About a week ago, I wrote on my blog about a college swimmer in Massachusetts who overcame childhood cancer to set an NCAA record by being the National Champion in the breaststroke four times in a row. The student-athlete I'm writing about tonight never doesn't have cancer, but cares about those who do that he wanted to make a positive difference in their lives.
His name is Tanner Smith. He is a member of the Clemson Basketball Team and will be entering his Sophomore season next year. Back when he was in Fourth Grade, Tanner's teacher gave him and his"At first I wasn't sure it would matter," Tanner said. "I mean, what can colored pencils and modeling clay do? But we can't cure cancer right now. There isn't a medicine or a shot or a test that helps you cure it or prevent it. At least we can help somebody get through it. classmates a project. They were to write down their answers to the question "If I had three wishes." Smith's wishes were these three: to have a Golden Retriever, to play professional basketball, and to make kids with cancer laugh.
The first wish came true when at Christmas time, a Golden Retriever bounded into the Smith living room. Tanner also received a Sacramento Kings locker and a red clown nose. The locker was to represent basketball and the red nose was to make kids with cancer laugh. We thought that would be the end of it." Tanner's mother Kathy Smith said.
The second wish hasn't come yet, but might still. Near the end of his Freshman year in high school, Tanner was starting for the Varsity. By the end of his Senior year, he earned All-State honors and was being recruited by schools such as Virginia Tech, Missouri, Georgia and Clemson. He chose Clemson because it was close enough to home yet far enough where he could feel like he was on his own. As a kid, he was captivated by the ACC. "Those guys looked like men." Tanner said. "I was just a scrawny little blond kid." Smith appeared in all of Clemson's 25 games this past season, averaging 3.9 points and 13 minutes per game.
The third and most important wish has come true in a big way. Tanner, with the help of his parents, began a non-profit organization called Tanner's Totes. The idea was to put goodies into tote bags and deliver them to Adolessence and teenagers who were battling cancer. The first bag was very ordinary . They used colored pencils and an Uncle with a silk screening business helped out with the design. Tanner said that when he was in high school, a girl in his class contracted cancer. The girl's brother had been helping Tanner a year before. "All of a sudden, we were delivering a bag to her." He said.
The first few bags cost $60 to fill and that cam out of pocket, and Tanner made his first delivery to Children's Health Care of Atlanta. However, other organizations got wind of Tanner's foundation. The Girl Scout troops joined the fight and a Georgia garden club donated $18,000.00. The smith's basement was turned into Tanner's Totes headquarters. they are now receiving requests and donations from hospitals from all around the country: Jacksonville, FL, Nebraska, Texas. The Smiths have also been featured on the HGTV show "Deserving Design."
Tanner's deep desire to help kids dealing with cancer is a truly empathetic one. Tanner's father, Craig Smith, was diagnosed with Stage 4 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma when Tanner was 3 years old. The family spent 3 months in Omaha, Nebraska where Craig received a bone marrow transplant from his sister. After moving back to their Alpharetta, Ga home, life started to return to normal. Craig had started a Dentistry in Georgia at the time of his bone marrow transplant, but things seemed to be settling down until just a year after being diagnosed with cancer, Mr. Smith developed Graft-Versus-Host disease (GHVD), a disease in which the white blood cells from his sister's bone marrow attacked his own. Craig is not able to produce saliva or tears and has to take a huge dose of antibiotics to ward off infections. ""My dad, my dad is just an incredible man," Tanner said. "He's had to deal with so much, but the way he's handled it, it amazes me. I'm sure there have been times where he's thought, 'This is it,' but he just handles everything so well."
Seeing his father battle cancer has had a huge impression on Tanner, and because of it, he can empathize with those who have the disease. "Tanner knows the difference between sympathy and empathy," Craig said. "That's what he has for these kids: empathy. He's seen me in the hospital. He knows what it's like." The story of Tanner Smith and his foundation "Tanner's Totes" is but another wonderful example of college student-athletes taking advantage of their status and making a positive difference in their communities and in the lives of others less fortunate.
Clemson coach Oliver Purnell had this to say about Tanner and the impact of Tanner's Totes: "Plenty of people are affected by cancer, but not everyone is spurred to action by it. That's what makes Tanner and his parents extraordinary. They did something about it."
Credit for information in this latest blog goes to ESPN blogger Dana O'Neil. You can read her full story on Tanner Smith and Tanner's Totes by going to espn.com, clicking on blogs, and clicking on blog archives.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Departure of Curry, McKay Hurts Liberty
The Liberty University Men's' Basketball program was on the verge of moving into the respectability zone of college basketball. That is, until their best player, a Freshman, and the Head Coach left the program.
Head Coach Richie McKay led the Flames to one of their best seasons ever with an overall record of 23-12 and 12-6 in the Big South Conference. The main reason for that was Freshman Guard Seth Curry, who became the highest scoring Freshman in the nation during the 2008-09 season. Seth Curry is the younger brother of Stephan Curry, who led the Davidson Wildcats to within a three-pointer of the 2008 Final Four and has now declared for the NBA Draft.
However, the program was dealt a major setback when Curry decided to transfer to Duke and Coach McKay left to go 100 miles north to Virginia, where he will serve as Associate Head Coach under the Cavaliers new Head Coach, Tony Bennett.
Liberty has had 3 head coaches in the last decade: McKay, Randy Dunton and Mel Hankinson. Gonzaga, another Mid-Major, has had one head coach since 200, Mark Few. Need I say more?
I'm wondering how many of the ACC schools recruited Seth Curry before he made Liberty his choice. Now that he has done so well his Freshman year, apparently, Duke came calling. If Curry contacted Coach K and the Blue Devils first, that's understandable, but where's the loyalty to the school who recruited you, gave you a scholarship, and provided an environment in which you thrived. On the other hand, If Duke made the overtures first, it was quite "Devilish."
As for McKay, he was run out on a rail from Albuquerque. As quick as he was run out, Liberty snapped him up. I was so relieved for Coach McKay when he got the job to coach the Flames. He was a perfect fit. A fine Christian man who wants to both win games and add value to the lives of young people. I was also relieved for the Liberty Men's' Basketball Program. they have had very little success. Now that a coach from a better well-known conference has come in, and he's brought in one of the better high school players in the country, the Flames would do more than flicker.
