Grassroots Sports Reporter

Finding respect in a not-so-respected sport

2009-03-25T21:42:00.007-04:00

What could be worse than pouring your heart, soul and body into something you love, only to have people mock your endeavor?

On top of that, having some of the closest people in your life simply not understand your passion.

I'm not sure how many people could handle this, but for up-and-coming mixed martial arts fighter Emily Dubas it is what it is.

"I get mixed reviews," Emily told me tonight, just days after winning her first match. "I mean like at the fight, my friends who came... one of them was shouting and he was like, 'Rip her head off,' [jokingly]. And then the people behind them were like, 'Rip her shirt off.'"

Emily realizes that the latter comment sums up the way the recreational fan is going to look at her, but she claims it doesn't even faze her.

"It's just one of those things," she said of people looking at it as just girl-on-girl action. "There's gonna be people who are gonna say it. They obviously aren't in the sport and don't understand what you go through and everything like that, so it doesn't even bother me."

Like any good fighter, Emily has the ability to drown out any surrounding distractions while she's in the cage or training at the Mixed Martial Arts Institute in Harrisonburg.

After only about six months of training in Tae Kwon Do and a variety of other disciplines, the 20-year-old sophomore at James Madison University was able to forget about the naysayers and dominate in her debut against Mary Scott.

Scott, a sophomore at Christopher Newport University, definitely looked the part. She packed on at least 10 more pounds than Dubas — and let me say, it was definitely muscle.

Emily entered the cage with her hair loosely tied back — a stark contrast to Mary's tightly woven corn rows. (Somehow I knew that her ponytail was going to come undone; luckily for her, by the time it did, she was in firm control).

Consider me part of the problem. I honestly didn't think Emily had a chance when they first touched gloves. How wrong was I!

After taking a couple punches to the head, Emily woke up and dominated through the last 2 1/2 rounds. Credit Mary for hanging tough as her nose bled profusely, while right jab after right jab connected cleanly. The Tae Kwon do came into play in the second round when Emily cracked her right foot squarely against Mary's jaw.

They call it Martial Arts for a reason. It's about mastering technique and being able to channel aggression and strength through that technique.

The lankier-looking Emily managed to keep her technique despite never being in the cage before. Mary admitted losing control.

"Any person in their first fight will say your nerves get to you, you get excited and technique's out the door and you just wanna brawl and that's what I did," Mary said.

Brawling is probably the last word people who love the sport, would like associated with it. Emily's parents haven't come around to the idea and her father Larry declined to comment on his daughter's fighting.

"They still don't really like the whole idea, but they said that they were proud and everything," Emily said. "They just don't really like violence or hitting or anything."

Consider convincing her parents just one of a number of obstacles that accompany a female in mixed martial arts.

Emily has already overcome her first fight, as well as gained the respect of the rest of her gym, where she is the only consistently attending female.

She said she prefers training with the guys because it's more challenging and that when new girls show up, it almost seems to easy.

"It's kind of hard," she said,"when you go to a gym full of guys, you have to prove yourself to them and show that you can do everything that they can do.

"... They'll try to like baby you and be like, 'We'll you can do girl push-ups if you want,' or something like that, but like no I'm gonna do the regular push-ups like everyone else."

Two obstacles down, many more to go. But as is the sport of mixed martial arts.

Unexpected... yet expected with No. 7

2009-03-16T18:42:00.006-04:00

Custodians and star athletes aren't exactly synonymous.

Today, star athletes are known as much for their off-field antics and complaining as they are for the behind-the-scenes hard work they put in.

Custodians are probably just as visible in our daily lives but we often just pass by them without the appreciative "Thank You," or a warming "Hello."

The two became one Friday night at the James Madison University Convocation Center.

Rodney Landers, the Dukes' record-shattering dual-threat quarterback of the past two years and soon-to-be graduate, was humbly sweeping the lower level stands at close to 11 p.m.

Landers could be seen on press row at most men's and women's home basketball games this season as he was working on a practicum for his sport management major. He helped with media streaming and keeping track of play-by-play.

But when his practicum duties were done on Friday, after the women's team beat Northeastern in the quarterfinals, he quietly picked up a broom and started helping the Convo's custodial staff — a responsibility often reserved for students needing community service after earning a strike or some other reprimand.

Landers wasn't in trouble though.

That's just the type of guy he is.

Repeatedly, a manager of the clean-up crew thanked Landers for sticking around and being so selfless. He politely said "your welcome" and "no problem."

He should be used to saying "your welcome" after JMU's superfans had plenty of gratitude to show after two years of dominating football the NFL hopeful played.

It's moments like this that you'd wish more athletes could be seen participating in. At the same time it's nice that only a few people will likely read this because it seems like few would really appreciate it.

Hopefully, this week, scouts will embrace his character, as much as his athletic ability, when he puts in more thankless work during JMU's Pro Day.

It's Been Way Too Long

2009-03-11T13:20:00.003-04:00

It's hard to believe my last blog entry was over a year ago at the CAA basketball tournament. I guess it took me going back to the Richmond Coliseum to remind me how much I like blogging.

Matt McGovern and I had a blast covering the tournament and decided to stay through the championship game before we knew JMU would be ousted on Saturday. Blogging throughout almost every game and talking to various coaching staffs was quite rewarding, despite the fact that we knew nobody was reading.

The Tourney
The tournament saw its championship played out on Sunday in the first semifinal game between Virginia Commonwealth and Old Dominion. The rivalry saw VCU pull away for a 61-53 win that trumped the competitiveness of the Monday's final with George Mason.

VCU guard Eric Maynor was ridiculous all tournament and made sure that sophomore forward Larry Sanders got involved early and often. Sanders took down two tournament records and tied a third — all of which were held by future Hall of Famer David Robinson.

Sanders scored 18 points, ripped down 20 rebounds and blocked seven shots. The 20 rebounds in a game nudged Robinson and three others, and his 40 rebounds for the tournament beat Robinson's mark of 39.

Maynor scored 25 points to go with eight assists. A ninth assist would have come on a lob to Sanders, but an offensive foul negated the powerful slam.

Non-basketball highlights from the tournament included meeting a number of accomplished columnists throughout the state (including Dave Fairbank and Paul Woody) and story time with JMU play-by-play announcer Mike Schikman.

I'm hoping to make this a daily thing again and probably more frequent than that.

Keep in touch and let me know if you'd like to get an e-mail whenever I blog.

William & Mary??????

2008-03-09T17:45:00.002-04:00

RICHMOND — Wow! The William & Mary Tribe in the CAA championship?

Yeah they were the No. 5 team in the tournament and crazier things have happened in March, but this is truly memorable stuff.

Not only has the Tribe never won the CAA tournament in 22 years, but it's never even played in the title game.

After winning the tournament last year and beating Duke in the first round of the NCAA tournament, it seemed a foregone conclusion that VCU would repeat after going 22-6 in the regular season. Well at least I was pretty sure they'd be playing tomorrow night on ESPN.

But the Rams will now have to wait it out and see if the committee thinks they're worthy enough for an at-large bid. Non-conference wins over Maryland, Houston and Bradley might help, but a semifinal loss to No. 161 W&M in the RPI — who is 0-5 against the top 100 — could dash any hopes and send them to the NIT.

And it all might be because of the clutch play of W&M senior forward Laimas Kisielius. The 6-foot-8 Lithuanian native, who made only third-team All-CAA, played like a first-teamer with his game-high 23 points including the game-winner on a runner with three seconds left in the game.

Sophomore Danny Sumner chipped in 19 points for CAA Head Coach of the Year, Tony Shaver, and gave VCU's Eric Maynor, the conference player of the year, some of the toughest defense he could handle.

Maynor finished with a team-high 16 points including four 3-pointers, but was unable to get his hands on the ball for the game's last shot.

The Tribe will try to continue its impressive run with a fourth win in as many games tomorrow night against the winner of George Mason and UNC-Wilmington. At halftime Mason leads UNCW 31-25.

Northeastern 73, JMU 55

2008-03-08T00:38:00.001-05:00

For final analysis of the game and JMU basketball check out my article and Matt McGovern's at thebreeze.org.

LIVE:In Game- JMU 25, NU 38 at Half

2008-03-07T21:23:00.002-05:00

Northeastern is shooting 54 percent through the first 20 minutes to JMU's 39. Juwann James has seven and Terrence Carter and Abdulai Jalloh each have six, but no Duke has established himself as a clear threat to the Huskies' zone or man-to-man pressure.

NU's Manny Adako leads all scorers with 12 points with his 5-for-8 shooting from the field. Eugene Spates has also provided a spark of the bench for NU with two 3-pointers.

Like much of the season JMU has struggled to defend the perimeter. Both teams reached the bonus as James has picked up three fouls and four other Dukes have two. Adako and fellow post player Chris Alvarez have two for the Huskies.

JMU needs to create a turnover frenzy in the next 10 minutes to make this a capable ball game down the stretch.

LIVE: In Game Blog- CAA First Round No. 7 Delaware vs. No. 10 Drexel. Final.

2008-03-07T20:14:00.004-05:00

Delaware 60, Drexel 51

In the end it was junior forward Jim Ledsome that made the difference on both ends of the floor for the Hens.

With 31 seconds left and Delaware only holding on to a three-point lead, the Dragons went to their star player Frank Elegar in the post. The big man's turn-around was blocked cleaning by Ledsome. Ledsome then converted a three-point play on a flagrant foul after Tramayne Hawthorne missed a 3-pointer -- Drexel's last shot.

Delaware will play No. 2 UNC-Wilmington in the quarterfinals.

In the day's previous two games, No. 5 seed William & Mary held seed over No. 12 Georgia State with a last second shot by the Tribe's David Schneider.

The sophomore hit a pull-up jumper from the top of the key with 1.5 seconds remaining. The 3-pointer gave W&M a 58-57 victory and quarterfinal matchup with No. 4 Old Dominion.

No. 9 Towson started the day with an 81-66 win over No. 8 Hofstra. The Tigers had to hold off a late rally by The Pride and senior Antoine Agudio. The first-team All-CAA selection scored 27 points in his collegiate finale.

Towson junior Tony Durant provided much-needed energy for the Tigers and finished 20 points just two behind team leader Josh Thornton's 22. Towson will play the No. 1 seed VCU in the quarters.

LIVE: In Game Blog- CAA First Round No. 7 Delaware vs. No. 10 Drexel.

2008-03-07T19:17:00.002-05:00

Approaching the midway point in the second half, Delaware has begun to open it up with defensive adjustments.

Early in the half the Hens went to a 2-3 zone that enabled them to double down on Elegar more and really disrupt the rhythm he attained in the first half. Drexel has tried to counter with high-low post looks to draw Delaware's second post defender out of the baseline.

At the 12:50 mark he took a breather with only one point in the half.

Delaware's Herb Courtney has also started asserting himself on the low block and has eight points in the second half.

At the under 12:00 media timeout Delaware leads the Dragons 43-33.

LIVE: In Game Blog- CAA First Round No. 7 Delaware vs. No. 10 Drexel. Halftime.

2008-03-07T18:30:00.002-05:00

Delaware has scrapped its way to a 28-25 advantage through the first 20 minutes of its first round game with Drexel.

The Blue Hens are led by freshman guard Alphonso Dawson's team-high 10 points. It was junior guard Marc Egerson that gave the Hens the spark at the end of the half scoring all six of his points in the final seven minutes.

