Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Can Manning Return? - Sidney Crosby skates amid recovery - Sheridan added to Meyer's Ohio State staff


Sources fearful over Manning’s ability to return
INDIANAPOLIS – For all the discussion over Peyton Manning’s future with the Indianapolis Colts, the underlying issue is that people close to him don’t believe he’ll resume his career.
The nerves in Manning’s arm are not healing as quickly as hoped and, worse, don’t appear to be progressing at enough of a rate to indicate that he will play again, according to two sources with knowledge of Manning’s rehabilitation from neck surgery. The vertebrae in his neck that were fused have healed as expected and Manning began throwing in December. But he hasn’t shown improvement in velocity on his passes, and the two sources fear he likely never will again.
More From Jason ColeGiants' funeral suits are relics of past glory Jan 31, 2012 Giants chasing history instead of imploding Jan 27, 2012 AdChoices
Peyton Manning sat out all of the 2011 season after recovering from neck surgery last summer.
In addition, two league-affiliated doctors with experience in spinal fusion surgery said it could take up to a year before Manning knows if he can return. Both said the risk is too great for Manning to play again and, because of the timeline, neither would recommend the Colts pay Manning the $28 million bonus he is owed in March.
Manning couldn’t be reached for comment.
Colts owner Jim Irsay declined to talk about Manning’s health on Monday before a news conference, but did say, “There are no cases of quarterbacks going through this.”
Irsay may have no choice but to let go of Manning. While some people have tried to paint the situation as Irsay choosing to move on from Manning as he rebuilds the Colts after a 2-14 season, that was not Irsay’s intention months ago. In October, Irsay discussed the optimal situation of having both Manning and his heir apparent on the roster simultaneously.
“Guys like that come along so rarely,” Irsay said on Oct. 10 at an NFL owners meeting in Houston, referring to Manning and perceived No. 1 overall pick Andrew Luck (although Irsay has since indicated that Robert Griffin III could also be the selection). “Even if that means that guy sits for three or four years, you’d certainly think about taking him … you see what Green Bay did with [Brett] Favre and [Aaron] Rodgers and you’d like to be able to do the same thing.”
At this point, that scenario is unlikely and not because Irsay doesn’t want to pay the money for Manning. Rather, Manning has hit a plateau in his rehabilitation in terms of getting stronger, both sources said. While atrophy in the arm was expected, the fact that it hasn’t improved recently is an ominous sign.
“If you’re getting consistent improvement, then that’s OK. Even if it’s going from lifting 10 pounds to 15 pounds to 20 pounds over a stretch of weeks, that’s fine,” said a doctor who has not seen Manning but has a background in spinal surgery. “If you hit a plateau, that’s a problem. … Now, I say that, but I also tell patients who have been through it that it can take up to a year to find out exactly how much strength you’re going to get back.
“Right now, Peyton is at about six months. He should have a much better idea by July or August just how far he’s going to get … even then, that’s only a part of it. You can tell about 80 percent of how the nerves and the muscles are healing by rehab. What you really have to see is how his arm holds up when he starts to throw. Does he have the same velocity on the 15-yard out? Can he throw the 60-yard pass? Can he throw for 30 minutes before his arm gets tired? Can he throw for an hour? It’s a very complicated process.” It’s a process Irsay may not be able to gamble on at this point.
Jim Irsay on Peyton Manning: "Peyton is everything you dream about as an owner, getting that type of player. I have just been so blessed with all that he's done for this franchise."
As for Manning’s side of it, he remains confident that he will return to action next season even as the progress remains slow. Last week in an extensive interview with Bob Kravitz of the Indianapolis Star, Manning expressed frustration as to why so many people who he has worked with over the years have been let go by the team, including team president Bill Polian and coach Jim Caldwell. While Manning understands the team needing to move forward, he believes he will be able to play again.
“Any athlete is going to remain confident,” one source said. “He wants to play again. He’s going to do everything he can to get out there.”
Sadly, that may not be enough.




Sidney Crosby skates amid recovery
Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby skated on Monday as he continues his slow return from a second battle with concussion-like symptoms.
Crosby skated on the Consol Energy Center ice for the first time in more than six weeks on Monday, joining fellow injured teammates Simon Despres and Jordan Staal for a brief workout.
And while coach Dan Bylsma refuses to put a timetable on Crosby's return, there at least appears to be a sense of optimism despite news over the weekend the 24-year-old superstar suffered a neck injury last January that perhaps complicated his nearly 11-month recovery from a concussion.
Crosby spent All-Star weekend in Pittsburgh after traveling to Los Angeles to visit neurological spine specialist Dr. Robert S. Bray, who reported that Crosby suffered a neck injury as well as a concussion in January 2011.
The team acknowledged on Saturday that Bray discovered an unspecified neck injury that was "fully healed."
An independent physician is studying the findings before the team makes any sort of determination on Crosby's next step.
Bylsma said Crosby worked at a "pretty good clip" during his session, adding Pittsburgh's captain was "pretty excited" to be back at work, even in a limited capacity.
"Anything that's progressing for him to get healthy and getting back to 100 percent and feeling like Sidney Crosby does is a positive," Pittsburgh forward Chris Kunitz said. "If he's skating and doing things, that's good for him as a person and that's what counts."
Crosby hasn't played since concussion-like symptoms returned against Boston on Dec. 5. He skated with his teammates during a swing through Florida earlier this month but hadn't been on his home ice in 54 days.
General manager Ray Shero said during All-Star weekend he remains optimistic Crosby will return this season.
The Penguins entered the break the hottest team in the league, winning seven straight. They host Toronto on Tuesday.




Sheridan added to Meyer's Ohio State staff



COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Ohio State has announced that Bill Sheridan will join new coach Urban Meyer's coaching staff as a defensive assistant.
Sheridan, a Detroit native who attended Grand Valley State University, has coached for 31 years including seven seasons in the NFL. He was the linebackers coach for the Miami Dolphins the past two seasons. He won a Super Bowl ring in 2007 in his five years with the New York Giants.
Ohio State's release said it was unknown what position or group of players Sheridan will coach.
He has served as an assistant at Maine, Cincinnati, Army, Michigan State, Notre Dame and Ohio State rival Michigan at the college level.

Monday, January 30, 2012

The Carolina Panthers have a new look - OSU Whips Michigan - Sidney Crosby test results could come today


Sidney Crosby test results could come today
All I can say on this is.............. Wow! WTF!!!!!!

With the revelation over the weekend that Sidney Crosby may have an injured neck as well as a second concussion that’s keeping him out of action, something Penguins doctors say he’s healed from, all eyes are focused on what his MRI and CAT scan results will show.
Shelly Anderson of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tells us this morning that Crosby’s
test results may become known as soon as today.
Results of his recent MRI and CAT scans are being examined by independent specialists. A team official said there was no word of those results, which could be released as soon as today.
The focus on Crosby’s health and the apparently missed diagnosis of what amounts to a broken neck has everyone scratching their heads.
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review columnist Dejan Kovacevic speaks out wondering just how with all the medical resources the Penguins have they could’ve missed a broken neck, especially since Crosby complained of neck soreness last January when he was first rocked by David Steckel‘s hit during the Winter Classic.
The Crosby Watch rages on in an entirely new direction, one that will have the Penguins’ staff concerned about how they’ve handled the NHL’s best player.






OSU Whips Michigan
Call him a Lenzelle-of-all-trades.
Lenzelle Smith Jr. scored 17 points and had a career-high 12 rebounds as No. 4 Ohio State flexed its muscles inside to beat No. 20 Michigan 64-49 on Sunday, keeping the Buckeyes in a first-place tie in the Big Ten.
"Quite honestly, with this team we sort of need a jack-of-all-trades," Buckeyes coach Thad Matta said. "There's so many times where a team is going to choose to guard us a certain way or scheme a certain defense. He is really understanding his role. The energy-type plays that he made today was definitely something that gave us a spurt and a boost of energy."
On a day when Ohio State big man Jared Sullinger was limited by foul trouble and his teammates didn't hit a whole lot of shots, Smith's hard work on the boards and on defense meant the world to the Buckeyes (19-3, 7-2).
How good was Smith? His eight offensive rebounds were just two less than all the Wolverines (16-6, 6-3). They resulted in 13 points and five free throws - enough to tilt the game in the favor of the two-time defending Big Ten champions.
"That's big-game `L' for you," Sullinger said of Smith's huge games against Indiana (28 points) and now Michigan. "When Lenzelle's rebounding the ball and he's in tune with the defense, he's pretty darned good."
Sullinger had 13 points and William Buford and Deshaun Thomas both had 12 for Ohio State, which ran its winning streak over its archrival to six straight.
By the end of the game, a capacity crowd of 18,809 was singing, "We Don't Give A Damn For the Whole State of Michigan."
Wolverines coach John Beilein, whose team hosts the Buckeyes on Feb. 18, said his team will relish the rematch.
"It goes both ways, but we'll be looking forward to that," he said. "We circle every game on the calendar."
Tim Hardaway Jr. had 15 points for the Wolverines. Trey Burke, the conference's top freshman point guard, returned to his hometown to play for the first time against Sullinger, his former high school teammate, and finished with 13 points.
"Trey's a great player," said Ohio State counterpart Aaron Craft, who had seven points, four assists and three steals. "He's one of those guys you want to have on your team. You know he's going to be in attack mode all the whole game. It was definitely a great team effort on him."
Leading by three points at halftime, the Buckeyes pulled away with a 14-2 run midway through the second half. Bookended by 3-pointers by Burke, most of the points came as a result of backdoor cuts or drives. It didn't include a 3.
Buford, who was quiet throughout the first half, got it started with a driving layup. Later in the spurt he stepped in front of Burke's crosscourt pass and streaked the length of the court for a dunk that got a rise out of the crowd.
Smith scored twice in the run - a layup on an assist from Buford and a short baseline jumper.
Down 48-35, the Wolverines drew as close as 50-43 on an inside basket by Jordan Morgan. Morgan then stole the ball from Sullinger and grabbed an offensive rebound off a missed 3 by Douglass. But as Morgan was bracing to go up for the follow, Craft darted in and stole the ball.
Craft fed Thomas for a basket at the other end and the lead never fell below eight
points again.
"I was really impressed with Ohio today," said Beilein, using a name frequently used by Michigan football coach Brady Hoke that grates Ohio State fans. "Their defense was really suffocating at times."
The Wolverines fell to 1-5 on opponents' home courts while the Buckeyes stretched their homecourt winning streak to 38, the second-longest in the program's 100 years.
Sullinger was asked if he were excited that the Buckeyes had solidified their place in the Big Ten standings.
"Game on Saturday against Wisconsin," he said firmly. "That's the biggest focus right now."








The Carolina Panthers have a new look.

