Big-time Events Can Be Surprising in Many Ways
When you're young and the entire world seems to spinning like a top, catching a baseball or football game on the radio is how you invest yourself in your favorite sport. You dream that someday the scene will include you at Tiger Stadium, Target Field, the Rose Bowl, at an NCAA "Road to the Final Four" game, Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park, Lambeau Field, Pittsburgh's Heinz Field, the Olympics or some other major venue.
As you move on with your life, things slow down yet still move swiftly. Those childhood dreams stick with you so when you get the chance to go to one of these events, you don't hesitate. I have had the fortune of attending and working at some major events. From a week in Tiger Stadium to DII football playoffs at Grand Valley State to DII national championship events to the Drake Relays and attending NCAA Division I tournament games, I have had the opportunity to not only watch the games but interact with participants.
As a former Sports Information Director, I have either worked events or offered my services to help colleagues with events, which has included various media relations duties from taking quotes, doing trash stats for TV, preparing post-game notes for media, serving as a press steward, serving as a championship media moderator (moderating post-game press conferences), among other duties.
Along the way, I witnessed one of the greatest closing moments in NCAA men's basketball history and other moments. I was court side when James Forrest's hit his unbelievable game-winning shot in Milwaukee in 1992 as seventh-seeded Georgia Tech and Bobby Cremins upset George Raveling's second-seeded USC bunch, 79-78, that included Harold Minor http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4fz4hhpFoE&NR=1 (I was seated in the press row at the bottom of this video).
I saw the Michigan band get booed during an NCAA tournament game in Wichita, Kan. At the 2000 regional final, I watched Mateen Cleaves work his magic with Morris Peterson and defeat Iowa State en route to a national title http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ej0a0Hn55o4.
Spending a week at Tiger Stadium in its final year of existence (http://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/past/TigerStadium.htm) was among the most vivid of my memories. It wasn't a great Tiger team (69-92) by any means, mediocre would better describe the team. I was there with good friend Mike Mahon as fans and we saw Al Kaline and Ernie Harwell (never spoke to them), watched batting practice from left field (hoping for a long one that never ended in my hands) but to see those two men -- two of my heroes -- was special.
Another memory was serving as SID for the South Dakota women's basketball team, which upset top-ranked Delta State in 2008 (http://www.usdcoyotes.com/sports/wbball/release.asp?RELEASE_ID=4375) and advanced to its only national championship in history. I also watched, with sadness, Stefan Logan, end his stellar career with the USD Coyotes in a loss to Grand Valley State in the DII football playoffs. He was the only running back ever in the old NCC to run for 1,000 yards four straight years and now he is a standout returner for the Detroit Lions (after setting records two years ago at a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers).
There were the Summit League battles that ended with SDSU's 2011 women advancing to the national tournament for the third straight season and Oakland continuing its reign of men's dominance. I worked as moderator as SDSU's Aaron Johnston talked about the unbelievable winning effort that sent the Jacks to its third straight tourney title (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QsP9_Omwr4) and berth into the NCAAs. I also served as moderator at the 2005 NCAA Division II men's basketball championships in Grand Forks (ND) when Virginia Union finished 30-4 and upended Bryant in the finals. In 2008, I got my first taste of the NCAA Track and Field Championships, working as a photography marshall. In 2006, I was disappointed at the NCAA Division II football championship in Florence, Ala., when University of South Dakota quarterback Wesley Beschorner finished second in the Harlan Hill Trophy balloting (http://www.usdcoyotes.com/sports/football/release.asp?RELEASE_ID=2861) at the awards banquet held on the eve of the title game.
I could go on and on. Lots of memories.
So, when I was talking with a friend recently about going to the 2011 NCAA Track and Field Championships in Des Moines, Iowa, it didn't take a lot of convincing to take that step and head to Drake Stadium. With help from my good friend and former Drake SID Mike Mahon along with Iowa State's information specialist Mike Ferlazzo I received credentials for the meet last Friday and Saturday. And, believe me, it was a "smart" decision.
