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….

What is wrong with this picture 📸 ??? Kara Lawson and her recent trek to Germany 🇩🇪 produced six straight wins 🏆and a fifth straight Championship for the United States 🇺🇸 but yet….

Sure, part of why I admire Kara Lawson is because she happens to be our coach at Duke University, and we have season tickets 🎟 to their games. Side note 📝, a person can purchase two season tickets to those games for roughly the same amount of money 💰 that it costs to get 1 ticket for a Men’s game in Cameron Indoor Stadium. But that’s a different kind of story.

Not only did the Ladies version of Coach K get the job done in Berlin, but she did so with one hand tied behind her back.

Aja Wilson is the best player on the planet right now, and she wasn’t able to accompany the team due to wear and tear.

Then you need to add that my personal favorite female hoopster of All-Time, Kelsey Plum, also had to be replaced on the roster due to trying to play through a calf injury. See, Plum respects the game so much that she came back too soon for Phoenix after being traded there despite the fact that the team had been eliminated from the post-season already.

Plum was leading the WNBA in scoring in June while still with the Los Angeles Sparks. Who took the top spot when Plum went down ? Yeah, Miss Wilson !

Coach took her team, make that our team, and represented our country with style and grace. But that didn’t prevent folks from unloading on her every step of the way.

My question is, why ???? The answer is that coverage like this comes from people who want to look smart and make a name for themselves at the expense of others. It is sad, just sad 😔.

This is one of many reasons why I don’t attach my name to ANYTHING that I create. I am not looking to get rich or be what they call an ” influencer.” Just out here pedaling the thought of kindness and equality.

While this photo 📸 has zip to do with this story or my affection for Women’s Basketball, it still makes me smile 😃

Thank you, Kara, and get better soon to the dynamic duo that had to stay here in the States.

The remaining question is if Kara Lawson is my favorite Women’s Basketball coach, who else makes that list ???

Kris Richardson edges out that guy from UConn, and being that, he will send me his Motovational Nugget for the Day shortly, Howard Mayo sneaks in at #4, just ahead of Pierre Curtis down at Furman University.

Vickey Ritchie is in an entirely different category because she coaches both men and women !

Week # 2 of 12 takes Duke University out to Champaign – Urbina for a showdown with the Big 10. Duke 31, Illinois 27 (F)

This game is the backend of a home and home agreement reached a few years ago. Illinois rolled to a victory last year at Wallace Wade Stadium 🏟 after Duke committed five turnovers.

Last week, Duke recorded a 17-3 victory over Tulane, a Green Wave team that made the Playoffs last season, and now they face Illinois after they just finished the most successful two years in program history.

Getting out of this at 1-1 would seem like a victory in itself. No ducking in the first two weeks, but any Saturday that includes Duke University Football is a great day !

Illinois – TD Drive 🚗

Duke – TD Drive 🚗

Illinois – 51 yard Field Goal

Duke – Punt

Illinois – TD Drive 🚗

Duke – Fake punt converted, TD Drive 🚗

7:06 (2) – Illinois 17, Duke 14

More 2 Follow

Illinois – TD Drive 🚗 (24-14)

Duke – TD Drive 🚗 (0:38)

Illinois – misses 62 yard Field Goal

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Halftime [5:16]

Duke – TD Drive 🚗

Illinois – 47 yard FG (Duke, 28-27)

Duke –

End of 3rd quarter [6:10]

__________________________________

Duke – 39 yard Field Goal (13:53 -4)

Illinois – turnover on downs (9:38)

Duke – 3 and out, Punt (8:14)

Illinois – Picked off by Duke

Duke – Punt (6: 13)

Illinois – turnover on downs (2:54)

Duke –

2:00 warning ⚠️ victory formation x 3

Saturday afternoon ( 4pm) at Wallace Wade Stadium 🏟 versus Stanford University

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.

_______________________________________

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)!