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3Four Corners SPORTSJanuary/February 2015
content| 4 |
Writing & Radio
You know him as Steve Bortstein, the
host of the three-hour local sports talk
radio show on Fox Sports AM 1340 and
93.9 FM as part of iHeart Radio.
| 8 |
Complete PackageThe Four Corners Aquatic Team (FCAT)
is celebrating its 20th year anniversary in
2014. The team is run by Head Coach
Karen McCay, along with coaches Mike
McCluhan, Anna Marie Talcott, Kristi Rae
lucero and Brent McCay.
| 12 | Out of the OctagonSome 20 years ago, Floyd Sword read an
article in a sports magazine about
martial arts. Intrigued, he decided he
wanted to be part of that sport.
| 18 | A sort of homecomingWhen candidly asked about the players
he coached in Farmington, longtime Scor-
pion head coach Marv Sanders looks
fondly on the four players he deemed to
be true blue chip, Division 1 basketball
players.
| 16 | Editorial Columnistby Rick Hoerner
| 26 | 10 Questionswith Karen McCay and Mike Dodds
| 31 | The First TeeJohnson & Johnson matching
donations through Dec. 31
| 32 | NASCAR NellieNN can’t miss WAGs arrival
| 21 | Fishing Report
| 34 | NMAA selects November honoree
| 28 | Winter PrepSports RoundupWhile Christmas decorations mean it’s
most likely September, when it comes to
the school calendar it means the turn
from fall sports to the winter season.
For the second year in a row the fall sport
season did not bring a blue trophy to San
Juan County. However, the new district
and classification alighnments made for a
more-than-interesting season.
| 22 | Fun & fundraisingAmong the more than 100 people who
took part in the Farmington Parks,
Recreation and Cultural Affairs
Department’s 4th annual Turkey Trot
and Gobble Wobble on Nov. 22
were a couple of turkeys.
Don Vaughan
PuBlISHER
Cindy Cowan Thiele
EDITOR
Rick Hoerner
Tom Yost
Dorothy Nobis
CONTRIBuTING WRITERS
Curtis Benally
Josh Bishop
CONTRIBuTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Suzanne Thurman
DESIGNER
Shelly Acosta
Clint Alexander
Aimee Velasquez
SAlES STAFF
For advertising information
Call 505.516.1230
www.fourcornerssports.com
Four Corners Sports magazine is published once amonth by Majestic Media. Material herein may not bereprinted without expressed written consent of the pub-lisher. Opinions expressed by the contributing writersare not necessarily those of the publisher, editor or FourCorners Sports magazine. Every effort has been madeto ensure the accuracy of this publication. However thepublisher cannot assume responsibility for errors orommissions. © 2014 Four Corners Sports magazine.
Majestic Media
100 W. Apache Street
Farmington, NM 87401
505.516.1230
www.majesticmediausa.com
STORY IDEAS and PHOTOS
covercredit
Please send to
Josh Bishop
4 Four Corners SportS January/February 2015
5Four Corners SPoRTSJanuary/February 2015
You know him as Steve Bortstein, the host of the three-hour local sports
talk radio show on Fox Sports AM 1340 and 93.9 FM as part of iHeart Radio.
What you may not know about the 44-year-old sports and horse racing
fanatic is how he became a staple in our community and how he may never
leave.
Bortstein has been involved with the sports media for 28 years.
“I got my start at the Pasadena Star News at age 16,” said Bortstein.
“I was already writing for my high school paper, but got started covering
sports for Pasadena Star News when I was 16 and then moved on to
become assistant horse racing editor when I was 18.”
As many of you who listen daily to First Sports with Steve Bortstein at 7
a.m. every morning, passion for horse racing and handicapping was in his
blood from the day he was born.
“My love for horse racing came from my father. He took me to my first
race when I was 4 years old in New York, where I was born.”
The family moved to Colorado, where Bortstein’s father was the public
relations director for a racetrack called Centennial Downs in Littleton.
Story by Tom Yost | Photos by Josh Bishop
Writingradio&
Steve Bortstein has shared his
passion for sports for 28 years
6 Four Corners SPORTS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
“During spring and fall breaks when they
raced, I was his assistant and was responsible
for keeping jockey trainer statistics and keep-
ing notes/stats on races,” explained Bortstein.
“That was where my fascination started for
statistics and numbers and following other
sports in a numbers way.”
Bortstein added in jest, “I learned more
math doing that job than I ever learned in
school.”
Once out of college, Bortstein stayed with
the Pasadena Star News for a bit, and then
moved on to the South Bay Daily Breeze which
was in Torrance, Calif., as the assistant horse
racing editor.
“It was at that time I got my start in radio by
doing guest appearances on horse racing
shows around the country and in Las Vegas in
1997,” added Bortstein.
While living in San Diego, the opportunity to
come to Farmington presented itself when a job
opened up with the local newspaper. In 2002,
Bortstein took the job as the assistant sports ed-
itor at The Farmington Daily Times under the
guidance of then sports editor Steve McGaughey.
Why Farmington?
“I was intrigued with the job in Farmington
because it had horse racing and baseball.”
Little did he know that less than a year after
his arrival another opportunity would arise
that led Bortstein into the world of radio.
Recalling how the transition into his current
position transpired, Bortstein seemed to be at
the right place at the right time.
“Walter Dorman was the program director
for Fox 1340 when I came here. The station had
a daily one-hour show during the afternoon
dedicated to local sports, which Walter hosted.
After six months in Farmington, I made my first
appearance and then little by little did more
appearances. Bill Kruger was the station man-
ager at the time and offered me a position to
do a show at the station. I wanted to venture
back into radio and the offer intrigued me.”
The rest, as it could be stated, is history –
but that would be undermining the determina-
tion that Bortstein showed in producing what
you hear today over the airwaves.
Bortstein took a one-hour local radio show
and turned it into a three-hour mix of national
and local sports news for which he has won
five straight New Mexico Broadcasters Associa-
tion Top Sports Talk Show Host from 2009
through 2013.
Bortstein also took to the community to in-
still his knowledge and love for horse racing at
SunRay Park and Casino through his handicap-
ping seminars.
“I enjoy the theory of handicapping and
watching it play out,” explained Bortstein. “I
am going to try to give you information in
handicapping seminars that you may not be
able to find out for yourself.”
“Horse racing is not luck.
People handing you a betting
ticket at the window always
say, ‘Good luck.’ Handicapping
is not luck, it is a skill.”
— Steve Bortstein
7Four Corners SPORTSJANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
“One of the things I wanted to do at Fox
Sports was to bring back a show I did in Cali-
fornia called The Fast Track, because horse
racing wasn’t very popular in this corner of
New Mexico.”
On the show – which airs on the same
iHeart stations – Bortstein and horse racing
personalities from across the country offer
handicapping advice and best bets for the na-
tion’s biggest horse races for that particular
weekend.
“Handicapping is analytical math for me,”
explains Bortstein. “As a handicapper, I take
what happened in the last race, extrapolate in-
formation, and then compare it to the same
data from the other horses in that particular
race. I then formulate what I think is going to
happen in this next race.”
