TODAY'S ACC HEADLINES: 8/17/08

Saturday, August 23, 2008

GALLOPING COLTS OFF TO FAST START

COLTS 28, RAVENS 7

Fauquier Youth Football (a farm system for ACC football) got underway this morning and the “Galloping” Colts’ offense picked up where the “Great Wall of” Broncos' defense left off. Bolstered by eight returning six-year-olds from last year’s Bronco squad, the Colts were much too fast for the bigger, but slower, Ravens.

The boys rushed for two scores in the first and two more in the second. An additional TD by Devin was called back due to a (ridiculous…Ok, Ok, it was a tackle, but a nice tackle!) holding penalty. (In case you were wondering, extra points are "automatic.")

The Colts defense didn’t look quite as sharp as

the “Great Wall of “ Bronco when it was in mid-season form, but they clearly will excel as more players fully understand the concept of “find the kid with the ball and tackle him.” Evidently, it’s harder than it seems.

The Ravens lone touchdown came on a second quarter reverse. Yes, you read that right – a reverse, and a damn sweet one at that!

Toly Hansbrough (above and right w/sis A.G.) made his debut and played in all four quarters. Scouts for both North Carolina and Virginia Tech were rumored to be at the game. UNC basketball coach Ol’ Roy had said prior to FYF’s season opener that Toly was “loosing some of

his basketball focus.”

Not to disappoint, after returning home for some watermelon and guitar hero with a bunch of cute older girls, Toly returned to 141 Chasewood Lane Court to, as he says, “make some hoops.”

(Markkel #2 racks up big yards on "student body left.")

BREAKING NEWS:

MCCAIN NAMES HINKMAN AS RUNNING MATE

According to Chinese news censors…um…uh…we mean Chinese news sources, intrepid U.S. cyclist Gary “Mr. Hinkman” Hicklin will join the U.S. Olympic team in the closing ceremonies on Sunday night now that Republican nominee John McCain has named him his VP.

Hinkman flew himself and his bike to China earlier this week for his victorious ride into Beijing. Chinese officials say, the 27-year-old man (wink, wink) from The Plains, will ride from the China Sea (pictured) to the Great Wall. Hinkman (who now has a full head of hair as any VP candidate should – wink, wink) will then ride the entire length of the Great Wall of China in a mere 48 hours (a new world record, wink, wink) before entering the Birdsnest with the U.S. team (wink, wink).

Chinese Olympic’s officials agreed to sponsors Hicklin/Hinkman’s historic journey when his agent (Lise Hinkman) struck a deal whereby Gary’s racing jersey will say “CHINA: The Air Is Cleaner Than You Think” on the front and “CHINESE GYMNASTS: They’re All 16 In Dog Years!!” on the back. His bike will be covered with McCain stickers.

“It’s a win, win scenario,” said the senator from Arizona.

Politics aside, Hicklin/Hinkman’s “unofficial” reason for attending is to promote the new Olympic sport of “Transcontinental Cycling Without Getting Hit by A Truck or Eaten By A Bear.” The sport was scheduled to debut in London in 2012, but has postponed because England only has Lorries and no bears.

The London Olympic Committee is appealing the ruling based on the simple fact that “we might still have a couple of badgers, and hedgehogs are more aggressive than you might think. (no winking)”

UVA CANS ANOTHER KEY PLAYER

In keeping with the recent pattern where the Wahoos identify the key component of their major sports team and then suspend key component, UVA hoops (a squad that desperately needs size, strength and rebounding) has sent Lars Mikalaukas (r) back to his native Lithuania. Mikalaukaus brings much needed bulk to the JPJA and is a perennial member of the ACC’s “All Ugly” team.

On Tuesday, a day after UVa coach Dave Leitao announced that Mikalauskas would no longer be a member of the program, sources told The Daily Progress that “The Pride of Lithuania” planned to return to the states early next week and go through an appeals process with the university. The exact nature of his appeal is not known.

