Tampa Bay Introduces New Coach

In an afternoon press conference, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers introduced Greg Schiano as the team’s new head coach.

After 11 years at Rutgers, Schiano says he’s ready for a new challenge: the challenge of bringing a winning mentality back to Tampa Bay.  He totally expects to get the team not only to the playoffs, but to the biggest game.

“We’re going to try to be the best starting today. How long that’s going to take, I can’t tell you that. … But when our best is the best, we’ll be Super Bowl champs.”

Schiano has a record of turning a team around given time.  When he arrived at Rutgers, the program was struggling, and far from relevant.  Schiano was able to make the Scarlet Knights a yearly contender which went to bowl games in six of the last seven seasons.

Though college coaches in recent history have not done great in the pros, I definitely hope Schiano is given a fair amount of time to input his system, and see if it works.

Categories: Coaching Change | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

Prince Fielder Now A Tiger

After an offseason filled with speculation about where he would go, Prince Fielder made a deal to become a part of the Detroit Tigers.  The nine-year deal is worth an estimated $214 million.  DANG!!!  Why didn’t I play baseball??  LOL…but seriously.  This deal is no surprise in its size as Fielder was definitely the next best free agent on the market after Pujols.

As his father, Cecil Fielder, played for years in Detroit, Prince is very familiar with the city and seems to be quite comfortable.  Something tells me that even though he and his father are repairing their fractured relationship, Prince wanted the opportunity to go where his dad played and be better.  Gotta love good family competition.  LOL.

Video courtesy of ESPN

Categories: MLB | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Raiders, Colts Coaching Hires

Sources: Dennis Allen new Raiders coach

The Oakland Raiders and Indianapolis Colts are ready to start a new chapter in their organizations.  It was revealed by league sources that both organizations had made final decisions on their head coach vacancies.  And both moved with defense in mind.

The Oakland Raiders have reportedly chosen Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Dennis Allen as the next head coach of the storied team.  Sources are saying that the team finished hammering out the deal Tuesday but had yet to be signed.  We are still waiting for an official announcement from the team.

Indianapolis began cleaning house after an abysmal 2-14 season.  And now they’ve put in another new piece to the puzzle.  The team has chosen Ravens defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano as their new head coach.  Pagano will be officially introduced tomorrow during an afternoon press conference in Indy.  The hiring of the defensive coach makes him the fourth Ravens defensive coordinator to land a head coaching position following in the footsteps of Marvin Lewis, Mike Nolan, and Rex Ryan.

 

Categories: Coaching Change | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

Wednesday’s Women In Sports: Crown Jewel Sports

Cheryce Cryer, Owner of Crown Jewel Sports

In this Wednesday’s Women In Sports, we highlight Cheryce Cryer, sports agent and the woman behind Crown Jewel Sports.  Crown Jewel Sports Management is a sports agency dedicated to providing their clients with “more than just contract negotiation services.” CJSM is interested in helping athletes throughout the length of career and beyond through to retirement.  As a law school graduate, Cheryce has the ability to work as both an agent and lawyer giving her clients additional services not often available from your typical sports agency.

A graduate of University of California, Berkeley, Ms. Cryer is an avid sports fan, often seen on Twitter representing for her Bears.  Here’s a look at Cheryce’s sports world.

Read more »

Categories: Women In Sports | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

Wizards Fire Flip Saunders

Sources: Saunders Out in Washington

Well this was to be expected.  After a dismal beginning to a shortened season, sources say the Washington Wizards have decided to part ways with head coach Flip Saunders.

The Wizards are currently 2-15, and things don’t seem like they would move in the right direction with Saunders still in place.  Star John Wall, in his second season, doesn’t seem to have evolved or grown as a player, and many in the organization believed Flip was unable to truly get through to the players at this point. Saunders will be replaced by assistant coach Randy Wittman in the interim.

Categories: Coaching Change | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Super Bowl XLVI Is Set

And folks we’ve got us a rematch.  It’s Super Bowl XLII all over again with the New York Giants facing off against the New England Patriots.  The game is set for February 5th on NBC at 3:30pm.

