State senate to hear bill on private schools today

Posted Jan 30, 2012 by Bill Ward

Updated Jan 30, 2012 at 08:20 AM

Today in the Florida State Senate, Bill 1704 has been placed on the agenda. The bill proposes to recognize the Sunshine Independent Athletic Association as a sports governing body for private high schools in the state. The bill is slated to be discussed by the Senate Education Committee and is slated to be broadcast online at the Florida Channel web site from 3:30-5:30 p.m. The site is the floridachannel.org.

Private schools who are members of the Florida High School Athletic Association are hoping to get clarification on whether the bill would make it mandatory for them to switch to the SIAA. The FHSAA has been in existence since 1920 and currently governs sports and sports competitions at the vast majority of high schools in Florida (more than 700).

The SIAA, which has just 11 member schools, was formed in 2008 by a small group of private schools. If passed, the bill would require an annual championship competition pitting FHSAA champions against SIAA champions in all sports. A similar Florida House version of the bill is also asking for many of the Senate’s bill, including provisions that would allow private or charter-school students to compete on public school teams. Both bills would prevent the FHSAA from “denying or discouraging” regular-season competitions between its member schools and SIAA schools.

Last year, the FHSAA’s board of directors voted to deny an SIAA request for interleague play.

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Armwood’s McCoy commits to Vanderbilt

Posted Jan 30, 2012 by Bill Ward

Updated Jan 30, 2012 at 07:44 AM

Another standout player on the Armwood’s Class 6A state championship squad is headed to college.

Following an official visit to Vanderbilt University last weekend, offensive tackle Kevin McCoy has made a commitment to the Commodores, Hawks coach Sean Callahan confirmed.

The 6-foot-6, 280-pound McCoy becomes the 11th Armwood player to make a college commitment, joining fellow offensive linemen Cody Waldrop (South Carolina), Cameron Dees (Marshall) and Brandon Teeling (Samford), linebackers Keionne Baines (Akron) and Eric Striker (Oklahoma), defensive linemen Allen Covington (Toledo) and Shelldon Lewinson (Wake Forest), running backs Matt Jones (Florida) and Wade Edwards (Akron) and defensive back Jarvis McCall (South Florida).

For McCoy, it came down to Vandy and the University of Central Florida. But after his trip to Nashville, Tenn., where he was escorted around campus by former Armwood quarterback Josh Grady, a freshman on VU’s squad, McCoy had opted to play his football in the Southeastern Conference. McCoy has been a two-year starter for the Hawks and started every game in this year’s undefeated campaign.

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Schilit records big personal best for Haverford

Posted Jan 30, 2012 by Bill Ward

Updated Jan 30, 2012 at 12:43 AM

Former Jesuit distance running standout Jordan Schilit just keeps getting faster for his college team, Haverford, located just outside of Philadelphia, Pa.

At Saturday’s Boston University Terrier Invitational, Schilit, a junior, was fifth overall and first among his Haverford teammates when he turned in a lifetime best of 14 minutes, 12.77 seconds in the men’s 5,000-meter run.

Schilit was the second-fastest Division III runner in the race and he and Middlebury College’s Michael Schmidt (14:10.30) are currently tops among in the nation’s D-III runners for the 5,000.

Schilit’s time also eclipsed the Centennial Conference record by nearly 18 seconds and a personal record by more than a minute. Last fall during the cross country season, Schilit helped the Fords capture the NCAA D-III Mideast Regional title, which qualified the team for nationals. There, Schilit was again his squad’s top finisher, taking 13th place and leading Haverford to the runners-up title behind North Central (Ill.).

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Big bass bonanza on the horizon

Posted Jan 29, 2012 by The Tampa Tribune

Updated Jan 30, 2012 at 12:02 AM

By MARK COOK

Signs of spring are slowly beginning to show.  The azelea blooms are beginning to peak out, cardinals are starting to bounce through the trees each morning and female bass are heading into staging areas ready to deposit their offspring in their earliest form. The bass spawn is right around the corner and in some areas south of the Bay area it has already begun.

With water temperatures approaching 70 degrees it is just a matter of time before the local waterways in Central Florida start reporting bass in the double-digit weight class. I have already heard several reports of smaller male bass in the spawning areas of some phosphate pits and even small roe in the bass that were kept by some local fishermen.

Look for harder bottom areas near cover to find the spawning fish. Until they move into the shallows they can usually be found just off the bedding areas in the first cut of deeper water. These fish are usually hungry and somewhat agitated and will strike fairly easily if a bait is presented to them. With water temperatures still cool they may not be in a chasing mood so it is best to slow your retrieve down from your normal pattern. Dragging a texas-rigged dark plastic lizard slowly is one of my favorite prespawn tactics I like to use.

