...must come to an end.  I am leaving the Sports Desk to undertake other broadcast responsibilities for some of the Clear Channel-Delaware radio stations.  You will still hear me conducting interviews for "Community Spotlight," and I'll also be on the air in other capacities. 

I also hope to continue writing this sports blog.

It has been a great pleasure to report on sports during our morning program.  As I wrote back in November, getting the gig was a dream job, so getting up at 2:15am to drive to work was a small price to pay to realize that dream.  I appreciate the opportunity given to me, and will always cherish the time spent putting together three sportscasts each morning, as well as sports updates on 12-90 The Ticket.

Please tune in to this weekend's edition of "Community Spotlight."  My guests are Patrick Beane and Head Coach John Cohn of the Newport Rowing Club in Newport, DE.  As I write this, they are in Tennessee at the US Rowing Junior Nationals.  Patrick and Pairs partner Nathan Smith of Kennett Square, PA have a legitimate shot to make the championship final, perhaps even get on the podium.  I think you'll enjoy hearing from the rising senior at Salesianum School as he talks about rowing and how it fits into his teenage life, as well as from his coach, a championship rower in his own right who runs one the nation's up and coming rowing organizations.

"Community Spotlight" airs Saturday at 6am and Sunday at 3am on Newstalk 1450 WILM, and Sunday at 7:30am on Newstalk 1410 WDOV.  You can also access the programs at those times at wilm.com and wdov.com.

Thank you, one and all.  Its been a pleasure, and my privilege.

Well, let's see.  Since the last time I was here... nothing like a little outpatient surgery for basal cell carcinoma, aka, skin cancer.  The good news is that the doctor got all of it the first time around in a procedure called Mohs Surgery.  The way it works is that you get the area numbed (mine was on the neck below the right ear), and the doctor removes a layer of the effected tissue.  It is then evaluated under a microscope to see if all of the bad tissue has been excavated.  If so, they patch you up and out you go.  If cancerous tissue remains, the procedure is repeated a second or even third time if necessary.  So there is the potential of a rather long day at the doctor's office depending on the circumstances.

Fortuanately for me, it was one and done.  I do have a bandage that needs changing twice daily for the next ten or so days, or until the stitches dissolve, but that is a very small price to pay.  And I am here, at work, the very next day after.  So life goes on, as it should.

My thanks to Phil Feliceangeli, who covered the Sports Desk in my absence yesterday.

So... how about the Dallas Mavericks?  Down 15 with 6:20 to go in the game, at Miami, and they pull off a 22-5 run to stun the Heat, 95-93, in Game Two of the NBA Finals.  And Dirk!  24 points, including the last nine of the game for the Mavs, and the game-winning basket, a layup WITH HIS LEFT HAND... wowzer.  I don't know about you but I am very impressed.  And how about this: when it mattered the most the Mavs scored a lot of their points inside while keeping Miami outside with their zone-type defense. 

So now we are tied at one game apiece with the next three in Big D.  The win, and the schedule, changes everything.  I really thought the Heat could win this in four or five.  Well, they can't do the former and are unlikely to do the latter.  In fact, Dallas has a better chance at winning it in five... even though I don't see that happening.  But with three straight on their home floor, and given their rebirth late in last night's game, anything can happen.  I still think Miami is going to win the title, but they have to figure out a way to break the zone (hitting those outside shots would be a huge help, duh!), and they have to contain Dallas inside.  The Maverick fans are going to be absolutely crazy on Sunday, and if Miami gets behind by a lot I am not so sure they can do to Dallas what Dallas did to them last night.  Its time for the Heat's Big 3 to step up big time, and on both ends of the floor.  And they know it, as LeBron stated after the game. Stay tuned, this is getting really interesting.

Interesting Game One of the Stanley Cup Final between the Canucks and Bruins.  Vancouver came storming out of the gate in the first period, but Bruins' goalie Tim Thomas was brilliant in stopping shot after shot.  The game was chippy, as we thought it could be, especially at the end of the first when the boys mixed it up a bit and Canucks' forward Alex Burrows may have taken a chew out of Patrice Bergeron's finger.  The NHL said it didn't have enough evidence to suspend Burrows, and indicated that whatever he did was unintentional.  OK.  I didn't see the entire game, but my favorite moment was when Vancouver blue liner Dan Hamhuis threw a hard hip check and flipped over Boston's Milan Lucic.  No penalty, just  a good clean check against one my least-favorite players.  Lucic is skilled, yes, but I don't like the way he plays.  I can live with a little chippy, but not his nonsense.  So anytime he gets a taste of the medicine, legal or otherwise, I'm all in.

Canucks win it on a Rafi Torres goal with 18+ seconds to go in regulation.  Great goaltending from Roberto Luongo, who has some demons to bury in this series.  He's one of the very best goaltenders in the world, but has been too inconsistent in big games for too long.  If his Game One performance is any indication, maybe the worm will turn for him.  Bottom line, he needs to play great because he's facing one of the very best in the game in Thomas. I think the key for Luongo will be how he holds up on the road.  Game Two Saturday night!

Blue Rocks in a funk of late, and are now a game and a half behind Frederick for first in the Carolina League Northern Division First Half race.  Wilmington has lost seven of ten, and are coming off their worst road swing of the season.  They open up a seven-game homestand tonight with the first of three against Potomac.  The Rocks swung the bats much better last night despite the loss, so let's hope that keeps up, and that the pitching returns to its strong earlier season form.  The First Half season ends two weeks from Sunday and Wilmington has 17 games remaining, eleven at home, starting tonight.  None of them are against Frederick, but the Blue Crew is still very much in it, especially if they can start to put a nice winning streak together.

