Category Archives: Sports

Women’s College Sports in the Roanoke Area This Weekend

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The [ACC Women’s Lacrosse Championships](http://www.theacc.com/championships/09-womens-lacrosse-championship.html “ACC Women’s Lacrosse Site”) will be played at Virginia Tech on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday.

Roanoke College is hosting the [ODAC Women’s Lacrosse Championship Tournament](http://www.odaconline.com/odac_championships/2008-09/default.html “ODAC Women’s Lacrosse Site”). The Quarterfinals were played yesterday. The Semifinals will be played Saturday, and the championship is scheduled for Sunday.

The [ODAC Women’s Softball Tournament](http://www.odaconline.com/odac_championships/2008-09/default.html “ODAC Women’s Softball Site”) will be played at Salem’s [James I. Moyer Sports Complex](http://www.ci.salem.va.us/depts/parks_rec/complex.html “James I. Moyer Sports Complex”) on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

A Basketful of Memories

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Donnie Johnston wrote a nice article about recently attending a Madison Mountaineers basketball game and how the memories came flooding back when he stepped into the gym and saw that many things were still the same.

In the 70’s, the Madison Mountaineers had a phenomenal run of athletes who, over a 10-year span, achieved unbelievable success. They won district, regional and state titles on such a regular basis that Madison became the envy of most Group A programs in the state. One year in the 1970’s, their front line in football was bigger that that of either Virginia or Virginia Tech.

Madison’s success returned this year in basketball. Going into the state semi-finals this year, the Madison Mountaineers basketball team was 28-0. They narrowly lost to Dan River in the [semi-final game](http://www.charlottesvillenewsplex.tv/highschoolsports/headlines/41189617.html “Read about the game”).

[Read](http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2009/032009/03142009/451643 “Read the Article”) (Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star)

Washington Redskins Lay Off More Than 20 Employees

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The Washington Redskins laid off at least 20 employees at Redskins Park this week and an undetermined number at FedEx Field, according to several sources with knowledge of the situation.

No coaches, trainers or scouts were let go. Cuts included at least one team vice president and members of the legal, marketing, information technology, public relations, cheerleading, game-day operations, Redskins Television staffs, and two members of the football operations staff.

Several of those who were laid off said C.O.O. Mitch Gershman told them the team was laying off approximately 30 employees because of financial difficulties caused by the economy and a decrease in revenue.

Read (Washington Post)

The article said that ticket sales aren’t where they’re supposed to be. Isn’t every Redskins game sold out?

NASCAR blames economy for not filling seats for Richmond race

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The large sign outside Richmond International Raceway off Laburnum on Friday said, “Tickets Available Now!”

This has been a common sight at tracks that host racing events this season, but it is alarming when it occurs at Richmond International. The track has sold out every Cup race, 32 in all, over the past 16 years. Most of the sellouts are announced a week before the event, the Thursday before at the latest.

When Richmond doesn’t put a body in all 112,209 seats, this sends up a red flag, one that already should have been flying when there were plenty of empty seats at Bristol despite what was announced as a sellout.

That tickets remain 24 hours before Saturday’s race reinforces what track presidents and NASCAR officials have said and feared for the past few months: rising gas prices and tough economic times are keeping fans away.

[Read](http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/nascar/cup/news/story?id=3378459&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines “Read the Article”) (ESPN)

Vick indicted on state dogfighting charges in Virginia

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Michael Vick and three co-defendants were indicted by a grand jury Tuesday on state charges related to a dogfighting ring operated on Vick’s Virginia property.

The grand jury passed on indicting them on eight counts of animal cruelty, which would have exposed them to as many as 40 years in prison if convicted.

[Read](http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3035692&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines “Read the Story”) (AP via ESPN)

_Mike Vick is to football as Mike Tyson is to boxing._

Vick co-defendant expected to enter plea agreement

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One of Michael Vick’s co-defendants doesn’t want to wait for trial.

Instead, a plea agreement hearing has been scheduled for Tony Taylor at 9 a.m. Monday in the federal dogfighting conspiracy case.

Taylor’s hearing was added to U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson’s docket Friday, a day after he and the other three defendants pleaded not guilty before the same judge. Vick and the others still are scheduled for trial Nov. 26.

[Read](http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2952092&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines “Read the Story”) (AP via ESPN)

*That didn’t take long.*

Joey Chestnut downs record 66 dogs, beats Kobayashi

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In a gut-busting showdown that combined drama, daring and indigestion, Joey Chestnut devoured 66 hot dogs and emerged Wednesday as the world’s hot dog eating champion, knocking off six-time winner Takeru Kobayashi, who ate 33 hot dogs and buns, in a record-setting yet repulsive triumph.

[Read](http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=2925803&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines “Read the Story”) (AP via ESPN)

NFL nixes church’s plan to show Super Bowl

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The NFL has nixed a church’s plans to use a wall projector to show the Colts-Bears Super Bowl game, saying it would violate copyright laws.

