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Postseason implications ride on game between BYU and Gonzaga
by admin on Feb.22, 2012, under Other
The winner will receive byes in the West Coast Conference Tournament until the semifinals and is virtually guaranteed a spot in the NCAA tournament in March. The loser still has to prove it belongs in the postseason despite its impressive record. Besides that, it’s just a regular basketball game.
The BYU men’s basketball team is in Spokane, Wash., to play the University of Gonzaga Thursday night. The game is the second meeting between the teams this season, the first resulting in an 83-73 Cougar win at the Marriott Center. The teams enter the game with the same conference record and sole position of second place on the line.
Sarah Strobel
Brock Zylstra brings the ball down the court against Gonzaga.
“This is going to be an exciting game for both teams, with a lot of implications on it,” senior guard Charles Abouo said. “Anytime you play a really good team where the game can go either way, you have to respect that and do a good job of getting prepared for it.”
The Cougars (23-6, 11-3 West Coast Conference) may be without senior forward Noah Hartsock, who injured his knee in the second half of Saturday’s game against Santa Clara. He is listed as a game-time decision for Thursday and hasn’t participated in a full practice this week.
“He’s got a lot of soreness in there,” BYU head coach Dave Rose said. “There’s a chance he can play Thursday, but my hope is that we can get him on the floor this weekend. He’s had a remarkable season as far as his ability to step up and perform every night in whatever we need. We need him in there, and hopefully we can get him back as soon as possible.”
The other half of the dominant post duo for the Cougars is junior forward Brandon Davies, who is leading the team in almost every statistical category. He leads the team with 17.1 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.6 blocks and 1.6 steals per game, in addition to shooting 53.1 percent from the floor in conference games.
BYU is also bolstered by freshman guard Matt Carlino’s 12.1 points and 4.5 assists per game, as well as 11 points per game from Abouo.
“When we’re just going out there, having fun and playing our game, we’re at our best,” Davies said. “We’re still getting better. It’s a big game for us.”
The game will be played in the famed McCarthy Athletic Arena, nicknamed “The Kennel,” which is renowned for its atmosphere and frenzied fans.
“It’s crazy there, but we’ll be ready for them,” Abouo said. “We love playing on the road. It will be a much tougher test than the previous two times, on their home court. We’ve never played them there.”
The Bulldogs (21-5, 11-3) come into the game featuring four players who average almost identical points per game. Junior forward Elias Harris leads the team with 12.8 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. Freshman guard Kevin Pangos averages 12.6 points and senior center Robert Sacre and freshman guard Gary Bell Jr. average 12.4 and 11 points, respectively. The Bulldogs are coming off a one-point loss to San Francisco on Saturday.
Even though BYU and Gonzaga have only played each other three times in the history of the schools, a rivalry has already developed, stemming from the win in last years’ NCAA tournament and the implications that depend on the outcome of this game.
“The rivalry thing has me flustered, because I don’t really know what it is,” Carlino said. “I don’t think any of us in the conference really like each other. If a rivalry is just wanting to beat the other team, then I consider this a rivalry. It’ll be fun.”
The game will tip off at 9 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN2.
Watch highlights of last year’s NCAA tournament game with Gonzaga:
Scott Hansen is a reporter for The Daily Universe.
Brew: Sports quotes can say it all
by admin on Feb.22, 2012, under Other
Finding a job, the economy, famine and war are just a few of the issues the world faces.
And with so many of those problems, who would not want to escape to a world where anything is possible?
That place can be found in the world of sports. A place where Cinderella lives, and legends come to fruition. Where kids who never would have had a chance become icons. It’s a place where a Harvard graduate like Jeremy Lin can capture the entire country’s attention for something other than his academic triumphs or business ventures.
Sports create memories that not only last a lifetime, but are also genuine. They cannot be faked or planned, they are simply real.
That’s why I brewed about my favorite sports quotes last February, and that’s why I’m brewing about them again.
There’s no way I could possibly limit myself to only writing one of these, so without further ado, here’s brew number two:
“Mike Eruzione! Winthrop, Massachusetts! I play for the United States of America.” — Patrick Dempsey as Mike Eruzione in the movie “Miracle.”
A team full of college kids playing the best team in the world. What a miracle that game was.
But the most special aspect of this quote, and that team in particular, is that these kids came from different schools that hated each other. Because of the physicality of the sport, hockey rivalries are some of the most intense in sports among the players. When Eruzione said this, he put everything in the past for the good of the team.
“She’s not Lois Einhorn! She’s Ray Finkle, she’s a man!” — Jim Carrey as Ace Ventura in “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.”
There are a number of great quotes in the classic comedy, But this one takes first place, as Ace Ventura reveals the true kidnapper of Dan Marino, to be Ray Finkle, the former Miami Dolphins kicker. In the movie, Finkle blamed Marino for not holding the “laces out” on a kick that would have won the Dolphins the Super Bowl. Instead, Finkle missed the kick, and the rest is cinematic history.
“Show me a guy who’s afraid to look bad, and I’ll show you a guy you can beat every time.” — Lou Brock.
Half of Fame outfielder Lou Brock nailed this one about the importance of being fearless. Brock knew that the only way to succeed in sports is to not be afraid of making a mistake.
“I’ve failed over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed,” — Michael Jordan.
Jordan referenced all of the shots he’d missed and the games he’s lost as his motivation. Michael Jordan hated losing more than anything else, and because of that hatred, his work ethic became unrivaled. Jordan is often considered the best athlete, or at least, the best basketball player of all time. And the man attributed his success to his failures.
At Kansas, there is a bond created from sports, and that bond will be on display against Missouri on Saturday. And like Bill Self said before the 2008 national championship game, “I want to thank you in advance right now for the great memories it’s going to be.”
— Edited by Max Lush
Article source: http://www.kansan.com/news/2012/feb/22/brew/
NASCAR-CUP: Stewart compares the Shootout and the Daytona 500
by admin on Feb.22, 2012, under Other
TONY STEWART, NO. 14 OFFICE DEPOT/MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET met with media at Daytona International Speedway and discussed pack racing and tandem racing at Daytona, new crew chief, Steve Addington, how the Budweiser Shootout might compare to the Daytona 500, practice this week, and more.
ARE THE RULES BETWEEN THE PACKAGES IN NATIONWIDE AND SPRINT CUP CLOSE ENOUGH THAT YOU CAN TRANSLATE WHAT HAPPENS ON SATURDAY TO SUNDAY?
“I’ll be honest. I’m not exactly sure what’s different from what we ran last year to this year. I know that they’ve implemented a couple of things that they’ve done to the Cup car, but I honestly don’t know exactly what those are yet. But we’ll learn and we’ll adapt to it pretty quick and figure out exactly what we have to do to be good in this Oreo car on Saturday.”
JUST FOLLOWING WHAT HAPPENED IN THE CHASE LAST YEAR AND THEN YOU ALMOST WIN THE SHOOTOUT (SATURDAY NIGHT) AND CARL EDWARDS WINS THE POLE FOR THE DAYTONA 500; ARE WE GOING TO SEE A RIVALRY STARTING HERE BETWEEN YOU AND CARL EDWARDS AND DO YOU THINK NASCAR NEEDS THAT?
“I don’t know if it will be a rivalry because of it, mainly because we have so much respect for each other. But I kind of thought that too after we ran second the other night and then Carl got the pole. I thought, man, we’re both picking up right where we left off. I hope it’s that way for both of us. It would be great to start the year off like we finished it last year to have a run like that. But it’ll only be good for NASCAR if both of us can run that strong against each other and be head-to-head each week. I don’t think one or the other of us, just running off and having a great run the first ten races is going to be a good deal.”
NASCAR HAD A GREAT FINISH TO THE 2011 SEASON. HOW DOES THIS CONTINUE THIS YEAR? WHAT’S YOUR SECOND ACT?
“I wish I knew (laughs). I wish I knew how to control and be 100 percent in control of what was the first act. So many things change in this sport versus other sports. The competition and technology and everything changes weekly. So you can imagine how much stuff changes over the off-season. I think NASCAR has done a good job. I think the (Budweiser) Shootout was a perfect example of how hard NASCAR is working to try to make sure they come up with great rules packages. We’ve got a new car that’s coming out in 2013 and I think everybody is really, really going to like. I think it’s a cool-looking car. I got to see it first-hand. So I’m excited about that. But I think the racing this year will be just as good as it’s always been; and potentially even better. I think you’ll see a bunch of guys that actually get on a roll this year.”
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE IN THE PACK RACING WE SAW IN THE SHOOTOUT THE OTHER NIGHT COMPARED TO BACK IN 2006 WHEN YOU WERE WORRIED ABOUT PEOPLE GETTING INJURED OR HURT?
“I think a lot of it is that the bumpers didn’t line-up as good then as they do now. So if you do get put in a situation where you do run into somebody it doesn’t just instantly wreck them. And that was kind of the thing that you worried about was just getting run into from behind. We’ve had to push ourselves as drivers over the last couple of years to learn how to do this two-car deal (tandem racing) and you take a step back to going back to pack racing and it’s like wow, it’s just so much easier. You’re not having to hold your breath all the time and not having to clinch the steering wheel so tight all the time. I think mainly the difference between now and ’06 is just you know that the bumpers line up and ’06 was before they repaved the track, too. So we’ve got a lot more grip in the race track which gives us a little more security also.”
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“There was a lot less of it then, for sure. We’re still going to have a lot more of the pushing style than what we had back in ’06, but back then the track couldn’t handle it. The track was worn out and didn’t have a lot of grip. It had a lot of bumps in it. Now, the track is really smooth. It has a lot more grip to it so it’s a lot easier to do what we’re having to do now versus back then.”
WHAT DOES (CREW CHIEF) STEVE ADDINGTON BRING TO YOUR TEAM?
“(He brings) a lot of knowledge. I got to work with Steve a lot at Gibbs, when he was with Kyle (Busch). We didn’t work hand-and-hand with him but we got to be around him a lot and just listening to his comments and team debriefs and just casual conversations in the shop, he’s got a very calm demeanor but he’s a guy that when it comes time to make that big call, he’s the guy that you want on your side to do that. I think he’s ready.”
AFTER GOING THROUGH THE SHOOTOUT, HOW WILL YOU APPROACH THE DUELS COMING UP ON THURSDAY?
“I think kind of similarly to what we did basically at the beginning of the Shootout. I think we’ve got a really good car for Sunday, so you want to get the best finishing position you can in the Shootout without beating up the race car. So, we’re going to try to do everything we can to now put ourselves in bad situations. But when it comes to the end of the race tomorrow, we’ll push really hard to see how far up we can get and try to get a good spot, but I guess the biggest variable in the equation is just don’t hurt the car that we’ve got. We’re locked into the race and I think even if we don’t get the starting spot we want, I still think you can come from the back much easier and get to the front. The biggest thing is to just take care of the race car. But the racer in you at the end of the day still wants to go get the best finish you can.”
IS THE DAYTONA 500 GOING TO PLAY OUT SIMILARLY TO THE BUDWEISER SHOOTOUT IN TERMS OF PACK RACING FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE RACE? AND THEN, HOW LONG CAN YOU TWO-CAR DRAFT AT THE END? KYLE BUSCH SAID AT THE END OF THE SHOOTOUT THAT HE KNEW YOU WERE A SITTING DUCK BECAUSE THE SECOND CAR HAS THE ADVANTAGE. DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT?
“I do agree. I would say it’s about a three-to-one advantage. The pack racing versus the pushing, I think you’ll see the pack racing for the majority of the day. I think guys are going to want to control their own destiny a little more and you aren’t going to lose the pack if you’re not paired-up with somebody and pushing the whole race. So that, I think, is what you’ll see. At the end I can almost guarantee you that there’s going to be a tandem-style deal, at the very end of the race. How long we can push depends on what kind of air temperature we have and that’s the biggest single variable is how much air can we get in the radiator? So, it’s hard to say right now. If that temperature goes up ten degrees, it could take it from two laps to a lap. But I don’t think guys can do it for near as long as what they were before.”
ARE YOU PRETTY HAPPY WITH THE RULES PACKAGE THAT NASCAR HAS PUT OUT THERE? IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE FOR THEM TO DO THAT MAYBE THEY HAVEN’T DONE OR EXPLORE THAT MIGHT MAKE FOR A BETTER RACE?
“I think I’m pretty happy with it for this week. It obviously is going to come down to a two-car deal at the end of the race. But at least for the whole race you’re not going to be watching packs all day. You’re actually going to be watching guys who can drive themselves to the front and it’s going to rotate and circulate. Guys are going to get up there and then get shuffled back. But yeah, for the most part I am pretty happy with it because nobody has come up with a better solution. And trust me; I’ve tried to think of all kinds of ideas. I think NASCAR is smarter than I am. It’s hard to find a package that gets done exactly what they’re wanting to get done here. And a lot of that’s (because) we’ve got a race track that has so much grip in it that we can do things that we normally wouldn’t be able to do if it didn’t have that kind of grip. So, there’s nothing wrong with what we’ve got. Obviously they always want to make it better, but I think they’ve done a really good job in the off-season of trying to find a balance to make it to where we won’t do it as long and where we kind of get away from each other for the majority of the race.”
HAVE YOU THOUGHT MUCH ABOUT THE END OF THE SHOOTOUT SINCE THE RACE? AND IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY IN TERMS OF TRYING TO HOLD OFF KYLE BUSCH?
“I’ve got a couple of ideas (laughs) and none of them would be trying to block him. That would have been the last idea I would have had. But that wasn’t anything I even thought of. If you try to block that guy, you’re just going to get wrecked and you’re probably going to wreck both cars. The guy behind there, once he gets pulled out there and gets coming up, if you try to block, you’re just going to drive across his nose and wreck yourself. So it’s just trying to figure out what different scenarios that you can run and I’ve got a couple of ideas in my mind but I don’t want to share them with everybody (laughs), to be honest. I might need them for Sunday.”
YOU TALKED ABOUT THE AIR PRESSURE AND AIR TEMPS. I THINK THAT NASCAR HAS JUST ALLOWED YOU ANOTHER THREE POUNDS. WHEN IT COMES TO THESE RULES, AS A CAR OWNER, DO YOU GO TO NASCAR? HOW MUCH CONCERN TO YOU HAVE ABOUT IT AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN TERMS OF LOBBYING?
“I’m not doing any lobbying. That’s (Greg) Zipadelli’s job. Honestly, it really doesn’t matter to me. It’s the same for everybody. The longer that we can two-car-push, the less I like it. So I’m all in favor of them trying to find ways to keep the packs broken up. So I think NASCAR has done a pretty good job of trying to figure out scenarios. Even little things like just coming down pit road and sitting in your pit box, that builds temperatures. So they have to figure out a lot of different variables (for) not only what’s going on on the race track, but simple things like if you get a piece of trash on the nose of the car it could literally cost you to have to come in and pit versus what we’ve had in the past. They’re trying to look at all the variables that could happen in all different scenarios and trying to find a perfect package.”
ON THE OFF-SEASON NOT BEING MUCH OF AN OFF-SEASON, DO YOU NEED A BREAK? DO YOU GET A BREAK? HOW DO YOU ESCAPE?
“I’m not sure I really needed a break. I took a little bit of time and took about five or six days and went out of town. But for the most part, I was pretty content. I was happy to see how excited the guys were during the off-season. It was fun to watch and be around Zippy again and definitely wanted to spend time with Steve Addington. So I did the things that I wanted to do. I still went and ran Short Track races and had fun. So, I had a good off-season; it just wasn’t much of a break from everything.”
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR CAR, HOW MUCH DO YOU PRACTICE TODAY AND FRIDAY AND SATURDAY? ALSO, DO YOU HAVE ANY PLANS TO WORK WITH DANICA PATRICK DURING PRACTICE IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS?
“Yeah, when we get finished here, I’m going to go find out what the plan is from Steve Addington and see exactly what he’s got in mind. I’m not sure what that plan is. I know there is going to be guys that aren’t going to practice very much. In my opinion, we wouldn’t run a lot today to get ready for tomorrow’s race. I think you see how tomorrow goes and see what the variables are and figure out if we need to spend more time working on a couple of variables that we thought we could make better. But if they are better today, then I’m not sure if we would spend a ton of time together.”
REGARDING YOUR SHORT TRACK PROGRAM, HAVE YOU COMMITTED TO GOING BACK TO OHSWEKEN SPEEDWAY (CANADA) TO DEFEND YOUR TITLE (WORLD OF OUTLAWS SPRINT CAR FEATURE WIN) THIS YEAR?
“Yeah, we have. We got that agreement done I think three weeks ago. So we’re very excited about that. Glen Styers (track owner sprint car racer), I saw him down here at Volusia this week and got to race with him. He’s excited. I’m excited. We had a good time up there.”
DO YOU FEEL JINXED IN THE DAYTONA 500? DO YOU LOOK AT YOUR RECORD AND SEE THE PARALLELS WITH DALE EARNHARDT, SR.?
“I don’t think we feel jinxed. We’ve had some really good cars here and we’ve just missed. I mean, we ran second to Dale Jr. that one year. I don’t remember what year it was, but we had a really, really good car. And I had a pit road speeding penalty coming in on a green flag stop and had to go to the back. And we worked our way back up to the front and I got loose in front of Kurt (Busch) and Kurt didn’t have anywhere to go and it took out both of us from the 500 that year. So we’ve had some good opportunities. We’ve been leading late in these races and so I feel like (with) the law of averages, we’re going to get one eventually. But I mean there have been a lot of them that have slipped away and slipped through our fingers. But we’ve had good luck here; we just haven’t had that good luck during the 500 yet. So we’ll just keep digging.”
Article source: http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/stewart-compares-the-shootout-and-the-daytona-500/
Ballyragget connection earns Coe a heritage cert
by admin on Feb.22, 2012, under Other
The Irish Times – Thursday, February 23, 2012
MARK HENNESSY, London Editor
STANDING HIGH in the Olympic Stadium in London yesterday alongside gold-medal winner Sebastian Coe, President Michael D Higgins looked down on workmen below and dreamed of returning for the Games.
“It would be a great hope of mine, it would be my strong expectation,” he said, as he praised the beauty of the architecture of the stadium. “It is wonderful the way that it lifts away. The line of sight is magnificent,” he said on the second day of an official visit to London.
Coe, chairman of the London 2012 organising committee, is used to international political figures making the pilgrimage to east London, but few come, as Michael D did yesterday, carrying a certificate of national heritage.
The framed certificate, said the President, marks the fact that Coe’s great-grandfather, Edward Swann, came from Ballyragget, Co Kilkenny, and was a highly-regarded painter who later produced many of the Great Western Railway’s most iconic advertisements of the 1920s and 1930s.
“The Irish nation cherishes its special affinity with people of Irish ancestry living abroad who share its cultural identity and heritage . . . if we had discovered this before 1980 our store of gold medals would have been different.
“But even at this late stage we congratulate you on bringing the Olympics [to London] and more importantly to you and your colleagues for delivering such a wonderful project, but also to thank you for being proud of your heritage and Ballyragget,” said Mr Higgins.
Coe remains one of Britain’s most-remembered Olympic athletes for winning Olympic medals, including the 1,500 metres gold medal in 1980 and 1984, but, mostly, for his rivalry with his fellow British athlete, Steve Ovett.
Replying, Coe said he had told Pat Hickey, head of the Olympic Council of Ireland, of his Irish links – which are not enough to guarantee citizenship under the grandfather rule – over dinner one night: “I will long cherish the expletive that came from Pat’s mouth when I told him.”
Questioned about his interest in sport, Mr Higgins declared his loyalty to Galway United.
“I watch a great deal of soccer. My sons play. I like horse-racing, as well,” he said, while on the Olympics he said he was a track-and-field man.
Article source: http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/851/f/10845/s/1cdc3e02/l/0L0Sirishtimes0N0Cnewspaper0Cireland0C20A120C0A2230C12243122440A0A90Bhtml/story01.htm
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by admin on Feb.22, 2012, under Other
Spokane, Wash. • When BYU announced it was joining the West Coast Conference about 18 months ago, the Cougars immediately expressed their desire to spark a men’s basketball rivalry with WCC kingpin Gonzaga, and relished the chance to test themselves at least twice a year against another private, faith-based school with a national profile.
That hoped-for rivalry is still in the budding stage, but Thursday’s showdown at Gonzaga’s McCarthey Athletic Center (9 p.m. MST, ESPN2) could turn it into something more — something BYU’s big win at last year’s NCAA Tournament in Denver over the Zags and convincing win three weeks ago in Provo couldn’t quite accomplish.
Until then, maybe the notion that this could be an NCAA Tournament elimination game for the Cougars (11-3, 23-6) will have to suffice. With an RPI of 21, one of the most difficult schedules in the country and 3-3 record against top-50 RPI teams, Gonzaga (11-3, 21-5) is most likely in the NCAA field.
But for BYU, hopes of garnering its sixth-straight trip to March Madness might be on the line. Win, and the Cougars are probably in, regardless of what happens in next week’s WCC tournament in Las Vegas. Lose, and they are back on the bubble, and might need to do some damage in the conference tourney.
“We gotta win the game on Thursday,” BYU coach Dave Rose said flatly this week, when asked if the Cougars have to win the conference tournament to get in the NCAA field.
Thursday’s game could also have WCC regular-season title implications for BYU if league-leading St. Mary’s (12-2) stumbles at either Portland on Thursday or San Francisco on Saturday. That’s amazing, considering where the Cougars were at emotionally after consecutive January home losses to Loyola Marymount and St. Mary’s.
“There is a lot riding on the game, but is is [still] basketball,” said BYU senior Charles Abouo. “It is fun. That’s why we come here, to play in these games. We’ve done a pretty good job in the last couple of years of finishing well. But to get to where you want to go, you have to win these games.”
The Cougars might not be at full strength, however. Noah Hartsock sprained his left knee in Saturday’s 82-67 win at Santa Clara. Whether BYU’s top scorer and shot-blocker plays or not will be a game-time decision. Point guard Matt Carlino also has knee issues, but is expected to play.
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As he usually does, Rose has downplayed the game’s significance to BYU’s tournament at-large hopes, instead focusing on the conference race, and continuing a trend of playing well in February. That’s something the program prides itself on.
“It gives us the best opportunity to win the West Coast Conference,” guard Brock Zylstra said. “Then, after that, we will worry about other things like the conference tournament and the NCAA Tournament, but it is a big game, and everybody knows it.”
The Cougars’ road record, 8-2, is tournament-worthy, but they are bracing for the most hostile crowd of the season — with the possible exception of long-ago opener at Utah State—- at what Gonzaga refers to as The Kennel. Rose mentioned several times Tuesday that Gonzaga is much better at home than on the road, after the Zags trailed by as many as 19 points in Provo on Feb. 2.
“We have had a lot of support [from BYU fans], as everybody has seen, on the road,” Zylstra said. “This game won’t be that way, and so yeah, it will be a hostile environment. It will be a fun experience. It will be loud, it will be crazy, but we are ready for it.”
Loud and crazy enough to help a rivalry get off the ground?
“Yeah,” said BYU point guard Matt Carlino, who will square off against Gonzaga’s Kevin Pangos, also a freshman. “When two really good teams are going at each other, especially in the same conference, it is always going to be considered a rivalry game. So, it will be fun.”
And profitable, for one team, considering an NCAA Tournament at-large bid is quite likely on the line.
drew@sltrib.comTwitter: @drewjay
Article source: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/sports/53567477-77/byu-gonzaga-percentage-coaches.html.csp
ESPN College GameDay to Make Return Trip to Durham
by admin on Feb.22, 2012, under Other
DURHAM, N.C. – ESPN College GameDay covered by State Farm
returns to Cameron Indoor Stadium on Saturday, March 3 prior to Duke’s regular
season ending tilt with North Carolina. Blue Devil fans can be a part of the
Duke-North Carolina series and appear on ESPN as the network will air a
two-hour live show in a day-long preview to the greatest rivalry in college
athletics.
Join ESPN’s GameDay crew of Rece Davis, Jay Bilas, Digger Phelps, Hubert Davis
and legendary coach Bob Knight live in Cameron Indoor Stadium from 10 a.m.-12
p.m. and again from 6-7 p.m. in the Krzyzewskiville courtyard. GameDay is free and open to the general public with the doors to Cameron Indoor
Stadium opening at 8:30 a.m.
Don’t miss the chance to be part of a live TV broadcast, see how it all happens
behind the scenes on the set and show the nation why the Duke-North Carolina
rivalry is the best in college athletics. Duke hosted the first College GameDay
for basketball and the shows have always been full of fun and surprises.
Special
guests and former players along with Duke Basketball prizes and giveaways will
add to the show, so don’t miss your chance to be part of this special day in
Cameron.
One lucky
fan will have the chance to shoot a half-court shot for $18,000 from State
Farm. It was in Cameron Indoor Stadium three years ago that someone last made
the half-court shot on GameDay.
The public
entrance into the event will be from the South Hall of Honor and the Duke
Basketball Museum and Athletics Hall of Fame located in the Schwartz-Butters
Athletic Building. Persons with disabilities will enter Cameron at the
ramp located outside the lower level South Entrance (Wallace Wade Stadium
side). Undergraduate and graduate students will enter from the North
Lobby (Krzyzewskiville side).
General public parking will be available free of charge from
7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. in Circuit Drive parking lots. A free courtesy
shuttle bus will run from the Circuit Drive parking lots to Whitford Drive and
the South Hall of Honor entrance. The shuttle bus will begin at 7:00 a.m.
and end at 1:00 p.m. Parking for Persons with Disabilities will be
available in the Science Drive Visitor’s Lot beginning at 7:00 a.m. An ADA
lift-equipped van and six-passenger shuttles for persons with mobility
impairments will run from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. from the Science Drive
Visitor’s Lot to all Cameron Indoor Stadium entrances.
Saturday’s events will be a prelude to the Duke-North Carolina game at 7 p.m.
on ESPN with Dan Shulman, Dick Vitale, Jay Bilas and Erin Andrews calling the
action.
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Article source: http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=205384734&DB_OEM_ID=4200
Bentonville School Board’s Next Step For Second High School
by admin on Feb.22, 2012, under Other
Bentonville School Board Members voted Tuesday night to build the new high school on a piece of property near Gamble Elementary in Centerton.
The other option for the site would have put the school in Bentonville, near Central Park Elementary. According to a district spokesperson, one factor in the decision was that the students, who will be attending the new high school, set to open in fall of 2015, live closer to the Centerton location.
“The next step we’ll take is to decide how big the school will be,” said Bentonville School Board Member Scott Packnett.
According Packnett, the new school will probably hold between 2,000 and 2,500 students.
Parents we spoke with like the idea that it will be smaller than the original Bentonville High School, which currently holds more than 3,500 students.
“We are actually proponents of a smaller school but with strong academics,” said Samantha Espenschied.
“I think that Bentonville High School is a pretty big campus, and given the current economic state, I think we really need to look at a reasonable priced high school,” said Celia Thompkins.
The District’s Facilities Committee is meeting March 9, to decide on school programs, technology, and athletic facilities, with the board voting on March 12.
“Do we go with full athletic features, three-quarters athletic features, half, shared, that’s one of the big questions we do have to answer,” said Packnett.
Some parents think the two high schools should share sports facilities.
“I think that would be a more economical and practical solution,” said Thompkins.
“I’ve been in school districts that have had to share, so it can work both ways,” said Melonie Hendrickson.
But others think each school should have its own..
“Like a rivalry school, that would be kind of fun, you know,” said Kim Gamble.
Many feel a second high school will give more students a chance to participate in school activities.
“Having a second school can only add opportunity,” said Hendrickson.
But a lot of work still needs to be done before folks can vote on funding for the new school, which should be on the ballot in late June.
“There are a lot of things to really decide on to be able to get to the millage package,” said Packnett.
Packnett also says it will be a couple years down the road before they decide on where the attendance zone lines will be, but that they are working daily on creating the best possible second high school.
Article source: http://nwahomepage.com/fulltext?nxd_id=309172
‘Women’s game needs a rivalry’
by admin on Feb.22, 2012, under Other
Dubai: When Dubai Duty Free, the title sponsor of the region’s tennis extravaganza, decided to name Ana Ivanovic as one of their global brand ambassadors, they obviously knew what they were doing. True, she may have fallen from the lofty heights she achieved in 2008 when she won the French Open and reached No 1 in the world, but her charm and appeal have hardly taken a beating because of that. The stunning 24-year-old Serb understandably has her hands full as she goes about fulfilling sponsors’ obligations and signing autographs for kids, but still took time out to speak to XPRESS exclusively on a variety of subjects ranging from the state of women’s tennis, her own game and her baffling record in the region.
“Women’s tennis is very good at the moment,” she said.
“There are lots of players who are good enough to be ranked at the top, but what women’s tennis desperately needs is a rivalry, a strong one between two top players, something that has been lacking for quite some time.”
The Serb is also of the opinion that something needs to be done to the tennis calendar as players are still playing too many tournaments. “The women’s calendar is still very tight despite us having a longer off season than the men and I know the men are trying desperately to lengthen their off season but that is one thing I’d like to see being done,” she said.
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Currently ranked 18 in the world, Ivanovic, who defended her Tournament of Champions title in Bali at the end of last year, believes she still needs to make improvements to her game if she is to again challenge for the top. “My serve really needs to improve. It’s an integral part of my game. I have improved it a lot, but it’s still not there where I want it to be all the time. My game fails when my serve doesn’t work,” she said.
