Kevin Sherrington Columns | Sports News | Dallas Morning News

08/24/2008

In Olympics, the great haul of China will continue

ERICH SCHLEGEL / DMN

Yao Ming has been one of China's most recognized athletes, but many of his countrymen stood out more at the Beijing Olympics.

The story of these Games was not Michael Phelps or Usain Bolt or pinwheeling gymnasts. The story was the host. From the spectacular opening ceremony to the somewhat subdued finale, China held center stage, writes Kevin Sherrington.
Blog: Olympics
Photos, video
• Medals table

08/23/2008

One man's vote for the best and worst of Beijing
The envelope, please, on the best and worst of the Olympics:

08/22/2008

Decathlon star gets the point
Every athlete treads a troublesome road in the four long years leading up to the Olympics, but Roman Sebrle's story tops most, a decisive factor in all-important media scoring.

Errors cost U.S. softball team a rare out
No Olympic entry seemed a surer bet than the U.S. softball team. The three-time defending Olympic champs are perhaps the world's most dominating team in any sport for more than a decade. And still the U.S. lost the gold medal, 3-1, to a Japanese pitcher who threw 28 innings in two days.

08/21/2008

Another day at the beach for American volleyball duo
Beach volleyball players Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh have now won 108 matches in a row, a streak more than a year long and potentially monotonous, which could explain everyone's efforts to distract you from the action.

08/19/2008

Chris Bosh's excellent adventure is a Beijing blast
Among the considerations when packing the world's greatest basketball players for a long road trip is making sure the beds are long enough, the food is bland enough and the egos can fit into the overhead bins, writes columnist Kevin Sherrington.

08/18/2008

Olympians have an odd taste for success
If food is fuel, a couple of the greatest Olympians here are running on something less than premium.

08/17/2008

Olympians aren't always on the home team
Welcome to the Beijing Olympics, where you can never be quite sure where the athletes are from even if they're in uniform.

Michael Phelps among greatest with record eight golds
Now that Michael Phelps has won more golds in a single Olympics than anyone, and more medals in a career than all but an old Soviet gymnast, it's officially appropriate to ask three questions: Greatest swimmer ever? Without question. Greatest Olympian? He's in the running. Greatest athlete ever? Not so fast, Michael, writes Kevin Sherrington.

Blog: Olympics

Tell Us: Is Phelps the greatest?

08/15/2008

A lesson in Chinese diplomacy
In a long, long line outside the Capital Gymnasium, where China and the U.S. will play volleyball, an old woman considers a question that has plagued mankind for generations:

Nastia Liukin fulfills family legacy

TOM FOX / DMN

Gymnast Nastia Liukin hugs her dad and coach Valeri after winning the all-around gold medal.

Nastia Liukin fulfilled her family's dream and legacy, and maybe even kept her mother from wandering the streets, writes Kevin Sherrington. Anna Liukin, who couldn't bear to watch her daughter compete all these years, can come in now. Nastia won gold, Mom.
Video: Liukin family on Today
• Photos, videos
Blog: Olympics
More Nastia Liukin

08/13/2008

Luis Yanez bails out Olympic boxing coach
It has not been a good Olympics for U.S. boxing coach Dan Campbell, whose credentials have been called into question with every mishap. But how's this for irony? Luis Yanez, whom Campbell reportedly called "one of the biggest liars I've ever met" before the Olympics, has helped the beleaguered coach off the canvas, writes Kevin Sherrington.

Phelps remains perfect with five Olympic gold medals
On yet another Olympic morning that dawned hazy and suspect, the water underneath the gloriously Seussian Water Cube remains perfect. And so does Michael Phelps.

08/12/2008

China's badminton bad boy has girls swooning
Even in a country that takes its shuttlecock seriously, Lin Dan has raised the sport's profile.

08/10/2008

In wake of attack, U.S. men's volleyball team forges ahead
Following a stunning attack on its coach's in-laws, the U.S. men's volleyball forged ahead with a victory Sunday.

08/09/2008

U.S. team too good for softball's cause
The weirdest moment of these young Games surely came Saturday, when international media only half-kiddingly asked U.S. softball team members if, you know, you're not going to lose any games, can you at least lighten up?

08/08/2008

Life is good for ex-Sudanese refugee
When Lopez Lomong went back home to Sudan in December, he visited his grave.

08/07/2008

Hospitality, beauty cloud political picture
Give the Chinese this much: They know how to put on a party.

08/02/2008

Right on the money
Even though he's hitting an astounding 95 percent in predicting world medal counts for the last four Olympics, a success rate that prompted two countries to seek his counsel, Daniel Johnson modestly offers disclaimers.

