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2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/17508 | OSU prepares for big game against Baylor
STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) Mike Gundy isn't worried about his team focusing this week despite all the hype that comes with being part of the Big 12's game of the season.
After six straight wins, No. 11 Oklahoma State (9-1, 6-1 Big 12) will host No. 3 Baylor (9-0, 6-0) on Saturday in a showdown with league title and BCS ramifications.
Beating Baylor will be a significant challenge because the Bears have averaged 61 points per game (57 per Big 12 contest) and have not won any game by fewer than 10 points.
"We got our work cut out for us this week, playing the best team in the league," Gundy said Monday. "Baylor's pretty much had their way with everybody they've played this year, I think everybody would agree with that. They're very deserving of being ranked third or fourth in the country. A lot of credit goes to them, so it should be a lot of fun Saturday night."
While some might be concerned about the hype overwhelming them or having too many distractions with ESPN's College Gameday show in town, Gundy said he isn't worried.
"This is a good group, we've got good leadership," Gundy said. "I think they understand what our strengths are, what our weaknesses are. They realize the importance of last night's preparation, tomorrow's preparation. We're not good enough to look past one day and I think everyone understands that."
The players are thrilled to have the opportunity to show what they're capable of, now that they've earned back some national recognition, and vow not to be intimidated by all the attention.
"I don't think it's any pressure or nervousness, a lot of guys have been through this before the last two years, playing in big games," senior offensive lineman Parker Graham said. "I'm just really excited for it. Gameday's going to be here, and that's a really big deal for this fan base, so it's going to be a lot of fun. We're just going to go out there, put together our best game plan, and try to come out with a win."
Following a loss at West Virginia, it might have been difficult to envision the Cowboys still having a shot to win their second Big 12 championship in three years, but the team has improved every week since then - particularly the offense after senior Clint Chelf took over at quarterback and junior Desmond Roland assumed primary running back duties about four weeks ago.
"We never really got down after West Virginia, we kind of threw that away," said senior receiver Charlie Moore, who recorded a season-high six receptions and 83 yards, along with a touchdown, in Saturday's win at Texas. "We knew that wasn't who we really were. Gundy did a great job of getting us focused on our next game and we started building from there. We learned from our mistakes, learned from what we were doing well, and it's got us to where we are now."
And while the path wasn't quite the one anyone anticipated, Oklahoma State is playing for the Big 12 title, just like the pundits predicted before the season.
"People had an idea of who we were, and that's who we knew we were," Moore said. "We had a little slip-up, but we didn't let it stop us and we just kept that vision, kept that identity of who we knew we were and just kept working on it."
Now that the goal is finally within sight, they will not be content with simply getting this far. The Cowboys say they intend to beat Baylor.
"It's going to be sold out, packed, people everywhere," said junior safety Lyndell Johnson. "Everybody was talking all week about if we win and Baylor wins, we get College Gameday. Well, we did and we got it now, and yeah, it's fun, but for us, we got a job to do, we got to win. We got to go out there and make it fun for everybody and get the W."
Copyright 2013. Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/17536 | Baltimore’s City vs. Poly High School Match-up -- More Than a Football Game
Continues 125-Year Old Rivalry
by Blair AdamsAFRO Staff Writer Click on the photo to view additional Photos.
Game (Courtesy Photo)
As the crowd of fans, students, educators and alumni began to swirl into M&T Bank Stadium on Nov. 9, it was clear that more was at stake in this football game than a win-loss record and a berth in the Baltimore city championship playoff. When Baltimore City College and Baltimore Polytechnic Institute meet on the football field in November, it’s about tradition. The City-Poly game is second only to the Boston Latin vs. English High football match-up in Boston among the longest-running rivalries in high school football. The Boston game dates back to 1887, while the Baltimore rivalry got started two years later, in 1889.
“This keeps the spirit alive,” said Donnae Bushrod, City class of 1990. “The City/Poly game is the opportunity to restart the connection that you had with your fellow classmates,”
In the mid-1870’s City was the first high school in the Baltimore area to play football—which meant no other school was on their level. The rivalry began when City and Poly played their first football game together in 1889, but City won the first 12 meetings, from 1889 to 1900. Even today, City students still boast of having the best high school football team.
Both City and Poly held pep rallies and events leading up to the big game, but some pushed the rivalry beyond innocent competition. Before the November 9 Saturday game, City students used spray paint in one of their school colors—orange—to vandalize Poly’s walls. The culprits marked their territory and wrote, “F___ Poly. City, City, City.” According to some students, Poly’s doors were also vandalized, but someone removed the writing on the walls just in time for game day.
“[Back] then the battle between the two schools was innocent and fun,” said Bernita Bellamy, 45, Poly class of 1986. “We weren’t into fighting or disrespecting each other.”
Over the past four decades, the rivalry between the two schools has grown beyond the game of football, making the two archenemies in other sports and competitions.
“It’s school spirit, why wouldn’t you attend,” said Jaelyn Moses, 16, a junior at Poly who has never missed a football game. “It’s a lot of fun.”
She said City and Poly students talk a lot of trash, but she believes it’s all innocent fun. The three-day festivities this year kicked off Nov. 7 with a skate party at Orchard Skateland in Towson, several happy hours at Club 347 and Midtown BBQ & Brew on Nov. 8, and the 4th annual Tailgate immediately after the game at the nearby Hawkeye Construction Parking Lot. The tailgate drew in several graduating classes ranging from the late 1970’s to the late 1990’s. Among the attendees were former football players and friends who haven’t seen each other since graduation. Ricky Westbrook, 60, class of 1973, played varsity football for City. He said he comes to the game and tailgate every year and always sees a lot of people he attended school with. “There is a lot of fellowship,” he said. He said attending the “Castle on the Hill” has a lot of history and tradition that lie within the school. “This all began over 100 years ago and it still continues,” Westbrook said. “City has been ranked one of the top schools academically and for athletes in the country, it means a lot for the community.”
Bellamy said the event is an annual highlight that brings a lot of people together for a “lot of love.”
Some of that love may have been lost by the final whistle, as this year, City claimed another win over their arch-rival, 36-14. | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/17546 | A golfer with a third heart and plenty of grit
Posted: Wednesday, August 28, 2013 11:19 p.m.
AP Photo/Mel Evans
Erik Compton walks on the on the first hole during the final round of The Barclays.
NORTON, Mass. — More than any other PGA Tour player, Erik Compton can do without the additional stress.
But there he was again last Friday, two shots over the cut line with two holes to play at The Barclays, needing to make the cut to at least have an outside chance of moving on to the next tournament in the FedEx Cup playoffs. He already had played 31 holes that day because of a rain delays, and his tank was empty.
But his heart? No one questions that.
This is the scrappy Florida kid who took up golf after a heart transplant when he was 12. The same guy who suffered a heart attack in 2007 and, with his heart pumping at 15 percent capacity and his foot on the accelerator, drove himself to the hospital while calling everyone to tell them he loved them because he thought it was over. He had his second heart transplant six months later.
He went birdie-birdie at The Barclays to make the cut.
“Some guys focus like every hole is the last hole. And I need to play like that every week,” Compton said. “Your energy level plays a major factor in how you think. Sucking it up, basically that’s what I’ve been doing my life – figuring out how to play golf when you’re not at your best.”
Two days later, Compton was 3 under for the final round and projected to be inside the top 100 in the FedEx Cup to advance to the Deutsche Bank Championship. He made bogey. Then another one. And then he chipped into the water on the 16th and faced a 10-foot putt for bogey.
More stress he didn’t need. More clutch golf he always seems to deliver. He made the bogey putt, made a birdie putt on the next hole from the same distance and then saved par on the final hole with a 5-foot putt that allowed him to head north to the TPC Boston this week.
“Everyone says I’m going to give them a heart attack,” Compton said, smiling at his metaphor. “But I’ve already had a couple of those.”
Compton is on his third heart and has an endless supply of perspective. After going through a second transplant, and showing off a scar that runs the length of his chest, he once said, “I’ve been dead twice.”
The next day, the 33-year-old Compton was on “CBS This Morning” with Jeff Glor, talking about his amazing life and his work with Donate Life America and Genentech to raise awareness of organ donation and transplants.
“I guess my story’s like a movie,” Compton said. “It’s not a made-up story, but it’s real. It just doesn’t faze me anymore. We all have issues, right?”
“Yeah, but this is a pretty big one – with all due respect,” Glor said as the audience laughed.
“Yeah, but I trade some of the bad issues and bad things that have happened,” Compton replied. “I have a lot of great things.”
He has a wife and a daughter. He has a job on the PGA Tour, right alongside Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson and Rory McIlroy. And that might be the most amazing thing of all in his remarkable life. Through it all, Compton earned his way to the highest level of golf.
And this year, for the first time, he stayed there.
He first reached the big leagues in 2012 through the Nationwide Tour money list. He lost his card and went back to Q-school, surviving six rounds to get back to the PGA Tour. Going into the Deutsche Bank Championship, which starts Friday, his ranking is three spots behind Ernie Els, two spots ahead of Justin Leonard. He belongs.
Trouble is, that’s not how Compton views his job.
The public tends to look at him as a sympathetic figure, a walking miracle with two heart transplants and a PGA Tour card.
Compton sees himself as a golfer who would be more inclined to celebrate a victory than merely keeping his card. It was like that at the Honda Classic this year when he tied for fourth for his first top-10 finish on the PGA Tour. Everyone wanted to pat him on the head. He was kicking himself in the rear for a bogey on the last hole.
“It seems like a bit of tug-of-war going on inside there,” said Scott Piercy, who played with Compton last weekend. “He knows he’s living a dream. I think a little in his mind it’s like, ‘OK, I’m lucky to be here.’ But I know a competitor lurks in there, too. Because at the end of the day, there’s a lot of fight in that kid, for sure. He wants to win.”
Compton understands that. He says he’ll be at home, sitting alone on the couch, and his wife will ask him what’s going through his mind. His answer more times than not: How to get better. How to win.
“I want to be a top 50 player in the world,” Compton said. “I have to keep getting better. I’m bound to have a win and have a good season. It’s not impossible. I have a good swing. The guys out here are really, really good. But I’m really good, too. I’m not just a dead guy walking.”
He does not take his position lightly. Compton has given countless hours to “Donate Life America” to get out the message that kids are waiting every day for an organ to survive. He already was planning to be in the Boston area this week to speak about it. And now he gets to play golf, and even greater platform.
It will take another big week for him to advance to the third playoff event in Chicago. But at least it’s a chance.
“I want to see how far I can go,” Compton said. “I see a win in my future – next week, next year.”
And then he grinned.
“There’s only 99 guys I have to beat, right?” | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/17587 | Henri Lansbury... in action for West Ham at the weekend Lansbury signs contract extension with Club
Arsenal Football Club has today announced that Henri Lansbury has signed a contract extension with the Club.The 20-year-old midfielder, currently on loan with Championship side West Ham United, has reaffirmed his future to the Gunners after signing an extension to the contract he originally penned in December 2009.The Enfield-born youngster featured twice for Arsenal this term before sealing a season-long move to Upton Park on transfer deadline day. Lansbury got off to a flying start with the Hammers at the weekend, netting on his debut as Sam Allardyce’s side defeated Portsmouth 4-3.An England Under-21 international, he featured in this summer’s European Championships in Denmark and scored for the Three Lions in their recent 4-1 qualifying victory over Israel. He has also captained his country at Under-19 and Under-16 level.Everyone at Arsenal looks forward to Henri’s continued contribution with the Club in the coming seasons.
Copyright 2014 The Arsenal Football Club plc. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.arsenal.com as the source 13 Sep 2011 | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/17611 | Barry UniversityIntercollegiate AthleticsSSC Basketball Tourney Gets New Home
SSC Basketball Tourney Gets New Home
SSC Basketball Tourney Gets New HomePosted On : July 10, 2012ShareTweetShareShareSend to a FriendxShare via Email
Copy meEmail addresses will be used for mail delivery only. The information about the page will apear after your message:SSC Basketball Tourney Gets New Home
2013 tournament marks major change for the championship
Silver Spur Arena in Kissimmee, Fla., new home for the SSC Basketball ChampionshipsWINTER PARK, Fla.--The Sunshine State Conference, in partnership with the Central Florida Sports Commission and Kissimmee Convention & Visitors Bureau, has announced that the 2013 Sunshine State Conference Basketball Championship will be held at the Silver Spurs Arena in Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Fla. The event will be held March 6-10, 2013.All nine SSC member institutions' men's and women's basketball teams will compete in the SSC Championship. Opening-round games will be conducted Wednesday, March 6. The quarterfinals will be held on Thursday, March 7, and Friday, March 8. Both the men's and women's semifinals will be played Saturday, March 9. Semifinal winners will advance to the championship finals on Sunday, March 10.The 2013 tournament will mark the first time since 2007 that all 18 SSC men's and women's basketball teams will compete in the tournament. The event will be hosted at a neutral facility for the first time since 2001. The SSC Basketball Championship was hosted at The Lakeland Center from 1995-2001 and had been conducted at campus sites since that time."We are thrilled to partner with the Central Florida Sports Commission and Kissimmee Convention & Visitors Bureau to bring our basketball tournament to a neutral site and have all nine men's and all nine women's teams participate," SSC Commissioner Jay Jones said. "The event will be a fun weekend for basketball fans and, hopefully, will become an annual tradition for fans around the state. It will provide a great tip-off to the excitement of college basketball in March.""The Central Florida Sports Commission has partnered with the Sunshine State Conference, not only on previous conference championships, but also at the national level with the NCAA," John Bisignano, President and CEO for the Central Florida Sports Commission, said. "We are honored to co-host the men's and women's basketball championship in Kissimmee, and we look forward to continually building on this relationship."The Silver Spurs Arena features a maximum basketball seating capacity of 8,000 and boasts chair back seating throughout the facility. The arena is part of the 120-acre Osceola Heritage Park Complex, which also contains a 60,000-square foot exhibition center and Osceola County Stadium - spring training home of the Houston Astros - as part of the complex. Osceola Heritage Park has served as host to numerous events since it opened in 2003, including concerts, trade shows, rodeos, family shows, and numerous sporting events."We are very excited to host these prestigious collegiate basketball championships," said Don Miers, Sports Development Director for the Kissimmee CVB, which serves as Osceola County's tourism marketing department. "We sincerely hope the players and coaches enjoy success and fall in love with our Osceola County Heritage Park so that it becomes home to their tournament for years to come!"The SSC Basketball Championship will provide an estimated economic impact of more than $110,000 for the Kissimmee area in participants alone. Fan attendance and interaction throughout the community during the week of the event will further boost the local economy.Located in Winter Park, the Sunshine State Conference is the only NCAA conference headquartered in the state of Florida. Its nine member institutions, all located within the state, are: Barry University (Miami Shores), Eckerd College (St. Petersburg), Florida Southern College (Lakeland), Florida Institute of Technology (Melbourne), Lynn University (Boca Raton), Nova Southeastern University (Ft. Lauderdale), Rollins College (Winter Park), Saint Leo University (Saint Leo), and the University of Tampa.The SSC sponsors 16 intercollegiate sports that compete in NCAA Division II. More than 2,000 student-athletes participate in men's and women's cross country, men's and women's soccer, volleyball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's swimming, men's and women's golf, men's and women's tennis, baseball, softball, and women's rowing.SSC schools have won 78 NCAA Division II national championships, and the league is the top-rated academic conference in Division II. | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/17626 | About BHSU News & Events Campus Currents
Search BHSU alumnus helping keep Fighting Irish healthy for more than 20 years
By BHSU Communications | January 29, 2013 Mike Bean has always been a fan of the University of Notre Dame athletics, especially football, so when the Black Hills State University alumnus got an internship in Notre Dame’s sports medicine department, he was fulfilling a dream. That was in 1990. Today, Bean is still at Notre Dame and is now an assistant athletic trainer for the Fighting Irish football team which just finished one of its most successful seasons in decades with a 12-0 record. “I was actually very fortunate to have the opportunity to come here,” he said. “It was a chance to build my resume and to fulfill a little bit of a dream.” After his internship ended, a permanent position became available and Bean was hired as a full-time trainer for Notre Dame. Bean has since moved up the ladder.
In the beginning of his career with Notre Dame, Bean served as the athletic trainer for the university’s baseball, women’s soccer, men’s soccer, hockey, and men’s and women’s tennis teams. He has been a trainer with the football team since 1995.
Originally from Belle Fourche, Bean began his studies at BHSU. He spent three years at BHSU before transferring to Southwest Missouri State in 1989 to pursue athletic training. While at BHSU he worked with the football, wrestling and basketball teams as an athletic trainer. BHSU coaches Dave Little and Walt Cook first introduced Bean to the possibility of athletic training as a career. “They were two of the best mentors I had as far as my education – they got me to where I am now,” he said. Aside from being an assistant athletic trainer for Notre Dame football, Bean also supervises the student-athletic trainer program and serves on the Big East Conference Sports Medicine Committee. While he has been the athletic trainer for a variety of Notre Dame sports, it is the football program where Bean has found his home. “This day and age it is a year-round sport. You are always doing something,” Bean said. “There is a small window of a couple weeks when the players aren’t on campus doing some kind of work. You spend an enormous amount of time with them.” As an athletic trainer, Bean is involved with anything related to the health of the athlete, whether it is monitoring the day-to-day treatment of injuries or referring a player to one of the team doctors. “It is always a challenge and something that is new every day,” he said. “There is a lot of satisfaction in seeing these guys get well and helping them return to their pre-injury state and get back on the field. I think the biggest thing is that, at the end of the day, you are helping (the players) pursue their goals and aspirations.“
“Being a part of a unique team and organization is a special feeling too,” Bean said. “There are a lot of people behind the scenes that make a football program work - sports medicine is part of that.” Bean live sin South Bend, Ind., with his wife, Colleen, and two daughters, Taylor and Courtney. Posted in: Alumni, Athletics, Campus Currents, Home News | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/17637 | 2011-12 Archive 2010-11 Archive
Home > In Focus > In Focus Oklahoma State Student Athlete Spotlight: Yevgen Bondarchuk
By Austin ChappellBig 12 Campus Correspondent
Yevgen Bondarchuk has spent the last 12 years at Oklahoma State as a player and assistant coach for the men’s tennis team.
Those who know him, however, know him as much more than an everyday “assistant.”
“I’ve been very happy to have Yevgen as our assistant coach,” Oklahoma State men’s tennis coach Jay Udwadia said. “He’s a talented recruiter that possesses great knowledge for the game. Yevgen’s experience has given the Oklahoma State tennis program enormous amounts of success, and he could easily be a head coach at an established program.”
In those 11 years as a Cowboy, Bondarchuk has earned a college degree in economics, gotten married, had a son and established countless amounts of relationships with members of the Oklahoma State family.
Despite the memories and friends he has accumulated, though, Bondarchuk’s dreams and aspirations have pushed him to pursue a career away from Stillwater. After he finishes his duties as an assistant coach this season, Bondarchuk and his family are moving to Dallas so he can begin his career as a tennis instructor.
“It’s going to be very hard to leave here,” Bondarchuk said. “I am going to miss a lot of people, but my family and I are ready to start something new.”
Bondarchuk has received interest from several country clubs in Dallas, including the Four Seasons, one of the top 20 tennis resorts in the world according to Tennis Resorts Online. Yet, wherever he chooses to go, he will still reflect on his experiences at OSU.
A native of Kiev, Ukraine, Bondarchuk came to Oklahoma State during the 2003 season as a recruit under former head coach James Wadley, who coached the Cowboys for 40 years before retiring at the conclusion of the 2012 season.
Wadley said Bondarchuk made an immediate impact on the tennis program as a player and coach by improving team chemistry and recruiting some of Europe’s best young talent.
“Yevgen gives the players confidence and always seems to say the right things,” Wadley said. The players like to have him on the court in the heat of battle. He is also arguably one of the best recruiters in the country as an assistant coach.”
Bondarchuk spent a majority of his playing career at Nos. 1 and 2 singles and doubles, compiling a 22-20 career singles record and a 22-15 doubles mark. He helped the team to consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, including a trip to the Sweet 16 in 2003.
After his successful playing career, Bondarchuk joined Wadley on the coaching staff as a full-time assistant. The two led the Cowboys to six straight NCAA Tournament appearances, highlighted by another Sweet 16 run in 2007.
As soon as he began his coaching career, Yevgen’s recruiting presence then helped the program bring in one of the best tennis players in OSU history, Oleksandr Nedovyesov. The Ukraine native had arguably the most successful career for any Cowboy on the courts, earning Big 12 Player of the Year honors and achieving the coveted ITA National Player of the Year award.
Coaching had become a mainstay for Bondarchuk, and the team was thriving off he and Wadley’s success.
“There’s nothing I would rather do than coach,” Bondarchuk said. “It has always been my dream to coach ever since my playing career was finished.”
However, international work visa issues kept Bondarchuk from pursuing other career opportunities. They also kept his wife from getting a job in Stillwater. With a growing son, the family needed more support than what Bondarchuk was receiving from an assistant coaching job.
The opportunity for a more supportive career arose when Wadley retired in 2012. As an assistant for more than six years, Bondarchuk was immediately considered as a candidate for the head-coaching job.
Although Udwadia was eventually hired for the position, Bondarchuk was supportive of the newcomer’s role.
“Jay is an outstanding tennis coach,” Bondarchuk said. “He deserved the job. I couldn’t be happier to be his assistant.”
During the 2013 spring tennis season, Bondarchuk and his wife were finally given permission by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services to pursue other careers. He sent his resume to country clubs in the Dallas area, and immediately received interest.
Now, Bondarchuk has his choice of where he will take his family and start a new path in his career. He will still be coaching tennis players, some younger than before, and will still be surrounded by the sport he has loved since his childhood.
“I can’t wait to find out what my family and I will experience in Dallas with my new job,” Bondarchuk said. “But I will always come back to Oklahoma State. I will be a Cowboy for life.”
< Back to In Focus | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/17660 | Flashback Friday: Tim Johnson
Image courtesy of The Star
It sounds like the plot ripped straight out of a dark comedy; a manager weaves some tales about wartime experiences to motivate his team. Only they find out down the road that it was all a hoax.
Most people probably wished it was just fiction, but the whole situation played out in real life. For this week's Flashback Friday, we take a look at Tim Johnson's controversial and short-lived stint as manager for the Toronto Blue Jays.
Johnson's career with the Blue Jays began as a player, as he actually had a brief stint in Blue Jays uniform during the 1978-1979 seasons. Tim Johnson retired as a player following the 1979 season, and then bounced around as a scout and minor league coach.
Ultimately, an opening as the manager of the Toronto Blue Jays presented itself after Cito Gaston was fired following the 1997 season. Tim Johnson was brought on as the successor to Cito, as he guided the Blue Jays to a highly respectable 88-74 record in his first year as manager. But something didn't quite feel right in Blue Jays land ... there began to be rumblings that Tim Johnson wasn't quite who he appeared to be. Or at least, who he lead people to believe he was and what he experienced. It was revealed that Johnson lied about horrific experiences in Vietnam, when in fact there was no truth to them at all. And not only did Tim Johnson fabricate lies about his experiences in Vietnam, but he also lied about being an All-American basketball player who turned down a chance to play for UCLA. One of the incidents in question was when Tim Johnson opted to use Rogers Clemens instead of Pat Hentgen to pitch a series finale in Boston. After Hentgen responded unfavourably, Johnson quipped back saying something to the effect of "you don't know anything about tough spots ... pressure is in Vietnam."
Of all people, it was actually Roger Clemens who discovered Tim Johnson's secret. At the time, Clemens was a good friend of Johnson; and knowing of his wartime stories and that he was a big motorcycle fan, wanted to get him a present any veteran would be honoured to receive - a motorcycle helmet featuring the logo of his combat unit.
Roger Clemens asked around trying to gather some background info on Tim Johnson, to no avail. Clemens even went as far as to ask Johnson's wife, but she apparently knew nothing about it. And that was the beginning of the end of Tim Johnson's time with the Blue Jays.
Word got out quickly that Johnson spun a web of lies about his service time in order to instill motivation into his players. One would have thought that would have ended Johnson's time with the Blue Jays right then and there, but that's not what happened.
General Manager Gord Ash gave Tim Johnson the option to either resign or apologize. Johnson chose the latter, and remained on as the Blue Jays manager through the off-season. But the distractions became too much, as he was let go during Spring Training 1999.
Along with Pat Hentgen and Ed Sprague, Tim Johnson was also rumoured to have a tumultuous relationship with Blue Jays pitching coach Mel Queen. The two did not see eye-to-eye, which would create volatile environment for any organization.
Interestingly enough, after all these years, Tim Johnson has landed on his feet and is making a living as a manager in the minors and winter ball. For a while, he coached the Mexico City team, and most recently took over as manager for the El Paso Diablos.
There are others who are interested in telling the Tim Johnson's side, as there is currently a feature film in the words entitled "El Diablo: The Tim Johnson Story". The video below is a 10-minute teaser which I highly recommend you watch.
Make no mistake ... what Tim Johnson did was unforgivable. Fabricating a lie about serving in Vietnam in order to motivate players is pretty damn low. But watching that video above, I can't help but feel bad for the guy.
Tim Johnson obviously loves to coach, and that's why he continues to manage independent league teams today. He may never coach in the Major Leagues ever again, but one thing's for sure ... Johnson has a passion for the game of baseball.
And that's one thing Tim Johnson will never have to apologize for.
Flashback Friday,
manager,
DDSeptember 7, 2012 at 12:04 PMFirst off thanks for the laugh. I remember when this sorry tale was playing out. I wasn't a fan of Johnson's while he was manager but wasn't too keen on Cito back then either for the way he treated Shawn Green. Considering the number of people who lost their lives in Vietnam for Johnson to make up tales about being there was shameful. I just can't muster any empathy for him. But for FF it does us good to look back on the not so positive as well as the good times. I really do appreciate these posts.ReplyDeleteRepliesIan - BJHSeptember 7, 2012 at 1:35 PMIt seemed like there was a lot of descension with the manager and coaches back then. Cito took an "extended holiday" to end the 1998 season, and Mel Queen stepped in as interim to finish off the season.Then of course Tim Johnson got hired, and one wonders if maybe that's why Mel and Tim didn't see eye to eye.DeleteReplyG ManSeptember 7, 2012 at 12:41 PMIt's too bad Johnson lied. I thought he was a pretty good manager.ReplyDeleteAnonymousSeptember 7, 2012 at 1:02 PM88-74 only "respectable"?!!ReplyDeleteRepliesIan - BJHSeptember 7, 2012 at 1:36 PMScratch that ... "highly" respectable.DeleteReplyAdd commentLoad more...
Flashback Friday: Brandon Morrow's One-Hitter
Buck Martinez and Pat Tabler: Not That Bad
I Miss the Playoffs
Flashback Friday: Aaron Hill's Steal of Home
The Yunel Escobar Eyeblack Scandal
Building the Blue Jays Bullpen for 2013
Flashback Friday: Roy Halladay's 10 Inning Shutout...
Romero's Neverending Nightmare
Signs of Life in September
Would Farrell Fly the Blue Jays Nest?
Did the Blue Jays Fix Adam Lind? | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/17691 | Chasing the trains: Railfans practice hobby for love of locomotives Perry physics teacher has mini planet named in his honor
Volunteers needed for Paris Twp. cleanup day
Series glance: Blue Jays at Indians
Around the NFL: Heckert didn't leave cupboard bare ... Charge part of D-League success story ... Knights go distance to win on home track ... Around the NFL: Heckert didn't leave cupboard bare ... Charge part of D-League success story ... Knights go distance to win on home track ... Ailing Steve Sabol still has stories to tell
Ed Sabol, Hall of Fame Class of 2011: As 94-year-old Ed Sabol is inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, his son, Steve, is in a fight for his life with a brain tumor.
By Josh Weir
Posted Aug. 3, 2011 @ 12:01 am
Updated Aug 3, 2011 at 3:16 AM
A family whose lifework is dramatic storytelling has produced one remarkable script for enshrinement weekend.
Steve Sabol will present his 94-year-old father, NFL Films founder Ed Sabol, for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Meanwhile, Steve is fighting for his life.
Steve, 68, suffered a seizure in March and was diagnosed with a primary tumor on the left side of his brain.
A 27-time Emmy winner who succeeded his dad as NFL Films president, Steve Sabol has undergone radiation and chemotherapy treatments.
“We tell stories,” Steve Sabol said in an email recently. “We are a story ourselves.”
It is an emotional time for the NFL Films family. There is joy for “Big Ed’s” induction. There is concern for Steve.
“The Sabol family has always been a glass-half-full family,” said David Plaut, a senior producer and 35-year employee of NFL Films. “I think Steve has looked at this as a challenge that he’s going to be there for his dad. He’s turning this episode into a positive, as a way to motivate himself in the healing process so he can be there and share in that moment with his dad.
“All of us here are very excited about the upcoming event. We’re all trying to take a positive outlook on it. Steve’s been great throughout this whole process so he can be in a position to enjoy the moment with his dad when he gets this honor.”
Talking to Sports Illustrated’s Peter King in April, Steve Sabol elaborated on the situation, saying, “For a company that prides itself on telling good stories, this is one hell of a story.
“I mean, isn’t it? Dad makes the Hall of Fame. Son’s going to be his presenter. Son gets a brain tumor. Now the story is, ‘Is the son going to be there? Will the son make it?’ What a great story this is going to be, however it turns out.”
When asked about the irony of the circumstances surrounding this weekend, Sabol quoted one of his dad’s favorite sayings to The Repository.
“Tell me a fact, and I’ll learn. Tell me a truth, and I’ll believe. But tell me a story, and it will live in my heart forever.” | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/17697 | John Sterling Project
Plan $189
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A Daily Look Inside The Yankee Universe (and around the world of baseball)
« Going Deep: Sabathia Establishing Himself as Yankee Long Man
Early Returns: MLB Draftees Who Have Jumped Right Into the Big Leagues »
A Look at Recent Players Who Have Been Drafted More than Once
June 6, 2011 by William Juliano (In addition to appearing at The Captain’s Blog, this post is also being syndicated at TheYankeeAnalysts.) When the Pirates make the first selection in the 2011 MLB Rule V draft, Gerrit Cole is expected to be the name that is called. As many teams have learned in the past, however, making a selection is only the first step in the draft process.
Cole, a 20 year-old right hander from UCLA, should be well known to most Yankees fans because the young fire baller was the team’s 28th selection in the 2008 draft. Unfortunately for Brian Cashman, Cole eschewed the Yankees’ money and opted instead to go to college, making his loss a potential gain for Pittsburgh (or whatever team eventually drafts him).
Most Productive Active Players Drafted More than Once, Ranked by WAR
Padres, Rockies
Brewers, Athletics
Giants, Phillies, Cardinals
Athletics (2x)
Dodgers, Phillies
Red Sox, Rangers
White Sox, Cardinals
Mariners, Rangers, Athletics
Orioles, Blue Jays
1997, ’98, 2000
Marlins, Orioles, Expos
Source: Baseball-reference.com
If Cole eventually becomes the star that many predict, he won’t be the first Yankees’ draftee to spurn an offer and become a star for another team. Perhaps the most famous player to turn down the Yankees was Mark Prior, although among active players, Casey Blake has been the most productive. Otherwise, Daniel Bard is the only other notable player currently in the majors who was drafted, but not signed by the Yankees.
If [Drew] doesn’t agree to the numbers we have in mind, we won’t be able to sign him. I am not going to be a part of making the industry worse off financially than it is now.”– Phillies’ GM Bill Giles, Reading Eagle, June 4, 1997
Drew played in the independent league after refusing to sign with the Phillies.
Most of the time, the failure to sign a draft pick is the result of a club refusing to meet contract demands. The most famous case of a player sticking to his guns is J.D. Drew, who refused to sign with the Phillies for anything less than $10 million after being taken second overall in 1997 (Drew was also drafted by the Giants out of high school in 1994, but opted to attend college). At the time, bonuses for drafts picks were escalating, but Philadelphia GM Bill Giles refused to budge from his top offer of $3.1 million over four years. As a result, Scott Boras took his client to the independent St. Paul Saints, where Drew played for a year before being redrafted by the Cardinals in 1998. Although Drew didn’t get his $10 million asking price, the guaranteed $7 million deal more than doubled the Phillies’ best offer.
Money is usually at the center of most draft pick holdouts, but sometimes the lack of a contract simply stems from the player’s desire to go to college. Such was the case with Cole. Despite growing up a Yankees fan, Cole eventually opted for a scholarship to UCLA, leaving the Yankees with cash in hand instead of a prized prospect.
Gerrit Cole is not going to sign with us, it’s as simple as that. Unfortunately, he wants to pursue college, and he does not have an interest in pursuing professional baseball. It’s not a money-negotiating issue as much as a life choice at this moment in time.” – Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman, MLB.com, August 16, 2008
Exactly 10 years earlier, the Yankees suffered the same fate when they selected Prior with the 43rd pick in the 1998 draft. In that instance, however, Prior initially was willing to sign a $1.5 million contract, but the team’s reluctance opened the door to Vanderbilt University. So, by the time the Yankees finally decided to open up the check book, the young right hander had changed his mind and opted to go to college instead of turn pro.
Mark Hendrickson was drafted six times before finally signing a professional baseball contract.
Over the years, several prominent players have slipped through at least one team’s net, but among active players, no one has been more coveted than Mark Hendrickson, at least based upon the number of times he has been drafted. The 6’ 9” right hander was an intriguing prospect in high school, which earned him a 13th round selection in 1992. However, in addition to being a pitcher, Hendrickson was also a renowned power forward. So, instead of signing a contract with the Braves, he opted to play basketball at Washington State University, beginning an annual ritual that would take place over the next five years.
After being drafted by four different teams in five years, a period during which Hendrickson had a successful college career and brief stint in the NBA, the Blue Jays finally convinced the tall righty to turn his back on basketball (getting waived by the Vancouver Grizzlies probably helped as well). Unfortunately, Hendrickson has been the exception to the rule about good things coming to those who wait because over a nine-year career with five different teams, he has only been able to contribute a cumulative WAR of 3.8 to date.
Mark Hendrickson’s Draft History
Overall Pick
Because a significant percentage of even early round draftees won’t ever make a significant contribution in the majors, or even make it at all, a general manager can ill afford to let a big catch get away. That’s why the real hard work doesn’t start until after the draft ends, and a true assessment of a team’s performance can’t begin until the negotiating period is over.
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2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/17720 | A Sense Of Urgency In Telling Comments From Celtics
LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 06: (L-R) Paul Pierce #34 and head coach Doc Rivers of the Boston Celtics talk during a stop in play against the Los Angeles Lakers in Game Two of the 2010 NBA Finals at Staples Center on June 6, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)
The Celtics know this could be their last rodeo. They may bristle when we call them "old" and they may rage against the dying of the night, but they know time's a tickin'.
Side note: Forgive my over-linking and over-quoting articles that Paul Flannery writes, but he's just on point with this stuff so often, it is hard not to. So obviously go read the whole thing, but I'll take the liberty of cherry picking a few of his best quotes.
celtics - The clock is ticking for Celtics - WEEI | Paul Flannery
"There’s definitely a sense of urgency there," Paul Pierce said. "You try to get a banner one last time, you try to go out with a championship. We feel we have all the pieces, we have all the ingredients to do it. A lot of things are going to be up in the air this summer." "They know," Rivers said. "The clock's ticking."
"Both teams are playing for survival as a group," Rivers said. "I really believe that. If we win this series and keep moving on, we're going to want to build on this team. If they win, something can happen to us. If we win, you may not see that same Atlanta team. Both teams are playing for survival."
No surprises there, but hearing them say it is telling indeed.
What is plan C? | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/17766 | Alumni Click Here
Courtesy: CofCSports.com Wise Tabbed For Perfect Game Freshman All-America Team Courtesy: CofCSports.com Release: 07/09/2013
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CHARLESTON, S.C. – College of Charleston freshman Carl Wise was named to the Perfect Game Freshman All-America Second Team, the publication announced Monday evening.
The honor marks the third organization to select Wise to its freshman All-America team after the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) and Baseball America chose Wise earlier this summer.
The corner infielder finished second on the team with a .321 batting average and led the Cougars with 10 home runs despite only starting 38 games. His .606 slugging percentage ranked seventh in the league and 39th in the nation, while his team-best .453 on-base percentage ranked fifth among SoCon foes.
Wise saved his best work for the end of the season, knocking five homers and totaling 12 RBIs in the final five games of the season. He was a perfect four-for-four with four runs, four RBI, two home runs and a double in CofC’s final game in the Southern Conference Tournament.
A native of Lexington, S.C., he has been playing summer ball with teammate Blake Butler, knocking in 11 RBIs and posting a slugging percentage of .411 for the Forest City Owls of the Coastal Plain League.
Charleston Baseball
Bauer Returns As Cougars Host Georgia...
Heidt, Ober Take Home CAA Weekly Awards
Baseball Sweeps Delaware To End Weekend In...
Welke, Ober Lead Charleston Past Delaware,...
CofC Baseball Visits Charleston Miracle... | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/17791 | » BACK TO CRASH.NET Crash.Net WRC News Wilson in as Al-Attiyah sidelined 4 February 2013 Matthew Wilson is to return to the World Rally Championship in Sweden this weekend after Nasser Al-Attiyah was forced to stand down from his drive.Al-Attiyah had been due to make his first appearance of the season in the WRC at the wheel his Qatar World Rally Team Ford Fiesta RS WRC but was taken ill at the weekend and left unable to complete his pre-event test.As a result, the Qatari racer will miss the event to regain full fitness, with Wilson given the nod to replace him for the weekend.“I am extremely disappointed not to be travelling to Sweden with the team this week, but it is important that I concentrate on making a full recovery for my next event,” Al-Attiyah, who will now aim to return to the WRC in Mexico next month, said. “I know Matthew well, and know that he will do a good job for the team. I'll be following all the crews' progress from home, and will keep my fingers crossed for a good result.”Wilson will be partnered in the Fiesta by Al-Attiyah's regular co-driver Giovanni Bernacchini and the Briton said he was looking forward to his unexpected return. “After so much disappointment last season, it is an absolutely fantastic feeling to know that I will be back behind the wheel of a World Rally Car this week,” he said. “It all came as a bit of a shock really – I found out I would be competing last night [Sunday] and flew to Sweden this morning [Monday]! “The recce starts tomorrow [Tuesday], and I'm confident that Gio and I will work well together. It's always tricky adapting to a new co-driver, but he is amongst one of the best in the business. “I need to say a big thank-you to Nasser for this opportunity, and the entire team wish him a speedy recovery. It won't feel quite right without him in the service park this weekend and we are all looking forward to his return for Mexico." » BACK TO CRASH.NET | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/17792 | Houston Astros History
This Day In Astros History: July 9, 1976
By David Coleman
@MDavidColeman
Another special weekend edition of TDAH, as we have a pretty special day in team history. On this day, 35 years ago, Larry Dierker threw the only no-hitter of his career as the Astros beat the Montreal Expos 6-0 at the Astrodome.
Dierker gave up four walks and struck out eight in nine innings of work. The victory evened his record at 8-8 for the season. He went on to go 5-6 the rest of the way that season, finishing his last full season in the majors and his last with the Astros.
Dierk got through the first inning fairly quickly, but led off the second with a walk. That blew the perfect game, but Dierker quickly mowed through the next three hitters. The only inning where Dierker gave up more than one base runner was in the fifth, when he gave up two consecutive one-out walks to Larry Parrish and Pete Mackanin. He worked through the jam, getting Larry Johnson to fly out and Pepe Frias to strike out.
I'm always fascinated by looking through Dierker's career. He came up when he was just 17 and pitched until he was 30. This game came when he was 29, so he'd been in the majors 13 years before finally throwing a no-hitter. He pitched a ton of innings, but never had a particularly high strikeout rate. His number was retired because he was the manager of some of the most successful clubs in franchise history, but he was very good when he was pitching. It's a shame his career ended when it did, and my sincerest hope is that Jordan Lyles doesn't follow the same path. | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/17814 | D’Andrea golf course stays afloat
Jill Lufrano
May 31, 2012 | 8147 views | 0 | 6 | | A golf ball lies on dried grass in the area to the east of the club house at D’Andrea Golf Course in Sparks on Wednesday afternoon. slideshow
SPARKS — Nick Oddo hasn’t swung a golf club in a few months, but just about every waking hour in the clubhouse at D’Andrea Golf Course, the retired homeowner and many of his neighbors and friends have worked to keep the course green and alive enough to attract a buyer.But time is running out. And so is their money.“We need to come to some decision this week,” Oddo, 82, said. If Oddo’s group, D’Andea Golf Partners, LLC, can’t close escrow and come to an arrangement with a buyer, “then we’ll go out and raise the money ourselves.”Oddo and just about every friend and neighbor he knows is out in an effort to raise the $5 million it would take to keep D’Andrea from closing.“If we don’t sell it or raise enough money, we will have to turn the water off,” he said.Oddo held his phone Wednesday afternoon, waiting for a call from an investor from California. He was expecting the call at any moment from a buyer that would provide the perfect deal Oddo and his neighbors sought.“We’re hanging on by our fingernails,” he said. “We have a potential buyer from California who wants to buy the course from us by transitioning it. It would stay a (golf) course, which is what I and our group is most interested in.”Hopefully, the deal will go through, he said. If not, Oddo and his team will dig deep and reach out into the community to raise funds to purchase the course themselves. “We are negotiating with a lender to acquire the funds,” he said.Oddo’s plan is to create a public golf course that is much more attractive to the region by adding several new options. For instance, instead of simply providing an 18-hole golf day for the average golfer, Oddo’s group would like to see options to encourage some people to play a few holes, a training facility and other attractions, he said.“We’re hoping to provide people a beautiful resource we can all enjoy,” Oddo said. “It needs to be a business. It needs to have things going on that resonate with the community. Seventy percent of people who live here don’t play golf. It needs to have banquets, nice restaurants and other kinds of resources that the community that people want. We will be able to run this business in the black right from the first year. But it won’t be that kind of place we want until we expand it a little.”His wife, Sue Oddo, said she hopes good news comes soon.“We still need more help and we need homeowner help,” Sue Oddo said. “You probably know that no one is getting any money. Everyone is volunteering. We’re just doing it because we believe in it.”The D’Andrea Golf Course is surrounded by 1,200 homes with another 500 planned for construction. “One way or another, we’re close to getting an answer,” Oddo said. “We could still easily fail. We may not raise the amount.” The reclaimed city water is still providing enough moisture to keep the greens alive at the 18-hole public course, but the temporary agreement ends July 31.Oddo’s group is struggling to come up with a happy medium, he said. The group may not want to take on the project full time. D’Andrea Golf Partners may want to turn it over to a third party, provide input to them in exchange for expertise or some participation, he said.Oddo’s group purchased the course from Will Gustafson, the managing partner of the ownership group who had asked D’Andrea homeowners association for an additional $28 monthly maintenance fee to keep the golf course open. The homeowners voted against paying the fee and Gustafson immediately closed the course. In an effort to keep the fairways and costly sod alive, the City of Sparks agreed to continue providing Oddo’s newly formed group reclaimed water at a slightly higher cost until the end of July. Gustafson still owes the city $146,000 in past-due water bills. “The water is still on,” Oddo said. “Our golf course looks better than most of the others around here. We’ve done our best to try to keep it alive. Our money was well spent. At least our efforts won’t be for nothing. We’ll still have a golf course. People will be able to play immediately.”
Tahoe Donner Golf season passes and multi-play packs on now
SSHS golfers best HDL field at Washoe | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/17901 | OT Question: Jonas Jennings
Lanny
Post subject: OT Question: Jonas JenningsPosted: Wed Feb 23, 2005 8:00 pm I see that Buffalo will trade Travis Henry for L.J. Shelton, meaning that they won't try to resign Jonas Jennings. I know he's from College Park, and I think I remember hearing that he has expressed a desire to play for us. He looks bigger than a "Gibbs lineman," but I don't know how important a consideration that is, given Gibbs' move to a "consultant." I also know that he wanted a $10MM signing bonus from the Bills, but he just turned 28 and wants to play for us and we need help at OT, and I suspect that where there's a will, . . .Could someone who knows something about Jennings as a player give me the rundown on how good he really is and can be? How big an improvement would he would be over Weiner/Shaffer (if at all)? If he would be a definite upgrade, perhaps he is a serious candidate after all.
