Posts

ROUGH GAME FOR TYREE, COLANDREA ... AND GARRETT AT NOTRE DAME

  Briefly told: Now we know another reason why NBC’s  JASON  GARRETT no longer is employed as a football coach.  Trailing by 7-0, thanks to an opening-kickoff muff by  transfer  CHRIS TYREE  … but having forced a punt on  Notre Dame’s second possession ... Virginia went for it on  fourth-and-two from its 46 yard line … and Garrett,  whose last sideline gig was in Dallas with the NFL  Cowboys, said, “I like it.” Say what? So  ANTHONY  COLANDREA’S  pass is deflected then batted down …  A three-touchdown favorite playing at home, the eighth- ranked Fighting Irish failed to take advantage … but still  prevailed 35-14 after turning four Cavalier mistakes into  first-half touchdowns … To think  MARCUS  FREEMAN , in his third full season as coach in the  shadow of Touchdown Jesus, said before the game he was  concerned about U.Va., citing “its confidence.” … Then  Tyree, who spent his first four years at Notre Dame,  fanned on the short (by design?) kickoff, the ball striking  his right leg …
Post a Comment
Read more

ALLISON WON FIRST BIG RACE AT SOUTHSIDE SPEEDWAY

Easily forgotten, but nevertheless a significant building  block to his future success, was  BOBBY ALLISON’s  first major-race victory … right here in River City … On  Sept. 16, 1960 the future Hall of Fame driver came to  Southside Speedway … without a pit crew, badly in need  of a new set of tires for his modified Chevrolet … and  won the inaugural Virginia 400 by two laps in a 26-car  field that included such heavy hitters as Richmonders   RAY HENDRICK ,  EMANUEL ZERVAKIS ,  EDDIE  CROUSE ,  RUNT HARRIS  and  TED HAIRFIELD  as  well as Baltimore’s  JOHNNY ROBERTS , who led  NASCAR’s modified division, pole-sitter  RAY PLATTE  of Norfolk … and Danville’s  WENDELL SCOTT  …  Listed from Miami, where he was born, the 22 year old  Allison arrived as pretty much of an unknown … and left  with $1,000 from a purse of $4,640 … Harris was second  in a sportsman owned by  JUNIE DONLAVEY  … who  protested Allison’s victory based on technical things but,  after the protest was upheld, withdrew i
Post a Comment
Read more

ARENA RETURNS ... SO WILL ELLIOTT ... MAYBE

  Before we get to Virginia (university of) football … a  word about former U.Va., futbol’s (as in soccer)  BRUCE  ARENA … The World’s Greatest Soccer Coach,  suspended then  almost as quickly reinstated by MLS a year ago, is back  … hired by the 6-25-3 San Jose Earthquakes. The official  announcement came Thursday … after Arena, 73, told  someone at ESPN earlier in the week … While he was at  it, this country’s most successful (as well as controversial)  coach of the game that is No. 1 in the world, attempted to  provide some clarity about what happened with the MLS  New England Revolution that led to his suspension and  (eventually) resignation … To paraphrase, it had  something to do with remarks made “while the staff was  kidding around.” He took full responsibility, Arena said.  Time to move on. -------   If anyone,  THOM BRENNAMAN  knows  conflict when he sees it. Having been blackballed from  aprofession in which he excels … for saying something at  worst inappropriate that was
Post a Comment
Read more