The Rundown 4/30-

Etta Express In OAC Driver’s Seat- With Saturday’s double header sweep at Baldwin-Wallace the Pioneers have moved to within one win of guaranteeing an OAC playoff birth. While in early March it seemed like a possibility Marietta may be left out of the post-season all together, the Etta Express have managed to post the majority of their 18 wins in league play.

Thanks to a 12-4 in conference record the Pios have moved into sole possession of second place, and remain just a game back of first place Heidelberg. With two league games remaining against woeful Ohio Northern, should Marietta sweep the double header they could find themselves hosting the league tournament, something they haven’t done since 2003.

While Marietta hosts Ohio Northern this weekend, Heidelberg hosts the Blue Streaks of John Carroll, who as of last Saturday remained tied for second with Marietta at 10-4 in league. With John Carroll still vying for second if not first in league play, Heidelberg’s quest to host the tournament at the Peaceful Valley in Tiffin may take a serious detour.

For the Etta Express, hosting the league tournament may not be as imperative as it once was. It seems this season the friendly confines of Don Schaly Stadium may not be as friendly as they had hoped. Having dropped four games in league play, the schedule shows all four losses came at home. Having lost games to John Carroll and Mount Union, and the community day sweep by resurgent Otterbein it may be that three of the four teams poised for OAC tournament play have managed convincing victories in Marietta.

On the flip side, the team leading the league, Heidelberg, fell twice to Marietta in the early season 3-2, 10-6. This could bode well for the Pios as it seems that even with a loss to John Carroll, statistically speaking, Heidelberg has played the most consistent baseball as of late.

With their record hovering just above .500, the Etta Express must win the league tournament if they hope to defend their regional title. After winning 12 consecutive league titles from 1990 to 2002, and 21 titles in 25 years, Coach Brewer’s squads have failed to win an OAC title, something I am sure coaches and players are well aware of.

Lady Pioneers Bid For OAC Tournament Denied-The quest for four straight league tournaments came to an end Saturday in Marietta as the Lady Pioneers suffered twin extra inning set backs at the hands of John Carroll (6-4 in 12 innings, 7-5 in 8 innings).
The losses dropped Marietta to 9-9 in league play just out of the top four spots, and catapulted the victors into the fourth and final spot. Marietta’s run of NCAA tournaments appearances will likely come to an end as well unfortunately. The Lady Pioneers will play their season finale Tuesday at 4pm versus Bethany (WV). Playing their final games for the Blue and White are seniors Krista Huffman, Brandy Jacob, and Nikki Veigel.

Crazy SEOAL Softball Season- Just a week ago the Marietta Tigers were battling for their second consecutive league title. Within nine days the Tigers now find themselves in fourth place behind Warren, Athens, and Logan. With losses coming this week to Warren and Logan, the Tigers 6-4 league record and tie breakers moved them behind the 5-4 Cheiftains. Warren, 5-2 in the SEOAL, picked up a big victory at Marietta this week then withstood a charge from Logan to stay in the league’s top spot. Despite a loss to Athens, the Warriors maintained a slim lead over the bulldogs with only a couple contests remaining on the schedule.

Marietta Times Cutbacks Hurting Local Athletes

I don’t know if any of you have followed my career, but maybe some of you recognize the fact I used to write sports for the Marietta Times.

Many have asked me why I left, and often it turns into quite the spirited debate.

In addition to my wanting a bit more freedom in my writing, and also thinking the Marietta Register was a better organized outfit, I am sure to tell persons that I was in-fact let go from the Marietta Times.

The Times was forced to let me go because of budget cutbacks, likely because of the loss of several advertising accounts. This is simply the way things are going for the newspaper business. (Well actually, business at the Register is doing quite well, and for that we give many thanks.)

I am not bitter or anything about my departure, far from it, I am relieved at the change. The Marietta Register is more my speed. What I am though is worried. Not about newspapers in general, but more specifically our high school athletes in the Mid-Ohio Valley.

What many of you have noticed, or soon will, is that with those cutbacks, coverage of your local team (with the exception of Marietta High) is about to be drastically reduced. Granted spring sports are the least covered anyway, it is hard to notice now, but for those of you who have, you know what I am speaking of.

Instead of the game story about Waterford, Fort Frye, or Warren baseball or Softball you are getting only brief synopsis. This is because of their being unable to pay sports stringers. Essentially the Times has become a two man outfit when it comes to high school athletics. While their editor is forced to do pagination each night from 5pm to midnight, their lone staffer is prowling the countryside trying to give due coverage to our local athletes. When the veterans of the staff can cover MHS and Marietta College, the sports department’s newest workhorse is finally sent out in the county to cover the “other” schools.

This won’t go on forever; the newest staffer won’t make it long if it does.
So what does this mean? It means that outside of Marietta High athletics, Washington County schools will now be devoid of exposure. This is bad news for anyone hoping to procure some sort of scholarship for athletics.

It is difficult enough for smaller schools or county schools without a hometown newspaper already. When you add in the fact the major news outlet in the county now finds it inefficient to provide you coverage, this spells disaster.

So what do you do as a player, parent, or fan of your beloved school that is now an afterthought in the local sports landscape?

Resources such as JJHuddle, Southeasternohiopreps, and Max Preps are vital to getting your schedule and rosters. Game stories have to be made, with statistical information, and have to be published to the web. I would suggest your school’s newspaper, or having an informed parent construct a website with your information. Fans can access this, opponents can gather information, and print media outlets can track your progress, in the event they can come down off their throne and provide you coverage.

I don’t have all the answers, only a few suggestions. The writing has been on the wall for a while, and now that it is starting to happen those who hope to keep high school athletics king in the valley need to act now before its too late. This fall will be a trying time for fans of Fort Frye, Frontier, Waterford, Warren, and Wood County Christian, and without a little foresight on your part volleyball, soccer, and cross country records may be made without acclamation.

Duke Football Spring Game Pics

Just in case some of you don't know, these are the helmets Duke football players will be wearing in their first bowl game since 1995

courtesy of Blue Devil Nation.com

Victory Sweet for Busch at Talladega

Having earned the nickname “Wild Thing” from his peers, a show of patience was the last thing we expected to see out of Kyle Busch.

With the race posting eight caution flags and a flagged finish, history suggested Busch would have been pushing his car back into the garage early in the afternoon.

Were it not for his conversation on “the big picture” with NASCAR VP Robin Pemberton after Martinsville, Busch may have further cemented the moniker. Surprisingly for Busch, and the Aaron’s 499 crowd, the only pushing Busch did on Sunday was out of his car and onto the roof in victory lane.

Crediting his newfound streak of patience to a recent holistic view of the NASCAR point standings, Busch opted for the subtle approach in chasing the field on Sunday.

After falling a lap down early because of a fault in the pits, Busch quietly maneuvered his way back into the race thanks to some fortuitous caution flags. After starting fifth and falling to the back of the field, Busch benefited from Carl Edwards blown tire on Lap 117, ultimately make his way back onto the lead lap and eventually back into the top twenty.

Following a caution flag and restart at lap 164, Busch moved into the top ten where he began his assault on then race leader Ryan Newman. Recognizing that last year in the Aaron’s 499, Busch and Newman tangled in a chase that ultimately led to a wreck that ended Busch’s day, the #18 M&M had ample motivation.

Finding himself without a draft-mate Busch managed to pass Newman on lap 173, yet remained under constant duress thanks to Denny Hamlin and Juan-Pablo Montoya. After finishing second, Montoya was quick to acknowledge his helping Busch move back through the field.

“I really helped Kyle. I managed to get on his bumper, and when you can get on somebody's bumper you can actually push them all the way around the corner… It was a pretty cool, interesting race."

The victory for Busch and Joe Gibbs racing was his second in the last seven events, and moved him to within 22 points of Sprint Cup leader Jeff Burton.
Busch, driving a Toyota, broke a stranglehold at Talladega as 16 of the last 17 races had been won by Chevrolets. Joe Gibbs racing also made waves, as the win broke a streak of 4 straight wins by Hendrik Motor sports drivers.

