Destination Red Sox Nation – 9/14

Destination Red Sox Nation

Destination Red Sox Nation is our look at how the minor league teams of the Boston Red Sox fare each night. Game story and box score links as well as links to team rosters, team stats and league standings can be found by clicking on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

If you would like to listen to any of the Red Sox minor league affiliates’ games, MiLB.com offers them for free.

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

Spinners’ Oktoberfest/Family Fun Day Set for Saturday, September 15 [oursports central]

Beyeler did major-league job with PawSox — and now deserves one [projo sox blog]

2012 Red Sox Instructional League Roster [soxprospects.com]

pawtucket red sox Pawtucket Red Sox

The PawSox won the Governors’ Cup last night with a 4-1 win over the Charlotte Knights. They’ll take on the winner of the Omaha-Reno PCL Championship Series in a winner take all on Tuesday in Durham, NC.

PawSox Win 2012 Governors’ Cup Championship [pawsox.com]

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: PawSox capture Governors’ Cup [pawtucket times]

PawSox bask in glow of Governors’ Cup championship [pawtucket times]

Pawtucket sweeps Charlotte to win Governors’ Cup [providence journal]

PawSox sweep Charlotte to win championship [csn new england]

Pawtucket Red Sox @ Charlotte Knights Governors’ Cup Game 3 box score [milb.com]

Pawtucket Red Sox 2012 Roster

Pawtucket Red Sox stats

Final International League 2012 Standings

Pawtucket Red Sox website

Portland Sea Dogs Portland Sea Dogs:

The 2012 season is over for the Sea Dogs.

Final Portland Sea Dogs 2012 Roster

Final Portland Sea Dogs 2012 stats

Final Eastern League 2012 Standings

Portland Sea Dogs website

salem red sox Salem Red Sox:

The 2012 season is over for Salem.

Final Salem Red Sox 2012 Roster

Final Salem Red Sox 2012 stats

Final Carolina League 2012 standings

Final Salem Red Sox official blog

Salem Red Sox website

Greenville drive Greenville Drive:

The 2012 season is over for the Drive.

Final Greenville Drive 2012 Roster

Final Greenvillle Drive 2012 stats

Final South Atlantic League 2012 Standings

Greenville Drive website

Lowell Spinners Lowell Spinners:

The 2012 season is over for the Spinners.

Final Lowell Spinners 2012 Roster

Final Lowell Spinners 2012 stats

Final NY-Penn League 2012 Standings

Lowell Spinners Blog

Spinners website

Gulf Coast red sox Gulf Coast League Red Sox

The 2012 season is over for the GCL Red Sox.

Final GCL Red Sox 2012 Roster

Final GCL Red Sox 2012 stats

Final Gulf Coast League 2012 Standings

Gulf Coast Red Sox website

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

In The Red Zone: Arizona Cardinals at New England Patriots Preview Week 2

In the Red Zone

This Week

Arizona Cardinals @ New England Patriots

The New England Patriots host the Arizona Cardinals at Gillette Stadium on Sunday at 1 p.m.  This is the Patriots home opener.

The Cardinals =—- The Patriots
Overall  1-0 Overall  1-0
Road record  0-0 Home record  0-0
AFC East  0-0 NFC West  0-0
AFC  0-0 NFC  0-0

The Line/Prediction

As of Thursday the line on the game from Bovada.net on Yahoo Sports has the Patriots at MINUS 14.  The OVER/UNDER is 48.

My prediction is Patriots 35, Cardinals, 10.  Give the points (Patriots) and take the under.  I am 1-0 against the spread and 0 of 1 on calling the over/under in 2012.

Tickets

The Patriots are reporting the game as a sell out. It is the 196th consecutive sell out dating back to the 1994 season opener.  The record includes preseason, regular season and playoff games.

Tickets to the game, if available, can be purchased through Ticketmaster.  You can check the availability here.

After market tickets are available through the Official Patriots Ticket Exchange where season ticket holders can sell their unused seats to fans on the season ticket waiting list.

Getting to the Game

If you’re lucky enough to be going to the game in Foxboro make sure you check out the links.

The Patriots are holding a kids book drive for charity on Sunday.  New books will be collected at the gates as fans enter Gillette Stadium or at the Pro Shop.

Here is the up to date weather forecast from the Weather Channel for Foxboro MA.

Click for all the game day information including stadium directions, parking information and map and a Gillette Stadium seating chart.

Tailgating

Here’s a bunch of different tailgating recipes from Tailgating.com.  There’s something there for everyone and every type of meal or snack.  I’ve tried some of the recipes and they’re very good.

And with tailgating many people enjoy some adult beverages.  With that in mind check out Drink Nation for how to make all sorts of great drinks.  You can look things up by name, ingredient(s) or theme.

Whether it’s at the game, a bar or a friend’s house moderation is always the key to a great time.  Please don’t drink and drive and designate a sober driver.  Remember You Drink, You Drive, You Lose.

BROADCAST INFORMATION

Television

FOX is televising the game regionally and Dick Stockton will do play by play while John Lynch will provide the game analysis and Jennifer Hale covers the sidelines.  You can look here for your local affiliate.

See if you’re getting the game courtesy of J.P. Kirby at the506.com.

The DirecTV designation is Channel 706.

Here are all the rules on NFL TV broadcasts including explaining the blackout rules, flex scheduling and commercial breaks

Radio

The Patriots Radio Network broadcasts the game from flagship station WBZ-FM, 98.5 the Sports Hub in Boston. Gil Santos handles the play-by-play and former Patriots QB Scott Zolak will do game analysis. It all starts with Gary Tanguay and Andy Gresh with the pregame show at 10 a.m. along the network. The post game starts after the final gun and continues for three hours along the network.

The Patriots radio network call is available on Sirius Channel 91; XM Channel 228 and SiriusXM Internet Channel 818.

The Cardinals Radio Network has Dave Pasch calling the game while Ron Wolfley and Paul Calvisi provide the game analysis via their flagship station of KMVP-FM.

Their call is available on Sirius Channel 125 and SiriusXM Internet Channel 800.

Patriots All Access

Patriots All-Access features behind the scenes looks, interviews and breakdowns with head coach Bill Belichick and in depth features on the team.  It’s hosted by Steve Burton of WBZ-TV (Boston) and airs weekly in most New England television markets.