Senior Frank Elegar of Drexel leads all scorers with 13 points on 5-for-6 shooting. Elegar has made three of his five free-throw attempts, but the Dragons have made just 6-of-14 as a team. Delaware has managed to shoot only four from the stripe and will need to get Elegar and the Dragons in foul trouble if this game stays close.

LIVE: In Game Blog- CAA First Round No. 7 Delaware vs. No. 10 Drexel

2008-03-07T18:12:00.001-05:00

The headline name in the third matchup of the day is second-team All-CAA selection Frank Elegar. The 6-foot-9 senior center is leading the 12-19 Dragons with eight points as Drexel leads 15-14 with over 10 minutes remaining in the first half.

Elegar provides a tough draw for Delaware forwards Herb Courtney and Jim Ledsome because of his height as well as his athleticism. The two teams split wins in the two previous Colonial Athletic Association meetings this season, with the Blue Hens winning on the road by four and the Dragons also winning on the road by two.

The game is a physical man-to-man battle at this point but Delaware could be in trouble if they don't get Elegar off the block.

What is Snyder Doing?

2008-02-08T10:39:00.002-05:00

At this point in the Redskins search for a new coach, I think it's fair to speak for Redskins fans and say that this is ridiculous.

I'm still confused at why they couldn't hold onto Gregg Williams and promote him to head coach. For some reason he and Daniel Snyder must not have gotten along, but without knowing specifics I'd have to just side with Williams.

If Snyder knew anything about football or even team continuity — and apparently after nine years he still doesn't — he would have known that after a roller coaster season like that it may have been to stay in-house.

But no he didn't even make a concerted effort to keep Williams around at all. Instead the Redskins fired the defensive coordinator who helped Gibbs lead a team to the playoffs after the slaying of undoubtedly the best player on the defensive side of the ball, Sean Taylor.

I can't imagine how irate some of the veteran players on this ball club are. They had a lot going for them with that late run to make the playoffs. Gibbs made a decision that you can't disrespect. He was getting up there in years and his grandson has leukemia.

But Gregg Williams built this defense into one of the best in the league. Before Sean Taylor's death the Redskins defense was playing nasty and giving every team all it could handle, minus the Patriots' blowout.

At this point it seems like the Skins are gonna just have to settle because Giants' defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has turned down the offer and resigned with New York. I cant imagine having Jim Fassel on board it just reminds me of having an old stiff like Marty Schottenheimer and that didn't work out.

It's apparent that they are just looking for a figure head considering the two coordinator's are already in place, so Steve Mariucci wouldn't be awful. He brings a lot of energy but has been out of the league for awhile now. Ron Meeks is the other name being thrown around and I do like that he is a defensive mind and one who really turned the Indy D into Super Bowl caliber. Pete Carroll has been mentioned but he's got it made at USC and could still win a few more national championships with that program.

Whoever it is gonna be, Snyder needs to hurry up and stop jerking around his players and fans.

What is Snyder Doing?

2008-02-08T10:39:00.001-05:00

Mason In the Headlines Again

2008-01-20T14:40:00.000-05:00

If you saw the highlights last night of a little George Mason point guard wearing the number 1, you may have thought back to Tony Skinn.

Skinn was Mason's floor-general during the Final Four run two years ago, but it was his successor, Dre Smith, who captivated the JMU Convocation Center Saturday night.

Smith became the only player in NCAA history to connect on all ten of his three-point attempts. No matter who was one him of what defense JMU was in, Smith was able to elevate over everybody to release his bombs.

Eight of the triples came in the second half en route to his career high 34 points. JMU had to also worry about Mason senior forward Will Thomas, arguably the best post player in the league leaving the arc open somewhere all night.

Smith began a 16-2 Mason run to begin the game with his first three coming from NBA range. Later in the game the 6-foot guard pulled up closer to half-court than the three-point line. The Dukes were helpless as they tried to dig out of the early hole.

JMU managed to cut the lead to seven with less than seven minutes in the game, but Smith continued to shoot and continue to not miss.

He will probably never do that again, but it appears that Mason might be more dangerous than 14-5 record may indicate.

Washington Owes A Lot to Joe, Good Luck Coach

2008-01-08T10:31:00.000-05:00

Much to my dismay Washington Redskins head coach Joe Gibbs is scheduled to officially announce his resignation later today.

It is gonna be hard to see him go especially after the job he did this season holding the team together. It's really unfathomable what he and all the Skins went through this year with Sean Taylor's murder. Gibbs led the way he always had though, with integrity.

Obviously bogged down by the emotions of that tragic week, he made a key error in calling two consecutive time-outs against Buffalo. But he took full responsibility for the mistake and refocused himself and the team to run off four straight wins to make the playoffs.

More people will remember him as the Redskins coach of the eighties and late-nineties, but some of us younger folk will remember the courage he had to come back after already being inducted in Canton. He stuck it out for four injury plagued years and one last tumultuous season.

I'll always remember the fortitude he instilled in the young players especially the ones he drafted like Sean Taylor. Nobody else could have brought the excitement and swagger back to D.C. like he did. I'll also always remember going to training camp each summer and seeing him and Joe Bugle really push the offense to get better.

His teams always played hard and respected the man. How could you not? The devout Christian was known as a coach who elected not to use curse words but instead be a model citizen for his young, impressionable team.

Nobody can really fault Joe for the decision. Joe is 67 years-old now and suffers from diabetes. He also has a two year-old grandson who was diagnosed with Leukemia in January. It's clear he wants to be with his family and he should be. Good Luck Joe Gibbs and thoughts and prayers are with you, your family and of course little 2 year-old Taylor.

Chris Bosh's College Recruiter Weighs In

2008-01-03T17:29:00.000-05:00

After seeing Chris Bosh's video campaigning for votes to the NBA All-Star game and laughing almost hysterically, I quickly remembered that he went to Georgia Tech.

That meant that JMU basketball coach Dean Keener probably coached him a few years back. This worked out nicely because I'm pretty bored here in Harrisonburg considering few of my fellow students have returned from break.

So I moseyed around Keener's practice today waiting for him so that I could get his impression of Bosh's video.

Keener was actually the top recruiter of the now Toronto Raptors' starting forward and had just heard about the video today.

"Was there something on SportsCenter last night?" Keener asked. "Somebody sent me an email today, but I couldn't pull it up."

I then explained to him the video and he smiled remembering the easy-going Bosh.

"It doesn't surprise me that he would dress up and look funny and act funny," Keener added. "He's still very much a kid at heart.

"Any opportunity we get to talk, he'll return my call. He's just a really good person. He was really easy to talk to even as a 17-year old he'd be engaging on the phone, whereas a lot of kids especially All-Americans think...that you owe them something like 'Why are you calling me.' He was great. He was always on time. During recruitment he would always return calls. He made recruiting fun."

Keener added that he would give Bosh his vote regardless and believes that he's among the top 10-12 players in the league.

JMU Shocks VCU, Move to Top off CAA

2008-01-03T12:37:00.000-05:00

It’s got to be hard for the JMU faithful to believe Wednesday’s 62-61 win over VCU at the Convocation Center.

The Dukes not only won at the buzzer on a Juwann James lay-up, but led at halftime and had to overcome four separate second-half deficits.

These kind of feats against a Colonial Athletic Association team wouldn’t have been imaginable a year ago, or two years ago, or maybe three, four, five, six and seven years ago.

At 9-3 overall and 2-0 in the CAA, JMU has won half as many games as Coach Dean Keener won in his first three years at the helm. Oh and if you don’t think Keener knows it think again.

Following the roller coaster, back-and-forth game that saw 11 lead changes and nine tied scores, Keener rejoiced.

The referees quickly convened at mid-court in front of the scorer’s table and agreed that the bucket was scored in time. Keener, in a sense, made it official for the 2,997 in attendance when he pumped both fists in the air, following the discussion.

Keener then grabbed the public address microphone, pleading with the fans to bring someone else with them on Jan. 12 when Madison returns home to face UNC-Wilmington.

“I kind of had it in my mind that if we won the game I had to talk to the fans,” Keener said. “One of the biggest things is protecting home court. And one of the things I’ve instilled in the guys is to make the Convo a tough place to play.”

The fans buying in, is a matter of time and inevitable if the wins keep coming. The team can also take consolation knowing that the game was played during the mid-semester break.

But more important to the fans buying in, is the fact that it seems like the players have finally bought into this coaching staff and more importantly to each other.

The last minute of the game was just a microcosm of a tough battle between the conference foes, but a magnification rather of how much faith Keener’s recruits have in each other.

The newfound faith continued to grow with 58 second remaining in the contest when team leader, but notoriously shaky free-throw shooter Juwann James stepped to the line.

James didn’t even have two guaranteed shots as JMU was still in the one-and-one bonus. But he confidently stepped to the line swishing the front-end and just as smoothly stroking the back-end.

VCU junior Eric Maynor — who made a name for himself by leading the Rams over Duke in the first round of the 2007 NCAA tournament — answered James with a clutch time-out call.

After missing a runner, Maynor’s shot was tipped around until it came back to him as he was falling backwards. The conference’s preseason player of the year, signaled for time-out as he fell, retaining possession for the Rams. The offensive rebound also turned the shot clock off with 27 seconds left.

Following the time-out the Dukes got the ball out of Maynor’s hands, but VCU senior guard Jamal Shuler stepped up, hitting a runner with 10 seconds remaining.

JMU called time-out and set up its final shot which one could have assumed to be junior guard Abdulai Jalloh’s. Jalloh led the Dukes with 17 points, but Keener wisely used the explosive scorer as a decoy.

Sophomore guard Pierre Curtis instead took a screen at the top of the key from senior forward Terrence Carter and spun through the lane. Curtis could have gone up with his patented floater — that beat VMI last year at the buzzer — but instead found James cutting down the baseline. VCU freshmen forward Larry Sanders had little choice but to step in on the driving Curtis thus leaving James uncontested.

A year ago Curtis, or any other player on the team for that matter, may have elected to keep the ball and overlook the cutting teammate.

“It was a great move by Pierre and we just had to make an extra pass,” James said.

Conversely, Curtis was confident laying it off to his older roommate.

“At the last second I saw Juwann and dished off knowing he could finish it,” Curtis said.

That extra-selfless pass gave JMU the win and put it on the CAA map. The Dukes are now tied atop the league with Delaware and Old Dominion. That’s the former bottom-feeder of the Colonial is now ahead of the conference darlings of the last two years, VCU and George Mason.

And although there are 16 conference games remaining, it’s hard to overlook what the 2007-2008 Dukes have accomplished thus far.

Skins make Playoffs with 21-point win over Dallas

2007-12-30T23:17:00.002-05:00

Unfortunately I wasn't able to cover this monumental game for the Washington Redskins, but the Associated Press was and so I will admit that their article on espn.com clued me in on the score.

27-6. The Redskins not only dominated the Cowboys (yes I know, a not-so-motivated Dallas team, having already clinched the NFC 1 seed) but they did it by the same margin as the number worn by their slain teammate Sean Taylor.

This is special stuff. If you are a Redskins fan you were probably aware of some of the accomplishments that Dallas looked forward to in this game, regardless of a win or loss. The AP article highlighted how well Washington played on both sides of the ball to ruin any possible icing on Dallas's cake.