(montoya quote taken from FoxSports.com article)

Parkersburg Rundown 4/30-

The Rundown 4/30-
Woodridge Plantation In Danger of Closure- If you are looking for further proof of recession, look no further than the closures of entertainment venues. Case in point, Woodridge Plantation course has been for sale for over two years now and with no buyers on the horizon and the course hemorrhaging money, residents of the golf-course community are being encouraged to prepare for home value declination. Since filing for bankruptcy in August of 2005, financiers have been eyeing a prospective buyer to provide debt relief.

Now, I haven’t played the course in a couple years, and to be honest the last time I played it, the course was in poor shape to say the least. They claimed the greens were being aerated, but in fact that process concluded a few weeks before my group arrived. Additionally the price to play had gone up considerably since Ron Jaworski’s group had taken over. This was likely done to make up for a few poor seasons, but the fact remains, since opening in 1991 the course has become progressively worse.

Is the course worth saving? That is a good question. The course is a still a great play and the greens are some of the tougher tests in the valley. Under the right ownership group, and by right group I mean one that will be creative with events and will encourage affordable memberships, the Plantation course can again thrive. Managers at the course indicated that there are two standing offers to buy the course, and assuming those bids are to keep the course open, golfers everywhere can rejoice. The bottom line is that, whoever assumes control must make improvements to the course’s playability and provide more incentive to become a member. If the new group can improve local relations, the Plantation course can again become the valley’s toughest and most enjoyable play.

Rich Rod Saga-New developments in the case against Rich Rodriguez!
It turns out that Rich Rod contacted Michigan first! Within nine days of blowing chunks against Pitt, Rich Rod was already shopping, having his agent Mike Brown call the University of Michigan about the coach’s services. By December 16th, Rodriguez had bolted the Mountain State.

Given the new developments, the case may swing in favor of WVU as there now appears to be documentation that the former coach sought departure without just cause, thus making the argument about the 4 million dollar buyout clause a moot point.

If depositions occur, it could be a long day for Rodriguez as it seems the coincidence that he would sign the same 4 million dollar clause at U of M would be used to pay his impending fine. If Michigan only knew the baggage that Rodriguez was bringing to Ann Arbor.

Turn on your TV, Hockey is Relevant Again- Being that Suddenlink Cable has declared our viewing area “Pittsburgh Sports Country” the time has come for us to embrace the only team in the Steel City worth rooting for, the Penguins.

With round one of the Stanley Cup playoffs having already been completed, bandwagon jumpers can now embrace a winner. I highly suggest cling-ons jump on the Penguin bandwagon this post-season. The Pens demolished the Ottawa Senators in round one sweeping them four games to none, and now face the hated New York Rangers in round two.

The Rangers turned a few heads in the national media by beating Marty Brodeur and the Devils in round one, thanks to a series of questionable face guarding non-calls. As a result the NHL took a stand and revised the rules, MID-SERIES, yeah it was that bad. Pittsburgh goalie Marc Andre Fleury hopes to avoid the Rangers’ cheap shots in round two, while the NHL’s top tandem Evgeni Malkin and Sydney Crosby hope to make the Rangers netminder Henrick Lundqvist look worse than his 1.29 GAA in career playoff games.

Warren High School Alumni Softball Tournament

Just got word that the tournament is a go.
The first week of September this year the high school will host a Softball tournament as a fundraiser for the Warren baseball program.

All alumni are encouraged to participate in the tournament as the hope is the weekend will raise 6,000 dollars for field renovations.

The cost is 150 dollars per team, with a home run derby and various awards to be given.

btw, I love this idea because as great as alumni basketball is, alum softball would be even better. I know many alums play as is, and it would be nice to know that the money will go to fixing up the field so many of us called home.

Stay turned for more info, or just email me and I will stay in touch with Coach Bradford.

(image courtesy of JJHuddle.com)

Warren’s Wagner Signs with West Virginia State

VINCENT— Every time Warren hurler Daniel Wagner toes the rubber, opposing batters know they are in for a fight.

Boasting an above average fastball, effective change-up, and a curveball teammates affectionately call “the hammer”, Wagner has become one of the more dominant pitchers in Southeast Ohio. For those who have followed the career of the Warriors stout hurler, it comes as no surprise that Wagner has decided to take his talents to the next level.

On Wednesday April 16th, before family, friends, teammates and coaches, Wagner made it official signing a letter of intent to play collegiate baseball with the Yellow Jackets of West Virginia State.

Wagner, a senior, has served as staff ace for the Warriors this season while also carrying a bit of the load offensively in the middle of the order. Recently the right-hander picked up his team leading fourth victory of the season, adding another tally to his already impressive resume. Boasting a 25-3 cumulative record and a paltry 1.32 ERA this season, Wagner has become the latest in a line of products from the western Washington County high school.

Wagner shunned requests from various division one schools, opting to sign with the division II school feeling as if West Virginia State was a better fit for him athletically and academically.

“They really had a lot to offer me as a player. Coach Bailey has been there for 30 years now and they have won 30 or more games a few years in a row. Around the state they are considered a powerhouse and at the school they treat it like one. It is a program that I felt comfortable coming in to, and it looks like a place I can make a difference at in my freshman year.”

West Virginia State, a member of the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC), has long been baseball royalty in the Mountain State, playing in the DII regional tournament ten of the last twelve years, winning the league tournament last season after posting a 45-9 record.

Managed by legendary coach and former Pittsburgh Pirates farmhand Cal Bailey, the Yellow Jackets have had 18 players drafted by major league clubs, and have had countless others sign professional contracts.

Wagner hopes to be important part of the Yellow Jacket’s formidable staff next season.

“They brought in a real good class along with myself, and it looks like there will be some good competition for spots. My goals are to compete for a spot in the rotation the day I get there.”

Current Warren coach Jeff Bradford feels Wagner made a decision that will serve him well in the coming years, and will benefit West Virginia State.

“Daniel made a good decision, West Virginia State is a real good program and Coach Bailey knows his stuff. Daniel is a great player, works hard, knows how to play the game, Coach Bailey is getting a great player and a great kid.”

With his college choice having been made, Wagner now finds it easier to focus on the Warriors upcoming tournament run.

“It feels like there was a weight taken off my shoulders. I was putting some pressure on myself out there, and now that the decision has been made and the process is over with I can really give more to my teammates.”

With Wagner now singularly focused on the season and the recruiting process has finally concluded, there is no doubt that with Wagner on the hill, the Warriors will be a tough out in the tournament this May.

The Rundown 4/22-

Etta Express Drops Community Day Slugfest- For those of you who didn’t stick around for the nightcap Saturday, the Etta Express fell in dramatic fashion to visiting Otterbein 19-15. After falling behind 16-0, Marietta mounted a near spectacular comeback, posting eight unanswered runs, cutting the lead in half. After yielding three runs in the top of the 8th, Marietta answered with three of their own, keeping the margin at eight. Yielding a run in the ninth, Marietta proceeded to plate four runs in the bottom half thanks to Tony Piconke’s grand slam down the left field line. Sadly for the Etta Express they would fail to dent the plate again, securing the 19-15 final.

With the losses Marietta fell into a second place tie in the OAC with John Carroll at 10-4. Heidelberg, whom Marietta swept earlier this season, took two from Baldwin-Wallace upping their OAC record to 11-3. With Saturday and Sunday's Ohio Northern/Capital contest rained out until Monday, the hunt for the top four spots looks like this.

1. Heidelberg 25-7, 11-3
2. John Carroll 20-9, 10-4
3. Marietta 14-16, 10-4
4. Mount Union 17-12, 8-6
5. Otterbein 18-10, 7-5
6. Baldwin-Wallace 15-14, 7-7

Lady Tigers Fall at Logan, Now Tied With Warren- By virtue of Thursday night’s loss at Logan, the Lady Tigers fell into a statistical first place tie with county rival Warren, each having just one league loss. Thursday’s 2-1 decision was especially stinging for coach John Doughty’s group as the Tigers committed four errors in the contest, two of which led to the unearned runs in the game’s third inning.

In the contest Marietta out-hit Logan 4-2, and as expected the Tiger’s ace Layne Carpenter again dazzled, this time nearly out-dueling Logan ace Ariel Zugg, yielding just the two hits while fanning seven and walking just three.

With the loss on Thursday the Lady Tiger’s league record fell to 5-1, however with Friday night’s victory over Athens, Marietta has re-upped its record to 10-3 overall and 6-1 in the league. Warren holding a 4-1 record in the league, jumped into a first place tie thanks to the Marietta loss and Friday’s win versus Zanesville. With the team’s scheduled to play this week, the SEOAL’s North Division championship may be riding in the balance.

