THE GREATEST 25 YARDS OF MY LIFE

I am much closer to starting my next Ironman than the finish of my last one. There are
less than five months until I begin another grueling 140.6 mile journey through the
Adirondacks in upstate New York and I am using the last 25 yards of the 2014 Ironman
in Lake Placid to motivate me and get me through my training.

The last 25 yards of my first Ironman last July were quite simply, the greatest 25 yards
of my life.

In my 50 years of earth, never has such a short distance contained so much joy, happiness,
exhilaration, satisfaction, and yes, even gratitude. I didn't set a record, win anything, or
qualify for the Ironman in Kona, but those 25 yards down the finishing chute turned out
to be one of the greatest experiences of my life.

The journey to that moment started about 7 months earlier when I began training for my
first Ironman in earnest. I didn't follow any programs, hire a coach, or have a set work out
schedule. With work and the everyday experiences of life, I worked out when I could.
If I felt the need to bike a 100 miles, I'd do it. If I felt I needed to swim three miles every
day for a week, I did that. I ran a lot until I got plantar fasciitis, which was the worst thing
I've ever experienced during my career in sports.

My training wasn't scientific, but I can assure you, I worked my ass off, investing a great
amount of sweat equity into the 2014 Ironman in Lake Placid. My goal wasn't just to finish,
I was a decent athlete and too much of a competitor to be satisfied with just picking up
a medal for getting in under the 17 hours required to get it.

I wanted to finish strong and do it with a big smile on my face. I considered
the Ironman to be part of life's journey with challenges, obstacles, and a test to see what
you are truly made of. I envisioned when I crossed the finish line it would be
one helluva celebration in the greatest venue on the Ironman circuit.

Lake Placid is a magical place and one of my favorite places to be in the summer. It
has great charm, character, and of course, history. The finish to the event is on the
same Olympic oval where Eric Heiden wowed the world by winning five gold medals in
speedskating in the 1980 Winter Games. Just off to the right is the hockey arena where
the United  States put their signature on the "Miracle on Ice." All of it, along with the
clean air of the Adirondacks, was intoxicating.

When I entered the oval after more than 140 miles of swimming, biking, and running,
I did what I also do when I'm about to finish a race. I had thoughts of my late father
and said to myself, "Dad, let's bring it on home." We finish every race together. When I
saw the flames of the mini-Olympic cauldron burning brightly about fifty yards ahead
of me, I remembered what an Ironman veteran said to me just three days before:

"Make sure you enjoy the last 25 yards of the race. Don't sprint to the finish to
improve your time. If you do it right, you'll remember it for the rest of your life."

I did.

When I passed the Olympic cauldron and headed down the straightaway to the finish,
I got a mile-wide grin on my face and raised my arms in triumph. After all the hours
of pain and buckets of sweat, this was the time to celebrate and enjoy it. When I hit
the Ironman "mats" which signified the start of the 25-yard finishing chute I got the
chills.

I had seen thousands of people finish the Ironman on television over the years and
it felt like an out of body experience. It was downright cool.

I kept my hands raised until I hit the finish line and  then threw them down in
celebration. I immediately looked for my sister, Kara, and her family. I knew they'd
be right there at the finish. I wish you knew how much Kara means to me. She pushed
me, inspired me, and has helped me in so many ways. I love her and to have her
and her little kids at the finish line made it all the more memorable.

Plus, she is a great photographer who captured all these moments that I will never forget.

When I finished, the event volunteers tin foil thing on me, which I'm
not sure what it helps for, then I went and had a joyous celebration with Kara, her
great husband, Chad, and her kids. Tired? I wasn't. Exhausted? Are you kidding me?

I was on this adrenaline-fueled, natural high. It was spine-tingling and amazing. After
140 miles, those last 25 yards were the greatest I've ever experienced in my life.

I'm doing the Ironman again on July 27. It will be another challenge and I'm not
sure I'll be able to duplicate the feelings of last year. But that's OK, the finish of
my first Ironman was perfect and perfection only happens every so often.

PRAYING FOR PETE BOCK

"Did you hear about Pete Bock?"

When I received an email two weeks ago from a member of the UNC baseball family
containing those six words, I knew it couldn't be good. With Pete Bock being close to
70-years-old, I naturally thought the worst.

Lindsay Wilkinson, the wife of a former teammate at Carolina and a friend of
Bock, relayed to me that the "worst" thing didn't happen to Bock, but sadly, it was
pretty darn close.

After an ice storm hit North Carolina, Bock, who lives near Raleigh, slipped and fell
in his backyard. His wife, Cindy, rushed to his side only to fall and break her hip.

Hearing this was like a punch to the gut that sucked nearly every ounce of oxygen from
my entire body. It was sad, tragic, and seemingly so unfair. Anyone who has walked this
earth long enough knows that life can be cruel and terrible tragedies occur everyday, but
this just wasn't right.

Bock hit his head in the fall and is paralyzed below the waist. He underwent a second
surgery last Monday for a tracheotomy. In an instant, his life, which has been an amazing
one, has been changed forever. I am praying  the man I affectionately call, "The Reverend"
pulls through and stands on his feet once again.

Bock is simply a beautiful man, one of great character, honor, and respect. He's one of
those guys who will not only give you the shirt off his back, but his entire wardrobe as
well. He'd tell you to keep it, too. Smart, witty, and funny, Bock is the consummate
family man who adores and cherishes his wife, Cindy, every single day.

If there is a "Mr. Baseball" in North Carolina, Bock is it. He helped start the Durham
Bulls minor-league franchise as the general manager in 1980. He had been an umpire
in the Carolina League where the Bulls, thanks to the hit movie, "Bull Durham," became
the gold standard of minor-league franchises.

Bock would later become the general manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates AAA franchise
in Hawaii and in 1997, founded the Coastal Plain League, a collegiate baseball summer
league that lists Kevin Youkilis and Justin Verlander among its alums.

I first met Bock on the set of "Bull Durham" in September of 1997. He was hired to
be the baseball consultant, picking all the players and casting them into their roles
in the movie. Bock made sure that every single baseball scene looked realistic
and conducted a two-week camp for the likes of Kevin Costner and Tim Robbins to
make sure they knew how to look, act, and play like real minor-league players.

OK, so Robbins really couldn't hit water if he fell out of a boat, but his personality
was perfect to play the role of Nuke LaLoosh.

Bock was responsible for selecting me for the scene that saw Costner, as Crash Davis,
tip me off as to what pitch was coming. I really didn't think much of it at the time for
I knew there was a chance the scene would end up on  the cutting room floor, but the
home run I hit would follow me around forever.

Bock appeared in the movie as well, playing the reverend who married Jenny and
a member of the Durham Bulls during a ceremony at home plate. When we left the
set after the director yelled, "that's a wrap" for the final time, none of us had any idea
that "Bull Durham" would become the baseball classic that it is today.

Bock and Roy Williams

Bock and I, both UNC graduates, kept in touch over the years and we'd often banter
back and forth on Facebook. I'm a Carolina graduate who is forever grateful for my
time in Chapel Hill. Bock is one of those guys who forever eats, sleeps, and breathes
everything Tar Heels.

He's donated a big chunk of  money to UNC over the years and always shows up to
football, basketball, and baseball games dressed from head to toe in Carolina  blue.
When UNC wins, Bock flashes his mile-wide grin. When they lose, he feels the pain
for days to come.

Pete Bock is the type of person you meet once and never forget. He is everything
right about being a man, a father, a husband, and a friend. I love Pete Bock as if he
was my own brother.

The man who has lived his life the right way, was dealt a very bad hand a few weeks
ago. Knowing Bock as I do, he will find a way to turn it into a straight flush.

"The Reverend" has the good Lord on his side and I, like so many of his friends, are
praying for him to pull through.

We love you, Pete Bock.

NOW LET CHRIS KYLE REST IN PEACE

Eddie Ray Routh, the ex-Marine who slaughtered Chris Kyle at a shooting range
in 2013, was convicted Tuesday of murdering the man who gained fame as the
"American Sniper." It ends a painful period for the family of Kyle and a somewhat
of an embarrassing one for a part of our society.

Hopefully, Kyle can finally rest in peace now.

Kyle made four deployments to Iraq during his time as a Navy SEAL. He became
the most decorated sniper in U.S. history with 160 kills and wrote about his experience
in the best-selling book, "American Sniper." Few people criticized Kyle after the
book came out, but once the movie sky-rocketed at the box office and gained critical
acclaim, the haters and attention addicted snipers came out in full force.

Filmmaker and activist Michael Moore fired the first and loudest shot, saying he
considered snipers 'cowards' because his grandfather got picked off by one in a
previous war.

Moore accomplished what he set out to do and that was gain attention and
become 'trending", at the expense of Kyle. He was well-aware that 'American Sniper'
was in the public's focus and putting Kyle in the crosshairs would bring him the
attention he craved even if it meant taking a hit himself.

Unfortunately, others ran with Moore's tag of Kyle as a coward and instead of
honoring a war veteran, people criticized him. Oh, no, nobody said a peep when
the book, "American Sniper", was published, but as soon as it was brought to life
in the theatres, people got on their soap boxes and became critics of Kyle and the
job he was assigned to do.

There were heated debates on Fox, CNN, and all the 24-hour news channels who
hoped to use Kyle and the manufactured 'controversy' to drive the ratings ups.
That's how it works in television. Yep, a dead man can't defend himself, but we'll
let the experts toss mud on his grave and invite the defenders to defend him. It
should make for great TV.

Sadly, we forget about the real important thing and that's the true legacy of Chris
Kyle. Unlike most of us, Kyle fought for our country. While we were living our
fantasy life back home, Kyle was in the brutal reality of war where limbs get
blown off and people die every single day. Even though most people back in
the United States forget about our troops battling in wars that have long since
really mattered to many, they continue to fight.

Kyle, like everyone else who fights for the United States was assigned to do a job.
He didn't ask to be a sniper. His superiors noticed he had a great shot and put him
in a role where they thought he could excel and help the team accomplish a mission.
They gave him assignments and he did his job, plain and simple.

People like Moore see how Kyle is depicted in a Hollywood movie, which makes
things more dramatic and powerful, and they think Kyle is just a blood-thirsty
psycho-manic, who gets a rise out of picking the enemy off when they aren't
looking.

Ridiculous.

So many people in our society think it's easy for these highly-trained soldiers to
pull the trigger and kill people. They think because these warriors put on a uniform,
they suddenly morph into cold and callous killers who are somehow supposed to
walk back into society and not be affected. There's a reason PTSD is such a problem
with veterans in this country. It's real and it's dangerous.

And people want to criticize Kyle and others?

Kyle, like anyone else who spends a minute, a month, or years in combat, should
be considered heroes. Yep, every single one of them, whether it's the veteran homeless
guy begging for money on the street or guys like Kyle who have been immortalized
on film.

They should be thanked, respected, and honored on more than just Veterans Day, too.
One day where everybody says thank you on Facebook and Twitter because it's
the cool thing to do, is not nearly enough.

Our government should take care of them instead of spending $150 million a year
on making sure the prisoners in Gintanimo Bay get three squares a day.

Chris Kyle will always be a hero to me. I don't care what he looked liked, talked
like, or how many people he killed. He did the job he was assigned to do for our
country and that's the only thing that matters.

JIM CANTORE VS PAUL DEVLIN: TAPE OF THE 'WEATHER' TAPE

Since transitioning  from sports into news, I've had the opportunity to cover numerous

snowstorms in New England. When snow is in the forecast, one of the first things that

    comes out of the news director's mouth is, "Let's get Devlin out there at 4:30 a.m." I
    embrace the elements with driving rain, sleet, and snow pelting my face like darts
    going into a board. It's the next best thing to covering a Super Bowl.

   When extreme weather breaks, the Weather Channel send its Tom Brady out to cover it.
   Jim Cantore is the meteorologist by which everyone is measured against. When I grow up
   I want to be just like him. After covering more than 20 storms, I thought it was time
   to see just how I measure up with the Sultan of Storms. Here's a tongue-in-cheek look
   at the tale of the tape.

First job out of college:

                                                      Cantore  The Weather Channel 

                                                       Devlin   The Boston Red Sox

Jobs since:

                                                                         Cantore  0

                                                                    Devlin About 23

Salary:

Cantore $1.2 million a year

                                                                Devlin Not enough.

