By Kevin Allen
The MLB Network ran into its second Vasgersian-related hiccup Monday night after a scary moment that involved Rockies outfielder Brad Hawpe being taken off of the field in a neck brace.
Analyst Matt Vasgersian made an awkward attempt to inject humor into the situation by remarking that one of the field workers resembled Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb. Oops:
Last night, Vasgersian and the network took the gaffe in stride and made easy work of an apology that's generally getting a good reception from those who pay attention to these types of things.
What do you think? They definitely seemed to like it over at The Big Lead: "Apologies are often clunky and forced often; the delivery nervously strained. Wasn't the case here. This one seemed effortless, and the network didn't cut directly to commercial, as is sometimes the case in these situations."
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
Detriot Lions new uniforms
By Bill Shea
THE NEW: The leaping lion mascot sports a fresh look, complete with teeth.
The Detroit Lions took another step in their franchise overhaul effort Monday when a new uniform and logo was unveiled to the public and media after months of speculation.
The biggest change is a more aggressive and defined “Bubbles” — the leaping lion mascot that’s adorned the team’s helmets since the early 1960s.
The classic Honolulu blue, white and black colors remain unchanged, the team said in a news release.
The uniforms themselves have tweaks to some stripes and piping, making the overall changes more of a clean-up than a drastic overhaul.
The new trademarked typeface is called “NFL Lions” and will replace the current “Lions” painted across the Ford Field end zones and just about everywhere else the team name appears.
The team held a press conference and unveiling at a Madison Heights Dunham’s Sports on Monday afternoon.
Dunham’s will be the exclusive retailer of the new logo merchandise for a time. Gear also will be available online at the official team and NFLShop.com sites.
THE OLD: The old Lions logo lacks some of the subtle changes unveiled today.
Photo credit: Detroit Lions
The Lions said in January that the team would deploy a plan to revitalize the franchise after becoming the first NFL team to lose every game in a 16-game season.
Word of the cosmetic changes has been floating for some time, and NFLShop.com accidentally displayed a toy truck with the new logo for a time, further fueling rumors and speculation.
However, the logo changes were in the works prior to the winless season. The NFL and team confirmed that any change for the 2009 season first had to be approved by the league headquarters in March 2008, with final approval in November 2008.
“We will consistently present the Lions as a first-class organization with a clear sense of mission and direction,” team President Tom Lewand said in the news release.
“We have made several significant changes this off-season in accordance with that commitment. The introduction of this new brand identity is another element of that process. Today is an exciting and historic day for this franchise.
“The new identity retains many important aspects of our history in terms of our primary mark and our colors. However, the evolution allows us to present our Lions brand and visual identity in new, versatile and distinctive ways. We stand firmly committed to improving the team on the field. That success is always the most determinative factor of any NFL brand.”
Poor Lions! Another tough decision to make
By DAVE GOLDBERG
The Detroit Lions didn't get to 0-16 by drafting wisely — think Charles Rogers, Joey Harrington, Mike Williams and the like.
Now they face a dilemma. Even if they make what's considered the "right" pick with the first selection in Saturday's draft, they could prolong their decade-long agony.
That's because having the No. 1 overall spot commits the Lions to guaranteeing more than $30 million to an unproven player. If it's potential franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford of Georgia, it's hardly a guarantee.
Stafford has all the tangibles: big, strong-armed, reasonably mobile. He worked out wonderfully at his pro day, the orchestrated party his university threw for scouts. Then he worked out wonderfully when the Lions had him in.
But his career at Georgia was a mild disappointment — he was so-so in some of his biggest games, making bad reads, throwing key interceptions and demonstrating that what you see in shorts isn't necessarily what you get when the game is played for real.
The Lions could play it safe by taking Baylor offensive tackle Jason Smith or Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry, and use Daunte Culpepper at QB. Smith could be this year's Jake Long, a solid left tackle with a dozen good years ahead of him. And Curry is likely to be a starting linebacker for 10-12 years even though he's not spectacular; he's never been used as a pass rusher, for example.
So Stafford is the likely choice: pass rushers, left tackles and, of course, QBs tend to be the most coveted players.
Yet the failure rate for first-round quarterbacks is still pretty high.
Basically, there are good years and bad years, 2004 being a good year with Eli Manning, Philip Rivers and Ben Roethlisberger, 2006 being not so good with Vince Young and Matt Leinart sitting on benches in Tennessee and Arizona. Even Jay Cutler, the third QB taken that year and by far the most successful on the field, has issues. Cutler got himself traded to Chicago after owner Pat Bowlen got tired of his non-responsiveness to messages.
Smith and Curry are safe picks. But Detroit gambles on ...
MATTHEW STAFFORD, QB, Georgia.
Just for fun, this first round includes seven players from a state that normally doesn't produce NFL players the way Florida, Texas and California do. (Answer at the bottom). For those who keep score and mock everybody's mocks, please note that these are for guessing purposes only. One trade or one unexpected pick and everything is thrown off.
