TESTING REALITY

UNC’s trio of Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington and Danny Green are publicly taking exception to the term “testing the NBA” waters. All of them say they are in the draft to stay unless the situation dictates otherwise. That situation will play out as the three participate in games in the NBA Oralando combine yesterday, today and tomorrow.

All three were invited to participate along with 61 other participants. The key number to know is 15 and why that’s important. Of the 65 invitees, 15 of them which were determined by a secret NBA ballot with results released Sunday for the Monday morning combine are designated “skills, strength, agility and medical testing only” – that’s insider talk for FIRST ROUND.

The list of the 15 top draft prospects are: Joe Alexander, Jr., West Virginia; Darrell Arthur, Soph., Kansas; D.J. Augustin, Soph., Texas; Jerryd Bayless, Fr., Arizona; Michael Beasley, Fr., Kansas State; Eric Gordon, Fr., Indiana; Donte Green, Fr., Syracuse; DeAndre Jordan, Fr., Texas A&M; Brook Lopez, Soph., Stanford; Kevin Love, Fr., UCLA (pictured below); O.J. Mayo, Fr., USC; JaVale McGee, Soph., Nevada; Anthony Randolph, Fr., LSU; Derrick Rose, Fr., Memphis and Russell Westbrook, Soph., UCLA.

Add to that list a couple of European and/or Asian players and some notable absentees for various reasons and first round picks start running dry rather quickly. Not participating for various reasons are: Kansas junior Mario Chalmers, Kansas State redshirt freshman Bill Walker, Florida sophomore Marreese Speights, Cal sophomore Ryan Anderson, NC State freshman J.J. Hickson, Arizona sophomore Chase Budinger, Stanford Sophomore Robin Lopez, Georgetown senior Roy Hibbard, Memphis junior Chris Douglas-Roberts and Ohio State freshman Kosta Koufos.

According to Andy Katz at ESPN: By far the biggest surprise is the willingness of some high-profile underclassmen to participate in the camp, notably the trio from North Carolina.

Sophomores Ellington and Lawson aren't locks for the first round, so they decided to participate and try to play their ways in. Neither has signed with an agent, and this clearly is an attempt to prove they are first-round worthy and should stay in the draft. Teammate Green also decided to play, a necessity if he wants to get into the second round and not return to school.

For more on these three: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/story?columnist=katz_andy&id=3415036

S.S. TURTLE LISTING BADLY

JUCO whiz Tyrese Evans from Richmond won’t be going to Maryland after all. After four years away from the Big Dance and just six years removed from winning it all, Gary Williams’ Terps looked to benefit right away from the 6’3” 23-year-old well travelled shooting guard.

And then reality closed in...

Last week, while the MD was contemplating admission after Williams had offered a scholarship, Evans asked to be released from his commitment. The withdrawal comes less than three weeks after Evans told The Baltimore Sun, "I'm proud to be a Terp," and less than six weeks after he was offered a scholarship by the school's basketball staff. Athletic director Debbie Yow said she didn't know at the time that Maryland was recruiting Evans or much, if anything, about his criminal past.

You want crime? Evans has got some crime…

Evans' abrupt decision came after media reports about his past. In 2005, he was charged with felony possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. He ended up pleading to a misdemeanor and was sentenced to 12 months in jail with all but one month suspended. In 2006, he pleaded guilty to a reduced assault-related misdemeanor after being accused with others of statutory rape of a 15-year-old female classmate at a Massachusetts prep school in 2004. There was also a 2006 trespassing arrest in his hometown of Richmond, Va.

Wait, there’s more -- marijuana possession and handgun charges in Cecil County Circuit Court in November 2005. He received probation on the drug charge, and the handgun count wasn't pursued by prosecutors, county officials said.

All the time Williams championed his cause while Athletic Director Debbie Yow initially claimed no knowledge of his sorted background.

AOL Fan Houser Sportz Assasin put it this way: This is a bittersweet moment for Terps fans as Evans would have contributed immediately. He was a star high school prospect and a JUCO star at Motlow State CC (as well as others). However, he has more baggage than a former Disney teen star.

Evans has bounced around schools over the past several years and has had some serious off-court issues…There was quite a debate around College Park about Evans and if he should even be there. Coach Gary Williams was in his corner, but the heat was apparantly too much to take.

