Well gang:
As I've said in previous posts, since I don't get the opportunity to catch a lot of local games, I really enjoy the times I am able to do so.
I caught the recent SUNY New Paltz women's basketball team playing in the conference playoffs, and I must say I walked away pretty impressed. They beat Potsdam to earn a berth in this weekend's SUNYAC final four.
It's been nearly 15 years since covering college hoops was my beat here, and at that time, women's hoops at New Paltz was decent, but this year's edition is the most skilled team I've seen there.
Coach Jamie Seward has done a nice job improving that squad in the short time -- two seasons -- he's been there.
I will also admit, while the relatively new Athletic & Wellness Center is a real treat to watch a game from, I kind of miss the old Elting Gymnasium. As a reporter, Elting was kind of a home away from the Freeman, so to speak and I have a lot of great memories and interviewed a lot of great people in that old gym.
Maybe I'm being a little nostalgic, but there's nothing wrong with that.
Until next time, take care and God bless.

Hey folks:
I just wanted to give a quick shout out to all the local boys and girls who made states in high school wrestling, swimming and skiing. Good job by you all and good luck at states.
Also, a quick congrats to the SUNY New Paltz women's basketball team that set a school record for wins in a season.
When I covered SUNY New Paltz athletics in the early-to-mid '90s, New Paltz had a pretty good women's basketball team. They had some lean years thereafter, but have seemed to rebound (pardon the pun) quite nicely the past couple of years.
It's great to see an area college basketball team succeed on that level. I'm not talking about Marist here because it is on a completely different level than the others.
Now, if some of the mojo surrounding the Hawks' women's team would rub off on their male counterparts at New Paltz, as well as Ulster County Community College's struggling programs, it would make for a very fun winter in the area.
Until next time, take care and God bless.

Hey gang:
I was watching talk radio on ESPN2 this morning and the hosts came up with an interesting question in regards to the whole Andy Pettitte, Roger Clemens, steroid saga.
If you were in Andy Pettitte's shoes and a close friend was in Roger Clemens' shoes, how far would you go to protect that friend?
Would you remember having a couple of conversations 5, 6, 7 years ago with your friend and him or her taking to you about taking steroids or Human Growth Hormone? Or would you swear under oath that you have no recollection of a conversation ever taking place?
How far does your loyalty extend?
The answers from viewers and listeners ran the spectrum from telling the hosts that a lie is a lie and one should never be told to protect anyone to some of them calling Pettitte a coward and a louse for "throwing his best friend under a bus."
In subsequent conversations I had with friends and family, answers were equally diverse.
My stance seems to change depending on who I speak with, meaning I must not feel completely behind one argument or the other.
But it does give us all a little food for thought, so I thought I'd ask you guys.
Until next time, take care and God bless.

Hey gang:
I don't know what you guys thought after watching Roger Clemens and his former trainer, Brian McNamee testify before Congress about steroids, but I thought it made for some good television.
Here's my take:
-- Do I believe Clemens took performance-enhancing drugs? Probably.
-- Do I believe the word of McNamee, who has lied to officials in the past? Probably not.
But seeing both get grilled by Congress was enough to make me laugh out loud.
The biggest negative for Clemens that came from Wednesday's session on the Hill is the deposition from good friend -- and former teammate -- Andy Pettitte, who not only agreed with McNamee about Pettitte's own HGH use, but revealed he had two conversations with Clemens where the Rocket admitted using HGH.
To his credit, Clemens continues to defend himself, saying Pettitte misunderstood both conversations, but the Pettitte deposition is, in my opinion, damaging.
In the end, don't be surprised to see a federal investigation as to whether Clemens was committing perjury with a possible indictment ala Barry Bonds somewhere down the road. I really don't care one way of the other, I just hope it's all on TV and it's as fun to watch as today's hearing.
Until next time, take care and God bless.

Well folks:
Now that the NFL is behind us, we can now turn our attention to my favorite sport -- baseball.
I can't believe we're a week away from pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training. It seemed liked only yesterday the Red Sox were sweeping the Rockies in the World Series.
And undoubtedly baseball will be in the headlines for the forseeasble future with everything going on with this whole Roger Clemens' saga. After reading that his former trainer can produce -- or has produced a bloody syringe which will show he injected Rocket with steroids seven years ago, two thoughts cross my mind.
1) Clemens better hope the evidence is bogus, or he might find himself sitting next to Barry Bonds in federal prison.
and
2) Gross!! Who the heck keeps a bloody syringe for like seven years. That really sounds creepy.
Anyway, I can't wait for that first pitch. Can you?
Until next time, take care and God bless.

Well folks:
All I could say after watching Super Bowl XLII is, "Wow!"
Not having a rooting interest for either the now-Super Bowl champion New York Giants or the now-once beaten New England Patriots, it was absolutely a blast to watch the game -- especially the second half.
Never in my wildest imagination did I think the Giants could stop the Pats' offense.
And in the end Eli Manning continued his emergence as a big-time quarterback, with a HUGE assist from little-known (outside of Giant fans' circles) David Tyree.
When I gave my prediction of the Patriots defeating the Giants, I ended my post with a question of where the Patriots -- with a win -- would rank among the best teams of all-time.
Now that gets replaced with this question.
How many of you Giants fans, who less than two months ago were saying the Giants will never win with Eli Manning as your quarterback and Tom Coughlin as your coach, now want to put these guys on the same lofty level as Phil Simms and Bill Parcells?
Just a thought.
Until next time, take care and God bless.

Ok gang:
You've waited patiently for my Super Bowl prediction, and I'm sure you've been waiting to get my pick before you all go out and bet the house on the big game :0) so here it is.
Patriots 38, Giants 17
I know what you're saying -- "Isn't this the exact score he predicted nearly two weeks ago?"
And I say, "You're right."
I said back then, I think the Patriots are too talented and too close to making history to stub their toe here. And that's not to take anything away from the Giants. They have proven to be the second best team in football.
That said, they're going against No. 1 and I just don't see it being that close.
The Pats have done nothing in my mind to think they won't be prepared for this game, and, if anything, the Giants have done most of the talking this week.
Sometimes, when it comes to talking to the media, you have to let sleeping dogs lie, but the Giants have certainly given Bill Belichick and the Patriots enough bulletin board material if they needed the extra motivation.
The bottom line is, the Patriots have been the far superior team in football all season and in the end I'm picking the best.
That said, here's a thought. Assuming a victory and a 19-0 season, where does this Patriots' team rank among all the other great teams? Would they have to be considered the greatest football team of all-time?
Just wondering what you all think.
Until next time, take care and God bless.