While I was preoccupied yesterday, SNY, the new home of UConn Huskies women’s basketball, announced their studio and game announcing crews for the games.

Here’s the release:

NEW YORK – SNY, the official television home of the UConn Huskies Women’s basketball program, today announced its on-air talent roster and its exclusive game schedule for the 2012-13 season.  The network named former UConn Women basketball greats Meghan Culmo and Kara Wolters as analysts.  Meghan will serve as the network’s game analyst and Kara as the studio analyst for pre-game, half-time and post-game shows.  Joining the veteran UConn voices will be play-by-play announcerAndrew Catalon – who recently served as a play-by-play announcer at the London Olympics for NBC – and SNY reporter/anchor Kerith Burke as the sideline reporter. Gary Apple, who hosts SNY’s Big East basketball studio shows, will anchor the network’s studio coverage alongside Kara Wolters.

SNY also announced its UConn Women’s 2012-13 game schedule – which will feature 20 live games.  All Big East Conference basketball games will be wrapped with comprehensive pre-game, half-time and post-game shows.  The network’s game schedule will tip-off on November 11^th at 1:30pm when the Huskies – eyeing their 17th straight season-opening win – host the College of Charleston Cougars.  Prior to the game, SNY will air a special pre-game show featuring in-depth analysis of the upcoming season, including interviews with players and coaches, and highlight key players to watch. SNY’s official UConn Women’s basketball schedule is listed below.  As previously stated, SNY will also offer an online streaming package for games airing on SNY.  Details regarding the streaming service will be announced shortly.

“We have assembled a formidable and highly experienced group of on-air talent who will bring expert analysis, unique insight and compelling story-telling,” said Curt Gowdy, Jr.,Senior Vice President of Production and Executive Producer of SNY.  “Our coverage will provide unprecedented access to the UConn Women’s basketball program – while delivering innovative, first-rate game production and studio programming.”

“I am thrilled to join the SNY team in covering the UConn Women’s Basketball program,” said Meghan Culmo. “We will provide exceptional coverage for the best women’s basketball fans in the nation.  I cannot wait to get started working with Andrew, Kerith, Gary and Kara – great people who will work so hard to bring the best product to the air for our loyal fans.”

“I’m delighted to be part of the amazing team at SNY, as they have assembled one of the best broadcast teams in the business,” said Kara Wolters. “Their superior production capabilities will bring an unparalleled viewing experience to the fans.  I am thrilled to know that a broad audience will have the opportunity to experience the championship caliber of the UConn women’s basketball program.”

“It’s an honor to be working with the top women’s basketball program in the country,” said Andrew Catalon. “Growing up in the Northeast, I fully understand the passion UConn fans have for this team and that is very exciting. We will respect and honor that tradition.  I am greatly looking forward to working with Meg, Kerith, Kara, Gary and the great team SNY has put together.

Prior to joining SNY, Kara Wolters spent six seasons as the color commentator for the UConn women’s basketball team on their flagship station WTIC-1080 AM.  Her basketball career includes playing four years under Coach Geno Auriemma – earning an NCAA Championship in 1995 where she helped her team post a 35-0 record.  Kara was also the 1997 National Player of the Year during her senior year at UConn.  Kara went on to become one of only seven players in the world to achieve the elusive championship “set” – NCAA championship (1995), the WNBA championship (1999) and an Olympic gold medal (2000).  Kara also won a gold medal for the USA Jones Cup Team (1996); won a gold medal for the USA World University Games Team (1997), and a silver medal in 1995. She played on the US National Team in 1997-98 and 1999-2000. She also earned a European championship with her pro team in Schio, Italy.  In 1998 she began Kara Kares, a foundation to fund brain tumor research, in honor of her sister, Katie, who passed away as the result of a brain tumor in 2004.