Bortstein vehemently denounces the luck
factor in the handicapping of a horse race,
much as Matt Damon’s character did regard-
ing the World Series of Poker in the final scene
of the movie Rounders (John Dahl, 1998).
Bortstein took a one-hour local
radio show and turned it into a
three-hour mix of national and
local sports news for which
he has won five straight
New Mexico Broadcasters
Association Top
Sports Talk Show Host
from 2009 through 2013.
* Bortstein 34
COMPLETEPACKAGE
9Four Corners SPoRTSJANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
The Four Corners Aquatic Team (FCAT) is cel-
ebrating its 20th year anniversary in 2014. The
team is run by Head Coach Karen McCay, along
with coaches Mike McCluhan, Anna Marie Tal-
cott, Kristi Rae Lucero and Brent McCay.
FCAT currently has 65 registered USA Swim-
mers in the club. Their mission: To provide a
competitive swim program where each mem-
ber has the opportunity to fulfill his/her goals
as an athlete and as a person.
“Thankfully, all 65 participants do not show
up at the same time,” said McCay. “Kids come
at different times. If all the kids came at the
same time, we would be in trouble. The major-
ity of our kids come either Mondays and
Wednesdays or Tuesdays and Thursdays. We
have very few five-day-a-week swimmers.”
FCAT is one of two area club swimming
teams that share the Farmington Aquatic Cen-
ter along with the Farmington and Piedra Vista
High School Teams.
Story by Tom Yost | Photos by Josh Bishop
FCAT’s goal is to teach life skills as well as athletics
10 Four Corners SpOrTS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
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The cost to join FCAT is based on ability level and the number of
months the participant actually takes part in the program.
“The first payment is $62 per year, which goes to USA Swim-
ming,” explained McCay. “This pays for USA Swimming insurance
and helps subsidize USA Swimming all the way up to the Olympic
Team. The participants then pay a $50 yearly fee to FCAT, which
pays for their swim cap, T-shirt and FCAT’s software license. Fi-
nally, participants pay monthly, graduated, dues: $50 a month for
novice, $65 per month for Age Group 1 and $80 per month for Age
Group 2.”
“At the novice level, athletes learn all four strokes, turns and
dives,” McCay continued. “Once they progress to Age Group 1 they
are allowed to practice five nights a week if they want (not re-
quired), where they start to focus on state qualification times for
USA Swimming. Once the athletes have two or more state qualifica-
tion times they move up to Age Group 2, often practicing five nights
per week, up to two hours per night.”
Like so many youth development programs, FCAT prides them-
selves on the development of the total person – and not just the
athlete.
“The ultimate goal for FCAT is to develop well-rounded kids who
are an asset to their community,” said McCay. “It is much more im-
portant for them to be good human beings. FCAT is a great place to
learn skills such as conflict resolution, learning to get along with
other kids, respect for authority, when to challenge authority, and
how to face adversity. How are they going to finish when they have
hit a wall? That is how they are going to finish life.”
McCay added, “The community service aspect is extremely im-
portant for our participants to start giving back at a young age so
they can serve the community for their entire lives.
FCAT does not make competitive events a requirement until Age
Group 2.
“When our athletes start swimming state qualification times,
they have a responsibility to themselves and their teammates to
go to swim meets and compete – not only for individual races, but
also for relay team events,” stated McCay.
11Four Corners SPorTSJANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
Parents can get their kids involved by coming
to the Farmington Aquatic Center and requesting
a free two-week trial.
“If they like it at the end of two weeks, they
just fill out the paper work, pay the dues. and
they join the team,” added McCay.
FCAT practices from 5:45 p.m. until 7:45 p.m.
Monday through Friday at the Farmington
Aquatic Center. And even though the club swims
year round, the commitment to swim is not that
demanding.
“A lot of kids swim a couple months out of the
year to prepare for other sports and only have
to pay for the months that they are there,” stated
FCAT Board President Michael Dodds.
Competitions for clubs in rural communities
make it a challenge for the athletes to compete
due to numerous travel commitments, but this
year the two biggest state club meets are com-
ing to Farmington.
FCAT is hosting the New Mexico Short
Course State Competition March 5 through 8,
as well as the Long Course State Competition
July 23 through 28, 2015 at the Farmington
Aquatic Center.
“These meets are going to bring a lot of rev-
enue into the community,” added McCay.
“The short course had 219 swimmers last
year, while the long course had 400. These ath-
letes will come with their entire families, not to
mention the coaches and officials that will be
staying and spending money in our community.”
To find out more information about FCAT or
how to join the Four Corners Aquatic Team,
please call Karen McCay at 505.860.2772, go to
their website at www.teamunify.com, or stop by
the Farmington Aquatic Center for the free two-
week trial.
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12 Four Corners SporTS January/February 2015
Some 20 years ago, Floyd Sword read an
article in a sports magazine about martial
arts. Intrigued, he decided he wanted to be
part of that sport.
Sword was successful with his Mixed
Martial Arts career. He excelled in the sport
and is the only athlete in the area to have
made it to the UFC, which is the pinnacle of
success. The glory, the wins, the record set-
ting, however, weren’t what Sword wanted.
“I was gone a lot,” Sword said of his fight-
ing career, “and I missed a lot of time with
my daughter. I finally realized that what I re-
ally wanted to do wasn’t fight, but to train
students.”
In 2003, Sword opened a gym in his
garage. By 2006, he outgrew his garage and
moved his gym, Team 4 Corners, into the top
floor of Sakura Engineering, at 125 W. Main
St. Sword and other trainers offer classes
in mixed martial arts, kickboxing and cage
fighting.
Cage fighting is what intrigue most peo-
ple are by, Sword said. A cage fighter him-
self, Sword said the sport isn’t the bloody
sport it once was. “Years ago, UFC (Ultimate
Story by Dorothy Nobis | Photos by Josh Bishop
Former UFC fighter finds teaching, training more fulfilling
Out Of the OctagOn
14 Four Corners SporTS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
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Fighting Championship) had no rules and fight-
ers did whatever they wanted and, sometimes,
were given a small fine for the way they were
fighting,” he said. “Now, the sport is established
and it’s less about violence. The violence and the
gore attracted fans, though.”
Sword is selective about the people he trains,
especially for cage fighting. “They have to have
done five kickboxing matches and five grappling
(wrestling) matches before I allow them to fight,”
Sword said. “The sport has evolved so fast and it
takes a lot of discipline.”
That discipline involves training several days a
week to stay fit, in addition to the kickboxing and
grappling matches. “The sport is safe if you’ve
trained at a high level,” Sword explained.
Safety equipment is used, he added, and par-
ticipants train in a safe environment.
While it’s the cage fighting that makes the ex-
citing videos and sports highlights, Team 4 Cor-
ners offers training for the whole family.
Kickboxing is popular with kids and women,
Sword said. “The kids think it’s pretty exciting
and it’s fun to see them with that fire and inten-
sity.”
