Tree of Life

13 May

ACC MEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT TO FEATURE SATURDAY CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

published in category: Sports Talk Radio on Tuesday, May 13th, 2014 – 11:57 am

The Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament will move to a Tuesday through Saturday format beginning with the 62nd annual event in 2015. The new tournament schedule, mutually agreed upon by ACC and ESPN, will feature Friday semifinal games at 7 and 9 p.m. ET, followed by the championship game on Saturday evening at 8:30 p.m. All 14 tournament games will continue to be televised nationally by ESPN and the ACC Network.

With the tournament now starting on Tuesday with the first-round games, the ACC regular season will conclude on Saturday of the previous weekend. Three first-round games on Tuesday, followed by four second-round games on Wednesday and four quarterfinal games on Thursday will precede the Friday semifinals and Saturday championship game.

While next season will mark the first time since 1981 that the ACC Tournament has featured a Saturday night final, there is much historical precedent. The first 28 ACC Tournaments featured Saturday championship games, 27 of which were played in evening “prime time” slots. The 1982 tournament marked the first in which the conference began holding its semifinal games on Saturday afternoon, followed by the Sunday afternoon championship game.

“This is kind of a ‘Back to the Future’ moment for our conference,” ACC Commissioner John Swofford said. “The Sunday championship game worked tremendously well for more than three decades, but I believe our schools, teams and our fans will be excited about crowning a champion on Saturday night. This will be a win-win for everyone involved – players, coaches, fans – and we greatly appreciate our television partners, ESPN and the ACC Network, working with us to make this happen.”

Greensboro Coliseum – site of 10 Saturday ACC Tournaments finals from 1967 through 1980 – will play host to the event for the 26th overall time in 2015. The tournament will be played at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C., in 2016, followed by a two-year run at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., in 2017 and 2018. The city of Charlotte, N.C., will host for the 13th time in 2019 when the ACC Tournament will be held at Time Warner Cable Arena, and the tournament will return to Greensboro Coliseum in 2020.

UPCOMING ACC TOURNAMENT SITES
2015: Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, N.C.
2016: Verizon Center, Washington, D.C.
2017: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, N.Y.
2018: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, N.Y.
2019: Time Warner Cable Arena, Charlotte, N.C.
2020: Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, N.C.

Posted in Sports Talk Radio

 

12 May

Steelers Draft Recap by Robert Norton

published in category: Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday, May 12th, 2014 – 8:37 am

draftThe question throughout Steelers Nation since December 29, 2013, after the pain of not making the playoffs for the second straight year subsided, has been what positions will the Steelers focus on and who will they take in this year’s NFL Draft? Those questions have finally been answered this past weekend in New York City. The main needs of the team have been no secret this offseason. They went into draft weekend needing help at cornerback, defensive line, wide receiver, and offensive tackle. No matter who you may have spoken to around the city or listened to on NFL Draft broadcasts, the question wasn’t would the Steelers fill these needs, but in what order they would address them. However once they were “On the Clock”, everything seemed to change.
I was and still am a firm believer the biggest need the team has is at cornerback. Ike Taylor isn’t getting any younger and every other corner on the roster was either a late round selection or a minor free agent signing. When the 15th pick in round one rolled around I was elated to see Michigan State cornerback Darqueze Dennard still on the board. I was already on the internet trying to order my black and gold Dennard jersey before the pick was even announced, then the Steelers did something that I am still trying to understand. The commissioner strolled up to the podium, looked into the camera as if he were looking directly into my eyes and said “With the 15th selection in the 2014 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers select Linebacker Ryan Shazier, Ohio State.” At that very moment a collective feeling of shock rang out across Steeler Nation.
It’s not as if I feel he will be a bust. Actually, it’s quite the opposite. I feel Shazier will be a tremendous player for years to come. Physically, the kid is a beast. He ran a sub 4.4 40-yard dash, had a 42” vertical leap, is 6’1” and weighs in at 237lbs. The shock came from using the valuable and coveted first round pick not on a position of need, and for the second year in a row on an outside linebacker. However the word from the Steelers is he will roam the middle of the field next to Lawrence Timmons next season. Does this pick make the team better? Absolutely! Does it fix any of their biggest problems? Not in the slightest.
In Round 2 they took Stephon Tuitt, a Defensive End out of Notre Dame. I feel this is a tremendous pick. Projected to go in the first round, hernia surgery before last season slowed him during the year. The surgery does pose a concern in the future, but this kid can flat out play. He has a nose for the ball and makes this happen. I feel the Steelers will finally get from Tuitt what they thought they were getting when they drafted Evander “Ziggy” Hood.
With their 3rd round selection the Steelers once again left their fans scratching their heads. They took Dri Archer, a running back out of Kent State. The fastest player in the draft with a 4.26 40 time at the combine, Archer can flat out fly but does not fill a need. With Le’Veon Bell and the free agent signing of LeGarrette Blount, I am wondering when Archer will see the field.
With their 4th round pick they selected Martavis Bryant, a wide receiver from Clemson. Another physical specimen who is what Big Ben was looking for. At 6’4” with 4.42 speed, Roethlisberger will finally have the tall receiver he has coveted since the days of Plexico Burress. In the 5th round they finally addressed their cornerback need by selecting Shaquille Richardson from Arizona. I am not sure he will have much of an impact, but let’s keep our fingers crossed. They also selected Wesley Johnson, a center out of Vanderbilt in the 5th round. With two picks in the 6th round they selected Jordan Zumwalt, a outside linebacker from UCLA and Dan McCullers, a defensive tackle from Tennessee. Wrapping up their draft they selected Rob Blanchflower, a tight end from UMass.
Just as the case with any draft, only time will tell how well the Steelers did. We may look back in three years and rave about the tremendous job Colbert and Tomlin did, but then again we may look back and scratch our heads wondering what might have been if they only picked differently. This draft was very important for many reasons but none more so than solidifying the state of a franchise coming off of two non-playoff seasons at 8-8. Looking at this draft today I can say the Steelers drafted some amazingly talented players who may have an impact in the near future. The problem though is they still have glaring needs in multiple positions that could once again have them watching the playoffs from home.

