The recruiting process was much more different than Mychal Givens imagined.
Because Givens has been tabbed as a likely first round selection in the 2009 Major League Baseball draft, some college programs were reluctant to offer a scholarship to the Plant High standout. Nevertheless, Givens found a good fit at Oklahoma State and signed with the Cowboys on Nov. 19, the final day of the NCAA’s early signing period.
“It was a very difficult process,” Givens said Tuesday, when he celebrated signing with Oklahoma State during a ceremony in the Plant baseball team’s fieldhouse. “This is a very big relief to get this out of the way. I can be more relaxed now.”
Givens also considered Southern California, Arizona and North Carolina. He made an official visit to Oklahoma State on Nov. 15, and after hearing good things about the program from former Plant High teammates Dylan Brown and Jared Womack, who both are currently on the Cowboys’ roster, he decided to sign with the program.
However, perhaps more interesting than the school courting Givens, who this summer received the Jackie Robinson Award as the nation’s top rising high school senior baseball player, were those that weren’t. Florida, which Givens said was his No. 1 choice, was among the program’s never to extend an offer.
With the strong possibility Givens will turn pro after high school, some programs were reluctant to make an offer – an unforeseen obstacle in the process. And apparently Givens wasn’t the only highly-regarded high school player to have that unexpected trouble in the recruiting process.
Givens said he spoke with three other highly-touted prospects – Cartersville (Ga.) High outfielder Donavan Tate, Klein (Texas) High pitcher Matt Purke and Capistrano Valley (Calif.) High pitcher Tyler Matzek – who each told him they had similar troubles in the recruiting process. While he may not have been alone in his experience, it didn’t make it any easier to be in the situation.
“It was a hard downer, and I was a little upset about it, because what happens with me and the draft is hard to say,” Givens said. “It’s just all a prediction. You don’t know where I’m going to end up. That’s why I was more upset, that they didn’t at least [give me the choice] to go to their school and then see where I end up in June in the draft.”
University of South Florida senior LB Tyrone McKenzie will play in the 2009 East-West Shrine Game, Jan. 17, 2009, at the University of Houston.
McKenzie, who was one of four players to receive invitations to the game, is second in the Big East with 94 tackles.
McKenzie will be the fourth USF player to participate in the game along with CB Trae Williams (2007), NT Richard Clebert (2007) and K Bill Gramatica (2000). The game is a showcase for college seniors for the upcoming NFL Draft.
The Tampa Bay Storm are running a special during the holiday season on 2009 season tickets.
The package is $99 and includes two season tickets and two Tampa Bay Storm t-shirts. The location of the seats in the $99 package was not specified in the organization’s press release.
The sale begins Thursday. For more information, call the Storm ticket offices at 813-301-6600.
By FRED EVERSON
The day after Thanksgiving was my last day on the water. Since then we’ve had another cold front blow across the bay, and did it blow. Sunday through Tuesday we were under a very well advised small craft warning and there was little boat traffic.
I fished the area south of Apollo Beach on Friday looking for cobia, and for once they were easy to find. After idling across the flats from the Simmons Park boat ramp all the way to Ande Lucia, I never skipped a single pompano. I did see quite a few bonnethead sharks, but never stopped to fish for them. I caught a cobia here last week and was looking to hook into another one. I was not disappointed. At the north end of the flat I spotted two ling cruising the edge of the grass. I tossed a dark colored jerkbait on a jig head, and one fish followed it back to the boat but didn’t take. A few minutes later another cobia cruised past the boat heading south, but I didn’t get a shot at it. It was late in the afternoon, and the fish quickly disappeared over the grass.
The wind was blowing out of the south, so I motored offshore a hundred yards and tried another drift. Minutes later I saw a pod of five or six cobia and made a long cast to the edge of the school. One fish instantly peeled off to take a run at the lure and hit it hard as I kept reeling. It was full of fight and made a couple of long runs before finally coming to the net. It turned out to be a few inches short of the 33-inch to the fork of the tail, and I released it with no harm done.
