Rodney Cottrell: Saying goodbye to an old friend

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

I used to joke that Rodney and I combined to score 40 points a game back in my senior year of high school. Of course he scored 32 every night it seemed.

Any point guard aspiring to all-conference honors would love to have had a two-guard like him to pass to. Take the inbounds pass, dribble up the floor, pass it to No. 10, then make sure the scorekeeper marked down another assist for me. Wash, rinse, repeat. Rodney could bomb away from long-distance -- the first year Ohio had adopted the three-point line, by the way -- but a quick burst allowed him to beat his man to the basket as well. The quintessential, multiple-threat scoring guard.

Check Out This Picture Of Rodney

But an old friend shared the terrible news with me Tuesday that Rodney Cottrell, a 43-year-old friend whom I'd just gotten back in touch with a time or two the last few years, was found dead with two other people over the weekend, their bodies discovered in a car alongside a highway entrance ramp in some place called Union City, Ga., not far from Atlanta. Not shot, not stabbed, but definitely murdered.

Rodney lived in Montgomery, Ala., which is where I think he moved to Cleveland from before high school, when we were paired up as basketball teammates at a school not known for basketball.

Until that unforgettable senior year when he led our school to the most wins in a season that any of us with older siblings could have remembered back then.

Rodney earned all-state honorable mention recognition, if my memory serves me well. In addition to being a great basketball player, he was one of my best friends in high school. He was a black kid, and also in our crew was a dude from the Philippines, a redhead, an Indian, a Korean, a Russian and me. During summer breaks, we were the Richmond Mall's version of a Bill Cosby Jell-O commercial.

Just before I left Brooklyn for my four-month-long One Great Season tour in 2009, Rodney called me out of the blue. I have no idea how he got my number, but I was glad he did. I'm a curious guy so I usually pick up calls from unknown numbers. He and I talked about the old days back in Richmond Heights, playing ball and the Beastie Boys. They were just starting to get big back then, so we definitely sang a few verses of "Brass Monkey" after basketball wins. Then we went out to fight for our right to party.

We talked once or twice more as I made my trek around the country that autumn. I had no idea that in just a few short years I'd be dropping to my knees to ask God to comfort him and ease the pain of his loved ones.

Rodney, I hope you're OK up there. I'd like to think I'll see you again sometime.

Remembering Harmon: A Brush With Greatness

By BEN JACKEY
One Great Season

I never saw his swing in person. I never witnessed his majestic home runs. For much of my life, Harmon Killebrew was a legendary name and nothing more.

Perhaps it was fitting that in an old historic ballpark, Harmon Killebrew became a real man to me.

I was working for WFIE-TV in Evansville, Ind., and Killebrew was in town promoting hospice care. At the time, I had no idea what hospice was or why someone would travel from town to town speaking of it. All I knew was that this young memorabilia collector had a baseball or two to get signed.

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Tell OGS Where To Go

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

As you know, we're locking the doors on OGS here pretty soon and there will be no new content after mid-June.

In the meantime, we've got a couple of requests for you, especially if you're among our New York readers or you're in some way savvy about the city:

+ I have about two weeks left here. Recommend a restaurant, particularly a specific dish, suggest a bar where I can down a Guinness or a cocktail and of course tell me what I can photograph before I leave. I've covered a lot of ground and shot most NYC landmarks, but if there's something you haven't seen on my photography site, please please please share your tips. If I follow your advice and deem it to be good, of course, I'll send you a free poster of your choice of any of my New York prints (some are here; others are here).

+ Also, I'm trying to build up the People page on my photography site. Do you want your portrait taken? Let me know and we'll try to work something out quickly.

+ Lastly, since we're talking about my photography site so much today, why not visit it and click one of those "What's On Sale?" links in the upper right corner of the home page? I could use a few bucks to help with the move. And I've seen your apartment; you could certainly use a new look on your walls. That Breakfast of Champions poster is getting old.

OGS Is Moving On

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

I'm very excited to announce I'll be returning to the daily buzz and excitement of a local television newsroom.

I've accepted the job of Digital Media Manager at WPBF-TV in West Palm Beach, Fla.