Post subject: Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2005 1:34 am Purveyor of Truth & Justice
Jennings stock is increasing because guys like Pace and Jones are off the market. Although there is a rumor that Pace can be had from the Rams for a 1st round pick. But this is the same thing we saw with the CB class last year, when Bailey, McAlister, and Woodson were tagged and taken off the market. And the trickle down affect made average players like Jason Webster very rich men.Jennings is not that great of a player IMO. He's a guy that I think would make a much better guard than tackle. He can play all 5 OL positions, which is a plus, but I think his best position is probably OG. He has good strength, and moves well for his size, but I think he is not a great pass protector.But he does seem to be turning a corner. His penalties were down this year, and he did not get flagged for a single holding penalty this year and really cut down on his false starts. So he might be ready to emerge into the upper half of LTs in the league.I don't think he'd be a great fit for this scheme, because I don't think he's super mobile. We would be much better off if we let some other team pay him $10 million (or more) bonus to be their LT.He would be an improvement over Shaffer, but I think he's about on par with Weiner in terms of ability. | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/17915 | The Prospect of Randy Moss as a Seahawk
Antonio Cromartie is no slouch, either.
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By now a lot of you have probably already seen this, but Randy Moss mentioned a few weeks back that he'd like to go back and play for the Patriots,... but also would play for the Browns or the Seahawks. "Like I said, man, I want to play football. If it's (with) the Cleveland Browns, Seattle Seahawks, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, wherever it is, I just want somebody to respect what I do," Moss told KFAN 1130-AM. "The loyalty that I believe in, man, I think that teams that I play for ... I just like loyalty, and I want that around me. "Whoever wants me, that's where I'm going to play at."
Some people saw this as a slight - like saying, "shoot, I'd even play for the lowly Seahawks or Browns." I'm inclined to just think that he is more than just throwing out random teams. There's a chance the leadership/coaching of those teams have some draw to him- and I kind of doubt that he was saying it as an insult.
I'm not really sure how I feel about this - but I'm wary of adding a guy like Moss and risk negatively affecting the locker room and I'm not particularly sure he'd "buy in" to Carroll's program. On the other hand, Carroll is a players' coach. He has had success with Blue Chip, me-first style players for the last decade or whatever at USC. I realize that Moss isn't a young college player anymore, but my point is that Carroll seems to have a way with people. Also, Moss has a lot of experience with Darrell Bevell, and if their relationship is good things could potentially go smoothly. Moss famously clashed with Brad Childress but I don't remember any reports of animosity between him and Bevell. If Moss, Bevell, and Carroll could develop a trusting relationship, Moss could potentially be a boon for the Hawks for the next two or three years. He has undeniable talent - and would be a very dangerous red zone weapon for the Hawks - something you cannot have too much of. Moss, for one, thinks he has a lot left in the tank. He said, in a mostly NASCAR-related article (I love that Moss is a NASCAR fan):
I want to play wherever they want me to play. Like I said, I'm a free agent. know I'm 34. I know I didn't have a great season last year. But I also know that these (his hands) still work and I know I can still play at a high level. We just need to get this season back on track so I can start working on finding that team that wants Randy Moss on their roster.
Does Moss fit here? I'm of the opinion that Mike Williams is best as a number 2 receiver, a possession style receiver. He's dangerous because he can man-handle corners and get first downs. He's not the deep threat that Moss is, and the combination of the two could be pretty spectacular in theory. Mike Salk of Brock and Salk agrees with that sentiment and said last year at the time Moss was still on waivers:
Randy Moss might be the most talented wide receiver in the game still today. Randy Moss is that deep threat. Randy Moss is the guy who could be a true, legitimate No. 1 who can have coverage dictated to him and can still beat it. He can allow Mike Williams to play what he really should be doing - a possession receiver. He can allow (Deon Butler, Golden Tate and Brandon Stokley) to go into the slot. He could really completely change the dynamic of this offense.
For your information, Brock and Salk ultimately agreed that Moss' abilities outweighed his baggage. In addition, if Mike Williams were to get hurt again next year it would provide a lot of depth at the position.
AsBrian McIntyre put it in his piece about Moss today:
At 34, Moss figures to have a few productive seasons remaining, and has a track record of significantly increasing his production following a down year. Moss is just three seasons removed from his 98-catch, 1,498-yard and 23 touchdown season with the 2007 New England Patriots, who had acquired a disgruntled and unproductive Moss from the Oakland Raiders for a fourth-round pick.
Moss parlayed that All-Pro season in '07 into a $9 million per year contract with New England the following off-season. While that sort of production, and contract, are unlikely, Moss is likely capable of catching 60-70 passes for over 1,000 yards with double-digit touchdowns. The question NFL teams will have to consider is whether or not they want the significant baggage Moss brings with him.
Now, will it happen? Who knows. Last year when Moss was released on waivers, the P-I claimed from multiple sources that Carroll was all about bringing Moss over here, but ultimately the Hawks declined to claim him. There could have been a myriad of reasons for that though - the idea didn't work at the time, he'd have to come in and learn the offense quickly, Carroll didn't think he'd catch on quick enough - whatever, I don't know so I'm just speculating. But if Moss were to come in and take part with training camp and the OTA's, get some rapport with whomever the Hawks' QB will be this season, get comfortable with the coaching staff, Moss could be potentially a steal. I also think that Moss would be a fan favorite here - everyone loves a character as long as he's helping your team.
So what are the odds? He's likely to get some interest once the CBA is worked out. John Clayton said on Calabro's show:
The guy can still play, there's no question about that. I just can't see him coming out this far unless he has no other offers. And he'll get a couple offers.
So according to Clayton, not too great. We'll see - depending on who the Hawks take in the draft and whether Sidney Rice ever becomes a legitimate option to pursue, Randy Moss could still be on Carroll and Schneider's radar - and I wouldn't be against it. Worst case? You could release him like Carroll did with T. J. Houshmandzadeh, LenDale White, and any other players that didn't buy in.
Do you want Moss on the Hawks?
No way he signs out here. (41 votes) | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/17942 | Go to site navigation Go to article Be a part of the Frontstretch!
Gene Haas' Formula One License Application Accepted By FIA
posted by Phil Allaway
This morning, the FIA announced that the license application submitted by Stewart-Haas Racing co-owner Gene Haas had officially been accepted. As a result, provided that everything comes together financially and technically, Haas’ new Formula One team will have a spot on the grid at the start of the 2015 season.
Upon receiving the news this morning, Haas released the following statement.
“Obviously, we’re extremely pleased to have been granted a Formula One license by the FIA,” Haas wrote. “It’s an exciting time for me, Haas Automation and anyone who wanted to see an American team return to Formula One.”
“Now, the really hard work begins. It’s a challenge we embrace as we work to put cars on the grid. I want to thank the FIA for this opportunity and the diligence everyone put forth to see our license application come to fruition.”
Haas’ team would be the 12th team on the Formula One grid for the 2015 season if all the current teams return. Much like the failed USF1 team that Peter Windsor was involved with, the team would partially be based in North Carolina with an additional European base.
Stewart-Haas Racing is setting up a press conference for Monday to further discuss the move. We’ll have more information here at Frontstretch as soon as it becomes available.
Speeds Approach 220 MPH At Michigan Test
On Wednesday, Goodyear held the second and final day of their tire test at Michigan International Speedway. The overall goal of the test was so teams could come up with a solution that would encourage better racing on the two-mile, D-shaped oval, while at the same time allowing for a compound that would not blister.
Much of the headlines from the test seemed to stem from high speeds reported. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. tweeted a computer readout that stated he reached 215.2 mph. Clint Bowyer went a little bit faster at 217 mph, which Bowyer later described as “whites-in-your-eyes fast.” Greg Biffle told ESPN’s Shannon Spake on NASCAR Now that he reached 220 mph and a 204 mph average.
Despite the high speeds, the drivers who tested Tuesday and Wednesday believe that there will be better racing this year in the Irish Hills. Michigan winters are a bit harsher than in most locales on the Sprint Cup calendar. As a result, there is more weathering from year to year.
Earnhardt Jr. appeared to be quite happy with the track.
“I enjoy racing here,” the two-time Michigan winner said. “It’s a fun track. The asphalt is really aging well and it’s just going to keep getting better and better over the next couple of years.”
As is the norm for Goodyear tire tests, no official speeds were announced. However, Earnhardt Jr. stated in the Media Center that while he was going anywhere from 212-215 mph at the end of the frontstretch, he was only dropping down to 180 or so in the turns.
Greg Biffle and Ryan Newman echoed Earnhardt Jr.’s sentiment when asked about the track surface. They expect the track to support multiple grooves for racing when the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series return in June.
As for track management, they definitely appear to like the high speeds. Michigan International Speedway President Roger Curtis spent part of Wednesday retweeting top speed posts. However, Curtis understands that going fast is not the only thing that matters.
“The drivers are posting 200 mph. That’s awesome,” Curtis said. “The fans get very, very excited about that. But at the end of the day, on Sunday when the green flag drops, the numbers ‘two zero zero’ they’re not anywhere in the fans’ minds. It’s lead changes, it’s the competition…”
Since the track was repaved prior to the 2012 season, the number of lead changes at Michigan International Speedway has been relatively flat with the years before the repave. However, the number of cautions are up as well, which can skew the lead change numbers a little. Complaints have come more from a rock hard tire compound, made by Goodyear for safety reasons which has made passing more difficult and actual “wear” (which leads to speed dropoff) hard to come by.
Sherwin-Williams To Sponsor No. 51 Cup Car At Darlington
On Wednesday, HScott Motorsports announced that Sherwin-Williams will serve as the primary sponsor of Justin Allgaier’s No. 51 Chevrolet this weekend at Darlington Raceway. The No. 51 will primarily be advertising the automotive finishes division, in addition to the AWX Performance Plus Waterborne Refinish System the company makes.
Allgaier is very happy to have Sherwin-Williams onboard.
“I’m thrilled to have Sherwin-Williams on the car at Darlington,” Allgaier said in the press release. “They are a big supporter of HScott Motorsports and NASCAR. I can’t wait drive the No. 51 with the Sherwin-Williams colors on it at one of my favorite tracks.”
Sherwin-Williams has a fairly extensive history in NASCAR. They currently serve as the “Official Automotive Paint of NASCAR.” Prior to that, the company served as a primary sponsor for a number of cars in what is now the Nationwide Series.
As for Allgaier, Saturday will more than likely be his first career Sprint Cup start at the historic oval. However, in five Nationwide Series starts, Allgaier already has two top-5 and three top-10 finishes. His average result is an excellent 9.8.
Bass Pro Shops Primary Sponsor For Austin Dillon In Two Cup Races
posted by Frontstretch Staff
Announced Tuesday in a ceremony and car unveiling at their Concord, NC location, Bass Pro Shops and Richard Childress Racing made it official that the national outdoor sports retail giant will be the primary sponsor of Austin Dillon’s No. 3 Chevrolet SS for two races during the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup season at Talladega (May 4th) and Daytona (July 5th).
Bass Pro Shops has been associated with Dillon’s career dating back to 2010, when they sponsored his No. 3 Chevy Silverado in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, and also followed Dillon to the Nationwide Series as a sponsor for his No. 3 Chevy Camaro for RCR. The two won a pair of NASCAR championships together, and the retailer has also served as an associate sponsor for Dillon’s car in the NSCS this season.
During the announcement, Bass Pro Shops noted that the retailer has been involved in the sport of NASCAR since 1998, when they became an associate sponsor of RCR’s No. 3 Chevy Monte Carlo driven by legend Dale Earnhardt.
Now, the sponsor is back on the Cup level, paired with the No. 3 once again and hoping to elevate the program to Victory Lane. Already, Dillon has one pole to start the season at Daytona, where he posted a ninth-place finish, his best result to date during this rookie campaign. 21st at Texas last weekend, he’s currently 11th in the Sprint Cup championship standings.
For the Bojangles’ Southern 500 this weekend at Darlington, Dillon will have Dow Chemical on board as the primary sponsor for the No. 3 car.
Ruud To Sponsor Buescher, No. 99 RAB Racing Toyota
RAB Racing announced that Ruud, heating and cooling brand, will be on board the No. 99 Toyota Camry as primary sponsor this weekend at Darlington for the VFW Sport Clips Help-A-Hero 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race. The brand joins Rheem as a primary sponsor of the car during the 2014 Nationwide Series campaign. Ruud will also sponsor the No. 99 of James Buescher in several other races this season, according to a team statement.
Buescher, the 2012 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Champion, is driving full-time for RAB Racing and making the transition from the Truck Series to the NNS this year. The No. 99 team was recently penalized by NASCAR at Bristol for a P3 penalty (illegal weight added to the car improperly, which was lost during the race), which led to crew chief Chris Rice being fined $10,000 and placed on probation until December 31st. Car chief John Guerra was also placed on probation by the sanctioning body for the incident.
Sitting ninth in points thus far in 2014, Buescher’s best finish this season has been 12th at Phoenix. The 24-year-old, Plano, Texas native has one career win and 14 top-10 finishes in the NNS since his first start in 2008. Five Sprint Cup Teams Test At MIS For Goodyear
After a long winter in Michigan, five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams visited Michigan International Speedway for a Goodyear Tire Test taking place both Tuesday and Wednesday this week. To prepare for the test, MIS reported having to use the track’s jet dryers to clear and melt snow and ice from the two-mile track.
Due to the snow melt, frost, and rain on Monday night, MIS had to delay the tire test for most of the day because of weepers around the track’s surface. The track crew worked throughout the afternoon to dry up the moisture so that testing could get safely underway. Finally, Greg Biffle took his No. 16 3M Ford Fusion to the asphalt at MIS around 4:00 PM ET as the first driver on track.
In addition to Biffle, Goodyear has scheduled drivers Clint Bowyer; Trevor Bayne; Ryan Newman; and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. to take part in the tire test, which is open to fans from 9 AM to 5 PM today.
Michigan International Speedway is in for a busy summer in the Irish Hills as the track plays host to the Quicken Loans 400 on June 15th, then the Pure Michigan 400 on August 17th. Logano's Four Tires Triumph Over Jeff Gordon's Two At Texas
posted by Justin Tucker
Joey Logano would overcome Mother Nature and a green-white-checkered restart with four-time Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon to win the rain-delayed Duck Commander 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. Logano, with his trip to Victory Lane Monday afternoon also became the seventh different Sprint Cup driver to win in 2014 in as many races.
Logano, who led a race-high 108 laps on the afternoon, appeared to be on his way to a dominating victory until two laps to go. That’s when Kurt Busch blew a left-rear tire on his No. 41 Chevrolet, spraying debris all over the track. “When you got like 40-something laps after the last pit stop, you got a pretty sizable lead, really all you’re thinking is, ‘Where is the white flag? Where is the white flag?’” Logano said after the race. “Then, you go into turn one, you see the [No.] 41 up against the wall. You’re like, Please no caution, please no caution. Boom, it comes out. You got to be kidding me. You get so mad you can barely control yourself.”
This incident, the third for Busch on the day would set up a decisive yellow-flag pit stop before the final restart. Jeff Gordon and the No. 24 team then rolled the dice, jumping from sixth to first with only two tires while Logano and his Penske teammate Brad Keselowski would take four. Keselowski, who was second coming in would then get caught speeding while exiting pit road, eliminating him from contention. The Penske Racing driver, after leading 85 laps in his own right dropped to a disappointing 15th on the afternoon.
“That last caution was a shame,” Keselowski said, who lost a chance to become the series’ first two-time winner. “I was just trying to get a little too much on pit road, wanted to get us out front to be able to win the race and tried a little too hard.”
That left Logano dealing with Gordon and Brian Vickers directly in front on the restart. As the cars accelerated, he wasted no time dispatching Vickers for second and set his sights on the bumper of Gordon’s No. 24 Chevrolet. On the white-flag lap, Logano was able to take advantage of his four fresh tires to get underneath Gordon, clearing him by the exit of Turn 1. “I mean, coming in sixth, you’re in that position that you can gamble,” said Gordon, who did earn a consolation prize — becoming the Sprint Cup points leader for the first time since the 2009 Coca-Cola 600 (see below). “You’re not going to win it with four tires, you’re not going to win it with none. I knew it was going to be hard to hold those guys off.”
After clearing Gordon, Logano was able to cruise to his fourth career Sprint Cup Series win, his second with Penske in a little over a season with the team. The driver’s confidence is high, stemming from crew chief Todd Gordon whom the 23-year-old was quick to praise after the race.
“He (Todd Gordon) made a last-minute decision to put fuel in it, gave me better balance for what I needed and the guys made the ‘money stop,’” Logano said of the ending. “I was the first guy out with four tires on.”
Behind Logano and Gordon in the top 5 were Kyle Busch in third, followed by Vickers fourth and rookie sensation Kyle Larson in fifth, the only rookie to run inside the top 20. Greg Biffle was sixth, Matt Kenseth seventh, while Clint Bowyer earned his second top-10 result in eighth. Paul Menard earned his fourth top 10 in five races, running ninth while pole sitter Tony Stewart rounded out the top 10.
Monday’s race started in bizarre fashion, under a rare, green-yellow flag condition for ten laps to ensure that the 1.5-mile quad-oval was dry and fit for racing. Jet dryers were still on the track during this period to help the process. Unfortunately, the air from the dryers managed to get inside the wheel wells and affect the hood and roof flaps of several cars. Keselowski’s Ford actually ended up with a damaged hood hinge, resulting in four pit stops during this period for repairs. Many additional cars came down pit road to fix the flaps as well. NASCAR allowed the cars affected to make their stops without penalty, provided that they not add fuel or change tires in the process.
Then, shortly after going green Dale Earnhardt, Jr.‘s day ended prematurely after just 14 laps when he misjudged his positioning and clipped the grass in Texas’ quad-oval. The miscue resulted in the car digging in, popping a wheelie and shooting the No. 88 Chevrolet straight into a SAFER-less wall, resulting in a fiery crash. Not only did that ruin Earnhardt’s day, but it also impacted the race of Hendrick teammate Jimmie Johnson. Johnson wound up with windshield damage and a bent left-front corner of his No. 48 Chevrolet. Losing multiple laps for repairs, Johnson ended up 25th on the day while Earnhardt Jr. was scored dead last (43rd).
“You can’t run through there they way they have these cars on the ground,” Earnhardt said of the incident. “Just a mistake on my part. I just didn’t know I was that close to the grass, and made a mistake.”
Kevin Harvick had another fast race car, one capable of going up and taking the lead away from teammate Stewart on Lap 25. However, Harvick’s run of bad luck continued after blowing an engine just a couple of laps later. Harvick ended up 42nd, sitting just 31 points inside the top 30 needed to make the Chase after his win at Phoenix.
A look at the Duck Commander 500 by the numbers. There were 18 lead changes among nine drivers, while seven cautions for 49 laps slowed the pace to 134.191 MPH.
Next weekend, the Sprint Cup Series heads to legendary Darlington Raceway for the Bojangles’ Southern 500. The Green flag is scheduled for 6:45 PM ET on Saturday night. Keselowski - Busch Feud And Other Martinsville Sidebars To Follow
Keselowski, Busch Feud
Two former Penske Racing teammates didn’t play the part Sunday, Brad Keselowski and Kurt Busch starting a feud that almost kept the latter from Victory Lane. It all started during the competition caution, on Lap 43 when the two cars made contact on pit road. Keselowski claims Busch turned into him, breaking the front suspension on the Miller Lite Ford in an accident that also included Kasey Kahne.
“I started to check up and I just barely got in the back of him and Kurt (Busch) just accelerated and drove through us, absolutely drove through us,” Keselowski said inside the garage. “I tell you what, I’m about tired of his recklessness.”
So Keselowski went back on-track, found Busch’s No. 41 car and promptly slammed into its right side. Trying to flatten tires, it seemed the endeavor ultimately failed but still fired up Busch to the point he started ranting inside the car.
“Welp, guess we’re going to get in a fight afterwards,” Busch said. “I’m going to **** that dude’s ****ing face!”
After that, Busch got focused, starting a drive that would end with him in Victory Lane. Keselowski, meanwhile ran 38th and still remained frustrated after the race.
“Tell him come here. I’m right here,” he said when told Busch was OK with fighting. “He knows where I’m at. Leave Victory Lane and we’ll go.”
“He does awesome things for charity and he’s probably the most talented race car driver, but he’s also one of the dumbest, so put those three together.”
Busch’s response, initially was to downplay the incident. But when pressed in the media center, post-race he finally broke down a bit. Calling the contact by a damaged Keselowski a “punk-ass move,” Busch said he’d be enacting revenge at a time of his choosing.
At press time, Keselowski had calmed down a bit, claiming he wasn’t trying to wreck Busch on Twitter and that the rivalry would not continue into Texas. No penalties from NASCAR, by the way occurred during the race or are expected for either side.
Crafton Claims Rain-Delayed Kroger 250 Victory
Due to Saturday’s complete washout, the Camping World Truck Series held their second race of the season immediately after the Sprint Cup Series’ STP 500 wrapped up. With a 5:30 PM start time, some feared the race would be called early due to darkness. Ultimately, that was not a concern.
In a quick event, Matt Crafton took the lead from local favorite Timothy Peters on Lap 209. From there, Crafton held off the rest of the pack through two green-white-checkered restarts to claim his first career Martinsville grandfather clock.
In the scrum on the final restart, Darrell Wallace, Jr. rose up to second, while rookie Ben Kennedy was third. Johnny Sauter finished fourth while using the front end of his Toyota Tundra in a manner similar to a battering ram. Ryan Blaney rounded out the top-5 finishers.
For more on Sunday’s Camping World Truck Series race, please check out Kelly Crandall’s Tracking the Trucks race recap at Frontstretch.
Tires Fail To Adhere to Track
Goodyear tire engineers stated Sunday that it takes a track temperature of 80 degrees Fahrenheit in order for their tires to lay down a proper groove in the turns. On Sunday, the track temperature never reached that point during the race. As a result, tire wear was very high on Sunday. Rubber chunks would shear off, early during green-flag runs and gather just outside the racing groove.
Drivers would ask for new tires every 20 laps or so. If there was a caution, nearly the entire field would come in for fresh rubber. There were examples of
drivers who chose to stay out on tires with as little as 12 laps on them that paid the price. Matt Kenseth and Tony Stewart stayed out during the ninth caution and assumed the point. Unfortunately for them, the following run was nearly 60 laps in length, causing both drivers to drop like rocks through the field. By the time the next caution came out, each one was a lap down. Stewart was already in position to get the Lucky Dog, but Kenseth had to wait until the 11th caution flew on Lap 342 to get his free pass.
“The track conditions today were extremely challenging with the marbles,” said Kenseth, who recovered to run sixth while Stewart wasn’t so lucky (17th). “They just wouldn’t clean them up — I don’t know why. If you had warm tires and you got pushed up in there then you were going to lose 15 spots sometimes — it was that bad.”
If the story sounds familiar to readers, it should. Last Fall, track temperatures struggled to reach 80 degrees through much of the race. However, the tire issues that resulted were not quite as severe.
Busch Snaps Long Dry Spell, Wins Martinsville
On Sunday afternoon at historic Martinsville Speedway, Kurt Busch and Jimmie Johnson would stage an epic duel in the closing laps of the STP 500. It was a track Johnson, the six-time champ had mastered through the years compared to one Busch hadn’t won at since 2002.
But this time, history — and an 83-race winless streak paired along with it — was thrown out the window. With ten laps to go, Busch would muscle past Johnson, the eight-time Martinsville winner and hold off a couple of additional charges to win for the first time since Dover in the Fall of 2011. Busch, who claimed his 25th career Sprint Cup win in Sunday’s race, all but locked up a spot in the 2014 postseason Chase.
Sunday’s win for Busch was an emotional one as he spoke of the long path he took to get there in Victory Lane, one that included three teams, a one-race suspension and many tracks where a return to racing’s elite seemed impossible.
“It’s amazing how many things have to fall into place, and so I never doubted myself,” Busch said. “I never gave up. I kept trying to find little stones to uncover and rocks to overturn to try to make teams better for the way that I knew how to make them.”
Then, came Gene Haas who joked after Victory Lane by phone, “The solution for Kurt Busch is to get him to Victory Lane so he won’t complain.” But the big surprise is that return happened so quickly, at a facility where Busch has struggled in recent years.
“I’ve been on this journey for a while,” the driver added. “Every time you come to Martinsville, you just have to draw a line through it like, ‘There’s no way I’ll be able to challenge those Hendrick guys or be up in that top 10.’ This Stewart-Haas team gave me a car to do it.”
Early on, Busch looked like the furthest thing from a contender, simply surviving after pit road contact with Brad Keselowski caused the driver of the No. 2 car to tip over the edge. Coming back on-track, with a hoodless Ford Busch’s former teammate spent several laps trying to wreck them both (see: Sidebars stories below). Busch, whose No. 41 had scrapes all along the right side of his car suffered in midpack, much of the day before crew chief Daniel Knost hit on a setup package down the stretch to move them forward. Entering the top 5, the team was at its best after final adjustments, swapping the lead with Johnson multiple times in the final 50 circuits before edging in front for good.
“I didn’t know if I’d be able to do it, because the No. 48 car (Johnson) is king here, him and the No. 24 (Jeff Gordon),” Busch said. “And this is that old theory, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. I’ve got a Hendrick chassis prepared by Stewart-Haas Racing, a Hendrick motor. Thanks to those guys.”
Six-time Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson would rebound from a disappointing last two weeks with a dominant run in Sunday’s STP 500. Johnson would lead a race-high 296 of 500 laps and appeared to be in prime position to claim his ninth grandfather clock. However, the handling of Johnson’s No. 48 faded in the closing laps, leaving him to settle for a strong second-place effort. It was another so-close moment for the team after blowing a tire while leading the final laps at Fontana.
“That’s all I had,” Johnson said. “I ran the rear tires off the car, I flipped every switch and knob I could, hit the front brake and turned fans off trying to get my balance back, but (the car was) just a little too loose there.”
Joining Busch and Johnson in the top 5 of Sunday’s STP 500 were Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in third, Joey Logano, earning a nice bounceback from Fontana in fourth, and Marcos Ambrose, fifth for his second top 5 in three weeks.
Matt Kenseth finished sixth, charging back from a lap down Sunday while Kevin Harvick was seventh. Aric Almirola ran eighth, completing a strong weekend for Richard Petty Motorsports on a week where Richard’s wife, Lynda, passed away. Clint Bowyer, in the lead at one point before problems on his final pit stop finished ninth while Paul Menard rounded out the top 10.
A look at the STP 500 by the numbers: There were a record 33 lead changes among 12 different drivers. 14 cautions for 92 laps slowed the race pace to 72.176 MPH.
Next week, the Sprint Cup Series heads to the heart of Texas and Texas Motor Speedway for the Duck Commander 500. Green flag is scheduled for 3:16 PM ET.
Kroger 250 postponed until Sunday afternoon
posted by Mike Neff
Due to the continuing inclement weather that has plagued the Martinsville area all day, the Kroger 200 Camping World Truck Series race scheduled for Saturday March 29th has been postponed. It will be contested as soon as possible after the STP 500 is completed on Sunday afternoon. Fans with tickets for the Kroger 250 will be allowed to enter the grandstands after lap 100 of the Cup series race. The race track will not empty the stands after the Cup race is finished. The tickets for the Truck race are general admission. Track research indicates that fans for the Cup race, which has reserved seating, will be in their seats by lap 100. For those fans who only have Truck tickets, they can then enter the stands and fill in any empty seats. Don't miss this week's edition!
Frontstretch Podcast: November 18th Edition
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The Frontstretch Foto Funnies! Phoenix, November 2011
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The TOP TEN!
TweetLogano Has Great Finish, Keselowski Has Controversial Finish While Speed Can't Finish at Talladega
Tony Lumbis · Monday November 2, 2009
Joey Logano: Start: 20th (Points); Finish: 3rd
Summary: There really isn’t any strategy a driver can follow during a restrictor plate race, as the most they can do is hang on and turn left. With that in mind, Joey Logano took what little strategy a driver can employ and used it to his advantage. The rookie spent most of the day riding in the pack, trying to find a lane where his car would work well and drafting partners that could push his No. 20 to the front. Using that information, the 19-year old positioned himself in the front of the pack at the right time – the closing laps. The Home Depot Camry even paced the field with help from his teammate Denny Hamlin. He didn’t stay there for long, but he did not fall back far. In the final laps, Logano was racing with the leaders, well ahead of the flipping sheet metal behind him and held on for a third place finish, giving the rookie his second top 10 in as many starts at the 2.66 mile tri-oval. It was also good enough for his 24th Raybestos Rookie of the Race honor as well as his best finish since his New Hampshire victory in June.
Quote: “I was playing around for most of the race just getting behind cars seeing who I would work good with, trying to make some friends out there for the end of the race and trying to hook up with the right people. Just trying to figure out where your car works the best behind other cars, beside cars, just trying to learn a little bit about this drafting deal. It was cool to get a good finish out of it.”
Scott Speed:
Start: 38th (Points); Finish: 27th
Summary: Scott Speed was also trying to follow the “Joey Logano strategy” as he spent most of the day out of sight and out of mind. Within 50 laps to go, the No. 82 Camry had broken into the top 25 and began to slowly work his way to the front. Coming to the white flag, Speed was on the inside line moving through the pack when Brad Keselwoski punted the No. 2 car of Kurt Busch, sending him sliding out of control and into the Red Bull Toyota. The damage to Speed’s car prevented the rookie from completing the final lap and he was credited with a 27th place finish, one lap off the pace, instead of the top 20 finish that he should have had. Feast or Famine: Scott Speed recorded a career best finish of fifth earlier this season at Talladega. However, other than that run, Speed has finishes of 35th and 31st at Daytona to go with Sunday’s finish of 27th. The rookie certainly will not know what to expect when he returns to the superspeedways in 2010. Of course, neither will anyone else. Brad Keselowski: Start: 36th (Points); Finish: 8th
Brad Keselowski seemed to be going for the Talladega sweep from the jump on Sunday. But his aggressiveness didn’t score him many points with his future teammate.
Summary: Unlike last spring when Brad Keselowski came out of nowhere to win his first race at Talladega, the rookie was mixing it up with the leaders for virtually the entire afternoon on Sunday. As the laps wound down, the No. 09 Chevy was racing on the outside line and charging to the front, seemingly biding his time until the final laps. However, a violent wreck by Ryan Newman and others would send the race into “overdrive” and crew chief Marc Reno was forced to call his driver down pit road for fuel before the final restart. The pit stop meant that Keselowski would restart in the middle of the pack, and as they took the white flag, it appeared that the rookie got a little anxious and “bumped drafted” Kurt Busch out of the way, igniting a multi-car wreck. Keselowski was able to continue and finish eighth. A successful year: Brad Keselowski concludes the 2009 season, which he split between Rick Hendrick’s No. 25 Chevy and James Finch’s No. 09 team, with one win, one top 5 and four top 10s.
Max Papis: Start: 42nd (Points); Finish: 29th
Summary: The AMP Energy Drink 500 certainly did not start out well for Max Papis, as he was one of the first drivers to lose a lap in the beginning stages of the race. However, that would turn out to be the only negative thing to happen to the No. 13 team, which is a good thing at this racetrack. The Italian hung quietly in the back of the pack and avoided trouble. However, as the field prepared for the final restart, Papis was forced to dive onto pit road with an empty fuel tank. Fortunately for he and his team, others faced the same issue and the restart was delayed as cars slowed all over the track. When all was said and done, Papis was credited with a 29th place finish, his best on an oval since the team’s 18th place finish at Talladega.
Quote: It was a very exciting day for us. Maybe one of the best that we have run so far. (Robert) Bootie (Barker, crew chief) put me out front with good strategy and we were running in the top 15 and we belong there. Unfortunately, with the green-white-checker, we ran out of gas and that was a little strange. That doesn’t take away anything from the great race we had and we are showing to the NASCAR world that we belong here. That is a great feeling for me.”
Other Notables: Erik Darnell, who will be finishing the rest of the season in the No. 96 Ford, looked competitive early on as he was knocking on the door of a top 10 just 60 laps into the race. However, mechanical problems would send the rookie to the garage for repairs. He eventually returned to the race and finished in the 37th position. One of the surprising news items of the week was the signing of Robert Richardson Jr. by Tommy Baldwin Racing for the Amp Energy Drink 500. Making his first Sprint Cup start, Richardson had only started in 45 Nationwide and 24 Camping World Truck races and did not record a top 10 in any of them. Despite the seemingly insurmountable challenge, Richardson stayed out of trouble all day and finished a very impressive 18th, the best ever finish for Tommy Baldwin and his first-year team. UNOFFICIAL Raybestos Rookie standings:
Joey Logano 210
Scott Speed 186
Max Papis 130
Dexter Bean 11
Almost Rookie Recap:
(These drivers are not official rookies because they made too many starts in 2008. For all intents and purposes however, they are still basically Sprint Cup freshman as they embark on their first full season in 2009)
Marcos Ambrose has enjoyed success in 2009 on the restrictor plate tracks of Daytona and Talladega, and it looked as if he would record yet another strong finish on Sunday. The No. 47 Camry looked competitive the entire afternoon, leading the event and racing in the top 10, even with a battered racecar thanks to aggressive bump drafting. However, on the 183rd circuit with just five laps remaining, Tony Stewart was forced to check up down the backstretch. As a result of suddenly slowing drivers, Ambrose was run into from behind and forced into the back of the No. 39 car of Ryan Newman. The contact sent both cars into a spin and Newman into the air, launching his Chevy into a violent barrel roll. Ambrose was able to continue on but could only finish in the 34th place finishing position.
Tony’s Take: Joey Logano added yet another accolade to his rapidly growing resume as he did what he needed to do to record a solid third place finish at Talladega, something a lot of veterans even struggle to do. The rookie said that he was searching for both a line and drafting partners throughout the event and it paid off.
Brad Keselowski’s first meeting with Team Penske will certainly be an interesting one after he wrecked future teammate Kurt Busch in the closing laps of the race. Last April, he was rewarded for his aggressiveness with a victory at this very same Alabama track. The next step will be to learn when the appropriate time is to be aggressive and when not to be. Certainly, bump drafting through the tri-oval is not one of those times. Perhaps Scott Speed needs to reconsider his career in NASCAR where apparently it is “better to be lucky than good” to paraphrase a quote from Richard Petty. Speed obviously does not have any of that luck. It just doesn’t seem right that Jimmie Johnson can hang out in the back all afternoon instead of racing with the big boys and be rewarded for it by barely missing two wrecks. Meanwhile, just one car behind Johnson with just over one lap remaining was Speed, who was taken out when Keselowski engaged in an ill-advised bump on Busch. I think Speed has the talent to be successful one day in this sport, but he doesn’t have the luck, something you certainly need to win a championship as Johnson has displayed time and time again.
Who Wasn’t Here?:
The field was set by points, but that was good news for the rookies this weekend as all of them received a spot for the AMP Energy Drink 500.
UNOFFICIAL Driver Points Standings
18th – Marcos Ambrose (-1)
19th – Joey Logano (+1)
35th – Scott Speed (0)
38th – Brad Keselowski (+2)
42nd – Max Papis (+1)
45th – Aric Almirola (0, DNS)
53rd – Erik Darnell (0)
63rd – Dexter Bean (-1, DNS)
Note – The discrepancy between the driver’s standings and owner’s points for Scott Speed is due to the fact that John Andretti fell behind Speed in driver’s points after missing two events due to Indy 500 commitments, but his No. 34 team remained in 35th because of the efforts of Tony Raines in the time period.
Qualifying Next Week: The last time Scott Speed came to the Texas Motor Speedway, he did not get a chance to run a competitive lap because his No. 82 Camry was not fast enough to make the field. He’ll hope for better luck this time around as once again he’ll need to be quick enough to time into the field. Max Papis is also tentatively scheduled for a Texas start and will need to time into the field as well.
Next Up: It’s time to shine those boots and dust off that cowboy hat as NASCAR gets ready to go racing – Texas Style – for the Dickies 500. This is not good news for the rookies who struggled the last time the series visited this venue in April. Joey Logano qualified well, but was not fast enough in the race and finished in 30th, his fourth consecutive finish of 30th or worst before he began his ascent up through the standings. As previously mentioned, Speed didn’t even make the field and Papis also struggled as he attempted his second ever start on an oval. Expect better results for Logano and Speed who have logged more laps on the quad-ovals of Charlotte and Atlanta since that time. Papis may be another story as he has struggled on just about every oval in 2009.
Rookie Prediction Poll – After his big win back in April, 40% of you thought that Brad Keselowski had the best chance of finishing a top 10. However, despite Keselowski’s previous success, 50% of you thought that Joey Logano had the best chance of coming home in the top 10. Turns out, just about all of you know what you were talking about as both scored top 10s.
Texas Prediction – The rookies hope that they will vastly improve from their spring performances at Texas, but who will do the best? Tony’s Rookie Prediction: I thought that Scott Speed would survive the Talladega mayhem and steal a top 10 as he did earlier this year. Well, I was almost right until one lap remaining when the spinning car of Kurt Busch struck his No. 82 Camry, destroying the rookie’s chances of a good finish. You now have tied me with just three events remaining.
Joey Logano and Max Papis are the only two rookies who have seen this place in a Sprint Cup car this year while Speed hasn’t seen the track since last year when he was in the No. 84. I think Joey Logano will build on his third place finish and take advantage of his experience to best the rest of the rookies at the Dickies 500.
Rookie Poll Points: Readers: 14, Tony: 14
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RamblinWreck 11/02/2009 01:00 PMpermalink
Looked to me like Vickers slammed into the bumper of Keselowski, sending him into Busch. But I suppose when your reputation is as aggressive as Kes’ is, people aren’t likely to give you the benefit of the doubt. | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/17971 | Lawrence A. Wien Stadium opened in 1984
Columbia Athletics Facilities: Robert K. Kraft Field at Lawrence A. Wien Stadium
Parking Information (This information is provided as a courtesy only. Columbia University is not responsible for the accuracy of this information or the services provided by the listed organizations.)
Opened in 1984, Robert K. Kraft Field at Lawrence A. Wien Stadium at Baker Athletics Complex is now in its third decade as the official Lions' Den. A 17,000-seat facility, it is home to Columbia's football and lacrosse teams.
A new artificial playing surface was installed at Wien Stadium in 2005. The Lions now practice and compete on FieldTurf, the same infill system used by many NFL teams. In October 2007, Columbia announced that the playing field at Lawrence A. Wien Stadium will be named Robert K. Kraft Field in honor of Robert Kraft '63CC, owner of the New England Patriots and Chairman and CEO of the Kraft Group.
In addition to providing a modern facility for Columbia's student-athletes, Lawrence A. Wien Stadium acts as a modern athletics arena in a traditional setting which provides for the needs of fans, alumni, and the media. The Columbia press box, located on the east side of the field, stands at the top of a three-level structure that also houses the Maniatty-Remmer Lounge, home to numerous alumni gatherings. The home stands, below the press and lounge areas, hold 10,500 spectators in armchair, contour and bench seats. In 1986 the west stands were dedicated. The construction of the 6,500-seat west bleachers increased stadium capacity to the current 17,000.
Beyond the west stands is a panoramic view of Spuyten Duyvil, the confluence of the Harlem and Hudson rivers, and the New Jersey Palisades. The view is one reason that Wien Stadium was featured in Sports Illustrated as one of the most beautiful places in the country to watch a football game.
Wien Stadium also boasts a 400-meter, all-weather, eight-lane track, making it one of the finest track & field facilities in the area. Since its installation, it has been the site for the New York Track & Field Games, the Heptagonal Championships and the Metropolitan Championships. The stadium also features a video scoreboard at the north end of the stadium, one of the first of its kind in the Ivy League.
DIRECTIONS TO BAKER ATHLETICS COMPLEX:
(Note - Parking for Football games in and around Baker Athletics Complex is extremely limited. Fans are encouraged to use mass transit when possible.)
BY AUTOMOBILE: From WEST SIDE HIGHWAY/HENRY HUDSON PARKWAY: Exit Dyckman Street, and proceed east to Broadway. Make a left on Broadway and proceed 20 blocks north to 218th Street.
From FDR/HARLEM RIVER DRIVE: Continue north to end of Harlem River Drive. Bear right at light and proceed north on 10th Avenue to 218th Street.
*From MAJOR DEEGAN EXPRESSWAY (I-87): Exit 230th Street. Proceed on 230th Street westbound (from north – make right at light; from south make left at light). Continue on 230th Street to Broadway. Make left on Broadway and proceed 12 blocks to 218th Street.
From WEST: Take George Washington Bridge and follow signs for Henry Hudson Parkway North or Major Deegan Expressway North (follow directions above).
From NORTH: Take Cross-Westchester Expressway (I-287) or Cross-County Parkway west to Saw Mill River Parkway south. Take the Saw Mill to the Henry Hudson Parkway South or Major Deegan Expressway South (follow directions above).
From NEW ENGLAND: Take Connecticut Turnpike (I-95) to Cross Bronx Expressway (I-95). Exit Cross Bronx to Major Deegan Expressway North or Henry Hudson Parkway North (follow directions above).
From LONG ISLAND: Take Long Island Expressway East to Clearview Expressway North, or Northern State Parkway/Grand Central Parkway East to Cross Island Parkway North to Throgs Neck Bridge. Bear left after toll for Cross Bronx Expressway (I-95) South (follow directions above).
From SOUTH: Take New Jersey Turnpike North to Exit 18 George Washington Bridge (follow directions above).
*Commercial and Oversize Vehicles must use Major Deegan Expressway
By MTA NEW YORK CITY SUBWAY: Broadway-Seventh Avenue IRT Local ("1" train) north or south to 215th Street, then walk two blocks north and cross Broadway at W. 218th Street. OR 8th Avenue IND Express ("A" train) north to 207th Street, then proceed north to 218th Street.
By MTA METRO-NORTH COMMUTER RAIL: Marble Hill Station is located just across the Harlem River from Baker Athletics Complex, at 225th Street. Walk east to Broadway, then south across the Broadway Bridge to 218th Street. | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/17979 | TPC Boston
By Neville Leck Last updated: 26th August 2013 Share: The understated clubhouse at TPC Boston
Click here Although the TPC Boston, which will stage this week's Deutsche Bank Championship, only opened on June 28, 2002, it has already established itself as one of the leading clubs on the nationwide TPC Network owned or operated by the US PGA TOUR. The TPC Boston is a private club that, according to it's official website, "has been created, to provide its members with a unique golfing and entertainment experience in a setting of truly unsurpassed service". THE COURSE:
The Club offers an 18-hole Arnold Palmer signature championship golf course of sufficient excellence as to have been chosen as the site for the second leg of the four-leg, FedEx Cup play-off series . Innovative design and a great deal of respect for nature are the hallmarks of all truly great golf courses, and TPC Boston's architects believe that their championship layout "is no exception". Originally designed by Palmer, the club's highly layout was re-designed in 2007 by celebrated golf course architect Gil Hanse, with PGA Tour player Brad Faxon serving as a consultant. The result is a compelling par-72, 7,241-yard standout that was named by Golf Digest as the 'Best Private Remodel' of 2007". Built so as to fit seamlessly into the natural New England landscape, lush fairways and Bent grass greens traverse gently rolling hills, with stands of mature trees, rocky mounds and 92 deep bunkers creating a stern challenge and a stunning backdrop in Norton's Great Woods. Yet while tough enough to challenge the world class field that annually contests the Deutsche Bank Championship, five sets of tees on each hole make the course an enjoyable experience for golfers of all skill levels. PRACTICE FACILITIES:
In addition to the golf course, the TPC Boston offers an expansive 10 acre practice facility along with an elegant 34,000 square-foot clubhouse offering all the usual facilities that have come to be expected of golf institutions of quality. Settled in the Great Woods of Norton, Massachusetts, the TPC Boston offers the understated, traditional feel New Englanders are accustomed to, while also providing the best of modern day amenities and comfort.
GOLF COURSE INFORMATION
Ratings and yardage
Off the Tour tees, it has a course rating of 77.0, a slope rating of 152 and is 7241 yards long Off the members tees, it's course rating is 72.2, it's slope rating 142 and it is 6441 yards long with the women's equivalents being 72.0, 121/1325 and 5101 yards. MORE INFORMATION
Click here for more info on the official club website
CLUBHOUSE AMENITIES: - The 34,000 square foot clubhouse was selected by Golf Inc. Magazine as the 2003 Top New Private Clubhouse in the United States.
The facility includes a dining room, a more casual Grille, meeting and banquet facilities, locker rooms, and a Pro Shop offering all the leading brands of equipment and apparel as well as special TPC Boston and Deutsche Bank branded goods
- The Main Dining Room has a capacity of 80 and offers a beautiful view of the 18th hole amid a classic New England interior.
