By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — Nashville percussionist Tom Larson has been actively involved in a very special cause the past four years: helping find ways to protect schools and churches in Uganda from prevalent lightning strikes. He witnessed the problem first hand in 2014 after appearing at a festival in Kabale, Uganda produced by the Global Livingston Institute. There he learned that the local school was frequently hit by lightning, and things were so bad that not only had many children been hurt, but there were times when the schools had to shut down. Larson joined forces with Patrick…
Author: Ron Wynn
The opening of the NFL season last week was overshadowed by a marketing decision that has been alternately praised and criticized. Nike Corporation decided to make Colin Kaepernick the focal point (though not the only part) of its latest “Just Do It” campaign, emphasizing the fact he was willing to sacrifice his career and then comparing him to other noted athletes who’ve paid the price for their decision. Interestingly, the way some people have responded, they act as though somehow Nike just pulled this out of the air, while some others lauding the company are overlooking some key facts regarding…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — The Tennessee Titans truly hope that preseason play means nothing, because they ended it 0-4 following their final 13-3 lackluster loss to Minnesota at Nissan Stadium August 30. Fortunately every game from this point counts, and the Titans announced the 53-man roster last Friday with a couple of surprises, both in terms of those who made it, and those who didn’t. The Titans won’t go with three quarterbacks, an unstated assumption that their offensive line will be able to prevent another injury to starter Marcus Mariota. Blaine Gabbert didn’t overwhelm anyone during the preseason,…
This hasn’t been an especially good year for MLB, despite the surprise performances of some teams like the Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies. The sport’s endured among other things a silly feud between its Commissioner and arguably its best player (Mike Trout) over whether he’s doing enough to support their marketing efforts. Ugly racist tweets from players have surfaced multiple times, in each case the players apologizing for actions done in their younger days and seeking forgiveness for their bigoted expressions. One of the best rookies in either league, the Braves’ Ronald Acuna, has twice been targeted…
By Ron Wynn Dr. Johnny Kline, initially known for his athletic feats but throughout his later years much more for extolling the values of education and history, died July 26 in Lebanon at 86. Kline had become well known in Nashville and throughout the Mid-South for his lectures on basketball history, as well as the importance of athletes also getting their education. Though a historic figure as a member of the Globetrotters in the ‘50s, he preferred to stress his later exploits as an educator and a curator of early Black basketball heroics. The six-foot-three Kline earned the nickname “Jumpin’…
Those who weren’t around to witness Tiger Woods in his heyday might wonder why do people still care what happens to a 42 (43 in December) year-old golfer coming off multiple back operations who hasn’t won a major tournament since 2008, and hasn’t won anything at all since 2013. But when Woods surged in both the British Open and PGA Tournaments during the late rounds, ratings went through the roof. The final round of this year’s PGA, where he shot a 64, his best final score ever in a major, enjoyed an audience surge of 69 percent over last year’s…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLLE, TN — The Vanderbilt Commodores announced their 2018 football schedule last week, and while there are some definitely winnable games early, overall it looks like a formidable one. As has often proven the case, the Commodores will be heavy underdogs in a lot of their SEC games, but if they can at least manage a couple of conference victories, coupled with wins in those games they are favored, they should have a good shot at making a bowl game. They narrowly missed that mark last season with a 5-7 record. But on the flip side, should…
MLB has had its fair share of problems this season, and last week former manager Dusty Baker resurfaced to remind them of a perennial one. Baker was fired last season after leading the Washington Nationals to a 97 win season and another playoff berth. He’d previously led the Cincinnati Reds to consecutive 90 win seasons, and three in four years. The Reds also made it to the playoffs in his final two seasons. But there’s one bit of shared history in both those jobs. Baker got fired right after those teams didn’t make it to the World Series. Interestingly enough,…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN —Predators general manager David Poile has achieved the landmark goal every player or executive in any team sport desires as much, if not more, than a championship. He is now a member of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. The announcement was made Thursday, and the Poile family now has both a father and son in the Hall. Poile’s father Bud is also in the Hall of Fame as a former player, coach and executive. Poile enters with a class that also includes Michigan coach Gordon “Red” Berenson; Natalie Darwitz, the captain of the U.S.…
One would think that with all the problems in the world and this nation the person elected to be its leader would be spending the bulk of his time dealing with those. But no, rather than grapple with rising inflation, police misconduct, crumbling infrastructure all over the country, even the corruption and ineffectiveness within his various cabinet posts, Donald Trump is spending a lot of presidential time and energy on two things: playing golf and criticizing NFL players. The preseason began last week, and has been the case for the past two seasons, a handful of players on various teams…