Five Good Questions with Rob Herbst about Western Kentucky Hoops

Today's Five Good Questions is with Rob Herbst of the Bowling Green (Ky) News....Rob covers Western Kentucky Basketball...and right now, the Hilltoppers are one of the hottest teams in the country....I want to thank Rob for his time...now lets find out what is going on with WKU....

Q1. The Hilltoppers are on an 11 game winning streak. What has been the key to this streak?
A. Two things - defense and experience. Having six seniors certainly helps, but WKU has played much tougher defense during its streak. The Hilltoppers were a mess defensively last season and often had to win shootouts to be successful. Although the personnel is largely the same from last season, the Hilltoppers have made drastic improvements defensively recently and have actually won games because of their defense, instead of losing them. WKU has given up more than 70 points against only two Sun Belt teams this year and the Hilltoppers don't exactly play at a slow tempo.

Q2. Who are some of the Western Kentucky players we should get familiar with?
A. Senior guard/forward Courtney Lee is a possible late first-round draft pick. He recently became the school's third 2000-point scorer and has a shot to become the school's all-time leading scorer, depending on how many postseason games WKU plays. He's bounced back this season after dealing with a foot injury last season and is averaging around 21 ppg. Senior point guard Tyrone Brazelton, a JUCO transfer from Chicago has also emerged this season as WKU's second-leading scorer. He's small (generously listed at 6-0), but may be WKU's most important player.

Q3. What are Western Kentucky's strengths?
A. Along with defense, guard play. Lee and Brazelton are difficult for Sun Belt Conference teams to handle and WKU rarely struggles offensively because of them. WKU is also pretty deep, which allows it to play up-tempo.

Q4. What type of coach is Darrin Horn? What can you tell us about him?
A. He's a born-and-bred WKU guy. He played at WKU in the 1990s and played on three NCAA Tournament teams. The Hilltoppers' 1995 team that Horn was a part of was the last WKU team to win an NCAA Tournament game - against Michigan. WKU also went to the Sweet 16 in 1993. After his playing days, he got into coaching and eventually landed as a Tom Crean assistant at Marquette. He was on the staff when Marquette went to the Final Four when he was hired at WKU after Dennis Felton left for Georgia. There was some pressure on Horn going into this season because he was headed into year No. 5 without an NCAA Tournament bid, not good for a basketball school in a basketball state. Whether or not they get the tournament bid, the pressure has probably been lessened some because of the regular-season success.

Q5. In a one-game situation, can Western Kentucky beat the heavyweights such as North Carolina, Duke, or Memphis? What would it take to pull off the upset?
A. WKU played just about even with Tennessee on a neutral court before falling by six in Nashville back in December, so it can hang with top teams and intimidation wouldn't be a factor against other heavyweights. But hanging and beating is a different story. WKU would need to hold its own inside for a chance to win. The Hilltoppers' interior is no strength. WKU starts a true freshman and sophomore in the paint and neither are averaging more than 5 ppg. Teams with quality big men give WKU problems....The Hilltoppers would also need Courtney Lee to be on top of his game because he could carry them in an upset bid. A less-than-stellar Lee would make an upset bid difficult.

Once again I would like to thank Rob for his time...

Five Good Questions with Kevin Cary about Davidson Basketball

Today's Five Good Questions is with Kevin Cary of The Charlotte Observer who covers Davidson Basketball...the Wildcats are 18-6 and on a 15-game winning streak going into tonight's game against UNC Greensboro...Davidson is ranked 56th in the latest RPI....I want to thank Kevin for his time...

Q1. The Wildcats may be the hottest team in the country with a 15 game winning streak. What has been the key to this streak?
A. Lots of things have contributed to Davidson's recent play. Forward Andrew Lovedale entered the starting lineup the night the streak started, and he has become an inside scoring threat. The Wildcats have also abandoned one of their early-season tactics, where inside players would step out for 3-point attempts. Now, Davidson typically relies on guards Stephen Curry (photo) and Jason Richards for outside shots. It also helps that Curry had the wrap removed from his left wrist in early January. He has a partially torn ligament in his wrist, but he's been much better without the wrap. He's averaging 29.6 points in his last 10 games.

Q2. Who are some of the Davidson players we should get familiar with?
A. Curry is the first player folks think about, and with good reason. He's a once in a generation kind of player for Davidson, a great shooter who is learning how to also score through drives and mid-range jumpers. Point guard Jason Richards leads the nation in assists, and he's the engine behind the Davidson offense. The other Wildcats are more role players, but forward Thomas Sander and guard Max Paulhus Gosselin are good defenders who help Davidson create turnovers.

Q3. What are Davidson's strengths?
A. The Wildcats don't turn the ball over, and they are getting better at the free throw line. Davidson struggled from the line in nonconference play, but has raised its percentage to 72 percent. That's not a fluke - Davidson shot 75 percent last season, and has almost everyone back from that team.

Q4. What type of coach is Bob McKillop? What can you tell us about him?
A. McKillop is the kind of coach who gives his players confidence by allowing to take almost any open shot. He's not afraid to make moves during games, and has given Curry the freedom to thrive in his system. He holds his players accountable, and gets much more upset over mental errors than anything else.