- The Great Woods Grille has a capacity of 60 and is an ideal place to enjoy a meal before or after golf. A breezy patio is located just off the Grille Room overlooking the 18th hole. - The Connell Room is for private functions and accommodates 32, with grand views of the 18th green. - The Chart Room has been designed specifically for business meetings and has a capacity of 36. Audio visual equipment is available for rent.
SOME GUEST INFORMATION:
- Proper attire for the course and the clubhouse: A collared shirt and slacks for the men and a blouse and slax for the women. Bermuda-length shorts can be worn, but no denim attire of any kind, no T-shirts and no flip-flops are permissible and exercise, running, bathing, and tennis attire are not considered appropriate forms of dress. Only soft spikes are allowed, either on the course, or in the clubhouse. - Rentals: Sets of men's Titleist and Ladies Cobra clubs are available for rent. Men's right-handed and left handed rental sets are available in regular or stiff shafts, while ladies clubs are offered with regular flex only. Each rental set comes with a complimentary 4-ball pack of Titleist NXT golf balls. Rental sets may be reserved in advance by telephoning the Golf Shop at (508) 285-9874.
- Day lockers are available without charge. - You will have access to a driving range where you will be provided with practice balls. Chipping and putting greens are also available, both before and after your scheduled round of golf.
- Food and Beverage Services - the Club features both a la carte dining and private meeting facilities offering a full complement of services including breakfast, lunch, dinner and on-course refreshments.
- Tipping is allowed in all service areas, but is not required. An 18 percent gratuity is included in all food and beverage charges.
- Payment: The Club accepts American Express, Visa, Master Card, Diners Club, and Discover cards as well as cash for payment.
Neville Leck Photo Galleries Final day at the MastersSome choice images from the final round of the Masters at Augusta, as Bubba Watson pulled of a superb repeat victory. Go to GalleryDay three at the MastersThe movers and shakers at the third round of the US Masters at Augusta National. Go to GalleryDay two at the MastersSelected images from second-round action at the 78th US Masters at Augusta National. Go to Gallery Gallery Home Page | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18000 | Bear Bryant, Joe Namath, and Dixie's Last Quarter
By Randy Roberts, Ed Krzemienski
The extraordinary story of how Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant and Joe Namath, his star quarterback at the University of Alabama, led the Crimson Tide to victory and transformed football into a truly national pastime.During the bloodiest years of the civil rights movement, Bear Bryant and Joe Namath-two of the most iconic and controversial figures in American sports-changed the game of college football forever. Brilliantly and urgently drawn, this is the gripping account of how these two very different men-Bryant a legendary coach in the South who was facing a pair of ethics scandals that threatened his career, and Namath a cocky Northerner from a steel mill town in Pennsylvania-led the Crimson Tide to a national championship.
To Bryant and Namath, the game was everything. But no one could ignore the changes sweeping the nation between 1961 and 1965-from the Freedom Rides to the integration of colleges across the South and the assassination of President Kennedy. Against this explosive backdrop, Bryant and Namath changed the meaning of football. Their final contest together, the 1965 Orange Bowl, was the first football game broadcast nationally, in color, during prime time, signaling a new era for the sport and the nation. Award-winning biographer Randy Roberts and sports historian Ed Krzemienski showcase the moment when two thoroughly American traditions-football and Dixie-collided. A compelling story of race and politics, honor and the will to win, RISING TIDE captures a singular time in America. More than a history of college football, this is the story of the struggle and triumph of a nation in transition and the legacy of two of the greatest heroes the sport has ever seen. | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18132 | Pack the Bell and bring a bear
Published: Feb 26, 2013 at 9:47 PM MDT
Last Updated: Feb 28, 2013 at 12:09 PM MDT
BOISE, Idaho (KBOI) - The Boise State men's basketball team has been almost unbeatable at home this season ... Literally. In their dozen games at Taco Bell Arena this year, the BSU has won all but the New Mexico game.The Lobos sit on top of the Mountain West Conference standings, rank 14 in the latest national polls, and the Broncos still found a way to force overtime against them. The Broncos like playing at the Bell, especially when the stands are packed with Bronco bakers. "Well, we've got a huge game tomorrow night against Nevada, and we need the fans to come out and help us. It's gonna be a great atmosphere, a great game. You don't have many opportunities to see this team, and you know we're in the hunt for post season, and having a great fan base, and a great home court advantage is crucial to our success," said Rice.Tip time Wednesday night is 6 pm (MTN), so make sure you get there early. And don't forget to bring a teddy bear. It's the 25th year of the Boise Noon Optimists Club "Bear Care" event. The Optimists collect teddy bears for the Ada County Sheriff's department, so officers can give a bear to a child when they come across children in stressful situations. | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18133 | Olympic Committee Drops Wrestling from 2020 Games Wrestlers compete during the first session of the 2012 USA Wrestling Olympic Trials Saturday, April 21, 2012 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City. (Brian Ray/The Gazette-KCRG)
Erin Rooney
Feb 12, 2013 at 11:42 AM CDT
Feb 12, 2013 at 11:44 PM CDT
Gable: Olympic Decision "Broke Me Up"
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — The IOC cut wrestling from the program for the 2020 Olympics on Tuesday, a stunning rebuke for a sport that goes back to the inaugural modern games in 1896 and has produced such champions as Russian great Alexander Karelin.While modern pentathlon was widely considered the sport most at risk, the IOC executive board surprisingly voted to remove wrestling instead from the list of 25 "core" summer sports.The board acted after reviewing the 26 sports on the current Olympic program. Eliminating one sport allows the International Olympic Committee to add a new sport to the program later this year."This is a process of renewing and renovating the program for the Olympics," IOC spokesman Mark Adams said. "In the view of the executive board, this was the best program for the Olympic Games in 2020. It's not a case of what's wrong with wrestling, it is what's right with the 25 core sports."The decision was made by secret ballot over four rounds, with 14 members voting each time on which sport should not be included in the core group. IOC President Jacques Rogge did not vote.Three sports were left in the final round — wrestling, field hockey and modern pentathlon. Eight members voted against wrestling and three each against the other two sports. Taekwondo and canoe kayaking survived the previous rounds.The final result surprised even some of the IOC members."I was shocked," board member Rene Fasel of Switzerland said.Wrestling, which combines freestyle and Greco-Roman events, featured in the first modern Olympics in Athens in 1896. It has produced such names as three-time Olympic gold medalist Karelin and American stars Bruce Baumgartner, Jeff Blatnick, Rulon Gardner and Jordan Burroughs.Wrestling featured 344 athletes competing in 11 medal events in freestyle and seven in Greco-Roman at last year's London Olympics. Women's wrestling was added to the Olympics at the 2004 Athens Games. Russians dominated the London podium, but Iran and Azerbaijan also had strong performances.The international wrestling federation, known by the French acronym FILA, said it was "greatly astonished" by the decision."FILA will take all necessary measures to convince the IOC executive board and IOC members of the aberration of such decision against one of the founding sports of the ancient and modern Olympic Games," the statement said.FILA said it has always complied with IOC regulations and is represented in 180 countries, with wrestling the national sport in some of them.The federation, which is headed by Raphael Martinetti and based in Corsier-sur-Vevey, Switzerland, said it would hold a meeting next week in Thailand to discuss the matter.Wrestling will now join seven other sports in applying for inclusion in 2020. The others are a combined bid from baseball and softball, karate, squash, roller sports, sport climbing, wakeboarding and wushu. They will be vying for a single opening in 2020.The IOC executive board will meet in May in St. Petersburg, Russia, to decide which sport or sports to propose for 2020 inclusion. The final vote will be made at the IOC session, or general assembly, in September in Buenos Aires, Argentina.It is extremely unlikely that wrestling would be voted back in so soon after being removed by the executive board."Today's decision is not final," Adams said. "The session is sovereign and the session will make the final decision."Wrestling's long history in the Olympics has featured some legendary names and moments:— Karelin won the super-heavyweight gold in Greco-Roman over three straight Olympics (1988, 1992 and 1996). It was Gardner who ended Karelin's run, beating him for the gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Games.— Baumgartner won four Olympic medals, including golds in 1984 and 1992.— Blatnick overcame cancer to win gold in Greco-Roman at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, bursting into tears after the match. Blatnick died last year at the age of 55.— Burroughs emerged as the star of the sport in London, where he won the 74-kilogram gold.The IOC board voted after reviewing a report by the IOC program commission report that analyzed 39 criteria, including television ratings, ticket sales, anti-doping policy and global participation and popularity. With no official rankings or recommendations contained in the report, the final decision by the 15-member board was also subject to political, emotional and sentimental factors."It was an extremely difficult decision to take," IOC Vice President Thomas Bach of Germany said. "The motivation of every member is never based on a single reason. There are always several reasons. It was a secret vote. There will always be criticism, but I think the great majority will understand that we took a decision based on facts and for the modernization of the Olympic Games."The decision hit hard in Russia, which has long been a power in the sport.Mikhail Mamiashvili, president of the Russian Wrestling Federation, suggested FILA had not done enough to keep the sport in the games."We want to hear what was done to prevent this issue from even being discussed at the board," he said on the Rossiya TV channel.In comments carried by the Itar-TASS news agency Mamiashvili added: "I can say for sure that the roots of this problem is at the FILA. I believe that Martinetti's task was to work hard, socialize and defend wrestling's place before the IOC."Alexander Leipold, a 2000 Olympic champion from Germany and former freestyle German team coach, said he was shocked."I can't believe it," he said. "We are a technical, tactical martial sport where the aim is not to harm the opponent. Competing at the Olympics is the greatest for an athlete."The last sports removed from the Olympics were baseball and softball, voted out by the IOC in 2005 and off the program since the 2008 Beijing Games. Golf and rugby will be joining the program at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro.Previously considered under the closest scrutiny was modern pentathlon, which has been on the Olympic program since the 1912 Stockholm Games. It was created by French baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic movement, and combines fencing, horse riding, swimming, running and shooting.Klaus Schormann, president of governing body UIPM, lobbied hard to protect his sport's Olympic status and it paid off in the end."We have promised things and we have delivered," he said after Tuesday's decision. "That gives me a great feeling. It also gives me new energy to develop our sport further and never give up."Modern pentathlon also benefited from the work of Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr., the son of the former IOC president who is a UIPM vice president and member of the IOC board."We were considered weak in some of the scores in the program commission report but strong in others," Samaranch told the AP. "We played our cards to the best of our ability and stressed the positives." | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18162 | MLB OPENERS FEATURE STRASBURG, RIVALRIES, AL VS NL AP The Kansas City Royals have been absent from the playoffs since the day Billy Butler was born. They've barely had a winning season in the last two decades. They've often lost 100 games in a year.
And yet, buoyed by the best record in spring training, hope abounds - for the Royals, for most everybody putting on a big league uniform.
"There's no reason we shouldn't be better," said Butler, the Royals' All-Star slugger. "How much better that is? I'm not a mind reader. I'm not a projector."
Ah, opening day.
The hot dogs taste better, the boxscores mean more and most every team thinks it's just a break or two away from reaching the World Series.
A dozen games were set for Monday across the majors. Star pitchers Justin Verlander, Stephen Strasburg and Adam Wainwright try to get off to great starts, old rivalries are renewed at Yankee Stadium and Dodger Stadium, and a quirky interleague schedule unfolds.
No snow is in the forecast for any ballpark on April Fools' Day, but freezing temperatures are expected at Target Field in Minnesota when Verlander and the AL champion Tigers take on the Twins.
"It's going to be cold but I've pitched in that kind of weather before," Verlander said. "I don't think about it. It's always cold in Detroit on opening day."
The season started Sunday night in Houston when the Astros, who shifted from the National League to the American League during the winter, beat the Texas Rangers 8-2. Astros righty Bud Norris threw a called strike to Ian Kinsler to begin the year, and Houston's Jose Altuve singled for the first hit.
Long the site of baseball's traditional opener, Cincinnati was going to have a new look Monday. That's when Josh Hamilton and his new Los Angeles Angels teammates visit Cincinnati in the first interleague matchup this season.
The Astros' move left 15 teams in each league, meaning an AL vs. NL matchup most every day this season.
"It is very strange," Reds manager Dusty Baker said.
On both coasts, there was a very familiar look - Red Sox-Yankees and Giants-Dodgers.
Mariano Rivera was set for his final opening day when the banged-up Yankees hosted Boston. The New York closer is among several big names who missed most or even all of last year - Troy Tulowitzki, Victor Martinez and John Lackey are in that group.
Injured stars Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira won't be in pinstripes for the first pitch.
"It's still the Yankees, it's still going to be a good lineup," Boston starter Jon Lester said Sunday. "They're missing a few of their big guys but anybody that fills in for them, it's like what I said, they're going to put professional at-bats together and still - it's not going to be a walk in the park."
No easy decisions, either, for Boston manager John Farrell, one of six new skippers in the majors this year.
At Dodger Stadium, Matt Cain starts for the World Series champion San Francisco Giants when they play Los Angeles in the century-old rivalry.
It will mark the 64th season at the microphone for Dodgers announcer Vin Scully. Heck, Tigers manager Jim Leyland seems like a mere pup by comparison, now starting his 50th year in pro ball.
All-Star shortstop Hanley Ramirez is sidelined for the Dodgers. Around the majors, third basemen Chase Headley of San Diego, David Freese of St. Louis and Brett Lawrie of Toronto will begin the season on the disabled list.
Mets third baseman David Wright plans to be in the lineup at Citi Field to take on San Diego. He hurt his ribcage at the World Baseball Classic.
"I feel good physically," Wright said. "It would have been nice to have maybe a few more at-bats toward the end, but I didn't have that luxury."
On Tuesday, there are two more openers - Baltimore at Tampa Bay, and Cleveland at revamped Toronto.
All 30 teams will pay tribute to the 20 children and six adults killed last December at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. Players, managers, coaches and umpires will wear a memorial patch through Tuesday that includes the seal of Newtown, a black ribbon and 26 stars, and there will be a moment of silence at each stadium.
Seven weeks after teams broke out the bats and balls, players seemed ready to get going.
"I'm really prepared. Well, finally spring training is over, it was a long one," Seattle ace Felix Hernandez said Sunday, a day before his start in Oakland.
"It's another season. We're a different team. It's always special, opening day, not for me but for all the guys," he said.
© 2013 THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED. Learn more about our PRIVACY POLICY and TERMS OF USE. Last modified on Monday, 01 April 2013 07:14 Like this? Tweet it to your followers! Published in | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18170 | Live Stream KWTX NFL Replacement Referees To Officiate Local Games
By: Matt Howerton - Email Posted: Mon 9:12 AM, Oct 01, 2012
By: Matt Howerton - Email Home
/ Article WACO (September 30, 2012)-- They were in the NFL for 7 weeks, ejected from the game, but now some replacement referees could be a officiating a football game near you. You might be surprised to hear that some NFL replacement referees have local ties to Central Texas. When the NFL hit a brick wall during contract negotiations with their regular referees, they called on guys like Larry Weeks. Larry, a longtime football referee, is the current president of the Waco Football Association for sports officials. He was asked by the NFL for referee reinforcements when negotiations with their regular referees went sour. "I got a call from an NFL scout that I have known for a long time, and he was wanting to know if we had anybody in the local chapter here that could help him out," Weeks said. Larry then recommended 5 of his best local officials. But he never knew, they would be chosen as "The Replacements" for the NFL referees. "They took a whole crop of referees down to Dallas and Atlanta to have clinics," Weeks said. "All 5 of our guys here locally survived the cuts and stayed until the end." It didn't hurt that the local Waco Chapter for sports officials had a sterling reputation for officiating. According to Larry, those 5 referees have officiated just about everything. From High School Varsity, to Division II and Division III Junior College. But Larry says, it was nothing that could compare to the NFL. "The difference in the rules, the speed of the game, and the biggest adjustment for them was knowing what the NFL wants you to call and what they don't want you to call," Weeks said. It wasn't uncommon to see questionable calls made by officials in the NFL pre-season and early regular season games. The biggest eye opener of them all, however, had to be the hail mary touchdown call in the final seconds of the Packers and Seahawks game. "I mean, the NFL did everything they could do to get them ready. It was just a small window of being able to get them there," Weeks said. "Usually when they move a new guy up, he's a rookie amongst 6 other officials. This time, you had 7 rookies out on the field." Larry says, in their short stint, "The Central Texas Replacements" never missed a call. "Our 5 guys weren't involved in any controversial call, minor or major, while they were in the NFL," Weeks said. So what's next for "The Central Texas Replacements?" The unsung heroes who kept the NFL alive in its time of need? Larry says his boys are back and will continue officiating high school and junior college games as early as this week. Conducting, once again, under the Friday Night Lights. "If it were me out there playing, I would have really thought that was something to have an NFL official in my ball game," Weeks said. Unofficial Holiday Stirs Up Social Media Controversy KWTX-TV News 10 | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18176 | Thunder's Perkins has surgery on groin
Posted: Thu 10:52 PM, Jul 12, 2012
/ Article Oklahoma City Thunder starting center Kendrick Perkins is expected to be ready for next season after having surgery on his right groin Thursday.
The team announced that the procedure was a success and that Perkins will miss four to six weeks before returning to normal offseason activities.
Perkins partially tore the groin in Game 4 of the Thunder's first-round playoff sweep of Dallas, although Oklahoma City withheld the extent of his injury until after the season. At the time, the Thunder only called it a strained hip muscle.
Perkins said after the season that he would not need surgery and he was excited that he would be able to work on his basketball skills after dealing with knee injuries the past two offseasons.
Duncan scores 27 points, Spurs beat Mavs 90-85 Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station. | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18218 | Official Tour de France FanParks: England from...Monday, April 14thLondoners flocked to the 2013 Tour de France Fan Park to watch Chris Froome power his way to a famous victory in the 100th edition of the Tour de France. In 2014, the Fan Parks, presented by... Read moreAll systems go forCambridge-London!Tuesday, April 8thWith less than three months to go, Cambridge is looking forward to welcoming the Tour de France peloton for the start of stage 3... Read moreReturning to Yorkshire in 2015Friday, March 28thWith Leeds, Harrogate, York and Sheffield as stage cities in the 2014 Tour, Yorkshire is making a big entrance in the world of cycling. And it will stay there for a while with a new three-day race... Read moreD-100: England goes yellowThursday, March 27thThe countdown has begun for the county of Yorkshire, whose annual cultural festival has started 100 days before the start of the Tour de France in Leeds. In the entire region, and even right down... Read moreLa Course by Le Tour de France:Women's Day, Round...Saturday, March 8thWomen are the stars on March 8... It will be very much the same when the elite of ladies' cycling comes together in Paris on July 27 for the inaugural edition of La Course by le Tour de France, a... Read moremore news
The race2014 editionRouteGrand | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18233 | Sharks win twice over
1 October 2008 10:34am
By Westgate, Marc Heywood
Luke McAlister has started well
Sale Sharks have been rewarded for their unbeaten start to the season with both the Guinness Premiership Director of Rugby and Player of the Month awards.
Sale's 23-9 win over Gloucester last Friday was their fourth of the season, following earlier successes over Newcastle, Saracens and Bristol. They currently top the Premiership standings after becoming the first side in the 11-year history of the league to play four consecutive matches without conceding a try.
Philippe Saint Andre, who led Sale to Premiership glory in 2006, picked up the Director of Rugby award, while New Zealand centre Luke McAlister was named Player of the Month.
"I am delighted to have been selected for this award," said Saint Andre.
"This is an award that I want to share with the owners, directors, backroom staff, players and admin staff at the club. I would also like to thank the Sale Sharks supporters who have backed me since my arrival at the club back in 2004. Thank you."
McAlister is now in his second season with the Edgeley Park outfit, having moved from his homeland two years after helping the All Blacks secure a series win over the Lions.
"We have had a great start to the season and Sale Sharks are a great club to play for," said McAlister.
"I am enjoying my rugby at the club; we have a good squad and a great team spirit. We have had a good start but there is a long way to go and no one is getting carried away."
British & Irish Lions Short Sleeve Replica Jersey (Adults) | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18349 | NFP Team Pages » Chicago Bears | "Where your voice is heard"
The comeback kids
Ten players we expect to bounce back big during the 2013 fantasy season. Joe Fortenbaugh
May 16, 2013, 05:30 AM EST
The natural reaction to a successful season from a professional athlete is to assume that said athlete will continue to perform at a high level. He did it once, so why can’t he do it again? The same can be said about poor performances and our perception of those athletes the following season.
But the reality is that some players encounter a season in which they catch all the breaks, and some experience a campaign where nothing goes their way. The trick is to read between the lines to determine which guys played at their true level and which ones either benefitted or were harmed by their specific situations.
This is one of the integral elements to consider during your draft day preparations. Some of the best value picks happen to be the guys who performed below their capabilities the previous season because the other owners in your league assume that the same thing will happen again in the coming season. This drives the player’s price down and makes him all the more valuable to your championship quest.
Today we’re going to take a look at ten players the National Football Post expects to perform at a higher level in 2013 than they did in 2012.
Note: All fantasy totals are based on the standard scoring system.
1. Dwayne Bowe, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
2012 fantasy total: 90 points (13 games)
2011 fantasy total: 138 points (16 games)
Why: The 28-year-old wideout went from averaging 4.8 receptions for 72.5 yards per game with a score every 1.6 outings from 2010-2011 under offensive-minded head coach Todd Haley, to 4.54 receptions for 61.6 yards per game and a touchdown every 4.3 outings under defensive-minded head coach Romeo Crennel in 2012. With an offensive-minded head coach once again calling the plays in Andy Reid and some newfound stability at the quarterback position thanks to the trade for Alex Smith, we expect Bowe to experience a big uptick in production this season.
2. Eli Manning, QB, New York Giants
Why: Getting just 13 games out of wide receiver Hakeem Nicks was certainly a contributing factor to Manning’s lackluster 2012 campaign, but take a look at the Big Blue signal-caller’s stat lines in the first and second years coming off a Super Bowl win:
2007 (SB Win): 3,336 yards, 23 touchdowns
2008: 3,238 yards, 21 touchdowns
2013: ??
Both seasons in which Manning guided the Giants to the Vince Lombardi Trophy were followed by setbacks in the statistics department the next year. But Manning came back huge in 2009 (two years removed from SB win) and we’re inclined to believe the same thing will happen this time around in 2013.
3. Steven Jackson, RB, Atlanta Falcons
ICONWith a talented offense around him, S-Jax should reach double-digit touchdown totals.
Why: The nine-year veteran has muscled out 11.46 fantasy points per game over the last five seasons despite playing on a team that ranked 23rd or worse in the league in total offense each year. Yeah, he turns 30-years-old in July and that’s why plenty of people will knock Jackson entering the 2013 campaign. But just think about what this guy is capable of achieving playing with Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez. Opposing defenses no longer have the luxury of keying exclusively on Jackson.
4. LeSean McCoy, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
Why: The predicted regression from his 20-touchdown campaign in 2011, the concussion which sidelined him for four games and the all-around poor play from the Philadelphia Eagles came together to produce a wildly disappointing season from McCoy in 2012. The emergence of Bryce Brown will no doubt cut into McCoy’s fantasy totals this coming season, but we’re still expecting an explosive bounce back for the four-year veteran in new head coach Chip Kelly’s first season with the Birds. Look for McCoy to get off to a hot start as opposing defenses work to figure out Philly’s new-look offense.
5. Jay Cutler, QB, Chicago Bears
Why: 2012 addition Brandon Marshall hauled in 118 passes for 1,508 yards in his first season since reuniting with Cutler, so we know the Chicago quarterback has a reliable No. 1 target. Add to the mix the continued development of second-year wide receiver Alshon Jeffery (10 games in 2012), the signing of free agent tight end Martellus Bennett, the 1-2 backfield punch of Matt Forte and Michael Bush, an upgraded offensive line (Bushrod, Slauson and Long) and the hiring of offensive guru Marc Trestman as the team’s new head coach and you have the perfect storm brewing for Cutler. And don’t forget that the 30-year-old is entering the final year of his contract.
6. Victor Cruz, WR, New York Giants
Why: Cruz actually exceeded his 2011 reception and touchdown totals last year, but came up 444 receiving yards short, which is why the third-year wideout’s fantasy numbers took a slight hit. With Hakeem Nicks back in the lineup to help ease the pressure and Eli Manning poised for a comeback season as well, look for Cruz’s 2013 stats to come closer to his 2011 breakout season rather than his 2012 follow-up campaign.
7. Reggie Bush, RB, Detroit Lions
Bush will play an integral role in the Detroit passing attack this season.
Why: While it wouldn’t necessarily be considered a comeback season if Bush were to surpass his 2012 totals, the former Miami Dolphin made this list because we expect 2013 to be his best season to date. There’s a reason why the Lions put the full-court press on Bush and signed him to a four-year, $16 million contract this offseason: Detroit plans to make Bush their No. 1 tailback while leaning heavily upon the dual-threat playmaker in the passing game. PPR owners should highlight this guy’s name weeks before draft day, as we don’t think it would be a stretch for Bush to eclipse the 75-reception mark this season.
8. Jordy Nelson, WR, Green Bay Packers
Why: There was absolutely no way that Nelson was going to match his 2011 breakout numbers in 2012, but that didn’t stop a plethora of fantasy owners from spending a high draft pick on the Green Bay wide receiver. The results were disappointing, as Nelson appeared in just 12 games and finished the season ranked 30th in fantasy scoring at the wideout position. The upside here is that Nelson’s stock has come back down to earth while Greg Jennings has moved on to Minnesota. Expect an increase in production at a much better value.
9. Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars
2012 fantasy total: 49 points (6 games)
Why: It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that MJD will produce more favorable numbers this season than last if he can stay healthy. That’s as obvious as thunder following a lightning strike. But we added the Jacksonville running back to this list for one simple reason: We don’t want you forgetting about this guy on draft day. Jones-Drew is running for a new contract and has produced outstanding statistics on a bad offense several times in his career. The only difference this year is that you’ll be able to snag him at a better price.
10. New Orleans Saints, D/ST
Why: There is nowhere to go but up following last season’s historically dreadful campaign. Head coach Sean Payton is back in charge of the Saints following a one-year suspension and Rob Ryan has been tapped as the team’s new defensive coordinator. From a personnel standpoint, linebacker Jonathan Vilma will be ready to go for a full 16-game season following last year’s suspension, free agent cornerback Keenan Lewis was signed away from Pittsburgh and Texas safety Kenny Vaccaro was selected in the first round to improve New Orleans’ pass defense. This unit may not be great in 2013, but they’re going to be a hell of a lot better. | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18357 | Brazil powers past Ivory Coast
/ Article JOHANNESBURG -- Brute force and hand balls aside, Brazil has achieved its first objective at the World Cup: advancing out of Group G.
Luis Fabiano scored a pair of goals, one with the aid of touches with his arm and his hand, while Elano added another as Brazil beat Ivory Coast 3-1 Sunday to secure a spot in the second round from Group G.
In a physical match that saw Brazil star Kaka ejected with two late yellow cards, the five-time champions showed they can deal out the rough stuff with the pretty plays.
"It's true, the ball really touched my hand and then my shoulder," Luis Fabiano said of his second goal. "But it was involuntary. It was one of the greatest goals I've scored in my career."
Luis Fabiano got his first goal in six matches for the national team with a powerful right-footed shot in the 25th minute after a perfect pass by Kaka between defenders. He jumped over defender Kolo Toure before firing into the top of the net from a difficult angle.
Luis Fabiano added to the lead in the 50th with his left foot from near the penalty spot after beating two defenders inside the area -- helped by his sleight-of-hand.
Ivory Coast coach Sven-Goran Eriksson was livid that that the second goal counted.
"It shouldn't have been allowed," Eriksson said. "They got a goal free. That's a 2-nil goal -- that changed everything.
"It's even more difficult if he's allowed to use his hands. Of course it's a hand ball. It's not once, it's twice."
Elano scored Brazil's third goal in the 62nd after another setup by Kaka. Elano hurt his right shin a little later and left the field on a stretcher.
Kaka then received his two yellow cards late in the game and will be suspended for Brazil's next match, against Portugal. Kaka got into an altercation with Kader Keita near the end of the match.
"The red card was completely unfair," Brazil coach Dunga said.
Kaka did not want to talk about the ejection, but complained of rough play by the Ivory Coast players.
"It was a tough match," he said. "It got violent in two or three plays there."
Didier Drogba, playing from the start for the first time after breaking his right arm in a warmup game, scored the lone goal for Ivory Coast with a header in the 79th.
The victory gives Brazil six points from two matches, and left the Africans with one point and in difficult position to advance from the group stage. Portugal and North Korea play Monday in Cape Town.
It was a physical match at Soccer City, with hard fouls from both sides and players confronting each other at times. Brazil had plenty of chances to scores more, but mistakes on the final pass cost it on a few occasions.
Brazil has won all six matches it played against African nations at the World Cup. The last was 3-0 over Ghana in the round of 16 of the 2006 tournament in Germany. Drogba's goal was the first Brazil conceded to African nations in soccer's biggest showcase.
"I think Brazil can go all the way," Eriksson said. "To beat Brazil you must be almost perfect."
Luis Fabiano hadn't scored in more than nine months for Brazil since connecting twice in a victory against Argentina last September in a World Cup qualifier.
Kaka, coming off a season plagued by injuries, again was far from his best, but showed his poise on Sunday by setting up Luis Fabiano's first-half goal and Elano's third in front of 84,455 fans.
Brazil made some uncharacteristic passing mistakes in the beginning and was not able to take control of the match, allowing the Ivorians to threaten on counterattacks and free kicks. Yet Ivory Coast put nearly all its players on defense when Brazil held possession, leaving Drogba alone up front. The striker is playing with a special protective cast approve by FIFA. | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18358 | By: The Associated Press Email Posted: Wed 10:44 PM, Jan 02, 2013
/ Article OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) -- Ray Lewis spent 17 seasons instilling fear in his opponents while serving as an inspirational leader for the Baltimore Ravens.
Now he's poised and eager to become a full-time dad.
Lewis announced Wednesday he will end his brilliant NFL career after the Ravens complete their 2013 playoff run.
Lewis has been sidelined since Oct. 14 with a torn right triceps. The 13-time Pro Bowl middle linebacker intends to return Sunday to face the Indianapolis Colts in what will almost certainly be his final home game.
''Everything that starts has an end,'' the 37-year-old Lewis said. ''For me, today, I told my team that this will be my last ride.''
Lewis will walk away from the game because he wants to spend more time with his sons. While working to return from his injury, Lewis watched two of his boys play on the same high school football team in Florida. He intends to see Ray Lewis III perform as a freshman next year for the University of Miami, where the elder Lewis starred before the Ravens selected him in the first round of the 1996 draft.
''God is calling,'' Lewis said. ''My children have made the ultimate sacrifice for their father for 17 years. I don't want to see them do that no more. I've done what I wanted to do in this business, and now it's my turn to give them something back.''
That's why Lewis will pull off his No. 52 uniform for the last time after the Ravens lose or claim their second Super Bowl title.
''It's either (that or) hold onto the game and keep playing and let my kids miss out on times we can be spending together,'' Lewis said. ''Because I always promised my son if he got a full ride on scholarship Daddy is going to be there, I can't miss that.''
Lewis was the AP Defensive Player of the Year in 2000, the same season he was voted Super Bowl MVP following Baltimore's 34-7 rout of the New York Giants. Lewis was also Defensive Player of the Year in 2003, and is the only player in NFL history with at least 40 career sacks and 30 interceptions.
''I never played the game for individual stats,'' Lewis said. ''I only played the game to make my team a better team.''
Lewis has been with the Ravens since they moved from Cleveland. After being drafted 26th overall in Baltimore's first draft, Lewis became a fixture at middle linebacker - and a beloved figure in Baltimore. He remained that way even after his alleged involvement in a double-murder in Atlanta in early 2000.
In June of that year, a judge approved a deal allowing Lewis to avoid murder charges and jail time by pleading guilty to a misdemeanor and testifying against two co-defendants. Within a year, Lewis was in the Super Bowl, leading the Ravens to their only NFL championship.
Hundreds of games later, he's ready to call it a career.
''I'll make this last run with this team, and I'll give them everything I've got,'' he said. ''When it ends, it ends. But I didn't come back for it to end in the first round.''
The news of his decision to retire quickly resounded throughout the NFL.
Colts coach Chuck Pagano, who served as Lewis' defensive coordinator last year, said, ''I thought, shoot, the guy could play forever and would play forever. Great person, great man, great player, just an unbelievable human being - what he's done for that organization, that city and for that matter, so many people. He's obviously a first-ballot Hall of Famer and will be sorely missed.''
Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy said, ''I don't know, at least in my time in the league, if there's been a defensive player that's had as big an impact. ... He's really an incredible example of leader. Talk about somebody opening up his chest and giving it to his football team.''
Lewis was respected by his peers, too, even those who were on the receiving end of his crushing tackles.
''He definitely inspired me,'' Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson said. ''Just the passion and how he is dedicated to his craft to be the best. You don't see too many guys who play like that. That's definitely what makes him the best linebacker to ever play the game.''
Indianapolis standout linebacker Dwight Freeney said, ''He's meant a lot to the league in general, but defensive guys especially. This is a league where the most focus goes on offense, quarterbacks and running backs, and very few times do you see a defensive guy get highlighted in commercials or whatever. You see Ray on there, so it's kind of like he's one of us. And you feel good when you see him, the things he's done for the game and how he motivates guys.''
Lewis is the key figure in a defense that has long carried a reputation for being fierce, unyielding and downright nasty. He led the Ravens in tackles in 14 of his 17 seasons, the exceptions being those years in which he missed significant time with injuries (2002, 2005, 2012).
Baltimore linebacker Terrell Suggs, who is almost always upbeat, said of the announcement: ''It was sad. It affected me, because for the past 10 years of my career I've been sitting right next to the man and going to war on Sundays. It's going to one hard last ride, and we need to make it one to remember.''
When Lewis tore his triceps against Dallas, it was feared he was done for the season. But he would have none of that.
''From the time I got hurt, everything I've done up to this point has been to get back with my team to make another run at the Lombardi (Trophy),'' he said.
Well, not everything. Lewis spent time watching his boys play football, which caused him to call his rehabilitation ''bittersweet.'' After spending countless hours from Monday through Thursday working to return from the injury, he hopped on a plane toward Florida to be with his boys.
''I got to be there every Friday,'' Lewis said. ''Me being who I am, not having a father myself, that damaged me a lot. I didn't want my kids to relive that.
''One of the hardest things in the world is to walk away from my teammates. But the now I'm going to step into other chapters of my life.
''I knew I couldn't split my time anymore. When God calls, he calls. And he's calling. More importantly, he calls me to be a father. It's OK to be Daddy. Yes, this chapter is closing, but the chapter that's opening is overwhelming. That's what excites me the most.''
Lewis could have made the announcement during the offseason.
''I think my fans, my city, I think they deserved for me to just not walk away,'' he said. ''We all get to enjoy what Sunday will feel like, knowing that this will be the last time 52 plays in a uniform in Ravens stadium.'' | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18363 | Male Athlete of the Week: Kevin Colton
From start to finish, Kevin Colton’s lacrosse career at Northview High School has been a storied one.The dynamic attacker burst onto the scene as a freshman in 2010, gained 1st-team All-State honors by his junior season and has captained the Titans to a 16-2 record and No. 2 state ranking this spring.“He plays on the attack and has started for all four years,” said Northview lacrosse coach Michael Ryan of his star senior. “He was voted team captain by his teammates this year and he leads by example for us, [with a] drive to be the best than he can be.”Colton’s best has not only brought him individual accolades, but a tremendous amount of team success.During his four years at Northview, the Titans have amassed a 60-19 record on the lacrosse field, captured three Area Championships, two treks to the Final Four and are making their fourth straight appearance in Georgia’s postseason this week — hosting McIntosh in the state’s first round.As an individual Colton notched his 300th career point in a win over Cambridge last month, and has accumulated 96 points and scooped up 70 ground balls through 18 matches this season.“His leadership and play has led our team [all] year,” said Ryan.
Male Athlete of the Week Jalen Atterbury--COLUMBIA | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18366 | ... Business update: US delays review of contentious Keystone pipeline ... NCAA Tournament: Louisville, Kansas among top seeds in Dance
Louisville earned the top overall seed in the NCAA tournament Sunday, while Kansas, Indiana and Gonzaga also received No. 1s after a topsy-turvy regular season and another round of weekend upsets.The selection committee had its work cut out after five teams swapped the top ranking in The Associated Press poll, capped by the West Coast Conference champion Zags (30-2) moving to the lead spot for the first time in school history.But it's No. 4-ranked Louisville (29-5) that leads the 68-team field after sharing the Big East regular-season title, then pulling off a stunning turnaround to beat Syracuse in the final of the conference tournament for their 10th straight victory. The Cardinals came back from a 16-point deficit early in the second half for a 78-61 rout.No. 7 Kansas (29-5) moved up to take the second overall seed after an impressive run through the Big 12 tournament, capped by a 70-54 victory over rival Kansas State in the title game.No. 3 Indiana (28-6) is third overall in the tournament despite falling to Wisconsin in the Big Ten semifinals.The Zags claimed the last of the coveted No. 1 seeds, edging out Atlantic Coast Conference champion Miami.The Hurricanes, who became the first ACC team to be denied a top seed after winning both the regular season and the conference tournament, were among the No. 2 seeds with ACC rival Duke, Georgetown and Big Ten tournament champion Ohio State.The tournament begins Tuesday with a pair of games in Dayton. Everyone is trying to get to Atlanta for the Final Four, which begins April 6 at the Georgia Dome.Kentucky won't get a chance to defend its national title. The Wildcats were left out of the field after a quarterfinal loss in the Southeastern Conference tournament. It didn't help that their best player, Nerlens Noel, went out with a season-ending knee injury. | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18378 | « Sutton wins River City Ohio...
Newell: Parkersburg's mid-ye...»
Officials seeking plan, funds to fix Stadium Field
By JODY MURPHY (jmurphy@newsandsentinel.com)
Save | PARKERSBURG - Officials working to correct the structural issues at Parkersburg High School's Stadium Field are trying to find the funds to address the issues and get the stadium open as quickly as possible. Parkersburg High School Athletics Director Lori Lowers said the Stadium Committee will meet Monday and with the Wood County Board of Education on Tuesday. "We are going to decide on a plan of action and then start moving." Article Photos
Parkersburg High School Athletic Director Lori Lowers stands beside one of the crumbling sections of the visitors side bleachers at Stadium Field. Lowers said the visitors side bleachers' exterior has received more damage since it faces into the weather coming across the Ohio River from Belpre. (Photo by Jeff Baughan)
An example of one of the crumbling bleacher supports underneath the home side bleachers at Stadium Field. (Photo by Jeff Baughan)
The Stadium Committee - with the permission of the Wood County Board of Education - has been working with Pickering Associates to review the bleachers at Stadium Field after they were closed late last year. The committee was recently presented a report that provided two solutions to the issue. Lowers said the short-term solution would be to fortify the underside of the bleachers. That would cost about $900,000. But the work could be completed before the start of football season. The long-term solution would involve removing the risers (the concrete seating) and replacing it with prefabricated concrete. That option would cost close to $2.5 million and take about a year to complete. Officials want the stadium open in time for football season. PHS is nearly self-sufficient with regard to athletics. The athletic department receives little money from the board and relies heavily on football to generate revenue to sustain its other athletic programs. Football and boys basketball are traditionally the only revenue-generating sports in high school athletics. Big Reds football brings in about $110,000 a year, Lowers said. Lowers said the short-term fix is guaranteed for five years but could last longer. In addition to fixing the issues in time for football, Lowers said it would also allow officials time to plan a permanent fix. "That five-year fix gives you time to plan how you are going to get the rest of it fixed. It allows some flexibility," she said. The stadium was shut down in November following an engineering report that stated the bleachers were unsafe. The report was based on a visual inspection of the 90-year-old complex, which found numerous areas where concrete was cracking and pulling away from the structure. Lowers said after football season the bleachers could be repaired or replaced in sections and done so the stadium and sections of the bleachers remain open throughout construction. The closure of the stadium not only impacts Parkersburg High, but also Parkersburg Catholic High School, which plays its home football games at Stadium Field. Danny Tennant, athletics director at PCHS, said they plan to play home games at PHS if the stadium is available. "Otherwise, we will have to find an alternative site," he said. Tennant said they have talked with officials about the use of other sites, but nothing has been solidified. Sue Woodward, assistant superintendent of Wood County Schools, said there is no money set aside in the school system budget to fund the issue. The school system has a multimillion dollar contingency fund. Connie Roberts, finance director for Wood County Schools, said the system has $2.8 million in its contingency fund. Roberts said the state recommends 3 percent of the annual budget be set aside to cover emergencies, which would be $3.4 million. "Money is huge issue," Lowers said. The Stadium Committee and other PHS entities are looking at funding the project themselves. "We are exploring every avenue of funding so to speak," she said. Those options could include naming rights. "We are open to any options. I can't speak for everyone, but that would be very acceptable." Woodward said selling naming rights could be an option, so long as it follows policy. Policy 1340 allows for the board to lease naming rights of facilities. Lowers said a lot of other options have been thrown out for discussion, but none have been seriously considered. "The Stadium Committee will decide what we feel will be a plan of action then take it to the board and get their idea," she said. "We are hopeful and optimistic we can get it back open." © Copyright 2014 Parkersburg News and Sentinel. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18423 | Home/Conferences/Chicago Catholic League
PREP NOTEBOOK Future of Thornridge athletics still unclear
Future of Thornridge athletics still unclearBy Mike Nieto
mike.nieto@nwi.com, (219) 933-3232
November 30, 2010 6:06 pm • By Mike Nieto
Whether or not Thornridge High School will field varsity sports teams next year is yet to be determined, according to principal Brad Beilfuss.
"We are working towards a definitive solution," Beilfuss told The Times. "We hope to have some answers in the next few weeks."
One of the questions needing answers is whether or not varsity sports' at a freshman center is legal through the Illinois High School Association by-laws.
IHSA assistant commissioner Kurt Gibson said that a student-athlete must attend the school he or she is competing for, unless it is a co-op situation. Though some sports are co-ops like soccer, the plan would call for current Thornridge sophomore through senior students attending either Thornton or Thornwood to be bused back for practices.
"That cannot be done,"Gibson said. "You do not have to be a four-year high school to participate in varsity athletics, but you must attend that school."
The school is set to become a freshman-only academy in the fall. District 205 assistant superintendent Dr. Betheny Lyke had said in a Nov. 21 Times article that the Dolton high school will have sports next year.
"District officials and school athletic directors have been working on a plan that will allow all students the opportunity to participate in sports just like they do today," Dr. Lyke said. "There is no plan to reduce the number of slots for students, and there is no plan to reduce the number of coaches."
Dr. Lyke has also been in contact with the SouthWest Conference regarding the proposed changes at District 205.
Thornridge could still teach grades 10-12, plus a freshman academy. If that happens, Gibson said the school would continue to field varsity teams.
Also at issue is the cost of transporting student-athletes back to Thornridge for practice.
The name game: Washington High School has changed its nickname from Minutemen and Minutewomen to the Patriots, according to athletic director Joe Pancer.
Working way overtime: The Washington girls basketball team has played in three overtime games, losing two of them. First-year coach Sara Kalemba said she and her team have used it as a learning experience.
"Overtime has become a usual for us so far this season," Kalemba said. "It has been a great test for the girls, whether we've won or lost, we know that we've learned, and now its time to take and apply what we've learned to the games that are to come."
Matthews out: Marian Catholic senior guard/forward Jasmine Matthews is out indefinitely with a knee injury, according to Spartans coach Annie Byrne.
Matthews, a Bowling Green signee, was injured against Mother McAuley. Marian is 4-0 and plays Stevenson at 6:30 p.m. Friday and Maine West at 4 p.m. Saturday in the Maine West Tip-Off Classic.
Big weekend: There are several shootouts this weekend and Crete-Monee will be hosting the Chicagohoops.com Shootout. The Warrior boys team will face Von Stueben at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
At 4 p.m. Bloom Twp. takes on Chicago Vocational.
Meanwhile, Mt. Carmel travels to the "Shootout at the Hall' in Champaign. Fighting Illini signee Tracy Abrams and the Caravan face Lee (Ala.) at 7:15 p.m. Saturday at Assembly Hall.
The T.F. North boys play Orr at 12:30 p.m. Sunday at the Chicago State Shootout.
The North girls face Rich Central at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Kankakee Community College.
