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    <title>Sports &gt; Columnists for Richmond Times-Dispatch</title>
    <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/</link>
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        <title>Sports &gt; Columnists for Richmond Times-Dispatch</title>
        <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/</link>
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    <description></description>
    <dc:language>en</dc:language>
    <dc:creator>Richmond Times-Dispatch</dc:creator>
    <dc:rights>Copyright 2009</dc:rights>
    <dc:date>2009-07-09T18:50:48-05:00</dc:date>

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         <item>
          <title>Off the field, athletes&#8217; flaws are sometimes fatal</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD08_20090707-221604/278633/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Charles Barkley is right. Sadly. Barkley, a former NBA star and current TNT basketball analyst, long has insisted athletes should not be viewed as role models. Still, we cling to the idea, the hope, that these men who are capable of such amazing performances on the field are equally amazing off the field. Yet off the field, they are just like the rest of us, imperfect and prone to bad decisions.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:01:13 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD08_20090707-221604/278633/#When:04:01:13Z</guid>
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          <title>Tight racing on fast tracks a recipe for disaster</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD07_20090706-223208/278472/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
At its best, NASCAR superspeedway racing is a captivating combination of speed, power and strategy. At its worst, superspeedway racing with restrictor plates on the engines is a dangerous en deavor, a catastrophe waiting to happen. The Coke Zero 400 at Daytona on Saturday night was the best and worst of NASCAR. The last four laps were spellbinding. Tony Stewart battled to hold his lead but lost it on a bold pass by Kyle Busch.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:01:27 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD07_20090706-223208/278472/#When:04:01:27Z</guid>
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          <title>Let&#8217;s make sure Richmond&#8217;s gem doesn&#8217;t lose its luster</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY05_20090704-215804/278105/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
By my estimation, there are two things unique to Richmond&#8212;its history and the James River. I&#8217;m not alone in this thinking, I know, because each was identified as one of seven &#8220;foundations&#8221; for the downtown master plan. I live where I do&#8212;the Woodland Heights section of Richmond&#8212;because of the proximity to the river and the parks all around me. I love mountain biking the Buttermilk Trail in the James River Park System and walking by the lake in Forest Hill Park. My dogs love swimming in the river. I love canoeing it; fishing it and watching it slide by.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 05 Jul 2009 00:05:22 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY05_20090704-215804/278105/#When:04:05:22Z</guid>
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          <title>Parks naturally appealing when times are tough</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY28_20090627-202002/276796/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
There&#8217;s a lot in the news about the economy turning around. Here&#8217;s a headline about foreclosures leveling off. There&#8217;s one that says housing starts are up. Says here the stock market is rallying and consumer confidence is improving. I say blah, blah, blah: Let the bad times roll. Before brandishing the pitchfork, hear me out.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 2009 00:05:46 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY28_20090627-202002/276796/#When:04:05:46Z</guid>
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          <title>Smoother race was less interesting than last year</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD28_20090628-005801/276890/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
As omens go, the start of the SunTrust Indy Challenge seemed to have a very bad one. Jacques Lazier ran into the wall before completing the first lap, bringing out a caution flag. During his interview soon after that&#8212;a guy who doesn&#8217;t finish a lap gets interviewed?&#8212;Lazier managed to say how sorry he was to let down the Novicomm LED Lighting Technology team.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 2009 00:01:55 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD28_20090628-005801/276890/#When:04:01:55Z</guid>
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          <title>If NASCAR beckons, Patrick should respond. Immediately</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD77_20090626-235801/276761/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Two big-time racing circuits, IRL and NASCAR, would benefit greatly from Danica Patrick&#8217;s presence in 2010. Patrick seems intrigued by the challenge presented by NASCAR. Danica Patrick is not just a driver on the Indy Racing League circuit. She is &#8220;a brand.&#8220; And that brand is . . . &#8220;Determined. It&#8217;s feminine and, hopefully&#8212;I feel awkward talking about myself like this,&#8220; Patrick said recently, &#8220;it&#8217;s something beautiful, something fast and exciting and inspiring and something iconic that&#8217;s never been done before.&#8220;           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 27 Jun 2009 00:01:27 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD77_20090626-235801/276761/#When:04:01:27Z</guid>
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          <title>Occoneechee folks make you feel special</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY26_20090625-211802/276414/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
I&#8217;d like to say anyone can make the trip to Occoneechee State Park and truly experience its almost 2,700 acres as I did. It&#8217;s true, anyone can rent a pontoon boat at the park near Clarksville and explore miles of undisturbed coastline on Buggs Island Lake. And, yes, anyone can reserve a campsite, cabin or lodge near the water and fish from the banks for bass, catfish and stripers. They also can bring their horse and trot the Panhandle multiuse trail for a 15-mile, out-and-back tour through hardwood and pine forest. Heck, they can hunt here, too, in season, go bird watching, or watch re-enactments of Native American tribal customs.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:05:35 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY26_20090625-211802/276414/#When:04:05:35Z</guid>
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          <title>PAUL WOODY: Both sides guilty in Cutler spat</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD23_20090622-214901/275511/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
WILLIAMSBURG Jay Cutler tossed soft passes to the young campers at the Colonial All Pro football camp at William and Mary yesterday. That was in sharp contrast to the hard words he threw at the Denver Broncos this spring. When the Broncos drafted Cutler out of Vanderbilt in 2006, he was their quarterback of the future. Last year, he gave the Broncos a glimpse of that future when he threw for 4,526 yards and 25 touchdowns.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:01:41 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD23_20090622-214901/275511/#When:04:01:41Z</guid>
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          <title>Dads should give a push, not hold on</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD19_20090618-222403/274734/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Late Sunday afternoon, on the field at Maybeury Elementary School in Henrico County, a man went through one of the rituals of fa therhood. He stood behind his son, who was seated on a bicycle. The father gave the bike a push, and his son began pedaling. The little boy rode for about 20 yards, then felt it imperative to stop. Instead of hitting the brakes, he took his feet off the pedals and used his shoes to bring the bike to a running halt.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:01:04 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD19_20090618-222403/274734/#When:04:01:04Z</guid>
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          <title>An ordinary kid with extraordinary talent</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD14_20090613-234601/273848/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
The sports landscape is littered with young stars who never met their potential as adults. Some could not handle too much success too early. Others let their talents go fallow, weary of the relentless cycle of practice and competition, coupled with the expectations of the adults around them. Then, there is the 13-year-old Chesterfield County golf phenom with the rhinestone belt buckle that says &#8220;Lyberty&#8221; and a golf game that is years ahead of her age.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 14 Jun 2009 00:01:24 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD14_20090613-234601/273848/#When:04:01:24Z</guid>
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          <title>Triathletes gear up for Atlantic Cup</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY12_20090611-222003/273417/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
On top of Belle Isle, heaving and gasping for air, I finally caught a break. Dan Hugo wanted to re-ride a section of trail to see if he could find a better line, one that would shave a second or two off his time Sunday. I gladly stopped and waited while he took his mountain bike back and chose a route between two trees. It was straighter that way but dangerous. Catch a handlebar on a tree trunk and a nasty spill is very possible. High risk, low reward. He decided against it.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:01:42 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY12_20090611-222003/273417/#When:04:01:42Z</guid>
