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CALGARY - LaMarcus Coker called his audition with the Calgary Stampeders a “dream come true.” As it turned out, the shifty running back didn’t get much chance to dream about it on the eve of rookie camp at McMahon Stadium.
“It’s been a while since I’ve practised at this level of competition, so I was anxious. I didn’t even get much sleep last night,” Coker said. “I stayed up studying my playbook till 2 a.m., and by the time I finally fell asleep, it felt like I was opening my eyes back up at 5:30 a.m. to come over here and get treatment and get my ankles taped up.”
If Coker was feeling sluggish, it didn’t show during Thursday’s opening sessions of Stampeders rookie camp at McMahon Stadium. During offensive drills, the 24-year-old ball-carrier rattled off a couple of impressive runs, showcasing his speed on the big field. If he shows enough to earn a full-time job with the Red & White, he’s not expecting many more late nights. “I’m just here to work, and the recreational stuff, just leave that to the side,” Coker said.
The 11th annual iBN Sports Las Vegas Invitational is pleased to announce their lineup for the 2011 tournament. The stellar field includes 2007 LVI Champion North Carolina Tarheels, UNLV, USC, University of South Carolina, Morgan State, Cal. Poly., Mississippi Valley, and Tennessee State.
The first two rounds will be played on campus sites with the semifinals and finals set for the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Nov. 25 and 26.
Two-day basketball tournament on Friday, Nov. 25 & Sat. Nov. 26, with 4 games each day. Sold as a 2-day package ONLY. Package prices are $170, $138, $117 and $85. Game times are TBD.
SPECIAL HOTEL ROOM AND TICKET PACKAGE
Call 800-675-3267 to book now!
Includes Friday night and Saturday night (November 25 & 26, 2011), resort fee, and two ticket packages
$400 = 2 nights and 2 $85 ticket packages
$466 = 2 nights and 2 $117 ticket packages
$508 = 2 nights and 2 $138 ticket packages
$572 = 2 nights and 2 $170 ticket packages
The documentary World Premieres at 7 p.m. June 11 in the Smith-Brown Memorial Student Union, Southern University and A&M College. This event includes: Meet and greet session (6pm) with filmmaker Cindy Hurst (Southern University alumna) and Charlie Granger and other NFL players with photographer available for pictures; Viewing the film (7pm - 8pm), and SU Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony (8pm - 10pm) where former Southern University athletes are honored for their athletic sucesses.
Baton Rough, LA - Minutes before the final game of the 1961 NFL preseason, Tom Landry stood before his rookie right tackle from Southern University, prepared to issue one more steep challenge — the toughest yet for young Charlie Granger. The icy, mild-mannered Dallas Cowboys coach liked what he’d seen from Granger, but the regular season loomed, which meant that roster spots were in high demand and short supply.
The Film recounts the life of Charlie Granger, who played professional football during the NFL's reintegration of African-Americans into the league in the early 1960s. Mr. Granger is a 2-Time Southern University Football All-American, 4-Time Track & Field All-American, and a member of Southern University Hall of Fame and the SWAC Hall of Fame.
This last exhibition game, against the mighty Baltimore Colts, was Granger’s biggest test yet. And maybe his last chance. “I’ll never forget (Landry) saying to me: ‘Granger, tonight, I’m going to find out if you can play in the NFL,’” he recalled. Granger’s assignment: block Colts defensive end Gino Marchetti, a future Hall of Famer and seven-time All-Pro. Right. No pressure there.
Granger admits he took a severe beating that night. But he stood firm against Marchetti, and after the game, the Dallas staff gave him a grade of 100 percent. He made the final cut, and, in doing so, became the first black man to start on the Cowboys offensive line.
READ MORE, CLICK TITLE.
Join Producer/Director Cindy Hurst, this Sunday, June 5, 2011 with host Robyn Merrick of "Inside the Southern University System" from 6 p.m. until 7 p.m. Central Time onKQXL 106.5 FMCLICK HEREto listen live) as she talks about the WORLD SCREENING PREMIERE of "Remembering a Forgotten First: The Story of Charlie Granger.
Release Date
June 11, 2011
Genre
Documentary
Studio
The Sankofa Project, LLC
About
Biography
Description
This film depicts the life of Charlie Granger, a Former NFL player (Dallas Cowboys and Boston Patriots), SWAC Hall of Fame Inductee, and College All-American in track and football.
Plot Outline
This is the story of how a poor and determined boy from Southern Louisiana beat the odds of making it to the professional football league during the re-integration period of African-Americans into the league in the early 1960's. It recounts his college and professional experiences as an African-American player and how the racial climate of the times impacted his career as a professional player.
Starring
Appearances by: Eugene Daniel (Indianpolis Colts/Baltimore Ravens, Frank Pitts (Played in Superbowls 1 and 4 - Kansas City Chiefs), and Garland Boyette (Houston Oilers)
Dr. Renardo R. Murray
Director of Marching & Pep Bands
ALCORN STATE, MS – Alcorn State University’s new Director of University Bands Samuel Griffin introduced the institution’s new Marching Band director, Renardo R. Murray on May 31,2011 on the Lorman campus.
