WAHOO NATION PRESENTS: Ben G's Random Rants

UVA's Jameel Sewell Used To Facing Adversity

2009-08-16T14:07:00.001-04:00

It's déjà vu at the Virginia football training camp this August.

Quarterback Jameel Sewell, after a year hiatus from college, is back on the field with his No. 10 jersey and confident stride to boot.

Indeed, looking at him it is almost like nothing has changed. He’s still a good runner that can buy time in the pocket. He’s still an inconsistent passer, particularly from over 15 yards. Most importantly, for the third straight season, he is a part of a major quarterback battle.

However, things are not always what they seem, particularly in college football. What has changed for the Hermitage High graduate is what might make Sewell surprise everyone coming into his senior season in Charlottesville, Va.

Sewell’s last year at Virginia was a roller coaster few have ever experienced. He went from a fierce battle over true freshman Pete Lalich for the starter’s role, to a seven-game winning streak and to Virginia’s first Gator Bowl appearance in nearly fifteen years.

In Jacksonville, Fla. Sewell helped lead his team to a 28-14 lead over the Texas Tech Red Raiders with only eight minutes to go. Virginia coach Al Groh was tantalizingly close to matching the school record for wins in a season and notch a big victory on his resume.

Then, disaster struck for the Cavaliers.

Sewell went out with an injury and Lalich was thrust into the game. The air came out of the sails for Virginia so quickly that the Cavaliers had no chance. When Lalich fumbled the ball inside the ten, the Red Raiders spelled blood and walked away with victory.

Sewell’s bad news continued just a few weeks later when it was announced he had been ruled academically ineligible for next season.

The sophomore now had to wonder what the future had in store for him.

Should he try to make the grade and return for next season? Should he transfer and sit out a year?

There were no easy answers, but then again, Sewell’s entire career at Virginia has been anything but easy.

Sewell was literally thrown into the fire his freshman year at Virginia. The team was Christian Olsen’s to lose and he quickly did in 2006 for the Cavaliers after a woeful performance to open the season against the Pittsburgh Panters.

When back-up quarterback Kevin McCabe had two interceptions leading to touchdowns for the Western Michigan Broncos, Groh pulled the plug and put his trust in the young Sewell before halftime.

Sewell’s debut was respectable, going 7-of-10 for 51 yards, however, his team failed to score any points and the Cavaliers suffered one of their more humiliating losses at home in the Groh era.

What transpired after that debut has been one rocky road for Virginia fans to stomach.

Sewell has yet to find the consistency that quarterbacks need in order to be successful. For every good drive he has in a game, the next drive he may overshoot a wide-open receiver by five or ten yards. It was almost like he suffered from dual personality.

“Bad Sewell” would throw interceptions and make terrible decisions while in the pocket. While his predecessor Marques Hagans did a good job of knowing when to run or pass when the play broke down, Sewell almost never seemed to get it right.

Sometimes he bailed too early and was in no man’s land, other times it appeared he was waiting for the grass to grow and a defensive lineman soon gave him a closer look.

One need not look far for examples of “Bad Sewell” rearing his ugly head.

11-of-23 for 87 yards against Wyoming with two interceptions may be the pinnacle, but let’s not forget the 15-of-31 for 115 yards and two interceptions against Georgia Tech or 9-of-14 for 60 yards against Duke.

It’s little wonder that Sewell has had to fight off contenders for the starting position.

Then again, every time you thought you had Sewell figured out, along would come the “Good Sewell.”

Sewell simply found ways to win his sophomore year. No matter how much he struggled in the second half, he would bring it all together to get the victory by miraculously finding a rhythm and marching the team to victory.

The quintessential example of this was against Middle Tennessee State, a game the Cavaliers had to win and were on the verge of losing and derailing a four-game winning streak.

A Sewell interception had given the Blue Raiders a 21-20 lead, but when the Virginia defense picked up the critical stop, “Good Sewell” made an impressive appearance.

Shaking off the pick, Sewell confidently threw Virginia down the field going 4-of-5 for 63 yards with less than two minutes to go. A late field goal gave the Cavaliers the victory and “Good Sewell” had a reputation he would bolster again and again in 2007.

Sure he has plenty of question marks and concerns, he can drive Virginia fans to an early grave but he is a winner.

So imagine the concern many had when it was found out that Sewell would not be at the University of Virginia in 2008. That concern only grew when Pete Lalich’s troubles on and off the field forced him to transfer and Marc Verica’s interceptions cost Virginia a chance at a bowl game.

Well, Sewell was not crying at home while all this transpired down in Charlottesville. He could have felt sorry for himself and his situation but instead he did what he does best; he went to work.

Sewell was working at Piedmont Community College and even found time to be the quarterbacks coach at Charlottesville High School. The entire time he was keeping himself in shape and keeping his hunger for a return to the university he had grown to love.

“He did not want to quit on this team,” teammate and fellow quarterback candidate Vic Hall said to the Daily Progress.

Well Sewell’s hard work has paid off. He is back in good academic standing and is poised for a return this fall to Scott Stadium. Better yet, he is still in position to graduate from one of the top universities in the nation.

Sewell is a story with an ending yet to be written, but judging from the first few chapters, readers should expect plenty of drama and intrigue. With three experienced options at quarterback, playing time will be a true challenge for all the competitors.

Earning his spot under center will not be easy for Sewell, and that’s just how he likes it.

He's Back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2007-07-01T18:11:00.000-04:00

Virginia basketball got a huge boost to its program when Virginia all-star point guard Sean Singletary took his name out of the NBA draft to return to Charlottesville for his senior year.

The 6'0 (on a good day) guard had several work outs in Orlando for the Trailblazers and the Philadelphia 76ers. However, it appeared that Singletary would not be a first round draft pick, if drafted at all. Through the experience Singletary has learned in what aspects he must improve his game. If he can make progress, not only will his draft stock rise but so will the Virginia Cavalier program.

The biggest critique most NBA scouts seemed to find was that Singletary's defense is not quite where it should be. Even though the NBA and defense seem mutually exclusive, with Singletary's lack of height, his speed must be a critical tool in his arsenal. He has done a great job so far of using his speed to get to the lane, now he must master using that speed to torment people when they have the ball. Singletary had many memorable moments last year, obviously the shot against Duke has become emblematic of his three years here. However, another big moment came when he skied high to steal the ball against Arizona and ran down the court for an impressive dunk from the point guard. If fans can see some more of these high intensity plays, fans can expect some major success.

The second major area for improvement will be moving towards a pure point guard. Singletary is an incredible player, but he still has room to improve when it comes to managing an offense. Some of these problems have come from a lack of scoring options. His sophomore year he only had 7 scholarship players and he still lacks a quality center he can use as a safety valve when pressured by the defense. This year, however, Singletary will have many scoring options. Mamadi Diane comes back as the most improved player and a threat to score anywhere on the court. Adrian Joseph made major strides near the end of last year and a crew of talented freshman shooters give Singletary some options to help get into the game. If he can work on his passing these options will have success. Most importantly Singletary must walk that thin line of knowing when to let others be involved in the offense and when he must take over. While Singletary has won his fair share of games for Virginia sometimes he has shot them out of games on the road by trying to force the issue instead of giving the ball up to the hot hand. With a severe lack of front court options and the departure of J.R. Reynolds, Singletary will face defensive schemes entirely concentrated on him. Therefore, he must find a way to make his supporting cast effective or the results will suffer.

Still, Singletary is a star and someone that puts people in the seats. The little guy has a heart and tenacity that few will ever possess. He has shown his potential from the beginning of his career, breaking two freshman records in the first two games. He has a mental fortitude that awes the usually stoic Dave Leitao and a game that the entire ACC respects. This year, Virginia will try to improve upon a tremendous season last year where the Cavaliers tied for the ACC Regular Season Championship with North Carolina and came within inches of reaching the Sweet Sixteen. It's a moment that most fans in Virginia would like to forget. Singletary fallen on the floor, like a hero slain in battle. Well he has been given a reprieve and I think everyone understands, it's a finale that no one will want to miss.

Strike Three

2007-06-05T22:12:00.000-04:00

There is no joy in Charlottesville but not because the great Casey struck out, but rather ran out of gas.

Senior pitcher Casey Lambert, the all-time ACC saves leader; was asked to go out and do the impossible. Propel Virginia to its first ever super regionals after pitching 6.2 innings on Saturday in a marathon game with the Oregon State Beavers. Lambert didn't have it and even though Virginia had an explosive second inning to take a 3-2 lead, they were left with a 7-3 defeat in front of a disillusioned crowd of 2,389 at Davenport Field Tuesday afternoon against OSU.

The result is a disappointment for a team built for Omaha. However, the injury list soon began to pile up at the end of the season. It began with superstar shortstop Greg Miclat, who battled a shoulder injury throughout the year, and eventually resulted in a surgery. Then on Saturday, Brandon Marsh and Brandon Guyer both were afflicted with the injury bug. One Cavalier went down with a bum wrist after being hit by a pitch, the other after a dive into home plate separated his shoulder. The result stripped Virginia of its primary offensive weapons. It is difficult enough to knock out the defending national champions at full strength but a depleted squad had an arduous task indeed. The Beavers simply had a little more mental toughness. Monday night, five outs away from the next round and a chance to host the Michigan Wolverines, Virginia simply could not put away a scrappy ball club. The play of the series came at the top of the 8th inning when Chris Hopkins belted one deep to cut the Beaver deficit to only one. This was only the second home run on the season for Hopkins and that play shifted the momentum of not only the game but the series.

While Hopkins was overachieving, Virginia's Sean Doolittle was struggling. Only 1 for 12 against the Beavers, Doolittle had a strong pitching performance against Lafayette but could not muster the needed offense after the injury bug plagued the Cavaliers. David Adams led the way with a .429 average but Tim Henry was the man with the key hits in the series. However, Virginia still had no players with more than one extra base hit and that lack of firepower is why Oregon State will live to see another game and Virginia must sit back and watch the CWS on TV.

Virginia ends the season with an impressive record of 45-16. Virginia spent almost the entire season ranked in the top 10, they were one game away from the ACC championship contest and they hosted a regional for the third time, and second in a row. Yet Virginia STILL has not made out of the first round of the playoffs and while Coach Brian O'Connor has completely revitalized the program, this albatross looks to remain an issue until it is finally resolved.

More on this later....

ACC Pick'em

2006-10-19T10:34:00.000-04:00

Another great week, we'll see how this goes:
TOTAL: 29-6

North Carolina at Virginia
Oh if ESPN could press redo they surely would. This game will be ugly, very ugly. However it should prove to be competitive. Both teams can't beat anybody not named Duke or Furman. Virginia collapsed but they proved to have made improvements. The short week might help them so they don't dwell on the loss as long. I think they'll do this, and John Bunting can say bye-bye Carolina blue.

PREDICTION: UVA 17 UNC 14

NC State at Maryland
The Terps are feeling pretty good, the Wolfpack took a step back with their loss to Wake Forest. I think with the unpredictability of this league, this is a tough one. However, I incline to believe that the Wolfpack are a better team, even on the road. They'll get the job done.

PREDICTION: NCSU 21 MD 13

Miami at Duke
The times are bleak in both towns. Duke is bad even for Duke, meaning Ted Roof is probably out. Miami has a dark cloud around it's entire organization and half the team sitting this one out. Still, Miami is just too good, even when they're bad, to lose to Duke. Of course if they did lose it'd be justice for these light sentences and would send Coral Gables into official panic mode.

PREDICTION: UM 31 Duke 3

Boston College at Florida State
Now this is a really hard one. BC almost pulled off the win last year, but that was at home. However, FSU is far from the great giant it once was. BC has been very hit or miss. It almost lost to CMU and then it beats VT. I think there is some pride left in the Noles and the Eagles can't string together meaningful wins.

PREDICTION: FSU 24 BC 20

Southern Miss at Virginia Tech
Now Southern Miss is a pretty decent midmajor team that did beat the Wolkfpack. However, they don't usually play in an atmosphere like Lane Stadium. The Hokies are mad and I think they will do well...but still maybe not as well as many would expect.

PREDICTION: VT 35 USM 17

ACC Pick'em

2006-10-11T23:55:00.000-04:00

Seems I feel back to earth a bit with a 4-2 week, I swear the ACC is more disarray than ever before.

Clemson at Temple
Might as well start easy. Clemson is good and their comeback against WF proved it. Temple is not good, why couldn't we have played them THIS year too?

PREDICTION: Clemson 52 Temple 3

Virginia Tech at Boston College
A huge game for the conference and the country. A loss and VT would really be behind the 8-ball. BC is wildly unpredictable but still a solid choice to win the Atlantic title. Both teams are good and at Lane I would pick VT so I'll give BC fans some credit and give them a very close win.

PREDICTION: BC 21 VT 20

FIU at Miami
Well, I guess after Houston nothing is a given but I'll give Larry and the boys some credit.

PREDICTION: UM 31 FIU 0

Florida State at Duke
If Virginia can beat Duke, anyone can beat Duke. Especially a struggling Seminole team that needs to feel better after dropping one to the Wolfpack. They will win handily boys and girls and Duke will continue to look towards basketball.

PREDICTION: FSU 35 Duke 0

South Florida at UNC
The Bulls are still remembered for beating Louisville, but they have no such glory this year. Still UNC is pathetic and I think I am feeling an upset. I mean...beating Louisville a year ago is still better than almost losing to Furman.....right?

PREDICTION: USF 17 UNC 7

Wake Forest at N.C. State
Such a weird game. The Wolfpack are on cloud nine after TWO season changing games, WF almost picked up the biggest win in a long time but completely fell apart. This rivalry has been just that in the past few years. This will be close but it's going to be tough to choose.

PREDICTION: NCSU 24 WF 21

Maryland at Virginia
Maryland has not beat Virginia at home since 1990. Virginia hasn't sucked this bad since the early 1980s. Maryland has struggled in its own right but provided a scare for GT. This is tough to call, but I think the Terps have to win considering how bad Virginia is playing. The defense is okay, not great and the offense is abysmal. Maryland needs some pride and they always play well against us.

PREDICTION: MD 20 UVA 10

Pick'em

2006-10-02T13:27:00.000-04:00

I know I'm early but I seem to be on a roll.
LAST WEEK: 6-0
OVERALL: 19-3

Florida State at N.C. State
These games are going to be a little more precarious this week and here's one. Both teams have grossly underachieved. The Wolfpack miraculously beat the Eagles, and BC is looking much better than those Seminoles as of late. However, FSU had the bye and they play big when they have to. I think pride will kick in and they will put Amato back on the hot seat.

PREDICTION: FSU 31 NCSU 21

North Carolina at Miami
Now the Hurricanes are bad. Houston may have a prolific offense but the Miami offense HAS to muster more than 14 points. Here is poor little UNC though, a team not looking too good either. If Carolina had some of its past stars, like Julius Peppers, this would be a big program win. However, since both teams are bad...we're back to basic logic and that's that Ibis can take the Ram in a fight.

PREDICTION: Miami 21 UNC 3

Clemson at Wake Forest
Wake is 5-0 people, their best start since 1987. Clemson is one of those teams that actually give the ACC some pride. The Demon Deacs sure could use some home field advantage, but there will probably be way more orange than black/gold. This could really be something if Wake were to win, but I think reality will set in this week.

PREDICTION: Clemson 28 WF 24

Maryland at Georgia Tech
Now if the Jackets were caught sleeping, the Terps could surprise them...but I wouldn't bet on it. GT is just too loaded and if they prepare for each game they only need to worry about Clemson and Miami before they waltz into Jacksonville. Maryland struggled against FIU and continue to be lost, Calvin Johnson won't help them find themselves.

PREDICTION: GT 28 MD 13

Virginia at East Carolina
Oh how nice it is to have hope again. Are the Pirates as bad as Duke, no one knows. They did challenge West Virginia, but I now believe enough in Virginia....their defense at least that this could be a comfortable win. If Virginia's offense could only become mediocre, their three game homestand could really muster some spirit. Sewell will continue to be hit and miss, running will be decent as long as Snelling gets the ball but the defense must shine....I say they will.

PREDICTIONL: UVA 21 ECU 3

Duke at Alabama
Oh there's no reason to even talk about this one.

PREDICTION: Alabama 35 Duke -1

Pick'em

2006-09-28T11:24:00.000-04:00

Another solid performance, but the weeks keep coming.
LAST WEEK: 6-1
OVERALL: 13-3

Maine at Boston College
The Eagles are not happy campers, and who can blame them? Their frustration will mean the complete annihilation against a school I didn't know had a football team. Sure BC has struggled a bit out of conference but they can easily handle their Northeastern "rival".

PREDICTION: BC 42 Maine 9

Liberty at Wake Forest
Oh my, don't look now but the Demon Deacons are 4-0 and yes about to go 5-0 when the Liberty Flames are quickly extinguished. It will be very interesting to see if WF can finally win some of those close ACC games, they're only one game from being bowl eligible if they win this game.

PREDICTION: WF 28 Liberty 0

Houston at Miami
The Cougars??? Miami figured out the way to get heat off of Larry Coker was to schedule teams like Houston after being humiliated by Louisville's backup QB and RB. Miami will win, probably not the prettiest game...but hey, there is always VT.

PREDICTION: Miami 35 Houston 3

Louisiana Tech at Clemson
....You know, I'm just going to go to the prediction.

PREDICTION: Clemson 48 LT 7

Virginia at Duke
It's sad but this might just be the game of the week for the ACC, outside of the Tech bowl that is. Two teams with no offense but decent defenses square off. It could go to triple overtime 3-3. People claim Sewell improved as the game went on but I maintain the Jackets just stopped playing. Still, it pains me too much to pick Duke over us so....I won't.

PREDICTION: UVA 10 Duke 7

Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech
These two teams look good, but who really knows. The Hokies haven't played even an average team yet and the Jackets did look good against ND, but do not have the best track record against VT. Last year's 51-7 blowout was bad, the year before they folded faster than a lawnchair in the 4th quarter at home to lose as well. Calvin Johnson is a great athlete but Reggie Ball will determine this game, not to mention the playcalling of Chan Gailey. The home crowd is a huge advantage for the Hokies...it's just gonna be a great game.

PREDICTION: GT 23 VT 20

Pick'em Again

2006-09-21T11:09:00.000-04:00

So good week last week, let's see if I can keep things up.
LAST WEEK: 7-2
OVERALL: 7-2

UVA vs. GT
Oh how ugly this will be. All I have to say is...Calvin Johnson. His height and leap are too much. Add to it that Jameel Sewell is starting his first game ever and things get even sadder. Virginia better get ready for the ACC cellar.

PREDICTION: GT 35 UVA 3

UNC v. Clemson
The Tigers may not be all that they're billed up to be but...they're still better than UNC. Death Valley is intimidating for any time, especially one that could barely beat Furman, a Divison I-AA school. Clemson should roll along.

PREDICTION: Clemson 41 UNC 10

Cincinnati vs. Virginia Tech
Oh Hokies, one day you will challenge yourselves...but not anytime soon. The Bearcats will be just another victim as the Hokies gain more and more confidence for their GT match up. Sorry to say it, but that game will determine the Coastal Winner.

PREDICTION: VT 42 Cinn 9

Rice vs. FSU
The ACC never fails to give me guaranteed wins. FSU struggled against Troy, lost to Clemson, but I think the buck stops here with Rice. They still can win their division people, so let's not write them off just yet.

PREDICTION: FSU 35 Rice 7

Wake Forest vs. Mississippi
Oh how the Rebels must miss the days of Eli. The SEC school has fallen to the depths of their conference, a place Wake Forest knows well. Still the Demon Deacons are always talented but a bit unlucky. Maybe with the ACC down, this is their year to get some quality wins...like here.

PREDICTION: WF 21 Ole Miss 17

Florida International v. Maryland
Of all the terrible ACC out of conference schedules, Maryland has the worst. William and Mary, Middle Tennessee State and now this! Ok so you played West Virginia but that's a rivalry game you're almost required by law to play. The Fridge wants his bowl game clearly and with a win like this, he might have the record...just not the stats.

PREDICTION: MD 45 FIU 13

Boston College vs. NC State
So the Wolfpack are on the ropes, and I'm supposed to believe it's time for some last ditch stand against a much better BC. Not so fast my friend, as Lee Corso would say. BC is your Atlantic Division winner and they will not be intimidated by anyone, especially a team as mediocre as the Wolfpack.

PREDICTION: BC 21 NCSU 10

Coaching Carousel

2006-09-18T23:48:00.000-04:00

Virginia football is on a ride...and everyone is ready to get off.

Last Saturday saw three men try to step up to line and give Virginia that much needed offensive boost. The result was not pretty. Kevin McCabe had the most success, but then again he also had the most failure. His two interceptions led to 14 Western Michigan points and essentially won them the game. Now to be fair Virginia's offense looked pathetic without McCabe and going 13 for 16 is pretty good, especially with no offensive line.

Christian Olsen got more boos than Bob Saget did when he came to Charlottesville. He proved his mediocrity early and often. A few series not only did not go anywhere but completely shot any confidence he may have had left in his battered psyche.

Then the halftime show was not the band, it was who was going to play next. I must say Jameel Sewell was not my guess but clearly I must not be Al Groh. Sewell came in and showed some mobility. His throws were far from picture-perfect but he did complete his first four in a row. Considering he probably never played with the first string, any production would have been impressive. Still the offense did little to nothing, ruining a red zone opportunity which could have at least taken the game to overtime.

Well the carousel has stopped for now and Sewell has been picked to start for GT, a view that shows Al Groh has completely moved on to next season. While I think McCabe is still the better option, it'll be interesting to see how long Sewell gets to stay in there. At this point Al needs to decide and stick with it. Pretend he is Bush and be stubborn.

Otherwise, Coach Groh may be taking a ride of his own....straight out of Charlottesville.

ACC Pick'em Week 3

2006-09-14T15:22:00.000-04:00

Well like I say...better late than never.

Maryland at West Virginia
Now the Morgantowners are already lighting up furniture in preparation of an undefeated season (especially after Michael Bush's injury for Louisville). The Fridge has been on the hot seat and has missed the bowl season two years running. The season has been so boring so far I'd love to pick Maryland but their out of conference schedule has been so pasty-filled they will not be ready to handle the physical Mountaineers. Still, it'll be closer than you might think.

PREDICTION: WVU 28 MD 24

Wake Forest at UConn
So Wake Forest looks amazing against Syracuse and then barely beats Duke??? Wake Forest is always one of those highly underrated teams that is one or two plays from beating everyone. UConn is an equally dangerous team but WF has just a little more experience at these kind of close games so I have to give the advantage to the Demon Deacons.

PREDICTION: WF 21 UConn 13

BYU at BC
The Eagles will win this easily if they're still not hung over after beating Clemson off a botched extra point (sound familiar). Maybe I still remember Virginia's debilitating loss in 2000 to the Cougars or maybe it's because BC can't get any love but....I believe.

PREDICTION: BC 35 BYU 16

Troy at Georgia Tech
The Trojans clearly want to see what it would be like to be in the ACC. Last week they almost dethroned the Seminoles in Tallahassee so it would be foolish to COMPLETELY write them off. Still GT looks like the best ACC team so far this season. Troy's secondary looks solid though and if they made Weatherford turn it over you can be sure that Reggie Ball could be in trouble. I think GT simply has way too much talent and that will push them to a comfortable but far from easy victory. Still they are the Jackets, so I wouldn't be shocked if these numbers get reversed.

PREDICTION: GT 21 Troy 10

Western Michigan vs. Virginia
Oh me, oh my. Virginia has looked bad, very bad. Western Michigan is not great but they will be a very tough test for the Cavaliers. If McCabe starts and Virginia could get an early lead maybe they can win comfortably. However a third bad start and Virginia will need nothing short of luck to win, their offense just can't play from behind. This game has almost reached coin-flip status so here it goes.

PREDICTION: UVA 17 WMU 13

Miami at Louisville
They may have lost their Heisman RB but the Cards have looked unstoppable, the Hurricanes can't even get it going. Now this may be foolish but I think this actually pretty clear. Miami may have the name but college football is ready for a changing of the guard and the Big East really needs this to prove they deserve that BCS bid. Watch out ACC, it could be a long year.

PREDICTION: UL 42 Miami 31

NC State at Southern Miss
Wow Chuck Amato, is it hot in here? A home loss to Akron was bad but now you're on the road against an even better team. Southern Miss could easily and I mean easily win this game. However, after bashing the ACC with Louisville/Miami I'll give the Wolfpack some credit. If they have any pride they will come out with their heart on their sleeves and fight like their season depends on it...because it does.

PREDICTION: NCSU 20 USM 13

Furman at North Carolina
Okay so John Bunting and UNC are not good, but they're not nearly Furman bad. Did the ACC have a collective meeting and decide no one would play meaningful out of conference games?

PREDICTION: UNC 31 Furman 3

Clemson at FSU
Okay so here we go. Clemson is reeling after a double overtime loss, FSU is embarassed after almost losing to Troy. The Bowden Bowl has been pretty overhyped until Tommy finally won last year. I think the running game might finally get double digits this week for FSU, but it's going to be tough. Clemson will have to be efficient, if they avoid turnovers they win. If they don't FSU will have just enough offense.

PREDICTION: Clemson 32 FSU 28

Where did the ACC go?

2006-09-11T17:07:00.000-04:00

So this just in....Chuck Amato's on the hot seat.

The chair the Wolfpack head coach has been subtlely warming for years, but Saturday's home loss to Akron just took it to around fricasee level. Need we even mention Herb Sendek....I think not.

Then there's Florida State. The school that could not be defeated in the ACC almost lost at home as well, to the Troy Trojans.

You know, contrary to popular belief Troy is in Alabama, not Turkey...food for thought.

What is a lot harder to locate however is where did the power conference once known as the ACC go?

In the marquee match between Miami and FSU, fans were given three channels of boring, ugly football. The Seminoles can't run on Troy and Miami well....Saturday's win aside, Larry Coker's hot seat is about 2 degrees cooler than Amato's.

We need not even mention Virginia, they're so down that the fans chipped in and bought an offensive line.

Clemson's victory over FAMU was one of the worst 54-6 victories in recorded history. Way too many penalties, 4 turnovers and all the jitters of a team with high preseason expectations. They did have a great battle with BC, but the Eagles games against Central Michigan went down to the final minutes.

The fact is, Virginia Tech, a team with its worst roster in probably five years is poised to dominate the ACC again. No team really instills ACC pride and leaves Virginia wondering why they couldn't have 2004's team this time around.

My silver lining however is gold and black. The Jackets of Georgia Tech may just reinstill pride in us all. Notre Dame got a lot of blame for their narrow victory over GT, but maybe that's not because the Irish are overrated (gasp) but that the Jackets are underrated.

Calvin Johnson gives GT a chance to win each and every game, enough said. Their season will once again be dependent upon QB Reggie Ball, or more accurately the precision of one said gun-slinger.

I may not be a huge Jacket fan, but with one point wins over Wyoming dancing in my head, it looks like adopting a team for the year is not without question.

If only the ACC had more than two options.

Cavs Escape Cowboys 13-12

2006-09-10T15:43:00.000-04:00

The Saturday showdown between the Cavaliers and the Cowboys was thrilling. It had twists and it had turns. It may not have been a tragedy for the 60,000 Wahoos in attendance, but it sure seemed like a horror film.

Once again, Virginia did not look good. Virginia's offense continues to look myopic at best. Well...that is until Kevin McCabe came in to replace senior captain Christian Olsen.

Before we start pulling out tissues for the fifth year senior, let's keep in mind after three quarters Virginia had 95 yards of offense. That's not just pathetic it's inexcusable. How can Virginia expect to even get a first down in the ACC when their offense plays so poorly.

Well McCabe's 8-13 for 85 yards was very nice to see. His two long bombs changed the game. The first went to Fontel Mines who was dragged down for pass interference hours before the ball showed up. That play gave Virginia a key first down and would have cut down on the drama if not for the left goal post that Chris Gould's field goal attempt would nail moments later. The second was a perfect strike to wide receiver Kevin Ogletree which gave UVA it's first touchdown in six quarters.

Now I try to stay on the fence about Coach Groh, but if McCabe is not under center this upcoming weekend against the Western Michigan Broncos he needs to be taken out to the wood shed. McCabe deserves the chance, and Virginia fans need hope.

Hope was something the Orange Crush defense gave yesterday. After another poor start, they rallied behind the home crowd and made some actual tackles. Their speed is still sorely lacking but if they can continue to be physical, Virginia can still upset a few teams down the road.

The offensive struggles really begin with the line. Can NO ONE block? Watching the running backs is like watching a rabbit when it's hunting season. Four Elmer Fudds barrel through are "supposed" line and Peerman or Snelling are left to be pummeled. IF Virginia could find a line then this team could start earning some respect, until then...it's one point victories over Wyoming.

However fans, despite the problems that are sorely evident, I say rejoice. After all, with the current state of our beloved Wahoos, we should cherish each and every win we get.

Welcome Back

2006-09-03T19:27:00.000-04:00

It's a new year and that means the sporadic but triumphant return of Random Rants.

Charlottesville, we have a problem.

The Sabre message boards say it, the newspapers dance around it and everyone knows it. Virginia football this year is going to be a dirty phrase. The Cavaliers came in with modest expectations and last night's debacle only helped lower the bar. Now one game does not a whole season make, but several of the questions coming into this year may have been answered....and not the way we wanted them to be.

Christian Olsen is not a total bust. I know many of you just dropped your jaws, I'll give you time to pick them back up. Okay, so he succumb to the pressure of a hostile environment in his first ever start. Tell me how many Virginia quarterbacks haven't.

Go ahead, I'll let you think about that one.

Done? Good, because you couldn't think of one. Schaub was a huge work in progress, and Hagans (despite his amazing feet) was never consistent enough to get us to that famed "next level". However, I must concede way too many times Olsen chose the wrong man in to the wrong coverage. I mean did Tom Santi bribe him or what, he got the ball more times than T.O. or Keyshawn could want. When he did try and go deep it was usually pretty far off the mark. Still I wouldn't be that depressed, if he weren't a senior...he can't be a work in progress because this is his one shot.

I feel bad for Olsen. He left Notre Dame when Willingham was coach with hopes of starting. Instead he sits behind Hagans and watches the Fighting Irish reach national glory once again without him. Now, even though I think he is a solid player, it might be time to sit him down. Not because he doesn't deserve the spot but because if Virginia continues to play at this level then it's time to throw in the towel and sharpen the teeth of Jameel Sewell. Sewell is the future, and has the arm to be a true ACC talent. Olsen, while full of potential, no longer has the eligibility to be the man of the future.

