Why Sterling Marlin is pulling against Denny Hamlin in Daytona 500
Sterling Marlin isn't rooting for any particular driver in the Daytona 500 on Sunday. But there is one he hopes doesn't win.
Marlin, 59, will celebrate if 2016 Daytona 500 champion Denny Hamlin fails to repeat.
That's because Marlin, a Columbia resident, was the last back-to-back winner of the historic race He won in 1994 and 1995.
Not only has it not happened since then, but Marlin is one of only three champions to win back-to-back along with Richard Petty (1973 and 1974) and Cale Yarborough (1983 and 1984).
"I'm kind of glad I was the last one to do it; it's pretty cool," said Marlin, who was in Daytona earlier this week to accept the Distinguished Driver Award at the Living Legends Auto Racing banquet. "I also like that there's only three of us that's done it. I guess it shows how hard it is to win back-to-back like that."
Michael Waltrip came close when he won in 2001, finished fifth in 2002 and won again in 2003. Jimmie Johnson won in 2013 and finished fifth in 2014.
The odds of Hamlin repeating at Daytona are 11-to-1, VegasInsider.com's Micah Roberts told Forbes Magazine.
"(Hamlin) finally paid off for me at 12-to-1 in a dominating performance last season, so part of it is loyalty, but the other part is flat out consistency," Roberts said. "In his last five Daytona 500s he finished first, fourth, second, 14th and fourth."
Marlin said he realizes that Hamlin, who beat Martin Truex Jr. in a photo finish last year, is among the favorites this year.
"It will just come down to who gets taken out in a big wreck," Marlin said. "That's what it comes down to a lot at Daytona."
Hamlin is fully aware of the role luck and skill both play at Daytona.
"There's no Daytona 500 winner that didn't have the right breaks at the right time," Hamlin told the Associated Press.
Also among the favorites is Dale Earnhardt Jr. and it would be fine with Marlin if he wins.
Marlin, who has known Earnhardt Jr. his entire life, was involved in an accident on the last turn of the 2001 Daytona 500, which resulted in the death of Dale Earnhardt Sr.
"I talk to Dale Jr. a little bit every now and then," said Marlin, who retired in 2009. "He's one of the few (current drivers) I'm still close to. Jamie McMurray came through when I was about to quit, but most of our gang has already retired."
Marlin still races regularly at the Fairgrounds Nashville Speedway. He will be testing his car Sunday and won't get to watch the Daytona 500.
"That's OK; I ain't much on sitting or standing around," Marlin said. "I''m used to driving."
Swanson honoring fellow Vandy athlete Dai-Jon Parker
Former Vanderbilt shortstop Dansby Swanson, now with the Atlanta Braves, is paying tribute to his friend and former Commodores basketball player Dai-Jon Parker, who died two years ago.
Swanson had a custom Wilson glove made with "All Dai" printed near the thumb.
Parker, who was 22, drowned in a tubing accident.
"It impacts a lot of people just because of the legacy he left behind," Swanson told MLB.com. "Just to be able to wear that (glove) every day and to keep him close to me is pretty cool."
Swanson, who is from Kennesaw, Ga., and Parker, who was from Alpharetta, Ga., played basketball against each other in high school.
They became good friends after both ended up at Vanderbilt.
Last year was Swanson's first in the major leagues. The Braves called him up in August.
Sounds unveil new Friday uniforms
The Nashville Sounds will wear new red uniforms for each of their 10 Friday home games this season.
The tops feature "Nashville" across the chest in black and white script and include guitar heads on each of the sleeves. The cap will have the team's new logo on the front, which is a vinyl record and three stars laid over the shape of the state of Tennessee.
The season begins on April 6 and the first Friday home game is April 14.
Former Riverdale star Fernando Bryant fired over wife's social media post
Ex-Riverdale and Alabama cornerback Fernando Bryant, who went on to play 10 seasons in the NFL, was fired earlier this week because of a social media post made by his wife, Amber.
Bryant, 39, had just been named head football coach and physical education teacher at Strong Rock Christian School in Locust Grove, Ga., 20 days earlier when school officials notified him in a letter that they had "made a decision not to move forward with your employment."
The letter said some of the parents in the community raised concerns after seeing a post that was inconsistent with their Christian values.
Bryant said he was not told specifically which post offended the parents, but he was led to believe it was a picture of the couple holding alcoholic drinks.
Bryant told WXIA Channel 11 in Atlanta it was explained to him that all school employees had to be Christians, but was not told they could not drink alcohol or they had to follow any social media guidelines.
