Brian Cashman skydives & breaks ankle
New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman is a know daredeviland yesterday was no different when he went skydiving outside of Miami with with the Golden Knights of the U.S. Army. He went up not once, but twice and ended up severely injuring his ankle on the second jump his bone poked through the skin.
All Fun & Games Until Someone Gets Hurt
Nike unveils new Army-Navy uniforms
NICE
Nike likes to unveil new college football uniforms for all type of games to create some buzz. They’ve done so again for the Army-Navy game, and have now released the new threads each team will wear.
Army’s striking black and gold uniforms pay tribute to a year when the Black Knights were unstoppable on all fields of battle: 1944, the year the Army troops won a key strategic victory in WWII’s Battle of the Bulge. The football team at home was on its way to a perfect season and the first of three consecutive national championships. In tribute to Army’s historic victory on the battlefield, a historical re-interpreted West Point battle atlas map of the region where the offensive took place can be seen throughout multiple elements of the uniform, from the jersey to base layer to gloves, all the way down to the inside the cleats.
The helmet also takes on the same 1944 look with the deep gold hue and black stripe along with a small black spade on the side in honor of the 101st Airborne division.
Navy’s uniform pays tribute to the traditional dress white uniform – a powerful symbol of professionalism, achievement and authority throughout the organization’s history. The uniform’s clean, white look with black details and gold trim, as well as a new number / letter font, draws inspiration directly from the angular precision and speed of U.S. Navy aircraft. The First Navy Jack, featuring the iconic rattlesnake and “Don’t tread on me” phrase, is designed into the base layer.
The helmet design is inspired by a Naval Officer’s cover with a thick gold stripe representing the gold braid, and angled with a downward slope in much the same way the cover is worn.
Brittney Griner Dunks In NCAA Tournament
Baylor center Brittney Griner became the second woman to dunk in an NCAA tournament game when she threw down on Florida last night. The dunk was Griner’s first of the season and sixth for her career, putting her one behind Candace Parker’s career record. Parker is the only other woman to dunk in an NCAA tournament game something she accomplished twice against Army in 2006.
Griner finished with 25 points and nine rebounds in Baylor’s 76-57 second-round win over Florida.
NFL Player Called Back To Active Duty
Honor, Courage, Commitment
New England Patriots practice squad running back Eric Kettani’s dream of playing in the NFL has been put temporarily on hold after he was summoned back to active duty in the Navy Thursday night. Kettani will return to the USS Klakring frigate in Jacksonville, Florida this morning.
“I love my country, and I’m happy to serve it,” Kettani said.
Kettani, who already has served two years of active duty, was given select reserve status in time to report for training camp in July, under the condition that he helped promote the Navy. He returned to the Patriots this season and made their practice squad. He was a fullback on the Midshipmen football team while attending the Naval Academy. Despite his willingness to serve, he has launched an appeal to stay with the team.
“I look forward to continuing my dream of playing for the New England Patriots,” Kettani said.
Indianapolis Colts practice squad defensive back Caleb Campbell (Army) and Philadelphia Eagles practice squad receiver Chad Hall (Air Force) also could be called upon at a moments notice.
Paralyzed Eric LeGrand Stands In Therapy
Awesome
Paralyzed Rutgers University football player Eric LeGrand has posted this photo and another of himself standing during physical therapy on his Twitter account. The photos appeared Wednesday and he tweeted that he’s “standing up little by little and standing tall, we can’t fall.” His mother is with him in the photos.
LeGrand was paralyzed from the neck down while making a tackle on a kickoff return against Army on Oct. 16 at New Meadowlands Stadium. The LeGrand, 20, said he believes he will walk again.
Patti LaBelle Sued By West Point Football Player After Security Guard Attack
TALENT
Richard King an Army defensive back is suing R&B legend Patti LaBelle after receiving a beating by her security detail outside a Houston airport terminal. King was allegedly standing too close to LaBelle’s luggage that prompted security to start an altercation and jump him.
“Apparently, defendant LaBelle believed King was standing too close to her (no doubt expensive) luggage, even though he was oblivious to her presence and the danger he was in,” according to King’s lawsuit, which was filed in Houston civil court. “LaBelle lowered the window of her limousine and gave a command to her bodyguards. They sprang into action.”
