Matt Flynn- The Answer For The Browns?

The Browns have struggled finding a quarterback to help them win. Since coming back in 1999, the Browns offense has seen a revolving door of quarterbacks come through with mixed results.

This past season, Colt McCoy was given the opportunity to start and it was hoped he would be the future of the Browns offense. Instead, McCoy struggled and his future with the team is in doubt.

Seneca Wallace came in and relieved McCoy late in the season and had a better handle on the offense. The only problem; Wallace couldn’t win any games for the Browns during that stretch.

With Brad Childress coming in as the offensive coordinator, word has it that Green Bay Packers quarterback Matt Flynn may be a top free agent candidate for the Browns.

While it is not certain that the Browns will pursue Flynn, bringing him in will be a logical choice. Flynn has some NFL experience and with Aaron Rodgers in front of him in the depth chart in Green Bay, it’s unlikely the Packers will want to resign him to be a backup. Flynn will most likely test the free agent waters to get more playing time elsewhere if Green Bay plans to stick with Rodgers for the future.

Even though Flynn has not played as much as Seneca Wallace or Colt McCoy, bringing him in may not be a bad idea. Flynn is used to playing in an offense that is similar to what the Browns want and seems to be mobile in the pocket. Flynn has potential of being a good quarterback in the NFL but has not had much of a chance due to Rodgers being the starter in Green Bay.

Many still believe Colt McCoy has potential, however, the franchise seems to have a win now strategy in place. Fans are frustrated, have seen enough of the losing and the Browns management wants to turn the 4-12 season around quickly. McCoy struggled to produce wins as a starter this season and looked uncomfortable in the new West Coast Offense.  Bringing in Flynn and upgrading the receivers could help produce the results the Browns want more quickly.

The Browns have McCoy and Wallace on the roster, however, neither one really produced many wins last season. By bringing in Flynn and changing the receivers, the Browns could have potential to go in the right direction.

Shot Heard Around the Rike Center Still One of My Favorite Memories

“Sara Fee for three…and it’s in!”

Those were the words I uttered during the WOCC-TV3 broadcast of what was the winning shot between the Otterbein vs Capital women’s basketball game in 2008. The shot took place from half court and went right in for Otterbein to take down Capital in the final regular season game that year. The miracle has been named “The Shot Heard Around the Rike Center” and anyone there to witness it remembers the elation felt when the shot made a swish through the hoop.

I’ve seen many great sports moments since this shot but it is still one of my favorite sports memories of all time. The shot only took three seconds to reach the hoop but the events leading up to it are what also made that day special for me.

Four years prior to “The Shot Heard Around the Rike Center,” I was a freshman at Otterbein and was given the opportunity to call some Otterbein women’s basketball games on the campus TV station WOCC-TV3 and the radio station, WOBN-FM. Being eager as I was, I jumped at the opportunity to call their games to gain some experience. I came to Otterbein to get behind the microphone and the opportunity was right in front of me.

Calling games had been something I had done for a while and it was natural to become friends with some of the athletes on the teams. I was friends with some of the football, soccer, basketball, wrestlers and swimmers in high school and met most of these people through calling the games. I wasn’t friends with everyone on each team but became friends with a couple of athletes from each team.

When I started calling the Otterbein women’s basketball games, that changed in a positive way. Instead of becoming friends with just a couple of the players, most of the team took the time to get to know me. It wasn’t just two or three of the players who took the time to say hi; it was a good majority of the team who would say hi to me on the way to class, lunch, dinner and even when I was working out. Players such as Chelsea Callif, Sara Fee, Abbey Perez, Ana Gamble, Jennifer Duke, Danni Holbrook, and a few others went out of their way to get to know who I was and get to know me as a person.

Was I surprised I was making friends by calling their games? No I wasn’t.

Was I surprised it seemed like a collective effort that most of the players took the time to get to know me? Yes! I was definitely grateful that most of the team took the time to get to know me and didn’t expect it to turn out the way it did! I had made a nice group of friends to cheer on while announcing in just that first year.

Throughout my college career, I continued to call games and continued to build my friendship with the players on the Otterbein women’s basketball team. New faces would arrive each year to replace those who graduated and the new faces like Laura Roth, Karli Volkmer, Katy Miller, Allison Huettel, Jessica Tonges and Allyson Sheppard continued to take the time to get to know me and say hi whenever we crossed paths on campus.