This past year, they did more than flicker with Curry leading the nation's Freshman in scoring at 26 PPG. But that has all changed. The Devils were in the details and so were Navy Blue and Orange-clad entities called Wahoos. Liberty was on the verge of being the Gonzaga of the East, now that is doubtful.
Fortunately for the Flames, Assistant Head Coach Dale Layer was named the Flames new Head Coach. He has a wealth of experience at the Div. 1 level. He led Colorado St. to the big Dance in 2003 where the Rams lost to those same Devils. Hopefully he can bring in some almost-McDonald's All-Americans like Curry into the program where they Will stay past their Freshman Year and put Liberty among the top of the Mid-Majors.
I wish both players and coaches would stick it out a little more. The lure of coaching in the big time is strong and so is playing in it. Coaches want to improve their financial situation, and players want to play on television and get noticed by the NBA scouts. But where is the patience and loyalty anymore. If Curry stays, the Flames have a better chance of becoming a program similar to Gonzaga, the Gold Standard of Mid-Majors. Perhaps McKay left because Curry transferred. Perhaps McKay felt he couldn't win at LU without him. Who knows. Let's hope Coach Layer will be able to rebuild the Liberty program and give it some sustained continuity, a continuity of winning.
Head Coach Richie McKay led the Flames to one of their best seasons ever with an overall record of 23-12 and 12-6 in the Big South Conference. The main reason for that was Freshman Guard Seth Curry, who became the highest scoring Freshman in the nation during the 2008-09 season. Seth Curry is the younger brother of Stephan Curry, who led the Davidson Wildcats to within a three-pointer of the 2008 Final Four and has now declared for the NBA Draft.
However, the program was dealt a major setback when Curry decided to transfer to Duke and Coach McKay left to go 100 miles north to Virginia, where he will serve as Associate Head Coach under the Cavaliers new Head Coach, Tony Bennett.
Liberty has had 3 head coaches in the last decade: McKay, Randy Dunton and Mel Hankinson. Gonzaga, another Mid-Major, has had one head coach since 200, Mark Few. Need I say more?
I'm wondering how many of the ACC schools recruited Seth Curry before he made Liberty his choice. Now that he has done so well his Freshman year, apparently, Duke came calling. If Curry contacted Coach K and the Blue Devils first, that's understandable, but where's the loyalty to the school who recruited you, gave you a scholarship, and provided an environment in which you thrived. On the other hand, If Duke made the overtures first, it was quite "Devilish."
As for McKay, he was run out on a rail from Albuquerque. As quick as he was run out, Liberty snapped him up. I was so relieved for Coach McKay when he got the job to coach the Flames. He was a perfect fit. A fine Christian man who wants to both win games and add value to the lives of young people. I was also relieved for the Liberty Men's' Basketball Program. they have had very little success. Now that a coach from a better well-known conference has come in, and he's brought in one of the better high school players in the country, the Flames would do more than flicker.
This past year, they did more than flicker with Curry leading the nation's Freshman in scoring at 26 PPG. But that has all changed. The Devils were in the details and so were Navy Blue and Orange-clad entities called Wahoos. Liberty was on the verge of being the Gonzaga of the East, now that is doubtful.
Fortunately for the Flames, Assistant Head Coach Dale Layer was named the Flames new Head Coach. He has a wealth of experience at the Div. 1 level. He led Colorado St. to the big Dance in 2003 where the Rams lost to those same Devils. Hopefully he can bring in some almost-McDonald's All-Americans like Curry into the program where they Will stay past their Freshman Year and put Liberty among the top of the Mid-Majors.
I wish both players and coaches would stick it out a little more. The lure of coaching in the big time is strong and so is playing in it. Coaches want to improve their financial situation, and players want to play on television and get noticed by the NBA scouts. But where is the patience and loyalty anymore. If Curry stays, the Flames have a better chance of becoming a program similar to Gonzaga, the Gold Standard of Mid-Majors. Perhaps McKay left because Curry transferred. Perhaps McKay felt he couldn't win at LU without him. Who knows. Let's hope Coach Layer will be able to rebuild the Liberty program and give it some sustained continuity, a continuity of winning.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Simpson does Grayson, Gwinnett and Bryan College Proud
As an alum of Bryan College, a Christian Liberal Arts College located in Dayton, TN between Knoxville and Chattanooga, I'm always proud of what the Lions have accomplished on the field, court and, in this case, the track.
I would like to take time to give props to Ericka Simpson, a Freshman member of the Bryan College Women's Cross Country and Track teams who hails from Grayson, GA. and graduated from Grayson HS. Simpson is another one of the many former Gwinnett area high school athletes who have gone on to excel at the college level.
In Cross Country, Simpson finished 32nd out of 114 runners in the Women's 5K with a time of 20:45.33 at the Southeastern Classic hosted by Berry College back on October 25 of last Fall. Two weeks later at the Appalachian Athletic Conference Championships, Simpson finished 15th overall with a time of 20:29 and led the Lady Lions to a 6th place finish.
But her most successful accomplishments this year came on the track. On Feb. 7 of this year at the Tiger Indoor Classic at Suwanee College, Simpson finished 11th overall in the Women's 1 Mile Run with a time of 5:47.70 and finished 2nd overall in the Women's 800 run with a time of 2:36.12. To open the Outdoor season, Bryan competed in the Wake Forest Open on March 21. While in Winston-Salem, Simpson opened her Outdoor season by setting a new school record in the Women's 5000 Meters with a time of 19:42.92. "Ericka got her first taste of five thousand meters and I thought she did a fine job. She can make a few adjustments and run much faster this outdoor season." Bryan Head Coach Rodney Stoker said.
Earlier this year, Simpson set another school record at the Niswonger Invitiational in Johnson City, TN. She did it in the Women's 300 Meter with a time of 11:25.79, winning the 3rd section of that event. Simpson continued her good showing recently at the Bryan College/Walker Valley HS Invitational on April 3 by finishing 2nd overall in the Women's 1500 Meters with a time of 5:20.61.
