The Running Bug

I have to confess I don't like running very much. I guess it has a lot to do with growing up playing team sports where running was either punishment or conditioning and neither were much fun. However, in the last 15 months I've discovered road races. Training for them? Not much fun, but actually running in the event has been great. I've now completed 6 races....2 15k's(9.3 miles) 1 10k(Bridge Run)and 3 5k's. It certainly helps to stay in shape when there is a goal to reach at the end. Running the actual race is made easier because you're with a bunch of people and you can keep a little adrenaline with you.
I got hooked thanks to a friend who is a personal trainer, Mel O'Keefe at East Shore Athletic Club in Mt P.(www.tinapl.com) He once ran 52 races in 52 weeks to raise money for Team in Training. He's a good guy to have running beside you in the middle of the 9.3 mile Charlie Post Classic last Saturday.
The Charlie Post is a great race on Sullivans Island. A few observations from a still inexperienced runner.....there's always a huge line at the porta potty at the start line....you'll always see some 10 year old kid beating the pants off of you....and as much as you feel like tripping the kids you really shouldn't, race organizers frown on that type of thing....you'll see some serious male runners who go shirtless and have shaved for the event, does it really take seconds off your time?.....you'll end up with a bad song in your head (For me Saturday it was a children's song my kids don't even listen to anymore. My worst experience may have been in the Reindeer Run in Charleston in December. A group of volunteers were stationed throughout the course to give encouragement to the runners. This particular group's idea of motivation was to sing "Eye of the Tiger". Had that song in my head the last 2 miles, just a man and his will to survive.)....Post and Courier running writer David Quick is REALLY quick....attractive female runners don't appreciate it when you "draft" off of them to avoid the wind.
My next race? Who knows, but I know I won't enjoy training for it.

Have an opinion? email jmorton@abcnews4.com

A World Gone Mad

A news conference is called for 5pm. Three tv stations and at least 2 newspapers will cover the event. A radio station may even carry it live. A foiled terrorist plot? Joe Riley stepping down as mayor? Has Google decided to move their headquarters and add 3,000 high paying jobs to Berkeley County? Nope. A teenage football player is announcing where he INTENDS to sign to play his college football. Such is life in the recruiting game. Teenage kids made to feel like the most important thing since.....Demetris Summers. Remember Summers? The all everything runningback from Lexington HS who never finished school or his 4 years of eligibility at South Carolina?
Now I realize I'm not exactly part of the solution because yes, WCIV is one of the tv stations that is covering this announcement. It's certainly nothing against Carlos Dunlap, the 6 foot 6 defensive end from Fort Dorchester who has called the news conference above. He just happens to be the latest example of a college football world gone mad. He's rated as a top 5 player in the whole country by a few recruiting "experts." But you have to wonder how screwed up the "experts" are when he's not even ranked in the top 100 by another national publication. I suspect he'll have a great college career, there aren't many guys his size returning kickoffs 95 yards for a touchdown. That's not the point. Back to Google. Do a search of football recruiting and 2.8 million results pop up. All the message board readers and experts out there who rank recruiting classes just like the Top 25 during the season. I used to say talk to me in 4 years when that class is in their senior year. Changing with the times and kids leaving early for the NFL, I now say talk to me in 2 years. You get the point. With all the players who don't make test scores, never really pan out, or get in trouble before they step foot on campus how can we know who has the 13th best class in America?
I look forward to watching Dunlap and all of the local signees in their college careers. I just wish there weren't so many people glued to their computers at 5 oclock just waiting for news to come out of a local high school.

Have an opinion? Email Josh at jmorton@abcnews4.com

The Best Weekend of NFL Football

You can have the Super Bowl. I'll take Conference Championship weekend any day, at least as a tv viewer. The Super Bowl is all about the show surrounding the game, but this weekend's NFC and AFC title games are all about the game. The atmosphere in Chicago and Indianapolis will be electric and then in 2 weeks in Miami the atmosphere will be.....corporate. Don't get me wrong I'll watch the Super Bowl, too. I'll just enjoy this weekend's doubleheader a lot more.

The 2nd Best Rivalry

Try saying "rivalry week" ten times fast. It's Dean Stephens least favorite time of year; the 4th Saturday in November. Let's assume the USC-Clemson rivalry is the best rivalry in the state. What about the 2nd best? I know you've been thinking of this exhilerating topic, too. Here are some possibilities to ponder:
Furman vs Wofford football
Paladins and Terriers have proximity on their side. They've also played some meaningful games the past few years
Citadel vs Furman football
Used to be better than it is, let's face it the Paladins have won 7 of the last 8 in the series
Newberry vs Presbyterian football
The Bronze Derby has to be in the top 5.....but with PC going D-1aa we may not see the rematch for quite some time. For the record the Blue Hose won the game in November so the bragging rights stay in Clinton.
USC Vs Clemson basketball
The game this year was overshadowed by Steve Spurrier's contract extension.
USC Vs Clemson baseball
I'd put this #2 right now for a few reasons. They are, of course, natural rivals and the two programs are in the top 5 in the country. Games are sold out whether they're played in 40 degree weather or 70 and sunny. When they played twice at the College World Series in 2002 the rest of America got a taste of the rivalry.
Citadel vs CofC basketball
The rest of the state would disagree and even Ed Conroy admits it's tough to call it much of a rivalry when the CofC has won the last 9 meetings. When the game is at the Citadel at least the atmosphere is special. The best seat in the house is on the baseline by the cadets. This month was pretty tame for the corps but you'll usually find some good homemade signs and plenty of homemade "slogans".
Can't wait to see if our new co-anchor Victoria Hansen can say "rivalry week"...tune in next November. In the meantime feel free to pass on some rivalry ideas.

It's a First For Sports 4

Yes, we're finally in the 21st century, thanks for having us. I'm looking forward to this blog for a couple of reasons. Number one, it will give us a chance to talk about sports beyond our normal sportscasts (which can be seen every night at 6 and 11pm on ABC News4). Number two, I look forward to getting all sorts of spam in my email account!
The first subject to tackle: the college football bowl system. Can we please have an 8 team playoff? Enough about the season being too long, enough about too many games, enough about taking away from the "bowl experience" for all of the 6-6 bowl bound schools.
As for the season being too long? Please....the title game was played on January 8th!
Too many games? Florida played 14 games....cut the regular season back to 11.
The bowl experience? Keep the bowl games as is, make the BCS bowls part of the playoffs. Do you think the Music City Bowl would have been less attractive to fans or tv viewers if the top 8 teams were in a playoff? I don't think so....as it was Kentucky and Clemson fans knew their teams weren't vying for a championship and they still sold out that game.
What do you think?