Posted in Pittsburgh Steelers

 

09 May

Steelers select speedy RB

published in category: Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday, May 9th, 2014 – 11:50 pm

DRI ARCHER
Running Back/Wide Receiver/Return Specialist
Kent State University Golden Flashes
5-8 – 173
Laurel, Florida
Venice High School
3rd Round – 97th Overall

CAREER NOTES
Archer started 21-of-47 games at Kent State – 20 at the A-Back position and one as a tailback…Caught 99 passes for 1,194 yards (12.06 ypc) and 12 touchdowns…Gained 2,342 yards with 24 scores on 325 carries (7.21 ypc)…Returned 51 kickoffs for 1,436 yards and four touchdowns…Also completed a 24-yard pass for a score, adding eight yards on six punt returns while also recording three solo tackles…Generated 4,980 all-purpose yards, an average of 105.96 yards per game, as he recorded a total of 40 touchdowns and scored 240 points…Mid-American Conference Career-Record Results…Archer’s 40 total touchdowns tied P.J. Pope of Bowling Green (2002-04) for 16th place on the league record chart…His kickoff return average of 28.16 yards ranks fourth in MAC annals behind Bryan Williams of Akron (20.5 avg, 2007-08), James Williams of Marshall (29.4 avg, 1998-99) and Eric Page of Toledo (28.9 avg, 2009-10)…School Career-Record Results…Archer ranks 10th in school annals with 99 receptions, as his 12 scoring grabs tied Jurron Kelly (1998-01) for sixth on the school all-time list…His 40 total touchdowns are one shy of the school record of 41 that is held by Josh Cribbs (2001-04)…Finished ninth on the KSU rushing record list with 2,342 yards and eighth with 24 touchdowns on the ground…His 1,436 yards gained via kickoff returns rank seventh in school annals, while his average of 28.16 yards per kickoff return topped the previous Golden Flash record of 24.5 yards by Norman Warren (1977-79)…Also set the team record with four kickoff returns for touchdowns…His 240 points scored are third-best at the school behind Josh Cribbs (246; 2001-04) and Freddy Cortez (299; 2009-12).

