BCS rejects playoff proposal

There will be no playoff for the BCS anytime soon.
Bowl Championship Series officials rejected a plan Wednesday to turn the controversial system for deciding a national champ into a four-team playoff, starting in the 2010 season.
"After a very thorough very good discussion among the group, we have decided that because we feel at this time the BCS is in an unprecedented state of health, we feel it's never been healthier during its first decade," Atlantic Coast Conference commissioner John Swofford said. "We have made a decision to move forward in the next cycle with the current format."
Southeastern Conference commissioner Mike Slive presented a plan Wednesday to the other league commissioners for a plus-one format, matching the No. 1 team in the nation against No. 4 and 2 vs. 3 in the marquee bowl games. The winners would meet about a week later in the BCS national championship game.
"I'm not unhappy," Slive said. "There's no such thing as standing pat. I think we've done a service.
"I can't say I'm surprised."
In the current BCS format, the top two teams in the BCS standings - which use polls and computer ratings to grade teams - after the regular season are matched in the BCS national title game.

I think this is absolutely rediculous....but it's a debate that's been more overdone than "pro life vs. pro choice" so I don't really feel like getting too in depth with how I feel about this....but I do think there should be some sort of playoff to determine an ACTUAL champion.

Brad Thibeau

USHL Playoff Update

The Chicago Steel were swept by the Waterloo Blackhawks in the second round. 2009 Maine recruit Mark Anthoine had no points in the series.

The Omaha Lancers and the Lincoln Stars have each won two games. The Lancers have Will O'Neil and Joe Diamond who will be attending Maine next year. O'Neil has four points including one goal in eight games. Diamond has one goal in eight games.

Ryan Hegarty who was apart of the National Team Development Program was ranked the 186th best player in North America by NHL Central Scouting. He was the only Maine recruit named to the list.

Nathan Fournier

(Nathan also is a writer for MVN.com. He's the writer for the Asylum which covers the Lewiston Maineiacs of the QMJHL. He's also a regular contributor to the NHL Source also at MVN.com. He can be reached at fbbhgfan@aol.com)

Team USA Gets Ready for the World Championships

Sunday night in Portland, Maine hockey fans saw a treat. The United States National Men’s Team played their first game on home soil since 2o04 where they faced Finland in Minneapolis in the World Cup. Yesterday was an exhibition game against Sweden. Team USA defeated Sweden 5-1. Patrick Kane (Chicago Blackhawks) had a goal and an highlight reel assist. His linemate Peter Mueller (Phoenix Coyotes) had a goal and two assists. Nathan Gerbe who led Boston College to the National Championship also had a goal and an assist. Sweden goal came from former Minnesota Wild and New York Islander Mattias Weinhandl.

When I first looked at the United States roster I thought they would be a middle of a pack team. The average age is 24.6. Patrick Kane and Peter Mueller looked like they have been playing together their entire lives. They both came from the National Team Development Program and were linemates at the 2007 World Junior Championships. Zach Parise (New Jersey) should also be an offensive spark to this team. This team could be challenging for a Gold Medal. Hopefully their goaltending will be stable with Craig Anderson, Tim Thomas, and Robert Esche. They will have to find away past Canada and Russia who are probably the favorites.

I was expecting more from Sweden because half the team played in Sweden this season. They played in other international events this season. With the NHL additions they still came out flat. Mikael Tellqvist (Phoenix Coyotes) showed why he’s a back up goalie in the NHL. Dustin Brown’s (LA Kings) goal went through the five hole. Patrick Kane’s goal was also weak. Mueller won the draw passed it to Kane and it deflected over Tellqvist’s head into the net. He did make a nice save in the first period where he made a nice diving save. Patrick O’Sullivan (LA Kings) was able to score on he rebound to make it 2-0.

I have to give major props to the Swedish fans that made the trip. There were about 200 Swedish fans but it felt like 2,000 fans. Every Swedish fan in that building sung their National Anthem. It was embarrassing to see no American fans sing the American anthem. They were chanting throughout the game. I thought I was at the Gold Medal game and not an exhibition game.

The problem I had with Team USA is where are the name plates on the jerseys? For the first period instead of enjoying the game I was trying to find out who’s who. Poor management by USA Hockey and the arena staff only printing out 500 Game day rosters. 5,300 fans showed up and only printed enough rosters for 10.3% of the crowd. Most of the people that went to the game were casual hockey fans and probably didn’t know half the players on Team USA. Another interesting note the name plate on the Swedish jersey is below the numbers. Phil Kessel got the loudest ovation from the crowd. Nathan Gerbe got the second loudest ovation which I found strange coming from a BC player. Mark Stuart a Bruin was third.

Nathan Gerbe and Matt Gilroy of Boston University are apart of Team USA for training camp purposes only. I think Gerbe has the better chance out of the two to make the team. The tournament starts on May 2nd.

That’s My Take

Nathan Fournier

(Nathan also is a writer for MVN.com. He's the writer for the Asylum which covers the Lewiston Maineiacs of the QMJHL. He's also a regular contributor to the NHL Source also at MVN.com. He can be reached at fbbhgfan@aol.com)

Flaherty Making His Mark

Ever hear anyone talk about how no good athletes come out of Maine? Well Ryan Flaherty has a little something to say about this. Flaherty, a graduate of Deering High School in Portland, has been in the starting lineup for Vanderbilt University since the second he stepped on campus.
Ryan's freshman year he was named an honorable mention Freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball after leading the Commodores with a .339 batting average and 19 doubles (second on team). He also had two homers, 49 RBI and a .421 on base percentage in 62 games played and led the team with 22 multi-hit and 15 multi-RBI games.
Last year Vandy held the #1 rank from preseason all the way until the post season. Ryan ended up a Second-team All-America selection by the American Baseball Coaches Association and Rivals.com. He was also named to ABCA All-South Region team and second-team All-SEC. He batted .381 with 23 doubles, four homers and 57 RBI and finished the year with a school single season record 35-game hitting streak ... 23 doubles tied for most on the team ... Led the team with 33 multi-hit and 20 multi RBI games on the year. However, Vanderbilt was upset in the first round of the tournament.
This year, Ryan was named a preseason first team All American and is viewed as THE best shortstop in college baseball.
Whoever says Maine can't produce a good athlete should check out one of his games, but if you're feeling a little too lazy to do so...just wait a couple years. He'll be on your TV.

Brad Thibeau

The First Black Coach Of Divison I Program Dies

Will Robinson, the first black coach of a divison I basketball program has died at the age of 96. Robinson broke down racial barriers back in the 70's when he became the coach of Illinois State.

Robinson was also a scout in the NBA for the Detroit Pistons, and is credited with finding the likes of Dennis Rodman, and Joe Dumars. Robinson remained a scout for the Piston's organization for 28 years, until he joined the Detroit Lions as a scout.

Midway through the 2003-04 season, the Pistons renamed their locker room the "Will Robinson Locker Room of Champions."

All in all Will Robinson was a civil rights pioneer that was beloved in Detroit and will no doubt be missed.

Adam Smith

UCLA's Collison To Return For Senior Season

UCLA guard Darren Collison has announced that he plans on returning for his senior season. Collison averaged 15.2 points and 3.9 assists this past season for the Bruins and was a third-team All-American.

Collison has come out and said that he did not make this decision because of the deep draft class this year. With Collison coming back this will give the Bruins at least one starter from last year's team that lost to Memphis in the Final Four.

Kevin Love, another UCLA superstar, declared for the draft already. So for the Bruins to get Collison back, it's a huge sigh of relief.

Adam Smith

Sportsmanship is Important

A question was raised asking people if losing with sportsmanship was more impressive then winning without it. I believe that it is important to lose with sportsmanship because it allows the student-athlete the opportunity to build character. It also shows them that it is okay to lose. You do not always have to win. If you can lose a game with sportsmanship, it shows future employers and teammates that you can accept rejection all right without going crazy in the locker room after the game. If you win a game without sportsmanship, it could show that you will do whatever it takes to win a game even if that means injuring your own teammates along the way.

Mark Zadakis

More NCAA Football Bowl Games Could be Added

Three more bowl games could be added to the NCAA Division I Subdivision Football calendar if the cities of Washington D.C., St. Petersburg and Salt Lake City have their way. If approved by the NCAA Football Licensing Subcommittee at their April 29-May 1 meeting, the number of football games would rise to 35. Team must win six games against a Division I football team in order to be eligible to play in bowl competition. If the proposed game happens in Washington, D.C, it would fittingly be known as the Congressional Bowl and would match a team from the Atlantic Coast Conference with the Army or Navy.

I think that it is a good idea that to have the Subcommittee take a good hard look into adding bowl games in these cities. The reason why I support the idea is because of the diversification it could bring to NCAA football. If games are added in these cities, then it would make it easier for fans of NCAA football that live in the area to see a game.

