surge to the American League West title
as an exceptional right-handed specialist, as his 1.37 ERA over a 24-game
period would heartily attest.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
On the personal side, he and his
wife Stephanee were about to experience the birth of their first child. Neshek’s love of baseball, not only as a
player but as a fan, surfaced brightly in his naming the baby boy Gehrig. Gehrig John Neshek was born Tuesday, the same day the A’s
were beating the Texas Rangers to set up Wednesday’s one-game battle for the
division championship.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
“Thinking of the long nights in
AAA, my TJ surgery & the days when I thought it was over makes this the sweetest
playoff ‘birth’ of my career!” he tweeted.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Neshek, who was writing blogs and
using computers to spread baseball’s gospel before it was fashionable, posted a
photo of him holding Gehrig for his many Facebook friends to see. I could feel the warmth pulsing throughout my
torso, feeling the joie de vivre that radiated from his smile.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Before Pat and Steph could enjoy
their view from the top of the world, the unthinkable happened. Gehrig died on Wednesday without having
experienced life for a full day.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
I woke up Thursday morning to the following
Facebook entry: “Please pray for my family. Tonight my wife & I lost our
first & only son 23 hours after he was born with no explanation.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Life is a perplexing
phenomenon. Everybody experiences
problems, and when those problems are worked out, we’re worrying about new
ones.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
I thought about some of the ones
I encountered in recent years, one is of a personal nature that only my family and dearest friends are aware. In addition, there have been substantial professional
setbacks that have tested my mettle and my faith. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
I bitch about the economy and
the corrupt and/or inept politicians who can’t turn it around. My voice reaches a higher crescendo when I
talk about the eroding effects of greed on the human race, and on my industry
in particular. I scream in the solitude
of my Avalanche when some brain-dead idiot passes me on the right at 90 miles
per hour.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Such petty injustices
invade our minds on a daily basis.
Often we are stunned by a death in the family or stung by a severe injury
to a loved one, but please take a moment to contemplate the torturous slide
from the height of pure human joy to the depths of utter despair that Pat and
his family have had to endure.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Am I a spiritual enough man that
I can ask you all to pray for the Nesheks? I hope so. Prayer never hurts.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
But as I do from time to time
when tragedy intercedes, I feel so helpless to reach out and provide something
to help them feel better in the hour that’s hurled them beyond their greatest
nightmare.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
I cried for joy when the Oakland
A’s, a team I’ve rooted for since its days in Kansas City. This morning, I cried out of desolation for a
friend who touched my life with his kindness.
I wish there was something more I could do.<o:p></o:p></div>
Ken Lipshezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12765267331754282870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1906311502598356810.post-81816574093886173342012-09-26T10:34:00.002-04:002012-09-26T10:35:19.571-04:00POLITICALLY CORRECT IDIOCY REACHES NEW LOW<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Is there any foreseeable end to the
politically correct rubbish that has permeated our society?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
The latest is a local report that
stopping or advancing a soccer ball can be deleterious to the health of our
children. Wow, no wonder so many of these soccer kids are such a mess when they
reach their teenage years. Perhaps we can trace road rage to this phenomenon.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Get this, politically correct
idealists! If you look at anything close enough, you’ll find something ugly
about it. Even the supple skin of a beautiful woman looks rough and scaly if
you scan it under a microscope.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Before addressing the possibility
of spawning a society of teenagers and young adults with fatal forehead
contusions, let us understand how sports became such a vibrant part of American
culture.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
In the decades following the
American Revolution, our nation was an agrarian-based society. As soon as
youngsters could walk and think, they were engaged to help their families plant
and harvest the crops and tend the farm animals. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
The kids got plenty of exercise,
although breathing in the fumes from horse manure may well have caused
traumatic brain disorders. Reading and
witnessing politically correct horse manure surely does, but back to our
history lesson.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
With the advent of the Industrial
Revolution in the 1800s, more and more Americans left the farm for 9-to-5
positions as bankers, manufacturing managers, lawyers, etc. They found that
after a day’s work, they had leisure time.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Baseball, or some version of it,
was being documented as part of life in New Britain midway through the 19<sup>th</sup>
century. As Americans recognized the merits of enjoying the great outdoors and the
health benefits of physical activity, other popular sports evolved in the
century’s latter stages.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
What are sports but a microcosm of
war. Man’s violent nature and unquenchable thirst for excitement ignited many a
bloody conflict since his very arrival on the planet. Sports provided an outlet
so men could exercise their masculinity without killing each other.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Think for a minute how sports have
evolved? Baseball rapidly became our national pastime. Pastime translates as an
amusement or hobby. If you still think it’s a pastime, you haven’t been
following the coverage it gets on all the incessant talk shows that have turned
it into a soap opera.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
The other part of that evolution is
the games themselves.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