When reached by phone in Lithuania, Mikalauskas said he would have no comment on his situation until he had sorted things out.

To win an appeal, a student, among other things, must prove that he has suffered a hardship. Recently, former Virginia quarterback Jameel Sewell (and UVa’s 2008 football season and all UVa fans) lost such an appeal.

If Mikalauskas were to win his appeal, he would have to convince Leitao to reinstate him.
Leitao being receptive to a Mikalauskas mea culpa could be a long shot, since this isn’t the duo’s first tussle. This past season, Leitao suspended the 6-foot-8, 245-pounder for an exhibition game against Carson-Newman for “reasons internal to the team.”

THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO…

…HMMM.

Evidently, as soon as Duke stops acting completely stupid, institutionally speaking, (see “lacrosse scandal”), UVA takes up the chase with gusto. If it’s not bad enough that they keep tossing key players off their teams, no they are disarming their fans and perhaps violating their constitutional rights in the process.

Wow, nice exacta.

It all got started when a kid named David Becker took a sign to a home football game that said “Fire Groh.” Becker was almost ejected from the game for memorializing on cardboard what many UVa fans (not to mention fans of every team in every sport) frequently think. The brain-trust that is Wahoo Athletics has had their proverbial Zimas in a kink ever since…

Somewhere, Cameron Crazies are laughing. While the Hoos aren’t as well known for clever signs and chants as their brothers in Durham, they’re still pretty damn good at it as the photos here clearly demonstrate.

According to the Daily Progress: UVa students were notified of the new policy in an e-mail Tuesday. “Beginning this year, signs are not permitted inside athletics facilities,” the e-mail said. “Thank you for your cooperation.”

The new policy comes roughly a year after UVa student David Becker was threatened with ejection from Scott Stadium during a UVa football game against Duke University. Becker drew the ire of stadium officials for holding up a sign in the front row that read “Fire Groh.”
Becker’s homemade sign reflected a view of head football coach Al Groh that was shared by a number of Cavaliers fans at the time.

However, a Scott Stadium official informed Becker that his sign violated a policy banning any signs, flags or banner that contain “derogatory comments, profanity, impede another guest’s view of the field or cover any stadium signage.”

As of Tuesday, that policy had been changed to: “All banners, signs and flags are prohibited in Scott Stadium.”

Rich Murray, a spokesman for UVa’s athletics department, said the policy shift came after much consideration and discussion about signs at athletics events last fall. The new policy applies to football and basketball games, as well

as all other athletics events.
“The policy change is intended to support and promote sportsmanship in a positive game-day environment for all fans in attendance,” Murray said.

UVa football fans reacted with irritation to the university’s new sign policy on the independent online message board thesabre.com.

“Entertaining creativity stifled again,” wrote one. “Ridiculous.”

“Somebody’s expecting us to have a pretty bad year, I guess,” posted another.

“So much for the 1st Amendment,” wrote a third.

TY LAWSON IS GROWING UP

That’s kinds scary…

According to the ACC Now blog at the News Observer in Raleigh:

If not for his June arrest for driving after consuming alcohol underage, North Carolina point guard Ty Lawson might be playing in the NBA.

Which is why, Lawson said Wednesday, coach Roy Williams told him there won’t be much more disciplinary action after the season starts.

“He said I probably was already punished enough by Larry Bird and them calling, Indiana … and not being able to go the the League and it affecting me,’’ Lawson said. “So I don’t think too many things [will happen]. Probably one sprint or a couple of sprints, but not too much, he said.”
Under a Tuesday plea agreement, Lawson was granted a Prayer for Judgment Continued on the charge of driving after consuming alcohol under the age of 21.

That means the conviction will stay off his record as long as he stays out of trouble. Prosecutors dismissed a driving while license revoked charge and a noise ordinance violation. Under the agreement, Lawson had already completed 26 hours of community service, an alcohol assessment and a four-page report on the impact of drinking and driving.

