WRAL Sports Fan

The Mitchell Report: Chris Culliver and a Condor

By Mandy Mitchell
Feb 10, 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 ..

 

Cam The Student

If you haven't heard, Cam Newton is using his off-season to work on finishing his degree at Auburn. For as much criticism as this guy takes, he certainly deserves a lot of praise for setting such a great example. He doesn't need a degree. He is set for life with the money he makes, but he's putting the work in because it's something that matters to him. It is also interesting to learn he's  embracing his time back on campus. Cam is spending time in the student section at Auburn basketball games and playing intramural hoops. Not sure the Panthers will be happy if he blows an ACL while posting up a sophomore, but it's pretty cool.

 

Chris Culliver

I was very interested to read this article  about Chris Culliver by Darren Heitner of Forbes this week. You've likely heard about his bad week at the Super Bowl. This piece provides a bit more perspective on what happened. The article also provides us with some pretty idiotic presumptions.Here's my favorite: If Chris would have said, “No, it’s okay, I agree with homosexuals playing with me, it’s totally fine,” then people would have questioned Chris’ homosexuality in himself.  Yeah, that's not exactly what we would have thought if Chris answered the question that way. Media Day could certainly use a change. The day should be about football and not the silly stuff it's become. That being said, Culliver appeared unprepared and immature. He should look to change that for his next journey to the big stage, assuming he gets another chance.

 

Team to root for

I will be rooting for the Cal State Fullerton women for the rest of this season. It's hard not to after what they've gone through in the last week. One of their assistant coaches, Monica Quan, was shot and killed. Police believe she was targeted by the former police officer who is on the loose in Los Angles right now. Can you imagine playing basketball after something like this? Kudos to the ladies of this team for honoring their fallen coach and returning to the game.

 

Condor on Ice

Last week we had a bat loose at a basketball game, today I give you a condor on ice . The Bakersfield Condors of the ECHL thought it would be great idea to have a live Condor at the game during the national anthem. It was a great idea, but not for the reasons the team would have hoped.