Month: February 2010

Slap of the Week — Feb. 26

Posted by dobrien – February 26, 2010

chaudhrywh0809He’s the Tim Tebow of squash. When it comes to college squash, no one can touch Trinity College’s Baset Chaudhry. The 6-foot-5 Pakistani is a two-time All-American and the defending squash singles national champion.

This year, Chaudhry is 13-0 to run his record to 55-2 for his career. Let’s just say that this guy really squashes his competition.

If this video of Chaudry is any indication, he may have some anger management issues.

The Yale player in this video — freshman Kenneth Chan — is probably about seven or eight inches shorter than Chaudhry. Since video of Chaudhry’s display hit the Internet, he’s come out and apologized for being the first squash player to have ever been caught talking smack. Oh by the way, Chaudhry’s win wound up sealing Trinity’s 12th straight national squash title. Not that anyone cares about how dominant the Bantams are in the wake of Chaudhry’s actions.

Of course, the top-ranked Chaudhry has an ulterior motive for the apology — he doesn’t want the College Squash Association to ban him from the upcoming squash singles national tournament next weekend. The CSA is still debating its decision.

Maybe they should let the kid from Yale beat him with his racquet for a while before letting Chaudhry back in.

I can just see the WWE coming up with a villainous squash player. Heck, Chaudhry’s big enough to play the role if he could put on a few pounds.

Mid-Week Grades for Feb. 24

Posted by dobrien – February 24, 2010

If it was possible to give an “F” to Mother Nature, I think we’d all flunk her after the recent round of snow. Isn’t it supposed to be spring soon? Here’s a look at the good, bad and ugly in the world of sports. Josh Houchins and I will break these down around 8:20 or so during Wednesday’s edition of the popular WGEM SportsCenter show on ESPN 1440.

A — Hannibal girls swimming. The Lady Pirates finished fourth over the weekend in the MSHSAA state meet in St. Charles thanks to a huge day by former Sheridan Swim Team member Rebekah Land, who won two individual state titles. Land won the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard backstroke and was on the victorious 200-yard freestyle relay squad with Meredith Voss, JaLynn Gieske and Kaylan Gieske.

B — “Tremendously tremendous.”  Al Michaels he ain’t, but NBC hockey analyst Ed Olczyk’s description of the U.S.-Canada men’s hockey game on Sunday was right on the mark. It was a fantastically fantastic hockey game that I actually watched from start to finish. (Too bad it was on MSNBC instead of NBC. More people deserved to watch.) A gold medal in hockey isn’t going to get people all worked up about what I still consider a niche sport, but it’s sure fun to watch.

C — Danica Patrick. So far, so mediocre for the speedway queen in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. After a 36th-place finish at Daytona, Patrick was 31st at Fontana last week. It’s unrealistic to expect her to come out and win right away. Yet, on Saturday she was busted twice for speeding down Pit Row. She also finished farther back than she started (26th). At least, she finished the race in California after getting wrecked out at Daytona. I don’t think Jimmie Johnson has anything to worry about for a while.

D — Quincy University men’s basketball team. After serving up the women’s team in this spot two weeks ago, it’s the men’s turn to catch some Mid-Week Grades heat. The Hawks had a 3 1/2-game lead in the GLVC North with five games to play but could seal the deal on a division title. After a 16-0 start, the Hawks have lost seven of their last 11 games and go into the conference tournament with their confidence a bit shaken. I think with one win in the GLVC Tournament that they’ll be a lock for the NCAAs, but a first-round loss could have them on the outside looking in.

F — Marquis Daniels. The Boston Celtics role player recently had a nearly 3-pound jeweled head piece made of himself. (One blogger thinks it could also be Whoopi Goldberg.) Why in the world would Daniels need this kind of bling? Guess that now I’m bearing down on 40 that I’m out of touch with what’s cool today. The gold grillz for teeth must be so 2002 I suppose. If you want to take a look at how this thing was made, check out the video below:

Diamond Head Made by Jason of Beverly Hills from vKofJBH on Vimeo.

