The number of games that those 12 student-athletes may miss has not been determined at this time. The investigation continues to include both agent-related and academic issues.

The University also continues to work today with the NCAA to determine the eligibility status of three other student-athletes. Those three will not accompany the team to Atlanta on Friday morning. Further information will be announced when a decision on their status for the game is reached.

“We’re obviously very disappointed to learn that the actions of a number of our student-athletes have resulted in their being unable to compete in Saturday’s game,” says Director of Athletics Dick Baddour. “It is important to note again that people should not make assumptions as to the nature of each student-athlete’s involvement with these issues.

“We are still working with the NCAA staff to resolve these eligibility issues. The NCAA is focusing on each of their situations on a case-by-case basis. Together we are working to determine their status in as thorough and fair a process as is possible.

“I know our fans share my disappointment, but I hope they will show their strong support for the student-athletes on the football team who will represent our University on Saturday. I am proud of the way they have worked so hard to prepare for this season despite numerous distractions. They have my full support.”

“Moving forward, Dick Baddour, Butch Davis and I are determined to use this as an opportunity to look hard at our programs, resources and people to ensure that everyone associated with the football program upholds the values that are central to Carolina’s culture, most especially our academic values,” says Chancellor Holden Thorp.

“As I’ve have said, there is no single game more important than the character and integrity of this University,” says head football coach Butch Davis. “We are disappointed the players’ choices have denied them the opportunity to compete alongside their teammates and represent the University of North Carolina. Our coaches and players have a tremendous challenge ]]> http://www.sportscarolinadaily.com/2010/09/03/unc-says-12-out-3-in-question-vs-lsu/feed/ 0 http://www.sportscarolinadaily.com/2010/09/02/where-will-you-be-when-the-turnstile-strikes-2-5-million/ http://www.sportscarolinadaily.com/2010/09/02/where-will-you-be-when-the-turnstile-strikes-2-5-million/#comments Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:56:17 +0000 JohnO http://www.sportscarolinadaily.com/?p=155 WHERE WILL YOU BE WHEN THE TURNSTILE STRIKES 2.5 MILLION?

GREENSBORO GRASSHOPPERS

GREENSBORO, NC– The Greensboro Grasshoppers are eagerly anticipating their 2.5 millionth fan, expected to step foot in NewBridge Bank Park on Thursday, September 2 against the Savannah Sand Gnats.

After reaching the two million mark in July of the 2009 season, the Grasshoppers have inched towards their 2.5 millionth fan at an even quicker pace.

The Grasshoppers have welcomed an average of 5,472 fans per game, which ranks second in the South Atlantic League, just slightly behind perennial attendance rival, the Lakewood BlueClaws.

“It is a tribute to our fans and this community that we are going to hit this mark so quickly,” said President and General Manager Donald Moore.  “We could not be more grateful to our fans for their great support these first six years.”

“We are thrilled about the idea of our 2.5 millionth guest,” said Moore. “But it is not always about the numbers or the records, it is truly amazing to have watched Greensboro Baseball grow in front of our eyes.”

The Greensboro franchise certainly has grown under the direction of Moore, seeing minor league baseball in Greensboro garner nationwide recognition for attendance.  The Grasshoppers were recently tabbed second in attendance for Class-A by minor league baseball.

The Grasshoppers plan on expressing their gratitude by showering the lucky fan with Grasshoppers’ gifts and memorabilia. The 2.5 millionth guest will receive a baseball signed by the 2010 Hoppers, a special jersey, and two hundred fifty dollars in Babe’s Bucks.  They will also be awarded the first pitch on Opening Day of the 2011 season.

For more information, please contact the Grasshoppers office at 336.268.2255 or visit www.gsohoppers.com.

The coaches of this team, Mitchell Hall and Lindy Hall, got their first look at a team that has added 5 new players to the roster from this past summer. The PP Blue added some strong ball players that includes Lucas Olszewski, Trevor Patrick, Cameron Lyons, and Harrison Holtz from the dismantled Summerfield Surge and Patrick Callaghan from the High Point Raiders. This Fab 5 joined an already solid 7 of Josh Reffey, Bill Osteen, Harrison Hill, Jack Maginnes, Pearce Landry, Matthew Fenner, and Joey Chestnutt. This past weekend showed some nice progress in a ‘work in progress’ squad.

