Whatever happened to ... ?

[jbcarol]

... Derek Abney

Former UK wide receiver/kick returner Derek Abney turned 34 Friday.

Abney and his wife, Christina, live in Charleston, S.C., with their daughters, Eden, who is 4 and, Olive, who is 2. Abney works as an assistant terminal manager for Kinder Morgan Incorporated at their Port of Charleston terminal.

[jbcarol]

... Daniel Orton

Matt Jones @KySportsRadio  ·  40 minutes ago

Daniel Orton involved in a nasty fight in Chinese Basketball Game that ends up in the stands. Here is the video: http://kentuckysportsradio.com/nba-cats/daniel-orton-gets-in-a-nasty-fight-in-chinese-basketball-game/ ...

[jbcarol]

... Connor Shaw

Mary Kay Cabot @MaryKayCabot  ·  1 hour ago

So, #Browns Pettine confirms rookie Connor Shaw might have to start. "if he does, I wouldn't be surprised he plays well.''

[jbcarol]

... Marcus Lattimore

GoGamecocks.com @gogamecocks  ·  5 hours ago
Marcus Lattimore to be an 'ambassador' for USC http://scne.ws/7vJ7vx

Marcus Lattimore is coming home.

"It's the first step," Lattimore said. "I plan to finish up school and most likely be done with it next January (2016)."

Lattimore will enroll for South Carolina's spring semester in January and begin completing his degree in public health. He'll also take a position as an ambassador for the school and its football program, although an official title has yet to be bestowed.

[jbcarol]

... Patrick Sparks

Patrick Sparks, Kentucky's ghost of rivalries past

Even a rivalry as great as Kentucky-Louisville, which returns on Saturday, dare not dwell on the past. So Patrick Sparks, the hero in the UK-U of L game 10 years ago, can seem a figure from the distant past. His game-winning free throws literally in the final split-second are a misty memory.

When asked Monday to recall beating Louisville for Kentucky in 2004, and also help update fans on what he's been doing, Sparks offered a charming bit of self-deprecation.

"Somebody might read something about me again," he said in a deadpan tone. "Who knows?"

Sparks did not fall off the face of the Earth after finishing his UK career in 2006. He just went to a far corner.

First, he played in Russia and Portugal. Then spent two seasons in Germany. Then three and one-year years in Ukraine. Then back to Germany. Then the last season and a half in Slovakia.

"I don't know how many countries that is," he said, "But it's quite a few."

Sparks has spent the last six months in his native Muhlenberg County waiting to see if a team somewhere in the world will invite him to play this season.

If that call does not come, he'd like to follow his father, Steve, into coaching. "You know, it's in my blood," he said.

Sparks has long since learned how to deal with the language barrier.

"You learn the basics of what you've got to say and what you've got to have," he said. "You try to learn those words first."

The phrases Sparks quickly learned to master?

"'Pass me the ball,' 'Set me a screen,'" he said. "Stuff like that, I kind of learned that pretty fast. 'Where's the food at?' 'Where's the bathroom?'"

Sparks' wife, Mariana, is a native of Ukraine. They have two sons: Ivan, 4, and Patrick (known as "Junior"), 2.

[jbcarol]

... Darius Dewberry

Marc Weiszer @marcweiszer  ·  Dec 26
Former #UGA LB Dewberry's path makes turn in Charlotte, where he trains NASCAR pit crews (and lives with ex-QB Cox) http://bit.ly/1zEECnI

From playing between the hedges to trimming hedges, Darius Dewberry's post-football life started off working on the athletic grounds crew at Georgia.
After playing linebacker for the Bulldogs from 2006 to 2009, Dewberry earned his degree in housing in the spring of 2011 and worked for a couple of years maintaining the fields of play.

At the same time, Dewberry let former Georgia strength coach Dave Van Halanger know of his interest in landing a job in strength and conditioning. It turned out that Van Halanger, now Georgia's director of player welfare, got a call from Mark Morrison, the head strength and conditioning coach for Hendrick Motorsports.

Richt and those around the program vouched for Dewberry.
"I said, 'Well he's not a certified strength coach but the guy's a freakazoid,'" Richt said. "He still looks it."

Dewberry impressed Morrison.

"I wowed him on the interview and I ended up with the job," Dewberry said.

That job is assistant strength and conditioning coach for Hendrick Motorsports.Dewberry is part of a three-person staff that trains the pit crews for the NASCAR teams of Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne (as well as a developmental crew made up of former athletes) with weightlifting and speed and agility. Their day starts with a 6 a.m. staff meeting and then training the crews until 12:30, followed by administrative and other work in the afternoon.

The Fort Valley native, who started 12 games at Georgia, has been on the Hendrick team since June, 2013. He now works and lives in Charlotte, where his old team is in town for Tuesday's Belk Bowl against Louisville.