"The Cowboys (13-3), who will have a bye next week, tried to muster any motivation they could find, but almost none of their goals were realized. They had hoped to win a 14th regular-season game for the first time in franchise history. Jason Witten caught only two passes, falling four short of becoming the second tight end to get 100 in a season. Receiver Terry Glenn, active for the first time all season, failed to catch a pass.

Marion Barber not only finished 25 yards shy of his first 1,000-yard season, but Barber (minus-6 yards) and Julius Jones (7) combined for 1 yard -- setting a new franchise record for rushing futility. The Cowboys defense allowed a 100-yard rusher for the first time this season. The offense went 0-for-11 converting third downs, and Dallas lost its season finale for the eighth straight year."

Stifling defense might be the best way to sum that all up. The Redskins truly went our there the last four games and played the way Sean Taylor always did — with a purpose and a passion like each game was his last.

Unfortunately Sean is gone and has played his last, but the Seattle Seahawks and the rest of the NFL playoff teams better believe the Redskins don't want to play their last one of the season anytime soon.

Sean continues to be a source of inspiration for this team whether it is the No. 21 towels, his name hanging in the Ring, the No. 21 on the jerseys and helmets or an autographed photo written by an unknowing soon-to-be victim of senseless murder.

Sorry Seattle but it just doesn't look too good for you. Todd Collins and coach Joe Gibbs have revitalized this team with their play and motivation, respectively, and aside from the 16-0 Patriots, Washington has the hottest team in the league.

Oh and the autograph Taylor once signed has three words that will be echoing throughout the game next week as Washington looks to take care of business: WE WANT DALLAS!

Skins make Playoffs with 21-point win over Dallas

2007-12-30T23:17:00.001-05:00

Slackin' for a Reason

2007-12-29T00:08:00.000-05:00

I'll get back to this thing once I'm done being the statistician at the Chantilly tournament I work. And in case you were wondering, no the field is not good this year. There have been some incredibly boring games and we still have 7 more tomorrow.

Tomorrow's championship games feature both Chantilly teams. The girls will probably lose to a much more disciplined and better-coached Georgetown Visitation team and the guys shouldn't have too much trouble beating Landon.

Get ready for some Skins' action because this Dallas game is huge and although I wasn't granted press credentials for this one i'll be dissecting it closely.

Be Smart and Stay With Collins

2007-12-24T17:12:00.000-05:00

With yesterday's convincing win over Minnesota at the Metrodome, Washington is now in the driver seat.

A win Sunday against the Cowboys puts the Redskins in the playoffs with the sixth and final spot in the NFC and they have a patient backup quarterback to thank for it.

Todd Collins has led a once emotionally-drained football team to where even Jason Campbell may not have. Since Campbell's gruesome-looking knee injury against the Bears, Collins has put the Redskins offense on his back and pulled out three straight impressive victories.

And it's not like he's just been handing it off. When facing three solid defenses with impressive front-fours, coach Joe Gibbs needed his quarterback to be able to make plays through the air.

Collins has done just that. Last night's performance may have been the most impressive; 22-of-29 for 254 yards and two touchdowns. But in the last about two and one half games Collins has four touchdowns and a huge ZERO interceptions. A completion percentage above 60 has also helped Collins reach a passer rating of 107.

So now all of the talk has started about whether or not you stick with Collins if Campbell practices and is healthy. The answer is yes you stick with him because he is the guy who has helped turn things around and he has the hot hand. It's that simple.

Is Collins a better athlete and the future of the team? No, of course not Campbell is. But the Skins can't worry about the future right now they need to ride Collins' solid play as long as they can. That might mean that Campbell gets back in during the playoffs but for all the people who say you cant lose your job to injury, you're wrong.

Hopefully Gibbs — who has a tendency to be conservative — wont just go back to Campbell because it's convenient. He and the coaching staff have made some big mistakes this year, but have helped make up for it over the last few weeks. They're playing loose and making big plays, like Portis' halfback option pass to Randel-el.

Let Collins keep throwing it deep up the sidelines and let Portis and Betts do the majority of the work through the middle of the field. With the Cowboys nursing injuries this simple formula should work for Collins and the offense.

Oh and the Defense. Not too much to worry about there. They've been doing their thing all year and will continue to do just that.

Important Reminder During Christmas Season

2007-12-24T01:09:00.000-05:00

I'll get to my Redskin blogging tomorrow, I'm still pumped and soaking it in. Plus we have one more game to handle so no getting too far ahead.

But I was forwarded this great video and I want to share it with you. Just remember that whether or not you support the cause our soldiers fight for, you need to support them and let them know we are always there for them.

God Bless the U.S.A., Merry Christmas and enjoy.

Check Out My JMU Posts on SportingNews.com

2007-12-22T12:56:00.000-05:00

Check out my JMU basketball blogs at the campus watch section of the sportingnews.com.

Today I will be listening to the Dukes over the radio and will likely do a blog at halftime and following the game. When live at the Convocation Center I will usually only do a postgame blog because there is no internet connection there.

Click the link above and check out my college blog along with many others across the country.

Sean Taylor: Rightfully Honored

2007-12-19T00:56:00.000-05:00

I cant really say that I thought it was a possibility, when I saw a facebook group lobbying for Sean Taylor's vote in the Pro Bowl.

Obviously they left his name on the ballot, but I just wasn't sure people would be compassionate enough to understand that he truly deserved it.

And I'm not just saying it because I'm a big Skins fan or because he died and I think it is a nice gesture. At the time of his injury two weeks prior to the tragic murder, Sean was leading the league in interceptions with five.

The interceptions were a product of his improvement in coverage which was a testament to his overall maturation as a man. The story has been told over and over, but I think it's important that people know he was turning his life around.

Defensive coordinator Greg Williams along with Jason Campbell and other players have spoke of Sean being that guy who was the first in and the last to leave. That kind of commitment gets you numbers like 46 tackles (34 solo), 1 forced fumble, 5 interceptions for 96 yards and 9 other pass deflections through about 8.5 games.

His numbers along with a ever-menacing presence to opposing wide receivers was surely going to place him in his second consecutive Pro-Bowl. Thankfully the fans, players and coaches see it like I do and have voted Sean to the starting safety position where he should be this February.

Not having you still here with us Sean is awful, but I'm glad we can remember you with this gesture and continue remembering the good things that allow us to celebrate you instead of mourn.

Rest in Peace # 21.

Not Pretty, but Back at .500.

2007-12-16T23:48:00.000-05:00

With tonight's win the Skins are 7-7 and building some momentum for a run at the wild card.

The winds at Giants Stadium gusted, but Todd Collins — making his first start in over 10 years — guided the Redskins to the win.

Collins completed only 8 of 25 passes but a couple of key deep balls to Santana Moss set up scores for the Redskins. A 36-yard reception in the second quarter set up the game's first touchdown on Ladell Betts' first carry of the game. The 14-yard rush gave the Skins a 13-0 lead.

The Skins would eventually go up 22-3 before a touchdown pass from the Giants' Eli Manning to Kevin Boss cemented the 22-10 final. Brandon Jacobs had success for New York with 130 yards on 25 carries, but the Giants struggled to put points on the board.

Conversely, Redskins' running back Clinton Portis picked up 125 yards on 25 carries and gave the Redskins their other touchdown to go along with Shaun Suisham's three field goals. Suisham snuck some knuckle-balls through the uprights, going against swirling winds.

The Skins now finish off with Minnesota next Sunday night and Dallas at home on Dec. 30. With Tampa's win the NFC South is clinched, leaving only the two wild cards open in the NFC.

At 9-5 the Giants would be the first team in right now followed by Minnesota if they beat Chicago tomorrow. If not though the Vikings would be tied with the Skins and New Orleans at 7-7, bringing tie-breakers into play.

Assuming Washington won out and the Giants faltered against Buffalo and New England, the Skins could possibly win a tie-breaker there and get in with at least one of the wild cards.

Nothing is for certain yet, but I'll break it down further after tomorrow's Vikings and Bears contest.

Skins @ Giants: Halftime

2007-12-16T22:02:00.001-05:00

Win-or-go-home-time.

So far the Skins look like they want. The biggest thing right now is that they are putting points on the board despite the high winds.

In recent years they haven't been able to rely on all these field goals, but Shaun Suisham is getting it done like John Hall never could. Three field goals in the first half and Betts' ballsy touchdown run have the Skins ahead 16-3 in the Meadowlands.

They need to keep the ball on the ground. Portis has 16 carries for 88 yards and the skins are consistently getting in the redzone. Collins is struggling — 4 of 18 — but still has 105 yards and the wind is bothering Eli just as much. Lil Manning has only 51 yards and is 6 of 21.

I'd like to see the blocking backs, whether it is Betts, Sellers or Cooley to get in behind Stephon Heyer who's struggling with that monster D-Line of the Giants. But once that ball is past the line of scrimmage the Skins wide-receivers need to continue blocking down field cause a big play or two could put this one away.

Check back after the game.

Mitchell Report Fallout: Part 2

2007-12-16T13:37:00.001-05:00

The second point that Dan Patrick touched upon on was the media's role in this ordeal.

Patrick spoke about how he's lost many friends, in professional sports, because he had to tell it like it is. He then questioned whether the newly accused players, via the Mitchell Report, would be handled in a similar way as Barry Bonds.

Naturally I don't think they would because Bonds isn't a nice guy like a lot of the other guys named. But as a journalist I know that it's tough to tell it like it is sometimes. When I started covering JMU sports, I quickly realized that the athletes are your best friend when they are winning. You don't have a reason to write anything negative and they love seeing good things about them.

The same can be said about all of the baseball writers and reporters like Tim Kurkjian, Buster Olney and Steve Phillips of ESPN. These guys get to talk to the Major League players on an every day basis. And when players like Roger Clemens are still putting up great numbers in their twilight years — and are glad to talk about it — it's easy for the reporters to overlook the "truth" behind their "friends."

It is important that we hold these players to what they really are — cheaters. I'm not trying to be a complete skeptic and say everything in that report must be correct, but at the same time these players put themselves in their current positions. On the other hand the players shouldn't all be grouped together because some probably did a lot worse than others.

When listening to Kurkjian yesterday and his reaction to Pettitte's statement, I felt like he was missing the point to a certain extent. I agree with Kirkjian that using HGH for two days to get back to the team isn't that big of a deal, but the fact that Pettitte is a nice guy doesn't really matter.

Hearing the ESPN analyst say that reminded me of what Patrick was saying about reporting this responsibly. All of the players that are guilty of using steroids and HGH have been living a lie. Plenty of people think Roger Clemens is a nice guy, but are we going to treat him lightly after reading the Report and knowing that his career resurgence happened at the same time he began employing his trainer, Brian McNamee?

Clemens Still Silent

2007-12-16T12:27:00.000-05:00

First off, I must admit that I'm not a baseball fanatic like much of the country. But as a fan and writer of all sports this whole Mitchell Report drama stirs up a lot of questions even to the average baseball fan.

While listening to the Dan Patrick Show I was pleased to here the great radio head tell it like it is. One of his main points addressed the players — namely Roger Clemens — and the second addressed the media that is now bringing you the endless talk of the Major League Mess.

1. Throughout the show — intertwined with talk of Mike Vick's written apology — Patrick reiterated how much Roger Clemens needs to speak for himself. If you've been following the saga, you'd know that Clemens attorney is the only one has a said a word on his behalf. Clemens was mentioned on nine different pages of the Report for using HGH and steroids.