Prior to joining the network, Meghan Culmo has been a color analyst on radio and television for more than a decade. She has appeared on Connecticut Public Television, ESPN, MSG and Lifetime Television, among others. While at CPTV, she hosted “The Geno Auriemma Show”, which she has done for the past 15 years. Meg’s playing career featured several historic milestones, including the first ever BIG EAST Regular Season and Tournament Championships.  She was a 1,000 point scorer and All BIG EAST performer – as well as Captain her senior year.  Meg earned Most Outstanding Player at the 1991 BIG EAST Championships as the Huskies claimed the title. Her resume also includes being a member of the coaching staff that helped guide the Huskies to their first of seven NCAA National Championships.

In addition to his role on SNY, Andrew has worked three Olympics for NBC – including London – as well as tennis at Wimbledon.  Andrew’s other play-by-play experience includes NFL games on CBS, NBC and WKYC.  Andrew worked for CBS at the 2011 & 2012 Masters – doing play-by-play for the featured group channel. He also worked the 2010 & 2011 US Open Tennis Tournaments for CBS, calling the action in 3D. In addition, He has worked for the NBC Sports Network, and Big Ten Network.  Catalon also was a sports anchor/reporter at NewsChannel 13 in Albany, NY, where he hosted the “Big Board Sports with Andrew Catalon,” the Capital Region’s only Sunday night sports wrap-up show.

2012-13 UConn Huskies women’s basketball schedule

Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.

Paw Prints is our daily look at the happenings for the UConn Huskies football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball teams as well as the other sports the student-athletes engage in. We will do our best to bring you the links from all of the media that covers the Huskies on a daily basis. As always, links can be found by clicking on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

Thank you for stopping by and making SOX & Dawgs your home for UConn Huskies news.

To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click

UConn Football links

Paw Prints – UConn Huskies (3-2, 0-0) @ Rutgers Scarlet Knights (4-0, 1-0) Preview [sox & dawgs]

Revenge vs. UConn not on Rutgers’ minds [matt fortuna – espn.com]

Who will transform tomorrow? [matt fortuna – espn.com]

A simple game? Coach P makes it so [lee lewis – republican-american]

SNY’s Sean Mulcahy previews UConn-Rutgers [sean mulcahy – sny.com]

C Alex Mateas 100 percent, Tyler Bullock to play — Thursday update [john silver – sny.com]

The other side: Reading up on Rutgers [john silver – sny.com]

The Blitz: UConn at Rutgers [uconnhuskies.com]

Connecticut Plays Ranked Rutgers Saturday [bigeast.org]

Stratford’s Harrison enjoying two roles — father and Rutgers receiver [ct post]

Video: UConn-Rutgers renew rivalry [espn.com]

UConn Needs Its Special Teams To Help Stop Rutgers [hartford courant]

UConn Women’s Basketball links

Chong, McCall Due In Storrs; Canada On The Map? [john altavilla – hartford courant]

Geno to be honored in D.C. [jim fuller – new haven register]

Pat Summitt: Cherish The Memories [hartford courant]

UConn Men’s Basketball links

Recruiting Roundup: October 4 [kevin duffy – ct post]

Annual Husky Run Set For Thursday, October 11 at 2:30 p.m [uconnhuskies.com]

Other UConn related links

W. Soccer. Women’s Soccer Hosts USF & No. 20 Marquette This Weekend [uconnhuskies.com]

W. Volleyball. Volleyball Heads to the Midwest for Two [uconnhuskies.com]

Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.

When the Boston Red Sox made the big deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers we knew they were going to get five players. But we also knew that two of them wouldn’t join the Red Sox until the season is over.

Well now that the miserable 2012 season for the Red Sox is over, they have now received the two players-to-be-named later from the Dodgers.

Here’s the release from the Red Sox:

BOSTON, MA—The Boston Red Sox today acquired right-handed pitcher Rubby De La Rosa and first baseman/outfielder Jerry Sands from the Los Angeles Dodgers, completing the August 25 trade that sent right-handed pitcher Josh Beckett, outfielder Carl Crawford, first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and infielder Nick Punto to the Dodgers in exchange for first baseman James Loney, infielder Ivan De Jesus Jr. and right-handed pitcher Allen Webster.  To make room on the 40-man roster, catcher Guillermo Quiroz was designated for a assignment.

