Seniors have a lasting legacy
Group is UVa's winningest class of all-time
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
May 11, 2007

Tim Henry’s fingers could not dial the numbers fast enough.

As a freshman outfielder on Virginia’s baseball team in 2004, the rookie wanted to tell his father every single detail of what appeared to be an earth-changing victory.

UVa, playing its first ACC game in 2004 under new coach Brian O’Connor, had just secured a one-run win against 17th-ranked Georgia Tech on the road.

“We were saying to each other after that game that we had stolen one from Georgia Tech,” Henry recounted. “That, we thought, was good.”

It got better - so much better.

“We won the next one and next one in that series and I don’t think either myself or my dad believed that would happen when I first signed on to play baseball at Virginia,” Henry said.

It was a three-day window that forever changed the lives of Henry, catcher Ryan Hudson, outfielder Mike Mitchell and relief pitchers Casey Lambert and Alex Smith.

More than 150 victories later, the experience remains the springboard that propelled the five senior teammates to becoming the most successful class in program history.

Entering their final home series in ACC play tonight against North Carolina State, the five Cavaliers that were recruited by former coach Dennis Womack boast a 170-60 overall record, an accomplishment that seemed unfathomable after Virginia posted losing records in four of the fives seasons prior to the group’s arrival.

“With the trends in the program before we came here you wouldn’t expect this much success, and with a whole new coaching staff you never know what is going to happen, but we have been fortunate and obviously came in at the right time,” said Lambert, who owns the school’s saves record. “I think our situation with signing with the old coaching staff and coming into a new scenario was a real unique experience … and I think it worked out for the best.”

Upon arrival, Lambert and the others noticed a common theme from the coaching staff, a group that includes assistants Karl Kuhn and Kevin McMullan. The Cavaliers, currently 38-10 overall and 16-7 in the ACC, were told they would not be intimidated.

The results in ’04 at Georgia Tech, a perennial power, proved that.

“Sweeping Georgia Tech is a great accomplishment alone, but from the day that I became the head coach I was pounding it into the players’ heads that we weren’t going to take a back seat to anybody,” O’Connor said. “I told them that we could compete with anybody and that we could and would win.

“Even though we were 14-2 before we went down there, we still hadn’t played a ‘Georgia Tech.’ For them to go out there and get it done really set the tone for the program and the direction that we were going to go.”

The stage had been set by the Cavaliers’ coaching staff long before the first game was played in ’04. Lambert said one lackluster fall practice in 2003 outraged O’Connor so much that he pulled the team off the field and delivered a 20- to 30-minute tirade.

“We got a ‘gut-check’ as Coach McMullan called it,” Lambert chuckled, something he did not do at the time. “We had to go out and do more running than anybody wanted to do, that is for sure, but we knew right away that this was a program that was going to be hard-nosed and intense.

“There wasn’t going to be room for slacking off, and we have taken that approach to the field every day since.”

Smith said the demands for that “approach” got his attention early on.

“I had never played baseball, or any sport really, in an environment that was so demanding and where I thought the coaches were that good and in such command of what is going on,” Smith said.

Another point of emphasis was relayed following the sweep in Atlanta - it appeared to Virginia’s players that the Yellow Jackets brushed off the three losses, flashing smiles instead and signing autographs with their fans.

“It looked like they didn’t even care,” Hudson said. “We had that philosophy, I think, that it wasn’t going to be us. We were going to work harder and we were going to go about our business the right way.

“We have always had an idea of what to do, and the coaching staff has implemented that real well.”

As the NCAA Tournament appearances and national rankings became commonplace for the Cavaliers, the current senior class grew along the way. Outfielder Brandon Marsh, catcher Beau Seabury and infielder John Scaglione transferred in, providing obvious depth and star power.

And despite having rewritten the program’s record books individually and as a unit, what happens during the next month could alter that final impression.

“I think we have already done an unbelievable job leaving a legacy here by getting the most wins that a team has had and a senior class has had,” Mitchell said, “but we are looking to put an even bigger mark on the record books and to try to get past a regional and into a super regional and perhaps win a championship at the end.”

Henry agreed, and a perfect exit for him would include making some phone calls from Omaha, Neb., the site of the College World Series.

“There is still more to go,” Henry said. “That is for sure.”

 

Mines making an impression on Bears
By Larry Mayer / Special to The Daily Progress
May 11, 2007

LAKE FOREST, Ill. - Unheralded tight end Fontel Mines arrived in Chicago last Thursday to participate in the Bears’ rookie minicamp on a tryout basis.

Three days later, he returned to Virginia with not only a signed contract but high praise from Lovie Smith, coach of the reigning NFC champions.

“You can’t even describe [the feeling],” said the former Cavaliers wide receiver. “A lot of people didn’t even know my name going into the tryout, so just for him to [talk about] me like that feels great. But it’s just the beginning. I still have a lot of hard work to do.”

