Richardson one of the best

 

Contributed by Hannah Miller

Although the Cleveland Browns once again had a tough season in 2012, rookie Trent Richardson was able to showcase all the talent he has. He entered the league with high expectations coming off a superb career at Alabama, and he did not disappoint. The question is can he take the next step to be that elite running back?
Talent wise, Richardson has just about all the tools people want to see in a running back. He is one of those rare running backs who can pound away for tough yards, while also being able to break away and rattle off a huge play, which has led to him going as high as fifth overall pick in fantasy football https://www.fanduel.com/fantasy-football>fantasy football 2013 drafts. He also has great hands, showing his ability to catch the football out of the backfield. The one thing people keep turning to, however, is his injury issues.
In just his rookie season, Richardson went through a knee surgery in August, broken ribs during the middle of the season and an ankle injury that kept him out of the season finale. He also had injuries in college, which makes some people quick to label him as injury-prone.
Despite the injury concerns, there is a reason he is so highly thought of. The Browns might not be an elite team yet, but they are getting there. Improvements have been made on their offensive line, and Brandon Weeden should be better in 2013. If less pressure ends up being on Richardson then that will open up more holes for him to punish.
As of right now, the class of the NFL is Adrian Peterson when it comes to running backs. However, Richardson shows as much promise as any young running back in the game. If he can avoid any major injuries, he should have a fine career.

 

My granddad and sports

Some would question how a site devoted to sports writing can be an appropriate place for a memorial column but in the case of my grandfather there is no more appropriate place to honor him. He will be remembered for many things in memorial services this week but in my mind many of those will go back the world of sports.
My challenge in showing the link between Otto Woerner and the world of sports will be limiting it, I could write a book but a few thoughts are below. Pardon me to some who may miss some of my connections to the sporting world.
Granddad was a lover of people and introduced me to hundreds over the years. As a child I met a personal friend of his, Billy Joe Patton. At the time it never occurred to me he was a Master’s legend, nearly winning the greatest tournament in the world as an amateur. As much as anything else he was another of granddad’s friends eating Sunday dinner at the Mimosa Hills Country Club in Morganton.
They are probably enjoying a round of golf in heaven today.
I don’t know what you do with your all your time in heaven but one thing can be assured. This fall granddad will be some where that has a view of Memorial stadium, Lincoln Nebraska.
There never was a bigger fan of the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Granddad was a proud graduate. Maybe he was wearing one of those silly big red Cornhusker hats and gave St. Peter a big “Go Big Red” when he went through the Pearly Gates Tuesday. I will never see a white helmet with a red letter N and not think of him.
Same applies to Baltimore Orioles legend Jim Palmer, he will always be a reminder. That sounds strange but once again granddad’s people skills came through.
I don’t know where but somewhere along the line he ran into Palmer, probably in an airport or in a taxi cab. He struck up a conversation and ended up with a signed baseball for his baseball loving grandson. It is still on my shelf.
I have to put the Hickory Crawdads on the list of granddad reminders. He, I and a few dozen of his friends enjoyed a game, maybe 20 years ago. Being a recent graduate of umpire school I gladly described the details of life for “the men in blue.” Its another precious memory, right there with watching him enjoy the between innings antics of the Barney Fife impersonator or the kids “wrestling” in the blow up sumo wrestling costumes.
Time to stop this now, the keyboard doesn’t react well to tears on it. A remarkable man, and a big sports fan is now in the great bleachers in the sky. Now he can watch any game he wants and will enjoy it. I hope he saves a seat for me.
A Giant Kudos from The Corner is just for you granddad.

Fact of the day

Proof that the old saying is true, you learn something every day. Just learned that the term "sack" in football was created by Deacon Jones. That is appropriate because he knocked down more quarterbacks than just about anyone. He earned the right to call it whatever he wanted.
Deacon was before my time and he is more of a television star to people my age but there is no doubt he was a great player. May he rest in peace.

Sports Movies are the Best

Recently heard a sports radio call in show discuss sports movies and it got my mind to thinking of a few of my own favorites. In the method mastered by comedic genius David Letterman, here are my Top Five movies about the games we play. Letterman does a Top 10, but this is a hard subject.

