Sports

College Basketball- Top 50 Players in 2015- #50

Tom Knuppel Sports
College Basketball- Top 50 Players in 2015- #50

The idea of ranking players becomes very subjective and always open for debate. But to do this, you have to start somewhere. Here we go…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#50- Rico Gathers 6’8″ 280 lbs.

Rico Gathers, F, Baylor – Ricardo Darnell Gathers

 Born Jan. 7, 1994, in New Orleans, La.

Son of Richard Sr. and Janice Gathers

Father is cousin of late Loyola Marymount All-American basketball player Hank Gathers

Finance major.

 

Gathers is a big bruising forward that has played in all 75 games of his college career but played behind Cory Jefferson and Isaiah Austin so he only started 3 games. Included in his stats are seven double-doubles and ranked fourth in the nation with one offensive rebound per minute. Two-time Gatorade Louisiana High School Player of the Year.

Season gp gs min min avg pts pts avg fgm fga fg% 3-pt fg 3-pt fga 3-pt fg%
2012-13 37 2 617 16.7 210 5.7 83 158 .525 0 0 .000
2013-14 38 1 678 17.8 245 6.4 80 169 .473 0 0 .000
2014-15 13 13 357 27.5 125 11.6 44 103 .427 0 0 .000

 

 

SEC College Football Preview

Tom Knuppel Sports
SEC College Football Preview

 

 

 

 

 

Ok, just a note for clarification before I start. This blog will be primarily about football for quite awhile. I will rejoin politics as it gets closer to some kind of meaningful election.

Today, I will examine the SEC. For awhile they had dominance over the college sport of football but the past few years they have come up short. It is the premier conference in the United States and has the most teams that are very, very good. In 2015, the preseason finds them having seven teams listed in the Top 25 polls.

In the East, we have a dogfight between two top teams and I am going with Georgia. They will miss Todd Gurley for about 2 seconds until Nick Chubb breaks loose and runs all over the conference. Tennessee is everyones’ darling team with Butch Jones as head coach and has many believing in them. Florida comes third this year and will need to be tough down the stretch.

My EAST picks:

Georgia 10-3

Tennessee 9-4

Florida 9-4

Missouri 7-5

South Carolina 7-5

Kentucky 6-6

Vanderbilt 3-9

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The West is tough. I don’t like picking against Alabama but I really like the Auburn team. The difference maker to me will be Freshman POY Jovon Robinson and his running back play along with the breakout player Jeremy Johnson. I believe the comeback players will be Carl Lawson.

My WEST picks:

Auburn 11-1

Alabama 11-2

Arkansas 9-3

Ole Miss 9-3

LSU 8-4

Texas A&m 7-5

Mississippi State 6-6

 

AWARD WINNERS

Offensive Player of the Year- Nick Chubb

runner-up= Dak Prescott

Defensive POY- Derek Bennett

Coach- Butch Jones

Top Freshman- Jovon Robinson

Breakout- Jeremy Johnson

Comeback POY- Carl Lawson

 

 

I will get more in-depth with player analysis as we get closer to the start of the college season.

 

Next- Big Ten

 

 

College Basketball is Big Business- Look at the Last 24 Hours

Tom Knuppel Sports
College Basketball is Big Business- Look at the Last 24 Hours

 

So July is a busy month for Summer Basketball and to prove it, here are the offers that have been made in just a 24 hour period from 8PM Saturday to 8PM Sunday that we can find.

AMAZING.

 

2016 Harrah (OK) F Kellen Manek has received an offer from Texas State.

2017 Hinton (IA) G Jay Small has received an offer from South Dakota.

2017 Daniel (SC) G A.J. Oliver has received an offer from Old Dominion.

2016 Knightdale (NC) G Dondre Griffin has received an offer from Winthrop.

2017 Virginia Academy (VA) F Ejike Obinna has received an offer from Temple.

2017 Oak Hill (VA) G Matt Coleman has received an offer from Seton Hall.

2017 Hampton (VA) G Mastadi Pitt has received an offer from Cincinnati.

Miami (OH) and Texas Tech offered 2017 Cristo Rey (MN) F Jericho Sims.

