Keaton Hayenga. photo by Rich Dworkis

The Bellevue College men’s basketball team split two games last week as they continue their push for an NWAACC playoff spot. On Wednesday, Feb. 8, the fourth-ranked Bulldogs travelled to take on the Cardinals of Skagit Valley College. Bellevue wasted no time taking a big lead as they went into the half up by 14 at 43-29. The second half was much of the same as the Cardinals never got closer than a ten point deficit. Bellevue out rebounded Skagit Valley 41-29 and also held them to just 40% shooting on the night.

Bellevue was led in scoring by the game-high 27 points of Jon Humphrie. In Humphrie’s return from an ankle injury, he also grabbed five rebounds. Rex Nelson scored 20 points and had six rebounds, while Tre Benton and Keaton Hayenga each turned in games of 14 points and seven rebounds.

On Saturday, Feb. 11, the Bulldogs hosted the North Seattle Community College Storm. North Seattle came out with a great defensive game plan limiting the Bulldog drives to the basket and contesting every shot. Bellevue was held to just 41% shooting from the field and turned the ball over 18 times. North Seattle also out rebounded Bellevue 33-38 and pulled out a 77-73 victory. Despite the loss, Humphrie still led the Bulldogs in scoring17 points, Nelson added 14 with seven rebounds, and freshman Andrew Squiers contributed 14 points.

The loss drops Bellevue to third place in the North region standings at 8-3 in league, 18-3 overall. The next two games for the Bulldogs are both on the road. First, they travel to Bellingham on Wednesday, Feb. 15 to battle the first place Orcas of Whatcom Community College (11-1, 19-3). That game starts at 7 p.m.  Then, on Saturday, Feb. 18, the Bulldogs go to Edmonds (2-9, 2-17) for another 7 p.m. game.

Keaton Hayenga led Bellevue in a road win at Everett. photo by Rich Dworkis

In a crazy week dominated by wintry weather, the Bellevue College men’s basketball team saw more games postponed than actually played. However, on Saturday, Jan. 21, the Bulldogs traveled to Everett Community College for an important North region matchup. Bellevue came into the game ranked number one in the NWAACC Coaches Poll and still carrying an undefeated record on the year.

Bellevue took an early lead and never looked back turning a nine-point half time lead into a 16-point victory. The Bulldogs enjoyed a breakout performance from freshman Tre Benton. In just his second game with the Bulldogs, Benton led the team in scoring with 21 points and also
added six rebounds. Keaton Hayenga recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Rex Nelson rounded out the double-digit scorers with 12 points. With this win, the Bulldogs improved to 4-0 in North region play and 14-0 overall.

The Bulldogs face a daunting stretch over the next week, playing five games in ten days. Their first challenge is Monday, Jan. 23, at 7:30 p.m., hosting the Orcas of Whatcom Community College (5-0, 13-2). Whatcom, the only other undefeated team in North region play, comes into the game ranked fourth in the NWAACC Coaches Poll. On Wednesday, Jan. 25, Bellevue goes on the road to take on Shoreline CC (3-3, 9-8) at 7:30 p.m. The Bulldogs finish the week at home on Saturday, Jan. 28, with a 6 p.m. tip-off against the defending NWAACC champion Peninsula College Pirates (5-1, 15-2).

Reprinted from http://bellevuecollege.edu/athletics

Jon Humphrie leads the top-ranked Bulldogs in scoring this season. photo by Rich Dworkis

Reprinted from http://bellevuecollege.edu/athletics

Bellevue College’s men’s basketball team has been ranked among the nation’s best, coming in at #18 in the country. The Bulldogs are currently 14-1 and also ranked number one in the NWAACC Alaska Airlines Poll. Here is the link to the national rankings

By Nathan Krohn

(SOURCE:ncaa.org)

You’ve most likely heard the phrase “if you want something done, give it to a busy person.” In the case of collegiate athletes this may be true.

Being a college student is no easy task. Sleeping, socializing and homework fill a student’s schedule, and they’re lucky if they have time to complete more than two of the three. Add a school sport to that list and people might think you’re crazy.

It seems like a common misunderstanding that collegiate athletes are bad students. When you think about the time and effort that goes into being a student athlete, the misconception is almost understandable.

The fact is that nearly four out of five student athletes earn their diplomas on time, which is an all-time high. Furthermore, student athletes are more likely to graduate on time than other students.

