In the second fight on the main card at UFC 129 at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, it took all of twenty seconds for Vladimir Vladimir Matyushenko to knock out (punches) Jason Brilz.
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After waiting two days, Saturday was the first day that any UConn Huskies football players would hear there names called during the 2011 NFL Draft. Everyone expected that we would hear running back Jordan Todman’s named called probably during the third or fourth round but that was simply not the case.
It turns out that fullback Anthony Sherman got to hear his name first as the Arizona Cardinals took him with the fifth pick of the 5th round (136th overall). Sherman should have a chance to make the Cardinals as a special teamer, a position he played so well during his days at UConn.
As the rest of the 5th round went on, Todman’s name wasn’t heard still as other running backs were coming off the board.
In the 6th round with the first pick, the Carolina Panthers got things started by taking linebacker Lawrence Wilson (166th overall). Finally, 17 picks later, Todman came off the board as he was drafted by the San Diego Chargers with the 18th pick of the 6th round (183rd overall).
And the Huskies players weren’t done being drafted after Todman as the Philadelphia Eagles took linebacker/defensive end Greg Lloyd II with the 34th pick of the 7th round (237th overall).
The four draft picks for the Huskies ties the school record that was set back in 2009. Be sure to check out the 2011 NFL Draft Day quotes from all four Huskies that were selected.
Unfortunately for offensive lineman Zach Hurd and linebacker Scott Lutrus, they were not selected in the draft. And the even worse news for them is that while they both will probably sign contracts as undrafted rookie free agents, they will have to wait to do so until the NFL Lockout is resolved once again.
Our congratulations go out to all four Huskies selected. May your dreams of making an NFL roster come true.
The New England Patriots came into the seventh round of the 2011 NFL Draft with one pick that they had acquired only a day before in a trade with Oakland. The Patriots gave up their 3rd round pick (#92) and the fourth round pick (#125) for the Raiders 7th round pick (#219) and Oakland’s 2012 second rounder.
And with their final pick in 2011 draft with selection #219 the Patriots chose TCU CB/S Malcom Williams who is 5’10’, 204 lbs. He played in 13 games last season with the Horned Frogs and had 12 tackles on defense and 10 more tackles on special teams.
In 2009 he had 10 total tackles with six coming on special teams.
Prior to coming to TCU he played for two years at Trinity Valley Community College when he was second in the nation in interceptions his sophomore year.
According to some this looks like a special teams pick just as Matthew Slater was in 2008.
To continue reading, click on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.
This wraps up the draft for New England as Bill Belichick and his staff made 9 overall picks taking 6 offensive players and only 3 players on defense. The selections were kind of surprising in that the Patriots really needed an edge rusher and the draft was felt to be very deep in defensive ends. In fact prior to the draft Belichick said the draft would probably be defined by the teams who best evaluated the defensive linemen because of the depth in that group.
Yet with all that depth they failed to draft a true defensive end selecting an outisde linebacker who can play end in Markell Cater and 2 defensive backs, Rasi-I Dowling and Williams. It is to say a bit puzzling but the pone thing I keep saying is The Man has a track record and a lot of times I’ve looked at his picks and said “huh?” only to see how good that player is when the games were played.
The Patriots did beef up their offensive line with a good blocking tight end and in Lee Smith and 2 offensive linemen in Marcus Cannon and Nate Solder. They added two running backs in Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley and a potential #2 QB in Ryan Mallett.
Out of the 9 picks I think Solder, Dowling and Vereen could potentially make every Sunday contributions with regular play. Cannon, if healthy, and Smith I see as package players with extra lineman, three tight end sets with Carter helping in nickel and dime situations. Ridley and Williams are probably targeted for the practice squad and Mallett will at least be the third quarterback behind Brian Hoyer with a chance to be the second.
Coming into the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft the New England Patriots had one pick in the round at #193. They then traded that pick to Philadelphia swapping it with the #194 pick for who knows what reason.
With the #194 selection of the draft the Patriots took OLB/DE Markell Carter of Central Arkansas.
So after passing on all the big name linebackers and defensive ends Bill Belichick takes a guy no one has ever heard of or seen play. Sound familiar? You bet it does. Belichick has a knack for taking these players and getting something out of them.
Carter, who is 6’4”, 252 lbs., recorded 5.5 sacks and had 19 tackles for loss for the while forcing 3 fumbles for the Bears and was named to the All-Southland Conference First Team.
As a junior in 2009 he was named to the second team all-conference after he had 6.5 sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss. For his career he had 15.5 sacks and 35 tackles for loss.
He projects as an outside linebacker in the 3-4 defense and as an outside end rusher in the 4-man line sub package.
Carter is still not the most well known Central Arkansas alum that could belong to Basketball Hall of Fame member Scottie Pippen, Survivor Samoa winner Natalie White or possibly American Idol Kris Allen.
The team is scheduled to next pick at #219 in the seventh and final round.
After falling last night to the Seattle Mariners, the Boston Red Sox to escape their dismal month of April with a win in the second game of a three-game set tonight at Fenway Park.
First pitch for tonight is 7:10 p.m. and the game will be televised by NESN in the Red Sox television market. If you live in the Mariners television market, you can catch the game on Root Sports. If you don’t live in either market, you’re in luck as the game will also be broadcast on the MLB Network. And if you can’t catch the television broadcast, you can always listen to the game on the 2011 Red Sox Radio Network.
John Lackey looks to keep his good run going tonight for Terry Francona and the Red Sox in his 5th start of 2011. In his four previous starts, he is 2-2 with a 6.35 ERA. He made two starts against the Mariners in 2010 and was 1-0 with a 1.13 ERA (2 ER/16 IP). He’s made 27 career starts against them and is 13-9 with a 3.64 ERA.
Doug Fister makes his sixth start of 2011 for skipper Eric Wedge, who could have the best mustache in all of baseball right now. In his previous four starts, he is 1-3 with a 3.19 ERA. He’s made three career starts against the Red Sox, all of them coming in 2010. In those three starts, he is 0-2 with a 4.34 ERA. One of those starts came at Fenway where he took the loss after allowing five runs (two earned) back on August 23, 2010.
Click on the read more button below to see today’s lineups, batter/pitcher matchups and links from the day if you’re on the home page.
Here are tonight’s lineups:
 12-15 |
 11-14 |
||
| 1. Ichiro Suzuki | RF | 1. Jacoby Ellsbury | CF |
| 2. Chone Figgins | 3B | 2. Dustin Pedroia | 2B |
| 3. Milton Bradley | LF | 3. Adrian Gonzalez | 1B |
| 4. Miguel Olivo | C | 4. Kevin Youkilis | 3B |
| 5. Justin Smoak | 1B | 5. David Ortiz | DH |
| 6. Jack Cust | DH | 6. J.D. Drew | RF |
| 7. Michael Saunders | CF | 7. Jed Lowrie | SS |
| 8. Brendan Ryan | SS | 8. Carl Crawford | LF |
| 9. Jack Wilson | 2B | 9. Jarrod Saltalamacchia | C |
| Doug Fister | SP | John Lackey | SP |
And here is how the hitters have fared against tonight’s starting pitchers:
And a quick note here, Clay Buchholz has been scratched from tomorrow’s start. In his place, Tim Wakefield will toe the rubber. Buchholz is sick and is now scheduled to start on Monday night.
Check back and/or refresh often as more links will be added if/when they become available before game time.
To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click
Rotation shuffle: Buchholz sick, Wakefield starts Sunday [Clubhouse Insider]
Red Sox early notes: Dice-K doing well [CSNNE.com]
Street closings around Fenway tomorrow [Extra Bases]
The strange season of Kevin Youkilis [Extra Bases]
Wakefield to face Mariners tomorrow [Extra Bases]
Pregame Notes: Matsuzaka doing ‘fairly well’ day after early exit [Full Count]
Rivalry Watch: Red Sox Vs. Yankees [Hartford Courant]
Charting the leadoff batter [Projo Sox Blog]
Sox “upbeat” about Matsuzaka [Projo Sox Blog]
Dan Wheeler drops in on Little League festivities in Warwick [Projo Sox Blog]
Schilling tabbed for commencement speech [RedSox.com]
Wakefield to start Sunday for ill Buchholz [RedSox.com]
Photo credits: AP Photo, Getty Images
The New England Patriots come into the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft with two picks. The first is courtesy of an earlier deal in the draft with Houston. New England sent the #60 selection in the second round to the Texans in return for an earlier third round pick #73 that was used to take LSU RB Stevan Ridley and the Texans fifth rounder at #138. They then had their own original selection at #159.