Middle east blues
Ivanovic, however, was at a loss to explain why she has never been able to perform well in events in the Middle East despite her obvious liking for Doha and especially Dubai. “Every year I come to these events thinking of setting the record straight but then either it’s injury or a bad day in office. My form has been on the up again and hopefully I can do well here this time,” she said ahead of reaching the quarter-finals.
Looking ahead to the rest of the year, Ivanovic revealed the goals she has set herself. “This is the Olympics year and winning a medal for Serbia would be a dream, especially given that I had to withdraw from the Beijing Olympics in 2008 due to injury. I also hope to finish the year ranked inside the top 10 and try to win a place in the Tour Championship,” she said.
As Dubai Duty Free’s brand ambassador, Ana Ivanovic will act and star in the “Dubai Duty Free Full of Surprises Travel Show” — a unique short form travel series which will be aired on TV and online — and conduct appearances at sporting events sponsored by Dubai Duty Free
Article source: http://gulfnews.com/sport/tennis/women-s-game-needs-a-rivalry-1.985066
Temple, The Door Is Over There
by admin on Feb.22, 2012, under Other
Authors
Article source: http://www.hustlebelt.com/2012/2/22/2817061/temple-football-heavens-just-make-a-decision-already
Retired Goshen News Sports Editor Swartz honored by IHSAA
by admin on Feb.22, 2012, under Other
Regarded by many as a “community treasure” and known for more than four decades of sports coverage, Stu Swartz was honored Tuesday as the recipient of the 2011-12 IHSAA Distinguished Media Service Award for District I.
Swartz’s contributions to Indiana high school sports were recognized during the South Bend St. Joseph’s-Goshen boys basketball game with IHSAA Commissioner Bobby Cox and Sports Information Director Jason Wille making the presentation.
Swartz retired last summer after 45 years with The Goshen News, including the last 12 as sports editor, having covered several state championship teams among thousands of area high school football, basketball, softball and baseball games.
He was a junior at Goshen High School when he got his start with the local newspaper which was looking for someone to cover area high school baseball games. Swartz had impressed as the official scorekeeper for the Goshen Redskins baseball team at the time and took the opportunity. After graduation, Swartz attended Iowa State University before joining the United States Army and serving our country in Vietnam.
Upon returning home, he rejoined The Goshen News as a full-time staffer in April of 1971 and always tried to follow the advice of the editor that hired him to “report the news, don’t make it”. His family ties to the newspaper began before he was even born as his grandfather, Herb, also was a sports writer and editor for The Goshen News from 1923-51.
Area high school athletic directors who worked with Swartz appreciated the extensive coverage he gave their student-athletes and how he always displayed integrity, class and professionalism.
“Stu never focused on a student-athlete’s poor play, but always on the positive play,” said Goshen athletic director Larry Kissinger. “He never talked about who made the turnover, but focused on the student-athlete who made the great interception or steal.”
Concord athletic director David Preheim, commented: “Stu worked hard to earn the trust of local coaches, who knew that he would treat them fairly. He also possesses a keen ability to remember statistics, stories and people from years gone by. I always enjoyed striking up a conversation with him about the history of a particular rivalry or about a long-ago graduated athlete. There have been several times where I have called on him to help fill in some missing pieces in our own department history.”
Swartz has been the recipient of numerous awards over the years for his writing and sports coverage and is a member of the Elkhart County Sports Hall of Fame. He’s been honored by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association with its Service Award (1984) and its Virgil Sweet Award (2010), the Indiana Athletic Administrators presented him with its Distinguished Service Award in 1996 and the Indiana Football Coaches Association recognized him with its Media Award in 2000.
Besides his professional responsibilities, Swartz also served as director of the Goshen men’s fast-pitch softball league from 1974-1985.
This is the 27th year the IHSAA has recognized outstanding members of the Indiana news media from each of its three legislative districts for excellence in the coverage of high school sports. Swartz is the third individual to be honored this school year joining Mark Brochin of WWBL in Washington and Ray Cooney of The Commercial Review in Portland.
Article source: http://www.wndu.com/sports/headlines/Retired_Goshen_News_Sports_Editor_Swartz_honored_by_IHSAA_140028493.html
