Jim Rutherford and Kirk Muller spoke to the media after the 2011-2012 NHL season about the state of the Carolina Hurricanes.
Popolizio named Wolfpack wrestling coach
Pat Popolizio, the 2012 Colonial Athletic Association’s Coach of the Year, has been named head wrestling coach for the Wolfpack. In six seasons at Binghamton University, Popolizio transformed the Bearcats into a national contender after inheriting the program that went 0-12 following its reinstatement in 2005-06.
“Pat is a builder of programs and of young men,” Yow said. “He was an outstanding collegiate performer at Oklahoma State and is a proven teacher and mentor as a head coach. He will lead Wolfpack Wrestling to compete for ACC titles and, eventually, the national championship. I thank Sherard Clinkscales and our search committee for their excellent work that resulted in his hire.”
“I want to thank Dr. Yow, Sherard Clinkscales, and the entire search committee at NC State for this opportunity and for believing I am the right person for this job,” Popolizio said. “The leadership of the athletic department, its reputation, and the tremendous facilities here, are what sold me. This is a wrestling program with a strong tradition and huge potential. I’m extremely excited and very thankful for this opportunity.”
-News release
Pembroke’s Miller to speak at Raleigh Sports Club
Ben Miller, the fourth year head coach for UNC Pembroke basketball, will be the guest speaker at Wednesday’s Raleigh Sports Club meeting. He has been an assistant coach for several of the country’s elite head coaches – Barry Hinson at Missouri State, Roy Williams at Kansas and Bill Self at Kansas.
Williams, now the Carolina coach, says of Miller, “His organizational skills and his people skills really jump out at you and the enthusiasm that he has for the sport. Ben is so much more a people person than he is just X’s and O’s.”
Buffet lines open at 11:30 a.m. The Forks Cafeteria will continue to cater a Southern Buffet. The meeting location will again be at Highland UMC at 1901 Ridge Road at the intersection of Lake Boone Trail, just inside the Beltline. Annual dues for the 2011-12 season will remain $60. Weekly attendance fee will remain $14 and applies whether the member plans to eat lunch or not. All guests fees will be $20 per guest. Pick sheets and door prizes will be held.
Hurricanes end season on an up note in overtime
In many ways, the Carolina Hurricanes had a fitting end to their 2011-12 home schedule with a 2-1 shootout win over the Montreal Canadiens. It was the first shootout victory in seven tries for the Canes this season. Cam Ward stopped all three shooters and added 30 more saves in regulation and overtime to record his 30th victory of the season and first-star honors. Eric Staal scored the deciding shootout goal. “It was a great crowd. Our fans are great. Our fans support us regardless,” Staal said. “They stuck with us, and things got better in the second half.”
Ward’s 30th victory marks the fifth time the goaltender has reached that marker in his seven-year career. (He was the back-up and injured the other two seasons.) Ward made two phenomenal saves in the second period to keep the game tied 1-1. The first was a diving blocker save on David Desharnais. The second was a shorthanded sprawling pad save on Tomas Plekanec. “It only seemed fitting to go into the shootout and give ourselves a chance to finally win one,” he said. “I think everybody in here is still disappointed that we’re not making the playoffs, but it is important that you finish the season strong.”
Fitting was a word thrown around a lot in the locker room after the game. Head coach Kirk Muller used it to describe Staal scoring the lone goal in the shootout to finally give the Canes a victory in that department. “I knew that’d be the first question,” Muller said about the shootout. “Everyone asks me about using Staalsy, and I just thought it was fitting with the way he played the second half, it was great to see him be the final shooter and score the final goal.”
To get to the shootout, the Hurricanes had to work their way through some man-disadvantages, including a 5-on-3 and 4-on-3. As sticks went between legs, tripping was the call-du-jour, but as was the case all night, the Canes stood tall. Montreal went 0-for-6 on the power play, perhaps proving to be the difference; the Canes’ lone goal in regulation came on the power play, as Chad LaRose stuffed in loose puck in the crease for his 19th goal of the season, tying a career-high.
