Bleacher Report - Articles by Sean Ahern

NY Giants—Big Blue and The Empire State in 2009

Sean Ahern — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 21:00:05 -0400

Halfway through the first half of the New York Giants preseason schedule and I, like most rational people, worry not about how the G-Men are looking. Playing scrubs and third-stringers in two preseason games is nothing to worry about or get in a tizzy about any time soon.

Of course, who said that Giants fans were rational?

With the departure of Steve Spagnuolo as defensive coordinator to head up the St. Louis Rams (may God have mercy on him) and a lack of Plaxico Burress to throw to, many assumptions have been made of the boys in blue early in the preseason for no apparent reason.

Maybe it's because I live in Albany, NY, home to the (former?) training camp of the New York Giants. Maybe it's because preseason games are hyped up more than usual this year across the board, and even maybe—just maybe—it's because Giants fans don't want to jinx themselves because the Monster from the Meadowlands is shaping up to be a Grade-A team this time around.

With a newly franchised Eli Manning making more money than his older and wiser brother, a first-round draft-pick that could re-ignite the receivers this season, and a mediocre regular season schedule it could be very easy to expect the Giants to run right through the competition like a toddler on a sugar high.

To even state that the Giants could make the playoffs by the end of October causes fans to shake and convulse like voodoo witch doctors to get rid of any bad ju-jube that might have been created.

Nevertheless, the New York Giants are shaping up in the preseason and look to have their hardest game against the New England Patriots. Even with a loss to the Chicago Bears, the Giants will get the rust out before a regular season run that would even make an aged Brett Favre salivate at the possibilities.

Key games in the season include a September start against the Washington Redskins with the Dallas Cowboys following a week later. After trips to the West for games against Kansas City, a bye week at Oakland, New Orleans and Arizona; the Giants play the Eagles at Philly, fight San Diego at home, with a dogfight against the Atlanta Falcons right after the bye week in mid November.

If the G-Men can keep their cool, most of these games should go like clockwork. While Arizona is hot off a run to the Superbowl, and Philadelphia is looking to mess up any postseason appearances, most of these games should barely test Eli and the offense. Most of the judgments will come from Bill Sheridan's boys on the other side of the ball.

With the departure of the aforementioned Spagnuolo, the defensive prowess of the 2008 Giants could be in jeopardy. The Giants may not be the steel curtain of Pittsburgh, but much like other Eastern Division teams (in both conferences), Giants football is won on defense just as often as offense. If teams are looking for any cracks in the Giants plans, it begins with a D.

But not all is lost. If the defense can stand up for themselves this year, Eli will be able to quickly and efficiently pay off any debts they create. $97.3 million is not so much a payment plan as an insurance premium this time around for New York, as Eli is now a veteran of the NFL in all its facets.

No one can blame him for being a green-jean rookie anymore, and Manning is now the franchise of the Giants. With Kevin Boss at tight end, Domenik Hixon, David Tyree returning at wide receiver, and first-round draft-pick Hakeem Knicks, the Giants' offense is stacked this year and Eli will be sitting pretty behind the O-Line, unleashing shots to his receivers all season long.

As the Giants leave their dorms at the University at Albany, and their third preseason game against the Jets looms on Aug. 29, Giants fans need not worry. The preseason means nothing, and the rust will be out soon enough. Just rest easy knowing that Fred Robbins might get the chance to hit Micheal Vick twice this year.

Chargers vs. Everyone: A 2009 Regular Season in San Diego

Sean Ahern — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 20:04:27 -0400

Sadly, for the Superchargers, 8-8 won't cut it this year.

Last year, to the disappointment of many, San Diego aimed for the lowest common denominator when it came to getting into the playoffs.

Simple mistakes and early season injuries crippled the team with losses to the Panthers, Bills, Saints (ala Drew Brees), Dolphins, and Falcons.

San Diego served up more heartbreak for its fans than an army of geeks on prom night will ever experience.

With the return of a healthy Shawne Merriman at outside linebacker, an increasingly effective running game with LaDainian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles, and new recruits like Larry English, we can only hope to see at least a 10-6 record this year from the boys in powder blue. But it won't come easy.

The AFC West is quickly turning into a powder keg of excitement. Kyle Orton will be taking the starting spot for the Denver Broncos and Matt Cassel, formerly of the "noble" New England Patriots, will be leading the offensive attack for the Kansas City Chiefs, while Tom Cable will be taking over at the head coaching position of the rival Oakland Raiders.

Besides the rustling in the bushes of the AFC West, the Chargers have some significant hurdles to surpass in the regular season. Raiders games aside, its gonna be an uphill fight this year for tough-talkin' Norv Turner and Co.

In September, games against the Ravens and Dolphins will be warm-up matches for an away game against the Steelers, the very team that put away the Chargers hopes for playoff success last season.

After a trip to Pittsburgh, games against the Broncos and the Chiefs, with revamped and renewed offensive lines, will stand to fend off San Diego's hope of repeated success from last year.

San Diego lost their first fight to the Broncos last season only to overwhelm them in an AFC race-to-the-finish in December.

Games against the Chiefs were closer than recent seasons and there is no doubt with Mr. Cassel at quarterback that Kansas City will be any easier to take down this season.

Mid-season bouts against the Giants, Cowboys, and Eagles will send the Chargers to the east coast. San Diego is quick to prove itself among the top teams in the AFC (sans atrocious last season stats), but there is one caveat.

Past October, California teams have traditionally fallen to pieces to the powerhouse teams of the east thanks to the unnaturally cold weather and stone cold defenses.

If the Chargers are to make an impact this season, at least one of these three in the east will have to go down in November and December.

Last season, the Chargers fell apart and lost games in the fourth quarter. Even John Madden can tell us that if you give up in the fourth, you won't win football games.

Norv has to remember to play the full four quarters this year or expect heartbreaking losses at the hands of the Broncos, Chiefs, or Giants.

The Chargers have talent, we know this for a fact as we watched Darren Sproles run circles around the Colts in post-season play last year. All Norv has to do is play the game for the intended 60-minutes of regulation time.

The Chargers will have to take easy fights against teams like the Browns, Raiders, Ravens, and Bengals as litmus tests for battles against teams like the Giants, Cowboys and Redskins at the end of the season.

If San Diego comes out fighting in one-sided conflicts, it will help them in the long run as they fight against powerhouses in the NFC.

With pre-season games looming, only time will tell if the Chargers will be able to stand up against competition, or a winning record, at the top of the AFC West this year.

Florida State Seminoles Vs. Virginia Tech Hokies: Fight For The ACC

Sean Ahern — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 20:35:07 -0400

Virginia Tech and Florida State are favored to be at the top of the ACC again this year—at least as much as the media is concerned, that is.

At the 2009 ACC Football Kickoff on July 27, at the Grandover Resort in Greensboro, NC, Virginia Tech and Florida State were voted as the top teams of the Costal and Atlantic Divisions, respectively.

Seventy-eight first-place votes went to the Hokies, and 56 first-place votes were awarded to the Seminoles.

Virginia Tech and FSU are the most likely teams not only to take their divisions, but also be the leading contenders for the ACC Championship game. Both are destined for bowl games this year...the only question at this point is how both teams will make the most of their seasons.

Virginia Tech is stacked early on in the season with non-divisional games, including fights against Marshall and the Huskers of Nebraska.

A kick-off game against Alabama on Sept. 5 will serve as a litmus test against teams like Georgia Tech and FSU—two of the most likely villains to the Hokies this year.

The key will be getting around the October fights with BC, the aforementioned Yellow Jackets, and North Carolina.

Easy-goings in November will help out VT immensely, with games against Maryland, NC State, and Virginia. Frank Beamer and Co. shouldn't rule any opponent as too easy or weak though. Underestimating the abilities of teams such as Duke and Maryland have come back to haunt teams hoping for an easy road to the ACC Championship game.

