Maceo Donald

1 week ago | carolinacoastonline.com | Maceo Donald

Just like that, another historic sports organization has changed hands, this time to a group of investors, underscoring once again that professional sports are no longer just mom-and-pop operations, but they’ve become some of the most lucrative and attractive businesses in the world. According to a report from ESPN, the iconic Los Angeles Lakers, arguably the most recognizable brand in sports, are set to transfer majority ownership from the Buss family to financier Mark Walter.

3 weeks ago | carolinacoastonline.com | Maceo Donald

For those of you who are fans of the Charlotte Hornets, Carolina Panthers or even the Carolina Hurricanes, or just folks who pay attention to our local teams, it might be time to seriously entertain what I call the “Carolina Conspiracy.”The theory is simple. Whenever we have a good team, they’re never quite good enough. And when we have a bad team, they’re never quite bad enough to bottom out and rebuild properly.

1 month ago | carolinacoastonline.com | Maceo Donald

The current framework of Carteret County sports doesn’t prepare its athletes for competition beyond its own area code. Initially, I looked at it exclusively as a high school-centric problem, where a “Team of the Year” cruises to its umpteenth conference championship in a row against teams that it has beaten for years and then lose after a not-so-deep postseason run. kAm%96 EJA:42= D46?2C:@ D66D @?6 @7 @FC =@42= E62>D CF?

2 months ago | carolinacoastonline.com | Maceo Donald

Just as we thought the power structure in college athletics completely shifted from the NCAA and the universities to the outstretched hands of the biggest stars, everything seemed to hit a reset button. And it all started in Knoxville, Tennessee. kAmp3@FE EH@ H66<D 28@[ &?:G6CD:EJ @7 %6??6DD66 DE2C BF2CE6C324< }:4@ x2>2=62G2[ 2?5 9:D 72>:=J >256 2 >@G6 H6’G6 ?6G6C D66? 367@C6 :?

2 months ago | carolinacoastonline.com | Maceo Donald

Having the best players wins championships, more than schemes, coaching, or anything else does. I remember a conversation I had with one of my position coaches while playing football at East Carolina University. We were debating what’s more important: play calling or personnel. kAmpD H6 H2E4965 82>6 7:=> @7 r=6>D@?[ H9:49 ;FDE A=2J65 2? FA4@>:?8 @AA@?6?E @7 @FCD[ E96:C C646:G6CD H6C6 >2<:?8 :?4C65:3=6 A=2JD 2?5 86EE:?8 @A6?