Biography
College football is my day job. I cover Northwestern and write about the Big Ten, especially if the word "expansion" is involved. I also ...
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'Drama, comedy and tragedy' at Merion
June 19, 2013
ARDMORE, Pa. – When I won the media lottery to play Merion the day after the U.S. Open, I didn’t know whether to accept congratulations or condolences.
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Donald just one of the casualties at Merion
June 16, 2013
ARDMORE, Pa. — Here's what Luke Donald has:
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Garcia, Woods can't get anything going
June 16, 2013
ARDMORE, Pa. — Sergio Garcia was signing golf balls by the scoring tent Saturday when someone told him he had been requested by the media.
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U.S. Open preparation paying off for Donald
June 14, 2013
ARDMORE, Pa. — Last week at his home course, Conway Farms in Lake Forest, Ill., Luke Donald got up from his lunch table after spotting Bulls big man Nazr Mohammed.
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Mickelson travels long way to top of leaderboard
June 13, 2013
ARDMORE, Pa. — Golf's version of "Manny being Manny" is "Phil being Phil."
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18 holes with Chris Collins
June 8, 2013
After seven holes, it was time to launch a full-scale investigation.
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18 holes with Lin Brehmer
June 1, 2013
The morning of our golf date, Lin Brehmer sounded the alarm. He called the weather forecast "iffy" during his show on WXRT-FM 93.1.
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Nine holes with ... Rocco Mediate
May 25, 2013
Before he let me ride in his cart, Rocco Mediate needed a yes on this question: "You like music?"
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9 holes with: Alexi Giannoulias
May 18, 2013
A golf day with Alexi Giannoulias does not begin at the driving range or Sportmart.
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18 holes with … Tim Beckman
May 11, 2013
Tim Beckman faced a dilemma on the 14th hole at Olympia Fields' North Course: lay up or try to fly it 160 yards from the right rough to clear the scrub area.
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18 holes with ... Jonathan Ogden
May 4, 2013
LAS VEGAS — Jonathan Ogden once lectured a young Tommie Harris during a Ravens-Bears game.
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Woods goes home empty-handed again
April 14, 2013
AUGUSTA, Ga. — Tiger Woods was right about one thing. Two, actually.
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Woods shouldn't be above Rules of Golf
April 13, 2013
AUGUSTA, Ga. — He's 14, and English is his second language.
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Penalizing Guan for slow play was the right call
April 12, 2013
AUGUSTA, Ga. — Sorry, Lil Wayne, but I'm not with you on Tianlang Guan.
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Despite sharing Masters lead, Garcia no picture of confidence
April 11, 2013
AUGUSTA, Ga. — He is a sportswriter's dream. And a sports psychologist's worst nightmare.
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Streelman hopes to benefit from Masters learning curve
April 10, 2013
AUGUSTA, Ga. — During a practice round Monday, Kevin Streelman walked to the back-right fringe off the 18th green and threw down a few balls. It looked a bit like an act of frustration, but it actually represented a Masters learning curve.
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A-Z guide to Northwestern basketball
April 1, 2013
The essence of Northwestern basketball trivia, repeated Sunday during CBS' broadcast of Duke's loss to Louisville, is that the school hosted the first NCAA basketball tournament, in 1939.
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Is Big Ten tournament final an afterthought?
March 13, 2013
We begin the reporting for this story with a premise: The Big Ten tournament title game is an afterthought. Or more accurately, a before-thought.
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Long list of candidates if NU cans Carmody
March 9, 2013
Bill Carmody has elevated Northwestern basketball from Point C to Point B. Or is it Z to B?
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Die-hard NU fan keeps the faith
December 22, 2012
Kevin F. Sherry witnessed Keyshawn Johnson knifing through the Purple in Pasadena, UCLA scoring 36 straight points in El Paso and Auburn appearing to win the Outback Bowl three times before it was official.
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Big Ten expansion Q&A
November 19, 2012
The Big Ten knew what it was getting by adding Penn State — a dominant football program. Same with Nebraska.
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Delany looking long term with Big Ten expansion bid
November 18, 2012
He climbed Mount Kilimanjaro three months ago. Remember that about Jim Delany.
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Nebraska's path to Big Ten title game clear
November 13, 2012
Nebraska coach Bo Pelini had a minor health scare in September, and his players have done little to lower his stress level. Except win.