More Chicago Catholic League stories
Geraci drives Chargers to tourney title | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18441 | Byron Scott's Thursday post-practice quotes
Opening thoughts:Third day was probably our best practice as far as really getting up and down. Intensity was much better. It probably was brought out because I showed them a tape of things we were doing and I did not consider it to be the type of running that we need to do. Just those guys seeing it I thought made them come out here today with a much better effort during practice. I could also tell they were a little tired and fatigued, but they got through it and it was a good day.What kind of tape was it?Tape of yesterday's practice on our transition and what we call a shell drill. I thought they were trying, but the effort could be much better. I just pointed that out to them and let them know if we don't put together every day on the floor maximum effort as far as getting back and protecting our paint and not giving up layups and open jump shots. it's going to be a tough season. If we continue to do that and get better at that, we have a chance to be pretty good.
Cavs Thursday post-practice notes
If you're attending tomorrow night's intrasquad scrimmage at the JAR (7 p.m., doors open at 6) don't expect too much out of the Cavaliers.Byron Scott accurately called this team a work in progress. Scott is instilling a totally new offense and new concepts on defense, and the Cavs have only had about 12 hours of practice before the scrimmage. It could be ugly at times.
Final thoughts on LeBron
I am not going to pretend I know what it's like to grow up as a minority. I don't. I'm not going to say LeBron is wrong for feeling his race played into his treatment following the decision. I'm not going to say he is right, either.The question posed by CNN's Soledad O'Brien was "Do you think there's a role that race plays in this?"
Maverick, LeBron discuss "Decision" on CNN
Maverick Carter admitted in an interview Wednesday night on CNN the execution of the "Decision" could have been better. LeBron James is proud of the $3 million the show raised for the Boys & Girls Club. Both men believe race has played a factor in the backlash James has received."I think so at times," James said. "It's always, you know, a race factor."
Cavs post-practice notes
Byron Scott said J.J. Hickson came to him this summer and told him he's capable of more than he showed during his first two seasons in the league. Scott asked him to prove it and Hickson did in the summer league, averaging 19 points and 6.3 rebounds. Now Scott is a believer."He's going to have an opportunity this year to really shine and be one of the most improved players in the league," Scott said.Scott believes Hickson is athletic enough to play either forward spot or center. He already proved he can handle himself as a 6-foot-9 center, but he hasn't played small forward yet.The goal in all of this, of course, is to get both Antawn Jamison and Hickson on the floor together at the same time. Scott is more inclined to play Jamison at small forward than Hickson at center, but the problems could come on defense and rebounding.After the trade from the Wizards, Jamison led the Cavs in rebounding at 7.7. Putting him on a 3 defensively will often pull him away from the paint, though, and perhaps leave him out of position to grab rebounds. And the Cavs are already trying to make up for LeBron James' 7.3 rebounds last year. They can ill-afford to lose anyone else."It just depends on if we're playing a guy who dominates the ball and has the ball in his hands a lot, that pretty much takes me away from the basket as a 3," Jamison said. "There's going to be situations where I'm going to be away from the ball a lot, but you still have to have a knack. That's one thing with myself is I always had a knack for getting rebounds."Other notes...* All the running from the first day of practice Tuesday left a mark on today's practice. "You can tell some guys are a little sore,'' Scott said. "That's usual. I wasn't worried about it.'' The 34-year-old Jamison said he fell into bed early Tuesday night and didn't move until he had to get up for practice.* Single game tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. on Saturday.* A profile on Maverick Carter, complete with a LeBron James interview, is set to air on CNN at 8 p.m. tonight.
Byron Scott post practice quotes
On how the guys bounced back after Tuesday's hard practice:"You can tell some guys are a little sore. The first thing is guys get a chance to see what you'll do that day in practice. They thought it was going to be relatively hard like yesterday. It was pretty intense. Guys tried to fight through as best they could, but you could tell guys were a little sore today. That's usual. I wasn't worried about it. We'll pick it up again tomorrow."On concern over being last in the league in free throws last season:"Not really. All the teams I've had have been in the top five or 10 in free-throw percentage, so I'm not so worried about it. I think we have a pretty good method as far as making free throws on a consistent basis. Guys are rewarded for being good free-throw shooters. Guys who are not have to do more work. It's nothing that concerns me now, but we haven't even played a game yet."
Post practice: Byron Scott
Byron Scott's thoughts following his first day of practice:On the first day: "Lot of running. Guys were in pretty good shape, though. Guys came in camp in a lot better shape than I expected. So our first real running thing we did today, I kind of cut it short because they were in pretty good shape. The rest of the day went well."
Cavs practice notes
VIDEO CAPTION: Cavs players Jamario Moon (No. 15), Christian Eyenga (orange jersey), Antawn Jamison (No. 4) and Jawad Williams (No. 31) shoot around at the end of practice today.
Varejao returns to Brazil
Anderson Varejao has been excused from practice to return to Brazil for a death in the family. Varejao is still hobbled by a right ankle he injured at the World Championship over the summer, but coach Byron Scott said Monday's MRI came back clean."Andy has a family matter that he's taking care of," Scott said. "I talked to him this morning and told him to do just that. Go back there and take care of the family matter. We'll be here waiting for you when you get back."
Delonte answers the Gloria question
Delonte West, who was off-limits to reporters last season in Cleveland and is now back in Boston on a non-guaranteed contract, gave his first interview in more than a year during the Celtics' media day on Monday. It didn't take long for Gloria James' name to surface.West was asked by a Boston radio reporter if he ever had a relationship with LeBron's mother.
Maverick Carter profiled on CNN
CNN is tentatively scheduled to air a profile on Maverick Carter during the 8 o'clock hour tomorrow night (Wednesday). It will include an interview with LeBron regarding Carter's career, The Decision and the pair's commitment to the Boys & Girls Club, the charity which benefited from The Decision.
Media day videos
Antawn Jamison doesn't regret the trade that brought him to Cleveland, even though the Cavaliers don't seem close to winning a championship even more.
Media day wrapup
So what did we learn on media day? The players were stung, badly, by LeBron's decision to leave, but they've been left with no choice but to move forward. Here is the proof.ANTHONY PARKER"Everybody is saying it feels different. The only difference is a lot of you guys aren't picking us to win championships this year. But the challenge is still there. We've got a new coach, new philosophy and new system and couple new faces this year.
Mo Williams at Cavs media day
On Yahoo! story that reported Williams contemplated retirement: "At some point I'm going to retire. Going into my eighth season, I'd consider myself more than 50 percent done with my career. At some point, you have to think about what you're going to do after you play the game. It makes no sense for me with three years left on my deal to give back money ($26 million) I feel I've earned. It don't make sense. And the article wasn't even about me retiring. It kind of got blown out of proportion."On whether or not LeBron quit on the Cavs last season in the playoffs: "No, this game is too competitive to quit. We ain't playing checkers. This is basketball. You play this game long enough and anybody who's competitive understands no matter what's going on with you, people don't just quit. I don't care who you are."
Byron Scott on Cavs media day
Byron Scott will look you in the eye when he's talking to you. He'll actually answer your question, which is rare among athletes and coaches today. And he exudes optimism. Here are the highlights from Scott's media availability session on Monday:
So there was LeBron, sitting on the podium in Miami and getting asked again about Dan Gilbert's letter. A reporter asked James if he tried reaching out to Gilbert after that, to which James responded with a grunt that resembled a "mm-mm" and a head shake that resembled a no, but only if you rewinded it a couple times and watched closely. And that was that.As for James and the Cavaliers, he said he's talked to a lot of the guys he was close to. Boobie Gibson confirmed on Monday that he has spoken to James a few times this summer and that he knew for a fact LeBron would "definitely" miss playing in Cleveland.
Mo Williams: LeBron didn't quit
Here is a great video clip of Mo Williams from media day today denying that LeBron James quit on the Cavs during the playoffs. Included in the video is an animated Williams adamant how the Cavs have to move on without James.
Mo sets it straight
Mo Williams has taken to Twitter to refute this Yahoo story that said he was close to retiring this summer."... it's getting a little out of hand. I was misquoted or misunderstood however u want to put it," Williams tweeted. "I will clear everything up Monday on media day. I was never considering walking away rt now. And especially because lbj left. It made a good story though. Though u know I will never walk away prematurely before my contract is up."
Cavs announce Williams signing
Jawad Williams finally accepted the Cavaliers' qualifying offer and signed to return for a third season with the team, the Cavs announced Wednesday.Williams, who was a restricted free agent, was extended an offer of a little more than $1 million at the end of June. He searched all summer for a better deal, but couldn't find one. He is expected to compete against Jamario Moon and Joey Graham for the vacancy at small forward.Williams, 27, averaged a career high 4.1 points and 1.5 rebounds in 13.7 minutes per game last year.
Forward Jawad Williams signs one-year contract
According to several published reports today, forward Jawad Williams has signed a one-year qualifying offer to stay with the Cavaliers.The deal is believed to be worth $1.02 million, but not fully guaranteed. Williams was reportedly seeking a multi-year contract.
James' popularity dropping
Almost overnight, LeBron James has become one of America's most-hated athletes.James ranked sixth on the most-disliked athletes in sports list, according to The Q Scores Company, which conducts popularity polls. The demographics and number of people polled isn't known, but James' popularity dropped a whopping 41 percent from the poll conducted in January.
Scott believes Cavs can still win
Byron Scott is the kind of guy that will look you in the eye and tell you what he's thinking. So when he said in Sunday's Beacon Journal profile he believes the Cavs can win and make the playoffs next season, he's not reading off a PR script. He really believes it.Scott took over teams in New Jersey and New Orleans with little talent and had them in the conference finals within a couple years. That's not to say he'll have the Cavaliers back in the East finals by 2012, but he likes the pieces already in place. | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18469 | Famed British Guide Among Avalanche Dead
Roger Payne was former BMC secretary
By: Adam Roy
Photo: alpiniste/Flickr
A British mountain guide who wrote a book on how to avoid avalanches was among the climbers killed in Thursday's slide in France's Mont Blanc range, the United Kingdom's Home Office announced. Roger Payne, 55, was shepherding a group of climbers up Mont Maudit when the avalanche hit. Payne, who lived in Leysin, Switzerland, was a former general secretary of the British Mountaineering Council. In an interview with ITV, mountaineer Sir Chris Bonington said that there was no way Payne could have predicted the slide. "Roger was an expert on avalanche danger, he actually taught it, instructed it, but that doesn't make any difference," he said. "They are unpredictable."Read more at The Guardian
Skiing British Columbia
CMH Resorts, British Columbia
Golden, British Columbia
Blue River, British Columbia | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18510 | Horner: No Vettel issuesVettel explains 'tough luck' commentDan not seeking conflict with SebMcLaren taking Red Bull to courtSun: Merc, Ferrari, Red Bull, FIndiaRicciardo: We are closing that gapSat: Merc, Red Bull, Ferrari, WilliamsVettel: Second not to my liking
Red Bull won't rest on their laurels
Tuesday 27th November 2012
Share: Red Bull won't rest on their laurels
They have just won a hat-trick of Championships, but Red Bull have warned the rest of the grid that they "are never satisfied".
After wrapping up their third consecutive Constructors' Championship in Austin, the Milton Keynes squad picked up more silverware at the season finale in Brazil as Sebastian Vettel won the Drivers' title for the third year in a row.
Team principal Christian Horner says the squad will learn from the mistakes they made this year and will improve in 2013.
"We've got such a strong group, we can always learn," he said.
"We've learned a lot of lessons this year and we'll look to apply them, and that's one of the strengths of this team.
"We are never satisfied. We're always looking inwards, whether that's the drivers, engineers, or technicians.
"It is in all the different departments. It is that spirit and desire that has kept us at the top for three years."
While Red Bull and Vettel dominated the 2011 season, things were a lot more difficult this campaign as they had a few mechanical problems while the likes of Ferrari and McLaren also put up a much better fight.
Horner rates their 2012 success as their best and also heaped praise on Vettel.
"This is by far our biggest achievement as a team ever," he said. "We were restrained last week [when winning the Constructors' Championship] as we thought the job was only half done.
"It's been a tough week, but everyone's kept their focus, kept their nerve.
"And what we were faced with here in the rain could not have been more stressful.
"It's not just about today though; it's about the season as whole - all 20 races.
"It's ebbed and flowed and we've fought our way back into it. Sebastian, in particular, has never given up.
"He really wanted this Championship. He's driven with great determination and it doesn't ever get any easier." Gallery: Race Day In China | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18511 | Perez not interested in backmarker seatTuesday 19-November-2013 12:33Outgoing McLaren driver Sergio Perez has admitted that he isn't interested in joining a constructor at the back of the Formula One grid.
McLaren announced in the lead-up to last weekend's US Grand Prix that the Mexican would be replaced by Formula Renault 3.5 champion Kevin Magnussen.
By his own admission, his sudden departure from the Woking team has put Perez in a difficult position, despite McLaren's efforts to secure him a drive elsewhere on the grid.
However, the 23-year-old isn't interested in taking up a seat just anywhere.
"Yes, it's true they are helping me, but it's also true that right now it's very hard to find a seat that motivates me to stay in Formula 1," said Perez.
"I don't know [about moving to Caterham or Marussia] but I don't want to consider it because I have a lot to offer and going to a team like that would basically make my career stall.
"I would have to find another option."
He added that he would consider racing outside of F1 if he couldn't find a competitive outfit for the 2014 season.
"Right now I haven't considered [racing in another series], but if I have to get to that point, I'll consider it and I want to make a decision in the new few days." | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18528 | Avery Johnson re-joining ESPN's NBA coverage team
Dec 11, 2012; New York, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets head coach Avery Johnson reacts during the first quarter against the New York Knicks at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports ORG XMIT: USATSI-95576 ORIG FILE ID: 20121211_ajl_ag9_044.jpg / Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports by Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY Sportsby Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY Sports Filed Under
If Avery Johnson isn't coaching in the NBA, he wants the next best thing: analyzing the league on TV. That's exactly what he will do �?? again.
Johnson, who was fired as coach of the Brooklyn Nets in December, is re-joining ESPN's television coverage of the NBA and will appear on NBA Coast 2 Coast, NBA Tonight and SportsCenter, Johnson told USA TODAY Sports on Tuesday.
Johnson, who will make his in-studio debut on Oct. 21, worked for ESPN from 2008-10 after losing his coaching job with the Dallas Mavericks.
"I had such a great time during my two-year stint with ESPN, that was the first phone call I made when I knew that I was not going to go back to coaching right now," Johnson said. "I really enjoy working with the staff at ESPN, the access to so much information and stats and just staying close to the game. Because we're always on TV, I had to watch games morning, noon and night, and it really made me feel like it was the next best thing close to coaching. It reminds me of the preparation I undertook as a coach."
Johnson has a great basketball mind and grew into his role at ESPN, using his ability to see what is happening on the court and it break it down for viewers.
"You have to make sure you are prepared and articulate your material where it's clear to the audience," Johnson said.
He has no problem being critical, if that's what is necessary. "The main thing is you have to do your job," Johnson said. "When you're working for ESPN, your loyalties lie first with the network because they're the ones giving you the platform to do something you're really passionate about, and I'm passionate about television work.
"I have to make sure that whatever topic we're discussing that I communicate in such a way that fans and viewers can appreciate the material. It has to be truthful. You have to be accurate."
Johnson said the 2013-14 season is laced with intrigue.
"Can Miami get to the Finals for the fourth straight year and three-peat? That's intriguing," He said. "A team like Indiana �?� can they break through and get to the Finals. That's intriguing, especially with Danny Granger coming back. How is he going to fit into the lineup? Are they going to start him? Are they going to bring him off the bench? I need to see a little bit more out of their point guard play. Larry Bird's back. They've turned over their assistant coaching staff a little bit. I'm intrigued by the addition of Nate McMillan and Popeye Jones.
"Do the Spurs have it in them one more time to get back to the Finals? Or are they going to have a hangover?"
And course, Johnson is interested in watching his former team, the Nets, this season with first-year coach Jason Kidd leading a great of stars.
"Obviously, having coached the Nets, I'm intrigued about whether they can bring it all together in another make or break year and make it to the Finals," he said. "Or are they going to be early-round out when there's a lot of pressure on them to get to the Finals, especially with their significant payroll and new additions?"
The time away from coaching in the NBA also gives Johnson a chance to watch his son, Avery Johnson Jr. play basketball his senior season at Plano (Texas) West High, a strong contender to win the Texas 5A state title. The younger Johnson is getting attention from college basketball coaches, and Johnson believes his son will play college basketball next year.
"He will. We've had college coaches not only looking at Avery Jr., but other players on the team, too," Johnson said.
He sounds just like other coaches and executives, such as Steve Kerr, Fran Fraschilla and Stan Van Gundy, who took time off from the job to spend more time with their children. Maybe one day, Johnson will get back into coaching.
"I consider myself all-in at ESPN, and I love my job, and I love this opportunity," Johnson said. "I'm not sure what the future is going to hold. But right now, this year, I'm really excited working at ESPN."
Copyright 2014 USATODAY.comRead the original story: Avery Johnson re-joining ESPN's NBA coverage team
Johnson was fired by the Brooklyn Nets in December A link to this page will be included in your message. | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18547 | Home Teams NFC NFC East Giants Roster Cullen Jenkins
Cullen Jenkins - #99 - DT
Giants-Packers matchup of the day: Wednesday
PFW executive editor and resident Packers expert Dan Arkush presents the second of five key matchups this week in advance of the Packers’ Week 16 game against the Giants at Lambeau Field.
Giants-Packers matchup of the day: Tuesday
PFW executive editor and resident Packers expert Dan Arkush presents the first of five key matchups this week in advance of the Packers’ Week 16 game against the Giants at Lambeau Field.
Avant delivers knockout block for Eagles
Jason Avant threw a huge block on DeSean Jackson's game-winning punt-return TD, but didn't see the play after he was temporarily knocked out.
Giants' collapse could spell trouble for Coughlin
Costly special-teams' miscues allowed the Eagles to storm back from a 21-point deficit and capture control of the NFC East in a game that could be difficult for the Mara family to forget when it comes time to decide the ...
Eagles stun Giants with fourth-quarter comeback
DeSean Jackson scored on a 65-yard punt return on the final play of the game and the Eagles scored 28 points in the final 7:28 to stun the New York Giants 38-31 and take over first place in the ...
Giants' Smith faces long, difficult rehab
Posted Dec. 19, 2010 @ 1:05 a.m. ET
Giants WR Steve Smith, who will be a free agent after this season, might not be ready to play when the 2011 season begins.
2010 NFL playoff scenarios for Week 15
The NFL has released the possible playoff scenarios heading into the Week 15 games.
Giants place LB Sintim on I.R., add DE Hall
Giants LB Clint Sintim tore his ACL in the Giants' 21-3 win over the Vikings on Monday night and will be placed on injured reserve. DE Alex Hall was added to the active roster in his place.
Giants WR Smith to miss remainder of season
Giants WR Steve Smith will miss the remainder of the season after injuring both his hamstring and knee on Monday night.
Week 14: Did Brett Favre earn his money?
We once more examine whether Vikings QB Brett Favre, who is being paid more than $1 million per game this season, earned his paycheck. Let's take a look at the Week 14 loss to the Giants.
Vikings' players of the Week: Week 14
Here's a look at the players of the week from the Vikings' 21-3 loss to the Giants in Detroit.
Giants dominate Favre-less Vikings 21-3
The New York Giants took advantage of Brett Favre standing on the sideline as Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw had long runs in a 21-3 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night. Favre's NFL-record streak of 297 straight ...
Tickets no longer available for Vikings-Giants at Ford Field
An overwhelming response forced the Lions to announce that tickets will no longer be distributed for Monday night's Vikings-Giants game.
Graham tears ACL, Bradley should return for postseason
Eagles DE Brandon Graham will miss the rest of the season with an ACL tear while MLB Stewart Bradley will miss the rest of the regular season with a dislocated elbow.
Favre remains doubtful against Giants
Brett Favre expressed doubt to USA Today, and his head coach, Leslie Frazier, did the same to ESPN over whether the QB can play Monday night in Detroit against the Giants.
A person with knowledge of the deal says Jenkins has signed a three-year contract with the New York Giants.|||||||
The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity Sunday because the Giants haven't announced the agreement, told The Associated Press that the two sides had reached a deal. It covers three years and is worth $8 million. Free agents can't get new contracts until March 12, but Jenkins had no such restriction because he had been cut by Philadelphia.
The Philadelphia Eagles have released Jenkins.|||||||
Jenkins signed a five-year, $30 million contract with the Eagles in 2011 and started every game the last two seasons. He was due to make $5.5 million this season, but rebuilding Philadelphia cut the 32-year-old Jenkins on Monday. After spending the first seven seasons of his NFL career with Green Bay, Jenkins left for Philadelphia. He had 5 1-2 sacks in 2011 and four in 2012.
Jenkins was fined $15,000 by the NFL on Friday.|||||||
The penalty is for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan.
The Philadelphia Eagles have signed free agent defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins to a five-year contract and traded former defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley to the Cleveland for a fifth-round pick in next year's draft.|||||||
Jenkins started 66 games in seven seasons with the Green Bay Packers. He had a career-high seven sacks in 11 games with the Super Bowl-champion Packers last year. He can play defensive tackle or defensive end but has generally lined up inside throughout his career.
The Packers placed Jenkins on injured reserve Wednesday because of a chest injury, ending his season. Jenkins was hurt in the fourth quarter of Sunday's game at Tampa Bay while attempting to sack Buccaneers quarterback Brian Griese. Jenkins is believed to have a torn pectoral muscle, saying Monday that he couldn't lift his right arm above shoulder level.|||||||
Jenkins started the season as a leader of Green Bay's defensive line. In four games, he had 2 1/2 sacks, 10 quarterback pressures, a forced fumble and 18 tackles. | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18553 | The Professionals’ Gym of the Future Is Now Open to All Athletes in Atlanta Atlanta’s Best-in-Class Partners in Sports Medicine have joined forces with Fusionetics to create FusionATL, the first U.S. Fitness and Training Center singularly focused on sports performance and sports injury prevention for athletes at all levels and ages. We believe that everyone is an athlete, and we want to help athletes from 8 to 88 move better so they can feel better, function better, perform better and live better.
Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) September 07, 2013 For years, advanced technology and training facilities have been open largely to elite professional and college athletes. In 2011, Fusionetics, the leading provider of sports performance optimization testing and analysis technology, began working with Atlanta’s sports medicine community to develop plans for a facility that would give any athlete access to a 360 degree advanced technology evaluation, treatment avenues for issues and fitness equipment/personal coaching to reach optimal performance while minimizing the potential for injuries.
The Terminus Building, at 3280 Peachtree Road, Suite 160 in Buckhead, was chosen for the facility, and Peachtree Orthopaedic Clinic signed on as a partner and Sports Medicine provider. The end result is a facility that uses state-of-the-art technology to test and analyze any athlete, give that athlete a path to performance optimization and injury prevention, and provide the best-in-class medical support to assist in injury repair and recovery.
“The ability to offer any athlete a 360 degree view and treatment or optimization path has not been created in the U.S. before FusionATL,” said Todd Townes, Athletic Director and Co-Founder of FusionATL. “We chose Atlanta for this flagship facility because Atlanta’s amateur and student athlete population is very large, and our best-in-class partners here were excitedly receptive to this new idea.”
This “gym of the future” opened on July 1st, and has already garnered the attention of Atlanta’s professional and amateur athletic community alike.
ESPN Analyst, Jon Barry, is a current member of the facility along with his sons. "As a former NBA player and active athlete, as well as a father of two successful young boys, I find FusionATL to be the perfect environment for each of us to improve athletic performance and decrease the risk of injury. The expert staff directed by the powerful Fusionetics system makes this a one-of-a-kind offering unlike anything I've seen. I trust my budding stars with this team and look forward to years of injury free success for me and my boys,” said Barry.
Townes has been personally visiting many of the Metro Area’s top high schools to talk to coaches and parents. “The response has been overwhelming,” he said. “Of course, sports performance optimization is important to the athlete and the team, but everyone, parents, coaches and students want to do whatever they can to reduce the potential for injury. Our Fusionetics system shows them their weak and strong points, and our facility, physical therapists and trainers show them how to adjust to strengthen or protect those weak points, and take their strong points to a whole new level.” Townes says that he is surrounded by parents at every meeting who want to sign their student athlete up for the “gym of the future”.
FusionATL will be hosting a series of open houses at the “gym of the future” starting with a VIP Invitation Only event on September 17th that will feature the voice of the Atlanta Falcons, Wes Durham, Pro Golfer, Matt Kuchar, and other FusionATL Athletes. Townes sums up the purpose of FusionATL by saying, “Our mission is simple, we believe that everyone is an athlete, and we want to help athletes from 8 to 88 move better so they can feel better, function better, perform better and live better.”
About FusionATL
FusionATL is a new company focused on human performance optimization supported by best in class partnerships and rooted in 20 years of scientific research. This “gym of the future” will be home to athletes from 8-88, bringing the technology and training of the professionals to the student athlete, the corporate athlete and the weekend warrior. Our Athlete centric model is powered by Fusionetics, a revolutionary human performance system designed to reduce injury, enhance recovery and optimize performance. Our best in class partners include Peachtree Orthopaedics, Fusionetics and Golf Performance Partners. For more information, visit http://www.fusionatlanta.com.
About Fusionetics
Fusionetics delivers outcome-focused analytics and personalized application solutions supported by evidence-based systems and enabled through technology for a standardized approach to injury prevention, performance and recovery in every body. Through the leadership of Dr. Micheal A. Clark, scientists, sports medicine professionals, coaches, athletes and business leaders have come together to help people improve their performance. Fusionetics is the compilation of over a decade of research, field testing and the relentless pursuit to perfect human movement. The results speak for themselves with over a 40% reduction in injuries in professional sports when this system was implemented. That meant more playing time, less pain and improved performance. Fusionetics is the future of sports science. For more information, visit http://www.fusionetics.com.
About Peachtree Orthopaedic Clinic (POC)
Founded in 1953, Peachtree Orthopaedic Clinic (POC) is celebrating 60 years of serving the orthopaedic needs of the Atlanta community. The practice includes 29 board-certified physicians with a wide range of subspecialty interests, and over 200 employees. POC offers eight convenient locations throughout Atlanta, as well as three physical rehabilitation locations, two state-of-the-art surgical centers and an MRI facility. As national leaders in the practice of sports medicine, POC physicians serve as team orthopaedists for the US Ski Team, Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Hawks, Georgia State University, the Gwinnett Braves and a variety of local high schools including Westminster, Lovett, Marist, Holy Innocents, Chamblee, Walton and North Atlanta High School. They also serve as advisors to the Atlanta Ballet. The Peachtree Orthopaedic Clinic Foundation, the philanthropic entity for private fundraising initiatives, supports the clinic’s long-standing humanitarian efforts in Haiti since 1957, POC physicians have donated time and supplies providing orthopaedic care to thousands of impoverished Haitians. The Georgia Shoulder and Elbow Foundation was formed in 2010 provide a forum for orthopaedic surgeons to discuss ideas and present scientific material related to the treatment of patients with shoulder and elbow disorders. For more information, visit http://www.pocatlanta.com.
Todd Townes
FusionATL 678-467-0540
Your Exclusive Invitation to FusionATL
VIP Media Invitation for September 17th Open House at FusionATL | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18570 | example: life, funny (comma separated)example: Einsteinexample: one small step for manSearch HelpAdvanced Search “We're still in this season, and it's been my approach since I was a rookie to take it one game at a time. I'm feeling good right now, though.”
Bryant Young
“You only get one rookie season. So, I hate that we lost, but this was one of the best games I've ever played in.”
“I remember I was a scared rookie, hitting .220 after the first three months of my baseball season, and doubting my ability.”
Doubting
“After the first or second time (Rookie of the Week), teams started to realize what I could do. Some games I didn't score as much, so I had to have assists and rebound more.”
Whitney Frament
“He has made huge strides in a tremendous rookie season. He has taken advantage of our personnel changes and is a big piece of our nucleus going forward.”
Mike Sullivan
Strides
“He's one of the few guys, especially as a rookie, that when he's on the floor, at least to some degree, you breathe, ... Usually when rookies are on the court coaches don't breathe. They hold their breath. But he doesn't play that way. He's not going to blow you away with flash. He's just going to blow you away with solid basketball.”
“I know I wouldn't have thrown a rookie out there. But I'm not the one dealing with that bull in that rodeo.”
Dave McGinnis | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18572 | Home » HEADLINE, NASCAR - Sprint Cup Series
Peers To Junior: We Hear Ya
Deb Williams | Senior Writer, RacinToday.com Thursday, October 11 2012
Brad Keselowski says he understands why Dale Earnhardt Jr. did what he did. (RacinToday/HHP file photo by Gregg Ellman)
CONCORD, N.C. – Several NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers said Thursday it’s their responsibility to get checked by a doctor when they believe they have suffered a concussion, but admitted it’s a difficult step to take knowing they may not be cleared to drive.
“For any race car driver not being in the car is your worst fear; it’s the nightmare that you have,” said standings leader Brad Keselowski. “Concussions are mostly self-described or whatever you want to call that, self-policed, and that only you know how bad they are. Everybody has got their own code. The difference in our sport versus [football and hockey] is that when you’re unable to make great decisions or you lose your focus, the potential is there for others to get hurt where that doesn’t necessarily exist in football. In racing, if you can’t focus, you knock the wall down or you wreck somebody.”
The drivers’ comments were in response to Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s announcement Thursday at Charlotte Motor Speedway that he would not compete in the next two NASCAR Sprint Cup races due to suffering two concussions in the last six weeks. The first came in a tire test Aug. 29 at Kansas Speedway. The most recent was Sunday on the final lap of a 25-car pileup at Talladega Superspeedway. During the press conference, neurosurgeon Dr. Jerry Petty said 90 percent of a concussion diagnoses depends on individual information.
“There are some athletes that are more prone for concussions,” five-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson said. “Clearly, racing is one. Hockey, football, and you get into some of those contact sports where you, as an athlete, have to know whether you’re right or not. I think in some cases, even if you are right, you could work your way through some of these different evaluations and not say anything and just try to get better on your own.
“I credit Junior for being aware of how he feels and what’s going on. It’s going to be a tough week for him, especially as the week goes on. To come so far all year long, for himself and that team, and the sponsors associated and everybody involved, it’s a sad day that he’s going to be out.”
Earnhardt Jr. was seventh in the standings, 39 points behind Keselowski when Petty told him he would not clear him to race for the next two weeks. Saturday’s Bank of America 500 at CMS will be the first NASCAR Sprint Cup race without an Earnhardt since the 1979 Southern 500 at Darlington, S.C.
“Concussions are a tricky thing, as we all know,” Johnson said. “We’ve got to make sure that he’s right so if he is in the car and does have another crash that it doesn’t set him back any further.”
Some drivers could cite when they suffered a concussion.
Johnson said he suffered one or two concussions on dirt bikes when he was young and it was easy then not to race. However, it was different when he suffered a hard hit at Watkins Glen when the brakes failed on his car.
“I literally got in my truck and was going to drive to the race shop,” Johnson said. “I got on I-77 and went north [should have gone south] and ended up at Interstate 40…before I realized where I was going. I made a phone call and drove myself to the doctor and got checked out. At that point, once I was on the books, I had to be cleared before I got back in the race car.”
The drivers also said they weren’t concerned about competing in an event with someone who may have suffered a concussion but not acknowledged it.
“A large portion of the sport is based on trust and that’s why it’s such a tight-knit community,” Keselowski said.
Yet, Gordon admitted that if he was leading the standings, on the verge of winning a championship, with two races to go he wouldn’t admit to anyone that he possibly had a concussion.
“That’s why I say we [NASCAR, NASCAR liaisons, track safety crews, drivers and teams] all play a part in this,” Gordon said. “ If I have a shot at the championship and there’s two races to go, and my head is hurting and I just came through a wreck, I’m feeling signs of it but I’m still leading the points I’m not going to say anything. I’m sorry. That’s the competitor in me and probably many other guys. That’s not the way it should be, but it is something that most of us would do. I think that’s what gets a lot of us in trouble.”
– Deb Williams can be reached at dwilliams@racintoday.com
One Comment » Robert says: October 13, 2012 at 6:58 am
Some good points made by Johnson, Gordon and Kes.
Good luck to Jr. Hope he gets back soon.
Good luck to Regan Smith, AJ and Kurt too. It’d be cool if they finished 1, 2, 3, no matter the order. | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18582 | Los Angeles Angels TicketsLos Angeles Angels Tickets let you in to see a franchise growing to monstrous proportions. Since reaching the pinnacle of baseball brilliance by winning the 2002 World Series, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have maintained a level of quality which has allowed them to make the playoffs in 5 of the last 8 seasons. Angels Tickets for the 2014 season are going to give you a chance to watch the team make another playoff run. And with the chance to bring the World Series to Anaheim again, this season is one no fan should miss. Get your Los Angeles Angels Tickets from Razorgator today!Angels Tickets and Schedule
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Los Angeles Angels 2014 News and Updates
4/14/14- The Los Angeles Angels turned around their shoddy season start in a big way, when Mike Trout, Albert Pujols and Raul Ibanez hit back-to-back-to-back home runs against the New York Mets. The young slugger and two veteran power hitters set the crowd and scoreboard ablaze in the rare event that led to yesterday's 14-2 whopper score. The Angels are enjoying their sixth win in ten games, and look to ride this victory wave into their series against the Oakland Athletics starting today (get-in for just $3). Anaheim Angels tickets are available tomorrow for $15 (4/15) and $5 on Wednesday (4/16). 4/7/14 - The Los Angeles Angels look a bit rusty out of the gate. After the honorary first pitch by Vladimir Guerrero (signed a one-day contract to retire as an Angel) saw hitting coach Don Baylor break his leg on Opening Day, the Angels haven't been able to shake their unlucky start. With a 2-4 record to kick off the season, the Angels can get their mojo back if they exact victory in today's game to win their four-game series against Houston, and pay back the Mariners with success in both their matches this week (4/8-4/9). Score cheap Los Angeles Angels tickets when they host the New York Mets this weekend: get-in for $5 on Sunday. … more 3/31/14 - The biggest moment in recent Los Angeles Angels history has arrived—Mike Trout has signed a six-year extension with the Angels valued at $144.5 million. The 22 year-old, fans and the franchise alike couldn't be happier with the idea of having the star outfielder under their halo for another seven years. Despite hitting this mega high note before Fan Fest this weekend, the Angels are buckling down and ready to get serious for their Opening Day game. Los Angeles is pitted against the Seattle Mariners tonight until Wednesday, and the squad is eager to start the year with victories (unlike their past two dreadful season starts). There are Los Angeles Angels tickets available for their last two games in the series against Seattle: get in tomorrow for just $17 or score cheaper tickets on Wednesday, only $12 to start. 3/24/14 - The Los Angeles have one final game left in Arizona! Catch them at Cubs Park tomorrow (a $38 minimum) and see them take on Chicago. To the delight of the franchise, Josh Hamilton made his long-awaited debut last Monday, and hit an infield single to take the Angels up 8-7 over the Giants. In other news, the Angels have acquired Trevor Gretzky from the Cubs (son of NHL legend Wayne Gretzky) in a unique exchange for infielder Matt Scioscia (son of Angels manager Mike Scioscia). Score cheap Los Angeles Angels tickets for their Opening Day game against the Seattle Mariners in Anaheim, starting at a low $21! 3/17/14 - Josh Hamilton is expected to make his spring debut against the San Francisco Giants next Monday, after missing most Cactus League play due to a strained calf muscle. The outfielder believes two weeks of play will be enough to gear him up for the Angels' upcoming Opening Day match against the Seattle Mariners (3/31). Los Angeles Angels tickets for their first game of the season are $78 on average, but you can catch them for much less during Spring Training! Angels tickets for this Friday against the Royals start at $18, and their Sunday faceoff against the Indians is just a $19 minimum. 3/10/14 - You never know who's going to show up at Spring Training in the Cactus League! Former Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher shagged some flies during practice with the Los Angeles Angels on Friday, chatting with players and fans before their game against the Cubs. On the same day, wunderkind Mike Trout—who Urlacher called "the best player in baseball"—gifted some fans in attendance his just-worn batting gloves as a token of appreciation. The young superstar was awarded the largest pre-arbitration contract for a player in MLB history (one-year, $1 million) last Wednesday—a deal that foreshadows a huge long-term contract for Trout in the future. Los Angeles Angels tickets are cheapest when they play the Milwaukee Brewers this Wednesday (get-in for $11), and bump up to $19 when they take on the Chicago White Sox a day later. 3/3/14 - With all eyes on Mike Trout this season, the young slugger showed some major spring swag with a statement performance last week. The "Millville Meteor" hit a grand slam and five RBIs in the Los Angeles Angels' decisive 15-3 victory over the Cubs on Friday. In a true team effort, Trout's game was only bolstered by stellar showings from his teammates Chris Iannettam, who nearly hit two homers in one day, and JB Shuck, who scored a three-run triple. With such a powerful start to the year, you've got to see if this team can make mincemeat of their next Spring Training opponents! Get Los Angeles Angels tickets for their game against the Los Angeles Dodgers this Thursday (get-in for $27) or see if they can hammer the Cubs again this Friday (get-in for $17). 2/24/14 - Rumors are mounting that Los Angeles Angels wunderkind Mike Trout is currently in talks for a six-year contract reportedly worth $150 million. The management is eager to dismiss these allegations, but keep an eye on Anaheim's front office as news may well break soon. The 22 year-old has a lot of pressure mounting for the 2014 season, see him work out the kinks with Los Angeles Angels spring training tickets. Angels tickets have jumped up just $2 since practice began, averaging $45 a ticket in Tempe. 2/18/14 - After a disappointing first season with the Los Angeles Angels, Spring Training welcomes back a healthier and beefier Josh Hamilton, up to 240 lbs. from 215 lbs. last season. This offseason, the outfielder focused on building up the same muscular physique that enabled him to be the power hitter he was during his 2010 AL MVP season. See if Hamilton can hit his stride alongside young gun Mike Trout when the Angels take on the Chicago Cubs this Friday (2/28). Los Angeles Angels tickets are an affordable $16 to sit behind home plate and watch these sluggers let it rip up close! 2/11/14 - Get excited Anaheim, because the Los Angeles Angels will be reporting in two days to their Arizona camp. This should be the year Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton live up to their contracts and earn their high billing, with Pujols fully recovered from his foot injury and Hamilton gaining 28 lbs. of muscle in the offseason. Power up with these sluggers because the Halos are contenders this year, especially with Mike Trout in centerfield. Help the Angels get a good start during Spring Training, and attend their first game in Arizona against the Chicago Cubs for just $17. 1/28/14 - The Los Angeles Angels have been consistently prudent this offseason, only filling necessary gaps while waiting for prices to drop on the free agent market to score a bargain deal with a veteran pitcher. Who will line up at Tempe Diablo Stadium for Spring Training? For just $43 you can see who’s on the mound when you get your Los Angeles Angels Spring Training tickets today! less
Los Angeles Angels 2014 Season
The Los Angeles Angels were suffering last year with holes in the starting pitching rotation and third base position, and with little money left from previous offseason expenditures, the Angels have been pinching pennies this winter. Getting right to addressing their issues, the Angels traded centerfielder Peter Bourjos and outfield prospect Randal Grichuk to the Cardinals for third-baseman David Freese and reliever Fernando Salas. Afterwards, Anaheim signed right-hander Joe Smith and traded first-base slugger Mark Trumbo to the Diamondbacks. A deal that landed them young lefthander Tyler Skaggs, White Sox starter Hector Santiago, and veteran Raul Ibanez. … more
With all of these young prospects filling up the bullpen, the Halos are still looking to offset the risk by attaining a veteran starting pitcher. Reportedly, their focus has shifted to bagging Bronson Arroyo and Matt Garza before Spring Training commences. So, strapped for money, the Angels were restricted this winter and unable to make as many big-name deals maybe as they would have liked--but with such a solid foundation backing up young talents, the Los Angeles Angels are sure to make waves this season! 2013 Season
Whither the Los Angeles Angels? On one hand, after picking up arguably the best player in baseball before last season, in first baseman Albert Pujols, the Halos were never able to get untracked from a slow start, which Pujols got off to as well in his first American League season. On the other hand, once Pujols got started, he reverted to form; pitcher Jered Weaver came to the fore as a legitimate top of the rotation starter; and outfielder Mike Trout seriously challenged for the AL Most Valuable Player award in his rookie season, ultimately settling on the AL Rookie of the Year award. And in a case of "keeping up" with their NL rivals for fan attention up Interstate 5, the Halos went out and picked up former AL MVP Josh Hamilton as a free agent from their division rivals in Texas. Around the rest of the diamond, team home run leader Mark Trumbo is back, as well as outfielder and leadoff man Torii Hunter; but questions exist in the starting rotation after Weaver, C.J. Wilson, and Ervin Santana. 2013 should prove to be interesting at Angel Stadium of Anaheim, as the Angels have one more division rival to fight off as well, the Houston Astros.
Los Angeles Angels tickets in Anaheim average $62 for the 2013 MLB season. That's almost half the price of tickets to see LA's other baseball team, the Dodgers, who have an average tickets price of $121 at Dodger Stadium.This season's most popular games on the LA Angels schedule include the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, and Interleague series with the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals. Angels fans wanting to pick up cheap Angels baseball tickets will find seats under $10 in the 500 level at most home games. Tickets to the Angels home opener versus the Athletics on the April 9th are priced from $29 in the 500 level to $350 in the Field Hall of Fame and MVP levels. On the road, Los Angeles Angels tickets average $78. less | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18587 | College student will log 1,087 miles to cast his ballot
BY BRIAN McGILLIVARY
bmcgillivary@record-eagle.com
TRAVERSE CITY — Cross country runner Evan Cover will soon embark on a 1,087-mile jaunt from halfway across the country. This time the finish line is a voting booth in Peninsula Township.Cover, 19, a former standout runner for Traverse City Central High School who attends college in Massachusetts, discovered about two weeks ago that elections officials denied his absentee voter application.So the sophomore at Tufts University near Boston decided to fly home to cast his ballot in person. He planned to use savings from his summer job to pay for the $483 ticket, though his parents ultimately helped undercut his costs."I calculated it out," Cover said. "It would be a big hit to my budget and would have restricted what I could do, but I was willing to pay for my own way home."His parents, Rick and Susan Cover, were surprised when Evan shared his plans."At first I thought it was more effort than was warranted, but I do admire his sense of duty and ideals," Rick Cover said. "I'm pretty sure I wouldn't make the same effort if I was in his shoes. I grew up in the Vietnam war era and had a very different relationship with my government."Evan Cover never considered not voting in a presidential election."Ever since I was a young kid, I've always thought of voting as a right of passage, but also as a way for me to begin my participation in the American political process," Evan said. "No matter how small, my vote will make an impact."Evan is a political science and international relations student at Tufts, and said his goal is to become part of the policy-making process for the federal government. Rick said his son was "pretty distraught" when he first learned he wouldn't get a ballot.Evan registered by mail last year during a voter registration drive at Tufts. But Michigan law requires those who register by mail to either show up in person at their local clerk's office or vote in person before the | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18600 | George Hincapie admits to doping
by Reuters and Roadcycling.com
Former Lance Armstrong lieutenant George Hincapie has admitted to doping Fotoreporter Sirotti
George Hincapie admits to doping Former Lance Armstrong lieutenant George Hincapie admits to doping.
