The black of it. What’s wrong with this list of NFL coaches: Marvin Lewis of the Bengals, Tony Dungy of the Colts and Da Bears’ Lovie Smith? Oh, yeah, that’s right: These guys are all in the playoffs and all are of the Negro persuasion. They’re not supposed to know how to coach in the hypertechno/computer micromanaged intricate world of big-time professional football. Huh, guess somebody — lots of somebodies — got that wrong. Of course, those guys aren’t alone. There are even African-American coaches who aren’t doing so well. Just ask those inveterate Cleveland Browns’ fans.
The white of it. It’s not even January yet, but the race for college hoopster of the year appears to be boiling down to two guys: Gonzaga’s Adam Morrison and the guy every cage fan loves to hate, Dookie J.J. Redick. What’s wrong with this picture? Oh, yeah, both of those guys are of the Caucasian persuasion. Guess that Bird fella from up the road on the Sunnyside wasn’t the last Great White Hope. If anybody out there remembers the last time that the two best college players were white, write me at the address at the bottom of the column. My mind is blank.
The rich get richer. Coach K — you know who I’m talking about, I’m not going to look up the spelling — has his own XM satellite radio show. Maybe the guy could be the next Ed Sullivan. Or run for Senate. Or both. And still coach the Blue Devils.
Scheduling with a snap. Michigan State, which played UK on a football field a couple seasons back, is always looking for a way to draw attention to the program. The Spartans apparently tried to talk Uncle Walt into allowing them to play Florida at Disney World on a court drawn up on Main Street USA. The Spartans are also trying to get a game with either Air Force or Navy on the deck of an aircraft carrier. Geez, I thought we were at war.
Nickname of the week. Thad Matta is quickly rebuilding Ohio State into a hoops power. Most folks remember him from Xavier or Butler. His high school: Hoopeston Area, Illinois. The school’s nickname: Cornjerkers. Kewl. I used to have a T-shirt, but it’s MIA.