Passion:

                                                        Cantore Covering the weather

                                                                    Devlin Eating

Most famous hit:

                                                 Cantore  Kicking a heckler live on-air.

                                            Devlin Belting a home run in "Bull Durham."

Famous for:

                                               Cantore  Being overly dramatic all the time.

                                        Devlin Being overly dramatic when the time is right.



Most proud of:

                                              Cantore Building a snowman in Syracuse

                                           Devlin Finishing the Ironman in Lake Placid

Gets excited when:

                                          Cantore Boston gets hit with an epic snowstorm.

                               Devlin When he can report on the weather from inside the car.

Most used lines on the air:

                                       Cantore  Stay inside for this one, it's going to be epic.

Devlin     Hey, those national guys are always wrong. Get out and do what you have to
                do, the world is not ending. No need to buy every loaf of bread at the market.

Hidden talent:

                                            Cantore  Can do bicep curls in his sleep.

                                  Devlin Can dance to any song, anytime, and anywhere.

Career goals:

                                      Cantore  Report live from the middle of a Tsunami.

                                       Devlin  Report live from San Diego every single day.

  

DEAN SMITH AND THE DEATH OF A LEGEND

In this social media driven and ESPN-overhyped world that we live in, the term "legend" is
thrown around far too often and much too easily. A coach wins a national championship and
the "is he one of the best ever?" conversation starts. Every talking head and analyst wants
to weigh in are quick to award "legendary" status without the person ever really earning it.

Dean Smith earned his status and was the definition of it.

The former UNC basketball coach died on Saturday at the age of 83, but his presence in
Chapel Hill and throughout the college basketball world will be felt forever. For those who
attended UNC in the 70's, 80's, and early 90's, Smith is, was, and always will be the face
of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Yes, he was that influential, powerful, and most of all, respected. Smith was a pillar of
strength, class, character, and integrity and he made all of us proud to be Tar Heels. John
Swofford may have been the athletic director at the time, but it was Smith who ran the
show, nearly every single part of it.

The basketball teams coached by Smith were an extension of himself,  playing with class,
dignity and respect. There was no chest-bumping, baggy shorts, jersey's untucked, or players
saying, "Hey, ESPN, look at me, aren't I great?" When a player made a great pass, everyone
on the team pointed at him, giving him props in a very subtle way. They didn't yell, scream,
or panic under pressure, mirroring the man who was always so under control on the sidelines.

I'll never forget the picture of Michael Jordan, a freshman at the time, taking the
game-winning shot in the 1982 National Championship game. Smith and his coaching
staff sat on the bench, stoic and unemotional, as if it were a pre-season exhibition game,
instead of one that would decide a national title. That was Dean Smith.

During my freshman year, several baseball players had the privilege of being ushers
for home basketball games. We didn't really usher anybody because people never really
had trouble finding their seats. We just sat courtside and watched Smith and his team
do their thing.. It was truly, truly, a special time for all of us who had the opportunity
to watch Smith orchestrate and lead his talented team that included Jordan, Sam Perkins,
and Kenny Smith.

Our university, one of the most prestigious in the country, had a sterling reputation both
academically and athletically and that was due in large part to its unquestioned leader,
Dean Smith.

After he left in the 90's, the high standards he set for everyone at the university were
knocked down a notch. There were scandals, both academically and athletically, that's
stained the reputation of the school and there are some who feel Smith may have known
what was going on in the Af-Am "paper" classes scandal that went as far back as his
last few seasons on the sidelines.

I don't have all the facts so I'm not going to pull Smith into the net of the scandal. That's
for the experts to decide.

I do know that Dean Smith was loyal to his players and always had their best interests
at heart. Carolina wasn't a typical basketball factory that brought in great players
and just spit them out.

In today's college basketball world, just about every school makes "Midnight Madness" a
show of glitz and glamour. That never would've happened under Smith at UNC. He made
"Senior Night" the most special night of the year. Every senior, whether they played a minute
during the season or not, started the game.

It was Smith's way of saying 'thank you' for all their hard work and perseverance. Smith
often helped them find jobs in the real world and always made them feel part of the program
after they left.