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          <title>Busch damaged image with guitar&#45;smashing celebration</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD12A_20090611-222401/273424/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Smashing is a good way to describe Kyle Busch&#8217;s celebration after winning the Nationwide race in Nashville. Appalling is a better way to describe Busch&#8217;s celebration. Childish is the best way to describe what Busch did. He received a beautiful trophy, a hand-painted Gibson guitar, for his victory. Busch should have held it high, admired it and said the work of art, lovingly painted by Sam Bass, always would occupy a special place in his home.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:01:27 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD12A_20090611-222401/273424/#When:04:01:27Z</guid>
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          <title>Treat them like adults rewarded</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD10_20090609-222805/272925/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
CHARLOTTESVILLE Building an athletic program requires a coach with a clear vision, an administration to support the coach and players who buy into the coach&#8217;s ideas. Brian O&#8217;Connor arrived at the University of Virginia six years ago as a man with a plan for the Cavaliers&#8217; baseball teams. He wanted to build a fan and donor base. Check.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:01:51 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD10_20090609-222805/272925/#When:04:01:51Z</guid>
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          <title>Central Region teams come up empty at state finals</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD08_20090607-222806/272546/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
CHANTILLY Louise Foley summed up the day perfectly. &#8220;Not everyone goes home happy,&#8220; the Mills Godwin activities director said. Last night, the traffic on I-95 South was filled with young athletes bearing sad faces and thinking about what might have been. What might have been was particularly disappointing for the Mills Godwin boys soccer team.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:01:24 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD08_20090607-222806/272546/#When:04:01:24Z</guid>
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          <title>River trip was simply Finn&#45;tastic</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY07_20090606-195201/272306/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
River trip was simply Finn-tastic The best journeys always have a touch of Huck Finn in them. This first occurred to me as I watched Tim Buffkin standing in the back of a canoe reading the coming rapids in the Staunton River, his straw hat set at a jaunty angle. That was earlier in the day, but it seems a distant memory. Much has happened since then.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 07 Jun 2009 00:05:56 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY07_20090606-195201/272306/#When:04:05:56Z</guid>
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          <title>NBA&#8217;s age rule should be eliminated</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD07_20090606-221802/272370/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
In a perfect world, even the most talented basketball performers would spend four years in college. They would grow as players and people, read the classics, study economics and perhaps learn another language before pursing a professional career. But the world of college and professional basketball is imperfect, made more so by the rule that says players must be 19 years old&#8212;American players also must be out of high school for a year&#8212;before they are eligible to play in the NBA. The NBA instituted this rule in 2005.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 07 Jun 2009 00:01:38 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD07_20090606-221802/272370/#When:04:01:38Z</guid>
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          <title>Down&#45;and&#45;dirty season debut at Colonial Downs</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD06_20090605-223004/272226/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
So, to make sure that thick turf lasts for the upcoming eight weeks of racing, the five races scheduled for grass last night at Colonial Downs were moved to the dirt track that surrounds the turf. Make that the mud track that surrounds the turf. Slop was the operative word. &#8220;A soup sandwich,&#8220; said Tyler Picklesimer, Colonial Downs&#8217; director of racing.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 06 Jun 2009 00:01:53 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD06_20090605-223004/272226/#When:04:01:53Z</guid>
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          <title>State&#8217;s black bear population is thriving</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY05_20090604-221004/271900/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Most central Virginians have never seen a black bear, but that may change in the coming years. According to Department of Game and Inland Fisheries statistics, the state&#8217;s pop ulation is healthy and growing at over 7 percent a year. Black bears now range from Tidewater to the Southern Piedmont to the West Virginia border and everywhere in between.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:05:20 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY05_20090604-221004/271900/#When:04:05:20Z</guid>
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          <title>PAUL WOODY COLUMN: Road assignments offer opportunities for Cavaliers</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD03_20090602-221804/271452/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Everyone knows you need to be careful what you wish for because you just might get it. Few realize you also need to be careful about your complaints. You might look a little silly when all is said and done. When the University of Virginia baseball team received its bracket pairing for the NCAA tournament, the Cavaliers&#8217; supporters listed complaints that outnumbered compliments.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:01:26 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD03_20090602-221804/271452/#When:04:01:26Z</guid>
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          <title>Top angler is citation sensation</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY31_20090530-215831/270937/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
As impossible assignments go, deciding on the best fisherman in Virginia is up there with lassoing a wild grizzly and running Niagara Falls in barrel suspenders. But if Stephen Miklandric isn&#8217;t the best angler in the state, he&#8217;s certainly in the conversation. The Harrisonburg native and current Chesterfield County resident recently was named &#8220;Creel Angler of the Year&#8221; by the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, meaning he caught more citation freshwater fish than any other Virginian in 2008.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 31 May 2009 00:01:48 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY31_20090530-215831/270937/#When:04:01:48Z</guid>
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          <title>In a track meet, the waiting is the hardest part</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD31_20090530-222534/270989/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Athletes at a track meet always are waiting for something. They wait for their event to begin. The runners in the fast heat must wait, pacing and pacing as they do, for the slow heat to finish. After the jumpers and throwers participate in the preliminaries of the field events, they wait to see if they are going to the final.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 31 May 2009 00:01:35 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD31_20090530-222534/270989/#When:04:01:35Z</guid>
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          <title>Short Pump offers better site for stadium</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD27_20090526-221909/270101/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
The question comes frequently these days. Should a baseball stadium be built in Shockoe Bottom or on the Boulevard? The answer? Neither. The Short Pump area in Henrico County makes the most sense for the region. The stadium in Shockoe Bottom is supposed to serve as the anchor around which condominiums, a hotel, retail shops and restaurants will be built.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Wed, 27 May 2009 00:01:11 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD27_20090526-221909/270101/#When:04:01:11Z</guid>
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          <title>Bike trip is all about the journey</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY24_20090523-182204/269550/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
We are each the hero of our own life story. And if you read Friday&#8217;s column, you know that the three heroes, in the midst of writing a particularly heroic chapter of their respective stories, were in dire straits.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 24 May 2009 00:05:04 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY24_20090523-182204/269550/#When:04:05:04Z</guid>
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          <title>NASCAR needs to revisit points system</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD24_20090523-222704/269661/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Consistency has become too important to NASCAR. The holy grail in NASCAR is the Sprint Cup points championship. In order to compete for the grail, drivers must rank among the top 12 after 26 races. They then spend 10 races running for the Cup while the others get in the way. Too much emphasis is placed on top 10 finishes in Races 1 through 26, and not enough is placed on winning.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 24 May 2009 00:01:27 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD24_20090523-222704/269661/#When:04:01:27Z</guid>