Yesterday Clemens best friend and training partner Andy Pettitte, who was also cited for use of HGH, made a statement admitting to the use of HGH to recover from injuries. Pettitte's admittance seemed sincere and I'm leaning towards believing him that he only did it for recovery reasons and not to gain an edge. But this statement really puts the pressure on the 7-time Cy Young award winner.

It is well-documented in the report that Clemens and Pettitte when playing together with the Yankees from 1999-2003 shared a trainer in Brian McNamee. McNamee told former Sen. Mitchell and his team that he injected both pitchers with HGH. Pettitte owned up to his part in that and now it's time for Clemens to do the same.

Seriously Roger, you have been one of the faces of baseball for a long time and don't you at least owe it to the fans? If not what about your family? Should either really have to sit through the speculation and watch you cower away from the truth?

You are caught and it's time to admit it. It is talked about all of the time and there is truth in the fact that Americans tend to be pretty forgiving people.

I know the careers and personas of Michael Vick and Clemens are quite different, but Vick's crime is a lot worse and he eventually owned up. But his was criminal and the truth wasn't as clear right away. Clemens on the other hand didn't kill any animals and he is pretty much seems guilty right now.

Salvage any respect left Clemens and apologize. You might have lost your chance at Cooperstown, but you might be able to still hold your head high and become a more honest person.

A Day to Remember

2007-12-02T23:08:00.000-05:00

To be honest I didn't know this rule in depth, I just figured you cant call for time out twice in a row. Well either way I painfully had to watch the Skins squander the game as i stood feet from a shocked Sean Springs.

But I wasn't even there to cover the football aspect of the game as much as the ceremony and atmosphere surrounding Sean Taylor. The loss kind of made it all worse.

I was about a minute away from running onto the field to see the joyous faces of my favorite team as they gained a bit of happiness in what will go down as the worst week in franchise history. But it wasn't meant to be.

In the locker room it was hard to tell if the level of dejection in the players body language was more from the loss or the loss of Taylor. I'd have to assume both.

Much of the talk surrounded Sean and how they were just glad that they could go out there and honor him. And honor them they did. Maybe not on the scoreboard so much but with their unending effort and relentless on defense; the same defense that started the game with 10 players, "allowing Sean to play one more down," according to London Fletcher and others.

I'd have to say the thing I'll remember most from the experience wasn't the talking to players in the locker room, or interviewing Bills G.M. and four-time Super Bowl coach Marv Levy, or getting my hands on one of the "21" towels, but just the simple four minute video that paid Sean Taylor tribute.

As a tear dropped down my cheek, it hit me harder than it had all week. Sean Taylor will never be in our presence again, but as fans, players and coaches we know we'll never forget him.

R.I.P Sean Taylor

Fittingly Gloomy Day

2007-12-02T09:17:00.001-05:00

It's about time to head over to the Metro station and then to Landover for the Skins game. This day is far different than the last game I went to.

In the wake of Sean Taylor's death there is a gloomy feel today and it's reflected in the rain-threatening clouds.

Last time I was amped to see Washington whoop up on the Lions and interview Gary Clark at the same time. I can't say I'm not excited for today, but it is sad considering the circumstances.

I have a feeling the feel in the stadium will pretty much reflect my current emotions; a mixture of sorrow and despair at the loss of Sean and an excitement that the Skins are going to rally an win for him.

Well I guess I'll just have to wait and see. If I can blog during halftime I'll get something up. If not check out my thoughts late tonight.

Chris Paul is a true Redskin: Sean deserves this one

2007-12-01T01:53:00.000-05:00

Humility and Composure of Pedro Taylor is Amazing

2007-12-01T00:40:00.000-05:00

R.I.P Sean Taylor #21

Can you imagine taking on the unbearable task of burying your child? Well I obviously don't have any yet, but I sure couldn't.

Pedro Taylor, the father of the late Sean Taylor, has no choice. After Sean was murdered Monday in a ridiculously senseless crime, the elder Taylor has dealt with a lot. And the way he has gone about it is nothing short of amazing.

Just a little over 24 hours after Sean passed, Pedro was on a plane with Jackie Garcia, Sean's girlfriend, to Ashburn, Virginia.

He met with the team Wednesday and spoke to a group of grown men, many twice his size, and gave them great words of courage.

According to a Redskins' press release Mr. Taylor told the team that Sean would want them to play and win the next five games and make the playoffs.

Wow. If that's not a rallying cry then what is? I don't think the guys are completely focused on football, but the fact of the matter is that they have a game to play Sunday. Pedro realized this and told it like Sean would have.

When ESPN's Pedro Gomez talked with Pedro Taylor on Friday, the Florida City police chief even had words of advice for society as a whole. He selflessly spoke of the problems of crime in the country as a whole — not just focusing on Sean's murder. He alluded to the fact that kids who commit crimes like this, are the kids that people didn't take the time to talk to or give a chance.

How many of us, in his shoes, would have just cursed the killers and let our emotions and instincts get the best?

Not this selfless father, though. Everyone can really use him as an example. Sean sure did, and that is why all you are hearing from the team is that he was a great teammate. A dedicated teammate who would stay after with offensive players in order to help them get better.

Not all of us can directly help the Taylor family, but we can do what Sean would do. Be there for the ones you love and care for, because you never know when they will no longer be amongst you.

On my way to the game this weekend, I'm definitely gonna stop by my parents and give them a hug. Especially my mom who may be taking on major surgery in the coming days. I'm gonna try to focus on the positive and not worry about it.

In the last year Sean really turned is life around, leaving only positive things to be said by the ones who were closest. It's amazing how much we can take from a person many ignorantly considered a "thug."

R.I.P Sean and thanks for being who you were and inspiring so many people.

Go Skins. Do it for 21.

Bittersweet Moment

2007-11-29T17:09:00.000-05:00

Rest In Peace Sean Taylor

I know I'm supposed to be an unbiased journalist, but anyone who knows me knows that I bleed burgundy and gold (hopefully I don't have to regret saying that).

On Tuesday I emailed Chris Helein the head of public relations for the Skins in hope of getting a press credential for the Breeze. Chris had hooked me up with credential for the Lions game, where Gary Clark (JMU '84) was inducted into the Ring of Fame. But I didn't know with the media circus surrounding Sean Taylor's death if I would get an opportunity to cover what is the worst instance in team history.

I was shocked when I was e-mailed back today to be notified of my press pass. I had to leave Harrison Hall where I was working on a project to catch my breath. "Am I really going to cover this event?" I thought to myself.

The thing is it isn't just a coverage opportunity. Sean Taylor is one of my favorite players of all time. I've been following the story since Monday afternoon and was really taken aback when I woke up Tuesday to the news.

How could someone be so sick to do this? Sean was close to being engaged and he had an 18-month old daughter. Every player who has spoken to the media has reiterated the maturity Sean has exhibited in the last year or so. Sure he has had legal troubles, but even that has been ballooned I feel. Until there is some correlation to the crime and Sean's past I wish people would be a little more respectful.

Yesterday I heard people around the office downplaying what they considered the "importance" of the incident. They argued that people die everyday and they don't get this coverage. Yes that is true, but Sean was a celebrity and is thus getting celebrity treatment. It isn't his fault that he busted his ass to get into the league and consequently the spotlight that he didn't ever really want. I have no problem with this story's coverage and do not feel like it has been overdone.

I will be covering my second game of the year, but wont be able to get quite the same experience. When my pass allowed me onto the field, I was able to see how hard Sean really hit and how athletic he really was. When I rushed the field with the press following the game, Sean actually brushed into me. Yeah he is just another human being, but I can't lie growing up a Skins fan it was really cool. I even saw Sean after the game in the locker room and this time around I wont get that.

Bittersweet definitely describes how I feel and how I'm sure I will on Sunday. But like Sean's father, Pedro, I will be pulling for the Redskins (just secretly in order to be a good journalist). Lets Go D.C.! We've done five in a row before, but this time it'll be for Sean.

Rest In Peace #21

2007-11-27T08:26:00.001-05:00

When I made my last blog last night I was really encouraged that Sean Taylor was gonna pull through.

I woke up this morning though to a sequence of text messages regarding a project I'm working on for the paper, but the last text regarded the situation.

"Sorry to hear about Taylor too."

I jumped out of bed, hoping my friend just meant he was sorry Taylor was hospitalized. Unfortunately the headline on the major media website was that Sean had passed.

I'm almost still at a loss for words. I'm angry and sad for his family, the team and most especially his 18-month old daughter. He was only 24!

This is being called a "tremendously sad and unnecessary event," by Sean's attorney. It's much more than that though.

I'm angry right now and can't understand what was going through the killers mind when he shot at Taylor. What could this guy possibly have to gain by killing another human being and making that person's fiance witness it.

Something is seriously wrong with society today and something needs to be done about gun violence.

For now though it is definitely time to remember the good Sean brought to the world. God Bless You Sean.

Sean is Responsive!

2007-11-26T20:40:00.000-05:00

Sean Taylor is being reported as responsive now. The best information I've been receiving is through the WashingtonPost. Redskins' beat writer Jason La Canfora is doing a great job tracking the story and is posting about two to three times an hour.

Check out the latest through the link above. It sounds much more encouraging, but who knows what life ahead for Sean will be like.

On a lighter note, remind us of your favorite Sean T hits by leaving a comment.

Pray for Sean Taylor

2007-11-26T18:23:00.000-05:00

Once again gun violence has put another human being in critical condition. This time it's my favorite Redskin player Sean Taylor.

All we can do right now is pray as the doctors in Miami try to do their best. If you hadn't heard, Sean was shot in his femoral artery around 1:45 this morning in his home in Miami. It is currently being called a home-invasion by the Miami-Dade police. He was back home recovering from a knee injury he suffered three weeks ago against Philly. His absence against Dallas was more than noticeable and we could have definitely used him yesterday.

Football aside this is tragic and all we can really do right now is pray that God sees Sean and his family through this.

I'm not really political and don't know a viable solution but something needs to be done in this country in regards to gun laws.

Does Matthews Help or Hurt His Players By Not Allowing Postgame Interviews

2007-11-25T18:46:00.000-05:00

I can't really say I was surprised yesterday when JMU coach Mickey Matthews closed his locker room and prevented members of the media from interviewing players, even though NCAA playoff rules say he has to. But is the coach hindering these young men in their maturation off the field?

It's not the fact that they lost a gut-wrenching battle. Matthews has pulled these shenanigans for the last half of the season. Even after big wins where quarterback Rodney Landers set school rushing records, Matthews didn't allow anyone to speak with the player. Following the loss to Delaware, in which redshirt-freshman running back Griff Yancey fumbled late in the game, Matthews didn't allow Yancey to speak for himself.

Yesterday it was redshirt-freshman Jamal Sullivan who coughed it up late and of course Sullivan wasn't made available to the media.

Although Matthews took responsibility for the loss and questionable play-calling in the fourth quarter, he should still let the players who played an integral part in the game speak for themselves.

Landers, who again didn't speak to the media, had a phenomenal performance sans one interception. The Dukes leading rusher and passer, amassed 253 total yards of offense. He ran 29 times for 129 yards and completed 10-of-15 passes for 124 yards. He also completed a huge 35-yard pass to Bosco Williams in the final minute of the game to set up what should have been the game-winning drive. He did all of this with an ailing ankle that brought rumors throughout the week of him possibly sitting out the playoff game.