5. Bad News Bears. I don't know this was a favorite of mine as a kid, probably not  "Oscar worthy" but just a fun time in the movie theatre for a child of the 70s and 80s.

4. Any of the Rocky movies, except for the last one. These films got better as they went on, through the first four.  The world fell in love with the Philadelphia Brawler as he took on opponents like Apollo Creed, Clubber Lang and Drago. Rocky is just a great "guy flick."


3. Major League. How can a film with characters named Wild Thing and Willie Mays Hayes not make this list. The comedy was a hit in my college dorm room and the film is a window into the world of minor league baseball. Lots of fun.

2. Bull Durham. Just the fact I have been in the stadium where this was filmed is a big plus. It is also, by many accounts, a close depiction of what life is like in the minor leagues.

1. Andy my number one sports movie, Rudy.  This is one I have watched numerous times and will watch again. Awesome personal touch to a story about the most storied program in college football. Love this film and anyone who likes footballl will love this movie.

Hats off to the bombers
There haven't been a lot of times in my nearly 44 years that sports has brought me to tears but it almost happened last night. It was the sound of the fans in Yankee stadium singing Sweet Caroline that it did it to me.
 I never realized it before but that is the song sung at Fenway Park each game during the eighth inning. Yankee fans were saying in their own special way that they supported the Red Sox and the city of Boston. It was a class act.
Same goes for the Chicago Tribune with its sports page shortly after the bombings. It read Chicago Red Sox, Chicago Bruins and Chicago Patriots. Another unique way of saying "We stand with you Boston."
Over the years of newspaper and Internet columns I have given out numerous "Kudos from The Corner" but these two move to the front of the shelf.
A third Kudos to the organizers of the Boston Marathon. They made it a point to present medals to all those who were unable to complete the race because of the bombings. The explosions don't take anything away from the accomplishment of completing a marathon.
The Corner sends a special blessing to every person affected by this cowardly act.

Tiger showing class

There have been a lot of bad things written about Tiger Woods in recent years but this weekend he showed a different side. It was the much more appealing side of a man who desires to follow the rules of his game. He respects the traditions of one of sporting's great events.
Tigers bank shot off the flag pole and into a pond is the stuff the Masters, and legends, are made of. In talking about it in a post round press conference Tiger mentioned he may have bent the rules a little bit in replaying the shot. Rules officials checked the video tape and found out he was right.
Tiger then accepted his two stroke penalty with grace. He said "I know the rules and I broke them." Those of the words of a good sportsman.
Part of his response was probably relief that he was allowed to continue playing. Rules authorites had the power to disquality him and decided not to. They were smart. They didn't bend the rules for Tiger, but the also realize they have a much more marketable product with Tiger in the field. If anything the incident will help Sunday television coverage, as viewers clamor to their recliners to see if Tiger can make up his difference.
The whole incident goes down into the magic that is The Masters. Tiger is part of that magic and will be long into the history, when he is the one making the ceremonial first shot to start the event 20 or 30 years from now. His personal life is not part of that equation.

Armstrong no surprise

There are a lot of people amazed that Lance Armstrong will confess to doping tomorrow night. He will admit he broke the rules. The world is surprised, I am not.
It is easy to like Lance Armstrong. Drugs or not what he did, winning seven Tour de France events is impressive. Like so many he was stricken with cancer only to win his battle. So many aren't that lucky. It is a crushing blow to all who put him on a pedestal. There was simply to much smoke. He denied his use so vehemently, to much so. in my mind. No matter how many times he denied it the evidence continued to grow. It became clear there was something to all the hype.
 Only Barry Bonds was more obvious in his use of drugs. Both claimed never to have used drugs and both were proven wrong. In either case I don't agree with stripping these amazing athletes of what they accomplished. It is no better than the so called stripping of Penn State of all its wins. In all three cases the games or events were won and the records broke. We need to get out of the habit of punishing athletes by vainly lessening their accomplishments.
It is not surprising that Armstrong came forward with his drug use. He is still one of he most amazing athletes of the last 30 years. Nothing will change that.