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Piedmont Triad Sports Club - Newsletters |
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PTSC NEWSLETTER VOLUME 4, ISSUE #6, DEC. 2005
AREA COLLEGE BASKETBALL COACHES ADDRESS CLUB
The head men's basketball coaches at the eight colleges or universities in the region provided insights regarding the prospects of their respective teams and their individual coaching philosophies at a luncheon meeting of the Piedmont Triad Sports Club on October 11th. As many members and guests enjoyed a fine meal in a comfortable meeting room near the basketball court in Lawrence Joel Coliseum in Winston-Salem, each coach approached the podium to make comments. Although the coaches were optimistic and looking forward to the beginning of formal practice sessions within a few days, they also emphasized the prevalence of youth on their teams.
The club wishes to thank each of the following coaches for their attendance at this meeting for their entertaining and informative remarks: Skip Prosser of Wake Forest University, Mike Dement of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Jerry Eaves of North Carolina A & T State University, Ernie Nestor of Elon University, Bart Lundy of High Point University, Philip Stitt of Winston-Salem State University, Tom Palombo of Guilford College, and Bryan Galuski of Greensboro College.
The meeting was closed in an appropriate manner as Coach Stitt of Winston-Salem State offered an articulate tribute to the influence of Clarence "Bighouse" Gaines upon his players, his fellow coaches, and the game of basketball.
PTSC PUZZLERS:
Who are the three former Duke players to be inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame?
(The answer may be found below, following the "Editor's View")
EDITOR'S VIEW, by Francis Kinlaw:
When the coaches of eight men's basketball teams in the region addressed the Piedmont Triad Sports Club on October 11th, one only hoped that these men and their respective teams will meet with more success in the next few weeks of their seasons than football coaches from North Carolina's four ACC colleges have experienced in the first half of their campaigns. When Jim Grobe of Wake Forest, Marvin Sanders of UNC, Scott Brown of Duke, and Gary Hahn of North Carolina State appeared before the club in early August, each expressed enthusiasm about the prospects of the approaching seasons while reminding fans that injuries, inexperienced players, and lack of depth could present problems. After a few weeks of the football season, none of the "Big Four" coaches can be pleased with the results of their early games.
The North Carolina State Wolfpack has been plagued by damaging penalties on offense and defense that have caused discontent among its huge fan base. A close loss to Virginia Tech was followed by a meaningless blowout of Eastern Kentucky, but the distress level increased markedly with a surprising loss in Raleigh to arch-rival UNC. A narrow victory over Georgia Tech produced a temporary state of normalcy, but a decisive loss to Clemson brought things to a boil again.
The North Carolina Tar Heels opened with losses to Georgia Tech and Wisconsin before bouncing back with the wins over N.C. State and Utah. But a crushing 69-14 defeat to Louisville left those in light blue wondering again whether their team had actually improved defensively. The remainder of the season may provide the answer.
Wake Forest was disappointed by a loss to Vanderbilt in its first game and by an offensive meltdown at Nebraska. Then, after defeating East Carolina in a high-scoring affair and losing to Maryland, the Deacons squeaked by Clemson in the final minute and lost to two powerhouses, Florida State and Boston College. The contest with BC was particularly disheartening because a big lead that had been built by Wake's solid play in the first half disappeared in the game's final moments.
After seven games, Duke could claim a single victory (over VMI) and derive a degree of solace from a competitive game against East Carolina. Lopsided losses to Virginia Tech, Virginia, Navy, Miami, and Georgia Tech made the other five Saturdays anything but satisfying.
Fortunately, there is no link between the fortunes of the football coaches and the basketball coaches. In fact, the intense level of interest in basketball throughout the area may relieve the amount of pressure on the football coaches by creating a temporary diversion. Or, perhaps, one or more of the "Big Four" football programs will rebound in late October and November. But whether or not the fellows in shoulder pads turn things around this year, we can be absolutely certain that football fans will be just as optimistic next August as hoops fans are now.
Aren't sports great?
ANSWERS TO PTSC PUZZLERS:
Sonny Jurgensen, George McAfee, and Ace Parker.
NEW OFFICERS, COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN AND BOARD MEMBERS ELECTED
Piedmont Triad Sports Club
Board of Directors (2006)
| Class I (thru 12/31/06) | Class II (thru 12/31/07) | Class III (thru 12/31/08) |
| Ashby Cook* | Rosalee Brewer | Gayle Anderson |
| Ray Cox | Bob Chandler | George Boss |
| Bernie Franko | Bill Frank* | Kevin Bugg |
| Zack Matheny | Bob Glenn* | Elizabeth Colamarino |
| Kelly May* | Rob Goodman | Pam Foxx |
| Bernadette McGlade* | Glen Hart | Jim Gleitman |
| Charlie Patterson* | Phil McCarn | Sherrill Hall |
| Gary Strickland | Mike McHone* | Brooks Haworth* |
| Gil Vaughan* | Harold Moag | Kip Johnson |
| Mike Woyahn | Nat Taylor | Francis Kinlaw* |
| Brian Wenger | Bob Kolodziey |
| Mark Whitehouse | Jim McKee |
New Board members selected are shown in bold.
*Serving second consecutive term - Not eligible for reappointment.
Executive Committee - 2006
President Brooks Haworth
Vice President Gil Vaughan
Secretary Terry Weatherford
Treasurer Jim Holmes
Past President Arnold King
Communications Chair(s) - Gil Vaughan, Francis Kinlaw
Membership Chair(s) - Elizabeth Colamarino, George Boss
Program Chair(s) - Sherrill Hall, Gary Strickland
Special Events Chair(s) - Rob Goodman, Tim Johnson
Annual membership fee to join the Piedmont Triad Sports Club is $25. Contact Elizabeth Colamarino (Greensboro) at 433-7261 or George Boss (Winston-Salem) at 659-1200 for more information about membership.
"The mission of the Piedmont Triad Sports Club is to enhance the vitality of the 12-county Piedmont Triad Region through sports related activities."
Please feel free to visit the Piedmont Triad Sports Club website at www.piedmonttriadsportsclub.com
Barbara J. Forsyth
7800 Airport Center Dr., Suite 103
Greensboro, NC 27409
800-669-4556 336-668-4556
Fax: 336-668-3749
bforsyth@piedmonttriadnc.com
Respectfully submitted by Communications Co-Chairmen
Francis Kinlaw and Gil Vaughan Vaughan - December 2005
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PTSC NEWSLETTER VOLUME 4, ISSUE #5, SEP. 2005
SPECIAL CHRYSLER CLASSIC OF GREENSBORO OFFER
The Piedmont Triad Sports Club presents a special offer to PTSC members for the Chrysler Classic of Greensboro, which is set for Sept. 26 - Oct. 2 at Forest Oaks Country Club. Please join us in the Piedmont Triad Sports Club hospitality tent on the 14th Fairway at Forest Oaks on Sunday, October 2nd for the final round of this PGA TOUR event.
 Come see Sergio Garcia, John Daly, Davis Love III, U.S. Open contender Jason Gore and the rest of this year's impressive field of PGA TOUR golfers headed to Greensboro for the Chrysler Classic. For just the normal PTSC $15 fee, you can purchase a tent pass. Lunch, beer and soft drinks are included. If you already have tickets for Sunday's final round, you can purchase tent passes only. If you need a ticket, you can purchase the full-day package which includes a Sunday ticket ($15) and PTSC tent pass ($15). The PTSC is underwriting a significant portion of the cost in order to provide this very special offer to our membership.
This special discount offer is available only to Piedmont Triad Sports Club membership and their guests. Please fill out the form below and e-mail to Barbara Forsyth or telephone Barbara at 668-4556 to place your order. Your tickets will be mailed to you with an invoice that is payable upon receipt.
Reservations must be received in the PTSC office by Monday, September 26, 2005. Barbara will be on vacation the week of 19th to 23rd , so the tickets etc. will not go out until the 27th at least.
Yes, I would like to attend the Piedmont Triad Sports Club hospitality tent at the Chrysler Classic of Greensboro on Sunday, October 2. I understand that once my e-mail has been received, the PTSC will mail an invoice, my tent passes and tickets, if needed, to me. I also understand that my payment is due upon receipt of the invoice.
Please copy, paste and e-mail this completed form to bforsyth@piedmonttriadnc.com
To Print and Fax: 336-668-3749 Ticket Form
ANNUAL BASKETBALL COACHES MEETING AT LAWRENCE JOEL MEMORIAL COLISEUM
One of the most popular programs of the Piedmont Triad Sports Club is the annual program featuring the men's head basketball coaches at the eight Piedmont Triad area colleges and universities. This year the event will be held on Tuesday October 11, 2005 (12:00 Noon) at the Lawrence Joel Memorial Coliseum. Note the different venue from last year when it was held at the Bridger Field House.
Wake Forest - Skip Prosser
UNC-Greensboro - Mike Dement
North Carolina A&T - Jerry Eaves
Elon - Ernie Nestor
High Point - Bart Lundy
Winston-Salem State - Philip Stitt
Guilford - Tom Palombo
Greensboro - Bryan Galuski
Make reservations now for yourself and your guests by calling Barbara Forsyth at (336) 668-4556 (or by e-mail at: bforsyth@piedmonttriadnc.com). This is a great opportunity to invite prospective members as guests, since all of these local teams have numerous fans in the Piedmont Triad area that should be members of the Sports Club.
Cost: Members $15 and Guests $20. Press Media are admitted free, but must reserve a seat for admittance by October 5.
Mail your checks to PTSC, 7800 Airport Center Drive, Suite 103, Greensboro, NC 27409 or indicate, when making reservations, that you will pay at the door.
It's important that you continue to support our Sports Club programs with your attendance. There's no better way to assure great programs in the future.
The annual membership fee to join the Piedmont Triad Sports Club is only $25. Contact Gary Strickland at 661-1736 or Ray Cox at 854-0500 for more information about membership.
PTSC PUZZLERS: (Answers at bottom of newsletter)
Since several items in this newsletter relate to golf and this year's big tournament at Forest Oaks, let's go back in history a bit and recall the tournament's past --- when it went by a different name. These six questions may be as challenging as a 10-foot downhill putt, but take a deep breath and "take your shot".
(1) In what year was the first Greater Greensboro Open held?
(2) On which course was the first GGO played?
(3) Who won the first tournament?
(4) In what year did the first telecast of the GGO occur?
(5) Which winner of the GGO or Greater Greensboro Chrysler Classic established the largest victory margin in terms of strokes, and in what year was the record set?
(6) Sam Snead won the tournament more times that any other player. How many times did Snead capture the trophy and first-place check?
LOCAL ATTRACTIONS DISCUSSED AT LUNCHEON MEETING
Two topics on the minds of people interested in professional golf and Atlantic Coast Conference sports were the focus of a luncheon meeting of the Piedmont Triad Sports Club on September 8th. Before a large gathering of club members and guests at the Airport Marriott Hotel, Mark Brazil (the general chairman of the Greater Greensboro Chrysler Classic) addressed significant issues that will affect the future of the tournament and provided the latest information pertaining to this year's event.
Mr. Brazil emphasized the fact that a recently announced restructuring of the tourney's supervisory organization was a very positive development and, in fact, one that was long overdue. Responsibility for tournament operations has been transferred from the Greensboro Jaycees to the Greensboro Jaycees' charitable foundation, and Mr. Brazil contended that the inclusion of several respected individuals on the tourney's board of directors will inevitably enhance the standing of the endeavor from the perspective of influential leaders of the PGA Tour. For that reason, the change in management structure increases the likelihood that the best golfers in the world will find their way to Forest Oaks Country Club in the years ahead.
