Author Archives: ianbethune

Exclusive Interview with Red Sox Legend Carl Yastrzemski on NESN’s Pre-Game Show Tonight and Tomorrow

NESN’s Tom Caron sat down with Hall of Famer and Red Sox legend Carl Yastrzemski for an exclusive two-part interview on the occasion of his 75th birthday.

NESNThe first part of this wide-ranging interview will air during NESN’s Red Sox pre-game show tonight at 6 PM. The second part of the interview will air tomorrow (Friday, August 22), Yastrzemski’s 75th birthday, also during NESN’s Red Sox pre-game show.

The interview includes Yastrzemski’s thoughts on following Ted Williams as the Red Sox left fielder, how he played the Green Monster, and the 1967 Impossible Dream season. Yaz also talks about if he enjoyed his baseball career and now, over 30 years after he retired from the game, how he sees his legacy.

Video: UConn QB Bryant Shirreffs Role For 2014

With a change in the offensive system at North Carolina State, Bryant Shirreffs wanted a change in scenery. He ultimately decided on playing for Bob Diaco and the new look UConn Huskies football team.

But due to NCAA transfer rules, Shirreffs can’t play for the Huskies in 2014. Instead, he’ll spend the season learning the playbook and running the scout and look teams in practice.

Watch below as Diaco and Shirreffs talk about what lies ahead in 2014.

UConn Men To Play Series Versus Ohio State, Arizona

From UConn:

STORRS, Conn. – The UConn men’s basketball program announced that it has agreed to home-and-home series with Ohio State and Arizona, which will stretch over the next four seasons.

newuconnlogo(1)Ohio State, out of the Big Ten, and Arizona, out of the Pac-12, are perennial Top 25 programs and fixtures in the NCAA Tournament. Each has had memorable games against UConn in the past.

The series against Ohio State will begin in the 2015-16 season in Connecticut, with Huskies visiting Columbus the following season in 2016-17. Both games will be held during December.

UConn will travel to Tucson to play Arizona in the McKale Center during the 2017-18 season, and the Wildcats will return the game in Connecticut in 2018-19. Again, both games are tentatively set for December.

UConn is 2-3 all-time against Ohio State, but has not played the Buckeyes since its 64-58 victory on March 27, 1999, in the NCAA National Semifinals in St. Petersburg, Fla., as the Huskies went on to win their first National Championship. UConn’s other victory over Ohio State was also in a national tournament, a 72-67 triumph on March 30, 1988, in Madison Square Garden to capture the NIT Championship. UConn’s three losses to Ohio State came in 1983-84 in Columbus, in 1984-85 at the Hartford Civic Center, and in 1991-92 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Cincinnati.

The Huskies are a perfect 5-0 all-time against Arizona, the most recent game a 65-63 thriller on March 26, 2011, in the NCAA West Regional Championship in Anaheim, Calif., advancing UConn to the Final Four in Houston, where the Huskies won their third national title.

UConn’s other games against the Wildcats have taken place in 1999-2000 in the Great Eight Basketball Classic in Chicago’s United Center, in 2000-01 at Gampel Pavilion, in 2001-02 in Tucson, and in 2005-06 at the Maui Invitational in Lahaina, Hawaii.

Video: UConn Football Coach Bob Diaco & QB Chandler Whitmer Talk Whitmer’s Return

As we know, UConn Huskies QB Chandler Whitmer decided to return to school for his fifth and final year of eligibility.

He didn’t have to do it. He already had his degree from UConn as he graduated last December.

And given how the 2013 season played out for him, you really did think there’s just no way he was coming back especially with a new coach in Bob Diaco coming in.

But a call from Diaco to Whitmer changed Whitmer’s thinking and here we are in August of 2014 with him as the key backup to Casey Cochran. And according to Diaco as it has been well documented, he plans to play two QB’s in the game.

Watch below as Diaco and Whitmer talk about Whitmer’s return to the football program.

Video: UConn QB Tim Boyle’s Role For 2014

UConn QB Tim Boyle (14) throws a pass during practice.

UConn Huskies head coach Bob Diaco had an interesting dilemma on his hands. He had three starting quarterbacks coming back for his team in Tim Boyle, Casey Cochran and Chandler Whitmer.

As a true freshman in 2013, Boyle saw action in five games, starting four before being replaced by Cochran for the final four games of the season.

While I can’t say what Diaco was thinking, the general thought was that Boyle would sit out this year gaining an extra year of eligibility. Normally most freshman don’t play, earning a redshirt year. Basically what this all means is that all college athletes have five years to play four.

With Boyle, he still has four years to play three. So to me, it wasn’t a surprise when Diaco announced that Boyle was “going to be protected” this year.

What Diaco means is that if Boyle doesn’t have to play, he won’t. But if he does, he’ll be ready to come in.

Watch below as Diaco explains the situation with Boyle and also Boyle’s reaction to the news.

Video: UConn Football – The Best Show In Town

UConn WR Geremy Davis looks on during the stretching drills at practice on Wednesday, August 6, 2014.

UConn WR Geremy Davis looks on during the stretching drills at practice on Wednesday, August 6, 2014.

We are exactly two weeks away from the 2014 season opener for the UConn Huskies football team as they’ll take on the BYU Cougars at Rentschler Field on August 29 at 7 p.m.

With new head coach Bob Diaco in charge, things will be very different than last year.

So I’ll ask you this.

Do you have your tickets for the game against BYU yet? Maybe pickup a mini-plan or even season tickets. If you’re an alumni or a fan of the team, be sure to get out there and show your support.

It would be great to see a packed house for opening night on national television and the Boise State game, heck entire home schedule.

So head over to UConnTickets.com and pick up your individual, mini-plan or season tickets today.