My favorite stories are actually written by novelist Pat Conroy, Sports Illustrated’s Gary Smith, humorist Dave Barry – people like that. But since I can’t put their stuff on my Web site, I’m going to give you some of my own favorites, all of them published over the past several years at The Charlotte Observer. This isn’t a complete list – just 10 of my more recent favorites -- but it should give you a sampling of the stories I feel most passionately about. Many of them are about ordinary people in the sports world who have had something extraordinary happen to them. I’ve had three stories win national prizes in the “Associated Press Sports Editors” annual contest – the most prestigious in our little corner of the journalism world -- and those are all included here (they are Nos.1, 4 and 5 on this list). I’ve also listed a number of stories that didn’t win a thing but that I still recall fondly. Let me thank my newspaper for allowing me to share each of these stories on my Web site. For more work from The Observer – the largest and best newspaper in the Carolinas -- you can always click onto charlotte.com. 1) 17 Seconds: The three-part story of a Charlotte high-school lacrosse player who collapsed on the field and was quickly put into a life-or-death situation on the field. Published Sept.28-30, 2003. 2) Kindergarten PE: A short, first-person story about what it’s really like to teach PE to a bunch of five-year-olds. Published June 1, 2004. 3) Breaux Bridge: Jake Delhomme’s Louisiana hometown was just what you would expect – but even better. Published Jan.21, 2004. 4) The Pitch: The five-part story of Kenn and Chrissy Wright after he threw the pitch that would change their lives forever. Published May 31-June 4, 1998. 5) The Last Caddies: The story of the men who caddie at Charlotte Country Club – one of the last places to find a caddie in the Carolinas. Published June 10, 2001. 6) Heart of the Team: A 44-year-old, mentally challenged man finds a home in Lincolnton, N.C., with the football team. This is the closest story I ever found to Gary Smith’s classic “Radio.” Published Nov.8, 2000. 7) Life on the Rebound Montreat star embraces 2nd chance after 2 years in prison 8) Triple OT: Wake Forest edges North Carolina in the most enjoyable college basketball game I’ve ever witnessed. Published Dec.21, 2003. 9) The Best NFL Game I’ve Ever Seen: The column I wrote the night of Carolina’s double-overtime, 29-23 win over St. Louis. Published Jan.11, 2004. 10) Part 1: The mean joke played by Fox Sports and why the network owes "Catman" a new vehicle. Part 2: Fox Sports reverses field, gives "Catman" a truck. Published in September 2006. Greg "Catman" Good gives a thumbs-up behind the wheel of his new Ford F-150 pickup.