While much of the focus in minicamp was on Bears first-round draft pick Greg Olsen, a tight end from Miami, Mines also turned heads during three non-contact practices, making several impressive receptions down the middle of the field in 7-on-7 drills.

“We really liked what our tight ends did in camp, not only Greg Olsen but Fontel Mines,” Smith said. “He did a super job. He really came out of nowhere and really got our attention.”

In two seasons as a starter, Mines caught 55 passes for 601 yards and 4 TD.

After speaking with Virginia coach Al Groh and former Cavaliers receivers coach John Garrett, Mines decided to bulk up to give NFL teams the option of converting him into a pass-catching tight end. He has since added 15 pounds to his 6-foot-4 frame and now weighs 240 pounds.

Mines said that he also had offers to try-out with the Redskins and Saints, but he chose the Bears because he felt that it was the best situation for him. Some may question that decision given the fact that Chicago chose Olsen with its first pick, but that wasn’t a deterrent to Mines.

“It’s good for me,” he insisted. “There are lots of things I could probably learn from him, being a first-rounder like that. Hopefully I can be put in the same situations that he’s put in as far as learning the offense. I didn’t look at it in a negative way. I tried to find the positives in it.”

Mines ended up sharing more than just the spotlight with Olsen during the rookie minicamp.

“Greg helped me out because I didn’t have a playbook,” Mines said. “I would go to his [hotel] room at night and look over the plays. If you know your plays, that allows you to play so much faster.”

Not given a playbook because he had not yet signed a contract, Mines suppressed the urge to borrow some of Olsen’s pages and make a run to the nearest Kinko’s.

“You’ve just got to write down everything that comes out of the coach’s mouth verbatim,” Mines said. “It’s a part of the game. You just have to be a student of the game.”

Now back in Richmond, Mines is working out every day in preparation for the Bears’ full-squad minicamp next weekend. He hopes to build off his initial success and isn’t taking anything for granted.

“You can’t let up,” he said. “This is just the beginning. I made an impression, but I can’t go back and just rely on that impression that I made at rookie minicamp. I’ve got to make that same impression to the vets just to gain that respect from those guys.”

If Mines is able to do that, Smith likely will have even more positive things to say about the converted Virginia receiver.

“I didn’t know much about him before he came here,” Smith conceded last weekend. “That’s what’s exciting about these types of camps. You let the guys go on the practice field and it doesn’t matter whether they’re a first-round draft choice or a tryout player.

“You just let them compete out there and they tell you what we want to know.”



 

UVa looks to add to ACC perfection
Cavs have eyes on NCAA title
By Jerry Miller / jmiller@dailyprogress.com | 978-7258
May 11, 2007

If you think it’s just “coach speak” when Brian Boland says the ACC is the best men’s tennis conference in the country, think again.

A year removed from sending a league-record nine members to the 64-team NCAA Tournament, the ACC one-upped itself this year and pushed 10 into the postseason, including five of a total 16 “host sites,” or regionals tabbed across the country.

Boland’s Virginia squad has traversed this treacherous minefield for the past two months, only recently coming out unscathed with ACC regular-season and tournament championships in tow.

“We have a lot of confidence right now after coming off an ACC Championship,” Boland said. “I do believe, though, our best tennis is in front of us.”

UVa (26-3) is riding a 12-match winning streak and enters the NCAAs as the tournament’s No. 4 seed, a peculiar pegging considering the Cavaliers closed the year ranked No. 2 in the nation.

Either way, the all-Virginia regional, which showcases an undercard match between Old Dominion (21-7) and Virginia Tech (13-12), has subplots galore.

For the fourth consecutive year, the Cavs will begin their postseason trek at the Snyder Tennis Center. Today’s opponent is upstart Hampton (15-8). Match time is slated for 10 a.m.

“We’ve seen some tape on [Hampton],” said Somdev Devvarman, the second-ranked singles player in the country with a 34-5 overall record. “They look like they’re a pretty talented team, but I don’t think they’re as deep as us.”

Hampton, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champion, earned its first NCAA bid since 2003 after disposing of Florida A&M in the MEAC Tournament final. The Pirates feature four players with at least 10 wins, while Virginia has seven on its roster.

“We had a little break the last two weeks to finish up school and exams, so I think everyone is ready to get going,” said Treat Huey, a recent selection to the NCAA Individual Championships following a 32-6 overall season. “I think we are all peaking at the right time now. We’re playing good tennis.”

The winners will meet on Saturday at 1 p.m. On paper, it projects as a second-round showdown between Virginia and Old Dominion. UVa dropped ODU, 5-2, in late February in what Boland admitted was a more difficult test than he initially expected.