Asked again through a team spokesman Wednesday night if Lawson would be disciplined, Williams said: "It's an internal matter. I will deal with it."

JOSH HOWARD, NOT SO MUCH…

Dallas Mavericks guard and Wake Forest grad Josh Howard was arrested and charged recently after a Winston-Salem police officer said he spotted him drag racing with another vehicle on southbound Highway 421 at Silas Creek Parkway.

The 28-year-old was charged with drag racing, exceeding the posted speed limit of 55 mph, and reckless driving to endanger.

Police said Howard was racing in a black Lexus with a silver Volkswagen around 11:25 p.m. The Volkswagen was not stopped, police said. (Probably because the driver of the Volkswagen either was 1) white, 2) not an NBA star or 3) smart enough to keep hauling ass or 4) all of the above.)

Howard was taken before a magistrate and released on a written promise to appear. His court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 23 in Winston-Salem.

Police said the officer who pulled Howard was conducting speed enforcement in the area. A police report said Howard was driving more

than 90 mph.

Calls to Howard's agent were not immediately returned.

Howard, a graduate of Wake Forest and Glenn High School in Kernersville, has played in the NBA for five seasons.

He has averaged 15.2 points-per-game during his professional playing career. He made an appearance at last week's Hang the Net contest and is running his yearly basketball camp at Reynolds Park Recreation Center this week.

ACC AT THE OLYMPICS

UNC and UVA got to cheer the loudest when the women’s soccer team avenged their World Cup finals loss to Brazil while earning the Olympic gold medal. The U.S. women wont the final 1-0.

Five Tar Heels are among the gold medal gang – Lori Chalupny, Tobin Heath, Heather O’Reily, Lindsay Tarpley (l) and Kacey White. UVa’s Angela Hucles was a stalwart for the team. Nice going, ladies.

Clemson’s Shawn Crawford won the silver metal in the 200 meters for the U.S. He was no match for Usain “Lightning” Bolt, but who is?

The Tiger’s Dwight Thomas won a gold medal as part of the 4x100 relay team for the swift, and evidently sure-handed, Jamaicans. Thomas was probably still coughing from Bolt’s vapor trail.

Speaking of Bolt, FSU Walter Dix couldn’t catch him in the 100 or the 200. Dix finished third in the 100, and fourth in the 200, but was awarded the bronze medal when another runner was disqualified for stepping on the line. Dix was not particularly happy about his performance or his back-door medal, “I still lost,” he said.

FLORIDA STATE IS DOOMED, PART IVX

Let’s face it, your team is pretty well screwed when your punter gets hurt. Yes, the punter. Oh yeah, and he’s also the kicker!

Yep, punter/kicker Graham Gano is scheduled to have surgery on his right knee and will be out 4-6 weeks.

Gano suffered cartilage damage at practice Monday, and will underwent the procedure yesterday. He has been handling all kicking duties for the Seminoles, meaning his loss leaves holes at punter and kicker.

Redshirt sophomore Zach Hobby will take over most of the kicking duties, and freshman Shawn Powell is expected to punt in Gano's absence.

Go ahead, yawn, giggle, whatever, but it’s doom. We guarantee it.

PICTURE OF THE DAY

THE REAL SOCCER MOMS…U.S. soccer team members Christie Rampone, Carli Lloyd, Kate Markgraf and children pose on the podium with their gold medals.

(Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 2

IT’S CALLED “THE MONEY SHOT”… Carli Lloyd (L) of the U.S. celebrates as her gold medal shot passes Brazil's goalie Barbara to score during their women's final soccer match at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games August 21, 2008.

(Photo by Marcos Brindicci/Reuters/China)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 3

EVIDENLTY KOBE IS…a bit more patriotic than maybe even he thought he was. He has sure turned up at a lot events to cheer on his fellow Americans. US Basketball star Kobe Bryant holds his daughter Gianna Maria-Onore in the stands of the Workers Stadium in Beijing after the US beat Brazil in the women's soccer gold medal match at the Beijing 2008 Olympics in China Friday, Aug. 22, 2008.