Though the Hurricanes will not be in the playoffs this year, tonight – really, since the start of this calendar year – provides hope heading into next season. “As players and fans, you want to be in the playoffs,” Staal said. “I like to think we’re going in the right direction as a group.
The Canes will wrap up the 2011-12 campaign on Saturday in Florida. Though they won’t be able to knock the Panthers out of postseason contention (They qualified tonight by way of Buffalo losing.), they might have an opportunity to knock them down to 8th place, pending what Washington does against New York that same night. In any case, they’re still playing for pride and a three-game winning streak heading into the summer. “You want to keep heading in that direction,” Ward said. “You don’t want to take your foot off the gas just because you aren’t making the playoffs.”
Hurricanes, 99.9 FM agree to three-year extension
Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has reached an agreement on a three-year extension with Capitol Broadcasting Company to keep 99.9 FM The Fan as the flagship station of the Hurricanes Radio Network. The agreement continues partnership through the 2014-15 NHL season.
“Capitol Broadcasting has been a good friend and partner of the Hurricanes since the team’s arrival in North Carolina,” said Rutherford. “We’re pleased that 99.9 The Fan will continue as the team’s home on the radio.”
The Fan will continue to carry play-by-play calls of all Hurricanes games as it has since its inception in October 2007. The station also will continue to produce ancillary Hurricanes programming, including its pre- and post-game shows, Stormfront and Aftermath, surrounding each game.
“We are pleased to extend our partnership with the Carolina Hurricanes,” said Jason Dixon, operations manager/program director for 99.9 FM The Fan. “Our commitment to this partnership goes beyond all preseason, regular season and playoff games, as well as Canes Corner. We will be using all of our platforms, including web, social media mobile and, of course, radio, to provide Canes fans with all of the coverage that they expect from ‘The Official Station of Caniac Nation.’
“The Hurricanes’ broadcasts are not only great entertainment for our listeners, but a great way for our clients to reach the affluent sports listener. The Canes broadcasts are consistently near the top of nighttime listening.”
The Carolina Hurricanes will play their final home game of the 2011-12 season on Thursday, April 5, at PNC Arena against the Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m., FOX Sports Carolinas HD, Hurricanes Radio Network).
– News release
Durham Bulls announce opening day roster
The Durham Bulls today announced their 2012 Opening Day Roster. The Raleigh area native, RHP Chris Archer, will anchor a team which will be led by Manager Charlie Montoyo. The Bulls skipper returns for his sixth season with the club, after leading the Bulls to five consecutive International League South Division titles and a Triple-A Championship in 2009.
Archer, the #3 prospect in the Rays system according to Baseball America and MLB.com, will lead a rotation that includes the #6 prospect in the Rays system LHP Alex Torres and RHP Alex Cobb. Both Torres and Cobb started the 2011 season with the Bulls, but saw action in the Tampa Bay starting rotation. Cobb went unbeaten in his first seven starts of his MLB career, going 3-0 and maintaining a 2.57 ERA. He became the first AL pitcher do to so since 2007 as well as the first Rays player in the history of the club. Torres returns to the franchise in which he currently holds the single season record for strikeouts with 156. The rotation is filled out with RHP Matt Torra, who over his last 6 starts with the Bulls last season went 5-0 with a 1.95 ERA (37-IP, 8-ER) and newcomer RHP Bryan Augenstein.
The #4 prospect in the Rays system according to MLB.com, SS Tim Beckham will command the Durham infield. The number one overall pick in the 2008 June Draft returns to the Bulls after hitting five home runs with the team in his late season call-up last year. Beckham is joined by fellow infielders, Leslie Anderson, Shawn O’Malley, Juan Miranda, Will Rhymes and Matt Mangini. Mangini is another Bull with Triangle roots, having graduated from Apex High School in 2004, while also playing at NC State University for his first two college seasons.
