Cavs aim to close strong
By Jeff White
Published: November 22, 2008

Two weeks from today, the University of Virginia football team could be in Tampa, Fla., playing in the ACC championship game.

That's the best-case scenario for the Cavaliers. The worst is this: They finish 5-7 and fail to advance to a bowl for the second time in three seasons.

It's still too early to say how this U.Va. team will be remembered. Virginia (3-3, 5-5) plays its home finale today against ACC rival Clemson (3-4, 5-5) at Scott Stadium, then closes the regular season next Saturday against Virginia Tech in Blacksburg.

The Cavaliers must win one of those games to become bowl-eligible. If they win both and get help from other teams, the Wahoos could represent the Coastal Division in the ACC championship game.

"These last two games will really define our season," U.Va. linebacker Clint Sintim said. "We've had our ups and downs this season. We've won some quality games against some really good competition, and we've lost some games that we maybe shouldn't have lost the way we did. . . . But we'll see how it finishes off with these last two."

The Cavaliers haven't played since Nov. 8, when a disastrous first half doomed them in a 28-13 loss at Wake Forest. That setback came a week after U.Va. fell in overtime to Miami (Fla.) in Charlottesville after leading 17-10 for all but 55 seconds of the second half. Had the Cavaliers beaten Miami, they would be bowl-eligible, with a clear path to Tampa.

"Obviously, the Miami game, it's still hard to swallow," tight end John Phillips said. "We were in a situation that we pride ourselves in, right there at the end of the game, to go down and have a chance to win it with a field goal, or even score a touchdown [in the final minute of regulation]. . . . It's something you've just got to put in the back of your mind and not think about."

Sintim and Phillips are among the 24 fourthand fifth-year players who'll be recognized during U.Va.'s Senior Day ceremony before today's game. Others who'll be playing at Scott Stadium for the final time include wide receivers Maurice Covington and Cary Koch, offensive tackle Eugene Monroe, tailback Cedric Peerman, linebackers Antonio Appleby and Jon Copper, defensive end Alex Field and safety Byron Glaspy.

"There's a lot riding on this game, and it's really not just being able to become bowl-eligible," sophomore quarterback Marc Verica said. "It's sending guys like Cedric Peerman and John Phillips and Clint out with a win. . . . They've had great careers here, and they really put everything they had into it, and I'm really proud of their accomplishments, and I couldn't be happier to have played with them."

Against a Clemson defense whose leading tackler is junior linebacker Kavell Conner, a former Manchester High star, Verica knows he must avoid the turnovers that marred Virginia's losses at Duke and Wake. He threw four picks against the Blue Devils and three against the Demon Deacons.

"Obviously they have to be cut down if you want to win," Verica said.

This will be the first time Al Groh, as U.Va.'s coach, has faced the Tigers without Tommy Bowden on the opposite sideline. Bowden, whose team was picked to win the ACC, resigned under pressure Oct. 13. Under interim coach Dabo Swinney, the Tigers are 2-2 and have begun to resemble the team they were touted to be.

"When you watch them on film, it's very apparent they have as much talent as anyone in the league, really," Verica said. "They have a tremendous amount of speed, a lot of athleticism, and it's going to be a big challenge."
 

Cavaliers look to remember November
UVa still has a chance to win the Coastal Division with wins over Clemson and Virginia Tech.
By Doug Doughty | The Roanoke Times

At this point in the 2007 football season, Virginia's Cavaliers still had an Orange Bowl-closing 48-0 rout of Miami in their system.

UVa could use another Week 11 masterpiece today against Clemson.

Not only would a victory make Virginia bowl-eligible, but it could turn a Nov. 29 date with Virginia Tech into a showdown for the ACC's Coastal Division title.

"The next two games will define our season," said outside linebacker Clint Sintim, the ACC's sack leader.

That's not so say the Cavaliers (5-5, 3-3 ACC) are dividing their attention between the Tigers (5-5, 3-4) and Hokies.

Clemson was a preseason choice to win the ACC championship and was ranked No. 9 in the country.

The Tigers were surprised in the opener 31-9 by an unheralded Alabama team that has since moved to No. 1 in the rankings, and consecutive ACC losses to Maryland and Wake Forest led to the Oct. 13 resignation of ninth-year head coach Tommy Bowden.

Clemson is 2-2 under interim head coach Dabo Swinney and is coming off a 31-7 victory over Duke that Swinney described as the Tigers' most complete performance of the season.

"I don't know what's been going on down there," UVa tight end and co-captain John Phillips said, "but they had to be No. 9 in the country for a reason."

The Tigers were considered the ACC's most talented team and had preseason all-conference players at three of the skill positions with quarterback Cullen Harper, running back James Davis and wide receiver Aaron Kelly.

Another running back, C.J. Spiller, frequently gets mentioned in the same breath as Davis and is the ACC leader in all-purpose yardage. Harper leads the ACC in passing yardage and Kelly last week broke the ACC record for receptions in a career (217).

Clemson, which entertains South Carolina in the regular-season finale, is one of the few ACC teams without a chance at a division title. Athletic director Terry Don Phillips has started to interview head-coaching candidates, including Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster, but Swinney hasn't acted like a lame duck.

"I don't have to keep this seat warm," said Swinney, who turned 39 on Thursday. "It's always hot, [but] this is one of the top jobs in the country. You've got great fans here; it's a great academic institution [with] great facilities. It's a great place to live.

Swinney said he "absolutely" wants the job on a full-time basis.

"But as far as me sitting around and thinking about the interim tag, I don't have time for that," continued Swinney, who played at Alabama and began his coaching career at his alma mater.

Clemson, which won the first 29 games in its series, has been installed as a 2 ½-point favorite today. It marks the 11th time in Virginia's last 12 games against Division I-A opposition that the Cavaliers have been underdogs; in the 12th, the early line had UVa as an underdog before it finished as a two-point favorite over Miami.

Virginia will be saying goodbye to 24 fourth- or fifth-year seniors, including the likes of Sintim, Phillips, tailback Cedric Peerman, offensive tackle Eugene Monroe and inside linebacker Jon Copper, a Northside High School graduate who is closing in on 300 tackles for his career.

After a four-game winning streak lifted them to the top of the Coastal Division standings, the Cavaliers lost to Miami 24-17 in overtime and Wake Forest 28-17. UVa turnovers were critical in both losses and the Cavaliers already have hit 12-year highs for turnovers (25) and interceptions (16).

"The numbers have spiked way up," Groh said Thursday, whose 2007 team had 20 turnovers in 13 games, "and it's principally coming from [the quarterback] position. It certainly hasn't been a team malady but it's been a team number that's been significant in how things have gone."

Sophomore Marc Verica, who replaced banished Peter Lalich in Week 3, has been intercepted 12 times and has lost three fumbles. Lalich, who was dismissed from the team after pleading guilty to a probation violation and has transferred to Oregon State, lost two fumbles and was intercepted three times in the first two games.

The Cavaliers already have lost more games than they did during a 2007 season in which they finished 9-4, but the season is not lost. Groh agrees with Sintim that the next two games will define the Cavaliers' season, but most seasons are like that.

"For a long time, it seemed like every year I coached with somebody who had either played or coached at Arkansas," Groh said. "They said that [coach] Frank Broyles had this saying, especially when they were competing for national championships, that 'they'll always remember what you do in November.' "
 

Former walk-on to walk off as leader
Jon Copper accepted Virginia's invitation, which has been rewarded handsomely.
By DAVE FAIRBANK | 247-4637
November 19, 2008

CHARLOTTESVILLE - Apparently, Bucknell saw something, too. When Jon Copper was running around the football fields at Fork Union Military Academy five years ago, the Bison offered him a partial financial-aid package.