2. ST. LOUIS: Orlando Pace was released. JASON SMITH, T, Baylor, is drafted. Easy transition. Or so the Rams hope.
3. KANSAS CITY: This should be simple. AARON CURRY, LB, Wake Forest, is the obvious choice. But he was an outside LB in college, so where does he fit in the 3-4 defense that Scott Pioli and Todd Haley, the new GM and coach, plan to install? Probably inside between newly obtained veterans Mike Vrabel and Zach Thomas. He could drop if the Chiefs go for someone like offensive tackle Eugene Monroe.
4. SEATTLE: Matt Hasselbeck has a bad back. MATT SANCHEZ, QB, Southern Cal, might not be ready yet, but he fits Seattle's West Coast offense and may have a higher upside than Stafford.
5. CLEVELAND: The Browns are trying to trade Braylon Edwards. MICHAEL CRABTREE, WR, Texas Tech, is insurance, although he's recovering from a stress fracture in his foot.
6. CINCINNATI: The Bengals used to be able to score. Even with Carson Palmer back, they need help up front. EUGENE MONROE, OT, Virginia.
7. OAKLAND: The draft is now a three-month process, which is why ANDRE SMITH, OT, Alabama, can fall from a top five pick to the bottom of the round, then rise again.
8. JACKSONVILLE: What the Jags need are wide receivers. Even if they sign Torry Holt, they take JEREMY MACLIN, WR, Missouri.
9. GREEN BAY: The Packers dropped last year because of defensive failures. Switching to the 3-4, they take a 330-plus pound nose tackle, B.J. RAJI, DT, Boston College.
10. SAN FRANCISCO: The 49ers' defense isn't bad. But Manny Lawson, a No. 1 three years ago, hasn't quite fit, so they clone him with BRIAN ORAKPO, DE/LB Texas.
11. BUFFALO: How do you complement T.O? By beefing up the defense. ROBERT AYERS, DE, Tennessee.
.
12. DENVER: Suddenly the Broncos are a team that needs a young QB, although Josh McDaniels may like Kyle Orton enough to consider this less than a major need. AARON MAYBIN, DE/LB, Penn State, for a defense that STILL needs all the help it can find.
13. WASHINGTON: The Redskins are old on the OL and slow on the DL, even with Albert Haynesworth. EVERETTE BROWN, DE/LB, Florida State, for some outside speed.
14. NEW ORLEANS: Reggie Bush will never be an every down back. BEANIE WELLS, RB, Ohio State, is from the Deuce McAllister mold.
15. HOUSTON: No premium pass rushers left to supplement Mario Williams. So take a cover man in VONTAE DAVIS, CB, Illinois.
16. SAN DIEGO: Lost Igor Olshansky to Dallas, replace him with TYSON JACKSON, DE, LSU.
17. NEW YORK JETS: The Jets need a quarterback and this is probably where Stafford deserves to go. But if you can't take a pitcher, get a catcher, PERCY HARVIN, WR, Florida.
18. DENVER: Josh McDaniels likes Orton, the QB he got from Chicago for Cutler. But JOSH FREEMAN, QB, Kansas State, has an upside that, in a couple years might make him this draft's best quarterback.
19. TAMPA BAY: BRIAN CUSHING, OLB, Southern California, is bigger, stronger and a bit slower than Derrick Brooks. He fits a rebuilding Bucs defense.
20. DETROIT: The Lions no longer have Shaun Rogers. PERIA JERRY, DT, Mississippi, may be as good. He certainly has a better attitude.
21. PHILADELPHIA: The Eagles need someone who can push the pile and take the load off Brian Westbrook. KNOWSHON Moreno, RB, Georgia, is a steal this low.
22. MINNESOTA: Even with Antonio Winfield, the secondary needs help. MALCOLM JENKINS, CB, Ohio State.
23. NEW ENGLAND: Bill Belichick likes his players versatile. CONNOR BARWIN, DE-LB-TE, Cincinnati, has been rising quickly and is the perfect replacement for Mike Vrabel, who played all three of those positions. Barwin also might last to No. 34, the pick the Patriots got for Matt Cassel.
24. ATLANTA: Keith Brooking and Michael Boley are gone, which provides a slot for CLAY MATTHEWS, LB, Southern California.
25. MIAMI: Relatively simple, assuming DARIUS HEYWARD-BEY, WR, Maryland, is still around.
26. BALTIMORE: Bart Scott went to the Jets with Rex Ryan. REY MAUALUGA, LB, Southern California, replaces him.
27. INDIANAPOLIS: BRANDON PETTIGREW, TE, Oklahoma State, is an old-fashioned type who can block and catch and allows Dallas Clark to do what he's been doing anyway — function as a wide receiver.
28. BUFFALO: Traded Jason Peters. His long-term replacement is MICHAEL OHER, T, Mississippi.
29. NEW YORK GIANTS: The Giants have a lot of extra picks for an Edwards trade. If this choice doesn't go to Cleveland, LARRY ENGLISH, OLB, Northern Illinois, to solidify a position where they need a playmaker. Not enamored of local kid Kenny Britt, a WR from Rutgers, although Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina could fit here.