As the final regular season game against Capital approached my senior year, I decided I needed to do something to say thank you. It meant a lot to me that these girls were kind to me during my four years of college and I needed to show my gratitude. I couldn’t let the opportunity to say thank you slip away.

I had been up early that day to do a board operating shift at WRFD-AM (880 AM in Columbus) and was on quite a bit of caffeine. Yes, I did drink quite a bit of coffee prior to showing up at the Rike Center to call the game and was in a good mood to go with the caffeine rush. I knew the day was going to be fun and couldn’t wait to see my friends before the game started.

Prior to setting up my notes for the broadcast, I dropped off a long written thank you note to the team. A half hour later, Chelsea Callif came out of the locker room and thanked me for writing it. As she was walking back to start warming up, I mentioned I wanted to take a picture with the entire team. She didn’t hesitate to say yes and several minutes later, one of my favorite pictures from college was taken with a great group of friends I had made.

I was in a pretty good mood when the game started and had my friend Aaron Angel by my side to call the action. Aaron was a little nervous beforehand but settled in nicely and ended up doing a great job.

As the second half was coming to a close, Capital had taken the lead for the first time that day. With less than a minute to go, I couldn’t help but hope for a miracle that Otterbein would pull it off. I didn’t want to see my friends lose to our arch rival in this fashion and wanted to see a victory for the Cardinals.

When the final seconds were on the board, a pass was thrown to Sara Fee and she raced towards center court. With one heave, I started to hope that the shot would go in. Three seconds later, my hope became the miracle.

“Sara Fee for three….and it’s in!!!”

Aaron and I stood there in disbelief as we both realized we had witnessed an incredible shot to end the game. The miracle had happened and my friends were going to get one last regular season victory against Capital.

It took me a while to wind down from the excitement and I managed to talk to some of the players afterwards. I took the time to thank Chelsea for setting up the picture and gave her a nice hug before she left the Rike Center. I took a quick moment to hug Sara Fee before she left and Karli Volkmer wasted no time in giving me a hug when she saw me on the concourse. It had been a great day and an awesome way to end it.

Three years have passed since the miracle happened and “The Shot Heard Around the Rike Center” is still one of my favorite moments. The actual shot was a short moment in time but I will never forget the kindness that led up to it.

 

Behind the Mic and In Front of the Mat

The last time I had been to a high school wrestling match was in college. I got done with my early morning board operating shift at WRFD one particular morning and stopped by Otterbein’s TV station on the way home to pick up a video camera. The three Westerville high schools, North, South and Central, were having a tri-match and the TV station needed b-roll. With a camera and a tripod with me, I managed to get what I needed and headed out.

Four years prior to this, I was a senior in high school and had done some announcing for some Solon wrestling matches. I didn’t wrestle much growing up but found the sport fascinating and didn’t mind announcing it from time to time. I managed to pick up the rules, some of the terminology and how much people got into the sport.

It had been a couple years since I had seen a match live in person and an even longer time when an e-mail I received asked me a simple question:

“Would you like to help announce the Solon wrestling match on Friday?”

I didn’t see any reason why not and said yes to the offer. It was another opportunity to get in front of the microphone again and for a sport that I hadn’t watched live in person much over the past few years.

Solon was to wrestle Maple Heights this Friday and I was able to do research on both teams. I was familiar with how Solon head coach Tony DiGiovanni, who is one of the most charismatic and passionate coaches around, had built Solon’s program over the past 29 years and Maple Heights has an even longer history. All I had to do was mention Maple Heights wrestling to my parents and both recalled how former coach Mike Milkovich, who now has a middle school named after him, made the program into a powerhouse in the 1960s and 1970s. It didn’t surprise me to learn his nephew, Jamie Milkovich, was keeping the tradition alive.

Going into the match, I knew Solon was ranked 9th in the state and Maple Heights was ranked 7th. Solon has some great wrestlers in the lighter weight classes like Anthony Collica, Brandon Thompson and Justin Kresevic while Maple Heights had Richie Robertson, Almonte Patrick and Aaron Pipkins to provide some depth in the heavier weight classes. By looking at these two teams on paper, it was evident this had the potential of being a good matchup.

When walking in to the gym and seeing the mats laid out, I had a feeling this was going to be a fun night. I couldn’t help but start to recall the times I spent calling Comet Classic matches and a couple of dual meets as well. It started to come back to me as I watched the Maple Heights wrestlers warm up as I walked in.