2016 Wilbraham & Monson (MA) F Wenyen Gabriel received an offer from Villanova.

2017 Ripon (WI) F Bennett Vander Plas has received an offer from Milwaukee.

2017 Blair Academy (NJ) F Kodye Pugh has received an offer from Seton Hall.

2018 Park View (VA) G Keldon Johnson has received an offer from Virginia.

2017 St. Louis Christian (MO) G Nickeil Alexander-Walker received an offer from Baylor

2017 Robinson (NC) G Lavar Batts has received an offer from Tennessee.

2018 Desert Ridge (AZ) G Timmy Allen has received an offer from GCU.

2016 Glenbard West (IL) G Justin Pierce has received an offer from Elon.

2016 Los Alamitos (CA) G Eyassu Worku has received an offer from UC Santa Barbara.

2017 Blair Academy (NJ) F Kodye Pugh has received an offer from Auburn.

2016 Desoto (TX) G Leon Sneed has received an offer from Stephen F. Austin.

2018 Concord (NC) G Rechon Black has received an offer from Western Carolina.

2016 Lakeview (LA) F Adrio Bailey has received an offer from Stephen F. Austin.

2016 Frank Phillips College (TX) F Alize Johnson has received an offer from Towson.

2017 Watertown-Mayer (MN) F Trae Berhow has received an offer from South Dakota.

2017 Lone Peak (UT) G Christian PoPoola, Jr. has received an offer from Nevada.

2016 Harrah (OK) F Kellen Manek has received an offer from Oral Roberts.

2016 Lakeview (LA) F Adrio Bailey has received an offer from Arkansas.

2018 Life Christian (VA) G Rasir Bolton has received an offer from Old Dominion.

2016 Stevens Point (WI) G Trevor Anderson has received an offer from Elon.

2016 Fayette Ware (TN) G Mikkel Norment has received an offer from UT Martin.

Colorado State has offered 2016 Sunrise Mountain (AZ) F Elijah Thomas.

2017 Belleville East (IL) F Javon Pickett has received an offer from Drake.

2016 Northern Oklahoma-Tonkawa (OK) F Jarrid Rhodes has received an offer from Buffalo.

2016 Neuqua Valley (IL) F Jacob Cushing has received an offer from Cal Poly.

2016 Kenwood Academy (IL) G Zion Morgan has received an offer from Western Michigan.

2016 Santa Monica (CA) C Jayce Johnson has received an offer from Tennessee.

2019 Rancho Christian (CA) F Isaiah Mobley received an offer from USC.

2018 St. Frances (MD) G Terrell Davis has received an offer from Howard.

2016 Word of God (NC) G Jaylen Fornes has received an offer from Buffalo.

2015 Shadow Mountain (AZ) G Craig Randall II has committed to Memphis.

2017 Kentucky Country Day (KY) G JR Mathis has received an offer from IUPUI.

 

Has Sports Become Too Big?

Tom Knuppel Sports
Has Sports Become Too Big?

 

“Over the past two weeks, two of the most historically successful [college basketball] programs have been in the news for all the wrong reasons.” – Bill Littlefield

 

Let’s consider the impact sports has on the average American family. This time of year kids and their families are spending 4-6 nights per week on the ball diamonds or soccer fields and to some extent summer basketball and camps galore. There is a cost to all of this but I am not really talking about the financial cost but the wear-and-tear it has on the kids and the families. It is tremendous how many parents “get into” the game and look for chances to make their child better and better. The financial cost is no object. After all, is he/she makes it big into professional sports they are set, as in the moms and dads involved, for the rest of their life.

But the whole moral compass to keep athletics on the straight and narrow is going down the tubes. It is a dog-eat-dog world that will stop at nothing to succeed in sports. Look around, look at the news makers in sports in the past year or so.

I am not saying anyone is guilty here, I am saying it made news.

In the high school and junior high ranks we find coaches attempting to put together summer teams, like AAU basketball, in hopes they can influence college coaches and garner money for the kids that they may share with their old AAU coach and he can buy more influence. Many times they are not doing it for the “love of the kids” but for the love of notoriety for themselves and influence pedaling.

In college, UNC and Texas, we have allegations that they have participated in academic cheating. Why would they do that, aren’t they a place of higher learning? Yes they are but that is not what people are interested in. It is having the local college succeed in athletics. It makes the university a lot of money and the athletes get noticed from the levels higher and money flows. Make the athletes eligible at any cost. They must play. As for the coaches, their salaries are in the millions of dollars to coach for one year. They are signing 5-10 year multi-million dollar contracts because they are successful. It behooves them to win.

