Never Forget

Day 266 – 100 posts to go to finish my photo project 366 for 2012!  On our walk around campus this evening, we stopped by the April 16 Memorial.  The 32 stones sat alone in the cool evening, adorned with wreaths and the occasional trinkets left behind by a friend or fellow Hokie.  Some had birthday messages – remembering a birthday that passes by, mostly unnoticed now that it was robbed from them.  It is a special place on campus…

Camera details: Nikon D3100; Lens: VR 18-55 mm F/3.5-5.6G, set at 30 mm, F/4.5, 1/13 s Shutter Speed, ISO Sensitivity: Auto (ISO 3200)

Jake Laymen stood out in the Terps win over Virginia Tech. Photo By: Peter Casey/USA TODAY Sports

The Maryland men’s basketball team (17-6, 5-5 ACC) barely escaped Blacksburg, Va. with a win Thursday night 60-55 over the Virginia Tech Hokies (11-11, 2-7).

Jake Laymen, freshmen small forward, stepped up and contributed 14 points. Sophomore center, Alex Len added to that and posted 10 points. The win was not secured until the final minute. Len made two vital free throws to put Maryland ahead with less than a minute left.

Sophomore guard Nick Faust then clinched the win for the Terrapins by making his two free throws with less than thirty seconds left, which put Maryland up by five.

Defeating the Hokies was big for Maryland who lost their previous two games to Duke and Florida State. They capitalized on a struggling Virginia Tech team. This defeat marks the Hokies fifth straight loss.

It did not come easy for Maryland who struggled to stifle the offense of Virginia Tech guard Erick Green who turned in a game-high 29 points. Maryland worked hard defensively, but couldn’t do anything to quiet Green, the nation’s leading scorer with 25.2 points averaged per game.

Defense did aid the Terps in keeping Green from shooting over 40% from the field. He was forced to utilize a high volume of shots to get his points.

The Hokies relied on two scorers when the Terrapins showed off their depth in a more balanced attack down the stretch. Maryland takes on Virginia this Sunday at 1pm at home in College Park, Md.

Georgetown (16-4, 6-3) did quite a doozy on the Big East’s second leading scorer D’Angelo Harrison:  the Hoyas held the St. John’s guard to 2 points on 0-for-9 shooting while beating the Red Storm 68-56 for the team’s fourth straight victory.  Markel Starks has filled the void left by Greg Whittington… scoring 15ppg while shooting 43% from 3-point range the last three games.  Coach John Thompson III’s team completes its Big Apple Trio by facing future Big Ten Doormat Rutgers– and then faces three ranked teams in 12 days.

Alma Mater Update– that sound you heard last Saturday when Syracuse lost 65-55 at Pitt was the other shoe dropping… the Orange (19-3, 7-2) showed their lack of depth (7 scholarship players) and didn’t play well against a Pitt team that appears to be built to beat them (Panthers have won seven of nine against SU).  Two nights later a few of the fears were put aside with a 63-47 thumping of Notre Dame (Irish have been ugly when losing this winter– they scored just 47 a month ago in a defeat against Georgetown).  Perhaps its all a timing issue:  ESPN.COM reports the Orange are 16-0 in games that begin at 1pm or later… and 2-3 in tilts that tip off before then.  Perhaps Sign of the Whale’s Bloody Mary  Bar has effects outside M Street.

Maryland (16-6, 4-5) has not found the road kind this ACC season… but can you blame them?  The Terps road losses are to league leading Miami, defending champ Florida State, Duke and North Carolina (combined 26-9 in the league)  Let’s just say things lighten up a bit (a 14-30 combined mark).  If the current offensive trend continues (four straight games of 60+ points), this team could sneak its way back up the standings.  But first they have to beat Virginia Tech in Blacksburg.

Cruising the Commonwealth– I’m still getting used to the fact that Miami is 9-0 in the ACC.  The last non- UNC/Duke team to start 9-0?  Virginia in 1981–Ralph Sampson and company went on to play in the last National Third Place Game.  Current Hurricanes coach Jim Larranaga was an assistant on that team…while the current Cavaliers (15-6, 5-3) remain winless in the ACC outside the dominion by wasting a nine point halftime lead in a 66-60 loss at Georgia Tech.  Coach Tony Bennett’s team now has three straight games against teams with losing conference records before visiting North Carolina–one month after shocking the Tar Heels in Charlottesville.  Virginia Tech (11-10, 2-6) has two decent chances to end its four game losing streak with Maryland and Georgia Tech dropping by Blacksburg over the next three days.  Erick Green (25ppg) is on track to take the Sean Singletary Award as the best player on an irrelevant team.

George Mason (14-9, 7-4) finds itself in the middle of a five team scrum… just one game in the CAA separates 2nd from 5th place.  After consecutive losses to Drexel (?) and league leading Northeastern (the Huskies running away with the CAA this winter), back to back wins against James Madison and Old Dominion right the Patriot ship– and coach Paul Hewitt may finally have and offensive option outside of Sherrod Wright in Jonathan Arledge (18 pts & 6 reb over the last 3 games).  A huge week ahead for GMU with games against Delaware, Drexel and Georgia State– three schools within one game of the Patriots.

George Washington (11-10, 5-3) bounced back from an 80-71 home loss to La Salle by defeating Duquesne 79-57…Lasan Kromah scoring 19 points off the bench (his third double digit effort in five games) while Isaiah Armwood notched his first double-double in almost a month.  At 5-3 in the Atlantic Ten, they’ve already equalled last year’s conference win total.  But the second half of league play begins with the new kids in town (sorry NKOTB fans, I going with an Eagles reference instead)–consecutive games against #14 Butler and recently ranked VCU.  Gulp.

Maryland Womens’ Window– Monday the 7th ranked Terps (18-3, 9-1) face #5 Duke in Cameron Indoor Stadium… with first place in the league up for grabs.  While the Terps tangle with the Blue Devils 13 days later in College Park, they also have a trip to #19 Florida State on the slate.  Can they beat the Blue Devils despite having an injury ravaged lineup with just six players recruited to play basketball at the school?  Duke has won all ten of its league games by at least double digits…but they haven’t faced a duo like Tianna Hawkins (19ppg, 10rpg) and Alyssa Thomas (17ppg, 10rpg, 6apg).

