Honorable Mention: Golf-PGA Tour Northern Trust Open (Thursday & Friday 3pm live on Golf Channel, Saturday & Sunday 3pm live on CBS. All golf from Pacific Palisades, CA), Champions Tour ACE Group Classic (Friday & Saturday 6:30pm Sunday 7pm from Naples, FL on Golf Channel), Honda LPGA Thailand (Thursday & Friday 12:30pm Saturday & Sunday 3pm from Chonburi, Thailand on Golf Channel); Women’s College Basketball: Duke @ Maryland (Sunday 3pm from Comcast Center live on ESPN2); Soccer: MISL Milwaukee Wave @ Baltimore Blast (Saturday 7:35pm 1st Mariner Arena); Boxing: ShoBox-Thomas Dulorme vs. Jose Reynoso (Friday 11pm from Santa Ynez, CA live on Showtime), Paul Williams vs. Nobuhiro Ishida (Saturday 10pm from Corpus Christi, TX live on Showtime), Friday Night Fights-John Molina vs. Marvin Quintero (Friday 9pm from Arlington, TX live on ESPN2); High School Basketball: Perry Hall @ Hereford (Wednesday 6:30pm); Roller Derby: Charm City Roller Girls (Saturday 5:30pm Du Burns Arena)

10. They Might Be Giants (Friday 7pm Rams Head Live); Hunter Hayes (Wednesday 7pm Recher Theatre), Biohazard (Thursday 7pm Recher Theatre), Less Than Jake (Saturday 7pm Recher Theatre); Gary Puckett and The Union Gap (Thursday & Friday 8pm Rams Head on Stage), America (Saturday 8pm Sunday 7pm Rams Head on Stage), Ben Lee (Monday 8pm Rams Head on Stage); Sleigh Bells (Thursday 7pm 9:30 Club), Mos Def (Monday 7pm 9:30 Club); New Edition (Thursday 7pm Show Place Arena); Peter Frampton (Sunday 8pm Warner Theatre); Amos Lee “As The Crow Flies” available on iTunes/in stores (Tuesday)

I had never heard Hunter Hayes until last week. I don’t like all country music, but I will be forced to admit I enjoy this country music…

Here’s Less Than Jake doing David Cassidy because they can…

I get steamed up for Gary Puckett. Now I miss WQSR…

Other than the fact that he’s talented, Mos Def and I are exactly the same…

9. Royal Comedy Tour feat. Sommore, Tony Rock, Bruce Bruce, Mark Curry, Earthquake (Friday 8pm 1st Mariner Arena); Kevin Hart (Tuesday-Thursday 7pm & 10:30pm Meyerhoff Symphony Hall); Norm MacDonald (Thursday-Sunday DC Improv); Steve Harvey (Friday & Saturday 8pm D.A.R. Constitution Hall); Alonzo Bodden (Tuesday 7pm & 9pm Baltimore Comedy Factory), Tommy Davidson (Thursday-Sunday Baltimore Comedy Factory); Glenn Clark’s Valentine’s Day plans (Tuesday Parts Unknown)

First here’s Norm MacDonald…

Now here’s Jay Mohr doing Norm MacDonald…

And this is the Chocolate Wonderfall my girlfriend and I will enjoy when I take her to Golden Corral Tuesday night like they said I should do in those commercials…

She’s so lucky to have me.

TOWSON, Md. – Senior attack Sean Maguire scored three goals in the final 23 minutes as the Tigers (1-0) rallied from an 8-6 third quarter deficit to pull out a 12-10 win over Jacksonville (0-1) at D.B. Milne Field on Saturday afternoon.

With the victory, the Tigers presented Coach Shawn Nadelen with a win in his coaching debut.

Midway through the third quarter, the Tigers were trailing the Dolphins, 8-6. However, Maguire’s unassisted goal with 7:17 left in the third period ignited a five-goal run that gave the Tigers an 11-8 advantage with 8:23 remaining in the game.

After Maguire made it an 8-7 contest, senior Carl Iacona scored the game-tying goal with 3:53 left in the third quarter off a pass from freshman Justin Mabus, his second assist of the game. With 13:46 remaining in the game, sophomore Thomas DeNapoli scored an unassisted goal to give the Tigers a 9-8 advantage.

When freshman Robby Zoppo added an unassisted goal with 9:32 left, the Tigers upped their lead to 10-8. Maguire tallied his second goal of the game off a pass from Mabus with 8:23 left, giving the Tigers an 11-8 advantage.

Junior midfielder Cameron Mann took a pass from Donovan Lang with 6:48 left in the game to end the Tigers’ scoring spurt and pull the Dolphins to within 11-9. With 4:12 remaining, sophomore defenseman Warren Kalkstein of the Tigers was called for a slashing penalty and Jacksonville had a man advantage. Moments later, junior T.J. Kenary scored off a pass from Max Gurowski to score an extra man goal with 3:54 remaining, pulling Jacksonville to within 11-10.

But, Kalkstein atoned for his penalty by winning the ensuring faceoff. Sophomore Andrew Hodgson picked up the ground ball and fed it to junior Dan Kramer. Kramer passed it to Maguire, who scored only nine seconds after the Dolphins’ goal, giving the Tigers a 12-10 lead with 3:45 left to play.

In the final minutes, the Dolphins managed only one shot, which junior goalkeeper Andrew Wascavage saved. The Tigers were able to run out the clock and win their season opener for the first time since 2007.

Maguire, who scored a career high three goals, led the Tigers with three goals and one assist. DeNapoli added three goals for Towson while Zoppo scored the first two goals of his college career. Kramer had a goal and an assist and junior Matt Hughes also scored a goal with an assist.

Wascavage made eight saves for the Tiger defense as the Tigers forced 11 turnovers.

A third-year program, Jacksonville was led by Ari Waffle, who had three goals and an assist.