Mark Zadakis

San Diego Wins 16th Straight, Beats LMU

Junior first baseman Jose Valerio goes yard twice as the ninth-ranked University of San Diego baseball team cruised their way to a 11-3 win over Loyola Marymount University Sunday afternoon in a West Coast Conference game at USD's Cunningham Stadium.

With the win, the Toreros improve to 35-11 overall, move to 13-3 in the WCC, complete a three-game sweep over the Lions and extend the nation's longest winning streak to 16 games. With the loss, the Lions fall to 20-23 overall and 5-10 in the WCC.

The Toreros got on the scoreboards first as they scored six runs on six hits in the bottom of the second inning. Logan Gelbrich led off the inning with a double and moved to third on a Victor Sanchez single to centerfield. After Kevin Hansen walked to load the bases, Jose Valerio then hit his first collegiate grand slam over the fight field fence to give USD a 4-0 lead with no outs. Ryan Davis then kept things rolling with a single through the right side and moved to second on a Kevin Muno sacrifice bunt. James Meador then drove in Davis with a run-scoring double to left field and the final USD run of the inning came on a Josh Romanski RBI single through the right side to give USD a 6-0 advantage.

After each team then scored a run a piece in the third inning, the Lions took back two runs in the top of the fourth inning on a Brett Mendoza two-run single to cut the lead down to 7-3.

USD then went on to take those two runs back in the bottom of the sixth inning on a Meador two-run homer over the left field fence, which scored Nicol, who had singled, to give USD a 9-3 lead.

The Toreros then put the game completely out of reach in the bottom of the seventh inning on a two-run Valerio homer over the left field fence to give USD a comfortable 11-3 lead.

Tim Seames

Red Storm Drops Finale Against Notre Dame, 8-4

The St. John's baseball team fell behind early and eventually fell to No. 24 Notre Dame, 8-4, in the final game of the three-game set. Michael Aicardi had a pinch-hit two RBI double, while Tim Morris was 2-for-2 with an RBI for St. John's (31-10, 13-5). St. John's did, however, win its sixth BIG EAST series of the year. Jeremy Barnes, Sean Gaston and Billy Boockford had two RBI apiece for Notre Dame (28-12-1, 13-5).

After a 1-2-3 top of the first, Notre Dame plated one run in the bottom of the frame to take an early 1-0 lead. Brett Lilley led off the inning with a single and David Mills followed with a sacrifice bunt. Following two straight walks to load the bases, Jeremy Barnes sent a sacrifice fly all the way to the wall in center field to put the Irish up 1-0. Another walk would reload the bases before Yecker struck out Sean Gaston to end the inning.

The Irish would plate two more runs in the third. After a pair of one-out singles, Barnes grounded the ball towards second for what looked like an inning ending double play. The ball then took a bad bounce and hopped over the head of second baseman Gino Matias and into center field. One run would score on the play and Yecker would walk the next batter to load the bases with one out. Gaston followed with a RBI single through the right side that kept the bases loaded and forced St. John's to go to the bullpen. Matt Tosoni entered and struck out the first two batters he faced to end the frame.

Tim Seames

Maine Gets a Second Recruit for the 2011 Season

Brandon Francisco of the York Simcoe Express in Ontario verbally committed to the Black Bears for 2011. I don't know too much about him but people say he will be a high pick for the 2009 Ontario Hockey League Draft.

Speaking of the OHL Draft, Austin Watson a 2010 Maine recruit is ranked the third best player by the International Scouting Service. It doesn't mean he will be going in the top ten but they think he's the third best player in the draft. The Draft is May 3rd. If he goes in the first round, Maine fans should feel less comfortable that they see him in Orono in a few years.

In USHL Playoff action, the fourth seeded Chicago Steel defeated the number one seed Indiana Ice 4 games to 1. Mark Anthoine a 2009 recruit for Maine had two assists in the series. Scott Darling of the Indiana Ice was 1-2, a 3.69 Goals Against Average, and a .889 save percentage.

Joe Diamond of the Omaha Lancers scored last night in the 5-0 victory over the Lincoln Stars in the second round of the playoffs. His teammate and another Maine recruit Will O'Neil has one assist in the playoffs so far.

Nathan Fournier

(Nathan also is a writer for MVN.com. He's the writer for the Asylum which covers the Lewiston Maineiacs of the QMJHL. He's also a regular contributor to the NHL Source also at MVN.com. He can be reached at fbbhgfan@aol.com)

Recommendations Made to Make NCAA Wrestling Safer

Changes could be coming to the sport of college wrestling if the NCAA has its way. One of the first rules that they would like to change is health-related. To try and help guard against skin disease, the NCAA Wresting Rules committee proposed that all mats be cleaned between matches. The committee also recommended that the venue in charge of the meet should allow the students to clean the soles of their shoes before walking on the mat. This is because bacteria on the bottom of a shoe can spread on the mat and cause wrestlers to get a skin disease. Another rule that the NCAA would like to change is the length of a match. Instead of the six minute matches that have been going on the last few years, the NCAA is pushing for a new seven minute format. The first round of the match would be three minutes in length, while the second and third rounds would be two minutes each. Recommendations by the committee will be voted on at a meeting of the Playing Rules and Oversight Panel, which meets again on June 5th.

I think it is good that these new rules have been recommended. They will only make the sport of collegiate wrestling safer for everyone involved.

Mark Zadakis

USA Wins the Bronze Medal

The United States defeated Sweden earlier today 6-3 to capture the Bronze Medal at the International Ice Hockey Federation World Under 18 Championsips in Kazan, Russia. Ryan Bourque tied the game at one with an assist going to Philip McRae. 16 seconds later with 24 seconds to go in the first period, Robbie Czarnik made it 2-1 for the United States. He ended up with a three point game including adding another goal. Jeremy Morin added two goals and Danny Kristo had one goal. Brandon Maxwell made 42 saves for the Americans. Maine Recruit Ryan Hegarty had three assists in the tournament. Victor Hedman got a goal for Sweden. He's a 6'7 defenseman that's eligible for the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

Canada defeated Russia 8-0 to capture the Gold Medal. Jordan Eberle had two goals for Canada in the win. Cody Hodgson added three assists. Boston University recruit Corey Trivino had a goal to make it 2-0. Jake Allen made 29 saves to get the shutout.

Igor Revenko of Belarus led the tournament in scoring with 11 points including three goals. Richard Panik of Slovakia had ten points including four goals. Matt Duchene and Taylor Hall of Canada each had 8 points as 16 year olds.

Nathan Fournier

(Nathan also is a writer for MVN.com. He's the writer for the Asylum which covers the Lewiston Maineiacs of the QMJHL. He's also a regular contributor to the NHL Source also at MVN.com. He can be reached at fbbhgfan@aol.com)

Marcil to Lead Division II

Mike Marcil, commissioner of the Sunshine State Conference, has been appointed to the presidency of the Division II Conference Commissioners Association. He replaces Jim Naumovich. Marcil is a former chair of the Division II Management Council. He has been involved with the world of athletics for close to 20 years. Marcil came to lead the Sunshine State Conference after he spent seven years as commissioner of the North Central Conference.

I believe that appointing someone of Mike Marcil caliber to the top spot of the Division II Conference is a smart move for the NCAA. With nearly 20 years of being involved with college, I can’t think of anyone better to be elected to the position of president. Mike obviously cares for the students and the NCAA or else he probably wouldn’t have accepted the job of leading the Division II side of the NCAA. Although he will be faced with many questions of how to better the NCAA in some areas and how to maintain the success of the NCAA in other areas, it seems as though he is the right man fore the job.

Mark Zadakis

Eagle Men/Women look to make post-season runs

The Husson baseball and softball teams are both locks for playoff spots this season however where they will go and who they will play is yet to be determined. The Husson baseball team will travel to Thomas College in Waterville this week to hopefully pick up two big wins in a late season double-header. The Husson softball continues to roll after beating non-conference foe U-Maine Presque Isle yesterday improving their overall record to 22-10 while remaining at 10-2 in conference play.

The baseball team punched their ticket to the post season with a double header sweep of Thomas last week giving them more wins than the Terriers who have no games remaining.

Softball sealed a spot a long time ago losing only 2 of their last 16 games.

If I have to put my money on either team, I would probably pick the women to have a better post-season run in 2008 due to consistency alone. The baseball team is young. Very young, and it looks more promising next year for the Eagle squad who start anywhere from 3 to 4 freshmen. Pitcher and occasional left fielder Ryan Arsenault of Portland has been a key component to the Eagles this season.

Either way, "Let's go Eagles" because its playoff time and anything can happen.

Reid Durost

Eagles gain a big transfer over the off-season

The Husson Eagles basketball team will surely look different in their 08-09 campaign as a key transfer agrees to join Husson in the fall. Jay Uhrin formerly of the University of Maine Black Bear basketball team played for Hampden Academy in high school as he helped the Broncos win a state title in 2005 and were the Eastern Maine runners up in 2006. Urhin, born and raised in Winterport, was a first team All-KVAC his senior year averaging 14.3 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals per game.

