After thumbing through some old media guides, I finally determined he was thinking of Armando Benitez.

So, at least on my last day of work, I made one person happy.

No doubt, my involuntary departure from The Sun Tuesday will make some other people happy, too. Over the years, through a couple of stints of writing a sports media column and, more recently, a blog, I often have been told what a moron I am and how I’ve wasted a reader’s time with my drivel. (I did like hearing from one commenter about how it was my "dribble" that was so offending. If this guy had ever seen me play basketball, he would have known just how right he was.)

There was even the occasional local media personality who found it much easier to dole out criticism of those in the sports world than to receive some critical words himself.

Unlike Mark McGwire, I am here to talk about the past. This layoff came on roughly my 24th anniversary of arriving at The Sun.

I was originally hired as a sports desk slot man, a job in which one serves as the last editing eyes on type before it is printed in the newspaper, before being promoted to different editing duties. Since getting into the newspaper business in 1979, most of my time has been spent as a sports editor of one kind or another. It was always my goal to make the game stories, columns and features that went through my hands as clear, informative and accurate as possible. I wanted headlines and captions to reflect the tone of articles to which they were attached. And though there were times I had to take a writer’s prose and turn it into English, I never thought it was my job to make his or her story read as if I had written it.

I hope, even as the world of journalism -- sports journalism in particular -- continues to shake out, that there continues to be a place for those who take care of the words. 

The on-air individuals honored:

Studio host: Bob Costas

Play by play: Jim Nantz

Studio analyst: Terry Bradshaw, Tom Jackson

Event analyst: Cris Collinsworth

A few comments: Good to see Jackson recognized. He has been the best thing about ESPN's NFL studio coverage for a long time. ... Bradshaw? Not so much. ... How about Jay Bilas for a share of the studio Emmy? ... You would expect to see NBC leading the way after an Olympic year. 

Here is the last mock by ESPN's Todd McShay (through No. 16). He also had Oher going at 10.

For those of you keeping score, each correctly predicted seven of the top 16, with McShay getting the first four up until the Jets-Browns trade at No. 5 and being right on six of the first eight.

So who's the more provincial in radio coverage of the NFL draft, Philadelphia or Baltimore?

I was listening to Philadelphia's all-sports station, WIP, after the Eagles had picked Jeremy Maclin, the Missouri wide receiver, in the first round. That was all I heard about over the next hour-plus. Not a mention of players being selected by other teams during that time.

Later on the drive (let's not even discuss the turnpike traffic), when we got in range of WBAL, I heard the station's draft program, and Gerry Sandusky kept updating the players being taken (by then, it was the second round), not solely focusing on the Ravens.

And, in Maryland, the only toll I had to pay was heading north over the Tydings Bridge.

# # #

Years ago, I had the pleasure of sitting in the booth with Jon Miller as he called an Orioles game on radio. He kept a little egg timer in front of him, something he had read about from the great Red Barber. When the sand would run out, it was a reminder to give the score again.

Somebody give one to Fred Manfra. Tuning in on the same drive, we were looking for an update on the Orioles game after having been listening to the draft. We had to wait through several minutes, until the half-inning ended, before getting one.

If the likes of Barber and Miller don't think you end up repeating the score too often, then it sounds like a pretty good idea to me. 

Very impressive. Except that the time -- like those assigned to just about all football players -- is probably best described by a word that used to be referred to as "a barnyard epithet." In other words, wrong.

No one is arguing Heyward-Bey isn't fast, but is he faster than the 'roided-up Ben Johnson was at the 1988 Olympics? Track experts figured out that when Johnson made his gold-medal-for-the-moment run, he covered 40 yards in 4.38. This piece about 40 times is four years old but well done and worth reading for NFL fans fed these inaccurate times by the league and the media.

# # # 

On a gorgeous afternoon in the New America, the Sun pickup basketball game resumed. For the record, six appeared: Pesky Andy, Stevie G., B-Hop, Mr. Jones, Dead Man Walking and (making his debut) The Donald. It wasn't too bad for our first outing, until the dreaded injury happened. Pesky Andy was tripped up by Mr. Jones and went sprawling on the blacktop, his hand landing under his body and his face smacking the ground. Early diagnosis: sprained hand and scraped, bloody patches on his face.

Photo: Getty Images 

That's not to say you won't hear plenty of Ravens and Orioles talk during 1370's local shows, but I'd be curious to know how many listeners are drawn to the station by the NBA and NHL presence.

Anyway, Stephen A. Smith is leaving ESPN. Before Smith confirmed the news, it was reported by The Big Lead (warning: typically salty language in the comments).

I always found Smith best in small doses, useful for presenting contrarian positions  but usually far too dismissive of opposing points of view. Still, Smith vs. Skip Bayless on First Take was a great way to waste five minutes of your time.

For a look at more of the folks who would be King, go to the station's Web site. 

In a related story, Frank Caliendo just put his house up for sale.

NBC Sports Chairman Dick Ebersol announced today that John Madden, Hall of Fame coach and the most honored broadcaster in sports television history, has decided to retire from broadcasting.

Madden issued the following statement today:

It's time. I'm 73 years old.  My 50th wedding anniversary is this fall. I have two great sons and their families and my five grandchildren are at an age now when they know when I'm home and, more importantly, when I'm not...

It's been such a great ride... the NFL has been my life for more than 40 years, it has been my passion – it still is.  I appreciate all of the people who are and were such an important part of the most enjoyable, most fun anyone could have... that great life with the teams, the players, the coaches, the owners, the League... my broadcasting partners Pat and Al... the production people and the fans...is still great... it's still fun and that's what it makes it hard and that's why it took me a few months to make a decision.

I still love every part of it – the travel, the practices, the game film, the games, seeing old friends and meeting new people... but I know this is the right time.