Every now and then, usually when I’m looking for something else I can’t find, I’ll stumble across the Atlanta Braves 1991 highlight tape I have stashed away for safekeeping. When I do, I’ll usually pop it into my old antiquated VCR (yes I still have one, so get off my lawn) and relive one of the most satisfying seasons ever enjoyed by my favorite Major League Baseball … [Read more...]
News & Features
The Bradsher BeatBakich and Michigan chasing dogpile moments
In the late ‘90s as an East Carolina baseball player, Erik Bakich internalized the word “Omaha” as a symbol of the journey and the goal wrapped up into one. As a volunteer assistant at Clemson in 2002, he got to experience the storied College World Series in that city for the first time. Now, seventeen years after that last visit, Bakich is the head coach of one of the two … [Read more...]
Football RecruitingD-lineman McCray brushing off new suitors
J'Vian McCray didn't make much a first impression on Brett Hickman when the latter was named head football coach at West Brunswick High School in Shalotte, NC, in March 2018. Hickman, whose father Yogi led the Trojans to 53 wins between 1994-99, had spent most of his young coaching career at the college level. He served as a grad assistant at East Carolina under Skip Holtz, … [Read more...]
Insights from BrettLeClair’s protégés hotly pursuing mentor’s quest
Of all the things Keith LeClair accomplished in his successful but too-short tenure as baseball coach at East Carolina — including 212 wins, four NCAA tournament appearances and one Super Regional in five seasons — the one thing he didn’t live long enough to do was take a team to Omaha and the College World Series. It’s a goal many of his former players continue to pursue … [Read more...]
VIEW FROM THE EASTPirates caught in perfect storm
East Carolina's 14-1 and 12-0 Super Regional losses at Louisville were surprising. The Pirates spent a lot of energy coming through the losers bracket in the Greenville regional and did not perform on the same level that characterized ECU's 2019 season. The crowd support that helped the Pirates the previous week at Clark-LeClair Stadium was obviously not there as ECU was not … [Read more...]