Along the way, I was able to reacquaint with some old friends while making new connections. It was particularly pleasing that while working at the meet in the mixed zone (where media interview winning athletes), I saw a person that I hadn't seen in 12 years. While I was interviewing Canadian runner Sheila Reid of Villanova, Zeb Lang tapped me on the shoulder to say hello. Zeb grew up in Vermillion where his dad Steve worked with me in University Relations at The University of South Dakota. Steve and I developed a solid work and personal friendship and I got to know his family, including Zeb. Now, Zeb is finishing a master's degree at Cornell (NY) before he begins a career in corporate finance. He was at the meet working for letsrun.com (http://www.letsrun.com/). Zeb Lang is a good kid with a great future
I seem to have this unusual propensity to meet people from my past at events. It happened with Zeb. It has happened so often my family has asked me "do you know everybody." I go to a Sioux City Perkins restaurant and a former Coyote women's player (Ashley Robinette) says hey. It happened when I was in Wichita, Kan., for a regional men's basketball tournament when a old friend from college strolled by where I was working. It happened when I was flying to San Diego as a teenager. Then this March, I was at the Boys State Tournament (won by O'Gorman) when I headed to the concession stand for some popcorn when an old friend from my college days, someone I had not seen in 25 years, appeared in my path. We talked for awhile and I left thinking, wow, how does that happen? It just does - I think to all of us.
I suppose that six degrees of separation make all of these unexpected interactions take shape.
Regardless, this 2011 championship meet became one for the ages and one that will stick in my memory for a long while. Of course, one of the drawing points for me was the opportunity to watch Bethany Buell, the redshirt freshman pole vaulting sensation for The University of South Dakota. She was the first USD student-athlete ever to compete at the NCAA DI Championships. I knew I had to witness Buell's performance as she represented the Coyotes on an athletic stage that included athletes from traditional DI powers LSU, Arkansas, Texas A&M, Minnesota, Southern California and others..
In track and field, the top eight medal, so playing on that theme, I have come up with my own my top-eight moments of the DI Championships. .
1. Holy Cow, Charlie, a Jumping Coyote! USD's Bethany Buell finished 13th to gain second-team All-America status with a vault of 13'1 1/2 (http://www.argusleader.com/article/20110611/SPORTS0203/106110325/Buell-places-13th-NCAAs). A redshirt freshman, Buell didn't appear nervous as she stepped onto to the DI stage, although a rain storm on Friday probably played havoc with her rhythm. She cleared her first two heights before missing at 13'5 1/2 in the rain, including a final vault in which she just ticked the bar. In the competition, six of the eight placers surpassed 14 feet with Melissa Gergel of Oregon (http://www2.registerguard.com/cms/index.php/track-and-field/comments/oregons-melissa-gergel-wins-pole-vault-title-jordan-hasay-fourth-in-5000/winning) winning the competition at 14'7 1/2. I think we will see Bethany Buell again and maybe other Coyotes. USD women's coach Lucky Huber has added two prep vaulters who have both gone 13-5 or better. So, maybe, the Coyotes will have three vaulters next year. You can always hope.
2. Texas A&M sees a team double. Texas A&M won both the men's and women's team crowns for the third straight year, which was a first in NCAA history. Both teams recorded wins in the 4x400 meter relay to win the titles. Texas A&M men's team, which entered Saturday fifth in team standings, edged Florida State, 55-54, with Florida at 53. Interesting that Florida only needed to place fifth or better in the 4x400-meter relay (last event of the meet) to win the team title. They didn't and it opened the door for head coach Pat Henry's Aggies.
The men's 4x400-meter relay, anchored by Taberie Henry, recorded the fastest men's outdoor 4x400 relay time in the world of 3:00.62, eclipsing previous mark of 3:00.80 by GW Express from U.S. at Florida Relays. Henry told me after the race that winning events and national meets has become a tradition at Texas A&M. “It is a big thing at A&M. Our whole school is about tradition. Just putting on a uniform you feel it," said Henry. "So it means a lot winning this race and the team title. It seems like we are always trying to prove something, to show people they are wrong when they doubt us. Yes, it really feels good.”
