Wednesday football links: Kettani’s path to the Patriots, Big East speculation, Army Pinterest and more
May 23rd, 2012 | After Action Air Force Army Football Navy | Posted by Kevin Lilley
Eric Kettani, here scoring during the 2007 Poinsettia Bowl, took a unique road from the Naval Academy to the NFL. (Image of Sport photo by Kirby Lee via US Presswire)
From leaving the Navy to being honored by the Army to the never-ending offseason soap opera that is the Big East Conference, here’s some quick football hits while you pick your favorite “Anchorman” clip — sequel trailer or Tim Kennedy experience:
1. Kettani’s quest. The Boston Herald gives an extensive look at Naval Academy grad Lt. j.g. Eric Kettani’s struggle to secure an early release from service to play football for the New England Patriots, a release he was granted late last month. Kettani must pay back about $60,000 for his education and will continue to serve in the Navy Reserve. The Herald report outlines a complicated appeals process that involved Kettani, his brother/manager, a family friend in Jacksonville, Fla., who happened to be a retired Army colonel, and Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, whose Annapolis ties are firmly established.
2. Army honors. Speaking of NFL coaches, Tom Coughlin of the New York Giants and John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens will receive the Army’s third-highest civilian honor today in Arlington, Va. Coughlin — who’ll get the honor from his friend, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno — will be honored for his work with military veterans and the USO; Harbaugh helped established Military Appreciation Day for the Ravens and has organized visits to military bases.
3. Big East blowout. Links for those who like to keep up with conference chaos: Two from Keith Pompey at the Philadelphia Inquirer — an overview of the league meetings so far in Florida and a look at proposed football divisions (Air Force fans: The second one includes the latest round of Falcons-to-the-Big East speculation). And Sports Illustrated’s Andy Staples offers his take here. Key quote: “When (if?) Navy joins the league for football in 2015 …”
4. Odds and ends. Navy makes the front page of ESPN’s “100 days till kickoff” section (No. 6 on the right-hand side). And are you up to speed on the photo-sharing site Pinterest? The folks at West Point are — here’s a page of pics from the spring game at Fort Benning, Ga.
Kennedy-Rockwell card takes shape; women’s champ Rousey may fight too
May 22nd, 2012 | Army Mixed martial arts | Posted by Phil Creed
Ronda Rousey used this nasty armbar to beat Miesha Tate at the Strikeforce Grand Prix final in March. (Greg Bartram-US PRESSWIRE)
When Army Staff Sgt. Tim Kennedy fights Luke Rockhold for the Strikeforce middleweight title July 14, it’s possible their battle will be the headliner on a card that features three championship bouts. While this is good news for fight fans, it isn’t necessarily a good sign for health of Strikeforce (now owned by Zuffa, the UFC’s parent company).
Rockhold vs. Kennedy will feature number of big-name MMA fighters, including a couple of UFC vets looking to rejuvenate their careers. Strikeforce has officially added a welterweight title matchup between Tyron Woodley and Nate Marquardt to the lineup, and now it appears women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey may defend her belt against Sarah Kaufman that night too, according to MMAJunkie.com.
Rousey, a two-time Olympian in Judo who took bronze in the 2008 Beijing games, is the big name in women’s MMA at the moment. She won her first five pro fights via first-round armbars, including her championship matchup with Miesha Tate in March. Kaufman is currently on a three-fight winning streak, including a decision win over former Marine Liz Carmouche in July 2011.
Strikeforce’s welterweight belt is currently vacant, and has been since Nick Diaz left the promotion in 2011 to compete in the UFC. Woodley, who is 10-0 as a pro, including eight wins in Strikeforce, will be the likely favorite to fill that spot. His last fight came in January, when he won a split decision against Jordan Mein.
Marquardt, a UFC vet making his Strikeforce debut, presents a somewhat odd choice for a title opponent. Marquardt hasn’t fought since a March 2011 win in the UFC. He was pulled from the card of his next UFC fight after a failed drug test and was subsequently released from the promotion by an irate Dana White. Since then he’s done a fightless stint in Britain’s BAMMA promotion before being brought back to the Zuffa/UFC/Strikeforce family in February.
If the “fight for a vacant Strikeforce title” scenario sounds familiar to Kennedy fans, it’s because Kennedy fought Jacare Souza for the vacant Strikeforce middleweight title in 2010 after Jake Shields left for the UFC. It’s a pattern that doesn’t bode well for the long-term prospects of Strikeforce, which has been losing fighters to the UFC at a faster clip since being bought out last year. This exodus has led Strikeforce to rely on using ex-UFC fighters on the downside of their careers, such as Keith Jardine and Marquardt, to fight for championships — rather than using talent developed within the promotion.
