HOLLAND: Browns seek more than just a playoff win

January 7, 2021

Browns fans vividly remember the last time Cleveland visited the Pittsburgh Steelers for a playoff game, at least the ones who are old enough. It was January of 2003, and the Browns were playing in their first postseason since returning to the NFL in 1999. The Kelly Holcomb-quarterbacked Browns gave the Steelers all they could handle, taking a 12-point lead with 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter. Steelers head coach Bill Cowher watched as quarterback Tommy Maddox rallied his team to a 36-33 victory, with running back Chris Fuamatu-Ma’afala rushing for the game-winning touchdown ...

BENNETT: High school wrestling continues to wait

January 7, 2021

The best gift of 2020 from Jim Justice, the governor of West Virginia, had to be his announcement a week ago Wednesday where he came out and pushed back winter sports. “We are targeting March 1, now, to be a startup,” he said. As tough as 2020 had been on everyone, whether financially, physically or mentally, I’m not sure what the rush was. One would think he could’ve just waited a few days until after New Year’s, but why not make the end of 2020 sting as much as possible. “It sucks. I mean for parents, especially, there’s a lot of worry there,” admitted ...

ALBRIGHT: W.Va. Governor Jim Justice is now out of excuses when it comes to high school sports

January 4, 2021

It has been a very enlightening 48 hours for high school sports fans across West Virginia. Turns out there can be large gatherings in the midst of this “tsunami” of a pandemic — if, of course, they are profitable for the governor. Jim Justice might have been talking and walking tough when it comes to COVID-19 and athletics, but he’s doing neither as it pertains to capitalistic endeavors. If there’s money to be made, you can count him in. High school athletes’ desires to return to the court or the mat or pool apparently don’t matter to him, his top priority is clear. ...

ALBRIGHT: Braxton Amos claims 2020’s top MOV sports moment

January 2, 2021

While it may be easy for some people to say COVID-19 robbed 2020 of enough great sports moments to fill a top 5 list, that is codswallop. Curious minds need only dig a little deeper. Then the many victorious moments pop out like a sore thumb, this first one however may have been a bit obvious: 1. Braxton Amos wins everything — When did it become apparent that the Patriot grappler could return to the top spot on this list? When the laundry list of accolades available to him should he achieve another dominant season came to light. Seriously. Amos accomplishing even half the awards ...

WEEKEND MORNING QUARTERBACK: WVU sends fans home happy

January 2, 2021

For the past three decades, WVU Mountaineer fans have become accustomed to dreary holiday bowl seasons. Take away the four years of Pat White at quarterback and West Virginia’s bowl record since 1987 was a paltry 3-18. During one stretch of Don Nehlen’s tenure the Mountaineers lost 11 of 12 bowl games. The last three appearances under Dana Holgerson were embarrassing one-sided defeats. Late in the first half of Thursday's Liberty Bowl, WVU appeared that at least it would go into the locker room with a three point lead, for which fans were thankful considering a first half where West ...

ALBRIGHT: In a very different year, PHS girls just need to go to work

December 26, 2020

Despite enjoying a nearly perfect state champions’ existence over the past three years, the PHS girls’ basketball team isn’t immune to the passage of time. Ask anyone inside the program if the good times could flow in perpetuity, and they’ll tell you that graduations still impact them. It is why head coach Scott Cozzens made sure his junior varsity team played a defense capable of transferring over to the varsity level. It is why he made sure younger players like Taylor Miller, Kisten Roberts, Sierra Mason, and Hayley McCale got valuable varsity experience. Because it was ...