A surveillance video from the airport provided by King’s lawyer showed King, 23, talking on a cell phone when one of LaBelle’s bodyguards appeared to push up against him. It appeared that King then pushed him back. After that, the bodyguard and two other individuals then pushed and punched King, hitting him in the face and knocking him to the ground.
In the video, the bodyguards could be seen towering over King and then moving away when King unsuccessfully tried several times to get up off the ground. King was taken to a hospital with blood covering his yellow sweater however the video also shows Houston police officers taking photos with LaBelle.
King had four interceptions for Army last season and was told by doctors that he wouldn’t be able to play football again due to the injuries suffered to head. Making matters worse for King, the punishment he has received from West Point for the incident is a year suspension from the football team, which ends his football career and is being sent into active duty.
To see the video click HERE from the ABC news report.
Rutgers Eric LeGrand Regains Sensation Throughout His Body
Believe
Injured Rutgers lineman Eric LeGrand has movement in his shoulders and sensation throughout his body. It marked the first update in LeGrand’s condition since last month when the university announced that the defensive tackle had some feeling in his hands.
The 20-year-old was hurt on Oct. 16, making a tackle on a kickoff return against Army in a game at New Meadowlands Stadium. LeGrand tried to give the crowd a thumbs up signal when he was taken off the field but he couldn’t, because it felt like “1,000 pounds was on this thumb,” he said in an interview. He was treated at Hackensack University Medical Center then transfered to Kessler Institute, one of the nation’s leaders in spinal cord rehabilitation.
LeGrand was initially diagnosed as paralyzed from the neck down, but doctors later upgraded his condition to an incomplete paralysis. He was taken off a ventilator in November and now breathes on his own. Without LeGrand the Scarlet Knights lost six consecutive games and finished 4-8, last in the Big East at 1-6.
Primetime College Football: Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl
TALENT
This game goes down on the ESPN network and it features Army Black Knights taking on Southern Methodist University Mustangs in the 8th annual Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl at Gerald J. Ford Stadium, Dallas, Texas.
Army, 6-6, is playing in its first bowl game since 1996 and only the second since 1988. The Black Knights did fade a bit down the stretch, dropping three of their final four contests to close out the regular season which included their ninth consecutive loss to Navy. Head coach Rich Ellerson has made his triple option attack a staple at West Point. Army averages a robust 256 rushing yards per game, which ranks 10th in the nation. Like most option teams, the passing game has taken a backseat as the Black Knights rank 120th.
Army quarterback Trent Steelman has been as integral to the team’s success as anybody as he has rushed for 694 yards and a team best 11 touchdowns in addition to his 7 passing touchdowns. Fullback Jared Hassin tops the team with 931 rushing yards to go along with his 9 touchdowns.
Defensively Army’s defense has been susceptible to the run at times this season, but the Knights are solid against the pass, ranking 23rd nationally with 190.5 passing yards allowed per game and rank 27th in total defense.
SMU, 7-6, 6-2 C-USA, will have the luxury of playing in its home stadium for this matchup, where the team went 4-2 this year. SMU has reached the postseason for the second straight year after topping Nevada in the 2009 Sheraton Hawaii Bowl, 45-10. The Mustangs won the Conference USA West Division with a 6-2 league mark this year, though they went just 1-4 outside of conference play. SMU’s spread passing attack under head coach June Jones will present quite a contrast in styles.
The Mustangs are littered with playmakers on that side of the ball, including three first-team All-Conference picks. One of those players is left tackle Kelvin Beachum, who has started all 13 games this season to anchor a line that has paved the way for a school-record 5,391 yards of total offense. Another is running back Zach Line, 1,391 rushing yards on the season only trails that of Eric Dickerson in school history. Line is the C-USA leader with 107 yards per game on the ground. At wideout, senior Aldrick Robinson has amassed 1,225 receiving yards this season, making him the only receiver in school history with two 1,000-yard seasons. His 13 touchdown catches are also a new SMU record, as are his seven straight games with a touchdown grab.
Quarterback Kyle Padron has had a fine season for SMU, is averaging 271.2 passing yards per game and has thrown 29 touchdowns against 12 interceptions. While Robinson has accounted for nearly half of those TD passes, Padron does have some other solid options in the passing game. Cole Beasley has also gone over the 1,000-yard mark (1,036) and actually leads the team with 84 catches.
SMU’s defense has seen the triple-option already this season, so there shouldn’t be many surprises there. SMU has played a fairly tough schedule, with seven of its opponents this season earning bowl bids.