"I am a Christian," Bryant said. "That’s the one thing that gives Christianity a bad name, when we start passing judgment on each other."
Officials from the school declined to comment on Bryant's firing.
Local NBA All-Star Game TV ratings beat hockey, but not football
The NBA All-Star Game last Sunday earned only a 2.8 television rating in the Nashville market.
That means 28,325 local households tuned in, according to WTVF programming and research director Mark Binda.
The game, which the West won 192-182 over the East, was the sixth-most watched sports event in the Nashville market last week.
The NBA All-Star Game had lower ratings than the NFL's Pro Bowl (6.1, 61,708 households), but more than the NHL All-Star Game (1.3, 13,151), which both were played in January.
Darryl Hammond's service is Monday
The funeral for Nashville Kats Arena Football League Hall of Famer Darryl Hammond, who died on Feb. 19, will be Monday at The Loveless Barn on Highway 100.
Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. and the service at noon.
Hammond, 50, died after suffering from ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease, which he had been diagnosed with in 2014.
In lieu of flowers Hammond's family asked that donations be made to Hammond's GofundMe account at www.gofundme.com/darryls-family-fund, which will go toward his wife, Robin, and their children.
Bobby Johnson to be inducted into South Carolina Hall of Fame
Former Vanderbilt football coach Bobby Johnson (2002-2009) has been selected for induction into the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame.
Johnson, 66, a native of Columbia, S.C., played at Clemson, leading the Tigers in interceptions his junior and senior year. He coached at Furman as an assistant (1976-1992), Clemson as defensive coordinator (1993) and Fuman as head coach (1994-2001).
His career head coaching record was 89-102. He was 29-66 at Vanderbilt and led the Commodores to a win over Boston College in the 2008 Franklin American Music City Bowl.
Johnson is currently a member of the selection committee for the College Football Playoff.
Carlton Flatt speaking at Lipscomb
Former Brentwood Academy football coach Carlton Flatt, who led the Eagles to 10 state championships, will be the guest speaker Wednesday at the monthly Jim Wood Luncheon at the McCadams Athletic Complex at the Lipscomb High football field.
Flatt posted a record of 355-68-3 in his 33-year head coaching career. He was inducted into the Tennessee Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2015.
The luncheon costs $10. Reservations must be made in advance by contacting Paul Nance at 615-966-5967 or paul.nance@lipscomb.edu.
Movie with local sports connection returning in March
"Remember The Goal," a movie that was filmed in Nashville and featured several local high school cross country runners as extras, is returning to town.
It will open March 17 at Regal Hollywood 27. It is booked for one week, but if it does well could be extended.
Former Miss Williamson County Allee-Sutton Hethcoat, who recently won the 2017 Miss Tennessee pageant and is in law school at Belmont, is the lead actress in the movie.
Runners from Ravenwood, Brentwood Academy, Harpeth Hall, Father Ryan, Page, Franklin Christian Academy, Hendersonville Christian Academy, St. Cecilia, Sovereign Grace, Davidson Academy, Brentwood and St. Henry were used as extras.
The movie will be released on DVD May 16.
Lipscomb soccer assistant hired at Penn
Lipscomb assistant men’s soccer coach Peter Lowry resigned this week and accepted a position on the University of Pennsylvania coaching staff.
Lowry, a Fair Oaks Calif., native, spent four years at Lipscomb.
“God has a funny way of opening unexpected doors,” Lowry said. “He has the bigger plan. I never in a million years thought I would be coaching at an Ivy League school.”
Goodlettsville multi-sport star 'Buck' McPherson Jr. dies
Former Goodlettsville High all-state football player H.B. "Buck" McPherson Jr., who also played basketball and baseball (1949-52), died on his 85th birthday on Feb. 18.
McPherson received a scholarship to play football at Georgia, but a knee injury ended his career prematurely.
McPherson later became Metro Chief Deputy Sheriff and in 1976 was appointed to the Tennessee Athletic Commission because of his involvement in amateur boxing.
If you have an item for Midstate Chatter contact Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on Twitter @MikeOrganWriter.
SPORTS ON NASHVILLE TV
The top 5 local sporting events television ratings for Feb. 13-19
1. College basketball: Tennessee-Kentucky 4.3
2. College basketball: Kentucky-Georgia 4.2
3. PGA: Genesis Open (final round) 4.1
4. PGA:(Genesis Open (third round) 3.7
5. College basketball: Kansas-Baylor 3.4
Each rating point is equal to 10,116 Nashville homes.
Source: Mark Binda, WTVF-5 program & research director