30. TENNESSEE: Did a lot last season with no deep threat. BRITT may take a year or two, but he has size and speed.
31. ARIZONA: DONALD BROWN, RB, Connecticut. Plenty of first-rounders from UConn in the NBA and WNBA but never before in the NFL. He's also the seventh first-rounder from the trivia state.
32. PITTSBURGH. ALEX MACK, C, Cal, is the quintessential Steelers pick.
Raji, Monroe, Cushing, Moreno, Jenkins, Britt and Brown all grew up in New Jersey.
THE NEW: The leaping lion mascot sports a fresh look, complete with teeth.
The Detroit Lions took another step in their franchise overhaul effort Monday when a new uniform and logo was unveiled to the public and media after months of speculation.
The biggest change is a more aggressive and defined “Bubbles” — the leaping lion mascot that’s adorned the team’s helmets since the early 1960s.
The classic Honolulu blue, white and black colors remain unchanged, the team said in a news release.
The uniforms themselves have tweaks to some stripes and piping, making the overall changes more of a clean-up than a drastic overhaul.
The new trademarked typeface is called “NFL Lions” and will replace the current “Lions” painted across the Ford Field end zones and just about everywhere else the team name appears.
The team held a press conference and unveiling at a Madison Heights Dunham’s Sports on Monday afternoon.
Dunham’s will be the exclusive retailer of the new logo merchandise for a time. Gear also will be available online at the official team and NFLShop.com sites.
THE OLD: The old Lions logo lacks some of the subtle changes unveiled today.
Photo credit: Detroit Lions
The Lions said in January that the team would deploy a plan to revitalize the franchise after becoming the first NFL team to lose every game in a 16-game season.
Word of the cosmetic changes has been floating for some time, and NFLShop.com accidentally displayed a toy truck with the new logo for a time, further fueling rumors and speculation.
However, the logo changes were in the works prior to the winless season. The NFL and team confirmed that any change for the 2009 season first had to be approved by the league headquarters in March 2008, with final approval in November 2008.
“We will consistently present the Lions as a first-class organization with a clear sense of mission and direction,” team President Tom Lewand said in the news release.
“We have made several significant changes this off-season in accordance with that commitment. The introduction of this new brand identity is another element of that process. Today is an exciting and historic day for this franchise.
“The new identity retains many important aspects of our history in terms of our primary mark and our colors. However, the evolution allows us to present our Lions brand and visual identity in new, versatile and distinctive ways. We stand firmly committed to improving the team on the field. That success is always the most determinative factor of any NFL brand.”
Poor Lions! Another tough decision to make
By DAVE GOLDBERG
The Detroit Lions didn't get to 0-16 by drafting wisely — think Charles Rogers, Joey Harrington, Mike Williams and the like.
Now they face a dilemma. Even if they make what's considered the "right" pick with the first selection in Saturday's draft, they could prolong their decade-long agony.
That's because having the No. 1 overall spot commits the Lions to guaranteeing more than $30 million to an unproven player. If it's potential franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford of Georgia, it's hardly a guarantee.
Stafford has all the tangibles: big, strong-armed, reasonably mobile. He worked out wonderfully at his pro day, the orchestrated party his university threw for scouts. Then he worked out wonderfully when the Lions had him in.
But his career at Georgia was a mild disappointment — he was so-so in some of his biggest games, making bad reads, throwing key interceptions and demonstrating that what you see in shorts isn't necessarily what you get when the game is played for real.
The Lions could play it safe by taking Baylor offensive tackle Jason Smith or Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry, and use Daunte Culpepper at QB. Smith could be this year's Jake Long, a solid left tackle with a dozen good years ahead of him. And Curry is likely to be a starting linebacker for 10-12 years even though he's not spectacular; he's never been used as a pass rusher, for example.
So Stafford is the likely choice: pass rushers, left tackles and, of course, QBs tend to be the most coveted players.
Yet the failure rate for first-round quarterbacks is still pretty high.
Basically, there are good years and bad years, 2004 being a good year with Eli Manning, Philip Rivers and Ben Roethlisberger, 2006 being not so good with Vince Young and Matt Leinart sitting on benches in Tennessee and Arizona. Even Jay Cutler, the third QB taken that year and by far the most successful on the field, has issues. Cutler got himself traded to Chicago after owner Pat Bowlen got tired of his non-responsiveness to messages.
Smith and Curry are safe picks. But Detroit gambles on ...
MATTHEW STAFFORD, QB, Georgia.
Just for fun, this first round includes seven players from a state that normally doesn't produce NFL players the way Florida, Texas and California do. (Answer at the bottom). For those who keep score and mock everybody's mocks, please note that these are for guessing purposes only. One trade or one unexpected pick and everything is thrown off.