According to NCAA statistics, 79 percent of all freshmen entering school in 2002-03 graduated within six years. This is a higher percentage than the average student body.

Current Chief Operating Officer of the NCAA Jim Isch discussed the visible increases in graduation rates amongst the major sports. “Over the last eight years, baseball is up ten points, and basketball is up five points. Football is up three percentage points in the bowl subdivision.”

With such substantial graduation success rates amongst student athletes, many students looking to transfer to a university this fall may want to consider participating in a school sport.

Granted, not everyone has the ability to take part in a Division I program, but intermural or club teams can be a great option.

So many students struggle with procrastination and or lack of exercise. Joining some kind of school-sanctioned sport may be the answer to both of those problems.

While club and intermural leagues aren’t nearly as competitive or require such a strong time commitment as an official school sport, they can provide you with a nice escape from the dangerous cycle of dorm, class, lunchroom, repeat.

Meet new people, exercise and most importantly, improve your grades.

(SOURCE:bleacherreporter.com)

By Nathan Krohn

It’s not uncommon that a major university is brought to shame by the athletic department. USC and the University of Miami were put under a negative spotlight most recently for recruitment violations committed by the athletic departments. This kind of attention is no doubt embarrassing for any proud school. That is why the scandal that occurred at Penn State University went beyond embarrassment to down right despicable.

Most people are familiar with the Penn State scandal. Jerry Sandusky, an assistant coach at Penn State under Head Coach Joe Paterno, was charged with child molestation. That would have been crime enough, but several coaches, including Paterno, were notified of the abuse and said nothing to authorities.

The scandal resulted in a mid-season firing of the 85-year-old Paterno. Paterno had been the coach of the Nittany Lions for 46 years, became the only coach to amass over 400 victories, and was elected into the College Football Hall of Fame.

After Paterno’s firing, Penn State promoted Tom Bradley as the interim head coach to complete the season. With tremendous distractions looming, Penn State football finished the season with a record of 1-3, capped off by a 30-14 loss in the TicketCity Bowl to the University of Huston.

Despite his efforts in a near impossible situation, Bradley, a long time assistant at the school, was fired.

As the school attempts to wipe away the past and make a new name for itself, Penn State chose to bring in an outsider named Bill O’Brien to be their new head coach.

O’Brien spent this past year as the Offensive Coordinator for the New England Patriots and has been on Bill Belichick’s coaching staff since 2009.

O’Brien has coached a Patriots offense that ranks amongst the top five in almost every statistical category, and few question his ability as a coach.

At the news conference introducing O’Brien as head coach, he said, “I feel like I’m a mentally tough guy right now. I feel like I’m the right guy.” That is where the questions arise, if O’Brien is really the right coach for a program trying to bounce back from such a massive black eye.

Earlier this season, after Tom Brady threw a fourth quarter interception in the end zone, a long and expletive-filled exchange on the sideline between O’Brien and Brady was caught on camera.

When O’Brien was head coach of Duke University from 2003- 07, his former players described him as “hot-tempered but with a purpose.” He has also been labeled as an “old-school football coach.”

It seems obvious that O’Brien is a tough, no-nonsense coach, but is that really what the players and the program need after such a negative ordeal? Some feel a softer, more understanding coach would be a more appropriate choice. The players were put through a lot this season, and the school is in a delicate state. Maybe an “old-school” coach with a hot temper isn’t what they need right now. That type of coach is for underachieving and underperforming programs that need to be woken up. This school was just the center of possibly the biggest scandal in college sports history and doesn’t need waking from anything.

It will be interesting to see if O’Brien and his “hot temper” can quickly turn the Penn State program around. If he is unable to, many will question if he was in fact the right type of coach under the unique circumstances.

(SOURCE:sbnation.com)

By Nathan Krohn

Tim Tebow took the snap and shoved the ball into Willis McGahee’s chest. Recognizing the Steelers’ safeties were cheating in to stop the run, Tebow pulled the ball out, cocked back his arm (revealing his awful mechanics), and hit Demaryius Thomas in perfect stride. One mean stiff arm later, the Mile High crowd was delirious as Thomas walked into the end zone on an 80-yard touchdown pass in overtime that beat the Steelers on Wild Card Weekend.

