dailypress.com
A good sign for Virginia athletics
David Teel
October 3, 2008

Flasks used to be the contraband of choice at college football games. Strap a pint of Jack to your leg, wink at the complicit gate attendant and stay "happy" well into the second half — regardless of score.

This season the University of Virginia's athletic department changed the equation. The change was foolish, ironic, transparent and cried for civil disobedience.

NO SIGNS!

No lame odes to ESPN sure to catch the camera's eye. No spirited encouragement of the home team or clever disparagement of the visitors.

Most important, no cranky calls for the coach's firing.

Sign-sniffing pooches — not to be confused with the canines trained to detect umbrellas, sandwiches and other WMD prohibited at Scott Stadium — would patrol the gates, and on the off chance of a successful smuggling, the perpetrator(s) would be cuffed and frog-marched from the premises, presumably not to the Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression.

Perhaps you've heard of Jefferson. Third president. First Amendment — freedom of speech and all that jazz — champion.

Oh, and founder of a certain university in Charlottesville. Told you this was ironic.

Thursday, calmer heads and Jeffersonian principles prevailed when athletic director Craig Littlepage and/or his Board of Visitors superiors repealed his ban.

"The policy … has become a distraction and has taken the focus away from supporting our student-athletes," Littlepage said in a statement. "Our football team needs our support right now, and that should be our collective focus."

For more than 100 years, signs at Cavaliers games were not a problem. Two actually were memorable.

"Adios Benedict Curry" read one in 1998 that greeted North Carolina quarterback Ronald Curry, the Hampton High phenom who reneged on a commitment to Virginia.

"29-1" said a prescient other on the Thursday night in 1995 that the Cavaliers ended Florida State's 29-game ACC winning streak.

At last season's home opener against Duke, stadium officials spotted a banner they didn't like. It was neither profane nor provocative.

"Fire Groh"

Groh as in embattled coach Al Groh, his team then fresh off a lifeless defeat at Wyoming. Stadium security forced the sign's creator, student David Becker, to conceal his handiwork.

Virginia won the game, and eight others, earning Groh ACC Coach of the Year honors for the second time.

In August, citing sportsmanship concerns, Littlepage issued a sign ban for all university athletic venues. In defending the action, he mentioned other schools with similar policies.

Whatever.

Some schools discourage or ban signs, usually to make sure no one's view is blocked. Other schools couldn't care less.

No other school was founded by Jefferson.

Students attending a recent football game against Richmond protested with blank signs. They requested and received an audience with Littlepage.

We all understand what this is about.

Groh is unpopular among some fans, especially with the Cavaliers staggering to a 1-3 start this season. And university honchos don't want banners calling for his ouster appearing on television, Web sites and in newspapers.

As if banning the signs would have silenced fans' voices and muffled media coverage.

In typically dismissive fashion, U.Va. president John Casteen refused to acknowledge the Jeffersonian overtones and potential teaching moment here.

"I don't do signs," he told a Charlottesville television reporter, suggesting she question Littlepage.

Isn't that rich? The suit who saddled the athletic department with Groh's pork-laden contract delegated a related mess back to Littlepage.

After meeting with Littlepage this week, Student Council reps called for students to abandon the school's preferred "Power of Orange" T-shirts in favor of blue, or, in a return to pre-Groh tradition, dress shirts and ties.

"Call it what you want," student Zach Rowen wrote in Thursday's Cavalier Daily. "Political activism. Student activism. Students (angry) that the Cavalier football team is terrible so far this year and that they can't express their frustration in the form of a sign-activism."

Hours after publication, Littlepage wisely penned his retraction.

Wisely because this conflict figured to linger, particularly if the football season further soured. Banners would have found their way into Scott Stadium, and the confiscation scenes would not have been flattering.

Meanwhile, the Jefferson Center will continue to collect recommendations for its 2009 Jefferson Muzzles, annual raspberries to those "who in the past year forgot or disregarded Mr. Jefferson's admonition that freedom of speech 'cannot be limited without being lost.' "

Thursday afternoon, Craig Littlepage spared himself a nomination.

Signs of peace at Virginia?
Littlepage reveals banners, etc., now allowed at events
Friday, Oct 03, 2008 - 12:07 AM

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Free speech lives again at the University of Virginia.

A day after meeting with student leaders and upholding the university's ban on signs, banners and flags at all U.Va. sporting venues, Athletic Director Craig Littlepage announced yesterday that the policy had been repealed.

The policy, widely criticized when it was implemented days before U.Va.'s Aug. 30 football opener, has "become a distraction and has taken the focus away from supporting our student-athletes," Littlepage said in a statement.

"Our football team needs our support right now and that should be our collective focus. . . . I encourage all of our fans to be in attendance at Saturday night's football game with Maryland. My hope is our fans will wear orange and be prepared to support the Cavaliers."

For years, football coach Al Groh has asked U.Va. fans to wear orange to games, and the school launched a "Power of Orange" campaign this season. But U.Va. student groups, upset by the ban on signs, Wednesday announced their support for a protest being organized for the Maryland game. Students were encouraged to wear blue to the game, and an organization called Tees Overseas said it planned to accept donations of orange gear outside Scott Stadium. -- Jeff White

 

Sign ban repealed yesterday
Policy shifted focus away from support for student-athletes, statement reads
By Jane Ma, Cavalier Daily Senior Writer
Published: Friday, October 3 2008

The ban on signs, banners and flags at University sporting events was repealed yesterday in a statement issued by athletic director Craig Littlepage.
“The policy prohibiting signs, banners and flags in all U.Va. athletics venues has become a distraction and has taken the focus away from supporting our student-athletes,” Littlepage stated in the release. Rich Murray, associate athletics director for public relations, said Littlepage would have no further comment.
Before the repeal was issued yesterday afternoon, Student Council, ‘Hoo Crew, and the Student Athlete Advisory Committee encouraged students to participate in a Power of the Students Night at Scott Stadium at tomorrow’s football game against the University of Maryland. The protest was designed to express those student organizations’ disagreement with what the athletic department deemed a move necessary to promote a “positive gameday environment,” while still showing their support for University football players. The planned protest encouraged spectators to wear blue rather than orange, thus preventing them from contributing to the Sea of Orange, an idea encouraged by the athletic department since 2003.
Littlepage, according to the statement, encourages all University football fans to wear orange to tomorrow’s game in support of the Cavaliers.
Council President Matt Schrimper, meanwhile, said he was “ecstatic about the repeal” and noted that it occurred quite “unexpectedly,” given the fact that the repeal occurred just 15 hours after the protest was announced.
Similarly, ‘Hoo Crew President Kevin Dowlen said he was “completely blindsided by the news” of the repeal and felt that the “values of the University prevailed.” He said the repeal was one of the most unexpected events of his time at the University and noted that he was glad “students rallied behind a cause.”
Schrimper noted that the proposed protest for the game against Maryland has been called off and has been deemed no longer necessary because of yesterday’s decision. He also said Council is now looking forward to working with ‘Hoo Crew and the Student Athlete Advisory Committee to carry out the sportsmanship initiative initially proposed Wednesday as a possible exchange tool for the lifting of the sign ban.

Sign ban lifted at Virginia
AD Craig Littlepage says the students' wishes will be granted.
By Doug Doughty
981-3129

Faced by a protest from multiple student organizations, Virginia announced Thursday that it is lifting a ban on signs at UVa athletic events.

The ban had been in place since the start of the season and had been criticized by the likes of ESPN columnist Rick Reilly, who pointed out that UVa had been founded by Thomas Jefferson, one of the original proponents of free speech.

A delegation from UVa's Student Council had sought to overturn the ban in a meeting with Craig Littlepage earlier in the week. When no change was forthcoming, students were asked to protest by wearing blue to the Cavaliers' game Saturday night with Maryland.

Virginia had adopted the slogan, "Power of Orange," for the 2008 season and fans have been urged to wear orange.

Students were so upset that a second organization, Tees Overseas, had stated that bins would be placed outside Scott Stadium for spectators who wanted to donate excess orange wear.

That prompted a UVa news release shortly before 3 p.m.

"The policy prohibiting signs, banners and flags in all UVa athletics venues has become a distraction and has taken the focus away from supporting our student athletes," said Littlepage in a prepared statement.

"Our football team needs our support right now and that should be our collective focus. ... I encourage all of our fans to be in attendance at Saturday night's football game with Maryland. My hope is our fans will wear orange and be prepared to support the Cavaliers."
 

UVa lifts sign ban
By Brian McNeill
Published: October 2, 2008

Nearly six weeks after the University of Virginia banned all signs at its sporting events — including football and basketball — the university abruptly switched course Thursday afternoon and rescinded its controversial no-sign policy.