The Texas A&M women edged Oregon, seeking their first team crown in 26 years, by four points, 49-45. Led by Jessica Beard, who ran a meet-record split of 49:14, the Aggies 4x400-meter relay relay recorded the third fastest women's outdoor 4x400 meter relay in the world at 3:26.31, breaking the stadium mark of the 2008 Penn State team of 3:27.69.
http://www.ncaa.com/news/trackfield-outdoor-men/2011-06-11/texas-am-sweeps-team-titles
3. Upholding Villanova's running legacy. Sheila Reid of Villanova entertained the Drake Stadium crowd with a pair of brilliant wins http://www.tsn.ca/ncaa/story/?id=368590. She became the first woman in NCAA outdoor history to win the 1,500 and 5,000-meters in the same championship meet. Like Henry and Texas A&M, Reid, who won the indoor 5K and the NCAA cross country championships, understands the distance legacy of Villanova. “The Villanova tradition is so tremendous and daunting at times. I am just striving to make Villanova proud and do right by the name," Reid said after her win in the 5,000 meters. "There are so many wonderful women that have gone on before me and have done amazing things. I just try to pace myself, train smartly and get up for big races.”
4. Ok, mate, better this! The men's triple jump on Saturday was one of the meet's truly outstanding events. Florida teammates Christian Taylor and Will Claye of Florida battled back and forth as each apparently was into one upmanship, or so to speak. Taylor and Claye soared 58-4.75 and 57-9.75, respectively. Taylor's winning effort came on his final jump of the day. Both marks were wind-aided. Claye, who won the the 2008 and 2010 NCAA outdoor triple jump titles, appeared to have the competition won until Taylor unleashed his winning jump. Taylor's fourth attempt was not wind aided, therefore setting a Drake Stadium mark of 57-1, crushing the 2010 mark of Kenta Bell of 55-10.25.
5. Remember Dave Wottle? Robby Andrews of Virginia rekindled some memories of the great Dave Wottle with his last to first win in the men's 800, according to a blog by David Teel of Richmond, N.C. (see below). Wottle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwGxLfWSnEM)
of Bowling Green State (Ohio) won the Olympic gold in the 1972 Olympics with his patented (and I might add, historic) late kick. Andrews (with floppy hair and not Wottle's trademark white hat), who won the NCAA Indoor title as a freshman in 2010, ran a personal best of 1:44.71, breaking the stadium mark (Duane Solomon, 1:45.23, 2010) and finishing one-hundredth away from the NCAA record of Mark Everett in 1990. A sophomore at Virginia, Andrews reeled in the field in the final 300 yards, catching favorite UC-Irvine's Charles Jock as he recorded the second fastest 800-meters ever in NCAA competition http://www.dailypress.com/sports/teel-blog/dp-teel-time-uvas-robby-andrews-relives-ncaa-800meters-victory-20110613,0,6613341.story.
“I am going and going and I don’t have enough time – then in the last couple of steps I look over, I got it," said Andrews after the race (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmIgGRX39Co). "I tried to play up the crowd as much as I could and they pulled me through. Nothing can compare with it. I mean this is probably the biggest win of my career so far. I had the indoor in 2010 but to win two is nice. I didn’t come close a year ago. For me to come back from injury and to win here with such a competitive field, nothing can top it. I am so lucky to come out on top. And, my season is not done yet.”
6. Keeping ASU's throwing legacy alive. Men's shot put Jordan Clarke, a sophomore from Arizona State, pulled off one of the biggest surprises at the meet in winning the shot put http://asunews.asu.edu/20110613_T%2526F_Clarke. Clarke won the event in 64’9.75, upsetting heralded Kansas sophomore Mason Finley, who finished second outdoors a year ago. Sharpe had PR’s in both the prelims with 64’1 and with throw of 64’9.75 on second throw in finals. “It feels really good," Sharpe said of the win. "My teammate from last year Ryan Whiting won the last two outdoor championship, so this feels good that I could keep it in the ASU family. This is by far my biggest career win. I have a couple of years left, so hopefully if everything goes my way, I can get a couple of more (championships).”
7. Don't blink. Ngonidzasha Makusha of Florida State set a national collegiate record in the 100 meters Friday with a clocking of 9.89 seconds in his stunning win. Makusha also had a dominant performance in the long jump, winning in 27 feet, 6 3/4 inches. Makusha's long jump represented the best mark at the NCAA meet in 18 years . and his 100-meter win broke the record of 9.90 set by UCLA's Ato Bolden on July 27, 1996. His double win in the 100 and long jump has only been accomplished by three other athletes in history including Michigan’s DeHart Hubbard (1925), Ohio State’s Jesse Owens (1935-36) and Houston’s Carl Lewis (1981) http://www.ncaa.com/news/trackfield-outdoor-men/2011-06-10/makusha-breaks-college-100-m-record.
