Miami Of Ohio Strikes A Blow For Underdogs

by Kevin Burton    My underdog heart beat just a little bit faster Wednesday, thanks to Miami of Ohio winning a play-in game.    I would love the RedHawks to have a nice long run in March Madness, beginning with their 3:25 p.m. matchup with Tennessee today, but I’m happy with what they have done …

The Last Jump Shot Of A Confirmed Gym Rat

by Kevin Burton    My most recent place of employment was a three-story church, which had, on the third floor, a gymnasium.    I almost never went up there because my work was on the other two floors. But the whole time I worked there, there was a basketball on the floor, in the office, …

Mike Kennedy, Forever Voice Of The Shockers

by Kevin Burton     Tomorrow Mike Kennedy will call his final regular-season game after 46 years as the voice of Wichita State basketball.    This is one of those blog ideas that showed up on the spreadsheet long ago. But it keeps moving down the page. I’m having trouble delivering it.    I don’t want …

Pumping Life Into Super Sunday Won’t be Easy

by Kevin Burton    I’m trying to care. Honest to God, I’m trying.    I am a football fan. And I am going to watch the Super Bowl.    Somebody asked me the other day, “you going for Seattle or New England?” “I don’t care,” I said.    And that is mostly true. I would …

Quibbles And Bits: Introductions Are In Order

by Kevin Burton     As you know, fantasy football is over for the year. Yesterday was Tuesday but I didn’t have any waivers to do, no lineups to set, no injuries to check on.    Nothing to do really.    So over the course of the season I have been noticing there was this woman …

Road Dogs’ Story Ends In Fantasy Glory

by Kevin Burton    I was distraught, or as we say in the biz, tilted.    Spoiler alert: Colby Parkinson saved me.    And so, in the aftermath the end of the fantasy football season, I am contented, with three championships to show for my efforts (out of eight leagues), having played “Celebration” by Kool …

Fantasy Playoffs: Happiness Is A Warm Kicker

by Kevin Burton    The beginning of week 14 of fantasy football saw me in a (rare) good mood.  I love it when a plan works out!    Most of the fantasy world pays scant attention to kickers. In fact, some leagues have eliminated kickers from their scoring. This must be a macho thing. Kickers …

You Never Forget Your First Hate (Dodgers)

by Kevin Burton    My very first ecstatic sports moment came via a baseball wild pitch.    The Cincinnati Reds won the 1972 pennant by scoring two runs in the ninth inning of game 5. First Johnny Bench hit a tying home run. Then with two outs, Pittsburgh pitcher Bob Moose uncorked a game-ending wild …

Rise Of The Road Dogs, A Perseverance Tale

by Kevin Burton    I was so sure it was going to happen, I had the headline written: “Bad Dogs! Cellar Dwelling Fantasy Team.”    That was two weeks ago. My K&J Road Dogs, in 9th place at 2-4, were playing the last place team, which was 1-5.  If The Dogs lost, the teams would …

Oh For A Reds Wild Card, Retroactive To 1974

by Kevin Burton    The Cincinnati Reds have been included in the baseball playoffs this year as a wild card, with an 83-79 record.    I used to be wild about baseball and the Reds, less so now, but I never have been wild about the wild card. Too many teams mediocre teams get into …