QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Anyone can win the league right now, I really believe that."

– Wake Forest head coach Dino Gaudio.


To read more about the topsy-turvy ACC and the lack of a clear favorite to win the regular season title, click here.

WORLDWIDE LEADER TO TELEVISE TAR HEELS' SPRING SCRIMAGE

Unlike at Alabama, 90,000 fans won’t pack the stadium for the UNC spring football game. They won’t have to (not that they would) as ESPN is planning on airing the game April 10 from Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill.

The Tar Heels return 19 starters from a team that went 8-5 in 2009 and will be one of the favorites to win the ACC next season.

The game will start at 3 p.m. and is schedule after the completion of the NCAA basketball tournament.

EVER WONDER WHERE THE LOSERS CHAMPIONSHIP GEAR GOES?

Evidently, if you’re the Minnesota Vikings you send your 2009 NFC Champions stuff – tee shirts, towels and caps – to Haiti. We’d guess they’d prefer food or water, but you never know when you might really need an ugly purple and yellow beach towel…

The NFL has a deal with a humanitarian organization called World Vision and they send it to some area in need each year.

To read more in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, click here.

ACC SENIOR BOWLERS HELP REDEFINE 'SOUTH'

Evidenlty, the folks at the Senior Bowl have a slightly different map. Simply put, Florida, Texas, Alabama and parts of California are in the ‘south’ and every other state is in the ‘north.’ For starters, please don’t tell that to folks in South Carolina.

In other words, the actual true North, as we Googlers know it, is so lacking in quality football teams and players that the Senior Bowl had to borrow all the ACC players with the exception of those who played for Miami and FSU (hard to call Flordia ‘north’ you gotta admit) in order for the game to be semi-competitive.

Apparently, Ralegh, NC was also allowed to retain its southern status.

It is, what it is.

ACC players participating in the Senior Bowl:

NORTH
Cook, Chris DB 6-2 / 212 Virginia
Ford, Jacoby WR 5-9 / 181 Clemson
Ghee, Brandon DB 5-11 / 189 Wake Forest
Jackson, Cory RB 6-1 / 245 Maryland
Jackson, Rashawn RB 6-1 / 239 Virginia
Skinner, Terrell DB 6-2 / 214 Maryland
Tennant, Matt OL 6-4 / 290 Boston College
Thomas, Cam DL 6-4 / 331 North Carolina
Wang, Ed OL 6-5 / 315 Virginia Tech

SOUTH
Larsen, Ted (pictured) OL 6-2 / 302 N.C. State
Sharpton, Darryl LB 5-11 / 229 Miami
Watson, Dekoda LB 6-1 / 232 Florida State
Robinson, Patrick DB 5-11 / 190 Florida State
Rolle, Myron (pictured) DB 6-1 / 217 Florida State

The 2010 game will kickoff at 3pm (CT) and the contest will be nationally-televised by NFL Network.

Or you could watch Duke v. Georgetown hoops. It’s your decision.

PICTURE OF THE DAY

END GAME. Quarterback Kurt Warner of the Arizona Cardinals poses with family (L-R) Kade, Jada, Elijah, Sierra and Brenda during a press conference to announce his retirement from football at the team's training center auditorium on January 29, 2010 in Tempe, Arizona.

(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 2

WHO OWNS WHO DAT? Thursday, Jan. 21, 2010 file photo, a store front displays "Who Dat!" t-shirts for sale in New Orleans. Earlier this week, the NFL demanded local vendors stop selling shirts with the traditional cheer of New Orleans Saints fans. Realizing the negative PR ramifications, the league backed down yesterday.

To read more in the New Orleans Times-Picayune, click here.

PICTURE OF THE DAY 3

BUSTED. Again, some more. Evidently Willie Nelson’s boys were getting ready for a show in Kenansville, NC (about 50 miles SE of Raleigh) with an assist from some weed and a little moonshine (OK…three quarts.).

The local constable wandered by the tour bus and noticed the pungent odor of marijuana wafting from the window of the Texas Reble Rocker’s sweet ride. For some unknown reason, the officer decided to investigate.