“They have to have done five kickboxing matches
and five grappling (wrestling) matches before
I allow them to fight. The sport has evolved so
fast and it takes a lot of discipline.”
— Floyd Sword
While kickboxing is a combat sport, Sword said he doesn’t encourage
aggressiveness with his students. “It’s amazing though, how aggressive
some of them can get,” he said, adding with a laugh, “and bouts be-
tween siblings are the best.”
Women enjoy kickboxing as well. “It’s a
great workout and the ladies like it because
its fun and they’re learning something new,”
he said.
rebecca St. Marie has been training with
Sword for several years. “I take grappling
and kickboxing training,” St. Marie said.
“It’s a great challenge, it’s great exercise
and I get to meet a lot of fun people.”
St. Marie also has her daughter, Natalie,
who is 6, enrolled in classes. “of course, Nat
wanted to box,” St. Marie said with a laugh.
“But Floyd said young ladies are not apt to
get into a boxing match with a man, so let’s
teach her self-defense.”
“Floyd’s very patient with the kids and he mixes up the classes so
they don’t get bored,” St. Marie added.
St. Marie trains four days a week – during her lunch break as a
group exercise coordinator at Defined Fitness, where she puts in an av-
erage of 50 hours a week. “I train during my lunch hour because I have
kids and a husband that need me after work,” she explained with a
laugh. “Everyone at 4 team Corners is super nice and knowledgeable
and very patient. And it’s a good environment.”
St. Marie has just one wish, however. “I
wish more ladies would (train with me),” she
said.
team 4 Corners also offers self-defense
classes in a coed setting. Sword was quick to
add, however, that as with any kind of train-
ing, students get from it what they put into it.
one student who got a lot out of his train-
ing and now trains others is Shane Wilson.
“Shane was a special student,” Sword said of
his protégé. “He was very dedicated, phe-
nomenally talented. Shane’s been with me
since before I opened the gym (on West
Main). He won grappling tournaments – has
a strong commitment to training.”
Wilson took part in grappling tournaments for about 10 years. “I
wanted something to do, to stay active and fit,” Wilson said. “I found
Floyd through a friend and I got hooked.”
Wilson coaches Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. His students are
primarily men who are looking for fun and a good workout, he said.
“they’re easy to coach and they’re competitive. And they come to
classes regularly.”
In addition to his grappling success, Wilson has a purple belt in
Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Jiu-jitsu is a martial art and combat sport that
teaches self-defense through leverage and proper training, according to
blackbeltmag.com website. the purple belt is given to those who display
a high level of expertise in the sport, the website states.
Whether you’re looking for a great workout, to grapple or cage fight
competitively, or to improve your ability to defend yourself, Sword and
Wilson say team 4 Corners is a good place to begin. “training with us
helps you stay healthy and fit,” Wilson said. “It teaches you new things
and it is great at building self-confidence.”
For more information about team 4 Corners, call 505.566.1919.
15Four Corners SportSJanuary/February 2014
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16 Four Corners SPORTS January/February 2015
As early as 1879 it was written in print:
“Never discuss religion or politics in general
company.” Even Linus in charles Schultz’s
Peanuts knew better, saying in the 1966 clas-
sic television special, it’s the Great Pumpkin,
charlie Brown: “There are three things i have
learned never to discuss with people – reli-
gion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin.” So usu-
ally sports can be used to fill the
conversation void. it’s usually safe. Even
friends that love their teams can usually dis-
agree in a respectful and even jovial manner.
But what happens when sports merge with
one of the taboo subjects, such as politics ?
Well, we certainly found out on Nov. 30
when five members of the St. Louis Rams re-
ceiving team walked out of the tunnel with
their hands up, referencing the protests on
the Michael Brown incident after being intro-
duced at the Rams home game against Oak-
land. if any team has a pulse of the racial
tension going on in Ferguson, Mo., it should
be the Rams.
Now this is not the place to discuss the sit-
uation in Ferguson nor the guilt or innocence
of the individuals involved. i’ll leave that to the
multiple experts on Facebook and Twitter who
seem to have informed opinions on police tac-
tics and what it’s like to be a minority in
America.
Sports and politics have always been
strange bedfellows. There have been those
that have been active and out- or over-spoken.
There are those who have kept their beliefs
on social issues absolutely private. in actual-
ity, athletes can rarely win either way. When
they express themselves as did charles
Barkley does, the public backlash is of the va-
riety “What do they know?” When they refuse,
as did Tiger Woods or Michael Jordan, the
backlash happens the other way, “Why aren’t
they speaking out?”
Actually, sports has been a natural transi-
tion to the political arena. For the first time in
60 years there will not be a former profes-
sional athlete in congress. At one time sports
gave way to a natural role of leadership from
the court or field to the business or political
world. Once upon a time the virtue of sport in-
cluded the desired qualities not only of lead-
ership, but of work ethic and cooperation. in
congress there were the likes of former Buf-
falo Bills quarterback Representative Jack
kemp and former Princeton and New York
knick star Senator Bill Bradley.
Bradley and kemp both had presidential
aspirations, with Bradley losing in the Demo-
cratic primary to Al Gore and kemp losing in
his primary bid as well, but joining Bob Dole
on his presidential ticket running for vice
president. When kemp passed in May of 2009,
one obituary writer wrote that kemp and
Bradley were the only two white American
politicians truly comfortable around African
Americans. He cites sports as the reason.
Bradley’s teammate, Hall of Famer Walt Fra-
zier, called Bradley “the least prejudiced
player i’ve ever met,” but still viewed as an
outsider by the majority of his teammates.
kemp’s teammate John Mackey explained that
kemp understood that “the huddle is color-
blind.” On the field everyone was responsible
for themselves yet linked to everyone else.
Then money reared its head.
Perhaps less cynically, athletes may not
want to expose themselves or their families
to the 24/7 media blitz that a political cam-
paign would have to endure. Athletes today
have more to lose than just followers on Twit-
ter for taking a political stand. Upset fans
means lost revenue for sponsors and the de-
parture of sponsors hurts the athletes’ pock-
etbooks. Look no further than Tiger Woods
loss of sponsors after an eventful Thanksgiv-
ing or Michael Jordan who famously said “Re-
publicans wear shoes too” after refusing to
endorse African American senatorial candi-
date Harvey Gantt over segregationist Jesse
Helms.
it wasn’t always that way. Athletes would
take a stand even in consideration of the con-
sequences that action may include. Looking
back at the athletes that did take a political
stance, they were immediately chastised be-
fore history caught up to their plight and
began to recognize the political courage their
actions led to. consider Muhammad Ali who
lost his heavy weight title to follow his con-
science and religious beliefs to not fight in
the Vietnam War. At the time, Ali was chas-
tised for his stand, but as time passed Ali
stood for his civil rights stand as much as for
his boxing prowess.