The Hokies are at the top, which makes them easy targets for everybody below them.

FSU is in the same pot as VT this year, with tough conference games against Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, and North Carolina. Out of conference, the 'Noles must be on the lookout against Bringham Young University, and a trip to Gainesville for an end of the season bout against Florida.

Georgia Tech looks to mess with any plans for a post-season that either of these teams have. The Yellow Jackets and Paul Johnson are outside runners for a chance at the ACC Championship, coming into this season with a 9-4 overall record, and right behind Virginia Tech last year in the Coastal Division.

Both teams have a fight against Tech in October, and whoever is able to fend off their spread triple-option offense could become the next ACC Champion.

Both FSU and Virginia Tech have a tough season ahead of them. With Georgia Tech in killing range of both of their seasons, and out of conference tests to prove themselves, the only good thing they have going for them is the goodwill of reporters who expect to see them on top come December.

Originally Posted on SportInformant.com

Arizona Cardinals: The Fight Uphill

Sean Ahern — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 17:30:09 -0400

Looking to 2009, the Arizona Cardinals have another chance to soar, if all goes according to plan.

The defending NFC Champions have a tough season ahead of them, starting with a game against San Francisco on Sept. 13. And while the 49ers may not pose any threat to the Cards, teams like the New York Giants, Carolina Panthers, and their NFC West rival the Seattle Seahawks will be out for blood during their regular season battles.

If the Cardinals hope to have the same level of success that they were able to achieve last year, they are going to have to be unrelentingly hostile towards their opponents in the regular season or face the consequences.

There's no time for slouching for the Cardinals as they set out to return to the top of the NFC, and even early games count this year as the bulls eye is put on the Cards early on.

Games in September and October that will be key to later success include an early season bout against the Colts on Sept. 27, an Oct. 18 game against the Seahawks, the October appearance of the Giants, and the Panthers on Nov.1.

There is no doubt that Jake Delhomme and company will be looking for revenge after being handed their butts on a silver platter last winter during the playoffs. This fall match up will be the right set-up for revenge as they travel to Glendale to do battle.

Other out of conference fights of note for the Cardinals include a game against the Bears at Solider Field on Nov. 8 and the Titans on Nov. 29.

As far as NFC West competition goes, it can be boiled down to the Seahawks. The birds from the Northwest are on the hunt this year for the birds of the Southwest with two bouts scheduled in October and November.

The Rams and 49ers might have new draft picks and optimistic hopes for this year, but the battle will come down to the Seahawks and the Cardinals come January. Both teams are looking for playoff berths again this year and few things will stand in their way, well, except for each other of course.

On offense, the Cardinals should be able to shut down most opponents with a strong passing game. Larry Fitzgerald and Kurt Warner, in one of his final years as an NFL quarterback, will have to make the same kind of connections this year that they were able to in years past. If Anquan Boldin can keep the money on the sidelines and show us what he is capable of, Warner should have a renewed passing game this time around.

Matt Leinart, take notes, this is how you work a passing game.

On defense, the Cardinals have some new heavy hitters in the form of Adrian Wilson and Darnell Dockett. Few things should get past Wilson as safety and Dockett should perform well at defensive tackle as he has in the past.

With a final fight at home against Green Bay on Jan. 3, the Cardinals will have fought their way though tough opponents and rough seas. With high hopes of repeating most of last season and another run to the Super Bowl, the Cardinals of Arizona will once again have to prove they are able to play with the big teams of the east and the best that both conferences can throw at them.

San Diego Chargers: Turning on the Power in 2009

Sean Ahern — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 15:45:24 -0400

As preseason practice begins this week, the San Diego Chargers are looking to build upon their 8-8 season and remain at the top of the AFC West.

The only thing holding them back from AFC dominance and playing deep into the playoffs, however, is themselves.

With injuries, free agent agreements, and outright cuts, the San Diego Chargers have holes to fill and competition in the wings as the starting lineup is refitted for 2009.

The release of linebacker Matt Wilhelm is only the tip of the iceberg.

Mike Geoff, Igor Olshansky, Grant Mason, Anthony Water, Jeremy Newberry, Scott Chandler, and Marques Harris all left San Diego as free agents while leaving the Chargers offense and defense riddled with holes that need to be covered early on in the season.

Luckily, there is hope.

Louis Vasquez will be taking over at guard for Geoff who was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs and Jacques Cesaire will replace Olshansky at defensive end. Taking Wilhelm's linebacker position in 2009 will be Stephen Cooper. Tim Dobbins and Kevin Burnett will duke it out to see who gets the second inside linebacker position on the roster. Dobbins, who has proven himself on the field before, could easily take the second spot for inside linebacker over Burnett.

Infighting among players looking for more prime time exposure is nothing new to any NFL franchise, but the Chargers will have very little to deal with this year as a team nearly identical to that of 2008 comes back in 2009.

With very few changes in the lineup, notable position fights include veterans Shawne Merriman and LaDainian Tomlinson against the younger Darren Sproles and first round draft pick Larry English as the team rounds out their new recruits and franchises old favorites from last year.

Merriman has come back from a major knee injury and should be a full fighting strength this season. Merriman, alongside free safety Eric Weddle and corner back Antonio Cromartie, was key to the Chargers defense last year and is looking to improve the defense this coming year.

Of course, if Merriman were to be hurt again this year, English would be thrown into the limelight at the outside linebacker position and have to live up to the hype of being the No. 16 draft pick in 2009.

Both a healthy Merriman and a young recruit like English can help to strengthen the weakened defense of the Chargers. And while Merriman is still the go-to player at OLB, English should be able to hold his own with a college career total of 205 tackles and one forced fumble as he heads into his rookie season.

The secondary is going to have a hard season if they can't keep players like Cromartie and Merriman off of the injured list. While Cromartie has come back from playing with an injured hip and Merriman is in tip top shape going into this season, if either player is injured early in the season, it could spell trouble for the rest of the secondary.

Darren Sproles showed us how effective he can be when he runs the ball during the playoff game against the Colts last January. As LT nursed injuries, Sproles helped to run the gauntlet against Indianapolis to an overtime win. Sproles is the heir apparent to the throne Tomlinson built at running back, but that's not to say LT wants to give it up anytime soon.

Sproles, who was recently franchised by San Diego, could create some competition at running back this year but Tomlinson will still be the first in line to any play inside 10 yards.

Sproles will definitely be a force to be reckoned with on special teams, running down opposing team's throats. He will come in handy towards the end of the season as teams set their sights on Tomlinson in the backfield, only to see Sproles run down the middle for an unexpected touchdown.

The combination of Sproles and Tomlinson, while competitive, will be a dangerous combination for any defense to deal with. Look for LT to be the go-to player, but don't expect Sproles to sit back and watch without wanting a bit of the action for himself.

With the defense and running game being rebuilt, Philip Rivers has very little to worry about as QB this year. With wide receiver Vincent Jackson and tight end Antonio Gates returning, both have helped out Rivers and his passing game since their arrival and will continue to do so.

The addition of wide receivers Charly Martin, Rodgeriqus Smith, Demetrius Byrd, and Greg Carr adds depth to a shallow passing game for San Diego. Being able to not only run the ball but build a passing game will allow for greater versatility for the Chargers offense while keeping their fast style of play.

Look for Jackson to still be at the top of the list for wide recievers this year, but don't count any of the rookies out as the Chargers look to create a passing game this season.

San Diego's preseason training camp will begin Monday, July 27 for rookies and select veterans, while the whole squad will take the field on Friday, July 31.

With preseason games against Seattle, Arizona, Atlanta, and San Francisco, Norv Turner and the Superchargers will have four games to fix the few holes in their game plan and be ready for an opener against the Raiders on Sept. 14.