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          <title>Class soon will be in session</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY17_20090516-222013/268247/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Change is on the way for boating enthusiasts in Virginia, and I&#8217;d venture to guess a large percentage of them are blissfully unaware. But with National Boater Safety Week beginning today and Memorial Day - the unofficial start of summer - not far off, it seems a good time to do a little informing because the changes are significant and failure to heed them could cost boaters a lot of money.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 17 May 2009 00:01:50 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY17_20090516-222013/268247/#When:04:01:50Z</guid>
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          <title>Family meant more to Taylor than money</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD17_20090516-222503/268266/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
In the sports world, the famous often are praised for their exploits on the field. Sometimes, it is difficult to find reason to praise them for what they do off the field. Jason Taylor deserves to be praised for an off-the-field deci sion. Taylor chose family over money, something not often seen in the sports world. Taylor was to earn $8 million, plus $500,000 in bonus money from the Washington Redskins for the 2009 season.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 17 May 2009 00:01:48 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD17_20090516-222503/268266/#When:04:01:48Z</guid>
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          <title>Harvesting longbeard a challenge</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY15_20090514-221811/267819/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Harvesting longbeard a challenge The crow is a common locator call for hunters after wild turkey. The two birds being sworn enemies, no tom worth his salt will let a crow caw near his roost without offering his distinctive response. Eddie Griggs was about to reach for his crow call when something just as annoying to a turkey and just as useful to Griggs came along: a Canada goose. It squawked, and in the distance a turkey gobbled a territorial retort.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 15 May 2009 00:05:02 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY15_20090514-221811/267819/#When:04:05:02Z</guid>
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          <title>Most baseball records stand test of time</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD15_20090514-222025/267837/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Ryan Zimmerman&#8217;s 30-game hitting streak was impressive. When it ended Wednesday, the third baseman for the Washington Nationals was one of only seven players to have a hit in at least 30 straight games in this decade. But as impressive as it was, the former University of Virginia star&#8217;s streak pales in comparison to the major-league record.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 15 May 2009 00:01:05 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD15_20090514-222025/267837/#When:04:01:05Z</guid>
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          <title>WOODY COLUMN: Mental edge now part of Kerr&#8217;s game</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD11_20090510-221702/267018/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
WILLIAMSBURG IIf 90 percent of success is showing up, and if success really is a matter of hanging on after everyone else has let go, Cristie Kerr is on her way to the top. Kerr showed up for all 18 holes yesterday in the final round of the Michelob Ultra Open at Kingsmill. Her closest competitors did not. Kerr seized an opportunity to win when it pre sented itself.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Mon, 11 May 2009 00:04:20 EDT</pubDate>
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          <title>No head games for free&#45;swinging Kerr</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD10_20090509-222007/266858/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
WILLIAMSBURG Cristie Kerr has learned two things that just about everyone would do well to remember. Don&#8217;t sweat the small stuff. And it&#8217;s all small stuff. &#8220;There&#8217;s a lot of pressure out here, and if you can learn how to deal with it and learn where to put it, it really doesn&#8217;t affect you,&#8220; she said. &#8220;You realize it&#8217;s just stuff you make up in your head. There&#8217;s a lot of situations you put yourself in that you put more pressure on yourself when it&#8217;s really just hitting a golf shot.&#8220;           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 10 May 2009 00:01:50 EDT</pubDate>
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         <item>
          <title>Blazing new and old trails</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY10_20090509-223416/266901/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
In 1828, during the presidency of John Quincy Adams, ground was broken on what was then an engineering marvel. When it was finished in 1850, the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal became a ribbon of water linking Cumberland, Md., with the nation&#8217;s capital 184.5 miles away. Teams of horses towed boats that carried all manner of goods through the canal next to the Potomac River&#8212;from frontier to civilization&#8212;and along all 184.5 of the canal&#8217;s meandering miles there exists to this day a crushed gravel towpath.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 10 May 2009 00:01:45 EDT</pubDate>
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         <item>
          <title>Rankin will settle for success over perfection</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD09_20090508-222301/266664/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Last year, Reilley Rankin forgot. This year, her memory is clear, and it has made a great deal of difference in her game. As she was practicing in preparation for the 2009 season, hitting every conceivable shot from every conceivable angle&#8212;uphill lies, downhill lies, sidehill lies&#8212;a thought came to Rankin. It&#8217;s a thought worth remembering no matter what your job.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 09 May 2009 00:01:32 EDT</pubDate>
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         <item>
          <title>Effort to improve makes James great</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD06_20090505-215415/265916/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
When he held the MVP trophy, LeBron James said he never thought he would win the award so soon. So soon? James is in his sixth NBA season. There should be one or two more MVP trophies on his mantle. James, 24, did not complain when he was passed over for the honor in previous seasons. Instead, he worked to improve his game.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Wed, 06 May 2009 00:01:26 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD06_20090505-215415/265916/#When:04:01:26Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>It&#8217;s about more than the ducks</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY03_20090502-215804/265405/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Standing there on the skeet range at the Conservation Park of Virginia, my friend Geoff Murphy and I had no intentions of handing over an extra $25 to take part in a shooting competition we were sure to lose. But Preston Hale, the man doing the soliciting, knew how to twist the knife of guilt. &#8220;Come on, guys, it&#8217;s for the ducks.&#8220; We already had spent $75 each to be here at the sponsors banquet of the Western Henrico chapter of Ducks Unlimited, but it was obvious Hale had us cornered. We exchanged a defeated glance, then opened the wallets. It was for the ducks, after all.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 03 May 2009 00:05:49 EDT</pubDate>
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         <item>
          <title>Kurt Busch, Hornish can&#8217;t boost Chrysler</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD03_20090503-010303/265508/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
The week did not go well for Chrysler. A deal to keep the auto manufacturer solvent fell through at the last minute. Instead, bankruptcy is looming. The company can use all the good news it can get. For a few moments last night in the Crown Royal Presents Russ Friedman 400 at Richmond International Raceway, it appeared that Kurt Busch, driving his No.2 Dodge, a Chrysler product, was going to give the company and his fans quite a bit of good news.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 03 May 2009 00:01:26 EDT</pubDate>
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          <title>Talladega winner waits for big break</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD02_20090501-223307/265278/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Something has been lost amid the uproar of Carl Edwards going airborne near the finish line at Talladega Superspeedway. Something has been forgotten in the ensuing debate over restrictor-plate racing, track safety, who was at fault and Dale Earnhardt Jr.&#8212;Junior! Little E!&#8212;NASCAR&#8217;s most popular driver, who finished second. Brad Keselowski won at Talladega.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 02 May 2009 00:01:32 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD02_20090501-223307/265278/#When:04:01:32Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Fans adore Junior win or . . . not</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD01_20090430-214504/264944/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Despite a series of poor finishes this season, such as his 27th at Daytona in February (top), Dale Earnhardt Jr. always seems to be surrounded by the spotlight (bottom). Winning is supposed to be the name of the game, but if the game is NASCAR, winning is secondary. Charm, charisma and tradi tion matter more. There is no other way to explain Dale Earnhardt Jr.&#8216;s immense popularity among NASCAR fans.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 01 May 2009 00:01:08 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD01_20090430-214504/264944/#When:04:01:08Z</guid>