The announcement was made by Executive Vice President/General Manager Ben Cherington.

De La Rosa, 23, tallied an 11-9 record with six saves, a 2.86 ERA (74 ER/233.0 IP), 237 strikeouts and just 187 hits allowed in 59 career minor league appearances (39 starts) over six seasons in the Dodgers system, and earned the organization’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year award in 2010.  Signed by Los Angeles as an international free agent in July 2007, the right-hander made his Major League debut with the club in 2011 and posted a 4-5 record with a 3.71 ERA (25 ER/60.2 IP) and 60 strikeouts over 13 games (10 starts).  After beginning the 2012 season on the disabled list recovering from Tommy John surgery underwent on August 9, 2011, he made one Major League appearance for Los Angeles in August and compiled a 1-0 record with a 2.08 ERA (3 ER/13.0 IP) and 12 strikeouts in six minor league outings, including five on rehab, between the Rookie-level Arizona League Dodgers, High-A Rancho Cucamonga and Double-A Chattanooga.

The 25-year-old Sands spent most of 2012 with the Dodgers Triple-A Albuquerque affiliate and was named to the Pacific Coast League’s Postseason All-Star Team.  This season, he led all Triple-A batters with 107 RBI and finished third in the PCL with 26 home runs while also tallying 17 doubles, four triples, 84 runs scored and 59 walks in 119 games.  The right-handed batter hit .383 (51-for-133) with a minor league-leading 46 RBI over his last 34 regular season games with Albuquerque.  In five postseason contests for the Isotopes he hit .381 (8-for-21) with a double, a homer and seven RBI.  Sands also appeared in nine Major League games over two stints with the Dodgers this year and in 70 career Big League tilts, all with Los Angeles over the last two seasons, he has hit .244 (54-for-221) with 17 doubles, four homers, 27 RBI, 22 runs and 26 walks.  Selected by the Dodgers in the 25th round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft, Sands is a career .289 hitter (502-for-1,737) with 86 doubles, 16 triples, 119 home runs, 379 RBI, 356 runs, 236 walks and 28 stolen bases in 469 minor league games in the Dodgers system.

Quiroz, 30, was acquired from the Seattle Mariners on September 4 and appeared in two games for the Red Sox this season, going 0-for-2 at the plate.  He began the season with Seattle’s Triple-A club in Tacoma, batting .278 (84-for-302) with 15 doubles, a triple, 15 home runs, 52 RBI, 45 runs scored and 36 walks in 89 games.  Originally signed by Toronto in 1998, the right-handed batter has played in 103 career Major League games with the Blue Jays (2004-05), Mariners (2006, 2009-10), Rangers (2007), Orioles (2008) and Red Sox (2012), going 53-for-257 (.206) with 11 doubles, two homers, 28 RBI, 19 runs scored and 17 walks.

I know everybody knows this already but since I’ve been preoccupied with some personal stuff all day, I’m just getting around to this now.

We can all rejoice. Bobby V has been canned. Thrown out to the trash.

Here’s the release from the Boston Red Sox:

BOSTON, MA – The Boston Red Sox today announced, following a meeting among team leaders and Manager Bobby Valentine, that Bobby will not return in 2013.   A search for a new manager will begin immediately.

“Our 2012 season was disappointing for many reasons,” said Executive Vice-President/General Manager Ben Cherington, who made the announcement and who will lead the search.  “No single issue is the reason, and no single individual is to blame.  We’ve been making personnel changes since August, and we will continue to do so as we build a contending club.  With an historic number of injuries, Bobby was dealt a difficult hand.  He did the best he could under seriously adverse circumstances, and I am thankful to him.”

The Red Sox used 56 players in 2012, the most in club history. Their 9-player blockbuster trade August 25 with the Los Angeles Dodgers was their largest in 40 years.

