Turning back the clock ⏰️ to my favorite moment in my decade-long relationship with Chris and Crystal Graham of the Augusta Free Press !

It was back in 2015 when Chris Graham and I were down in Greensboro, North Carolina, covering the Men’s Atlantic Coast Conference tournament for his online newspaper 📰, called the Augusta Free Press.

Now, when I get to finish my seventh and final book, people will read a great deal more about Crystal Graham because she is one of my pick – six. God placed six people in my life at various times that combined to carry me to the life I have lived.

Most people have short-term memories or something I like to call 📞 – What have you done for me lately folks. The series of events that involved Crystal took place two decades ago but will never be forgotten.

More about her later, though, because this story is about being overqualified for a job that nobody wants you to have anyway.

We had what felt a solid decade-long run and with 50 years of writing ✍️ stories, Chris Graham is still my first choice as an editor, without a doubt.

Now, back to that night in Greensboro, it was the first of two times that we made thar trip together, and both years were lifelong memories.

My motto has always been Duke, UVA, and wherever I stay. To translate, it is those two schools 🏫 and then you do everything you can to support the school closest to you.

Graham and I would share a laugh about the fact that we both treasure our University of Virginia degrees ! The one he earned and the one I bought, by sending the fifth of my five children to The Grounds.

We share our love ❤️ for the Hoos but have a slight difference of opinion on life down in Bull City.

Duke had just finished up a win over NC State in the QF when Chris asked me to pen 🖊 a column about the upcoming NCAA tournament for Coach K and his Blue Devils.

I have to stop and give credit to both Jimmy Buffett, who was my writing mentor, and the Greatful Dead for that line in a song 🎵. I never followed the Dead, but Jimmy did a great cover of the song.

Some people think there clever, I know that I am so there is that. It was a fun, fun piece to write back then.

What happened next….

I happened to be up there for the National Championship game, and I still have the Natty Ring 💍 from it.

I went from writing ✍️ that story and watching 👀 it play out over a three week span to trying hard to convince a local Junior Varsity Basketball coach that I’m qualified to be his beat writer.

Talk about a downhill career projectory…

Our paths don’t cross very often anymore because we are chasing very different things as we enter the last leg of our journey called life. I should say that I’m doing that anyway.

There is a great line about my sole baseball hero, Greg Maddux. It goes like this…. Greg Maddux won four straight Cy Young awards, but Cy Young couldn’t win four straight Greg Maddux awards.

Chris Graham is fighting a fight that you either love him for or hate him for, but I promise you that nobody else can be Chris Graham.

See, Chris is a Democrat and I have never voted 🗳 in my life, just declaring that my trust is in God. But my mission in life is not that different from his and his bride. They are searching for accountability while I’m searching for equality. It’s just not that different….

So, next time someone wants to question who I am or what I’m qualified to do, here’s my thought.

Let me know when you wrote a story that helped a legendary coach win his fifth and final Natty.

Crystal Graham, you are forever a part of my success story, and I love ❤️ you for that ! And always will.

Chris Graham, keep fighting for your beliefs !

Everytime that I hear that opening line in his post game presser, I smile 😃 and then I say, Thank You, Chris Graham !

https://augustafreepress.com/news/eight-is-enough-for-duke-to-run-the-table/

The Link to the original story….

Greetings from Greensboro, the home for today’s Morning 🌄 Brew !

Travis Osborne and his Bible Verse of the Day

Daniel 12:3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

Today is set to be a busy, busy one and on so many different fronts.

#1. Nikki Heflin and Kelly Holderfield are heading over to Glade Springs for the Junior Varsity version of the Day long Rebel volleyball 🏐 Classic.

#2. Cindy Edwards and Company are heading in the same direction as our Varsity Lady Cavaliers are playing in a tournament in Abingdon.

#3.

I believe that I have all of the steps 🚶‍♂️ in my head for tomorrow afternoon at Cavalier Park, but now it’s about getting everything in the correct order. It is a different type of batting order for sure.

#4 – We are going to attend an event here in a bit that is an anomaly for two reasons. I have been a fan of Duke University and its football program for half a century. Pulling for them is the perfect example of cheering for the underdog as we had a twenty year stretch of being the worst team in the country.

Prior to the game against Stanford University at 4pm, we get to attend a special gathering that involves receiving an ACC Championship ring 💍.

This is wack for two reasons, the first being that we won the ACC in football and the second half being that the school is giving one to every season ticket 🎟 holder !

#5 – Kris Richardson and Kevin Burress. Today, my thoughts are with Kris and his family, and tomorrow, I will be partnering with Burress and his !

Should be a tremendous 24 – 36 hours !

Have yourself a Blessed Day 🙌😇🙏

2:00 pm. is the time that everything will be happening today, and our Morning 🌄 Brew acts as a preview…

Proverbs 13:20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

Four of a kind is the winning hand ✋️ and today is about four 2’s…

We have a group of Carroll County High School alumni who are heading over to Fries 🍟 ( pronounced Freeze 🥶🧊) for a double elimination tournament !

The former Cavaliers are guaranteed to play a minimum of two games.

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The second event that is getting started at 2 pm is taking place in Berlin, Germany 🇩🇪.

Kira Lawson and our USA 🇺🇸 national team are set to face France 🇫🇷 in the FIBA championship game.

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The third deuce also has a Duke University feel to it as Daniel Jones and the Indianapolis Colts will be hosting the Baltimore Ravens in their season opener. Last year, we took a fun group to the house that Peyton Manning built for the initial ball game for Jones in Indi.

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The fourth of our four 2’s will take place at Hillsville Elementary School 🏫.