2013 SEASON
Archer played in 10 games, starting nine contests at A-Back…Recorded 327 yards with four touchdowns on 25 receptions (13.08 ypc)…Carried 68 times for 527 yards (7.75 ypc) and six scores…Returned two kickoffs for 128 yards and one touchdown…Scored 66 points behind a total of 11 touchdowns, as he also recorded a pair of solo tackles and generated 982 all-purpose yards…The team offensive captain was named MAC East Special Teams Player of the Week after returning a kickoff for a 100-yard touchdown vs. Northern Illinois…Named to All-MAC Third Team as both a wide receiver and a kick returner… Averaged 7.8 yards per carry… Led team in scoring with 66 points and 11 total touchdowns. Tied for team lead in rushing touchdowns (6)… Led team with 982 all-purpose yards… Rushed for 138 yards and three touchdowns in win at Ohio. Also caught five passes for 53 yards, giving him 191 yards of total offense… Scored on a 20
yard touchdown run in the victory over Miami, this was his eighth rushing touchdown this season… Rushed 10 times for 115 yards, including a 74 yard touchdown run as well as a 73 yard touchdown catch in the loss at South Alabama. Archer accumulated 199 yards of total offense and 227 all-purpose yards… Caught a 14 yard touchdown pass during the loss to Ball State… Caught a 66 yard touchdown pass as well as returning a kick 100 yards for a touchdown (tying Norman Warren in 1979 for longest in school history) during the loss to Northern Illinois… Caught a 31 yard touchdown pass during the win at Western Michigan… He snared four balls for 48 yards and a 31-yard score, adding 73 yards on six carries vs. Western Michigan…In addition to his kickoff return for a score, he caught a swing pass that Archer turned into a 66-yard touchdown vs. Northern Illinois…He added a 14-yard scoring grab vs. Ball State and picked up 114 yards on ten carries with a 74-yard touchdown run, as he also tallied 85 yards on two catches that included a 75-yard score vs. South Alabama…Generated 83 yards on 12 runs and reached the end zone on a 17-yard carry, knocking down All-American defensive end Khalil Mack to leap over the pylon vs. Buffalo…Closed out his career with 15 attempts for 138 yards and three touchdowns, as he also made five catches for 53 yards vs. Ohio University.

2012 SEASON
Archer earned All-American honors from The NFL Draft Report, Associated Press, Walter Camp, ESPN.com, Sporting News and Phil Steele…Named Mid-American Conference Special Teams Player of the Year and All-MAC first-team as both a running back and kick returner…One of four finalists for the Paul Hornung Award, honoring nation’s most versatile player…Finished the year with 1,429 rushing yards (third most in a season at KSU) on just 159 carries with 16 touchdowns, as his average of 8.99 yards per attempt topped the nation…Named Dapper Dan Club of Akron’s Co-Sports Person of the Year…Led the team with 39 catches for 561 yards (14.38 ypc) and four touchdowns… Returned three kickoffs for touchdowns and averaged 36.9 yards on 16 kick returns (highest in MAC history), good for 591 yards…Named to Paul Hornung Award Weekly Honor Roll three times throughout the season…Earned the Joe Fogg Award, honoring national collegiate player of the year in the Midwest…Named MAC East Player of the Week for his performance vs. Bowling Green, after rushing 17 times for 241 yards and two touchdowns that both went for over 70 yards in the 31-24 victory. His 241 yards broke a Doyt Perry Stadium record…Amassed 217 yards vs. Towson, as he carried eight times for 57 yards with two scores, returned two kickoffs for 155 yards and a 98-yard touchdown, as he also had an 8-yard catch…Raced 47 yards for a touchdown and tallied 205 all-purpose yards vs. Kentucky…Exploded for a career-high 350 all-purpose yards, rushing eight times for 72 yards, catching three passes for 104 yards and two scores, including a 33-yarder and returned four kickoffs for 174 yards with a 99-yard touchdown vs. Ball State…Gained 127 yards on 14 rushes
vs. Buffalo and carried 12 times for 229 yards and a score, as he also threw a 24-yard pass for a touchdown vs.Army…Ran for a 30-yard score on 11 tries for 129 yards vs. Akron and carried 11 times for 151 yards and a pair of touchdowns, adding 54 yards and a score on two catches and a 13-yard kickoff return for 218 all-purpose yards in the Miami (Oh.) clash…Followed with 241 yards on 17 runs vs. Bowling Green.

2010 SEASON
Archer appeared in 12 games at tailback and had 75 yards on 16 catches with a score and 140 yards on 40 carries (3.50 ypc) that included one touchdown…Gained 451 yards on 22 kickoff returns (20.5 avg).

2009 SEASON
A reserve tailback as a true freshman, Archer finished fourth on the team with 743 all-purpose yards. Was second on the squad with 246 rushing yards on 58 carries (4.2 ypc) and also had 19 grabs for 231 yards…Posted four total touchdowns (three receiving, one rushing)…Led the team with a 24.18-yard average on 11 kick returns for 266 yards.

