We are witnessing some impressive winning streaks in the world of sports right now, streaks that might not be getting the attention they deserve. It seems all the headlines are going to the college football players getting arrested for thuggish behavior, or the professional baseball players trying to defend themselves against charges they abused performance-enhancing drugs, but there are some amazing things happening if you know where to look.
First you have Tiger Woods and his five PGA Tour wins in a row. If you don't follow golf you may not have a full appreciation for exactly what Woods has accomplished. Every PGA tournament sees him competing against not just one opponent, but 64 or more, all of whom are among the best in the world at their craft, and all of whom are more than capable of getting hot and winning a tournament.
In fact, the second place finisher in Woods's latest victory, at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, is a guy you may never have heard of, Bart Bryant. Although relatively unknown, at least to anyone who's not a follower of tournament golf, Bryant has already won over $850,000 on the tour this year, and was the only player in the entire field at Bay Hill to break par all four rounds in the Palmer Invitational. Amazing.
Then there is the Houston Rockets and their amazing 22-game NBA winning streak, the second-longest in league history. This is coming from a team that was barely over .500 when the streak began, and they have now vaulted to the top spot in the NBA West standings.
The Rockets have not lost since January 27, and during their streak haven't just been winning, they've been dominating. The average margin of victory for Houston in the last 22 games has been 12.4 points, and of the last fourteen wins, their closest game has been an eight-point squeaker over Atlanta on March 12. Amazing.
But perhaps the most impressive streak is one you are likely unaware of. Everyone knows it's college basketball's conference tournament time, and with all the emphasis on the men's tournaments and who made it to the NCAA field of 64, women's basketball doesn't get much notice.
But consider this: Old Dominion's women's team, the Lady Monarchs, overcame an 18-point deficit against Virginia Commonwealth Sunday to win - get this - their seventeenth consecutive Colonial Athletic Association conference championship.
Old Dominion joined the CAA prior to the 1991-92 season and since joining, have not lost a conference tournament game. Ever. They have gone 50-0 in the last 17 years in the CAA Tournament and, obviously, won it every year. On Sunday, a game Virginia Commonwealth team rode a hot streak of 3-pointers to a 34-16 lead midway through the first half, but from there on out it was all Old Dominion. Seventeen conference championships in a row. Amazing.
Hey everyone, I know it must seem like I've dropped off the face of the earth, but it's nothing like that.
I've been busy writing - two full-length novels so far, plus over a dozen short stories - and working hard to try to get an agent. If you are curious and have a few minutes, check out my website, www.allanleve rone.com.
If you're a literary agent or if you know one, by all means contact me! In the meantime, I'll be here when I can - love this forum - and as always, thank you for checking out my blog, especially considering how many great ones you could be reading instead....
