Whatever happened to ... ?

[jbcarol]

... Knowshon Moreno

Miami Dolphins running back Knowshon Moreno was put on season-ending injured reserve with an ACL injury, the team announced Tuesday ...

Moreno played in just three games this season and rushed for 10 yards on six carries in Sunday's 27-24 loss to the Green Bay Packers.

[jbcarol]

... Daniel Orton

Daniel Orton has reached agreement with Shanxi of China on a $1 million-plus deal, a source tells RealGM.

Orton was released on Thursday by the Washington Wizards.

Orton played parts of last season with the Philadelphia 76ers and Maine Red Claws of the D-League.

[jbcarol]

... Chris Porter

Former UK player Ramon Harris watched UK Media Day from near courtside. He said he happened to stop in Lexington while en route to rejoining the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA's Development League.

Other players on the roster this coming season include former Alabama player Tony Mitchell and — believe it or not — former Auburn player Chris Porter. Porter, now 36, finished his Auburn career 14 years ago.

[jbcarol]

... Tee Martin

SI Vault        ✔ @si_vault

These two former Vols have thrown a combined 510 NFL touchdown passes:
4:25 PM - 20 Oct 2014



Tee Martin is still the Wide Receivers Coach/Pass Game Coordinator for the USC Trojans.  One commentator gave Manning credit for leading UT to the 1998 National Title on Sunday, the accomplishment for which Tee Martin Drive was named on the UT Campus.

[jbcarol]

... Quintavius Harrow, part of "The Dream Team" recruiting class

COLUMBUS. Ga. -
Quintavius Harrow, 22, was arrested Wednesday after being named a suspect in two Columbus gas station armed robberies, according to jail records.

Harrow is suspected in the armed robberies of the Summit Gas Station on Veterans Parkway on October 18th and the Circle K Gas Station on Macon Road on October 17th.

Harrow played football at Carver High School where he helped lead Carver to the Class AA semifinals and a 13-1 record in 2010. He then played at the University of Georgia, where he was a part of the "Dream Team" recruiting class. He was dismissed from the team because of academic reasons after the 2011 season.

[jbcarol]

... Pouncey twins

Mike and Maurkice Pouncey, accused over the summer of roughing up a club-goer at their South Beach birthday party, will not be charged in the altercation, Miami-Dade prosecutors announced Wednesday.

The twin brothers are both NFL offensive linemen – Mike with the Miami Dolphins and Maurkice with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

A July 12 brawl at Cameo nightclub left several people injured. But in their case close-out memo, the state attorney's office concluded there is insufficient credible evidence to charge Maurkice Pouncey – identified by victims as their assailant – or anyone else with battery.

Here's why:

"Victims and witnesses advised that the music was very loud and the club was very crowded with a lot of pushing and shoving by many people," prosecutors said. "The Cameo Club did provide our office with a video but it was of no probative value because the room was so crowded that we could not distinguish anyone including the alleged victims or subjects in the video.

"In addition, we were provided with many different versions of the incident that raised serious and unresolved proof and credibility issues," the office continued. "Consequently, we cannot determine whether the injuries sustained by the alleged victims resulted from an intentional and unwanted touching or an unintentional touching resulting from the shoving and pushing of the crowd of people who were in a space too small to accommodate so many."

The attorney for primary accuser Riquan James, who took to social media the night of the incident to show pictures of his injuries, said his client is "incredibly disappointed" with the decision not to charge Maurkice Pouncey.

[jbcarol]

... UK's football coach and QB from the last time they defeated a number one team

Rich Brooks and Andre Woodson are in town for tomorrow's big game against #1 Mississippi State and did what every Kentuckian should do on a beautiful fall Friday: enjoy the sights and sounds of Keeneland.


Rich Brooks @UKcoachbrooks
I won a couple races at the track but Karen really did much better than me. No surprise there.
4:44 PM - 24 Oct 2014 Kentucky, US, United States

[jbcarol]

... Chris Lofton

t is an honor that Chris Lofton did not expect.

Then again, it shouldn't be a surprise to those who have grown up following Lofton's life and the career. The former Mason County and Tennessee star has experienced more prior to his 30th birthday than those perhaps twice his age could ever envision.

One more distinction will be given Lofton Saturday night when he takes the stage at the State Theater in Elizabethtown.

Hall of Famer.

"When I think of Hall of Fame, I think about guys being 40, 50 years old," Lofton said last month. "I'm 28, I'm older but it still hasn't sunk in yet."

Before Lofton's arrival into the program, the Royals had yet to raise a state championship banner to the rafters of the Fieldhouse. After a taste of the state tournament in 2002, Lofton took over in 2003 with a state tournament record 17 3-pointers and capped it off with an 86-65 win over Ballard in the championship. He was named tournament MVP for his efforts.

"It was a surreal feeling that night," Lofton said. "I remember getting back to the hotel afterward and couldn't sleep... When you do it, not just winning it, but doing it with your friends you grew up with, that was the most important thing."

