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(03/24/11 2:50am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>NFL owners and the NFL Players Association have time to get things sorted out, but for now, nothing has been done and the league is in lockout mode.Training camp doesn’t begin until the end of July, and the league and fans would like something to get done before then.This lockout seems to be about greed and selfishness on the owners’ side, as the Player’s Association is fine with the current Collective Bargaining Agreement.The fan base will hurt if nothing is accomplished in the next couple of months.I hope there will be a compromise between the two parties before the start of training camp or else there might not be an NFL season, similar to the 2004-05 NHL Lockout.Welcome to NFL Lockout 101. Here are the topics being debated:—The owners want a $1 billion reduction in the first year of the players’ portion of revenues. They want to receive $2.4 of the $9 billion in revenue instead of the normal $1 billion. The players would be losing a lot of money, which wouldn’t agree with them. This cuts the players’ share of the revenue by 18 percent.—The second topic of the debate is the players wanting a 50-50 split of the total revenue instead of the owners wanting a 51-49 split in their favor.—The owners also want two extra games, which will make more revenue for them. The owners would take out two of the four preseason games from each of their schedules. The players would face greater risk of injury with two additional games, especially since there have been medical problems with some retired players, as recently shown in Dave Duerson’s suicide.When looking at what these owners are looking for, most of it deals with money and how much profit they are making.A lot of the money will go to renovating their stadiums and other team expenses.But the owners are saying they need more money because of the current economic situation.The owners won’t be affected in the lockout as much as the players due to currently making money from their TV deals.Other leagues have had to go through similar situations.The 2004-05 NHL Lockout led to the termination of the entire season because no agreement was made.It’s tough to determine who has the advantage because the players and owners both need each other to make the league work.Debates will continue, but a compromise will most likely happen because in the long run, they don’t want to lose any of their fan base.The business side of football needs to be taken care of as soon as possible so the league can move away from this turbulence.— amsiegal@indiana.edu
(03/10/11 3:49am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Once March began, everybody knew it meant the start of the best month of college basketball.I know thousands of other sports enthusiasts (including myself) have been following Joe Lunardi’s Bracketology constantly these past two weeks.A lot of research goes into whether or not a team makes the NCAA tournament. Some of the factors include strength of schedule, key wins and losses, conference and overall record, and record versus RPI top-50 teams.Based on what I’ve gathered from this season, here’s some insight on who will dance and who will not.LAST FOUR TEAMS IN1. Washington State — The Cougars have one of the most underrated players in the country in Klay Thompson, who averages 21 PPG. I don’t see the Pac-10 having just three teams in the tourney. The fourth will most likely be WSU or USC. But I think the Cougars will have a better Pac-10 tourney run, which will solidify their chances.2. Virginia Tech — The Hokies got snubbed last year and should’ve been in the tourney, and I don’t think the selection committee will make that mistake two years in a row. A win against then-No. 1 Duke and a double-digit win against Florida State have helped their chances of making an appearance this year and will be difficult for the selection committee to overlook.3. Georgia — Trey Thompkins and the Dawgs will get the final bid due to their conference record of 9-7. They’ve held their own in the underrated SEC East this season, which should be enough. A win today against Auburn would certainly help their chances. LAST FOUR TEAMS OUT1. USC — The Trojans are more known for their football program, but this year they finished 18-13 and 10-8 in Pac-10 play. However, the Trojans have struggled on the road in conference play, which does not bode well for their tournament chances.2. Alabama — It has a great conference record (12-4), but faced only one top-25 opponent in non-conference play. Strength of schedule is very important to the committee, and it will ultimately cost the Crimson Tide a bid.3. Memphis — The Tigers usually dominate Conference USA, but they didn’t this year, finishing 10-6. Losing to teams like Rice, UTEP and SMU will come back to bite the Tigers.TEAMS TO WATCH OUT FOR1. St. John’s — Although their record doesn’t show it, they have some great wins in the nation’s best conference against teams like Pitt, Notre Dame and UConn. Steve Lavin’s tourney experience will help their chances against some of the best teams in the country.2. Arizona — The Wildcats have one of the most athletic players in the country in Derrick Williams. Only six losses (three of them from top-25 opponents) make the Wildcats a wildcard in the tourney.3. Purdue — The combined offensive attack of E’Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson could turn them into a Final Four contender. Plus, a supporting cast that doesn’t get much recognition will make the Boilermakers a tough out.E-mail: amsiegal@indiana.edu
(03/03/11 4:01am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>College football players probably thought they were done taking tests when they entered the NFL Draft.But at the NFL Draft Combine in Indianapolis last weekend, they did a whole lot of test-taking.The combine tests these athletes on their skills, speed and intelligence.Although the combine is one of the factors that will determine where a player will get picked, it isn’t the only thing.One player that shook up the draft by not going to the pros was Stanford’s Andrew Luck, who deferred the NFL Draft to play his final season and stay in college.It’s the season when ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay will work tirelessly to perfect their mock drafts.But a lot of things go into the prospect’s overall talents.Stats, game footage and Pro Day will also be important for NFL scouts analyzing these athletes’ eventual selections. An athlete’s draft stock can rise or fall based on the performance of each individual star.Alabama’s Julio Jones (4.39, 40-yard dash) has impressive hands, which certainly raised his potential pick.But Auburn’s Cam Newton might have lowered his draft stock because he missed his target on several throws.Indianapolis Star columnist Bob Kravitz said that scoring high at the combine doesn’t always matter.“Emmitt Smith didn’t have the best combine and people doubted him and now look where he is,” Kravitz said.Smith is a good example of a player who lost some draft stock because of the combine but was still drafted late in the first round.The Wonderlic Test is another factor that is important in where a player gets selected.It’s a 50-question timed test that analyzes intelligence and speed in given situations.Wonderlic scores don’t always hurt players’ chances of where they get drafted.Vince Young and Donovan McNabb scored a 15 and 14, respectively.Alabama’s Greg McElroy scored a 48, which is the highest score since Harvard graduate Ryan Fitzpatrick’s 48.McElroy was a Rhodes scholarship finalist last fall, which shows his intelligence.But could intelligence be a disadvantage?Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio said in a Yahoo story, “Scoring too high can be as much of a problem as scoring too low ... having a guy in the locker room who may be smarter than every member of the coaching staff can be viewed as a problem.”I think McElroy will be an asset because of his smarts. However, intelligence and athletic ability do not always coincide.Most teams in the draft target certain players in positions where they need help.For example, Kravitz said the Colts would most likely choose an offensive lineman that could make an immediate impact for a first-round selection.Don’t forget, there are still nine weeks to help or hurt a player’s draft stock.Who will be the next Aaron Rodgers (1st round) or Tom Brady (6th round)?It’s hard to tell, but as we have seen in previous years, draft order doesn’t always guarantee talent.Talent can show up in any round, and no analyst can predict that. -amsiegal@indiana.edu
(02/25/11 4:05am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>When star players don’t want to play for a team, they have the “control” in the decision of where they want to go.Carmelo Anthony was traded to the New York Knicks and Deron Williams to the New Jersey Nets.With two of the top-10 Western Conference players headed to the East, the question on everyone’s mind is: Will the league’s dynamic change with fewer stars in the West?The melodramatic deal is doneNow Carmelo’s talents are in New York, where he complements Amar’e Stoudemire, as they look to get a better seed in the playoffs.Carmelo signed a three-year, $65 million extension to lock down his play time at Madison Square Garden. “The Anthony deal doesn’t exactly change the NBA’s dynamic, but it does affect it to a certain extent,” Los Angeles Times columnist Mark Heisler said.New York got the better end of the “right now” deal, whereas the Denver Nuggets got the better end of the “future” deal.The Nuggets answered back to the best trade situation they could by getting four of the Knicks’ starters.The main chess piece that the Nuggets wanted in this deal was Timofey Mozgov.People might remember Mozgov from being posterized by Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin in November.But this 7-foot-1 rookie was traded because he will be a project in the Nuggets’ system and will continue to get better with more years in the league.Deron Williams Deal Williams is considered to be one of the top point guards in the league, but he moved to a team that’s in the process of rebuilding.In order to acquire Williams, the Nets forked over Devin Harris and injury-prone Derrick Favors.Did the Nets get ticked off when they got nothing out of the Anthony deal to trade for Williams?I think so, but Williams was a great deal for the Nets because now they have a great point guard to build around for years to come. Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov is moving the team to Brooklyn because it’s a better location and the team can increase its fan base there.Williams is a player on whom the Nets can build their foundation, but the team still needs players that he can pass the ball to.Future Layout of the LeagueI can see the Eastern Conference being more competitive for years to come with trades like these.Top to bottom, the Western Conference has been stacked these past 10 years, and it has shown in rings.Currently, the West has 10 teams at or above .500 compared to the East’s six.But the major problem this offseason won’t be with signing free agents; it will be with the current collective bargaining agreement.If the owners and players don’t get this issue figured out by the June 30 deadline, then the NBA could have issues even playing for the first few months of the next season.Major trades did occur this week, which raised the competitiveness in the East.But these deals will not have as big of an effect if the NBA cannot settle on a new collective bargaining agreement.E-mail: amsiegal@indiana.edu
(02/17/11 4:53am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The NBA Playoffs are just two months away, but the All-Star Game is set for this weekend in Los Angeles.At this point in the season, some key issues keep popping up in the national media.1. The Melo Negotiation (Part II to The Decision):This past July, fans had to deal with The Decision from LeBron James, who “took his talents” to a place with better players like Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh. This season, Carmelo Anthony is taking fans on a roller coaster. First, there was the incline of the two main contenders (New York Knicks and New Jersey Nets), followed by the drop when the Nets decided to get out of the running. Then there was the crazy loop with the Los Angeles Lakers rumor that turned out to be nothing. “Carmelo is in control of this deal, and he wants to go to the Knicks,” Dave Krieger of the Denver Post said. The main contenders are the New York Knicks, and they want to get a deal done before the trade deadline Feb. 24. But the Denver Nuggets want to try to keep Anthony even though he wants to go to New York.“The deal will get done before the deadline,” said Alan Hahn, the Knicks’ beat writer for Newsday. The star athletes always have it in their mind that they want to go to the cities with the major markets. That’s why I see Anthony going to the Knicks before the deadline and getting a three-year extension. But if he doesn’t, this could turn into “The Decision 2011.”2. Young rising talentA few young stars are starting to show their true colors. Blake Griffin, aka “The Poster Child” of the Los Angeles Clippers, combines size and quickness unlike anybody in the league. Griffin is turning out to be what the Clippers wanted in a No. 1 selection, averaging 22.7 PPG and 12.7 RPG. Another rising star showing his potential is Minnesota’s Kevin Love. With similar numbers to Griffin, he is averaging 21.1 PPG and 15.4 RPG.3. The best vs. the worstThe San Antonio Spurs are having a great year thanks to five players averaging double-digit points. The supporting cast of George Hill and Richard Jefferson is the main difference this year. The Spurs did a good job of picking up Hill from IU-Purdue University Indianapolis in the 2008 NBA Draft. In 2009, Jefferson was traded to the Spurs for his scoring ability and experience in the playoffs. Then there’s the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have the opposite record of the Spurs at 9-46 (the Spurs are 46-9). I don’t know what’s more of a joke: Dan Gilbert’s letter ripping James or the Cavs right now. Gilbert’s feeling the karma as he said the Cavs would win a championship before the Heat would. The odds are definitely against them, but injuries to Anderson Varejao and Daniel Gibson don’t help the cause either. The Cavs are looking like one of the worst sports teams ever, and it doesn’t seem like that’s changing any time soon. 4. The collective bargaining dis-agreementThe issue that might affect the Anthony deal and other trades will be the Collective Bargaining Agreement, which ends June 30. The NBA owners want a third ($750-$800 million) annual drop in player salary costs. Although the players’ union likes the agreement in place, the owners are making a major drop in salary costs, which won’t agree with the players. This is similar to the NHL’s lockout in 2004. The NHL had a full season lockout due to the issues between players and owners. “If they don’t reach an agreement, I don’t think it’s going to continue a full season like the NHL, but maybe until the winter,” Hahn said. The NBA is in a different situation than the NHL because of the drastic decrease in salary the owners want. I see this being a continuing problem through the off-season, but I think it will be fixed by November of this year.E-mail: amsiegal@indiana.edu
(02/10/11 4:19am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The NBA, MLB and NFL are all the top leagues in the world in their respective sports.However, Major League Soccer is still competing with leagues that are older and have more talented athletes like the English Premier League and Champions League.The MLS is in its infancy compared to those leagues and has added more expansion teams in order to compete.“We are doing really well, but we are young,” IU men’s soccer coach Todd Yeagley said. “This is like a toddler in comparison to what those leagues have done.”Yeagley played for the Columbus Crew for seven seasons. Others soccer leagues around the world don’t have to compete with major sports leagues like the NBA, MLB and NFL.“We are competing in a tough market, but I think there is an avid base of sports fans that are entertained and enjoy the experience,” Yeagley said.Currently in its 15th year, the MLS started out with 10 teams. This year, the MLS is adding the Vancouver Whitecaps and Portland Timbers to its league to bring the total number of teams to 18. The MLS will also add the Montreal Impact next season.“I think the league has done a wonderful job of growing and developing from where it was in 1996,” IU assistant coach Brian Maisonnueve said.Adding talent in recent years like David Beckham and Thierry Henry has helped bring more fans to American soccer.Los Angeles went through the Beckham craze, which gained notoriety because he played alongside American star Landon Donovan.But these international players are coming to America past their prime. Beckham can’t “Bend It” like he used to.With international players coming to the MLS, American players are also going overseas when the opportunity arises.“If you’re 19 years old and you’re getting double the money in another country, it’s hard to say you need to stay here,” Maisonnueve said.Jozy Altidore is playing for Bursaspor in Turkey, Tim Howard plays with Everton in England and Clint Dempsey plays with Fulham, also in England.These three logged a lot of minutes in South Africa as part of the U.S. National Team.Keeping the American-born players in the MLS will be a challenge for a while, but soccer-specific stadiums and more media coverage will make it more popular to play on the homeland.Soccer-only arenas are the future of every team in the league compared to playing in multi-purpose facilities like in the early years of the MLS.More than 10 teams either currently have a soccer-specific stadium or are in the process of building a stadium.Getting more television coverage is also helping the growth of the league. In the early years of the league there were TV blackouts due to not enough fans or popularity.“There were plenty of games that I played in that you couldn’t even watch,” Yeagley said.The MLS signed coverage deals with ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC.Because of the signing, teams are now being paid for being on TV instead of teams paying to be on TV, Maisonnueve said. But the ESPN family of networks also covers major EPL and Champions League games as well.“Now with the coverage we are getting nationally with the TV exposure, that is where the next level of interest is going to take,” Yeagley said.The league needs to find cities where it would be easy to grow a dedicated soccer fan base. Where the expansion will go is hard to tell, but the MLS will continue to grow and build its popularity. The growth of the MLS has developed because it has added more talented players, and media coverage is increasing its fan base in America.All the pieces are moving in the right direction — it is only a matter of time. E-mail: amsiegal@indiana.edu
(02/03/11 5:51am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Sunday’s showdown in Dallas between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers will be a test between two closely-matched teams.The Packers are the favorite by 2.5 points, mainly due to the recent playoff wins by Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and company.But don’t forget, this is the Steelers’ third Super Bowl appearance in five years. They won the first two and will try to make it three for three Sunday.Both teams have solidified their place in football lore, winning a combined 17 NFL championships.Some may say it’s the Hair Bowl (Troy Polamalu vs. Clay Matthews) or the Recession Bowl, but I think it’s going to be a defensive battle as the last three Defensive Players of the Year will be pitted against each other.Here are my matchups by position and prediction for the game.QuarterbacksBoth quarterbacks are very disciplined and accurate. Ben Roethlisberger is the proven winner versus Aaron Rodgers — the efficient quarterback. Both quarterbacks are regarded in the Top Five at their position in the NFL. Advantage — PushRunning Backs This might be a better matchup if Packers running back Ryan Grant was in the game, so his injury will hurt the Packers’ run game. Pittsburgh halfback Rashard Mendenhall is turning out to be the go-to guy for the Steelers and Mewelde Moore is a good complimentary running back to him. Green Bay running back James Starks is going to need the offensive line to create big holes so that he can create some sparks on the offensive front. Advantage — SteelersReceivers If you go down the list and compare the receivers, the Packers would have the advantage. At the tight end spot, the Steelers easily have the lead with Heath Miller as one of Roethlisberger’s safe choices. But it will come down to the star players (Greg Jennings vs. Mike Wallace), the supporting casts. Jennings has the advantage because Rodgers will throw it his way a lot Sunday. Advantage — PackersOffensive Line Injuries will hurt any team, even on the offensive line. The big fellas up front need to hold pressure off the quarterback and give him time to see holes in the defense. Steelers’ Maurkice Pouncey is injured and most likely won’t be playing. Chad Clifton is the anchor at the line for Green Bay and will use his 6-foot-5-inch, 320-pound size to block defenders and Rodgers from the blitz. Advantage — PackersDefensive Line BJ Raji will bring the pressure to Roethlisberger, but the Steelers will have as tough a time keeping him back as the Bears did last week. Both run the 3-4 defense, but Raji and Ryan Pickett will do a good job of holding Mendenhall to long runs. Advantage — PackersLinebackersThe Packers have one of the best linebackers in the league with Clay Matthews and a good sidekick in A.J. Hawk. But no