Triple Threat

Days before Todd Pletcher won his first Kentucky Derby with Super Saver, thus becoming the only trainer with a shot at the elusive Triple Crown this year, a handful of reporters stood outside his barn at Churchill Downs and asked him whether he could think of a comparable feat in another sport. Pletcher considered the question for a few seconds before settling on an answer. "Probably [ Joe DiMaggio's] 56-game hitting streak," he said. "But even then, after the Derby, only one horse has a chance at doing it. I think it's got to rank up there as one of the toughest things in sports."

For the past week, many wrestling fans have been excited about the idea of the Survivor Series pay-per-view being headlined by a traditional 10-man Survivor Series main event. But WWE seemingly couldn't leave well enough alone. After rushing to announce the two teams - led by WWE Champion CM Punk and WWE legend Mick Foley - on last week's episode of Raw, WWE seems to have let its own doubt run rampant and cause major adjustments to the teams and the PPV card as a whole. Raw opened with a pre-taped segment in which former Intercontinental Champion The Miz walked away from Team Punk.

Marty Windisch didn't break any records at Manchester Valley High School. When he enrolled in August 2009, there simply weren't any records to break. After one year at North Carroll High School, Windisch stepped into a new school and a fledgling athletic program. Three years later, he left Manchester Valley as the top male student-athlete in the school's brief history. He now holds a few records, too. But Windisch's impact on goes beyond athletics. While playing football, basketball and baseball at a high level, he excelled academically and helped his school and community in many ways.

After a seven-month hiatus, Real Championship Wrestling makes its return to the Du Burns Arena with RCW Reloaded on Saturday. RCW, an independent wrestling promotion based in Baltimore, was formed in June 2009 by Brad Vance and several wrestling talents, including Ruckus, Derek Frazier and others from Maryland. The company hosted its first show - “The Takeover” - June 14, 2009. Since then, RCW has become a tour de force in Maryland and in East Coast independent wrestling, with names such as The Briscoe Brothers, The Osirian Portal, Shiima Zion (TNA's Zima Ion)

It was only recently that linebacker Terrell Suggs wondered whether the Ravens should stick with rookie Joe Flacco as the starting quarterback. After witnessing the Ravens' 29-10 pummeling of the Oakland Raiders yesterday, Suggs and the sellout crowd at M&T Bank Stadium had another question on their mind. What can't Flacco do? In what likely will go down as a unique performance by a Ravens quarterback, Flacco showed off his arm (throwing for a 70-yard touchdown), his hands (catching a 43-yard pass)

Tonight's Raw marked a milestone -- episode 1,001. In many ways, this show was more important than last week's historic 1,000th episode. The legends are gone, the big names have disappeared and the anticipation of John Cena cashing in his Money in the Bank is gone. The real tests of the three-hour Raw era would begin tonight, as the company had to rely on its everyday amenities to create a compelling beginning to the next 1,000 episodes. And much of the weight would fall on one man -- WWE Champion CM Punk, who shocked the wrestling world by taking out both John Cena and The Rock at the end of last week's show, turning his back on the WWE fans in the process.

Before every Coppin State practice this season, a band of shooters from one of the most prolific 3-point shooting teams in Division I gathers around a rim inside the Physical Education Complex for a little friendly competition. The goal is simple, guard Tony Gallo explains, and the battles typically taut. Knock down 10 shots from beyond the arc before anyone else does, and you win. Lately, Gallo's won a lot. Or has he? "He said he was in the lead?" forward Logan Wiens exclaimed in mock disbelief Monday.

After a seven-month hiatus, Real Championship Wrestling makes its return to the Du Burns Arena with RCW Reloaded on Saturday. RCW, an independent wrestling promotion based in Baltimore, was formed in June 2009 by Brad Vance and several wrestling talents, including Ruckus, Derek Frazier and others from Maryland. The company hosted its first show - “The Takeover” - June 14, 2009. Since then, RCW has become a tour de force in Maryland and in East Coast independent wrestling, with names such as The Briscoe Brothers, The Osirian Portal, Shiima Zion (TNA's Zima Ion)

With John Carroll products Krystin Porcella and Amy Goetzinger leading the way, the Loyola College women's soccer team has turned its season around with a 7-1-2 streak and has a 9-4-2 record overall.Loyola's only loss in its past 10 games was a 2-1 setback at No. 6 Virginia Wednesday.Porcella, a senior midfielder, leads the team in scoring with five goals and five assists and Goetzinger, a sophomore defender, has contributed three goals in the last six games.Goetzinger scored the game-winner in last Saturday's 1-0 victory over Canisius on the road.

DUDE, I SERVICE society by rocking, OK? That's how Jack Black's character, a failed rock 'n' roll performer masquerading as a schoolteacher, explains his philosophy of life in School of Rock, a movie that has a lot to say about music and growing up. Apparently, it's not a philosophy shared by Martin O'Malley, Baltimore's rockin' renaissance man. (Surprising, since even Mr. O'Malley's critics will concede he can talk with a certain degree of, uh, youthful...

