Collapses and letdowns happen all the time in sports. Whether its brackets busting when No. 2 seeds fall to 15 seeds in the NCAA basketball tournament or the New England Patriots having their perfect season shattered in the Super Bowl by the New York Giants, upsets can be just as popular as teams winning championships. […]
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Legislation dangerous for high school sports
Do you have or will you have a son or daughter who participates in high school athletics in Florida? You may want to pay attention. There is a piece of legislation that, if passed, could send Florida high school sports into an era of free agency. The legislation — House Bill 1279 — would allow […]
Continue ReadingSHOW ME THE MAUNEY: Plant City flag football anything but ‘powderpuff’
While transitioning to high school coverage in Florida, I immediately discovered many differences between the prep sports scene in Georgia and that of the Sunshine State. Fall sports I was used to (softball) are now played in the spring. Spring sports, such as golf, are played in the fall; and soccer, a spring sport in […]
Continue ReadingSHOW ME THE MAUNEY: Pro soccer a good fit for Plant City
As I’ve written before, after accepting this job, I thoroughly researched Plant City and its sports scene. Being the sports historian I like to claim to be, I found out about Plant City Stadium and how it was the former spring training home to the Cincinnati Reds. Even though the Reds left town when I […]
Continue ReadingSHOW ME THE MAUNEY: March truly IS madness
I’ve always said the NCAA men’s basketball tournament is the greatest setup in sports. Football and baseball always will be two of my favorite sports, but the annual March tournament brings more excitement than any bowl game, World Series or Super Bowl. There’s no tournament quite like it; 68 teams have a chance to win […]
Continue ReadingSHOW ME THE MAUNEY: Club baseball offers talent, competition
With so many leagues and levels in the sports world, it is easy and understandable to get confused. Club baseball is a sport that I find many don’t completely understand. With Plant City building a reputation for being the home of spring training for collegiate club baseball, it’s important to clear up some questions some […]
Continue ReadingSHOW ME THE MAUNEY: Athletes sacrifice break for sports
While most high school students in the area are working on their tans or enjoying other spring break rituals, many area student-athletes are spending their week off the usual way — practicing and conditioning for the sport they love. The break affects teams and sports differently. Some have practices or conditioning earlier or later than […]
Continue ReadingCorny Strawberry Festival challenge accepted
When I decided to participate in the fried corn eating contest at this year’s Florida Strawberry Festival, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’ve been fascinated with competitive eating since I was a preteen. I remember the first time I saw the famous Nathan’s Coney Island hotdog eating contest, and in 2001, witnessed Japan’s Takeru […]
Continue ReadingSHOW ME THE MAUNEY: Classic opens eyes to new sport
As I drove down Cowart Road Saturday to arrive at the DI Polo Complex, I still wasn’t sure what to expect. I’ve covered a wide variety of sports in my still young career, from lacrosse and rugby to Le Mans racing, but the game of polo was still foreign to me. Rows of exotic cars […]
Continue ReadingSHOW ME THE MAUNEY: The true meaning of ‘student athlete’
We’ve all heard the stereotypes. Some popular ones include the derogatory phrases “meatheads” and “dumb jocks.” Athletes across the globe defy these misconceptions every day, and Plant City area athletes certainly are doing their part of squashing these stereotypes. The more I cover local high school sports teams, the more I take note of the […]
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