This is a great opportunity for me, as WPBF was looking for an experienced day-to-day leader who could also tackle big-picture goals with creativity and passion. Having spent the last 22 months rocking One Great Season, I think showed them that, and then some. It didn't hurt that I have a strong interest in social media, and I'm looking forward to growing WPBF's presence in that space as well.

I'll begin there in mid-June, which means I only have a couple of weeks left to enjoy New York.

I'll try to mix in some fun as I pack up and plan my move, which should happen around the first of the month. I'm still trying to figure out if I'll be able to visit family and friends in Cleveland and/or Cincinnati and/or Louisville before I make my way south.

I do need to buy a car.

I'll also be selling off many of things, including my photography.

For those of you considering a trip to South Florida for the OSU-Miami game in September, we should talk about that. West Palm Beach is 90 minutes away from South Beach.

I will no longer be writing for One Great Season. Eventually I'll move this site over to Wordpress so I don't have to pay for it, but it will function essentially as an archive, as there will be no new content.

Also, some of you may know that I have two Twitter accounts — @onegreatseason and @johnpwisephotog. Here's how I'll handle that transition:

+ Shut down the @johnpwisephotog account
+ Change the @onegreatseason handle to @johnpwisephotog
+ I'll Tweet about sports, media, photography and other silliness. I hope you continue/start to follow me.

When I was asked if I'd be comfortable putting OGS on hold, at first I was hesitant and I did put up a fight. But the bottom line is that this is a great opportunity for me and I'm excited to discover new passions in Florida. WPBF.com is my new focus. I hope you'll check in from time to time.

Lastly, I'll publish a more proper thank-you in a few days. I just wanted to get this news out quickly in case you were wondering why nothing has been published here this week.

Kentucky Derby Recipes From The OGS Culinary Team

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

Surely you've read about My Mom's Chili a time or two on these pages. Perhaps you've even watched the video.

But if you're looking for some smaller snack foods for your Super Bowl Final Four Kentucky Derby party, the OGS Culinary Team has a few ideas for you, especially if you're in a pinch for easy-to-make, last-minute recipes this afternoon:

Cucumber-N-Goat Cheese
Here's what you need:
+ 1 large English cucumber
+ 1 small log of goat cheese (plain is fine, but a flavored one like garlic-and-herb is even better)
+ 1 jar, roasted red peppers

Here's what you do:
+ Slice cucumber (thin slices)
+ Spread goat cheese over each slice (best to leave the cheese out at room temperature before preparing so it's easier to spread)
+ Cut red peppers (or sun dried tomatoes) so they're small enough to fit on each slice

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Survey: What's So Great About The Kentucky Derby?

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

The entire OGS crew is disappointed about not being able to cover or attend this weekend's Kentucky Derby, but we've got a solid backup plan for you. We reached out to some of our good buddies and asked them what's so great about the event.

Mark Ennis, College Football Blogger — The best thing about the Derby is its connectedness to tradition. The Derby is still for the same aged horses on the same track at the same time every year and people embrace it by singing the same song (sans racist line) and wearing the same outfits. It's one of the few things you can do that is exactly the same as it was as far back as the 1880s.

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5 Things We Hate About The Kentucky Derby

By BEN JACKEY
One Great Season

There are so many things to love about the Kentucky Derby, which renews itself for the 137th time at Churchill Downs in Louisville on Saturday. But here are five things we hate about it:

The Weather — Ask anyone in Louisville about Derby weather and you'll either get a roll of the eyes or a laugh. It could be 70 and sunny all week long, but on the first Saturday in May, picturesque weather is a long shot. We've endured sleet, snow and even tornado warnings ... and that's just within the last 10 years! It's a shame that at an event so widely known for its stylish spectators, the clothing of choice often becomes a parka or poncho.

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REVIEW: Looking Back at Kentucky Derby 136

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The Daily Q: Wednesday, May 4, 2011

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

Rashard Mendenhall is the latest pro athlete to make controversial comments through social media. And to have them dissected on ESPN. And to have his team brass issue a statement. And to issue his own statement. I have nothing but respect for the Pittsburgh Steelers organization and I hope the Rooney family stays in charger forever there. I realize the Steelers' response is in line with what any team or company would have done, but why have we gotten comfortable with that trend? Office politics are weak for many reasons, but what's wrong with an employee sharing his opinions in a very popular public forum? If athletes' disclaimed in their Twitter profiles something like "The opinions shared here are not the opinions of my employer," would that be enough to allow the next Mendenhall to speak freely?

