basketball stream live Police: Missing Ohio State Football Player Found Dead

basketball stream live The body of an Ohio State University football player who had been missing since Wednesday was found in a dumpster near campus, Columbus police said on Sunday evening. Kosta Karageorge, a 22-year-old defensive lineman, is believed to have been killed by a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to Sgt. Rich Weiner. The body was found along with a handgun in a dumpster near Karageorge's apartment.

BREAKING: Columbus Police have found the body of missing OSU football player Kosta Karageorge. http://t.co/1Ay6YGtKrb http://pic.twitter.com/Gs24vWbtlV

— 19 Action News WOIO (@19ActionNews) November 30, 2014

The fifth-year senior had been complaining of confusion possibly due to concussions, according to his mother. She said Karageorge sent a text message Wednesday that read, "Sorry if I am an embarrassment, but these concussions have my head all [expletive] up."



The Ohio State Department of Athletics released the following statement on Sunday night:

The Ohio State University Department of Athletics was shocked and saddened to learn today of the death of student-athlete Kosta Karageorge, a senior from Columbus. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Karageorge family, and those who knew him, during this most difficult time.

UPDATE: Body of missing OSU player Kosta Karageorge has been found. http://t.co/aNx1FRaVzV http://pic.twitter.com/xubAG4ab0k

— WCPO (@WCPO) November 30, 2014

STATEMENT: OSUDA was shocked and saddened to learn today of the death of student-athlete Kosta Karageorge, a senior from Columbus.

More>>

— Ohio State Buckeyes (@OhioStAthletics) November 30, 2014

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.



More from the Associated Press:

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A missing Ohio State football player was found dead Sunday, apparently of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.



Police tell media outlets the body of 22-year-old Kosta Karageorge was found near the campus after a search since he went missing Wednesday. The senior defensive tackle from Columbus had last been seen at his apartment in Columbus, when his roommates said he left to go on a walk.



Karageorge's parents filed a missing-person report Wednesday evening, and his mother, Susan Karageorge, told police he has had several concussions and a few spells of being extremely confused, according to the report. She said that at about 1:30 a.m. Wednesday he texted a message that cited the concussions and said, "I am sorry if I am an embarrassment."



University athletic officials said they were grieved to learn of Karageorge's death.



A former Buckeyes wrestler, he joined the football team as a walk-on this season. He has played in one game and was among two dozen seniors slated to be recognized at the final home game Saturday against rival Michigan. The Buckeyes won, 42-28.



During halftime at the No. 16 Ohio State men's basketball game against James Madison in Columbus, pictures of Karageorge were shown and an announcement was made urging people with any information to contact police. Defensive lineman Michael Bennett said afterward that Karageorge missed practices and that teammates started getting nervous Thursday.



The team's physician, Dr. Jim Borchers, has said he could not comment on the medical care of student athletes.



The player's sister, Sophia Karageorge, told The Columbus Dispatch that he apparently was upset, and roommates said he went for a walk, dressed in black from his hat to his boots.



"We're very concerned that he's not himself and that he maybe doesn't know what's going on," she told the newspaper.



She said after each concussion he followed trainers' instructions and received proper care but "his repercussions from (concussions) have been long-term or delayed."



She said he was without his wallet and his motorcycle.



Coach Urban Meyer described Karageorge as a hard worker and an important player in practice.

from Sports - The Huffington Post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/30/missing-ohio-football-pla_n_6244998.html?utm_hp_ref=sports&ir=Sports

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basketball stream live Body Found Amid Search For Missing Ohio State Football Player

basketball stream live COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A body was found Sunday near Ohio State where police have been searching for a football player missing since Wednesday.



WBNS-TV, WCMH-TV and The Columbus Dispatch reported Sunday that police confirm a body has been found. But both police and Ohio State Coach Urban Meyer said they had no updates on the search for defensive lineman Kosta Karageorge The 22-year-old senior defensive tackle from Columbus was last seen at his apartment around 2 a.m. Wednesday. Team spokesman Jerry Emig confirmed that Karageorge missed practice Wednesday and Thursday, which his family said was uncharacteristic.



Karageorge's parents filed a missing-person report Wednesday evening, and his mother, Susan Karageorge, told police he has had several concussions and a few spells of being extremely confused, according to the report. She said that at about 1:30 a.m. Wednesday he texted a message that cited the concussions and said, "I am sorry if I am an embarrassment."



A former Buckeyes wrestler, he joined the football team as a walk-on this season. He has played in one game and was among two dozen seniors slated to be recognized at the final home game Saturday against rival Michigan. The Buckeyes won, 42-28.



During halftime at the No. 16 Ohio State men's basketball game against James Madison in Columbus, pictures of Karageorge were shown and an announcement was made urging people with any information to contact police. Defensive lineman Michael Bennett said afterward that Karageorge missed practices and that teammates started getting nervous Thursday.



The team's physician, Dr. Jim Borchers, has said he could not comment on the medical care of student athletes.



The player's sister, Sophia Karageorge, told The Columbus Dispatch that he apparently was upset, and roommates said he went for a walk, dressed in black from his hat to his boots.



"We're very concerned that he's not himself and that he maybe doesn't know what's going on," she told the newspaper.



She said after each concussion he followed trainers' instructions and received proper care but "his repercussions from (concussions) have been long-term or delayed."



She said he was without his wallet and his motorcycle.



Meyer described Karageorge as a hard worker and an important player in practice.



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basketball stream live Mom: Missing Ohio Sate Football Player Texted About Concussions

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A missing Ohio State University football player told his mother in a text message the day he disappeared that concussions had his head messed up, according to a report filed with police.

Kosta Karageorge, a 22-year-old senior defensive tackle from Columbus, was last seen at his apartment around 2 a.m. Wednesday. Team spokesman Jerry Emig confirmed that Karageorge missed practice Wednesday and Thursday, which his family says was uncharacteristic.

Karageorge's parents filed a missing-person report Wednesday evening, listing him as white, 6-foot-5, 285 pounds, bearded and bald.

His mother, Susan Karageorge, told police he has had several concussions and a few spells of being extremely confused, according to the report. She said at about 1:30 a.m. Wednesday he texted a message that cited the concussions and said, "I am sorry if I am an embarrassment."

The team's physician, Dr. Jim Borchers, said Friday that he could not comment on the medical care of student athletes. But, he said, "We are confident in our medical procedures and policies to return athletes to participation following injury or illness."

The player's sister, Sophia Karageorge, told The Columbus Dispatch that he apparently was upset, and roommates said he went for a walk, dressed in black from his hat to his boots.

"We're very concerned that he's not himself and that he maybe doesn't know what's going on," she told the newspaper.

She said after each concussion he followed trainers' instructions and received proper care but "his repercussions from (concussions) have been long-term or delayed."

She said he was without his wallet and his motorcycle.

Columbus police are investigating Karageorge's disappearance as a missing-person case, the Dispatch reported.

"Certainly a young adult male is allowed to go off the grid for any period of time," police spokesman Sgt. David Pelphrey told the newspaper. "At this point, the family has expressed some concerns, and in response to their concerns we're ramping up our efforts."

Kosta Karageorge, a former Buckeyes wrestler, joined the football team as a walk-on this season. He has played in one game and is among two dozen seniors slated to be recognized at their final home game Saturday against rival Michigan.

Ohio State coach Urban Meyer described him as a hard worker and an important player in practice.

"Our thoughts continue to be with the family of Kosta Karageorge, and we pray that he is safe and that he is found soon," Meyer said in a statement.

During halftime at the No. 16 Ohio State men's basketball game against James Madison in Columbus, pictures of Karageorge were shown and an announcement was made urging people with any information to contact police.

About 100 people gathered Friday afternoon in Columbus to spread fliers with his photo and description.

___

Associated Press writers Rusty Miller and Kantele Franko contributed to this report.

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basketball stream live Ohio State Football Player Kosta Karageorge Reported Missing By Family, Sister Says

basketball stream live COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A missing Ohio State University football player told his mother in a text message the day he disappeared that concussions had his head messed up, according to a report filed with police.



Kosta Karageorge, a 22-year-old senior defensive tackle from Columbus, was last seen at his apartment around 2 a.m. Wednesday. Team spokesman Jerry Emig confirmed that Karageorge missed practice Wednesday and Thursday, which his family says was uncharacteristic. Karageorge's parents filed a missing-person report Wednesday evening, listing him as white, 6-foot-5, 285 pounds, bearded and bald.



His mother, Susan Karageorge, told police he has had several concussions and a few spells of being extremely confused, according to the report. She said at about 1:30 a.m. Wednesday he texted a message that cited the concussions and said, "I am sorry if I am an embarrassment."



The team's physician, Dr. Jim Borchers, said Friday that he could not comment on the medical care of student athletes.



But, Borchers said, "We are confident in our medical procedures and policies to return athletes to participation following injury or illness."



The player's sister, Sophia Karageorge, told The Columbus Dispatch that he apparently was upset, and roommates said he went for a walk, dressed in black from his hat to his boots.



"We're very concerned that he's not himself and that he maybe doesn't know what's going on," she told the newspaper.



She said after each concussion he followed trainers' instructions and received proper care but "his repercussions from (concussions) have been long-term or delayed."



She said he was without his wallet or his motorcycle.



Kosta Karageorge, a former Buckeyes wrestler, joined the football team as a walk-on this season. He has played in one game and is among two dozen seniors slated to be recognized at their final home game Saturday against rival Michigan.



Ohio State coach Urban Meyer described him as a hard worker and an important player in practice.



"Our thoughts continue to be with the family of Kosta Karageorge, and we pray that he is safe and that he is found soon," Meyer said in a statement.



During halftime at the No. 16 Ohio State men's basketball game against James Madison in Columbus, pictures of Karageorge were shown and an announcement was made urging people with any information to contact police.



The Dispatch reported that about 100 people gathered Friday afternoon in Columbus to post fliers with his photo and description.



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basketball stream live How I'm Honoring My Mother, My #1 Fan, Who Passed Away 7 Years Ago Today

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Seven years ago today my mother Ann passed away 26 days after being diagnosed with four types of cancer. My mom was my rock, my confidant and my best friend. She was an elementary school teacher who worked with students with disabilities and she lived every day giving back to her family and her community. She also managed to be her kids' #1 fan, and supported my siblings and me in all of our endeavors. I know that my success is because of her support and faith in me.

My mother's death was the hardest thing I have ever experienced and I needed a way to channel my pain. I started to do my research and learned some sobering statistics -- the American Cancer Society estimates that about half of all men and one third of all women will develop cancer during their lifetimes. Those living in low income communities have lower rates of cancer screenings and higher rates of late stage disease, meaning their cancer is discovered later and is harder to treat. I knew I could use my platform as an athlete to make a difference, and in 2008 I founded Athletes vs Cancer with a goal to raise awareness and funds for cancer screenings. Over the past six years I have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from teammates, celebrities, friends, family and community members who have joined us in this work. It seemed so difficult at first but now I realize -- you just have to take the first step and you will be amazed at how much you can accomplish.

I started Athletes vs Cancer as a way to honor my mother, but now giving back has become a part of who I am, and more importantly, this is a key value I hope to pass on to my own sons. My focus goes beyond advocacy and fundraising, and in recent years I've become personally involved volunteering with youth and teens battling cancer and other chronic illnesses.

One organization that is close to my heart is CoachArt, an organization that provides lessons in arts and athletics to children impacted by chronic illness. These kids are going through the toughest challenges, and because of their illness they often have to sit on the sidelines and watch other kids do what they can't. As a CoachArt Champion I've been able to attend their adaptive basketball clubs and play ball with these kids and it was incredible. As someone who has been impacted by illness in my own family, I know firsthand the transformative power of being a part of a team, and how important it is to see what you CAN do instead of being told what you can't.

#GivingTuesday is a day that celebrates giving back and thinking beyond yourself. You've read my story and you know the causes I stand up for, and I challenge each of you to find what matters most to you and take a stand. Every one of us has the ability to raise awareness, volunteer, educate our friends and family, and give back to our communities. You don't have to be a professional athlete to be heard -- the most powerful tool you have is your voice.

I promise you that whatever you are going through, giving back opens unprecedented doors. I still miss my mom every day, but when I see the smiles on the faces of the people that I help I know I am honoring her legacy.

This post is part of a series produced in celebration of #GivingTuesday, which will take place this year (2014) on December 2. The idea behind #GivingTuesday is to kickoff the holiday-giving season, in the same way that Black Friday and Cyber Monday kickoff the holiday-shopping season. The Huffington Post will feature posts on #GivingTuesday all month in November. To see all the posts in the series, visit here; follow the conversation via #GivingTuesday and learn more here.

And if you'd like to share your own #GivingTuesday story, please send us your 500-850-word post to impactblogs@huffingtonpost.com.

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basketball stream live As the Sports World Turns: Underdog to Top Dog and Back

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I know, I'm a sucker. I love underdogs. I love their grit, their feisty, never-say-die relentlessness. I love their refusal to read the writing on the wall that spells out their inferior status. I love their eagerness to take on any opponent, their readiness to step up to a challenge -- especially an outsized one.



I especially love watching underdogs win.



Last Monday night I watched the Stanford women's basketball team, ranked a mere sixth in the country, defend their current streak of 27 home court wins against the University of Connecticut's powerhouse squad. The UConn women are current NCAA champions, working on extending their two year reign to a third, ranked first in the country by a seemingly endless mile, and were sporting their own 47-game winning streak. Although the college basketball season has just opened, this was a big game, aired nationally on ESPN2.



Neither a Stanford nor a UConn graduate, but a WNBA franchise owner whose team holds the number one draft pick for next season, I was not watching the game as a fan, but as a talent evaluator. No horse in this race -- neither my blood pressure, nor my pulse had any reason to rise. I was simply there to watch UConn's senior, No. 23, Kaleena Jordan Mosqueda-Lewis, the oft-mentioned candidate to go first in next year's draft, and to marvel at her teammate, 6'4" junior Breeana Stewart. But, somehow, Stanford's pair of 5'7" guards, Amber Orrange and Lili Thompson, distracted my focus, disrupted my calm, and at least for a few moments, converted me to a fan.



Admittedly, it took some time for me to start feeling agitated and anxious, to shift from nonchalance to engagement. For most of the game, my wife sat beside me and we traded comments about the inevitability of UConn's approaching win. Stanford couldn't seem to infiltrate UConn's defense. For five long minutes in the middle of the second half, nearly an eternity, Stanford didn't score one point, allowing UConn to rack up six unanswered ones.



By the time the game clock ticked down to 6:32 left, Stanford was down ten. That was more than enough time to catch an ordinary opponent, but a long row to hoe against the national champs. After all, UConn is not known for playing a merciful game, but for solidifying its lead, once obtained. Squeaking by opponents by a mere handful of points is not in the DNA of their coach, Geno Auriemma; stampeding over them with wins of 40+ points, is.



But something happened along the way to Stanford's expected succumbing to the inevitable. Amber and Lili didn't seem to realize all hope was lost. They kept showing up with the ball, playing like they were having fun instead of under pressure, loose, not tense. And you know something? They probably were having a blast, doing what they loved, in the thick of a great contest, not thinking about the outcome, just focusing on the opportunity at hand. Lili scored 14 of her 24 in that second half, while Amber scored her team's last seven points in the game's final 25 seconds of regular time. With a mere 1.4 seconds on the clock, she evaded her UConn defender and hit the game-tying three-pointer with an easy grace, devoid of panic or despair. In the ensuing five minutes of overtime, the pair combined to hit all three of Stanford's field goals, with Orrange making the go-ahead jumper with 1:38 left.



Sports played out, as it often does, upsetting the apple cart of predictability and expectations. And I loved it. Isn't it the best, watching hungry athletes defy the odds, paving the way for the rest of us to do the same in our own lives, away from the hype and the hubris of the spotlight?



In the ensuing 48 hours, the Stanford Cardinal ascended to the top-dog position, getting re-ranked to first the day after their big win, passing the underdog baton to their next opponents, the University of Texas. Then, as sports would have it, they promptly lost that next game, ending their unbeaten home record at 28, in overtime. Don'tcha just love it?



There's nothing like the merry go-round of underdogs nipping at top-dogs, giving all of us hope that we, too, can rise up and challenge the predictable in our own lives and win the day, like Amber and Lili, regardless of what may follow tomorrow.







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basketball stream live A Little Sports Wisdom For the Holidays

basketball stream live As I write this column it's Thanksgiving Eve, a perfect time to reflect on the things one values and appreciates.



One of the things I value and appreciate the most in life is sport. While sport is flawed in many respects - usually by the twin evils of win-at-all-costs (WAAC) and profit-at-all-costs (PAAC) - it is also inspiring and one of the best places to find the human spirit at it's best.



I care deeply about sports, and the associated ideals and values of our games, but I'm also very concerned about the many problems in the sports world today. Thus, I work to mitigate the negatives in sports so all sports stakeholders can maximize the positives that potentially can be gained from the games we love.



However, truth be told, I tend to focus too much on the negatives. It's easy to get cynical - especially as a sports columnist.



That's why I need Thanksgiving. I need to reflect annually about what sports can be when our egos are tamed and we're led by our souls. It's a great time to appreciate and be grateful for sport at its best.



Let's take a few minutes and let some sports wisdom soak in ...



A good place to start is with Joe Ehrmann. Ehrmann was a standout defensive lineman for the Baltimore Colts for 13 seasons. He received numerous accolades as a football player but he's done his best work in the community, including as a coach and mentor. Parade magazine called him the "most important coach in America" because of his work to transform the culture of sports. Ehrmann's revolutionary approaches to coaching and team-building are the subject of a great book by Jeffrey Marx called Season of Life.



Here's one of my favorite quotes from that book: "God gives each person X amount of talents. The question isn't really how many talents you've been given. That's the sovereignty of God. The real question is what you do with the ones you have. Some of us get paralyzed when we feel we don't have 'as much as' or [aren't] 'as good as' someone else. But the person we really want to honor is the one who maximizes whatever it is he has.'



That's beautiful stuff.



Champion long distance runner Steve Prefontaine captured Ehrmann's sentiment succinctly with this statement: "To give less than your best is to give away the gift."



On another subject, how about this gem on the importance of working together from long-time NBA coach Pat Riley: "Teamwork is the essence of life. It makes possible everything from moonshots to the building of cities to the renewal of life. And a good team multiplies the potential of everyone in it, whether that team consists of a family, a school, a business or an NBA squad." (As a country, we could certainly use some of that type of teamwork in Washington D.C. as we come off a long, contentious political campaign season.)



While some in sports believe the scoreboard is the only thing that matters, John Wooden, selected as the greatest coach of all-time -- in any sport -- by the Sporting News, begged to differ.



"Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming," said Wooden.



There's nothing about wins and losses in that definition.



Adversity is a constant companion in life and sports. Through the decades, sports figures have given us an abundance of inspiration for dealing with adversity. Consider Jim Abbott, the former pitcher who reached the major leagues with only one hand. He would rest his glove on the stub on his right arm, pitch with his left and then quickly move the glove onto his pitching hand so he could field his position.



"It's not the disability that defines you, it's how you deal with the challenges the disability presents you with. We have an obligation to the abilities we do have, not the disability," said Abbott.



I'm not a Vince Lombardi fan but he addressed this theme powerfully.



"It's not whether you get knocked down; it's whether you get back up."



It has long been said that sports build character. Others contend that sports don't really build character, they reveal it. At any rate, there's little doubt that sports are a great testing ground for one's character. Here are a few thoughts on character from some of our sporting greats.



"It's lack of faith that makes people afraid of meeting challenges, and I believed in myself," said Muhammad Ali, maybe the world's most famous athlete of all-time.



Character is often linked with mental toughness. Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski once said, "Toughness is being who you are, no matter what the circumstances are."



Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because it brings family and friends together with limited commercialism attached. Relationships. That's what life is all about.



Likewise, I believe one of sports' redeeming values is the ability to bring people together, often connecting them for life (although there's often way too much commercialization and professionalism involved). It's that unity that athletes miss - not the games -- when they're no longer playing.



Former Princeton basketball player, Drew Hyland, described the bond he had with his teammates nicely: "There was something simple, a sense of oneness between us all, which both had to terminate, yet would always be."



Perfect.



Happy Thanksgiving.



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basketball stream live When Is a Sport Not a Sport: When It Involves Brooms, Shuttlecocks or Used Rental Shoes

basketball stream live I teach sports journalism at Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis, which created the first master's degree in sports journalism and is home to the National Sports Journalism Center.



Given what I do and where I am, I shouldn't have been surprised when I was asked what separates a sport from something else -- something presumably involving Frisbees, brooms, tubas, pompoms, mascara, shuttlecocks, or used rental shoes.



I answered by paraphrasing Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart's attempt to define obscenity. I'm not sure what a sport is, but I know it when I see it.



This, I admit, was not a satisfactory answer.



I then asked students in two classes I teach, an undergraduate course, Introduction to Sports Journalism, and a graduate seminar, Sports, Media and Society.



There was considerable agreement that the following are sports: football, hockey, baseball, soccer, basketball, tennis, racquetball, swimming, rugby, volleyball, lacrosse, wrestling, water polo, long-distance running, skiing, and track and field.



There also was agreement among the students on the defining characteristics of a sport.



A sport requires physical exercise or athleticism. The athlete must use multiple muscle groups. There must be coaching. There must be widespread acceptance that it is a sport. There must be a standard set of rules and the scoring must be subjective and, therefore, the winner should not depend on a judge or referee.



In addition, there must be a competition between at least two people or teams. Therefore, hunting isn't a sport unless the deer being hunted is armed and Bambi can return fire.



Next, if you gain calories while you participate it's not a sport. This disqualifies bowling, fishing, darts, gaming, shooting pool, chess, poker, and beer pong.



To emphasize the aforementioned, if you're sitting down, it's not a sport -- unless you're moving 150 miles per hour at the time. In addition, if you have to apply make-up, it's not a sport -- unless you're moving 150 miles an hour at the time.



Circumstances can determine whether something is a sport or not. For instance, if you carry your bags and walk while playing golf, it's a sport. If you take a cart and drink beer while you golf, it's not a sport. It's just driving a cart and drinking beer while you play golf.



To give this discussion the seriousness it deserves, it's necessary to seek a comedian. Comic Jim Norton once said, "I don't watch anything in the Olympics that I can see my family do in the backyard after five cases of beer."



If Norton's words are applied here, and there's no reason why they shouldn't, this would disqualify croquet, corn hole, and Lawn darts. If a family drinks enough beer and has festering issues, this may apply to boxing, wrestling, and mixed martial arts.



If a sport involves brawling, paramedics, or law enforcement officers, it's not a sport. Unless it's hockey or international soccer.



Finally, the aforementioned list was not exclusive and should include most of the sports in the Winter and Summer Olympics.



An exception is synchronized swimming, which has been hard -- no, impossible -- to take seriously since Martin Short's and Harry Shearer's parody appeared on Saturday Night Live. In the routine, Short and Shearer perform in the shallow end of a swimming pool. A manic Short, wearing an inflatable life preserver, explains, "I'm not that strong a swimmer."



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basketball stream live John Calipari Hopes To Keep Improving As Kentucky Head Coach

basketball stream live For the second consecutive year, John Calipari enters the college basketball season with the top-ranked team in the country. Kentucky, fresh off its national runner-up finish to Connecticut, once again features an outlandish infusion of freshman talent. In fact, its record-tying nine McDonald's All-Americans is more than all but one NBA team has ever compiled.



Previous stars like Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Anthony Davis and Julius Randle have all moved on to the NBA, and Calipari hopes this year's crop is just as good. Coaching, however, is an imperfect science -- and the 55-year-old Calipari, who led the Wildcats to a national title in 2012, is keenly aware of how he can improve. Let's examine some statements he has made -- both current and not so current -- so we can begin to understand how this year's Big Blue squad could be his best yet.

"Now, I've seen teams play unbelievable in November and December, and everybody thinks they're gonna do this and this. And they peter out. And normally when I see a team like that, I say, 'They're too good too early. They're too good too early. You're playing like it's March, and the only thing you can do is come back.' So hopefully we have a real upside to this team. Playing four freshmen and a couple kids that didn't play much last year should do that for us."

Calipari has always talked about his teams improving from Thanksgiving to March, and it holds especially true when dealing with a slew of underclassmen in your top 10. Last season, before UK's deep run, this was a team that lost to underwhelming Arkansas twice, along with South Carolina and LSU. Calipari has been criticized for not making adjustments and for his stubbornness with running "his system," but he altered it last year to fit the personality of his team. Neither of the Harrison twins is especially adept at attacking the paint, so he took out the true dribble-drive offense and focused more on lottery pick Julius Randle.



He also entrusted his team to shoot the three, and it paid off. In the 34 regular season and conference tournament games, UK shot 32.5 percent from distance. But it shot 38 percent in the tournament, according to ESPN The Magazine. Maybe most importantly, he got his guys to play elite team defense. In fact, only once during his tenure in Lexington has he had a team not rank in the KenPom top 50 of defense. With what would be the tallest lineup in the NBA, the paint should be well protected this season as well.

"Andrew (Harrison), he's not even the same player. I mean his mindset is totally different. He pushes himself. He's not stopping. If he's hurt, he comes back in because he wants to finish."

Harrison was a massive recruit known to be a lethal scorer and future lottery pick himself. As a freshman, however, he shot under 37 percent from the floor and struggled with the speed and athleticism of the college game. For Kentucky to live up to its No. 1 ranking, he will have to become a legitimate go-to guy and far more efficient off the bounce as well.

"And people say I only want guys in the NBA. Well, let's see. We've won more games than everybody, we've went to three Final Fours, we've went to two final games, we could have won three national titles. I hate to tell you but we could have won four, because my first year was my most talented team. We weren't an execution team, though. If that team in 2010 was an execution team we would have lost no games. But we weren't. We started too many young guys who didn't have enough experience to be able to do that."

This is why Calipari is so intoxicating. He has had tremendous talent -- dating back to his UMass days with Marcus Camby -- and yet has amassed just one national title. It takes a certain personality to coach the guys Calipari recruits, and even with several March disappointments, he has been enormously successful. Seven-foot freshman center Karl-Anthony Towns (above) may not be Anthony Davis 2.0, but he is an almost surefire top-five pick, and in the mere infancy stages of his development. The beauty of Calipari is that he doesn't have to run plays for some of his best players (like Davis) to be productive, and Towns may be the same. Elite big men are the ultimate commodity in the college game, and the duo of Towns and junior Willie Caulie-Stein -- who probably would have been a top 20 pick in the draft and ranked first in SEC block rate -- is a boon for Coach Cal.

"But the reality of it is, I'm a better coach now. ... It's like a teacher having the same lesson plan for 12 years. Well, when I was at UMASS, I'm going to be honest with you, five of those years, I had exactly the same lesson plan. We were going to play, and we won a lot of games and we were good, kids did good, but we could have done better. I could have coached better. No question that I could have been a better coach. I wish I would have been for those kids. But at that age, that was my background and my history."

When you watch Kentucky play, several things stand out no matter who they're playing, including the speed and the tempo. Calipari -- who will be using a platoon system this year with five substitutes at a time -- wants his team to push and he wants them to guard. He is also the first to say that this roster doesn't have a John Wall or a Derrick Rose to control the game, but that doesn't mean he can't adjust. The notion of the "lesson plan" is something he has talked about before, and with so many young players, mistakes are going to happen. A key to last year's success was Calipari letting his kids learn from mistakes and not berating them quite so much. Another was that no power conference team had more second-chance points per game (16) than Big Blue. Moreover, the nine returners are the most Calipari has had since taking over the UK job in 2009.









Email me at jordan.schultz@huffingtonpost.com or ask me questions about anything sports-related at @Schultz_Report, and follow me on Instagram @Schultz_Report. Also, be sure to catch my NBC Sports Radio show "Kup and Schultz," which airs Sunday mornings from 9 to 12 EST and 12-1 for fantasy football, right here.



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basketball stream live Henton, Sabonis Named NetScouts Basketball Players of the Week

basketball stream live Providence went 4-0 this week while capturing the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classic title behind the stellar play from senior LaDontae Henton. The senior from Lansing, Mich. has been named NetScouts Basketball's National Player of the Week for games from November 17 through November 23rd.



Henton averaged 24.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game last week while shooting 36-of-59 (61.0 percent) from the field and 8-of-18 (44.4 percent) from three-point range. His week was highlighted in the final of the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classic against Notre Dame, where he scored 38 points on 14-of-19 shooting that included the game-winning free throws.



The 6-foot-6 wing was one of the most underrated players in the country last season, but has burst onto the national scene early in the season. With the loss of do-it-all point guard Bryce Cotton, Henton has taken over leadership responsibilities and emerged as the leading scorer. He's quickly becoming one of the most productive players in the country.



Gonzaga has made a statement early in the season and looks like one of the best teams in the country. Part of the reason has been the play from freshman Domantas Sabonis, who leads the team in scoring thus far. The native of Kaunas, Lithuania has been named NetScouts Basketball's International Player of the Week for games from November 17th-November 23rd.



Sabonis has been one of the best freshmen in the country and provided productive minutes off the bench this week for the Bulldogs. He averaged 14.0 points and 7.3 rebounds per game in only 19.3 mpg over three games while shooting 16-of-20 (80 percent) from the floor. The 6-foot-10 power forward has provided toughness and efficiency inside. In his last two games he shot a perfect 12-of-12 from the field.



While just a freshman, Sabonis has looked like an NBA talent and may not be in Spokane very long. He's a good athlete that runs the floor well and rebounds at a high level. Sabonis has played well inside but his progress throughout his freshman season will be something to watch.



Carl Berman is Managing Partner of NetScouts Basketball and can be followed on twitter here.



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basketball stream live Lauren Hill's High School Retires Her Basketball Number

basketball stream live LAWRENCEBURG, Ind. (AP) -- College basketball player Lauren Hill's Indiana high school retired her jersey number this weekend in honor of her inspirational fight to continue playing despite having brain cancer.



Hill told the crowd at Lawrenceburg High School on Saturday night that she thought she was simply coming to watch her old team play.



The 19-year-old freshman has gained attention for her efforts to play at Division III Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati and raise money to research and treat cancer. She was diagnosed with brain cancer last year and has perhaps only months to live.



"All this has been amazing and the continued support from everybody, and all the other teams, and the community," Hill told the crowd. "There's really good people out there, that I've learned, and I'm speechless."



A banner with Hill's No. 22 jersey was unveiled during the halftime ceremony and Lawrenceburg's mayor declared there would be a Lauren Hill Week in the southeastern Indiana city.



The Layup4Lauren challenge has helped raise more than $300,000 in the last few weeks for cancer research.



More than 10,000 people attended the Mount St. Joseph game on Nov. 2 against Hiram College, where Hill fulfilled her dream of playing college basketball and made two layups. She unexpectedly played again Friday night against Bethany College, scoring another basket.



Lawrenceburg girls basketball coach Zane White said those at the school will be inspired by Hill wherever they go.



"It's an honor to know Lauren and be able to do this for her," he said.



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basketball stream live JaVale McGee Chases Ball Into Stands, Pauses To Kiss Fan, Returns To Game

basketball stream live When you pay extra for courtside seats, kisses from JaVale McGee come standard.



On Friday, the Denver Nuggets center ended up in the stands while chasing a loose ball during a game against the New Orleans Pelicans. Though he didn't recover the ball, McGee did get a kiss out of the deal. His momentum caused him to stumble into an empty seat between two fans, where he stopped to make sure they were OK. Just before rejoining the game, McGee planted a kiss on one woman's cheek:










After the game, McGee told reporters the woman was his "boo."

JaVale McGee dove into the front row and kissed a fan during the Nuggets game: http://t.co/Fq8667G4po http://ift.tt/158wBuy

— USA TODAY Sports (@USATODAYsports) November 22, 2014

CBS noted that the game was McGee's best of the season so far, with 14 points, eight rebounds, three blocks ... and one delightful old-lady smooch.



The endearing stunt is just one of many for McGee, who has earned a bit of a reputation for his goofy antics. In 2013, overcome by an urge for donuts, he sent a tweet inviting people to meet him at a nearby Krispy Kreme, where he treated his fans.



Watch the video, below.



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Atlanta Hawks Pistons at Hawks has tipped (ESPN)

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basketball stream live Lauren Hill Surprises Devon Still With Jersey From Her First Game

basketball stream live Kings Beat Bulls On Legends Night

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Photo by Luke Chang



Sacramento, CA - The Kings have plenty reason to celebrate their last season in Arco Arena. They have celebrated the first of six Legends Nights honoring former players that made an impact on the team. Tonight, Sacramento welcomed back TNT Analyst Chris Webber and former point guard Mike Bibby. Together they reminisced about their time in a Kings uniform where they played in front of a sellout crowd every night despite not winning a NBA Championship.



But no worries because the new and improved team put on a show tonight against a Chicago Bulls team without both starters, Derrick Rose and Pau Gasol. Sacramento handed the Bulls their first loss on the road this season snapping a six-game winning streak on the road. The Kings 103-88 win improved them to 7-5 their best start since the 2006-07 season. In a rare nationally televised game, Sacramento did not disappoint.



"I don't care if we're on TNT or the Home Shopping Network," said head coach Michael Malone. "We needed to get back to playing Kings basketball, which is defending, sharing the ball, and valuing the ball. We did a great job of that tonight."



Sacramento outscored Chicago 22-7 in the final eight minutes. DeMarcus Cousins had 22 points and 14 rebounds despite having five fouls. Rudy Gay added 20 points and Darren Collison finished with 17 points and a season-high 12 assists. The Kings went on a 11-1 run in the third when Joaquin Noah threw a tantrum toward the bench after being called for a foul after battling for a rebound along with Cousins.



"I think that was a big part of the swing, and you try to manage that as best as you can," head coach Tom Thibodeau said regarding foul trouble. "So, we're going to have to correct that."



"I think frustration is part of the game," said Noah. "You just got to be able to control your emotions the best way possible. I'm an emotional player but I want to win the game so I just have to be smarter, learn from my mistakes, and keep it moving."



The legends of the future are making a name for themselves early with sharing the ball. Credit Collison for recording his second straight double-double and getting the offense involved early. He had 23 assists and only one turnover in his past two games. Collision also recorded six rebounds, one steal and one block.



"We really didn't want to give this one away, we've done that three times before," Collison said. "In a way it was good, those losses taught us a lesson. It was a learning experience for us."



Defensively Sacramento is playing a much better game than in years past. The Bulls turned over the ball 15 times and shot 40% from the field. They had a 29-19 lead behind Jimmy Butler who finished with 23 points and eight rebounds but collapsed in the end against a strong defense from the Kings.



"It's really simple," Malone said. "When we defend, we share and we value the ball, then we're a pretty tough team to beat."



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basketball stream live The Genius Of The Philadelphia 76ers' Losing Record

basketball stream live Challenging the all-time NBA record for losses in a single season isn't the kind of history that teams generally strive to make. However, reaching for the bottom also eliminates the risk of stagnating in basketball purgatory, i.e., reaching the playoffs as a low seed only to be bounced in the first round. The 0-11 Philadelphia 76ers have proven so inept as a team so far that one is lead to wonder if the team isn't tanking on purpose.







Sure, some fans might argue that tanking the season, as a strategy, is poor form and unsportsmanlike, but I'd argue that it is, rather, sheer genius.



The Eastern Conference of 2014 is a three-horse race between Washington, Chicago and Cleveland. Philly GM Sam Hinkie must know this, as he also must realize that teams need star power to succeed in today's game. The Wizards have John Wall, the Bulls have Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah, and Cleveland has one of the most talented trio of players ever assembled.



Hinkie could be hoping to gain high draft picks and gather his own assortment of young stars. The draft is always a gamble, so more high picks means better chances the 76ers could hit it big. But such a plan offers no guarantee of success and is a big risk to take with a fan base that hasn't had a championship in over three decades. The draft lottery is weighted and based solely on record, which also means he may never actually get a No. 1 pick.



Hinkie, meanwhile, has deliberately dealt his best players, including All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday, with the hope of building a long-term winner.



If that's Hinkie's master plan, it appears to have backfired even more this year than it did last year -- and that was a 19-win team that tied the NBA's all-time record of 26 consecutive losses. And Hinkie is in only his second season at the helm.



Currently, his players' average age is 23, youngest in the league. Hapless players like Hollis Thompson, Brandon Davies, Robert Covington, Drew Gordon and Henry Sims all play significant minutes. Hinkie has signed a league-high nine undrafted free agents, and recently lost to Dallas by 53 points. Their negative 16.4 point differential is worst in the league, and by nearly 10 points.



They would not, however, lose to Kentucky.



"I tell people that I think a lot of it is where does your self-worth come from," Hinkie told SB Nation before the season. "Do you need people every day telling you you're doing well? Do you need the masses every day telling you that they agree with you?"







There is a certain inspired ambition to what he seems to be attempting. He wants not one but two premier rim protectors who are athletic enough to run the floor, and he seems to believe that Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid are the answer. He wants size and length in his backcourt, something that third- and second-year guards Tony Wroten Jr. and Michael Carter-Williams -- last year's Rookie of the Year -- both offer. And he has shown an awareness of how colossally far behind the 76ers are, compared to all the rising powers in the west, let alone the east.



"We look forward to that day when we can be out every night and say tonight, tonight we have a chance," Hinkie told SB Nation. "When that comes, I don't know. I think a lot of that is about the development of our young guys. As our young players come along, then we'll see."



Building a winner in this league -- especially to make something from basically nothing -- is going to be a long process, and can sometimes require the most unconventional of approaches. And in the case of the 76ers, they may have to hit rock bottom before they rise to the top.









Email me at jordan.schultz@huffingtonpost.com or ask me questions about anything sports-related at @Schultz_Report, and follow me on Instagram @Schultz_Report. Also, be sure to catch my NBC Sports Radio show "Kup and Schultz," which airs Sunday mornings from 9 to 12 EST and 12-1 for fantasy football, right here.



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basketball stream live Lisa Leslie: Kobe Is 'A Disgruntled Old Man Right Now'

basketball stream live As bizarro world reigns in Los Angeles, with the Lakers (2-9) stumbling and the Clippers (5-4) looking like one of the NBA's best teams, Kobe Bryant keeps putting up shots. Bryant, 36, is averaging 27.4 points per game, but is largely on an island forced to jack up tough shots in lieu of few other options on offense. Heading into Wednesday, Bryant was averaging 23.8 points per game, a full four shots clear of second-place Carmelo Anthony (19.6).



In a HuffPost Live interview, Lisa Leslie — two-time WNBA champ and three-time WNBA MVP — said Bryant looks like a creaky veteran trying to do everything.



"I say Kobe is like a disgruntled old man right now. 'This is what I do, this is what I've been doing, you guys better figure out what you're going to do,'" Leslie told host Marc Lamont Hill. "Is that necessarily the right way? Probably not. But Kobe is a guy where he builds trust based on your effort. If you're not making a great effort every time, he's not going to trust you."



Leslie also played in L.A., and knows a thing or two about being the star player on a basketball team. She said the Lakers' absence at the center position (they were tied for 22nd in league rebounding and were 19th in points per game in the paint heading into Wednesday night) creates havoc for Bryant.



"Now if you don't have a center like that ... right now Kobe doesn't have that type of center. What is he doing? He's bringing the ball up, now he's doing his pick and roll, now he's doing the fadeaway jumper. That's hard basketball. That's going to be tough on him," Leslie said. "He might not make it through the season, because that's a lot of wear and tear."



Watch the rest of the clip above, and catch the full HuffPost Live conversation here.


Sign up here for Live Today, HuffPost Live's new morning email that will let you know the newsmakers, celebrities and politicians joining us that day and give you the best clips from the day before!



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basketball stream live Vince Carter Moved To Tears After Toronto Raptors Show Video Tribute

basketball stream live For nearly 10 years, Toronto Raptors fans have booed Vince Carter at Air Canada Centre. But Wednesday night was different. During a break in the first quarter of Toronto's game against the Memphis Grizzlies, the Raptors showed a video tribute to Carter as part of the franchise's 20th-anniversary celebration of its inaugural season.



The 19,800 fans in attendance booed at first. But those boos gradually turned into cheers after seeing dunk after dunk as the big screen showed just how Carter -- who was nicknamed "Air Canada" and "Half-Man, Half-Amazing" during his seven-year tenure with the Raptors -- made a huge impact on the sport in Canada. The Raptors fans ended up giving Carter a standing ovation and the eight-time All-Star was moved to tears.



"You can't prepare for that, whether it was a surprise or you knew it was coming. It's just an amazing feeling. Amazing just to be in the moment, to see it and to kind of relive it. As it was happening, you see all the stuff and you see all the people that you've played with, and as each play was happening I can remember all of that stuff like it was yesterday. It was awesome," Carter told reporters after the game. "It was an honest reaction. Like I said said, just seeing the moment. Just a feel-good moment."