I expect the recent wind and cold weather have pushed these fish off the flat. They should be in the vicinity of the hotwater outflow of the power plant in Apollo Beach. Last time I was there I saw many eagle rays, but no cobia. But if the rays are there, cobia are sure to follow. Pinfish are the live bait of choice, while black eels seem to be the favored artificials. Average size of these fish is 15 pounds, but they get a lot bigger, so if you plan to target cobia, tackle up.
Visit captain Fred Everson’s Web site at Tampabayfishingguide.com for charter info or call (813) 830-8890.
Trever Miller is finally, officially, a St. Louis Cardinal—but not under the terms that had been previously reported.
Miller today signed a one-year deal with St. Louis after initial indications two weeks ago that the Cardinals were prepared to give him two years.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported earlier this week that the Cardinals had some concerns about a shoulder injury suffered by Miller way back in 2000 and that may have been a reason the deal hadn’t been finalized yet. Miller flew to St. Louis to undergo a physical two weeks ago.
Now, the two-time Ray and year-round Land O’ Lakes resident has a new home back in the NL Central, where he served two tours of duty with the Astros.
The following is the Florida Athletic Coaches Association 2008 Volleyball Classic Roster. Four area players have been selected to participate in the state’s all-star match to be held at River Ridge High Saturday at Noon.
2008 FACA
Volleyball All-Stars
River Ridge High School
New Port Richey, Florida
Player; School; Position; Coach
Celia Eddy, Gulf Breeze, MB-OH, Chrissie Marcilliat
Molly Moats, Pensacola Catholic, S-RS, Felicia Terhaar
Betsy Stevenson, DeFuniak Springs-Walton, S-OH, Marla Harrell
Mattie Collins, Sneads, OH-RH, Sheila Roberts
Danielle Harrison, Tallahassee-Florida High, Libero, Rita Buck-Crockett
Bridget Swingle, Tallahassee-Leon, MH-RS, Joy Becker
Jessica Burghart, Middleburg, S-RS, Carrie Prewitt
Christine Bach, Jacksonville-Mandarin, OH-S, Tammie Talley
Erika Davies, Gainesville-Oak Hall, S-RH, Cari Martin
Alexandria Laton, New Port Richey River Ridge, OH-RH, Heidi Castelamare
Summer Dupler, Lecanto, Setter, Freddie Bullock
Correy Johnson, Winter Park-Lake Howell, M-OH, Teresa Kruczek
Jessica Yingling, Orlando-Timber Creek, OH-RS, Allan Rubenstein
Krissy Mussenden, Orlando-Lake Highland Prep, Setter, Charmaine Cox
Krista Anderson, Lakeland, OH-M, Crystal Ramsey
Danielle Erb, Tampa-Plant, OH, Leanna Taylor
Christina Theofolis, Tampa-Berkeley Prep, S-DS, Randy Dagostino
Madison Truluck, Clearwater-Countryside, OH-M, Kaylyn Bayly
Alicia Guerrero, Sarasota, OH, Kelly Wilson
Christine Dearden, Ft. Myers-Bishop Verot, OH, Wynn DePasquale
Becki Meerbeek, Lake Worth Christian, MB-OH, Terri Kaiser
Stephanie Zielinski, Ft. Lauderdale-St. Thomas Aquinas, S-OH, Lisa Zielinski
Grace Svatek, Ft. Lauderdale-Cardinal Gibbons, Libero, Kathryn Farland
Natasha Vlahovic, Miami Country Day, MH-MB, Elaine Cooper
Red Coach: Lisa Zielinski, Ft. Lauderdale-St. Thomas Aquinas High School
Blue Coach: Teresa Kruczek, Winter Park-Lake Howell High School
Newsome coach Orlando Greene has been named as coach of the Region 2 Girls FACA Senior All-Star cross country team and he’ll be joined at Saturday’s competition in Tallahassee by some familiar faces.
On his own girls roster will be Newsome senior Rebecca Webster, who turned in the county’s top performance at last month’s state championships, and Wharton senior Alyssa Franks. Also on his team will be Wiregrass Ranch standout Megan Ibison and Ridgewood star Jilian Browne.
Making the boys Region 3 squad is Jesuit senior Jordan Schilit, who helped the Tigers finish second in the Class 2A state finals. His teammates, Connor Revord, Ben Martin and Connor Rivard, also earned spots on the roster but all have opted not to run in the meet.
In Region 2 boys, Sickles’ Derek and Dan Wehunt and Land O’Lakes’ Felix Soto have confirmed they will be competing in the meet.
In Region 3 girls. Tampa Catholic’s Meghan Sullivan has earned a place on the roster but has not yet confirmed whether she will take part in the race.
The meet is being staged Saturday morning at Tallahassee Maclay High. The meet features some of the state’s top runners from all classes on one stage. The state’s four regions will be competing against one another and each team can have as many as eight runners. Regional coaches were responsible for selecting their teams.
University of South Carolina head football coach Steve Spurrier is expected to arrive in Tampa on Thursday to meet with his top recruits in the area, Hillsborugh High coach Earl Garcia said.
Garcia said Spurrier has scheduled an official visit with Terriers star tailback Lindsey Lamar, who is also being recruited by Duke, Wake Forest, South Florida, Iowa State and Michigan. While in town, Spurrier is also expected to meet with Gaither running back Jarvis Giles, who had previously committed to Tennessee but backed out once the Vols fired coach Phil Fulmer.
Lamar finished the season with 1,319 yards rushing on 121 carries and scored 18 touchdowns. Giles ended the year with 907 yards on 127 carries and scored 13 TDs.
There’s a lot a fascination about the contrast of approaches that Alabama and Florida will being into Saturday’s SEC Championship game in Atlanta’s Georgia Dome.
Personally, I’m still confused by how the nation’s consensus No. 1 ranked team playing on a neutral field can be a 10-point underdog.
If college football really wanted a real national champion, and insists on refusing a playoff, then it should ask Las Vegas oddsmakers to pick the winner.
But we digress.
Everybody knows Saturday’s matchup: Alabama is a throwback, smash-mouth offense and a bruising defense. Florida is creative, fast and skilled.
Football fans can’t help but find fascination in the different approaches to success.
So which wins out?
One school of thought:
Alabama’s most marquee trait is its defense that is allowing 11.5 point per game. Florida’s is an offense that has put up 46 points each game.
“To be honest about the SEC this year, its defenses are much superior to its offenses,’’ said CBS lead college analyst and former NFL quarterback Gary Danielson. “So what Florida has done against SEC defenses is more impressive that what Alabama has done with SEC defenses that are somewhat down this year.’’
Former Tampa Bay QB Bruce Gradkowski has found work again.
After being released by St. Louis earlier this year, Cleveland just signed Gradkowski after Browns QB Derek Anderson was placed on injured reserve after tearing the medial collateral ligament in his left knee in Sunday’s loss to Indianapolis. In addition, Browns QB Brady Quinn is also on injured reserve and going to have surgery on his fractured right index finger today.
To read the story about Gradkowski’s signing, click here Browns Sign Gradkowski
Tampa Bay will start to shift it’s focus from Atlanta back to Monday’s game against Carolina today.
Bucs Coach Jon Gruden gave his players Tuesday and Wednesday off, but the team will resume practice on Thursday. In the meantime, Bucs coaches spent the last two days breaking down film on next week’s game against Atlanta.
“What we will do is work on the Atlanta Falcons and spend the next two days working on the Carolina Panthers, because we will get shortchanged, obviously, in our preparation for Atlanta coming back from the Monday night game,” Gruden said on Monday. “Believe me, Carolina has our complete attention. They are an outstanding football team.
“We’re just trying to do the best we can from a coaching standpoint to utilize the time, the extra day, wisely to look at a little bit of Atlanta early before we center on Carolina.”
As the buildup to Monday’s game continues, here is an interesting note for everybody.
In the three seasons where the Bucs have won the NFC South, they have won at Carolina. In the three years they did not win the South, they lost in Carolina.
Looks like Monday night can’t come fast enough.
