Fourth national title for Connecticut sure looks inviting

Connecticut has now won four national championships in men’s basketball. By defeating Kentucky tonight in a battle that really was in question until the last minute — who out there didn’t think that the Wildcats had it in them to hit two three-pointers to tie it and send it into overtime? — the Huskies won…

A title game left for the ‘Cats and Dogs

Everybody who had Kentucky vs. Connecticut in the title game on your NCAA Tournament bracket raise your hand. Yeah, right. When the Wildcats and Huskies meet tonight in Texas with the national championship on the line, it will mark the highest combination of seeds ever in tournament final history. In other words, the college basketball…

Running in the mud is not my ticket

There are special events set up for people to run in the mud. This I know because my wonderful daughter Elisabeth and her fantastic boyfriend George participate in these races. Last year it was the Warrior Run. Elisabeth jumped a pit of hot coals. Or maybe it was a pit of quicksand. Anyway, my daughter,…

At the end of the line was a Train concert

I thought my days of standing in line to buy concert tickets were decades in my rear view mirror. Then the announcement that Train was coming to the New York State Fair Grandstand this August flashed before us. And I saw the look in my dear wife Karen’s eyes. I was No. 3 in line…

Where should I put a ring on it?

So Ellie B aka Dogamous Pyle and I were circling past a Syracuse Housing Authority complex a half-dozen blocks from our home in the city neighborhood of Eastwood. Ellie B’s nose was down as we strolled past the halfway point in our walk. My eyes were down, too. And I spotted a couple of coins…

The lid is off our baseball season

Opening day was a success in Syracuse Thursday afternoon. Even though the Syracuse Chiefs lost the game to 4-1 to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. As the season unfolds, victories for the Triple A-affiliate of the Washington Nationals will indeed become important. But on this opening day, of more significance was the fact that 6,661 fans showed…

A concert for learning from Grupo Pagan

Over 20 years, I’ve admired Edgar Pagan the man and Edgar Pagan the music maker. The Syracuse band leader of Grupo Pagan is once again bringing both sides of his generous personality together to present “Bringing the World Together in Syracuse 2014.” The show starts at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 5, at The Palace Theater…