However, the offers he was searching for were not available. Lofton became the third Mr. Basketball from the state of Kentucky to sign with Tennessee and immediately became an impact. In his first season in Knoxville, Lofton set an SEC record of 93 3-pointers.

"When I got down there, I just wanted to prove everyone wrong," Lofton said.

But it wasn't until his sophomore year, when Pearl arrived as the head coach, that Lofton really started to shine. In 2006, the sharpshooter connected on a school record 114 shots from beyond the arc, helped pace the Volunteers to the first of six-straight NCAA Tournament berths and was a Wooden Award Finalist.

No greater win on the court could have come than on Feb. 7, 2006 in Lexington. Lofton went 11-of-18 from the field and 7-of-10 from 3-point range for 31 points and a 75-67 win over Kentucky. A reporter asked afterwards what it was like to be home.

"This is not my home," Lofton said. "Maysville is."

When Lofton graduated, he helped Tennessee to its first-ever No. 1 ranking, a pair of Sweet 16 appearances and received numerous All-American awards. While he averaged 15.5 points a game his senior season, it came on the heels of winning one of his biggest battles off the court.

During the 2007 NCAA Tournament, Lofton was randomly selected for drug testing and eventually found out that he had testicular cancer. With very few aware of the condition, Lofton underwent treatments and played his senior season cancer-free.

"I'm not a guy who cries a whole lot around people," Lofton said in a 2008 interview with ESPN.com. "But I cried more this past year than I have my whole life combined. I cried a river this past year."

With 2,131 career points and an SEC-record 431 career 3-pointers made and most importantly, in good health, Lofton's story was ready for the next chapter.

Since turning pro, Lofton has made a name for himself overseas after a brief stint in the NBDL. Nearly two months ago, Lofton agreed to a two-year contract extension with Besiktas of the Turkish Basketball League.

He returned last month to Maysville to co-headline a basketball camp with fellow Mason County alum Darius Miller. Lofton, who is proud to call Maysville as his home, understands the importance his actions have on area children, especially when he returns home during the offseason.

"Character is first, people always remember your character and that's what's most important," Lofton said. "Whether you can play basketball or not, I realize and feel that your character takes you farther. I just always wanted to be a good person and my parents taught me that."

[jbcarol]

... Mo Collins

Landon Watnick @LandonWatnick  ·  3h 3 hours ago
Mo Collins, a 3-year starter on UF's first national championship team in '96, has passed away at 38. Sad news. http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/10/26/5268300/west-charlotte-football-coach.html?sp=/99/121/151/#.VE0u_Et5A3t ...

[jbcarol]

... Anthony Dixon

Michael Bonner @MikeBBonner  ·  3 hours ago

Anthony Dixon back in Mississippi.. He'll be honored by his former HS Friday, should be in Starkville on Sat. http://on.thec-l.com/1wD89tZ

"We'll see if he stops by and sees me. I grind on him still. I mean I'm tough on the players," Mullen said. "He showed up one day chunky, I didn't let him leave until he got a workout in in the weight room. He had to go do some cardio before he was allowed to leave."

Dixon lettered for Mississippi State from 2006-09. The former Bulldog is the school's all time career leader in rushing with 3,994 yards. He also set the single season record at 1,391...

The yards also come with his personality, which fans in the NFL have gravitated towards in San Francisco and now Buffalo.

"He walks into the room and he's always upbeat, he's always excited," Mullen said.

[jbcarol]

... Marcus Lattimore

GoGamecocks.com @gogamecocks  ·  5 hours ago

Big day for Marcus Lattimore. He turns 23 today AND gets to practice with the 49ers.

[jbcarol]

... Tom 'Shorty' McWilliams

Michael Bonner @MikeBBonner  ·  23 hours ago
McWilliams is the only Mississippi State player to ever receive a Heisman vote. I have a feel that changes this year.

Tom 'Shorty' McWilliams to join MSU's Ring of Honor during halftime of Saturday's game. http://on.thec-l.com/1wJp5Pz

The Newton, Mississippi, native was voted a second-team All-America selection in 1944. In a 26-21 win over Auburn on Nov. 11, 1944, McWilliams rushed for 148 yards on 16 carries. That same season he was voted SEC Most Valuable Player by the Nashville Banner.

Until a knee injury ended his career, McWilliams played professionally for the Los Angeles [King] Dons in 1949 and the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1950.

A Korean War veteran, McWilliams passed away on Jan. 9, 1997 at the age of 70.

[jbcarol]

... Will Clark and Rafael Palmeiro

MSU Baseball @HailStateBB  ·  3 hours ago
Thunder and Lightning. Two Bulldog legends reuniting. #alumniweekend #hailstate

[jbcarol]

... Marcus Lattimore

GoGamecocks.com @gogamecocks  ·  5 hours ago

Big day for Marcus Lattimore. He turns 23 today AND gets to practice with the 49ers.

Matt Barrows @mattbarrows  · 23 hours ago
Harbaugh said Marcus Lattimore "hung back" in the training room today. Unclear whether the RB suffered a setback.