Really? Willie Nelson, a tour bus, a concert in Duplin County, NC…who wouldn’t expect the band to be smoking pot and delving into the local untaxed adult beverages? C'mon, people, they're artists, they need their muse...

To read more, click here.

MR. MOMENTUM SWITCHES ORANGES LATE IN GAME, STEALS JPJA HOTNESS

VIRGINIA TECH 76, VIRGINIA 71 OT – The tied-for-first-place Virginia Cavaliers were looking to keep the JPJA magic (the new hotness) going and to do so they controlled 30 minutes of last night’s game against Virginia Tech. Problem was the game lasted 45 minutes with the Hokies seizing the momentum late in the first half, the second half and the overtime period to post a tough road win at John Paul Jones Arena.

With 5:26 left in the first half, the Hoos were up by 12 points, and with 4:58 left in regulations the Hokies still trailed by ten at 60-50. Both times, Virginia Tech woke up as Virginia appeared content to run down the clock. The Cavs were missing (they scored one basket in the final 4:47 of regulation), the Hokies started converting and suddenly it was 65-62 VT with just ten seconds to play.

Virginia tied the game and sent it into overtime when Sammy Zeglinski, canned a desperation three-pointer from somewhere outside by the Burger King in Ruckersville. He was so far away from the basket, he almost came down out of bounds.

Swish, overtime.

In extra frame, Mr. Momentum stuck to the Maroon and Orange, as the Hokies outscored the Hoos 11-6.

Game over.

With the victory, the Hokies moved to 16-3 overall on the season, 3-2 in the ACC. UVa fell to 12-6 overall, 3-2 in the league. Malcolm Delaney had 27 points for Tech.

To read more in the Roanoke Times, click here.

NO. 22 GEORGIA TECH TOO MUCH FOR WAKE FOREST

Coming off a tough loss at Florida State, Georgia Tech (15-5, 4-3 ACC) ripped off a 19-4 run to break open a tight game. As usual in its ACC victories, Georgia Tech did its best work at the defensive end, holding the Demon Deacons (14-5, 4-3) almost 19 points below their scoring average for the season.

Wake Forest shot just 33 percent from the field (21 of 64) and had only two players in double figures: Al-Farouq Aminu with 15 points and Ishmael Smith with 12.

To read more from the Atlanta Journal Constitution, click here.

TODAY’S T.A.H. WEATHER

T.A.H. WORLD MEDIA HEADQUARTERS – 27 degrees.
MIAMI – 77 degrees
GREENSBORO – 37 degrees
PAPEETE – 82 degrees
MOSCOW (pictured)– 12 degrees
NEW ORLEANS – 66 degrees

COLOR KEY: Red tones = Good, Blue tones = Bad, White = OK

WHERE WE STAND…(FEAR THE TURTLE?)

HEWITT: I DID NOT CALL YOU A…

God****, no good ****-sucking, mother ******, rotten, stinkin’ no whistle blowin' son of a *****!!!

Honest. I never use the word ****. Sometimes I do say *****, but I never say ****.

Coach K?

That’s a different story.

(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

PICTURE(S) OF THE DAY

FLANNEL. The next time somebody asks why the S.E.C. is the best football conference in America, tell them the answer is ‘flannel.’ Yes, flannel.

In a Hanover Fabrics in Alexandria, Louisiana they sell LSU flannel…lots and lots and lots of LSU flannel.

When you get around to wearing your teams flannel, you’re serious about your football.

Damn serious.

According to this same fabric emporium, Georgia Tech is the ACC Champion…and strangely enough, that is correct.

(Photos by T.A.H. Worldwide Media)

DUKE'S DEFENSE TOO MUCH FOR FSU

NO. 8 DUKE 70, FLORIDA STATE 56 – Kyle Singler scored 12 of his 20 points in the second half and the Blue Devils pulled away late to beat Florida State on Wednesday night.