90 Seconds: May 4, 2011

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

+ Remember a few years ago, when Francisco Liriano was getting all kinds of hype as the Twins' future ace? He hasn't delivered on those expectations, but it was nice to see him finish off baseball's first no-hitter of the season Tuesday night. It wasn't the shiniest of gems; Liriano walked six White Sox and only struck out two, and threw 123 pitches. Some even felt he might have been pitching to keep his spot in Minnesota's rotation. He came into last night's game at 1-4 with an ERA above 9. I'm not saying he's finally righted his ship and should now get Hall of Fame consideration, but hopefully this steers him in a better direction.

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90 Seconds: Tuesday, May 3, 2011

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

+ Boise State's athletic department has earned itself the dreaded lack-of-institutional-control tag by the NCAA. An internal investigation launched in 2009 found more than 60 football players received illegal benefits totaling less than $5,000. For those not named Rain Man, that's about $80 per player, which in my opinion is harmless. But the NCAA nudged the school to self-investigate for possible violations in other sports, particularly women's tennis, where a player received "impermissible educational expenses and entertainment," according to a report in USA Today. The school will meet with the NCAA Infractions Committee next month.

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In Pictures: Revelers Celebrate At Ground Zero

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

As you know, we like to keep things pretty sporty here at OGS, but when an international news story breaks like the one that did late Sunday night, your instincts take over and you leave your quiet and dark Brooklyn neighborhood after 1 a.m., head to the subway that you know will take at least 20 minutes to show up and you go and gather some content.

That's exactly what I did and while I know the news of Osama bin Laden's death and the subsequent celebration that followed at Ground Zero have nothing to do with sports, they add up to one of those moments that we'll never forget. I remember asking my mom where she was when she learned that JFK was shot, and I'm not trying to compare things here, but I'm pretty sure this is one of those slivers of history with which I'll always associate my Brooklyn apartment, the Mets-Phillies game, the decision to trek over to Ground Zero and of course, the several hours I spent there.

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IMAGES: New Yorkers Celebrate News Of bin Laden's Death

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After shooting the madness from about 2 a.m. to nearly 5 a.m., I felt like my photo opportunities were fading, so I ducked into a crowded bodega right in the middle of the chaos and bought a couple of tall-boy cans of beer. As I started sipping on one of them, I bumped into some news friends like Michelle Frantzen, John Huddy and Tim Daughtry. With beer in hand, cameras over shoulders and fatigue setting in, I realized a short time later it was time to call it a night.

By the time I got to my stop after 5:30 a.m., it was starting to get light out. Birds were chirping and I was still nursing my beer. I vowed to post my pictures, but once I got into my apartment and settled in, I was pretty wiped out. I had been awake for 21 straight hours and already done an 11-hour shift for my weekend employer.

Anyway, I finally got my pictures posted on the OGS Photos page. Here's to never forgetting.

Bin Laden Killed: Who Said What On Twitter?

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

The news of Osama bin Laden's death spread quickly thanks to cable televisio, the Internet and social media late Sunday night. In case you missed the fun on Twitter, here's a sampling:

+ @daveweigel: "2031: 'Dad, where were you when we learned bin Laden died?' 'Kids, I was saying stupid crap about it on Twitter.'"

+ @LisaHorne: "And thru this all, Khloe Kardashian is promoting her show while Bin Laden is now confirmed dead. HELLO?"

+ @AndyResnik: "The Indians are in first place AND Bin Laden is dead. #winning"

+ @j_cynic: "Well, this news is great and all, but I was kinda hoping Obama was going to announce the iPhone 5 would be available free to everybody."

+ @mccook2002: "Jim Tressel has known Bin Laden was dead for several weeks, but didn't know who to tell. #fakeBreaking"

+ @OfficialReview: "Who got the kill shot on Osama Bin Laden? I bet you guys it was Tim Tebow."

+ @rudygay22: "Ok so we killed Osama. Now all we have to do is find Waldo and Carmen San Diego! Then I will be impressed!! (LOL)"

+ @amiehartnett: "Al Qaeda is now listed as single♥ #FB #BinLaden"

+ @rustymillerap: "8 years to the day after "Mission Accomplished" speech ... Mission Accomplished."

+ @JimGaffigan: "In lieu of flowers Al Qaeda has asked that you buy tickets to one my shows http://tinyurl.com/6lnykv"

+ @HeyItsLiam: "FOX NEWS' TAKE: "African American Male in Washington Confesses to Murder of Elderly Man."

+ @amateurgourmet: "See what happens when you let gays serve in the military?"

+ @PimpBillClinton: "How much you wanna bet Sarah Palin's illiterate ass thinks the headlines read "Obama's Dead?"

+ @SteveNash: "Since we caught Osama do I still have to take my laptop out at security?"

+ @sportsbroad: "Damnit Georgia, THIS IS WHY YOU SHOULD SELL BOOZE ON SUNDAYS"

+ @ramzyn: "Cause of death: American badassery"

+ @Bachscore: "Operation Drunken Revelry underway."

+ @Regnevelc: "@dennisdoddcbs bush gets the W and Obama gets the save."

+ @billmaher: "Somali pirates, Gaddafi's son, now bin Laden - do NOT fuck with Obama, he's Gangsta!!"

+ @raphiellej: "When those who did the job return all they should have to do in a drinking establishment is raise their hand. No wallet needed. We got you."

+ @mudd4goals: "This could be Twitter's finest moment. I'm loving everything coming across my timeline"

+ @OsamaBinIaden: "I hate the English and all but god damn Kate Middleton is gonna be a QILF"

+ @Mengus22: "I have a final exam in accounting at 9:00 am. I am going to fail. I don't care."

+ @chrisilluminati: "Ok, so seriously, who the fuck got thrown off Apprentice??"

+ @PeteAbe: "Transcript just in: Bin Laden: "Who is it? ... UPS? ... I didn't order anything from Amazon. ... Wait a second ... Oh, S... "

+ @SklarBrothers: "Great. He killed Bin Laden. But he's done nothing to fix BCS system. -- Fox News."

+ @LonelyTailgater: "Now that Bin Laden is dead, the title of World's Biggest Asshole has been transferred to Tom Sizemore."

A Sign Of The Apocalypse In Cleveland?

By BEN JACKEY
One Great Season

I was afraid when I went to sleep Thursday night that I would wake up to the sounds of white horses, seven trumpets and earthquakes. And this morning, I frantically reached for a remote to search for a weather forecast in Hell. My gut told me it might be nippy down there. A feeling I had never felt before swept over me. It was foreign. It was frightening. It was ... confidence in the Cleveland Browns' front office.

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90 Seconds: Friday, April 29, 2011

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

+ The NFL Draft is a lot like Groundhog Day. Chris Berman comes out of hiding, annoys us briefly, then reminds us there are still four months left of the offseason.

+ Reggie Bush is such a little girl. "It's been fun New Orleans" slipped from his Twitter feed Thursday night after the Saints drafted Mark Ingram. True as it may be that he's no longer in the team's future plans, that's such a weak move to drop a passive-aggressive note like that via social media when you're supposed to be a tough-guy macho pro football player. Of course someone asked him to PR it up an hour later, when came a more professional note: "Congrats to Mark Ingram on being selected to New Orleans. He will be a great addition to the Saints backfield just as he was in Alabama." Wuss.

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90 Seconds: Thursday, April 28, 2011

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

+ The NFL Draft is the most overhyped event in sports. It's hard to fault ESPN for being so outstanding at promoting it for so many years, and it does end up playing very well on television for the WWL. But all it is is the day (or three days now) that football teams select 21-year-old kids who hope to become key contributors two or three years from now. Draft day is indeed critical for teams as they build for the future, but in terms of newsworthiness, it merits far less than the year-round coverage it gets. Again, credit ESPN for creating and cultivating the agenda, but everyone these days publishes a mock draft that gets updated weekly over 12 months, which is just as good as no one publishing a mock draft. It's hard to get excited for or even trust an event where so much attention is paid to Wonderlic tests, psychological evaluations and character assessments, yet those many players who come up short in these areas still get their names called early and go on to sign huge contracts.

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