Fort Valley, GA - Sometimes ignorance really is bliss. Take the case, for instance, of undrafted free-agent wide receiver Ricardo Lockette of Fort Valley State.
Generally regarded as one of the most attractive players who went unselected in the NFL lottery nearly three months ago, and likely to be a so-called priority free agent when teams begin to sign players next week, Lockette acknowledged this week that he has "really no idea at all" what confronts him once summer training camp begins. Nonetheless, the speedy wide receiver is ecstatic about the prospect of being able to play football again after several months in free agent limbo.
"Since I haven't been through it before," said Lockette of training camp, "it's hard for me to say what it will be like. I do know, though, that it will be hard. And I know that, without any of the other [offseason] stuff, I'm going to have to learn everything a lot faster than I normally might."
To Lockette's advantage, faster -- and sometimes fastest -- is the manner in which he is most accustomed to operating.
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Sunday, July 24, 2011
Bill Dooley Pigskin Preview lifts optimistic NCCU Eagles
DURHAM, N.C. - Bill Dooley says this event is the biggest of its kind in the South.
And there’s no reason to doubt the Ol’ Trench Fighter, the legendary former coach at UNC, Wake Forest and Virginia Tech on that one.
Over 300 college football fans were on hand for a fancy lunch, a few jokes and plenty of information about the upcoming season on Thursday, at the Ninth Annual Pigskin Preview by the Bill Dooley Triangle/East Chapter of the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame.
Five Division I coaches — UNC’s Butch Davis, Duke’s David Cutcliffe, N.C. State’s Tom O’Brien, East Carolina’s Ruffin McNeill and N.C. Central’s Henry Frazier III — were on hand to swap stories and answers to sometimes off-the-wall questions and generally be loose for one of the last times until fall practice starts in earnest.
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And there’s no reason to doubt the Ol’ Trench Fighter, the legendary former coach at UNC, Wake Forest and Virginia Tech on that one.
Over 300 college football fans were on hand for a fancy lunch, a few jokes and plenty of information about the upcoming season on Thursday, at the Ninth Annual Pigskin Preview by the Bill Dooley Triangle/East Chapter of the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame.
Five Division I coaches — UNC’s Butch Davis, Duke’s David Cutcliffe, N.C. State’s Tom O’Brien, East Carolina’s Ruffin McNeill and N.C. Central’s Henry Frazier III — were on hand to swap stories and answers to sometimes off-the-wall questions and generally be loose for one of the last times until fall practice starts in earnest.
READ MORE, VIEW PHOTO GALLERY
Savannah State University scrambles to meet MEAC stipulations
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| SSU Football Coach Steve Davenport |
When Cheryl Dozier arrived as interim president on May 9, she found that acceptance in jeopardy. Reports had been written but not implemented, and she wasn’t sure where she and the university stood.
So she turned to former University of Georgia athletics director Damon Evans to find answers.
“I knew that I needed to move us forward in the MEAC, and I decided to hire a consultant,” Dozier said. “I knew he had been doing some consulting at institutions. I gave him a call, and he said he would be willing to do that. I can’t think of a more professional and knowledgeable person that I know who would be able to do a better job than Damon Evans.”
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Bernard Griffith chosen as Dillard University basketball coach
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| The legendary Bernard Griffith developed current New Jersey Nets head coach Avery Johnson and served as an assistant coach with the Dallas Mavericks. |
Griffith, 63, spent the past school year serving as basketball coach and athletic director at L.B. Landry High School in Algiers, but recently resigned from that position to accept the Dillard job, Dillard Athletic Director Kiki Baker Barnes and Landry Principal Lee Green said Thursday.
Griffith replaces Dale Brown, who resigned from Dillard to take the men’s basketball coaching position at Clark Atlanta University, a NCAA Division II school in Atlanta.
“He is a phenomenal coach, absolutely phenomenal,’’ Barnes said in confirming Griffith’s selection. “That’s my word for him.’’
Dillard has scheduled a press conference to announce Griffith’s hiring for next Thursday at its Gentilly campus, Barnes said. Griffith could not be reached for comment, but his move places him almost within walking distance (less than two miles) of Dillard from his Gentilly home.
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VISIT: DILLARD UNIVERSITY
VISIT: DILLARDBLEUDEVILS
Alcorn Braves anxiously await Bridge's sophomore season
Birmingham, AL — New coach Melvin Spears' recipe for Alcorn State football success: Something old (Marino Casem's old-school fundamentals) and something new (Brandon Bridge, Alcorn's 18-year-old sophomore quarterback).
Spears talked about both Casem and Bridge at length here Tuesday during SWAC Football Media Day in downtown Birmingham. Spears played for Casem, known as The Godfather of the SWAC, from 1978 to 1982. During that time, Alcorn won one SWAC championship and had four winning seasons.
"We played Alcorn football, Godfather football," Spears said. "We were fundamentally sound. We played hard and practiced hard Monday through Thursday and then Saturday took care of itself. That's what we want to bring back."