The Tigers, who played their season opener on the earliest date ever, return to action next Friday evening when they visit Johns Hopkins University for a 5:00 p.m. start.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Sophomore attackmen Tucker Hull (Charlotte, N.C.) and Sam Jones (Annapolis, Md.) combined to score 17 points, including 11 goals, as the Navy men’s lacrosse team opened the 2012 campaign with a 14-7 victory over VMI on a drizzly Saturday afternoon at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.  Saturday also marked the beginning of the Rick Sowell era at the Naval Academy, as he directed the Midshipmen to their 11th-consecutive victory in a season-opener.

While Navy has enjoyed success in season openers over the years, the Midshipmen came into the season having lost their final five contests of the 2011 campaign, including three in a row at home.

“It feels good to get the first win of the season under our belt,” said Sowell, who became the program’s eighth coach in what marks the 105th year of lacrosse played at the Academy.  “I couldn’t be happier for the guys because I know it’s been awhile coming.  I know for the boys in the locker room, it feels awfully good to experience a winning feeling.”

The beginning stages of the game indicated it could be a long day for Navy, as the Mids gave up a goal just 25 seconds into the game and fell behind 2-0 with 10 minutes to go in the opening period.

Navy, though, put together a 7-0 run, scoring six goals in four-and-a-half minutes.  The run started at 9:38 when Hull found Jones cutting in from the left wing and after a stick fake, Jones put away his first of five goals.  Just 35 seconds later, Jones sent a thank-you pass back to Hull who was standing on the right crease to even the score at 2-2.

The Mids took a lead it would not relinquish at 8:18 in the first quarter when Jones threaded his pass through heavy traffic and found second-year midfielder Pat Durkin (Germantown, Md.) darting in and caught him on the doorstep.  While Durkin saw action in nine of the 13 games a year ago, the goal marked the first of his career.

Navy pushed its lead to 5-2 following back-to-back goals by Hull, who owned a hat trick by the 6:39 mark in the first period.  Meanwhile, Jones gave the Mids a 6-2 lead at the end of the quarter after rocking back-and-forth on the right side of the crease and pumping in a shot that had absolutely no angle, but caught the inside of the pipe.

Navy capped off its 7-0 run and extended its lead to 7-2 just 20 seconds into the second stanza when first-year starting defenseman Austin Miller (Rockville, Md.) sent a clearing pass from the defensive end of the field to sophomore long pole Pat Kiernan (Ridgewood, N.J.) at mid-field.  Kiernan turned and was untouched as he ran straight to the goal, scoring for the first time on the afternoon and second in his career.

After being held without a goal for nearly 12 minutes, the Keydets finally found the back of the net at 13:32 in the second when senior midfielder Keith Long went high to low on Navy keeper RJ Wickham (Penn Yan, N.Y.) from seven yards out.  VMI trimmed the lead to 7-4 when Navy’s Nikk Davis (Cockeysville, Md.) was unable to get to VMI’s Chris Kitchen and the slide came too slow, as Kitchen punched in an unassisted goal at 7:55.

Navy answered with three-straight goals, including two by Hull, to put the game out of reach.

Hull led all goal scorers with six, becoming the first Navy player to reach the six-goal milestone since Taylor Harris put up six against Holy Cross on March 26, 2006, en route to a 17-3 win by the Midshipmen.  Hull added two assists to reach eight points for the first time in his career.

Meanwhile, Jones led all point producers in the game with nine on five goals and four assists.  While both goal and assist marks were career highs for Jones, his nine points were the most by a Navy player since Dennis Nealon scored 12 (4 goals, 8 assists) against Washington College on March 20, 1991.

“They (Hull and Jones) are awfully fun to watch,” said Sowell.  “I found out probably mid-fall that our offense would be geared around these two.  I think  versatility best describes our attack because all three, including Taylor Reynolds (Babylon, N.Y.), can play on the perimeter, off the ball and have good vision.  Tucker and Sam have differing styles, yet they have some similarities.”

“I have to give thanks to the play of our midfielders today,” said Jones, who along with Hull, led the Mids a year ago with 38 points on 23 goals and 15 assists.  “It really all started with their play.  They had a lot of hockey assists that they don’t get credit for, but it’s a true testament to what they can do.”

Meanwhile, it was a solid effort by the Mids’ defensive unit which is still gaining experience.  Although the Mids gave up five goals in the opening half, the defensive unit held the Keydets to just two in the second 30 minutes of play including zero in the final quarter.  Senior Matt Vernam (Shoreham, N.Y.) is in his fourth season as a starter, however Miller and sophomore Nik Mullen (Wading River, N.Y.) are first-year starters and juniors Jay Mann (Cockeysville, Md.) and Cade Norris (Honeoye Falls, N.Y.) continue to adjust to their new roles as short stick defensive midfielders.  Kiernan was the Mids’ primary long pole a year ago and will be a major player for the Mids up top this season.  In addition to showing his versatility as a scorer when the opportunity presents itself, he picked up a team-high tying six ground balls.  Wickham, meanwhile, was held without a save in the opening period, but a four-save effort in the second contributed to his eight for the day.

While senior Logan West (Berlin, Md.) didn’t finish the day winning the faceoff battle, his performance at the beginning of the game contributed greatly to the Mids’ seven-goal run.  West won six of the game’s first nine draws and each of the last two as he faced the nation’s No.-1 ranked faceoff specialist, Stephen Robarge.  VMI won the faceoff battle 15-10, but West surely put the ball in the Mids’ sticks early on to get a jump on the scoreboard.

The Midshipmen will be back in action next Sunday when they travel to Florida to take part in the Moe’s Southwest Classic which will feature Denver vs. Ohio State at 2:00 pm, followed by the Mids against the host Jacksonville Dolphins at 4:00 pm.  Sunday’s contest will be televised live by NBC Sports Network, formerly known as Versus.

2012 Towson University Men’s Lacrosse

Game Notes: Game #1 at Jacksonville

Feb. 11, 2012 | 1 p.m. | Jacksonville, Fla.