American (8-14, 3-4) wrapped up the first half of Patriot League play with a 68-64 victory over Lafayette…as Stephen Lumpkins (24pts, 9reb) scored at will down low (8-10FG, 8-9 FT).  Can the Eagle win consecutive games for the first time since November?  Colgate drops by Bender Arena Saturday…they beat the Raiders by nine in Hamilton last month.

Howard (5-18, 2-7) snapped a six game losing streak by beating South Carolina State 57-45…holding the eagles to 16 second half points.  Sophomore Prince Okoroh notched his first double-double of the season (17 points and 10 rebounds)… if he can produce these efforts more consistently this month- he’ll be a nice complement to senior Mike Phillips.  Good news for the Bison– they play Maryland-Eastern Shore twice in February…and the Hawks are 1-17 with a 1-6 MEAC record.

With a new dining hall comes also a new method of waste sorting.  In Turner Place, we have 10 Waste Stations with receptacles for compostables, recyclables and landfill-ables.  Each bin has a sign with pictures of what should go in each bin.  These Waste Stations are designed to help you think through where each bit of waste should go.

In Dining Halls on campus like West End Market, Owens Dining Hall, and D2, the waste sorting is done behind the scenes by Dining Services’ wonderful staff members.  At Turner Place, it’s all up to you!

In 2012, all of Dining Services diverted over 500 tons of waste towards compost.  This means that through this composting program, we’ve kept over 100,000 lbs of food waste out of the landfill!

What goes where:

Don’t feel overwhelmed!  When the compost or recycle bins are contaminated, the entire batch of compostables or recyclables will be thrown away in the landfill.    Ask a Dining Services Staff member if you have questions. Remember, all  food leftovers, and paper products can be composted.  Plastics 1 – 7  can be recycled, and everything else goes into the landfill.  If you’re not sure about which bin, put it in the landfill bin.

Remember:

When in doubt, throw it out (in the landfill).

At University of Michigan, students are taking waste sorting seriously!

Questions?  Please contact the Dining Services Sustainability Coordinator, Rial Tombes at sustainabledining@vt.edu.

The Hokies led by as many as 12 points in the first half, but could not hold on and lost 73-64, to No. 14 Miami Wednesday night. Erick Green scored 30 points, Jarell Eddie scored 14 points and Cadarian Raines added 10 points and eight rebounds off the bench for the Hokies. The senior guard who leads the ACC as well as the whole country in scoring has scored 20-or-more points in 19 games of his team’s 20 games this season.

The total has gone Over in four of Virginia Tech’s last five games on the road. This season the Hokies are 8-3 Over and 8-8-1 against the spread. On the road, Virginia Tech is 1-5 SU in its last six games. The Hokies are 0-5 SU in their last five meetings with the Tar Heels on the road as well.

North Carolina is 4-1 SU in its last five games. In their past eight home games the Tar Heels are 7-1 SU. Overall, North Carolina is 11-7 ATS and 9-9 against the total this season. On the road however, the total has gone Under in four of North Carolina’s last five games when playing Virginia Tech.

Virginia Tech will start the game with no absences due to injury or suspension. North Carolina however will be without a starting guard P.J. Hairston and will most likely see the return of Leslie McDonald from an academic suspension. Sophomore guard P.J. Hairston (12.4 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 1.6 APG) is doubtful for Saturday’s game after suffering a concussion at Boston College. Hairston was hurt Tuesday night when he collided with teammate Dexter Strickland on the defensive end during the first half. He didn’t play again and had to be taken off the court on a stretcher. As a result, North Carolina will most likely be without their third-leading scorer Saturday afternoon. The Tar Heels will however see the return of their fourth-leading scorer, Leslie McDonald (8.4 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 1.5 APG), from an academic suspension.

2013 ACC Recruiting Class Predictions:

1. Clemson (Currently 18 verbals, should make major noise on NSD. 3 of the top 5 recruiting battles left include the Tigers. Still in the running for blue chippers in DT Adams, DE Lawson, OT Crowder, and CB Alexander. Dabo has aces in the hole as usual; I’m calling it a top 10 class when the smoke clears. The Tigers like it near the top, may stay for a while with this class.)

2. Florida State (Currently 18 verbals, with stellar recruits on the line. While the Noles had a few recruits part ways over the last few days, they should easily make up ground with blue chip OLB Thomas, WR Cunningham, and possibly DT Bryant among others. Jimbo will make it happen once again, bank on a top 10 class.)

3. Miami (Currently 13 verbals, also in the running with many studs. While the class is currently small, they pack a nasty punch. Still in it until the end for OLB Thomas, DT Bryant, RB Collins, and WR Coley all from the South FL football hotbed. Despite rough times with the NCAA, they’re making it happen. We’ll call it a U top 20-15 class)

4. North Carolina (Currently 18 verbals, looking to throw more on the pile. While most of their guys are already locked in, the biggest battle will be against Tennessee for WR North. North stays close to home, and UNC lands the big fish. They also have a shot at TE McNeil and ATH Summers to name a few. We’ll see Tarheel blue in the top 25 next Wed.)

5. Virginia Tech (Currently 22 verbals, already almost close to a full signing class before the fax flood gates open up. All of the current commits are 3 and 4 stars. Still heavy favorites for ATH Parker and possibly DE Bellamy. The Hokies will be on the cusp of reeling in a top 25 class).

Best of the rest:

6. Pitt
7. UVA
8. NC State
9. Syracuse
10. GT
11. Wake
12. Maryland
13. BC
14. Duke

If your personal rankings stack up a little different, leave a comment below and tell us why.

Georgetown (14-4, 4-3) followed up a smackdown of Notre Dame with a 53-51 upset of #5 Louisville.  A season salvaging week for the Hoyas as Otto Porter Jr. (17 pts and 12 reb) puts this team on his back minus Greg Whittington in the lineup.  The defense came up big again– holding the cardinals to 35% FG and 27% from 3 point range…and taking the rebounding edge 32-28.  Can Markel Starks build off his 17 point showing?  The junior followed up a 16 point effort against Providence by scoring a combined 12 points over the next two games.  With Seton Hall, St. John’s and Rutgers up next–the Hoyas have a chance to jump above the Big East quagmire that has five teams within one game of .500.