(AP Photo)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 4

WAHOO GOLD...UVa's Angela Hucles of United States poses on the podium with her Gold medal for the Women's Football on Day 13 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 21, 2008 at Worker's Stadium in Beijing, China.

(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 5

TAR HEEL GOLD...Heather O'Reily of UNC enjoys her gold medal following the women's one to nil victory over those pesky Brazillians.

(AP Photo)

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

ANOTHER HOKIE SUSPENDED

Virginia Tech suspended receiver Zach Luckett indefinitely Monday for a violation of team policy.

Coach Frank Beamer had no further comment beyond announcing the suspension of the 6-foot-3, 212-pound redshirt sophomore.

Luckett was expected to start this season after playing all 14 games last season. He caught two passes for 15 yards made 15 tackles on special teams.

The Hokies are ranked 17th in The Associated Press preseason poll.

UVA & MIAMI GOLD, FSU & UNC BRONZE

The United States stormed to victory in the women’s Olympic eight on Sunday, finally getting the better of the dominant Romanians in a thrilling final. The team included UVa’s Lindsay Shoop. Shoop (signalling touchdown), a Charlottesville native and two-time All-American in 2003 and 2004, rowed in the second seat in the crew.

The U.S. stormed into the final race with impressive heat wins and dominated the final race from start to finish. The Romanians won the event in Athens and in Sydney but the U.S. had entered the regatta as double world champions and looked strong throughout the earlier rounds.

The U.S. victory denied Romania’s Georgeta Andrunache her sixth Olympic gold medal and the title of the most prolific Olympic rower of all time.

Romania finished third in a photo finish behind the Neth

erlands, while the U.S. crew punched the air in delight.

While Florida State University still doesn’t have a quarterback who can throw the ball farther than 15 yards (accurately) and a Hall of Fame coach that doesn’t necessarily know where he is on any given day, they do boast Walter Dix (2nd r), the third fastest man in the world!

Dix was third in the 100m and has qualified for the finals in the 200m.

Former University of Miami swimmer Manon van Rooijen earned a gold medal while incoming freshman Kelci Bryant finished fourth in their respective events late Saturday/early Sunday during the Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

Van Rooijen was a member of the gold medal winning Women's 4x100 Freestyle Relay swimming team for the Netherlands this past weekend as her team posted a winning time of 3:33.76. It was just 0:00.14 seconds off their current world record-holding time of 3:33.62 set back in March.

Former Tar Heel Shalane Flanagan (l) won the bronze medal Friday in the Women's 10,000-meter run. Flanagan, turned in an American record effort of 30:22.22, to become only the second American woman to medal in the 10k event since it became part of the Olympics in 1988. In 1992 Lynn Jennings also won the bronze medal.

Tirunesh Dibaba of Ethiopia, the two-time 10,000m world champion, won gold, in 29:54.56 an Olympic record. Elvan Abeylegesse of Turkey took silver in 29:56.34. The two became only the second and third women to run the 10k in under 30 minutes

WAHOO LEADS U.S. SOCCER INTO FINAL

On a U.S. team full of Tar Heels, former University of Virgnia star Angela Hucles scored a goal in each half to lead the United States to a 4-2 soccer win over Japan and another Olympic final against Brazil.

The U.S. had to rally from an early deficit after Japan's Yukari Kinga opened the scoring in the 16th minute, but Hucles netted the equalizer from the six-meter (yard) line in the 41st and Lori Chalupny put the Americans ahead after beating two defenders in the 44th.

Heather O'Reilly added to the lead with a long-range shot in the 70th, and Hucles closed the scoring Monday in the 80th with a crossing shot that caught Japan goalkeeper Miho Fukumoto by surprise.

Japan scored again with Eriko Arakawa in injury time.

(Photo AFP/Getty Images)