News sports 2008-08-17 Andanh.com

WKU football: Defense dominates Sat, 16 Aug 2008 21:50:18 -0500
If there’s anything to take away from Western Kentucky’s first full-length scrimmage of fall camp Saturday, it’s that the Hilltopper defense is back. After limping through a spring session that saw the offense dominate nearly every scrimmage, the WKU defense has gradually turned on lately. Through nearly 100 plays Saturday, the Hilltopper offense crossed the goal line just once, leaving virtually every player in the defensive red jersey with a smile on his face. “As a defensive unit, we were obviously thrilled with our performance today,” senior defensive end Dan Cline said. “Out of 96 plays, they scored just once - and ratios really don’t get much better than that in college football.” With the health of the defense improving every day, defenders seemed energized from the start, flying to the ball on every snap and never allowing any of the WKU offensive combinations to find a rhythm. WKU coach David Elson said he was happy with the defensive performance, but cautioned that the showing might not have been as powerful as it appeared. “When you just look at getting in the end zone, yeah (they were good), but I don’t think it was quite as dominating as it maybe appeared to be,” Elson said. “Our quarterbacks are a big part of our run game, and not having them live makes a difference - so we can’t get any false sense of satisfaction there. “But we’re playing with better technique up front. It seemed like a good day. I liked the way everybody came out and competed ... it was guys just going out and really trying to improve and do their job.” The defense earned just one turnover - a leaping sideline interception by redshirt freshman safety Mark Santoro - but there were several near interceptions and pass deflections. “We gave them last night off and took them all to the water park. Maybe that helped them - I think everybody was energized,” Elson said. “We kept things very simple defensively and I think it showed that it pays off, we just let guys go out and play. “The thing I really liked was that we got some tackles for losses. We talk all the time about being good on first down and putting people in long-yard situations, and if we can continue to do that defensively, then we’ll be in good shape.” Offensively, the positives appeared to be few. None of the three quarterbacks vying for the starting job - K.J. Black, David Wolke or Brandon Smith - seemed to distinguish himself. “It came down to, I think, that we could have made some more plays here and there when we needed them,” Wolke said. “We just couldn’t consistently make plays and convert on third down, and that’s something we really have to work on. “It’s all little stuff, man, it’s stuff that can be corrected and will be corrected throughout camp.” Statistically, Wolke finished 6-for-12 with 59 yards through the air, while Black went 8-for-14 for 80 yards. When asked if nerves were a factor due to the ongoing quarterback battle, Black shrugged it off, saying all three are used to this situation. “We’ve been doing this since we’ve been here,” Black said. “They’ve always told us that we’re competing basically every day, there is no for sure job for anybody and I don’t think nerves had anything to do with it.” Elson maintained that had the scrimmage included live hitting with the quarterbacks, things might have ended a little differently. He added that the coaches must review the film to truly evaluate all three quarterbacks’ performances. “I absolutely have no idea, it’s hard to evaluate coming right off the field,” Elson said. “The film will tell, and then we’ll look at the numbers as well.” Higgins plays, Bullard exits While senior inside linebacker Alonzo Higgins saw his first official contact of fall practice - involving himself on several tackles - sophomore inside backer Chris Bullard was taken out of the scrimmage early with a shoulder injury. Elson didn’t know the extent of Bullard’s injury after the scrimmage, but Bullard was seen in a sling with an ice bag around his left shoulder. Also in a sling was defensive tackle Jon Belcher, but Elson said Belcher is fine and should return Monday. “Belcher we knew about. He had some surgery on a nerve issue in his hand - he’ll be fine and back Monday with a club on,” Elson said. “Bullard had a shoulder issue, we’re not sure exactly the extent of it yet but we’ll find out.” Other notables who were inactive Saturday were cornerback Marcus Minor (ankle) and running back Andrew McCloud (leg).

Selig: Football key to WKU’s future Sat, 16 Aug 2008 21:50:18 -0500
The 2007-08 athletic season at Western Kentucky was among the most successful in university history. The Hilltoppers won 10 Sun Belt Conference championships, more than any other NCAA Division I school. Six programs qualified for NCAA postseason competition, including volleyball, baseball, women’s basketball and men’s basketball - which advanced to its first Sweet 16 in 15 years. WKU athletic director Wood Selig is entering his 10th season on the Hill this month. He has overseen a period of rapid change in Hilltopper sports, highlighted this fall by the expansion of Houchens-Smith Stadium as WKU football continues its transition into becoming a full NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly I-A) member. Selig spoke last week with Daily News sports editor Daniel Pike about the growth of Hilltopper athletics, how I-A football benefits the entire athletic department, the Sun Belt Conference, minor league baseball and why there could be still more changes on campus. This interview has been edited for length and for clarity. Question: Your thoughts on the 2007-08 season, and are there certain things that stick out to you? Answer: Last season a couple factors really stick out in my mind. One was just the overall championship effort that all of our student-athletes and coaches gave. To win 10 conference championships out of only 18 possible championships is just remarkable. As we dissected the SEC and Georgia with five championships, the ACC with Virginia with six championships, it was obvious to us at that point what a remarkable accomplishment our programs enjoyed. It’ll be hard to duplicate in the future. Can WKU do better than 10 next year? That’s certainly a goal that will be put out in front of all of our programs. That was one, and secondly, academically. We just had our spring academic report card turned in and we had 12 of our 20 (counting men’s soccer at the time) teams have a better than 3.0 semester last year. Over half of them have a 3.0 cumulative average for their teams. Then the fact that over the last 10 years we’ve graduated 87 percent of our student-athletes who’ve completed their eligibility. Q: You’ve said the 10 conference championships will be hard to duplicate, but the goal is to get close to that every year. What has to happen in order for that to be the case, and do you feel like it is happening now? A: I feel like the role of our university and athletic administration is to put our programs, our coaches, our student-athletes in position to win championships. You do that by providing them with first-class facilities, with budgets that are strong relative to conference competition and perhaps even comparative to some of the nation’s elite. There’s a commitment of resources that goes along with that. And then supporting our programs philosophically. Being in support of the values of intercollegiate athletics and everything that is derived from participation and competition by the student-athlete, by the student body, by the community. Q: Let’s talk about men’s basketball - the Sweet 16, the fact that you guys have said that being a consistent top 25-type program is a goal. So that sort of run is presumably something you’d like to see happen a little more often. You mentioned budgets - what changes money-wise, budget-wise are going on in that program to help with that? A: First we’ve got a brand-new (E.A.) Diddle Arena with an outstanding weight room and auxiliary gym space. As we finish the construction of our football stadium, we added a 10,000-square-foot weight room, a training room that’s going to take a lot of pressure off of the Diddle Arena facilities and allow sports to enjoy the new facilities over in the football stadium. That will give basketball and volleyball a primary tenant status in Diddle Arena. It will become more of a basketball facility with obvious markings in the weight room, in the auxiliary gym, so I think there will be greater visibility and prominence by basketball in Diddle Arena now. Houchens Industries has definitely jumped on board, not only with the football stadium, but with our basketball program. In large part to their financial commitment last year, WKU men’s basketball was televised every single game, home and road (by the Hilltopper Sports Satellite Network). It was on Fox College Sports in 53 million homes, and don’t forget the men’s basketball (selection) committee was able to get all of our games. So that financial commitment to television is a huge impact in the visibility of our program. We will have a financial windfall from “The Shot.” With Ty Rogers winning the dramatic last-second shot to propel us over Drake and help us get to that Sweet 16 level, the way the Sun Belt Conference’s revenue-sharing policy works, that was a $450,000 benefit to WKU to support our men’s basketball efforts. So there will be some additional funding that will be made available. Q: Are plans in place again for the same or a similar television package for basketball this year? A: Well, just like anything, you want to grow from the previous year. We want to somehow find a way to further the Hilltopper Sports Satellite Network. We’re in great shape with our Fox College Sports partner, but if there’s a way to further the penetration of those telecasts, we’d like to try to do that, as well as in the commonwealth of Kentucky. Q: After the Sweet 16 run, has there been greater interest from or more discussions with, say, ESPN about televising men’s basketball games? A: I don’t know that we’ve necessarily seen it from that standpoint, because a lot of it runs through our conference. But I think where we’ve seen it is that we’ve talked seriously with Gonzaga, we’re talking to Arkansas, Mississippi State, Davidson, Xavier, Wake Forest - these are serious conversations about home-and-home games. Not playing one, get bought, go there, or not a two-for-one. They’re serious conversations. When you look at Gonzaga, Southern Illinois, Xavier - schools love to play them, because if you are lucky to beat them, that’s a heck of a win. And if you don’t have success against them, nobody in their right mind would come close to saying, “How did you let them beat you?” So it’s a great opponent. WKU, in the eyes of the overwhelming majority of college basketball, is now a great opponent, because it’s a Sweet 16 team. Q: Football. With the renovated stadium, with the (largely FBS) schedule, it’s going to be the big story this fall. There was a time when it would have been hard to believe football might be a bigger story than basketball. A: I have not been associated with WKU for its entirety, but I can’t help but think that this is one of the most exciting times to be a part of WKU athletics with everything that is in front of us. The transition to I-A and what that means, not just for football. That’s going to be a tremendous asset for all of our programs. (WKU women’s basketball coach) Mary Taylor Cowles tells about going into a recruit’s home and after a while they said, “Now are you Division II or are you Division I?” I think so much of an individual’s perception of an athletic program is determined by whether or not that school is a I-A school or I-AA. I think we’re going to start to be known by the company we keep. That company is going to be the likes of North Carolina, Indiana, Army, Kentucky, Virginia Tech on a regular basis, because those are the types of schools that we will be playing in football. Another case of football helping other programs: With the Virginia Tech game, we are talking to Virginia Tech about doing a home-and-home basketball series as a result of that opportunity from football. I think football is going to enhance all of our 19 sports. Q: You mentioned North Carolina. A: We don’t have anything with them, but we’ve talked to them seriously about a home-and-home in football. Q: Coach (David) Elson is in season-prep mode and he doesn’t like talking about the football schedule as a whole. But what does the schedule and the level of teams you’ll be playing do from a perception standpoint? I know there are financial benefits as well. A: It puts us in an entirely different neighborhood. We’re going to be on the ticker every week. We’re going to be playing top 25 programs. We’re going to be on ESPN SportsCenter. The program’s going to get a lot more notoriety and visibility than it’s ever had. We felt in 2008, this is our second year of transition. We’re still not competing for a conference championship. The NCAA won’t allow you to, and we still are not bowl eligible. You’re kind of in no-man’s land. You’re truly an independent. You’re competing for pride, so part of the thought process was to challenge ourselves. These are the games and the type of opponents that every 18-, 19-, 20-year-old wants to measure themselves against. It can certainly help us with recruiting, notwithstanding the financial benefit that comes from several of the games that we’ve scheduled. We can invest in the long-term growth of WKU football. Q: After the baseball team’s NCAA Tournament appearance, it would stand to reason that next season might be one of increased fan interest. But we’ve also got a new minor league team in town. Do you think there will be a competition factor? A: I’m not so worried about the competition factor. There may be a little bit of that from a corporate partner standpoint or a season-ticket holder standpoint. But as far as I can see, the minor league team will only elevate the profile of baseball in this market. You look at the success of our Little League, with a local team almost making the Little League World Series, and I think we’ve been flying under the radar from a publicity and recognition standpoint. We play in one of the top baseball conferences in America, and we’ve won the conference championship twice in the last four years, yet we’ve had a challenge drawing consistently to our facility. I think minor league baseball could be a tremendous asset for WKU baseball, by getting people thinking and attending baseball earlier than just the minor league season. Q: Have there been discussions about WKU using the minor league park for events? A: They’ve indicated that if we have a big series that maybe we’re afraid that it’s going to exceed the capacity of Nick Denes (Field), we could “take it downtown.” Or if we have a single game and we want to put 4,000 or 5,000 people in, they’ve been very accommodating in letting us know that, “Hey, we’re here for you.” Q: This is a question you probably get all the time. Do you think about whether the Sun Belt is the best place for Western? A: Yeah, probably every day. And not from a dissatisfaction standpoint, but from a standpoint of wanting the Sun Belt to reach its maximum potential and wanting all the members within the league to reach their maximum potential that I think all of us know can be accomplished. That’s why the CEOs a year ago passed a membership standards document that calls for specific accountability by every one of the Sun Belt Conference member institutions pertaining to attendance, pertaining to the marketing and the funding of the core sports within our league. Let’s lock arms and let’s agree to hold each other accountable, because no one can hold the Sun Belt down perhaps more than our own institutions can. So let’s not be our own enemy. We’ve got enough of those on the outside; there don’t need to be any internally. So let’s take a I-A conference and let’s see if we can’t start climbing the ladder and start picking off some of the other I-A leagues. I love the footprint of the conference. It’s a southeastern footprint. We’re kind of a mirror image of the SEC. We talk internally that (we should) try and be what the (Mid-American Conference) is to the Big Ten. The MAC is a very well respected conference that happens to match the Big Ten footprint. We want to do the same thing with the SEC. We’re in the Sun Belt. We’re in the growth belt. We’re where recruits are born and bred. We’re where the population is moving. We’re where fans can be outside and enjoying the sports almost year-round. I think our best days are still ahead as a conference. Q: So you would rather see the Sun Belt grow and develop instead of leaving for a “bigger” conference? A: Well, I would like to know what, quote-unquote, a bigger conference is. Because we’re not going to the SEC. The Big East, need to see what happens there, but if something breaks there, who knows? It’s going to be rats off the ship from all conferences in that regard. What is a bigger conference? Is it Conference USA? I’d say that we’re every bit as good, if not better, than Conference USA. Is it the (Western Athletic Conference)? The MAC? Everybody wants to recruit in Florida, and we’ve got two schools in Florida that we play twice a year across all sports. I think the biggest handcuff right now within our conference (is) perhaps the funding of programs across the board. I think there’s a direct correlation - the more you invest, the greater your success. We’re now starting to see so many of our conference schools really start to increase their investment and commitment to their intercollegiate programs. That’s why I think in a few short years the Sun Belt is really poised to make some noise among the 11 I-A conferences. If we get Florida Atlantic and Florida International really, really healthy and turn those programs into absolute beasts overall, and WKU continues to do what we have been able to do over the last five to 10 years, now from top to bottom you take away a lot of your weak links and you turn them into powers and you become one of those power conferences. Florida Atlantic is certainly getting it done in football, and I think we could become a football destination conference, a lot more so than some other conferences. Q: Can being a power football conference carry the load for the entire athletic program in ways that Sun Belt basketball can’t? A: Absolutely. When you look at the revenue potential, men’s and women’s basketball has just a finite amount of revenue potential still available given the strong support that we currently enjoy. If we can sell maybe 1,000 more season tickets, we’re going to be close to sold out. The luxury boxes are sold out. So your ability to drive HAF donations and ticket revenue through your basketball facility is approaching capacity. Football on the other hand, with 22,000 or 23,000 seats, with the stadium club, everything associated with football ... absolutely represents the greatest financial potential that WKU athletics has, as well as visibility. That’s going to be the key to our future - the success of our football program and the level of support that we’re able to gather from our community. Q: Do you step back and think about all the physical changes and athletic improvements, and how much further do you want to go? A: I guess I’m lucky that (WKU) President (Gary) Ransdell never showed me my office during my official interview. I had no idea where my office would be; I knew that Diddle Arena needed some major attention. There were positive things that could be done, but it was going to take some effort. So it’s been a lot of work, it’s been a ton of heavy lifting, but we’ve had great leadership. ... We still say around here our best days are ahead of us. We’re going to be able to sit back and enjoy some of the fruits of our labor in regard to the facility upgrades, in regard to the dynamic young coaches we’ve been able to attract and retain. Ultimately, facility-wise, we want to get the clubhouse (completed) for baseball, we’d like to complete our track complex with concession stands, scoreboard, lights. ... And at some point we’re going to have to start talking about an indoor football (practice) facility. I think if we want to get serious at the I-A football level, we’re going to have to have some type of indoor facility. It certainly can be multi-purpose in that you can practice baseball and track inside, but the overwhelming support would be directed toward our football program. Those are some of our future facility projects that I am starting to think about and turn some attention to as we check off Diddle Arena, football stadium, baseball field. Track is halfway there. Soccer, softball in pretty good shape right now, but I’d love to have a soccer/softball coaches’ office/locker room complex that perhaps we’d build into that modest parking area between the two fields. Ideally one day they could have that as their permanent home. So we’re not going to check the football stadium off and start going home early every afternoon.

Minor league home opener April 17 vs. Kannapolis Sat, 16 Aug 2008 21:50:19 -0500
The Bowling Green minor league baseball team will hold its inaugural opening night April 17 against the Kannapolis (N.C.) Intimidators, team officials announced Saturday. The home opener is the first of 70 home games in 2009 for the Class A affiliate of Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays. The Bowling Green franchise, which will play in the South Atlantic League, released the home schedule to give baseball fans a chance to plan ahead for next summer. Bowling Green general manager and CEO Brad Taylor said he expects the announcement to spark added excitement about the new franchise. “People should know that will be a historical date - the first professional baseball game in Bowling Green,” Taylor said. “Hopefully, everybody is going to be locked in on that. It’s a Friday, a great weekend event. I think it is very exciting to have the first date and opponent set. It shows how real it is.” Bowling Green will welcome 12 opponents to its new stadium during the 2009 season, playing 42 games against Southern Division rivals and 28 against Northern Division clubs. Bowling Green’s Southern Division rival Lexington Legends, a Class A affiliate of the Houston Astros, will make the most appearances, with nine games being played in Bowling Green. “I think that is going to be a lot of fun to have a Bluegrass rivalry,” Taylor said. “It’s a short drive for both teams. It’s division play. I think that is going to be fun for fans of both cities.” In addition to Lexington, Bowling Green’s breakdown against other Southern Division teams includes eight games against the Charleston (S.C.) RiverDogs (New York Yankees), seven meetings with the Greenville (S.C.) Drive (Boston Red Sox), six match-ups with the Asheville (N.C.) Tourists (Colorado Rockies) and four games apiece against the Hickory (N.C.) Crawdads (Pittsburgh Pirates), the Lake County (Ohio) Captains (Cleveland Indians) and the Savannah (Ga.) Sand Gnats (New York Mets). Bowling Green will host both the Augusta (Ga.) GreenJackets (San Francisco Giants) and West Virginia Power (Milwaukee Brewers) eight times. The Hagerstown (Md.) Suns (Washington Nationals), Kannapolis (Chicago White Sox) and Rome (Ga.) Braves (Atlanta Braves) each will play a four-game series at Bowling Green. Those five teams are all members of the North Division in the South Atlantic League. Bowling Green will have several home games on holidays, including a Fourth of July matchup with Augusta. “I think it is great when you can be home on days like that. It will be a tremendous help for tickets. The Fourth of July is always a big weekend,” Taylor said. “What’s better on the Fourth of July than watching baseball and fireworks.” Bowling Green will start on the road April 9, giving officials a chance to put the finishing touches on the downtown stadium, which is under construction. The Bowling Green team’s road schedule has not been released. “It’s nice that we get a chance to get a couple of extra days to get the stadium open, to continue to build the excitement and get people ready for Bowling Green baseball,” Taylor said. The Bowling Green team is still accepting deposits for season tickets and luxury suites at www.BowlingGreenProBaseball.com or by calling 901-2121. Full-season tickets are $595, and deposits can be made for $100 a seat. Ticket sales began in late May and Taylor said the team is pleased with the response. Still, he expects a boost following Saturday’s announcement. “I think every time a new story happens with the team, we see a spike in sales,” Taylor said. “It’s been a lot of fun to watch people’s point of reality change as I got named to work there. Then all the sudden we had a name-the-team contest and now we have a schedule. “Monday the link goes live to vote on the final seven names. People have driven downtown and seen the progress on the stadium construction. I think all of this just reinforces that it is really here and really going to happen.”

The great outdoors: Pay attention when choosing a good tent Sat, 16 Aug 2008 21:50:19 -0500
Whenever I look at my old tent set up deep in the woods, or along the bank of a winding brook, I cannot help but smile at the comforting sight. For more than a decade it has been my home away from home, a welcome sight at the end of the day and a joy to wake up to the following morning. However, the years have taken their toll. Recently, as I sat staring at the faded and threadbare assembly, which I consider more of an old friend than a piece of equipment, I realized the time for the tent’s retirement is very near. It is a worrisome dilemma, much akin to trading in your old truck for a new one - you know that what you’ve had for so long is quality, but there is certainly no guarantee the new one is going to live up to its predecessor. Nonetheless, I’ve been slowly investigating my beloved shelter’s replacement and have been impressed by the improvements that have sprung up over the past 10 years. There seems to be a tent tailored for everyone nowadays, and I already have a short list that meet my individual desires. But everybody has different criteria for what kind of tent they will ultimately purchase. No matter who is buying the tent and for whatever activities, one thing remains constant - a tent is one of those products where a person gets what he or she pays for. When you depreciate the cost of a quality tent out over the period of time it is going to be used, paying a little extra for reliability and comfort is worth it. A cheap tent is only going to end up ruining a much-anticipated trip and ultimately find its final resting place on the curb, waiting for the garbage truck. Regardless of the size of your family and the fact you may only set up your tent once a year in the backyard to cook s’mores, or if you spend four weeks a year hiking and climbing, there are a few attributes that I believe everyone needs to consider. Few things are more frustrating than a tent that is hard to set up, and in my experience most of this is a result of the flimsy, Fiberglas poles that fit together in sections and are supposed to stay together while being pushed through long loops of material. Purchasing a tent with metal, usually aluminum, poles using a clip-assembly system will almost guarantee easy setup by either one or two happy campers. A tent that is soggy both inside and out is virtually useless; therefore, careful attention needs to be paid to the sealed seams and the size of the rainfly, which protects you from the elements. Personally, I like a tent with a one-piece bathtub bottom that keeps water from entering, in addition to a full-coverage fly. Once I woke to the sound of ripping nylon in the wee hours of the morning only to see my friend’s pocket knife making an impromptu door in the side of a tent he had only bought the day before. He had to relieve himself, badly, and the zipper on the door was stuck. Zippers are usually the first thing to go bad on a tent, so always check if the zipper on a prospective tent works well and appears up to the job of going back and forth a few thousand times. Finally, think long and hard before choosing the size of your tent. Enjoy hiking with your wife and pet Irish wolfhound? You’re probably going to need at least a four-person tent to comfortably accommodate gear, dog and couple. Choose a tent with plenty of room, because when a tent manufacturer states the number of persons who can sleep inside, they are not taking into account belongings, save for maybe a sleeping bag and a pack of Nabs. Taking the time to research different brands and models of tents will pay off down the road - or in the woods. — Geordon T. Howell is outdoors columnist for the Daily News. He can be reached by e-mailing highbrasshowell@yahoo.com.

Two holes-in-one at area golf courses Sat, 16 Aug 2008 21:50:20 -0500
Mike Thorne recorded a hole-in-one Aug. 8 at The Trace at Bays Fork Golf Course in Alvaton. Thorne aced the par-three, 111-yard 16th hole with a sand wedge. The shot was witnessed by J.C. Connister, Mike Durchek, Andy Wilgrubber and Jay Yates. On Aug. 6, Ashlyn Smith aced the 145-yard eighth hole at Paul Walker Golf Course with an 8-iron. The shot was witnessed by Josh Edwards. Potter wins A Flight at BGCC event The Bowling Green Country Club had a Ladies Day Low Net competition on Thursday. Paula Potter won the A Flight. Brenda Wallace was first in the B Flight, followed by Ruth Anne Bell. Shirley Scott won the C Flight. Chip-ins were recorded by Nancy Carwell, Barbara Smith and Belinda Jefferson. Parks and Rec facilities to close temporarily Monday The Kummer/Little Recreation Center and the F.O. Moxley Community Center will both be closed Monday through Aug. 29 to resurface the gymnasium floors. The facilities will reopen Sept. 2. — For more information, call Bowling Green Parks and Recreation at 393-3249. Dodgeball registration under way Bowling Green Parks and Recreation is accepting registration through Sept. 4 for its dodgeball league. The Open Division will accept the first eight teams to sign up. Teams may have a maximum of 15 players. The registration fee is $50 per team. Play begins Sept. 18 at the Kummer/Little Recreation Center. — For more information, call Bowling Green Parks and Recreation at 393-3249.

High-profile breakdowns expose racing's dark side Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:41:00 EST
Why do so many horses suffer often-fatal injuries, and what can be done to prevent them? Today The Courier-Journal begins a three-day series to dissect four major areas that together may lead to solutions.

Phelps wins record eighth gold medal Sun, 17 Aug 2008 02:27:00 EST
Michael Phelps won his record eighth gold medal of the Beijing Games to become the grandest of Olympic champions.

Jeffersonville Little Leaguers fall; play again this afternoon Sun, 17 Aug 2008 03:08:00 EST
Drew Ellis pitched a no-hitter and Austin Hines homered, yet somehow it wasn't enough to give Jeffersonville's George Rogers Clark baseball team a victory in its Little League World Series opener. Hagerstown, Md., took advantage of an error and a series of wild pitches and got some outstanding defense to edge Jeffersonville 3-2 yesterday at Volunteer Stadium.

Give Speedo some credit for making waves Sun, 17 Aug 2008 02:30:00 EST
Michael Phelps, perhaps you've heard, is the star of the Olympics. But I want to talk about the Best Supporting Actor. That award goes to a swimsuit. Speedo's LZR Racer, in fact, has been with Phelps every stroke of the way. I'd say the suit is making waves -- but its low-friction material barely even makes bubbles.

Bolt cruises to record in 100 Sun, 17 Aug 2008 02:31:00 EST
From the beginning, this was a serious affair only to everyone else. On the day Usain Bolt and the two other fastest men in history were scheduled to meet in a widely anticipated Olympic 100-meter dash, Bolt rolled out of bed an hour before noon and skipped breakfast.

It's good news, bad news Sun, 17 Aug 2008 02:29:00 EST
Hagerstown, Md., took advantage of an error and a series of wild pitches and got some outstanding defense to edge Jeffersonville 3-2 yesterday at Volunteer Stadium.

Here's the catch: not many catches Sun, 17 Aug 2008 02:27:00 EST
Scott Long is well-aware that many fans question the readiness of the University of Louisville's receiving corps. It doesn't make him mad. It's not really the source of motivation, either. He encourages others to keep thinking that way.

'Ohio State all the way' for Whiting Sun, 17 Aug 2008 02:23:00 EST
Trinity High School linebacker Jordan Whiting announced his decision to attend Ohio State University last fall and plans to sign in February. But that hasn't stopped other schools, including the University of Louisville and the University of Kentucky, from calling.

Earnhardt aiming to notch season sweep at Michigan Sun, 17 Aug 2008 02:23:00 EST
Sprint Cup drivers typically get into the sport for the speed. But feathering the gas pedal to save gas is a regular -- and dreaded -- part of their jobs. Michigan International Speedway is one of the places where fuel economy often comes into play.

Coleman thrilled to make Cup debut Sun, 17 Aug 2008 02:23:00 EST
If Brad Coleman could get away with it, he would wear his new Sprint Cup uniform a whole lot more. "It's a good-looking suit," the 20-year-old said yesterday, less than 24 hours before he was to make his Sprint Cup debut in the No. 96 Hall of Fame Racing Toyota. "I want to wear it all the time, but I don't want to look like an idiot."

Jockey Lebron sweeps stakes at Ellis Park Sun, 17 Aug 2008 02:09:00 EST
The 4-year-old filly Swift Temper, who had lost 10 straight races, might have been a long shot at 21-1 in yesterday's $150,000 Gardenia Handicap at Ellis Park. But jockey Victor Lebron certainly was not, as he guided Swift Temper to a 41/2-length romp over Marquee Delivery in the Grade III stakes.

Proud Spell wins Alabama Stakes Sun, 17 Aug 2008 02:09:00 EST
Proud Spell won the $600,000, Grade I Alabama Stakes for 3-year-old fillies yesterday at Saratoga, beating Music Note by a head. Proud Spell caught leader Little Belle at the quarter pole, then held off the charge from Music Note down the stretch.

Horse show 'performers' ready to rock Sun, 17 Aug 2008 02:07:00 EST
The music of Brooks & Dunn, Vanessa Hudgens, Brad Paisley, Jewel and ZZ Top reverberated around Freedom Hall the past three nights. For some, that was the show. For others, it was simply the warmup. The real show starts tonight on an 18-inch-deep cushion of dirt, with an organist playing and flash bulbs providing the light show.

PREP BASEBALL: Elizabethtown upends Central Hardin Thu, 1 May 2008 23:03:08 -0500
ELIZABETHTOWN What a difference two weeks can make.

PREP BASEBALL: John Hardin sweeps North Hardin Thu, 1 May 2008 23:03:06 -0500
RADCLIFF It’s been said that hitting is contagious and the John Hardin Bulldogs certainly had a bad case of it spread through the team Thursday night.

PREP SOFTBALL: Krupinski, Central Hardin shut out John Hardin Thu, 1 May 2008 23:03:06 -0500
CECILIA Having been shut out in their previous two games, the Central Hardin Lady Bruins were in a little bit of a funk.

PREP SOFTBALL/BASEBALL ROUNDUP: Lady Panthers fall; Mayfield moves to 7-1 Thu, 1 May 2008 23:03:07 -0500
The slumping Elizabethtown Lady Panthers lost for the 10th time in 13 games, falling to visiting Warren Central on Thursday, 3-1.

BOYS'/GIRLS' PREP TENNIS RESULTS: Thursday's Matches Thu, 1 May 2008 23:03:07 -0500
Results from Thursday's area high school tennis matches:

Phelps wins record eighth Olympic gold medal
Capping an unlikely journey from suburban Baltimore to worldwide Olympic stardom, Michael Phelps won his eighth gold medal at the Beijing Olympics Sunday.

Chinese Dir