The World of Sports

Thabeet enters Draft

noreply@blogger.com (B Gray) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 19:38:00 +0000

The University of Connecticut men's basketball team lost a true inside power as junior Hasheem Thabeet has declared for this years NBA Draft. Thabeet, who is 7-foot-3 was a true intimidating force in the paint in his three year stay. He led the nation in blocked shots and was able to alter shots for opponents just by his length and size. Thabeet was also a tenacious rebounder who often ripped the ball out of opposing player's hands like they were kids in a candy store. The only question that remains for Thabeet is, will his offense improve.

Thabeet has not been known to drastically change a game with his inside post presence, but seemed to improve his scoring each year at UCONN. Many scouts have evaluated the big man and believe his offense does need work. He does not have a very consistent jump shot and seems to not dominate with his back to the basket. Most of Thabeet's offensive outbursts came off of his ability to rebound missed shots and put them back for two. In the NBA, he will be facing talented big men every night and much of them are as big and more physical than he. Thabeet's future in the NBA has been weighed and accoridng to a number of ESPN.com analysts, they seem to think he will find his niche in the pro game.

Every team needs that person who can crash the boards and alter shots when other teams plan on driving to the basket. With Thabeet in the middle, the franchise that picks him up will more than likely benefit from his already proven talent. On the offensive side of the ball, he may or may not develop. One thing is for certain, his length and tenacity on the defensive end will re-energize the value of the big man position.

Paulus to Packers?

noreply@blogger.com (B Gray) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 06:09:00 +0000

The Duke University basketball program endured a tough season this past March when they were completely embarrassed by the Villanova Wildcats. Senior guard, Greg Paulus was a starter for the previous three seasons and this year was designated to the duty of coming off the bench. Not discouraged, he kept his level head and did a fine job for his team. Now, facing graduation and moving on from the Blue Devils, Paulus has opted to work out for the Green Bay Packers.

Going from a high profile college basketball program and now jumping to the NFL may seem extreme to some fans. Keep in mind though, Paulus set six high school records and was Gatorade Player of the Year in his senior year of high school, playing quarterback. He was initially offered numerous football scholarships from the likes of Notre Dame and others. He opted out and made his way to Duke. Now, after four years of defensive slides and hitting clutch jump shots, he was throwing 15-yard timing routes in front of scouts and coaches. Paulus, a 6-foot-1, 180 pounder also enhanced his football ability by starting in the Army All-American game in high senior year of high school. The native of upstate New York faces an uphill climb to the NFL ranks due to his lack of size, but after four years of hard nosed defense, could it really hurt to try?

NFL News and Notes

noreply@blogger.com (B Gray) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 04:26:00 +0000

The NFL is starting to heat up once again in the off season. For once, I am writing not about legal issues or suspensions, but about the upcoming NFL Draft and new signings. First on my list is the move that Byron Leftwich recently made to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He has signed a two-year deal and is going to a team that has a legitimate chance to be a contender in the NFC South Division this season. The Bucs have made many off season moves that included the addition of Kellen Winslow, the highly touted tight end from the Cleveland Browns, and Derrick Ward, who had a phenomenal season for the New York Giants behind stud, Brandon Jacobs. Leftwich inevitably has the opportunity of a lifetime because seasoned veteran Jeff Garcia was recently signed by the Oakland Raiders. This means Leftwich has a shot to prove that he can return to the starting quarterback supremacy that he endured as a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Leading me to my next point was the Garcia signing. Does he still have what it takes to take the reigns and lead his team to the playoffs like he did in Philadelphia and Tampa Bay? My answer will simply be no because he was picked up by the Raiders. Al Davis, owner of the Raiders has made countless mistakes in trying to build the franchise back to Superbowl contenders. The acquisition of Randy Moss many would have thought was genius, until he was disgruntled with the program and showed his inefficiency on the field. DeAngelo Hall, corner back from the Atlanta Falcons played half of the season last year and immediately wanted out and was scooped up by the Washington Redskins. Bottom line, Garcia is a veteran in the NFL world and might have taken a step backward in his attempt to show the world he is still dominant.
Finally, the NFL Draft is right around the corner and Matthew Stafford is definitely the topic of discussion. The talented quarterback out of Georgia is presumed to be the number one pick and heading to the Detroit Lions. Lets face it, the best thing that happened to Detroit in the past two years was Michigan State's run to the NCAA basketball Final Four this year. After going 0-16 last year, the Lions are in desperate need of a miracle rather than a gun-slinger. Stafford can do good for the Lions, but if he does not have an offensive line to block, no quarterback will be effective. For instance, last season the Lions picked up Dante Culpepper off the streets because no one had signed him. Culpepper you might remember had his glory days with Randy Moss and the Minnesota Vikings. He can still throw the ball a mile and after a few set backs with knee problems, is not as immobile as many may think. The problem last season, the offensive line. Calvin Johnson is arguably the most talented receiver in the league and has shined despite Detroit's lack of recognition to their offensive line and lets be honest, coaching staff last season.

Master's Update

noreply@blogger.com (B Gray) — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 04:13:00 +0000

After the first round of the Master's today, Chad Campbell is leading the field with an impressive 7-under par. He reeled off five straight birdies to start the round and kept his momentum as he surged to 9-under on the back nine. A few mishaps on putts left him facing bogey's and he is now still your leader with the 7-under par round. Following in his foot steps closely are Jim Furyk and Hunter Mahan. They both carded impressive 6-under par rounds and are tied for the second spot on the leader board after day one.

Kenny Perry was putting together quite a formidable round until he hit a stretch on the last three holes. On 15, his second shot sailed over the green and he was left with a tough pitch shot that ran almost straight down hill past the hole. He put it close, but could not manage to sink the birdie and settled for the par. On the par 3, 16th hole, Perry sailed his tee shot to the back left of the pin and slightly off the green. A lengthy putt left him with what should have been a sure par within four feet of the hole. Think again, as Perry botched the putt and ended with a bogey that dropped him a shot. On 17 and 18 he had two nice saves that left him with par, but he went into the club house at the end of the round with a 4-under par score, rather than the 5-under he had been holding for a few holes.

