Two coaches on a very hot seat

November 28, 2018

It is hard to predict for sure, but I would say that University of Michigan head football coach Jim Harbaugh and Green Bay Packers mentor Mike McCarthy are sitting on hot seats today. Now, the two skippers aren't necessarily in as much peril as they were just a week ago. But the events of the past few days have cast some very serious doubts about their future. In Harbaugh's case, the 62-39 thrashing suffered at the hands of Ohio State was the worst possible scenario for him. In winning 10 of 11 games this fall, the Wolverines were starting to resemble the powerhouses assembled in ...

Making memories: High school hockey filled with chances for enjoyment

November 27, 2018

With the Copper Island Classic last weekend, the high school hockey season has begun. As a former Houghton Gremlins forward, these are the days I live for each season. I played two seasons for the Gremlins during my four years in the school, and I would not trade the experiences I have for ...

Thanksgiving diminished by NFL greed

November 21, 2018

There was once a time when Thanksgiving football was looked forward to with great relish. But that was in a more enlightened era when dollars were not the one and only thing. I am old enough to fondly remember that time. Deer hunters, coming in from the camps, could look forward to two things on Thanksgiving: 1. A bountiful meal. 2. The Detroit Lions on the television set. The meal still exists, although it costs - like everything else - more nowadays. The Lions, who usually play well on Turkey Day, are still there, albeit with a lot of company from other teams. Now, you have ...

Two local athletes earn props

November 14, 2018

Playing on a winning team can be an enjoyable experience at nearly every level. But how about those talented athletes who spend most of their careers on the losing side of the equation? Dillion Hueckstaedt and Haley Makela of Finlandia University are two athletes who earned their spurs the hard way. Hueckstaedt just completed an outstanding season for the Lions football team. He came up with 143 tackles from his linebacker spot, averaging better than 14 tackles a game for the winless Lions. Now, Hueckstaedt did not come from a winning program at Baraga High School. While the Vikings ...

It’s time: Lions and Stafford need to part

November 7, 2018

It's a well-known fact that statistics are good for reading and talking about. But I think late Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi hit it right on the head. “Statistics are meaningless.” Lombardi once said. “The only statistic that means anything are wins …. and losses.” That's why Matthew Stafford and the Detroit Lions need to part ways as soon as possible. Sure, Stafford has impressive career stats (over 30,000 yards and numerous touchdowns). But the only stat that really counts is his under .500 career mark. Since being acquired as a No. 1 draft pick, ...

St. Francis is a football factory

October 31, 2018

The first time I saw the Traverse City St. Francis High School football program in action came twenty years ago. TC St. Francis was playing L'Anse in a pre-regional game at the Superior Dome in Marquette. That was in a more enlightened time when the MHSSA was trying to cut down on traveling distances for teams separated by many miles. The Hornets of coach Jerry Bugni had a strong team in 1998, led by speedy tailback Jerry Cleary, who had rushed for more than 1,000 yards that season. To make a long story short, L'Anse came out strong that afternoon. Led by Cleary, the Hornets led ...