For the first time since joining the NFL in 1995, the Panthers have changed their logo. According to a press release Sunday night, the logo has been designed to provide a "more aggressive, contemporary look to the logo while making it more three-dimensional for ever-increasing digital use."
The Panthers will transition to the refined logo throughout 2012.
The primary tweaks made by the creative department of the NFL are primarily in the eye and mouth, where the features -- particularly the muscular brow and fangs -- are more pronounced, giving the panther a more menacing look. The new logo has a darker shade of blue over the black logo, compared to the former logo, which had teal on top of black.
"We have one of the finest and most recognizable logos in the NFL and wanted to make it as modern as possible without losing the dramatic essence of the mark," team president Danny Morrison said.
The team also will change the primary logotype.

Friday, January 27, 2012

Thousands gather at Joe Paterno tribute - Tiger Watch - Most ludicrous rumor ever: LeBron back to Cleveland

College Hoops Power Rankings

4. Ohio State Buckeyes (18-3)
The Craft Turnometer will return next week -- I'm trying to limit myself to once-a-month readings -- but turnovers are still the topic du jour when it comes to Ohio State, or better yet, the State of Ohio.



Just take a look at kenpom's national standings for defensive turnover percentage:

1. Ohio: 27.2%
2. VCU: 27.4%
3. Cleveland State: 27.2%
4. ETSU, 26.8%
5. Ohio State: 26.7%

John Groce, Thad Matta's former top assistant, has turned the Ohio Bobcats into a turnover-forcing machine, while Gary Waters' Cleveland State squad is wreaking havoc on the Horizon, and Matta's Buckeyes are forcing the most takeaways in the Big Ten. The Buckeyes are the only one of the five teams above that also ranks in the top 50 in defensive rebounding (No. 3), free-throw rate (No. 30) and eFG% allowed (No. 35) ... which is why they're the most efficient defensive team in the country.

Next three: 1/29 vs. Michigan, 2/4 at Wisconsin, 2/7 vs. Purdue







I am not a JoePa Fan or Penn St. I respect him and Phil Knight's speech was awesome! If you get a chance watch it below!!!




Thousands gather at Joe Paterno tribute
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Crediting him with building not just better athletes but better men, some 12,000 people -- including Penn State students, fans and football stars -- paid tribute to Joe Paterno in a campus memorial service Thursday that exposed a strong undercurrent of anger over his firing.
In a 2½-hour gathering that capped three days of mourning on campus, Nike chairman and CEO Phil Knight brought the near-capacity crowd at the basketball arena to its feet when he defended the coach's handling of child-sex allegations leveled against a former assistant. Paterno was fired two months ago by the Penn State trustees.
Joe Paterno's memorial brought together players young and old, who remembered him as a teacher and a philanthropist with a competitive spirit, writes Ivan Maisel. Story
"This much is clear to me: If there is a villain in this tragedy, it lies in that investigation and not in Joe Paterno's response," Knight said. Paterno's widow, Sue, was among those rising to their feet.
Later, Paterno's son Jay received a standing ovation when he declared: "Joe Paterno left this world with a clear conscience."
The ceremony was filled with lavish praise that probably would have embarrassed Paterno, who died of lung cancer Sunday at 85 after racking up 409 wins, more than any other major-college football coach, and leading his team to two national championships in his 46 seasons.
He was saluted for his commitment to sportsmanship, loyalty, teamwork, good character, academics and "winning with honor." He was called a good father, a good neighbor, a good friend, a good teacher.
Only one member of the university administration -- Susan Welch, dean of the college of liberal arts -- spoke at the memorial, which was arranged primarily by the Paterno family. No one from the Board of Trustees spoke.
Among the speakers were star athletes from each decade of Paterno's career, including Michael Robinson, who played from 2002 to 2005, quarterback Todd Blackledge from the 1980s and Jimmy Cefalo, a star in the 1970s. All three went on to play in the NFL.
Former NFL player Charles V. Pittman, speaking for players from the 1960s, called Paterno a lifelong influence and inspiration.
Pittman said Paterno pushed his young players hard, once bringing Pittman to tears in his sophomore year. He said he realized later that the coach was not trying to break his spirit but instead was "bit by bit building a habit of excellence."
"He was building a proud program for the school, the state and the hundreds of young men he watched over for a half century," said Pittman, senior vice president for publishing at Schurz Communications Inc., an Indiana-based company that owns TV and radio stations and newspapers, and a member of the board of directors of The Associated Press.
"Now, with grown children grandkids and 42 years removed from my playing days, I thought Joe Paterno had taught me all that he could teach me. I was wrong," Pitman said. "Despite being pushed away from his beloved game, and under the extreme pressure of the events of the past few months, Joe's grace was startling."
Similarly, Chris Marrone, whose playing career at Penn State was cut short by injuries, said Paterno molded him into a young man with "the strength to overcome any challenge, any adversity."
"The greatness and the legacy of Joe Paterno lies within each of us, and no one, and I mean no one, can take that from him or from us," Marrone said.
Paterno was fired Nov. 9 after he was criticized for not going to police in 2002 when he was told that a former member of his coaching staff, Jerry Sandusky, had been seen sexually assaulting a boy in the showers at the football complex. Sandusky was arrested in November and is awaiting trial on charges he sexually assaulted 10 boys over a 15-year span.
As the scandal erupted, Pennsylvania's state police commissioner said that Paterno may have met his legal duty but not his moral one to go to police. Penn State president Graham Spanier was also fired in the fallout.
At Thursday's memorial, Knight defended Paterno, saying the coach "gave full disclosure to his superiors, information that went up the chains to the head of the campus police and the president of the school. The matter was in the hands of a world-class university, and by a president with an outstanding national reputation."
Recounting Paterno's accomplishments, Knight asked: "Who is the real trustee at Penn State University?"
A public viewing for Paterno was held on campus on Tuesday and Wednesday, and he was buried Wednesday afternoon at a State College cemetery.


Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship

1 Thorbjorn Olesen -7 F -5 70 67 137

2 Gareth Maybin -6 F -2 68 70 138

2 Richard Finch -6 15 -2 68 - 68

4 Paul Lawrie -5 F -3 70 69 139

4 Tiger Woods -5 F -3 70 69 139
4 Robert Rock -5 F* -2 69 70 139

4 Jean-Baptiste Gonnet -5 F -1 68 71 139

4 Robert Karlsson -5 F E 67 72 139

4 Rory McIlroy -5 F E 67 72 139

4 Matteo Manassero -5 17 -6 73 - 73




Most ludicrous rumor ever: LeBron back to Cleveland
I think Thomas Wolfe was right — you can’t go home again.
Especially if you are LeBron James. Certainly not in the near future. You are not going to returning to the Cavaliers.
At PBT we try to avoid the craziest, most ludicrous rumors out there (Dwight Howard for Amare Stoudemire, for example) and bring you the ones that could, maybe, become reality. But one crazy rumor has generated some buzz, so here it is, via Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio.
Now, there is talk that James is less-than-thrilled with certain aspects of the Heat organization. Sources in Miami say that while James still thoroughly enjoys playing alongside fellow stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, he doesn’t particularly care for the heavy-handed and disciplined style of team president Pat Riley.
James can opt out of his contract at the end of the 2013-14 season, and speculation is he will strongly consider it if Riley remains in his current role. And the team James would be eyeballing most in free agency, say those close to the situation, would be the Cavs.
I call… um… organic male cow generated fertilizer on that.
It’s not happening.
I’m not going to question if the writer was told this by someone, but I will question said source as “close to the situation” or sane. The writer is Cleveland based, so guess where his sources are. Is this the dream scenario for some in Cleveland? Maybe, but most of the city hates LeBron with a white hot passion of a thousand suns, and that includes the Cavaliers owner. Would LeBron like to have the run of the Miami organization like he did Cleveland? Sure, and Pat Riley will not let that happen.
But that is a long, long, long way from LeBron leaving Miami in a couple years — a true contender in the middle of a championship window — to go back to the Cavs. LeBron is going to be with the Heat for a while, he likes playing with his friend Dwyane Wade and winning. Or, look at it this way: Would you rather be young, rich and a superstar in Cleveland or Miami? Exactly.
Brian Windhorst of ESPN, who has followed LeBron since high school, makes a good point — LeBron might finish his career with the Cavs. A decade plus from now maybe the hatchet is buried. Maybe then he is welcomed home. I could see that. But not in couple years. Not even close.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Recruiting trail leads Mark Richt to jail - Group of professors mull a 64-team college football playoff - Photos of NBA Championship Rings

Photos of NBA Championship Rings











Group of professors mull a 64-team college football playoff
The idea of a college football playoff, however small or mildly adjusted as it may be compared to the current BCS system, has gained more support than it ever has in recent years among college football’s powers that be.

For the immediate future, meaning 2013 or ’14, a plus-one seems like the most likely alternative. Down the road, that could expand to, say, eight teams. Perhaps, one day, 11*. It is, after all, the consumer’s natural instinct to want more to the point of saturation (see: bowl season).

But a four, eight or 11-team playoff, as realistic as those ideas may be, is child’s play compared to what one group is considering.

The Coalition on Intercollegiate Athletics, a group of over 50 university professors and faculty members, met over the weekend to discuss changes they feel are necessary in collegiate sports. The Associated Press report details the COIA’s wide-ranging agenda, but one idea catches some attention:

Among the topics: Should COIA advocate changes in the BCS?

Not surprisingly, the dividing lines on many issues among the 50 or so faculty members were often split between those who represent schools from automatic-qualifying conferences and those who don’t. One of the ideas that came through on the BCS debate was to exchange some of the noncompetitive “guarantee” games at the beginning of the season for a 64-team playoff at the end and use the TV money from the playoff to recoup losses from the missing regular-season games.

It’s a proposal that could puncture the long-held contention of college presidents that a playoff would take too many athletes out of the classroom for too long. It’s also the kind of proposal — a December version of March Madness — that resonates with fans who have grown tired of the BCS; a pie-in-the-sky idea for sure, though some faculty think a little dreaming isn’t bad for a group such as this one.

“This is my first time here and I’m seeing very little dreaming,” said Timothy Ross, a civil engineering professor at New Mexico. “I’m seeing people wedded to the current model and asking, ‘What tweaks do we need to make this work?’ Well, it’s not going to work because the thing is spiraling out of control.”

That’s not to say a 64-team playoff is a top choice — it’s not even a realistic idea if you want to talk about spiraling out of control — but it does show how far some people are willing to go to get away from the current postseason format.

Would it be fun? Maybe; the first 48 hours of March Madness might be the best two days in sports. But you can’t really link college football to college basketball in determining what’s best for the game.

The important thing is that ideas are being put forward, and almost any idea at this point is better than the status quo.





Recruiting trail leads Mark Richt to jail
Ah, the lengths coaches will go to in their efforts to land a top recruit.

Josh Harvey-Clemons is a five-star player in the Class of 2012, rated as the No. 2 “athlete” in the country and the top player in the state of Georgia. Along with Florida, late-surging Florida State and Miami — he’s taking a visit there this Saturday, the final weekend before signing day — Georgia is considered one of the front-runners and would, obviously, love to keep the top-rated player in the state home.

