FROM CUP MANIACS ... TO 'BIG AL' COMPLIMENT ,,, AND MORE

 Thoughts while thinking …



Here’s hoping NASCAR keeps its insurance 

paid up … because? Somebody is going to get 

killed, the way the Cup maniacs are driving … 

or did you miss the end of Sunday’s Daytona 

500?


WILIAM BYRON, running ninth on the final 

lap and winning … is like … I’m thinking, I’m 

thinking ... like ...




There will never be another “BIG AL” 

COLEMAN, which is a compliment. Still, I 

found it curious one thing that drove him to 

retirement was the upheaval in college football 

and basketball … when he was such a fan of 

The Team Formerly Known as Redskins that 

you seldom felt he cared, much less could 

speak passionately, about anything else.


Speaking of The Washington Football Team … 

in case you missed it, new ownership vetoed 

any possibility of dumping Commanders and 

going back to Redskins … despite urging from 

several groups among them Native Americans. 

Of course, it could change its mind … 

especially if it means making a financial killing 

in new logo-driven merchandise.


So MIKE KRZYZEWSKI comes to the 

Richmond Forum and makes headlines by 

suggesting the ACC is sagging in importance 

over what it used to be … most notably 

basketball. Wonder if the former Duke coach 

would be interested in replacing embattled 

commissioner JIM PHILLIPS? … Negative. 

Coach K already has faced a lifetime of 

aggravation.

,



'Name the seldom-used New York Ranger who 

said, “I feel I have no role or purpose on this 

team. I’m dying by being here.” It certainly 

could have been Richmond’s-own ZAC 

JONES, 24 year old defenseman who’s played 

27 games while being a healthy scratch in 27 

(missing one other with the designation

 injured) … No, it was veteran forward

 JIMMY VESEY while being withheld from a 

dozen games since Jan. 11.


Runaway gossip, in the form of rumors in the 

NHL during the two-week break for the “4 

Nations” tournament, includes NY veteran 

defenseman RYAN LINDGREN being 

swapped to several teams including Boston 

before the trading deadline March 7. Rangers 

are said interested in Bruins’ 6-3, 221-pound 

center and tough guy TRENT FREDERIC … 

Depending on other moves, Z Jones could 

benefit the most if the often- injured Lindgren 

goes. Both are left-handed.



Funny that Rangers’ GM CHRIS DRURY

 really likes Jones but invariably defers to his 

coaches who aren’t as enamored with the 5-11, 

190 pounder for reasons never articulated … 

first byGERARD GALLANT and now by

 PETER LAVIOLETTE … Jones 

unquestionably is a better skater, puck-handler 

and passer than anybody else on the Rangers’ 

d-corps … with the possible exception of 2022 

Norris Trophy recipient ADAM FOX … Lack 

of size is the favorite rap against Jones yet he 

and Fox measure the same.




Until next time ...



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