ATHENS, Ga. — Uga VI, the bulldog that represented the University of Georgia during two Southeastern Conference football championships, died from congestive heart failure at his home in Savannah, the dog's owner said Saturday.
At 65 pounds, Uga VI was the largest of the English bulldogs that have represented the school. University officials said the football team also had the winningest record under his nearly 10-year tenure at 87-27. Uga was known for stalking the sidelines in a shirt with a 'G' on it. During hot football games, Uga would sometimes take a break on a bag of ice.
University of Georgia Mascot Dies of Heart Failure....
By BRIAN MAHONEY – 2 hours ago
NEW YORK (AP) — The Chicago Bulls selected Derrick Rose with the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft Thursday night, choosing the Memphis guard over Kansas State forward Michael Beasley.
Rose, a Chicago native, led the Tigers to the national championship game in his lone college season. The Bulls opted for the point guard's playmaking ability over the scoring and rebounding of Beasley, who ranked in the top three in the nation in both categories as a freshman.
Rose is the Bulls' first No. 1 overall selection since they grabbed Elton Brand in 1999. He's the second straight freshman taken with the top pick, following Portland's Greg Oden last year.
The 6-foot-3 guard put on a red Bulls cap, hugged some supporters, including Memphis coach John Calipari, and shook hands with Beasley, seated at a nearby table, before walking onto the stage to meet NBA commissioner David Stern.
Bulls take Rose with No. 1 pick in NBA draft....
Steve Detwiler homered twice and drove in all six runs and Justin Wilson made it stand up on the mound to help Fresno State beat Georgia 6-1 in the College World Series finale in Omaha, Nebraska.
The win gives the Bulldogs (47-31) their first ever national championship in a men's collegiate sport.
Wilson (5-5) threw seven shutout innngs to hold down what had been very potent Georgia bats in the CWS. But in the end, it was the underdog Fresno State team, a number four seed in a regional when the bids were announced, that had the firepower and the pitching together and it was good enough for an improbable national title.
Fresno State beats Georgia to win national title....
By Tim Griffin
OMAHA, Neb. -- Fresno State pitcher Holden Sprague's impish way of stretching the truth has made him one of his team’s most popular players.
But coach Mike Batesole is happier how Sprague stretched the Bulldogs’ season for another night with a gritty pitching effort Tuesday night.
Sprague yielded eight hits and five runs in a less-than-stellar 3 1/3-inning effort. But considering the way his team was hitting in its 19-10 pounding of Georgia, just gobbling up a few innings was huge for the beleaguered Fresno State pitching staff.
"The ball was given to me, but the key was our offense," said Sprague, who notched the win as the second of three Fresno pitchers. "I was fortunate that I was able to get them to put the ball in play and our guys made the plays when we needed them to."
Sprague is known as a free spirit among his teammates. He listed his father’s occupation as an astronaut in the Fresno State media guide before the season.
Fresno State gets support from unlikely places in Game 2 win....
NEW YORK -- Candace Parker of Tennessee has won the Honda-Broderick Cup, given to the nation's top female college athlete.
Parker led the Lady Vols to their second consecutive NCAA title in April. She was the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft by the Los Angeles Sparks.
Parker wins female college athlete of year award....
ROBBI PICKERAL
(Raleigh) News & Observer
OMAHA, Neb. --This time, there was no late-inning home run. This year, there will be no championship series.
Second-seeded North Carolina, which had survived two College World Series elimination games in two days by coming up with timely hits, could barely manage an RBI on Sunday night, much less muster much offense to bolster its tired bullpen or overcome an early deficit.
As a result of Fresno State's 6-1 victory, the Bulldogs (45-30) -- the lowest regional seed to ever advance to the CWS -- will play No. 8 seed Georgia in the best-of-three championship series, beginning tonight.
Fresno State eliminates UNC....
By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable
As advertised, Comcast and the Big Ten Network have reached what is described as a long-term carriage deal for the college sports network.
Sticking points had been over where the channel was carried--sports tier, digital tier and basic--and the price. Big Ten was said to be asking over a dollar per subscriber, but a source familiar with the agreement puts the price at about 70 cents per sub.
Comcast has agreed to preview the network Aug. 15 on its expanded basic tier in markets with Big Ten schools (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania--except Philadelphia, where it will start out on the digital tier).
Comcast, Big Ten Reach Long-Term Deal....
South Bend, IN (Sports Network) - Notre Dame has announced a new five-year contract with NBC Sports to keep the school's home football games exclusively on the network.
The new deal will keep the Fighting Irish on NBC through 2015, extending the partnership for 25 years. NBC has televised Notre Dame home games since 1991.