The PP Blue started off on saturday with a game against a strong North Carolina Baseball Academy team. The Blue struggled in the first 5 innings as they found themselves down 6-0 going into the last inning.The team looked defeated but the coaching of the son father duo of Mitchell and Lindy Hall must of said something to wake them up. The team rallied for 2 runs early in the inning. Then with 2 outs and down 6-2, Lucas Olszewski doubled in 2 runs to make it a 6-4 ball game. The fans of PP Blue started to feel like it just may happen. With Olszewski on second base it was up to big boy Harrison Hill to keep it going. Well Hill certainly did, as he blasted a 2 run 2out 225 ft home run over the centerfield fence to tie the ball game. The game ended a tie but it really showed what kind of team they can be as they showed they have a never die attitude.

The second game of the day included some great hitting by the Blue but they ran into a team, Stokes Cyclones, that had no weakness in any part of their lineup. The Blue went down 21-10 for their 1st loss of the Fall. The Blue fought hard as Patrick Callaghan blasted a 3 run homerun, but the Stokes bats were just too much on this day.

On Sunday The Blue played the NCBA again and came up on the short end of a 9-5 ball game. Again they fell behind early and tried to chip away but they ran out of time.

They then played the Kernersville Giants in the afternoon and really put it all together with a 14-6 triumph that ended the weekend on a positive note. Cameron Lyons pitched a nice ball game to hold down the Giants. Everybody had their their bats rolling this game as Patrick, Olszewski (3hits), Callaghan, Hill(2hits,triple), Osteen(2hits), Landry, Reffey, Lyons(2hits),Holtz(2hits),Maginnes, and Ferner all aided the cause with a super offensive showing.

Overall the team looked good and they really came together as a team as they are still trying to  get to know each other. This is a great group of kids that have a great attitude of trying to be better baseball players every time they step on the field. The great attitude comes from the way they have been brought up by their very supportive families. This team probably wont win a bunch of championships(but they may sneak in 1 or 2)  but I guarantee you they will improve their game under the guidance of their fine coaches and the support of Proehlific Park.

Great job this weekend boys!!!

***A special get well wish to Paige Adams as she missed the Sunday games.

***GET WELL soon.

North Carolina called an emergency press conference for Thursday night less than an hour after Inside Carolina broke the story around 2 p.m.

UNC chancellor Holden Thorp, director of athletics Dick Baddour and head coach Butch Davis were all present to provide an update to the ongoing NCAA investigation.

“During the course of the joint investigation of the NCAA and the University into possible agent violations, we learned of a situation that includes possible academic misconduct involving a former undergraduate tutor and student athletes on the football team,” Thorp told a crowded room of reporters at the Kenan Football Center.

Baddour declined to identify the players or the tutor, and would not say how many players were involved. Inside Carolina has learned that as many as a dozen players could be involved in this recent development.

Baddour, who has consistently told reporters that there is no timetable for the NCAA review, indicated that “it is likely that the review would extend beyond the start of the season.”

The NCAA has permitted UNC to lead the academic misconduct portion of the investigation that involve possible improprieties that occured outside the classroom.

The tutor was employed by UNC at one time, according to Baddour, but by the time a player “raised an issue” during a joint interview with school officials and the NCAA, the woman was no longer working for the university. Davis had hired the woman to serve as a tutor and advisor for his son, a current high school sophomore.

“This is someone that obviously worked with our son,” Davis said. “To be honest with you, I think we’re really surprised and possibly disappointed, but there’s been no revelation as to exactly the extent or what has actually transpired.”

These academic findings are a new element to the ongoing NCAA probe.

UNC received an interview notice form on June 21 from the NCAA, which requested to interview student-athletes. Inside Carolina broke the story on July 15 that the investigation centered on possible improper contact with sports agents.

Telephone and financial release forms were requested for the student-athletes involved, as well as text message printouts for the past year. The interviews were conducted on July 12- ]]> http://www.sportscarolinadaily.com/2010/08/27/unc-uncovers-academic-infractions-from-inside-carolina/feed/ 0 http://www.sportscarolinadaily.com/2010/08/25/130/ http://www.sportscarolinadaily.com/2010/08/25/130/#comments Wed, 25 Aug 2010 14:04:48 +0000 JohnO http://www.sportscarolinadaily.com/?p=130 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmSZwj4q3Lc

YOU HAVE TO CHECK THIS CATCH OUT. MY BE THE GREATEST CATCH IN BASEBALL HISTORY

The two-time NCAA Division III basketball All-American and recent Guilford graduate signed with the Spanish LEB Gold (second division) team in July.  Grupo Iruna Navarra reached the LEB Silver semifinals in 2010 and earned a promotion to the LEB Gold.