QU Review — USI 79, QU men 71

Posted by dobrien – February 23, 2010

The Hawks failed in their final chance to secure hosting rights to the opening weekend of GLVC Tournament play by losing on the Screaming Eagles’ Senior Night.

Here’s a look at Monday’s stars:

jamar_smith_dsc37211. Jamar Smith

The former University of Illinois player finished his college career on a high. He scored 18 points, including four 3-pointers, to help the Screaming Eagles end a three-game losing streak and finish their season on a high note. Smith had been battling a heel injury but didn’t look slowed by it on Monday.

baptist09102. Billy Baptist

His two-handed dunk early in the game was the highlight of the night for the Hawks, who led 9-0 when he scored off a steal by Courtney Belger. Baptist had a solid all-around game with 14 points, four steals, four assists and six rebounds.

3. USI’s other seniors

The Screaming Eagles honored six seniors, including the late Jeron Lewis, after the game. It was a big night for the senior class, too. In addition to Smith’s 18 points, the quartet of Marvin Gray, Tyrone Bradshaw, Brandon Carr and Isaac Stoll combined to score 53 points. In the waning moments of the game, Carr went to a No. 40 — Lewis’ number — that was painted on the floor and pointed at it.

DOBservations

The majority of the packed PAC Arena crowd wore Lewis’ No. 40 on their shirts or via buttons. His family, including his young son, gathered at center court during the postgame Senior Night ceremonies and received a standing ovation from the crowd. … Smith had to switch uniforms in the middle of the game, going from his usual No. 2 to No. 24. The QU bench was miffed when they were not informed of the number switch after Smith entered the game in the first half with the new number. … Tyler Thompson missed his second straight game with back spasms. … QU has now lost six straight road games. … The Screaming Eagles’ homecourt advantage spilled over to the Hawks’ Monday afternoon shootaround. While the Hawks tried to put the finishing touches on their gameplan, they had to deal with a music blaring from a step aerobics class being held inside the arena. … The Hawks will face Rockhurst in a first-round GLVC Tournament game Saturday at Bellarmine.

QU Review — USI 82, QU women 77 (OT)

Posted by dobrien – February 23, 2010

The Lady Hawks pushed the Screaming Eagles to the limit before falling in overtime in their regular-season finale.

Here’s a look at Monday’s stars:

abby_williams_03511. Abby Williams, USI forward

On her Senior Night, Williams hit for a career-high 22 points to go along with 11 rebounds to do in the Lady Hawks. She made three big 3-pointers and seemed to hit big shots whenever the Screaming Eagles needed them.

burgin09102. Janette Burgin

She filled up the stat sheet. Burgin led QU with 21 points, and made three 3-pointers. Her 3-pointer with 51 seconds left in overtime gave the Lady Hawks faint hope of another comeback, but USI squashed those hopes by hitting its free throws down the stretch. Burgin had nine rebounds, two blocks, two assists and a steal.

pope0910jpg3. Sam Poppe

For the second straight game, the John Wood Community College transfer provided a spark off the bench for the Lady Hawks. She had 14 points and seven rebounds. Her basket with 6.7 seconds left in regulation and subsequent steal in the final second of the game forced overtime.

DOBservations

USI finished the regular season 14-0 at the PAC Arena and Monday’s win helped the Screaming Eagles earn the right to host the second-place teams in the GLVC Tournament. … Williams may have been tipped off by what the Lady Hawks were going to do. She was in the gym during the Lady Hawks’ shootaround on Monday afternoon, playing badminton as part of a physical education class. … Whintae Irby had a rough weekend, going 1 for 9 from the field in each game and scoring just four points on the weekend. … QU coach JD Gravina was given a warning to be quiet late in the first half by the officials after going to get a drink of water after a blown call on a charge that Poppe tried to take. … Former QU coach Larry Just and his wife, Denise, made the trip over from the Louisville area to watch the Lady Hawks play. After this season, Steph Wagner will be the only former Just player on QU’s roster and she played for him in his only season at Lincoln Memorial.

QU Review — Lewis 69, QU men 62

Posted by dobrien – February 21, 2010

The Hawks never got on track on offense in dropping their final GLVC North Division game of the season.

Here’s a look at Saturday’s stars:

mcclellan1. Chris McClellan, Lewis point guard

The Flyers’ sophomore point guard dictated what happened on Saturday. He finished with 22 points, making four 3-pointers. He was also 4 for 4 from the free-throw line while directing the Flyers’ offense. McClellan also made several hustle plays for a Lewis team that looked like it wanted the game more than Quincy.

edmonds09102. Josh Edmonds

At times, he was the only Hawk playing with any passion. The junior wing made three 3-pointers and finished with 14 points and seven rebounds. He made a few hustle plays that were lacking by the rest of the Hawks. The elbow injury that cost him a month of the season is a memory.

strus3. Marty Strus, Lewis center

After being a non-factor in the Flyers’ 83-78 loss earlier this season at Pepsi Arena, Strus was much more of a force down low. He finished with seven points, 11 rebounds and three blocks. He also helped keep QU’s Justin Brock in check, limiting Brock to seven points.

DOBservations

With the loss, QU needs to win at Southern Indiana on Monday to win the GLVC North Division title and the right to host on the first weekend of the league tourney next weekend. A loss on Monday would send the Hawks to Rockhurst, where the second-place teams will gather. … The Hawks played without Tyler Thompson, who was out with a back injury. … QU has lost five straight road games. … Mookie Pierre was limited to two points on 1-of-9 shooting.

QU Review — Lewis 69, QU women 67

Posted by dobrien – February 21, 2010

The Lady Hawks suffered a crippling loss Saturday at Neal Carey Arena, going on a late scoring drought to finish in third place in the Great Lakes Valley Conference’ North Division.

Here’s a look at Saturday’s stars:

turpel1. Jenny Turpel, Lewis center

The junior once again was a handful for the Lady Hawks. After a 17-point, 10-rebound in the Flyers’ win at Pepsi Arena earlier this season, Turpel had 23 points, six rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks to carry the Flyers to the win. She almost threw the game away with a last-second pass that was picked off by QU’s Stephanie Wagner, who missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer. Still, Turpel did a ton for Lewis. Her basket in the lane with 41.4 seconds left gave Lewis the lead for good.

pope0910jpg2. Sam Poppe

The senior had a solid all-around game off the bench for the Lady Hawks. She was one of five Lady Hawks in double figures with 12 points, including a late basket that pulled the Lady Hawks within two points with 2.8 seconds left. Poppe had four rebounds and two steals while also playing some solid defense.

carbaugh3. Devon Carbaugh

The sophomore post proved to be a tough matchup for the Lady Hawks. She finished with 11 points, a game-high 11 rebounds and four assists in a reserve role. She’s one of several young players that the Flyers will return who will make them one of the favorites in the GLVC next season.

DOBservations

With the loss, QU will go to Drury for next week’s opening weekend of play in the GLVC Tournament. The Lady Hawks will play Bellarmine in a 1 p.m. game Saturday at Drury. The winner of that game will meet the host Panthers in Sunday’s 1 p.m. game. QU beat Bellarmine 105-93 earlier this season at Pepsi Arena. … The game served as a Lady Hawk reunion of sorts. Former Lady Hawks who made the trip to Romeoville included Lisa Farrell, Courtney VonderHaar, Jessica Stuckman, Jenny Wisser and Alex Roznowski. … Saturday’s loss marked the first time in JD Gravina’s three-year tenure that the Lady Hawks were swept by an opponent.

Slap of the Week — Feb. 19

Posted by dobrien – February 19, 2010

Tiger Woods GolfA special DOBservations letter to this week’s Slap of the Week — Tiger Woods.

Dear Tiger,

I don’t care whether or not Elin hit you with a golf club.

I don’t care how many Perkins waitresses there are in your past.

It stinks that the paparazzi are following your wife and kids around. But I don’t care about that either.

I don’t care that you let everyone down.

I don’t care that you haven’t been being a good Buddhist.

I don’t care that you have been in sex rehab and are going back again.

I don’t care that you’ve learned how to move, talk and act like a robot.

All I care about is when you’re going to come back to play golf. You made me wait through about 12 minutes of your 13 1/2-minute mea culpa on Friday before you told me it was going to be a while. You didn’t give me a date for your return.

The only thing I cared about, you barely talked about.

Just promise me one thing, Tiger. Don’t pull a Michael Jordan and try to see if you’re any good at cricket.

Sincerely,

DOBservations

Mid-Week Grades — Feb. 17

Posted by dobrien – February 17, 2010

Welcome to your Ash Wednesday edition of the Grades. WGEM SportsCenter host Josh Houchins and I will gnash these over around 8:20 or so on Wednesday’s show on ESPN 1440. Have a grade? Text us at 217-617-9437 or email us at sportscenter@wgem.com.

A — Quincy University men’s volleyball. Yes, the VolleyHawks don’t get much ink, but they’ve had a couple of big wins so far early in the season. They beat defending NAIA champion Lindenwood earlier this season and over the weekend took Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association member Ball State to five games before losing last Friday and then beat the Cardinals in four games on Saturday, their first win over the Cardinals in nine years. The win snapped a long MIVA losing streak for the Hawks. Men’s volleyball is pretty fun to watch. The guys absolutely crush the ball. Maybe the Hawks are starting to turn the corner.

B — David Duval. When David Duval was at his best, I wasn’t much of fan. I’ve always been (and still am) a Tiger guy. But you have to give Duval credit — he keeps battling. Duval, who was in the mix at the U.S. Open last year, wound up finishing second last weekend at Pebble Beach, which will host the U.S. Open this year. He’ll play at Augusta, Pebble Beach and at St. Andrews in the British Open this year thanks to his tie for second at last year’s U.S. Open. Hopefully, Duval, who doesn’t even have a PGA Tour card this year, can make the most of his limited starts.

C — NBA All-Star weekend. At least the game was exciting and set a record for the most people to ever watch a basketball game in person. Other than that, the NBA’s midseason extravaganza was lacking excitement. As always, the celebrity game on Friday was lame. The All-Star Saturday events lacked pop, too. The HORSE contest took too long. The Shooting Stars event has run its course. As expected, the dunk contest was predictably bad with tiny Nate Robinson winning it again.

D — Winter Olympics. They’re actually having more technical troubles in Vancouver than they did over the weekend at Daytona. The Canadian folks were trying to be eco-friendly with some of their zambonies. Unfortunately, they kept breaking down and some gas guzzlers had to be brought in to do the job right. Many of the skiing events have had to be postponed because of a lack of snow. Oh, and there was the fact a terrified luger died on the track during warmups before the Games began. No matter what happens from here on out though, you can bet the organizers will declare the games “a huge success” during the closing ceremonies, just like they always do.

F — Daytona 500. What  a terrible start to the NASCAR season. The race gets halted to fix a pot hole for some 2 1/2 hours. How does that happen? Imagine the uproar if the Super Bowl was stopped for turf issues for that long. Toss in the fact that someone few people other than NASCAR die-hards even knew won the race and it was a pretty bad day for the circuit. I realize Daytona is a big deal and all, but in the long run the race doesn’t mean much. Four-time defending Jimmie Johnson hasn’t finished inside the top 25 at Daytona after each of his championship seasons. The only time he got a boost from the Great American Race was in 2006 when he won his only Daytona title and went on to capture his first Chase title.

QU Review — QU men 85, Wisconsin-Parkside 59

Posted by dobrien – February 15, 2010

The Hawks bounced back from a two-game losing streak over the weekend to hammer the Rangers in their final-regular season game at Pepsi Arena.

Here’s a look at Monday’s stars:

burke0910jpg1. Tyler Burke

The sharp-shooter scored a career-high 21 points thanks to seven 3-pointers to lead the Hawks in scoring. Burke was 7 for 11 from distance. He said after the game that the seven treys were in the range for the most he’s ever made in a game. He was in rhythm all night long and the Hawks did a good job of finding him in transition as well as in their half-court sets.

brock09102. Justin Brock

He followed up a 19-point, 19-rebound effort against the Rangers earlier in the season with a 17-point, 12-rebound effort on his 22nd birthday. It was obvious in warmups that the smaller Rangers had no one that could match up with Brock in the low post. He controlled the boards and was able to convert when the Hawks got him the ball in the low block.

pierre0910jpg3. Mookie Pierre

He had a good all-around game, finishing with 14 points, eight rebounds and three assists. He isn’t as flashy as fellow senior Billy Baptist, who threw down two monster dunks on Monday, but Pierre is just as solid. He can knock down the mid-range jumper, which is somewhat of a lost art, just as easily as he can beat you to the rim. It will be tough for the Hawks’ coaching staff to replace what he and Baptist give the team.

DOBservations

The Hawks reached the 20-win plateau in the first time in the regular season during QU coach Marty Bell’s seven-year tenure. Two of his other teams have won 20 games in the season, but needed postseason tournament wins to get there. … QU is now 7-0 on Senior Days during Bell’s tenure. … Brock was quick to point out after the game that the Hawks are now 2-0 on his birthday — they beat Southern Indiana last year on his birthday. … The Hawks tied a season-high with 13 3-pointers as a team. … The Hawks (20-5, 11-5 GLVC) need to win just one of their last two road games in order to clinch the GLVC North Division. They can also clinch should second-place St. Joseph’s, which is 1 1/2 games behind QU, loses its GLVC finale Thursday at Wisconsin-Parkside. … After watching Monday’s game it’s hard to see how Parkside (8-17, 3-13) took QU to overtime before losing earlier this season.

QU Review — QU women 81, Wisconsin-Parkside 65

Posted by dobrien – February 15, 2010

The Lady Hawks got a much-needed quality win in their final game on the Pepsi Arena floor this season.

Here’s a look at Monday’s stars:

shumanc09101. Courtney Shuman

When the teams met in Kenosha, Wis., earlier this season, the Rangers’ interior players killed QU. On Monday night, Shuman turned the tables. She had her seventh double-double of the season, finishing with a career-high 27 points to go with 11 rebounds. She was way too much for the Rangers to handle. Don’t know if she’ll get it or not, but she’s looking more and more like a first-team All-Great Lakes Valley Conference pick.

burgin09102. Janette Burgin

She had a solid all-around floor game in her last game ever at Pepsi. Burgin had 15 points, six assists and six rebounds. She also had a pair of blocks to help spur an inspired effort on the defensive end by a QU team that got lit up by lowly St. Joseph’s the last time it played at home, a disappointing Senior Day loss for the Lady Hawks.

stellflue09103. Lindsey Stellflue

She  also starred in her last home game. Stellflue was at her best when attacking the rim. She finished with 18 points and added five rebounds and three assists. They’ll need more of that from her this weekend as the Lady Hawks face tough road tests at Lewis and Southern Indiana to close out the regular season.

DOBservations

The team’s four-year seniors — Burgin, Stellflue, Justeen Koehler and Michaela Young — wound up posting a 48-9 record at Pepsi Arena during their careers. The Lady Hawks lost more home games their freshman season (5) than they did in the last three years combined under JD Gravina. … That mark is better than the Class of 2004, which went 44-11 including a 17-0 season during the Elite Eight year in 2003-04. Only the senior Class of 2005, which featured four-year players Lindsay Anderson and Amber Dvorak, boasts a better home record than this group. They went 49-7 during their careers at Pepsi. … The win pushed QU (19-6) into a second-place tie with Lewis with identical 10-6 conference marks in the GLVC North. … Gravina was hit with a rare technical foul midway through the second half by Scott Fruehling. … I’m thinking Missy Brooks, who has done a number of games at Pepsi this season, must have sub-let Marc Briney’s timeshare here. It seemed like Briney lived here in years past, but only did two Lady Hawks games this season. On the other hand, it seems like Brooks did every other game at Pepsi this year.