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….

When you have a thought bouncing around in your head, but Sue Bird 🐦 comes along and says it for you…..

Can we please 🙏 let Women’s Basketball 🏀 return to being about the game itself ?

Whether it’s Kris Richardson, Howard Mayo, or Kara Lawson, or Pierre Curtis, who is coaching your team, Girls / Womens Basketball is a big part of life. But lately, it’s harder to enjoy the sport because of all the outside noise from social media.

Sports uset to be an outlet for most people, a place to escape from the day to day challenges of life. Whether you watched it because your daughter was playing the game or just because you enjoyed the sport, for a couple of hours, you had a safe place to exist.

Can we please find a way to get back to enjoying the game of women’s basketball while we still can ?

The back half of the Women’s Elite Eight is set to play out tonight with no Cinderella in sight. Two tough games should make for a good watch !

Let the Madness of March begin for Women’s College Basketball 🏀. First here at Cameron Indoor and then off to Carmichael for Travis Osborne

Two pieces of business up front before we take in four of the 16 Women’s games today.

#1 – Yes, I will switch over to a powder blue shirt 👕 for the two games over at UNC. I gotta return the level of respect 🙏 that Travis Osborne showed when he used our tickets 🎟 to attend the UNC at Duke University last month.

#2 – While we want Kira Lawson and our Lady Blue Devils to defeat the Cougars of the College of Charleston, our youngest of three Sons attended the School 🏫 down on The Battery back in the day! No cheering for a wipe out here in the first of four.

Let’s watch some Women’s College Basketball 🏀 !!!!!!

Media TO at 4:54 – Duke 11, C of C 10

End of 1st, Duke 25 – 16

Cougar Sisters have 14 of the 16.

TO – 4:52 – (2), Duke 38 – 18 (27-8 run 🏃‍♀️)

Heading into the break, Duke 45 – 26

Congratulations to the older Lady Cavaliers on their play-in victory last night 🌙!

The end of the 3rd quarter and Duke is racking up fouls. Still leading by 20+, 66-41. 1:03 pm

Live look-in at TCU vversus UC – San Diego. Horn Frogs 🐸 are rolling…

Last Media TO at 4:55, Duke 77 – 55

Sister, Sister has dropped 42 for the Cougars (31,11).

TO at 2:01 – Duke, 79 – 60.. Taryn has 36 now for C of C

Final Score, 1 of 4 is :

Duke 81, C of C 64 at 1:33 pm…

For Duke, one down and five to go !

Durham x 2, Sacramento x 2, Phoenix x 2

2 : 06 – Start of Game 2/4

#11 Nebraska versus #6 Baylor University

Big 10 versus Big 12 in this one.

Nebraska has one advantage in that the played once already inside Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Cornhuskers defeated Richmond two days ago in their play-in game. Already familiar with the building….

Baylor scored the first 7, but now it’s 9-8 as Nebraska has trimmed it to one.

Baylor University was our first opponent back in November over in Paris, France 🇫🇷. It was the start of our 3-6 stretch.

End of 1st quarter – Bears 🐻, 19-11 (2:29)

Media TO at 4:39 (2), Baylor 23 – 18

At the Half…. Nebraska leads 28 – 27 (2:56)

Nebraska 17 – 8 in the second….

Game #3 of 4 just tipped off, 11 miles away !

We had no answer for Taliah Scott back then. She has four at the break here today versus Nebraska

Media TO at 4:56, Nebraska 37 – 35! Good game….

Maryland 28 – 19 after 1st quarter in Chapel Hill.

End of the 3rd quarter here in Cameron and Big Red leads 47 – 41. Biggest lead was seven, now at 6.

Media TO at 4:04, Nebraska lead down to 53 – 52. The biggest was 50 – 41, but BU on an 11-3 run.

Up in Phili, it appears that UVA Men will hold off Wright State. 82 – 73 final for the Hoos.

Maryland 51, Murray State 35 (Half)

Back 2 Back whistles could decide this one , which would be a shame after two teams fought this hard.

Baylor TO at 0:57, they have 3 point lead and possession… 62 – 59

Baylor is set to close it out and advance, they lead 64 – 61 with 0:17.9 left. 23 – 11 run here in the fourth quarter.

Maryland 99, Murray State 67 – Final

In of the first quarter, Tar Heels 16, Western Illinois 10 (6:04)

At the Half – Tar Heels 38, Leathernecks 24 (6:34)

Heels 👠 leading 53 – 27 at Media TO (4:34) after 15 – 3 run.

58 – 33 after 3rd…. both games here very one-sided.

4 games on 2 beautiful campuses = worn out !

Duke – Louisville for the ACC 👑👸! Both are heading to the Dance 💃 and hopefully both opening up at Home !!!

The ACC has been chalk city this week with two toss up games ( 8 vs 9) and (4 vs 5 ) being the only blips. The biggest surprise is that Notre Dame ran away from the Wolfpack in that 4 – 5 match-up.

Should be a great one !

Louisville up after the 1st, 21 – 14 after a circus 🎪 buzzer beater for Duke

From CCHS BASEBALL ⚾️

https://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=48145690 via @ESPN App http://espn.com/app
https://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=48145690 via @ESPN App http://espn.com/app