Jump to content

Captain Kangaroo

Moderators
  • Posts

    12,271
  • Joined

  • Days Won

    293

Everything posted by Captain Kangaroo

  1. Sports fans in Akron fail to show up By David Lee Morgan Jr. Maybe Akron sports fans owe Charlie Frye an apology. Here was the Most Valuable Player of college football's Senior Bowl who played four years in front of nobody at the Rubber Bowl. I know. I was there covering every home game. Frye became the University of Akron's all-time leading passer and owns 49 records, but the crowds were sparse, for the most part. Frye's fan support was different from that of LeBron James when James played in high school. True, sellout crowds came to see him, but it seemed like a large number came hoping to see him lose. When St. Vincent-St. Mary didn't lose, then it seemed some people hoped James would be sidelined for the Hummer or throwback jersey incidents. When he got back on the court and led his team to the USA Today national high school poll championship, people talked about whether he was going to be a bust in the NBA. Obviously, he's not. I just don't get it. There have been some recent outstanding athletes right here in the city who have gone on to impressive pro careers. While they were playing here, few seemed to notice. Want another example? That would be former Zips cornerback Dwight Smith. During Smith's senior year (2000), he was a first-team consensus All-American, only the fourth Mid-American Conference player to receive that honor. He led the nation with 10 interceptions and was a finalist that year for the Jim Thorpe Award, given to college football's best defensive back. Smith didn't win the award -- Jamar Fletcher of Wisconsin did. But Smith was considered one of the top three Division I defensive backs in the country that year and was invited to Orlando, Fla., for the college football season awards TV show. Smith just completed his fourth season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was a starting safety. Two years ago in the Super Bowl, Smith returned two interceptions for touchdowns in the Buccaneers' 48-21 win over the Oakland Raiders. There was Dwight Smith -- a winning member of a Super Bowl team. Fans who followed Frye's career are not at all surprised that he won the MVP on Saturday playing against some of the top Division I players in the country. Week in and week out, he proved that not only could he play with the ``big boys'' but also that he is NFL material. Pro coaches, scouts and executives were impressed with Frye during the week leading up to the game. For the record, Frye was 10-of-12 for 138 yards and a touchdown in the North's 23-13 victory over the South. Frye could have left Akron after his junior year to make the jump to the NFL, but he wanted to return for one last try at a MAC championship. The Zips, under first-year coach J.D. Brookhart, did play for the East Division title but lost to Miami University and finished the season 6-5. MAC fans also should be in Frye's corner because he is another in a long line of outstanding quarterbacks who have been routinely overlooked when it came to national recognition but, later, proved that they had what it took at the next level. In recent years, the MAC has been recognized for notching wins against some of the storied Division I programs. A look around the NFL also shows there are some quality starting quarterbacks in the league who played in the MAC, starting with former Miami University and rookie sensation Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Others who have established themselves are former Marshall standouts Byron Leftwich (Jacksonville Jaguars) and Chad Pennington (New York Jets). Frye has the potential to follow their lead. It's a shame, though, that if and when Frye becomes a star in the NFL, just a small percentage of fans in Akron will be able to say they saw him first.
  2. The local Fire Marshall limited the seating. I was at the 1986 CSU/Akron game...7,700 @ the JAR. People were sitting in the aisles...stairways...it was insane...you could barely move. The Fire Marshall thought it was insane too, and limited the capacity soon afterwards.
