Sunday, April 20, 2008

Sunday Stories

Kurt Streeter of The Los Angeles Times writes how UCS head coach Pete Carroll tries to make a difference in the hard streets of L.A.... "Few know that about twice a month Carroll leaves his comfy digs at USC, hops in the back of a beaten Camry driven by a former gang member and heads to South L.A. neighborhoods where the snap of gunfire and the anguish of death occur with the steady regularity of a metronome. These are not recruiting visits. He's trying to save lives." ...
  • Kurt Streeter


  • Eric Hansen of The South Bend Tribune gives a review of Notre Dame's Blue-Gold game and their disdain for Michigan... "“And last year was rough. Getting killed by Michigan was the worst. I hate Michigan. Probably everyone in this room does.” ...
  • Eric Hansen


  • Bob Hunter of the Columbus Dispatch gives a review of Ohio State's Scarlet-Gray game and their disdain for Michigan... "Thousands of wet, shiny people huddled happily in the Ohio Stadium bleachers while the irritated sky gave them its best shot. Thousands were willing to brave bad weather and even bad football for that one moment that proves the Buckeyes will win it all in the fall." ...
  • Bob Hunter


  • Steven Sipple of The Lincoln Journal Star gives a review of Nebraska's Red-White game as 80,000 plus attend... "A crowd of 80,149 — the second-largest ever to attend a spring football game at any school — told you it was OK. All those ex-Huskers wearing smiles told you it was OK. Those smiles told you the passion was as real as a crack-back block, as opposed to the contrived and colossal mess that the program became in the last few years." ...
  • Steven Sipple


  • Gary Klein of The Los Angeles Times gives a review of Southern Cal's Cardinal-Gold game... "After USC coaches tabbed him as the starting quarterback early last week, Mark Sanchez was not about to leave the decision open to summer debate. Sanchez, a fourth-year junior, finished spring practice Saturday by passing for three touchdowns during the Trojans' annual scrimmage at the Coliseum." ...
  • Gary Klein


  • Guy Cipriano of the State College Cente Daily gives a review of Penn State's Blue-White game... "After the game, the three candidates for Centre County’s most coveted and scrutinized position said all the right things about their chances of becoming the Nittany Lions’ 2008 starting quarterback. Politics even found their way into the game as junior Daryll Clark and sophomore Pat Devlin both received snaps with the first team." ...
  • Guy Cipriano


  • Mark Viera of The New York Times writes how Penn State's Joe Paterno is getting tired of being old... "Numbers illustrate a fan base that is as strong as ever — last season the booster club had a record 23,000 members and 22,000 student football tickets sold out in 59 minutes — and a core of fans say Paterno has earned the right to stay indefinitely. But there has also been a sentiment that Penn State is ready for change, or at least a plan for when Paterno retires." ...
  • Mark Viera


  • Christopher Gasper of The Boston Globe writes about Arkansas running back Darren McFadden... "Six teams passed on Adrian Peterson in the 2007 NFL draft. You would think after the Minnesota Vikings running back garnered the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award, teams, loathe to repeat that folly, would be clamoring for the services of this year's top-rated runner, Darren McFadden of Arkansas." ...
  • Christopher Gasper


  • Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes about whether the Dolphins should take a quarterback high in the draft... "'If you don't take Matt Ryan [No. 1], don't take another quarterback,'' ESPN's Mel Kiper implored. 'It would make very little sense to say, `Let's draft Chad Henne or Joe Flacco.' If you [have serious doubts] about John Beck, you should draft Matt Ryan.'' ...
  • Barry Jackson


  • Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News updates his mock draft with a surprise at number one...
  • Rick Gosselin


  • Bill Livingston of The Plain Dealer writes how LeBron and the Cavs got the last laugh in game 1 against the Wizards... "Coach Mike Brown said James gets "clobbered" all the time. To demonstrate, he pounded his fist on the table - Wham! Wham! Wham! You know, the way the tolling bell rings over The Q's PA system to salute "Big Ben" Wallace dunks." ...
  • Bill Livingston


  • Jay Mariotti of the Chicago Sun-Times blasts Cubs fans for their horrid behavior... "The problem with the Friendly Confines is that they've become relentlessly unfriendly and increasingly obnoxious and stupid. Fueled by alcohol, ego, 100 years of institutional futility and a blind belief that an entire universe revolves around their expensive butt space on the north side of Chicago, in the state of Illinois, in what is supposed to be the clear-thinking heartland of America, a lot of Cubs fans seem to think they're bigger than the players, the manager and the games." ...
  • Jay Mariotti


  • In a non-sports story, some Catholics are pissed that former N.Y. mayor Rudy Giuliani took communion on Saturday...Rudy is twice-divorced and is pro-choice...
  • New York Daily News
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