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Remembering Ross Browner

It’s a rite of passage if you wore your West Side Pride like a war medal in those years. Those years -- the Golden Era of Warren High School football -- ran from the split of the public high school that formed Western Reserve as an immediate rival to Warren G. Harding in 1966 through 1975. During that time the city produced two state champions (Reserve in 1972 and Harding in ‘74) and a state runner-up (Reserve in ‘73). Warren was arguably the center of the Ohio scholastic football universe, and in 1972 it came to a grand culmination with a 37-6 win by the Raiders over ...

Looking forward to another year on the lake

The new year is as fresh as it can be, full of promise and opportunity for those who look ahead to whatever awaits up around the bend. New year’s optimism is kind of the way I also see fishing. The slate is clean. Disappointments are in the rearview mirror. Like the angler who sees the next cast as the one that will hit pay dirt, we look to the new year as the one that will deliver new highs. Let me say up front that I’m not going to complain about 2021. Some days were better than others (in general and on the water), and all of them were worth every breath I invested in ...

Bowl game opt-outs are not a bad thing

We’ve seen it happen already in professional sports leagues like the NBA and NFL. Now, the balance of power is shifting in college football. No longer are players beholden to their “corporate masters” — their respective universities and athletic departments. More and more, players like Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett and Ohio State receivers Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson will opt out of playing in relatively meaningless bowl games in order to preserve their bodies and draft stock as they begin preparation for the NFL Draft. Like it or not, player opt outs will continue to ...

Gradishar deserves Football HOF nod

It’s funny that I have to write another one of these. Not funny in a “ha ha” kind of way, but more of a “Seriously? You’re actually making me do this again?” kind of way. The Pro Football Hall of Fame selection committee has once again decided to carry on the tradition of missing the mark. With its nominee pool for the Class of 2022 down to 15 finalists, there were bound to be some great names left off. Around two years ago, I wrote a column talking about Champion High School alumnus Randy Gradishar’s exclusion from the expanded Hall of Fame class in celebration of ...

Already looking forward to next fishing season

Sometime later today, when the relatives have gone home, your house is finally quiet and you are relaxing in your favorite recliner next to your beautiful Christmas tree, you will dream ahead to the upcoming fishing season. We who are anglers have a special wanderlust when it comes to traveling to places where we can cast our lines. No matter how many successful fishing trips we have logged in our memories, we always yearn for the next one – and then the one after that one. Christmas is such a special time for families, friends, festivities and magical moments that accrue over the ...

Local angler shares his Christmas wish list

Wow. It’s getting serious now. The countdown to Christmas is in the single digits and the holiday hustle is accelerating. While it’s the season of giving and getting, Christmas of course is about so much more than “stuff.” It’s the traditional time of family gatherings, joyous parties, giggling children and shell-shocked parents. It’s the season to celebrate faith and to share our blessings with people who make our lives whole. Christmas is a pitstop in our lap around the sun. It’s a time to stop for a moment to rest and recharge for the new year that awaits our ...