[jbcarol]

Matt Barrows @mattbarrows  · 23 hours ago
Harbaugh said Marcus Lattimore "hung back" in the training room today. Unclear whether the RB suffered a setback.

Mark Schlabach @Mark_Schlabach  ·  10 hours ago
Ugh RT @caplannfl: #49ers RB Marcus Lattimore is expected to retire due to knee issues, a league source confirmed."

[jbcarol]

GoGamecocks.com @gogamecocks  ·  Nov 2

Report: Marcus Lattimore's future 'up in the air' http://scne.ws/7PLkDp  #gg


Chris Low @ClowESPN  ·  Nov 2

Very few, if any, college athletes have impressed me both on and off the field the way Marcus Lattimore did at S.C. He will find success.


Connor Shaw @cmshaw9  ·  22h 22 hours ago

To the man who lifted a program to its feet & made everyone around him better as a player & person. I salute you! @MarcusLattimore

[jbcarol]

... Greg Hardy

Izzy Gould @IzzyGould  ·  34m 34 minutes ago

Trial for Panthers' Greg Hardy pushed back to 2015 http://usat.ly/1qny7wF  (@bylindsayhjones)

The jury trial for Carolina Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy won't happen until 2015.

The Mecklenberg County District Attorney's Office announced Tuesday morning that Hardy's trial had been continued, but an exact trial date has not been set.

The continuance means Hardy's case will not be resolved before the end of this season, and he'll remain out while the legal issue is pending.

Last week, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said there will be no change on Hardy's status with the Panthers or the league until the legal case is resolved.

The prosecutor's office said in a statement that a capital murder trial that began in September, along with another murder trial set to begin later this month, have forced the postponement of several other trials in addition to Hardy's.

"The District Attorney's Office must now adjust the dockets in several courtrooms, affecting multiple cases that had been scheduled for the coming weeks. These changes will affect the Domestic Violence Team's cases scheduled for the week of Nov. 17. A number of matters must be continued," the statement read...

[jbcarol]

... Another ex South Carolina RB in news


Josh Kendall @JoshatTheState  ·  15 hours ago

Another ex USC RB in news RT @thestate: Demetris Summers charged with possession with intent to distribute crack http://scne.ws/7QxSsC

COLUMBIA, SC — Former USC tailback Demetris Summers has been charged with possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, having a gun illegall y and drunken driving after he wrecked a car in Lexington County early Tuesday morning.

The Highway Patrol charged Summers after a trooper was called around 4:50 a.m. to a one-vehicle wreck along Cromer Road, which parallels I-20 and intersects with U.S. 378 in the West Columbia area, Lance Cpl. David Jones said Wednesday.

The silver Honda Summers was driving lost its front driver-side wheel and was on the road shoulder, Jones, a patrol spokesman said. The one-time Lexington High School star was alone in the Honda.

The trooper found enough baggies of what tested as crack that Summers is facing a drug distribution offense, Jones said...

[jbcarol]

... Jeremy Hill

Plain Dealer: Browns safety Donte Whitner had a strong message for Bengals rookie running back Jeremy Hill, who ripped the Browns after their 24-3 victory over the Bengals, saying "they're probably worse than I thought,'' and "they're not that good.''

Whitner, a ninth-year pro and two-time Pro Bowl, warned the rookie that he'll have to deal with his words when the two teams meet again in Cleveland in five weeks.

"You know, that's a rookie, so you can't really take his words as anything other than pure ignorance and being a sore loser,'' said Whitner. "Other than that, anytime you lose a football game, the first thing that the coaching staff tells you, even if you don't feel that way is to give the other team credit and not say the ignorant comment that he made.

"So I'm just going to take it as ignorance and know that -- we will see them again.''

Browns punter Spencer Lanning also weighed in today by tweeting: "What's a Jeremy Hill?"

[jbcarol]

... Greg Hardy

Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy's jury trial on domestic violence charges was postponed until next year, leaving Hardy on the commissioner's exempt list without any idea of when or if he'll be allowed to play again this season.

Panthers coach Ron Rivera has said that he thinks Hardy should be allowed to play pending the trial and some of Hardy's Carolina teammates have expressed similar thoughts in recent days, but there's been no change in Hardy's status. It's little surprise to learn that Hardy would also like to see the Panthers get No. 95 back on the field as soon as possible.

"I want to play, man," Hardy said, via James Walker of ESPN.com. "My team, you know, is losing right now. So I can't wait."

There doesn't appear to be any move toward clarifying Hardy's status with his legal issues still up in the air and any decision to let him play under the current circumstances would likely be met with criticism from many corners. As a result, it seems Hardy, Rivera and the other Panthers will have to keep on keeping on until there's some resolution to the charges. Right now, that looks like it will be in 2015 and Hardy, who is playing 2014 under the franchise tag, might be in a different uniform when he does return to the field.

[jbcarol]

Gene Keady's rug ...

Gene Keady's wife cuts a rug

"It was ugly," he says. "Everyone was always asking, 'What is it? Why are you doing it?' I did it because I was on TV. I did it because I was going bald. I thought I looked gorgeous with the combover. Of course, it was very ugly."