Alma Mater Update– after consecutive two point wins, the Orange (18-2, 6-1) were ripe for a letdown… and it arrived in a 75-71 overtime loss at Villanova.  This was the Big East’s 11am Saturday game?  Again- if it’s not a White Shadow re-run, I don’t want to watch hoops before noon eastern time.  But even Coolidge, Salami and Thorpe made free throws–the Orange missed eleven in their loss to the Wildcats.  And got outrebounded by 13.  Just as important, SU will be without forwards Dajuan Coleman for the next month (knee surgery) and James Southerland (academics) for the near future.  This means the Orange will have just seven scholarship players available– less than ideal.

Maryland (15-5, 3-4) had quite a task on hand:  somehow stun a #1 Duke team that lost by 27 to Miami three nights before…at Cameron.  Despite taking a 13-12 first half lead, the Blue Devils were just too much (52% FG and 11-22 from 3 pt range) in an 84-64 loss.  Dez Wells and Charles Mitchell were the only Terps to score in double figures (13 points apiece).  The Terps are now 0-3 on the road in the ACC…although that 0-3 is against Duke, UNC and league leading Miami.  The next three road games?  Florida State, Virginia Tech and Boston College.  All winnable games.  And must win games if this team is going to fight its way to the bubble.

Cruising the Commonwealth– Don’t look now, but Virginia (15-5, 5-2) is in second place of the ACC.  A 19-0 first half run against Virginia Tech jumpstarted a 74-58 win over the Hokies… and a 58-55 victory over NC State (Wolfpack has followed up wins over Duke and UNC with losses to Md and Va) that saw Akil Mitchell’s strong play continue with 14 points and 12 rebounds.  The Cavalier junior is hitting 21 of 35 (70%) during UVa’s 4 game winning streak…and Tony Bennett’s team has four straight games against foes with non-winning ACC records.  Virginia Tech (11-8, 2-4) followed up their loss to the Cavaliers by falling behind 12-0 at Clemson…only to rally and come up short at Littlejohn Coliseum 77-70.  Ball movement may be an issue:  in consecutive defeats the Hokies posted 15 assists on 40 made baskets.  Can James Johnson’s team turn things around against #14 Miami and UNC?

George Mason (12-8, 5-3) learns the CAA is currently being ruled by Northeastern:  the Huskies drilled the Patriots71-51 for their second double digit win over GMU this winter.  On the bright side, James Madison is the only other team with a dozen wins right now– provided the Patriots take care of business against poorer teams they should finish 2nd or 3rd in the conference…but will anyone step forward to join Sherrod Wright?  Mason’s one man band is the only player scoring in double figures– and if he’s not on point they lose to Northeastern by 20.  A February 2nd matchup at James Madison for second place (and a season sweep of the Dukes) looms large.

George Washington (10-9, 4-2) wasn’t supposed to win three straight games and leapfrog into the Atlantic Ten race (they’re now one half game behind first place Butler)… they weren’t supposed to start making shots all of a sudden (44% for the season, but over 50% in wins over URI and Charlotte)… and they’re not supposed to compete with 14-5 LaSalle Saturday.  But the showdown’s at the Smith Center… and Mike Lonergan’s team seems to be putting things together.  There’s nothing quite like being in the top ten of the Atlantic Ten.

Maryland Womens Window– back to back blowouts make the #10 Terps 8-1 in the ACC… as coach Brenda Frese’s bunch avenged its only league loss with an 85-59 thumping of North Carolina and followed it up with an 80-40 not-as-close-as-the-score-suggests rout of Clemson.  While senior Tianna Hawkins and junior Alyssa Thomas pace this team with double-doubles consistently, the recent play of freshman point guard Chloe Pavlech (ACC rookie of the week after averaging 12pts and 5ast) has been a major boost with all of the injuries they’ve dealt with.  Coming up in February:  two games with league-leading Duke plus a trip to always dangerous Florida State.

American (7-13, 2-3) finds itself in the second tier of the Patriot League– with Bucknell and Lehigh separating themselves early in the conference season– at least until the lower tier separates itself.  AU split its first go-around with the service academies… routing Navy while losing to Army.  Stephen Lumpkins (22pts, 14reb) is putting together one fine final season in the Patriot League.  Upcoming home games with league-leading Bucknell and always dangerous Lafayette can turn around a season–but the way this team has struggled to put together one strong 40 minute block don’t hold your breath.

Howard (4-17, 1-6) not only has dropped five straight games but has been mired in the 30′s and 40′s during the slide… averaging 43.4 points per game.  They rank 341st nationally in shooting…and 346th in assists.  Minus leading scorer Calvin Thompson…the Bison will be hard pressed to turn around a season that resumes when they face unbeaten in the MEAC Savannah State.

With the return of All-ACC cornerback Antone Exum, Virginia Tech’s defense was expected to be one of the best in the conference but that has taken a major hit.

The former Deep Run standout tore the ACL in the right knee over the weekend and will be out six to nine months.  

Head athletic trainer Mike Goforth hopes surgery will take place as early as Thursday.

Exum suffered the injury while playing a pickup basketball game on campus.

A six month recovery would have him return to the Hokies in late July, prior to the team’s fall practice in August.  If it’s nine months, Exum won’t return until late September or early October.

Exum lead the ACC and was second in the nation with 21 passes defended and was tied for the league lead with five interceptions.

My Army National Guard platoon had the night off from running convoy security missions, so in the wee hours of Friday morning, I settled into my camping chair to watch my now alma mater play college football.  It served as an escape from the the constant stress of  my  occupation.  My deployment to Iraq had caused the second break from school in four years, but I still held Virginia Tech close to my heart.  I had no doubt I would return for my senior year when this strange dream ended.

If I squinted hard enough, my current living space even looked like a dorm room.  The outfitted shipping container had about as much space as one.  I shared it with my buddy Karim.  Like most dorm rooms it had two beds, a couple of desks, a microwave, assorted food stuffs, a TV, and a PS2 all cramped into tight quarters. If you overlooked the body armor, assault rifles, and duffle bags, you couldn’t tell the difference.

Even though I watched the game from half way around the world, the time difference didn’t affect me.  We ran all of our convoy security missions at night.  The lack of traffic on the roads made our convoys faster and safer.  The 7:30 PM start time in Blacksburg felt like a 3:30 PM start time even if local time ran closer to 3 AM.

In the midst of another crazy college football season, the Hokies had rebounded from an early-season dismantling at the hands of LSU to climb back into the championship conversation.  The #8 Hokies entered the primetime showdown with a 6-1 record.  I let my mind imagine a scenario where Virginia Tech ran the table and landed back in the BCS Championship Game.  I began mentally planning how I could switch leave dates with other solders so I could attend the game.  I still believed the Hokies could win the title every year.  I hadn’t yet reached the cynicism that comes with rooting for a team that’s consistently good but never great.

That night #2 Boston College came to Blacksburg behind the arm of QB and Heisman candidate Matt Ryan.  The undefeated Eagles posed a threat but I had a hard time believing they were as good as their record.  The media hadn’t ranked them that high since Doug Flutie played in Boston.  Besides, even if they had found magic in a bottle, Lane Stadium had a way of killing the spirit of visiting teams.  Rivals even lauded our home field advantage as the toughest in the country during that period.  Such accolades only made the fans louder.

With four minutes left in the game, it appeared that my prediction would come true.  Tech held a 10-0 lead.  The Boston College Heisman wannabe had done nothing.  Though our offense once again left something to be desired, Virginia Tech would salt away this win and emerge victorious.

When Ryan threw a touchdown pass two minutes later, my confidence began to waver.  Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer does not have a track record of handling pressure well.  To often he falls into the cliche of “playing not to lose, instead of playing to win.”  Still, BC had to recover the onside kick and drive the field against one of the best defenses in the country with only two minutes on the clock.  No chance.  Right?

BC recovered the onside kick.  Uh-oh.

Pass completion.  Pass completion.  Pass completion.  Time out.  Pass completion. No-no-no-no.

Incomplete.  Holding Penalty.  Incomplete.  <sigh> Okay.  We’ve got this.  We can beat them in overtime if they make the kick.

3rd and 20 from the Virginia Tech 24-yard-line.  Matt Ryan to Andre Callender.  Touchdown.

It felt like a sucker punch to the gut.  The puffed up confidence I had in that Hokie team deflated all at once.  I started at the screen without seeing.  I couldn’t move.  I felt like a shell of my former self.  All life and spirit had left me.  With 11 seconds left on the clock, I prayed for a miracle that I knew wouldn’t come.

I cursed Matt Ryan.  Hokie alums the world over added his name to our all-time villains list.  He joined hated Wahoos and Hurricanes of the past, but while we hated those teams on principle, Ryan stood out as a singular entity.  We would enjoy rooting against him for the duration of his career.

But that didn’t make me feel any better on that October night in the desert.  I didn’t want to face my bleak world just then.  I stood up, turned out the light, and crawled early into bed.

January 20, 2013, Richmond, VA

I’ve loved the San Francisco 49ers since I was eight-years-old.  San Francisco seemed a world away from my home in South Charleston, WV, but my mom made the distance shorter by taking my sister and me to the local public library every week.  I played T-ball and little league football and, despite my lack of athleticism, I couldn’t get enough of sports and competition.  I read every sports book I could find in the children’s and young adult sections and I even tackled a few biographies from the regular non-fiction section after a couple of years.

Those books introduced me to Joe Montana, the largest hero of my childhood.  Nothing seemed impossible for the 49ers QB. It didn’t matter if he was down twenty points in the Super Bowl, I believed he would always find a way to win with his precise accuracy, peerless vision, and cool demeanor.  When I watched his first game back after the elbow injury, the Monday Night game against Detroit, it seemed like a god had descended to take part in our sport.  I cried the day the Niners traded him to Kansas City.  For two years, I became a football bigamist. Cut me some slack; I was nine.  My idol had gone Kansas City, but San Francisco still felt like home.

The 49ers helped me through my parents’ divorce.  They separated the spring before the Niners won their fifth Super Bowl.  I sat next to my dad in the mobile home he rented as Steve Young (no hard feelings) and Jerry Rice ran roughshod over an inferior Chargers team.  Like Hokie games in Afghanistan and Iraq, Super Bowl XXIX let me escape the reality of my situation for a moment.

I had lows as a Niners fan too.  It wasn’t the losing records.  Those just left me numb.  Honestly, its difficult to watch a bad Niners team on the east coast.  It makes it easier to ignore the disappointment.  I saw my first live 49ers game in Nashville in 2005.  When Steve McNair led a second half comeback to bury a pathetic San Francisco team, it just felt expected.

The worst feeling came when I watched the 49ers get suddenly and radically good again only to fumble away a chance at a Super Bowl just when I started to believe.  That sucker punch held shades of a Boston College Matt Ryan.

Except now Matt Ryan quarterbacks the Atlanta Falcons, the team the San Francisco 49ers must face in this year’s NFC Championship Game.  And now Matt Ryan has the ball down four with eight minutes to go.  And now Matt Ryan has moved the ball to the San Francisco ten with 90 seconds left.

I didn’t lack confidence in the defense.  I had seen Willis, Bowman, and the Smiths make any number of spectacular defensive plays over the course of the season.  I just couldn’t convince myself that Matt Ryan wasn’t the football antichrist, sent to earth specifically to destroy my love of football and Joe Montana.  I had flashbacks to the Tech-BC game.  I kept thinking, “Not Again.”

I couldn’t sit still.  The nerves ate me up inside.  Throughout the second half my left leg bounced up and down like the piston in a race car.  The energy bottled up inside me, waiting for that moment to elevate me or destroy me.  When Navarro knocked down Ryan’s pass on fourth down, I leapt from the couch and triumphantly shouted “Yes!” loud enough for the neighbors to hear me.  Maybe Matt Ryan wouldn’t ruin me again.

Still, the game had one minute left on the clock.  It felt like the longest minute of my life.  I paced back and forth in the small living room of my Richmond apartment.  I wore a hole in the rug waiting for the game to end.

When the clock finally struck zeros, I beamed.  Elation and joy coursed through my veins.  For the first time since I was ten years old – eighteen years! – one of my teams would play for a world championship.  Nothing could wipe the grin from my face that evening.  Several times I looked over at my wife:

“Guess what?”

“What?” she’d reply.

“We’re going to the Super Bowl.”

I have also been doing a lot of work for my classes over winter session but haven’t had time to breath so nothing has been put up. Hopefully over the next week I’ll get some of it up here since it seems like the pace is slowing a little.

Georgetown (13-4, 3-3) continues its winter as the toughest read in the region– holding #24 Notre Dame to 35% shooting in a 63-47 thumping two days after coughing up 38 points in the second half of a loss to South Florida (although they held the Bulls without a basket for the final six and a half minutes of the game).  How much the Hoyas will miss the academically hamstrung Greg Whittington (second on the team in scoring and rebounding) as the Big East season progresses is anybody’s guess;  they’re 3-1 since the forward was sidelined and got 10 rebounds from Moses Ayegba against Notre Dame.  Aye Carumba!

Alma Mater Update– consecutive fantastic finishes for the Cardiac Cuse (18-1, 6-0)…a pair of 2 point victories where Michael Carter-Williams came up huge:  the freshman scored the go-ahead basket and all four SU points, notched two steals and a defensive rebound in the final minute of a 70-68 win over #1 Louisville…while knocking down a huge three that was the centerpiece of the Orange’s 9-1 finishing kick that resulted in a 57-55 win over #21 Cincinnati.

Maryland (14-4, 2-3) followed up a heart-stopping upset of #14 North Carolina State with an underwhelming effort in a 62-52 loss at North Carolina.  Washed away was top-notch defense on the Wolfpack (31%) and Alex Len’s last second tip-in…instead an offense that struggles (20 points and 15 turnovers in the first half against UNC) and the lack of a viable third option become the red flags that we’ll see raised early and often…with trips to Cameron (and #1 Duke) as well as Tallahassee coming up before the end of the month.  The dreaded 11am Saturday Hangtime battle with Villanova looms.

Cruising the Commonwealth– two completely different wins Saturday– Virginia (12-5, 2-2) used a 22-4 first half run against Florida State to blast the Seminoles 56-36. Seriously, 36 points? What is this, junior high? Defense (holding FSU to 37% FG and 1-15 3pters) and rebounding (28-20 advantage) become even more important in today’s world of offensive offenses.  Virginia Tech (11-6, 2-2) needed a Robert Brown jumper with 12 seconds left to nip Wake Forest 66-65…as the Hokies continue their cardiac campaign (VT’s last 3 wins coming by one point or in OT). Thursday UVa meets Va Tech in Blacksburg. Gametapes likely will not be sent to Springfield and the Hall of Fame.

George Mason (11-7, 4-2) is one-third through its conference slate after holding Hofstra to 23% shooting in a 57-46 win over the Pride.  Sherrod Wright (18ppg) remains the Patriots lone legitimate scoring threat– not an ideal situation for a team that faces CAA leader Northeasterns and second place Towson over the next week.

George Washington (8-9, 2-2) got a huge road win at UMass 79-76…their first away from the Smith Center since November 28th.  Joe McDonald’s 16 points and 10 assists coming up huge on a day where Isaiah Armwood (3-9FG, 4PF) didn’t enjoy his best afternoon.  Is there a chance for momentum?  After a road test at sub-500 Rhode Island, the Colonials have consecutive home games for the final time this season.  If they want to finish in the top ten of the Atlantic Ten, now is the time to make a move…

Maryland Womens’ Window– ANOTHER KNEE?  Freshman Tierney Pfirman dislocated her knee Saturday during practice and will have an MRI this week.  She’s the third starter (Brene Moseley and Laurin Mincy) and fourth player (Essense Townsend) to go down with a knee injury this season…leaving the Terps with SIX players they recruited to play basketball in College Park.  Still, the #10 Terps topped Georgia Tech 66-57 behind 28 points & 10 rebounds from Alyssa Thomas…while Tianna Hawkins adds 16 points and 14 boards.  Will Alicia DeVaughn’s double double (11pts-12reb) be an isolated incident or the start of something special?  Eleventh ranked North Carolina comes to Comcast Thursday…and the Terps are still stinging from a 60-57 loss in Chapel Hill less than three weeks ago.

American (6-12, 1-2) suffered another lackluster effort in a 79-60 loss at Holy Cross.  Coach Jeff Jones’ frustration continues as his team gets burned from outside (Crusaders hit 13 of 21 from 3).  Thank goodness for double-double machine Stephen Lumpkins (8 so far this winter)…or AU would be AW–as in awful.  Daniel Munoz needs to find his shot–the senior’s hitting 32% from the field and 29% from 3 point range in conference play–for the Eagles to turn around what’s been a rough winter thus far.  Navy and Army are next before Patriot League leading Bucknell comes to Bender.

Howard (4-16, 1-5) isn’t in panic mode… but four straight losses is not ideal.  Less ideal is failing to reach the 50-point mark in six of their last seven games.  Even less awesome is being held in the 30′s in consecutive games…Saturday shooting 25% from the field while hitting 26% Monday night in a 71-36 loss to North Carolina Central.  The key for opponents:  shutting down Bison leading scorer Mike Phillips (13-41 from the field during the four game slide).

Georgetown (11-3) despite beginning its game at St. John’s during the brunch hour jumped out to a 33-10 lead…ending it’s offensive offense with a 67-51 victory over St. John’s.  I guess if as Huey Lewis says, you can do half a million things all at a quarter to 3… you can make shots at a quarter past 11.  Not only did the Hoyas shoot effectively (something not happening in league losses to Marquette and Pitt) they outrebounded the Red Storm by 14.  Cleaning the glass has been a recurrent nightmare in the JT3 era…and with a team that is consistently uneven on offense they need to hold their own here.  Can the Hoyas take that performance and apply it to games against cellar dwellers South Florida and Providence (combined 1-6 in the Big East) before taking on the double-whammy of #1 Louisville and 20th ranked Notre Dame?

Alma Mater Update– despite eligibility issues (James Southerland playing the role of Fab Melo this January) the Orange remain a top ten team…as the team moves from the “are they for real?” to “when will the other shoe drop?” stage.  CJ Fair appears to have taken his game to another level during Big East play (30+ minutes over four games and better than 50% shooting in the last two games).  Hopefully Southerland can get his eligibility issues in order– one would hate to see what was looking like a “leap” year end in transcript trouble.  Saturday at Sign of the Whale bring on the 44 wing salute as SU plays #1 Louisville.

Maryland (13-3) experienced a second half scoring drought in a loss to Florida State… and a first half desert against Miami (14 points before intermission).  Not only did they make 32 percent of their shots… they finished 20% from three point range and 44% from the line.  Right now the scoring options are Alex Len in the post and Dez Wells on the wing…moving forward either Nick Faust, Seth Allen (2.3 TO per game) or Pe’Shon Howard (26% shooting) need to become that third option.  And the schedule doesn’t get any easier: NC State, UNC, Duke and Florida State over the next 15 days.

Cruising the Commonwealth– while Virginia Tech (10-6) snapped a four game losing streak by topping Georgia Tech in overtime…and have consecutive home games against Wake Forest and Virginia.  UVa’s (11-5) optimism after beating North Carolina returns to earth after losses to Wake Forest and Clemson where the Cavaliers averaged less than 50 points.  Prepare for an unattractive evening in Blacksburg January 24th.

George Mason (9-7)– this is going to be one of those years…an 82-74 loss at UNC-Wilmington keeps the Patriots in the middle of the CAA pack.  Mason was crushed on the boards 48-25…quite a reversal from their first two league games.  Leading scorer Sherrod Wright’s January includes a 25 point effort in a loss and a 1 point effort in a win.  The Patriots have a key stretch coming up:  their next four opponents are a combined 12-3 in the conference.

George Washington (7-8) drops to 1-1 in the Atlantic Ten after a 71-56 loss to Xavier… getting burned by the Musketeers (57% shooting, 8-10 from 3).  Meanwhile, leading scorer Isaiah Armwood was held to single digit scoring for the third time in five games…and on a team with few reliable options the Colonials’ #1 threat needs to produce.

Maryland Womens’ Window–  consecutive revenge wins improve the Terps to 13-3 and 4-1 in the ACC.  First they overcame an early 8-1 deficit to blast Miami 84-62… avenging a regular season sweep from 2011-2012.  Then they shut down Virginia Tech in a 74-45 game that wasn’t as close as the score indicates… paying back a loss from last winter as well.  ACC Player of the Week Alyssa Thomas missed last year’s loss to the Hokies– not so this January (26 points, 18 rebounds, 6 assists).  The team trails Duke and North Carolina in the conference standings and plays NC State and Georgia Tech (a combined 1-9 in the league) before UNC comes to Comcast January 24th.

American (6-10) tipped off Patriot League play with a 72-63 win over Colgate…a win highlighted by Tony Wroblicki’s 17 points and 13 rebounds (the senior had scored 20 points over his last four games).  Will this be an isolated incident or a trend for the big man?  One thing is certain:  the Eagles face a Lehigh team minus its best player as CJ McCollum is out at least 8 weeks with a foot injury.

Howard  (4-14) takes inefficient offense to a new level… failing to reach 50 in four of five games played since Christmas.  The Bison’s 54-49 loss to Norfolk State saw them shoot 33% from the field… and the scoring woes continue:  344th in points per game… 338th in assists per game… and 317th in shooting percentage.  It should be pointed out Howard is 262nd in rebounding;  obviously they’re putting too much emphasis on the glass.

She left no doubt what her presence might have meant in her first crack at the Hokies on Sunday.

The reigning ACC player of the year had 26 points, a career-best 18 rebounds, six assists and three blocks, leading the No. 10 Terrapins to a fast start and a dominating performance throughout in a 74-45 victory against the Hokies.

“Today was all about pride for us and just last year, we went out and didn’t play the way we want to play against them,” Thomas said. “Today was to kind of let them know we are Maryland.”

The Terrapins (13-3, 4-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) won for the ninth time in 10 games. Maryland went ahead by double figures on three free throws by Katie Rutan 8:23 before halftime and the Hokies never got within single digits again.

Thomas had 15 points and 11 rebounds by halftime, and played all but three minutes despite the blowout.

“Obviously to watch A.T. tonight just showed what makes her special,” Maryland coach Brenda Frese said, adding that it’s a luxury for her to be able to plug the 6-foot-2 Thomas in at any position and know the ball and team are in good hands.

“That’s the first time I’ve seen her,” Virginia Tech coach Dennis Wolff said. “She’s a power forward-sized guard.”

Uju Ugoka scored 12 points and Monet Tellier had 11 for Virginia Tech (7-9, 1-4), which lost its fourth straight.

Thomas and the Terps were focused from the start, with Thomas scoring the game’s first six points. Maryland also blocked several shots in the early going, and that surely contributed greatly to Virginia Tech’s shooting woes.

The Hokies missed 12 of their first 14 shots and shot 27.9 percent (19-68) overall.

“We just focused on making shots tough for them,” Thomas said.

The Terps’ size remained a factor the rest of the way.

“It just kind of made us alter our shots just a little bit, just enough so that they would bounce out,” Tellier said. She scored 31 in the victory at College Park, Md., last season, but missed 13 of 17 shots in the rematch.

Virginia Tech also went the first five minutes before scoring on Porschia Hadley’s putback.

Leading just 15-9 after 12 minutes, Maryland used a 13-3 run to open its lead to 28-12. Tierney Pfirman started it with a 3-pointer, Rutan hit three free throws and Tianna Hawkins finished it with a jumper.

Hawkins scored 14 for Maryland, and Rutan and Pfirman each had 11.

The Terps’ lead was 37-22 at halftime, and after Virginia Tech closed to within 43-31 with 15 minutes to go, Malina Howard hit a jumper from the free throw line, Pfirman had a three-point play and Howard followed a Hokies turnover with a 3-pointer, pushing the lead back to 51-31, and all suspense was gone.

The Hokies, who won 75-69 at then-No. 8 Maryland last season, forced 22 turnovers, but turned them into just 12 points, and had 18 offensive rebounds, but just six second-chance points.

(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Sophomore stand-out Ryan Anderson had a huge game tonight leading the Eagles with 26 and 9

Tonight’s 86-75 win against Va Tech was a huge win for a few different reasons. First, BC did not win a single ACC road game all last season. Tonight’s victory helps the Sophomore’s get that monkey off their back and build confidence going into Saturday’s game at Wake Forest. Second, BC’s leaders -namely Anderson and Jackson- had huge games. Jackson was 5-8 from 3pt land and finished with 22 points. Ryan Anderson finished with 26 and 9 definitely not something to sneer at.

Looking back to my three keys BC came through on two of them. Lonnie Jackson came through from downtown and they were able to come through on the road. As I look towards games against Maryland (13-2) and Miami (10-3) BC fan’s want the Eagles to start hitting more of their free throws to make sure that in a close game they aren’t losing due to shooting <75% fr0m the stripe.

BC Interruption pointed out:

 On the night, the Eagles finished two 3-pointers shy of Donahue’s rule of 10 — hitting 10 threes (8), turning the ball over 10 times or less (6) and limiting opponent offensive rebounds to 10 or less (7).

I am new to this rule, but I think it’s a strategy for success. I love what Donohue has done since the Harvard loss. This team has turned itself around, put together wins and is looking to start another win streak as they have entered ACC play.

Tonight was a step in the right direction for BC hoops. It brought the team ti 9-6, it earned them their first ACC Win, and it was the team’s first ACC Road Win in over 12 months. If the team can continue to improve on their shooting from the line, the field, and 3pt land I feel it can be tough to stop this team down the road.

The Peninsula Hokie Club is again hosting a luncheon to present high lights of the new VT recruits for 2013. The event is sponsored by Mr. Bill Leong – State Farm Insurance and will be presented by Coach Jim Cavanaugh. This is an opportunity for club members and Hokie fans to get an idea of the quality of players we will be seeing in the future. Coach Jim Cavanaugh will present video highlights of each of the new recruits. In addition, he will answer questions about the Virginia Tech football program.

Coach Cavanaugh is the Director of Recruiting & High School Relations for the Virginia Tech football team. He spent 15 seasons as the strong safety and outside linebacker coach. A former high school coach in Newport News, he is very familiar with this area. He began coaching in 1970 and joined the Virginia Tech staff in 1996. He has coached at VMI, NC State, Marshall, Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina. He primarily focuses his recruiting efforts in the Richmond and Peninsula areas.

Lunch reservations are requested by Tuesday, February 5th, 2013 and are limited to the first 75 people. Cost is $15 per person which includes one of the four food selections listed below and a soft drink (cost is $15.75 if paying on-line).

Make reservations thru PayPal or with a major credit card by selecting your menu choices below. If you are making multiple reservations, click the highlighted link for the first meal and then click “Continue Shopping” on PayPal to make additional choices.

Or you may print this page and mail your selection(s), contact information and check [made payable to Peninsula Hokie Club] to: George Leftwich, 127 Hautz Way, Yorktown, VA 23693. Questions: Call (757) 240-5714.

[ ] Fish & Chips – two pieces of Newcastle Brown Ale beer battered fish, fired golden brown with tartar sauce, coleslaw and steak fries. CLICK TO ADD TO CART ON PAYPAL.

[ ] Philly Cheese steak – Thinly slices steak, peppers, onions, mushrooms, ands a cheese blend on a hoagie roll with horseradish sauce and steak fries. CLICK TO ADD TO CART ON PAYPAL.

[ ] The Black Forest – Bavarian pretzel roll topped with grilled turkey, bacon, Monterey Jack cheese lettuce, tomato and honey mustard dressing – with fries. CLICK TO ADD TO CART ON PAYPAL.

[ ] Field of Greens – tomatoes, cheeses, cucumber, bacon pieces on lettuce with choice of dressing. CLICK TO ADD TO CART ON PAYPAL.

Other beverages are available at the cash bar.

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The BCS National Championship game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and Notre Dame Fighting Irish was over before it started. It proved, yet again, why college football is in dire need of a playoff.

Let’s examine the hypothetical playoff, if the NCAA ever got their head out of their nether regions:

Semi-Final Games

#1 Notre Dame vs. #4 Oregon

I am not judging the Irish solely on their National Championship performance, but their entire season. They would have lost in the first round to Oregon, no doubt. Oregon’s offense is equally as potent as Alabama’s, if not more so. And it’s not just that the Ducks fly so well together, it’s the speed at which they fly. This combination would have proved unstoppable for the likes of Manti Te’o and Co. They would have been sucking more wind than a jet engine. Kenjon Barner and De’Anthony Thomas would have run rampant over the Irish secondary and the result would have been eerily similar to the National Championship. Just as Alabama beat Notre Dame with their size and power, Oregon would have won with their speed and agility.

#2 Alabama vs. #3 Florida

Even though this game features two SEC powerhouses, Alabama would lay a smack down on Florida. Let’s not forget Florida’s loss to Louisville in the Sugar Bowl which is still fresh in many minds. I understand the Florida players probably didn’t give a lick about win or loss in that game, but it’s a good indicator of the character of the team. Getting dominated early on by Alabama would prove to be too much and Florida would lose their composure much to the chagrin of Will Muschamp. Florida would come up well-short because passing is the only thing they do poorly, which unfortunately for them, is the only thing Alabama defends poorly, relatively speaking. Alabama would steam-roll on their way to the title game.

The Real BCS National Championship Game

#2 Alabama vs. #4 Oregon

This is the game everybody wanted to see. Forget Notre Dame being back in the Championship game after nearly a quarter-century. Forget the fact that prior to this most recent game, Alabama was 1-5 against the Fighting Irish. Throw all that out the window. Notre Dame did not deserve to be in this game. I understand they were the only undefeated team remaining (except Ohio St., but they can attribute their absence from the BCS to Terrell Pryor and Jim Tressel), and that they beat the only team that beat Oregon. But they needed 3 overtimes to beat the University of Pittsburgh. I’ll say again…..Pittsburgh. Being a Virginia Tech alumni, I would normally praise the team that stomped the Hokies into the ground. But this was Tech’s worst year in a decade. Keep in mind this was Piitsburgh’s best win this season.

Pitt had losses to Youngstown St., Syracuse and Connecticut and an overall record of 6-7. You’re telling me that a Notre Dame team who needed 3 overtimes to beat Pitt in South Bend can run with Alabama for 60 minutes. That’s pie in the sky and it was painfully apparent on Monday night. Notre Dame beat Stanford, Oklahoma and USC which were obviously very impressive wins, but the 12-0 record was not indicative of their talent level. Stanford barely beat Wisconsin, USC was completely overblown before the season began and Oklahoma just got routed by the one team that didn’t let the Tide roll over them this year. It seems obvious that Notre Dame didn’t have a shot in hell at winning the championship.

In the end, Notre Dame should have been relegated to the Sugar or Fiesta Bowl and Alabama should have faced off against Oregon. The size of Bama against the speed of Oregon would have made for quite the affair. Alabama most likely would have come out on top but the scoreboard would be completely different. A 35-28 game would be more fitting and the majority of the audience would not have been asleep by halftime.

The BCS Will Never Work Right

This year was a perfect example of the ineptitude of the BCS. With the voting platform, the NCAA is constantly putting themselves in a no-win situation. No matter who plays in the big game, there is always a team who gets snubbed and the “what could’ve been talks” become quite noisy. And if the NCAA does choose the right two teams and it plays out like it has for the past two championships, fans are livid because the game isn’t good and the matchup was lopsided.

In short, the BCS needs to go and 2014 isn’t soon enough. A four team playoff will be refreshing but it probably can’t save the debacle the BCS has caused, not to mention that voting will still determine the supposedly worthy teams that will play off.

Fans desperately want a playoff and the NCAA should give it to them? “Change” shouldn’t just be the slogan of Obama’s campaign.

Also, check out our UPDATED Audition Information located here or on our Performance Company | Audition Information page!

We hope everyone is having a great new year. We are so excited to be starting the Spring Semester in a couple of weeks! We hope to see you all in our OPEN CLASSES! As of now, the schedule for classes is the same as last semester, starting Thursday, January 24, 2013:

Sunday: 2:00-4:00PM, Center of Dance

Monday: 9:00-11:00PM, Center of Dance

Thursday: 8:15-10:15PM, Dance.tech

***Any changes are TBA!

Enjoy the rest of your break and see you on the 24th!

Georgetown (10-2) lost its Big East opener 49-48 at Marquette… missing a free throw with under ten seconds  left that would have pushed the game into OT.  The Hoyas once again were plagued with first half shooting troubles (a 3 for 15 start against the Golden Eagles)… and finish with less than 50 points for the third time this year.  A huge test looms against #24 Pitt Tuesday;  the Panthers are 0-3 in Big East play while the Hoyas can ill afford an 0-2 league start.

Alma Mater Update– the Orange dream of an unbeaten season ran into 15 missed free throws and 2 for 10 three point shooting against Temple.  The Big East season began with a bang (78-53 over Rutgers) followed by a whimper (55-44 over South Florida).  At least the Orange got 23 offensive rebounds in their win over the Bulls.  Providence and Villanova loom while SU tries not to look ahead to #3 Louisville January 19th.

Maryland (13-1) began ACC play with a bang– a 94-71 win over Virginia Tech.  The Terps entered league play with 12 straight wins but have a strength of schedule that resides in the 260′s.   A fabulous freshman class that includes post (Shaquille Cleare and Charles Mitchell) and perimeter (Seth Allen and Jake Layman) play gives the program a shot in the arm.  Add in an Alex Len that doesn’t disappear when he turns sideways…and you have a team that could shake up the standings.  A Wednesday night matchup with  defending ACC champ Florida State will show if this team is a pretender or a contender.

Cruising the Commonwealth– with Virginia Tech (9-5) going from “best start since 1984″ to back to back to back blowout losses… it’s going to be a reset-button season for James Johnson.  At least they have high-scoring Erick Green (#2 in the nation, tops in the ACC).  Virginia (11-3) began the season with a loss to George Mason…and also saw a loss to Old Dominion.  Even in today’s world of parity…it’s never ideal for an ACC school to drop multiple games to in-state opponents.  But all is forgiven when you beat North Carolina…and a 15-2 second half run delivers a 61-52 victory to the Cavaliers.  Joe Harris is deadly from outside (47% from 3-pt range)–but what happens when somebody slows him down?

George Mason (8-6) rallied on the road to beat William & Mary 73-66… the team stands 1-1 in the CAA after a November/December where only GMU and the Tribe posted winning records..  One Patriot that does stand out:  Sherrod Wright is the only Patriot scoring in double figures (18.5ppg) and has been a force (54% FG, 43% from 3-pt range).  How ripe is the league for plucking?  Mason won’t meet a team with a winning mark until February 25th.

George Washington (6-7) suffered a snakebitten stretch where the Colonials lost three straight one-possession games.  Villanova transfer Isaiah Armwood (13ppg, 8rpg)  is the centerpiece in year two of the Mike Lonergan era.  The Atlantic Ten doesn’t get any easier with VCU and Butler joining the conference this year–bringing the total membership to SIXTEEN SCHOOLS.  And you thought the Big Ten was out of hand.

Maryland Womens Window– a ten point lead at #15 North Carolina turned into a ten point deficit as the Tar Heels began the second half on a 17-1 run…and the Terps lost in Chapel Hill 60-57 despite getting a great look at a game-tying three with time running out.  With a small bench (four reserves with the addition of volleyball senior Caitlin Adams) there is minimal margin for  error.  A third scoring threat needs to emerge– as only Tianna Hawkins and Alyssa Thomas scored in double figures at UNC.  Sunday the Terps topped #18 Florida State 71-64…as Thomas and Hawkins hit 17 of 30 shots and the rest of the team goes 11 for 33.  The schedule doesn’t get any easier with Miami coming to Comcast Thursday.

American (5-10) tips off Patriot League play January 12th after a non-conference slate that saw early thrills (wins over Quinnipiac and Mount Saint Mary’s) as well as more than a few chills (36 points against Minnesota, 42 against Columbia and 48 against Georgetown) and spills (losing winnable games to Howard, Hampton and FAU).  The Eagles boast a double double machine in Stephen Lumpkins (6 so far for AU’s leading scorer and rebounder) but little else (although if there’s a time for Daniel Munoz to make the leap, now’s the time).

Howard (4-12) evened up its MEAC record with a 70-60 win at Coppin State…after meeting a barrage of threes (35 of the Eagles 61 shots came from outside the arc).  While Mike Phillips continues to be a picture of consistency (his 15 points marked his 10th double figure night in 11 games)… Simuel Frazier’s 13 points and 8 assists hopes to be a 2013 trend.  If the Bison get decent point guard play, they’ll be interesting in conference play.