Matthews didn't let his star talk about the late-game heroic effort, or his fourth 100-100 passing-rushing performance of the season, or how he felt about his first season at the helm.

Far too often we hear of coaches talking about how they aren't just coaches but mentors teaching life lessons. What is the life lesson here then, if you face adversity and things don't go your way then hide from it? Everyone on that football team is an adult by American standards. They can all vote and own property etc., and they should all be able to speak for themselves. If I ask a guy for an interview and he says, "Not now Chapman" than I'm cool with that, but if that player can't say it for himself then something is wrong.

JMU vs. Appalachian St. Part 3: The Aftermath

2007-11-25T12:11:00.000-05:00

Sorry I didn't get this up after the game, we had to drive back and finish up the game story last night.

But it basically came down to two main factors that contributed to the Dukes previous two losses against Richmond and Delaware.

1. Turnovers:
Like in the Delaware game, Matthews elected to put the ball in the hands of a redshirt-freshman running back late in the game. In Newark it was Griff Yancey who coughed up the ball in the closing minutes when the Dukes were nearing field goal range for the possible tie.

Yesterday in Boone, it was Jamal Sullivan who came in to replace Yancey when he went down in the third quarter. Sullivan played well rushing 12 times for 67 yards and carrying tacklers to first down markers. But Matthews expected too much out of the youngster and neglected to take into account his team's recent past. Sullivan fumbled with 22 seconds left on the ASU 9-yard line and that was the game.

2. Questionable Coaching:
Matthews didn't shy away from accepting responsibility for the loss, admitting that Sullivan shouldn't have been put in that situation. But really should anyone have been put in that situation. The Dukes spiked the ball after Yancey's 17-yard rush to the 9-yard line and instead of kicking the chip-shot field-goal well within junior Dave Stannard's range, Matthews decided to run another play.

He didn't give it Antoinne Bolton, a small back at 5-foot-8, but a reliable senior who would've have protected the ball. He didn't give it to Landers who could have just moved the ball to the center of the field, for a centered field goal attempt. Instead Sullivan tried to break outside where he was met by a gang of Mountaineer defenders and the ball was wrangled out.

Landers was the team's leading rusher all year and is as hard to take down as almost any rusher in the CAA. Just like in the Delaware and Richmond games Matthews didn't let Landers finish fourth quarter drives with his legs, the way he easily has game after game.

Madison fans can only hope that Matthews figures out how to utilize his personnel better next year when Eugene Holloman returns.

JMU vs. Appalachian St. Part 2: Halftime

2007-11-24T13:46:00.003-05:00

With the two teams running the same offense with comparable talent it has stayed close. Its 19-14 as Appalachian St. has missed to PAT attempts. One was blocked by Scotty McGee the other was wide left from 36 yards out. A facemask penalty pushed that one back 15 yards.

The turnover margin is already played a key role. ASU's Kevin Richardson fumbled on the first possession and the Dukes scored on the ensuing drive with a 10 yard run by Griff Yancey. But JMU's Mike Caussin fumbled after a big hit following a catch across the middle. ASU's Jacque Roman returned the fumble to the JMU 2 yard line, setting up Armanti Edwards four-yard TD run.

Madison answered with 3:11 possession capped by a five yard run by Rodney Landers who looks healthy. ASU then tacked on two more scores with 1 yard runs by Richardson and Edwards.

Yancey has 71 yards rushing, Landers 70. Edwards has 116 yards rushing including a 41 yard run in the second quarter. Richardson has 44.

The Dukes will receive to start the second half and will need to fill the void of injured linebacker Justin Barnes. Whoever takes care of the ball and gets defensive stops will likely come out on top. Check back in two hours.

JMU vs. Appalachian St. Part 1: Pregame

2007-11-24T10:44:00.000-05:00

Its already looking like it's going to be a hostile atmosphere today in Boone. After driving around to pick up some McDonalds, we saw the lots around Kid Brewer stadium filled with tailgaters. There was a decent contingent of JMU fans too though.

The Dukes can only worry about the game though and it's going to come down to how healthy junior quarterback Rodney Landers is. The latest I've heard is that Landers will make the start despite an ankle injury, despite coach Mickey Matthews reluctance to say so yesterday.

Landers led the Dukes in rushing and passing and is an integral part of every play. If he can't take every snap, redshirt freshman Drew Dudzik will step in. The Centreville native has a strong arm, but lacks the downfield running ability of Landers. This will put more pressure on the two main backs, redshirt freshman Griff Yancey and senior Antoinne Bolton.

Defensively the Dukes know what App. St. sophomore quarterback Armanti Edwards will be doing, as the Mountaineers run the same offense as JMU. Expect CAA Defensive Player of the Year, Tony LeZotte, to have a big game as he will be zoning in on the option run by Edwards and senior tailback Kevin Richardson.

Defensive tackles John Baranowsky (senior) and Sam Daniels (sophomore) can really set the tempo if they can collapse the pocket and own the line the way they have the last two weeks. Madison notched nine sacks last week against Towson and 'Baro' has four.

Special teams could also prove the difference and sophomore cornerback Scotty McGee can do just that. I'd have to imagine he's have at least one return across the 50.

If Landers is healthy and can take hits this game could be close and go either way. Check back around 1:30 for a halftime update.

JMU Beats Towson, Playoffs Next?

2007-11-18T00:10:00.000-05:00

JMU football handled its business yesterday, but still have to wait til 3:30 today to find out if their 8-3 record will get them in the playoffs.

The Football Championship Subdivision — which is set up much better than the BowlCrapSeries — fields a 16-team tournament. Eight conferences get an automatic bid. With UMass and Richmond's wins today each team will make the tournament although only one will get the automatic. Delaware at 8-3, like JMU, have a strong case despite dropping its final two. The Blue Hens did beat Navy, a D I-AA opponent.

JMU lost to UNC which doesn't count against them and their two losses to Richmond and Delaware were by a combined four points and both teams are in the top-10. The CAA has received four bids before, last coming in 2004 when the league was still the Atlantic-10.

Three bubble teams lost today in Georgia Southern, Alabama A&M and Colgate making local Harrisonburg media to think JMU is definitely in. This raises another question though, where would the Dukes play. Although the games are usually regionally matched-up at least one eastern team will have to go out to undefeated Montana. The Dukes could get less travel and play in a televised game against Appalachian St. Many think because of the Michigan upset, the Mountaineers will get one of the two televised FCS games this year. One will by on Friday afternoon and the other on Saturday night.

Stay tuned to find out what lies ahead for a team that really likes to take it down to the end each regular season.

Will JMU Football Be Playing Next Week?

2007-11-16T14:24:00.000-05:00

First things first: The Dukes need to handle Towson tomorrow in what should be a foregone conclusion. Towson (3-7, 1-6) plays tough defense, led by senior linebacker Brian Bradford, but still ranks ninth against the run. JMU needs to win so don't expect Coach Mickey Matthews to hold back with leading rusher, quarterback Rodney Landers. Landers ran for a school quarterback rushing record of 172 yards last week against William & Mary. Landers can also hand off to redshirt-freshman Griff Yancey and senior Antoinne Bolton who have emerged as weekly 100-yard backs in recent weeks. The Dukes put up 55 points last week and have that capability again this week with the return of L.C. Baker and Mike Caussin to the passing game.

Bolton will join tight end Marvin Brown and wide receiver/punt returner L.C. Baker on senior day from the offensive side of the ball. From the defensive side, d-linemen John Baranowsky and Hassan Abdul-Wahid, linebacker Justin Barnes, and d-backs Tony LeZotte and Nick Adams will likely play their last home game at Bridgeforth.

LeZotte has anchored the defensive secondary for 48 straight starts and will try to make his 49th a win to help the Dukes earn an at-large in the NCAA tournament.

"You never know what could happen with the playoffs and stuff," LeZotte said. "I'm gonna enjoy it and try not to think about it. [But] It's senior day its definitely gonna be a crazy time, my family's been around for eight years now, with my brother [Matt LeZotte '04) playing before. It's wild that its all windin' down and comin to an end."

If the Dukes win and a bunch of crazy stuff happens they could still win an automatic bid, but they will most likely have to wait til Sunday's selection show to find out. My prediction is JMU big. Final Score- 49-10.

I Know I Should've Already Thrown It In: Part 2

2007-11-15T18:00:00.000-05:00

Okay, really my performance last week in the NFL games was horrific. I picked a little too much with my heart in thinking that Dallas would lose to the G-Men. But who would have thought Arizona would really beat a hot Detroit Lions team with such an explosive offense. Eh, with my luck this season, anything is possible.

1. Chargers over Jaguars- I like the toughness San Diego played with, in giving Indy its second straight loss, even if Vinatieri was a bit of a choke-artist. The Jaguars are a tough team as well, but this is where the Chargers will really begin to start turning things around. SD 41, JAX 24.

2. Giants over Lions- The Giants are still a solid team despite a not-so rousing performance at home versus Dallas. Maybe the Lions really aren't that good, c'mon Arizona scoring 31, NYG's offense is far more potent. NYG 49, DET 28.

3. Saints over Texans- The Saints know how weak this NFC South Division is and know they can still win it. They ran off four straight after dropping the first four and the Texans are still too much of a mediocre team to hang with Bush and Brees. Bush vs. Williams part 2- NO 31, HOU 14.

4. Seahawks over Bears- Seattle is inconsistent and Alexander is still questionable, but its at a loud Qwest Field and the Bears are pathetic. SEA 24, CHI 3.

5. Redskins over Cowboys- I don't care if it is in Dallas or if the Cowboys are a top-2 NFC team, its the Redskins, and like Sonny Jurgensen I will never pick against them. This is right up there in American sports rivalries with the Yankees and Red Sox and it is never a foregone conclusion. WASH 28, DAL 21.

6. Titans over Broncos- The Broncos aren't what they used to be and for some reason I never pick against Vince Young because he will always seem like a winner after the 2006 National Championship. Could really go either way but- TEN 35 DEN 21.

I Know I Should've Already Thrown It In: Part 1

2007-11-15T16:34:00.000-05:00

Alright back to backing up my picks. I was 5-1 in the college games which never happens and then I tanked on Sunday, all after a 9-3 performance. So maybe my inconsistency will make me have a good week after last week's 6-6.

1. #13 JMU over Towson- The Dukes already lost at home once this season and I don't expect it to happen twice, especially not on Senior Day. Tony LeZotte will make his 49th straight start and he, John Baranowsky, L.C. Baker, Antoinne Bolton and more aren't ready for their career to be over just yet. A win will likely send JMU back to the playoffs for the second straight year. Scotty McGee is also back fielding kickoffs so expect a lot of big plays out of him and Baker. JMU 49, Towson 10.

2. #22 Hofstra over #7 UMass- After dropping its third conference game the Pride are likely out of playoff contention, but expect the senior class to go out strong especially at home and look to spoil the Minutemen's chance at the conference title. Hofstra's also only lost once at home this year making Hampstead a tough place to play. Hofstra 28, UMass 24.

