A Game with No Losers

The excited way they ran to their classmates showed just how much this win meant to them, and a unlike the many times we've seen students run onto the field after beating a rival, several of these players jumped into the stands to celebrate with their classmates. This wasn't just any victory, it was a record 8th in a row over an opponent they have been playing since 1890. It is the greatest rivalry game in any sport in this country, and the only one that can be played on this Saturday. No matter what these teams records they will play on national TV, in a pro stadium, in the week between the end of the college football season, and the first weekend of bowl season. The two schools have combined for 4 National Titles, and 5 Heisman Trophy winners. Despite all that nobody looks at either of these schools as national powers, just as schools full of some of the bravest young men the country has to offer.
I am of course talking about the Army - Navy game, which Navy has won yet again. Junior Quarterback Rickey Dobbs led his team to victory, while setting the NCAA record for most rushing touchdowns by a Quarterback in a single season and becoming only the third Navy Quarterback to rush for 1000 yards in a season. Navy improved to 9-4 on the season and will face Missouri in the Texas Bowl, Army fell to 5-7 falling just one victory short of their first bowl since 1996.
After the victory Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo teared up on the sideline as he talked about how much this victory means to everyone involved and how proud he was of the guys on both teams, saying that these are the guys that are going to protect us.

UConn Dismantles Rival Syracuse, Becomes Bowl Eligible

On Rivalry Weekend across the nation UConn came out victorious over Syracuse by a score of 56-31. The win marks the 6th for UConn this season, making them Bowl eligible for the 3rd time in 3 years. Coming out of halftime with a 28-17 lead UConn took the ball 80 yards on 15 plays and scored on a Zach Frazer pass to Marcus Easley in the back of the end zone to take a 35-17 lead. During the drive UConn was faced with a 4th and 6 on the Syracuse 26, but elected to go for the first down because of the strong winds that would pose a problem in the kicking game. Frazer completed a pass across the middle to Brad Kanuch for the first down, which eventually set up the score. After a Syracuse missed field goal and a Frazer interception Syracuse regained possesion, and Greg Paulus hit Lavar Lobdell on a 12 yard touchdown pass to cut UConn lead from 18 to 11. The Huskies wasted no time answering back, as Andre Dixon scored his third touchdown of the day just over 2 minutes later on a 45 yard run to give UConn a 42-24 lead. With 6 minutes remaing and Syracuse down 42-31, Paulus led their spread offense on what looked like a promising drive, but the UConn defense held up on a 4th and 7 and the Orange turned the ball over on downs. The ensuing drive created quite a bit of controversy between Head Coaches Randy Edsall and Doug Marrone. UConn, up 11, was faced with a 4th and 11 on the Syracuse 28 with just over 4 minutes to go. Instead of attempting the field goal Edsall decided to go for it, and Frazer hooked up with Easley again on a 28 yard touchdown pass to give the Huskies a 49-31 lead. After the game Syracuse Head Coach Doug Marrone had some choice words for Edsall, saying that he was running up the score. With Syracuse trying to salvage their point differential on the following possession, receiver Alec Lemon fumbled a lateral pass, which was recovered for a touchdown by Dwayne Gratz to seal the deal for the Huskies.

Jordan Todman finished the game's leading rusher with 123 yards and a touchdown. Todman has now surpassed 1,000 yards on the season, becoming just the 9th Husky to do so. Andre Dixon finished with 77 yards on 15 carries and 3 touchdowns, which marks his third 3-touchdown game of the season. Lawrence Wilson had yet another standout game for the Huskies on defense, tallying 17 tackles with 1 TFL. Captain Scott Lutrus continued to be solid since returning from his injury, record 11 tackles with 1.5 TFL. Linebacker Greg Lloyd was upended on a chop block late in the 4th quarter and remained on the ground for several minutes with an apparent knee or ankle injury. Edsall said after the game he will be evaluated and more information will be available tomorrow. For Syracuse, probably the most hated man in the stadium by Husky fans, Greg Paulus, had a very solid game. Paulus completed 24 of 32 for 296 yards and 2 touchdowns. Running back Delone Carter surpassed 1000 yards rushing on the season for the Orange with his 102 yard effort on the ground. The Huskies are back in action next week on Senior Day, when the take on South Florida in their regular season finale at home at 8pm.

Halftime: UConn 28 - Syracuse 17

A week after what may have been UConn's biggest win in school history over Notre Dame, the Huskies look like they haven't missed a step as they lead Syracuse 28 to 17 at the half in Rentschler Field. Jordan Todman leads the ground game with 57 yards, including a 37 yard touchdown run in the 2nd quarter which puts him over the 1,000 yard mark for the year. Andre Dixon has been held to just 18 yards on 6 carries but has scored twice. Former Duke Basketball player Greg Paulus has taken the majority of snaps for the Orange, completing 10 of 12 for 117 yards and a touchdown. Sophmore Ryan Nassib has also taken snaps for the Orange when they run option, but has also completed 3 of 5 passing for 33 yards and a score. Wind has been a big factor in the game, as it gave UConn optimal field position early in the game. Syracuse went 3 and out to open the game, and was able to net just 7 yards on the punt into wind gusts of up to 35 mph. UConn took advantage, and went 25 yards for the first score of the game. After a Syracuse field goal, Freshman Mike Lang took the ensuing kickoff 80 yards to the house for a touchdown to make it 14-3. With 3 minutes remaining in the second half and UConn leading 21 to 10, Paulus orchestrated a 7 play, 52 yard touchdown drive to cut the lead to 4. UConn got the ball back with 1:08 left, as Jordan Todman returned the kickoff 34 yards to the UConn 38. Frazer and the Huskies drove 62 yards to score with :08 seconds left on the clock, highlighted by an amazing over-the-shoulder one-handed catch by Marcus Easley deep down the right sideline. The drive was capped by an Andre Dixon 1 yard run to give the Huskies a 9 point lead entering halftime.

Are we really winning?

One doesn't need to be in the locker room right now to imagine what Jim Calhoun is saying to the team, or the vivid language he is most likely using. It can be summed up in 2 words, we stink. Although the Huskies hold a one point lead, Colgate largely dominated the first half of play. The signs of Calhoun's frustration with is teams performance were apparent, with Donnell Beverly making an appearance, and Jim emphatically clapping when Colgate scored. The Huskies did receive good play from Guard Kemba Walker, who seemed to take the game into his own hands late in the half, as well as from freshman Jamal Coombs-McDaniel, who led the team with ten points off the bench.

Really? Over a Hot Dog?

After three consecutive losses to offset their 3-0 start, the New York Jets were in need of a big break. And on Sunday afternoon against the “playoff-bound” (Richard Seymour’s words, not mine) Oakland Raiders, they got one.

Behind 100-yard ground games by both Thomas Jones and rookie Shonn Greene, not to mention the patented Rex Ryan defense, the Jets scorched Al Davis’ crew 38-0.

But the next day, the focus was not on the sheer domination of New York’s running game, which averaged 5.9 yards per carry in the win, nor was it on the four turnovers caused by the defense or Calvin Pace’s three sacks. The focus wasn’t even on the rookie Mark Sanchez’s two touchdowns…

…actually, the focus was on Sanchez, but not for anything he did on the field.

On Monday morning, the football community (the media portion) was up in arms over video footage from CBS’s broadcast depicting Mark Sanchez trying to discreetly eat a hot dog on the sideline during New York’s win. Mark was immediately criticized for his “actions.” It was called disrespectful, improper, unbecoming of a football star. The cries of reporters all across the nation with nothing better to talk about actually led to Mark making a public apology for what he did.

What he did? He didn’t do anything. He got hungry.

Through this “crisis,” one referred to by some in media as “Hot Dog-Gate” (you’ve got to be kidding me), we’ve learned more about Jets head coach Rex Ryan. He might be the most levelheaded guy in the NFL. Don’t get me wrong, he’s insane, but the good kind of insane. Here was his response to the hot dog “fiasco”:

“It is unfortunate that here we have a great game, run for 300-some yards – breakout game – 38-to-zip score, get a shutout and now the focus is on the hot dog.”

Couldn’t have said it better.

Are we really chastising a man for eating a hot dog on the sidelines? Where exactly is the uproar for that justified? Look at the situation, look at the score. I’m a Jets fan, been one since Boomer Esiason was quarterback. I could care less that he was eating a hot dog. He could have been eating a 3-pound lobster while chugging a Keystone and finish it off with a nice Cuban cigar – it was 38-0!

Granted, what Sanchez did was unconventional, and coach Ryan made sure to tell him that afterward. But he also told him to be smart next time and get him one too.

Jasper Howard Updates

Yesterday police arrested Johnny Hood for interfering with police officers. Hood reportedly gave the wrong name to police officers when they tried to question him. However, he has not been charged in the death of Jasper Howard. Hood's attorney said that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time and was not aware of the stabbing.

A lawyer for a Bloomfield man he said that police have notified him that they will have a warrant for his clients arrest. Deron Freeman, the Lawyer, declined to name his client but said that he was at the scene of the stabbing but did not actually stab Howard.

It has also been released that Brian Parker, a reserve wide receiver who is academically ineligible this season, was the other victim in the stabbing but only sustained minor injuries. Coach Randy Edsall has said that two other players were present, and one applies pressure to Howard's wounds in an attempt to save his life. Edsall said he will leave it up to those players as to whether they play in this weekend's game or not.

The team will wear a JH helmet sticker for the rest of the season in memory of Howard. They will also bring either his jersey or helmet to all of their remaining games. Edsall said that the team will be putting together a package of memorabilia for his unborn child. The package will include a game ball from Saturday's game against Louisville.

West Virginia Will wear a number 6 helmet sticker Saturday and both teams will participate in a pregame moment of silence and handshake. Clemson cornerback Chris Chancellor, a high school teammate of Howard will switch his jersey number to number 6.

Jasper Howard

This morning began like an other Sunday morning for most students on campus. Many students were likely sleeping in after celebrating the end of homecoming week the night before. But as students woke up we saw alerts from UConn in the form of text messages, emails, and banners on the student page, there had been a stabbing early this morning and the perpetrator was still at large. Then the rumors started to fly. Some may have seen Facebook statuses suggesting it, other heard it from friends, all hoped it wasn't true. However as the day went on we all had to come to the realization that it was true, Jasper Howard had died.

Howard, 20, who came to UConn from Miami, was not only the first person in his family to go to college, but it was announce at today's press conference that he was an expectant father. Senior captain Desi Cullen said, "Hearing the news that he's a father breaks my heart. The idea that he will grow up without a father to raise him will be extremely tough for that child. Along with Jazz looking down on him, that child will have 105 uncles to look up to. As a team, we're going to make sure that we don't just get through these times, but that we grow from it and become better men because of Jazz."

Howard was coming off perhaps the the best game of his career against Louisville. He had recorded eleven tackles and he a key strip and recovery in the third quarter as the Cardinals were getting ready to score. Last season Howard had led the team with four interceptions, and led the Big East with an average punt return of 10.9 yards and 1TD. His career ended with 96 tackles and four interceptions.

Police reported that the stabbing occurred after a fire alarm was pulled in the Student Union, which resulted in over 300 people being evacuated from a dance being held there. Howard and a second victim were brought to St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford. Howard died a few hours later and coach Edsall identified his body before calling Howards family to let them know what had happened. Edsall said, "There's nothing in my job description that says you have to identify bodies, and that you have to make the phone calls to the parents, but that's part of the job."

Police announced that the second victim was a UConn student, and had been released from the hospital. His identity was be withheld as the investigation is still ongoing. Anyone with information relating to the incident are asked to contact the police at (860) 486-4800.

For more on the Press Conference Click Here

Halftime: UConn 14 - Louisville 13

A back and forth game here at the Rent this afternoon. UConn struck first with 10:50 left in the first quarter on a 16 yard dash by Andre Dixon, which capped off a 6 play, 61 yard drive. The drive was set up thanks to an interception by Redshirt Freshman Blidi Wreh-Wilson off a Lawrence Wilson tip. After a Louisville punt, UConn threatened again, pushing deep into the Louisville red zone thanks to a nice 26 yard run by Andre Dixon and a 3rd down pass interference call on Louisville. However, UConn couldn't capitalize, as 2 false starts in the red zone pushed the Huskies back and Dave Teggart missed a 27 yard field goal wide right. Louisville tied the game on their next possession, capping of a 19 play 80 yard drive in which they completed 4 consecutive 3rd downs. On 4th and Goal from the 1 yard line Louisville running back Bilal Powell punched in the touchdown on a bootleg to the left. UConn took the lead back quickly, as Endres completed a beautiful pass along the left sideline to Kashif Moore for 67 yards, and eventually set up an Andre Dixon 1 yard run up the middle for the touchdown. Louisville follwed up with an 8 play 77 yard touchdown drive of their own and attempted to tie. UConn blocked the first extra point attempt, however, Redshirt Freshman Jerome Junior was called for offsides. On the ensuing re-kick, Louisville kicker Ryan Payne missed the extra point wide right. The score at halftime now stands UConn 14, Louisville 13. Andre Dixon leads UConn on the ground with 16 rushes for 84 yards and 2 touchdowns. Cody Endres is 6 of 13 for 141 yards and 1 interception, coming at the end of the half.

Flawed Lottery System Shows that UConn Simply Doesn’t Care

I didn’t win tickets in this year’s UConn basketball lottery.

I didn’t win last year either.

And I didn’t win the year before that.

I was upset the first two times I didn’t win, but neither of those disappointments compares to what I feel now. I imagine the feeling is the same among my fellow seniors and above (I have a total of 118 credits, either completed or in progress). The first two experiences were annoying, but this time it goes far beyond that – I don’t even have a word to describe it.

When first implemented, the number of times our PeopleSoft numbers were entered into the lottery was based on earned credits – freshman got their number in once, sophomores twice, juniors three times, and seniors four. Well now my fellow three-time losers (and there are LOTS of us) and I get to shine as examples of the students who have been shunned by the system because our number never came up.

I’ve tried to imagine some eloquent way to describe the flaws in the lottery system, but none come to mind, so all I can do is speak the truth: this is a terrible system. Over the past few months, UConn Athletics has claimed to work to increase school spirit with its new programs (e.g. the Spirit Squad, and we know how well THAT was received), but the reality is that Athletics seems more inclined to put convenience ahead of school spirit. They don’t care who gets the tickets, all they seem to care about is that the tickets get sold. After that it doesn’t appear to be their problem.

I went to check out the Facebook group, “Buy or Sell UConn Tickets,” after the lottery winners were announced, and I was less than surprised by what I saw. Within minutes of receiving their congratulatory emails, there were literally hundreds, HUNDREDS of students, offering to sell their ticket packages to the highest bidder. And the asking prices were absurd:

$90 for Women’s games at the XL Center…(which cost $2 per ticket face value)

$150 for Men’s games at the XL Center…

$250 for Men’s games at Gampel Pavilion…etc…etc…

One guy was offering $300 for Men’s Gampel and XL games, and posted “my loss is your gain, men’s Gampel and XL for only $300!” Thanks UConn for turning our student body into the next generation of Slick Rick used car salesmen. Students who won the lottery paid $108 total for both sets. Slick Rick here will generously sell us his tickets for around three times that amount. I feel so blessed by his charity.

There was a time, a time before online lotteries, before colored wristbands, when basketball tickets were based on a first-come, first-served basis. There was a day when the tickets would go on sale, and students camped out and lined up accordingly. It was a perfect system. It weeded out the true fans from the people who want to make a quick buck. True fans will walk through the gates of hell to get UConn basketball season tickets. These price gougers just wait for a little bit of luck.

My friend, Marcus Lynam, an anchor/producer with UCTV Sports, posted a blog about the lottery system shortly after the emails were sent out. In his post, he reminded us that the Gampel student section holds 2,600 people, which is just around 16% of the student body. Luckily, for us sports fans, not every UConn student cares about going to a UConn basketball game, or any sporting event for that matter. In the old system, would they have ever shown up to wait in line? But now, thanks to the lottery, they too can sign up for tickets they don’t even want. And when they win? PROFIT!

By the way, Marcus is a junior. His number went into the lottery three times. He didn’t win either.

UConn Athletics claims to want to increase school spirit, and yet they take away our signs, limit our camp out times, and create a lottery system that reduces our best fans to unfortunate saps who have to enter bidding wars, and turn other students into heartless profiteers who bank on the misery and devotion of the die-hard fans who simply weren’t lucky enough.

This has been a tough year for America, and the student body at UConn has not been spared the effects of a down economy. We have faced budget cuts, lost programs, and paid higher tuition, to say nothing of how the downturn has affected our students at home. Why does our school’s athletic department seem so content on making it that much harder for our biggest fans to get basketball tickets? Haven’t they suffered enough?

And I’m not buying the notion that Athletics isn’t aware of the problem, because I’m sure plenty of people have been complaining. The only conclusion I can draw is that they simply don’t care about the student fans.

UConn men’s and women’s basketball games, especially at Gampel, are a sight to see. The students who attend the games are devoted. They’re loud. They’re the sixth man for home teams that usually don’t need the extra help, but it’s certainly a nice addition. When Big Red stands up from his seat, charges up the student section, and leads the U! C! O! N! N! chant, I will forever maintain that this is one of the most beautiful sounds I have ever heard. There’s nothing quite like it. These games allow us the chance to escape the outside world, if only for a few hours. Inside the arena, we don’t need to worry about the molecular biology exam the next day, or the 10-page history midterm paper we haven’t started yet. As top tier UConn fans, our only job during the game is to show up and cheer loudly. Is Athletics really going to make us jump through hoops to get that experience?

In Marcus’ blog, he also wrote about a system being utilized by major schools like Florida, UCLA, Maryland and Texas where students “garner points by attending athletic events other than the big time sports” like football and basketball. When it comes time to buy tickets for the big sports, preference is given to the students with the most points. Athletics wants school spirit? There it is. It draws fans to the sporting events that usually don’t get many fans, and rewards the most devoted students when basketball season rolls around. How hard could it be to implement that system at UConn? It’s the perfect system for any school with a reputation for top-notch athletic programs.

But then again, anything at this point would be better than the lottery.

UConn defeats Rhode Island 52-10

The Huskies improved to 3-1 on the season Saturday with a win over the Rhode Island Rams. The game was never in question as UConn came out firing, scoring on the opening drive in just 6 plays. Although their numbers weren't huge, the ground game duo of Andre Dixon and Jordan Todman is still proving to be an extremely effective offensive weapon. Dixon lead the ground game with 98 yards on 17 carries, while Todman contributed 70 yards and 3 scores. Reserve back Robbie Frey also shed some light late scoring twice in the final 8 minutes, one on an impressive 54 yard run to seal the deal. Cody Endres started for the 2nd game in a row and orchestrated the best game of his career, completing 23 of 30 passes for 289 yards and 2 touchdowns. In the first half Endres looked uncomfortable in the pocket, missing one-on-one coverage and holding onto the ball for too long. Head Coach Randy Edsall said after the game that Endres needs to work more on anticipating plays developing and putting more confidence in the receivers to make the plays. Endres' target of choice for the game was sophomore Michael Smith, who reeled in 8 catches for 82 yards. Smith was targeted mainly in crossing routes, where the Rhode Island secondary seemed to have the hardest time defending him. Freshman Mike Lang also had a breakout game, recording the first receptions and touchdown of his career, catching 2 passes for 58 yards and a score. Endres hit Lang on a strike down the sideline, which he took 50 yards to the house in the closing minutes of the third quarter.

On the defensive side of the ball, UConn's front line was relentless, holding URI to just 40 yards on the ground. QB Chris Paul-Etienne was limited to just 108 yards in the air, throwing 2 interceptions and being sacked 3 times. The key to the UConn defense was their ability to stop URI on third down, allowing just one third-down conversion in 15 attempts. URI ran out of the shotgun the majority of their 3rd down attempts, and the front line consistently pressured Paul-Etienne into a scramble. Defensive End Lawrence Wilson lead the Huskies with 12 tackles, 2 sacks, and 3 TFL. Edsall commented on Wilson's performance after the game, saying he played "just OK" because Wilson is the man on defense that should be making those plays, and was quick to point out that he had a few missed tackles on some screens. Nevertheless, Wilson had a very successful game, especially with the lack of production from Lindsey Witten, who has been bothered by a GI illness throughout the week. The secondary was lead by captain Robert McClain, who picked off 2 passes in the first half. Cornerback Jasper Howard also had a very good game with 8 tackles, most of which came off URI's screens and quick slants.

UConn enters a bye week this week where they will rest and hopefully get some injured players healthy for Big East rival Pittsburgh the following week. Coach Edsall said he does not know the status of QB Zach Frazier for Pittsburgh, saying that he is rehabbing his injured knee and he will be back on the field as soon as he is cleared to do so. As of right now, Cody Endres will still be getting first team reps and is slated to start.

Halftime: UConn 24 - Rhode Island 7

As expected, the UConn Huskies have had no problem with the Rams of Rhode Island. The defensive line has been outstanding, holding Anthony Ferrer to just 13 yards on 6 attempts. QB Chris Paul-Etienne is 6 of 9 passing for 90 yards with a score and 2 interceptions, both by Robert McClain. The defensive front has been putting lots of pressure on Paul-Etienne, throwing 5 and 6 man blitzes on almost every third down, forcing him out of the pocket and causing him to make mistakes. On the offensive side, UConn had a lot of success on the ground and in the air in the first half, as the Huskies needed just 6 plays to take the lead. Jordan Todman is the leading man on the ground, with 67 yards on 10 attempts with 2 TDs. Andre Dixon has added 40 yards on the ground, as well as an 18 yard TD catch to open the game. Endres statistically looks good, going 12 for 15 for 152 yards and a touchdown. However, his pocket presence needs to improve, as he has been sacked 3 times, all of which he sat in the pocket for too long. He is also having problems keeping the ball off the ground, as he has fumbled multiple times within the pocket.

2009 New England Patriots Season Preview

The New England Patriots are coming into the 2009 NFL Season with a number of new faces on the roster. Whether that is a good thing or a bad thing is yet to be determined. Last season now seems like a blur. Having won 11 games after losing their best player and still not making the playoff was a huge blow, but this year looks to be a season of redemption for the Patriots of New England. Tom Brady, one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game, is finally back and healthy. Matt Cassel, his backup from last year, has been shipped off to Kansas City along with longtime outside linebacker Mike Vrabel and Ex-Director of Player Personnel Scott Pioli. Josh McDaniels, who was the O-Coordinator from last year’s team, is now the Head Coach of the Denver Broncos as well. However, most people in New England agree that as long as Bill Belichick is still around, that is all that really matters.

After a long and successful career in Jacksonville, RB Fred Taylor has joined the New England backfield committee alongside Laurence Maroney, Sammy Morris, and BenJarvus Green-Ellis. Joey Galloway has been added to the receiving corps to go with Randy Moss and Wes Welker, while TE Chris Baker has signed over from the New York Jets. This offense, which has always been anchored by its great lineman upfront, looks armed and ready to have a terrific season once again.

The Defense on the other hand has much to prove. Just this week the Patriots traded away former first round draft pick Richard Seymour, who had been a stalwart defensive lineman for this team for the better half of the last decade. The Raiders sent a 2011 first round draft choice in compensation for Seymour. Rodney Harrison & Tedy Bruschi have recently retired, Mike Vrabel went to Kansas City, Ellis Hobbs was traded to Philadelphia and well….you get the idea. Only 5 returning starters will be back for the Patriots defense this season, and plenty of responsibility will be put on guys like Vince Wilfork, Ty Warren, and JeRod Mayo to make sure that this defense holds up with the reputation of the past.

One last hometown note, former UConn standout defensive back Darius Butler was selected by the Patriots in the 2^nd Round of April’s NFL Draft and he has made the team with flying colors. After having a great training camp and pre-season, Butler looks to notch some immediate playing time as a backup cornerback, and will be on the field right away in nickel formations. Good luck Darius!

UConn 23 Ohio 16

The Huskies travelled to Ohio University on Saturday and came away with a victory over the hometown Bobcats. The Huskies defense looked strong all game allowing only 247 yards to Ohio. The Offense, however, could go from dominate to confused in a matter of plays. 

The team was led by the backfield tandem of Sophmore Jordan Todman and Senior Andre Dixon. Todman finished with 157 yards on 25 carries and walked in for the teams last touchdown early in the fourth. Dixon carried the ball 19 times for 100 yards and also caught two passes for 20 yards.

Junior quarterback Zach Frazer was erratic at best throughout the game finishing with 11 completions on 24 attempts for 127 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions. While two of the interceptions were arguably not Frazer's fault, as they bounced off open receivers hands to the defenders, Frazer also considerably under threw an uncovered Brad Kanuch forcing him to comeback to catch the ball on a 35 yard touchdown pass.

The Defense was led by Senior defensive end Lindsey Witten who finished with three sacks including a  saftey in the third quarter. Junior linebacker Lawrence Wilson led the team with nine tackles.

The Huskies will take on the 20th ranked North Carolina Tar Heels, who beat The Citadel 40-6 on Saturday, next Saturday at 7P.M. in Rentschler Field.

Majok Announces He Will Don a Husky Uniform This Season

After a long, tense wait, Husky fans can breathe a sigh of relief as Ater Majok announced Sunday that he will play for UConn this season. The decision came after a three month wait, where Majok declared for the NBA Draft, then withdrew his name and considered playing overseas for a season. Somewhat of a bookworm, Majok said one of the major factors for returning to UConn was to continue his education. Majok has been pursuing a degree in law from UConn this past year while he was in Storrs, and now he will be able to work more towards completing it.

Majok brings a large, athletic build to the Huskies lineup that they haven't seen since Emeka Okafor. At 6' 10", he is long, fast, and strong -- dangerous qualities that can pose a lot of problems for opponents. While he may not have the height to replace 2nd overall pick Hasheem Thabeet, he posseses a ton of offensive firepower that Thabeet lacked. While fans cringed last year everytime Thabeet took a jumpshot outside the paint, Majok consistently drains jumpshots from 18 feet, and can be incredibly versitile within the paint as well. His work ethic is unquestioned, as NBA Scouts raved about his indivudal workouts, something that Jim Calhoun values very highly.

Majok's versitility gives Calhoun a lot of options this year for the Huskies. Unless freshman Alex Oriakhi makes an overwhelming impression on Calhoun early in the season, we will mostly likely see a starting front court of Stanley Robinson, who is coming off a very successful half-season with UConn; Gavin Edwards, who is coming off somewhat of a breakout season; and Majok. Add those three to a backcourt duo of Jerome Dyson and Kemba Walker, and the Huskies may have a legitimate chance to make a long postseason run this year.

Majok Removes Name From Draft

UConn was shocked this past April when it was announced that highly anticipated basketball recruit Ater Majok, who had already been on campus preparing for the 2009-2010 season, declared for the NBA Draft. Today, Majok has officially removed his name from the draft to become eligible to play for the Huskies this upcoming season. While the UConn community can breathe a slight sigh of relief, Majok's future is still uncertain. In an interview with Mike Anthony of the Hartford Courant, Jim Calhoun said Majok is still considering playing professionally in Europe for a year before coming back to the States to play in the NBA. As the season approaches there will certainly be more information as to what Ater decides to do, but the chances of him putting on a Connecticut jersey this season seems to have gotten just a bit better.

Undrafted Free Agents

According to nepatriotsdraft.com the following teams have signed former Huskies to contracts as undrafted free agents.

Jacksonville Jaguars
QB Tyler Lorenzen
DE Julius Williams

Chicago Bears
S Dahana Deletson

Carolina Panthers
OL Keith Grey

Beatty and Brown

Offensive tackle Will Beatty has been drafted with the 60th overall pick by the New York Giants, and former defensive end Cody Brown was Drafted by the Arizona Cardinals with the 63rd overall pick. Brown will likely make the switch to outside linebacker.

Butler to Patriots

Darius Butler has been drafted with the 41st overall pick by the New England Patriots.

Donald Brown to Colts

And the question as to who would be UConn's first first ever first round pick is Donald Brown. The Indianapolis Colts pulled the trigger on the nations leading rusher. This appears to be a very good fit for both Brown and the Colts. The Colts value leadership, intelligence, and all-around skill sets. Those are all traits the Brown brings to the table. Brown can run inside, outside, catch the ball out of the backfield, and most importantly block in pass protection. Brown will be able to take advantage not having to carry the entire load, and will become a better player as he learns from Manning.

Congratulations to Michael Oher

Michael Oher, an offensive tackle from Mississippi, has just been selected by the Baltimore Ravens with the the 23rd pick in the draft. For those of you that don't know Oher's story, it is amazing that he is still alive, never mind about to make millions playing in the NFL. Oher never knew his father, and his mother was a drug addict. He repeated both the first and second grades on his way to attending 11 different schools in his first 9 years in school. He would eventually be taken in by the Tuohy family, who would end up adopting him. The Tuohy family helped Oher raise his grades, and he started playing football. By the end of high school his grades were good enough to go to college, and he was the top offensive line prospect in the country. The story of Oher's life was the subject of The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game, a book written by Michael Lewis in 2006 that is set to be made into a movie.

Draft Grades - First 10 Picks

1. Detroit Lions: Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia - A
Really the Lions could have picked anyone and it would have helped their team. Stafford should be able to become a steady starter in this league. Overall a very good selection.
2. St. Louis Rams: Jason Smith, OT, Baylor - A
Smith wasn't my top rated tackle but might be a better fit for this team. Either way they went the right direction with helping Marc Bulger.
3. Kansas City Chiefs: Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU - B-
The Chiefs reached here. If they had been able to trade down to one of the teams that wanted Sanchez they still would have been able to get him. However he does fit the defense and fills a need.
4. Seattle Seahawks: Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest - A+
Anytime you can get the best player in the draft its a good move. Curry will step in as a starter right away.
5. New York Jets: Mark Sanchez, QB, USC - A+
So the Jets ended up being the team to pull the trigger a move up for Mark Sanchez. What is amazing is that they didn't really give up that much to get him.
6. Cincinnati Bengals: Andre Smith, OT, Alabama - A-
Smith will be a solid player for the Bengals, however Monroe was still on the board and is not only a better player but a better fit in the Bengals pass happy offense.
7. Oakland Raiders: Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland - D
Darrius Heyward-Bey can be a very good player. However this pick is an example of why the Raiders are a poorly run team. If you decide that you want Heyward-Bey instead of Crabtree or Maclin that fine, but drafting him with the 7th pick is not a good decision. the Raiders could have easily moved down five or six spots and still gotten him, for less money and with more picks in hand.
8. Jacksonville Jaguars: Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia - A-
The Jags should have gone receiver here especially with Crabtree still on the board. That being said Monroe will be a very good player that will be able to help them right away.
9. Green Bay Packers: B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College - B+
Raji is a very good player but not at a position of desperate need for the Packers.
10. San Francisco 49ers: Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech- A+
When you get a chance to acquire a player of this caliber at this point in the draft you can't pass up.

Round 1 Mock Draft

1. Detroit Lions: Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia
Really the Lions could have picked anyone and it would have helped their team. But when it was leaked last night that they had agreed to a deal with Stafford, nobody was surprised.
2. St. Louis Rams: Jason Smith, OT, Baylor
While it appears the Rams want to trade down that doesn't appear likely to happen. Assuming they keep their pick they will likely daft a top offensive tackle. This was a serious need last year and a year later they have released Orlando Pace making this an even more important need. Indications are that they are leaning toward Jason Smith.
3. Kansas City Chiefs: Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU
This pick is the wild card. The Chiefs can go a few different ways here, and have expressed a lot of interest in trading down. In the end if they stay here they will likely reach for Tyson Jackson here because he looks like the best fit in their new defense.
4. Seattle Seahawks: Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia
Seattle's pick will depend a lot on what the Chiefs do. There is a lot of speculation surrounding the possibility of them selecting Mark Sanchez as a successor to Matt Hasselbeck. However I don't think that they will go in this direction. If the Seahawks think they can compete again soon then they need to pick a player that can have an impact sooner rather than later. Monroe can be slotted into the line somewhere and will eventually replace the aging Walter Jones.
5. Cleveland Browns: Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest
With Mangini in charge the focal point of the team will be defense. That being said Curry is the best player in the draft and I think it would be very hard for the browns to pass up on him. If they do manage to trade Braylon Edwards they would have to think long and hard about drafting Michael Crabtree.
6. Cincinnati Bengals: Andre Smith, OT, Alabama
Smith might just be the top tackle in the draft and this is a position of need for the Bengals
7. Oakland Raiders: Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri
The Raiders need a top receiver to help out JaMarcus Russell. Maclin will be the pick because of Owner Al Davis' obsession with speed.
8. Jacksonville Jaguars: Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech
This is a position where Jacksonville desperately needs a difference maker. While they will likely try to trade out of this pick, especially if Sanchez is still on the board, if Crabtree falls to them it will be very hard not to take him.
9. Green Bay Packers: Brian Orakpo, DE/OLB, Texas
The Packers are looking to address their defense and like to pick the best player available. Orakpo is just that and would be a good fit in their new defensive scheme.
10. San Francisco 49ers: Mark Sanchez, QB, USC
In all likelihood a team will trade up to select Sanchez before this, but assuming that doesn't happen I don't see Sanchez slipping past the 49ers.
11. Buffalo Bills: Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee
The Bills need help at offensive tackle but with the top options gone they will likely go to address their defense. Ayers is a fast pass rusher, which the Bills are currently lacking.
12. Denver Broncos: B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College
The Broncos are installing a 3-4 defense and have no options for nose tackle at this spot. After dominating at the Senior Bowl look for the Broncos to jump on Raji to fill this need.
13. Washington Redskins: Aaron Maybin, DE, Penn State
They want to trade up for Sanchez but if they can't they will likely address their biggest need, a difference maker at defensive end.
14. New Orleans Saints: Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State
The Saints have one of the worst secondaries in football. While it is not certain whether Jenkins is a better fit at corner or safety long term, either will help the Saints
15. Houston Texans: Clay Matthews, OLB, USC
The Texas need help on the outside, and while Cushing is the better prospect, Matthews uncle is a coach on the team and the Texas may decide to take him instead.
16. San Diego Chargers: Chris Wells, RB, Ohio State
LT is getting old and having problems with injuries. Darren Sproles won't be able to serve as the long term starter and Wells would be a very good complement to him.
17. New York Jets: Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland
The Jets need both a QB and a good receiver. Freeman is an option here but I think the Jets will try to trade for someone like Jason Campbell instead. Heyward-Bey could become the best receiver in this draft.
18. Denver Broncos: Brian Cushing, OLB, USC
Denver needs help just about everywhere on defense. Having already picked Raji, and with Jenkins off the board they will likely go with the best linebacker left.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas State
New head coach Raheem Morris used to coach Freeman at Kansas State and the Buccaneers need a quarterback.
20. Detroit Lions: Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss
The Lions want to solidify their offensive and defensive lines. The could go either way here, however I see them going with Jerry because they should be able to get a good offensive tackle with the first pick in the second round, and depth on the defensive side isn't that good.
21. Philadelphia Eagles: Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia
After solidifying their offensive line the Eagles need help at running back. Moreno would be a good fit with this team, and be able to contribute immediately.
22. Minnesota Vikings: Michael Oher, OT, Mississippi
The Vikings will either go wide receiver or offensive tackle here. Oher is the best player left on the board at either position and will be able to step in from day one as a starter
23. New England Patriots: Darius Butler, CB, Connecticut
The Patriots don't have many holes, however they could use some help at corner. Butler is a fast player who could excel in the Patriot's defense.
24. Atlanta Falcons: Evander Hood, DT, Missouri
Last year it was reported by many that the Falcons were thinking about taking Glenn Dorsey over Matt Ryan. A year later the Falcons still have a hole here and Hood is the best remaining option.
25. Miami Dolphins: Clint Sintim, ILB, Virginia
While they likely need a wide receiver more this team is run by Bill Parcells. Therefore expect them to select the best linebacker available.
26. Baltimore Ravens: Eben Britton, OT, Arizona
The Ravens need a young offensive tackle to be able to come in and start right away. Given their physical style Britton is the best fit.
27. Indianapolis Colts: Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina
The Colts would love for a top tackle to fall to them and would have to think hard if a top linebacker does. With that not likely to happen the Colts will look for a receiver to replace Marvin Harrison, and Nicks appears to be the best fit in this team.
28. Buffalo Bills: Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State
The bill should probably go offensive tackle here but if Pettigrew is still on the board they probably can't pass him up.
29. New York Giants: Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers
The Giants will be looking for a receiver that can help Eli Manning. Britt has the potential to be a similar player to Plaxico Burress
30. Tennessee Titans: Percy Harvin, WR, Florida
The Titans don't have many holes but could use a play-making receiver. They might be scared away by his positive test for marijuana.
31. Arizona Cardinals: Donald Brown, RB, Connecticut
The Cardinals need a running back more than anyone else in the draft. With Edgeran James on his way out, and the struggles of Tim Hightower last year, brown could make an immediate impact.
32. Pittsburgh Steelers: Eric Wood, C/G, Louisville
The Steelers like to select the best player available, and Wood is one of the top left. Wood could start at guard or tackle for the Steelers and has the physical style of play the team likes.

NFL Draft Preview

In just a few hours the 2009 NFL Draft will start. The dreams of 256 young men will come true when they hear their name called out at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. So with Draft Day upon us I decided to release my pre-draft top five for each position, except for fullback, kicker and punter.

Quarterback
1. Mark Sanchez - USC
2. Matt Stafford - Georgia
3. Josh Freeman - Kansas State
4. Stephen McGee - Texas A&M
5. Rhett Bomar - Sam Houston State

Runningback
1. Knowshon Moreno - Georgia
2. Chris Wells - Ohio State
3. Donald Brown - Connecticut
4. LeSean McCoy - Pittsburgh
5. Shonn Greene - Iowa

Wide Reciever
1. Michael Crabtree - Texas Tech
2. Darrius Heyward-Bey - Maryland
3. Jeremy Maclin - Missouri
4. Hakeem Nicks - North Carolina
5. Kenny Britt - Rutgers

Tight End
1. Brandon Pettigrew - Oklahoma State
2. Jared Cook - South Carolina
3. Travis Beckum - Wisconsin
4. Cornelius Ingram - Florida
5. Shawn Nelson - Southern Mississippi

Offensive Tackle
1. Eugene Monroe - Virginia
2. Jason Smith - Baylor
3. Andre Smith - Alabama
4. Michael Oher - Mississippi
5. William Beatty - Connecticut

Offensive Guard
1. Duke Robinson - Oklahoma
2. Louis Vasquez - Texas Tech
3. Herman Johnson - LSU
4. Kraig Urbik - Wisconsin
5. Andy Levitre - Oregon State

Center
1. Eric Wood - Louisville
2. Alex Mack - California
3. Max Unger - Oregon
4. Antoine Caldwell - Alabama
5. Jonathan Luigs - Arkansas

Defensive End
1. Brian Orakpo - Texas
2. Tyson Jackson - LSU
3. Robert Ayers - Tennessee
4. Aaron Maybin - Penn State
5. Everette Brown - Florida State

Defensive Tackle
1. B.J. Raji - Boston College
2. Peria Jerry - Ole Miss
3. Evander Hood - Missouri
4. Roy Miller - Texas
5. Sen'Derrick Marks - Auburn

Outside Linebacker
1. Aaron Curry - Wake Forest
2. Brian Cushing - USC
3. Clay Matthews - USC
4. Marcus Freeman - Ohio State
5. Cody Brown - Connecticut

Inside Linebacker
1. Rey Maualuga - USC
2. Clint Sintim - Virginia
3. James Laurinaitis - Ohio State
4. Darry Beckwith - LSU
5. Jason Phillips - TCU

Cornerback
1. Malcolm Jenkins - Ohio State
2. Vontae Davis - Illinois
3. Darius Butler - Connecticut
4. Alphonso Smith - Wake Forest
5. D.J. Moore - Vanderbilt

Safety
1. Louis Delmas - Western Michigan
2. William Moore - Missouri
3. Patrick Chung - Oregon
4. Darcel McBath - Texas Tech
5. Rashad Johnson - Alabama

To witness UConn win its sixth national title was indescribable. If you were ever an athlete, you can relate to that feeling of triumph and accomplishment.  Of course, we all knew that the Cardinals had no chance to overthrow the Huskies, but even as the buzzer sounded to end the game, chills came over me. 

To think that UConn went 39-0 this season is a remarkable feat. Only 5 teams in NCAA history have done that, and 3 of those belong to Connecticut. Even more impressive, the women's program is the first team, for both men and women, to beat every opponent by double digits. I have had the opportunity to cover these girls the entire year, and they are truly a special group. They are the most dedicated, driven and selfless players in college basketball. They have been together since day one, with Geno was demanding nothing short of perfection. 

Today, I went to the pep rally to welcome the girls back from St. Louis. Again, this is an experience that I will take with me long after I graduate. When something like this happens, you really learn to appreciate your school and all that it stands for. UConn women's basketball exemplifies greatness in every form of the word. They've  set a standard for all UConn athletes, which will only take the rest of our sport programs to the next level. The team and the entire coaching staff were so thrilled to be back on their home turf at Gampel Pavilion. They received an astounding ovation from the crowd and Geno Auriemma, Maya Moore, Tina Charles and Renee Montgomery all gave their words of appreciation.  

It's hard to believe this year has come to and end. But there is no doubt that the Huskies will be ready to make a run at their 7th national title next year! Congrats!

Looking Forward to Next Season

Geno might not want to talk about next year but lets take a look. The Huskies have to be the favorites to win a championship next year and will likely enter the season as the number one ranked team in the country. Departing will be Renee Montgomery, Tahirah Williams, and Cassie Kerns. While Montgomery will be remembered as one of the best players in UConn history, Williams and Kerns were never a factor on the court during their careers' at UConn. The Huskies will return All-Americans Maya Moore and Tina Charles, as well as starters Kalana Green, Tiffany Hayes, and Caroline Doty. Fans may remember that Doty was starting over Hayes before she suffered a season ending injury. At the time of her injury she was averaging 8.6 points per game. These five will likely be the starters and will be joined by Kaili Mclaren, Lorin Dixon, and Meghan Gardler off the bench.

PERFECTION!

They've done it. The UConn Women's Basketball team has finished of an undefeated season by winning a 76-54 game against Big East rival Louisville in the national championship game. Tina Charles was named the tournament's most outstanding player. This team has to go down as one of, if not the greatest women's team in history. The Huskies were rarely challenged all year and won every game by at least 10 points. They were led by National Player of the Year Maya Moore, along with All-American's Renee Montgomery and Tina Charles. This will be the sixth national championship in team history, all having come during hall of fame coach Geno Auriemma's tenure. This is the third time he has led the Huskies to undefeated championship seasons.

First Half

It's been quite an interesting first half. Louisville has played very strong defense all half and held the lead early. However, when they stopped making their shots UConn was able to pull away to a 39-25 halftime lead.

Pregame

With the crowd starting to come in and the players on the court stretching you can feel the anticipation rising in this building. As the rest of the team stretches injured freshman Caroline Doty can be seen standing on the court watching a montage all NCAA championship event, that is being played on the jumbotron. This will be the last game of the season and likely the last game in the careers of reserve seniors Tahirah Williams and Cassie Kerns, who are unlikely to turn pro, and star senior Renee Montgomery, who is expected to be a top pick in Thursday's WNBA draft.
If the Huskies win tonight it will be thier first title since 2004. They will also finish the season undefeated.

When Someone Loses, Another Has To Win...

If I were to write down all the negative adjectives to describe this trip to Detroit, I would run out of room on this blog.  As a UConn fan first and foremost, it is very difficult to find anything positive to come out of this trip.  Our travel out here was nothing short of a ride through Hell (see Jess' post below).  Our expectations of at least making it to the National Championship were cut extremely short by Michigan State.  Now, with snow coming in on Monday into Tuesday, I'm forced to forego sitting courtside for the final game and pay an extra $250 to get home early enough so I don't risk hitting a delay in the airport and miss my flight to Nationals for volleyball early Wednesday morning.  Any person in my situation would just sit back and think about how much they hate their life, (as I have been doing since around 8:30pm yesterday) but I have made some attempts to find good in the midst of all this negativity.

            Unless you've been living under a rock for the past year you know quite well of the financial crisis of the country, and nowhere has been hit harder than the city of Detroit.  The car capital of the US, companies here have been cutting costs and laying off workers left and right, leaving more than 1 in 5 residents without a job.  Schools are failing, businesses are closing, and people around here are doing their best just to put food on the table.

            When cities are struggling and times are hard, everyone looks for some type of hope, a small ray of light through a sky full of dark clouds.  For most, this light comes in the form of their hometown sports teams.  Although your home team making it to the playoffs or winning a title probably won’t get you a job or put money in your pocket, it boosts mental morale.  It gives you something to root for, some hope that a part of you is embedded in that team that is going on to do great things and not all hope is lost.  Yet here in Detroit, salt has been poured all over the wounds, as most of their teams have been struggling just as much as their economy…

            The Lions were the laughing stock of the NFL (and the whole sports world in general) this past season.  They fired their head coach and GM, traded away their #1 receiver, and signed a washed up quarterback who only made them worse.  Their 0-16 finish solidified them as the worst team in NFL history.  MSU's win over UConn last night in Ford Field was the first win in that stadium by any Michigan-based team in almost 2 years.

            After winning the division title the previous 4 years, the powerhouse Pistons seem to finish in the top 4 in the Eastern Conference almost every year.  Now 25 games back in the division, they are clinging for dear life on a playoff berth, three games under .500 and three games ahead of Charlotte for the 8th and final spot.

            The Detroit Tigers won 95 games in 2006 to clinch a spot in the playoffs, 24 wins more than in the 2005 season.  Following a very strong start to 2007, the Tigers just narrowly missed another Wild Card ticket to the post-season.  They followed in 2008 with high hopes, only to finish dead last in the AL Central division.  One can only hope Magz and the Tigers can make it to October this year.  

            University of Michigan football, normally a bulldozer in the Big 10 and all of college football, was nothing more than a doormat last season.  Under new head coach and alum Rich Rodriguez, the Wolverines finished with just 3 wins last year, their lowest total since 1963, and failed to make a bowl game for the first time in over 30 years.  

            The only consistency in professional sports to come out of Detroit has seemed to be the Red Wings.  The reigning World Champs have been in the running for the Stanley Cup almost ever year for the past decade.  Then again, it’s hockey, which doesn’t really matter to anybody who isn’t in Canada or near the Canadian border.

            So here we are, less than 24 hours from the biggest game in college basketball.  Tom Izzo has done his best with a team full of local players, and has managed to turn them into one of the best teams in the nation.  Just over 90 miles from Detroit lies East Lansing, MI, home of the Spartans.  The town is split between U of M fans and Michigan State fans, but now, everyone in Detroit is a State fan.  This town full of underdogs is now supporting their hometown David in its fight against Goliath.  Like the people in this town, the Spartans have been beaten, bruised, disregarded, forgotten about.  Nobody said they could take down #1 seeded Louisville, yet they rose to the occasion.  Nobody thought they could beat two #1 seeds in a row, especially two #1 Big East teams, yet they stepped up in front of 72,000 strong and got the job done.  Now they get ready to take stage in front of a bigger crowd than Super Bowl XL and attempt to do the unthinkable.

            Like I said before, being in this situation as a UConn fan is awful.  The empty feeling that sat in my stomach when the game clock hit :00 was one of the worst feelings I’ve ever had in my life.  Yet put yourself on the other side.  Picture yourself just for one second as a State fan in Detroit.  You’ve had nothing to cheer about for the past few years.  You or somebody close to you has lost their job, their car, their home.  The teams you have been supporting with all of your heart over the years has been very disappointing this year.  Your morale, your self-esteem, your pride is in the gutter, and the light at the end of the tunnel seems a million miles away.  Here come the Spartans, the underdogs, just like you.  They’ve risen to the top right in front of your very eyes, defeating the best of the best.  It gives you some of your morale, some of your pride back.  You feel that maybe, just maybe, if State can pull away from it, maybe I can too.  

            So UConn fans, although we came up short this year, think of some of the positives that have come from it.  A small loss for us gives hope to others that far succeeds any we could imagine.  Jeff, AJ, Hasheem, Craig, we’re going to miss you guys, and we can’t thank you enough for what you did for this program.  But don’t hang your head on the fact that you came up short, because the cards are falling for the Spartans, and maybe soon enough, for the people of Detroit.

Title Game Matchup

And your title game will be played between the Louisville Cardinals and the UConn Huskies. This will be the third time these two Big East opponents have faced off this year. The Huskies won a regular season match up in Gampel 93-65. They were led that night by Maya Moore who had 27 points and 11 rebounds and freshman Tiffany Hayes scored a then career-high 23 points. The second match up took place in the Big East Championship game in which Moore scored 28 on the way to a 75-36 UConn win. The Cardinals are led by All-American Angel McCoughtry.

Keys to Victory

As the first national semifinal game in winding to a close I'll go over my keys to victory for the UConn Huskies.

First they need to channel emotions. Getting to this stage is emotional for every team, and none of UConn's current players has won a national title before. Also, a factor will be the opponent as Stanford was the last team to beat UConn.

Second is bench play. Jayne Appel is the Stanford offense and Tina Charles can not be depended upon to guard her all night. For the team to succeed players like Kaili McLaren and Meghan Gardler will need to step up and play a some minutes.

Third will be to play their own game. If Stanford forces the Huskies out of thier normal offense they can win the game. UConn needs to stick to it's game plan in this one.

The Final Four

We're here in St. Louis, where the final four is underway. It's unbelievable being here. We're watching the 2nd half of the Louisville/Oklahoma game. It's down to the wire, tied up at 42 a piece. After last night's lost to Michigan State, the UConn fan basis could really use some cheering up.

If there is any team that can deliver, it's the women's team. You really couldn't ask for a better primetime matchup between Stanford and Connecticut. What do you know, it's the same game. Just last year, UConn suffered a heartbreaking loss to this team (82-73) in the national semifinals. Tonight is going to be all about intensity, and these girls are hungry for a national championship.

Stanford is no joke though. UConn needs to watch out for Jayne Appel, who scored 46 points against Iowa State. The Huskies need to stay out of foul trouble and come out with the same momentum they've maintained throughout the entire season. The "big three" need to be on their a-game. Take smart shots, go to the hoop and feed the ball to Hayes for those big threes! Tip-off in a hour. Here we go ladies.

Goodbye, Dual National Championships

So I guess the stars were not aligned.  No rioting on campus, no burning/flipping cars, no dual national championships for the men's and women's basketball teams.

We're sitting in the hotel lobby in Detroit so that we do not have to pay for internet, and all I can see are all of these happy Michigan St. fans.  There are even discounts in the food court for State fans.  And yes, good for them, good for the city, I'm glad they are bringing hope to Detroit.  

But I'm still disappointed.  After all we went through to just get out here, as the signs say in Ford Field, the road ends here.  

Michigan State fought hard and unfortunately we did not fight hard enough back.  At the press conference Jim Calhoun did not seem angry or upset, but rather just proud of his team and how far they had come, which was nice to see.  The players definitely took it hard though, as is expected.

Anyway we'll have updates on the show this week.  Let's go UConn Women tonight against Stanford.  Dan and Sam will be posting with updates from St. Louis.

We are not happy right now.  Too unhappy to update on the stats of the game.  Instead we're trying to find a way home earlier than Tuesday night.

More updates when we are not depressed.

Stars Align for UConn

As UConn gets set to tip-off here at Ford Field to start the 2009 Final Four, we can't help but think that this year may be nothing more than a repeat of history.  Back in 1999, UConn made it to the Final Four for the first time in school history.  The winner of the West Region, the Huskies went on to beat Duke, an ACC team, for their first National Championship.  During the tournament, Coach Calhoun missed a game due to illness.  Five years later, UConn made it to its second Final Four by winning the West region yet again, where they went on to beat Georgia Tech, another ACC team, for their second National Championship.  Coach Calhoun, again, missed a game in the tournament due to illness.  Here we are in 2009, another 5 years since our last Final Four appearance.  Calhoun has already missed the first round game against Chattanooga due do dehydration.  The Huskies have made it to the Final Four via a win over Missouri to take the West Region.  Heavily favored UNC, an ACC team, awaits Villanova following UConn's game against Michigan State.  Should all of the stars align for UConn, they will be facing an ACC team in the final after making it to the Final Four by winning the West Region 5 years removed from the late title, including a missed game by Calhoun due to illness.  Should this happen, we would have no reason to believe that UConn shouldn't take home their 3rd National Championship back to Storrs.

At the Final Four

Here we are ... finally.  Yesterday was a complete mess trying to get out to Detroit.  Dan, Rich, and I woke up at five in the morning to drive to Bradley Int'l.  Our flight was delayed, but we still managed to fly out from Hartford to Philly.  Once in Philly, our flight to Detroit got canceled and so did basically every other flight out there that was not full ... why?  Due to a little mist.  Every possible way to get to Detroit was either full or canceled - even if we tried to connect to a flight in a different city.

So we finally got a flight to Cleveland (without the help of the Philadelphia Airport staff) and ended up driving from there to Detroit with a few other stranded people headed in the same direction.  Two and a half hours in a car later and we reached the Detroit Airport.  At the airport we waited for at least an hour for Rich's bags, which ended up not arriving.  We then went to catch the shuttle to the hotel and were informed that it had just left about a minute before we got there.  This day was not going well.  Forty-five minutes later the shuttle takes us on a half hour ride to the hotel.  Starving and exhausted we sat at the crowded hotel restaurant (while the cougar waitress was hitting on Rich relentlessly) until we got enough nourishment to go off and hit the hay.

In summary we were supposed to be in Detroit by 1 pm and did not get there until 9 pm.  Great day.

Today, however, has been quite a different story.  The sun is shining, Ford Field looks great, we're well rested, and things are looking up.  

This area is pretty awesome.  Police blocked off the roads so that we can walk anywhere.  There are tons of fans, though obviously they are mainly Michigan State supporters.  Even the bar designated for Huskies fans was full of green instead of Husky Blue.  UConn fans are minimal in numbers, but the student section was still enthusiastic (or maybe just drunk).  Rich got hit on by another cougar when he asked how to get to the Hockeytown Bar and she said it was in her bedroom.  Overall, however, we got some great footage of screaming Huskies Fans, UNC Fans, and Michigan State Fans, though the Villanova fans seemed to be absent.  

So here we are a little less than an hour and a half before game time, and most people are expecting UConn to take the win tonight.  We'll have more updates as the game gets rolling.

Close Game

This game has remained close in the first half for several reasons. My first reason is Arizona's defensive play. The Sun Devils are playing very tight pressure defense on the perimeter which has led to poor guard play from UConn. This left Tina Charles open early but have been plagued by bad passes that have led to tounovers. Second would be bench magement. Geno has only played Lorin Dixon of the bench, while ASU has played everyone dressed for the game. This rotation has allowed the Sun Devils to remain fresh on the floor. The biggest reason has been the officiating. The officials have made many dubious calls, and non calls that have kept the game close.

UConn vs. ASU

Well everybody, the "March to the Arc" all comes down to this...UConn and ASU tipping off in just a few minutes. The girls look ready to go as always. You can just see it in their faces that they are on a mission. For the 4th consecutive season and the 15th time in the program's history, the Lady Huskies have advanced to the NCAA Regional Finals. This team has advanced to the Final Four in six of the last nine seasons. There is no question that Connecticut was tested for the first half in Sunday's game against California, and as Coach Auriemma said in his press conference yesterday, "If you're going to the Final Four I think you're going to have to be tested, and I think tomorrow is going to be one."

We weren't used to seeing the Huskies so shaky on Sunday, but that's what these games are all about. Tiffany Hayes had the game of her life, scoring a career high 28 points. Like Kemba Walker did on Saturday, she stepped her game up. The other girls fed off her energy and were able to play at an elite level the 2nd half.

Arizona has the longest streak of NCAA appearances in the school's history, and they will be playing in the regional final for the 2nd time in the past three seasons. Game time is here!

Cal's Band

Cal's band has been very into the game, often trying to drown out UConn's fans by playing. Some of the some selections have been interesting. Such as Smells like Teen Spirt by Nirvana.

Hayes

Freshman Tiffany Hayes has carried the team so far and is up to a game high 25 points. Meanwhile Ashley Walker leads Cal with 18 points.

Fans

This game has become just as much a battle of the fans. During timeouts they are trying to outdo each other with large group cheers.

Uconn leads at Half

Uconn went on a at the end of the first half to take the lead going into halftime. That got the UConn fans going and ended their silence. This game has been a tug-of-war of wills and looks to stay that way in the second half.

Cal leads

As Cal leads half-way through the first half this crowd has come to strongly favor the Golden Bears. The amount of Cal fans seems to largely outnumber the UConn fans. Other fans in the arena are going over to Cal as well.

Fouls

Early in the game the Huskies have struggled making their shots. Compounding problems for UConn has been their post players’ foul trouble. Both starter Tina Charles, and backup Kaili McLaren have already picked up two fouls.

UConn-Cal

The Connecticut Huskies are taking on the University of California today in the sweet 16. This will be the first time Cal has ever been to the Sweet 16. The Golden Bears are led by the trio of Devanei Hampton, Alexis Gray-Lawson, and Ashley Walker.

On the way ...

We've made it to the final four.  And Pitt lost today.  Could the situation be any better?  ... Maybe but we're doing better than anybody predicted.

It's late and I don't feel like detailing the game (because I wasn't able to watch all of it), but basically UConn is awesome.  Good luck in the final four, guys.

Gameday

After a three-day hiatus the NCAA Tournament resumes tonight with four games on the slate. The UConn Huskies will face off against the Purdue Boilermakers in Glendale, Arizona in a Sweet Sixteen matchup in about 4 and a half hours. UConn rolled through Chattanooga and Texas A&M last week and will look to continue their scorching hot play tonight. 

Over the past day or so UConn has been on the front page of every sports website but not for on-the-court issues. By now everyone knows about the Yahoo! Sports story that broke yesterday morning involving possible NCAA violations in UConn's recruitment of Nate Miles. Jim Calhoun said in his press conference yesterday that he hopes this will not be a distraction and he thinks his team is focused, but we will see tonight whether all of these issues have had an effect on the team.

I personally think this situation may help the Huskies focus. This group of players has dealt with a great deal of distractions since they've been at UConn and this is just another one that will help to motivate them and prove the doubters wrong. I'm not denying that Purdue is a very good basketball team that can play with the Huskies. But after watching the team live in Philadelphia last week, they truly look like they are on a mission. A.J. Price is the unquestioned leader of this team, and if Adrien, Stix, and Thabeet join the senior point guard in bringing their game to the next level, the 2008-2009 UConn Huskies can accomplish their ultimate goal.

The pursuit of a championship continues tonight at 7:07 p.m. with a win advancing UConn to the regional final on Saturday. Look for complete coverage on the blog during and after the game.