  • Boston MA on TV 38 Friday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 9 a.m.
  • Providence RI on WNAC Friday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 9 a.m.
  • Manchester NH on WMUR Saturday at midnight
  • Portland ME on WMTW Sunday at 5 a.m.
  • Hartford CT on WCTX Saturday at 5 p.m.
  • Springfield MA on WFXQ Saturday at 7 p.m.
  • Bangor ME on WVII Sunday at 11 a.m.

You can also watch it anytime on the teams website in the media section.

To continue reading, the Arizona Cardinals @ New England Patriots preview, please click on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

Last Week

The Patriots went on the road and pounded the Titans, 34-13.  The Cardinals opened the season at home and stunned the Seahawks, 20-16.

History

  • This is the 13th meeting between the Patriots and the Cardinals and the 8th since the franchise relocated from St. Louis to Arizona for the 1988 season.
  • The overall series is tied between the teams at 6-6.
  • The Patriots have won the last 5 meetings.  It is their longest current winning streak against any team.
  • New England is 4-3 vs. the Arizona/Phoenix Cardinals and was 2-3 when the team was in St. Louis.
  • The Patriots won the last meeting between the teams at Gillette Stadium in Week 15 of 2008, 47-7.

Patriots Team Notes

Here is the Patriots roster, depth chart and injury report for the game.

2012 Patriots Schedule/Results

The Patriots overall franchise record is 415-365-9.  They have won three Super Bowls (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX) in seven appearances.  Overall they are 23-16 in the post season.

They last appeared in the playoffs in 2011 when they beat Denver home in the AFC Divisional Playoff, 45-10 and defeated Baltimore 23-20 in Foxboro in the AFC Championship Game.  They lost Super Bowl XLVI to the New York Giants 21-17.

The Patriots were 13-3 (2-1 in playoffs) in 2011 and are the defending two-time AFC East Champions as well as the defending AFC Conference Champions.  They have won the division 8 times and the conference 5 times since 2000.

New England is 3-1 vs. Cardinals at home, 2-0 since they moved to Arizona and 1-0 at Gillette Stadium.

The Patriots have won 15 of their last 17 home openers.

New England is 10-0 in Gillette Stadium home openers.

This is the fifth time the Patriots have opened at home against an NFC opponent.

  • 1978 vs. Washington
  • 1986 vs. Green Bay
  • 1996 vs. Arizona
  • 2000 vs. Tampa Bay

This is only the 5th game of the 13 in the series to be played in Foxboro.

The Patriots are 6th in the NFL in points per game with 34.  While they allow 13 points per game good for 3rd in the NFL.

The New England defense has sacked the opponents quarterback 2 times this season, while their quarterbacks have been sacked once.

They have the longest current streak in the NFL for most consecutive games with 2+ sacks with 9.

New England is PLUS 2 in turnover differential. The offense gave up 0 INT and 0 fumble, while the defense had 1 INT and 1 fumble recovery.

The Patriots are 6 for 12 (50%) in 3rd down efficiency and 0 for 0 on fourth down attempts.  Opponents are 5 for 14 (35.7%) in 3rd down efficiency and 1 for 2 (50%) on 4th down attempts.

New England is 2 of 4 (50%) in the red zone while opponents are 0 for 2 (0%) in the red zone in 2012.

In goal to go situations New England is 2 for 3 (67%) and opponents are 0 for 1 (0%).

Saturday the Patriots will have their Hall of Fame ceremony.  Inducted into the Hall at Patriot Place as the Class of 2012 will be WR Troy Brown who is the 19th member of the Hall spoke to the media on Thursday.

New England is 23-9 in September since 2002.

The Patriots are 67-13 at home in the regular season since Gillette Stadium opened in 2002.

Against the NFC the Patriots are 18-2 at home since 2002.

Since 1999 the Patriots have the best record in the NFL at 148-61.

Since Robert Kraft bought the team in 1994 they:

  • Have the most Super Bowl wins, 3.
  • Have the most regular season wins, 194.
  • Have the most wins including playoffs, 213.
  • Have the best wining percentage including playoffs, .670.
  • Have the most conference titles, 6.
  • Have the most division titles, 11.
  • Have the most playoff wins, 19
  • Have played the most playoff games, 29.
  • Are tied for the most playoff seasons, 13.
  • Have the best playoff win percentage, .671.
  • Have drafted the most Pro Bowl players, 20.

New England set the following team records in 2011:

  • Total yards, 6,848.
  • First downs, 399.
  • Net passing yards, 5,084.
  • 100+ yard receiving games, 18.
  • Games with 30+ points, 12 (tied for most in NFL history).

Patriots Staff Notes

This is the link to head coach Bill Belichick’s Wednesday press conference on the Cardinals.

Bill Belichick is 3-0 vs. the Cardinals in his career.  He is 2-0 against them as the head coach in New England.

Overall in his NFL career Belichick is 176-97 in his 18th NFL season.  He is 140-53 with New England and 36-44 with Cleveland.  He is 17-7 in the playoffs, 16-6 as head coach of the Patriots in the post season.  When you combine his regular season and post season records he is 193-104.

Belichick’s 193 wins are good for a tie for 8th all-time with Chuck Knox, who coached the Rams, Bills and Seahawks.

Belichick is one of five head coaches in NFL history whose father (Steve Belichick) played in the league.  The others are former Kansas City head coach Todd Haley (Dick Haley), former San Francisco head coach Mike Nolan (Dick Nolan), former Cincinnati head coach David Shula (Don Shula) and former NY Jets head coach Joe Walton (Frank Walton).

Belichick is one of just four coaches to win three Super Bowls, joining Chuck Noll (4), Joe Gibbs (3) and Bill Walsh (3).  Those men are all in the Hall of Fame.

He is the only coach in NFL history to win three championship titles in four seasons.

He is the only coach in NFL history to have led his team to 10+ wins in 9 consecutive seasons.

Patriots Possible Starters

Offense:

  • LT: Solder
  • LG: Mankins
  • C: Wendell
  • RG: Thomas
  • RT: Vollmer
  • TE: Gronkowski
  • TE: Hernandez
  • WR: Lloyd
  • WR: Welker
  • QB: Brady
  • RB: Ridley

Defense:

  • DE: Ninkovich
  • DT: Wilfork
  • DT: Love
  • DE: Jones
  • LB: Mayo
  • LB: Spikes
  • LB: Hightower
  • LCB: McCourty
  • RCB: Dowling
  • S: Chung
  • S: Gregory

Patriots Players Notes

This is Tom Brady’s 13th NFL season he is 1-0 against Arizona in his career.