Once the bass are on the beds a white jig dropped just over the bed then slowly twitched in the middle of the bed will eventually drive the big females crazy. I like jigs better when sight fishing as it they need to grab the whole bait, as opposed to the tail of a plastic worm. I’ve seen females, and even the protective males, literally pick up the tail of a worm and move it repeatedly off the bed making it nearly impossible to get a hook set.

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Plant’s Crawford drops Georgia Tech commitment, switches to Miami

Posted Jan 29, 2012 by Bill Ward

Updated Jan 30, 2012 at 01:00 AM

Following his official visit to the University of Miami this weekend, Plant defensive back Antonio Crawford has decided to drop his commitment to Georgia Tech and instead will play his college football for the Hurricanes, Plant coach Robert Weiner confirmed Sunday.

Crawford made the announcement on his Facebook page, saying “I am proud to say that for the next four years, I will be going to the University of Miami.”

Crawford made his commtment to Georgia Tech last summer. There were recent reports that Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson would pull Crawford’s offer if he took his visit to Miami and Tech landed the commitment of another recruit the same weekend, but Weiner says that was not the case. Weiner said Johnson called Friday to reaffirm Crawford would still have an offer even if he took the visit to Coral Gables.

But with Crawford’s decision to join “The U,” it doesn’t matter. He becomes the second Panthers player during Weiner’s tenure at the school to commit to Miami, joining 2006 state champion quarterback Robert Marve, now at Purdue.

Weiner says he’s glad Crawford is heading to college, no matter where that might be.

“Any time a kid can get a college scholarship and get four years of school paid for at a major program like Miami, I’m happy,” Weiner said. “From what I understand, they (Miami) have a pretty big need at the position and will sign six or seven DBs.”

Crawford was a first team all-Hillsborough County selection by the Tampa Tribune at defensive back. He recorded 61 tackles, 26 passes defended and four interceptions, He was also a big contributor on offense as a running back, rolling up 599 yards rushing and five touchdowns, and also hauling in 11 passes for 139 yards and another score.

Crawford is the third Hillsborough County football athlete to commit to Miami, joining highly-recruited Jefferson defensive end Tyriq McCord and Hillsborough defensive lineman Earl Moore, who committed to the Hurricanes last summer.

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Armwood’s Edwards, Baines commit to Akron

Posted Jan 29, 2012 by Bill Ward

Updated Jan 29, 2012 at 12:10 PM

After University of Akron football coach Terry Bowden met with Armwood running back Wade Edwards during a home visit Wednesday night, the Zips’ new head coach happened to mention his need for linebackers.

Edwards had just he guy for Bowden: Hawks linebacker Keionne Baines, who led the Class 6A state championship team in tackles last season. After Edwards pitched a few more details about Baines, Bowden invited both players up for a visit to Akron.

Sunday, the two Hawks accepted Bowden’s scholarship offers. And now they will continue their careers together at Akron, which is trying to rebuild its struggling football program under the son of legendary Florida State coach Bobby Bowden.

“If you asked me before this weekend how close Wade and Keionne were, I’d probably say they were casual friends who played on the same football team,” said Armwood head coach Sean Callahan. “But after what Wade did to get Keionne an offer up there, I’d say they are very close friends now. Wade really politicked for Keionne and, honestly, this was more Wade getting this done than me. I think that really shows what kind of person Wade is.”

The 5-foot-10, 185-pound Edwards finished the season with 726 yards and 12 touchdowns rushing on 98 carriers. He also made 24 receptions for 463 yards and another six TDs. Edwards was arguably one of the Hawks’ most vital athletes, scoring some of their most crucial TDs en route to the state title, including the winning score against Bartram Trail in the state semifinals.

The 5-11, 220-pound Baines made an impressive transition last fall from a running back at his previous school (East Bay) to the anchor in the middle of the Hawks’ defense at linebacker. Besides his impressive tackle total, Baines had four sacks, three interceptions, caused three fumbles, recovered one and defended six passes.

Photos: Armwood running back Wade Edwards (top) and linebacker Keionne Baines, two of the top performers on the Hawks’ Class 6A state title team last fall, are headed to the University of Akron together.

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County products Obinwa, Gibson zoom to 800 bests

Posted Jan 29, 2012 by Bill Ward

Updated Jan 29, 2012 at 12:19 AM

Former Wharton track star Sean Obinwa, a University of Florida sophomore, posted an NCAA automatic qualifying time in the 800-meter run at Saturday’s Texas A&M Challenge, running to the second fastest time in Florida history with a personal best of 1 minute, 47.22 seconds. That was good for second place in the race. Former Sickles standout Dan Wehunt was eighth in 1:52.11.

