Al Michaels once asked...

"Do you believe in miracles?"

That was the now unmistakable call of the 1980 US Olympic hockey team win over the Soviet Union.

Today, NFL fans are being asked the same thing, but the answer, this time, is no.

At 11:59 pm on Thursday, March 3, the NFL's current collective bargaining agreement will expire, and it is expected that a player lockout by the owners, will commence not long after. 7 straight days of mediation produced dialogue, but nothing in the way of results. Hence, all those warnings I sent out during the football season? You know, the ones where I told you to record your favorite team as often as you could? It is baseball season, though.

Big tip of the hat to Jeff Gordon for snapping that nasty 66-race winless drought by winning inn Phoenix on Sunday. He did it in vintage Gordon fashion. Passing Kyle Busch with just 8 laps left, and racing to the win. The win comes in race number 2 of the season, and also race number 2 for Gordon with a new sponsor. After spending virtually his entire career with Dupont as his primary sponsor, Gordon takes the Drive to End Hunger Chevy to victory lane. Is this a sign of things to come? After the massive shake-up at Hendrick Motorsports in the off-season, where 3 drivers rotated to new crew chiefs and teams, who knows. Know this, all four HMS cars finished inside the top 13 in the first "real" race of the season. No disrespect to Daytona, but the entire off-season leads up to that one race, and it's a restrictor plate track at that--too many abnormal variables, If the HMS stable is stout on the intermediate tracks, it will make for a long season for the rest of the teams. And yes, I know it's just one race. We'll see how these teams sit after the opening 5-7 races of the season. Long way to go.

Congrats to a pair of Charlotte residents, Johnson Wagner and Mattt Goggin for picking up separate victories on the golf course this past weekend. Wagner winning on the PGA Tour, Goggin on the Nationwide Tour. Both guys getting their games cranked in the early schedule, and being rewarded is a big boost. Well done, guys!

Busy week on tap, with the CIAA Hoops tourney beginning, and the Charlotte 49ers announcing their first football coach on Tuesday. Stay with News 14 for the latest.

Mike Solarte