Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 411 of 1503)

      USC juniors and seniors can transfer without having to sit

      June 11, 2010 /

      In what could wind up being a massive blow to USC’s football program, the NCAA has ruled that juniors and seniors to-be can transfer to other FBS programs without having to sit out a season.

      ESPN.com has the details.

      “The second school would have to submit a waiver asking to waive the year in residence, but NCAA rules allow for this waiver to be granted if a student-athlete’s first school has a postseason ban in their sport,” NCAA spokeswoman Stacey Osburn said in an e-mail to ESPN’s Joe Schad.

      The rule does not apply to freshman who have signed national letters of intent, however. But schools with an interest in a USC junior or senior are allowed to initiate contact with the player, Osburn said.

      Among juniors and seniors whom the transfer rule applies to are quarterback Mitch Mustain, running backs C.J. Gable and Marc Tyler, receiver David Ausberry, cornerback T.J. Bryant, tight end Blake Ayles, safety Drew McAllister and center Michael Reardon.

      First-year coach Lane Kiffin said Thursday he hadn’t heard from any schools with possible interest in a USC player.

      When asked if he’s concerned about some of his juniors and seniors transferring, Kiffin said, “If someone wants to leave the best place in the country to play football, we won’t stop them.”

      Lane Kiffin has quite the situation on his hands. For the next two seasons, his program won’t be competing for the chance to play in the postseason and he’ll also lose 30 scholarships over the next three years. He also has the daunting task of recruiting players who know that the Trojans won’t be playing in a bowl game until 2012 and now his juniors and seniors can transfer without fear of sitting out a full year.

      It’s unfair to the current Trojans players that because two sports marketers pampered Reggie Bush, they won’t have the opportunity to play in a bowl game over the next two years. I wouldn’t blame any of them for wanting to jump ship and start fresh elsewhere, although I’m sure Kiffin is doing all he can to keep them right where they’re at. If he doesn’t, who knows what kind of a team he’ll be able to field over the next two seasons.

      College Football, External Sports

      Roethlisberger takes responsibility for actions, is a fan of third person phrases

      June 11, 2010 /

      Ben Roethlisberger recently granted separate interviews to Pittsburgh television stations KDKA and WTAE to discuss the allegations of his sexual assault case.

      From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

      In the interviews, Roethlisberger repeatedly faults himself for mistakes, blaming it in part on his immaturity while transitioning from his small-town Findlay, Ohio, background to “big city” Pittsburgh.

      “Big Ben just kept building up, and I think it ended up coming off the field, and as the years kept going it just kept taking over Ben Roethlisberger,” he told KDKA’s Bob Pompeani.

      Roethlisberger appeared relaxed and contrite throughout the interviews, with his most emotional moment coming in description of recent talks with his father, who now has a Western Pennsylvania farm Roethlisberger has visited frequently.

      “We were talking about everything and how I got kind of lost, and he looked at me and we both kind of broke down, and he said, ‘It’s good to have my son back.’ And that just killed me,” Roethlisberger said.

      I don’t care in what context they do it in: I love when athletes break out the third person. It’s classic.

      It’s good to see that Roethlisberger is saying all the right things, but his actions will speak louder than his words in the end. He’s going to be tempted again at some point to go out, have a few adult beverages and check out the “scenery.” Will he do a better job of putting himself in a good situation or will he fall victim to his poor decision-making again?

      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, NFL

      Panthers’ WR Muhsin Muhammad retires

      June 10, 2010 /

      The Carolina Panthers’ official website is reporting that receiver Muhsin Muhammad has announced his retirement. He’ll finish his career as the Panthers’ all-time leader in receptions with 696 and receiving yards at 9,255.

      “Coaching Muhsin has been a pleasure,” said head coach John Fox. “He is the ultimate competitor, and you always knew he would give you everything he had. We shared some great moments, and his contributions were invaluable to the success we enjoyed. His receiving numbers reflect what kind of receiver he was, but he was also one of the best blocking wide outs to ever play in the NFL.”

      “The first word that come comes to mind when you think about Muhsin is toughness,” said general manager Marty Hurney. “His competitiveness was contagious in our locker room. He was a dependable playmaker and a leader who brought very much to our team.”

      I always felt that Muhammad was one of those players that never got his full due. He was a crafty receiver that always found ways to get past an opponent’s secondary, even during his final years when he had lost a step. He was the perfect complement to Steve Smith throughout the years (minus the three seasons Muhammad spent in Chicago obviously), and vice versa.

      In other Carolina-related news, linebacker Thomas Davis is likely done for the year after he re-tore his right ACL during a recent OTA session. He tore the same ACL last November, but had been recovering ahead of schedule and was even recently timed at 4.47 in the forty-yard dash, which is excellent for a linebacker.

      With Davis likely headed for IR, Jon Beason could slide over to the weak-side position with James Anderson starting on the strong-side. Panthers’ defensive coordinator Ron Meeks likes the action to flow towards the weak-side ‘backer, so Beason will get a ton of work this season. Either way, losing Davis was a huge blow to Carolina’s defense.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, NFL

      Peavy would request a trade if Sox begin to rebuild

      June 10, 2010 /

      Jake Peavy told Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times that he would ask for a trade if the White Sox decided to start the rebuilding process this season.

      “I just want a chance to win,” Peavy said. “I believe it can happen here. I’m excited to be in the situation. Nothing’s changed just because we haven’t played well. I’m excited to be in a situation where you talk about it’s not going to be a rebuilding process. If that were the case, I would certainly try to be moved, but that’s the least of my worries.

      “Obviously, something’s got to give,” Peavy said. “We’ve underachieved as a team, as a whole organization. I could not have imagined being in this situation at this point in the year, with what we came into camp with I was excited. Other than the captain [Paul Konerko] and Alex Rios I think everybody has had below their expectations this year. That’s unfortunate but the bottom line is it happened and you’ve got to be professional, you’ve got to battle through it and you’ve got to roll on. Like I said, we’ve still got a lot of baseball left to play and stranger things have happened as you know.”

      I highly doubt that the GM Kenny Williams will blow everything up and start from scratch this season, even with the Sox’s current status in the AL Central. (They’re currently 9.5 games back of the Twins in the division and eight games below .500.) He may trade off one or two pieces, but that doesn’t mean that he can’t field a competitive roster in 2011.

      The bottom line is that players have to step up. After turning in a promising performance last year as a rookie, youngster Gordon Beckham (.201 average) has really struggled this season. Carlos Quentin and A.J. Pirezynski also haven’t hit, and most of Chicago’s arms (Peavy, Gavin Floyd, Mark Buehrle, Bobby Jenks) have pitched like dung, too.

      This club isn’t playing well right now, but even though changes are likely to be made, that doesn’t mean that Williams will dismantle the roster. When he traded for Peavy last year, he envisioned the former Padre headlining one of the best rotations in baseball. It hasn’t happened yet, but it’s only June of Peavy’s first full year with the team. Even if the Sox don’t compete this year, it’s doubtful that Williams starts over heading into 2011.

      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, MLB

      History repeats itself when it comes to Jeremiah Masoli

      June 10, 2010 /

      At the risk of sounding like a cynic, it wasn’t hard to see all of this coming.

      The downfall of Jeremiah Masoli, that is.

      The Oregon quarterback was kicked off the team on Wednesday after police cited him earlier in the week for possession of marijuana, driving with a suspended license, and failure to stop at a driveway or sidewalk.

      Of course, this citation comes just three months after Masoli pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of second-degree burglary for stealing two laptops and a guitar from a university frat house in late January with teammate Garrett Embry. Ducks head coach Chip Kelly had only suspended him for the 2010 season at that point, but now Masoli’s football career, at least at the University of Oregon, is now over.

      Should anyone be surprised that this was the outcome of his Oregon career? Even before he arrived in Eugene, Masoli was expelled from Serra High in San Mateo, California in 2005 for muscling people for money outside of malls and at bus stops. He spent a stint in a juvenile detention center after pleading guilty to robbery, yet still had the opportunity to play college football.

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      College Football, External Sports

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