George Hincapie, one of Lance Armstrong’s former team mates and closest allies, has admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs. The 39-year-old American, who ended his career earlier this season and who rode alongside Armstrong in each of his seven Tour de France wins, released a statement on Wednesday confessing that he cheated. “Because of my love for the sport, the contributions I feel I have made to it, and the amount the sport of cycling has given to me over the years, it is extremely difficult today to acknowledge that during a part of my career I used banned substances,” he said. “Early in my professional career, it became clear to me that, given the widespread use of performance enhancing drugs by cyclists at the top of the profession, it was not possible to compete at the highest level without them.” Hincapie, regarded as Armstrong’s unofficial lieutenant during his record breaking feats in the Tour de France from 1999 to 2005, joined a list of former Armstrong teammates, including Floyd Landis and Tyler Hamilton, to admit to doping. The three were among 11 riders identified on Wednesday as having provided evidence to the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) in its investigation into doping in cycling. Armstrong has always denied using drugs but was banned for life in August after deciding not to fight the charges laid against him by USADA. Hincapie said he stopped using drugs six years ago and decided to come clean about his own past in a bid to restore credibility to the sport. "I have competed clean and have not used any performance enhancing drugs or processes for the past six years. Since 2006, I have been working hard within the sport of cycling to rid it of banned substances." "During this time, I continued to successfully compete at the highest level of cycling while mentoring young professional riders on the right choices to make to ensure that the culture of cycling had changed." “Two years ago, I was approached by US Federal investigators, and more recently by USADA, and asked to tell of my personal experience in these matters,” he said. “I would have been much more comfortable talking only about myself, but understood that I was obligated to tell the truth about everything I knew. So that is what I did. “Cycling has made remarkable gains over the past several years and can serve as a good example for other sports,” Hicapie said. “Thankfully, the use of performance enhancing drugs is no longer embedded in the culture of our sport, and younger riders are not faced with the same choice we had,” Hincapie claims. Tags: dopingGeorge HincapieUSADAUS Postal ServiceUSPSLance Armstrong
05/09/2007 La Vuelta Results - Stage 5 10/07/2005 Tour de France Results - Stage 8 09/07/2003 Tour de France Results - Stage 4 24/07/2011 Cervelo R3 SL Review 18/07/2010 2010 Tour de France Results - Stage 14 Your comments Your comments | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18606 | Kansas Jayhawk Basketball 2012-13
Women's NCAA Tournament 2013: Kansas Jayhawks Advance to Second Straight Sweet Sixteen
By Owen
Bob Stanton-USA TODAY Sports
For the fourth time in school history and the second time in the last two seasons, the Kansas women's basketball team is headed to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament after a 75-69 upset victory over No. 17/14 South Carolina Monday night at the Coors
Last year the Kansas women's team made a run in the NCAA tournament that caught the attention of one of the most devoted basketball fanbases in the country. While the men's team tends to get year round attention, Kansas fans love their basketball and success on the court, whether it come from the men or the women, is appreciated. Last night the women made it two in a row.
Behind a 27 point night from senior Monica Engleman, the Kansas Jayhawks notched their second consecutive upset with a win over fourth seeded South Carolina. Once again Angel Goodrich has been a game changer for Kansas in the postseason using her speed and quickness to create for Kansas and surprise opponents through the opening weekend of the tournament. Coming off of a Sweet Sixteen appearance a year ago hopes were high in Lawrence and the women's team started out strong before stumbling to a disappointing 8-10 Big 12 finish. Fortunately that was enough to get Kansas an at large bid as the Big 12 is very respected in women's basketball and Kansas had a chance to make amends a bit. Monday night they did just that. Proving that the Big 12 is one of the premier conferences in women's basketball, Kansas upheld their end of the bargain moving on to their second straight Sweet Sixteen and doing it for the second year as a bit of a Cinderella. Obviously the goal is to move the program in a direction where Cinderella isn't the term we're using to describe this groups success, but once again they look like a very good team in March.
Kansas will take on the winner between top seeded Notre Dame and Iowa next weekend in Norfolk. Great win for the Jayhawks, great game for Monica Engleman and Angel Goodrich continues to be the best point guard that Kansas has to offer this season. Rock Chalk Jayhawk!
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2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18665 | CIT Trade Finance
CIT is the nation’s leading provider of financing, factoring and credit protection services to the apparel industry. Our Los Angeles office works closely with action sports companies of all sizes, from privately held companies to global corporations. Protect your accounts receivable today. Call 800-248-3240.
SnowSports Industries America (SIA) is the national not-for-profit, North American member-owned, trade association representing suppliers of consumer snow sports products with constituents in the retailer, rep and resort communities. Established in 1954, SIA annually produces the SIA Snow Show, the largest snow sports industry trade show and networking environment globally, while delivering invaluable data/research, support, marketing products, services and programs.
Executive Edition rules
“Shop-Eat-Surf” is now officially, the first stop in the morning for industry news. Accurate reporting, no sensationalism, and just the facts. Refreshing support to an incredible industry with a very bright future. Tiffany has cemented her role in the industry....the site is thought provoking, and inspirational. Learning the stories of others is incredibly useful. Great way to connect the retail community with the wholesale and financial, instantly and nationwide. ... And the Executive Edition rules.
- By Bob Hurley, Chairman, Hurley International
Executive Edition is a must have
Before Shop-Eat-Surf, there were two sites I paid for premium content on. One is Surfline, the other is the Wall Street Journal. One is about all things surf, the other, the best business content site in the world. Shop-eat-surf is the intersection of those two worlds. Shop-Eat-Surf provides everything from coverage of events, people, brands and trends. However, beyond the Executive Edition "wall" is more meaty analysis and interpretation of financial statements, business models and brand philosophies; why certain brands and companies are succeeding, where others aren't. The Executive Edition is a must have read if the business of surf and action sports are on your radar screen.
- By Jeff Berg, Co-owner, Surfline
Stacie Perry moves to ISA, Stephanie Keith leaves
Bob Mignogna, Stacie Perry. Shop-eat-surf file photo.
By November 23, 2010 3:38 PM
ISA Names Stacie Perry Event Operations Manager La Jolla, California, 23 Nov. 2010 - The International Surfing Association (ISA) President, Fernando Aguerre, today announced the addition of Stacie Perry to the organization in the newly created Event Operations Manager position.
ISA President Aguerre said, "As the ISA continues to develop its premiere world championship events, it is crucial for the ISA's feature events to progress in both scope and excellence.
"The Event Operations Manager post will help to ensure that these events are first-class and will help the organization in achieving its long term mission, which includes the Olympic Games. Stacie's experience in event production, marketing and her passion for surfing will be a tremendous asset in this role."
Reporting to ISA Director General, Bob Mignogna, Perry will be responsible for overseeing the production of the ISA's signature events, including the Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championship, Billabong ISA World Surfing Games, ISA World Masters Surfing Championship, ISA World Bodyboard Championship, and ISA World Standup Paddle Championship.
Perry brings more than 10 years of action sports industry experience, most recently as the Marketing Manager at Pacific Sunwear, the surf industry's largest retail customer worldwide. She is also the former Managing Editor of TransWorld Surf.
"The ISA has been extremely successful in raising the visibility of the sport of surfing internationally and has united a phenomenal number of nations toward the goal of bringing surfing to the Olympic Games," says Perry.
"I am extremely honored to be joining the ISA organization and to have the opportunity to help deliver a better surfing future worldwide."
The ISA is also announcing the departure of Executive Director Stephanie Keith, who has been with the organization for two and a half years.
Keith successfully managed the organization during a period of significant growth both in ISA events and development programs. Keith will remain in the sport industry as the newly appointed Development and Events Director for the San Diego Sports Commission and San Diego Hall of Champions.
About the International Surfing Association (ISA)
The International Surfing Association (ISA) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the World Governing Authority for Surfing. It was originally founded as the International Surfing Federation in 1964 and has been running Open Division World Championships since 1964, Junior World Championships since 1980, and Masters World Championships since 2007. The ISA will hold the first Stand Up Paddle (SUP) World Championship in 2011.
ISA membership includes the surfing National Governing Bodies of 64 countries on six continents. Its headquarters are located in San Diego, California. It is presided over by Fernando Aguerre (Argentina), first elected President in 1994 in Rio de Janeiro and re-elected seven times since. The ISA's three Vice Presidents are Alan Atkins (Australia), Mike Gerard (USA) and Karín Sierralta (Peru).
www.isasurf.org
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2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18671 | Hart soccer moves to quarterfinals
q:I lost about 50% of hearing in my left ear due to a viral infection in my inner ear. I got a hearing aid from another... a:Hi Sorry for the delay in answering you. I would have to know the brand and model of your hearing...
February 25, 2014 10:57 p.m.
By Dan Agnew
Hart's Andrew Nielsen (20) takes the ball down to score against Lawndale at Hart High on Tuesday.
It doesn’t seem like anything can faze this Hart High boys soccer team.
After coughing up a two-goal lead along with every bit of momentum in Tuesday’s postseason game, the Hart Indians fought back for a dramatic 3-2 win over the Lawndale Cardinals in the second round of the CIF-Southern Section Division IV playoffs at Hart High.
Thanks to Anthony Salvadori’s game-winning goal in the 70th minute, Hart advanced to the CIF quarterfinals for the first time since 2011 and just the second time dating back to 1983.
“The personality and hard work of each player we have, that’s what stands out,” said Hart head coach Adonay Jovel. “We have a bunch of kids who want to win. We have a bunch of kids who want a ring. That’s what they always say.”
Brayon Rodriguez and Andrew Nielsen scored the first two goals for the Indians (15-4-4) within the first 25 minutes of the game to take a 2-0 lead, but Lawndale (20-8-1) slowly wrestled control of the game back to its side.
By halftime, the Lawndale side of the stands was mostly full and energetic as the school brought three buses full of students to cheer on the team.
The crowd gained energy as the Cardinals built momentum and started chipping away at the lead.
They scored twice within a six-minute span in the second half to tie it. The first was knocked in by Sergio Salcedo from the top of the 18-yard box after a corner kick in the 53rd minute.
Shortly after that, in the 59th minute, Lawndale scored again on a header to push the score to 2-2.
“We just kind of woke up and saw it was still a game,” Salvadori said. “We knew 2-0 wasn’t a good score.”
Up until that point, the Cardinals were dominating possession of the ball throughout the second half.
But the energy level picked up a notch on the Hart side after allowing back-to-back scores.
“We can’t go into overtime,” Jovel said on his thoughts at the moment. “We need to finish it before then.”
Salvadori, who had played solid defense in the back all game long, found himself in front of the goal after Nielsen sent the ball into the box from the right side.
In a crowd of defenders, Salvadori took one shot and tucked it into the left side for the go-ahead score. He was mobbed by teammates on the field.
“They got a breakaway, our defense failed to clear. We left the front wide open,” said Lawndale head coach Angel Mendez, whose team won the Pioneer League this season.
Rodriguez scored his goal within the first minute and a half of the game on an assist by his brother, Jeysen Rodriguez.
Nielsen scored unassisted in the 25th minute.
With the win, Hart will move on to play Cathedral High of Los Angeles, the No. 1 seed in the bracket, on Thursday at Hart High School.
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2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18712 | Back to the Big House: MSU's Thomas leads team to hometown December 22, 2012 Mississippi State freshman guard Fred Thomas goes up for a dunk at Humphrey Coliseum in a game earlier this season. Thomas plays in his hometown today as the Bulldogs take on Central Arkansas at Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson. (Photo by Kim Murrell, SDN)
BEN WAIT sports@starkvilledailynews.com Mississippi State freshman guard Fred Thomas was celebrating a State championship the last time he was in the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson.
The 6-foot-5, 191-pound Jackson native poured in 24 points and hit the game winning 3-point shot to lead Jim Hill to a 76-74 win over Tupelo and the Class 6A State championship.
This time Thomas will play in the "Big House" with his Mississippi State Bulldogs. MSU (3-6) plays Central Arkansas (4-4) in Jackson at 2 p.m. today.
"That was a pretty memorable game for me," Thomas said of the State championship. "Going back down there, I feel like it's going to be very special. We still need to stay focused so we can win the game."
For head coach Rick Ray, he is glad Thomas is returning home, but he also sees this trip as way to make a statement.
"I think it's great for Fred," Ray said. "We want to be successful in Jackson. It's a major city in the state of Mississippi. We need to have recruiting success there. We need guys to come and matriculate into Mississippi State to go back and play in front of home crowds like that and have some success. I'm glad he's excited."
It has been a quick transition for Thomas. Less than a year ago, he was helping his high school team to a title and preparing to graduate. Now he is a starter for an Southeastern Conference basketball team.
"Coming to Mississippi Stat,e I never thought I would be starting," Thomas said. "With all the people we have and the depth, he put me in the starting lineup. I just have to work hard, be more aggressive and get some rebounds so we can win some games."
Thomas, who is second on the team in scoring with 11.4 points per game, will have family, friends and people from his high school in the stands. Ray doesn't want Thomas to get so wrapped up in returning home. He wants him to stay within himself and be a team player.
"He also has to make sure he stays within the gameplan," Ray said. "Fred can't get wrapped up in trying to go out an put on a show. He's a good basketball player, he's going to get good opportunities and he just needs to make sure he doesn't get wrapped up in the excitement of trying to put on a show in front of his friends, family and fans. "He just needs to go out and play his game of basketball. If he does that and keeps his emotions under wraps, he will be successful. If he goes out there trying to put on a show, he is going to struggle."
Sophomore forward Roquez Johnson leads the Bulldogs with 13.3 points per game.
The Bears are led by head coach Corliss Williamson. Central Arkansas is led on the court by guards Robert Crawford and LaQuentin Miles at 14.6 and 13.9 points respectively.
"Corliss Williamson played at Arkansas," Ray said. "He's a Nolan Richardson disciple, so we are going to see a lot of pressing. It's going to be their version of 40 minutes of hell. If you look at our statistics, it's the best thing to do against us, trying to make us handle the ball versus pressure."
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2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18714 | ADVERTISEMENT Max Shortell Jeff Wheeler, Star Tribune
NCAA ponders new standard for transfers Article by: JOE CHRISTENSEN
January 16, 2013 - 12:13 PM
Former Gophers quarterback Max Shortell has a strong arm and good grades, but under current NCAA rules, he'll be ineligible to play for another top-division program next season after transferring from Minnesota.
In coming years, however, athletes with Shortell's grade-point average might not have the same restriction.
The NCAA is considering a rule change that would permit athletes to compete immediately for any school after transferring -- if they carry a 2.6 GPA or better. This is among many topics that will be discussed when the annual NCAA Convention opens Wednesday in Grapevine, Texas.
The transfer legislation is still in the early stages, but one timeline, published internally by the NCAA, suggests a proposal could be presented by the organization's Leadership Council to its Board of Directors by August. That means athletes could be able to transfer under the new rules by the fall of 2014.
"We're still collecting data, research and framing the issues," said Northeast Conference Commissioner Noreen Morris, who chairs the Leadership Council. "The NCAA staff came up with [the 2.6 GPA benchmark] as a concept, and said, 'Here's something you might want to think about.'"
The potential change has appeal for Shortell and other athletes seeking more freedom under NCAA rules. But coaches and administrators fear it could lead to a flurry of students transferring just to change teams.
"I assume it'd be like a free agent market, probably," Gophers men's basketball coach Tubby Smith said. "That's [the NCAA's] big mantra now, to look out for the student-athletes. They already blame [coaches] for the transfers; I wonder who they're going to blame when the transferring doubles."
Athletes on the move
Student-athletes are allowed to transfer once and compete immediately in all sports except football, basketball, baseball and men's ice hockey. Those sports aren't given the exemption because studies show that when athletes from those sports transfer, they are far less likely to graduate.
But research also shows that athletes who transfer with a 2.6 GPA or above are just as likely to graduate as those who stay at their original school. That's why the NCAA picked 2.6 as the benchmark for its Academic Progress Report (APR). A program loses points toward its APR if a student transfers with a GPA below 2.6.
"We thought, should we think about somehow connecting that number to the transfer [eligibility] rules as well?" Morris said. "Is that the right number? We said we need more information."
Shortell's father, Dr. Tom Shortell, believes a better benchmark for the one-time exemption would be a 3.0 GPA. Max Shortell was an Academic All-Big Ten selection and carries a 3.3 GPA. Originally recruited by former Gophers coach Tim Brewster, Shortell stuck with his commitment after the university replaced Brewster with Jerry Kill in December of 2010.
Shortell started two games as a freshman in 2011 and three more as a sophomore but announced his plans to transfer in December, after Kill turned to freshman quarterback Philip Nelson to start the regular season's final six games.
To play right away next season, Shortell would have to transfer down at least to a Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA) school. If Shortell could stay at the top level and transfer to a Football Bowl Subdivision school? Well, Texas is an example of a team reportedly looking for a quarterback who can transfer into the program and play right away.
"I'm not saying [Max] was interested in them, or they were interested in him, but they run a pro-style offense," Tom Shortell said. "They need a quarterback for next September, but Max has to lay out a year. Why is he punished for that? To me, the problem is these coaches can switch jobs at any time, and they don't really realize the ramifications this can have on the kids."
Process playing out
At this week's convention, a Leadership Council subcommittee is expected to review more transfer data and continue discussing potential changes. J.T. Bruett, the University of Minnesota's director of athletic compliance, anticipates a four- or five-month window during which the NCAA would seek feedback from coaches and administrators.
"The transfer procedures at the NCAA Division I level have been in place for quite a while," Bruett said. "So to all of a sudden do a reversal here and allow student-athletes [with a GPA of 2.6 or better] to transfer without penalty, that would be a significant change."
With looser transfer restrictions, lower-level schools could run the risk of becoming feeder programs for the NCAA's elite.
"That's one of our biggest concerns from the Northeast Conference," said Morris, whose league includes Monmouth and Farleigh Dickinson. "We recruit the student-athletes who may not have been recruited by a quote-unquote higher-level league. If we bring them in, develop them, and all of a sudden, other schools are interested, they may feel like they want to play big-time."
Of course, as North Dakota State athletic director Gene Taylor said, that already happens today, with transfers simply accepting they have to sit out one year, where applicable.
Taylor said he'd be nervous if athletes were free to transfer "carte blanche." But he added, "We're in this business for the student-athletes, and I think we do have rules where you scratch your head sometimes and say, 'That's not really fair.'" | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18789 | ... TRACK & FIELD: Angie Fuss named head coach at Waynesboro Area Middle School
By Lee Goodwin
WAYNESBORO — Angie Fuss seems to be just where she wants to be, and that's closely involved with the Waynesboro Area Middle School track and field program.It's not exactly like it was years ago when she actually started a middle school program in Woodstock, Va. The program here in Waynesboro has been around, but it's the future that excites the 1996 Waynesboro Area Senior High School graduate.Fuss, who competed in cross country and track and field in high school, was approved to be the head coach of WAMS on Thursday, replacing long-time coach Barry Donohoe. Fuss spent the past two years as the distance coach for the Braves and Maidens teams."This is kind of a surprise that Barry is leaving," Fuss said Friday morning. "He kind of told me at the last minute. I'll still be working with the distance runners. I'll just have more responsibilities."Mike Bercaw returns as sprint coach. New coaches coming into the program are Kim Flickinger (jumps) and Jyi Smith (throwers)."I just feel like it's helping the high school team," said Fuss, who sees the middle school program as a feeder system into the high school sport. "I have a lot of kids I recruit to run track here, and it's something they fall in love with here and continue on in high school. Being a WASHS graduate, it's kind of cool to give back to the program."The boys' and girls' teams start practicing March 11. The first meet is April 10."I definitely plan on being a part of the program for a long time," Fuss said. "Everyone's been very supportive. Also, even though Barry stepped down, he wants to be involved as much as he can until his (knee replacement) surgery. He's been really helpful showing me what goes into the head coaching part of it with all the different responsibilities."After Fuss graduated from WASHS, she attended Hagerstown Junior College for two years and finished her undergraduate education at Radford University in Virginia. She coached at Radford for a time before getting a teaching job in Woodstock, Va., where she started the middle school track and field program.Fuss is in her fourth year as a health and physical education teacher at WAMS."I love this age," she said. "I love working with this age."I'm not really looking for the most athletic person, more like someone who has the determination to work hard. When I first started out, I wasn't that athletic. I just worked hard. I want someone who wants to improve themselves and help the team. Track is an individual sport and a team sport."Fuss is also an avid runner. She runs daily and recently participated in a 24-hour race in North Carolina in January. She signed up to run in a 100-mile event in New York state in August. | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18800 | Tom Brady: Joe Flacco is a 'great leader'
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco chat after last year's AFC Championship game. / Robert Deutsch USA TODAY Sports by Chris Strauss, USA TODAY Sportsby Chris Strauss, USA TODAY Sports Filed Under
FOXBOROUGH, Mass - If the question remains whether Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco is elite, his counterpart for the New England Patriots seems to be voting on the positive side.
Asked about facing Flacco in the AFC Championship Game for a second straight season, Brady praised Flacco, who has made the playoffs in each of his five years as Baltimore's starter.
"Joe's done a great job since he came into the league," Brady said in a Wednesday press conference. "I've watched a lot of film on him and his offense this year. Over the last few years I didn't have a chance to do that. He's a great leader."
Flacco is currently the highest-rated passer in the postseason, registering a 120.0 rating by throwing for 613 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions in his past two games. Brady's performance against Houston last Sunday has him second with a 115.0 rating.
The Ravens quarterback outplayed Brady when the teams met in Week 3, completing 28 of 39 passes for 382 yards and three touchdowns in Baltimore's 31-30 primetime victory.
"To put your team in this position takes a lot of guys but they have a lot of confidence in Joe," Brady said. "He does a lot of really good things."
Copyright 2014 USATODAY.comRead the original story: Tom Brady: Joe Flacco is a 'great leader'
The Patriots quarterback has nothing but praise for his counterpart on the Ravens. A link to this page will be included in your message. | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18808 | Gangs, Prison, and Redemption
Sports, even ones that includes hand-to-hand combat, provide an escape route for those who have nowhere to go. This is the journey of one man, from gang life to prison and addiction, and how it led to his salvation in becoming a Muay Thai champion with a promising MMA career.
Pane Haraki grew up in Hastings, New Zealand and when you meet him, it’s tough to see how he could have a wicked bone in his body. By all accounts, a sincere and generous person, it has taken years of prison time and several other factors to get him where he is today.
Someone who liked school growing up and had the encouragement of teachers, Haraki longed for a career in professional rugby – his first love. Playing both rugby union and rugby league, he saw his friends getting professional contracts and knew he could do it.
But the gang life was too much.
“My dad was the president of a gang for 30 years, so for the majority of my life my dad was the leader of a gang,” Haraki says, “I walked around with a chip on my shoulder.”
Since the age of 17, Haraki had been in jail every year of his life until he was 23– all for burglaries or assaults. Each time, he would do a stint for a few months or weeks and get right back into the gang.
“We had our gang that would go around and fight other gangs, do drugs, steal cars, rob people – just all the bad stuff,” Haraki admits.
Even with all of this going on, the big Maori doesn’t blame anyone. When your father is the leader of a gang, it becomes your family. His three uncles, countless cousins, as well as Haraki’s own brother were all hooked.
“Dad would drop us off at school in custom hot rods. The whole school would come out and watch him drop us off at school,” Haraki says with a smile, remembering a time when his father was his hero. That was a long time ago.
At 23 years-old, Haraki’s father came up to him and his uncle for help. The job was simple, go and beat someone up – though no one told Haraki.
“A girl (my father) had been seeing for years was seeing another guy. We basically beat him up. My dad never told me what we were going to do so I felt a little bit tricked,” he says, “It was basically over a woman.”
With all three men in police custody, it took three months until their sentencing. His father and uncle were sentenced to three months and were basically let out the day they were sentenced.
But they made an example of Haraki due to his father’s prestige in the gang. Haraki was originally sentenced to three years which he cut down to two years and four months on appeal.
Haraki ended up serving 18 months, spending two birthdays in prison.
“I sort of lost respect for my dad since then. I never really trusted him after that,” Haraki says, “I was bitter, but in saying that I was more dissappointed in myself.”
While in prison he met a man in jail from a biker club in Auckland who was also a former heavyweight Muay Thai champion in New Zealand. The two became friends and, upon Haraki’s release, went to Auckland for work.
“When I went out (to Auckland) he showed me a different world of the bike club scene,” Haraki says, “I didn’t join them, but just hung out a lot with them.”
When word of his association with a biker club got back to Hastings, life became a bit worrying for Haraki. Whenever he came back home, trouble wouldn’t be far away.
“I thought I needed to protect myself so I went to this local gym and started training muay thai,” Haraki says. After a year, at the age of 26, Haraki would fight in his first professional bout – winning his first two via knockout.
After five fights, Haraki switched gyms and went back to Auckland to feed his addiction to Muay Thai and something else.
Back in Auckland, on one of the first nights after he was released from prison, he was sitting around a table of some of the biggest drug dealers in New Zealand as a joint laced with methamphetamine was passed around.
“My mate said to me ‘you don’t want to do this’. Then it came to me again and I thought ‘why not?’ so I did it,” Haraki recalls. This moment led to an addiciton that would last until he was 30-years-old.
From the looks of things, everything was going well. Haraki was starting to pull himself away from the gang life, training full-time in Muay Thai and fighting professionaly. He even had a job that, admittedly did not pay much, but was enough for him to get him off the streets and into a home by himself.
But he had developed a bad addiction to meth and things were about to get worse.
Two weeks after his daughter Acacia was born, and shortly after his 30th birthday, Haraki was sent back to prison on an assault charge. The beginning of his sentence was the roughest, as the withdrawals of his meth addiction and the fact that he left his little girl weighed on him.
“In the cell I felt that I was going to commit suicide and I knew from then on that I could never do drugs again because they were going to kill me. Few people know how it feels to be truly hopeless,” Haraki says.
Amongst the bars and his small cot, Haraki began the process of forgiving himself of his past, reflecting on his mistakes, and even began reading the bible – from front to back – in about eight months. Something that he feels gave him strength during his prison sentence.
When Haraki was released from prison for what would be the final time, he refocused his efforts on school and his fight career. He moved back to the Hastings – Napier area and began training Muay Thai heavily. All the while working odd jobs and training others to make ends meet to support his baby daughter.
Haraki fought several times, amassing an 11-5 Muay Thai recording New Zealand and eventually winning a Heavyweight Championship title in 2012. His past would sometimes rear it’s ugly head, like when he was denied entry into Australia to compete because of lied about his jail record.
Still, Haraki enrolled in a university to get his diploma and become a fitness instructor and strength and conditioning coach, possibly for rugby players and other fighters. He was studying at the local library when he got a text that would change things once again.
His father had been battling heart cancer for some time, and a triple bypass surgery was not enough to save him. Haraki was setting up funeral arrangement when he got into an argument with his brother that turned into a full scale fistfight in his father’s house.
“When (my father) was sick my brother never went to see him, not once,” Haraki, who broke his finger in the fight, says. “ This was really heated because I think he had been drinking heavily, dad had just passed away.”
After the funeral, Haraki could not strike as easily with his broken finger and switched over to MMA to learn the ground game and takedowns. His rugby skills came in handy and soon he had several fights lined up in the new sport.
With a 3-2 MMA record and several Muay Thai fights around the world, Haraki was able to attain an AMCO title at Bangla Boxing Stadium in Phuket, Thailand.
Haraki tried out for the MMA team at Tiger Muay Thai & MMA Training Camp Phuket, Thailand and, although was not picked up, still has a promising future training with several of the other athletes who competed.
“It’s been a real privilege to be chosen to take part in the scholarship, trianing with Roger Huerta, Brian Ebersole, Fernando, good coaches that got good experience and really nice guys. I know I’ve always got a home at Tiger,” he says.
Haraki believes he is destined to do two things in life other than fight: 1) own a gym, 2) help others get out of the gang life, especially youth.
For now, he is focused on his fight career and providing for his daughter back in New Zealand.
“Surround yourself with good people. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Everything you go through, there is always a reason and way to come down that path, never give up on your dreams and hopes,” he says.
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2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18814 | WVU wins game two over Oklahoma
CHARLESTON — The West Virginia University baseball team used an all-around team effort on Saturday in a 9-3 victory over No. 10 Oklahoma at Appalachian Power Park.
The victory came in front of 2,250 fans, the third-consecutive home game that the Mountaineers have had an attendance over 2,200.
The win ties the series at 1-1 after WVU fell 4-3 in 10 innings on Friday evening and it improves the Mountaineers record to 28-20 overall and 10-7 in Big 12 play. They trail Oklahoma by one game in the Big 12 standings as the Sooners drop to 34-13 overall and 11-6 in conference play.
Trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning junior third baseman Ryan Tuntland redeemed himself of an earlier error, crushing a two-run home run over the left field fence to give WVU a 4-2 advantage. Tuntland’s third homer of the season drove in junior left fielder Jacob Rice, who had previously plated sophomore shortstop Taylor Munden to tie the game at 2-2 with a fielder’s choice to second base.
The Sooners came back to cut the lead to 4-3 in the top of the seventh, but junior right-handed reliever Pascal Paul entered the game with runners on first and second and forced Oklahoma’s Jack Mayfield into a ground out to end the threat.
A two-run home run that went on to the road behind the left field fence by junior first baseman Ryan McBroom highlighted a five-run bottom of the eighth inning that gave WVU a 9-3 lead and put the game out of reach. Also driving in two during the inning was sophomore center fielder Bobby Boyd’s single to center field.
Tuntland and McBroom each had two hits with Tuntland driving in three runs and McBroom plating two, while Munden finished with three hits. Munden and Tuntland also each scored two runs.
Junior right-hander Dan Dierdorff (4-5) picked up his second-straight conference victory, allowing three runs, two earned, on seven hits in 6.2 innings. He struck out eight and walked one.
Paul picked up his seventh save of the year, striking out one in 2.1 no-hit innings of relief.
Munden led off the bottom of the first for WVU with a single to left field and came around to score on a ground out to second base by Tuntland, giving the Mountaineers an early 1-0 lead.
Oklahoma tied the game in the top of the fourth and took the lead at 2-1 in the top of the fifth. Anthony Hermelyn drove in Mayfield with a bloop single to right field for the game-tying run and the Sooners took the lead on a sacrifice bunt by Max White that allowed Garrett Carey to score from second after a throwing error by Tuntland.
Craig Aikin went 2-for-4 to lead the Sooners, while Aikin, Mayfield and Carey each scored one run.
Despite retiring 16-consective Mountaineer batters at one point, OUs Jake Fisher (1-2) took the loss. Fisher let up one earned run (four runs) on six hits in 5.2 innings with three strikeouts and one walk.
The series finale is set for Sunday at 1 p.m. The game will be video streamed on WVUsports.com, while the radio broadcast will be on select affiliates of the Mountaineer Sports Network, with Morgantown affiliate WAJR 1440 AM serving as the flagship station. | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18820 | Home > Judging stand
Judging stand
Abandoning costly project is right decision
It's possibly one of the oldest horse racing stands in America, but preserving it appears not to be an option.
This week, Lehighton Borough Council said it will either raze the bulky, wooden structure that now stands as an eyesore in the town's Community Grove or give it away if some valid group or organization wants to pay for removal.
The old stand was used at the former Carbon County Fair in Lehighton for more than 100 years. It stood in front of the fair's grandstand for the exposition's final run in 1993.
It was utilized for horse racing that was a staple at the fair. It also was great for band competitions at the fair, demolition derbies, and many other events.
Members of Lehighton Borough Council tried their best to save a piece of not only the fair's history, but a very unique structure.
Officials of the borough moved the stand from its original location at the fairgrounds to a parking lot of a car dealership, and then to the Community Grove. The intention was to renovate the stand and move it to the Lehighton Borough Park where not only would it be an attraction, but it could be utilized for some community events. Most importantly, they would have been preserving a piece of history.
A grant for the rejuvenation of the stand was received in the amount of $20,000. When bids for refurbishing were sought, only one was received and the amount was $115,000.
This would have presented an enormous burden on the borough's taxpayers. The timing for such an expenditure would have been poor since the borough council is operating on a tight budget.
For some council members it was hard to recommend the demolition of this artifact. Some council members served for years on the board of directors of the fair so there is some sentimental value involved. But common sense prevailed.
Not only would the repairs exceed $100,000, but there would be a monumental task to move the stand to a downtown location. The move would have meant taking down overhead electric lines and then reinstalling them.
It's important to preserve our history, but only when costs and efforts to justify such preservation are logical. There comes a time when you have to walk away from a project, even when history is involved.
Council member John Bird said so much work for the judging stand was needed that it wouldn't have been a renovation. It would have been a reconstruction. He's right.
If someone wants the stand, the council must be notified by April 31 and it must be moved by the end of May. Otherwise, it's going to be demolished.
The council made the right decision, prioritizing what's best for the taxpayers.
By Ron Gower
rgower@tnonline.com [1]
Reproduction is prohibited without the express written consent of the Times News, LLC. © 2014 Source URL: http://www.tnonline.com/2011/mar/30/judging-stand
Links:[1] mailto:rgower@tnonline.com | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18826 | Tiger Men’s Soccer Opens With Loss at FDU, Hoping to Find Rhythm as It Hits Busy Stretch Jim Barlow knew that his Princeton University men’s soccer team faced a stern test when it opened its season at Fairleigh Dickinson last Friday night.
FDU brought a 2-0 record into the clash along with the confidence of having advanced to the Round of 16 in the 2012 NCAA tournament.
Showing some opening night jitters, Princeton fell behind 2-0 some 40 minutes into the contest.
Tiger head coach Barlow acknowledged that digging an early hole was not the formula for success against the Knights.
“You need to get the first goal against a team like that,” said Barlow, reflecting on the early deficit. “We couldn’t find an answer for their center halfbacks, they were both 6’4 or 6’5, good in the air and athletic.”
While Princeton fought gamely the rest of the way, it ended up falling 3-0.
“We didn’t play poorly,” said Barlow. “We were able to get the ball moving and keep them in their end. When we fell behind, we picked up the tempo and got the ball in their end more, creating some half-chances.”
Barlow noted that sophomores Nico Hurtado and Jack Hilger did create some positive energy for the Tigers.
“Nico and Jack came off the bench and helped us be more dynamic,” said Barlow, noting that Princeton lost stars Cameron Porter and Myles McGinley to leg injuries during the game. “Hilger was good at pressing up on the ball, he took a step forward.”
The Tigers did take a step back in one critical area of the game. “I think the big thing is we conceded two goals on the re-starts,” said Barlow.
“The first goal was on a corner, the ball was kicked high in the air and we didn’t have good communication. On the second goal, one of their center halves headed it in right off the corner.”
With the Tigers playing four games in a nine-day stretch starting with a game at Rutgers on September 13, Barlow hopes to get his squad headed in the right direction.
“We need to keep figuring things out,” added Barlow, whose team will host Seton Hall on September 15 in its home opener.
“We have a bunch of games in a row against some very good teams. We will get better and we would like to get some wins while we are improving. We need to be less naive on restarts and be better around the goal. We will have Thomas Sanner back so that should solidify us up front.”
The Tigers will need to get better quickly in order to hold their own in the clash with the Scarlet Knights, who are 1-2-1 and are coming off a 2-1 overtime loss to No. 5 Akron.
“Last year’s game with Rutgers is on our minds; I thought we played poorly,” said Barlow, reflecting on the 2-0 loss in the 2012 meeting between the local rivals.
“They came in here and really beat us up. This is a good opportunity to play against a good team and take a step forward.”
Written by: Bill AldenShare This Post | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18908 | Dempsey ready for his home debut with Seattle Tools
Aug 21, 2013 at 4:00 PM CDT Story Updated:
Aug 21, 2013 at 4:00 PM CDT
TUKWILA, Wash. (AP) — Clint Dempsey has a good feel for what makes a big rivalry. He played in two of the biggest in England during his time in the Premier League with Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur.
Even Dempsey is impressed by what Sunday night could bring when 67,000 fans are expected to watch him make his home debut for the Seattle Sounders against rival Portland.
Just over two weeks ago, Dempsey was introduced to a roaring crowd as Seattle's newest designated player before a home match against Dallas, completing a transfer from Tottenham back to Major League Soccer. If Dempsey was taken aback by his initial reception, Sunday night might overwhelm him.
In two matches with Seattle, Dempsey has yet to score. The Sounders won in his first match in Toronto before losing 3-1 at Houston last weekend. | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18924 | BOSS Jocks
Bob & Tom
Bob & Tom Show
Jeff "The Dawg" Fredericks
Another long time Springfield radio veteran and has one of the most recognizable voices in the area.. Born in New Mexico and grew up in Jacksonville, Il. He’s been rocking the Central Illinois air waves ever since he stumbled into the biz in 1987. You may of heard him over the years on WEAI & WJVO in Jacksonville, IL. And in Springfield at WCVS , WQLZ, COOL 101.9, WYMG and now back home again and doing middays 9a-2pm on 96.7 WCVS!
Dawg is a HUGE music fan.. and loves Classic Rock/New Rock, Blues and Disco.. He’s also a musician and has played in many local bands over the years.. He’s also really into target shooting and collecting firearms, fishing, cooking, baking and hanging out with good friends enjoying a few ice cold Stags!
Dave Comstock
You’ve heard Dave Comstock on the Mid-Illinois air for more than thirty years, whether it’s been guiding stations in Jacksonville and Springfield, running his music show or producing spots that gab you by the ears and make you listen. Now he’s guiding The Boss into the next generation of classic rock, playing the music we’ve been waiting to hear from 2 to 6 every weekday afternoon and giving us his own particular slant on what’s happening in today’s world. The only thing that would make this die-hard Cub fan’s life complete would be…well, you know.
Hawk-Daddy
Hawk has been in radio since 1988, starting at SIU-Carbondale. He has worked Urban, News/Talk, and was a Country jock for 16 years, most notably on The Boss’ sister station, 104.5 WFMB.
Hawk is the father of two great kids, and is very lucky to be married to Mrs. Hawkins.
When not making goofy comments on The Boss, Hawk writes, voices and produces commercials for The Boss’ parent company, Neuhoff Media.
Hawk is an avid runner, who loves hitting the local trails. He has also been known to participate in triathlons.
He loves Chinese food, and extremely hoppy IPA’s. (that’s beer, if you didn’t know)
Radio has led J.P. all around the country from the mountains of Colorado to the great plains of Illinois. J.P. has been the Program Director of our AM Station, Sportsradio 1450 for 15 plus years now. And it took a music format that played the Stones, Kiss and Sammy Hagar in HEAVY rotation to get J.P. even consider returning to the music airwaves. And we’re glad he did as J.P. holds onto the 10pm- 2am shift weeknights on the Boss.
Hi my name is Summer... I Rock the all request Saturday Night on The Boss 96.7...
I love music and love to talk, imagine that... So, here I am!
My obsessions are Aerosmith, Starbucks and Oreo's...
Paul Pachlhofer
Paul Pachlhofer was born in Springfield…Missouri…and so is as big a Cardinal fan as Dave is a Cubby. Paul’s been on the air since ’91 and is one of the biggest local sports fans in town. While he’s been involved with sports and talk radio for years this is the first time he’s handled the music he grew up so Paul is proud to bring you the next generation of classic rock on The Boss on Sunday evenings.
John Spalding
John Spaulding is another long-time veteran of Springfield radio…some thirty-plus years…who’s as at home with the country as he is with classic old-time rock & roll and now brings us into the next generation of classic rock every weekend. He’s a great fan of classic westerns, most notably, The Duke. And while he may be the only admitted White Sox fan in the building and a dead eye on the bowling lanes he’s also known as one of most intense ball strikers on golf courses throughout the Midwest. TC Kelly
TC Kelly | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18942 | Caribbean Premier League Windies Mens Team Windies Under 17 Team Windies A Team Windies Under 19 Team Windies Under 15 Team Windies Women's Team Caribbean T20 Regional 4-Day Digicel Series Regional Super 50 Womens League ICC Events Trinidad Cricket Barbados Cricket Guyana Cricket Jamaica Cricket Leewards Cricket Windwards Cricket College Cricket (CCC) Sagicor HPC Scotiabank Kiddy Cricket Digicel Youth Development WICB Lara hails T20 success but urges caution published by ikhan on Sat, 10/27/2012 - 04:30 HAMILTON, BERMUDA - Brian Lara has hailed the West Indies’ successful T20 World Cup campaign in Sri Lanka earlier this month.However, the cricket legend has urged his fellow West Indians not to get carried away with their latest triumph, warning there is still much work to be done on the international scene.“I find sometimes we tend to celebrate too much as a people,” Lara told The Royal Gazette. “Yes, it’s good to celebrate but we have to sort of dig deep, dissect, see the reason why we came out on top in this particular tournament and see if we can transfer some of that to the 50-over game and Test arena because it’s a start.“It’s a wonderful start to be on top of the World in T20 cricket but what happens to the other versions of the game? Are we going to take up the challenges in those versions of the game and see if we can get to the top as well? That’s what I think is most important.“We are on a high now, confidence is pretty good and I would say 75-80 percent of our team that plays the T20 version of the game play the 50-over version and also Test cricket, so it’s a good opportunity for us to galvanise our efforts and success and see what we can do for the future.”With a squad boasting T20 specialists such as Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo, the West Indies entered the T20 World Cup among the pre-tournament favourites. And, according to ‘The Prince’, who captained the Windies to ICC Champions Trophy glory in 2004, rightfully so.“Going into the tournament I think we were tournament favourites simply for the fact that we had the individuals and guys that were trump cards for the IPL or Big Bash,” Lara said. “We haven’t been able to get together as a team, but I knew we had the individuals to do so (win the T20 World Cup).“Credit has to be given to Sammy (captain Darren Sammy), Otis Gibson (coach) and Ritchie Richardson (manager) for the job they’ve done pulling the team together because I think that’s been the thing that’s been missing in the past with the West Indies team.“The individual talent has always been there and to see them come together and win the T20 World Cup was a special moment for all West Indians.”In the past Sammy’s leadership has come under intense scrutiny from his critics.However, Lara has thrown his support firmly behind the St Lucian who he holds in high regard.“Sammy has done a wonderful job,” he said. “We have won a World Cup and you cannot say he didn’t play a part.“He’s a great guy first of all and I believe as a leader you need someone who’s affable and well received by everybody on the team, and I think he is well received by everyone on the team.“Sammy is a very humble guy as well and credit must be given where it’s due and the performance of the team and his leadership definitely played a part in this success (T20 World Cup) of the team.”Lara ended his 17-year international career as Test cricket’s leading run-getter with what was previously a record 11,953 runs at an average of 52.88.He still holds records for the highest individual score in Test (400 not out) and first-class (501 not out) cricket among a host of other remarkable achievements in the sport.Last month Lara was inducted into the ICC’s Hall of Fame during a ceremony in Sri Lanka that was also attended by his sister Agnes and brother Winston.‘It’s a great honour to be inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame,” he said. “Even though you’ve stopped playing people are still recognizing the fact you’ve made a contribution and it’s a great feeling to be a part of a such a selective group of former cricketers.”Lara dedicated the honour to his late father, Bunty, who never got the opportunity to see his son play in the international arena.“Most things that I do on the cricket field is because of him,” Lara stressed. “He played a great part in my life.“ Unfortunately he never got to see me play international cricket. But I owe everything to that man, Bunty Lara.”First Published In The Royal Gazette.Date: Sat, 10/27/2012 - 04:30Category: Windies Mens TeamTrinidad Cricket Tweet | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/18991 | Karma's not been kind to WVU's Alston
MORGANTOWN - Shawne Alston doesn't quite know what it was, but he's apparently paying for something that he's done somewhere along the line.
"I just keep think it was karma,'' Alston said. "I probably did something bad one day in my life or something like that. I don't know.''
The thought of bad karma of whatever it might be has occasionally crept into the West Virginia running back's mind over the course of the last 71/2 weeks. That's how long it's been since he suffered an injury to his right thigh in the Mountaineers' second game of the season.
That injury by itself wouldn't be all that unusual, even if the injury itself seems to be. After all, college football players get hurt. A lot.
But Alston seems to have shouldered more than his share. He had knee and leg injuries as a freshman and sophomore. He injured his neck in a traffic accident that limited him greatly last season as a junior.
Then, after overcoming all that, he finally began to show what a healthy Shawne Alston could do this year as a senior. In West Virginia's first game, against Marshall, he was a bulldozer, running 16 times for 123 yards and dragging would-be tacklers all over Mountaineer Field.
But just as he began to finally feel good about what he was able to show people, it happened again. He took a shot that running backs take. At first he thought nothing of it, but it was different.
"I was able to play through it. It was the first quarter of the JMU game. The score was still 0-0 when it happened,'' Alston said. "I caught a shot there and it just got worse and worse as the game went on. I wasn't able to move my leg or have any knee drive or anything like that.''
The diagnosis was a deep thigh bruise.
"I know what people think of a bruise. I've played with little contusions in my thigh. Running backs get those,'' Alston said. "It was just something way worse than what everybody thought it was.''
It was bad enough that twice he saw specialists and was anesthetized while they drained blood from his leg.
"It was a deep tissue bruise that was down by the bone and my body couldn't absorb all the blood,'' Alston said. "So I had to get a couple of procedures done to help it out. Then some calcification started to form. It was just different obstacles that kept coming up.
"It was a hassle trying to get my motion back and get the strength back in my leg. I still don't have the strength I had.''
All the while, the rumors swirled. Alston heard them. He was soft. He had off-the-field issues. He was a discipline problem.
Shoot, he even heard some so funny that he put them out on his Twitter account.
"I have a sense of humor,'' he said. "It was funny.''