As part of that effort, head coach Mark Richt and offensive coordinator Mike Bobo paid a visit to Harvey-Clemons Wednesday night, taking in a Baptist church service with the linebacker/wide receiver’s family. During the course of that service, Harvey-Clemons’ grandfather and legal guardian Woodrow Clemons, owner of a bail bondsman’s company, received a call that three individuals needed his services in order to get out of jail post-haste.

Harvey-Clemons and Clemons’ daughter, the player’s aunt, are also bail bondsmen and left church to go spring the individuals. Richt initially decided to stay but, after Harvey-Clemons’ aunt forgot her ID in a vehicle at the church, Harvey-Clemons’ uncle Roy Hart told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “Coach Richt and Coach Bobo went to jail with my wife to take the ID to them. Coach Richt wanted one more time to talk with Josh before they hit the road. They talked at jail for about 20 or 30 minutes I guess.”

Ever the recruiter, Richt returned to the church following his trip to jail and, as he was saying the obligatory goodbyes, attempted to gauge where his program stood in its pursuit of Harvey-Clemons.

“Coach Richt said ‘Tell me Roy, how do we look with Josh?’” Hart said. “I said ‘Coach, you’re in the running. Nobody really knows except for Josh. He’s not saying much. He hasn’t made up his mind so nobody knows except for him.’ Then Coach Richt asked if Georgia was still looking good and if they still had an opportunity to get him. I assured him that they did.”

While Harvey-Clemons is taking his final official visit to the Hurricanes this weekend, it’s believed his top two choices are the Bulldogs and Gators. Based on the latter’s legal history over the past few years, having a recruit who also doubles as a bail bondsman could come in very, very handy for the Gainesville school.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

T.O. is having a Pitty Party - Duke plagued by low attendance -



Tiger Starts Tomorrow!!!!!




Terrell Owens In GQ: I'm In Hell

Terrell Owens has always been an island of sorts. His brash personality and self-absorption routinely alienated his teammates during an NFL career that teetered between terrific and toxic, leaving him to fend for himself.
Now, at 38 and out of football, he's lonelier than ever, and running out of money. In a GQ profile, Owens comes across as wounded, broke and desperate. When people text him to ask where he is, he replies back: "I'm in hell."
But is it his own fault? That's the perennial debate on T.O., who had a heartbreaking childhood but continually pointed fingers at everyone but himself once he became an adult.
In the GQ story by Nancy Hass, Owens blames the media for not giving him a chance to rehab his injury, blames agent Drew Rosenhaus for not protecting him from a bad business arrangement, and -- perhaps most surprisingly -- blames a former team captain for his issues with former Philadelphia teammate Donovan McNabb.
Owens earned around $80 million during his NFL career, but has found himself in deep financial trouble, despite never spending lavishly. In the February edition of GQ, Owens admits to trusting the wrong people, who in turn cost him a lot of his fortune.
ThePostGame brings you the most interesting sports stories on the web.
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to read them first!
"It's not a matter of having lived too large -- he was never the type to stockpile Ferraris or build himself a compound; the flashiest car he ever drove was a Mercedes, and while he indeed racked up a few homes that cost as much as $4 million, the only crib he classifies as even mildly sick by pro-ball standards was the one he bought in Atlanta to live in during the Philly off-season.
The problem, he says, is that he's by nature too trusting, loyal to a fault, despite everyone's carping that he's selfish. It's the sad old stereotypical song of the up-from-nothing black athlete: He let other people take care of things."
Owens said financial advisers recommended by Rosenhaus lost much of his money in highly leveraged ventures, then houses and apartments he thought he could rent out in a worst case scenario became dead weight in a housing market collapse (none of the properties is particularly excessive, but total a yearly mortgage of about $750,000), and $2 million was lost in an Alabama entertainment complex investment. That venture turned out to be illegal, and also claimed former Redskins running back Clinton Portis as a victim.
"I hate myself for letting this happen," Owens told GQ. "I believed that they had my back when they said, 'You take care of the football, and we'll do the rest.' And in the end, they just basically stole from me."
Owens has also found himself friendless, thanks to a growing sense of distrust thanks to his many unfortunate dealings.
He never had many friends -- teammates never called him to party, he says, wrongly assuming that he was "too big" to socialize -- and now, "I don't have no friends. I don't want no friends. That's how I feel."
And on top of that, he's battling in court with four women to whom he pays a total of $44,600 a month in child support for his four children, ages 5 to 12.
"If there's anything I'm sorry about, it's getting involved with all that." He never actually dated any of the women, he says. One was a one-night stand, the others "repeat offenders." Owens, who has never been married, concedes he is "not a very good judge of character." Still, he "never suspected they were the types to do what they done in the past year."
When money became tighter, Owens had to reduce the amount he paid to each of the women, and three of them sued him. A warrant was issued for his arrest when he didn't show up for a court date with the mother of his oldest child, Tariq. Beyond that, the relationship he's maintained with the mothers and his children is tenuous, at best.
Now he is in court with all four women, whom he lumps together like one big bloodsucking blob. None of them are being fair, he says: "They know I'm not working; they know the deal." Although he never established regular visitation with any of the children through the courts, he says he sees the eldest three as much as he can when their mothers allow it. So bitter is his relationship with the mother of the youngest child, a son, that he has never met the boy.
As for McNabb, Owens stands by his decision not to mend fences with the former Eagles quarterback, whom Owens characterized as "tired" following the Eagles' 24-21 loss to New England in Super Bowl XXXIX in 2005.
When given an apology written by the team's media relations staff, Owens claims to have handed Eagles' captain Jeremiah Trotter the mea culpa moments before he was to deliver it to reporters.
Owens tells GQ Trotter read through the statement and arrived at the portion regarding McNabb, who threw for 357 yards, but was picked off three times. Owens claims Trotter ripped off the bottom portion of the page and told Owens he didn't owe McNabb a thing.
"This is the team leader we're talking about," Owens tells GQ. "He told me not to do it."
Trotter calls Owens' account inaccurate, telling the magazine he was the one insisting Owens apologize.
Once again, T.O. stands alone.
Owens' career is defined as much by its theatrics than for its statistical body of work. His playing days ended last spring after his one-year, $2 million contract was not renewed by the Cincinnati, where Owens and Chad Ochocinco collectively proved to be more style than substance.
Owens has clearly moved on.
Some decisions, he admits, may have been handled differently now. But at this point of his life, he's not willing to look back.
"To say I regret anything would be a slap to my grandmother's face," Owens says, referring to the woman who raised him.
He concedes his only mistake in calling McNabb out was one of timing, admitting "I might not have said or done things at exactly the right moment."
To this day, Owens remains confident bordering on cocksure, convinced -- even with a medically repaired ACL -- that he is capable of the jaw-dropping playmaking ability of his youth. It's not his talent that keeps teams from calling, he insists, but instead a reputation cast onto him by the reporters he often held hostage.
"I think people change, but the media, they never allowed me to change," Owens says. "They never allowed me to be a better person."
Described in the GQ piece as a "caged cat" living in a spacious 1,800-square foot Los Angeles apartment, Owens remains on an island. He claims to be broke despite making at least $80 million during his playing days.
He says he's never been diagnosed as clinically depressed but he's been "real down."
"I don't have no friends -- I don't want no friends," Owens says. "That's how I feel."




Duke plagued by low attendance
Going Crazie is getting easier these days. Once regularly an asylum for 1,200 Crazies, Section 17 at Cameron Indoor Stadium now rarely plays host to a student-only crowd. Student attendance at men???s basketball games has fallen consistently over the last five years, even dropping after Duke won its fourth national championship in 2010. This season, approximately 650 undergraduates have attended each game, 150 fewer than during the 2008-09 season. As a result, Duke Athletics has begun to sell an increasing number of general admission tickets in the student section on a regular basis. "It has nothing to do with the revenue. We just want it to be full," Director of Marketing and Relations Mike Forman said.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Bubba Watson buys ‘The Dukes of Hazzard’ car - Trey Griffey commits to Arizona - With spread on the way, Buckeyes FB to transfer


Bubba Watson buys ‘The Dukes of Hazzard’ car


You know, there are a lot of "can you believe that?"s in sports, but the idea of a man named Bubba buying the iconic car from the most Southern TV series in history isn't exactly a shocker, you know?
Presenting Bubba Watson and his new car:
Watson was at the famed Barrett-Jackson automobile auction this past weekend, and picked up that gem there, which he called his "dream car," for $110,000. Now, there were plenty of General Lees, but the one there was special; called "Lee 1," it's the one that jumped the police car in "The Dukes of Hazzard" TV series' opening credits. It was totaled in the jump, but restoration brought it back to life over the course of 16 months. Autoblog calls the final price "seemingly paltry," which is really more a matter of perspective than anything else.



Trey Griffey commits to Arizona

Trey Griffey, the son of Major League Baseball legend Ken Griffey Jr., accepted a scholarship offer to play football at Arizona on Monday. Trey Griffey, who is 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds, selected the Wildcats over scholarship offers from Iowa State, Michigan State, Washington State and other smaller schools.
Griffey, a senior at Orlando Dr. Phillips High School, is ranked by ESPN as the No. 145 player in the state of Florida and the No. 96 receiver in the nation. Griffey saw his stock rise considerably after impressing at the recent Under Armour All-America Game.
While he played baseball when he was younger, Griffey gravitated toward football, where he could make his own mark. He quit baseball six years ago, and it allowed him to reach his dream of playing Division I football.
"Baseball will always be in my genes," Griffey said earlier. "I'll always know a lot about it because of my father and grandfather. But I don't really have the love for it that I do for football."



With spread on the way, Buckeyes FB to transfer

A week after a pair of defensive backs were “released from their scholarships“, a player from the other side of the ball has decided to take his leave from the Ohio State football program.
Fullback David Durham confirmed to the Columbus Dispatch Sunday night that he has decided to transfer from the Buckeyes. Durham, who moved from the defensive line to the backfield last year, said the type of offense being installed by new head coach Urban Meyer was the overriding factor in his decision.
“I have really taken to playing the fullback position over the last year,” Durham told the paper. “Unfortunately, I will not have a significant opportunity to do this in coach Meyer’s spread offense.
“I love the Ohio State University and all of my teammates and coaches, and I really appreciate all of their support through this process. It will be tough to leave such a special place. I am exploring different options right now for my future.”
There’s no word yet on where Durham may continue his collegiate career. The Charlotte native was a member of OSU’s 2010 recruiting class.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Top 25 Recruits Football - AP Top 25 College Basketball Poll -



RIP JoPa!








The Rivals100: Class of 2012
Here are the top 25
Buckeye Committs are in BOLD

1 Dorial Green-Beckham
Springfield, Miss.
Hillcrest WR 6-6 220 List Green-Beckham became the all-time national career receiving leader after catching 119 passes for 2,233 yards and 24 touchdowns as a senior.

2 D.J. Humphries
Charlotte, N.C.
Mallard Creek OL 6-5 265 A U.S. Army All-American, Humphries anchored an offensive line for a Mallard Creek team that averaged 47 points per game and went 13-1 his senior year.

3 Mario Edwards
Denton, Texas
Ryan DE 6-4 275 Edwards tallied 72 tackles, 32 tackles for loss and 11 sacks on his way to earning all-state honors as a senior.

4 Shaq Thompson
Sacramento, Calif.
Grant S 6-2 210 Thompson rushed for 1,068 yards and 15 touchdowns and also threw eight touchdown passes this season.

5 Johnathan Gray
Aledo, Texas
Aledo RB 5-11 190 Gray became the all-time national career scoring leader after rushing for 3,891 yards and 65 touchdowns in 2011.

6 Jonathan Bullard
Shelby, N.C.
Crest DE 6-4 255 Bullard, who competed in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, had 16 sacks for his state runner-up squad.

7 Eddie Goldman
Washington, D.C.
Friendship Collegiate DT 6-4 307 List Goldman finished his senior season with 40 solo tackles, 16 tackles for loss and 10 sacks.

8 Stefon Diggs
Olney, Md.
Good Counsel WR 6-0 185 List Diggs finished 2011 with 1,443 all-purpose yards and 13 touchdowns, and added 32 tackles and four interceptions on defense.

9 Noah Spence
Harrisburg, Pa.
Bishop McDevitt DE 6-4 245 Spence finished his senior season with 108 tackles, 28 tackles for loss and 13 sacks.


10 Jameis Winston
Hueytown, Ala.
Hueytown QB 6-4 200 Winston accounted for nearly 3,000 yards of offense in 2011 and was a star in the Under Armour Game, going 8-of-9 for 178 yards and two touchdowns.

11 Darius Hamilton
Ramsey, N.J.
Don Bosco Prep DE 6-4 245 List Hamilton finished his senior season with 72 tackles and 21 sacks while pushing Don Bosco Prep to the No. 2 spot in the final national rankings.

12 T.J. Yeldon
Daphne, Ala.
Daphne RB 6-2 205 Yeldon rushed for 2,193 yards and 32 touchdowns in 12 games and was named MVP of the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic.

13 Tracy Howard
Miramar, Fla.
Miramar CB 5-11 175 List Howard, a U.S. Army All-American, finished the season with 10 interceptions despite rarely being thrown at.

14 Ondre Pipkins
Kansas City, Mo.
Park Hill DT 6-3 325 Pipkins tallied two tackles and a forced fumble in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl after being dominant all week during practice.

15 Trey Williams
Spring, Texas
Dekaney RB 5-8 175 Williams had the third-highest single-season rushing total in Texas history, running for 3,890 yards and 48 touchdowns in leading Dekaney to a state title.

16 Zach Banner
Lakewood, Wash.
Lakes OT 6-9 310 List Banner started all week at left tackle at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

17 Landon Collins
Geismar, La.
Dutchtown S 5-11 199 Collins racked up four solo tackles and an interception in the Under Armour All-America Game.

18 Nelson Agholor
Tampa, Fla.
Berkeley Prep WR 6-2 180 List Agholor, used predominantly as a running back, finished his senior season with 207 carries, 1,986 yards and 28 touchdowns on the ground.

19 Kyle Murphy
San Clemente, Calif.
San Clemente OT 6-7 275 List Murphy, who helped lead San Clemente to an 11-1 season, was one of the top offensive tackles at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

20 Gunner Kiel
Columbus, Ind.
Columbus East QB 6-4 220 Kiel finished his high school career by throwing for 2,523 yards and 28 touchdowns as a senior.

21 Ellis McCarthy
Monrovia, Calif.
Monrovia DT 6-5 311 McCarthy proved at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl that he can serve as either a defensive end or defensive tackle.

22 Kyle Kalis
Lakewood, Ohio
St. Edward OG 6-5 302 Kalis started at right guard in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in January.

23 John Theus
Jacksonville, Fla.
Bolles OT 6-6 292 Theus, a U.S. Army All-American, helped to lead Bolles to a state championship. He also was the lead blocker for a pair of 1,000-yard rushers.

24 Eddie Williams
Panama City, Fla.
Arnold ATH 6-4 204 A versatile prospect who can play on either side of the ball, Williams is expected to begin his college career at wide receiver.

25 Adolphus Washington
Cincinnati, Ohio
Taft DE 6-4 230 Washington tallied 1.5 sacks in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, and totaled 25 in his impressive senior season.






AP Top 25 College Basketball Poll
January 23, 2012
1 Kentucky (61) 19-1 1,620 2
Last Week: Def Arkansas 86-63 (1/17), Def Alabama 77-71 (1/21)
This Week: 1/24 at Georgia (10-9), 1/28 at LSU (12-7) Tickets
2 Missouri (2) 18-1 1,532 5
Last Week: Def Texas A&M 70-51 (1/16), Def Baylor 89-88 (1/21)
This Week: 1/25 at Oklahoma State (9-10), 1/28 vs. Texas Tech (7-11) Tickets
3 Syracuse (2) 20-1 1,506 1
Last Week: Def Pittsburgh 71-63 (1/16), Lost to Notre Dame 67-58 (1/21)
This Week: 1/23 at Cincinnati (15-5), 1/28 vs. West Virginia (15-5) Tickets
4 Ohio State 17-3 1,411 6
Last Week: Def Nebraska 79-45 (1/21)
This Week: 1/25 vs. Penn State (10-11), 1/29 vs. Michigan (15-5) Tickets

5 Kansas 16-3 1,383 7
Last Week: Def Baylor 92-74 (1/16), Def Texas 69-66 (1/21)
This Week: 1/23 vs. Texas A&M (11-7), 1/28 at Iowa State (14-5) Tickets
6 Baylor 17-2 1,234 3
Last Week: Lost to Kansas 92-74 (1/16), Lost to Missouri 89-88 (1/21)
This Week: 1/24 at Oklahoma (12-6), 1/28 vs. Texas (12-7) Tickets
7 North Carolina 16-3 1,232 8
Last Week: Def Virginia Tech 82-68 (1/19)
This Week: 1/26 vs. North Carolina State (15-5), 1/29 vs. Georgia Tech (8-11) Tickets
8 Duke 16-3 1,176 4
Last Week: Def Wake Forest 91-73 (1/19), Lost to Florida State 76-73 (1/21)
This Week: 1/25 at Maryland (12-6), 1/28 vs. St. John's (8-11) Tickets
9 Georgetown 16-3 1,045 10
Last Week: Def DePaul 83-75 (1/17), Def Rutgers 52-50 (1/21)
This Week: 1/28 at Pittsburgh (11-9) Tickets
10 Michigan State 16-4 1,009 9
Last Week: Lost to Michigan 60-59 (1/17), Def Purdue 83-58 (1/21)
This Week: 1/25 vs. Minnesota (15-5) Tickets
11 Murray State 20-0 925 12
Last Week: Def Morehead State 66-60 (1/18), Def SIU-Edwardsville 82-65 (1/21)
This Week: 1/28 vs. Eastern Illinois (9-9) Tickets
12 UNLV 18-3 886 14
Last Week: Def TCU 101-78 (1/18), Def New Mexico 80-63 (1/21)
This Week: 1/25 at Boise State (10-8), 1/28 at Air Force (11-6) Tickets
13 San Diego State 17-2 832 16
Last Week: Def New Mexico 75-70 (1/18), Def Air Force 57-44 (1/21)
This Week: 1/24 at Wyoming (16-3), 1/28 at Colorado State (13-5) Tickets
14 Florida 15-4 709 17
Last Week: Def LSU 76-64 (1/21)
This Week: 1/26 at Ole Miss (13-6), 1/28 vs. Mississippi State (16-4) Tickets
15 Creighton 18-2 682 19
Last Week: Def Missouri State 66-65 (1/18), Def Indiana State 75-49 (1/21)
This Week: 1/25 at Drake (12-8), 1/28 vs. Bradley (6-15) Tickets
16 Indiana 16-4 609 11
Last Week: Lost to Nebraska 70-69 (1/18), Def Penn State 73-54 (1/22)
This Week: 1/26 at Wisconsin (16-5), 1/29 vs. Iowa (11-9) Tickets
17 Marquette 16-4 517 21
Last Week: Def Louisville 74-63 (1/16), Def Providence 79-72 (1/21)
This Week: 1/24 vs. South Florida (12-8), 1/28 at Villanova (10-10) Tickets
18 Mississippi State 16-4 422 18
Last Week: Lost to Ole Miss 75-68 (1/18), Def Vanderbilt 78-77 (1/21)
This Week: 1/25 vs. LSU (12-7), 1/28 at Florida (15-4) Tickets
19 Virginia 15-3 414 15
Last Week: Def Georgia Tech 70-38 (1/19), Lost to Virginia Tech 47-45 (1/22)
This Week: 1/26 vs. Boston College (7-12), 1/28 at North Carolina State (15-5) Tickets
20 Michigan 15-5 396 20
Last Week: Def Michigan State 60-59 (1/17), Lost to Arkansas 66-64 (1/21)
This Week: 1/24 at Purdue (14-6), 1/29 at Ohio State (17-3) Tickets
21 Saint Mary's 19-2 345 24
Last Week: Def Pepperdine 61-47 (1/19), Def Santa Clara 93-77 (1/21)
This Week: 1/26 at Loyola Marymount (11-8), 1/28 at Brigham Young (17-5) Tickets
22 Kansas State 14-4 252 25
Last Week: Def Texas 84-80 (1/18), Def Oklahoma State 66-58 (1/21)
This Week: 1/25 at Texas Tech (7-11), 1/28 vs. Oklahoma (12-6) Tickets
23 Florida State 13-6 244 NR
Last Week: Def Maryland 84-70 (1/17), Def Duke 76-73 (1/21)
This Week: 1/25 at Wake Forest (11-8) Tickets
24 Connecticut 14-5 203 13
Last Week: Lost to Cincinnati 70-67 (1/18), Lost to Tennessee 60-57 (1/21)
This Week: 1/29 vs. Notre Dame (12-8) Tickets
25 Wisconsin 16-5 182 NR
Last Week: Def Northwestern 77-57 (1/18), Def Illinois 67-63 (1/22)
This Week: 1/26 vs. Indiana (16-4) Tickets

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Buckeye Football - Video of some of the Top High School Dunkers


Top High School Dunkers of All Time

LeBron James High School Dunks




Vince Carter High School Dunks





Bill Walker High School Dunks




Shawn Kemp High School Dunks




J.R. Smith High School Dunks






10 College Football Teams That Are One Signing Class Away from BCS Championship
Ohio State is 6th on this list!
The Ohio State Buckeyes had one of their best recruiting classes in 2009 as it ranked No. 3 according to Rivals.com.
There were two 5-star recruits and numerous 4-stars. These players will be entering their fourth year in the program.
The 2010 class was down a little at No. 25, but had talented players on both sides of the ball. The 2011 class finished No. 11, despite not having a coach, and produced many talented freshmen who saw ample playing time last year.
True freshman Braxton Miller was one of the most exciting freshmen in the country and the talented sophomore class will be joined by a 2012 group that currently ranks No. 5.
There are already commitments from two 5-star defensive ends who could see immediate playing time.
Although Ohio State cannot play for a national championship next season, the future is looking bright in Columbus.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

UNC coach: I apologized to players - AP College BBAll Poll- Ohio St. dismisses two defensive backs



Syracuse is a runaway No. 1 in The Associated Press' college basketball poll for the sixth straight week.
The Orange, one of three unbeatens entering play Monday, received 60 first-place votes from the 65-member national media panel.
Kentucky was second with four first-place votes, followed by Baylor, which got its first No. 1 vote this season on the day it lost for the first time this season, 92-74to Kansas.
Duke and Missouri moved up four places to fourth and fifth, while Ohio State, Kansas, North Carolina, Michigan State and Georgetown round out the top 10.
Unbeaten Murray State moved from No. 15 to No. 12.
Illinois moved in at No. 22. Saint Mary's, Calif. is No. 24, its first appearance this season.
Gonzaga and Seton Hall dropped out of the poll.