Q5. I noticed that earlier this season Davidson lost by only 1 point to N.C. State, 4 points to North Carolina, 6 points to Duke, and 12 points to UCLA. They have played some heavyweights real tough. How far can Davidson go in the Big Dance?
A. The Wildcats will certainly be a trendy pick to win a first-round game assuming they make it. Whether Davidson can go farther depends on matchups. Teams with deep, athletic frontlines (such as Maryland last season) are not a strong matchup for Davidson. But even though the Wildcats haven't won a NCAA Tournament game since 1970, a Sweet 16 run isn't out of the question if things fall into place.

Once again I would like to thank Kevin for taking the time to talk about one of the hottest teams in the nation...

Ohio State fans show their assholes once again!!!

On Sunday, during halftime of the Michigan-Ohio State basketball game, new Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez addressed the Michigan crowd for the first time...at center court, Rodriguez stood with his wife and son...as he was talking, the freaking Neanderthal Ohio State scum kept interrupting him with chants of "Tressel"...once again, the Ohio State fans showed their animalistic no class behavior...

When Tressel first got the Ohio State job, he addressed the Buckeye fans during halftime of a Michigan-OSU basketball game...there were Michigan fans in attendance that day...but instead of behaving like jackasses, the Michigan fans allowed Tressel to address his crowd...but with that being in Columbus, even if a Michigan fan dared to open his mouth he probably would have ended up in the hospital from some drunken Southern Ohio farmer who would have thrown something...

In the end, 98.7% of Ohio State fans are arrogant scum just like their sweatervested smug head football coach...

This week's big games

Here are some of the big games this week in college basketball....(the ranking is the latest RPI)

Monday
#47 Syracuse (17-9) @ #15 Louisville (20-6)
The Cuse got whooped by S. Florida earlier in the week, then came back to beat Georgetown on Saturday...The Ville is on a five game winning streak and one of the hottest teams in the country...The Cuse needs this game badly...

#37 Texas A&M (19-5) @ #6 Texas (20-4)
The Aggies stuck it to Texas by 17 points in late January...that was the last time Texas has lost a game...the Aggies need another quality win...

Tuesday
#28 Purdue (21-5) @ #24 Indiana (21-4)
Because of the whacky Big Ten rotation schedule, this is the only time these two in-state rivals will play this regular season....this may be the last game for IU head coach Kelvin Sampson...Purdue last lost on January 8th to Michigan State...they are on an 11 game roll...head coach Matt Painter should get some votes for National Coach of the Year...

Wednesday
#158 Penn State (12-12) @ #14 Michigan State (20-5)
Back on February 2nd, the Spartans rolled into Happy Valley with a 19-2 mark and sitting pretty...they were thumped that night by Penn State and have yet to recover...Sparty has lost three of its last four games including Saturday's ugly beatdown at Indiana...this is a big game for Tom Izzo to see if he can get his team's swagger back...

#4 North Carolina (24-2) @ #58 N.C. State (15-10)
The Tar Heels got back on track after Saturday's 40 point win over Va. Tech...but they cannot sleep on N.C. State...the Wolfpack can always come up and bite their arch-rival at any time...

Thursday
#18 Pitt (18-6) @ #26 Notre Dame (19-5)
The Panthers are 5-5 in their last 10 games...the Irish have won 34 straight home games...Irish sophomore Luke Harangody is one of the best unknown players in the country....

Thad (Matta) gets thumped!!!

MICHIGAN BEATS OHIO STATE

Sunday Stories

Los Angeles Times sports columnist T.J. Simers writes how new Dodgers manager Joe Torre says that he has nothing to prove... "At the very least, after failing to win a postseason game in 14 years with the Mets, Braves and Cardinals and then enjoying tremendous success with the Yankees, doesn't Torre have to prove he can win with a team not packing the highest payroll?" ....

T.J. Simers

Denver Post sports columnist Woody Paige writes about his love for baseball.... "I know that the most famous sports columnist of all, Red Smith, was right when he wrote: "Ninety feet between bases represents man's closest approach to perfection. The fastest man in the world hits a grounder to an infielder, who fields it cleanly. The hitter must lose the race. But if the ball is bobbled or slowed by the grass, he can win. That's perfect balance."

Woody Paige

The Orlando Sentinel is loaded with information about today's Daytona 500...

Daytona 500

Chicago Sun-Times sports reporter Jim O'Donnell writes about one Indiana Hoosier basketball fan who wants to see a change... "His glasses, sugar-and-cinnamon beard and cannonballed silhouette were mere framework for the Magic Markered message on his white sweatshirt: ''Bring Back Bobby.'' ...

Jim O'Donnell

Newark star-Ledger sports columnist Steve Politi writes that Andy Pettitte's statements have but Roger Clemens in a corner... "You might not believe McNamee, the shady trainer-turned-dealer. You might not believe Clemens, the desperate and delusional legend trying to salvage what's left of his once-impenetrable image. But Pettitte? It's hard not to believe him." ...