“I could have taken a couple other offers, which were at higher levels in different countries, but this opportunity for a first-year player is really good,” said Sanborn, who is sharing his experience in a blog.  “Spain is one of the top foreign countries to play in. If I do well, I’ll be able to possibly move up to the top league in Spain.”

Sanborn attracted the attention of international professional clubs after competing for the Los Angeles Lakers’ summer league team.  He was the NCAA Division III National Player of the Year as a senior at Guilford after compiling 30 double-doubles and averaging 19.8 points, 14.1 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in 33 games. Sanborn helped Guilford to a 104-19 record, four NCAA Tournament appearances and two national semifinal berths in his four seasons.

“I’m excited to get the season started, and found out today that our first pre-season game will take place five days after I get there, against a first-division team,” said Sanborn.  “I’m expecting to learn a lot in the first couple of days there, and look forward to playing in a real game so quickly.”

Sanborn joins former teammate Ben Strong ’08 as recent Guilford graduates in professional basketball. Strong wrapped up his second season with Maccabi Haifa in the top Israeli professional league in the spring. Guilford has produced four NBA players: M.L. Carr ’73, World B. Free ’76, Greg Jackson ’74 and Bob Kauffman ’68.

Former Deacon guard played on Rockets’ summer league team

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Former Wake Forest guard Ishmael Smith has signed a multi-year contract with the Houston Rockets, as announced by the team on Monday.

Smith, who graduated from Wake Forest in May, went undrafted but received an invitation to play on the Rockets’ summer league team last month in Las Vegas. Smith impressed the team during the summer league, averaging 7.8 points and 4.8 assists per game and shooting 58 percent from the floor.

A native of Concord, N.C., Smith ended his Demon Deacon career as the only player in school history with 1,000 points and 600 assists. He ranks second all-time at Wake Forest in career assists.

A second team All-ACC pick as a senior, Smith averaged 13.2 points, 6.0 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game in 2009-10.

Smith is expected to compete for time at the point guard spot with veterans Aaron Brooks and Kyle Lowry. Brooks is entering his fourth season with the Rockets, while Lowry is entering his third with the franchise.

A school-record eight former Deacons are currently on NBA rosters, including four drafted or signed in the past two years.

Chas McFarland, a 2010 Wake Forest graduate, played on the Rockets summer league team last month. McFarland signed a contract last week to play in Brazil.

The last Deacon to play for Houston was Frank Johnson during the 1988-89 season. Mike Helms was drafted by the Rockets in the seventh round of the 1982 NBA Draft but never suited up for the team.

Smith will wear jersey No. 13 for the Rockets.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qek-oyDD3Ag

Wake Forest to host Hampton, VCU and Winthrop November 15-16

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The 16-team field for the 26^th edition of the Dick’s Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off was announced on Monday afternoon. Wake Forest, seeded No. 3 in the event, will host the four-team East Regional on November 15-16 at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

The Demon Deacons will open against Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference foe Hampton on November 15. The winner of that contest will play the winner of No. 5-seeded VCU and Winthrop for a berth in the final four held November 24 and 26 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

If Wake advances to New York, the Deacons would play the winner of the South Regional, which will be hosted by No. 2-seeded Tennessee. No. 1-seeded Villanova hosts the North Regional, while No. 4-seeded UCLA hosts the West Regional.

The remaining 12 teams not advancing to New York will play third- and fourth-round games on the home campus sites of the three highest remaining seeds.

ESPN will provide live coverage throughout the event, televising games on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU.

Wake Forest last participated in the NIT Season Tip-Off in 2004. Led by sophomore guard Chris Paul, the Deacons defeated George Washington and VCU in their regional and advanced to the final four. Ranked No. 1 in the country at the time, Wake Forest knocked off Providence and then Arizona for the title.

Wake Forest also played in the 2001 NIT Season Tip-Off, advancing to the championship game before falling to Syracuse in Skip Prosser’s first season on the Deacon bench.

Wake Forest’s complete 2010-11 schedule will be announced later this month, in conjunction with the Atlantic Coast Conference.