Tiger Woods struggled mightily at the start of his round. Birdies were irrelevant as he could not seem to sink his putts. On the ninth hole, Woods hit a beautiful approach shot and he then finally sank his first birdie of the round to bring him back to even par after dropping to +1. Holes 13 through 15 were a stretch of tweeters for Woods and his game seemed to be in domination mode. His tee shots were booming off the club face and were all in the middle of the fairway. Spinning the ball as he usually does, he was leaving himself with ten foot putts or closer. On the 17th however, Woods managed to scramble for a par due to his short, routine birdie putt rimming out. The 18th is where the wheels eventually came off the car. After an enormous drive, woods had a routine pitch from about 148 yards to the back right pin location. He took his swing and the result was not good as he flew the green into the fan gallery. His chip shot coming back to the hole hit firm and rolled about 55 feet past the hole. He would two putt for a bogey and end the day at 2-under par.

One of my picks to make a run for the green jacket, Camilo Villegas endured a tough day and finished at +1. Villegas had seven bogeys in his round and had a fair amount of birdies, with six. The rest of the way he would settle for pars. Also, Padraig Harrington who is going for his third major championship in a row chimed in with a solid 3-under par on the day. Harrington managed only two bogeys, and carded four birdies.

Heading into round two, the competition is wide open as well as the course. There were a lot of red numbers today, indicating that the scores are there for the taking. Moving towards Sunday it will be interesting to see just how far under par these players need to be in order to wear their green jackets.

NBA Playoff Picture

noreply@blogger.com (B Gray) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 16:33:00 +0000

The NBA's playoff spots are starting to round out and one team had it's hopes crushed last night. The Phoenix Suns will not be in the playoffs this season due to the Dallas Mavericks big win over the Utah Jazz. This will be the first time since 1993 that Shaq will not be in the playoffs. There are rumblings that the Suns are going to totally rebuild next year and Shaq, Nash and possibly Stoudemire won't be around to help. The Western Conference is a tough conference from spots one through eight. Here's a look at the way thinks are shaping up as the season winds down.

Western Conference:
1. L.A. Lakers
2.Denver Nuggets
3.San Antonio Spurs
4. Houston Rockets
5. Portland Trail Blazers
6. New Orleans Hornets
7. Utah Jazz
8. Dallas Mavericks

Break Down: The Lakers are surely the front runner to win the west this season. The good news for them is they are actually going to get their young and talented center, Andrew Bynum back for the playoffs. Bynum suffered a partial tear in the MCL of his knee more towards the earlier part of the season and has missed 30 some games this year.
Denver is a team that I really think teams need to be on the look out for. The addition of Chauncey Billups mid way through the season for Allen Iverson certainly has proved to benefit the Nuggets more than hurt them. They have won eight straight games and can really put it together for a strong playoff run.
San Antonio, sorry to say but the bus stops here. Without a healthy Manu Ginobili they are not going back to the Finals and they may not even survive the first round. Tim Duncan's knees just don't work anymore and he has not been 100 percent all season long. They will struggle down the stretch.
Houston has had an up and down type of year and again most of it without star Tracy McGrady. I don't think I've seen a star player or focal point of a team be injured more than he has. The addition of Ron Artest in the off season was a key move and has helped keep them in the running at the fourth spot.
Portland and New Orleans are two teams that can really mess up a playoff series. Portland is playing great basketball this season and Brandon Roy is healthy. Greg Oden is getting minutes and along side LaMarcus Aldridge is a great compliment for their inside game. Chris Paul is holding things down in New Orleans and is arguably the best point guard in the game. David West, James Posey and Tyson Chandler will all need to play the role of step-up players in order for a title run.
Finally, Utah, with Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer are very capable of maintaining a strong push. Don't forget, Boozer is coming off a leg injury and has not been in the best of game shape. Kyle Korver will need to heat up from downtown along with Mehmet Okur to give Utah the edge. And finally the Dallas Mavericks are more like the Spurs in my eyes. Dirk Nowitzki can stroke it from anywhere and has proven his worth as a player. Jason Kidd is on the decline, Eric Dampier is older, Jason Terry is too streaky for my liking and Josh Howard is the only legit athletic talent on the team. I do not look for big things happening in Big D, much like their professional football team.

Eastern Division:
1. Cleveland Cavaliers
2. Boston Celtics
3. Orlando Magic
4. Atlanta Hawks
5. Miami Heat
6. Philadelphia 76ers
7. Chicago Bulls
8. Detroit Pistons

Break Down: Obviously King James and the Cavaliers are on a mission. They moved to 38-1 at home this season and are clearly the favorite to win this division and represent the east in the finals. I really, truly believe this will happen because the addition of point guard Mo Williams has been extraordinary for this franchise. James, Williams, Delonte West, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Anderson Varajeo, Daniel Gibson and the recent come back of Ben Wallace is a line up I would not want to face in a playoff series.
Boston is bringing doubts into my mind because of one player, Kevin Garnett. It is proof that without Garnett, the Celtics would not have won the title last year. Yes, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen are great players and Kendrick Perkins is a big body inside, but without the Big Ticket, I do not think they can go the distance. Even when Garnett comes back, how healthy is he going to be and how good of shape will he be in? That's the question and I think Cleveland has the answer.
Orlando, Atlanta and Miami is a pretty good mix from the three to five spot. Dwight Howard and the Magic have done wonderful things this season and if he and the team can elevate their play even another notch, they could certainly be in the conference finals. Atlanta is streaky at times but has all the talent in the world. Looking at a number four spot is very commendable for this franchise. Mike Bibby running the point means experience and leadership. Joe Johnson can score from anywhere and Josh Smith is a high riser who can fill it up as well.
Miami has made a really big surge late this season and that is due in part to one thing, Dwayne Wade. Wade has this team believing and playing like a playoff team and will now get their opportunity to show the nation how good or bad they will be.
My final three don't really mean much at all because I think all three are no where near as good as the top half of the division. Philadelphia has some bright spots and not so bright spots. Igudoala will need to be the number one guy night in and night out, and quite frankly I don't know if he can handle the pressure of the NBA playoffs. Chicago has a rookie at the point spot and has done a very solid job this season. Ben Gordon can certainly shoot the lights out and Kirk Hinrich off the bench provides some depth. I just think Chicago lost a few too many games this year that they should not have and in the playoffs, that cannot happen. Finally, the Detroit Pistons are just like the San Antonio Spurs of the west. Their bus stops here as well. Allen Iverson doesn't want to play for them anymore, Rasheed Wallace is old and has a big mouth, Rodney Stuckey is athletic but can he run a team? I don't think so, because since the trade of Billups for Iverson, the whole season has been a downward plunge for this group. Sorry to say, the 2009 playoffs will not see you re surge your franchise to dominance.