As I noted in my previous article about Gwinnett County area high school athletes succeeding at big time colleges and some going on to the pros, there are many more Gwinnett area Student Athletes like Ericka Simpson who are making their mark at the small college level. Ericka has had a tremendous Freshman year, and it will be exciting to see what she will do the next three years at Bryan. For more information about Bryan College and its Athletic Department, the reader can go to www.bryan.edu and click on the Athletics link.
I would like to take time to give props to Ericka Simpson, a Freshman member of the Bryan College Women's Cross Country and Track teams who hails from Grayson, GA. and graduated from Grayson HS. Simpson is another one of the many former Gwinnett area high school athletes who have gone on to excel at the college level.
In Cross Country, Simpson finished 32nd out of 114 runners in the Women's 5K with a time of 20:45.33 at the Southeastern Classic hosted by Berry College back on October 25 of last Fall. Two weeks later at the Appalachian Athletic Conference Championships, Simpson finished 15th overall with a time of 20:29 and led the Lady Lions to a 6th place finish.
But her most successful accomplishments this year came on the track. On Feb. 7 of this year at the Tiger Indoor Classic at Suwanee College, Simpson finished 11th overall in the Women's 1 Mile Run with a time of 5:47.70 and finished 2nd overall in the Women's 800 run with a time of 2:36.12. To open the Outdoor season, Bryan competed in the Wake Forest Open on March 21. While in Winston-Salem, Simpson opened her Outdoor season by setting a new school record in the Women's 5000 Meters with a time of 19:42.92. "Ericka got her first taste of five thousand meters and I thought she did a fine job. She can make a few adjustments and run much faster this outdoor season." Bryan Head Coach Rodney Stoker said.
Earlier this year, Simpson set another school record at the Niswonger Invitiational in Johnson City, TN. She did it in the Women's 300 Meter with a time of 11:25.79, winning the 3rd section of that event. Simpson continued her good showing recently at the Bryan College/Walker Valley HS Invitational on April 3 by finishing 2nd overall in the Women's 1500 Meters with a time of 5:20.61.
As I noted in my previous article about Gwinnett County area high school athletes succeeding at big time colleges and some going on to the pros, there are many more Gwinnett area Student Athletes like Ericka Simpson who are making their mark at the small college level. Ericka has had a tremendous Freshman year, and it will be exciting to see what she will do the next three years at Bryan. For more information about Bryan College and its Athletic Department, the reader can go to www.bryan.edu and click on the Athletics link.
Monday, April 20, 2009
College Swimmer Overcoming Childhod Cancer
In this blog from time to time, I want to focus on stories of college athletes overcoming tremendous adversities. These stories of triumph inspire me to overcome my own misfortunes and they should inspire whoever reads this blog.
Lindsay Payne has most likely already graduated from college. But 3-4 years ago she was swimming at Williams College, an NCAA Div. 111 school in Williams, MA., and was enjoying an All-American career. According to an article in Coed Magazine a few years ago, Payne won the 100 yard breaststroke at the NCAA Championships her Freshman year, and became the first four time NCAA champion in that event, not to mention winning several other accolades.
However, the triumphs Lindsay realized in college pale in comparison to her triumph over cancer. During the Summer after her sixth grade year, Lindsay was racing with her swim team at NC St. and was so exhausted after an event she couldn't even stand up to cheer on her teammates. Her parents took her to the doctor, and it was discovered that she had Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia. The following 2 years involved painful chemotherapy and spinal taps.
However, by the time Lindsay reached high school, she was able to get back in the pool. She also tried a few other sports such as soccer, and was part of a championship crew team.
Payne chose Williams College over several Div. 1 swimming offers because she wanted to play other sports and concentrate on academics. "I also wanted a more balanced collegiate experience. Williams was clearly outstanding academically, and Div. 111 athletics gave me time for other activities." Payne said. Payne did so well in 2004 that she qualified for the 2004 U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials.
Lindsay Payne's triumph over Leukemia gives hope to thousands of kids and adults who have contracted various forms of cancer. Those of us who don't have it as tough should never feel self-pity. Information in this article is credited to the staff at Coed Magazine. For more information on the story of Lindsay Payne, go to www.coedmagazine.com.
Lindsay Payne has most likely already graduated from college. But 3-4 years ago she was swimming at Williams College, an NCAA Div. 111 school in Williams, MA., and was enjoying an All-American career. According to an article in Coed Magazine a few years ago, Payne won the 100 yard breaststroke at the NCAA Championships her Freshman year, and became the first four time NCAA champion in that event, not to mention winning several other accolades.
However, the triumphs Lindsay realized in college pale in comparison to her triumph over cancer. During the Summer after her sixth grade year, Lindsay was racing with her swim team at NC St. and was so exhausted after an event she couldn't even stand up to cheer on her teammates. Her parents took her to the doctor, and it was discovered that she had Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia. The following 2 years involved painful chemotherapy and spinal taps.
However, by the time Lindsay reached high school, she was able to get back in the pool. She also tried a few other sports such as soccer, and was part of a championship crew team.
Payne chose Williams College over several Div. 1 swimming offers because she wanted to play other sports and concentrate on academics. "I also wanted a more balanced collegiate experience. Williams was clearly outstanding academically, and Div. 111 athletics gave me time for other activities." Payne said. Payne did so well in 2004 that she qualified for the 2004 U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials.
Lindsay Payne's triumph over Leukemia gives hope to thousands of kids and adults who have contracted various forms of cancer. Those of us who don't have it as tough should never feel self-pity. Information in this article is credited to the staff at Coed Magazine. For more information on the story of Lindsay Payne, go to www.coedmagazine.com.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
SEC Schools should have Mens Soccer programs
Many of the "BCS" conferences have something the SEC doesn't have: Men's Soccer programs. With the explosion of soccer at the youth level and more colleges adding the sport to their athletic programs (especially Women's soccer), there's no reason that the Southeastern Conference cant have Men's Soccer programs at Varsity status. Three SEC schools already have Men's soccer; Vanderbilt, South Carolina, and Kentucky. All three soccer programs are having to participate in other conferences because the rest of the SEC schools don't have a Men's program.