UVa’s athletics department announced in an Aug. 19 e-mail to students that it was banning all signs. “Beginning this year, signs are not permitted inside athletics facilities,” it said. Thank you for your cooperation.”
The sign ban came a year after UVa student David Becker was threatened with ejection from Scott Stadium because he was holding up a sign that said: “Fire [head football coach Al] Groh.”

In the aftermath of the sign ban, however, outrage grew steadily over what many Cavalier fans perceived as an infringement on their right to voice their opinions at a
university founded by Thomas Jefferson.
At the UVa football team’s game against the University of Richmond on Sept. 6 an estimated 5,000 students in the stands of Scott Stadium held up blank sheets of paper — as in, not technically signs — to protest the policy.

A second protest of the sign ban was being organized for Saturday’s home game against the University of Maryland. In that planned protest, dubbed the “power of students night,” many fans promised to wear blue T-shirts rather than the university’s preferred orange T-shirts. The protest also called for Cavalier fans to abandon their official orange gameday T-shirts by placing them in collection bins to be sent overseas to needy people.
“Stand up: Wear blue at Saturday night’s game,” urged a protest announcement Wednesday from UVa’s Student Council. “If you don’t have blue, anything but orange will do.”
Amid all the fury, UVa Athletics Director Craig Littlepage continued to defend the no-signs policy. As recently as Wednesday, Littlepage defended the ban, saying it promoted a “positive gameday environment.”

Yet on Thursday, Littlepage released a new written statement that announced he was rescinding the sign ban, saying it had become too much of a distraction.
“The policy prohibiting signs, banners and flags in all UVa athletics venues has become a distraction and has taken the focus away from supporting our student-athletes,” he wrote. “Our football team needs our support right now and that should be our collective focus. With that in mind, I am repealing immediately the policy prohibiting signs, banners and flags in all athletics venues. I encourage all of our fans to be in attendance at Saturday’s football game with Maryland. My hope is our fans will wear orange and be prepared to support the Cavaliers.”
Littlepage’s flip-flop on the sign ban drew kudos from some fans on various UVa football focused blogs and message boards.

“I feel like a winner today,” wrote one. “Mr. Jefferson, we got the signs back! WAHOOWAH!”
The fans’ protests of the no-sign policy seemed to be behind the decision to lead to the overturning of the ban, said John W. Whitehead, president of the Rutherford Institute, a Charlottesville-based nonprofit organization that aims to protect constitutional and human rights.
“All those who have engaged in staging creative protests should be encouraged and also commended for their efforts,” said Whitehead. “This is a timely reminder of the power of the people to speak out and bring about change.”
UVa is not the only university in Virginia that has sought to ban signs. Virginia Tech and James Madison University do not allow signs at athletics events, while Virginia Commonwealth University and the College of William & Mary do not have a policy regarding signs.

Rich Murray, spokesman of UVa’s athletics department, declined to say what led to Littlepage’s decision to allow signs.
“All I can say is what is there in his statement,” Murray said. “It had become a distraction.”

The UVa football team’s record for the season is 1-3. The team is considered one of the most lackluster in the NCAA, ranked last in scoring offense, 118th in total offense and 98th in scoring defense.
Becker, the student who held up a “Fire Groh” sign last year, said that he is happy that signs will be back at UVa’s football and basketball games.
“The repeal of the sign ban is obviously great news for students,” he said. “It goes to show how far the power of protest can take you. I can’t wait to bring positive signs back to Scott Stadium and the John Paul Jones Arena.”


 

Insulated in the hot seat
Virginia coach Al Groh doesn't read e-mail as he faces lots of criticism with his team floundering offensively.
By NORM WOOD | | 247-4642
October 1, 2008

CHARLOTTESVILLE - — As Virginia prepares for its Atlantic Coast Conference home opener Saturday against Maryland, coach Al Groh is in the midst of the most trying times in his eight seasons at U.Va.

A 1-3 record and the nation's 118th-rated total offense have created that atmosphere. Barring a dramatic turnaround, there's a good chance the grousing of disenchanted fans will get louder in the coming weeks.

So, Groh takes steps to keep focused. He doesn't read e-mail during the season. He basically lives in the office, working 14-hour days. It's a good idea to insulate himself as much as possible right now, because his seat couldn't get much hotter.

A season after leading U.Va. to a 9-4 record and earning ACC Coach of the Year honors, Groh is struggling to lead a young team.

ACC All Access notes: Tyrod's knee bruised "I'm speaking for all the coaches, myself included," Groh said Tuesday. "Every week, there's a tremendous amount put in to this — every week between 90 and 100 hours just to have the sense of satisfaction that comes from the accomplishment of the team playing well. For anybody involved that puts in that amount of time, and if you don't get any reward for it, that's a difficult end of the week. That's a difficult end of the week if you've won the previous eight games. They don't count for anything that day (when you lose)."

Despite rumors swirling that Groh's job may be in jeopardy, he maintains it hasn't crossed his mind.

"I don't think about my future," said Groh, who heard from many irate fans Monday night on his weekly radio show. "I just think about the next game. That's for all you guys to write about."

Lack of stability at the quarterback position certainly has played a big role in U.Va.'s struggles, but tailback Cedric Peerman's lingering leg injury also hasn't helped. Peerman missed last Saturday's 31-3 loss at Duke, which snapped the Blue Devils' 25-game ACC losing streak.

Sophomore Marc Verica took over the starting quarterback job after Peter Lalich was dismissed from the team Sept. 18. Verica struggled against Duke, where he completed 19 of 42 passes for 194 yards and four interceptions.

Verica said he got in trouble when he forced a few passes downfield once U.Va. got behind, but he likes Groh's offensive scheme. On Tuesday, he defended Groh.

"It's unfortunate to see," Verica said of the criticism. "You kind of wish people would have your back more — have your coach's back. This program has done a lot of great things under Coach Groh. It's easy to assess blame and point fingers. It's hard to be accountable and take ownership for things. Coach Groh has done that."

Most of U.Va.'s woes this season can be traced to an offense that has been far less than satisfactory. U.Va., which is averaging 251 yards per game, has scored only three touchdowns, none passing.

The Cavaliers have just 264 rushing yards, which puts them on pace for 792 on the season. That would be the lowest team total since at least 1946. U.Va.'s media guide doesn't include team statistics before '46.

U.Va. also is averaging nine points per game, which puts the team in line to be the lowest-scoring Cavaliers team since '77, when it averaged only 5.1 points per game.

"At this time, our record isn't really describing the team," fullback Rashawn Jackson said. "The thing is, at this point in time, guys can either turn our back on the coaches and we can complain about everything, or we can come together and learn how to fight through this tough time and get some wins."

U.Va. doesn't have any pass plays that have gone for more than 25 yards. Verica's longest completion was a 21-yard pass against UConn to wide receiver Cary Koch. Receiver Kevin Ogletree has been one of the few lone bright spots on U.Va.'s offense. He has 22 receptions (tied for second in the ACC with 5.5 per game) for 218 yards … and, of course, no touchdowns.

"It's not really frustrating," Ogletree said. "It's making us look at ourselves in the mirror and say, 'We're on offense. We've got to put some points on the board.' When you get frustrated, you really get (sidetracked) from what you have to do, and I wouldn't say we're frustrated. We definitely feel pressed to make some plays and put some points on the board. We know (Maryland) is going to put some points on the board, so we can't lay any eggs."

Talking a good game
Former Cavalier star Alexander hired as U.Va. radio analyst
Friday, Oct 03, 2008 - 12:07 AM
By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Anyone who's spent time with Cory Alexander knows the former University of Virginia point guard likes to talk and doesn't hesitate to speak his mind.

In his new gig, Alexander will show off that side of his personality. He'll be the analyst on radio broadcasts of U.Va. men's basketball games this season, alongside the new play-by-play announcer, Dave Koehn.

"It's something new for me, and with that being the case, as with anything new, it's going to take some training," Alexander said yesterday. "Dave seems to be a great guy. We get along well."

Koehn took over this summer for Mac McDonald, who resigned in late April after a long run as the "Voice of the Cavaliers." Alexander, 35, replaces Jim Hobgood, another former U.Va. hoops player.

"I wish him nothing but the best," Hobgood, who works in insurance in Richmond, said yesterday. "I don't necessarily interpret this as a reflection on the job I did. I'm proud of the 12 years and what Mac and I did together."

Hobgood said he learned Wednesday morning that he wouldn't be retained as analyst, but he had sensed a change was coming. Anyway, Hobgood said, given that the Cavaliers figure to be picked to finish last in the ACC this season, perhaps this is best for all parties. He and McDonald remain close friends.

