In his first game as a Hurricane, rookie Jake Weidner almost matched his point total that he accumulated in 24 games with the Listowel Cyclones.

Weidner scored 3 pts. vs. Brantford

Weidner who was acquired earlier this week along with fellow rookie, Blair Goss (for veterans Dan Mohle and Ken Rolph) was solid all night winning critical faceoffs and buzzing on a line with Martin Kudla and Mike Iacocca against the high flying Branford Golden Eagles.

Meanwhile Brantford through 46 shots at Hurricanes goaltender Chris McDougall and Josh McQuade added 4 points (3 goals and 1 assist) to his league leading point total in an exciting 5-4 win over Guelph.

This game featured powerplay goals, a short handed goal, a penalty shot, Guelph killing off a 5-3 and a fight.

Even though Guelph didn’t win the battle, they looked solid and may have picked up some information that can help them win the war, if these two team meet in the first round of the playoffs.

Tomorrow night the Hurricanes travel to Listowel to take on the Cyclones in a home-in-home series that concludes when these two teams play Saturday night (7:30 pm) at The Sleeman Centre.

Remember to tell your friend that it is Kids get in Free night Saturday. With each adult admission they can bring up to 4 children ages 0-13.

from http://www.guelphhurricanes.com

CANES & CYCLONES MAKE TRADE

Hurricanes General Manager Matt Mullin has pulled off a trade with the Listowel Cyclones that appears to help both teams.

Ken Rolph and Dan Mohle traded to Listowel

Offensive threats Dan Mohle and Ken Rolph will be travelling to Listowel to complete their junior careers with the tough Cyclones.

With the addition of the two 20 year olds the Cyclones are now in the hunt for the Sutherland Cup.

Coming to the Huricanes are two 1992’s Blair Goss from Fergus and Jake Weidner from Grand Valley. Weidner also plays lacrosse for the Elora Mohawks. Included in the deal for Guelph are future considerations.

Mullin thanked Mohle and Rolph for their service with Guelph junior B’s and wished them continued success in Listowel.

The irony of this deal is that the Canes and Cyclones play a home and home series this weekend starting Friday night in Listowel.

The Cyclones with Mohle and Rolph in the lineup visit the Sleeman Center on Saturday. Game time is 7:30 p.m.

Kevin Jackson can hardly wait.

Iowa State’s first-year coach has been talking about Dec. 6 since the day he was hired.

Iowa vs. Iowa State.

No. 1 vs. No. 2.  

Two-time defending NCAA champions vs. national championship hopefuls.

Sundays’ 6 p.m. dual meet at Hilton Coliseum is about as good as it gets in the sport of wrestling.

“We circled it. I know they circed it on their calendar,” Jackson said. “It’s a big part of the sport and one of the reasons I’m happy to be here.”

Jackson inherited a team capable of achieving some lofty goals.

The Cyclones boast a handful of All-Americans and a national champion in Jake Varner. One thing ISU’s talented senior class has yet to do is beat its in-state rival.

A victory Sunday would be the first step towards a big finish to their careers. 

“Our goal is to win a national championship and the national championship goes through Iowa City,” Jackson said. “We are going to see where we are at right away. I anticipate our guys performing at a high level.”

Jackson and his coaching staff — along with volunteer assistants and training partners Nate Gallick and Trent and Travis Paulson — have been pushing a more scoring-driven approach.

Varner has made a living off winning matches 3-1 or 4-2. Jackson wants to see the star 197-pounder light up the scoreboard.

That goes for everybody. He’d like it to start this weekend.

“We are getting after some points,” Jackson said. ”We are trying to wrestle with a higher level of intensity and take advantage of all scoring opportunities.”

It’s going to be a busy week and a great next paycheck for Hilton Coliseum staffers.

There are events happening in the arena every day this week across three different sports. Throw in Iowa State’s women’s and men’s basketball games next Thursday and Friday against Iowa and the turnstiles are going to get a workout. So are the folks cleaning up popcorn.

Here’s the breakdown:

Tuesday night — Women’s basketball vs. Mississippi Valley State.

ISU (3-1) won two last weekend at a tournament in Chicago and plays nine of its next 10 at home. It’s an important stretch for this young team still figuring out which players it can trust and when. Coach Bill Fennelly is playing several different combinations, which includes four true freshmen.

“We may be talking about the same thing in March,” Fennelly said. “We are going to keep playing 10 kids and see who we can count on,” he said.

Wednesday night — Men’s basketball vs. Northern Iowa.

The Panthers were the best team in the state last season, reaching the NCAA Tournament by winning both the regular season and conference tournament championships. ISU may be the best of the Big Four this year.

That distinction goes through Cedar Falls.

“They were a good team last year and they didn’t really lose anybody,” said Cyclone forward Craig Brackins.

Thursday afternoon/night — NCAA volleyball practices and media obligations for host Iowa State and George Mason, Saint Louis and Wichita State. ISU hasn’t hosted a postseason volleyball match since the mid-1990s.

Friday night — NCAA volleyball: Saint Louis vs. Wichita State 5 p.m., ISU vs. George Mason 7:30 p.m.

Saturday — NCAA volleyball: Friday night’s winners meet at 6:30. If the Cyclones can beat GMU on Friday they’ll play for their third straight Sweet 16 appearance. That’s simply amazing considering where the program was at earlier on this decade.

Sunday — Wrestling vs. Iowa. New ISU coach Kevin Jackson has been pointing to this one since the day he was hired. The Cyclones haven’t come out on top in the Cy-Hawk Series since the 2004-05 season.  The curtain is being lifted at Hilton to accomodate what is expected to be a huge crowd for Jackson’s first big meet. It’s No. 1 vs. No. 2. Doesn’t get any bigger than this in the sport of wrestling.