2. ST. LOUIS: Orlando Pace was released. JASON SMITH, T, Baylor, is drafted. Easy transition. Or so the Rams hope.
3. KANSAS CITY: This should be simple. AARON CURRY, LB, Wake Forest, is the obvious choice. But he was an outside LB in college, so where does he fit in the 3-4 defense that Scott Pioli and Todd Haley, the new GM and coach, plan to install? Probably inside between newly obtained veterans Mike Vrabel and Zach Thomas. He could drop if the Chiefs go for someone like offensive tackle Eugene Monroe.
4. SEATTLE: Matt Hasselbeck has a bad back. MATT SANCHEZ, QB, Southern Cal, might not be ready yet, but he fits Seattle's West Coast offense and may have a higher upside than Stafford.
5. CLEVELAND: The Browns are trying to trade Braylon Edwards. MICHAEL CRABTREE, WR, Texas Tech, is insurance, although he's recovering from a stress fracture in his foot.
6. CINCINNATI: The Bengals used to be able to score. Even with Carson Palmer back, they need help up front. EUGENE MONROE, OT, Virginia.
7. OAKLAND: The draft is now a three-month process, which is why ANDRE SMITH, OT, Alabama, can fall from a top five pick to the bottom of the round, then rise again.
8. JACKSONVILLE: What the Jags need are wide receivers. Even if they sign Torry Holt, they take JEREMY MACLIN, WR, Missouri.
9. GREEN BAY: The Packers dropped last year because of defensive failures. Switching to the 3-4, they take a 330-plus pound nose tackle, B.J. RAJI, DT, Boston College.
10. SAN FRANCISCO: The 49ers' defense isn't bad. But Manny Lawson, a No. 1 three years ago, hasn't quite fit, so they clone him with BRIAN ORAKPO, DE/LB Texas.
11. BUFFALO: How do you complement T.O? By beefing up the defense. ROBERT AYERS, DE, Tennessee.
.
12. DENVER: Suddenly the Broncos are a team that needs a young QB, although Josh McDaniels may like Kyle Orton enough to consider this less than a major need. AARON MAYBIN, DE/LB, Penn State, for a defense that STILL needs all the help it can find.
13. WASHINGTON: The Redskins are old on the OL and slow on the DL, even with Albert Haynesworth. EVERETTE BROWN, DE/LB, Florida State, for some outside speed.
14. NEW ORLEANS: Reggie Bush will never be an every down back. BEANIE WELLS, RB, Ohio State, is from the Deuce McAllister mold.
15. HOUSTON: No premium pass rushers left to supplement Mario Williams. So take a cover man in VONTAE DAVIS, CB, Illinois.
16. SAN DIEGO: Lost Igor Olshansky to Dallas, replace him with TYSON JACKSON, DE, LSU.
17. NEW YORK JETS: The Jets need a quarterback and this is probably where Stafford deserves to go. But if you can't take a pitcher, get a catcher, PERCY HARVIN, WR, Florida.
18. DENVER: Josh McDaniels likes Orton, the QB he got from Chicago for Cutler. But JOSH FREEMAN, QB, Kansas State, has an upside that, in a couple years might make him this draft's best quarterback.
19. TAMPA BAY: BRIAN CUSHING, OLB, Southern California, is bigger, stronger and a bit slower than Derrick Brooks. He fits a rebuilding Bucs defense.
20. DETROIT: The Lions no longer have Shaun Rogers. PERIA JERRY, DT, Mississippi, may be as good. He certainly has a better attitude.
21. PHILADELPHIA: The Eagles need someone who can push the pile and take the load off Brian Westbrook. KNOWSHON Moreno, RB, Georgia, is a steal this low.
22. MINNESOTA: Even with Antonio Winfield, the secondary needs help. MALCOLM JENKINS, CB, Ohio State.
23. NEW ENGLAND: Bill Belichick likes his players versatile. CONNOR BARWIN, DE-LB-TE, Cincinnati, has been rising quickly and is the perfect replacement for Mike Vrabel, who played all three of those positions. Barwin also might last to No. 34, the pick the Patriots got for Matt Cassel.
24. ATLANTA: Keith Brooking and Michael Boley are gone, which provides a slot for CLAY MATTHEWS, LB, Southern California.
25. MIAMI: Relatively simple, assuming DARIUS HEYWARD-BEY, WR, Maryland, is still around.
26. BALTIMORE: Bart Scott went to the Jets with Rex Ryan. REY MAUALUGA, LB, Southern California, replaces him.
27. INDIANAPOLIS: BRANDON PETTIGREW, TE, Oklahoma State, is an old-fashioned type who can block and catch and allows Dallas Clark to do what he's been doing anyway — function as a wide receiver.
28. BUFFALO: Traded Jason Peters. His long-term replacement is MICHAEL OHER, T, Mississippi.
29. NEW YORK GIANTS: The Giants have a lot of extra picks for an Edwards trade. If this choice doesn't go to Cleveland, LARRY ENGLISH, OLB, Northern Illinois, to solidify a position where they need a playmaker. Not enamored of local kid Kenny Britt, a WR from Rutgers, although Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina could fit here.
