Randy Edsall Day at the ESPN campus in Bristol, CT continued this afternoon as the UConn Huskies head football coach made an appearance on ESPNews with Michelle Bonner.
Here’s the video for you to enjoy:
{flvremote}http://ianbethune.com/edsallespnnews.flv{/flvremote}
Previous appearances today:
Video: UConn football coach Randy Edsall on First Take
As you should know by now, UConn Huskies head football coach Randy Edsall has been busy today on the ESPN campus in Bristol.
He started out with an appearance on First Take as well as an appearance on The Herd with Colin Cowherd. He’s done a few other things there today as well and at 1 p.m. sat down to do a chat on SportsNation.
Here’s the link to the Randy Edsall SportsNation chat and guess who led it off (look below)?
After appearing on ESPN’s First Take this morning, UConn Huskies head football coach Randy Edsall made a few stops before heading to the ESPN Radio part of ESPN’s campus to appear on The Herd With Colin Cowherd.
Here’s the audio of Edsall’s interview with Cowherd for you to enjoy:
{mp3remote}http://ianbethune.com/edsallherd.MP3{/mp3remote}
As we learned on Monday, UConn Huskies head football coach Randy Edsall would be all over the ESPN campus in Bristol today.
First up today was his appearance on ESPN’s First Take.
Here’s the video for you to enjoy:
{flvremote}http://ianbethune.com/edsallfirsttake.flv{/flvremote}
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 and by 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
DC was busy answering questions in his mailbag [Desmond Conner – Hartford Courant]
And the Big East media day attendees are … [ESPN.com – Big East Blog]
Big East practice start dates [ESPN.com – Big East Blog]
Chat with Randy Edsall at 1 p.m. today [ESPN SportsNation]
A look at the special ticket Michigan issued for the season-opener against UConn to season-ticket… [The UConn Blog]
Former UConn football star Dixon models new Colonials uniforms [New Haven Register]
2010 Opponents: UConn [mgoblog]
Michigans must-win games this year: UConn and Michigan State [AnnArbor.com]
UConn Women’s Basketball links
Interview with former UConn star Mel Thomas [SOX & Dawgs]
Georgia Tech game is … [Jim Fuller – New Haven Register]
Huskies to Participate in Maggie Dixon Classic [UConnHuskies.com]
Q&A with Kalana Greene [NYLiberty.com]
UConn Men’s Basketball links
Hey Now, You’re An All-Star [David Borges – New Haven Register]
Catching up with Jeff Adrien [David Borges – New Haven Register]
The Big O [David Borges – New Haven Register]
Mr. Smith [David Borges – New Haven Register]
Mike Anthony answered a few questions in his mailbag [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]
Rudy Gay A Team U.S.A. Finalist [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]
Alex Oriakhi Looking, Sounding Good in Preparation For 2010-11 [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]
Roscoe Smith At The Pro-Am [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]
Incoming UConn Freshman Roscoe Smith Plays At Pro-Am [Hartford Courant]
Adrien hoping to land in NBA [New Haven Register]
Emeka Okafor is and is not the problem [Fanhouse]
Apparently Khalid El-Amin made a lot of money in Russia [Adam Zagoria Twitter]
Other UConn related links
Field Hockey: U.S. Field Hockey Updates [UConnHuskies.com]
Baseball: Nappo Featured on InsideNoVa.com [UConnHuskies.com]
UConnHuskies.Com Introduces New Multimedia Player [UConnHuskies.com]
UConn catcher Joe Pavone making Major League impression in Cape Cod [NESN.com]
The Lowell Spinners have always been good with the giveaways for their games. Trust me I know, I worked for their ownership group at one point in my minor league baseball working career.
They don’t need to do the promotions to get fannies in the seats. They constant fill the seats at LeLacheur Stadium on a nightly basis.
So if you’re tuning in for Sunday’s Boston Red Sox vs Detroit Tigers games, unfortunately (or fortunately for some but not me) you won’t get to see NESN’s Heidi Watney on your television screen. Why’s that you ask?
Well she’ll busy throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at the Spinners game on Sunday afternoon in honor of her first ever bobblehead doll.
So if you’re one of the lucky first 1,000 fans, you’ll be the proud owner of the Heidi Watney Bobblehead Doll.
Photo credit: new hobby on Flickr
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 are after the jump.
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
Reviewing past deals [ESPN Boston]
Pawtucket Red Sox
The PawSox couldn’t complete the rally in an 8-5 loss to the Toledo Mud Hens.
Lowell clubs another homer, three hits in final rehab outing [Providence Journal]
Lowell’s rehab assignment is one for the books [Providence Journal]
Lowell Does It Again, PawSox Don’t [OurSports Central]
Pawtucket Red Sox @ Toledo Mud Hens 7.28.10 box score [MiLB.com]
International League standings
Ryan Lavarnaway had four RBIs to help the Sea Dogs to an 11-9 win over the Binghamton Mets in 10 innings.
Extra punch for Sea Dogs, just in the nick of time [Portland Press Herald]
Seesaw Series Ends in Sea Dogs Win [OurSports Central]
Hadlock Headlines [Central Maine Sports Blog]
Portland Sea Dogs @ Binghamton Mets 7.28.10 box score [MiLB.com]
Salem Red Sox:
A three-run 6th helped Salem to a 4-2 win over the Myrtle Beach Pelicans.
Red Sox rally in sixth inning to beat Pelicans [Roanoke Times]
Salem Swipes Rubber Game from Myrtle 4-2 [OurSports Central]
Myrtle Beach Pelicans @ Salem Red Sox 7.28.10 box score [MiLB.com]
The Charleston RiverDogs got nine early runs to help themselves to a 10-6 win over the Drive.
Drive Blasted by RiverDogs, 10-6 [OurSports Central]
Greenville Drive @ Charleston RiverDogs 7.28.10 box score [MiLB.com]
South Atlantic League standings
Lowell Spinners:
Three late runs by the Tri-City ValleyCats sent the Spinners to a 5-2 loss.
Spinners stumble at the gate in 2nd half start [LowellSpinners.com]
NESN’s Heidi Watney Coming to LeLacheur Sunday! [LowellSpinners.com]
Vote for HAMMER!! [LowellSpinners.com]
Lowell Spinners @ Tri-City ValleyCats 7.28.10 box score [MiLB.com]
Gulf Coast League Red Sox
A four-run second gave the GCL Orioles a 4-2 win over the GCL Red Sox.
GCL Orioles @ GCL Red Sox 7.28.10 box score [MiLB.com]
Nobody gave Boston Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield any potato salad at last year’s Picnic in the Park so if you’re going to it after Sunday’s game all I ask is this.
PLEASE GIVE WAKE SOME POTATO SALAD!!!!
{flvremote}http://ianbethune.com/potatosaladwake.flv{/flvremote}
I wasn’t around to post this until tonight but apparently NESN color analyst Jerry Remy isn’t a fan of the Kiss Cam.
During Tuesday night’s Boston Red Sox vs Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim game, the RemDawg and Don Orsillo were featured on the Angels Stadium Kiss Cam. DO leaned over to kiss the RemDawg but he wanted no part of it.
Here’s the video for you to enjoy:
{flvremote}http://ianbethune.com/remdawgkisscam.flv{/flvremote}
Former UConn Huskies guard Mel Thomas (2004-08) has decided to pursue a career in coaching as she works towards a graduate degree in business. Thomas, 24, recently joined the staff of Karl Smesko as the Director of Basketball Operations at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) in Fort Myers FL.
After tearing her ACL in her senior season (2007-08) at UConn, Thomas missed out on the 2008 WNBA draft due to the injury. She later recovered well enough to play her first professional season in Ireland as a member of the Bausch and Lomb Waterford Wildcats of the Irish National Basketball League.
After a personally successfully season , Thomas returned home with the hope of playing in the WNBA. After being invited to training camp by the Seattle Storm last year she tore her meniscus in her knee just weeks before reporting and was unable to play once again until the fall. In October of 2009,, Thomas went off to play in Poland for Artego Bydgoszcz in the Polish league, PLKK.
This year after not being signed by a WNBA team and disappointed in her overseas experiences, Thomas has decided to try her hand at coaching and finds herself about to pursue her coaching career and her MBA (Masters of Business Administration) at FGCU starting this fall.