Mr. Brazil also reviewed an extensive list of well-known players who have committed to appear in the 2005 tournament.
Marc Bush, the executive director of the Greensboro Sports Commission, followed Mr. Brazil  to the podium and introduced an informative 12-minute video about a proposed ACC Hall of Champions that would be located near the Greensboro Coliseum. After explaining the concept of a 56,000-square-foot building that would be patterned after the NCAA Hall of Champions in Indianapolis, Mr. Bush expressed his hope that construction will be completed by March of 2010. An aggressive and successful fundraising process will, of course, be necessary for that ambitious goal to be achieved, and Mr. Bush appealed to club members for their financial and verbal support of the project.
ANSWERS TO PTSC PUZZLERS:
(1) 1938
(2) Starmount Forest Country Club
(3) Sam Snead
(4) 1959
(5) Sam Snead won by 10 strokes in 1950
(6) Eight times
Annual membership fee to join the Piedmont Triad Sports Club is $25. Contact Gary Strickland at 661-1736 or Ray Cox at 854-0500 for more information about membership.
"The mission of the Piedmont Triad Sports Club is to enhance the vitality of the 12-county Piedmont Triad Region through sports related activities."
Please feel free to visit the Piedmont Triad Sports Club website at www.piedmonttriadsportsclub.com
Barbara J. Forsyth
7800 Airport Center Dr., Suite 103
Greensboro, NC 27409
800-669-4556 336-668-4556
Fax: 336-668-3749
bforsyth@piedmonttriadnc.com
Respectfully submitted by Communications Co-Chairmen
Francis Kinlaw and Gil Vaughan Vaughan - September 2005
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PTSC NEWSLETTER VOLUME 4, ISSUE #4, AUG. 2005
PTSC TO FEATURE ACC HALL OF CHAMPIONS AT SEPT 8 MEETING
The new ACC Hall of Champions will be the featured program for the September 8, 2005 12 Noon meeting at the Airport Marriott in the middle of the Triad. Marc Bush, President of the Greensboro Sports Commission, will be the main speaker.
The ACC Hall of Champions has created a lot of excitement in and around the Triad, according to Marc Bush. He will show a 12 minute video that describes the proposed ACC Hall of Champions to be located in Greensboro. The video consists of renderings of the 56,000 sq. ft. Canada Dry property to be renovated. It is adjacent to the Greensboro Coliseum. New plans and some exciting footage from the ACC archives are also to be shown. Bush will take questions as time permits.
Also a part of this same program is Chrysler Classic of Greensboro Tournament Director, Mark Brazil, who will tell us about the upcoming 2005 event. The CCG will be held September 29 through October 2, 2005 at Forest Oaks just south of Greensboro. Brazil will walk us through the 2005 Chrysler Classic including the field update, sponsorship update, the Pro-Am, youth clinics, charitable contribution and more. Golf fans will also hear the latest news about the future of the PGA TOUR event here in the Triad.
Cost for this PTSC event is $15 for members and $20 for guests. Media are admitted free but must reserve a seat before September 5. Lunch will be catered by the Airport Marriott. You can pay at the door or mail your check to Piedmont Triad Sports Club, 7800 Airport Center Drive, Suite 103, Greensboro, NC 27409.
It is imperative that everyone reserve a seat for themselves and their guest(s); so that we can have food and accommodations for everyone. Several people had to sit out in the hall for the last meeting because of last minute walk-ins. To reserve your seat for this event, RSVP to Barbara Forsyth at any of the contact points shown at the bottom of this newsletter.
ACC FOOTBALL COACHES/STAFF ADDRESS CLUB
115 members of the Piedmont Triad Sports Club and their guests attended an annual presentation by coaches or representatives from each of the North Carolina's "Big Four" colleges on August 2nd. Speaking at a luncheon at the Airport Marriott Hotel, Gary Hahn of North Carolina State, Scott Brown of Duke, Marvin Sanders of UNC-Chapel Hill, and Jim Grobe of Wake Forest discussed the strengths and weaknesses of their teams in an informative and occasionally humorous manner after being introduced by sportscaster Danny Harnden of WGHP-TV.
Gary Hahn said that the performance of N.C. State's offensive line will be a key to the Wolfpack's season, and noted that the wide receiver corps also needs to "step up." A bevy of talented running backs are available, and Jay Davis will return as the starting quarterback. The team's defense should be very strong, and the defensive line may be among the best in the conference while the linebackers are "pretty good" and the defensive backs are experienced. The Pack's kicking game should, according to Mr. Hahn, be very solid.
Scott Brown, who has served as Duke's defensive coordinator for the past 10 years, said that the new Yoh Football Center has been a significant asset to the recruiting efforts of Blue Devil coaches. While the Duke team will again be young, Mr. Brown pointed out that seven starters will return on offense, the team's talent base is steadily improving, and several freshmen appear to be capable of assuming important roles on the field.
Marvin Sanders, a co-defensive coordinator at UNC, told those present that a number of relatively inexperienced players will be promoted into starting positions in Chapel Hill. Although running back (Ronnie McGill) has suffered an injury and will be unavailable for at least two games, LSU-transfer Barrington Edwards is on hand to provide depth and gain rushing yards. All of the Tar Heels' wide receivers are returning for another season. The defense must improve but, barring physical ailments, the defensive line should be strong. The defensive backs possess great potential, according to Mr. Sanders.
Jim Grobe, the head coach at Wake Forest, provided an honest appraisal of his current squad by stating that the senior class is not strong but that the other three classes are very impressive. After referring to last year's Deacon team as "competitive," Coach Grobe contended that the 2005 edition will be better.
Each of the coaches commented about the difficulty of his schedule but, while such statements are predictable prior to every season, each provided convincing evidence that his list of opponents would indeed present a strong challenge.
The meeting concluded with a series of interesting questions from the large audience. Among the matters on the listeners' minds were the introduction of instant replay to the Atlantic Coast Conference this year, the absence of round-robin scheduling among conference teams, and the amount of playing time that may be available to recruited athletes from high schools in the Piedmont Triad.
PTSC PUZZLERS: (Answers at bottom of newsletter)
1) Who is the only man to serve as the head coach of the Washington Redskins and of Notre Dame's football team?
2) What North Carolina State football player scored all 29 of his team's points in a victory over South Carolina?
RICHARD CHILDRESS ADDRESSES PTSC
Richard Childress entertained the Piedmont Triad Sports Club on July 11th at the "Hospitality and Media" Center building of his 450,000 square foot racing operation campus in Welcome, NC. Like a "proud papa", Richard spoke about his start as a racer with a $20 used car, to his own team ownership that includes the famous "No. 3" of the legendary Dale Earnhardt, to his RCR Museum, to his love of wildlife protection, and to his passion for the winery business.
Everyone in attendance knew that they were in a first class operation because, although the tables were covered for everyone to eat upon; it was evident that you could have eaten from the floor of any of the operation's buildings, including the work shops. All of the facilities were immaculate.
Some of the other main points of note that Richard mentioned during his talk were:
He still does own the rights to the "No. 3" car in the NASCAR Nextel Series.
The next person to sit in the "No. 3" car will probably be an Earnhardt. Remember that Kerry Earnhardt drives for RCR in the No. 33 Bass Pro Shops car now.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. can be a part of RCR within 2 hours at any time that Dale wishes.
Richard would love to see the Nextel All-star Race stay in Charlotte.
His Pinot Grigio Wine was voted No. 1 among all "celebrity winery" entries by USA Today.
Everyone in attendance at the PTSC meeting was given the rights to a 15% discount at the Richard Childress Winery for the day.
After lunch, Richard had another engagement; so he turned the tour of the RCR Museum over to Danny "Chocolate" Myers, famed longtime gas man for the No. 3 team and current curator of the museum.
 The RCR Racing Museum, located on the RCR campus, is a 47,000 square foot facility that encompasses the original No. 3 race shop built at the RCR campus in 1986 and the original RCR Museum built in 1991. A 3,500 square foot structure was constructed between the two buildings to tie it all together. Inside, there are 47 race vehicles (46 cars and one NASCAR Truck) and a tractor-trailer transporter rig. Of those 46 race cars, 22 are black No. 3 GM Goodwrench Chevrolet Monte Carlos or Luminas driven by Dale Earnhardt. There are also all six of the No. 3 special paint scheme cars that Earnhardt competed in The Winston with from 1995-2000, and a 1987 No. 3 Wrangler Chevrolet Monte Carlo.
There are 16 video screens in the facility, showcasing key victories in RCR history as well as informational pieces hosted by Richard and members of his RCR managerial staff.
There are also numerous displays, memorabilia and photographs throughout the facility, including all six NASCAR Winston Cup championship banners and all six NASCAR Winston Cup championship owner's trophies.
The center section of the facility is dedicated to Richard's devotion to wildlife and outdoor conservation. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, the North Carolina Wildlife Habitat Foundation, the National Wild Turkey Federation and Ducks Unlimited, all actively involved in the conservation of the nation's wildlife and natural resources, are showcased in this area along with many of the animal trophies Richard has taken over the years.
Worth noting is that Richard Childress Racing (www.rcrn.com) has earned more than 125 victories and nine NASCAR championships, including six in the NEXTEL Cup Series with the legendary Dale Earnhardt. It was the first organization to win championships in the NEXTEL Cup Series, Busch Series and Truck Series. Its 2005 NEXTEL Cup Series lineup includes Dave Blaney (No. 07 Jack Daniel's), Kevin Harvick (No. 29 GM Goodwrench), Jeff Burton (No. 31 Cingular Wireless) and Kerry Earnhardt (No. 33 Bass Pro Shops). Its Busch Series lineup includes Clint Bowyer (No. 2 ACDelco Chevrolet) along with Harvick and Brandon Miller (No. 21 Reese's Chevrolet).
Also in attendance as a PTSC guest at this meeting was Eddie Bridges. Eddie is a long-time friend of Richard's and is the Executive Director of The North Carolina Wildlife Habitat Foundation. He was named the 2004 Budweiser Conservationist of the year at a national meeting in Las Vegas and almost single-handedly raised over $1 Million for the Foundation. The major projects they have funded (listed in their recent publication) include: Frank A. Sharpe, Jr. Wildlife Education Center at Bur-Mill Park - $300,000; Adopt an Acre (land that can be acquired as game land property) - $100,000; Jordan Lake Bass Habitat Property - $25,000; Sandhills Quail Habitat - $43,000; Fish Friendly Piers - $50, 000.
MICK MIXON SPEAKS AT LUNCHEON MEETING
 Mick Mixon, a familiar voice to fans of the University of North Carolina's Tar Heels and the newly appointed play-by-play broadcaster for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League, addressed a large gathering of club members and guests on June 14th at the Carlyle Club. In a presentation that incorporated references to his past in Chapel Hill and his future in Charlotte, Mr. Mixon utilized humor and an insider's perspective to entertain and inform an audience that had enjoyed good food and pleasant conversation prior to his speech.
The club was also pleased to welcome ACC Commissioner John Swofford to this meeting. Mr. Swofford previously served as the athletic director at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is a close acquaintance of Mr. Mixon.
A DAY AT THE BALLPARK
Members of the Piedmont Triad Sports Club enjoyed the wonderful combination of food and baseball at First Horizon Park on the afternoon of May 21st. Gathering for a game between the Greensboro Grasshoppers and the Augusta GreenJackets, the group enjoyed a typical ballpark menu and watched an interesting game in pleasant weather until a rather violent afternoon storm made everyone run for cover. Fortunately, however, the new stadium's spacious concourse area provided shelter from the rain!