one can deny the depth and experience in this Steelers core. James Harrison had a major play in the Steelers’ last Super Bowl, so don’t be surprised if we see another big play by one of the Big Four (Woodley, Farrior, Timmons and Harrison). Advantage — SteelersSecondary Charles Woodson brings experience to the Packers’ secondary and has really helped the young Tramon Williams develop. Troy Polamalu is the key to the Steelers’ secondary and although he is not 100 percent, his being on the field helps that Iron Curtain. Advantage — SteelersSpecial Teams The squads are evenly matched on special teams. But if the game came down to a field goal, you would probably rather have Green Bay kicker Mason Crosby on your team. Neither team has a game-changing returner like a Devin Hester or DeSean Jackson. Advantage — Push PredictionYou look over who has the advantage and it is pretty much equal. But I see Roethlisberger as the quarterback who is reliable and will get it done. The Steelers’ defense will make major stops in the fourth quarter. A Shaun Suisham field goal will put it out of reach. The Steelers will earn their seventh Lombardi Trophy. Score: Steelers 31- Packers 21E-mail: amsiegal@indiana.edu
(01/27/11 3:51am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Most professional athletes can attest to age affecting their ability to perform well.With the increase in age comes younger talent that wants to break into the spotlight.This season, like last season, you will see that change in the Professional Golf Association.Tiger Woods earned more than $94 million during the last 14 seasons.This weekend, Woods will play in his first tournament of the year at the Farmers Insurance Open on the Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego.Last season wasn’t a very good year for Woods, as he didn’t even place in the top three at the 12 PGA events he played in. He also earned only $1.29 million, which put him 72nd on the PGA Money List for 2010. Last October, Woods lost his No. 1 overall ranking for the first time in 281 weeks to Englishman Lee Westwood.“It’s going to be interesting to see if he can return to his status,” IU men’s golf coach Mike Mayer said. “I’m not talking about his status as the number-one player in the world, but I’m talking about status among his peers.”The fear of being in the same tournament as Woods has changed because he isn’t as dominating in tournament play like in previous years.Most people wonder if the sex scandal affected him last season — and it did.I attended the 2008 and 2010 U.S. Opens and saw that the Tiger fanbase had decreased because of how poorly he played.No one can say that athletes are perfect since they are human beings, but in the spotlight before the scandal, the most recognized athlete in world was seen as “Mr. Perfect.”Now, many have lost a role model and younger kids have lost that “someone I’d like to be when I grow up” image of Tiger.However, age could also start affecting Woods on the course. His age will increase and the young talent will increase in years to come.Of course, the PGA Tour’s “Top 100 players to watch in 2011” has Woods and Westwood first and second, respectively, but who else is in the Top 10 and younger than 30?That’s right: four players (Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler and Martin Kaymer) who performed well enough last year to reach the top-10 list.“What you see is that increase in the volume of talented players,” Mayer said. “You are seeing it in the junior level, collegiate level and the professional level.”Other young golfers on the list include No. 15 IU alumnus Jeff Overton, No. 17 Anthony Kim and No. 18 Hunter Mahan.“I don’t think there is any question that the PGA is the number-one tour from a talent standpoint and a financial standpoint,” Mayer said.The top international players will come to America to play collegiate golf to increase their chances of making the top tour in the world.“All of the Europeans are coming here to play college golf,” Mayer said. “The opportunities here to develop their game are here in the States.” This weekend will be the first test of Tiger’s long road ahead to compete at the highest level to win.There will be sparks of the Old Tiger this year, but a field of young talent, international players and other well-rounded golfers will make it much tougher on Tiger to reclaim the No. 1 spot.
(01/20/11 4:59am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Top Conference1. Big East— With 16 teams and a lot of talent in the top half of the conference, the Big East is the best conference in America. It’s no surprise that they are the conference to beat with four top-10 teams. In addition to boasting some of the nation’s best teams, 10 of those 16 teams have a good chance of making the NCAA tournament.2. Big Ten— Top to bottom the Big Ten has strong teams, which has always meant a race for the top spot. Last year, three teams (Ohio State, Purdue and Michigan State) shared that No. 1 spot (classic Ludacris) atop the Big Ten at season’s end. The biggest surprise so far was Penn State defeating two ranked opponents in No. 16 Illinois and No. 19 Michigan State and then losing to No. 1 Ohio State by just three points on the road.3. Big 12 — This conference is among the best because of the increased success of Big 12 coaches to land top recruits. Coaches like Kansas’ Bill Self and Texas’ Rick Barnes raised the bar for the lower half of the conference to keep up. Ten of their 12 teams have at least a dozen wins, which show the conference’s depth this year.Top Freshman1. Jared Sullinger, Ohio State — Standing tall at 6 feet 9 inches and 280 pounds, he would make a perfect defensive end in the NFL, or just a dominating threat in the paint for any of OSU’s opponents. Nearly averaging a double-double, this beast is the main reason for the Buckeyes No. 1 ranking and is more dominant than Greg Oden was at OSU.2. Terrence Jones, Kentucky — Jones took his talents to Lexington at the last minute to play under Coach Calipari. Jones is a player that has the athleticism of Blake Griffin and the defensive presence of Dwight “Superman” Howard. Player of the Year1. Kemba Walker, UConn — UConn started unranked, but with the leadership of the junior guard, the Huskies are now in the top 10 mainly because of him.2. JaJuan Johnson, Purdue — This versatile big man has an inside-out game and has been key during crucial moments. The Purdue senior’s 20 ppg and eight rpg could make him one of the top picks of the NBA Draft if his numbers remain consistent. 3. Jimmer Fredette, BYU — His 26 ppg leads the nation, but he plays in a weaker conference (Mountain West), which inflates his numbers. His shot-making ability and efforts to land BYU on the map is seen through their No. 9 ranking. Final Four Predictions1. Ohio State — This team is stacked and won’t lose to many before making it to March.2. Duke — Seniority and tourney experience does help. Although losing highly touted freshman guard Kyrie Irving to an injury, this team will still be a threat in the deeper rounds.3. Kansas — The Jayhawks won’t get beat again by a team like Northern Iowa and might be cutting down the nets after the championship game.4. Pittsburgh — Ashton Gibbs and the Panthers could be clawing down opponents in the tourney with the help of their outstanding coach, Jamie Dixon.