After backing into the playoffs with three consecutive losses few, including myself, gave the Broncos a chance to beat the favored Steelers. Despite playing in Denver, many felt the Broncos had run out of the “Tebow time magic” that lead them to a 6-1 record earlier this season.

The Steelers were heavy favorites despite a long list of injuries that included top running back Rashard Mendenhall, who was sidelined in the final game of the season with a knee injury, safety Ryan Clark, who has a sickle cell trait that prevents him from playing in the thin air of Denver, and a hobbled Ben Roethlisberger, who has been nursing a high ankle sprain for several weeks.

In the week leading up to the game Tebow was told by Broncos General Manager John Elway to be aggressive and “pull the trigger,” and he did just that, completing four passes of 30 or more yards in a quarter, the first player to do that in NFL playoff history.

The Steelers game plan was to stop the run and dare Tebow to beat them with his arm by playing a run defense the majority of the game. But in Tebow fashion, he stepped up under the bright lights and had the best game of his career, throwing for 316 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 50 yards and a touchdown.

At the end of regulation with the game tied at 23 a piece, the game entered a type overtime never before seen in the NFL. Around 20 months ago, NFL league officials decided to change the overtime rules in all NFL playoff games. Sudden deaths—first team to score wins style—were changed so that both teams would have an opportunity to possess the ball. The idea was to avoid a team winning the coin toss and going 35 yards down the field and kicking a quick field goal that ended the game. The new rule states that if the team that receives the ball first scores only a field goal, then the opposing team has the opportunity to respond. But if a touchdown is scored, the game is over.

The game between the Steelers and Broncos was the first instance the new overtime rules were in effect, and it couldn’t have been more evident, as Referee Ron Winter tried to explain in a shaky, unconfident voice to players and fans on national television.

It was so confusing that Demaryius Thomas, who caught the game-winning touchdown, didn’t even realize he had won the game until yelling teammates jumped on him.

Despite the confusion, the game was one of the most watched wild card matchups in NFL history.

After Tebow completed the pass to Thomas, he broke a sports tweet per second record with 9,420.

Tebow and the Broncos will travel to number one seeded New England to face a Patriot team that just four weeks ago embarrassed them 41-23.

The Patriots are heavily favored and well rested, but with Tebow and his incomprehensible magic, Broncos fans at this point believe anything is possible.

(SOURCE: midwestsportsfan.com)

By Nathan Krohn

“As the number one overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft, the Indianapolis Colts select quarterback Andrew Luck from Stanford.” If everything goes according to plan, these are the words Commissioner Roger Goodell will be speaking at the NFL draft in New York this April.

Most years the number one pick in the draft is a surprise. Rumors swirl around which player the team with the worst record from the previous year will select. Experts are confident they know who will be picked, but the suspense still mounts, and questions arise until the commissioner steps onto the podium and reveals the first player chosen.

This year the anticipation of who would be taken with the first pick was going to be at an all time high. The best player in this year’s draft is unanimously quarterback Andrew Luck from Stanford. The thing is, the Colts already have future hall of fame quarterback, Peyton Manning. The Colts, in the almost unenvious position of having to decide between choosing the far and away best player of the draft or passing on him to remain committed to their current star, could have created quite a buildup of anticipation for that day in April.

As it turns out, the Colts organization took out the excitement and declared that they would be selecting Andrew Luck number one overall.

There is no denying the Colts have had great success drafting quarterbacks with the number one pick. They selected John Elway in 1983 before trading him away and took Peyton Manning ahead of Ryan Leaf, a quarterback at the time thought to be equally as talented.

The issue with choosing Luck brings up a delicate situation and a dilemma. Manning has led the Colts to nine consecutive seasons of ten or more wins and nine consecutive playoff appearances. He is the face of the franchise and no player has brought more success to Indianapolis.

On the Colts side, the 35-year-old quarterback is coming from a serious neck injury that sidelined him for the entire 2011 season, and required him to need three surgeries in the past nine months.

However, the last full season Manning played he threw for 33 touchdowns and posted career highs in completions and yards.

Many believe that Manning can still be a productive quarterback in NFL and they will continue to believe so until proven differently. Unfortunately, the lure of the youth movement can be stronger than the desire to show devotion to a player who deserves it.

A couple months back it was reported that both Manning and Luck were against the idea of being on the same team. If that were to happen, Manning would start and the most talented rookie player would be forced to sit on the bench, maybe for several years.