Overall Brady is 125-35 as a starting QB and is 16-6 in the playoffs for an overall record of 141-41.  Brady is a 7 time Pro Bowl QB; 3 time All-Pro selection; two time NFL MVP and has won 3 Super Bowls while twice being named the games MVP.  He is also listed as the 21st Greatest Player in the History of the NFL according to the NFL Network.

He was ranked in the preseason by ESPN’s Ron Jaworski as the 3rd best quarterback in the NFL.

Brady has 302 TD passes in his career he is now 5th all-time.  Hall of Famer Fran Tarkenton is 4th with 342.

Brady has 125 career wins he is 5th all-time.  Peyton Manning is 4th with 141.

Brady finished the 2011 season with 5,235 passing yards and joined Drew Brees (5,476 in 2011 and 5,069 in 2008), Dan Marino (5,084 in 1984) and Matthew Stafford (5,038 in 2011) as the only players in NFL history to reach 5,000 passing yards in a single season.

He is just the 14th quarterback to reach the 40,000 passing yard mark for his career, with 40,215.  He needs 25 passing yards to pass Hall of Famer Johnny Unitas for 13th all-time (40,239).

Brady has thrown at least 1 TD pass in 33 consecutive games.

The Patriots are 82-15 when Brady throws at least 2 TD passes in a game.

Brady has 34 game winning drives with team trailing or tied in the fourth quarter or OT.

WR Wes Welker now has catches in 103 consecutive games including playoffs, 86 as a Patriot.  The last time Welker did not have a catch in a game was 12/24/05 as a Dolphin.

Welker is tied with Troy Brown as the team’s all-time leader in receptions.

Welker joined Jerry Rice and Marvin Harrison as the only players in NFL history with four 100+ catch seasons.

Welker has two of the Top 4 seasons for most catches in a season with 123 in 2009 and 122 in 2011.

He has led the team in receptions for 5 consecutive seasons.

TE Rob Gronkowski has back-to-back 10+ TD reception seasons.  With another in 2012 he will be the first TE in NFL history to have done it three seasons in a row,

Gronkowski needs one more TD catch to break the tie with Russ Francis for 2nd most TD catches (28) by a tight end in franchise history.  Ben Coates holds the record with 50.

Linebacker Jerod Mayo led the team in tackles in Week 1 he had 13 in all (9 solo).  Devin McCourty had 7 tackles (5 solo); while Dont’a Hightower and Chandler Jones each had 5 tackles apiece.

New England’s interception leader after Week 1 is the rookie safety Tavon Wilson with one.

The team leaders in sacks with one each are Jermaine Cunningham and Jones.

The Patriots had 5 tackles for loss in Sunday’s game, one each by Hightower, Jones, Ras-I Dowling, Cunningham and Vince Wilfork.

Wilson and McCourty lead the team in passes defensed with 2 each while 3 players registered a quarterback hit they were Cunningham, Wilfork and Trevor Scott.

The Patriots had 4 special teams tackles and rookie S Nate Ebner had 2 of them.

There are only two players on the team who played on at least one of the Super Bowl championship teams, Brady (3) and Vince Wilfork (1).

Roster moves this week:

  • Signed S Cyhl Quarles to the practice squad
  • Released TE Alex Silvestro from the practice squad

On Wednesday the following players were on the injury list.  C/G Dan Connolly (concussion) did not practice.  CB Alfonzo Dennard (hamstring); TE Daniel Fells (shin); C/G Nick McDonald (shoulder); CB Sterling Moore (knee); RB Shane Vereen (foot) and T Sebastian Vollmer (back) had limited participation.  S Patrick Chung (shoulder) had full participation.

On Thursday the following players were on the injury list. C/G Dan Connolly (concussion); CB Alfonzo Dennard (hamstring); TE Daniel Fells (shin); C/G Nick McDonald (shoulder); CB Sterling Moore (knee); RB Shane Vereen (foot) and T Sebastian Vollmer (back) had limited participation.  S Patrick Chung (shoulder) had full participation.

The Patriots captains for 2012 are QB Tom Brady, DT Vince Wilfork, G Logan Mankins, LB Jerod Mayo, CB Devin McCourty and WR Matthew Slater (special teams). They are the same 6 players that were selected last season as well.

The Patriots have four New England natives on the roster they are: TE Aaron Hernandez (Bristol CT); OL Donald Thomas (New Haven CT); DE Ron Brace (Worcester MA) and OL Jamey Richard (Weston CT – IR).  They have 10 players who played for a New England school or a Big East Conference member.  They are CB Will Allen (Syracuse – IR); DE Ron Brace (Boston College); RB James Develin (Brown – Practice Squad); RB Tony Fiametta (Syracuse – Exempt List); DE Justin Francis (Rutgers); S Stephen Gregory (Syracuse); DE Chandler Jones (Syracuse); CB Devin McCourty (Rutgers); OL Donald Thomas (UConn); and NT Vince Wilfork (Miami).

The Patriots have 7 retired numbers: 20 – Gino Cappelletti, 40 – Mike Haynes, 73 – John Hannah, 78 – Bruce Armstrong, 79 – Jim Lee Hunt and 89 – Bob Dee.

Cardinals Team Notes

Here is the Cardinals roster, depth chart and injury report for the game.

2012 Cardinals Schedule/Results

Arizona’s all-time record is 497-699-39 they are 6-7 in the post season with their last post season appearance coming in 2009 when they beat Green Bay in the NFC Wild Card Game.  They then lost to New Orleans in the NFC Division Game.

They have never won a Super Bowl in one appearance (XLIII) losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Cardinals are one of the NFL’s oldest teams having been founded in 1920 as the Chicago Cardinals.

This is Arizona’s second time playing at Gillette Stadium; their other Foxboro appearances were at Foxboro Stadium.

Cardinals set a single season NFL record with 4 OT wins in 2011.

Arizona has won 8 of the last 10 games they’ve played the second best mark in the NFL in that span behind only New England’s 9-1.

Last week the Cardinals won their 3rd consecutive season opener.

The Cards have defeated a rookie QB making his first NFL start in each of their last three season openers.  Last week it was Seattle’s Russell Wilson, the team’s third round pick (75th overall) in the 2012 NFL Draft. Each of the previous two years, the Cards defeated Heisman Trophy winners who were the top overall pick in the NFL Draft in Cam Newton (2011) and Sam Bradford (2010).

The Cardinals have led the NFL in blocked field goals the last three seasons and had the only blocked FGA in the NFL in Week 1.