  3. With Signing Day only three days away, colleges are scrambling to put the finishing touches on their 2005 recruiting classes. One last look around Western Pennsylvania shows this is a class that has produced better-than-expected results, as the WPIAL now boasts 27 Division I-A recruits. That number should increase to 30 when Central Catholic tailback Eugene Jarvis, Monessen linebacker Ernest "Mick" Williams and West Mifflin defensive end Kevin Garner finalize their decisions this week. Both Jarvis and Garner were visiting Akron this weekend, while Williams is down to Akron, Pitt and West Virginia. The number could be greater, if prospects like Penn Hills receiver David Harvey and cornerback Kenny Lewis, Thomas Jefferson quarterback Brad Dawson, Aliquippa linebacker Donnell McKenzie and Farrell's Quentin Odem qualified under NCAA freshman eligibility guidelines. Of the 30, at least half will play in BCS-affiliated conferences. Another 14 players are committed to Division I-AA programs, a number that should increase this week. Here are three players who still are undecided: Pat Byrne, Central Catholic: The 6-foot, 230-pounder was an All-Quad East guard who also started at defensive tackle for the WPIAL and PIAA Class AAAA champion Vikings. Byrne epitomized the toughness of Central's defense, which was undersized but dominant. As a junior, he recovered from a staph infection to play in the 2003 PIAA final at 176 pounds. As an underclassman, Byrne played middle linebacker, a position he would like to return to in college. He has a 4.18 grade-point average, scored 1,160 on the SAT and is a talented sketch artist who designed the cover of Central's football program. Division III schools covet Byrne, who is visiting the College of Wooster this weekend, but he could opt to walk-on at Pitt. James Cole, Penn Hills: At 6-foot-2, 350 pounds, Cole was a two-way starter at tackle who was a first-team All-Quad East selection on defense. Cole has surprisingly quick feet, and was so dominant against Woodland Hills as a junior that Wolverines coach George Novak pulled Cole off the bus to congratulate him on a fine performance. Along with J.R. Robinson, Cole helped open holes for West Virginia recruit Ed Collington, a 1,700-yard rusher, and close them on defense. One thing that hurt Cole was his ejection for a flagrant foul in the WPIAL quarterfinals against North Hills, which caused him to be suspended for the Indians' semifinal loss to Gateway. Cole's absence was felt on both sides of the ball, as Penn Hills struggled to run and Justin King broke free for the winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Morgan State is the only school to offer, but Cole believes he can play at the Division I level. Danny Cafaro, Upper St. Clair: A 5-foot-9, 175-pound cornerback, Cafaro has been overlooked because of his size. Make no mistake, though; he was one of the WPIAL's most dynamic players. He had 30 receptions for 723 yards (24.1 average) and 10 touchdowns, scored twice each by interception, punt return and run. Here is his most amazing statistic: Cafaro blocked 14 kicks in two seasons -- five punts, five field goals and four PATs -- displaying a fearlessness that would make him a special teams ace at any level. Cafaro scored five touchdowns against Plum in the playoffs -- twice each by punt return and interception and once on a run -- and also ran down several McKeesport players from behind in the WPIAL quarterfinals. It's no coincidence that all three players' teams reached the WPIAL semifinals each of the past two seasons, or that they all might believe that they're better than they actually are. But here's something college recruiters should consider when finalizing their classes over the next three days: Maybe that's what made them so good in the first place.
  4. Garner headed to Akron By Kevin Gorman <mailto:kgorman@tribweb.com> TRIBUNE-REVIEW Monday, January 31, 2005 West Mifflin star Kevin Garner made a verbal commitment to Akron on Sunday, making him the Zips' fifth WPIAL recruit from the Class of 2005. The 6-2, 225-pound Garner chose Akron over Can't State after receiving early offers from Toledo and West Virginia. "For a while, it was real quiet," Garner said. "Akron gave me a call and said they wanted me to visit. It was nice. I liked it a lot. They have great new facilities." Garner, a four-year starter, recorded 15 sacks to lead West Mifflin on its Cinderella run through the playoffs to the WPIAL Class AAA final. The Titans finished the regular-season 4-5 but upset Franklin Regional, Canon-McMillan and West Allegheny before losing to Thomas Jefferson. Garner also is a four-year starter in basketball and ran on the Titans' 400-meter relay team in track. He said Akron told him he could play outside linebacker or defensive end. "I see myself playing defensive end, if I can get to 250 and maintain my speed," said Garner, who has yet to qualify academically and is a red-shirt candidate. "I use my quickness to make tackles on the other side of the field."
  5. West Mifflin defensive end-linebacker Kevin Garner (6-2, 225), a member of the Post-Gazette Fabulous 22, committed to Akron. But Garner said he most likely won't be on the Zips' team next season because he hasn't scored high enough on his SAT to be eligible as a freshman. He hopes to play in 2006.
  6. If, after watching the Senior Bowl this week, Carlton decides to attend Tennessee State, then he isn't what the Zips need at QB anyhow. I hope he comes to Akron. He seems like a great player.
  7. Thanks for the notes, Zipboy! Also: I believe the guy from NJ is Al-Teric Balaam. He was very high on Maryland and Rutgers last time I looked. There is stuff about him all over the internet. It would be a HUGE catch to get him.
  8. Awesome ending to an awesome college career! To steal a quote from Z-P: "Thanks for the memories, Charlie!" Also, it was great to see Charlie pimping the Akron program with his gear during the "Outside the Lines" segment. I recall when Jimal Ball was in the Nationally televised slam dunk contest on ESPN he gave "shouts out" to all his buds in Canton...while all the other participants were pimping the school on the front of their jerseys. Is it too much to ask if he could stop back at Akron for a day...maybe sign some autographs or pics for kids at a hoops game?
  9. Hey "Goo Redhawks" I found some suntan lotion for you: Administer liberally.
  10. That's flat out weak. How dare you infer that those against this guy's recruitment are racist.
  11. If you are depending upon the Beacon for your Zips info, shame on you. Click Here To See Where The Beacon Gets it's Info
  12. The second most popular guy at the JAR last night was....LeBron James. Must have been 50 kids along the rail trying to get a glimpse of him. The most popular at the JAR last night....Zippy. Bet he had a posse of 60 or 70 kids around him at one point!
  13. Can't say I really buy into this thinking entirely. Pretty much any team in the MAC and several in more upstream conferences (Syracuse for example) were after Andy out of Hoban. Pre-Back injury, he'd have been an asset to any system, and his quickness & size would have helped this team tons. Put a healthy Andy on this club in exchange for McFadden & tell me we wouldn't be even stronger. Hey! I said Andy circa 2000 COULD do it!
  14. Can someone print the column? Thanks. F The Beacon.
  15. It appears he is considering Akron, so the post can stay.
  16. I will summarily dismiss any grousing by BSU fans that they would have won had they had their big man been on the floor. We lost Wood...our leading rebounder...and put the big hurt on them tonight! It's like "Groundhog Day" at Zips home games anymore...relentless D...great ball movement...resounding victory. Over and over and over. I almost forget what it is like to be behind in a game...or what a close game feels like. This has to be one of the best 5-game stretches in the past 20 years? Coming back to earth for a second...the next two games will obviously be much tougher. I wish the Miami game were on TV! Travis is the MAN. It's scary to think how good he can be over the next 2 years. Futch played very well, aside from a few times getting lost in his defensive rotations in the 1st half. Bubba didn't get many 3 looks, but still logged a lot of minutes. How useless would Andy or Brian Hipsher be on this team? Andy circa 2000 probably would have been fine, but for the most part the only offenses those two could have played in were Hipsher's motion offenses. To the contrary, Ball and Bosley would have had a blast playing Dambrot's style of ball. Middleton is getting more comfortable. He can go end-to-end in a hurry! Collins is again solid off the bench. Preston seems to really excell off the bench too. Groundhog Day Part II: Preston gets the Sub of the Game. This time, I have to agree. Bench attire much more dapper tonight. Thumbs up to the Zips new fashion consultant, whomever it might be! Wow...is this team fun to watch. Man...do they play great D. Why...has it taken 16 years for me to say that! Goodnight Andre Simms...wherever you are!
  17. The word on the street is Diontre has had numerous concussions over the past 3 seasons. Concerns regarding his long-term health played a big part in his decision to walk away from football. He was a good Zip...I wish him well. I got to know his mom and dad because they sat near us at games. Super people. If anyone thinks losing a 5th year senior linebacker won't impact next year's defense, they're mistaken. Earl wasn't a 1st Team All MAC, but he was solid, and could put a good lick on ball carriers coming up the middle. Our LB's next season will be VERY short on experience. Competing for championships is tough to do when your linebacking 2-deep is full of True and RS Fr's. It will be very interesting to see the LB's this spring.
  18. He was Ohio Division IV Player of the Year in 2004. 25ppg at the HS level. He would be eligible next season as a So., I believe? AP's Division III, IV All-Ohio teams The Associated Press COLUMBUS - A freshman and a senior are the top honorees on the 2003-2004 Associated Press Division III and IV boys All-Ohio high school basketball teams announced Tuesday. O.J. Mayo of Cincinnati North College Hill - already being touted as "The Next LeBron" - was the player of the year in Division III. Mansfield St. Peter's Marcus Butler grabbed the same honor in Division IV, based on the recommendations of a state panel of sports writers and broadcasters. Mayo transferred to North College Hill after starring on the varsity of his Kentucky high school team during seventh and eighth grade. He had an immediate impact at North College Hill, which went from 2-18 a year ago to 20-0 this season and a No. 1 ranking the final regular-season AP poll. The 6-foot-6 Mayo averaged 30.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 5.2 steals a game for North College Hill while shooting 60 percent from the field, 38 percent on 3-pointers and 80 percent at the line. The Division III coaches of the year are Joe Bline of Johnstown Monroe, who in his first year guided his team to a 20-0 record, its first league championship since 1981 and its first district win since 1985, along with veteran Norm Persin. Persin drew up the Xs and Os as Chesapeake made a long run in the tournament after yet another successful regular season. Joining Mayo on the Division III first team are Bellaire's Nate Davis (6-2, soph., 19.0); Ryan Gerber of Sugarcreek Garaway (6-1, sr., 19.5); Josh Smith of Johnstown Monroe (5-11, sr., 17.7); Piketon's Kyle Vulgamore (6-3, sr., 16.3); Shawn Shriver of Collins Western Reserve (6-0, sr., 19.8); Ricky Jackson of Louisville St. Thomas Aquinas (6-6, soph., 20.1); Lisbon David Anderson's Lucian Smith (6-0, sr., 21.9); Richard Semrau of Rocky River Lutheran West (6-9, soph., 23.2); David Lighty of Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph (6-5, soph., 19.4); and Kyle Gehle of Versailles (6-1, sr., 20.9). Gehle's Versailles team (26-0) takes on Davis' Bellaire squad (22-4) in the second Division III state semifinal on Thursday afternoon. Loudonville (23-2) plays St. Henry (20-5) in the tournament's first game, with the winners deciding the title Saturday. Butler, Division IV's top player, averaged 25.6 points, 10 rebounds and 6.8 assists for a team that climbed all the way to the regional finals. The 6-3 senior, who has signed to play at Evansville next season, was a co-player of the year a year ago in the small-school division. The coaches of the year are South Webster's Marc Kreischer, Steve Parquhar of Cincinnati Lockland and Arlington's Jason Vermillion. Kreischer guided the Jeeps (22-3) to the state semifinals against Holgate (18-7) on Friday afternoon. In the first semifinal of the day, Maria Stein Marion Local (17-9) plays Sebring McKinley (24-1). The title game is Saturday. Parquhar led Lockland to an 18-2 record - its first winning season in 14 years. Vermillion was at the helm as Arlington went 20-0 and won the AP poll crown. Butler is joined on the first team by Sebring McKinley's David Scarpitti (6-1, sr., 13.0); Dusty Smith of Centerburg (6-3, sr., 16.2); Fort Loramie's Jordan Pleiman (6-8, sr., 22.1); Shawn Hacker of Ironton St. Joseph (6-7, sr., 27.2); Samuel Rutherford of New Matamoras Frontier (5-11, sr., 22.8); Lorain Catholic's Brandon Neal (6-3, sr., 21.3); and Matt Hackenberg of Canton Heritage Christian (5-10, sr., 16.3).
  19. All great points. I'll comment a little on the above: Doug Penno is Jeff Penno's (former Zip walk on) brother, I believe. Doug was pretty highly touted out of HS, so it doesn't surprise me that he's putting up good #'s. I believe Jeff Penno is at Wright State now? Futch flat out clubbed that CMU player towards the end of the game. He should have gotten a technical. Then again, maybe it was payback for that BS "intentional foul" call against Joyce earlier? Speaking of street clothes...several people around me were wondering if Dambrot has ANY dress code for the guys on the end of the bench? I kind of agree. BTW: I have to assume the guy you saw is some mid-season transfer. I'm curious as to who he is? It appears Rob Preston has taken the spot in Joe Dunn's heart formerly occupied by Andy Hipsher? I would have given the Sub of the Game to Collins. We CMU tried to make a run at the beginning of the second half, it was Collins' aggressive D that snuffed their run out. How do we win by 39 without Wood? Just amazing.... How do you lead at the half by 23 when Travis has 2 points? Just amazing... Bubba just kills the opponent's "will." It seems like he gets his 3's in spurts. Boom, boom, boom...three 3's and the Zips get on a 9-0 run. And he hits the back-breaker 22 footers to boot. Dru had a great game. I like the fact that no Zip...aside from "Mr. 3-Pointer" Futch...catches flack for taking the 3-point shot. Peterson might miss 4 in a row, but he'll take the 5th on in a heart beat if he's open. Ditto Dru, Mc Fadden, Bubba, Preston, Collins, Middleton...I think the reason we're shooting so well from 3-point range is there's no pressure (of getting benched). That, plus our ball movement is so good we seem to get a lot of open looks. Goddard's play was phenomenal, a treat to behold. I would love to see him get more PT, but who's time does he take? I'm really looking forward to the Ball State game. It should be a war. By the way, I hear Can't is a "patsie?"
  20. A couple years ago the Zips (hoops) rolled the dice on Hollingworth and Tarver...two guys with checkered backgrounds...and the results were terrible. Yes, they didn't do anything that landed them in the police blotter during their 2-year stay in Akron (at least that I know of). But the team chemistry with those guys was horrific. Look at this year's hoops squad. A bunch of "team" players who get along well. And we're rolling along great. Skip the Ray Williams' et al. It is possible to win with guys of character. And, it is very possible to lose with guys of suspect character but great stats (see analogy above).
  21. ELLIOTT BATES, CHARTIERS-HOUSTON Bates was a standout lineman in football and has a scholarship to the University of Akron. He also is the Post-Gazette's No. 1-ranked 275-pound wrestler in WPIAL Class AA and has a 30-2 record this season with 19 pins. His career record is 102-33. When Bates graduates, he will have 12 varsity letters -- four each in football, wrestling and track and field. Q: Do you like wrestling or do you simply use it to stay in shape for football? A: I really just use it to keep in shape. I just started wrestling years ago kind of as a hobby. But I started developing and once I got to the varsity level, I started to get good at it. Q: What's the worst part about wrestling? A: It has to be just the training. In wrestling, you usually have only one match all week. But you get a lot of forfeits in wrestling. So you train all week and then get a forfeit because other teams don't have enough people to fill all the weights. Q: Do you like the WWE and all that kind of wrestling? A: I used to when I was little, but I kind of outgrew it. Now I'm just a [ESPN] SportsCenter guy. Q: Steelers or Patriots? A: Oooooh. That's a tough one. If Big Ben comes to play, I'd have to pick the Steelers. Q: Should Big Ben get rid of the gloves? A: I don't know, maybe on his throwing hand. Q: If you could be anyone in the world for a day, who would it be? A: Shaquille O'Neal. He's a character. Some people say I'm kind of like him. He just seems funny, but he's very truthful about things. Q: How many chicken wings can you eat? A: I've never tried real hard, but I could eat 50 easy. Q: Your father's name is Norman Bates. Do you hear much stuff about the movie "Psycho?" A: When football recruiting started, recruiters would ask the name of my dad. I'd tell them Norman. Some of them didn't believe it. But I have a brother named Norman and my grandfather also is Norman. Q: You don't own a motel, do you? A: Ahhhh, no (laugh). Q: You ever see the movie "Psyhco?" A: Yeah. I'd say the old one, the black and white one, is pretty corny. The newer one is dumb. The old one is better than the new. Q: Where do you see yourself in 10 years? A: In the NFL. Q: Is that realistic? A: It's realistic for me. Everyone who is going to play Division I football should be thinking about the NFL. I've got goals. That's one of them. Every goal I've ever set, I've achieved.
  22. 81% of the "crowd" was in the upper deck. Lower PSL section was 50% empty, as usual. Tough to be "boisterous" when you're up by 20-30 most of the game. Zips KILLED CMU tonght. And CMU isn't too bad a team. More later. I'm tired.
  23. I say we can win without him. Let him go to Marshall.
×
×
  • Create New...