“A statue of Ernie Banks sits outside of Wrigley Field where “Mr.Cub” spent 18 years with the club”

By Matthew Johnson, Sports Editor

Published in print Feb. 4, 2015

On a personal level, it was not the greatest of Januarys. Two out of my three favorite athletes of all time, Kobe Bryant and Peyton Manning fell in defeat in the form of age and injury in their respective industries. On campus, UNCG has struggled mightily this month; especially both basketball teams who combined for only one win in January. Yet, the most difficult problem has been the lack of snow in Greensboro. I use to stare up to the sky, helplessly counting the snowflakes as they fell from heaven and patted my bright-eyed face. Now, a blaring sun blinds me whenever I look up to a 60-degree winter day. Without snow, I can only reflect on my other winter love, sports, to comfort me.

1. Regardless of wins, Patriots leave hint of doubt

In the AFC Championship, the New England Patriots handily defeated the Indianapolis Colts on way to their sixth Super Bowl appearance since 2000. However, the win again came with controversy due to the Patriots using deflated footballs in the game, making it easier for quarterback Tom Brady to grip the ball amid a pouring New England evening. New England would had beaten the Colts with a deflated or regulated ball, but just having to ask the question about the legitimacy of the win, again places the overseers of the New England dynasty, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, legacy’s in question. Since the Spygate scandal in 2007, the great quarterback and coach’s wins had already been questioned. Now with Deflate-Gate, the semblance of cheating and dishonesty unfortunately continues to hang over one of the most successful franchises in sports.   

2.   The Atlanta Hawks are legitimate NBA Finals’ contenders

As most of my focus in the sporting world has been on football, I had heard whispers of a dominant team which has sprang out of the Eastern Conference, which were not usually suspect Cleveland Cavaliers or the Chicago Bulls, but I did not take notice. With my attention now totally on basketball, I see that this team has been the usually disappointing Atlanta Hawks. Unselfish on the offensive side of the ball, and well balanced on defense, the team does not seem to have a superstar in the sense which we have seen in the form of one totally dominant player, but are filled with six or seven good to great players, and with Gregg Popovich disciple Mike Budenholzer at the helm, the Hawks can easily get through the top heavy Eastern Conference to still be playing in June.

3. MLB  will never see another Ernie Banks

Ernie Banks, the legendary Chicago Cubs superstar passed away at the age of 83 on January 23. Starting out as a member of the barnstorming Negro League team, the Kansas City Monarchs, Banks joined the Cubs in 1953 to become the first black ballplayer for the storied franchise. For Chicago, Banks belted 512 home runs for the team and finished with 14 All Star appearances and two MVPs. A gentleman on and off the field of play, Banks inspired a generation of Chicago fans with his love of the game and the respectful manner which he carried himself throughout his career. Banks was one of the greatest to ever play in league history and will surely be missed by any sports fan.

4. UNCG basketball teams are just bad

With both basketball teams combining for a lone win last month, it is clear that UNCG basketball is in freefall. Neither team has been worth a viewing due to their inconsistency this season. The usually hovering .500 men’s team has been ineffective in nearly each game and has been unable to match-up to the high-octane offenses of their opponents. The women’s side has been lousy all season, last winning a game before Christmas. Each team will need monumental changes if they even wish to sniff a seat as a top four team in the conference.   

5. Expect lesser-known UNCG sports to continue to excel

The three major sports in the country are football, baseball and basketball. Yet, with UNCG being nonexistent, promising but inconsistent, and dreadful in the respective sports, students typically do not show the passion seen on a college campus for their athletics since we are not great at any of the three major sports. But, there are a few sports on campus that are not only competitive, but winning forces in their respectful fields. The Softball team will open the season this weekend at Charleston and are predicted to again compete for a Southern Conference title, finishing in second place in the SoCon championship game the past two seasons. Men’s tennis finished a strong 14-7 last season, finishing third in the conference and will be playing in games starting this week at noon on both Saturday and Sunday. UNCG is unlikely to turn their rough year around in the three major sports, but in lesser renowned sports, UNCG has shown to be able to put a winning team for their fans.