"A season minus Mac McDonald and a season that might be a little rough around the edges might not be a lot of fun," Hobgood said. "So in some ways, they probably did me a favor."

Alexander said U.Va. officials and Virginia Sports Properties were interested "in getting a fresh team altogether" and approached him about the analyst's position. He has stayed close to the program since his NBA career ended in 2005, working out periodically with the players and talking regularly to Cavaliers coach Dave Leitao.

"This is an opportunity for me to get back," said Alexander, who totaled 1,286 points and 401 assists in his U.Va. career. "It's almost like coming home again."

Alexander, who grew up in Waynesboro, was drafted by San Antonio in the first round of the 1995 NBA draft. He was based in the Richmond area for much of his NBA career, then moved to Goochland County in 2005. For years, he ran a custom shop for cars in Richmond, but he closed it in January. Among other ventures, he puts on basketball camps, and he hopes to "develop that on a much greater scale," Alexander said.

U.Va. opens the season Nov. 16 against Virginia Military Institute at John Paul Jones Arena.

 

Released Hobgood talks departure
By Whitey Reid
Published: October 2, 2008

Not too many people would have wanted to be in Jim Hobgood’s shoes on a December afternoon in Puerto Rico nearly two years ago.
Virginia had just put forth one of its worst performances of the Dave Leitao era — a loss to Appalachian State in the first round of the San Juan Invitational — and the radio color commentator had the unenviable task of interviewing the fiery UVa coach first.
Leitao gave a three-word answer to Hobgood’s first question, a 13-word response to his second and a seven-word answer to his third.
The next day, after an equally dismal loss to Utah, it was once again Hobgood’s turn to break the ice with Leitao.
“I don’t think that series of interviews helped as far as the postgame interviews were concerned,” said Hobgood, with a chuckle.
On Wednesday, Hobgood received word that he would not be retained as the program’s radio color man and was being replaced by former Virginia star Cory Alexander.
Jim Kuznar, the general manager of Virginia Sports Properties, acknowledged the awkward exchanges that sometimes occurred between Hobgood and Leitao.
“I don’t know if there was an issue with chemistry between [Leitao] and Hobgood,” Kuznar said, “but I’d say that there is a good relationship between Cory Alexander and Dave Leitao, which can’t hurt.
“The reason we shook the bush a little was because now that we have a new play-by-play guy in place, it was the opportune time to bring a brand new fresh perspective to the broadcast team — nothing against Jim Hobgood who did a great job.”
Over the summer, Hobgood’s longtime colleague Mac McDonald was replaced as play-by-play man Dave Koehn. That gave Hobgood pause as to whether he even wanted to return.
“The closer it got to the season, the more I realized that Mac would not be there,” Hobgood said, “and the so-called experts are expecting the basketball Hoos to have a tough year — so my excitement for the season was not as great as it had been the past 12 years. To be honest, I’m not sure that they haven’t done me a favor.”
The affable Hobgood, whose full-time job is in the financial service industry, said he holds no grudges.
“I’m grateful for the 12 years that I had,” he said. “Mac and I had a great run and became very close friends, so it would have seemed kind of weird to do the games without him at my side anyway.”
Hobgood agreed that his on-air chemistry with the ultra-competitive Leitao was not always the best. He said Leitao’s sometimes bristly demeanor has made it easier to move forward.
“That was certainly [a] factor that I had in mind,” Hobgood said. “If the team was going to have another tough year, there might be some more difficult circumstances in that regard.
“Maybe I’ve reached the age where I take the attitude of, ‘I don’t necessarily need to deal with that any longer.’”
However, the former Virginia player from the early 1970s will always have a slew of good memories from his broadcast career — most notably two home wins against Duke. The first victory came on an Adam Hall tip-in, the second on a miraculous Sean Singletary shot.
Hobgood said the definite lowlight was the school’s loss to Gonzaga in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in 2001.
“We had a great opportunity to win that game and the way the tournament was set up, we would have probably won the next game versus Indiana State and gone to the Sweet 16,” Hobgood said. “Who knows, if that had happened Pete Gillen might still be the coach at Virginia.”
Hobgood wishes his replacements, Alexander and Koehn, nothing but success.
“I hope they develop the same kind of chemistry that Mac and I developed over a period of time,” Hobgood said, “and I hope for Coach Leitao’s sake and the players’ that they have a better year than some people anticipate that they’ll have.”

 

Will it be orange or blue Saturday?
Alexander expects to be opinionated
By Doug Doughty

There is a reason that the Virginia Insider always comes out on Thursdays. Generally speaking, that’s the one day of the week when I’m not working on another UVa story.

That was not the case today, when I was actually working on three UVa stories, two on the same subject.

Just as I was beginning to get a handle on the student protest scheduled for Saturday night’s Maryland-Virginia football game and already had started writing, UVa distributed a press release in which Craig Littlepage repealed the ban on signs at UVa sporting events.

I’m still waiting for a response from the UVa Student Council, which had advised students to wear blue. Littlepage, in the news release, has urged spectators to continue to wear orange.

(I think I’ve made my feelings clear on UVa’s “Power of Orange” campaign? When a team ranks among the bottom 15 in Division I-A in seven offensive categories, exactly how much power is the color, orange, providing)?

The other story that merited my attention was the departure of Jim Hobgood as analyst on the UVa basketball network. Hobgood is quick to admit that Virginia Sports Properties told him it was moving “in another direction,” but he thinks the athletic department was behind the move.

UVa would like us to believe that Virginia Sports Properties wanted a new look and new sound to compliment 32-year-old radio voice Dave Koehn. But how can you say that when longtime football analyst Frank Quayle kept his job and Quayle is older than Hobgood?

If you want to give UVa the benefit of the doubt, you could say that Koehn was on the job for barely a month before the Cavaliers’ first game and there wasn’t enough time to re-assess the football analyst’s job.

Plus, there wasn’t a candidate with the obvious credentials of a Cory Alexander, who said Thursday that he has “a great relationship with coach [Dave] Leitao and I think that was one of the factors.”

Alexander reminds me of Marty Fletcher, the one-time VMI basketball coach who had a weekly, state-wide TV show. We used to call Fletcher “Mr. Microphone,” after a toy that was being marketed at the time.

Alexander was Mr. Microphone before he had a microphone.

“I like the sound of my voice and maybe some other people do, too,” Alexander said.

And, he’s never been at a loss for an opinion.

“That’s the good thing about being color analyst,” said Alexander, one of UVa’s most dynamic former point guards. “I can provide more opinion than I have to do facts. Once again, I like my opinions. I don’t know if anybody else does.”

Alexander was once in the car restoration business but said the $4-per-gallon price of gas has curtailed some of those opportunities. He still accessorizes cars for old NBA contacts but is working on a new venture, a foundation, from his Goochland County home.

“For somebody who really didn’t want to go [to Virginia], it turned out to be a really good place,” Alexander said. “You know I really didn’t want to go to Virginia while I was in high school.

“I wasn’t wild about it once I made the decision. But, it turned out to be maybe one of the best decisions I ever made in my life. I love the place, I love the people. It’s afforded me so many opportunities, just being part of the UVa family.”

THE READERS REALLY sunk their teeth into last week’s poll question, with 440 of 835 voters (52.69 percent) saying they supported athletic director Craig Littlepage in his dismissal of football quarterback Peter Lalich.

After reading the comments, I regretted not provide the readers a third option: Need to know more of the facts.

I don’t think all the facts will ever be known, even by Littlepage and Co., but I believe that Lalich’s punishment stemmed mostly from his body of work and not from underage possession of alcohol or a parole violation.

 

A closer look at the Terps
Jeff White
Oct 02, 2008

CHARLOTTESVILLE – Any list of the hardest working sportswriters in the D.C. area has to include the indefatigable Patrick Stevens, who covers the University of Maryland for The Washington Times.

U.Va. and Maryland meet Saturday night at Scott Stadium, of course, in an important game for both teams. At Patrick’s suggestion, he sent me five questions about U.Va. football this week, and my answers can be found on his blog:

His answers to my questions about the Terrapins follow.

1. What in the world has gotten into Maryland since the Middle Tennessee debacle? From afar, at least, it looks like a different team.

PS: A lot of what happened is stability at quarterback. In an unpopular move with fans, Ralph Friedgen chose Jordan Steffy to start the opener over Chris Turner, who in turn considered transferring closer to his California home. The snakebit Steffy got hurt before August was over, and Turner was sluggish in his first start of the season at Middle Tennessee.

Since then, he’s been good-to-really good, with five touchdowns and two interceptions over the last three games.

It’s funny you mention “a different team,” because Maryland seems to be one every week. The only thing predictable about them is their unpredictability, and they could just as easily win any game left on their schedule 35-7 as they could lose it by the same score.