3. William & Mary over #8 Richmond- It doesn't matter that the Tribe is absolutely pathetic against the run. This is still an instate rivalry and William & Mary would also like to play spoiler to the Spiders title hopes. Richmond shouldn't take Hightower and the starters out too early in this one. UPSET SPECIAL- W&M 45, UR 42.

4. #9 Delaware over Villanova- Forget the fact that the Blue Hens lost at home to Richmond last week, they still want home field for the first round especially if a loss meant playing at Delaware St. in the first round. Expect Omar Cuff to finish his senior regular season with a typical game of at least three touchdowns. Delaware 35, Villanova 14.

5. #15 Clemson over #17 Boston College- BCS college football is not my forte after following JMU around all year. But I'll make an attempt in these two games. Rumor is Tommy Bowden is on the hot seat and B.C. is not the No. 2 team everyone thought they weren't anyways. A loss at Maryland has to be demoralizing after such a high at Va. Tech. Clemson 27, B.C. 14.

6. #7 Ohio St. over #21 Michigan- Michigan lost again and it wasn't impressive to unranked Wisconsin. It is in the Big House, but Michigan couldn't even defend its field against a Pac-10 opponent in Oregon. Ohio St. was No. 1 for a reason and would like to get back in the top five. Oh yeah and a trip to the Rose Bowl is up for grabs. OSU 31, Michigan 24.

Pleeease tell me why these picks never seem to work out because yes, I'm still in last.

BBall Season is Finally Here

2007-11-09T12:38:00.000-05:00

That title really doesn't tend to hold much weight on our campus, but who knows maybe this will be the year JMU turns it around. I'm not gonna go out on a limb and make any bold predictions of a bunch of wins or a deep postseason run, but I guarantee the quality of play will be better.

With the addition of Abdulai Jalloh, a junior transfer from St. Josephs, the Dukes might actually have a legitimate go-to guy. At 6-foot-2 Jalloh has an incredible ability to get to the rim. I've seen him a number of times over the last year in practices throw down ridiculous dunks, including his own alley-oops off the backboard. Jalloh can also hit from the perimeter and will take the pressure off of Joe Posey when it comes to filling it up from outside.

Tonight Jalloh will debut in the purple and gold against a Siena team that was picked to win the MAAC. It will be interesting to see how he meshes with his new team after leaving St. Joes as it's leading scorer and rebounder. Predicted stat line- 22 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists.

Some things are more important than sports

2007-11-05T20:09:00.000-05:00

I'd like to use my blog to publish a very moving account of the Marathon Olympic Trials this past Saturday. My brother-in-law Eric Post was in the race and witnessed the tragic death of fellow competitor Ryan Shay. I can definitely relate as I witnessed a friend die during a pick-up game of basketball just a few years ago. Like Shay, my friend Brad Becker was only in his twenties.

Eric Post:

It is an image that I hope stays with me forever – Ryan Shay, lying face down on the
asphalt, arms at his side.

As morbid as this may sound, I mean it in the least-morbid way.

The cliche that anything can be taken from us in an instant went from being simply a line that I had heard a thousand times to being as real as the race I was currently running.

We were just a touch over five miles into a twenty-six plus mile event when I saw a runner down on the asphalt. I could tell it was a Saucony-sponsored runner by the singlet and shorts. At first I thought it was another Saucony-sponsored runner whom I had run against in high school and college.

Man, he must have been tripped from behind and hit his head on the pavement on the
downhill, I thought.

What else could it have been? We had barely begun running. Five miles into the marathon – with the first few miles at a crawl – our bodies were just beginning to warm up, let alone be stressed.

No blood. That’s weird. How could someone fall on the asphalt, hit their head and not be bleeding?

That’s when I knew it was something far worse. Heart. Lungs. Something serious...real
serious.

The focus in a marathon is so intense that I didn’t think anything more about it for the remaining twenty-odd miles. Soon after crossing the line I saw Jacob Frey, the runner who I thought had fallen earlier in the race. Then I was really confused.

Didn’t he...wait...how did he finish ahead...

I guess the marathon does put your mind in a bit of a fog.

After a couple of minutes I saw a colleague and she said quietly, “Did you hear someone died?”

Holy shit.

Saucony does not sponsor too many athletes, so the list of people it could have been was small.

A short time later I ran into a college teammate, Mike Smith, and I asked him if he knew what happened. He said, “Dude, Ryan Shay is dead. He died, man.” Mike’s eyes were visibly red and watery. Ryan Shay had been living in Flagstaff, Arizona, where Mike currently lived.

I recalled riding in the elevator that morning with Mike and Shay. I thought about how Shay seemed very upbeat and in a good mood, ready to have a good day – like all of us. As we went into Rockefeller Center prior to the race, Mike, Shay and I put our belongings three in a row along one of the pillars on the bottom level of the building.

He had no idea he was going to die in less than two hours.

I cannot help but repeat the above statement in my mind.

I have never been so close to someone near death before. Not close from a relationship perspective – I had never spoken to Shay before – but close from a literal perspective.

The eeriness, the sadness, the reality is something that has rocked me to the core. Could I have died Saturday? Could I die today? Tomorrow?

Essentially, Ryan and I are one in the same. We were both born in 1979, both married, both ran collegiately, both qualified for the Trials, both fit and ready to run fast.

So, why him? Was it the enlarged heart? Maybe, maybe not. The preliminary autopsy
proved inconclusive. Either way, he had been cleared to run by a variety of doctors –
doctors who know running. We trust doctors. But, who ultimately can we trust?

I recall that as the start of the race approached on Saturday I was unintentionally praying the Our Father while listening to my iPod. You would think that if a song was playing in your headphones you would be reciting the lyrics. But, faith shines through when emotions are at an ultimate high – before a major competition, at a wedding, a funeral. We draw on faith when we know we need the help of someone much bigger than ourselves to get through a difficult or life changing time.

A good friend could tell that the events of Saturday were weighing on me. He asked, “Is this going to make you not want to run?” I didn’t have an answer. I fear what could happen if I repeatedly give the kind of effort that competitive distance running requires. Is it the repeated effort that ended Shay’s life?

Now, being a few days removed from the race, I have gained a new perspective on life and running. As a catholic, I know that God has a plan for me, my family and my friends. If I continue to put my faith in God and live everyday in an honest and faithful way, I will find comfort in knowing that whatever happens will happen for a reason. Perhaps we will struggle to find the “why” in life’s events, but in time we will know.

What I can say as I think back to that morning and look back at the pictures of Ryan Shay the morning of the race, is that we truly never know when it is our time to leave this world and we must be ready because I can unequivocally say that he had no idea that at 8:46 on Saturday, November 3rd, he would collapse and pass away doing something that he was undoubtedly trained to do.

From this day forward, I will think of Ryan Shay – even if it’s for just a split second – on every run, every workout, and every race and ask God to safely get me through what lies ahead.

I want that image of Ryan Shay to serve as my reminder to appreciate life, to be thankful for the people in my life and to never take for granted the gifts that God has given me.

Redskins win, but didn't look good.

2007-11-05T14:19:00.001-05:00

I didn't get to really take in the game yesterday as I was knocking out another edition of Monday's paper, but my friend Darren Painter had a few words to say about it and I'd have to agree.

After watching yesterdays game, I'm convinced of one thing. Al Saunders should be drawn and quartered or better yet sent off to Greenland away from anything to do with the NFL. 20 straight drives with only 1 touchdown and that came after being down 52-0 to the Pats. No touchdowns to a wide receiver. I'm not sure if they know how to run a pass route that involves the receivers running into the end zone.

I guess I shouldn't be complaining after being down to the hapless Jets 17-3 yesterday, they stormed back and scored 20 straight points and once again their defense only allowed 13 points since the other 7 were attributed to the special teams. But 5 field goals and 1 touchdown in the red zone! I guess my biggest problem is that when they had the ball and a chance to run out the clock they did their usual run right 3 yards, run left 2 yards and then draw play for 2 yards and punt.

The only thing worse than suffering through watching the anemic offense was listening to "Moose" Johnston talk bad about the Redskins for 4 quarters and comment on all the blown holding calls the officials missed. This guy is so one sided it's ridiculous. He needs to take a few lessons from Troy Aikman who is complimentary of both teams during a game and lets the play dictate his comments, not the fact that he once played for the Cowboys and still can't get over the rivalry, plus he wears horrible shirts and ties.

That is my Sunday story!

Please Tell Me This Will Get Better, Part 2: NFL

2007-10-25T17:23:00.000-04:00

Alright I'm splitting the picks up again because it's tough to read all 12 at once and I know my bigger NFL fans would prefer it separate so they don't have to scroll. But here they are and I'm usually not that bad with these, won four last week.

1. Redskins (4-2) over Patriots (7-0)- Yeah I am the only one picking the 4-2 Skins over the 7-0 Patriots. This is nothing to take away from the Pats, who look amazing, but the Skins actually could do this. Belichick and his boys haven't seen a stifling D like the Skins and Brady himself complimented Sean Taylor and his improved coverage. Its up to the front four on D to get stops and keep the offense on the field. Skins by 3.

2. Buccaneers (4-3) over Jaguars (4-2)- In this battle of the decent Florida teams the Buccaneers will look to take advantage of the Jaguars coming off an unimpressive loss to the Jags. Garrard may have a bad ankle and Tampa Bay will definitely go hard after whoever is taking the snaps. Bucs by 7 in a low scoring affair.

3. Steelers (4-2) over Bengals (2-4)- This Bengals team that was supposed to be one of the hot teams in the league can't even get along with each other. Pittsburgh's always tough defense will play smart and not overlook Cincinnati's potential for the big play. Pittsburgh by 7.

4. Bills (2-4) over Jets (1-6)- This one is really a toss-up because they both look pathetic. Together with the no-win Dolphins these two are just making it that much easier for the Patriots to cruise to what could be a 15-1 season (the one loss will be against the Skins). I like the Bills Marshawn Lynch to be the x-factor and move the Bills offense toward a 13 point win.

5. Colts (6-0) over Panthers (4-2)- The defending Super Bowl champs still look in top-form with all the offensive weapons. The Panthers will have one of the better defenses that Indy will face all year, but Coach Fox hasn't named a starter at QB with Delhomme still out. Colts in typical high-scoring fashion by 14.

6. Vikings (2-4) over Eagles (2-4)- Both teams are cellar-dwellers in their respective division and haven't played too well defensively. The edge goes to the Vikings though who have the top rusher in the NFC in rookie Adrian Peterson. McNabb has little options around him and has only led the offense over 20 points once. Vikings win by 10.

Please Tell Me This Will Get Better, Part 1: NCAA

2007-10-25T16:22:00.000-04:00

Alright, if you're reading this I'll assume it is for your own amusement and not for my great skills (or lack-there-of) as a pigskin prognosticator. Yes I am currently in last place for the Breeze picks of the week. After going 5-7 last week I dropped to 52% on the season. Well here's what I think about this weeks games for what it's worth.

1. No.6 JMU (6-1) over No.14 Richmond (5-2)- The Dukes have had a chance to rest up some sore starters in anticipation of not only the Homecoming game, but for in-state rival Richmond. The Spiders have the leading rusher in the CAA in senior Tim Hightower (1,099 yards), but the Dukes are deeper on both sides of the ball and junior quarterback Rodney Landers has become near-unstoppable in the last six games. It should be close, but JMU should pull away late and take it by 10 or 13. (Rankings for this game are in the FCS or D 1-AA)

2. No.2 Boston College (7-0) over No.8 Virginia Tech (6-1)- Even though the game tonight is at Lane Stadium, B.C. has an abundance of experience on its veteran squad and should handle Tech. Sean Glennon might be at the helm again with an ailing Tyrod Taylor, so don't expect anything big from the Hokies on offense, not that anyone ever does. B.C. and Heisman hopeful quarterback Matt Ryan will take care of the always overrated Hokies by about 14.

3. Rutgers (5-2) over No. 7 West Virgina (6-1)- Rutgers has become a tough place to play over the last two seasons, just ask South Florida. The Scarlet Knights handed the surprise program its only loss of the year last Thursday in New Jersey, and running back Ray Rice looks like he has this two-loss team back on track. It could be a shoot-out with all the weapons these teams have on offense, but RU will take it by
three.

4. No. 4 Arizona State (7-0) over No. 21 California (5-2)- After beating a then No.11 Oregon team, Cal has lost two straight to a struggling Pac-10 opponent, Oregon State, and 5-2 UCLA who gave Notre Dame its only win. Don't expect the Sun Devils to lighten up at home; they have been crushing opponents and deserve their rank in the highly competitive Pac-10. ASU by 21.

5. No. 5 Oregon (6-1) over No. 12 USC (6-1)- The Trojans have won the last three matches between the teams, but Oregon is rolling after losing to Cal three weeks ago. Despite losing their starting tailback Jeremiah Johnson, backup Jonathan Stewart exploded for 251 yards last week against Washington State. USC comes off a dominant shut-out victory at South Bend, but didn't exactly get a tune-up for the explosive Ducks' offense as the Irish managed to gain only 165 total yards. Oregon breaks the streak in Eugene with a 14 point victory.

6. No. 11 Florida (5-2) over No. 18 Georgia (5-2)- SEC games get tougher to pick every week. With arguably the toughest schedules the Southeastern teams have beaten up on each other. Georgia does have a quality loss to South Carolina, but a 21-point loss to Tennessee, a team the Gators dominated 59-20, doesn't lead me to believe they have the defense to even keep it close. Tim Tebow will be playing in his home town of Jacksonville as the game is held annually at a neutral site. Tebow will have a big game through the air and on the ground in a 21 point win.

Defending My Poor Performance: Part 2 (NFL Edition)

2007-10-19T15:46:00.000-04:00

Of course I'm in my usual hole down 0-1 because South Florida couldn't handle Rutgers last night. But everyone else picked that too and we should have known considering the unpredictability of this 2007 season. I usually do better in my NFL picks in the Breeze, so here's what went through my mind this week.

1. Redskins over the Cardinals- I don't pick against the Skins, but this one seems pretty simple. Washington's third overall defense should have few problems with a mediocre Cardinals offense. Expect less drops from the receivers and a big game from a healthier Antwan Randel El. The final could be similar to the Detroit game two weeks ago. (See more from my blog on Tuesday.)

2. Vikings over the Cowboys- The Cowboys gave up 448 yards and 48 points in their match up with the Patriots, while the Vikings put up 34 points on a traditionally tough Bears defense. The Vikings get in done on the ground and the Cowboys haven't faced an explosive back like Adrian Peterson who ran for 224 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries last week.

3. Patriots over the Dolphins- Home-field advantage in Miami will have no bearing on this game just like it didn't last weekend for Dallas. The Patriots look primed for a fourth Super Bowl this decade and won't stumble over an 0-6 Dolphins team that look primed to be the first franchise to have a undefeated season and a winless one.

4. Titans over the Texans- Alright I forgot to factor in Vince Young's questionable status when I made the pick. But if VY can go he will remind Houston again about the playmaker they passed over in the 2006 Draft. Young beat the Texans in overtime last year on a long scramble and could be the difference-maker in another close win.

5. Eagle over the Bears- The Bears look pathetic this year. Despite beating then 4-0 Green Bay, they followed it up with a 34-31 loss at home to the Vikings. Brian Westbrook is likely to have a similar performance on the ground to Adrian Peterson's and Philly's stout defense and consistent play in their secondary should disrupt the Bears inconsistent offense that ranks 28th in the league.

6. Colts over the Jaguars- 5-0 Indy heads to 4-1 Jacksonville for an intriguing Monday night match-up between the AFC south rivals. ESPN's power rankings have the team's ranked second and fifth, respectively, so it should be close, but I like Peyton Manning's poise and experience to help grind one out.

Tell me where I'm off and we'll see how it plays out come Sunday.

Check out my read of the day on the difficulties of having a high school football program in Alaska. It's kind of old now, but a great piece if you've never seen it.

Defending My Poor Performance

2007-10-18T18:01:00.000-04:00

For Breeze readers out there I will make an attempt to defend my weekly picks as I try to salvage the season. I currently sit in next-to-last place with a rising 53 percent. (Compare my thoughts with Matt McGovern's at the McSportsReport).

1. No.2 South Florida over Rutgers- With high ranked teams falling week after week, one could expect Rutgers to pull off the upset at home. But USF is poised considering they have exploded from the Big East cellar to the top 5. Rutgers explosive back has picked defenses apart on his way to 818 yards and 13 TDs, but the Bulls held Central Florida's national leading rusher Kevin Smith to 55 yards last week. Expect similar numbers for the Scarlet Knight's Ray Rice in a loss.

2. No. 7 Kentucky over No. 15 Florida- Quarterback Andre Woodson and the Wildcats did what Florida couldn't by grinding out a high scoring game against a higher-ranked SEC rival in LSU. Kentucky will keep stride and continue to work towards the conference title with another big win.

3. Notre Dame over No. 14 USC- Okay well maybe this is why I'm losing because I can't pick against the Irish, but if they can get up for one game all year it will be against the Trojans at home.

4. Maryland over No. 19 UVA- Call me a hater, but I'm just never sold on a UVA team no matter how well they start. They are typically a softer team and the Terps will be a far more formidable ACC opponent than Duke, UNC, or Georgia Tech.

5. Colorado over No. 13 Kansas- The Buffalo are always tough at home and it seems like they always knock off high-ranked opponents in Boulder, including this year's win over then No. 3 Oklahoma. Kansas is also 0-5 in its last five at Colorado.

6. No. 4 LSU over No. 17 Auburn- Auburn is on a four-game win-streak and I wish I had looked that up before we printed today's issue. But I'll stand by the pick and believe that the Tigers will bounce back from their first loss with a big win back at home in the Bayou.

NFL games coming tomorrow. But check out my top read of the day in an ESPN special by Ron Borges on Joe Frazier and his forever-lingering contempt toward Muhammad Ali.

If they want to win, the Skins need to SELL that to the fans

2007-10-16T15:43:00.000-04:00

At the urging of a good friend from Richmond, I have decided to try and dissect what went wrong during Sunday's Redskins and Packers game.

The game definitely had some similarities to the fourth quarter melt-down against the Giants; running when they should have passed and passing when they should have run. If we can look at a couple of plays from the game at Lambeau one thing will become clear, that the personnel on the field is often wrong or under-utilized.

In the fourth quarter with the Skins already down 17-14 — the eventual final score — the offense faced a third-and-one at its own 36 yard-line with under 13 minutes to go. With any already injury-plagued offensive line that was getting little push against a Green Bay defensive front, that weighs on average more than 301 pounds, offensive coordinator Al Saunders decides to run Clinton Portis. Don't get me wrong Portis is as tough a back as there is in the NFL, but he's 5-foot-11 and weighs 223 lbs. That size matters when you have a fullback in Mike Sellers who stands at 6'3" and weighs a whopping 284 lbs., 14 heavier than the Packers left end Aaron Kampman who anchors that left side Portis ran to.

It must have just slipped the minds of Saunders and head coach Joe Gibbs that Sellers converted two of three one-yard conversion attempts just one week earlier against Detroit. Oh and he gave them a rushing and receiving touchdown, apparently not indication enough that he is definitely a top play maker on a team with maybe too many.

Another instance happened in that same quarter against the Packers, just two possessions later. Portis had fumbled on the first possession after the failed third-and-one, but Green Bay couldn't get any offense going and gave Washington ample opportunity to equalize the score or take the lead.

After two first downs and Campbell finding the reliable veteran hands of recent free agent pick-up, Keenan McCardell, the Redskins had the ball on the Green Bay 41 yard-line. On first down Portis picked up four, but instead of keeping it on the ground or moving the ball on mid-range passes that were working, Campbell looks deep and overthrows Brandon Lloyd, who has caught one ball all year. This brings up third-and-six and Campbell finds Cooley for four yards on a route that should have been called the play before. So in what Sam Huff and Sonny Jurgensen described as a long fourth-and-1 on the radio, the Redskins once again don't utilize the size of their bruiser, Sellers. Instead Ladell Betts runs his route in front of the sticks and is stopped shy. At least if you want to give Betts the ball, for goodness sake run him behind the lead block of Sellers.

But then again who knows where Betts would have gone. Flashback three weeks to the Giants game and when the Skins ran on fourth-and-1 on the goal line, Betts neglected to follow the lead block of Sellers and decided to cut back the opposite way. The result the same as Sunday; no first down, no touchdown and another squandered opportunity for the Redskins.

This team has a plethora of playmakers, but the coaching staff needs to decide quickly who the go-to guys are going to be. Following the Detroit game Gibbs spoke of how Sellers is always asking for the ball. When they gave it to him good things happened, just ask Lions' defensive back Kenoy Kennedy who was absolutely leveled by the Walla Walla Community College alum. Sure Portis and Betts are your every down backs, but Sellers needs to be the man with the ball in short yardage situations because if the Redskins continue to play in close NFC battles, they can't afford to be miscalling plays late in the game.

Take a look at the play by play from this season's games and tell me the Redskins aren't looking at a serious problem when it comes to play calling and personnel.

JMU Survives Rhode Trip

2007-10-14T19:11:00.000-04:00

For the second straight week James Madison went on the road, and for the second straight week they escaped with a win. It hasn't been pretty for the Dukes after a four game home-stand in September. Although they are riding a six game win streak, some serious questions have arisen.

1.) With an already banged up offense, why was Rodney Landers running the ball on the Dukes' last offensive series?
They already had a 17-point lead and risking further injury to an already bruised wrist could be suicide for the Dukes' season. Mickey Matthews does have a strong back-up in redshirt freshman Drew Dudzik, but he has little experience. Unfortunately, Landers usually accounts for half of the team's total offense. This week against Rhode Island he briefly left the game in the first half nursing his wrist and he had trouble holding the ball fumbling the ball twice. He still ran for 170 and threw for 168 proving that the offense relies heavily on the junior. Maybe when they have that much cushion in the fourth they should think about using Dudzik or just running the ball out with one of the healthier running backs. It wont be every week that they'll be able to run their quarterback 26 times and expect him to stay healthy. A new dominant back needs to assert himself to replace injured starter Eugene Holloman and allow Landers to stay out of harm's way a little more.