Jardine (16-11-2), a popular veteran from his days in the UFC’s light heavyweight division, will be making his third Strikeforce appearance at Rockhold vs. Kennedy. He’ll look to bounce back from a KO loss to Rockhold in January when he takes on Roger Gracie (4-1), a member of the legendary Gracie family.
Middleweights Lorenz Larkin and Robbie Lawler — who lost a 2011 decision to Kennedy — will square off in the other officially announced fight on the Rockhold vs. Kennedy card.
Monday football roundup: More on Air Force’s Asher Clark, big Big East meeting, All-Independent Team out
May 21st, 2012 | After Action Air Force Army Football Navy | Posted by Kevin Lilley
Air Force’s Asher Clark dives over Toledo’s Diauntae Morrow (5) to score during last year's Military Bowl -- Clark's last game with the Falcons. (Getty Images photo by Rob Carr)
Three quick hits for a Monday afternoon:
1. Clark’s dad: He didn’t know. The news broke Friday and The Associated Press picked it up Saturday: Senior Air Force running back Asher Clark, second on the Falcons’ all-time rushing list, is no longer at the school, reportedly after being part of an academy investigation into illegal drug use. Sunday, Frank Schwab at The (Colorado Springs, Colo.) Gazette gave the Clark family’s side of the story via Asher’s father, Mark, who said his son thought he was smoking tobacco at a March 2011 party when in fact he’d been given a pipe packed with “Colorado Chronic” — a type of synthetic marijuana.
That act, Mark Clark said, resulted in his son’s dismissal from school. Key quote: “I get it, they made an example out of him. There are 4,000 cadets and they said, ‘If we’ll kick Asher Clark out of this school, we’ll kick you out even faster.’”
Mark Clark said the next step — re-enrolling at another school, filing a lawsuit, etc. — is up to his son. Air Force Academy officials would only tell The Gazette that Clark no longer attends the school and have not said whether he’ll be asked to reimburse the school for the cost of his education, which would be well into six figures.
2. Conference powwow. Officials from the Big East — including future members, like Navy — will meet this week in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., and they’ve got plenty to talk about. ESPN blogger Andrea Adelson breaks down some of the issues here, and the Tampa Bay Times offers a good overview here. Major topics: Negotiating a new TV deal, finding a new commissioner, figuring out future division alignments and finding the league’s place in what’s become known as “BCS 2.0″ — the postseason setup that will begin after the 2014 season and could include a four-team playoff and radically different bowl affiliations. One piece of good news for the conference: It looks like Boise State’s still in the fold.
3. Independents’ day. Army junior running back Raymond Maples and Navy senior linebacker Matt Warrick were the only service academy representatives on Phil Steele’s All-Independent first team, which the college football guru released Friday. Eleven academy players — five Midshipmen and six Black Knights, including senior quarterback Trent Steelman — received second-team mentions. It’s a high honor, but the pool is limited — Army, Navy, Notre Dame and BYU are the only independent Football Bowl Subdivision programs this season.
Olympic shooting update: 2 more soldiers qualify for London games
May 21st, 2012 | Army | Posted by Kevin Lilley
Sgt. Vincent Hancock waits his turn during men's skeet Olympic qualifications Saturday in Tucson, Ariz. (US Presswire photo by Chris Morrison)
Sgts. Glenn Eller and Vincent Hancock are officially gunning for more gold.
Both soldiers qualified for the 2012 Olympics by taking top honors in double trap and skeet, respectively, at the Team USA trials in Tucson, Ariz., last week and will attempt to repeat as Olympic champions. Get the full write-up here and some more about Eller’s win here.
It’s the fourth Olympic trip for Eller, whose double-trap teammate, Staff Sgt. Josh Richmond, earned his spot on Team USA last year. Hancock almost had a soldier at his side, too — Staff Sgt. Mark Weeks tied for second with two other shooters, forcing a three-man playoff for the Olympic berth won by Frank Thompson.
Other soldiers on the Olympic shooting team members include Sgts. 1st Class Eric Uptagrafft (prone rifle) and Daryl Szarenski (10-meter air pistol).
Opening ceremonies for the London games are July 27; shooting events begin the next day and run through Aug. 6, according to the official schedule.
Olympic-champion Army marksmen lead field entering 2012 Team USA trials
May 16th, 2012 | Army | Posted by Kevin Lilley
Sgt. Vincent Hancock, here on the Beijing range where he won Olympic gold in skeet shooting, leads a handful of Army marksmen into this week's Olympic trials. (Pekin/Presse Sport photo via US Presswire)
When it comes to Olympic shooting, champs don’t get a free pass.