"Then they dropped me," Copper recalled with a chuckle.

And so it came that the Roanoke native went ahead with Plan A, migrating a couple of hours up the highway to Virginia, armed with nothing more than the desire to compete and an invitation from Cavaliers coaches.

Five years later, Copper winds down a college career that nearly defies belief. The undersized, nondescript walk-on became a three-year fixture at inside linebacker.

Surrounded by future pros and superior athletes, he might be the humblest, most self-effacing tackling machine in college football.

"Copper is the man," said fellow linebacker Clint Sintim, himself a candidate for "the man" status. "He's a great player, especially for — he'll tell you this — especially for the lack of athleticism and his height. I think he feeds off the fact that he's not the fastest or the strongest or the tallest, and he's still able to be as productive as he is."

Copper will make his 36th consecutive start Saturday against Clemson in Virginia's home finale — senior day for the Cavs (5-5, 3-3 ACC) as they attempt to become bowl eligible and remain in the running for the Coastal Division title.

"It's been a blessing," Copper said. "I've been very fortunate. Been healthy, and got opportunities, probably earlier than I would have gotten in most places. It worked out."

Copper, 6-0 and 230 pounds, leads the Cavaliers with 85 tackles, including 48 unassisted stops. If he maintains his current production level over the final two games, he will become the first player since Charles McDaniel (1982-84) to lead the team in tackles three consecutive seasons and will be one of 14 players in school history with 300 career tackles.

"Remarkable. Amazing. Distinguished," Virginia coach Al Groh said when asked about Copper's career.

"As productive as he's been," Groh continued, "he's as unassuming as a person can be. But not unconfident. He's very confident in his preparation. Whatever it is that Jon takes on, he's got that can-do attitude."

Copper practices with purpose. He watches more film than Ebert and Roeper, and carries a dog-eared notebook full of scouting notes, opponents' tendencies and observations about what he watches.

"I need to do what I need to do," he said. "That's what helps me get to a spot quicker than somebody with more athletic ability."

Copper was a two-way standout at Roanoke's Northside High. He was a fairly quick and agile offensive lineman in the team's veer scheme (he has been the same size since his sophomore year of high school) and a productive tackler on defense.

He received next-to-zero recruiting interest out of high school, but visited Virginia in the spring of his senior year, 2002, and was all but sold. He enrolled at Fork Union, in hopes of earning a scholarship. Though none came, he was a recruited walk-on at U.Va., and didn't seriously consider anywhere else.

"I wanted to play Division I football at a high level," Copper said. "This fit the bill. It was close to home, and I felt real comfortable with the coaching staff."

Copper's humility comes in part from his faith. He is a religious-studies major, with a concentration in Christianity, and is active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Young Life.

He and Holly Dixon, also a full-time student at U.Va., married in May 2007. Though juggling football, academics and marriage appears to be an immense challenge, Copper is unflappable.

"He handles himself the way an older, married man would," Sintim said.

"We didn't see any point in prolonging the dating process," Copper said. "We knew we were going to be together, so we just decided to go ahead and get married."

Copper clearly enjoys all facets of his life, though football takes center stage the next couple of weeks. He always believed that he could compete at the highest level, but even he is surprised by his numbers and ability to remain on the field.

"I pretty much go week to week and season to season," he said. "I've never really set production goals or things like that. I don't play to make a lot of tackles. I just try to be a guy that helps the team out."

 

Spiller thrust into spotlight
A change in staff leads to a change in how running back is utilized
By PAUL STRELOW - pstrelow@thestate.com
 

CLEMSON — Pulling out a trick he has used before, Clemson running back C.J. Spiller used the scoreboard as his rear view mirror last weekend, cranking up the afterburners after spotting a Duke defender at the end of his 83-yard touchdown catch.

Rarely do objects come closer to Spiller than they appear, making hindsight about how the dynamic junior used to be employed all the more head-scratching.

While interim coach Dabo Swinney has powered up the Tigers’ passing game, just as important has been the offense’s shift to Spiller as its focal point.

Swinney previews game“This game is not complicated,” Swinney said. “You have good players, you get it to them. We’ve tried to do a good job of spreading the ball around and everybody having a role, but making sure your horses are getting plenty of water.”

And Clemson’s offense has re-hydrated as a result.

Since returning from a sprained ankle, Spiller has averaged 153.3 yards of total offense over three games, while accounting for four of the team’s 10 touchdowns.

Going into today’s game at Virginia, the Tigers have scored 27, 27 and 31 points the last three games, respectively. In their previous five games against Football Bowl Subdivision opponents, 27 was the team’s high.

The correlation cannot be called a coincidence, considering Spiller averaged 81.7 yards of total offense in his three healthy games against Alabama, N.C. State and Maryland.

“Coach Swinney and coach (Billy) Napier have done a good job these last couple of weeks of just putting me out in space and letting me run around and make plays,” Spiller said. “That’s the thing I think we were missing. We just needed a couple of more plays made, and I’m trying to fill that void as much as possible.”

The difference figures to be how and how much Napier, the acting offensive coordinator, has gotten Spiller the ball.

Tracing to the start of the 2007 season, Spiller failed to net more than 12 offensive touches under former offensive coordinator Rob Spence in half of the team’s games against FBS foes. Clemson went 2-6 in those games.

Spence constructed his approach around a one-back running game that fit senior James Davis’ strengths, but when problems on the offensive line or the downfield passing game were exposed, the Tigers screeched to a halt.

Swinney, formerly the receivers coach, and Napier, a former Furman quarterback, tried to change the offense by breathing life into the passing game.

The targets of emphasis suddenly became senior Aaron Kelly and Spiller, a natural pass-catcher whose elusiveness poses the greatest threat beyond the line of scrimmage. Sixteen of Spiller’s 25 catches this season have come the past three games.

“The more times we can get it in his hands, the better,” Napier said. “He’s electric. He can go.”

Said Davis: “When you have a guy like that, if I’m an offensive coordinator, I’m going to try to get the ball in his hands as much as possible. He’s the one who makes a lot of plays for this team.”

The effect also carries beyond Spiller’s increased statistical production. Clemson is putting Spiller on the field more, which opens things up for teammates.

Spiller typically split series with Davis as the primary back but would go in on a Davis’ drive for specific plays.

Spiller generally got about 30 snaps per game under the previous coaching staff, but he logged 46 snaps against Boston College as well as 31 in barely more than two quarters against Duke.

“Sounds like we have a ‘Spiller for Heisman in ‘09’ campaign ready to kick off,” Swinney said. “I think he’s the best player in this conference, and I’d be willing to argue with anybody. I’d take that challenge any time, any place.

“He’s got a special, special skill set, and then he’s the fastest guy in the planet during a football game. ... He’s fun to coach because you can get him the ball so many ways. Our job is to make sure we continue getting him opportunities.”





 

Gameday preview: Clemson vs. Virginia
 KEYS TO THE GAME

1. Be predictable in one sense

Get C.J. Spiller the ball. Often. Coaches believe Virginia’s defense is comparable to Boston College, and that Spiller’s speed on the perimeter should give the Cavaliers trouble. If Spiller does not log at least five receptions, the Tigers’ odds of winning are not good.

TIGERS VS. CAVS
WHO: Clemson (5-5, 3-4 ACC) at Virginia (5-5, 3-3)

WHEN: Noon Saturday

WHERE: Scott Stadium, Charlottesville, Va.

TV: Raycom (WACH-57, cable channel 6 in Columbia)

RADIO: ESPN Radio, 93.1

LINE: Clemson by 2½

Swinney previews game2. Hold the fort

Virginia’s offense figures to play it safe — short passes, protect the quarterback, work field position and use the home-field advantage. Clemson’s defense has fared well against these kinds of attacks, but the one thing it cannot do is allow the Cavaliers to establish their running game, where Cedric Peerman is dangerous.