With the 138th pick of the draft Bill Belichick chose OL Marcus Cannon from TCU. At 6’5”, 358 lbs. Cannon is one of the largest linemen on the board and he will project as a right guard or right tackle.
A redshirt senior, he started all 13 games for the Horned Frogs and was an All-Mountain West First Team selection for the second consecutive season.
He was considered an earlier round selection, possibly as high as the second or third round but dropped considerably due to some medical concerns. He was just recently diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma and his prognosis is very good. He recently started chemotherapy and should be complete by June 29th. Due to his health concerns the Patriots could basically “redshirt” for the year by putting him on the PUP list and save a roster spot until 2012.
One other interesting note on Cannon, he played his high school football at Odessa (TX) High School of “Friday Night Lights” fame.
To continue reading, click on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.
The Patriots still in need of some pashing rushing help at either the OLB spot or the DE spot then used the #159 pick of the draft on a tight end by taking Lee Smith of Marshall.
Smith is 6’5” 266 lbs. and is one of the bigger tight ends in the draft. He is considered a very good run blocker and was also the Thundering Herd’s backup long snapper so there is a method to Belichick’s madness in this selection. He also is a backup to Alge Crumpler who at 33 is in the last year of his two-year contract and coming off of off-season shoulder surgery. With that name maybe the Sox could use him in the bullpen in the off season.
Smith is married and has two children, his father, the late Daryle Smith, was an offensive lineman for the Eagles, Cowboys and Browns from 1987 to 1992 and played for Belichick in Cleveland.
He had a career high 38 catches last year for the Herd.
The New England Patriots originally were coming into Saturday’s fourth round of the 2011 NFL Draft with one selection near the end of the round at #125.
But last night in the third round the Patriots traded #125 to Oakland along with an earlier third round pick (#92) for a 7th round pick Saturday (#219) and a 2012 second round pick.
The Patriots won’t be on the board again until the #138th pick in the fifth round.
Honestly, right now I’ve got no words for what’s going on. It’s been a frustrating ride as a fan of the Boston Red Sox so far this season. Just when things start to look up, they turn right back around again. Any chance of a .500 record in the month of April went out the window last night.
Daisuke Matsuzaka had been great in his last two starts, allowing just two hits and no runs. By the end of the first inning in the 5-4 loss to the Seattle Mariners at Fenway Park, Dice-K had already allowed two runs.
He struggled with his command all night long and then in the 5th inning, his fastball velocity dropped from 93-94 mph to 86-87 mph. Catcher Jason Varitek along with skipper Terry Francona noticed this and Francona removed Dice-K from the game with what was termed right elbow stiffness.
After the game, both Matsuzaka and Francona said he should be able to make his next start on Wednesday. But since the Red Sox have no off days during this 11-game homestand, they may have to turn to Tim Wakefield or even the Triple-A PawSox if Dice-K can’t go. I’m sure they’ll know a lot more today when he reports to the ballpark.
You can bet that will be one of the topics Tito will address in his pre-game meeting with reporters, that is if they aren’t sitting in the press box watching the Bruins game.
Is anybody else having flashbacks to the brief Eric Gagne days with Bobby Jenks right now?
Jenks has pretty much stunk up the joint as of late. And remember, he signed a two-year deal worth $12 million as insurance in case Jonathan Papelbon bolts during free agency. If Jenks continues to blow clam chowder chunks, Papelbon is setting himself up for a nice little pay day from the Red Sox if they so choose.
When Jenks came into the game, the Red Sox held a 4-3 lead and it looked like the Jenks, Daniel Bard and Papelbon end of the game plan was set up. But when he left the Red Sox were trailing 5-4 and they would see their last six batters of the night not mount an attack. If you go back to the final outs of the sixth inning, it was actually their last ten batters who couldn’t do anything.
It would be really nice to see the Red Sox put this dismal month of April behind by closing out the month with a win.
We’ll be back later with tonight’s lineups, batter/pitcher matchups and links from the day. But for now enjoy the overnight links by clicking on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.