Sgts. Vincent Hancock and Glenn Eller, reigning gold medalists in skeet and double trap, respectively, will have to qualify for the 2012 team this week in Tucson, Ariz. USA Shooting has previews of the skeet and trap events, which will run through the weekend.
Staff. Sgt. Josh Richmond, the 2012 World Cup double trap champ, already has a spot locked up for London (read more about the World Cup win here). Sgt. Jeff Holguin, another 2008 Olympic team member and the 2011 national double trap champion, will compete for a spot in London alongside Eller, while Hancock (who may also compete in double trap, per the release) will be joined on the skeet side by Staff Sgt. Mark Weeks, formerly the national shotgun coach for USA Shooting, who recently competed in a World Cup event in Tucson.
Well, “compete” might be an understatement. This USA Shooting article on his performance in the March event must be read to be believed: Weeks suffered second-degree burns on his legs after a jet-ski explosion, withdrew from the event, then shot anyway when a spot opened up as an extra filler. He wore bandages down both legs, sported Crocs on his feet and had to walk around the range, according to the article, to keep blood from building up in the wounds.
To recap: Jet-ski explosion, blood, shotguns and Crocs. Weeks barely missed qualifying for the Beijing games, but he might be a sentimental favorite this year just to see whether Hollywood picks up this movie script waiting to happen.
Want more on the marksmen? USA Shooting’s news site is a great place to start. The Army Marksmanship Unit’s website provides some competition updates, and The Outdoor Wire has this piece on the USAMU’s 2011 exploits.
And if you can sit through a short advertisement, there’s this trick shot from Eller. Because sometimes, one shotgun just isn’t enough.
Monday football roundup: Short Ben Garland update, bad Big East news, Army film in heavy rotation
May 14th, 2012 | Air Force Army Football Navy nfl | Posted by Kevin Lilley
Air Force Academy grad Ben Garland talks to reporters Sunday after minicamp workouts in Denver. (US Presswire photo by Ron Chenoy)
A few service academy-related football notes to start off your week:
1. Praise from high places: We promised you updates on Air Force 2nd Lt. Ben Garland’s quest for an NFL job with the Denver Broncos, so we pass this along from Frank Schwab at The (Colorado Springs, Colo.) Gazette. Denver head coach John Fox offered some short remarks on Garland’s stellar work ethic during a post-rookie workout news conference late last week. Judging from the picture in that first link, the Air Force Academy grad’s strength and conditioning won’t be an issue.
2. Conference calamity: Speaking of early outs, they’re not just for academy grads anymore — the University of Pittsburgh is suing the Big East to escape the league a year earlier than planned. Pitt wants to join the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2013 instead of 2014. According to The Associated Press, Pitt will argue that it shouldn’t have to adhere to the league’s 27-month waiting period before shifting conferences because the Big East recently allowed West Virginia to bolt for the Big 12 without a wait. Syracuse is slated to leave for the ACC with Pitt in 2014; the results of Pitt’s case — a school spokesman told AP the goal still was to settle the matter out of court — could alter the Orange’s plans.
Also, CBSSports.com’s Brett McMurphy, who has been breaking all kinds of news on the changing college conference landscape, reports that Boise State hasn’t pulled the trigger on its departure from the Mountain West Conference — something it must do by the end of next month to join the Big East as a football-only member as planned in 2013. Instead of explaining the move away, a school spokesman simply told McMurphy: “We are actively monitoring the changing landscape in college athletics and remain committed to making the best long-term decisions for Boise State.” Navy will enter the Big East as a football-only member in 2015.
3. Documentary deluge. Did you miss “Army Spring Football Mission: Fort Benning,” a documentary on CBS Sports Network that traces the Black Knights on the road to their historic spring game? Well, get the DVR ready or just find CBSSN on your local cable provider; the documentary is in heavy rotation. When you can catch it this week (all times Eastern, per the CBSSN website): Monday at 4 p.m.; Tuesday at 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.; Wednesday at 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.; and Thursday at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Kennedy to fight for the title
May 11th, 2012 | Army Combatives Mixed martial arts | Posted by Michelle Tan
It’s official – Army Staff Sgt. Tim Kennedy will step back into the mixed-martial arts ring for another shot at the Strikeforce middleweight title.
Kennedy will fight reigning champ Luke Rockhold July 14 in Portland, Ore.
Kennedy, a decorated Special Forces soldier who is now serving in the Texas Army National Guard, has a 14-3 record. During his last fight, in July, Kennedy defeated Robbie Lawler by unanimous decision.