UNC coach: I apologized to players

North Carolina coach Roy Williams said he apologized Monday to the five players left on the court for the final 14.2 seconds of his team's 33-point loss to unranked Florida State.
The coach said on his radio show that he was not aware that he had left the quintet of reserves and walk-ons on the Tucker Center floor Saturday -- while he and most of the rest of the team left early to avoid the court-rushing crowd -- until he watched the game-tape of the loss.
Roy Williams said Monday he only pulled his players off the court Saturday due to safety concerns relating to Florida State fans rushing the court.
"I said, 'Guys, I apologize. There was a miscommunication between (assistant) coach (Joe) Holladay and myself. I would never have left you out there to play the game.' " he said. "I was trying to get my entire team off the court, apologize to Florida State, make sure they weren't interpreting it the wrong way; I was just doing it for safety."
Williams, whose team dropped to No. 8 in both polls after the most lopsided loss since he became coach at UNC in 2003, said he started to become concerned about the raucous crowd towards the end of the game. At the end of UNC's loss to UNLV in Las Vegas earlier this season, a female manager got pushed to the ground by rushing fans, and Williams said he was trying to avoid a repeat of that.
"Coach (Holladay) said, 'We're going to have problems getting off of this court. Because they're already in the aisles, we're going to have problems,' " said Williams.
Williams says he tried to explain the issue to an official standing in front of the team's bench, but said the referee responded with,"I don't know what to tell you."
During a dead ball timeout, Williams said he spoke with Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton about the safety issue and Hamilton agreed that Williams should take his players off the court.
"He's always sensible on things like that," Williams said Monday. " ... So I turned to Joe Holladay, and I motioned and said, 'Come on.' And I took about three steps -- and you can see it on TV ... Leonard says something, he says, 'Roy, your players.' And I turned around and said, 'Come on.' You can see me motion my arm again. And I take off, but I stop and I try to congratulate as many (Florida State) players as I can. ... I said to every player, 'Congratulations on the win.' I said to the assistant coaches, 'Please don't be offended by this.' And everybody said, 'Coach, we understand.' "
UNC assistant coach C.B. McGrath, strength and conditioning coach Jonas Sahratian and two managers stayed on the sideline to help the remaining Tar Heels players get off the court when the game ended. Williams said he waited outside his locker room for all of his players, and when it took a while for Holladay and walk-on Patrick Crouch to arrive, Williams asked Holladay what took Crouch so long.
"He said, 'He got caught up in the crowd,' and I didn't know what the crap he was talking about," Williams said Monday.
Williams, angry at the game's outcome, said he didn't talk to his team about the game immediately afterwards, or during Sunday's clinic with the Special Olympics. He said he didn't realize what had happened with the five remaining players until he watched the game tape.
"Every prospect, every walk-on I have ever had -- if I eat steak, you're going to eat steak; whatever happens to every scholarship player, you have to do. I would never leave five kids out there," Williams said. "If I was going to do that, why wouldn't I stay out there? I saw it happen one time on TV, and I thought, 'Why would they leave those kids out there?' "



Ohio St. dismisses two defensive backs
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- New Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer has dismissed two players for off-the-field problems.
Ohio State spokesman Jerry Emig confirmed Sunday that defensive backs Dominic Clarke and DerJuan Gambrell have been released from their scholarships.
Clarke, a redshirt sophomore from Frederick, Md., has been charged with drunken driving and also had been arrested on a charge of disorderly conduct after allegedly discharging a BB gun on campus. No one was hurt in the latter incident.
Gambrell, a freshman from Toledo, was also discharged for a "violation of team rules," but Ohio State did not specify what that violation was.



Osborne: Frank Solich needs to be honored by Nebraska
Current Ohio coach Frank Solich lasted six seasons at Nebraska in the tough job of having to follow in the footsteps of the great Tom Osborne. Despite a 58-19 overall record in those six seasons, Solich was shown the door by current Pitt athletic director Steve Pederson after Nebraska went 9-3 during the 2003 regular season.
Now, nine years later, Osborne wants Solich to come back to be honored at a yet-to-be-determined event. From Huskerextra.com:
“I talked to Frank about that (Friday) morning, and would really like to do that,” Osborne said. “The big problem has been finding the right time to do it. But we’re trying to find a time when we might be able to do something like that.”
Was Solich receptive to the idea?
“He didn’t say no,” Osborne said with a chuckle.
Solich, a Nebraska alumnus, seemed less optimistic, or perhaps more humble, when asked about a potential return to Lincoln.
“Hey, the thing is, people are sick of hearing about me back there. You know that,” Solich said.
Time heals some wounds, but your thoughts, Huskers fans?

Saturday, January 14, 2012

College Hoops Schedule and Top Games - Cavs fall to Kobe

College Hoops
The Weekend Forecast
 
7 p.m. (ESPNU) Cleveland State (14-3, 4-1 Horizon) at Butler (9-8, 3-2)
It's a little early for Butler to begin its annual surge. Last season's didn't begin until early February following the Bulldogs' fourth loss in five games. Ironically, the comeback started with a win at Cleveland State. Butler is still not very pretty to watch (the team ranks 257th in the country in scoring, 305th in three-point percentage and 319th in free throw percentage), but you know it loves the rims in Hinkle Fieldhouse. Plus, the Bulldogs had six days to work on the problems that led them to lose at Detroit on Sunday.

56
52
 
 
Saturday, Jan. 14
 
Noon (ESPN) No. 2 Kentucky (16-1, 2-0 SEC) at Tennessee (8-7, 1-0)
This has all the makings of a trap game. Kentucky had to scrap to shake off a plucky but less-talented Auburn team on the road. Tennessee knocked off Florida at home last weekend and will be amped to do the same to UK. The reason I am still going with the Wildcats is mostly because of scheduling: the Volunteers had to play Thursday night at Mississippi State, where they lost by four. That's less than 48 hours to turn around for a noon tipoff. So I'll take UK by a slim margin, but if the Cats aren't ready to battle from the opening tip, they're gonna get clipped

72
68
 
4 p.m. (NBC Sports Network) No. 12 UNLV (16-2, 0-0 Mount. West) at No. 22 San Diego St. (14-2, 0-0)
Steve Fisher joked with his players that they needed a mulligan after struggling to beat winless Chicago State by eight points Tuesday night. But Fisher is the one who needs the mulligan. That was just the Aztecs' third game since Dec. 22, and the previous two were against non-Division II schools. That's why they were so flat against Chicago State. UNLV, on the other hand, has played a rigorous nonconference schedule, and the Runnin' Rebels are a mature, defensive-minded team that leads the Mountain West in both steals (8.7 per game) and blocks (5.1).

69
64
 
6 p.m. (ESPNU) Tennessee Tech (11-6, 3-1 OVC) at No. 15 Murray State (16-0, 4-0)
Yes, you heard correctly. On Twitter Wednesday night I promised that if Murray State entered the NCAA tournament undefeated, I will sing the national anthem at one of the Racers' home games next season (if they'll have me, that is). Fortunately for the United States of America, that will not come to pass. It's only a matter of time before the Racers either lose or will remain the only unbeaten team in the country -- in which case the attention, the pressure, and the law of averages will catch up to them. Still, I'm a big fan of this team and I like them to win this game because they're at home, but they better be ready against Tennessee Tech squad that boasts two of the OVC's top three scorers in Kevin Murphy and Jud Dillard.

75
65
 
11 a.m. (ESPN2) No. 17 UConn (13-3, 3-2 Big East) at Notre Dame (11-6, 3-1)
Shabazz Napier is supposed to be the stud sophomore point guard in this game, but he could learn a lot from Notre Dame's Jerian Grant (Harvey's son), who ranks sixth nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio and is in the top 10 of the Big East in assists (4.5) and three-point percentage (38.9). Napier, on the other hand, struggled offensively even when UConn was coming back to beat West Virginia Tuesday night. He had zero points and four turnovers to go along with his eight assists. Still, I do think having Jim Calhoun back has helped the Huskies regain their defensive mojo, and as freshman center Andre Drummond improves with every outing (he had 20 points and 11 rebounds against the Mountaineers), this team will really begin to take off.

73
68
 
4 p.m. (SEC Network) Alabama (13-3, 2-0 SEC) at No. 20 Mississippi State (13-3, 0-1)
Give Mississippi State credit for gutting out a tough win over Tennessee Thursday night. The victory wasn't sealed until senior guard Dee Bost's steal and dunk in the closing seconds. It may have been an ugly win, but I like a team that knows how to win ugly. Alabama, meanwhile, won its fifth straight game Wednesday over LSU behind a season-high 20 points from Trevor Releford. The Crimson Tide also got a surprising lift from the return of 6-foot-4 junior Andrew Steele, who has rejoined the team after sitting out the first 13 games because of concussion syndrome. The bottom line is this is a conference game between comparable teams. I'll take the one playing at home.

74
67
 
3:30 p.m. (CBS) Oregon (12-5, 3-2 Pac 12) at Arizona (12-5, 3-1)
Arizona is fortunate that its third-leading scorer, 6-3 senior Kyle Fogg, is playing this game. Fogg nearly instigated a Xavier-Cincy-like brawl when he woofed in the face of Oregon State guard Jared Cunningham during overtime of the team's Thursday night victory. Fogg was ejected, but he'll play against the Ducks because he didn't throw any punches. The Wildcats are having a hard enough time putting points on the board (they're ranked eighth in the Pac 12 in scoring at 69.2 ppg) without losing their poise when they do. I think they'll win at home against an Oregon team that has lost two of its last three, even though Minnesota transfer Devoe Joseph has brought an additional 15.1 points per game since becoming eligible in mid-December.