And AOL’s Nathan Folwer had this to say: There's so many things wrong with this entire situation that it's almost impossible to figure out where to even start. To begin with, Maryland never should be in a situation where they are so desperate for talent that they are forced to dip into the JUCO ranks or face a depleted roster. Gary Williams has done a very poor job recruiting in recent years and doesn't seem to have his heart in it, never capitalizing on the back to back Final Four runs in the early part of this decade. That being said, it's also very evident that Williams' and Yow's working relationship has crumbled to the point of being basically non-existent.

Gary Williams is a Maryland alumni and led them to the school's first National Championship, he's an institution in College Park and he can probably coach there as long as he wants to. Debbie Yow is regarded as an excellent athletic director. Sooner than later though, one of them is going to have to move on from Maryland or the basketball program is going to continue to be mired in mediocrity. You simply cannot have your AD and your highest profile coach clearly not only not working together but not even keeping each other informed.

Ouch.

NEW CONTRACTS AT CLEMSON

Brace yourself o' yee of Brentsville High fame, it looks like tuition at Clemson could be on the rise...

According to the Associated Press, Clemson football coach Tommy Bowden will receive more than $1.8 million a year under his newly signed contract.

Bowden's basketball counterpart, Oliver Purnell, earns at least $1 million annually under his new contract extension.

The school released details of the agreements Wednesday after Freedom of Information Act requests from The Associated Press and other organizations.

Bowden's deal ties him to Clemson through the 2014 season. Purnell's new contract also binds him to the Tigers through 2014.

These deals made some people very happy, and others very sad...

PICTURE OF THE DAY

DUE TO THE DECLINING POPULARITY OF HOCKEY…The Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy displayed at the NHL Awards presentation will be sent into outer space aboard the next Space Shuttle and eventually launched into orbit as a transmission satellite for the Outdoor Life Network.

(Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 2

NOTE TO SELF…Soccer fans really are crazy.

Algerian fans of the Mouloudia Oran (MCO) football team of Oran clash with riot policemen in Oran City on May 28, 2008, 400 km west of Algiers. Clashes erupted after the MCO football team lost its place in the A' category and relegated to the B' category of the soccer national league.

Things that make you go "Hmmm."

(Photo credit should read STR/AFP/Getty Images)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 3

WHAT CAN BIG BROWN DO FOR THE ECONOMY...? In this photograph released by the New York Stock Exchange, officials and guests of the New York Racing Association and International Equine Acquisitions Holdings (IEAH) Stables attend the opening bell at the exchange on Wednesday, May 28, 2008. IEAH co-owns Big Brown, the Triple Crown hopeful entered in the Belmont Stakes.

(AP Photo/Mel Nudelman, NYSE)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 4

SPEAKING OF THINGS THAT NEED TO BE SHOT INTO SPACE… Don Cherry (doing a mean Haywood Hale Broun imitation) and Ron MacLean of CBC Sports stand on the ice before game three of the 2008 NHL Stanley Cup Finals between the Detroit Red Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins at Mellon Arena on May 28, 2008 in Pittsburgh. Pennsylvania.

The Penguins defeated the Red Wings 3-2 to set the series at 2-1 Red Wings.

(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

THIS YEAR OREGON STATE WILL NOT BEAT UNC

This year, Oregon State will not beat UNC in the college world series. We guarantee it.

Miami was selected as the top seed for the 64-team Division I college baseball tournament Monday, while two-time defending champion Oregon State was left out of the field. (Told you.)

The Hurricanes (47-8), who won the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament for the first time, will host one of 16 four-team, double-elimination regionals that begin Friday. Miami, making its 36th straight tournament appearance to extend its NCAA record, was ranked No. 1 in various polls for the majority of the season and opens against Bethune-Cookman (36-20).

"There was a lot of discussion about who the No. 1 seed should be, and quite frankly, North Carolina and Arizona State all got a strong look at that position," Division I selection committee chairman Larry Templeton said. "At the end of the night, Miami's play toward the end of the season, particularly winning the tournament -- and we were watching that tournament as the selection process was going through -- probably convinced the committee."

The other national seeds, in order, are: North Carolina (46-12), Arizona State (45-11), Florida State (48-10), Cal State Fullerton (37-19), Rice (42-13), LSU (43-16-1) and Georgia (35-21-1).

