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Sports Columnists

Fowler: Can Jimmie Johnson take points lead at Charlotte?

Jimmie Johnson waits in his car before practice for Saturday's NASCAR Sprint Cup series auto race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., Friday, Oct. 11, 2013.

Jimmie Johnson won five straight Chases for the year-end title from 2006-2010, earning him the nickname “Five-Time.” But he hasn’t won the Chase either of the past two seasons. The Charlotte race may be the key.

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Archive by category ''Sports Columnists

LUKE DECOCK

DeCock: Triangle teams suddenly have QB questions

Because of injuries, NC State, UNC and Duke enter next game not exactly sure who’s going to start at quarterback.
TOM SORENSEN

Sorensen: Kenseth reveals some of side rarely seen

CONCORD Matt Kenseth is a public figure who doesn’t like to speak publicly. But he’s a star race car driver, and stars talk. Thursday he’ll read “Go Dog Go” to kindergartners at a Charlotte-area school.
LUKE DECOCK

DeCock: Tar Heels still paying price for timing of Davis firing

The decision to fire Butch Davis on the eve of the 2011 season already wasted one football season at North Carolina, and it threatens to gobble up a second and possibly a third.
TOM SORENSEN

Sorensen: Dismissal marks new era for Armanti Edwards, Panthers

The Carolina Panthers cut Armanti Edwards. In a statement move, general manager Dave Gettleman cut him Tuesday. It was a statement because why else would you cut him?
WAKE FOREST

Jacobs: Grobe and Wake Forest gain some breathing room

Wake Forest's decisive win against NC State did more than improve Wake's season record to 3-3 on the heels of what Grobe called "an embarrassing" 56-7 demolition at Clemson. The immediate impact went beyond the extension of a home winning streak against the Wolfpack to six straight, or raising Grobe...
LUKE DECOCK

DeCock: Hurricanes' Dvorak doing more than scoring

Veteran forward Radek Dvorak had to earn a contract in training camp, but the 36-year-old is making an impact with the Carolina Hurricanes. Beyond his two goals in two games, he's helping young players like Jeff Skinner find their way.
SCOTT FOWLER

Fowler: Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte explains his move to Charlotte

Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte tells The Charlotte Observer why he is moving to Charlotte in an exclusive interview.
LUKE DECOCK

DeCock: Khudobin debut gives Hurricanes the right kind of goalie problem

Anton Khudobin was solid in a 2-1 debut win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday. That creates some interesting questions going forward in net, after Cam Ward played well in Friday’s opening loss.
LUKE DECOCK

DeCock: Wake Forest’s Grobe has old welcome for new rival

N.C. State’s Dave Doeren became the seventh in-state coach to lose his first meeting against Wake Forest’s Jim Grobe as the embattled Wake coach rallied his team for a 28-13 win.
SCOTT FOWLER

Fowler: Carolina Panthers must win next close game to maintain momentum

Although Panther fans have exulted for two weeks about the 38-0 win against the New York Giants, now comes the time where Carolina must prove it is a good team and not just an up-and-down one.