Take a look at the video tribute (above) and then check out some of his most memorable dunks as a Raptor:









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basketball stream live 5 Things We Learned From Visiting A Football Helmet Factory

basketball stream live In November, football is at a fever pitch in America at every level of the sport – in high school bleachers, collegiate stadiums and professional domes across the country. As you watch your favorite team break from the huddle or approach the line of scrimmage, you may notice a name on the back of the players’ helmets: Schutt.



It’s pretty clear that Schutt is the manufacturer of these increasingly colorful, high-tech helmets designed to protect players from the hardest of impacts. But what you may not know is that the company is about as all-American as they come. We visited the Litchfield, Ill., factory for an episode of our digital content series “Made Right Here,” created in partnership with Maxwell House. At Schutt, we got a behind-the-scenes look at how these incredible pieces of equipment have evolved over time and met the amazing people who make them by hand.



Football seems to be all about intimidation and strength, but helmets today are above all fierce about safety.




I’ve always been a football fan, but have never really paid attention to the helmets until a few years ago. I was watching a playoff game and noticed a player was wearing this crazy helmet, loaded with bars. I looked into the company behind the helmet and found that it is based in Litchfield, which is more or less in my parents’ backyard. It was a point of pride to learn that such a dramatic, attention-getting piece of equipment was made in the Midwest, where I grew up. The helmet was fierce looking, but in reality, the design came from a place of safety, not intimidation. The guard was developed due to an eye injury that a player had endured. It’s an example of how thoughtful and tailored helmets have become.



The company that makes the modern, slick helmets you see on college players each Saturday began in a small town hardware store.



There is a movement right now, particularly at the college level, to create unique looks on the field every Saturday, including limited-edition designs for special games. All the excitement and intrigue created through these custom looks can be traced back to a hardware store. Talk about humble beginnings. Here’s the story that Glenn Beckmann of Schutt Sports shared with us:



“The history of the company dates back to 1918, when Bill Schutt was running his own shop right here in town. He was a known ‘tinker-er’ and inventor who actually invented the metal eyelets found around the rim of basketball hoops that hold the net. When football started getting really popular in the 1920s, Schutt got into helmets. He noticed that players were affixing faceguards to offer themselves more protection, and he thought that he could make a better one – one that was safer and offered players greater protection. Turns out, he was right. Schutt was the first to create and market helmets with faceguards, which today are mandatory in the league. Seeing a need and creating a business that offers a real solution – that’s American ingenuity at its finest.”



Football is hand-to-hand combat. In the same spirit, each component of the high-tech helmets you see on TV is secured in place by hand, not by a machine.




On fall Friday nights in towns across the Midwest, the glow from football fields can be seen for miles. The Schutt Sports factory is in a town just like this. When we visited Litchfield, we went to the high school football field. It was surrounded by corn. We jogged on the cinder track and took it all in. The people who sit in those stands every game night are the same people who work at the factory. When you walk in there, you won’t find big machines throwing things around. Each element of the helmet is affixed by hand. That personal touch and commitment to quality is evident in every piece produced by the company. Many of the factory employees we met love the game so much that they will do anything to be around it. These workers are a huge part of the excitement that happens every Friday, Saturday or Sunday in America, from Oregon to Florida.



The appeal of football is national, but the heart of the game is a regional family affair.


There are many reasons why football is experiencing such a moment in America. Watching it has become an all-day event. There’s a 1 o’clock game, then another at 4 o’clock and 8. It can consume a 6-hour window, or longer. The fact of the matter is, we all have to go back to work on Monday morning, and sitting on the couch rooting for a sport with such a deep American history allows us to detach from the real world and focus on something that’s purely fun.



It’s an exciting game. There are quick turns of events and constant motion. It takes just 30 seconds to set up a play and tear it down, which suits our shorter attention spans and our inherent interest in battle tactics and attack sequences. But in addition to the universality of the sport, there is a strong regional pull. Affiliations run deep, based on where you’re from and who your father and grandfather rooted for when you were growing up. The combined cultural and familial experience makes football the undisputedly most popular sport in America today.



Advanced helmets are not only about science, but ethics, too.




Kids playing sports are always drawn to the flashiest jerseys or brightest bats, and the helmets worn on game day don’t go unnoticed by these impressionable kids, or their parents for that matter. Helmets are big business. They are selling points for colleges. Universities wouldn’t spend money dipping the equipment in the latest colors and illustrating them with new and improved patterns if it didn’t make a difference. But beneath the exterior of the helmets is a thoughtful design that’s focused first and foremost on protecting players. It’s serious moral and ethical business.



Schutt helmets are completely custom-made, from start to finish. Each player’s head is measured precisely by a certified employee so that it fits perfectly, and the advanced materials layered within it have responsive properties that scientifically factor in friction and impact. Guys playing football today are bigger, faster and stronger than ever before. Fit and performance are at the root of each helmet, and this American company is committed to making the best product possible. This makes Schutt Sports an apt stop in the “Made Right Here” series.



To learn more about Schutt Sports, check out the following video:





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basketball stream live Greg Oden Wore A T-Shirt As Sad As His Look

basketball stream live Greg Oden wore a T-shirt to an Ohio State basketball game Tuesday night that read, "Basketball Never Stops."



On most people the shirt would be just another Nike advert. But on former Buckeye Oden, as many outlets noted, the message dripped with irony: Basketball has stopped for the 7-foot Oden many times during what was once considered by some to be a can't-miss career when he was drafted No. 1 overall in the 2007 NBA draft.

That time grumpy Greg Oden wore a shirt that says "Basketball Never Stops"



Awkward... http://ift.tt/1ubYxSC

— SportsNation (@SportsNation) November 19, 2014

Oden, currently a free agent, missed his entire rookie season and has played in parts of just three of seven seasons because of injuries, the Washington Post noted.



H/T For The Win



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basketball stream live First Openly Gay NBA Player Jason Collins Announces Retirement

basketball stream live Jason Collins, the first openly gay professional athlete to compete in any of the four major North American team sports leagues, announced Wednesday in a first-person article for Sports Illustrated that he is retiring from the NBA.



"It has been 18 exhilarating months since I came out in Sports Illustrated as the first openly gay man in one of the four major professional team sports. And it has been nine months since I signed with the Nets and became the first openly gay male athlete to appear in a game in one of those leagues," Collins wrote. "It feels wonderful to have been part of these milestones for sports and for gay rights, and to have been embraced by the public, the coaches, the players, the league and history."



The 7-foot center, who publicly announced in April 2013 that he is gay, signed with the Brooklyn Nets in February of last season, playing in 22 games. Selected by the Houston Rockets in the 2001 draft and traded to the then-New Jersey Nets, Collins will finish his 13-year career with averages of 3.6 points and 3.7 rebounds per game.



More from the Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Jason Collins, the NBA's first openly gay player, announced his retirement on Wednesday.

The 35-year-old Collins played 22 games with the Brooklyn Nets last season and was not on the roster this season.

He announced his retirement in a first-person story for Sports Illustrated, saying it has been "been 18 exhilarating months" since he came out as the first openly gay man in one of the four major North American professional leagues.

He started his career with the New Jersey Nets in 2001 and rejoined the franchise in Brooklyn in February. He had a number of former teammates on the Brooklyn team, including former coach Jason Kidd.

Collins thanked Kidd for his support, "considering all the speculation about problems I might face within the locker room." Collins says he's "happy to have helped put those canards to rest."

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basketball stream live A Misreading of Lombardi

basketball stream live There is a famous quote widely attributed to former Green Bay Packer football coach, Vince Lombardi: "Winning isn't everything; it's the only thing."



When asked about the statement years later, Lombardi took a more nuanced approach, "Winning isn't everything. The will to win is the only thing."



Lombardi saw this desire to put everything on the line transcended the final outcome.



This latter clarification suggests Lombardi was aware that winning as stand alone, zero-sum enterprise, could also bring out the worst in human nature.



It has been recently revealed what can occur when the price of winning (or at least the potential to win) becomes the overriding obsession, where revenue trumps character, and the dark side of college athletics falls neatly into an amoral paradigm that would make Machiavelli proud.



For roughly two decades, the University of North Carolina has been involved in a "shadow curriculum" for athletes and others. These so-called courses required no attendance and very little work.



UNC President Tom Ross and Chancellor Carol Folt charged independent attorney Kenneth Wainstein last February with conducting a comprehensive investigation regarding the phony class scheme.



Wainstein report included the following:



"Between 1993 and 2011, [Prof. Debby] Crowder and [Dept. Chair Julius] Nyang'oro developed and ran a 'shadow curriculum' within the AFAM [African and Afro-American Studies] Department that provided students with academically flawed instruction through the offering of 'paper classes.'"



Adding, "These were classes that involved no interaction with a faculty member, required no class attendance or course work other than a single paper, and resulted in consistently high grades that (Deborah) Crowder awarded without reading the papers or otherwise evaluating their true quality."



The report also stated these paper courses held a special appeal among student-athletes involved in "revenue" sports such as football and men's basketball.



Crowder, who was primarily responsible for reading papers and fixing grades, reportedly told Wainstein she was motivated by her desire to help struggling athletes.



Really?



As tempting as it is to unleash the wrath of selective moral indignation toward the University of North Carolina between completing my March Madness brackets and debating who will play in the newly aligned college playoff system, there is a larger issue.



The infraction of the University of North Carolina strikes at the heart of a collective ignorance to accept the mythical notion of student-athlete. It is a harmless shibboleth that fosters the image that all are students, however, a select few are also involved in extra-curricular activities.



But the origin of the term is far from any Norman Rockwell painting, but rather a nebulous phrase designed for colleges and universities to avoid paying workers compensation to injured players.

Ironically, we applaud the nobility of amateur athletics, where the athlete is the only amateur.



It was recently reported that boosters from the University of Alabama paid off head football coach Nick Saban's $3.1 million mortgage, even though Saban earns a paltry $7 million annually in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Was this generosity due to Saban's exemplar graduation rate or his ability to win football games?



The dominant ethos for Division 1 football and men's basketball is not the valor of competition, but financial incentives. The current television contract for the men's 68-team basketball tournament alone is reportedly worth $11 billion.



Hiding behind the façade of "student-athlete," is it not in the interest of all concerned to treat dubious infractions, like those reported at the University of North Carolina, a la carte?

This is not an indictment on every institution of higher learning. But the emphasis on winning for some demand that many campuses enroll athletes who are academically unprepared.



Should we be surprised that a university was caught fixing grades for athletes, or does true disbelief exist if it were proven unequivocally the University of North Carolina were the lone culprit?



What the grade fixing scandal proves, not only is winning all that matters, the academic reputation of the school is not too high a price to pay in what can only be described as a Faustian bargain.



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Atlanta Hawks Lakers at Hawks has tipped (ESPN)

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basketball stream live Dwight Howard Investigated Over Child Abuse Allegations By Georgia Police

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By David Beasley



ATLANTA, Nov 18 (Reuters) - Authorities in Georgia are investigating child abuse allegations against National Basketball Association star Dwight Howard, a center for the Houston Rockets who is among the league's marquee performers, police said on Tuesday.



The allegation against the basketball star comes amid heightened attention to domestic violence incidents involving professional athletes including NFL star Adrian Peterson, who was suspended on Tuesday for "abusive discipline" on his 4-year-old son.



Police declined to elaborate on the details of the Howard investigation, which followed a prior probe of the same accusation in Florida. Entertainment news website TMZ said Howard is accused of beating his 6-year-old son with a belt buckle.



"The Cobb County Police Department's Crimes Against Children Unit reopened their investigation into the allegations against Mr. Howard," said Dana Pierce, a spokesman for the suburban Atlanta police department.



Howard's attorney, David Oscar Markus, said in a statement that Florida authorities previously investigated the allegations and found them to be not substantiated. The Florida case was closed in September, Markus said.



The child's mother, with whom Howard is involved in an ongoing Florida civil case involving child custody, "is now shopping her baseless allegations to authorities in Georgia," Markus said.



In court documents from the Florida civil case, the NBA star said he disciplined his son "in an appropriate manner when necessary," but "never caused marks, bruises, welts or injuries requiring medical treatment."



Jane Carey, attorney for the child's mother, declined to comment.



The 28-year-old 6-foot, 11-inch (2.11-meter) Howard, a 10-year NBA veteran, played for the Orlando Magic from 2004 to 2012. He has led the league in rebounding during five seasons and is an eight-time All-Star.



Before entering the NBA, Howard played high school basketball in suburban Atlanta. (Editing by Jonathan Kaminsky, Cynthia Johnston and Sandra Maler)





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basketball stream live At 78, He's Still the Toast of Fenway Park

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Everybody knows the Boston Red Sox boast three World Series rings in ten years, the oldest ballpark in the majors, and the most rabid fan base in organized baseball.



Who knew they also had a poet laureate?



At 78, Dick Flavin, Fenway Park's house poet, gives no sign of slowing down.



A cancer survivor, he sports a genuine 2013 Sox World Series ring, inked a Sox-related book deal with HarperCollins, and even serves as public address announcer for two dozen day games a year at Fenway Park.



Flavin began his career as a newscaster and noticed his reports caught more attention when they rhymed. His 22 years on camera earned him a place in the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame.



As the news industry morphed into celebrity-driven nonsense, Flavin left and hit the speakers' circuit. The loneliness of life on the road, however, didn't sit well with him.



So he came back to Boston and developed a relationship with the Red Sox that would be the envy of any fan.



"When I went on the 'disabled list' with throat cancer," Flavin says, "I didn't know which side of the grass I'd be on. But now the Sox have commissioned me to write a play about the history of the team for a traveling exhibit, and I'm deeply involved with the team I love. Isn't this a great country?"



Flavin says his peers are obsessed with their tee times and little else, but his poetry and performing keep him young in mind and body. His experiences with some of the most famous Red Sox would be the envy of anyone from Pawtucket to Penobscot.



For example, when Red Sox legend Ted Williams was dying, Flavin took a road trip from Boston to Florida with Johnny Pesky and Dom DiMaggio. The road trip was memorialized in The Teammates: A Portrait of a Friendship by David Halberstram.



If you have to ask who those men are, you're clearly not Red Sox Nation material.

Along the way, Flavin created "Teddy At The Bat," a poem he recited for Williams in the slugger's home and since for audiences all over New England, which ends thus:

Oh, somewhere in this land of ours the sun is shining bright,

The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,

And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout.

And they're going wild at Fenway Park 'cause Teddy hit one out!

Flavin says Williams was the most charismatic ballplayer he ever met, and also the most profane. He tells the story of a young boy excitedly trailing after Williams, who was firing off F-bombs like line drives to center field. The boy's mother tried to hustle him away from the expletive-spouting ballplayer.



"But Mom!" the lad protested. "That man's the greatest f&@#ing hitter of all time!"



Speaking of kids, Flavin bemoans the high cost of attending a game at Fenway Park. "The dirty little secret of all pro sports," Flavin says, "football, basketball, and now baseball - is that the ticket buyers are primarily corporate. A family of four going to a game could spend $400, and that just doesn't seem right."



He takes to verse to decry the matter:

Take me out to the ballgame.

First, let's stop at the bank.

I'll need a mortgage so I can pay.

Parking the car is another outlay.

And you pay big bucks for a hot dog,

The cost for beer is insane.

For it's Oh My! Prices are high

At the old ballgame.

Flavin's concerns extend beyond the Red Sox. He has written and performed a one-man play depicting the life of Cambridge's beloved Tip O'Neill on two separate engagements, for a total of about fifty performances. Ken "The White Shadow" Howard also performed the role.



"I think about getting up and doing it again myself," Flavin says. "But a hundred pages of script? Without anyone to cue you if you miss a line? Talk about working without a net!"



Instead, if you attend a game at Fenway in one of the luxury suites, you're likely to enjoy a visit from Flavin, who will recite his Red Sox-related verse, which he modestly describes as "one small step above doggerel."



If you ask nicely, you might even get to try on his diamond-studded World Series ring, with Flavin's name engraved above an artful representation of Fenway Park.



But if Flavin's verse is any clue, his grip on that ring is tenuous, due to the cost-conscious style of Red Sox ownership. As he versifies:

My God, I've got a Series ring.

Please, do not wisecrack.

If Lucchino hears about this

He'll make me give it back.



I am not a home run hitter,

Don't have a great curveball.

I run real slow and I can't throw

And I don't play at all.



I'm the designated dreamer.

I think up funny rhymes.

I sit up in the PA booth,

At least I do sometimes.



I really must be going now.

I do not dare to linger.