Before any wrestling took place, the sound system that usually plays the national anthem was having difficulty and “The Star Spangled Banner” could not be played. Public address announcer Nick Camino decided to improvise by singing the opening bars into the microphone and soon everyone in the crowd joined in. Whether or not you could sing didn’t matter at all; if you knew the words you could chime in. It was unrehearsed but still fun to hear as everyone sung the song in unison. I also thought Nick had a great idea by singing the opening bars.

I didn’t realize that the JV and Varsity matches are run at the same time and I was glad I was informed of this before it started! I was used to the JV matches occurring first and then the Varsity matches would begin. It comes to show you how long I had been away from the sport.

Within the first couple of matches, I started to feel the groove again for announcing them and had great help from my broadcast partner, Zach Mandel. It was the first time Zach called matches and did a great job with the color commentary. I made a couple mistakes on names at times but can learn from it and will be better prepared for next time.

Solon managed to get several pins early on and took a commanding lead by the time halftime rolled around (yes, I almost forgot they did take a break after the 145 pound matchup). When the last half of matches began, Zach and I had a feeling Maple Heights was not going down easily. A lot of the wrestlers they had in the heavier weight classes did pretty well in these matches. The JV matches had ended long before and with all of the focus on the Varsity matches, the gym got very loud and the crowd reacted to every take down, every reversal, every escape and every second of action. All of this and loud music in between matches reminded me how much fun the sport is to watch in person and helped make for a great broadcast.

When the last match ended, I couldn’t help but have a smile on my face. Watching a sport I hadn’t seen in person was a blast and it was great to be apart of the match. I got to be behind the microphone again and witness a fun matchup between two historic teams.

Frozen Diamond- Experience to Remember

Fans could see their breath as they were walking into the stadium. It was a brisk 28 degrees outside without the wind. It’s common for the weather to be that cold in Northeast Ohio around this time of year, however, walking into Progressive Field in the middle of January is not a common sight. With the exception of Snow Days, Progressive Field is usually closed up until the Indians start playing ball in April.

As the fans walked through the gates into Progressive Field on the brisk January Sunday afternoon, they knew they would not be able to see the infield or the green grass that has made the stadium a favorite since opening in 1994. The field was covered in snow and a hockey rink that stood from home plate to first base was what they were coming to see. The two teams that would play on the rink would be Ohio State and Michigan in one of the biggest rivalries in North America.

Taking my seat in section 157, I couldn’t see home plate as it was covered with snow but had a great view of the rink. I was situated behind one of the nets and it would be easy to see the plays develop when play finally started. It was similar to having seats behind the net at Quicken Loans Arena across the way but a little further back.

The crowd was equally divided as those wearing Scarlett and Grey hoped the Buckeyes would win while those chanting “Go Blue!” and wearing that color and yellow made their way into the stands. No matter which side you were on, excitement was in the air and photos were constantly being taken with phones and digital cameras all over the stadium. Neither team had come to warm up but the rink was constantly being photographed.

When warm up were done and starting lineups announced, a red carpet rolled out and former Buckeyes running back and Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin made his way to center ice. Griffin received a great reception from the Buckeye fans and after that, it was time to play hockey.

Watching the first several minutes of the first period felt like a dream. Most everyone in the section I was in couldn’t help but stand and look in awe at the action on the ice. It was a normal start to a hockey game but the fact it was outdoors and occurring in front of our eyes made it a beautiful sight.

Michigan took an early lead and dominated for the entire first period. Ohio State would get on the board in the second period but Michigan soon dominated after that. By the time the second period was over, Michigan was up 4-1.

The game may have been lopsided at this point but watching my favorite sport on an outdoor rink was still incredible. The game was not close but seeing the rink in front of me and watching the game I grew up to love was still an experience to remember. It was cold and I could still see my breath but I was watching the game I love.

As the third period started, the temperature had dropped to 25 degrees and snow balls started flying from different parts of the stands. There was plenty of snow in the stands and several sections started snowball fights with one another. Instead of flying baseballs, snow balls started being thrown from all areas of the stadium.

When the final horn sounded, my family and I made our up the aisle and started to walk to the car. We agreed it was an incredible experience to see an outdoor hockey game. The game my not have been close but we knew we experienced an incredible event.

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Who is Ready for Overtime?!!

“Who is ready for overtime?!!!”