8. A little flash and dash...In the women's 200 the Drake Stadium crowd was awed by Kimberlyn Duncan of LSU, who set a stadium mark of 22.24, breaking the 22.32 mark of Ebony Floyd of Houston in 2007 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tr9TWi8JHA8. Equally as impressive was Emma Coburn of Colorado, who won her first NCAA D1 title by dominating the 3K steeplechase http://www.coloradodaily.com/ci_18255875?source=most_viewed#axzz1PGkn4HZ9.
Hustle Award...
My media "Hustle Award" goes to Jeremy Hoeck of the Yankton P&D for his story about the University of South Dakota and South Dakota State University men's basketball games scheduled in 2011-12. The two long-time rivals will restart their rivalry in 2011-12 as both play in the Summit League. Here it is -- http://www.yankton.net/articles/2011/06/14/sports/doc4df6cd4604bea511590134.txt
Early take on Heisman Candidate leaders...
If Andrew Luck of Stanford doesn't win the Heisman Trophy award this year, it will be a huge upset. One site (Bodog) lists him as a 9-2 favorite with Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones,at 13-2 and South Carolina running Marcus Lattimore at 7-1 http://kegsneggsblog.com/2011/06/13/bodog-posts-2011-heisman-trophy-odds/.
Tigers-Indians play for first place tonight at Comerica...
The Detroit Tigers will try and take control of the AL Central with a crucial three-game series against Cleveland beginning tonight. Tigers ace Justin Verlander (7.3, 2.89 era) faces Justin Masterson (5-4, 3.18 era) of the Indians in the opener at 6:05 (EST). Detroit (36-30), which trailed Cleveland by 7 1/2 games six weeks ago, is in a virtual tie with Cleveland (35-29). The Tigers have the second-best record in the American League since May 3 (only Boston is better) at 24-13. The Indians were 30-15 on May 23 but have lost 14-of-19 since that time; while the Tigers, just two percentage .points behind the Indians, have a 14-7 record.
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2011_06_14_clemlb_detmlb_1&mode=preview
As you move on with your life, things slow down yet still move swiftly. Those childhood dreams stick with you so when you get the chance to go to one of these events, you don't hesitate. I have had the fortune of attending and working at some major events. From a week in Tiger Stadium to DII football playoffs at Grand Valley State to DII national championship events to the Drake Relays and attending NCAA Division I tournament games, I have had the opportunity to not only watch the games but interact with participants.
As a former Sports Information Director, I have either worked events or offered my services to help colleagues with events, which has included various media relations duties from taking quotes, doing trash stats for TV, preparing post-game notes for media, serving as a press steward, serving as a championship media moderator (moderating post-game press conferences), among other duties.
Along the way, I witnessed one of the greatest closing moments in NCAA men's basketball history and other moments. I was court side when James Forrest's hit his unbelievable game-winning shot in Milwaukee in 1992 as seventh-seeded Georgia Tech and Bobby Cremins upset George Raveling's second-seeded USC bunch, 79-78, that included Harold Minor http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4fz4hhpFoE&NR=1 (I was seated in the press row at the bottom of this video).
I saw the Michigan band get booed during an NCAA tournament game in Wichita, Kan. At the 2000 regional final, I watched Mateen Cleaves work his magic with Morris Peterson and defeat Iowa State en route to a national title http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ej0a0Hn55o4.
Spending a week at Tiger Stadium in its final year of existence (http://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/past/TigerStadium.htm) was among the most vivid of my memories. It wasn't a great Tiger team (69-92) by any means, mediocre would better describe the team. I was there with good friend Mike Mahon as fans and we saw Al Kaline and Ernie Harwell (never spoke to them), watched batting practice from left field (hoping for a long one that never ended in my hands) but to see those two men -- two of my heroes -- was special.