Duke's Thaddeus Lewis Nominated For Golden Arm Award

Sean Ahern — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 13:10:21 -0400

Duke University's Thaddeus Lewis has been named among 21 other quarterbacks as a nominee for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.

Starting his fourth season as quarterback for the Blue Devils and entering his last season as Duke's leader in passing yards and touchdown passes, the nomination can only help the 20th ranked quarterback going into the 2009 season.

Duke, coming off of a 4-8 season and currently ranked at the bottom of the ACC Coastal Division, was able to help Lewis complete 224 of 361 passes for a total of 2,171 yards, 15 touchdowns, six interceptions and earn second team All-ACC honors. Lewis also holds lifetime records for Duke with 6,735 passing yards and 47 touchdown passes.

As the only ACC nominated quarterback, Lewis is in the same company as Daryll Clark of Penn State, Max Hall of Brigham Young University and Tim Tebow of the University of Florida.

The recipient of the Golden Arm award will be named in November.

Originally Posted on SportInformant.com

Karlos Dansby and His Future with the Arizona Cardinals

Sean Ahern — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:59:13 -0400

Since his introduction to the Cardinals in 2004, Karlos Dansby has been the go-to linebacker for the team. With 444 tackles, 24.5 sacks and 9 interceptions, Dansby has become a key, if not integral, part of the Arizona defense.

But with the date to sign franchise players looming on July 15, neither Dansby nor the Cardinals' franchise has come to a agreement on whether or not to extend the defensive linebacker's contract.

With a reported $9.7 million salary guaranteed for the 2009 season, Dansby will become a unsigned free agent in 2010 unless the Cardinals again franchise him as they did in 2008 and 2009.

Without a deal in place by July 15, he will be unable to sign a long-term contract with the team until the end of the regular season.

In April, amidst changing agents, Dansby stated to the media that, "I am trying to maximize what I am worth, and I’m not sure I’m going to have another opportunity like this[...] It’s the ideal position to be in the position I am in right now. I want to make the most of it.”

Since acquiring a new agent, Dansby has declined to talk about the contract negotiations and only recently spoke about the contract agreements as, "as business deal for both sides that a deal would not be reached."

“My understanding is they have already made their business decision,” Dansby said during a radio interview on XTRA 910 AM on Monday. “I’ve already made my business decision. We’re not going to get anything done right now. […] I wish we could have gotten something done.”

Both sides of the deal are dealing with the situation with money signs in their eyes. Dansby wants to stay on a Superbowl-caliber team while hoping that the NFL will play without a salary cap in 2010.

The Arizona Cardinals website reports that the chances of coming to a contract agreement by the Wednesday deadline is unlikely. General Manager Rod Graves that Dansby, "is one of the most talented linebackers," and that, "Karlos is one of our core players [...] Our efforts will remain trying to reach a long-term contract resolution with him."

With Dansby and the Cardinals unable to reach a decision on future contract agreements, the only other contracts that need to be resolved are the unsigned draft picks from the 2009 draft- first-round running back Beanie Wells and second-round linebacker Cody Brown.

Sean Ahern Writes for SportInformant.com

Spaziani and BC: How the Eagles Will Soar in 2009

Sean Ahern — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 10:56:07 -0400

After a 9-5 season under coach Jeff Jagodzinski, the BC Eagles are looking at a season of uncertainty and change as former Defensive Coordinator Frank Spaziani steps up to fill the vacancy left by the firing of Jagodzinski in January.

While all eyes will be directed towards Spaziani in his first outing as head coach on Sep. 5 against Northeastern, much of the pressure will fall on the veterans of this dominant ACC team. Players like offensive lineman Matt Tennant and wide receiver Justin Jarvis will have to help protect and nurture a group of young quarterbacks that including David Shinskie, Mike Marscovetra, and Junior Codi Boek.

On defense, veterans like Senior defensive end Austin Giles and Junior defensive tackle Damik Scafe will be leading forces into battle for BC. The best chance BC has to control games will come from the defense as Spaziani not only knows the art of shutting down offenses, but will be able to perfect it as head coach of the Eagles this year.

Early season games against Northeastern, Kent State and Clemson will help to determine the abilities of both coaching staff and the players. In 2008, BC defeated Kent State with a 21-0 shutout but was trounced by Clemson in an early November heartbreaking 21-27 loss. While Clemson is coming off of a 4-4 record in the ACC from last year, there is still the chance for a repeated beating and looks to be as close of a game as last year.

Florida State and Maryland will look to usurp power from the Eagles in the Atlantic Division. Recently the 'Noles were ranked 18 in a Lindy's preseason ranking and look to take the place of the Eagles at the top of the division this year. Maryland, if all goes according to plan, could rack up multiple OOC wins in the early season and end up a contender towards the end of the season when the Eagles meet them on Nov. 28.

Of course, BC will also have to look out for fights against Virginia Tech and North Carolina towards the end of the season. Virginia Tech was ranked fifth overall in the Lindy's Magazine and North Carolina was ranked below FSU at 19 this year. While at the top of the Atlantic Division last year, the Eagles were still bested by the Tarheels at the end of the season and the Hokies in the ACC Championship game 12-30; there is no doubt that both sides are looking for a rematch against the birds from Boston come the end of November.

Not only would a return to the ACC Championship game help to solidify Spaziani's coaching ability, but it would also remind the rest of the Atlantic Division that BC is still a contender during this year of transition.

Originally Posted on SportInformant.com

Virginia Tech: How Does Beamer and The Hokies Look in 2009?

Sean Ahern — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:59:27 -0400

Last year they beat their overall ranking of 17 to end their season at 15 and at the top of the ACC.

This year, the Hokies of Virginia Tech hope to build upon that and have set out to dominate the Coastal Division of the ACC in the fall and continue the reign of dominance with bowl appearances and tough post-season play.

With the Chick-Fil-A kickoff game on Sept. 5 against Alabama, Virginia Tech will have a stacked early season against non-division opponents Marshall and Nebraska. All three teams will be tough fights for Frank Beamer and company in the early season, but will help to erase any doubts that might be lingering on the abilities of an offense led by Tyrod Taylor and a young defense.

By the time the Hokies square off against Miami on Sept. 26, the team should be running at full capacity and ready for any opponent that the ACC throws at them. Atlantic Division winner last year, Boston College, is going through a time of change. With a new head coach at the helm, one wonders if they will have the ability to take on VT in a fight this year, let alone battle for supremacy of the ACC.

Florida State and Georgia Tech both are contenders for usurping the dominance of Virginia Tech.

The Seminoles from Tallahassee and the Yellow Jackets of Atlanta are both looking good going into the fall and can put a spanner in any plans that the Hokies might have of re-capturing the top of the tower that is ACC football.

With an October of tough fights, with BC, Georgia Tech and North Carolina, VT will be led into fair weather games of November with games against NC State, East Carolina, Maryland and Virginia.

If all goes according to plan, the Hokies will once again find themselves at the top of the ACC and showing their expertise in a bowl game in early January.

Originally Posted on SportInformant.com

Is Rashad Johnson the Next Adrian Wilson for the Arizona Cardinals?

Sean Ahern — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 08:18:45 -0400

Rookie safety Rashad Johnson, yanked from the third round of the NFL Draft, could be the next Adrian Wilson if all goes according to plan.

Darnell Dockett made a "major announcement" in the Twitter universe on July 6, proclaiming that the Cardinals would again be at the top of the NFC West this coming year.

He could be right—the addition of Johnson, alongside newcomers Will Davis, Trevor Canfield, LaRod Stephens-Howling, and Herman Johnson, helps to round out an already promising team for next year. The only issue is finding a place to put them in the lineup this coming year, and that includes Johnson.

The University of Alabama alum has big dreams and would like to become a franchise player like Wilson, telling the media, "Just like getting to the NFL was a goal, now that I am sitting here, I want to achieve more."

