The Genz

The 2012 prep football season is well behind us and the 2013 campaign still months away, yet discussion on prep football has started to unwind with the hiring of new coaches, like Chad Stadem at Sioux Falls Washington High School and others. In addition, dialogue continues on the new controversial seven class system that goes into effect when the season begins in August. As other prep football storylines begin to unfold, one that is front and center is the 36-game winning streak by the 9A Canistota Hawks. Can they win a fourth straight 9-man title? It is a program that suffered heavy graduation losses. Yet, Canistota has overcome the loss of talented players in each of the past three seasons, although probably not to the degree of this past season. Will Canistota Do It Again? Canistota head football coach Lenny Schroeder preaches defense, execution and leadership. Over a three-year period, his Hawks players have listened and carried out the plan at the highest level in...

When a batter charges the mound in a game between last place teams, does anyone really notice? Is it a little like a tree falling in a forest; does anyone really hear it? Is that situation, most often it serves as fodder for ESPN coverage, and probably a snide remark or two from one of the anchors. Baseball jumps in and throws a 5-game suspension or maybe 8-game suspension to players involved and then it is over. So, when a baseball brawl involves a team, predicted to be a World Series contender (not by me), and a $147 million free agent signee and former Cy Young Award winner who gets hurt, does that change things? To some, I believe it does. For me, situations are situations and should be treated with balance. Injury or no injury, the determination of a penalty should be made based on what happened and not according to whose name, team or player, is on the jersey. All day, I have heard the storyline involving the actions of Carlos Quentin (.253 BA, 137 HRs) of San Dieg...

Tears filled my eyes on Wednesday. When I heard that a dear friend, Howard "Hod" Nielsen, had died, it struck me pretty hard. I had not seen Hod in awhile which further exasperated my feelings. As I read memorials this week about Hod, his story and who he was poured out in newspaper columns, and social media circles. Each of these tributes, including Randy Dockendorf of the Yankton Press and Dakotan, Mick Garry of the Argus Leader, Kelly Hertz of the Yankton Press and Dakotan and James Cimburek of the Yankton Press and Dakotan brought out different stories and perspectives. All of them showcased the respect, honor and integrity ingrained in one of Yankton's favorite sons. I never met Hod until he was about 58 years old - 35 years ago. From that day forward, we were friends, pure and simple. My first meeting with Hod occurred in 1988 while I was USD's media relations director. As such, I sometimes ventured over to visit another friend and SID at the time - Mike...