Alston essentially hadn't played since that JMU game. He dressed for the next week's game against Maryland and was in on a play or two, but didn't carry the ball. Finally, he got back on the field last Saturday when WVU played TCU. He carried seven times for 16 yards and scored a touchdown.
But he's still not really back.
"Presence, good. Mentality, good. Health, not good,'' coach Dana Holgorsen said of Alston now. "He's a different guy now than he was the first couple of games. He was more healthy than he was the two weeks prior to that, which is why he suited up [against TCU]. He'll continue to rehab and continue to work through it and practice more, but he didn't look the same, and that's why we didn't play him much.''
"I don't feel like I did going into the Marshall game,'' Alston said. "But every day is a work in progress to get it stronger and get it better. I'm still working.''
West Virginia's offense is certainly better with a healthy Alston on the field. Andrew Buie has filled in capably and even had a monster of a game at Texas with 207 yards. Dustin Garrison is improving each week after offseason knee surgery.
But those two smaller backs need more help gaining yards than Alston. Against Marshall he was moving the ball at times without much blocking. Nothing against those other two, but there's a reason he was the clear-cut leader at tailback going into the season.
Whether he ever regains that form, though, seems to be in doubt. It's not to Alston, because he has confidence. But he also knows how bad it was and what he's coming back from.
"It's like a buildup of pressure in your leg. I couldn't bend it back or kick it up at all,'' Alston said. "I had pain walking around. I couldn't really get up stairs. I had to turn sideways and use railings to help me up.''
Along with all the rumors surrounding his status, there was also talk about Alston perhaps just cashing it in this season and taking the redshirt year he didn't take as a freshman. He was under the limit of games when he went out. But that's no longer an option after he played against TCU, and that's just fine with him.
"If they had come to me then maybe it would have been something we could have talked about,'' said Alston, who already has his degree. "But I think everybody just agreed that if I kept working hard I'd be able to come back.''
And finally he is, although not at 100 percent. He estimates he's perhaps 70 percent of what he was at the start of the season. But he still thinks it's possible to get all the way back.
"My treatment regimen is crazy right now. I'm always in there,'' Alston said. "They put up a picture of me in there one day I was in there so much.
"I still have a little bit of lingering effects, but most of those are starting to go away. It's just the issue of getting the strength back and getting the mobility back.''
And erasing whatever karma lingers. | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19000 | Brennan: Perfect setup for Tiger to roar back at Masters
Tiger Woods hits a tee shot on the 12th hole during a practice round Wednesday at the Masters. / Jack Gruber, USA TODAY Sports by Christine Brennan, USA TODAY Sportsby Christine Brennan, USA TODAY Sports Filed Under
USA Today columnist
AUGUSTA, GA. -- Tiger Woods last won a major golf tournament when George W. Bush was president. Eighteen majors have come and gone since Tiger won the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. There is no one on earth more surprised by this development than Tiger himself.
Not only can Woods do something about that this week at the 2013 Masters, he must do something about it. If ever there were a must-win situation in golf, this is it. If Tiger is to really become Tiger again, if he is to build on his 14 majors and have a chance to catch and surpass Jack Nicklaus' total of 18, he has to win this tournament this week. Come Sunday night, if Woods, now 37, isn't wearing a green jacket, it will be a monumental missed opportunity for him.
Why? He's playing far too well to leave Augusta without a victory for what would be the eighth year in a row. He finally has come to the Masters on a roll. He has won three of the five PGA Tour tournaments he has played this season. He says he's happy, healthy, balanced and playing better than he has in quite some time. And this golf course is made for him; it annually gives him his best chance to win a major.
Given these circumstances, it would be a stunning failure if Woods didn't win here this week, and would set up an even more pressure-filled year for him, from one major to the next.
"He's going to have to figure it out," Nicklaus said when asked about Tiger's major drought. "But I think if he figures it out here, it will be a great boost for him. If he doesn't figure it out here, after the spring he's had, I think it will be a lot tougher for him (to pass Nicklaus' major total)."
Woods isn't talking about himself in such stark terms. Few athletes ever do. He prefers to focus on the positives, and there are many in his life at the moment.
"I feel comfortable with every aspect of my game," he said. "I feel that I've improved and I've gotten more consistent, and I think the wins show that. That's something that I'm proud of so far this year, and hopefully I can continue it this week and the rest of the year."
He did say it feels like it was a long time ago since he won his last Masters, and he's right about that. He has won this tournament four times, but not since 2005.
"I put myself in the mix every year but last year, and that's the misleading part ... that it's not like I've been out of there with no chance of winning this championship," he said. "I've been there and unfortunately just haven't got it done. I've made runs to get myself in it. I've been there in the mix on the back nine and either not executed, not made enough putts or didn't take care of the par 5s, or whatever it may be."
This was the story of Tiger's life last year at all the majors except the Masters (where he tied for 40th), a pattern that has to be disconcerting to him, and one that he would like to eliminate this week. After not contending in the 2012 Masters, he was tied for first halfway through the U.S. Open and PGA Championship, and was third by himself after two rounds of the British Open. In prime position to win all three of those major championships, the old Tiger likely would have reeled in one or two. The new Tiger didn't win one, finishing tied for 21st in the U.S. Open, tied for third in the British Open and tied for 11th in the PGA.
Did the pressure get to him?
"No," he said. "These are our four biggest events. They are the best events to play in, the toughest conditions, best fields and the most demanding and challenging. I mean, that's what you want. "
For Woods, though, it always used to be about winning those major tournaments, not just competing in them. It once seemed to be such a certainty that he would reach and pass Nicklaus' 18 majors. Four majors didn't sound like a lot in 2008, when he last won one. Now it does. Consider that Woods must win as many majors as Phil Mickelson has in his career just to tie Nicklaus.
A statistic like that gets everyone's attention.
"Obviously, the older he gets and if he doesn't win, it makes my record move out further," Nicklaus said. "But I've said it, and I continue to say it, that I still expect him to break my record. I think he's just too talented, too driven and too focused on that. Now, a lot of you will say, he can't do that. ... From this point, he's got to win five majors, which is a pretty good career for most people to start at age 37. ... He's played very, very well this spring. I think if he wins here that it would be a very large step towards regaining (his) confidence."
Copyright 2014 USATODAY.comRead the original story: Brennan: Perfect setup for Tiger to roar back at Masters
If there is any course for Tiger Woods to resume his majors hunt, it's Augusta National A link to this page will be included in your message. | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19017 | Atlante (Primera Division)
#18 | Defender/Midfielder
US Caps/Goals
November 7, 1984 (Age: 29)
5' 9", 145 lbs (1.75 m, 66 kg)
Season StatsGP13S8M733G0A0YC1RC0OG0
The son of a Jewish father and Mexican mother, Bornstein has been as hard to stereotype as a person as he has been difficult to define as a player. He grew up in southern California, beginning his career as a striker. By all accounts, he was rather proficient in the role as he scored 23 goals and 16 assists for Los Alamitos High School to lead the Orange County team to a CIF Championship.
His introduction to collegiate soccer came at Cal Poly-Pomona, under the tutelage of former Hansa Rostock player and US Soccer Hall of Famer Paul Caligiuri. In his freshman year for the NCAA Division II Broncos, he notched a solid 10 goals and seven assists, and was named CCAA Freshman of the Year.
That inaugural campaign was followed by a stellar sophomore season that would attract interest from collegiate soccer powerhouse UCLA. He fired home seven goals and a near school season record of 12 assists. His production would see him named to the All-California Collegiate Athletic Association First Team.
In 2004, he traded the sights and sounds of Cal Poly-Pomona's Kellogg Park for the chance to follow in his uncle's footsteps and enroll at UCLA. The new Bruin would make a modest contribution, notching one goal and one assist in 20 games, nine of which were starts. Bornstein found his play limited by strong depth and competition for places from players like Chicago Fire young gun Chad Barrett.
His senior year would show growth, as he tallied five goals and two assists in 20 outings. Only strike partner Kamani Hill, later signed by VfL Wolfsburg, would tally more goals that year with seven. In recognition of his play, Bornstein was named to the All-Pac-10 Second Team.
Bornstein was selected by Chivas USA in the fourth round of the 2006 MLS SuperDraft, having caught the eye of coach Bob Bradley. In the wake of a disastrous prior campaign, Bradley was scheming for ways to redesign his team for success. With a host of options in attack already available, Bradley converted Bornstein into a makeshift left back, having instigated the shift in role from the first day of that season's training camp.
The youngster performed quite admirably, and helped shore up the Chivas defense. While he was used in a variety of roles, Bornstein validated his worth as a fullback. When his first professional campaign finished, his tallies stood at an impressive six goals and four assists. In doing so, he helped Chivas to finish a respectable third in the Western Conference.
In the postseason, Bornstein was recognized for his outstanding play by being named 2006 MLS Rookie of the Year.
Throughout his MLS career, Bornstein has become a mainstay in Chivas USA's lineup. The bulk of his playing time has come at his now-familiar left back position, although he has been deployed in left midfield as well. In 2007, he was named to the MLS Best XI.
The following year, transfer rumors swirled around Bornstein. Maccabi Tel Aviv was reputed to be very interested in bringing him to the Israeli Premier League, where he wouldn't count as a foreigner thanks to his Jewish heritage. However, the signing never materialized and Bornstein remained in Major League Soccer.
In July 2010, Tigres de la UANL announced that Bornstein had signed a pre-contract with the club. Upon the expiration of his deal with Chivas USA in December 2010, he will head south of the border to ply his trade in the Mexican Primera Division.
International Career
Having sparkled for Bradley in MLS, it was no shock when Bornstein was called up by the new US coach in late 2006. After taking part in the winter training camp, he received his first cap in a 3-1 win over Denmark, on January 20th. In a fairly impressive debut at left back, he fired home his first international goal - the game winner - after a well worked play by Justin Mapp.
Bornstein earned his second cap with a 90-minute outing in their February 2007 win over arch rivals Mexico.
The summer of 2007 was a whirlwind for the US national team and it served as a useful platform for Bornstein to get his first serious international experience. He played all but one match en route to the Yanks' title in the '07 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Immediately following the 2-1 triumph over Mexico, Bornstein joined the Copa America squad in Venezuela as one of the few players to participate in both major tournaments for the US.
His improved play in 2007 established him as the Americans' top choice at left back. However, an injury-riddled 2008 and subsequent loss of form opened the door for Heath Pearce to claim Bornstein's spot in the starting XI.
The tables were turned once again in 2009 when Pearce found himself glued to Hansa Rostock's bench. His lack of playing time precipitated a loss of form that allowed Bornstein a chance to climb the depth chart once again.
At the 2009 Confederations Cup, he once again found himself in the starting lineup. However, when a banged-up Carlos Bocanegra convalesced in time for the semifinals, Bornstein was bumped out of the team in favor of the US captain.
Nevertheless, Bornstein had made enough of an impression in the Confederations Cup to play a significant role in the remainder of the qualifying campaign.
Although he was an obvious selection to the 23-man World Cup squad, when the US battled with England in their first match, Bornstein found himself watching from the bench. However, a hobbled Oguchi Onyewu was benched for the Algeria match and Bocanegra shifted into the center, paving the way for Bornstein's return to the lineup. He was given the starting nod against the Algerians and the Ghanians.
Bornstein will enter the 2014 World Cup cycle as the incumbent at left back.
Brad Guzan, Under-20 National Team, Danny Williams, Tim Howard, Everton | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19020 | Lidge No Longer Lights Out to Close
Charlie Manuel sounded a little like Herm Edwards this afternoon at Nationals Park.
We play to win the game.
Brad Lidge, who was pulled in the ninth inning in last night’s 5-3 victory over the Nationals after the loaded the bases with one out, said Phillies manager Charlie Manuel told him that he would be closing the next time the situation presented itself. But Manuel said this afternoon that he simply told Lidge that he wasn’t afraid of putting him in there.
“I’ll just go with how I feel,” Manuel said.
So if there is a save situation tonight, tomorrow night or Friday, it’s not iron clad that Lidge, who is 0-7 with a 7.11 ERA and a Major League-leading 10 blown saves, is closing?
“I’m going to sit down sometime along the way and talk to him or whatever,” Manuel said. “I’m getting kind of tired, if you want to know the truth. Really, I am. And the reason is because I figure I can put him in the game when I want to. I’ve been very loyal to him. I’ve stuck with him. I did everything I think possible to get him going. There’s no way I want to ever lie to him and things like that. Like I told you last night, I don’t do that. I don’t have a history of doing that. I don’t do it. But at the same time, we’re going to win the game. Hey, the best way we can win the game. If Brad’s not out there to close, well then I guess that’s going to be my decision. We are going to play to win the game. Our team definitely is not about the one guy, either. I’m sure he feels that way. Really. It’s very important that we get him straight and right. But at the same time we’re going to play to win the game.”
In other words, if there is a save situation in the future, it could be Lidge, it could be Ryan Madson, it could be Brett Myers.
It sounds like closer by committee to me.
“He’s having an off season,” Manuel said of Lidge. “And we’re at the place where we need to win some games. If we’re going to win our division, we need to win some games. These are very important games and we need to win them, and I guess I’m going to pitch who I think on that night can do the job. When he gets in there and he gets consistent, he can take that job right back. I look at him in the future as being the closer for the Phillies. But right now we’re going to try to win games. My first priority is to win the game.
“Let me tell you something. When I managed in Cleveland I’d go get my pitcher whenever I wanted to. I’d go get my closer. I used to take (Bob) Wickman out of games and he used to get mad. I’d take John Rocker out. I didn’t give a damn. Because you know what? We were trying to win the game. The main thing was we win the game. If you don’t want to win the game or anything I can put whoever I want to out there, but I’m going to try to have the best guy on that night out there pitching that I possibly can have.”
Manuel made it clear he isn’t afraid to use who he wants, either.
“I’m the manager. I kind of go with how I feel and what I think,” he said. “I’ll take the responsibility. You can put it all on me. Really. I’ll take that. … I’ll bring anybody in the game, all right? I don’t care. Really. When you get right down to it, you me to tell you the truth? I’m not afraid or nothing like that. That’s no big deal. He might be in there tonight. He might be. He might not.”
Scott Eyre returned to Philadelphia to see a doctor tomorrow. He has soreness in his left elbow. … Clay Condrey is working out at Citizens Bank Park, and could make a rehab appearance for Double-A Reading. … Jamie Moyer will pitch Saturday against the Mets. Pedro Martinez will pitch Sunday, likely in the second game of a doubleheader. Manuel said Kyle Kendrick likely would pitch the opener Sunday.
Filed in: Dailies Tags: Bob Wickman, Brad Lidge, Charlie Manuel, Clay Condrey, Jamie Moyer, John Rocker, Kyle Kendrick, Pedro Martinez, Scott Eyre 11 Comments
Charlie doesn’t owe Brad anything. If anything, Lidge owes Charlie and his teammates two perfect months to make up for the season. By erichh1 on September 9, 2009 7:20 pm - Reply
Cripes, it’s about time. I admire Charlie’s loyalty and will forever root for Lidge for bringing us the championship, but enough is enough. Brad doesn’t have it this year, it happens, and we gotta have a dependable closer or we will have a short playoff run. Hopefully he gets his mojo back next year.
I can count on two things happening when the camera turns to Brad warming up…my wife questioning Charlie’s brain pain size and two of my daughters calling on the phone to say OH NOOOO! By jimmymack13 on September 9, 2009 7:26 pm - Reply
jimmymack, what’s the secret to getting a woman and two girls to watch sports with a guy?
By erichh1 on September 9, 2009 7:35 pm - Reply
What happened to the Cliff Lee who pitched the first 5 games?
Nice win tonight despite some sloppy playing. I think RAUUL is back.
Erichh1: I was wondering the same thing. I wonder if he’s tired after pitching so many innings. Maybe Charlie will be able to rest him later this month.
By karen62 on September 9, 2009 10:48 pm - Reply
That was a sloppy win against a bad team.
Lee just went over 200 innings and he is used to that, but there was no reason for him to pitch in the eighth tonight. If he gets any rest going forward it should be in the context of a game. He shouldn’t miss any turns as long as they have a shot at HFA.
By phan52 on September 9, 2009 10:55 pm - Reply
It took me a minute to figure out that HFA stood for Home Field Advantage. I thought it was another one of Utley’s expressions.
By muleman on September 9, 2009 11:17 pm - Reply
Chase may not have gotten a hit tonight, but what a great catch and flip to J.Roll to end the game!
And Chase may own Citi Field, but Raul owns Nationals Park!!!
By norma48 on September 10, 2009 12:06 am - Reply
Another rollercoaster win last night for sure. Take them as they come though. The Nationals are the cure-all for any losing streak. It’s great to have them around.
By joed21 on September 10, 2009 9:57 am - Reply
Todd, I forgot to mention that Herman Edwards analogy and the link were priceless. lol
By erichh1 on September 10, 2009 3:05 pm - Reply
erichh1: they are all rabid Phillies fans, only explanation I have. I took them to game 5 , pts. 1 & 2, was great to share that night with them.
I have one other daughter that could care less, don’t know where I went wrong…LOL. Bad parenting on my part.
By jimmymack13 on September 10, 2009 6:27 pm - Reply | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19028 | Shikhar Dhawan wins golden batIANS – Mon 24 Jun, 2013 8:50 AM IST
Birmingham: Explosive left-handed batsman Shikhar Dhawan won the 'golden bat’ for scoring the most runs in the tournament, after India beat England by five runs in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy at Edgbaston here on Sunday.The opener scored 363 runs from five matches at an average of 90.75. He hit two centuries and a half-century with a highest of 114.“I'd dreamt of this, I'm really happy with it. The bouncy tracks suit my game. I worked hard in practice and in the warm-up games. It makes it more special because I was out of the side for a few years,” said Dhawan at the presentation ceremony, dedicating his award to the people caught in the Uttarakhand floods at the moment.India beat England after scoring 129/7 in their 20 overs after rain delayed the start of the match.India were also the joint winners, with Sri Lanka, of the 2002 Champions Trophy. | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19029 | Question their interest in this time of conflictBy Sanjjeev K Samyal | Hindustan Times – Sun 19 May, 2013 12:00 AM IST
Mumbai, May 19 -- N Srinivasan sits in the president's chair at the Indian cricket board office; he's also the vice-chairman and managing director of India Cements, apart from owning the Chennai Super Kings.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni is the India captain, the CSK captain, employed with the India Cements and owns a player management firm, Rhiti Sports Management.
Anil Kumble is the president of the Karnataka State Cricket Association, heads the Mumbai Indians team management and also owns a player management firm. Earlier, he was the mentor of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
Recent phenomenon
Ever since the advent of the cash-rich Twenty20 league, Indian cricket has been besieged by a host of issues, conflict of interest is one of them.
As president, Srinivasan's main responsibility is defending the interest of the board at all costs. By associating himself with the T20 league as a franchisee owner, public perception is that he would not be able do a fair job. Every time there is a controversy in Indian cricket, naturally, aspersions are cast on his ability to ensure justice, and questions raised on his personal interests.
As the spot-fixing controversy spiraled out of control, on Friday, Srinivasan was again at a loss of words to defend himself when the issue was brought up by the Headlines Today anchor. "What is a conflict of interest? There is no vested interest in the BCCI, there will be no cover-up (on spot-fixing)," was Srinivasan's unconvincing reply.
Despite his claims of not allowing his personal interests to interfere, there are examples to the contrary. A national selector and former India star alleged that he had gone out of his way to save Dhoni from being sacked as India captain. The CSK angle again?
When occupying two positions, it's important to keep your decisions independent of each other. On this front, even Dhoni hasn't been able to save himself a lot of times from the public perception of the conflict of interest by wearing too many hats while being India captain. He's the highest grosser in Indian sport and he still indulges in the business of player management, where he's signed some of his teammates, leaves him vulnerable to prying eyes.
Kumble's googly
In Kumble's case, he had a clean image as a cricketer and helped India tide over the match-fixing scandal that rocked the cricket world in 2000. The country's anti-corruption officials say: "Along with Dravid and Srinath, he is the cleanest guy in India cricket. There is not even a want for this kind of money."
But, the role of KSCA president comes with responsibility, much more than his job in the league. He cannot be seen negotiating with players for a particular franchisee, especially from his own state.Published by HT Syndication with permission from Hindustan Times. | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19043 | Joshua Mercer is sold on State
Ryan Tice
TheWolfpacker.comShortly after new head coach Dave Doeren was hired by NC State, The Wolfpacker had spoken with and confirmed the status of nearly every commitment in the class of 2013. The lone exception was three-star running back Joshua Mercer from Guyton (Ga.) South Effingham High, until he phoned in following an in-home visit with running backs coach Des Kitchings on Monday night."I just got done talking to my running backs coach, Coach Kitchings, and actually he just left my house," Mercer said. "He showed me a lot of new things and introduced me to all of the new staff. I'm still strong with NC State because I feel like we're coming up and I feel like I can really do something to make our team better." ...More... To continue reading this article you must be a member. Sign Up Now! | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19052 | A&M, BYU paying compliments before game
AggieYell.comTexas A&M and BYU tip off in just a little over an hour at the Honda Center in Anaheim, and the Aggies and Cougars will be clawing at each other in order to get to the second round of the NCAA tournament. Wednesday, however, both sides were nothing but complementary to each other.BYU earned its respect this season early in the season with a win over Louisville and great showings in tight losses to North Carolina and Michigan State on neutral floors. The Aggies burst out of the gate with a NIT Season Tip-Off championship in New York, but the Aggies were the only NIT Final Four team to make the NCAA field this season. A late Big 12 tournament run, however, makes the Aggies look like they are righting the ship at the right time."(The players) are buying into this team because we know how good - we can show them film of them beating Louisville, taking Carolina to the wire and taking Michigan State to the wire. So they're buying into this team and they're favored. They're an eight seed and we're a nine seed. We're going to be wearing the dark uniforms and they'll be wearing the white ones, so our guys will be dialed in," said A&M head coach Mark Turgeon. "I've watched BYU enough to know that if they would have played in the Big 12, they would still have been a NCAA tournament team. They got enough good players, enough maturity, they got all kinds of skill and they got a toughness about them that they'd still be in it." ...More... To continue reading this article you must be a member. Sign Up Now! | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19054 | Lyles looking for opportunities beyond basketball
CatsIllustrated.comTom Lyles, the father of five-star 2014 forward Trey Lyles, chooses his words very carefully when talking about his son's recruitment. After all, Lyles is quick to point out, that for Trey, the recruiting process is a once in a lifetime experience. After taking an unofficial visit to Kentucky for Big Blue Madness, Lyles had plenty to say about the family's trip to Lexington; but very little of the conversation actually focused on basketball. "I don't think we really considered the trip to be a visit," Lyles told Cats Illustrated, "It was more like an opportunity to take in the Big Blue Madness and just enjoy ourselves. We had been to the campus before, so we looked at the event as more of a chance to be around the guys."With schools like Kentucky, Louisville, North Carolina, Duke and Michigan State constantly being connected to the top ten junior forward from Indianapolis (Ind.) Arsenal Tech, the basketball aspect of college is not what interests either Tom or Trey Lyles. It's the long-term that the family is focused on, such as how connections made in college can help Trey later on in life. "The most important thing to us is life after college basketball; whether that is at the professional level or a non-basketball job." Lyles said. "What are guys doing after they leave a school? Are they prepared for the next step of their lives? At some point in time the ball does stop bouncing, so we want to make sure that Trey makes the right relationships at school to prepare him for his future. The response to that at Kentucky has been unbelievable."A huge part of that experience that the Lyles' are looking for comes from having a close-knit relationship with the head coach of the program. While they are looking for a coach that will push Trey to reach new levels on and off the court, Tom says that someone whom Trey can relate and communicate to is even more important. "The relationship that the guys have with coach Calipari is special. We immediately noticed how many former players there are that love to come back and still be a part of that Kentucky family. That right there says a lot. That says something about the program, the school, the tradition, but most importantly, the head coach."After returning home from Lexington on Friday night, the Lyles family was quick to ascertain that not only does Kentucky offer a great basketball opportunity for Trey, but the overall experience of playing basketball at an elite program like UK can lead to relationships that last forever. "What Trey takes in is just the way that things work in different programs," said Lyles, "The relationship that the guys have with the coaching staff is something that we really pay attention to."The turnout was just amazing. Not many places can get over 24,000 for a non-basketball game. I looked at Big Blue Madness more of an opening ceremony for what's to come. The event was extremely impressive."As for the recruitment of his son, Lyles claims that Trey is still wide open since he de-committed from Indiana last month. After withdrawing his verbal commitment from the Hoosiers the 6-foot-10 forward has received a scholarship offer from Kentucky; but is still somewhat wide-eyed in how the recruitment process works; since he had originally committed to Indiana so young that he did not understand the ramifications. "There really is no official list right now. What people have to remember is that this whole recruiting thing is so new to him. This is basically his first time going through the process. It's just a matter of taking all the information in, during this once in a lifetime experience, and taking notes. Coaching styles, philosophy, program history, success of players during their college years and after, these are all things we're trying to take notes of."He does like Kentucky a lot, but that's not to say that Kentucky is the definite place where he will go." ...More... To continue reading this article you must be a member. Sign Up Now! | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19055 | Iowa first to offer freshman
HawkeyeReport.comEven though he is just a freshman in high school, college programs are already well aware of Tyus Jones. The 6-foot-1 point guard from Apple Valley, MN turned more than a few heads this summer on the AAU circuit and one of the coaches watching was Iowa Head Coach Fran McCaffery, who verbally offered a scholarship this week.As it turns out, the offer from Coach McCaffery is the first scholarship opportunity to be extended."It feels great," Jones said Monday evening. "I am very excited and happy to get the offer from Iowa. I am really grateful to get the offer from Coach McCaffery."At this stage, he is still learning more about the new staff at Iowa and Coach McCaffery."I know that he is the coach at Iowa and he is trying to get the program going again. I'm looking forward to learning more about the program."Last year as an 8th grader, Jones played varsity basketball and set a school record for assists in a season. He loves to push the basketball, so the new style of play in Iowa City is appealing to him."I like playing the up-tempo style and that would be a big part of college for me. I think I play best in the up-tempo style."One of the coaches at his high school is former Hawkeye Duez Henderson, so Jones, who is expected to be one of the top prospects in the country in the Class of 2014, is learning plenty about the Iowa program. "Duez has told me a lot about Iowa and Iowa City and loved his time there," Jones said. "I am planning to make a trip there soon to see a game and get to see more of the school and spend time with the coaches." ...More... To continue reading this article you must be a member. Sign Up Now! | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19077 | Heroes For HorsesAQHYA members embark on a national community service and fundraising project, Heroes for Horses.August 21, 2013AQHYA embarks on a national community service and fundraising project to support important equine research studies.The American Quarter Horse Youth Association is teaming up with the American Quarter Horse Foundation to become “Heroes for Horses.” The two groups are embarking on a national community service and fundraising project to support the important equine research studies that take place at veterinary schools across the country. The Foundation-funded equine research projects cover a diverse range of research related to the health, welfare and utility of the horse. For example, current projects focus on controlling and treating laminitis, the study of immunizations and vaccinations for infectious diseases, as well as genetic and musculoskeletal injury treatment.
The goal is to build awareness nationally, regionally and through local affiliates of the importance of research, the need for funding and to introduce young people to a career in the field of equine research. Local affiliates will raise funds for equine research and provide local community service hours for youth members. Points will be awarded for the amount of money raised and community service hours completed through local affiliates. The points will be leveled by the number of members in each affiliate group. The top three “leveled” affiliates will receive points toward educational awards. The top individual national winners will receive trips to the 2014 Bank of America Youth Excellence Seminar and Built Ford Tough AQHYA World Championship Show and be interviewed in The American Quarter Horse Journal. The Heroes for Horses campaign, educational awards and trips to YES and Ford Youth World are generously underwritten by Deborah Hearst and Angela Wade. “We greatly appreciate the support of Deborah and Angela,” said Chris Sitz, senior director of the American Quarter Horse Foundation. “Their passion for horses and generosity contribute to the success of this nation-wide community service and fundraising project.”
Additional support for educational awards made possible by the Burns Family Foundation. To learn more about Heroes for Horses, visit www.aqha.com/heroesforhorses. AQHA News and information is a service of the American Quarter Horse Association. For more news and information, follow @AQHAnews on Twitter, watch the AQHA Newscast and visit www.aqha.com/news. See more AQHA Partner benefits | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19101 | Society Sports Sections Homes Ads Jobs Classifieds Extras Crosswords TV CU Contact Us Sports elsewhere in Columbiana County
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United track coach named OATCCC career coach of year
Save | Post a comment | HANOVERTON- United's Nancy Miller passion for connecting with kids has never changed - that's a big reason why she has been named the Fred Dafler Career Coach of the Year by the Ohio Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches. "I've always been very interested in sports. when I was coming up through high school and college, girls sports were just coming about.," Miller said. "I just felt like it would be another way outside of my classroom to connect with kids in high school besides the kids that I was having in class." That connection with the kids has now spanned over 27 years in the classroom and on the track. Miller began her coaching career at Salem in 1980 and her style has yet to change now as the head girls track coach at United. "I think whether it was in Salem or at United, the key to my philosophy was that you were teaching kids for life lessons and the winning was a byproduct," she said. "If you were fair and just, and did the right things, then the winning would always come." Miller graduated from Stanton High School in 1974 and went on to the University of Findlay to receive a dual-degree in Elementary and Special Education. After a brief absence from coaching to take care of her three young children, she couldn't ignore the urge to return for much longer. "I really missed it," she said. "I really felt like I had a lot to offer. I was friends with the coaches at the time so when I went back as a volunteer. I just felt like there were things I could give to the kids." When she returned, so did her high expectations and her dedication to the kids. "Their response to me has always been pretty positive. I've had how many girls over the years and I've had very few bad experiences," she said. "When they know the expectations are high, they like to be challenged." Miller makes it a point to have a vested interest in her athletes outside of track and she is often visible at other extra-curricular activities that her athletes partake in. "I supported all of the activities they did and I encouraged them to do them because high school is too soon to narrow it down to one thing," she said. "I think they have always been appreciative of seeing my face around at various things and I think they appreciated the fact that I respect them as a person." After learning she had been a recipient of the Fred Dafler Career coach of the Year award, she took the letter she receive when she was notified of the award and made an addendum to the bottom to send to her kids. The purpose was to serve as a thank you. "You don't get something like that unless you have a lot of girls for a lot of years buy into that," Miller said. "They're all kind of sharing that award with me and they're excited for me." Miller has also received the Ohio High School Athletic Association's Sportsmanship, Ethics and Integrity Award, marking the second honor she has garnered this year. "I was so honored to be within that company," Miller said. "The banquet was a lot of history oriented because there were so many Olympic athletes and coaches that have represented Ohio." United football coach Mike Ward also received the award earlier this school year. "I think the fact that went through my mind was that we have two coaches who received that award at United this year," Miller said. "I felt pretty honored to not only be sharing it with Mike Ward, but that my school district has two of those coaches. That was pretty special to me." Despite her awards, nothing can compare to the time that she spends with her athletes each day. "My relationships with the kids," she said. "I have both guys and girls there, so I get a lot of young men and women that I get to have a great coaching relationship, and that is hands down the best part." Save | Post a comment | Subscribe to Morning Journal News Lisbon Weather Forecast, OH | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19149 | sponsored by Steen scores in OT in Blues' 4-3 win over Red Wings
[February 14, 2013] DETROIT
(AP) -- The slumping St. Louis Blues got off to a slow start, falling behind by two goals to the Detroit Red Wings.
"It looked like a case of 'here we go again,'" St. Louis coach Ken Hitchcock said.
The Blues, though, had other plans.
Alexander Steen stuffed in a rebound 52 seconds into overtime to lift St. Louis to a 4-3 much-needed victory over Detroit on Wednesday night.
"Just hoping something bounced out," Steen said. "Got lucky. I think we got scared into the right direction. I think that fear made us play hockey."
The Blues were good early, starting 6-1, then lost five straight before rallying for a win in Detroit.
"This is a real boost for our team," Hitchcock said. "This is the boost that we need to start playing like last year."
St. Louis advanced in the playoffs last year for the first time in a decade before being swept by the eventual-champion Los Angeles Kings in the second round.
After sputtering early in the lockout-shortened season, Detroit had won a season-high three straight wins with a stretch of success that started with a 5-1 victory over St. Louis.
The Red Wings set themselves up to extend the streak, but blew a two-goal lead in the first period and chances to win in the third period on a pair of chances with an extra skater.
"If we would have kept playing like we did in the first I don't think we would have needed a power-play goal," Detroit captain Henrik Zetterberg said. "It was probably our best first period of the whole year and then they took over completely in the second period."
St. Louis goalie Jake Allen, making his first NHL start in his second game in the league, made 15 saves. Jaroslav Halak missed his fifth straight game with a groin strain, an injury he had in a Feb. 1 loss against Detroit, and Hitchcock said he's day to day.
Hitchcock was happy with the way Allen, and his teammates, bounced back after being down 0-2.
"This is a game that could've gotten away on us," Hitchcock said.
Jimmy Howard faced just three shots in the first period and finished with 21 saves for the Red Wings.
Allen gave up a goal on Detroit's first shot, getting fooled by fellow rookie Tomas Tatar's deke in front of the net that set up his first score of the season 2:17 into the game. Drew Miller scored his first goal of the year 5-plus minutes later to give the Red Wings a 2-0 lead.
"Our third and fourth line, they got us the goals," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. "I should have probably stuck with them longer than I did."
Patrik Berglund's short-handed goal late in the first period pulled St. Louis within a goal. Rookie Vladimir Tarasenko's sixth goal of the season tied it at 7:12 of the second period and Chris Stewart put the Blues ahead 3-2 less than 2 minutes later.
"Berglund's goal short-handed really calmed everything down," Hitchcock said.
Pavel Datsyuk tied it again with his sixth goal midway through the second period, scoring from behind the net on a shot that went off Allen's left leg.
The Red Wings had two power plays in the third period, but couldn't take advantage. They had just six shots combined over the second and third periods after getting 11 on net in the first.
"I didn't tell 'em not to shoot," Babcock bristled.
NOTES: Red Wings F Johan Franzen missed the game with a hip injury and Patrick Eaves replaced him in the lineup. ... Detroit and St. Louis played for the fourth time in 13 games during the lockout-shortened schedule and will meet for a fifth and final scheduled April 7 in Detroit. ... Tatar played in his fifth game this year for the Red Wings and the 14th of his career. ... The Blues recalled Allen from Peoria on Tuesday. ... St. Louis has power-play goals in each of its last seven games. ... Seven-time Norris Trophy winner Nicklas Lidstrom got a standing ovation when he was shown on the videoboards, attending his first game since retiring last summer. ... Detroit had beaten the Blues four games in a row at home.
[Associated Press; By LARRY LAGE]
Follow Larry Lage on Twitter: http://twitter.com/larrylage. Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19165 | hide Serbia braces for Wimbledon final as Djokovic faces Murray
Sunday, July 07, 2013 4:02 a.m. CDT
Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates after defeating Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina in their men's semi-final tennis match at the Wimbled BELGRADE (Reuters) - Bars and pubs in Belgrade prepared for a rush of tennis fans ahead of Sunday's Wimbledon final between Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, while local newspapers drummed up the excitement splashing patriotic headlines across their front pages.
The daily Blic said the Serbian world number one would have to overcome massive home support for Murray, who stands one victory away from ending Britain's 77-year wait for a Wimbledon's men's champion.
"Novak ready to strike the empire," the newspaper declared.
"Apart from Novak's girlfriend and family in his box at the All England Club, the whole center court crowd will be rooting for Murray and Djokovic will have to find a way to deal with the huge pressure."
Djokovic would draw inspiration from his 2011 victory at Wimbledon, after which 100,000 elated fans gave him a hero's welcome in front of Serbia's parliament in central Belgrade, it added.
Shopkeepers and bakery owners in the countryside retreat of Krcedin overlooking the Danube in the northern province of Vojvodina counted down the minutes to the end of their morning shifts.
"We are all very impatient for the final to begin and keeping our fingers crossed for Djokovic to come out on top," a kiosk seller told Reuters.
"It's much more than just a tennis match for many of us because Djokovic has been a great ambassador for Serbia ever since he broke into the spotlight," she said.
Blic quoted Djokovic's former mentor Nikola Pilic as saying the Serb would have to dig deep after a grueling five-set win over Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro in an epic semi-final on Friday.
"It's difficult to recuperate in just 24 hours from such a strength-sapping encounter and Djokovic will be up against it because Murray is every bit as resilient as he is," Pilic said.
"But whatever the outcome, this final will signal the dawn of a new era because Djokovic and Murray will have contested three of the last four Grand Slam finals and are clearly the two best players in the world."
(Reporting by Zoran Milosavljevic; Editing by Peter Rutherford) | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19178 | WEEI » Big Bad Blog » Training camp 2011
Posts related to ‘Training camp 2011’
Jordan Caron looking to crack Bruins lineup
By Scott McLaughlin | 2 Comments
The Bruins return 11 forwards who saw significant playing time last season, meaning there is likely only one spot in the regular lineup open up front. One of the candidates to fill it is 2009 first-round pick Jordan Caron, who last season registered 12 goals and 16 assists in 47 games with Providence and three goals and four assists in 23 games with Boston.
Caron was a member of the “Black Aces” that served as healthy scratches during the playoffs, and he got the chance to practice with the big club during the Stanley Cup final after Nathan Horton went down. Caron said he is fully aware of what’s up for grabs during this training camp.
“There might be a spot open, but it’s going to be my job to earn it and win it,” Caron said. “If I play like I’m supposed to and I do what I have to do, I think I have a good chance to win the job.”
The 6-foot-2 winger said his biggest assets are his two-way play and his ability to battle in corners and create space for his linemates. He said the one thing he continues to work on the most is his skating, which was described as “average” by some scouts before he was drafted.
“For me, it’s always been my skating,” Caron said. “Keep improving my skating, my explosion and moving my feet. I worked a lot on that over the summer, like I do every summer. I think every year I’m getting better at it.”
His improvement in that area, as well as everywhere else, hasn’t gone unnoticed.
“I was watching him today, and he was certainly a guy that kind of grabbed my attention,” Claude Julien said. “He’s got good size. He seemed to be skating well. That’s what he did last year, as well — he was skating well and had good jump. Hopefully with a year of experience at the pro level now, he’ll be able to maintain that jump.
“He’s a pretty smart player. He’s got good hockey sense, and you see his reads are pretty good. He’s one of those guys that’s battling for a job, and we’re certainly going to keep a close eye on him.”
Read More: Jordan Caron, Training camp 2011, Print
Tim Thomas not talking about matching last season
By Scott McLaughlin | No Comments
Last year, Tim Thomas put together one of the best seasons any goaltender has ever had. He compiled a 35-11-9 record, 2.00 goals-against average and NHL-record .938 save percentage. He collected his second Vezina Trophy and won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. The only downside to all that is it sets the bar at a seemingly impossible height for this season.
“I think Tim’s biggest challenge is going to be being able to duplicate what he did last year,” Claude Julien said Friday. “If he ever comes close to doing that, we know we’re going to have a good goaltender, because his season last year was outstanding.
“He’s one of those players, like everybody else, who has to be willing to up his game. That doesn’t necessarily mean be better. Just to be as consistent as he was last year means he’s going to have to up his game, in my mind. That’s the one thing Timmy’s capable of doing when he sets his mind to it.”
After the first official practice of the season on Saturday, Thomas refused to talk about any of that just yet.
“It’s the first day of camp,” Thomas said. “You look to improve each day. I’d rather focus on the smaller picture than to get into that stuff right now.
“I’m gonna take a day off from that. It’s the first day of camp. Just enjoy it, being back on the ice with some of the elite-level hockey players in the world. Focus on that rather than thinking back to what happened last year or thinking forward to what is next year.”
Thomas acknowledged that he would obviously like to match what he did last season, but wouldn’t say any more than that.
“That’s as far as I want to go with that right now,” Thomas said. “I’m worried about getting my skates right, my equipment right. That’s more of where my mind is right now than all that other stuff.”
Read More: Tim Thomas, Training camp 2011, Print
Nathan Horton feels good on first day of camp
at 12:58 pm ET
By Scott McLaughlin | 1 Comment
Nathan Horton skated on the TD Garden ice Saturday for the first time since Game 3 of the Stanley Cup final, when he suffered a concussion and was carted off on a stretcher. After two hours of practice, he said he felt just fine.
“It definitely feels good,” Horton said. “It feels nice to not have any setbacks, especially today. The first day is always the hardest. I feel good right now, and hopefully I continue to feel good.”
Horton, who was also recovering from a separated shoulder, first returned to the ice last Friday during veterans practice in Wilmington. He said Saturday that he doesn’t have any lingering effects from either injury.
“I wasn’t worried at all,” Horton said. “I just feel like it’s in the past. I haven’t even thought about it. When I’m on the ice or I do the fitness testing, it doesn’t even cross my mind. I just try and do as well as I can and don’t worry about headaches or anything like that.”
This offseason was different for Horton not just because he was recovering from those injuries, but also because it was much shorter than the offseasons he had in Florida, where he never made the playoffs in six seasons.
“It’s fun coming in every year knowing you have a chance to win the Stanley Cup,” Horton said. “That’s what excites me, and I think everyone’s just excited to be back and go for another chance. When you get in the playoffs, like everyone says, it’s a taste you just want to keep getting more of. It was the best experience of my life, obviously, and it was a lot of fun. I just can’t wait to work towards getting back there.”
Read More: Nathan Horton, Training camp 2011, Print
Why Benoit Pouliot prepared for the season with a UFC trainer
at 8:00 am ET
Ask any of the Bruins to describe their summer, and you’ll hear a lot of guys saying it was the best summer of their lives. The returning members got to celebrate winning the Stanley Cup and got to show off the trophy to their family and friends. As a result, they have had nothing but good things to say about the offseason.
Benoit Pouliot is singing a different tune.
“It was awful,” the newcomer said of his summer as training camp opened.
No, Pouliot wasn’t talking about being non tendered by the Canadiens or anything of that sort. What made it such a terrible summer — in a good way — was his new training program.
Pouliot spent the offseason with Jonathan Chaimberg, a UFC trainer, and it paid off. The 6-foot-3 forward gained weight (he said he was at 208 or 209 pounds at one point — the most he’s ever weighed) and weighed in at 203 on Friday, which is five pounds more than he weighed when playing for the Canadiens last year.
The training program was unorthodox for Pouliot and the other NHL players in attendance, but it did the trick.
“There were some things I’ve never done,” Pouliot said. “There were ladder things. You walk up a ladder for cardio, or push a sled with like 600 or 700 pounds on it. I’m telling you, you don’t want to do it. That was the worst thing ever, but hey I pulled through it. The trainer was so good to me and pushed me so hard that right now I feel great.”
So why did Pouliot seek the help of a UFC trainer?
“I wanted to get bigger,” he said. “Everyone’s been, ‘Hey, you’re not big enough. You’re not big enough. You’re tall, but you’re not [big],’ so I tried to do that as much as I can and now I feel good.”
Read More: Benoit Pouliot, Training camp 2011, Print
David Krejci puts Benoit Pouliot fight behind him
One of the shortest fights of the Feb. 9 Bruins/Canadiens penalty-minute bonanza took place between a couple guys who now share a dressing room in Benoit Pouliot and David Krejci.
Pouliot weighed in on the brief bout, in which he took Krejci down with the first actual punch thrown, when he met the media this week, saying that he had spoken to Krejci and that the two were happy to be teammates. Friday, Krejci echoed Pouliot’s comments. “It was nothing personal when we fought,” Krejci said. “He wanted to fight. I wanted to fight him, and that’s what happened. … There’s no need for him to apologize to me or anything like that. It’s nothing personal. It’s business. That’s what happens in hockey. We talked about it, and he seems like a nice guy. I don’t know him that well yet, but I’m sure he’s a good guy.” Read More: Training camp 2011, Print
Andrew Ference not worried about who gets the vacant ‘A’
Will Andrew Ference get Mark Recchi's letter? (AP)
Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference is a strong candidate (and, in one man’s opinion, the best candidate) to potentially wear the “A” that Mark Recchi wore for the Bruins last season. What does he think of joining captain Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron as the letter-bearing Bruins?
“It’s not really on my radar,” Ference said.
Ference has certainly established a voice in the Bruins’ dressing room, but he’s happy that he’s on a team full of players who can be leaders. If he does end up getting the letter, Ference doesn’t planning how he approaches things.