2. Had the Terrapins continued down the path they appeared headed and finished, say, 5-7, would Ralph Friedgen’s job been in jeopardy?

PS: I think at 5-7, Friedgen would have survived. The contract he signed after the three straight 10-win seasons is very generous; he’s guaranteed at least $5.5 million over the next three years and Maryland would be hard-pressed to pay both him and a new coach. He’s also heavily involved as something of a closer in selling the new suites in Byrd Stadium that will open next year.

The other issue is simple: How much better can Maryland do than a guy who has brought five bowl berths in seven years? Since the start of the 2004 season, the Terps are a ho-hum 28-24, but that’s still better than the 15 years preceding Friedgen’s arrival.

Four mostly mediocre seasons forced Friedgen to use up a lot of political capital he earned his first three years, maybe even nearly all of it. But it probably would have taken (or would take) a free-fall to oust him in 2008.

3. Was tailback Da’Rel Scott expected to be this good, or has he been a revelation?

PS: Everyone knew Scott was fast, a one-time Pennsylvania state 100-meter champion capable of providing the sort of long runs Maryland hasn’t seen since Bruce Perry left. I’m not sure anyone saw him being the sort of guy to take 20 handoffs a game, and he did that both in the opener against Delaware and on Saturday against Clemson.

Other than his first season, Friedgen has veered toward committee situations in the backfield. So maybe the biggest surprise so far is that Scott is dominating the carries total when he’s healthy (he sat out the Eastern Michigan game with a sprained shoulder).

He struggled to 39 yards on 23 carries on Saturday, but grinded out more than half of his output in the fourth quarter and gained yardage on his final eight carries. The fact he could adapt on the fly to being a more punishing runner is one of the most impressive things I’ve seen from him this season.

4. What’s the biggest difference in wideout Darrius Heyward-Bey’s game this season?

PS: There’s a lot of factors at work there. Foremost is the fact Heyward-Bey is simply a more polished receiver. The way he explained it to me, he’s getting better and better at not slowing down when he makes cuts on his routes, which makes covering him even more of a challenge because he can change direction without changing speed.

A priority for Maryland is getting him the ball with space to work with and not just simply tossing it up to him on a fly route and seeing what happens. His 80-yard touchdown catch at Middle Tennessee was just a 4-yard screen and he did the rest of the work, and his 76-yard run at Clemson was a reverse where the defense was spread to thin to handle his speed.

Heyward-Bey already has more runs this season (six) to all of 2007 (five), so it’s clear new offensive coordinator James Franklin is looking at end arounds, reverses and other gadget plays at least once a game.

5. Has this winning streak covered up a significant weakness that’s likely to become apparent as Maryland’s season progresses?

PS: There’s so many possible issues with this team, yet somehow they’re 4-1 (and were the clearly better team in three of those wins).

As usual, it depends on which team shows up.

* The offensive line, which was supposed to be a strength, has really only proven to be so-so.

* The defensive line, which starts two guys who were walk-ons as recently as the end of spring ball, is plucky but won’t generate much of a pass rush unless a guy holds onto the ball for far too long.

* Kicker Obi Egekeze missed his first five field goals, but has now made five straight and seems to be fine.

* The secondary was hit hard early by injuries, especially at cornerback where the top two subs are either done for the year (Richard Taylor) or missed the last two games with ankle problems (Nolan Carroll)

Maryland is 102nd nationally in pass defense, but take out the 239 yields it yielded in the fourth quarter against California (when the Terps were exhausted and the Golden Bears abandoned the run altogether) and the ranking improves to 69th at 205.6 yards a game.

If anything has a chance to seriously hamstring these guys down the road, it’s the combination of a lack of pass rush and a thin secondary.

Posted by Jeff White

Heyward-Bey makes Terps go
By Jay Jenkins
Published: October 2, 2008

Virginia coach Al Groh thought it was clearly a game-breaker.
Maryland fans likely felt it was purely common sense.
With the Terrapins’ offense reeling at a Virginia-like clip at Clemson, one play ignited the stagnant attack in an instant.
Early in the third quarter, with Maryland losing 17-6, offensive coordinator James Franklin called Fake 39 Z Reverse Right.
The result was a streaking blur.
The play was designed for Maryland wideout Darius Heyward-Bey and went for 76 yards, which set up the first of two second-half touchdowns that helped the Terps beat their fourth straight ranked opponent.
Virginia fans will get a glimpse of the speedster — at least when he is standing still — on Saturday as Maryland travels to Scott Stadium.
“This is a player that takes it another step when you ask about him,” Groh said. “It’s not just talking about he’s got size. He’s got speed, he’s pretty good, he’s dangerous. It is right there.
“He has really done it. You can certainly see the development in his game.”
Heyward-Bey, a junior, has shown the ability, when called upon, to stretch the field for Maryland. Clocked at 4.38 in the 40-yard dash as a high school standout in Maryland, the wide receiver has rushed for 168 yards on just six carries and has caught 12 passes for a team-best 250 yards.
Why Heyward-Bey has not received more touches confuses many.
“Darrius is always going to be a major part of our game plan,” Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen told reporters. “We are going to do what we have to do, but he has to do it, too.”
Heyward-Bey has dropped his share of passes, including a pair against Clemson.
That has not, however, impacted Groh’s opinion of a player that he recruited and has admired since.
“I remember a couple of years ago when Maryland beat Miami and I think the score was something like 14-10 or 17-14 or whatnot,” Groh recounted. “Maryland had ran less than 40 plays in the game, but he went 80 yards or more within the first three or four plays of the game.
“He is just that much more developed in his game, but he causes you to … he has not only an impact on the game, but on how you plan for the game.”
While Heyward-Bey has the 76-yard run this season and an 80-yard reception in the team’s lone loss to Middle Tennessee, Virginia’s longest offensive play covered just 25 yards.
“It’s explosive plays like that that add up to points,” Groh said. “Those players who produce those types of plays for their team usually make high-scoring teams.”
The walking wounded
The hits just keep coming for Virginia.
Seven players, including one of last week’s starters, were ruled out of Saturday’s game against Maryland on the team’s weekly injury report which was released Thursday evening.
Starting left guard Zak Stair, who injured his knee against Duke, will not play and is expected to be replaced by true freshman Austin Pasztor.
Virginia will also be without running backs Keith Payne (hand) and Max Milien (foot), reserve offensive lineman Landon Bradley (ankle), tight end Joe Torchia (shoulder) and reserve safety Matt Leemhuis.
While no players were listed as doubtful on the report, the following were listed as questionable: wideouts Kris Burd (ankle) and Maurice Covington (ankle), defensive end Kevin Crawford (groin) and running backs Raynard Horne (back) and Cedric Peerman (knee).

 

Terps lack true rivalry game
UM's next opponent, Virginia, is closest thing to traditional adversary
By Jeff Barker | jeff.barker@baltsun.com
7:45 PM EDT, October 2, 2008

COLLEGE PARK - If Auburn has Alabama and Arizona has Arizona State, then who does Maryland have?

Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen was asked before the season about the sort of in-state rivalry games that make players and fans giddy -- obnoxious, even -- just talking about them.

"We don't have," Friedgen began, then paused and started again. "When I was at Georgia Tech, we played Georgia. I loved that game. That's what gets the crowds going."

If Friedgen sounded wistful, he's not the only one.

Maryland fans clearly enjoy the annual Virginia game. But they know that the Cavaliers' true rival is Virginia Tech, not Maryland.

Like a spouse with a wandering eye, Terps fans openly wonder if their team should shop for a hated enemy it can call its own.

Maryland-Virginia "just doesn't seem to have the intensity of a rivalry game, and I've been through more than 35 years of them," Terps fan Eric Bender of Hagerstown said in an e-mail interview. Like many fans, he said he'd like to see Maryland playing West Virginia and Penn State.

The Mountaineers return to Maryland's schedule in 2010.

Friedgen said he wants to play Penn State, but the schools have been unable to agree on games. He said Penn State had proposed a deal in which the Nittany Lions would get two home games to Maryland's one.

But Penn State athletics spokesman Jeff Nelson said today: "We have had discussions with Maryland about playing but have not asked for a two-for-one at any time in those discussions."

One way to break a stalemate, Maryland officials said, might be to schedule a game at a neutral site. That would be a simpler negotiation than deciding how to set up a home-and-home series.

Penn State beat Maryland, 70-7, in 1993, the last time they played. Scheduling Maryland got more complicated after the Big 10 voted in 1990 to accept Penn State.

Let's not undermine Maryland-Virginia too much. The series has plenty of history. The two schools have met every season since 1957, and there's no team the Terps have played more.