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          <title>For safety&#8217;s sake, drivers should boycott Talladega</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD29_20090428-223101/264527/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
The fence worked. The fence at Talladega Superspeedway kept Carl Edwards&#8217; car from going into the stands at the end of Sunday&#8217;s race. Debris went everywhere. Fans were hurt, but no one was killed. The fence did its job&#8212;this time. Practically every NASCAR driver dislikes the restrictor-plate racing at Talladega and Daytona. The device limits a car&#8217;s power, and everyone drives at about the same speed.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:01:49 EDT</pubDate>
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          <title>NFL gives too much, too soon</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD27_20090426-222110/264134/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Despite the great hullabaloo of the weekend&#8217;s draft, the NFL has a money problem. Too much goes to the players selected in the first round. Way too much goes to the first player selected. Congratulations to Matthew Stafford on the $41.7 million in guaranteed money he earned when the Detroit Lions selected him with the first choice Saturday.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:01:07 EDT</pubDate>
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          <title>High hopes in bloom for Hokies</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD26_20090425-223309/264023/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
You know what they say about the Lone Star State. The two most popular sports in Texas are football and spring football. The majesty of the southwest Virginia mountains provides far better scenery than the plains of Texas. But the view of what is expected from the University of Texas football team and the Virginia Tech team is similar.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 26 Apr 2009 00:01:40 EDT</pubDate>
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         <item>
          <title>Husband&#8217;s sinking feeling</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY26_20090425-205607/263915/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Before Tuesday, my wife Jess&#8217; lifetime experience with a fishing rod in her hands consisted of a few dozen lazy days waiting for croaker and spot to take a bloodworm at her grandparents&#8217; place on the Potomac River. So I chuckled a little to myself listening to Captain Phil Hughes on Tuesday. We had motored out of Ancarrow&#8217;s Landing on the way to find some spawning shad, and he was talking about the differences in teaching women and men to fly-fish.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 26 Apr 2009 00:01:17 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY26_20090425-205607/263915/#When:04:01:17Z</guid>
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          <title>Duathlons gaining popularity in Richmond</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ATOM24_20090423-222615/263586/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
I can see Riverside Drive from my front porch, and over the past weeks I&#8217;ve noticed a pronounced uptick in the number of road bikers pedaling by. Weekends, workdays, rain, shine, they&#8217;re out there hammering up and down the hills. It&#8217;s always been a popular thoroughfare for skinny-wheel, spandex lovers, but this has been far more than the usual Sunday crowd out for a spin.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 24 Apr 2009 00:05:50 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ATOM24_20090423-222615/263586/#When:04:05:50Z</guid>
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          <title>VIDEO: The World of Woody &#45; &#8220;The Bird&#8221; is the word</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/video_the_world_of_woody_-_the_bird_is_the_word/263496/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
&#8220;The Bird&#8221; has flown. Paul Woody pays homage to the late Mark Fidrych, a pitcher for the Detroit Tigers famous for talking to the ball.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 24 Apr 2009 00:01:32 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/video_the_world_of_woody_-_the_bird_is_the_word/263496/#When:04:01:32Z</guid>
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          <title>Washington Nationals: a comedy (or tragedy) of errors</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD24_20090423-220405/263539/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Things are not going well for our baseball neighbors to the north, the Washington Nationals. They play as if they are an expansion team, and they are nothing of the sort. The Nationals once were the Montreal Expos. The Nationals were somewhat competitive in their first three seasons in Washington. Last season, they were 59-102, the worst record in major-league baseball.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 24 Apr 2009 00:01:04 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD24_20090423-220405/263539/#When:04:01:04Z</guid>
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          <title>U.Va.&#8216;s QB question: Sewell or Hall? Or both?</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD19_20090418-222811/259833/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Who, a moderator asked a panel of former University of Virginia players, will start at quarterback for the Cav aliers in 2009. Jameel Sewell? The cluster of fans near the stage where the players sat applauded. Vic Hall? There was a buzz in the crowd. Marc Verica? There was booing. Booing? How can you boo Verica?           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 19 Apr 2009 00:01:30 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD19_20090418-222811/259833/#When:04:01:30Z</guid>
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          <title>Pro tour returns to state</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY19_20090418-213006/259748/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
It&#8217;s been almost two years since the top bass fishermen in the world descended on Smith Mountain Lake to coax mostly postspawn largemouth out of the deep, clear impoundment. This week, the big boys are back, and though the conditions will be different, the fishing competition promises to be no less intense. ESPN&#8217;s Bassmaster Elite Series last stopped at the lake on the Franklin-Bedford County line in June 2007. That year, unknown rookie Casey Ashley of Donalds, S.C. - then just 23 years old - became the youngest winner in the history of the Elite Series. Ashley&#8217;s four-day total of 57 pounds, 3 ounces bested veteran pro Terry Scroggins by 2 pounds.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 19 Apr 2009 00:01:13 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY19_20090418-213006/259748/#When:04:01:13Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Father and son to fish 50 lakes in 50 days in hopes of renewing realtionship</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY17_20090416-220811/258436/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
The idea pushed its way into Jeff Turner&#8217;s subconscious over time like a seed finally finding the right conditions to germinate. First it was a book - &#8220;Wild at Heart,&#8220; by John Eldredge - that he read with his church&#8217;s men&#8217;s ministry. &#8220;It talked about how society has thrown cold water on men as far as their passions for adventure,&#8220; Turner said.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:01:47 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY17_20090416-220811/258436/#When:04:01:47Z</guid>
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          <title>Reverence and unity led the way</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD17_20090416-222207/258482/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
BLACKSBURG Few things will motivate college students to roll out of bed early on a weekday morning when classes have been cancelled. And yet, there they were, easily the dominant group among the more than 4,000 who crowded onto Alumni Mall on the Virginia Tech campus yesterday morning. They came to run 3.2 miles, beginning at 8 a.m.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:01:11 EDT</pubDate>
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          <title>Scouting services have flawed vision of players&#8217; futures</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD12A_20090411-221607/254464/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Avery Bradley&#8217;s stock is up, and that is good news for the University of Texas. Maybe. Tristan Spurlock&#8217;s stock is down, and that might be bad news for the University of Virginia. You might not be familiar with Bradley&#8217;s work, and if you have anything approaching a life, there is no reason you should be. He is a high school basketball player in Tacoma, Wash.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 12 Apr 2009 00:01:35 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD12A_20090411-221607/254464/#When:04:01:35Z</guid>
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          <title>Bat disease worries officials</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY12_20090411-210618/254429/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Chances are you&#8217;ve heard of Colony Collapse Disorder, the massive die-off of honeybees that&#8217;s occurred throughout the United States the past few years. But unless you&#8217;re a caver or wildlife biologist, you&#8217;re probably not familiar with white-nose syndrome, a fungus that&#8217;s killing off cave bats by the thousands in the Northeast. The usually fatal condition may not be as well-known as CCD, but if it continues to spread - it has been confirmed in Virginia and West Virginia - it soon will be, and its effects could be just as far-reaching.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 12 Apr 2009 00:01:18 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY12_20090411-210618/254429/#When:04:01:18Z</guid>