This is a familiar face to Eagles starter Blaine Meehan who graduated and played for Hampden himself. The Eagles gain a solid foward shooter in the 6'2 freshman. Uhrin promises to be a big offensive power as the Eagles of this past season lacked a true scorer that could be depended upon each and ever night. A small load will be taken off of each of Brock Bradford and Scott Kissinger's shoulders as Uhrin is a decent perimeter shooter and has a good ability to get himself not only to the basket to score, but the freethrow line as well.

Uhrin also has the ability to play well in the post complimenting center Matt Mackenzie. The Eagles lost big man Nick Henry and 3-point shooter Sheraud Lee to graduation, however Uhrin seems to be a decent well rounded player who will fit in very well in my opinion at the D3 level and in the North Atlantic Conference.

Reid Durost

UCONN'S AURIEMMA CALLS OUT PAT SUMMIT

Connecticut's women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma has called out Pat Summitt, the head coach of Tennessee. Auriemma claims Pat Summitt quit the infamous UConn-Tennessee rivalry because she thinks UConn violated NCAA recruiting guidlines. UConn and Tennessee are by far, the most storied basketball programs in women's basketball.

Summitt and the Lady Vols just won the national championship this year. Connecticut lost in the Final Four.

It's sad that these two legendary coaches can't put their differences aside or let by-gones be by-gones. It isn't good for the sport at all.

Adam Smith

Miami Signs Jake Long, Will Draft OT No.1

The Miami Dolphins put to bed all the speculation of who they would take with the No. 1 pick in this years draft Tuesday. The Dolphins signed Offensive Tackle Jake Long, out of Michigan to a 5 year deal worth 57.75 million dollars, 30 million guaranteed.

Jake Long hasn't even played a single down in the NFL, yet has already become the highest paid tackle in the league.

This pick doesn't come as a shock however as Jake Long was no question, the safest pick in this year's draft. He's 6-foot-7, 315 pounds, and has quite the mean streak.

Long is expected to be the cornerstone in Bill Parcells rebuilding process in Miami, and is a "Parcells" player. Football is won in the trenches and Miami has someone who can do just that in Jake Long.

Adam Smith

The Husson Eagles baseball season is down to the Wire. The Eagles are on the outside looking in towards the North Atlantic Conference playoffs and are barely making up any ground. Today (4/16) the Eagles split with conference rival U. Maine Farmington at the Winkin Complex at Husson. The Eagles won game 1 which started at noon by a final score of 2-1 and dropped the 2nd game 2-0 at the hands of Beavers' pitcher Dan Hemdal.

The Eagles were led by pitcher Keith Nason giving up only the one run on 4 hits in game one and hopes were high for game two. Hemdal managed a 2 hitter in 6 and 1/3 innings in the 2nd for the Beavers who improved to just 3-9 on the season as they do not travel to Florida or Arizona like most teams do to begin the season.

The Eagles will host a double header with Becker College of Massachusetts on Saturday with two crucial conference winds at stake. The Eagles will then turn around and play snow-buried U. Maine Presque Isle at home on Sunday for two games.

If the Eagles can take the two games from the Becker Hawks and take both from Presque Isle as confidence boosters for the playoffs (granted they get there) the Eagles would have themselves looking and feeling very good for a post-season push.

Reid Durost

The View From the Press Box

As I sit at the Winkin Baseball Complex here on the campus of Husson College and I announce yet another home game for the Eagles, I realize how lucky this school is to have a complex like the Winkin Complex. The Complex, opened in 2001, was originally scheduled to hold baseball and baseball only. Now, as the school has progressed and added varsity football, it serves a multitude of purposes. Not only does the Winkin Complex host Eagles baseball football and field hockey, but also teams from all over the state hold games here because of the circumstances. The Winkin complex is completely artificial turf as well except for the pitchers mound and home plate area for baseball. The Winkin Complex is one of the first baseball fields in the state that is clear in the spring time of snow due to the said field turf and advanced drainage system.

So far this season, the Winkin Complex has hosted games for local Bangor, Brewer, Hampden and John Bapst as well as Portland schools Waynefleet and Chevrus for lacrosse. Thomas college and the University of Maine Farmington have played at the Winkin as well. The complex, equipped with a full sound system and scoreboards for both baseball and football, has seating for about 1500 at capacity.

The Eagles see the majority of their conference games at home and use it to their advantage. All I ask is that you show me a baseball field that was playable on April 5th and I'll show you the Winkin Complex in Bangor Maine.

Reid Durost

Maine Recruit at the World Under 18 Championships

Ryan Hegarty a member of the National Team Development Program is taking part of the International Ice Hockey Federation World Under 18 Championships. Hegarty and the rest of the Under 18 team are 2-1 after three games. They defeated Switzerland and Belarus and lost a heart breaker to Sweden 5-4 today.

Hegarty had two assists against Switzerland. Ryan Bourque a New Hampshire recruit (2009) has two assists. Vinny Saponari (2008) a Boston University recruit also has two assists. David Warsofsky (2008) also a future Terrier has three assists. Goalie Brandon Maxwell will be heading to Boston College in 2009. Joe Cannata the other goalie is heading to Merrimack next year.

Philip McRae who joined the Under 18 Team for this tournament after his London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League were knocked out of the OHL Playoffs. He leads the team with five points including three goals. Jeremy Morin also has five points including four goals. He's 16 and spent most of the season with the Under 17 team.

Nikita Filavo of Russia leads the tournament with six points. He has scored two goals and is considered the second best forward for the NHL Draft. Taylor Hall leads Canada with five points including four assists. He's 16 and won't be eligible until the 2010 Draft. Corey Trivino the only player on Canada that will be eligible for NCAA Hockey has four points including a hat trick against Denmark. He will be heading to Boston University next season.

That's My Take

Nathan Fournier

(Nathan also is a writer for MVN.com. He's the writer for the Asylum which covers the Lewiston Maineiacs of the QMJHL. He's also a regular contributor to the NHL Source also at MVN.com. He can be reached at fbbhgfan@aol.com)

Sanchez takes the reins as USC's new starting QB

Under coach Pete Carroll, USC Trojans has never entered the summer without appointing the next starting quarterback. This year is no different, and there was not much of an element of surprise to it. Mark Sanchez, who started three games for the Trojans last season, was the front-runner going into spring workouts, and on Tuesday, it was made official -- he would be the successor to John David Booty. Trojans offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian met with each of the contenders, including Mitch Mustain and Aaron Corp , to inform them of the decision.

Tim Seames

Problems at Duke?

This offseason mirrors the last wayyy too much for duke fans to like...Long. The Duke men's basketball team suffered another early round loss in 2008(much to my love). This has led to much speculation about Coach K's recent style of recruiting and coaching methods. After you get passed the recent lack of success(A.K.A. Chokes), you see that that freshman guard Taylor King has decided to jump ship and head to Villanova. Not a big deal right? Doesn't sound that alarming....wait a minute, didn't Duke lose someone last year? If you're asking that question...you are correct. King will be the 4th player in the last 3 years that Duke has lost via transfer. Something sounds a little fishy there I'd say.
Duke is one of the premier academic schools in the country. That alone right there would make you think people would want to stay...then you factor in the fact that it's one of the top 5 basketball schools in the country. They recruit the most McDonald's All Americans every year. They are always top 10 in the polls(deserving or not deserving). What would make a player want to leave?
The answer sits right on the bench calling players or barking and whining towards the officials(95% of the time). The great Coach K has not recruited a good big man in quite sometime now(and by good...I mean a big man with a complete game, not this Shelden Williams crap) and this has led to many tournament chokes since...well...he's HAD a good big man(boozer). Players are finally beginning to realize that if they go to Duke, they aren't going to win anything by just chucking up 3's every possession...and that's what Coach K thinks works now.
Coach K also doesn't develop a bench at all. This season was the deepest I've seen him go, and it was about 7 deep. That's a problem. Enough said.
Finally, the ESPN duke love fest is over, as people are realizing "wow these guys really aren't that good." Belmont WANTED to face duke as their 2 seed because they felt duke was the one they matched up best with. When was the last time you heard that a 15 seed WANTED to match up with Duke? Times are changing, and they're for the best:)

Brad Thibeau

Men's Lacrosse: Duke runs away with ACC regular-season title, tops UVa 19-9

Max Quinzani scored a career-high seven goals and Duke scored 10 straight goals to close the contest as the second-ranked Blue Devils defeated third-ranked Virginia, 19-9, in front of a record crowd of 8,000 fans at Klockner Stadium on Saturday night in Charlottesville, Va.