30. TENNESSEE: Did a lot last season with no deep threat. BRITT may take a year or two, but he has size and speed.
31. ARIZONA: DONALD BROWN, RB, Connecticut. Plenty of first-rounders from UConn in the NBA and WNBA but never before in the NFL. He's also the seventh first-rounder from the trivia state.
32. PITTSBURGH. ALEX MACK, C, Cal, is the quintessential Steelers pick.
Raji, Monroe, Cushing, Moreno, Jenkins, Britt and Brown all grew up in New Jersey.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Women's pro soccer back for more
WPS giving women’s pro soccer another shot at the spotlight
By Ryan Wood
All boys who play sports growing up find their role models through professional sports. They admire professional athletes, hoping to one day join the ranks of Major League Baseball or become a pro football, basketball, hockey, or soccer player.
Girls never really had that chance. The Women’s United Soccer Association suspended play in 2003 after the league collapsed when expenses far outweighed revenue.
Before the WUSA, which ran from 2001 through 2003, and from then until now, the only chance that girls had to play at a high level after college was to tryout for Team USA. Dreams of becoming a professional soccer player dwindled. But now there’s a resurgence with Women’s Professional Soccer, a league that will feature the world’s top soccer players.
“It’s great for any profession, whether it’s a sports profession, business profession, for young girls to see women doing things that they want to,” said Kristine Lilly, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and member of two U.S. women’s teams that won the World Cup. “Because if you don’t see that, you tend to not think it’s possible. So now that we have women’s professional soccer back, these young girls can say, ‘You know what, maybe I’ll do that one day.’ So they have that goal. They have that vision to do something. I think that’s so important. Guys have that dream. They want to be in the NBA, they want to play professional baseball. Even though the majority of them won’t make it, they can see that and want that.”
Lilly is a member of the Boston Breakers, who will play their home games at Harvard Stadium. The Breakers look to add to the lore of Boston sports, Lilly said. A midfielder/forward has the a ton of experience, Lilly is the most capped U.S. soccer player (male and female) with 340 appearances.
“It’s great to have women’s soccer back because we need a women’s sports team in Boston,” Lilly said. “We’re hoping to continue the tradition that the Boston teams have had so far and bring a championship here to Boston.”
Breakers head coach Tony DiCicco has coached at the highest level and is the most successful U.S. national team coach. The former U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach, who led the U.S. to the 1996 Olympic gold medal and the 1999 World Cup victory, brings an unheralded 103-8-8 record to Boston.
“Boston’s a great sports city, and we want to be part of the success every year Boston enjoys with their sports,” DiCicco said. “There’s a lot of talent in the league. I think we have players that can light it up. Have we shown that, yes, but we’re a little inconsistent, and we need to get our attack to the next stage. But we have a lot of players who have been in big arenas and big matches before.”
Locally, high school and college players and coaches are buzzing. The girls know they have something to aim for after college. They have the opportunity to fill one of more than 100 roster spots throughout the league rather than fighting for one of roughly two dozen spots on the U.S. national team.
“I think it’s awesome,” said two-time Atlantic Coast League all-star midfielder and Plymouth North High School senior Tiffany Aguiar. “I used to go to the games all the time. I’m really glad it’s coming back. Soccer being my main sport, I’ve always wanted to play. I think it’s awesome that it gives an opportunity to play after college. You can look forward to playing in college. The more opportunities for females is even better.”
That sentiment echoed throughout Monday’s Boston Breakers press conference at Harvard’s Murr Center. After DiCicco presented the team, each player talked one-on-one to the media about the Breakers, the WPS, and the opportunities that the league gives to younger female athletes.
“Kids coming out of college, they have something to look forward to,” said two-time Olympic gold medalist Heather Mitts. “I’m able to do something that I love for a living. For me, I only had male role models growing up. I think that it would’ve been a lot better and productive for me growing up if I had a female, and I think that’s why we take advantage of the role that we’re in now because we know how rare it is and how special it is.”
Peabody’s Ashley Phillips, a keeper who finished her career at Clemson University as the team’s all-time career saves leader (326), agreed with Mitts and Lilly.
“The WUSA came out when I was in middle school, so that was cool, but then when it collapsed, I was going to college, (thinking), ‘Well, what am I going to do after college?’ Our only hopes were the national team, which is only 24 people,” Phillips said. “Your chances are pretty slim there. Hopefully (the WPS) gives younger kids something to look forward to, especially girls in high school who are going off to college.”
And that’s exactly what Carver High School head girls soccer coach Jason Tassinari hopes. Tassinari, who coached Emerson College’s women’s soccer team from 2004-2007, looks forward to the start of the Breakers season.
“I’m very, very excited,” said Tassinari. “It’s giving girls female role models within their sport, which I think is important. “We’re a sports town. Soccer is big here. Having a professional team in your own backyard is so important. And the women’s game is tremendously exciting to watch.
