So no one in their right mind can blame Lebron James for the Cavs loss to the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. As a matter of fact, he is the reason they got as far as they got. It just goes to show that basketball is beyond one player.
OK, so yeah it helps to have a talented player, but the Cavs realized that when you have a superstar player, if you can shut him down, you have to depend on the other four guys on the court. The entire series, the Cavs had trouble establishing an outside presence. That even hurt more later in the series when Charles Gibson was injured.
You simply just have to hand it to Boston. When you have three future hall-of-famers in Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce, you know you have a stacked lineup. My expectation is fans of old time basketball will get their wish and see a Los Angeles/Boston final. It is something the league is craving.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Poor kicking lead to destroyers loss
In football, not many notice the play of kickers when they make their extra points and short field goals, but those things can easily be taken for granted in Arena Football.
On Saturday evening, the Columbus Destroyers put forth one of their best efforts of the season, but still fell short 48-45 to the Dallas Desperados in front of 14,310 in Nationwide Arena. The loss sends Columbus to the basement of the National Conference with a 2-7 record. Dallas is tied with Philadelphia atop the standings with an 8-1 record.
Columbus got much of the help it needed from both the offense and the defense. Matt Nagy threw for four touchdowns, and called his own number on two quarterback draws in the second quarter. Columbus also benefited from two interceptions in the second quarter, one by Tremaine Neal and the other by Nate Coggins. Columbus had a 33-20 halftime lead.
Columbus tried to hold onto the lead through the second half. Dallas had its first defensive stop when Destroyers kicker Mark Lewis missed a 47-yard field goal to start the fourth quarter. The missed field goal happened after Lewis had already missed three extra point attempts. Dallas came back to take their first -- second half lead when Desperados quarterback Clint Dolezel found receiver Marcus Nash to give Dallas the 41-39 advantage. Columbus was stopped offensively once again when Nagy had back-to-back incomplete passes on third and fourth downs to receiver Derek Lee. The Destroyers defense stepped up when Dolezel muffed the football and the loose ball was recovered by Columbus defensive lineman Prenti Purnell.
Columbus would regain the lead with just under a minute in the game when Harold Wells bullied his way into the end zone for Columbus’ third rushing touchdown of the game. A failed two point conversion gave Columbus the 45-41 lead.
“In that type of ballgame, it is all about clock management,” Nagy said. “There are not too many people out there who saw Dallas let us score that touchdown. This game is about having the last possession in a game and the coaches were playing head games with each other to see who was going to have the ball last.”
Dallas quickly fired back when Will Pettis received a nine yard pass from Dolezel to give Dallas a 48-45 lead with 15 seconds left. Columbus would go from their own one yard line all the way to the Dallas 10 in just 11 seconds, but Mark Lewis missed his second field goal of the game as time expired. His 25 yard attempt would have sent the game to overtime, but instead sent his team to their third consecutive loss.
“I am not pleased with some of the things he is doing, Mark Lewis is a better kicker than he kicked tonight,” Columbus head coach Doug Kay said. “But he just needs to be as consistent as we want all the other players to be.”
Kay had said after Columbus’ previous game on April 21 that the team needed to show more heart in their play. That didn’t appear to be an issue with Kay after Saturday’s game.
“They played with heart and played with energy… the thing they have to realize is that they have seven more football games and none against a better football team than the one they played tonight.”
“I was happy with our heart, that is the biggest thing,” Nagy said. “I think some of the games this year I don’t know how much heart was in it but I think tonight we showed heart.”
One bright spot was Columbus; ironman Peter Lazare-Saunders getting his first career touchdown in the second quarter. It was also his first start of the season.
“It felt pretty good, but I would rather get it with a win,” Lazare-Saunders said. “I always had that (touchdown celebration) dance lined up for that day.”
Columbus spends the next two weeks on the road with a game at Kansas City and then one against Philadelphia before returning home May 24 to play New York.
On Saturday evening, the Columbus Destroyers put forth one of their best efforts of the season, but still fell short 48-45 to the Dallas Desperados in front of 14,310 in Nationwide Arena. The loss sends Columbus to the basement of the National Conference with a 2-7 record. Dallas is tied with Philadelphia atop the standings with an 8-1 record.
Columbus got much of the help it needed from both the offense and the defense. Matt Nagy threw for four touchdowns, and called his own number on two quarterback draws in the second quarter. Columbus also benefited from two interceptions in the second quarter, one by Tremaine Neal and the other by Nate Coggins. Columbus had a 33-20 halftime lead.
Columbus tried to hold onto the lead through the second half. Dallas had its first defensive stop when Destroyers kicker Mark Lewis missed a 47-yard field goal to start the fourth quarter. The missed field goal happened after Lewis had already missed three extra point attempts. Dallas came back to take their first -- second half lead when Desperados quarterback Clint Dolezel found receiver Marcus Nash to give Dallas the 41-39 advantage. Columbus was stopped offensively once again when Nagy had back-to-back incomplete passes on third and fourth downs to receiver Derek Lee. The Destroyers defense stepped up when Dolezel muffed the football and the loose ball was recovered by Columbus defensive lineman Prenti Purnell.
Columbus would regain the lead with just under a minute in the game when Harold Wells bullied his way into the end zone for Columbus’ third rushing touchdown of the game. A failed two point conversion gave Columbus the 45-41 lead.
“In that type of ballgame, it is all about clock management,” Nagy said. “There are not too many people out there who saw Dallas let us score that touchdown. This game is about having the last possession in a game and the coaches were playing head games with each other to see who was going to have the ball last.”
Dallas quickly fired back when Will Pettis received a nine yard pass from Dolezel to give Dallas a 48-45 lead with 15 seconds left. Columbus would go from their own one yard line all the way to the Dallas 10 in just 11 seconds, but Mark Lewis missed his second field goal of the game as time expired. His 25 yard attempt would have sent the game to overtime, but instead sent his team to their third consecutive loss.
“I am not pleased with some of the things he is doing, Mark Lewis is a better kicker than he kicked tonight,” Columbus head coach Doug Kay said. “But he just needs to be as consistent as we want all the other players to be.”
Kay had said after Columbus’ previous game on April 21 that the team needed to show more heart in their play. That didn’t appear to be an issue with Kay after Saturday’s game.
“They played with heart and played with energy… the thing they have to realize is that they have seven more football games and none against a better football team than the one they played tonight.”
“I was happy with our heart, that is the biggest thing,” Nagy said. “I think some of the games this year I don’t know how much heart was in it but I think tonight we showed heart.”
One bright spot was Columbus; ironman Peter Lazare-Saunders getting his first career touchdown in the second quarter. It was also his first start of the season.
“It felt pretty good, but I would rather get it with a win,” Lazare-Saunders said. “I always had that (touchdown celebration) dance lined up for that day.”
Columbus spends the next two weeks on the road with a game at Kansas City and then one against Philadelphia before returning home May 24 to play New York.
CSCC Sports
Former Cougars move on without a Columbus State uniform
It has been nearly one year since the last time Columbus State has fielded a team in baseball, softball, and track. Athletes were stunned with the decision by college administrators. Their future playing for a team at Columbus State ruined.
For the baseball program, what was just several years ago considered one of the top non-scholarship teams in the country – gone, for good. No more swinging for the fences at Columbus State’s former baseball home of McCoy Park. It is the same for the women’s softball team. The track team had to hang up their running shoes at the same time.
In the summer of 2007, the college announced that it eliminating five varsity sports, however bumped two of those sports from division three to division two allowing them to offer scholarships to volleyball and golf team members.
Still however the decision the college made still stings to former members of these teams.
Andy Karpowicz was a member of the 2007 squad and is now playing at Northern Kentucky. Karpowicz was a first team all conference recipient last year, and went to high school at Bishop Ready.
“Baseball was the only reason I really choose to go to CSCC, well that and the Fire Science and EMS program. I really hope they bring back the program, because when they ended it the program was fastly moving up to what it used to be,” he said.
Karpowicz added that even though last year’s roster only had 12 members, the team had up to 35 members ready to join this year’s squad; a squad which does not exist.
Fellow first teamer and Columbus State Cougar Jared Cagnon are now playing for the Clark State Eagles in the OCCAC. He said he would have returned this season to participate with the team. However, Cagnon is more satisfied with playing baseball in Springfield.
“To be honest I prefer the coaching staff this year,” Cagnon said. “The coaches care about winning and the work ethic is much better. The coaches last year did absolutely nothing for us when we had asked them to help us find another place to play.”
Chelsey Boyd was a member of Columbus State’s softball squad. She was not upset with her coaching staff after the news was announced about the team. The primary reason she was given was the cost of team expenditures.
“Once I found out at the end of last season that softball was being removed as an athletic option, I immediately started looking for something to satisfy my drive,” Boyd said. “I found The Columbus Comets, a women's football team, and have stuck with it ever since.”
Columbus State’s golf team is still surviving at their new level. The team has had a tough go of things finishing last in a tournament at Lorain Community College, and in fourth at the tournament at Lakeland. The Cougar golf team is currently fourth out of five teams in the OCCAC with a tournament to play at Cincinnati State, followed by regional tournaments.
It has been nearly one year since the last time Columbus State has fielded a team in baseball, softball, and track. Athletes were stunned with the decision by college administrators. Their future playing for a team at Columbus State ruined.
For the baseball program, what was just several years ago considered one of the top non-scholarship teams in the country – gone, for good. No more swinging for the fences at Columbus State’s former baseball home of McCoy Park. It is the same for the women’s softball team. The track team had to hang up their running shoes at the same time.
In the summer of 2007, the college announced that it eliminating five varsity sports, however bumped two of those sports from division three to division two allowing them to offer scholarships to volleyball and golf team members.
Still however the decision the college made still stings to former members of these teams.
Andy Karpowicz was a member of the 2007 squad and is now playing at Northern Kentucky. Karpowicz was a first team all conference recipient last year, and went to high school at Bishop Ready.
“Baseball was the only reason I really choose to go to CSCC, well that and the Fire Science and EMS program. I really hope they bring back the program, because when they ended it the program was fastly moving up to what it used to be,” he said.
Karpowicz added that even though last year’s roster only had 12 members, the team had up to 35 members ready to join this year’s squad; a squad which does not exist.
Fellow first teamer and Columbus State Cougar Jared Cagnon are now playing for the Clark State Eagles in the OCCAC. He said he would have returned this season to participate with the team. However, Cagnon is more satisfied with playing baseball in Springfield.
“To be honest I prefer the coaching staff this year,” Cagnon said. “The coaches care about winning and the work ethic is much better. The coaches last year did absolutely nothing for us when we had asked them to help us find another place to play.”
Chelsey Boyd was a member of Columbus State’s softball squad. She was not upset with her coaching staff after the news was announced about the team. The primary reason she was given was the cost of team expenditures.
“Once I found out at the end of last season that softball was being removed as an athletic option, I immediately started looking for something to satisfy my drive,” Boyd said. “I found The Columbus Comets, a women's football team, and have stuck with it ever since.”
Columbus State’s golf team is still surviving at their new level. The team has had a tough go of things finishing last in a tournament at Lorain Community College, and in fourth at the tournament at Lakeland. The Cougar golf team is currently fourth out of five teams in the OCCAC with a tournament to play at Cincinnati State, followed by regional tournaments.
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