07/26/2008

Williams was the Cat's meow
Dick Williams – journeyman player, tough guy, agitator, hard-boiled, hell-bent Hall of Fame manager – took two things with him from his days as a Fort Worth Cat: his foundation on running a club, borrowed from Bobby Bragan, and a wife, courtesy of the milkman, writes columnist Kevin Sherrington.

07/22/2008

Hitters can't help Texas Rangers' season go deep

Throw out the bat of Josh Hamilton, and the Texas Rangers aren't nearly as good.

It's been a little disconcerting to watch the Texas Rangers claw their way up the West standings, rung by agonizing rung, while Oakland gleefully takes the firehouse pole through the division, writes columnist Kevin Sherrington.
Blog: Texas Rangers

07/05/2008

Bill Bos is born to teach
Bill Bos preached the gospel of tennis when they flocked to his Dallas courts in the '60s, '70s and early '80s.

07/01/2008

Split decision should go to Duncanville boxer Yanez

TOM FOX / DMN

Duncanville boxer Luis Yanez worked out at his home gym in Oak Cliff on Tuesday.

In one corner, USA Boxing coach Dan Campbell says he booted Duncanville's Luis Yanez off the team because he was AWOL for three weeks. In the other corner, Yanez says he was tending to a sister in drug rehab. Kevin Sherrington writes that both sides need to move on, so Yanez, hopefully, can move on to Beijing.
Video: Yanez fighting to be reinstated | Reaction to removal

High school star willing to play in Europe to prove a point to NBA

MILTON HINNANT / DMN

Duncanville took on Brandon Jennings of Virginia's Oak Hill Academy in December 2007.

Jennings wants no part of the collusion between the NBA and NCAA that prohibits the league from drafting kids until they're a year out of high school, and he's willing to take his game out of the country to make his pioneering point, writes columnist Kevin Sherrington.

06/30/2008

Things looking up for Hurley, Texas Rangers

LOUIS DeLUCA / DMN

Eric Hurley is congratulated during his first major league win for the Texas Rangers.

Based on thin evidence from Eric Hurley's four major league starts, writes columnist Kevin Sherrington, is it actually possible the Texas Rangers may have gotten a pitcher right? Hurley seems to think so, anyway. "Nobody's got higher expectations for me than me," he said. "And so far, I'm fulfilling 'em."
Photos: Rangers-Phillies
Blog: Texas Rangers

06/28/2008

Katrina chased some from Tulane, but not this Plano West-ex
Coming out of Plano West, where she was an all-state defender on a two-time state championship soccer team and member of the formidable Dallas Sting, Megan Weinlein had several scholarship offers.

06/25/2008

Upside has downside for Texas A&M's DeAndre Jordan

ERICH SCHLEGEL / DMN

DeAndre Jordan (left) averaged 7.9 points and six rebounds in one season at Texas A&M.

DeAndre Jordan's stock reportedly is falling like Hummer sales, which tells you all you need to know about the NBA draft, writes columnist Kevin Sherrington.

06/22/2008

Former Oiler a loveable linebacker

Courtesy Tennessee Titans

Mike Dukes was with the Houston Oilers from 1960-63.

After playing a season with the NFL's San Francisco 49ers, Mike Dukes defected to the new AFL, became an All-Pro his first season and playing four seasons with the Houston Oilers. Big for the era at his position, he was still athletic enough to drop into coverage, yet tough enough to be a force at the point of attack. Even returned kicks. He soon developed another reputation, as well, writes DMN columnist Kevin Sherrington in this week's Sunday Brunch. A former teammate called Dukes a "party animal" perpetually in the company of beautiful women. Dukes was killed last week in an automobile accident in Beaumont. He was 72.

06/20/2008

Dream winds up where it began for Rangers' minor leaguer
Growing up in Round Rock, Brian Gordon loved to throw. Anything he could get his right hand around, he let fly. Baseballs, tennis balls, rocks, didn't matter what it was. He gave it wings.

06/18/2008

Texas Rangers still have moves to make

Atlanta's Mark Teixeira (right) saw one familiar face from his days in Texas on Tuesday in Hank Blalock.

Even if he occasionally comes across like he's running for frat president, Mark Teixeira isn't the type to wax nostalgic, writes DMN columnist Kevin Sherrington. "I look at 'em on the field," he said from the visitors' dugout, "and it's a lot of guys I don't know." This should remain a team Teixeira hardly recognizes.
Video: DMN's Rangers report (6/17)
Blog: Texas Rangers