The Blue Devils improve to 12-1 overall and 3-0 in the ACC while the Cavaliers fall to 10-2 overall and 1-2 in league play. Duke captures the ACC regular season title for the third time in four seasons and earns the top seed in the conference tournament slated for April 25 and 27 in Charlottesville. The Blue Devils will meet fourth-seeded North Carolina at 5:00 p.m. while second-seeded Maryland takes on third-seeded Virginia at 7:30 p.m.

Tim Seames

BC Wins the National Championship

Boston College defeated the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame 4-1 to win the National Championship. It was BC third trip to the Championship game in the last three years. they lost to Wisconsin in 2006 and to Michigan State last year. Nathan Gerbe had another outstanding game adding two goals and had two assists. Notre Dame got robbed in the third period when it was 3-1 at the time. They scored to make it 3-2 after the puck deflected off a Notre Dame player’s foot. After a long review, the goal was disallowed. 35 seconds later BC went up 4-1. It was clearly not kicked in the net. That changed the entire momentum of the game. Either way it was a great game.

Nathan Gerbe (BC) is an exciting player to watch. He was named the Most Outstanding Player ofthe Tournament. His performance could get him the final forward spot on Team USA for the World Championships. John Muse Boston College’s freshman goalie was named to the All-Tournament Team. He played in every game this season. This was the same kid who thought he was going to spend the year with the Indiana Ice of the USHL this season. That all changed when Cory Schneider signed wit the Vancouver Canucks. I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets drafted this summer.

Congratulations to Michigan forward to Kevin Porter who beat out Nathan Gerbe and Miami (Oh) forward Ryan Jones to win the Hobey Baker Award. The Hobey Baker Award is the Heisman Award for hockey. Porter is a Phoenix Coyotes draft pick and had 63 points including 33 goals.

That's My Take

Nathan Fournier

(Nathan also is a writer for MVN.com. He's the writer for the Asylum which covers the Lewiston Maineiacs of the QMJHL. He's also a regular contributor to the NHL Source also at MVN.com. He can be reached at fbbhgfan@aol.com)

NBA Bound

Derrick Rose, a freshman at the University of Tennessee at Memphis, has announced his intention to enter the NBA draft. Rose is expected to be picked up early in the draft because of his dynamic presence on the court, having led the Memphis Tigers to an NCAA record 38 wins. In six NCAA tournament games, Rose averaged 20.8 points per game.

I believe that Derrick Rose’s exceptional basketball skills qualify him to enter the draft. He has obviously proved that he has what it takes to both win games and contend for championships. I think that that the team that signs a contract with Rose will be a perennial championship contender next season and well into the future.

Mark Zadakis

Death of a Teammate

Georgia Tech canceled Tuesday’s baseball game against rival school Georgia Southern so that the entire team could attend the funeral of pitcher Michael Hutts, who was found dead in his apartment late last week. It will take the coroner’s office several weeks before the cause of Michael Hutt’s death will be known. As a tribute to Hutts, the Georgia Yellow Jackets painted Michael’s familiar number 40 in front of the dugout. The school also canceled a game against Miami on Friday and went on to lose three consecutive games to the Miami squad.

I feel really bad for the family, friends, and fans of both Michael Hutts and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket baseball team. When a person dies tragically, it can be hard for the people closest to that individual to move on and remember the good memories they have of him or her. I think having the whole team at the funeral was a great idea because it allowed the team to support the family of Michael Hutts and say good-bye to him in person. The only thing that I don’t agree with is the cancellations of all of the games. The problem with not playing any baseball games after the death is that it could have made all the players stew over the tragic events and make them feel guilty about what transpired. Would Michael Hutts have agreed to cancel the games or play? I think he would have wanted the team to play on and win in his memory.

Mark Zadakis

Bill Self Says No Thanks to Alma Mater Oklahoma State

Not even 12 hours after Bill Self won his first championship with the Kansas Jayhawks(say thank you to Mario Chalmers/John Calipari/Memphis' horrid free throw shooting for that one) he found himself having to answer questions on if he would be staying at Kansas or jumping ship to coach at Oklahoma State. OSU recieved a big donation from alumni Boone Pickens who gave $165 million to the school's athletic department. This money made OSU willing to turn Bill Self into the highest paid coach in college basketball.
Bill Self has had an up and down career at Kansas. He had to fill some giant shoes left by 15 year head coach Roy Williams, and started off with a little struggle. Suffered quick exits in 2004, 2005, and 2006...including '05 and '06 in the first round to mid-majors...and then took a defeat last year in the elite 8 to UCLA. Seemed like this year would finally be the year, but with Brandan Rush's injury, a damper was quickly put on things. However, this Kansas team fought through that...and in the end(with a little help thanks to Memphis' big choke) ended up national champions. I feel this is a great move by Self, loyalty is a tough thing to come by when money and greed are involved these days.

Brad Thibeau

UCLA's Love And Collison To Enter Draft

Just about a week after losing a heartbreaking loss to Memphis in the Final Four, UCLA fans have another reason to sob. Star freshman Kevin Love and guard Collison will enter the NBA draft.

Kevin Love has had an outstanding career as a freshman. With him and Collison leaving to go pro however, UCLA has a lot of unanswered questions heading into next season.

UCLA has always been a school that gets excellent recruits and should rebound.

Adam Smith

Candice Parker--Champion Tonight, No.1 Pick Tomorrow

Last Night Candice Parker led the way for the lady Vols and won Pat Summit her 8th national championship. Today, not even 24 hours after winning the title, Candice parker was selected as the No.1 pick in the WNBA draft by the Los Angeles Spark.

Parker who has easily been the most hyped woman basketball player for quite some time. She made waves when she won a dunk contest competing against guys--yikes!

Overall, Candice Parker had an outstanding career at Tennessee, and should continue to have success throughout her career in the pro's.

Adam Smith

Goalies Going Pro.

University of New Hampshire goaltender Kevin Regan has signed an amateur tryout contract with the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League. Regan was a ninth round draft pick of the Boston Bruins in 2004. He played four seasons for the Wildcats. He had 70 wins and a career .928 save percentage. Don't expect to see Regan in the playoffs for the Baby Bruins as he will be behind Tuukka Rask the eighth best prospect according to Hockey Future. Regan might finish up the regular season for Providence to give Rask a break.

Jeff Frazee a 2005 2nd round draft pick of New Jersey has signed with the Devils. He was a three year starter for the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Don't expect him to take Martin Brodeur's spot anytime soon. He will play for the Lowell Devils of the AHL next season. He's known for allowing this goal last year against North Dakota.



Maine loses out on a potential recruit Jason Zucker who committed to Denver for the 2010 season.

That's My Take

Nathan Fournier

(Nathan also is a writer for MVN.com. He's the writer for the Asylum which covers the Lewiston Maineiacs of the QMJHL. He's also a regular contributor to the NHL Source also at MVN.com. He can be reached at fbbhgfan@aol.com)

NCAA & NBA Annouce Partnership

After nearly two years of negotiations, the NCAA announced earlier this afternoon that they have joined forces with the NBA to establish a youth basketball initiative. Still the question remains of what benefits will student-athlete see because of the partnership? The goal of the partnership is to positively impact potential student-athletes, improve their educational opportunities and help them graduate. Another reason why the partnership was formed was to teach young people the value of sportsmanship. The program is also being formed so that kids can stop having to play five games a day during the week and allow them to focus on their education. One of the final goals of the partnership is to have youth basketball become better organized.

I believe that this partnership will be a win-win situation for all parties involved. Just like any other sport out there, there has to be a feeder system in place that helps to determine who will be the next star in the NBA. The feeder system begins with the NCAA. The partnership between the NCAA and NBA on the youth basketball initiative will most likely allow for some college student-athletes to graduate and then head straight into the NBA. The one thing that I continue to respect the NCAA for is the fact that they continue to put the education of the student athlete above the player’s abilities on the playing field. Education should always remain the focus for a student athlete.

Mark Zadakis

Diversity in College Sports

With the anniversary of Martin Luther King Day having taken place earlier this week, there has been a lot of talk in sports arenas around the country regarding diversity. This is non truer statement then at the NCAA sports level. The goal of the NCAA is to allow any collegiate athlete that shows exemplary academic abilities in the classroom the opportunity to play a sport on the field or court.

I believe that the NCAA has been very successful with diversifying the sports and the athletes that participate in them. I think that having diversity in collegiate sports is a good thing because it allows the athletes the chance to travel around to many places and help their team win games. What do I mean by this? If there is a student on a team from another country then the likelihood of the team playing a game in that person’s country may get better because of all the new fans it could bring over to the U.S. sports world. It would be a good thing because if people from another country came over to watch a collegiate sporting event, then citizens of the United States may get to learn about other cultures.

Mark Zadakis

Maine Recruits Having Success in the Playoffs

Four incoming freshmen were apart of Championship Teams.

First Brian Flynn (F) and Mark Nemec (D) of the New Hampshire Junior Monarchs (EJHL) won the USA Tier III Junior A Championship. They defeated the New Jersey Hitmen (EJHL) 5-2 to capture the title. Flynn had three goals and three assists in five games. Mark Nemec had a goal and two assists in five games.