Well, it was worse than that. It was obvious. It was embarrassing. It was dyed black and wrapped around his head like a turban.

It wasn't even real.

"I had extensions," Keady tells me... Extensions?

Gene Keady paid $600 a week to have his hair look like that.

Keady and former Indiana coach Bob Knight spoke before a crowd of 800 at the annual Indiana Society of Chicago Foundation's dinner. When it was Knight's turn at the podium, he asked, "Would Mrs. Keady stand up?"

Kathleen stood. And then Knight said:

Mrs. Keady, I want to thank you for making your husband get rid of that hideous combover."

A few months earlier, Kathleen Keady had sat down her husband and sheared off his combover. Guess what she found underneath?

"Squamous cell carcinoma," Kathleen says, naming the fairly common (700,000 new cases in the United States annually), occasionally fatal (almost 9,000 deaths) form of skin cancer. "It's possible he wouldn't be here today if he'd kept that hair."

No kidding, I started to tell Kathleen Keady, who interrupts--

"Plus it was ugly," she says.

"I mean, it was scary," she says. "And he's already so stern looking. But with that hairdo, it was like Halloween or something, and ..."

[jbcarol]

... Alvin Dark

Scott Rabalais @RabalaisAdv  ·  4h 4 hours ago

Former #LSU, ULL and MLB baseball great Alvin Dark has died at his home in South Carolina. He was 92. http://theadvocate.com/sports/lsu/10826136-123/alvin-dark-the-former-lsu ...

Three years ago, Skip Bertman traveled to Furman University to deliver a speech at the school's first pitch banquet.

Bertman, LSU's championship-winning baseball coach, may not have made the trip without a promised reward when he arrived in South Carolina.

"I got to meet Alvin Dark," Bertman said.

Dark, a longtime major league manager and All-Star shortstop who played football and baseball at LSU and Louisiana-Lafayette, died Thursday. He was 92.

"He was always a hero of mine," Bertman said.

Dark, the 1948 major league Rookie of the Year and a three-time All-Star, played on two New York Giants World Series teams in the 1950s and led the Oakland A's to a World Series title.

In 1951, Dark began one of the greatest rallies in baseball history with a leadoff single in the bottom of the ninth inning for the New York Giants in an NL pennant playoff against Brooklyn. Bobby Thomson capped that comeback with a home run that became known as "The Shot Heard 'Round the World."

Born in Comanche, Oklahoma, Dark was an all-Southeastern Conference halfback for the LSU football team in 1942, and he played for the Tigers baseball squad in 1943 before transferring to Southwestern Louisiana Institute (now UL-Lafayette) through the V-12 Navy College Training Program.

Dark has a street named after him — Alvin Dark Ave. — just south of LSU's campus in Baton Rouge. He still has relatives living in Lake Charles.

"This guy is a legend," LSU baseball coach Paul Mainieri said. "Tremendous loss for the LSU community."

Mainieri met Dark about two years ago and received an autographed photo from him. A Dark-signed baseball is in a glass case in LSU's hall of fame room at Alex Box Stadium. Dark was inducted into the LSU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1981.

"Gritty manager," Mainieri said. "He was a throwback. He played for the love of the game in a hard-nosed aggressive way. I learned a lot from him. Didn't even know him, but learned a lot."

[jbcarol]

... Winston Bennett

heraldleader @heraldleader  ·  5h 5 hours ago

Who's that guy in the cape? It's super fan and ex-Cat Winston Bennett http://bit.ly/1wyDT0T  #BBN

When McCracken County High School played in the state volleyball tournament last week, its fans were led in cheers by a guy wearing a cape, boxing gloves, sunglasses, a Mustangs' T-shirt and a University of Louisville cap.

He was also wielding a small stick-horse. The guy in the get-up was none other than Winston Bennett, the former UK basketball star.

His daughter Jasmine was a senior star for McCracken County this season.

Bennett said his daughter is "long and athletic and loves volleyball. And she's a 4.0 student. She's brought us so much joy."

Bennett finds it difficult sitting still and watching Jasmine compete.

"So I put all my nerves into cheering as hard as I can," he said.

Bennett stepped down as basketball coach at Mid-Continent University in Mayfield last year. He now sells insurance.

[Inhogswetrust]

Gene Keady's rug ...

Gene Keady's wife cuts a rug

I hope Gene's healthy. He was without a doubt one of the best coaches to ever coach for us even if he was only an assistant while here. I'm glad he got the chance at Purdue to be a head coach at a major school and be successful.

[jbcarol]

... Cameron Echols-Luper

Former Auburn High standout Cameron Echols-Luper, the son of former Auburn assistant Curtis Luper, gave TCU the go-ahead score in a 34-30 comeback win over Kansas with this 69-yard punt return for a score. (video available at link)

[jbcarol]

... Patrick Johnson

ESPN Stats & Info @ESPNStatsInfo  ·  26 minutes ago
Patrick Peterson leads the NFL with 11 penalties committed this season. He faces off against the Lions and Calvin Johnson today.


