SPORTS FOLDEROL

Of all things … briefly told (that’s the plan, at  least): Once called “The Genius” by  an adoring press  corps, NHL Rangers coach  PETER  LAVIOLETTE   no longer qualifies. Half-witted  knucklehead is more like it now that the team  has lost seven of its last nine games and doesn’t  look like it cares about qualifying for the  playoffs … Friday night, on the road at the  Anaheim Ducks, which have zero chance of  making post-season play (for the eighth  straight  year), the Rangers blew a two-goal third period  lead and bowed  5- 4 in overtime … At least The  Former Genius couldn’t  blame Richmond’s  ZAC  JONES , who was a healthy scratch for the first  time  since Feb. 25 . Laviolette replaced the 23  year old left- handed defenseman with  URHO  VAAKANAINEN  who came that close to ending  teammate  IGOR SHESTERKIN ’s season … With  6:06 left in...

  Noteworthy: So VCU hired the Martellis, father and son, to replace    RYAN ODOM  and run the men’s basketball program.  Officially,  PHIL MARTELLI JR ., 43, will be the coach  while Phil Sr., 70, will join him … “in some capacity,”  which has become the description most used by people  who seem to know what’s going on while everyone seems  reluctant to say what that really means … assuming they  know, of course. Given senior’s lifetime of college-coaching expertise to  go with, at times, an overly-aggressive A-personality …  and you can count on him being THE (if unofficial)  spokesman for Rams’ hoops as well as taking on anyone  who dares being critical of junior. And a lively time  should be had by all, eh? Sounds like fun to me. RICHARD PITINO , son of Rick, likewise was in the  mix … and might have been VCU’s first choice … that is,  we’re told, until he wouldn’t commit to staying more than...

  Briefly told … well, sort of anyway: NOT TO WORRY, hockey fans. All systems remain  “GO” for a 17,000-seat coliseum in Henrico County on  the land where it was scheduled to be part of the $2.4  billion multi-use GreenSpace project … that was  scratched recently when rights holders failed to make the  assigned payments … We’re told there should be an  announcement “within 90 days” that the arena will be  built by a nationally-known company … and “all that  remains is coming up with a league to play in.” …  Ideally, the local minor-league team would be associated  with the Washington Capitals if for no other reason than  proximity … which would seem to limit it to membership  in the ECHL (formerly known as East Coast Hockey  League) … because the Caps already have a solid  working agreement with the Hershey Bears of the  American Hockey League … Then again, it’s too early to  discount anything. By the t...

  Of all things: Thank goodness … North Carolina State signed  WILL WADE  after Virginia also expressed interest  in the McNeese State basketball coach … thereby  saving the Cavaliers from potential embarrassment ...  Obviously, the Wolfpack overlooked – or just didn’t  care about -- Wade’s checkered past that included a  year-long suspension for illegal recruiting. (He was  caught bragging about it on a wire tap by the FBI,  for crying out loud.) … The announcement came on  the eve of McNeese first-round NCAA tournament  game … and Wade apparently made sure he let  everyone know he kept his players appraised with  what was going on … unlike the time he bolted VCU  for Louisiana State … when he told the squad he was  staying then, a few hours later, flew to Baton Rouge  to sign with LSU. (Then again, why not keep his  current group of players informed? Surely Wade will  tale some with him to R...

  Your new-look Richmond Kickers, off to good start  (winning at South Georgia 4-2 in Game 1 of the  2025 USL League One season), reverted to 2024  form in Game 2 … On the road again, the Kickers  dropped a 1-0 decision to the Charlotte  Independence, wasting another first-class  performance from 19 year old goalkeeper  JAMES  SNEDDON  … The only goal came in the 50 th  minute after DARWIN ESPINAL  turned the ball  over near midfield, and Charlotte’s  LUIS  ALVAREZ  sent a long, curling pass that eluded 18  year old defenseman  GRIFFIN BARNETT  …  straight to 5-7 substitute  ANTON SORENSON  who  scored his first goal since joining the Independence a  season ago … When Richmond’s three-times league  MVP  EMELIANO TERZAGHI  skied a penalty  kick about six minutes later, that should have been it  – game, set, match. Instead, the Kickers had the be...