Scorah Makes it Tri-Captains

The Dartmouth football team will have tri-captains next fall with news that strong safety Pat Scorah will join receiver Timmy McManus and defensive end Charles Bay in leading the Big Green in 2010. A senior from Washington, D.C., and St. John's College High School, Scorah led the Big Green with 64 tackles last year including five for a loss. He had one interception and one forced fumble. Bay and McManus were announced as captains at halftime of the Green-White spring game. (Photos courtesy of Dartmouth sports publicity)

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Dartmouth football coach Buddy Teevens doesn't get to step under center on Sunday and baseball coach Bob Whalen never gets the chance to dig in at the plate at Fenway, but golf is different. Coaches can keep playing and so it is with Dartmouth golf coach Rich Parker, who shot 72 and is tied for 20th place starting the second day of the U.S. Senior Open at Sahalee Country Club outside of Seattle. Parker was at even par through 16 holes before making bogey on 16 and 18. (Scorecard).

The New York Times had a story about Parker that said he's called "Coach," or "Rich" around campus. They might have added Chuckie, but that's another story.

The photo above is from the press packet for the Senior Open. One correction: Parker played baseball, basketball and golf at Plymouth. He did not play football but he probably could have because when they write the history of the best athletes ever to come out of the Upper Valley, Parker will be in the conversation if not at the top of the list.

I had the Senior Open broadcast on in the background yesterday and perked up when I heard Curtis Strange mention that Parker is the head coach at "Dartmouth University." After a commercial break Strange apologized for misspeaking. I'm guessing that Sean McDonough, who was handling the "play by play" of the broadcast, corrected him. I clearly remember McDonough, who happens to be from Massachusetts, broadcasting a Dartmouth football game from Memorial Field. Without telling tales out of school, I think it is fair to say he enjoyed his visit to what he referred to on yesterday's broadcast as, "beautiful Hanover, N.H." He also referred to Hanover as a, "great Ivy League institution."

Rich Parker's caddy, by the way, is Scott Peters, son of former Dartmouth director of athletics Seaver Peters. A terrific amateur golfer himself, Scott Peters owns and runs Golf & Ski Warehouse in West Lebanon, N.H.

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Bucknell has a release about its football game against Cornell being carried on the CBS College Sports Network. If you can't make it to Lewisburg, Pa., for Dartmouth's opener against the Bison, you can get a look at gorgeous Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium on the Oct. 2 battle of the 'Nells.

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Stopping by one of my usual haunts this morning I discovered the Sacredheartpioneers.com domain is for sale. Either Dartmouth's second opponent forgot to pay the bill or it is getting a new web address. Until today that link always brought up Sacred Heart football's site.

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For a sweet reminiscence of what football Saturdays mean to a young boy – even a boy whose father is the winningest coach in Division I history – check out this column by Jay Paterno. From the column:

I’m reminded of the excitement I felt as a kid on a Tuesday night watching the temporary lights being brought into town for the 1982 Nebraska showdown. The wait from that Tuesday night to kickoff was the longest week of school in my life. Even now I can hardly wait for the games each Saturday.

On Friday nights I drive past the empty stadium and I slow down to look. At bedtime it takes a little longer to fall asleep, and I am a kid again.

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The Daily Dartmouth has a story today about thru-hikers on the Appalachian Trail. From the lede:

The Appalachian Trail — which crosses through Hanover on its stretch from Maine to Georgia — has brought hikers of all shapes, sizes and trail nicknames to campus this summer. Hikers passing through often take advantage of discounts and services offered by both the town and the College ...

The trail comes up the hill from Norwich, Vt., wends through town and eventually crosses back into the wilderness at Chase Field, where football's Blackman practice fields are located. (Our home on the shoulder of Moose Mountain is about one-quarter mile from the trail, which I can access out my back door ;-).

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Speaking of hiking, That Certain Hanover Grad got her top DOC first-year choice, Hiking 4. She hiked to the bottom of Grand Canyon two years in a row so I guess she feels up to what is said to be a serious challenge ;-)