There's been drama -- Virginia's 18-17, last-minute victory in 2007, and Maryland's memorable comeback in a 28-26 win in 2006. There was certainly passion in those games, not to mention the 2003 contest in which Virginia coach Al Groh and Maryland assistant James Franklin had an animated exchange after the Terps claimed that a Virginia player ran through their pregame drills.

Maryland center Edwin Williams remembers that dispute.

"I was a high school kid and I was like, 'Yeah, I just can't wait to come to Maryland, man.' That's the way I like it."

If something's missing, it is that Virginia is already spoken for as a rival.

"They have Virginia Tech as an in-state rivalry," Friedgen said this week, "but I think we're their out-of-state rivalry."

If the Terps need more motivation, Friedgen said they can find it in the opportunity to win their second straight ACC road game heading into the bye week.

"I get fired up for Virginia," said quarterback Chris Turner. "It would be nice to have UCLA-USC, but this is what we've got."

Finding a new Maryland rival would be problematic, Maryland graduate and Terps fan Nelson Ormsby said in an e-mail.

He said Clemson has South Carolina, Navy has Army "and the list goes on and on."

 

Cavs look to trounce Maryland
After slow start, impressive Terrapins visit Charlottesville
Andrew Seidman, Cavalier Daily Staff Writer
Published: Friday, October 3 2008

Junior fullback Rashawn Jackson could be crucial to getting the running game going for the Virginia offense. Against Duke, Jackson ran for 43 yards on eight carries, an average of 5.4 yards per carry. In the world of Little League baseball and pee-wee football, the old saying goes, “winning isn’t everything.” But for the Virginia football team and coach Al Groh, winning is what makes the world go round. Without winning, Virginia could continue to trip down the slippery slope of college football rankings and see its dreams of a postseason collapse.
Survival is exactly what Virginia (1-3, 0-1 ACC) finds itself fighting for against ACC rival Maryland (4-1, 1-0 ACC) tomorrow at Scott Stadium after being punished by each Football Bowl Subdivision opponent it has faced this season by a combined score of 128-20. The pain of losing has struck a chord with Groh.
“Every week there’s a tremendous amount put into this ... for anybody involved who puts in that amount of time, and if you don’t get any reward for it, that’s a difficult end of the week,” Groh said.
Virginia now is attempting to regroup from a string of debilitating losses, most recently to an improved Duke team. One of the many tasks the team must accomplish is to revitalize its struggling offense against a Maryland team that shut down Clemson’s offense in the second half of the Terrapins’ come-from-behind victory last weekend. This will start with consistency at the helm of the offense with sophomore quarterback Marc Verica. Although the newly installed quarterback made some mistakes last week against Duke, as evidenced by the four interceptions he threw, he is confident that he is making strides in operating the offense.
“I think there were more positive plays [in the Duke game] than the UConn game,” Verica said. “There was a higher number of bigger plays.”
Moreover, Verica said, he recognizes the need to make better decisions downfield, adding, “there were some plays I wish I could’ve had back where I think I forced it. As these games go on here, I’ve just got to find a balance of when to take that shot and when to take what the defense is giving me.”
Verica certainly will have a chance to advance the chains Saturday, as the Terrapins’ defense has allowed an average of almost 285 yards passing in its last three games and averages next-to-last in the ACC in total yards allowed per game (387.4).
But Verica cannot be expected to carry the entire offensive load on his shoulders in only his third game as a starter. The Cavaliers have found it difficult to generate any offensive production without injured senior running back Cedric Peerman, who only carried the football twice against UConn and was inactive against Duke. Peerman is listed as questionable for the upcoming game against the Terrapins.
“When he’s ready to be Cedric, he’s going to start the game,” Groh said.
Whether Peerman will return to his former self by Saturday is yet to be determined, so the addition of junior fullback Rashawn Jackson to the running game could be an important factor. In his first game seeing real action at the running back position against Duke, Jackson rushed for 43 yards on eight carries for a highly effective 5.4 yards per carry average. Jackson’s continuation of this kind of production combined with a more prominent role in the running game may prove to help balance Virginia’s offensive attack.
“We want to get him the ball more because he does good things with the ball,” Groh said.
Still, the Cavaliers could benefit from production elsewhere in the running game, namely from junior tailback Mikell Simpson, who has struggled to find his footing thus far. After averaging 5.0 yards per carry just a season ago, Simpson has failed to duplicate his success, averaging only 2.3 ypc in four contests this season. The running back had a breakout game against Maryland last year, however, in which he rushed for 119 yards and caught 13 passes for an additional 152 yards en route to a 1-point victory for the Cavaliers.
On the importance of Simpson, Groh said, “Every team has got their corps of those guys, and they’ve got to step up and make those plays for their team.”
The play of Simpson, however, is not the only concern circulating through Virginia football circles. Groh’s future as head coach of the team has been questioned by some fans after a disappointing start to the season.
“I don’t think about my future,” Groh said. “I just think about the next game. I try to respect the game, do for the players what I’m supposed to do, which is more than just coach football.”
Still, Groh recognizes that the business he is involved in is primarily defined by wins and losses.
“That’s the nature of the business,” he said. “It is what it is.”
Despite the uncertainty surrounding his future, Groh is concentrating on preparation for an offense that has posted averages of 35 points and 360 yards of total offense in its last three games. These statistics helped Maryland gain upset victories against then-No. 23 California and then-No. 20 Clemson. In particular, Virginia must make an effort to contain junior wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey, who has a total of four touchdowns — three receiving — already this season. His versatility makes him a viable running option as well, as he has already exploded for two long runs this season, most recently a 76-yard burst against Clemson.
“He’s a game-breaker in the fullest sense,” Groh said of Heyward-Bey. “He really has been the catalyst in every game.”
Containing Heyward-Bey could be the key to minimizing Maryland’s offensive production by limiting junior quarterback Chris Turner’s options downfield. But, in the competitive world of college football, it remains to be seen whether the Cavaliers’ efforts to restrict Heyward-Bey and the rest of the Terrapins will translate into a win Saturday.

Four players head to Tulsa for ITA tourney
Inglot, Barrick, Singh, Shabaz head to Oklahoma to face tough competition in singles, doubles in All-American Championships
Mallory Denniston, Cavalier Daily Staff Writer
Published: Friday, October 3 2008

To be considered one of the top players in college tennis, winning the Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-American Championship tournament is a step in the right direction. Starting today, four tennis players from the Virginia men’s tennis team hope to take this step.
Four of Virginia’s top players — senior Dominic Inglot, junior Houston Barrick and sophomores Sanam Singh and Michael Shabaz — were chosen by coach Brian Boland to compete in the Tulsa, Okla. tournament. The four athletes were selected based on their experience and the fact that “they are incredible leaders,” Boland said.
The tournament consists of singles matches, in which all tournament participants compete, and doubles matches that, while not including all tournament participants, will feature Virginia’s athletes.
For Shabaz and Barrick to enter the main draw, they must win their individual preliminary matches. Inglot and Singh, however, do not have to qualify, having been automatically put into the draws based on their high ranking. The top seeds are placed first, with the remaining players added around them.
Shabaz is looking forward to this weekend and to the opportunity to prove his talent in the national limelight.
“The All-American is one of the biggest college tournaments in the country,” Shabaz said. “I am excited because it is my first year playing [in the tournament]. I’m playing well right now, so hopefully I can make a run to get to the main draw.”
On the doubles side, Inglot and Shabaz will be playing together. This past weekend, in the Ranked Plus One Invitational in Charlottesville, they won their first tournament together this season in the A-3 flight, even though it was Inglot’s first tournament after recovering from an injury.
“I am also excited about doubles because me and Dom [Inglot] have a good shot of going deep into the tournament,” Shabaz said.
Singh and Barrick will be playing as the other Cavalier pair. In last week’s Invitational, the pair made it to the A-1 flight final before losing 8-5. This summer, they won the doubles title at the ITA National Summer Championships.
Singh and Barrick “have had incredible highlights so far,” Boland said. “They deserve a lot of credit for the success they’re having.”
All four Cavaliers have the unique chance to prove themselves against some of the best tennis players in the nation at the tournament.
“They should gain an incredible amount of confidence at the level they are playing at,” Boland said. “They know they can play against the best players in the country and match up well against anyone.”
The tournament is long — more than a week in length — but Boland does not see this as a problem, noting the increased opportunities the players have for developing their skills during a long tournament.
“They guys are going in with a great amount of confidence,” Boland said. “They have all shown tremendous development as players. It will be a lot of fun for them and they can do some great things out there ... It is good for them to go out and get better each day, and the performances and results will take care of themselves. Each will have to focus on improving, and they’ve done a great job at that.”
The entire Cavalier team will not play in Charlottesville until Nov. 6, when it will host the ITA National Indoor Championships at the Boar’s Head Sports Club. Many of the players the athletes face in November will be familiar faces from the All-American tournament. When the team’s leaders return from Oklahoma, they should be able to advise their teammates on what to expect in the coming month.

