THOUGHTS WHILE THINKING
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 50th
minute afterDARWIN 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 best
of play, thereafter, forcing Charlotte goalie MATT
LEVY, making his second start in three years with
the team, to make some big saves of his own …
among them rejecting back-to-back shots from right
on in the 81stminute … Next for the Kickers is a
U.S. Open Cup date Wednesday (March 19) with the
Virginia Dream (7 p.m.) at City Stadium.
------- Someone should say it … John Marshall High
School’s boys basketball is making a mockery of the
game.
------- And, speaking of transfers … while Atlee
coach RALLY AXSELLE decries the practice, how
ironic was it that WILL HOPKINS proved to be the
missing link in the Raiders’ successful bid to win
their first state championship? … Having left John
Marshall to live with his mother in the Atlee district
of central Hanover County … in his only season with
the Raiders … Hopkins was named region player of
the year. The only transfer to play for Axselle in
eight seasons at Atlee, he joined senior KNOX
AXSELLE, son of the coach, and sophomore
CONNOR WILCOX as the go-to players on a
team that lost only one of 27 games and finished
with the state’s best record.
------- Having 14 teams from one conference in the
NCAA basketball tournament is yet another example of
March madness. Downright … there is no other way to
describe it … STUPID … in the extreme but what else
could we expect from the NCAA? The only way to have a
chance it won’t happen again is to boycott CBS/TNT
coverage. Low ratings invariably lead networks to
demand changes. Either that or take their money and run,
which is the governing body’s worst nightmare.
------- Iona is expected to name University of Richmond
alumnus DAN GERIOT basketball coach, replacing
TOBIN ANDERSON after two seasons (33W-33L) …
From Springfield, Pa., the 6-9 Geriot, 36, joined NBA
New Orleans this season as assistant coach after seven
years in various capacities with NBA Cleveland. He was
named to the A-10 all-rookie team as a UR freshman in
2007. The following season Geriot made third-team all-
league. He began his coaching career as a volunteer
assistant at Princeton.
------- Finally … oh no, say it isn’t so. JOHN CENA
apparently will retire from pro ‘rasslin the way he came
in more than 20 years ago … as a heel. The 17-times
champion jumped face CODY RHODES at Elimination
Chamber, kicking the WWE champion between the legs
… setting up a much-anticipated match at Wrestlemania
next month … The decision to make Cena one of the bad
guys – again – caught most fans by surprise especially
since he’s leaving the business and has been the object of
much love during a farewell tour. Also, it’s been reported
a plan to have Cena turn heel several years ago
ultimately was rejected primarily because of all his good
work for the Make-a-Wish Foundation … Wanna bet he
… ahh, comes to his senses and leaves the WWE a good
guy after all?
Until next time
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