Keystone College Ranks 13 in Nation

noreply@blogger.com (B Gray) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 16:16:00 +0000

The Keystone College baseball team recently posted a 17-4 blow out win over Moravian College. Besides pushing their record to 23-4 on the season, in the most recent D-III poll rankings, the Giants find themselves at number 13 in the nation. Eric Groff and Ben Fish led the offensive attack by together combining to drive in 10 runs for the Giants. The Giants managed to pound out 23 hits on the afternoon and never gave Moravian a chance to establish a rhythm. Brad Higgins was on the mound for the Giants and he pitched six innings, allowing three runs and striking out six. With the win, he notched his third of the year.

The Giants will travel to Cortland St. this weekend for a 2 p.m. start time on Saturday. Cortland St. is sporting a number one ranking in the nation with a 42-5 record overall.

Tragedy Strikes Angels

noreply@blogger.com (B Gray) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 16:06:00 +0000

The Los Angeles Angel's recently received breaking news, as did the rest of the nation. Their rookie starting pitcher, Nick Adenhart was killed in a car accident just last evening. Adenhart was just 22 years of age and actually pitched in their game against the Oakland Athletics before the crash had happened. He pitched six scoreless innings and struck out five. The crash involved three cars and resulted in three total deaths. Adenheart first appeared in the major leagues in May of 2008.

-Info contributed by ESPN.com.

Masters: First Round Action

noreply@blogger.com (B Gray) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 15:46:00 +0000

The most heralded tournament in the PGA has finally kicked off on this beautiful day from Augusta, Georgia. The Masters has such a rich tradition of producing great golfers, wins and surprises on tour. This year there are many ways to look at the field and pick who you think will win. Most of the sports networks are high on a Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson battle on Sunday. Others believe that Padraig Harrington will be considered a top prospect as he attempts to win his third major tournament in a row. Harrington won last year's British Open.

By looking at the field of golfers, it is very important that fans do not count out Mr. Woods. His comeback from knee surgery began at the Accenture Match Play Championships and he has played in another tournament as well. Fans may say he is still recovering from the knee and that he is not back yet. They may be right, because I believe the comeback may just indeed start today and the rest of the week as he proves his critics wrong yet again. Mickelson may present some viable competition for Woods and the rest of the field, but I just don't think Phil has the momentum to carry him through this week. Mickelson missed the cut last week at the Shell Houston Open in Texas, which was won by Englishman Paul Casey.

Moving forward with the argument, I believe there are three golfers to keep your eye on this week. My first being Padraig Harrington. As mentioned before, he is going for his third consecutive major win and played with great poise last year in the British Open. Second, Tiger Woods I believe will show up to play and once again show America that he is indeed the face of golf. Finally, I have a debate for the third spot. Camilo Villegas is a young gun who can get hot at any time. The Columbia native is virtually an icon in his home country. His style and savvy have really picked up and if he hits a hot streak and starts making birdies, he can definitely make a statement. Finally, in debate with Villegas, I like the chances for Australian Geoff Ogilvy. Ogilvy possesses a wonderful short game in which he uses his wedges to their full potential. if he can keep the ball straight and rather long off the tee, his second shot ability along with his poise around the greens can put him in the green jacket on Sunday.

Results from early tee-times:

Ross Fisher (England)- 4 under par through 13 holes.

Tim Clark- 3 under par through 14 holes

Shingo Katayama, Bernhard Langer, Angel Cabrera- all tied at 2 under par through 6 and 8 holes.

Draft Names to Watch for

noreply@blogger.com (B Gray) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 02:08:00 +0000

Today there have been more names that have surfaced regarding the NBA draft. The most recent were Arizona State's All-American guard, James Harden and Pittsburgh All-American and burly inside presence, DeJuan Blair. Along with Blake Griffin, the recent Player of the Year in the college ranks, these two have proved they can play the game at a higher level. Harden dominated the PAC-10 Conference since his first season last year and really led the charge to the resurgence of the Sun Devil program. Along with nabbing PAC-10 Player of the Year honors, Harden averaged 20.1 points per game. He led the team to back to back 20 win seasons for the first time since 1980-1981 (ESPN.com). His 6-foot-5 frame made him a threat from anywhere on the floor and could rebound over smaller sized guards. To me, Harden is one of the top three talent entering this years draft and it will be a pleasure watching him grown in the NBA, much like he has in college.

Blair is a somewhat undersized power forward heading into the NBA, but one thing separates his game from anyone else, tenacity. Blair will dive, claw and fight until he has the ball in his hands and until he finishes a game changing and-1 play. His heart and soul really propelled the Panthers this season, advancing them to the Elite Eight for the first time in 35 years. On the season, Blair averaged a solid 15.7 points and 12.3 rebounds per game, despite only being 6-foot-7 and facing larger competition in a grueling Big East Conference. Blair, even though undersized and not a true athletic talent could definitely find a spot in the mid first round of the draft due to his heart and determination.

Other players that are vying to test the NBA waters include Jeff Teague, a sophomore guard out of Wake Forest. The 6-foot-2 guard led the Demon Deacons in scoring this season with an 18.8 point per game average. He also distributed his way to 110 assists on the year. Another accolade to add to his resume is that he has scored 1,000 points in his first two college seasons. Teague plans on entering his name into the draft pool, but has not hired an agent, which allows him to return to Wake Forest for his junior season if his draft stock does not rise.

Arizona big man Jordan Hill is going pro according to the Associated Press. The 6-foot-11 junior averaged 18.1 points and 11 rebounds a game for the often ridden off Wildcats. The tide turned when he and the Wildcats actually got an NCAA Tournament bid with only a 19-13 record at the end of the regular season. Also joining Hill in declaring eligible for the draft is teammate, Chase Budinger. Budinger was a highly touted recruit out of California for the Wildcats and averaged 18 points and four rebounds a game for Arizona. In his three seasons, he improved his jump shooting ability each year. He was looked upon as an athletic swing man who can slash and get to the tin coming out of high school. At 6-foot-7, Budinger should be able to use his athleticism and pure shooting ability to be a very productive scorer on the NBA level.