Steve Politi

Longtime Plain Dealer sports reporter Chuck Heaton dies

Longtime Cleveland Plain Dealer sports writer Chuck Heaton died on Thursday...for those who are not from N.E. Ohio, they may know Heaton's daughter, Patricia, who starred on the television show "Everybody Loves Raymond"....

His son Michael, who works for The Plain Dealer, recalls coming into the kitchen of their Bay Village home and seeing his father listening to the radio to an Indians game, typing a story, a beer at his side...

When Heaton retired, he held the No.1 card in the Baseball Writers Association of America, meaning he had the longest working tenure of any baseball writer in the country....

Below are some links about Heaton...

Bob Dolgan

Mary Kay Cabot

Terry Pluto

Tony Grossi

Beers with bloggers: Interview with Girls Gone Sports

Today I start a new feature of interviewing fellow bloggers...and I start off with two women who do the blog ...Girls Gone Sports ....Lauren (whose photo is on the left) is from Dallas writes that she is "a short girl, however, what I lack in height I make up for in breast."....her co-blogger is Mandy (below) who is 23-years-old and a native of Pittsburgh...Mandy now lives in Texas...

Before I begin, I would like to thank Mandy and Lauren for taking the time to respond...it is much appreciated...

Q1. First off, why did you ladies decide to start a blog that focuses on sports?
Mandy - We just loved the sports humor blogs we read and decided that we wanted to do it too. That, and we have incredibly overinflated egos and we thought that everyone else would find us as funny and insightful as we find ourselves.

Lauren – Yeah, we figured that we had just as much knowledge and opinions on stuff and our sex wasn't as represented in the blog world. Therefore we decided we'd scream until our blog was read.

Q2.Before I go any further, I have to ask, whose chest is that on the top of your blog page? How did you choose between the two of you, whose chest to use for the photo?
M - A lady never poses topless and tells.
L – Where are your manners sir?

Q3. This question is for Mandy. I read that even though you currently live in Texas, you are a native of Pittsburgh. What are your thoughts of the Steelers this past season under new head coach Mike Tomlin?
M - I saw a lot of promising stuff under Mike Tomlin. The fact that as a rookie coach he managed to transform an 8-8 team plagued with injuries, an awful O-line and a dismal special teams unit into division champs was pretty darn impressive. The regime change certainly seemed to do Ben Roethlisberger good. However, I think Tomlin needs to gain better control over his players (we got killed by stupid penalties this season and he allowed that fracas with the Patriots to happen) and make some smarter play calling in high pressure situations (the 3 runs and out during the Steelers' final drive of the Jaguars playoff game is a good example of some of his not so great play calling).

Q4. For you Lauren, you write that you are a fan of all Dallas teams. So, what is your opinion of Tony Romo? The guy gets all this publicity, but he has yet to win a playoff game. Is he the right quarterback to lead the Cowboys to a Super Bowl?
L – Well, I don't know if he is the right guy but he's the guy we got. I support him and have all my eggs in his basket. A lot of people want to rag on him for his no winning playoff games, and the stupid mistakes he's made on the field. But he also seems to make miracles happen on there too (like the crazy "kick the bad snap" and still get away with the win during the Rams game). I do think he gets way to much publicity for his off the field antics and I think that there are other players on the team that should be given more of the spotlight.

Q5. This is for both of you, both Pitt and Texas have good basketball teams this year who will make the Big Dance. Right now, who are your picks for the Final Four?
M - Despite the fact that I came in 2nd in the Pittsburgh Celebrity NCAA Pool last year, I don't follow college hoops and I'm really awful at this stuff. So, umm... Memphis, UCLA, Kansas, Georgetown?

L- In my Facebook pool I just picked teams that had the coolest mascots and/or hottest players.

Q6. I have to get a girl's opinion, who do you think are the hottest female athletes out there today?
M - The ladies of tennis - Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic, Maria Kirilenko, Daniela Hantuchova - kind of have a corner on the market, but I think Milene Domingues, Tanith Belbin and Missy Gibson need some love too.
L – The ladies of American Gladiators.

Q7. So Lauren, you write that Erin Andrews and you are from the sorority. Did you ever meet her? If so, tell all us men about her.
L – Um no. I was a ZTA at a school in Texas, she was one in Florida. But we're all sisters. (GAG)

Q8. Real quick - you have to choose just one for a hot date - Tom Brady, Tony Romo, or Jeremy Shockey?
M - Hmmm...which is worse - an illegitimate child, an association with a Cowboy, or whatever V.D. Shockey's carrying? I guess I'll go with Tom Brady. Those are probably some pretty sweet child support checks.
L – Can I choose none of the above?

Q9. Growing up, did either of you play sports? How did you learn about sports - father or a brother?
M - I had quite an illustrious basketball career in middle school/high school. They called me Mandy Jordan. True story. My entire family watched the Steelers growing up, so I couldn't really say who introduced me to sports, but football was definitely the first sport I was interested in. I'm the biggest sports fan in my family by far; my brothers could care less.

L – This may be a shock to you but ladies don't really need that male influence in their life to learn about sports. Yes I have a father that loves football and a brother who played in high school, but I learned about sports on my own. We have fully functioning brains that are completely capable of forming sporting opinions just like the opposite sex. My grandmother loves baseball and she got me my first tennis racquet. I guess if anything my mom was the one who encouraged me to learn about sports when I was younger. I took dance for 9 years and got tired of it so she let me pick some other kind of activity to do seeing as how I had no desire to be a cheerleader like she was.