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Believe it or not, Hoosiers have shot at Big Ten title
November 6, 2012
Every football fan in Bloomington, Ind. — there actually are some — will tell you Saturday's Wisconsin-Indiana game is huge.
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Badgers' Ball back in running for Silver Football
October 23, 2012
The accent has been removed from the second "e" in Montee Ball. Apparently it was slowing him down.
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Is Ohio State playing video games?
October 2, 2012
The topic that made some coaches squirm on Tuesday's Big Ten conference call could be summarized as: Sex, Lies and Videotape.
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Wild scene tough on Stricker
September 30, 2012
The wild scene surrounding Steve Stricker was one part "Caddyshack," one part "Animal House."
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All in all, players, fans and Medinah shine
September 29, 2012
U.S. captain Davis Love III will take some flak for benching Team Terrific (Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley) in favor of Team Tiger (Woods and Steve Stricker).
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Opening match shows what Ryder Cup is all about
September 28, 2012
Jim Furyk and Brandt Snedeker kept fighting, and their gallery kept growing.
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Azinger wrote the book on being Ryder Cup captain
September 27, 2012
The blueprint for Ryder Cup victory is on sale at Amazon.com for $16.47. Or a used copy of "Cracking the Code" can be purchased — shield your eyes, Paul Azinger — for 93 cents.
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Time for on-field questions for Big Ten
July 25, 2012
The conference of Legends and Leaders is dotted with liars and lawbreakers.
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Big Ten officials studying in summer
July 14, 2012
Riddle me this, sports fan:
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9 holes with ... Jarrett Payton
July 14, 2012
Jarrett Payton used a weird, loopy backswing — a Matt Suhey replica, he explained — to hit his drive into the fairway on the third hole at Oak Park Country Club.
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18 holes with ... Joe Buck
July 7, 2012
After Joe Buck completed a round at the annual celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe a few years back, playing partner Carson Palmer asked him, "How do you not curse on the air?"
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How football playoff affects Big Ten
June 29, 2012
Quinn Sharp’s 37-yard kick missed by inches, setting off a chain of events that Nostradamus could not have predicted.
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Ventura swings for the fences
June 23, 2012
We reached Crystal Tree's par-5 seventh tee, and Robin Ventura faced this dilemma: Should he hit driver in hopes of reaching in two?
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Open ending turns bitter for Graeme McDowell, Jim Furyk
June 18, 2012
SAN FRANCISCO — Graeme McDowell's manager scanned the dreary conditions on the practice range and observed, "What's going on here, this fog coming across, it looks like home."
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Davis Love III thrilled at interest already in Ryder Cup
June 16, 2012
SAN FRANCISCO — Here's the scope of the Ryder Cup: It's more than three months away, and U.S. captain Davis Love III hears a comment about it on virtually every hole he plays.
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Olympic, USGA taking it out on U.S. Open field
June 15, 2012
SAN FRANCISCO — Justin Rose called it "sadistic fun."
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Big Ten flexible on football playoff
June 3, 2012
The pro-playoff crowd once branded the Big Ten the "axis of obstruction."
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18 holes with ... Mark Rolfing
June 2, 2012
Mark Rolfing's squibber ("short, crooked and horrible") off the 15th tee at Medinah left the NBC/Golf Channel analyst in the rough, 220 yards from the hole.
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SEC swipes at Big Ten undermine spirit of compromise
June 2, 2012
Their teams have won six straight national championships. So Southeastern Conference football coaches and presidents have earned the right to be a little chirpy.
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18 Holes with … Hunter Hillenmeyer
May 26, 2012
After 14 holes, I risked the wrath of the golf gods by reminding Hunter Hillenmeyer he had yet to three-putt a green.
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18 Holes with … Mike Small
May 12, 2012
Poor Mike Small. He thought he'd driven up from Illini territory to play a casual round of golf. But his morning began with a plea from someone who putts as if he's wearing oven mitts.
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Hurdles remain for college football playoff
April 26, 2012
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — Bowl Championship Series officials trimmed the fat Thursday.
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As usual, Masters full of surprises, excitement
April 8, 2012
AUGUSTA, Ga. — The U.S. Open is where competitors grind out par after par after par after zzzzzz …
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McIlroy takes awful round in stride
April 7, 2012
AUGUSTA, Ga. — Rory McIlroy's ball soared from the middle of the ninth fairway to the second row of the gallery. If his approach had gone any farther left, it would have lobbied for Augusta National to switch to an all-female membership.