Dewberry lives in the same house as former Georgia quarterback Joe Cox, now offensive coordinator at Mallard Creek High School, and Cox's brother...

[jbcarol]

... Connor Shaw

GoGamecocks.com@gogamecocks
Connor Shaw: 'I convinced myself I can play in this league.' http://www.gogamecocks.com/2014/12/28/662003/browns-fall-short-in-connor-shaws.html ...



Connor Shaw @cmshaw9  ·  Dec 28
Tough loss but there is no one else I'd rather suit up with. Proud to be a part of this team. #Cleveland

[jbcarol]

... Odell Beckham Jr

NFL Memes @NFL_Memes

Odell Beckham Jr got your back..
8:20 PM - 1 Jan 2015

[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 ...

Ben Frederickson @Ben_Fred  ·  14 hours ago
Butch Jones said Eric Berry was at the team hotel last night. An "Eric Berry" chant broke out in the stands after the game.

What's crazy about this blowout is "so-called experts" predicted Tennessee to lose 100-0 — Butch Jones after game, probably

Tennessee Gator Bowl win over Iowa.

[jbcarol]

... Alex Tyus

Kevin Brockway @gatorhoops  ·  5 hours ago
Happy Birthday to former Gator F @AlexTyus23, who turns 27 today. Playing overseas for defending Euroleague champion Maccabi Tel Aviv.

[jbcarol]

... Dana Altman

Rachel Axon @RachelAxon  ·  2 hours ago
Oregon & coach Dana Altman face a federal Title IX lawsuit for handling of alleged sexual assault by former players. http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/2015/01/08/oregon-mens-basketball-sexual-assault-dana-

[jbcarol]

... Jimmy Lear and Doug Cunningham

Hugh Kellenberger @HKellenbergerCL  ·  22 hours ago

Ole Miss great Jimmy Lear has died. Quarterback team to '52 upset of Maryland. http://www.clarionledger.com/story/olemisssports/2015/01/12/ole-miss-great-jimmy-lear-dies/21663205/ ...

Ole Miss legendary quarterback Jimmy Lear has died.

Lear, best remembered for leading No. 11 Ole Miss to a come-from-behind-upset win against No. 3 Maryland in 1952, was 82. He died in Oxford after a short illness.

The win was one of the biggest in Ole Miss history, often argued to be the moment the program was recognized nationally. In some circles it was considered the greatest regular-season win until Ole Miss beat then-No. 3 Alabama this season.

Lear also helped lead the 1952 Rebels to their first undefeated (8-0-2) regular season.

A 5-foot-11, 172-pound signal-caller from Greenwood, Lear lettered three years at quarterback for coach John Vaught's Rebels, from 1950-1952. He was recognized as an All-American in 1952 and earned also All-SEC recognition in 1951 and 1952.

Lear was inducted into the Ole Miss Athletics Hall of Fame 1988 and the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 1991. He also received the Distinguished American Award from the Ole Miss Chapter of the National Football Foundation in 2005 and was named to the SEC Legend Class of 2009.

Following graduation Lear served in the military before moving back to the Mississippi Delta. He later became headmaster at Indianola Academy and an owner/partner of the Maxwell Cotton Company, a successful local business.

Rick Cleveland @rick_cleveland  ·  2 hours ago

Ole Miss lost a legend; many of us lost a great friend. RIP: Doug Cunningham.... http://msfame.com/news-updates/rip-the-great-doug-cunningham-class-of-14/ ...

The great Doug Cunningham, inducted last summer into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame, died this morning. He was 69. Cunningham, who played at Ole Miss and in the NFL, was one of the great open field runners in Mississippi football history. Said Deuce McAllister, who was inducted into the MSHoF with Cunningham, "What impressed me about Doug Cunningham so much was how humble he was. I saw his statistics at Ole Miss and in the NFL. I saw the film of him running. He was one of those guys who played decades ago who could still play today. He was that fast, that good. My condolences to his family. He was a special guy."

He was a sixth round draft choice of the 49ers, and, as a rookie, was nicknamed "Goober" because his teammates thought he sounded like Goober in the Andy Griffith TV show.

Sports Illustrated's Ron Fimrite, then a young San Francisco sports writer, described Cunningham's performance in a game against the Minnesota Vikings in which Cunningham had a 64-yard run from scrimmage and a 57-yard punt return. Wrote Fimrite:

It was not just the length of these runs but the manner in which they were accomplished that endeared the little man to us all. Both were fraught with danger along the way. Cunningham spun, dodged, bounced off tacklers, then fled for his life... It was just darned good drama...

Cunningham was always as popular off the field as on it. He was elected Colonel Rebel, the equivalent of Mr. Ole Miss, as a senior.

Said Spurrier, "Doug is one of the really good ones. What a great guy!"