(AP Photo/Phil Coale)

NO ACC IN LAX FINAL

Syracuse beat Johns Hopkins 13-10 in the NCAA final on Monday, dethroning the defending national champions and becoming the first school to win its 10th men's lacrosse title. The Orange improved to 3-2 in championship games against the Blue Jays.

Johns Hopkins knocked off Duke in the semis and the Cuse beat UVA to make it the first final without an ACC team in...well...a long time. (Cuse v. Navy 2004 - research department just showed up for work.)

It was Syracuse's fourth championship this decade but first since 2004. Last year, when three players were suspended for off-field behavior, the Orange finished 3-8 and missed the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1982.

The '83 Syracuse team, which was honored at halftime on the 25th anniversary of its title, is the only other team to win the lacrosse championship a year after missing the tournament entirely.

(AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

ACC SWEEPS NCAA TENNIS SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIPS

Evidently, the tennis boom that sent kids scrambling to public courts and country clubs across the good ole USA is way over. Check it out.

Virginia's Somdev Devvarman became only the fourth player in the last 50 years to win back-to-back NCAA men's singles championships Monday by beating Tennessee freshman J.P. Smith 6-3, 6-2.

Devvarman took just 61 minutes to join Georgia's Matias Boeker (2001-02), Mikael Pernfors (1984-85) and Southern California's Dennis Ralston (1963-64) with the rare repeat title in the past half-century. Nine others won consecutive titles between the sport's start in 1883 and Ralston's back-to-back titles.

Hmmmm…Somdev, Matias and Mikael.

Over on the distaff side, Georgia Tech's Amanda McDowell defeated 2005 champion Zuzana Zemenova 6-2, 6-3 to win the women's singles title. That would make it an ACC sweep.

The Southern California team of Robery Farah and Kaes Van't Hof beat Mississippi's Jonas Berg and Erling Tveit 7-6 (10), 7-6 (6) in the men's doubles final.

Tracy Lin and Riza Zalameda, who led UCLA to the women's team title, captured the doubles championship over Fresno State's Melanie Gloria and Tinesta Rowe 6-2, 4-6, 6-3.

Let’s recap: Devvarman, Pernfors, Boeker, Zemenova, Farah, Van’t Hof, Lin, Berg, Tveit, Zalameda…

Looks like tennis recruiting has “expanded” just like NCAA soccer.

(AP Photos/Sue Ogrocki)

ESPN TOP HOOP RECRUITING CLASSES

According to Antonio Williams of ESPN, these are the top recruiting classes for NCAA basketball:

1) UCLA, 2) Florida, 3) Ohio State, 4) West Virginia, 5) Kansas,

6. WAKE FOREST: The three stellar prospects in Wake's class were all signed by the late Skip Prosser. The trio has honored their commitment to the program and Prosser's predecessor, Dino Gaudio. The most talented player of the bunch is wing Al-Farouq Aminu (pictured left), who could be the ACC's top incoming recruit. The class also consists of centers Tony Woods and Ty Walker.

7. NORTH CAROLINA: The Tar Heels were able to land three top-notch prospects in the early signing period. North Carolina's top signee is versatile 7-foot-1 center Tyler Zeller. He and fellow frontcourt freshman Ed Davis should see the floor despite UNC's outstanding depth.

8. Georgetown, 9. Arizona,

10. FLORIDA STATE: Leonard Hamilton added point guard Derwin Kitchen (pictured right) to his early signing period haul that included Top 25 recruit Chris Singleton, ESPN 100 prospect Xavier Gibson and three backcourt players -- Luke Loucks, Pierre Jordan, and Deividas Dulkys. Hamilton has amassed his best collection of talent ever at Florida State.

HOOS HOOPS RECRUITS EARN ESPN HONORABLE MENTION

UVa’s incoming freshmen hoopsters made the Honorable Mention category at ESPN (not among the top 25, but better than everybody else). The top three commitments are Big Mac All-American Sylven Landesburg, a 6-6 small forward from Holy Cross H.S., John Brandenburg, a 6-11 center from De Smet Jesuit H.S. and Assane Sene a 7-0 center from South Kent High School.

We enjoyed what Scout.com said about Brandenburg: Brandenburg displays great passion for the game but he has some issues to work out. He desperately needs to improve his hands and his ability to finish. It seems as if he brings the ball down to his knees every time he touches it. Right now he is simply a space eater in the paint. The good news is he really wants to get better and works very hard. The potential is there.