Upstart Tigers Now Second- Thanks to Friday night’s dramatic 3-2 win over visiting Athens, the Tigers squared their league record at 3-3 good enough for second place in the SEOAL’s North Division.

Despite trailing undefeated Zanesville, the Tigers have crept back into contention thanks to this week’s victories at Logan and over Athens. Having won four of their last six contest, Larry Burke and Jim Thrash’s group have turned quite a few heads given the youth on this year’s roster. With both Logan and Warren sputtering, Marietta may find themselves as the lone threat to Zanesville’s coronation as league champions. With their third and final tilt scheduled for this Friday, the Tigers are hoping to exact a bit of revenge after falling 3-2 earlier this month.

Tiger Track Fairs Well at Russ Parsons Invite- The Tiger Boys and Girls track teams had a good weekend as both took second place at the Clear Channel MOV Radio/Russ Parsons Invite in Parkersburg.

The boys fell by the slimmest of margins to meet favorite Akron Buchtel 118-107, while the girls finished just out of first behind Hurricane (WV). While failing to take top honors the most significant thing the Tigers took home with them was a meet victory over SEOAL rivals Gallipolis and Logan. With Gallia and Logan positioning themselves in the league’s top four, Marietta’s meet victory over the league schools should give them much needed confidence in advance of the league meet in a few weeks.

Players Circle Community Day on Calendar

As little leaguers we all dreamt of playing in the major leagues.

In our grandest of visions, the stands were always full, fans were always in a frenzy cheering our name, and we always delivered in the clutch. Whether it was hitting a walk-off grand slam with two down in the ninth or getting the final out to seal our perfect game, we always came through and the fans loved us for it.

While the boys in pinstripes have played far more games than most of did, they aren’t immune to big-league dreams.

That is why everyone who has every player who has put on a uniform at MC loves the concept of community day.

There is no doubt that the sports marketing department prepares the day’s events with the fan in mind. Free admission, free food, and complimentary tee-shirts pretty much ensure fans of all ages make it out to the ball-park. However with Community Day celebrating its tenth anniversary, its high time we learn what the day means to those on the field.

“I know personally I circled this day on my calendar when our schedule came out, said former Pioneer shortstop Ryan Belanger. It was a huge day for me because I knew the stands would be full and the fans would be really energetic. As a player it is awesome to be a part of this because for a day you feel like a mini-celebrity. You get to live the high-life for a day, but more importantly it is great motivation for a league double-header.”

While the outcome of Saturday’s games was not the trend in Community Day double headers, it did evoke some memories of community day’s past. The 16 run deficit experienced by the Pios in game two was something former Pioneer Mike Eisenberg remembers all too well.

“The way Otterbein came out reminded me a lot of the way we got behind against Baldwin-Wallace a few years back, said Eisenberg. We were down ten I think, and spent the entire game clawing back. Having the fans there cheering us on made it really exciting.”

It was irony that in the midst of the interview with Eisenberg, Belanger got to chime in on the amazing comeback.

“That game was definitely the most memorable of the games we got to play on community day. It was pretty dramatic, I was standing on third with the score tied, and made it home on a passed ball to give us the win.”

Having been apart of a few community day contests myself I look back with fondness at some of the first games. The most notable of those games was a 6-5 loss to Heidelberg back in 2001, a game in which former Yankee hurler Matt DeSalvo struck out 18 Heidelberg batters, setting the single game game record and breaking the all-time Marietta College career strikeout record.

While most certainly for the fans, community day and all of the hoopla isn’t lost on players. Just as fans fill the stands hoping to catch a foul ball, or make it back to the stands after downing a couple free hot-dogs, players make sure their uniforms are looking sharp, cleats are polished, and eye-black is on straight.

On a day that showcases the professionalism that the sports marketing department and Marietta College possess, players soak in that same professionalism and envision themselves as major-leaguers....at least for a day.

Coach Stew Now THE Man in Morgantown

After their 14-3 victory in the 1969 Peach Bowl, West Virginia athletics director Red Brown was left in a compromising position.

Following their most successful season in a decade, coach Jim Carlen left the ten win Mountaineers in favor of greener pastures. In 1969 Lubbock, Texas and Texas Tech University was a greener place than Morgantown. Being that WVU was still toiling as a former member of the Southern Conference, it wasn’t hard to fathom.

To those familiar with WVU football history, this isn’t anything you haven’t heard before. However, in case you haven’t heard the story before, let me remind you.

Faced with the task of hiring a new football coach at a basketball school (remember Jerry West was at WVU in 1966), athletics director Red Brown turned to then 35 year-old assistant coach Bobby Bowden.

That move seemed to work out well for WVU as Bowden would guide the Mountaineers to a 42-26 record in five seasons, including a win in the 1975 Peach Bowl over NC State.

In 1969 athletics director Red Brown sided with players and opted to promote offensive coordinator Bobby Bowden. In 2008 A.D. Ed Pastilong made a similar choice, and if Saturday’s spring game serves as any indication, WVU appears headed in a similar direction.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not claiming that Bill Stewart is Bobby Bowden, although Stewart already has a better winning percentage in BCS games. However, having seen their performance in the Fiesta Bowl and having seen portions of the spring game, I am confident in saying that in 2008, fans in Milan Puskar Stadium will not be clamoring for a new coach or the return of Rich Rodriguez.

Here’s why I am confident Stewart can win the Big East and guide the Mountaineers to another BCS bowl, if not the national championship.

First, Bill Stewart may sound and look like some genteel do-gooder who is out of touch with today’s college football culture, but make no mistake, Coach Stew is a master motivator.

Somewhere on YouTube you can find the video of Stewart’s pre-game speech before the Oklahoma game. I am not a huge WVU fan, but I can tell you I had chills. Rich Rod may have spoke about the “Pride of West Virginia” but Bill Stewart lives it. I think fans know they have a keeper when in his teachable moments where he claims Scouts Honor and quotes Jim Bridger. That type of character is something WVU should be proud of, and long for following the tyrannical regime that preceded him.

Second, Bill Stewart has no ego, and will do whatever is necessary to allow his team to win.

That is the kind of coach every player wants to play for. When you devote the best years of your life to a coach and university, you want assurance that if given the chance the coach will opt to make himself look bad if he thinks it will help the team win. Rich Rodriguez would make decisions that kept him above criticism and wouldn’t allow himself to be second guessed. Bill Stewart will never do that.

So rest easy fans of the Blue and Gold, your program is safe for the foreseeable future. While questions about his ability to recruit and the program’s longevity persist, one can be sure that when September rolls around Bill Stewart will have his team ready to play football. Given the struggles Rodriguez had in keeping his team focused, the results under Stewart should be a welcomed change.

Zanesville Edges Warriors 3-1

VINCENT--Following Cole Hudson’s six innings of one hit baseball versus Marietta on Monday, Zanesville head coach Dave Balo wondered if the lanky left hander had enough gas in the tank to produce a similar outing versus Warren on Friday.

Unfortunately for the Warriors, Hudson’s tank appeared far from empty as the sophomore posted his first complete game of the season, striking out eight, and walking only one in Blue Devil’s 3-1 win.

Zanesville (12-0, 6-0) remained perfect on the season thanks to the lanky left-hander’s steady dose of high fastballs and off-speed pitches low and away.

“Cole was a bulldog for us tonight”, said Zanesville assistant coach Mark Kaido. “We have a tradition here that the player of the game gets to take home the official scorecard. Cole definitely earned it tonight. He showed how tough he really is”

After being staked to a 2-0 lead thanks to RBI singles by Cole Carpenter and Colten Maxwell in the second inning, Hudson found his grove yielding just eight hits none of which came consecutively after the third.

Equally impressive was the outing turned in by Warren right-hander David Lemon. Working on short rest Lemon limited the Zanesville offense to just 7 hits over 5 2/3 innings while striking out four. Sadly for Lemon, the run support he was given wasn’t typical of the Warren offense.

While yielding two runs in the second, Lemon’s counterpart showed but one moment of unflappability, when in the third inning he yielded back to back to back singles. Following a single to right by Tyler Spence and Cory Hooper’s infield single, Dan Wagner delivered the Warriors only run lacing a single to right scoring Spence.