“It is a tremendous honor and pleasure to introduce my former band student as the new Marching and Pep Band director,” stated a proud Samuel Griffin. “He was a talented student and is a skillful musician and director. I am proud to welcome him back home.”
An accomplished band director and music educator, Dr. Murray holds an outstanding track record in assuring student success both musically and academically. He has an extensive background of developing, operating, and maintaining quality band programs. Dr. Murray has been serving Jackson State University first as assistant band director from 2004 to 2009, and then as interim director of bands/instructor of music since 2009. He has also served as band director at the secondary education level: for Yazoo City High School, Yazoo City, Mississippi; Blackburn Middle School, Jackson, Mississippi; Clinton High School, Clinton, Louisiana; and as assistant band director for Wilkinson County High School, Woodville, Mississippi.
“Alcorn State University has given me so much,” says Dr. Renardo R. Murray. “It is always good to come home. I have carried Alcorn State with me throughout my career and all of my successes can be attributed to the solid foundation I received from Mr. Griffin and my institution.”
Videographer: asutrpt; Alcorn State Marching Band - Halftime, Capital City Classic 2010
M. Christopher Brown II, 18th president of Alcorn State University, acknowledged Samuel Griffin for his 40 plus years of service to the University and thanked him for leading the search process for a new marching and pep band director. “Let us applaud Mr. Griffin for his dedication to the task at hand and for his numerous years of outstanding service to the Sounds of Dyn-O-Mite. His successes as a marching band director are astonishing, and his innovative view on our new band structure will take our program to even higher heights. I am certain our band leaders will learn a great deal from his experience and wisdom.”
Murray earned his doctorate degree in music education in 2011 from the University of Mississippi, a master’s degree in music education from Jackson State University in 2004 and his bachelor’s – also in music education – from Alcorn State University in 1995.
“We are extremely excited about our future with Dr. Renardo R. Murray,” says President Brown. “Renardo brings a depth of experience to the University and we are confident that he will take the Marching and Pep bands to the next level nationally.”
Dr. Murray and his wife Alicia have two sons - Malcolm (17) and Nicholas (11).
Chester, VA -- For Shawnee Sweeney, life's motto is simple. Life is only as good as what you make of it. The harder you work the better you will become. That is not just a life lesson that is a basketball lesson for the Thomas Dale (High School) senior. Since Sweeney was five years old, shooting hoops was a poignant part of her life.
"My dad taught me how to shoot and I would keep working on it. That drive to wanting to get it right, to be perfect came natural to me," Sweeney said. Those long hard-working hours have paid off as Sweeney signed her letter of intent to play Division I college basketball at theUniversity of Maryland-Eastern Shore next fall.
Videographer: sweeney2tes; Shawnee Sweeney signs to UMES. Shawnee posted a 4.2 GPA, is in the top 25 of her senior class and played all five positions on the court at Thomas Dale H.S.
"At first I was interested in going to Virginia Wesleyan or Christopher Newport, but at the very end of my high school season, Maryland of Eastern Shore got in touch with me and asked me to come for a visit," Sweeney said. "It was love at first sight with the school, the facilities to the coaches and players."
Sweeney who primarily played shooting guard and averaged about 15 points per game liked the fact that Maryland of Eastern Shore's coaches took the time to come see her play.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - In a span of three-consecutive pitches in the seventh inning, No. 2 UCF scored five runs and eventually plated 13 runs in the final three innings to defeat No. 4 Bethune-Cookman, 16-5, in the NCAA Tallahassee Regional Saturday. It was the most runs scored in a game by the Knights (39-22) in their NCAA Tournament history.
UCF advances to Sunday's noon game and will await the loser of Saturday night's contest between No. 1 Florida State and No. 3 Alabama. If the Knights rumble with FSU, the game will air on Sun Sports.
"I'm very proud of the effort of our guys," said head coach Terry Rooney. "We faced an outstanding Bethune-Cookman club, a team that we played (twice) during the year and their starting pitcher did a tremendous job. But our guys continued to battle throughout the day. I thought Danny Winkler pitched fantastic. He was incredible."
A day after combining to go 1-for-15 vs. Alabama, Beau Taylor, D.J. Hicks, Jonathan Griffin and Derek Luciano all tore apart Wildcat (36-25) pitching. The quartet went 13-for-21 with 11 RBI, 11 runs and five extra-base hits. Hicks and Griffin each collected four hits, with Griffin driving in five to tie a UCF record for most RBI in a NCAA Tournament game.
Griffin crushed his 19th home run of the season as well, putting him in sole possession of second on the UCF single-season chart. He trails only Chris Duffy, who belted 21 four-baggers last year. The senior also has 32-career homers in just two seasons as a Knight to place him in a tie for sixth in UCF history.