3. Commit one turnover or less

Clemson is 3-0 when it wins the turnover battle (Duke, The Citadel and South Carolina State). In eight of 10 games, they have committed at least two turnovers.

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KEY MATCHUP

Clemson QB Cullen Harper vs. Virginia OLB Clint Sintim

About Harper:

The 6-foot-4, 225-pound senior has made strides at rebuilding his NFL draft stock. After notching 200 passing yards just once in Clemson’s first six games, Harper has thrown for 253, 240 and 292 yards, respectively, in three games under interim coach Dabo Swinney. Harper leads the ACC at 207.5 yards per game.

How he will win the match-up:

If you can protect the passer, the Cavs have a beatable secondary. Senior left tackle Chris Hairston is supposedly healthy, so Harper stands a chance at exposing Virginia’s relative lack of speed in the secondary and on the perimeter.

Key number: 1.5

Clemson’s passing touchdowns per game in Swinney’s four games, compared to 0.8 before.

About Sintim:

The 6-3, 254-pound senior flew under the radar a year ago, as it was assumed his nine sacks was the product of lining up opposite All-American Chris Long. Well, Sintim has recorded an ACC-high 13 sacks this season, tops nationally among linebackers. Sintim is rated as the 24th-best senior by ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.

How he will win the match-up:

Sintim lines up as an edge-rushing end in passing situations. And if Clemson does not align a tight end on his side — especially if Hairston is not the tackle — the Tigers have struggled.

Key number: 3.5

sacks per game Clemson has allowed in Swinney’s four games

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5 questions with WR Aaron Kelly

Kelly, a senior from Marietta, Ga., set the ACC career receptions record last week against Duke. He has 217 catches, one ahead of former Wake Forest standout Desmond Clark.

QUESTION: What are you going to do with the record-breaking ball?

ANSWER: I had my mom take it home. We have a trophy wall going, so we’re going to add it to the collection.

Q: After the game, coach Dabo Swinney, your former position coach and recruiter, said he remembered when you were a 165-pound high school player no one wanted.

A: I have come a long way. I was just a skinny kid and have been my whole life. Just getting here and wondering if I could play at this level. It’s kind of a transformation, wanting to just play to wanting to be one of the best.

Q: Which of the 217 catches is your favorite?

A: I like the Florida State touchdown just because of the fans my freshman year (fans signaled for a touchdown as Kelly’s diving score was upheld). I think that’s one of my favorite ones. The touchdowns are the ones you remember the most. Then the South Carolina game (last year), the last catch on that final drive was pretty memorable.

Q: You passed a lot of big names en route to the record. Which ones meant the most?

A: I grew up liking to watch Peter Warrick and Florida State. And also Torry Holt. Those were two players I really liked. It was kind of a big deal when I saw those names being passed.

Q: You’ve had more than your share of tiptoe catches along the sideline, but you always seem to drag both feet in instead of one. You know you need just one foot in for the college game, right?

A: It seems like they always review a lot of my plays, so I try to make sure to get both of my feet inbounds.

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INJURY REPORT:

CLEMSON: Out — G Barry Humphries (knee), DT Jamie Cumbie (wrist); Probable — DT Dorell Scott (knee).

VIRGINIA: Out — LB Aaron Clark (knee), LB Jared Detrick (wrist), LB Cam Johnson (ankle), DE Zane Parr (knee), RB Mikell Simpson (clavicle); Doubtful — CB Mike Parker (foot); Probable — LB Darren Childs (knee), LT Eugene Monroe, (back), S Corey Mosley (shoulder), WR Kevin Ogletree (shoulder), TE Colter Phillips (illness), K Robert Randolph (illness), LB Clint Sintim (shoulder).

 

Cavaliers know Tigers only by reputation COLLEGE FOOTBALL
November 22, 2008 12:35 am
BY TAFT COGHILL JR.
CHARLOTTESVILLE--

Football coaches and players will say a bye week is a good time to get in extra days of preparation for the upcoming opponent.

Virginia certainly needed an off week to get caught up on Clemson, despite the fact that the Cavaliers and Tigers are both members of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

That's because since 2004, the Cavaliers have played nonconference foes Wyoming, Western Michigan and Pittsburgh twice, but haven't shared the same field with the Tigers.

That will change today at noon in Scott Stadium when the Cavaliers (5-5, 3-3 ACC) and Tigers (5-5, 3-4) face off in an ACC matchup that Virginia needs to win to become bowl-eligible and keep alive its faint hopes of reaching the conference title game.

When the ACC expanded to 12 teams and split into the Atlantic and Coastal divisions in 2005, it was ruled that teams would face one constant crossover opponent and two rotating ones per year.

That has led to some unfamiliarity among ex-rivals.

"To know that I'll be playing them for the first time [today] is kind of mind-blowing," Virginia senior linebacker Clint Sintim said.

No current Virginia player has faced the Tigers. But Sintim vividly remembers the last time the teams played. It was a cold Thursday night on Oct. 7, 2004.

Sintim was standing on the sideline enduring a redshirt freshman season.

One play stands out in his mind in Virginia's 30-10 home victory: former tight end Heath Miller's athletic 3-yard touchdown reception that is now an image on the wall of a Virginia football facility.

"I was just thinking like, 'Man. He's pretty good. He's going to the NFL. That's pretty cool,'" Sintim recalled.

Miller is now in his fourth season as a Pittsburgh Steelers tight end, and he has a Super Bowl ring.

The Cavaliers can only dream of such glory, but they're still mathematically alive to earn the Coastal Division title.

They got some much-needed help on Thursday night when Georgia Tech blew past Miami, 41-23. The Cavaliers now must win their final two games, against Clemson and Virginia Tech, and have Miami lose to North Carolina State and North Carolina win one of its final two games.

It's a lot to digest. That's why Virginia players said they're focused solely on themselves.

"First things first," junior wide receiver Kevin Ogletree said. "We've got to win to protect our goals."

To achieve that, the Cavaliers must find a way to slow down one of the best offensive attacks in the ACC.

Clemson leads the conference in passing yards per game (229.1). The Tigers are third in total offense (349.7 yards per game).

They also boast the ACC's leader in all-purpose yards, junior running back C.J. Spiller (148.0 per game). Spiller is also second in the conference in kickoff returns (28.7 yards per return), including a 96-yard touchdown.

"There has been no more dangerous kick returner that we've played," Virginia head coach Al Groh said. "There certainly is no more dangerous runner that we've played."

The Cavaliers' running game hasn't been quite as explosive lately. They've plummeted to last in the conference in rushing yards per game (95.7), but Clemson interim head coach Dabo Sweeney said that statistic is "deceiving."

 

Cavs still alive for title
By Jay Jenkins
Published: November 22, 2008

In a way, it is exactly how Virginia’s football players wanted it.

While stumbles along the way were painful, the Cavaliers (5-5, 3-3 ACC) are once again playing meaningful football in November.

That could change today — Virginia needs a win over Clemson (5-5, 3-4) to remain a contender to win the league’s Coastal Division and play in the ACC championship game.

Virginia, mired in its second two-game losing streak of the season, can also become bowl eligible with a victory over the Tigers, which would be a nice send-off for a collection of seniors that will be honored prior to the start of today’s game.

“I think it will say something about the effort and the hard work we put in if we finish the season 7-5,” Virginia wideout Kevin Ogletree said. “Obviously, that is a lot stronger than 5-7 or 6-6.

“It’ll be something that we’ll be proud of. It will get us to a postseason game, and it will show that we have some fight in us and we are a good team.”

Clemson is attempting to do the same thing in a season swamped with controversy. Former coach Tommy Bowden was replaced by interim coach Dabo Swinney after the Tigers opened the season 3-3.