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          <title>Anglers ready for shad run</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/anglers_ready_for_shad_run/253599/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
People like fishing for lots of reasons. Primarily, though, they like catching fish.            ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 2009 12:15:15 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/anglers_ready_for_shad_run/253599/#When:16:15:15Z</guid>
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          <title>It&#8217;s time for Vick to move out of Fantasyland</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD08_20090407-223102/251345/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Of all the fantasy football players and pro football experts in the country, it turns out the person who best understands the NFL is U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Frank Santoro. When Santoro rejected Michael Vick&#8217;s bankruptcy proposal, Santoro did Vick and Vick&#8217;s creditors a service. Vick&#8217;s plan was a road map to failure for all involved. It had to be changed.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Wed, 08 Apr 2009 00:01:38 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD08_20090407-223102/251345/#When:04:01:38Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Take a paddle, stroke for liberty</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY05_20090404-211209/249111/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
It&#8217;s spring, you see. The rains have come; rivers are up; shad are running, and I can no longer stand this tyranny of the land. I need water, or at least access to it. Spring is time to explore and discover, and the land is a limiting factor. What to do? Buy a boat with a friend. Freedom at our fingertips. So, with sincerest apologies to a Virginian who knew more than a little about free dom from tyranny, I submit this declaration of independence from a land-bound existence and affirmation of watery adventures to come.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 05 Apr 2009 00:01:33 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY05_20090404-211209/249111/#When:04:01:33Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Skins need to end pursuit of other teams&#8217; players</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD05_20090404-222704/249224/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
The Washington Redskins&#8217; problem is that no adults seem to be in charge. Joe Gibbs leaves and suddenly Jason Campbell is just a slug of a quarterback with a long windup and bad footwork. Jay Cutler becomes available in Denver, and he&#8217;s seen as the Redskins&#8217; franchise quarterback. The Redskins&#8217; pursuit&#8212;they say they &#8220;spoke&#8221; to the Broncos about Cutler, &#8220;like many other NFL teams&#8221;&#8212;was misguided.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 05 Apr 2009 00:01:24 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD05_20090404-222704/249224/#When:04:01:24Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>One man&#8217;s swamp, another man&#8217;s oasis</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY03_20090402-214611/247762/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Jeanne and Mike Decker&#8217;s dream home sits on the Goochland side of the Goochland-Henrico line, looking out over 60 acres of wetlands where Tuckahoe Creek snakes by. To many in the Richmond area, Tuckahoe Creek is that swamp you drive across on River Road or Patterson Avenue on the way to or from somewhere else. The Deckers know better. From two leather chairs in their living room, binoculars and identification books at the ready, they are treated daily to as dramatic and dynamic a display of nature&#8217;s vigor as any you could hope to find in a metropolitan area of 1 million people.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:05:31 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY03_20090402-214611/247762/#When:04:05:31Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Trip on James provides watershed moments</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY29_20090328-232605/243561/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
For Andy Lee, it was the &#8220;itchy feet&#8221; that drove him. For Earl Swift, it was the need for &#8220;something to mess with the routine.&#8220; For Ryan Williamson, it was another chapter in a lifelong love of the outdoors and a focus on being &#8220;self-sufficient.&#8220; Lee is a homebuilder; Swift a journalist; Williamson a clothing maker. What do they have in common? They are the only three people known to have paddled the entire James River from its headwaters at Iron Gate to the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 29 Mar 2009 00:01:29 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY29_20090328-232605/243561/#When:04:01:29Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Tracking the ghosts of hunting seasons to come</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ATOM27_20090326-222011/242077/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
My first ghost hunt began at 8:30 a.m. last Saturday. If that seems a strange time to look for ghosts, that&#8217;s because the specters I was after are almost certainly still alive. And it wasn&#8217;t them I was after, really, just an intimation, a clue that they passed through. Something they left behind. The sun was beginning to burn away the morning chill as I pulled down Nick Hall&#8217;s driveway in Amelia County. Waiting for me were Matt Knox and Denny Quaiff. The four of us would hunt together. Knox had brought his dog, a yellow lab named Izzy. She would be crucial if we were to have much success.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:01:06 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ATOM27_20090326-222011/242077/#When:04:01:06Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Where&#8217;s Andy?</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY22_20090321-222808/237901/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Andy Thompson is out of the office. His column will resume when he returns. In the meantime, keep up with the great outdoors by reading his blog at TimesDispatch.com.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 22 Mar 2009 00:01:53 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY22_20090321-222808/237901/#When:04:01:53Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Rams made credibility gain in loss</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD22_20090321-220416/237834/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
The game wasn&#8217;t four minutes old before Rutgers had a seven-point lead on the VCU Rams. The Scarlet Knights looked as if they intended to settle the issue before the Rams realized playing an NCAA tournament game is not all that different from playing any other game. &#8220;That was not necessarily how we wanted to start,&#8220; said VCU coach Beth Cunningham.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 22 Mar 2009 00:01:17 EDT</pubDate>
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         <item>
          <title>Stringer: Rutgers&#8217; program reflects its coach</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD21_20090320-222010/237363/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Rutgers is a tough Big East team. The game is on Rutgers&#8217; homecourt. The Scarlet Knights are coached by one of the legends in women&#8217;s college basketball.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 21 Mar 2009 00:01:02 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD21_20090320-222010/237363/#When:04:01:02Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Rams do everything but win the game</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD20_20090320-010102/236617/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
The VCU Rams hung on. They hung around. They hung tough. But they could not hang an upset on the UCLA Bruins. The sting of this 65-64 loss will last for a while.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 20 Mar 2009 00:06:47 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD20_20090320-010102/236617/#When:04:06:47Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>New event celebrates James River</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ATOM20_20090319-222623/236468/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
OUTDOORS New event celebrates James River If you read Wednesday&#8217;s Metro section centerpiece about a new Richmond festival called Riverrock and wondered for a moment about the name, you weren&#8217;t alone. &#8220;I saw the title . . . and was trying to figure out what it was,&#8220; Mayor Dwight Jones said at Tuesday&#8217;s press conference introducing the new event. &#8220;Now, I know what it is. And I&#8217;m really excited about it.&#8220;           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 20 Mar 2009 00:01:34 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ATOM20_20090319-222623/236468/#When:04:01:34Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>&#8216;Experts&#8217; forgetting UCLA has game</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD19_20090318-215032/235274/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
&#8216;Experts&#8217; forget UCLA is a pretty good team PHILADELPHIA When filling out an NCAA men&#8217;s tournament bracket, some decisions require no thought. Pittsburgh pounding East Tennessee State is automatic. Connecticut coasting against Chattanooga is a given. Memphis mauling Cal-State Northridge is easy to see. But then, you get to that East Region matchup between the No.6 and No.11 teams, UCLA and VCU. The pen hesitates. All you know for certain is that the second letter in the team advancing to the second round will be &#8216;C&#8217;. But should the first letter be &#8216;U&#8217; or &#8216;V&#8217;?           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 19 Mar 2009 00:01:30 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD19_20090318-215032/235274/#When:04:01:30Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Leitao&#8217;s total didn&#8217;t match the sum of the parts at U.Va.</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD17_20090316-233603/233395/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Leitao total didn&#8217;t equal sum of parts Dave Leitao appeared to have everything necessary to succeed as the men&#8217;s basketball coach at the University of Virginia. He had the pedigree. He played for Jim Calhoun at Northeastern and served two terms as an assistant coach for Calhoun at Connecticut. Leitao had six years experience as a head coach. He led DePaul to three postseason appearances.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Tue, 17 Mar 2009 00:01:53 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD17_20090316-233603/233395/#When:04:01:53Z</guid>
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          <title>Highlanders happy to have the challenge of Tar Heels</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD16_20090315-223305/232485/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
The Radford Highlanders wanted Duke in the first round of the NCAA men&#8217;s basketball tournament. Duke, the No. 2 seed in the East Region, with its finesse game vs. the Highlanders, with the inside power of 6-11, 260-pound Art Parakhouski. Oh, yeah, the Highlanders liked that matchup a lot. There was a mass groan when Binghamton drew the Blue Devils.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:03:56 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD16_20090315-223305/232485/#When:04:03:56Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>2 guys in a bar? No joke, it&#8217;s a mountain&#45;bike fest</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY15_20090314-214621/231864/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
So, a guy walks into a bar . . . OK, technically he walks into a microbrewery and sits down at the bar there. He has a drink or two. Or three. Possibly four, but this is where the details get hazy because this isn&#8217;t Bud Light. These beers have some kick. The owner of the microbrewery walks in and sits next to the guy. They get to talking about beer. Turns out, like most men, they share a love of malted beverages. Then conversation shifts to the outdoors and outdoor pursuits. They have this in common as well.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 15 Mar 2009 00:01:58 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY15_20090314-214621/231864/#When:04:01:58Z</guid>
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          <title>Ducks Unlimited work helps more than a few</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ATOM13_20090312-205005/230374/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
A few months ago, I joined a group of local birders on a bird-banding demonstration in Chesterfield County. You could tell these people truly loved birds. They spend much of their free time on projects such as this. Talk of hunting a bird species, even for food, would not go over well among these dedicated volunteers. I&#8217;m guessing they skip the roast duck entr&#233;e on fancy-restaurant menus.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:01:34 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ATOM13_20090312-205005/230374/#When:04:01:34Z</guid>
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          <title>Rams deliver a laugher to stir humor in Grant</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD10_20090309-234602/227457/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
When it was over, even Anthony Grant laughed. It was just for a second, but the man who works at maintaining a face of stone, could not resist. His VCU Rams men&#8217;s basketball team had just won the CAA tournament championship. The Rams dominated George Mason 71-50. Teams often succumb to pressure and resort to tight, grind-it-out basketball in championship games, especially games in which so much is on the line. But the Rams played with almost reckless abandon from the opening tip to the final seconds.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Tue, 10 Mar 2009 01:01:08 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD10_20090309-234602/227457/#When:05:01:08Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Three ways to warm to next snow</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY08_20090307-213803/224437/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
It&#8217;s over, Richmond. Winter has left the building. The heavenly bounty of a week ago is no more. If there are any forlorn patches of snow still clinging to life in the region, they soon will be puddles. It was fun while it lasted, though, wasn&#8217;t it? Tell the truth. You liked it. I know I did. I&#8217;m Northern-born, and thus of the mind that spring is earned and appreciated only when it follows at least a mildly trying winter. This winter has been cold, it seems to me, and now we&#8217;ve had a respectable snow. That&#8217;s really all I can ask for.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 08 Mar 2009 01:05:57 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY08_20090307-213803/224437/#When:06:05:57Z</guid>
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          <title>VCU needs better performance against ODU</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD08_20090307-221208/224508/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
They were tall and agile and had full extension of their arms on every maneuver. Their execution was flawless. They pivoted and spun and twisted and turned their way across the court, their hair bouncing with every move. Bouncing hair? Wait a minute. That was the VCU dance team. And for a while yesterday, those young women were the only athletes on the court who seemed to know what they were doing.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 08 Mar 2009 01:01:38 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD08_20090307-221208/224508/#When:06:01:38Z</guid>
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          <title>Healthy JMU could hurt the CAA in tournament</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD07_20090306-222611/223999/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
With just seconds left in the game, James Madison University backup guard Scooter Renkin got out of a jam underneath the basket with a wraparound pass to a teammate. That brought a roar from the JMU bench, where the starters were located. They laughed, applauded and stood to cheer their teammates. The JMU starters were watching from the sideline because they had the opening-round game of the Colonial Athletic Association game against William and Mary well in hand.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 07 Mar 2009 01:01:19 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD07_20090306-222611/223999/#When:05:01:19Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Youngsters trying to hook peers on fishing</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ATOM06_20090305-221829/223061/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
The activity levels of America&#8217;s youth are often lamented, and probably deservedly so. We&#8217;re all familiar with news reports of rising child obesity and attention disorders. We see the inordinate amounts of time many kids spend in front of computers, TVs and video games. If the message doesn&#8217;t sink in when you tell your kid he or she needs to go do something constructive, I have the solution: Take them to Green Top Sporting Goods tomorrow.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 2009 01:01:20 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ATOM06_20090305-221829/223061/#When:05:01:20Z</guid>
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          <title>Tech&#8217;s Hokies are a &#8220;just about&#8221; team</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD05_20090304-234417/222200/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
BLACKSBURG When the North Carolina Tar Heels enter the NCAA tournament, chances are good they will be a No. 1 seed. The reason is the Tar Heels are a &#8220;too&#8221; team. They&#8217;re too big, too deep, too quick and too fast. They have too many players who can do too many things well. The Tar Heels are just too good. The Virginia Tech Hokies are a &#8220;just about&#8221; team. They can play with just about anyone. They are just about a complete team. They just about get over the hump in games against good teams.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 05 Mar 2009 01:01:44 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD05_20090304-234417/222200/#When:05:01:44Z</guid>
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          <title>A real pain in the neck? Better check with physician</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/DCUT05_20090304-204203/221956/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Q.Our 16-year-old son injured his neck playing volleyball when he rolled backward as he hit the floor. This move flexed his neck/chin to his chest and caused stiffness in his neck. He seemed fine until a few days later when he was playing backyard football and someone hit his left shoulder awkwardly. Within a few days, he had difficulty lifting his left arm above shoulder height as he continued to experience neck stiffness. We are worried about the weakness in his arm and are wondering what our next step should be to find out what is the cause of this problem.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 05 Mar 2009 01:01:05 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/DCUT05_20090304-204203/221956/#When:05:01:05Z</guid>
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          <title>CAA teams responsible for one&#45;bid situation</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD04_20090303-215904/220997/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Not so long ago, the men&#8217;s basketball teams in the Colonial Athletic Association were on the brink of fame, fortune and, even better, the undying affection of the NCAA tournament selection committee. In 2006, George Mason received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament and reached the Final Four. In 2007, VCU won the conference tournament and Old Dominion received an at-large bid. VCU beat Duke&#8212;Duke&#8212;in the first round of the NCAA tournament and took Pittsburgh into overtime before losing in the second round.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Wed, 04 Mar 2009 01:01:58 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD04_20090303-215904/220997/#When:05:01:58Z</guid>