Mets Bullpen Coming Around

noreply@blogger.com (B Gray) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 23:14:00 +0000

Opening day for the MLB was held yesterday and the New York Mets visited the Cincinnati Reds. The one issue that was of major concern this off season was the pitching rotation and their inability to hold leads and put games away last year. With one game under their belt, could that proven inability have been proven wrong? The Mets closed out a close 2-1 win on the road.

Ace Johan Santana started the game for New York and gave up the only run. Santana was experiencing pain in his elbow earlier in the spring training period, but did not undergo an MRI, instead fought through the issue and is back to 100 percent health. Santana pitched five innings and struck out seven batters on the Cincy roster. After Santana was yanked in the middle of the fifth, the Mets were able to use three more pitchers in relief to help close out the deal.
Sean Green was next to take the mound and close out the remainder of the fifth inning and then the table had turned to J.J. Putz. Putz came on and induced some routine ground balls for the defense to gobble up and turn into outs. His job, initially was done.

Finally, the newest edition to the rotation and immaculate closer, Fransisco Rodriguez came on to seal the victory. Rodriguez's nickname is "K-Rod," which was given to him during his tenure with the Anaheim Angels. His reputation for closing games has risen through the league the past two seasons. Rodriguez struck out one batter and retired the other due via good defense behind his back. The Mets managed nine hits on the day and Daniel Murphy, another new edition in left field hit his first home run of the season. He also knocked in the second and winning run on a fielder's choice grounder to first base.

If this is the kind of production the Mets bullpen will be able to establish game in and game out, they will certainly have a very strong campaign. The jury is still out on the NL East, with the defending World Series Champs looming in the shadows, the Philadelphia Phillies. Having the ability to use four pitchers, including your new close-the-door man, the Mets can be well on their way to finally finding meaning to the post season.

College Basketball Coaching Changes: Does Money Really Talk?

noreply@blogger.com (B Gray) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 17:02:00 +0000

Over the past four days, there has been an array of changes in the college basketball coaching world. Contracts have been offered and some were taken, while others were declined. The most notable change in the coaching world was John Calipari leaving Memphis to take the reigns at Kentucky. Calipari was offered an 8 year $35 million contract to try to rebuild the program that was once a national power.

The most recent change came at the expense of the Xavier Musketeers. Head Coach, Sean Miller has led Xavier to back to back Sweet 16 appearances for the first time in school history. Miller compiled a record of 120-47 in his five seasons with Xavier. Coach Miller was offered the University of Arizona head job four days go and politely declined. He flew back to Ohio and talked with family and friends about the decision. Miller then called Arizona back and they made a counter offer for Miller. Obviously the money was there and it was announced today that Miller was introduced as the new head coach of the Arizona Wildcats. The final digits of the contract are not yet finalized, but it is realized that Miller will make upwards of $2 million per year with the Wildcats.

The Memphis Tigers have finally found their head man after the recently losing Calipari. Assistant coach and 31 year old, Josh Pastner is taking over the helm of the Tigers, who have been to the NCAA Championship game and Sweet 16 the past two years. Pastner was an assistant under Calipari and can most likely, and hopefully for Memphis build on what has been started. Recruiting may be an issue coming into this season, because it is learned that two of the top prospects may be rescinding their scholarship offers in result of the Calipari absence.

Between the moves of Miller and Calipari, one may think that the loyalty of these coaches may be in check. Don't get yourself all worked up because the bottom line is if coaches have opportunities, they will take it. A perfect example of this was the situation with the Boston College football program. Their head coach had NFL experience and a job in the NFL arose again. The University told him if he did in fact interview or purse the job in the pros, they would fire him then and there. The coach took it upon himself, went to interview for the job and Boston College did indeed fire him. Coaches treat their situation as a business, because quite frankly, it is. Any opportunity to improve your status and move up the ranks is an obvious decision. So the real answer to the question about money talks should be, yes it does, but so does coaching expertise and prestige.

Louisville Preparing for Battle

noreply@blogger.com (B Gray) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 12:25:00 +0000

The Louisville Cardinals women's basketball program is having a stellar year. On Sunday, they upset number one seed Oklahoma at the Final Four in St. Louis and now prepare to take on the ultimate task in playing for the National Championship. The only problem is, the Connecticut Huskies program they will face is 37-0 and head coach Gino Auriema has his team ready to play every single day. The Cardinals have faced UCONN twice this season and have lost by a combined 67 points in the two games. The most recent was in the championship game of the Big East Tournament, 75-36.

Even though the Cardinals have struggled against the virtually unstoppable Huskies, they have played very good basketball through this whole NCAA Tournament. It all started with a 20 point win over Liberty, followed by a 10 point win over LSU. Moving on to the Sweet 16, the Cardinals defeated the number two seed Baylor Bears by 17 points and then drubbed number one seed Maryland by 17. The most recent win was against Oklahoma, which was a two point game and propelled them into tonight's championship match up with division rival, UCONN.

During the tournament, Louisville has seen valuable contributions from some hidden heroes. Most notably is hometown product Becky Burke, who is a recent graduate of Abington Heights High School in Clarks Summit and is a freshman on the Cardinals team. Burke hit two big three pointers during a crucial run on Sunday to help Louisville maintain their lead and put the game away. Against Maryland, Burke had 10 points. Burke has been playing a great amount of minutes off the bench and coach Jeff Walz seems to have found a productive lineup with his freshman guard on the floor. Angel McCoughtry is the main focal point for Louisville and has proven to be a dynamic scorer. She has had a solid tournament thus far and with the help of Burke on the wing, this can make for an interesting night in the women's championship.

UCONN on the other hand is riding a 37 game win streak and has not lost a game all season. This is due in party because of the terrific guard play they have received from Renee Montgomery and Maya Moore. Their first Final Four win came at the expense of Stanford University on Sunday night. Moore and Montgomery led a ferocious attack, scoring 24 and 26 points to lead the Huskies. Tina Charles is also pretty big factor in the low post. She ended the game with eight points, but recorded 12 rebounds for the Huskies. Stanford's Jane Appel scored a team-high 26 points and was coming off a 46 points performance against Iowa State in the Elite Eight.
The stage is set and the lights will be shining bright in St. Louis. Can the Cardinals pull off the upset of the number one team in the nation? That will be determined later this evening with tip-off scheduled for 8:30 pm.