In other words, he’s a gigantic white guy who hustles, but he keeps bringing the ball down when he shouldn’t which is a habit he cultivated while being the biggest guy on the court for all of his life…

Here’s what they said about Sene: A long and lean shot blocker, he needs time to develop. His lack of strength keeps him from maintaining possession of the ball (bad hands). He's a great kid who plays hard and really wants to get better. The best word to describe him is raw.

Hmmm…two words come to mind: Manute Bol. Maybe it was the “bad hands” thing…

PICTURES OF THE DAY

KISS THE BRICKS...Scott Dixon, driver of the #9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara Honda, kisses the yard of bricks after his victory during the IRL IndyCar Series 92nd running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 25, 2008 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

(Photos by Jamie Squire/Getty Images and Donald Miralle/Getty Images)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 2

DID WORLD B. FREE...change his name to Coca-Cola B. Free? Kasey Kahne, driver of the #9 Budweiser Dodge, celebrates after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 (formerly the World 600) on May 25, 2008 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina.

(Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images for NASCAR)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 3

INCOMING...Travis Logie of South Africa rides a wave to finish equal 17th at the Globe Pro Fiji at Tavarua on May 27, 2008. Logie was defeated by Joel Parkinson of Australia in the third round.

The Globe Pro Fiji is the fourth stop on the ASP World Tour and includes the world’s top 45 full-time touring male professional surfers plus three wildcards.

(Photo by Kirstin Scholtz/AFP/Getty Images)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 4

MATRICULATING INTO THE WHITE HOUSE...U.S. President George W. Bush, speaks to the media as NCAA football coaches (L-R) Tommy Tuberville, from Auburn University, Mark Richt, from the University of Georgia, Randy Shannon, from the University of Miami, Jack Siedlecki, from Yale University and Charlie Weis, from the University of Notre Dame, listen during a media facility at the White House May 26, 2008 in Washington, DC.

Bush welcomed the five university coaches to the Oval Office to thank them for going overseas to boost the morale of U.S. troops.

(Photo by Ken Cedeno-Pool/Getty Images)

PETE ROSE: BAD NAME

Virginia Tech recruit Peter Rose, who faces felony charges from an undercover drug operation at his high school, has had his scholarship offer withdrawn by the Hokies.

"Each scholarship offer we make is contingent upon a number of requirements, one of which is maintaining the high standards required of each recruit in their community, school and on the football field," Virginia Tech football coach Frank Beamer said in a statement Monday. "I am disappointed that this action was necessary."

Beamer said he would have no additional comment.

Rose, a first-team quarterback and AP Group AA player of the year for 2007 out of Lynchburg's Amherst High School, was charged along with six other students after what police said Saturday was an undercover operation at the school over the past 10 months.

The 18-year-old Rose is charged with two counts of distribution of marijuana and two counts of distribution of drugs within 1,000 feet of a school.

The Amherst County Sheriff's Office said during the course of the investigation, 18 purchases of drugs were made from students, including seven that were made within 1,000 feet of school property.

Actually, they took back the scholarship because, like the baseball version of Pete Rose, the kid is a MORON (some would say MORAN). Yes, I have a scholarship to a major D1 school to play QB, how can I screw this up? I love myself, let's go sell some crack!

(Marion Barry fans will get a laugh out of that one...)

STOP US IF YOU’VE HEARD THIS ONE…

Florida State receiver Preston Parker will have to sit out the first two games of the 2008 season after pleading guilty Monday to two misdemeanor charges.

The 21-year-old Parker, the Seminoles' most versatile player last season, was arrested in April on a felony charge for allegedly having a loaded .45-caliber pistol in the dashboard of his car. The charge was reduced to a misdemeanor charge of carrying a concealed weapon.

At the time of his arrest, Parker was also charged with misdemeanor marijuana possession, to which he also pleaded guilty in Palm Beach County.

"Preston made a very serious mistake, and there are consequences when one of our boys gets in trouble," head coach Bobby Bowden said in a statement. "Preston will have the opportunity to continue as a student and as an athlete at Florida State, but he will have to earn that right."

Parker will be a junior in the upcoming season. He is set to sit out games against Western Carolina and Chattanooga, and return to play against Wake Forest.