“You see what Rex, how he wore it, and what he did with something like that. He didn’t go out of his way to try to be somebody he wasn’t,” he said. “I’ve mentioned that before with Zee, what a great leader he is because he just is himself. We have a group full of guys who have learned from Zee or Rex and learned those lessons, how Bergie carries himself.
“I think within the confines of the dressing room, I think we all know everybody has their own strengths of leadership, whether it’s by example or some guys are more vocal than others. So whether you have something on your jersey or not, I think you have a responsibility to add what you can to the dressing room. I don’t think it changes who you are or should be or anything like that. It just is what it is, and they’ve got to put it on somebody.”
Read More: Andrew Ference, Mark Recchi, Patrice Bergeron, Training camp 2011
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2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19185 | Want more real-time Houston Rockets news?
Jeremy Lin: Critics Will Continue to Fuel Star PG By Zach Kruse
Bob Levey/Getty Images 3.0K
From early February to late March, most of the world fell in love with the play of former New York Knicks and current Houston Rockets point guard Jeremy Lin. The "Linsanity" seemed to fuel the 23-year-old to heights no one thought he could reach.It has been just four months since then, but Lin is now hoping to fuel his next run with a different kind of fan commentary. Once his biggest fans, the lovers-turned-critics now circling around Lin could be the motivation he needs to continue his ascension as an NBA player.In an exclusive interview with Marcus Thompson II of the San Jose Mercury News, Lin acknowledged that the critics are here to stay:I will always, always have doubters. But I really want to reach my potential to bring glory to God. That is more motivation than haters and doubters. I want to work just as hard, give just as much, whether or not I have haters.The "haters," as Lin calls them, have come on strong in recent weeks. The obvious start to the criticism came when Lin signed the Rockets' "poison pill" contract—a three-year, $25.1 million deal which made it very difficult for the Knicks to consider matching. The third year of the deal is worth almost $15 million, and New York ended up passing on any match of Houston's deal. While blame was certainly placed on the Knicks, Lin took a wide load of criticism too. "I didn't go back to them and ask for more money," Lin told Thompson. "It wasn't like they gave me the choice to sign one of the two and I chose the one that would hurt the Knicks. I had one contract offer. That was it."In a moment that would have seemed impossible four months ago, Lin was introduced as the newest member of the Rockets last week. The look of Lin in Rockets red, no matter if he had played there previously, was a surreal one. Al Bello/Getty Images
The star of Jeremy Lin didn't come on by accident, however. With the Knicks scrambling for answers and finding very little, New York head coach Mike D'Antoni inserted Lin into the starting lineup. The results were immediate and, for lack of a better word, historical. Lin would score 20 or more points and dish out seven or more assists in six straight games, and the Knicks won seven straight along the way. There was 25 points and seven rebounds in a first-start win over the New Jersey Nets. Six days later, Lin put up 38 points and seven assists in a prime-time win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Four days after that, Lin hit a buzzer-beater to knock off the Raptors in Toronto—capping a 27-point, 11-assist performance. Anyone who had doubted Lin was quieted. In two weeks' time, Lin had become not just a country-wide star, but a global phenomenon. A knee injury in late March sidelined Lin for the rest of the regular season, and it never healed in time for Lin to be an option in the Knicks' five-game series loss to the Miami Heat. Despite the knowledge that Lin would become a restricted free agent following last season, no one expected Lin to be playing anywhere but New York to start 2012-13. Even Lin admits that he wanted to be back in New York. But the offer never came.Houston first offered a four-year, $28 million deal that wouldn't have been as toxic for New York to match. But the Rockets withdrew that offer and then put in the "poison pill" third year to their second offer, which put the pressure on New York to match. Considering the luxury-tax penalties that would have come in the third year of Lin's deal, the Knicks declined. Some considered Lin at fault for signing for the Rockets' second deal, but he was never given any other option. Now, the critics he's gained along the way can power his next run at Linsanity:It's not about who's right or who's wrong. I'm going to respond with love. That's why I'm in this position, to show love and become a better person. I'm trying to focus on the right things. I'm thankful for everything that's happened. The Lord has blessed me so much...The only way it will is if I fade out and get worse and worse. But I plan on getting better.The Rockets certainly hope that the haters fuel Lin's start in Houston. Given what Lin has overcome in the past, there's no reason to think he can't be a better player in Houston than he was in New York. If that ends up being the case, the haters will eventually come crawling back.
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2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19186 | Want more real-time Tennis news?
US Open Tennis 2013: Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic on Collision Course
Clive Brunskill/Getty Images 1.6K
Andy Murray defeated Novak Djokovic for the U.S. Open crown last year and now the two foes are headed for a battle in the semifinals of the U.S. Open this year.
Both Murray and Djokovic defeated their respective foes, Michael Llodra and Ricardas Berankis, in the first round in straight sets. Murray won in 98 minutes, Djokovic did so in a mere 82 minutes. Both captured at least 30 more points than their opponents.
Llodra showed a spark against Murray in the second set on Wednesday, albeit for only a brief moment. The Frenchman went up 3-0 in the set, only to watch Murray win six of the next seven games and capture the set, 6-4. With the set tied at 3-3 in the seventh game, Llodra was up 40-love. All Murray did was come back and win the game.
Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
There's no question that Murray's titles at the 2012 London Olympics and U.S. Open last year have boosted him. The 26-year-old was 37-7 with four singles titles in 2013 heading into the U.S. Open. That included a straight-sets victory over Djokovic at Wimbledon. Djokovic, on the other hand, may not be playing his best tennis right now, but he's still one of the best players in the world. He has reached the semifinals or better in every major this year, including his victory over Murray at the Australian Open. In fact, he has reached the semifinals or better in every major since the 2010 French Open.
Even though Djokovic lost to Murray at Wimbledon, fell to Rafael Nadal at the Rogers Cup and was upset by John Isner at the Western & Southern Open, there is still plenty to fear when it comes to the 26-year-old Serb. If he gets it going, he can be downright scary.
It would add up to what would be a delightful semifinal clash at the 2013 U.S. Open.
Pool/Getty Images
Djokovic is looking for another Grand Slam singles title after his loss to Murray at Wimbledon.
Who would win if Murray and Djokovic met in the semifinals?
If such a matchup comes around, there are plenty of intriguing storylines. Murray will be defending his U.S. Open crown while Djokovic undoubtedly still remembers his straight-sets loss to Murray at Wimbledon. Djokovic is also probably still stinging from losing to Murray at the U.S. Open last year after capturing the Grand Slam in 2011.
We should be grateful to be witnessing an era of tennis in which players such as Djokovic and Murray face off in Grand Slams.
Enjoy it while it lasts. Of course, this could last for a long time.
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2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19187 | Want more real-time Los Angeles Kings news?
How Jonathan Quick Can Elevate His Game and Make Los Angeles Kings Even Better
By Nicholas Goss
Harry How/Getty Images 3.0K
Even after a meteoric rise to the top of the NHL's goaltending ranks, Los Angeles Kings star Jonathan Quick still has plenty of ways to make himself and his team better.
The 27-year-old netminder, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the Kings' Stanley Cup title run in 2012, is about to begin a massive 10-year, $58 million contract.
With the new deal comes higher expectations for a player that Los Angeles is relying on to backstop a Western Conference contender for the next decade.
Let's examine how Quick can improve his game and, as a result, make the Kings an even tougher team to beat on the road to the Stanley Cup.
Better Performances vs. the Chicago Blackhawks
Harry How/Getty Images
Let's face it, if the Kings are expecting to get back to the Stanley Cup Final over the next three to five years, they will likely need to defeat the Chicago Blackhawks in the playoffs multiple times.
The defending champion Blackhawks have a strong core of young stars, a reliable goaltender and a strong enough prospect pool to provide much-needed depth. Therefore, expect Chicago to be a top contender for many more years out West.
Entering the Kings and Blackhawks' matchup in the Western Conference Final last year, Quick had allowed two or fewer goals in 11 of his team's 13 games over the first two rounds. He looked unbeatable at times and gave the Kings a distinct advantage in net versus Chicago prior to Game 1.
But the UMass star was unable to maintain his world-class form against the Blackhawks, allowing 2.8 goals per game, with a horrible .897 save percentage, in a five-game series loss. In the first two rounds, Quick posted a combined .948 save percentage.
Quick's subpar Western Conference Final against the Blackhawks was no surprise based on his previous regular-season performances against the Original Six club.
Jonathan Quick vs. Blackhawks Year
W/L/OT
For the Kings to be a legitimate championship contender with a core of talented young stars and veterans signed long-term, they need Quick to play better and be more consistent against the Blackhawks. More Consistent Regular-Season Performance
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Jonathan Bernier was the best goaltender on the L.A. Kings during the 2013 regular season. After trading the 24-year-old to the Toronto Maple Leafs this summer, the Kings will need Quick to step up his performance in the regular season because there won't be a top-tier backup behind him in 2013-14.
Quick only had one winning streak of three or more games last year. To be fair, it was a shortened 48-game season, but his inconsistency was a bit of a concern going into the playoffs.
As the chart below shows, Quick has posted a save percentage of .920 or higher and a GAA of 2.25 or lower in just one season. He's also never put together back-to-back years of a .920-plus save percentage and a sub-2.20 GAA.
Is Jonathan Quick the best goaltender in the world?
Quick was the only reason why the Kings even made the playoffs in 2011-12, with 10 shutouts and a 1.95 GAA. This is why people believed that he was turning the corner and becoming a consistently elite performer after two of the best seasons of his career (2010-11 and 2011-12).
But the 2013 campaign was a step back for Quick after finishing the regular season with a career-worst .902 save percentage and his lowest shutout total (one) since 2007-08.
Los Angeles needs better consistency in the regular season from Quick to earn home-ice advantage more often in the playoffs. As a player now making an average of about $6 million annually, Quick needs to be an elite-level goaltender in the regular season and not just the playoffs.
Puck-Handling Must Improve
Handling the puck well is not a strength of Quick's skill set, and as we saw in Game 5 of the 2012 Stanley Cup Final and Game 1 of the Kings' first-round series against the St. Louis Blues last year, sometimes this weakness costs his team and leads to a loss.
Communicating better with his defensemen would help Quick move the puck better and start the rush up ice. Making faster decisions is another way for him to handle the puck better and avoid turnovers that lead to chances for the opposing team. There are also instances when Quick plays the puck or tries to clear it when covering up for a faceoff is the smartest and safest decision.
One of the best ways to avoid the oncoming forecheck is by a goalie playing the puck before the opposing team can battle for the puck below the goal line. If Quick is able to improve his hands and deliver more accurate passes, the Kings will be able to play a faster game and take some pressure off the defensemen.
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Nicholas Goss is an NHL columnist at Bleacher Report. He was a credentialed writer at the 2011 and 2013 Stanley Cup Final, the 2012 NHL playoffs and the 2013 NHL draft. All salary information via CapGeek.
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2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19221 | « Rookies keep flowing into camp
Injuries start to mount at camps around the league »
Jason La Canfora, Training Camp
Derrick Mason’s return not a surprise
By Jason La Canfora | Published: August 1st, 2009 | Tags: Baltimore Ravens, contract, Derrick Mason, Hakeem Nicks, Joe Flacco, retire, return, Tarvaris Jackson
There were no shortage of people in the Ravens’ organization who believed top receiver Derrick Mason would be back with the club this season despite announcing his intent to retire last month. The only surprising thing about his return, to some, was that it came just five days into camp.
Derrick Mason: "I still have an intense fire inside me, and I want to play." (Wade Payne / Associated Press)
Mason’s coaches and teammates had many reasons for believing he would not walk away from the game. He was around the team all offseason, working hard to come back from a shoulder injury. He is as competitive as it gets, he is hungry to win a title, and, they figured, after being away from it all for a few weeks, that passion would return. Indeed, it has.
Mason spoke about his decision to come back to the Ravens Saturday — he will join the team for practice Sunday — and expressed a sentiment many already knew in their hearts. “I still have an intense fire inside me, and I want to play,” Mason said in remarks released by the Ravens. “My family and I wanted to finish it out the right way.”
Mason, 35, announced his retirement shortly after the murder of good friend and former teammate Steve McNair, and it was clearly a time of intense emotion for Mason and his family. Some speculated that Mason may have been using retirement as a bargaining ploy, but league sources said there have been no alterations made to Mason’s contract at all, which has one-year remaining worth $3 million (Mason had asked the team for an extension earlier in the offseason).
The Ravens could fine Mason $17,000 for each of the five days he missed, and although a team source said that a decision on that was not final, I would not be surprised if it was not applied in this case. In reality, Mason was not going to do much the first few weeks of camp, anyway, as a precaution for his shoulder and given his experience and knowledge in this system. Some projected a mid-August return, but given Mason’s supreme conditioning and work ethic, even a return as late as that would not have caused a stir among team officials.
Now, instead, he’s back plenty early, and no one should be happier than second-year quarterback Joe Flacco. Flacco threw for 2,971 yards as a rookie, with Mason accounting for 1,037 himself, or 35 percent of that total.
Randoms: The Vikings are breathing a sigh of relief that QB Tarvaris Jackson’s knee injury is not serious (initial MRI results revealed a mild MCL sprain, with a return to practice projected for next week, according to a league source). But, two clear questions arise: 1) What the heck is any defensive player doing rolling up on a QB, especially early in camp? 2) Was there a person in America, whom, upon hearing the news that Jackson went down at practice, that did not immediately think about Mississippi 4, and when the next flight bound for Minnesota departed? … WR Hakeem Nick’s five-year deal with the Giants is worth a max of $12.54 million, with about $6 million guaranteed, according to a league source. With a few receivers in the fold now, I’d expect more receivers to get done in the next few days as the market comes into better shape … The redeye was brutal last night. Not sure if there is some weather stuff going on or what, but the turbulence on the flights up and back was pretty intense. Flight attendants could barely get up, and sleeping was next to impossible. Itching to get me a power nap … Hope you guys are having a great weekend.
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2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19225 | Cincinnati Bengals Message Boards - Forums > General Sports Discussion
Maryland, Rutgers to Big Ten?
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The University of Maryland is in serious negotiations to join the Big Ten Conference, sources told ESPN on Saturday.
If Maryland goes from the ACC to the Big Ten, Rutgers of the Big East is expected to follow suit. The addition of Maryland and Rutgers would give the Big Ten 14 members as the league gears toward negotiations on a new media rights deal when its first-tier rights expire in 2017.
No date has been set for a potential announcement, though it could come as soon as Monday.
Maryland president Wallace Loh has been handling the conversation with Big Ten officials, a source said.
One source told ESPN that Maryland athletic director Kevin Anderson has informed key staffers that there are ongoing discussions.
One stumbling block for Maryland could be finances. Maryland's athletic department has recently dropped sports because of budget issues, and the ACC recently raised its exit fee to $50 million.
Maryland and Florida State were the only two of 12 schools that voted against a $50 million exit fee out of the ACC, but lost the vote. Loh was quoted in the Washington Post on Sept. 13 that he was against the hike from $20-50 million on "legal and philosophical" grounds. The Post reported that Loh said Maryland planned to be in the ACC for years to come.
A source told ESPN that the Big Ten has been itchy about further expansion since Notre Dame made its official move to the ACC two months ago in all sports other than football. The source said the Big Ten can justify Maryland and then possibly Rutgers since they are all contiguous states to the Big Ten footprint.
One source told ESPN that Loh and Anderson don't have ACC ties so there wouldn't be a strong emotional pull to stay with the conference. Loh is a former provost at Big Ten member Iowa.
However, the chancellor of the Maryland system, Brit Kirwan, has been on the Maryland campus for 30 years and has strong affiliation for being a charter member of the ACC, according to a source.
One source with Maryland ties said there is a strong affinity for the ACC and making the move to the Big Ten may not be a unanimous decision among the school's board of regents.
Big Ten officials did not respond to numerous requests seeking comment. ACC officials also did not respond to a request for comment. Maryland officials would not comment when asked after the Terps' football game on Saturday.
If these dominoes were to fall then Connecticut would emerge as the most likely candidate to fill Maryland's spot in the ACC. The ACC will be at 14 members in 2013-14 with the addition of the Big East's Pittsburgh and Syracuse and 15 in all sports except football when Notre Dame joins, which could be as early as fall 2013.
Rutgers' exit fee from the Big East would be less expensive. The buyout to leave the Big East is $10 million if the school provides 27 months' notice. However, the league has allowed West Virginia, Pitt and Syracuse to leave the league without honoring the 27-month requirement by paying a higher exit fee.
The Scarlet Knights would be the ninth member of the Big East to leave or announce they were leaving the league since 2004. Six of those defections have occurred in the past year -- Pitt, Syracuse and Notre Dame to the ACC; TCU and West Virginia to the Big 12 and Rutgers to the Big Ten.
The Scarlet Knights were charter members of the Big East's football conference, which began in 1991.
Maryland also was a charter member of the ACC, one of eight schools to start the league in 1953.
Both Maryland and Rutgers are members of the AAU (Association of American Universities), something vital to Big Ten presidents.
The addition of the two East Coast schools would dramatically stretch the Big Ten's footprint. With Maryland holding down the Beltway, Rutgers offering up the New York market and Penn State's strong eastern ties, the league has a solid anchor in the mid-Atlantic states.
Maryland and Rutgers also would make the nation's richest conference even wealthier. Last season, each Big Ten school received a record $24.6 million in shared revenue, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. One source said the success of the Big Ten Network is an intriguing factor for Maryland.
If the two schools join the Big Ten, it would reopen what many thought was a stable time in the conference realignment process. The Big Ten joins the SEC as a legitimate 14-team superconference, while the ACC drops to 13 football members and likely will pursue another all-sports member to get back to 14.
ACC commissioner John Swofford said at ACC media day and during the news conference when the Irish were added that the league wouldn't go beyond 14 football members and could easily exist with an odd number (15) in men's and women's basketball. But if a football member were to leave, the ACC would likely have to make a move.
Maryland, meanwhile, will become only the second school to leave the ACC. South Carolina was the other, leaving in 1971 to become an independent. The Gamecocks are now members of the SEC.
In the past few years, the nation's top five conferences -- SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and ACC -- have added a total of 10 new members, causing a domino effect throughout the college landscape from coast to coast.
Dana O'Neil, Brett McMurphy and Andy Katz are all college sports reporters for ESPN. ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg and Heather Dinich contributed to this report.
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2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19263 | You are here: Home - Sports - Wrestling: Last of Elyria’s Egnor brothers looking to go out with a bang Wrestling: Last of Elyria’s Egnor brothers looking to go out with a bang Filed on February 22, 2013 by Shaun Bennett Leave a Comment Tweet
It was the youngest of the three Egnor brothers that introduced wrestling to the household.
“My principal said something about wrestling and there were (fliers) in the office,” Brandon Egnor said. “So I went down there and grabbed a sheet and took it home. I thought it sounded interesting. … I just thought it would be fun.”
The inconsequential act nine years ago proved to be huge for the Elyria High program. Click any image to view larger.
Elyria senior wrestler Brandon Egnor on Feb. 20. Steve ManheimPurchase Photo
Eldest brother Phillip went on to place sixth in the 2009 Division I state tournament, and a year later Kodie became a state runner-up. Brandon earned his first trip to Columbus last season as a junior, and will need another big performance at this weekend’s district tournament at Cleveland State to earn a second straight berth.
The whole dynasty came about due to an innocent misconception.
“I kind of thought it’d be like WWE. … I was in third grade and we were all watching it back then,” Brandon said. “Once they started jogging and telling us to squash the bug, I was like, ‘What is this?’ We were learning to take a shot and they were like, ‘Squash the bug, hit your knee and come up.’ It was … I don’t know.
“Talking about it does make it seem like forever ago.”
Egnor was approached by Elyria coach Erik Burnett after a fifth-grade practice and told about the programs at All-American Wrestling in LaGrange. The brothers began training at The Barn with the likes of future state champions Nathan Tomasello, Jamie Clark and Logan and Hunter Stieber.
“The youth program wasn’t quite as intense as it is now, but the coaching was good and the kids worked hard,” Burnett said. “He ended up going and wrestling at Eastern Heights and did a nice job for them.”
Egnor qualified to the junior high state tournament in the seventh and eighth grades, going 3-2 each season.
“Then he got into ninth grade and got a little goofy,” Burnett said. “He liked to play around and stuff like that. He still worked pretty hard, but probably not as hard as he should. He ended up making it to the district tournament that year, which is pretty good.”
Pretty good was an understatement. The Pioneers wrestled in one of the toughest sectionals in the state — which included powerhouse St. Edward — and Egnor was still learning the ins and outs of high school wrestling.
“It’s no joke,” he said. “I thought I was going to do better than I did. You had seniors and juniors cutting down weight classes and they had grown-man strength, and I was just a freshman.”
It was a big step and the future looked bright for Egnor, but things quickly fell apart a year later as he couldn’t find a way to crack the varsity lineup.
“I was stuck in between Matt Canon and Eli (Garcia),” he said. “At first, since I was just a sophomore, I thought I still have two years after this, so it’s fine if I don’t wrestle. As long as I’m helping the team out when someone needs me to help them make weight or prepare for their next match.
“Then when it was time for the sectionals and districts, I was like, ‘Oh, dang.’ I really wanted to wrestle.”
The struggles to win a wrestle-off continued into his junior year, but at midseason Egnor found himself back in the lineup after Mike Repko was injured. He never looked back.
“He got real serious about it and he worked really hard,” Burnett said. “During the season, he was probably the hardest worker in the room. He never missed a practice, never got hurt. Guys will get dinged up in the room and need to sit out for 10 minutes or so … he never sat out.”
The hard work began paying off at the end of the season. The unheralded Egnor upset a pair of top 10-ranked wrestlers to capture a Northeast Ohio Conference championship, then rode the momentum through sectionals and districts to the state tournament.
It was reminiscent of a run Kodie had after losing his opening match at the district tournament during his senior year.
“I was a freshman that year,” Brandon said. “He lost that match and he didn’t think he was going to make it to state. He came back the next day and won all the matches. He won eight straight to make it to the (state) final and then lost. But that was very motivating. It showed me anything can happen if you work hard.”
Egnor takes motivation wherever he can get it.
The 0-2 record at the state tournament last year helps drive him. The opening 6-5 loss to Gahanna Lincoln’s Drew McDougle, who went on to place fourth, is a particular source of inspiration.
“Some days when I’m in my computer class at school and I have free time I watch McDougle and I wrestle like two or three times,” Egnor said. “It frustrates me, but then I go to practice that day and I make sure I don’t look like what I did in that match. It motivates me so that I won’t go 0-2 this year and I’ll end up on the podium … high.”
Egnor expects it to happen. So does Burnett. The coach knows that the Egnors’ ability to go deep into the postseason isn’t so much about their genes as it is about those who provided them.
“That family … they just work,” Burnett said. “Their mom and dad are all about work, they never stop parenting. They’re a hard-working family and their kids have that work ethic.
“Once they get on a roll, they think, ‘Let’s keep working hard and let’s keep doing it. I should have success.’ I think that’s a tribute to their parents.”
Now Brandon is looking to give his family one more accomplishment to cheer.
Contact Shaun Bennett at 329-7137 or sbennett@chroniclet.com. Like him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.
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2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19270 | Berea Report: Stuckey Starting Sunday?
By Site Staff
The Browns new wide receiver has big shoes to fill, but his familiarity with Brian Daboll's system may get him on the field quickly. Fred Greetham reports from Berea... BEREA—The marquee player in return for Braylon Edwards for the Browns was Chansi Stuckey.
He was on the field for the first time with in Cleveland on Thursday after having a physical and meeting with the coaches on Wednesday. “With flights and things they didn’t make practice,” Eric Mangini said. “They were in the meetings with the coaches and will be on the practice field today.”
Mangini said the familiarity with the players will allow them to contribute quickly.
“There are variations in the systems,” he said. “But knowing both of those guys, they’ll be sure they know what they’re doing.”
Mangini said both Stuckey and Jason Trusnik might be able to play against the Bills.
“We’ll work it out and see where they all fit in and how special teams go.”
Mangini said that there are some similarities between Stuckey and Mike Furrey, in terms of being slot receivers.
“Chansi doesn’t play defense, but there are similarities and I think that group will work out together.”
“It’s a new team, a new start,” Stuckey, who wears No. 88 said. “I hope to have a fresh start in Cleveland. I’m happy to be re-united with Coach Mangini and Coach Daboll.”
Stuckey said he knows what the coaches expect of him and thinks he will be able to contribute quickly.
“Coach Mangini knows me and he’ll see how I do and when I’m ready,” he said. Stuckey said it doesn’t bother him that he leaves a 3-1 team and comes to a 0-4 team.
“I still have a job,” he said. “I think the Lord has blessed me and I’m excited for the opportunity with the Browns.
“I think this team is on the verge of doing some great things.”
Stuckey said he can play both slot receiver or on the outside.
“I’m comfortable being on the field on the inside or the outside,” he said. “I think if you can play both spots it helps you gain an advantage over some of the cornerbacks that have a tougher time covering the slot”
Stuckey feels he has a good understanding of the different defenses and that helps give him running his routes.
“I feel as though I understand the defense and the nuances the different defenses give you,” he said. “That allows you to be the most productive you can be.”
The Safety Valve: WR Mike Furrey played safety against the Bengals and Mangini said he will most likely be used more in the role. “I’m not opposed to him playing more defensive reps,” he said. “In Detroit, he played there a lot.
He’s been working at safety since OTAs. He has a comfort level there.”
Homecoming: LB Jason Trusnik is enjoying his time back in northeast Ohio after playing his high school football at Nordonia and collegiately at Ohio Northern.
“Coming back here is great,” he said. “Since I was a kid I dreamed of this.”
Trusnik is listed as a linebacker wearing No. 93, but it is expected he will see most of his time on special teams. “My role in the past has been on special teams,” he said. “I love special teams. It takes a certain mentality to play on special teams.”
The WR Corps: With the departure of WR Braylon Edwards, the Browns don’t have a proven deep ball threat. Mangini said WR Mohamed Massaquoi would most likely be that guy.
“I think Mohamed has shown his ability to get open deep,” he said.
Massaquoi didn’t have much to say about being the perceived No. 1,
“I just continue to work hard in practice and continue to try and make plays,” he said. “I want to be the best I can be. I’m just going to be myself.”
Mangini said there was no noticeable difference for Massaquoi or Brian Robiskie in their first practices without Edwards.
“They’ve both looked like they have throughout the process,” he said. “Mohamed has gotten more time than Brian has, but they’re both coming along.”
The line of thinking is with Edwards not on the field, Massaquoi will be drawing most of the attention.
“There are times when you’re going to get double covered,” Mangini said. “It depends on the coverage and what the other receivers are doing. It’s hard to double cover if you’re running the ball effectively.”
Mangini continues to insist that Josh Cribbs is legitimate as a wide receiver and not an experiment.
“It’s not an experiment,” he said. “He continues to grow there. I think he’s done a good job.”
Injured: Mangini said that he thinks most, if not all, of the injured players have a chance at playing this week, including K Phil Dawson and RB Jamal Lewis. “I think all of those guys have a real chance to play this week,” Mangini said.
Lewis was listed as questionable after being doubtful last week with a hamstring injury. He practiced in a limited capacity on Wednesday.
“I’m day-to-day, but you never know with a hamstring,” Lewis said. “I’m not trying to overdo it.”
On James Davis to IR: One of the moves slipped in last weekend was placing RB James Davis on injured reserve with a presumed shoulder injury. Mangini made it sound as though he needed surgery. “It’s always hard,” Mangini said. “James has done a nice job since he got here. It was one of those situations that it wasn’t going to get any better and so by doing the things medically necessary now, he should be ready to come back next year.”
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2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19308 | George Washington Basketball: Mike Lonergan Says There Are 'Too Many Distractions Around The Program'
By Samuel Chamberlain
@SChamberlainFOX
Ten games into his tenure at George Washington University, men's basketball head coach Mike Lonergan has had much to contend with, including a five-game losing streak and issues off the basketball court.
FOGGY BOTTOM -- At first glance, there wasn't much wrong with George Washington University's plan for the 2011-12 men's basketball season. After letting go of Karl Hobbs following a 17-14 season in 2010-11, athletic director Patrick Nero turned to Mike Lonergan, a Bowie native fresh off three straight 20-win seasons at the University of Vermont. The thinking was that Lonergan would use his local connections, strengthened by his 12 years as head coach at Catholic University and one year as an assistant to Gary Williams at Maryland, to help propel GW back to the kind of local and national prominence it hadn't enjoyed for half a decade.
Ten games isn't nearly enough time to panic about the direction of the program under Lonergan, but it is more than enough time to realize that the transition hasn't been completely smooth. Thursday night's 67-66 loss to Bradley at the Smith Center was the Colonials' fifth straight overall, dropping them to 4-6 on the season. The Colonials lost despite leading for most of the second half (at one point by as many as eight points) and outscoring Bradley 42-26 in the paint, 23-16 off turnovers, and 23-8 on second chance points. The game's final sequence was an unpleasant reminder of the last years of the Hobbs era, when George Washington developed a reputation for unable to close out games. As Lonergan explained it after the game, the final play was supposed to be a high screen for preseason All-Atlantic 10 guard Tony Taylor, who finished the game with just 11 points on 4-for-10 shooting. However, the high screen never materialized, and Taylor fiddled around the three-point line for most of the remaining 20 seconds before throwing up an off-balance shot that didn't have much of a chance. The inconsistent offensive play has left the Colonials second-from-bottom in the Atlantic 10 in scoring offense (61.8 points per game prior to Thursday night). George Washington's struggles at the line, another holdover from the Hobbs era, continued to manifest themselves as well as the home team made just six of their 13 foul shots (their 62.6 free throw percentage is also second-worst of the 14 Atlantic 10 teams).
"We're struggling to make easy shots. Missing free throws, missing wide-open three pointers," Lonergan acknowledged.
"We've got some guys forcing shots," the coach continued. "And I don't think it's selfishness, I just think that guys lose their composure out there. We've just got to get more consistent. We've got to get five guys playing at the same time. I feel bad for Tony, because you want to put the ball in your best player's hands, you know, I'm not throwing anybody under the bus, but it wasn't his fault. We didn't execute the play."
Taylor, who Lonergan referred to as "[our] one great player" who needed to "demand the ball and hold teammates accountable" was mostly silent in the postgame press conference, except for when he muttered a few words about his team's inconsistent play and the need to be better. The extemporaneous speaking was left to his head coach, who went on to tick off a "lack of depth" and "disciplinary issues" as reasons for his team's ongoing slide.
Then there was the case of David Pellom. About half an hour before the tip-off, a terse, two-paragraph statement had been handed around, saying that the junior from Wilmington, North Carolina would be suspended for that night's game due to a violation of Athletic Department policy. Lonergan left no doubt that the suspension was intended as a warning to other, less committed players on the team.
"There's too many distractions around this program," Lonergan said. "We have to get these guys focused on academics and basketball and trying to win games."
Pellom's suspension forced freshman John Kopriva into the starting lineup. Kopriva made all six of his shots from the floor, but found himself stuck on Bradley's outside shooters in the final moments. In particular, Walt Lemon, Junior and Taylor Brown scored 22 and 15 points respectively, and it was Lemon's three-pointer with 45 seconds left that broke at 64-64 tie and gave the Braves the lead for good.
"It'll help him down the road," Lonergan said of Kopriva's experience, "but he shouldn't be starting at the A-10 level right now. David Pellom was supposed to start tonight."
Some of George Washington's losses can be explained away by their travels to California, Kansas State and, most recently, No. 1 Syracuse, where they were beaten by 27, 13, and 35 points, respectively. However, losses like the Bradley game and the 65-55 defeat to Loyola December 7 must call into question how far the Colonials can come this season, and whether the road back to prominence will be longer and harder than most people think.
Bradley Vs. George Washington: Colonials Come Up Short On Final Possession, Lose Fifth In A Row
Bradley Vs. George Washington: Colonials Can Get Back To .500 | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19376 | Focus on Arsenal
Arsenal hopes in the balance
By Kevin Palmer (Archive)
When Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger vowed to do all he could to "find a special player" in the final days of the summer transfer window, the capture of a 17-year-old Macedonian goalkeeper was not quite what the club's supporters had in mind.PA PhotosArsenal have seen a number of players depart to their Premier League rivals in recent yearsWhile their neighbours Tottenham spent big to sign Fulham's Clint Dempsey and France 'keeper Hugo Lloris from Lyon and Premier League champions Manchester City broke the bank to cement their position as trophy contenders in Friday's deadline-day rush, Arsenal were toasting the arrival of teenage shot-stopper Dejan Iliev as rumours of a big-name capture came to nothing once again.Chelsea's Michael Essien, Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko and even Tottenham hit-man Jermain Defoe were linked with Arsenal ahead of the August 31 cut-off date, as hopes were raised of a signing to set the pulses racing after their first two games of the season finished in less than inspiring goalless fashion.Was Wenger about to break with tradition and dip into negative equity on his summer transfer dealings? The answer, somewhat inevitably, was no, as the final calculations confirm a balanced set of accounts will again be presented by a manager who has replaced big names stars with financial prudence on his wish-list in recent years.After collecting £39 million from the sale of Robin van Persie to Manchester United and Alex Song to Barcelona, Arsenal have reinvested that cash to sign Lukas Podolski (£10.9 million), Oliver Giroud (£13 million) and Santi Carzola (£16 million), with Wenger refusing to use up a penny of the additional funds club chiefs have confirmed are at his disposal.To save you some time with a calculator, Arsenal's three signings have cost precisely the same amount of cash they collected from their summer sales, with their success in getting the highly paid Nicklas Bendtner off the books after his deadline-day loan move to Juventus ensuring barely a penny has been spent once more by the Premier League's most cash conscious coach.Wenger insists those who claim he should be more bold in the transfer market are "not dealing with reality", but a statement from the influential Arsenal Supporters Trust (AST) on Saturday confirms the Emirates Stadium faithful are becoming increasingly frustrated by the lack of transfer activity from their beloved manager."Our own analysis of Arsenal's accounts shows the club have not used nearly all of the resources available to them to strengthen the squad this transfer window," an ATS spokesman said in the Daily Mirror. "Many of our members are extremely frustrated as they believe no stone should be left unturned in trying to make Arsenal a better team. "Arsene Wenger has chosen this course and most fans back him, with 77% of AST members voting him the right man to take Arsenal forward in our end-of-season survey just ten weeks ago. As ever in football, the final judgement will be made according to results on the pitch."The unflinching devotion a majority of Arsenal fans continue to offer Wenger is admirable given his failure to win a trophy in seven years and continued inability to hang onto his best players, the legendary status earned by this manager making it all but impossible for the club's loyal supporters to turn against him, even if such unshakable power may not be entirely positive.With Wenger immune to criticism, the recent survey referred to by the AST spokesman confirmed that chief executive Ivan Gazidis and major shareholder Stan Kroenke are not afforded the sort of backing the club's manager seems destined to retain.The rarely heard or seen Kroenke's proved to be especially unpopular as he claimed a meagre 13% backing from Arsenal supporters, while only 1.5% declared themselves content with the team's efforts in recent times. Such figures would suggest the team's manager would be the focal point of dissent, but not at Arsenal. Even more staggering was the statistic suggesting 76% of those questioned by AST supported Wenger's sentiments that Champions League qualification is more important than winning a trophy, providing compelling proof that the Arsenal boss has successfully reset the boundaries of success among his disciples. PA PhotosArsene Wenger has adopted a cautious approach to spending"Spending money to solve problems is not the answer," Wenger says. "I can understand why supporters are frustrated and they look at other clubs and believe spending £35 million on one player is the way to go, but I disagree with this viewpoint. If you look at my record as Arsenal manager, I'm always in the market if top talent become available, but we will not buy players for the sake of it. "It seems strange to me that people are amazed that we are not spending £100 million on transfers when the reality is this is not realistic. I find it surprising that people do not realise the kind of budgets we work within, but I'm proud of the way we run this club. We have achieved 15 straight years in the Champions League and that is a fine achievement. "Finishing third is not enough for me, or anyone at Arsenal. We want to challenge for the title and we want to win it. Of course, this is what we have to aim for and finishing in the top four has to be viewed as a basic target."So long as Arsenal score their first goals of the season to beat Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday and go on to end their wait for a trophy in the coming months, the frustration currently being felt by Wenger's loyal supporters will be quickly forgotten. However, next summer's survey by supporter groups may not paint the club's iconic manager in such a favourable light if this turns into another season of near misses. | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19377 | Trapattoni, Matthaeus take over at Salzburg
VIENNA, May 23 (Reuters) - Former Italy coach Giovanni Trapattoni and ex-German international Lothar Matthaeus have formally agreed to take charge of Austrian top division side Red Bull Salzburg.
"Red Bull Salzburg has everything it takes to achieve some
big international goals in the mid-term future," Trapattoni told
the club's website.
"In Lothar Matthaeus I have a partner who is used to taking
responsibility and judging himself only by the highest
standards."
The appointment of Trapattoni and Matthaeus, as sporting
director and coach respectively, was announced by the club last
week, only for the two men to say they had not signed contracts.
The pair finally put pen to paper on Tuesday in a deal where
they share responsibility for sporting decisions at the club.
Trapattoni, who was fired by VfB Stuttgart in February,
coached Matthaeus at Inter Milan and at Bayern Munich in 1997.
After playing a record 150 times for Germany and leading his
country to victory in the 1990 World Cup, Matthaeus has so far
proven less successful as a coach.
He took charge of Rapid Vienna and Partizan Belgrade before
a spell as Hungary's coach and a brief stint in Brazil.
"Giovanni's level of experience is unique and it's a
fantastic opportunity for me personally to work alongside him,"
Matthaeus said on Tuesday.
Backed by Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz, Salzburg
finished runners-up this season, four points behind champions
Austria Vienna.
A-League home | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19387 | The Fifth Down Search
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Posts tagged with SEBASTIAN JANIKOWSKI
Sep 14, 5:00 am Raiders Put Trust in Janikowski
By ANDREW DAS When Sebastian Janikowski tied the N.F.L. record by making a 63-yard field goal to end the first half against the Broncos on Monday night, few on the Oakland side of the field were surprised. Janikowski routinely kicks 65-yarders in practice, and made one from 70 in pregame warm-ups Monday. It was not even the longest kick the Raiders have had him attempt in a game. Lane Kiffin let Janikowski try a 64-yarder in 2007 and a 76-yarder in 2008. (The first was long enough but hit the right upright; the second was a bit out of range, even for Janikowski, though in his defense he was kicking into the wind.) Under Tom Cable in 2009, Janikowski set a team record by hitting from 61 yards in a game against the Browns.
But the best part of Monday night’s kick might have come before Janikowski trotted out to take it. With 17 seconds left, the Raiders declined the chance to get him a little closer and instead ran Michael Bush right for no gain. What appeared to be a wasted play was in fact a favor; the left-footed Janikowski, nicknamed the Polish Cannon, prefers to kick from the right hash mark. “Most teams would be like, ‘Man, why are they running the ball in that situation?’ ” Raiders quarterback Jason Campbell said. “We ran the ball because we have trust in him.” Janikowski said he had now achieved two of the three goals he set for himself when he entered the league: to play 10 seasons (he is starting his 12th); to match the record for the longest field goal, set by Tom Dempsey in 1970 and matched by Jason Elam in 1998; and to win a Super Bowl. Aug 20, 6:16 am Good Values in Later Rounds of Fantasy Football
By SIGMUND BLOOM Sigmund Bloom writes for Footballguys.com and hosts a podcast there with Cecil Lammey. You can follow him on Twitter. Steals are legal in fantasy drafting. Here are a few tips to help beat your league mates.
QUARTERBACK: Donovan McNabb, Washington — McNabb is not a good bet to play all 16 games, but he has been a perennial top-10 quarterback on a points per game basis, and for the first time in a long time, he is going outside of the top-12 QBs in most every fantasy draft. You shouldn’t sweat McNabb’s durability because he can be part of a quarterback-by-committee (QBBC) strategy that includes taking another pick like Eli Manning, Matt Ryan or Carson Palmer the round before or after you take McNabb. If you’re worried about McNabb changing teams, just remember that Redskins Coach Mike Shanahan made Jake Plummer and Brian Griese good fantasy QBs once upon a time. McNabb will be fine. Reserve a 9th- or 10th-round pick for him.
RUNNING BACK: Marion Barber, Dallas — The Barbarian is lighter and quicker, and he’s over a quad injury that hampered him for almost all of the 2009 season. He’s also still the starter, despite many off-season reports that the Cowboys would install Felix Jones as the lead back this year. Even if Jones gets as many or more carries than Barber, Barber will still get the goal-line and fourth quarter “finisher” work. MB3 was a top-15 back twice in that role in 2006 and 2007, peaking as high as No. 7 in 2007. Be ready to take him in the sixth round, although you might be able to steal him in the seventh.
WIDE RECEIVER: Johnny Knox, Chicago — Really, you should just make sure to get a Chicago receiver. My order of preference is Knox, then Devin Hester, then Devin Aromashodu, whom wide receivers coach Darryl Drake unequivocally called a starter, confirming that the three-wide set will most likely be the base formation for this Mike Martz offense. Go with Knox somewhere between the 8th and 10th rounds, or Hester in the 10th/11th, or Aromashodu in the 13th/14th. The top three wide receivers for the Bears are all lottery tickets, and you want to be holding one.
TIGHT END: Zach Miller, Oakland — You can wait a while at tight end this year because Miller finally has a competent quarterback in Jason Campbell. Miller somehow caught 66 passes with JaMarcus Russell doing his poor impression of an N.F.L. QB for more than half the season in 2009. With Miller and Campbell already reportedly establishing great chemistry and timing in training camp, he should be an 80-catch player this year. Pencil him around the 10th. If he gets sniped from you, look for Heath Miller, Chris Cooley or Owen Daniels in the 11th.
Jul 6, 6:30 am Oakland Raiders 2010 Season Preview
By ANDY BENOIT John G. Mabanglo/European Pressphoto Agency Coach Tom Cable and the owner Al Davis, who first joined the Raiders in 1963, had a relatively peaceful and productive off-season. But how much have things really changed?
Andy Benoit is the founder of NFLTouchdown.com and a writer for CBSSports.com’s N.F.L. blog. He can be contacted at andy.benoit –at – NFLTouchdown.com.
Sadly, we’ve come to the point where Al Davis and the Raiders are praised for not having an embarrassingly dysfunctional off-season. An N.F.L.-record seven straight seasons with 11 losses or more will have that impact on expectations. A 2010 off-season that would be considered average – if not underwhelming – for any other franchise is being heralded as a possible turning point in Oakland. It’s as if the Raiders have become the N.F.L.’s version of the child who gets gold stars for scoring above 50 percent on a spelling test.
Their off-season began with the decision to retain Coach Tom Cable … sort of. Davis never actually announced the decision. Instead, he let speculation run wild. In late January, Raiders executive John Herrera said the coaching situation remained “under evaluation.” While mulling the fate of Cable, Davis interviewed assistants, a task normally reserved for the coach. Eventually, sources told reporters that the Raiders would allow Cable to finish out the final year of his contract. The Raiders still wouldn’t confirm this.
Cable’s job status wasn’t publicly clear until mid-February, when he represented Oakland at the Senior Bowl, leading people to assume he’d been retained. So, instead of bringing in yet another new coach, Davis opted to keep a lame duck one. Progress.
In the spring, Davis didn’t give eye-popping contracts to any injured or underachieving former stars. The most dramatic move he made was putting a $12.4 million exclusive rights franchise tag on defensive end Richard Seymour. Smart move, though the “exclusive” part was a little extreme. It prohibited any other team from acquiring Seymour even if that team would have been willing to give the Raiders two first-round draft picks. But no team would ever offer two first-rounders for a 30-year-old non-quarterback anyway. (Well, no team save for maybe the Raiders.)
Feb 17, 2:59 pm The Significance of the Janikowski Contract
By ANDY BENOIT After making Sebastian Janikowski the only kicker of his generation to be a first-round draft choice, the Oakland Raiders have now made him the highest-paid place-kicker in the game. Janikowski’s four-year, $16 million contract carries $9 million in guarantees.
This deal sets a new bar for a free-agent kicker market that includes successful veterans like Pittsburgh’s Jeff Reed, Arizona’s Neil Rackers and Cincinnati’s Shayne Graham. Rackers and Graham had big late-game misses in the playoffs, but over all, the two have been among the league’s most accurate kickers the past few years. Reed, like Janikowski, has had off-field issues, but he’s dependable under pressure.