The pros have issues too. We have the football scandals that involves finding a way to help your team win. It is all about the money now and in the future. The deflate-gate is spot on for that. Right now, the Cardinals are being investigated for computer hacking into the database of another team. Maybe to gain a competitive advantage? We shall see how that turns out.

Players are using performance enhancing drugs to help them have great seasons. The list is far from exhaustive.

Look at the World Cup resignations this past month. That was about pay-offs for countries to host the Cup and bring in large sums of millions.

 

What can we do? It has gotten so large it will be hard to ever return to ground zero. It only is going to grow and have more and more and larger and larger issues with athletics. This is a sad time.

 

Any thoughts?

 

 

 

 

St. Louis Cardinal Spring Training Schedule Released

Tom Knuppel Sports
St. Louis Cardinal Spring Training Schedule Released

I am soooo ready for Spring Training and a new season. Here is a press release from the Cardinals:

 

The St. Louis Cardinals announced their 2015 Spring Training schedule today.  The team’s 28-game Grapefruit League slate begins on Thursday, March 5, at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Fla., as the road team against their complex co-tenants, the Miami Marlins, and concludes Thursday, April 2, before heading to Memphis for an exhibition on Friday, April 3, against their Triple-A Pacific Coast League affiliate, the Redbirds, at Autozone Park.

The Cardinals’ Grapefruit League schedule features 15 home dates and 13 road games including three games as the “visiting” team against the Marlins (March 5, 13 & 17), giving them 18 total games at Roger Dean Stadium.  The Cardinals and Marlins will play a total of six games this spring.

This coming spring marks the 18th year that the Cardinals will train at Roger Dean Stadium.  Cardinals’ pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to Jupiter on February 19 and conduct their first workout onFebruary 20.  The remainder of the Cardinals’ players will be scheduled to report February 24 with their first workout on February 25.

The Cardinals host nine different Grapefruit League opponents including four games against 2014 postseason teams.  The Washington Nationals visit twice on March 25 and 30, while the Baltimore Orioles (March 12) and Detroit Tigers (March 16) each visit once.

Other American League teams appearing on the schedule at Jupiter include the Houston Astros (March 6), Boston Red Sox (March 9) and Minnesota Twins (March 14), with the Atlanta Braves arriving for one game on March 21 and the New York Mets (March 27, 29 & April 2) making three visits to round out National League opponents.   The first 14 Cardinals home games at Roger Dean Stadium are scheduled to start at 1:05 p.m. ET, with the final game versus the Mets starting at 12:05 p.m.

Individual spring training tickets for games in Jupiter will go on sale Friday, January 9, at 5 p.m. ET.  Fans may purchase Cardinals spring training tickets in person at Roger Dean Stadium’s Box Office beginning at 5 p.m. ET that Friday or via the internet at www.cardinals.com or www.rogerdeanstadium.com beginning at 6 p.m. ET.  Spring Training full season ticket plans, 6+ mini-plans and group tickets are on sale now by calling 561-775-1818.

Cardinals Spring Training tickets are priced at $29 for Field Box seats, $27 for Loge Box, $15 for bleachers and $15 for berm seating (sold day of game only).  Weekend Games and Premium Games (Boston,March 9 & Detroit, March 16) will include an additional fee per ticket on those select days.

Final Scores- Mens Baskeball for Saturday, November 15th

Tom Knuppel Sports
Final Scores- Mens Baskeball for Saturday, November 15th

 

Here are most of the final scores in D1 Mens Baskeball for Saturday, November 15th—

 

