It is a commonly debated topic. Should young athletes turn professional when their age still ends with “teen?” NBA stars such as Kobe Bryant and Lebron James had multi-million dollar contracts and sponsorship deals as soon as they graduated high school. Now, the NBA requires athletes to play one year of college ball before being […]
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SHOW ME THE MAUNEY: McBride puts PCHS in national spotlight
Last week, Montel McBride was playing the “NCAA 14” video game on Playstation 3, in Oregon. It was a full week before the game was released to the public (Tuesday). “It was a ball,” he says. But playing a new video game wasn’t the only thing McBride was doing in Beaverton, Ore., the home of […]
Continue ReadingSHOW ME THE MAUNEY: Time flies when you’re having fun
It’s hard to believe that it has already been a full year for the Plant City Observer. It seems like just yesterday that I was meeting all the coaches at local schools and scoping out the sports scene here. The great thing about this job is it allows me to go out and meet some […]
Continue ReadingSHOW ME THE MAUNEY: AAU karate kids show dedication
One of the great things about this job is that it allows me to be exposed to sports outside of my comfort zone — sports that I otherwise probably would never learn about. Last week, I was able to attend the last training session for six karate students at the Chris Welbon Karate Club, 602 […]
Continue ReadingSHOW ME THE MAUNEY: Athletes prove anything is possible
If there is one lesson that should be taken away from recent stories in the sports section of the Plant City Observer, it’s that great things are possible with hard work and dedication. In the past few weeks, we have brought you stories of overcoming great odds and local athletes achieving great things. This underlying […]
Continue ReadingSHOW ME THE MAUNEY: Spring season produces memorable moments
It’s been a memorable spring season for Plant City’s high school teams. Of the six local baseball and softball teams, five advanced to regionals. All three softball teams won their respective regional quarterfinal games, and Durant baseball advanced all the way to the state championship. The Plant City High flag football team and boys tennis […]
Continue ReadingSHOW ME THE MAUNEY: No shame for Durant as runner-up
I’ve always hated the term “overachieving” in a sports conversation. It’s often used to refer to teams that exceeded expectations, whether that may be having an above .500 season or winning a championship. But, it discredits teams. If a team does something that some view as “overachieving,” I see it as realizing the team’s true […]
Continue ReadingSHOW ME THE MAUNEY: Durant more than Danish
Every team is bigger than one player — even if that player may be the best in the state. No one can deny a big reason Durant’s baseball team in its position is Tyler Danish, a University of Florida commit who likely will go in the top rounds of this summer’s Major League Baseball draft. […]
Continue ReadingSHOW ME THE MAUNEY: Single elimination unfair to athletes
We’ve all heard the expression “on any given day,” when referring to a team’s chances of winning. In no two sports is this more true than in baseball and softball. From Little League to the pros, every team — no matter their record or talent level — has a solid chance of winning as soon […]
Continue ReadingSHOW ME THE MAUNEY: Plant City Stadium options intriguing
For those of you who don’t know, Plant City Stadium is still looking for a longterm leaser or outright new owner. The Plant City Commission rejected April 22, a proposal from Big League Dreams Inc. The company, which specializes in creating smaller replicas of famous major-league ballparks and leasing them to the public, made the […]
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