NFL officials spotted a promotion of Fall Creek, Indiana Baptist Church’s “Super Bowl Bash” on the church Web site last week and overnighted a letter to the pastor demanding the party be canceled.

Initially, the NFL objected to the church’s plan to charge a fee to attend and that the church used the license-protected words “Super Bowl” in its promotions. The Pastor told the NFL his church would not charge anyone and that it would drop the use of the forbidden words.

Then the NFL objected to the church’s plans to use a projector to show the game, because the law limits it to one TV no bigger than 55 inches.

The church will likely abandon its plans to host a Super Bowl party, and other Indiana churches are deciding whether they should go through with their Super Bowl party plans.

“It just frustrates me that most of the places where crowds are going to gather to watch this game are going to be places that are filled with alcohol and other things that are inappropriate for children,” the pastor said. “We tried to provide an alternative to that and were shut down.”

[Read](http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/football/nfl/specials/playoffs/2006/02/01/bc.fbn.superbowl.church.ap/index.html?cnn=yes “Read the Story”)(AP via Sports Illustrated)

High School Football Players Overweight

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Heavy tackles and 300-pound nose guards are common in pro and college football. Now a study shows the trend toward beefier, overweight linemen is emerging at the high school level.

Researchers at [Iowa State University](http://www.iastate.edu/ “Iowa State University Home Page”) found nearly half of the offensive and defensive linemen playing on Iowa high school teams qualify as overweight, and one in 10 meet medical standards for severe obesity.

The study’s researchers began by gathering height and weight data of 3,686 varsity linemen available from rosters from all classes of Iowa high school football teams. They used that data to calculate a body-mass index, the same tool used for the NFL study.

Of the players analyzed, 28 percent were deemed at risk of being overweight and 45 percent fit the standards for being overweight, including 9 percent who met adult severe obesity standards.

[Read](http://www.wtopnews.com/?nid=106&sid=1041158 “Read the Story”)(AP via WTOP)

QB Michael Vick raises suspicion at Miami airport

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Atlanta Falcons quarterback [Michael Vick](http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/5448 “Yahoo’s Player Profile”) was reluctant to throw away his 20-ounce water bottle at a Miami International Airport security checkpoint Wednesday morning.

The reason, police say: The plastic bottle had a secret compartment that, when opened, had a dark residue and a pungent odor of marijuana.

[Read](http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/16484544.htm “Read the Story”) (Miami Herald)

That wasn’t very smart. Let me guess, it wasn’t his – he just grabbed a bottle of water out of [Marcus](http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/8007 “Yahoo’s Marcus Vick Profile”)’ fridge

Marshall Football Team’s Plane Evacuated

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A charter plane carrying the Marshall University football team to **a game against East Carolina was evacuated Friday, 11/10**, after smoke was reported in an engine, emergency officials said. No injuries were reported among the 200 people aboard, but the timing was *eerie*.

Almost 36 years ago, **on Nov. 14, 1970, a plane carrying the Marshall football team home from a game against East Carolina** crashed, killing 75 people, including most of the team.

[Read](http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=2644405 “Read the Story”) (AP via ABC)

Citing Title IX, JMU to drop 10 varsity sports

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In order to meet Title IX requirements, JMU is eliminating 10 sports.
The mens teams being eliminated are archery, cross country, gymnastics, indoor track, outdoor track, swimming and wrestling. Womens archery, fencing, and gymnastics will be dropped.

[Read](http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=111865&ran=200165 “Read the Story”) (AP via the Virginian-Pilot)

Quote of the Day

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I received a call from my wife this morning, and the conservation went something like this:

J.: Is there a Virginia Tech game today?
Me: Yes, it’s the first game of the season, and it’s not on TV.  Why?
J.: Because Walmart’s full of people who haven’t had baths, wearing Virginia Tech clothing, and buying cheap beer.
Me: Apparently, they listen to Greg Roberts, because as he says numerous times on his show each day, “Walmart is your tailgate connection.”
J.: Goodbye….

NBA benches Roanoke Dazzle

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The NBA has decided to cease operation of the NBDL’s [Roanoke Dazzle](http://www.nba.com/nbdl/roanoke/) franchise.

[Read](http://www.roanoke.com/sports/probasketball/wb/63392) (Roanoke Times)

Another pro team finally realizes it can’t make it in Roanoke, just like the Roanoke Steam and the Roanoke Express found out. Let’s face it, Roanoke is unable to support a sports team. I wouldn’t be surprised if the [hockey team](http://valleyvipershockey.com/) decides that it can’t afford to play here next year either, and how can [Salem’s Baseball team](http://www.salemavalanche.com) make it on only 3,500 fans a night?

I always hear the question, “If Virginia Tech can fills its stadium when it plays home games, why can’t Roanoke support a pro sports franchise?” Why? Because most of those 66,000 people at each Tech Game probably aren’t from Roanoke. They are Tech Alumni from other areas.