Tonight's Raw marked a milestone -- episode 1,001. In many ways, this show was more important than last week's historic 1,000th episode. The legends are gone, the big names have disappeared and the anticipation of John Cena cashing in his Money in the Bank is gone. The real tests of the three-hour Raw era would begin tonight, as the company had to rely on its everyday amenities to create a compelling beginning to the next 1,000 episodes. And much of the weight would fall on one man -- WWE Champion CM Punk, who shocked the wrestling world by taking out both John Cena and The Rock at the end of last week's show, turning his back on the WWE fans in the process.

Marty Windisch didn't break any records at Manchester Valley High School. When he enrolled in August 2009, there simply weren't any records to break. After one year at North Carroll High School, Windisch stepped into a new school and a fledgling athletic program. Three years later, he left Manchester Valley as the top male student-athlete in the school's brief history. He now holds a few records, too. But Windisch's impact on goes beyond athletics. While playing football, basketball and baseball at a high level, he excelled academically and helped his school and community in many ways.

The card for next month's No Way Out pay-per-view continued to take shape after Friday night's episode of Smackdown, but recent events have parts of the show left with question marks. Alberto Del Rio defeated Randy Orton and Kane in a triple threat match to be crowned the No. 1 contender to the Sheamus' World Heavyweight Championship. But it is the other two participants in that match that are at the center of the most interesting scenarios leading into the next PPV event.

You editorial ("Pay now or later," March 14) provides two choices to deal with our the state's aging infrastructure: Raise taxes on gasoline or continue to face increasing hazardous road and bridge conditions and more gridlock for commuters. Well, there is an alternative: Inviting the private sector in to see if they can work with the public sector in this regard. In my book, "Public-Private Partnerships - Case Studies on Infrastructure Development," I include many examples of public-private partnerships to improve roads, bridges and tunnels by permitting the private sector to invest in revenue-producing infrastructure that can accomplish several goals: 1.)

Before every Coppin State practice this season, a band of shooters from one of the most prolific 3-point shooting teams in Division I gathers around a rim inside the Physical Education Complex for a little friendly competition. The goal is simple, guard Tony Gallo explains, and the battles typically taut. Knock down 10 shots from beyond the arc before anyone else does, and you win. Lately, Gallo's won a lot. Or has he? "He said he was in the lead?" forward Logan Wiens exclaimed in mock disbelief Monday.

When Daniel Bryan debuted in WWE, no one knew quite what to think. Bryan, who made a name for himself on the independent circuit as Bryan Danielson, epitomized the never-ending debate between "extremely talented technical wrestler" and "vanilla midget. " Paired with The Miz as his pro on the inaugural season of NXT, Bryan found himself in a peculiar and polarizing position. Critics continued to claim he lacked the personality and charisma to make it as a WWE superstar. When he won the World Heavyweight Championship a few weeks ago, many thought Bryan's reign would be a transitional one. Instead, viewers have been treated to a slow-burn turn to the dark side, and through it all, Bryan has displayed not only his abilities in the ring but also a conniving and manipulative attitude few in the WWE Universe believed he possessed.

The card for next month's No Way Out pay-per-view continued to take shape after Friday night's episode of Smackdown, but recent events have parts of the show left with question marks. Alberto Del Rio defeated Randy Orton and Kane in a triple threat match to be crowned the No. 1 contender to the Sheamus' World Heavyweight Championship. But it is the other two participants in that match that are at the center of the most interesting scenarios leading into the next PPV event.

You editorial ("Pay now or later," March 14) provides two choices to deal with our the state's aging infrastructure: Raise taxes on gasoline or continue to face increasing hazardous road and bridge conditions and more gridlock for commuters. Well, there is an alternative: Inviting the private sector in to see if they can work with the public sector in this regard. In my book, "Public-Private Partnerships - Case Studies on Infrastructure Development," I include many examples of public-private partnerships to improve roads, bridges and tunnels by permitting the private sector to invest in revenue-producing infrastructure that can accomplish several goals: 1.)

Enduring a postgame interview room at UMBC Stadium on May 25 was tough for Alyssa Semones and her Westminster girls' lacrosse teammates. The Owls had just lost to state power Severna Park, 14-7, in the Class 4A-3A state championship. The fact that it was Westminster's only loss after 16 consecutive victories just made matters worse. But the senior captain handled that painful moment the same way she did her successes in four years at Westminster. While the hurt from a loss in her final high school game was evident, so was Semones' class and dignity in front of media and state high school officials.

William C. McClean, a retired Polytechnic Institute teacher and athletic coach who was a standout player on the school's 1929 and 1930 football teams, died of pneumonia Jan. 26 at St. Agnes Hospital. He was 97 and lived in the Charlestown Retirement Community. Born in Philadelphia and raised in Mechanicsburg, Pa., he was the son of a Bethlehem Steel Co. manager who was transferred to Sparrows Point in 1919 as it expanded operations there. "My father, the only son in a family of six children, developed leadership skills and a wry sense of humor early on, as he sought to define his role in the family, with five sisters," said his son, William Chichester McClean III of Hobe Sound, Fla. Mr. McClean, who was also known as "Chub," attended Polytechnic Institute.