Musings and Ramblings: The Search for Character

As we close another decade in the sporting world, there seems to be an intertwining theme from athlete to athlete and from sport to sport. Over the past ten years, our favorite sports have been inundated with the specter of illegitimacy, lies, cheating, and other transgressions that shake the very foundational pillars of integrity among teams and players.

Across the wide gulf of the sports landscape, one need not look far to find examples of the sort of behavior from athletes that threaten what makes sports so enjoyable to watch and pleasurable to cover as a profession.

In American sports which pride themselves on honesty, integrity, and fair play, a plethora of bad press involving athletes plastered the headlines of both sports magazines and mainstream publications.

The BALCO doping affair in San Francisco which led to the demise of Marion Jones also shed negative light on the accomplishments of legendary slugger Barry Bonds, who broke records for single-season and career home runs under a cloud of controversy.

Bonds proved to be just one high-profile athlete whose name was connected with drug use. Stories became commonplace during the decade of additional baseball players allegedly using steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs in a storm of negative publicity for America’s Pastime. Well-known stars such as Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmeiro, Jason Giambi, Andy Pettitte, Roger Clemens, and Alex Rodriguez each at one time either admitted to or was alleged to have used performance enhancements to bolster their statistics or prolong their careers.

The National Basketball Association was rocked to its core when it was revealed that one of its own officials, Tim Donaghy, was entangled in a gambling ring and used his inside access for personal gain. The move cost Donaghy his freedom before his release from jail earlier this fall. The Association’s brightest star, Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant was involved in a court case when he was accused of and ultimately acquitted of sexual assault in Eagle, Colorado in 2003.

Even the National Football League has had to deal with off-the-field issues such as the Michael Vick dogfighting ring and the Plaxico Burress gun saga which brought a black eye to a league that puts great value upon its public image.

The decade ended with perhaps its most surprising character blow when Tiger Woods, the greatest golfer on the planet, drove his image deep into the woods when he was enveloped in a car accident on Thanksgiving night that bizarrely unraveled into a web of alleged multiple infidelities and marital strife.

Character compromise was not restricted to solely professional sports over the last decade. Marion Jones, who at the top of her game was a multiple gold medal winner in track and field at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, ended the decade in disgrace as allegations of doping were denied by Jones but later found to be accurate. The perjury cost Jones both her freedom for a time and her medals, which were stripped by the International Olympic Committee.

In 2002 another shot to the integrity of the Olympic Games, was fired. The 2002 bribery scandal and judging controversy in figure skating at Salt Lake City turned the Winter Games into a circus that eventually led to a new scoring system as well as a duplicate set of gold medals for Canadian pairs skaters Jamie Sale and David Pelletier.

The Little League World Series was not immune to the problem. Phenom pitcher Danny Almonte led his Bronx team to third place in the 2001 Little League World Series. For weeks rumors abounded that he was in fact much older than the required 12 years old. With a command of the mound well beyond his years and a blistering 70 miles per hour fastball, everyone everywhere was astounded by his ability, until it was revealed following private investigation that Almonte was actually 14 years old.

For all the stories of strife and blows to the integrity of sports through this past decade, there have thankfully been stories of triumph and character depth that instill hope that all has not been lost.

One of my favorite incidences from the past decade did not involve a Super Bowl player or a high-profile athlete. Instead it was the story of a girl who hit a home run but couldn’t run around the bases.

Western Oregon University softball player Sara Tucholsky hit her first home run during a college postseason game in 2008, but collapsed with shredded knee ligaments while tagging first base. If Tucholsky was unable to make it around the bases, she would be ruled out. If she was substituted, the hit would have only counted for a single, and receiving any physical assistance from teammates was against the rules.

Members of the Central Washington University softball team stunned their home crowd in Ellensburg by carrying Tucholsky around the bases so the three-run homer would count - an act that contributed to their own elimination from the playoffs.

Central Washington first baseman Mallory Holtman asked the umpire if she and her teammates could help Tucholsky. The umpire said there was no rule against it.

So Holtman and shortstop Liz Wallace put their arms under Tucholsky's legs, and she put her arms over their shoulders. The three headed around the base paths, stopping to let Tucholsky touch each base with her good leg. "It was the right thing to do," Holtman said in an interview later. "She'd hit it over the fence. She deserved the home run."

"It's kind of a big blur at the moment," Tucholsky said. "I didn't really realize what was going on until I actually had time to reflect on it. The only thing I remember is that Mallory asked me which leg was the one that hurt. I told her it was my right leg and she said, `OK, we're going to drop you down gently and you need to touch it with your left leg,' and I said `OK, thank you very much.' "

"In the end, it is not about winning and losing so much," Holtman said. "It was about this girl. She hit it over the fence and was in pain, and she deserved a home run."

This kind of story restores my hope that character is not lost in the games and sports we enjoy. My hope is that over the next ten years the inspiring and positive stories of character will far outweigh the scandals and negative indiscretions.