[jbcarol]

... Bob Boyd

Gregg G. Ellis @MSUsportsGregg  ·  14 hours ago

Sad to hear the passing of former MSU coach Bob Boyd. Heard many, many stories stories about him, mostly from Richard Williams.

Jay Bilas @JayBilas  ·  15 hours ago

RIP to the great Bob Boyd, former USC player and coach. He was an exceptional basketball man. His '71 Trojans were No. 1, lost only to UCLA

His team was #1 in the nation and #2 in his own town.

Longtime USC basketball coach Bob Boyd, who led the program for 13 years from 1967 to 1979, died Wednesday of natural causes in Palm Desert, Calif. He was 84.

In 1971, Boyd's Trojans went 24-2 and finished ranked No. 5 in the country. His teams also dealt the John Wooden-coached Bruins their first losses at Pauley Pavilion in 1969 and 1970.

After leaving the Trojans, Boyd coached at Mississippi State (1982-86), Riverside Community College (1989) and Chapman (1990-92), before serving as an assistant at Louisiana State  and Utah State.

USC Athletic Director Pat Haden, who played football for the Trojans in the early 70s: "Unfortunately, he had a pretty good coach across town. I remember one year I think we went [24-2] and the two losses were to UCLA and only one team went to the tournament..."

"I was at the right place at the wrong time," Boyd once told The Times.

[jbcarol]

Bob Boyd had a lasting impact at LSU across two coaching staffs

In 1972 Boyd was a leading candidate for the Tigers' job after Press Maravich was fired. Content at USC, he deflected LSU athletic director Carl Maddox's overetures and gave the name of a young Washington State assistant: Dale Brown.

The two had gotten to know each other when Brown was an assistant at Utah State and recruited the SoCal territory, often going to team dinners with Boyd and the Trojans.

With Boyd and LSU legend Joe Dean Sr. both recommending Brown, Maddox hired the North Dakotan, and that began a historic 25-year ripple effect on Tigers' basketball hisstory.

"He was always so full of life and had a great sense of humor," Brown said Wednesday night. "Not too many people are always effervescent all the time, but he was one of those people."

That was the first phase of Boyd's impact on LSU.

Later when Boyd was hired as the head coach at Mississippi State, he was recruiting players in Crowley and he met a brash young high school coach named John Brady. He hired Brady to a staff that also included Richard Williams and Larry Eustachy and together they coached a team led by a point guard from St. Amant named Butch Pierre.

"Bob Boyd was one of the great teachers of basketball to ever coach," Brady said...

[jbcarol]

... Patrick Sparks

Patrick Sparks, Kentucky's ghost of rivalries past

Update

Patrick Sparks makes a brief yet unexpected appearance in American Sniper on a TV inside a bar where Chris Kyle (Bradley Cooper) is having a postwar beer. Sparks is seen walking past Renaldo Balkman of South Carolina, then you can hear the announcers talking about him as the scene goes silent...

[DeltaBoy]

Great Thread

[jbcarol]

Great Thread

Thx

[jbcarol]

... Tyler Bray

Josh Ward @Josh_Ward  ·  Jan 20

QB Tyler Bray tore the ACL in his left knee, per @AdamSchefter. The Chiefs signed Terrelle Pryor on Jan. 7.

BJ Kissel @ChiefsReporter  ·  Jan 20

Tyler Bray is going to have surgery in the next couple of days, according to #Chiefs GM John Dorsey.

[jbcarol]

... Elliott Porter

John Clay @johnclayiv  ·  9 hours ago
Former LSU center and one-time Kentucky redshirt Elliott Porter arrested for simple assault http://theadvocate.com/sports/lsu/11392539-123/former-lsu-center-elliott-porter ...

New Orleans police were called to a home in the 5600 block of Music Street on Jan. 5, where a woman accused her boyfriend of three years, Porter, of threatening her, New Orleans TV station WDSU reported Tuesday.

Robert Jenkins, Porter's attorney, said Porter wasn't in town the day of the incident and that the he can prove his client's innocence.

"When you're an athlete on this level, it seems to be that the athletes don't get the benefit of the doubt," Jenkins said Wednesday morning. "We are 100 percent sure my client didn't commit any of these acts, and we can prove it."

Porter, a starter for LSU the last two seasons, is currently training for the NFL Combine, Jenkins said.

Porter suffered a season-ending leg injury in LSU's loss at Arkansas...

[jbcarol]

... Walter Iooss, Jr., et al.

Kate Hairopoulos @khairopoulos  ·  54 minutes ago

Growing up, I would grab my dad's Sports Illustrated and marvel at the photography. Sad to hear cutting last of staff photographers.


http://www.walteriooss.com/portfolios/5

[TrueBlue]

Cannon Whitby


Reinhart Foodservice - Corporate Regional Vice President of Sales and Business Development
Hinsdale, Illinois

Current   
Reinhart Foodservice

Previous   
Reinhart Foodservice, Sysco, Tyson Foods

Education   
University of Arkansas at Fayetteville

[jbcarol]

Cannon Whitby: the hottest shooter in Tennessee since Davy Crockett.