At the 1968 Olympics the most famous po-
litical stand by any athlete happened on the
medal platform after the 200-meter dash. USA
track runners Tommie Smith, the gold medal
winner, and John carlos the bronze medal
winner took their places on the podium and
as the Star Spangled Banner played they
RickHOERNEREditorial columnist
You don’t really know
17Four Corners SPORTSJanuary/February 2014
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raised their fists with a single black glove as
a symbol of “human rights, liberation and sol-
idarity.” Reaction was swift and prompt. They
were immediately removed from the Olympic
Village. At home, the press was just as
alarmed. Legendary sports broadcaster Brent
Musburger, then an editorial columnist, re-
ferred to Smith and Carlos as “a pair of black
skinned storm troopers.” Of course the pair
eventually was vindicated for their actions
with the Arthur Ashe Portrait of Courage
Award and even a statue of their defiance at
San Jose State University where they ran
track.
So standing up for what one believes in,
even in athletics, may not pay immediate re-
wards, and only history can judge the sacri-
fice. Athletics have paved the way for political
and social change from civil rights to gay
rights. Arthur Ashe was a hero of mine, not
just for his tennis, but for what he did as an
activist for civil rights, an opponent of
apartheid, and his work for AIDS research.
Sports can be a social and political agent for
good and can lead to political leadership.
President Gerald Ford played football at
Michigan, President George H.W. Bush played
baseball at Yale and Supreme Court Justice
Byron White earned his nickname “Whizzer”
as a running back at the University of Col-
orado. Today All-Star Piston guard Dave Bing
is the mayor of Detroit, a job no one wants at
this point, trying to lead his city from ruin,
while as Sacramento mayor former Phoenix
Suns guard Kevin Johnson led an effort to
keep the Kings in Sacramento.
On one of my favorite shows, South Park,
Stan, your prototypical white kid, keeps
telling Token, the lone black kid in town, that
he gets why Token’s mad after Stan’s dad
dropped the N-word on national television.
Token keeps telling him “You’ll never get it.”
Again and again Stan tells Token he gets it.
Then it finally dawns on Stan that he can
never get it and he tells Token, “I don’t get it.”
to which Token simply replies, “Now you do.”
So there it is, all you need to know about
racial tension from a foul-mouthed cartoon
show.
With all that said, maybe, just maybe, we
should wait before passing judgment on the
Rams, the NFL or the five players. History has
a way of passing judgment in due time. In
truth, no one can truly know the experience of
another. It may be easy to say that it’s 2014
and get over it. But the fact is you can’t walk a
mile in the protestors’ shoes, not even a
marathon would make a difference. Most
likely you just don’t get it, and admitting so is
a necessary first step.
18 Four Corners SPoRTS January/February 2015
When candidly asked about the players he
coached in Farmington, longtime Scorpion head
coach Marv Sanders looks fondly on the four play-
ers he deemed to be true blue chip, Division 1 bas-
ketball players.
First, was Duane Ward from the 1982 undefeated
state championship team who went on to win a pair
of World Series titles with the Toronto Blue Jays.
A year later Coach Sanders’ son Mike led the
Scorpions before heading off to Northern Colorado.
In 1986 Rob Robbins led Farmington to a second
state title then showcased his talents for four years
at the University of New Mexico.
Finally, in 1999 came Jay Collins who was the last
Farmington basketball player to play Division I bas-
ketball on scholarship.
Fifteen years later, Collins is still living his basket-
ball dream that has now taken him to Pocatello,
Idaho, where he is assistant coach at Idaho State.
Collins basketball journey has been long and ad-
venturous. He had a stellar three-year career at
Farmington High that included First Team All-District
honors all three years as well as two all-state selec-
tions. However, Collins became one of the first
Story by Rick Hoerner | Courtesy photos
A SORT OF HOMECOMING Farmington’s Jay Collins returns to The Pit
19Four Corners SPoRTSJanuary/February 2015
victims in what can best be termed as the
“New Mexico Lottery Athletic Scholarship
Curse.”
This is where the colleges in New Mexico
use the lottery to encourage prep athletes in
the state to walk on and use the lottery for col-
lege, saving the program a scholarship to offer
to someone else.
Believing he could still play at the Division I
level, Collins accepted an offer to play at
Cochise Junior College in Arizona, joining other
lottery victims Mike Clay of Manzano and Vince
Haynes and Kevin Henry of Hobbs.
Collins made an immediate impact for the
Apaches, leading them to two consecutive Re-
gion I Titles and back-to back trips to the
NJCAA National Tournament. As the point guard
for the Apaches, Collins was named All-Region
twice, averaging over 20 points a game for his
career.
Collins then transferred to Division I South-
ern Utah University where he took over the
point guard duties. He averaged double digits
in scoring while finishing his senior season
14th in the nation in assists.
For Collins, the highlight of his career with
the Thunderbirds came in to The Pit for a non-
conference matchup on Dec. 21 in 2002. Collins
led the Thunderbirds in points rebounds and
assists with 17 points, 7 rebounds and 5 as-
sists, while playing 37 of the 40 minutes in a
69-57 win over the Lobos who once thought he
was not worth the time to recruit.
After leaving Southern Utah, Collins briefly
flirted with the NBA Developmental League and
playing in Europe, making it up to the final cut
with the Idaho Stampede.
After a knee injury, Collins turned from the
floor to the bench. Initially, Collins began the
long road of college coaching by returning to
Cochise Junior College, assisting his former
head coach Jerry Carillo and continuing the
trend of recruiting New Mexico players to
come to Cochise.
Eventually Collins took the graduate assis-
tant route, coaching at Texas Pan American, fol-
lowed by a trip to Upper Iowa University, and a
return to Cochise Junior College before landing
in Flagstaff on the staff of Mike Adras at North-
ern Arizona where Collins and the rest of the
20 Four Corners SPOrTS January/February 2015
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!����� !������!��!����� ����$�"�#���������#�����"$������� �������������!$�� ���������
�����
�� ������������� ��� ��������������� �������������� ��� ������ � �� � ��� ��� ������������������� ���� �����������
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the Farmington Scorpions went to team camp in the summer. At NAU Collins
worked in advance scouting as well as continuing to recruit for the Lumber-
jacks.
His current stint is at Idaho State University where, Collins is beginning his
third year where he concentrates on individual workouts for the Bengal guards
as well as continuing to recruit and scouting.
His experience coaching in the Big Sky Conference has been a plus in re-
cruiting and scouting for the Bengals. A return to be with his Southern Utah
head coach Bill Evans has also given Collins a familiarity with the Idaho State
system and an ease in transition from his previous coaching assignment.
Over the past decade Collins has been a consistent visitor back home to
Farmington where he worked basketball camps at Piedra Vista and for the late
Farmington Scorpion Coach Kevin Holman at Farmington High.
A happy homecoming to The Pit was not in the cards for Collins and his
Idaho State Bengals who fell to the Lobos 79-55.
Collins again had to walk up the ramp of The Pit on the wrong side of the
score just as he did in 1998 after an overtime loss to Alamogordo, and in 1999
where his prep career ended at the hands of undefeated La Cueva.
However, Collins will always have his day in The Pit where as a player he
more than proved he belonged.
For Jay’s friends and family, as well as his former coach, it was still a great
night watching a young man continue his basketball journey.