2.) Can the defense really continue to give up this many points going into the stretch of the final four CAA games?
The Dukes gave up 27 points to a one-win Rhode Island team and tackled poorly in week seven. Mental lapses this deep into the season and not using the proper technique are not characteristic of a championship-caliber team. Even three-time All-American Tony LeZotte missed two or three tackles against the Rams. The Dukes still have to play the top-two and three ranked offenses in the conference in Richmond and Delaware. Richmond's running back Tim Hightower already has 1,003 yards to lead the CAA. Delaware's Omar Cuff is third with 863 yards and the capability of running for over 200 in a game (Sept. 30 vs. William and Mary, he had 244 yards and seven touchdowns). Towson and William & Mary have struggled this year but have experienced quarterbacks in Sean Schaefer and Jake Phillips. To keep the pressure off Landers and the offense the defense will need to tackle more consistently and not give up as many big plays on what Matthews often refers to as "blown assignments."

3.) How good is this JMU?
Besides the one loss to division 1-A opponent North Carolina the Dukes haven't needed to respond to much adversity. They have been tested against New Hampshire and Northeastern, but even UNH has looked shaky times this season and are in jeopardy of going from a top-5 team to not even making the playoffs. Against Northeastern JMU struggled against Maurice Murray and the rushing attack and surely teams like Delaware and Richmond will look to expand upon what worked for the Huskies. The Dukes have improved against the pass though which could help them when it comes to putting pressure on the run. Offensively, Landers continues to impress opponents with his accuracy with both the short and long ball. Built more like a linebacker than a quarterback he isn't afraid of lowering his shoulders when he tucks it and runs for the first down. Depth at receiver will be key, as a number of freshman and sophomores continue to improve. Tight end Mike Caussin has been reliable on mid-range routes and could prove vital as a possession receiver with big-play threat L.C. Baker trying to overcome nagging hamstring injuries. Healthy though this team appears to be really strong and deep and at this point anything short of a CAA title and berth in at least the NCAA quarterfinals would be a disappointment for the No. 9 ranked Dukes.

Of course all of this is easier said than done, but it will definitely being interesting to see how it all plays out. If you weigh in any differently feel free to express it in my comments.

Surreal Skins Experience = Best Day of My Life

2007-10-08T01:45:00.000-04:00

I think it happens to every aspiring journalist early in his or her career when they get to cover something they never could have dreamed of. Well yesterday it happened to me.

Not only did I get to watch the Redskins stomp the Detroit Lions from the press box, but I went down on the field to interview JMU and Washington legend Gary Clark. Although I kept my composure, wanting to be as professional as possible, my inner-child was absolutely ecstatic. Yeah I want to cover professional sports and the novelty will wear off, but I'm only 19 and I'm gonna soak this one in. Alright well as my thoughts are racing all over the place as I try to remember every minute detail of the day, i'll try to let you in on the itinerary.

10:25- Leave for the game with my photographer for the day, freshman David Lonnequest and my little brother and his friend who had tickets.

12:00- Get to the stadium and check in with the Redskins public relations desk and find my way up to the press box. On the way I passed by Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, former Redskin Ray Brown, Mitch Albom of the Sports Reporters, columnist Mike Wise of the Washington Post, and a bunch of rich-looking important people.

1:00- Kickoff. Just before the action got under way I spoke with the head of Washington's PR folks, Chris Helein. Chris told me I could follow him down to the field before the Ring of Fame ceremony and then interview Gary afterwards. Until then I took in the game with some of the best writers in Washington and around the country.

2:30ish- I step on the grass at FedEx Field for the first time in my life. Chris introduces me to Gary and he is as nice a guy as there is. He simply said "Anything for the Dukes" when asked if he'd have a second for The Breeze. For the next few minutes I stand around the 5 yard-line on the Skins sideline, taking in the goal line rushing touchdown by Mike Sellers. Oh and the Redskinettes were right in front of me and well, we'll just leave it at that.

2:40- With a flurry of cameras and media I follow Gary to the field as he is introduced by the public address announcer and former NFL MVP and Redskin kicker Mark Mosley. Then Gary gives a rousing speech that really did give me goosebumps. He pumped up the 88,944 strong by expressing his discontent that Art Monk isn't in the HOF and by telling the fans that they are the most important element to the team.

2:45- I interview Gary for the next 5-8 minutes as we walk towards the south tunnel with a number of videographers back-pedaling in front of us. He expresses his appreciation to JMU and former Dukes coach Challace McMillin and reminisces about the glory days with the "Posse" of Monk, Ricky Sanders, and himself. I then whispered that I hated having to be so professional and that "I bleed burgandy and gold" when not on the job and how much I appreciated what he did for the Redskins and JMU.

4:00ish- Headed back down to the field and watched Carlos Rogers punch in a pick-six for the Redskins final score in the 34-3 thrashing. As the game ends I walked around the field observing the media frenzy as reporters tried to catch various players. Chris Samuels showed his softer side, by leading the group prayer between members of both teams. Mike Sellers, the hands-down player of the game, was goofing around with teammates on the way back to the locker room.

4:30- Listen to the postgame press conference Coach Gibbs delivered while sitting next to Mike Wise. I actually introduced myself and told him I like his writing and it was kind of awkward, but he asked for my name, so kind of cool. Then I chickened out and didn't even ask Gibbs a question.

4:45- David and I then walked into the locker room and saw the players soaking in the win. First time really being in a locker room where they don't care if we are in there and they just walk around stark naked, but hey they're Redskins so what the heck.

4:50- I get up the courage to interview Hall of Famer, quarterback, Sonny Jurgenson. Sonny sheds some light on the HOF situation with Monk and Clark.

4:55- We take a Gatorade from the team fridge and thus ends an amazing day at FedEx.

Sorry if there's typos, but its 2:26 and I'm exhausted and still a little numb from the whole thing. But you can check out my articles on www.dnronline.com and in the Breeze on Thursday.

The only way to end this behemoth of a blog would be to say that sports writing is great and so is my life.

2007-10-05T15:22:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was another day of rousing football action at JMU's practice, but there was one thing that took my eye off of the long snapping drills. Strolling around the turf with Mickey Matthews was an Indianapolis Colts' Super Bowl XLI championship ring. No, the Dukes football coach wasn't wearing it, but rather an NFL scout from the reigning World Champs. There was also a scout representing the Detroit Lions — surely only in town because the big cats from Motown will be losing in Washington on Sunday — and it got me wondering about the likelihood of JMU's top prospects playing on Sunday next year.

We'll start with the most decorated of JMU's seniors in safety Tony LeZotte. The 6-foot, 200-pounder has started every game so far in his career and moved to tenth all-time in tackles against VMI and needs just 11 more to be JMU's all-time leading tackler among defensive backs. He is a three-time All-American and three-time All-conference and is on the watchlist for this year's Buck Buchanon as the nation's top defender. He has a high football IQ and Matthews and his staff can count on him to call out any pre-snap adjustments. He has the average size of an NFL safety and the strength to lay the big hit. LeZotte would fit in well with a team like Philadelphia that has an aging defensive backfield and is probably the best bet of any Duke.

Defensive tackle John Baranowsky has raised eyebrows after a strong effort in 2006 as a first year player with the Dukes. At 6' 3" and 290 pounds he is solid against the run, forcing opponents to run the ball on the outside. Although most pro linemen on both sides of the ball weigh upwards of 300, Baranowsky succeeded at putting on muscle and brawn when he was moved from defensive end to tackle during his two seasons at Connecticut. The Sudbury, Mass. native is also the mouth of the team and shows lots of energy which could definitely help him if he's competing for a last roster spot. He was second-team All-A-10 last season.

Forget about the height for a second and go check him out if you haven't already. You might only have a second to see him though as he is usually the fastest player on the field. His 5' 7", 155-pound frame could turn some teams away, but Baker should take comfort in the fact that another short, quick and elusive JMU receiver is being inducted into the Redskins Ring of Fame this weekend. Gary Clark played a similar game and had to work his way to the NFL but every team needs a speedster at least on special teams. He's shown his versatility this season with a running touchdown to go with three receiving TDs and has to be accounted for on all plays. In both 2005 and 2006 he was first team All-conference as a punt returner and made second team as a receiver last season.

Oh and here's a picture of that rock I spoke of

Pregame Thoughts JMU vs. Villanova

2007-09-29T11:04:00.000-04:00

It should be interesting today to see how much time the fans split between the game and the now infamous Duke Dog. After last week's escapades of JMU's mascot instigating a fight with the Coastal Carolina Chanticleer, there is no doubt who will be the CAA's if not the nation's most watched mascot today.

Yes, there will obviously be a different student in the big gray bulldog suit, but there is still a buzz on campus today among students and parents (being that it's Parents' Weekend).

This morning my roommate Chris's mom gave us an impressive run-down of Villanova's strengths and weaknesses after she read about it in the paper. The conversation was quickly overshadowed by talk of how everyone thought Duke Dog would respond and not how the Dukes would respond to being beat at Villanoa last season.

Personally I would like to see Duke Dog behave himself. Yeah it wasn't all his fault, but it would be nice to see a classier side of JMU return this week. And plus, after the beloved Duke Dog got absolutely pile-drived JMU could use a little humbling. (See Below).

http://imspatial.blogspot.com/2007/09/jmu-duke-dog-pictures.html

NBA Intrigue?

2007-06-07T00:15:00.000-04:00

For the past few years at this time of summer I would have the tough decision of staying in for the NBA Finals or taking in a friend's American Legion baseball game. If this was any of those past years I would have probably elected to drive 45 minutes to Arlington and watch my buddy Jim go 0-for-4 and balk home the game-winning run. June, 2007 is different though.
Not to completely downplay the accomplishments of recent NBA champions that have included the ranks of Shaq, D-Wade, Tim Duncan, and the well-rounded Detroit Pistons, but since the Lakers three-peat (2000-02) "the league" just hasn't been able to attract me like the college game and March Madness.
There is a royal difference this year though after King James ignited in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals for 48 points. Yeah its been repeated over and over, but seriously 29 of his team's last 30 and the game winner in double-OT. Wow. The NBA might be ushering in the reign of its next "real" superstar (a word used far too frequently in today's pro sports), something its been waiting for since the high school phenom from Akron, Ohio was picked No. 1 overall by Cleveland in the 2003 draft.
Its easy to jump on the bandwagon now, but I take caution when I praise the 22-year-old. For starters I only refer to him as the King because the nickname was given long ago during his scholastic playing days, and secondly the coronations of him as the next Michael are entirely premature. He has yet to even win one ring, not to mention six, and nor does he have five MVPs, been named 1st-team All-Defense nine times, won six Finals MVPs etc.
But at 22 he has brought back the "magic" of the likes of Earvin, Michael, and Bird. And as Washington Post columnist Sally Jenkins pointed out Monday, in a brash comparison to Kobe Bryant, he is the epitome of a team player. Throughout these playoffs Lebron has averaged 25.8 points 8.3 rebounds and 8.3 assists over 16 games. His unselfishness not only shows on the stat sheet, but was exemplified in Game 7 when he repeatedly set up rookie teammate Daniel "Boobie" Gibson who scored a game high 31 points. His recognition of when and when not to shoot has also helped silence critics of his Game 1 decision to dish off to a wide open 3-point-shooting-threat in Donyell Marshall in the waning seconds of the loss.
Yes this NBA finals could find the far more experienced and playoff-savvy San Antonio Spurs bringing the Cavs back down to earth quickly, but something tells me that this uncharacteristic poise and heart in a young player will make things far more interesting than many are predicting.
So, I apologize Jim, but tomorrow evening I'll be staying in to watch the team with the most rounded perimeter-player in the game square off with the team with the most rounded post-player in the league.