HIGH SCHOOL
Archer attended Vencice (Laurel, Fla.) High School, playing football for head coach John Peacock…Received just a twostar prospect grade from both Rivals.com and Scout.com… Named team MVP, first team all-area and second team all-conference during his senior year…In 2008, he rushed for 1,482 yards and 17 touchdowns on just 145 carries (10.2 ypc), while adding 21 receptions for 402 yards and five scores…Helped lead the team to back-to-back district titles and an undefeated 2008 regular season…Returned kicks for the Indians, averaging 22.3 yards on both kickoffs and punts, including running back one punt for a touchdown…Also lettered in track and baseball, finishing second in the 100-meter final of the state track meet in his first full season of running (ahead of third place Denard Robinson, former Michigan quarterback and present Jacksonville Jaguar) with a time of 10.49 seconds.

PERSONAL
Archer is majoring in Business Management…Son of Valerie Hart…Born 8/09/91…Resides in Laurel, Florida.

Posted in Pittsburgh Steelers

 

09 May

RIVERHOUNDS FALL TO ORLANDO CITY 1-0

published in category: Sports Talk Radio on Friday, May 9th, 2014 – 10:37 pm

In a tightly contested match on Friday night at Highmark Stadium, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds fell to Orlando City 1-0.

The match will likely be remembered most for a controversial call in the 75th minute.

Trailing 1-0, the Riverhounds had a great opportunity after some quality combination play down the left side, a ball was sent to the middle of the box for midfielder Matt Dallman. As Dallman went for the ball, he was tackled by Orlando’s Yordany Alvarez appearing to not make contact with the ball.

Referee Kevin Terry Jr. blew the whistle and appeared to signal for a foul and a penalty kick. He even booked Alvarez for a yellow card.

As the Orlando City players disputed the call, Terry Jr. checked with his lineman for his point of view. After a lengthy discussion, the call was overturned, and a drop ball was ensued about 12 yards from the goal.

“I’ve never seen a call (like that) in my life. Somehow, I’ve never seen that,” said a flabbergasted Justin Evans, Riverhounds Head Coach.

“He (Terry Jr.) said he didn’t see it clearly. But he went to the linesman, who was in the dark.”

The Riverhounds played strong through most of the match, able to keep possession for long stretches against the top team in USL PRO, leading to some quality chances as Evans implemented a 4-1-4-1 formation.

Under pressure from the Pittsburgh attack, Orlando finished the match with 19 fouls. The Riverhounds couldn’t take advantage of multiple free kick opportunities.

Orlando took the early lead in the 14th minute as Kevin Molino chipped a ball over Riverhounds goalkeeper Michael Lisch after receiving a through ball from Dennis Chin.

Chin was able to take advantage of a poor clearance by Lisch, to set up Molino, with his USL PRO leading 5th goal of the season.

“That’s why Kevin Molino is a dangerous player. We just got out of shape for that one minute. It was a bad giveaway, and when you do that against a team like this, they usually put it away, and they did,” said Evans.

The Riverhounds were able to create some hardship on the Lions defense in the 1st half, with 6 shots. Under some pressure from the Riverhounds forwards Joseph Ngwenya and Jose Angulo, Orlando was called for nine fouls in the first 45 minutes, as midfielder Anthony Pulis was responsible for three of them.

The Riverhounds outshot the Lions 12-11 with a more aggressive approach, leading to Orlando City being called for more fouls, 19-11.

With the defeat, the Riverhounds (0-3-3) remain at the bottom of the USL PRO standings. Earning another three points with the road win, Orlando City (6-0-2) currently has a six point edge over 2nd place LA Galaxy II at the top of the table.

The Riverhounds will return to action on Wednesday night at Highmark Stadium in the 2nd Round of Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup against the New York Red Bull U-23.

Posted in Sports Talk Radio

 

09 May

Steelers go Defense again in 2nd round

published in category: Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday, May 9th, 2014 – 10:01 pm

STEPHON TUITT
Defensive End/Tackle
University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish
6-5, 303
Monroe, Georgia
Monroe Area High School
2nd Round – 46th Overall

CAREER NOTES
Tuitt started 29-of-35 games at Notre Dame, including his final 26 at left defensive end and his first three starting assignments at left tackle…Finished with 127 tackles (59 solos), 21.5 sacks for minus 163 yards, 25.0 stops for losses of 176 yards and 27 quarter-back pressures…Caused four fumbles and recovered another that he advanced 77 yards for a touchdown…Deflected four passes, intercepted another in the end zone for a score and blocked one kick…School Career-Record Results…Tuitt’s 20 sacks are the most for any active Notre Dame player and rank fifth on the school career-record chart, one shy of Mike Gann’s total of 21.0, which ranks fourth in school history (note-sacks became a recorded statistic in 1982)…School Season-Record Results…Ranks second on the Irish season list with 12 sacks in 2012…School Game-Record Results…Tuitt’s 77-yard advancement of a fumble vs. Navy in 2012 is the second-longest in school history.

