Overtime

Just a little deviation today from the usual subject matter. I just got back from the gym and ESPN was on. Several times it hyped that tonight its NBA announcers would be calling the Duke-Davidson contest, while Dick Vitale would be handling an NBA game between the Heat and the Nuggets.

That, in a nutshell, is why, with a few exceptions, ESPN cannot be taken seriously. It should refer to itself as The Worldwide Leader in Narcissism. The network thinks it is bigger than the events it covers.

According to the promotions, we should not tune in to the Duke Davidson game to see Stephon Curry go up against one of the country’s top programs. And the reason to tune in to the Heat-Nuggets is to hear Dick Vitale work an NBA contest.

ESPN’s announcers thus are more important than the games. It would rather switch broadcasting teams at the expense of giving fans the analysts with the most expertise on their sports.

Actually, Dick Vitale and the NBA is the perfect marriage: a boring league with an annoying shill.

ESPN seldom practices real journalism anymore. Most of its programming is banal and repetitive.

But the fact that the network would pull a stunt like tonight’s is perfect evidence at how ESPN keeps devolving into self-parody.

And why, unless there is a game on I want to watch, about the only way to enjoy ESPN is with the sound off at the gym.

The Westhill High School girls basketball team has been discovering that it has been spoiled the past four years, carried by the star backcourt of Julie Becker and Jess Williams, with center Diana Delva accompanying them for the first two seasons. It earned the program four straight trips to the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference final, just the fifth team to accomplish that feat.

Now they are all gone, and the Vikings have struggled this season to score. Still, as tonight’s 52-48 victory over Trinity Catholic proved, in what is shaping up as a down year for the FCIAC, you can win with a strong defense.

Westhill had lost six straight times to Trinity — including the past three league finals — and 10 of their previous 11 meetings.

Westhill blew an early 7-0 lead tonight but overcame a 10-point third-quarter deficit by pressuring the Crusaders into a tempo faster than they preferred, forcing turnovers and scoring in transition. Leading the way was Adriana Miller, who did her best Walt Frazier impersonation with a series of quick steals that resulted in layups or trips to the foul line. She finished with a team-high 17 points, including the team’s last eight points of the game.

In a season with few dominant teams, or dominant players, a special niche can go a long way. For the Vikings, that is defense. It carried them to a hard-fought win tonight and they will need to continue to ride it to improve on their current 4-4 mark and earn a spot back in the FCIAC Tournament.

In my shameless plug for the week, the seventh annual Bobby Valentine Celebrity Wine and Food Tasting is just a week away, on January 12th, from 6-9 p.m. at the Greenwich Hyatt.

I only say shameless because I am on the charity’s board of directors. Seeing that the money raised goes to scholarships for deserving student-athletes at Stamford, Westhill and Trinity Catholic High Schools, as well as youth sports in Stamford, this plug isn’t shameless at all.

Here are the confirmed list of celebrities scheduled to attend:

Ralph Branca-Brooklyn Dodgers

Gerry Cooney-Boxer

Bob Hyland-NY Giants

Brian Kelley-NY Giants

Lee Mazzilli-NY Mets

Randy Minniear-NY Giants

Karl Nelson-NY Giants

Bob Ojeda-NY Mets-1986 World Champions

Tom Paciorek-Major League Baseball

Steve Thurlow-NY Giants

Steve Trachsel-NY Mets

Willie Upshaw-Major League Baseball

Wesley Walker-NY Jets

 

Entertainment personalities scheduled to attend:

Gary Dell’Abate-Howard Stern Radio Show

Jim Nantz, CBS Sportscaster

Karl Ravech-ESPN sportscaster

Chris Russo-Sirius XM Sports Radio

Dana Tyler-WCBS-TV news anchor

Tony Lip-The Sopranos

It is a great night that features some of the best local restaurants and national wineries, as well as live and silent auctions.

Here is a link to the website for more information: http://www.mickeylionefund.org/

By the way, many of the area’s best high school athletes are volunteering their time to help out at the event. There will be players from Stamford High’s football, baseball, field hockey, girls basketball and softball teams, Westhill’s field hockey, softball, girls soccer and girls tennis teams, Trinity Catholic’s volleyball, softball and girls basketball teams, as well as New Canaan’s and Darien’s football teams.

This is just another example of the quality of our local athletes.

Stamford High School’s boys basketball game at Norwalk on Friday has been moved up from 7 p.m. to 4. Stamford athletic director Pete Samperi said he is complying with Norwalk’s wish as the home team to change the starting time.

The decision is probably in response to the brawl that took place two weeks ago when Stamford hosted Brien McMahon at the Paul Kuczo Holiday Tournament.

Samperi reiterated that there are still currently no plans to change the starting times for any of Stamford’s home games.