[jbcarol]

... Eddie Shannon

SEC Sports @SEC  ·  38 minutes ago

#SEC Men's Basketball Legends Spotlight: Florida's Eddie Shannon: http://www.secsports.com/article/12217114/sec-men-legends-spotlight-florida-eddie-shannon ...

FLORIDA - Eddie Shannon, Guard 1995-1999

Eddie Shannon was a four-year starter at UF and helped usher in the Donovan era, playing his three final seasons under head coach Billy Donovan. He culminated his career helping Florida to the Sweet 16 in the 1999 NCAA Tournament, finishing with 1,168 career points, a 10.1 scoring average and a career field goal percentage of .418. Shannon was named the 1999 Frontier Most Courageous Player for demonstrating extraordinary courage beyond the playing floor, playing his final season without the use of his right eye.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.- Sailfish men's basketball head coach Terry Primm announced on Wednesday the addition of Eddie Shannon as a new assistant coach on the PBA staff. A former standout at the University of Florida as well as a long professional career overseas, Shannon will bring his experience within the game to the Sailfish sidelines for the 2012-13 season.

Coach Shannon is expected to assist in recruiting, scouting, video tape exchange, game and practice sessions as well as player development and summer camps.

Playing mostly in the Euro League, Shannon played professionally in countries such as France, Italy, Latvia, Russia and Sweden.

He was named the 2002 Swedish League Guard of the Year and Finals MVP while tallying the league's scoring championship. His play in the Russian Superleague a year later produced another scoring title while being named to the All-Russia first-team.

Shannon has also been recognized for his work within the community including recognition from the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners for directing summer programs to help kids learn and improve their basketball skills.

Coach Shannon is married to wife, Lakwanza with the couple having two children, Jaden and Justin.

[jbcarol]

... Brad Smith

AL.com sports @aldotcomSports  ·  7 hours ago
Like Nick Marshall, here are 12 college quarterbacks who changed positions for the NFL | http://ow.ly/HS5hP

Smith was a four-year standout at quarterback for Missouri, starting every game of his career and becoming one of a handful of players to pass for 2,000 yards and rush for 1,000 in the same season in 2005. The New York Jets drafted him in the fourth round in 2006, and he's been a wide receiver and standout return specialist for three teams, most recently the Philadelphia Eagles.

[jbcarol]

... AJ McCarron

Former Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron spent most of his rookie NFL season working through a shoulder problem. But the runner-up for the 2013 Heisman Trophy earned a place on the Cincinnati Bengals' active roster in the final month of the season and appears healthy heading into 2015's offseason workouts.

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis told the Cincinnati Enquirer that quarterback controversy is not conducive to success.

"There's no time for that," Lewis said. "We have no problem with Andy Dalton as our quarterback. We don't have time to waste time with another quarterback. The quarterback competition: Where has it worked? It doesn't get you wins. ... Fortunately, somehow I've got the right little thing on my shoulder that says, 'Don't get into a quarterback controversy.'"

"You can see how quickly he processes the game, and that's encouraging," Cincinnati quarterback coach Ken Zampese said. "AJ has to work on technique, getting the ball out, talking and communicating fast in our offense. I'm looking forward to seeing him with our plays against our defense."

Has been the scout team QB

[jbcarol]

... Clowney

GoGamecocks.com @gogamecocks  ·  17 hours ago

Clowney rehab going at snail's pace http://scne.ws/8Fvqfr

Houston Texans outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney can't put weight on his surgically repaired right knee almost seven weeks after having microfracture surgery.

He is still in the early stages of rehab, Texans general manager Rick Smith said...

"He's been diligent in his rehab," Smith said of the former South Carolina star, who was the No. 1 pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.

"That surgery requires a pretty significant amount of time that you are not weight bearing, and then you kind of gotta work yourself back to it," Smith said...

[jbcarol]

... Kane Whitehurst

Junior wide receivers K.J. Brent and Kane Whitehurst each decided to leave the South Carolina team.

Whitehurst, the cousin of former Clemson quarterback Charlie Whitehurst, walked onto the South Carolina team in 2012 after transferring from Arkansas. He had four catches in 2013 but none in 2014. A source confirmed his decision to leave the football team Tuesday afternoon...

[jbcarol]

... Renardo Sidney

Renardo Sidney no longer wanted to be one of The Best That Never Was. We've heard that before, again and again, but this time it was different. This time he had a daughter on the way, due to be born in the summer of 2014. Sidney's paternal instinct kicked in. He wanted to support her, provide for her, take care of her. "She's the reason I got back out there to start working out," Sidney said. "Having a kid, I wanted her to have anything [she wanted]."