In the NFL, they have all but done
away with the kickoff return. Quarterbacks are placed in glass cubicles so when
300-pound men are hurtling toward them at maximum speed, they are expected to
stop or be penalized.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Friends, football is a violent
sport. If you venture to strap on the helmet and affix the pads, you are
acknowledging the concept that you may get hurt. If you don’t want to get hurt,
nobody is forcing you to play. If $3 million a year isn’t enough to convince
you to play, become a data analyst and play golf on your day off. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
What if bullfighting had been an
American tradition? What about buzkashi, the national sport of Afghanistan
where participants attempt to advance a headless goat carcass.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Yes, football is violent, and
soccer can be, too. I’ve covered hundreds of games and witnessed myriad
injuries. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Hundreds of incidents leading to
injury could arise during games. How many soccer players have sustained a knee
to the lower midsection where the family jewels are stored? A player could step
in a hole and break a leg. Heading a soccer ball could cause a brain injury. So
could a meteorite falling from the sky.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
And is this so vital that it needs
to become front-page news? Between that, and media outlets eviscerating the
political candidates of their choice for making the simple mistakes inherent to
being human instead of highlighting their differences so voters can make
educated choices, I’m beginning to recognize the value of cultural isolation.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
For so many years, I referenced the
quote by former Chief Justice Earl Warren in support of my calling as a sports
reporter.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
<span class="huge">“I always turn to the sports pages first, which records
people's accomplishments,” he said. “The front page has nothing but man’s
failures.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
<span class="huge">After reading some of the trash in today’s papers and the
sensational revelations about athletes in the new media that have nothing to do
with the games, I use another famous sports quote uttered by a mere child on
the steps of a Chicago court house nearly 100 years ago.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span class="huge"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Say
it ain’t so.”</span></span>Ken Lipshezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12765267331754282870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1906311502598356810.post-62443711859056163502012-09-22T00:28:00.003-04:002012-09-22T00:28:52.263-04:00SAFETIES, TURNOVERS CRAMP NB'S STYLE<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .2in;">
Southington 32, New Britain 7</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 117.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
Southington (2-0) 7
0 25 0 – 32</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 117.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
New Britain (0-2) 0
7 0 0 – 7</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 117.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
SCORING SUMMARY</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 117.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
First Quarter</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 117.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
S – Stephen Barmore
19 run (Kyle Smick kick), 6:43</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 117.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
Second Quarter</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 117.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
NB – Malique Jones
1 run (Juan Usuga kick), 9:49</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 117.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
Third Quarter</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 117.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
S – Safety, Jones
tackled in end zone, 8:55</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 117.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
S – Safety, Lamar
Bowsky tackled in end zone, 7:39</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 117.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
S – Alex Jamele
42 pass from Barmore (Smick kick), 6:59</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 117.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
S – Zach Jamele 3
run (Smick kick), 3:45</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 117.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
S – Barmore 10
run (Smick kick), :46.5</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 117.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
INDIVIDUAL
STATISTICS</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 117.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
RUSHING –
Southington: Jarrid Grimmett 15-34, Barmore 9-53, Z. Jamele 1-3, Preston Testa
2-(-6), Steven Hamel 1-7. NB: Bowsky 14-63, Jones 16-79, Dylan Krivickas 3-10, Bryan
Gray 1-0, Marc Aponte 2-6.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 117.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
PASSING –
Southington: Barmore15-33-1, 211 yds.; NB: Jones 8-27-3, 83 yds.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 117.0pt; text-indent: .2in;">
RECEIVING –
Southington: Anthony Bonefant 7-88, A. Jamele 3-89, Corbin Garry 3-21, Grimmett
2-13; NB: Gray 3-43, Kyle Anderson 2-23, Daequone Clark 2-13, Fitz Ingram 1-4.</div>
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NEW BRITAIN – The
first half against arch-rival Southington left the New Britain High football
team in an optimal position to win.</div>
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The defense kept
the high-powered Blue Knights passing game in check. While the Hurricanes were
rarely able to control the line of scrimmage, they left the field at halftime
with the game tied.</div>
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An abomination of
a third quarter separated the arch-rivals quickly.</div>
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Southington rode
the momentum from two safeties in just over a minute to a 32-7 conquest in a
CCC Division I West game that left some serious questions about where the
season is headed.</div>
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In addition to
the two safeties, the third quarter featured a steady parade of New Britain
players, including top running back Lamar Bowsky, leaving the field with cramps.
