The All State

» By TRENT SINGER – tsinger@my.apsu.edu

Senior guard Whitney Hanley scored 30 points on Saturday, Jan. 28, but it wasn’t quite enough to overcome the team’s five-game skid as the Tennessee State Tigers hung on to beat APSU, 77-82.

The loss dropped the Lady Govs to 8-17 overall and 2-8 in conference play. With six minutes remaining in the first half, the Lady Govs had established their largest lead of the game, 27-22, by scoring nine consecutive points. However, Tennessee State answered back by finishing the half on a 14-3 run.

After falling into a double digit deficit to start the second half, the Lady Govs pulled within one point, 58-57, with nine minutes remaining in the game. The Tigers responded by gaining a two possession lead and never letting go.

Despite Hanley’s 30-point effort, 10 of which were the team’s final points, the team couldn’t seem to find an answer for Tennessee State’s diverse offense. The Tigers finished the night with five players scoring in the double digits.

Along with her impressive offensive performance, Hanley contributed seven rebounds, four assists and two steals in the losing effort.

Senior center Jasmine Rayner scored 13 points and six rebounds, while freshman guard Shelby Olszewski and junior center Kaitlyn Hill contributed 10 points each.

The Lady Govs hope to win their first home game in nearly a month by taking on UT Martin at home on Wednesday, Feb. 1, in the Dunn Center. TAS

» By TRENT SINGER
mscott@my.apsu.edu

A former football player, former women’s basketball player and current assistant athletics director were the latest inductees into APSU’s hall of fame on Saturday, Jan. 28.

The inductees were former running back Jay Bailey, former Lady Govs guard Ashley Haynes and Assistant Athletics Director Cheryl Holt. Family, friends and even former inductees were on hand to witness the ceremony, as President Hall spoke about being a part of the APSU tradition.

“When you think about the university across the years, a thing I’m always struck by is how many people pass through the life of this school, and some without having much of an impact.

“They’re mostly involved in their own personal pursuit of degree, and they never get quite connected to the larger thing that’s the university. But there are many others, who even though they pass through this place, there’s still a memory of them. A resonance. An echo of what they did.”

Jeff Bibb, chair of the induction committee, also spoke about the hall of fame’s impact towards APSU’s reputation.

“This hall of fame does much for the university. It’s about tradition. It’s about upholding it.

“It’s about celebrating it. It’s about taking that moment to look back a little bit to our glorious past through the athletic endeavors, whether on the floor, on the court, on the field or in the stadium.”

The committee is comprised of 15 members and decides each year’s hall of fame inductees by evaluating former student athletes’ performance and academics, as well as leaders in the athletics program.

The first inductee recognized was Bailey, who amassed 2,992 rushing yards over his three years as a Govs running back.

The brother of former Gov and NBA star Trenton Hassell, Bailey is the school’s 98th hall of fame recipient.

His best year came his senior season in 2002, when he ran for a total of 1,759 yards on 319 carries, along with 18 touchdowns, breaking single-season records in all three categories.

On Oct. 19, 2002, Bailey broke his own single-game rushing record by carrying the ball 47 times for 205 yards as the Governors beat Kentucky Wesleyan.

Bailey showed his excellence on the field by being named first team AP All-America, as well as in the classroom, where he was named second-team Verizon Academic All-America.

Haynes was recognized as the school’s 99th all-time inductee. As a graduate of Northwest High School, she became a starter almost instantly. Haynes left APSU ranked second in rebounds and fourth in scoring all-time.

In her 2005 senior season, Haynes ranked second nationally in rebounds per game with 13.4. She scored more than 20 points in 12 games throughout the year and was selected ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District.

The third inductee of this year’s hall of fame ceremonies was Holt. Holt marks the school’s 100th all-time inductee and her passion for student athletics is very evident.

Having worked for the university for 23 years, Holt has coached volleyball, tennis, as well as pioneered softball into APSU athletics.