The club wishes to thank General Manager Donald Moore and the Grasshoppers' organization for assisting in the coordination of this enjoyable event and for the public recognition that was provided to our club during the game.
PTSC ANSWERS:
1) Joe Kuharich
2) Dick Christy in 1957
Annual membership fee to join the Piedmont Triad Sports Club is $25. Contact Gary Strickland at 661-1736 or Ray Cox at 854-0500 for more information about membership.
"The mission of the Piedmont Triad Sports Club is to enhance the vitality of the 12-county Piedmont Triad Region through sports related activities."
Please feel free to visit the Piedmont Triad Sports Club website at www.piedmonttriadsportsclub.com
Barbara J. Forsyth
7800 Airport Center Dr., Suite 103
Greensboro, NC 27409
800-669-4556 336-668-4556
Fax: 336-668-3749
bforsyth@piedmonttriadnc.com
Respectfully submitted by Communications Co-Chairmen
Francis Kinlaw and Gil Vaughan Vaughan - August 2005
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PTSC NEWSLETTER VOLUME 4, ISSUE #3, MAY 2005
DAY AT THE "NEW" BALLPARK
The Piedmont Triad Special Events Committee presents an afternoon with the Greensboro Grasshoppers. Please join us at First Horizon Park in downtown Greensboro on May 24th when the Augusta Greenjackets take on the home standing Greensboro Grasshoppers. The Greenjackets are affiliated with the San Francisco Giants and are currently one game out of first place in the South Atlantic League Southern Division. The Grasshoppers represent the Florida Marlins and are a game and a half out of first place in the Northern Division.
This event is designed to provide PTSC membership with a great opportunity to check out the Piedmont Triad's newest stadium and enjoy an afternoon of South Atlantic League baseball. Whether you come for lunch and the whole game or just lunch and a couple of innings, we hope you will attend this PTSC Special Event. There will be no formal program; just lunch and baseball. When you arrive at First Horizon Park, you will receive your game ticket and a wristband to allow access to the buffet lunch.
RSVP to Barbara (668-4556) or email: bforsyth@piedmonttriadnc.com You can pay at the game (a table will be setup at the entrance) or mail your check in before (address at bottom).
Details for Tuesday, May 24:
Noon: Lunch (available from Noon until 1:30) in the picnic area above section 101 near the grandstand area.
12:30: Augusta Greenjackets vs. Greensboro Grasshoppers
Cost: Members: $15; Guests: $20
Cost includes game ticket and buffet lunch consisting of hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, baked beans, coleslaw, chips, cookies soft drinks and bottled water. Beer will be available at an additional cost.
Attire: Staying for the game: extremely casual. Have to go back to work: whatever you wear to your office
PTSC SPONSORS HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARD SCHOLARSHIP
At the May 2 Annual Banquet of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame (Corrigan/Faircloth Chapter), the Piedmont Triad Sports Club was recognized as one of the 23 High School Scholar-Athlete Award Sponsors. The $1000 scholarships are provided as encouragement and assistance to a student who through Academic Achievement, School and Community Leadership, Football Participation and Exemplary Personal Qualities has distinguished himself as a leader and example to be emulated by his fellow students.
GREENSBORO OLYMPIAN ADDRESSES CLUB
Olympic Bronze Medalist in Ice-Speed Skating and former Greensboro resident, Joey Cheek, delighted the PTSC members, guests and news media in attendance on April 28 at the Carlyle Club with the heart warming story of his climb from Dudley High School teenage street skater to the 2002 Olympic Bronze Medalist in the 1000m Ice Speed Skating event to his current efforts to participate in the 2006 Olympic Games.
The impact of Joey's talk on the group can best be illustrated by this excerpt from PTSC member Pam Foxx's email to our club administrative secretary, Barbara Forsyth.
"Barbara - I don't know when I have enjoyed a luncheon speaker more than yesterday. Please extend my heartfelt thanks to the program coordinator.
Joey Cheek is a terrific speaker. He offered everything - courage, struggle, appreciation, hope and pride. I only wish that everyone could have experienced the time he so generously gave our group. He stayed and answered our questions - even allowed us to examine his Olympic Medal.
I, along with my two guests, Don Matheson and Gary Shelala, feel very fortunate to have met this young man and his proud mom. Thanks to Piedmont Triad Sports Club for providing this opportunity! Pam"
As Pam eludes to in her email, Joey's talk covered everything from the days as a 16-year old who left home to follow his dream with little money in his pocket (living in a one-room apartment in Milwaukee with no bed) to eventually becoming the number one ice speed skater in the U.S. and occupying the penthouse suite of the Park City, Utah chalet owned by the US Ice Speedskating Association.
He discussed the thrill of winning the 2002 Olympic Trials only to be overwhelmed by the pressure of having the weight of the US faithful on his shoulders for the actual Olympic Games. Joey added, "at one time about two weeks before the Olympics, I literally could not put one foot in front of the other". But with the help of the sports psychologists on hand, "I got everything into perspective and came away with the Bronze medal in the 1000m". Joey then pulled out his competition skin suit, which looks like a child's full body set of ladies pantyhose, and said; "I figured if I could go out there in front of the world in this outfit with nowhere to hide anything, skating should be a breeze."
Joey also got a laugh from the crowd when asked about the use of steroids in his event. He said "that ice speedskating was more an event of technique, not bulk"; and then proceeded to move his slender frame to the side of the podium. "Does this 6'1" 179 lb. body look like it has been on steroids?" He then added "that because of the lack of 'big money' in ice speedskating, no one in his field could afford the $40-50,000 a year to buy the drugs anyway."
With his mom in the audience, Joey finished his comments by telling of his only regret. He said that, "I trained for 6-8 hours a day, 6 days a week, 48 weeks a year and my total participation in the three different Olympic events took less than 4 minutes - and that was including the Dutch National Anthem. I was so thrilled to be on the medal platform that I wish the Dutch National Anthem was a longer song".
As mentioned in Pam's email above, after the talk, Joey allowed those in attendance to hold and feel his bronze medal. For many of us, that was a first. (By the way, he is also the holder of more than 15 additional international gold, silver and bronze medals and is looking to add to that number in the upcoming Olympics.)
For additional info on Joey check out: http://www.olympic-usa.org/26_713.htm.
NCAA CHAMPS ENTERTAIN PTSC
by Guest Columnist Sally Hutslar
It's not often that one gets a chance to meet and talk to a national champion player and coach, but that's what happened for the members of the Piedmont Triad Sports Club at Bridger Field House in Winston-Salem on April 11. The group was treated both to lunch with and comments by both coach and player.
The coach was Jennifer (Jen) Averill, the player, Kelly Dostal, both with the Wake Forest University Women's Field Hockey Team. This is the team that has now won three consecutive Division I NCAA National Championships. This is Jen's fourteenth year at Wake. She said she built her team by recruiting the best kids, not just the best players. She wanted the girls who loved to play field hockey, who did well in school and who had strong family ties. As Jen talked about her team, her passion for the game of field hockey and for her players, both as athletes and as individuals, was evident. When asked how she got her players ready for a big game, she said the night before the game they played a computer game that was timed. Since the players are so competitive, regardless of the type of game, this got rid of any pre-game jitters they may have had.
Kelly, who came to WFU from a small town in Massachusetts and a high school graduating class of 27, also left her mark on collegiate field hockey. Having broken practically every scoring statistic that is kept for both Wake Forest and the NCAA, she was named collegiate player of the year and was featured on the cover of the November 18, 2004 issue of Sports Illustrated - on campus. A dean's list student and homecoming queen, Kelly will graduate this May with a degree in Health and Exercise Science. As a testament of her loyalty to Wake, she will fore-go the opportunity to play with the national field hockey team in New Zealand, so she can attend graduation ceremonies.
Following graduation, Kelly will join the national team, which trains in Virginia Beach VA. She hopes to play for the World Cup in 2006 and on the Olympic team in 2008. When asked what salary national team players receive, she joked, "well, I just signed a contract for 5 million --- not really!! I think we get just enough to live on, so I'll probably have to get at least a part-time job." As her coach said, it's all about the love of the game!
SPOTLIGHT ON PTSC MEMBER
Jack Hutslar, local salesman, trainer and consultant, has been invited to Tbilisi and Borjome in Georgia and to Ulyanovsk on the Volga River in Russia. In Georgia, he will be meeting with the Governor and Director of Sport where he will make conference presentations to health and sport physicians and Olympic sport specialists. Hutslar has been invited also to review the curriculum of the Georgia Academy of Sport.
In Ulyanovsk, he will meet with the Director of Sport to lay the foundation for an exchange program with their top Olympic and lower level athletes. Ulyanovsk sport officials would like to bring their athletes to the USA to engage in competition at the more select levels of play, including the Olympic level. Other programs in Russia will be reviewed while in Ulyanovsk.
Previous contacts and exchange programs with Russia have been established through Forsyth Technical Community College. Net meetings are expected to be part of the follow up programs.
Travel to Russia is scheduled to begin June 1, 2005 and conclude by June 11, 2005.
Jack Hutslar, a member of the Piedmont Triad Sports Club, is a former college professor and coach. He also sells log and timber frame homes here in the Triad as well as Smith Mountain Lake, in addition to his sport training and consulting business. Hutslar founded the North American Youth Sport Institute in 1979 and offers free coaching clinics in the Triad with the endorsement of the Piedmont Triad Sports Club.
For more information, see http://www.naysi.com. Hutslar is a member of the National Council of Youth Sport, Piedmont Triad Sports Club, Greensboro Merchants Association, Smith Mountain Lake Chamber of Commerce and Eastlake Business Association.
For more information about this program as well as opportunities to introduce or solidify your company relationships in Russia, contact Jack Hutslar in Kernersville at 336 784-4926 or 800 767-4916 or Jack@naysi.com.
Barbara J. Forsyth
7800 Airport Center Dr., Suite 103
Greensboro, NC 27409
800-669-4556 336-668-4556
Fax: 336-668-3749
bforsyth@piedmonttriadnc.com
Respectfully submitted by Communications Co-Chairmen
Francis Kinlaw and Gil Vaughan - May 2005
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PTSC NEWSLETTER VOLUME 4, ISSUE #2, MARCH 2005
PTSC MEMBERS SUPPORT WOMEN'S ACC BASKETBALL
Members of the Piedmont Triad Sports Club enjoyed two events relating to the Women's ACC Basketball Tournament that was recently played at the Greensboro Coliseum. On February 22nd, a large number of members and guests attended a luncheon meeting at the Airport Marriott and at which Bernadette McGlade, an Associate Commissioner of the Atlantic Coast Conference, spoke enthusiastically about the competitive balance and increasing level of talent among the league's eleven female teams.
Then, on the evening of March 7th, members met before the tourney's final game to consume plenty of food and converse about a variety of sports-related topics. Following this pre-game social that was organized in a fine manner by Brooks Haworth, the group sat together in a desirable location and watched UNC's Tar Heels outrun the Duke Blue Devils in an action-packed game.
PTSC PUZZLER:
As the Greensboro Grasshoppers prepare to inaugurate their new ballpark with a sold-out game against the Florida Marlins, the following question seems very appropriate:
If the Marlins' Jack McKeon (who is currently 74 years old) remains in his job into the 2006 season, he will become the second-oldest manager in major league history behind Connie Mack, who was in the dugout until he was 89 years old. What manager would McKeon pass on this list of aging skippers?