It was minutes before I had to go back on the air and I couldn’t help but shout that from my perch at the Gilmour Ice Arena. Solon and Brecksville-Broadview Heights had played an incredible three periods of hockey and I was about to witness how it would end with an overtime period. In three periods, we had seen both teams trade goals, penalties, and leads.

I get fired up easily for a close game but this feeling was a lot different. I hadn’t felt this way in a quite a long time and was happy to be in the moment. I was doing my first announcing gig in over a year and tried to savor the moment for as long as it lasted. I hadn’t felt that way in a long time and I wanted to keep that with me for as long as possible.

When announcing a close game, it’s easy to feel a rush that is like nothing else. It comes when two teams are fighting it out until the very end and your voice and enthusiasm can take the audience there.

I remember having this feeling my senior year of high school when Solon was playing Kenston in what was a physical game. Solon had been down for most of the game until a miracle happened. Kenston was forced to punt and not too long after the ball was snapped, Solon stepped in and blocked it. I couldn’t help but jump up and down as a Solon player fell on the lose ball to get the go ahead touchdown.

A couple years later, it was a Saturday afternoon and I had a broadcast partner who was equally as excited as I was. Otterbein was playing arch rival Capital that day to open up the new Memorial Stadium and the two of us were excited to get the call. Otterbein started out slow but in the second half, the excitement began to rise. Otterbein was making a comeback and neither one of us could stand still during the fourth quarter. Otterbein took down Capital on their own home turf and the excitement of that quarter is one of my favorite memories.

Not too long after that game, I stood on the sidelines of a soccer field for an Otterbein women’s soccer playoff game. Otterbein was favored and as the offense rolled, I couldn’t help but create a signature saying:

“GOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLLLLL OTTERBEIN!!!!”

I hadn’t called much soccer but couldn’t help but get caught up in the moment.

Another senior year rolls around and instead of a football game, I was in the press box of the Rike Center at Otterbein to watch the Otterbein Women’s basektball team take on Capital. I had called this rivalry on the basketball court before but this time, it was our senior year and the last home game of the season. Capital crept up and took a lead late in the game but then a miracle happened:

“Sara Fee for three…and it’s in!!!!”

With a shot from halfcourt, my friend and fellow Otterbein guard Sara Fee sank one in at the buzzer to take down Capital. I was excited as the people running onto the court and had the rush at that moment.

Years pass by and I am sitting at the top of a local ice arena calling a high school hockey game between Solon and Brecksville-Broadview Heights. Both teams battle it out and the game goes into overtime. Before the extra session begins, the rush is on and I had to ask out loud:

“Who is ready for overtime?!!!”

 

Feeling Like A Kid Again By Having An Opportunity to Announce

Both teams were going into overtime and I couldn’t sit down. The first three periods were intense, had back and forth scoring and it was clear the two teams were evenly matched. It was going to be decided by an overtime period and I couldn’t stand still.

I stood there with my eyes on the ice as the two teams were ready to take the face off in overtime. I had been standing for the past couple hours but I didn’t care at all. I had a great view of the ice, was fired up and best of all, I had a microphone in front of me.

During my college and high school years, calling games for local radio and television stations had become a passion and one of my favorite activities. For eight years, I spent many Friday, Saturday and sometimes weeknights in various press boxes, gyms, arenas, football fields, and baseball fields to provide the call of the game. I had an opportunity to witness some incredible high school and Division III games during these years and have great memories.

Even though I had an opportunity to announce everything from football to wrestling (no, not the fake wrestling on TV), hockey was a sport I never had much of an opportunity to call. During my high school years, the Solon TV station didn’t carry the games due to technical problems they had in the past and my college TV and radio station could never fit it onto the schedule. Hockey had been my favorite sport for a while but I had never had a chance to sit behind the microphone for a game.

In 2011, my neighbor sent me a message on Facebook to see if I would be interested and I didn’t hesitate to say yes. Several months later when Classic Productions, who now handles the sports broadcasts for the Solon TV station, shot me an e-mail asking me to call games in 2012, I didn’t hesitate to say yes. The opportunity was right in front of me and I was not going to miss calling a game between Solon and Brecksville-Broadview Heights.

I couldn’t help but smile as I walked into Gilmour’s ice arena an hour and a half before the two teams would face off. I was happy for the opportunity but I couldn’t help but think how many times I had walked into small sports venues to announce a game. As I walked up to Brecksville’s head coach to ask for pronunciations, I started to grin even more as it felt like old times.