While numerous replacements for the job have been interviewed during the past month, the Tigers have tried to focus on becoming bowl eligible, too, which would require a win today and a victory over in-state rival South Carolina next Saturday.

“That’s the main thing — you don’t want these seniors to have to play their last game next week,” Clemson running back C.J. Spiller told reporters. “So we have to understand there’s no looking forward.

“We just have to execute and I’ve taken it upon myself to try and see to it these guys make it to postseason play.”

Clemson entered the season as the favorite to win the league crown, but has already been eliminated from ACC title game consideration. That does not, however, impact the way the Cavaliers’ players view a team they have not faced since 2004.

“They were ranked No. 9 in the country for a reason,” UVa senior tight end John Phillips said. “They’ve got a lot of great players on their team.

“It is a dangerous game when sometimes they play to their potential and sometimes they don’t. So you never really know what team you’re going to get.”

The same can be said about Virginia of late. After a season-saving four-game winning streak, Virginia collapsed in the final nine minutes and overtime during a loss to Miami and could not mount enough of a rally to win at Wake Forest two weeks ago.

Luckily for the Cavaliers, a long-awaited bye week allowed the program to rest and regain focus.

“The players were very focused, especially the first two days [after the break],” Virginia coach Al Groh said. “Our goal was just to not look at it like on an extended period of time, but just have a good practice each day. And to start with the attitude that usually is the foundation of those type of practices.

“The players responded as was requested and as was necessary, which was obviously a very positive sign that we could really have their attention on what the possibilities are coming up.”

With a loss today, Virginia will be forced to win on Nov. 29 at Virginia Tech, a risky proposition.

“I hope it doesn’t come to that,” Ogletree said. “We need to take care of business against Clemson and go from there.”

 

Copper not unwanted any longer
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Published: November 22, 2008

When Jon Copper graduated from Jim Hickam’s Northside High School program six years ago, there were no offers waiting for him to play college football.

A year later, nearing the end of a preparatory season with John Shuman’s Fork Union Military Academy post-graduate team, again there were no full rides for the linebacker.

Today, Copper will walk out of Scott Stadium as one of the top 20 tacklers in University of Virginia history and with 36 starting assignments under his belt. Perhaps more importantly, he will play his last home game with the assurance that he is one of the most respected players in the Cavalier program.

Copper walked on at Virginia and earned a scholarship and a starting job with his smarts and his grit — and an unyielding desire to succeed.

Under the radar

The only interest he had received prior to walking on at UVa was a sort of offer from Bucknell during his postgrad season at FUMA.

“I had that partial offer from Bucknell, but they dropped me,” Copper chuckled, unable to hide his amusement from the irony of it all. “Coach Shuman told me, ‘Man, you know you’re terrible when Bucknell drops you.’ He gave me a hard time.”

Little did anyone — except for perhaps Copper himself — have faith that he would end up being a reliable, accountable starter for a major college football team.

Still, his fellow teammates are not above razzing Copper about his lifestyle.

“Cop is extremely mature ... and old,” said fellow senior linebacker Clint Sintim, taking a good-natured jab at his teammate. “He handles himself the way older married men would.”

Copper actually proposed to his longtime girlfriend, Holly Dixon, during the 2006 season and they were married in the offseason.

A singular player

When Al Groh was recently asked if Copper was the only married player he had coached at Virginia, he responded with a quick wit and a smile.

“Officially, yes,” Groh said. “We’ve had quite a few that it wasn’t recorded down at the hall of records. But they had a lot less independence than Jon.”

Copper has done a solid job of handing his education, football, marriage and a strong religious faith, leaving teammates wondering how he gets it all done. Perhaps it’s the — ahem — old married man’s time management that gets him through.

While teammates are huddling around their TV sets to check out Thursday night football games, it’s date night at the Copper residence. It’s important to him to set aside family time in a busy household where his wife is taking 18 hours this semester.

Copper’s dedication to film study of opposing teams is legendary around Virginia’s football offices. He buries himself in the exercise, often coming over when there’s no one else in the building but coaches who are required to be there.

And, unlike many of his teammates, he takes notes.

“He absorbs it ... stuffs it in his brain like scripture,” Sintim said of his pal.

“Jon always has that dog-eared spiral notebook with him,” Groh said of Copper’s note-taking and film study skills. “He’s figured out how to do it.”

Copper plays his work ethic down, saying that he needs to do those things in order to perform at his best.

“Other guys are a lot more gifted athletically than me and they don’t need to do as much on the mental side,” Copper said. “They go out and play just as well, if not better. Taking notes is just like class. I usually try to review them later that week. It helps it to stick a little better.”

Perhaps that is one reason why the inside linebacker has 285 career tackles (UVa’s active leader) heading into today’s game against Clemson. He needs eight more tackles to crack the Cavaliers’ all-time top 15 tacklers list.

In fact, Copper, who leads the team in tackles this season with 85, is bidding to become the first Wahoo since Charles McDaniel (1982-84) to lead the team in tackles for three consecutive seasons.

Not bad for a guy that nobody wanted.

“He’s had a remarkable, amazing, distinguished career,” Groh said. “He’s going to leave here as one of the all-time leading tacklers. He quietly goes about his business, and as productive as he’s been, he’s as unassuming as a person can be ... but not unconfident. Whatever Jon takes on, he has that can-do attitude.”

Sintim, who has played alongside Copper all through their times at UVa, has gained a great appreciation for the Roanoke native, who was once thought to be too small and too slow to play major — maybe even not-so-major — college football.

“Copper’s a man,” Sintim said of his 6-foot-2, 230-pound teammate. “Copper’s a great player — and he’ll tell you this — especially for the lack of athleticism and lack of height. I think he feeds off the fact that he’s not the fastest or the strongest or the tallest. I think every team has one like him, who puts his heart and soul into the team and isn’t blessed with the same intangibles as other players. But he makes up for it with his heart and passion and physical toughness. The defense wouldn’t run without him. He might be the MVP of the defense because everything is run through him.”

It is a journey that Copper hasn’t taken lightly. Perhaps he has always been as dedicated, perhaps that quality in his character magnified when he was given the opportunity.

“It has been a blessing,” Copper said. “I have been very fortunate. I’ve been healthy. I’ve gotten an opportunity that I might not have been given at some other places.”

He has been remarkably strong during his time at Virginia having never missed a game and the 36 starts is nothing to overlook.

“I’ve been very fortunate,” he said. “I don’t think many people make it through a career like this unscarred, being able to play in so many consecutive games.

All the while, he has been a bit of a role model. Groh

often tells younger players coming in, especially linebackers, to watch Copper and everything he does — how he studies film, how he lifts weights, how he practices — because Copper figured it out a long time ago.

Groh tells them, “If you watch him, maybe you’ll figure it out a little quicker than you would have on your own.”

While most athletes don’t relish the idea of serving as role models for kids these days, Copper considers it a compliment. He understands that athletes, even on the college level, can have a great influence on youngsters.

It’s hard to believe that even as long as Copper has been around that today is his last game at Scott Stadium.

Virginia is going to miss him, but not as much as Bucknell did.

 

Cavs slip past Radford
By Jeff White
Published: November 22, 2008

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- For the Brothers Greenberg, it was a day that reminded them of the agony a Division I basketball coach must sometimes endure.

In the Puerto Rico Tip-Off yesterday afternoon, Seth Greenberg's Virginia Tech Hokies lost to Xavier on a buzzer-beater from beyond midcourt.

In a nonconference game at John Paul Jones Arena last night, Brad Greenberg's Radford Highlanders led Virginia with 30 seconds left. But the Cavaliers turned again to 6-6 freshman Sylven Landesberg -- whom Radford's coach called "their best player" -- and he helped them escape with a 68-66 victory before a relieved crowd of 10,311.