The Breakers open their season this Saturday (April 5) in California against FC Gold Pride, a team featuring 1999 World Cup champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brandi Chastain, as well as 2008 Olympic gold medalists Nicole Barnhart and Rachel Buehler. Boston plays its home opener Saturday, April 11, at 7 p.m. at Harvard Stadium against St. Louis Athletica, a team that features Team USA keeper Hope Solo and defender Kia McNeill, who played from 2004 through 2007 at Boston College, and earned Big East Rookie of the Year honors in 2004.
Speaking of Boston College, the Breakers recently scrimmaged the Eagles. Current Eagle and former Braintree High School star and two-time All-America selection Amy Caldwell said the game against the Breakers was “an eye-opening experience.”
“It’s probably the highest level I’ve played in a while. I was impressed,” Caldwell said. “I was definitely nervous, especially with Kristine Lilly out on the field, but once the game got going, you forget about who you’re going against.”
Caldwell, who registered 112 goals and 58 assists and helped Braintree win two state titles during her four-year high school career, said she likes that soccer doesn’t have to end in college.
“It’s definitely exciting and just something else to be playing for,” said Caldwell, who earned New England Women’s Intercollegiate Soccer Association first-team honors. She scored three goals to go along with 12 assists. “I would say the speed of play was the biggest difference (comparing college soccer to the professional level). Everything is played so fast. After playing them we worked on switching our point of attack.”
Duxbury High School Head Coach Emerson Coleman, who led the Lady Dragons to the Division 2 state title in the fall, said the WPS provides an opportunity for high school and college players to learn what it takes to play at such a high level.
“Now they have a chance to watch the game at an elite level and support them,” Coleman said. “I think it’s great for women’s athletics and to have it locally. There’s a chance that it’s not the end of their dream. It’s like the WNBA. Before that, there was no place (for female basketball players) to chase their dream. I think it’s wonderful, and I hope they do a good job managing it.”
Mitts has confidence that the league will survive this time around. According to women on the Breakers, the former league was owned by one entity, whereas now, each team has an individual owner. Add the level of talent that each team has - the Breakers’ roster also includes Angela Hucles (midfielder) and Amy Rodriguez (forward), who played for the U.S. team that won gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Hucles, along with Lilly played for Breakers during WUSA campaign.
“We know how great we can be, and I think it’s a matter of gelling, it’s a matter of accepting a new philosophy and going with it,” Mitts said. “It’s just a matter of the players that have been asked to come over here, the international players, the national team players, so we can be the best team in the league.”
Each WPS team is allowed to have five international players. The largest contingent in the league comes from Brazil, including Brazilian superstar Marta. The Breakers have the female version of David Beckham in Kelly Smith, who played for the Arsenal Ladies in the English Women’s Premier League and has served as a member of England’s national team for the past 14 years.
“There are some of the best female players from all around the world to teach us their style of play so that we can continue to evolve our game. Obviously when I’m practicing against Kelly Smith, and when I’m practicing against these players they’re going to make me a better player. It just helps to make us better overall,” Mitts said. “You look at the success the U.S. team has had, and I think that all countries try to emulate that. Our style of play is a little bit different than (it is) internationally. So we can bring the best international players over here so that they can teach us something, and we can teach them something as well. I love it. I think that it’s so important for us to have them over here.”
Will the international players gel with the U.S. national team players and some of the best college soccer players this country has to offer? Will the Breakers become part of Boston’s storied sports history and bring a championship to the city?
“There’s going to be a lot of talent on every team, and I know that we really look good on paper, said Rodriguez, the league’s number one draft pick, who’s nicknamed A-Rod. “But it’s how it all comes together on the field.”
By Ryan Wood
All boys who play sports growing up find their role models through professional sports. They admire professional athletes, hoping to one day join the ranks of Major League Baseball or become a pro football, basketball, hockey, or soccer player.
Girls never really had that chance. The Women’s United Soccer Association suspended play in 2003 after the league collapsed when expenses far outweighed revenue.
Before the WUSA, which ran from 2001 through 2003, and from then until now, the only chance that girls had to play at a high level after college was to tryout for Team USA. Dreams of becoming a professional soccer player dwindled. But now there’s a resurgence with Women’s Professional Soccer, a league that will feature the world’s top soccer players.
“It’s great for any profession, whether it’s a sports profession, business profession, for young girls to see women doing things that they want to,” said Kristine Lilly, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and member of two U.S. women’s teams that won the World Cup. “Because if you don’t see that, you tend to not think it’s possible. So now that we have women’s professional soccer back, these young girls can say, ‘You know what, maybe I’ll do that one day.’ So they have that goal. They have that vision to do something. I think that’s so important. Guys have that dream. They want to be in the NBA, they want to play professional baseball. Even though the majority of them won’t make it, they can see that and want that.”
Lilly is a member of the Boston Breakers, who will play their home games at Harvard Stadium. The Breakers look to add to the lore of Boston sports, Lilly said. A midfielder/forward has the a ton of experience, Lilly is the most capped U.S. soccer player (male and female) with 340 appearances.