On June 28, 2014, Madison Olivia Sidney was stillborn...

"You never know how a player will eventually develop," said Mark Gottfried, "but it's hard to imagine there have ever been better, more skilled [prospects] at that age. He also had a high basketball IQ for his age. It was like, 'Man, this kid is really advanced.'"

Gottfried is now the head coach at N.C. State, but back then he was coaching Alabama. Prior to Sidney's arrival at ABCD, Gottfried had Sidney on campus for the Alabama team camp and actually landed a verbal commitment from the young star.

"At that point in time, it wasn't taken very seriously," he said. "You kind of knew that there was going to be a lot of twists and turns, and this thing is going to be all over the place."

And all over the place it was...


Sidney made his return to professional basketball this past fall. He had already dropped 35 pounds when he was signed by the Island Storm of Canada's NBL, the same team that had sparked former Arizona guard Josiah Turner's return from basketball exile. It was Sidney's chance to prove to everyone that this change in attitude that he's been promising was actually coming to fruition, that the life-altering moment of having a stillborn child had turned him into a different person.

Sidney lasted five games with the Storm before being released...

He's still living on Prince Edward Island in Canada, training with a former teammate as he prepares for workouts that he hopes will lead to a spot in an NBA Summer League which, in turn, will land him a contract with a team in the NBA D-League.

At least that's the plan.

Sidney says he is down to 290 pounds. His goal, according to his agent, Zachary Charles of 3pt Sports Management, is to get down to 275 pounds. Charles, who is at least the fourth agent that Sidney has had since leaving school, believes that this time it will be different. He believes that this is a new Renardo Sidney, that all he needs is an opportunity to prove it.

For the first time in his life, Charles says, there's a plan of action, there's a structure that Sidney is buying into...

[jbcarol]

...Odell Beckham, Jr.

AL.com sports @aldotcomSports  ·  18h 18 hours ago

Watch Odell Beckham set world record with 33 one-handed catches in 1 minute | http://ow.ly/IbsA3

[jbcarol]

... Lance Laury

The State Newspaper @thestate  ·  4 hours ago

Ex-USC linebacker arrested after authorities connect him to stolen vehicle http://scne.ws/8K0k8X  #thestate

RICHLAND COUNTY, SC — A former University of South Carolina linebacker turned himself in to authorities after investigators were able to connect him to a stolen vehicle.

Lance Laury, 33, has been charged with five counts associated with "chop shop" activity, possession of a stolen vehicle and two counts of receiving stolen goods, Sheriff Leon Lott said. He turned himself in Thursday morning.

Investigators received information from the Dorchester County Sheriff's Office in reference to a wrecker being used to steal vehicles, Lott said. A Ford F-350 was also identified as having been stolen from Sylvania, Georgia.

The wrecker was traced back to Richland County, Lott said...

Lott said the investigation continues, and additional charges and arrests could be forthcoming.

Laury was a football standout at Lower Richland High and a linebacker for the Gamecocks from 2001 through 2005.

He was third in tackles (90) at USC in 2002 and fourth (59) in 2003. After serving mostly as a backup in 2004, he bounced back to be second on the team in tackles (69) in 2005.

[jbcarol]

... Melvin Booker

A member of Missouri's All-Century Team, Melvin Booker led the Tigers to a 14-0 record in Big Eight Conference play in 1993-94.

Melvin Booker made a fashion statement at Thursday night's Kentucky-Missouri game that captures his dual roles as Mizzou icon and father of UK freshman Devin Booker.

The elder Booker wore a shirt that had the message "A House Divided" with UK and Mizzou logos on the chest.

The rationale for the shirt? "Keep everybody happy," he said with a smile.

[jbcarol]

... Chris Matthews

Chris Matthews was a four-star JUCO propect from Los Angeles Harbor College who had a dream of playing for Pete Carroll at USC. Matthews slid his highlights into Carroll's mail slot and never looked back.

Matthews ended up as a Kentucky Wildcat and now he is able to live his past dream of playing for Carroll, but with the Seahawks.

Although he had not made a single reception as an NFL player he picked a heck of a time to start. In one half alone, Matthews has made 3 receptions, including one for a touchdown. In the opening drive of the second half, Matthews made a 45-yard catch to set up a Seahawks field goal.

[jbcarol]

... Marcus Lattimore

South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier previously suggested former Gamecocks running back Marcus Lattimore would always be allowed to come back and be a part f the football program. Spurrier, who made that comment shortly after Lattimore retired from the NFL, has apparently made good on that promise.

According to Chris Clark of Gamecock Central, via Twitter, Lattimore has been hired and has started working for South Carolina in some unknown capacity.

[jbcarol]

... Chris Matthews

Chris Matthews was a four-star JUCO propect from Los Angeles Harbor College who had a dream of playing for Pete Carroll at USC. Matthews slid his highlights into Carroll's mail slot and never looked back.

