The sparse crowd chats during a Thursday afternoon ballgame at Ohio University’s Bob Wren Stadium. Late-afternoon sunshine and comfortable temperatures make it a great day to sit outside, and the fans put more interest into their side conversations than the actual game.
Baseball is just the backdrop.
Then, the conversations abruptly quiet and the crowd’s focus shifts toward home plate.
Nothing on Joe Carbone’s desk seems out of order. Everything has a place. The desk mirrors Carbone.
It is as tidy as he is.
Carbone relaxes in his chair with his shirt tucked tight into his pants. With his well-groomed appearance, Carbone reflects the same clean-cut image he demands of his players on the Ohio University baseball team.
Alfonso Soriano brought Chicago Cubs fans to their feet during his first at-bat on Wednesday.
He drove a pitch to the wall, and the Cubs faithful hollered as they watched the fly ball sail to the warning track. White Sox fans shouted back as the ball was caught just short of the fence.
Brian Conway was tough to hit.
With a good fastball and pitching repertoire full of curveballs and sliders, Conway dazzled opposing hitters during his days in Little League Baseball.
As a teenager, he made the most of his talent. Conway played for two travel baseball teams and pitched almost every day in the summer before high school.
I have a background in sports media and marketing and I work on the digital team of the Baltimore Ravens. I’ve spent nearly a decade in the NFL, focused on building and expanding the team brand through digital and social media.
Reflections on the last four years of covering Ohio sports
Sometimes it’s easy to overlook the recent success of Ohio sports. People have grown accustomed to the championships, post-season runs and individual accolades, almost to the extent that we take them for granted.
Bobcats fans have been spoiled lately.
The past four years have truly been a golden era for Ohio Athletics. With post-season berths, national attention and individuals going on to play professionally, the Bobcats have enjoyed team and individual success on an unprecedented level for Ohio athletics.