When a Southington touchdown followed the second safety to put the ’Canes in a 25-7
hole, the will to compete visibly ebbed from their play.</div>
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Head coach
Tebucky Jones is not the excitable type, but the word “quit” bandied about his
sideline is something he won’t endure.</div>
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“This stuff has
got to be corrected,” he said. “If they can’t get it right, somebody else has
got to come in and do it. It’s that simple. It’s all discipline – doing the job
and trusting the guys next to you are going to do their job. Right now it doesn’t
look like that.”</div>
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The Southington
defense stuffed New Britain’s first possession of the second half and on fourth
down, the center snap sailed over the head of punter/quarterback Malique Jones.
Southington had the ball at the 13 but a holding penalty led to an interception
in the end zone by Mikel Robinson.</div>
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An illegal block
on the return put the ball at the New Britain 3. Two plays later, Malique Jones
was ambushed in the end zone and Southington gained a 9-7 lead.</div>
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The New Britain
defense, sparked by a second-down play by defensive end Jonathan Semidey,
forced the Knights to punt. The referees ruled that Southington’s Corbin Garry
downed the ball at the 1. Tebucky Jones said he saw Garry brush against the
pylon, which would have been a touchback, but New Britain was once again in the
shadow of its own goal post.</div>
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The defense
swarmed over Bowsky as soon as he got the handoff just 1 minute, 16 seconds
after the previous safety. It was all downhill from there.</div>
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“The punt unit is
doing a good job getting down there,” Southington coach Mike Drury said. “Nate
Bonefant did a great job punting. The defense hunkered down and really wanted
it.”</div>
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Two plays after
New Britain’s free kick, Southington’s stellar junior quarterback Stephen
Barmore connected with Alex Jemele for a 42-yard touchdown.</div>
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Three plays after
the ensuing kickoff, Garry picked off a tipped pass to put Barmore back in
command at his 43. On third-and-12 from the 40, he hit Anthony Bonefant for 37
yards. Jarrid Grimmett ran for 20 to the 3 and Zach Jemele scored two plays
later. Heads were down all along the home sideline.</div>
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“Once they get
down, they don’t have that fight. That’s basically what it is,” Tebucky said. “To
win games, you’ve got to learn that. Until they learn that, it will be like
that the rest of the season. It’s in a person. If they don’t get it the JVs
will get it. I’ll put them in the rest of the year.”</div>
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Southington took
a 7-0 lead when Barmore raced 19 yards on a perfectly executed quarterback draw
with 6:43 left in the first quarter.</div>
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New Britain began
its lone scoring march when fullback Dylan Krivickas bulled for eight yards and
Bowsky broke off a 28-yard gallop to the Knights’ 7. Malique Jones crossed the
goal on a third-down quarterback sneak. Juan Usuga booted the extra point to
tie the game two minutes into the second quarter.</div>
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When Southington
went three and out, New Britain had the chance to take command of the game.
