The NCAA championship game tonight with Butler facing Duke could be one of the most historic in men's college basketball history.
If Butler is victorious, the Bulldogs will become the smallest school to win the Division I championship since the NCAA went to the expanded field of 64 teams in 1985. It has become the most heralded David vs Goliath title game matchup in college basketball history.
For those who want to be part of this nostalgia making night, but can’t afford the cost of a trip to Indianapolis, there is an alternative and a chance to make some local history of their own.
The Royal Palm 20 is showing the game live in 3-D and people can gain entrance for a $20 ticket, which will give them a chance to mingle with other fans in a pre-game area set aside for them will include food.
It’s the next best thing to being there and local patrons will have an opportunity to say they were part of the first audience in Bradenton to watch a live NCAA basketball championship game in 3-D, theater officials say.
The tip-off is scheduled for around 9:20 pm, but fans can start coming in around 8 pm where they can warm up their vocal chords and showcase their prognostication skills while getting some nourishment.
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Monday, April 5, 2010
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Frightening experience for two local athletes
Football is the sport often considered the most dangerous and the one some parents do not let their sons play in high school.
But baseball, thought of as a non-contact sport, can be just as perilous if not more. Two local high school players, who recently underwent major surgery after getting hit in the face by a baseball, can attest to that.
Lakewood Ranch High outfielder Reggie Lindsey took a pitch to the head as a batter earlier in the season and Braden River pitcher Jarrod Leinhauser couldn’t avoid a line shot to the mound that came off an opponent’s bat at speeds estimated to be around 130 miles per hour.
Lindsey is back playing again and it appears Leinhauser will be ready to resume playing in about 6 to 8 weeks. Both their stories are compelling and somewhat frightening. Read about it in Sunday’s Bradenton’s Herald.
But baseball, thought of as a non-contact sport, can be just as perilous if not more. Two local high school players, who recently underwent major surgery after getting hit in the face by a baseball, can attest to that.
Lakewood Ranch High outfielder Reggie Lindsey took a pitch to the head as a batter earlier in the season and Braden River pitcher Jarrod Leinhauser couldn’t avoid a line shot to the mound that came off an opponent’s bat at speeds estimated to be around 130 miles per hour.
Lindsey is back playing again and it appears Leinhauser will be ready to resume playing in about 6 to 8 weeks. Both their stories are compelling and somewhat frightening. Read about it in Sunday’s Bradenton’s Herald.
Holtz wants Daniels to run less
Skip Holtz has made one thing clear since the first day of spring football practice: Less of B.J. Daniels means more of B.J. Daniels.
In laymen’s terms, the new USF head football coach doesn’t want to see his quarterback lead the team in rushing.
It’s been that way the last four years under the Jim Leavitt regime; first with Matt Grothe under center and then Daniels.
The old staff used the heck or high water approach with the quarterback giving the impression whoever was in there was indestructible. That philosophy proved fatal last season when Grothe went down with a torn ACL and Daniels inherited the job as a redshirt freshman.
Click here for the rest of this story
In laymen’s terms, the new USF head football coach doesn’t want to see his quarterback lead the team in rushing.
It’s been that way the last four years under the Jim Leavitt regime; first with Matt Grothe under center and then Daniels.
The old staff used the heck or high water approach with the quarterback giving the impression whoever was in there was indestructible. That philosophy proved fatal last season when Grothe went down with a torn ACL and Daniels inherited the job as a redshirt freshman.
Click here for the rest of this story
Friday, April 2, 2010
Ranch baseball team growing up
Oh those inconsistencies of youth; it’s enough to drive a coach crazy.
No one knows that better than Lakewood Ranch head baseball coach Mike Mullen. With eight sophomores and a freshman among his top players, the Mustangs head man feels like he has been on a roller coaster ride this season.
After their historic 25-24 win in the Sarasota Baseball Classic on Wednesday, the Mustangs came back down to earth Friday losing 8-4 to finish the tournament at 2-2.
Though they couldn’t sustain the moment of that win, the Mustangs showed some grit and Mullen saw some good things in his team, which is important with two big district games coming up next week.
“I’ve learned we have a long way to go, but found our team is a lot more resilient than I thought,” Mullen said. “We are so young and are dealing with a lot of kids who are prematurely playing varsity baseball. In a lot of ways, they are physically and mentally not yet ready. They showed their youth in this tournament, but we improved and are getting better.”
Mullen was most pleased that his team cut down on its strikeouts. The Mustangs fanned 15 times in their four tournament games, which was a huge improvement.
Some of the kids are starting to show signs of improvement and becoming more consistent with the bat. The Mustangs also found a bonafide ace in lefty Dylan Horn, who showed he could pitch effectively against some of the best teams in the state.
No one knows that better than Lakewood Ranch head baseball coach Mike Mullen. With eight sophomores and a freshman among his top players, the Mustangs head man feels like he has been on a roller coaster ride this season.
After their historic 25-24 win in the Sarasota Baseball Classic on Wednesday, the Mustangs came back down to earth Friday losing 8-4 to finish the tournament at 2-2.
Though they couldn’t sustain the moment of that win, the Mustangs showed some grit and Mullen saw some good things in his team, which is important with two big district games coming up next week.
“I’ve learned we have a long way to go, but found our team is a lot more resilient than I thought,” Mullen said. “We are so young and are dealing with a lot of kids who are prematurely playing varsity baseball. In a lot of ways, they are physically and mentally not yet ready. They showed their youth in this tournament, but we improved and are getting better.”
Mullen was most pleased that his team cut down on its strikeouts. The Mustangs fanned 15 times in their four tournament games, which was a huge improvement.
Some of the kids are starting to show signs of improvement and becoming more consistent with the bat. The Mustangs also found a bonafide ace in lefty Dylan Horn, who showed he could pitch effectively against some of the best teams in the state.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Ohlman settling in with Orioles
About 20 yards separated Mike Ohlman and his former teammates at Lakewood Ranch, but in reality it could’ve been light years.
Ohlman played for the Mustangs last year when he was considered the school’s best major league prospect since Lastings Milledge, now with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The 6-foot-4, 210-pounder is less than a year removed from aluminum bats and playing just for fun. But he has matured, and his advice is don’t follow his path unless you are willing to make sacrifices.
Click here to read the entire column.
Ohlman played for the Mustangs last year when he was considered the school’s best major league prospect since Lastings Milledge, now with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The 6-foot-4, 210-pounder is less than a year removed from aluminum bats and playing just for fun. But he has matured, and his advice is don’t follow his path unless you are willing to make sacrifices.
Click here to read the entire column.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
A Classic Win For Lakewood Ranch
Lakewood Ranch’s 25-24 victory over Taravella in the Sarasota Baseball Classic has to go down as a classic all of its own in the annals of the school’s baseball program.
We can’t call it the most important or most exciting because the 2003 team that won a state championship gave its fans some memorable, breathtaking moments.
When the Mustangs were on their way to winning the Class 5A State Title in ‘03 there were some come from behind wins, including a game where they had to score two runs in their last at-bat to earn a 6-5 region first round victory over Naples Gulf Coast that would’ve been a major upset.
It was the only close game Lakewood Ranch had in the post season until it reached the state championship game when it defeated Tallahassee Lincoln 6-5.
This Lakewood Ranch team is a lot different than the 2003 group. It is young and there are no super stars to match the likes of Lastings Milledge, Ryan Kennedy and Larry Cobb.
The best prospect on this year’s club is freshman Brett Hanewich, a 6-2, 185 pound switch hitting shortstop. The best player is Dylan Horn, a lefty pitcher with three solid pitches who does remind one of Ryan LaCross and Brent Solich, the two standout pitchers on the ’03 team.
Horn can throw hard and has mastered the art of throwing the change-up, which has become a lethal weapon in his pitching arsenal.
There are eight sophomores and Hanewich, who play key roles on this team, which makes for a bright future. To say they might equal that ’03 team would be a reach. That group was special, maybe a once in a lifetime team that comes through a high school every 20 years or so and they had the perfect person to lead them in head coach Dave Moates.
Lakewood Ranch didn’t have to share players with Braden River High in those days, which makes it even more difficult to match that talent again.
Today, if we could take the top players from Braden River and Lakewood Ranch and put them on one team you might have the makings of something very special.
Don’t want to put too much pressure on Hanewich, who is only 15 years old. But right now he is the leading candidate to become a player in the mold of someone like a Lastings Milledge, Mike Ohlman, Ryan Kennedy or Larry Cobb. Take your pick, but that’s some pretty good company.
So if Ranch and Braden River combined its baseball teams right now who would be the eight position starters and who would be the two top starting pitchers.
We can’t call it the most important or most exciting because the 2003 team that won a state championship gave its fans some memorable, breathtaking moments.
When the Mustangs were on their way to winning the Class 5A State Title in ‘03 there were some come from behind wins, including a game where they had to score two runs in their last at-bat to earn a 6-5 region first round victory over Naples Gulf Coast that would’ve been a major upset.
It was the only close game Lakewood Ranch had in the post season until it reached the state championship game when it defeated Tallahassee Lincoln 6-5.
This Lakewood Ranch team is a lot different than the 2003 group. It is young and there are no super stars to match the likes of Lastings Milledge, Ryan Kennedy and Larry Cobb.
The best prospect on this year’s club is freshman Brett Hanewich, a 6-2, 185 pound switch hitting shortstop. The best player is Dylan Horn, a lefty pitcher with three solid pitches who does remind one of Ryan LaCross and Brent Solich, the two standout pitchers on the ’03 team.
Horn can throw hard and has mastered the art of throwing the change-up, which has become a lethal weapon in his pitching arsenal.
There are eight sophomores and Hanewich, who play key roles on this team, which makes for a bright future. To say they might equal that ’03 team would be a reach. That group was special, maybe a once in a lifetime team that comes through a high school every 20 years or so and they had the perfect person to lead them in head coach Dave Moates.
Lakewood Ranch didn’t have to share players with Braden River High in those days, which makes it even more difficult to match that talent again.
Today, if we could take the top players from Braden River and Lakewood Ranch and put them on one team you might have the makings of something very special.
Don’t want to put too much pressure on Hanewich, who is only 15 years old. But right now he is the leading candidate to become a player in the mold of someone like a Lastings Milledge, Mike Ohlman, Ryan Kennedy or Larry Cobb. Take your pick, but that’s some pretty good company.
So if Ranch and Braden River combined its baseball teams right now who would be the eight position starters and who would be the two top starting pitchers.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Brian Alexander plans to transfer
Former Southeast High basketball standout Brian Alexander had a highly successful season for the University of Maine at Machias finishing second in the nation in NAIA Division II in assists.
However the 5-8 guard, who has two years of eligibility left, said he is transferring and hopes to land at a school in Florida. He averaged 6.6 assists per game with a total of 171 and was sixth nationally in steals (2.8 per game).
Alexander said Mike Vazquez and Peter Mirinyi, who came to Machias with him from Southeast, are also leaving, though they will likely stay up north.
Alexander led Machias in minutes played per game (28.5), but says among other things he was not happy under the system used by head coach Brac Brady, who formerly coached at then Manatee Community College
“You get homesick and the weather up there is pretty cold,” Alexander said. “I also want to play under a different offense. I feel the system there is too restrictive and doesn’t allow me to reach my full potential as a player.
“The competition up there wasn’t bad, but it’s not like Florida. There is not a lot of height, but there are a lot of good shooters. We would get about 70 to 100 people in the gym, but they were real loud.”
Alexander said he would be looking at Webber International, an NAIA school in Babson Park. He also wants to see if there are some possibilities at some of the Division II schools in Florida such as Eckerd, Saint Leo and Florida Southern.
“I learned some things this year, like how to run an offense and did a better job of getting my teammates more involved,” Alexander said. “I also learned college basketball is a real business and at the end of the day you have to do what you have to do to make your organization better.”
Alexander graduated Southeast in 2007 where he started for three years and was the sixth man during his freshman season. He averaged 9.5 points per game this past season. Vazquez averaged 3.6 ppg in 14.6 minutes per game and Mirinyi averaged 2.7 points and 2.7 rebounds in 13.2 minutes per game.
However the 5-8 guard, who has two years of eligibility left, said he is transferring and hopes to land at a school in Florida. He averaged 6.6 assists per game with a total of 171 and was sixth nationally in steals (2.8 per game).
Alexander said Mike Vazquez and Peter Mirinyi, who came to Machias with him from Southeast, are also leaving, though they will likely stay up north.
Alexander led Machias in minutes played per game (28.5), but says among other things he was not happy under the system used by head coach Brac Brady, who formerly coached at then Manatee Community College
“You get homesick and the weather up there is pretty cold,” Alexander said. “I also want to play under a different offense. I feel the system there is too restrictive and doesn’t allow me to reach my full potential as a player.
“The competition up there wasn’t bad, but it’s not like Florida. There is not a lot of height, but there are a lot of good shooters. We would get about 70 to 100 people in the gym, but they were real loud.”
Alexander said he would be looking at Webber International, an NAIA school in Babson Park. He also wants to see if there are some possibilities at some of the Division II schools in Florida such as Eckerd, Saint Leo and Florida Southern.
“I learned some things this year, like how to run an offense and did a better job of getting my teammates more involved,” Alexander said. “I also learned college basketball is a real business and at the end of the day you have to do what you have to do to make your organization better.”
Alexander graduated Southeast in 2007 where he started for three years and was the sixth man during his freshman season. He averaged 9.5 points per game this past season. Vazquez averaged 3.6 ppg in 14.6 minutes per game and Mirinyi averaged 2.7 points and 2.7 rebounds in 13.2 minutes per game.
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