Q10. Last question, what is the worst part about blogging?
M - Well, we don't earn much money off the blog, so unfortunately it takes a backseat to our day jobs. It's hard for us to compete with the "pro" bloggers out there and keep up a readership when we can only post once or twice a day. But we try to keep posting regularly for the few loyal readers that we have. They rightfully berated us back into blogging when we took a hiatus at the end of last year.

L- I agree with what Mandy said. The money thing is a problem and it's hard to balance school, work and the blog everyday. There are so many blogs out there so it's tough to compete. Staying fresh and coming up with new things that no one else is doing can also be challenging, mainly because we both read a ton of other witty and creative writers out there that are trying to be just as clever and attention grabbing as we are. Hopefully one day someone will discover how awesome we are pay us to this or something equally as cool.

Once again, I would like to thank Mandy and Lauren for their time....and I encourage everyone to check out their blog...

Five Good Questions with Joe Rexrode about Michigan State Basketball

Today's Five Good Questions is with Joe Rexrode of the Lansing State Journal.....Joe took the time to respond to some questions about Michigan State basketball.....

Q1. How good is this Michigan State team compared to some of coach Tom Izzo's other great teams?
A. This team is a cut below Izzo's best teams. It certainly doesn't compare with the 1999-2001 squads that went to three straight Final Fours and won the 2000 national title. That team was led by Mateen Cleaves, of course, and the 2001 team was Izzo's most talented, with Jason Richardson as a sophomore, Charlie Bell as a senior and Zach Randolph as a one-and-done freshman. This team could match up with the 2004-05 Final Four team (Shannon Brown, Maurice Ager, Paul Davis), but as of yet it does not deserve that comparison. The talent and depth are there, the chemistry is not.

Q2. What areas must they improve upon?
A. Turnovers have been a problem. It's never an Izzo strength because he prefers an up-tempo style of play, but this team has been especially sloppy at times. Other than that, the Spartans defend, rebound and shoot well, and they get assists on nearly 70 percent of their baskets, a very impressive number that suggest unselfishness. But this team has been inconsistent. Drew Neitzel's (photo) shot is there one game, gone the next. He's playing well overall -- near the lead nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio -- but MSU needs him to hit shots. Raymar Morgan was dominant in the nonleague season, but he has been erratic and foul-prone in Big Ten play. The big men are up and down. And the three freshman perimeter players are big helps on offense, liabilities too often on defense. The pieces are there, but a lot of things need to come together soon if this team is going to reach its potential.

Q3. How do you see the Spartans match-up against the likes of a Memphis or Duke?
A. Those two teams, in particular, would be tough matchups because they're filled with big perimeter players who can drive to the basket. MSU would match up much better with top teams such as UCLA (which edged MSU in November after trailing by 13) and North Carolina. The Spartans are better off against teams with "two big" lineups because MSU has frontcourt depth. And although Raymar Morgan is an effective power forward in a small lineup, that lineup doesn't work unless the freshmen are playing well. Freshmen Chris Allen and Durrell Summers bring a lot of firepower off the bench. Their defensive progress in the next month will have a lot to say about how MSU does in March. In general, when this team is playing its best it can hang with anybody. The UCLA game and a convincing win over Texas in December are indications of that.

Q4. Do the Spartans still have a shot at a number 1 seed? If not, how high do you see them being seeded?
A. It's not likely at this point. The Spartans would have to win out, or close to it, and get some help. I think they're in the 3-4 range right now, although their schedule finishes with several tough road games, which is a chance to move up.

Q5. Real quick, at this moment, who are your Final Four teams? And why?
A. Kansas. The most talented team. You've got to get it done this year, Bill Self. Memphis. Against my better judgment, but the Tigers have the chops to get to San Antonio. UCLA. When it comes down to it, the Bruins will get there because they defend. Tennessee. Should have been there a year ago. This team has tons of weapons, and Tyler Smith makes the difference.

I want to thank Joe once again for his time.....it is much appreciated.....

Five Good Questions with Jeff Walker about Bob Knight

Today’s Five Good Questions is with Jeff Walker of the Lubbock Avalanche Journal....Jeff covers Texas Tech basketball and was kind enough to respond concerning former Red Raider head coach Bob Knight and his sudden retirement....

Q1. What is the feeling down in Lubbock now that Coach Knight has retired?
A. Honestly, I don't know because the team has been on the road for two games this week. I think the general sentiment was shock ... not that it happened this year, but that it happened before the season ended. I think Pat has said and done some things in this short time that has most fans willing to keep an open mind about him.

Q2. Coach Knight has a bad reputation in dealing with the media. How was your relations with him?
A. He hated me. No, I'm kidding. We got along well. He treated me fairly and I believe I did the same.

Q3. What did it mean to Texas Tech and its basketball program to have Bob Knight as its coach?
A. I have been saying for quite some time that Bob Knight and Mike Leach have brought more exposure, more attention, more publicity to Texas Tech than anyone has before. Knight took four teams to the NCAA Tournament, brought repeated nationally televised games, while Leach has taken Tech to eight consecutive bowls -- two on New Year's Day -- and has an offense that is appealing to most.

