The Genz

Editor's Note - Here is a story I wrote a little over a year ago for RedEye Sports on retiring USD head men's basketball coach Dave Boots. He announced he was leaving the USD program today. Good luck coach Boots, the Coyote Nation thanks you for 25 years of commitment and dedication. You're a Hall of Famer. In this blog post, I have updated some of the numbers relating to his wins and losses and time at USD. The charismatic baseball pitcher Satchel Paige once said “don’t look back, something might be gaining on you.” It is a perspective, perhaps, of which University of South Dakota head men’s basketball coach Dave Boots can relate. During his 25-year coaching tenure, Boots has never looked back. Since the day he was named the USD’s 15 th head basketball coach 25 years ago, Boots has moved forward. He hasn’t been concerned about leaving a legacy, despite putting together an incredible streak of 23 consecutive winning seasons which ended two years ago. In developing th

I heard a new one this morning. MLB writer  Peter Gammons reported that umpire Angel Hernandez may have refused to overturn a decision in the Cleveland-Oakland baseball game (remember the HR by Adam Rosales that wasn't) because he doesn't believe instant replay has a place in baseball. It seems to me that instead of protesting about the way things should be, Hernandez should pay attention to what is. Whether it is Angel Hernandez in baseball, Joey Crawford in basketball, Ed Hochuli in the NFL or any of the hundreds involved in professional sports, officials have a difficult assignment. Often it is said that if officials are not part of the conversation in a game's broadcast then they are doing their jobs. A little harsh but true. I have talked often with former official and supervisor of officials Colin Kapitan and visited with official Brad Coleman at the Summit League Basketball Championships. The commitment that men and women make to do this important segment in sp

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 South Da

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 Diego against

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

By definition, a hero is a man of distinguished courage or ability.  From my vantage point, Conrad Adam is such a hero. In a time of extraordinary adversity, the 17-year old  high school junior has shown unbelievable resiliency and courage in a battle to beat cancer. Just a year ago, he was a point guard that helped Pierre Riggs boys basketball team to a third place finish at the State AA. As the summer opened, he was looking forward to a season when he would become Governors' starting point guard with the goal of bringing home the school's first AA crown since his dad (Karl) led the 1982 team to a title.  Then, Adam received a crushing blow when he was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer (osteosarcoma) in his leg in late summer. In October, he had surgery and lost his left leg above the knee. Later, he was fitted with a prosthesis. With his basketball season over, Adam began the fight of his young life. Since those days last summer, he has undergone numerous

Alexis Yackley, a prep standout from Onida (SD), ended her collegiate career with The University of South Dakota Women's Basketball Team on Thursday night in a 71-63 loss to McN Alexis Yackley - USD Women's BB senior point guard eese State. Yackley, who will attend the USD Law School, was one of the school's most intense competitors and classy ambassadors. She was part of a Coyote squad that went to three straight postseason tournaments (twice to WBI and last year in the WNIT), putting together a 4-3 record. In their first try at the DI level, the Coyotes finished second in the Summit League Tournament, winning two of three games, with the only loss a heart-breaking 56-53 loss to rival SDSU in the championship. During her career, Yackley was part of a team that won 19 games (19-16, 2012-13, 23-8, 2011-12; 20-12, 2010-11) or more three straight years. In her final game vs. McNeese State, she was on the USD team that tied a school record for most games played in a sea