(The answer may be found at the bottom of the newsletter)
UPCOMING MEETING APRIL 11
Speakers: Jennifer Averill, WFU NCAA champion field hockey coach and
Kelly Dostal, WFU All-America senior field hockey player
Location: Bridger Field House
Date: April 11
Time: Noon
Jennifer Averill
Field Hockey Head coach Jennifer Averill enters her 14th season at Wake Forest and 17th season overall in 2005. In 2002, 2003, and 2004 she led the Demon Deacons to three straight NCAA Crowns. In 2002 and 2003, Wake Forest captured the ACC regular season and ACC Tournament titles. No other Wake Forest team has accomplished such a feat.
Over the past six years, Averill's teams have compiled an outstanding 114-19 record, including a 17-3 mark in the NCAA Tournament. Their NCAA Tournament game winning percentage of .850 is the best mark by any school in Division I field hockey history.
Averill took the Wake Forest job in 1992. That was the year that Wake Forest left the Deep South Association and joined the ACC, adding scholarships for field hockey players and upping the level of competition immensely. Since then, Averill has built the program to what it is today, cracking the top 25 for the first time in 1994, when the
Deacons were ranked 20th at season's end. Her squads have appeared in the national top 25 every year since, reaching the number one spot for the first time in 2001.
Averill's success as a coach is not surprising, for in her playing days she was one of the nation's premier players. Averill was a four-time All-American at Northwestern and in her senior year of 1987, she was awarded the Honda Broderick Award as the nation's best field hockey player.
Also in 1987, Averill won the Big Ten's Medal of Honor for academic excellence and the Jesse Owens Award as the conference's best athlete. In 1989, Averill was honored by Northwestern as the university's Female Athlete of the Decade for the 1980s.
Averill competed in two Final Fours as a Wildcat and from 1983 to 1987, played on the U.S. National Team. She was inducted into the Northwestern Hall of Fame in September of 1996.
Averill began her coaching career with a short tenure as an assistant at Dartmouth before accepting the head coaching job at Bucknell where she was named Patriot League Coach of the Year in 1991.
Averill remains active in field hockey outside of Wake Forest, as both a coach and player. She is currently a member of the reserve assistant staff for the United States National Team as well as the Under-21 and Under-19 teams.
Kelly Dostal
Wake Forest senior Kelly Dostal was recently named the National Field Hockey Player of the Year by the NCAA and the Honda Sports Award committees. Dostal led all Division I players in scoring and carried the Demon Deacons to a third straight national championship this season.
In her four years at Wake Forest, Dostal led the Deacons to a combined record of 78-10, four straight "final four" appearances, the first two regular season ACC titles, the first two ACC Tournament titles in school history and to three straight national titles.
Dostal tallied 84 goals in her 84 game career at Wake Forest including a school record 30 this season. She holds the school record in shots this season (173), goals this season (30), goals in a career (84), points this season (79) and points in a career (204).
The Hatfield, Mass. native notched 19 assists this season, more than all three of her previous seasons combined. She recorded two hat tricks in 2004 and connected for at least two goals in 10 games during her senior campaign. Dostal tallied at least one point in each of the Deacon's 23 games this season.
She led the ACC - arguably the strongest field hockey conference in the nation, representing three of the final four teams in the NCAA Tournament - in points, points per game, goals, goals per game, shots, shots per game and was second in the conference to teammate Maeke Boreel in assists and assists per game.
She was named the ACC Player of the Week four times in 2004, All-ACC for the third year in a row, NCAA All Tournament team for the second year, the ACC Offensive Player of the Year, the womensfieldhockey.com player of the year, named the Sports Illustrated on Campus National Fall Female Athlete of the Year and crowned the Wake Forest homecoming queen.
Dostal becomes the second field hockey player in as many years to win the Honda Award. 2004 Wake Forest graduate and this year's volunteer assistant coach, Kelly Doton earned the honor last season.
2005 Dues Renewal Notice
You should have received your 2005 Dues Renewal Notice from Barbara by now. If you have not done so, please contact her so that we can get these taken care of on time. Also get a friend to join. Dues are only $25.
Barbara J. Forsyth
7800 Airport Center Dr., Suite 103
Greensboro, NC 27409
800-669-4556 336-668-4556
Fax: 336-668-3749
bforsyth@piedmonttriadnc.com
Respectfully submitted by Communications Co-Chairmen
Francis Kinlaw and Gil Vaughan - March 2005
PTSC PUZZLER ANSWER:
Casey Stengel
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PTSC NEWSLETTER VOLUME 4, ISSUE #1, JANUARY 2005
ACC OFFICIAL SPEAKS ON BUSINESS OF FOOTBALL
Mike Finn, the Assistant Commissioner of the Atlantic Coast Conference for Football, addressed a luncheon meeting of the Piedmont Triad Sports Club at the Airport Marriott on December 13th. Proclaiming the 2004 season to be the most interesting in conference history, Mr. Finn expressed his belief that the 2005 campaign will be even more competitive. He described the recent season as one that featured a bevy of strong defensive units, as well as shifting fortunes for almost every team.
Because he is also responsible for external relations and marketing as it relates to the ACC's football package, Mr. Finn's remarks turned quickly to the financial aspects of the college sport. He stated that more than two-thirds of the games played by conference teams were televised this year, and defended the often-criticized Bowl Championship Series as a reasonable option given the fact that university presidents are opposed to the implementation of a play-off system. He discussed methods used to calculate costs and expense allotments and emphasized that bowl revenues are divided among all ACC schools and that they support a broad range of programs on each campus.
The large turnout of club members and guests left the meeting filled with delicious food and in a mood of anticipation for the many bowl games of which Mr. Finn spoke.
CHILDRESS WINERY TRIP BEING CONSIDERED
On January 6, most of you were sent an email indicating that the Piedmont Triad Sports Club is considering a special event for sometime this spring; and we need to know if you are interested. If enough people are interested, we'll move forward with planning. If there is not sufficient interest, we'll scrap the idea. This event will be an evening at the new Richard Childress Winery south of Winston-Salem, and we encourage you to bring your spouse or significant other.
The event will begin with a wine tasting and tours of the winery followed what appears to be a very nice dinner. We plan to schedule the event on an evening when Richard Childress can join us to talk about his new winery and the early portion of the NASCAR season. If any of his three drivers is available to join us, that would be an added bonus. We are also considering arranging bus transportation from a central location so that you won't have to drive to the event. The approximate cost for this evening at the Richard Childress Winery is $75 per person, $150 per couple. We feel this cost is quite reasonable as it includes the wine tasting and the tour of the winery.
If you are interested, please contact Barbara at any of the contact points shown at the bottom.
Congratulations to the Northwest Guilford Women's Team and the Dudley Men's Team for winning the Pizza Hut Little Four Classic at the Greensboro Coliseum Special Events Center during the Christmas Holidays.
Also, Congratulations to the Men's Teams from Reynolds, Glenn, Page, Greensboro Day and South Gwinnett (GA) for their victories in the North Carolina Scholastic Classic held Monday January 17 at the Greensboro Coliseum Special Events Center. Southwest Gwinnett, with the number one rated high school prospect, Louis Williams, defeated the number one ranked high school team, Oak Hill Academy (VA) 82-68.
2005 Dues Renewal Notice
You should have received your 2005 Dues Renewal Notice from Barbara by now. If you have not done so, please contact her so that we can get these taken care of on time. Also get a friend to join. Dues are only $25.
Barbara J. Forsyth
7800 Airport Center Dr., Suite 103
Greensboro, NC 27409
800-669-4556 336-668-4556
Fax: 336-668-3749
bforsyth@piedmonttriadnc.com
Respectfully submitted by Communications Co-Chairmen
Francis Kinlaw and Gil Vaughan
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PTSC NEWSLETTER VOLUME 3, ISSUE #4, DECEMBER 2004
BASKETBALL COACHES SPEAK AT LUNCHEON
Men's basketball coaches from eight colleges in the Piedmont Triad region addressed club members and their guests at a luncheon in Winston-Salem on October 12th. Three days before the beginning of basketball practices at their respective schools, the coaches assessed their prospects for the season ahead while sharing humorous comments with their audience.
The club was honored to welcome head coaches Skip Prosser of Wake Forest, Fran McCaffery of UNCG, Ernie Nestor of Elon, Bart Lundy of High Point University, Tom Palombo of Guilford College, Rusty LaRue of Greensboro College, Philip Stitt of Winston-Salem State University, and assistant coach Bill Sutton of North Carolina A&T. Our members wish each of these fine men much success throughout the 2004-05 season.
A true legend, Coach Clarence "Big House" Gaines, followed the aforementioned leaders to the podium and spoke about the racial integration that occurred during his long career. His fascinating observations on the important topic are discussed thoroughly in his recently published autobiography. The book, entitled They Call Me Big House, is available in many local bookstores.
PTSC PUZZLER:
Our club's recent gathering at Bridger Field House inspired these three questions about a memorable Wake Forest basketball game that was played more than four decades ago…
(1) Wake Forest lost to Ohio State, 84-68, in a national semifinal game in March of 1962. Len Chappell and Billy Packer were two of the Deacon's starters in the game. Can you name the other three starters?
(2) Two future NBA stars starred for the Buckeyes. Who were they?
(3) A player who spent most of the night on the Ohio State bench and missed his only two shots later became more famous than anyone else in the arena. Who was he?
ANSWERS TO PTSC PUZZLER:
(1) Frank Christie, Bob Woollard, Dave Wiedeman
(2) Jerry Lucas and John Havlicek
(3) Bobby Knight
MEMBERSHIP DRIVE:
Don't forget to ask a friend to join you at the next membership meeting. Once they hear some of our speakers and meet our members, I am sure that they will want to join. To get a membership form contact Barbara Forsyth at the address below or by contacting Barbara at (336) 668-4556. On-line Application
Piedmont Triad Sports Club
7800 Airport Center Drive, Suite 103
Greensboro, NC 27409
PTSC NEWSLETTER VOLUME 3, ISSUE #3, AUGUST 2004
SWAGGER PROVIDES LAUGHS AND COMMENTARY
Author and raconteur BobLee Swagger presented his unique brand of humor and commentary at a luncheon meeting of the Piedmont Triad Sports Club at the Airport Marriott on August 3rd. In a speech unlike any that club members had heard previously, the internet personality from the Research Triangle mocked the seriousness with which many fans treat developments in the world of sports and encouraged those present to enjoy observing athletic accomplishments without becoming consumed by them. He emphasized that no rivalry between colleges should be approached as if it is a "biopsy report or an accident on an interstate highway." He bemoaned the fact that civil conversations regarding politics have become less and less common, and expressed the hope that discussions of sports will never become so irrationally heated.
Although the speaker promoted his own website (www.SwaggerSays.com), he ridiculed the evils of "message boards" that allow anonymous people to attack others and disseminate vicious rumors that often gain a life of their own. Then, having offered strong opinions and a few predictions, he engaged his attentive audience in a lively question-and-answer session that addressed a wide range of topics of interest to fans in this region of the state. By the time the meeting had come to an end, members and their guests had traveled a fast-moving journey around and through the landscape of college sports.
SPECIAL GUEST ATTENDS CLUB MEETING
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's most recent (and perhaps last) four-sport letterman attended the Club's meeting on August 3rd. Albert Long of Durham participated in football, basketball, baseball, and track and field while a student in the early- and mid-1950's. Mr. Long was introduced at the meeting as the only four-sport letterman, but subsequent research has indicated that John Gray Johnson of the Class of 1916 lettered in the same sports as Long.
