March 5, 2017
by Geoff Shannon
Comments Off on A Winning Bet
“I spent $500 on the fifth horse, in the sixth race. I think his name was Chips Ahoy.” -The Hold Steady Trusty Friend, My father’s childhood home, is located off of Baltimore-Washington Parkway at the MD I-175 exit, where Howard … Continue reading
January 27, 2014
by Geoff Shannon
Comments Off on Advice from Writers: Scocca, Alvarez, Christensen Help A Young Scribe
Ten years ago I was a middling student and aspiring journalist wrapping up my career at Tulane in New Orleans. Since the university didn’t offer journalism, I carved out a career resume serving as the sports editor for The Hullabaloo … Continue reading
July 18, 2013
by Geoff Shannon
Comments Off on A Cold Day at the Races
A light drizzle falls on Pimlico Racecourse, on the second to last day of the track’s spring season. Large globs of dirt collect under the hooves of the trotter horses as they wait for the racers just outside the paddock. … Continue reading
December 30, 2012
by Geoff Shannon
Comments Off on A Sporting Life: 2012
You’d have to go back to 2001, the year the Ravens won the Superbowl, Baltimore native Hassim Rachman knocked out Lennox Lewis for the heavyweight title and Maryland’s football and basketball built their runs to an Orange Bowl appearance and … Continue reading
September 12, 2012
by Geoff Shannon
Comments Off on A Tale Of Two Cities
Once or twice a year, I buy a roundtrip bus ticket and spend a long weekend living out of my Aunt Frankie’s New York City apartment. It’s located on 87th Street on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, a block … Continue reading
March 13, 2010
by Geoff Shannon
Comments Off on Hunter S. Thompson: On Sportswriters
“Sportswriters are a kind of rude and brainless subculture of fascist drunks whose only real function is to publicize & sell whatever the sports editor sends them out to cover… Which is a nice way to make a living, because … Continue reading
March 13, 2010
by Geoff Shannon
Comments Off on What I Read: Roger Ebert, Manny Pacquiao, Gamblers and Fear & Loathing
I spent two hours at”Common Ground coffee shop in Hampden, nestled down with a medium roast Zeke’s coffee and a stack of printed articles, magazines and local newspapers that I’ve been meaning to mow through but haven’t had the time … Continue reading
January 30, 2010
by Geoff Shannon
Comments Off on Dead Heroes – ‘Wild’ Bill Hagy
Apparently the Baltimore Orioles FanFest was last weekend, reportedly drawing over 12,000 fans. Though widely scorned by the bulk of ticket-buying fans in the Mid-Atlantic region, the Birds are still part of the fabric of the local Baltimoron community. My … Continue reading
January 18, 2010
by Geoff Shannon
Comments Off on Mississippi River: The Beginning and End
Fun juxtaposition, especially with the Minnesota Vikings taking on my beloved New Orleans Saints next Sunday. Always been fascinated about the Mississippi River, it’s place in American history and its connection to the center of the country. Was in St. … Continue reading
December 13, 2009
by Geoff Shannon
Comments Off on Sad Face Tiger/Happy Face Tiger
Since Bill Simmons already wrote about my theory that Tiger Wood’s current situation parallels the entire three-season story arch of ‘Mad Men’, I just have this one critique of this entire situation. When ESPN/CNN/FOXNews/MSNBC/any other acronym media organization do the … Continue reading