Warren (6-4, 2-3) failed to mount a serious charge after the third as Hudson would post six of his eight strikeouts over the final four frames, denying Warren consecutive hits for the remainder.

Offensively Warren was led by third-baseman Tyler Spence who posted three of the Warriors eight hits and scored their only run.

Zanesville 3, Warren 1

Z--020, 001, 0 --- 3 7 0
W--001, 000, 0 --- 1 8 0

WP-Cole Hudson 7.0 ip, 1R, 1ER, 8H, BB, 8K’s
LP-David Lemon 5 2/3 ip, 3R, 3ER, 7H, 4BB, 4K’s
Warren Hitting- Tyler Spence 3-4, Cory Hooper 2-3, Dan Wagner 1-3 RBI

WVSSAC’s Proposed Fourth Division Changes Everything….and Nothing

First off I find this quote hilarious on so many levels.

“The whole state is losing too many kids to the streets and this is a way to get them back on the fields,” Paden City Athletics Director Fred King said. “A lot of kids don’t go out for football because they feel they don’t have a chance to win. When I told my kids there might be a chance to get to the football playoffs, they were just elated. That would never happen before.”
~quote from Kerry Patrick’s article on 4/11

First off the thought of Paden City “losing kids to the streets” makes me laugh. I am keeping in mind the fact that King isn’t speaking about his school specifically but kids around the state. And while I am sure it is just a metaphor for saying they can’t get players out for football or basketball, I just can’t wrap my head around the thought of kids from Paden City in a back alley shooting dice. In all honesty the Wildcats are like most schools in this country, it is losing kids to Guitar Hero and Halo 3, not the streets.

Secondly, if I was from Paden City I wouldn’t get my hopes up just yet. From what the article suggests the additional division would be a 32 team division for the AAA schools across the state, with an eventual 16 team playoff. Eight schools from AAA would stay and a number of schools would then move up to AAA from AA. Assuming AAA would then have 32 schools and a 16 team playoff, the WVSSAC would realign AA and A divisions accordingly. This realignment would include the pulling of private A schools such as Wheeling Central and Moorefield (the schools responsible for winning 8 of 10 basketball titles and at least 36 team titles since 1995) into higher divisions.

So now that Wheeling Central is out of class A again where does that leave the A schools? If Wheeling Central is out, what reason is there to keep Williamstown in class A if it is based on competitiveness? 56 game winning streaks don’t lend themselves to your staying in a class where you have excelled. Assuming Williamstown moves up into AA, you have taken the top two teams out of the lowest class, does this make Paden City and Parkersburg Catholic immediate title contenders? My belief is that all you have done is added another game to the final weekend, and that game more than likely is a diminished product.

Thirdly, the idea that kids in West Virginia have to have the possibility of winning a state championship or playing in a playoff game in order to stoke their interest in playing high school athletics speaks to the kind of entitlement philosophy that plagues our nation’s youth. Since when did you have to have a chance to play in a playoff game deter persons from playing a sport. Essentially what King claims is that kids see they can’t be the best or one of them and then decide not to play. The quote says,

“A lot of kids don’t go out for football because they feel they don’t have a chance to win”

This goes beyond just winning. The concept of playoff realignment and division realignment isn’t about winning games, it is about winning titles. There are many teams that have won just four or five games and missed out on the playoffs for the past couple years, yet you don’t hear them arguing for realignment. The bottom line is Paden City feels jilted because of the competitive imbalance within their own division, and this will more than likely not be repaired by a sudden chance at the playoffs.

As an alum from a high school that has never played in a state football playoff game, and an alum from a college that hasn’t played in an NCAA football playoff game I can somewhat empathize with fans from Paden City and the unnamed schools in the back of King’s mind. In light of this, I realize that for West Virginia athletics a 16 team super-division would only benefit the 16 and not the state at large.

So fans of the Big Reds and Patriots rejoice. Your roads to state championships just got a major shot in the arm. As for you followers of the Yellow Jackets and Crusaders, you may as well just work a little harder in the off-season because the Wheeling Central’s and Charleston Catholic’s of the world aren’t going anywhere…..at least not for a while.

Parkersburg Rundown 4/16-

Local Race Schedule for April and May-

Vienna River Road Race 5K Run and Walk-1600 34th street
Saturday April 19
8:00AM

Good Samaritan 5K-City Park-Parkersburg
Saturday May 10
8:00AM

Y5 Road Race-Marietta-Masonic Park
Saturday May 10
8:00AM

For more information on races visit, www.rivercityrunners.com/2008_schedule

Proposed 32 Team Division- Now that the WVSSAC has a proposal before them, we as fans are unsure what to expect after realignment. It seems most of this issue revolves around Wheeling Central’s placement. Outside of just putting Wheeling Central in a different division based on their performance the only scenario that makes any sense to me is realignment within the current enrollment numbers.

Here is a breakdown of what the divisions would look like should realignment be based on current enrollment numbers.

(Teams are arranged by total enrollment)
AAAA- Parkersburg, Cabell Midland, Martinsburg, Wheeling Park, Hedgesville, Parkersburg South, Huntington, Morgantown, Musselman, Woodrow Wilson, John Marshall, Preston, Riverside, Jefferson, Capital, University, Spring Valley, Buckhannon-Upshur, Brooke, Greenbrier East, George Washington, Washington, Hampshire, Hurricane, Princeton, South Charleston, St. Albans, Ripley, Elkins, North Marion.

AAA-Lincoln County, Lewis County, Nitro, Winfield, East Fairmont, Robert C. Byrd, Fairmont Senior, Nicholas County, Logan, Bridgeport, Keyser, Herbert Hoover, Point Pleasant, Independence, Shady Spring, Chapmanville, Phillip Barbour, Oak Hill, Roane County, Grafton, Berkeley Springs, Weir, Braxton County, Wayne, Scott, Bluefield, PikeView, Lincoln, Frankfort.

AA-James Monroe, Sissonville, Oak Glen, Liberty, Westside, Tolsia, Wyoming East, Ravenswood, Poca, Summer County, Webster County, Petersburg, Ritchie County, Sherman, Tug Valley, Tyler Consolidated, Mount View, Magnolia, Greenbrier West, Richwood, South Harrison, Moorefield, Williamstown, St. Mary’s, Iaeger, Man, Doddridge County, Tucker County, Wheeling Central.

A-Midland Trail, Wirt County, Valley Fayette, Calhoun County, Pocahontas County, Tygarts Valley, Fayetteville, Pendelton County, Gilmer County, Clay-Battelle, Buffalo, Gilbert, Wahama, Charleston Catholic, Burch, East Hardy, Montcalm, Big Creek, Cameron, Valley Wetzel, Matewan, Hannan, Mount Hope, Meadow Bridge, Van, Madonna, Williamson, Bishop Donahue, Hundred, St.Joe’s Catholic, Parkersburg Catholic, Paden City, Trinity, Clarksburg Notre Dame, Union, Paw Paw, Greater Beckley Christian, Harman, Mercer Christian Academy.

Doesn’t look like things have improved much for Williamstown or St.Mary’s does it? With schools like Wahama, and Midland Trail still lurking, does it look like Paden City has a shot at a state championship. I agree their road is vastly improved, but they given that Wheeling Central is at the very bottom of enrollment numbers in AA they are a down year away from jumping down into A. If that would happen, the same scenario is played out again, only this time Williamstown wouldn’t be the victim.

It is more likely that the WVSSAC would just put Wheeling Central in a higher class, such as AAA. This would solve all the problems of the schools who have been beaten up by the Maroon Knights over the past 13 years.

Impending Carson Palmer Ocho Cinco feud?

Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson left no room for doubt Wednesday: He wants out of Cincinnati as fast as possible and he doesn't plan on reporting for any future Bengal function -- mandatory or voluntary.

What spurred Johnson's immediate reaction was a statement made by quarterback Carson Palmer that indicated Johnson had told Palmer he would be at the team's mandatory minicamp in mid-June. Johnson said that wasn't true.

"I want to make this very clear,'' Johnson said Wednesday. "I don't know where he got that. I made no assertion to Carson that I would do that. Nothing has changed from what I've been saying for three months that I don't want to play for the Bengals.''

Johnson made one of his strongest statements in saying he is not planning on reporting to any team functions because he wants to be traded.