PTSC Puzzler:
Your newsletter editor attended the annual convention of the Society for American Baseball Research last month and returned from Cincinnati with a whole bunch of trivia questions. Try out these samples and, if they seem to be a bit challenging, remember that they were meant to stump at least some of the "baseball experts" present at the meeting:
(1) Name the last major league team for whom North Carolina native Enos Slaughter played.
(2) Who pitched the last no-hitter for the Brooklyn Dodgers?
(3) Name the first baseman who, though a noted slugger, went hitless in eleven official turns at bat in the 7th games of three different World Series.
(4) Who is the only man to win five World Series games without pitching for the Yankees?
(5) Who is the only pitcher to start more than 700 major league games and not be elected to the Hall of Fame?
Answers to PTSC PUZZLERS:
(1) Milwaukee Braves
(2) Sal Maglie
(3) Orlando Cepeda
(4) Bob Gibson
(5) Tommy John
NEXT MEETING
Don't forget our next meeting on Tuesday September 14 at the Airport Marriott - 12:00 Noon - Mark Dyer from NASCAR will be our guest.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
There will also be a BOD meeting at 11:00 AM at the same location.
MEMBERSHIP DRIVE:
Don't forget to ask a friend to join you at the next membership meeting. Once they hear some of our speakers and meet our members, I am sure that they will want to join. To get a membership form contact Barbara Forsyth at the address below or by contacting Barbara at (336) 668-4556. You can also get a copy by going to the website at www.piedmonttriadsportsclub.com
Piedmont Triad Sports Club
7800 Airport Center Drive, Suite 103
Greensboro, NC 27409
Respectfully Submitted - Gil Vaughan - Communications Chairman September 2004
Francis Kinlaw - Editor
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PTSC NEWSLETTER VOLUME 3, ISSUE #2, APRIL 2004
BARAKAT EXPLAINS ACC OFFICIATING AND SCHEDULING
Fred Barakat, the associate commissioner of the Atlantic Coast Conference for men's basketball operations, covered a wide range of interesting and controversial topics on March 16th in a speech to the Piedmont Triad Sports Club. Addressing nearly 100 members and guests at the Carlyle Club in the Greensboro Coliseum, Mr. Barakat focused on events of the 2003-04 season and on the tournament that had recently concluded in the same building.
Mr. Barakat devoted special attention to officiating, which is one of his personal areas of expertise. He was frank in his criticism of the referees who had called a technical foul on the North Carolina State bench at a critical point in a semifinal ACC tournament contest against Maryland, terming the call "horrible" and suggesting an alternative manner of handling the situation (i.e., stopping action and calling the offending team manager back out on the floor to wipe up another spot). He explained why a principle based on "advantage or disadvantage" must be employed by officials in making calls involving contact between players or palming of the ball, and clarified common misinterpretations of rules by spectators. For example, an offensive player in the foul lane is not subject to a three-second count if he is making a move toward the basket.
Mr. Barakat also spoke of complications presented by television and of potential problems that must be encountered in the scheduling of games as the conference adds three basketball teams. He also explained the scheduling concept that will be applied in the next two ACC tournaments. (In 2005 --- when there will be eleven ACC teams --- three tournament games will be played on Thursday, four on Friday, two on Saturday, and one on Sunday. With twelve teams in 2006, four will be played on Thursday, four on Friday, two on Saturday, and one on Sunday.)
From the enthusiastic response of his large audience, it was very evident that Mr. Barakat's timely presentation and the lively question-and-answer session that followed had served as a fine topping to a memorable ACC tournament.
CHARLOTTE BOBCATS APPEAL TO TRIAD
New beginnings are invariably exciting, and the luncheon meeting of the Piedmont Triad Sports Club on April 13th provided an opportunity for two important representatives of the newest National Basketball Association franchise to introduce themselves to fans in this region of North Carolina. A large number of club members and guests listened with interest as Bernie Bickerstaff (the coach and general manager of the Charlotte Bobcats) and Chris Wieller (Executive Vice-President of Corporate Affairs) described the significant challenges involved in the development of a professional organization --- both on and off the court.
Mr. Wieller provided a comprehensive overview of the Bobcats' business operations and explained that his responsibilities include coordination of construction of a new arena in the Charlotte's central business district, the sale of season-ticket packages, the operation of the Charlotte Sting (a WNBA franchise which was inherited from the departed Charlotte Hornets), and a myriad of other duties. Throughout his speech, Mr. Wieller stressed his organization's commitment to community involvement.
Coach Bickerstaff followed Mr. Wieller to the podium and outlined his expectations for a group of players that were yet to be selected. He emphasized a need to sustain success after it has been achieved, and expressed his desire to create a mixture of many young players and a few veterans. He said that scouts are seeking players capable of "creating mismatches" and athletes who display intelligence about the game, toughness, a good attitude, and an ability to apply pressure on defense. Before responding to a broad range of questions, Mr. Bickerstaff explained the intricacies of the NBA's expansion draft and management's preparations for the rookie draft. (The Bobcats will have the fourth and 34th picks in the latter.)
The two presentations obviously impressed the attentive audience and sparked interest in the fortunes of the new franchise. Many of those present at the meeting will undoubtedly take a strong interest in the fortunes of the team as it takes the court for the first time in a few short months.
PTSC Puzzler:
Which of the following pairs of athletes did not attend the same university?
a. Tiger Woods and John Brodie
b. Vic Seixas and Davis Love III
c. Phil Mickelson and Barry Sanders
d. Jackie Robinson and Gary Beban
ANSWER TO "PTSC PUZZLER":
c. Mickelson attended Arizona State University; Sanders attended Oklahoma State. Woods and Brodie attended Stanford, Seixas and Love graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill, and Robinson and Beban went to UCLA.
DID YOU KNOW?
Johnny Podres of the Los Angeles Dodgers was the winning pitcher on April 16, 1958 in the first major league game played in San Francisco. Six days later, he was also the winning pitcher in the first big-league night game played in Los Angeles.
DID YOU KNOW II?
Prior to his Masters victory this year, Phil Mickelson had become known as "the best player never to have won a major golf tournament." But Ben Hogan was one year older (34) than Mickelson (33) when he won his first!
MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL:
Don't forget to get your membership renewal sent into Barbara Forsyth at the address below as soon as possible. If you have lost your renewal form, you can either get a copy by going to the website or by contacting Barbara at (336) 668-4556.
Piedmont Triad Sports Club
7800 Airport Center Drive, Suite 103
Greensboro, NC 27409
Respectfully Submitted - Gil Vaughan - Communications Chairman April 2004
Francis Kinlaw - Editor
PTSC NEWSLETTER VOLUME 3, ISSUE #1, FEBRUARY 2004
JANUARY MEETING CANCELLED DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER
At our January meeting, we were going to hear Bernie Bickerstaff, Coach and General Manager, and Chris Wieller, Executive Vice-President of Corporate Affairs, talk about building North Carolina's newest pro team, the Charlotte Bobcats. However, snow and ice forced the cancellation of this event. We will notify you of the new time and date.
JACK McKEON ATTRACTS A CROWD
Jack McKeon, the manager of the Florida Marlins and a resident of Elon, addressed the Piedmont Triad Sports Club on November 25th at the Airport Marriott. Before a larger crowd than had attended any PTSC meeting, McKeon spoke in the casual style that became very familiar to baseball observers during the 2003 season as his club made a dramatic charge to the National League's Championship Series and to the World Series.
The veteran manager spoke of his strong spiritual beliefs and then proceeded to summarize the methods and approaches that were employed to enable his young team to fulfill its potential. Because a "country club atmosphere" had pervaded the Marlins' clubhouse before his hiring, he told his players in no uncertain terms that they would be expected to "work hard and have fun" after his arrival in Miami. He also instructed them to "check their egos at the door" so that opportunities of a lifetime could be seized.
By instilling discipline and by trusting managerial instincts that had been developed during five decades in the game, McKeon was able to guide the Marlins to a world championship. In the afterglow of that title, McKeon focused on both the past and future during a lively question-and-answer session, and emphasized how financial decisions will significantly influence the tactics of his organization and those of other teams in the months ahead. He also spoke approvingly of the construction of a new ballpark in downtown Greensboro and provided a partial list of his favorite players. (His list of "talented players and fine people" included Harmon Killebrew, George Brett, Jim Kaat, Tony Gwynn, and Shawn Casey.)
Mr. McKeon had previously spoken to our club in January of 2000, when he was employed as the manager of the Cincinnati Reds. His audience for this return engagement obviously admired his perseverance in his profession and respected his years of experience.
BASKETBALL COACHES ADDRESS CLUB MEMBERS
Eight college basketball coaches from the Triad region summarized the status of their respective teams to members of the Piedmont Triad Sports Club at an October 16th luncheon at the Airport Marriott. Mixing light-hearted comments with brief evaluations of their teams, the coaches unanimously expressed guarded optimism only days before pre-season practices would begin.
Jerry Eaves of North Carolina A&T described his personal background as a member of the University of Louisville's 1980 national championship team and explained how his experiences as a college and professional player have affected his coaching philosophy. Eight scholarship players will return to Eaves' team, so he expects to utilize a number of walk-on players.
Bart Lundy of High Point University accepted the head coaching position in the Furniture City after coaching at Queens College in Charlotte for ten years. His team will feature eleven new players, five of whom will be on scholarship. He joked that his goal entering the season is "to get clobbered by Wake Forest in the first round of the NCAA Tournament"!
Philip Stitt of Winston-Salem State University will also field a young team. In fact, Coach Stitt stated that his players were, as he spoke, "in recess with nap time coming up." Coach Stitt's team will again employ a pressing defense whenever possible, and it will again be dominated by North Carolina talent: twelve of the 13 players hail from the Tar Heel State.
Tom Palombo of Guilford College, another newcomer to the area, also expects to promote a fast tempo. He predicted that Hampden-Sydney College and Randolph Macon College will be the class of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, but he is optimistic about the Quakers' potential. Josh Connor (a former star at Northwest Guilford), and Ron Bradford (formerly of Greensboro Day School) are two local players on his squad.
Lynn Ramage of Greensboro College will call upon ten new players for contributions to his team's success. He anticipates stardom and leadership from senior guard Marcellus Morgan. His team will also be blessed with considerable size: Wake Forest transfer Dshamal Schoetz (7'0"; 265 lbs.) will play beside two other players who each stand 6'9". Trey Williams, a senior, will provide solid direction as a point guard.
Remember, our PTSC website at "www.piedmonttriadsportsclub.com" for all of your favorite links and other information including our editor's PTSC PUZZLER.
Membership Renewal:
Don't forget to get your membership renewal sent into Barbara Forsyth at the address below as soon as possible. If you have lost your renewal form, you can either get a copy by going to the website or by contacting Barbara at (336) 668-4556.
Piedmont Triad Sports Club
7800 Airport Center Drive, Suite 103
Greensboro, NC 27409
Respectfully Submitted: Gil Vaughan - Communications Chairman 2/01/04
Francis Kinlaw - Editor
PTSC NEWSLETTER VOLUME 2, ISSUE #4, SEPTEMBER 2003
PANEL ADDRESSES PROBLEMS OF COLLEGE SPORTS
Many members of the Piedmont Triad Sports Club attended an enlightening and informative panel discussion at Elon University on September 4th. While addressing the topic of the evening ("Intercollegiate Athletics: Is Reform Working?"), five individuals who have devoted their lives to college athletes and athletics provided perceptive observations in an auditorium filled with concerned listeners.
Selected by moderator Dr. William F. Friday (former president of the University of North Carolina system and chairman of the Knight Commission), the panel consisted of Thomas K. Hearn (President, Wake Forest University), Dr. Myles Brand (NCAA President), Len Elmore (former basketball star, currently an attorney and ESPN college basketball analyst), Kay Yow (Head Women's Basketball Coach, North Carolina State University), and Dr. Dan Morrison (Commissioner of the Southern Conference).
 Each of these panelists was, based on his or her background and experiences, able to speak from a unique perspective. Elmore displayed a sincere concern for the interests of athletes as he urged reason and caution in actions that determine the fates of thousands of aspiring young people. Yow commented as a person involved for a lifetime in women's sports. Brand, Hearn, and Friday described the dilemmas faced regularly by administrators attempting to guide massive and expensive athletic programs within an academic setting, and Morrison spoke of the evolving nature of conferences in an ever-changing business and athletic environment.
Although the discussion dealt with numerous issues and was followed by a brief question-and-answer session, no simple solutions to the serious problems facing college sport were expressed. The members of our club who attended the meeting were reminded, however, of the challenges that exist for those who promote the ideals of amateur athletics as popular culture embraces characteristics of professionalism.
- by Francis Kinlaw
Next PTSC Meeting Approaching Soon
PIEDMONT TRIAD SPORTS CLUB MEETING
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16 -------- 12:00 NOON
THE MARRIOTT HOTEL at PTI AIRPORT
This is our annual meeting featuring the men's head basketball coaches from the eight Triad area universities and colleges --- Wake Forest, UNC Greensboro, North Carolina A & T, Elon, High Point, Guilford, Greensboro, and Winston-Salem State.
Come hear Coaches Prosser, McCaffery, Eaves, Nestor, Lundy, Palombo, Ramage, and Stitt give us an early assessment of their teams and outlook for the season.
In the middle of football season? Why not? For some fans, basketball season never ends. Besides, practice starts just a couple of days later.
Make your reservations now for yourself and your guests by mail (as indicated below) or by calling Barbara Forsyth at (336) 668-4556 This is a great opportunity to invite prospective members as guests, since all of these local teams have numerous fans in the Triad area who should be members of the Sports Club.
Cost: Members $15 and Guests $20.
Mail your checks to PTPF/PTSC, 7800 Airport Center Drive, Suite 103, Greensboro, NC 27409 or indicate, when making reservations, that you will pay at the door. Note the new address.
Remember, our PTSC website at "www.piedmonttriadsportsclub.com" for all of your favorite links and other information including our editor's PTSC PUZZLER.
Membership Renewal:
Don't forget to get your membership renewal sent into Barbara Forsyth at the address below as soon as possible. If you have lost your renewal form, you can either get a copy by going to the website or by contacting Barbara at (336) 668-4556.
Piedmont Triad Sports Club
7800 Airport Center Drive, Suite 103
Greensboro, NC 27409
Respectfully Submitted: Gil Vaughan - Communications Chairman 9/30/03
PTSC NEWSLETTER VOLUME 2, ISSUE #3, JUNE 2003
DEFENDER OF AMATEURISM SPEAKS
 Charlie
Adams, the executive director of the North Carolina High School
Athletic Association, summarized the status of scholastic sports in an
informative and captivating speech at the club's luncheon meeting on
May 29th. Mr. Adams, who joined the NCHSAA in 1969 and has served as
its director since 1984, displayed his considerable experience and
expertise as an administrator as he addressed a litany of challenging
issues that have recently affected his organization, secondary schools,
and 140,000 high school athletes in the Tar Heel state.
Mr. Adams began by criticizing a past decision by East Carolina
University to participate in a nationally televised football game on a
Friday night, thereby creating a scheduling conflict with high school
sporting events that inevitably deprived public schools of needed
revenue. He noted that Atlantic Coast Conference teams have promised to
avoid scheduling football or basketball games on Friday evenings, and
he hopes for a more responsible stance by East Carolina in the future.
Mr. Adams, who had been introduced to a large gathering at the Airport
Marriott by his long-time friend and club member Dayle Phillips, also
offered the following comments about current problems and controversies:
Subdividing Classifications
Large disparities in the numbers of students enrolled in various
schools have fostered an increase in the number of divisions for high
school football. Championship games in eight divisions (rather than
four) will be played for the next four years at Groves Stadium in
Winston-Salem, Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill, Carter-Finley Stadium in
Raleigh, and Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham. The sites at which each of
the paired classifications (4-A and 4-AA, 3-A and 3-AA, 2-A and 2AA,
and 1-A and 1AA) will play will be rotated each year.
Athletic Eligibility
Following a well-publicized and thorough investigation, it was
determined in the spring of 2003 that eleven of Guilford County's 14
high schools had violated rules relating to attendance and athletic
eligibility. This issue deserves and will continue to receive attention
from Mr. Adams' association.
National Championships
Mr. Adams is naturally very concerned about the involvement and
influence of shoe companies in high school sports. These companies
choose to provide shoes and other items to schools and teams on a
selective basis, thereby creating inequity among various schools. The
shoe companies are also a major force behind proposals for national
championship competition among high schools. Mr. Adams is staunchly
opposed to such a concept.
AAU Competition
Citing what he referred to as the "LeBron James fiasco," Mr. Adams
contended that AAU sports are very threatening to the ideals of high
school sports. He is particularly troubled by the fact that AAU coaches
frequently advise or require young people to play only one sport.
"Pay-for-Play"
An endowment has been established to shield North Carolina's high
school athletes from the unfortunate "play-for-play" policies that
apply in many regions of the country. A $10 million capital campaign
will soon be initiated for the purpose of ensuring that high school
sports will continue to be available to all young people regardless of
their economic situation. Interest earned from the endowment would be
distributed among the state's high schools.
Grade Inflation
Mr. Adams acknowledges the existence of a serious problem of grade
inflation among athletes and hopes that it will be responsibly
addressed by teachers and administrators.
December Graduations
The recent and developing trend for talented high school athletes to
graduate in the month of December after satisfying all academic
requirements under block scheduling (and then to begin college during
the subsequent spring semester) appears to be irreversible. Mr. Adams
believes that individual athletes should be encouraged to make the
decision that is best for them, with sound advice from family members
and school personnel.
Parochial High Schools
Mr. Adams noted that parochial schools such as Charlotte Catholic and
Cardinal Gibbons have been responsible members of the NCHSAA for many
years. He stated that recruitment of athletes by non-public schools
undoubtedly exists, but that such activities are discouraged by a rule
that requires players transferring to a parochial school from a public
school to forfeit one year of eligibility. He also observed that
coaches from public schools have also been known to recruit.
Non-Participating Schools
In response to a question from his audience, Mr. Adams explained that
Christian and independent schools cannot participate in activities and
events sanctioned by the NCHSAA. Home-schooled students are also
ineligible.
Charter Schools
Charter schools, which are becoming more and more common in educational
circles, can pose a problem for the NCHSSA and competing high schools
for a variety of reasons. Some new schools go bankrupt and close during
an academic year, some schools discontinue sports programs and disband
athletic teams in mid-season, and teams from some schools do not appear
for games or matches at scheduled times or sites. Mr. Adams believes
that such problems will become less common only when charter schools
become more stable financially and when realistic goals relating to
athletic programs and facilities are established.
While making many interesting comments about the high school sports
scene, Mr. Adams praised the Winston-Salem community for producing many
fine teams in recent years and for providing his organization with many
attractive sites for championships. He also directed favorable comments
toward officials of Wake Forest University for their cooperative
attitudes, adding that the generous actions of people in the Piedmont
Triad have enhanced the quality of high school sports throughout the
state of North Carolina.
After reflecting on Mr. Adams' remarks, those present undoubtedly
concluded that they had heard a significant message from the chief
spokesman of the last bastion of amateurism in North Carolina. A long
list of challenges was provided to a group that is dedicated to the
promotion of sports in this geographical region, and Mr. Adams and his
staff clearly deserve the support and admiration of citizens from
"Murphy to Manteo."
-Submitted by Francis Kinlaw
Remember, our PTSC website at
"www.piedmonttriadsportsclub.com" for all of your favorite links and
other information including our editor's PTSC PUZZLER.
Membership Renewal:
Don't forget to get your membership renewal sent into Barbara Forsyth
at the address below as soon as possible. If you have lost your renewal
form, you can either get a copy by going to the website or by
contacting Barbara at (336) 668-4556.
Piedmont Triad Sports Club
7614 Business Park Drive
Greensboro, NC 27409
Respectfully Submitted: Gil Vaughan - Communications Chairman 6/17/03
PTSC NEWSLETTER VOLUME 2, ISSUE #2, APRIL 2003
PEEKING BEHIND THE CLOSED DOORS OF THE NCAA SELECTION COMMITTEE WITH JUDY ROSE
Members and guests of the Piedmont Triad Sports Club
were entertained and informed by another dynamic speaker on April 17th
when Judy Rose, 
the athletic director of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte,
addressed the organization. Although Mrs. Rose has achieved much
success while serving in an executive capacity at UNCC for nearly 13
years, she has also drawn considerable attention as the only female
member of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Selection Committee. Her
speech to our club focused on the inner workings of that group.
Those present at the luncheon meeting at the Airport Marriott were
treated to vivid descriptions of the varied responsibilities of a
committee member. Mrs. Rose not only participated in the selection and
seeding of teams which hoped to gain entry or advantageous placement in
a financially lucrative tournament, but she was also assigned to
supervise a first- and second-round event in Nashville and then (less
than one week later) the West Regional in Anaheim, California. Neither
of these "tournaments within a tournament" was lacking in controversy
or activity, and Mrs. Rose provided an account of her highly publicized
verbal exchange with Coach Roy Williams of Kansas regarding a
controversial call and explained how an on-court fight between mascots
from the University of Oregon and the University of Utah was peacefully
resolved.
Mrs. Rose also shed light upon the exhausting routines of committee
members which precede the selection of the 65-team field: arrival at
the selection site on Wednesday and the devotion that day and evening
studying teams and conferences, evaluation and selection of 96 referees
for regionals on Thursday, and then immersion in lengthy and detailed
discussions of the strengths and weaknesses of teams for the rest of
the weekend. She also noted that members are expected to evaluate the
performance and objectivity of network announcers as games are being
played, and make important administrative decisions relative to the
placement of microphones and signs at tournament sites.
Mrs. Rose's comments reflected her enthusiasm for her work on the
16-member committee, and her many attentive listeners undoubtedly
gained a greater appreciation for her personal dedication and for the
wide range of duties that she and her peers have assumed.
FORMER BASKETBALL STARS SPEAK TO CLUB:
During a active ten-day period that featured the men's and women's
Atlantic Coast Conference basketball tournaments in Greensboro, members
and guests of the Piedmont Triad Sports Club were entertained by two of
the league's hoop legends at a March 13th luncheon in Bridger Field
House in Winston-Salem. Following introductions by master of ceremonies
Skeeter Francis, Phil Ford and Dickie Hemric recalled incidents and
events that marked their respective college careers.
Ford displayed humor as he recalled the intense recruitment process
that culminated with his decision to play for Coach Dean Smith and the
North Carolina Tar Heels, and mentioned the considerable challenges he
faced when playing against former Wake Forest star Skip Brown. Noting
the location of the meeting, he commented that, "This is the first time
that I have appeared in Winston-Salem and not been booed!" And, in
response to a question from his audience, he said that he would like to
return to coaching and again have direct contact with young players.