Arizona last beat New England on September 29 1991 at Arizona, 24-10.  They have not won a road game in the series since 1984.

The Cardinals are 21st in the NFL in points per game with 20.  While they allow 16 points per game good for 7th in the NFL.

The Cardinals have sacked the quarterback 3 times in 1 game, while their quarterbacks have been sacked once.

The have the 2nd longest current streak in the NFL for most consecutive games with 2+ sacks with 7.

Arizona is EVEN in turnover differential. The offense gave up 1 INT and 1 fumble, while the defense had 1 INT and 1 fumble recovery.

The Cardinals are 3 for 10 (30%) in 3rd down efficiency and 0 for 0 on fourth down attempts. Opponents are 5 for 16 (31.3%) in 3rd down efficiency and 0 for 1 (0%) on fourth down attempts in 2012.

Arizona is 2 of 4 (50%) in the red zone this season while their opponents are 1 for 4 (25%) in the red zone.

Cardinals Staff Notes

Read what Arizona Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt had to say to the New England media about the match up.

Whisenhunt is in his 6th season with the team, he is 41-40 since taking over and is 4-2 in the playoffs for an overall record of 45-42.

He is 0-1 vs. New England in his career.

He is the franchise’s career leader in head coaching victories.

He has won two NFC West Division titles and one NFC Conference Championship (2008) as the head coach of the Cardinals.

Special Teams Coach Kevin Spencer attended Springfield College from 1972-75 and played football and lacrosse for the Pride. Spencer served as the head football coach at Wesleyan University from 1987-91.

Cardinals Director, Player Personnel Jason Licht worked for the Patriots from 1999-02 and again from 2009-11. He is the Patriots former director of pro personnel.

Cardinals Football Operations Coordinator Matt Caracciolo spent the past seven years working for the Patriots.  He spent six years as the Patriots director of football operations.

Cardinals Possible Starters

Offense:

  • LT: Batiste
  • LG: Colledge
  • C: Sendlein
  • RG: Snyder
  • RT: Massie
  • TE: King
  • WR: Fitzgerald
  • WR: Roberts
  • QB: Kolb
  • RB: Sherman
  • RB: Wells

Defense:

  • DE: Campbell
  • NT: D. Williams
  • DE: Duckett
  • LOLB: Westerman
  • ILB: Washington
  • ILB: Lenon
  • ROLB: Acho
  • LCB: Peterson
  • RCB: Gay
  • S: Wilson
  • S: Rhodes

Cardinals Players Notes

Arizona Cardinals QB Kevin Kolb is 6-11 in his career with Philadelphia and Arizona in 6 seasons.  He has no playoff starts.

Kolb was a 2nd round draft pick in the 2007 NFL Draft out of the University of Houston by the Philadelphia Eagles.

He has never faced New England in his career.

He was ranked in the preseason by ESPN’s Ron Jaworski as the 25th best quarterback in the NFL.

Kolb lost the starting job in training camp to John Skelton but he got hurt in Week 1 against Seattle and Kolb relieved him.  Kolb will start in his place until Skelton is cleared to return to play.

T Bobbie Massie became the first Cardinals rookie offensive lineman to start on opening day since Levi Brown started in the same spot during the 2007 opener at San Francisco.

When DE Calais Campbell blocked Seattle’s 50-yard FGA in Week 1 it marked Arizona’s first blocked FGA of the season and 13th block dating back to 2008, an NFL-high.

It was Campbell’s sixth blocked FGA of his career. He tied Seattle’s Red Bryant for the NFL lead with three blocked FGAs in 2011.

CB Patrick Peterson tied the NFL single-season record for punt return TDs in 2011 when he scored four times.

Linebacker Daryl Washington led the team in tackles on Sunday he had 10 in all (10 solo).  CB William Gay had 7 tackles (7 solo); while Paris Lenon had 6 tackles (5 solo).

Arizona’s interception leader after Week 1 is safety Adrian Wilson with one.

The team leader in sacks with two is Lenon, while Washington had one.

Michael Adams leads the team in passes defensed with 3 while Darnell Dockett and David Carter each had two QB hits.

The Cardinals had 3 players who each had 2 special teams tackles.

Arizona’s team captains for 2012 are WR Larry Fitzgerald, C Lyle Sendlein, LB Paris Lenon, S Adrian Wilson, LB Reggie Walker (special teams) and RB Anthony Sherman (special teams).

Arizona has two former Patriots players on their roster S James Sanders and C/G Rich Ohrnberger.

Cardinals RB Anthony Sherman is a native of North Attleboro MA.

On Wednesday the following players were on the injury list.  QB John Skelton (ankle) did not practice. CB Jamell Flemming (shoulder); LB O’Brien Schofield (knee) and S Adrian Wilson (ankle) were limited in the participation.  G Adam Snyder (elbow); CB Greg Toler (hip) and RB Beanie Wells (knee) had full participation.

On Thursday the following players were on the injury list. QB John Skelton (ankle) did not particpate. CB Jamell Flemming (shoulder); LB O’Brien Schofield (knee); S Rashad Johnson (thigh); CB Patrick Peterson (groin) and S Adrian Wilson (ankle) were limited in the participation. G Daryn Colledge (elbow); K Jay Feely (back); TE Jeff King (knee); S Kerry Rhodes (foot); C Lyle Sendlein (back); RB Ryan Williams (elbow); G Adam Snyder (elbow); CB Greg Toler (hip) and RB Beanie Wells (knee) had full participation.

There are 7 players on the Arizona roster from Big East Universities and New England based colleges.  They are C Ryan Bartholomew (Syracuse- IR); WR Larry Fitzgerald (Pittsburgh); CB William Gay (Louisville); S Kerry Rhodes (Louisville); RB Anthony Sherman (UConn); RB LaRod Stephens-Howling (Pittsburgh) and LB Jamaal Westerman (Rutgers).

The Cardinals have retired 5 numbers: 8 – Larry Wilson; 40 – Pat Tillman; 77 – Stan Mauldin; 88 – J.V. Cain; 99 – Marshall Goldberg

Next Game

The Patriots visit the Baltimore Ravens next Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore MD.  Kick off is at 8:20 p.m. on NBC.

