Posts by Wbrownlee:
Crew season hampered by rising river
The Potomac river rose over 10 feet due to the heavy rain and snow this winter. Photo by Will Brownlee
Mother Nature has disrupted the crew team’s season for the second time this year, as heavy flooding forced the 100- student club sport to practice on land in the week leading up to its first race. The team, which was late getting onto the water due to heavy snow, will not be able to practice on the water again until March 20, the day of the race.
Head coach Kirk Shipley moved quickly March 13, having the varsity teams move all boats stored in the boathouse onto a trailer, Shipley then drove the trailer to Whitman. The main fear is that the flooding could reach as high as the lower bays of Thompson Boat Center, where the team keeps their boats. (continue reading…)
Swim coach Schaefer wins Al Murray Award
"I worked for him, and he taught me how to swim. To have this brought a tear in my eye," Shaefer said of winning the award.
Swim and dive coach Geoff Schaefer received the Al Murray award for MCPS coach of the year this past Saturday, Feb 20. The award has a special significance to Schaeffer, who was a student and friend of Murray’s at the Montgomery County Stroke and Turn Clinic, which introduces young people across the county to competitive swimming.
“To win this award, to me its tremendous because I knew him,” he says. “I worked for him, and he taught me how to swim. To have this brought a tear in my eye; I got this award because of a hero of mine. It all came together on Saturday.”
Dionne’s Disciples brings increased fan support to basketball
The idea for Dionne's Disciples was born from a conversation between Dionne and his friend Paul Balland. Photo by Michael Wertheim.
Dionne’s Disciples are hard to miss at any boys basketball game. The mass of black shirts stands right next to the court making sure the opposing team is more preoccupied with their chants than making the next shot.
When the group isn’t distracting rival players, it is cheering on guard James Dionne, the namesake of the group. The idea for the Disciples came after a conversation between Dionne and fellow junior Paul Balland, the group’s creator. (continue reading…)
Green Bay fans should stop hatin’
Photo courtesy of judasfavre.com.
Few players in the NFL attracts more attention than Brett Favre. With his indecisiveness in retirement, he has attracted large amounts of negative attention from fans throughout the league, mostly from his former team, the Green Bay Packers. Although Favre was admittedly capricious in his decision to retire, un-retiring to join the Jets, then retiring and coming back again to sign with the Vikings, Packers fans have little reason to disrespect him.
Favre spent 15 seasons with the Packers, leading them to a Super Bowl victory in 1997, starting every game regardless of injuries and even playing the day after his father died. For 15 seasons, Lambeau Field was Farve’s home, he was a dedicated Packer and fans should appreciate the extraordinary effort he gave to the team, the city of Green Bay and his millions of fans.
Packers fans should not be bitter about his decision to leave and join the Vikings. After all, the Packers would not give him a contract that a player of his caliber deserved because they had already moved on to QB Aaron Rodgers. Favre joined the Jets in 2008 and the Vikings in 2009 not to spite Green Bay, but because they offered him a reasonable contract and seemed to be a good fit. Packers fans should hate the Vikings because they are division rivals, but they should not hate Brett Favre because he has moved on and continued to be successful, even without the Packers. (continue reading…)
Football team attacked, suspect apprehended
*Juliet Mullins also contributed to this story*
Nov. 4– Police have identified the culprit who harassed the football team Nov 3, ending a frightening day of threats and verbal abuse. Principal Alan Goodwin sent out an email over Whitnet noting that the boy was caught.