Q4.When he took the job at Texas Tech, many believed that Coach Knight had one good run left in him. Why did he have a difficult time taking the Red Raiders deep into the NCAA Tournament?
A. If you aren't Duke, North Carolina, Kansas, et al, how many times do you really take a team deep into the NCAA Tournament? His team went to the Sweet 16 three years ago and was close to going to the Elite Eight. If you look at the history of Tech's program, one other coach (AD Gerald Myers) took Tech to as many as four NCAA Tournaments and he coached here for 20 years. Knight did it in six.

Q5. Some media people up north here are ripping Coach Knight for "quitting on his team." What are your thoughts?
A. I've found there are people that either like him or don't and your opinion probably won't change on that no matter what he does ... good or bad. His players have said they don't feel he quit on them, so if they don't feel that way, why should anyone else?

Once again I would like to thank Jeff for his time....it is much appreciated.....

This week's big games

Here are some of the big games this week in college basketball....(the ranking is the latest RPI)

Monday
#5 Kansas (22-1) @ #10 Texas (18-4)
The Jayhawks will need their A game in Austin if they want to beat B.J. Augustin and the Horns...this is the only regular season meeting between these two...

Tuesday
#12 Michigan State (20-3) @ #40 Purdue (19-5)
Purdue has real quietly become a solid team in the Big 10...Sparty beat the Boilermakers 78-75 in early January...

Wednesday
#20 Wisconsin (19-4) @ #35 Indiana (20-3)
These two faced off on January 31st and the Badgers smoked Indiana 62-49...the Hoosiers are 20-3, but the strength of schedule (SOS) (ranked 131st) is what is holding them back in the RPI...this is the first of three straight big home games for IU...following the Badgers, Michigan State and Purdue come to Assembly Hall...

#54 Maryland (16-8) @ #2 Duke (21-1)
It doesn't matter what the records are when these two play each other...Maryland hates Duke with a passion...the Terps lost to Duke 93-84 a few weeks back in a game in which they led most of the way...a win here for Maryland would ease a lot of concerns they may have come Selection Sunday...and remember, the Terps went into Chapel Hill and beat UNC earlier this season....

Kansas Jayhawks - 20 years ago

It has been 20 years since head coach Larry Brown and All-American Danny Manning led the Kansas Jayhawks to the National Title in basketball.....the Lawrence (Kan) Journal World did a special anniversary feature on that title team....

Mark Fagan

Sunday Stories

New York Times reporter John Branch writes how former N.Y. Giants general manager never stopped believing in Eli Manning..... "Accorsi paced in a tiny circle in front of his seat. Manning lurched the Giants forward in fits and starts. A fourth-down conversion moved the chains once. They moved again on the game's most memorable play, when Manning escaped the clutches of two pass rushers, then lobbed a wobbly pass that David Tyree caught 32 yards downfield by momentarily wedging the ball against his helmet with one hand." ....

John Branch

New York Times reporter Jack Curry writes how new Yankees manager Joe Girardi is dealing with his ailing father..... "As Girardi raved about embarking on a new beginning with the Yankees, he meandered into an emotional discussion about a possible ending. After Girardi drives to Tampa, Fla., on Tuesday for spring training, he is not sure when or if he will see his ailing father again." ....

Jack Curry

Los Angeles Times sports columnist Bill Plaschke writes that the time is right for the Dodgers to leave Dodgertown... "The Dodgers had 51 wonderful years in Dodgertown. The problem is, they've been there 61 years. Those good old days are long gone, and it only makes sense that the Dodgers disappear with them. Like an aging Brooklyn snowbird exchanging blank stares with a kid Los Angeles outfielder, the Dodgers and Vero Beach no longer fit. The Dodgers don't have many fans there. Their players no longer feel a connection there. Those 10-a.m.-back-home game broadcasts feel alien from there. Dodgertown has become less a "town" than a museum." ......

Bill Plaschke

Los Angeles Times reporter Chuck Culpepper travels to Barcelona, Spail to get the lowdown on the newest Laker - Pau Gasol..... "That's the fairy-tale name of the industrial, 80,000-strong suburb where Gasol's hands began their two-decade love affair with the basketball. That's where the fenced-in schoolyard of his childhood sits in a back corner of town, beyond the streets with local shops and the bus stops with "Juno" ads." ....

Chuck Culpepper

Washington Post reporter Daniel LeDuc writes how 2,500 people applied for jobs at the new Washington Nationals ballpark.... "Applicants began lining up more than three hours before the doors opened, stretching around the block; many people wore Nationals caps or shirts." ....

Daniel LeDuc

Washington Post reporter Les Carpenter writes about the late Sean Taylor - off the field.... "To those who knew him, Taylor's appearance at his great-grandmother's house was Sean: impulsive, mysterious and yet sincerely heartfelt." ....

Les Carpenter

Wonder whatever happened to Tonya Harding?.....well last night she was in Louisville....