“This year’s won-loss record reflects a season of agony,” said Red Sox President/CEO Larry Lucchino.  “It begs for changes, some of which have already transpired.  More will come.  We are determined to fix that which is broken and return the Red Sox to the level of success we have experienced over the past decade.

“Difficult as it is to judge a manager amid a season that had an epidemic of injuries, we feel we need to make changes.  Bobby leaves the Red Sox’ manager’s office with our respect, gratitude, and affection.  I have no doubt that he will continue to contribute to the game he loves so much and knows so well.”

Red Sox Chairman Tom Werner said, “This season was by far the worst we have experienced in over ten years here.  Ultimately, we are all collectively responsible for the team’s performance.  We are going to be working tirelessly to reconstruct the ballclub for 2013.  We’ll be back.

“We thank Bobby for the many contributions he made and for the energy he brought each day.  He is a baseball man through and through.”

Red Sox Principal Owner John Henry said, “In our meeting with Bobby today, he handled everything with dignity and class, and it is deeply appreciated. Ultimately, we as owners are responsible for arming our organization with the resources — intellectual, physical, and financial — to return to the levels of competitiveness to which we aspire and to which our fans are accustomed.  Our commitment to winning is unwavering.  It is a commitment to this team, to this city, and to these fans who have supported us through thick and thin.

“We have confidence in Ben Cherington and the kind of baseball organization he is determined to build.”

“I understand this decision,” said Valentine.  “This year in Boston has been an incredible experience for me, but I am as disappointed in the results as are ownership and the great fans of Red Sox Nation.

“It was a privilege to be part of the 100 year anniversary of Fenway Park and an honor to be in uniform with such great players and coaches.  My best to the organization.  I’m sure next year will be a turnaround year.”

Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.

This week:

The UConn Huskies hit the road as they open up Big East play this Saturday in Piscataway, NJ against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at High Point Solutions Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 12 p.m.

Here are the rosters for the Huskies and the Scarlet Knights.

The Line/Prediction:

According to Rivals.com odds, Rutgers is favored by 7.5 points and the over/under is 40.5 points.

My prediction is Rutgers 27 UConn 23.

Tickets:

According to the Rutgers ticket website, there are still tickets available to the game. As of 10/3, there are 2,000 tickets left.

Getting To The Game:

Here is the weather forecast for Piscataway, NJ. Here are directions, a seating chart, parking info for High Point Solutions Stadium as well as Rutgers stadium policies.

BROADCAST INFORMATION

Television:

Saturday’s game is being televised live nationally by ESPNU. Tom Hart is on play-by-play with John Congemi on color. It is also available on ESPN3 in certain parts of the country.

The game will be replayed in its entirety on SNY on Wednesday, Oct. 10 at 2 p.m. and in a condensed “Husky Power Hour” version on Sunday, Oct. 7 at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. and Monday, Oct. 8 at 9 a.m. (Connecticut only) and Wednesday, Oct. 10 at noon (Connecticut only).

Radio:

For the 21st consecutive season, WTIC 1080-AM in Hartford serves as the flagship station for the IMG/UConn Radio Network. WTIC is the state’s only 50,000 watt signal and can be heard in 23 states and parts of Canada.

Veteran UConn announcers Joe D’Ambrosio (play-by-play) and Wayne Norman (color commentary) return to call the action with Kevin Nathan on the sidelines.

UConn football on home Saturday dates gets going early with “Breakfast At The Rent” with Ray Dunaway and Scott Gray beginning at 6:00 a.m. The UConn Tailgate Show will air from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. with Kevin Nathan and Bob Joyce. The pregame show begins at 10:30 a.m. followed by the game and then postgame “Husky Talk” with Kevin Nathan

UConn football games are also broadcast over the internet at WTIC.com. Here is a  full list of stations on the UConn IMG Sports Radio Network.