No. 10 U.Va. awaits No. 1 Terps
Top-ranked Maryland brings both stellar offense, defense to conference showdown
Blair Capps, Cavalier Daily Staff Writer
Published: Friday, October 3 2008

The Cavaliers are not only taking on the Terrapins on the football field this Saturday. The No. 10 Virginia field hockey team (10-2, 1-0 ACC) is set to take on No. 1 Maryland (9-1, 2-0 ACC) at 11 a.m. tomorrow at the University Hall Turf Field.
The Cavaliers, after rebounding from a tough loss to Boston University and trouncing Richmond 7-1, are now looking to win their second ACC match of the season. It will be no easy task, however, as Maryland enters the match ranked second in the nation in goals per game and third in goals allowed per game.
The Cavaliers can “never take a second break mentally or physically,” senior goalkeeper Amy Desjadon said. “We need to mark everybody. We need to just play balls to the wall. We can’t ever hesitate for a minute [because] when you hold your breath for a second, they are going to put one in the cage.”
Virginia enters the match with more offensive corners per game than Maryland. If this trend continues Saturday, it could help the Cavaliers, allowing them more scoring opportunities while putting Maryland on the defensive. The trick would be turning those opportunities into goals against Maryland.
“We have been practicing corners at the end of practice,” senior midfielder Lucy Meyers said. “We do so many corners.”
The Cavaliers will need all the scoring chances they can get against a tough Maryland team containing an important offensive weapon. Sophomore forward Katie O’Donnell, who was voted last week’s ACC Player of the Week for the second time this year, has been a key component of the Terrapin team this season. O’Donnell has 12 goals and 11 assists on the season. Her scoring assets have also come in handy at the national level: O’Donnell has been a member of the US Senior National Team since 2005. At age 16, she became the youngest player ever to earn an international cap for the U.S.
“I don’t know if you can handle great players like that, so it will have to be a total team effort,” coach Michele Madison said. “A team defense is going to have to shut them down.”
Virginia’s high-press system has been very successful so far this season. Virginia has outscored its opponents 42-14 during its 12 games. Freshman midfielder Paige Selenski has tallied 11 of those goals, including two against Richmond Wednesday night.
The Cavaliers know they must keep the Terrapins on their toes; any lapse in the speed of the game could be disastrous.
“Passing instead of holding on to the ball was a big thing hanging over our heads, but they looked really good [against Richmond],” Desjadon said. “Looking up and passing the ball quickly [is vital] because it’s hard to keep up with a team that passes. Maryland is a good defense but our offense is pretty quick; if we keep passing it, it’s hard to keep up with the ball.”
The most important factor in this game is more obvious, however, in Madison’s eyes.
“We have to score more goals than Maryland,” she said.
That will be easier said than done against a team of the Terrapins’ caliber. A victory against Maryland, however, would likely do wonders for Virginia’s goal of advancing deep into the NCAA Tournament.

Team cruises to first ACC home win
U.Va. easily defeats N.C. State last night in 6-0 romp, remains undefeated in ACC
Jack Bird, Cavalier Daily Associate Editor
Published: Friday, October 3 2008

Virginia’s Meghan Lynczyk races N.C. State’s Kaitlin Wescoe to the ball last night. Lynczyk and five other Cavs each scored a a goal. The Cavaliers came out ready to defend their home turf last night against the Wolfpack. After two straight weeks on the road, Virginia defeated N.C. State in a 6-0 bludgeoning, securing its first 3-0 conference start since 2005.
Freshman forward Lauren Alwine scored a goal in the 38th minute and then assisted junior midfielder Jess Rostedt in the 40th minute to give Virginia (9-1-1, 3-0 ACC) a 2-0 lead against the Wolfpack (8-4, 0-2 ACC) going into halftime.
“We’ve been in positions before where we’ve been up two-nothing and we haven’t put teams away,” coach Steve Swanson said. “So that was a challenge that we put forward to [the players]: Let’s see if we can put them away; let’s see if we can score some more goals here.”
The Virginia players answered that challenge in the second half with four more goals from four different players.
Alwine also garnered two more assists to give her an ACC-leading 10 on the season.
“I like assists better than goals,” Alwine said. “It’s a good feeling creating them and setting my teammates up. But it was good to get a little bit of both tonight, though.”
Sophomore forward Meghan Lenczyk hit the back of the net for her ninth goal — five of which have been assisted by Alwine — to become the lone leading scorer of the ACC.
“Those two have seemed to go on their own kind of page early, which has been great for us,” Swanson said. “I thought they both did a good job coming off the bench when the game settled in a bit and gave us a spark.”
Rostedt, a 2006 All-ACC honoree, made her first start of the 2008 season after missing much of last season because of injury.
“When you are on the field you are actually contributing,” Rostedt said. “On the bench you are contributing too, but it just feels good to actually play with the girls on the field again.”
After taking seven shots in 50 minutes against Florida State last Thursday, Rostedt scored her first goal since the 2007 season opener.
“It felt really good, especially at Klöckner, since I started playing two games ago we’ve been on the road a while,” Rostedt said. “It’s good to be back at Klöckner.”
Undefeated so far this year at home, the Cavaliers will travel away from Klöckner Sunday to face coach Hershey Strosberg’s Clemson squad. Strosberg is in his first year at Clemson (4-4-1, 0-1-1 ACC) after leaving his seven-season assistant coach spot at Virginia last year.
“From my perspective, our players have to understand it’s Clemson we’re playing,” Swanson said. “Obviously we know a couple people on the sidelines there. They know us quite well; they know our personnel. At the end of the day, it’s going to be 11 players against 11 players.”
With a win Sunday, Virginia would remain at least tied at the top of the ACC standings with North Carolina.
“Our depth showed tonight, which was nice,” Swanson said. “As you do in every ACC game, you have to be ready to play. We’ll enjoy this for now, but we’ve got a big game Sunday.”

Virginia puts three-game win streak win streak to test against Tar Heels
Cavs travel to Chapel Hill to face rejuvenated North Carolina squad, which poses tough challenge for team that has won two consecutive ACC contests
Anders Sleight, Cavalier Daily Associate Editor
Published: Friday, October 3 2008

Matt Poole and the rest of the Cavaliers are on a hot streak, having won their last three games. However, the three wins came against Central Connecticut State, N.C. State and Virginia Tech. None are on the same level as No. 12 UNC. When thinking of dominant college soccer programs, North Carolina might come to mind. The No. 12 Tar Heels are enjoying yet another successful season and are sitting pretty at 8-1-1 (1-1 ACC). The Virginia men’s soccer team will travel into the lion’s den, Chapel Hill, to face the Tar Heels tonight.
The matchup will be the second straight ACC road game for Virginia 5-3 (2-0 ACC), which is undefeated in ACC play.
“I’ve challenged [the players] to think of the ACC as a new season,” coach George Gelnovatch said. “UNC is another hurdle [in that season]. They’re a good team, talented and the game will be at their place, which is always a difficult place to play.”
This year has seen the return of North Carolina to national prominence after the Tar Heels suffered a disappointing 2007 campaign. The Heels have already surpassed their win total from 2007 in just 11 games. Probably the biggest factor in North Carolina’s success thus far is its team mentality on offense. Eleven Tar Heels have scored goals. Furthermore, not only do North Carolina’s players share the ball — they also make up a high-octane offense. The Heels recently dropped in eight goals in a shut-out victory against East Tennessee State Sept. 27, a total that is still the highest single-game goal tally in the NCAA this season.
Although North Carolina shares the scoring wealth, two players stand above the pack: junior forward Eddie Ababio and senior forward Brian Shriver. Each has scored seven goals this season, and Ababio leads North Carolina in total points with 18. The experienced forwards will present a challenge for Virginia, because either player is capable of taking control of a game. Freshman forward/midfielder Alex Dixon is also a dangerous presence who has scored four goals in his first 10 collegiate games. In the mold of Virginia freshman forward Chris Agorsor, Dixon is an electric and quick player who will undoubtedly be difficult for Virginia to contain.
The Cavaliers spent this week preparing for the Tar Heels and their threatening offense, freshman forward Tony Tchani said.
North Carolina is not the only team playing well as of late, however. Virginia is on a three-game winning streak and has earned big victories against N.C. State and Virginia Tech during the past two weeks. Tchani has been a key figure in Virginia’s recent success; he leads Virginia with seven goals, 16 points, and has scored four goals and added two assists in Virginia’s last three games.
Junior goalkeeper Michael Giallombardo has also had the hot hand of late. After taking over for sophomore goalkeeper Dan Louisignau, the junior keeper has allowed only one goal in his first three games. Giallombardo’s play in goal, combined with the Cavaliers’ winning streak, has given Virginia some much needed confidence heading into tonight’s game.
“Although we lost two games to begin the season, we have felt good about ourselves all year,” Gelnovatch said. “We’re finishing our chances now and we’re really starting to come together.”
Tonight’s game is likely to be a grit-it-out conference game. Both teams are playing very well and will look to take an early-game lead in order to put away the other. Whichever team comes out on top can be sure of one thing: It will have an impressive victory to add to its post-season tournament resume.