Be set to relive all the amazingness that was the 2008 Super Bowl.  Good times!!!  More info to come in the next two weeks.

Categories: NFL | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Joe Paterno Passes at 85

1926-2012

Two months after being relieved of his head coaching duties at Penn State University, Joe Paterno died at the age of 85 from complications of lung cancer.  His family announced the passing early Sunday morning.

Speculations had been swirling for hours, mainly on Twitter, about the coach’s death.  But his family knocked down rumors that he had died Saturday night.  But did state he was in serious condition after his lung cancer was exacerbated by a pelvic injury in early January.

Joseph Vincent Paterno was a coach for the Penn State Nittany Lions for 62 years, spending the last 44 years as head coach.  As the winningest coach in Division I football history, Paterno built up a reputation as a man who not only coached football but a man who also created men from the boys he was trusted to coach.  He was widely known to be a second father to many of his players, and gave extensively to the community of Happy Valley where Penn State was located.  However during the 2011 college football season, his legacy would soon include a portion many never expected to connect to the great Coach Pa.

When his former right-hand man, ex-PSU defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, was arrested on child molestation charges, the PSU campus and coach would never be the same.  It was learned that as far back as 2002 the university and Coach Paterno himself had been made aware of complaints about Sandusky’s behavior with young boys, including an incident where graduate assistant Mike McQueary informed Paterno of a possible rape incident he witnessed.  Paterno simply passed the news on to his superiors and the cops were never notified.

Though many would love to leave this part out of his legacy, still some would rather its all that was mentioned.  Yet nothing is that simple.  Joe Paterno can never simply be one or the other.  It must all be included in our memories of him, the good and the bad.  Yes he made a poor decision in putting PSU ahead of children in danger, but for years he gave to the community through the lives he changed and the generosity he displayed.  In all honesty, it’s a very human story.  We can all never just be the good or bad deeds we commit.  We are EVERYTHING…in totality.

Categories: Sports Figure Passings | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

2011-12 NFL Conference Championship Picks

We are getting closer and closer!!  Its almost Super Bowl time. But first up we’ve got conference championships.  In the AFC it’s the Baltimore Ravens taking on the New England Patriots.  And out in the west, the NFC Championship has the New York Giants up against the San Francisco 49ers.  Take a look at my predictions.

 

Categories: NFL, Playoffs | Leave a comment

Big Ben’s Civil Suit Settled

A settlement has been reached in a civil suit against Ben Roethlisberger.  The civil suit stems from an incident involving the Steelers QB in 2008.  He was accused by a Lake Tahoe hotel staffer of sexual assault.  Though no criminal charges were filed, the woman filed suit against Roethlisberger.

This was the first of two women to accuse Roethlisberger of sexual assault within a two-year period.  The second assault, which also didn’t result in criminal charges, resulted in the QB being suspended for four games at the beginning of the 2010 season.

No details were available as to the monetary value of the settlement.

Categories: Legal Troubles | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Miami Dolphins Pick New Coach

Philbin new Miami head coach

Its been a very emotional month for Joe Philbin.  Nearly two weeks after the death of his 21-year old son, Philbin was selected as the next head coach of the Miami Dolphins.  The hire was announced via press release Friday, and a press conference is scheduled for Saturday to make it all picture official.

The former offensive coordinator of the Green Bay Packers, Joe Philbin is widely respected throughout the league.  The Dolphins are hoping to capitalize on the successes, albeit minor, of this past season.  Though things did not begin well, the Dolphins began to show promise in 2011.  Now its up to Philbin and his new coaching staff to take the offense to the next level…and make strides to compete on a major level.  After what I began to see from Miami this season, and what I’ve seen from GB over the last couple of years, I’m ready for the Philbin era in Miami.

Best of luck to Joe Philbin and his family.  I’m sure the change of scenery is a welcome distraction through this very emotional time.

Categories: Coaching Change | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment