Walk into any crowded room and you will find someone who has experienced the ravages of cancer, either first-hand or through PAUL
WOODY
a family member or friend. Cancer never is far from anyone’s mind. No one is surprised to receive the diagnosis. Shocked. Saddened. Frightened, perhaps, but not surprised. The disease is too prevalent, an equal-opportunity scourge.

The Olympics are the greatest of the world’s sports events, and the site for the 2016 Summer Games will be Chicago, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro or Tokyo. The International Olympic Committee votes Friday. The vote here is for Chicago. Imagine athletes from every part of the globe riding the ‘L’ in Chicago. Imagine mixing and mingling on Michigan Avenue with high jumpers from Australia and hammer throwers from the Ukraine.

After losing to the Detroit Lions on Sunday, Washington Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell kept his usual stiff upper lip. He said the Redskins will keep working hard because you never know when the game will come that turns around the season. Oh, yes we do. That game in Detroit turned around the Redskins’ season - for the worse.

The Marching Virginians, 330 strong, weren’t allowed to march and play their music on the Lane Stadium field. Instead, they performed from their end zone seats out of deference to a field that was all but underwater. And speaking of submerged, how about those Miami Hurricanes? They came here as a team on the prowl. Young. Quick. Fast. Potent. Hungry. They came here 2-0 and as a prime topic in the national sports conversation.

The difference between major-league ownership of a minor-league team and semi-local ownership of a minor-league team was readily apparent yesterday. The Atlanta Braves, owners of the former Richmond Braves, weren’t willing to invest much in The Diamond. The semi-local ownership of the new Richmond minor-league team will sink $1.5 million into upgrading The Diamond.

Of all the things said in the Washington Redskins’ locker room, none is more annoying than: We have the talent to excel. Wide receiver Santana Moss said it Monday. Running back Clinton Portis says it frequently. Head coach Jim Zorn, after a season-opening loss to the New York Giants, said the Redskins are going to be a good team.

LANDOVER, Md. For all you young people hoping one day to coach in the NFL, or anywhere else, don’t try this at home. On fourth and 1 at the opponent’s 2-yard line, when a field goal means your opponent has to score a touchdown in the final 1:55 to beat you, and that oppo nent has no timeouts and has scored just one touchdown in eight quarters this season, don’t go for the first down.

BLACKSBURG The Virginia Tech Hokies were out of offense, out of timeouts and, seemingly, out of hope. “When you’ve got a Tyrod, you’ve always got a chance,“ said Hokies coach Frank Beamer. Yes, but it looked like the Hokies had blown their last, best chance with 2:07 left in the game. Needing nine yards on fourth down, the pass of Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor hit wide receiver Dyrell Roberts in the hands, and the ball fell harmlessly to the ground.

How do you stay No. 1 in the country when every opponent wants to beat the top-ranked team? How do you stay No.1 when it’s human nature to become full of yourself, to believe all the accolades and think you can turn on a winning effort the way you turn on a faucet? You hope you have a team full of players such as Kevin Grayson.

What do motherhood and tennis have in common with sports columnist Paul Woody? He goes to the court and a playground to find out.

All week long, Denny Hamlin said it was time. He said a driver can’t lead as many laps as he has at Richmond International Raceway and not win the race. All week long, Hamlin talked the talk. Last night, he walked the walk. Last night, he drove the car. Last night, Hamlin won the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway.

Kyle Busch acknowledged the crowd at Richmond International Raceway in May after one of his four Sprint Cup victories this season. Busch sits in 14th place in Cup points. Kyle Busch and Mark Martin belong in the Sprint Cup championship chase. There, I’ve said it. Busch and Martin have won more races, four, than any drivers on the circuit this year, and winning is the point of racing.

What possible connection could there be between Shakespeare, a church, and a punch thrown in a college football game? Only Paul Woody knows, but he can’t wait to explain it to you.

ATLANTA Good defense and exceptional special teams will keep you in almost every game. That combination even will help a team win a number of games. But against a top-ranked opponent, defense and specialteams will take you only so far. The offense has to do its part, or at least do something. The Virginia Tech offense did not do enough last night against Alabama. When the Hokies’ attack finally got untracked, it was too little, too late.

When the Virginia Tech football team walks into the Georgia Dome tomorrow night to play Alabama, the Hokies will be involved in a game that means everything. And they will be involved in a game that means far less. “We’re fortunate to be in the game, and fortunate so much attention is being paid to it,“ Hokies coach FrankBeamer said.