Click here to access all three episodes of the podcast ---------------------- The first time I walked into Rhodes Stadium on the campus of Elon University one thought immediately jumped into my mind. “Bill Hunter would have never believed this to be possible.” This happened in 2007, nine years after Hunter’s death in 1998 from cancer … Continue reading An Elon Football Odyssey: The impossible became possible (includes photo gallery)
Elon football and athletics
Elon friends remember Mark Foley with lasting gift
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is a story I wrote a couple of years ago about a very special and unusual scholarship for a football player at Elon. It was first published in the Magazine of Elon in 2019. Ryan Whitehead, pictured above with many of the donors of to the Mark Foley Scholarship, is now an … Continue reading Elon friends remember Mark Foley with lasting gift
From the Wayback Machine: Tribute to a true sports writing legend
The other day I wrote about the sad departure of Burlington Times-News sports editor Bob Sutton after 25 years due to corporate layoffs related to the merger of GateHouse Media and Gannett. I noted then that I had worked with the best sports editor in the newspaper's history -- the late Bill Hunter -- and … Continue reading From the Wayback Machine: Tribute to a true sports writing legend
The bumpy road for Elon’s John Brebbia to the major leagues
John Brebbia became the first Elon University baseball player to make the major leagues since 2008 the hard way. He rode a lot of buses, ate a lot of fast food on the go, saw some parts of the country many never do; and endured being released -- basically told his career was over -- … Continue reading The bumpy road for Elon’s John Brebbia to the major leagues
UPDATED AGAIN: Here today, gone tomorrow: The coaching carousel spins
UPDATED TO ADD LINK to interview with new James Madison coach Curt Cignetti by Adam Smith of the Burlington Times-News and the breaking news Sunday night that Elon is going to announce its new coach on Monday. Monday I added the news that defensive coordinator Tony Trisciani is the new head football coach at Elon. … Continue reading UPDATED AGAIN: Here today, gone tomorrow: The coaching carousel spins
The curious case of Joe Golombek is neither myth, nor hoax
Let me begin by stating that this isn't one of those "Sidd Finch" stories. It's not April 1, either. But the strange tale of a former Elon football player from the 1930s and '40s named Joe Golombek could very easily be dismissed as myth, hoax or both. His story is a bizarre one that took … Continue reading The curious case of Joe Golombek is neither myth, nor hoax
A new era of glory for Elon football
Last spring I decided to do something I had never really even considered before: Attend a college spring football game. It was a nice day -- almost summerlike -- so I thought, "why not?" I figured it might be interesting to see the result of spring workouts for the Elon University football team. In all … Continue reading A new era of glory for Elon football
The Elon football connection to … Bill Belichick?
The print issue of Sports Illustrated this week -- well, make that this month since it appears the magazine will no longer be published on a regular weekly basis -- contains an interesting story on the long-standing friendship of arguably the greatest NFL coach of all time and his counterpart on the collegiate level. I'm … Continue reading The Elon football connection to … Bill Belichick?
Nick Saban’s coaching tree yields a promising acorn at Elon
In all the post-game hoopla following the University of Alabama's stunning 26-23 overtime victory over SEC rival Georgia in the FBS national title game Monday night, I took note of an on-field TV interview with Crimson Tide head football coach Nick Saban. He had just tied legendary Alabama coach Paul "Bear" Bryant for the most … Continue reading Nick Saban’s coaching tree yields a promising acorn at Elon
One more view from the press box
I was asked a few weeks ago if I would be interested in writing a story for Elon University's alumni magazine about the magical season then unfolding for the Phoenix football team. As a former (or reformed) sports writer from my newspaper past and a sometime contributor to the Magazine of Elon I was a … Continue reading One more view from the press box
Madison's Avenue 