Now, that's some serious punishment right there...Western Carolina -- we hear their corners are MONSTERS!

Yeah, right...

A LINEBACKER WALKS INTO A BAR…

Suspended Clemson linebacker Cortney Vincent (#45) will not return for the 2008 season.
Vincent was suspended for spring practice for an unspecified violation of team rules.

Coach Tommy Bowden said in a news release Monday that Vincent would have been academically eligible to compete in the fall, but did not meet goals set by the team for the spring.
Vincent started 12 games last season and had 68 tackles and two sacks.
He would have been a fifth-year senior in the fall and will have to transfer to a Division II or Division III school to play this season.

Clemson also announced that wide receiver Jeff Ogren will transfer to another school. Ogren played in four games last year and had one reception for eight yards.

SEMINOLE SETS RECORD (NOT CRIMINAL)

Buster Posey was all over the field (and not in jail) for Florida State.

The Seminoles catcher played all nine defensive positions -- and hit a grand slam -- in a 10-0 seven-inning victory over Savannah State on Monday.

Posey, a junior who's expected to be a high pick in Major League Baseball's amateur draft in June, became the fourth Seminoles player under coach Mike Martin to play all nine positions. Mike Martin Jr., the coach's son, was the last to perform the feat in 1994.

After the game FSU's most famous senior citizen said, "Yeah, but can he throw a dad gum pigskin?"

ACC DOMINATES BASEBALL POLL

…NCAA sanctions sure to follow.

The USA TODAY/ESPN Top 25
1. NORTH CAROLINA (19) (45-10)
2. MIAMI FL (9) (43-8)
3. FLORIDA ST (1) (46-9)
4. ARIZONA ST (2) (44-9)
5. RICE (42-11)
6. OKLAHOMA ST (40-15)
7. NEBRASKA (39-12-1)
8. CS FULLERTON (35-17)
9. GEORGIA (35-19-1)
10. TEXAS A&M (42-14)

TWO ACC SQUADS IN LAX FINAL FOUR

From ESPN:

Cinderella wasn't invited to college lacrosse's championship weekend in Boston. Four of the top five seeds -- all annual title contenders -- made it to the semifinals. No. 1 seed Duke, No. 2 Virginia, No. 3 Syracuse and the defending champion, No. 5 Johns Hopkins, will compete in front of 50,000 fans at Foxborough Stadium on Saturday (ESPN2).

What was the most impressive quarterfinal performance?
Duke's first-quarter, nine-goal run against Ohio State was an example of total dominance. They made any type of shot they wanted. This Duke attack is reminiscent of the Johns Hopkins teams of the 1980s, the Syracuse teams of the late '80s and the 2006 Virginia championship team.

What are the keys for each team in the semifinals?
Syracuse vs. VirginiaThe individual matchup to watch in Saturday's first semifinal will be Syracuse's Mike Leveille vs. Virginia's Ken Clausen. Both are outstanding players. Thanks to Danny Brennan, Syracuse has the advantage at the faceoff X. Brennan leads the nation in faceoff percentage and was 19-for-30 when the teams met in March -- an overtime 14-13 win for the Cavs. Virginia has a slight edge in overall experience: the Cavs play in the ACC and won four overtime games.

Johns Hopkins vs. Duke This is a rematch of the 2005 and 2007 national championship games -- both losses for the Blue Devils. Duke enters this matchup heavily favored and very hungry. When these teams met in early April, Duke walked out with a commanding 17-6 win.

Since then, Hopkins' Stephen Peyser has become a commanding presence on the faceoff X, and goalie Michael Gvozden has improved both his save percentage and his goals against average.

Overall, Hopkins is a much better defensive team than it was in the teams' first meeting. This game will come down to tempo: Duke's defense will come out and get you, while Hopkins' offense likes long possessions that frustrate opposing offenses. The Blue Jays will have to play a near-perfect game to upset Duke.

(Photos by Doug Kapustin and John Mecionis for the Baltimore Sun)

ANOTHER TAR HEEL LEAVING

This one for sure...

North Carolina forward Alex Stepheson is transferring because he wants to be closer to his family in California.

Stepheson said Friday in a statement that his family is facing unspecified health concerns.

Stepheson is a Los Angeles native who was the backup to Deon Thompson at power forward. In two years he averaged 3.16 points and 3.36 rebounds per game.

