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Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Here?s an Usher at Madison Square Garden Choking a St. John?s Student
St. John’s students were attempting to celebrate Sunday’s win over Duke – the program’s best win in over a decade – but apparently were thwarted by some fierce, court-protecting ushers. According to this video taken by blogger Dave Krupinski of Johnny Jungle, you can clearly see an usher under the basket with a mean chokehold [...]
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Photo Flashback: Gene Chizik owns the 1983 Chi Omega Fall Woodser
Auburn treated a reported 78,000 fans to a celebration of the Tigers' 14-0, BCS championship season Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium, including a JumboTron retrospective of some of the images of the ear. Unfortunately, this epic snapshot of 21-year-old Gene Chizik at the 1983 "Fall Woodser" hosted by the University of Florida chapter of Chi Omega wasn't among them, because it would have brought the house down:
(Chizik is second from right, in the vest.) Obviously, the future hero of the Plains enjoyed the fruits of Gatorhood, on the field (the '83 Gators finished No. 6 in the final polls, a year before finishing third with the school's first SEC championship in Chizik's senior season, though that title was later negated by NCAA sanctions) and off. And no, in case you're wondering, the girl on his lap here bears no apparent resemblance to the future Mrs. Chizik, Jonna, the daughter of Chizik's high school coach. It's OK: After all, square-jawed frat boys will be square-jawed frat boys, until they're square-jawed coaches more interested in an entirely different kind of 18-year-old talent.
On that note, you should probably ignore the distinctive "Brokeback" vibe given off here by Chizik's anonymous, hayseed-chompin' comrade – not that there's anything wrong with that – whose gentle shoulder touch is just awkward enough to remain well within the bounds of traditional male affections. Instead, speculation is warranted over the mysterious brown spot hovering over Chizik's mouth: A simple blemish on the photo? A folksy pipe of some kind, in keeping with the "woodsy" theme? The world may never know. And if the answer is something other than one of those two things, the world probably doesn't want to know.
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Hat tip: War Blog Eagle.
Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.
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Headlinin': A&M already messing with the all-Texas network
Making the morning rounds.• Wait, I've got a bylaw for that. If you had "six days" in the pool for "How long will it take rivals to begin sniping at Texas' partnership with ESPN?" step up to claim your prize: Texas A&M athletic director Bill "Irish Temper" Byrne told the Dallas Morning News Tuesday that the fledgling Longhorn network's plan to cover Texas high school sports could conflict with NCAA rules that prohibit universities from publicizing potential recruits.
"I can't speak for the NCAA, but I would imagine the governing body will look into the use of a collegiate television network airing games of prospective student-athletes," Byrne said in a statement. "I understand networks such as FSN and ESPN airing high school sports, but whether or not employees under contract with a university that may have additional contact would seem to be an issue." And if that doesn't stop the unholy alliance, there's always the SEC. [Dallas Morning News]
• Have a nice trip. As predicted last week, the Mountain West has formally extended a middle finger to its outgoing overlord, TCU, by voting to move the Horned Frogs' home game against Boise State this fall to the blue turf in Boise, where the Broncos have won 56 of their last 57 games since 2001. (BSU will play at San Diego State, previously marked as a home game, instead.) TCU, bound for the Big East in 2012, didn't even have a vote.
