By Mark Nagi I don’t like it. I know you don’t like it. But for now, living without sports is a reality that we have all had to accept. We are seeing sports make a bit of a comeback. NASCAR has been racing a couple of times a week, and they are hoping to have […]
By Mark Nagi The Knoxville Catholic Fighting Irish made news recently when they hired former Tennessee Vol standout Robert Ayers to be their new defensive line coach. Ayers was picked in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos and played nine pro seasons with the Broncos, New York Giants and […]
By Mark Nagi Football practice can be a brutal exercise… but the COVID-19 pandemic has made all of us value normalcy. So, it’s no surprise that local coaches and players are happy to simply have the chance to get together and practice the sport they all love, in whatever form possible. Recently I had the […]
By Mark Nagi When they build the Mt. Rushmore of Tennessee football (I’m sure that is in the next budget for the athletic department), there are three non-negotiables. General Robert Neyland, the father of the program. Peyton Manning, one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. Reggie White, one of the greatest defensive players of […]
By Mark Nagi Tuesday, May 26 was a big day for some Knox County football teams. The high school fields were once again busy, as teams began the process of resuming organized workouts in anticipation of the 2020 season. “It’s been different,” said Grace Christian Academy head coach Rusty Bradley. “When we got out […]
By Mark Nagi Gerald Riggs Jr. played for the Tennessee Volunteers from 2002-2005, rushing for 1893 yards and scoring ten touchdowns. His best season was in 2004, when he gained 1107 yards on the ground. Recently he moved into the high school football coaching side of the sport when he was hired to coach […]
By Mark Nagi I miss sports like the desert misses the rain. I never thought the pain would be so severe… so all-encompassing, but here we are. And you know what? That’s ok. We’ll get through it. I’ve loved sports as long as I have memories. From the joy of watching the USA upset the […]
By Mark Nagi Somehow, during the horrific COVID-19 pandemic, Tennessee’s football program is thriving. I mean, thriving in the only way you can thrive when there are no games being played. At last look, the Vols are second in the nation and first in the SEC in recruiting rankings for the Class of 2021. They […]
By Mark Nagi It’s been a long time in coming. Finally, it appears that collegiate athletes will be allowed by the NCAA to receive compensation for their own name, image and likeness. “Throughout our efforts to enhance support for college athletes, the NCAA has relied upon considerable feedback from and the engagement of our members, […]
By Mark Nagi It’s no secret that COVID-19 has had a huge effect on the daily lives of all Americans. The way we shop, the way we travel, the way we work… nothing is normal these days. It got me thinking about what this ordeal has meant to high school athletes. They spend years […]
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