Army has won both prior meetings in the all-time series between these two schools, although these teams have not met since 1967.
PICK : Southern Methodist University Mustangs
Primetime College Football: Black Knights vs Irish
TALENT
This game goes down on the NBC network and it features Army Black Knights taking on the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish in Yankee Stadium.
This season has already been a success for Army, as it is bowl eligible for the first time since 1996. Much of the praise for the turnaround of the program goes to head coach Rich Ellerson, who has done wonders in just two seasons at West Point. Last weekend, the club defeated Kent State on the road by a 45-28 final.
Army’s opponents are well aware that the Black Knights rely heavily on the ground attack, but that hasn’t stopped Ellerson’s team from racking up 31 ppg thus far. The club averages 272.8 rushing ypg at a clip of 4.7 yards per carry, and of the 38 touchdowns scored by Army’s offense to date, 33 have been of the rushing variety. Jared Hassin leads the attack with 858 yards, and he has nine rushing scorers to his credit. Trent Steelman, the team’s quarterback, has 11 rushing scores and 596 yards to his credit. As a passer, Steelman has completed 56.6 percent of his throws for 798 yards and five touchdowns with only one interception.
Against Kent State last week, Army finished with 62 rushing attempts against just 10 passes. To Steelman’s credit, however, he completed nine of those throws for 149 yards, a major factor in the win. Hassin rushed for 75 yards and a touchdown, while Steelman and Brian Cobb has two rushing scores apiece.
Opponents are posting 24 ppg and 329 total ypg against Army, which has been a mediocre defensive team for much of this season.
As for the Fighting Irish, they carried the weight of back-to-back losses and a wealth of scrutiny into last Saturday’s clash with nationally-ranked Utah. Few gave Notre Dame a chance to win that game, so its 28-3 romp over the Utes certainly opened some eyes. The Irish are now 5-5 overall and need just one more victory to become bowl eligible, something first-year head coach Brian Kelly has identified as a goal.
Head coach Brain Kelly’s offense has been hit as hard, if not hard, by injury than any unit in the nation this season. Quarterback Dayne Crist and tight end Kyle Rudolph have been lost for the season, while tailback Armando Allen and wideout Theo Riddick are both out indefinitely. So not only did Tommy Rees, a freshman quarterback, have the pressure of making his first collegiate start against Utah, the Notre Dame signal caller had limited weapons at his disposal. Rees played with a tremendous amount of poise, and while Utah was determined to limit big plays, the rookie finished 13-of-20 for 129 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. Notre Dame finished with a mere 256 total yards in the clash, but the most important number, aside from the final score, was zero, the number of turnovers committed by the Fighting Irish.
Notre Dame is generating 26 ppg and 387.4 total ypg, decent numbers for a team that has been ravaged by injury as mentioned. One player that is healthy and continues to dominate defensive backs in Michael Floyd, one of the nation’s truly elite receivers. Floyd has recorded 59 catches for 767 yards and nine touchdowns. Rees, in limited action, has seven touchdown passes against four interceptions and has completed 62.7 percent of his throws.
Foes are scoring 22 ppg against Notre Dame, which is allowing 380.3 total ypg. Notre Dame has 26 sacks and 18 takeaways to its credit, and Manti Te’o continues to lead the defense with 109 total tackles. Harrison Smith has three interceptions thus far.
Notre Dame owns a 37-8-4 series advantage over Army, which includes 13 straight wins over the Black Knights.
PICK: University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame Football Now Broadcasts In Europe & Asia
Bring Back Clashmore Mike
The Eurosport Group has signed a TV rights deal with NBC Sports for exclusive broadcast rights to Notre Dame University’s home American football matches for 2010 across Europe and Asia.
All Notre Dame home games will be broadcast throughout Europe exclusively on Eurosport 2. The 2010 season includes eight home games against Purdue, Michigan, Stanford, Pittsburgh, Western Michigan, Navy, Tulsa, Utah, and Army in a special game to be played at the world famous Yankee Stadium.
Eurosport has also acquired the exclusive TV rights in Asia. The season will also be broadcast in the 14 countries where Eurosport Asia Pacific is distributed. Eurosport 2′s exclusive coverage of the 2010 season enables the growing population of American football fans.