2013 SEASON
Tuitt started all 13 games at left defensive end, playing more than 25 pounds over his previous weight from his sophomore campaign (328)…Ranked sixth on the team with a career-high 50 tackles (24 solos), leading the Irish for the second consecutive year with 7.5 sacks for minus 56 yards and nine stops for losses totaling 62 yards…Credited with 13 quarterback pressures, as he caused one fumble, scored on an interception and deflected two passes…Recipient of the Notre Dame Moose Krause Lineman of the Year…Also on the watch lists for the Maxwell Award and Bednarik Award…Recorded an interception return for touchdown vs. Michigan, becoming the first Irish defensive player with a fumble and interception return for touchdown in a career since Tommy Zbikowski (2004-07)…Played arguably his best game in a Notre Dame uniform vs. Southern California, as he registered his first multiple sack game of the season (two for minus 16 yards) and fourth of his career, adding seven tackles. Only two players in school history have posted more multiple sack games over their career (Justin Tuck and Bryant Young)…Registered six tackles, a sack and quarterback pressure in the victory over Michigan State…Added five stops, a sack and two quarterback pressures vs. Oklahoma…Posted his 17th career sack and fourth career forced fumble in the fourth quarter vs. Arizona State, as he added another half sack vs. the Sun Devils…Collected his milestone 20th career sack in the final minutes of Notre Dame’s 23-13 win over Brigham Young and helped prevent any chance of a Cougar comeback. He also recorded seven tackles, three quarterback pressures and a pass breakup vs. BYU.

2012 SEASON
Tuitt was named All-American first-team by ESPN.com, Athlon Sports, Sports Illustrated and CBS Sports, adding secondteam accolades from the Walter Camp Foundation, the Associated Press and Sporting News, along with honorable mention from Pro Football Weekly…Added to the watch lists for the Maxwell Award, Bednarik Award and Ted Hendricks Award…Started all 13 games at left defensive end, recording 47 tackles (24 solos), as he led the Irish with 12 sacks (second on the school season-record chart) for minus 89 yards and 13 stops for losses of 93 yards…Credited with nine quarterback pressures…Returned a fumble recovery 77 yards for a touchdown and caused three fumbles…Also deflected one pass and blocked a kick…His score via a fumble recovery came in the season opener vs. Navy, as he also tallied four tackles and two sacks for nine yards vs. the Midshipman…Had four more tackles each vs. Purdue and Michigan State, as he posted two sacks for 12 yards vs. the Boilermakers and one sack vs. the Spartans…Made two tackles and a sack for 10 yards vs. Michigan and was in on seven tackles and a key half sack vs. Stanford…Posted five tackles and two sacks for a loss of 25 yards vs. Brigham Young and notched six tackles and 1.5 sacks for six yards in a three-overtime win over Pittsburgh…Added one sack each vs. Boston College and Wake Forest, as he also forced two fumbles vs. Boston College…Totaled five tackles in BCS National Championship Game vs. Alabama.

2011 SEASON
The talented freshman saw action in nine games, while starting vs. Navy, Wake Forest and Maryland at left defensive tackle…Did not play vs. Michigan, Purdue, Boston College or Stanford…Showed steady improvement throughout the season, tallying 26 of 30 tackles (11 solos) over the final six games played…Recorded two sacks for minus 18 yards, three stops for losses of 21 yards, five pressures and a pass deflection…Had season high in tackles with seven in games vs. Southern California and Navy…Notched five tackles and a pass breakup in a win vs. Air Force…Turned in his most disruptive game in a win at Wake Forest, compiling four tackles, with two going for a loss of 14 yards, as he also had an 11-yard sack…Registered three tackles to go along with a seven-yard sack in the Champs Sports Bowl vs. Florida State.