Over the past decade Collins has been a
consistent visitor back home to Farmington
where he worked basketball camps
at Piedra Vista and for the
late Farmington Scorpion Coach Kevin Holman
at Farmington High.
21Four Corners SPORTSJANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
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�����
FishingFishingREPORTREPORT
FishingREPORT
Fishing on the San Juan River below
Navajo Resevoir has been very good.
Flows are currently at 348cfs with visi-
bility at roughly 4ft. Nymph fishing has
been best in the morning with dry fly
fishing picking up around mid morn-
ing. Midge hatches have been prolific
throughout most of the day with midge
clusters forming in the afternoon
hours.
With colder tempatures finally arriv-
ing look for Navajo Lake to turn over
and therefore keep an eye out for off
color water conditions.
Some of the best nymphs to try are:
Size 18 yellow egg
Size 22 red larvae
Size 22 black zebra midge
Size 22 cream colored midge larvae
with a black head
Some of the better dry flies to try
are:
Size 22 Parachute Adams
Size 22 CDC Midge
Size 18 Griffiths Gnat
Fishing below the Quality Waters has
been good using gold Panther Martins
and salmon eggs.
T.J. Massey
San Juan River Outfitters
www.sanjuanriveroutfitters.com
505.486.5347
22 Four Corners SPORTS January/February 2015
Among the more than 100 people who took part in the Farmington
Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department’s 4th annual Turkey
Trot and Gobble Wobble on Nov. 22 were a couple of turkeys.
Krista Lewis, Kristina Ortiz and Stephanie Sibola were decked out in
turkey costumes for the race, which included a 5K Turkey Trot and a 2-
mile Gobble Wobble walk.
The ladies came up with the idea of turkey “dressing” for the race,
while Stephen Ortiz dressed up as a pilgrim. The ladies thought it would
4th Annual Turkey Trot, Gobble Wobble
raises money for Blue Star MothersStory by Dorothy Nobis | Photo by Josh Bishop
Fun and fundraising
23Four Corners SportSJanuary/February 2015
24 Four Corners SPOrTS January/February 2015
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be a fun event, they said, but Stephen Ortiz
admitted he was “volun-told” to partici-
pate. Lewis and the Ortizs are from Farm-
ington and Sibola is from Aztec.
Candy Maslen of Farmington and
Pamela Gallegos and Darryl Espinoza of
Aztec also took part in the event. “We’re
walking,” Maslen said, “because we de-
cided we want to be healthier.”
Colby Williams, 10, is from Fruitland
and is a student at Grace B. Wilson Ele-
mentary School. Williams said he likes to
run and recently took second place at a 5K
run at Berg Park. As the race was about to
begin, Williams said he was excited and
hoped to win.
For the Joshua Martinez family of Aztec,
the Turkey Trot and Gobble Wobble was a
family event. It was the third year the fam-
ily has participated, they said. The couple’s
son, Mark, 9, is the family athlete and en-
joys the run. “Mark can outrun me,”
Joshua Martinez said with a laugh.
Dianne Smiley of Farmington was the
family cheerleader for the trot, encourag-
ing her husband, Ed Smiley, and her son,
Michael Necaise. The goal of Smiley and
Necaise, Necaise said, was “to finish.”
The annual 5k run and 2-mile walk
raises money for community organiza-
tions, with a different organization benefit-
ting each year. The Blue Star Mothers was
the 2014 recipient and many of the mem-
bers of the organization were on hand to
participate.
The race raised $500 for the Four Cor-
ners Blue Star Mothers, a nonprofit organ-
ization that provides support to the
troops, veterans, military and veteran fam-
ilies in our area.
Carla Stimac and Jennie Sandoval were
among the mothers who cheered on par-
ticipants and took part in the walk. Gary
Groomer joined his mother, Stimac. “I do it
with my mother,” Groomer said. “We catch
up with a lot of friends and we show our
support (for the event).”
“The event is for a good cause and it’s
25Four Corners SPoRTSJanuary/February 2015
a good time for some family fun
with my son,” Stimac added.
She said they were "killing
two birds with one stone" by
getting to know the community
and burning calories at the
same time.
The family also was one of the
groups that dressed up for the
event.
"Everybody's losing the holi-
day spirit," Autumn Yocum said.
"So we figured we'd get back
into it."
Cory Styron, director of the
PCRA, said it takes a lot of volun-
teers to help with the annual
event. “In addition to the volun-
teers, the city’s police depart-
ment and street department
help make it a fun and safe
event,” Styron said. “And we
couldn’t do it without the sup-
port of the community.”
26 Four Corners SPOrTS January/February 2015
KArENMCCAY DODDS
When did you (Karen McCay) get involved with Four Corners
Aquatic Team?
1
What kind of commitment does it take to coach FCAT?2
What is your swimming and coaching history?3
What are your responsibilities as president
of the FCAT board?
1
What fundraisers have you planned to help
with expenses?
2
Why are you so passionate about swimming?3
Karen McCay is the head coach for the Four Corners Aquatic Team.
Mike Dodds is president of the FCAT board.
MIKE
KArEN MCCAy MIKE DODDS
This is my third year with FCAT. I became an assistant for the
first year and a half, and then in July of 2013 I was named
the interim head coach. Finally, in October of 2013, I became
permanent head coach of FCAT and of Piedra Vista High
School’s swimming and diving team.
My responsibility is to take whatever actions the board tells
me to do in terms of financial responsibilities and the tasks
needed to be done behind the scenes. I don’t do anything
that isn’t agreed upon by our board. Taking care of backend
things, like what kind of fundraising we are going to be
doing, our fees – that sort of thing. I also conduct monthly
meetings, and communicate with the New Mexico governing
body of swimming.
We have the signs on the south end of the pool (16) that we
sell. We are looking to team up with the Exterran Triathlon
this summer in June – that will be our big fundraiser – with
proceeds going to FCAT. We have done doughnut sales, swim
meets. We also have short course and long course meets
coming to Farmington this year, which brings in good money
for the team.
Growing up I became competitive in my late teens and twen-
ties swimming in triathlons and master swim programs. As I
have gotten older, it is a great activity we like to use to teach
values to these kids. Swimming is a vehicle to connect to
yourself and to be in the moment. We want to teach kids how
to cope when difficulties arise, make them understand more
about themselves, about their brain and body and soul. I like
to think of swimming as a vehicle where kids can learn all
these values.
The time commitment to coach high school swimming and
diving, as well as FCAT, is great. I teach six sections of English
at PV during the day, then start high school coaching in sea-
son at 3:45 until 5:45, then FCAT goes year around from 5:45
until 7:45 p.m.. I don’t get many days off, but I grew up as the
kid at the pool who never wanted to leave. I just love it there
and wouldn’t want it any other way. But the commitment
isn’t just on me; I have a great staff of coaches and dedicated
parents who do a lot to make all of this happen.
