Sad News

Ernie Harwell was the reason I choose to get into radio.  Today, it was made public the legandary broadcaster has incurable cancer.  Please keep the Harwell family in your prayers.

Ernie Harwell, 91, has incurable cancer

Tom Gage / The Detroit News

Detroit — He’d been waiting for test results.

His voice last week sounded strong — as strong as always. By the end of the conversation, however, it didn’t.

Ernie Harwell, the treasured voice of the Tigers for all those years, has incurable bile duct cancer. In comments to the Detroit Free Press on Thursday, he said he won’t undergo surgery.

But in those same comments, he said he’s ready for the next adventure.

It’s been no secret lately that Ernie — as nearly everyone knows him — hadn’t been feeling well. He was in the hospital, then out. There’d been speculation about pneumonia. But most of all there’d been speculation something was wrong.

“Just feeling a little weak at times,” he said when called by The Detroit News recently. “We’ll see where this takes us. I know I’ll be in good hands.”

Now he also knows what was wrong.

“We don’t know how long this lasts,” Harwell, 91, told the Free Press. “It could be a year. It could be much less than a year, much less than a half year. Who knows? Whatever is in store, I’m ready for a new adventure.”

That’s Ernie for you.

Life always has been an adventure for him. From his boyhood days in Georgia, to serving in the Marines, to broadcasting Bobby Thomson’s famous home run for the New York Giants — to becoming a Hall of Fame broadcaster with the Tigers.

Life’s challenge will be an adventure as well.

“I’m ready to face what comes,” he told the Free Press, “whether it’s a long time or short time. It’s up to my Lord and savior.”

Reece Davis on Rich Rodriguez

Sure to make an appearance in tomorrow’s review of the Free Press’ investigation into Michigan Football, a strong take by ESPN’s Reece Davis on Rodriguez’s real issue at the U.

Rece Davis on Rich Rodriguez

Free Press “Trial” Delayed

The next edition of “You, The Jury” featuring the Detroit Free Press’ manner of investigating possible NCAA rules violations at the University of Michigan will be published tomorrow.  It was originally advertised to be published today, but I’ll have far more free time tomorrow.

- Mike Fahmie

Loaded Gloves: Interview with Former Heavyweight Champion Oliver McCall and son Elijah

Friend of the Loaded Gloves column Charles White has interviewed former heavyweight champion Oliver McCall along with his son, Elijah, a new pro. Paul is on the run due to bad bets on the Pacquiao-Hatton fight (Why couldn’t you have waited until the 9th, Manny??) but will return soon. Until then, enjoy. Thank you again to Charles White, a gentleman and a scholar (and a budding chef!)

CW: What’s up Elijah? How you been man?

EM: I’m doing good.

CW: You turned down a football scholarship to take up boxing. What drove you to do that, and does your father approve?

EM: It was my own decision you know, from the past that is what I always wanted to do. And I got the urge more as I got bigger and matured. And once I asked my father he didn’t approve much, he just wanted me to go my own way but then he saw that I was really serious about it.

CW: What was it like to see your father knock out Lennox Lewis?

NFL Draft: A Star-Less Weekend in NYC

In just over 48 hours, the biggest off season event in sports is will commence, as 256 former collegians will enter into the National Football League.  Many of the names called at legendary Radio City Music Hall this weekend will never see game action, and several will fail to make it out of training camp.  A select few separate themselves as serviceable pros, but who, if anyone, will become the league’s next star?

 

Just how void of stars is the 2009 NFL Draft?  Of the expected top 6 picks, only one (Wake Forest LB Aaron Curry) made first team All-American in 2008.  The seemingly all-but-sealed top overall pick – Georgia QB Matt Stafford – failed to even make SI’s Honorable Mention list on their All American team, while the draft’s second QB, USC’s Matt Sanchez, only made HM status. 

 

The top three contenders for the Heisman are busy either preparing for or taking final exams, having just completed their spring games.  Only Texas Tech WR Michael Crabtree will serve as the representative from the Downtown Athletic Club’s ceremony to be taken on the first day.  Crabtree’s Red Raider teammate, QB Graham Harrell, has slid to a 7^th round grade according to ESPN.  Of Sports Illustrated’s top 10 expected picks, only USC’s Matt Sanchez played in a BCS game (since ‘Bama’s Andre Smith was suspended for the Tide’s loss to Utah).

Vote For Iris!

A quick aside, Name Of The Year’s annual tournament is down to its final, and the race is closer than ever.  Barkevious Mingo is up against recent Michigan Grad Iris Macadangdang for the title of best name of the year.  From all accounts of everyone I know who have been graced with Iris’ presence, she’s an all around good gal.  So, take a minute and VOTE FOR IRIS. 

Now back to your regularly scheduled sports rants…

WHAT TURNED ME ON TO SOCCER

I have many friends who are sports fans, and many of them have at times asked me, “dude, how can you love a boring sport like soccer so much?” My answer is always the same. I tell them about my seminal moment when it all changed for me. World Cup 1998, France.

The thing is, if you watch any sport when its played poorly you might think that sport is boring or over-hyped. But then when you watch the World Series go to seven games, or see Lebron James take over a game, or witness Tiger Woods come back from 6-strokes down- when you see greatness, you appreciate how great the sport really can be. That is what happened for me watching World Cup ’98.

The J.L. Green Show

I’m a little late on posting this, as I wasn’t in the office yesterday, but here’s my segment on the J.L. Green Show from Sunday, broken into two parts:

Mike on the J.L. Green Show; Part 1

Mike on the J.L. Green Show; Part 2

PODCASTS: 4/18/09

In this week’s adition of Podcats at MikeFahmie.com, I’m joined by two of our more active columnists.   First, Matt Wentworth joins me to discuss the Detroit Tigers, The Bird, and New Yankee Stadium.  We wrap things up with a review of the world’s game with MikeFahmie.com writer Steve Christian.

Mike and Matt Break Down The World of Baseball

 Steve and Mike Talk Soccer

Don’t forget to catch me Sunday at 11:30 at Blazin 102.3 in Tallahassee, available for streaming HERE.

Boom! A Farewell To John Madden

Before I begin, I must remind you I only recently turned the ripe age of 23, and as John Baker loves to point out, I refer to anything that occurred in the 1990’s as “old school”, the 80’s as “historic”, and I’m still not convinced the 70s ever took place.  For young bloomers like myself, we grew up being introduced to the NFL by two men.  The great play-by-play voice of Pat Summerall, and the constant pointing out of the obvious by John Madden.  We lost Summerall’s presence in the booth a few years back, and today, we bid good-day to not so golden tones of John Madden.

 

With the announcement of his retirement, John Madden steps aside in a time when he is known just as much for non-football related activities as he is for his glorious past.  Madden, who coached the Oakland Raiders to a Super Bowl championship in 1977, is known more for his EA Sports video game franchise and Frank Caliendo punch lines nowadays.  He was the youngest coach in league history when he took over at the ripe old age of 32.  A 21^st round draft choice of the Philadelphia Eagles, Madden say his playing career cut well short by a knee injury in just his second training camp.

Loaded Gloves: Gamboa-Rojas, Williams-Wright Recap

Very quiet week out there in the pugilistic world. The only real notable fight is what looks like a real gimme for Cuban Yuriorkis Gamboa over Jose Rojas for the WBA Ordinary 126-pound title. Rojas, 25-6 (17 KO), has an impressive KO of current unified 122-pounder Celestino Caballero, but little else to suggest he will pose a problem for the hard-hitting Gamboa, 14-0 (12 KO). Rojas is a southpaw, but Gamboa has not had any troubles of note with lefties. The big question surrounding Gamboa so far is his chin, as he’s been down more times than a Mississippi bluesman, but Rojas doesn’t appear to have the punch to give the bigger Gamboa problems. Look for Gamboa to win with an emphatic KO in the 3rd.

2008-09 NCAA Hoops Recap; Lessons Learned

The 2008-09 Men’s Basketball Season is now history.  The coaching carousal is in full swing, and we remain restless, awaiting word on which players will try their luck at the next level.  Soon the season will be archived only in our memories, alive solely in highlight reels.  So what did we learn from the season gone by?

 

We learned the name Cedric Jackson.  Jackson first made news when his ¾ court miracle shot upset Syracuse in December, before leading Cleveland State over once top ranked Wake Forest. 

 

We learned that college basketball’s mighty can fall on hard times too, as Kentucky failed to make the dance for the first time in nearly two decades.

 

We learned that after a decade long absence from college basketball relevancy, Michigan is back on track to being a competitive squad. 

 

We learned that Stephen Curry may be the nation’s most dangerous scorer, but he’s only one man. 

 

We learned that Blake Griffin is so dominant, he may count as three men.

Loaded Gloves: Wright Time for a Comeback or Will Winky Get Punished?

On April 11th, 29 years to the day after the launch of the ill-fated Apollo 13, former Junior Middleweight champion Ronald “Winky” Wright (51-4, 25 KO) attempts a comeback against two-weight titlist Paul “The Punisher” Williams (36-1, 27 KO) in a non-title 160 pound fight.

Will this be an aborted comeback for Wright or will the veteran be able to overcome his age and inactivity to pull out the victory against the lanky up-and-comer from Aiken, SC?

The MikeFahmie.com All-Tournament Team

Sure, the 2009 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament didn’t posses some of the unique storlines of years gone by.  There were no George Masons, no Stephen Currys, no Jimmy Vs.  Instead, after the first wave of games, only the big dogs were left standing.  In fact, the biggest Cinderella to advance to the second weekend was Arizona, who’s not exactly a nobody in the college basketball scene.  But that didn’t mean we weren’t left without great, competitive basketball. 

 

Scotty Reynolds’ last second dagger into the heart of Pitt fans everywhere elevated him to legendary status in Philadelphia.  Cole Aldrich’s triple-double in the Jayhawks second round game will help KU top the polls when next season begins. 

 

But which five players stood out among all others?  Let’s take a look at the 2009 MikeFahmie.com All-Tournament Team: (Surprise, surprise, multiple Tar Heels made the cut…)

MikeFahmie.com Introduces Matt Marsolias

MikeFahmie.com is proud to introduce Matt Marsolias, who will serve as an opinion columnist for MFDC.  I think you’ll come to love his witty style and unique view of the wonderful world of sports we all love.  So, with more about Matt Marsolias, here’s the one man who can tell you all there is to know about Matt.  World, meet Matt Marsolias: