SportsDominion story gets mention on SI.com

The SportsDominion story on Venus Williams’ visit to Virginia last week (“Williams on the prowl for slams, opportunities to effect change,” Oct. 25) earned mention in the weekly Tennis Mailbag column of Sports Illustrated writer Jon Wertheim today.
Check it out for yourself here.

Cara’s story says it all – never give up hope

Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

I always wonder how I would react if I had everything taken away from me and had to fight to get it back.
Cara Atkins has been there, done that – and says it is the most difficult thing you can imagine having to go through.
“It’s been really difficult – but I’ve been able to stay positive throughout it all. Because there are good plans for me – and there are bigger things ahead,” said Atkins, now 30, who was left in a coma following a 1997 car accident in Rockingham County involving a drunk driver.
In the immediate aftermath of the accident, doctors told her mother, Darlene Spitler, that Cara was not expected to recover from the coma and that she should consider putting her into a nursing home to provide for her long-term care.
But Atkins beat the odds – waking from her coma after 12 weeks and leaving the hospital five months into what has become an 11-year journey back from brain injury.
As is chronicled in the book From Coma to College: The Reconstruction of Cara Atkins from Severe Traumatic Brain Injury Caused by a Drunken Driver, it is something that Atkins will be dealing with the rest of her life. Read more

Sime gets nod from local paper in 24th Senate race

Item by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

The first newspaper endorsement in the 24th Senate District race is in – and you might be surprised who received it.
The News Virginian has endorsed Libertarian nominee Arin Sime in the three-way race with incumbent Republican Emmett Hanger and Democratic nominee David Cox.
The paper said that among the three, “Sime’s views are the most alluring.”
“He favors a constitutional amendment to block the abuse of eminent domain, has compiled a detailed platform on open government, backs school choice and promises he will not raise taxes,” the paper said in its endorsement.
“Fresh thinking such as his is a rarity in an era of knee-jerk, party-line politics,” the paper said.

The Decline and Fall of the Wrestling Civilization

Story by Chris Graham
sportsdom@ntelos.net

It used to be my dirty little secret – I was a professional wrestling fan, and that meant that Monday nights were booked up, and when the circus was in town, I had to be there at ringside, if not closer.
And then something happened this summer that changed things for me forever as far as my dirty little secret was concerned. Read more

Could gas tax be area for vulnerability for Hanger?

Column by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

One area where Emmett Hanger could be vulnerable in his re-election bid in the 24th Senate District is in the area of taxes – particularly with his record of supporting an increase in the state gasoline tax. Read more

Welcome to the Great Depression

Carly at the Movies column by Carl Larsen

Saw a couple of really depressing movies this week – “Gone Baby Gone,” currently playing at The Dixie Theater in Staunton, and “Rendition” now at the Regal multiplex up in Harrisonburg. Each, in its own way, is enough to keep me gloomy until the big Holiday Depression sets in around Thanksgiving. Have a nice day. Read more

Hanger understands the legislative process

Op-Ed by Holly Herman

Unfortunately political ideology and real-life at the Virginia General Assembly are vastly different. Many people say Richmond isn’t accomplishing what it needs to benefit Virginia. In some cases that’s true, but more than not our Commonwealth earns high ranks. A little background may help to explain the seemingly slow pace and why we need to return Sen. Emmett Hanger to Richmond to fight for us all. Read more

Forumpalooza

Winners and Losers column by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

WINNERS: Augusta County voters
I counted eight candidates in four contested races and two others running unopposed in attendance at the candidates forums sponsored by The Augusta Free Press and The New Dominion last week.
Credit to the candidates for arriving early, staying late, talking with constituents before and after the forums, and otherwise engaging to the utmost in the process.
I can rightly say now that it’s over with that Augusta County will be in good hands no matter what happens on Nov. 6. Read more

Barber dishes on NFL, ‘07 Cavs

Story by Chris Graham
sportsdom@ntelos.net

Tiki Barber doesn’t shy away from the notion that he at least wanted to be a great NFL player.
Nor does the University of Virginia alum and retired New York Giants star step back from admitting that he wants to be a great in the world of television broadcasting.
“I used to always try to determine what greatness meant – and as a football player, all I wanted to do was be consistent, do the same thing over and over and over again, and have people come to depend and rely on me,” said Barber, who was in Charlottesville last week to sign copies of his book Tiki: My Life in the Game and Beyond. Read more

A week of losers

Winners and Losers column by Chris Graham
sportsdom@ntelos.net

LOSERS: Everybody
Virginia Tech blows a 10-point lead in the final 2:11, Virginia blows one on the road at 2-5 N.C. State, the ‘Skins get their doors blown off in Foxboro …
Basketball season can’t be too far off. Can it?

LOSER: A Boy Not Named Sewell
Peter Lalich had his chance Saturday night in Raleigh.
Jameel Sewell, he of the back-to-back-to-back game-winning fourth-quarter drives, was on the bench nursing a leg injury.
It was Lalich’s to lose.
Admittedly, the deck wasn’t stacked in his favor.
But …

LOSER: Sean Glennon
The kid did well (15-for-25, 149 yards, 1 TD) – and he should have beaten the #2 team in the country.
Hell, the only thing he did wrong was not run out with the hands team to get the onsides kick with 2:11 to go and cover the ball.
That said, Virginia Tech ended up on the wrong side of a 14-10 score that could have, should have, been in its favor.

LOSER: Al Groh
Yeah, so I’m firing up the hot seat again.
(And yeah, I’m a loon. But this is how I roll.)
Ahem. Just as before last Saturday night Virginia fans could look at a schedule including Wake Forest, Miami and Virginia Tech and say, We can win all three of those, they can now also look at the schedule and say, Er, we could go out and lose all three of those, too.
I said before the season (to maniacal laughter from most who heard me say it) that I thought the Cavs could easily go 6-1 or even 7-0 at the start of the season – then fade mightily down the stretch.
I also said (to muffled giggles) that I thought Al Groh needed eight wins with this team against this schedule to keep his job.
He’s still only got the seven.
So …

JMU-Richmond game blog

The SportsDominion is live at Bridgeforth Stadium in Harrisonburg for today’s matchup between the sixth-ranked JMU Dukes and the 14th-ranked Richmond Spiders.
Join us here for commentary and analysis during the game – and after the final whistle, come back right here for a special broadcast of “The SportsDominion Show” featuring postgame comments from JMU coach Mickey Matthews, UR coach Dave Clawson and players from both teams.

Riverheads District forum – Oct. 25, 2007

Listen to the forum for candidates for the Riverheads District seat on the Augusta County Board of Supervisors sponsored by The Augusta Free Press and The New Dominion that was held on Oct. 25.
Download the forum here.
   
  

Next Page »