The Carolina Hurricanes, fresh off a 2-1 overtime victory over Ottawa, outshot the New Jersey Devils 34-25 and got up 3-0 after two periods and hanging on for a 4-2 lead after goalie Cam Ward scored a rare goal near the end of the game. The Hurricanes, now 12-19-6, haven’t won two straight since winning on Nov. 8 and Nov. 11. It was the first time the Hurricanes had won back to back home games since early in the season – Oct. 14 and Oct. 18.
To find out more about the game, please click here.
North Carolina went right down the field on its first possession and scored on a nice throw and catch from Bryn Renner to Dwight Jones. Then Missouri got the ball. The Tigers reeled off 31 points on their next five possessions and it was all but over. Missouri won 41-24 in the Independence Bowl tonight.
Thoughts:
Listening the tone of his voice before the game as much as anything he said, I don’t think Everett Withers wanted to be coaching that game. He’s already been doing recruiting for Ohio State. I expect that the players picked up on the disappointment that Withers had over not being chosen to be the permanent UNC head coach. The players could have used the emotion to get a win for Withers but I’m not sure they were convinced that it mattered that much to him. I’m sure he wanted to go out a winner but I’m just not sure it was in him.
Going into the game, I thought Carolina had more to play for than Missouri. What difference does it make that Missouri is changing conferences? The Carolina team had a chance to eliminate some of the ghosts hanging over the program and had a chance to send their supposedly beloved Coach Withers out with a win. Don’t really understand the effort.
Carolina turned the ball over twice in the determining first half – one was a fluke interception off the back of Dwight Jones. But Jones, auditioning for the NFL, could have been stronger hanging onto the ball on that play. The other turnover was an unforced fumble by tailback Gio Bernard, who banged into his own teammate at the line of scrimmage. Bernard, the leading freshman rusher in the country, finally looked like a real freshman as he was contained all evenging. He couldn’t break tackles and the offensive line was manhandled. Bernard rushed 13 times for 31 yards – not good.
If you take away the 14 points off those two turnovers and Carolina gets a TD instead of a field goal at the end of the first half, when a drive stalled at the two-yard line, the game could have been very different in the second half.
The Tar Heels had gotten the momentum midway through the second half, when they cut the deficit to 31-17 but Missouri’s T.J. Moe took the ensuing kickoff way up at the 17 yard line, started to throw a lateral pass across field, thought better of it and ran all the way to the Carolina 34. The Tar Heels worked hard to make it a two-score game and then they let something like that happen? Another short kickoff and hardly laying a hand of the returner? A minute later the deficit was back to 21 points and the game was practically over.
The quarterback for Missouri, James Franklin, rushed 18 times, more than anyone else in the game. He had more carries than he had completions. That’s what the spread offense often brings. You can win with it but I’m not fond of watching a game with it, particularly if the quarterback runs that much. Time will tell if new UNC Larry Fedora’s spread offense relies on the quarterback running it that much.
Franklin ran the ball 217 times for 981 yards in Missouri’s spread offense this year. Austin Davis, the quarterback under Fedora’s spread offense at Southern Miss, duirng his three years as the starter, averaged about 130 carries a season and 400 yards rushing. UNC’s Renner, who has tons of potential, is pro style quarterback and has to be secretly disappointed that UNC will be switching to Fedora’s spread offense. While he passed for more than 3,000 yards, Renner rushed only about 55 times for minus more than 100 yards. His rushes were mostly sacks.
Renner is the best passer of the three and the worse rusher of the three but will he fit in Fedora’s spread offense or will Fedora adjust his spread offense to Renner’s talents? Fedora is an impressive coach and he might win with a spread offense but the game of football will be vastly different for Carolina fans. Those who don’t like running quarterbacks might not like the style of play, again, unless Fedora adjusts to Renner’s talents.
North Carolina’s season really turned when the Heels laid an egg in Raleigh against rival N.C. State. Carolina went into that game 6-3 and didn’t score a point in a 13-0 loss. The Heels won just one more game, against lowly Duke, the rest of the way and finished 7-6. A win would have given the Heels an 8-5 record and it would have been the fourth year in a row they had earned eight wins.
After a couple of “off” games for Harrison Barnes, a brave journalist asked Roy Williams about it. Coach Williams said he wasn’t worried about Harrison Barnes. On cue, Barnes went out and scored 26 points and hauled in 10 rebounds in a dominating 82-63 victory over Texas.
Coach Williams said he knew Barnes would have a big game. “He’s a competive youngster and he’s very gifted,” he said. “I told him that if you’re my biggest worry, I’ve got a nice situation.”
While things haven’t gone that well for Barnes lately, having failed to reach double figures in the last two games, Coach Williams said that big opponents fire him up.
For more on the game, please click here.
University of North Carolina senior wide receiver Dwight Jones has been reinstated by the NCAA and is eligible to compete in the Independence Bowl vs. Missouri on Monday, Dec. 26. Jones had been ruled ineligible for allowing his name and photo to be used to promote an event in his hometown of Burlington, N.C.
NCAA rules prevent student-athletes from using their name, photo or likeness to promote a for-profit entity. UNC learned of the secondary violation and declared him ineligible. UNC then applied for reinstatement Tuesday.
“I apologize to my teammates, the coaching staff, and the University for the poor decision I made to allow my likeness to be used in the promotion of a party given by a family member while still a part of the Carolina football team,” Jones said Tuesday. “I should have asked the coaching staff or administration before allowing this to happen. I was wrong and the party is cancelled. I’m sorry for being a distraction to our team and taking the focus away from our preparation for the Independence Bowl.”
UNC’s compliance office sent a cease-and-desist letter to the party promoters.
North Carolina plays Missouri in the AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl on Monday, Dec. 26. The team departs for Shreveport on Dec. 22.
Previous version:
UNC requests reinstatement for Dwight Jones for bowl game
University of North Carolina senior wide receiver Dwight Jones committed a secondary NCAA violation when he allowed his name and photo to be used to promote an event in his hometown of Burlington.
NCAA rules prevent student-athletes from using their name, photo or likeness to promote a for-profit entity. UNC learned of the secondary violation and has declared Jones ineligible. Carolina has applied to the NCAA for his reinstatement.
“I apologize to my teammates, the coaching staff, and the University for the poor decision I made to allow my likeness to be used in the promotion of a party given by a family member while still a part of the Carolina football team,” said Jones. “I should have asked the coaching staff or administration before allowing this to happen. I was wrong and the party is cancelled. I’m sorry for being a distraction to our team and taking the focus away from our preparation for the Independence Bowl.”
“Coach Withers and I met, and Dwight realizes he made a mistake,” said UNC athletics director Bubba Cunningham. “Dwight has cancelled the party and we have submitted a reinstatement request with the NCAA.”
UNC’s compliance office also has sent a cease-and-desist letter to the party promoters.
North Carolina plays Missouri in the AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl on Monday, Dec. 26. The team departs for Shreveport on Thursday, Dec. 22.
– News Release
The Tampa Bay Rays announced today that Neil Solondz (SO-lahnz) has been named the team’s new pre- and postgame radio host.
Solondz has been with Tampa Bay’s Triple-A affiliate, the Durham Bulls, since 2004 and for the last two seasons has filled in on the Rays pre- and postgame show. During his tenure with Durham, Solondz broadcast the Triple-A All-Star Game and the Triple-A National Championship game to a nationwide audience. Over the last two seasons, he did play-by-play for 11 games that aired on MLB Network.
“I’m thrilled the Rays are giving me such a great opportunity,” said Solondz. “I’ve certainly enjoyed the past eight years with the Bulls a great deal, and I’m excited about the chance to join the tremendous broadcast team of Andy Freed and Dave Wills.”
“Neil will be a great addition to our radio team,” said Rays Senior Vice President Mark Fernandez. “Not only is he an accomplished broadcaster, his tenure as the voice of the Durham Bulls will allow him to offer Rays fans unique and in-depth commentary throughout the season.”
“Neil has been an invaluable member of the Bulls staff for the past eight years as both a salesperson and more notably as our play-by-play announcer,” said Bulls General Manager Mike Birling. “Many of his radio calls will forever be part of our rich history.”
In addition to the pre- and postgame show, Solondz will contribute to the “This Week in Rays Baseball” radio show during the regular season and will host Rays Watch Parties and community appearances throughout the year.
Prior to his tenure with the Bulls, Solondz broadcast minor league games for the Lakewood BlueClaws (Philadelphia Phillies) and Quad City River Bandits (Minnesota Twins). He also has done freelance play-by- play of college football for ESPN3 and has worked for the North Carolina State University, Rutgers University and Delaware State University radio networks.
-news release
If the Tar Heels could play like they did during a six-minute stretch in the second half when they outscored Nicholls State 23-1, this could be a special season. But overall, the Heels didn’t look special in a 99-49 victory.