I don't care how many wins or national titles Smith won or didn't win. It's irrelevant.
He built a model program and did it the right way. And when the school constructed a
a new basketball arena, they put his name on it while he was still coaching.

That is respect.

We cherished and respected Dean Smith when he was alive, today, we honor and
thank him for all he did for the Tar Heels.

THE BEAUTY OF MALCOLM BUTLER

Every once in a while an athlete comes along who captures our imagination and
inspires people to do great things. They overcome tremendous odds, reminding us
that anything is truly possible.

Mo'ne Davis did that during the Little League World Series, showing us that girls
could not only play with the boys in baseball, but dominate them. She opened the door
for a nation of girls who once thought it couldn't and made them believe that, yes, it
most definitely can.

Michael Oher did that as well. The subject of the book and movie,  The Blind Side, Oher
not only played big-time college football, but become a star in the NFL against all
odds.

As a teenager in Mississippi, he was poor, homeless, and uneducated, but with
the help of his adopted family and a belief in himself, Oher lived his dream of
playing professional football.

Malcolm Butler is today's inspiration. As a player who went to a small-time college
in Livingston, Alabama, Butler didn't have much growing up and put on the pads
realizing that no player from the University of West Alabama had ever made it to
the NFL. They don't even give out scholarships at Division II schools and if Butler
got a new pair of cleats to last him his entire career, he'd be considered really lucky.

Last Sunday, Butler not only played in the Super Bowl, but won it for the New England
Patriots with a stunning interception at the goal-line with 20 seconds to go. It will go
down as one of the greatest plays in the history of the Super Bowl and one that's made
Butler a hero in New England forever.

The interception in the Super Bowl marked the first one ever by an undrafted rookie
free-agent in the sports biggest game. That's right, Butler had two great years at West
Alabama, but when you play the likes of Shorter, West Georgia, Stillman, Cumberland,
and Miles College, it's  tough to get get noticed and have any NFL team take you seriously.

The Patriots did.

Chan Gailey, the former head coach of the Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills who was
out of the league at the time, coached Butler in an all-star game recommended Butler
to the Patriots because he thought they were the one team that would evaluate and give
an opportunity to a player no matter what level of college he played at.

The Patriots scouted Butler and signed him to a free-agent contract after the 2014 NFL
Draft concluded.

That was all Butler needed.

The rookie impressed coaches and teammates in training camp with his work ethic and
ball-hawking ability. Tom Brady said after the Super Bowl that Butler intercepted him
so many times, he wondered out loud who the heck he was and where he came from.

Butler was like a sponge with the coaches and veteran players, soaking up all their
knowledge and instruction.  When his number was called in the biggest game of the
season, Butler was ready.

On his brilliant interception, he recognized the formation of the Seahawks from practice
and film study. Butler had an idea that they were going to try to use a rub or a pick play
to free the receiver and get him into the end zone.

Butler timed it perfectly and seized the biggest opportunity of his life. The pass by
Russell Wilson was right on target, but Butler made a play that's defined his 23-year
old life. He beat the receiver to the ball simply because he wanted it more.

Butler was hungrier for it and made an interception that no one in Seattle or New England
will ever forget. It saved the game for the Patriots and ensured their legacy as one of
the best franchises in NFL history. It also brought Bill Belichick and Brady their elusive
and defining fourth Super Bowl victory.

Malcolm Butler, a player who got kicked off his junior college team as a freshman
and spent time working in a Popeyes Chicken restaurant, was now a real somebody.
He went to Disneyland, a place where fairy tales comes true, for being one of the
stars of the game. Brady wants to give Butler the truck he won as the game's MVP.

None of us thought an undrafted rookie free-agent could ever make this possible,
but Butler sure did. He is proof that no matter where you come from or how small
the school is you play for, it's OK to dream big. It's OK to believe in yourself when
nobody else really does.

Nobody really cared about Butler during the draft, but when it was over, the Patriots
made sure Butler knew they cared about him and boy, did it work out for everybody.

Adidas might want to line Butler up and re-make those "Impossible is nothing" commercials
because he is living proof that it most definitely is.