HIGH SCHOOL
Tuitt attended Monroe (Ga.) Area High School, playing football for head coach Matt Figg…Rated 38th nationally on Sports Illustrated list of top players during his senior season… Named Georgia Class 3A all-state first-team by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2010… One of four Georgia players to be named to All-Southern team by the Orlando Sentinel, as a defensive end, but also performed at tight end…Led Monroe High to an 11-2 record and a third-round appearance in the
Georgia Class AAA state playoffs during his senior season, after the team had finished a combined 0-20 the previous two seasons…Received first-team all-Georgia Region 8-AAA accolades after he posted 56 tackles, 24 stops-for-loss, 10 sacks, four forced fumbles and two fumbles recovered…Closed out his career by playing in U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio and in the Team USA vs. The World All-Star Game in Austin, Texas.

PERSONAL
Tuitt is enrolled in the College of Arts and Letters, with a major in anthropology…Son of Tamara Tuitt…Born on 5/23/93 in Miami, Florida…Full name: Stephon Jakiel Tuitt…Resides in Monroe, Georgia.

Posted in Pittsburgh Steelers

 

09 May

Steelers draft LB in 1st

published in category: Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday, May 9th, 2014 – 9:06 am

RYAN SHAZIER
Linebacker
The Ohio State University Buckeyes
6-1, 237
Pompano Beach, Florida
Plantation High School
1st Round – 15th Overall

CAREER NOTES
Played in 39 games, starting his final 29 contests at weak-side outside linebacker…recorded 315 tackles (208 solos) with 208 solo hits and 107 assists, as he posted 14 sacks for minus 107 yards, 44.5 stops for losses totaling 172 yards and nine quarterback pressures…returned his only interception 17 yards for a touchdown and deflected 15 other tosses…also caused nine fumbles…NCAA Career-Record Results…among active NCAA FBS players, Shazier ranks eighth in forced fumbles, ninth with 40 solo tackles-for-loss and seventh with 208 solo tackles…his average of 5.36 solo tackles per game is third-best among active players…Big Ten Conference Career-Record Results…his nine forced fumbles tied Jammie Kirlew (2006-09) of Indiana for 10th on the league all-time list…School Career-Record Results…Shazier finished 14th in school history with 315 total tackles…became just the sixth Buckeye to record over 200 solo tackles (208) during a career, joining Chris Spielman (283; 1984-87), Tom Cousineau (259; 1975-78), Marcus Marek (256; 1979-82), Steve Tovar (239; 1989-92) and Mike Doss (228; 1999-2002)…his 44.5 tackles-for-loss rank sixth in OSU annals, topped by Mike Vrabel (66.0; 1993-96), Matt Finkes (59.0; 1993-96), Jason Simmons (56.5; 1990-93), Andy Katzenmoyer (50.0; 1996-98) and Will Smith (45.5; 2000-03)…his fourteen sacks tied Quinn Pitcock (2003-06), John Kacherski (1988-91) and Greg Smith (1989-92) for 17th on the school career chart…holds the school record with nine forced fumbles.

2013 SEASON
The undisputed leader of an Ohio State defense that ranked seventh nationally vs. the run (102.6), 21st in scoring (21.3) and 29th in total defense (362.2), Shazier was named first-team All-American by The NFL Draft Report, Associated Press, ESPN, Sports Illustrated and USA Today…the Butkus Award finalist and Bednarik and Lott award semifinalist added All-Big Ten Conference first-team honors and was twice named the Lott IMPACT Trophy national player of the week, along with tying a Big Ten record with three conference defensive player of the week honors this season, giving him five for his career…became the 10th Buckeye to lead the team in tackles in consecutive seasons, as his 143 hits led the league and ranked 10th nationally…his 103 solo tackles are the third-best ever by a Buckeye in a season and ranked third in the FBS while leading the league…also led the Big Ten while finishing sixth in the nation with 22.5 stops for losses of 77 yards, including six sacks for minus 36 yards…credited with six quarterback pressures, four pass deflections and four forced fumbles…registered at least 10 tackles in seven games and had at least one stop-for-loss in all but the Iowa and Clemson contests…had 12 tackles (10 solos) and caused a fumble on a sack vs. California…produced nine hits with 2.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage, including one that caused a fumble vs. Wisconsin, followed by a 10-tackle performance at Northwestern…had a fourth-down sack among his 10 tackles vs. Penn State and added a pair of sacks, three stops-for-loss and seven solo tackles vs. Purdue…in a four-game stretch, he registered 62 tackles, the most in school annals over a similar span…began that march with 16 tackles (11 solos), 1.5 sacks, 3.5 stops-for-loss and a forced fumble vs. Illinois, followed by a career-high 20 tackles (16 solos) and five stops behind the line of scrimmage, including a sack that caused a fumble vs. Indiana…then collected 14 hits (7 solos), as he assisted on a sack vs. Michigan and delivered 12 tackles (10 solos) with two pass break-ups and 1.5 stops-for-loss vs. Michigan State…closed out his career with nine tackles (7 solos) vs. Clemson in the Orange Bowl.