Recently, Sox & Dawgs asked Thomas a few questions about her new position, coaching, playing professionally and about her future. Always there will a smile and willing to answer just about anything Mel took some time from her busy schedule of studying for her GMAT’s (Graduate Management Admission Test), helping out at basketball camps and doing book signings for her book “Heart of a Husky” to answer these for us
They now run just as they were put to Mel and exactly how she answered them.
Sox & Dawgs: With your energy and drive, coaching seems like a natural progression for you but what made you decide to get into at this stage of your career?
Mel Thomas: “I love basketball more than anything, but playing overseas wasn’t the same. The basketball wasn’t as competitive and I missed the camaraderie I experienced with my high school and college teams. I knew I wanted to stay involved in the game, so coaching seemed like the best way to do it. I am really excited to get back into collegiate basketball”.
S&D: How did you hear about the Director of Operations position at FGCU? How long was the hiring process for you?
Mel: “When I returned from Poland, I didn’t know if I wanted to go overseas again. For about two months, I applied for GA (graduate assistant) positions, coaching jobs, and internships in order to see what opportunities were available to me. I went on a visit to FGCU, and they offered me the position. It was a difficult decision because I wasn’t sure that I would rather coach than play, but now I feel that I made the right choice”.
S&D: We know basketball staffs have the Director of Operations position but exactly what are you responsible for before, during and after games and practices?
Mel: As a Director of Basketball Operations, I will be responsible for making travel arrangements (hotels, flights), determining practice times, scheduling games, breaking down practice and game film, etc.
S&D: How long a commitment do you have to FGCU and will it prevent you from playing if you chose to do so?
Mel: “I will be at FGCU for a minimum of 2 years because I will be pursuing an MBA, in addition to the Director of Basketball Operations position. I will have the summers off, so it would be possible to play somewhere during the summer if I wanted to”.
S&D: I think many UConn fans expected to see you play in the WNBA but a couple of injuries set you back the last few seasons. Did you have any opportunities to play in the league this year? If not, were you surprised you didn’t get an opportunity?
Mel: “I was injured my senior year of college, so I didn’t have much of a chance to get drafted. The following year, I was invited to training camp with the Seattle Storm, but I tore my meniscus three weeks before I was supposed to report to camp. This year, I went to a free agent camp at the Final Four in San Antonio. My agent told me there weren’t many available spots in team training camps, so I was hoping for the best but expecting the worst. I didn’t get picked up, but I played really well and did everything I could so I left with my head held high. I clearly haven’t had the best luck, but I’m sure there is something great out there for me”
S&D: You played two seasons overseas, one in Ireland and one in Poland, what were those experiences like on and off the court?
Mel: “The basketball in Europe was very different than here in the States. The basketball wasn’t as competitive and no one took it as seriously, which was very hard for me to deal with. I usually only saw my teammates at practice. Most of them were busy with school, families, or other careers. I was lonely much of the time. On the other hand, I was getting paid to do what I love. I was able to experience other cultures and see the world, and I made lifelong friends.
I also attempted to learn other languages, which was fun. I am so grateful for the opportunity to play overseas and it was a great experience, but it’s not something I see myself doing for the next 10 years”.
S&D: Where do you see yourself professionally in the next 5 or 10 years?
Mel: “I would love to be involved in sports in some aspect. I am interested in coaching, training kids, sports marketing, communications, sports broadcasting, and event planning. I recently met a woman named Glennis Orloff who invented compression shorts that help improve posture and prevent ACL injuries. I am looking to get involved with her company as well (www.aspaeris.com)”.
Thanks everyone for your support!
Thomas, a native of Cincinnati Ohio, was a three year starter and two year team co-captain with Renee Montgomery. She ranks 31st on Uconn’s All-time scoring list with 1,098 points and is in the Top 5 of 3 point field goals made with 224. She was a 2008 CoSIDAWomen’s Basketball Academic All-District I First Team member, 2006 Big East Most Improved Player and Miss Basketball Ohio in her senior year (2004) at Mount Notre Dame High School. She brings a wealth of knowledge, skill and personal drive to her new job and we know the staff and players at FGCU are going to love her as much as her UConn fans do.
You can order Mel’s book through her website, melthomas.com.
Photo credit: Depth of Field Photo