As for the first period, I was a little rusty in the first couple of minutes but managed to get a flow as the game picked up. By the end of that period, it felt like I had been riding a bike and was in full swing. The words flowed, I felt comfortable and I felt like a young kid again.

The game really turned in the second and third periods and I couldn’t help but get into the game. With every hit, shot, save and goal, I could feel my excitement grow as the game went on. There is a little bit different rush you get as an announcer and it was a feeling I had not felt in a long time. A lot of the parents took the time to mention they thought I was doing a good job and I couldn’t help but share a story or two from the past.

Solon and Brecksville-Broadview Heights battled to a 5-5 tie but I felt a victory as I walked out to my car. I had an opportunity to do something I loved so much growing up and watched a sport I truly love. The elated feeling I had driving home brought back some great memories and I can’t wait to call my next game.

2012 Winter Classic- One of the Best

There is a rivalry between the Philadelphia Flyers and the New York Rangers. While that might be debated as an opinion, many consider it to be a fact. The two teams have a long history together and it was no secret during the 2012 Winter Classic at Citizens Bank Ballpark. It was a classic rivalry in what was one of the best Winter Classic games.

Starting off with the conditions, the game was moved from 1pm to 3pm in order to create better ice conditions. It was questioned why the NHL did this, however, the ice conditions seemed to be ideal and did not create stoppages in play. The players seemed to be able to pick up the pace starting in the second period and play did not have to be stopped in order to fix parts of the ice.

As the second period started, the atmosphere inside the ballpark changed when it began to snow and started to rile up the crowd. Flyers fans (mixed in with Rangers fans) started to make noise as the game moved forward and teams began to trade goals. Even while watching it on TV, it made for a fun viewing experience and you could tell the excitement was rising.

When the Flyers went up 2-0 in the second period, the game looked like it was going to be lopsided but Rangers forward Michael Rupp, who was playing in his second Winter Classic, changed that. Rupp ended up scoring the first goal for the Rangers late in the second period and later tied it in the third. Rupp, who is an NHL veteran who has had a good career, helped keep the Rangers in this hockey game.

A goal by Brad Richards in the third period would put the Rangers up 3-2 and the rest of the heroics belonged to New York netminder, Henrik Lundqvist. Lundqvist made several key saves towards the end of the game including the penalty shot attempt by Flyers forward Danny Briere with ten seconds left. Lundqvist’s goaltending preserved the come from behind win for the Rangers and made the game exciting.

Despite the victory, Rangers coach John Tortorella criticized the officiating in the third period. The two calls he mainly criticized included the was late in the second period when Ryan Callahan was sent to the box for holding the stick of Kimmo Timonen, who was called for interference, and Ryan McDonaugh covering his hand on the puck in the crease. Replays did show that Callahan may have indeed held Timonen’s stick by accident and it did appear that McDonaugh may have put his hand on the puck in the crease. McDonaugh’s penalty led to the Briere penalty shot that was stopped by Lundqvist.

Whether or not the penalty calls were justified towards the end, the penalty shot attempt did create an exciting end to the hockey game. Briere could have sent what was becoming an intense and close game into overtime with the goal. Lundqvist stopped the shot but the excitement around the potential of overtime made for an exciting finish to what was an incredible game.

Thoughts On The Browns Loss to the Steelers

This was a closer game than what occurred one year ago

One year ago, Browns fans saw the Steelers humiliate the Browns on the last day of the season. It ended up being the last game Eric Mangini coached for Cleveland and it was an embarrassing way to end the season.

Yesterday, the Steelers started off slow and neither team could really put together a long enough drive to get into the endzone. The wind played a huge factor at times and neither team really started off strong. Pittsburgh scored a touchdown in the second half but the Browns still managed to make it a closer game than anticipated.

Josh Cribbs continues to be a bright spot on the Browns offense

Cribbs managed to make several key catches throughout the game and got open at key times.

Mohammed Massaquoi dropped several key passes

Massaquoi, who many consider to be a disappointment, dropped key passes in the second half. One dropped pass was late in the fourth quarter and it killed what could have been a game winning drive. The Browns may take Massaquoi’s future into consideration this offseason.