Coach Roy Williams said he is disappointed but understands Stepheson's decision because "by being closer to home, he will be able to provide the necessary support and help his family needs."

School officials said they have granted Stepheson's request for a release, a move that permits him to contact other programs.

PICTURE OF THE DAY

MUST BE MONACO...A woman sunbathing, looks at Ferrari Formula One driver Felipe Massa of Brazil during the first practice session for the upcoming Monaco Formula One Grand Prix in Monaco on Thursday May 22,2008.

(AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 2

WHAT CAN BIG BROWN DO FOR YOU...? How about win the damn Triple Crown? Here, Kent Desormeaux celebrates in the winner's circle after riding Big Brown to win the 133rd Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course May 17, 2008 in Baltimore, Maryland.

(Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 3

REF SCHOOL...Chinese referees watch athletes compete in the Women's 100m Hurdles the Good Luck Beijing 2008 China Athetics Open at the National Stadium, better known as the Bird's Nest, in Beijing on May 22, 2008. The Bird's Nest will host its first event the Good Luck Beijing 2008 China Athletics Open from May 22 to 25.

The event is part of the 'Good Luck Beijing' series of test events being held to test Olympic venues ahead of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.


(Photo by Teh Eng Koon/AFP/Getty Images)

FORTY THOUSAND...

...but who's counting?

Thanks, everybody.

DROPPING LIKE FLIES

Florida State offensive tackle Daron Rose (glasses) is ineligible for the season and will attend a junior college.

Rose, who started 11 games last season, will attempt to regain his eligibility, school officials said Wednesday.

Rose's departure is the second this week for the Seminoles, who are coming off consecutive 7-6 seasons. Sophomore linebacker Marcus Ball (dreds), another projected starter, was released from his scholarship Monday.

Star receiver Preston Parker is ineligible until he resolves a felony gun charge.

Coach Bobby Bowden, and his designated successor Jimbo Fisher, will also begin the season without a half dozen of his top players for the first three games because of a classroom cheating scandal in a music history class.

Music history class?

C'mon!

FORMER DUKE STAR WINS EUROLEAGUE FINAL FOUR MVP

ESPN – Editied.
Suddenly, as Trajan Langdon collected his MVP trophy from former Real Madrid legend Walter Szczerbiak and the 2,500 fans who had made the long journey from Moscow began their delirious celebrations, it all made perfect sense.

Some 3,500 miles away in Langdon's homeland, Szczerbiak's son, Wally, is in the middle of a playoff run with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the very team Langdon left after three injury-plagued, largely unfulfilling years.

Sunday night in Madrid, Langdon's decision to build a new life, a new career for himself on a different continent and in a country so far from home, turning his back on every young American ballers' dream in the process, looked inspired.

Winner of his second Euroleague Final Four in three years, Langdon's 21 points and seven rebounds made him the MVP of an ultimately comfortable 91-77 victory for CSKA Moscow over Israel's Maccabi Tel Aviv at Madrid's Palacio de Deportes.

"This is top two," said Langdon when asked to rank the performance among his career highlights, which also featured a 1999 NCAA Final Four appearance with Duke. "The one we won two years ago in Prague was just as big, but every time you win a championship, they just get better."

Tellingly, and understandably, Langdon made no reference to basketball highlights from his "other" life, from home on the other side of the Atlantic.

"Home" for Langdon is now Russia, and despite several NBA scouts' analysis this weekend that the 31-year-old (32 next week) could easily still be a solid player in their league, the 6-foot-3 guard admits the thought no longer crosses his mind.

"A couple of years ago I did," Langdon said when asked if he thought of returning home and trying to catch on with an NBA team. "Would it have been great to stay in the NBA and have a long, successful career there? Sure. But I've been blessed to have this opportunity."

DUKE #1 IN LAX TOURNAMENT

Led by number one seed Duke, the Atlantic Coast Conference will have 100 percent representation in the upcoming 2008 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship, as announced Sunday evening. Virginia received the No. 2 seed, while North Carolina and Maryland were seeded fourth and seventh, respectively.

Making 24 appearances in the title game, the ACC holds 10 NCAA titles as Virginia and North Carolina have four apiece. Maryland has two national championships (1973 and 1975), while 2006 national champion Virginia also won titles in 1972, 1999, 2003. The Tar Heels earned crowns in 1981, 1982, 1986 and 1991.