Saint Francis (NY) 62 Georgetown 83 Final
Trinity (FL) 69 Bethune-Cookman 91 Final
Gardner-Webb 82 Louisiana State 93 Final
Manhattan 66 Florida State 81 Final
Nova Southeastern 51 Florida Gulf Coast 63 Final
Appalachian State 47 Ohio 73 Final
North Dakota 52 Northern Iowa 64 Final
Hillsdale 68 Michigan 92 Final
Bluefield State 51 Duquesne 91 Final
Vermont 60 Canisius 64 Final
Catholic 66 Davidson 102 Final
Colgate 52 La Salle 57 Final
Bowling Green 77 Drake 58 Final
Earlham 45 Evansville 116 Final
Illinois-Springfield 57 Green Bay 88 Final
Pfeiffer 59 Winthrop 82 Final
Aurora 56 Northern Illinois 86 Final
Delaware State 77 Pennsylvania 75 Final
Maine 57 Butler 99 Final
Austin Peay 70 Western Kentucky 77 Final
Southeast Missouri 56 San Diego 67 Final
Air Force 68 The Citadel 55 Final
Cal Poly 49 Nevada 65 Final
California-San Diego 52 California-Riverside 75 Final
Dartmouth 57 Saint Bonaventure 77 Final
Kent State 69 Youngstown State 61 Final
Albany 60 Providence 64 Final
San Francisco State 64 Long Beach State 74 Final
North Carolina-Wilmington 56 Old Dominion 76 Final
Florida A&M 65 South Carolina-Upstate 78 Final
Southern Illinois 59 Saint Louis 62 Final
Tulsa 68 Oral Roberts 77 Final
Boise State 77 Loyola Marymount 69 Final
Fairfield 59 Duke 109 Final
Louisiana-Monroe 74 UAB 65 Final
Virginia Military Institute 86 Army 92 Final

Is the Big 12 the Best Conference in College Basketball?

Tom Knuppel Sports
Is the Big 12 the Best Conference in College Basketball?

 

 

 

Should College Basketball Implement the 30 Second Shot Clock? That was yesterday’s blog and you can find it HERE.

Is the Big 12 the best league?

Just look through it. Kansas is always a team in the Top echelon. Now we find the Kansas State Wildcats making a charge along with the Fred Hoiberg led Iowa State Cyclones. Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Baylor will get their share of wins in 2014-15 and my personal favorite to make a lot of noise the Texas Longhorns.

What do you think?

Should College Basketball Implement the 30 Second Clock?

Tom Knuppel Sports
Should College Basketball Implement the 30 Second Clock?

 

Are we closer to having a 30 second shot clock?

Some conferences in their exhibition games are experimenting with a 30 second shot clock to see how the game flows. I am in favor of a 30 second shot clock and  I like he idea of 6 fouls on a player to foul out.

I think in the next 2-3 years the 30 second shot clock will be universal. Actually I wouldn’t mind some sort of shot clock at the high school level.

What do you think?

Title IX- Gender Equity is Not Making Sense

Tom Knuppel Sports
Title IX- Gender Equity is Not Making Sense

 

Yes, we all know that the impetus of Title IX is that there needs to be the same number of sports for the men and women. That is fine and dandy but that is a poor business model.

 

If a college wants to have sport, then it should be self-sufficient or they shouldn’t have it. Forget the gender equity part of this.

 

The following represents spending and revenue as obtained by the Equity in Athletics for NCAA division I schools from 2003-2009. On average across all 135 universities only basketball and football make profit, and almost cover the loss in revenue from all other sports.

While greater than 80% of the schools have a team for baseball, basketball, track, football, golf, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball, the other sports are much more rare. Regardless, averages posted were taken only on teams that existed.

Investigating female vs male sports, there is a large discrepancy in spending and earnings, though much of this might be due to the large impact that college football has.

If you can’t pay for it on it own, then discontinue the sport. Doesn’t matter if it is mens or womens. Just cut it.

NHL Standings Predictions for 2014-15

Tom Knuppel Sports
NHL Standings Predictions for 2014-15

Hockey starts tomorrow. Let’s get to it!

 

EAST

Metropolitan

1. Pittsburgh Penguins

2. Columbus Blue Jackets

3. New York Rangers

4. Washington Capitals

5. Philadelphia Flyers

6. New York Islanders

7. New Jersey Devils

8. Carolina Hurricanes

Atlantic

1. Boston Bruins

2. Tampa Bay Lightning

3. Montreal Canadiens

4. Florida Panthers

5. Detroit Red Wings

6. Toronto Maple Leafs

7. Ottawa Senators

8. Buffalo Sabres

WEST

Pacific

1. Los Angeles Kings

2. Anaheim Ducks

3. San Jose Sharks

4. Vancouver Canucks

5. Arizona Coyotes

6. Edmonton Oilers

7. Calgary Flames

Central

1. Chicago Blackhawks

2. St. Louis Blues

3. Dallas Stars

4. Minnesota Wild

5. Colorado Avalanche

6. Nashville Predators

7. Winnipeg Jets