BRIEFLY TOLD: LOCAL HOCKEY, BENNETT, BASEBALL, BARKLEY, McMULLEN (MORE)

 

Raise your hand if you would support professional 

indoor soccer and/or lacrosse here. That is, in addition 

to minor-league hockey which is coming … probably 

ECHL. When? A delay in construction of the 17,000-

seat coliseum in Henrico County has set back plans 

there until 2026-27 … at the earliest … Who knows? 

Maybe some enterprising people with deep pockets 

might be interested in building a smaller arena – 5,000-

seat capacity perhaps -- in Chesterfield County sooner 

than later to get the jump on Henrico with the ECHL 

(formerly known as East Coast Hockey League … 

which was home to your Richmond Renegades from 

1990-91 to 2002-03) … Meanwhile, the AAA (using 

baseball terminology) American Hockey League and 

Federal Prospects Hockey League (A to the ECHL’s 

AA) also have investigated Richmond as a potential 

site. The first hockey team here, the Robins, played in 

the AHL from 1971 to 1976 … when owner E. 

CLAIBORNE ROBINS JR., decided he had lost 

enough money and pulled the plug … The Federal 

Prospects league includes the Columbus (Ga.) River 

Dragons owned byJEFF CROOP, who lives here and 

was original general manager of the Richmond River 

Dogs (2003-2006), the fifth (next to last) hockey 

franchise to call Richmond home. In 2023-24, the 

FPHL operated with 11 teams … from Baton Rouge, 

La., to Port Huron, Mich. Only Elmira, N.Y., will not 

return for 2024-25, the league’s 15^th season when a 

record 14 will compete … including four new teams: 

Monroe (La.) Moccasins, Hudson Valley (N.Y.) 

Venom, Danville (Ill.) Dashers and Athens (Ga.) Rock 

Lobsters ... Oh, and about indoor lacrosse and soccer? 

Just asking ... for now.

……. The Utah Hockey Club … Is that the best they 

could do?

……. “Hi, I’m BILLY McMULLEN, former 

Philadelphia Eagles draft choice and University of 

Virginia All-American … keynote speaker and founder 

of Spark Sports …” Check it out on X … where the 

native Richmonder (Henrico High School) can be seen 

and heard promoting a gathering (July 10-11) of 

who’s-who among athletic trainers and doctors. A 6-4, 

210-pound wide receiver during his playing days, 

McMullen, 44, will moderate a panel discussion “on 

the unequal playing field … in sports medicine.”

……. TONY BENNETT is considered one of the good 

people in college athletics, yet in announcing a new, 

long-term contract couldn’t be bothered to meet the 

press, respond to questions and give a live response to 

what the University of Virginia and fans considered a 

really big deal. I used to blame the media for settling 

for comments from a news release … but there no 

longer is the up-close-and-personal relationship that 

made coverage so much fun (among many other 

things) in the (cliché alert) good, old days … As 

salaries soared for coaches and athletic directors, 

mutual respect crashed and burned. Too bad. We’re all 

losers for it.

……. Friends of TOMMY GILMAN gathered at 

Independence Golf Club Thursday (June 13) night to 

reminisce about the former University of Richmond 

baseball coach who had been in failing health for some 

time and died June 1 at age 78. The host was GIFF 

BREED, president of Pros, Inc., co-owner of 

Independence … and outfielder for UR under Gilman 

who was 167-128-1 in eight seasons (1977-84) … 

Other former players on hand were MIKE KASKO,

 KEVIN HARVEY, RICK BISHOP, KEN 

HARVEY, RANDY MILLIGAN and TIM CECIL

 … as well as CHUCK BOONE, 85, who was UR 

baseball coach (1972-76) when he succeeded CLYDE 

BIGGERS as athletic director … and one of his first 

decisions was to hire Gilman (alumnus – Class of ‘69 – 

and former team captain) to be the fifth baseball coach 

in UR history … Also among those in attendance were 

Gilman’s successor, RONNIE ATKINS, 80, who 

moved from Tucker High School (17 years, winning 

percentage: 81) and spent 22 years at Richmond (1985-

2007) to become the winningest coach in school 

history (all sports) …. and one-time UR sports 

information director BARRY BARNUM.

(You will note we failed to mention how many 

victories Atkins had. Because? Of two sources … each 

had a different number – 717 and 685. We are positive, 

however, that he won a whopping 53 games (one-

season school record) in 2002 when the Spiders missed 

by one game of reaching the College World Series … 

something they still haven’t accomplished.)

……. Oh, darn! CHARLES BARKLEY says he will 

retire following the 2024-25 season … that is, unless 

TNT somehow regains at least some portion of the 

next NBA contract … which, at the moment, doesn’t 

appear likely. The former Round Mound of Rebound 

has a whole year to change his mind. That is, if this 

isn’t simply a ploy to up the ante from his next 

contract … Don’t forget, Barkley needs lots of money 

to quench his thirst for gambling. Like MICHAEL 

JORDAN, he’s addicted, win some … lose a lot more.

Until next time ...