NBA Draft Early Entries

noreply@blogger.com (B Gray) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 04:19:00 +0000

Here is a link to the early entry page in found on the web. http://www.nbadraft.net/2009earlyentry.

Out of the players who have already officially declared, here are my top three.

James Harden (Arizona State)- This kid is going to make some NBA franchise very happy because he possesses the ability to be a do-it-all type of player. He can score from anywhere, rebound with anybody and pass the ball like a point guard, which he may have to play a little bit of in the league.

Brandon Costner (NC State)- I've seen this kid play five times on the television. Once was when he first came on as a freshman. I think he will do pretty well in the NBA ranks because his first asset is his body. He surely has a strong, lean NBA build. Secondly, at 6'8, he can step out and hit the three ball or take his man off the dribble. Face up skills at his height in the league can be an advantage.

Johnny Flynn (Syracuse)- Flynn had an immaculate season, capping it off with the huge run in the Big East Tournament and making it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA's. Flynn has a strong body and is very quick off the bounce. He can finish strong at the rim, draw contact and shoot well from the free throw line. His only problem area that I'm not sure of yet is his consistency to hit the three ball.

Notice I did not mention B.J. Mullens, the big seven-footer from Ohio State. If you read the evaluation on the link I have posted, you will see why because I agree totally. He was a total dud his freshman year and is no where near ready to test the NBA waters. He'll simply get eaten alive. Secondly, Nick Calathes from Florida should owe Billy Donovan one more year. Calathes has proven he can score from three and finish around the rim pretty well for a guard, but his strength and quickness are in question. Holding his own against the NBA and it's competition can prove to be disasterous for a player who is not physically ready.

Carolina Cruisin'

noreply@blogger.com (B Gray) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 03:52:00 +0000

Another year of college basketball is in the books and yet again, a new champion is crowned. The North Carolina Tar Heels took care of business tonight in Detroit, Michigan, beating hometown team Michigan State 89-72. Carolina came out early and presented Michigan State with pressure and a fast paced offensive attack. The Tar Heels jumped out to an early 21-7 lead and did not look back. For most of the game, the Tar Heels held on to a 20 point lead, until the Spartans seemed like they were making a run late in the second half. With 4:47 left in the game, the Spartans had a chance to pull the game within 12 points, but could not manage to stage a late run.

The Tar Heels were very strong both inside and outside, which created some match up problems for Michigan State. Tyler Hansbrough finished his college career with 18 points and seven rebounds. He caps off his fourth and final year with the Heels, finally winning a national championship and being named to his fourth straight All-American first team. Ty Lawson, the highly touted point guard for North Carolina handled the pressure of playing with a big toe injury the whole tournament and scored a game-high 21 points for the Heels. He also tallied six assists and eight steals to finish out his junior campaign. Wayne Ellington, a junior shooting guard for the Heels had 19 points and was 3-for-3 from the three point arc. Ellington regained his stroke in these last three weeks after struggling towards the end of the regular season for the Tar Heels.

Michigan State ends their season as the Big Ten Conference champions and managed to get to the final four for the second time in the 2000 millennium. Goran Suton led the charge for the Spartans with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Suton was matched up against Hansbrough and Deon Thompson down low for most of the night. Point guard, Kalin Lucas chimed in with 14 points and seven assists, and he earned Big Ten Player of the Year honors after the end of the regular season. Durrell Summers added 13 points in the losing effort for the Spartans.

Michigan State really could not get it's feet set from beyond the three point line, missing on numerous open occasions, on their way to a 7-for-23 night. The other huge stat line that really affected Michigan State was the turnover column. The Tar Heels forced Michigan State into 23 turnovers on the night opposed to only seven committed on their own behalf. For Carolina, Ed Davis the big freshman center was also a very important factor off the bench, coming in to score 11 points and polish the glass for eight rebounds.

The Tar Heels are your new champions of the NCAA basketball world. Magic Johnson, a Michigan State alum must be proud of his Spartans. After all, they did screw up a lot of people's brackets here in the office.

Gray Area for NFL Image

noreply@blogger.com (B Gray) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 02:33:00 +0000

The problems keep piling up for the National Football League and their players. We already know that Plaxico Burress faces jail time for possessing an unregistered gun in the city of New York, then proceeded to shoot himself in the leg. Adam Jone, the cornerback that Jerry Jones and the Cowboys picked up after his re-instatement, could not keep himself out of trouble. He faces a few counts of being associated with murders and fights at night clubs. Dante Stallworth was recently charged with vehicular manslaughter after his car struck a pedestrian in Miami Beach. Stallworth's blood alcohol came back over the leagal limit. Finally, the most recent news today is about another member of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Remember Matt Jones? Well, for those of you who do not, he was recently released by the Jags due to his continued use and arrest for cocaine. Today, his ex-teammate and still member of the Jags, Reggie Williams was charged with drug possession as well. According to ESPN.com, Williams was tasered by the police because he was refusing to leave a bar. The police then issued a pat down search and found a bag of what is believed to be cocaine in Williams' pocket. Also, take note that in February he was also arrested for DWI and charged with possession of marijuana.

I'll state this again, and I won't stop until these people wake up and smell the coffee. What is the problem? Is it the influx of money that is received? Is it the freedom of living on your own, with no rules and curfiews that you experienced in college? Whatever the problem may be, the NFL is taking one heck of a hit due to stupid decisions from players who should be the face of the game. Oh, and don't forget when this all started with Mr. Vick and his fetish for letting dogs beat each other up on his million dollar piece of property. Roger Goodell is taking on way more than probably expected because face it, I bet he thought he was dealing with professionals. That's exactly what I would have thought if I was him.