Yes, I know Title 9 has a lot to do with it, but that shouldn't stop the other SEC schools from adding the sport to their programs. The SEC has the best "American Football" conference in the country. Each school has made millions of dollars the past several years. It is said that football helps fund the "non-revenue" sports. Why couldn't football help fund Men's Soccer as well? The University of Georgia has already several Men's teams it could play within 150 miles of the school, such as Clemson, Furman, and South Carolina. Those three schools are in the top 25 every year.
Adding Men's Soccer programs would also help deserving college students get athletic scholarships as soccer players if they cant play football, basketball or the other sports. It would create more interest in these universities who would otherwise head to the traditional ACC powers or programs in other conferences. SEC schools would have another sport they could compete for a national championship. With the strong high school and club soccer played in cities like Atlanta, Greenville, SC, Birmingham, Nashville, and all of the major Florida cities, the schools could get plenty of talented players. As much as I love SEC Football, I would love even more SEC Men's Futbol (Soccer).
Yes, I know Title 9 has a lot to do with it, but that shouldn't stop the other SEC schools from adding the sport to their programs. The SEC has the best "American Football" conference in the country. Each school has made millions of dollars the past several years. It is said that football helps fund the "non-revenue" sports. Why couldn't football help fund Men's Soccer as well? The University of Georgia has already several Men's teams it could play within 150 miles of the school, such as Clemson, Furman, and South Carolina. Those three schools are in the top 25 every year.
Adding Men's Soccer programs would also help deserving college students get athletic scholarships as soccer players if they cant play football, basketball or the other sports. It would create more interest in these universities who would otherwise head to the traditional ACC powers or programs in other conferences. SEC schools would have another sport they could compete for a national championship. With the strong high school and club soccer played in cities like Atlanta, Greenville, SC, Birmingham, Nashville, and all of the major Florida cities, the schools could get plenty of talented players. As much as I love SEC Football, I would love even more SEC Men's Futbol (Soccer).
Friday, April 17, 2009
Joe Cox is the Rightful Helmesman of the Dawgs' Ship
I'll say it as simple as this. Joe Cox deserves to go into the 2009 season as the Georgia Bulldogs starting Quarterback. The young man has proven himself on the field, especially filling in for Matthew Stafford and leading Georgia to a come from behind win over Colorado in 2006.
Cox has waited patiently behind Stafford and has done everything the coaching staff has asked him to do. He knows Mark Richt's offense backwards and forwards, and he has the maturity of a Senior leader which is desperately needed at the QB position.
Yes, I know Aaron Murray is a very talented Freshman who can run and make plays. He will probably be the starting QB eventually. However, with a much improved offensive line, Georgia can now have both an experienced quarterback and an experienced offensive line. I was impressed with Cox when, after the G-Day game, he gathered all the players around him and said to them that a year ago, 8 players were arrested during the off season and so far none during this off-season. He challenged his teammates to keep it that way and come back in August ready and focused. That is a sign of a leader, and the players see him as a leader.
Cox has paid his dews and deserves at least to start the first game of the season against Oklahoma St. on Sept. 5. I believe he will be the starter come opening day and several games after that. Tea Martin led the Tennessee Vols to a National Title following Payton Manning. I think Cox can have the same kind of success following Matthew Stafford.
Cox has waited patiently behind Stafford and has done everything the coaching staff has asked him to do. He knows Mark Richt's offense backwards and forwards, and he has the maturity of a Senior leader which is desperately needed at the QB position.
Yes, I know Aaron Murray is a very talented Freshman who can run and make plays. He will probably be the starting QB eventually. However, with a much improved offensive line, Georgia can now have both an experienced quarterback and an experienced offensive line. I was impressed with Cox when, after the G-Day game, he gathered all the players around him and said to them that a year ago, 8 players were arrested during the off season and so far none during this off-season. He challenged his teammates to keep it that way and come back in August ready and focused. That is a sign of a leader, and the players see him as a leader.
Cox has paid his dews and deserves at least to start the first game of the season against Oklahoma St. on Sept. 5. I believe he will be the starter come opening day and several games after that. Tea Martin led the Tennessee Vols to a National Title following Payton Manning. I think Cox can have the same kind of success following Matthew Stafford.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Factoids on the NCAA Tournament
I know that March Madness has passed us. North Carolina just won its sixth National title in school history. But as I was looking through the annals of the NCAA Tournament, which I often like to do. I noticed that there are many interesting tidbits or "factoids", as I like to call them.
Here are some of those factoids: As everyone knows, UCLA has won the most national titles since the tournament began in 1939, the same year that WW II started. Therefore, not surprisingly, the PAC-10 is the conference with the most national titles at 15 followed by the ACC (11), the Big East (9), the SEC and Big 10 tied with 8, the Big 12 with 5, the Mountain West Conference (3), the WCC (2), and the WAC, Patriot League, Atlantic 10 and Horizon conferences with 1 each. Community College of New York (CCNY) also won a national title in 1950.
The conference with the most Final Four appearances since 1939 is the Big 10 with 45, followed by the Big East with 44, the ACC (43), the Big 12 and PAC 10 tied with 35, and the SEC with 29. The Atlantic 10 has had 10 of its teams go to the Final Four. Conference USA and the Missouri Valley Conference both have seen 9 of their teams go. Rounding out the tally is the West Coast Conference with 5 Final Four appearances, followed by the Ivey League and Missouri Valley each with four, the Patriot League with 2, and the Horizon, Atlantic Sun and Sunbelt each with 1 Final Four representative.
Other fascinating tidbits include UAB beating Kentucky in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on 2 different occasions: in 1981 and 2004.1981 was the year the Indiana Hoosiers, led by PG Isaiah Thomas, won their fourth national title. That year UAB, under Head Coach Gene Bartowe, defeated Kentucky before losing to the Hoosiers in the next round. Twenty-three years later, the Blazers, led by current Missouri Coach Mike Anderson, would repeat the feat by defeating the Wildcats in the second round before losing to Kansas in the sweet 16.