Bursts by Bowsky and Malique went for first downs. A flare from Malique to
Bryan Gray picked up another at the Southington 30. But a holding penalty
bogged the drive down and Malique was intercepted by Tyler Hyde on third-and-14.</div>
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The game was
marred by penalties. Southington was assessed 137 yards on 14 infractions. New
Britain was found guilty on 12 for 113 yards. New Britain turned the ball over
five times.</div>
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Cramping was as costly
as it was painful for the host of players grasping their calves and hamstrings
and writhing on the turf.</div>
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“We tell them
every day to drink,” Tebucky said. “If you’re not [urinating] clear, you’re not
hydrated. We give it to them here. This is two weeks in a row.”</div>
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New Britain seeks
its first victory at home Friday against East Hartford.</div>
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Ken Lipshezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12765267331754282870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1906311502598356810.post-58266299434791373792012-09-14T13:25:00.003-04:002012-09-14T16:30:53.974-04:00NEW BRITAIN HIGH FOOTBALL PREVIEW<br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">The New Britain High football program has never been at a loss for talent at
the skill positions.</span><br />
<div class="posts post_spacer" id="post-5401">
<br />
The list of former Hurricanes with flashing feet, soft hands and gridiron
intuition is lengthy and impressive. The challenge for coaches over the years
has been aligning enough tough kids with big bodies dedicated to winning the
line of scrimmage.<br />
<br />
Standing atop the list of skilled players whose hearts are enveloped in a
sheath of maroon and gold is Tebucky Jones. Jones ran roughshod over the
competition during his scholastic years, earned a scholarship to play at
Syracuse and made a transition from offense to defense brilliant enough to play
for pay on Sundays for seven seasons.<br />
<br />
Now in his second year of giving back, resurrecting the program from a
gradual deterioration that resulted in the Disaster of 2010, Jones has an ample
mix of veterans and youngsters preparing for the next step forward.<br />
<br />
“We have more older kids and more younger kids than we had last year,” he
said. “The biggest thing is we’re farther ahead than last year.”<br />
<br />
Jones said a bountiful sophomore class will be getting a lot of playing time
and the junior class is thin, but he does have a senior core that helped the
Hurricanes recover from the 1-9 mess in 2010 to post a 6-4 mark last fall.<br />
<br />
Jones’ son Malique will again lead the offense from his quarterback slot.
Tailback Lamar Bowsky has been logging varsity time since he was a freshman.
Young Jones has a talented receiving corps in Fitz Ingram, Daequone Clark, Juan
Usuga, Waterbury transfer Brian Gray, former backup quarterback Marc Colon and
tight end Cam Lytton.<br />
<br />
Tebucky said Malique prepared diligently for his senior campaign, but Tebucky
leaves the offensive decisions to assistant and former Hurricane teammate Arnie
Delio. One of the strengths of Tebucky’s regime has been to stow egos at the
door and relegate specific duty to those most equipped to handle it.<br />
“[Malique] worked out, trained and threw more,” Tebucky said, “but I don’t
coach him. I don’t deal with offense. Arnold and the others put together the
game plan.”<br />
<br />
Bowsky generally was the second choice to run the football behind DeVante
Gardner last year.“Hit him high and he’ll run over you,” Tebucky said. “He’s a strong kid.”<br />
<br />
Dylan Krivickas will fill the fullback role when the offensive set
dictates.<br />
<br />
When it comes to the trenches, New Britain has long relied on the gritty and
the rugged rather than the biggest and strongest. Linebacker Geovanni Medina is the perfect example. Medina, perhaps the best
wrestler to ever come out of New Britain with a season remaining, makes up for
his 5’9, 150-pound stature with intelligence, maturity, leadership and
toughness. He’s the heart and soul of the defense and a leading candidate for
postseason recognition.<br />
<br />
“He’s a rah-rah guy,” Tebucky said. “No nonsense. He’s not that big but he’ll
come up and hit you in the mouth. Everybody gets amped up when they see that.