Other Notes:

Jeff Garcia agrees to a one year deal with the Oakland Raiders.
The Chief's Larry Johnson loses his grievence trial and the organization is not held responsible for paying him the extra bonus money. http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4046548
On the other hand, Plaxico Burress did win his grievence he filed with the NFL Players Association and will receive $1 million from the New York Giants.
Xavier Head Coach, Sean Miller took the Univeristy of Arizona job, after he did refuse the job yesterday. After 24 hours, he called back and the offer was better than the one he received yesterday.
Josh Pastner was promoted within the Memphis system today, taking over for John Calipari who jetted for the Kentucky job. Pastner was an assistant under Calipari during his stay at Memphis.

noreply@blogger.com (B Gray) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 23:48:00 +0000

Welcome to the April 5, 2009 edition of sports on every level.

Steve Patterson provided good insight on college basketball. Feel free to check out the two pages listed at the bottom of the page. Thanks.

College basketball

Steve Patterson presents College Basketball is getting a lot Smaller posted at FryingPan Sports, saying, "Ohio State and many other programs cannot keep tall men in their college programs for more than one year."

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Hall of Famers

noreply@blogger.com (B Gray) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 20:38:00 +0000

Today marked another class that was inducted into the Professional Basketball Hall of Fame. Heading the list were three players who really helped shape the league and their respective franchises. Representing the Utah Jazz was John Stockton. Stockton was known for his passing abilities and leadership on the floor. He played besides one of the best power forwards to every play the game, Karl Malone. Stockton was also capable of ripping the nets from three point range. Stockton holds the NBA record for assists in assists with 15,806 and totaled 19,711 points Stockton was the 16th pick over all in the 1984 draft out of Gonzaga.
David Robinson, nicknamed the "Admiral," had a long 14 year tenure with the San Antonio Spurs. He was able to win two championships and attain an MVP Award. Another stellar stat stuffer to Robinson's career was that he was selected to the NBA All-Star Team ten times in his 14 years.
This third person I am about to mention is surely an icon not only for basketball, but for society as a whole. His dunks, passion, and will to win were undoubtedly his strong characteristics. He won six NBA Championships with the Chicago Bulls. Yes you thought right, Michael Jordan. Jordan helped propel the city of Chicago to basketball prominence and was also able to capture a National Championship in his one season at North Carolina. Jordan credits his abilities and the jump-start of his career to college coach Dean Smith.
Next on the list of the inductees to this year's Hall of Fame was C. Vivian Stringer. Stringer has led three different teams to the Final Four in her 38 years as a basketball coach and has compileed an astounding 825-280 record.
Finally, Jerry Sloan, head coach of the Utah Jazz was inducted as well. Sloan is the longest tenured coach in professional sports. He has been with the Jazz long enough to win more than 1,000 games with the organization and lead them to the post season almost regularly.

LOOK OUT!

noreply@blogger.com (B Gray) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 20:35:00 +0000

This is just a tip of the ice berg of the action this past weekend, leading up to tonight's NCAA Title Game between North Carolina and Michigan State. Dick Vitale thinks it will be great if Michael Jordan, a former Tar Heel and Magic Johnson, former Spartan play one on one to determine an overtime out come. My money's on Mike!

PGA Round Up: Shell Houston Open

noreply@blogger.com (B Gray) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 04:13:00 +0000

The Shell Houston Open began yesterday and the first round ended up being suspended due to high winds on the course. Lee Westwood is the current leader through nine holes at an impressive 4 under par. The most holes played on the day was 12 by Spain's Alvaro Quiros. Quiros stands at nine over par through the 12 holes. Following behind Westwood on the leaderboard is J.B. Holmes and Justin Leonard, who are both 2 under par after eight holes. The first round is set to resume at 8:00 A.M. this morning with adjusted tee times to fit the second round in as well. For more coverage on the Shell Houston Open, check in later today to find out results and changes to the leaderboard. Don't forget coming up next week is the most anticipated tournament of the year, The Masters, live from Augusta National.

NIT Champions!

noreply@blogger.com (B Gray) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 01:10:00 +0000

Penn State University just capped off a strong NIT Tournament run with a victory over Baylor for the championship, 69-63 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Jamelle Cornley capped off his senior season with an 18 point, seven rebound performance and led four players that were in double figures for the Nittany Lions. Sophomore sensation Talor Battle tallied 12 points and dished out six assists. David Jackson and Stanley Pringle rounded out the double digit scorers with 10 points apiece. Danny Morrisey came off the bench and nailed three key three pointers for his nine point total. Down the stretch, Morrisey found a spot in the corner by working the baseline in the Baylor zone defense and knocked it down.
Heading into the halftime break, Penn State faced a four point deficit 29-24. They came out firing on all cylinders in the second half, out scoring Baylor by a count of 44-34. LaceDarius Dunn led the Bears with 18 points that included four three pointers. Dunn also grabbed seven rebounds in the loss. Curtise Jerrells, who had a big night on Tuesday against San Diego State, managed just 14 points on 5-of-16 shooting. Tweety Carter and Kevin Rogers rounded out the double digit scoring for the bears with 12 points apiece.
Penn State was able to get into some passing lanes and force Baylor into 14 turnovers on the evening. The Nittany Lions also out rebounded the Bears by a 30-27 margin. Penn State ends their season with a 27-11 record, their best season in at least the past four years. Even though the NCAA Tournament did not come knocking on the Lions' door, the team remained focused on their alternate path and brought another championship back to Happy Valley.

Deal or Not to Deal?

noreply@blogger.com (B Gray) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:53:00 +0000

Jay Cutler and the Denver Broncos have had quite the emotional off season so far. New coach Josh McDaniels tried to zip a trade as soon as he took the reigns for Matt Cassel of the New England Patriots. The ugly side to this story is that Cutler, the starting quarterback for the Broncos had no idea until after the organization tried for the trade. This led to a very upset and unhappy quarterback in Cutler and he refused to meet with McDaniels prior to the start of voluntary off season workouts. Finally, ten days later, Cutler met with McDaniels and it did not end on a good note. Thus Cutler remained out of voluntary workouts and demanded a trade.
Finally last night the Broncos organization gave in and admitted they were willing to trade the disgruntled quarterback. By evening today, Cutler finally found a new home in the Chicago Bears. Cutler will head to the Bears in a deal that included Bears quarterback Kyle Orton and two first round draft picks in the NFL Draft.
Cutler inherits a pretty good offensive set up at the skill positions. Second year running back Matt Forte will provide some spark out of the backfield just like he did last year in his rookie campaign. Devin Hester, who is a sure speedster that is able to stretch the field will most likely be one of Cutler's big play targets. He is surrounded by Greg Lloyd and Desmond Clark, who had 26 and 41 catches last season. Cutler has a task to try and improve the passing yards per game from last year which ranked 21st in the league with 191.3 yards per game.
The Bears play in the NFC North and are competing with the likes of the Green Bay Packers and the Minnesota Vikings for division supremacy. The Detroit Lions round out the division, but pose virtually not threat with their 0-16 season last year.
Orton on the other hand heads to Denver with two wide receivers that can prove to be studs this season. Last year, Eddie Royal was a rookie and caught 91 passes that included five touchdowns. Brandon Marshall led the team with 104 catches for 1,265 yards and six touchdowns. So the targets are there for Orton, but the adjustment process to a new offensive system may take some time. Michael Pittman and Tatum Bell are two solid running backs who will line up this season behind Orton to help take some pressure off the newly acclimated quarterback.
Cutler to the north and Orton to the west, this year should be a good one with new faces in new places.