(01/13/11 3:42am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>This NFL weekend will feature competitive games across the country. Division rivals face off in the AFC, while the NFC could see an upset from the lone West Coast team. The playoffs will ignite with the first matchup on Saturday, as the Pittsburgh Steelers play host to the AFC North runner-up, the Baltimore Ravens.4:30 p.m. Saturday, CBSWith Ben Roethlisberger and the Terrible Towels in the stands, the Steelers look to capitalize in their first playoff game this season. Baltimore and Pittsburgh split their two meetings in the regular season, with each team winning their away games. But the reason the Steelers lost in the Steel City was because they were without Big Ben.The Steelers will win this game because of Roethlisberger’s ability to find his favorite wide receivers: Hines Ward and Mike Wallace. Ravens’ safety Ed Reed will play and provide tight coverage in the secondary. This game will become a defensive battle with the two of the NFL’s best facing off.Steelers 21 — Ravens 17 8 p.m. Saturday, FOXIn game two Saturday, the Atlanta Falcons will play host to the Green Bay Packers in the clash of youthful quarterbacks. The Falcons are led by quarterback Matt Ryan, who has successfully distributed the football all year — four different Falcons have had more than 300 yards receiving in the season. His accuracy and unselfish play will give the Falcons the win. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and his crew will put up good numbers on offense to keep this game close until the fourth quarter. Don’t forget, the Falcons are 7-1 at home, with their only loss coming to division rival New Orleans by three points. This shootout proves to be the more entertaining of the two NFC playoff games.Falcons 34 — Packers 241 p.m. Sunday, FOXIn what seems to be the weakest game of the four playoff matchups, the Seattle Seahawks will try to upset another top NFC team, the Chicago Bears. The Bears not only have home field advantage at Soldier Field, but they will be more used to the weather than Seattle. However, Pete Carroll will get his team ready to win this game and advance to the NFC Championship. Chicago quarterback Jay Cutler will crack under pressure and have two or three picks, including a crucial interception in the fourth quarter. Although the Seahawks were 7-9 entering the playoffs, you shouldn’t think less of them as they defeated the defending Super Bowl Champions. Seattle running back Marshawn Lynch will be the key factor in this game. He will find holes in the Bears’ defense and capitalize on their mistakes.Seahawks 27 — Bears 244:30 p.m. Sunday, CBSIn the last game, you have the battle of the AFC East rivals as the New York Jets travel to Foxborough, Mass., to take on the New England Patriots. The Pats were my pre-season pick to win the Super Bowl and I’m going to stick to that. Tom Brady is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL because of his touchdown to interception ratio (9:1). It will be tough to favor whoever is thrown against the Pats because of Bill Bellichek’s experience in the postseason. New England also has turned former Hoosier BenJarvus “The Law Firm” Green-Ellis into a star. (He played his freshman and sophomore seasons as a Hoosier.) Finally, Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez is bound to make mistakes, as you saw against the Colts last week. The Patriots will move on convincingly and put on a similar show to the Monday Night Football game Dec. 6 (Pats 45, Jets 3). Rex Ryan will look at that game footage and make some changes to give them a slightly better shot in this game.Patriots 35 — Jets 17E-mail: amsiegal@indiana.edu
(12/13/10 3:23am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The 2010 season marked IU volleyball’s first time returning an All-American, its first time defeating Penn State and its first time advancing to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament.On Friday, however, the season of firsts came to an end. No. 6 seed USC ended the Hoosiers’ tournament run in the third round in Dayton, Ohio, winning in straight sets by scores of 25-18, 25-21 and 25-20.The Hoosiers finished 23-12, recording the most single-season wins since 1979.Although the first set was not close — IU never led — the next two frames were.IU coach Sherry Dunbar said the team became better after the first set. “Deer in the headlights in that first set, but I think we got more aggressive,” Dunbar said.The second game had three lead changes, but the Hoosiers fell behind in the last change at the 17-17 mark. The Trojans captured eight of the next 12 points to go up two sets to none. In the final set, the two teams were tied at 15-15, but USC went on a 5-0 run, and IU wasn’t able to catch up afterward. Dunbar said blocking would be vital on the Wednesday before the match, and it was. USC recorded eight total team blocks to the Hoosiers’ six. “They are big, they are strong, they play in a conference that they could set high to hit over us,” IU senior middle blocker Ashley Benson said. Benson recorded 13 kills, which tied for the match high with USC junior outside hitter Alex Jupiter. The 2009 All-American also had three blocks and three assists in the match.“You look at her, and she’s one of the best players in the country,” Dunbar said of Benson. “She just loves this school so much, and to have our young players see that and be that unselfish ... you can’t buy that.”The Hoosiers’ season kills leader, sophomore outside hitter Jordan Haverly, put up nine kills of her own. Junior setter Mary Chaudoin dished out 18 assists, and Cox led digs with 14. The Trojans led in every major category except digs. IU dug 46 hits to USC’s 44. “It just came down to scrappiness and grittiness out on the court,” junior libero Caitlin Cox said.Dunbar agreed.“I think when we don’t have horses like USC ... you have to have that fight,” Dunbar said. “I never felt like we lost that fight.”Dunbar said although the Hoosiers lost in the third round, this season set the standard of where they would like to be in the future.“To get to the Sweet 16 is something we want to continue as a tradition every year,” Dunbar said.
(12/10/10 5:32am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU volleyball team must defeat another highly ranked opponent in the NCAA Tournament, but this time it will have to do so on the road. After beating No. 11 seed Tennessee at University Gym, the Hoosiers (23-11) will go on the road to play No. 6 seed USC at 4 p.m. today.The IU volleyball team has already made program history by advancing to the Sweet 16 and can further solidify its run with a trip to the Elite Eight. Head coach Sherry Dunbar’s squad must first beat the Trojans to advance and face either Ohio State or Stanford on Saturday in Ohio UD Arena at the University of Dayton.The Hoosiers and OSU have the most losses of any team in the Sweet 16 with 11 apiece.Playing in Dayton, though, could be beneficial to the Hoosiers. “I think that’s definitely in our favor to not be that far away,” sophomore outside hitter Jordan Haverly said.Haverly leads the Hoosiers with 454 kills and 37 serving aces.Last weekend, she recorded 51 kills in the Hoosiers’ two NCAA tournament matches.Not far behind is senior middle blocker Ashley Benson, who has 424 kills and is second in the Big Ten with a 0.413 hitting efficiency. Sophomore outside hitters Kelci Marschall and Ivie Obeime are third and fourth on the team with 284 and 154 kills, respectively.“Ivie and Marsch both had good practices, and I hope they can both step up and help us out offensively,” Dunbar said.USC has several tall players, but IU has prepared for the height difference. “I think we have seen players of their size before. We just haven’t seen all of them that size,” Haverly said. “We have worked in practice to try to use their height to our advantage.” Dunbar explained that getting blocks on USC’s outside hitters will be important.“I think they have some weaknesses. They are going to try and exploit those weaknesses,” Dunbar said. One of the main strategies Dunbar wants to see is an attacking serve that doesn’t allow the Trojans to set up their offense. With this point of emphasis, the Hoosiers will try to give USC its fifth loss of the season while continuing their own playoff run.“We want to keep extending this journey as long as it goes,” Dunbar said.
(12/04/10 6:33pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU volleyball coaches and players rushed the court in celebration after a dramatic serve by a Tennessee freshman hit out of bounds.The IU volleyball team closed it out again in the NCAA tournament, advancing IU to the Sweet 16 for the first time in school history.The Hoosiers (23-11) won two matches this weekend against Miami (Fla.) and No. 11 seed Tennessee, both in five sets.“I love this team and how they refuse to quit,” IU coach Sherry Dunbar said.The Hoosiers were the third team in the tournament to advance after Saturday’s win against the Lady Volunteers gave them their fifth victory against a top-25 team this season.“I think it’s just that mentality that the game is on the line and we are playing to make the Sweet 16,” junior libero Caitlin Cox said.IU rallied back from a 10-8 deficit in the fifth set to claim match point and won when Tennessee setter Kylann Scheidt erred on serve.The Hoosiers’ two kills leaders powered their offensive attack during the weekend.Sophomore outside hitter Jordan Haverly and senior middle blocker Ashley Benson totaled 51 and 39 kills, respectively.IU’s wins at home this weekend capped off a 13-2 record at University Gym.“When we are at home, we have this confidence that no one can beat us,” senior middle blocker Taylor Wittmer said.The Hoosiers defeated the Lady Volunteers after battling for five sets, winning by scores of 18-25, 25-21, 20-25, 27-25 and 15-13.Haverly led both teams with a career-high 30 kills, and she also dug 14 balls.“The whole weekend she played a very complete game,” Dunbar said. “She just refuses to lose, and that’s why I’m thrilled that she’s at Indiana.”Benson added 14 kills and six block assists in her last game at University Gym.Junior setter Mary Chaudoin dished out the volleyball and finished with match-high 41 assists.Although the Lady Volunteers claimed a 61-53 edge in digs, Cox stepped up in the fourth and fifth set, finishing the match with 16 digs and two aces.“Caitlin made some unbelievable digs today,” Dunbar said.Dunbar talked about the experience that the freshmen are receiving from tournament play.Freshman defensive specialists Caitlin Hansen and Melanie Hicks dug 18 and 12 balls, respectively, on the weekend.Wittmer explained how consistently making the NCAA tournament is what they are looking for.“I think we wanted to set that standard that Indiana is going to do this every single year from now on,” Wittmer said.On Friday, IU will face No. 6 seed USC (27-4) in Dayton, Ohio, for a shot to advance to the Elite Eight.Dunbar stressed that the Hoosiers are going to leave it all out on the floor in UD Arena.“We are going to go out and give it our all next weekend,” Dunbar said.
(12/03/10 5:33am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In the NCAA tournament, if you lose, you’re done. The good news for the IU volleyball team, however, is that IU will play host to the tournament’s first and second rounds Friday and Saturday. The Hoosiers have an 11-2 home record and four victories against top-25 Big Ten opponents in University Gym this season. Players discussed the importance of playing at home and the IU fans, even though the NCAA determines to make it a neutral site. “We really need a huge home crowd,” sophomore outside hitter Lindsay Enterline said. “They can change the seating, and they can change the gym, but what they can’t change is the heart of the Indiana fans.”The last time IU was in the tournament was in 2002.When asked about the program’s recognition for making the tournament, senior middle blocker Ashley Benson said it would be substantial.“It’s going to be affected a lot to see how far we have come since I got here,” Benson said. IU players said they want to make an impact in the tournament, and they hope to capitalize on playing the first two rounds in Bloomington and advance.“We want to take it as far as we can,” Enterline said. “This is really a good marker by saying this is the expectation every year.”IU will first have to get through Miami (Fla.) at 7 p.m. Friday. The Hurricanes are led by junior outside hitter Lane Carico, who has posted 455 kills and has attempted more attacks than anyone in Big Ten. “Lane Carico has over a thousand attempts this season, which is huge,” Dunbar said.Should they win, the Hoosiers will face the winner of the 5 p.m. match between No. 11 seed Tennessee and Alabama A&M at 3 p.m. Saturday in the second round.Saturday’s winner will advance to the Dayton regional the following weekend. If the Hoosiers get past the first round, they could possibly face Tennessee in the upcoming match.The Hoosiers and the Volunteers have connections in the coaching staff from previous volleyball experience. IU coach Sherry Dunbar was an assistant for six seasons with current Tennessee coach Rob Patrick.“He taught me a lot, and some things I still use to this day,” Dunbar said. IU assistant coach Nancy Mueller graduated from Tennessee and played defensive specialist and setter for the volleyball team.Making an NCAA tournament run is what Dunbar and the players are looking for. “Now that we are in, we are not satisfied,” Enterline said. “We just want to keep winning and winning to show what Indiana volleyball is all about.”
(12/01/10 5:20am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>More than 600 student-athletes participate in IU’s 24 varsity sports. A student-athlete might need good time management to balance a weekly schedule filled with classes, practices, workouts, games or matches, and other team-bonding activities. As the IU volleyball team looks to face Miami (Fla.) on Friday in the first round of the NCAA tournament, student-athletes on the team also know that final exams are less than two weeks away as well. IU coach Sherry Dunbar said the time spent between being a student and an athlete is about equal. And the athletics department has seen academic success during the past year. Kelly Noonan, assistant athletic Director for academic and student engagement and volleyball academic advisor, said 57 percent of student-athletes earned an academic year GPA of 3.0 or higher last year.The volleyball team practices three hours a day from Mondays to Wednesdays and then travels, usually on Thursday, for weekend matches. In the four months of this season, the team played more than 30 matches in 10 different states. In addition to matches and practices, team activities such as film study and weight training also occupy space in the players’ schedules.Noonan said the volleyball and academic staff works with freshmen to acclimate them with the hours of work for school and volleyball. Also, freshmen meet weekly with Noonan for academic advice and help with their transition from high school to college. “We meet with Kelly every week to look over our grades, and she gets on you,” freshman outside hitter Jade Henderson said. “She has made me a more organized person.”Players agreed time management between the sport and the classroom is important for a student-athlete. “You have so many opportunities to go do other things and have a regular student life, but you just have to prioritize,” senior middle blocker Taylor Wittmer said. “You should know that if you have a test, you have to be there studying.”Academics can play a role in recruiting players to the school.“When recruiting players, we say to them that their two priorities as a student-athlete are academics and volleyball,” Dunbar said.Both factors have become important in a student-athlete’s life. Recent IU basketball commit Cody Zeller said one of the reasons why IU interested him was because of the Kelly School of Business.Another point of interest to prospective IU student-athletes is the new academic center in the North End Zone of Memorial Stadium.Some of the key features to the new facility include the 79 computers, seven individual tutoring rooms, three classrooms, two group study/seminar rooms, a collaborative study area with café, a 55-seat auditorium and a quiet study/reading room.Dunbar talked about the importance of the academic center being a key part to the student’s academic growth. “I think the academic center is a difference-maker if they use it wisely,” Dunbar said. Noonan said all the advisors meet with recruiting prospects for their sport to see how they are doing in high school with academics.IU Athletics’ 2010-11 motto, “24 sports, one team,” means a lot of things, among them the importance of academics in student-athletes’ lives. Dunbar explained that athletes help each other by discussing school-related business if they are in classes together or see each other at the new academic facility for help.“'Twenty-four sports, one team’ is a broad spectrum of not just supporting us playing but also in academics as well,” Dunbar said. Wittmer said all athletes go through similar schedules having to deal with their sports and academics as well.“No on else really knows what you’re going through except for them,” Wittmer said.Henderson explained that she looks for athletes in her classes because of the common bond of being a student-athlete. Teammates can build relationships with each other on and off the court to look for guidance with academic-related questions. “Even with making our schedules for next semester, that’s when I talked to the upperclassmen,” freshman defensive specialist Melanie Hicks said. Dunbar coaches the team not just in volleyball, but also in life. “We tell the players that your education is important because it’s something you can rely on after college,” Dunbar said.
(11/28/10 8:56pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Two wins this weekend not only boosted the home record for IU but also helped it make the NCAA Tournament.The Hoosiers finished the regular season 21-11, good for their best winning percentage since 1999 and placed them in a tie for seventh in the Big Ten at 9-11.It’s been eight years since the Hoosiers last made the tournament, and it’s mainly because of the accolades accomplished in the regular season.Senior middle blocker Taylor Wittmer explained that the Hoosiers have improved in the Big Ten since the year before her freshman season at IU in 2007.“The year before I got here, they got one win in the Big Ten, and now we have done so well and beaten some great teams,” Wittmer said.IU defeated four top-25 conference opponents this year, including then-No. 4 Penn State, whom the Hoosiers had never beaten before in program history.The Hoosiers went 11-2 at University Gym this year compared to last season’s 6-10 home record. “It definitely shows that the program has grown a lot,” senior middle blocker Ashley Benson said.The main positive is that the Hoosiers will play host to the first and second rounds of the tournament.“I think they are equally as important because we know how well we play at home,” IU coach Sherry Dunbar said.IU’s first round game will be against Miami (Fla.) (23-8) on Friday at University Gym. Time is yet to be determined because the host team gets to choose what time it wants to play.The Big Ten was awarded more spots in the tournament than any other conference with eight teams getting the nod.“It’s arguably the best conference in the country,” Dunbar said. “The most after us is five from the Pac-10.”The Hoosiers defeated No. 10 Illinois on Friday in four sets by scores of 25-20, 22-25, 25-20 and 25-22.Benson led IU with 18 kills and tallied five block assists.On senior night Saturday, the Hoosiers blocked their way to a three-set sweep against Wisconsin.IU outblocked the Badgers 15-4 in the match.Benson led the blocks charge by recording nine assisted in addition to her nine kills on the offensive end.The senior said the final two matches of the regular season would be nice for the team to look back on as it prepares to open the tournament at home.The other two teams that will come to Bloomington to play this weekend are No. 11-seeded Tennessee (24-6) and Alabama A&M (16-10).Dunbar stressed winning games and making it further in the tournament.“We really want to make a run this year. It’s not just that initial step,” Dunbar said.
(11/22/10 5:24am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU volleyball team (19-11, 7-11) was outshined on the road this weekend in Michigan. This was the last weekend on the road for the Hoosiers. They finished their Big Ten road schedule with a 1-9 record, their only win coming Oct. 15 against Wisconsin. IU lost Friday to Michigan State in four sets. The Spartans won by scores of 28-26, 25-21, 22-25 and 25-11. Sophomore outside hitter Jordan Haverly led all players with 21 kills, but it wasn’t enough, as the Spartans had three players with double-digit kills. Senior middle blocker Ashley Benson recorded 16 kills of her own.“We could get a few points here and there but never really string together a long run,” Benson said.Michigan State outblocked IU 12-6 in the match. After Friday’s loss, the Hoosiers traveled south to Ann Arbor, Mich. to endure a three-set sweep Saturday at the hands of No. 20 Michigan. The Wolverines won by scores of 25-22, 25-17 and 25-21. IU led 19-18 in the first set, but the Wolverines came back to claim seven of the last 10 points. Michigan finished with a hitting percentage of .276 compared to a .121 clip for the Hoosiers.IU coach Sherry Dunbar said she was pleased with the team’s effort despite losing in straight sets.“The intensity and fight we need to win matches in this conference simply wasn’t there Friday night in East Lansing, but it came back at Michigan,” Dunbar said. “They are just a really, really good team that was playing for their seniors on senior night.”Twenty of the 51 Wolverine kills came from junior outside hitter Alex Hunt.IU’s last weekend of matches — and its last chances to improve its NCAA Tournament résumé — comes next weekend against No. 9 Illinois on Friday and Wisconsin on Saturday at University Gym.“We’ve still got a lot of work to do this week in practice to prepare for Illinois and Wisconsin,” Dunbar said. “Both those teams are playing really good volleyball right now.”
(11/19/10 3:57am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU volleyball is in the final stretch of its season with just four games left.The two games this weekend are the final road games of the season, as IU faces Michigan State (12-15, 4-12) and No. 20 Michigan (21-7, 10-6) on Friday and Saturday, respectively.“I think we just need to go in with the same mentality,” sophomore outside hitter Lindsay Enterline said. “When we come out and stun them right away, that takes their home court advantage away.”IU defeated both opponents at University Gym less than a month ago, beating the Wolverines in three sets and the Spartans in five sets.IU coach Sherry Dunbar talked about the positives from the October matches.“I thought our block defense was really good,” Dunbar said. “We really formed good blocks and set the tone for those matches.”While the Hoosiers are 9-2 at home, they have lost their last four road games.Dunbar said the game plan for the October match against Michigan was to stop Lexi Zimmerman, who is third in the Big Ten with 1,093 assists on the year.Indiana-native Alex Hunt leads the Wolverines and the Big Ten with 441 kills.In practice this week, Dunbar has gotten the team ready for the road by wearing their red away jerseys each practice.“I think just wearing jerseys, it feels more like a game and wearing red makes them feel like a road match,” Dunbar said.Dunbar also said consistency would be important for the Hoosiers on the road, and sophomore defensive specialist Laura Matula agreed.“Keeping it point by point will have players think in the moment,” Matula said.Currently, the Hoosiers stand at eighth in the Big Ten with a 7-9 record.IU can make up some ground with wins in Michigan.“We have become comfortable at being that away team and we just have to be better than the other team,” Dunbar said.
(11/15/10 7:27pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU volleyball team lost at home for just the second time this season.No. 24 Northwestern swept the Hoosiers in three sets, 25-23, 25-16 and 25-23.The win gave Northwestern two wins against IU after defeating the Hoosiers in four sets on Sept. 24 in Evanston, Ill.The Wildcats had three different players earn double-digit kills.Graduate student middle blocker Sabel Moffett, senior middle blocker Naomi Johnson and graduate student outside hitter Christina Kaelin recorded 13, 11 and 10 kills, respectively.Senior middle blocker Ashley Benson was the lone Hoosier to register double- digit kills, leading all players with 15.“Benson did a good job of putting balls away,” IU coach Sherry Dunbar said.The game was tied at 22-22 in the first set, but the Wildcats took the next three of four to win the set.The Hoosiers got off to an early 8-3 lead in the second frame, but the Wildcats rallied back and took control midway through the set.After Northwestern took the lead at 13-12, they won the next 12 of 16 points to win the set.“There were key errors in the game, especially down the stretch in the later part of the sets,” Dunbar said.Then, in the final frame, the two teams were tied at 22, but just as the Wildcats did at the same point in the first set, they stole the last three of four points to win the match.This upcoming weekend, the Hoosiers travel for matches at Michigan State and No. 16 Michigan.IU defeated both teams at University Gym earlier this season.Dunbar said the team must remain focused down the stretch.“They have to stay positive, work on their blocks and kills because it doesn’t get any easier,” Dunbar said.
(11/12/10 5:21am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After losing to Purdue in three sets, the IU volleyball team returns to Bloomington to play No. 24 Northwestern on Saturday.IU volleyball (19-8, 7-8) lost in four sets in its last match against the Wildcats in September. Last time, the Hoosiers came out strong, winning the first set, 25-21, but Northwestern recovered and won the next three sets. The Wildcats were led by senior middle blocker Naomi Johnson, who recorded 18 kills in the match. The Hoosiers have gone 7-6 since the last meeting.Four Northwestern players have more than 200 kills. Graduate student middle blocker Sabel Moffett leads the team with 280. Northwestern senior setter Elyse Glab is second in the Big Ten with 11.24 assists per set.The Wildcats are coming off a tough loss at home to Wisconsin in five sets. IU coach Sherry Dunbar talked about keeping the players into the match.“It’s about us generating that energy and intensity to stay focused on our game plan,” Dunbar said.Sophomore outside hitter Jordan Haverly and senior middle blocker Ashley Benson led the team with 15 kills each against Northwestern, and sophomore right-side hitter Kelci Marscahll had one less with 14.The Hoosiers have been playing well at home, sporting a 9-1 record at University Gym, and they look to continue that performance against the Wildcats.“Getting a good start and an aggressive mentality will help,” Dunbar said.