67
60
 
4 p.m. (Fox Sports Network) Colorado (11-5, 3-1) at Stanford (14-3, 4-1)
If this was the week where Colorado has a chance to prove that it's real, then the Buffaloes are off to a decent start. It's not easy to go into Haas Pavilion and win right now, but Colorado took Cal down to the wire before losing by seven. This is a very tough defensive team that boasts the nation's fourth-leading rebounder (Andre Roberson) and leads the Pac-12 in defensive field goal percentage. I expect CU's next game to play out the same way its last one did: The Buffs will compete hard, keep it close, but eventually go down to defeat.

60
56
 
 
Sunday, Jan. 15
 
4:30 p.m. (CBS) No. 7 Indiana (15-2, 3-2 Big Ten) at No. 5 Ohio State (15-3, 3-2)
Indiana was bound to come back to earth, right? The Hoosiers looked mentally drained during their loss at home to Minnesota Thursday night, although they did wake up in the last few minutes and nearly came back to win. Their week isn't getting any easier. They have to travel to Columbus to play an Ohio State team that has double incentive -- its loss at Illinois on Wednesday and its loss to Indiana in Assembly Hall on New Year's Eve. Further, Ohio State won't have to worry about defending Illini guard Brandon Paul, who torched them 43 points. Ohio State needs to tighten up its D because this isn't the greatest outside shooting team, but given all these circumstances it's hard to imagine the Buckeyes not finding a way to win.

73
66
 
4 p.m. (ACC Network) Georgia Tech (8-8, 1-1 ACC) at Maryland (11-4, 1-1)
Mark Turgeon earned his first ACC victory Wednesday night when the Terps beat Wake Forest at home. Protecting homecourt is an absolute must if Maryland is going to have any shot of making the NCAA tournament, so I expect the Terps will do it again. Maryland got 20 points from sophomore guard Terrell Stoglin, but at some point the Terps are going to have to get more offensive output from newly added 7-1 freshman Alex Len, who is still getting into game shape and managed just five points against the Demon Deacons. Georgia Tech, meanwhile, is coming in with some confidence. The Yellow Jackets nearly knocked off Duke last weekend and snapped a four-game losing streak at N.C. State Wednesday night behind 22 points from Glen Rice Jr.






Cavs play well, but fall to Kobe

Kobe goes for 40-plus again as Lakers beat Cavs
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Even Kobe Bryant has to acknowledge he's on his most impressive scoring tear in a half-decade, decimating opponents' defenses with the flair and determination of the Los Angeles Lakers superstar's best seasons.
And he's got a little more bad news for the Cleveland Cavaliers and every other opponent in his way.
That severely injured wrist on his shooting hand? It's starting to heal.
Bryant scored 42 points in his third straight 40-point performance, and the Lakers blew a big early lead before hanging on for their fifth straight victory, 97-92 over Cleveland on Friday night.
Bryant managed just seven points in the fourth quarter, but two big jumpers down the stretch gave him three straight 40-point games for the first time since March 2007, when he had five straight. With just three of his teammates managing more than one field goal, the 13-time All-Star guard did most of the Lakers' heavy lifting despite that torn ligament in his right wrist - an injury that would require most players to shut it down for a stretch.
Nobody is shutting down Kobe, who has scored at least 30 points in seven of his last eight games.
"The wrist is feeling stronger, feeling more comfortable," Bryant said. "It's just motivation. Nobody wants to hear about a bad wrist as being the reason why I had a bad game. Nobody wants to hear excuses."
None necessary: Bryant is third in NBA history with 110 40-point games, trailing only Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan.
Pau Gasol had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Lakers, who won their eighth consecutive game at Staples Center since Christmas. Until Bryant took charge, Los Angeles allowed a 19-point lead to dwindle to three in the final minutes of coach Mike Brown's first meeting with the Cavaliers since they fired him in 2010.
"We have to make sure we keep executing offensively so we don't need to rely on (Bryant) so much," Brown said. "It's good to have a guy like Kobe Bryant in your pocket."
Kyrie Irving scored 21 points and Ramon Sessions added 12 for the Cavaliers, who have played eight of their first 11 games on the road. Cleveland foundered in the first half before rallying impressively in the second half, avoiding anything close to the embarrassment of last season's 112-57 debacle at Staples Center.
Daniel Gibson missed a 3-pointer that could have tied it for Cleveland with less than seven minutes to play, and the Lakers missed 11 of their first 12 shots in the fourth before Bryant's 18-footer with 4:02 left. The Cavs had absolutely no answer for Bryant, who went 15 for 31 with four 3-pointers and six turnovers, often dominating the ball while his teammates were listless.
"He's seen every defense that you can throw at him," said Cavs coach Byron Scott, the longtime Lakers guard. "He's one of the smartest players I've been around, and one of the most competitive. So I don't know if it's better for us if he's taking most of the shots and the other guys are getting less, or if he's taking less shots and they're getting more. I don't know. He's just a threat when he's on the basketball court, no matter what."
Andrew Bynum had 15 points and 11 rebounds, and Matt Barnes added 15 points for the Lakers, who finished the first half with an 18-3 run for an 18-point halftime lead. Los Angeles led by 12 points heading to the fourth quarter, but missed its first eight shots and failed to score for more than six minutes, allowing the Cavaliers to pull within one basket of an even game.
"It shows a lot about the character of our team," Cleveland forward Omri Casspi said. "We didn't let it get out of hand. We just wanted to keep our composure, keep playing defense and share the ball on offense, and we knew good things would happen for us. Our guys kept fighting, but in the last 4 minutes, they had a big run."
Just seven players scored for Brown, who rested Metta World Peace and didn't have the services of backup point guard Steve Blake, who has broken cartilage in his ribs. During the fourth quarter, the Lakers announced Blake will be sidelined three to four weeks.
Derek Fisher had 10 assists for the Lakers, getting double-digit assists for just the 15th time in the point guard's 16-year career. Rookie Darius Morris also played 17 minutes in his second career game.
NOTES: Brown said he harbors no hard feelings toward the Cavs and owner Dan Gilbert, who fired him after five successful seasons ended without a championship. ... The Lakers said World Peace is struggling with back spasms and an Achilles' tendon problem, although he wasn't listed on the pregame injury report. ... Lakers F Josh McRoberts returned from a six-game absence with a sprained big toe, but played just 4 first-half minutes. F Troy Murphy also returned from an illness, and Jason Kapono returned from a two-game absence while his wife gave birth to twins. ... Fans included Adam Sandler, Tobey Maguire, Joe Walsh, A.C. Green.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Ohio State head Gordon Gee slips up - Sidney Crosby set to resume skating - Buckeyes CB busted for operating a vehicle while impaired -

Check this Shot Out


Breaking sports news video. MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL highlights and more.








Buckeyes CB busted for operating a vehicle while impaired
Just as the “Days Without An Arrest” ticker climbed into double digits, a member of the Ohio State football program has come to the rescue and hit the reset button.
According to Marcus Hartman of BuckeyeSports.com, cornerback Dominic Clarke has been cited for three traffic offenses, including operating a vehicle while impaired. Clarke was pulled over Jan. 7 in Franklin County (OH) for running a stop sign and speeding. Following the stop, it was found he had no proof of insurance as well.
There were no details as to what led to the OVI citation.
This actually represents the second legal issue Clarke’s run into the past three months. In October, he was charged with disorderly conduct for firing a “compressed air gun” from the roof of an on-campus building. That issue resulted in a one-game suspension.
As a redshirt sophomore, Clarke played in 12 games for the Buckeyes in 2011.







Sidney Crosby set to resume skating
WASHINGTON (AP)—Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is ready to resume skating.
Sidney Crosby is having a recurrence of the problems that sidelined him for more than 10 months earlier this year.
Coach Dan Bylsma said before Pittsburgh’s game at the Washington Capitals on Wednesday night that Crosby will skate during the team’s current road trip, which includes visits to the Florida Panthers on Friday and the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday.
Crosby is with the Penguins and was in the press box wearing a jacket and tie on Wednesday.
Out with lingering concussion symptoms, Crosby hasn’t played since Dec. 5. He was sidelined for nearly 11 months before that because of a concussion, and returned on Nov. 21 with two goals. Crosby had 12 points in eight games before being sidelined again.
Bylsma said Crosby has been working out in the weight room and riding a bike. Bylsma added: “I’ll certainly be glad to see him on the ice.”
The coach said Crosby will speak to the media soon.





Ohio State head Gordon Gee slips up
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The president of Ohio State University on Wednesday lamented that publicity over a football scandal overshadowed the university's many accomplishments last year, then drew more unwelcome attention when he compared the job of coordinating several university divisions to "the Polish army."
In a speech at a downtown athletic club, Gordon Gee called the scandal's disproportional weight "a monumental shame."
"To subordinate the ingenuity of so many to the impropriety of a few seems to me an unjust proposition," Gee said. "In truth, a series of unfortunate events in our athletics program has masked a remarkable year at Ohio State."
The NCAA said last month that the Ohio State football team and new coach Urban Meyer will be banned from a bowl game after next season. The university also forfeited its 2010 season, including a Sugar Bowl win. The punishment followed a scandal in which players sold football memorabilia or traded them for tattoos.
Gee rattled off the university's top accomplishments, including a first-year retention rate for all students of 93 percent and retention rates for black and Hispanic students exceeding national averages for both public and private institutions.
A few minutes later, in a question-and-answer session, Gee referred to the problem of coordinating 18 divisions such as independent schools and colleges.
"When we had these 18 colleges all kind of floating around, they were kind of like PT Boats, they were shooting each other," Gee said. "It was kind of like the Polish army or something. I have no idea what it was."
As nervous laughter arose in the audience of a couple hundred listeners at a Columbus Metropolitan Club monthly forum, Gee said, "Oh, never mind, who did I embarrass now?" A moment later he said: "I'll have to raise money for Poland now."
Gee did not apologize afterward, and stumbled a bit in responding to questions about the propriety of the remark.
"Now if you're going to say I was saying something bad about Poland, I'm not," he said. "I could have used some other term, I guess, then."
Gee, 67, is one of the most successful university presidents in the country and has led five major public and private institutions over the past 30 years, including two stints at Ohio State as well as the head job at Brown, Vanderbilt and the universities of Colorado and West Virginia.
But he has a history of verbal gaffes, such as last March's comment, as the Ohio State memorabilia scandal deepened, that he had not considered dismissing football coach Jim Tressel.
"No, are you kidding?" Gee said at a news conference. "Let me be very clear. I'm just hoping the coach doesn't dismiss me."
In 1992, Gee called then-Gov. George Voinovich "a damn dummy" over higher education funding. Gee also raised eyebrows in the football crazy town when he called the 13-13 tie after the 1992 Ohio State-Michigan football game "one of our greatest wins ever."
Les Wexner, chairman of the Ohio Board of Trustees, was not immediately available for comment, spokeswoman Tammy Myers said.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Buckeyes Are Defeated by Brandon Paul's 43 Points - Change Coming to BCS? -Players Entering the NFL Draft