Another memory was serving as SID for the South Dakota women's basketball team, which upset top-ranked Delta State in 2008 (http://www.usdcoyotes.com/sports/wbball/release.asp?RELEASE_ID=4375) and advanced to its only national championship in history. I also watched, with sadness, Stefan Logan, end his stellar career with the USD Coyotes in a loss to Grand Valley State in the DII football playoffs. He was the only running back ever in the old NCC to run for 1,000 yards four straight years and now he is a standout returner for the Detroit Lions (after setting records two years ago at a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers).
There were the Summit League battles that ended with SDSU's 2011 women advancing to the national tournament for the third straight season and Oakland continuing its reign of men's dominance. I worked as moderator as SDSU's Aaron Johnston talked about the unbelievable winning effort that sent the Jacks to its third straight tourney title (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QsP9_Omwr4) and berth into the NCAAs. I also served as moderator at the 2005 NCAA Division II men's basketball championships in Grand Forks (ND) when Virginia Union finished 30-4 and upended Bryant in the finals. In 2008, I got my first taste of the NCAA Track and Field Championships, working as a photography marshall. In 2006, I was disappointed at the NCAA Division II football championship in Florence, Ala., when University of South Dakota quarterback Wesley Beschorner finished second in the Harlan Hill Trophy balloting (http://www.usdcoyotes.com/sports/football/release.asp?RELEASE_ID=2861) at the awards banquet held on the eve of the title game.
I could go on and on. Lots of memories.
So, when I was talking with a friend recently about going to the 2011 NCAA Track and Field Championships in Des Moines, Iowa, it didn't take a lot of convincing to take that step and head to Drake Stadium. With help from my good friend and former Drake SID Mike Mahon along with Iowa State's information specialist Mike Ferlazzo I received credentials for the meet last Friday and Saturday. And, believe me, it was a "smart" decision.
Along the way, I was able to reacquaint with some old friends while making new connections. It was particularly pleasing that while working at the meet in the mixed zone (where media interview winning athletes), I saw a person that I hadn't seen in 12 years. While I was interviewing Canadian runner Sheila Reid of Villanova, Zeb Lang tapped me on the shoulder to say hello. Zeb grew up in Vermillion where his dad Steve worked with me in University Relations at The University of South Dakota. Steve and I developed a solid work and personal friendship and I got to know his family, including Zeb. Now, Zeb is finishing a master's degree at Cornell (NY) before he begins a career in corporate finance. He was at the meet working for letsrun.com (http://www.letsrun.com/). Zeb Lang is a good kid with a great future
I seem to have this unusual propensity to meet people from my past at events. It happened with Zeb. It has happened so often my family has asked me "do you know everybody." I go to a Sioux City Perkins restaurant and a former Coyote women's player (Ashley Robinette) says hey. It happened when I was in Wichita, Kan., for a regional men's basketball tournament when a old friend from college strolled by where I was working. It happened when I was flying to San Diego as a teenager. Then this March, I was at the Boys State Tournament (won by O'Gorman) when I headed to the concession stand for some popcorn when an old friend from my college days, someone I had not seen in 25 years, appeared in my path. We talked for awhile and I left thinking, wow, how does that happen? It just does - I think to all of us.
I suppose that six degrees of separation make all of these unexpected interactions take shape.
Regardless, this 2011 championship meet became one for the ages and one that will stick in my memory for a long while. Of course, one of the drawing points for me was the opportunity to watch Bethany Buell, the redshirt freshman pole vaulting sensation for The University of South Dakota. She was the first USD student-athlete ever to compete at the NCAA DI Championships. I knew I had to witness Buell's performance as she represented the Coyotes on an athletic stage that included athletes from traditional DI powers LSU, Arkansas, Texas A&M, Minnesota, Southern California and others..
In track and field, the top eight medal, so playing on that theme, I have come up with my own my top-eight moments of the DI Championships. .
1. Holy Cow, Charlie, a Jumping Coyote! USD's Bethany Buell finished 13th to gain second-team All-America status with a vault of 13'1 1/2 (http://www.argusleader.com/article/20110611/SPORTS0203/106110325/Buell-places-13th-NCAAs). A redshirt freshman, Buell didn't appear nervous as she stepped onto to the DI stage, although a rain storm on Friday probably played havoc with her rhythm. She cleared her first two heights before missing at 13'5 1/2 in the rain, including a final vault in which she just ticked the bar. In the competition, six of the eight placers surpassed 14 feet with Melissa Gergel of Oregon (http://www2.registerguard.com/cms/index.php/track-and-field/comments/oregons-melissa-gergel-wins-pole-vault-title-jordan-hasay-fourth-in-5000/winning) winning the competition at 14'7 1/2. I think we will see Bethany Buell again and maybe other Coyotes. USD women's coach Lucky Huber has added two prep vaulters who have both gone 13-5 or better. So, maybe, the Coyotes will have three vaulters next year. You can always hope.
2. Texas A&M sees a team double. Texas A&M won both the men's and women's team crowns for the third straight year, which was a first in NCAA history. Both teams recorded wins in the 4x400 meter relay to win the titles. Texas A&M men's team, which entered Saturday fifth in team standings, edged Florida State, 55-54, with Florida at 53. Interesting that Florida only needed to place fifth or better in the 4x400-meter relay (last event of the meet) to win the team title. They didn't and it opened the door for head coach Pat Henry's Aggies.
The men's 4x400-meter relay, anchored by Taberie Henry, recorded the fastest men's outdoor 4x400 relay time in the world of 3:00.62, eclipsing previous mark of 3:00.80 by GW Express from U.S. at Florida Relays. Henry told me after the race that winning events and national meets has become a tradition at Texas A&M. “It is a big thing at A&M. Our whole school is about tradition. Just putting on a uniform you feel it," said Henry. "So it means a lot winning this race and the team title. It seems like we are always trying to prove something, to show people they are wrong when they doubt us. Yes, it really feels good.”
The Texas A&M women edged Oregon, seeking their first team crown in 26 years, by four points, 49-45. Led by Jessica Beard, who ran a meet-record split of 49:14, the Aggies 4x400-meter relay relay recorded the third fastest women's outdoor 4x400 meter relay in the world at 3:26.31, breaking the stadium mark of the 2008 Penn State team of 3:27.69.
http://www.ncaa.com/news/trackfield-outdoor-men/2011-06-11/texas-am-sweeps-team-titles
3. Upholding Villanova's running legacy. Sheila Reid of Villanova entertained the Drake Stadium crowd with a pair of brilliant wins http://www.tsn.ca/ncaa/story/?id=368590. She became the first woman in NCAA outdoor history to win the 1,500 and 5,000-meters in the same championship meet. Like Henry and Texas A&M, Reid, who won the indoor 5K and the NCAA cross country championships, understands the distance legacy of Villanova. “The Villanova tradition is so tremendous and daunting at times. I am just striving to make Villanova proud and do right by the name," Reid said after her win in the 5,000 meters. "There are so many wonderful women that have gone on before me and have done amazing things. I just try to pace myself, train smartly and get up for big races.”
4. Ok, mate, better this! The men's triple jump on Saturday was one of the meet's truly outstanding events. Florida teammates Christian Taylor and Will Claye of Florida battled back and forth as each apparently was into one upmanship, or so to speak. Taylor and Claye soared 58-4.75 and 57-9.75, respectively. Taylor's winning effort came on his final jump of the day. Both marks were wind-aided. Claye, who won the the 2008 and 2010 NCAA outdoor triple jump titles, appeared to have the competition won until Taylor unleashed his winning jump. Taylor's fourth attempt was not wind aided, therefore setting a Drake Stadium mark of 57-1, crushing the 2010 mark of Kenta Bell of 55-10.25.
5. Remember Dave Wottle? Robby Andrews of Virginia rekindled some memories of the great Dave Wottle with his last to first win in the men's 800, according to a blog by David Teel of Richmond, N.C. (see below). Wottle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwGxLfWSnEM)
of Bowling Green State (Ohio) won the Olympic gold in the 1972 Olympics with his patented (and I might add, historic) late kick. Andrews (with floppy hair and not Wottle's trademark white hat), who won the NCAA Indoor title as a freshman in 2010, ran a personal best of 1:44.71, breaking the stadium mark (Duane Solomon, 1:45.23, 2010) and finishing one-hundredth away from the NCAA record of Mark Everett in 1990. A sophomore at Virginia, Andrews reeled in the field in the final 300 yards, catching favorite UC-Irvine's Charles Jock as he recorded the second fastest 800-meters ever in NCAA competition http://www.dailypress.com/sports/teel-blog/dp-teel-time-uvas-robby-andrews-relives-ncaa-800meters-victory-20110613,0,6613341.story.