Hemric, a native of Jonesville who emerged as the ACC's Player of the
Year in 1954 and 1955, began his speech by paying homage to those who
promoted his career: former Deacon coach Murray Greason, sportscaster
Ray Reeve, and sportswriters Smith Barrier, Irwin Smallwood, Bob
Quincy, Dick Herbert, and Frank Spencer. He also spoke with fondness of
his former teammates at Wake Forest, and expressed the belief that the
Deacons would have defeated NC State in the final game of the 1954 ACC
Tournament if the game had not been played on the Wolfpack's home
court. He then contended that the teams on which he played would have
won both the 1954 and 1955 tournaments if former Deac star Jack
Williams had not been serving in the Army. Hemric also introduced
former All-American Len Chappell and told a couple of humorous stories
about Chappell, Billy Packer, and Bones McKinney.
The large turnout of club members thoroughly enjoyed the proceedings
and a fine lunch, and each person present was undoubtedly inspired by
the event to reminisce about the superb brand of basketball that was
played in the first 30 years of the ACC's existence.
HEAD PANTHER SPEAKS:
A very large gathering of Piedmont Triad Sports Club members was
entertained and informed on March 4th when John Fox, the head coach of
the Carolina Panthers, spoke at the Airport Marriott. Following an
introduction by Greg Kerr of WFMY-TV, Coach Fox displayed humor and a
thorough understanding of the National Football League as he discussed
his team's outlook in considerable detail. His optimistic attitude
toward the Panthers' immediate future is based on an impressive finish
to the 2002 season (the Panthers won four of their last five games),
faith in a strong coaching staff and returning players, and an
expectation that the 2003 draft can be employed to enhance offensive
productivity. (The Panthers possess the ninth selection in this year's
draft.) Fox explained that he would prefer to draft an offensive player
in the first round of the draft, but noted that the high price of the
ninth-round pick will force coaches and front-office personnel to
obtain a solid "player" --- regardless of position.
Fox noted that the improvement in the club's record from 1-15 in 2001
to 7-9 in 2002 was due to drastic improvement on defense. "Now," he
said, "We need to do the same thing on offense." A key person in the
development of a better offense will be running back DeShaun Foster,
and Fox was pleased to report that Foster's rehabilitation from a
serious injury is progressing well. The coach is also focusing on the
necessary improvement of the offensive line.
Referring to the significance of recent staff changes among his
assistants, Fox professed pride in the fact that former defensive
coordinator Jack Del Rio landed the job of head coach with the
Jacksonville Jaguars. The Panthers' new defensive coordinator is Mike
Trgovac, who was a defensive line coach for the team last year.
Fox avoided speculation regarding the signing of free agents because so
many decisions are based upon the cost of specific players. He
expressed satisfaction with the performance of Rodney Peete at
quarterback, and expressed the hope that John Kasey will return to form
as the team's placekicker with Shayne Graham serving as his back-up.
The booming punts of Todd Sauerbrun, one of the NFL's best, will again
be seen in Ericsson Stadium next season.
Fox closed his speech by praising the contributions of former Western
Carolina running back Brad Hoover, and by recalling that his greatest
thrill in football occurred when the New York Giants won the NFC's 2001
championship game over the Vikings, 41-0. Fox was the defensive
coordinator of the Giants at the time, and he dreams of experiencing a
similar feeling one day in the future as the Panthers wrap up a league
title in Charlotte before a stadium full of loyal fans.
Remember, our PTSC website at "www.piedmonttriadsportsclub.com" for all
of your favorite links and other information including our editor's
PTSC PUZZLER.
Membership Renewal:
Don't forget to get your membership renewal sent into Barbara Forsyth
at the address below as soon as possible. If you have lost your renewal
form, you can either get a copy by going to the website or by
contacting Barbara at (336) 668-4556.
Piedmont Triad Sports Club
7614 Business Park Drive
Greensboro, NC 27409
Upcoming Meeting:
Our next scheduled meeting will be May 29th at the Airport Marriott in
Greensboro at 12 Noon. Charlie Adams, the Director of the North
Carolina High School Athletic Association, will be our featured speaker.
Respectfully Submitted: Gil Vaughan - Communications Chairman 4/21/03
PTSC NEWSLETTER VOLUME 2, ISSUE #1, FEBRUARY 2003
PTSC Launches New Website on February 10, 2003
In an effort to create an internet site that best
reflects the mission and intent of the PTSC while serving our members
and putting forth a professional presence for our club, members of the
Communications Committee would like to introduce you to the new
Piedmont Triad Sports Club website. The new site, which can be found at
www.piedmonttriadsportsclub.com, has many exciting features that you
will want to explore on your own; but let's take a brief look inside.
On the HOME PAGE, of course, you will find our logo, our Mission
Statement, a map of the Southeastern Coastal States with the Piedmont
Triad Region highlighted, and the Navigational bars or buttons that
carry you to the various pages named. The pages or sections are ABOUT
US, MEMBERSHIP, EDITOR'S VIEW, NEWSLETTERS, APPLICATION, EVENTS, LINKS,
CONTACT US, and MEMBERS ONLY. (Note that you can access a detailed map
of the 12-county Piedmont Triad Region that we serve by clicking on our
area in the Southeastern Coastal States map on the HOME PAGE.)
ABOUT US - A brief description of our history and purpose are found in this section. (Who are those two golfers anyway?)
MEMBERSHIP - This page gives potential members an overview of our Membership Benefits and our past program guest speakers.
EDITOR'S VIEW - Our Editor-in-Chief, Francis Kinlaw will use this area
for his unique "ramblings" on various topics, his book review's, and
his PTSC PUZZLER ???. You will have to visit the website to see what we
are talking about.
NEWSLETTERS - In this section, you will find the current newsletter
along with the text and pictures (where possible) from our previous
issues.
APPLICATION - Of course, we have to give our visitors a chance to join
our club; so we put a Membership Application form in this section.
Remember, it is time to renew your membership. Feel free to use this
form when you do.
EVENTS - Here we give you a look at some of the major sporting events
in our region including NASCAR races and college conference
championships. You can help us here by telling us when and where events
are taking place that would be of interest to our members.
LINKS - Hyperlinks that carry you to the websites for our region's
professional sports teams, collegiate conferences, university athletic
departments, and PTSC partners reside in this area. Use this section to
gain quick access to their websites for schedules, highlights and other
useful information.
CONTACT US - As with most websites, this is where we make it easy for visitors to our site to get in touch with us.
MEMBERS ONLY - This area requires you to use a password that will be
provided to PTSC members in our newsletters such as this, through
emails or by calling Barbara Forsyth at 336-668-4556. In this section
are our Membership Directory database, an Internal Forum where our
Executive Committee or Board of Directors may "speak" to the
membership, and our Board of Director's Meeting Minutes.
Remember, that you can always get back to the Home Page by clicking on our logo in the upper left corner of your screen.
In the coming months, we are asking for your help in providing
additional content for the pages within the site. This help could be in
the form of writing articles, providing information on recent or future
events, providing/taking pictures at area sporting events and meetings,
or just giving us your ideas as to what you would like to see within
"your" website.
Enjoy!
Upcoming Programs
(TBA) -- A program (speaker to be confirmed) celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
March 12 or 13 -- Save both dates, the day of and the day after the ACC
50th Anniversary Gala. We'll get back to you when we confirm this guest
speaker. You don't want to miss him.
April 17 -- Judy Rose, Athletic Director University of North Carolina
Charlotte and a member of the 2003 NCAA Men's Tournament Selection
Committee.
May or June -- Charlie Adams, Executive Director of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association.
(TBA) -- Dana Demmer, Carolina Panthers Cheerleader, dance instructor and personal trainer (a program you don't want to miss).
Executive Committee Reaffirmed
The following were asked by the nominating committee to extend their
terms for the 2003 year. Since all accepted, they were voted into
office on December 13, 2002. Your Board Members are:
| Arnold King - President
| Tony Collins - Vice President
|
| Jim Holmes - Treasurer
| Terry Weatherford - Secretary
|
| Sherrill Hall - Past President
|
|
See our new website for a complete listing of all other Board Members and Committee Chairpersons.
PTSC Membership Directory
The Piedmont Triad Sports Club Membership Directory is available.
Please contact Barbara at 668-4556 if you did not receive your
membership directory in the mail. The Membership Directory is also
available for easy viewing in the Members Only section of the PTSC
website.
Membership Renewals Now Due
Soon, you will be receiving your Yearly Membership Renewal Invoice.
This year's dues are still only $25. While you are at it, why don't you
get a friend to join at the same time so that they can also be a part
of the Piedmont Triad region's premier sports club. It's a great
bargain and costs less than the price of an SUV fill-up at the gas
station. (-;
Respectfully Submitted: Gil Vaughan - Communications Chairman 2/7/03
PTSC Newsletter Volume 1, Issue #4, November 2002
FRED WHITFIELD ADDRESSES PTS CLUB AT THE GREENSBORO COLISEUM
On Friday, October 18 at the Carlyle Club inside the
Greensboro Coliseum (inset), Fred Whitfield, Director of Player
Personnel and Assistant Legal Counsel for the Washington Wizards
addressed the Piedmont Triad Sports Club. The Washington Wizards played
the New Orleans Hornets on Saturday, October 19.
 Fred,
who is also a long-time resident of Greensboro, discussed the player
personnel changes this year for the Wizards and of course Michael
Jordan's role. Fred noted that it would be an interesting challenge for
Michael to come off the bench and play for limited minutes for the
first time in his career. However, it is important that Michael stay
healthy and be playing at the end of the season for the Wizards to have
a good chance at making the playoffs. Michael's winning attitude makes
a huge difference to the young players and they had a great chance of
making the playoffs last year, but Jordan's injury changed this
possibility. Fred stated that Michael signed a 2-year contract and it
expires at the end of the season - who knows if he will play beyond
this year? Michael also donated his entire salary last year to the 9/11
fund and he is practically playing for no salary compared to what he
was making with the Chicago Bulls in his last two years with their team.
Fred discussed his role of negotiating player contracts to remain
within the NBA's salary cap restrictions. When he arrived in Washington
two seasons ago, the Wizards were exceeding the cap and he had to
immediately trade players to get below the salary cap. The Wizards
decided to go with a young team and build their team via the draft by
trading players such as Juwan Howard. What was interesting was that
Fred negotiated Juwan's contract as his agent and now he was trading
this same player away as his new boss! Fred noted that Kwame Brown, the
number one draft pick in 2001, is progressing nicely and would make a
big difference this year. Fred reported the trade for Jerry Stackhouse
gives the team an offensive spark that will compliment Michael Jordan
off the bench. Fred had high praise for this year's draft, including
Juan Dixon from Maryland.
Fred introduced his parents to the group and was excited that he had
the opportunity to schedule the Wizards to play in Greensboro. Fred
went to Southeast Guilford High School and Campbell University, where
he was also an assistant basketball coach. Fred has a law degree, has
worked as a sports agent with Nike and David Falk, and now is living
his dream of working in an executive position with an NBA team.
ANNUAL BASKETBALL COACHES PROGRAM
Basketball coaches from eight local colleges or universities addressed
the Piedmont Triad Sports Club during a November 1st luncheon meeting
at the Airport Marriott. Skip Prosser of Wake Forest was followed at
the podium by Philip Stitt of Winston-Salem State University, Butch
Estes of Guilford College, Anthony Jones of the University of North
Carolina at Greensboro, Curtis Hunter of North Carolina A&T State
University, Lynn Ramage of Greensboro College, Jerry Steele of High
Point University, and Mark Simons of Elon College.