TOWSON OPENS SHAWN NADELEN ERA AT JACKSONVILLE SATURDAY

Tigers and Dolphins Meet for First Time Ever in Men’s Lacrosse

Opening Face-Off
Opening their 54th season of college lacrosse, the Tigers will travel to Jacksonville University on Saturday afternoon to face the Dolphins in the first-ever meeting between the two teams. Opening face-off from D.B. Milne Field is set for 1 p.m. The game will be broadcast on TowsonTigers.com and joined in progress on WNST-AM 1570 after the Tiger men’s basketball game against James Madison concludes.

Nadelen to Make Debut as Tigers’ Head Coach
After spending seven years as an assistant coach, including the last two seasons as the associate head coach, Coach Shawn Nadelen will make his head coaching debut when the Tigers travel to Jacksonville on Saturday afternoon. A 2001 graduate of Johns Hopkins University, Nadelen was named as the seventh head coach in the 54-year history of Towson men’s lacrosse on May 31. He replaces Tony Seaman, who posted a 99-93 record in 13 years with the Tigers.

A Quick Look Back at Last Year
The Tigers posted a 3-10 record last year and missed the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament for just the second time since joining the league in 2002. Five of the Tigers’ losses were by a one-goal margin and two of the Tigers’ three wins occurred at Johnny Unitas® Stadium. Junior attackman Matt Hughes was the Tigers’ leading scorer with 18 goals and 6 assists while defenseman Marc Ingerman was a second-team All-CAA selection. 

Scouting the Dolphins
Entering their third season as a Division I program, the Dolphins posted a 5-10 record last year, including a 3-3 mark in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Led by TJ Kenary, the Dolphins advanced to the MAAC semi-finals for the first time in program history before losing to Siena. Kenary scored 21 goals with 7 assists while goalkeeper Peter DeLuca posted an 11.60 goals against average while stopping 50.8 per cent of the shots he faced. Coach Guy Van Arsdale is in his first season at Jacksonville.

Nice to Meet You
The Tigers and the Dolphins will be facing each other for the first time in men’s lacrosse when the two teams meet on Saturday afternoon. Jacksonville is one of two teams that the Tigers will be playing against for the first time; Towson will host Mercer on Mar. 21 at Johnny Unitas® Stadium.

For Openers
The Tigers will be playing in the 54th season opener when they visit the Dolphins on Saturday afternoon. However, the Tigers will be looking to snap a four-game losing streak in season openers after losing a 10-6 decision against Johns Hopkins last year at Unitas Stadium. The Tigers enter the 2012 season with a 23-30 all-time record in season openers.   

For Openers, Part II
Towson first-year Coach Shawn Nadelen is looking to become the fifth coach in the program’s history to open his head coaching tenure with a victory. Of the previous six coaches at Towson, only Bob Melville and Ross Sachs have lost their first game as the Tigers’ coach.    

Nadelen Among Nation’s Youngest Division I Head Coaches
Towson Coach Shawn Nadelen begins his head coaching tenure as one of the youngest head coaches in Division I men’s lacrosse. Nadelen, who will turn 33 on Apr. 16, is one of 12 coaches who are under the age of 40 years old. Marist College Coach Keegan Wilkinson is the youngest head coach in the nation at 27 years old while Robert Morris first-year Coach Andrew McMinn is 29 years old.    

Boys of Winter
Saturday’s game between the Tigers and the Dolphins will mark the earliest start to a season in the 54-year history of the Towson men’s lacrosse program. The previous record for the earliest start in school history occurred last year when the Tigers hosted Johns Hopkins on Feb. 19. It is also the earliest start in the brief history of the Dolphins’ program.   North Caro

Heading Down South
Saturday’s game between the Tigers and the Dolphins will mark the furthest south that Towson has ever traveled for a men’s lacrosse game. Prior to Saturday, the Tigers’ southern-most travel was to North Carolina for games against Duke, N.C. State and North Carolina. The Tigers will fly a total of 735 miles to Jacksonville for the game on Saturday.      

A Friend Turned Foe
When the Tigers open the season on Saturday afternoon, they will be playing against a former Tiger midfielder as Brock Armour, ‘10 is a member of the Jacksonville coaching staff. A four-year letter winner for the Tigers from 2007-10, Armour played in 52 career games and scored 15 goals with 19 assists. As a senior, he played in all 15 games and tallied four goals with 10 assists. Armour, a native of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, is in his first season as a member of the Dolphins’ coaching staff.   

Pack Your Bags
The Tigers will open the season by playing their first three games away from Johnny Unitas® Stadium. It is the first time since the 1994 season that the Tigers have played three straight true road games to open the season (Towson played three games away from home in 2005, but one of them was a neutral site game against Air Force that was played at the University of Denver). In 1994, the Tigers opened the season with three straight road wins at Villanova, Maryland and Penn State.

Close Calls
Of the Tigers’ 13 games last season, 10 of them were decided by four goals or less. In addition, the Tigers played in six one-goal games and lost five of those six contests. Since the start of the 2010 season, the Tigers have played in 22 games that have been decided by four goals or less, including 11 one-goal games.

A Little Something Extra
Senior midfielder Michael Brashears ranked second on the Tigers last year with three extra-man goals, including a pair of extra-man goals against Drexel on Apr. 23 at Vidas Field. In fact, all seven of Brashears’ career goals have been scored in extra-man situations. He scored four extra-man goals as a sophomore, including a pair of extra-man goals against Drexel.

Hughes is Huge for Tigers Away from Home
Junior attackman Matt Hughes enjoyed playing away from Unitas Stadium last year, scoring 11 of his team-high 18 goals in the Tigers’ six road games. He posted a pair of three-goal efforts against Mount St. Mary’s on Mar. 5 and at Navy on Mar. 15. Hughes also had two goals with an assist at Delaware on Mar. 26 before a two-goal performance against Penn State on Apr. 16. It was a large contrast to Hughes’ freshman season when he tallied 11 of his 13 goals at home.

Iacona, Kenyon Named as Tigers’ Team Captains
Senior midfielder Carl Iacona and senior defenseman John Kenyon were named as the Tigers’ 2012 team captains prior to the team’s scrimmage against Albany on Feb. 4 by a vote of the team. Iacona is a two-year letter winner who has played in all 28 games for the Tigers since transferring from St. John’s University after his freshman season. He has scored 14 goals with seven assists in the last two years. Meanwhile, Kenyon is a three-year letter winner who ranked second on the team with 38 ground balls last year. He has played in 42 career games and has 50 ground balls.