I was born in Fort Stockton, Texas, but moved to Houston
when I was 10 years old and started club swimming through
USA Swim in Houston. I became really good in the butterfly,
and when I was 13 I got moved up to swim with the 15-year-
old swimmers. Once that happened, I stayed after practice to
help with the team, taught lessons and became a lifeguard. I
was always at the pool and never wanted to leave. That was
my first coaching experience with USA Swim. I didn’t swim in
college because I received a full ride academic scholarship
to Lubbock Christian University, which didn’t even have a
swimming pool, much less a swim team.
27Four Corners SpOrTSJanuary/February 2015
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How do you encourage kids to train outside of practice?4Why is FCAT a difference maker for your two sons, Ian
and Landon?
4
If kids could get just one thing out of your coaching, what
would you want it to be?
5
KArEn MCCAy
We make our kids write goals every season, both short-
term, some long-term. Those kids who want to be the best
know that they need to train outside of swimming, so they
choose to do cross-fit. We mostly don’t have to encourage
kids to train because they are so heavily involved in other
sports and are training away from the pool anyway.
To give you an example of how heavily involved our par-
ents are: one of our parents is a certified cross-fit in-
structor who just became a certified USA Swim instructor
so she could coach cross fit at the pool to our kids for
free.
Swimming isn’t their only sports (mountain biking,
triathlons and soccer). My boys utilize swiming for overall
fitness for their body, mind and soul. There is nothing bet-
ter than swimming, especially as a little kid, to help pre-
pare them for other activities on their list. It is great
offseason conditioning for any other sports they play.
We like to give kids a chance with our two-week free trial.
I would encourage kids to come out. If they want to swim
for three months, then that is fine. It is a great avenue for
all kids to get fit and to learn more about themselves.The most important thing, in my mind, is to finish what
you start. This generation (30 years and younger) gets
out of commitments too easily. Sometimes the best thing
for a kid is to have to face adversity and try to overcome
it. The kids that “hit a wall” and learn how to finish are
going to be the game changers in the world going for-
ward.
MIKE DODDS
Why should kids get involved in FCAT swimming?5
10 Questions continued from 24
28 Four Corners sPORts January/February 2015
While Christmas decorations mean it’s most
likely september, when it comes to the school
calendar it means the turn from fall sports to
the winter season. For the second year in a
row the fall sports season did not bring a blue
trophy to san Juan County. However, the new
district and classification alignments made for
a more than interesting season.
Football
the addition of the Gallup schools to the
1aaaaa district gave a set of mixed results for
the local teams. Gallup was one of the worst
teams in the state, which for the district was
almost like having a second bye week. On the
other hand, Miyamura was surprisingly tough
in district play. the Patriots came into district
season undefeated without playing much of a
non-district season. aztec, Farmington and
Piedra Vista all entered district play with win-
ning records setting up a tight closely fought,
district race.
For the four teams with winning records en-
tering the district race, every night of district
play was like a district title game, with aztec
and Miyamura entering the final week both un-
defeated and looking for the district title. the
last week showdown in aztec was everything a
championship game should be with aztec
going for two to win a 36-35 overtime thriller.
as the selection process began for the state
tournament brackets it looked doubtful that
the committee would select four teams from a
single district. But the district did get four bids
PieDRaVistaHIGHSCHOOLVolleyball
Story by Rick Hoerner | Photos by Curtis Benally
WINTER PREP SPORTSROUNDUP
No blue trophy; classification alignment shakes things up
29Four Corners sPOrtsJanuary/February 2015
with aztec coming in right behind artesia, God-
dard, centennial and Belen, the top four teams
in the state all season long. the committee’s
faith in the district was returned in the first
round as Piedra Vista upended Valencia, Farm-
ington knocked off st. Pius, aztec easily han-
dled Del norte, and miyamura defeatedg Los
Lunas. With all four teams moving on to the
quarterfinals, they would each be tested by the
top four seeds. Here the season would end for
all four of the district qualifiers with blowout
losses to the tournament favorites.
in District 1aaaa the championship came
down to Kirtland and Bloomfield, as expected,
in what is otherwise a very soft district. the
championship came down to a defensive strug-
gle with a baseball-like score of 6-2 earning
Bloomfield the title and a no. 4 seed in the
championship bracket. By the strength of a
tough schedule, the Broncos received a no. 10
seed heading to st. michaels where Kirtland’s
season came to an end with a 20-12 loss. a
week later the Bobcats fell to the same fate as
their big brothers in the 5a district losing in
the quarterfinals to cobre 34-23.
For navajo Prep they easily walked through
their district without allowing a single point,
earning them a no. 8 seed and a home game
against no. 9 santa rosa who eliminated the
Eagles in 2013. the Lions again proved too
much for Prep, eliminating the Eagles in the
first round with a 58-52 win.
soccer
the 5a boys this soccer season turned out
to be the Farmington scorpions and everyone
else. the scorpions were dominant in district
play going undefeated and finishing 16-4-1
overall while getting the no. 4 seed and a first
round bye in the state playoffs. Piedra Vista fin-
ished second in the district, but with an overall
record of 7-13 they were left out of playoffs.
Farmington faced no. 12 st. Pius in the quar-
terfinals falling to the sartans 2-1.
On the girls’ side, the district was strong as
usual and, as usual, the selection committee
had the district members eliminate each other
in the state tournament. aztec won the district
going 8-0 and earning the no. 2 seed in the
tournament bracket. Piedra Vista and Farming-
ton split in their head-to-head battles with the
scorpions winning the tie breaker and enter-
ing the playoffs as the no. 4 seed and PV com-
ing in at no. 7. Once again in the quarterfinals
the district was forced to play one another as
aztec met up with Piedra Vista. the tigers
moved on to the semifinals with a 2-0 win.
Farmington joined aztec in the semis with a 2-0
win over Valencia, but once again the title
hopes for the district ended at the hands of ei-
ther albuquerque academy or st. Pius. in this
case it was both, with the scorpions losing to
no. 1 Pius and the tigers falling to no. 6 acad-
emy.
cross country
as expected it was in cross country that the
changes in district alignment would really
make a difference. Gallup and miyamura have
traditionally been very competitive on the
cross country trails and were formidable com-
petition in 1aaaaa.
cHristianFOWLERPiedra Vista High school
marcusCRAWFORDaztec High school
30 Four Corners SPoRTS January/February 2015
At the boys’ district tournament Piedra
Vista again flexed its muscles. After finishing
with a perfect score last year, the Panthers
finished four runners in the top seven. Chris-
tian Fowler led the way for PV finishing in
third followed by Ryan Kruger, Jaron Harmon
and Caleb Ward. At state the Panthers fin-
ished just short of the podium finishing in
fourth behind district rival Miyamura.
In 4A boys, the Shiprock Chieftains finished
district just behind Zuni with Kirtland Central
coming in third. Shiprock’s Shawvan Levi fin-
ished a top the individual for the third con-
secutive year. The Chieftains finished sixth
overall, with the Broncos coming in tenth.
It was just a year ago that Piedra Vista and
Aztec were the top two teams, coming into
the district meet each assured of a place at
state. Enter Gallup and Miyamura. Through-
out the season it appeared the Bengals and
Patriots would be the teams to beat with
Aztec and PV fighting for the last spot at
state. Peyton Kee and Cassie Crowell led the
Panthers to the third place finish in district
and seventh in state.
Lacey Howe led the Shiprock Lady Chief-
tains to an incredible score of 21 to take the
district title. Kirtland Central landed in third
place earning a trip to state as well. At state
the Chieftains ran into a proverbial buzz saw
in Taos who finished ahead of the Chieftains
for the title, placing four runners in the top
10. The Broncos finished up their season with
an 11th place finish at the state meet.
For the Navajo Prep Eagles the podium
was just short of reach with both squads fin-
ishing fourth at state. The girls team cap-
tured the district title while the boys finished
in second just behind Rehoboth.
VolleyballThere is an old adage that “the third time
is the charm,” meaning third time lucky. But
that was not the case for the Piedra Vista vol-
leyball team. For the third consecutive year
the Panthers entered the state tournament
as the No. 1 seed reaching the finals only to
be turned away from the blue trophy. Two
years ago it was St. Pius; last year it was
Goddard. But this may have been the tough-
est one for the Panthers, falling to Centennial
after having a 2-0 lead in the championship
match. The Panthers had been No. 1 ranked
most of the volleyball season and again
cruised their way through the district claim-
ing the title over second place Aztec. The
Tigers came out of Pool C as the third seed
losing in straight sets to Los Lunas. Piedra
Vista had the luxury of waiting with a bye be-
fore sweeping Academy and beating Pius 3-1
before falling to Centennial.
In 1AAAA Wingate claimed the top spot over
Kirtland Central followed by Shiprock. Both
the Chieftains and Broncos survived pool
play before being eliminated in the opening
round of the state tournament.
The Navajo Prep Eagles were looking to
capture their first volleyball state champi-
onship in 2014 but ran into an old nemesis in
Texico. Prep and Texico have become rivals
on the basketball court over the past years,
but it was on the volleyball court that the
Rangers denied the Eagles in straight sets.
Coach Crisp’s squad entered the state play-
offs on a 12-match winning streak including
the district 2A championship.
31Four Corners SpoRTSJANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
The First Tee of San Juan County, N.m. has
had an incredible 2014, impacting 8,000 youth
participants throughout the Four Corners Re-
gion.
That being said, 2015 is shaping up to be a
very important year. With strategic plans set
forth and programs planned, The First Tee of
San Juan County, N.m. is looking to increase
their curriculum footprint throughout the Four
Corners Region. With expansion of current pro-
grams already underway, the organization is
looking to expand into
locations which are cur-
rently underserved or
have not had access to
our programs.
This will be made possible through the con-
tinued support of the citizens and corporations
of San Juan County. With an ever-increasing
donor base, the message continues to spread
of what The First Tee of San Juan County, N.m.
is achieving with the youth in the community.
The First Tee of San Juan County, N.m. is ex-
cited to announce a spe-
cial opportunity between
now and the end of 2014.
All money that is donated
up until Dec. 31 will be
matched by Johnson & Johnson at 50 cents to
every dollar. Therefore, if the organization
raises $50,000, then Johnson & Johnson will
match those donations with an additional
$25,000.
This is a wonderful opportunity to make
your money go even furthering than it already
has. Through your generosity, the plans to ex-
pand and grow will be met, as will the ability
to sustain an increasingly important program
moving forward so that the life skills and
character values curriculum will continue to
affect thousands more youth in our commu-
nity.
If you would like more information on how
to get involved and donate to The First Tee of
San Juan County, N.m.’s Johnson & Johnson
matching Grant Campaign, please email me at
tyost@sjcounty. net. You can also LIKE them on
Facebook (TheFirstTeeSanJuanCounty) or call
the office at 505.334.4291.
Thank you to those who have continued to
support the program over the past nine years,
while the Tenth Anniversary in 2015 promises
to be the best year yet.
Matching fundsJohnson & Johnson matching donations through Dec. 31
TomYOSTThe First Tee
Nascar Nellie is always interested in the
WAGs of NASCAR. that’s
why she tunes in
early for every
race and is espe-
cially interested in
the pre-race stuff,
on accounta that’s
when the WAGs ap-
pear as eye candy and
supporters of their men.
It’s lovely, really. Most of
the WAGs (Wives And Girl-
friends) of the NASCAR
drivers are beautiful,
even though some of
the drivers theirown-
selves, bless their hearts
(NN knows that if you’re gonna say something
not-so-nice about someone, if you preface those
comments with “Bless
their hearts,”
God forgives
you. Just sayin. .
.) wouldn’t have a
chance in heck with
those 10s on the
beauty scale if they
weren’t rich and fa-
mous.
Some of the drivers are at-
tractive and are eye candy
theirownselves, but
some of ‘em, people,
should just keep their
helmets on all the time
they’re on camera.
Whatever.
So, when the Big Bash happens in December,
when everyone in NASCAR (well, everyone but
the losers) hits the Vegas Strip to celebrate the
new champion, NN pays pretty close attention to
what the WAGs wear. NN also enjoys seeing her
favorite and not-so-favorite drivers all dolled up
in tuxedos, too, but it’s the WAGs who draw the
attention.
this year, though, it wasn’t the WAGs who
stole the show. Nope. It was that cute little Kee-
lan Harvick, who is all of 2 years old, dressed up
a tux, who rocked the red carpet lots better
than most of the WAGs. Keelan’s dad, Kevin Har-
vick, was this year’s champion and ole Happy
Harvick said it was Keelan’s influence that
helped him with the big trophy and the big
money that goes with it. Keelan was at almost
all of the races and is as cute as any little kid
can be. His mommy, Delana, is a beauty
32 Four Corners SpoRtS January/February 2015
NN can’t miss WAGs arrival
Kyle and Samantha Busch Delana, Keelan and Kevin Harvick
Wives and girlfriends in the spotlight at the NASCAR awards
33Four Corners SPORTSJanuary/February 2015
herownself, but the white gown she wore for
the Big Banquet was a tad on the boring side.
For reals.
There were some sweet moments between
drivers and WAGs this year. Joey Logano (NOT
one of NN’s favs, but NN does give credit for
being a good driver, even though NN always
hopes for a long pit stop or a flat tire or a
driver mistake so he doesn’t win a race) is
getting married this month to a very cute,
teeny tiny woman by the name of Brittany.
Brittany, being the wonderful W of a driver,
did the right thing and scheduled the wedding
for 12-13-14 for one very good reason – so
Joey won’t forget their anniversary.
Isn’t that special?
Joey gave a shout out to his about-to-be-
bride when he accepted his fourth place fin-
ish in the championship standings.
NN wasn’t sure Joey was gonna make it to
the Vegas bash after that looooong pit stop
he had at Texas. NN did cheer kinda loud
when the lug nut wouldn’t stick, and it ap-
peared ole Joey might not make it home for
the holidays. NN, though, wishes Joey and his
cute little Brittany much happiness and joy –
and always coming in fourth. . . .