It's not personal, guys, just business: A Bronco win stands to boost the MWC's standing more than a TCU win would in the all-important BCS formula, which will determine whether the Mountain West gets its coveted automatic berth to one of the big money bowls on the next contract cycle. And, you know, if the Big East's record should happen to absorb a crucial loss in the formula at the same time, well, they can't really do anything about that, can they? [Idaho Statesman]
• Oh, and thanks for your contribution. Meanwhile, the Horned Frogs were responsible for bringing in $24.7 million in BCS revenue for the Mountain West non-automatically qualifying conferences, thanks to their appearance in the Rose Bowl as an automatic qualifier rather than an at-large selection. (No wonder the MWC aggressively shot down rumors Tuesday that it was looking to pluck two more members from the gasping carcass of the WAC: Why share?) That number is a new high for the non-"Big Six" leagues, slightly up from last year's high of $24 million, part of a record $170 million BCS payout to all eleven member conferences, more than 85 percent of which remained reserved for the "Big Six" leagues. [Associated Press]
• OK, we're square. Former Kansas athletic director Lew Perkins – whose final year in Lawrence included multiple on-campus dustups between the football and basketball teams, the departure of a successful coach under a cloud of scandal, public outrage over Perkins' huge salary and a sprawling multi-sport ticket scandal – agreed to pay a $4,000 fine for improperly accepting a gift of exercise equipment while still working for the university. The equipment had been the subject of an apparent blackmail attempt by a former KU employee, which initiated an investigation by the state's Governmental Ethics Commission. [Associated Press]
Quickly… The Fiesta Bowl, still under investigation from the Arizona attorney general, cuts off all contact with lobbyists. … Rich Rodriguez will be on the air next Wednesday for national signing day. … Miami's new staff is scrambling to add a quarterback to its 2011 recruiting class. … Another Michigan exile, Tate Forcier, surveys the field. … Why Lane Kiffin won't talk about USC's recruiting numbers. … Trinton Sturdivant is still here. … And heavens, can you believe Gene Chizik has the gall to use such unspeakable profanity in mixed company?
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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.
Of course there's an 'insane' Lego replica of Ohio State's Horseshoe
Certain Ohio State stars may have been willing to part with mementos of school pride, but at least the Buckeye spirit endures in the School of Biomedical Science: Meet Paul Janssen, Netherlands native and associate professor in OSU's Department of Physiology and Cell Biology. He recently completed two years of obsessive work on an intricately detailed, 1:100-scale replica of Ohio Stadium, featuring 1 million Legos, 1,000 man-hours and no cutting, gluing or painting. From the Columbus Dispatch:
The 42-year-old began plotting his work in 2005, three years after he was hired as an associate professor of physiology and cell biology. [...]
Construction began in May 2009, when Janssen assembled 450,000 pieces for the model's base. The stadium itself can be divided into 10 pieces, each weighing up to 50 pounds.
Building to scale was often a challenge, given that Janssen couldn't re-size Legos to fit his calculations. He spent 15 hours constructing the east side of the stadium before deciding to dismantle it, unhappy with the steepness of the stands.
"I would have been disappointed forever if I built it like that," he said.
Even Janssen's friends in the Central Ohio Lego Train Club (yes, it's real) considered his project "flat-out insane," but the Lego madness in his basement could be put to good use: Janssen hopes to display the replica on campus and possibly use it to raise money for his research on heart failure and muscular dystrophy. The model can seat 6,000 Lego fans, he said, each of whom could represent a donor.
For a full understanding of the craftsmanship and/or obsessive-compulsiveness that went into this, please see the Dispatch's slideshow of Janssen's baby, complete with two-inch replica of OSU president E. Gordon Gee. Indeed, the offseason has arrived. In force.
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Photo hat tip: Columbus Dispatch, via CFT.
Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.
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Michigan Lacrosse Preview 2011
Michigan Men's Lacrosse has captured the last thee national titles in the MCLA, the highest level of club lacrosse in the country. They begin their quest to make it an unprecedented 4-peat tonight at 6:00PM in Oosterbaan Fieldhouse, with a pre-season scrimmage against Division 1 squad Bellarmine.
Let's look at the personnel.
Goal
Key Returners: Mark Stone (HM AA, 2nd Conf), Andrew Fowler
Losses: Conor McGee
Mark Stone and Andrew Folwer split time in net almost equally in 2009, and though Fowler missed some time with a leg injury, he got the start in the MCLA Championship game. Last year, however, Stone took over as the #1 keeper, playing almost twice as many minutes as Fowler, and posting a slightly better save percentage (.609 to .595) overall.