As Patrick Johnson, he was number one CB and number five overall player in the 2008 class out of Pompano Beach Blanch Ely.  Of course, as Patrick Peterson, he was an All-American at LSU.

[jbcarol]

... Altee Tenpenny

Saban explains Alabama RB Altee Tenpenny's surprise absence against Mississippi State

Altee Tenpenny, a former top recruit who was fifth on the depth chart to start the season, was not on the field. Nick Saban explained the situation Monday.

"He was late for the meeting (Saturday) and I just told him to pick his stuff up and we'd talk to him later," Saban said. "I mean, the guy was late for the meeting. If it wasn't important enough for him to be at the meeting, it wasn't important enough for me to dress him for the game."

Tenpenny's run the ball 15 times this season for 72 yards. His biggest game came late against Texas A&M with eight carries for 30 yards.

Alabama's backfield has been hampered by injuries all season. Third-stringer Kenyan Drake's season ended Oct. 4 with a broken leg at Ole Miss. Leading rusher T.J. Yeldon has been dealing with nagging foot and ankle injuries most of the season. Tyren Jones, now the third option, missed some time with a finger injury and a one-week suspension.

[jbcarol]

... Josh Shaw, USC player who fabricated story about leap from balcony


AL.com sports @aldotcomSports  ·  17 hours ago

USC reinstates Josh Shaw, player who fabricated story about leap from balcony | http://ow.ly/EvlRs

Shaw leapt from his apartment balcony to evade police Aug. 23 following an argument with his girlfriend, but told USC officials he was injured rescuing his 7-year-old nephew from drowning. Shaw was hailed as a hero nationwide before it was revealed he fabricated the story.

Los Angeles authorities declined to press charges against Shaw earlier this week, clearing the way for him to be reinstated by the team.

"USC also conducted its own internal investigation of Josh, evaluating both athletic department code of conduct and potential NCAA compliance issues," USC athletics director Pat Haden said in a statement. "Based on these investigations and their conclusions, and the 10-game suspension Josh has served for code of conduct violations, we have made the decision to reinstate him."

Shaw started all 13 games at USC in 2013, totaling 67 tackles, four interceptions and seven pass deflections. He was selected as a team captain prior to this season and was considered one of the Trojans' team leaders until the incident that occurred on the Saturday a week prior to the Aug. 30 season-opener...

[jbcarol]

... Kodi Burns

Dana Sulonen @DanaSulonen  ·  5 hours ago

ICYMI: AUBURN FOOTBALL: Former Auburn player Kodi Burns readying for return to Jordan-Hare http://www.oanow.com/sports/college/auburn/football/article_3fa8b79e-7070-11e4-9922-6352220710d4.html ... via @oanow

Kodi Burns expects to feel a tad bit out of place when he walks into Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday.

For five years, Burns roamed the Auburn sidelines and made his home inside the Tigers' locker room, as both a player and graduate assistant coach.

But as he steps onto Pat Dye Field and makes his way into the visiting locker room beneath Jordan-Hare as a member of the Samford coaching staff, the former Auburn quarterback and receiver will be entering unchartered territory.

"It's going to be kinda weird being on the opposite sideline," Burns told the Opelika-Auburn News on Wednesday. "I don't think I've ever been over there. I've actually never been in the visiting locker room — ever — since I've been at Auburn, so it'll be a different change up."

His name doesn't appear much in the Auburn record books, but Burns remains a beloved figure in the minds of many Tiger fans and coaches for his willingness to change positions at the height of his career on the Plains after losing out the starting quarterback position to Chris Todd in 2009.



Being a full-fledged coach at Samford has been greatly beneficial for Burns, allowing him the comfort to provide thoughtful feedback and opinions without worry of overstepping his station.

"I could bring some ideas to the table at Auburn and Arkansas State, but I tried to wait my turn, keep my mouth shut and just work hard," Burns said. "But now, I really take the same mentality as far as working hard and staying humble, but at the same time, I have a little more say-so and I can actually bring ideas to the table, I can bring plays to the table. So it's been really good in that aspect because I can take what I've learned and actually apply it to the game."

[jbcarol]

... Dale Brown and Shaq

LSU legends Dale Brown and Shaquille O'Neal were inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Foundation Hall of Fame and stole the show, reports Randy Rosetta of The Advocate. Shaq thanked his step-father Phillip Harrison, a drill sergeant, who told him, "We've got this college coach coming to speak. Maybe we can get your big ass a scholarship. We need to get your big ass a scholarship or you're going in the Army."

As the crowd roared with laughter, O'Neal said "Seriously. I was just sitting there eating my Frosted Flakes and he told me that my big ass had two choices."

Brown told a story about O'Neal spending time with a dying boy in Indianapolis a day before his Los Angeles Lakers met the Pacers in an NBA Finals game. The boy's mother, a Louisiana native, called Brown to ask if O'Neal could call her son and only years later did she fill in the details of an in-person visit when she ran into Brown in Baton Rouge.

"He had great tutelage before he ever got to LSU," Brown said.

Added O'Neal, "I just like to make people smile."

Courtesy of BigBlueHistory.net

[jbcarol]

... Eric Berry

Terez A. Paylor @TerezPaylor  ·  Nov 24
#Chiefs trainer Rick Burkholder says Eric Berry has been placed in the non-football injury list with a mass on the right side of his chest.

Berry is going to see a lymphoma specialist in Atlanta. The evaluation will continue through tomorrow. No definitely diagnosis yet, though.

Unreal: @LRiddickESPN said Eric Berry's response when told of the mass of his chest was "Can I play?"

#Chiefs' Eric Berry has possible cancerous mass in his chest - here's everything we know: http://www.kansascity.com/sports/nfl/kansas-city-chiefs/article4125004.html ...

[jbcarol]

Tennessee Football @Vol_Football  ·  Nov 24
Statement from #VFL Eric Berry via @KCChiefs

[jbcarol]

... Norm Chow

Bruce Feldman @BruceFeldmanCFB  ·  20 hours ago
Strong story from @dennisdoddcbs about Norm Chow who is just thankful these days that his wife Diane is still alive: http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/writer/dennis-dodd/24841557/hawaii-still-in-a-rut-but-norm-chow-thankful-because-his-wifes-alive ...

Hawaii is 4-8, on its way to a fourth consecutive losing season. There are some sportswriters whose salaries are greater than the program's recruiting budget. Not to mention the crazy road trips, including this week, which will include busing four hours from LAX to Fresno State.

"We're going to make it," Warriors coach Norm Chow said this week.

He wasn't talking about the strictures of coaching major college football in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Chow was speaking about his wife.

Diane Chow is alive. That's enough with Thanksgiving here.

In early October, Diane Chow underwent surgery for a brain aneurysm. Luckily, a painter was in the Chow's Los Angeles home when she was stricken and able to call 911.

But from there, things didn't go particularly well.

"It was scary," Norm Chow said. "The numbers were staggering."

...

On the field, the Warriors started 1-3, then lost the only game Chow missed to be with his wife. That was against Houston on Oct. 4. Hawaii has rebounded to go 3-4 down the stretch. The current two-game winning streak is only the second such run for the program since 2011.

In increments, Diane is rebounding, too.

"You feel so helpless," Chow said of his wife's illness. "You sit there. It hits you upside the head. Football? I could give a crap about football."

And that seems absolutely fitting this week of family and love and thanks. It wouldn't be overstating it to say Chow, 68, is one of the most beloved figures in coaching. Never mind the offensive mind behind three Heisman winners.

Sometimes when you treat people decently, that's enough...

[jbcarol]

... Glynn Cyprien

GREG SWAIM SHOW @GSwaim  ·  Nov 26
Congratulations to my friend @CoachCyprien, who's now in the front office with the #Grizzlies

[jbcarol]

... Perry Wallace

In a three-part exclusive, The Tennessean is publishing excerpts of "Strong Inside: Perry Wallace and the Collision of Race and Sports in the South," by local author Andrew Maraniss.

Andrew Maraniss and Perry Wallace will speak at the Nashville Public Library main downtown branch at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 3. The event is free and open to the public...

Long read on the first black player in the SEC and his road trip to Starkville.

[jbcarol]

... Justin Hunter

Wide receiver Justin Hunter's second season came to an end in disappointing fashion on Tuesday, when the Titans placed him on injured reserve.

Hunter suffered a lacerated spleen in last Sunday's loss in Houston and was taken to a local hospital. The second-year wide receiver is expected to return to Nashville later this week.

Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt said Monday he did not expect that Hunter would have to undergo surgery for the lacerated spleen.

A second-round pick in 2013 out of the University of Tennessee,

[jbcarol]

... Clowney

NFL: Jadeveon Clowney to be placed on Houston Texans' IR

Jadeveon Clowney's disappointing rookie season has come to an abrupt conclusion.

Houston Texans coach Bill O'Brien announced Thursday that Clowney will be placed on season-ending injured reserve. The No. 1 overall pick is set to undergo further surgery on his right knee.

"That's what needs to be done to try to get him healthy," defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel said. "... When he's healthy, we know what he's capable of."

[jbcarol]

... Cliff Hagan

Hall of Famer Cliff Hagan turns 83 on Tuesday. He played on or has watched all the great Kentucky teams.

Hagan reserved judgment on where the current Cats rank on any list of UK's best teams.

"I think the jury's still out," he said before adding light-heartedly, "I don't know which team we're talking about. The first-half team or the second-half team."

Hagan, who winters in Florida, probably will play tennis on his birthday. He plays four days a week.

"Getting good exercise for someone elderly," he said with a laugh.


Hagan was the captain of UK's last undefeated team and was on the team that was delivered the death penalty the season prior.  He was UK's AD at the end of the Sutton Error and was fired as result. UK's baseball complex is named for him.

[jbcarol]

... Cam Newton

AL.com sports @aldotcomSports  ·  4 hours ago
Updated: Cam Newton suffers two fractures in back after car accident http://s.al.com/GFDVQ3b

Cam Newton has suffered two transverse process fractures in his back after being involved in a two-car accident in Charlotte on Tuesday, according to an official statement from the Panthers.

A transverse process fracture is a small fracture in his spine.

Newton, who is in fair condition. will remain in Carolinas Medical Center overnight for observation after his truck was struck by a car near Bank of America stadium in Charlotte at around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday.

There are no more tests scheduled for Newton today...

[jbcarol]

... Clowney

NFL: Jadeveon Clowney to be placed on Houston Texans' IR

Adam Schefter @AdamSchefter  ·  18 hours ago

Texans LB Jadeveon Clowney underwent microfracture knee surgery on Monday and is expected to be sidelined nine months, per sources.

[jbcarol]

... Cam Newton

AL.com sports @aldotcomSports  ·  4 hours ago
Updated: Cam Newton suffers two fractures in back after car accident http://s.al.com/GFDVQ3b

Carolina Panthers @Panthers  ·  5 minutes ago

Rivera says Newton hopes to be back on the field soon. The #Panthers medical staff is putting together a plan for his return.

[jbcarol]

... Cadillac Williams

AL.com sports @aldotcomSports  ·  19 minutes ago
Ten years after his final carry, Cadillac Williams realizes dream by graduating from Auburn http://s.al.com/UOqN7BR

He and his wife, Evan Christina, had their first son, Cole, 10 months ago, and with plans for a bigger family on the way, Williams' schedule was never going to be more open than it has been this year.

So she got in touch with Troy Smith, Williams' old academic advisor, and once Smith got involved, there was no turning back.

"I had been, I would say, slightly harassing him about doing it," Evan Christina said. "I know it gets harder when you start to build a bigger family, so in so many words, I was like, look, it's time."

Williams never finished his degree because his career intervened...

Unlike a lot of former NFL stars, the hard part for Williams wasn't finding something to do after football.

He'd married Evan Christina, the girl he'd fallen in love with as a freshman at Auburn, on July 2, 2011, and he'd already acquired a business for his life outside of football.

Williams and his wife partnered with his former Buccaneers teammate Earnest Graham, another running back, to start Pro Player Insurance Group, an independent insurance company based in Fort Myers, Fla.

"It was almost like, OK, I've been around the game for so long, let me try my own business, let me try to do something else," Williams said.

The hard part was simply wondering what might have been.

That's where the college degree he's picking up this year comes back into play.

Williams wants to coach, preferably on the college or the high school level. He feels like he's got plenty he can teach kids coming up through the ranks. A lot of those jobs require a degree.

That's why Williams chose to major in sociology in the first place...

[jbcarol]

... Jason Dufner

Golf Digest @GolfDigest  ·  4 hours ago
Jason and Amanda Dufner, holiday edition. http://bit.ly/16iYAYV

[jbcarol]

... Cadillac Williams

AL.com sports @aldotcomSports  ·  19 minutes ago
Ten years after his final carry, Cadillac Williams realizes dream by graduating from Auburn http://s.al.com/UOqN7BR

Todd Van Emst @fototodd  ·  5 hours ago
Great seeing Carnell Williams again. Williams graduates today. #auburn @oanow

[jbcarol]

... Kyle Fuller

Former Vanderbilt starting point guard Kyle Fuller is trying to release a book about all of the wild stuff he did while in college when he wasn't on the basketball court. It's called Below The Rim: The Dirty Side of College Basketball and Fuller is asking for donations via KickStarter to keep the project moving forward toward an eventual release.

One person who isn't excited about the tell-all book's release is Kevin Stallings, Fuller's head coach at Vanderbilt. Stallings read the excerpts that were leaked online and begged Mama Fuller to talk her son out of bringing down the family name.

[jbcarol]

... Archie Manning

Rod Walker @rwalkeradvocate  ·  7 hours ago
Archie Manning on the College Football Playoff, Katy Perry and rumors of his untimely demise http://theadvocate.com/sports/11102607-123/lewis-archie-manning-on-the ... via @theadvocatebr

Archie Manning would like the world to know that the reason he left the College Football Playoff selection committee just before it was to begin its weekly deliberations was NOT because:

A. He was pushing Ole Miss so much the other committee members got tired of it and kicked him out.

B. He refused to vote for Mississippi State.

C. He was going to run off with Katy Perry.

D. He was dead.

"There were rumors that I had a fatal illness," the very-much-alive Manning said Monday. "The truth is I had to have neck fusion surgery, and when you've also had spinal surgery and knee surgery in the past year, there's just a lot of pain and I was unable to travel.

"I was deeply honored to be on the committee and disappointed I didn't get to serve. They've asked me back for next year, but if I have to have another surgery, I'm afraid my nurse (his wife, Olivia) is going to leave me."

Turning 65, which Archie did in May — "I'm already giving Medicare a workout," he said — is hard enough.