Lady Vikings Hold Off Draughn to Capture Christmas Holiday Invitational Championship

On Tuesday night, the Lady Vikings played for the Christmas Holiday Invitational Tournament title against the tourney host Draughn Lady Wildcats. Despite an ebb and flow of scoring and momentum shifts, the Lady Vikings stood tall in the end, earning the road victory by the final score of 62-55.

Avery raced out to an early lead, but Draughn battled back to draw within a pair of points at 15-13. In the second stanza, the teams played tough defense as Avery again extended a lead only to see Draughn anewer with a scoring run of its own. Avery held the lead at intermission, but only by one point at 27-26.

Following the halftime break, the Lady Vikings played with purpose and passion, quickly extending its thin margin to double-figures and carrying a 47-37 advantage into the final eight minutes of play.

Avery led by as many as 14 points in the fourth quarter, but the home team Lady Wildcats would not quit, scoring ten straight points in a stretch of slightly over two minutes to draw to within four points at 57-53. The Lady Vikings tightened their defense to counteract the Wildcats, however, blocking multiple shots and effectively rebounding the basketball.

The Lady Vikings controlled the game from the charity stripe as they drew a number of fouls in the closing two minutes and hit their free throws down the stretch to take the seven-point decision.

Viking senior Lauren Avery garnered All-Tournament honors as she registered a double-double in the win with 12 points and ten rebounds in addition to four steals and three assists. Teammate Sara Wiseman scored a team-high 15 points, along with nine rebounds and five blocks.

Katelynn Eudy, Tournament Most Valuable Player, scored ten points with nine rebounds. Avery's other All-Tournament selection Hayley Pyatte reached double-figures on the night with 13 points, five assists, and three steals. Elyse Perry chipped in with eight points, eight assists, five rebounds, and three steals.

Both Avery's ladies and men's teams return to action next week with three contests. Avery travels to Polk County on Tuesday, hit the road to Owen on Wednesday, and return home to host Madison on Friday, January 8th.

Lady Vikings Rout Leesville Road, Face Draughn in Holiday Tourney Title Game

The Avery Lady Vikings basketball squad traveled to Draughn High School in Valdese to take part in the Draughn Holiday Invitational Tournament on Monday night. Each of the 12 Avery players scored in the lopsided 56-27 win over Raleigh's Leesville Road Lady Pride.

Despite having not practiced since Christmas Eve and going 11 days since its last game against West Wilkes, Avery showed little rust or ill effects, jumping out to a 16-2 run through the first quarter of action. Senior Hayley Pyatte paced the Big Red with three baskets in the period, while Elyse Perry and Katelynn Eudy poured in four points each in the frame.

The Lady Vikings blitzed the Lady Pride, using their full-court press defense and height advantage inside to generate offensive opportunities and additional shots off rebounds. Draughn managed to pull as close as 20-8 in the second quarter, but a 10-3 scoring run in the final five minutes of the first half put the contest out of reach.

Sara Wiseman tallied five points in the second period to help the Lady Vikes to a 30-11 halftime advantage. In the second half, Avery continued to pour it on. leading 44-21 after three periods en route to the 29-point win.

Wiseman led the Big Red onslaught with 11 points, nine rebounds, and three steals. Katelynn Eudy added 10 points, five steals, and three rebounds. Elyse Perry scored eight points with four steals and two assists, while Lauren Avery and Hayley Pyatte added six points apiece.

In the nightcap, host school Draughn's Lady Wildcats took an easy 82-47 victory over Burns High School.

Avery takes on tournament host Draughn High School Tuesday evening at 7:30 p.m.

Middle School Fall and Winters Sports All-Conference Selections Announced

With the fall and winter sports completed, the Toe River Conference has named its middle school All-Conference squads for the school year’s sports thus far.

In football, the Avery Middle School Panthers placed seven student-athletes on the squad: Quarterbacks/wide receivers Chance Watson and Ty Polsgrove, as well as Luke Price, Scott Wiseman, Harley Rash, Hunter Johnson, and Chase Buchanan were named to the team.

Cranberry Middle School named a trio of players to the football All-Conference team, as Stetson Stafford, Harley Foster, and Jonah Tenge were named to the squad.

In girls volleyball, the conference tournament champion Avery Middle School Lady Panthers were well represented on the All-Conference team as Haley Woody, Juanita Guzman, and Shannon Smith were named All-Conference, while Ciara Laws, Breanna Heaton, and Lauren Burleson were selected as All-Tournament.

The Cranberry Lady Wildcats also placed multiple players on the All-Conference and All-Tournament teams. Katie Rigdon and Bethany Burleson were tabbed All-Conference for the Lady Wildcats, while McKenzie Hayes and Dani Carpenter were honored as All-Tournament.

Cranberry and Avery both achieved success on the basketball floor this past season, as noted by the number of players named to the respective post-season teams.

For the Wildcats, Tyler Pittman was named All-Conference in boys basketball, while the girls’ team was represented by Katie Rigdon and Bethany Burleson. Abby Thompson was named to the girls All-Tournament team, while Stetson Stafford was selected for the boys All-Tournament squad.