This season, look for Stone to be the starter again - and increased performance out of both main keepers in their senior years. Sophomore Cy Abdelnour is the third option, as Conor McGee has transferred to UVa.
Defense
Key Returners: Harry Freid (1st AA, 1st Conf), Austin Swaney (2nd Conf), Justin Burgin (3rd Conf).
Losses: Zach Mueller, Theo Lederfine Paskal, Bob Diehl.
Newcomers: Dakota Sherman, Pat Stansik, Jake Dockser.
Harry Freid enters his senior year after back-to-back First-Team All-American seasons, and he's been named to the MCLA's all-decade team. He's the key player in the Wolverines' defensive corps, and will probably spend next spring playing a year of Division-1 lacrosse.
Austin Swaney is the team's #2 defenseman. His athleticism and instincts are the keys to his success. The starting unit could be rounded out by either Pat Stansik or Justin Burgin, though Burgin is coming off an injury. Stansik is a big, intimidating defenseman, and Burgin excels going up the field in transition.
JD Johnson, Dakota Sherman, and Paul Hegeman should also get some good playing time in a very deep defensive unit.
Midfield
Key Returners: Matt Asperheim (3rd AA, 1st Conf).
Losses: Anthony Hrusovsky (2nd AA, 1st Conf), Jordan Kirshner (3rd AA, 1st Conf), David Rogers (2nd Conf), Svet Tintchev (2nd Conf), Michael Bartomioli (HM Conf), Jamison Goldberg (HM Conf).
The midfield is the hardest-hit unit by graduation, with only senior Long-Stick Matt Asperheim returning among players who received All-American or All-Conference honors. Asperheim is an important part of the team's defensive play, but also has great stick skills, and can score.
The other starters of Michigan's defensive midfield have graduated, so Jordan Kirshner and Michael Bartomioli (now an assistant at Michigan's Feb. 19th opponent Florida) will need to be replaced. Sean Sutton should be one of the starters, but the other is still up in the air, with Rob Healy a strong contender.
Michigan also lost a lot from their offensive midfield units, with #5 scorer Svet Tintchev out the door, along with #7 Anthony Hrusovsky, #9 Jamison Goldberg, and #10 David Rogers. Young players such as Joey Hrusovsky will have to step up, and don't be surprised if the Wolverines have more 2-way midfielders this season.
Faceoff
Key Returners: Edward Ernst, Harrison Silver
Losses: David Reinhard (1st AA, 1st Conf)
David Reinhard was a huge part of Michigan's success over the past two years, as the diminutive faceoff specialist won nearly 70% of his draws, helping the Wolverines dominate possession against all competition. With Reinhard out the door, it's up to junior Edward Ernst to carry the torch at the faceoff X.
Ernst actually performed better overall (80.6 win percentage), though most of his attempts came late in games, and especially against lesser competition. He'll have to step up his game for Michigan to control possession like they have the past few years.
Attack
Key Returners: Trevor Yealy (1st AA, 1st Conf), Thomas Paras (2nd Conf)
Losses: Kevin Zorovich (2nd AA, 1st Conf), Josh Ein (HM Conf), Clark McIntyre (HM Conf)
Though Michigan's #3, 4, and 6 scorers from last year have graduated, the Michigan offense still has its most important piece in Trevor Yealy. The senior captain has been a deadly finisher on the crease the last three years, with a mind-numbing 77 goals last year alone - compared to a grand total of 2 assists. This year, he should play a more versatile role, including out on the wing. Even if his scoring production drops, it will be for the betterment of the team on the whole.
Michigan's #2 scorer from last year, Thomas Paras, should be improved in his second year in the program. Since the Wolverines lost two lefties (Zorovich and Ein), the addition of St. John's transfer Ryan-Dutton O'Hara (HT: UMGoBlog) is important. He's a big attackman with good finishing ability.