Up Next for the Tigers
The Tigers will continue their season-opening three-game road trip next Friday when they travel to second-ranked Johns Hopkins for a 5 p.m. match-up against the Blue Jays. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU and ESPN3.com in addition to airing on WNST-AM 1570. It will mark the 40th all-time meeting between the two teams in a series that Johns Hopkins leads by a 36-3 margin. The Blue Jays earned a 10-6 victory last year at Unitas Stadium in the season opener for both teams.

Johnny Rhodes Named An ACC Tournament Legend

Former Maryland guard one of 12 players selected to 2012 class

    GREENSBORO, N.C.— Johnny Rhodes, one of the most versatile players in Atlantic Coast Conference history, who helped lead Maryland back to national prominence in the mid-1990’s, has been selected to the 2012 class of ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament Legends.

    The 12-man class was announced Tuesday by Commissioner John Swofford and includes a member of the ACC’s 50^th Anniversary basketball team, a National Player of the Year, three former All-Americas, six former All-ACC selections, ten former NBA Draft selections – including six first-round selections – and eight players who combined for 38 years of NBA experience.

    Rhodes, a native of Washington, D.C., is the ACC’s career steals leader and helped Maryland make three NCAA Tournament appearances in his four-year career. He is the only player in ACC history to score over 1,700 points (1,743) with over 700 rebounds (704), 400 assists (437) and 300 steals (344).

    Joining Rhodes in the class are former Wake Forest All-America Randolph Childress (Washington, D.C.), who led the Deacons to the 1995 ACC Championship, and former North Carolina All-America Kenny Smith (Queens, N.Y.), who led the Tar Heels to four straight NCAA Tournament appearances and was named the National Player of the Year by Basketball Times in 1987.

    Also in the class are Boston College’s John Bagley (Stratford, Conn.), who was named a third-team (NABC) All-America in 1982; Clemson’s Sharone Wright (Macon, Ga.), a powerful post player for the Tigers who earned All-ACC honors in 1993 and 1994; Duke’s Kenny Dennard (King, N.C.), one of the key cogs of the Blue Devils 1978 Final Four team who helped lead Duke to ACC titles in 1978 and 1980; Florida State’s James Collins (Jacksonville, Fla), a high-scoring wingman who was a three-time All-ACC selection in 1995, 1996 and 1997; Georgia Tech’s Malcolm Mackey (Chattanooga, Tenn.), a powerful post player who helped lead Georgia Tech to ACC Championships in 1990 and 1993.

    Completing this year’s ACC Legends Class are Miami’s Ron Godfrey (Coral Springs, Fla.), an Honorable Mention All-America forward for the Hurricanes in the 1960’s who also served as head coach for four seasons; NC State’s Todd Fuller (Charlotte, N.C.), a prodigious presence in the paint for the Wolfpack who earned All-ACC honors in 1994, 1995, and 1996; Virginia’s Lee Raker (Louisville, Ky.), a versatile forward who helped lead the Cavaliers to the 1981 NCAA Final Four; and Virginia Tech’s Dale Solomon (Annapolis, Md.), a high-scoring forward who helped lead the Hokies to two NCAA Tournament appearances and one NIT berth.

   The Legends will be honored at this year’s ACC’s Men’s Basketball Tournament at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga., March 8-11. They will be feted at the annual ACC Legends Brunch, which will be held Saturday, March 10, beginning at 10 a.m. at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis Hotel, and, later that day, will be introduced to the Philips Arena crowd at halftime of the first semifinal game. Ticket information for the ACC Legends Brunch is available on the ACC website at theACC.com.

   Rhodes (1992-96), the ACC’s career leader in steals, started four seasons for coach Gary Williams at Maryland, leading the Terrapins back to national prominence. An extremely versatile guard who played point or wing guard, Rhodes is the only player in ACC history to score over 1,700 points (1,743) with over 700 rebounds (704), 400 assists (437) and 300 steals (344). He helped the Terrapins post a 73-49 overall record during his four seasons in College Park, including three straight (1994, 95, 96) appearances in the NCAA Tournament. He was named to the 1993 ACC All-Freshman team, then earned 3^rd-team All-ACC honors as a junior and 2^nd-team All-ACC accolades as a senior in 1996. He still holds the ACC career record for steals per game (2.82), and his 110 steals and 3.7 steals per game in 1996 are still league standards. He totaled 704 rebounds in his career, the third-best mark by an ACC backcourtman, trailing only Georgia Tech’s Bruce Dalrymple (744) and Florida State’s Bob Sura (714). A native of Washington, D.C., Rhodes owns his own construction firm, Rhodes Construction, in the D.C. area, and is working towards starting the Johnny Rhodes Foundation.

   Bagley (1979-82), one of the top playmaking guards in Boston College history, played three seasons for the Eagles for Coach Dr. Tom Davis and led BC to a 64-27 record and one NIT and two NCAA tournament appearances. The first Eagle to earn Big East Player of the Year honors (1980-81), Bagley was an explosive scorer who averaged nearly 18 points per game and led BC in scoring in each of his three seasons at the Heights. A two-time All-Big East selection, he averaged 20.4 points per game in leading the Eagles to the 1980-81 Big East regular-season championship and the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16. The following year, Bagley upped his production to 21.1 points per game and led BC to the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight. He was named to the NCAA all-tournament teams for both the 1981 Mideast Regional and the 1982 Midwest Regional. Bagley left BC after his junior season and was the 12^th overall pick in the first round by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1982 NBA Draft. He enjoyed an 11-year career in the NBA for the Cavaliers, the New Jersey Nets, the Boston Celtics and the Atlanta Hawks. Inducted into the Boston College Varsity Club Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995, he currently resides in Stratford, Conn., and is working to reintroduce athletics into the middle school system of his hometown, Bridgeport, Conn.

   Wright (1991-94), a dominating 6-11 presence in the low post for the teams of Coach Cliff Ellis in the early 1990’s, still ranks 5^th on the ACC’s career list for blocked shots per game (3.13). An Honorable Mention All-America (AP) in 1994, he was one of 20 nominees for the Naismith Award that year. He led the ACC in blocked shots in 1992 and 1993 and finished 3^rd in 1994. He ranked 6^th on the Clemson career list for rebounds and 4^th in rebounds per game. He still holds the Clemson single-season record for blocked shots (124) and was the only player in the ACC to average in double figures in points and rebounds in both 1994 and 1995. Named a Freshman All-America by Basketball Weekly in 1992, he was named a 3^rd-team All-ACC selection in 1993 and 2^nd-team honors in 1994. As a member of the U.S. team which participated in the 1993 World Games, he shot 73 percent from the field and averaged 10 points a game in leading the U.S. to the gold medal. He was the first Clemson player to declare early for the NBA Draft and was the 6th overall selection on the first round of the 1994 draft by the Philadelphia 76’ers. He played five seasons in the NBA with Philadelphia and Toronto and was named to the 1994-95 NBA All-Rookie team. His NBA career was cut short by a severe auto accident early in his fifth professional season. Wright currently resides in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., where he is involved in various basketball coaching projects.

   Dennard (1978-81), a versatile 6-8 forward who was effective inside or outside for the Duke teams of Bill Foster and Mike Krzyzewski of the late 1970’s and early ‘80s, helped lead Duke to the 1978 NCAA Final Four and two ACC Championships in 1978 and 1980. Dennard helped the Blue Devils compile a 90-37 record in his four seasons in Durham, including three NCAA Tournament appearances and one NIT berth. He was named to the 1978 ACC All-Tournament second team in his freshman season. Dennard played three seasons for Bill Foster (1978-80) and one for Mike Krzyzewski and was named team captain in his senior season. Drafted in the 4^th round of the 1981 NBA Draft by Kansas City, he played three seasons in the NBA for Kansas City (1982-83) and Denver (1984). He finished his career shooting 51.3 percent from the field and is one of seven Duke players who have totaled over 1,000 points (1,057), 650 rebounds (671) and 200 assists (232) in his career. A native of King, N.C., Dennard is the managing partner at Dennard, Rupp, Gray and Lascar, an investor relations firm based in Houston, Texas. He will be a 30-year cancer survivor this coming September and has served on the Coaches vs. Cancer National Council since 1996. He has been married to his high school sweetheart, Nadine, for 27 years and they have a son, Mason (17).

    Collins (1993-97), a high-scoring wing guard for the Florida State teams of Pat Kennedy, was a three-time All-ACC honoree. Collins was named 3^rd-team All-ACC in 1995 and 1996 and garnered 2^nd-team honors as a senior in 1997. That year he led Florida State to a 20-12 record and to the finals of the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) where they lost to Michigan. He completed his career as the third leading scorer in school history with 1,793 points. He also still ranks in the FSU all-time Top 10 for field goals (645), field goal attempts, three-point field goals made (255) and three-point field goals attempted (686) and made 37.1 percent of his shots from three-point range. Collins was drafted as the 36^th overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2^nd round of the 1997 NBA Draft. He played one season in the NBA with the Los Angeles Clippers (1998) and spent one year (1999) in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) before playing professionally nine seasons in Europe. A native of Jacksonville, Fla., he currently is the head basketball coach at his high school alma mater, Andrew Jackson High School in Jacksonville.

   Mackey (1990-93), Georgia Tech’s all-time leading rebounder who was a low post force for the Jackets both offensively and defensively, helped lead the Tech to a four-year record of 87-43 which included four NCAA Tournament appearances. Mackey completed his career with 1,205 rebounds, a total which ranks 11^th-best in ACC history. He also had 199 career blocked shots, which ranks 26^th on the ACC career list.  Mackey was named 2^nd-team All-ACC in 1993 and 3rd-team All-ACC  in 1992. An Honorable Mention All-America in 1993 by United Press International, he was also a 2nd-team All-District in 1993 by the NABC. Mackey remains Tech’s career leader in rebounds (1,205), games played (130) and games started (127). He was named to the ACC All-Tournament teams in 1990 (3rd team) and 1992 (2nd team). He is the only Tech player to start for two ACC championship teams (1990,1993). The 27^th overall pick in the first-round of the 1993 NBA Draft by the Phoenix Suns, he played one season in the NBA and 11 seasons professionally in the CBA, Europe, China and Puerto Rico. A native of Chattanooga, Tenn., he currently is the Internet Sales Manager at Hennessey GMC Buick and is also serving as a landlord for several properties in McDonough, Ga.

   Godfrey (1958-61), one of the finest forwards to play at Miami, was an honorable mention All-America as a senior in 1961. He finished his career ranked in the Top Ten in seven career categories in the Miami record book including 7^th in points (1,384), 7^th in field goals made (518), 6^th in free throws made (384) and 7^th in rebounds (767). Godfrey’s totals of 159 free throws made and 207 free throws attempted in 1960 still rank 5^th and 6^th in the Hurricane career lists. His total of 22 made free throws against Oklahoma City in 1960 is still tied with Rick Barry for the most made in a game by a Miami player. For his career, he averaged 17.5 points a game. Playing alongside former Miami All-America Dick Hickox, Godfrey helped lead the Hurricanes to their first-ever NCAA tournament bid in 1960 as the Canes finished with a sparkling 23-4 record. In his senior year, Godfrey led Miami to a 20-7 mark and a berth in the National Invitation Tournament. In his three varsity seasons, Godfrey helped the Hurricanes to a 61-18 record. As a coach, he guided Miami for four seasons, leading the Hurricanes to championships in the 1967 Hurricane Classic and the 1968 Marshall Tournament and was inducted into the Miami Sports Hall of Fame in 1988. A native of Martins Ferry, Ohio, he now resides in Coral Springs, Fla.

   Smith (1983-87), one of the top point guards in North Carolina basketball history, Smith ended his career second in ACC history only to Wake Forest’s Muggsy Bogues in career assists with 768, averaging 6.1 per for each of his 127 career games. His assist total still ranks ninth on the ACC’s career list.  Coached by the legendary Dean Smith, he helped lead North Carolina to a 115-19 record during his four varsity seasons. Smith also helped North Carolina to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, reaching the Elite Eight in both 1985 and 1987. He was named the National Player of the Year by Basketball Times in 1987 and also earned consensus first-team All-America honors that year. He was a 2^nd-team All-ACC honoree in 1985 and 1986 and earned first-team honors as a senior in 1987. The 6^th pick in the first round of the 1987 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings, he played 11 seasons in the NBA for Sacramento, Atlanta, Houston, Detroit, Orlando and Denver. A member of the 1988 NBA All-Rookie team while with Sacramento, he was a part of two NBA Championship squads (1994, 1995) while with the Houston Rockets. He scored 9,397 points (12.9 avg.), grabbed 1,424 rebounds (2.0 avg.) and passed out 4,073 assists (5.5 avg.) during his NBA career. In 1998, he joined Turner Sports and has since served as a basketball TV analyst for Turner Sports, NBA TV and CBS-TV for the NBA and for the NCAA Basketball Tournament. A native of Queens, N.Y. who attended Archbishop Molloy High School, he now resides in Atlanta, Ga.

   Fuller (1992-96), a strong low-post presence for the NC State teams of coach Les Robinson in the mid-1990s, led the ACC in scoring as a senior in 1996, averaging 20.9 points per game. The 6-11 center finished 4^th in the ACC in rebounding in 1995 and 5^th in 1996. He earned first-team All-ACC honors in as a senior in 1996 and was a third team choice as a sophomore (1994) and a second-team selection as a junior (1995). Also an excellent student, he graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree from NC State in 1996 in Applied Mathematics. He was named to the All-ACC Academic team in each of his four seasons and he was a two-time first-team Academic All-America, earning that honor in 1995 and 1996. He declined to accept the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship in order to play professional basketball. He was the 11^th overall pick in the first round of the 1996 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors and went on to play five seasons in the NBA with Golden State, Utah, Charlotte and Miami. He also played professionally six seasons in Spain, Poland, Greece and Australia. He sponsors an annual mathematics competition for Raleigh, N.C., area high school students through NC State, called the “Todd Fuller Math Competition.” He also has a scholarship fund arranged through the NC State Physical and Mathematical Sciences college. In 2007, the Wolfpack honored him by hanging his jersey, number 52, from the roof of the RBC Center.

   Raker (1977-81) combined with high school teammate Jeff Lamp and Virginia All-America Ralph Sampson to lead Virginia to two of the most successful seasons in school history in 1980 and 1981 for coach Terry Holland. An excellent shooter, defender and passer, Raker helped lead the Cavaliers to a 24-10 record which included the championship of the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) in 1980. UVa followed that up with a 29-4 record in 1981, including a 13-1 mark in the ACC and first place during the regular season. UVa advanced to the NCAA Final Four, garnering 3^rd-place national honors with a win over LSU in the consolation game. At one point, Raker helped the Cavaliers win eight consecutive post-season games, still a school record. Virginia finished the 1981 campaign ranked 5^th in the final AP poll and 3^rd in UPI. During his four collegiate seasons,  Raker helped lead Virginia to a 92-32 overall record, averaging in double figures in scoring each year, and shooting 50.3 percent from the field for his collegiate career. He completed his career with 1,423 points, which still ranks 20th on Virginia’s career scoring list. He also led the 1979 squad in field goal percentage and was named a 2^nd-team All-ACC selection that year. An excellent student, Raker was twice named to the All-ACC Academic Basketball squad (1980, 1981) and earned first-team Academic All-America honors in 1981. He was selected in the 4^th round of the 1981 NBA Draft by San Diego. A native of Louisville, Ky., he is now the Head of Investor Relations with Camber Capital Management LLC and lives in the Boston, Mass. area.

   Solomon (1978-82), one of the best basketball players in Virginia Tech history, was a 6-9 center-forward who combined power with a soft shooting touch. He helped the Tech teams of Charlie Moir to a four-year record of 78-41 which included two NCAA Tournament appearances and one NIT berth. Solomon led Tech in scoring in each of his four  seasons and ended his career with 2,136 points which still ranks 4^th on the Hokies’ career scoring list. Solomon’s career scoring average (18.4) is Tech’s 9th best. His career field goal percentage of .567 is the second best in Tech history and his 856 career rebounds rank 7th. He was named to the first-team All-Metro Conference in each of his four seasons. Solomon was named the Metro Conference Tournament MVP and Freshman of the Year in 1979, leading the Hokies to the Metro Conference championship. Solomon was selected in the 3^rd round of the 1982 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers but did not play in the NBA. He did play professionally in Italy for 12 seasons. A native of Annapolis, Md., Solomon is currently living in his hometown.

   Childress (1991-95) turned in one of the spectacular performances in the history of the ACC Tournament in his senior season, as the sharpshooting guard led Wake Forest to the 1995 ACC Championship by averaging 35.7 points and 7 assists per game in the Tournament’s three contests. That year, Childress, playing for coach Dave Odom, saved his best for last, scoring 37 points and passing out 7 assists. In that title game, he connected on the game-winning jump shot with only four seconds remaining in overtime as Wake defeated North Carolina, 82-80. For his efforts, he was named the winner of the Everett Case Award as the 1995 Tournament’s MVP. He also was named the winner of the McKevlin Award as the ACC’s Overall Athlete of the Year for the 1994-95 school year. A second-team All-America selection in 1995, he was named first-team All-ACC in 1994 and 1995 and 2^nd-team All-ACC in 1993. He scored 2,208 points during his career, which still ranks 18^th on the ACC ‘s career scoring list, and he made 329 three-point field goals, the 5^th-highest total in ACC history. He helped lead the Demon Deacons to a four-year record of 85-39 which included four appearances in the NCAA Tournament and two trips to the NCAA Sweet 16. He was twice named to the ACC All-Tournament team in 1994 and 1995. Childress ranked 3^rd in scoring in the ACC in 1993 and 1994 and finished 2^nd in 1994. Selected as the 19^th overall choice of the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the 1995 NBA Draft, he played two seasons in the NBA with Detroit and Portland. He then played 14 professional seasons in Turkey, France, Italy and Australia. In 2002, he was named to the ACC’s 50^th Anniversary Basketball Team as one of its Top 50 basketball players. A native of Washington, D.C., he recently returned to Winston-Salem to serve as an Assistant to the Athletic Director of Wake Forest.