They’ll have to shoot better against Texas Wednesday because the Heels will not get 31 offensive rebounds against the Longhorns. Plus, they can’t leave points at the free throw line against good teams. Carolina hasn’t shot well from the line all year, coming into the game hitting just 65 percent, but the Heels managed only 21 of 41 free throws against Nicholls St.
Coach Williams said there isn’t much to say about free throw shooting. He compared it to talking about putting in golf. The more you think about it, the worse you do. But he did have the Heels shoot some extra free throws yesterday, something he said must have been a mistake.
For more on the Nicholls State game, please click here.
The N.C. State basketball team had a chance to make a statement against No. 1 Syracuse and, after the first few minutes, appeared to have a chance to beat the Orangemen. Unfortunately, the Wolfpack, which led by eight early, fell by 16, 88-72 at home.
This was the first time a nonconference No. 1 had come to Raleigh since February 1979 and the fans were ready for it. The Vegas odds had Syracuse as 7.5 point favorites and many were expecting the Pack to cover. But after getting out to an emotional eight-point lead, Syracuse’s Dion Waiters scored 10 points during a game-changing 23-0 run.
Syracuse led 47-33 at the half but the Wolfpack, behind C.J. Williams who scored a career-high 25 points, went on a 13-1 run to get the Pack back in it. State even tied it twice in the second half but, despite a wild crowd, Waiters, who scored a career-high 22 points, again hit big shots to keep State at bay. An 11-2 Orangemen run gave them a cushion.
Unfortunately for the Pack, the final score looks much worse than the game. The Wolfpack played well enough to make a bit of a statement but they needed to keep the final score closer.
Anytime you get up by 29 points, you shouldn’t end up winning by only 15 as the Tar Heels did in a 97-82 victory over Appalachian State. If the game had ended at 75-46, Tar Heels fans may have been happier. But it’s still early in the season and Carolina will learn from it.
Plus, exam week does take something out of you. Eleven players had tests the day before the game.
Tyler Zeller’s 31-point effort can’t just be attributed to playing a smaller team because Appalachian has a couple of guys over 6-foot-10. He just had a good night. Even he laughed at a lucky shot that he put up that bounced around and went in.
For more on the game, please click here.
UNC Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach Steve Robinson, speaking to the Raleigh Sports Club this week, said he was not quite sure he was going to win the recruiting battle for Harrison Barnes with Duke University. Speaking to a crowd of approximately 185 attendees, Robinson said things looked bleak when he saw Barnes attending a UNC-Duke game at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Barnes was attending as a guest of the Blue Devils during Barnes’ senior year in high school.
“I looked up behind the Duke bench and saw him wearing a Blue Devil shirt,” Robinson said. “I told coach (Roy Williams) that I did not know if we would get him. His mother assured me that he would make a visit to UNC.”
Robinson said Barnes’ mother held to her word and as everyone knows the highly recruited basketball player selected the Heels over the Blue Devils. Barnes decision has paid huge dividends to the team’s success.
Robinson went on to describe the unique experience of playing Michigan State on the USS Carl Vinson. He indicated that the weather, pregame festivities and meeting the President of the United States made it much more difficult to prepare for the game than normal.
The former Florida State head coach commented that Barnes, John Henson and Kendall Marshall have been the team’s top performers this season. He noted that Henson continues to improve each season and that Marshall has had four 15 assist games.
“That is the first time in UNC basketball history that has happened,” Robinson emphasized.
When asked by a member of the audience about UNC center Tyler Zeller playing “soft” in the post thus far, Robinson commented that Zeller just “needs to play better” and that he did not know if “soft” was the correct way to describe Zeller’s play. On the academic side, Robinson proudly pointed out that Zeller is an “academic All-American scholar athlete” for his performance in the classroom.
“College basketball is alive and well,” Robinson said when asked about the early season upsets that have seen four different teams hold the #1 position in the rankings. “The atmosphere for the UNLV and Kentucky games were NCAA tournament like environments. They were played on their home courts,” Robinson pointed out.
To help you learn more about the Raleigh Sports Club, the club has released a new professionally produced membership promotional video. To watch the video click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UePabzdajM. The RSC has added several prominent speakers to its schedule. Please visit www.raleighsportsclub.org for news and postings as it is updated regularly.
– Greg Pierce
The Carolina Hurricanes came from behind to defeat the Vancouver Canucks 4-3 at home last night.
