Post-Tribune

Gorches: Blackhawks fans should welcome bandwagon jumpers

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 02:06:48 -0500

More than any other sport, hockey induces so much angst between so-called “real” fans and so-called “bandwagon” fans, and everyone in between. This cropped up often three years ago when the Blackhawks won their first Stanley Cup in 49 years, and it’s happening again during the latest run into the Stanley Cup Final. Longtime Bears fans don’t complain about new fans jumping on board during a long playoff run, which doesn’t happen often. Longtime Bulls fans may have complained a little back in the 1990s when the bandwagon was overflowing with people who only knew Michael Jordan and couldn’t tell …

Gorches: Time to bring home state track titles

Fri, 31 May 2013 02:05:14 -0500

Remember the days when Northwest Indiana athletes winning track and field state titles was more frequent? I do … it wasn’t that long ago. Yes, I’m a “region rat” and a big homer who always cheers for NWI kids. But why wouldn’t anyone cheer for area kids once they get to state, whether it’s a rival high school or individuals? Even though I’m a Clark graduate, it doesn’t mean I cheer against Gavit or Morton or Hammond High — only when they’re facing Clark. So I’m looking forward to seeing some state titlists the next couple days from the track …

Gorches: Some tough calls in softball sectionals

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 08:29:15 -0500

Not that I’m trying to make an excuse before making predictions, but this could be the toughest year in recent memory to pick Northwest Indiana softball sectional winners. OK, maybe it’s a little bit of an excuse since I’ll probably do poorly again, but hey, at least I’m giving it the old college try. Now usually, these columns start with Class 4A and work their way down. But 4A isn’t the most competitive area class this year, though it will be interesting. Class 2A Good luck on trying to objectively pick a winner in the Lake Station Sectional. Wheeler, Bishop …

Gorches: Kankakee Valley shows its support of Mrs. Cavinder

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 06:35:02 -0500

Time Magazine’s cover this week focuses on the “Me Me Me Generation” of today’s kids, calling them “Millennials” and describing them as “lazy, entitled narcissists.” After seeing the effort of Kankakee Valley High School’s collective student population on Friday afternoon, I disagree and think there’s still hope for this generation to lead us confidently into the future. Two days before Mother’s Day, the enrollment of about 1,050 came together for one hour to raise money for one mother who’s family has gone through so much in the last few years. A couple weeks earlier, Diane Cavinder underwent pancreatic cancer surgery. …

Gorches: Symbols of racism have no place in sports, life

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 19:33:46 -0500

The words “politically correct” are overused. I prefer using more accurate words: “morally correct.” And there are things going on with racist overtones that are far from morally correct. The owner of the NFL’s Washington Redskins, Dan Snyder, told USA Today last week the franchise “will never change the name of the team” despite ongoing pressure to get rid of the racist nickname. The Washington Redskins’ website defends the nickname by listing some of the 70 high schools in 25 states across the nation that still use the nickname Redskins for their athletic squads, then has a link to a …

Gorches: Illiana Speedway still going strong, the way it should be

Sat, 01 Jun 2013 06:38:51 -0500

The roar of the Late Model engines around the half-mile track, the joviality of the little cars going around the quarter-mile track in the Bandoleros division, the loyal fans — it all added up to another opening night at Illiana Speedway on Saturday. Make that 66 years overall for the track on U.S. 30 and 14th year under the ownership of Mike Mikuly. It was a beautiful sight and some beautiful sounds, no matter what nearby residents or the town of Schererville think since they haven’t been fans of the track at times over the years. Attending opening night on …

Gorches: Vote ‘yes’ to referendum, vote ‘yes’ for kids

Thu, 30 May 2013 14:59:56 -0500

Here we go again. Kids’ educational futures are being held hostage in three Northwest Indiana communities, just like in three others in recent years. On May 8, 2012, the Duneland School Corporation held its collective breath when voters made a choice whether to implement a property tax to save a teachers’ job and prevent the loss of programs. But, as a Duneland community resident, I was very disappointed that it barely passed — 4,093 Yes votes (50.95 percent) to 3,940 No votes for a 153-vote difference. I couldn’t believe 49 percent of the people living around me in Chesterton, Porter, …

Gorches: Gentleman’s game has ambiguous rules

Wed, 15 May 2013 07:09:18 -0500

I love the game of golf. I really wish I had more time to play more rounds at any number of local golf courses. I have several favorites — Turkey Creek in Merrillville, South Gleason Park in Gary, Robbinhurst in Portage, Indian Ridge in Hobart and Duck Creek in Portage. Got to play Sand Creek Country Club and White Hawk Country Club once each, and both were great, though my scores weren’t. I also hate the game of golf because of the ambiguity of its rules that can be illogical, condescending, antiquated and downright frustrating at times. The Masters is …

Gorches: Whiting breaks ground on turf project so many other schools should consider

Mon, 13 May 2013 06:49:21 -0500

As I was listening to different Whiting school officials on Thursday — from superintendent Sandra Martinez to principal Jay Harker and so on — explain their feelings about the new turf field that will be installed at the Oilers’ football stadium, Ray P. Gallivan Field, my thoughts veered off course to the numerous Northwest Indiana schools without turf. Griffith, Andrean, Bishop Noll, Lake Station, River Forest, Lowell, Kankakee Valley, Lake Central (though that will change once the new school is built and subsequent new football stadium), three of the four Hammond schools — come to think of it, why can’t …