With no salary cap, teams could be more inclined to pay a steeper price for a kicker. This, of course, could lead to these kickers being slapped with a franchise tag (which was the case with Graham last year). Either way, Janikowski should receive thank-you notes from his fellow kickers.
Dec 2, 11:23 pm Giants’ Line an M.V.P. Unit, Trophy or Not
By TONI MONKOVIC The Giants’ offensive line, perhaps the N.F.L.’s most dominant unit. (Barton Silverman/The New York Times)
This is the weekly notebook that will run in print Wednesday, only it’s a little longer, because we’ve got more room here.
It will never happen. The Giants’ offensive line will not win the Most Valuable Player award. But on the merits, should it happen?
“I cannot think of a group that has dominated as much as the Giants’ line,” Michael Lombardi, a former longtime N.F.L. personnel executive, said Tuesday via e-mail. “Tennessee dominates the defensive line because of Albert Haynesworth, but the Giants’ offensive line is the sum of their parts.”
A unit has never come close to winning the Associated Press M.V.P. award, even though the 50 members of the news media who vote are allowed to consider position groups. But in no season in recent memory has the M.V.P. race been so muddled — Drew Brees? Kurt Warner? Clinton Portis? — so perhaps an opening exists for a debate.
Oct 21, 11:36 pm Go Ahead and Ice the Kicker. It’s What He Wants.
By TONI MONKOVIC This is the weekly notebook that will run in print Wednesday, only it’s a little longer, because we have room to restore some material.
Had the Jets defeated the Raiders in overtime Sunday, Oakland Coach Tom Cable would have had some explaining to do. He called a timeout just before Jay Feely’s field goal late in regulation. Feely missed, but Cable’s move allowed him another attempt, which he made. A recap:
Stefan Fatsis, author of “A Few Seconds of Panic,” an account of his George Plimpton-style tryout as a Denver Broncos kicker, said Tuesday that kickers had told him that “icing” them doesn’t work. He said in an e-mail message: “But they’re happy to let opposing coaches think it does. Jason Elam, the Broncos’ kicker when I spent training camp with the team, said the few extra moments afforded by a timeout gives kickers more time to prepare. They can better consider wind, distance and ball placement, and take a few more practice swings. Kicking is all about mechanics. But all kickers experience nerves. The successful ones internalize them. They can treat even the most pressure-packed kick as just another kick.”
What about the strategy of calling a timeout immediately before a kick, in essence nullifying the first attempt?
Oct 21, 2:46 pm Thursday Morning Kicker: Hold the Ice
By STEFAN FATSIS Stefan Fatsis is the author of “A Few Seconds of Panic,” about his Plimptonian summer as a place-kicker for the Broncos. Thursday Morning Kicker appears occasionally on the Fifth Down.
When an N.F.L. coach calls timeout a split second before an end-of-game field-goal attempt — as Tom Cable of Oakland did on Sunday against the Jets — here’s what the kicker is probably thinking: whatever. Attempts to “ice” Stefan Fatsis at his keyboard have been unsuccessful. (Neenah Ellis)
Pioneered by Denver Coach Mike Shanahan last year, the strategy is the latest twist in the time-honored tradition of “icing” the kicker. With a plain-vanilla icing, the idea is to make the fragile, little kicker ponder the magnitude of what he’s about to attempt. The last-second timeout is designed to disrupt the kicker’s routine even more by taking him to the edge of performance and beyond— actually attempting the kick — and then making him do it all over again. If he makes the first, invalidated kick, he’ll wonder whether he can do it again. If he misses it, he’ll think he can’t ever make it. There has, naturally, been a statistical examination of icing. A study of pressure kicks in the 2002 and 2003 seasons, published in Chance, the journal of the American Statistical Association, found that icing the kicker appeared to have some effect. (The study isn’t available online, but a summary of its findings can be found here.) But, as some commenters noted, the sample size in the study was small — 38 iced kicks — and it’s even smaller for the new last-second tactic. Read more…
The New York Times will report on the Giants and Jets throughout the season. You can also find links to coverage from around the league, tips for your fantasy football team and discussion with other football fans.
May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 Recent Posts The Fifth Down’s Content Is On the Move
The content on the Fifth Down blog is moving to the pro football page on nytimes.com. Read more…
George Sauer’s Love-Hate Connection With Football
The Jets receiver became a critic of the game and its role in American society. But the decision to walk away was also personal. Read more…
Idzik Continues Jets Shakeup
John Idzik, the general manager of the Jets, will not retain Scott Cohen, the assistant general manager. Ari Nissim, another high-ranking executive, also will depart. Read more…
Geno Smith, Tim Tebow, Victor Cruz: Answers to Readers’ Questions
Judy Battista, the N.F.L. reporter for The Times, answers questions from readers. Read more…
Have an N.F.L. Question? Judy Battista Has Answers
Judy Battista, the N.F.L. reporter for The Times, will answer questions from readers. Read more…
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2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19464 | Morgan ready to return January, 5, 2014
By AJ Mass | ESPN.com
ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick writes that outfielder Nyjer Morgan is once again "pursuing jobs in Major League Baseball" and, according to the outfielder's agent there are 6-8 clubs that have expressed interest.
Morgan spent last season with Yokohama in Japan's Central League, and at the end of 2013, he seemed very upbeat and positive about the whole experience, tweeting his thanks to "BayStar Nation for giving me opportunity to play with a great team and teammates" and saying that he would be back.
Morgan's agent didn't rule out a return to Japan for the outfielder, and should he not get a deal in the United States, he "would still enjoy playing there." However, if the right situation comes along, we may once again see Morgan and his alter-ego Tony Plush in a major league uniform this season.
Possible fits might include a return to the Milwaukee Brewers, in the event that Khris Davis doesn't work out in left field, the Minnesota Twins, who started Alex Presley in center all September, and the Cincinnati Reds, who recently had been | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19489 | The photos above show a rifling guide for muzzle loading rifles that I ran across in Houston, Texas. The assembly has no known ties to Somerset County, PA, and appears to be machine-made. The photos are included here merely so that people can see what a rifling guide looks like, and understand how they work. The indexing block, and the spiral cut roll can be clearly seen in these photos. This particular rifling guide is extremely well made, and was evidently made by someone who had access to a metalworking machine shop. Handmade rifling guides that would be more typical for a backwoods mountain rifle maker are shown below.
The book "The Muzzle-Loading Cap Lock Rifle" by Ned. H. Roberts (The Granite State Press, Manchester, New Hampshire, 1940) shows photographs of several rifling guides, and includes a description of their use. The indexing block was bolted to a rifling bench, in line with a pair of clamps that held the barrel. The rifling cutter was attached to the end of the roll, and was moved spirally through the bore of the barrel by the roll. Each groove took many passes of the rifling cutter, as the depth of each cut was extremely small. Another way to rifle a barrel was to use an existing barrel as the rifling guide for the new barrel.
The photos below are from the 1941 National Pa | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19503 | Home Another year of high expectations at Duke
5 months 22 days ago |3 Views
DURHAM (AP) — High expectations are nothing new at Duke. What’s different this year are the ages of the players who have to live up to them.A program that usually rises and falls with its seniors now revolves around redshirt sophomore Rodney Hood and freshman phenom Jabari Parker.What coach Mike Krzyzewski wants is for the other players to blend in with them.He said Hood and Parker “really have a chance to be outstanding, and then what we have is a group of players that has to learn to adjust to those two.”The Blue Devils enter as the preseason favorites in the Atlantic Coast Conference once again, and they’re a popular pick to reach their 12th Final Four under Krzyzewski.For that to happen, the upperclassmen will have to grow comfortable in their supporting roles around Hood and Parker, one of the nation’s most heavily pursued recruits out of Chicago. Hood sat out last season after transferring from Mississippi State, where he averaged 10.3 points and 4.8 rebounds, and was praised by Krzyzewski as “many times was our best player” last year during practice.Parker has “measured up to the level that I want right now, and as long as he continues to do that and show improvement … if he didn’t show improvement, then I’ll be disappointed,” Krzyzewski said. “But I don’t think I’ll be disappointed.”___Five things to know about Krzyzewski’s 34th season at Duke:VERSATILITY WILL BE KEY: The Blue Devils don’t have anything that resembles a football depth chart because so many players can play so many positions and Krzyzewski said “it’s not like one guy is trying to beat out another guy.” Hood considers himself a shooting guard on offense and a forward on defense, and the 6-foot-8 Parker is capable of playing multiple spots. That should make it tough for opponents to match up with them.SPEEDING IT UP: The Blue Devils plan to take advantage of that depth and versatility by going at a much faster pace and playing from baseline to baseline. Krzyzewski said this team reminds him of his late 1990s and early 2000s teams “when we were very athletic — really athletic.” That worked pretty well in 2001 — Duke won its third national title behind Carlos Boozer and Shane Battier.SHELVING EGOS: Tyler Thornton and Josh Hairston have been role players throughout their Duke careers and have been overshadowed by bigger-named teammates from Day 1 — remember, they were part of the same recruiting class as eventual NBA rookie of the year Kyrie Irving. So they say they have no problem putting their egos aside for the good of the team as seniors. “It’s easy — everybody wants to win,” Thornton said. “When you want to win, you want to do what the coaches tell you to do, and what they tell us is to do what you can do. … If you’re going to score, score. If you’re going to play defense, play defense. But do it the best you can.”X-FACTOR AMILE: Forward Amile Jefferson could be in for a big year because of his ability to play off of Hood and Parker. Krzyzewski said he “may complement those two guys better than anybody on our team.” He expects opposing teams to focus on stopping Hood and Parker and will be “guarded by a man and a half” each. Jefferson — a high-energy 6-9 sophomore — could take advantage of that lessened attention and put up big rebounding and second-chance-scoring numbers. He scored 15 points in an exhibition win over Bowie State.DAWKINS IS BACK: The only current Duke player who has a national championship ring is Andre Dawkins — a fifth-year senior guard who sat out last season while he dealt with his sister’s death during his freshman year in 2009-10. He’s changed jersey numbers — he’s wearing Kelly’s old No. 34 after three years in No. 20 — but showed he still has his 3-point touch in the team’s only public intrasquad scrimmage of the preseason. He spent significant time running with the first string during that scrimmage, though sophomore Rasheed Sulaimon started the first preseason game. | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19542 | News Sports Opinion Lifestyle Sections Ads Jobs Classifieds CU Extras Customer Service National Sports
Oracle Team USA wins Race 4 of America's Cup
Save | SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — After a rough week of unprecedented penalties and three straight losses, defending America's Cup champion Oracle Team USA finally had something to smile about following a high-speed romp around San Francisco Bay. Oracle Team USA's 72-foot catamaran came flying out of the fog around the fourth mark and stayed ahead of challenger Emirates Team Zealand in a heart-stopping sprint to the finish to win Race 4 by 8 seconds Sunday. Skipper Jimmy Spithill reached back with his left hand and patted the left shoulder of tactician John Kostecki, one of only two Americans on the 11-man crew. "It was a real sign of strength from the guys to be able bounce back from a situation like that, having lost three in a row, especially going into the break tomorrow," Spithill said. "It's a real confidence booster for the boys." It was the first victory of the regatta for Oracle, which still has a long way to go to keep the oldest trophy in international sports. Owned by software billionaire Larry Ellison of Oracle Corp., Oracle Team USA was docked two points by an international jury in the biggest cheating scandal in the regatta's 162-year history. That meant the Americans started at minus-2. Oracle needs to win 10 more races to keep the silver trophy. "It was fantastic racing," said Spithill, an Australian who lives in San Diego with his American wife. "We've been talking about this for a long time and there have been a lot of people who have probably bagged it and said, 'Ah, are we going to see a decent race?' Well, man, it's delivering. Just to see the energy in the crowd and the people that are getting behind us is huge. And that's making a difference. The more people who can do that, we've got a better chance of keeping the Cup here." Team New Zealand won Race 3 earlier in the day and needs to win six more to take the Auld Mug to the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, which held it from 1995-2003. Monday is a lay day, with Races 5 and 6 scheduled for Tuesday. Race 4 was a thriller in the fog, wind and salt spray on San Francisco Bay, with the foiling 72-foot catamarans sometimes veering toward the edge of control in wind that reached 22 knots. After an even start, the boats sprinted across the bay parallel to the fog-shrouded Golden Gate Bridge. Spithill got there first and swung his catamaran around the buoy at 45.97 knots, or 52.9 mph. Oracle stayed ahead the rest of the five-leg course, but it wasn't easy. As the fast cat approached gate three at the end of the downwind leg while riding above the whitecaps on hydrofoils, someone released a daggerboard while all the weight of the seven-ton boat was still on it, dropping the hulls into the water and slowing the boat from about 35 knots to 20 knots. "It might have been the other redhead, to be honest, or it could have been me," said Spithill referring to fellow Aussie Tom Slingsby a strategist and grinder. "That was our only real crew-handling mistake, I think, since we started the regatta. The guys have been sailing the boat very, very well. It was an obvious mistake, and put us under pressure straight away. But for me, what was good to see was the guys just keeping their cool and keeping these guys behind us for the rest of the beat." The American-based crew rounded just five seconds ahead, but slowly rebuilt its leading in a tacking duel heading upwind toward the Golden Gate Bridge. Team New Zealand, which used good crew work to win the first three races, was a bit wobbly on the third leg. At one point its hulls popped higher than normal as if it were popping a wheelie, and the boat was a bit on edge as it rounded Gate 3 and popped onto foils. The Kiwis closed the gap and trailed by just five seconds rounding mark four as both boats emerged from the fog. But Spithill kept Oracle ahead as the boats flew across the wind to the finish line just off America's Cup Park on Pier 27-29. It was Team New Zealand's first real loss in this regatta. Its only previous loss came when it dropped out of Race 2 of the Louis Vuitton Cup final against Italy's Luna Rossa after an electronics problem disabled the hydraulics system that operates wing sail and daggerboards. "It doesn't change anything for us," skipper Dean Barker said. "We certainly knew coming into this event that it was going to be very, very close. To predict that you'd make it through either way to zero, I think, would be a bit cold. We know that we've got to be on our game to keep winning races. We've got to win a lot more points. There are certainly things we need to do better. "We've got to get in good position at mark one, and from there you've got more control over your own destiny," he said. In Race 3, Barker rebounded from a penalty at the first mark and overtook Oracle on the windward third leg to win by 28 seconds. Team New Zealand's 72-foot catamaran reeled in Oracle during a tacking duel sailing upwind toward the fog-shrouded Golden Gate Bridge. Spithill had an aggressive start and got his cat across the line first. Holding inside position at the reaching first mark, Spithill flew around the buoy and came within a few feet of Team New Zealand. Both teams flew protest flags and the Kiwis were penalized for not keeping clear. Barker had to slow down to clear the penalty. Oracle led by 18 seconds after completing the upwind second leg. The boats headed to different sides of the course and the Kiwis began to show better speed upwind. Oracle remained in the lead the first time the boats crossed. Halfway up the mark, Oracle let the Kiwis tack toward the left-hand boundary. Because the boundaries are new to this Cup, a boat that has tacked onto port to avoid crossing the boundary has advantage. That helped the Kiwis take control. Team New Zealand led by 29 seconds rounding the windward gate mark and kept that margin at the downwind gate before making the turn and heading to the finish. Save | Subscribe to Marshall Independent Marshall Weather Forecast, MN | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19573 | MLB URBAN YOUTH ACADEMY TO HOST UNIVERSITY TOURNAMENTS
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL URBAN YOUTH ACADEMY TO HOST FIRST URBAN INVITATIONAL BASEBALL TOURNAMENT Tournament Featuring Teams From Division I Schools and Historically Black Colleges and Universities Major League Baseball today announced that the Major League Baseball Urban Youth Academy will host its first Urban Invitational Baseball Tournament from February 29 – March 2. Two Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Bethune-Cookman University (Daytona Beach, FL) and Southern University (Baton Rouge, LA), will face off against collegiate baseball powerhouses UCLA and USC. The participation of HBCUs in the Urban Invitational is part of MLB’s ongoing diversity and youth initiatives.
“The Urban Invitational Baseball Tournament is a part of our continued focus on reviving the majesty of baseball in the African American community,” said Major League Baseball Executive Vice President of Operations Jimmie Lee Solomon. “This tournament, along with the other programs at the MLB Urban Youth Academy, the Civil Rights Game and many of our other efforts, is reflective of the League’s commitment to diversity, inclusion and engagement of our nation’s young people. Our goal is to make sure that every child who wants to play baseball has an opportunity to do so.”
Tournament games will be played at the MLB Urban Youth Academy, USC’s Dedeaux Field and UCLA’s Jackie Robinson Stadium beginning Friday, February 29 and continuing through Sunday, March 2. Both games on Saturday, March 1, 2008, will be played at the MLB Urban Youth Academy and broadcast live on ESPN2. Fans attending on that day will also be entertained by a live performance of Southern University’s, “Human Jukebox” and USC’s Trojan Marching Band, as they bring their unique musical performances to Compton, California. Bethune-Cookman University and Southern University baseball teams will square off against each other at 1:00 P.M. (PST) on Sunday at the Academy.
“ESPN is proud to be associated with Major League Baseball’s urban initiatives,” said Len DeLuca, ESPN Senior Vice President, Programming and Acquisitions. “The second Civil Rights Game and new Urban Invitational — 40 years since the tragic death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. — are on the heels of our observance last year of the 60th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier. ESPN is honored to join with MLB to celebrate baseball’s cultural history.”
Tickets to the games being played at the MLB Urban Youth Academy will be available for purchase on game day for $5.00. Proceeds from the ticket sale will benefit the Major League Baseball Urban Youth Academy, which is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation. “On behalf of our team, I would like to say how honored we are to have been invited to an event like this, especially in its first year,” said Bethune-Cookman Coach Mervyl Melendez. “We hope that the Urban Invitational Baseball Tournament continues to grow and more people notice what Major League Baseball is doing for college baseball and Historically Black Colleges.” “Our program is very excited to represent UCLA in the tournament at the MLB Academy,” said UCLA coach John Savage. “We are honored to be able to play in the inaugural event. Our players are looking forward to the exciting weekend of baseball.” Major League Baseball is committed to addressing the issue of African American participation in professional baseball. Through Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) and the establishment of the Major League Baseball Urban Youth Academy in Compton, California, MLB has pledged its resources to bringing urban youth back to America’s pastime. The inaugural Civil Rights Game in 2007 also reinforced the League’s dedication by paying tribute to legendary African-American players who broke barriers and made important contributions to American society.
HBCUs have long offered quality education and athletic programs and have a proud tradition of outstanding baseball players. Hall of Famer Lou Brock, former most valuable player Andre Dawson and current Milwaukee Brewers star Rickie Weeks, all rose from HBCUs. Twelve HBCU players were selected in the MLB 2007 First-Year Player Draft. Through the annual Urban Invitational Baseball Tournament, MLB hopes to help these programs revitalize baseball in the African American community.
The MLB Urban Youth Baseball Academy encompasses more than 15 acres on the campus of El Camino College, Compton Center, the Academy is a state-of-the-art facility featuring four fields including a show field, batting cages and other training facilities. The Academy operates on a year-round basis, offering free baseball and softball instruction, as well as clinics to youth throughout Southern California
. Game Schedule (all times Pacific):
1. Friday, February 29, UCLA vs. Southern University, 6PM at UCLA 2. Friday, February 29, USC vs. Bethune-Cookman, 6PM at USC 3. Saturday, March 1, UCLA vs. Bethune-Cookman, 5PM at MLB Urban Youth Academy *Battle of the Bands – Southern’s “Human Jukebox” and USC Trojan Marching Band 4. Saturday, March 1, Southern vs. USC, 8PM at MLB Urban Youth Academy 5. Sunday, March 2, Southern vs. Bethune-Cookman, 1PM at MLB Urban Youth Academy 6. Sunday, March 2, USC hosts UCLA, 1PM at USC Contact me if you have any questions.
Bethune-Cookman Southern University USC UCLA Like this:Like Loading...
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2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19592 | Ross Ventrone Keeps High Spirits Despite Being Released Six Times By Patriots
by Jeff Howe on Wed, Oct 19, 2011 at 2:30PM
FOXBORO, Mass. — Safety Ross Ventrone has done a good job keeping a level head during his stint with the Patriots.
Ventrone, who signed as an undrafted free agent in 2010, has been released from the team six times. The good thing, though, is that they've signed him seven times.
The most recent case came this week. He was released from the active roster Monday and then re-signed to the active roster Wednesday, which seemed like a roster move for old time's sake. Typically, Ventrone just goes from the practice squad to the active roster, or vice versa.
At the very least, head coach Bill Belichick has told Ventrone that the intention is to retain him once he clears waivers, so it's not as nerve-wracking of a process.
"I know how things work here and everything," Ventrone said. "Just around the league, transactions like that happen all the time. I know the numbers issue and everything. I'm prepared for anything anyway. I'm prepared to play every week. Whatever they need me to do, I'm ready for. I don't take anything like a shock now. It's just that I have to be ready at any time is how I look at it. I feel like I'm a part of this team, so I'm hoping every time they do [release me], they feel that they do want me back at some point or however they do. I want to help in whatever way I can. I just look at it as, 'just prepare.' I can't even control any of that anyway, so I don't even try to worry about it." | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19595 | NEWBERG REPORT ALERT — JULY 17, 2007
Bakersfield 3B Chris Davis just hit a run-scoring double in the fourth inning, extending his hit streak to 35 games, which ties the California League mark set in 1992 by former A’s second baseman Brent Gates.
Oklahoma LF/DH Jason Botts was lifted from the RedHawks’ game in the eighth inning tonight with some sort of finger injury.
T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports that trade talks involving Mark Teixeira “have picked up considerably over the past few days,” according to Major League sources. The Red Sox, Angels, Braves, Yankees, and Giants have apparently shown interest, while the Dodgers have turned their focus to their pitching needs.
“Flight of the Conchords” is greatness. | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19601 | Page last updated at 12:36 GMT, Tuesday, 24 March 2009
Bullying made Calzaghe a 'wreck'
Boxing champion Joe Calzaghe said he was deeply affected by bullying he suffered between the ages of 13 and 14.
Retired world champion boxer Joe Calzaghe has described how school bullies turned him into a "introverted wreck" as a youngster.
He was speaking before launching an advertising campaign for Beatbullying, a charity helping victims of the form of abuse across the UK. Calzaghe, the former world super-middleweight champion, quit boxing last month after 46 unbeaten fights. He said bullying online now created more misery for many children. The 37-year-old from Newbridge, in south Wales, was helping Beatbullying launch an advertising campaign for its new website CyberMentors. The social-networking site is staffed by more than 700 youngsters who offer advice to their peers about bullying. I went into a shell, my personality changed. I used to hate going to school
Since it was launched on 3 March it has been visited by more than 23,000 young people, said Beatbullying. It said hundreds of those who had sought help admitted having suicidal thoughts or wanted to self-harm as a result of bullying. Calzaghe is patron of Beatbullying. He said: "I know only too well from my own experiences as a victim of bullying while at school what a serious issue bullying is for thousands of youngsters. "For two years I was bullied, called names and ignored by former friends which turned me from a happy, out-going kid who enjoyed school and schoolwork, into an introverted wreck, detached from his studies and scared of his own shadow during school hours. "Unfortunately, in the age of the internet - which didn't exist in my school days - cyber-bullying has now added to the misery bullies can inflict. "If I can take my own experience and raise awareness and help because of what I've achieved in boxing then I will be happy." He added that he believed the website would empower youngsters to stamp out bullying. "I've been through it myself. It's a very horrible thing to go through especially as a child at school," said Calzaghe. "A lot of the other kids who I didn't really know would gang up and call me names and that happened for over a year. "It was a very tough time for me. I bottled a lot of it up inside. It just goes to show if it can happen to me it can happen to anybody, it's nothing to be ashamed of or embarrassed about. "I went into a shell, my personality changed. I used to hate going to school." He added: "I was the world champion for 11 years, I was the best fighter in the world, but I was also somebody who was bullied - it just goes to show it can happen to anyone. "A lot of kids do self-harm and do kill themselves and maybe if they had someone to talk to this wouldn't happen." Beatbullying adverts will be posted on more than 1,000 billboards and bus stops across the country and will also feature in magazines and on websites. They have been designed for free by M&C Saatchi and depict the silhouettes of young people who have killed themselves, next to words commonly used as taunts. Beatbullying said that in a survey of 2,000 youngsters aged between 11 and 18, 56% admitted to being bullied online. Emma-Jane Cross, chief executive of Beatbullying, said: "Bullying in any form is unacceptable but sadly it is an issue that has only been propagated by digital innovations."
Find out more about what is going on across the region
Calls from suicidal young rising
23 Mar 09 | Wales
Joe Calzaghe's career
05 Feb 09 | Boxing
'Nervous' Calzaghe picks up CBE
26 Nov 08 | Wales
Cybermentors | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19697 | Jeff Garcia tutoring Mark Sanchez, JaMarcus Russell
Posted by Darin Gantt on March 28, 2013, 3:35 PM EDT Getty ImagesFormer NFL quarterback Jeff Garcia working with Jets starter-for-now Mark Sanchez seems like a legitimate opportunity for a man well-versed in the West Coast Offense to share his wisdom.
Throw in JaMarcus Russell, and it sounds like a punch line that’s looking for a joke.
But Garcia said he was impressed with the work Sanchez was doing, as he gets used to the changes new offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg is bringing to the Jets.
“He’s doing an excellent job — the progress Mark has made over the past three weeks is definitely very positive,” Garcia told Jim Corbett of USA Today. “It shows Mark is committed to bettering himself and getting himself more mentally prepared.
“The most important thing for Mark is to take that tough season last year as a learning experience from the standpoint of how he can get better and give his team the best chance to win. That has to be done in terms of being confident in his ability to run this system and speak the language correctly. So now when he takes the field in OTAs, he’ll be in that much more comfortable of a place.”
Garcia’s a good tutor for the system, and he threw for career-best numbers under Mornhinweg’s tutelage in San Francisco in 2000.
“Marty and I communicated a few weeks ago [about] what he’d like to introduce to Mark,” Garcia said. “Mark is definitely getting more comfortable speaking the West Coast terminology. He had a brief glimpse of the West Coast system at USC.
“The toughest thing is this will be Mark’s third offensive coordinator in six seasons. The guy has had to learn a new system just about every other year. From a consistency standpoint, that just doesn’t translate to success in the NFL. You really need to be secure in what you’re doing mentally in order to compete at the highest level.”
Speaking of which, Garcia said Russell’s trying to get in shape for a pro day in a month or so, hoping to get another chance.
“Granted his back is against the wall,” Garcia said of the former first-overall pick. “This is a situation where if he doesn’t do it now, it may never happen. But if you look at where he was two months ago to where he is today, he’s come a long way in demanding more out of himself than he ever did.”
If he had done that the first time through, he might not be a reclamation case. | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19703 | hide Figure skaters chase world gold with eye on Sochi
Monday, March 11, 2013 6:42 p.m. EDT
Meryl Davis and Charlie White of the U.S. perform during the ice dance short dance competition at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final By Steve Keating
(Reuters) - Precious medals, valuable momentum and coveted Olympic berths will all be on the line this week at the world figure skating championships with skaters looking to lay down their markers ahead next year's Sochi Winter Games.
London, a southern Ontario university town just north of Detroit, will provide an off Broadway setting as skaters chase positive reviews from the judges and fans before stepping onto the Olympic stage at the Russian Black Sea resort in 11 months.
Competition begins on Wednesday and while no Olympic medals will be awarded this week the results will determine how many entries countries will get in Sochi for each of the four events; men's and women's singles, pairs and ice dance.
For top skaters like American ice dancers Meryl Davis and Charlie White, the worlds represent a chance to enhance their reputation and perhaps gain a slight edge on chief rivals Olympic and world champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada.
"It will be helpful to be able to say we are the reigning world champions heading into the Olympic year, especially since Scott and Tessa are the reigning Olympic champions," Charlie White told Reuters. "It doesn't hurt to have two world titles instead of one going into the Olympics."
Davis and White and Virtue and Moir have dominated the ice dance scene taking the top two spots at the last three worlds and Vancouver Olympics.
While the Americans had to settle for silver behind the Canadians at the 2010 Winter Games and again at last year's world championships, Davis and White have had the better of their good friends this season finishing in first ahead of their training partners at the Grand Prix finals and Four Continents.
"Our goal will be to secure three Olympic spots for next year," declared Moir. "As a country you always want to send as many athletes and make as many Olympians as possible.
"Tess and I would obviously like to be on top and that would go along way to achieving that goal."
SPORTING CELEBRITY
The women's spotlight is certain to fall on South Korean Olympic champion Kim Yuna but not for her usual brilliance and artistry.
Kim makes her return to the world stage for the first time since 2011 and figure skating fans will be eager to see if she can still produce the magic that helped transform her into a global sporting celebrity.
Judges will also be watching for lingering signs of rust on Carolina Kostner after the reigning world champion from Italy sat out the entire Grand Prix season.
The layoff does not appear to have had any impact on the artistic Italian who signaled she is ready to take on all comers capturing a fifth European title in her return to competition in January.
Japan's Mao Asada, a twice world champion and 2010 Olympic silver medalist, arrives in London unbeaten in all competitions this season and appears back on top of her game after two years of mixed results.
Competing on home ice, two-time reigning world champion Patrick Chan should be the heavy favorite to complete a hat-trick of men's titles but the Canadian has lacked consistency this season leaving the gold medal up for grabs.
ALARM BELLS
Bidding to become first skater since Russia's Alexei Yagudin (1998-2000) to claim three consecutive world titles, Chan's only victory this season came in January when he captured a sixth straight national title.
A second place finish at Skate Canada in October followed by an even more lackluster third place at the Grand Prix final at the same Sochi arena that will host the Olympic competition next year set off alarm bells that all was not well in the Chan camp.
But Chan will not be surrendering his crown without a fight.
As part of his preparations the 22-year-old skater put himself through a sort of figure skating boot camp working with fitness guru Andy O'Brien, whose client list also includes the National Hockey League's top player Pittsburgh Penguins Sidney Crosby.
"It would be nice to ride that wave of winning a world championship all the way to Sochi," said Chan. "This is a real test for me."
Chan will have to be close to his best if he is to see off strong challenges from a trio of Japanese skaters, led by Daisuke Takahashi the 2010 world champion and Vancouver Olympic bronze medalist.
Javier Fernandez, the athletic Spaniard who flashed his credentials with a dominating display at the European championships, will also be a skater worth watching.
"It's true that I have already beaten the world champion this season but that was only one competition and Patrick Chan is a master on the ice," Fernandez told Reuters. "Of course I want to be first but my main goal is to be in the top five."
The pairs competition looks set to be a two horse race between four-times world champions Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy of Germany and European champions Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov of Russia.
China's Pang Qing and Tong Jian, world champions in 2006 and 2010, should also figure in the medal mix.
(Additional reporting Pritha Sarkar; Editing by Frank Pingue) | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19732 | RSTN Heads to Omaha
The Kansas City Royals are back in action Friday, launching a three-game set in Cleveland before heading to Boston (gulp) and Detroit (double gulp). However, if you can’t wait for the team’s 6:05 p.m. start to the second half of the season, then switch on RSTN Thursday, July 12 and watch the Omaha Royals battle the Iowa Cubs at 7 p.m. at Rosenblatt Stadium. The game will be carried on all participating cable and satellite partners throughout the Royals television territory. Dave Armstrong and Royals Hall of Famer and eight-time Gold Glove winner Frank White will step in as announcers. The Triple-A match up is one of two O-Royals game broadcast by RSTN this season with the other on Aug. 2 when Omaha hosts the Las Vegas 51s, the Dodgers Triple-A Affiliate. Like this:Like Loading...
What are you gulping about over there? The Royals have been playing stellar against the big teams. I live up here in Red Sox territory and I’m not even sweating. Much.
By m.laflamme@verizon.net on July 11, 2007 4:20 pm - Reply
The Royals have been playing well. But the second half of the season will be a big test for them to see if they will be a contender in the next couple of years. If they play .500 or better for the rest of this season, then they will give CLE and DET a run for their money come next April.
By vienqn@yahoo.com on July 12, 2007 3:42 pm - Reply
Up here in Maine, I work in a newsroom quite close to the sports department. I’m surrounded by Sox fans. I’m psyched about this series because those babies are skittish about playing the Royals. Late last season, I cleaned up in a number of bets when KC took a series from Boston. I have the news page hanging on my desk. It doesn’t come down until the Sox sweep the Royals in return. That just ain’t gonna happen.
By m.laflamme@verizon.net on July 16, 2007 11:37 am - Reply | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19765 | The Rest Of The Series With The Rays
It Was A Good One!
The two games after the doubleheader between the Yankees and the Rays were both great. We won both, so we swept the Rays. The Yankees were definitely the Drama Club in both of the final 2 games. On Tuesday the Yanks won in walkoff fashion by the score of 3-2. Yesterday, they won 4-2, and history was made.
Pitching Analysis: Chad Gaudin started for the Yanks on Tuesday. To our surprise, he was great. Gaudin cruised through 6 innings without allowing a run. I was proud of him. Who would have thought that Chad Gaudin could give us innings, quality, shutout innings?! When he went back on the mound for the 7th, he was not as sharp. He allowed a solo homer to Longoria, a single to Zobrist, and a walk to Burrell. Girardi decided that was all for Gaudin, and called on Marte to get the job done. Marte did his job well. In the 8th, Phil Hughes actually allowed a run, a homer off the bat of Bartlett. That tied the game at 2. Mo had a 1-2-3 9th, and the Yanks went on to win that game in walkoff fashion.
I even love the not-so-cute Yankees. Great job last night, Chad!!!
Last night it was Joba’s turn, and he was not too good, but not too bad. He went just 3 innings, and threw way too many pitches. Joba just is not the same pitcher. He probably can’t wait until next year when he can just be free and pitch like a pitcher should. He allowed 2 runs in the 1st. He got into a jam later, but escaped it thanks to the strikeout. Not his best start, but not his worst. The bullpen did a fabulous job last night. Aceves, Albaladejo, Bruney, and Coke held the score right where it was and gave the Yankees a chance to come back, which they did.
Defensive Analysis: I don’t remember anything outstanding or upseting about the defense, so I’m sure the Yankees were solid as they usually are. This team gets credit for the offense and power numbers, the pitching, but the defense is quite underrated. The Yankees are just amazing in every way.
Offensive Analysis: On Tuesday, there was not much offense for the Yanks. But there was enough to win. Nick Swisher had a solo homer in the 2nd, and it was quite a bomb. Arod had an RBI single in the 6th to make it 2-0. After the Rays tied it up in the 8th, the Yankees failed to score in the bottom of the 8th. The only way to win was a walkoff. Who wanted pie? His name rhymes with Mick Wisher. In the bottom of the 9th, Swishy came up to the plate. He hit another solo homer, this one to end the game. Walkoff!!! He was SO genuinely happy, and it made me smile to see a grown man so happy and running around the bases with a smile. When he got pied by A.J., he proudly showed the fans and held his arms up in the air. Victory! I always wanted to see Swish get pied. It was worth the wait. The look on his face after he got pied was priceless. Congradulations, Swish.
Last night, the offense came through when it had to. Jeter had some hits last night, and one of those hits tied him with Lou Gehrig for first on the Yankee’s all-time hits leaders list. I can’t believe that. Derek Jeter? We take him for granted. We need to soak up the moment just as he does, because it really is something else. We are witnessing arguably the best player to ever play the game. He has a great shot at breaking Rose’s record, he is well ahead of his pace. I would love to see that happen.
What a moment…imagine what is going to happen when he breaks it!!!
The Yankees were losing at the time of Jeter’s milestone. I thought it was a game they had to win. Apparently, so did Jeet’s buddy Jorge. Jorge hit a 3-run homer in the 8th to give the Yankees a 4-2 lead. They held on to win it.
Jorge knew Jeet wouldn’t be happy unless the Yanks won. What a friend.
It was an amazing game last night, and one that I will never forget. I will never forget Jeet’s inside-out swing that directed the ball into right field for a single. He has done that so many times, and that record-tying hit will stay in my mind forever.
Another sweep for the Yanks. The final two games were very good ones. The heroes for Tuesday’s game are Chad Gaudin and Nick Swisher. For last night, the heroes are the Yankee bullpen, Jorge Posada, and Derek Jeter. The Yankees have a 9 game lead over the Red Sox, and I am just absolutely LOVING life as a Yankee fan. I love this team so much. I really feel like they are so close to me. They really play a significant role in my life. I see them every day I can, and I long to be seeing them when I am not. I feel like I know them. Only 20 something games left, and then the postseason. But I am really going to miss these guys. I really do love them. Just ask anyone in my school, they’ll tell you :) Share this:FacebookTwitterEmailPrintLike this:Like Loading...
Filed in: Dailies Tags: A.J. Burnett, Alex Rodriguez, Alfredo Aceves, Brian Bruney, Chad Gaudin, Damaso Marte, Derek Jeter, Joba Chamberlain, Joe Girardi, Jonathan Albaladejo, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, Nick Swisher, Phil Coke, Phil Hughes, The Drama Club, Yankees 7 Comments
I feel the same way you do about the Yanks, Virginia, and it’s been like that for a LONG time! As another she-fan once said to me, “I just want to have them all over at my house for a barbecue!” We do feel as if we know the players and we miss them when the season is over. But there’s still plenty of great baseball left and I expect the Yanks to be there right till the end.
By Jane Heller on September 10, 2009 4:21 pm - Reply
Congrats to Jeter and the Yankees. You guys are playing really really well.
By 23gonzalez on September 10, 2009 6:58 pm - Reply
Got to admit it here, the Yankees owned the Rays Bullpen.
The Rays starters in three of those games sweated their booties off, and got dissed by their Bullpen mates.
But, credit the Boys from the Bronx in being patient and knowing that a bad pitch would save the day.
From Lance Cormier’s 2 losses, to Dan Wheeler’s lunch plate special to Nick Swisher, the Rays were never in the game past the 8th inning in any of the contests.
Hats off to the Pinstripes, not only did the better team win in those 4 games, the smarter team made the other pay for their mistakes.
And that kind of play is made for October baseball and the playoffs.
I feel the same way about my Dodgers, Virginia. I really am going to miss them. I will be going to Spring Training in Arizona just so I can see them sooner. My life is really wrapped up in baseball, so much that during baseball season it’s all baseball, work, baseball, work. There always is a big hole during the offseason.
By heartruss on September 11, 2009 5:13 am - Reply
It was a great series! I absolutely agree. This is the time of year when you want to be taking care of these kinds of opponents and we did what we had to do. Now as for Derek…..I don’t know what I can say about him that I haven’t said hundreds of times over the last couple days. I’m hoping tonight he breaks that record and then some so that the only thing on his mind after this is another number: 27.
http://yankeeschick.mlblogs.com
By feverspell on September 11, 2009 11:55 am - Reply
Yankees can keep going! It’s going to be weird to see Derek Jeter break the record on the 8th anniversary of 9/11.
Matthew Tang
http://matt7.mlblogs.com/
By matttan7 on September 11, 2009 12:56 pm - Reply
I. LOVE. THIS. TEAM. 2009 has been a good year for us Yankee fans thus far. Actually, I think ‘good’ is an understatement! I’m looking forward to bigger and better things come the end of the season! - Lisa
http://perennialpinstriper.mlblogs.com/
By ibleedpinstripes on September 11, 2009 3:15 pm - Reply | 体育 |
2014-15/3331/en_head.json.gz/19766 | june 26, 2012 • 11:35 PM
Presidents approve college football playoff
RALPH D. RUSSO
College football will finally have a playoff. Come 2014, the BCS is dead. A committee of university presidents on Tuesday approved a plan for a four-team playoff put forward by commissioners of the major football conferences. (June 26)
Foto: APRALPH D. RUSSO Playoffs and tournaments long have determined champions of every college sport from baseball to bowling.
The exception was major college football.
That ended Tuesday. Come 2014, the BCS is dead.
A committee of university presidents approved a plan for a four-team playoff put forward by commissioners of the top football conferences.
For years, the decision-makers had balked at any type of playoff because they said it would diminish the importance of the regular season. If only two teams had a chance to win a championship in the postseason, even one loss could be too many. That made for some very high stakes regular-season games. As recently as 2008, Southeastern Conference Commissioner Mike Slive proposed the type of plan adopted Tuesday, and it was quickly shot down.
Four years later, minds changed. The 12 university presidents stood shoulder to shoulder on a stage at a news conference in a posh hotel in the nation's capital and delivered the news.
"It's a great day for college football," BCS Executive Director Bill Hancock said. "As soon as the commissioners realized they could do this and protect the regular season, the light went on for everybody."
The move completes a six-month process for the commissioners, who have been working on a new way to determine a major college football champion after years of griping from fans. The latest configuration is certain to make even more money for the schools than the old system — and not satisfy everyone.
"There were differences of views," said Virginia Tech President Charles Steger, who headed the BCS presidential oversight committee. "I think it would be a serious mistake to assume it was a rubber stamp."
Nebraska Chancellor Harvey Perlman was the most notable holdout. He had said he preferred the status quo or a tweak of the Bowl Championship Series. Perlman said the playoff still wouldn't be his first choice, but he was not going to stand in the way of progress.
"This is the package that was put forth and we will strongly support it," he said.
Instead of simply matching the nation's No. 1 and No. 2 teams in a title game after the regular season, the way the BCS has done since 1998, the new format will create a pair of national semifinals.
Many college football fans have been clamoring for a playoff for years, and the BCS has been a constant target for criticism. Lawmakers have railed against it. A political action committee was formed, dedicated to its destruction. The Justice Department looked into whether it broke antitrust laws. Even President Obama said he wanted a playoff.
Now it's a reality.
No. 1 will play No. 4, and No. 2 will play No. 3 on Dec. 31 and/or Jan. 1. The sites of those games will rotate among the four current BCS bowls — Rose, Orange, Fiesta and Sugar — and two more to be determined. One of the new sites will likely be wherever the newly formed bowl created by the SEC and Big 12 is played, Slive said.
The Cotton Bowl, played at the $1.1 billion Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, has long wanted to be part of the BCS and is expected to make a strong push to be in the semifinal rotation.
The winners of the semis will advance to the championship on the first Monday in January that is six or more days after the last semifinal. The first "Championship Monday," as it was called in the BCS release, is set for Jan. 12, 2015.
The site of the title game will move around the way the Super Bowl does, with cities bidding for the right to host.
The teams will be selected by a committee, similar to the way the NCAA basketball tournament field is set. The men's tournament has 68 teams, and 37 at-large bids.
The football committee will have a much tougher task, trying to whittle the field down to four. This season, 125 schools will play at the highest level of college football.
Among the factors the committee will consider are won-loss record, strength of schedule, head-to-head results and whether a team is a conference champion. The selection committee will also play a part in creating matchups for the games at the four sites that do not hold a semifinal in a given year.
"I think it's tremendous progress," Washington State coach Mike Leach, a playoff proponent, said in a telephone interview. "Five years ago there wasn't even dialogue about a playoff. Instead of diving in the water, they dipped their toes in. I think it's' going to be ridiculously exciting and it's going to generate a bunch of money. I wish they dived in."
The BCS had given automatic qualifying status to six conferences, the SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, Atlantic Coast Conference, Pac-12 and Big East. That allowed those leagues better access to the big, high-payout games than the other five conferences, such as the Mountain West and Conference USA.
Automatically qualified status is gone and the commissioners believe the new system will create more interesting games beyond the ones that determine the national title.
"What the system now is, several semifinals, championship game and some access bowls. By creating a couple of access bowls, people will be able to play high-quality opponents in big venues with big brands," Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany said.
No one has put a hard number on it yet, but this new format figures to more than double the TV revenue of the current BCS and Rose Bowl contracts. Those pay out about $155 million annually.
The commissioners want to lock in this format for 12 years with a television partner. The current four-year BCS deal with ESPN runs through the 2013 season. The new format will be presented to potential TV partners in the fall, starting with ESPN.
"I think we have found what we think is the right place and it stabilizes the postseason for a length of time that I think is healthy for the game," said Slive, whose members have won the last six BCS championships.
There are still some details to work out — such as who will be on the committee and what new bowls will be involved in the semifinal rotation — but all the decision-makers are on board.
Lower divisions of college football already have a playoff, but the highest level has always used bowls and polls to determine its champion. Those days are coming to an end.
"We believe this new format will be good for student-athletes, for the alumni and for our institutions," Steger said. "It's a best of both worlds result. It captures the excitement of the playoff while protecting the regular season."
Follow Ralph D. Russo at www.Twitter.com/ralphdrussoAP
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