Follow Steve on Twitter @SteveMichaelsII

Boston Red Sox @ Toronto Blue Jays Pitching Matchups: 9/14-9/16

Boston Red Sox @ Toronto Blue Jays pitching matchups

Friday, September 14 @ 7:07 PM

Daisuke Matsuzaka, RHP (1-5, 7.20) vs Aaron Laffey, LHP (3-5, 4.43)

TV: NESN, MLB.tv

Radio: Red Sox Radio Network, MLB Gameday Audio

Saturday, September 15 @ 1:07 PM

Clay Buchholz, RHP (11-6, 4.46) vs Carlos Villanueva, RHP (7-5, 3.48)

TV: NESN, MLB.tv

Radio: Red Sox Radio Network, MLB Gameday Audio

Sunday, September 16 @ 1:07 PM

Jon Lester, LHP (9-11, 4.99) vs Brandon Morrow, RHP (8-6, 3.16)

TV: NESN, MLB.tv

Radio: Red Sox Radio Network, MLB Gameday Audio

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

Kevin Ollie Named New UConn Men’s Basketball Coach

Kevin Ollie

With the retirement of Jim Calhoun, there is now a new head coach at for the UConn Huskies men’s basketball program. And it’s a familiar face in Kevin Ollie.

Here’s the release from UConn:

STORRS, Conn. (September 13, 2012) — Kevin Ollie, a former UConn student-athlete who has served as an assistant coach at the University of Connecticut for the past two seasons and is a 13-year NBA veteran, has been named the head men’s basketball coach at UConn.

Ollie will have a contract that runs through April 4, 2013, and will be paid at an annualized rate of $625,000. He becomes the 18th head coach in the history of the UConn program and only the fourth since the 1969-70 season.

“I am very honored and humbled to become the UConn men’s basketball coach,” said Ollie. “I cannot put in words how grateful I am to Coach Jim Calhoun, who retires today as one of the most legendary coaches in the history of college basketball. Coach Calhoun brought me here to Connecticut as a person right of high school and has mentored me into the person I have become today.

“I am also extremely grateful to President Susan Herbst and Director of Athletics Warde Manuel for providing me with this opportunity. I look forward working with Warde to continue the success of our men’s basketball program.”

“Since I have come to UConn, I have spent a tremendous amount of time with Kevin and I have enjoyed getting to know him,” said Director of Athletics Warde Manuel. “He is a quality person and I have been impressed with the way he interacts with our student-athletes on and off the court. Kevin knows the Husky program from his experiences as a student-athlete, a professional basketball player and an assistant coach here at UConn. He has taken the steps to prepare him for this opportunity and I am proud to name him as our head men’s basketball coach.”

Ollie is a graduate of UConn who played 13 seasons in the NBA, completing his career in 2009-10 as a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder. He played for 11 different franchises in his NBA career, playing in 662 career contests.

Ollie was a two-time team captain at UConn and helped lead the Huskies to BIG EAST Regular Season Championships in 1993-94 and 1994-95, advancing to the NCAA Sweet 16 and Elite Eight, respectively, in those seasons. Ollie was an All-BIG EAST Third Team selection as a senior in 1994-95 and was named to the UConn Basketball All-Century Team in 2001. He still stands No. 3 all-time at UConn in assists and No. 1 at UConn in assists in BIG EAST contests.

Kevin and his wife, Stephanie, have a son, Jalen, and daughter, Cheyenne.

Born December 27, 1972, Ollie is a native of Los Angeles where he attended Crenshaw High School.

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

photo credit: bettina hansen– hartford courant

Jim Calhoun Retires From UConn

Long time Huskies' coach Jim Calhoun

As we learned early yesterday evening, UConn Huskies head men’s basketball coach Jim Calhoun has decided to retire.

He will remain on board as a special assistant to AD Warde Manuel and upon his full retirement, he will become Head Coach Emeritus. He’s been replaced by Kevin Ollie.

Here’s the release from UConn on Calhoun’s retirement:

STORRS, Conn. (Sept. 13, 2012) — Jim Calhoun, who took over a regional program at the University of Connecticut 26 years ago and built it into a three-time NCAA champion and a perennial national power, has announced his retirement as the UConn men’s basketball coach.

“I always said that I would know when it was time, whenever that might be,” said Calhoun, who made the official announcement Thursday afternoon at a news conference at Gampel Pavilion on UConn’s Storrs campus. “The hip injury really didn’t enter into the decision, except that it gave me more time to think about it and the more I thought about it, the more I became convinced that this was the right time to move on to the next phase of my life.”

Under a transition agreement that runs through next spring, Calhoun, 70, will continue his association with the university as a Special Assistant to Athletic Director Warde Manuel, providing services to the university in support of men’s basketball, the Division of Athletics, the UConn Health Center, and the university at large.

“The agreement runs until March 21, 2013,” Calhoun said. “Then we’ll look at everything and go from there.”

Upon his full retirement from the university, Calhoun will become Head Coach Emeritus.

“Jim has given 26 years of 100 percent effort into making UConn, and UConn basketball, and so many student-athletes into the best they could be,” Manuel said. “I am proud to have worked with him, if only for a brief period of time, and I look forward to his association with us for years to come.”

Manuel said that although his own tenure at UConn hasn’t been very long, he has quickly learned how much Calhoun means to the university community.

“Jim is a pillar of the Division of Athletics and this university,” Manuel said. “I know from experience that it is never easy when a Hall of Fame coach and a person who has built a program to greatness retires.

“We will miss him, but I wish him nothing but the best in his new role without a whistle.”

One of the best-known college coaches in the country, Calhoun leaves behind a legacy as a program-builder that is virtually unequaled in the history of college athletics.

In May 1986, following four consecutive losing seasons, UConn hired Calhoun, who had won 248 games and made five NCAA Tournament appearances in 14 years at mid-major Northeastern. After a nine-win campaign in his first year with the Huskies, Calhoun has put together 25-straight winning seasons and made UConn one of the nation’s elite college basketball programs.

To continue reading, please click on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

His phenomenal success story at UConn includes three NCAA championships (1999, 2004, 2011), one of just five coaches in history with three or more titles. Under Calhoun, the Huskies have also made four appearances in the Final Four (2009), nine trips to the Elite Eight and captured 13 berths in the Sweet 16 among 18 trips to the NCAA Tournament. He has also taken UConn to the NIT six times, winning the NIT championship in 1988, in just his second season at the helm.

In the BIG EAST Conference, Calhoun took the UConn program from mediocrity to dominance. The Huskies have won a record seven BIG EAST Tournament championships and 10 regular-season league titles. UConn is the only league team to ever sweep the BIG EAST regular-season and tournament crowns in back-to-back seasons (1997-98, 1998-99).