"I want to be traded before the draft, and if that doesn't happen, I want to be traded as soon as possible,'' Johnson said. "I don't intend on reporting to anything.''

Johnson is skipping the team's offseason workouts as he tries to push for a trade. But the Bengals have also made it clear that they have no plans of trading him.

The Pro Bowl wide receiver said he was surprised by Palmer's comments about his possibly reporting to mandatory camp.

"I wish he would stay out of my business,'' Johnson said.

~story courtesy John Clayton ESPN.com

I wonder if the Bengals could get a first rounder, or a 2nd and 3rd for CJ? Would be nice to improve the defense a little. Bengals fans are sick of his whining. I don't care how many TD catches he has.

Low Income Housing at The Banks?

Story courtesy WLW News

Housing group wants subsidized housing on the river.
By 700WLW News
Wednesday, April 16, 2008

( Cincinnati )- When the Banks Project is finally completed on Cincinnati's riverfront, there are expected to be about 1,800 new condos and apartments. If the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority has its way, 10% of those would be subsidized Section 8 units. Pete Witte wrote the resolution asking for subsidized housing to be included in the Banks. He's quoted in the paper as saying that the Banks will become the city's 53rd neighborhood, and that neighborhood should not shut out low income individuals.

The big question from Hamilton County Commissioner David Pepper is - why are just hearing about this now, when the BANKS project has been in the works for years? He is not pleased to have the public housing request dropped on the BANKS project - now. He tells the paper "this isn't the 11th hour - its the 13th hour" for the project. He wants to know why no one with the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority has brought up the idea of putting Section 8 housing on the river, before now.

Critics say getting this issue resolved could further slow things down, but the CMHA Chairman says having low incoming housing could help bring federal financing for the project.

Ok-for those of you who don't know, there is a giant hole in the ground in downtown Cincy where Riverfront Stadium used to be. Since 1999 when Riverfront was leveled city planners have talked about making the expanse and turning it into something along the lines of the Arena District in Columbus. It would be nice if they could do this sooner rather than later because I know that on gamedays whether it be the Reds or Bengals there isn't anything to do near the stadiums. You have to walk uptown to get a bite to eat or a drink. This quite frankly stinks.

So today WLW is going nuts because it was announced that a percentage of the luxury apartments in the Banks project have to be low income. Not sure whether it will make a difference or not, but being that WLW and its anchors are staunch elitists, they are making it sound like the Banks will look like Over the Rhine in a matter of weeks.

I seriously doubt it will be anything close, but the fact that city organizers mandate some of this be low income housing is kind of absurd?

Here is what the site looks like now


Here is a rendering of the Banks project

48 of 50 States have seen EttaSports.com

Since the domain name launch January 9th, all but two states have browsed by EttaSports

To the remaining two,

I need you!
-South Dakota
-Alaska

Here are some stats about the site courtesy of Google Analytics

Total Visits: 3,996
Total visitors: 2,263
Pages per visit: 1.98
Avg. Time on Site: 2 mins 07 secs
% new visitors: 62%

States with most visits
Ohio-1277
West Virginia-879
Illinois-112
New York-108
Texas-86

As far as browsers go, you are mostly windows users

Internet Explorer 2,074 58.72%
Firefox 1,011 28.62%
Safari 422 11.95%
Opera 9 0.25%
Netscape 6 0.17%

And last but not least,
according to analytics
there are 201 of you who have visited the site more than 50 times.
To you 200, thanks so much and keep reading.

To the 2000+ who are still not frequenting EttaSports, it's ok. I will forgive you.

Thanks to everyone who made the first 4 months of EttaSports a successful one.

Another Reason to Move from Marietta to Columbus

Columbus finally going the way of public transit

http://dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/04/14/OLDTROLLEY.ART_ART_04-14-08_A1_P59S41B.html?sid=101

Columbus Streetcar - Economic Impact Study

* 6,400 -7,200 rides per day after five years
* 3,000 jobs downtown - $2.7 million in income tax collections
* 1,500 additional housing units
* 90,000 additional convention visitors spending $52.8 million over five years
* 300 new hotel rooms
* $674-$764 million in economic impact after five years

(from the Columbus Streetcar Working group)

10 Most Miserable Sports Cities....Done Correctly

Forbes.com recently released the 10 most miserable sports cities in the United States, and after reading their list not only do I disagree with it completely, but because so many of my friends are native Clevelanders, I am compelled to defend their sacred honor as most tortured sports city.

Before I go on my typical tirade, here is the Forbes top ten.

Atlanta, Seattle, Buffalo, Phoenix, San Diego, Houston, Denver, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Minneapolis.

Question? If you were to ask any sane fan which city would be number one on the list, odds are you would guess they said Cleveland, Buffalo, maybe even Philadelphia correct?

Yet if you took a look at the article which cities took first and second place honors? Atlanta and Seattle? Are you serious? Atlanta? Home of the billion time East Division Champion Atlanta Braves? Stage for 1996 Summer Olympics? Seriously, the Falcons even played in a Super Bowl ten years ago for crying out loud. Give me a break. That is far from misery.

The Seattle argument isn’t much better. I don’t care if the Sonics are leaving for Oklahoma City. Boohoo, excuse Seattleites if they don’t want to pony up tax dollars for another professional sports stadium. Didn’t they just build Safeco and Quest Field?

Your list Forbes magazine is insulting! To say that Atlanta of all cities is the most miserable is flimsy, and claiming that Seattle, a city whose team played in Super Bowl XL and boasts the record for most MLB regular season wins (116 in 2001) isn’t much better. If I were a resident of the mistake-by-the-lake I would be personally insulted and would discontinue my subscription to Forbes (not that any Clevelanders still read Forbes, the recession put an end to all that).

You see most tortured sports fans lists such as these every now and then, and most of them are lousy to say the least. However, when I came across this list and noticed its excessively poor rankings I had to put my foot down. Any list that claims to rank the most miserable or tortured cities in sports must have Cleveland in their top two if not number one.

Consider the following.....(Cleveland fans brace yourselves); The Drive, The Fumble, Jordan over Ehlo, Art Modell, The 2000 Ravens, Dennis Northcutt’s 3rd down drop, David Justice’s homer in 95, Edgar Renteria in 97, Albert Belle Bolting for the White Sox, last year blowing a 3-1 lead, and don’t even think about mentioning the fact that Lebron sat behind home plate at the Tribe Yanks playoff game in a Yankees hat. The mere thought of Lebron bolting for the Big Apple should send Cuyahoga County residents jumping from the Key Bank building.

Sorry for the flashbacks. I know right now my old roommate is reading this and simultaneously flipping through his phone book looking for the number of his shrink. Such torture requires professional psychiatric help.

When it all comes down to it, no one has the losing pedigree that Cleveland has. The Tribe hasn’t won a World Series since 1948, the Browns haven’t been to a Super Bowl, and have made choking away games an art form, and the Cavaliers while resurgent are simply a stepping stone for King James to take over the NBA in a New York Knicks uniform. Quite frankly, if I were a fan of all of these teams, or the Browns for one, I would have resigned at life many years ago.

Because I am such a nice guy I took up your banner Cleveland and made sure everyone knows that Cleveland truly is sporting hell. No one loses like you do, and if it wasn’t for your overbearing and zealous fan-bases no one would care enough about your plight. Thankfully Cleveland fans are always in need of a shoehorn for their mouths and for this I will always come to your defense.

So without further adieu I present the real 10 most miserable sports cities. Someone tell Forbes if they want a real list they can contact Nate Wooley and buy this one.

1. Cleveland
2. Philadelphia
3. Buffalo
4. Minneapolis
5. San Diego
6. Atlanta
7. Kansas City
8. Chicago (only because no one really roots for the White Sox)
9. Seattle
10.Washington D.C.

Spring Sports Standings Update:

SEOAL Baseball
-North Division
Zanesville 3-0
Marietta 2-2
Athens 1-1
Logan 1-2
Warren 0-2

SEOAL Softball
-North Division
Marietta 4-0
Logan 2-1
Warren 1-1
Athens 0-2
Zanesville 0-3

OAC Baseball
Mount Union 16-7, 7-1
Marietta 10-14, 6-2
Heidelberg 20-5, 6-2
John Carroll 15-6, 6-2
Baldwin-Wallace 4-4, 12-10
Wilmington 8-10, 3-5
Otterbein 10-9, 2-4
Ohio Northern 10-16, 2-4
Muskingum 12-10, 2-6
Capital 6-16, 0-8

OAC Softball
Mount Union 25-3, 8-0
Muskingum 21-5, 8-0
Ohio Northern 18-6, 7-1
Capital 16-11, 5-3
John Carroll 8-14, 4-4
Heidelberg 4-18, 2-6
Marietta 12-10, 2-6
Otterbein 7-11, 2-6
Baldwin-Wallace 12-14, 2-6
Wilmington 6-18, 0-8

Updated as of 4/14

The Rundown 4/16

Lady Tigers Softball Sweeps- Just as she did last season the Tiger’s junior Ace hurler Layne Carpenter is again dominating the competition. In recent victories over league also-rans Warren and Zanesville, Carpenter piled up the strikeouts, posting 10 and 17 respectively. This season Carpenter hopes to improve on her already impressive resume in league play. As a sophomore Carpenter dazzled opponents en-route to league player of the year honors, posting an astounding 0.51 ERA with 86 strikeouts against only ten walks. This season Carpenter has produced similar numbers yielding just eight hits in the Tigers four league contests, while striking out 57. With Marietta already holding a two game lead in the SEOAL’s north division, the Tigers appear to be well on their way to repeat league titles and repeat player of the year honors for Carpenter.

Tigers Baseball Turning Heads in Early Season- With the Tiger’s 5-4 victory at Warren last week, the co-coaching tandem of Larry Burke and Jim Thrash has quickly illustrated their ability to churn out winning ball clubs. Losing perhaps more valuable pieces than any other team in the league entering this season, the co-coaches have managed to produce successful play from the club’s very young corps. Getting a key start from sophomore Tyler Brooker and key hits from sophomore Lance Weppler in the victory over Warren, it appears as if the league has taken notice. At 2-2 in the league the Tigers currently stand in second place in the north division, and with one of their losses being the narrow 3-2 loss to undefeated Zanesville, Marietta’s resurgence to league superiority following a two year hiccup appears ahead of schedule.

Etta Express Teeters On Brink- To say that the start of the season has been rough would be an understatement. With the Pioneers game one loss to visiting Mount Union on Wednesday and Saturday’s game two loss to visiting John Carroll, the pressure to get wins on the road has mounted. Trailing Mount Union by a game in the standings and remaining in a virtual tie with Heidelberg and John Carroll, Marietta finds itself in dangerously close to seeing its only opportunity at the post-season slip away. With the OAC tournament taking only the top four teams, and games remaining at Wilmington on Monday, at Muskingum on Tuesday, and versus defending champion Otterbein on Saturday the Pioneers must not have a hiccup on the road this week.

Sporting News Tells Reds Fans Something They Don't Know

Evidently the Reds ballpark could ruin young pitchers???
The Sporting News writes about the impending doom for Cueto and Volquez

The Cincinnati Reds are justifiably excited about the promise of young righthanded pitchers Johnny Cueto and Edinson Volquez, who each earned style points in winning his first start of the season. It has been a long time since the Reds have had youthful pitching with the potential of Cueto and Volquez.

The test, though, will be whether they can hold up for an entire season at their home ballyard, the hitters’ paradise that is Great American Ball Park.

The park stayed true to form during the Reds’ season-opening seven-game homestand. Cincinnati won four of seven games despite being outhomered 13-7. That included 10 homers allowed by Reds starting pitchers.

Cueto and Volquez mostly avoided the virus. Cueto gave up one homer while striking out 10 in seven dominant innings against Arizona. Volquez kept the ball in the park for 5 1/3 solid innings during a win against Philadelphia. Their work was noteworthy.

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Since opening in 2001, the Reds’ park has been among baseball’s top launching pads. From 2005-07, Great American gave up the most homers (718) in the majors. Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park was second at 675. San Diego’s PETCO Park and Washington’s now-abandoned RFK Stadium allowed the fewest homers, with 402.

The Reds, according to a club official, have not considered changing the dimensions of the field. Unless the Reds want to pull out a huge hunk of seats—as the Philadelphia Phillies did in left field in 2006—there is no wiggle room at Great American Ball Park. The park is hemmed in by US Bank Arena beyond left field and the Ohio River behind right field.

One National League executive referred to games at Great American as “arena baseball.” According to former Cincinnati general manager Jim Bowden, Great American was not supposed to play this way.

“There wasn’t one person that said a little fly ball in right-center was gone, and every fly ball in left and in right down the line were gone,” said Bowden, now Washington’s general manager. “They did all the wind studies. Every single one was wrong.”

The result is a home park that hurts the Reds.

The Reds’ hitters have became homer-happy, running up staggering strikeout totals in the process. Their pitchers have been beaten down by 81 games of watching routine fly balls turn into home runs.

Consider righthander Bronson Arroyo, the Reds’ No. 2 starter. In 2006, his first season with the club, Arroyo went 6-2 with a 2.60 ERA and 16 homers allowed in 121 1/3 innings at Great American. He slipped to 6-5 with a 4.47 ERA for 96 2/3 innings at home last season and went 0-1 with a 5.91 ERA and five homers allowed in 10 2/3 innings in two starts on the season-opening homestand.

Therein lays the challenge for Cueto and Volquez. If Great American does not crush their spirit, the Reds could have a dynamic 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation.

So what does this mean?
Do the Reds admit defeat and just trade all the young pitchers?
Can we move the fences back?
These are all questions that will be answered over the next few years.

Parkersburg Rundown 4/9

Huggins Speaking In Parkersburg–Wednesday at the Grand Pointe Conference Center in Vienna, WVU head basketball coach Bob Huggins will be speaking on behalf of the Allohak Council Boy Scouts of America at their 39th annual Community Leadership Dinner. Scheduled to begin with a silent auction at 6:15 with dinner to follow, the event is designed to promote and raise funding for scouting in the Mid-Ohio Valley. With an individual ticket price of 175 dollars and all proceeds from the silent auction going to the local chapters of the Boy Scouts of America, the fundraising goal of $100,000 may be within reach.
For more information contact the Allohak Council at (304) 422-4507

Parkersburg Events Center Discussed–Let me preface this first by saying the author doesn’t claim to have any idea of state, city, and national guard cooperation terms or building limits, however the author does recognize the need for such an events center in the valley.

In a perfect world Parkersburg would have had a civic events center 15 years ago. Sadly though the valley still does not have a marquee events site, and without this patrons have missed out on various entertainment opportunities and cultural experiences that attract businesses and promote economic growth.

With the announcement that city organizers have begun deliberating the construction of an armory/events center, persons who would like to see the valley attract much larger entertainment personalities need to speak up. With proposals seemingly echoing the same ones that occurred prior to the construction of the Summersville site, it must be mentioned that for Parkersburg construction of any armory/convention center should be made with the intent on attracting premiere events.

Since the idea of building an events center is years away if not just a pipe dream, we in the valley can only prod local organizers to think larger. Recession or not, entertainment has long been a staple in economically viable areas. If citizens are serious about combating “brain drain” they need to think long term. A suitable events center would go a long way in keeping the youth in our state here for the long term.

**As I type I learned that ironically enough one such event just went on the market. With Charleston would no longer host the WVSSAC state wrestling tournament, had Parkersburg constructed a venue years ago there would be no doubt who should host it. Given that Parkersburg is the cradle of wrestling in the mountain state, it would have been nice to give local wrestlers the credit they deserve by having the state championships in their own back yard. Additionally, I would only speculate at the revenue stream that would accompany the event.**

OVU drops pair at Charleston– OVU’s disappointing season seems to drag on a bit longer as the 7-22 Scots dropped their fifth and sixth straight games, falling at Charleston Sunday, 5-4 and 11-7. The six game skid marks the second time this season the Scots have dropped five straight, the previous being their nine game streak in the season’s opening week.

The scots travel to Pennsylvania this week to play California, then to UP-Johnstown before returning home on April 18th to play WVIAC leading Concord.

The Rundown 4/9

DIII Realignment Tabled-- A few months ago the Marietta Times reported the findings of former Marietta athletics director Debbie Lazorik following her return from sabbatical with the NCAA. Ms. Lazorik’s notes hinted at the possible restructuring of DIII into two divisions. Largely attributed to the exponential growth of the division (an estimated 480 schools by 2020) a plan was put in place that would divide the current division into two, one division where the current NCAA rules maintain in place and another where 150 of the 480 schools (or at least 10 major conferences) adhere to a new more stringent set of NCAA rules. Most notably the inclusion of fewer off-season practice hours and no national tournament.