To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click
Smoak-free: Why Sox lament watching emerging Mariners star [Alex Speier – WEEI.com]
Sox are bunch of lost souls [Boston Globe]
Elbow pain causes early exit [Boston Globe]
Move was out of left field [Boston Globe]
Sox lose Daisuke Matsuzaka, game [Boston Herald]
Talk about your troubled times [Boston Herald]
Papi in zone against lefties [Boston Herald]
Matsuzaka leaves with injury, Sox fall 5-4 [CSNNE.com]
Jenks at a loss to explain struggles [CSNNE.com]
Red Sox notes: Dice-K not worried by elbow [CSNNE.com]
Rapid reaction: Mariners 5, Sox 4 [ESPN Boston]
Daisuke Matsuzaka says elbow is fine, but his leaving the Boston Red Sox game suggests otherwise [ESPN Boston]
Closing Time: Matsuzaka injured as Red Sox lose to Mariners [Full Count]
Daisuke ‘not worrying too much about’ elbow, expected to make next start [Full Count]
Bobby Jenks: ‘I don’t know what to say right now’ [Full Count]
Why one Red Sox prospect was elated when Pats drafted Ryan Mallett [Full Count]
Terry Francona Hopeful Daisuke Matsuzaka Won’t Miss a Start After Leaving Game With Elbow Tightness [NESN.com]
Roger Clemens’ 20-Strikeout Game Against Mariners Helped Put NESN on the Map [NESN.com]
Daisuke Matsuzaka’s Recent Performances Prove He’s Still a Valid Fourth or Fifth Starter [NESN.com]
Jon Lester Earns Amica Pitcher of the Week Honors With Eight-Inning Performance in Baltimore [NESN.com]
Dice-K exits early; Jenks blows lead [Providence Journal]
Ellsbury again at the top of lineup, and top of his game [Providence Journal]
Red Sox Journal: Ortiz finding his stroke against lefties [Providence Journal]
Cameron hopes homers get his bat hot [RedSox.com]
For more slices of Red Sox goodness, head over to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, CSNNE, ESPN Boston, NESN, Providence Journal, RedSox.com and WEEI websites.
And if you must check out the enemy news, head over to The Oregonian, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Seattle Times and Tacoma Tribune websites. You can also check out our Bloguin brother, Mariner Mayhem.
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 some of the other sports. 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.
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 Men’s Basketball links
Kemba Walker: Ultimate Championship [UConn Huskies Basketball]
Calhoun to speak at Bridgeport JCC breakfast [CT Post]
UConn Football links
Big East Friday mailbag [Brian Bennett – ESPN.com]
Wait until Saturday [John Silver – Journal Inquirer]
After 3 Rounds, UConn Still Shut Out Of Draft [Hartford Courant]
Other UConn related links
Baseball. Huskies Fall to Rutgers 8-3 [UConnHuskies.com]
W. Lacrosse. Huskies Edge Out Villanova, 13-11 [UConnHuskies.com]
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.
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Why one Red Sox prospect was elated when Pats drafted Ryan Mallett [Full Count]
Pawtucket Red Sox
Despite holding the Lehigh Valley IronPigs to two hits, the PawSox fell 3-0.
PawSox Go Down in Lehigh Valley [PawSox.com]
Pawtucket blanked on just three hits [Providence Journal]
Pawtucket Red Sox @ Lehigh Valley IronPigs 4.29.11 box score [MiLB.com]
International League standings
The Sea Dogs were shutout 2-0 by the Reading Phillies.
Sea Dogs offer little support [Portland Press Herald]
Three Reading Pitchers Combine for 2-0 Shutout [OurSports Central]
Portland Sea Dogs @ Reading Phillies 4.29.11 box score [MiLB.com]
Salem Red Sox:
Three runs in the 5th inning helped Salem to a 5-2 win over Potomac Nationals.
Salem’s Vladimir Frias helps Red Sox beat Potomac [Roanoke Times]
Salem’s Cesar Cabral wants to get back to the big leagues [Roanoke Times]
Salem Downs Potomac 5-2 in Opener [OurSports Central]
Potomac Nationals @ Salem Red Sox 4.29.11 box score [MiLB.com]
The Greensboro Grasshoppers pounded out 18 hits in an 11-4 win over the Drive.
Grasshoppers get early jump on Drive [Greenville News]
Greensboro Grasshoppers @ Greenville Drive 4.29.11 box score [MiLB.com]
South Atlantic League standings
Lowell Spinners:
The Lowell Spinners will begin their season on June 17th at home against the Connecticut Tigers.
Gulf Coast League Red Sox
The GCL Red Sox will begin their season on June 20th on the road against the GCL Rays.