It seems as though all will come into clarity on one day, Mar. 8. That is the day the Colts have to pay Manning 28 million in salary for the upcoming season. The Colts will either cut Manning, making him a free agent, or pay him, in which case he will most likely be the starter.

If the Colts stay true to their word and plan on drafting Luck, cutting Manning seems like the most logical option, but simply releasing one of the most important players in the franchises history is no way for Manning to be treated.

Whatever the Colts ultimately decide, Mar. 8 should be one of the most interesting days in sports this year.

(SOURCE: sports.yahoo.com)

By Nathan Krohn

MarshawnLynch got the ball and was hit immediately.  Lost in a standing pile of gigantic men the Thursday Night Football announcers on the NFL Network prematurely called the play “a gain of nothing.” Lynch then emerged from the pile broke another tackle, juked right and walked into the end zone. When he returned to the bench a trainer greeted him with a handful of Skittles that Lynch gobbled down.

The sideline Skittles ritual began at a young age when Lynch’s mother would reward him with a bag of Skittles every time he did something good. Now, every time Lynch does something good on the football field he reaches for the Skittles.

After the whole country witnessed Lynch perform his unusual ritual, Skittles have been all the rage.

Mars, the owners of the Skittles brand offered Lynch a two-year supply of the candy, as well as a custom dispenser for his locker.

During the final two home games of the season, every time Lynch crossed the goal line fans showered him with Skittles in the end zone.

In the Seahawks home finale against the 49ers, Lynch was seen wearing a custom cleat designed by Nike with Skittles on the side. The shoe proved helpful for Lynch as he scored the only rushing touchdown against the 49ers all season.

Commissioner Roger Goodell and the NFL league offices did not find the shoes as amusing and fined the running back $10,000 for a uniform violation. It was noted that the fine was so high because it was his second violation of the season. The first came one-week prior when he wore green socks, one of the Seahawks colors, during the Monday Night Football game against the Rams.

The fine was especially frustrating for Seahawks fans because starting Left Tackle Russell Okung was injured by Eagles player Trent Cole on a late hit during that same Thursday night game when the Skittles phenomenon began. Okung’s pectoral muscle was torn in effect ending his season and Cole was fined $7,500 for his infraction.

Many wonder how a vicious late hit that ends a players season warrants a fine lesser than that received for Skittles shoes.

The NFL has been preaching player safety for nearly two seasons, and has done a lot to make the game safer for players but the league office loses credibility with head scratching fines like these.

The league argues that sponsors of the NFL pay big money to have their names on equipment and seen during games. This is their justification for such a large fine when a player violates the uniform policy.

While that may sound ridiculous to some, no one finds it more frustrating than Russell Okung as he sits rehabilitating his right pectoral.

(SOURCE:thepigskinreport.com)

By Nathan Krohn

On the fourth down, with little more than 11 seconds left in the game, the Baltimore Ravens called upon their kicker, Billy Cundiff, to kick a 32-yard field goal that would send the game into overtime and give the Ravens a prime opportunity to win a trip to the Super Bowl. Cundiff lined up the kick and hooked the ball left, leaving players, coaches and announcers in shock.                                                                      Cundiff had been automatic from that distance, and in fact no kicker in the entire league had missed a 32-yard field goal all season. The only possible explanation for such a gaffe was that he choked. Luckily for Cundiff, it wasn’t the worst mistake of the day.

A few hours later in San Francisco, backup kick returner Kyle Williams was thrown into action in the biggest game of his career after starter Ted Ginn Jr. was unable to start due to injury.

With 11:06 left in the fourth quarter, Williams set back to receive a punt, but the ball took a tricky bounce and grazed Williams’ knee, making it a live ball. New York recovered and went on to score a touchdown. With eight minutes remaining in overtime, Williams again fielded a punt but the ball was stripped from his hands and the Giants recovered in 49er territory, resulting in an easy 31-yard game winning field goal.

In a game that the Giants won 20-17, Williams’s two fumbles that resulted in 10 points was clearly the difference in the game, and fans immediately began harassing Williams about it. His twitter account instantly filled with messages such as “you should jump off the golden gate bridge for that one,” and “I hope you, your wife, kids and family die, you deserve it.”

Some people on twitter understand what Williams was going through and had a more sympathetic tone @Rodwilson58 wrote, “The stuff fans are saying about Kyle Williams is so sad. It’s just a game people. Remember that. In the end it’s a game.”

Unfortunately though, the old adage that sports is just a game doesn’t apply anymore. Professional athletes make tens of millions of dollars and college athletes are premiered on the front cover of Sports Illustrated.  Winning and losing can mean the difference between success and unemployment. A sport at almost every level is a business and when things don’t go right in a business, someone needs to be held accountable. In this case, Billy Cundiff and Kyle Williams are being held more than just accountability.

Such animosity and hatred has been directed towards athletes before, for example, the infamous case of the ball that went right through Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner’s legs in the 1986 World Series. The error cost the Sox the series and at the time prolonged “the curse.” Buckner received death threats for years after the error and it is regarded in history as one of the biggest chokes of all time.

In 2010, Boise State kicker Kyle Brotzman missed a 26-yard field goal in regulation and a 29-year attempt in overtime as Boise State’s unbeaten season ended. Brotzman received threatening phone calls and was heavily taunted.

Having to endure such abuse as a college athlete seems ridiculous, but as the games become more significant so will the criticism.

While it may be difficult for many to put themselves in a professional athlete’s shoes and imagine what Cundiff or Williams is going through. Almost everyone can emphasize with what Brotzman went through. Other than being on the football team Brotzman went to class and was just like any other student at Boise State. We all are currently or were at some time in Brotzman’s shoes.

It should be noted that a “we still love Kyle Brotzman Facebook page was created and over 45,000 people liked it giving hope that despite it being a multi-billion dollar industry some people recognize maybe it is just a game after all.

(SOURCE:bluechipblog.com)

By Nathan Krohn

Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time. Few attempt to refute this statement because of its unanimous acceptance amongst players, analysts, fans and the like. As is the case in most scenarios when someone is the best ever to do what they do, when they are gone we look everywhere for someone to be as good or better.

Any fan of basketball has undoubtedly heard the phrase “the next Michael Jordan” before. It’s been placed on players who have exemplified certain traits of his airness but never had the whole package. Some could jump but not shoot or shoot but not defend. Some could do everything right but will a team to victory, hit the game winning shot and be the hero.

When LeBron James entered the NBA directly out of high school he was touted as “the chosen one” and possibly the next Jordan. James, who is 6 feet 8 inches and 250 pounds, is taller, bigger, faster, and more athletic then Jordan.

No one disputes LeBron is one of the best players in the game today and possibly a future hall of famer, but the “next Jordan” whispers have disappeared and has lack of a championship ring has made some label him as a failure.

Living up to such lofty expectations of being the next best player to ever play the sport can be difficult to say the least.

Recently, Jordan was quoted saying, “Kobe is the only one to have done the work to deserve comparison.” This is high praise from Jordan, who played in the league with Bryant for four years.

The comparison may also be as true as we ever get to finding someone on the same level as Jordan. Bryant has five championships, 13 all-star selections, nine NBA all first teams and nine all defensive first teams. His stats aren’t as impressive as Jordan’s but his career isn’t over yet either.

Bryant, who turned 33 last August, was thought by many to be heading towards the decline of his career after an early playoff exit last year. Injuries to his wrist and fingers on his shooting hand have been nagging for several years and have become worse as a result of Bryant playing through the pain.

An aging Bryant, a new coach in Mike Brown, and a team that had seemingly regressed with the trade of Lamar Odom suddenly became the second best team in Los Angeles behind the Clippers, who had just rejuvenated the franchise with the acquisition of all-star Chris Paul.

Whispers about his diminishing skills were quickly nullified when Bryant poured at least 40 points in four consecutive games. Doubts about the team also disappeared as the Lakers currently have a record of 10-5 and are the three seed in the Western conference.

While Bryant’s reputation was marred with the sexual assault charge in 2003, making some reluctant to consider a man with a tarnished past one of the best players ever, his numbers speak for themselves. He is one of the hardest workers and greatest competitors in the NBA today. He has that killer instinct in the fourth quarter that’s led to his nickname “the black mamba.”

Like Jordan, who retired three separate times before calling it quits for good, Bryant will have a difficult time letting the game go. He’s just too much of a competitor to end his career anytime soon. When it’s all said and done, it should be an interesting conversation of who is the best player of all time. Some say it will always be Jordan, but don’t sleep on Bryant.