Golden Knights Parachuter Hung Up At Rangers Ballpark
Blame The Midges In Cleveland For This
A member of the U.S. Army Golden Knights parachute team got hung up on a flagpole during a jump into the ballpark before the baseball game between the Minnesota Twins and the Texas Rangers in Arlington last night. No one was injured and the team did an on-air television interview with the Rangers telecast.
Detroit Lions Offer Army Officer Caleb Campbell Second Contract
A Real American
Army graduate Caleb Campbell who was originally drafted by the Detroit Lions in 2008 but told he had to serve two years of active duty has now been offered another conttract by the Lions.
Two years ago, prior to the embarrassment that was an 0-16 season, the Lions picked Caleb Campbell in the 7th round of the NFL Draft. He was the first West Point graduate to be drafted by an NFL team since 1997. The team was excited about his potential.
Then, as if the fates were offering a precursor of the season to come, the night before training camp, the Lions officially found out Campbell wouldn’t be with them. That’s because, a few weeks before, the Army decided to revise its policy with regards to soldiers playing professional sports. The new policy meant Campbell had to serve his two-year stint with the Army first.
Now, two years later, Campbell has his second chance. According to the Detroit News, the Lions invited him for a private workout earlier in the week. He arrived Monday night, worked out for them on Tuesday, then returned to Ft. Sill in Oklahoma that night. And on Thursday, the team offered him a contract. But, there’s still a catch.
His two-year commitment isn’t officially finished yet, so he has to apply to be released from active duty. Hopefully, this will be a formality and Campbell will be able to suit up for the Lions, something he’s looking forward to.
As he told GoBlackKnights.com, “I am really happy that I am getting the opportunity with Detroit again. I definitely wanted to go back to where it all started, I wanted to go back to the team that drafted me. I think it is a great opportunity and I am really excited.”
So am I
Primetime College Football: Army Black Knights vs Navy Midshipmen
TALENT
Technically the Primetime College Football segment here on the Sports Grind Entertainment website is slated for any national televised football game that starts at or after the 6 p.m. CST spot. However there are two exceptions, the first being the Texas-Oklahoma Red River Rivalry Game because nothing quite compares to Texas pride like that game. The second game being today’s between Army-Navy because nothing quite compares to national pride like this game in terms of football. It’s the last regular season game of the college football season and this game represents the love for the game, the love for our great country, the love for the armed services.
These men are not going to be found on an NFL Draft board next year but a majority will find themselves in Afghanistan or Iraq in yet they still they still play. That’s what will happen at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia as one of the greatest rivalries in sports enjoys its 110th addition, when Army takes on Navy.
Head coach Rich Ellerson is in his first season at the helm in West Point and has his Black Knights on the verge of their first postseason berth since the 1996 Independence Bowl. If Army, which has won two straight games entering this season-finale, wins, the Black Knights will move on to the EagleBank Bowl to take on the Temple Owls. A loss would leave Army at 5-7 overall and obviously out of this year’s bowl picture.
Earning that sixth victory won’t come easy as Navy is sporting an impressive 8-4 record in Ken Niumatalolo’s second season in Annapolis. The Midshipmen are coming off a 24-17 loss at Hawaii last time out however, and would like to get back on track before a New Year’s Eve showdown with Missouri in the Texas Bowl.
The Midshipmen have won the last six Commander-In-Chief’s Trophies and will look to add to their streak of 13 straight victories over both Army and Air Force combined. Navy holds a 53-49-7 advantage in the all-time series with Army, thanks to seven straight wins over the Black Knights. Navy blanked Army last year, 34-0.
Freshman quarterback Trent Steelman is poised to be only the second plebe to start an Army/Navy game. Its hard to argue with the decision, as the youngster is the team’s top rusher with 690 yards and five TDs. Steelman has not had that much success throwing the football, but then again, Ellerson doesn’t require that very often of his quarterbacks. Joining Steelman in the backfield are slotback Patrick Mealy 625 yards, three TDs and fullback Kingsley Ehie 445 yards, two TDs. In all, the Black Knights are a dangerous rushing team, averaging 212.1 yards per game.
Still, senior Ali Villanueva does have the ability to make plays downfield. At 6-10, 283 pounds, he poses serious matchup problems, and that has led to him leading the team in receptions 29, receiving yards 460 and 5 TDs.
The Army defense has done a nice job for the most part this season, limiting the opposition to a mere 22 ppg. The rush defense has been lax at times 149.3 ypg, but the pass defense has been tremendous 161.2 ypg. In addition, the Black Knights have recorded 23 sacks and 22 takeaways in the first 11 games.