Also, since 1939 the national title game has seen 6 overtimes. One of them was a triple overtime game in which it took 3 extra periods for North Carolina to defeat Kansas 54-53 to win their first of 6 national crowns. Another intriguing fact is that on 2 occasions, the final score of the National Championship Game was 84-75. Georgetown defeated Houston 84-75 in 1984 and Florida defeated Ohio St. 84-75 in 2007. On four occassions in the tournament's history, the winning team of the National Title game has finished with 84 points , the other two being Kentucky over Seattle 84-72 in 1958, and Arizona beating Kentucky in 1997 by the score of 84-79 in overtime.
Another strange coincidence is that two years in a row, the winning team in the national title game scored 63 points. Indiana defeated North Carolina 63-50, and the following year, the Tar Heels, with Freshman Michael Jordan, beat Georgetown 63-62.
Here's the craziest stat of all. The total amount of points scored by the National Champion from 1939 to the present is 5,105 points and the total points scored by the runner up from 1939 to the present is 4,434 points, a 671 point difference. One last factoid, the only team in tournament history to score 100 points or more in a the National Championship Game is UNLV. They did it in 1990 when they thrashed Duke 103-73.
I hope you enjoyed this tour of relatively unknown factoids dealing with the NCAA Tournament. Stay tuned, more interesting blogs about the world of college sports are on the way.
Here are some of those factoids: As everyone knows, UCLA has won the most national titles since the tournament began in 1939, the same year that WW II started. Therefore, not surprisingly, the PAC-10 is the conference with the most national titles at 15 followed by the ACC (11), the Big East (9), the SEC and Big 10 tied with 8, the Big 12 with 5, the Mountain West Conference (3), the WCC (2), and the WAC, Patriot League, Atlantic 10 and Horizon conferences with 1 each. Community College of New York (CCNY) also won a national title in 1950.
The conference with the most Final Four appearances since 1939 is the Big 10 with 45, followed by the Big East with 44, the ACC (43), the Big 12 and PAC 10 tied with 35, and the SEC with 29. The Atlantic 10 has had 10 of its teams go to the Final Four. Conference USA and the Missouri Valley Conference both have seen 9 of their teams go. Rounding out the tally is the West Coast Conference with 5 Final Four appearances, followed by the Ivey League and Missouri Valley each with four, the Patriot League with 2, and the Horizon, Atlantic Sun and Sunbelt each with 1 Final Four representative.
Other fascinating tidbits include UAB beating Kentucky in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on 2 different occasions: in 1981 and 2004.1981 was the year the Indiana Hoosiers, led by PG Isaiah Thomas, won their fourth national title. That year UAB, under Head Coach Gene Bartowe, defeated Kentucky before losing to the Hoosiers in the next round. Twenty-three years later, the Blazers, led by current Missouri Coach Mike Anderson, would repeat the feat by defeating the Wildcats in the second round before losing to Kansas in the sweet 16.
Also, since 1939 the national title game has seen 6 overtimes. One of them was a triple overtime game in which it took 3 extra periods for North Carolina to defeat Kansas 54-53 to win their first of 6 national crowns. Another intriguing fact is that on 2 occasions, the final score of the National Championship Game was 84-75. Georgetown defeated Houston 84-75 in 1984 and Florida defeated Ohio St. 84-75 in 2007. On four occassions in the tournament's history, the winning team of the National Title game has finished with 84 points , the other two being Kentucky over Seattle 84-72 in 1958, and Arizona beating Kentucky in 1997 by the score of 84-79 in overtime.
Another strange coincidence is that two years in a row, the winning team in the national title game scored 63 points. Indiana defeated North Carolina 63-50, and the following year, the Tar Heels, with Freshman Michael Jordan, beat Georgetown 63-62.
Here's the craziest stat of all. The total amount of points scored by the National Champion from 1939 to the present is 5,105 points and the total points scored by the runner up from 1939 to the present is 4,434 points, a 671 point difference. One last factoid, the only team in tournament history to score 100 points or more in a the National Championship Game is UNLV. They did it in 1990 when they thrashed Duke 103-73.
I hope you enjoyed this tour of relatively unknown factoids dealing with the NCAA Tournament. Stay tuned, more interesting blogs about the world of college sports are on the way.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Luther, Dotterer turn Newberry Basketball around
Two years ago, Newberry College Hired Mercer Assistant Coach Jeremy Luther as its new Head Basketball Coach. In turn, Luther hired as his assistant Travis Dotterer, a High School coach at Mt. DeSales Academy in Macon, GA. In just two years, these two have turned the Indians upside down.
Under Luther's guidance this year, Newberry had its best season ever since joining NCAA Division II in the early 1990s; 21-8. They also achieved another first in the program's history, going 10-6 in the South Atlantic Conference, as well as being ranked 9th in the NCAA Southeast Region rankings. It was the first time the Men's' Basketball program had ever been ranked regionally.
In one of my previous blogs, I talked about the hiring of Mark Fox as Georgia's new Head Coach and how he might do what Bruce Pearl at Tennessee has already done. Luther is another example of how new blood and a fresh, new approach of doing things can reap success.
Both Coach Luther and his assistant Travis Dotterer, have several years of coaching experience at the high school level, which has prepared them for their recent success at Newberry. Luther was the Boys Varsity Head Coach at Windsor Academy in Macon, GA before joining Mark Slonaker's staff at Mercer. Travis Dotterer served as Varsity Boys Head Coach at three different schools, most notable Mt. DeSales Academy, where in 2001 he guided Mt. DeSales to the GISA Final Four before Luther snapped him up to Newberry.
What I'm describing is nothing new in the coaching world. Coaches slowly moving up the ranks and achieving more and more success. Before this year, the Newberry College Indians had three straight seasons of no more than 12 wins, now they are on the cusp of doing something that has never been done in the school's history; getting into the NCAA Tournament. Hopefully with a good recruiting class coming in for the 2009-10 campaign and the returning players continuing to grow, the Indians will achieve their long-awaited goal in 2010, dancing.
Under Luther's guidance this year, Newberry had its best season ever since joining NCAA Division II in the early 1990s; 21-8. They also achieved another first in the program's history, going 10-6 in the South Atlantic Conference, as well as being ranked 9th in the NCAA Southeast Region rankings. It was the first time the Men's' Basketball program had ever been ranked regionally.
In one of my previous blogs, I talked about the hiring of Mark Fox as Georgia's new Head Coach and how he might do what Bruce Pearl at Tennessee has already done. Luther is another example of how new blood and a fresh, new approach of doing things can reap success.