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          <title>Game board focuses on quail, bear</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY01_20090228-222808/218698/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
As usual, the house was packed and the docket full at Friday&#8217;s meeting of the board of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. Quail and black bear drew the most attention on a day when the group considered staff recommendations for changes in hunting and trapping regulations. The approved staff proposals will be advertised in publications across the state. In two weeks, a two-month public-comment period will open, and the board will make its final decisions at its meeting June 2.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 01 Mar 2009 01:07:49 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY01_20090228-222808/218698/#When:05:07:49Z</guid>
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          <title>Blue Devils played with heart and smarts</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD01_20090228-222324/218687/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
BLACKSBURG Teams that play hard have a chance to win. Teams that play hard and tough have an even better chance. Teams that play hard, tough and smart almost always win. The Virginia Tech men&#8217;s basketball team did two out of three yesterday against Duke. The Hokies made quite an effort, especially in the second half. The Blue Devils did all three, in both halves.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 01 Mar 2009 01:01:43 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD01_20090228-222324/218687/#When:05:01:43Z</guid>
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          <title>Powhite Park works for beavers, mountain bikers</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ATOM27_20090226-205209/216962/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Many species of mammal call Richmond&#8217;s Powhite Park home, but two set it apart. Their combined influence has altered the park&#8217;s landscape more than any other and made it a place worth repeat visits for all mammals, humans included. Yet few Richmonders know that Powhite Park exists, much less where it is. On any given day, thousands of cars pass by the park - most on the Powhite or Chippenham parkways, some on Jahnke Road - without an inkling of the work those two species have put in to make the place a hidden gem, a beguiling 90-acre wilderness within city limits.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 27 Feb 2009 00:05:08 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ATOM27_20090226-205209/216962/#When:04:05:08Z</guid>
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          <title>Woods stands alone as sports&#8217; greatest figure</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD27_20090226-221246/217058/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
 Tiger Woods has dominated his sport as no other athlete has dominated a sport. Woods plays golf without a whiff of controversy, on or off the course. That alone made his return this week, after missing more than eight months because of reconstructive knee surgery, worthwhile. Woods lost yesterday to Tim Clark in the WGC Accenture Match Play championships.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 27 Feb 2009 00:01:58 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD27_20090226-221246/217058/#When:04:01:58Z</guid>
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          <title>Renegades departure another example that Richmond is not a sports town</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD25_20090224-222747/214965/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Allan Harvie has done more than just announce plans to suspend the operation of the Richmond Renegades for the 2009-2010 season. Harvie has offered another example that Richmond is not a sports town. If the Renegades don&#8217;t receive an infusion of cash from an investor or investors, Harvie said yesterday, they will not play next season.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Wed, 25 Feb 2009 00:01:32 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD25_20090224-222747/214965/#When:04:01:32Z</guid>
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          <title>How do you measure will to win?</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD22_20090221-223223/212647/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
The story goes that years ago, when some baseball teams were more successful than others at finding great players, the pregame meal was one of the reasons. The food was so good in some places that scouts were content to sit for hours in the team dining room, enjoying their food while they discussed the players they had seen, players they were going to see and all the things they looked for in players.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 22 Feb 2009 00:00:59 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD22_20090221-223223/212647/#When:04:00:59Z</guid>
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          <title>VIDEO: World of Woody. Former dopers and electronic shifters at the Tour de California</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/video_world_of_woody/211234/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
At the Tour of California, some bike racers try to shake off drug scandals and others test controversial electronic shifters.            ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 20 Feb 2009 00:02:14 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/video_world_of_woody/211234/#When:04:02:14Z</guid>
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          <title>Andy Thompson goes to Colorado</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ATOM20_20090219-221435/211127/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
WINTER PARK, Colo. It&#8217;s still dark in this A-frame cabin at 9,000 feet. Friends slumber upstairs, but my mind races. I tiptoe down to the living room. There&#8217;s the fireplace where we sat last night&#8212;my wife and I and friends&#8212;catching up, enjoying the actual need for a fire.            ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 20 Feb 2009 00:01:01 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ATOM20_20090219-221435/211127/#When:04:01:01Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Cavs back in business; Hokies keep backing up</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD19_20090218-234811/210367/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
CHARLOTTESVILLE Productive players are not always pretty players. But productive players tend to make the extra pass. Productive players keep the ball alive on the offensive backboards. Productive players get things done. In the second half of the game against Boston College on Feb. 4, University of Virginia men&#8217;s basketball coach Dave Leitao decided to go with players who produced instead of players who flashed potential. It took some time for everyone to get comfortable, but now the Cavaliers have consecutive victories at home.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:01:53 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD19_20090218-234811/210367/#When:04:01:53Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Jeff Allen should not be alone in his suspension</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD18_20090217-223005/209233/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
If Jeff Allen has to sit out tonight&#8217;s game against the University of Virginia, he should not be alone. He should be joined by the fans who disregard civility when they enter an arena. Allen should have the company of coaches who express their displeasure with players and referees by spewing profanity-laced diatribes. Allen, a forward for Virginia Tech&#8217;s basketball team, fouled out Saturday at the University of Maryland. He flashed an obscene gesture at the Maryland fans as he headed to the bench.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:01:39 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD18_20090217-223005/209233/#When:04:01:39Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Robbins deserves Hall berth</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD15_20090214-223410/206965/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
The jerseys hang from the ceiling, above mid-court, impossible to miss. They honor six of the great players in men&#8217;s basketball history at Virginia Union University. Off in the corner, obscured by a support beam and out of sight of more than half the people in the stands, is a placard commemorating the career of Dave Robbins. The sign is not small, but you have to look for it to see it.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 15 Feb 2009 00:01:16 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD15_20090214-223410/206965/#When:04:01:16Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>World of Woody</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/world_of_woody/205855/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
T-D sports columnist Paul Woody didn&#8217;t need steroids to play great wiffle ball. He says baseball great Alex Rodriguez didn&#8217;t need performance-enhancing drugs either.            ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 13 Feb 2009 12:38:25 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/world_of_woody/205855/#When:16:38:25Z</guid>