Gorches: Stop being wimpy and play high school games

Fri, 03 May 2013 06:40:28 -0500

Remember the good old days when high school games would be played in the spring, when there were few cancellations and few scheduling issues? Yeah, me too — it was last year when global warming was in its heyday. There were 70- and 80-degree days in late March and into April with only one real bad day of postponements all spring. Oh, for those days because a combination of factors have made this spring a nightmare for players, coaches, athletic directors and, of course, the lowly media. There have already been three full days of postponed games, and a couple …

Gorches: VU’s Dorow has a lot of work to do

Wed, 01 May 2013 16:10:35 -0500

How far has the Valparaiso University women’s basketball program fallen? The simple answer is … as far as possible in a fairly short period of time without reaching rock bottom, yet. As good as VU basketball fans feel about the men’s program with its Horizon League championship season and subsequent NCAA tournament appearance — even though the selection committee saddled the Crusaders with a 14 seed while teams with lesser resumes got more favorable seeds and draws (Montana, South Dakota State, etc.) — the women’s program has become quite depressing to think about. The latest news causes more head shaking. …

Gorches: Carson Cunningham, Marvin Rea both learned from Gene Keady

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 06:08:55 -0500

It’s fitting that Bowman Academy and Andrean are playing in the same semistate Saturday at Huntington North High School. Not because the schools are in neighboring communities or because they faced each other earlier this season — Andrean won the home game 73-68 on Dec. 1. It’s about the coaches, where they came from and how much their coaching styles emulate their mentor — the same coaching mentor from the same college. Bowman coach Marvin Rea graduated from Purdue University in 1991, while Andrean coach Carson Cunningham finished his Purdue basketball career in 2000. He graduated from the school in …

Gorches: Former Spoilermakers shining in boys basketball postseason

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 07:49:27 -0500

It’s not uncommon for Northwest Indiana boys basketball players from different teams to be teammates in the offseason on one of the numerous AAU squads that traverse the country. Heck, the days of heated school rivalries are starting to disappear since many of the kids get along off the court, especially in the new Twitter and Facebook universe. I’ve lost track of how many athletes have players on supposed rivalry teams “following” them on Twitter or “friending” them on Facebook. But the regionals taking place on Saturday at four sites feature some players whose offseason friendship goes back several years …

Fantasy NASCAR: Danica shows she’s for real, for now

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 06:45:04 -0500

It was quite an interesting start to another NASCAR season. Where do we start? There was the crash at the end of the Nationwide race that got national headlines because Kyle Larson’s car went airborne into the catch fencing, injuring around 30 fans, some serious. (Expect lawsuits to be coming, and rightfully so.) But the crash was just the beginning. In the subsequent hours afterward, one fan posted a video of the crash on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftZ94fIpjH8 … fair warning that there is profanity at the 32-second mark of the video), and then it was taken off YouTube by request by …

Gorches: Pole results in Danica-mania boost

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 06:43:22 -0500

Are you ready for the Post-Tribune’s sixth annual Fantasy NASCAR contest? It’s been so popular over the last five years that some former readers who have moved out of the area have called just to see if we still have it — one of them all the way from Idaho. The answer, of course, is yes. Each year we’ve been able to provide tickets to the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) in July, and we plan on doing that again if IMS says yes again. And we have a great start to the season — at the very …

Gorches: Here’s your Super Bowl commercial studs and duds

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 23:22:00 -0500

It’s an annual tradition for me and I’m a stickler for sticking to tradition — play on words intended. So I spent Monday doing the same thing I’ve done on five previous days after the Super Bowl — watch the DVR version and analyze the overhyped commercials. And I saw a theme with this year’s most-watched TV event: Sex. They say sex sells. So does football. So football and sex are an explosive combination that most red-blooded Americans (at least the male persuasion) love. Many of Sunday’s commercials had a sexual theme, from a wacky explanation on how babies are made, to …

Gorches: First, a bone to pick – then sectional picks

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 23:13:49 -0500

Before we get to predicting the girls basketball sectional winners — because I know you’ve been waiting all week to find out what the guy who averages 50 percent on his picks thinks — I have to get something off my chest. Oh, how I wish I could have picked Roosevelt in the Class 3A Griffith Sectional. But alas, somebody at the Gary school didn’t submit a roster to the IHSAA, resulting in the Panthers not being allowed to compete. Whether it was the coach or the athletic director or the principal, somebody screwed up. Even if they didn’t think …

Gorches: Real life issues hit home in Gary athletics

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 12:56:11 -0500

There are times when real life interjects itself into sports, and when sports interject themselves into real life. When sports are a diversion from real life problems, and when real life problems are part of the sports that we have grown to love because they prevent us from worrying about life for a couple hours at a time. Former Notre Dame linebacker (he’s done in South Bend and now working out in NFL draft camps) Manti Te’o has found that out the hard way. He admitted in an interview with Katie Couric that he lied briefly when he found out …