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
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
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
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
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
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
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
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
Sunday, April 6, 2008
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
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
Thursday, April 3, 2008
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
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
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