Rutgers Radio:

Coverage on the Rutgers Radio Network begins at 11 a.m. on WOR-710 AM in New York City, WCTC-1450 AM in Central Jersey and WIP-610 AM in Philadelphia and South Jersey. Chris Carlin (play-by-play), Ray Lucas (color analyst) and Anthony Fucilli (sideline) have the call. Marc Malusis (studio host) and Eric LeGrand (analyst) handle the pre and post-game duties.

To continue reading the UConn Huskies @ Rutgers Scarlet Knights preview, click on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

Last Week:

UConn beat Buffalo 24-17 at home. The Scarlet Knights were off last week. They last played on September 22nd when the beat the Arkansas Razorbacks 32-26 in Little Rock, AR.

History:

Saturday’s game will be the 32nd meeting between UConn and Rutgers in a series that dates back to 1940. The Scarlet Knights hold a 21-10 edge and the teams have split their past ten meetings. Seven of the last ten most recent meetings have been settled by a touchdown or less. Since UConn joined the BIG EAST in football in 2004, Rutgers holds a 5-3 edge.

Connections:

UConn has 12 players on its team from New Jersey: FB-LB Jazzmar Clax (Freehold), LB Ryan Donohue (Montvale), CB Dwayne Gratz (Piscataway), TE James Horan (Rockaway), S David Kenney (Highstown), OT Richard Levy (Trenton), WR Shakim Phillips (Paterson), OG Tyler Samra (Wycoff), LB Omaine Stephens (East Orange), LB-FB Wyatt Vinci (Ridgewood) WR/R Nick Williams (East Windsor) and DT Ryan Wirth (Medford).

Rutgers has two players from Connecticut: DB Marcus Cooper (Bloomfield) and WR Mark Harrison (Stratford).

Rutgers offensive coordinator/WR coach Dave Brock was an assistant at Western Connecticut (1991-93).

Rutgers running backs coach Norries Wilson was the offensive coordinator (2002-05) and offensive line coach (1999-2001) at UConn and he was also the head coach at Columbia (2006-11).

UConn head coach Paul Pasqualoni has a 13-2 head coaching record against Rutgers from his time as head coach at Syacuse and last year’s win as UConn’s head coach. The Orange and Rutgers met every year during Pasqualoni’s time at Syracuse. He won his first eight games vs. Rutgers from 1991 to ‘98 and then lost to Rutgers in ‘99 and 2003.

UConn offensive coordinator George DeLeone was an assistant coach on defense at Rutgers from 1980-83.

Other UConn News:

Here are the quotes from UConn head coach Paul Pasqualoni’s press conference as well quotes from some of the players.

Here is UConn’s depth chart for the game.

Four members of the University of Connecticut football team were named to seven major award watch lists over the course of the 2012 preseason.

Senior Tight End Ryan Griffin

• John Mackey Award Watch List
• Lombardi Award Watch List

Sophomore Running Back Lyle McCombs

• Doak Walker Award Watch List
• Maxwell Award Watch List

Senior Linebacker Sio Moore

• Butkus Award Watch List
• Lombardi Award Watch List

Senior Defensive End Trevardo Williams

• Bednarik Award Watch List
• Lombardi Award Watch List
• Nagursky Trophy Watch List

Sophomore Linebacker Yawin Smallwood

• Nagursky Trophy Watch List (added on September 18, 2012)

The following four Huskies were named team captains for the season in the week prior to the season opener vs. UMass – redshirt senior outside linebacker Jory Johnson (Mobile, Ala.), redshirt senior offensive tackle Adam Masters (Bethesda, Md.), senior wide receiver Nick Williams (East Windsor, N.J.) and redshirt senior cornerback Blidi Wreh-Wilson (Edinboro, Pa.).

Pasqualoni is the all-time winningest coach in BIG EAST Conference league wins with 65 and overall wins with 113. He is just one of two league coaches in history to win four BIG EAST Championships. His overall college coaching record stands at 149-84-1 (34-17 at WCSU, 107-59-1 at Syracuse and 8-9 at UConn).