Johnson has high hopes, like many rookies in the NFL this year, but he will have to climb the depth chart to get playing time. Like Wilson, Johnson will play a big role on special teams his first year in the big leagues and will have to work to get a starting job on defense next year.

The Cardinals are not without capable players at the safety position. Of course, there's Mr. Wilson at the forefront, but there's also Matt Ware, Antrel Rolle, and the newly signed Keith Lewis. If Johnson wants playing time (and the attention of defensive coordinator Bill Davis or secondary coach Teryl Austin), he'll have to show his strengths in the line of duty on special teams first.

If all goes according to plan, Johnson could become a vital part of the defense for the Cardinals in the coming years, both on special teams and as a free safety. He has the resume and the work ethic to back up his abilities—starting as a walk-on for the Crimson Tide, he was a 2007 Coaches First Team All-SEC selection and earned the starting spot at safety in 2007 after working on special teams.

He's shown before that he has the drive to be a great player; only time will tell if he will be able to deliver in Glendale.

"To be like [Wilson], to be a franchise player and a leader, I will work for that day in and day out.”

Wolfpack Recruits to Attend Prep School In Fall, Loses One Veteran

Sean Ahern — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 11:05:35 -0400

Coach Tom O'Brien announced on July 2 that four members of his squad would not be returning to play for North Carolina State in the fall.

Three players who had announced that they would be playing for NC State in February have decided not to enroll in the college, and sophomore Dominique Ellis has decided to transfer to another school. Linebacker Tyson Chandler, defensive tackle Raynard Randolph, and wide receiver Bryan Underwood have all declined admission at the university.

Ellis started all 13 games last season at the cornerback position, tallying 13 tackles.

"I appreciate everything the NC State coaching staff has done for me and taught me,” Ellis said. “I learned a lot from them, but at this time, I think that for personal reasons, it’s in my best interest to continue my career at another school.”

The three prospects for the Pack will spend the fall semester in prep school after coming up short in their academics, disqualifying them from playing for O'Brien in the fall.

Alongside Nate Irving's car crash on June 27, NC State has been reeling from disappointments throughout the summer. While O'Brien has a strong group of returning players to choose from, he will lose valuable time to work with the new recruits that will be attending prep school in the fall. A relatively young team, NC State should still be able to impact the Atlantic Division of the ACC this fall.

NC State's season will begin with a game against South Carolina in Raleigh, N.C. on Sept. 3 and will be broadcasted on ESPN. Conference play will start with a fight in Winston-Salem against Wake Forest on Oct. 3 and a home game against Duke on Oct. 10.

Originally Posted on SportInformant.com

Nate Irving Injured in Car Crash

Sean Ahern — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:57:46 -0400

NC State linebacker Nate Irving was injured in a car crash on Saturday, June 28, and he was brought to Wake Med Trauma Center in Raleigh, NC with serious, non-life-threatening injuries.

The junior linebacker suffered a collapsed lung and a broken leg and was scheduled for surgery on June 29.

The one-vehicle crash happened around 4:40 am near the 314-mile marker in western Johnston County on Interstate 40, according to the Highway Patrol report. Irving was cited for reckless and careless driving, caused by being tired or sleepy behind the wheel, according to the report.

“Our thoughts and prayers are certainly with Nate and his family,” said head coach Tom O’Brien to the media after the crash. “All of his teammates and coaches will be there to support him as he recovers and goes through the process of rehabilitation.”

Currently, Irving is recovering from his injuries and is in good health. N.C. State Sports Information Director Annabelle Myers has stated that Irving's status for the 2009 season has not been determined yet, while linebacker coach Andy McCollum has stated he does not want to even think about that yet.

Irving was an honorable mention All-ACC in 2008 while missing almost a third of the season with injuries. He was tied for third on the team with 84 stops and had four interceptions.

Irving considered leaving N.C. State for the NFL after the 2008 season, but he stayed with the Wolfpack and is expected to be one of the top players in the ACC this year.

Women's Football Clinics Bring Out Communities

Sean Ahern — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:42:38 -0400

The Wake Forest Football Program will host their annual women's football clinic on July 18.

The affair will include breakfast at 9 AM, football instruction through indoor presentations and outdoor drills on the field with Jim Grobe and the Wake Forest football staff. The program is $30 and all proceeds go towards the Coach's Kids Program, which works to get home game tickets for unprivileged youths in the Piedmont Triad area.

The Demon Deacon's women's football clinic, in its 12th year, is not only a great way to raise money for local charity and bring good press to a football program in a basketball school, but also helps to break the boundaries of run-of-the mill fundraisers by incorporating new parts of the community into their program.

And Wake isn't the only one.

Breaking away from the pancake breakfast fundraisers of yesteryear, schools like Boise State, the University of Cincinnati, Austin Peay State, The University of Utah and Clemson University use their players and their facilities to educate and inform a demographic that, traditionally it would seem, pay little or no attention to the sport.

With an increased interest in the sport in recent years, females have even begun to participate in the sport themselves in some cases. Be it in high school or a league such as the Women's Football Alliance, female interaction with the sport increased in the 1990's and has steadily pushed the interest forward.

Of course, these clinics are not made for players on the Binghamton Tiger Cats or the Emerald Coast Barracudas, but more for those who would like to learn more about the sport and help forward a local cause at the same time.

The clinics stray from the norm and help to inform the community of what the team is doing to stay in touch with the surrounding town and give back to the area in the process.

The funds for these events go back to local non-profit programs and help to show that these institutions are here not only during the Fall, but also during the offseason, willing to be a part of the community.

Originally Posted on SportInformant.com

Baseball Cards: A Simpler Time in My Life

Sean Ahern — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 12:59:12 -0400

So my mother, in all her infinite wisdom, was having a garage sale today at our home. Besides the hours of heavy lifting and listening to old people as they asked me to read off prices of various items, a few interesting things happened.

A creepy old guy hit on my sister, a old man told us, "he was looking for that one thing," and some young kid asked me about trading cards.

"Trading cards? Yeah I got some"

I looked at the kid, couldn't be older than 10 I thought. I sprinted up to my room, grabbed by two binders full of baseball cards, ran back down to the garage and handed them to him. I was giddy, nay, pumped. How often do you see kids these days interested in trading cards?

It was the best thing to happen so far in the day. Someone younger than 18 knew what trading cards were and was interested in taking a look at the old collection. Man, it put a jump in my step and for a brief moment I was 12 again.

"I got some rookie Ken Griffey Jr./Sr.'s, two Randy Johnsons a few Cal Ripkin's and one pretty old Sammy So-"

He cut me off.

"Sorry, no offense but I was looking for Pokemon trading cards. Those are really interesting."

"Oh," I said, deflated and saddened that this kid was mentally challenged, "I used to have a good amount of those but I got rid of those years ago."

"Don't worry sir I'm sure someone will want that stuff."

Stuff....STUFF!?!? Dude! Do you know how much some of these cards are worth? Bad enough you called me 'sir' but you are throwing mud in the face of Topps, Donruss, Upper Deck, and Fleer you little S.O.B.

So, defeated, I sat down to look at these cards from the '90s. I have the complete set of Fleer 1990 Baseball Trading Card Set and two binders of various cards over the years.

Man, kids these days don't know how great it was to have baseball cards. I don't think the "youngin's" of today get the appeal of a piece of cardboard with your favorite baseball hero on them.

As I looked through my binder I noticed some stuff I'd never seen before. I had a Curt Shilling card from his time with the Phillies, a Ken Griffey Sr. and Jr. Card right next to each other—10 years apart—from when they both played on the Reds. There, in all their glory (suck it Boston) was the 1991 New York Yankees, the whole team.

Griffey Jr. and Johnson from the Mariners (you know, like in Rookie of the Year) and I even had a Conseco card from '90, when everyone thought he was the man and was not, I repeat, NOT fighting giant Asians in the octagon. Two Mark McGuires from when he was on the A's and also a Giambi from the same era.

