Omaha police arrested the younger son of NBA legend Michael Jordan early Sunday morning after being called to a hotel in the Old Market district because of a disturbance. 21 year old Marcus Jordan was booked for resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and obstructing. Jordan was in Omaha for the Swim Trials to cheer for a high school friend. Jordan is a senior on the Central Florida basketball team.
Stony Brook, Arkansas look to spoil the party in Omaha
June 15, 2012 by
The story lines are plentiful for this year’s College World Series set to start today (Friday 6/15) at TD Ameritrade Park in downtown Omaha. Two first-timers are ready for action as the Stony Brook Seawolves and Kent State Flashes make their CWS debut. How will they handle the pressure of playing on the national stage? Can South Carolina pull off the three-peat? Will number one seed Florida finally reach the ultimate goal of a national title, or will some other team step up and surprise the field, like Arkansas?
Stony Brook (located on Long Island) is 52-13 and enters Friday’s game against UCLA with the most wins in the nation. The Seawolves are the first team from New York to make it to Omaha since St. John’s in 1980. The Seawolves are second in the nation in batting average (.335), eighth in scoring (7.2 runs per game), fourth in runs (468), first in hits (731), second in triples (36), and second in slugging percentage (.483).
One reason a team like Arkansas can be dangerous is because of their stellar pitching and defense. The ‘Hogs haven’t hit well, but their arms may carry this team. The Arkansas pitching staff has a 2.00 ERA in six postseason games, striking out 37 batters and walking only nine. Defensively, they’ve committed just four errors in six games and compiling a .983 fielding percentage.
The Razorbacks are hitting just .211 in the NCAA tournament with no home runs, but at a grave yard, where long balls go to dive, that’s not necessarily a death sentences for Arkansas. Last season at TD Ameritrade Park, only nine home runs were hit in 14 games during the 2011 CWS.
South Carolina is attempting a rare CWS feat, looking to become just the second team in history to win more than two championships back to back. Southern Cal won five in a row from 1970-74. Only three other schools won back-to-back titles: Texas (’49-’50), LSU (’96-’97) and Oregon State (’06-’07).
CWS notes:
The Arizona pitching staff has combined to throw 14 complete games this season – the most of any team in the 2012 CWS.
UCLA freshman pitcher David Berg has appeared in 47 of the Bruins’ 61 games on the year, posting a 5-3 record with a Pac-12 leading 1.58 ERA. His 47 appearances are tied for second on the NCAA’s single-season all-time appearances list.
Florida State DH John Nogowski tagged along with his dad to the CWS in Omaha when he was a toddler and his dad worked for the Tallahassee Democrat. Nogowski, who grew up a Seminoles fan will not be in the starting lineup on Friday.
(notes courtesy of NCAA.com)
Ahman Green headlines Nebraska’s Black Sports Hall of Fame class
June 11, 2012 by
Nebraska Black Sports Hall of Fame’s induction class for 2012 includes former pro athletes Ahman Green, Erick Strickland, Reshea Bristol, Jarvis Redwine and Kerry Trotter and several others will be inducted in a ceremony on July 28 at North Omaha’s Boys and Girls Club.
Green, from Omaha Central, is the Green Bay Packers’ all-time rushing leader. Strickland, from Bellevue West, spent nine seasons in the NBA and Redwine, eligible for the hall as a former college athlete in the state, was in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings. Bristol, from Omaha Bryan, and Trotter, from Omaha Creighton Prep, played in European pro basketball leagues.
Others to be inducted include: Thomas “Marvin” Hall (track), John Mackey (basketball) and David Washington (wrestling) from Omaha Tech, Byron McCane (football) from Boys Town, Lionel McPhaull (track) from Omaha North and Sarah Lyons (track) from Omaha Brownell-Talbot.
Omaha getting Lingerie Football League team
April 20, 2012 by
The Lingerie Football League is coming to Omaha and will play in the new $32 million Ralston Sports and Event Center, joining other teams such as the Omaha Lancers hockey team, the Omaha Beef indoor football team and the University of Nebraska at Omaha men’s basketball team as tenants. The league currently has 12 teams, made up of women who play 7 on 7 football in sports bras, panties, mini shoulder pads and hockey-style helmets.
The new Ralston franchise, doesn’t have a name yet, but you can email the league with your suggestions at LFLinOmaha@LFLUS.com.
The Lingerie Football League started as pay-per-view programming during the Super Bowl halftime show in 2004, and eventually became a full league in 2009. The league announced the LFL would bypass the 2012 season and delay games until next year to accommodate a spring and summer schedule.
Omaha announces sellout for NCAA tournament
February 28, 2012 by
Tickets for the 2012 NCAA Men’s Basketball Division I Championship Second/Third Rounds to be held at CenturyLink Center Omaha on March 16 & 18 are sold out, tournament manager Kevin Sarver announced today. The event will feature eight teams and six games in two days of competition.
Four second-round games will be played on Friday, March 16 with the winners advancing to the third-round for games on Sunday, March 18. The third-round winners will advance to Boston, Phoenix, Atlanta or St. Louis for NCAA Regional play the following week. NCAA Tournament pairings will be announced on CBS on March 11th.