“It’s great to have women’s soccer back because we need a women’s sports team in Boston,” Lilly said. “We’re hoping to continue the tradition that the Boston teams have had so far and bring a championship here to Boston.”
Breakers head coach Tony DiCicco has coached at the highest level and is the most successful U.S. national team coach. The former U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach, who led the U.S. to the 1996 Olympic gold medal and the 1999 World Cup victory, brings an unheralded 103-8-8 record to Boston.
“Boston’s a great sports city, and we want to be part of the success every year Boston enjoys with their sports,” DiCicco said. “There’s a lot of talent in the league. I think we have players that can light it up. Have we shown that, yes, but we’re a little inconsistent, and we need to get our attack to the next stage. But we have a lot of players who have been in big arenas and big matches before.”
Locally, high school and college players and coaches are buzzing. The girls know they have something to aim for after college. They have the opportunity to fill one of more than 100 roster spots throughout the league rather than fighting for one of roughly two dozen spots on the U.S. national team.
“I think it’s awesome,” said two-time Atlantic Coast League all-star midfielder and Plymouth North High School senior Tiffany Aguiar. “I used to go to the games all the time. I’m really glad it’s coming back. Soccer being my main sport, I’ve always wanted to play. I think it’s awesome that it gives an opportunity to play after college. You can look forward to playing in college. The more opportunities for females is even better.”
That sentiment echoed throughout Monday’s Boston Breakers press conference at Harvard’s Murr Center. After DiCicco presented the team, each player talked one-on-one to the media about the Breakers, the WPS, and the opportunities that the league gives to younger female athletes.
“Kids coming out of college, they have something to look forward to,” said two-time Olympic gold medalist Heather Mitts. “I’m able to do something that I love for a living. For me, I only had male role models growing up. I think that it would’ve been a lot better and productive for me growing up if I had a female, and I think that’s why we take advantage of the role that we’re in now because we know how rare it is and how special it is.”
Peabody’s Ashley Phillips, a keeper who finished her career at Clemson University as the team’s all-time career saves leader (326), agreed with Mitts and Lilly.
“The WUSA came out when I was in middle school, so that was cool, but then when it collapsed, I was going to college, (thinking), ‘Well, what am I going to do after college?’ Our only hopes were the national team, which is only 24 people,” Phillips said. “Your chances are pretty slim there. Hopefully (the WPS) gives younger kids something to look forward to, especially girls in high school who are going off to college.”
And that’s exactly what Carver High School head girls soccer coach Jason Tassinari hopes. Tassinari, who coached Emerson College’s women’s soccer team from 2004-2007, looks forward to the start of the Breakers season.
“I’m very, very excited,” said Tassinari. “It’s giving girls female role models within their sport, which I think is important. “We’re a sports town. Soccer is big here. Having a professional team in your own backyard is so important. And the women’s game is tremendously exciting to watch.
The Breakers open their season this Saturday (April 5) in California against FC Gold Pride, a team featuring 1999 World Cup champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brandi Chastain, as well as 2008 Olympic gold medalists Nicole Barnhart and Rachel Buehler. Boston plays its home opener Saturday, April 11, at 7 p.m. at Harvard Stadium against St. Louis Athletica, a team that features Team USA keeper Hope Solo and defender Kia McNeill, who played from 2004 through 2007 at Boston College, and earned Big East Rookie of the Year honors in 2004.
Speaking of Boston College, the Breakers recently scrimmaged the Eagles. Current Eagle and former Braintree High School star and two-time All-America selection Amy Caldwell said the game against the Breakers was “an eye-opening experience.”
“It’s probably the highest level I’ve played in a while. I was impressed,” Caldwell said. “I was definitely nervous, especially with Kristine Lilly out on the field, but once the game got going, you forget about who you’re going against.”
Caldwell, who registered 112 goals and 58 assists and helped Braintree win two state titles during her four-year high school career, said she likes that soccer doesn’t have to end in college.
“It’s definitely exciting and just something else to be playing for,” said Caldwell, who earned New England Women’s Intercollegiate Soccer Association first-team honors. She scored three goals to go along with 12 assists. “I would say the speed of play was the biggest difference (comparing college soccer to the professional level). Everything is played so fast. After playing them we worked on switching our point of attack.”
Duxbury High School Head Coach Emerson Coleman, who led the Lady Dragons to the Division 2 state title in the fall, said the WPS provides an opportunity for high school and college players to learn what it takes to play at such a high level.
“Now they have a chance to watch the game at an elite level and support them,” Coleman said. “I think it’s great for women’s athletics and to have it locally. There’s a chance that it’s not the end of their dream. It’s like the WNBA. Before that, there was no place (for female basketball players) to chase their dream. I think it’s wonderful, and I hope they do a good job managing it.”
Mitts has confidence that the league will survive this time around. According to women on the Breakers, the former league was owned by one entity, whereas now, each team has an individual owner. Add the level of talent that each team has - the Breakers’ roster also includes Angela Hucles (midfielder) and Amy Rodriguez (forward), who played for the U.S. team that won gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Hucles, along with Lilly played for Breakers during WUSA campaign.