Connecticut begins its ninth season of BIG EAST Conference play on Saturday vs. Rutgers. UConn has a 3-5 record in BIG EAST openers, including a 43-16 loss at West Virginia last season. They’ve lost their last three Big East openers.

UConn owns an all-time mark of 25-30 in BIG EAST Conference games since joining the league for football in 2004.

UConn is 5-21 on the road in Big East play.

The Huskies finished non-conference play at 3-2.

UConn last faced a ranked opponent on October 8, 2011 at West Virginia.

Linebacker Jory Johnson was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll after a career-high 14 tackles against Buffalo.

UConn was one of seven charter members of the BIG EAST Conference when the league was founded in 1979 and UConn is the only founding school that is currently playing football in the league and scheduled to do so in the future. The other five original members were Boston College, Seton Hall, Syracuse, Providence, Georgetown and St. John’s.

Here is where UConn stands in the lastest NCAA statistics:

• Total Defense – 6th at 242.60 yards per game
• Rushing Defense – 6th at 74.20 yards per game
• Passing Defense – 14th at 168.40 yards per game
• Scoring Defense – 23rd at 15.60 points per game
• Sacks – 13th at 3.20 per game
• Tackles For Loss – 19th at 7.80 per game
• Total Offense – 106th at 323.80 yards per game
• Rushing Offense – 109th at 112.00 yards per game
• Passing Offense – 84th at 211.80 yards per game
• Scoring Offense – 92nd at 23.20 points per game
• Punt Returns – 13th at 17.27 yards per return

Here is where UConn individuals stand in NCAA leaders

• Trevardo Williams – t8th in sacks at 1.30 per game (leads BIG EAST)
• Yawin Smallwood t9th in tackles for loss at 2.00 per game (leads BIG EAST)
  t41st in sacks at 0.80 per game
  t14th in tackles at 10.60 per game (leads BIG EAST)
• Nick Williams 16th in punt returns at 16.90 per return
  34th in kickoff returns at 24.44 yards per return

Notes from this week’s opponent Rutgers:

Here is video of Rutgers head coach Kyle Flood’s press conference.

Kyle Flood is in his first year as the head coach at Rutgers and is in his first year as a collegiate head coach. He had served on the Rutgers staff for the previous seven seasons and also had assistant coaching stints at C.W. Post (1995-96), Hofstra (1997-2001), Delaware (2002-05). He was part of the coaching staff that led the Blue Hens to the 2003 NCAA FCS Championship. Flood is a 1993 Iona College graduate. The last time Rutgers promoted an assistant coach on staff to the head coaching position was the naming of Frank Burns to replace John Bateman in 1973 — and Burns became the winningest coach in school history.

Rutgers will debut its new black uniforms Saturday as all fans in the stadium are asked to wear black for a stadium blackout vs. the Huskies.

Rutgers hasn’t been ranked in both polls since September 30, 2007.

With a win:

• Rutgers would win a game as a ranked team for the first time since 2007.
• Start the season 5-0 for the seventh time in 143 seasons of college football.
• Kyle Flood would become the second coach in school history to start 5-0. The only first-year RU head coach to begin 5-0 was John Bateman in 1960. Bateman guided the Scarlet Knights to an 8-1 record, including wins in his first five games as head coach.

Rutgers is 81-91-2 all-time against current members of the BIG EAST.

Rutgers looks to become 2-0 in the BIG EAST for only the third time since the BIG EAST began play in 1991. The only other years RU started 2-0 in conference play was 2011 (19-16 2OT win at Syracuse; 34-10 win vs. Pitt) and 2006 (22-20 win at USF; 20-10 win at Pitt).

The Scarlet Knights are 9-12 all-time in BIG EAST home openers, including victories in each of the last two years in conference home openers.

Rutgers is the only team in the nation to win three road games in the month of September in 2012.

Former Rutgers head coach and player Frank Robert Burns passed away on July 14, 2012. In 2012, every Scarlet Knight will wear a “FRB” sticker on their helmet in honor of Burns.