It was believed that schools would be placed in subdivisions based on competitiveness within the nation and preference of conference commissioners. This sent shrieks down the spine of OAC patrons. Not because the OAC was mentioned specifically but because a conference nearly its equal, the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC), was listed as being a potential candidate for the D3 non-competitive subdivision.

Given the former directors comments regarding the role of athletics at division III schools and the frequency of turnover within her own athletic program it wasn’t hard to tell where Ms. Lazorik and Marietta stood regarding realignment.

Thankfully as of last Tuesday, the proposal has been tabled (for now). As reported by The NCAA News, the executive director of the NCAA Myles Brand was quoted as saying “there was significant opposition expressed during the NCAA convention of the working group’s proposal”.

This is good news for anyone who enjoys the dominance of the OAC when it comes to football, baseball, and basketball. Although there have been struggles as of late on the gridiron and hardwood, Marietta is still a title contender in Baseball and Crew. Thankfully that won’t change, at least not because of division realignment. Now if only we could get someone to quit firing and or not renewing the contracts all the good coaches at Marietta? (cough John Bancheri cough) Then we wouldn’t have to worry about being dangerously close to the non-competitive subdivision of DIII athletics.

Tigers Take Lindamood Cup In Convincing Fashion-- Just as they did in last year’s runaway victory, the Tigers again dominated the muddy Muskingum waters in the Lindamood Cup. By virtue of victories in the Boys Varsity 8, Boys JV 8, Girls JV 8, Girls Freshman 8, Boys Varsity 4, and the Boys novice 8, Marietta distanced itself from its closest competitor, posting 209 meet points, 91 more than its closest competitor Parkersburg. On the boys side Marietta dominated, scoring 114 points to Parkersburg’s 36, while the ladies soundly beat guest navy Hampton 90-60. Sadly the competition was down this year as the teams from Pittsburgh Catholic and Taylor Aldice both opted not to race on Saturday after testing the currents Friday evening.

Catching Up: Mike Eisenberg

The former Marietta College standout recently sat down with the Register and talked a little bit about his signing with the Frontier League’s Washington Wild Things, his stint in the Cleveland Indians organization, and what it feels like to be heckled by old ladies on the front row.

AK: Ok, you sign your first professional contract with the Indians, what is your first major purchase?

ME: After I put down a thousand on blackjack, which isn’t really a purchase since I didn’t win anything, I bought a white gold necklace with my dad’s initials on it.

AK: Were you getting grief from your dominican teammates because you didn’t have enough bling?

ME: I hate bling.

AK: So now that MLB has a new drug testing policy did you ever get tested? And was Jose Canseco there to hold the cup?

ME: Since I signed I got tested 9 times, and no Jose wasn’t there, but Barry Bonds was.

AK: Statistics indicated that in 2000 15% of minor leaguers were taking some kind of performance enhancing drug. In the time you spent, over or under 15% still using?

ME: Under, I’d say it is between 2-3%

AK: Ok enough serious stuff, good questions. What was the last movie you saw?

ME: 21 the movie about the MIT grads in Vegas.

AK: So tell the truth, Kate Bosworth in 21 or in Blue Crush?

ME: Blue Crush. Hands down.

AK: Did you pick up any nicknames while playing for Lake County?

ME: Eisy is what everyone calls me but the nickname I got was the Hebrew Hammer. Mostly because that is what they called my curveball, and for other reasons.

AK: What was your most embarrassing moment as a pro?

ME: last year, lake county, I'm in the midst of a terrible slump, a half-season long slump there are a good 2000-2500 at the game and its quiet as can be because of how bad I’m throwing. Out of nowhere, from the third base line front row, an old lady, white hair and all, a good 65+ years old, screams, "This kid f...ing sucks! Take him out!" Everybody laughed, including myself.

AK: So when you heard the lady, was there any urge to pull a Chuck Knoblauch and chuck a baseball into the stands?

ME: The only urge I had was to grab a microphone and say, “I agree with you 100%”

AK: Worst bus ride you had?

ME:We had a 3-game series in brooklyn, NY. Left brooklyn at about midnight after our 3rd game. Go home, 14 hours later pull in at 2 p.m.. We had a game that day at 5 p.m.. Dumbest scheduling ever. Add in the fact you can never sleep on the bus, I basically had my computer loaded down with every movie I could find and just tried to stay entertained.

AK: Larry King was recently ejected from his kid’s little league game for arguing a call. What is more shocking, the fact Larry got ejected or the fact that the old codger has a kid young enough to play little league.

ME: I’d say the fact he has grandkids older than his current son is kind of shocking.

AK: Last Question. They say rock stars want to be athletes, and athletes want to be rock stars. If you were a rock star, would you be closer to Bono or Manilow?

ME: My God, neither. If I must answer I would say Justin Timberlake. But only because of the fact he got Jessica Biel and Cameron Diaz.

AK: So its all about the boy bands for you hunh?

ME: Vince Vaughn said it best in Old School, so I will leave it at that.

Division III realignment now a dead issue

Courtesy of D3Baseball.com

Drive for Division IV dies
The movement to subdivide Division III or create a Division IV was halted after Division III members' survey responses reflected a lack of interest, according to an article in the NCAA News.

Division III's anticipated growth, projected to be to 480 overall members by 2020, prompted a small group of Division III institutions to call for breaking the division in two. However, the movement apparently failed to draw enough interest.

The full survey results will be announced April 9. However, the preliminary results were, according to the NCAA News piece, "consistent with the level of opposition that was expressed during an NCAA Convention discussion of the working group's proposal."

The debate has featured a great deal of rhetoric, but lacked solid proposals. Southwestern University president Jake Schrumm wrote in a newspaper editorial in January: "Those of us who espouse the concept of Division III got here first, and this division was created for us. If some in our division can't abide by the structured guidelines demanded by a scholar-athlete, then they should leave Division III and be comfortable in a newly created Division IV."

The Capital Athletic Conference put a statement out in February asking the Division IV faction for details. "The Capital Athletic Conference asks that those who desire change come forward and help us understand your vision. Provide the membership an opportunity to decide its future from a position of intellectual strength rather than from assumptions and possible miscommunication. The landscape we develop for our future student-athletes deserves much thoughtful and honest consideration of the facts and issues."

Division III went through a reform process at the 2004 NCAA Convention which eliminated the so-called routine redshirt, aimed at bringing the increasingly diverse population of D-III schools closer together.

A new division or subgrouping would have needed 150 overall members in order to be viable, according to the NCAA's initial research. The NCAA's research identified more than 10 conferences which would be candidates to join a division with more restrictions, including, surprisingly, the WIAC.

You'll remember there being some to-do over Marietta's supposed jump down into a non-competitive division of D3 athletics. Well because so many were vehemently opposed to such a program, the issue is now dead.

OAC Title Now a Must Have for Etta Express

with last night's 8-7 loss at Denison the Pioneers have all but eliminated the possibility of an at-large bid for the NCAA tournament.

The loss to yet another in-region team marked the 8th loss this year, and dropped the Pios record to a disappointing 7-12.

That puts alot of pressure on the club to win the OAC tournament, something Brewer has failed to in his tenure at MC. This weekend the Pios host an upstart John Carroll squad. Should the Blue Streaks come in and take two from MC you may as well press the panic button.

Given the amount of talent returning from last year's squad this start has been a tough pill to swallow.

(photo courtesy of Denison Athletics)

The Huggins-way Already Entrenched at WVU

Missed free-throws at the end of regulation, star players sitting idly by due to fouls, buzzer beating three point shots.

This was a script Xavier had been all too familiar with.

After last season’s second round gaffe against top seeded Ohio State, coach Sean Miller’s group vowed publicly to finish the job should they get another chance. Unfortunately, the Musketeers redemption story came at the expense of an upstart Mountaineer basketball team.

There is a bright side however for fans of the Blue and Gold. Just as Xavier exacted revenge on last year’s near miss in the tournament, the stage will be set for WVU to do so next year.