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          <title>Favre must resist urge to return</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD13_20090212-222507/205472/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Life among mortals can be terribly mundane and boring when you&#8217;re used to living on Mount Olympus. Brett Favre is about to learn that. This summer, when he is on his tractor in Kiln, Miss., and the pain in his shoulder is gone, and he&#8217;s feeling refreshed and young again, Favre is bound to get the itch to return to the NFL for one more season.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 13 Feb 2009 00:01:46 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD13_20090212-222507/205472/#When:04:01:46Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Lower Congo Rapids: a journey to relive</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ATOM13_20090212-215606/205367/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
When last we heard from Trip Jennings, the expeditionary kayaker and Richmond native was picking up awards from the National Geographic Society for braving giant whitewater and bloodthirsty villagers in Papua New Guinea. That was summer and fall of 2007. It&#8217;s been almost two years since then, but Jennings&#8217; day job hasn&#8217;t changed much.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 13 Feb 2009 00:01:11 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ATOM13_20090212-215606/205367/#When:04:01:11Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>3 does not always equal 3 in NASCAR</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOODY12_20090211-184705/204162/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Jimmie Johnson is an outstanding NASCAR driver. When his career ends, he might be on the short list of the sport&#8217;s greatest drivers. And he earned his three consecutive Cup titles. Everyone had the same opportunities as Johnson, but he beat them all. Johnson and Cale Yarborough are the only drivers in NASCAR history to win three consecutive points titles.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 12 Feb 2009 00:01:39 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOODY12_20090211-184705/204162/#When:04:01:39Z</guid>
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          <title>Woody column: Many hands stirred this rancid stew</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD11_20090210-223255/203375/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
No sport has jeopardized the achievements of its players more effectively than Major League Baseball. And it has done so with the full cooperation of the players&#8217; union. The union has made it clear it does not want drug testing. That is in the best interests of players who are using steroids. It is not in the best interest of players who are clean.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Wed, 11 Feb 2009 00:01:58 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD11_20090210-223255/203375/#When:04:01:58Z</guid>
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          <title>&#8216;Character&#8217; was behind Tech&#8217;s win</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD09_20090208-222124/201469/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
He displayed remarkable timing and rhythm. He poured every ounce of his effort into helping the Virginia Tech Hokies against the N.C. State Wolfpack. Virginia Tech&#8217;s reliable, clutch-shooting forward A.D. Vassallo? Uh, no. Virginia Tech&#8217;s standout guard Malcolm Delaney? Not exactly. The Hokies&#8217; always entertaining coach Seth Greenberg? Not at all.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Mon, 09 Feb 2009 00:01:08 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD09_20090208-222124/201469/#When:04:01:08Z</guid>
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          <title>Davis a perfect fit with Tar Heels</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOODY08_20090207-221003/200982/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. Five national championship banners hang in the rafters of the Dean Dome, along with 17 Final Four and 17 ACC tournament championships flags. Success is not a stranger to men&#8217;s basketball at the University of North Carolina. In addition to all that, five members of the Tar Heels&#8217; family, all members of the Basketball Hall of Fame, were in the arena yesterday&#8212;former coach Dean Smith, current coach Roy Williams and former players Billy Cunningham, James Worthy and Bob McAdoo.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:01:28 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOODY08_20090207-221003/200982/#When:04:01:28Z</guid>
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          <title>ESPN event: more bust than benefit</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD06_20090205-222328/199573/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
ESPN has done an outstanding job of making itself into one of the country&#8217;s most recognizable brands. The network&#8217;s &#8220;BracketBusters&#8221; men&#8217;s college basketball games are a perfect example. ESPN has invented an event that draws national attention, gives it hours of programming and puts its name in newspapers and on Web sites. Give ESPN credit for its marketing expertise. But its &#8220;BracketBusters&#8221; weekend is more sizzle than steak.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 06 Feb 2009 00:01:30 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD06_20090205-222328/199573/#When:04:01:30Z</guid>
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          <title>In real life, Bugs is no match for Elmer Fudd</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ATOM06_20090205-214216/199491/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
The problem with the Looney Tunes characterization of Bugs Bunny is twofold: Bugs never dies, and Bugs never procreates. If the famous cartoon rabbit lived in the piedmont of Virginia, he would do both&#8212;a lot. Bugs doesn&#8217;t look much like his corporeal cousin, the Eastern Cottontail rabbit. But since that&#8217;s the most common rabbit species in eastern North America, let&#8217;s assume that&#8217;s what he was loosely based on.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 06 Feb 2009 00:01:22 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ATOM06_20090205-214216/199491/#When:04:01:22Z</guid>
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          <title>Recruits&#8217; big day less than meets eye</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD05_20090204-221418/198533/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Three hats sat on the table, and unbeknown to the audience, a telltale T-shirt was hidden under the zippered sweatshirt. Morgan Moses, 6-7 and 330 pounds, sat in the front of the room with his parents. The Meadowbrook Monarchs drum line, complete with a cymbals player, was stationed in the back of the room. Moses&#8217; football teammates and friends filled the chairs in the lecture room at MeadowbrookHigh School.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:01:23 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD05_20090204-221418/198533/#When:04:01:23Z</guid>
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          <title>Stimulus should go to stadium</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD04_20090203-220415/197434/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
The headlines get worse every day: School systems cut teaching and staff positions. Businesses dismiss employees by the thousands. College tuitions increase while investment returns plunge. In Richmond, we have a solution. Build a $60 million baseball stadium and pay for it with sales-tax revenue generated by the ballpark development.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:01:46 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD04_20090203-220415/197434/#When:04:01:46Z</guid>
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          <title>Beating the odds is way of life for gritty Warner</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD01_20090201-003343/194481/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
No matter what happens in Super Bowl XLIII, Kurt Warner wins. He wins because he has brought his third team to a Super Bowl. He wins because he was considered done for and discarded by the St. Louis Rams, the team he took to two Super Bowls. Yet, he has persevered. His career has risen phoenix-like from the ashes. He has gone from being great to being a journeyman to being great again. Hall of Fame talk surrounds him.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 01 Feb 2009 00:01:49 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD01_20090201-003343/194481/#When:04:01:49Z</guid>
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          <title>Special gun is loaded with family heritage</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY01_20090201-004131/194513/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
I&#8217;m standing in a thicket near Farmville listening to beagles howl. It&#8217;s early and cold and I know I should be focused on the rabbits, but I have a moment to myself when the sound of barking dogs falls away and my gaze comes to rest on the shotgun in my hands. A thousand thoughts wash over me. This is no ordinary gun. This gun is a flood of memories, shared moments and family tales. It is the mystery of fathers and sons whispered down the years. It wouldn&#8217;t much impress a collector, but then he or she wouldn&#8217;t know the stories. For me, it is an inheritance of incalculable value.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 01 Feb 2009 00:01:26 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/ANDY01_20090201-004131/194513/#When:04:01:26Z</guid>
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          <title>Hokies, Tigers the real deal</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD30_20090129-234606/192898/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
BLACKSBURG What a shame it had to end. College games come and go, but the contest between Virginia Tech and Clemson last night had everything a big-time game is supposed to have. If you were to see just one game this season, this was the game to see. The shooters&#8217; accuracy was unerring. K.C. Rivers made 7 of 10 3-pointers and 10 of 17 shots overall for Clemson. He finished with 29 points and brought his team back from the brink of defeat.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 30 Jan 2009 00:01:47 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/columnists/article/WOOD30_20090129-234606/192898/#When:04:01:47Z</guid>
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