Sophomore linebacker Andrew Rodriguez 70 tackles, two INTs and junior safety Donovan Travis, from Judson High School, 68 tackles, team-high four INTs will need to continue to excel in the back seven, while junior end Josh McNary 59 tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks continues to blow things up in the backfield.
If Army is good running the football, than Navy is great at it. The Midshipmen rank among the nation’s top rushing teams, averaging a hefty 279.7 yards per game, which is third nationally, on 4.8 yards per carry. It is a pick-your-poison with this lethal option attack, as both quarterback Ricky Dobbs and running back Vince Murray are closing in on 1,000-yard campaigns. Dobbs has rushed for a team-high 924 yards on the year, with an eye-popping 23 touchdowns. Murray has amassed 884 yards on the season, with six scores. In all, Navy has rushed for 39 touchdowns, compared to just four through the air.
Much like the Army defensive unit, Navy’s defense has flown a little under the radar, considering the big numbers the offense is capable of generating. The Midshipmen are yielding just 21 ppg on the year, holding foes to a respectable 345.8 yards of total offense.
The play of linebacker is what fuels the Navy attack. Senior linebacker Ross Pospisil leads the way with his 91 total tackles. Fellow senior linebacker Tony Haberer is a distant second with 69 tackles, followed closely by junior linebacker Tyler Simmons 63 stops. Junior safety Wyatt Middleton 61 tackles, three INTs, two fumble recoveries highlights the play in the secondary, while sophomore Jabaree Tuani 45 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks can get the job done up front.
San Antonio is represented with a total of eight men in this game with Navy leading the way with five.
Navy’s senior linebacker Ram Vela from Taft has 53 tackles and 2 INTs, one was to help secure the victory over Notre Dame. Senior fullback Jordan Eddington from Taft has played in 11 games this season. Junior wide receiver Greg Jones from Reagan has six catches for 149 yards, including a 52 yard TD reception in the win against Notre Dame. Sophomore wide receiver Gary Myers from Taft has also played in 11 games. Freshamn offensive guard Josh Corby represents Madison and San Antonio.
Army’s has Donovan Travis the junior safety from Judson and junior wide out Alfred McDaniel from Judson and sophomore offensive tackle David Ford from Antonian.
Keep our soldiers states side and abroad in your hearts and minds and best of luck to all that represent in the 110th meeting between the two academies.
PICK: Navy Midshipmen
Primetime College Football: Black Knights vs Knights
TALENT
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights get to travel outside the realm of the Big East to take on the Army Black Knights. Rutgers owns a 4-2 mark on the year which may not seem very impressive, but those 2 losses were to Cincinnati and Pittsburgh who are most likely the two best teams in the Big East. Rutgers has played well outside of those games, but it has been to inferior competition.
The Scarlet Knights get the chance to display their talent in front of the nation this week. Their challenger will be the rushing threat of Army. The Black Knights have struggled to get into the end zone this season which is a big reason they are slightly under the .500 mark, but Army did knock off a pretty impressive win against Vanderbilt a few weeks back.
Army is a rushing team that will come at you a number of ways similar to the Georgia Tech offense, the Black Knights run tons of options and mis-direction type plays. Freshman QB Trent Steelman leads the team in rushing with 117 keepers for 405 yards this season. Steelman is averaging 3.5 yards per carry, but running back Patrick Mealy is carrying the ball for nearly 7 yards a pop and has a couple of big plays on the season resulting in 386 total yards.
Fullback Kingsley Ehie is a big back that lacks speed, but can move the pile. Ehie has touched the ball 73 times this season equaling 313 yards. These 3 impact players help make up the nation’s number 11 rushing offense.
The Scarlet Knights rush defense ranks right outside the top 10 nationally allowing just 91 yards per game. The defense did have trouble stopping the talented Pitt freshman Dion Lewis last week. Rutgers QB Tom Savage hasn’t put up great numbers, but limits his mistakes and only has 1 interception in his first season in college football.
Senior wide out Tim Brown is a seasoned veteran that knows how to make plays and has earned a solid 548 receiving yards on the season with 3 scores. Rutgers keeps the ball on the ground behind tailback Joe Martinek who has 5 scores and averages 5 yards per carry.
PICK: Rutgers University Scarlet Knights