Players Entering the NFL Draft

Entering draft
Dwayne Allen, TE, Clemson
Edwin Baker, RB, Michigan State
Mike Ball, RB, Nevada
Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State
Vontaze Burfict, LB, Arizona State
Greg Childs, WR, Arkansas
Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State
David DeCastro, G, Stanford
Marcus Fortson, DT, Miami
Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina
Chris Givens, WR, Wake Forest
Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor
Cliff Harris, CB, Oregon
Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech
Jayron Hosley, CB, Virginia Tech
LaMichael James, RB, Oregon
Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina
Chandler Jones, LB, Syracuse
Matt Kalil, OT, USC
Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin
Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College
Ronnell Lewis, LB/DE, Oklahoma
Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford
Terrell Manning, LB, North Carolina State
Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford
Bobby Massie, OT, Ole Miss
Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois
Lamar Miller, RB, Miami
Brock Osweiler, QB, Arizona State
Donte Paige-Moss, DE, North Carolina
Bernard Pierce, RB, Temple
Nick Perry, DE, USC
Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis
Chris Polk, RB, Washington
Riley Reiff, OT, Michigan State
Josh Robinson, CB, UCF
Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers
Darrell Scott, RB, USF
Tommy Streeter, WR, Miami
Robert Turbin, RB, Utah State
Olivier Vernon, DE, Miami
Brandon Washington, G, Miami
David Wilson, RB, Virginia Tech
Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State


Undecided

Johnthan Banks, CB, Mississippi State
Mario Benavides, C, Louisville
Orson Charles, TE, Georgia
Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU
Marcus Coker, RB, Iowa
Ray Graham, RB, Pittsburgh
Dont’a Hightower, LB, Alabama
Ronnie Hillman, RB, San Diego State
Micah Hyde, CB, Iowa
Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama
Robert Lester, S, Alabama
E.J. Manuel, QB, Florida State
Jonathan Massqauoi, DE, Troy
Leon McFadden, CB, San Diego State
Sam Montgomery, DE, LSU
Sio Moore, LB, Connecticut
Alex Okafor, DE, Texas
Eric Page, WR, Toledo
Rueben Randle, WR, LSU
Xavier Rhodes, CB, Florida State
Trent Richardson, TB, Alabama
Logan Ryan, CB, Rutgers
Kawann Short, DT, Purdue
John Simon, DT, Ohio State
Chase Thomas, LB, Stanford
Kenny Vacarro, S, Texas


Returning to school
Ray Ray Armstrong, S, Miami
Montee Ball, RB, Wisconsin
Matt Barkley, QB, USC
Knile Davis, RB, Arkansas
Tyler Eifert, TE, Notre Dame
Brandon Jenkins, DE, Florida State
Jarvis Jones, LB, Georgia
Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma
T.J. McDonald, FS, USC
Kevin Reddick, LB, North Carolina
Manti Te’o, LB, Notre Dame






Buckeyes Are Defeated by Brandon Paul's 43 Points

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) -- Brandon Paul awoke from a nap Tuesday to a text from Illinois coach Bruce Weber. The message was simple: It's your night.
Weber couldn't have known how right he was.
Paul scored a career-high 43 - the third best scoring performance in Illinois basketball history - to lead the Illini (15-3, 4-1) past the No. 5 Buckeyes 79-74.
The most important of Paul's shots was an off-balance 3-pointer that, with 43 seconds left, gave Illinois a 74-70 lead that all but finished the Buckeyes.
By then, the junior said, so many of his shots had fallen he couldn't help but laugh to himself.
"I was laughing a couple times. After the first couple three's, I just said I was going to keep shooting," Paul said, saying he didn't think he'd ever scored 43, even in AAU ball. "That's the mindset that I've got to have."
"Brandon Paul played like a pro tonight," teammate Meyers Leonard added.
Buckeye coach Thad Matta said Paul's night - and the Illinois win it guaranteed - was among the best he's seen anyone have against Ohio State (15-3, 3-2).
"I've seen (former Wisconsin Badger) Jordan Taylor have one of those nights and I saw (former Purdue star) Etwuan Moore have one of those nights, and then I saw this," Matta said. "You have to give him credit; he made plays."
Paul scored the final 15 points for the Illini.
Ohio State led 39-34 at halftime, and was up 64-61 with just over five minutes to play.
But with the game tied at 66 with just over two minutes to play, Joseph Bertrand swiped the ball from William Buford, putting the ball in Paul's hands for a baseline 3-pointer that put the Illini up 69-66.
Paul's 43 points was the third-highest scoring performance in Illini history and he tied a school record with eight 3-pointers. He also had a team-high eight rebounds
Leonard added 14 for Illinois and Bertrand and D.J. Richardson scored 10 each.
Deshaun Thomas scored 23 points and Jared Sullinger added 21 for Ohio State. William Buford had 15 points for the Buckeyes and Aaron Craft added 12.
Ohio State looked ready to put the Illini away early in the second half, stretching its lead to 48-37 in the opening two minutes on an efficient run that yielded nine points over four possessions. The last three points came from Thomas on a jump shot and a free throw.
Weber told his team in a huddle that it was a make-or-break point in the game.
They go up 10 or 11, and then we came back," he said.
Illinois ran off its own 7-0 run, pulling to with two at 48-46 on a 3-pointer by Richardson. Paul stole the ball from Sullinger, broke down the court and quickly fed his junior teammate. It was the kind of run Illinois was able to answer with all night.
"We just let down," Matta said. "We've got to find another gear about us."
Ohio State did pull away yet again, going up 52-46 on a short turnaround jumper by Sullinger over Leonard with 14:25 left in the game.
The Illini then scored eight straight, taking the lead 55-54 with a baseline jumper by Leonard with 11:18 to play. The run's other six points came, not surprisingly, from Paul on a pair of 3-pointers. The second a sky-high bomb that dropped cleanly through the net and ignited the crowd.
On Illinois' next possession, Paul drew what the officials judged to be an intentional foul by Craft, sinking two of his three shots and giving the Illini a 57-54 edge with just under 11 minutes left.
Buford answered a long miss by Paul with two points on outside jumper that tied the game again at 61.
Then, after a Leonard turnover, he drained a 3-pointer for a 64-61 Ohio State lead with 6:18 to play.
Paul had a confounding first half, the kind Illinois fans have gotten used to.
He committed four of Illinois' 10 first-half turnovers (and finished with seven).
"I had way too many turnovers," he said. "I have to take care of the ball better."
"The way he started," Weber joked, "he was special bad. But he was special good down the stretch."
Paul led the Illini on a 10-0 run that brought them back from a 23-15 deficit to a 25-23 lead.
Most of that run came with Sullinger on the bench.
Paul's 3-pointer with 6:23 to play in the half tied the game at 23, and Sullinger quickly left the bench to come back in.
Paul, though, followed his game-tying shot up less than a minute later with a bucket that gave the Illini the lead, their first since going up 2-0 less than a minute into the game.
Sullinger didn't score until almost nine minutes were gone in the first half, and was frustrated by a combination of tenacious defense from Leonard and Paul.
Sullinger took the hint, moving to the perimeter where he hit two first-half 3-pointers.
The second, over a desperate Leonard lunging toward the 3-point line to reach him, gave the Buckeyes a 34-29 lead with 2:19 left in the half.
Even with 21 points, Weber said he was happy with defense against Sullinger, particularly from Leonard.
"It's truly a heavyweight battle with those two pounding on each other all the time," Weber said.


BCS executive director: 50-60 ideas presented for postseason change

One day after the BCS championship game, members of the BCS met today, as was indicated yesterday, to discuss possible changes to the postseason format of major college football.
There were reportedly a lot of ideas; somewhere between 50-60 to give you a ballpark estimate. BCS executive director Bill Hancock said after the meeting that the 11 conference commissioners will meet likely 5-7 more times and a decision is expected to come before July 4.
Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott said ideas were presented, but not ranked or thrown out.
“It was far more open,” Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany said. “Four years ago there were five guys who didn’t want to have the discussion. Everyone here fully participated in it.”
I wouldn’t necessarily count on a definitive answer any time soon seeing as these things move at extraordinarily slow rates, but any discussions about how to change the current system is progress.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Alabama without a Doubt - Larkin elected to Hall - Final College Football AP Poll


Larkin elected to Hall
NEW YORK (AP)—Barry Larkin joined with Cal Ripken Jr. in transforming shortstop into a position for powerful bats, not just great gloves. Now he’s following Ripken into the Hall of Fame.
The former Cincinnati Reds shortstop was chosen on 495 of 573 ballots (86 percent) in voting announced Monday by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, well above the necessary 75 percent.
“When I think of Barry, I think of a steady, smart and terrific all-around player both at shortstop and at the plate,” Ripken said. “I wish we had played in the same league, but we were in 11 All-Star Games together and I always enjoyed being around him and talking baseball.”
Barry Larkin was voted an All-Star in 12 of his 19 seasons with the Reds.
“I’m just incredibly, incredibly moved by this whole experience and so humbled by the experience and so excited about being the newest member of the Hall of Fame,” he said on a conference call.
His election came in the final year before the Steroids Era becomes the main focus in balloting.
Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa, Mike Piazza, Craig Biggio and Curt Schilling are eligible for the first time next year.
Jack Morris followed Larkin with 382 votes (67 percent), missing by 48 votes on his
13th try but up sharply from 54 percent last year. Morris, the ace of three World Series winners, finished with 254 victories and was the winningest pitcher of the 1980s. His 3.90 ERA, however, is higher than that of any Hall of Famer.
He has two chances left on the BBWAA ballot. Gil Hodges (63.4 percent in 1983) has the highest percentage among players who never gained election.
Playing from 1986-04—all with his hometown Reds—Larkin hit .295 with 198 home runs, 960 RBIs, 2,340 hits and 379 stolen bases. A 12-time All-Star, he won the 1995 NL MVP award, nine Silver Slugger trophies and three Gold Gloves. He helped the Reds win the 1990 World Series and in 1996 became the first shortstop to have 30 homers and 30 steals in a season.
“Barry distinguished himself as a tremendous leader and a dominating player,” Reds great Johnny Bench said. “Winning a World Series and an MVP plus Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards puts him among the elite players in Reds history.”
Larkin received 52 percent when he appeared on the ballot for the first time in 2010, then got 62 percent last year when he fell 75 votes short. This year, he received the largest single-year percentage increase to gain election since 1948, when pitcher Herb Pennock was elected with 77.7 percent, a year after finishing with 53.4 percent.
Larkin is the 48th Hall of Famer who spent his entire career with one major league team and the third from the Reds, joining Bench and Bid McPhee. He credits Hall of Famer Tony Perez and Dave Concepcion for helping influence his career, and recalled fondly how he learned Spanish to better communicate with his teammates.
“Now he’s with us, another guy in the family,” Perez said.
With no big contenders among those in their first year of eligibility, several holdovers saw increases from last year: Jeff Bagwell (42 percent to 56 percent), Lee Smith (45 to 51), Tim Raines (38 to 49), Alan Trammell (24 to 37) and Edgar Martinez (33 to 37).
Bernie Williams received the most votes (55) among players who were eligible for the first time. Bill Mueller got just four votes and will be dropped in future years, along with Juan Gonzalez (23) and Vinny Castilla (six). Nine voters submitted blank ballots.
Mark McGwire, 10th on the career home run list with 583, received 19.5 percent in his sixth try, down from 19.8 percent last year and 23.7 percent in 2010—a vote before he admitted using steroids and human growth hormone.
Rafael Palmeiro, among just four players with 500 homers and 3,000 hits along with Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Eddie Murray, got 72 votes and his percentage increased to 12.6 from 11 last year in his first appearance. Palmeiro received a 10-day suspension in 2005 for a positive test for performance-enhancing drugs, claiming it was due to a vitamin vial given to him by teammate Miguel Tejada.
Gonzalez, a two-time AL MVP implicated by Jose Canseco in steroids use, received 30 votes last year, just above the 5 percent threshold for remaining on the ballot.
In 2014, the focus will turn to elite pitchers when Greg Maddux (355 wins) and Tom Glavine (305) become eligible. Among pitchers eligible for the Hall, all 20 of the 300-game winners are in.