“I am going and going and I don’t have enough time – then in the last couple of steps I look over, I got it," said Andrews after the race (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmIgGRX39Co). "I tried to play up the crowd as much as I could and they pulled me through. Nothing can compare with it. I mean this is probably the biggest win of my career so far. I had the indoor in 2010 but to win two is nice. I didn’t come close a year ago. For me to come back from injury and to win here with such a competitive field, nothing can top it. I am so lucky to come out on top. And, my season is not done yet.”
6. Keeping ASU's throwing legacy alive. Men's shot put Jordan Clarke, a sophomore from Arizona State, pulled off one of the biggest surprises at the meet in winning the shot put http://asunews.asu.edu/20110613_T%2526F_Clarke. Clarke won the event in 64’9.75, upsetting heralded Kansas sophomore Mason Finley, who finished second outdoors a year ago. Sharpe had PR’s in both the prelims with 64’1 and with throw of 64’9.75 on second throw in finals. “It feels really good," Sharpe said of the win. "My teammate from last year Ryan Whiting won the last two outdoor championship, so this feels good that I could keep it in the ASU family. This is by far my biggest career win. I have a couple of years left, so hopefully if everything goes my way, I can get a couple of more (championships).”
7. Don't blink. Ngonidzasha Makusha of Florida State set a national collegiate record in the 100 meters Friday with a clocking of 9.89 seconds in his stunning win. Makusha also had a dominant performance in the long jump, winning in 27 feet, 6 3/4 inches. Makusha's long jump represented the best mark at the NCAA meet in 18 years . and his 100-meter win broke the record of 9.90 set by UCLA's Ato Bolden on July 27, 1996. His double win in the 100 and long jump has only been accomplished by three other athletes in history including Michigan’s DeHart Hubbard (1925), Ohio State’s Jesse Owens (1935-36) and Houston’s Carl Lewis (1981) http://www.ncaa.com/news/trackfield-outdoor-men/2011-06-10/makusha-breaks-college-100-m-record.
8. A little flash and dash...In the women's 200 the Drake Stadium crowd was awed by Kimberlyn Duncan of LSU, who set a stadium mark of 22.24, breaking the 22.32 mark of Ebony Floyd of Houston in 2007 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tr9TWi8JHA8. Equally as impressive was Emma Coburn of Colorado, who won her first NCAA D1 title by dominating the 3K steeplechase http://www.coloradodaily.com/ci_18255875?source=most_viewed#axzz1PGkn4HZ9.
Hustle Award...
My media "Hustle Award" goes to Jeremy Hoeck of the Yankton P&D for his story about the University of South Dakota and South Dakota State University men's basketball games scheduled in 2011-12. The two long-time rivals will restart their rivalry in 2011-12 as both play in the Summit League. Here it is -- http://www.yankton.net/articles/2011/06/14/sports/doc4df6cd4604bea511590134.txt
Early take on Heisman Candidate leaders...
If Andrew Luck of Stanford doesn't win the Heisman Trophy award this year, it will be a huge upset. One site (Bodog) lists him as a 9-2 favorite with Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones,at 13-2 and South Carolina running Marcus Lattimore at 7-1 http://kegsneggsblog.com/2011/06/13/bodog-posts-2011-heisman-trophy-odds/.
Tigers-Indians play for first place tonight at Comerica...
The Detroit Tigers will try and take control of the AL Central with a crucial three-game series against Cleveland beginning tonight. Tigers ace Justin Verlander (7.3, 2.89 era) faces Justin Masterson (5-4, 3.18 era) of the Indians in the opener at 6:05 (EST). Detroit (36-30), which trailed Cleveland by 7 1/2 games six weeks ago, is in a virtual tie with Cleveland (35-29). The Tigers have the second-best record in the American League since May 3 (only Boston is better) at 24-13. The Indians were 30-15 on May 23 but have lost 14-of-19 since that time; while the Tigers, just two percentage .points behind the Indians, have a 14-7 record.
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2011_06_14_clemlb_detmlb_1&mode=preview
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