LEGENDS BRUNCH

   The Legends will be honored at this year’s ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament in Atlanta at the annual ACC Basketball Legends Brunch, which will be held on Saturday, March 10 beginning at 10 a.m. at the Marriott Marquis Hotel. Hosted by television personalities Tim Brant and Mike Hogewood, tickets for the ACC Men’s Basketball Legends Brunch are priced at $35 each and tables of ten are available for $350 each. Information on purchasing tickets may be obtained at the official ACC website—www.theACC.com/ACCtournament.

   2012 ACC BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT LEGENDS ROSTER

   Name School Years Position Hometown (Current Hometown)

   John Bagley   Boston College 1979-82 Guard Bridgeport, Conn. (Stratford, Conn.)

   Sharone Wright Clemson 1991-94 Center Macon, Ga.  (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.)

   Kenny Dennard Duke 1977-81 Forward King, N.C. (Houston, Texas)

   James Collins Florida State 1993-97 Guard Jacksonville, Fla.. (same) 

   Malcolm Mackey Georgia Tech 1989-93 Forward/Ctr. Chattanooga, Tenn. (McDonough, Ga.)

   Johnny Rhodes Maryland 1992-96 Guard Washington, D.C. (same )

   Ron Godfrey Miami 1958-61 Guard Martins Ferry, Ohio (Coral Springs, Fla.)

   Kenny Smith North Carolina 1983-87 Guard Queens, N.Y. (Atlanta, Ga.)

   Todd Fuller NC State 1992-96 Center Charlotte, N.C.. (same)

   Lee Raker Virginia 1977-81 Forward Louisville, Ky. (Boston, Mass.)

   Dale Solomon Virginia Tech 1978-82 Forward Annapolis, Md. (same)

   Randolph Childress Wake Forest 1991-95 Guard Washington, D.C. (Winston-Salem, N.C.)

Local college lacrosse season kicks off (you won’t believe this) THIS Saturday. You’ll hear the Towson Tigers visit Jacksonville right here on the flagship home of Towson University athletics, AM1570 WNST.net.

Before the season officially kicked off, I visited Loyola University Maryland’s Ridley Athletic Complex Wednesday for Baltimore lacrosse Media Day to talk to the area coaches. Here’s your chance to hear what the local coaches have to say about their respective teams.

Starting with new Towson coach Shawn Nadelen…

Next up is Johns Hopkins Blue Jays coach Dave Pietramala…

(Continued on Page 2…)

Honorable Mention: Women’s College Basketball-Miami @ Maryland (Sunday 2:30pm from Comcast Center live on ESPN2); High School Basketball: Dulaney @ Perry Hall (Wednesday 6:30pm), Towson @ Perry Hall (Friday 7pm); Baltimore Ravens Regional Scouting Combine (Saturday 1 Winning Drive Owings Mills)

10. Anthrax/Testament (Tuesday 7pm Rams Head Live), Black Stone Cherry/Cavo (Thursday 6:30pm Rams Head Live), Umphrey’s McGee (Sunday 7pm Rams Head Live); Wayne Static (Wednesday 6pm Recher Theatre); Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe Presents the Rolling Stones’ album Sticky Fingers in it’s entirety (Friday 8pm Baltimore Soundstage); George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic (Tuesday 7pm 9:30 Club), The Darkness (Wednesday 7pm 9:30 Club), Jack’s Mannequin (Friday & Saturday 6:30pm 9:30 Club); Eric Benet (Tuesday & Wednesday 7:30pm Birchmere); The Fray “Scars and Stories” and Van Halen “A Different Kind of Truth” available in stores/on iTunes (Tuesday)

I probably enjoy Cavo a little bit more than I’m willing to admit publicly…

I both enjoy Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe…

AND I enjoy the Rolling Stones’ album Sticky Fingers. So I’ve got that going for me…

I really don’t care…at all…what you think. The new song by The Fray is freaking awesome.

9. Mike Epps (Friday 7:30pm & 10pm D.A.R. Constitution Hall); Nick Cannon (Thursday-Sunday Baltimore Comedy Factory), Alonzo Bodden (Monday 8pm Baltimore Comedy Factory); “Safe House” opens in theaters (Friday); “A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas” available on DVD/Blu-Ray (Tuesday); Wanda Sykes (Friday 8pm Strathmore); Motor Trend International Auto Show (Thursday-Sunday Baltimore Convention Center); Sex at the Zoo (Thursday 6pm Maryland Zoo in Baltimore); Wishful Drinking feat. Carrie Fisher (Tuesday-Sunday France Merrick Performing Arts Center-Hippodrome)

This is a bizarre combination of events for sure. Me personally, I’d watch Denzel Washington act his way out of a cardboard box, so I’m excited for Safe House.  Of course, there’s no way humanly possible it’s as good as Training Day (language NSFW)…

I don’t know if Eli Manning would be willing to donate his new car to the event at the Convention Center this weekend, but I’d certainly appreciate the opportunity to drool over the Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Centennial Edition…

CARL IACONA, JOHN KENYON NAMED AS 2012 TOWSON CAPTAINS

Seniors to Lead Tigers Into Season Opener at Jacksonville on Saturday

TOWSON, Md. – Senior midfielder Carl Iacona (Massapequa H.S./Massapequa, N.Y.) and senior defenseman John Kenyon (Santa Fe Christian H.S./Del Mar, Calif.) have been selected as team captains for the 2012 Towson University men’s lacrosse team, it has been announced by Coach Shawn Nadelen.

