Rejuvenated Maxey helps Jackson State roll away with big road victory

Tigers bounce back from stunning loss to stay in contention for share of SWAC regular season championship

PINE BLUFF, Ark. -
Jackson State junior forward Grant Maxey was doubtful for Monday night's game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff after being hit in the head last week and then going scoreless for the first time since his freshman year. But the second-leading scorer during SWAC play started and took all of one possession to eclipse that number - hitting a midrange jumper and looking like his normal self.

Maxey's presence plus a heavy dose of Darrion Griffin and Garrison Johnson kept Jackson State in the run for a possible share of the SWAC regular season championship and the No. 1 seed in the tournament with a 75-66 victory at H.O. Clemmons Arena. "We still wanted to let Alabama State know we're a team to be reckoned with," Griffin said. "This was a message to the rest of the conference." JSU hosts the Hornets on Thursday.

The Golden Lions (11-17, 10-7) played the first half like there was blue blood in the water. JSU was coming off its first loss since Jan. 19 with Mississippi Valley State rallying from a 16-point deficit on Saturday. UAPB still could have stolen the No. 2 seed in the SWAC Tournament.

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

ASU men on the cusp of SWAC title after win over Texas Southern

As Alabama State senior point guard Brandon Brooks walked off the Acadome floor for the final time in his ASU career, the partisan crowd gave Brooks the expected standing ovation. His coaches and teammates greeted him with hugs and high-fives. The public address announcer asked for more applause. None of those, however, were as telling as the reaction from Texas Southern head coach Tony Harvey.

Harvey, who had just watched Brooks orchestrate a 90-73 thumping of his Tigers, left his bench, walked past mid-court, got Brooks' attention with a slap on the backside and shook his hand. "That means so much -- to know that you've earned the respect of your peers like that," Brooks said. "That was a nice gesture and it meant a lot to me." Harvey's motivation was easy to spot Monday night.

While his numbers -- 13 points, seven assists and five rebounds -- don't jump off the stat sheet, Brooks was clearly in command in ASU's win. He controlled the flow of the game by pushing the ball early, as the Hornets jumped out to a 28-14 lead with seven minutes left in the first half. And he led the charge in the second half, as ASU recovered from a slump that allowed TSU to even the score and pushed its lead out to as many as 23 down the stretch.

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

SPOTLIGHT: Bill would require Oregon universities to interview at least one minority football coach candidate

Oregon's bill would cover the six state universities with football teams: Oregon, Oregon State, Portland State, Eastern Oregon, Western Oregon and Southern Oregon.

The Oregon Legislature plans to introduce a bill this week that would require universities to interview at least one minority candidate before hiring a head football coach. If it passes, Oregon would become the first state with such a law. House Bill 3118 is patterned after the NFL's Rooney Rule, which helped transform the league's head coaching ranks after being implemented in 2003. Oregon's bill aims to diversify hiring in major college football, where seven of 120 head coaches are minorities.

Richard Lapchick, founder and director of the Institute for Diversity and Ethics In Sport at University of Central Florida, said the bill could push the NCAA to drop its resistance to enacting a similar rule. "I think it's very significant and very welcome by people who have been fighting for this for a long time," Lapchick said. Rep. Mitch Greenlick, D-Portland, drafted the measure at the behest of constituent Sam Sachs, a former college football player and minority-rights activist.

"It seems to me it only makes sense," Greenlick said. "Because (the Rooney Rule) has had an effect and because I don't think minority coaches have been given a fair shake in Oregon, certainly in football." The bill contains an exception for a school "bound by contract to promote a member of the institution's current coaching staff." Call it the Oregon Out: In December, the Ducks promised their head coaching job to offensive coordinator Chip Kelly when Mike Bellotti becomes the school's athletic director.

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

SU rides Spear, big fourth inning to 10-3 victory over PVAMU

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas — Taking the mound on an early-but-crucial Sunday afternoon in Southwestern Athletic Conference play, Southern pitcher James Spear made sure the Jaguars didn’t stumble. The senior right-hander gave Southern its third straight quality start to begin SWAC play, allowing three runs in seven innings. Better yet, the Jaguars’ batting order erupted for nine runs in the fourth inning to topple Prairie View, 10-3 — clinching the first conference series of the season for SU.

“James Spear threw a lot of strikes and got the job done for us today,” Southern coach Roger Cador said. “It makes me feel awful good that we had all three of our starting pitchers have a good outing here so early (in the season). ... We have some other guys who we’re going to look at. But for them to pitch, it’ll be in midweek games and in mop-up situations in SWAC series.”

The Southern offense, meanwhile, came alive in the top of the fourth, chasing off Prairie View starter Brandon Kendricks in the process. Trailing 2-0, the Jaguars sent 14 batters to the plate and scored nine runs on five hits. SU drew three walks and took advantage of two Panthers errors in the inning.

