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It’s hip to join these superstars
Commentary by KEVIN TRAVIS, Sports Editor
Bo Jackson, Jack Nicklaus, Mike Krzyzewski and I will soon have something in common.
No, we’re not all linked as greats of the sports world. I’ll never be able to run over somebody as hard as Jackson did when he was a running back with the Oakland Raiders.
However, I once threw for seven touchdowns in a backyard football game with friends. My older brother, Scott, was the recipient of six of them. It was easy -- just throw the ball up high and he’d come down with it. Not to brag or anything, but I once fooled a defender into thinking I had already thrown the pass as he wrapped his arms around my waist to tackle me. As Bobby Whewell started to bring me down, I shouted, “yes!” and tricked him into thinking I had released the ball. He dropped to his knees in disgust. As he was looking up at me, I fired a pass to my brother for yet another score. It was a thing of beauty.
I’ll never be able to hit a baseball as far as Jackson did when he was with the Kansas City Royals. However, I do have a good eye for the baseball. Not to brag or anything, but I once led the legion league in hitting at a cool .667 clip.
I should probably mention that my total at bats for the season was three. Yep, I collected two hits, and they came in my first two at bats.
After attending a friend’s wedding, I was asked to fill in at right field for somebody who couldn’t play that day. In my first at bat, I’m pretty sure I closed my eyes, stuck out my bat on the second pitch, and the ball plopped into center field for a single.
In my second at bat, feeling a little more confident, I took a full swing and slapped a single into left.
My streak came to an end in the third at bat, as the shortstop made a nice lunging grab to rob me of a hit.
I won’t even talk about my fielding skills. Let’s just say I’m no Gold Glover.
I’ll never be able to hit a driver like Nicklaus. However, I have been known to shoot some low scores.
Not to brag or anything, but I once made two holes-in-one in a row.
Of course, I should mention that it was miniature golf. And I still lost, even though my little brother, Gregg, got bit by fire ants. That will teach him to wear flip flops to play golf.
I’ll never know the game of basketball like Krzyzewski. However, I have been know to possess some skills. I once drained a sweet jumper over Scott Huff, which drew oohs and ahhs from the crowd. Who is Scott Huff? He played for a season or two on the Hudson High School basketball team.
Okay, so he wasn’t exactly Ben Wallace. And I wasn’t exactly LeBron James. Come to think of it, LeBron might not have even been born at the time. But it felt so good.
What will soon link Jackson, Nicklaus, Krzyzewski and myself is totally hip. On Monday, I’ll be having total hip replacement surgery. Just like the legends before me, I will be getting a new hip.
It will be performed by Dr. John L. Masonis (I’m putting his name here in hopes that he’ll treat me extra special or give me some kind of discount!) at the Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte.
Dr. Masonis knows all about athletes. He was a captain of the football team at Lehigh University. So with my past exploits and future dreams, I’m sure he’ll take extra good care of me.
Maybe next summer I’ll challenge Terrance Copper to see if he can get open to catch a pass while I’m defending him. Or maybe I’ll see if Ryan Zimmerman, a member of the Washington Nationals who was born here in Washington, can get a hit off me.
Or maybe I’ll see if I can try out for Coach K’s team. Of course, my eligibility ran out about two decades ago. Or maybe I’ll challenge Damien Wilkins to a little one-on-one on the hardwood.
The possibilities are endless. And I’ll have plenty of time to think about them while I’m recuperating, hopefully with a beautiful nurse taking care of me.
Now that would be hip.
Kevin Travis is the sports editor of the Washington Daily News. You may reach him at 940-4217 or by e-mail at Kevin@wdnweb.com. However, he will be out of the office for most of July. You may contact John Swartz (940-4216 or john@wdnweb.com) or Brian Haines (940-4218 or brian@wdnweb.com) during this time.
Bo Jackson, Jack Nicklaus, Mike Krzyzewski and I will soon have something in common.
No, we’re not all linked as greats of the sports world. I’ll never be able to run over somebody as hard as Jackson did when he was a running back with the Oakland Raiders.
However, I once threw for seven touchdowns in a backyard football game with friends. My older brother, Scott, was the recipient of six of them. It was easy -- just throw the ball up high and he’d come down with it. Not to brag or anything, but I once fooled a defender into thinking I had already thrown the pass as he wrapped his arms around my waist to tackle me. As Bobby Whewell started to bring me down, I shouted, “yes!” and tricked him into thinking I had released the ball. He dropped to his knees in disgust. As he was looking up at me, I fired a pass to my brother for yet another score. It was a thing of beauty.
I’ll never be able to hit a baseball as far as Jackson did when he was with the Kansas City Royals. However, I do have a good eye for the baseball. Not to brag or anything, but I once led the legion league in hitting at a cool .667 clip.
I should probably mention that my total at bats for the season was three. Yep, I collected two hits, and they came in my first two at bats.
After attending a friend’s wedding, I was asked to fill in at right field for somebody who couldn’t play that day. In my first at bat, I’m pretty sure I closed my eyes, stuck out my bat on the second pitch, and the ball plopped into center field for a single.
In my second at bat, feeling a little more confident, I took a full swing and slapped a single into left.
My streak came to an end in the third at bat, as the shortstop made a nice lunging grab to rob me of a hit.
I won’t even talk about my fielding skills. Let’s just say I’m no Gold Glover.
I’ll never be able to hit a driver like Nicklaus. However, I have been known to shoot some low scores.
Not to brag or anything, but I once made two holes-in-one in a row.
Of course, I should mention that it was miniature golf. And I still lost, even though my little brother, Gregg, got bit by fire ants. That will teach him to wear flip flops to play golf.
I’ll never know the game of basketball like Krzyzewski. However, I have been know to possess some skills. I once drained a sweet jumper over Scott Huff, which drew oohs and ahhs from the crowd. Who is Scott Huff? He played for a season or two on the Hudson High School basketball team.
Okay, so he wasn’t exactly Ben Wallace. And I wasn’t exactly LeBron James. Come to think of it, LeBron might not have even been born at the time. But it felt so good.
What will soon link Jackson, Nicklaus, Krzyzewski and myself is totally hip. On Monday, I’ll be having total hip replacement surgery. Just like the legends before me, I will be getting a new hip.
It will be performed by Dr. John L. Masonis (I’m putting his name here in hopes that he’ll treat me extra special or give me some kind of discount!) at the Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte.
Dr. Masonis knows all about athletes. He was a captain of the football team at Lehigh University. So with my past exploits and future dreams, I’m sure he’ll take extra good care of me.
Maybe next summer I’ll challenge Terrance Copper to see if he can get open to catch a pass while I’m defending him. Or maybe I’ll see if Ryan Zimmerman, a member of the Washington Nationals who was born here in Washington, can get a hit off me.
Or maybe I’ll see if I can try out for Coach K’s team. Of course, my eligibility ran out about two decades ago. Or maybe I’ll challenge Damien Wilkins to a little one-on-one on the hardwood.
The possibilities are endless. And I’ll have plenty of time to think about them while I’m recuperating, hopefully with a beautiful nurse taking care of me.
Now that would be hip.
Kevin Travis is the sports editor of the Washington Daily News. You may reach him at 940-4217 or by e-mail at Kevin@wdnweb.com. However, he will be out of the office for most of July. You may contact John Swartz (940-4216 or john@wdnweb.com) or Brian Haines (940-4218 or brian@wdnweb.com) during this time.
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