“The biggest thing with Sean is that he believes in himself,” said Gators head track coach Mike Holloway. “We have a very special relationship. He trusts and believes in me; I trust and believe in him. At the end of the day, he goes to the line and he knows that he’s prepared.”

Also at the meet, Riverview product Ashley favors, a Gators freshman, was ninth in the women’s 60 hurdles in 8.94.

Meanwhile, at the Razorback Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark., former Robinson star Darrin Gibson, a Florida State junior, posted his own PR in the 800 of 1:48.78 to finish third. The NCAA auto-qualifier for that event is 1:47.30, so Gibson doesn’t have too far to improve.

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Armwood has the last word at Gasparilla

Posted Jan 28, 2012 by Bill Ward

Updated Jan 28, 2012 at 10:38 PM

As winners of state football championships for Hillsborough County last fall, players and coaches from Armwood (Class 6A) and Plant (8A) were honored by getting to march in Saturday’s massive Gasparilla Parade.

While each had a banner to identify their programs, undefeated Armwood (15-0) had one additional banner that poked a little fun at Plant, their cross-county rivals whose only loss this season came to the Hawks.

The second banner read “AND WE SHUT OUT PLANT 21-0.”

Most of the crowd—estimated to be 300,000—didn’t seem to take notice. But seeing how the parade was staged in South Tampa, there were folks who knew what it meant, including the Plant players and coaches who marched nearby. Thing was, most in this crowd seemed too intent on consuming as many beverages as possible and catching as many beads as they could wear without falling over.

If nothing else, the banner—and two straight shut out wins by the Hawks over the Panthers—should fuel the rivalry. And it will make next fall’s meeting at Dad’s Stadium all the more interesting. For now, however, the Hawks get to have the last word—on a banner.

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Bill and Monica autograph card? Believe it

Posted Jan 28, 2012 by Bob D'Angelo

Updated Jan 28, 2012 at 05:59 PM

I received a few more photos from the upcoming 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW set that will be put out sometime next month by Famous Fabrics Ink, so I thought I would share them. If you recall, this set is limited to 240 boxes and will feature cut signatures of presidents, their spouses, their running mates and opponents.

The one subset that intrigued me was called Forever Linked. I mean, a Jimmy Carter-Anwar Sadat dual autograph card is amazing, although a tri-autograph with Menachem Begin, the third party in the 1979 Camp David Accords, would have been through the roof. But then I started thinking on the snarky side, figuring that Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky were “forever linked.”

Guess the folks at Famous Fabrics thought the same thing, as there will be a dual autograph (no dress swatches; after all, this is a set dealing with autographs) of Clinton and Lewinsky.

And taking it a step further, other Forever Linked cards will contain autographs of John F. Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe, Ronald Reagan and John Hinckley Jr., and Richard Nixon and Carl Bernstein. JFK and Marilyn made me smile; the Reagan/Hinckley combination made me cringe a little bit. I feel a bit squeamish about putting a premium on the autograph of a guy who tried to kill the president. My vote would have went for Sam Donaldson.

Although honestly, if there was a dual autograph card of Abraham Lincoln and John Wilkes Booth, that would appeal to me. I guess it’s because both parties are dead, or, more likely, it happened almost 147 years ago.

I had expressed a concern in my last post about the incorrect spelling of Dolley Madison (as “Dolly”) on one of the card images I saw. But apparently, as the image I am including shows, that error has been corrected. That’s good.

In addition to the presidential cut solo signatures that are in the set, some of the combos are really dynamite. There’s Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, John and Jackie Kennedy, Lyndon and Lady Bird Johnson. Presidential opponent signatures include Kennedy and Nixon, Harry S Truman and Thomas Dewey, and William McKinley and William Jennings Bryan.

I love history, so seeing what is offered in this set is alternately exciting and frustrating. Exciting because of the slice of history it offers; frustrating because it is so limited.

For more information, go to the company website at www.famousfabrics.com

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Topps’ Prime 9 focusing on sluggers

Posted Jan 28, 2012 by Bob D'Angelo

Updated Jan 28, 2012 at 03:24 PM

Topps is bringing back its Prime 9 hobby store promotion, and this year’s cards pack some punch.

This year’s subject is home run legends, and cards will include sluggers like Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle.

When collectors open hobby boxes of 2012 Topps Series 1 baseball, there will be two Prime 9 redemption cards scattered among the packs. Some of the redemptions will be good for the Prime 9 home run legend of the week, and starting on Feb. 13, Topps will announce that week’s card.

All a collector has to do is bring their redemption card to a participating dealer HTA store and they will receive a Topps chrome refractor. That will be the first of nine weekly announcements.

And as an added kick, the back of each redemption card will serve as a special sweepstakes entry for the 2012 Home Run Derby at the All-Star Game. Fill out the form, give it to your dealer, and he or she will send it to Topps.

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