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NFL Draft 2010 – Round 2 #38- Cleveland- S T.J. Ward

The Dolphins need help at Safety and just their poor luck a run on that position takes place just before they pick. Note- This is also second defensive back selection for the Browns.

NFL.com writes- Ward was a two-year starter for the Ducks but has missed some time throughout his career with injuries. Lacks great height but has the strength, toughness, athleticism and instincts to play the safety position. Ward has shown some versatility in the secondary, playing on the perimeter as well as safety. He runs well, showing good range from center field as well as good lateral agility and quickness to navigate through traffic. He is a solid run-support player, keeping leverage in space and is a reliable tackler. He understands angles and is rarely out of position, anticipating break points well in the passing game. He doesn’t have elite speed but shows enough athleticism to be effective off the hash as well as out of centerfield. Ward is a good football player who lacks height but should contribute on special teams, as well as providing valuable depth in his rookie season.

 

Oregon fires Coach Ernie Kent

He twice led the Ducks to the elite eight. From AP-

Ernie Kent, the winningest coach in Oregon history, was dismissed Tuesday after 13 seasons with his alma mater.

“You may find a better basketball coach, but I don’t think you’ll find anybody that has the passion and love that I have for this university,” said Kent, who had to pause for several moments to fight back his emotions.

Oregon went 16-16 overall and 7-11 in the Pac-10 this past season, finishing with a 90-74 quarterfinal loss to California in the conference tournament.

Kent, 55, leaves Oregon with a 235-173 overall record.

Oregon had two poor seasons in a row but Kent had made the Ducks into a respectable program. The firing is tough luck for him, but I think Kent will find another head coaching job soon.Ernie Kent

 

Oregon QB Jeremiah Masoli charged with one count of burglary

He is accused of stealing two laptop computers and a guitar. From ESPN-

Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, who helped lead the Ducks to the Pac-10 Conference title and a Rose Bowl berth last season, faces a burglary charge in connection with a theft at a campus fraternity house in late January.Jeremiah Masoli

The Lane Country district attorney’s office says Masoli and former Oregon receiver Garrett Embry were each charged Wednesday with one count of burglary in the second degree.

Masoli and Embry were scheduled to be arraigned in Lane County Circuit Court on Friday afternoon.

*****

A fraternity member reported that Masoli and Embry stole two computers and a guitar from the Sigma Alpha Epsilon house on Jan. 25.

Police were tight-lipped about the alleged theft, claiming it was under investigation.

Embry has been dismissed from the program for volating rules not related to the burglary.

Since playing in the Rose Bowl, Oregon has been hit by scandal after scandal. Players have been in a brawl, been accused of sexual assault, and more. I’m not going to pass judgment on these people, but will say if Oregon Duck coach Chip Kelly could find his job in jeopardy, Rose Bowl or no Rose Bowl, because of his out of control players. Oregon is a state school and University officials are accountable to the citizens of the state.

 

Oregon RB LaMichael James arrested on domestic violence charges

He rushed for over 1,500 yards last season. From ESPN-

Oregon running back LaMichael James, one of the top freshmen in the nation, was arrested on domestic violence charges after his girlfriend said he grabbed her neck during an argument and pushed her to the ground.

James, 20, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to misdemeanor charges of menacing, strangulation and assault. He remained in the Lane County Jail on $40,000 bail, according to a jail deputy. His attorney, Michael Buseman, did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

Springfield police Sgt. Tom Borchers said the incident happened Monday evening outside a Springfield apartment complex. The 22-year-old woman, whose name has not been released, contacted authorities the following day and police located James in Eugene late Tuesday.

With the exception of self defense, there is no excuse for violence against a woman. If the charges are true, James needs to be disciplined. Including possibly kicking him off the Ducks football squad.

 

First ever Seattle Supersonics announcer, Bob Blackburn, dead at 85

In addition to being the voice of the SuperSonics for 25 years, Blackburn also worked Oregon and Oregon State basketball games during his career. RIP.

Bob Blackburn, the Seattle SuperSonics’ first broadcaster and for 20 years the lone voice of Sonics history, died Friday after a lengthy illness, his wife Pat told The Associated Press. He was 85.

Known for his smooth voice and simple, colorful descriptions, Blackburn educated two generations of basketball fans in the Pacific Northwest. From Lenny Wilkens to Jack Sikma, Blackburn was the narrator for Sonics basketball, including the team’s lone NBA championship in 1979.

“That beautiful voice. I fell in love with that voice,” Pat Blackburn said Friday night.

A year ago Blackburn fell and suffered a severe head injury requiring surgery, his wife said. There were complications following surgery, but Pat Blackburn said her husband of 61 years bounced back. He eventually fell ill with pneumonia.

“He was a gentleman, and he said he wants to be remembered as a kind person,” she said.

 

Kentucky Football Coach Rich Brooks retires

He took the Wildcats to four consecutive Bowl games. I find it interesting that the AP article below mentions Brooks time as head coach of the Rams but fails to mention his similar duties at the University of Oregon. Brooks, a Oregon State graduate, was only the Ducks Head Football coach for 17 seasons, was coach of the year and took Oregon to the Rose Bowl in 1995 and their first ever Pac 10 Championship. He deserves most of the credit for reviving Ducks football.

Update- The AP article has been updated and now includes a mention of Brooks time at Oregon but still neglects to mention his winning coach of the year while he was the coach of the Ducks.

Kentucky coach Rich Brooks has announced that he is retiring after seven seasons coaching the Wildcats.

Brooks made the announcement on Monday. He will be replaced by offensive head coach Joker Phillips, who agreed to become Brooks’ eventual successor two years ago.

Brooks finishes his career with a 39-47 record at Kentucky. He went 130-156-4 overall in 25 seasons overall at the collegiate level. Brooks posted a 13-19 record coaching the NFL’s St. Louis Rams in the mid-1990s.

 

Are you ready for some bowling? II

No I’m not talking about some middle aged man propelling a ball at some objects at the end of a lane, but the games that climax every college football season. Bowl season officially starts this afternoon, here are the matchups for all the college football fanatics out there.

Note- I gave the shortened name version of all the upcoming games. Also I listed what broadcast network would be televising the game and what time they would be coming on the air. All times are Eastern Standard.

Dec 19

New Mexico- Fresno State vs. Wyoming 4:30 p.m. ESPN
St. Petersburg- Central Florida vs. Rutgers 8 p.m. ESPN

Dec 20

R+L Carriers New Orleans- Southern Miss vs. Middle Tennessee 8:30 p.m. ESPN

Dec 22

MAACO Las Vegas- Oregon State vs. BYU 8 p.m. ESPN

Dec 23

Poinsettia- Utah vs. Cal 8 p.m. ESPN

Dec 24

Sheraton Hawaii- Nevada vs. SMU 8 p.m. ESPN
Dec 26

Little Caesars- Marshall vs. Ohio 1 p.m. ESPN
Meineke- Pitt vs. North Carolina 4:30 p.m. ESPN
Emerald- Boston College vs. USC 8 p.m. ESPN

Dec 27

Music City- Kentucky vs. Clemson 8:30 p.m. ESPN

Dec 28

Independence- Texas A&M vs. Georgia 5 p.m. ESPN2

Dec 29

EagleBank- UCLA vs. Temple 4:30 p.m. ESPN
Champs Sports- Miami vs. Wisconsin 8 p.m. ESPN

Dec 30

Humanitarian- Bowling Green vs. Idaho 4:30 p.m. ESPN
Holiday- Arizona vs. Nebraska 8 p.m. ESPN

Dec 31

Armed Forces- Houston vs. Air Force Noon ESPN
Sun- Oklahoma vs. Stanford 2 p.m. CBS
Texas- Navy vs. Missouri 3:30 p.m. ESPN
Minnesota vs. Iowa State 6 p.m. NFL Network
Chick-fil-A- Virginia Tech vs. Tennessee 7:30 p.m. ESPN

Jan 1

Outback- Northwestern vs. Auburn 11 a.m. ESPN
Capital One- Penn State vs. LSU 1 p.m. ABC
Gator- West Virginia vs. Florida State 1 p.m. CBS
Rose Bowl- Ohio State vs. Oregon 4:30 p.m. ABC
Sugar- Cincinnati vs. Florida 8:30 p.m. FOX

Jan 2

International- South Florida vs. Northern Illinois Noon ESPN2
Papajohns.com- South Carolina vs. UConn 2 p.m. ESPN
Cotton- Oklahoma State vs. Ole Miss 2 p.m. FOX
Liberty- Arkansas vs. East Carolina 5:30 p.m. ESPN
Valero Alamo- Michigan State vs. Texas Tech 9 p.m. ESPN

Jan 4

Fiesta- Boise State vs. TCU 8 p.m. FOX

Jan 5

FedEx Orange- Iowa vs. Georgia Tech 8 p.m. FOX

Jan 6th

GMAC- Central Michigan vs. Troy 7 p.m. ESPN

Jan 7th

BCS National Championship Game- Texas vs. Alabama Jan. 7 8 p.m.

Some random notes on the above 34 games

*- 19 of the 34 games are not scheduled till Dec. 31st or later. I guess college football fanatics are expected to flip channels very quickly on those 3 days(Dec 31-Jan 2) when 15 games are being aired.
*- What a downer must it be for Oregon State players and fans. A few weeks ago they were one win from a Rose Bowl trip. Instead they lost to Oregon and are playing in a minor bowl before Christmas.
*- The NFL network televises a college football game. I guess that’s the cable sports equivalent of the Sci-Fi channel showing wrestling….
*- The bowls are now set where now certain conference finishers are locked into the same bowl games every year. I understand why the current system is done, but I prefer the day when bowl games would have greater variance from year to year. The Peach bowl would usually invite a ACC or SEC school but they could be creative, like when they invited Army and Illinois. Wouldn’t a SEC team against BYU or Wyoming be nice for a change?
*- Bobby Bowden’s farewell game is against the same school(West Virginia) that he left before coming to Florida State. I do know FSU and WV have played at least twice previously in bowls during the Bowden-Florida State era.

 

Oregon Ducks reinstate RB LeGarrette Blount

He had been suspended since punching out a Boise State player and brandishing a chair at a spectator on September 3rd. From AP-

Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount, who was suspended for the season after punching a Boise State player in the wake of the season opener, has been allowed to rejoin the Ducks.

The university requested Blount’s reinstatement, which was approved by Pacific-10 Conference Commissioner Larry Scott on Monday.

Blount will be able to play for the Ducks (No. 13 BCS, No. 14 AP) on Saturday night when they host Arizona State. He missed eight games.

Blount issued a statement saying he was grateful to Oregon coach Chip Kelly for giving him a second chance.

“Now it is up to me to prove to people that their lasting impressions of me are not what they saw in Boise,” he said.

Blount punched Byron Hout following the nationally televised opener, bringing the Broncos’ defensive end to his knees. The next day he was suspended for the season by Kelly, but he was allowed to keep his scholarship and practice with the team.

Oregon made the right decision. Give Blount another chance for he did apologize, but warn him that any similar incidents will lead to his being kicked off the football squad.

 

Sucker punch- Pac 10 to review aftermath of Oregon-Boise St. game

The game was decided 19-8 on the field in favor of the Broncos. What happened after the game is gaining the most attention

The Pac-10 later Friday will review tape of Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount’s dropping Boise State linebacker Byron Hout with a postgame punch to the jaw to determine whether Blount will be disciplined, spokesman Jim Muldoon said.

Immediately following Oregon’s 19-8 loss at Boise State on Thursday night, an ESPN replay of the incident showed Hout taunting Blount as the teams converged onto the field. As a Broncos assistant coach moved to separate Hout from Blount, the Oregon senior threw a right cross that connected with Hout’s right jaw. Hout went down and popped right back up.

First-year Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott is flying in from Boise, where he witnessed the incident first-hand. While Muldoon said Oregon could take action, he believes the ultimate punishment to be a conference matter.

Oregon athletic director Mike Bellotti said after the game he would consult with the Pac-10 office before taking any disciplinary action.

Here’s the video of the incident and an interview of Blount.

Blount was provoked, so his behavior is somewhat understandable. What could cause his biggest problem is what happened as Blount was escorted from the field.

Boise State replayed Blount slugging Hout several times on the giant screen in the north end zone of Bronco Stadium. Amid jeers from the crowd, Blount, who was being escorted from the field by Oregon assistant coach Scott Frost, got into another confrontation with fans.

His sucker-punch at the end of Thursday’s loss at Boise State will sink out-of-shape Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount’s chances of an NFL career, Todd McShay writes. Blog Insider

According to Blount, one fan brandished a chair at him and another punched him. Two police officers and Frost nearly carried Blount to the Boise State athletic building, where the visiting team dresses.

Getting into fisticuffs with fans might be the real reason Blount gets punished in the Pac-10 takes any action at all and I’m betting they do. One pro scout thinks this will doom any chance of Blount being selected in the NFL draft. If the guy has legitimate 2nd or 3rd round talent, that seems to be an overreaction. Feel free to share your own opinions.

Update- Oregon has suspended Blount for the rest of the season.

College football season is under way. There was however one blogger who failed to get the memo.

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Univ. of Oregon to Frisbee team: No pants, no season

Has college sports hit rock bottom? From the AP-

In the world of intercollegiate Ultimate Frisbee, it’s ultimately not cool to go without pants.

So said a student board that governs club sports at the University of Oregon when it ended a highly ranked team’s season after five players shed their pants and underwear April 11 during sectional play at Oregon State University in Corvallis.

The squad had already been on probation since November for serving alcohol to minors and making way too much noise at a party to end last season, resulting in fines and citations. Now the team, known as EGO (Eugene Gentlemen’s Organization) is crying foul.

“We put on the longest shirts we had,” pleaded player Kevin Minderhout. “We have some jerseys that are pretty long.”

Minderhout said the team feels “the decision to end the team season was pretty heavy.”

Ultimate Frisbee, which is akin to flag football and is popular as a club sport at numerous universities and high schools, has rules but no referees. Players are responsible for their own foul calls and are to resolve their own disputes.

So far as flaps go in college sports, I think the above article covers it all.

 
 


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