Rams' Long learning hard lessons in rookie season
By Steve Wyche | NFL.com
Senior Writer

ST. LOUIS -- Chris Long found himself in an awkward situation earlier this week.

The coach who had a say in making him the Rams' No. 2 overall selection in last April's draft, Scott Linehan, was fired Monday. Two of the personnel men who also were in his corner, general manager Jay Zygmunt and president John Shaw, were, in essence, declawed by owner Chip Rosenbloom at the same time Linehan was let go.

Yet, Long also felt the temperature of the locker room before Linehan's dismissal and it was feverish. Compounded with an 0-4 start and the mixed feelings some players had toward Linehan, things were unhealthy.

The dysfunction consumed some players. But not Long.

His DNA is NFL-laden, with former Raiders great Howie Long being his dad. So the unexpected of the NFL is something he knew to expect.

"I'm not freaking out," said Long, the Rams' rookie defensive end. "We're not freaking out. I feel grateful for coach Linehan bringing me here and the rest of us rookies here. We're all grateful. We feel like we've got a guy who is capable of helping us in (interim head) coach (Jim) Haslett now. This doesn't change anything for me."

Haslett brings experience to Rams Long's narrow, football-driven focus is one of the reasons why the Rams drafted him out of the University of Virginia. There is only so much he can control, so he figures he should go hit somebody in the meantime and let others work through the muck. His lack of experience in NFL turmoil and his youthful optimism play heavily into his favor at the moment.

That is a good thing for him and the Rams.

"If this is as bad as it gets I'm going to be just fine," Long said. "I just have to play better so I'm just going to try and play and get better. I have a lot to worry about just being a rookie. I can't worry about all these exterior things."

Long's approach has translated to production. He has 16 tackles, which leads all rookie defensive linemen. He and fellow defensive end Leonard Little have two sacks apiece to lead the Rams. Only three other rookies -- Seattle's Lawrence Jackson, Miami's Kendall Langford and Cleveland's Alex Hall -- have gotten to opposing quarterbacks as often.

Long's dual strengths as a run-stuffer and tireless pass rusher are serving him well in St. Louis' 4-3 front, although the defense has been the second worst in the NFL, giving up an average of 411.8 yards per game. The Rams have also given up a league-worst 147 points, all but 14 surrendered by the defense. Those numbers have overshadowed any individual success.

While Long has shown the desire to get better, the key for him and other young players with St. Louis -- like last season's first-round pick, defensive tackle Adam Carriker -- is to avoid the temptation to get mentally beat down, veteran defensive tackle La'Roi Glover said.

Lessoning personal and team expectations lead to remedies of excuse-making, finger-pointing and a miserable existence.

"This, what's gone on, football as a whole, is a metaphor for life," said Glover, who is in his 12th NFL season. "With those young guys, I've told them, 'It doesn't matter how you start. It matters how you finish.' I've been in games where I've had the worst first quarter, second quarter, third quarter ever but finished the fourth quarter strong, made some great plays and won the game. It's the same with this situation. We're 0-4 now but we have a lot of football to play. If your mentality changes, it's not about, 'It's a drag or here we go again.' It's about forgetting everything that's happened -- even what happened the play before -- and keeping the focus on what's ahead."

Chris Long on his rookie season with the Rams: "I've never seen a season like this or been through a season like this."

Glover's words seem retroactively prophetic to Long's trek thus far.

Long's solid start is a vast change of how he looked during the preseason. Like a lot of rookies, especially those who play defensive end, he appeared overmatched. He made just one tackle in the three preseason games in which he played. Grumblings about another addition to St. Louis' spotty draft history arose.

Long stayed the course. He heard the same things when his career started at Virginia and emerged as one of the top players in the country. It would get better, as he has told, and still does tell himself.

Long had two tackles in the Rams' season-opening loss to the Eagles; four tackles and a sack the following week vs. the Giants; a season-best seven tackles in a loss to Seattle; and three tackles and a sack last Sunday against Buffalo.

"As soon as Philadelphia hit, it was like the preseason's over and something just changed in my game," Long said. "I immediately felt a lot more confident. I played like I knew these were real games, and everything just started flowing a lot more naturally. Things are coming to me. I know I can do this."

Besides his belief in his ability, Long said there is time for him and his team to re-route things. Following a much-needed bye this weekend, the Rams have 12 games to acquit themselves or prove the guilt shouldn't have been completely placed on Linehan.

The way Long looks at it, a dozen Sundays are more than enough time to figure things out. Those 12 remaining weeks also could turn out to be the longest three months of his football life if those who don't share the same optimism fail to uphold their end of things.

Long can't see that right now. His football world is narrowed by blinders. This is where being a rookie is a very good thing.

Every day is new.

"That's a long season that's left, especially for a rookie," Long said. "I've never seen a season like this or been through a season like this. It's easy to keep my focus and keep it positive."
 

Name to remember
Jeff White
Oct 02, 2008

CHARLOTTESVILLE – Will John Manning want to follow in his parents’ footsteps and attend U.Va.?

Cavaliers basketball coach Dave Leitao hopes so.

Manning is a 6-11 sophomore at Chantilly High in Northern Virginia and one of the top prospects in the nation’s Class of 2011. Here’s an article about Manning that ran in The Washington Post last winter.

His parents, Doug and Suzanne Manning, are U.Va. graduates, and the family attended several games at John Paul Jones Arena last season. The Mannings are planning a trip to Charlottesville on Oct. 18, also the date of the Virginia-North Carolina football game at Scott Stadium.

Virginia’s two recruits for 2009-10 – 12th-graders Tristan Spurlock and Jontel Evans – are from Woodbridge and Hampton, respectively, and the state’s 10th- and 11th-grade classes are stocked with talent, too.

Posted by Jeff White

In Choosing Chantilly, Manning Goes Public
Freshman John Manning, who is 6-10, eschewed top private programs to play at Chantilly High School. "All my friends go here," he says. (By Tracy A. Woodward -- The Washington Post)
By B.J. Koubaroulis
Special to The Washington Post
Friday, January 18, 2008; Page E07

Chantilly High School freshman John Manning says he is 6 feet 10 "barefoot." "I get another inch with my shoes on," Manning adds.

He's 200 pounds with a wingspan of 7 feet. And he's just 15.

"It's not out of the question to think he is going to finish up at 7-foot or taller," said Alex Harris, Manning's trainer since the fifth grade. "I'd be shocked if he was done growing."

On a basketball landscape where a 6-10 freshman could play at just about any private program of his choosing, for coaches who specialize in turning promising athletes into college prospects, perhaps the most surprising thing about Manning is that he has landed at Chantilly -- and seems to have no intention of leaving the Northern Virginia public school.

"All my friends go here," said Manning, who has been playing spring and fall league basketball with Chantilly's junior varsity team since he was a seventh-grader. He also grew up playing basketball with the Chantilly Youth Association.

"He's well connected in the local community," said Harris, a former American University player who stands 6-9 and works as a trainer with Lessons Learned, a youth basketball instruction program in Northern Virginia. "When you are a 6-10 freshman, you don't have trouble getting known, no matter where you are."

Manning, who leads Chantilly (12-1, 4-1) into tonight's key Virginia AAA Concorde District matchup with No. 12 Westfield (12-1, 4-0) averaging 11 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.1 blocks and 1.4 steals per game, has been fielding offers from private school powers since he was a 6-6 sixth-grader.

"Somebody called my dad from Massachusetts and said, 'Why don't you come to this boarding school?' " said Manning, who has already taken unofficial college visits to Georgetown and Virginia.

Manning considered top-ranked Washington Catholic Athletic Conference power Gonzaga just before the start of the school year, but decided the commute to Northwest Washington each day was too much.

"We looked at most of the WCAC schools," said Manning's father, Doug. "We really felt that he could get everything at Chantilly that he could get there and it could save him three hours a day [commuting] to be a kid. We hope that he can grow up as part of the community."