“Am I going to miss coaching basketball? Of course,” Calhoun said. “But I’m making sure I get my fix by watching the workouts. I have no doubt that Kevin (new Head Coach Ollie) and the staff will do a great job.”

Calhoun’s accomplishments brought him basketball’s ultimate honor when he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2005. The following year, he was named as a member of the Founding Class of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.

His numerous awards include the prestigious John R. Wooden “Legends of Coaching” Award in 2005, and he was the first BIG EAST coach to win the conference’s Coach of the Year award four times (1989-90, `93-`94,’ 95-`96, and `97-`98).

Calhoun’s final record in 40 years as a head coach stands at 873-380, which ranks sixth on the all-time wins list, while his 1,253 games coached is third all-time. He is 625-243 at UConn, by far the school’s winningest coach. Calhoun is 311-183 in BIG EAST competition, second in all-time wins, and his 35-19 record in the BIG EAST tourney also ranks second all-time.

Nationally, the Huskies’ coach has eight 30-win seasons, third all-time, and he ranks sixth all-time with 25 20-win seasons. Calhoun is fourth all-time with 49 NCAA Tournament wins (49-18). His overall national postseason record is 62-20 with four championships (3 NCAA, 1 NIT).

Calhoun’s greatest legacy, however, might well be the UConn players and coaches he has developed. He has had 27 players drafted by the NBA, including 18 first-round picks, and 13 of those have been lottery picks. Ray Allen, Richard Hamilton, Caron Butler, and Cliff Robinson have been All-Star selections, while Allen, Hamilton, Scott Burrell, and Travis Knight own NBA championship rings.

Under Calhoun, UConn has had seven players named BIG EAST Player of the Year, six players named Most Outstanding Player of the BIG EAST Championship, seven players named BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year, five named BIG EAST Rookie of the Year. He has coached 20 BIG EAST first team all-stars, 20 second-team all-stars, 20 third team all-stars and three honorable mentions. Center Emeka Okafor was a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American and was named the 2004 CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year.

Calhoun’s coaching tree currently includes five Division I head coaches: Howie Dickenman (Central Conn.), Mike Jarvis (Florida Atlantic), Tom Moore (Quinnipiac), Steve Pikiell (Stony Brook), and Ted Woodward (Maine). Former assistant Dave Leitao, and current UConn assistants Glen Miller and Karl Hobbs have also been successful head coaches at the Division I level.

“Coaching at UConn has just been phenomenal, there’s no other way to describe it,” Calhoun said. “I will always be grateful to the University of Connecticut. When I look back and see what we were able to accomplish here, I am extremely proud.”

Born May 10, 1942, in Braintree, Mass., Calhoun is a graduate of Braintree High School and American International College in Springfield (1968). He began his coaching career at Old Lyme (Conn.) High School and continued at Westport (Mass.) High and Dedham (Mass.) High before becoming the head coach at Northeastern University in 1972. After 14 years at Northeastern, he accepted the job at UConn in 1986.

Calhoun and his wife Pat were married in 1966 and live in Pomfret, Conn. They have two sons, James and Jeffrey. James and his wife Jennifer live in Massachusetts with daughters Emily (born 3/5/99) and Katie (born 12/29/00) and son Sam (born 6/8/03). Jeffrey and his wife Amy live in Connecticut with daughters Avery (born 1/26/02), Reese (born 4/7/03), and Peyton (born 3/26/05).

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

photo credit: mark mirko – hartford courant

Thursday Red Sox Travesty – 9/13

Phil Hughes (L), Felix Doubront (R)

After falling last night, the Boston Red Sox look to finish up their six-game home stand with a series win tonight in the finale of a three-game set with the New York Yankees.

First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on NESN in the Red Sox television market. If you live in the Yankees television market, you can catch the game on YES.  And if you don’t live in either market you’re in luck as the MLB Network will have coverage of the game (outside of Red Sox and Yankees television markets). If you can’t catch the television broadcast, you can always listen to it on the Red Sox radio network.

Felix Doubront looks to bounce back from a poor few starts as of late in his 26th start of 2012. In his previous 25 starts, Doubront is 10-8 with a 5.21 ERA. He’s made three starts against the Yankees this season and is 1-0 with a 2.41 ERA (5 ER/18.2 IP). Doubront has made seven career appearances (three starts) against the Evil Empire and is 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA. Four of those appearances (two starts) have come at the Fens where he is 1-0 with a 3.60 ERA (6 ER/15 IP).

Phil Hughes looks to keep the Yanks atop the AL East in his 29th start of 2012. In his previous 28 starts, Hughes is 14-12 with a 4.13 ERA. He’s made three starts against the Red Sox this season and is 2-1 with a 2.79 ERA (6 ER/19.1 IP). Hughes has made 19 career appearances (11 starts) against the local nine and is 4-6 with a 5.51 ERA. Nine of those appearances (five starts) have come at the Fens where he is 2-4 with an 8.26 ERA.

Click on the read more button below to see today’s lineups, batter/pitcher matchups and links from the overnight and day if you’re on the home page.

Here are today’s lineups:

New York Yankees80-62 Boston Red Sox64-79
1. Derek Jeter DH 1. Jacoby Ellsbury CF
2. Nick Swisher RF 2. Scott Podsednik DH
3. Alex Rodriguez 3B 3. James Loney 1B
4. Robinson Cano 2B 4. Cody Ross RF
5. Russell Martin C 5. Daniel Nava LF
6. Andruw Jones LF 6. Jarrod Saltalamacchia C
7. Curtis Granderson CF 7. Mike Aviles SS
8. Steve Pearce 1B 8. Pedro Ciriaco 3B
9. Eduardo Nunez SS 9. Ivan De Jesus 2B
Phil Hughes SP Felix Doubront SP

And here is how the hitters have fared against today’s starting pitchers:

New York Yankees @ Boston Red Sox batter/pitcher matchups

NOTES:

REFRESH OR CHECK BACK OFTEN AS MORE LINKS WILL BE ADDED BEFORE GAMETIME IF/WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE AND WILL BE BOLDED

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

Bobby Valentine Doesn’t Think He’s Been Distraction, Hopes to Help Club ‘Get on the Right Highway’ [tom caron – nesn.com]

John Henry emphatically denies report about sale of Red Sox [clubhouse insider]

Henry goes on radio, speaks about not selling team, not deciding on Valentine plus more [clubhouse insider]

Valentine dishes on rumors, Ross, ejections and Aceves [clubhouse insider]

Red Sox turnaround could come sooner than you think [csn new england]