Jon "Crazy Face" Scheyer had 22 points for the Blue Devils (17-3, 5-2 ACC), who shot 43 percent against the nation's toughest field-goal percentage defense and forced 22 turnovers. But they needed a late 15-4 run to seal their 14th straight win at Cameron Indoor Crazitorium.

The Noles fell to 15-5, 3-3 in the ACC.

To read more from the Raleigh News & Observer, click here.

BC’S HERZLICH BACK IN TRAINING

Boston College football player Mark Herzlich is back practicing with his teammates on campus in Boston. This marks the first time, Herzlich has returned to formal team workouts since leaving the team to undergo cancer treatment.

He was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare form of cancer, the next spring and missed all of last season.

In 2008 Herzlich was a First-team All-American and the ACC Defensive Player of the Year. He was also a finalist for the Butkus Award, and a quarter finalist for the Lott Trophy.

Herzlich led the team with 110 tackles and 81 stops, six interceptions, eight pass break-ups, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries and also had 13 tackles for a loss. In November 2008, Herzlich was ranked as the 45th best prospect for the 2009 NFL Draft but announced his return to Boston College for the 2009 season which was subsequently interrupted by the disease.

PICTURE OF THE DAY

BRIGHT SPOT. Clair Bidez practices on the half pipe on Jan. 20 during a training run for the U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix competition in Park City, Utah.

Mmmm...grnapple...?

(Photo: Robert Beck/Sports Illustrated)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 2

DOWN AND OUT/IN? Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre was on his backside a lot during the NFC Championship game against the Saints in New Orleans.

(Photo: Heinz Kluetmeier/Sports Illustrated)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 3

THE OLYMPICS ARE COMING. The Olympics are coming...Bust out those crazy skating threads.

Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto perform their free dance routine at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Spokane, Wash.. The pair finished in second place.

(Photo: Heinz Kluetmeier/Sports Illustrated)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 4

EYE ON THE BALL. Clemson receiver Jacoby Ford pulls in a pass during North squad practice at the Senior Bowl NCAA college football game on Tuesday , Jan. 26, 2010 at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala.

TERPS ALONE AT THE TOP OF THE ACC

MARYLAND 81, MAIMI 59 – Don’t look now but Gary Williams and Greivis Vasquez and company are alone atop the ACC, riding a four-game winning streak, and headed for a poll near you.

The Terps made a huge impression on Miami coach Frank Haith on Tuesday night.

"There's no question they have the ability. The one thing about Maryland that I appreciate as a coach is that they play very well together as a team," Haith said. "They're a very cohesive unit right now. If they can keep that up, they very well could be one of the better teams in our league. There's no doubt about that."

Greivis Vasquez and Landon Milbourne (#1) each scored 16 points, and Maryland pounced on Miami at the outset. The Terrapins (14-5, 4-1) scored the game's first six points, increased the margin to 21 just before halftime and cruised to the finish.

Durand Scott scored 13 for the Hurricanes, who trailed by as many as 32 points in the second half.

To read more from the Baltimore Sun, click here.

THE TIGERS HAVE FALLEN AND THEY CAN’T GET UP

BOSTON COLLEGE 75, CLEMSON 69 – Sophomore Reggie Jackson scored 18 points, including six clutch free throws in the final minute, to lead Boston College over Clemson before 6,238 fans in Conte Forum.

Jackson, who shot 10-for-10 from the foul line in the contest, also led the Eagles with seven assists. Juniors Corey Raji (14 points) and Rakim Sanders (11 points - all in the first half) rounded out BC's list of double-figure scorers.

Boston College (12-9, 3-4 ACC) overcame a slow start to quickly assume control. Clemson (15-6, 3-4 ACC) led 8-3 four minutes into the game, before the host Eagles used a 19-2 run to gain a 22-10 lead with 8:52 left in the first half. In that rally, seven different BC players posted at least one point with Jackson and junior Joe Trapani leading the way with four points apiece.

To read more from the Boston Globe, click here.

TAR HEELS GET OFF THE MAT TO DEFEAT WOLFPACK

NORTH CAROLINA 77, N.C. STATE 63 – Deon Thompson scored 20 points and North Carolina ended its longest losing streak in six years by beating North Carolina State Tuesday night.