Vickey Ritchie and our Special Olympics Basketball 🏀 practice runs from 2 – 4 pm.

Have a Blessed Day 🙌😇🙏

Let Volleyball 🏐 Night 🌙 begin as we look at four different matches across the region ! #2 & #6 on the Lady Bulldogs belong to us.

Muhlenberg Middle School 🏫 of Woodstock is the opponent for opening night 🌙

Later tonight, it will be Duke hosting Charleston Southern and both Carroll County teams playing at Patrick County. First things first, it’s Luray Middle School Volleyball…

More 2 follow !

1st TO, Falcons leading 19 – 13 on the strength 💪 of the serving by their #4.

Set #1 goes to the visitors, 25 – 18 [5:01]. Luray trailed 8-1 early but rallied back to 22-18 before the Falcons closed out the set.

Early TO in 2nd set, down 9-2 as Central once again opens with two big servers.

Set #2 ends 25 – 11 [5:22]…

5:27 – Start of the 3rd set….

15 – 9 for the Falcons to close out the night at 5:40.

Charleston Southern is holding their own down at Cameron in the first set.

We interrupt our VB coverage for 60 minutes of rec league soccer ⚽️.

Otto and Adam have both put the biscuit in the basket 🧺 early for the Hokies, coached by our Son, Christopher. Melody enjoys playing on a team coached by her father 👨.

We are playing against the Tar Heels and still lead, 2-0.

6:54 pm – Halftime, leading 2-0 !

Duke holds on 25 – 23 in the second set, lead 2-0 ! CSU came to play, though.

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Good evening, Bro! Unfortunately I wasn’t able to make it…. Dawn is there and will send some photos later.

Won 1st set 25-21
Lost 2nd set 21-25
Won 3rd set and match 15-8

Story credit to Travis, but no, not really, as it was Dawn doing all the heavy lifting on this one.

Congratulations to CCHS JV on improving to 2-1 on the season !!!

Tar Heels convert a penalty kick to cut ✂️ the lead to 2-1.

Hokies 2, Tar Heels 1 until Adam from deep makes the final 3-1 @ 7:23 pm

Duke completed the 3-0 sweep, but they had to work for it. That leaves the Varsity Lady Cavaliers VB match.

Carroll County Varsity Lady Cavaliers finished off their sweep, 3-0 at Patrick County, and will return home 🏡 with a shinny 7-1 mark on the season !!!

I’m still hoping to add some pics 📸 from the night 🌙…..

Bonus Note 📝 from Mr DeHaven : CCMS football 🏈🏈🏈 pitched a shutout over at Galax, 36 – 0 !

Carroll County goes 3-0 when you count the football. Duke VB won their match, and we split up here in Luray !

Fun night 🌙 and now tomorrow belongs to Half Pint Harris and Ferrum College !

Note : I would happily make space for the CCMS VB if we were to hear from someone over there.

7 – 1, and now we can focus on Glenvar invading The Hill on Thursday night 🌙!

Thank you, Mrs Osborne, for the pictures 📸 of the JV match !

72 hours of volleyball 🏐 begins tonight, and we will have it at five very different levels & in five separate Gymnasiums !

Tuesday evening will involve matches at Luray Middle School 🏫, Duke University, and two at Patrick County High School in Stuart.

Wednesday night, will see 👀 D2 Ferrum College play a home match at 6: 30.

Thursday night, matches will be held at both Signal Knob Middle School ( Strasburg ) and on The Hill as the Glenvar Highlanders make their annual trek down from Salem,

A total of eight matches will be played in just over 48 hours, and the connection to each one will be considerably different. In two of the matches, it will be about playing the role of host for both Nikki Heflin and Cindy Edwards. Thursday night will be extra fun for me because of the Glenvar – Carroll County match-up ! It will be the fifth of 10 nights 🌙 spent in the home gym this fall.

But there is plenty to keep an eye 👁👀 on between now and then !

In Luray, Virginia, two of these young ladies will be making their Middle School 🏫 debut for the Bulldogs ! Both Melody and Ana will be in action 🎬 for the first time on a school team ➕️ it turns out that Madison, the youngest one, has a soccer match immediately after in which she will be coached by our Son, Chris. !

Peter Muhlenberg will make the trek across Massanutten Mountain ⛰️ tonight with the match starting at 4:30 !

Down in Durham, North Carolina, Duke University finally gets to play inside Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Lady Blue Devils went 4-1 over two weekends on the road and will host Charleston Southern at 6:00 pm

Tonight, the Lady Cavaliers will play their first actual road match of the season over in Patrick County ( Stuart). The varsity team has played two home scrimmages, two home matches, and then a five match marathon over at Patrick Henry – Glade Springs.

Our team sits at 6-1 overall after their second place finish in the Rebel Classic !

Our Junior Varsity team sits at 1-1 and should be hungry for playing tonight after spending time at the Flea Market parking cars 🚗 to raise $$$$.

Wednesday night at 6 :30 pm, Half Pint Harris, pictured above with her two sisters, will once again take to the court at Schwartz Gym.

Francis Marion University ( Florence, SC) is a very familiar school name from our time spent down at USC – Aiken. The Lady Panthers sit at 3 – 1 on the freshman season for Miss Harris.

Now you know the eight matches and the connection to them. The amount of coverage will be directly connected to receiving some assistance from others, but it will be a fun attempt just the same. Patrick County High School gym is where cellphone service goes to die, so anything from there will be delayed a smidgen.

Let’s play volleyball 🏐, or in this case, let’s watch and announce volleyball.

No point spreads, no drama, just parents and grandparents watching from the stands and cheering for their favorite player(s)!