In the past year, the Miami Valley saw its share of memorable athletic accomplishments and key moments. Our staffers recall their favorites.
The first-rounder
A roar went up from among about 80 relatives and friends of Dayton native Norris Cole as his name popped up on the TV screen in his living room as an NBA first-round draft choice and the 28th pick overall ? and the news became even better after that.
Cole originally was selected by the Chicago Bulls but ended up with the star-studded Miami Heat after a couple of rapid draft-night trades. The Cleveland State and former Dunbar High School standout would be joining idols LeBron James and Dwyane Wade on an NBA title contender.
Cole?s father, Norris Cole Sr., organized a prayer of thanks with the group and became choked up during the joyous celebration.
?He was the main role (model) in my life,? Norris Jr. said. ?Not a lot of guys get to grow up with their dad, but he?s been with me from day one.
?My mom and him put the work ethic and morals and values in me, and I stayed the course and believed everything they taught me. And it?s going to be all right with them (financially). They?re not going to have to worry about anything.?
Cole was the second Dunbar product picked in the first round in the last four years. Daequan Cook, who played one year at Ohio State, was selected in 2007 and also began his career with Miami.
??Doug Harris
The champion
On Saturday, Jan. 29, tour groups filled all parts of Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis.
It was a week before Super Bowl XLV, when the Green Bay Packers would face the Pittsburgh Steelers. I arrived to interview Packers linebacker and Centerville High School graduate A.J. Hawk.
Finding one-on-one interview time in the two weeks before the Super Bowl is no easy task. But after contacting the team?s media relations department, I heard back that Hawk would be more than happy to make time for someone from Dayton.
In fact, the staffer told me as we waited in the Packers locker room that Saturday that Hawk asked them to give a reporter from Dayton as much time as possible.
They led me into a hallway away from the locker room, so Hawk wouldn?t have to face dozens of waiting reporters and distractions. He wanted to focus on talking about his Centerville past and his pro football present.
We spent 25 minutes discussing his path to Green Bay, his life there, his dogs, his flying lessons, his long hair, his heavy reading habits and his new daughter, Lennon. Again, 25 minutes of private conversation that close to the title game, to a reporter, is gold.
Eight days later, Hawk made five tackles as the Packers beat the Steelers, 31-25. It was easy to feel good for a local product who still feels good about his hometown.
??Kyle Nagel
The sellouts
When it became official in the fifth inning, Dayton Dragons General Manager Gary Mayse, a Sidney native, University of Dayton graduate and a member of the team?s front office since the beginning, had tears in his eyes. Fans high-fived, streamers rained from the roof, video tributes played on the scoreboard.
It was July 9, and if you had a ticket to the game that night at Fifth Third Field against the South Bend Silver Hawks, you were lucky.
That?s the night the Dayton Dragons broke the all-time North American record for consecutive professional sports sellouts, eclipsing the NBA?s Portland Trail Blazers with their 815th, a streak dating to the franchise?s April 2000 debut.
But that was only the beginning. On July 23, basketball great Earvin ?Magic? Johnson, two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin and other prominent investors in the team showed up to help celebrate the Dragons? achievement. As an added bonus that night, arguably the most festive in Dayton sports history, three Cincinnati Reds who had played for the Dragons ? outfielder Chris Heisey, shortstop Paul Janish and relief pitcher Logan Ondrusek ? were flown in via helicopter to address and congratulate the crowd.
It was quite a season for the Dragons on all fronts. In addition to breaking a record that drew worldwide interest, they also won the most games in franchise history (83), set six other club marks and made the Midwest League playoffs for the first time since 2008.
??Sean McClelland
The arena
Cinderella stories have a way of beginning in Dayton, especially when it comes to the NCAA men?s basketball tournament.
George Mason began its improbable run to the 2006 Final Four at UD Arena, upsetting Michigan State and North Carolina in the first and second rounds. History repeated itself in 2011, when Virginia Commonwealth ? like George Mason an 11 seed from the Colonial Athletic Association ? won its tourney opener at UD Arena. Shaka Smart?s team ran past Southern California in the NCAA?s inaugural First Four, a play-in of sorts that whittled the 68-team field to a bracket-friendly 64.
Also victorious in the two-day event was Clemson, coached by former Wright State boss Brad Brownell.
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