Across the pond, the Frolunda Under 20 Team won the Swedish Elit Championship. Pontus Hansson (G) and Theo Andersson (F) were apart of the team. Hansson had 2.23 goals against average and a .909 save percentage in eight games. Andersson had three goals and two assisist in eight games. Three 2007 draft picks had more points then Andersson on Frolunda. Two St. Louis Blues draft picks Simon Hjalmarsson who was a second round pick had 12 points and Lars Eller who went 13th overall had 10 points. Joakim Andersson who went in the third round to the Detroit Red Wings had nine points. Gustav Nyquist of Malmo was the third leading scorer in the playoffs with ten points including five goals in seven games. He will be heading to Maine also.

Mark Anthoine's Chicago Steel will face Scott Darling's Indiana Ice in the first round of the United States Hockey League Playoffs. Will O'Neill and Joey Diamond will suit up for the Omaha Lancers in the playoffs. They face the Lincoln Stars. The USHL Playoffs start on Thursday.

After a five goal performance at the National Team Development Program' Final 40 camp, Austin Watson hasn't been offered a spot on the team. He also had a shootout goal in that same game.

Kevin Gagne is listed to go in the second round of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's Midget Draft in June. This is according to the QMJHL's Central Scouting Service. If he plays in the QMJHL he will lose his NCAA Eligibility. Brian Dumoulin of Biddeford High School and Brian Billet of North Yarmouth Academy were also mentioned in the report.

That's My Take

Nathan Fournier

(Nathan also is a writer for MVN.com. He's the writer for the Asylum which covers the Lewiston Maineiacs of the QMJHL. He's also a regular contributor to the NHL Source also at MVN.com. He can be reached at fbbhgfan@aol.com)

NBA Draft expected to be full of frosh

Checking out NBAdraft.net today (Which is a draft where you can find predictions for the NBA draft) I found to my surprise 7 out of the expected top 10 picks are freshman. Michael Beasley 1st, Derrick Rose 2nd, Jeeryd Bayless 4th, OJ Mayo 5th, Eric Gordon 6th, Blake Griffin 8th, and DeAndre Jordan 9th.

This is incredible and a lot of these freshmen will turn into very very solid players in the NBA. However, this is a big fault of the age limit rule. With the rule of being 1 year removed from high school in affect...it causes too many "one and done" players. This leaves college coaches wondering who they can build a team around and who they can't. A great example of this is Ohio State last year. Last year they were playing for a national championship with a team built around Center Greg Oden and PG Mike Conley Jr. This year, they're competing for an NIT Championship....which used to be prestigace, but now is more referred to as the "Not In Tournament." Had Oden and Conley stayed for 3 or 4 years, Ohio State would have been premier school in men's basketball no doubt...and would have returned to the final four more than once. This could have also made Ohio State more desirable for recruits to attend...turning them into a NCAA powerhouse, and etc. But instead...Oden goes one and done and they fall off the map this year. This is why I believe the NBA should make it at least 2 or 3 years...so these colleges don't get short changed by players leaving.

Brad Thibeau

4 Girls leave UMaine

Four players, including former Biddeford High standout Emily Rousseau, have left the women's basketball team at the University of Maine after a 7-23 season under first-year coach Cindy Blodgett.
Sophomore center Sandra Vaitkute and Rousseau, a freshman point guard, plan to transfer. Junior guard Brittany Bowen will remain at Maine as a student. The fourth player, freshman forward Magdala Johnson, has not indicated whether she plans to transfer.
It is unclear what led to the decision for Rousseau, who averaged 28.4 minutes and 8.1 points a game. Blodgett, while an assistant coach at Brown last year, recruited Rousseau, who earned America East rookie of the week honors in two consecutive weeks in January.
Really there isn't much else to say about any of Maine's sports. Every sport is becoming the laughing stock of America East...which is pathetic.

Brad Thibeau

Hoosiers Get Their Coach

Indiana University has hired a new head coach to take over where Kelvin Sampson has left off. His name is Tom Crean. Crean has been the head coach for Marquette the past nine seasons and turned that program around in his stay there. Crean replaces Kelvin Sampson who resigned after violating the NCAA recruiting rules.

Ironically enough, Tom Crean attended a Bob Knight coaching clinic as a kid. Knight is the legendary Indiana coach probably best known for throwing a chair across the court while a game was going on. Oh, and he did win a couple national championships too, but they don't like to talk about it.

Indiana gave Crean an eight-year deal worth about 2 million each year.

Adam Smith

Paying the Student-Athlete

A lot of people that watch college sports believe that student-athletes should get paid for the work that they do on the court. If a person was to read into the issue a little more closely they would see that paying a student-athlete to perform on the court is not possible for a lot of schools. Believe it or not, almost 90 percent of NCAA schools lose money on their athletic programs and have to rely on funding in order to survive and play another season. Even if a school was to drop all other sports besides football and basketball, it wouldn’t free up enough money to pay the athletes. This is because in Division I, only 30 percent of football and 26 percent of college basketball teams actually bring in money from their games.

I feel that it is important that we do not pay our student-athletes, because if we do, then they will only want to play for the money, and they will feel that they don’t have to hold up to the high standards in the classroom any longer. They are called student-athletes for a reason. They are supposed to be students in the classroom and participate in sports on the court. If we pay the athletes to play, then the whole concept of a student-athlete goes out the window.

Mark Zadakis

To Leave or Not to Leave?

Lately there has been a lot of talk about whether a college athlete should leave school early to pursue a career in professional sports. Over the last few years we have seen many great players go right into the big leagues and become successful. However, is the large sum of money that the player is almost guaranteed to receive worth it? UMAINE has several great hockey players that are up for an NHL contract opportunity, but the teams want to get these players for as little money as possible and want them to compete for Stanley Cup championships right away. If the player chooses to forego their senior season and they can’t perform to the high standards of the NHL team, this might cause that team to release them from the roster. What does this have to do with school?

I feel that if a student-athlete leaves school early to play sports, then they are missing out on the last year of their life when they can hang out with their school buddies. If the athlete gets hurt and can’t play sports any longer, and they stay in school, then at least they will have a degree to fall back on which will help them find a pretty good job.

Mark Zadakis

AP All-America Team Named

North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough and Kansas State's Michael Beasley were unanimous selections to The Associated Press' All-America team Monday. For the first time, no senior was chosen. Beasley and Kevin Love of UCLA made it two straight years there were two freshmen chosen. Sophomore D.J. Augustin of Texas and junior Chris Douglas-Roberts of Memphis rounded out the selections, shutting out the seniors. The AP started choosing All-America teams after the 1947-48 season, and for the next six decades there was at least one member of the senior class on every first team. Hansbrough, a junior and the Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year, and Beasley, the Big 12 player of the year and third freshman to lead the country in rebounding, were named on all 72 ballots and received 360 points from the same national media panel that selects the weekly Top 25. The voting was done before the NCAA tournament. The 6-foot-10 Beasley averaged 26.5 points and 12.4 rebounds for the Wildcats, shooting 53.5 percent from the field including 38.9 percent from 3-point range. He is Kansas State's first All-America since Bob Boozer in 1959.

Tim Seames

Stephen Curry Stays With Davidson

One of the most amazing players in the NCAA tournament has decided to stay with Davidson in hopes of bringing the team further than this year. Curry felt that he wasn't ready, and with good reason. This decision came after the Kansas Jayhawks defeated him and his teammates by only two points coming down to a last minute shot that didn't fall. Speculation began after the son of former NBA player Del Curry went off for 40 points in a first-round win over Gonzaga. Thirty more points in a victory over Georgetown turned whispers into questions. The uproar began, though, when Curry dropped 33 points on Wisconsin to carry the Wildcats into the Elite Eight with Cleveland Cavaliers star James in attendance.

Tim Seames

Another Recruit Coming but the Black Bears Lose Andrew Sweetland

The Maine Black Bears received a verbal commitment from Adam Shemansky who played for Tilton Academy in New Hampshire. He's from New Jersey but won't be joining the Black Bears for the 2009-2010 season. He will play one year of junior hockey but hasn't decide where. There are three leagues in mind. The Eastern Junior Hockey League, the North American Hockey League, or the United States Hockey League.

Adam Shemansky F

Age: 18

2007-2008 Statistics: 32 games 27 goals and 30 assists for 57 points


Andrew Sweetland has signed with the Florida Panthers. He was a 21 year old freshman who had 8 goals and 9 assists in 28 games. Before Maine he played with the Amherst Ramblers (Maritime Junior A Hockey League) where he set a club record with 56 goals and 61 assists in 54 contests.