Larry Drew II scored 18 points for the Tar Heels (13-7, 2-3 ACC), who snapped their first three-game losing streak under coach Roy Williams. They also finally earned their first road win, something they desperately needed to do if they had any hopes of regrouping in the final month of the regular season.

Tracy Smith scored 20 points for the Wolfpack (13-8, 2-5), who couldn't follow up last week's upset of Duke with another win against a nearby rival.

To read more from the Raleigh News & Observer, click here.

T.A.H. POSTERBOY SCOTT RIDDLE GETS SHOT AT DUKE

Loyal readers of T.A.H. know that we have been closely following the career of record-setting Elon quarterback Scott Riddle via our popular series "The Riddle Report." Riddle’s clan is neighbors to T.A.H. Pop Culture Editor Young A.T.’s crew down in Ramseur, NC.

Now, we learn that David Cutcliffe has decided to stay in Durham and start the year by trying to rough up the 1AA Phoenix. (A little easier than butting heads with the likes of Alabama had Cutcliffe taken the UT gig.)

The Blue Devils will kickoff the 2010 season against Elon on Sept. 4 at Wallace Wade Stadium, Elon announced Tuesday.

T.A.H. may be tempted to cover the game live. Time will tell.

The Blue Devils are 1-1 in openers under Cutcliffe, beating James Madison in 2008 and losing to Richmond in 2009. It's the third straight season they will open with a Football Championship Subdivision opponent.

Riddle is the son of former Elon football honorable mention All-American Jimmy Riddle and former Elon cheerleading captain Cathy Riddle.

Riddle was a four year starter at quarterback throughout his high school career at Eastern Randolph High School where he threw for over 7,500 career yards. Riddle’s storied high school career was marked by a total of five Player of the Year awards, four all-county selections, three all-conferences and various other all-star recognitions.

Riddle, a junior, has been the starting quarterback for the Elon Phoenix since 2007. He holds six Elon records, 10 Southern Conference sing season records, four Southern Conference single game records and two NCAA records.

The full ACC schedule will not be released until early February.

FACEBOOK KILLED THE WAHOO YEARBOOK STAR

(Yes, The Buggles. Got that song stuck in your head now, don’tcha? If not, click on the link and be tortured the rest of the day…in a good way, of course.)

According to local sources (Cudpeppa Ike) and the Charlottesville newspaper, the University of Virginia’s yearbook has ceased publication after more than 120 years.

Corks and Curls, first published in 1888, ranks among UVa’s most longstanding traditions alongside the Honor System, singing of the “Good Old Song,” wearing neckties to football games, and waxing poetic about the Ralph Sampson era.

The yearbook was suspended after sales slipped over the past several years, said Michelle Burch, who was co-editor-in-chief of the 2009 edition that was never published. (How do you couch that on your resume?)

Folks close the Ye Ol’ Corks and Curls blame the mindset of the current college student and their addiction to electronics, technology and cyber social networking. Could just be the catchy name?

What next? Virginia Tech’s yearbook, The Bugle, was first published in 1895. The College of William & Mary’s Colonial Echo has been coming out since 1899. Harvard University’s was first published in 1889.

Yale holds the title for longest running, having first published the Banner in 1841.

To read more, click here.

JIMMY BUFFETT NO LONGER SPONORS JOE ROBBIE PRO PLAYER DOLPHINS LAND SHARK STADIUM

Musician, entrepreneur and raconteur Jimmy Buffett is no longer in the stadium naming biz after his deal with Dophins' Stadium (where the Miami Hurricanes play their home games) expired on January 5, 2010 after the FedEx Orange Bowl.

So this week when you hear talk about the Super Bowl in Miami, it won’t include a Margaritaville vibe.

Dolphin Stadium has been renamed Sun Life Stadium as part of a deal that the Dolphins struck with a Canadian financial services firm, industry officials said Monday.

The five-year deal reportedly averages out to $7.5 million annually (that's a lot of lager).