2012 SEASON
Earned second-team All-American accolades from The NFL Draft Report and honorable mention from Sports Illustrated, as the All-Big Ten Conference first-team choice started all 12 games at weak-side linebacker…led the team with 115 tackles (70 solos), ranking second in the league with an average of 9.58 hits per game…made five sacks for minus 47 yards, a team-high 17.0 stops for losses of 78 yards and three quarterback pressures…his average of 1.42 stops-for-loss per game led the Big Ten and ranked 17th nationally…Deflected 11 passes and intercepted another for a 17-yard touchdown return…produced at least 10 tackles in six contests, including 13 hits (10 solos) as he caused a fumble on a sack vs. California…followed with another 13 hits (7 solos) vs. Alabama-Birmingham and delivered 10 tackles with a sack vs. Nebraska…deflected a career-high five passes vs. Indiana and posted 12 stops vs. Purdue…his only career interception was returned for a score vs. Penn State, as he caused a fumble on one of his two sacks and was in on eight tackles…had a season-high 14 tackles (11 solos) with two stops-for-loss vs. Illinois, adding 12 hits (9 solos) and a season-high three stops behind the line of scrimmage at Wisconsin.

2011 SEASON
Played in all 13 games as a true freshman, starting the final three contests at weak-side linebacker…finished sixth on the team with 57 tackles (37 solos), the most by a first-year Buckeye since 1996…had three sacks for minus 14 yards, five stops for losses of 17 yards and two forced fumbles.

HIGH SCHOOL
Attended Plantation (Pompano Beach, Fla.) High School, playing football for head coach Steve Davis…the All-State outside linebacker was rated a four-star prospect and regarded as the 14th-best linebacker in the nation, earning the 42nd spot on the Florida Top 100 list compiled by Rivals.com…Scout.com considered him to be the fifth-best outside linebacker in the prep ranks and also took notice of his skills playing defensive end and tight end during his high school days…as a junior, Shazier recorded 87 tackles that included 19 sacks and 28.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage…also caused two fumbles, recovered two others, including one that he returned for a touchdown and blocked a kick…that performance earned him second-team Class 6A All-State honors, along with being named All-Broward County first-team by the Miami Herald…as a senior, the linebacker again delivered 87 tackles, recording 19.5 sacks with four forced fumbles and four blocked kicks…named Broward County’s Most Outstanding Player that year, he ended his career as the school’s record-holder with 38.5 sacks…the All-State pick ended his prep career by suiting up once more for the Under Armor All-American Game.

PERSONAL
Shazier is majoring in Psychology with a minor in Business Management…son of Vernon and Shawn Shazier…father is the Miami Dolphins’ chaplain…born 9/06/92 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida…resides in Pompano Beach, Florida.

Posted in Pittsburgh Steelers

 

08 May

Game Preview: Power at Shock

published in category: Sports Talk Radio on Thursday, May 8th, 2014 – 2:23 pm

The Pittsburgh Power head West for Week 9 of AFL action to take on the Spokane Shock this Friday night at the Veterans Memorial Arena. Kickoff is scheduled for 10:00 pm ET. The game can be viewed nationally on ESPN3 and will also be broadcast on TribLIVE Radio with Dan Dudley and Dom Errico calling the action.

THE GAME:
Pittsburgh Power (4-3) at Spokane Shock (5-2)
Friday, May 9 – 10:00 p.m. ET
Veterans Memorial Arena – Spokane, WA
TV: ESPN3
Radio: TribLIVE Radio
All-Time Series: Tied 1-1

LAST WEEK:
Pittsburgh pulled back above .500 with a win at home over their in-state rivals, the Philadelphia Soul, 65-57. The Power swung momentum in the first half when defensive lineman Jake Killeen forced a fumble that his teammates were able to fall on. The win marked the Power’s third-straight win at home.
Despite losing 2013 Arena Football League MVP Erik Meyer to injury in the game, the Shock took down the Los Angeles KISS in dominant fashion, 70-21. Spokane’s defense came up huge forcing two fumbles and intercepting two KISS passes to improve to 4-2 on the season.