The Wolverines may have scoring spread more throughout the roster, so keep an eye on Chad Carroll, who's new to the team after not playing lacrosse the last couple years, and freshman jitterbug Jeff Chu.
The Schedule
Last year's home lineup consisted of a meager four games, but that's paid forward to 2011, with 8 home contests, including 2010 tournament teams Florida, BYU, Boston College, Colorado State, and Arizona State (last year's runner-up). I break it down into about 4 parts:
Pre-Season
Bellarmine
Jan. 29, 6:00PM
NCAA Division-1, 9-6 in 2010
Wittenberg
Feb. 4, 7:30PM
NCAA Division-3, 10-5 in 2010
Kenyon
Feb 12, 7:00PM
NCAA Division-3, 6-8 in 2010
Early Season/Road Trip
Florida
Feb. 19, 7:00PM
SELC, 12-4 in 2010 (First Round MCLA Tournament)
Oregon
Feb. 25, 6:00PM. Los Angeles, CA
PNCLL, 10-5 in 2010 (MCLA Tournament First Round)
@ Loyola Marymount
Mar. 2, 3:00 PM. Los Angeles, CA
SLC, 13-5 in 2010
@ Chapman
Mar. 5, 1:00 PM. Orange, CA
SLC, 16-3 in 2010 (MCLA Final Four - Lost to Michigan)
@ Ohio
Mar. 12, 2:00 PM. Athens, OH
CCLA East, 11-2 NCLL in 2010
The Home Stand
BYU
Mar. 18, 7:00 PM
RMLC, 12-6 in 2010 (MCLA Tournament Second Round - Lost to Michigan)
Pittsburgh
Mar. 19, 7:00 PM
CCLA East, 5-10 in 2010
Boston College
Mar. 25, 7:00 PM
PCLL, 11-3 in 2010 (MCLA Tournament First Round)
UC-Santa Barbara
Mar. 26, 7:00 PM
SLC, 10-6 in 2010
Colorado State
Apr. 1, 7:00 PM
RMLC, 17-2 in 2010 (MCLA Tournament Second Round)
Arizona State
Apr. 2, 7:00 PM
SLC, 16-4 in 2010 (MCLA Runners-up - Lost to Michigan)
Missouri
Apr. 9, 7:00 PM
GRLC, 8-7 in 2010
The Home Stretch
Michigan State
Apr. 16, 7:00 PM. Birmingham Seaholm HS
CCLA, 10-6 in 2010 (MCLA Tournament First Round)
@ Toledo
Apr. 23, 7:00 PM. Toledo, OH
CCLA East, 8-6 NCLL in 2010
CCLA Tournament
May 5-7 Saline, MI
MCLA Tournament
May 17-21 Denver, CO
The Summary
Michigan's recipe for success over the past few years has been to dominate possession, owning the faceoff X and riding opponents into turnovers to hold on to the ball much more than the opposition.
Michigan's biggest question mark this year, then, will be on faceoffs. In the one-on-one battle at midfield, they need to have Edward Ernst step up to continue the formula that's brought them such success. Ernst has David Reinhard, last year's All-American specialist, teaching and competing with him in practice (just like Reinhard had with Brekan Kohlitz a couple years back), so he should be able to step up.
Other than faceoff, Michigan's top-end talent and depth are both exceptional. Plugging Division-1 transfers into holes created by graduation is not a luxury all club programs have, and the Wolverines have some of the best coaching in the MCLA as well.
It's likely, unless there are some early-season stumbles, that Michigan will be favored - and often heavily so - in every game this year. They've earned it by losing only one game in the past 3 years, and refusing to ever rebuild, but always reload. It doesn't hurt to have the runaway favorites for MCLA Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year on your squad, either.
If you're looking to make it out to just a couple games, I recommend tonight's scrimmage, as Bellarmine is a D-1 opponent, and the back-to-back home games against Colorado State and Arizona State.
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