D.C. Divas Looking Good Nearing the 1/2 way mark...

-Nate Lewis US Sports Network 04/20/11 11:11AM EST

 In case you haven't noticed, your D.C. Divas are winning impressively, even when they aren't playing at their best. The good news for the 2-0 Divas is that they can get even better as this season progresses, especially in the defensive backfield. Explosive as they want to be on offense the 'real first ladies of football' have outscored opponents 110 to 26 after 3 games.
They have the ability to run the ball 30-40 times per game with Grisby and Pickett in the backfield. And oh by the way wait until Rachelle Pecovsky works her way back into football shape." Tomorrow a few thoughts on the Divas 'D' because as they say: You can score 35 points a game, but you better keep your opponent under 35 to win." More profound insights tomorrow.


-(Pictured) Okima Pickett is averaging 5.3 yards per carry from her fullback position in 2011

William Bailey Earns All-American Status At NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships

(ALBUQUERQUE, NM)  Bowie State University sophomore William Bailey (Upper Marlboro, MD, Bowie) placed sixth overall in the Long Jump at the NCAA Division II Indoor National Championships hosted by Adams State College.

Bailey went 7.40m in the preliminary event and jumped 7.12m (23-04.50) in the finals which earned him All-American status.  This marks the second time in Bailey's career that he has earned All-American status.  He was selected an All-American in the same event at the 2010 Outdoor Nationals and was also named Atlantic Region Field Athlete of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) in 2010.

Bulldogs junior Artavius Williams (Baltimore, MD, Baltimore Polytechnic) also participated in the 2011 Indoor Nationals, placing 11th overall in the Triple Jump (14.13m / 46.04.25).

BOWIE STATE FALLS 94-81 IN NCAA REGION SEMIFINAL TO INDIANA (PA)

            (WEST LIBERTY, WV – March 13, 2011) Indiana University of Pennsylvania fell into a 14-point hole in the opening seven minutes of the game before the trio of Ashton Smith, Julian Sanders and Scooter Renkin rallied the Crimson Hawks to a 94-81 win over Bowie State University in the semifinals of the NCAA Atlantic Region.

            The Bulldogs made four 3-pointers in the first six minutes of the game and built an 18-4 lead on a steal by junior Darren Clark with 13:22 left in the half.  Ashton Smith hit a jumper on IUP’s first shot attempt of the game, but the Crimson Hawks missed four shots and committed six turnovers as the Bulldogs surged ahead.

            Renkin got the Crimson Hawks comeback started when he converted a steal into a layup and was fouled, making the free throw for a three-point play.  Smith made three buckets, including a 3-pointer, and Willi Estrella made two free throws at the 10:22 mark to cap a 14-2 run that pulled IUP within 20-16.

            Bowie State (26-3) held a 30-27 lead, but triples by Smith and Julian Sanders put the Crimson Hawks in front 33-30. Scooter Renkin scored seven straight points and his 3-pointer with 2:44 remaining in the first half made it a 40-34 Indiana (PA) lead.  The Crimson Hawks strolled into halftime with a 46-40 advantage.

            Indiana University of Pennsylvania (26-5) shot 57 percent from the field in the first half, hitting 17-of-30, which included five-of nine beyond the arc. 

            Bowie State hit 48 percent of its first period field goals (15-of-31), which included six-of-11 behind the 3-point line.

            The Crimson Hawks used the long ball to get back in the game and eventually pulled away from Bowie State.  IUP was red hot from 3-point distance, connecting on 13-of-19 (68 percent), 60 percent overall from the field and 23-of-26 (89 percent) from the charity stripe.

            Sanders and Smith hit 3-pointers on consecutive IUP possessions to make it 78-69 with 6:09 left in the game, and Darryl Webb along with Kevin Stewart also dialed up 3-pointers on back-to-back shots with the latter giving the Crimson Hawks their first double digit lead of the game at 84-72 with 4:04 remaining.  Webb scored nine points over the final 4:35 and IUP made all six of its free throw attempts in the final minute to secure the win.

            Smith scored a game-high 24 points, Sanders had 22 and Renkin added 14 points to lead five Crimson Hawks in double figures.

            Clark led Bowie State’s Bulldogs with 20 points followed by senior Eric Vann with 15.  Junior Jay Gavin and sophomore Bryan Wilson chipped in a dozen points each in the season ending loss.