University of South Florida pass game coordinator Mike “Chico” Canales does not appear to be the choice as the next football coach at Utah State and will remain at USF.
Media reports in Utah indicate that Utah defensive coordinator Gary Andersen is close to finalizing a deal to become the Aggies’ next coach, perhaps as soon as today.
Canales, a Utah State alum who is also USF’s wide receivers coach, was among five finalist to replace Brent Guy. This is the second time in four years that Canales was a finalist for the USU head coaching position.
Former Florida State offensive tackle Daron Rose, who started 11 games as a sophomore at FSU last season, said he will play at the University of South Florida next season.
The 6-foot-5, 284-pound Rose said he chose USF over returning to Florida State, where he signed in 2006 out of Jefferson High School.
“This was the best fit for me,” Rose said. “Just sitting down and thinking about it and praying about it, going back to Florida State wouldn’t have been the best option for me.”
The addition of Rose next season is huge for the Bulls, who must replace senior offensive line starters Marc Dile, Matt Huners, Ryan Schmidt and Jake Griffin.
At FSU, Rose played two seasons and started 11 of 13 games as a sophomore in 2007. However, in May 2008, he was ruled academically ineligible for the 2008 season and left FSU. Rose was linked to the academic online cheating scandal at FSU that forced more than 20 players to miss last year’s Music City Bowl.
Rose said he is currently attending Hillsborough Community College. He said he will finish in May and enroll at USF in the summer. He will have two years of eligibility in 2009 and 2010.
As a senior at Jefferson in 2005, Rose was rated among the nation’s top recruits under then Jefferson coach Mike Simmonds, now USF’s offensive line coach.
“My past relationship with Coach Simmonds was important,” Rose said. “He pretty much really made me the player I was going through high school. It was a natural fit coming to USF.”
To accommodate West Virginia’s “White Out” – or is it “Whiteout” – plans for Saturday, honoring the final home game for WVU senior QB Pat White, the University of South Florida will wear its green home jerseys while the Mountaineers will wear their white road uniforms.
NCAA rules specify that home teams wear dark uniforms and visitors wear white or light colored jerseys, but West Virginia petitioned the NCAA to allow the jersey color switch. USF agreed to the jersey switch.
It’s believed to be the first time USF will wear its green home jerseys for a road game, said former USF SID John Gerdes, who was with the school when the program first began.
Ironically, USC coach Pete Carroll said the Trojans will wear their cardinal red home jerseys for Saturday’s road game in the Rose Bowl against UCLA, which will wear their blue and goal home jerseys. That violates an NCAA rule requiring visiting teams to wear white. The infraction will cost USC a timeout at the start of the game.
However, UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel supports both teams wearing their home jerseys and said the Bruins will call a timeout immediately after USC’s to even it out.
There will be no loss of timeouts in the West Virginia-USF game since both teams are not wearing their home jerseys.
West Virginia is encouraging its fans to wear white No. 5 T-shirts and some local businesses are selling White’s No. 5 white T-shirts for $5. However, with temperatures expected to be near freezing Saturday night, it’s unknown how many will have those T-shirts over their coats.
White holds 16 WVU, Big East and NCAA records.
“This senior class has done much more than any other senior class, and we just happened to be led by a guy named White,” WVU coach Bill Stewart told the West Virginia media on Tuesday. “Pat White, No. 5, the greatest winner in college football, would not be one iota without 18 brothers who have helped him along the journey.
“Those 19 seniors are why we’re having a ‘White-Out.’ Pat White isn’t the reason. It’s Pat White who is at the head of the class, and the entire pyramid that has helped him become what he has become.
“So our senior class would not want it any other way. This is not a one-man show. This is not a one-man outfit. It is not a one-man story. This is a story about 18 brothers who are lifting up a 19th who happens to have the last name of White. Our senior class absolutely loves No. 5, and this is for all of them.”
Wanted to throw this up before flying home, here’s the link to the ECHL announcement
Basically, the players are free agents, but Tampa’s players - Chris Lawrence and Kevin Quick - will be reassigned.
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