“We know how great we can be, and I think it’s a matter of gelling, it’s a matter of accepting a new philosophy and going with it,” Mitts said. “It’s just a matter of the players that have been asked to come over here, the international players, the national team players, so we can be the best team in the league.”
Each WPS team is allowed to have five international players. The largest contingent in the league comes from Brazil, including Brazilian superstar Marta. The Breakers have the female version of David Beckham in Kelly Smith, who played for the Arsenal Ladies in the English Women’s Premier League and has served as a member of England’s national team for the past 14 years.
“There are some of the best female players from all around the world to teach us their style of play so that we can continue to evolve our game. Obviously when I’m practicing against Kelly Smith, and when I’m practicing against these players they’re going to make me a better player. It just helps to make us better overall,” Mitts said. “You look at the success the U.S. team has had, and I think that all countries try to emulate that. Our style of play is a little bit different than (it is) internationally. So we can bring the best international players over here so that they can teach us something, and we can teach them something as well. I love it. I think that it’s so important for us to have them over here.”
Will the international players gel with the U.S. national team players and some of the best college soccer players this country has to offer? Will the Breakers become part of Boston’s storied sports history and bring a championship to the city?
“There’s going to be a lot of talent on every team, and I know that we really look good on paper, said Rodriguez, the league’s number one draft pick, who’s nicknamed A-Rod. “But it’s how it all comes together on the field.”
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
The Calipari Era Begins At UK
LEXINGTON, KY - John Calipari says he is "humbled and excited" to lead such a "storied program" during his first press conference as Kentucky's basketball coach.
Calipari was introduced Wednesday after the Kentucky athletics board approved an eight-year, $31.65 million contract that will make Calipari the highest paid coach in the nation. Athletic director Mitch Barnhart said Wednesday that the university paid a premium price, but that Calipari "can flat out coach."
"I'm a regular guy, folks," Calipari said. "I do not walk on water; I do not have a magic wand."
The 50-year-old Calipari agreed to terms on Tuesday night to take over college basketball's winningest program. Calipari is 445-140 in 17 seasons, leading both Memphis and Massachusetts to the Final Four.
LEXINGTON - The Calipari era will officially start Wednesday at the University of Kentucky.
The school reached an eight-year deal worth $35 million with Calipari to be the Wildcat's new men's basketball coach. The contract makes him the highest paid college coach in the country.
A press conference has been scheduled for 8:30 a.m. CDT Wednesday to officially introduce Calipari, and you can see it right here on news25.us.
Our Sports team is in Lexington and will have complete coverage tonight on NEWS 25.
Calipari was introduced Wednesday after the Kentucky athletics board approved an eight-year, $31.65 million contract that will make Calipari the highest paid coach in the nation. Athletic director Mitch Barnhart said Wednesday that the university paid a premium price, but that Calipari "can flat out coach."
"I'm a regular guy, folks," Calipari said. "I do not walk on water; I do not have a magic wand."
The 50-year-old Calipari agreed to terms on Tuesday night to take over college basketball's winningest program. Calipari is 445-140 in 17 seasons, leading both Memphis and Massachusetts to the Final Four.
LEXINGTON - The Calipari era will officially start Wednesday at the University of Kentucky.
The school reached an eight-year deal worth $35 million with Calipari to be the Wildcat's new men's basketball coach. The contract makes him the highest paid college coach in the country.
A press conference has been scheduled for 8:30 a.m. CDT Wednesday to officially introduce Calipari, and you can see it right here on news25.us.
Our Sports team is in Lexington and will have complete coverage tonight on NEWS 25.
Len Berman to leave WNBC after long, successful run
By Neil Best
Here is my newspaper article about Len Berman's coming departure from WNBC-TV after 24 years.
Berman is the latest casualty of the cost-cutting that has hit local TV news in general, and Ch. 4 in particular, with sports departments always a popular target.
Then again, "casualty" might not be the right word, given how upbeat Berman sounded about the whole thing when I spoke to him Tuesday night.
The man had a heck of a run. I'm so old, though, that to me he still seems like the new guy who just replaced Marv Albert on the Ch. 4 news.
Now it's time for the channel to do the right - and no-brainer - thing and make Bruce Beck its lead sports anchor officially.
Then again, he's the only sports personality left, so perhaps it's an obvious move.
Here is my newspaper article about Len Berman's coming departure from WNBC-TV after 24 years.
Berman is the latest casualty of the cost-cutting that has hit local TV news in general, and Ch. 4 in particular, with sports departments always a popular target.
Then again, "casualty" might not be the right word, given how upbeat Berman sounded about the whole thing when I spoke to him Tuesday night.
The man had a heck of a run. I'm so old, though, that to me he still seems like the new guy who just replaced Marv Albert on the Ch. 4 news.
Now it's time for the channel to do the right - and no-brainer - thing and make Bruce Beck its lead sports anchor officially.
Then again, he's the only sports personality left, so perhaps it's an obvious move.
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