I have no problem with NHL Teams signing their draft picks when they still have eligibility left for college but maybe the NHL should reinstate the Supplemental Draft for the players that weren't selected in the Entry Draft. Sweetland wasn't drafted by the Panthers. The Supplemental Draft would allow teams to select players in college, overagers in juniors and 21-24 year olds playing in Europe. Teams would get these player's rights and allow them to continue playing in college.

Photo Courtesy of goblackbears.com.

That’s My Take

Nathan Fournier

(Nathan also is a writer for MVN.com. He's the writer for the Asylum which covers the Lewiston Maineiacs of the QMJHL. He's also a regular contributor to the NHL Source also at MVN.com. He can be reached at fbbhgfan@aol.com)

Indiana Kicks Two Starters Off Their Basketball Team

Indiana guards Armon Bassett and Jamarcus Ellis have been dismissed from the team.

The Hoosiers dismissed these two players because they were late for an appointment, then didn't show up to run laps as punishment. This comes as a suprise, but the both the players had been suspended at some point during the regular season.

Bassett was averaging 11.4 points per game, while Ellis was averaging 6.8 a contest.

By kicking both starters off the team, Indiana might have no returning starters next season depending on what freshman Eric Gordon decides to do.

This news comes only a couple of months after head coach Kelvin Sampson resigned after violating NCAA rules.

Adam Smith

The Frozen Four is Set

This past weekend was the First round of the NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament. There were surprises in every region.

Let’s start out West where Notre Dame the Four seed defeated the number One seed New Hampshire. It’s the second time in three years that a four seed defeated a number one seed. Holy Cross defeated Minnesota in 2006. That Minnesota Team had Phil Kessel (Boston Bruins), Alex Goligoski (Pittsburgh Penguins), and Blake Wheeler (a Phoenix Coyotes draft pick). That was a 16 seed defeating an one seed in the Men’s Basketball tournament. Notre Dame is an elite program so I wasn’t as surprised. Notre Dame then defeated the defending champions Michigan State. Michigan State defeated Colorado College in the 1st Round. Colorado College had home ice advantage.

Wisconsin who was the three seed defeated Denver the two seed in the Sweet 16. That regional was being held in Madison. Wisconsin almost took out another WCHA opponent in North Dakota but the Fighting Sioux won 3-2 in overtime. North Dakota defeated Princeton on Saturday. Wisconsin showed they belonged in the tournament. Some people thought they didn’t deserve to be in the tournament.

Boston College will soar into the Frozen Four after defeating Miami of Ohio 4-3 in overtime yesterday. Saturday the Eagles defeated Minnesota to meet Miami. Miami needed overtime to defeat Air Force to advance to the Elite 8.

The Number One overall seed Michigan had no problem defeating Niagara 5-1 to open the tournament. They met Clarkson after the Golden Eagles took care of St. Cloud State 2-1. Michigan defeated Clarkson 2-0.

With so many lower seeds give a scare to the higher seeds, a 20 team tournament would be entertaining.

The National Semi-Finals look like this (April 10th): Boston College vs. North Dakota 6pm and Notre Dame vs. Michigan 9pm.

That’s My Take

Nathan Fournier

(Nathan also is a writer for MVN.com. He's the writer for the Asylum which covers the Lewiston Maineiacs of the QMJHL. He's also a regular contributor to the NHL Source also at MVN.com. He can be reached at fbbhgfan@aol.com)

Ryan Martin Chooses UMaine

In a long awaited decision, Ryan Martin of Maranacook has choosen to attend the University of Maine and try to walk on to the basketball team. The mens team only had one scholarship to give away this year(which went to Jon McAllian of Bangor). Many people have tried to cut down Martin, saying things like "He's too small" or "He has a terrible attitude" but the numbers don't lie. As a 5'8" shoot first player, Martin shot 50% from the field, 60% from behind the three point line, 90% from the free throw line. Martin won 2 gold balls throughout his career at Maranacook and lead the Bears to 3 straight #1 seeds including this season when the Black Bears went 22-0. He averaged 23.1 points a game this season, finishing his high school career with 1,899 points. Martin also took home the "Mr. Basketball" and Gatorade Player of the Year awards his senior year. He drew Div. 1 interest from Quinnipiac, Maine and Vermont, with Maine and Vermont only offering him roster spots.
I feel that this isn't the right move for Ryan, not because of the height or attitude, but because he had many great D-2 schools looking to give him full scholarships for basketball. Obviously Martin isn't going to make a career out of basketball, so I don't see why he wouldn't have chosen to get a better education and a more prestigace school for free. Also, he won't be a regular contributer at UMaine until around his junior year.
I feel like maybe Martin should have played a year of prep school basketball to see where he stands against D-1 athletes.
However, he's based his entire career on proving people wrong, and I'd be more than happy to see him prove me wrong as well.

Brad Thibeau

Stephen Curry: Looks Like A Child, Plays Like A Legend

As the buzzer sounded Saturday, Stephen Curry and his teamates celebrated as they had pulled off one of the biggest upsets of tournament so far. Curry's Davidson Wildcats had beaten the 2nd seeded Georgetown Hoyas...or should I say, Curry beat the Georgetown Hoyas. Stephen had 30 points in this game...but here's the catch. He only had 5 in the first half. That's right, he had 25 in the second half vs. one of the nations best teams. Sound like a fluke? Then lets discuss the first round game, when Curry took his #10 Wildcats vs. #7 Gonzaga. Curry dropped 40 on Gonzaga...30 of those in the 2nd half.

What Stephen Curry has been pulling off right now is the reason why everyone loves college basketball. The kid looks like he's 13 years old and about 120 pounds soaking wet, yet he gets the job done night after night. His game is based on perimeter shooting, which isn't a suprise based on his father, Dell Curry, but yet he can take it to the hoop with such finesse and can hit the open man with a nice crisp pass. Nothing is more special than the moment in the Gonzaga game, where Stephen hit the game tying three late in the 2nd half(which was his 37th point) and strutted up the court pointing to his parents, while his mother was in tears and father had a smile that said "That's my boy."

No matter how far Stephen's Wildcats go, whether it's to the final four or knocked out next game...we've all witnessed something very special.

The best part is, he's only a sophomore.

Brad Thibeau

Catch Us... If You Can

The University of North Carolina is on a roll, lets just get that out of the way. After beating their first round opponent Mt. St. Mary's 113-74, they didn't let up and beat their second round opponent Arkansas 108-77.

Don't get me wrong, Arkansas has had a great team this year, but the Heels cannot be stopped. I picked them before the season started and I stand strong to that pick. Looking ahead to the 'Heels "Sweet Sixteen" matchup with Washington state, the Heels also look to not let up.

After losing to Duke earlier in the season, the Tar Heels didn't let up and reeled of several wins and beat Duke in Durham at the end of the season. They don't let up.

With athletes and good guard play from the likes of Wayne Ellington and Ty Lawson, backed by the best and most intense big man in the NCAA Tyler Hansbrough, The Heels don't look to just beat you, they will embarrass you. Teams often find themselves starting a game against North Carolina feeling very confident and looking up at the scoreboard 6 minutes later down 15 points.

The Heels are hungry, and you better watch out.

Reid Durost

Husson Baseball Not Likely To Play... Yet

The Husson College baseball team is set to take on the University of Maine at Farmington on Saturday, at home for a double header. Oh, thats right, theres still snow on the field. Husson has one of the premier baseball complexes in the Northeast with a fieldturf suface that generally stays a few degrees warmer than organic grass. The field, however, is still covered in an inch or two of snow, and the pitchers mound, uncovered yesterday, is not in the best shape.

"We uncovered it today and it was really soggy. Its so soggy we might not play unless it can be touched up or we can keep putting the qwiksand to it." Husson Junior infielder Billy Shannon said on Tuesday the 25th.

This is not only a blow to local baseball fans and the players, but it brings up the question: "What in the heck is the rest of the state going to do this spring?"

In the Presque Isle area of northern Maine, they have seen record smashing snow falls, great for the skiing and snowmobile industries, but they may not see green grass, especially on their baseball fields until the first of JUNE! It will be interesting to see what teams do as local teams here in Bangor as they can play games at Husson early on, where teams in the north, cannot.

I lived in Presque Isle for 14 years and, like everywhere in Maine, we would spend the first few weeks in the gym, as we did when I lived in the Augusta area attending Hall-Dale High School. My suggestion for the administration of schools in Aroostook is to get together, pull together some money and build an athletic bubble like the one at UMaine, but large enough for baseball in the geographic center of the schools in Aroostook County. This would eliminate every problem.

We live in Maine, and the season ends even after seniors have graduated, it is about time to get smart, and beat the elements.

Reid Durost

Lute Olsen Returns As Arizona Head Coach

Lute Olsen has returned to Arizona as their head coach. By doing so, Olsen replaces interim head coach Kevin O'neill.

O'neill will remain on the coaching staff for the time being but his status of becoming the head coach again is up in the air. Olsen met with O'neill to discuss plans for the upcoming season and to get a feel for his coaching style on Monday.