Last spring, APSU renamed Lady Govs Field to Cheryl Holt Field to commemorate Holt’s prolific work with student athletics.

The inductees were publicly given their awards at halftime of this weekend’s basketball home game against UT Martin.

After the game, President Hall shared his thoughts on the importance of student athletics.

“We’re always looking for people who really stand for excellence, and one of the things that distinguishes these folks is they did something excellent.
“It was not just an individual act. It was part of a team and part of a university.” TAS

» By MATT MCEWING
mmcewing@my.apsu.edu

Super Bowl XLVI will highlight a high-powered New England Patriots offense against a very stout New York Giants defense. The Patriots finished the regular season with a 13-3 record and the number one seed in the AFC playoffs, while the Giants finished with a record of 9-7, earning the top NFC wild-card spot.

In week nine of the regular season, New York was able to take New England down 24-20, snapping the Patriots NFL record home game-winning streak. Following the upset, the Giants dropped four games in a row, ultimately losing five of their last eight games; one of them a stunning loss to the Redskins at home.

Achieving a wild card spot in the playoffs, New York heated up oddly in comparison to their 2007 Super Bowl run. The team beat Atlanta at home, Green Bay at Lambeau Field, and the 49ers at a rain-drenched Candlestick Park in San Francisco.

The Patriots offense, led by quarterback Tom Brady, had a commanding regular season. With weapons Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez and Wes Welker, New England dominated most of their opponents, earning the number one seed in the playoffs and winning the franchise’s ninth division title in 11 years.

Having the first round bye week, the Patriots hosted the Broncos in the second round, defeating them 45-10. New England edged out Baltimore in a 23-20 victory in the AFC Championship game. It was a botched 32-yard Billy Cundiff field goal that propelled the Patriots to their fifth Super Bowl appearance under Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. TAS

» By TRENT SINGER
tsinger@my.apsu.edu

Bill Belicheck vs. Tom Coughlin
Both of these coaches served under Bill Parcells in the past and focus heavily on reducing turnovers and utilizing players’ strengths. They find ways to win by controlling the flow of the game and coaching players to understand that philosophy. Even though Tom Coughlin ruined the Patriots’ perfect season three years ago, Bill Belicheck has continued to show that the past is merely an opportunity to see what can be fixed.
Patriots safeties vs. Eli Manning
Over the past decade, quarterbacks like Tom Brady and Peyton Manning have transformed the NFL into a pass-heavy league. This could be a problem for New England. Throughout the regular season, the Patriots’ pass defense has been horrific, ranking 31st in the league. Meanwhile, Eli Manning led all NFL quarterbacks in passes of 40 yards or more with 18. The play of safeties Patrick Chung and James Ihedigbo will need to be flawless if New England hopes to win this game.
Matt Light vs. Jason Pierre-Paul
In only his second NFL season, Jason Pierre-Paul led a star-studded New York defensive line by racking up 16.5 sacks and forcing two fumbles. His presence has been felt in the postseason as well, where he leads all defensive linemen in tackles with 16. However, don’t discredit the consistency of veteran Matt Light, who at 6 feet 4 inches, 305 pounds, has been with Brady since entering the league in 2001.

Prediction
This game has all the perfect symptoms for a New England win. Tom Brady is the best in the business at preparing for a rematch, and Bill Belicheck should have a unique game plan to inspire his team. As much as I’d love to see the score stay relatively close, I don’t think the Giants have enough to keep up with the Patriots’ prolific offense.