Landesberg scored 18 of his game-high 22 points in the second half. Virginia is 3-0, and Landesberg has scored at least 21 in each game. Last night, he was fouled on a drive with 29.2 seconds left and made two free throws to put U.Va. up 67-66.

"He was the key to their offense in the second half," Brad Greenberg said. "We just could not keep him from getting into the middle of the court, and that was the difference in the game."

After Landesberg's free throws, Radford reserve guard Aaron Austin missed an off-balance runner at the other end, and Virginia's Calvin Baker was fouled with 13.8 seconds left.

Baker hit 1 of 2 to make it a two-point game. The ball then went to Highlanders guard Kenny Thomas, a former Highland Springs High star. Closely guarded by Virginia swingman Mamadi Diane, Thomas missed from 15 feet and U.Va.'s Mike Scott grabbed the rebound.

The game was the Cavaliers' third in six days. Each has been close, but especially the past two. Landesberg made the winning basket Wednesday as Virginia edged South Florida 77-75.

"Sylven, right now for good, for bad, for indifferent, is oblivious," U.Va. coach Dave Leitao said. "He just plays basketball."

Said Landesberg: "Coming into the second half, I had a different mindset. I was like, 'There's no way we're going to lose this game, so I'm going to do whatever I have to do to help the team.'"

In addition to Landesberg, who made his second start, the only player to score in double figures for U.Va. was point guard Sammy Zeglinski, a redshirt freshman who contributed 11 points in 26 minutes off the bench. But senior center Tunji Soroye was unusually active in his first start of the season, totaling eight points, five rebounds, two steals and two blocked shots.

Virginia's inside game, however, was no match for that of Radford (2-1). Highlanders 6-11 center Artsiom Parakhouski had 16 points and 12 rebounds. Junior power forward Joey Lynch-Flohr added 15 points, and 6-8 reserve Eric Hall blocked five shots, which tied the JPJ record.

Parakhouski and Lynch-Flohr "might have been the two best big guys on the court today," Greenberg said.

 

UVa slips past Radford
By Whitey Reid
Published: November 22, 2008

Late in the second half of Friday night’s Virginia-Radford game, the Highlanders’ Eric Hall morphed into a shot-blocking machine. The 6-foot-8 forward was swatting the shot of just about any UVa player who entered the paint.

In one five-minute span, Hall blocked four Virginia shots.

“Coach Leitao was barking at us to pump fake,” said UVa guard Sylven Landesberg. “Guys were pump faking, but he was still getting them.”

However, when crunch time rolled around, Landesberg didn’t seem deterred by Hall or anybody else.

The freshman from New York once again showed the tremendous moxie that has already garnered him national attention, delivering the winning points for the second straight game. His two free throws with 29 seconds left propelled Virginia to a 68-66 win in front of 10,311 at John Paul Jones Arena.

“He’s a crafty city player,” said Radford coach Brad Greenberg, who has known Landesberg since his high school days. “He’s not extremely athletic, but he’s skilled and has what I would call a floor game.

“He can put the ball on the floor and move his defender. He was very good at that today. It’s tough to keep him from going where he wants.”

After Joey Lynch-Flohr hit a free throw to put Radford up 66-65, Landesberg — who started in place of sophomore Mustapha Farrakhan —was fouled as he was driving toward the hoop. His two free throws gave Virginia a one-point lead.

When a shot by Radford’s Aaron Austin missed badly, the Highlanders intentionally fouled UVa guard Calvin Baker, who hit one of two free throws to put the Wahoos up by a deuce.

Radford had a chance to send the game to overtime, but a turn-around jumper by Kenny Thomas — which was well-defended by Virginia’s Mamadi Diane — bounced off the rim.

“For the second consecutive game, we haven’t played the way we’ve intended to from Day 1 in practice,” said Virginia coach Dave Leitao, whose team improved to 3-0. “If we don’t make a decision to turn the corner, both psychologically and physically, then these nights where we eke out wins are going to turn into losses. We have a lot of work to do and a short period of time to do it if we have any visions of being a good team.”

For much of the game, Radford controlled the game with its physical style of play. Virginia had trouble with Highlander big men Artsiom Parakhouski (16 points, 12 rebounds) and Lynch-Flohr (15 points).

A 3-pointer by Radford’s Martell McDuffy gave Radford a 55-51 lead with 6 minutes to play. But then Virginia went on an 8-0 run, sparked by Mike Scott (five points, five rebounds) and a scoop shot by Landesberg, who drove right around Hall.

“We played good defense, but I think in the last few minutes their best player was able to make most of the plays,” said Greenberg, alluding to Landesberg. “That’s what happens in games that are close. The best player on the court the last three or four minutes has a chance to win the game, and he was the best player on the court the last three or four minutes.”

Landesberg, who has now scored 20 points or more in his first three college games, has clearly established himself as Virginia’s go-to guy.

“I was like, ‘There’s no way we’re going to lose this game. I’m going to do whatever I have to help the team,’” Landesberg said. “I didn’t want to lose.”

The former McDonald’s All-American scored 18 of his game-high 22 points after the break.

“He was the key to their offense in the second half,” Greenberg said. “We just could not keep him from getting to the middle of the court. That was the difference in the game.”

Virginia senior Tunji Soroye laughed when asked where he thought the team would be without its star freshman.

“When they recruited him, they knew what they were getting,” Soroye said. “He’s been a big-time player for us and we’re very happy to have him.”

Dunks

Sammy Zeglinski was the only other Virginia player to score in double figures. He had 11 points. … Virginia freshman John Brandenburg made his college debut. The St. Louis native played three minutes in the first half. He didn’t score, but collected a rebound, a block and three fouls. … Fellow freshman Assane Sene didn’t play for the third straight game, pending the resolution of his eligibility status.

UVa ekes win from Radford
Sylven Landesberg makes a pair of free throws with 29 seconds left for the lead.
By Doug Doughty
981-3129

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Prior to Friday night's game at John Paul Jones Arena, Joey Lynch-Flora remembered a double-overtime victory at Gardner-Webb as the highlight of his first two basketball seasons at Radford.

"It's been a short list," said Flohr-Lynch after the Highlanders carried a lead into the final minute against Virginia. "This definitely would have moved to the top."

UVa freshman Sylven Landesberg scored the go-ahead points for the second time in three nights as the Cavaliers prevailed 68-66 before a JPJ crowd of 10,311.

Landesberg finished with a game-high 22 points, his third game of more than 20 points for the Cavaliers (3-0). It was the second two-point victory in three days for Virginia, which rallied for a 77-75 victory over South Florida on Wednesday night.

"Overall, our defensive numbers were terrific," said Radford coach Seth Greenberg, whose Highlanders held Virginia to 36.9-percent shooting from the field. "We played good defense, but in the last few minutes, their best player was able to make most of the plays."

Landesberg scored 10 points in the final 8:08, including a pair of free throws that erased a 66-65 Radford lead with 29 seconds remaining.

"I watched Sylven play prior to his junior year in high school," Greenberg said, "and he's a crafty, city player. He's not extremely athletic, but he's skilled.

"He can put the ball on the floor and move his defender. He was very good at that today. He's tough to keep from going where he wants to go."

On the flip side, Virginia had a tough time controlling Radford's post players, Lynch-Flora and junior-college transfer Artsiom Parakhouski, who is listed at 6 foot 11 and 260 pounds but clearly looked down on two UVa players who are listed at 6-11, Tunje Soroye and John Brandenburg.

Parakhouski had 16 points and 12 rebounds, and Lynch-Flora had 15 points.

"We've got two big guys who are pretty good players," Greenberg said. "They might have been the two best big guys on the court today."