Both Coach Luther and his assistant Travis Dotterer, have several years of coaching experience at the high school level, which has prepared them for their recent success at Newberry. Luther was the Boys Varsity Head Coach at Windsor Academy in Macon, GA before joining Mark Slonaker's staff at Mercer. Travis Dotterer served as Varsity Boys Head Coach at three different schools, most notable Mt. DeSales Academy, where in 2001 he guided Mt. DeSales to the GISA Final Four before Luther snapped him up to Newberry.
What I'm describing is nothing new in the coaching world. Coaches slowly moving up the ranks and achieving more and more success. Before this year, the Newberry College Indians had three straight seasons of no more than 12 wins, now they are on the cusp of doing something that has never been done in the school's history; getting into the NCAA Tournament. Hopefully with a good recruiting class coming in for the 2009-10 campaign and the returning players continuing to grow, the Indians will achieve their long-awaited goal in 2010, dancing.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Gwinnett County, GA:: A College Recruiter's Paradise
I live in an area about 30 miles Northeast of Atlanta, GA called Gwinnett County. It's a sprawling county of 750,000 people between Atlanta and Athens, home of the University of Georgia.
Twenty years ago, this area was pretty much rural, wooded and "country." My, my have things changed. With the astonishing growth of the county came the construction of more schools, and the enlargement of the talent pool of potential college athletes. Back in the 80s, very few high school athletes went on to play sports at major colleges. Among those few were Mark Thomas, who was a Defensive Tackle at Parkview High School, played college ball at NC. St., and played in the NFL with the 49ers, the Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears and the Indianapolis Colts.
Greater Atlanta Christian had a great Girls Basketball player named Cindy Brogdon, who became an All-American at Tennessee and was a member of the US Olympic Team in Los Angeles in 1984. Running Back George Rogers from Duluth High School in Gwinnett County, went on to win the 1980 Heisman Trophy while at the University of South Carolina. There me be other examples from that era, but not too many.
However, the last 10 years or so have seen an explosion of Gwinnett area high school athletes who have not only been stars at major colleges, but have gone on to the pros: Josh Wolfe was an outstanding Soccer player for Parkview High School. He led the Panthers to a State Title, then went on to become an all-American at South Carolina before being picked by the Chicago fire in the MLS. Wolfe also was selected to the 2000 US Olympic Team which competed in the Sydney Olympics, and was chosen to be on the 2002 USA World Cup Squad which reached the quarter finals of the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea/Japan.
Another Gwinnett great was Louis Williams, who was the National High School Player of the Year his Senior year. He decided to forgo college and was taken by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2003 NBA Draft. After a couple of seasons in the NBA's Developmental League, Williams is now a strong contributor for the 76ers.
Darius Walker was a runningback from Buford High School who led his team to a State Title, went on to be a star runningback at Notre Dame, and is now with the NFL's Houston Texans. Other notables are QB David Greene from S. Gwinnett High School, led Georgia to it's first SEC Title since 1980 and was the winningest QB in Div. 1A history. David Pollock came from Shiloh High School and was a teammate of Green's at UGA where he enjoyed a stellar career at Linebacker for the Dawgs and played for the Cincinnati Bengals before his career was cut short due to a serious neck injury.
Probably the most famous for Atlanta baseball fans is Jeff Francoeur. Francoeur was a standout football and baseball player at Parkview High School and was headed to Clemson to play football but chose Major League Baseball. After a couple of years in the Braves' minor League system, Francoeur was called up by the big club and burst on to the Major League scene, having one of the best seasons for a rookie.
Other Gwinnett High School athletes who have gone on to stardom are as follows:
Maya Moore Womens' Basketball--Collins Hill HS UCONN
Tim Wansley Football--Buford HS UGA/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Brett Conway Football--Parkview HS Penn St./Green Bay Packers
Jason Moore Soccer--Parkview HS Univ. of Virginia/DC United
Cameron Heyward Football--Peachtree Ridge HS, Ohio St.
Amanda Weir Swimming--Brookwood HS 2 Silver Medals in 2004 Athens Olympics
Brian McCann Baseball--Duluth HS All-Star Catcher for Atlanta Braves
Omar Hunter football--Buford HS Univ. of Florida--National Champion
Jodie Meeks Basketball--Norcross HS Univ. of Kentucky
Chris Allen Basketball--Meadowcreek HS Michigan St.
Brian Bender Basketball--Cent. Gwinnett HS Gardner-Webb Univ.
Wesley Witherspoon Basketball--Berkmar HS Univ. of Memphis
There are others who are playing major college sports who will certainly go on to the pros, others who are playing D-1 who will not go on to pro ball, and countless others playing small-college sports.
I often wonder how this explosion of talent has taken place. Of course one reason is population growth. Also, better coaching at the youth levels. Gwinnett County has a well-structured feeder system in Football, Baseball and Basketball from ages 5 up to 14.
Gwinnett County also has the largest school system in the nation. With Atlanta being a hot bed for jobs, more and more people from the northern states as well as California and other parts of the country will come here for the job market and the nice weather, which has all 4 seasons. Another factor is the many retired processional athletes have made the Atlanta Metro Area home. Some live in Gwinnett County, and they passed on their athletic genes to their sons and daughters who are some of today's great athletes in Gwinnett. Both Georgia and GA. Tech have tried to quarantine the county to recruit these athletes, but several have been snapped up by out-of-state schools. This will not change, but will increase. College coaches would do well to make Gwinnett County an essential recruiting destination.
Twenty years ago, this area was pretty much rural, wooded and "country." My, my have things changed. With the astonishing growth of the county came the construction of more schools, and the enlargement of the talent pool of potential college athletes. Back in the 80s, very few high school athletes went on to play sports at major colleges. Among those few were Mark Thomas, who was a Defensive Tackle at Parkview High School, played college ball at NC. St., and played in the NFL with the 49ers, the Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears and the Indianapolis Colts.
Greater Atlanta Christian had a great Girls Basketball player named Cindy Brogdon, who became an All-American at Tennessee and was a member of the US Olympic Team in Los Angeles in 1984. Running Back George Rogers from Duluth High School in Gwinnett County, went on to win the 1980 Heisman Trophy while at the University of South Carolina. There me be other examples from that era, but not too many.
