(Posted 5-10-26)
Greetings from The Booth!
Well, the NFL Draft is history, we’re settling into the MLB season, and I’m not the biggest NBA fan, so I thought we’d serve up some random thoughts from The Booth in our latest edition of VFB, so here goes…
If you were a fan of the “glory days” of the Washington Redskins–4 Super Bowl appearances between 1982 and 1991–you were certainly saddened by the passing of former ‘Skins linebacker Monte Coleman. Coleman was the anchor of a defense that was often overshadowed by the high-powered Washington offenses, Riggo, The Hogs, and The Smurfs. In truth, the Redskins defenses were among the league’s best, and Coleman was a huge part of that success. More than that, he was a solid citizen and a team leader. And no one except Darrell Green played more games for the Burgundy and Gold. They say that when one door closes, another opens. When I look at the Commander’s first round draft choice Sonny Styles, I am reminded of Monte Coleman. Styles carries himself with a maturity and confidence you don’t often see in rookies. He also appears to be a solid citizen. Not to mention, a high-end athlete. Will all of this translate to a Coleman-like career? That’s not a certainty at this point, but I think we will see a lot of number 51 in Sonny Styles.
OK, let’s talk about the Nationals. As of this writing, the Nats are 19-21, and in second place in the NL East. Folks, I know we’re only 40 games into the season, but the Nationals are “mashing!” The Nats boast one of the top offenses in the National League in terms of runs scored, and feature some young stars like James Wood, CJ Abrams, and Brady House. On the pitching side, the Nats starters are turning into a solid bunch, with lefty Foster Griffin stepping up as the ace (4-1, 2.12 ERA). The bullpen is still shaky, but the Nats’ run production hides a lot of their woes. The season is young, but let’s see where these Nationals are on Memorial Day, The All-Star Break, and Labor Day. As I said before the season, I’ll take .500. So far, so good.
Finally…Death, Taxes, and Shenandoah University Baseball. Folks, we have a real local treasure in Kevin Anderson. With over 700 wins as a Hornet Coach, Anderson once again has his team in the NCAA Division III Tournament after capturing this weekend’s ODAC Championship. In the tourney, SU took down nationally-ranked teams Bridgewater and Lynchburg to punch their ticket to the D-3 Regionals for the first time since 2023. I’m not sure Anderson and the Hornets get enough “buzz” for what they accomplish year after year. Should Shenandoah host their Regional “pod” at aptly-named Kevin Anderson Field at Bridgeforth Stadium, you owe it to yourself to attend, and cheer on what is truly a local dynasty. Another job well done, Kevin!
Some random thoughts on a Sunday Morning from the Booth…until the next visit, HTTC, Go Nats, Go Hornets!
RW
