Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / April 22, 2004, edition 1 / Page 18
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2C SPORTS/tl^e CiWTlottt $at Thursday, April 22, 2004 Nn prows ils hypoGfisy Continued from page 1C have barely been able to walk as their careers end. And, today, we’re in an era where it seems almost week ly we hear news of a football player arrested for spouse abuse or assault or some thing equally criminal. Certainly everyone here remembers the Rae Carruth case. And the NFL is worried about excessive celebra tions? What a bunch of hyp ocrites. You wanna know what vio lations deserve harsher penalties in the NFL? Well, the league could start by penalizing itself for allow ing people to release those “greatest hits” videotapes that highlight bone-crushing blocks and tackles on the field. What kind of respect do those tapes give to players whose careers have been ended by such hits? Then, the league could boot athletes who test positive for steroids for at least a year. Then the league could bring real punishment - not slaps on the hand - for players con victed of crimes away from the field. Then, the league suspend guys who “chop block” for at least a season. And then... Well, get the picture? There are far too many serious things for the league to focus on than worrying about whether a guy pulls out a Sharpie when he scores. And, besides, it’s just a stu pid rule. Excessive celebra tion? What, are guys strip ping in the end zone these days? If a guy scores a touch down, I don’t care if he brings a choreographer into the end zone to re-enact the “Thriller” video. Let them dance. Let them pose. Let them have fun. “Don’t call us the No Fun League,” Atlanta Falcons general manager Rich McKay, co-chair of the league’s competition com mittee, told the Tennessean newspaper recently. “This has nothing to do with the Lambeau Leap, the spike, the sack dance or throwing the ball over the goal post. But the demonstrations are becoming more sophisticated and more pre-planned than they’ve ever been.” So let me get this straight: If a guy catches a touch down pass over a defensive back, then turns and spikes the ball two feet away from the defensive back, it’s not excessive? If a guy runs over a defen sive lineman and then sprints to the goal posts to dunk the ball, it’s not pre planned? Whatever. Mind you, I don’t have a problem with any of the aforementioned actions. I say, keep a guy from scoring a touchdown, keep a guy fi*om sacking your quarter back. And if you can’t stop a guy from doing those things, you just deal with the cele bration. Having gotten to know a few pro players over the years, I can tell you that those actions are much more tame than some of the things done and said at the bottom of NFL piles. But what bothers me is the league saying that it will allow celebratory spikes and dunks, while refusing to allow a guy to mockingly pose for pictures. It’s such a major contradiction for the NFL. Then again, as video sales soar, and more and more players get community ser vice, what exactly should we expect? Columnist C. Jemal Horton at seejemaJwrite @ aol.com. Golf outing to benefit A&T sports Continued from page 1C said. “Traditionally black colleges and uni versities don’t have at their disposal the means that are taken for granted at Division I schools. Players on those teams don’t have to worry about transportation or equipment. Their athletic departments receive alumni donations that we can only dream about mak ing. However, we realize that what we do does make a difference for our athletes and we’re determined to continue to strive to make things better for them.” The golf tournament and awards presenta tion is expected to end at approximately 3 p.m. A post-toumament dinner will be held at Dave and Fran’s Rotisserie at 1520 West Boulevard. The dinner will begin at 6 p.m. and will feature A&T head football coach George Small, Assistant Athletics director Wheeler Brown, and Aggie Club President Spencer Gwynn. Small, a native of Raeford, graduated from A&T in 1979. He spent six seasons in the NFL with the New York Giants, Denver, Green Bay, and Pittsburgh. An accomplished defensive coordinator, Small has-coached at the collegiate level since leaving the NFL. Small was named A&T head coach in 2003 and turned around a team that was 4-8 in 2002 into a 10-3 squad and MEAC champs in his first season. Those not participating in the golf tourna ment can attend the dinner for a $5 donation. Door prizes will be awarded. The golf tomma- ment is scheduled for 7 a.m. check-in, with shotgun start at 8 a.m. For more information, call Bloomfield at (704) 568-0531 or (704) 619- 7059. He can also be contacted via e-mail at jbloomfield@carolina.rr.com. Sting adds depth through draft Continued from page 1C IQ, is a great rebounder and passer and is the most versa tile player in this year’s draft.” “Tm really excited to go to Charlotte, the people on the team are amazing,” said Powell. “I’m just really look ing forward to it and think I can bring a lot of different skills to the team. Whatever the team needs, I will do.” As a senior, Powell aver aged 20.2 ppg and 11.2 rpg as she helped lead the Cardinal to the 2004 Pac-10 conference and tournament title. She also helped her team advance to the Elite Eight where she was named the Most Outstanding Player for the NCAA Tbumament Midwest Region. Powell was named to the Associated Press All- America first team and nom inated a finalist for the State Farm Wade Trophy and the inaugural Wooden award. For the third consecutive season, she was nominated as a finalist for the Naismith Award and was named a Kodak First-Team All- American, the first player in Stanford history to be a three-time Kodak All- American. Mazzante, a 5-11 guard, averaged 21.9 points while shooting 43.7 percent from the floor during her college career. Mazzante finished her career as the Big Tfen and Perm State’s all-time leading scorer. She is also ranked ninth all-time in career points in the NCAA with 2,919. “Kelly Mazzante is a scor er. The bottom-line is she has great size and when’s she’s on the floor you have to pay attention to her, “ Lacey said. A 6-3 forward. Benningfield averaged 13.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game as a senior. An AP All- American honorable men tion in 2003, Benningfield helped lead the Commodores to the 2002 and 2004 SEC toiunament championship. She was also named to the All-SEC team in 2003 and 2004. “Jenni Benningfield is a basketball player,” Lacey said. “She has great foot work, she’s a good passer and has good range. She’s another veiy intelligent bas ketball player.” A 5-8 guard, Perkins left the Lady Red Raiders team in January due to undis closed medical reason and will not be available to the Sting this season. As a junior Perkins was named an honorable mention Kodak All-American and was a first team Big-12 selection. Foggie gives Cobras a lift Continued from page 1C changed coaches three times this season^ is a work in progress, but still can make the play offs with a late-season charge. The odds are stacked against Carolina, but Foggie likes the team’s spirit and attitude. “It’s an emotional roller coaster hut the key thing is we’ve kept the nucleus of the players,” he said. “We’ve had the same players since camp. We stiU feel we have a chance to make the playoffs. It’s a long shot, we know that, hut we ain’t got nothing to lose now.” Your source for hometown sports Cliarlotte My granddaughter means the world to me. So I’m controlling my diabetes. That means I keep my blood sugar close to normal by watching what I eat and walking every’ day. I always take my medicine and test my blood sugar. With my diabetes under control, I feel a lot better and have more energy. Best of all, I’m going to be around for my family... for my friends... for life. Call 1-800-438-5383 to learn more. Or visit us at our website: http;//ndep.nih.gov ifTii vU/y /yys NATIONAL diabetes; educatioM PROGRAM A joint program of the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Control your ^ diabetes. ► A PUBLIC SERVICE OF THIS PUBLICATION _
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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April 22, 2004, edition 1
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