PawSox on brink of Governor’s Cup title [csn new england]

Henry strongly denies Sox are for sale [csn new england]

Henry: Lucchino will be back in 2013 [csn new england]

Fox Business reporter unimpressed by Henry’s denials [csn new england]

Lackey to pitch in Florida Instructional League [csn new england]

Red Sox notes: No word on possible suspension for Ross [csn new england]

Henry, Lucchino: Sox aren’t for sale [espn boston]

Henry: Lucchino will be back for 2013 [espn boston]

Ross mum on possible discipline [espn boston]

What to do about Aceves, and other random thoughts on the Red Sox [extra bases]

No discipline announced for Alfredo Aceves [extra bases]

Potential Red Sox first-round 2013 draft pick: Indiana State’s Sean Manaea [full count]

Jarrod Saltalamacchia takes stock of a looming milestone [full count]

John Henry on M&M: Bobby Valentine picked his coaching staff [full count]

Derek Lowe Calls Boston ‘Small Town’ Where Fans ‘Live and Die Sports,’ Unsure Yet if Yankees Have Same Magic [nesn.com]

Valentine on Aceves: ‘He knows what he’s doing’ [projo sox blog]

Red Sox not expecting Ross suspension [projo sox blog]

Pedroia a father again [projo sox blog]

Facing Yanks, Doubront eyes return to win column [redsox.com]

Valentine: Aceves on roster on Thursday [alex speier – weei.com]

Heidi Watney not part of Lakers’ coverage team [touching all the bases]

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

photo credits: getty images, getty images

Paw Prints – UConn Huskies (1-1) @ Maryland Terrapins (2-0) Preview

Paw Prints - UConn football

This week:

UConn Huskies @ Maryland Terrapins

The UConn Huskies head out on the road for the first time this year as they head to College Park, MD to take on their former head coach Randy Edsall and his Maryland Terrapins squad at Capital One at Byrd Stadium.

Here are the rosters for the Huskies and the Terrapins.

The Line/Prediction:

According to Rivals.com odds, UConn is favored by 3 points. The over/under is 42.5 points.

My prediction is UConn 21 Maryland 17

Tickets:

According to the Maryland ticket site, there are still tickets available for the game.

Getting To The Game:

Here is link for the weather report for Capital One at Byrd Stadium. 

Here are directions to the stadium, a parking guide and seating chart for Capital One at Byrd Stadium. Here is the fan guide for Capital One at Byrd Stadium.

BROADCAST INFORMATION

Television:

Saturday’s game is being televised live by SNY through ACC Network. It will be seen live in Connecticut and regionally on SNY. Here is a list of stations across the USA that will be carrying the game.

Steve Martin is on play-by-play with Dave Archer on color, Mike Hogewood is the sideline reporter.

The game will also be replayed on SNY in a condensed mode on the “Husky Power Hour” on Sunday, Sept. 16 at 9 a.m., on Monday, Sept. 17 at 8 a.m. (Connecticut only) and Wednesday, Sept. 19 at 12:00 p.m. (Connecticut only). The game will be replayed it is entirety on Saturday, Sept. 15 at 7:00 p.m., and on Monday, Sept. 17 at 10:30 a.m. and Wednesday, Sept. 19 at 12:00 p.m. (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 WTIC/UCONN radio network.

The UConn vs. Maryland game will also be available on satellite radio on Ch. 132 on Sirius and 191 on XM.

Maryland Radio:

Maryland football can be heard on the Terrapin Sports Radio Network – Johnny Holliday (pbp), Jonathan Claiborne (color) and Tim Strachan (color) have the call.

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

Last Week:

UConn fell to NC State 10-7 while Maryland beat Temple 36-27.

History:

Saturday’s game marks just the second meeting in football between the two schools as Maryland defeated UConn by a 34-0 score in College Park to open the 1942 UConn season.

Connections:

Maryland head coach Randy Edsall was the head coach at UConn from 1999-2010. Edsall is the first of two former Husky head coaches UConn will face this year as it takes on Skip Holtz (1994-98) and USF on Nov. 3.

Maryland outside linebackers coach Lyndon Johnson is a 1992 UConn graduate and was on the Husky coaching staff from 1999-2010.

Other Maryland support staff who worked at UConn are: Director of Strength and Conditioning Drew Wilson, Video Coordinator Will Brown and Executive Assistant to the Head Coach Annie Peppard.

UConn defensive coordinator Don Brown has the same position at Maryland from 2009-10.

Current UConn assistant coaches Hank Hughes, Matt Cersosimo, Mike Foley, Darrell Perkins and Jon Wholley were on all Edsall’s staff at UConn.

Pasqualoni and Edsall have coached against each other one other time – a 42-30 win by Syracuse and Pasqualoni over Connecticut and Edsall on October 30, 2003 in the Carrier Dome.

Pasqualoni and Edsall were on the Syracuse staff together for four years – 1987-90. Pasqualoni was the linebackers coach at the time and Edsall was the defensive backs coach.

There are five Maryland natives on the UConn squad – freshman safety Jordan Floyd (Bel Air), junior cornerback Alex Kantor (Potomac), redshirt senior offensive tackle Adam Masters (Bethesda), freshman defensive end Elijah Norris (Upper Marlboro) and redshirt junior defensive tackle Tim Willman (Fulton).

There are not Connecticut natives on the Maryland squad.

Other UConn News:

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

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 147-84-1 (34-17 at WCSU, 107-59-1 at Syracuse and 6-8 at UConn).

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

Connecticut faces a former UConn head coach (Randy Edsall) for the first of two games this year – vs. USF and Skip Holtz on Nov. 3.

UConn is 4-11 against active ACC members all-time entering Saturday afternoon’s showdown with Maryland after falling to N.C. State last Saturday. The Huskies are 2-0 against Duke (2004 and 2007), 0-3 against Georgia Tech (2002, 2004-05), 0-3 vs. North Carolina (1990, 2008, 2009), 0-2 vs. NC State (2003, 2012), 1-2 vs. Wake Forest (2003, 2006, 2007) and 1 1 vs. Virginia (2007 and 2008).

The Huskies have put together a 22-32 road record since 2002. In non-conference road affairs over that same span, Connecticut has posted a mark of 17-11 and has won nine of its last 13 such games.

Connecticut now boasts a 43-21 record against non-conference opponents in the regular season since making the move to the FBS in 2002.

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.).

