Sports Extra with Dave Ross: Andre causes Music City migration

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Retired Sidney High boys basketball coach Tom Clark is still a great promoter of people, places, and events. He recently assumed the role of travel agent so many Yellow Jacket followers could see our own Andre Gordon take to the hardwood for Texas A&M against Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tennessee last Saturday.

He chose that game due to decent drivable proximity to Sidney, availability of moderately priced tickets, and a chance to visit a fun place on a weekend.

Clark assembled a group of 73 to sit behind Andre’s team bench and arranged a well situated hotel between the arena and Music City nightlife. Tom listed line dancing, a pizza party, and Andre’s smile when he interacted with the Sidney group after the game as highlights of the journey.

Since entering league play, the Aggies have struggled in the rugged SEC and lost a 72-67 verdict to Vandy. Gordon played 22 minutes with five points, the same number of rebounds, and two assists. Barring a miracle, his team will not make the NCAA field of 68. However, they could play in the NIT and that could be in Dayton. Well, we can hope and there’s always next year and maybe a regular-season game in Ohio. I have no inside info but it would be nice.

Super Bowl pleases TV2

Like many who grew up here in the Miami Valley, I got my televised news, weather, and sports from channel 7 in Dayton. Over time, newer ownerships of that station drastically cut personnel and coverage of sports to the point there was not even one full time sports employee. Also over time, I shifted to channel 2 and have become both a loyal viewer and good friends with the two full time sports anchors.

TV2 recently dispatched both Jack Pohl and Hutch Konerman to Los Angeles to cover Super Bowl activities as the Cincinnati Bengals met the hometown Los Angeles Rams. I wrote to congratulate them on their work and the station’s commitment to sports. Hutch responded to advise that all had gone well including the final broadcasting stats for the big game on their station. He sent me the numbers from NBC.

Top market penetration for the Super Bowl was in Buffalo. Right behind was Dayton where an estimated 46.9% of households and 80% of in use TV’s were tuned in. After Dayton came Cincinnati, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Cleveland, and Boston. Don’t see Los Angeles in there, do you?

After last Saturday’s game, Sidney’s Andre Gordon greeted and posed with the substantial throng that had ventured from back home to see him play big time college basketball.
https://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2022/02/web1_2022-02-24-copy.jpgAfter last Saturday’s game, Sidney’s Andre Gordon greeted and posed with the substantial throng that had ventured from back home to see him play big time college basketball. Photo courtesy Marissa Clark

Sports Extra

With Dave Ross

Sports Extra appears each Friday. Dave Ross is a 1972 Sidney graduate now in his seventh decade of following the Yellow Jackets. He’s worked local radio, TV, and newspaper since 1975.

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