Sure, the Mountaineers projected 10th place finish in the Big-East preseason poll served as motivation for the undersized and defensively challenged group, however as evidenced by their recent run, the value of a veteran coach with Final Four experience cannot be understated. This is why many feel WVU’s transition from gimmicky offensive threat to national contender was made complete in Phoenix.

In wins over Providence, UConn, Arizona, and Duke, the Mountaineers possessed a toughness and will previously unseen during the Beilein regime. While talented and charismatic, the Kevin Pittsnogles and Mike Ganseys of the past few years were not capable of producing defensive stops late in the NCAA tournament. Not to fault John Beilein or his scheme, but mental toughness wasn’t one of the characteristics that came to typify his teams. This is where Bob Huggins is the perfect stop gap.

This season was a test for WVU players and fans. Could they abandon the free-wheeling offensive attack and porous 1-3-1 zone for the tough in-your face man to man defense Bob Huggins brought to fame at Cincinnati.

The answer to that question came late in the first half, when challenged by an 18 point deficit the Mountaineers answered not with a barrage of three’s or a gimmicky press that produced a few opportune turnovers. The answer came in their relentless air-tight man to man defense. Just as soon as Xavier put the cap on their surprising start, the Mountaineers erased the lead thanks to seven consecutive stops at the defensive end. A team coached by John Beilein is incapable of such feat as Michigan fans have quickly found.

The sting from this loss will linger for quite awhile in Morgantown, and the 1-11 mark from beyond the arc and 18-27 tally at the stripe will haunt players and coaches till November. However, Huggins is notorious for pulling teams from slumps with his steely resolve. Just as the domineering coach extracted mental toughness and defensive stops from this group, he will provide them with the skills necessary to right this season’s wrongs.

And besides, if he needs a little help keeping players focused on vindication, he can ask Sean Miller, in 2008 Xavier wrote the book.

Parkersburg Rundown-4/2

PHS, South, Marietta Crew Triangular- In what has become a preview of sorts for the following week’s Lindamood Cup, the PHS, South, and Marietta Crew teams square off in Parkersburg. Just as it has in years passed, the Tigers from Marietta again took home honors, sweeping the Big Reds and Patriots in the Varsity eight and Varsity four 1500 meter races. The Big Reds took honors in the boys freshman 8, girls freshman 8, women’s lightweight 4, while the Patriots managed victories in women’s varsity 4 and boys JV 8. All three squads will meet this weekend in Marietta in the eight squad Lindamood Cup. Teams from Pittsburgh, Michigan, and Wheeling will also be participating.

Jay Bilas Speaks at OVU May 2nd- Duke lovers and haters should find it interesting that former Blue Devil and current ESPN and CBS analyst Jay Bilas will be speaking in the valley on May 2nd and 3rd. As featured speaker for the third annual OVU athletics benefit and also for the 2008 commencement, Bilas brings his extensive resume in the television world, coaching ranks, and legal arena to the fighting scots campus. Tickets
for the May 2nd dinner run 25 dollars with all proceeds going to the athletic department. Additionally for 50 dollars patrons can participate in a VIP meet and greet with Bilas, that includes an autographed basketball and photo session.

Suddenlink televises 145 Reds games- Thankfully Suddenlink has obliged us for yet another year, rescuing from Pittsburgh Pirate baseball purgatory opting to carry the Reds again this season. In cooperation with Fox Sports Ohio, Suddenlink Cable has purchased the rights to air 145 Reds baseball games on channel 19. Telecasts began March 31 with the Reds exhibition opener vs. Arizona. (Note: due to some scheduling requirements, some Reds games will appear on channel 2 cable marketplace. If you browse by channel 19 and see the home shopping network never fear, the game should be found on channel 2.)

Etta Express Gathering Momentum Despite Narrow Loss

Although the Etta Express dropped an 8-7 decision to rival Wooster at home on Wednesday, it appeared as if the boys in pinstripes learned a great deal about the region’s top ranked squad.

While getting sufficient looks at Wooster hurlers Anthony Trapuzzano, Mark Miller, and Adam Sampson may pay dividends in late May, it just might turn out that the most beneficial learning experience of the day came by virtue of Marietta’s 6-0 deficit after 5 1/2.

Having squandered opportunities to plate runs in the second and fourth innings thanks to a series base-running blunders, Marietta entered the bottom half of the sixth teetering on the brink of a blowout courtesy of the free swinging Scots. Having watched two of third baseman Dan Skulina’s shots fly over the wall, and another from DH Matt Groezinger, Coach Brian Brewer’s squad found itself in gut-check time.

In customary fashion the Etta Express answered when it counted.

For a club mired in its worst start in decades, this may prove a watershed moment.

Not only did Marietta continue its recent string of clutch two-out hits and not only did Marietta post four runs of Wooster ace Adam Sampson, but it seemed as if Marietta delivered a powerful message to the nation’s second ranked ball club; the road to Appleton still runs through Marietta.

Despite the abysmal 4-10 start, the Etta Express showed it still has the look of a champion. Playing error free baseball and having staged a dramatic comeback from six runs down, the Etta Express proved to those in attendance, and most importantly to itself, that the season is far from over.

Sure the odds of obtaining an at-large bid to the tournament appear bleak to say the least, however it seems that this type of pressure has become something these players feed off of. Having missed out on the OAC’s automatic bid for the last five years, the margin for error has been slim to none. Eeking out just 27 victories during the regular season last year, and having been bested by Otterbein in the 2006 OAC tournament, this veteran squad has never felt comfortable during the regular season.

Thankfully regular season comforts aren’t something Pioneer players settle for.

With Tim Pettorini’s squad having entered the contest with a stout 16-1 record, a staff ERA of 3.63 and a team batting average of .348, statistically speaking, the Fighting Scots were head and shoulders above the Pioneers. By game’s end it was clear that either Marietta’s lopsided record was deceiving or the Fighting Scots aren’t worthy of their #2 ranking?
While either may be true, it is more likely that both questions are correct.

In any event, it looks as if Marietta has righted the ship after trying times in Texas. With road contests against Capital and Denison on tap, and home contests against Allegheny John Carroll, and Wittenberg scheduled, the Etta Express will have ample opportunities to improve on its regular season record, and thankfully many more opportunities to bolster their in-region record.

The Rundown 3/27--4/2

MHS Crew hosts Lindamood Cup- This season MHS celebrates 43 years of rowing, and as is customary on the first weekend of April, the Tiger Navy seeks to retain the coveted Ralph Lindamood Cup. Named after legendary coach Ralph Lindamood, the Invitational has long been one of the premiere rowing events nationally, and has provided the Tiger Navy with one of the more enviable showcases in high school rowing.
Last year the Tigers were again victorious posting a near record 311 points in the regatta, more than 200 more than its closest challenger. Sweeps of the Varsity 8’s and Varsity 4’s turned last years meet into a blowout, and expectations are high for a similar run.
This year the Cup features eight varsity squads from across the nation. The Tigers varsity will square off against teams from Hampton High in Pittsburgh, Mount De Chantal Academy in Wheeling, Taylor Alderdice School in Pittsburgh, North Catholic School in Pittsburgh, Grosse lle School in Michigan, and local hulls from Parkersburg and Parkersburg South. The regatta begins Saturday morning at 10 am weather permitting, and by weather I mean if the river isn’t in flood stage.

MHS Alumni Tournament- Let the trash talking begin! The 15th annual Marietta High School alumni tournament is scheduled for April 4-6, with games being played at MHS and MMS. The round robin tournament concludes with a single elimination day of champions on April 6th, where the top teams in each division compete for an outright championship. Additionally, the annual Coaches/Faculty vs. Current MHS players game is scheduled for immediately following the championship contest. Registration is complete, but for more information contact either Jim Humphrey at 374-3955 or Matt Heidorn at 706-9094.

Suddenlink televises 145 Reds games- Thankfully Suddenlink has obliged us for yet another year, rescuing from Pittsburgh Pirate baseball purgatory opting to carry the Reds again this season. In cooperation with Fox Sports Ohio, Suddenlink Cable has purchased the rights to air 145 Reds baseball games on channel 19. Telecasts begin March 31 with the Reds exhibition opener vs. Arizona. (Note: due to some scheduling requirements, some Reds games will appear on channel 2 cable marketplace. If you browse by channel 19 and see the home shopping network never fear, the game should be found on channel 2.)