But Spears, a wide receiver at Alcorn, never played with a teammate with the skills of Bridge, the Canadian who is nicknamed Air Canada. Bridge threw for more than 2,600 yards and 26 touchdowns as a freshman when Alcorn finished 5-6.
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Spears talked about both Casem and Bridge at length here Tuesday during SWAC Football Media Day in downtown Birmingham. Spears played for Casem, known as The Godfather of the SWAC, from 1978 to 1982. During that time, Alcorn won one SWAC championship and had four winning seasons.
"We played Alcorn football, Godfather football," Spears said. "We were fundamentally sound. We played hard and practiced hard Monday through Thursday and then Saturday took care of itself. That's what we want to bring back."
But Spears, a wide receiver at Alcorn, never played with a teammate with the skills of Bridge, the Canadian who is nicknamed Air Canada. Bridge threw for more than 2,600 yards and 26 touchdowns as a freshman when Alcorn finished 5-6.
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Grambling will have new quarterback this season
Grambling, LA - Ask Grambling football coach Doug Williams about how it feels in his second stint as the Tigers head coach, and he'll tell you that he thinks the program is in better shape than it was for his first time around.
Ask him how his quarterback situation is shaping out, and he'll tell you that it's a spirited competition between two untested players — sophomore Frank Rivers and freshman D.J. Williams.
No mention, however, of last year's quarterback — Anthony Carrothers — who threw for 1,443 yards on the 2010 season and 115 yards in April's Black and Gold game. The 5-foot-10 Carrothers has transferred out of Grambling.
That, said Williams at the SWAC Media Day at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex on Tuesday, leaves Rivers and his own son, D.J.
"If you've only got two eggs to put in the cornbread, you have to put them in there," said Williams, who returned to the school in February after Rod Broadway left for North Carolina A&T."
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Ask him how his quarterback situation is shaping out, and he'll tell you that it's a spirited competition between two untested players — sophomore Frank Rivers and freshman D.J. Williams.
No mention, however, of last year's quarterback — Anthony Carrothers — who threw for 1,443 yards on the 2010 season and 115 yards in April's Black and Gold game. The 5-foot-10 Carrothers has transferred out of Grambling.
That, said Williams at the SWAC Media Day at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex on Tuesday, leaves Rivers and his own son, D.J.
"If you've only got two eggs to put in the cornbread, you have to put them in there," said Williams, who returned to the school in February after Rod Broadway left for North Carolina A&T."
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PGA invests in minority golf opportunities
Los Angeles, CA - Golf's storied history in the US has long been criticized for its lack of diversity, but the PGA has taken steps to improve minority participation and exposure to the game. Minority participation has increased with the popularity and success of Tiger Woods, and continues today with targeted efforts, say the authors of "Increasing Minority Golf Participation Through PGA Education Initiatives" in the open access journal SAGE Open.
One important step in the process included one of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) being awarded the coveted PGA Professional Golf Management Program accreditation. University of Maryland, Eastern Shore was the first—and currently only—HBCU of the 20 universities that currently offer the program.
"UMES provides an excellent example of how the program was implemented at a historically and predominantly Black college," wrote the authors. "The university was successful in obtaining the coveted accreditation due to several reasons."
The authors, who include Jill Fjelstul, Leonard A. Jackson, and Dana V. Tesone, point to the support of the school's administration and willingness to provide resources to ensure success. Additionally both the school and the PGA have set up scholarships and recruitment to help pique minority students' interest.
But, the authors note, "increasing minority participation in golf requires initiatives and organizations designed to expose members of minority populations to golf at an early age." The PGA has also established the "First Tee" program aimed at minority golfers ages eight to 18. "Since its inception," write the authors. "more than 3 million children from minority groups have participated in the program."
The Bill Dickey Golf Scholarship Association also serves minorities by affording them the chance to play golf with financial assistance and golf club participation. This helps those selected overcome two continually noted challenges of minority golf participation: the cost to play the game and access to golf courses.
VISIT: UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE
VISIT: UMESHAWKS
One important step in the process included one of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) being awarded the coveted PGA Professional Golf Management Program accreditation. University of Maryland, Eastern Shore was the first—and currently only—HBCU of the 20 universities that currently offer the program.
"UMES provides an excellent example of how the program was implemented at a historically and predominantly Black college," wrote the authors. "The university was successful in obtaining the coveted accreditation due to several reasons."
The authors, who include Jill Fjelstul, Leonard A. Jackson, and Dana V. Tesone, point to the support of the school's administration and willingness to provide resources to ensure success. Additionally both the school and the PGA have set up scholarships and recruitment to help pique minority students' interest.
But, the authors note, "increasing minority participation in golf requires initiatives and organizations designed to expose members of minority populations to golf at an early age." The PGA has also established the "First Tee" program aimed at minority golfers ages eight to 18. "Since its inception," write the authors. "more than 3 million children from minority groups have participated in the program."
The Bill Dickey Golf Scholarship Association also serves minorities by affording them the chance to play golf with financial assistance and golf club participation. This helps those selected overcome two continually noted challenges of minority golf participation: the cost to play the game and access to golf courses.
VISIT: UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE
VISIT: UMESHAWKS
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