Actually, the Highlanders (2-1) may have had the three best big men on the court. Senior Eric Hall (6-8, 203) came off the bench and contributed six points, nine rebounds and five blocked shots in 26 minutes.

Radford had four-point leads on several occasions, the last at 55-51 following a 3-pointer by Martell McDuffy with 7:01 left, but offense did not come as easily after that.

"We were with them the whole game and led a good portion of the game, but it still hurts because we were right there," Lynch-Flora said. "The last time we played a team from another [major] conference, I think our smallest margin of defeat was 30 points, so you take that away from it."

Radford had four double-figure scorers. Virginia had two, Landesberg and freshman point guard Sammy Zeglinski, who had 11 points. The Cavaliers had four assists as a team, including one in the first half, when they were outrebounded 24-16.

Virginia coach Dave Leitao used 13 players in the first half, including walk-on Will Sherrill, in an attempt to get his players' attention.

"This time of year, there are a lot of games on paper where one team has an advantage either by age or skill or conference," Leitao said. "I pointed that out to the team the other day, when I saw that Mercer had beaten Auburn.

"That is the last thing I want to do, and we've been fortunate in three-plus years here that we haven't lost to teams that we probably should beat.

"If we don't make a decision to turn the corner, both psychologically and physically, these nights that we eke out wins are going to turn into losses."

The next time Radford plays the way it did for nearly 40 minutes, it's likely the Highlanders will be rewarded.

"We're capable of doing some good stuff this year," Greenberg said. "The important thing for our guys -- and I think we know this -- is that we're just scratching the surface. This isn't like we played a great game."

 

All-ACC nominations leave voters guessing
By Doug Doughty

Less than four hours elapsed Thursday between the time the All-ACC football ballot arrived in e-mail in-boxes and the appearance of a similar transmission from Virginia Tech with the Hokies’ all-conference nominations.

Clearly, there was little connection between the two.

The nominations sent out by the conference included 13 Virginia Tech players, who are named on the list below.

The e-mail sent out by Tech asked that the media give strong consideration to five Hokies. They are Darren Evans, a candidate for All-ACC running back and conference freshman of the year; cornerback Macho Harris; defensive end Orion Martin, place-kicker Dustin Keys and center Ryan Shuman.

In the past, schools nominated their own players and, if Tech had been asked for its nominations, the Hokies probably would have nominated more than five players. But these are the guys Tech really wanted and it’s helpful for the media to know that.

Presumably, the ACC changed its system this year because the nominations had gotten too unwieldy, so coaches this year were asked to nominate only players from other teams and not their own.

“The coaches wanted to do it,” ACC associate commissioner Mike Finn. “I think they probably felt more comfortable with this. There wasn’t much discussion.”

I can see why the coaches didn’t want to nominate their own players. Some reporters (“like you,” Finn told me) would invariably point out which players had not been nominated and possibly drive a wedge between player and coaches.

When the system changed this year, the coaches – and this was probably assistant coaches and SID types – were as clueless as I suspected.

What were they watching? Or, were they watching?

How could anybody have watched Virginia Tech in person or on tape and thought that four of the Hokies’ offensive linemen were All-ACC material (five if you count tight end Greg Boone)?

Tech had a total of 13 players nominated for All-ACC. In addition to the above-mentioned five being pushed by the school, the others were Boone, offensive tackle Ed Wang, offensive guard Sergio Render, offensive guard Nick Marshman, defensive end Jason Worilds, linebacker Brett Warren, safety Kam Chancellor and punter Brett Bowden.

Boston College and Florida State had 14 nominations, which might be deserved in the first instance but not the latter. Eight of 13 Maryland players nominated for ALL-ACC were on offense, a head-scratcher for anybody who watched the Terps at Virginia or Virginia Tech.

Obviously, rival coaches don’t think much of Virginia’s talent because they nominated only six Cavaliers – a conference low – for All-ACC. I thought that was a fair number, although I would have put senior linebacker Jon Copper on the list ahead of talented but injury-prone cornerback Ras-I Dowling.

Accuse me of local bias, but Copper is closing in on 300 tackles for his career, is bidding to become the first player in 24 years to lead Virginia in tackles for three straight seasons and is tied for third in the ACC in tackles this season.

If Copper’s absence from the ballot helps teammate Clint Sintim make All-ACC, maybe the omission is worth it. No Virginia player is more worthy of a first-team All-ACC selection than Sintim.

Following are the nominations by school:

BOSTON COLLEGE (14) -- QB Chris Crane, RB Montell Harris, TE Ryan Purvis, OT Anthony Castonzo, OG Thomas Claiborne, OG Clif Ramsey, C Matt Tennant, DT Ron Brace, DT B.J. Raji, LB Mark Herzlich, Mike McLaughlin, CB Roderick Collins, S Paul Anderson, RS Rich Gunnell

CLEMSON (12) -- QB Cullen Harper, RB James Davis, RB C.J. Spiller, WR Aaron Kelly, C Thomas Austin, DE Ricky Sapp, DT Jarvis Jenkins, LB Kavell Conner, CB Chris Chancellor, S Michael Hamlin, PK Mark Bucholz, KR C.J. Spiller (nominated twice).

DUKE (7) -- QB Thaddeus Lewis, WR Eron Riley, OT Cameron Goldberg, Bryan Morgan, DT Vince Oghobasse, LB Vince Rey, LB Michael Tauiliili.

FLORIDA STATE (14) -- QB Christian Ponder, RB Antone Smith, WR Greg Carr, WR Preston Parker, OG Rodney Hudson, C Ryan McMahon, DE Everett Brown, DE Neefy Moffett, LB Derek Nicholson, LB Dekoda Watson, CB Tony Carter, S Myron Rolle, PK Graham Gano, RS Michael Ray Garvin.

GEORGIA TECH (9) – RB Jonathan Dwyer, WR Demaryius Thomas, OT Andrew Gardner, OG Cord Howard, DE Michael Johnson, DE Derrick Morgan, DT Darryl Richard, DT Vance Walker, S Morgan Burnett.

MARYLAND (13) -- QB Chris Turner, RB Da’Rel Scott, WR Darius Heyward-Bey, TE Dan Kronkowski, OT Bruce Campbell, OT Scott Burley, OG Jaimie Thomas, C Edwin Williams, DT Jeremy Navarre, LB Moise Fokou, Alex Wujciak, CB Kevin Barnes, P Travis Baltz.

MIAMI (10) – RB Graig Cooper, OT Jason Fox, DT Dwayne Hendricks, Glen Cook, LB Darryl Sharpton, LB Sean Spence, S Anthony Reddick, PK Matt Bosher, P Matt Bosher (nominated twice), RS Travis Benjamin.

NORTH CAROLINA (14) – WR Hakeem Nicks, WR Brandon Tate, OT Kyle Jolly, OT Garrett Reynolds, OG Calvin Darity, DT Marvin Austin, LB Bruce Carter, LB Mark Paschal, LB Quan Sturdivant, CB Kendrick Burney, S Trimane Goddard, P Terrence Brown, S Bruce Carter (nominated twice), RS Brandon Tate (nominated twice).

N.C. STATE (8) – QB Russell Wilson, RB Andre Brown, TE Anthony Hill, DE Willie Young, DT Alan Michael Cash, LB Nate Irving, S J.C. Neal, RS T.J. Graham.

VIRGINIA (6) – RB Cedric Peerman, REC Kevin Ogletree, TE John Phillips, OT Eugene Monroe, LB Clint Sintim, CB Ras-I Dowling

VIRGINIA TECH (13) – RB Darren Evans, TE Greg Boone, OT Ed Wang, OG Sergio Render, OG Nick Marshman, C Ryan Shuman, DE Orion Martin, DE Jason Worilds, LB Brett Warren, CB Victor Harris, S Kam Chancellor, P Dustin Keys, B Brent Bowden.