Of course, it is just one game. News Flash but over 50 teams lost yesterday, misery loves company after all. Wyoming should still be a win for us, (if not then we really need to talk) and I know the defense will like to actually show up and prove they can hit a moving target. However, if Virginia simply does not have the talent to make a positive showing then give the fans what they need, progression from the youth. That way, Virginia can be back in the upper tier of the ACC like 2004.

In the end it all goes back to Al Groh. Oh Coach Groh, now you understand the fickleness of college football. He coached at Wake Forest in the early 80s and complied a 26-40 record. That's far worse than the 37-27 he currently holds at Virginia but then, we are better than the Demon Deacons. Groh won't be fired, not this year. The complaints however are becoming more and more familiar, like an Evanesence single.

He's too conservative.

He recruits and then can't make use of the talent.

Underachiever this, underachiever that.

Sweatshirts are not cute.

Now some of this is true, some of its a bit far-fetched. The thing is winning silences critics coach, so before you start saying "we are what we are", keep in mind fans are fans. They never have a long-term memory.

You can't hang on to the glory days with Bill Parcells either.

Brian's Song

2006-06-29T19:24:00.000-04:00

Just like the torrential rain that pounded the Old Dominion, the rumors of Virginia baseball coach Brian O’Connor flew in and out in less than 48 hours.

The skipper spent 9 years at Notre Dame before taking the helm at Virginia. When Notre Dame’s head coach moved onto LSU many speculated that O’Connor would be his replacement. Notre Dame did make the move but in something very rare in today’s sports world, O’Connor stayed loyal to Virginia.

That’s right, O’Connor said no, just like he said no to SEC school Auburn last year. In fact, as far as coaches go, Brian O’Connor seems to be the hot-commodity. Yet Virginia keeps their hands on him.

Well coach, this one is for you. I don’t care how much you know about baseball if you like Virginia you need to take a deep sigh of relief with me.

In three years, O’Connor has gotten this team to the postseason every single year (what other UVA coach can say that not associated with lacrosse). Virginia’s even hosted two regionals in these three years. Virginia won a school-record 45 games this year, has the ACC Offensive player of the year with Sean Doolittle and his first project Ryan Zimmerman is impressing all in Washington with the Nationals.

The nation took note. Virginia peaked as high as number six in the national rankings, they finished just a game behind UNC for the Coastal Division title. The ACC and the SEC are the best baseball conferences by far. 75% of the conference went to the postseason and Virginia held its own with every single one. In fact, Virginia won the series against the Tar Heels, a team that finished a run shy from the national championship.

Okay, so I know what you’re going to say. Virginia despite all the talent, all the wins, and all the newfound respect aren’t getting it done in the playoffs. This year it was Evansville that gave them the old heave-ho. Sure, Virginia needs to do better with everything on the line, but no man can do it better than this guy. O’Connor has brought the talent in, he’s made the right decisions, but he can’t pitch or hit. With O’Connor Virginia will make Omaha eventually, without O’Connor Virginia won’t make it out of the ACC cellar.

So thank you Brian, your school admires your respect and loyalty. I sure wish Dave Leitao would do the same if UConn called upon him, but I sincerely doubt it. Coaches are just used to going where the money is, and money is no better than at Notre Dame. Still, he made a commitment to Virginia and now it’s time for Virginia to make a commitment to him.

It’s time for people to support this team and this man. Davenport Field is just begging for occupants. I’ve never been to a baseball game there but now I will. Not because of the record or the talent or its nice location.

I’m doing it for Coach O’Connor. What else is loyalty for?

Red, White and Through

2006-06-24T18:22:00.000-04:00

The 2006 American World Cup is over.

Did you blink? You might have missed it.

What you can’t miss however is the post-hoc outrage. After the mini-miracle that was 2002 where America got to the round of 16, the United States had big expectations. Instead of living up to the hype, much like most things in life, it fell far short.

Of course, who can blame some angry people? The United States scored one goal in three games, the other goal accredited was actually Italy accidentally scoring on itself and only counts in the bottom line. Even worse than one goal was the four shots on goal the U.S. had.

No, not four shots in a game, four shots the entire tournament! Heck, Ronaldo can have that many shots in a half for Brazil.

Now this Group the United States was in had been pegged the “Group of Death” and it appears for good reason. Italy is always a contender for the cup and the Czech Republic were pre-ranked as the second best team in the entire thing. Then there’s Ghana, a team maybe everyone took for granted that pulled off the shocking upset of the Czechs and then crushed American dreams 2-1. Maybe the go-ahead goal came on a questionable penalty but hey…they had more than four shots on goal.

So the excuses and anger are everywhere, but most of it seems to be pointed squarely on the coach, former UVA soccer coach Bruce Arena. Arena has one storied career, one that most of these newcomers to soccer know next to nothing about. That’s because on the biggest stage of his career Arena blew it….badly.

The talent he developed was greater than ever before, the effort was obviously not. The Czech game made Americans look like a dead team walking. Against Italy, with the backs against the wall, the U.S. squad really brought forth a brilliant effort, but no coach could have ruined the spirit when their four years of work are on the line. Then Ghana came and another terrible performance in most categories.

U.S. soccer’s offensive game plan looked more like a page from old Al Groh’s conservative playbook. The U.S. played it safe, even when they were desperate for a win. Maybe not being humiliated was good enough before, but not anymore.

As Americans we like to win, even when we know next to nothing about the sport. We like to win even when it’s something where we’ve never been that successful. America has never won on European soil in the World Cup, ever. They have lost by a combined score of 26-6. Chew on that.

Personally I blame our goalie; the grizzly veteran has never won a World Cup game with his team in front of the goal….never. He’s been there since 1990 and is still winless!?!?! In 2002 when the U.S. made their upset bid he was on the bench…don’t you think we could have taken the hint?

Nevertheless, this appears to be the end for Mr. Arena. He shouldn’t feel too bad, most World Cup coaches have a lifespan about as long as a hockey coach (or for you non-hockey fans, a goldfish). Arena had an 8-year run and developed the talent that could really make the run most Americans actually seem to care about. If someone does get the job done, it will be from this foundation. So America may be out, but that’s why there is a 2010 World Cup.

By the way, it’s in Africa! So you better plan to buy your round of 16 tickets now.

If I Could Be Like Wade

2006-06-21T17:12:00.000-04:00

It’s the most popular question in sports.

No, not whether Pat Riley’s well-groomed hair single handedly led to the hole in the ozone layer.

It’s the media darlings constantly trying to find the next Michael Jordan.

There are those who aren’t really close like Tracy McGrady who can’t even get past the first round. Win or else there is no comparison. Then there are others like Kobe Bryant. Bryant has the game, the star power and more importantly the rings. Already half way to Jordan’s 6 rings, but without Shaquille O’Neal in the key, things have gotten less sunny in L.A. Bryant’s Lakers were one and done in this year’s playoffs after blowing a 3-1 edge to the Suns. Perhaps Kobe’s real comparison is to the early Jordan (when he still had a little hair), the one who put too much on himself and not enough on his teammates. Of course if Bryant learns like Jordan does, he might just rack up more rings than anyone.

Than there’s Lebron. The man we’re all witness too.

Lebron James may have had trouble reaching the playoffs with his Cleveland Cavaliers but when they did they sire weren’t ready to go home. James willed them to victory over the Wizards and took the Pistons to the brink. When you first playoff game is compared favorably to Magic Johnson’s you have a candidate. Lebron James seems to be mentally superior to Jordan at the same age. He has done a wonderful job making the people around him better, the problem is better is still not good enough. Still Cleveland has to be happy.

Oh wait, then there’s that other guy.

You know the one from Chicago. He’s the guy who falls down a lot and gets back up. He’s the one who went to Marquette. He’s the one who impressed against Indiana as a rookie in the playoffs. He humiliated Pistons defenders. Oh yeah, and he just won a ring.

You can call him Flash.

Dwayne Wade is not the next Michael Jordan, there never will be. MJ is famous for his switch-the-hand lay up and game winning shots against Cleveland and Utah as he is for movies like Space Jam and the shoes.

He is one of a kind, but Wade doesn’t need to be MJ, he’s already spectacular enough on his own.

The better question is though, who will be the next Dwayne Wade?

I saw Jordan, I loved Jordan but I have never seen someone take over a game like Wade did. This kid (and that’s really what he is) avoided a 3-0 series death sentence single-handedly by erasing a 13 point deficit with 6 and a half minutes to go. The Mavericks could not stop them. The Pistons never even came close to slowing him down. Wade never missed, and oh yeah he’s only been in the NBA three years.

Sure he had the Diesel, but you know how high gas prices are these days. The Diesel was dripping, but Flash was stunning.

Perhaps the greatest shock is just how humble this guy is. Wade repeated “15 strong” so much it was obvious how strong Riley’s brainwashing is.

Michael Doleac did not decide the championship. Wade however probably deserves two rings for his effort and execution. Wade is the best player in the NBA and I don’t think he even realizes it. That sort of humility, team-first attitude actually makes him an even better person to have on your team.

Wade like Jordan was not a top pick like Lebron James. He was expected to be good not great. We all learned our lesson then, and it took one Final series for us to learn it now.

I should know, I’m a witness.

You Better Think

2006-06-19T18:37:00.000-04:00

They often say the nut doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Well Phil “the self-imposed idiot” Mickelson certainly never seemed far from the woods of Winged Foot Golf Course Sunday afternoon.

Mickelson went into the final round with a share of the lead and despite only hitting 2 of 14 fairways; he still had the lead going into the final hole. Despite not once birdying a par-5 all four days he had the lead. Despite the toughest conditions in almost thirty years, Mickelson was 400 yards from three legs of the grand slam.

Then the driver came.

Now, I don’t like to second guess golfers, especially seeing the impossible shots they hit on a regular basis but…..going 2 for 13 might have been a clue that driver is not the club you want. It’s the decision everyone looks at and when poor Mickelson reached the press corps you could literally hear the elegy as Lefty dragged himself in there. The question was asked and Mickelson said the line which will live in infamy:
”I’m such an idiot.”

That didn’t interest me nearly as much as the excuse he did muster. He said he was trying to hit his ‘bread and butter’ slice because a shorter club would not give him any distance. Granted if his swing was really off, he could have missed the fairway with any club. Phil’s fortune of finding it in such a good lie actually proved his undoing, for his second shot hit a tree when he might have been forced to chip out. Instead he double bogies in one of the greatest blunders in golf history.

Unfortunately, when the words golf and collapse come together, I immediately think of Jean Van de Velde.

Van de Velde triple-bogeyed the final hole to lose in a playoff in the 1999 British Open. The problem is, at least he got into a playoff. Mickelson couldn’t even do that and Phil is a far better golfer than the Frenchmen could ever dream of becoming.

Van de Velde never recovered. Just a few years ago he vied for the French Open and he found water on 18 yet again!

Phil has 3 majors to fall back on, much more than Van de Velde can ever say but those two for a hole in time were kindred spirits. The real question now isn’t about the rivalry of Tiger and Phil, but what will Phil do next? (sorry Ford)

Is Phil the Thrill back?

The man has had to go through more scrutiny than any golfer in perhaps sports history. Now his mental psyche must somehow get over this terrible gaffe. Clearly it won’t fully be rectified unless Phil wins a U.S. Open. The legacy of Mickelson however took a sizable blow in front of his legions of New York fans. A win here would have put Phil’s name up with men like Watson or maybe even Arnold Palmer. Can Phil make it back to the Promised Land, or will this small stretch of glory end up being just that?

Good thing I don’t have to answer that.

If I Go Crazy Then Will You Still Call Me Superman

2006-06-17T20:12:00.000-04:00

Despite the snazzy Superman belt buckle, the hefty build and unshaven appearance makes Kenneth Ferrie look every bit like an Everyman.

Everyman however doesn’t share the lead going into the final round of the 106th United States Open.

Coming into this weekend, no one expected much out of the two-time European tour winner despite the fact he was only two strokes off the lead. To most golf fans, people couldn’t recognize Ferrie if he came in with a big sign on the back of his shirt.

Of course who could blame them?

Ferrie has had his own South Beach Diet…(or I guess we should call it the South Wales Diet) and lost over 60 pounds. Looking at the picture NBC provided for the tee times, you might worry Mr. Ferrie was a victim of identity theft. Maybe he stole Tiger’s missing golf game instead.

Ferrie hit an amazing second shot on the par-five 5th for a kick-in eagle and had only two bogeys on the 9th and 14th going into the 18th. He had made huge putts, solid recoveries from the rough and if it were not for the nervous twitching and fidgeting of his visor, no one could be able to tell our Everyman with the Superman belt buckle wasn't playing a normal round at his local country club. But the 18th green is truly unique and its bedeviled slopes and speed cost Ferrie just like other European contenders Ian Poulter, Graeme McDowell and Padraig Harrington. The dropped shot meant he co-leads the championship with thrill seeker Phil Mickleson He still kept his humor however, when asked about what happened on the 18th green:

“I hit three putts,” Ferrie said. “I hit two putts and it went in on the third.”

(Rimshot)

How about playing with the sharpest golfer on the planet?

“Yeah he’s pretty good, ain’t he?”

Kenneth Ferrie could find a career in stand up, but will he find a U.S. Open trophy?

All the signs would point to no. He has never been in such a migraine-inducing, nerve-testing, bowel-wrecking test of golf as he will endure tomorrow. Not to mention that Phil Mickelson seems to have a better home court (or in this case “course”) advantage than the Miami Heat. The man who looks like the lovechild of Darren Clarke and John Daly will have to deal with an almost Ryder Cup-like atmosphere, inexperience and the toughest golfing conditions he’s ever played. Now that’s some high quality kryptonite Mr. Superman.

Also there is the memory of Jason Gore residing in all our memories. The lovable lug shot over 80 on the final day at Pinehurst after surviving Saturday surprisingly well. Is Ferrie the next Gore…or is he the next Michael Campbell? Campbell won a great deal on the European Tour but struggled mightily coming in to his major victory. Ferrie can relate, not even cracking the top 10 this season. Last year, Campbell almost decided not to try and qualify but he did, at the exact same location Ferrie qualified this year.

Of course, who is to say someone not named Phil or Ferrie can’t win? Granted Lefty looks solid, but someone could make his way out of the woodwork, especially if the wind picks up late in the day. Vijay Singh and Jim Furyk are both major champions but they are also three and four strokes back respectively. If someone does make a charge though, most of them will probably wonder what might have been.

What if Harrington hadn’t whiffed his ball from the rough on 18 en route to a triple bogey?

What if Monty had not started out bogey-bogey-double bogey?

What if Stricker had found a fairway?

What if Ogilvy hadn’t thrown a fit after the 12th hole costing him a few key shots?

If one of these men can make it to the top of the U.S. Open leader board it’ll take one super performance…maybe Kenny would even let them have the belt buckle.

Exit Stage Left

2006-06-16T22:13:00.000-04:00

It was supposed to be the story that would make any Hollywood producer weep. Tiger Woods, playing his first professional event since the Masters and the passing of his father would reclaim his title of greatest player in the universe at Winged Foot. He would shake off the rust and win his 11th major title for his dad on father’s day.

This aint Hollywood.

The New York state of mind dealt Tiger Woods another harsh blow, missing his first cut ever in a major since turning pro on Friday. After shooting an opening round of 76 Woods remained confident that he could turn things around. Instead Woods could only scramble to match yesterday’s score to finish with a 152, +12 and 3 strokes off the cut line. Tiger had been tied with Nicklaus for consecutive cuts in the majors; it’s going to be a long time before he challenges the mark again.

The reasons are obvious. Tiger spent more looking for his ball in the wild rough than he did hitting his shot. Woods hit 7 fairways in two days, a 25% accuracy rating. Most of the time he didn’t just miss it, he hit it into the next zip code. His irons were also pretty off, he hit a few laser darts but he also hit more shots into absolutely precarious positions more often than even the world’s greatest player could recover from. Then there was the flat stick. Woods could just not adjust to the slow Winged Foot greens. When you can’t drive, chip or putt, you’re going to struggle.

Obviously the death of his father had to have an impact on Tiger and how highly golf should be prioritized, but it was really the layoff that did him more than any personal hardship. Practicing in sunny Windermere, FL is simply not the same as a tough U.S. Open course with maniacal greens, rough and distance. No one can come into a major with that much time off and be on there A game.

Yet we decided to believe Tiger when he said he was ready. We ignored the obvious and continued to believe that Superman would once again show he was more machine than human. Well Tiger is human, maybe the greatest human golfer ever, but human nonetheless. He will recover from this setback, but the biggest question is: will golf recover?

This was destined to be the duel between Mickelson and Woods. The problem is in golf, rivalries are so difficult because they’re not 20 men in the field but over 150. The odds are not in the favor of both men being in position to win. Still if you had asked me who had a better chance of not being there, I would have said Phil. However, Lefty is in great shape. He shot a +3 over Friday, but is still just four off the lead with a weekend to go. More importantly the men in front of him are just the kind he wants to see. Only Jim Furky has a major to his name; some have even have notoriously blown majors as in Colin Montgomerie.

Certainly without Tiger the ratings will go down which is very unfortunate because many storylines still exist that seem very interesting.

Will Colin Montgomerie finally win a major? Monty has built a Hall of Fame career with his Order of Merit titles in Europe and his historic Ryder Cup dominance. Yet the fact remains he has never won on American soil. He’s had a few playoff losses to Ernie Els and last year had one of his best finishes in the British Open. Still, age is creeping in and Monty may not have many more chances. If he makes a run, he could very well become the fan favorite, even over Phil.

Will Phil make it three in a row? Okay, so Phil might not make a Mickleslam (His British Open record is pretty atrocious), but owning three championships at once is incredible. Jack Nicklaus never did it and Phil is in great position to do it. With the attention of the entire golf world, Mickelson could make a huge statement that he is serious about making a real golf rivalry. Heck, with as few tournaments as Tiger plays, Phil winning could even put Tiger’s number one ranking in jeopardy.

Is David Duval back? I must admit, it’s weird to even type it. Never has there been a bigger fall from grace in the history of sports than Duval’s fall after his British Open title. However, a 68 on Friday was the best round of the day. He is six strokes off the lead at +5, and with just a bit of confidence (and that hot putter) he could do the impossible. It would not be the story of the year, it’d be the story of the decade.

Will an unknown git’r’done? Steve Stricker is best known for his showdown against Singh in the 1998 PGA Championship, but that was 8 years ago. Since then, Stricker has been MIA in the PGA. Can he really come back in style with a major victory? What about Geoff Ogilvy, the Aussie with a lot of game but not a lot of experience? Then there’s Kenneth Ferrie, trying along with Monty to be the first European to win the U.S. Open since Tony Jacklin since 1970. Then there’s Padraig Harrington, another European who has the game to win a major.
There is a lot of drama left at historic Winged Foot, but it’ll be a main attraction without it’s star act.

Virginia downs Georgetown 20-8

2006-05-21T19:14:00.000-04:00

If the theme of Saturday's quartfinal matches was thrilling or action-packed, Sunday's was most assuredly dominance.

First Maryland took care of Princeton with suffocating defense. This time it was the offensive onslaught of the number one team in the country, the Virginia Cavaliers.

The Cavaliers were unarguably rusty in their first round match against Notre Dame. Losing the game with Duke really seemed to present a stumbling block but that didn't stop Virginia from blazing out of the gate with four unanswered goals. As usual, it was the seniors scoring Virginia's first six goals of the game. Georgetown recovered from the initial barrage of Virginia offense and answered with their own sharpshooter Dave Paolisso. The Hoya scored his first of four goals with 2:49 left in the first quarter. Sean Denihan picked up a key goal to try and end the first quarter with some momentum with the deficit only 5-2.

In the second quarter both sides continued to exchange goals back and forth. Virginia had just about anything it wanted on offense but kept turning the ball over or committing uncharacteristic turnovers. The Cavaliers had four penalties in the second quarter helping Paolisso spring loose for two more goals. Still contributions by Matt Ward, Ben Rubeor and Garrett Billings helped Virginia still led 8-5 at the break.

The second half was where Virginia really turned up the heat. Matt Poskay for Virginia and Garret Wilson of the Hoyas exchanged goals in the opening minutes of the third to make the score 9-6. Then Virginia went on a three goal blitz to extend their lead to six. The Hoyas got a man up goal by Chase Gahan with 8:09 to go, seemingly ending the run. Instead the Cavaliers packed in five unanswered goals. This made the score 17-7 and was more than enough for the Virginia offense to hold the ball and walk their way into Philadelphia. In the end, Virginia had a 20-8 beatdown in their win column, extending their longest winning streak to 15.

Virginia had looked far different from when they were virtually invincible earlier in the season. The Cavalier defense had given up way too many goals to mediocre competition and many began to wonder if Virginia would find its form in time. Well, mission accomplished. The Virginia offense was not just good, they were unstoppable. Ten different Cavaliers scored and the top players were magnificent. Matt Ward, broken hand and all, had 8 points on the game. Matt Poskay continued a 20 game goal streak with four. Ben Rubeour however had an even bigger game with 5 goals and 2 assists just minutes from his hometown. These amazing numbers have every other team in the country paying attention to the lone undefeated team left.

Next up for the Cavaliers is a rematch with the Syracuse Orange. Virginia won 20-15 earlier in the season to break the record for consecutive home wins at Klockner. This time however, the Orange are riding high on a 9-game winning streak. Joe Yevoli will once again be the focus, the former Cavalier now Orange attackmen figured prominently last time and looks to do so again.

Lincoln Financial Field will be an exciting place this weekend, and one of mixed emotions for the Cavaliers. It would have been truly difficult had Hopkins won to replay the heart-breaking end to last year's season. Will a similar fate befall the number one team in the country, or will Virginia continue its road towards perfection?

Maryland downs Princeton 11-6

2006-05-21T14:09:00.000-04:00

The 2nd seeded Maryland Terrapins (12-4) continued their impressive NCAA tournament run with an 11-6 victory over the 7th seeded Princeton Tigers (13-5).

The Tigers had owned the series as of late between the two teams, including their last match which cost the Terps a trip to the Final Four. This time the tables were turned as Maryland completely outclassed Princeton.

The scoring barrage started early for the Terrapins, scoring the first four goals in a the opening 7:15. The Tigers were completely incapable of even getting the ball on their side of the field. They lost 6 of the first 9 face-offs. Even when they did win they quickly would turn the ball over. Many of their possessions did not even result in a single shot. Scott Sowanick helped out the Tigers with an important goal to make the score 4-1 but Michael Phipps responded for Maryland with a quick shot and ended the first quarter of dominance 5-1.

Still, the theme of this week has been no lead is safe. The second quarter most assuredly belonged to the Tigers. When they finally held on to the ball, good things started to happen. In a span of three minutes the Tigers took complete control of the game with four goals. They might not have many shots but they were shooting a great percentage, starting the game 5 for 8. Maryland goalie Harry Alford could only look in disgust as Maryland had blown a four-goal lead.

The Terps did not wallow in despair for long. Midfielder Dan Groot picked up a huge goal from long range with his longstick. It was only his 5th goal of the season but it shifted the momentum back in Maryland's favor. Phipps would knock in one more goal with 3:24 in the half to give Maryland a 7-5 lead at the break.

With the quarters being split, one being dominated by Maryland and the other a surge by Princeton, the third would prove critical. Princeton could not make that key goal to cut the gap to one and put pressure on the second-seed. The physical play by Maryland was simply phenomenal. Tigers were flying across the field and the referees let both sides play. Brendan Healy used a great feed by Tewaaraton finalist Joe Walters to knock in the only goal of the quarter and make it an 8-5 cushion for Maryland.

The fourth quarter was some of the more excellent execution by the Terps. Ball control remained a critical aspect of the game. Princeton could not get the ball and when they did a stifling defense made them cough it up moments after they got it in their stick. Maryland had a 44-20 edge on ground balls and 13 more shots on goal than their competition.

Alford stepped up his game in the second half, recording six saves. He only gave up one goal in the second half in the waning minutes when Maryland already led 11-5. The Tigers had one offensive explosion in the second half but went nearly 40 minutes without a goal after that burst. That, more than anything else, foretold the end of the Tiger's season.

The stars showed up for Maryland. Walters and Phipps had 2 goals a piece and Healy added a hat trick to give Maryland more than enough offense. Given Virginia's rusty performance against Notre Dame, the Terrapins have looked better than anyone during the postseason. They reach their second consecutive Final Four and will take on the cardiac kids in UMass. Sean Morris and Joe Walters will both be the stars of this match up but it will most likely be the role players who decide this contest. Maryland is a better team than UMass, but with Jack Deane at the X for the Minutemen, anything is possible. Just ask Hofstra.

Princeton redeems their terrible season last year. All five of their losses were to tournament teams, and they have a spectacular sophomore goalie returning next season. Look for the Tigers to be a force next season.

Only one quarterfinal game remains. The Virginia/Georgetown winner will play Syracuse next week.

Syracuse Survives Johns Hopkins 13-12

2006-05-20T23:40:00.000-04:00

The old saying goes, to be the champ you gotta be the champ.

Well the fifth-seeded Syracuse Orange (10-4) accomplished just that, sending the defending national champion fourth-seed Johns Hopkins Blue Jays (9-5) packing with a 13-12 victory.

Hopkins got off to the quick start when Paul Rabil took little time in knocking in the first of four goals with 11:05 remaining in the first. Brett Bucktooth responded for the Orange a minute later to notch the game back at even. Two more quick goals gave the Blue Jays a two-goal lead before former Virginia player Joe Yevoli rocketed in his first of two goals to cut the gap back to one. Mike Leveille then added his first of four goals for the Orange to deadlock the score at 3. Greg Peyser of the Blue Jays would have the last laugh, scoring with 2:40 left in the quarter and gave the Blue Jays an early lead after the first.

The second quarter belonged to Syracuse. The Orange scored 5 of the 6 goals in the quarter, 3 of which were by Leveille. The Orange outshot the Blue Jays 25-14 in the first half. This compiled with some lackluster defensive efforts to give the Orange a substantial 8-5 lead at the half.

If the UMass game had proven anything, it was that no lead was safe. Hopkins responded brilliantly in the second half, taking advantage of some Orange mistakes and scoring on two consecutive EMO to cut the gap to 1. Unlike Hofstra however, the Orange responded to the pressure and tallied four straight goals to give the Orange a five goal lead with 8:57 remaining.

If that sounds familiar, so will this. Hopkins charged back, eight seconds off the goal by the Orange, Stephen Peyser knocked in a goal off the faceoff. The X was a place where Hopkins dominated, winning 21 of 29 opportunities. Yet they could not take advantage of the ball control. Jake Byrne knocked in a goal with 5:25 to make it 12-9 Syracuse. Brian Crockett answered getting a huge and critical goal to extend the lead to four yet again. A last minute charge by Hopkins featured two more goals to take it back to 13-11. With less than two minutes to go, Hopkins had a shot but the Syracuse D held tough. They were relentless in denying the Blue Jays a goal. With less than a minute to go, the Hopkins offense grew tenative and when they finally got the goal, there remained only 5.5 second in the game. While the Blue Jays had stolen victory from Virginia with seconds remaining last year, they proved unable to do it this time around. Syracuse withstood a strong charge, and will return to Philadelphia.

Injuries have mired Syracuse's season. A 1-5 start made many wonder whether the Orange would even make the tournament. They've earned their spot now and it's thanks to leaders like Brett Bucktooth and Mike Leveille. The Orange are the hottest team in the country, and have now avenged a loss earlier in the season to Johns Hopkins.

For Hopkins, their chance of a repeat are officially over. Despite having what many consider a down year, the Blue Jays still showed a lot of poise and promise. With many talented players gaining a year of experience, along with a great recruiting class, expect Johns Hopkins to take its place among the elites of lacrosse once again.

A great Saturday, Sunday's matchups will have a lot to live up to.

LACROSSE SPECIAL: UMass upsets Hofstra

2006-05-20T16:28:00.000-04:00

Forget N.C. State, the real cardiac kids are the Massachusetts Minutemen.

Against 6th seeded Cornell, the Minutemen were down 3-0 early. They battled back, tying and taking the lead late in the game to pick up the improbable 10-9 victory. Today it was deja vu all over again.

The 3rd seeded Hofstra Pride came into the game with the most wins in the country (17-1). The Pride looked to win the most lacrosse games in the history of the sport and got off to a good start when they too were up 3-0 in the first quarter. Tewaarton Trophy finalist Chris Unterstein proved his worthiness when he recorded his first of four goals with 8:20 left in the first quarter. However, just like last week, UMass responded with a two-goal flurry to end the first quarter only down a goal 3-2.

Unterstein responded with two consecutive goals. The second one resulted in an awkward fall afterwards, benching the star player for the remainder of the half with a bad headache. Mike Unterstein, Chris's brother took over where his brother had left off scoring his second goal and giving Hofstra a 6-2 lead.

Fellow Tewaarton finalist, UMass's Sean Morris scored his first goal with 7:51 to cut the deficit back to 3. Minutes later it was Jim Connolly, who finished with a game high 5 goals knocked in one to cut the gap to 2. However, Hofstra responded with a late minute goal to end the first half up 7-4.

UMass battled back quickly with a goal by Connolly in the opening minute of the second half off the faceoff. The Minutemen's victory started right at the X, where they dominated the faceoff circle. However, after cutting the gap back to two UMass could not make the next step. A costly crease violation, some uncharacteristic turnovers and the Minutemen appeared unable cut the gap further. A costly penalty on the Minutemen defense gave the Pride an EMO which they capitalized on. Moments later, Unterstein returned in the middle of the third quarter and less than a minute later he scored to give the Pride a 9-5 lead.

Both teams stepped up their defense and a long drought started until Joe Keysor rocketed in a shot with 9:46 to play to give the Hofstra Pride a 10-5 edge. The game appeared in hand, after all, the Minutemen would have to score in 9 minutes what they had in done in 3 1/2 quarters. The faceoff circle however proved to be the turning point to an amazing comeback.

After the timeout, UMass called a timeout a won the faceoff. Hofstra cleared but turned the ball over and Jamie Yaman scored his 15th goal of the season with 8:03 left.

Jake Deane won the next faceoff for the Minutemen and a key groundball gave Morris the edge and the goal to cut it to 3 with 7:27.

Another faceoff victory by Deane and it was Connolly scoring in less than a minute to cut it to 10-8 and completely turn the momentum upside down.

Hofstra called a timeout at 6:29 to try and calm nerves. UMass won the faceoff but the Pride defense held. Hofstra however was unable to clear in time and were forced to give the ball up. It took only 30 seconds for UMass to respond and score yet another goal. It was 4 goals in a span of 5:32.

UMass won the faceoff again! This time the defense once again held and Hofstra attempted to run the clock. An errant pass however showed how much momentum had changed. UMass got the ball back but Hofstra proved formidable again. However, a critical offsides mistake by Hofstra gave it back to the hot Minutemen yet again with 1:41 to go. The Minutemen picked up a key ground ball and with 49 seconds left it was Rory Pedrick, scoring just his 11th goal of the season to tie the game up and force a completely unexpected overtime.

In the extra session, Jake Deane won another faceoff for his Minutemen but they were unable to get the golden goal. Hofstra called a timeout with two minutes to go in overtime but Dan Whipple picked up the ground ball for UMass and was able to clear the ball, giving his team another chance. That was all they needed. Connolly took a strong feed from Brett Garber and capped off an amazing run when he scored with 1:53 on the clock. UMass won 11-10 in overtime. For UMass, it was an amazing finish, taking them to their first Final Four in school history. For Hofstra it was absolute heartbreak. A five goal lead with 9:46 to go was completely wasted away. The only team to beat Hofstra in the regular season did it again, and it was thanks to Jack Deane who won 20 of the 25 faceoffs in the game. The Pride had a chance to reach their first Final Four in school history, as well as winning more games in a season than any other team. Instead, they are left with disappointment. They remain unable to beat their rival UMass. Perhaps as disappointing as the faceoff circle was the inability of attacker Athan Iannucci to score a single point. Iannucci is the leading scorer in the country with a preposterous 83. However, when it mattered most he could only mount one missed shot and two ground balls.

UMass goes to Philadelphia next weekend and will play the winner of the Maryland/Princeton game who do battle this Sunday.

Lesson Learned

2006-05-16T12:21:00.000-04:00

The game that shall not be mentioned.

If you're a Virginia fan, than the Fordham 62-60 loss in mid-December is a game one likes to forget. Singletary didn't play, that is enough of an excuse right there...right?

Fordham finished well in the A-10 (9-7), a conference that had a particularly down year. Still the Rams had a record of 1-6 when they played the Cavaliers, and it was a match that Virginia should never have lost. With Singletary out, the impetus was on co-captain J.R. Reynolds to fill the void. Instead Reynolds scored just 8 points on 2-8 shooting and had 4 turnovers. He was far from a leader and Virginia fans were left anticipating another season in the bottom of the ACC ranks. This wasn't new though for Reynolds. Many people wondered if the drill sergeant technique of Dave Leitao would work for the junior shooting guard. He had struggled off and on throughout the season to this point, let alone his entire career. He seemed visibly frustrated out there. Some people wondered if Reynolds even had the game to make it in the ACC. Well, Fordham might have been a loss on paper for the Cavaliers but it was a win for the program.

Since then, it's been goodbye old Reynolds and hello new. J.R. has scored in double figures every game since the debacle. He has become Singletary's wingman and together the dynamic duo made mincemeat of every backcourt they played this year. Reynolds shining moment came against the Boston College Eagles where he scored 28 points. He had also had two highlight reel shots with a Redick-distance 3-pointer and a pull away dunk en route to a Virginia drubbing of the newest ACC member. As a result, the man questioned about his merits to be in the ACC made the third-team all ACC list.

More than his skills, it is his leadership that has people impressed. One man in particular that Reynolds has pushed all year long has been Laurynas Mikalauskas. The freshman from Lithuania was not highly touted nor very polished. Yet, in his first year at Virginia, the power forward stepped up his game to the delight of his coach and the fans. Just look at the groups on facebook, or the ecstasy in fans voices when Lars nails a baby hook. His progress has inspired the fans and his teammates. Pushing people to do their best should be old hat. It worked for him, now Reynolds is making sure it works for everyone else on this team.

Time will tell just how good he learned his lesson.

Down but never out

2006-05-08T11:43:00.000-04:00

When Sean Singletary goes under the knife to fix his injured hip it will be like peeling back years of abuse and pain.

Last season Singletary reaggravated a hip injury he had had since high school in a road contest against Georgia Tech. He sat out for the next game, Fordham, only to see his team completely fall apart without their leader and lose 63-60. As a result Singletary stepped up and played despite immense pain and mobility issues. He was the difference however, taking a team destined for the ACC cellar and earning a 7-9 conference record along with a spot on the 1st string all-ACC team for it's co-captain, something that had not been done in over a decade.

So do you think he's going to let surgery slow him down?

After two years of frustration things are slowly beginning to come into place for the Philadelphia, Pa. star who turned down offers from major programs like UConn and now plays for one of its former assistant coaches, Dave Leitao. It must have been hard for Singletary looking at what he gave up to come to Charlottesville, but now he has a chance to put the Cavaliers back on the national stage. His star power is undeniable, ESPN said earlier this year if Singletary played on a top 25 team he'd be a household name. Who could blame them? Singletary has started to make the extraordinary routine. His slashing ability in the paint, his ability to dsitribute under pressure and to make clutch shots like its shoot around shows just what a phenom he is.

With their new guide Leitao, Virginia will move into the John Paul Jones Arena, light years beyond the lovable but old-fashioned clam-shaped U-Hall. Will the bigger stage relate to a bigger national presence? It will if Singletary has anything to say about it.

Singletary showed flashes of brilliance his freshman year. His 15 points, 8 assists and 6 steals against 10th ranked Arizona gave Virginia won if its biggest wins in the past four years. He played toe-to-toe with some of the top point guards in the country. His sophomore year however, Singletary showed something even more impressive: leadership. If he's not barking orders or making clutch shots, than he is rushing to the basket drawing contact and getting to the line. Singletary refuses to lose, even with the odds stacked against the "6 feet on a good day" PG.

Nevertheless, losing is what Virginia has become accustomed too. It's been 5 years since Virginia last sniffed the NCAA tournament, despite Singletary's meteoric rise in the program and in the nation, his team has never finished with a winning record. That looks to change next year with a new crop of freshmen to provide much needed depth. Singletary wanted to work on his game in the interim but will be forced to rehab instead. That's okay, pain is nothing to Singletary.

Losing however, is excruciating.

Season Wrap Up and Preview

2006-04-29T19:13:00.000-04:00

Well it was a season of maybe, would of, could of, should of the Cavaliers in 2005-2006.

In football we had an incredible win over the Seminoles and way too many disappointing losses. All of them hurt, but losing 7-5 to UNC really did not boost the old Orange Fever. Couple that with an absolute annihilation by in-state rival Virginia Tech and you have some blue Hoos. We did pull out a good bowl win against Minnesota. Now with the program morale rather low new recruiting information has two of the best players available (Lalich and J'Courtney Williams) as future Cavaliers. This is exactly the kind of positive new Virginia needs right now, but what they really need is a good season. Expectations are low and Virginia can overachieve, but they need alot to go right.
-Christian Olsen has to play like the Matt Schaub Jr. we all think he is.
-Michael Johnson needs to learn to break a tackle or Peerman must remain healthy.
-Our offensive line HAS to improve and Eugene Monroe has to be back by fall in full form.
-Our secondary needs Nate Lyles and his play-making ability back.
-We can't get off to a bad start with this mediocre competition at the beginning of the year. Otherwise November will only get more murderous.
-Deyon=Elmer's Glue
-Mike Groh=PASS THE BALL.
-Fans=Don't be fairweather, your team needs you.
Say what you want about the criticism but this could prove to be a turning point year for Groh and company (for better or worse).

In basketball did we ever see a bunch of overachievers. Not even the Cavalier himself had Coach Dave Leitao doing what he did in one year. The recruiting class is still not sold but Will Harris and Jalil Tucker will give Virginia depth. The question is will we still have size. Three Adrian Joseph clones will not help us in the paint where we need the most help. The big men will decide the fate of this team. If Cain hits the gym and comes back even better than this breakout year, if Lars continues to develop and if Soroye surgically replaces his hands with Herman Moore's, than Virginia WILL go dancing. Still a lot of ifs.

In soccer, Virginia continued its great play. Another NCAA tournament bid and a great incoming class. It's a shame soccer is always overshadowed by football but the Cavaliers have some big time stars on the field, both men and women. I intend to go to at least one game this year. Hope to see you there.

In baseball, Brian O'Connor continues to impress. Virginia is 13th in the nation and for a team that seemed to rebuilding, they have one of the best teams in school history. They are solid in almost every category and should make a third NCAA tournament. They might not be ready for the national stage but they are poised to do great things in the years to come....oh yeah this season isn't over yet either.

Lacrosse. Well come on, I think I can stop there. Both the men and women will be in the NCAA, the men have broken countless records, and both have the talent and determination to win a national championship. The men are losing a great senior class but the freshmen proved that there will still be a great pool of talent for the upcoming seasons in Charlottesville.

More to come later

Season on the Brink pt. 2

2006-03-23T15:46:00.000-05:00

After the loss to Fordham, Virginia basketball was in a severe trough. A road game at Gonzaga was not want anyone wanted, but it proved to be more than anyone anticipated either. With an exam break to recover from injuries, Sean Singletary played the game of his career against Adam Morrisson and the Bulldogs. While many NBA scouts were there to watch Morrisson it was Singletary who stole the show with 35 points and 6 steals. Virginia played one of its better road games all season considering their woes outside of the state of Virginia, but it was not enough. A late run by Gonzaga gave them a comfortable 80-69 victory, not indicative of the battle Virginia truly gave the eventual WCC champions. Virginia was now 3-4, with three straight losses. Thankfully for the Cavaliers, some easier competition was on the horizon.

Virginia cruised past Loyola of Maryland 98-59 to even their record to 4-4. The offense Virginia fans begged for all season shined through in the first half when the Cavaliers registered 60 points and led by 31 points at the break. J.R. Reynolds had 25 points and Adrian Joseph had 24, an amazing feat for the sophomore from Trinidad. Joseph's inability to produce these kinds of numbers on the road remains a problem Virginia must look to fix next season. Jason Cain registered another double-double with 15 points and 16 rebounds. Perhaps the most important stat was Singletary only had 4 points. Unlike Fordham, this time the role players stepped up and Virginia looked better than it had all season.

UMBC and Hartford were two American East teams that gave Virginia all it could handle. Although the Cavaliers won both contests, both were by much closer margins than people had predicted. Reynolds proved to be the difference in the 77-66 win over UMBC with 20 point, 14 of them were in the second half. Singletary followed suit in the Hartford game, with 13 of his 22 points coming in the second half. Joseph had 15 and Reynolds, 13 points. Virginia had pushed its record up to 6-4, but now they had a tough contest against Western Kentucky. A game Virginia had to win in overtime at home last year.

The Western Kentucky game stood as an example of what Virginia was about all season. The Cavaliers fell behind early on the road and clawed back in it. The Cavaliers got it to within two (62-60) but could not make the big shots late and Western Kentucky did. Virginia had to rely almost solely on J.R. and Sean who scored 46 of the team's 68 points. Joseph had 2 points on 1-6 shooting and while Jason Cain had 10 points he only had 3 rebounds. Virginia was now 6-5 and back in the ACC grind.

Pete Gillen didn't win many games in the ACC, but he absolutely owned Clemson. The Tigers at home was seen as a winnable game by most. Virginia played like it too. The game went back and forth but Virginia led most of the contest. When the Cavaliers appeared to be pulling away late in the game, the Tigers made a tremendous charge. Cliff Hammonds gave the Tigers a 53-52 lead before Cain made some free throws to give Virginia the lead back. The Tigers got a three point play however from Hammonds to give Clemson a 56-55 lead with only 1:33 to go. Virginia was in trouble...it could not afford to go 0-2 in the ACC. This was one of those games Virginia had to pull out, and they did. Singletary hit a hgue jumper to reclaim the lead, then it was a foul game where he and Reynolds made clutch shots and insured Virginia's first ACC victory on the year. At 7-5, 1-1 in the ACC Virginia was still looking solid, but now the ACC season had truly begun.

Virginia tops Canes 83-72

2006-03-22T22:08:00.000-05:00

The Virginia women's basketball team kept their season alive with an 83-72 victory tonight at University Hall. The game was quite different in almost every aspect from the first round game against St. Joe's. Virginia was able to find some shooting touch that was sorely missed in the first round of the NIT. At the end of the half, Virginia had 45 points, 3 less than they had scored all game against St. Joe's. A 10-0 run to end the half gave Virginia some critical cushion against a very talented Miami ball club. The Cavaliers led by 15 at the break.

The second half started perfectly with a three-pointer by Takisha Granberry which extended the lead. The margin peaked at 20 and hovered around the high teens early on. Miami would make a comeback though, led by star Tamara James. The ACC's leading scorer kept the trend going with 31 points and 10 rebounds. She was able to draw fouls and made a fair amount of them. A big bucket by Renee Taylor cut the deficit to 5, 70-65 with 3:18 to go. James, despite a strong outing, had a moment to forget committing a foul and a technical. This killed the Hurricane run which seemed to be overwhelming and gave Virginia enough of a margin to pull out the victory. This time around Virginia did much better at the line, going 18-26. In fact, if not for Lyndra Little's pervasive struggles, Virginia would be pretty tough to beat from the foul line.

Six Cavaliers scored in double figures, a huge contrast from last week's game. Sharnee Zoll and Brenna McGuire led the team with 16 points each. The success of McGuire is comforting for most Virginia fans, her ability to make shots gives the basketball team a chance to reach that next level.

"I got great open looks and kept shooting," McGuire said. "They went in tonight."

The shots went in for Siedah Williams and Tiffany Sardin as well, finishing with 13 and 12 points respectively. Williams had a great game, after a hard fall took her to the bench for most of the second half, she came back on to the floor and gave the Cavaliers a much needed boost. Every time a play had to be made, she was there. Sardin also played stellar defense despite fouling out. She did a solid job running the floor. Takisha Granberry and Lyndra Littles also added in 10 points each, helping give the Cavaliers the offense needed to take down this team.

"I thought Virginia's first half was their best offensive performance," Miami coach Katie Meier said. "I'm happy for Debbie and her players. The story of the 2006 postseason is that the ACC is dominating."

Next up for Virginia is the Pittsburgh Panthers on Friday. This contest has already been scheduled at Pittsburgh, so UVA must leave the friendly confines. Does this mean we have officially had the Last Ball at U-Hall....probably. If so, the women's basketball team took it out in style. They played a great game, an effort that can build into the next season.

The Cavaliers just hope next season isn't for a little while longer.

Virginia defeats St. Joe's in WNIT 48-42

2006-03-18T21:24:00.000-05:00

The Virginia women's basketball team has had an up and down season, but their postseason started off on the right foot with a 48-42 victory over the St. Joseph Hawks. The game was not the prettiest, but it could very well be the last ever basketball game at U-Hall. In which case, at least the Old Clam went out with a win and not that heartbreaker to Maryland.

Virginia was led by a gutsy performance from Siedah Williams. Her 13 points, 10 rebounds and 4 steals truly were the difference in this defensive struggle. To imagine that she did this with a bad leg makes the performance even more impressive. Lyndra Littles was the only other Cavalier to hit double figures with 12 points and 7 rebounds. Despite those impressive numbers it could have been more if not going 0-2 at the line. In fact Virginia at the line was an abysmal 7 of 17, which helped keep the game tight and give the Hawks life.

St. Joseph had a terrible time scoring but it never really mattered because UVA's futility helped keep the Hawks in the ball game. The Cavaliers shot 36% from the floor by St. Joe's could only muster 29%, going 16-22 at the line however was something Virginia should take note of. Timisha Gomex led the Hawks with 11 points and Whitney French added in another 10 but they also contributed 14 of the 23 St. Joe turnovers. In the end, poor shooting, sloppy passing and rebounding cost them the game.

For Virginia it was a terrible shooting game even at the line, their offense was only able to really get things going in the transition game. The Cavaliers scored half of their points off of turnovers, HALF! The fact of the matter is Virginia could have easily lost if it had been another team, but the season continues. Up next for the Cavaliers are the Miami Hurricanes who knocked off FIU 95-83. The Canes will most likely host the game, when Virginia played at Miami earlier this year they registered an impressive road victory. A similar performance would prove critical to keeping the momentum towards next season going. The Cavaliers will just have to be much better than they were tonight

Season on the Brink

2006-03-11T18:44:00.000-05:00

Virginia men's basketball came into the 2005-06 season with zero expectations, a unanimous pick to finish last. Virginia had a new coach with Dave Leitao and a new team in the ACC with Boston College. Virginia had lost Elton Brown, which certainly appeared like addition by subtraction but also had to recover from the graduation of Devin Smith and Jason Clark. As the season began, Virginia had to wonder how they could put a frontcourt on the floor. Problems got even worse when Gary Forbes transferred to UMass in the fall. Forbes and Singletary were the only bright spots to a terrible season last year, now Singletary was going to have to do it alone. The Cavaliers opened the year with a drubbing of Liberty University at home. Coach Leitao was vocal throughout, picking up a technical when Virginia was already up by over 20 points. The contrast between regimes was evident. What was also evident was the lack of T.J. Bannister and Donte Minter on the floor. Both players were out with injury, and soon Minter left the team for "personal reasons". The season had barely begun but the Cavaliers were in deep trouble. They had no depth, with transfers and injuries, the Cavaliers had 7 scholarship players available. With Minter gone, there was no depth in the front court and the options were sparse. Jason Cain had been a joke to most ACC teams, Soroye was tall but had very little ball handling or awareness skills. Laurynas Mikalauskas was a freshman, and the third option of a team that had no options.

Virginia picked up a 59-43 decision against Richmond on the road before an absolute annihilation by Arizona. The Cavaliers played a tough first half and impressed most before turnovers and frustration led to an absolute second half rout for a final score of 81-51. The Cavaliers bounced back though with an impressive victory over the Northwestern Wildcats in the ACC/Big Ten challenge, 72-57. A late run gave Virginia a decent 3-1 record thanks to 23 points by Sean Singletary. It also featured a big game by freshman Mamadi Diane. The jump shooter showed flashes of brilliance this season for the Cavaliers and when he plays well he can be the third option in the offense, his 18 points and 6 rebounds however proved to be the exception and not the norm. Virginia rolled into Atlanta with some momentum, and had a chance against the then 2-2 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. GT went out to a huge lead, maxing around 14-15 points. Virginia's ACC woes looked to continue, but the Cavaliers did make a charge. Instead of packing it in, Virginia went on a surprising run, cutting the defecit to four late in the second half before running out of steam and momentum. Virginia would lose their ACC opener 63-54. The bright spot in this game was Jason Cain. Thin as a rail and notorious for lack of concentration, the junior center had 15 points and 11 rebounds. It was amazing but it appeared that Cain was really starting to thrive under Leitao's tutelage. His concentration and focus were noticable, but despite the good news, it was still a loss for Virginia. Coach Leitao was not going to discuss moral victories.

The next game for the Cavaliers was the Fordham Rams. Singletary had a so-so performance against GT and sat this game out with an injured hip. Now Virginia's lack of depth was painfully obvious. Virginia could not handle the inside presence and Fordham gave the Cavaliers more than they could handle. With Sean out, the pressure was on junior J.R. Reynolds to shoulder the load and he could not. A missed three-pointer at the buzzer for Reynolds spelled the 62-60 loss for Virginia and a huge win for Fordham. Reynolds finished with just 8 points, while Cain finished with another amazing game of 16 points and 15 rebounds. It seemed obvious that Cain was shining under this system, and it appeared Reynolds was not. Could J.R. become the scorer and leader that Virginia needed? With the ACC schedule and a matchup against Gonzaga looming, the 3-3 Cavaliers needed to find answers, or face the season of futility that most had envisioned.

Ballin in U-Hall?

2006-03-02T14:56:00.000-05:00

With one game left in the regular season, the Virginia men's basketball team has a miraculous opportunity to finish the season .500 in the ACC. So why is all the talk out of Hooville negative?

Two straight road losses have taken the wind of out Virginia's sails after the Cavaliers dominated the 11th ranked BC Eagles at home. These two road losses against UNC and Clemson were complete annihilations, augmented by the fact Virginia is 1-7 in the ACC on the road (the one win a 54-49 decision against the Hokies). Virginia has not won a game outside of the Commonwealth all year long and it seems to be the one constant between Dave Leitao's team and his predecessor Pete Gillen. So why is it so hard to play on the road?

Obviously a large crowd can be intimidating, the noise level can cause confusion and turnovers but for the most part playing on the road is purely a mental thing. Mature teams realize it should be no different than a home game, but so far the Cavaliers have been a Jekyll and Hyde team. At home they appear unbeatable, on the road they appear the haphazard mess we had envisioned before the year began (or even halfway through it). Can Leitao put his team over the mental barrier which has plagued Virginia basketball for so long? It seems to be the hardest question to answer.

Another pertinent question seems to be what happened to Jason Cain. The junior center has barely played in the last two games, and it appears it is coming from an argument between Cain and assistant coach Seymour. Could it be Cain is simply injured? Could it be his attitude? Could it be his play is substandard? The fact is Virginia has no depth and without it's biggest surprise the Cavaliers are playing just as we had feared they would. Don't expect to get answers from close-lipped Leitao. He runs a tight ship and while it is very good for the team, it's not good for the speculative fan.

Next up for Virginia is Maryland, the final game at U-Hall ever, barring an NIT appearance. There should be a lot of pageantry and alumni, but will there be a game? The fact is Virginia's confidence seems to be at zero. Even if it is at home, can Virginia rebound after such resounding blows to their postseason hopes? Leitao has done everything to earn ACC Coach of the Year consideration, but he needs to end this season on a high note. Prove that this year is not a fluke, and that this team has truly progressed. Beat Maryland and the Cavaliers can look firmly to an NIT run with at least some confidence. Lose and the Cavaliers could spiral into a great year with a disappointing conclusion...whoa....deja vu.

Cavs slash Lancers 91-56

2006-02-15T21:44:00.000-05:00

In a game like this, where on paper you completely outclass your opponent, you look to just take care of business. A loss is crippling, a win expected. Virginia handled Longwood as they should have, maybe not perfectly, but still very well and gets their record to 13-9 (6-5 ACC) on the season.

The first half was mired by sloppy defense on both sides. Virginia had any shot they wanted all game long, but for much of the first half so did the Lancers. Virginia head coach Dave Leitao could not be happy with such a lackadaisical effort, and it showed. The second half Virginia's defense got into shape and the blowout was complete. Longwood hit a jaw-droppingly pathetic 6-32 from the field in the second half, that's 19%. It allowed Virginia's reserves some well earned playing time and kept the lead growing instead of dwindling.

Virginia was led by Singletary was always, as the sophomore continues to show that he is one of the best in the nation with 20 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists in 25 minutes. Reynolds had foul trouble early but still managed to pull off 16 points with 4-9 shooting behind the arc in 24 minutes. Adrian Joseph was the only other Cavalier in double figures with 11. His jump shooting has become spot on, but it's pretty easy with the defense Longwood played. The Cavaliers shot 61.8% in the first half before cooling down considerably in the second (although walk ons had something to do with that too). Virginia had every single player on the roster score except Matt Deasey. This was also the return of T.J. Bannister to action, who showed his amazing vision again with 5 assists. It's amazing how good Bannister could be if he could hit the jump shot.

Longwood was led by Kirk Williams and Clayton Morgan who both had 11 points each. Dana Smith chipped in an extra 10 points with 4 offensive rebounds. The best big man was Tunji Soroye of Virginia who had 4 blocks, 7 rebounds and two steals. Soroye showed probably some of his best moves all year long. As a player he has always been sort of an enigma, while every other player has been great strides this year, Soroye has taken a sidestep. Maybe this game will give him some confidence and help him compete with Jason Cain and Lars Mikalauskas for crowd's cheers.

Next up for Virginia are the Florida State Seminoles. The Noles are coming off a bad performance against N.C. State on the road. FSU is one of those schools like Virginia with a chance to go to the NCAA, but not a great one. The Seminoles are 15-7, 5-6 in the ACC and right on the bubble. The Virginia game for them is really a must win, they have Miami and VT on the road, Duke and Maryland at home. Those are four very tough game and so the pressure is on for Leonard Hamilton and his players because they will be desperate on Saturday.

Virginia is pretty close to desperate too. At 6-5, they are 13-9 and really would need a strong showing for the NCAA. While it would be difficult, Virginia has shown the ability to compete with any team in the ACC. Virginia has 3 road games and 2 home games left. Virginia will really need to win both home games and probably steal either Clemson and/or FSU on the road. If Virginia does that, it could be time for dancing shoes. It's a tall task, but it all starts Saturday.

Hoo Crew or Boo?

2006-02-14T14:06:00.001-05:00

In the past few weeks, lots of people have chimed in on the new student group. While I am just one voice, I feel the need to add my two cents because people have really become too polarized on this issue.

First of all, I think I shoud address the good. Hoo Crew is what we need to reach a higher level in basketball. At its best, Hoo Crew gives U-Hall the home court advantage that our team so desperately needs game in and game out. Let's face it "Vick kicks harder" and "Curfew" for the Liberty game are really funny and unique. The problem is they're also rare. That VT game proved to me that Hoo Crew is still a work in progress, "Let's Go Wahoos" (clap-clap, clap-clap-clap) is cute and all, not 30 times. In fact contrary to Hoo Crew's belief there are other cheers that require different rhythms of clapping. I understand some people are opposed to cheer sheets. Get over it. There has to be some sort of coordination or an entire nation sees how uncreative our student body is on live television. I understand the detractors from Hoo Crew, but if they put in as much energy cheering for our team as they do making fun of Hoo Crew we'd be the loudest crowd in the ACC (Okay maybe not, but a helluva lot closer than you might imagine).

At the same time, Hoo Crew, don't act all high and mighty yet. I think some fans really let it go to their heads that they're in Hoo Crew and believe that makes them a better fan than those non-Hoo Crew fans. This causes an unnecessary division and hurts overall team spirit. You need to recognize that there are fans just as spirited, if not more, on the opposite side of U-Hall. In fact, it's pretty hard not to be mad at Hoo Crew, they get an entire section reserved and don't show up until 30 minutes are left, because what's the point, it's reserved. The non-Hoo Crew fans have to wait hours upon hours with a very uncoordinated event staff and have to hear the PA announcer give a shout out to the Hoo Crew (i.e. the rest of the you are not important).

On one important side note, this is my own venom spewing but....I hate saving seats. I hate it with a passion and I think it needs to change. If I get there 2 hours before a game, and someone beats me by ten seconds and then saves two rows by himself, is that fair? It's not even close to fair. But if you make a scene you seem like a jerk, and what are the event staff doing...NOTHING. They're making sure you don't say the word "sucks". Event staff, do your job. I think it's time we make a rule that each person can save ONE seat, total. You want a good seat, how about you get off your lazy butt and get it yourself! I think that would really help make an intimidating environment since twelve people during shoot around is not a scary sight. I also think it'd be nice to have a rule that says all those physically able to stand must do so for the last two minutes of a game (unless it's a blowout). Maybe this seems trivial, but with men's basketball actually doing well, I need something to harp on and it's something that bothers me greatly.

Next year could be a disaster when Hoo Crew invades football. All I have to say is if I show up 3 hours early, I deserve a seat that merits the time spent. Football games already show the most spirit BY FAR of all the other sports. Hoo Crew really needs to focus on what it said, bringing students to the other sports, the less popular but probably better sports of lacrosse, tennis and soccer. That is a noble and worthy goal. They can make a big difference in basketball too, if cheers are organized and inclusion welcome. Football....it needs to be left alone.

Hoos Handle Hokies in OT 81-77

2006-02-12T15:32:00.000-05:00

It wasn't easy, but sweeping your rival is always a sweet feeling.

Virginia led by as many as 15 against the Hokies of Virginia Tech last night while the snow fell outside of U-Hall. The Hokies started to catch fire and made it close. In the end there were 13 ties and 16 lead changes in what turned out to be another classic. Despite a wonderful first half and a poor second half, Virginia was able to get things together in the OT, avenging the ghosts of the FSU OT game.

"I told the team at the end of regulation, that if we could rewind a little bit, we found ourselves in this position against Florida State and we didn't do the things necessary in the final five minutes," Virginia coach Dave Leitao said. "We weren't perfect in executing sometimes as well as we wanted to, the defense was good, okay at times, but the last five minutes I thought we did what was necessary in rebounding the ball."

This is true. On paper, Virginia and Virginia Tech both had 36 rebounds. The Hokies had 3 more offensive rebounds. Yet, it was the Cavaliers who grabbed the big boards when it mattered most. They were needed to because the Hokies would take a 75-72 lead in OT with less than 3 minutes to go.

"They made a big three-pointer to make the score 75-72. At that time we were getting a little bit antsy," Leitao said. "The possession afterwards we did a really good job of being calm."

It was Mr. Cool himself, Sean Singletary who made two free throws to give Virginia a one point lead at 76-75. Then with a under a minute to go Reynolds found Mikalauskas underneath the bucket and the freshman made a big layup. Then a miss on the other end, and two Adrian Joseph field goals locked up a big win for the Cavaliers, and another nail-biting finish for the Hokies.

"There is such a fine line between winning and losing," Hokie coach Seth Greenburg said. "We're in position to win a game."

It's hard to beat Virginia when Reynolds had a game like he did last night. The junior had 19 points, which is solid in its own right, but add 12 assists and you have an all-star performance. Sean Singletary had another spectacular outing with 23 points and 6 rebounds. Jason Cain also continued his stellar play with 10 points, 8 rebounds, just short of another double-double. Adrian Joseph rounds out the list with 15 points, continuing his tremendous progress as a shooter.

The Hokies were led by Jamon Gordon who had 24 points in defeat. A.D. Vassallo continues to be a huge addition to the repetoire as the freshman added in 19 points along with 10 by Zabian Dowdell. The loss puts VT at 3-8 in the conference. It also means that UVA now has a 10-4 edge in the inaugural Commonwealth Challenge, as the Cavaliers secured another point.

The win takes Virginia to 12-9, 6-5 ACC. Next up for the Cavaliers is a home contest against Longwood. This out of conference game should be a great chance for Virginia to improve on its record and keep momentum going into FSU next weekend. It will be important the the Cavaliers stay focused, even if they have the edge on paper, Virginia cannot take anyone lightly. Take care of business and Virginia will be ready for one tough stretch run that could mean the difference between the NIT, the NCAA or nothing at all.

Cavs fall to Maryland

2006-02-06T21:20:00.000-05:00

The electric first ten minutes could not equal the disasterous last ten minutes.

The Virginia Cavaliers came into the Comcast Center hoping to pick up a big road win and help their NCAA profile. Virginia looked to avoid a slow start, like their last two road games and they were anything but cold. Virginia hit threes and jumpers like they were free. They got every rebound and the Terps looked completely outclassed. At 24-10 UVA would hold it's biggest lead and looked like Virginia might just win its first game outside of the state of Virginia.

Maryland was not to be denied, they heated up and started to put on some pressure at the defensive end. Travis Garrison, a senior, provided a spark off the bench and Maryland closed the gap to 5. Virginia ended the half in style though, instead of folding they went on a late run and reached halftime with a 38-30 lead.

The second half was not what the Cavaliers wanted. They were able to maintain a comfortable lead for the first bit, but not easily. J.R. Reynolds and Sean Singletary were mired by foul trouble. When both got four personals fouls, Virginia was in big trouble. Neither player could be as aggressive on offense or defense. The other players did not respond and Maryland capitalized. The Terps took their first lead of the game 53-51 with less than 8 minutes to go. Nevertheless, Virginia held on to tie it at 60-60 with 3:09 left. In the end, the Cavaliers just couldn't get it done. Foul trouble and suspect calls aside, Virginia shot an abysmal 9-32 in the second half. I might not have agreed with every call, but adversity is part of the game. While Leitao's squad has met every challenge this year, they did not handle this game like they should have. The 76-65 loss is not indicative of the game itself.

Virginia had another impressive performance by Jason Cain, who grabbed his 6th double-double on the year with 11 points and 13 rebounds. Singletary and Reynolds continued their stellar play, even if both were mired by foul trouble. Both men contributed 18 points each. Adrian Joseph had 8 points early but could never add on to his total when Virginia needed players to step up.

The Terps had four men in double figures with D.J. Strawberry's 19 points leading the way. The best performance was by Ekene Ibewe whose 14 points, 15 rebounds all but assured the victory. The victory was big too for it allowed head coach Gary Williams to pass Lefty Drisell for the most wins at Maryland. It was an emotional moment for the coach, and who better to beat than one of his main rivals. Problem is, that's exactly what the Cavaliers did not need.

The loss puts Virginia to 11-9, 5-5 ACC the NCAA pipe dream takes a big hit, but still NIT postseason aspirations are pretty legitimate and amazing considering preseason expectations. The Terps keep their NCAA hopes alive at 15-7, 5-4 ACC. They should be going to the "Big Dance" but their is alot of basketball yet to be played. Next up for Virginia are the Hokies of Virginia Tech. UVA won 54-49 in their first meeting but much has changed for both teams since then. The Hokies misfortunes earlier this year have subsided a bit and they are now 3-7 in the ACC after starting 0-6. Despite that terrible start, VT would only be one game behind UVA if they win on Saturday. Also the Hokies have found a new contributor in A.D. Vassallo. Virginia needs T.J. Bannister. They need his experience. They need him to give Sean Singletary a rest every 35 minutes or so. His reaggravation of an injury has cost UVA, they are 1-3 without him in this new stretch, the one win a very close one against Wake Forest. The season is not over, but it'll come to a close sooner than Virginia wants if Bannister cannot get back on the court.

Baylor Beat Down 6-1

2006-02-05T16:26:00.000-05:00

The early onslaught of top teams cost Virginia it's number one ranking in men's tennis, but it got them their biggest win in the teams history.

The 7th-ranked Cavaliers had a home match against the 8th-ranked Baylor Bears and proceeded to register one decisive victory in front of a near capacity crowd at the Boar's Head Sports Club.

The match started off on the right foot with a victory in the doubles matches as The No. 25 ranked team of Darrin Cohen and Doug Stewart registered the first victory over Lars Poerschke and Vladimir Portnov 8-4 at No. 3 doubles. The doubles were then clinched by Rylan Rizza and Nick Meythaler taking down the No. 31 ranked team of Jon Reckewey and Matija Zgaga 8-4 at the No. 2 position.

Baylor was able to tie up the score early when Lars Poerschke took revenge against Doug Stewart 6-3, 6-2. The momentum was short lived however as Cohen took down Jon Reckewey 7-6, 6-2. After that it was only a matter of time as the crowd and excellent play kept the wins coming. Rizza downed Michal Kokta 7-6, 6-1. Treat Huey would get the deciding point when he came back to defeat Will Ward 4-6, 6-0, 6-3. Marko Miklo and Somdev Devvarman each racked up points, and the result was the biggest UVA victory over a top ten team in school history. The win was also Virginia's 18th straight at home.

Perhaps the biggest storyline was the record-breaking crowd. 890 was far from awe-inspiring but it shattered the previous record of 627 and it shows the growing prominence of men's tennis. Head coach Brian Boland has created something special here at UVA and the two-time defending ACC champions look to be primed for another spectacular season. The crowd is also a credit to the new student group at UVA the Hoo Crew. At the Wake Forest basketball game, this match was heavily advertised, and rides were provided by the group to help make that record number possible.

"I was really pleased with our overall performance tonight," said Boland. "The crowd was amazing. They gave us a boost in doubles and that momentum lasted throughout the night. I was particularly pleased with the play of our doubles, and by guys like Marko and Rylan in singles. Tonight was an indication of our improvement as a team this season. We now are looking forward to another match tomorrow against a really good Michigan team."

That's right, tomorrow. No rest for the weary tennis team, and no rest for the Hoo Crew. The 52nd ranked Wolverines will be a challenge already 4-0 on the year, but that's just how 5-2 Virginia likes it.

Virginia Survives Wake 75-73

2006-02-04T16:19:00.000-05:00

When you're the co-captain, it must be fun to try and outdo your counterpart.

In the Wake Forest v. Virginia game, Sean Singletary has 19 points, but J.R. Reynolds had 21. Those two proved critical, for Reynolds made a huge jumper with 3.8 seconds to go that would prove to be the game winner for Virginia in an epic 75-73 duel.

Singletary still deserves some credit, his performance was Herculean with 8 assists and 6 rebounds to go with the 19 points. Freshman Mamadi Diane had 10 rebounds, the biggest coming with less than a minute in the game in the 73 stalemate. His offensive board allowed UVA to hold for the last shot and secure the win.

"The guys gave him an ovation in the lockerroom after the game." Head coach Dave Leitao said. "We told them at halftime that you can make other contributions in the game. If you defend, rebound, move your feet, those kinds of things, you'll find yourself much more involved in the game. He did a tremendous job."

The win was not assured though until Justin Grey of the Demon Deacons hit the rim on a long three at the buzzer. He didn't miss much though, scoring 18 points and 5 assists to lead his team. Big men Trent Strickland and C Eric Williams helped out with 17 and 14 points respectively. The shocking stat in this game was rebounding. Wake Forest came into the game wit the biggest rebounding margin in the ACC. They were outrebounded 47-25. Virginia had 21 offensive rebounds compared to WF's 5 and 19 second chance points compared to the Deacs 6. This proved critical for Wake's shooting proved to be incredible, shooting 51% for the game, 60% in the second half.

Of course some of that offensive efficiency came from defensive breakdowns. Virginia had trouble containing the big men and got in some foul trouble early and often. The symphony of whistles brought on an unsatisfied fan base who seemed ready to put on the black and white jerseys themselves. This led to a very chippy second half, 20 fouls for each team in total.

The loss sends Wake Forest spiraling. Already last in the ACC before this game, they put a little cushion on the cellar with a 1-8 record, 12-10 overall. They seem like a team full of talent that can't seem to get things together. Skip Prosser must be feeling like nothing can go right for his team, his losing 8 of the last 9 games seems rather reminiscent of his mentor Pete Gillen.

Gillen's successor Dave Leitao has his team at 11-8, 5-4 in the ACC. The road towards the NIT could have taken a huge hit but it didn't. Wake Forest went on a 22-9 run in the first half that threw UVA for a loop. Leitao had a technical foul after throwing his jacket on the floor. He is one passionate man, and his team resembles him. When the chips were down, Virginia responded yet again....living to see another day.

Next up for Virginia are the Maryland Terrapins. The Terps are 4-3 in the ACC, 14-6 overall. UVA's rival from the north looks to be in good shape for the NCAA tournament but are hurting as of late because of Chris McCray's academic ineligibility. McCray was the heart and soul of Maryland and his absence gives the Cavaliers a much better chance. Virginia took the Wolfpack down to the wire, they certainly should be able to do the same at College Park. The Cavaliers will look to their own depth and hope that T.J. Bannister can come back after two games sat out. If he can, watch out ACC, Virginia is not done yet.

What's Going On?

2006-02-03T13:04:00.000-05:00

Marvin Gaye sung it, the Virginia women's basketball team is living it.

Just a few weeks ago, the Cavaliers laid the smackdown to interstate rival Virginia Tech, 78-59. This time the roles reversed at U-Hall and the lady Cavaliers lost 65-54. The loss takes Virginia to 13-7 overall, 2-5 in the ACC. Virginia got out of the gate slowly and had to play catch up all game long. This has been an unfortunate trend for the women's team this year and it resulted in a common end, a loss. Tech took an 11-4 lead early and every time Virginia would fight back, the Hokies responded. When the Cavaliers closed the gap to 26-23 at the break, the Hokies scored 4 straight points out of the box. They took a ten point lead 52-42 with 2:17 and Virginia could never get closer than 6.

"We're mired in a slump right now," head coach Debbie Ryan said. "We can't stop digging."

It's hard to point to the exact problem of this team, in reality, it's probably a whole lot of minor things. This game was a lot about poor defense and unbalanced scoring. I mentioned last time that Virginia needed a star, well I doubt Sharnee Zoll read my column but she took it to heart. Zoll scored 17 points shirking her usual pass first, shoot second mentality. The problem is she only had two assists and NO ONE else scored in double figures. Stars make their team better and Zoll did not do that. Playing the point guard is the hardest of all positions because you're the coach on the floor. It's hard to balance shooting and passing, Zoll still needs to find that balance as Virginia continues to play in the ACC.

Defense is also big, especially when you get down early. Carrie Mason of the Hokies had a big game, 24 points on 7-13 shooting, 4-5 from behind the arc. Dawn Chriss has a big game as well with 17 points on 6-14 shooting. As a team the Hokies shot 45.5% from the field, 12% better than their counterparts. They also outrebounded the Cavaliers 34-33. All of that means a loss for Virginia and a point for the Hokies in the Commonwealth Challenge. Virginia Tech is now 15-5 on the season, but also 2-5 in the ACC. This win was critical for their team but also for their school as the Hokies trail 9-4 in the Commonwealth Challenge.

Next up for Virginia is Maryland, a team that beat the Cavaliers at U-Hall in overtime 84-74 earlier this season. The fact is it's really really really time to worry if you're a Cavalier. You're already 2-5 in the ACC and this was the easy part. These next three games are all against teams in the top 6, at Maryland, at Duke and at home against the undefeated first-ranked Tar Heels.

Good luck Debbie Ryan and crew, you're gonna need it.

The Results Are In

2006-02-02T14:42:00.000-05:00

Recruiting confuses me.

I'll be the first to admit it too. I love sports but recruiting is an aspect that unless you take part in it, you can't fully understand. This Wednesday was National Signing Day, where all the universities across the land laud their great incoming classes of football heroes. Al Groh has been one hard worker at recruiting. He assembled top 25 classes like nobody's business in the beginning and why not? This guy was an NFL head coach, he worked under Bill Belichick, the beloved Patriots head coach with all the rings. He got stars like Heath Miller, D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Ahmad Brooks. In all honesty, this graduating class might have been one of the best classes in UVA football history. The class of 2006 however, is not.

Recruiting is not an exact science, some high ranked prospects never pan out, and there are always surprises. Therefore, ranking teams is one problematic thing to do. Even the different entities that do the ranking have a hard time. How hard you ask? Rivals Inc. has UVA's class of 2006 as 39th nationally (not too bad), Scout.com has it at 52nd (uh oh) and ESPN has it ranked 70th (very bad). Now I don't know about you but that's a real discrepancy. In fact, ESPN has UVA's class ranked dead last in the ACC, that's right behind Duke, Wake Forest and UNC. Maybe ESPN is off their rocker, Rivals and Scout.com are the more respected recruiting forces. However, even if the players Virginia got turn out to be better than 70th in the nation, the bigger story is who Virginia did not get.

Virginia picked up 24 recruits, but only 8 are from the state of Virginia (that's one third, math majors). These eight weren't the biggest names either. Before you can become a national power, you HAVE to win the battle for the recruits in your state. Virginia did that early on in Groh's tenure but lately with Virginia Tech's ascendancy, the return of Penn State as well as those darn Florida schools, it's no longer the case. Plus these top prospects were wide receivers, the one position Virginia desperately needs help at more than anything else. I mean linebackers are wonderful, but when you're overbooked, you're overbooked.

It's also about holding on too. Virginia had two great players at running back Kordell Young and Brent Carter that decommited, instead opting for Rutgers and Penn State respectively. I don't know why they decommited, but I do know this...if you're losing football recruits to Rutgers, this is not good!

As fans, we want to believe that we can reach that elite level. It's hard in an ACC with two Florida schools, with the high academic standards we adhere to, and the parity present in today's football. Nevertheless, UVA needs to take advantage of situations when it can, and so must Al Groh. I think Al Groh is wonderful and so do pretty much all fans. He has completely changed the intensity and attitude towards football on Grounds. The nation likes Groh too, but he is starting to build a dangerous reputation as an "underachiever". In 2004-2005, Virginia looked poised for the ACC Championship and folded horribly in its 3 biggest games. Last season, Virginia did not win one ACC road game. Al Groh has responded when the pressure has really been on. Despite all the coaching vacancies, the Cavaliers beat a very good Minnesota team in the Music City Bowl. These vacancies certainly hurt recruiting this time around but now it's over.

It's officially time to look to next season and Coach Groh and staff need to focus on this season. It's time to prove that Virginia can break through that shell of mediocrity. Al Groh preached that this would not be the George Welsh era of ties and pep bands. Well George Welsh got us winning seasons too, one of the longest streaks in the nation, he got us our first bowl game and picked up two ACC Championships. If Coach Groh truly wants the fans to step up their commitment and effort to the program to get us to the next level, it's time for the team to do their part. It's not too lofty a goal, it's what has been asked of us by our coach. We responded...

State Squeaks By Virginia 66-64

2006-02-02T01:04:00.000-05:00

When you are playing a top 25 team on the road, you need skill, determination and luck.

Against 18th-ranked N.C. State the Virginia Cavaliers had a little bit of all three, but not when it mattered most. Sean Singletary was given the ball by C Jason Cain with 3.2 to go after a missed Wolfpack free throw with a chance to win. Coach Dave Leitao had used all his timeouts so it was Singletary who had to run the court and throw up a prayer. The shot was good...but not good enough, allowing N.C. State to defend their homecourt and drop the Cavaliers to 10-8, 4-4 in the ACC. While the loss is certainly demoralizing, 4-4 is an amazing accomplishment already. Nevertheless, it's not time to pack it in and call it a season. Virginia still has 9 games left, 8 conference games and a tournament. This season has turned into more than just avoiding embarrassment, but really making some positive strides. Coach Dave Leitao recognized that after the game, once again proving he saw no such thing as a "morale victory".

"I've said it 100 times. There's nothing pleasing about losing."

The beginning of the game was far from pleasing for Virginia fans. The offense started off badly for the third game in a row. After the 20-2 debacle against Duke, Virginia was behind 20-8 early on and looked to be in trouble.

"We didn't come into this game with a lot of energy but we were able to regain our focus and execute a little bit," Singletary said.

That they did, J.R. Reynolds was able to make some aggressive moves and piece by piece Virginia clawed back in it. The Cavaliers ended the half strongly, cutting a 9-point deficit to 3 trailing 29-26 at the break. The second half was a tug and war of momentum. Virginia would come close but the Wolfpack would answer. Finally, late in the game, Virginia took its first lead 53-52 with 7:44 to go. At 61-57 Virginia had its biggest lead and a chance to pull away. The Wolfpack were struggling, but the Cavaliers could not deliver the final blow and that proved critical. Ilian Evitimov and Cameron Bennerman worked to get the Wolfpack the lead at 64-62. Then Engin Atsur, who had played with freshman Mamadi Diane all day was able to get open and make the critical yet wide open lay up.

That lack of defensive execution also came at the front line where Lars Mikalauskas and Tunji Soroye could not contain sophomore center Cedric Simmons. Simmons had 15 points and 3 blocks which complimented Tony Bethel's 16 points and 7 rebounds. When a clutch play was needed, Bethel responded through the game with a big three-pointer or a key rebound.

For Virginia despite some mishaps J.R. Reynolds still had a solid outing with 16 points and 5 assists. Singletary had 13 points and 5 assists, a sub-par game for him that still included Kodak moments of jaw-dropping execution. Mikalauskas despite 4 fouls was able to put up 10 points and Cain had a very good game rebounding 10 rebounds to go with his 7 points. In fact, Virginia had a big margin in the rebounding war, most importantly they had 12 offensive rebounds to 4 for the Wolfpack. Still it was all about execution down the stretch and that is where the Wolfpack shined.

The win takes N.C. State to 17-4, 6-2 in the ACC. They avenged a beat down by Seton Hall last week which was their first home loss of the year. The Wolfpack seem to have locked up an NCAA bid now, but for Virginia it's all about keeping the team together for the stretch run.

Let's be honest, Virginia was not expected to do anything this year. Now that they have, it's hard to just call it a season. Certainly the players don't want to, and neither do the fans. Virginia has proven it has loads of potential and promise but that doesn't make a difference in the win-loss column. The Cavaliers simply do not have room for error if they want some postseason play (NIT or NCAA). Next up are the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, a team that has inexplicably struggled this year without Chris Paul. The Deacons are LAST in the ACC at 1-7. Nevertheless, Virginia cannot look past this team. WF has the talent that can help them beat anybody on a given night, they have just been unable to get everyone to work well in concert. If UVa looks past them as a win, they will most certainly lose (and it's a loss they can ill afford). Win this and Virginia is back above .500 in the ACC and the NIT looks like a great possibility. Lose this game and Virginia is reeling with 3 straight losses and a road game at Maryland on the horizon. The season may not end be on the line this Saturday, but the Cavaliers need to play like it is.

Killer Schedule

2006-01-30T23:36:00.000-05:00

Coaches like to schedule strong opponents, it makes their team "battle tested". They won't be intimidated come tournament time. When Virginia lost to UCLA in the Sweet Sixteen of tennis, that's what head coach Brian Boland had in mind. This schedule however is not just tough...it's downright murderous.

The number one team in the land started with a road loss 4-3 against 9th ranked Pepperdine. The Cavaliers rallied to defeat 20th ranked USC 4-3 and then took a "break" to beat 54th Minnesota 5-2, both games were on the road. Then Virginia played its first home match against 33rd ranked VCU, a team that Boland found to be very underrated. The Cavaliers pulled off another 4-3 victory, followed up by another 4-3 nail-biter against 26th ranked Notre Dame.

Noticing a pattern?

Two days later Virginia was back at it again. This time they could not handle the 4th ranked Illinois team on the road. UVa went down 5-2, their first 5-2 loss since 2004 against UNC or 46 straight matches for those keeping track. That's crazy! A mark like that is one that should be truly appreciated, especially when Virginia consistently plays teams like this. Virginia is not just proving that they can take a hit, but that they want this top ranking earned.

No one knows if this loss will cost them their place at the top but if so, Virginia need not worry because the ranked teams keep on coming. Continue to beat these top 25 teams and you will have one impressive resume. Next up is a home match against 7th ranked Baylor (at least it's at home). Not to mention contests with Michigan, Texas A & M and Texas, that's 48th, 13th and 22nd respectively.

The matches have also marked some amazing matches. The Illinois campaign featured two epic three set matches one won by Virginia, the other lost. Somdev Devvarman was named an ACC player of the week taking down the 51st, 8th and 11th ranked players in the nation. That's a pretty good career in and of itself, but Devvarman, a sophomore did it all in the same WEEK.

In a sports culture where most top teams try to avoid being taken down from their perch, it is incredible to see how hard Virginia has stacked the deck to really give itself a challenge. It may hurt them in the short term but Boland is taking a substantial gamble that this death march of matches will make Virginia better prepared when the NCAA tournament comes around. If he's right, Virginia may not have to rely on just lacrosse to win national championships.

If he's wrong, well that's the glory of there always being a next year.

Wanted: Star Needed

2006-01-29T19:36:00.000-05:00

While watching CSN this afternoon, and getting to see the Virginia women's basketball team take on Florida State for the second time something became apparent. After all, it's hard to explain how this team has been so inconsistent this year. They can score in the 70s one game and 43 the next. Is it all from inexperience?

Virginia lost to Florida State at home today, 67-58, continuing their ACC woes. The Cavaliers are 13-6 on the year and 2-5 in the ACC. The Seminoles are a good team, but Virginia should have beat them today, in fact they should have won both games. The ACC is one amazingly tough conference, it is number one in the RPI rankings. Virginia is 2-5 and have yet to play UNC or Duke, the top two teams in the nation! In other words, things are beginning to look grim.

Well the offensive futility seems evident enough. The 17 turnovers did not help matters either. Even though Virginia won the rebounding margin, they sure couldn't grab the big ones down the stretch when their feverish comeback fell short. All these problems are fatal to a team fighting for the NCAA, but maybe their biggest problem is this: When the game is the on the line, who is going to step up?

Virginia's men do not have this problem. Sean Singletary is the man, it's just a fact. He will make that big shot when it's needed. The women don't have that player. That lack of leadership really seems to have cost them these ACC games. One good candidate would be Sharnee Zoll. The sophomore PG has established herself as a leader. The flaw is, her preoccupation with running the offense has made her pass first, shoot second. This has cost her some offensive numbers herself. This game she finished with 7 points and 7 assists. Zoll might be a great leader, but it's hard to say she can change gears quickly enough to be the go-to shooter with the game on the line.

Lyndra Littles is an emerging star. Her size and speed give her the ability to play inside and out. Her flaw would be youth. She is only a freshman. During the comeback trail she missed critical free throws that would have helped UVa pull off the comeback. She also has to learn to avoid foul trouble since her 15 points and 8 rebounds were stymied by 4 fouls. In fact she only played the first three minutes of the first half.

Brenna McGuire is a pure shooter and a great teammate. McGuire however has failed to show that "selfishness" needed to be a go-to player. She is more than willing to give others the credit and glory while she sits back and makes big treys. While that garners much appreciation from her teammates and is a welcome change of pace from many other talented players, sometimes a big time player has to know when it's okay to take charge of the game. McGuire's 8 points are just not going to be enough. She scored over 20 against Miami, and Virginia women's basketball need her to play like that for them to get the key wins in the ACC.

Siedah Williams may be the best candidate. She has been by far Virginia's most consistent scorer. She has range for a big player and can hit those boards especially offensively. Williams problem is the same of most centers, they have to be given the ball, creating their own shots isn't a viable option. Zoll must make a concentrated effort to give Williams the ball when the game comes down to the nitty-gritty. She may not be the flashiest player on the team, but she has experience, talent and all the determination that a star needs.

Next up for Virginia is a home date with the Hokies of Virginia Tech as the Commonwealth Challenge continues. UVa currently leads overall 9-3 and the women will look to add to that growing margin. The Hokies fell earlier 78-59 to the Cavaliers at Cassell Coliseum earlier this year. The win is still one of Virginia's biggest. This time the Hokies will be looking for revenge. Offensive execution will be big yet again. If the Cavaliers can get their shots to fall, they should have a good chance of winning. If not, the NCAA tournament becomes farther out of sight.

Cavs Crushed 82-63

2006-01-28T20:22:00.000-05:00

Virginia needed its best effort to beat the second-best team in America.

They didn't. Even worse, Duke played excellent. The result was an ugly loss. The momentum of three straight ACC wins was not enough to stop J.J. Redick. The senior SG could not miss, even when covered well, but especially on some of the open jumpers his speed gave him. That paired with a strong shooting night by C Shelden Williams and Virginia simply did not have enough bodies to take down the talented Blue Devils.

The game started terribly for the Cavaliers offensively, UVA was down 20-2 and played scare. They were turning the ball over, 12 in the first half alone and 19 for the game. Every player was rushing their shot when they had an open shot. The frustration was evident but the game was not over yet. A strong finish to end the half cut the deficit at one point to 9. Shelden Williams made at a jumper at the end for Duke to take a 35-24 lead at the break. Williams would end the game with 17 points, 10 rebound and 8 "blocks".

The next half, the bottom fell out. Redick shot incredibly well and Virginia went through another cold spell. Before long the lead was nearing 30 early in the second half. The Roanoke product scored 40 against the Cavaliers, his third 40-point game this year, continuing his campaign for the Naismith Award. However Virginia continued to fight. Better Virginia teams had folded in the past but Coach Leitao and crew held on to keep the game from being a complete embarrassment. Obviously Virginia was not happy with a 19-point loss but it could have been far worse. This resiliency will be necessary as the year goes on. If Virginia can shake this game off as one of those days and truly refocus on rebounding and ball control, they can continue to be a force in this depleted ACC.

The officiating in Duke was suspect at points. Virginia got some questionable calls, but even Dockery was hosed on an obvious offensive foul by Singletary. Nevertheless, the calls didn't cost the Cavaliers this game, sloppy execution did. This game serves as a reality check. Virginia has played well, they've exceeded expectations but this is Duke, not Miami. Virginia still has glaring problems and they can affect them in any game. Virginia was balanced out by a good game from J.R. Reynolds. Reynolds, who left his last game with a concussion scored 19 points on 6-12 shooting, an amazing 3-3 from behind the arc. His three-pointer near the end of the first half was one of the few bright spots for the Cavaliers. Singletary chipped in 13 points and 6 assists, but had an uncharacteristic 6 turnovers. Jason Cain was the only other Cavalier to reach double-digits with 10 points and 7 rebounds, but 6 of those points came from the line.

Next up for the Cavaliers will be the Wolfpack of N.C. State. The Pack are coming off an embarrassing home loss to Seton Hall by 20. The last thing Virginia needs is a frustrated and talented ball club, but that's the situation. Last year, Virginia's only road win was against the Wolfpack 61-59. Singletary's late lay-up was a huge victory on a highly disappointing season. Virginia will be looking for a similar theme but this time the Wolfpack are paying attention. Ilian Evtimov and sophomore Cedric Simmons have emerged as leaders for the 14th ranked team in the nation. Virginia is obviously disappointed with their effort against the Blue Devils, but they should be proud of the season they have had so far. Duke is an amazing team, and from now on the Cavaliers may have a tough schedule but it is manageable. At 10-7, the Cavaliers still have the potential for a few more upsets. They will need to play solid, smart basketball and if the Cavaliers can learn and not wallow from this game, they can do just that.

Hot Off The Presses

2006-01-25T19:30:00.000-05:00

The 2006 Football schedule for the Virginia Cavaliers is out.

Since it is never too early to talk about football, let's take an educated look at what the Cavaliers will have to look forward to as they continue their quest for ACC glory.

Sept. 2 at Pittsburgh
Sept. 9 Wyoming
Sept. 16 Western Michigan

The first game is interesting because Pittsburgh had a very topsy turvy season in the Big East. Virginia will probably be favored and should win, but it will be an early indicator of how good this team will be. Wyoming has surprised teams before but this game along with Western Michigan should be simple enough if the Cavaliers come to play. This would take the Cavaliers to a potential 3-0 start before ACC play begins.

Sept. 21 (Thurs.) at Georgia Tech
Sept. 30 at Duke
Oct. 7 at East Carolina

ECU should be another W, the other two games are interesting. Duke should be easy enough, but it's important to keep in mind that they do have talent and Virginia will have 5 games in one month. The big problem might be GT. Virginia has had trouble beating GT on the road and this game will be on 5 days rest. A win here and UVA is in ACC heaven, but I predict that one could be a loss. So we finish this stretch 5-1.

Oct. 14 Maryland
Oct. 19 (Thurs.) North Carolina
Oct. 28 N.C. State

Maryland has always been a tough rival, but they also have fared horribly at UVA under Friedgen. UNC should also go into the win column. The Wolfpack had a breakout end to their season. Will the loss of Mario Williams take down their vaunted defense? I'll stay conservative here, and say we drop this one. However, with the way UVA has played at home, a win is very possible. Going into November we're 7-2...but my oh my, look at the horizon.

Nov. 4 at Florida State
Nov. 18 Miami
Nov. 25 at Virginia Tech

This stretch is hell. If the Wolfpack play like they did to end 2005, NO team has a harder 4 game stretch to end the year...PERIOD. FSU and Miami may not be dominating but they're still very good. I can't pick us to win either road game, and Miami might be asking alot. Therefore, a conservative estimate of 7-5 with a potential bowl win to notch that up.

This is very early and many things will happen to alter this. Hopefully UVA can pick up a few of those games like GT and NCSU. An upset or two after that, and UVA could be in the ACC championship. That is how fickle the preseason is. Nevertheless, UVA contains some winnable games, some strong match ups and entertaining possibilities. Until then, let the debate begin.

Cavs Weather the Hurricane, down Miami 71-51

2006-01-25T00:14:00.000-05:00

Virginia is good.

The expectations this season for Virginia were low, beyond low. In fact, there WERE no expectations. Virginia has had one topsy turvy season so far, but now they are kicking on all cylinders and it is scary good. Miami became the latest team to see just that as they lost to the Cavaliers 71-51. Miami started out hot, making their first 6 of 12 shots. They led by as many as 8 and Virginia was a bit slow out of the gate. The defense picked back up though. So much in fact that Miami would miss 19 of their next 21 attempts. Virginia was able to capitalize on Miami's offensive futility to take the lead and never looked back. The Cavaliers took a 32-26 lead to the half.

The second half was the Sean Singletary show. The PG scored 7 points in the first half, but took over in the second to notch up 22. His quickness was unmatched. His confidence was undeniable. His leadership skills were more evident than ever. When he was not stupefying defenders he barked out commands to his players, and to their credit they obliged. With the lead 12 points to go with three minutes left it was Sean who put the game away with basket after basket.

A sour note for Virginia was the hard hit J.R. Reynolds took after an aggressive move to the basket had him land hard on his head. Reynolds was dazed and down for a long time. He went to the bench and later the locker room but returned with 8 minutes to go. Reynolds however did not go back in, fortunately however he was not needed. Before he left he had 12 points in another solid effort. Jason Cain also had a rough day, only 2 points but he did have 8 rebounds. Foul trouble cost him much playing time in the second half but Lars Mikalauskas picked up the slack.

If Jason Cain's emergence was amazing, the rising confidence of Lars Mikalauskas is simply miraculous. After having the game of his career against UNC he did it...again. This time Mikalauskas registered 12 points and 8 rebounds on 5-6 shooting (No, that's not a typo). His enthusiasm for the game is contagious and the fans truly have embraced this freshman. His play has made Virginia a very VERY dangerous team now. Maybe I'll let the Coach explain:

"One part of building a program is that you can play the type of basketball that your players like and your fans appreciate." Coach Dave Leitao said. "I like to think, and I've heard it, that since we've started, our guys are playing hard. That's the first and most important part of being appreciated--that you play the game the right way. I think they really appreciate these guys because they are putting their hearts out every night."

Miami suffered from a terrible night shooting. They ended the game on 19-60 shooting, 6-27 from behind the arc. Guillermo Diaz played hard with 10 points and Anthony Harris led the way with 13. This loss takes the 'Canes to 11-8 on the season, 3-3 in the season.

For Virginia, the hits just keep on coming. The Cavaliers have won three ACC games in a row, 4-2 on the year and 10-6 overall. This is a team that won 4 ACC games ALL YEAR last year and now they've matched it when a year ago at this stage they had none. Virginia must leave U-Hall now after two huge home wins to take on 2nd-ranked Duke at Cameron Indoor. If ever there was a test, this is it. Virginia could play great and still lose because the Devils have established themselves as the best team in the land. It may be hard, but these type of games will make Virginia even stronger as the year goes on. The ACC season is long, and there will be bumps along the way. If the Cavaliers can handle adversity, this season might just be one for the ages.

Bounce Back

2006-01-22T17:22:00.000-05:00

Less than 48 hours after a demoralizing loss to Maryland in OT, the Virginia women's basketball team was on the road to take on a very good Miami team. Virginia knew what was at stake, a loss would drop them to 1-4 in the ACC. With the season on the line, the Cavaliers responded and got a big victory 77-65 over the Hurricanes.

"I'm proud of our team for handling adversity," head coach Debbie Ryan said after the game.

Last year Virginia faltered against the 'Canes because they could not stop star Tamara James. James had only two point in the first half this go around, and gave Virginia the confidence they needed to win their second consecutive ACC road game after taking down Virginia Tech earlier in the week. James finished with 15 points, but the real star for Miami was G Renee Taylor. She finished with 21 points and 6 assists. The problem for Miami was everyone else. No other player could step up when the chips were down, no one else scored in double figures.

For UVA, the Hoos were led by three-point machine Brenna McGuire. The guard was featured on Cavalier Sports Weekly today, and she earned the merit going for a career high 22 pints and 4-9 shooting from behind the arc. Siedah Williams continued her strong season with 20 points and 9 rebounds. Tiffany Sardin registered a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. It was this strong outing in all aspects of the game that kept Virginia in front, and led them pull away after a 30-29 halftime lead.

The rebounding, the turnovers and the big plays all went Virginia's way when it was much needed. Now Virginia is 13-4 on the season 2-3 in the ACC. While still a losing mark, Virginia has much less of a hole to dig out of if they wish to contend for a high seed in the ACC tournament. Next up for Virginia is Boston College. The Lady Eagles are ranked 22nd/21st in the nation, but may drop out after a loss to Wake Forest earlier this week. The game will be at the Conte Forum, the second road game in a row. Virginia has looked all the bit like road warriors as of late. They will need another strong performance if they are to defeat their second ranked team this season, but with the way things have been going, you can't put it past them.

Down for the count

2006-01-21T12:36:00.000-05:00

No one said the ACC was going to be easy.

This has proven true for the UVA women's basketball team. After a great win Monday against interstate rival Virginia Tech, UVA had to take on their rival up the road, the Maryland Terrapins. The Terps are 6th in the nation and they played like it. Virginia still had the talent to compete, but their effort fell short in overtime, losing 84-74.

The game was big for both teams, and the fans knew it, a season-high audience watched as Virginia started the game out with a 15-6 run. Maryland responded and had 38-33 advantage at the break. UVA would rally back to take the lead back at 45-44. The game was close from then on and out until the overtime. UVA shot only 12% from the field when it counted most. Maryland had a big test, but unfortunately for the Cavaliers...they were the ones that passed in crunch time.

"(It was) just a heck of a game," Maryland head coach Brenda Frese said. "I'm proud of the fact that we hung in there. We showed a lot of poise in the last five minutes (of regulation). It was a wild finish. We know how difficult it is to win here."

UVA did lose to one of the best teams in the nation and took them to overtime, but that does not provide much comfort to the reeling Cavaliers. Sharnee Zoll had a career game with 17 points and 8 assists. Lyndra Littles had another strong game off the bench with 13 points. Nevertheless, after starting the year 11-1 they are now 12-4 (1-3 ACC). That ACC mark HAS to improve if UVA is to return to the NCAA tournament. Without a doubt the women have shown moments that they can be a top 25 team. Inexperience seems to be keeping them down at this point as UVA is still a very young team.

Nevertheless, the road does not get any easier. Next up for the women is Miami. Miami is 14-3, 3-1 ACC and looking to be in great form. What makes matters worse for Virginia is that the game is on the road. The last time UVA traveled they couldn't make anything and lost to Florida State in their ACC opener. The Virginia women certainly have a strong overall record and good wins, but they need a win to maintain any sort of momentum. Basketball is a very streaky sport and it's time for the lady Cavaliers to show that they still have the talent not only to make the promised land of the NCAA tourney, but to be a factor.

Cavs Beat UNC in 72-68 Thriller

2006-01-19T21:56:00.000-05:00

This is ACC basketball.

Before the game, the UVA pep band played Thriller by Michael Jackson. Now sure the song is dated...and about Halloween...and has no real sports tie ins. Nevertheless, the song perfectly described what turned out to be one amazing matchup. The Tar Heels ranked 25th in the nation were coming off a shocking loss at home to Miami and looked to rebound. The problem was the Virginia intensity and early crowd fervor. UVA showed offense early that it had not had all year. With 8 minutes to go Virginia had a 24-14 lead. The problem for Virginia was much like the past, complacency. UNC stormed back and took the lead into halftime 29-27.

The run did not end there. UNC was able to extend it to 22-3 run, and Virginia appeared on the ropes down 36-27. Once again it was PG Sean Singletary to the rescue. A big three-point by Singletary capped a UVA run to get back in it. A 13-2 run gave Virginia the lead back with 14:30 to play. The Cavaliers weren't done yet, the run continued to 26-10. Virginia led by 9 with 8:29 to go. Just like the first half Virginia could not be complacent. They had to learn from their mistake or lose a heartbreaker.

UNC charged back as everyone expected. Some bad fouls and turnovers by Virginia allowed Reyshawn Terry of the Heels to hit two free throws and make it a 64-61 deficit. Nevertheless, in the crunch Virginia's hero was not Sean or J.R. Reynolds. It was of all the people in the world Lars Mikalauskas. Four of his ten points came late with huge tip ins that kept Virginia in front, and UNC at bay. Say what you want about Virginia, but without Lars they lose this game. Virginia definitely had their stars in line of course. Singletary scored a team high 18 points, a number matched by UNC's freshman sensation Tyler Hansbrough. Hansbrough refused to give up, fighting through double coverage most of the night to grab key rebounds (10 of them to be exact) and make big shots. Nevertheless, Jason Cain who had two dunks, 5 rebounds in what was still considered an off night made 5 huge blocks down the stretch which meant a Cavalier victory.

In the end it came down to free throws. Virginia's T.J. Bannister was thrust into the spotlight, could he handle it? Bannister missed a free throw with less than two minutes to go but would make his next three. He would finish with 7 points and 3 rebounds. J.R. Reynolds made the last free throw for the ball club, finishing his night with 16 points, 6 rebounds.

For Virginia the win was incredible. Sure UNC had lost a huge amount of their roster, but they were still ranked, they were still a rival, and they were still the defending national champions. UNC embarrassed UVA at home last year, the game that may have been the clincher for Gillen's departure. His successor took care of business and so did his club.

Virginia is now 9-6 on the year (3-2 ACC). UNC falls to 10-4 and has lost two ACC games in a row to drop back to 3-2 as well. UNC basketball coach Roy Williams is an excellent coach, but his young guys will have to shake this off and focus on getting back in their earlier season stride.

Next up for Virginia is Miami. The Hurricanes also beat UNC on the road by 11 and can be a tough match up. After a huge win like this, it would be easy to not bring their full energy to this game. Miami beat UVA last year at U-Hall and could easily do it again with their trio of guards. Miami is 3-1 in the ACC and proving to be a real contender for the NCAA tournament. Virginia must bring it's best EVERY game if they are to be successful. Those close calls against Gonzaga and Georgia Tech proved UVA can hang with the big boys. Now let's keep it up.

Fault!

2006-01-18T15:10:00.000-05:00

The top tennis team in the land went down in defeat yesterday as the number one Virginia Cavaliers lost to the 9th ranked Pepperdine squad 4-3. The match opened up what will be a challenging schedule for the two-time ACC champions. The game came down to the opening doubles match up. Virginia would lose it, ultimately determining a winner after a 3-3 split in the singles matches. Doubles started off on the wrong foot as the 19th ranked UVA duo of Rylan Rizza and Darrin Cohen fell to Scott Doerner and Andre Begemann. The 31st ranked Pepperdine double of Pedro Rico and Ivor Lovrak coasted past Treat Huey and Eric Riley, clenching the doubles point for Pepperdine.

Pepperdine would win matches 1-3, UVA secured matches 4-6 but that would not be enough for victory. However, some of Virginia's highly ranked players showed why they are the real deal. 4th ranked Huey took down Andre Begemann 6-2, 6-3. Marko Miklo and Darrin Cohen also picked up big wins. The trip was not so nice for 10th ranked Somedev Devvarman who lost his singles match to 100th ranked Pedro Rico, 3-6, 4-6.

Despite the tough loss, head coach Brian Boland remains confident.

"Pepperdine is a good team; they played a great match today and deserved to win," said Boland. "This was a good learning experience for our team and we will rebound from this."

Turns out the coach was right, as the next day Virginia took on 20th ranked USC and registered a 5-2 victory. Unfortunately the game was the second time in a row UVA dropped the doubles point. This time however, the singles players came to play. Doug Stewart was the only Cavalier to lose in singles, after a three set epic to Kaes Van't Hof of the Trojans.

The victory may not keep Virginia at number one, but it should give them confidence that they can once again return to the top of the heap.

Back in the Groove

2006-01-17T23:09:00.000-05:00

Not to be outdone by their male counterparts, the Virginia women's basketball team traveled to take on the 18th/23rd Virginia Tech Hokies and came away with the impressive 78-59 victory.

The win was big for the team as the women notched their first ACC win of the year. After a disappointing 0-2 start, the season could have come crashing to a halt with yet another loss. Undeterred by a poor offensive performance against FSU, coupled with a defensive breakdown against North Carolina State, the Virginia women finally got it right, just in the nick of time.

"It's a huge boost for us," head coach Debbie Ryan said. "You can't put too much emphasis on one game in the ACC. You have to stay focused and on an even keel, win or lose."

This huge boost came from a reinvigorated emphasis on defense.

Our defense is usually pretty good,"Ryan said. "I'm pleased where we are now. This team has bought into the fact that if we want to win, we have to play defense."

The Hokies were held to 34.6% shooting in the first half, allowing Virginia to pull out to a 15-point lead at half. Virginia also won the rebounding war 34-32. Perhaps the biggest surprise was the offensive firepower in the first half. Virginia hit 60.7% of their shots, led by freshman Lyndra Littles. Littles finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds, her fourth double-double on the season. PG Sharnee Zoll also had a big game with 13 points and 5 assists along with Takisha Granberry who chipped in a career-high 16 points off the bench. These players efforts helped contribute to a welcome but unexpected offensive first half surge.

"The first half was our best performance of the year," Ryan said.

Virginia cannot celebrate long. One rival may be down but next up is Maryland, ranked 6th in the nation. The Terrapins are coming to U-Hall this Friday and fans should be ready for quite the match up. Virginia will need to play great to pull off the upset, but they already took one ranked team down this week.

The win is not only big for the women's season, but for Virginia sports as awhole. Going into this weekend, the Commonwealth Challenge was fired up again. This competition awards points to the winner of every VT/UVA contest. The team with the most points win. Virginia came in with a comfortable 6-3 this past weekend, but let's be honest. Virginia was not favored in either one of these contests, and with the unpredictable nature of rivalry games, a 6-5 cushion is not safe at all. Instead both teams responded and the University owes them big thanks. UVA now leads 8-3. There are 22 events, so the magic number will be getting over 11.5 (some events are only 1/2 a point). Keep an eye out as we update the Challenge throughout the year.

Cavs Survive Hokies, Fans and win 54-49

2006-01-15T18:25:00.000-05:00

In big games, big players step up.

Sean Singletary lives for moments like that and he did not disappoint. With the Hokies making a huge 10-0 run Singletary responded with 6 straight points (at one point he scored 11 straight points for Virginia), keeping the Cavaliers from falling apart like they were prone to do in the past. Sean redeemed himself for two earlier turnovers when the Hokies were on the ropes, down 39-33. A technical foul by VT head coach Seth Greenburg and his imploring the fans turned the entire game and momentum around in the Cassell Coliseum. The Hokies, who had struggled offensively all game long, kicked it into an extra gear that the Cavaliers had no answer for ...at least those who were not Sean. Singletary kept them in it, the defense kept the Hokies from pulling away and Adrian Joseph made the difference, hitting a huge three-pointer with 44 seconds left to make it a 52-49 advantage for the Cavaliers and cap an 11 point performance by the sophomore. The Hokies would miss a three-pointer but then got a held ball with the inbounds pass. On the second chance, Virginia Tech would miss again and freshman forward Mamadi Diane pulled down the biggest rebound of the game, fouled with 7.4 seconds left. Despite the great play, Diane's work was not done. Having to make the free throws, the true freshman Diane drilled both making a 5-point cushion and insuring a huge road victory in the ACC. Virginia only won one road game last year at N.C. State. The win takes Virginia to 8-6 on the season and 2-2 in the ACC. The loss keeps the Virginia Tech Hokies winless in the ACC at 0-4 and 10-7 for the year.

The stars came out again for the Charlottesville faithful as Singletary and junior G J.R. Reynolds both scored 16 points a piece. Jason Cain had modest numbers (7 points and 6 rebounds) but a tremendous impact by getting his hands on the ball, deflecting passes and most importantly, keeping Hokie star Coleman Collins from going off in the paint. Collins ended the game with 14 points, second only to PG Zabian Dowdell. The defense was tremendous for the Cavaliers all game long, holding Virginia Tech to 33% shooting from the field and .143 from behind the arc. The problem however was a big one, and it was turnovers. Virginia committed way too many turnovers, 21 to be exact, and the Hokies capitalized on them. It is something head coach Dave Leitao must make a note of and emphasize ball control as the ACC season continues. The victory is as big for the Cavaliers as it devastating for the Hokies. Last year everything went right for the boys of Blacksburg, finishing 4th in the conference and getting an NIT bid. This year, at 0-4 the Hokies have been cut down by a miracle shot from Duke's Sean Dockery and close calls against FSU and a tough loss to UNC where they caused 25 turnovers.

Next up for Virginia are the North Carolina Tar Heels. The Heels are currently ranked 20th in the nation but will probably fall out after a loss to Miami at home this weekend. UNC was completely decimated by offseason defection to the NBA, but a strong freshman class and veterans stepping up have caused the Tar Heels to be right in the mix for ACC position. Nevertheless, this is not the same team that humiliated Virginia last year at home in the game that may have been the nail in former coach Pete Gillen's coffin. Virginia would have to play extremely well, but Virginia has shown against teams like Gonzaga that they can hang with the big boys. At home Virginia has a chance, and to take the program to the next level. A win over a team like UNC could do just that.

In The Hole

2006-01-14T14:52:00.000-05:00

Virginia women's basketball drops second straight ACC game, fall to 11-3 on the season (0-2 ACC).

Debbie Ryan and crew needed a win. The 25th-ranked NC State Wolfpack were not willing to oblige as they gutted out a hard-earned 73-63 win. For the Wolfpack it was all about 13. On Friday the 13th, number 13 Billie McDowell stepped up for her squad with 23 points, including 5 three pointers. As a team the Wolfpack shot 10-20 from behind the arc. For Virginia it was not just the three's that hurt them. As the game wore on, the Cavalier defense wore off. After intermission where the score was deadlocked at 27, the Wolfpack opened up a 17-3 run. For the half N.C. State would shoot 57% from the floor, 6-9 from behind the arc. This hot shooting cost Virginia their second straight ACC game and puts them down in the cellar of the conference. For the Wolfpack, it's just what the doctor ordered.

"The ACC is really tough," NC State head coach Kay Yow said. "We feel fortunate to come out of here with a win."

Virginia's defensive struggles related to the boards as well, losing 43-40. The Cavaliers also struggled with 18 turnovers, even though they were able to force 23. Nevertheless, Virginia did get some solid contributions. Junior F Tiffany Sardin led the team with 16 points along with 5 steals. Siedah Williams, the only player to reach double figures against FSU matched the accomplishment with a double-double, 12 points and 10 rebounds. Brenna McGuire was the only other Cavalier to reach double digits with 10 points on some solid shooting.

The road does not get any easier for the Cavaliers. Next up, Virginia must focus on the Hokies of Virginia Tech who are ranked 21/23 in the polls and are currently 14-1, 1-1 in the ACC. The Cassell Coliseum is sure to be rocking as the Commonwealth Challenge continues. Coach Debbie Ryan and her players would love to register a big point in the overall sports challenge, but without a doubt, they don't need any more inspiration, they need a win. With the threat of going 0-3, Virginia can't afford a loss. Otherwise the hole the Cavaliers are digging will quickly turn into a grave.

T.J., Back for Good?

2006-01-13T18:07:00.000-05:00

The Florida State game had some positives for the Virginia Cavaliers. The biggest was the return to action of junior PG T.J. Bannister. Bannister had played limited minutes against the Arizona Wildcats and then the Georgia Tech in the ACC opener but had been out ever since. Head coach Dave Leitao explained that his absence had been an issue of conditioning, getting Bannister back in 'game shape'. Does this mean that Bannister is ready to contribute to one beleaguered team?

T.J. Bannister has had a very solid career at Virginia. Against some of the best ACC point guards, Bannister held his own in terms of a great assist/turnover ratio. He showed leadership skills. What he has never been is a prolific scorer. Bannister played in all 31 games of his freshman year and all 29 of his sophomore campaign. His first year he averaged 3.6 ppg and 3.0 apg. With another year came more playing time. His numbers went up but just barely, 4.3 ppg and 3.7 apg (not even a full point either way). In three games Bannister has two points, seven assists and 3 turnovers. It's important to keep in mind for Virginia fans that these numbers SHOULD improve as he gets more action with such a thin bench, but at the same time, don't expect anything vastly above the level he was before the injury.

Obviously Bannister is an improvement but it's important to know in what ways. Bannister will a solid guard who can help count down on turnovers in an offense where ball control is key. He will help give Singletary a need rest. Through 13 games, Singletary averages over 33 minutes a game, the most on the team. Bannister may not be nearly the offensive force Singletary is, but he can hold down the ship to charge the batteries of Virginia's biggest shining star. The problem will be Bannister cannot help the offense where it needs help the most, points. His size, his confidence and his body are not where it needs to be and it showed no better than the end of this Florida State match up. With the clock ticking, it appeared evident that Bannister wanted anyone but him to take the last shot. With Singletary covered, T.J. needed to step up but he didn't. Instead Diane threw up a bad shot and Virginia ended up losing. Bannister needs more than health or playing time, to believe that he can be the player he once was. Not only that, he needs to reach and surpass that level if Virginia is to truly benefit from his return. Bannister's lack of playing time could hurt the defense as well, but hopefully Leitao has worked the young man and he will get into the scheme better than the worst case scenario (after all it's Friday the 13th).

Bannister may be back, but which Bannister and for how long? That would be good to know.

Cavs Lose Heartbreaker 87-82

2006-01-11T22:22:00.000-05:00

The Seminoles hadn't won in Charlottesville for 6 years. With about two minutes to go, it appeared to be 7 years. The Cavaliers held a five point lead and J.R. Reynolds had an open jumper. Instead he misses and FSU made a huge three-point play on the other end, leading to a Virginia loss in overtime, setting them back to a 7-6 record on the year, 1-2 in the ACC. For the Seminoles they are now 11-2, 2-1 ACC and for Leonard Hamilton in company, the season just got a little brighter. Excuses may not make the loss go away for the Hoos, but they are certainly plentiful.

Depth-Virginia lost all three big men again. Tunji Soroye was the first casualty, taken out with about 5 minutes to go in the second half. Jason Cain was the second very early on in overtime. Lars Mikalauskas was the final big man fouling out about half way through overtime. With all that attrition the team with the greater depth, FSU was able to win. In fact, it probably was closer than it should have been.

Injury-Sean Singletary was rocked hard throughout the night. Despite an amazing 27 points 7 assists and 5 rebounds, hard shots that were not usually called cost Sean some serious pain. It made him rather tender and when it mattered most Singletary was in no condition to play Superman and pull out the victory.

Finishing-Virginia could not score late, when it mattered most Virginia could not seal the game. At the end of regulation they had a chance and instead Diane threw up a shot that was woefully short of the rim. This comes from inexperience and also from Singletary's injury and Bannister's lack of confidence. In the end, FSU was able to hit the big shots and UVA was not.

Referees-Okay, maybe it's a cliche but Virginia had two legitimate fouls not called that cost them dearly. One was late in the second half that took Singletary to the floor and kept him hindered throughout the game. The second was at the end of the game, J.R. Reynolds shot a three that would have tied the game at 85. His arm was hacked but no foul was called. This is no sore losing, the officials for the officials took strenuous notes at both of these junctures and it appears that this crew may not be returning to U-Hall anytime soon.

The loss costs Virginia dearly. With the caliber of ACC talent, wins will be very hard to come for. Especially for a team with 7 scholarship players and an even thinner frontcourt. UVa has to protect its home court and failed to do so. It may have been close, but close only counts with horseshoes and hand grenades. Next up for Virginia are the boys from Blacksburg. The Virginia Tech Hokies are not exactly happy either, having to deal with an 0-3 start in the ACC by a combined 11 points. Also with the Marcus Vick situation, the Hokies need something to be proud of. No doubt a drubbing of their old rivals are just what the doctor ordered, and Cassell Coliseum will be jumping. Virginia will have to avoid the road woes of the Gillen era and play like a team determined to make up for this narrow defeat. Otherwise, the season will get much much longer.

The Aces

2006-01-11T11:23:00.000-05:00

Maybe men's basketball won't make a championship run.

Maybe wrestling isn't your cup of tea.

Well don't worry UVA fans tired of lacrosse championships, a new spring obsession has begun. The ITA rankings are out and who has the number one men's tennis team in the country? Virginia. That's right, last year the Cavaliers won the ACC Championship before losing in the round of 16 to UCLA in the NCAA tournament. They peaked at number two in the nation last year but now are numero uno in the land to start the season.

Even more amazingly, men's tennis now becomes the 10th sport Virginia has been ranked number one in the nation at some point during the season. Yes skeptics, those sports include football and men and women's basketball. So, the question becomes, can Virginia hold on to this ranking and new found respect? It's appears obvious that head coach Tony Bresky has the same goal in mind.

"There is a lot of work to be done this year, and we want to finish the season ranked No. 1, not just start it that way." Bresky said. "We are excited for the ranking, but we are also excited for the opportunities this team has to accomplish a lot in the upcoming season."

Opportunities do seem to almost endless when looking at the caliber of players on this years squad. Virginia is the only team in the nation to have two players in the top ten and they're only sophomores. 6th-ranked Treat Huey and 10th-ranked Somdev Devvarman had outstanding freshman campaigns and look to continue their hot streak against some of the nation's best. Junior Marko Miklo stars the year ranked 46th and senior Rylan Rizza comes in at number 53. With depth like this, it's no wonder that Virginia tennis has such high expectations.

Perhaps Virginia's biggest strength however has been their doubles play. The Cavaliers have four teams ranked in the top 50, led by Darrin Cohen and Rizza at number 19. Doubles have proven to be an asset for the Cavaliers, and big for momentum since it is the first part of the match played. UVa dominated the doubles in ACC play, and lost it in their season-ending loss to UCLA. I guess the facts speak for themselves.

The schedule for the Cavaliers is once again one of the hardest in the nation. USC, Texas, Baylor, Texas A &M and Michigan round out a very impressive regular season which will put that number one ranking at risk. Nevertheless, Virginia seems up to the challenge. The problem will now be dealing with the pressure of being at the top. Teams will not start to circle their games against Virginia on the calendar like never before. Can Virginia overcome some of the best efforts from some of the top teams?

I'm just an analyst, not a psychic. However, the ITA seems to think so.

Power Outage

2006-01-09T15:38:00.000-05:00

Virginia's offense fails to show in Tallahassee, and the women's basketball teams falls to 11-2 (0-1 ACC).

In the ACC every game matters. Virginia had its eight-game win streak snapped Sunday, and the reason is obvious. The Lady Cavaliers could only muster 46 points in the game and an abysmal 13 in the first half against the Seminoles before losing 60-46. Despite a relatively good defensive effort, the problems on the offensive side of the ball were astounding. In the first half Virginia had almost as many turnovers (11) as they did points (13). They shot 17% from the floor. I don't care how good your defense is, no one can succeed with numbers like that.

Head coach Debbie Ryan could only state the obvious in the postgame.

We just couldn't get anything going offensively in the first half," said Ryan. "Give Florida State credit for pushing us. Rebounding was key as well as us not being able to finish."

The battle on the boards was not as bad as Ryan would lead to believe. Virginia actually won the rebound war 53-47. Individually however, the Lady Cavaliers could not stop Florida State guard Alicia Gladden. Her 7 rebounds, 22 points and 3 steals were more than enough to put the Seminoles on top. Virginia was led by C Siedah Williams with 14 points and 8 rebounds, she was also the only player to reach double digits for the game.

The unexpected loss puts the Cavaliers in an early hole, one that will be even harder to get out of. Next up, a home contest with the N.C. State Wolfpack. The Pack are 10-4, coming off a last second loss to Wake Forest 65-64. While Virginia will be favored, Coach Ryan and crew know that this game will be far from easy. A stumble here and Virginia could have big trouble when it heads to Blacksburg to take on a soon to be ranked Virginia Tech squad.

Hopefully this game will serve as a reminder for the team to not look to far ahead and stay focused on the task at hand. Otherwise this hot start can cool off very quickly.

Queens of the Hardwood

2006-01-08T12:59:00.000-05:00

Perhaps the biggest story in UVA athletics is the women's basketball team. Completely under the radar, Debbie Ryan's squad was supposed to be rebuilding with her plethora of freshman. Instead, they are 11-1 and open ACC play this afternoon against 9-5 (0-1 ACC) Florida State.

So wait a minute, how did this happen? Better yet, how come no one is giving the women the credit they deserve?

Maybe it's the wins. Victories against Harvard and Yale are big when it's an academic bowl, but not basketball. However, the Cavaliers come into the ACC fresh off the heels of a road victory against Marquette 64-56, dropping their record to 10-2. Perhaps the biggest piece of evidence that women's basketball is legitimate might be their one loss, 69-64, on a neutral site, to 12th ranked Minnesota (The same team that bounced Virginia out of the NCAA tournament last year). Say what you want about beating down Yale, but the Virginia women clearly got game.

So that leads us back to HOW? After all, many of Virginia's top scorers and rebounders departed after last year's solid season. Well Siedah Williams has stepped up her game, the junior is the leading scorer with 11.9 ppg. In fact, 5 players average 9.5 ppg or higher. That type of balanced scoring makes it tough for opposing defenses to focus on just one player. The biggest answer though appears to be on the defensive side of the ball. Virginia is outscoring their opponents 834-592, that's an average of 49 1/3 points per game for the opposition.

Virginia has also played clean basketball. PG Sharnee Zoll averages only 2.33 turnovers a game, compared to 6.4 assists per game. That 3-1 ratio has been big in Virginia maintaining control of a game and has helped keep this record at an immaculate 11-1.

When Virginia rolls into Tallahassee they will have to use their defense to shut down the Seminole guards. Senior guard Ganiyat Adeduntan and junior guard Alicia Gladden lead the team in scoring with 12.9 and 11.2 ppg respectively. The Noles also feature a freshman sensation in center Britany Miller. Miller however leads the team with only 5.4 rpg. This means that Virginia will look to attack the boards. If they can be successful, their ACC opener should help fuel their momentum and give them confidence with top ten teams like Duke looming on the horizon.

Win and Virginia will be primed for a big showdown with N.C. State coming up this Friday and a match up with Virginia Tech as the Commonwealth Challenge heats up. Until then, Virginia knows not to look ahead. If they keep doing what they're doing, it's just a matter of time before the nation starts looking at them.

Cavaliers shake the Tigers 64-58

2006-01-07T18:21:00.000-05:00

Last year, it took the Virginia Cavaliers until January 22nd to get a win, this time it took only until the 7th but it was the same team, the Clemson Tigers. It was not the prettiest game, or the easiest victory, nevertheless Virginia head coach Dave Leitao is only the 3rd UVA basketball coach to win his home ACC opener. He can thank his stars as yet again co-captains J.R. Reynolds and Sean Singletary continued to show leadership and determination. Singletary put up 17 points, and Reynolds chimed in an extra 10. That determination was needed too, for every time Virginia looked to be in control, Clemson would battle back. The Tigers took a 53-52 lead with a little over two minutes to go in the game after an 11-0 run. Some big free throws by swingman sophomore Adrian Joseph who ended up with a team high 19 points and junior C Jason Cain (with 12 points) supplemented the two captains efforts beautifully, and led to a 64-58 squeaker.

Clemson was led by guards Cliff Hammonds and Vernon Hamilton. Hamilton, seemingly in his 20th year at Clemson put together 13 points, 4 assists and 4 steals. Hammonds led the team with 14 points. Clemson continued to take three point shots, despite the failure for most to drop. At 6-24, or 25%, the Tigers proved just how true the old saying is "live by the three, die by the three".

Virginia head basketball coach Dave Leitao seemed to understand just how big this win was. Never big on praise, Leitao's opening remarks in the postgame conference were as positive as any the entire year.

"The best way to describe our guys today is resilient." Leitao said. "Today there was an energy level that was sustained. It wasn't here and there. We've had good halves like we did today...the guys did a great job maintaining, not only their poise but their resiliency."

Say what you want about this Virginia ball club but resilient is not a word you would have ever used to describe the teams of the past four seasons. Another positive sign came from the opposition, Clemson coach Oliver Purnell.

"The major reason we struggled all night, from the opening tap, was the backboards." Purnell said.

...What? Virginia outrebounded a team? The same team that gave up 28 offensive rebounds to Hartford? I must have misheard Purnell. Especially when asked about Virginia's front court he responded:

"They're serviceable. They block shots and they're big and they hurt us tonight. Based on tonight's game, which is the only one I can go on, they're pretty solid."

Apparently, the times they are a changin', but one constant problem between the two regimes so far seems to be turnovers. The seventeen turnovers for the Cavaliers cost them opportunities to put away the Tigers and could be deadly against some of the higher echelon teams in the ACC. Nevertheless, with the win the Virginia Cavaliers move to 7-5 (1-1 ACC) and will now focus on the Florida State Seminoles who comes to U-Hall on the 11th. The Seminoles lost to Clemson earlier this week by 5 and Virginia beat them last year at home on a last second shot by F Devin Smith. No one knows if a dramatic finish is in store this time around, but if Virginia were to win, they would be above .500 in the ACC for the first time in a LONG time.

Hilltoppers pull away and win, 78-68

2006-01-03T13:09:00.000-05:00

A good game, but another loss as the Virginia Cavaliers fall to 6-5 on the season and ACC play on the horizon.

It wasn't going to be easy. Much like Northwestern, this game could have gone either way. Virginia was able to take care of the Wildcats earlier this year, but this time the road, the shots, and the team ultimately proved to be too much. Anthony Winchester, who had a huge game the first go around against the Cavaliers was able to repeat with 23 points, 12 in the final 6 minutes of the game when it matters most. G Courtney Lee was unstoppable as well, picking up 21 points and 7 rebounds. When Virginia kept it close it was these two men who were able to pull away, making clutch shots and denying Singletary and company open shots.

Captains Sean Singletary and J.R. Reynolds continued to show their wide array of scoring ability, scoring 20 and 26 respectively. C Jason Cain continued his strong offensive showing with 10 points but was only able to pull down 3 rebounds. Instead it was Lars Mikalauskas pulling down the boards with 9 to go along with 8 points. In the end, all these performances were for not but it was not for lack of effort. The Hilltoppers were able to extend the lead many times in the first and second half, but every time Virginia responded. With 8:57 to go Western Kentucky pushed ahead to a 7-point lead (60-53) and looked to be cruising when Virginia's offense kicked into gear and trailed 62-60 with 6:14 left. From then on it was the Winchester show, hitting shot after shot and closing the door to a victory. For the Hilltoppers they continue their impressive home court dominance and are 8-4 on the season.

The scary statistic for Virginia was that WKU shot 55.2% from the floor. For the Cavaliers, a team that is being built upon defense, that number is unacceptable. With an offense that is sporadic at best, UVa will have to keep teams on the lower ends of the scoring spectrum if they have any chance of staying competitive in ACC play...which just so happens to be up next. Virginia's season continues Saturday when the Cavaliers faceoff against Clemson in their conference home opener. Clemson comes into Charlottesville hot of the heels of a close victory over Florida State. Pete Gillen made a career over beating Clemson, winning the last 4 match ups. His first ACC tournament victory came over Clemson. Nevertheless, head coach Oliver Purnell has his team back in the mix in the ACC. Still with recent memories of a sweep of Maryland and a tough, close contest with national champions UNC, Clemson looks to avoid the cellar and prove they are the real deal. Virginia will not have many winnable ACC games, but this one proves to be one of their best shots. It won't be easy, but it will be necessary for Virginia if they are to progress. Until then, the Cavaliers will continue to work on their defense and rebounding. Hopefully, it will be just enough.

Cavs Survive Hartford

2006-01-01T15:08:00.000-05:00

It wasn't going to be an easy year for Virginia basketball, and this past week proved it. Two American East conference teams played Virginia, and both gave the Cavaliers more than they bargained for. Nevertheless, the Cavs were able to end 2005 on a high note and a winning record of 6-4 after defeating the Hartford Hawks 71-62. The reason for this narrow victory is obvious, and one that seems to be an ominous sign as ACC play looms: Rebounding. The same fatal flaw which crippled Pete Gillen ball clubs, stifled Virginia's efforts for a blowout as errant Hawk shots continued to fall into the arms of Hartford players. While Virginia only lost the rebounding war 40-35, the Hawks had 28 offensive rebounds compared to the Cavaliers 9. No matter how big the talent gap, most teams will take advantage of extra opportunities, and Hartford was no exception. C Kenny Adeleke was the main beneficiary of all these extra chances with 21 points along with 15 boards. The second ominous sign was just how fragile the front court is for Virginia, at the end of the game Tunji Soroye, Jason Cain and Lars Mikalauskas all fouled out. If Adeleke could send Virginia's big men to the pine, imagine what the likes of Wake Forest's Eric Williams and Duke's Shelden Williams could do.

Virginia did show signs of promise yet again. This game was led by star PG Sean Singletary. After a so-so 7-point performance against UMBC, Singletary responded with a 22 point outing on 6-14 shooting along with 7 assists. Fellow co-captain J.R. Reynolds registered 13 points and sophomore Adrian Joseph hot three-point shooting continued going 3-5 from beyond the arc and picking up 15 points. As for Jason Cain, with his foul trouble he was only able to pick up 7 points and a disappointing four rebounds in 19 minutes.

Perhaps one interesting new feature for the Cavaliers is walk-on Drew Shiembob. "Shiembob Shaq" was forced into the limelight with all the foul trouble for the front court and was much better than anticipated. A key offensive rebound was kicked out to Singletary for a big three. In the UMBC game he registered a dunk that is one rare sight in UVA basketball. He may not be Sampson, but if today's game is any indication, Shiembob may be called upon more often then we once thought, and he will need to be as solid then as he was in today's game. In other words, he has to be more than a stat line because 4 points an 2 rebounds does not fully describe the impact a walk-on has on a team.

The Cavaliers end the 2005 year with a 6-4 record, but with little time to enjoy the New Year celebration because the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers are on the horizon. Last year the Cavaliers eked out a double overtime victory over the pesky WKU squad. This Monday they will have to try and keep their win streak alive on the road. Not an easy task, but not impossible either. Time will tell if 2006 will end up being better than 2005.

Cavs Hold Off Pesky Terriers 77-66

2005-12-31T15:10:00.000-05:00

After all the positives stemming from a Loyola beatdown, Virginia returned to its expected form in Richmond, a team unable to keep the UMBC Terriers at bay. Whenever Virginia would mount a run, UMBC would respond, making this game far from enjoyable for the sparse crowd in attendance. Nevertheless, Virginia got an important win and are above .500 yet again. The Cavaliers can thank the reemerging game of J.R. Reynolds who had 20 points, 14 in the second half. Even better was his perfect 10 for 10 from the line, a place which had cost the Cavaliers a close decision against Fordham. Jason Cain continued his strong play was well with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Diane and Joseph also were able to hit the double digit mark and help provide enough offense to pull out the 77-66 victory.

The problem for Virginia was number 24 Brian Hodges. Hodges, not even a starter, came up big for the Terriers with 23 points including 6-13 from beyond the arc. Jay Greene was the only other player to reach double digits. The Terriers were able to keep it close with rebounds as well, only losing 34-33. Virginia is still a very young team and will need games like this if they are learn how to put away an opponent. Not every game can be as clean as Loyola, nevertheless, Virginia won even with a subpar performance from Sean Singletary. The star guard only picked up 7 points with 2-5 shooting, but he also had 6 assists.

Next up for the Cavaliers are the Hartford Hawks on Saturday to end the year. Certainly 2005 is a year most Virginia basketball fans would love to forget with all the troubles and player departures. Gillen is gone, and maybe 2006 will usher in a new era of defense and intensity that Dave Leitao seem to embody perfectly. Hartford is 5-5 on the season and the Cavaliers will look to avoid the same mark by winning.

Music to Their Ears, Cavs Rally 34-31

2005-12-30T16:28:00.000-05:00

Gophers Buried By Hughes Field Goal with 1:08 to go.

It wasn't easy, or pretty, but it was a big win for Al Groh and company. Following coach attrition, key injuries and suspensions, Virginia looked to be in trouble. After the first 7 minutes, it looked even more dire. Minnesota scored on its first two possessions easily. They ran at will, receivers were WIDE open and Virginia, well they went three and out for one total yard. Marques Hagans refused for the game to end that way however. The senior quarterback for Virginia rallied the troops and responded with a key touchdown drive that (at least for the moment) staved off any blowout. Minnesota continued to control the clock however, and on another secondary breakdown Gopher QB Bryan Cupito connected deep to make it a 21-7 game. Hagans was able to use TE Tom Santi to charge one last drive before the end of the half, getting inside the ten with about 11 seconds to go. Rather than take the timeout or the knee, Hagans tried to scramble and was able to call a timeout with barely a second left on the clock. Senior Connor Hughes came up big with a 32-yard FG, making it a 21-10 deficit at the half, tough but not impossible.

The second half gave Virginia the ball first and the Cavaliers did not disappoint. Senior RB Wali Lundy charged up the middle for a 7 yard run for his first of two touchdowns. The score put the Gophers on their heels, but junior RB Laurence Maroney responded, helping moving Minnesota down the field to set up a 39-yard field goal Joel Monroe taking a 24-17 advantage. Virginia was not done yet, in only two minutes Hagans found junior WR Fontel Mines for the TD and knotted up the score. Things looked even better when Virginia finally stopped the Golden Gopher offense at the end of the third quarter. Virginia looked for a big play and put Hagans back to punt returner, a position he had held earlier in his career. This was Hagans's biggest mistake of the game, he fumbled the catch and Minnesota recovered deep in Wahoo territory. A quick strike gave Minnesota the lead back and plenty of momentum. Virginia showed great determination when they got the ball back, some huge plays by Hagans with his feet and his arm set up another TD by Lundy and gave him the all-time TD record for ACC running backs. More importantly, the Cavaliers tied it up. After the Orange Crush defense responded yet again, Hagans was pinned deep in his own endzone. After a scary scramble that almost gave the Gophers a safety resulted in a Virginia first down. Virginia continued to slowly march down the field and with 1:08 to go in the game Virginia took its first lead of the game when Connor Hughes hit his fourth career game winning field goal. Cupito and the Golden Gophers had one last chance but Marcus Hamilton pulled off a huge interception in the endzone to insure the Cavaliers victory, Al Groh's third in four attempts at UVA.

For UVA it was a stunning victory against a solid Big Ten squad. For Minnesota, it was a depressing loss and puts much more pressure on coach Glen Mason whose on future seems unclear. Virginia has its own coaching problems, with vacancies still abound because of the departure of Ron Prince and Al Golden for head coaching jobs. Houston Texans defensive line coach Mike London seems to be a prime candidate for defensive coordinator. One thing is for sure, however, this bowl victory will only help make Virginia a more attractive candidate as the Cavaliers try to move towards that next level of prominence.

A Gift For Wahoos, Cavs Win Big Time

2005-12-24T15:52:00.000-05:00

It may have been Loyola, it also may have been a Christmas miracle.

Virginia has shown promise, but the complaints are still around by critics across Grounds. However, this Thursday, critics were silenced and fans had something to smile about. Let's prove it.

COMPLAINT 1: Virginia found a defense but they lost any form of offense.
Virginia scored 60 points in the first half against Loyola. That's a six and a zero, and maybe Loyola won't be winning a national championship but their first three opponents didn't score more than 67 the entire game. Virginia's 98 points was the most points scored by any team against the Greyhounds. Even more shocking than the 60 points was the fact that Sean Singletary, the same man who put up 35 against Gonzaga had ZERO in the first half. None at all. Virginia scored 60 points without their star in one half. The last time Virginia played without Singletary they scored 60 points the entire GAME (and that was against 1-5 Fordham). If that's not reassuring, nothing is.

COMPLAINT 2: Virginia can't hit threes.
Au contraire mon frere. It may be streaky, but Virginia made a deal with the three-point Gods and junior swingman SG J.R. Reynolds and sophomore SF Adrian Joseph were simply incredible behind the arc. Joseph matched his career high....in the first half. Reynolds found his stroke and nailed 5-7 three pointers, bettering his overall FG percentage. Joseph chipped in going 5-8 and overall the team was 13-21 from three point land. If Virginia could get this hot against an ACC team, with their new defense, it could be (in the words of Dickie V) Upset City Ba-by!

COMPLAINT 3: Leitao is being too hard on the players.
Whatever Coach Leitao is doing, it is working. He does yell, scream and scare, but he also has created a defensive-oriented team and an attitude 900 times more positive than last year's debacle. Fans need look no farther than Jason Cain to see that Leitao has really started to have an impact on the players. Cain has gone from school joke to a player actually meriting all this hype. Also, for anyone who truly feels that Leitao's drill sergeant approach is too much, imagine if Elton Brown was still on the team.

COMPLAINT 4: Virginia can't take care of weaker competition.
While UVA has given many teams in the past a chance to stay in, Loyola was done away with relatively early in the game, and never had a chance for a comeback. Virginia's offensive array was matched by a tenacious defense, and kept Loyola's star guard Andre Collins in foul trouble throughout the game. He registered 16 points, 8 points below his average and kept transfer Hassan Fofana from breaking out. The result.....an easy victory. It may not be a common occurrence, but it is a welcome one.

Virginia takes its team on the road to Richmond to appease alumni and other fans in the capital city when the Cavaliers take on the UMBC Terriers of the American East conference. It may not be as pretty as this game, but Leitao and crew hope for the exact same result, a win.

Singletary Shines, Cavs Still Lose

2005-12-19T15:24:00.000-05:00

Spokane, Washington is used to all star performances. Senior forward Adam Morrison has put the Gonzaga Bulldogs on his shoulders and into the top 10 with over 27 points per game. Last Saturday, the biggest star was none other than sophomore PG Sean Singletary. Having spent the last game against Fordham on the bench with a hip injury, Singletary wasted no time making up for lost time. Throughout the game he made tough shot after tough shot. In what was predicted by everyone to be a blowout was turning into a real brawl thanks to Sean's fireworks.

The problem for Singletary and the Cavaliers was the failure of anyone else to step up. Junior SG J.R. Reynolds struggled yet again going 5-14 from the court with ten points (the only other Cavalier to score in double digits besides Singletary) and while junior C Jason Cain has played well this year his two points and seven rebounds were far less than hoped for. Nevertheless with about four minutes left it was a 64-64 tie, but Gonzaga was able to pull away with help from Morrison's 27 points and the returning PG Derek Raivio. The senior guard nailed 5 three pointers, and two key ones late that helped the Zags pull away to their eventual 80-69 victory. The 16-5 drive to end the game was just another sign that the Cavaliers are a work in progress, still trying to reach that next level of achievement.

Singletary ended the game with 35 points, a career best and a new legion of fans. The problem is he also ended the game with a loss, the third in the row for the Wahoos, dropping them below .500 to 3-4. Head Coach Dave Leitao was not looking for moral victories either.

"Individual performances, when you lose, don't mean a whole lot." Leitao said.

Ouch. Leitao is proving more and more, he is not Pete Gillen and hopefully that dedication to winning will start to bring the Cavaliers to a new level of competitiveness.

Next up for the Cavaliers is Loyola College, at 5-1 on the season they could pose a threat. Virginia could use a victory to bring up their record and their spirits. Until then, Cavalier fans have little recourse but to sit and wait. Games like this prove there is light at the end of the tunnel. The real question is, when will it appear?

Bulldogs Loom for Weary Cavaliers

2005-12-15T14:41:00.000-05:00

So first you lose on a last second bucket to Fordham.
Then your coach tears into you.
Then you have exams.
What's your reward for all this suffering? Oh yeah, the 6-2 Gonzaga Bulldogs. Gonzaga has already proven to be one of the best teams in America, and to have one of the best players with Adam Morrison. Virginia has already proven it is a work in progress. The 3-3 Cavaliers go on the road this weekend and hope to find some positives in a one and a half week stretch of sorrows. The last time Virginia played Gonzaga was noteworthy, because it was also the last time the Cavaliers made the NCAA tournament. PG Roger Mason was unable to make a last second bucket and Pete Gillen's 5th seeded Cavaliers lost to the 12th (horribly underseeded) Bulldogs. Gonzaga went on to beat the number one seed Michigan State and really show their emergence as an elite basketball program. The close loss really seemed to send both teams in two very different directions. Revenge would be wonderful, but highly doubtful. Gonzaga appears to be a complete team, and already battle tested with games against UConn, Michigan State and Oklahoma State.

The lone ray of hope may be that the break could give Sean Singletary time to recover from a hip injury which kept him out of the Fordham game. Singletary's offense was sorely missed, his energy seems to keep his team focused and with him out there is no question that the entire team suffered. This time off could be what Sean and the entire team need to recharge and try and put forth a solid effort against the Zags.

It will not be an easy task, head coach Mark Few has another great team that will once again reach the NCAA tournament and be a factor to deal with. F Adam Morrison is the second leading scorer in the nation and will be a tough match up for a depleted front line. Gonzaga too will be dealing with a layoff from exams, hopefully some lethargy can prevent this from being a blowout...

but the Cavaliers aren't counting on it.

Comments to Lesson Plan

2005-12-14T16:09:00.000-05:00

Specifics: The project would be 5 minutes in length (Give or take no more than one minute either way). The 5 page paper is mandatory, but will be graded in connection with the project, that way people with different talents have two forums to show off their abilities. The themes would be presented on a sheet of paper along with instructions and students would group into 2-3 people for this project. The paper could be collectively written but each student must pledge that they helped in writing it. They would get for instance: Segregation, and have to show the different images and somehow concoct a small lesson or takeaway thought for each theme.

I will show an example of what I envision their products to look like, and thus will take 15 minutes instead of the originially planned five.

The textbook for this class period (not all classes) will be used only to gather the terms. Assigned reading can be expected at other times but for now this is more of a non-book oriented unit. I think students will respond to its novelty and really feel like this unit is a treat, though it is much harder than what they may be used to. Internet resources are not always as reliable, but I will have already gone over approved sites by my own investigation and shown them all the differing theories and facets of Reconstruction. I think because this unit is much more ambiguous than others in American history, a variety of sources is essential to understanding. The multimedia work I feel is important because it can be used in the real world. It is a practical lesson and makes history more than just facts or dates. You are selling an idea, a concept...A THESIS. Some people can do that well on paper, but others can do that better with images and sounds. In class we discussed that we are a visual species. Therefore, for this unit to really stick with students, I think visual elements would have the best intended effect.

Ed School in a flash

2005-12-14T16:04:00.000-05:00

Thought it'd be easier to find this way.

Non-linear powerpoint
So you ask, what is a non-linear powerpoint?A powerpoint that is nonlinear means that you have some freedom to move about the presentation. Instead of going 1-2-3-4-5 it can go 1-5-3-2-4. Someone likened it to a "Choose Your Own Adventure" story and since I used to love those I happen to agree. It means that you could see this powerpoint 2 or 3 times and it play out differently each time. This helps the teacher out for there is sense of unpredictablity and at the same time, a structure. Maybe the best term to describe this is called: controlled chaos. It is fun for the students too, because they have a choice in the outcome of the powerpoint. This leads to greater interest and probably better learning because of it. That may be a simple, watered down definition but it is still fairly accurate.
History site
For this assignment, I checked out the HSI website or http://www.wm.edu/hsi/about.html.It looks like a very promising website. The cases are certainly interesting, the problem was the ones that really interested me had BROKEN LINKS (My dreams were shattered). Those that I did get to explore were fun, and for a history dork like me kind of exciting. I could enjoy them both as a student and a teacher. Exploring primary and secondary documents are important tools that students will need, especially on AP tests, but for their own critical thinking skills as well. These archives are interesting but still need much work. When they get more cases that fill in the gaps of time (from the Civil War to Elvis), and fix their links, this website will prove to be a useful tool for the classroom.

Powerpoint ideas
For my non-linear powerpoint presentation I'd like to deal with my field in secondary Social Studies. Specifically I will focus on post 1877 U.S. history. One SOL i found interesting is a) describing racial segregation, the rise of “Jim Crow,” and other constraints faced by African Americans in the post-Reconstruction South. My instruction will probably be a gameshow after the fact review type of presentation. Also, with these three prongs already given, it could be easy to make categories for this review. It is obviously an important topic, one that has reprecussions even today. Maybe even more important is that this topic goes beyond simple facts to actual concepts and abstract thought. With this type of subject matter, powerpoints usefulness is expanded beyond the simple: fact, fact, picture model. My model can hopefully serve for other types of history SOLs as well. If you feel me, holla back.YAY EDUCATION
Brainstorm on Lesson Plan
I will probably do the same SOL I did my PowerPoint on, dealing with the Jim Crow South. This way I incorporate PowerPoint technology into what would originally be a bland presentation (Plus recycling is fun). In my dream world I will ty to incorporate everything we have discussed and then some. That means students can make their own websites and create multiple presentations about history. As for this design, I think it is very useful but I will need to really investigate some models to fully graps the concept. Words like assessment, objectives are interesting words but they are too ambiguous for little old me. It'll be nice to have some concrete examples.

# posted by Ben G @ 6:18 PM 1 comments

Feedback Exercise
It was nice to get some feedback on my project but I anticipated most of it. I was glad someone noticed one of my cool transition effects, and I realized that timing was an issue. It was a rather ROUGH cut but they helped me out. Offering their advice a little, but more importantly pointing out the good and pointing out the bad. That way I know what to keep and that helped make the refining process much easier. I hope my students will be able to handle such an exercise, I guess only time will tell.

# posted by Ben G @ 1:30 PM 0 comments

Website
I really liked the design of most people's websites. I need to spend more time on my portfolio in terms of the visual as well as description. I will write more later, but he let me go.As for the online discussion, it certainly was interesting. As a teacher I would worry about things quickly going out of control. However, if proper guidelins were set and it was a class I knew well and could trust, then I would see the practicality of such an excursion. After all, as we discussed it helps some people who would not normall speak up during class a chance to say their part. While it certainly has flaws, I would not be shocked if it did not become more and more a part of our lives (though not complete replacement). I remember when I was in late middle/early high school, I thought chat rooms were the greatest thing since sliced bread. I would spend hours after school because I had no life. Therefore, if all kids are like me (God hopes not) then I could see this tool being usd to bring private and school life together.

# posted by Ben G @ 6:39 PM 0 comments

Technology in the Classroom
I think it's easy to say that technology is usually considered a good thing....when used well. Countless times class has been needlessly stalled for a PowerPoint or thrown off by a real media file not working. Which is why this class exists. Teachers need to learn the good, the bad and the ugly of technology. We now have more tools at our disposal than many of us AIM users ever dreamed possible. Blogs, PowerPoints, Tapped In, Flickr, Audacity, Movie Maker and GIMP all give something extra to the classroom. These programs are something new, in a profession that might be the most resistant to change. Nevertheless, it helps make the world of education and the real world one and the same. Without technology, kids will become more and more isolated from school, and more prevalent to say "Why do I have to learn this stuff?" It is not an easy transition, nor a clean one, but it is a necessary one. Technology brings an audio and a visual element into subjects like history and English that are really necessary for comprehension. Why else are history scores so much lower than they should be? Is it that much harder than science, or is it we have yet to adopt a good teaching strategy for history? If history could become real, either through audio or personalized projects using these new and powerful tools, it won't just be this event written on paper. The event will become something of importance, something tangible. Technology is not just there to make things look better, or to hide the fact that we're not teaching what we should. Technology is there because without it education will be mired in a world that has outlived the classroom's usefulness. However, when used properly technology will put education not just current with the new era, but produce individuals ready and willing to take the world into the next era.

Checklist for Project
Record lesson on Tuesday November 8th.Over the weekend get it on my computer, and check it.Following week: Break it down into segments and categorize each one.Before Thanksgiving, burn to CD.After Thanksgiving, fix website and link all projects. Do Tech Bio revisited before Finals and complete resubmitted Midterm before Dec. 1st.

Fordham Loss Spoils Exam Break

2005-12-09T23:15:00.000-05:00

A last second loss to a formerly 1-6 team is bad enough, to not play another game for 10 days make it even worse. The Cavaliers are in horrible shape offensively, and with leading scorer Sean Singletary missing his first game with a hip injury, it may not be all that surprising that Virginia could not eke out the much needed victory.

"They had Sean Singletary--a great guard out." Said Fordham coach Dereck Wittenburg. "I just thought WOW. Unfortunate for them, but good for us."

Good is right, with Sean out the star of the game was Fordham's Bryan Dunston. The big man with a soft jumper was able to tear apart Soroye, Cain and Mikalauskas without much trouble. On the other side, Soroye and Lars were not able to step up their game. Jason Cain however reached a level of intensity and focus never ever reached in his career. His moments of brilliance were much longer and much stronger in these past two outings. He may be the most unlikely of candidates, but he is the biggest success story under Leitao and his drill sergeant technique.

Perhaps the biggest casualty so far has been J.R. Reynolds. The junior guard and co-captain has struggled as of late, and though it is early, it seems that things have been getting worse instead of worse. Say what you want about the game, but if Reynolds make all of his free throws, UVA does not lose that game in regulation. As a guard, you have to be expected to shoot a high percentage from the line even when you are having a bad shooting night. It seemed the harder he tried the more mistakes crept in and the more Leitao was on his case. How this relationship works out remains to be seen.

What also remains to be unseen is an offense. Singletary is a great player but his size and now his health could severely limit his opportunities to take over a game. Cain has shown he is ready to contribute but he needs to be given the ball, he can't make his own shot. Soroye and Mikalauskas remain works in progress on offense and Adrian Joseph seems to be unwilling to post up with his superior athleticism and ability. Bannister may be back but he has never been noted for his shooting. Reynolds might not like it but he has to be the guy to make this offense run. If not, Fordham will not be a fluke but a very unfortunate trend.

The road for the 3-3 Cavaliers does not get any easier, Virginia takes on Gonzaga in Spokane next. The Bulldogs are in the top 10 and look to be a Final Four contender with Adam Morrison's size and shooting ability. Virginia knows it could be a very ugly game, especially with their offense at such a lull. Coach Leitao can still make some great progress if this team can somehow compete with a top 10 team. Right now the barrier seems to be mental. The plays are there, the execution is not. Jason Cain has shown moments of breaking through, who will be the next to step up and when?

The season depends on it.

BOBD Part 3

2005-12-08T20:55:00.000-05:00

November began with a well placed present...Temple University. Al Golden had an easy time stopping the non-existent Temple offense, a burden he will soon have to deal with as he becomes head coach of the program. For now he accepted holding one of the worst teams in America to three points. The offense took advantage as well, rolling up 51 points and finally getting Wali Lundy to run the ball successfully. The game was just what the doctor ordered, pushing the Cavaliers confidence up as they played three games against ranked opponents, first up GT in Scott Stadium.

The Yellow Jackets came in ranked 24th, but many fans felt this game was still winnable. Georgia Tech was led by junior QB Reggie Ball but it was sophomore WR Calvin Johnson that stole the headlines. Johnson was relatively quiet in this game, the secondary played well holding him to 4 catches for barely over 40 yards. What's more miraculous was that the secondary did without Marcus Hamilton or Nate Lyles. Hamilton, along with three other starters had been suspended for rules violations and Lyles suffered a severe concussion early in the game. Nevertheless with a make shift defense, UVA took a solid 17-0 lead. GT would come storming back to tie it up in the third before Virginia was able to pick up a field goal. Deyon Williams was huge, catching the ball 10 times for over 100 yards. His career day was capped with a touchdown pass that sealed the game, and bowl eligibility. Virginia had beaten its second ranked team of the year and sat pretty at 6-3. The next two games would be huge obstacles, but fans felt after FSU that anything was possible.

Virginia Tech came into Scott Stadium wanting to prove itself as well. A 27-7 debacle against Miami had crushed their national championship hopes and would have to win out just to have a chance at the ACC championship. UVA wished to continue their home game winning streak, but early on proved that it was not going to happen. Virginia did not play badly, it played awful. Nothing went right after holding the Hokies on the first drive to a three and out. Hagans could not make any plays which meant VT could stack the line and take Lundy out of the game. The Orange Crush was plowed over by Cedric Humes and Marcus Vick seemed flawless. The return of sophomore WR Eddie Royal played a big role in the VT offense and a 52-14 drubbing. The loss left Al Groh and company speechless. Now they had to go on the road and the face the team that had just humiliated VT...things were not looking good.

Miami had just blown a crucial home game against Georgia Tech and looked to get back on track against UVA. Virginia had other plans when Emmanuel Byers on a trick play heaved a pass to Deyon Williams who went 90 yards for the first score of the game. Virginia would take a 10-0 lead before Miami woke up and went on a tear. It was 18-10 after some missed extra points by the Canes but obviously Virginia was still in it. Nevertheless, the Cane defense had stepped up and suddenly the Wahoo offense was stalling. A critical 3rd down scramble by Miami QB Kyle Wright all but locked up the game when he reached the 1 yard line and insured a 25-10 lead. Hagans was able to throw a deep one to senior WR Ottawa Anderson and eventually scored to make it 25-17 but when the onside kick failed, so did Virginia's chance for an upset. The Cavaliers played hard, they played smart, but in the end they lost to a superior team.

Now with the 6-5 regular season behind them, Virginia will travel to the Music City Bowl in Nashville, TN to take on Minnesota (7-4). The Gophers run a similar offense to the Cavaliers (run at will, pass when necessary) and have Laurence Maroney at RB. They also have a similar tough defense, beating the Michigan Wolverines 23-20 earlier in the year. Virginia is happy to be in a bowl that's not Boise, and was actually bumped up a few spots from their projected destination in San Francisco. The Cavaliers could really put a new spin on the season if they could beat the Gophers and advance to 7-5. It was not an easy season, it was full of injuries, lost opportunities and offensive inefficiencies. Nevertheless many young players got some experience, the defense looks to be even better next year and hope for a better season is there. The problem for now is how will the team respond to losing three of its top assistants to head coaching jobs. Can Al Golden and Ron Prince win their last game for Al Groh? Time will tell, but Virginia fans sure hope so.

BOBD Part 2

2005-12-07T14:13:00.000-05:00

October began with a trip up to College Park and the Maryland Terrapins. The Twerps had been completely unable to muster much offense so far but with a homecoming game against their rivals and their black jerseys on Maryland completely transformed, and the Cavaliers fell apart. While keeping it close with superior offensive play, Virginia's defense was completely unable to stop one of the worst offenses in the ACC. Running back Lance Ball ran all over defenders on a way to a career day. He would become a solid contributor after this breakout game but it was the porous Virginia D that gave him the confidence to shine. Wide receiver Jojo Walker had a fun day beating the secondary around. The one defensive bright spot was the play of sophomore Nate Lyles. Lyles had a huge hit, one of the biggest in UVA history which made ESPN and took out a Terp helmet some 10 yards. Lyles was emerging as a real talent. Brooks was emerging as a shell of his former superstar self. Brooks recorded 0 tackles in his return, he was sluggish and obviously not in game mode. Virginia would suffer from his inability to play at top speed and lost their first game of the year, 45-33.

The road to glory would not get any easier. Boston College welcomed Virginia to its place and proceeded to dominate the first half. Nevertheless, BC kept making critical penalties and errors like 3 missed field goals to keep the Cavaliers in it. Virginia's first half was full of penalties, dropped balls and missed opportunities. However, they were still in it. They would take the lead shortly after a huge call where OL Brad Butler gored star BC DE Kiwanuka and the personal foul was called on the Eagle instead of the real culprit Butler. The fans were angered but not nearly as much as the team itself. The Eagles played like a team possessed after that moment. Nevertheless, Virginia still had a chance when it drove down the field. Deyon Williams, who had emerged as a solid WR suddenly fell apart in the fourth, dropping ball after ball. On fourth and goal, his collision with his own teammate Fontel Mines symbolized the growing frustration in the program. These teams weren't beating UVA, UVA was beating itself. So the Cavaliers fell to 3-2 after the 28-17 loss, and the undefeated Seminoles came in to push that record back to .500.

10 years ago, Virginia recorded its biggest victory ever, defeating the then number 2 Seminoles 33-28. Virginia would go on to win the ACC championship and the Peach Bowl. This year Virginia did everything it could to resurrect 1995, bringing back the old team, putting it on free towels and it worked. FSU opened the game marching down the field until an interception in the redzone. Virginia capitalized to take an early 7-0 lead. FSU bounced back with a long sweep run to tie the score at 7. A pair of field goals deadlocked the game again at 10. Connor Hughes then added another key field goal. Then with less than two minutes to go and on a critical third down, Marques Hagans did what he had done all game, make plays. Scrambling like a mad man, he let his arm do the talking, firing a dart to Wali Lundy who proceeded to rumble his way into the endzone and give the Cavaliers an improbable 23-10 lead at the half. The second half started with another field goal for UVA but then led to a major game of hold on. FSU came charging back with a touchdown and a 2 point conversion to make it 26-18. They then added a field goal late in the 4th to make it a 5 point game. A key pass interference call gave Virginia a critical first down to keep the clock moving. When they punted, there were only 56 seconds remaining. In 1995, the Cavaliers had to stop the Noles at the goal line to prevent a loss, this time it took only one play as Marcus Hamilton picked off the pass of his career, insuring a huge victory for Virginia. The loss seemed to push the Noles into a tailspin, though they would go on to win the ACC championship over VT, this loss exposed weaknesses and an eventual 3 game losing streak in November. The Cavaliers had hope, at 4-2 there season was not lost. They still had a tough schedule in November, but maybe they could make a run to remember.

These dreams were not to be. In Raleigh, North Carolina had a bye week and they were ready for Virginia. While the Orange Crush defense stood tall after an early touchdown, that proved to be all the Tar Heels needed. Marques Hagans had been brilliant last week, but now he could not do anything right. Passed sailed over his targets, he could not escape the pocket and the running game could not muster up anything. A safety and a field goal were all the Cavaliers could produce. One critical pass to Michael Johnson was the key. Hagans had thrown it just low enough for it to hit the helmet of the UNC player. A few inches more and UVA's season could have been much different. Instead the Cavaliers back up the biggest win with their biggest loss, 7-5 against UNC. Once again Virginia had lost a rivalry game and lots of momentum. They entered November with a 4-3 record. Now many wondered if they would even make a bowl. Temple would be a given, but UVA would have to find a way to beat either GT, VT or Miami. It would not be easy, but Virginia had already proven...it doesn't like things simple.

Boulevard of Broken Dreams

2005-12-06T18:52:00.000-05:00

Virginia fans came into this year hopeful. Last year's frustration at the Cavaliers inability to win the big game led to depression after losing in overtime to Fresno State in the humanitarian Bowl. Virginia's heart might not have been in that game, but fans still had hope that returning quarterback Marques Hagans and running back Wali Lundy could put up the offensive firepower UVA displayed when it started the year 5-0. Ahmad Brooks looked to continue his stellar career. Expectations and reality however, would not coincide in 2005.

Virginia began the year against Western Michigan, a team without it's starting quarterback and following a winless season. Right away UVA showed vulnerability on defense. The Broncos constantly were able to use quick, short passes to move down the field and the defense seemed unable to tackle. The absence of Ahmad Brooks was disconcerting but it would be a theme for the entire year as the linebacker could not seem to shake off his offseason surgery. Hagans started out hot, but when Lundy went down on the second play. The injury bug made its first appearance of what would be an extended stay. Some fourth quarter antics helped seal up a victory, but a far from inspiring one. UVA won 31-19, but showed problems on both offense and defense that were not just a fluke.

Virginia's next game took them to the road and take on the Orange of Syracuse. The Cavaliers defense once again seemed unsure of itself, giving up a touchdown on Syracuse's opening possession. The game had several ebbs and flows, even a 70+ yard touchdown run by Johnson to make the score 24-14 was not enough to insure the victory. A tough stretch in the fourth by the Orange tied the game at 24 with a little over 7 minutes to go. Virginia would put together one impressive drive down the field. Even converting a fourth and one to give Connor Hughes a game winning chip shot of a field goal for a 27-24 victory. Cavalier fans were worried, but certainly could see a better performance here than they had in the opening week. They had no idea that this would prove to be their only road win of the season.

The Duke game continued to show the injury virus coursing through the Cavaliers. During the second quarter all star OL D'Brickashaw Ferguson was taken out with an injury. Now with Brooks not even having played one down so far this year and Lundy completely ineffective, Virginia's stars were few and far between. This injury also set the offensive line into a tailspin it would never really recover from. New faces like Marshall Ausberry, Jordan Lipsey and Eugene Monroe were thrust into starting positions and had to respond. In this game they did admirably, as did most of the team. Ferguson's injury woke up a sleeping offense and Hagans was able to exploit his athletic advantage over the porous Duke defense en route to a 38-7 drubbing. Finally Virginia had the decisive victory they had hoped for and a 1-0 record in the ACC.

Therefore, by the end of September things were still okay. The Cavaliers were still 3-0, not winning by as much as they had hoped but not dropping these critical games. These teams would all go on to have losing seasons and perhaps underperformed by their own standards. October loomed large for the Cavaliers with Maryland, Boston College and North Carolina, all on the road as well as a visit from the undefeated Seminoles. Nevertheless, Virginia had improved every week and news came that Brooks would play against the Terps to begin October. Maybe the Coastal Division was going to be a race after all.

Checklist Revised

2005-12-06T16:05:00.000-05:00

I have now done the video portion and will transfer to CD tomorrow. Hopefully it will be less problematic than the taping.

Annotation will be done over the weekend.

The following week I will clean up the website as much as possible.

Hoos Fall Short against GT 63-54

2005-12-05T15:30:00.000-05:00

It was a game of what if?

What if the Cavaliers hadn't shot 27% from the field and 0-13 from behind the arc?

What if Sean Singletary could have done better than 3-23 shooting for 10 points?

What if the Cavaliers had not committed EIGHTEEN turnovers?

The Cavaliers would have won, that's what. Virginia, despite all these handicaps were in the game until the end. Narrowing a 15-point deficit to four with around four minutes to go in the game. Virginia didn't do it with talent or luck, but pure intensity and defense. I firmly believe teams of yesteryear would have folded after a horrible first half where the Cavaliers managed only 17 points. Instead they held firm. Jason Cain had a career day, with 15 points and 11 rebounds both a personal best. Mamadi Diane made some critical baskets and with Sean Singletary struggling, co-captain J.R. Reynolds became a leader and made many Yellow Jacket fans nervous. Coach Leitao cannot be happy with the loss, but he has to be proud of the way his team played. It will be that kind of intensity that Virginia will need to have any sort of success this year.

The game was also significant because it was the unexpected return of PG T.J. Bannister. Bannister has been rehabing from offseason surgery and was not expected to play again. While only out there for the final two minutes of the first half, he put pressure off of Singletary who had been dogged all game long by Georgia Tech's Mario West. To be able to put Sean in the shooting guard slot even occasionally could really free up a non-existent offense.

Also in guards, walk-on Billy Campbell played one of his greatest games in his hometown of Atlanta going for 4 points in thirteen minutes. The biggest stat for him though, was only one turnover against a tough GT defense. He made a lot of believers yesterday, and will continue to grow as the team does.

Next up for the Cavaliers will be the Fordham Rams on Wednesday December 7, 2005. The Rams are 1-6 on the season, their sole winning coming against Norfolk State. Despite the bad record, Fordham has a great deal of height that may be a potential matchup problem for Virginia's relatively short team. Jermaine Anderson and Bryant Dunston carry the load as far as points and rebounds go. The Cavaliers will look to shut these two down and improve upon their current 3-2 mark. If Virginia can show the same energy and passion to this game that they did last night, they should be able to do just that.

Cavs look to avoid a Ramblin Wreck

2005-12-04T15:42:00.000-05:00

The Virginia Cavaliers are 3-1 on the season but the road for Dave Leitao and his new team reach a big mile marker as they play their first ACC game of the year, on the road against Georgia Tech on Sunday. The Yellow Jackets are 2-2 on the season, coming off a heart breaking loss to Michigan State in East Lansing during the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Before that they were embarrassed on their home court against Illinois-Chicago 73-51. The Yellow Jackets are of the many teams recovering from NBA attrition and whose success can either raise or lower the national prominence of the ACC. While Georgia Tech struggles to find the answers to success, many teams like Virginia are left wondering just which team will show up on Sunday.

The Yellow Jackets are lead by sophomore Anthony Morrow. He is the team's leading scorer from last year (though with key losses like Jarret Jack, Will Bynum and B.J. Elder that is not saying much) and currently is 12th in the ACC in scoring with 15.3 ppg and had a career night last game against the Spartans. The problem for Georgia Tech is also a problem for the Cavaliers and that is a lack of experience, the Jackets line up consists of four sophomores and a junior. This has led to a great deal of inconsistency for Paul Hewitt's ball club. They have been very streaky shooting, 32.8, 52.9, 32.9 and 52.2% in their four games this year. Virginia hopes this trend continues if they are too have any success in Atlanta.

The Cavaliers come in Atlanta optimistic after a 15 point drubbing of Northwestern, but cautiously optimistic. The Yellow Jackets are certainly the second most talented team they will have faced this year behind Arizona. The Wildcats took it to the Cavaliers, using speed and athleticism, not to mention superior depth to win by 30 in Tucson. Without a doubt Georgia Tech has an advantage in those areas over Virginia as well. Therefore to be successful, Virginia must be able to dictate tempo, limit turnovers and continue to play strong defense. Offensively Virginia must look to their young guns. Sean Singletary has proven just what a great talent he is, and J.R. Reynolds has begun to grow up and become a solid player. In order to win Virginia will need a third option to emerge. Most likely it will be between either sophomore Adrian Joseph or freshman Mamadi Diane. Both had breakout games against Northwestern and are fighting for playing time at small forward. If they can be successful out on the floor, Virginia might just have the ability to hang with the Jackets.

Dave Leitao is looking at an ACC that is down but not out. Many people do not know what to expect of his ball club, but they're not sure how to gauge the other teams as well. Virginia has lost 10 straight ACC openers and 9 out of the last 10 to the Yellow Jackets. We also have discussed many times Virginia's struggles on the road. Even this season Virginia has yet to win outside of their home state. This game will show a lot as to where both of these teams are right now. Which is the real Virginia team, the one that took care of business against Richmond and Northwestern, or the turnover prone, shaky defense, emotional team that were beatdown by Arizona? Which is the real Georgia Tech team, the one that couldn't buy a bucket against Illinois-Chicago at home, or the one that took the a top 15 team down to the wire on the road? These questions might not be answered tomorrow, but we'll definitely have more evidence to draw a conclusion.

Prince leaves for Kansas State

2005-12-03T15:14:00.000-05:00

A day after learning Virginia was going to lose one assistant coach, linebackers coach Danny Rocco to Liberty, the Cavaliers received word that offensive coordinator Ron Prince was the next to pack up and leave Charlottesville. Prince will take over for retiring coach Snyder for Kansas State University out in the Big XII. For Prince it will be difficult, following the winningest coach in the school history, and a rather disappointing end to this year's season. For Virginia it means that after their bowl game (presumably in San Francisco), the recruitment process will kick into full gear. Recruiting not just the best players but coaches as well.

The attrition might not end there. Defensive coordinator Al Golden has interviewed for the Temple Head coaching job and it appears that he too may be leaving the program come years end. While Virginia must be proud of the national recognition for their assistant's work, this is getting a little extreme. Golden knows the love perhaps more than anyone. Last year he was offered the role of defensive coordinator at Notre Dame by incoming head coach Charlie Weis. Golden turned it down, but the chance to be head coach seems to be an offer Golden will not refuse.

Candidates to fill these vacancies will not be easy. In a perfect world, Virginia would probably like to pursue former offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave. Musgrave was offensive coordinator early in Al Groh's tenure at UVA and helped take Matt Schaub from an ineffective pocket passer to the ACC Offensive Player of the Year. That sort of development will be necessary for Christian Olsen or whoever takes the reigns at quarterback next season. The problem is Musgrave remains in the NFL, currently calling the plays just North in D.C. for the Washington Redskins. While he was kicked out of Jacksonville, he probably is not ready for a return trip to Charlottesville just yet. Defense will probably be even more difficult and will not become clearer until most of the hiring and firing of the offseason is complete.

I know that I have been critical of Ron Prince, and yes I think this defection is more a present than a hindrance. However, I do think losing three top assistants the same year is something that will not be easily overcome. Virginia's offense already appears primed for an overhaul with many of its key contributors graduating. Trying to redo a defense might make Virginia very transitional come next September. Nevertheless, this can be seen as a positive in several aspects. First being, we must be doing something right. These coaches are leaving to be HEAD coaches, this upward mobility means the nation likes what Virginia is producing out on the field. Secondly, since many pundits have grown weary of the same old same old, it'll be nice to get some new faces and new energy into the program. Novelty might be just want the Cavaliers need, and leave teams on their heels. It was Al Groh's second year after all, where a new offense surprised many and led to a 2nd place finish in the ACC and a 9-5 season. There is no reason that a similar effect cannot happen with a new regime, with new plays, new systems and a new mentality. It's not abandoning the old, it's reconstructing it. After a 6-5 regular season, a tune up is just what the doctor ordered.

Friday Quarterback

2005-11-18T13:22:00.000-05:00

Last Week: 3-2
Overall: 42-16
Forget small talk, let's do this.

Middle Tennessee at N.C. State
State's loss to BC is a big one. They have a relatively easy win coming up, but they have to beat Maryland next week to become bowl eligible. That in mind, they will come out determined and stomp into the poor Middle Tennessee team.
PREDICTION: MT 12 NCSU 28

Duke at North Carolina
I guess we need to start taking UNC legitimately. At 4-5 they are in the same boat as the Wolfpack, but in fact even worse. Duke is a pesky rival but they then would have to beat the #6 Hokies to become bowl bound. Duke has talent but no depth or experience, they will lose...but UNC is hoping they haven't lost their season just yet.
PREDICTION: Duke 14 UNC 35

#23 Boston College at Maryland
The Eagles are loving it in the ACC. Maryland can play spoilers since they are only a half a game behind the Eagles for second in the ACC Atlantic Division. BC has proven to be tough, they worked out a big win against Clemson on the road, but faltered against UNC. I think Maryland will prove that it likes to be intimidating at home.
PREDICTION: BC 20 MD 24

Clemson at #19 South Carolina
The last time this rivalry game got so much press was...well very long ago. Spurrier has the Gamecocks on a big winning streak and the Tigers just nailed FSU. This one could and will get ugly (especially after last year's brawl). I suspect that Clemson is tough but...
PREDICTION: CU 24 USC 27

Georgia Tech at #3 Miami
Just because the Yellow Jackets lost last week does not mean they can't play spoilers. GT has ruined seasons before and could do it...if they were at home. A freshman QB for Miami will not be enough to slow down the Canes, determined to reach Jacksonville in a few weeks.
PREDICTION: GT 17 Miami 27

#6 Virginia Tech at Virginia
Well here we go. FSU was big, this is HUGE. The atmosphere in Charlottesville is red hot and yet...VT is still really REALLY good. With the bye week they are ready to avenge a crippling loss to Miami. Can UVA really pull off the upset? You know I gotta think they can.
PREDICTION: VT 27 UVA 28

Website

2005-11-14T18:39:00.000-05:00

I really liked the design of most people's websites. I need to spend more time on my portfolio in terms of the visual as well as description. I will write more later, but he let me go.

As for the online discussion, it certainly was interesting. As a teacher I would worry about things quickly going out of control. However, if proper guidelins were set and it was a class I knew well and could trust, then I would see the practicality of such an excursion. After all, as we discussed it helps some people who would not normall speak up during class a chance to say their part. While it certainly has flaws, I would not be shocked if it did not become more and more a part of our lives (though not complete replacement). I remember when I was in late middle/early high school, I thought chat rooms were the greatest thing since sliced bread. I would spend hours after school because I had no life. Therefore, if all kids are like me (God hopes not) then I could see this tool being usd to bring private and school life together.

Technology in the Classroom

2005-11-14T13:53:00.000-05:00

I think it's easy to say that technology is usually considered a good thing....when used well. Countless times class has been needlessly stalled for a PowerPoint or thrown off by a real media file not working. Which is why this class exists. Teachers need to learn the good, the bad and the ugly of technology. We now have more tools at our disposal than many of us AIM users ever dreamed possible. Blogs, PowerPoints, Tapped In, Flickr, Audacity, Movie Maker and GIMP all give something extra to the classroom. These programs are something new, in a profession that might be the most resistant to change. Nevertheless, it helps make the world of education and the real world one and the same. Without technology, kids will become more and more isolated from school, and more prevalent to say "Why do I have to learn this stuff?" It is not an easy transition, nor a clean one, but it is a necessary one. Technology brings an audio and a visual element into subjects like history and English that are really necessary for comprehension. Why else are history scores so much lower than they should be? Is it that much harder than science, or is it we have yet to adopt a good teaching strategy for history? If history could become real, either through audio or personalized projects using these new and powerful tools, it won't just be this event written on paper. The event will become something of importance, something tangible. Technology is not just there to make things look better, or to hide the fact that we're not teaching what we should. Technology is there because without it education will be mired in a world that has outlived the classroom's usefulness. However, when used properly technology will put education not just current with the new era, but produce individuals ready and willing to take the world into the next era.

Saturday Morning Quarterback

2005-11-12T11:34:00.000-05:00

Alright well, time to show everyone my mad prognosticating skills.
LAST WEEK: 5-1 (darn Wolfpack)
OVERALL: 39-14

Miami at Wake Forest
The giant killers start off our huge round of critical ACC matchups. I think Miami will be stale early after a huge win last week. WF as talent but simply not enough for when the Canes awake from their drunken stupor.
PREDICTION: Miami 31 WF 21

Maryland at North Carolina
Two of Virginia's more annoying rivals do better. The good news is someone has to lose. Maryland has the D, but UNC is in our division so their win would hurt us more and since it could be one of those weekends...
PREDICTION: MD 20 UNC 21

NC State at Boston College
Who knows? I mean the Wolfpack could barely beat Southern Miss and now they are beating FSU...hmm, sounds like another team I know. Well guess what? UVA lost to UNC after the win and BC is ready to take that role. Sorry Wolfpack.
PREDICTION: NCSU 10 BC 28

Georgia Tech at Virginia
Well this prediction was easier when UVA had players. Their entire team has been decimated by injuries and suspensions. UVA is a force at home, and the losses are not too bad except at defensive line...GT will be so close...I don't want to do this.
PREDICTION: GT 24 UVA 28

Florida State at Clemson
Media controls these games. Did you know that? Everyone says "uh-oh, FSU is in big trouble". Last time I checked FSU is well ahead of our friends in South Carolina. I know Death Valley is scary, but I also know FSU does NOT lose two games in a row. No more talk.
PREDICTION: FSU 35 Clemson 21

Checklist for Project

2005-11-07T15:36:00.000-05:00

Record lesson on Tuesday November 8th.

Over the weekend get it on my computer, and check it.

Following week: Break it down into segments and categorize each one.

Before Thanksgiving, burn to CD.

After Thanksgiving, fix website and link all projects. Do Tech Bio revisited before Finals and complete resubmitted Midterm before Dec. 1st.

Friday Quarterback

2005-11-04T11:31:00.000-05:00

Back by popular demand, it's FRIDAY Quarterback. Let's get to it.

Duke at Clemson
Clemson has had several close losses this year. Miami in triple overtime was a game they may never have fully recovered from. Georgia Tech last week hurt, but Duke is always good for the team psyche. Clemson blew this game last year, don't expect a similar mistake this time around.
PREDICTION: Duke 10 Clemson 31

Temple at Virginia
Temple must be tired of the ACC. Losses to Maryland, Clemson and Miami can do that to you. Temple is 0-9 and just what the Cavaliers need to start November off right. The question is, how will they end it?
PREDICTION: Temple 7 UVA 35

Wake Forest at Georgia Tech
WF has the talent for an upset, but not the consistency. GT got back on track with a win over Clemson and now are ready to fight UVA and UNC for the 3rd spot in the Coastal Division. As long as they don't look down the road to Charlottesville next week, they'll be fine.
PREDICTION: WF 17 GT 28

Boston College at UNC
My oh my, didn't this become a ball game. UNC is impressing teams again and BC seems to just plow along. UVA lost to both of these teams on the road so I am not particularly fond of either one. However, if WF can keep it close against the Eagles...maybe it's upset city time.
PREDICTION: BC 21 UNC 24

N.C. State at #9 Florida State
The Wolfpack need help. A second half come back against Southern Mississippi? They're not even the best team in that state! Florida State might not be the best team in their state either, but they have more than enough fire power to make this one a laugher.
PREDICTION: NCSU 10 FSU 42

Miami at Virginia Tech
There MAY have been bigger games in ACC history, but it's not likely. Virginia Tech's national championship dreams hang in the balance. Pride is on the Hurricanes side, they can still make it to Jacksonville with a win this Saturday. Lane stadium is as hostile a place as one can get. I really don't know how this game will go, but I think it's time to be bold.
PREDICTION: Miami 17 VT 16

Parity...with an exception

2005-10-31T15:28:00.000-05:00

The ACC has some good teams. Maryland led Florida State into the 4th quarter last Saturday before falling 35-27. UNC led Miami 16-7 at the half before the Hurricanes woke up. Clemson lost by a point to Georgia Tech. What does this all mean? The ACC is good. From top to bottom, there seems to be a great deal of parity and talent. While experienced teams like FSU and Miami can grind out wins, there huge talent advantage has slowly been falling away.

The thing is, there is this other ACC team. One that had a nailbiting conclusion to start the season and since has not just won but won big. A team that is undefeated. A team that is clicking on all cylinders and a team that needs help. This team is one the Cavalier faithful know all to well, but the boys in Blacksburg are not just good...they're scary good. The Virginia Tech Hokies are 3rd in the nation, stuck behind national heavyweights USC and Texas. Their mission is clear, win out and hope that these two teams in front stumble. While USC and Texas have both showed the potential to drop one, it's important to remember, VT's perfect season is not assured...yet.

This week is very important for the ACC, for Miami, for VT and for the nation. The Hurricanes after an explosive second half travel to Blacksburg to take on the Hokies who have seemed invincible at home. Miami were the beasts of the Big East, but their counterpart has had the best of them as of late. VT's win last year over the Canes, a win this week would essentially do the same, giving them a two game lead over the rest of the Coastal Division of the ACC. Miami's last game at Lane Stadium was a 28-7 beatdown. Pride must be a big part of this equation. The Canes have to be tired of losing to the Hokies. The Hokies know that many wonder how good they really are, having yet to play a team anywhere close to the talent and makeup of the Miami squad. They feel they must not just win, but win big and use that momentum to push past Texas.

Parity cannot be an issue for Virginia Tech, they have spent the first two months proving that they are MUCH better than their opponents. If they want any chance of a national championship appearance, they cannot let the next month plague them like it often has. Two years ago, VT ended the year 2-4. With Miami, UNC and UVA still in their way, an uninspired team could inspire a similar record.

This is not just the ACC on the line this weekend, but the BCS. With 5 undefeated teams left (USC, Texas, Virginia Tech, Alabama, and UCLA), there could be yet another huge controversy in the making over who deserves to play for the national championship. Fortunately for the BCS lovers, USC and UCLA will play each other, but it is highly possible AND probable that three or maybe four teams will end the year undefeated. Will Virginia Tech be the team that brings the long awaited playoff system to college football?

Not if they can help it.

Offensive Overhaul

2005-10-28T15:29:00.000-04:00

Oh what a month, October was not good to the Cavaliers. They went 1-3. Certainly that one was one for the ages, but that three can never be good for a program. Still there are four games left, and three of them are at home. Virginia's bowl hopes are not dashed even if championship glory seems like an impossibility. Nevertheless, a strong finish will give the Wahoos something they didn't have after last season: Momentum. They can build on all the young players that are admittedly improving. The defense might just work itself out for the big games, the biggest question this bye week and this year is...what can we do about that offense???

26 points against FSU is impressive, but it wasn't the offense that did it for the Cavaliers, it was senior QB Marques Hagans. The big plays were the broken plays. Virginia only amassed twenty rushing yards the entire game, and with three running backs, that's not going to cut it. Virginia will start November with it's offensive line seemingly intact for the first time all year. That's right, you heard me, ALL year. These troubles at the line cost UVA last week's game and they can be a future headache if not taken care of right now. The wide receivers have still not found the ability to make a big play. Hagans was terribly off last week, but there were certainly catchable balls that the Virginia receivers could not hold on to. The pressure is on big players like Deyon Williams and Fontel Mines to find the consistency needed for a strong finish.

Perhaps I am early in saying this. I might just be a frustrated fan but I feel this offensive problem might not be solved by a bye week. I don't know if offensive coordinator Ron Prince can fix it. Fourth years remember Bill Musgrave, their offensive coordinator first year who really revitalized the Virginia offense. He took Schaub, a QB who couldn't beat out Bryson Spinner for a starting point and made him ACC Player of the Year and an NFL talent. Don't for a second think that this was a given. His first two years at UVA, Matt Schaub looked like a rented statue and probably wasn't going to make it all four years here. Musgrave changed him into a star and now Prince has been fighting in that shadow. Now the offense is not bad, but the fans were spoiled. Name one game where a fan didn't stand up and say now wait a second. I understand it's one thing when I or my roomies say something. We think we know something. It's when my friends I drag to a game and know very little about football can see what we're doing that we walk a dangerous line. The opponent is not dumb, and if a non-expert can decipher us so quickly, it does not bode well for us.

Now I honestly don't know who is to blame for the Cavaliers bad October. Prince's play calling, Groh's supervision, injuries, inconsistent offensive line, Hagan's injury, Deyon's drop-a-litis...maybe it's all these things. I do know this, the Cavaliers have lost the jump start FSU was supposed to get them. Which means they need an even bigger jolt and I don't know how that can happen unless heads roll. These games need to be taken seriously, no matter who we play. I admit last year was a bit of a disappointment because we didn't win the big game, but we didn't lose the bad one either. Friends that has never happened in UVA history, and maybe now we're beginning to see how special that was. Making the next step towards glory is the hardest of them all, and maybe some of this personnel won't be there when Virginia finally does.

Thursday QB

2005-10-27T10:04:00.000-04:00

Alrighty, time for some more number crunching fun. P.S. Last week almost made up for that horrible loss UVA suffered...almost.
LAST WEEK: 5-0
OVERALL: 29-12

THURSDAY:
Boston College at #3 Virginia Tech
If only, if only this game were at Chestnut Hill, MA. The last time BC played at Lane Stadium they got the win, but that seems like ages ago. The Hokies are on a mission and they have been focused on this game and the next one against Miami. BC has some fire power, but I just don't think it'll be enough.
PREDICTION: BC 17 VT 31

SATURDAY:
Maryland at #10 FSU
Hmm...last time these two teams met, the Terps pulled off one of the greatest wins/upsets in their school's history. Encore? Of course not. We've seen from the Cavaliers how hard it is to play down in Seminole Country. Maryland is not ready for this game, and they will continue to make us look bad in the process.
PREDICTION: MD 13 FSU 42

Wake Forest at Duke
Well Wake Forest has got definite skill players. Duke has young talent. In other words, this could go either way. I'm tempted to pick Duke because they always pick up one upset a year, but I think WF is better now than they have been all season. Still, no blowouts here.
PREDICTION: WF 28 Duke 20

Southern Miss at NC State
I watched this Southern Miss team last Friday defeat UAB. They showed some mental toughness and they will need all of it against the Wolfpack. NC State is still struggling to find itself, but I think this week will help....minutely.
PREDICTION: SMU 14 NCSU 24

Clemson at Georgia Tech
Last time these two teams played, GT knocked Clemson off their preseason pedestal. Now both teams are in the middle of the ACC which has turned into a doghunt. GT has not played in the last two weeks and I feel that rust might be a factor early. Clemson will capitalize early, and get the vengeful W.
PREDICTION: CU 24 GT 21

UNC at #6 Miami
Do I even need to remind you the last time THESE two teams met? I certainly don't need to remind Miami, they are at home this year and I do not see them making the same mistake again. UNC has a strong line but with Miami's speed it simply does not matter.
PREDICTION: UNC 10 Miami 35

Brainstorm on Lesson Plan

2005-10-24T18:18:00.000-04:00

I will probably do the same SOL I did my PowerPoint on, dealing with the Jim Crow South. This way I incorporate PowerPoint technology into what would originally be a bland presentation (Plus recycling is fun). In my dream world I will ty to incorporate everything we have discussed and then some. That means students can make their own websites and create multiple presentations about history.

As for this design, I think it is very useful but I will need to really investigate some models to fully graps the concept. Words like assessment, objectives are interesting words but they are too ambiguous for little old me. It'll be nice to have some concrete examples.

Feedback Exercise

2005-10-24T13:30:00.000-04:00

It was nice to get some feedback on my project but I anticipated most of it. I was glad someone noticed one of my cool transition effects, and I realized that timing was an issue. It was a rather ROUGH cut but they helped me out. Offering their advice a little, but more importantly pointing out the good and pointing out the bad. That way I know what to keep and that helped make the refining process much easier. I hope my students will be able to handle such an exercise, I guess only time will tell.

Thursday Quarterback

2005-10-20T20:21:00.000-04:00

I must really be getting into the groove (or teams like Miami continue to play teams like Temple and make my life easier). Nevertheless, let's keep the good times rolling with some big ACC match ups this time around.
LAST WEEK: 3-2
OVERALL: 24-12

THURSDAY NIGHT:
#3 Virginia Tech at Maryland
This is an interesting game. Certainly everyone remembers the absolute beatdown the Twerps received last year in Blacksburg. It was over in the first five minutes. If we've learned one thing it's Maryland can beat anyone when motivated and they will have that. Plus VT has yet to truly stun on the road. NC State came down to the last play and West Virginia kept it close. VT will have to make a statement here if they want to ever move pass Texas in the dormant Big XII.
PREDICTION: VT 24 MD 21

SATURDAY:
Temple at Clemson
Clemson comes off one impressive victory on the road against NC State. Temple comes off well...another loss, a 34-3 drubbing by Miami. With games against Maryland and Virginia too, I have to ask when did Temple join the ACC? Clemson won't ask questions, they'll just take the victory and stay in the ACC chase.
PREDICTION: Temple 7 Clemson 31

#11 Florida State at Duke
Oh me, oh my. This game will not be for the faint of heart. It won't be for Duke fans either because the Noles are ANGRY. I think I can feel pretty confident that Wallace Wade Stadium will look like a disaster area more than a football field.
PREDICTION: FSU 56 Duke 3

NC State at Wake Forest
Last time these two teams played at WF, NC State was nationally ranked and the Deacons pulled off a huge upset. Phillip Rivers is gone, and so has most of the luster of Wolfpack Coach Chuck Amato. I really never know what to think of WF, they are showing flashes of what they used to be. They just can't keep it together. I think they might just do it this week though.
PREDICTION: NC State 21 WF 28

Virginia at North Carolina
Well the Tar Heels may not have cared much about this game before, but they sure do now. Virginia is back on track after taking down the previously undefeated Noles. This is a huge game for them if they don't want to lose all the good press and sentiments. UNC has talent and they are tired of losing to Virginia. I'm also tired of getting EVERY UNC prediction wrong. Reverse psychology worked last time, let's do it doubly this time.
PREDICTION: UVA 0 UNC 100

Georgia Tech at #5 Miami
Well, well, well...in one corner you have the media's darling as the giant killer and in the other you have the only powerhouse standing in the Hokies way of ACC domination. This game will go along way in seeing if GT has recovered from their embarrassing loss to VT. It will also be Miami's first test since a 3 OT thriller against Clemson. Should be fun to watch but, one team will like it just a LITTLE more.
PREDICTION: GT 20 Miami 31

MIDTERMS

2005-10-19T15:32:00.000-04:00

As the midterm approaches in colleges throughout the United States it's time to hand out some grades to people besides those poor overworked, under appreciated college kids. Fortunately for some schools like Virginia, they turned in their extra credit (beating FSU) just before grade time. So here we go and remember, number two pencils only!

USC: The defending national champions have had some scares. First Oregon, then Arizona State and Notre Dame just days ago came within seconds of beating the top ranked Trojans. Nevertheless, the fact remains USC has not lost in over two years. They have the defending Heisman champion and a backfield that could beat some NFL teams.
GRADE: A

Charlie Weis: I think they need some time to shine. Charlie Weis has become the new icon of football in South Bend. Two losses, who cares? Notre Dame is BACK!
GRADE: A+

Virginia Tech: I hate it but come on, they've looked better than good, they've looked scary. VT had a close call with NC State and then has laid the hammer down. Marcus Vick is showing that lightning can strike twice.
GRADE: A

Virginia: Okay, so two bad losses, one really really good win. What does it all mean? Right now it means Virginia can still make a season out of this, but they're not out of the woods yet. Nevertheless, a win over FSU makes the past trials seem rather moot.
GRADE: B

Michigan: What happened to Michigan, the Big House has never seemed some dull. A 4-3 record may cut it at most schools, but not Ann Arbor. Their wins are impressive however, but their losses have hurt a lot. They are lucky the Big Ten is wide open, so hope remains but for now...
GRADE: C-

Harris Poll: This is BCS on crack. The overrated paper tigers like Nebraska and Texas Tech getting bloated scores is one travesty, but a voter voting for winless Idaho because he thought it was Boise State proves one thing.....man we need a playoff. Polls=BAD!
GRADE: F-

Instant Replay: Much needed, much liked, now cut it down!!! There is a time limit in the NFL, we need one now (and why can't the coaches ever challenge)
GRADE: B-

SEC: Is it me or do they have twenty nine teams in the top 25? LSU, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Auburn, Florida and then there are upstarts like Vanderbilt who don't know they are supposed to suck. Imagine if Steve Spurrier could get South Carolina to the same type of glory he got in Florida, the SEC could be the BCS playoffs itself. Sorry Kentucky, there's always basketball.
GRADE: A+

Class is over, see you next session.

A New Era Looms

2005-10-18T22:28:00.000-04:00

While fans stormed the field of Scott Stadium last Saturday, Coach Dave Leitao was working on one messy project, the men's basketball team.

Yards away from the old, dilapidated U-Hall, construction workers toil away on the million dollar baby known as John Paul Jones Arena. From every indication it looks to be sleek, smooth and top of the line. The question remains, will the team that fills it fit that description?

Pete Gillen left Virginia basketball in quite a mess, one that has gotten worse since Leitao has gotten here (though through no fault of his own). Gary Forbes's departure has left Virginia with one less valuable contributor. Leitao is left with a bunch of young, inexperienced, undersized and under-worked players and a mindset to mold. Singletary may be a star in the making, but basketball is played 5 on 5.

Coach Leitao would be lucky to win eight games this season, and yet don't tell him that. His work is showing off any many ways that have gone largely unnoticed in the football driven world of Mr. Jefferson's University.

Leitao has sponsored many basketball events like a pancake breakfast, marathons and a Hoos fest last Friday. What's that? You didn't even know, you weren't the only one.

Leitao has been on the recruiting trail. He has already picked up two four star recruits. One is 6'8 SF Jamil Tucker from Gary, Indiana. First of all, anyone who can steal a kid from Indiana away from the Hoosiers has done something special. Second of all....he's 6'8 and a SMALL forward? That's sounds like UVA's starting center. As a junior last year Tucker averaged 24 points and 12 rebounds (good, especially good for Indiana).

Leitao also picked up Solomon Tat, a 6-5 SG from, Georgia (that's right....a guard that's TALLER than 6 feet). Tat also averaged 24 points, with 6 rebounds and five assists as a junior.

Leitao has preached defense! You know that forbidden word of Gillen's tenure was shown in the open practice Friday. In what observers likened to the WWF, players were forced to go after balls 4 or 5 rows into the stands. Leitao would accept nothing less than diving. J.R. Reynolds and many other Cavaliers admitted that they had never worked so hard before.

Leitao has done everything to fit into UVA. He wears the colors, he goes to football games, he recruits well, he has done every interview asked of him and he has never complained about the unfortunate situation he inherited. Maybe it's time Virginia fans invest some time into him.

It may be a long road to returning to any sort of basketball prominence, but at least with Dave Leitao we know we can actually reach it.

26-21

2005-10-17T00:55:00.000-04:00

HOW SWEET IT IS!

Virginia's year of frustration and missed opportunities just got the kickstart it needed, taking down the previously undefeated #4 ranked Seminoles. A game with all the drama and determination of the classic battle 10 years ago, Virginia did just enough to win and FSU did just enough to lose.

Virginia was led by senior QB Marques Hagans. Summoning strength and resiliency from a hamstring injury, Hagans threw and ran circles around the FSU secondary going 27-36, en route to 306 yards passing, a career high. He would need it, Virginia amassed only 20 rushing yards, airing out to the surprise of everyone.

On Virginia's first drive of the game following a Drew Weatherford interception, UVA threw on every play. Hagans would connect with TE Jonathan Stupar in the endzone to give the Cavaliers and early 7-0 advantage. FSU bounced right back however with a long run by FSU RB Leon Washington.

After an exchange of field goals made it 10-10, Connor Hughes showed why he is one of the most important players on this team. After making his first one from 50 yards out, he connected on two more, giving the Cavaliers a 16-10 advantage late in the second quarter. A Kai Parham sack in the waning minutes gave UVA one more chance to put up some points. They did when Hagans rolled out to his right and connected with senior RB Wali Lundy for a quick scamper and a touchdown. UVA would go into the half 23-10.

Virginia received the ball first in the second and took advantage with a fourth field goal by Hughes, extending the lead to 16. Then however Florida State made their move. Successful drives were mired by costly penalties and a missed field goal, but early in the fourth quarter a short pass to Chris Davis who, with one nasty spin move, made it to the endzone. A wide open two point conversion and it was 26-18.

Virginia's offense was stuck in neutral during the fourth, just as it had the last two weeks in their losses. Hagans was sacked back and Florida State had another chance to cut into the lead. This game was different then the past two disappointments however with the resolve of the defense. Though they did bend, they did an incredible job not breaking. FSU charged down the field but were stopped before they could reach the endzone. Gary Cismesia would nail a 32 yard field goal to make it 26-21.

Virginia's next drive started out with a 7 yard run by Hagans, but on third down he threw an incompletion to Deyon Williams, only to be reprieved with a pass interference call. Virginia would take the clock down to 56 seconds before they punted it away. Florida State had no timeouts and a long way to go. On first and ten, Weatherford gave up his third interception this time to Tony Franklin. Virginia would take two knees, the goal posts and awhole lot of pent up angst last night. The victory was only the second time Virginia has beaten a top 5 school, the other time being ten years ago to this same team. Al Groh has won his biggest game, his fifth year with the team. For Hagans, Schmidt, Ferguson and all the seniors this year, this is a win that they can define their careers by.

Charlottesville and the Cavaliers have new hope, this week the Wahoos travel to Durham to take on the UNC Tar Heels, a team that has had significant problems stopping Virginia. That game is followed up by a home matchup with Temple, the Virginia Cavaliers could be 6-2 going into one of the hardest three game stretches in the country.

For now though, celebration is in order so let's party like it's 1995.

Podcast/Video ideas

2005-10-16T11:01:00.000-04:00

Well....if I'm doing topics that interest me there are certainly a few options. In case you didn't notice, I am particularly fond of sports and judging by yesterday's win, I see a movie waiting to be made. I also have a strong affinity for theatre and plays, not to mention many pictures at my disposal. Therefore, I think some sortof project involving "You Can't Take It With You" would be fun and relatively easy for me to produce. The podcast is an interesting notion, but I simply have more pictures already, not to mention sites like flickr to tell me which photos are okay and not okay to use. Audio files are precariously less legal to obtain (though I'll probably give my work a soundtrack). Anyways, if you like sports or theatre, tell me I'm rocking your world with this project.

Wake Up The Echoes

2005-10-15T10:23:00.000-04:00

The 1995 Virginia Cavalier football team was used to disappointment. Losing on a last play to Michigan at the Big House, a last second field goal by Texas (getting the pattern). So it should come to no surprise when another football giant was storming down David A. Harrison field in the final minutes, it was deja vu all over again. QB Danny Kannell was finding receivers, RB Warrick Dunn had been kept in line for most of the game but come on this was Florida State. FSU was undefeated, #2 in the nation, a common occurrence since they had NEVER lost in the ACC. UVA was the 25th ranked squad, hoping to hold on with an amazing performance from Tiki Barber and QB Mike Groh. With seven seconds Kannell moved them inside the ten yard line and threw an incompletion leading to one last play with three seconds to go.

The snap goes to Dunn and he plows towards the endzone and falls with his helmet at the white chalkmark of the goal line. The ball never crosses, the game ends, the Cavaliers win???? Pandemonium in Charlottesville, Virginia will go on to win its 2nd ACC football title and defeat Georgia in the Peach Bowl (With some drama involved in that game as well). Virginia head coach George Welsh has done the unthinkable!

....That was then boys and girls. It is 10 years later. Mike Groh's not throwing it deep, but still on the sidelines, helping his new coach daddy Al shape current QB Marques Hagans into an all around threat. Wali Lundy may not be Tiki, but at the moment he's not even himself. The offensive line is a huge question mark, and the defensive secondary is one big frowny face. Florida State is (surprise, surprise) undefeated, 4th in the nation and brimming with confidence after finally defeating long time rival Miami. Virginia is reeling, two losses to ACC middleweights Maryland and Boston College (not exactly Michigan and Texas), with a hideous stretch of Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech and Miami still to come.

In other words, there is no reason UVA should win this game. Except for the fact that this game is ten years later, at home, and will show Dunn's stuffing at the one inch line about 500 times. Football's mental edge is one of the most underrated aspects. How else do teams like TCU beat Oklahoma or South Florida beat Louisville? Virginia has the potential to win this game, but it needs MANY contingencies. The fans, the attitude, the overconfident FSU and a lot of luck for starters.

At the end of the game, Virginia will stand at either 4-2 or 3-3. Virginia has not lost 3 games in a row since Al Groh's first year but they seem to be in grave danger this time around. UNC and Temple stand on the horizon, but even UNC may not be a given with 3 losses in a row. Virginia can't live in the past, but they shouldn't ignore it either. No one believed in the 1995 crew and they won the ACC championship. It's make or break time for Virginia, before CavMan and the Wahoo faithful ride off into the sunset.

Thursday Quarterback

2005-10-12T16:04:00.000-04:00

Well just like Virginia, this doesn't seem to be my year. Time to shake it up!!!
LAST WEEK: 5-2
OVERALL: 21-10

THURSDAY:
Clemson at NC State
Clemson came out with guns blazing but haven't been able to recover after losing to Miami in triple overtime. Boston College is one thing, but a loss to WAKE FOREST??? Sorry NC State has the momentum and the home field, they will win and Clemson will continue to suffer.
PREDICTION: CU 10 NC State 21

SATURDAY:
Miami at Temple
It's Temple, need I say more?
PREDICTION: Miami 48 Temple 0

Georgia Tech at Duke
GT is having a skid very similar to Clemson, what a better cure than the Duke Blue Devils? It worked for Virginia, it will work for Ball and the Jackets, Duke just needs to hold the course and when these kids grow up...they won't lose as bad.
PREDICTION: GT 28 Duke 7

Wake Forest at Boston College
Now at first this shouldn't seem like a contest...but Wake Forest has won the last two games in this series. The Eagles are still fuming after the Virginia game and that could make them vulnerable early, I think they will win but it might be much closer than anyone would believe.
PREDICTION: WF 20 BC 21

Florida State at Virginia
Alright, let's be honest. 99 times out of 100 FSU beats Virginia (at least). They are on a crash course with VT in Jacksonville...but it is October and road blocks can appear anywhere. I'm tired of predicting a UVA win. Time for some reverse psychology.
PREDICTION: FSU 30 UVA 21

Reality Check, Virginia loses again 28-17

2005-10-10T19:44:00.000-04:00

The high hopes have died in Chestnut, Massachusetts.

The 18th ranked Boston College Eagles knocked off Virginia in a physical, emotional and overall sloppy game. The rain and mud made for a gritty effort, and both teams seemed at times invincible and later completely inept. Virginia's opening drive was one of the worst in school history, racking up a 1st and 30 after successive false starts and a holding penalty. Virginia would finish the game with an abysmal 11 penalties (Boston College however fared even worse 11 penalties for 33 more yards than the Cavaliers). Boston College missed three field goal attempts. Virginia's Deyon Williams forgot how to catch a football. The bad plays went back and forth, but in the end Boston College was able to capitalize on Virginia's miscues a little better than Virginia could do to the Eagles.

``I would say in the last 12 minutes, we had the opportunity to make some plays and BC had the opportunity to make some plays,'' Virginia coach Al Groh said. ``The game hinged on their ability to make those plays and the fact that we did not.''

The game might have actually hinged on an exceptionally late hit by OL Brad Butler directed towards BC's All-American DE Mathias Kiwanuka. The cheap shot inspired the Eagles to rally from a 14-7 deficit and really changed the momentum of the game.

``When [Kiwanuka] went out, I went up to him and said 'We're not going to lose this game,''' said BC linebacker Ray Henderson.

The Eagles didn't, blocking a punt and stopping the Cavaliers later in the fourth quarter from the two-yard line to insure the game.

Now both teams must prepare for their next challenges. For Boston College, they take on the Deamon Deacons of Wake Forest, a team that has upset the Eagles twice in a row. The challenge for Virginia however is even greater. This Saturday night, they take on the undefeated Florida State Seminoles, ten years after their first and only victory against them. With Virginia now standing at 3-2 (1-2 ACC), this game proves to be one full of emotion and desire. Cavalier pride is at a low, and it's up to people like Deyon Williams to PICK it back up.

Eagles Migration to ACC Complete

2005-10-07T09:59:00.000-04:00

It may have been one messy project, but the ACC has twelve teams. The newest member, Boston College will take on Virginia this weekend in what proves to be another critical ACC contest.

For Head Coach Tom O'Brien, it is a conflicted game playing against a team where he was an assistant for 15 years. O'Brien was on the sidelines with QB Mike Groh when UVA finally defeated Florida State in 1995. Now he is at the helm of an up and rising program, one looking to contend for the Atlantic Division crown.

The Boston College Eagles are currently 4-1 and ranked 18th in the country, their lone loss to Florida State at home 28-17. Nevertheless, they recognize the challenge the Cavaliers of Charlottesville have to bring.

"I know that they are a really good football team," said sophomore linebacker Brian Toal. "They have big offensive linemen, and they have the team speed of the ACC that everyone has been talking about. So, it's going to be a challenge for us."

That team speed pertains to the incomparable Virginia QB Marques Hagans. Hagans had a solid outing against Maryland, his second game in a row without any turnovers. A similar outing will be necessary for Virginia to win because the BC defense is hitting on all cylinders after a shutout last week against Ball State.

"They're second in the country in stopping the run" said Virginia coach Al Groh. "Obviously they're way down there in points allowed...the offense gets a lot of attention, but what's really important in being a solid team week-in and week-out is being able to keep your opponents down, and they're really good at that. "

Boston College's offense has put the reins in the hands of QB Matt Ryan. Ryan replaced starter Quinton Porter when he injured himself in the Florida State game. Porter had 2 interceptions and while Ryan only amassed 89 yards in that game he was able to spur a critical victory the next week in overtime against Clemson. His tenure at quarterback was certainly one under fire, starting at Death Valley, but Matt Ryan has proven that he can handle the responsibility.

Look for Boston College to run it up the gut. RB L.V. Whitworth is one of a barrage of backs that BC will use against the Cavaliers. After watching the gains of Maryland third-stringer Lance Ball, they have to licking their lips for an opportunity to take on a depleted Virginia defense and they know the ground attack is coming.

"It's the way they've played everybody this year", Groh said. "It's a dedicated, downhill running game. It's unusual that balls go to the outside."

It's about time the Orange Crush do something unusual and really manhandle a team this Saturday because their hopes for ACC glory ride on it.

Thursday Quarterback

2005-10-06T17:54:00.000-04:00

Ok since the Thursday night game is an ACC contest, I've had to bump this up.
LAST WEEK: 5-3
OVERALL: 16-8

THURSDAY NIGHT:
NC State at #24 Georgia Tech
An interesting matchup, N.C. State barely lost to VT while GT was absolutely dismantled. GT beat UNC and NC State did not. It may be hard for Georgia Tech to get over such a bad loss, and with the Wolfpack defense I would not be shocked for them to win it...nevertheless, the home field makes me think GT will SOMEHOW pull it out.
PREDICTION: NC State 17 GT 21

SATURDAY:
Wake Forest at #4 Florida State
Is it just me, or should people start to buy tickets for the VT/FSU ACC Championship game? FSU has problems, but they have certainly overcome them so far and Wake Forest has no talent to exploit these weaknesses. WF, get ready for a long year.
PREDICTION: WF 3 FSU 35

Duke at #9 Miami
Well to save time and effort (see above). Miami has some offensive holes, but they can easily dismantle one of the worst secondaries in the country, along with an offense that leaves much to be desired.
PREDICTION: Duke 0 Miami 28

Marshall at #3 Virginia Tech
Remember the days of Byron Leftwich, Chand Pennington and Randy Moss were all wearing the Marshall green...yeah neither do they. Losing to Central Florida and an 8 point victory over William and Mary can hurt your once proud mid-major squad. Oh yeah...VT is pretty good too. No upset this week.
PREDICTION: Marshall 10 VT 42

Maryland at Temple
Oh wow. Maryland's offense gets another feast after beating up on the Cavaliers. The Temple Owls are on their way to Division II status, just face it. At this rate, Lance Ball will be a Heisman candidate.
PREDICTION: MD 45 Temple 0

#23 Louisville at UNC
Okay, I know that my UNC predictions are always wrong so...take this with all the seriousness you take any of my predictions. Louisville looked invincible until South Florida unmasked them. UNC has talent but Louisville has enough firepower to blow them out (They just better hope it's loaded this time).
PREDICTION: UL 42 UNC 28

Virginia at Boston College
Oh me, oh my. It was going to be hard to pick the Cavaliers BEFORE their loss to Maryland, now it's even harder. The Eagles are for real, their defense can stop anyone and if our defense rests again it could get ugly. If everyone returns this will be close, and well...oh I can't handle the pressure.
PREDICTION: UVA 21 BC 20

Hoos in the NFL

2005-10-05T03:52:00.000-04:00

In football, the pinnacle of accomplishment is making it to the NFL. It's what every single college players dreams of, but so very few achieve. At the University of Virginia, several players have gone on to the money and fame that is the National Football League.

Tiki Barber is the quintessential example. Playing in a super bowl and currently one of the top running backs in the nation. His twin brother Ronde won a Super Bowl ring with the Buccaneers. Patrick Kerney went to the Pro Bowl last year as a defensive end for the Atlanta Falcons.

Taking a look at Al Groh's current products in the NFL appear to be something special as well. TE Heath Miller for the Steelers scored a touchdown in his very first game in a win over the Titans. RB Alvin Pearman has seen some time for the Jaguars. The biggest contradiction of current Cavalier talent in the NFL is an interesting one, Al Groh's best player in the NFL is the only one that never plays.

QB Matt Schaub is a solid player. He has continually improved and worked on becoming an all-around quarterback. The problem is, he is the backup for the NFL posterchild Michael Vick. Besides Philly, Indianapolis and New England, there are few other place where the QB is so ingrained into the team. What makes things even more frustrating is the fact that Vick went to Virginia Tech, his rival school. So Schaub sits. His talent left to holding a clipboard...that is until the Falcons guarantee a playoff bye week and sit Vick down.

Or...you have what happened last Sunday.

In the second quarter against the Vikings, Vick took a brutal blow by Erasmus James and would not return. Panic time for Atlanta? Matt Schaub stepped in and what did he do? He went 5-14 for 39 yards and ran an amazing 55 yards (very Vick-esque). Maybe those numbers are not jaw-dropping, but imagine coming off the bench with little preparation or playing time. Schaub provided enough of a passing threat to let RB Warrick Dunn do his thing and did not turn the ball over once (Which is more than superstar Daunte Culpepper could claim).

So how will this situation end? Stuck in a west-coast system nearly identical to Al Groh's, and yet never being able to play in it. Well, watching him this weekend proved to be an audition tape. He may not be great but there will always be a need for a solid quarterback. Especially if your name is New York or Chicago.

CASE 1: The Jets lost QB Chad Pennington for the year. They have brought in 269 year-old Vinny Testeverde as a backup to greenhorn Brad Bollinger. Seems to me the J-E-T-S need some M-A-T-T. (Plus Groh coached the Jets, it'd be a nice circle)

CASE 2: The Bears lost QB Rex Grossman and are dealing with rookie Kyle Orton. Though Orton has some serious skill, he's not ready to carry a team yet (Neither necessarily is Schaub).

Matt might be a good addition to these teams struggling for an offense, if he succeeds he could finally blaze his own path on the gridiron. Until then, let's buy some more Tiki Barber jerseys!

Cavaliers Shell-Shocked, Lose 45-33

2005-10-04T07:32:00.000-04:00

Virginia came into Maryland after a convincing victory over Duke and feeling confident for the first time perhaps since going 5-0 last year, they left more confused and dazed than they could have ever imagined.

The Cavaliers lost to the Terrapins in a shootout 45-33. Both of these teams are known primarily for the defense, but it seemed like neither decided to show up since both teams combined for 1000 yards total offense. Virginia started the game with high hopes, all star linebacker Ahmad Brooks made his return, however he proved to be what many feared, a tired and unprepared man. Time will tell if Brooks returns to his NFL-caliber form, but Virginia's bowl aspirations depend on it.

The Maryland offense, which had struggled all season had their way with the young Orange Crush defense. RB Lance Ball had a breakout performance, muscling his way towards 163 yards and 2 touchdowns...on only 17 carries! QB Sam Hollenbach had one strong outing as well, going 25-33 for 320 yards (and two of those 8 incompletions were interceptions). Virginia had some strong hits, one nailing wide receiver Jo Jo Walker into next week, but when the chips were down, Virginia looked completely incapable of stopping a mediocre ACC offense.

The one bright spot for Virginia was the continued improved play of Marques Hagans and the Virginia offense. Hagans went only 17-35 but amassed 270 yards in the air and another 55 yards with his quick feet. Junior WR Deyon Williams is turning into a bona fide talent, continuing to add to his stats with 5 catches for 62 yards. Wali Lundy however, continued to struggle after his return from injury going for 18 yards on only 3 carries. Nevertheless, Virginia did put 33 points on the board, a number that most of the time equals victory. This was not one of those times.

The road does not get any friendlier for the Cavaliers. A trip to Boston College this weekend, and then a home game against the undefeated Seminoles. Virginia needs to get its act together or they are staring 3-3 right in the face. The question still remains: Did Maryland resurrect an offense, or are the Cavaliers really that bad on defense? After all, when looking back sure they shut down Duke's offense, but high schools teams could do that. Syracuse almost won and Western Michigan scored way too many points. The answer to this question will not be known for a few more weeks.

I stated this game could go along way in determining both team's seasons. Obviously this loss dampers some high hopes Virginia fans toyed with, but maybe there is another way to look at this game. A loss may inspire the Cavaliers to no longer accept mundane, and strive for those lofty goals we all dream about. They might see that it's not ok to be complacent with a 3 point win over Syracuse, it might be time they play with the proverbial "chip on their shoulders". It may be a loss, but if it changes some mental outlooks for the better...it might just be what the doctor ordered.

Friday Quarterback

2005-09-30T03:15:00.000-04:00

Okay so last week was awful on just about every count. Seems I picked the spread correctly in only 6 0f 20 top 25 games, but here on my ACC watch I went an awe-inspiring 3-3, making the overall mark a respectable 11-5. Now it's time to take things nice and slow, get back to winning weeks:

Navy at Duke:
Alrighty so here's the deal. Duke is not very good. Navy is even worse. Duke should get win number two, but I am tempted to call it close seeing as Navy has given teams like Maryland trouble this year. Let's just hope my ACC pride doesn't blind me here.
PREDICTION: Navy 17 Duke 27

Utah at UNC
Now I just can't get a handle on UNC. I try and I try, but I don't even think they know how good they are. UNC pulled off a big win at NC State, played close with GT and lost to Wisconsin that just beat Michigan. Utah is coming off an undefeated season but they lost their star QB and their coach. I don't want to be made a fool again, but UNC plays well in the ACC...not elsewhere.
PREDICTION: Utah 20 UNC 17

Ball State at #21 Boston College
Ok this just in, Boston College is good. Ball State will not just lose, they will lose pretty badly. Let's just hope the Eagles get overconfident when the Cavaliers come to down (By the way, do they ever play road games???)
PREDICTION: BS 7 BC 38

Clemson at Wake Forest
Oh my, remember when the Demon Deacons were scaring people two years ago. Now all the progress Jim Grobe made seems to be going downhill. I personally like and respect WF, but Clemson is much better than most people want to admit and this one will be over before you can say, "Bring on the Bowden Bowl".
PREDICTION: Clemson 31 WF 7

South Florida at #9 Miami
On a scale from 1-10 on the interesting-o-meter, last week this game was a -2. Now with South Florida's incredible upset over Louisville....it's a 3. Miami will not lose this game, but at least we can see if these guys are for real. I mean, no one said you had to be good to win the "new" Big East. Let's just grab some popcorn and enjoy the beatdown.
PREDICTION: SF 10 Miami 41

Syracuse at #6 FSU
Another game of some interest. Last year Syracuse almost pulled off the huge upset in the Carrier Dome, giving Virgina fans hope that was soon dashed in Tallahassee. The problem is this game is back to Seminole country now. The Orange are not as good, and FSU is...marginally better. Therefore...
PREDICTION: SU 14 FSU 28

#18 Virginia at Maryland
Okay, so I think by now you understand. This game really means something to these teams. For Virginia it is a must win to keep ACC championship chances alive. For Maryland, it is a must win to stop all the negative energy feeding into the program. I see this game being uncomfortably close. I would not be shocked (but pretty saddened) for Terps to win in an ugly rivalry game but...this year I've got higher hopes.
PREDICTION: UVA 27 Maryland 24

#3 Virginia Tech at West Virginia
Rivalry games are always nice to watch. Two years ago, the Mountaineers ruined the Hokies season with a 28-7 drubbing. The Hokies are better now and the Mountaineers are much worse. I would love to pick an upset but WVU barely beat East Carolina. VT is too loaded right now, but that doesn't mean I don't want to be proven wrong.
PREDICTION: VT 45 WV 13

Is the Fridge facing the heat?

2005-09-29T02:50:00.000-04:00

Before Virginia Tech stole the party last year, only one team had won the ACC championship outright in football, and not been named Florida State. In 2001-2002, the Maryland Terrapins went 10-2. Their only losses to FSU and Miami in the Orange Bowl. Ralph Friedgen was considered a genius, he won the NCAA Coach of the Year. The times however, they are a changin.

Last year, without star QB Scott McBrien, coach Friedgen had some major trouble finding an offense. Despite a huge 20-17 victory over FSU last year, Maryland struggled and finished with a 5-6 record. This year has started out with a similar tone, 2-2. Coach Friedgen was not brought in to be mediocre, he was supposed to take the Terps to the levels they achieved just 4 years ago.

So now with #18 Virginia coming into town in this year's homecoming game. The question is, can the Fridge get the Terrapins back in gear?

"If we can get a win this week, I think it will give our guys the confidence to go on for the rest of the season. " Friedgen said.

He realizes that Virginia is a dangerous team.

"It's a very big game coming up. We're playing a fine team in Virginia, they're undefeated. It's important for us to get some momentum going into the last half of the season...It will be a very tough game for us, but it's our Homecoming and it should be an exciting game."

To get some excitement, Maryland must find a way to ignite a stagnant offense. That means big contributions from junior QB Sam Hollenbach. Last week against Wake Forest he went 12-22 for 169 yards and one interception. Ball control will be critical for both teams, as Virginia QB Marques Hagans has had some shaky outings as well.

Maryland's bread and butter remains their tough and aggressive defense. Virginia must find a way to put points on the board, which means patient passing. Maryland has only allowed 494 yards of passing in 4 games, that means Virginia will have to look to the trenches if they want a victory.

Last year was a debacle for Maryland, getting shut out 16-0 in Charlottesville. The Virginia defense created two interceptions and RB Wali Lundy scored both touchdowns in a rather ugly game that time around, and he hopes to get back in form this week after a poor return effort against Duke.

This year however, the rivalry goes back to College Park, a place where Virginia head coach Al Groh has never won. Fans still have alot of respect for The Fridge, but it certainly seems that this game might mean more than just any ACC game. It is homecoming and fans need to a rivalry win. After losing to WV for the second straight year, and an absolute implosion against the Hokies last year, Maryland football has had little to hold it's hat on. Time will tell what this game will do for both of these teams's respective seasons but one thing is for certain: Glory fades, but hope never dies.