By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — Coming one year after the best season in school history, the Austin Peay Governors are no doubt thrilled that the fall portion of their current football season is over. Whenever the OVC resumes play, the Governors will begin with an 0-3 mark following a disastrous road game at 14th-ranked Cincinnati. The Bearcats gained nearly 500 yards of total offense and controlled things from start to finish on the way to a 55-20 win in what was Cincinnati’s home opener. The Bearcats QB Desmond Rider completed 13 of 19 passes for 196 yards and two…
Author: Ron Wynn
Despite the fact it’s 2020 and women have occupied prominent roles in sports journalism now for decades, there remain fossils within the sports world always ready to demean and criticize them. This past week ESPN’s Maria Taylor, a rising star who’s a prominent part of both the network’s NBA and NFL, as well as college football coverage, twice found herself the subject of cheap, sexist commentary that absolutely never would have been aimed at a man. First, a longtime Chicago radio host eventually was fired after he tweeted that what Taylor was wearing in her inaugural appearance as a sideline…
There were many people who didn’t anticipate or expect football to happen this fall at either the college or pro levels. The global COVID-19 pandemic has been particularly harsh in America, with more than 191,000 deaths at press time, and no vaccine expected to be ready for general use until at best early 2021 according to most medical sources. But sports has bounced back in altered form. The NBA and NHL are having playoffs in “bubble” situations, while MLB is also planning to have its playoffs and World Series in a similar manner starting in October. However football remains the…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — The best thing that can be said about the Titans’ season opening game against the Denver Broncos was they won it 16-14. But it’s a sure thing they’ll be looking for improved offensive production when they entertain Jacksonville Sunday in the home opener. The main reason they’ll be facing the Jaguars, who upset the Colts in their first game, with an identical 1-0 record is because their defense played exceptionally well. It also helps that Denver head coach Vic Fangio’s clock management baffled everyone as he allowed the Titans to whittle down the time…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — Theatrical, film and television star Audra McDonald isn’t pleased about what she sees as Broadway’s silence on police misconduct and brutality. She wants prominent voices in the theatrical world to speak out on the issue and publicly said that last week. “The theater community comes together to raise awareness for lots of issues–LGBTQ issues, issues with immigration, things like that,” McDonald said to Gayle King on CBS This Morning, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “But when the George Floyd murder happened, it just felt a little too silent from the theater community. It absolutely…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — Though they aren’t necessarily predictors for the Emmys, the Television Critics Awards (TCA) do reflect what those who are paid to critique the broadcast, cable and streaming worlds think constitute quality, and this year Regina King and HBO’s “Watchmen” were big winners at the TCA’s 36th annual awards. They were presented for the first time without a ceremony, a continuation of changes forced by the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic also negated the usual summer in-person tour for critics regarding new shows and productions. King received the Outstanding Achievement in Drama award for her starring…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — The Memphis Grizzlies’ Ja Morant was the NBA’s best rookie from the opening day of the season, and that was officially recognized last Wednesday when Morant was voted Rookie of the Year. He came within one vote of being a unanimous selection, getting 99 of 100 first place votes. He’s the Grizzlies first winner of that award since Pau Gasol in 2001-02. Three different months he was the Western Conference Rookie of the Month on the way to averaging 17.8 points and 7.3 assists. The Grizzlies, picked to be in the NBA lottery, instead…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — The Tennessee Titans removed any doubts they are serious about going for a Super Bowl title this season with two major signings in the last five days. Over the weekend they announced former Seahawks and Texans defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, regarded as the top free agent on this year’s market, had signed a one-year deal with the team. Clowney was the number one pick in the 2014 NFL draft. That followed last Thursday’s signing of longtime New England kicker Stephen Gostkowski. Gostkowski, a four-time Pro Bowl kicker, previously played 14 years with the Patriots.…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — Halle Berry’s three-decades plus Hollywood career, which includes winning Oscar, Emmy and Golden Globe awards, gets another first this week as she’ll discuss her directorial debut “Bruised” at the Toronto Film Festival. Berry is also the featured star in the production about a disgraced MMA fighter Jackie “Justice,” seeking redemption and a career revival. Berry will be featured on Friday as part of the Festival’s “Conversation With” series organizers told The Hollywood Reporter Monday. Berry previously produced the thriller “Kidnap” in 2017, and was also part of “John Wick: Chapter 3.” But she hadn’t…
By Ron Wynn Award-winning actress Regina King is cautiously optimistic about her new film “One Night in Miami,” which debuts this week at the Venice Film Festival. King told Variety that the film may or may not open more doors for Black women directors, but if the reception were good, perhaps things would definitely improves on that front. “Unfortunately, across the world, that’s how things seem to work. One woman gets a shot and if she does not succeed, it shuts thing down for years until someone else gets a shot,” King said, speaking from the U.S. at a “One…