UConn And NCAA Leaders
Here is where UConn stands in the lastest NCAA statistics:

  • Total Defense – 3rd at 158.50 yards per game
  • Rushing Defense – 1st at 28.50 yards per game
  • Passing Defense – 9th at 130.00 yards per game
  • Scoring Defense – 3rd at 5.00 points per game
  • Sacks – t7th at 4.00 per game
  • Tackles For Loss – t3rd at 10.50 per game
  • Total Offense – 104th at 305.00 yards per game
  • Rushing Offense – 105th at 91.00 yards per game
  • Passing Offense – 72nd at 214.50 yards per game
  • Scoring Offense – 93rd at 22.00 points per game

Notes from this week’s opponent Maryland:

Here are the quotes from Maryland head coach traitor Randy Edsall’s press conference as well as some of his players. If you want to watch Edsall’s press conference feel free to do so.

Here is Maryland’s depth chart for the game.

Randy Edsall is in his second year as the head coach at Maryland and has a 4-10 record at the school. He was the head coach at Connecticut from 1999-2010 with a 74-70 record and set school records for most career games coached and victories. Edsall oversaw Connecticut transition from NCAA Division I-AA to the FBS. He led Connecticut to a pair of BIG EAST Championships in 2007 and 2011 and to its firstever BCS Bowl Appearance.

Maryland won its first two games despite committing more turnovers than its opponent in each contest. All eight of the Terrapins turnovers (three interceptions, five fumbles) have come from freshmen.

The five Maryland players who received 2011 postseason recognition returned to the squad this year – DL Keith Bowers (freshman All-ACC), LB Lorne Goree (freshman All-ACC), LB Demetrius Hartsfield (honorable mention All-ACC), DL Andre Monroe (freshman All-American) and DL Joe Vellano (second team All-American; first team All-ACC).

Maryland’s team captains for the 2012 season are junior QB C.J. Brown, senior WR Kevin Dorsey, senior LB Demetrius Hartsfield and senior DL Joe Vellano.

Six Terps have already received their undergraduate degrees. Kevin Dorsey (Economics), A.J. Francis (Government & Politics), Matt Furstenburg (Family Science), Demetrius Hartsfield (Criminal Justics & Criminology), Joe Vellano (Family Science) and Ryan Schlothauer (Business).

Maryland in August finished the installation of a brand new FieldTurf Revolution surface at Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium. The privately funded $3 million project resulted in the “coolest” synthetic turf field in the nation and was completed in time for preseason camp.

Here’s a look at Maryland’s stats through the first two games:

 

Maryland Terrapins 2012 football stats

Thursday UConn Football Links:

Big East QB report card [andrea adelson – espn.com]

Big East predictions: Week 3 [andrea adelson – espn.com]

What to watch in the Big East: Week 3 [matt fortuna – espn.com]

Kashif Moore released from Colts’ practice squad [jim fuller – new haven register]

Connecticut Travels to College Park to Play Maryland Saturday [bigeast.org]

UConn QB Chandler Whitmer Stands In Pocket Despite Tough Start [hartford courant]

Next Week:

The Huskies stay on the road as they head to Kalamazoo, MI for a matchup with the Western Michigan Broncos. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.

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

Paw Prints – The Daily UConn Roundup – 9/13

Paw Prints The Daily Roundup

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 Maryland preview.

UConn Men’s Basketball links

Jim Calhoun on Notre Dame’s Departure, And More … [dom amore – hartford courant]

Jim Calhoun: His best-of quotes [sean patrick bowley – ct post]

Tim Welsh, Scott Burrell on Jim Calhoun’s Retirement [david borges – new haven register]

Ryan Boatright: ‘Coach Had to Do What’s Best for Him’ [david borges – new haven register]

Some Memories of Jim Calhoun [david borges – new haven register]

Three Shining moments for Calhoun, UConn: Which is your favorite? [ben doody – ct post]

How state papers covered Jim Calhoun retirement news [ben doody – ct post]

A Closer Look: Kevin Ollie [kevin duffy – ct post]

What Twitter-sphere said about Calhoun [lee lewis – the republican-american]

Twitter reacts to Calhoun retirement [lee lewis – the republican-american]

GEICO SportsNite: Jim Calhoun [adam rotter – sny.com]

Jim Calhoun to Retire [uconn huskies basketball]

Men’s Basketball Press Conference To Be Held Thursday [uconnhuskies.com]

Comments on Head Coach Jim Calhoun’s Retirement [uconnhuskies.com]

Ollie, highly regarded for recruiting, to be named head coach [ct post]

What more was there for Calhoun to accomplish? [ct post]

Reaction to Calhoun’s retirement: Praise for coach, surprise [ct post]

Top 10 moments of the Jim Calhoun era [eamonn brennan – espn.com]

video: Jim Calhoun’s legacy [espn.com]

Calhoun’s turnaround legacy impressive [espn.com]

Competitiveness key to Calhoun’s success [fran fraschilla – espn.com]

Calhoun’s A Legend; Get A Legend To Replace Him [hartford courant]

Jim Calhoun Calling It A Hall Of Fame Career; Kevin Ollie To Be UConn Men’s Basketball Coach [hartford courant]

Ollie, A Player And Coach With A Powerful Work Ethic [hartford courant]

UConn had a very bad day, but there’s no reason to panic [new haven register]

Jim Calhoun to announce retirement Thursday [new haven register]

UConn’s Calhoun to call it a career [the day]

The players who made Calhoun a success [myron medcalf – espn.com]

Calhoun never fit in a convenient box [dana o’neil – espn.com]

A Reminder Of Home: Jim Calhoun, And Why He’ll Be Missed [sb nation]

UConn Women’s Basketball links

Yet another White House trip for Maya Moore [jim fuller – new haven register]

Notre Dame’s McGraw expects UConn rivalry to continue [chicago tribune]

Frequency, familiarity fueled rivalry [graham hays – espnW]

Other UConn related links

W. Soccer. Schulmann Tabbed Soccer News Net National Player of the Week & ECAC Player of the Week [uconnhuskies.com]

W. Soccer. Huskies Open BIG EAST Play Tonight at Syracuse [uconnhuskies.com]

M. Soccer. No. 4 Men’s Soccer vs. St. John’s Is SOLD OUT! [uconnhuskies.com]

Field Hockey. Melissa Gonzalez & Rayell Heistand Set to Compete on Team USA [uconnhuskies.com]

Baseball. Ahmed Named MVP of Carolina League Championship [uconnhuskies.com]

M. Cross Country. Huskies Open 2012 at UMass Invite [uconnhuskies.com]

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