Speaking
of Sports 

by
Bernie Fratto

 
Turning 10...
What a ride

December 19, 2010

In January this column, “Speaking of Sports” and “Inside the Frattohouse,” will celebrate its 10th anniversary. There are countless memories but 3 come to mind that give the passage of time some perspective.

Around the moment this feature was launching, Novi’s Mitch Maier was a bright-eyed prospect with an opportunity to attend the University of Michigan to play football, or accept a baseball scholarship to the University of Toledo; Fast forward to the present, and he’s preparing for his 6th season as a Major League Baseball player for the Kansas City Royals. Wow!

In November 2003, the Novi Wildcat football team defeated the Adrian Maples 26-24 to capture the District Championship in one of the greatest games played in MHSAA history. The Maples featured a Tight End named Kellen Davis; Fast forward to the present. When the Lions played the Chicago Bears two weeks ago, that same Kellen Davis was instrumental in special teams and he is in his 3rd year in the NFL. That District playoff game took place right here in Novi, in front of 8,000 people!

In 2005, Novi’s sensational hockey team took the ice against prestigious Muskegon Mona-Shores in a holiday tournament, and Mona-Shores featured a young star by the name of Justin Abdelkader; Fast forward to the present. Abdelkader is currently with the Detroit Red Wings and he’s appeared in 23 games, scoring (3) goals and garnering (5) assists. But in his rookie season he scored (2) big goals in the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals against the vaunted Pittsburgh Penguins. Wow!

The splendor of this column, I believe, is its originality. In the oversaturated, highly commercialized world of sports, there are lots of places to go to get game results and storylines, but I’d like to think that the information dispensed in the space we occupy here is unique and cannot be found anywhere else.

“Speaking of Sports” is now shared by three columnists all with varying perspectives and individual life experiences. Alex Prasad offers his viewpoint as a Novi graduate while he matriculates at the University of Michigan. Lance Lilla is still a student at Novi HS so it is fair to assume he has his finger on the pulse of the local athletic scene as well as anybody.

Meanwhile, I’d like to think my 17-years of media experience with major outlets including 97.1FM, ESPN radio in Ann Arbor, and FoxSports radio right here in Las Vegas can contribute distinctive angles as well.

So, as I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all the folks back in Novi, I’d also like to take a minute to thank Scott Olson for his vision, expertise, and persistence in providing a vehicle for sports fans young and old to avail themselves to a cavalcade of information each week.

I can’t wait to see what the next 10 years hold.

(c) 2010 Novi Information Network
www.novi.org

This column is shared by Alex Prasad, Lance J. Lilla and Bernie Fratto on alternating weeks.