By the way, I was sorry to see that John Lamb, one of Kansas City's top pitching prospects and a valued member of the Blue Rocks last season, has to undergo Tommy John surgery on his left elbow.  That puts him out for the rest of the season.  He is young, just 20 years old, and it is our hope that he can make a complete recovery and comeback to his full major league potential.  Wouldn't surprise me if he spends time back at Frawley Stadium as part of his rehab work next season.

Finally, we look forward to following the fortunes of the five Delaware State University track and field athletes who qualified for the NCAA Division I National Championships.  Intermediate Hurdler Leslie Murray is a strong medal contender, and the Hornets 4x400 meter relay team of Murray, Tariq Devore, Ryan Cater, and Tyquan Brown is a legitimate threat to make theFinal.  Long Jumper Kendra Mayers will have a tougher time, but as the Lady Hornets' first NCAA qualifier since 2002, she has a chance to gain big-meet experience that will make her a stronger competitor next year.  The NCAA's are scheduled June 8-11 at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.

***So its the Heat and the Mavericks in the NBA Finals.  Dirk and Co. (how many other Dallas players can you name off the top of your head?) versus LeBron, D-Wade, Chris Bosh, et al.  I think this series could boil down to how effectively Miami defends Nowitzki, and it should be interesting to see who gets the assignment: I am thinking LeBron, who has become a first-class defender and has gone on record as saying he likes playing defense better than offense. My good friend and neighbor, Allen Stewart, who was a pretty darn good high school baller in New York City back in the day, asked me the other day who I'd chose between Dirk and LeBron.  I said the latter, without hesitation.  I also don't think Dallas has enough defensively to contain the Heat, and don't forget that Udonis Haslem is back and playing well, as is Mike Miller.  Those guys, plus the Big 3 equals an NBA title for Miami.  The 2-3-2 format gives Dallas help, but honestly I will not be surprised if this goes just four or five games.  If it goes six, or even seven, then Miami will be playing poorly and the Mavs out of their minds.  I like Dirk, don't get me wrong.  But I think his out-of-his-mind post-season ends starting Tuesday night in South Beach.

***Congratulations...again... to Coach Pat Castagno and his Tatnall School Track and Field program.  A Division II state title for the girls, and the boys finish second.  State records for Reagan Anderson in the 800 meters and Haley Pierce in the 3200 meters at the Meet of Champions, and the News Journal reported Haley was dissatisfied with her time! Excellent final races by Tyler Tate as he wins the 800 and anchors the Hornets 4x800 meter relay team to victory.  Holy Schnikes! I cannot wait to see what the girls run next year, and not just Reagan and Haley.  Tatnall has up-and-coming youngsters who excelled this year, including some eighth graders (!!) who ran very competitive times.  What might they run in a 4x800 meter relay or Distance Medley Relay?  The prospects are very exciting, indeed.

And how about St. Thomas More's Christian Hillman?  She becomes the first Delaware girl to surpass the 49 foot barrier, with a MOC mark of 49'1" at the MOC.  Wow... that is really good, folks, exceptional.  I am not sure where that puts (ha!) Christina nationally, but at last check she ranked second in the US amongst high school girls.  I hope she competes in a few post-season meets... could she get to 50' this summer?  That would be awesome... but even if not, her new mark is already impressive enough.

***Had an interesting interview with Amir Mansour earlier in the week.  His manager, Keith Stoffer, arranged for me to call Amir on his cell phone at 11am.  So I did, and when he answered it was very clear to me that I had awakened him.  Boy, Phil Feliceangeli had a field day with that one! In spite of his grogginess, Amir gave really good answers to my questions, very thoughtful and thought-provoking.  He is a humble man, and takes none of his current success for granted.  If he wins his bout tonight at Dover Hotel and Casino, and with it the WBF Intercontinental Heavyweight title, then he fights again in August.  He told me a win there puts him on the fast track for either an elimination bout in the upper echelon of the division, or maybe even a legitimate title bout.  Wow.  How awesome would that be, if some time either late in the Fall or early next year he fights for the heavyweight championship of the world?  I can't even fathom that one yet.  Let's take it one bout at a time and see how he does tonight. But keep your fingers crossed... like I told you a few days ago, this could become quite a national story.  Stay tuned.

***Finally, I invite you to listen to this weekend's edition of "Community Spotlight."  Nothing sports-related this time, but a wonderful interview with precocious Ursuline Academy eighth grader Alecia Nippert and her outstanding Language Arts teacher, Ms. Shana Rafal.  Alecia won a national award for a compilation of her poetry, and was invited to attend a special program at the White House hosted by our First Lady, Mrs. Michelle Obama.  Its a fascinating conversation that extends into the following week.  This weekend Alecia recites two of her poems, talks about her writing, and then Ms. Rafal discusses her teaching career, how she instructs writers of different abilities, and what its like for an Ursuline grad to teach at her Alma Mater. So tune in Saturday at 6am on WILM, Sunday at 3am (if you can't sleep) on WILM, or Sunday at 7:30am on WDOV.  You can also access the program during its respective air times via www.wilm.com or www.wdov.com.

Don't forget our men and women in uniform this weekend, and enjoy the Memorial Day holiday.