The Division I semifinal and championship games will be held at Gillette Stadium, outside of Boston, Massachusetts, May 24 and 26. The 2008 NCAA Men's Lacrosse title game will take place on Monday, May 26 at 1 p.m.

Tournament Breakdown:
No. 1 Duke (ACC) vs. Loyola (ECAC AQ) - May 10, 2:30 p.m.
No. 8 Cornell (Ivy AQ) vs. Ohio State (GWLL) - May 10, 5 p.m.

No. 5 Johns Hopkins (Independent) vs. Hofstra (CAA AQ) - May 11, 2:30 p.m.
No. 4 North Carolina (ACC) vs. Navy (Patriot) - May 10, 7:30 p.m.

No. 3 Syracuse (Independent) vs. Canisius (MAAC AQ) - May 11, 7:30 p.m.
No. 6 Notre Dame vs. Colgate (Patriot AQ) - May 11, Noon

No. 7 Maryland (ACC) vs. Denver (GWLL) - May 10, Noon
No. 2 Virginia (ACC) vs. UMBC (America East AQ) - May 11, 5 p.m.

(Photos courtesy of theacc.com)

PICTURE(S) OF THE DAY

LOOKIN’ GOOD…Obviously in mid-season form, John Daly of the good ole USA plays his tee shot on the 18th hole during the second round of the MC Methorios Capital Italian Open Golf at The Castello Di Tolcinasco Golf Club on May 9, 2008 in Milan, Italy.

(Photos by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 2

ALMOST 3-D...USA's Andy Roddick returns a forehand to Tommy Robredo of Spain during their ATP Tennis Open in Rome on May 09, 2008.

(Photo by Vincenzo Pinto/AFP/Getty Images)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 3

YOU KNOW THE SAYING…It’s all down hill from here. Well, evidently, it is. Jeff Burton, driver of the #31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet, drives (downhill) during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Dodge Challenger 500 on May 9, 2008 at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina.

(Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images for NASCAR)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 4

THESE HANDS HAVE BEEN TOUCHED BY…talcum powder. A gymnast prepares his hands adding chalk prior to competing on the vault during the 28th European Men's Artistic Gymnastics Junior Championships on May 9, 2008 at Malley sports centre in Lausanne. A hundred and sixty-six athletes from 41 federations will compete in Switzerland from May 8th to 11th.

(Photo by Sebastien Berda/AFP/Getty Images)

SOMEDAY HE'LL TELL PEOPLE...

...my parents took me to the old Yankee Stadium...You know the house that Ruth built.

Then they tore it down.

The Yankees beat the Mariners 6 to 1.

What will they tear down next? Fenway? Wrigley?

OFF SEASON CRIME AND OTHER SHENANIGANS

While we were away, folks were getting’ in trouble…

Former Georgia Tech quarterback Joe Hamilton was charged with marijuana possession, driving under the influence of alcohol and hit-and-run early Tuesday, less than a week after he was hired as the school’s assistant director of player personnel.

“The matter is under investigation,” Georgia Tech athletic director Dan Radakovich said in a statement. “An appropriate action will be taken upon completion of the investigation.”

Hamilton, 31, also was charged with having an open bottle of beer in his Ford Expedition when arrested by Georgia Tech police shortly after midnight. Hamilton remained at the Fulton County jail Tuesday afternoon, according to a spokeswoman at the jail.

Hamilton was pulled over by an officer because his vehicle matched the description of a car involved in an alleged hit-and-run.

The officer smelled alcohol on Hamilton, who acknowledged he hit another car from behind, according to the police report. Hamilton failed a series of field sobriety tests, and the officer reported that he found the open bottle of beer and a marijuana cigarette in the vehicle’s ash tray.

Hamilton recorded blood-alcohol contents of 0.193 and 0.199 in two tests, according to the police report. The legal limit in Georgia is 0.08.

Hamilton, one of Georgia Tech’s most popular and successful quarterbacks, led the Yellow Jackets to the 1998 Atlantic Coast Conference championship and finished second in the 1999 Heisman Trophy balloting.

Hamilton’s new job includes responsibilities in recruiting and serving players’ needs.

(Photo courtesy of St. Petersburg Times)