Louisville Courier-Journal

Michigan gets great crop of recruits, even without Pryor - - yet

2008 University of Michigan Football Recruiting Class
(As of 10 p.m. EST, Feb. 6, 2008)

Ricky Barnum OL 6-2 265 Lakeland, Fla. (Lake Gibson)
Boubacar Cissoko DB 5-9 175 Detroit, Mich. (Cass Technical)
Mike Cox RB 6-0 206 Dorchester, Conn. (Avon Old Farms)
Kenny Demens LB 6-1 226 Oak Park, Mich. (Detroit Country Day)
Justin Feagin QB 6-0 190 Deerfield, Fla. (American Heritage)
J.B. Fitzgerald LB 6-3 230 Princeton Junction, N.J. (West Windsor Plainsboro)
J.T. Floyd DB 6-0 190 Greenville, S.C. (J.L. Mann)
Taylor Hill LB 6-2 205 Youngstown, Ohio (Cardinal Mooney)
Rocko Khoury OL 6-5 280 Traverse City, Mich. (Traverse City West)
Kevin Koger TE 6-4 220 Toledo, Ohio (Whitmer)
Mike Martin DL 6-2 285 Redford, Mich. (Catholic Central)
Sam McGuffie RB 5-11 185 Cypress, Texas (Cy-Fair)
Elliott Mealer OL 6-6 280 Wauseon, Ohio (Wauseon)
Brandon Moore TE 6-6 221 Trotwood, Ohio (Trotwood-Madison)
Patrick Omameh OL 6-4 260 Columbus, Ohio (St. Francis DeSales)
Dann O'Neill OL 6-7 295 Grand Haven, Mich. (Grand Haven)
Terrence Robinson ATH 5-9 170 Klein, Texas (Oak)
Roy Roundtree WR 6-0 154 Trotwood, Ohio (Trotwood-Madison)
Michael Shaw ATH 6-0 185 Trotwood, Ohio (Trotwood-Madison)
Brandon Smith DB 6-3 210 New Brunswick, N.J. (New Brunswick)
Darryl Stonum WR 6-3 185 Stafford, Texas (Dulles)
Kurt Wermers OL 6-5 260 Crown Point, Ind. (Crown Point)
Marcus Witherspoon LB 6-2 225 Atlantic City, N.J. (Holy Spirit)

Roster by State
Connecticut: Mike Cox
Florida: Ricky Barnum, Justin Feagin
Indiana: Kurt Wermers
Michigan: Boubacar Cissoko, Kenny Demens, Rocko Khoury, Mike Martin, Dan O'Neill
New Jersey: J.B. Fitzgerald, Brandon Smith, Marcus Witherspoon
Ohio: Taylor Hill, Kevin Koger, Elliott Mealer, Brandon Moore, Patrick Omameh, Roy Roundtree, Michael Shaw
South Carolina: J.T. Floyd
Texas: Sam McGuffie, Terrence Robinson, Darryl Stonum

Five Good Questions with Paul Kenyon about Rhode Island Basketball

Today's Five Good Questions is with Paul Kenyon of the Providence Journal-Bulletin....Paul covers the Rhode Island Rams who are 19-3 and ranked 19th in the RPI....

Q1. The Rams have three losses so far, but I noticed that one of their wins came against Syracuse earlier this season. What did the Rams do in that game to beat a team from one of the major conferences, the Big East?
A. Good shooting can cover a lot of bases. The Rams made their first nine 3-pointers in the Dome _ so much for the difficult background in the big arena _ and finished the game 12-for-18 on threes. The starting guards, Jimmy Baron and Parfait Bitee were a combined 10-for-13. URI had trouble stopping Syracuse. The Orange scored 89. But URI got 91.

Q2. Who are some of the Rams players we should get familiar with?
A. Will Daniels, a 6-8 forward, is having a tremendous season. He's a senior who had gotten better every year. He's averaging 18 points and nearly seven rebounds. Baron, the coach's son, is one of the best shooters in the country, with range as deep as anyone. He regularly shoot from 28 and 30 feet and is in the top 30 in the country for the second straight year in both 3s made and 3-point percentage. Bitee, the point guard, is a natural off guard who has learned a new role with on-the-job-training. He's having an excellent year, too, leading the A-10 in 3-point percentage and being in the top five in assists and assist/turnover ratio.

Q3. What area(s) must the team improve upon?
A. The team gambles a lot on defense, in part because it feels it has to. It is not strong overall defensively and is particularly vulnerable to a good big man who works inside. It also is a very average rebounding team.

Q4. What are Rhode Island's strengths?
A. As noted above, the team can put points on the board. As we stand today it is 13th in the country at just over 82 a game. Another strength is depth. Coach Jim Baron uses a nine-man rotation. Because the teams pushes the pace so much at both ends, that has helped wear down some teams. They've been a good second-half team.

Q5. What does this team have to do if they want to have a long tournament run in the Big Dance?
A. They have to keep pushing the pace, keep putting points on the board. They have scored at least 80 in 15 of their 22 starts thus far. They win by outscoring people, not out-defending teams.

I want to thank Paul for taking the time to respond....it is much appreciated...

Minnesota quietly gets a running quarterback with loads of potential

Terrelle Pryor has been the talk of the recruiting season, but real quietly, the University of Minnesota may have gotten a Pryor Jr in Marqueis Gray a 6'5" quarterback from Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis...here is what was written about Gray:

MarQueis Gray - Ben Davis H.S.
6-5 225 Class of 2008
Gray is the enigma of the class of 2008. He has tremendous athletic ability and talent. MarQueis plays in the premiere conference in Indiana. He has shown shades of ability cut in the mold of Vince Young. When he runs he is a load to bring down, when he throws he does so with strength and has a fluid type motion. But can he win and play with heart and desire? Those high school coaches who have seen him play know that he has all the tools to be a great one. But, not sure he wants it bad enough. He has the physical capability of taking over a game. His signature game this year was against Lawrence North where he ran for 199 yards and threw for 130 yards. He is capable of dominating and he is capable of flopping. 2007 could be his breakout year if he discovers consistency.

An Indiana College Coach says: “Gray could be the most physically dominating quarterback in Indiana. He had D1 size, speed, strength, but he is also a Jekyl and Hyde. You never know who is going to show up each week. From a physical point of view, he has everything.”

Five Good Questions with Sean Keeler about Drake Basketball

Today's Five Good Questions is with Sean Keeler of the Des Moines Register about Drake Basketball....Sean took a few minutes to respond about a nationally ranked Drake team that is 20-1 going into its game tonight against Illinois State.....the Bulldogs have an RPI rating of #8....

Q1. Many people in the country do not know about Drake basketball and their impressive record. Is this team for real? Why?
A. Real enough to win the Missouri Valley Conference, that’s for sure. This team shoots the 3-ball, defends, rebounds and closes games — tight games — as well as any I’ve seen in six years of covering this league. They’re doing it with seniors. They’re doing it with two former walk-ons in the starting lineup. They’re doing it with a first-year head coach. They’re doing it at a school where sports come a distant second to academic responsibilities. And they’re doing it in the best mid-major conference in the country. If there’s a better basketball story going than Drake right now, brother, I’d like to see it.

Q2. Who are some of the players that we should get familiar with?
A. + Adam Emmenecker, senior point guard, former walk-on. Only just put on scholarship before this season. He’s a 3.9 GPA student with four majors/concentrations, already has a job with a major Des Moines company (Principal) wrapped up for next year, and in his first year as a starter, he’s become the best point guard in the MVC not named Daniel Ruffin. I think even some of Adam’s coaches are surprised a little at how well he’s played. And more than a few MVC coaches think, if Drake hangs on to win this league, he’ll be the conference’s player of the year. This from a kid who had baseball scholarship offers from Boston College and Michigan out of high school in Saginaw, Mich., and elected to walk on at a little private school in Des Moines so he could play basketball, his first love, at a Division I level.

+ ‘Bucky’ Cox, junior power forward. If Adam isn’t the most valuable player on this team, then Bucky is. Another former walk-on, the 6-foot-8 Cox has built himself into the prototype MVC big man: Strong enough to clean up down low, versatile enough to pop out and knock down clutch 3-pointers. They use him everywhere on the floor — and he’s comfortable shooting from just about anywhere on the floor.

+ Josh Young, sophomore guard. The budding star, the team’s best long-range rhreat. Drake went 3-0 without the 6-1 Oklahoma native in the rotation, but they’re a much better team when he’s healthy. No fear. He’d shoot from mid-court if his coaches would let him.

+ Klayton Korver, senior forward. Two bad knees, one sweet shot, one incredible senior season. The little brother of NBA standout Kyle is the 6-6 heart of this team. He’s quicker than he looks defensively and has his older brother’s range. Always has a green light. And when he’s on, it’s a lot of fun to watch.

+ Leonard Houston, senior guard. The 6-3 Michigan native is Drake’s captain on the court, especially defensively. Good on-the-ball defender, quick hands. Clutch, too. His putback at Creighton last month forced overtime and his trey from the corner in the rematch iced the Bulldogs’ first sweep of their MVC rivals in more than a decade.

Q3. What area(s) must the team improve upon?
A. Getting to the paint. Like a lot of mid-majors, this is a perimeter-oriented team. When the shots are falling, they can blow you out of the gym. When they’re not, things tend to get bogged down a bit. Teams are going to start challenging Drake to beat their guys off the dribble and drive inside. Will the Bulldogs be able to take advantage? There’s a some good quickness here, but not a heck of a lot of size. They tend to live or die by the trey.

Q4. What kind of coach is Keno Davis? What can you tell us about him?
A. Reserved, smart, driven, and self-depreciating. Basically, he’s is father’s son. He learned a lot from watching his dad, Dr. Tom Davis, growing up. But you can also see some of the things he picked up as an assistant to Bruce Pearl, although I don’t expect him to come to a Drake women’s basketball game with his shirt off and his body painted blue.

Q5. Last question, how well do you think Drake can match-up with the "Dukes and Memphises" of the college basketball world?
A. Physically, not all that well – the size and depth differential would probably do them in against bigger, stronger teams from power conferences (Memphis, Kansas, UCLA, etc.). But if you try to get into a game of ‘H-O-R-S-E’ with this team, you’re going to lose. They’ve got four starters who are comfortable from the beyond the arc and a point guard who loves to drive and kick to any one of them. I don’t know how many of those battles the Bulldogs would win, but it would be an awful lot of fun watching them try.

Once again I would like to thank Sean for taking the time to get us up-to-date with the Drake Bulldogs....

She's at it again - Hillary goes to the tears just one day before Super Tuesday

Hillary Clinton cries in Connecticut
by Jason George

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Sen. Hillary Clinton teared up this morning at an event at the Yale Child Study Center, where she worked while in law school in the early 1970s.

A doctor, who was introducing Clinton, began to choke up, leading Clinton's eyes to fill with tears, which she wiped out of her left eye. At the time, the doctor was saying how proud he was that sheepskin-coat, bell-bottom-wearing young woman he met in 1972 was now running for president.

"Well, I said I would not tear up; already we're not exactly on the path," Clinton said with emotion after the introduction.

Clinton is holding a roundtable discussion with Connecticut women to talk about childcare and healthcare.

When Clinton got misty-eyed at an event in New Hampshire on Jan. 7, politicos and pundits filled hours discussing if it helped her, and Clinton eventually pointed to the moment as when she "found her voice" and turned the corner in the Granite State.

At the time, there was much debate if the candidate's emotional response to a question -- "How do you do it?"" -- was genuine or calculated.

Let the conversation begin again...

Stiles Points Comment - SHE IS MORE FAKE THAN A $3 BILL....HOW ARE PEOPLE BUYING HER SHIT????

Super Bowl Thoughts

The New York Giants win is considered an upset, but when you think about it, it was not that big of an upset...1) the Giants were a road tested team; 2) just a month ago, the Giants lost a close game to New England, so they knew the Patriots and knew they could hang with them; 3) the Giants had one of the best defenses in the NFL....so yes, it was an upset in the sense that New England was 18-0....

This is probably one of the few instances when a New York sports team was cheered by many in the nation....usually most sports fans hate New York City sports teams, but because Americans love to hate winners and success, the Giants were the darlings of the Super Bowl...if a rematch was played next week, the Giants would be hated by everyone....

Take that Tiki Barber!!!....it was sweet that the Giants won the Super Bowl the year after Barber retired....Barber was a jerk earlier in the season when he ripped former teammate Eli Manning of not being a leader....he also layed into head coach Tom Coughlin for being a tyrant...it looks like it was YOU Tiki who was the problem....

Bill Belichick made a mistake by not wearing his traditional gray hoodie...he looked out of sync with the red hoodie...

The game had good pace....there was not a lot of delays and penalties...

There is no doubt the Patriot players who made the Pro Bowl do not want to play in that meaningless game....

Whether you love or hate the Patriots, think about it, they were 35 stinking seconds from having a perfect season....all that work since September, week after week after stinking week, and it all came down to 35 seconds....a place in history was lost in 35 seconds....a perfect regular season is now meaningless....the Patriots have to be sick...

The talk around the water cooler will be "what was the best commercial?"....who cares?!?!?!....plus, we don't have a water cooler in our office...

I was rooting for the Patriots because I wanted to see history be made, but it was nice to see Eli Manning win the Super Bowl and be the MVP....earlier this season I had doubts if Eli would ever get it done in New York....but he proved me and all his critics wrong...

NFL needs to release classic games on Itunes

The NFL should move the Super Bowl to Saturday night instead of Sunday....with the game set to kick-off at 6:17 p.m., that means the game will not be over until around 10:30 or so....who feels like staying out and partying when you have to be at work in the morning?....by having it on a Saturday night, the NFL would be helping the economy because more people would be partying.....plus, the NFL could move the game right into primetime at 8:00.....

The NFL is always looking to market its product and make money...then why the heck are they hoarding away all the classic NFL games at NFL Films?...Major League Baseball and the NHL are way ahead of the NFL in releasing its classic games from the past on Itunes...for $1.99 I am able to download historic games from the World Series or Stanley Cup playoffs...when is the NFL going to jump in and start releasing past games?...I know many football junkies would be downloading great games such as The Ice Bowl, the Drive, the Catch, the Immaculate Reception, among many others....

Because I don't have a favorite NFL team, the Super Bowl is not that big of a deal to me...

The last Super Bowl to be played entirely in daylight was Super Bowl XI between Oakland and Minnesota...

I won't be watching all that pre-game crap...I'll turn on my television at 6:00...

The New York Times has some interesting feature stories about both teams this week...

Boston Globe reporter Kevin Paul Dupont tries to find out who Bill Belichick really is..... "Who is Bill Belichick, the one so few of us see? In some ways, according to those who have spent time around the highly successful Patriots coach, he is precisely the guy in those oft-painful press conferences, when he says little, smiles less, and reveals next to nothing about his team, his thought process, or himself." .....

Kevin Paul Dupont

Boston Globe reporter John Powers writes how Giants first year defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has been a man on the move..... "His pigskin odyssey began in Central Massachusetts three decades ago, when Steve Spagnuolo was calling signals for the Grafton High Indians." ....

John Powers

Oh, by the way - Patriots 38-23