WAKE FOREST (7) – QB Riley Skinner, REC D.J. Boldin, OT Jeff Griffin, DT Boo Robinson, DT John Russell, LB Aaron Curry, CB Alphonso Smith.

 

Walters stands tall against Virginia
VIC DORR JR TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Published: November 22, 2008

Something about the University of Virginia's navy blue and orange uniforms seems to bring out the best in Old Dominion women's basketball player Jazzmin Walters.

Walters, at 5-2 the smallest player on the floor, scored a career-high 24 points and handed out four assists last night as the Lady Monarchs jolted the No. 16-ranked Cavaliers 78-70 and scrubbed considerable luster from Virginia's Monday night conquest of No. 5-ranked Tennessee.

"It's nothing about Virginia, really," Walters said. "I approach every game the same. It's just that sometimes I'm a little more effective on the offensive end -- and tonight was one of those times."

Walters' previous career high, 17 points, occurred against Virginia in last season's NCAA Tournament. The tiny point guard from nearby Lake Taylor High School buried a 3-pointer with 4.8 seconds remaining in that game to lift the Lady Monarchs to an epic 88-85 overtime victory.

"I thought about that game" prior to last night's contest, Walters said. "I thought back to how bad I wanted it then and I thought about how bad I wanted this one tonight."

Her teammates must have shared her thoughts. Post player Tiffany Green and forward Jessica Canady delivered formidable double-doubles for the Lady Monarchs (3-1). Green rang up 20 points and 12 rebounds; Canady, 16 and 14. Green harvested 10 of her rebounds beneath the offensive glass.

Cavaliers coach Debbie Ryan said her club's performance, at times listless, at other times out of focus, may have been a function of a lingering hangover from Monday's 83-82 victory on Tennessee's home floor. Virginia led only once, at 2-0, after scoring on its first possession. The Cavaliers hurt themselves by committing 21 turnovers and sending the Lady Monarchs to the free-throw line 40 times.

Said Ryan: "They were coming off a 30-point loss (to Texas) and we were coming off a win over Tennessee and that explains a lot, right there. They were very, very well-prepared. They were out to prove something, and they did. Us?" She shrugged. "We used a lot of young players tonight and we just didn't get the same hard, cohesive, energetic play that we got the other night."

Green was asked if the No. 25 Lady Monarchs did, in fact, compete with a something-to-prove mindset. Her smile was sly.

"Did it look like we did?"

The Cavaliers (2-1) trailed by eight at intermission. They rallied in the second half behind junior guard Monica Wright, who scored 19 of her 23 points after the break. Virginia closed to two behind on three occasions, the last with 41/2 minutes remaining, but was never able to finish the job.

Two culprits -- inconsistent perimeter defense and frantic decision-making -- were largely responsible.

Said Ryan: "We just didn't have it tonight. We made decisions (with the ball) that I've never seen us make before -- not even in practice."

Old Dominion, boisterously aggressive from start to finish, outworked and outhustled the Cavaliers beneath the backboards. Virginia senior Aisha Mohammed, one of the ACC's most physical post players, finished with 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting, but did not leave an imprint on the game. She was limited to 23 minutes by foul trouble. When she played, she attracted ODU defenders the way a magnet attracts iron filings. She finished with only four rebounds, only one of which came beneath the offensive glass.

Virginia plays host to Colorado on Monday. ODU visits Michigan State on Wednesday.

 

Canady, ODU top Virginia
Jessica Canady's double-double helps the Lady Monarchs control the lane.
By MELINDA WALDROP | 247-4634
November 22, 2008

NORFOLK - — Subbing, starting, it's all the same for Jessica Canady.

Canady, Old Dominion's junior forward out of Williamsburg and Jamestown High, averaged 11 points and 6.5 rebounds last year as the Lady Monarchs' sixth player.

This year, she's in the starting lineup, and her numbers have moved up with her.

Canady had her seventh collegiate double-double and second of the 2008-09 season as ODU, ranked 25th by The Associated Press, beat No. 16 Virginia 78-70 Friday night at the Constant Center. Canady, who came into the game averaging 14 points and nine rebounds, scored nine of her 16 points in the first half and also finished with 14 rebounds and six steals.

"It hasn't been too much of a transition, except that for the fact that I guess my name gets called (in pregame introductions)," Canady said. "Other than that, I try to play the same game that I played last year. I try to bring the same thing that I did, plus a little bit more extra."

Eleven of Canady's boards came on the defensive end as the Lady Monarchs (3-1) outrebounded Virginia 46-38. The Cavaliers (2-1) were coming off Monday's 83-82 upset at No. 5 Tennessee.

"I'm looking at the points and the rebounds, and she is a silent storm for us," ODU coach Wendy Larry said. "I would never have guessed that Jessica had a double-double. She just gets it done every night."

Canady and senior center Tiffany Green, who had her 19th career double-double with 20 points and 12 rebounds, helped ODU control the post. Cavaliers senior center Aisha Mohammed, averaging 10.5 rebounds a game, had just four.

"You try guarding Tiffany Green," Virginia coach Debbie Ryan said. "I wouldn't want to be in the same lane with her, actually. You might not get out. She's so big and strong and physical."

Five-foot-2 senior point guard Jazzmin Walters, whose 3-pointer with 4.8 seconds left in overtime gave ODU an 88-85 win against Virginia on March 25 in the second round of the NCAA tournament, poured in a game-high 24 points.

Walters sank three free throws and made a layup in the final minute to hold off the Cavaliers, who closed within three with 1:25 to play.

Virginia, which trailed by as many as 12 in the first half, pulled within 62-60 on Monica Wright's jumper with 4:35 to play but could get no closer.

Cavaliers freshman center Chelsea Shine, who had 16 points, hit a layup to make it 74-70 with 20 seconds left, but Virginia couldn't keep the ball from Walters on the inbounds pass. She was fouled and made both free throws to ice the win.

ODU, which lost 78-44 to No. 14 Texas on Monday in Austin, outscored Virginia 30-11 from the free-throw line, shooting 40 foul shots to the Cavaliers' 17.

"I felt like Old Dominion, coming off the loss, was very, very prepared today and was out to prove something, and they did," Ryan said. "They were coming off a 30-point loss. We were coming off a win over Tennessee. And that in itself sort of explains what happened."



 

Michael Vick to appear in Va. court on state charges

RICHMOND -- Former NFL and Virginia Tech star Michael Vick is back in Virginia to face state dogfighting charges.

The former Atlanta Falcons quarterback is being held in protective custody at the Hopewell Regional Jail, superintendent Darnley Hodge said Friday.

Vick arrived Thursday afternoon from the federal penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kan., where he is serving a 23-month sentence for a dogfighting conspiracy conviction.

Vick is isolated from the jail's approximately 1,200 inmates to avoid disruptions but will be treated like any other prisoner, Hodge said.

Vick, 28, is due to appear Tuesday in Surry County Circuit Court, where he's expected to plead guilty to two felony counts in a deal with prosecutors that calls for a suspended sentence and probation.

The plea would resolve his last pending criminal charges, and his lawyers hope it will make him eligible for early release from prison into a halfway house.

Vick's lawyers attempted last month to get permission for him to make his plea by videoconference, but Judge Samuel Campbell denied the request.

The state charges -- beating or killing or causing dogs to fight other dogs and engaging in or promoting dogfighting -- each carried a possible prison sentence of five years, but Vick's legal team and Surry County Commonwealth's Attorney Gerald Poindexter agreed to the plea deal.
 