Rockhold holds a 9-1 record, and according to MMAjunkie.com, he is looking for his second successful title defense since narrowly winning the belt from Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza and then defending it with a January knockout of Keith Jardine.
Kennedy fought for the vacant Strikeforce title in August 2010, according to MMAjunkie.com, but suffered a unanimous-decision loss to Souza. Since then, Kennedy returned to title contention with a submission victory against Melvin Manhoef and his most recent win against Lawler.
On his Facebook page, Kennedy wrote: “At last, I will be fighting Luke Rockhold July 14 in Portland. Super excited!”
The fights will air July 14 on Showtime.
Until then, check out the Kennedy-Lawler fight from last summer:
Air Force’s Calhoun top service academy football coach on Sporting News list
May 10th, 2012 | After Action Air Force Army Football Navy | Posted by Kevin Lilley
Air Force's Troy Calhoun is tops among service academy coaches in a recent Sporting News ranking. (US Presswire photo by Ron Chenoy)
The Sporting News just released its ranking of all 124 college football coaches. It gives new meaning to the word “complete.” Also, possibly new meaning to the word “long.”
We’ll simplify for you service academy football fans: Air Force gets bragging rights, with head coach Troy Calhoun checking in at No. 29.
Navy’s Ken Niumatalolo checks in at No. 35, while Army’s Rich Ellerson rounds out the academy pack at 79. The SN folks don’t spell out their methodology, but if you went by traditional metrics — you know, like their records from last year — you’d have the same order of finish.
These rankings don’t quite line up with the coaches’ paychecks — if the SN folks are right, Air Force might have themselves a good deal.
Former Annapolis head man Paul Johnson, now at Georgia Tech, ranks 19th. Alabama’s Nick Saban leads the rankings. Charley Molnar of the University of Massachusetts ranks last — UMass is new to the Football Bowl Subdivision, and Molnar’s entering his first season.
YouTube tribute to former Army player killed in car accident
May 9th, 2012 | Army Football | Posted by Phil Creed
Former Army cornerback Mario Hill died last weekend in a one-car accident in Lexington, Ky.
Hill’s car went off the road and hit a tree head-on, according to a report on Kentucky.com. Police suspect the accident was alcohol-related, the website reported.
Hill graduated from West Point in 2010. During his senior season, the Greensboro, N.C., native had 27 tackles, two interceptions and a forced fumble.
Former Army linebacker and team captain Stephen Anderson talked with HudsonValley.com about Hill, reflecting on the positive attitude and spirit that he’ll remember his teammate for. Other tributes to Hill can be read here and here.
Army Olympian update: Secretary stops by, Lester takes top honor, WCAP web update
May 7th, 2012 | After Action Army Wrestling | Posted by Kevin Lilley
Army Secretary John McHugh, middle right, chats with soldier-athletes including Sgt. 1st Class Dremiel Byers, far right, during a recent visit to the Olympic training center in Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army photo)
Some quick Olympic updates while you attempt to schedule a therapy session after watching the latest Tim Kennedy video:
1. Hosting the secretary. It’s the setup to the oldest joke in the book: Some wrestlers, a racewalker, a bobsledder and the secretary of the Army walk into a cafeteria …
No, seriously — Army Secretary John McHugh made the trip to Colorado Springs, Colo., to chat with soldier-Olympians and Paralympic athletes over lunch May 2, giving him a close-up look at competitors who’ll represent his service on the world stage this summer. Tim Hipps of the Army’s Installation Management Command has the full report here, including snippets of conversations McHugh had with London-bound wrestlers Sgt. Spenser Mango and Sgt. 1st Class Dremiel Byers. (Byers identifies himself as a heavyweight. McHugh: “I can see that.”) McHugh also related his experience on a bobsled run at Lake Placid, N.Y., and praised the soldiers in the Army World Class Athlete Program for their commitment to both sport and service.
2. Web makeover. We’d prefer you get all your military Olympics news here, but if you absolutely, positively have to go somewhere else, check out the revamped WCAP Olympian site for full bios on all Army participants, including coaches. Tell them we sent you.
3. Lester’s spotlight. Speaking of elite Army athletes, Spc. Justin Lester added another title recently — the best U.S. Greco-Roman wrestler of 2011. Lester, who qualified for the Olympics in the 66-kilogram weight class last month in Iowa City, earned USA Wrestling’s Wrestler of the Year honors after winning U.S. Open titles in two weight classes (74 and 66 kg) in 2011. He also took fifth in the 66-kg class at the 2011 World Championships in Turkey, which qualified the U.S. for the Olympics in that weight class.
It was the first such honor for Lester. Fellow WCAP and Team USA wrestler Byers has won the award three times (2009, 2002, 1999).