Kyle Tucker @KyleTucker_CJ  ·  12 hours ago

Until last week, Chris Matthews was not even on UK's wall of NFL alumni at the practice facility.

[jbcarol]

... Brandon Bolden

Ben Garrett @SpiritBen  ·  18 hours ago

Former #OleMiss running back @BB_HulkSmash gets him a ring. Dude deserves it, especially after what he dealt with as a senior.

Brandon Bolden @BB_HulkSmash  ·  5 hours ago

World Champs the world Craig!!! But fareal my pops hasn't been to a game all year and the one he comes...

http://instagram.com/p/ymw0BVLWeE/

[jbcarol]

... Mt. Cody

Rick Ritter @RickRitterWJZ  ·  4 hours ago
BREAKNG (SIC): Per Baltimore County Public Safety - former Raven Terrance Cody has been indicted for animal cruelty.  #WJZ @cbsbaltimore

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — A Baltimore Ravens player has been released from the team and also indicted for animal cruelty.

A grand jury has indicted former Raven Terrence Cody on animal cruelty charges. Authorities were first alerted to the situation by a veterinarian, who treated Cody's dog—a bull mastiff—for severe injuries. The dog later died.

WJZ has learned Cody is now charged with 15 counts, including aggravated animal cruelty and animal abuse involving that dog.

Cody also faces charges of illegal possession of an alligator and abuse charges related to that alligator.

Authorities say a search of Cody's home also turned up marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

His agent tells the Baltimore Sun Cody denies the charges against him.

[jbcarol]

... Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

SI: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist's jump shot, voice remain a work in progress

On the bench, point guard Jannero Pargo raised his fist. On the court, center Al Jefferson nodded his head. And in the stands, Cindy Richardson hurried up the aisle to the restroom. After the game, Kidd-Gilchrist stood at his locker in a brown blazer over a white dress shirt, assessing his performance. "I was just being Mike," he calmly told a camera crew. "I didn't do anything special."

But if the events of opening night were so customary, why did his mother break down in that arena restroom? Why did one of the most accurate shooters in basketball history embrace her on the court following the game? And why did an acclaimed speech pathologist in Lexington, Ky., call up the Hornets' website and listen to the postgame sound bites?

"MKG is just about everything you'd want in a player," Jefferson says of the 6' 7" slasher who can cut and finish, run the floor and defend the perimeter, create shots and contest them. Kidd-Gilchrist remains the rare prodigy who scraps like a 12th man...

[jbcarol]

... Jarvis Varnado

The former Mississippi State shot blocker is playing for the Los Angeles D-Fenders, a minor league team affiliated with the Lakers.

[jbcarol]

Sporting News @sportingnews  ·  48 minutes ago

"He was more than a coach — he was my mentor, my teacher, my second father." - Michael Jordan. http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-basketball/story/2015-02-08/michael-jordan-statement-dean-smith-death-passing-unc-tar-heels-basketball-north-carolina ...

[jbcarol]

Accuser a no-show; abuse case against Greg Hardy falls apart

Greg Hardy's domestic-abuse case was abruptly dismissed Monday because his accuser – who is believed to have reached an undisclosed civil settlement with the Carolina Panthers' Pro-Bowl defensive end – could not be found to testify.

Nicole Holder, Hardy's ex-girlfriend, told prosecutors she did not want to go through another trial after Hardy's initial conviction last year, District Attorney Andrew Murray said in a statement Monday as jury selection was about to get underway at the Mecklenbury County Courthouse.

Since November, efforts to contact Holder and serve her with a subpoena have been fruitless, Murray said, despite "extraordinary measures" that included police staking out the addresses where she was believed to be living and appeals to relatives to have her come forward. Murray said that he understood Holder had reached an independent settlement with Hardy...

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2015/02/09/5502866/greg-hardy-trial-opens-with-jury.html

[jbcarol]

... Randolph Morris

Matt Jones @KySportsRadio  ·  14 hours ago

KSR's Where Are They Now: Randolph Morris http://bit.ly/1y1jEJo  #BBN

Morris arrived at Kentucky as one of the top recruits in the nation and as a McDonald's All-American. Morris played three seasons at Kentucky. After a successful freshman year, Morris decided to declare for the NBA Draft. However, Morris was not drafted and returned to Kentucky but sat out the first 14 games of his sophomore season. [Tubby found an old fax. Morris was literal free agent. If called up, he could leave UK at any time and get on with an NBA team thought that did not happen.]

Randolph Morris currently plays for the Shougang Beijing Ducks. Morris is the starting power forward where he averages 25.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per game.

[jbcarol]

... Tark the Shark

Former UNLV head basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian has died at the age of 84, his son tweeted on Wednesday.

Tarkanian was taken by ambulance on Monday to Valley Hospital Medical Center after being unresponsive when doctors attempted to get his blood pressure elevated. On Tuesday, it was reported that Tarkanian was in critical condition and had breathing trouble as well as an undisclosed type of infection.

Danny Tarkanian @DannyTarkanian
Coach Tark, my father, the greatest man I have ever known, passed today, to take his place in heaven. I will miss him every day of my life.
11:54 AM - 11 Feb 2015

Tarkanian coached 31 seasons with Long Beach State, UNLV and Fresno State before retiring in 2002. He coached his teams to 18 NCAA tournament appearances and four Final Fours. He also coached the San Antonio Spurs for 20 games in 1992.

With UNLV, he had a 509-105 record in 19 seasons and led the Rebels to the NCAA championship in 1990. His son, Danny, played three seasons under Tarkanian at UNLV, from 1981 to 1984...

[jbcarol]

Bruce Feldman @BruceFeldmanCFB  ·  52 minutes ago

Why @DanWetzel's the nation's best sportswriter, Exhibit 2006--this insightful piece on hoops legend Jerry Tarkanian: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/jerry-tarkanian--a-true-rebel-if-there-ever-was-one-172417307.html ...

[jbcarol]

Bart Pohlman @SportsTalkBart  ·  2 hours ago

Stumbled upon this: Jim Burr, who officiated the Ark/Auburn game last night, was also a ref for that great Ark/UNLV showdown in 1991.

[jbcarol]

... Dale Brown

Ron Higgins @RonHigg  ·  Feb 11
Former LSU coach Dale Brown sends complimentary E-mail to Johnny Jones @dandydonlsu  http://www.nola.com/lsu/index.ssf/2015/02/former_lsu_basketball_coach_da_1.html ...

"We were driving down Highland Road and I was telling Jim I've always dreamed about seeing students lined up waiting to get in the Assembly Center," said Brown, something that became a normal happening in his 25-year career with the Tigers. "We make a turn and we saw all these students lined up.

"For the first time in 18 years (since Brown's retirement after the 1996-97 season), the Deaf Dome felt like the Deaf Dome."

In an e-mail sent Wednesday morning, Brown reminded Jones that it took former UCLA coach John Wooden, who won 10 national championships and who's considered the greatest college coach of all-time, 14 years into his tenure to advance his team to the NCAA tournament.

[jbcarol]

... DeMarre Carroll

John Talty @JTalty  ·  19 hours ago

Great read from @birds_word on Birmingham product and Hawks star DeMarre Carroll: http://ow.ly/IXspH

With a game built on hustle and not highlight-reel worthy plays, he's enjoying his finest season ever. Through 54 games, he's averaging 12 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists and has become an integral part of the success of the team with the most wins in the NBA.

Second-year Atlanta coach Mike Budenholzer beamed when asked to answer questions about Carroll after shoot around at Philip's Arena the morning before the Hawks' defeat of the Western Conference-leading Golden State Warriors February 6.

"I love talking about DeMarre," said Budenholzer, who will coach the East All-Stars. "The first thing about DeMarre that we all see, before he was here and now that he's here, is just that he's a great competitor. He's one of the ultimate competitors in our league. He plays so hard on every possession. That's probably more important than anything as basic and fundamental as it may seem."

Budenholzer continued: "I think he's been growing as an offensive player. Everybody knows how good a defender he is and how he can impact the game defensively. I think his shooting was improving. His ball handling was improving. You could just see a player who was on the rise."

Carroll's older brother DeLonte, the one he credits with being his inspiration to play basketball, died of a brain tumor at the age of nine. His cousin T.J. Cleveland, now an assistant at Arkansas under his uncle former UAB coach Mike Anderson, took him under his wing after that. 

"I've been through a lot early in my life," DeMarre said. "So, it's helped me later in my life. I don't look for nobody to give me sympathy or help me out. Whenever, I have a tough times, 'I just look at it like somebody may have it worse than you. I never feel sorry for myself."

Coming out of high school, DeMarre signed with Vanderbilt but only played two seasons in the SEC before transferring to Missouri, then in the Big 12, to play under Anderson and Cleveland.

It's in Columbia, Mo. where he earned the nickname "Junkyard Dog".  It personifies his workmanlike approach to the game and epitomizes his value on an NBA roster.

"I think our SID (sports information director) may have come up with it and our announcer may have mentioned it," Cleveland said of the moniker. "That's how it came to fruition. He just kind of rolled with it. From then on, it kind of stuck. Coach Anderson told him to embrace that and he did."

He shined as a junior, earning the league's Newcomer of the Year award.  However, he returned for his senior season in part to allow his ankle to heal after being shot at a nightclub while trying to break up a fight. Missouri is also where DeMarre discovered he had a liver condition. It won't impact his career as a pro but could cause him to need a transplant in 20 years or so.

DeMarre averaged 16.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game in 2008-2009 to help the Tigers win the Big 12 title and advance all the way to the Elite 8 of the of the NCAA tournament.

[jbcarol]

... Russell Shepard

ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  8 minutes ago

SEC morning links http://es.pn/1KSiFnO

Showing off some versatility can only improve your chances of making an NFL roster -- especially if you're a borderline prospect. See the story of Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Russell Shepard. He never really lived up to sky-high billing in college at LSU, but said he "learned sometimes you have to be able to play special teams just to contribute to the team" despite how he hated being on the kicking teams. Being able to play on the coverage units might be what is keeping Shepard in the league today, however. He led the Bucs in special teams tackles last season.

http://www.buccaneers.com/news/article-1/Getting-to-Know-Russell-Shepard/9eb3085f-062f-4502-bd47-78e5f457cb6e

Fun Fact: The NFL's all-time leader in special teams tackles is Mark Pike. He is the father of recent Murray State transfer Zeke Pike.

[jbcarol]

... Connor Shaw

GoGamecocks.com @gogamecocks  ·  19 hours ago

Browns coach: Connor Shaw 'has a chance to be our starter' http://scne.ws/8cytvM 

INDIANAPOLIS — Cleveland Browns head coach Mike Pettine has a lot of questions about his quarterback situation headed into 2015, but none of them are about former South Carolina quarterback Connor Shaw.

"I thought Connor did a good job for us the last game of the year, handled himself well," Pettine said. "He's a guy we are looking forward to having back and coaching him up."

Shaw will enter the second year of a three-year contract with the Brown this season. He spent almost all of 2014 on the practice squad before being elevated to starter for the last game of the season after injuries suffered by Brian Hoyer and Johnny Manziel.

Hoyer, the Browns starter most of last season, is a free agent.

"We are open to him coming back," Pettine said.

Manziel had a disappointing rookie season and checked himself into a rehabilitation facility after the season.

"I don't have a firm idea of when he'll be back," said Pettine, who has visited Manziel at the treatment facility.

Shaw, though, definitely will return. He was a big hit with coaches and teammates in Cleveland in his first year and was so popular with teammates that several listed him when asked by Browns.com to name the teammate who most exemplified the team's "Be a Brown" mantra despite his limited playing time.

"You can tell he loves it," Pettine said. "He's ultra competitive and you respect his approach to it. When you look at him, he's not a guy that necessarily passes the eyeball test. He's not the tallest guy. He's not the fastest. He doesn't have the strongest arm, but some guys just have a knack for getting it done. That's the competitive part of him. He just loves to compete."

Pettine, like Shaw, was the son of a high school football coach. Pettine's father Mike Pettine Sr. coached for 33 years in Pennsylvania, compiling a 326-42-4 record. Shaw's father Lee is a longtime and successful high school coach in Georgia.

"I always have a soft spot for a coach's kid," Pettine said...

[jbcarol]

... Ryan Clark

Sonny Shipp @Sonny247  ·  19 hours ago
Ryan Clark retires after 13 years in the NFL. Great career for the former #LSU Tiger (FREE) http://ow.ly/JhPwI

After 13 years in the NFL, where he recorded 929 tackles over 13 seasons and picked off 16 passes, a former LSU great is hanging up his cleats and going into broadcasting.

Ryan Clark played for four teams over his 13-year career, but on Wednesday he retired from the league according to multiple reports.

Clark, who was undrafted when his playing days at LSU were over after the 2001 Sugar Bowl, won a Super Bowl ring and also made the Pro Bowl in 2011.

Sports Update @MySportsUpdate

Safety Ryan Clark has retired from the NFL. Will continue as an analyst for ESPN.
10:45 PM - 11 Feb 2015

[jbcarol]

... Kyle Wiltjer

Former Kentucky Wildcat sharpshooter Kyle Wiltjer exploded for 45 points on Thursday night as Gonzaga beat Pacific 86-74.

– The 45 points is the third-highest total in Gonzaga history, behind Frank Burgess' 52 in 1961 and Jean Clade Lefebrve in 1958. It was the highest-scoring game by a Zag in 54 years.

– Wiltjer is the first Zag to score 40-or-more points since Adam Morrison scored 44 points against Loyola Marymount on Feb. 16, 2008.

– It topped Wiltjer's previous career-high of 32 points against Georgia back in November.

– Gonzaga won its 20th straight game, tying a school record set in 2003-04 and equaled in 2005-06. Gonzaga is now 27-1 overall and 15-0 in the West Coast Conference.

– Wiltjer made 15 of 22 field goals, hit seven of his 10 three-point shots and was eight-of-nine at the free throw line in 38 minutes.

ESPN Stats & Info        ✔ @ESPNStatsInfo
Kyle Wiltjer (GONZ) scored a career-high 45 points against Pacific. It's the 3rd-most in a game in school history
1:17 AM - 20 Feb 2015