While I only had a few Boston cards, since I'm sure my father ripped them up and I repressed the memory, I had some winners. Of course, I had Nomar Garciaparra but I also had Mo Vaughn, Jim Rice, and Gar Finnvold. I even had some throwbacks in the form of Al Zarilla and Clyde Vollmer. I knew what I had to do to my great collection of cards.

Sells these at Sotheby's. I'd make mint.

But then I realized, this was one of the few things from my childhood I could hold onto for my children to love and cherish. Also, if I held onto them until I was 60 I could retire on some of these cards (anyone want a Darryl Strawberry from 1992?).

Anyway, it was pretty freaking cool to take a look back and realize the little treasures in life.

Originally Posted at MASScrastiNATION

Central Conn.: What Will 2009 Bring?

Sean Ahern — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:20:32 -0400

Central Connecticut ended their season with a 7-4 record in 2008 and is looking to build upon the record.

But what will they have to do to get there?

With only four out-of-conference games this year, including contests against William and Mary and Columbia at the start of their season, Central Connecticut will need to win the close losses that they had last year if they want to move up in the rankings of the NEC.

Close losses to teams like UAlbany, who look to dominate the conference again this year under head coach Bob Ford. In his 34 season as acting head coach of the Great Danes, he has worked to keep the Danes up at the top of the NEC, but last year, Central Connecticut came close to pushing them off of their pedestal with a 22-24 loss in Albany late in the season.

A 42-35 win over Bryant in their season opener last year would show what the Blue Devils are capable of. A shut out win over St. Francis followed by a season finishing defeat of Sacred Heart would cement the power behind the Blue Devils.

But still, with a 4-3 in conference record, a 7-3 overall record put them behind Sacred Heart and tied with Robert Morris for third place overall in the conference.

Wins over both in October to start their NEC play could help to get Central Connecticut off to the right start. Of course, next year will be a fight against UAlbany and Monmouth for supremacy in the NEC, but the Blue Devils can upset that run for either team with a win over either of the two top ranked teams.

Sacred Heart will pose a threat to Central Connecticut moving up in the rankings, tied last year for third place, both teams are looking to increase their wealth in wins this year.

If the boys in blue can win games against Columbia, Lehigh, and William and Mary they might have a chance of upsetting the balance of the NEC and working their way closer to the top.

Orignially Posted on SportsInformant.com

Check out Sean's blog-Single/White/Geek

Home Opponents VS. Arizona Cardinals: How Will It Stack Up?

Sean Ahern — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:04:53 -0400

The 2009 home opponents were recently announced for the Arizona Cardinals, the only question left is how the reining NFC Champions will deal with each of them.

Starting Sept. 13 with a home-opener against the San Fransisco 49ers, the Cardinals will face off at the University of Phoenix Stadium against the Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans, Carolina Panthers, Seattle Seahawks, Minnesota Vikings, St. Louis Rams, and Green Bay Packers.

So, what can we expect?

Of course there will be obvious challenges for the Cards when facing the Colts and Panthers, but teams like the Seahawks and the Packers should not be counted out. Coming off of hard seasons last year, both the Seahawks and the Packers could jam a steel rod in the finely tuned offensive heavy Cardinals.

Away games of note include the Giants in week seven, the Chicago Bears in week nine, and the Tennessee Titans in week 12.

The Seahawks were able to grab No. 4 overall pick Aaron Curry from Wake Forest and the Packers grabbed Defensive Tackle B.J. Raji from BC at No. 10 overall. Both were strong players in college and could wreak havoc on the Cardinals if given the chance.

This, of course, is not to count out the Cardinals. With rookies like running back Chris Wells and offensive lineman Herman Johnson, the boys from the desert have gained top players to build their team upon in the coming years.

Center Lyle Sendlein came off of his second year in the NFL with a run to the Super Bowl and should also come back, stronger than ever, to help strengthen the Arizona offense.

The Carolina Panthers, as long as the choking is kept to a minimum, could prove to be a worthy adversary again for the Cardinals, especially towards the end of the season when the playoffs begin to loom nearer and nearer.

The Colts, lead by Mr. Manning, will be a tough opponent. But much like the fans in the late RCA Dome, the heat and the pressure in Glendale might help to stir the pot enough to lead the Cardinals to an early season victory.

And that's what the Cardinals are going to need: early season victories. The 49ers, Texans and the away contest against the Bears will have to help balance out games against the Giants, Colts, Panthers and Titans.

The final four games of the season might turn out to be key also to a playoff berth for the Cardinals if the early season competitions return mixed reviews. A fight in Candlestick Park with the 49ers, a battle on the road against Detroit, and two home games against the Rams and the Packers will help them get back to the top of the NFC come December.

If all goes according to plan, the Cardinals will be sitting pretty on top of the NFC West and left to pick off playoff teams like berries from a tree.

Check out Sean's blog- Single/White/Geek

Florida State Ranked 18th in Lindy's Poll

Sean Ahern — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:49:21 -0400

Florida State has been named 18th overall in Lindy Magazine's football preseason top 25 poll.

The magazine predicts conference finishes; all-conference first and second teams across the nation, and the magazine predicts Florida State as becoming eligible for bowl appearances and enough to make a mark in the ACC this year.

Alongside FSU, other ACC competitors made the list. Virginia Tech is ranked fifth overall, Georgia Tech at 16th, and North Carolina at 19th. Rounding out the list at 25 is Brigham Young University, which Florida State will see on Sep. 19.

Lindy's has predicted big things for the Seminoles, with a prediction to be at the top of their division at the end of the year, much of this will fall upon the capable hands of the players as Lindy's has also named five players to their preseason All-Conference teams.

Florida State will have to get over some stiff competition to get to the top. While Boston College is in a period of rebuilding, Maryland and Wake Forest could prove to be stiff competition on the turf this year. The Seminoles will meet both teams in the last three weeks of competition before a gauntlet in Gainesville against the Florida Gators to end the season. Before that, games against Georgia Tech and North Carolina State in the middle of October will act as a barometer to see how the rest of the season will go as they enter regular ACC play.

There is a chance for a bowl game this year for the boys from Tallahassee; with nine bowl games scheduled in the ACC this year, there is no doubt of a postseason, but where that will be?

While preseason polls point to success this year for FSU, one can only hope that Bobby Bowden and his boys can get it done this year, building upon earlier successes last year.

Originally Posted on SportsInformant.com

Check out Sean's Blog- Single/White/Geek

College Football Programs: Academics Redshirted

Sean Ahern — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 21:43:13 -0400

It is not uncommon in sports to see gifted players swooned by college football coaches in hopes that they will be playing for them the following fall with images of championship games glistening in their eyes.

What is also common is the loss of the fun somewhere between the summer and the beginning of their freshmen semester at the institution of their choice.

With high school graduations upon us across the nation and players signing letters of commitment to Division I schools, players are looking forward towards their first season as a Miami Hurricane, Boston College Eagle, or Texas Longhorn with anticipation and excitement.

What most people forget is that football is no longer played, "For the love of the game," as it were and is now seen as a stepping stone towards NFL combines and hopes of major league contracts.

College football takes the cream the crop, drafts them, and takes them on for four to five seasons in hopes of regional victories, bowl appearances, or even a BCS Championship.

For the players lucky enough to be recruited into these schools, pressure is no longer put on what is done in the classroom, but rather what is done on the playing field. Many of these institutions will see players go three of their five years without a planned major, and even when a major is finally picked, the area of study is ambiguous and filed under, "Social Sciences," "Liberal Studies," or "Multidisciplinary Studies."

Academics, fun, and a social life take a back seat to the will of the coaches and the desire for a championship ring. As reported by USA Today in December, some athletes are directed towards majors that will allow for more time in the weight room and less time studying, or using that scholarship to it's full potential.

