Like It Is

Staggs well-deserving of stadium's honor

He will be the most uncomfortable man in the room this afternoon.

Charlie Staggs has never wanted attention. He's just a hardworking and honest man who always intends to give more than he gets.

After 29 years of working at War Memorial Stadium, 16 as the manager, Staggs has decided to retire and the Stadium Commission is honoring him with a reception this afternoon.

It will be all about Staggs, but for him, it will be more attention than he has ever asked for.

Definitely not more than he deserves.

In his tenure, Staggs has seen updates made to WMS and he's watched quietly as the top-paying tenant, the University of Arkansas, has cut its football games at the stadium from three to two to one.

While he always helped and consulted with the negotiations, Staggs always said decisions such as that were above his paygrade. He never complained.

Staggs, a graduate of Henderson State and a former football coach, didn't make this decision lightly, but like he said when his retirement was announced, he is 77.

Staggs will be replaced July 1 by Jerry Cohen, who has been the assistant manager for the past five years but also worked events for years before going on the payroll.

Cohen is ready to assume the responsibilities of manager. He learned from the best.

...

A couple of months ago two of the golf professionals who help make The Alotian Club one of the most coveted golf courses to play in the country received some high honors.

Dan Snider was chosen PGA Golf Professional of the Year for 2014 for Arkansas and the South Central section of the country, which includes Arkansas, Oklahoma and southern Kansas.

Snider is the CEO of Alotian.

Jon Ziekse, the Alotian golf pro, received the 2014 Bill Strausbaugh Award for Arkansas and the South Central section. The award is for professionals who have distinguished themselves by mentoring fellow PGA professionals.

...

LeBron James doesn't have to worry about any of his Cleveland Cavaliers teammates stealing his thunder.

The guy has been phenomenal in the three games of the NBA Finals, and he doesn't let anyone forget it.

"This is a great moment, and my teammates need me," James said after the Cavs defeated the Golden State Warriors 96-91 Tuesday night to take a 2-1 series lead.

This is a series that was thought to be over when Cavs point guard Kyrie Irving was lost for the series with an injury in Game 1 of the finals.

Instead, Irving's replacement, Matthew Dellavedova, has become a folk hero for Cavs fans with his hard work. Saying he played his heart out in Game 3, when he scored 20 points and seemed to dive for every loose ball, would be an understatement. He had to be treated for dehydration after the game.

He averaged only 4.8 points during the regular season and 7.5 in the playoffs. Undrafted out of Saint Mary's, he signed with the Cavs last season and got a new two-year contract this season.

At $816,482, he is the 14th highest-paid player on the Cavs' 16-man payroll. He is lowest-paid player seeing action in the NBA Finals, and he plays on a team that has the third-highest payroll in the NBA at $82,592,827.

Golden State is 14th at $73,613,166.

Obviously the highest-paid player in the series is James, who gets about 25 percent of the team's money with his $20,644,400 salary.

Golden State's highest-paid player is reserve David Lee at $15,012,000 while NBA MVP Stephen Curry is fourth on the team at $10,629,213.

No one is earning their money more than Dellavedova, and he may be having the most fun.

Sports on 06/11/2015

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