WRAL Sports Fan

The Mitchell Report: Bryce, Bosh and a really old runner

By Mandy Mitchell
Feb 24, 2013

This will serve as my weekly column for notes about things I find interesting outside the Triangle. Enjoy my insights. I will enjoy sharing them ..

Bryce Harper

If you are into baseball at all, it's hard not to be really interested in watching Bryce Harper play. The 20-year-old is getting ready for his first full season in the bigs and I can't wait. He showed up to Spring Training 20 pounds heavier after working out like crazy during the off-season. Harper was getting up before 5am every morning to workout. He takes this game very seriously and he's got more talent than anyone who has come into the game recently. I didn't think it was going to work out too well when I learned his family allowed him to leave High School early to speed up his rise to the Major Leagues. Clearly, I was incorrect. He has the rare work ethic and has the chance to be one of  the greatest players of all time. It will be really fun to watch this unique career develop.

 

Bosh and the Canes

Apparently we can all give credit to Miami Heat star Chris Bosh for the Miami Hurricanes emergence this season. Bosh was  playing pickup with the Canes during the summer of 2011. He accused the team of not working hard and not wanting success. That's when Jim Larranaga asked him to speak to the team. He gave, what Larranaga called, the best 5-minute talk he's ever heard.The Hurricanes clearly listened to the message.

 

No class for Johnny-F

Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel will  not be going to class at all this semester. All of his classes will be online because his presence on campus caused too much of a distraction. I can't see this getting better for Manziel over the next few years, especially if he continues to play like superman. I'm a little surprised other students don't have the courtesy to let the guy be. I was in plenty of classes at the University of Florida with famous athletes. No one ever really bugged them. I know he's a bigger deal than most students, so it will be interesting to see how Texas A&M handles this for future semesters.

 

Come on man!

Actor James Franco had one job when Daytona picked him to be the Grand Marshall of this year's Daytona 500. He just had to say "Drivers, Start your engines". Instead, he decided to ad-lib a bit. As an anchor who does this often, ad-libbing can often get you into trouble. He said "Divers and Danica start your engines." Uh, does this mean Danica isn't actually a driver? I had some people express to me that they found this insulting. I don't think it was meant to be a shot at Danica. I think he meant to say "gentlemen and Danica start your engines". Either way, it didn't come off very good. Stick to the script. It always works better that way.

 

If he can run, so can you

Huge congrats to Fuaja Singh who completed his final road race this weekend at the age of 101. He was known as the world's oldest Marathoner. He chose a 10k as his final distance and finished only 8 minutes slower than my last 10k. That fact made me feel super terrific. Signh became the oldest man to ever finish a marathon when he ran one last year at the age of 100. He took up running at the age of 89. It's never too late to find a new passion!