The decision to stay at Chantilly with a core of neighborhood friends and with Coach Jim Smith, who has been tutoring the young giant at offseason camps since Manning was an awkward 5-8 9-year-old, is "pretty much done," Manning said.

"He thought this was the best place to come even in sixth grade because he knew people were trying to get me," Manning said of Smith, who has posted a 322-169 record and won four district titles in 17 seasons at Chantilly. "Even when I wasn't too good, when I was little, he was still nice."

Described by his teammates as quiet, Manning also prefers the low-pressure atmosphere at Chantilly.

"Those players that are there, like at Gonzaga or at O'Connell, half their team is going somewhere. There's pressure with that," Manning said. "[At Chantilly] it's still hard, but it just feels more comfortable. It's a little more relaxed."

The low-pressure environment is intentional.

"I don't want to add too much pressure to him right now," Smith said. "I just want him to play and learn and give him opportunities to grow without throwing too much at him too fast."

So far Manning has managed the learning curve. He has shown he can handle himself around the basket and already has begun developing a medium-range jump shot. Few of his skills have escaped the notice of college recruiters.

"I've got just about every ACC school calling me before he's even played a minute of high school basketball," Smith said. "Over the years, you get a lot of guys that come into high school with a lot of hype. . . . I've never had a player as good as John, and as humble as John be as receptive to coaching. I think right there that gives him a chance to be special."


 

Men's Lacrosse: Virginia announces 2008 season award winners
October 01, 2008
from press releases

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA—University of Virginia head men’s lacrosse coach Dom Starsia is pleased to announce the team’s award winners for the 2008 season. The Cavaliers finished with an14-4 record and advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament where they fell to eventual national champion Syracuse 12-11 in double overtime.

Attackman Ben Rubeor captured two awards—the Dr. Allen Voshell Award as the team’s most valuable player as well as the Harry Gaver Award for leadership. He missed the first three games of the season, but still led the team with 38 goals and was named a second-team All-American. One of five finalists for the Tewaaraton Trophy as the player of the year, He finished his career ranked fifth in UVa history with 136 goals and sixth in total points (212). A May graduate with a degree in English, he was named a second-team Academic All-America.

Longstick midfielder Pike Howard received the E. Doyle Smith Award for having the team’s highest grade point average. He graduated in May with a degree in economics and compiled a 3.79 GPA during the academic year. He made four appearances as a reserve and had one ground ball.

Attackman Danny Glading was named the team’s offensive MVP. He had a dynamic season and led the team in points (65) and assists (35) to earn second-team All-American honors. He ranked sixth in the nation in assists with an average of 1.74 per game and was 14th in scoring at 3.61 points per game. A standout in the classroom, he was named to the Atlantic Coast Conference All-Academic lacrosse team as well.

Defensemen Ryan Nizolek was selected the team’s Most Improved Player. The Madison, Conn., native moved into the starting line-up midway through the season and gave the defense a lift. An athletic player, he snared 41 ground balls, including six in an NCAA Tournament win over UMBC. His 11 caused turnovers ranked fifth on the team.

Longstick midfielder Mike Timms and defenseman Ken Clausen shared the team’s defensive MVP award. Timms had another disruptive season in ’08 for the Cavaliers and was second on the team in both ground balls (48) and caused turnovers (24). He graduated in May with a degree in economics and is currently enrolled in a graduate program in the McIntire School of Commerce.

Clausen was a first-team All-American as a sophomore last season becoming the youngest defenseman named to the first-team since 1989. He led the team with 59 ground balls, fifth in the nation among close defensemen, as well as caused turnovers (28).

Goalie Mark Wade won the Lawrie Riggs Award for commitment and citizenship. He appeared in four games and made three saves while compiling a 9.77 goals allowed average.

Midfielder Joe Dewey received the Tom Rixey Award for spirit and inspiration. One of the team’s emotional leaders and a tireless worker, he scored two goals and added two assists in five games.

Kevin Coale received the Class of ’99 Unsung Hero Award. One of the hardest workers on the team, he switched from midfield to defense prior to the season and scooped three ground balls in four contests. He graduated in May with a degree in history.

“It is my pleasure to announce our team award winners for this past season,” Starsia said. “For a young Virginia team to reach the NCAA semifinals, there was a fundamental requirement for leadership and performance. This team won five one-goal games and came within a whisper of playing for the national championship. There were a number of memorable performances throughout the year and Ben Rubeor's career will forever be distinguished by his courage and excellence, on and off the field.”

U.Va. football team earns top-10 honor
Nick Eilerson
Published: Friday, October 3 2008

In losing to Duke this past Saturday, the Cavalier football team accomplished something that few all-male, officially recognized NCAA football teams have before. Not only did it become the first ACC team to lose to the Blue Devils during the second term of the Bush administration, it also achieved one of the acts listed in the U.S. government’s most recent piece of legislation, “The Top 10 Most Shameful Things an American Can Do.”
What follows is the official list produced by Congress (which felt it had to get something done after making no progress on the bailout plan), along with my own thoughts concerning its provisions.

10. Losing to Duke in an American football contest
If there is one thing Americans value most, it’s football. And if there is one thing that never seems to happen in football, it’s someone losing to Duke. Such a loss is widely viewed as the equivalent of a grown man getting beat by his young daughter in an arm-wrestling contest, or a rhinoceros getting beat to death by a crippled lamb, and it typically means that your football team might as well pack it in and forfeit the rest of the season, because, let’s face it, they just aren’t going to win any more games, possibly ever.

9. Attending a Nickelback concert
Everybody’s favorite band to hate, Nickelback sounds like a broken-down lawn mower, looks like my Uncle Fred dressing up as Tom Petty for Halloween (see: Chad Kroeger’s face) and is from Canada, which “we must continue to make fun of as much as possible,” the senator who advocated this provision said. Speaking of Canada...

8. Losing to Canada at anything
Americans everywhere have ye olde “Canadian complex,” which is the inherent American belief in the inferiority of their northern neighbor. Thus, losing to Canada at anything, whether it be slalom skiing at the Winter Olympics or an igloo-building competition, is simply unforgiveable. After all, who would want to lose to a bunch of beaver-obsessed, multi-layered-long-johns-wearing lumberjacks living in igloos surrounded by throngs of moose and musk oxen? (Sorry, Canada. Please don’t come after me. Oh wait, you’re totally passive and peace-loving. Never mind, I stand by everything I said.)

7. Buying a vehicle with an engine smaller than the average American home
As Americans, we all know we are bigger and better than everyone else. The most obvious symbol of this fact can be seen in the giant, gas-devouring vehicles on our roads today. At a time when our country’s reputation is at stake, Americans wisely realize the great importance of purchasing cars big enough to fit the student body of a small elementary school in the backseats. This undoubtedly makes us way more badass than those critical Europeans, whose “Smart Cars” could easily drive right under the average American SUV.

6. Appointing an unsuspecting Alaskan hockey mom to the position of vice president
The Democrats were able to successfully pass this provision after reminding their Republican counterparts that John McCain, if he were to be elected to two terms as president, would have about a 74 percent chance of dying in office, thus leaving Sarah Palin, a frontierswoman who knows more about hunting wild reindeer than vetoing a bill, in charge of our country.

5. Ordering a salad at Hardee’s
Couldn’t agree more. If I’m at Hardee’s, I’m trying to transport several truckloads of cholesterol into my blood, not lose fat. That’s why I man up and order the Chili Cheese Monster Thickburger with a side of Chili Cheese Fries. Besides, the Southwest Chicken Salad contains 1,100 calories and 83 grams of fat, which means it’s worse for you than a Bacon Cheese Thickburger, so there really is absolutely no point in going green here.

4. Dissing Chuck Norris
Never ever insult Chuck Norris. Ever. This is both blasphemous and dangerous. If you are ever tempted to do so, just remember that you are dealing with a man who can set ants on fire with a magnifying glass — at night.

3. Buying anything from an infomercial, except for anything endorsed by Chuck Norris
Sorry, Billy Mays, but scientists recently completed a study of the ingredients of OxiClean, finding the “revolutionary” product to be made of water and frozen bits of Sprite. Chuck Norris, on the other hand: You are a god. If you endorse a product, it must be foolproof. America, there is no better way to shed your obesity than by purchasing the Total Gym. Just three easy payments of $9,050.

2. Dressing up your dog
Hey, Crazy Drugged-Up Elderly Neighbor From Hell, no one wants to see your bulldog donning Burberry rain gear. It is shameful for the dog and society as a whole.

1. Choosing Tech over U.Va.
Congressmen really nailed this one. Just think, Tech’s school colors are even uglier than ours! Although, I must say, at least its football team can beat Duke.