Pound-for-pound, he’s the toughest.”<br />
Krivickas and Ben Fischbein line up alongside Medina.<br />
<br />
Defensive end Jonathan Semidey is somewhat bigger than Medina at 6’2, 190
pounds, but his ability to impact a game doesn’t come from overwhelming
size.<br />
<br />
“He’s my motor man,” said Tebucky, who primarily remembers his players
through the nicknames they earn. “He’s non-stop. He just goes and goes and
goes.”<br />
<br />
Lytton and sophomore Alex Swaby join Semidey up front. Twins Josh and Luis
Rivera will also see time.<br />
Tebucky’s method for arranging his defense takes the pressure off the
individual players and applies it to their technical ability to interpret and
execute it as a team.<br />
<br />
“It’s all in the scheme,” he said. “We were the smallest team against
everyone, but they really couldn’t run with us. It took time for us to start
believing. [In 2010] we lost by an average of almost 30 points. Even last year,
we could have been 9-1 if it wasn’t for some little things here and there.<br />
<br />
“When I was playing (1990-92), we didn’t have size. The linemen had that
quickness. It’s all in the heart. A lot of big kids are what I call ‘pudding
pops.’ I don’t want soft, I want tough.”<br />
<br />
The Hurricane linemen leave the custard in the cupboard. Senior center Michal
Filipkowski brings toughness and experience to a key position.<br />
<br />
“He’s been starting for three years. He’s the brains of the offensive line,”
Tebucky said.<br />
<br />
The Rivera brothers will flank him. So will senior Tyler Ounthongdy.<br />
<br />
“The main advantage the other teams have is height, but we can get underneath
them,” Tebucky said. “You have to have leverage playing the line.”<br />
<br />
The ’Canes have no shortage of athleticism in the secondary.<br />
<br />
Marcus Torres, the quarterback for the undefeated freshman team last year,
will be a cornerback and deep man on kick returns. Mike Robinson possesses all
the skills that defensive backs require, including a great vertical leap. Gray
and Ashon Anderson is also in the mix.<br />
<br />
The quarterbacks of the future currently stack up as junior Toby Taradeina
and freshman C.J. Gaskin.<br />
<br />
The ’Canes open on the road against Glastonbury (Friday, 6:30 p.m.) before
hosting Southington (Sept. 21, 7 p.m.) in the home opener at Veterans
Stadium.<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: x-small;">NEW BRITAIN</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Coach: </b>Tebucky Jones (2nd year, 6-4)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Last Year:</b> 6-4, 2-2 CCC Div. I West (tied for 3rd); ranked 16th in Class
LL</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Key Losses:</b> DeVante Gardner, Larry Garcia, Kyree Largent, Garrett Shaw,
Giovanni Viven, Lamont Priest, Jared Boddie, Mason Whistnant, Jose Gonzalez,
Brandon Baskerville, Jose Palma, Axel Rosado</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Key Returnees: </b>Malique Jones (sr. QB), Daequone Clark (sr. WR/DB), Lamar
Bowsky (sr. RB), Fitz Ingram (sr. WR/DB), Geovanni Medina (sr. LB), Michal
Filipkowski (sr. OL/DL), Brian Gray (sr. WR/DB), Ben Fischbein (sr. LB), Juan
Usuga (sr. WR/DB), Jonathan Semidey (sr. DE), Tyler Ounthongdy (sr. OL), Josh
Rivera (jr. OL/DL), Luis Rivera (jr. C/DL), Cameron Lytton (jr. DE/TE), Mike
Robinson (jr. CB), Dylan Krivickas (jr. FB/ILB), Toby Taradeina (jr. QB), Marcus
Torres (so. CB/KR), Ashon Anderson (so. S), Alex Swaby (so. DE), C.J. Gaskin
(fr. QB)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Of Note: </b>NBHS football began in 1892, making this season No. 121. … Since the
implementation of the CIAC playoffs in 1976, NB has won four titles – 1992,
2001, 2003, 2004. Coach Jones played for the 1992 team that clubbed Greenwich in
the ‘LL’ final before moving on to Syracuse University and the NFL. … NB played
in the Tri-Angular League with Hartford Public and Hillhouse from 1915-54 and
then the Capital District Conference through 1983 before the formation of the
Central Connecticut Conference the following year.</span></div>
Ken Lipshezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12765267331754282870noreply@blogger.com0