If 2022 reminded the Eagle-Tribune sports staff — myself included — anything, it’s to savior every moment you have with those you care about.
Just as the calendar was about to turn to 2022, we were forced to say goodbye to our prolific sportswriter Dave “Duffy” Dyer, who was struck with a serious illness that forced him to step away from the job he was so passionate about.
Then, just six months later, we lost beloved Eagle-Tribune sportswriter/editor Mike Muldoon, who passed away tragically and suddenly due to a heart condition.
Both were unexpected and devastating for all involved. and make no mistake, sports in the Merrimack Valley and Southern New Hampshire will never be quite the same without those two — not just for their nearly 80 years of high school sports knowledge, but for the tremendous passion for the work, and the student-athletes that we cover.
When singer Warren Zevon made his final appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman, having been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, he advised his friend to, “Enjoy every sandwich.” I try to do that now — and enjoy every Dunkin’ ice coffee for Mike.
Let’s all hope 2023 is a great one, with far less loss. Here are my Christmas wishes for the upcoming year:
— For my daughter to fall in love with sports. In the last year, she’s grown from a tiny baby to a 1-year-old toddler with a fierce and wonderful personality. But that also means the TV has gone from sports every night to endless rewatches of “Finding Nemo,” “Frozen” and the Australian kids show “Bluey” (which I actually kind of love). I’ll be happy with whatever ends up making her happy, but I am holding out hope she inherits the passionate love of sports from my wife and I.
— A healthy Dave Dyer. Not a day goes by that we don’t miss “Duffy” and everything he brought to the newspaper and beyond. Here’s hoping the new year brings him health and happiness in whatever he’s doing.
— No more COVID! I’ve had it three times. My wife and daughter (who, again, is 1-year-old) have each had it twice. Enough already.
— For the Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots to figure it out. The Patriots have stunk for three years and the Red Sox are acting like a small market team that can’t pay for talent. Get your heads on straight!
— A return of the Super 8. I know it’s too late for at least this year, but anyone that experience the Super 8 hockey tournament knows how fantastic it was.
— A healthy Mark McGinn. The only coach Salem (N.H.) High varsity hockey has ever known was diagnosed with cancer last winter. Truly one of the good guys of the sport, and a heck of a coach, here’s looking forward to seeing Mark around the rink for years to come.
— More Dan Roche on the radio. I need as much positivity as I can find, especially in the mornings when I can be a grouch. and no one is more up-beat than Andover resident and North Andover native Roche. Whenever the veteran sportscaster appears on “Toucher and Rich” on 98.5 The Sports Hub in the morning, it sends me towards an “All Positive Day,” as he says. I need that in my life.
— A long pro football career for Pat Freiermuth. The former Eagle-Tribune football MVP, Brooks/Pentucket star and current Pittsburgh Steeler tight end suffered his third official concussion in two NFL seasons in October. That’s a scary number. Hopefully those problems won’t grow, and he’ll continue his productive NFL career.
— For E.J. Perry IV to see the field in an NFL game. All accounts are he’s had a very successful season on the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad. But I want to see him have his shot in an NFL game somewhere, for some team, at some point. If Brock Purdy can win games for the 49ers, E.J. can do it.
— A national title run for the Merrimack College men’s hockey team. After so many years of struggles, how amazing would it be to see Merrimack really threaten for a title? I would love it just for how happy it would make our college hockey writer, Mike McMahon.
— An NBA home for Haverhill’s Noah Vonleh. Maybe it’s in Boston, where he’s currently serving as a backup bigman. Maybe it’s somewhere else. But the journeyman deserves his shot.
— To see Chuck Adamopoulos around the football sidelines. The longtime Central Catholic head coach retired at the close of the 2022 season, but I can’t imagine high school football in the Merrimack Valley without perhaps its most colorful and humorous figure. I somehow doubt he’ll leave the football world entirely, and I look forward to further encounters.
— A return of the Lowell Spinners. Maybe with the Red Sox or maybe with another organization. That team meant so much to me and so many others.
— A national title trip for Michigan star Zak Zinter of North Andover. They’re one win away, after falling in the semifinals last year. Make it happen this year.
— Finally, more athletic directors like Methuen’s Matt Curran, North Andover’s Steve Nugent, Pentucket’s Dan Thornton, Central Catholic’s Zach Blaszak and other that truly care and work for their athletes.
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