 Coach
Prosser expressed his concern regarding Josh Howard's lingering leg
injury, and his hope that Steve Lepore would be able to recover from a
devastating knee injury suffered in last year's Atlantic Coast
Conference tournament. He anticipates a transition year for his team,
but believes that the Demon Deacons will evolve into a good team. Three
sophomores (Taron Downey, Vytas Danelius, and Jamaal Levy) will be
important to the success of the team, as will freshmen Eric Williams,
Trent Strickland, Justin Gray, and Richard Joyce. Coach Prosser
emphasized that these young players are trying very hard and are fine
young men.
Coach Stitt noted that his Rams had lost ten players from a 22-7 team,
and said that his team would feature a local flavor since only one
current player comes from outside the state of North Carolina.
Coach Estes reminded those present that the Guilford College Quakers
would be playing in a very competitive conference and would face a
tough slate of non-conference games. He has lost two players from last
year's team but, like Coach Stitt, has many North Carolina natives on
his squad.
Anthony Jones, an assistant to Coach Fran McCaffery at UNCG, mentioned
that two key players from last year's Spartan team (Courtney Eldridge
and David Schuck) have graduated. But forwards James Maye and Luke
Boythe return, and Ronnie Taylor of Raleigh should be steady in the
role of point guard. Jay Joseph of Philadelphia will again be available
at the other guard position, and Mark Mason is a promising freshman.
The Spartans will be challenged early and often inside and outside
Southern Conference play, with four games (including a preseason NIT
game against Wagner College) to be played in the Greensboro Coliseum.
Curtis Hunter spoke of the inexperience on his Aggie team, with ten
freshmen and four sophomores likely to appear in games. But the coach
is confident that the level of talent on this year's team will be much
higher than in previous years.
Coach Ramage, in his first year at Greensboro College, was encouraged
by the response to his scheduled pre-season tryouts at the Division III
school. Even though two seniors from last year's team graduated, he
believes that the Pride will have a successful season while employing a
fast-paced offense.
Coach Steele has adopted a wait-and-see attitude toward his High Point
University team, but knows that the contributions of Brent Halsch
(formerly of Greensboro Day School) will be a positive factor.
Finally, Mark Simons of Elon bemoaned the fact that a torn ACL to his
staring point guard and three injuries to post players have hindered
the practice plans of his squad. Despite these setbacks, however, Coach
Simons believes that his team has a chance to be very good. He is
especially pleased to be able to call on the services of a freshman
who, last winter, ranked only behind UNC's Raymond Felton among
recruits from the state of South Carolina.
The comments from these dedicated men were well received and
appreciated by club members and their guests. We wish each coach great
success this season, as we look forward to many entertaining afternoons
and nights of exciting hoop action.
Note the different location from last year's coaches' meeting. Sports
Club member Karla Cloninger has done a terrific job hosting previous
Club meetings at the Marriott.
contributing writer: Francis Kinlaw
NOMINATIONS FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
If you know of anyone who would be a good candidate
to serve on the 2003 Board Of Directors, please call and give their
name(s) to Barbara Forsyth at 668-4556. The Nomination Committee will
be meeting next week to make recommendations.
PTSC 2002 Membership Directory
The 2002 Piedmont Triad Sports Club membership
directory is available. Please contact Barbara at 668-4556 if you did
not receive your membership directory in the mail.
WHY THE PTSC WAS FORMED
The Piedmont Triad Partnership, the region's
economic development organization, conducted a long-range strategic
plan in the mid-1990's. One of the recommendations for improving
communication and cooperation among leaders in the 12-county region was
to form a sports club that would promote regional sporting events and
provide a networking opportunity for sports enthusiasts in the region.
The Piedmont Sports Club was formed in 1997. Meetings are typically
luncheon meetings and the meeting schedule is based the availability of
speakers. The Piedmont Triad Sports Club's mission is to enhance the
vitality of the 12-county Piedmont Triad Region through sports related
activities. For more information, call the Piedmont Triad Partnership
at 668-4556 or visit the website at PiedmontTriadNC.com.
PTSC Newsletter Volume 1, Issue # 2, April 2002
The ACC Women's Basketball Tournament Social was a Big Hit!
John Swofford, ACC Commissioner, spoke to the
Piedmont Triad Sports Club on Monday, March 4 at the Greensboro
Coliseum. Mr. Swofford noted that the Greensboro Coliseum would be
hosting the women's tournament and the men's tournament during
back-to-back weeks in 2003. The ACC will continue to move the
tournament to different locations throughout the Southeast in order to
have close proximity to each ACC school and to attract more fans.
However, Greensboro is one of the best host cities due to its location
and facilities - no one has better facilities than Greensboro for
hosting all of the social happenings that occur with the tournament.
The women's tournament championship game will be the first women's ACC
event to have national television coverage on ESPN2. The night's crowd
set a one-night attendance record for the women's game with over 9,000
attendees. Mr. Swofford thanks the club for their continued support of
the ACC and hopes to see everyone at next year's events. After the
meeting the group attended the championship game, where Duke beat UNC
for their 3rd consecutive ACC crown.
Dr. Thomas Hearn addressed the Piedmont Triad Sports Club at Wake Forest
Dr. Thomas Hearn, the President of Wake Forest
University, delivered an interesting and thought-provoking speech to a
large number of club members and guests on February 18, 2002. After
enjoying lunch at the Bridger Field House (inset) in Winston-Salem,
those in attendance heard Dr. Hearn describe his view of the athletic
horizon, as it exists today - as well as his vision of the future.
That vision is, unfortunately, neither inviting nor attractive. Hearn,
a prominent figure in the administration and reform of college
athletics, commented upon the steady transformation of college
athletics from extracurricular activity to a source of major
entertainment. He bemoaned the fact that college programs now resemble
professional teams in too many respects. He is particularly distressed
by the financial costs necessary for participation in Division I
sports, and he is concerned about the exponential growth in salaries of
football and basketball coaches. Remarking upon the decline of
sportsmanship in recent years, he observed that too many collegians
have modeled their demeanor after the undesirable behavior of
professional athletes.
While Dr. Hearn clearly recognizes that significant reform of college
athletics will be difficult to achieve, he is encouraged by the fact
that the Atlantic Coast Conference has fewer problems than most other
leagues. Nevertheless, he fears that gambling scandals rooted on
college campuses and generated on the Internet may render a fatal blow
to college sports as we know them. He described a discouraging but
conceivable scenario which involved the passage of federal legislation
in the wake of such a scandal, and noted that the high cost of
implementing such mandatory measures would drive many Division I
schools out of the athletic business.
Despite the serious tone of his message, Dr. Hearn entertained his
listeners with humorous comments. His balanced presentation of
problems, proposed solutions, and informed commentary will undoubtedly
continue to generate constructive discussions about the state and
future of amateur athletics.
Let the Piedmont Triad Sports Club Take You Out to the Ballpark This Fall!
The Piedmont Triad Sports Club is planning a bus
trip to Baltimore, Maryland to see the Baltimore Orioles play the
Boston Red Sox on Saturday, September 21 and Sunday, September 22. We
need 48-50 people to participate in order for this event to become a
reality.
Transportation will be provided by Holiday Tours and
room accommodations will be based on double occupancy at the Marriott
Courtyard. The cost is $175 per person, which includes a ticket to the
game, hotel, and bus. Please RSVP to Barbara at 668-4556 no later than
Tuesday, April 30 to reserve your space on the bus!
MEMBER HAPPENINGS
Congratulations to our own Marc Bush for being elected President of the Greensboro Sports Commission.
PTSC 2002 Membership Directory
The 2002 Piedmont Triad Sports Club membership
directory will be printed on May 1. To be included in the directory,
your 2002 dues must be paid no later than April 15. Compared to other
payments due on April 15, our $25 annual dues are a real bargain!
Recruit another member (maybe your CPA) before the April 15 deadline.
Contact Barbara at 336-668-4556 for information about paying dues.
The Piedmont Triad Partnership, the region's economic development
organization, conducted a long-range strategic plan in the mid-1990.
One of the recommendations for improving communication and cooperation
among leaders in the 12-county region was to form a sports club that
would promote regional sporting events and provide a networking
opportunity for sports enthusiasts in the region.
The Piedmont Sports Club was formed in 1997. Meetings are typically
luncheon meetings and the meeting schedule is based the availability of
speakers. The Piedmont Triad Sports Club's mission is to enhance the
vitality of the 12-county Piedmont Triad Region through sports related
activities. For more information, call the Piedmont Triad Partnership
at 336-668-4556 or visit the web-site at PiedmontTriadNC.com.
PTSC Newsletter Volume 1, Issue #1, February 2002
Welcome to the first edition of the Piedmont Triad
Sports Club Electronic Newsletter. This newsletter will keep you
updated on meeting dates and topics, member happenings, local sporting
events, and reports from your board of directors. We hope you enjoy
this new service and please let us know what you think. E-mail any of
your announcements and/or suggestions to Tony Jarrett. If you cannot
view the e-mail, double-click on the attached text version.
Next luncheon meeting date set for Monday, February 18, 2002
The next meeting of the Piedmont Triad Sports Club
will be held at Bridger Fieldhouse located at Wake Forest University.
Registration begins at 11:45am and the program and lunch will be from
12:00 noon until 1:15pm. Our guest speaker will be Dr. Thomas K. Hearn,
President of Wake Forest University and his topic will be "NCAA
Athletics - the Vision For the Future."
Dr. Hearn is the senior member of the Atlantic Coast Conference
university presidents and a member of the original Knight Foundation
Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics. He is recognized nationwide as
an advocate for collegiate athletic reform. He has rejoined the Knight
Commission recently, as it has reassembled to take stock of the current
state of college athletics.
A native of Alabama, Hearn came to Wake Forest in 1983 from the
University of Alabama at Birmingham where he was senior vice president.
He is a graduate of Birmingham Southern College and Southern Baptist
Theological Seminary. He earned his doctorate in philosophy from
Vanderbilt University in 1965. He has also received honorary degrees
from the University of Alabama and Tokai University in Japan and was
named an honorary citizen by the University of Vienna, Austria. He is
married to Laura Walter Hearn and is the father of three grown children.
Bridger Fieldhouse is located at Groves Stadium - 499 Deacon Boulevard,
Winston-Salem. The cost is $15 for members and $20 for guests. Guests
are welcome and encouraged. Please RSVP by February 14 to Barbara
Forsyth at 668-4556 or by e-mail at bforsyth@piedmonttriadnc.com.
Piedmont Triad Sports Club to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the ACC Women's Basketball Tournament
Please join the Piedmont Triad Sports Club and ACC
officials for a hospitality night on Monday, March 4 at the Greensboro
Coliseum. The cost is $15 per member, which includes a social from
6:00pm until 7:30pm and a ticket to the championship game beginning at
7:30pm. Please RSVP and payment to Barbara Forsyth at (336) 668-4556 or
at bforsyth@piedmonttriadnc.com.
New slate of directors and officers for 2002 approved
Congratulations to the following individuals for being approved at the last board of directors meeting:
Class I (thru 12/31/03):
Dave Alexander, Marc Bush, Rence Callahan, Ashby Cook, Tony Jarrett,
Kelly May, Bernadette McGlade, Mike Solomon, Nat Taylor, Stahle
Vincent, Tom Webb, and Ed Wilson
Class II (thru 12/31/04):
Scott Bankhead, George Boss, Tony Collins, Bill Frank, Dennis Haglan,
Sherrill Hall, Royce Hough, Mike McHone, Joe Potter, Irwin Smallwood,
and Dee Todd
Class I | | |
