SPORTS
STORM CENTER COLUMN: Plenty of sports on Christmas, past and present
Let’s get the fanfare out of the way.
I wish you a Merry Christmas. Or if you are with the rest of us, let me wish you Happy Festivus.
Even though this holiday is a time for family, togetherness, presents, yuletide cheer and Jesus away in a manger, sports are certainly a part of the day’s docket.
When I was growing up in Connecticut, one of the events I looked forward to was the now-defunct Blue-Gray Football Classic – it was an all-star college football game in Montgomery, Ala.
The game – which pitted Grays from Confederate states versus Blues from northern states – was discontinued after 2003.
Jerry Rice was the most valuable player of the 1984 game.
It has been reported Rice’s performance in this game led then San Francisco 49ers head coach Bill Walsh to drafting him.
Gray won 33 of the games, while Blue took 29 and two of the games resulted in tie outcomes. Overall, 64 games were played, with the first one dating back to 1939.
The National Football League, like for Thanksgiving, has played games on Christmas Day.
However, in recent years, the NFL schedules games on Christmas only if it falls on a day normally used for games – Saturday, Sunday or Monday.
Here are this year’s Christmas TV games: Washington Wizards at New York Knicks, 11 a.m., ESPN; Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs, 1:30 p.m., ABC; Cleveland Cavaliers at Miami Heat, 4 p.m., ABC; Los Angeles Lakers at Chicago Bulls, 7 p.m., TNT; Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Clippers, 9:30 p.m., TNT.
Editor’s Note: The Storm Center column is the expressed written views of sports editor Eric Viccaro and not The Bowie News.
Bowie News sports editor Eric Viccaro. (News photo by Ryan Evans)
Nocona’s volleyball team headed to Bowie for a three-team scrimmage with the host team and Ponder Aug. 7.
Each team played the other two for 30 minutes in the Lady Rabbit gym. Lady Indian Coach Sandy Langford said she thought things went well for a first scrimmage.
“Just like any young team that is trying to find itself in a first scrimmage, We looked really good at times and at others not so much,” Langford said. “We’re forming a new team after losing a lot of seniors.”
Langford said the squad would have one thing go wrong and it would explode into several things. That will need to stop for a successful year in Langford’s mind.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
Bowie’s tennis team is now 3-3 for the non-district campaign with a 1-2 week.
In the Rabbits’ home opener Aug. 5 against Graham, Bowie posted a 13-6 match win with the girls completing a 9-0 sweep.
Jessi Mayfield and Angeles Alvarez won 9-8 (7-4) while Payton Goodwin and Maddie Schwarz were 8-1 winners as were Avery DeWeber and Avery Bonham.
In girl’s singles Willow Seibert won 8-2 in No.1 1 singles. Goodwin and Mayfield were each 8-5 winners. Alvarez posted an 8-1 win. Schwarz won 9-8 (8-5) with Deweber taking an 8-2 decision.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
Two major portions of Nocona’s 2023 bond issue are very close to being completed.
The new high school gym should be complete in time for the volleyball team to begin practice there Aug. 1, according to Superintendent Dr. David Waters. Ground on the 22,000 square foot facility was broken on Oct. 18, 2024.
Waters said a punch list meeting with the construction manager was scheduled for earlier this week with final touchups expected shortly afterwards. Fans should be able to enjoy the facility for the volleyball team’s season opener Aug. 11.
Fans will enjoy the new gym from entering the facility which has glass walls, enabling fans to watch the game from the foyer. Once inside the gym itself, there is stadium, chair back seating on the home side allowing for a much more comfortable experience.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
-
NEWS3 years agoSuspect indicted, jailed in Tia Hutson murder
-
NEWS4 years ago2 hurt, 1 jailed after shooting incident north of Nocona
-
NEWS3 years agoSO investigating possible murder/suicide
-
NEWS4 years agoWreck takes the life of BHS teen, 16
-
NEWS3 years agoMurder unsolved – 1 year later Tia Hutson’s family angry, frustrated with no arrest
-
Show us something good9 years agoCountry music star children perform in Bowie
-
100th Birthday4 years agoLooking back at the 1958 Centennial edition of The Bowie News
-
NEWS3 years ago
Sheriff’s office called out to infant’s death