Thursday UConn Football Links:

Video: Big East’s best LBs face off this week [andrea adelson – espn.com]

Big East predictions: Week 6 [andrea adelson – espn.com]

UConn Defensive Coordinator Don Brown On Last Week (Buffalo), This Week (Rutgers), A Little In Between [desmond conner – hartford courant]

DC also answered some questions in his mailbag [desmond conner – hartford courant]

What to watch in the Big East: Week 6 [matt fortuna – espn.com]

Nick Williams drawing inspiration from Devin Hester [jim fuller – new haven register]

Mr. Dependable: UConn’s Johnson a steady hand [john silver – sny.com]

Scoring Might Be Scarce On Saturday [uconnhuskies.com]

UConn Must Be Careful With Rutgers’ Offense [hartford courant]

Connecticut native, Rutgers WR Mark Harrison looking for final word in rivalry [the star-ledger]

UCONN Q&A: Battle Tested Knights To Face Huskies [the star-ledger]

Rutgers vs. Connecticut should be a defensive slugfest on Saturday [the star-ledger]

Connecticut at Rutgers [sports xchange]

Next Week:

UConn returns home to Rentschler Field next Saturday to host the Temple Owls in a Big East game. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.

Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.

Paw Prints is our daily look at the happenings for the UConn Huskies football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball teams as well as the other sports the student-athletes engage in. We will do our best to bring you the links from all of the media that covers the Huskies on a daily basis. As always, links can be found by clicking on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

Thank you for stopping by and making SOX & Dawgs your home for UConn Huskies news.

To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click

UConn Football links

Today’s UConn football links can be found in the Thursday links section of the UConn vs Rutgers preview.

UConn Women’s Basketball links

UConn in the WNBA playoffs [carl adamec – sny.com]

Update on First Night visitors [jim fuller – new haven register]

UConn Men’s Basketball links

UConn not planning to name center for Calhoun [ap]

Other UConn related links

M. Soccer. Men’s Soccer vs. Providence On Oct. 27 Changed To 4 p.m. [uconnhuskies.com]

M. Soccer. Blake’s Seven Saves Lead No. 2 Men’s Soccer Past No. 3 Georgetown, 2-1 [uconnhuskies.com]

W. Rowing. Anthony Brock Named Assistant Rowing Coach [uconnhuskies.com]

Field Hockey. No. 3 Field Hockey Off To Best Start Since 1999 With 2-0 Win at UMass [uconnhuskies.com]

Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.

Our long standing New England nightmare is over. Wait, you mean Bobby Valentine hasn’t been fired as of 9:55 a.m.? Okay then.

One of our long standing New England nightmares is over. The 2012 season has finally come to a close for the Boston Red Sox after the New York Yankees bent them over their knee last night and spanked the crap out of them to clinch the AL East.

The Red Sox as a team hadn’t lost at least 90 games since 1966 when they were 72-90. They topped that mark this season going 69-93.

We can all sit back and make excuses for what happened. The injuries, the trade, the fact that Valentine is an idiot, Ben Cherington didn’t do enough, ownership cares more about Liverpool.

Forgot the excuses, what we should be talking about is what’s going to be done to fix this team to get back into the playoffs.

The trade of Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez freed up a ton of payroll for the Red Sox. But the free agent class, sans Josh Hamilton, isn’t all that special.

The Red Sox need starting pitching, a first baseman, an outfielder or two and some bullpen help. We know they’re going to try and re-sign David Ortiz and Cody Ross.

But even if they do re-sign them, that doesn’t even crack the surface of what needs to be done.

While last year’s offseason was a crazy one for the Red Sox because of what happened, this one is shaping up to be even more crazier. It will defintely be worth following closely.

For more slices of Red Sox goodness, head over to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, CSN New England,  ESPN Boston, NESN, Providence Journal, RedSox.com and WEEI websites.

And if you must check out the enemy news, head over to the ESPN New York, New York Daily News, New York Post, New York Times and The Journal News websites. You can also check out our Bloguin brother, NYY Stadium Insider.

Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.