“We went through the fall and winter without captains and we continued to preach to the players that they need to lead and lead well,” Nadelen said. “There are certain characteristics that a person needs to have in order to be a leader. I felt like we needed to identify the guys who would be our leaders this week and I felt that Carl and John were the perfect choices to serve as our captains.”

A two-year letter winner for the Tigers, Iacona has played in all 28 games since transferring from St. John’s University after his freshman season. As a junior, he scored three goals with five assists and started seven games. He scored a goal with an assist against Delaware and contributed a goal against Johns Hopkins and Maryland.

Iacona scored 11 goals with two assists as a sophomore while appearing in all 15 games. He ended the season by scoring a goal in seven straight contests, including a pair of two-goal efforts against Massachusetts.

“It’s definitely special to be named as a team captain for this season and it is certainly a privilege,” said Iacona. “When you look at past captains of this team, it means something special to be named in the same category. I want to make sure that I do my part to make sure we play well every day and to be a leader for this team.”

A three-year letter winner for the Tigers, Kenyon played in all 13 games last year and ranked second on the team with 38 ground balls. He also contributed 12 caused turnovers, good for third on the squad. He recorded a career-high six ground balls against Delaware and posted five ground balls against Navy while winning four of eight face-offs.

Kenyon has played in 42 career games and has 50 career ground balls.

“It’s an honor to serve as a captain for the 2012 season,” Kenyon said. “We have so many great players and so many people who can be leaders. I really hope that I can help take our team to the next level and achieve great things.”

Led by Iacona and Kenyon, the Tigers will open their 2012 schedule on Saturday, Feb. 11 at Jacksonville University at 1 p.m.

– www.towsontigers.com –

Courtesy of Bovada, (www.Bovada.lv, Twitter: @BovadaLV). Included below are 2013 Super Bowl odds, updated odds on where Peyton Manning ends up, and a quote from Bovada.lv Sportsbook Manager, Kevin Bradley on why next season’s SB odds where so tough to make.

2013 SUPER BOWL XLVII ODDS

Green Bay Packers                    6/1

New England Patriots                 7/1

New Orleans Saints                   8/1

Philadelphia Eagles                    12/1

Pittsburgh Steelers                    12/1

Houston Texans                         12/1

Baltimore Ravens                       14/1

New York Giants                        15/1

San Diego Chargers                   16/1

New York Jets                           16/1

San Francisco 49ers                  18/1

Dallas Cowboys                         18/1

Detroit Lions                              18/1

Atlanta Falcons                         22/1

Chicago Bears                           30/1

Arizona Cardinals                       30/1

Miami Dolphins                          35/1

Cincinnati Bengals                     40/1

Indianapolis Colts                       50/1

Tennessee Titans                       40/1

Oakland Raiders                        50/1

Carolina Panthers                      50/1

Denver Broncos                         50/1

Kansas City Chiefs                    50/1

Seattle Seahawks                      60/1

Buffalo Bills                               60/1

Washington Redskins                60/1

Minnesota Vikings                     75/1

St. Louis Rams                          75/1

Tampa Bay Buccaneers             75/1

Cleveland Browns                       100/1

Jacksonville Jaguars                   100/1

What team will Peyton Manning be a member of for game 1 of the 2013 Regular Season?

Arizona Cardinals                       2/1

Washington Redskins                5/2

Miami Dolphins                          3/1

New York Jets                           7/2

Indianapolis Colts                       7/1

“With Peyton Manning’s situation it has made setting next year’s Super Bowl Odds very difficult and a reason you will see teams like Arizona and Miami at lower odds than what they would be in case Manning signs there.  As for the Colts, even though there is a slim chance he stays they are at 50-1 but if he does leave will shoot up to around 100-1 and if stays would drop down to around 15-1, just goes to show the importance of a guy like Peyton.”

-Kevin Bradley, Bovada.lv Sportsbook Manager

TOWSON, Md. - After battling each other in practice for the last three weeks, the Tiger men’s lacrosse team got a chance to face a different opponent on Saturday afternoon by hosting the University at Albany in a scrimmage at Johnny Unitas® Stadium.

While the Tigers were able to take away many positives from the five-quarter scrimmage, first-year Coach Shawn Nadelen knows that there is still plenty of work to do.

“I thought we came out today with a lot of good energy and good emotion,” Nadelen said. “We settled in and were pretty productive during the early part of the scrimmage. As we got into the later part, I am not sure if we got too comfortable and we got complacent, which I was not happy about.

“We wanted to see how we stacked up against another team,” Nadelen added. “After three weeks of just practicing against each other, you can get familiar with each other. We were looking to see how we compete against another team and how our sets worked. It was a great scrimmage on both sides.”

Junior attackman Matt Hughes, who was the Tigers’ leading scorer with 18 goals last year, scored three goals with three assists during the scrimmage. Meanwhile, freshman midfielder Justin Mabus scored twice with an assist.

“It’s nothing that we don’t expect from both Matt and Justin,” Nadelen said. “Justin has been pretty impressive during practice so far and he has taken on a lot at the midfield position.”

One thing the Tigers will be looking to improve this season is their face-off play and the effort showed against the Great Danes as Towson won 16 of 29 face-off attempts. Junior midfielder Matt Thomas posted 11 face-off wins to lead the Tigers.

“Face-offs are a unique thing in lacrosse,” said Nadelen. “You can be great one day and the next day, you are looking for the next guy in line. Our wing players did a pretty good job of working through the scrum and getting the possession for us.”

The Great Danes were led by sophomore attackman Miles Thompson, who tallied five goals with an assist during the scrimmage. Sophomore attackman Ty Thompson added two goals with an assist while sophomore Lyle Thompson scored a goal with three assists.

With the scrimmge complete, the Tigers will now turn their attention to next week’s season opener at Jacksonville. The first-ever meeting between the Tigers and the Dolphins will start at 1 p.m. and will be broadcast on TowsonTigers.com.