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

SPECIAL FEATURE: Connecticut Governor Calls Jim Calhoun Salary Tirade 'Embarrassing'

Connecticut governor Jodi Rell is the latest person to weigh in on the Jim Calhoun salary controversy, and the governor said Tuesday that she found Calhoun's response to a question about his status as the state's highest-paid employee "embarrassing." Said Rell of Calhoun's answer to a question about his salary, "I think if Coach Calhoun had the opportunity right now, he would welcome a do-over and not have that embarrassing display."

Rell, whose salary is $150,000, wouldn't directly answer whether she believes Calhoun should take a pay cut. Calhoun declined to answer when the Hartford Courant asked him about the governor's comments. Calhoun was asked at a weekend press conference about getting the biggest paycheck in a state that is currently running a deficit, and before the questioner could even finish asking, he interrupted with "not a dime back." He then lectured the questioner about the revenue that his team generates, and told the questioner to shut up.

Although the questioner (a political activist who got to the press conference with a photo pass) didn't conduct himself in a very professional manner, the underlying question is a legitimate one, and Calhoun is wrong to suggest that his own salary is above being questioned. Rell is right to call his response embarrassing.



CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

If there was ever a case for a salary rollback, Jim Calhoun should be at the top of the list. I wonder what percentage of his former basketball players earned their degrees and make over $100,000 annually? This guy is a $2 million dollar jerk!

-beepbeep

GSU, ASU win SWAC track

The Grambling men and Alabama State’s women took home team titles at the Southwestern Athletic Conference Indoor Track and Field championships on an afternoon when extracurricular activities caused a delay during the meet’s final day. The men’s competition was marred by a scuffle that broke out in the stands between the Southern and Jackson State squads following the 60-meter hurdles.

The cramped field-house seats, populated mainly with coaches and athletes, had meet officials scrambling to restore order. At the time, JSU and Southern were in second and third place, respectively, but both men’s squads were ultimately disqualified from the championship. All finishes by both men’s teams were deleted, with lower finishes moved up and point totals recalculated.

“I am extremely disappointed by today’s incident,” SWAC Commissioner Duer Sharp said in a statement released Sunday evening. “Championship events are to celebrate and reward the achievements of our student athletes. Today, the actions of those involved in the altercation have not exemplified that competitive spirit of the Southwestern Athletic Conference and its member institutions. This behavior is unacceptable, and we will investigate completely before taking further disciplinary action.”

SWAC Indoor Track and Field Results

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

READ RELATED ARTICLES:

SU rides Spear, big fourth inning to 10-3 victory
SU women pull away from Alcorn
Southern blitzes Alcorn in first blowout of season
Grambling men, Alabama State women lead SWAC
Jaguars split doubleheader with Prairie View

B-CU Beats FGCU 6-1 In Tournament Finale

By B-CU SID Mark Johnson

Freshman Lefty Starter Ali Simpson Pitches Solid Game -Now 2-0 on Season

Lefty starter Ali Simpson won on the second straight Sunday for B-CU pitching six innings of two hit ball allowing one run and striking out six for the win. The Campbell River, B.C. native freshman got the pitching win last Sunday vs. Southern University (10-4 win) in the MLB Urban Invitational in California.

"Ali was outstanding today," said B-CU Head Coach Meryvl Melendez. "He was throwing strikes and keeping them off balance, just like he did last week (vs. Southern University) last Sunday. I was proud of him and the way he pitched. We got timely hitting and scored early and put the opponent on their heals," said Melendez.

B-CU (4-4) led 5-1 after three innings, with run scoring hits from Alejandro Jimenez, Emmanuel Castro, and freshman catcher Peter O'Brien. O'Brien was 2-4 with 2 RBI and is B-CU's leading hitter through eight games with a .435 average (10-23). Freshman infielder Alejandro Sanchez was 3-4 with a RBI and sophomore Ryan Durrence was 2-4 with two runs scored.

"It was a good end to the tournament with a win and to get back on the winning track, " said Melendez. "We have been playing a lot of players, a lot of young players and they have played well for us against some tough competition." B-CU was 2-2 in the four games in Ft. Myers beating Towson University Thursday (12-4) and losing Friday to Boston College (10-5) and falling late Saturday night, 4-2 to Samford University.

Seniors Mark Brooks (2B) and Drew Clark (C) have been injured and will be day-today for the busy week ahead (6 games) for B-CU. DH/OF Chris Brown is nursing a hand injury and pitcher Rayan Gonzalez is injured as well in the early season.

The Wildcats next play Tuesday hosting Mercer, 6 p.m. at Jackie Robinson Ballpark in a two-game series (game two - Wednesday at 6 p.m.). B-CU plays four games over the weekend in the Wildcat Tournament - Friday night vs. Xavier (7 p.m.), Saturday vs. Michigan State (7 p.m.) and again Sunday vs. the Spartans at noon. The tournament finale Sunday will face off Georgia State vs. the Wildcats, at 4 p.m.