(Bowie State U) BULLDOGS ADVANCE WITH 79-59 WIN OVER MANSFIELD

            (WEST LIBERTY, WV – March 12, 2011)  Making their first post season appearance since 2005, Bowie State University took advantage of the opportunity and defeated Mansfield University 79-59 to advance to Sunday’s 5 pm NCAA Regional semifinal.

            Bowie State (23-5), ranked No. 19 in the final NCAA Division II poll, led from start to finish and converted 18 Mansfield turnovers into 32 points. 

The Bulldogs bolted out to a 17-4 lead before the first media timeout and shot 51 percent from the floor in the first half, knocking down 18-of-35.

Mansfield (18-10) really struggled in the first half of play, hitting only eight-of-28 (29 percent) from the field. 

Bowie State held a double-digit lead until a pair of free throws and a 3-pointer by Mansfield’s Derrison Anthony trimmed the Bulldogs lead to 23-17 at the 10:34 mark of the opening period.

Bowie State went on a 17-3 run over the next 10 minutes and used that momentum for a very comfortable 45-25 cushion by halftime.

The Bulldogs lead grew to a game-high 25 points (50-25) early in the second half, which allowed Bowie State coach Darrell Brooks a chance to go deep into his bench.

“I was very, very thrilled with this post season victory”, said Brooks.  “For our guys to come back and forget about our conference tournament loss and perform the way we did today makes me happy.”

Bowie State juniors Darren Clark and Travis Hyman paced the Bulldogs with 24 and 21 points respectively to lead Bowie State.  Senior Eric Vann added 15 points to go along with four steals and four assists.

“This was a big win for us and tremendous morale booster for the team”, said Clark.

            Yuseff Carr led Mansfield with a double-double of 21 points and 10 rebounds.

            The Bulldogs will take on the Indiana University of Pennsylvania Crimson Hawks – Sunday (March 13) at 5 pm in the Academic, Sports and Recreation Center (ASRC) on the West Liberty (W.Va.) University campus.

New Year's Revolution!

Let's face it. Everyday you resolve to accomplish things so do we really need the start of the new year to actually do something about those things that we resolved to do about last year?
 Those habits that we wished to start or stop that we started or stopped around February of last year?
 How about this: "Be your best at all times"

Don't take this shmuck's word for it. try some real experts:

“This won't be good enough. It wasn't good enough today. It won't be good enough against anybody else, either.”
“One thing that could be a problem is breaking old habits. It's not that you don't understand what the new responsibilities or plays are, but just the fact that you've been doing something a long time and you're kind of used to doing it, it's a habit, and that's not what's required in the other system and that means kind of undoing something before you can even start to do something new.” Bill Belchick Head Coach New England Patriots

"A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything."
"Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today. "
Malcom X

 "As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others. "
"It's fine to celebrate success but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure. "
Bill Gates

I am preaching and teaching myself as well as musing to you right now. Let's follow our dreams with prayer, planning and daily action. ...oh like writing a daily blog nate? Happy New Year!  

Ok so we are going to fire the coach?

Nate Lewis US Sports Network

I just want to get the rhetoric straight. Your head football coach at your school winning 19 out of the last 21 league championships, averaging 10 plus D-1 scholarship offers to your athletes (some of them your sons); unprecedented in High School sports. Instrumental in helping boys become decent young men for over 3 decades is now expendable?

If you follow High School football here in the Washington D.C. area, you probably know that I am talking about DeMatha Catholic High School football. They (the Stags) suffered their worst loss as a program in the 2010 WCAC championship this past Sunday to the Good Counsel Falcons 42-3. Hats of to the Falcons for playing the far better game, and to legendary coach Bob Milloy for having that team ready to play the better game than the Stags.

When it was evident that Our Lady Of Good Counsel High School was going to win their second straight championship; reportedly some players' parents and others were overheard rumbling about firing coach McGregor and his staff as if the game has passed him by.

Granted as the radio play-by-play 'mouth' of the Stags I could be a little biased. Getting to know Coach McGregor personally I could take offense to such rumblings. I also know however not to make business decisions and judgments based on emotion. Emotions can be unreliable if they do not line up with the will of the creator. 'Dats how mah Mama and Dadda taht me.' So let me bore you a little with the facts:

6 undefeated teams
16 full NCAA Division I scholarships 1990 (most in the USA)
2001- 14 Division IA or IAA full football scholarships awarded to seniors
2004- 18 Division IA or IAA full football scholarships awarded to seniors
Over 320 players awarded full NCAA Division I scholarships
HONORS
11 time WCAC Coach Of The Year
1982 Prince Georges County Coach of The Year
1987 “Big 33” Head Coach-Maryland vs. Pennsylvania
2000- Super 44 Head Coach-Maryland vs. Virginia
2001 Pigskin Club Coach of the Year
2003 Washington Post All-Met Coach of the Year
2003 Maryland State Coach of The Year
2004 Washington Redskins High School Coach of The Week
2005 Washington Redskins High School Coach of The Week
2004 NFL National High School Coach of The Year
2004 Gerald R. Ford High School Coach of The Year

This is just a partial list.

To make a long story short you, me, fans, parents, supporters, boosters, and casual observers are straight up, spoon in mouth, soiled diaper spoiled!

It is one thing to expect excellence. We should all strive for it. We however never reach perfection so we settle for constant improvement. You can say going from winning 17 out of the last 20 WCAC championships to coming up short in the last two is a step back. Maybe maybe not.
I would just pose the scenario to St. John's, Carroll, Paul VI and many of the 38,000 or so high schools in the Continental U.S. I would expect they would love the chance to lose the WCAC championship in true 'Buffalo Bills' or 'Minnesota Vikings' fashion.

It's evident in today's society that we don't enjoy the ride. If the path to consistent success was always smooth then we would all be Billionaires (I get closer everyday insert smile and wink here). I'm no mind reader, but I would guess that coach McGregor and his staff relish this opportunity to overcome this championship drought if you want to call it that.

Football people, I have come to learn, love being behind with the game on the line. That is where you truly find out what you are or are not made of. Can't we find some fun in that? Isn't this just the kind of adversity that will make next season that much more enjoyable? Or am I just weird in not seeking instant gratification, championships every year that come like Thanksgiving heartburn, and 'ho-hum on to Basketball.'

So unless you are not getting my point here no I don't think that Bill McGregor and his staff should lose their jobs, much less be sent to the principal's office or any slap on the hand. You are certainly welcome to have your opinion. That is what soldiers like his former player and Afghan war vet (The late Brendan Looney) fought and continue to fight for.

So here's to another 30 years coach. If you are willing to put up with the occasional grumblings.

Don't be so fast to blame Albert Haynesworth's trainer...

I almost wish his name wasn't out there. But with the 24 hour newscycle, it would have been hard to hide.

Ok you all know the story by now 'Big Al' flunked 3 tries at a standard NFL conditioning test. Albeit trumped up by Mike 'The new Boss not same as the old boss' Shanahan.

That being said he should have been ready and his trainer Tripp Smith has to take some of the responsibility.

It is easy in this business to 'playuh hate' and pile on calling Tripp a 'fraud' however I leave the hate for the '4 letter network' geekaloids of the world.

From the descriptions of his workout regime in a phone interview, it sounded like a pretty solid plan. Boxing style conditioning with a heavy bag and cardiovascular work of up to 45 minutes.

What we don't have, and this is where the teachable moments come in, are the specifics of the workout. That being said he must be ready by the time he got to camp. I supported the decision here on local TV to workout on his own with the proviso: 'It has got to work.'

What I mean by 'work' is that Albert had to be ready for any conditioning test that was to be thrown at him. Structuring the workouts is the responsibility of all of us strength and conditioning coaches. But there is one word that is paramount to the success of a strength and conditioning program or you trying to lose that spare tire on P90X: compliance.

That means that I can tell an athlete what to do in a workout, but it is up to him/her to not only follow my instruction, but to give it his/her all and put the level of intensity that will gurantee a desired result. We don't know how many time Albert possiby quit on a drill or durin exercise that Tripp skillfully planned. We do not know and never should know how many workouts he missed, blew off, or just flaked on.

And above all; all of you who are trying to denounce the credibility of Albert's long time trainer, better take a look at yourselves. I am talking specifically to my fellow trainers and strength coaches who know better than to judge these unfortunate results as an indictment of Tripp Smith's ability as a coach.

This conditioning test which consists of 6 shuttle-style sprints totalling 300 yards is not easy by the way. I would like to see many of you try it.

Even though none of us have the full story of why Albert Haynesworth was not ready and not completely in shape for camp; In this case of this conditioning drill, we may have a prime example of a non-compliant client.

So the lesson to be learned here boys and girls is do what your trainer or coaches tell you to do. It could start with something as simple as ...Oh I don't know showing up to off-season workouts?