In the same USA Today article, five sports at 142 colleges and universities with exceptional NCAA programs showed that many teams cluster in certain areas of academic studying. For example, the report pointed out that all seven juniors and seniors on Texas-El Paso's men's basketball team majored in Multidisciplinary studies.

This leads to a vagueness in grading policies among players, pressure on professors from coaches, and an increased risk in academic fraud to keep the players eligible.

But what do the players gain?

Besides the minority of truly exceptional players that will go onto NFL stardom and fame, many will find themselves graduating with anambiguous degrees after taking a mixture of inapplicable classes and being sent into the real world without and understanding of anything past what shoes to wear on artificial turf.

A plan to get their Master Degree will help to pave the road to success, but for those who went to school on a full scholarship, the money may not be as accessible for another three to four years of school.

Schools with a strong academic background and championship caliber teams will always have to fight the balance between what is right in the classroom and what is right on the field of play.

For many, like Duke, Boston College, and Notre Dame, academics have impeded the progress of gaining strong teams in the past two decades. Others, like Miami, FSU, and USC have been able to make a name for their teams but have had their academics relatively unknown.

A line must be drawn to standardize not only the academic eligibility of players, but also the shortcomings of a coaching staff who would rather see wins than care about what a player is doing in the classroom.

While this type of coaching may be acceptable in high school, players whose careers will end in five short years must look past shady degrees and what one will do after the time clock counts to zero for the last time.

Originally Posted on SportInformant.com

Check out Sean's Blog at Single/White/Geek

11 Things Quarterbacks Can Teach About Life

Sean Ahern — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:14:35 -0400

Life is a painful, harsh reality that we all must partake in some way or another. Many of us are spat from the womb of our parent's homes without any warning and left to fend for ourselves. Like many of you on this website, I too have had to face this cold, dark reality down; stare in it's face and begin to cry like a kindergartner who is being left by their parents for the first time. But fear not! If there is one thing that can help us through this thing we call "life" its sports! Here are 10 things that NFL Quarterbacks have taught me about life. Take these lessons seriously and you too can become successful and rich. Well, maybe not the last part.

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New Captains, New Hopes for Monmouth University in 2009

Sean Ahern — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:19:25 -0400

Monmouth University Hawks' Football program ended last season with a 6-1 record behind the University at Albany. In second place with an overall record of 7-4, the Hawks will come into this year the second best team in the Northeastern Conference and ready to take on the Great Danes for the top spot.

Monmouth will be coming into this year with a mix of upperclassmen and first year players as their team hopes to build upon earlier successes. Captains for the upcoming 2009 season were announced in early May and include running back David Sinisi, offensive linemen Kevin Sterling and Shawn Wright, defensive lineman David Kennedy and defensive back Ken Amsel.

"Leadership will be one of the key ingredients to our success in 2009,” said head coach Kevin Callahan to the press in May. “I am happy that our team has selected these players to represent Monmouth Football.”

Sinisi is the lone returning captain from last season and will be accompanied by fellow fifth years Kennedy and Sterling. Sinisi was the first Monmouth player to be named to the Walter Payton Award List after leading the nation in scoring and finishing in the top three for rushing yards per game.

Wright and Sterling both earned First Team All-Northeast Conference last year and helped the Hawks to be named among the top rusihing attacks and ranking eighth in the NCAA after only allowing nine sacks in 11 games. Sterling has started at right tackle for the last two seasons while Wright has started at the right guard position for the past two years.

Kennedy and Amsel are the two defensive captains going into the 2009 season and have lead the defense for the Hawks to stopping offensive advances last season. Kennedy started each game last season at defensive end, recording 24 stops – 10 for loss of yards and five and a half sacks. Amsel has started the past two season at corner back and has led the team in interceptions and was the fourth highest tackler on the team with a recorded 47 tackles.

Monmouth University's first game of the 2009 season will begin on Sept. 5 against Colgate University and start NEC competition with a home game against Duquesne on Sept. 19 and will host four of their seven NEC games at home this season.

Originally Posted on SportInformant.com.

Check out Sean Ahern's Blog- Single/White/Geek.

Bowl Partnerships: How Much Is Too Much?

Sean Ahern — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:30:35 -0400

For as long as I, or anyone, can remember college bowl games have been sponsored by companies as another way to get their image out into a post-Christmas world.

Fed-Ex, Meineke, Allstate, and Tostitos are only a few of the corporate sponsors that back these amateur events at the end of December and the beginning of January every year and gain relatively inexpensive advertising space for backing the games.

Since the Tournament of Roses backed the Tournament East-West game in 1902 and started regularly backing the Rose Bowl in 1916, bowl games have been created to promote warmer climates at the beginning of every new year, bringing tourism to areas such as Southern California, Florida, or Texas, depending on the bowl game.

While the games, and sponsors, have always been named long in advance so that fans could get to the games, have often hid their name behind a "Rose," "Sugar," "Orange" or "Fiesta" (again, depending on the sunny destination the game was played in), sponsors hid their names and let the players play.

Even in the early days of television we saw Mobil sponsor the Cotton Bowl, and while Mobil stamped their name on the game it almost seemed secondary to the sporting event.

The event was still football and was still watched for the love of the game.

But these days I get the feeling that people are starting to care less about the game and more about the sponsorship. Just like the Super Bowl has become an inflated form of its former glory, these arenas of amateur play have started to look more and more like corporate sponsored events than football games.

Corporate logos and images bombard the public while die-hard fans of their favorite teams are left to wait until the commercial break is over to start the game up again.

The number of bowl games also seems irrationally high. In the ACC alone, nine of the twelve teams will be eligible for bowl play at the end of their seasons. That means only three teams will narrowly miss the postseason and the chance to go "bowling" as it were.

In the past eight years there have been over twelve new bowls made, and none of them have the prestige of the Rose, Sugar, Orange, or Cotton Bowls ever had.

I feel the idea that a team like Notre Dame, which posted a 6-6 season last year, has no reason to go to a bowl game—bowl games should be reserved for the first and second finishers in a division, and then maybe the third place finisher overall.

It's almost as if we're promoting losing records, allowing teams to go into the postseason because the head of a corporation is an alum, or because it will bring more press to the school.

Bowl games should mean something to teams. Earning a place to play at the Sugar Bowl should be no different than going to the BCS Championship. And corporations should let their name fall below the name of the bowl so that those playing in it have more prestige saying that it was brought to you by them and not Lays Potato Chips.

Originally Posted on SportInformant.com

For more on sports and life, check out Sean's Blog- Single/White/Geek

Lyle Sendlein: At the Center of It All in Arizona

Sean Ahern — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:07:36 -0400

Center Lyle Sendlein came off of his second season in the big leagues with one of the hardest learning curves in the NFL—a playoff run to the Super Bowl culminating in a fight against the Steel Curtain of Pittsburgh.

Starting all regular and postseason games for the Arizona Cardinals last season, Sendlein took over at the center position after veteran Al Johnson left with an knee injury early in 2008.

In his second year with the Arizona franchise, he was given the job of controlling the offensive line and taking the place of a veteran starter with experience in pressure situations.

Many have looked at Sendlein's inexperience as a weakness to the team and have even questioned his signing as a free agent to the Cardinals in 2007.

While some critics believe that the two-year center is at a loss being thrown into the starting position so quickly, others see his trial-by-fire last season as a sign of what's to come with the young player.

Kurt Warner and head coach Ken Wisenhunt have both stood by the center, who has also been eager to learn and expand his game play.

"Center is a lot like a quarterback; so much of it is being comfortable with what you are seeing and making the calls,” Warner stated on the Cardinals Web site earlier this month. “It is hard to play your position because you aren’t just waiting for someone to say something and reacting. You’ve got to see things, you’ve got to watch for adjustments and then make the calls, and then you’ve got to go out and do it."

