A Big Visitor

Thanks to a reader for this tip: Brock Middleton, an offensive lineman from Phoenix powerhouse Brophy Prep, is headed to Dartmouth for an official visit. The East Valley Tribune says he'll be in Hanover on the weekend of Jan. 11. ... This site says the 6-5, 260-pound Middleton has heard from Cornell, Penn and Dartmouth and confirms an official visit to Hanover. ... I had to laugh at the description of him on this site: "A little light in the pants but has a big frame." ...

Middleton's former Brophy teammate Shane Peterlin is a promising freshman offensive lineman at Dartmouth. ... Brophy is coming off a win over Chandler Hamilton H.S. -- the No. 9 team in the nation in Sports Illustrated's rankings -- and will play Saturday for the state 5-A-1 championship at the University of Phoenix Cardinal Stadium. ...

There aren't any Dartmouth recruits (that we know of, at least) on the National Football Foundation's "Golden Eleven" team honoring the best student-athletes in New York's Nassau County. What makes the team special: the highest honor given to a member of the team is the Jay Fiedler Top Scholar-Athlete Award. How cool is that?

In his farewell column the sports editor of the Daily Dartmouth writes, "There is little doubt that our athletes deserve a great deal more support than they currently receive from Dartmouth’s student body." I particularly like this thought:

Perhaps a nostalgic forgetfulness will come upon us when we visit our College decades from now, and we will hoot and holler at the Homecoming football game “just like old times.” But why not enjoy it more in the here and now?

A good point.