POWER TO WATCH | OFFENSE:
In his first home game with the Power, wide receiver Rodney Wright put on a show. He hauled in 16 passes for the Black and Gold amassing 163 yards and five touchdowns. His reception and touchdown total were both personal highs and his yardage was the second highest of his career.
Quarterback Tommy Grady had a big bounce-back game against the Soul. He completed 32 passes for 318 yards and eight touchdowns. His performance brings his season totals up to 1,817 yards and 40 touchdowns.

SHOCK TO WATCH | OFFENSE:
Spokane took a big blow in their win over LA, with Erik Meyer’s season ending injury. They did however learn that they have a playmaker in Rashaad Carter. The wide receiver stepped in as the signal caller and contributed six total touchdowns. Although he won’t be in at quarterback this week, the J. Lewis Small Playmaker of Week 8 will surely be utilized when playing against the Power.
Pittsburgh’s defensive backs will also have their hands full with Adron Tennell. The Shock’s receiver leads the team with 11 touchdown grabs in 2014. Last season, Tennell led the league with 49 touchdowns which is the seventh most in a single season in AFL history.

POWER TO WATCH | DEFENSE:
Arvell Nelson is coming off a monster game at Jack linebacker. He led the Power in their win over Philadelphia last week with eight tackles. Nelson is second on the team with 27.5 tackles and also has tallied three fumble recoveries and an interception so far this season.
Defensive Back Virgil Gray leads all Pittsburgh defenders with 32 tackles. His six interceptions are a League high.

SHOCK TO WATCH | DEFENSE:
Spokane defensive back Paul Stephens was one of two Shock defenders to pick off a pass in Week 8, taking his 51 yards back to the house for the score. He finished the game second on the team in tackles with four and added a forced fumble in the contest.
Terrence Moore leads Spokane on the season with 34.5 tackles. The Shock’s secondary plays ball hawking defense with 12 picks on the season including defensive back Terran Sanders’ five which is tied for second-best in the League.

About the Pittsburgh Power
The Pittsburgh Power is a professional arena football team in the Arena Football League based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Founded in 2010, the team is owned by entrepreneur Matt Shaner, NFL Hall of Famer Lynn Swann, and Trib Total Media. The team plays all their home games at CONSOL Energy Center, which also is the home to the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins. Tickets and Sponsorships are available for the 2014 season. For more information visit our website at www.pittsburghpowerfootball.com or call 412-697-7846. You can also follow the Power on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, and YouTube.
About the AFL
Since its inception in 1987, the Arena Football League has showcased a fast-paced and exciting game to millions of fans in a myriad of markets across the country. CBS Sports Network will broadcast an AFL National Game of the Week on Saturday nights for the entire season. The AFL schedule then culminates with the ArenaBowl Championship game pitting the American Conference Champions versus the National Conference Champions for the James F. Foster Trophy.

Posted in Sports Talk Radio

 

08 May

Steelers Announce Draft Documentary Series, “Countdown: Behind The Scenes Story of the 2014 Pittsburgh Steelers NFL Draft”

published in category: Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday, May 8th, 2014 – 2:18 pm

For the first time, the Pittsburgh Steelers will give unprecedented access to their draft process in an upcoming web series titled, “Countdown: Behind The Scenes Story of the 2014 Pittsburgh Steelers NFL Draft,” the team announced today.

The four-part series will be aired exclusively on the team’s official website, Steelers.com, beginning next Wednesday, May 14. The series will air on four consecutive Wednesdays (May 14, 21, 28 & June 4) at Noon on Steelers.com.

“We are thrilled to provide our fans an exclusive look at our draft preparation process for this year’s NFL Draft,” Steelers President Art Rooney II said.

The four-part series will be narrated by former Steelers Pro Bowl offensive tackle, Tunch Ilkin. The documentary-style series covers the team’s draft process, starting at training camp through this year’s NFL Draft weekend. It includes interviews with Rooney, General Manager Kevin Colbert, Head Coach Mike Tomlin and other Steelers draft personnel, as well as draft room footage, video of some of the top college prospects in this year’s draft class and coverage of the NFL Combine, Pro Days and draft preparation meetings.

Posted in Pittsburgh Steelers

 



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