Winkler was on his way to possibly his best outing of the season, pitching 5.2 shutout innings with just two hits against and six strikeouts. Yet two errors on a single play with nobody on base and two outs in the sixth inning led to four unearned runs to help the Wildcats eliminate a 3-0 deficit, and Winkler's day was over.
"I just stuck to my game plan like I've been doing the last couple of weeks," said Winkler. "I was getting ahead early, but I wasn't happy with (my slider). So I was trying to command my fastball. And with their starting going like he was, that kept me in it so I kept pounding the zone."
The Wildcats decided to start righty Rayan Gonzalez on the mound vs. the Knights. And the junior surrendered three-straight one-out singles in the top of the first to Taylor, Hicks and Griffin with Griffin driving in Taylor on a chopper over the head of third baseman Emmanuel Castro.
Given an early 1-0 lead, Winkler proceeded to limit Bethune-Cookman to just one hit in the first three innings, striking out five. That was highlighted by the right-hander sitting down the side on strikes in the third. Winkler then stranded a pair of runners with one out in the fourth.
UCF was unable to build its advantage on the scoreboard due to Gonzalez mowing down the Knights. They did have a two-out opportunity after Darnell Sweeney singled to center and Ronnie Richardson drew a walk, however the B-CU right-hander picked up his eighth strikeout of the game to return to the dugout.
Although Gonzalez motored through to get to the sixth inning, his pitch count was well into triple figures after UCF finally got the big hit it had been searching for all day long. As Griffin stood in the on-deck circle, he witnessed Hicks drive a 3-2 pitch into right for a leadoff single. The first baseman strode to the plate and quickly fell behind 0-2. And for some reason he did not like his mugshot on the left-field scoreboard, so he attempted to alter it by demolishing a 1-2 offering that came within a few feet of his face for a two-run homer.
Now jogging out to the hill with a 3-0 lead in the sixth, Winkler, who had thrown just 61 pitches, continued to cruise, getting the first two outs and inducing Peter O'Brien to send a lazy fly ball to left-center. That was when the state of the game changed, as there was miscommunication in the UCF outfield. Two errors on the play led to a hit by pitch and two walks to bring in the Wildcats' first run.
Videographer: flstateseminoles; FSU Baseball defeats Bethune-Cookman 6-5 in Tallahassee Regional on June 3, 2011.
Winkler tried to get that crucial third out, but Brashad Johnson delivered a two-run, two-out, two-strike single into left to tie it up at 3-3. Nick Cicio entered earlier than expected from the pen, and DJ Leonard sent his second pitch to left for a RBI single.
All of a sudden down 4-3, the UCF bats were not concerned by their newly-found one-run hole. A pair of two-strike singles by Sweeney and Richardson greeted reliever Chris Anselmo in the seventh, and although Taylor failed to get a sac bunt down, he ripped a 1-2 pitch off the high fence in right for a long single to load the bases.
Similar to Bethune-Cookman taking advantage of its scoring chance in the previous inning, the Knights were not going to let this one slip away either.
Freshman Bryan Rivera was called in from the B-CU bullpen and the southpaw threw only three pitches in his appearances. All of them resulted in RBI hits, as Hicks punched a single between first and second, Griffin dropped a two-run double into left and Luciano lined a two-run single up the middle. That was it for Rivera, who gave way to Gabriel Hernandez, and the Knights tacked on three more runs highlighted by RBI from Travis Shreve and Sweeney.
With the eight-run inning complete, UCF added a four more in the eighth to stretch the lead to 15-5. Kick-started by a double out of Taylor, Hicks drove in the catcher on a single, Griffin walked on five pitches and Luciano socked a two-run double into the right-field corner. And with the sun beating down onto Dick Howser Stadium, lightning was detected which delayed play for 3:20. When play ultimately resumed, Luciano eventually scored UCF's 15th run on a wild pitch. To close out the offense, Kevin Vasquez drew a RBI walk with two outs in the ninth, and Bryan Brown tossed the final 2.0 innings to send UCF back to the hotel in a jolly mood.
Game Notes
No. 2 UCF - 39-22 Overall
No. 4 Bethune-Cookman - 36-25 Overall
-The game featured a 3:20 hour weather delay with no outs in the top of the eighth inning.
-Saturday marked the 83rd meeting between UCF and Bethune-Cookman, but the first in the NCAA Tournament.
-It was UCF's first NCAA Tournament victory since defeating Florida State, 7-5, June 6, 2004.
-UCF had not committed more than one error in a game since two miscues vs. Houston May 1 (a span of 16 games). But the Knights had two errors Saturday.
-The eight-run seventh inning was the biggest inning in an NCAA Tournament game in school history. It also matched an overall postseason record as UCF scored eight runs in an Atlantic Sun Tournament game vs. Centenary in 1996.
-UCF set a school record for most runs in an NCAA Tournament contest, and tied the school mark with 20 hits (also had 20 vs. Princeton May 25, 2001). The Knights posted at least 20 hits in a game for the second time this year (20 at UAB May 15).