Larry will take back the ring

And then give me the finger.

(Poems reproduced with permission of the author.)



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basketball stream live Celebrate The Return Of College Basketball With This Buzzer-Beating, Alley-Oop Dunk

basketball stream live It's hard to execute an alley-oop off an inbounds play. It's even trickier when there is less than a second remaining on the clock. Manhattan managed to pull of the jaw-dropping feat to force overtime against UMass on Tuesday afternoon.



Trailing 61-59 with 0.8 seconds left in regulation, the Jaspers inbounded the ball underneath UMass' basket. Starting from beyond the 3-point arc, Manhattan guard Rich Williams used a screen and ran into the paint untouched. Forward Emmy Andujar then lofted an alley-oop pass to the wide open Williams, who caught the ball in mid-air and threw down a buzzer-beating, two-handed dunk to send the game into overtime.



While UMass went on to win in overtime, the buzzer-beater was a welcome reminder for hoops fans that college basketball is back.



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basketball stream live A Majority Of High Schools Lack Full-Time Athletic Trainers To Keep Kids Safe

basketball stream live Only 55 percent of athletes at public secondary schools have access to a full-time athletic trainer, according to the National Athletic Trainers' Association, and just 37 percent of public secondary schools have one. That's not enough, both trainers and medical experts argue.



Even as schools in at least 30 states are still struggling with less funding than before the Great Recession, there's a good case to be made for this budget item: Kids are safer when ATs are around.



A 2012 study by the American Academy of Pediatrics found that high schools with ATs have lower overall injury rates. At schools without ATs, recurrent injury rates were 5.7 times higher among athletes who played soccer and almost 3 times higher among those who played basketball.



High schools with ATs reported more concussions in the American Academy of Pediatrics study, but that's a good sign. Concussions are often undiagnosed and untreated, which can lead to more serious injuries.



"Every high school team in the nation should have a certified athletic trainer who’s working with them," said Jonathan Drezner, a professor of family medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle and a team physician for the university's Huskies as well as the Seattle Seahawks.



NATA's latest data are part of a study to be published in the Journal of Athletic Training early next year. The association emailed surveys to all U.S. public high schools and followed up with phone calls to those that did not reply.



The argument for athletic trainers is not new. In 1998, the American Medical Association's Council on Scientific Affairs presented a report stating that "team physicians and coaches should have the assistance of a certified athletic trainer." The basis of this recommendation was that although high school-level injuries are normally minor, an AT's presence would "ensure that such injuries are recognized early, treated immediately, and allowed to heal properly, thereby reducing the risk of more serious injury or reinjury."



ATs are certified health professionals with at least a four-year degree that includes training in injury prevention, physiology, nutrition and first aid. More than 70 percent hold a master's degree, according to NATA.



Their use is on the rise -- in 2009, just 42 percent of high schools had any access to ATs. But many student-athletes are still not served.



Metropolitan areas tend to have more ATs than rural regions. "Along the Eastern seaboard, you’re going to see a higher level of athletic trainer saturation than in the Midwest," said Larry Cooper, chair of NATA's Secondary School Committee and head athletic trainer at Penn Trafford High School in Harrison City, Pennsylvania.



Whether full-time, part-time or per diem, schools on the East coast tend to have more athletic training services, according to data collected from 2011 to 2013 in a collaboration between the Korey Stringer Institute and NATA. But only Hawaii has coverage in all schools.







"Overall, school administrators gave the following reasons for not hiring an athletic trainer: no funding/budget, no perceived need, perception that coaches can instead fill the role, small school size, and rural location," said Riana Pryor, director of research at the Korey Stringer Institute.



Smaller rural schools especially have a hard time filling the position, but Cooper said athletic training services can be provided with some creativity. For instance, ATs can work at multiple schools, be subcontracted from a hospital or physicians' office, or serve multiple positions at a school. Cooper himself works as both a teacher and an athletic trainer.



"There are so many things an athletic trainer does," said Cooper. Among other responsibilities, they handle preseason conditioning programs and strength and flexibility training throughout the season, help students rehabilitate after injury, manage concussion care, ensure proper equipment fitting, help prevent heat-related illnesses and take care of small injuries before they become big problems.



Preseason screening by physicians, indicating that a student is fit to play, is important, but these screenings don't catch everything, including some potentially fatal pre-existing conditions.



This is where an AT's presence can be vital. In an emergency situation, like a cardiac arrest, "seconds make a huge difference," said Andy Smith, head athletic trainer and clinical instructor at Canisius College in Buffalo, New York. ATs are trained to recognize critical symptoms and are familiar with life-saving procedures.



The Korey Stringer Institute's data show that 24 percent of schools have no medical coverage at public secondary school sports games, while 30 percent bring in an MD or emergency medical technician for all games.







But an AT's real job is to prevent emergencies by monitoring players' health throughout the season and making sure preventative measures are taken.



"It shouldn’t take a catastrophic event to begin preparedness," Smith said.



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basketball stream live Schools Move To Drop 'Lady' From Women's Team Names, Drawing Mixed Reactions

basketball stream live Recent debates at two universities about removing "Lady" from the names of women's sports teams caused very different reactions, highlighting the two sides of an ongoing discussion about women's athletics.



The Review, the student newspaper of the University of Delaware, announced on Sunday that it will no longer use the term "Lady Hens" when writing about the university's women's sports teams. The newspaper's decision comes just as University of Tennessee fans and players are fighting to keep the term "Lady" attached to the name of their female squads, which are currently known as the Lady Vols.



"Though this change is long overdue, we are proud to announce we are disposing of a discriminatory term," the editors of the Review wrote of their decision.



The newspaper's move was prompted by a letter to the editor from alum James Wiles, who said that "the term Lady Hens is inherently sexist."



"The men’s teams are somehow solely entitled to the general term Hens, without a gender specific qualifier," Wiles wrote.



The Review editors agreed with Wiles, adding that "referring to our women’s sports teams as the Lady Hens while we refer to our men’s teams as the Hens suggests that men’s teams lay claim to true Henship and to the true embodiment of athleticism."



Elizabeth Quartararo, the editor-in-chief of The Review, touted the decision in a tweet on Monday:

It's (more than) time. @udreview will retire the term "Lady Hens" http://t.co/d7SmJlpbpa

— Elizabeth Quartararo (@ElizQuart) November 17, 2014

But at the University of Tennessee, many people feel differently.



Tennessee women's teams have gone by the name "Lady Vols," short for Volunteers, since the 1970s. Last Monday, the school announced that "all sports other than women's basketball will compete under the name, 'Tennessee Volunteers,'" starting on July 1, 2015. This change is part of a campus branding transition as the school's athletic program switches its marketing manager and apparel provider from Adidas to Nike. Based on the results of a branding audit run by Nike, the decision was made to rename the majority of the women's sports teams.



The women's basketball team, however, will remain "Lady Vols" as an homage to Coach Pat Summitt. Summitt coached the basketball team for nearly forty years before retiring in 2012 for health reasons, and holds the record for the most all-time wins in NCAA basketball history for a coach of either a men's or women's team. In deference to her role in building the program, the women's basketball team will keep its original name.



The rebranding of the Lady Vols is facing backlash, notably from former players who argue the name is part of their tradition and identity. Defenders of "Lady Vols" argue that the term is empowering, not demeaning.



"In the land of Lady Vols ... being a lady means something so much fiercer than anything that our society deems as the definition of a 'lady.' The whole connotation's changed," said Cameron Broome, a former University of Tennessee soccer player, in an interview on a local TV station WBIR.



In 2012, the women's and men's athletic departments at the University of Tennessee merged, leaving women without an athletic department specifically devoted to them. Female athletes at Tennessee see the name change as a further loss of their individual character.



"We had our own identity," Natalie Brock, a former Lady Vols softball player, told USA Today. "I understand that things have to change, but it's just unfortunate because there's a lot of history and pride that goes with that."



In a poll conducted on ESPN's website, 77 percent of respondents said that Tennessee should not have removed the word "lady."



Many women's teams still use the "lady" moniker, though schools are slowly moving away from it. A "lady"-like name was dropped from female athletic teams at Washburn University last year.



But regardless of arguments for or against the use of the word "lady," fans of Delaware sports and grammar alike can rest easy about the Review's decision to drop the term.



"This change will also reduce redundancy as hens, technically speaking, are female," the editors wrote.



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