I was at an auction last Saturday evening to benefit the Warren Center for the Performing Arts Scholarship Fund. They conducted both a silent and live auction. The big item was a trophy football autographed by Peyton Manning. It went for $1,700. An Andrew Luck autographed jersey went for $1,300. Reggie Wayne donated some memorabilia that went for $1,100 total. Both the called and silent auctions had items donated by Ed Carpenter Racing, The Indians, the Pacers, the Indy Eleven, and the Indy Fuel Hockey Team. They brought in some big money for a very worthy cause and the fans who won the auctions went home with some unique sports items and the knowledge that they had helped the Warren Township schools. Of course there were lots of other non-sporting items to bid on, but it’s nice to see the Indianapolis professional sports community giving back a bit. It also shows how popular Peyton Manning still is among the Indianapolis fans.
Old Oaken Bucket Game
This coming Saturday November 29 is the Old Oaken Bucket game. It’s probably the best known of the interstate college football rivalries in Indiana. This years is being played at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington. There’s not a great deal of national or local interest in this years contest. Both the Hoosiers and the Boilermakers are on the bottom rung of the Big Ten this year with identical 3-8 records going into the game. Purdue is 1-6 in Big Ten play and Indiana is 0-7. If you are an alum or just a fan of the schools you’ll probably watch the game, but it’s lost some of its luster this year. I’m predicting a 35-35 tie.
Pacers Playing Better Then Predicted
With all the challenges the Pacers have had to face this season their 5-8 record is fairly impressive. At one point all of the starters were injured. The fact is that the Pacers will most likely make the playoffs with a losing record. There was talk that Paul George might try to rejoin the team before his season was over. George has been a spectator while recovering from his leg injuries and is apparently getting a bit antsy about not being able to play. I can understand George’s competitive nature and desire to get back in and help the team, but the last thing we need is for him to rush the healing process and permanently damage himself trying to return to action before he has completely healed.
LeBron James isn’t Hot in Cleveland…..Yet
When LeBron James signed to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers it was regarded as the second coming for the team by Cav fans and the team was automatically favored to contend for the NBA Championship. Currently the Cavs find themselves with a 5-7 record and 18th in the Yahoo Sports NBA power rankings.Not surprising when you think about it. Even a superstar like Lebron James can’t reverse the fortunes of a mediocre team like the Cleveland Cavaliers overnight. The season is still very young, however. Let’s wait until February to see how Lebron… and the rest of the NBA teams are doing.
The Greatest Catch
Odell Beckham Jr., a first year wide receiver for New York Giants football team made a spectacular catch for a touchdown Sunday night in the teams loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Some are calling it the greatest catch ever made by a receiver in the history of the game. I saw it and it was indeed a thing of beauty, but for my money, the greatest catch ever made was the one-handed catch made by Marvin Harrison for the Colts against the Tennessee Titans in Nashville in 2003. Number 88 had two Titan defensive backs on him and still leaped to catch a Peyton Manning throw. He grabbed the ball with his right hand and cushioned his fall with his left. It was one of the most amazing plays I ever saw and certainly the greatest catch I ever saw. snicewanger@yahoo.com