#10: Maryland unveils its new Script Terps Football uniforms, which will be worn full-time next season & feature, as one might imagine, helmets that say Terps in script. Terps AD Evans: “When I think about our illustrious past as it relates to Maryland football, you think about Bobby Ross and Ralph Friedgen and the championship years wearing the Script Terps uniform. This Script Terps uniform embodies who we are, it symbolizes what it means to be a Maryland football player.” (link)
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#9: Penn State trustee/former Nittany Lions FB student-athlete Short says at least one trustee avoided FB HC Franklin at a PSU Board of Trustees meeting in February, going so far as to ignore Franklin when he reached out to shake his hand. Short goes on to describe a “whisper campaign” being conducted by a small group of alumni-elected trustees to undermine the athletic department. “It's a level of disrespect that has to be addressed in order for us to be successful. I’m a firm believer in Penn State. … My goal is to unite Penn State, but we can’t be united with people who treat our coaches and administrators with such contempt." Fellow trustee Paterno, however, says the incident Short describes never happened. “Nobody was walking around snubbing handshakes. … It's kind of juvenile we're talking about this during a board election." More. (link)
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#8: The DI Council has moved forward on a handful of items, including allowing prospective student-athletes to take as many official visits as they’d like, though only one per institution is allowed, unless there’s a coaching change. The Council also “expressed support for” the holistic student-athlete model, which will be voted on by the Board of Directors later this month, plus, “Moving forward, all Division I schools and conferences will be required to: Appoint at least one senior staff member to oversee the respective SAAC; Establish an executive team (at minimum, to include a chair and vice chair) for the SAAC; and, include at least one college athlete in special issues committees that are considering issues that directly impact student-athletes.” More. (link)
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#7: Oklahoma parts ways with Women’s Soccer HC Carr after three seasons. (link) |
#6: Will this work in the NFL/NCAA? The footballs in the USFL have sensors that show precise forward progress, essentially eliminating the need for first down measurements. See it in action. (link) |
#5: Dartmouth Football HC Teevens’ wife, Kirsten, shares an update on his recovery following a recent bicycle accident: “We would like to thank everyone for the incredible outpouring of love and support for Buddy. … As Buddy navigates through the healing of his injuries, he is experiencing many positive improvements. Unfortunately, as a result of the accident, Buddy's right leg was amputated due to the severity of the injury. He is alert and communicating with us and ready for transfer to a premier rehab facility to continue healing. Spinal cord injuries are challenging, and if anybody is up for the challenge, it is Buddy. We appreciate your continued respect of our privacy as we navigate this ongoing recovery process as a family." We offer our best wishes to Teevens and his family as he continues to recover. (link)
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#4: The situation at Illinois State represents a dilemma faced by athletic departments across the country as rising costs require increasingly wealthy donors, some of whom acquired wealth via questionable means. Extra Points founder Brown argues some donations inevitably come with strings attached. “Maybe it’s just plain ol’ attention and ego-stroking. Maybe it’s to buy positive PR. Maybe it’s influence. The more money you have to ask for, the more you’re tied to those donors, and the more practical power they have.” This dynamic appears to have at least played a role in Syracuse’s decision to distance itself from high-profile donor Weitsman, as Brown observes: “Some experts worried that Weitsman’s actions increased risk for the university. And while he is unquestionably a successful businessman now and may very well be a changed person, he’s also a convicted felon. … Sometimes the kind of person who is prepared to drop a seven-figure check is not the kind of person you want to take a seven-figure check from. Not all money is good money.” (link)
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#3: George Mason names Brown Asst. VP for Athletics and Recreation/COO Lewis as its next AD, effective July 1. George Mason President Washington: “His strong background in Division I athletics makes him a great choice to take Patriots Athletics to the next level. But, beyond that, what impressed me from the outset in talking with him are the values he holds dear that run similar to our own. We look forward to the great things he will do in setting the standard of excellence for our student-athletes in every way." Collegiate Sports Associates assisted with the search. (link)
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#2: The ACC earlier this month parted ways with Senior Assoc. Commissioner for Women’s Basketball McElroy, according to The Athletic’s Jennings and Auerbach, who report the move happened “following an ongoing conference office evaluation.” (link)
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#1: After Florida pitcher Neely was tossed out of a baseball game for celebrating a strikeout, Gators P/DH Caglianone celebrated a grand slam by not celebrating. Pretty comical. (link) |
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