2011 International League midseason All-Star OF Brandon Guyer will man centerfield this season for the Bulls. He returns for his second season with the club, after posting a .312 (121-for-388) average in 107 games and finishing 5th in the IL batting race and 3rd among Rays minor leaguers. He is joined in the outfield by IL veterans Jesus Feliciano and Kyle Hudson.
The Bulls will welcome 2011 Rays Minor League Player of the Year Stephen Vogt to the team. Vogt will defend the backstop along with Nevin Ashley and one of the newest members to the Rays organization, Chris Gimenez. Vogt was promoted to the Bulls in July last season from the Biscuits, where he was named as the team’s MVP. He led all Rays minor leaguers in RBI with 105 in 2011, which also ranked him 11th in all of the minors.
LHP Cesar Ramos and RHP Brandon Gomes will work the late innings for the Bulls this season. Both Gomes and Ramos were key members of the Rays last season. Ramos led Rays left-handed relievers in appearances with 59, while Gomes led all Rays relievers in appearances after the All-Star break with 29. They will be joined by minor league free agents, RHP Jhonny Nunez, and RHP Romulo Sanchez. RHP Dane De La Rosa, RHP Marquis Fleming and RHP Ryan Reid return to the Bulls in 2012. RHP Jose Lueke, joins the organization after being dealt to the Rays by the Seattle Mariners during the offseason.
On the 2012 Opening Day Roster, 13 Bulls played on the 2011 squad. In addition, 16 players have major league experience. A total of nine players on the Tampa Bay 40-man roster will begin their season in Durham as well.
Pitching Coach Neil Allen returns for his second season with the club, while Hitting Coach Dave Myers returns for his fourth. They are joined by Pat Trainor in his 3rd season as the team’s Strength and Condoning Coach and new Athletic Trainer, Mike Sandoval.
The Durham Bulls open 2012 International League on Thursday, April 5th when they host the Gwinnett Braves. Season ticket, mini-plan packages, and individual game tickets are now available at durhambulls.com, at the DBAP Box Office or by calling 919.956.BULL.
– News release
Autographs, bats, home runs and a Cleveland rout over the Mudcats
Jason Donald, who spent a lot of time signing autographs before the game, and who was introduced by the PA announcer as “Luke Donald,” drove in a pair of runs with a single and added a three-run homer as the Cleveland Indians defeated the Carolina Mudcats 13-0 Tuesday afternoon in Zebulon.
This is the first year that the Mudcats have been an Indians affiliate and the first year the Mudcats have been a High-A ball club (coming over from Kinston). The Cleveland bigwigs got a chance to see some of the club’s biggest prospects who will be playing for the Mudcats – including shortstop Ronny Rodriguez, third baseman Giovanny Urshela, second baseman Tony Wolters, first baseman Jesus Aguilar, right fielder Carlos Moncrief and catcher Jake Lowery.
“They are not only talented, but they know how to play the game,” Mudcats manager Edwin Rodriguez said. “The Cleveland Indians have a lot of talent in the lower levels.”
Indians manager Manny Acta said he is enthusiastic about the talent in Zebulon. “Some guys who have come through our system have done well, and some more who are coming through are good, too,” Acta said. “We already know some of the talent we have here [in Zebulon]. Some of those kids, we are familiar with them. None of them are going to surprise us, especially some of the starters.”
In watching the game today with my active five-year-old son, he showed little interest in watching the game but was extremely interested in talking to the players and getting autographs. Go figure. He got about seven or eight autographs on a baseball, and even lucked into getting a non-broken bat from one of the players (we believe it was Beau Mills who will start the year in Columbus at the Triple-A Clippers). A former first-round pick, Mills is the son of Astros manager Brad Mills. If indeed it was him (his number was covered by a warm-up jacket and I didn’t recognize him), Mills said, “I hope you can get more hits out of it than I could.” My son showed the bat to anybody who would pay attention to him. I told him that he should be excited and that I only got a broken bat when I was a kid and it came from a Single-A game.