Then there’s Kyle Busch, whose lovely wife,
Samantha (and she is gorgeous) is always
with him during the pre-race ceremonies and
they all but need a room when they embrace
for a gazillion minutes before Kyle gets in his
racecar for the race.
It’s sweet and NN is touched, but, for good-
ness sake, it’s KYLE BUSCH, who may be rec-
ognized for his talent behind the wheel, but
not so much his looks. Bless his heart.
NN thought it was interesting that Saman-
tha mentioned the lack of Kyle’s “swimmers”
in their quest to become pregnant to the
news media. NN loves knowing the inside stuff
of NASCAR drivers, but really didn’t want/care
to know anything at all about Kyle’s swim-
mers or Samantha’s ovaries. Just sayin’. . . .
Kyle’s big bro, Kurt, appeared on the red
carpet with their mom, Gayle. Kurt has “is-
sues” pending against him from a former G of
the WAGs, so taking his mom was a safe bet
and very sweet. Moms should always be in-
cluded in special events, because Moms are
the bomb. Gayle looked very nice and very
proud of her son, and will stand beside him
throughout the “issues” because that’s what
Moms do.
There were some other standouts who
looked lovely – Chandra Johnson, JJ’s wife, is
always pretty, and Ingrid Vandebosch, the
model wife of Jeff Gordon (who looks amaz-
ingly like his first wife, Brooke, so there’s a
pattern there, just so’s ya know), Krissie New-
man, wife of Ryan Newman (who NN loves on
accounta he reminds her of her own Perfect
Child), and Katie Kenseth, wife of Matt (who is
pretty “baked potato” but is a decent driver,
except when you make him mad, then he’ll
come after you like NN goes after Sweet
Cherry Pie wine. Just ask Brad Keselowski.
Speaking of Bad Brad, there about wasn’t a
driver on the track that was a friend of BBs
by the end of the season. Nobody liked Brad
on accounta he’s not a nice man, bless his
heart. When all of those fights broke out after
races between Brad and anybody/everybody,
NN always rooted for the anybody/everybody.
Just sayin’. . . . BB showed up with a very at-
tractive young woman – Paige something-
or’nother. He shoulda worn his helmet for the
photo op though.
Then, of course, there was Amy Reimann,
who had the best accessory of the evening –
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Amy and Dale are the “It
Couple” of NASCAR on accounta Junior is al-
ways the “It Driver.” Amy is pretty, as she
should be to be on the arm of the Sports Most
Popular Driver for the 12th year in a row. Jun-
ior is sweet with her, in his “aw shucks” kinda
way, which is why he has a gazillion fans, all
of whom vote for him and who cheer for him
every single week. NN, herownself, has a Jun-
ior shrine in her casita. She has a life-sized
Fathead decal of Junior on the wall and she
pretty much kneels before it before every
race. Junior excelled this season because of
his Fathead decal and NN’s kneeling, NN is
sure of it.
And if Junior is the most popular driver in
Sprint Cup, he’s also the most popular team
owner in the Nationwide Series, which is
NASCAR’s minor league. That cute Chase El-
liott (whose father, Awesome Bill from Daw-
sonville, won the Most Popular Driver award
for 16 years in a row, but Junior’s gonna beat
that record, for reals) won the Nationwide
Championship and Junior was like a proud fa-
ther. It was as awesome as Chase’s dad and
NN loved it.
All in all the Big Bash was fun and NN en-
joyed it. And now that she has a coupla extra
hours on the weekend for a month or two,
maybe she’ll find the two cats who used to
live with her, but when NASCAR races come
on, they run and hide. NN is sure they’re in
the casita someplace and hopes to find ’em
before Daytona. Just sayin’. . .
JJ and Chandra Johnson Jeff and Ingrid Gordon
34 Four Corners SPoRTS January/February 2015
The New Mexico Activities Association is proud to announce that the
Melrose football team and Head Coach Dickie Roybal have been recog-
nized as the Compete with Class award recipient for the month of No-
vember.
Following the 8-Man Football Championship game, coach Roybal
congratulated both teams for a great season and then presented
Logan senior Trey Daniels with the game ball. Daniels suffered a sea-
son ending injury during their semifinal game against Gateway Chris-
tian. Coach Roybal talked about what an outstanding player Daniel was
and gave him the game ball on behalf of the Melrose football team and
athletic department.
Sportsmanship is defined by the NMAA as the act of treating others
in a respectful manner, taking personal accountability for ones ac-
tions, and responding with integrity while engaged in competition.
The NMAA would like to thank and recognize coach Roybal and his
team for setting a great example for the state of New Mexico.
Their act of sportsmanship exemplifies the true ideals of the Com-
pete with Class Sportsmanship Initiative - respect, integrity, and re-
sponsibility. More information regarding the “Compete with Class”
sportsmanship initiative can be found on the NMAA website at
www.nmact.org.
Note that the NMAA will announce a monthly honoree throughout
the remainder of the 2014-2015 school year. Questions regarding this
announcement can be directed to Dusty Young, NMAA Associate Direc-
tor, at 505.977.5385.
NMAA selects November “Compete with Class” honoree
“Horse racing is not luck. People handing you
a betting ticket at the window always say, ‘Good
Luck.’ Handicapping is not luck, it is a skill. You
wouldn’t tell a stockbroker who has been doing
his job for twenty years, ‘Good Luck on your
stock trades today.’ We as handicappers know
what we are doing and how it works. So it is not
luck – it is skill.”
And Bortstein has the handicapping pedigree
to prove it with a win percentage just below the
33 percent that, according to him, is the “Holy
Grail” of horse racing winning percentages.
Why 33 percent?
“Favorites win one-third of the time. If a handi-
capper can pick at a 33 percent ratio, then you
are doing better or the same as the favorites are
doing at a racetrack. The idea of a handicapper
is not to pick 6/5 shots all day, but to pick horses
that are going to pay a little extra money.”
So what is next for the man that continues
to build upon his success in the radio studio?
“I would love to go back to the Kentucky Derby
next year and cover it like I did the Breeder’s Cup
this year for The Daily Times.”
Steve is first and foremost a radio personality
and a program director for the local iHeart oper-
ation, but his love for writing still has him cover-
ing horse racing for the local newspaper.
“I am so lucky that I get to do both,” remarked
Bortstein. “I am home. This is home. I am very
comfortable in this community. I don’t see a rea-
son for me to go anywhere else.”
And whether it is with his voice or his fingers,
the fact remains that Bortstein is passionate
about covering sports for the local community.
“Sports are stupid, but they are our stu-
pid. We need to protect it and support it be-
cause it is our escape from the realities of
life. Real world events are important, but I
don’t mind being the entertainment aspect to
escape from those things. You need to get
away from the realities of the cruel world out
there once in a while.”
And just like his yearly tradition of belting
out the lyrics to a classic Frank Sinatra song
during karaoke at the San Juan County Fair,
Steve Bortstein has done it his way – and
that is more than fine for the small market
community treated to his big city shows.
Bortstein continued from 7
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