The Avery Middle School basketball teams also placed a number of players to the teams. Chance Watson and Chase Buchanan were named to the boys All-Conference team, while Buchanan and Ty Polsgrove made the All-Tournament team.

The Toe River Conference regular season and tournament champion Lady Panthers from Avery were well represented with postseason honors. Shannon Smith, Lauren Burleson, and Breanna Heaton got the All-Conference nod, while Haley Woody joined Burleson and Heaton on the ladies All-Tournament team.

Congratulations to the county’s middle school athletics programs on a terrific 2009 fall and winter sports season!

Lady Vikings Basketball in Action at Draughn Holiday Tournament

The Avery Lady Vikings varsity basketball team will return to the hardwood this afternoon at the Draughn Holiday Tournament in Burke County. Avery will take the floor today at 6 p.m. against the Pride from Leesville Road High School in Raleigh. The nightcap features host Draughn taking on perennial 2A power Burns High School at 8 p.m.

Losers of today's doubleheader of games will square off on Tuesday evening at 6 p.m., while the winners will meet in the tournament championship game at 8 p.m.

Hometown Johnson Quietly Makes Noise in ACC

By: Matt Laws (matt.laws@averyjournal.com)

Avery County native Paul Johnson is making waves in the ACC as his Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets claimed the ACC Championship. However, Johnson didn’t always see himself as a coach when he was growing up in Newland.

“I don’t know if I ever really thought about it,” Johnson said on if he thought of being a coach when he was a child. “That is something that you don’t really ever think about. I think when you’re growing up and you’re smaller, you probably just think about playing all the time, because that is what you want to think about as opposed to coaching. As I got older and progressed, I realized I wanted to be a coach.”

That transition to coaching couldn’t have gone any better for Johnson. After stops at Avery County High School, Lees-McRae College, Georgia Southern, Hawaii, and Navy as an assistant coach, Johnson finally got his chance to be a head coach in 1997 when he went to Georgia Southern. There, the Eagles marched to a 62-10 record in Johnson’s tenure that included two straight national titles as well as five straight Southern Conference titles. In 2002, Johnson took over a Navy program where his reign saw the Midshipmen beat Notre Dame for the first time since 1963 as well as five straight bowl bids and Commander-in-Chief’s trophies. The success along the way led to Johnson being selected just the 12^th coach in Georgia Tech history.

“Once my coaching career started, I was fortunate to work around some good people and had some great players and had some success fairly early and moved up the ladder pretty quickly,” Johnson said. “So it worked out.”

At Georgia Tech, Johnson has led the Ramblin’ Wreck to two straight bowl games including an Orange Bowl berth this season as a result of an 11-2 season and being ACC champions. However, an ACC title was not unexpected for Johnson or his team.

“That is the ultimate goal,” Johnson said. “I think that is what you are shooting for. We were disappointed we tied for our division the first year with Virginia Tech and lost on the tie breaker. This year, we were fortunate enough to win the division and championship game. Certainly, that is what you are trying to do when the season starts.”

In the Orange Bowl, Georgia Tech will face a stiff challenge from the Big 10 in Iowa. The Hawkeyes were in early national title contention until a couple of late season losses when quarterback Ricky Stanzi fell to injury. The Hawkeyes are currently ranked 10^th in the AP poll, a spot behind the Ramblin’ Wreck.

“We know that they are going to be a good team,” Johnson said. “Anytime you play a team in the top ten, all of them are pretty good. We have to get ready to play and it will be a challenge to get ready for them.”

The Orange Bowl is on January 5th. As a winner of two national championships at Georgia Southern, Johnson has had experience on both sides of the BCS debate, and he made it clear which of the two systems he preferred.

“I’d like to have a playoff system if they could figure out how to do it,” Johnson said. “I think that is the best way to do it. We are the only sport in the NCAA that doesn’t have one so I think they will eventually have one rather it be a plus-one or a four or eight team playoff. I think they will eventually have one. It’s coming; it’s just a matter of time.”

Overall, Johnson looks to the build the Yellow Jackets into a national champion, regardless of what playoff system is used.

“We are just in the progress of trying to build a program that can compete for a national championship,” Johnson said. “We still got some work to do, but we have made a lot of progress in year two. Hopefully we can remain consistent and keep getting better.”

Despite the coaching success, Johnson hasn’t forgotten his hometown roots. The Georgia Tech coaching staff hosted Avery High School’s football coaches.

“It’s always fun,” Johnson said. “They came down to a clinic and came down to practice. You want to try and help them anyway you can, and certainly they are welcome to come here and we will share whatever we got.

You always pull for your hometown school and I hope they do well.”

In addition to the Avery staff, Georgia Tech also hosted Appalachian coach Jerry Moore and staff for a couple of days in the spring. Even though Johnson is coaching in a BCS conference, it doesn’t mean he has forgotten about Avery County.

“I think you always have a soft spot for the place that you grew up,” Johnson said. “There are a lot of great people there, and we enjoy getting back there whenever we can.”

The Avery Journal-Times would like to thank Coach Johnson for granting us a phone interview as well as Dean Buchan in the Georgia Tech Sports Information for all of his assistance.