2022 Year In Review Part II: The ten stories that deserve a second look
To subscribers and readers: Thank you again for helping make 2022 a successful one for our website.
In Part I, I revisited the top ten most read stories on my website during 2022. In Part II, I lookback at the stories that did not make the top ten, yet I feel deserve a second look. Check them out now in chronological order:
Olympic champion Jade Carey hopes to compete in gymnastics for four years and eventually earn a degree at Oregon State (courtesy OSU sports communications)
1) February 9. Olympic champion Carey on her first years as a Beaver: ‘It’s been so much fun for me’
Already the greatest gymnast in Oregon State history, Jade Carey ponders life as a freshman in Corvallis.
Pivec battles inside with IDK Euskroten opponent (Courtesy Mikayla Pivec)
2) March 9. Mikayla Pivec pivots to comfortable spot playing in Spain
Always a good interview, the former OSU women’s basketball star discusses her pro season abroad.
Dave Twardzik’s first four pro seasons were with the ABA Virginia Squires
3) March 11. At 71, Twardzik is still calling games, and having fun doing it as his alma mater
The loquacious Dave Twardzik, starting guard on the Trail Blazers’ 1977 championship team and current radio analyst at Old Dominion, covers a variety of subjects in this interview.
Frank today, 78 going on 18 (courtesy Frank Peters)
4) March 15. Frank Peters: ‘Everything has been replaced except my balls and my brain, and they’re both still working’
The headline is a quote from the state of Oregon’s ultimate sports character. If that doesn’t interest you, move on to the next story.
Steven Kwan, third in AL Rookie of the Year voting, also won a Gold Glove for the Cleveland Guardians
5) April 14. Kwannie in Wonderland
This Horatio Alger story about the Cleveland Guardians’ rookie left-fielder from Oregon State — American League Rookie of the Month in his first month in the major leagues — is made even better by Steven Kwan’s natural humility.
After basketball was over, Drozdiak’s career was in journalism as a foreign correspondent and expert on international affairs (courtesy Bill Drozdiak)
6) June 10. Bill Drozdiak could always fill it up — in basketball and on foreign affairs
The former University of Oregon sharpshooting guard became a celebrated foreign affairs correspondent. We talk basketball, but Bill also weighs in on international politics, the war in Ukraine and his next book on basketball as a global sport.
Mac Wilkins was Olympic champion and world record-holder in the discus in 1976. He had long hair and a beard, too.
7) July 15. For Mac Wilkins, track and field has been a life’s passion. A very good one at that
On the eve of the World Track & Field Championships in Eugene, the 1976 Olympic discus gold medalist out of Beaverton High and the University of Oregon offers his opinion on a variety of subjects.
Chris Dudley doesn’t just tell campers what he wants them to do. He shows them (courtesy Chris Dudley Foundation)
8) July 23. Chris Dudley Basketball Camp: 27 years, and it keeps on going
The former Blazer center, one of two players with diabetes ever to play in the NBA, has run an annual kids with diabetes basketball camp since his time as a Blazer. It doesn’t get a lot of publicity, not because it’s not deserving.
Steve Brandon as a very young reporter (courtesy Carol Brandon)
9) September 13. Steve Brandon is gone: A small man in stature, but a giant in many ways
The long-time Portland sports newspaper journalist died of an apparent heart attack at age 68. A look at his career and the man himself.
Damian Lillard goes for two.
10) December 28. Lillard is Blazers’ biggest scorer — but is he the franchise’s greatest player?
This was one of our last stories of the year, so perhaps hasn’t yet fully circulated. With the interest in the subject — whether Damian Lillard or Clyde Drexler is the greatest player in Blazer history — this would seem to be top 10-worthy. I offer my opinion but convey that of many others, including Terry Porter, Michael Holton, Larry Steele, Jim Paxson, Terry Stotts and Lillard and Drexler themselves.
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Readers: what are your thoughts? I would love to hear them in the comments below. On the comments entry screen, only your name is required, your email address and website are optional, and may be left blank.
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