Daily Craig: Morning paper

I still enjoy the old school ritual of the morning paper and hot coffee. Newspapers being delivered is probably not that popular these electronic days but I still don't mind washing the ink residue off my hands. Yesterday a couple of things hit home with me. Gymnastics and high school baseball. I READ AN ARTICLE about how Houston has been linked to several of the gold medalists through the Karoyli's. Most of us know about Mary Lou Retton winning in '84. She and I did a McDonald's local commercial just before she left for Los Angeles. I am looking for the picture of us from that shoot and will post if I EVER FIND IT.

At the '94 games in Atlanta I was to have one day off the entire run of the games. IT JUST SO HAPPENED I decided to go to the gymnastics venue. I had a seat right near the action and just as I was enjoying not having to keep track of anything, Kerri Strug landed 3 feet from me on the vault that tore two ligaments in her ankle. End of day off. Photographer Allen Reid followed her and Bela into a waiting ambulance. NBC had to ask us for the video.

Rocky Manuel has retired after 35 years coaching High School baseball. His teams won 998 games. I would have gone for two more. I was watching his Bellaire team at St. Pius one Saturday and Rocky was arguing a strike call in the first inning. I was sitting with former big leaguers Norm Miller and Doug Drabek. Miller yelled, "SIT DOWN, that's why you're not a college coach!" Norm and Doug then left for the concession stand. I was alone in the bleachers and Rocky was pointing at me. I want to confess. It wasn't me who yelled at you.