Again, Mills didn’t make the opening roster in Cleveland but he or Matt LaPorta will likely get a chance with the big club sooner rather than later, especially with the injury of Grady Sizemore.
To their credit, the Indians started their regulars and played them for four innings. Former Red Sox and Brave Derek Lowe started and retired nine of the 10 batters he faced, striking out three of them and walking none. Unfortunately for autograph seekers, most of the regulars waited out the rest of the game behind the scenes. As for the starters, Asdrubal Cabrera, the second batter of the game, rapped a home run and, later, outfielder Shelley Duncan banged a no-doubter in a blast over the left field wall all the way to the trees – probably the longest home run I’ve ever seen in that stadium.
“It takes us all back a bunch of years,” Duncan said about playing at a minor league stadium. “We’ve got some jokes going around, some laughs.”
After spending time in the clubhouse, a small shed behind the outfield wall, Travis Hafner, the elder statesman of the team, said it brought back memories of coming up through the minors. “It’s a nice ballpark, and the people here have been great,” he said. “It’s been a fun experience.” During the game, Hafner, the DH, lofted a double but it fell only because the outfielder (Delvi Cid) lost the ball in the sun. Still, Hafner is healthier than he has been in at least three seasons and has had a good spring, probably second only to Duncan.
Indians manager Acta played on the first Mudcats team in 1989 but the team was in Georgia at the time. Indians first-base coach Tom Wiedenbauer was the manager of that team.
“I was on the first-ever Mudcat team, so I thought it was funny when we got an agreement with the club here in Zebulon,” Acta said. “We loved the logo back then in 1989, and we continue to love it. We’ve got some souvenirs with us to take home.”
Historic Olympic runner Beatty to speak Wednesday in Raleigh
Jim Beatty, a top middle-distance runner who was the first person to run a mile indoors in under 4 minutes, will be the speaker at the Wednesday, April 4 Raleigh Sports Club meeting.
He broke 11 American and three world records in 1962, and became the first American to simultaneously hold records in the 1,500 meter, 3,000 meter, 5,000 meter, one and three mile events. He attended UNC and won several ACC titles. He was a member of the 1960 US Olympic team in 5,000 meters. We will have a video highlight of his famous accomplishment.
Buffet lines open at 11:30 a.m. The Forks Cafeteria will continue to cater a Southern Buffet. The meeting location will again be at Highland UMC at 1901 Ridge Road at the intersection of Lake Boone Trail, just inside the Beltline. Annual dues for the 2011-12 season will remain $60. Weekly attendance fee will remain $14 and applies whether the member plans to eat lunch or not. All guests fees will be $20 per guest. Pick sheets and door prizes will be held.
Carolina Mudcats play host to the Cleveland Indians Tuesday
Journalist Clay Best writes, “The Carolina Mudcats will begin two new eras this coming week. In their final exhibition tune-up for the season, the Mudcats host the Cleveland Indians at 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 3, at Five County Stadium. Three days later, Carolina begins its run as a Single-A farm club of the Indians playing in the Carolina League, welcoming Winston-Salem.” To read more, please click here.
James Worthy discusses 30th anniversary of UNC’s ’82 championship
“What a great anniversary it is,” former UNC forward James Worthy told the L.A. Times referring to the Tar Heels 63-62 NCAA finals victory over Georgetown in 1982. “Coach Smith getting his first. Versus John Thompson. In the dome. I’d vote for it [as greatest], given the circumstances of who played in that game, the fact that we had lost to Bob Knight and Indiana the year before. Myself going against my high school rival from Gastonia, N.C., “Sleepy” Floyd. Playing that deep Georgetown team with Patrick Ewing. Big game going in, back and forth all the way, and the way it ended with Michael’s big shot and that pass.”