“There are a lot of good teams here,” Boland said. “I think this is one of the best regionals in the country. I have a lot of respect for these programs. We’re fortunate to host a great group of teams likes this.”

Boland encouraged fans to come out and support the Cavs, who may have their best shot yet at claiming an NCAA Championship.

“We have the best fans in college tennis, and we need them now more than ever,” Boland said. “They’ve been very supportive all year, and I hope they will come out in big numbers [today].”

 

Possible Vick ban a concern to Blank
Team owner says he had 'stern' meeting with QB
By STEVE WYCHE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 05/11/07

Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank, concerned that quarterback Michael Vick could be suspended by the NFL, has had another meeting with his embattled star where "I could not have been more stern."

Blank spoke to Vick in person about a series of recent off-the-field incidents, most recently an ongoing investigation of illegal dog fighting at a property he owns in Virginia.

Blank said he did not know if Vick has any involvement but, "from the facts we have so far, it's not a pretty picture. It's clearly an issue and we'll wait and see what revolves around it. I'm not a prosecutor or an attorney so I'm not going to sit in judgment of Michael."

The team owner said he asked NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to speak to Vick last month while both were at the NFL draft in New York.

"What [Goodell] will do about it, I'm not sure, but he's not going to take it lightly," Blank said. "He's got Michael on his radar and I think he made that clear to Michael as well."

In recent weeks, Goodell has suspended two NFL players for the upcoming season for off-the-field incidents.

Blank, in a phone interview while on vacation, said he has grown weary of all the negative press Vick has generated since making an obscene gesture on Nov. 26 to fans at the Georgia Dome after the Falcons lost to the New Orleans Saints.

"I told him, 'You represent us as a franchise, you represent yourself as a person and you represent the NFL. It's not one single thing, it's a series of things,' " Blank said.

"I'm not saying he's been directly involved, but in some cases he has been, and in some cases it's been the people around him." Blank said he admonished Vick: " 'You're responsible for who you're with. You need to make some difficult choices and you need to make them now. I think you're at a critical point in your life.' "

The Journal-Constitution submitted several written questions to Vick through the Falcons public relations department Thursday. The response stated: "As you are aware, Michael's attorney has advised him to not answer any questions specific to the investigation."

Vick did respond to questions about his meetings with Blank and Goodell.

"They both challenged me to be more accountable in all areas of my life. I know I need to make some changes around me to make sure that the people in my life have my best interest at heart. My goal is to not let my fans, my teammates, or my coaches down.

"Mr. Blank was very direct with me. He and I both understand and agree that the responsibility to not show up in the paper, on TV, or on the internet in a negative light is mine."

Vick spoke openly about raising pit bulls at a property he owns in Virginia and it does not come as a surprise that there is an investigation of illegal dog fighting, a person close to Vick told the Journal-Constitution.

On a Wednesday posting, SI.com cited "sources who have known Vick well for years" as saying they were convinced Vick was involved in illegal dog fighting. In Virginia, dog fighting is a felony, punishable by up to five years in prison.

"I am concerned about [a possible suspension]," Blank said. "I don't think we're at that point, but you're concerned about that. If he's found to be guilty or charged with dog fighting — obviously, I have no idea or indication of what that will be — that's serious stuff."

Police were initially at the property in Surry County, Va., in a drug investigation involving Vick's cousin when contraband related to dog fighting was found.

Vick also was investigated for trying to bring a water bottle — with a secret compartment that smelled of marijuana — through a security checkpoint at Miami International Airport in January. He was not charged, but Falcons president and general manager Rich McKay had a "stressful" conversation with him following the episode.

A day before police investigated the property in Virginia, Vick missed a breakfast in Washington where he was to be honored by a children's advocacy group — and seven U.S. congressmen.

Blank has been criticized for being too close to Vick. Blank did not deny the relationship with Vick, but said it has allowed him to be firm with Vick when needed.

"If it sounds like I'm talking stern, like to a child of mine, I am," Blank said. "He needs to take some personal responsibility."

Blank said he also reminded Vick that he could lose his lucrative endorsement deals if he continues to garner negative publicity. Vick has several endorsement deals, the biggest with Nike and AirTran.

"I told him that if, 'You think [Nike chairman] Phil Knight is going to have the image of his company tarnished you're wrong. They have a lot of athletes that represent them and represent them well. Michael, I'm telling you they're not going to sit by, just like the NFL won't sit by.' He told me he is aware of that."

Blank said Vick has promised him and head coach Bobby Petrino that he's already begun to make changes to improve his image and his life. Petrino, on Wednesday, championed Vick's work ethic and said that he believed in him.

Petrino said he had hoped the Vick controversy would not overshadow this weekend's mandatory, three-day mini-camp, which begins today, and that he would instruct his players to focus on and talk about football-related issues.