When you add in 14 seasons in the NFL — 11 of them spent absorbing extreme punishment quarterbacking the Saints, plus an auto accident a decade ago — it's a wonder he's able to walk upright.

As it is, Manning sits at an odd angle during the interview in his office at the Entergy Center, looking noticeably smaller than he has in the past, although he insists he has only lost about 10 pounds.

And just as the neck surgery, performed in Memphis, Tennessee, on Nov. 1 by the same doctor who operated on his back in the summer of 2013, prevented Manning from attending the CFP committee's meetings in suburban Dallas, Manning has suspended a busy travel schedule.

Just Monday, Archie sent eldest son Cooper to sub for him at the Birmingham Quarterback Club.

Last week, for the first time in 20 years, Manning could not be in New York for the numerous awards functions of the National Football Foundation, of which he is chairman of the board.

And that's not to mention not going to see Peyton and Eli play on Sundays...

[jbcarol]

... CJ Watson

Scott Jones @UTJonesy  ·  16 hours ago

@Ben_Fred "@IndyStarSports: Do you hear Morgan Freeman? Pacers guard C.J. Watson may become a top pitchman. http://indy.st/11QlVPe ""

A smooth, polished voice comes across the commercial demo tape. Soothing. Silky. Kind of like Morgan Freeman, with a subtly higher pitch.

"Cadillac CTS sports sedan was designed with perfect balance, front to back," it says. "Perfect weight balance to give you exceptional control in all directions. The 2014 Cadillac CTS."

The inflection, the subtle nuances in tone, the pauses in just the right places. This demo tape is surely from a professional actor. Or at least a seasoned voice-over guy.

This couldn't be the demo tape of an NBA player. But it is.

This is the voice of Indiana Pacers point guard C.J. Watson. This is his tape that is now being sent out to agents all over Los Angeles, featuring Watson and his dream side job -- voice-over commercial work.

Watson was second all-time in assists and steals at Tennessee.

[jbcarol]

... Alex English

GoGamecocks.com @gogamecocks  ·  1 hour ago
Alex English enjoying stint as color analyst for USC basketball games http://scne.ws/7sRJkp

Charles Bloom, USC's senior associate athletics director for external affairs and a 1985 graduate, needed someone to work three Gamecocks "non-linear" telecasts on SEC Network +. "We had a pool of play-by-play guys we use, but we were trying to come up with color guys," he said.

Alex English? That sounded like pie-in-the-sky: USC's No. 2 all-time scorer, a member of the NBA Hall of Fame and the league's top scorer of the 1980s (19,682 points), doing the sports version of community-access cable.

In fact, Bloom, back in Columbia a couple of years after 17 years as an SEC assistant commissioner, wasn't even sure where to find the famously private former star. But once he learned English lives (and has, for years) in Blythewood, and then mentioned the idea to USC coach Frank Martin, "he became the obvious choice."

Even better, Bloom said, given that "these are campus productions, run on a small budget ... we were pleasantly surprised he wanted to do it."

Wanted to? Try excited, a word English used often talking about the gig.

"It's an opportunity to be involved with my university," English, 60, said; his next game is USC vs. Coker on Dec. 21. It's not coaching, his preferred future career, but "it's a chance to use what I've learned as a coach."

For now, it's just the three games (Dec. 30 vs. North Carolina A&T is the last), on a signal that isn't easy to find; fans can access on mobile devices via the WatchESPN app or ESPN3.com. English is enthusiastic nonetheless.

His debut, vs. North Florida on Nov. 14, with regular radio host Andy Demetra handling play-by-play, received good reviews, Bloom said. "To have a former star player who's also been an outstanding pro and (has) the experience he's had on media before ... that made our day," he said.

It's making English's, too.

Since retiring after playing 15 NBA seasons, the 6-foot-8 Columbia native and Dreher High product has done TV (20 games as an analyst in Denver); coached (with the NBA Developmental League's Charleston team, plus NBA assistant's jobs in Atlanta, Philadelphia, Toronto and Sacramento); and, the past three years, done global outreach, traveling to Korea, Uruguay and Chile as part of a joint NBA-U.S. Envoy program, staging basketball camps for youth. "People love the game in South America," he said.

[Inhogswetrust]

... Jason Dufner

Golf Digest @GolfDigest  ·  4 hours ago
Jason and Amanda Dufner, holiday edition. http://bit.ly/16iYAYV

Looks like he spent all his golf earnings on her and her clothes...........He should have kept a little to get himself a different sport coat and pants!

[Inhogswetrust]

... Kyle Fuller

Former Vanderbilt starting point guard Kyle Fuller is trying to release a book about all of the wild stuff he did while in college when he wasn't on the basketball court. It's called Below The Rim: The Dirty Side of College Basketball and Fuller is asking for donations via KickStarter to keep the project moving forward toward an eventual release.

One person who isn't excited about the tell-all book's release is Kevin Stallings, Fuller's head coach at Vanderbilt. Stallings read the excerpts that were leaked online and begged Mama Fuller to talk her son out of bringing down the family name.

Kind of reminds me of "Consider the source" Harrick.