Alabama proved it's nation's best, but 2011 unsatisfying nonetheless
stewart mandel

NEW ORLEANS -- Alabama had long since put away the game. The Tide were 4:36 away from a national championship whether or not they scored another point. But for their sake, and for college football's sake, Trent Richardson's 34-yard touchdown run to put the final clamps on LSU was absolutely, positively needed.
"That was definitely the most fun touchdown we've ever scored," Alabama tackle Barrett Jones said after his team finished demolishing the previously unblemished Tigers 21-0 to claim its second BCS championship in three years. "After two games of frustration kicking field goals, that's a moment I'll never forget."
There are probably some fans around the country who would like to forget that the 2011 season ever took place. An already frustrating and divisive year ended with a dud of a championship game. And making it all the worse was that for many, this was merely a rerun of the teams' Nov. 5 field-goal fest -- only this time Tide kicker Jeremy Shelley made more attempts (five) than he missed (two), and after 115 combined minutes against each other, someone finally reached the end zone.
But imagine if Alabama and LSU had never met a first time. Imagine if the 11-1 Tide had faced a 13-0 team from another conference on the season's final night, with the exact same result.
Imagine how dazzled we'd be by the clinic that took place.
The Tigers were 13-0. They'd beaten three teams that finished in the Top 10 of the final polls. They averaged 40.1 points against their 12 opponents not named Alabama. The Tide shut them out. LSU had averaged 215.2 rushing yards per game. Alabama held the Tigers to 39 yards on the ground and 92 total.
Meanwhile, Tide quarterback AJ McCarron finished 23-of-34 for 234 yards and no interceptions against a defense fielding a pair of All-America cornerbacks. Just for good measure, Alabama had no turnovers, one penalty and zero return yards allowed against a team that had scored nine defensive or special teams touchdowns.
"It's hard to get any better than that," said safety Mark Barron.
Which leaves us with a very strange dichotomy: Alabama won a national championship in utterly convincing fashion, yet the result was utterly unsatisfying. The Tigers, not the Tide, won the SEC championship. The Tigers, not the Tide, remarkably beat three of the five BCS bowl champions (Oregon, West Virginia and Alabama). The Tigers, not the Tide, won the teams' first meeting, in a road game that at the time was a presumed elimination game.
A set of pollsters and voters afforded Alabama a second shot at LSU, and the Tide couldn't have avenged the previous result more convincingly. But instead of a coronation, doesn't it feel like there should be another step? Wouldn't it be nice to see the Tide move on to another round and, say, beat an elite team from another conference? Doesn't it feel just a little bit ... unfair?
"It's not unfair," said gracious LSU defensive tackle Michael Brockers. "We were
second tonight. They were the better team."
Teammate Jordan Jefferson wasn't quite on the same page. Asked if his team deserved a share of the national title, the Tigers quarterback said: "I think we should. We beat Alabama before. We beat eight ranked teams. We accomplished all the things we did to get there."
The truth is Alabama probably was the best team in 2011. As dominant as its defense was Monday night, it was hardly an uncharacteristic showing. Alabama is the first team in 25 years to finish No. 1 nationally in all four major statistical defense categories (total, rushing, passing and scoring defense). It finished the season having allowed just 8.2 points per game. It allowed as many touchdowns -- 10 -- in 13 games as ACC champion Clemson allowed in one night in the Orange Bowl.
Forget just 2011. This Crimson Tide defense will go down as one of the greatest ever fielded.
"I hope people look at us as the No. 1 defense of all time," said cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick, one of four Alabama defensive starters (along with Barron and linebackers Courtney Upshaw and Dont'a Hightower) projected to go in the first round of April's draft.
Yet we never got to see Kirkpatrick and his teammates face off against an explosive offense like Oklahoma State's -- and in the system we have, there was no scenario where we would have. Back on the night of Dec. 3 the debate centered around whether the Cowboys or Tide deserved to face LSU in this game. If the Cowboys (or Boise State, or Oregon) had made a last-second field goal, Alabama probably would not have played for the BCS championship.
But it did, and it delivered a resounding final argument that it -- not LSU, not Oklahoma State, not anyone else -- was the best team of this college football season all along.
The Tide's rub ever since that 9-6 loss was their offense. Specifically, in a sport littered with stars like Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III, it was hard to envision the unspectacular McCarron leading his team to a national championship.
Monday night, he took home offensive MVP honors.
With the Tigers' own stout defense admirably slowing down star runner Richardson (he had 62 yards on 19 carries prior to his late-game touchdown burst), McCarron assumed the burden of moving the chains. After top receiver Marquis Maze went out with an apparent leg injury on a first-quarter punt return, McCarron connected with three previously unheralded targets, receivers Kevin Norwood (four catches, 78 yards) and Darius Hanks (five catches, 58 yards) and tight end Brad Smelley (seven catches, 39 yards). He took advantage of his protection to stand in the pocket and wait for receivers to get open underneath, and he dared to pick on the Honey Badger, All-America corner Tyrann Mathieu, who allowed several long completions on the outsides of the field.
"The guy's unbelievable," center William Vlachos said of third-year sophomore McCarron. "He wasn't scared at all. He executed against one of the best defenses in the country."
He certainly fared better than his counterpart, Jefferson. In an inglorious ending to a rocky career, the LSU senior was utterly ineffective, completing 11 passes for just 53 yards. The option pitches and keepers that met moderate success in the first Alabama game went nowhere this time. Alabama defenders Upshaw, Hightower, Kirkpatrick and Barron often met him in the backfield, sacking him four times. Any hope that the Tigers, down 9-0 at halftime, would mount a second-half rally went out the window shortly into the third quarter when a rattled Jefferson tossed a hurried shovel pass right into the hands of Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley.
"Every game your offense is not perfect," Jefferson said. "Some defenses will have your number, and Alabama's defense had our number tonight."
LSU coach Les Miles earned national coach of the year honors for his team's 13-0 regular season run in part for his seamless handling of a potentially divisive quarterback rotation between Jefferson and fellow senior Jarrett Lee. Monday night, however, Miles faced understandable bewilderment over why he never replaced the hapless Jefferson with Lee, even as 'Bama kept upping its margin.
"We did consider Jarrett Lee," he said. "But we felt like with the pass rush that we were getting that we needed a guy that could move the seat and not sustain that pass rush."
Their teams' fans have pitted Saban, the former LSU coach, and Miles, as rivals. The Mad Hatter earned newfound respect with consecutive upsets in 2010 and '11, but on the second Monday of 2012, Saban hoisted the BCS trophy for the third time in his past seven seasons as a college coach. He won the 2009 title at Alabama with a nearly identical approach, only this year's defense proved even more dominant.
"They are a hateful bunch," said Saban. "They are as competitive as you can imagine."
And yet, the 2011 team bares two notable differences from its 2009 predecessors: It didn't go undefeated, and it didn't win an SEC championship.
Thus, it will be hard for the college football world to unconditionally immortalize Alabama the way it normally does a national champion. The Tide will be remembered for an utterly dominant final game, but their season as a whole was fairly unmemorable. They beat an eventual 9-4 Penn State team the second week and 11-2 Arkansas a couple of weeks later.
And then they didn't beat another team with that many wins until ... Monday.
In a sport that champions the notion that "Every Game Counts," only the final one truly mattered this year. LSU had the better season. Alabama had the better team. The Tide could not have done anything more to prove that, but it sure would be nice if there was a way they could.




Final AP Poll
1. Alabama (55) 12-1
2. LSU (1) 13-1
3. Oklahoma State (4) 12-1
4. Oregon 12-2
5. Arkansas 11-2
6. USC 10-2
7. Stanford 11-2
8. Boise State 12-1
9. South Carolina 11-2
10. Wisconsin 11-3
11. Michigan State 11-3
12. Michigan 11-2
13. Baylor 10-3
14. TCU 10-3
15. Kansas State 10-3
16. Oklahoma 10-3
17. West Virginia 10-3
18. Houston 13-1
19. Georgia 10-4
20. Southern Miss 12-2
21. Virginia Tech 11-3
22. Clemson 10-4
23. Florida State 9-4
24. Nebraska 9-4
25. Cincinnati 10-3



All Buckeye NFL Team

DEPTH CHART

Base offense (1 RB, 3 WR)
QB – Terrelle Pryor, Troy Smith**
RB – Beanie Wells, Brandon Saine, Maurice Clarett**
TE – Jake Ballard, Ben Hartsock, Roy Hall**
WR – Santonio Holmes, Ted Ginn Jr., Brian Robiskie
WR – Michael Jenkins, Brian Hartline, Roy Hall**
WR (slot) – Dane Sanzenbacher, Anthony Gonzalez
LT – Alex Boone, Jim Cordle
LG – Rob Sims, Adrian Clarke**
C – Nick Mangold (A,P), Jim Cordle
RG – Justin Boren, Bryant Browning
RT – Jim Cordle, Shane Olivea**

Base Defense (3-4)
NT – Ryan Pickett, Doug Worthington, Dexter Larimore***
DE – Will Smith, Thaddeus Gibson
DE – Cameron Heyward, Darrion Scott
OLB – Na’il Diggs, Bobby Carpenter
ILB – A.J. Hawk, Austin Spitler
ILB – James Laurinaitis, Larry Grant
OLB – Brian Rolle, Ross Homan***
CB – Nate Clements, Chimdi Chekwa, Ashton Youboty
CB – Antoine Winfield, Chris Gamble, Ashton Youboty
SS – Donte Whitner, Donald Washington, Jermale Hines
FS – Malcolm Jenkins, Kurt Coleman (nickle), Will Allen, Anderson Russell*

Specialists
LS – Jake McQuaide
KR – Ted Ginn Jr., Brandon Saine
PR – Ted Ginn Jr., Santonio Holmes
K – Mike Nugent
P – Andy Groom***

Legend
A - All-Pro selection (second-team)
P- Pro Bowl selection
*Practice squad player
**UFL player
***Out of league
Strengths