Seneca Wallace deserves a chance to become a starter

Since taking over the injured Colt McCoy, Wallace has kept this offense in games and has even run the ball at times to keep drives alive. Whether or not McCoy is in the Browns future is still in question but Wallace deserves a shot at the starting nod next season.

The Browns rely on too many field goals

Phil Dawson has been a solid placekicker for the Browns, however, a touchdown would have won the game. The Browns lost too many games this season by relying on Phil Dawson to save the day instead of getting the ball into the endzone.

How My Sports Photography Passion Was Born

High school sports have played a huge role in my life. During four years of high school and four years of college, I feel in love with the passion, the competitiveness and the excitement of these games. I spent many nights during my high school and college years either in the press box, the television truck or with a video camera on my shoulder to cover these events for community radio and television stations. I enjoyed every night I was out there and looked forward to every game.

When college ended, the passion I developed for high school sports still burned within me. I was no longer a student and didn’t have the opportunity to work for a community television or radio station again. For the first time in several years, I didn’t have games to tape or announce for a local radio or television station. It was an empty feeling and I felt like I needed to fill the void.

A year after I was out of college, I had gotten done early with a Fantasy Football Draft and it was a gorgeous Saturday afternoon. The weather was in the low 70s, there were blue skies and high school football was starting that weekend. I remembered that Solon, my alma mater, was scheduled to play Shaker Heights in a matinee that day and I decided to go to the game. Before I left, I grabbed my digital camera figuring I could take some pictures while I was there. Photography had been a hobby I had taken up in college and was looking to do more of when my college years were done.

The stadium in Shaker Heights didn’t have many open seats left by the time I arrived, however, standing on the sidelines with the camera ended up being more fun. I was able to get close to the players on the field and started taking shot after shot. I tried to set up different angles and shots throughout the game and didn’t really have a specific goal in mind. I realized I was having fun being out there and was enjoying the game from a new perspective on the sidelines.

One week later, I didn’t have anything scheduled on Friday night so I drove 20 minutes down Route 91 to see Solon take on Hudson. I brought the camera along with me again figuring I could get more shots. I had fun the previous week and decided there would be no harm in taking more pictures. Similar to the week before, I had a blast taking the shots and it gave me a different way to follow my alma mater and see the games.

I had posted the pictures up on Facebook and shot an e-mail to Jim McQuaide, the son of Solon’s head coach, with the link to the pictures. Knowing he put together the media guide and the press notes, I asked him if he could use the pictures and he said they were very helpful. I asked if could come out and take more pictures and Jim agreed without hesitation.

One more game turned into two more games. Two more games turned into the rest of the regular season. The regular season turned into the playoffs and a new passion of mine was born. I realized I had found something to fill the void and a way to stay connected with the high school sports I love.

I spend a lot of time on the sidelines during football season with my camera but have taken the time to take pictures of other sports as well. I’ve managed to take pictures of some Solon hockey games (two of which were played outdoors on a rink at Progressive Field), Solon basketball, lacrosse and baseball. I don’t view each sport as a time commitment; I view it as an opportunity to do something I enjoy and stay connected. It gives me an opportunity to share my work, meet others, and doing a hobby I have fallen in love with.

My Favorite Sports Moments of 2011

This is in no particular order but here are my favorite sports moments of 2011:

The Lake Erie Monsters Make the Playoffs

After four seasons, the Monsters finally made the playoffs in 2011. It had been a long time since the city of Cleveland had playoff hockey to watch and the series against the Manitoba Moose went to seven games. The Monsters ended up getting eliminated in the first round but the playoff run made what had been a fun season more exciting and memorable.

The Lake Erie Monsters Have A Winning Record

This goes hand in hand with them making the playoffs but this one of the of most fun seasons I can remember. The Monsters won consistently, had great promotions and started to gain a larger following in the Cleveland area. I had the opportunity to take several of my friends to games during the season and will never forget how much fun they had.

Jock Callander Gets His Number Retired

Jock Callander had been a mainstay in Cleveland hockey for so many years and seeing his number retired to the rafters of Quicken Loans Arena was a deserved honor. Callander not only was involved in the community while playing for the old Cleveland Lumberjacks but helped serve the community and Cleveland hockey well after his playing days were over. Seeing number 15 in the rafters of Quicken Loans Arena was clearly a key highlight.

“What’s Not To Like?”

The Cleveland Cavaliers went through a lot last season. They lost you know who, were among the NBA’s worst teams and it was clear they were going through the dreaded rebuilding stage. The Cavs were fighting for the first pick and probability stood in the way.

Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert sent his son Nick for good luck at the Draft Lottery. Nick had been through some serious health problems but was there when it was announced that the Cavaliers would get the first pick. The Cavaliers took Kyrie Irving with that pick and have high hopes for the future.

Taking Pictures of Solon High School Football

It was my third season of taking pictures for the Solon High School Football team and I couldn’t wait for each week. This season was a little bit different as Solon opened up with a Saturday matinee game against Shaker Heights under a blue sky, 70 degree weather and beautiful green grass for the players to play on.

Not too long after the season started, Solon made a road trip down to the Columbus suburb of Worthington. The drive took a little over two hours but it was an opportunity to see Solon play in a city that became a second home to me while I was in college. The game was one of the most humid I have ever been to but taking the opportunity to catch up with friends during that weekend made it one of my favorite trips.

Solon and Twinsburg had not played each other for a long time despite the fact the two schools are 15 minutes away from each other. Solon had been the dominant program in the cross town rivalry, however, this game proved how far Twinsburg has come. Twinsburg led for most of this game but Solon managed to score a last second touchdown to send the game to overtime. Twinsburg could not capitalize on their possession and Solon’s Nick Davidson became the hero by scampering into the endzone for the victory.

Once the playoffs rolled around, Solon and Mentor met for “The Rematch.” Mentor dominated the first time the two teams played in the regular season and for the first half of “The Rematch” at Byers Field in Parma. The second half proved what Ohio High School playoff football is all about as Solon started to make a comeback. The stands were packed, everyone was standing and making noise and it was one of the best atmospheres I had ever witnessed. Mentor edged Solon for a 42-40 victory but it was one of the most fun games I had been apart of.

Solon Hockey Goes Outdoors

I had heard that Ohio State and Michigan were scheduled to play outdoors on January 15th and have been anticipating that game. Well before that game will take place, my alma mater, Solon, had the opportunity to play outdoors during one of the first weekends in December. With my trusty camera in hand, I made my way down to Progressive Field and couldn’t believe how beautiful the rink looked on the infield. It was high school hockey but I couldn’t help but feel like I was in a dream as I walked towards what had been a dream just several months before. I took hundreds of pictures that weekend and will never forget how excited the players were to play outdoors underneath the lights that had shone upon many of baseball’s greats over the past several years.

Never Seeing The Indians Lose in Person

I still don’t know how I pulled this off but at every Indians game I went to, the Tribe won. I can’t say that has happened at all.

The Tribe’s Quick Start and The Return of the Loud Crowd at Progressive Field

As the baseball season started, the Indians were in first place and I will never forget some of the earliest games I went to. One of my first games I attended was a Dollar Dog night against the Seattle Mariners that saw thousands upon thousands of people walk up to buy tickets. A lot of the sections were not being guarded by ushers that night making it easy to pick your own seat. With the stadium packed and with a chance to win, Hafner cleared the centerfield fence to give the Indians the victory. It felt like the mid-90s again and the fireworks afterwards topped off a great night.

Other key highlights include seeing the Indians take down the Cincinnati Reds with a couple of friends of mine, seeing Matt LaPorta’s game winning home run against the Kansas City Royals late in the season and the Indians beating the Pirates twice in the same weekend.I also managed to make it on the Fourth of July to see Austin Kearns, who couldn’t even hit his own weight, clear the right field wall to beat the New York Yankees.

The 2011 World Series

This was one of the most fun World Series I can remember. That is the first thought I had in my head when the St. Louis Cardinals clinched the title over the Texas Rangers. The Series went to seven games, put two evenly matched teams head to head, and every game boiled down to the later innings. Each game was close, relied on strategy and had to be settled in seven games. It was a Series that could have gone to either team but the Cardinals came out on top.

The 2011 Stanley Cup Finals

The Boston Bruins were not supposed to go very far against the Vancouver Canucks. The Canucks had played solid early on in the Cup Finals, however, the tide turned when the two teams went back to Boston. Both teams traded wins back and forth and it was finally decided with a seventh game. Bruins fans were waiting to end the drought, Canucks fans thought it was their year. The Bruins fans saw the drought end, the Canucks were forced to wait until next season.

Jim Thome Gets a Standing Ovation

After several long years, Jim Thome returned to the Indians and got a standing ovation.