To show how hip they are, Sun Life kicked off their announcement with a concert by KC and the Sunshine Band.

Shake, shake, shake
Shake, shake, shake
Shake your stadium
Shake your stadium

Nice, Sun Life, NICE!

THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO…

Hmmm…

White House gate crashers Tareq Salahi (l) and Michaele Salahi prepare to testify before the House Homeland Security Committee during a hearing on "The United States Secret Service and Presidential Protection: An Examination of a System Failure" January 20, 2010 in Washington, DC.

The Salahis pleaded the 5th Amendment and refused to answer questions from committee members about their attendance of a November 21, 2009 state dinner at the White House.

(Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images North America)

T.A.H WEATHER CENTRAL

Here’s a new feature bringing you information you really need to know to plan your life properly. Even without a Super Turbo-Doppler Viking 12000 Radar, courtesy of iPhone, we want you to know where to go and where not to go.

At time of publication:

T.A.H. Worldwide Media Headquarters – WARRENTON, VA – 36 degrees
MIAMI – 63 degrees
GREENSBORO – 36 degrees
PAPEETE (pictured) – 79 degrees
MOSCOW – Minus 2 degrees
NEW ORLEANS – 50 degrees

You should be able to extrapolate all other pertinent info from there.

KEY: Red tones = Good, Blue tones = Bad, White = OK

PICTURE(S) OF THE DAY

FUNNY. State fans seated behind the UNC bench harass Ol’ Roy. Williams got the last laugh.

(Photos by Ethan Hyman/Raleigh News & Observer)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 2

UP AND OVER. N.C. State's Tracy Smith (23) shoots over the defense of UNC's Ed Davis (32).

(Photo by Ethan Hyman/Raleigh News & Observer)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 3

HMMM...The face, the tongue, the phallic looking balloon...what the heck is going on down in Raleigh?

(Photo by Ethan Hyman/Raleigh News & Observer)

FLORIDA STATE KNOCKS OFF NO. 19 GEORGIA TECH USING 'CLEMSON RULE'

The ‘Clemson Rule’ is simple.

After watching the Tigers in a few past seasons of late shoot free throws as if they were disoriented, thumb-less walk-ons, it became very clear that ACC teams have to make free throws to win tough regular season games – especially road games.

Hence, the 'Clemson Rule.'

Evidently, FSU's Solomon Alabi got the memo.

Alabi, who may be the best 7-foot-1 free throw shooter in the game, finished with 14 points and was perfect in six trips to the foul line for Florida State, (15-4, 3-2 ACC), which otherwise was just 10 of 21 from the free throw line. Alabi scored the Noles winning point from the charity stripe.

No. 19 Georgia Tech (14-5, 3-3) got its last lead on Iman Shumpert’s jump shot with 1:27 left, but after Alabi’s free throws, Brian Oliver missed a 3-point try and Gani Lawal and Shumpert both missed opportunities to tie the game for Georgia Tech.

Jordan DeMercy added a free throw in the closing seconds for the final margin.
The Seminoles won in spite of 4 of 19 shooting (21%) from behind the three-point line while the Jackets were missing 11 free throws.

To read more, click here.

PICTURE(S) OF THE DAY

WHO DAT? Kicker Garrett Hartley of the New Orleans Saints celebrates after kicking a 40-yard game-winning field goal (that looked like it would have been good from 60 yards) in overtime against the Minnesota Vikings during the NFC Championship Game at the Louisiana Superdome on January 24, 2010 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

(PhotoS by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

PICTURE OF DAY 2

ADIOS? Brett Favre of the Minnesota Vikingswalks off of the field after losing against the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Championship Game at the Louisiana Superdome on January 24, 2010 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

DUKE, GAME DAY, ESSO, ALL-DAY PARTY WEARS DOWN TIGERS

It would have been a lot to ask for Clemson and Tiger Nation to withstand a full-day of fun including a visit by ESPN’s game day and to be at their best for a 9 p.m. game against a Duke team jonesing for revenge after a 40+ point beatdown on the same court last season.

That loss was the low point of the Blue Devils season last year, and this 60-47 win is one of their highpoints so far this year. Nolan Smith scored 22 points and No. 7 Duke wiped out the ugly memory from last season with a fairly easy victory over No. 17 Clemson on Saturday night.

Smith (pictured) had 9 points during a 14-2 second half run that put Duke ahead 43-30 with 12:33 left. Clemson could not get closer than 6 points the rest of the way.

Trevor Booker led the Tigers (15-5, 3-3) with 22 points.

The Devils’ defense was tenacious as they held Clemson to their fewest points at home since a 52-47 loss to Maryland on Jan. 25, 2003. Booker got little help from his teammates - while Clemson's star made 10 of 14 shots, the rest of the Tigers were just 8 of 34.

At some point in the game, Dick Vitale referred to Clemson’s Littlejohn Coliseum as “The John.” He corrected himself, but the slip of the tongue was telling…

To read more, click here.

GARY “SPEED STICK” WILLIAMS WINS #1,000

Along with a National Championship, add 1,000 games coached to Maryland’s Gary Williams’ resume. The Terps notched the victory at home against an ACC foe whipping N.C. State 88-64 Saturday night.

The Terrapins didn't even make Williams sweat – a near impossibility – as Greivis Vasquez scored 17 of his 19 points in the second half and Landon Milbourne put up 18 in route to Maryland’s most lopsided victory of the season.

Williams' latest victory at his alma mater, combined with Virginia's loss at Wake Forest, lifted the Terrapins (13-5, 3-1) into a tie atop the ACC standings.

To read more, click here.

SATURDAY ACC HOOPS

VIRGINIA TECH 63, BOSTON COLLEGE 62 – Dorenzo Hudson made a lay-up with five seconds left and the Hokies came up with a defensive stand on the final possession to outlast Boston College Saturday afternoon at Cassell Coliseum.

Boston College took a 62-59 lead on two free throws by Reggie Jackson with 29.4 seconds left, but the Hokies cut the lead to one on two free throws by Malcolm Delaney with 22.8 seconds remaining.

The Hokies then trapped BC’s Biko Paris and Jeff Allen forced a jump ball, with the possession arrow pointed the Hokies’ way. Following a timeout, Tech worked the ball inside to Victor Davila, who went up for a shot, but was stripped. Hudson grabbed the loose ball and laid it in with five seconds to go.

Jackson led BC with 15 points, hitting 6-of-7 from the floor. Three players scored 10 points for the Eagles – Corey Raji, Rakim Sanders and Dallas Elmore. BC shot 55 percent from the floor – the best by a Tech opponent this season. But the Eagles turned the ball over 20 times.

To read more, click here.

WAKE FOREST 69, UVAJPJA (University of Virginia at John Paul Jones Arena) 57 – The still-tied-for-first-place Wahoos tried their magic on the road, but the Deacons were too much.

Ishmael Smith scored 21 points and Wake Forest jumped on Virginia early, taking a 19-point halftime lead and an eventual 12 point win at Joel Coliseum in Winton-Salem. The Deacons led the entire game, with the Cavaliers never getting within single-digits in the second half.

In addition to his 21 points on 7-of-10 shooting, Smith pulled down seven rebounds and dished out six assists. Al-Farouq Aminu posted his ACC-leading 13th double-double of the year with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Chas McFarland also had a strong performance with 16 points, 12 of those coming in the first half, to go with six rebounds.

Sylven Landesberg led Virginia with 18 points before fouling out with two minutes left in the game.

To read more, click here.

PICTURE OF THE DAY

DEACON DANCE. Noel Shepherd, also known as Naz-T Deac (center), dances with Josh Golden, 13 (l) and Olivia Swanson, 11 (r) during the game between Wake Forest and Virginia.

(Photo by Lauren Carroll/Winston-Salem Journal)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 2

OLYMPIC PREP. U.S. overall World Cup leader Lindsey Vonn clears a gate during the first run of the women's Giant Slalom race in Cortina d'Ampezzo on January 24, 2010.

(Photo by Vincenzo Pinto/AFP/Getty Images)