Adam Smith

Michael Beasley Going Pro?

Kansas State head coach Frank Martin told the Associated Press that he believes that diaper dandy Michael Beasley will leave Kansas State after only one season and turn pro.

You think?

Thats a no-brainah! Most draft predictions have Beasley being the No.1 pick in this years draft after averaging a gaudy 26.2 points and 12.4 rebounds a contest. Beasley also led the nation with 28 double-doubles.

Because Michael Beasley plays in the Big 12, he's been often compared to Kevin Durant who played last season for Texas and put up very similar numbers. Durant left after his freshman year and is now playing for Seattle. Durant is said to be worth over 100 million dollars now after all of his endorsements.

Thats exactly why Michael Beasley will go pro--the money--can't blame him.

Adam Smith

No. 11 Cal loses baseball game against Santa Clara

The No. 11-ranked California baseball team lost its second extra-inning game in a row, falling at Santa Clara, 7-5 in 10 innings Tuesday night. The Golden Bears had scored a run in the top of the ninth inning on Josh Satin's sacrifice fly to tie the game, 5-5, but the Broncos' Matt Long hit a two-run homer off of Cal closer Matt Gorgen in the bottom of the 10th inning for the game-winner. The Bears, who lost 5-4 in 10 innings at Washington State last Saturday, dropped to 15-5-1 overall (2-1 in the Pac-10). Santa Clara improved to 12-8. For California's sake they better not have to win a big game in extra innings or their going to be in a world of hurt.

Tim Seames

The Florida Gators Beat Arizona State 70-57 To Reach NIT Semifinals

The Gators, the two-time defending NCAA champions, watched an early 17-3 lead evaporate, falling behind on Jerren Shipp's 3-pointer with 13:30 to go. But Florida (24-11) responded with a 15-6 run and put the game away on Parsons' 3-pointer with 2:32 to play. It's hard to imagine seeing the Gators only playing in the NIT tournament instead of contending for a National Championship title. But when you lose four of your starters from the championship team its a little easier to picture. The Gators will play Massachusetts in the semifinals in Madison Square Garden on April 1.

Tim Seames

$13.2 Million Pledged to Wofford Athletics Program

Wofford coach Mike Ayers has been coaching football teams for 20 years. The school threw Ayers a celebration in order to mark the milestone. As part of the celebration, Wofford also announced that two alumnus of Wofford had each pledged one million dollars in order to make improvements to the school’s athletic facilities. The announcements of all of the funds that had been committed to the athletic facilities during the celebration totaled 13.2 million dollars.

First off, I would like to say congratulations to Mike Ayer for twenty years of loyal coaching in the NCAA. As far as how much money was pledged to the school, I can’t believe that. That is so much money.

Mark Zadakis

Is broadcasting all games good for the NCAA?

With all of the NCAA basketball action going on during March Madness, many schools are seeing the benefits to having their games broadcast on national television. In recent weeks, many teams have opted to change their schedules around just so that they can play in front of a national television audience. The question becomes one of should the switch schools be allowed to swap their schedules around in order to get a bigger audience? As much as a big television audience helps the NCAA and each individual school athletic program, it can also hinder it to some degree. How is this possible? If a fan knows that they can watch the game on television instead of having to go to the game and witness it in person, then they won’t spend the money to buy a ticket. By the fan not buying the ticket, this means that the school gets less money in ticket sales. Most of the money that comes from ticket sales goes right back into each school’s athletic program to keep the teams competing for championships. The less money a team has, the more it will struggle to remain competitive.

I believe that the schools could put a few more games on television in order to introduce new fan to the world of collegiate sports. However, I also believe that a majority of the games should only be played in the school athletic complexes around the country in order to guarantee that ticket sales remain strong. There are still many fans out there that enjoy going to an athletic facility to watch a sporting event.

Mark Zadakis

Two More Swedes Heading to Orono

The University of Maine received two verbal commitments over the weekend for next season. Theo Andersson and Pontus Hansson of the Frolunda Indians of Swedish SuperElit Under 20 League. Frolunda is one of the best developmental clubs in Sweden. On this club they have three players drafted in the NHL including Lars Eller who went 13th overall in the 2007 Draft. They have a couple of players that will be drafted this year. They will be joining fellow Swede Gustav Nyquist who played for Malmo in the same league.


Theo Andersson F

Age 19

2007-2008 Season: 41 games 17 goals, 24 assists, 41 points, 45 penalty minutes

Photo courtesy of Elite Prospects.


Pontus Hansson G

Age 20

2007-2008 Season: 32 games 1.86 Goal Against Average, .931 Save Percentage


Photo courtesy of Elite Prospects.

That’s My Take

Nathan Fournier

(Nathan also is a writer for MVN.com. He's the writer for the Asylum which covers the Lewiston Maineiacs of the QMJHL. He's also a regular contributor to the NHL Source also at MVN.com. He can be reached at fbbhgfan@aol.com)

NCAA Tournament Field is Set

Hockey's "March Madness" begins this Friday. The tournament field is 16 teams. Here are the match ups.

Albany (East)
No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 4 Niagara Friday 7:30 pm
No. 2 St. Cloud State vs. No. 3 Clarkson Friday 4pm
Winners face off at 7pm on Saturday

Colorado Springs (West)
No. 1 New Hampshire vs. No. 4 Notre Dame Friday 6:30 pm
No. 2 Colorado College vs. No. 3 Michigan State Friday 10pm
Winners face off Saturday at 10pm

Madison (Midwest)
No. 1 North Dakota vs. No. 4 Princeton Saturday 3pm
No. 2 Denver vs. No. 3 Wisconsin Saturday 6:30pm
Winners face of Sunday at 7:00pm

Worcester (Northeast)
No. 1 Miami vs. No. 4 Air Force Saturday 4pm
No. 2 Boston College vs. No. 3 Minnesota Saturday 7:30pm
Winners face off at Sunday at 4:30pm

Elite 8
No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 2 St. Cloud State
No. 1 New Hampshire vs. No. 3 Michigan State
No. 1 North Dakota vs. No. 2 Denver
No. 1 Miami vs. No. 3 Minnesota

Frozen 4 (Denver) April 10th ESPN2
No. 2 Denver vs. No. 1 Miami
No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 1 New Hampshire

National Championship April 12 ESPN
No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 2 Denver

All regional games will be on ESPNU and ESPN360.com

The regionals are messed up. UNH should be in the Northeast, Michigan in the West, and Miami in the East. If UNH won the Hockey East Title they would of been in the Northeast. Boston College who won the Hockey East title got rewarded and is playing in Worcester. What did Wisconsin do to deserve to have home ice advantage? I read earlier today its all about the money. I believe there should be 20 teams in the tournament. Minnesota State finished fourth in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association doesn't get in but Wisconsin does finishing 6th in the WCHA. I guess conference games don't mean anything. Wisconsin played the better out of conference schedule. Vermont lost in the Hockey East Final not in the dance. Boston University finished second in the Hockey East standings wasn't invited. Harvard or Army could fill the 20th spot. Have 4 play in games and I believe every game would be entertaining. You can't say I am being East coast biased because the field is West coast heavy.

That's My Take

Nathan Fournier

(Nathan also is a writer for MVN.com. He's the writer for the Asylum which covers the Lewiston Maineiacs of the QMJHL. He's also a regular contributor to the NHL Source also at MVN.com. He can be reached at fbbhgfan@aol.com)

The Husson Eagles Baseball Home Opener Is Among Us

The Husson Eagles Baseball teams home opener is on March 29th. The opponent will be against the University of Maine in Farmington. They will be playing a double header that day as well as On April 1, and 2. Those opponents are Bates College and Saint Joseph College. This is their third year in the NAC Conference. Although the Eagles offense lost their 2, 3, and 4 hitters they still should be good enough to step up to the challenge.

Tim Seames

North Carolina, Kansas, Memphis, UCLA get No. 1 Seeds In NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament

North Carolina, Memphis, Kansas and UCLA earned the top seeds in the NCAA tournament Sunday. The North Carolina Tar Heels earned the right of being number one finishing with a (32-2) overall record, and play only two hours away for the first two rounds of the tournament in Raleigh. Just because their number one teams in each of their respected brackets, doesn't mean that they are they guaranteed to make the Final Four. March Madness officially begins Tuesday with an opening-round game between Coppin State and Mount St. Mary’s, then with first-round games Thursday and Friday. The real festivities, however, have already started, with the brackets out, and games about to begin. The Final Four is set for April 5-7 in San Antonio.

Tim Seames

Maine Gets Two New Commitments

Maine got late commitments from Kyle Solomon and Brian Flynn for next season. Solomon comes from the Junior Bruins organization of the Eastern Junior Hockey League. Flynn also played in the EJHL with the New Hampshire Junior Monarchs.

Kyle Solomon Forward

Age: 20

2007-2008 Season: 33 games 17 goals, 25 assists, 42 points, and 36 penalty minutes.

Photo courtesy of the Boston Junior Bruins.


Brian Flynn Forward

Age: 19

2007-2008 Season: 41 games 26 goals, 19 assists, 45 points, and 24 penalty minutes

Photo courtesy of Eastern Junior.com

That’s My Take

Nathan Fournier

(Nathan also is a writer for MVN.com. He's the writer for the Asylum which covers the Lewiston Maineiacs of the QMJHL. He's also a regular contributor to the NHL Source also at MVN.com. He can be reached at fbbhgfan@aol.com)

Former Commissioner Loses Cancer Battle

Fred Jacoby, the man who led the Southwest Conference for 10 years before some of the teams left to form the Big 12 Conference, died Saturday in Dallas, Texas, after a six-month battle with bone cancer. Jacoby had the privilege to lead seven different conferences in three different divisions in his career as commissioner. During his career, Jacoby spent 22 years as the chair of the National Letter of Intent program. Jacoby had a big hand in forming the NCAA as we know it today, and his passing at the age of 80 is a blow to the organization.

It’s sad to hear that Fred Jacoby has died. I believe that without him we wouldn’t have as many organized college sports under the NCAA banner as we do today. They may be able to find someone to take over in place of Mr. Jacoby; however, the NCAA will never be able to match his legacy.

Mark Zadakis

Clemson Signs Purnell to Contract Extension

Clemson Athletic Director Terry Don Philips has announced that the school has signed Oliver Purnell to a contract extension to remain as the men’s basketball coach. The contract runs through the 2013-14 season. Purnell, in his fifth season with the school, has led the Clemson men’s team to post-season action for the last four years. How good is Purnell as the coach of the Clemson Tigers? He has a record of 94-67 in his time as head coach, including a school record of 49 wins a season for the last two years. Since taking over the coaching job five years ago, the Clemson Tigers’ win record has steadily increased from 10 wins his first year to 25 wins last season. Purnell is the 31st coach to take three different teams to the NCAA Tournament in NCAA history.

I believe that signing Oliver Purnell to an extension was the right move to make. Why would you split up a good relationship if it was producing great results? Purnell has proven that he belongs with the NCAA’s elite men’s basketball coaches. He has taken a team that had been in a slump for the past few years and has helped to make the team and school into a perennial championship contender. I feel he deserved to be rewarded with the contract extension.

Mark Zadakis

NTDP Tryout Camp

USA Hockey will be holding the final tryout camp for the National Team Development Program Under-17 Team from March 22nd to the 25th in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Here's the 46 players that will be participating.

Goaltenders
1. Jack Campbell - Honeybaked (U18)
2. Mac Carruth - Chicago Fury (U18) (Minnesota-Duluth 2010)
3. Andy Iles - Salisbury Prep
4. Willie Yanakeff - Honeybaked (U16)

Defensemen
1. Evan Accettura - Victory Honda (U18)
2. Bennett Carroccio - Phillips Academy
3. Kevin Clare - New Jersey Hitmen
4. Adam Clendening - Toronto Marlies
5. Michael Gunn - Compuware (U16) (Michigan State 2010)
6. Kevin Gravel - Marquette (U18)
7. Derek Forbort - Duluth East HS
8. Stephen Johns - Pittsburgh (U18)
9. Ben Marshall - Mahtomedia HS
10. Kevin McMorrow - Park Rapids HS
11. Jeffrey Pauluk - Bloomington Jefferson HS
12. Michael Reardon - Noble and Greenough Prep
13. Joe Rubbelke - St. Paul Johnson HS
14. Brandon Russo - Salisbury Prep
15. Frankie Simonelli - Team Illinois (U16)
16. Jarred Tinordi - Washington Jr. Nationals

Forwards
1. Bill Arnold - Noble and Greenough Prep
2. Chasen Balisy - Toronto Jr. Canadiens
3. Nick Bjugstad - Blaine HS
4. Connor Brickley - Belmont Hill Prep
5. Emerson Etem - Shattuck St. Mary’s
6. Jacob Fallon - Texas Attack (U16)
7. Max Gardiner - Minnetonka HS
8. Colton Hargrove - Texas Attack (U16)
9. Christian Isackson - St. Thomas Academy
10. Jared Knight - Compuware (U16) (Michigan 2010)
11. Phil Lane - Rochester Alliance (U16)
12. Alex Lippincott - Cleveland (U18) (Ohio State 2010)
13. Jeff McMinimy - Texas Texas Attack (U16)
14. Michael Mersch - Team Illinois (U16)
15. Luke Moffatt - Compuware (U16) (Michigan 2010)
16. Matt Nieto - Salisbury Prep
17. Bryan Rust - Honeybaked (U16) (Notre Dame 2010)
18. Brandon Saad - Pittsburgh (U18)
19. Nick Shore - Colorado Thunderbirds (U16)
20. Andrew Sinelli - Honeybaked (U16) (Michigan State 2010)
21. Shane Sooth - Salisbury Prep
22. Colten St. Clair - P.F. Changs (U18) (Colorado College 2010)
23. K.J. Tiefenwerth - St. Anthony's HS (Boston College 2011)
24. T.J. Tynan - Chicago Mission (U16) (Notre Dame 2010)
25. Austin Watson - Compuware (U16) (University of Maine 2010)
26. Jason Zucker - Compuware (U16)

The Western College Blog is reporting Jon Merrill (Michigan 2010) who has already accepted a spot on the team will not be attending the camp because of prior family commitments. The blog is also reporting Maine recruit Stuart Higgins has mono. He will be evaluated at this summer's Select 16 Festival.

My Picks

Goalies
Mac Carruth
Andy Iles

Defenseman
Jon Merrill
Adam Clendening
Michael Gunn
Ben Marshall
Stephen Johns
Derek Forbort
Brandon Russo
Jarred Tinordi

Forwards
Austin Watson
Stuart Higgins
Jared Knight
Bryan Rust
Luke Moffatt
Bill Arnold
Jacob Fallon
Colten St. Clair
K.J. Tiefenwerth
Andrew Sinelli
Alex Lippincott
T.J. Tynan
Matt Nieto

The Star Tribune did a nice five part series on current USA Under 17 player Nick Mattson. You can find thr five part series here. Free Registration is required to read the articles. The Star Tribune will ask you to register after you read the first page of any article.

Rumors have surfaced that Brian Dumoulin (High School Junior) who led Biddeford High School to the Class A State Title earlier this month will be joining the New Hampshire Junior Monarchs (EJHL) next season. Still early if it’s a final decision or not. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s drafted in the QMJHL and the USHL this summer. Kelen Corkum who will be joining the Maine Black Bears in 2009 will also join the Monarchs next season.

That's My Take

Nathan Fournier

(Nathan also is a writer for MVN.com. He's the writer for the Asylum which covers the Lewiston Maineiacs of the QMJHL. He's also a regular contributor to the NHL Source also at MVN.com. He can be reached at fbbhgfan@aol.com)

BREAKING NEWS: Ben Bishop Has Signed With the St. Louis Blues

From the Blues Site.

ST. LOUIS – St. Louis Blues President John Davidson announced today that the team has signed goaltender Ben Bishop. Bishop will join the Peoria Rivermen for the remainder of the season.

The 6-7, 210-pound netminder just completed his junior season at The University of Maine, recording a 13-18-3 record along with a 2.43 goals against average and a .920 save percentage. He was named Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week three times this season, while being named Hockey East Goalie of the Month for the month of October.

He led the Black Bears to the Frozen Four last season, compiling a 21-9-2 record along with a 2.14 goals against average and a .923 save percentage.

Bishop registered a 55-34-7 career record at Maine ranking third all-time in games played (99), second in saves (2,399), fifth in wins (55) and fourth with a 2.29 goals against average.

He was originally St. Louis’ third round selection, 85th overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. Bishop spent three years at Chaminade High School in St. Louis before joining the Texas Tornado of the North American Hockey League following his junior year.

What does this mean for the Black Bears? Most likely Scott Darling will step in as a freshman next season. Darling a 19 year old and a 6th round pick of the Phoenix Coyotes in 2007. With the Indiana Ice of the United States Hockey League he has 25 wins and 8 losses this season. He has a 2.84 Goals Against Average and a .912 Save Percentage. He's second in the league in wins, fourth in the league in save percentage, and seventh in the league in goal against average.

There is a rumor that Simon-Danis Pepin will bolt and sign with the Chicago Blackhawks.

That's My Take

Nathan Fournier

Photo of Ben Bishop is from insidecollegehockey.com

Photo of Scott Darling is from the Indiana Ice

(Nathan also is a writer for MVN.com. He's the writer for the Asylum which covers the Lewiston Maineiacs of the QMJHL. He's also a regular contributor to the NHL Source also at MVN.com. He can be reached at fbbhgfan@aol.com)