Warner has also stated that he likes how Sendlein is willing to listen to advice from other players on how to build upon the on-the-job experience last season.

After having surgery on his left shoulder in January, Sendlein has stated that he believes he is stronger than ever and will be able to build upon earlier performances in the coming year.

Going into his third year with the Cardinals, and after a season of new experiences and challenges, Sendlein has only to look up with his career in the NFL and with the Cards.

That Bird: A Tribute to The Arizona Cardinals

Sean Ahern — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 21:21:46 -0400

Last year was a great season for the Arizona Cardinals, there's no denying that. The stars aligned, passes were made, interceptions were kept to a minimum and somehow the 'Cards got all the way to the big game and, well, lost to the Steelers.

The loss at the Super Bowl aside, the Cardinals did some damage last year and really turned some heads in the NFC West as well as the whole NFL.

My favorite part by far was the reaction on some websites, on the tongues of my friends and in emails sent by angry family members.

That. Bird.

Yes, that bird. As in, "that bird just beat up on the Panthers," or "that bird is ACTUALLY doing something in the playoffs! Screw me sideways and call me Bessie!"

What my family/friends/enemies were referring to of course was not the team themselves but the logo of the Arizona Cardinals that they saw on Sports Center or newscasts after the game. As we all know, before this season who the heck cared about the Cardinals?

You know the logo I'm talking about—the glorious red cardinal head, its eyes slightly inferring anger upon the masses of enemies before it. That was the face of anger and death the nation saw after the Cardinals picked off team after team in the playoffs like berries off of a small tree.

The crimson crow of death that was Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin and Kurt Warner. How they fought their way up the ladder to glory in the NFC West to become NFC Champs.

That. Bird.

Yes, yes! That bird was mine. Just as strong as Cinnicnati's "Who Dey?" or Stone Cold's "WHAT?" That Bird had become the international sign for anger among anti-Cardinal fans. On websites across the land I saw those two words posted among anger and resentment as teams bit the dust left and right to the 'Cards.

"That bird is the biggest fluke in the game, NFL IS RIGGED," said one passer by.

"THAT BIRD MAKES ME WANT TO KILL EVERYONE IN ARIZONA," a crazed Panthers fan said.

Oh how it was sweet music to my ears to hear anger and resentment at the fall of the Cardinals! After years of torment for defending the NFC West as a whole I could watch the boys from 'Zona fight their way to the top and make a mockery of everyone else.

Every dog has its day. And some days it's that bird.

But now we must hope that they will go somewhere this year, for we must remember that even though the Cardinals did well last season, this season is always ripe for fail. We must hope for the best.

Or we might just be saying "That Bird."

Sean Ahern is a contributing writer for SportInformant.com and keeps a blog at Single/White/Geek

ACC Bowl Partnerships for 2009 Season

Sean Ahern — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 15:38:15 -0400

The Atlantic Coast Conference has announced the bowl partnerships for the 2009 season, with eight returning partners and the GMAC Bowl, which is new to the ACC bowl agreements.

The addition of the GMAC Bowl to the bowl partnership with the ACC will allow for nine of its member institutions to go to postseason competitions this season. The ACC sent 10 of their member institutions to postseason bowl games in 2008 and hope to build upon earlier victories this year.

“We are pleased to have quality bowl slots for up to nine of our teams for the 2009 football season,” ACC Commissioner John Swofford said to the media. “It is an excellent lineup of destinations and potential opponents for our schools," he added.

The winner of the Dr. Pepper ACC Football Championship game will go to the FedEx Orange Bowl as long as they are not ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in the BCS Standings and set to play in the BCS National Championship game.

The Orange Bowl will be played on Jan. 5, 2010 this season and televised on the Fox Network.

Other partner games include the Chick-Fil-A Bowl on Dec. 31, Konica Minolta Gator Bowl on Jan. 1, Champs Sports Bowl on Dec. 29, Gaylord Hotel Music City Bowl on Dec. 27, and the Meineke Car Care Bowl and the Emerald Bowl will both be aired on on Dec. 26.

The EagleBank Bowl will have the eighth pick in the selection process after last year's initial bowl game and is scheduled to play on Dec. 29 at RFK Stadium and televised on ESPN.

The only new addition to the ACC bowl games will be the GMAC Bowl, which will be televised on Jan. 6 on ESPN.

Every bowl game is scheduled to be televised on ESPN except for the FedEx Orange Bowl, which will be televised on Fox, and the Konica Minolta Gator Bowl, which will be televised on CBS.

Originally posted on SportInformant.com.

Check out Sean Ahern's Blog, Single/White/Geek.

Music in Sports: Which Bands Parallel the Play of Your Favorite Teams?

Sean Ahern — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 21:54:43 -0400

Sometimes I make random connections: What superhero could beat up on Don Shula's '72 Dolphins? If William "The Refrigerator" Perry was turned into a GI Joe, which GI Joes could take his defensive line position? What kind of world would it be if Drago had beaten Rocky? Of course all of these questions need answering but one question that always bothers me is what musical band/genre defines your sports team? I could leave this to the fans to fight about but I'd rather do it myself- you leave it to the fans and every team starts to sound like U2 Mixed with Guns N' Roses. So, in the spirit of BleacherReport- here's what I think your team's play on the field reminds me of- in musical form.

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Two Pioneers Named Pre-Season All-American Honorable Mentions

Sean Ahern — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 10:56:43 -0400

Wide Receiver Steve Tedesco and cornerback Andre Isla of Sacred Heart University were named 2009 preseason All-American Honorable Mentions by Consensus Draft Services.

Both Tedesco and Isla are coming off of All-Northeast Conference seasons in 2008, when they led the Pioneers to third place in the conference behind Monmouth and University at Albany with a 4-3 conference record and an overall record of 8-3.

Tedesco led Sacred Heart in every receiving category in 2008, with 77 catches, 891 yards, and 10 touchdowns, while averaging seven catches and 81 yards per game. Tedesco now holds the school record for single-season receptions, careers catches, career receiving yards, and career touchdown catches.

Tedesco has also tied the school record for catches in a single game with 12 catches and 121 yards against Duquesne.

Isla was a second team All-NEC player last year in addition to being named FCS All-New England by the New England Football Writers. In 2008, Isla led the defensive backfield with 50 tackles (30 unassisted) and four passes. Isla was third in the NEC for interceptions and third for passes defended.

A win against Robert Morris saw Isla achieve a season best, with nine tackles and an interception to help lead the Pioneers to a 31-28 victory. Isla started all ten games he appeared in and has 91 tackles and five interceptions in his career.

Sacred Heart will start off their season with a non-conference game against Marist on Sept. 5. The Pioneers will then be on the road at Holy Cross, University at Albany, and Central Connecticut State until a return to Fairfield, CT on Oct. 10 against St. Francis and Oct. 17 against Monmouth.

They will be on the road against Wagner and Robert Morris on Oct. 24 and 31, repspectively, finally to return home on Nov. 7 against Bryant. The final regular season game for Sacred Heart will be against Duquesne on Nov. 14 in Fairfield.

Originally Posted on SportInformant.com

I Went to College and All I Got Was This Lousy Degree

Sean Ahern — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 20:52:09 -0400

I've come to the conclusion that college football players, and more importantly NFL Draft hopefuls, are lucky beyond belief.

Three hours ago, I finished taking the LSAT. For those of you out there that are outside of such endeavors, it's the law school entrance exam, which was more than likely created by the bad guy from Indiana Jones.

You pay $100 to have someone mentally beat the hell out of you and make you feel worse than former Governors of New York. The only solace I take from it is that it is over and I am one step closer to (hopefully) being accepted into a law program somewhere in this fine country of ours.

As I walked out of Albany Law School into the late afternoon June sun and drove back home for the night, I came across a flag football game at a local park and was reminded of how lucky some football players become in the NCAA.