"The innovative partnership between Notre Dame and NBC has been a valuable relationship for both the university and the network, and we are delighted that it will be extended by another five years," said Notre Dame's president, Reverend John I. Jenkins. "Our fans and student-athletes have benefited, of course, but, most importantly, it is the general student body that has realized the greatest gains. In a collaboration unlike any other in higher education, revenue derived from the NBC contract has provided millions of dollars in financial aid to thousands of deserving students at Notre Dame, and we are pleased that this support to the academic mission of the university will continue."
Notre Dame extends TV deal with NBC
By JUDD ZULGAD, Star Tribune
Comcast and the Big Ten Network are expected to announce a long-term partnership this week, the Chicago Tribune reported in today's edition. The newspaper cited a source close to the negotiations as saying, "for all intents and purposes, it's done."
A spokesperson for the Big Ten Network told the Star Tribune today that while the long-expected deal between the sides is close, there is nothing to report at this point. “We can not comment on the specifics of the Chicago Tribune story other than to say we remain close to reaching an agreement with Comcast,” Elizabeth Conlisk said. “The deal is not signed, however, and so we will have no further comment until we have a signed agreement.”
STORY....
by Jeff Goodman
North Carolina has become the clear-cut favorite to win the national title.
The Tar Heels trio of Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington and Danny Green are all headed back to Chapel Hill, according to multiple sources close to the situation.
MORE....
Local People
The Texas State baseball team may have fallen short in it’s bid to reach the 2008 NCAA College World Series in Omaha, Neb., but that doesn’t mean the Bobcats won’t be represented at famed Rosenblatt Stadium.
MORE....
By BLAIR KERKHOFF
OMAHA, Neb. | Kids snaked through the Rosenblatt Stadium concourse Friday with baseballs and posters to grab autographs by the College World Series players, and many of them couldn’t name a player in the event.
When the games begin today, about 50,000 tickets will be scanned, and most of the fans will not have seen the participants in action until the first pitch.
To many, that’s what distinguishes the College World Series from other championships. Star power isn’t the lure, and there’s no local team to fuel interest.
But none of that needs to happen. Rosenblatt will be filled from today through June 24 or 25 when the best-of-three series between the two bracket winners concludes.
“Isn’t this something?” said Georgia second baseman Miles Starr as he autographed a ball. “We’re signing, and even though most of them probably aren’t Georgia fans.”
Or fans of Fresno State, North Carolina or any of the other teams in Omaha.
But the bond between baseball and the city is a major reason why the NCAA has signed a 25-year contract to continue its championship in Omaha. The deal begins in 2011 when the College World Series is scheduled to move into a $140 million, 24,000-seat downtown stadium.
CONTINUE....
By Mark Alesia, The Indianapolis Star
SEATTLE — The NCAA infractions committee meeting got underway at 1 p.m. ET as scheduled in a ballroom at the Hotel Deca.
NCAA spokesperson Stacey Osburn confirmed that Kelvin Sampson is present at the hearing.
Sampson, the former Indiana University men's basketball coach, is at the center of the four potential major allegations that have been charged against the school's athletic program.
New IU coach Tom Crean, athletic director Rick Greenspan and Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany entered the hearing separately but did not comment to media. Seeing the reporters with cameras poised, Dennis Thomas, commissioner of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and a member of the infractions committee, said, "What is this, the Emmys?"
MORE....
Michael Tranghese, commissioner of the Big East collegiate athletic conference, today announced that he will resign his position, effective June 30, 2009.
Tranghese has been commissioner of the 16-team league, which includes the University of Cincinnati, since 1990. He was the Big East's first full-time employee in 1979.
Tranghese has served as chairman of the NCAA Men's Basketball Committee, the Division I-A Commissioners, the Collegiate Commissioners Association and the NCAA Men's Basketball Subcommittee on Television. He was a part of the NCAA's negotiating team that crafted a record $6 billion contract with CBS for broadcast rights to the NCAA men's basketball championship.
Tranghese also served two terms as lead administrator for the Bowl Championship Series.
FULL STORY....
Chapel Hill, NC (Sports Network) - North Carolina point guard Ty Lawson was arrested early Friday morning.
The Charlotte Observer reported Lawson was charged with driving after drinking alcohol and driving with a revoked license, as well as violating a noise ordinance.
A Chapel Hill police officer stopped Lawson after hearing loud music from inside his car, suspected he'd been drinking and conducted a sobriety test, the report said. The officer made the arrest at 2:33 a.m. (et), and Lawson was later released after promising to appear in court on July 8.
MORE....
