For Jack McCaffery, the Palestra Was Just the Place to Be This Winter

by gordie | Mar 27, 2026 | College Basketball, Journalism

To get to the media room within the Sixers’ arena on game night, you enter through the north side of the building a couple hours before tip-off, exchange how-ya-doins with the always-affable attendants at the security checkpoint, wade through the empty stands to court...

This Just In from the NCAA Tournament: Yakkity-Yak, Much Blow-Back

by gordie | Mar 21, 2026 | College Basketball

On Friday at the NCAA Tournament, Kevin Willard made his voice heard, and Herb Sendek did not. And that allowed observers to revisit old grievances about loyalty and officiating. Start with Willard, Villanova’s first-year head coach. During a timeout early in the...

Regarding the First Full Day of the NCAA Tournament: Let’s Have a Conversation about Cam Boozer

by gordie | Mar 20, 2026 | College Basketball

Haven’t watched much college basketball this year. Saw one game live – Penn State-Rutgers – that made me want to avert my eyes. Watched the ACC Championship Game between Duke and Virginia, and a couple First Four games (OK, RedHawks). But this week, that’s what you do...

In Praise of Watts (No Services) and the Endless Road to … Somewhere

by gordie | Feb 27, 2026 | College Football, Journalism, Writing

We’re on a road to nowhere Come on inside Takin’ that ride to nowhere We’ll take that ride – The Talking Heads Way back when, somebody was writing about how you get to Penn State. Might have been Bill Conlin. Probably was Bill Conlin. Long before he...

Luke Epplin, Author of a New Moses/Dr. J Book, Continues to Ceaselessly Beat Against the Tide

by gordie | Feb 25, 2026 | NBA, Philadelphia 76ers, Writing

Label Luke Epplin however you please. He’s the dreamer from small-town Illinois who once came to New York City with two suitcases in hand, knowing if he could make it there, yada, yada, yada. He’s also the writer who went from fledgling poet/playwright to struggling...