Records detail Michael Vick's lavish spending
Bankruptcy documents show that the highest-paid NFL player's financial management was astoundingly bad.
By Larry O'Dell
Associated Press

RICHMOND -- Michael Vick was once the NFL's highest-paid player, and he spent like it.

One of his friends tools around in a $31,000 Cadillac DTS. His former personal assistant drives a $45,000 Infiniti M45 and has a pair of power boats. His brother, Marcus, has a $62,000 Land Rover and his sister a Yukon Denali.

But Vick himself is busted, millions of dollars in debt and making 12 cents an hour at his job in the federal penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kan., where he serving a 23-month sentence on dogfighting charges.

With the former Virginia Tech football standout due to plead on state charges next week, he was returned to Virginia on Thursday. The Associated Press reviewed the details of his bankruptcy filing and the documents reveal astoundingly bad financial management of the quarterback's fortune.

His salary from the Atlanta Falcons -- $11.4 million in 2006 and $6 million in 2007 -- along with substantial income from endorsements allowed Vick to spread the wealth, paying mortgages and bills for family members and keeping them flush in spending money.

"Chump change," Vick wrote on one $1,000 check to his mother.

But his balance sheet is now grim. Vick claims assets of $16 million and liabilities of $20.4 million. He's on the hook for judgments of $2.4 million to the Royal Bank of Canada and $1.1 million to Wachovia Bank -- both because of loan defaults -- and $4.5 million for a sports agent who sued him and won.

Meanwhile, his monthly bills are piling up: his mother Brenda Boddie's $4,700 mortgage; more than $2,000 in car payments for her Cadillac XLR and Escalade; a $2,500 mortgage for his fiancee, Kijafa Frink, and their two children; $1,160 for Frink's Range Rover; a $781 payment for his sister's Yukon Denali; $3,500 in monthly support for his young son and the boy's mother.

Fortunately for Vick, the Land Rover he gave brother Marcus is paid in full. So is the $65,000 Infiniti sport utility vehicle parked near Leavenworth for Frink's use during her twice-monthly visits. Vick sold his Bentley for $105,000 and used the money to buy a Mercedes-Benz.

His real estate holdings include the homes in Suffolk and Hampton in Virginia where his mother and fiancee live, respectively, and vacant houses in Williamsburg and Duluth, Ga. Construction continues on a $2 million home in Suffolk where he and his fiancee plan to live eventually. Already sold is the 4,600-square-foot house on 15 acres in Surry County that served as headquarters for the Bad Newz Kennels dogfighting operation.

Vick is scheduled to plead guilty to state dogfighting and animal cruelty charges on Tuesday in a deal that calls for a suspended sentence and probation. The plea could clear the way for his entry into a halfway house for the last few months of his federal sentence before his expected release in July.

But he will still have to face a financial mess worsened by his entanglement in about 20 business ventures, from a rental car outlet to a liquor store. Vick plans to pay his creditors by returning to the NFL -- a goal that hinges on his reinstatement by the league's commissioner.

Scores of large withdrawals, debits, wire transfers and cashier's checks -- some for hundreds of thousands of dollars -- were made from various accounts over the past couple of years.

In most cases, there is no indication of how the money was spent. But Vick has admitted financing the dogfighting operation and giving betting money to his associates.

Those associates include three co-defendants who also were sentenced to prison for their roles in the dogfighting ring. Vick paid $150,000 to each of their lawyers. As would be expected in such a high-profile case, the records also show millions of dollars for Vick's defense and bankruptcy legal teams.

Charles Reamon, the recipient of the Infiniti and the two boats, had easy access to the player's money, and tapped one account for more than $1.1 million between October 2006 and December. Entry after entry lists "cash out" transactions ranging from $1,000 to more than $88,000.

Reamon, listed in court papers as Vick's personal assistant and friend, is Vick's partner in a Virginia horse farm where one of their two jointly owned yachts -- combined value about $225,000 -- is stored. But Reamon is now listed as one of several potential defendants in lawsuits Vick is considering filing, alleging mismanagement of his money.

Among the others are former financial advisers Mary Wong and David Talbot. Wong was recommended to Vick by former teammate Demorrio Williams. Vick's lawyers said they now believe Wong owes him at least $625,000.

Vick later hired Talbot but fired him after he was charged with securities fraud in New Jersey. Talbot has returned an $80,000 Mercedes that Vick gave him as payment but still could face suit for "breach of fiduciary duty and conversion," according to Vick's financial disclosure statement.

"Mary Wong categorically denies that she has ever wrongfully taken one penny from Michael Vick," said Wong's attorney, James Mitchell of Omaha. Any suggestion to the contrary is "unbelievably outrageous," he said.

Mitchell said Wong did not charge for her services. Wong already has accounted for some of the funds entrusted to her by Vick while holding power of attorney and is in the process of accounting for the rest, Mitchell said.

Reamon did not return a message left with a person who answered the phone listed in Charles Reamon's name in Newport News, and efforts to locate Talbot were unsuccessful.

"There were a lot of people with his or her hands in the till," one of Vick's lawyers, Peter Ginsberg, said at a recent bankruptcy hearing.

Talbot also briefly possessed jewelry worth about $100,000 to $150,000 that Vick gave to his brother. The jewelry has since been returned to an Atlanta jewelry store because there is a dispute over ownership.

It included diamond stud earrings and a charm with the inscription: "World Is Mine."
 

Report: Vick put family pets in ring
Witness in USDA inquiry paints grim picture of dog-fighting operation
The Associated Press
Friday, November 21, 2008

Richmond, Va. — Michael Vick put family pets in rings with pit bulls and thought it was funny watching the trained killers injure or kill the helpless dogs, a witness told federal investigators during the dogfighting investigation that brought Vick down.

In a 17-page report filed Aug. 28, 2008, by case agent James Knorr of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and released Friday under the Freedom of Information Act, a person identified as confidential witness No. 1 said Vick placed pets in the ring against pit bulls owned by “Bad Newz Kennels” at least twice and watched as the pit bulls “caused major injuries.”

The witness said Vick and co-defendants Purnell Peace and Quanis Phillips “thought it was funny to watch the pit bull dogs belonging to Bad Newz Kennels injure or kill the other dogs.”

Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison in Dec. 2007, and is due to be released from the federal prison at Leavenworth, Kan., on July 20, 2009. He returned to Virginia on Thursday and is being held in Hopewell pending his appearance in Surry County Circuit Court on Tuesday, where he is expected to plead guilty to two felony charges but receive a suspended sentence.

The report, which has some names and other information redacted to protect some of the parties involved, also details the killing of several dogs at property Vick owned on Moonlight Road in Surry County in mid-April 2007, just days before the first search warrant was executed on the property, turning a drug investigation into the one that sent Vick to prison.

It says Vick was administered a polygraph test by the FBI in October 2007 and denied taking part in the killing of dogs in mid-April. When told he had failed that part of the test, Vick recanted his story and admitted to helping hang six to eight underperforming dogs.

The former Atlanta Falcons quarterback, once the highest paid player in the NFL, has been suspended indefinitely by the league and his football future is uncertain. He’s also in the midst of bankruptcy proceedings with $16 million in assets and $20.4 million in liabilities.

Peace, who also was convicted in the case, said there were times he suggested that dogs unwilling to fight be given away, but that Vick said “they got to go,” meaning be killed.

The dogs were killed by shooting, hanging, electrocution and drowning, and in at least one instance, according to one of the witnesses, when Vick and Phillips killed a red pit bull by “slamming it to the ground several times before it died, breaking the dog’s back or neck.”

When he finally admitted to his role in the dogfighting operation, Vick also said he purchased his first pull bull, named “Champagne,” while a student at Virginia Tech in 1999. The dog was never used in fights, but was bred with other dogs, according to the report.

Champagne was among the 53 pit bulls seized from the home in a raid in April 2007.