However, the last 10 years or so have seen an explosion of Gwinnett area high school athletes who have not only been stars at major colleges, but have gone on to the pros: Josh Wolfe was an outstanding Soccer player for Parkview High School. He led the Panthers to a State Title, then went on to become an all-American at South Carolina before being picked by the Chicago fire in the MLS. Wolfe also was selected to the 2000 US Olympic Team which competed in the Sydney Olympics, and was chosen to be on the 2002 USA World Cup Squad which reached the quarter finals of the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea/Japan.
Another Gwinnett great was Louis Williams, who was the National High School Player of the Year his Senior year. He decided to forgo college and was taken by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2003 NBA Draft. After a couple of seasons in the NBA's Developmental League, Williams is now a strong contributor for the 76ers.
Darius Walker was a runningback from Buford High School who led his team to a State Title, went on to be a star runningback at Notre Dame, and is now with the NFL's Houston Texans. Other notables are QB David Greene from S. Gwinnett High School, led Georgia to it's first SEC Title since 1980 and was the winningest QB in Div. 1A history. David Pollock came from Shiloh High School and was a teammate of Green's at UGA where he enjoyed a stellar career at Linebacker for the Dawgs and played for the Cincinnati Bengals before his career was cut short due to a serious neck injury.
Probably the most famous for Atlanta baseball fans is Jeff Francoeur. Francoeur was a standout football and baseball player at Parkview High School and was headed to Clemson to play football but chose Major League Baseball. After a couple of years in the Braves' minor League system, Francoeur was called up by the big club and burst on to the Major League scene, having one of the best seasons for a rookie.
Other Gwinnett High School athletes who have gone on to stardom are as follows:
Maya Moore Womens' Basketball--Collins Hill HS UCONN
Tim Wansley Football--Buford HS UGA/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Brett Conway Football--Parkview HS Penn St./Green Bay Packers
Jason Moore Soccer--Parkview HS Univ. of Virginia/DC United
Cameron Heyward Football--Peachtree Ridge HS, Ohio St.
Amanda Weir Swimming--Brookwood HS 2 Silver Medals in 2004 Athens Olympics
Brian McCann Baseball--Duluth HS All-Star Catcher for Atlanta Braves
Omar Hunter football--Buford HS Univ. of Florida--National Champion
Jodie Meeks Basketball--Norcross HS Univ. of Kentucky
Chris Allen Basketball--Meadowcreek HS Michigan St.
Brian Bender Basketball--Cent. Gwinnett HS Gardner-Webb Univ.
Wesley Witherspoon Basketball--Berkmar HS Univ. of Memphis
There are others who are playing major college sports who will certainly go on to the pros, others who are playing D-1 who will not go on to pro ball, and countless others playing small-college sports.
I often wonder how this explosion of talent has taken place. Of course one reason is population growth. Also, better coaching at the youth levels. Gwinnett County has a well-structured feeder system in Football, Baseball and Basketball from ages 5 up to 14.
Gwinnett County also has the largest school system in the nation. With Atlanta being a hot bed for jobs, more and more people from the northern states as well as California and other parts of the country will come here for the job market and the nice weather, which has all 4 seasons. Another factor is the many retired processional athletes have made the Atlanta Metro Area home. Some live in Gwinnett County, and they passed on their athletic genes to their sons and daughters who are some of today's great athletes in Gwinnett. Both Georgia and GA. Tech have tried to quarantine the county to recruit these athletes, but several have been snapped up by out-of-state schools. This will not change, but will increase. College coaches would do well to make Gwinnett County an essential recruiting destination.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
A Fox with the Hounds
The University of Georgia recently hired their new Men's Basketball Coach, Mark Fox. Fox came from the University of Nevada, where he guided the Wolfpack to at least 2 NCAA Tournament berths, one resulting in a trip to the sweet 16.
Many Dawg fans wanted a big-name coach such as Bobby Knight. However, look no further than Knoxville, TN. Bruce Pearl coached several years at Mid-Major Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He guided the Panthers to NCAA tournament berths in 2003 and 2005. The 2005 team made it to the sweet 16 before losing to eventual National Runner-up Illinois.
Pearl immediately made the Vols relevant again. He was able to get top recruits and has guided the Vols to 4 straight NCAA tourneys. Sometimes a big splash is not necessary, but a small pebble in the water which pushes waves outward. If Fox can get the best players in nearby Gwinnett County, as well as other areas of Atlanta and the State of Georgia, the Dawgs will be back again. Well, actually, they've never really been "back".
They've only had a few blips on the screen: the 1983 Final Four team, ancient history. A couple of trips to the Big Dance in the 90s, and of course, the Jim Harrick-led Dawgs in 01 and 02. But that ended as a disaster.
I think Fox is going to be a surprisingly good coach for the Dawgs. He said recently during a radio interview: "We don't want to just recruit players who we think can play, we want to recruit players who we think can win." With that mindset, Fox will get the players who can help Georgia win. I believe that the Dawgs, under Fox, will have not just a blip, but sustained success.
Many Dawg fans wanted a big-name coach such as Bobby Knight. However, look no further than Knoxville, TN. Bruce Pearl coached several years at Mid-Major Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He guided the Panthers to NCAA tournament berths in 2003 and 2005. The 2005 team made it to the sweet 16 before losing to eventual National Runner-up Illinois.
Pearl immediately made the Vols relevant again. He was able to get top recruits and has guided the Vols to 4 straight NCAA tourneys. Sometimes a big splash is not necessary, but a small pebble in the water which pushes waves outward. If Fox can get the best players in nearby Gwinnett County, as well as other areas of Atlanta and the State of Georgia, the Dawgs will be back again. Well, actually, they've never really been "back".
They've only had a few blips on the screen: the 1983 Final Four team, ancient history. A couple of trips to the Big Dance in the 90s, and of course, the Jim Harrick-led Dawgs in 01 and 02. But that ended as a disaster.