NCAA Division I football and basketball (and to some degree baseball) players have it made—play to your hearts content for four years as a part of an amateur squad, make All-American at least once in your four years at the institution of your choice, and then get drafted into the combines of the NFL.

Get a deal in, you're golden. Don't? Well, there's always next year.

See, I was given all brain and no brawn. I got dealt the short end of the stick—I have to write diatribes about how much I love sports/the Internet/subcultures in post-World War II America, etc. to gain notoriety in college and earn my degree. The phenoms of the college world impress a few scouts and the contracts come flying towards them faster than a speeding bullet from Plaixco Burress' side arm.

Now I'm not saying they aren't worthy of the praise and affection of onlookers. Most of the players are stand up guys who have put their blood, sweat, and tears into the game all their lives and are grateful for the first chance they get at joining the pros.

Just that, every once in a while, there's a Ryan Leaf among them.

Yes, that one guy who will say the first thing he'll do when drafted to your team is, "Go have a weekend in Vegas."

Yes, for every 10 guys that were on that Bowl Championship team that deserved to be there, there is one Mr. Leaf that will make you hate them all for being good at the sport you wish you were.

And why the anger for Mr. Leaf and the like?

Because no matter how you slice it, they still come out with some big bucks after a few years of playing. They earn enough to pay off those non-existent loans they created after four years at an institution that is better known for football then their history department.

It hurts for the Average Joe, who had to study hard to get into the hallowed halls of academia (let alone get tickets to a game).

But I guess that's why we pay them the way we do. We can't all be like them because then we'd all be in the NFL, or the MLB, or the NBA. Instead, some of us have to take tests and put in the hours of book-learning to achieve our goals. We put our blood, sweat, and tears into books on accounting, legal briefs, and constitutional law for big paychecks and even bigger houses.

So really, the dream is still there for us too, but it just came quicker for them. And they get to play the game we had to give up when we were 17 for the rest of their lives. While football stars in college get to go on to careers in the pros, we have to sit behind a desk and make our money the old fashion way.

But look at it this way, I mean, who else are they going get to do their taxes?

Originally Posted on SportInformant.com

Why Is Duke Football so Bad?

Sean Ahern — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 11:21:50 -0400

Because Duke Basketball is so very good.

Duke's football team went 1-7 in the ACC this year and 4-8 in overall competition, leaving them in last place in the Coastal Division without a prayer in the world. Since 2004, Duke has repetitively been in last place and the laughing stock of the ACC. Duke, a school where Coach K. and his basketball behemoths reign supreme over NCAA Division I competition, has left their football team to get clobbered by the likes of Miami, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, and even NC State.

Luckily, this year's schedule looks a little less rough for the Blue Devil in the fall. Starting with a home opener against Richmond on Sep. 5, Duke's first four games leading up to ACC competition could lead to better stats this year.

Including the home opener against Richmond, Duke is also facing Army, Kansas, and NC Central in September.

Starting in October, Duke will face ACC opponents, with Virgina Tech on Oct. 3, followed by contests against NC State, Maryland, and Virginia. Duke then ends their regular season in November against North Carolina, Georgia Tech, Miami, and Wake Forest.

While the final half of their season is going to be grueling, much like last year's campaigns, the beginning of the season is where Duke could shine and become bowl-eligible with the right amount of luck.

If Duke can pull off wins against Richmond, Kansas, and NC Central, then wins over Virginia and Wake Forest, Duke will tie their record for wins overall and increase their wins in conference play by one. It will also give them the chance to be bowl-eligible in the fall and extend their season into early 2010.

A school where basketball reigns supreme in varsity sports, Duke football might have a chance of redeeming themselves this year if all goes according to plan. Coach K. is still going to bring the best basketball Duke has to offer to the wood, so let's hope Coach David Cutcliffe can bring the best to the turf when Duke starts their season on Sep. 5.

Originally Posted on SportInformant.com

Herman Johnson Signs with Arizona Cardinals

Sean Ahern — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 16:07:02 -0400

It's official: Former LSU offensive lineman Herman Johnson has signed a three-year deal with the Arizona Cardinals.

The 382-pound, 6'7" Johnson was picked 167th overall in the fifth round of the NFL Draft by the Cardinals. Last year's 167th overall pick, Dan Walden, was chosen by the Dallas Cowboys out of Middle Tennessee State University.

While the team is quick to disclose the details of Johnson's contract, Albert Elias, Johnson's agent, stated that the middle linebacker did get an increase from what the pay would have been for the same draft number last year, the aforementioned Walden.

"We set a good precedent," said Elias to the media on Wednesday.

Johnson was a two-time All-Southeastern Conference selection and was also a first-team All-American in his senior year. Johnson started the last 38 games of his college career at left and right guard for the LSU Tigers and is the first member of Arizona's eight player 2009 NFL draft selections to agree to contract terms.

Johnson was one of the largest players to ever put on an LSU uniform. At 6'7", his height and power was recognized throughout the SEC.

What does this mean for the Cardinals? In a time where the team is having disputes with its major offensive players like Anquan Boldin, it's good to see that they are able to strike a deal with the big guy from LSU. As the first to sign with the 'Cards as a member of the 2009 NFL Draft class, he can also set an example for the other rookies that have just entered the big league.

Big hopes from this offensive linebacker out of LSU, hopefully he will help to build upon an already solid Cardinals team.

St. Francis University: Zero To Hero in 2009?

Sean Ahern — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 11:23:56 -0400

Originally Posted on SportInformant.com

St. Francis had a tough year in the Northeast Conference, going 0-7 in conference and 0-11 overall. To add to the nightmare, they were barely beaten and given the last spot by Wagner College, who's 1-6 conference record and 3-8 overall record was nothing to boast about either.

So when you're at the bottom, what can you do to bring yourself back from the brink? What changes need to be put in place for wins?

The addition of former NFL offensive lineman Chris Villarrial as offensive coordinator is a start. Villarrial brings not only a host of knowledge about the game, but he also brings with him two all-pro awards for playing center and right guard with the Chicago Bears from 1995-2004.

Head Coach Dave Opfar said to the media in January that, “He is a great addition to our staff and will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to our program. He is a great example of the success a student-athlete at this level can achieve.”

Opfar himself will be in his eighth season as head of the St. Francis program, which has seen better days. This year could be some of the same, but the addition of Villarrial to help cultivate players like linebacker Scott Lewis could strengthen the offensive line, and bring home wins this year—but it won't happen without a bit of work.

The Red Flash's first three games will be non-NEC games against the University of New Hampshire, Morehead State, and Northern Iowa. NEC competition will start with a game against Wagner College on Sept. 26 followed by competitions against Albany, Sacred Heart, Robert Morris, and Duquesne through October and finishing their season with a game on the road against Monmouth, a home matchup against Bryant, and a visit to Central Connecticut State on Nov. 21.

St. Francis will have steep competition this year, and much like the past, programs like Albany and Monmouth look to control the NEC again this year. While St. Francis is rebuilding their squad and program from a disappointing 0-11 season, they will have to beat teams like Wagner College and Duquesne to show that they have what it takes to play ball with the rest of the conference.

The first three games this year will decide how well the Red Flash play football. The games against New Hampshire, Morehead, and Northern Iowa will act as warm-up competitions for them. Either win or lose, it will help to set the pace for games inside the NEC, and the games against tougher opponents will strengthen the team for NEC competition.

Not all of last season's games were blowouts: a 17-13 loss to Wagner, 22-30 to Marist, and 21-36 against Morehead State could have all gone the right way for St. Francis. Playing games against UNH, Morehead, and Northern Iowa will help them to get ready to fight against teams like Wagner or Duquesne this year.

If St. Francis can go 3-4 in conference this year, it will not only show what they are capable of, but also that the team is rebuilding from last year.