It’s hard to believe the college football season is winding down, but with it, the NFL heats up as teams make the chase for the wild card and playoffs, and college basketball arrives granting us two Big 12 Conference teams atop the early-season national rankings (#1 Kansas and #2 Texas).

With only conference championship football games left to play, several college bowl games have already started to make team selections or extend invites, based on their conference affiliations.

Cotton Bowl (Big 12 v. SEC)
Oklahoma State (9-3) v. Ole Miss (8-4)
This match-up represents the “could-have-beens” from the 2009 season. Both the ‘Pokes and Cowboys disappointed their legions in season full of high expectations. It remains to be seen who will step up in the bowl game’s first showing outside of the actual Cotton Bowl (this year’s game will be played at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington). More background here.

Hawaii Bowl (USA v. WAC)
Southern Methodist (7-5) v. To be determined opponent (potentially Nevada OR Hawaii, if they beat Wisconsin this weekend)
It was a momentus occasion in Dallas’ Highland Park neighborhood on Tuesday. And, it should be. After an absence of more than 20 years from post-season play, the Mustangs will make their first bowl appearance since 1984. As their AD said, “There is life after death,” referring to SMU’s harsh death penalty ruling from the NCAA in 1997, which closed the football program for two years. With former Hawaii coach June Jones running the show in Dallas these days, a match-up with his former team would be intriguing. More background here.

Other Relevant Bowl Game Possibilities
Other Texas-state and Big 12 Conference teams in the college bowl game hunt, with their likely destinations or invites, include: Texas (BCS national championship, with a win Saturday; potential BCS at-large with loss), TCU (Orange Bowl [BCS]), Texas Tech (Alamo Bowl), Texas A&M (Independence Bowl), Houston (Liberty Bowl), Nebraska (Holiday Bowl; potential BCS, with an upset Saturday), Iowa State (Texas Bowl), Missouri (Insight Bowl), and oklahoma (Sun Bowl). A more comprehensive list of bowl projections can be found on ESPN, for example, here.

CLIMATE :

 As discussed above, generation of heat is a function  of  gravity, which in turn depends on mass. As long as the mass of the earth is constant, the quantity of geothermal energy produced is also constant. Initially, heat is transferred to the  seas and, thence, to the atmospheric H2O, and  ultimately to the outer  space, when the latent heat is   released on formation of water droplets which form clouds. Simultaneously, heat is being radiated continuosly from the surface of the earth ,both land and sea, as the outer space is considerably cooler  than the earth.

The heat generated by the earth is converted into kinetic energy in a big way, when ocean currents are working round the clock. The volume of water involved in this process  is thousands of times  more than that of  all the rivers of the world.

Earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes  etc. also eat up considerable quantity of geothermal energy. Diffusion of water in the seas takes place continuously because of hot bottom and cool Polar regions. Part of the energy is also used up by cyclones, tornados etc. (the circumstances in which these are caused by hot steam emanating from the seas will be discussed in BUT-Volume III).

If the total quantity of geothermal energy is T, the energy converted into kinetic form is K and heat lost by radiation R,

T – K – R = the net increase or decrease in the warmth of the globe

From the table given below, it is clear that during the last 200 years there has not been any appreciable change in the warmth of the globe.

For a proper study of this subject, a distinction has to be made between the temperature of the earth and the temperature of the atmosphere. The latitude-mean temperature graph fairly represents the temperature of the earth, as the sea surface is not much affected by weather conditions. On the other hand, land stations will be subjected to violent fluctuations in the weather like extreme summers and winters, especially if the stations are much above the sea level.

The land mass contains lakes, surface soil water, water chambers, sub-terrainian water channels etc. which retain considerable quantity of water. Because of the peculiar structure of the H20 molecule, heat is retained in water for a longer period than other materials. This is the reason why summer extends much beyond the date 21^st June in the northern hemisphere. In the absence of water on the earth the peak temperature will end on that day and we may experience pleasant weather by August. Similarly, but for snow and the water layers lying just below the surface of the earth, the winter will start waning right from 21^st December.

In spite of these differences, data in respect of land stations, too, prove my contention that the globe is not warming!

When we look back

“It is an inquiry of some interest, whether the general temperature of the globe is stable, or is gradually undergoing change through diminution or addition. We have no means of deciding this point, because our thermometrical determinations are confined to a comparatively modern date. The instrument was not brought to perfection until the year 1724, by Fahrenheit, and therefore beyond that period we are dependent upon the recorded experience and sensations of observers, and upon the details of agricultural failure or success, for our knowledge of temperature in former times. We are not warranted to infer from these casual notices any changes of physical climate generally within the era of authentic history, though in particular localities, there is strong reason to suppose that an alteration has taken place; but this has been the very reverse of an impressions that once prevailed respecting it. The existence of a colony on the east coast of Greenland cut off from communication with the external world, and destroyed by the gradual accumulation of the ice upon its shores –the fact of immense forests anciently clothing the highest parts of Britain, and other northern countries, where a tree now can scarcely be made to grow –of the period of the vintage formerly commencing several weeks earlier in France than at present-of vineyards having been planted in the south of England during the time that the Romans held possession of the island, where hops can only be raised with difficulty- and of the sides of the Scottish hills bearing evident traces of the plough, which have long been surrendered to the heaths as incapable of cultivation;-these circumstances have been appealed to, as evidence of a milder and more genial climate having once characterized the northern regions of Europe. Sir John Leslie has remarked upon these details, “that a patch of wood will not thrive in cold situations, merely for want of the shelter which is afforded by extensive plantations. In Sweden and Norway, which are mostly covered with natural forests, it has become an object of police to prevent their indiscriminate destruction. The timber in those sylvan countries is cut at stated periods of its growth, and in detached portions; the vacant spaces being left as nurseries, embosomed amidst an expanse of tall trees.  Some places in Sweden, where the forests have been accidentally destroyed by fire, present the image of sterility, and of wide desolation. It is probable, the vines grown in ancient times were coarser and hardier plants than those which are now cultivated. A similar observation extends to all the productions of gardening. A succession of diligent culture softens the character of the vegetable tribes, and renders them more delicate, while it heightens the flavor of their fruits. The Roman soldiers stationed in Britain would naturally prefer wine, their accustomed beverage, however harsh and poor, to the cervisia, or unpalatable ale brewed by the rude arts of the natives. The marks of tillage left on our northern hills evince only the wretched state of agriculture at a remote period. For want of a proper system of rotation, and the due application of manure, the starving tenantry were then tempted to tear up with the plough every virgin spot they could find, and after extracting from it  a pitiful crop or two of oats, to abandon it to a lasting sterility”. With reference to the colony supposed to have been planted on the east coast of Greenland, now an uninhabitable region of glaciers, there is reason to believe that its name, Oestre Bydg, the eastern settlement, simply refers to its position in relation to another settlement, both of which were on the western coast, now occupied by the Danish factories. From the name of Snowland, afterwards supplanted by that of Iceland, given by the roving pirates of the Baltic to that island upon its discovery in the ninth century, it may certainly be concluded that the climate of the north was then analogous to what it is at present.

A different opinion, that the climate of the midland part of the temperate zone, especially in Europe, is less rigorous now than it was sixteen or seventeen centuries ago, appears to be supported by sufficient evidence. After making allowances for inaccuracy and exaggeration in the statements of the classical writers, they will still be found descriptive of a cold in various districts, as a feature of the ordinary temperature, which is not realized at present. The epistles written by Ovid from Pontus, whither he was banished by order of Augustus, describe the rigour of the climate there, in terms which suit the winder of Hudson’s Bay. He mentions, among other instances of the extreme cold, The Euxine Sea being frozen over, so as to bear men and cattle upon it. Tertullian, one of the Christian fathers in the second century, writing in the style of the fierce zealot and florid rhetorician, against the herectic Marcion, thus refers to the same region:- “That tract, which is called the Pontus Euxinus, the hospitable sea, has been refused all favours, and is mocked by its very name. The day is never open, the sun never shines willingly, there is but one atmosphere- fog; the whole year is wintry; every wind that blows comes from the north; liquors are only such before the fire; the rivers are blocked up with ice, the mountains are heaped higher with snow; all things are benumbed, all things are stiff with cold, nothing but cruelty has there the warmth of life; that kind of cruelty, I mean, which has supplied the stage with fables concerning the sacrifices of the Tauri, and the loves of Colchis, and the tortures of Caucasus. But there is nothing so barbarous and miserable in Pontus, as that it has given birth to Maricion; he is more savage than a Scythian, more unstable than the wild inhabitants of a wagon, more inhuman than the Massageta, more audacious than the Amazon, darker than the mist, colder than the winter, more brittle than the ice, more treacherous than the Danube, more precipitous than Caucasus”. Virgil refers to the winter on the banks of the Ister of the Greeks, the modern Danube, in the third Georgic, in a manner which at present is inapplicable to any part of its course:-

“ The sun from far peeps with a sickly face,Too weak, the clouds and mighty fogs to chase,

When up the skies he shoots his rosy head,

Or in the ruddy ocean seeks his bed.

Swift rivers are with sudden ice constrain’d

And studded wheels are on its back sustain’d;

A hostry now for wagons, which before

Tall ships of burden on its bosom bore,

The brazen cauldrons with the frost are flaw’d.

The garment, stiff with ice, at hearths is thaw’d.

With axes first they cleave the wine; and thence

By weight, the solid portions they dispense.

From locks uncomb’d, and from the frozen beard,

Long icicles depend, and crackling sounds are heard.

Meantime perpetual sleet, and driving snow,

Obscure the skies, and hang on heards below.

The starving cattle perish in their stalls;

Huge oxen stand enclos’d in wintry walls

Of snow congeal’d; Whole heards are buried there

Of mighty stags, and scarce their horns appear.

The dexterous huntsman wounds not these afar

With shafts or darts, or makes a distant war

With dogs, or pitches toils to stop their flight,

But close engages in unequal fight;

And, while they strive in vain to make their way

Through hills of snow, and pitifully bray,

Assaults with dint of sword, or pointed spears,

And homeward on his back the joyful burden bears.

The men to subterranean caves retire,

Secure from cold, and crowd the cheerful fire:

With trunks of elms and oaks the hearth they load,

Nor tempt th’ inclemency of heaven abroad.”

The allusions to the climate of Itay in the Georgics, referring to the Augustan age, are in several respects irreconcilable with its present character. The writer speaks of the freezing of the rivers in the southern part of the peninsula as an ordinary occurrence, and gives frequent directions for the protection of sheep and goats from snow and frost, as if addressing a shepherd of the plains of Holstein or the highlands of Scotland. It is a well-attested fact, that the savage inhabitants of Gaul and Germany usually selected the winter-season for their warlike incursions into the Roman provinces, on account of the facility afforded by the ice for the transport of their armies, horses and baggage, across the grate rivers, which have never been frozen in modern times as to admit of such an occurrence. In the time of Ceasar, also, the rein-deer, now confined to the colder regions north of the Baltic, was found, along with the elk and the wild bull, in the Hercynian forest, which then over-shadowed a grate part of Germany and Poland. A volume published at Vienna in 1788, contains some remarkable passages concerning the state of the weather for more than a thousand years back, gathered from the old chronicles, which detail the state of the harvest, the quality of the vintage, or the endurance of frost and snow in the winter. From this work, Sir John Leslie, in an article furnished to one of the public journals, quoted the following record of excessive winters and summers, to which some additions have been made.”

NOTES:

1. All quotations are from the phenomenon known as Rev. Thomas Milner, M.A’s Physical Geography, re-published in Delhi in 1975. I could not find any other details about his life.

      In the next instalment – TEMPERATURE  DATA

Forward LaRon Dendy is probable for this weekend’s Chicago Invitational games against Saint Louis and either Notre Dame/Northwestern.

Dendy has missed Iowa State’s last four games with a right knee sprain.

He was in uniform Tuesday for the Cyclones’ 84-53 win over Tennessee State but did not play. Trainer Vic Miller said Dendy planned to resume practice Wednesday with the hope of being available for tonight’s 5 p.m. game with the Billikens.

“I think it is looking pretty good. He’s doing well and feels good,” Miller said.

Dendy scored 16 points and had seven rebounds in ISU’s season-opening win over Idaho State. The 6-9, 230-pound junior was injured in practice the following day.

He’ll need a little time to get back into game shape.

“He’s been out for almost two straight weeks,” Miller said. “We have to try and get him moving and get him in the flow.”

======================

Unless Iowa State plays Northwestern – which is only likely to happen if ISU loses Friday to Saint Louis, considering the hometown ‘Cats face No. 23 Notre Dame in the other half of the four-team tournament – there will be no television coverage of its games this weekend.

The Big Ten Network is planning on televising Northwestern’s games.

Unfortunately, one of the year’s best individual match-ups between Cyclone big man Craig Brackins and Notre Dame All-America forward Luke Harangody will fly way under the radar nationally.

It’s kind of a shame.

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Most college students couldn’t fathom taking marriage vows at this point in their lives.

Iowa State linebacker Jesse Smith isn’t one of them. He’s already done it.

“I wouldn’t trade it for the world,” he said. “Play football, come home and see my wife, do the family thing. It’s great.”

Smith, who leads the Big 12 Conference with 117 tackles, met his future wife, McKenzie, when they two lived in the dorms.  Apparently, she’s a football-loving spouse who doesn’t mind hangin’ with her husband’s teammates.

“She’s one of the guys,” Smith said.

Their professional lives also are compatible.

She is a special education teacher in Adel. He will graduate in May with a degree in health and human performance and ideally will get a job as a physical education teacher and coach football and wrestling.

“That’s what I see myself doing. We are going to make a lot of money,” Smith joked.

Read more about his football exploits this season in Friday’s Gazette. Follow the links to E-edition: www.gazetteonline.com

The Cyclones finally decided to start playing basketball.  After the two sloppiest 20 point wins I’ve ever seen, the Iowa State men’s basketball team made a big statement Tuesday night, beating the Drake Bulldogs 90-70 at the Knapp Center.

After struggling early against their first two opponents this season, the Cyclones rolled in their first road win in nine tries.  Junior Lucca Staiger led the way with 32 points, and Junior Craig Brackins awoke from an early season slump with 22 points and 10 rebounds.  Here’s the rest of the box score.

Alright, here’s my take.  The Cyclones have struggled early in games this year because Craig Brackins has not been himself.  Maybe it’s his knee flaring up, which he tweaked in practice a few weeks ago.  I think it has more to do with one man:  Justin Hamilton.  That’s right.  The big man from Utah is on the court essentially take up space in the front court, and that’s exactly what he’s doing.  Hamilton can’t score (I doubt if he can even dunk the ball), can’t rebound, and struggles mightily on defense.  He’s the second coming of Luc Longley from the Bulls glory days.

Just look at the numbers.  Against Idaho State and Chicago State, Hamilton played 17 and 18 minutes, respectively.  In 29 and 27 minutes of the same games, Brackins scored 17 and 7 points, respectively.  Now, take a look at last night’s game against Drake.  Hamilton played only the first 5 minutes of the game.  Brackins didn’t score in the first 7 minutes of the game.  But as soon as Hamilton leaves, Brackins goes off for 22 points, looking unstoppable down low.  Coincidence?  I think not.

Consider this:  Hamilton was replaced by Jamie Vanderbeken.  Yes, he’s big, too, but he also loves to shoot the three.  With Diante Garrett, Lucca, and Vanderbeken on the perimeter and Gilstrap cutting in and out of the lane, Brackins has room to operate.  And when the defense drops down to double team him, there’s someone open on the perimeter.  See how that works?  When Hamilton is in, it’s 4-on-5 for the Cyclone offense.  That’s the reason for the early struggles, and it’s the reason for Brackins’ slow start, too.

Do I have any suggestions for how to remedy this?  Of course!  The Cyclones have a pretty good guard in Scott Christopherson, a sophomore transfer from Marquette.  Not only does he hustle on both sides of the ball, but he’s the only Cyclone to score in double figures in each of the team’s first three games.  I suggest moving to a 3-guard lineup, with Garrett at the point, Christopherson, and Lucca.  Put Brackins and Gilstrap in the frontcourt; they can more than hold their own against most teams.  And once LeRon Dendy gets healthy, you can think about mixing him in as well.

Coach Mac, trust me.  Brackins thrives down low, and with Hamilton sitting there posting up all the time, teams are going to leave him and double team Brackins every possession.  Numbers don’t lie.  Give Brackins some room to operate in the post, and you’ll see the Naismith Award hopeful turn into a contender.  Your team will soar, too.

It’s hard to believe, but the college basketball season is upon us. As ESPN gets their NCAA basketball tip-off marathon underway – including a UCLA home loss to Cal State-Fullerton and St. Mary’s feast on San Diego St. on Monday night – let’s take a look at the 2009-2010 Big 12 basketball season schedules.

Of note, the Big 12 Conference has three teams ranked in the pre-season top 25 (#1/#1 Kansas, #3/#3 Texas, and #17/#17 oklahoma), and several conference players to watch for the player of year award (Kansas’ Sherrod Harris and oklahoma’s Willie Warren) throughout the season. The Big 12 title should come down to a fight between Texas and Kansas, with the potential for both teams to make their way to the Final Four in Indianapolis April 3-5, 2010. There is no doubt that the Longhorns have the hardest path to the 20-plus win season, as they play six games against top 25 teams (#1 Kansas, #2 Michigan State, #4 North Carolina, and #17 oklahoma [twice]).

More to come during the course of the season, including an in-depth look at Texas and some of the top Big 12 teams.

Baylor Bears (3-0)
Roster
Schedule
Key Games: 1/9 oklahoma; 1/20 @ Kansas; 1/30 @ Texas; 2/27 @ oklahoma; 3/6 Texas

Colorado Buffaloes (2-0)
Roster
Schedule
Key Games: 11/23 Gonzaga (neutral location); 1/9 @ Texas; 2/3 Kansas; 2/17 oklahoma; 2/20 @ Kansas

Iowa State Cyclones (2-0)
Roster
Schedule
Key Games: 12/5 @ California; 1/6 Duke; 1/13 Texas; 1/23 Kansas; 1/27 @ oklahoma; 2/13 @ Kansas

Kansas Jayhawks (1-0)
Roster
Schedule
Key Games: 12/19 Michigan; 12/22 California; 1/10 @ Tennessee; 2/8 @ Texas; 2/22 oklahoma

Kansas State Wildcats (2-0)
Roster
Schedule
Key Games: 1/18 Texas; 1/30 Kansas; 2/20 @ oklahoma; 3/3 @ Kansas

Missouri Tigers (0-0)
Roster
Schedule
Key Games: 12/23 Illinois; 1/16 @ oklahoma; 1/25 @ Kansas; 2/17 Texas; 3/6 Kansas

Nebraska Cornhuskers (1-0)
Roster
Schedule
Key Games: 1/13 Kansas; 1/30 oklahoma; 2/6 @ Kansas; 2/13 @ Texas

oklahoma sooners (1-0)
Roster
Schedule
Key Games: 12/31 @ Gonzaga; 2/6 Texas; 2/22 @ Kansas; 3/1 @ Texas

Oklahoma State Cowboys (1-0)
Roster
Schedule
Key Games: 1/11 @ oklahoma; 2/1 Texas; 2/13 oklahoma; 2/24 @ Texas; 2/27 Kansas

Texas Longhorns (1-0)
Roster
Schedule
Key Games: 12/19 North Carolina (neutral location); 12/22 Michigan State; 1/23 @ Connecticut; 2/6 @ oklahoma; 2/8 Kansas; 3/1 oklahoma

Texas A&M Aggies (2-0)
Roster
Schedule
Key Games: 11/26 Clemson (neutral location); 12/22 @ Washington; 1/16 @ Texas; 1/19 oklahoma; 2/15 Kansas; 2/27 Texas; 3/6 @ oklahoma

Texas Tech Red Raiders (3-0)
Roster
Schedule
Key Games: 12/3 Washington; 1/16 @ Kansas; 1/23 oklahoma; 1/27 @ Texas; 2/9 @ oklahoma; 2/20 Texas

✩

We’re more than halfway through the fall, which means football and volleyball are nearing their end and basketball is more than on the horizon. Let’s take a look at some headlines across the Big 12 and state of Texas college sports.

RB Darrell Scott Transfers From Colorado
After being the top running back recruit in the class of 2008, Darrell Scott chose to attend Colorado over Texas, following his cousin to Boulder with the hopes of bringing Colorado back in to the national discussion. After disappointment throughout his college tenure (much of that due to injuries), Scott is expected to transfer to UCLA, and back to his southern California roots. Once again, he’ll be following his cousin, who transferred to UCLA the year after Scott got to Colorado. Did CU “buy-off” Scott during recruitment process by using his family members as the bait? Hm, brings up some interesting recruiting tactic questions, doesn’t it? Eyes Of TX is happy Scott has stayed far from Austin, or on the sidelines during the ‘Horns football games against the ‘Buffs.

#2 Texas Volleyball Loses to #8 Iowa State, But Rebounds Strong
After dropping only six games in 21 matches this season, the #2 Texas volleyball team had their first slip-up of the season, losing to Iowa State three games-to-two in early November. Despite the loss, the ‘Horns have rebounded for two more match wins, despite dropping another game against Texas Tech at home (the first game they’ve dropped at home all season). If the ‘Horns continue their strong play, they are legitimate contenders to face #1 Penn State in the post-season.

College Football Awards Watch
Heisman Trophy
The race for the best player in college football is once again dominated by offensive players. Some players – like Florida QB Tim Tebow and Texas QB Colt McCoy – were expected to be in the 2009 discussion, but others have surprised the football legions over the course of the season. Other top contenders for this year’s award include Alabama RB Mark Ingram, Houston QB Case Keenum, Clemson RB C.J. Spiller, and Boise State QB Kellen Moore. If Ingram continues his pace, he should be a lock for this year’s award, although since votes don’t have to be cast until after the conference championship games, Tebow, McCoy, and Ingram could give voters a final look in those games Dec. 5 weekend.

Biletnikoff Award
This should be a lock for Texas WR Jordan Shipley, honestly. The award, given to college football’s top wide receiver, is loaded with tier-two talent, but Shipley has already eclipsed 1,000 yards receiving on the year, and with 20 more catches could set the Texas single-season record for receptions. Another Big 12 nominee is Kansas WR Dezmond Briscoe, but with the Jayhawks mid-season debacle, he seems to be a long-shot to be this year’s award winner.

Wuerffel Award
The Wuerffel Award, given annually to a college football who displays exemplary community service, combined with academic and athletic success, will be awarded in February 2010. Texas WR Jordan Shipley is the only Big 12 representative, among 12 finalists.

Lombardi Award
Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, oklahoma defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, and TCU defensive end Jerry Hughes were named as three of four finalists for the Lombardi Trophy, given to the country’s best lineman – on offense or defense. The winner of the award will be announced on Dec. 9. Surprisingly, most of the award winners in its history have come from the Big 12 Conference (or previously the Big 8 or Southwest Conferences).

Thorpe Award
Oklahoma State cornerback Perrish Cox, Texas safety Earl Thomas, and Kansas safety Darrell Stuckey have all been named as semifinalists for the Thorpe Award, given to the country’s top defensive back. The Big 12 and SEC both have three semifinalists up for the award this year. The winner of the award will be announced on Dec. 10.

Lott Trophy
Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, oklahoma defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, Texas defensive end Sam Acho, and TCU defensive end Jerry Hughes are among eight semifinalists for the Lott Trophy, given to the country’s best defensive impact player based on athletic performance and personal character. The award finalists will be announced Nov. 24, and the winner announced on Dec. 13. Of note, a Big 12 player has never won the award in its five-year history.

Texas Safety Christian Scott Bowl Game Eligible?
There is speculation that Texas safety Christian Scott, who was suspended by the NCAA this fall for lack of progress against his degree, may become eligible for the ‘Horns bowl game in January. Head coach Mack Brown said he has been discussing the case with the NCAA, and if Scott does well academically this semester, it is a long-shot possibility he could play – although he confirmed it was a unique circumstance for the NCAA to consider. Scott has continued to practice with the team, and he was battling with starting safety Blake Gideon in fall camp, so his services could be helpful in the post-season.

More ou Football Injuries
The rash of season-ending injuries for the oklahoma sooners football continues, as three more starters will be out for the season. Players affected by the injuries include offensive lineman Brody Eldridge (neck), defensive end Auston English (ankle tendon), and offensive tackle Jarvis Jones (fractured heel). English is expected to have surgery in the near-term. With the season-ending injuries to quarterback Sam Bradford and tight end Jermaine Gresham, ou has been hampered throughout the season, although they remain one game shy of becoming bowl eligible.

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Iowa State’s Paul Rhoads is at the head of the class for first-year coaches, leading the nation in won/lost improvement this year. Here’s the short list, courtesy of ISU’s athletic media relations department:

Coach             School          2009    2008       Win +/-             
Paul Rhoads, Iowa State 6-5     2-10    +4
Steve Sarkisian, Washington     3-7     0-12    +3
Gene Chizik, Auburn     7-4     5-7     +2
Brady Hoke, San Diego State     4-6     2-10    +2
Dae Christensen, Wyoming        5-5     4-8     +1
Rich Ellerson, Army     4-6     3-9     +1
Bill Snyder, Kansas State       6-5     5-7     +1
Tim Beckman, Toledo     4-6     3-9     +1

ISU plays at Missouri Saturday afternoon for a chance to finish the regular season 7-5. The Cyclones already are bowl eligible for the first time since 2005.

There’s a lot to be excited about if you’ve seen or read about the start to Iowa State’s men’s basketball team.

Coach Greg McDermott is onto something here.  He’s finally got an abundance of talent and is figuring out how best to deploy it. This group still is very much a work in progress, but you can see there is athleticism, skill and depth to build on.

Decisive wins over Idaho State (88-68) and Chicago State (72-50) — while not unexpected — showed some of what this team has to offer.

The numbers are already taking shape:

– 80 points per game

– Field goal percentage of 48.3

– 3-point field goal percentage of 51.6 (16 of 31)

– Eleven players averaging 9 minutes a game or more

All-Big 12 Conference forward Craig Brackins is averaging 12.0 points and 5.5 rebounds, well below his averages from a season ago.  He’s cool with that.

“As long as we win I don’t care,” Brackins said.

Transfer Marquis Gilstrap shrugged off a bad start Sunday night against Chicago State to finish with 11 points and 15 rebounds, six on the offensive end.

Another first-year player, LaRon Dendy, had 16 points and 7 rebounds in his Cyclone debut agianst Idaho State, then injured his knee in practice the following day and will sit out the next two weeks.

Point guard Diante Garrett has 12 assists and just two turnovers so far. Against Idaho State Garrett had seven assists, no points and no turnovers. McDermott was thrilled.

“If that’s not a sign of that progress he’s made in two years of how to run a team and how to play the point guard position… he’s really grown as a point guard,” he said.

What’s very encouraging going into Tuesday night’s game at Drake is the scoring efficiency of ISU’s reserves.

Dendy, Scott Christopherson, Charles Boozer and Jamie Vanderbeken are a combined 23 of 32 (71.9 percent)from the field. Nine of their 12 shots from 3-point distance have been good.

AMES – There was no Harrison hangover Friday night at Hilton Coliseum.

Hours after Harrison Barnes, the nation’s top-ranked recruit chose North Carolina over his hometown team, Iowa State opened its season with an impressive 88-68 victory over Idaho State at Hilton Coliseum.

Cyclone players and coaches were hoping for two victories on this day. They had to settle for one.

Barnes, who often times sits courtside for ISU games, was not in the building Friday. The impact of his decision was felt across the college basketball world, no more so than right here.

“It probably impacted me more than it did (the players),” Coach Greg McDermott said afterwards. “Harrison was just one of the guys to them. He’s been around our gym for three years and we invested a lot in it. He decided this wasn’t the place, and that’s OK.

“Are we disappointed? Yes. I wish him all the best, but my focus has to the guys that are on my team and want to be on my team. He chose not to be.”

The group of players McDermott has looked awfully good, as ISU shot 54.7 percent and came four points short of scoring the most points during the coach’s previous three seasons.  

Athleticism and depth that has been lacking was on display in front of an announced crowd of 13,727.

Newcomers Marquis Gilstrap and LaRon Dendy threw down monster dunks and ran the floor.

Freshman guard Chris Colvin showed off his passing and dribbling skills and Marquette transfer Scott Christopherson proved his toughness and shooting touch in his Cyclone debut.      

“You wouldn’t even think they were new,” said forward Craig Brackins, who led ISU with 17 points on 7 of 13 shooting. “They came in with a lot of energy. They were into it the whole game.”

Dendy sparked a decisive 21-8 run to close the first half.

The junior college transfer had eight points in the spurt and finished with 16 to go with seven rebounds. Dendy, who is 6-9, 230 pounds, was active around the basket in on the break.  

“He impacts the game with his energy and he can really run the floor,” McDermott said. “He ran by the pack a couple of times in transition. Those are the plays we need him to make.”

This is a team that will play at a much faster pace that McDermott teams ever have.

The Cyclones (1-0) can go 11 players deep on the bench and have the type of athletes to fit that style.

“Get out and run – I love it,” Dendy said. “With me, Craig and Marquis and all the other guys running… we are all athletes.”

Gilstrap finished with 13 points and six rebounds.

Christopherson scored 10 points and made good on both of his 3-point attempts.

Some Iowa State folks are responding to Harrison Barnes’ decision to attend North Carolina in favor of the hometown Cyclones:

Here’s from women’s basketball coach Bill Fennelly via Twitter: TRUE CYCLONE fans need to give OUR team a great response tonite– WORRY about the ones we have who ARE Cyclones!!!!

This was Craig Brackins’ take: The mystery is over…congrats 2 HB on his choice! He is guna be a beast! Now its time 2 focus on the goal…LET’S GO STATE!!!

It doesn’t matter if Clones were second or sixth, at least it shouldn’t.

Bottom line, he’s not walking through that door and ISU fans have to live with it and move on.

In case you didn’t see his announcement live on ESPNU or any number of television or Internet mediums, this is how Barnes summed up each of the five schools he didn’t choose:

Oklahoma: “I really enjoyed my relationship with Coach (Jeff) Capel. He has transformed Oklahoma’s basketball program into a championship contender.”

Kansas: “Coach (Bill) Self has always had my respect for his style of play. His personal approach and demeanor are second to none.”

Duke: “Coach (Mike) Krzyzewski and I have become very close over the last year-and-a-half. Duke has high academics and is just unique in a variety of ways.”

on UCLA: “They have an unbelievable market of core players as well as one of the richest traditions in college basketball. Coach (Ben) Howland’s pursuit of excellence is only matched by Coach Wooden.”

on Iowa State: “I want to extend a special thank you to you, Coach (Greg) McDermott, and your coaching staff, for recruiting me the last tw0-and-a-half years. I am and forever will be a Cyclone fan.”

……………………

Barnes was asked if has designs on jumping to the NBA early, like many believe he could and will.

UNC’s highly-ranked business school factored big in Barnes’ decision, along with a program that’s won two national championships in the last five years.

“I will graduate in three years because I want to be on the fast track academically. If the opportunity to go pro arises I will take that as it comes,” Barnes said.

Iowa State will play a home-and-home series with Michigan starting next season as part of the newly-created Big 12/Big Ten Challenge announced Wednesday.

ISU will host the 2010 game and go to Ann Arbor, Mich., in 2011. Games will be played on either Dec. 4-5.

Wisconsin will play Challenge games against Kansas and Oklahoma State during the initial two-year agreement to make up for the difference in the number of teams in each league.  

This will be a nice boost for the Cyclones’ strength of schedule. They play the state schools Iowa, Drake and Northern Iowa every year, and usually one or two more NCAA Tournament-worthy teams.

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Three players signed letters of intent with ISU on Wednesday, including the state’s most sought-after player, Exira forward Hallie Christofferson.

Christofferson was apparently down to Iowa State and Iowa. She picked Coach Bill Fennelly’s team, which is loading up on young talent. Christofferson earned all-state honors in each of her first three years and has career averages of 21.4 points and 12.7 rebounds.

Also signing Wednesday was Kelsey Harris, a sharpshooting 5-10 guard from Brea, Calif., and Midland (Texas) College point guard Lauren Mansfield.

The 5-7 Mansfield helped lead Midland to a 30-2 record last season and will fill an immediate void at point guard when Alison Lacey is out of eligibility. Coincidentally, like Lacey, Mansfield hails from Australia.  

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Fennelly sent out a message Wednesday night on his Twitter account saying just seven players were available for practice. Has the flu bug hit his team? Perhaps.

The Cyclones open the regular season at 1 p.m. Sunday against Florida Atlantic. We’ll see how many suit up then.

Greg McDermott isn’t sure exactly how many scholarships he’ll have for next year’s class.

He filled one Wednesday with the addition of forward/guard Melvin Ejim, who plays at Brewster (N.H.) Academy. That takes care of the roster spot that’ll be vacated by senior forward Jamie Vanderbeken.

After that, there’s some uncertainty.

“Nobody knows for sure what Craig (Brackins) is going to do,” McDermott said Wednesday before practice, “and we are going to attempt to get Marquis (Gilstrap) another year, and we won’t know on that for quite some time.

“There’s a chance we could sign one more in this early period.”

McDermott cannot say specifically who that may be, but there’s no doubt who he would like it to be. 

He and Iowa State basketball fans would be willing to do just about anything to secure the signature of Ames High star and No. 1 national recruit Harrison Barnes, who will make his decision public Friday afternoon at 3 p.m.

Barnes will choose between ISU, North Carolina, Duke, UCLA, Kansas and Oklahoma.

The smart money is on one of the Tobaccco Road schools, but there seems to be a growing feeling that the Cyclones are not as big of a long shot as once believed.

As of right now, Ejim is the only player signed, sealed and delivered.

“We are excited about Melvin and have been since the first time I saw him,” McDermott said. “His defensive tenacity and his love for playing on that end of the floor is what attracted us to him.”

Ejim averaged 12.3 points and 4.6 rebounds last season at Brewster. He’s added to his offensive game that was already strong behind the 3-point line. 

Physically, the 6-6, 215-pound Ejim won’t have any problems adjusting to the college game. 

“His body is ready for the Big 12,” McDermott said. “He likes to get in the weight room and do the things necessary there.”

The Mumbai rain event of 26 July 2005 spawned several investigations by meteorologists, particularly modellers, to find out the reasons behind this most extreme of extreme events, and to attempt to somehow predict it even in hindsight. It is now the turn of moviemakers to take up this event and make a different kind of story out of it.

“Tum Mile” is a new Hindi movie based upon the Mumbai rain event of 26 July 2005. It was to be released on its fourth anniversary but the release got postponed to 13 November 2009. As chance would have it, while I am writing this blog on 11 November, Mumbai is under the threat of a cyclone and is already experiencing heavy rains! So the postponed movie release is also well-timed!

“Tum Mile”, directed by Kunal Deshmukh, stars Emraan Hashmi and Soha Ali Khan in lead roles. The story is about two ex-lovers who meet again after a gap of six years. They happen to be on the same flight back to Mumbai, and get there only to see the city going through its worst times, with the highest rainfall in history, and they are forced to stick together in this time of crisis. As the metropolis copes with its nightmare, they also struggle with their own situation, and come to terms with their own lives.

R. R. Kelkar

11 November 2009

Iowa State center Reggie Stephens is emerging as an NFL prospect.

The 6-3, 330-pound senior is being talked about as a possible middle-round pick in April’s draft.

“There have been a lot of scouts that have come through that really like him,” said ISU offensive line coach Bill Bleil.  “He’s a fine football player and one of the better o-linemen I’ve had the opportunity to coach.”

Stephens will need to continue impressing NFL folks at the February combine and in senior all-star games following bowl season.

“It’s all in front of him,” Bleil said.

Receiver Marquis Hamilton also has aspirations of playing pro football. The senior from Oklahoma City has moved up ISU’s all-time charts, ranking ninth in both receptions (115) and yards (1,428).

Hamilton has caught 38 balls for 525 yards and three touchdowns this season. He’s dreamed about playing in the NFL since he was a young boy.

“I don’t know what my chances are but I am going to work towards that goal,” Hamilton said.

Senior defensive end Chris Lyle

Iowa State quarterback Austen Arnaud and center Reggie Stephens look to be full go for today.

Both are participating in warm-ups and took snaps with the first-team offense prior to today’s game against No. 18 Oklahoma State at Jack Trice Stadium.

Arnaud has missed the last two games because of a bruised right hand. Stephens had his appendix removed 10 days ago, but has been cleared medically and will play through any pain he’s got.

ISU has been hit hard by injuries this season.

Walking off the field with the team following warm-ups in street clothes were defensive back Ter’ran Benton (broken leg), defensive end Rashawn Parker (ACL tear) and receiver Darius Reynolds (broken ankle).

According to the “ACT ON CO2 PENHAGEN” the succesor of the KYOTO PROTOCOL, Philippines will be prone to three major catastrophes related to the global temperature rise.

1. Tropical Cyclones – TC could be more intense and destructive. Global population increases, particularly in coastal areas, and sea level rise mean greater clyclone and hurricane related lossess, desruption to infrastructure and loss of life as a result of storm surges. For major cyclone disasters, Flooding from storm surges has been the primary cause of death.

2. Drought – Drought events occur twice as frequently accross Southern Africa, South East Asia, and the Mediterranean basin.

3. Sea Level Rise – could rise as much as 80cm by the end of the century. Longer term, 4degree celcius (7 degree farenheit) would result in as much higher rise in sea level. Sea level rises are likely to be even greater at low latitudes, disproportunately affecting tropical islands and low-lying regions such as the Philippines.

Furthermore, Extreme tempretures will be experience in central and northern Luzon. Hottest days of the year could be as much as 6 degree celcius warmer.

For more information visit http://www.actoncopenhagen.decc.gov.uk/content/en/embeds/flash/4-degrees-large-map-final