New England 34
New York 24
» By MATT MCEWING
matthewmcewing@gmail.com

Giants defensive line vs. Tom Brady
The Giants’ front four, consisting of Jason Pierre-Paul, Justin Tuck, Chris Canty and Osi Umenyiora, will be relentless in their pursuit of Tom Brady this Sunday. While the Patriots offensive line for the most part has done well at keeping their quarterback upright, they will inevitably have their hands full for 60 minutes.
Giants rush defense vs. Patriots’ running backs
The Giants ranked worst amongst rush defense this year, which could be a problem for them this weekend. The Patriots have an array of weapons in their backfield, like running backs Danny Woodhead and BenJarvus Green-Ellis. Utilization of these types of players and their skills is one thing the Patriots have excelled at for many years.
Giants’ wide receivers vs. Patriots’ secondary
New England’s secondary, much like the rest of the defense, has been very spotty at times this year. In many games they have the looked suspect, which is not what you want when playing an explosive Giants receiving core. The Patriots will have to pick their poison, whether it’s Victor Cruz, Hakeem Nicks or Mario Manningham.

Prediction
I see this game being more of a defensive battle and a true test of what the Giants are made of. They have passed the test all year leading up to this point and in very convincing fashion. The Patriots have been able to outscore their opponents all year; enough so the defense would have to just manage the game in most cases. This weekend will be much different. They’re getting one of the most relentless defensive lines in the NFL to date, which could lead to some scoring problems for Tom Brady and company. In the end, I see high-octane defense and a calm Eli Manning-led offense taking the Lombardi Trophy back to New York.

New England 21
New York 24

» By TRENT SINGER – tsinger@my.apsu.edu

After suffering a tough road loss in Cape Girardeau to Southeast Missouri, the Govs returned home to beat the UT Martin Skyhawks, 92-73. Senior guard TyShwan Edmondson ended the night with 22 points and eight rebounds, along with senior center John Fraley’s 23 points and 13 rebounds.

The Governors’ 6-4 record in the OVC kept them in the top tier of the conference standings.

Throughout much of the game, the Skyhawks played well, despite being ranked last in the OVC.

The Governors rallied from slim margins on multiple occasions but never gave up the lead after taking it early on in the first half.

Along with the stellar play from Edmondson and Fraley, seniors Josh Terry and Melvin Baker also scored in the double digits combining for a total of 28 points and 11 rebounds.

As a team, the Govs were sufficient from the field, shooting 54.5 percent throughout the game. The Govs finished the game with a 19-3 run to cap off a great performance against another conference opponent.

Perhaps the highlight of the game was Fraley’s presence in the paint, where the senior center shot 9-14. After the game, Fraley spoke about the significance of coming home to beat the Skyhawks and regain confidence in the team’s morale.

“We’re home. We can’t afford to lose any more games,” Fraley said. “It was exciting, and it feels exhilarating to get that win.”

Fraley’s emotion was evident on the court, and it seemed to carry over and motivate his teammates as well.

The team gets another important home game against Tennessee Tech on Thursday. The resiliency will need to remain strong if the Govs plan to continue their success.

“He’s been harping about playing hard and playing tough,” said Fraley. “We’ve been resilient. Even in the games we lost, we played really hard.”

Going forward, Coach Loos continues to prepare his players by focusing on the fundamental aspects of the game.
“He prepared us by doing the little things, and that adds up,” Fraley said. TAS

» By TRENT SINGER – tsinger@my.apsu.edu

Joe Paterno passed away early Sunday morning from failing health conditions caused by lung cancer, and as many people mourned the loss of Penn State’s longest-tenured head coach, what happened in November 2011, resulting in Paterno’s eventual firing, must never be forgotten.

People will always remember what Paterno did on the football field, which is unparalleled in college football. Known for his demeanor and respect for student athletes, Paterno is NCAA Division I Football’s winningest head coach with 409 total wins. His 24 bowl wins is more than any head coach in college football. Paterno won two national championship games and three Big Ten titles throughout his 45-year coaching career, along with a number of Coach of the Year accolades awarded by various organizations in college sports.

It’s the story of what Paterno failed to do off the field that must be remembered with his legacy. In November 2011, former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky was charged on multiple accounts of alleged sexual abuse to young boys over a 15-year period. The charges were first revealed to Paterno in 2002, when then-graduate assistant Mike McQueary confronted Paterno about having witnessed Sandusky sexually abuse a 10-year-old boy in Penn State’s football shower facilities.

According to the grand jury report, Paterno notified Athletic Director Tim Curley the next day about the incident, and later notified Gary Schultz, director of Business and Finance, who oversaw the University Police.

After nine years had passed, justice caught up to Sandusky. People everywhere began raising questions about Paterno’s moral actions in the situation, questioning why he failed to notify the police of what his graduate assistant had seen.

Amidst the tragedy of watching a symbolic figure pass away, Paterno’s inability to protect his reputation by acting on moral impulse must always be remembered when detailing his legacy.

People will continue to argue McQueary never gave Paterno the full details of what was witnessed in the shower facilities that night. They will argue Paterno humbly apologized, and he did what was right by telling his higher-ups about what was reported to him.

However, there are a number of questions that can’t be disregarded in outlining his legacy. Given the raw information of McQueary’s accounts, how could Paterno or McQueary not report the situation to police? With Paterno’s apparent attempts to protect the Penn State name, why wouldn’t he apologize? Why did the “leaders” of student athletics at Penn State fail to tell the police about Sandusky?

Perhaps we can justify his actions by acknowledging the generational differences that come with Paterno’s age. Justification is the only way to put away any questions regarding Penn State’s former head coach.

Throughout his coaching career, Paterno taught his players many things, including discipline, integrity and motivation. In sports, legacies are often defined by what is done on the field. But when scandals emerge and national attention spotlights an iconic figure like Joe Paterno, while questioning the moral actions he took to defend the Penn State name, we must never forget what Paterno didn’t do. TAS

» By TRENT SINGER – tsinger@my.apsu.edu

Outside Bridgestone Arena, winter has brought cold weather to Middle Tennessee, but inside the building is where a story has emerged. Since the start of the new year, the Predators have won eight of their last 10 games and expectations have risen.

The Predators continued to make noise in the NHL by beating the visiting Chicago Blackhawks last Saturday 5-2. Veteran Blackhawk Marian Hossa scored two goals for Chicago, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Predators’ offense, which won with five different players contributing goals.

Defensively, veteran goalie Pekka Rinne played outstanding against Chicago’s productive offense, which is ranked third in the league. Rinne ended the night with 20 saves and two goals allowed.

“These games are always exciting against Chicago,” Rinne said. “A lot of Chicago fans showed up, too. It’s a fun rivalry, and for sure our fans stepped up.”

Despite losing to Chicago, the Predators are in fourth place with 60 points in the Central division and the Blackhawks are tied with the Blues and have 64 points. The Central division is currently led by the Red Wings, who have 65 points, and are proving to be the most competitive division in the NHL.

In this weekend’s All-Star game, Nashville will be sending three players to compete in festivities. Defenseman Shea Weber is making his third All-Star appearance, while defenseman Ryan Suter will be going for the first time since entering the league in 2003. Rookie center Craig Smith is one of 12 rookies who will compete in Saturday’s skills competition.

It was only three years ago that Predators fans experienced the hardships of new ownership. After ending the season in 10th place in the Western Conference, ticket sales began to plummet, and rumors of the team relocating to another city were re-ignited.

Nashville has shown resilience by qualifying for the playoffs in both seasons since then. A significant moment for the franchise came last year when the Predators won their first postseason series by defeating the Anaheim Ducks in six games.

The energy in Bridgestone Arena has been revitalized at home games as the Predators continue to climb the NHL standings. Throughout Saturday’s game, celebration erupted as the Predators dismantled Chicago defensively and outclassed them on offense.

For many fans, it was Sergei Kostitsyn’s breakaway goal in the second period that set the crowd off, while for others, it was Kevin Klein’s impressive shot from center ice.

Regardless, the team is certainly sending a message to the rest of the NHL that they deserve to be handled with care. TAS