I think Fox is going to be a surprisingly good coach for the Dawgs. He said recently during a radio interview: "We don't want to just recruit players who we think can play, we want to recruit players who we think can win." With that mindset, Fox will get the players who can help Georgia win. I believe that the Dawgs, under Fox, will have not just a blip, but sustained success.
Friday, April 10, 2009
College athlete awarded for being a positive role model
There seems to be an increasing rash of athletes, both college and pro, who, shall we say,"don't behave themselves" off the field. One example would be another Cincinati Bengal player who has broken the law. I believe that make the Bengals' arrest talley at 12, something like that. New Orleans Saints Wide Receiver Dante Stallworth kills a pedestrian while driving drunk. There are many other examples of "bad behavior".
Therefore, it's always good to hear about stories of athles who take seriously their responsibilities of being role models to their peers and being a positive influence in their community while off the field or court.
One example can be found at Central Christian College in Kansas. Micah Johnson is a Sr. Captain on the Central Christian Men's Soccer Team and was recently awarded the NAIA's Dr. Leroy Walker Champions of Character Award.
The award goes to the student-athlete who excells in athletics and academics and also demonstrates the NAIA's core values of respect, responsiblility, integrity, servant-leadership and sportsmanship.
AMong other things, Johnson is a role model on campus and is involved in his community by being a Youth Coach for Victory Soccer Camps, as well assisting in the YMCA/United Way Triathlon, and leading a community house repair and food drive.
There are many stories of student-athletes such as Micah Johnson all over the country. We need to hear more about them. These youn men and women are tommorow's leaders. Things have gotten so bad that we may actually need them TODAY! To find out more about Micah Johnson and other fine student athletes, you can go to the NAIA website http://www.naia.org/
Credit for information in this article goes to Staci Shottman, Director of Public Relations and Communications for the NAIA.
Therefore, it's always good to hear about stories of athles who take seriously their responsibilities of being role models to their peers and being a positive influence in their community while off the field or court.
One example can be found at Central Christian College in Kansas. Micah Johnson is a Sr. Captain on the Central Christian Men's Soccer Team and was recently awarded the NAIA's Dr. Leroy Walker Champions of Character Award.
The award goes to the student-athlete who excells in athletics and academics and also demonstrates the NAIA's core values of respect, responsiblility, integrity, servant-leadership and sportsmanship.
AMong other things, Johnson is a role model on campus and is involved in his community by being a Youth Coach for Victory Soccer Camps, as well assisting in the YMCA/United Way Triathlon, and leading a community house repair and food drive.
There are many stories of student-athletes such as Micah Johnson all over the country. We need to hear more about them. These youn men and women are tommorow's leaders. Things have gotten so bad that we may actually need them TODAY! To find out more about Micah Johnson and other fine student athletes, you can go to the NAIA website http://www.naia.org/
Credit for information in this article goes to Staci Shottman, Director of Public Relations and Communications for the NAIA.
A Beef with the NAIA
I know that they say "Nothing is fair in Life." But this situation is as wrong as it gets. The Bryan College(TN) Men's Soccer Team finished the 2008 regular season at 12-4-2 and won the Appalachian Athletic Conference Regular season title with a record of 5-1-1 by beating Montreat College (NC), the very team that defeated the #1 team in the country, Lindsey Wilson College (KY).
To qualify for the NAIA National Tournament in Soccer, each team must win their conference's tournament unless a team is ranked in the top 5 Nationally by the end of the season. Never mind if a team wins their regular season championship.
There is no reason that teams such as Bryan, who win the regular season conference title but don't win their conference tournament, should be denied a birth in the National Tournament. The NCAA has no problem including teams who not only win their regular season title but even those who don't but have had a strong season. March Madness is one classic example.
The NAIA only has 16 teams in its National Soccer Tournament. More teams are deserving to be in the tournament. The NAIA should expand the field of participants to create and generate more interest, and to make the Association more relevant like the NCAA. The student-athletes at these colleges and universities deserve better. This goes for all sports in the NAIA. Expand the field of participants in the national tournaments.
To qualify for the NAIA National Tournament in Soccer, each team must win their conference's tournament unless a team is ranked in the top 5 Nationally by the end of the season. Never mind if a team wins their regular season championship.
There is no reason that teams such as Bryan, who win the regular season conference title but don't win their conference tournament, should be denied a birth in the National Tournament. The NCAA has no problem including teams who not only win their regular season title but even those who don't but have had a strong season. March Madness is one classic example.
The NAIA only has 16 teams in its National Soccer Tournament. More teams are deserving to be in the tournament. The NAIA should expand the field of participants to create and generate more interest, and to make the Association more relevant like the NCAA. The student-athletes at these colleges and universities deserve better. This goes for all sports in the NAIA. Expand the field of participants in the national tournaments.
Hansbrough WANTS IT!
A few days ago, someone told me that North Carolina All-American Forward Tyler Hansbrough would not make it as a post player in the NBA. When I heard that, I thought he was absurd. I've watched Hansbrough several times and He is one of the greatest players to ever play college basketball.
Hansbrough just capped off one of the greatest 4-year careers a college athlete can have by leading the Tar Heels to a National Championship. I've seen Hansbrough play several times and the man is an extremely talented player. He has the skills needed to play in the NBA. He's great at rebounding and can create his own shot. He has excellent foot work and plays great defense.
But the greatest asset Tyler Hansbrough has is this: He WANTS IT! His intensity and desire to win is unmatched in the college game today. He has the same desire and work ethic that made fellow Tar Heel Michael Jordan as great as he was. Jordan was cut from his high school team. As A result, he WANTED IT! The rest is history. I believe UNC Head Coach Roy Williams said that no one he has ever coached has the incredible drive that Hansbrough has shown these last 4 years. Several analysts, including Dick Vitale and Jimmy Dykes of ESPN, have said something to the effect that they have never seen a player in the college game play with the heart, desire and intensity that Tyler Hansbrough played with.
So to say that Hansbrough won't make it in the NBA is ludicrous! Oh he might not win as many championships as Jordan did, but his talent, along with his desire and dedication to be the best, will propel him to a very successful and lucrative NBA career. Talent can only get you so far, but talent coupled with desire and work ethic will get you to the top in the sports world or any other profession. Tyler, You've succeeded because you WANT IT!
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