Where's the Loyalty?

noreply@blogger.com (B Gray) — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 23:28:00 +0000

The world of college basketball coaching can be defined in one specific way so far this off season, nomadic. Coaches from big time programs are candidates for new jobs after establishing the program they have been with into a perennial power. For instance, the recent Calipari move to Kentucky from Memphis was sort of surprising to me. He has built Memphis into a final four contending team year in and year out for the past three seasons. This year he landed top point guard, Tyreke Evans and got to the Sweet 16 where they were knocked out by Missouri. Under achieving would some say? The answer is yes, but the upside is there. Final four and National Championship a year ago, and in 2007 they reached the Sweet 16 as well. That year they ended up losing to Ohio State who ended up in the National Championship game.
Kentucky has endured two straight seasons of dismal performances both on the court and on the sideline with coach, Billy Gillispie. Gillispie was fired immediately after Kentucky's season ended and Calipari was contacted no more than three days later about the vacancy. After landing this season's top point guard recruit and keeping Memphis in the National Championship hunt, don't you think he fits best with the Tigers? Obviously not, because he has made the transition rather quickly to the Blue Grass state to try and turn around a rather plmmeting program. With this move, what's next for the Memphis Tigers? There are certainly coaches in the college world that can be up for hire, like Gillispie for example. Also, for next year Memphis landed three top ten recruits coming out of high school and two are now notably rescinding their committments. Power forward Demarcus Cousins is the most notable committed player to the Memphis program that is backing out of the deal and put Kentucky as his number one choice on his list as of last night.
With this situation in mind, do coaches owe loyalty to their recruits and the school's program, or is this merely just a business like it is treated at the professional ranks? Colin Cowherd on ESPN Radio's "The Herd," had an interesting statement this afternoon. He said that for kids entering the recruiting process and want to play for a program, go for the program and school itself, not for the coach. This was interesting because he has a very valuable point. We see coaches moving all over the place from university to university, and some even make the jump to the professional ranks. When a kid commits and is loyal to the coach's recruiting pitch and pursuasion, he puts himself in a situation that can change in the blink of an eye.
Other noteable coaching changes that were on the mend today were the likes of Tim Floyd from USC accepting the Arizona head coaching job. As of right now, that did not happen and he will remain a Trojan. Oregon head coach Ernie Kent will remain the head coach of the Ducks in 2009-2010. The program was eager to make a decision following an 8-23 campaing last season in which the team only won two games total in the Pac-10 Conference.
Finally, Shaka Smart was introduced today as the new head coach at VCU according to ESPN.com. Smart comes from an assistant position at the University of Florida along side Billy Donovan.

Tribute to "Zo"

noreply@blogger.com (B Gray) — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 01:17:00 +0000

One of the best centers to ever play in the National Basketball Association is surely enjoying his week. Alonzo Mourning, who played for the Charlotte Hornets and the Miami Heat had his jersey retired prior to a Heat game earlier this week. The crowd was in a frenzy and gave the star a standing ovation in appreciation of what he did for the Heat franchise.
Mourning endured a very strong career and was often emotional on the floor. His strength and presence in the low post turned him into a rebounding machine and when he finished at the rim, it was often with a thunderous dunk. His emotions were evident pumping his fists, screaming to the crowd and actually enjoying his time on the floor. Sadly enough, that emotion and fire deep within Mourning would take a back seat.
Late in his career, Mourning was diagnosed with a kidney ailment that would sideline him and require instant attention from medical doctors. His career on the floor with the Miami heat was put on hold for a year or two and then he tried his best to get back into game shape. Playing sparingly in his first season back, Mourning then realized his body and conditioning were no longer suitable for the competition in the NBA. Tears at his retirement press conference showed how hurt, appreciative, and sad he was at the same time.
Mourning then enjoyed another milestone to cap off his career when his high school number was retired last night, at the McDonald's All-American game held at the University of Miami. Mourning was a touted recruit coming out of high school who landed at Georgetown to play for John Thompson. That was around the same time that Patrick Ewing, the star center for the New York Knicks also played for Georgetown.
For a guy who was determined on and off the court, and saw his life take a roller coaster ride, the rewards simply payed off in the end for Alonzo Mourning.

Final Four Possibilities

noreply@blogger.com (B Gray) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 15:31:00 +0000

As the weekend approaches, the anticipation rises to new levels for this year's Final Four held in Detroit, Michigan. The four teams left standing are certainly worthy of being there. The Connecticut Huskies are very talented and are led by 7'3'' center, Hasheem Thabeet. The North Carolina Tar Heels are back in the Final Four for the second year in a row with a great core of role players surrounding former Player of the Year, Tyler Hansbrough. Michigan State and coach Tom Izzo return to the round of four, doing it mostly because of strong guard play throughout the season. Finally, the newcomers are the Villanova Wildcats. Led by coach Jay Wright, Villanova is in the final four due also in part to great guard play, most notably by Scottie Reynolds. With these four teams still standing, here are my predictions and why.
First off, the Tar Heels are back and are playing very solid basketball down the stretch. The team did suffer quite a scare when their leader Ty Lawson was sidelined with a big toe injury. Lawson sat out the first game of the tournament against Radford, but did return to play against LSU and has remained on the floor since. Lawson is by far the X-Factor to this Tar Heel team because he makes the team go. He finds the open man, penetrates, finishes and can play solid defense at the top of the floor. He allows the wings to open up, creating shots for sharp-shooters Danny Green and Wayne Ellington. His penetration also helps create open opportunities for Deon Thompson and Tyler Hansbrough down low. With this in mind, Hansbrough can often create off of a Lawson pass and finish around the rim, or perhaps end up at the foul line for two. North Carolina will need Lawson to stay consistent and keep his low turnover streak up for a chance to win it all.
The Huskies of Connecticut have a monster in the middle in Thabeet. His ability to rebound, block shots, alter shots and just down right intimidate opponents is truly a gift. His scoring can be some what streaky or non existent at times, but that doesn't seem to hurt the Huskies. Why you ask? A.J. Price is exactly why because this guy is a proven scorer at the point guard position and has really picked up his game since the loss of his back court teammate Jerome Dyson. Dyson suffered a season ending knee injury against Syracuse in the middle of the year. Price has exceptional range and quickness off the bounce. He can get to the rim and that allows for open mid range jump shots for Stanley Robinson and Jeff Adrien. Robinson also has the ability to wow opponents and fans by playing high above the rim due to his freakish athleticism. Connecticut will pose a problem for any team just by the means of Thabeet roaming the middle on defense. Their guard play has picked up and I expect coach Calhoun, who is experienced to have his team ready to battle.
The Michigan State Spartans are enjoying a great late season run to the Final Four under coach Tom Izzo. Representing the Big Ten and proving they can play on the level of the elite, the Spartans handled the pressure of Louisville quite impressively last weekend. Guard Kalin Lucas is truly a speedster that can blow by anyone in the nation and finish with the best. Raymar Morgan is a veteran player who can really hold down the low post and has a steady mid-range game. He had to sit out for about a month towards the middle of the season with an illness that had him miss some time. He looks to be healthy and back in basketball shape, ready to make a run at a National Championship. The true factor that will help push Michigan State over the hump will be Goran Suton, the 6'10 center. Suton had 17 first half points last weekend against Louisville and took over the game early. His high energy and intensity on the defensive end will prove valuable as he goes up against Thabeet from UCONN.
Finally, the newcomers, the Villanova Wildcats. Guard play has gotten them through a rugged Big East schedule and a tough NCAA Tournament. Nova is riding high after defeating Big East rival Pittsburgh at the buzzer. Scottie Reynolds drove the length of the floor and scooped a lay-up over DeJuan Blair of the Panthers. Scottie Reynolds leads the Wildcats into this Final Four weekend with help from Corey Fisher, Reggie Redding, Corey Stokes and Dante Cunningham. When these guards are on, they are virtually unstoppable from three point range. Fisher has the ability to get into the lane and is fearless around the rim. Cunningham is the forward that the Wildcats need to rely on to help take the pressure off the guards. Cunningham has a superb mid-range game from about 17 feet an in, and can also play strong with his back to the basket. The Wildcats have also used tough defense to get to the Final Four. They held a pretty good offensive Duke team the whole game, as they could not develop any offensive rhythm. Against Pittsburgh, even though the game was closer, their defense gave them a shot for the winning drive from Reynolds.
The Final Four is a great time of year. College athletes are laying their hearts, talents and passion on the line with one goal in mind, a National Championship. This Saturday will feature the Tar Heels of Carolina matching up against Villanova. The other match up is UCONN playing against Michigan State. Based on what I've seen and read, this year should prove to be a memorable one. As T.O. would say to the media, "get ya popcorn ready!"

Keystone College Giants

noreply@blogger.com (B Gray) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 03:57:00 +0000

The spring season has begun in quite a blur around the Keystone College campus. Many are still trying to get over the men's and women's basketball seasons in which the men's team advanced to the semi-finals of the conference tournament, and the women enjoyed their first season under first year had coach, Jessica Bogia. The baseball and softball teams are now in full swing, and also the golf program kicked off it's tournament season last weekend. Here are some news and notes regarding all spring teams and their progress so far.

Softball-
The softball team managed to salvage a split in their double header on Tuesday with a 5-4 win over Philadelphia Biblical University. Sabrina Johnson was responsible for the game winning play when she stole home in the bottom of the eighth inning to cap off the rally. The Lady Giants lost their first game on the afternoon by a score of 8-3. On the season, Leah Simko leads the team in hitting with a .323 batting average totaling ten hits. Also with ten hits on the year is Johnson, who is also responsible for the only home run on the team. The Lady Giants are 3-11 overall on the season and are holding true to a 2-4 conference record.
Megan Cunningham leads the team in pitching with a 7.48 era and has played a part in all three wins on the season for Keystone. The lady's will take to the diamond today in a double header scheduled at the University of Scranton with the first game slated for 6:00 pm. Their next encounter will round out the week on Friday against conference rival Baptist Bible College, which is also a double header beginning at 3:00 pm.

Baseball-
The men are off to a very fast start this season, racing out to an 18-4 record overall and a stellar 3-0 in the conference. The Giants are 7-0 at home and are riding the wave of a six game winning streak. Along with the team success, Eric Goff is enjoying his spot as he is was named CSAC Conference Player of the Week for the second week in a row. He is sporting a .463 batting average with a team leading seven home runs thus far this season. The Giants are coming off a sweep of Stevenson University this past weekend and are preparing for their next outing against Centenary College. That game will take place Friday at 3:00 pm and is slated for a single game. This will be part of a home and home against Centenary, as the Giants will travel south to play them at their home field with a 12:00 high noon start.

Golf-
In the first tournament of the spring season, the Giants golf team was tied for 11th place at the McDaniel College Spring Invitational. Spencer Lunger was the low man for the Giants on the day with a score of 82, which put him 34th overall. Bishop O'Hara product Joe Bilyo and Dane Gavin both shot 83. Ryne Luce shot an 84 and Mark Layman a 90 rounding out the scorecard for the Giants. On Sunday however, the Giants were unable to continue their quest for a tournament title due to thunderstorms rolling through the area, which cancelled the final round of the tournament. Next up for the swingers is the Moravian College Invitational, which will be held this weekend with first round action beginning on Friday.

Stay reading because I will be posting more about the Giants and their spring teams. The track and field team will begin competition shortly and I will update their status as well.