UConn Football links

The football news is located in the upcoming game preview in the other news section.

UConn Women’s Basketball links

Taurasi/DUI update [Jim Fuller – New Haven Register]

Gampel will host women’s NCAA subregional [New Haven Register]

Huskies’ lone freshman has Geno gushing [Waterbury Republican-American]

UConn Men’s Basketball links

Countdown: 15 [TheUConnBlog.com]

Jim Calhoun media availability [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

TV change for opener [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

Ater Majok Back To Practice [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

Calhoun Encouraged By Facility Talks [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

Stanley Robinson [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

Jim Calhoun on Jamal and Jamaal [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

Talkin’ ‘Bout Practice (Facility) [David Borges – New Haven Register]

Basketball news: minor injuries and practice facility update [Neill Ostrout – Connecticut Post]

UConn men’s notebook: Injuries slow Huskies [Connecticut Post]

Calhoun Continues To Assess [Hartford Courant]

UConn works toward new practice facility [New Haven Register]

Bumps, bruises get in UConn’s way [Waterbury Republican-American]

Calhoun unable to size up Huskies thanks to injuries [New London Day]

Other UConn related links

Men’s Ice Hockey: Huskies Head Out to Rochester For First AHA Weekend Series [UConnHuskies.com]

Men’s Soccer: Huskies Travel to Notre Dame for Key BIG EAST Match-Up [UConnHuskies.com]

Women’s Soccer: Huskies Fall In PKs In the First Round Of the BIG EAST Tournament [UConnHuskies.com]

Women’s Volleyball: Volleyball Concludes the Regular Season at Gampel with a Pair of BIG EAST Matches [UConnHuskies.com]

The question of the offseason for Boston Red Sox fans is whether or not they will re-sign Jason Bay. The question remains where he wants to play. And if we judge from Bay’s chat at WEEI.com on Thursday afternoon, we still don’t know.

Bay stopped by WEEI.com and besides answering questions about his future, he also answered questions about his teammates and what it’s like to play in Boston and Fenway Park.

Hey Jason, what’s the most important factor for choosing which team you will sign with?

Jason Bay: There isn’t one important factor. The funny thing is that everybody has an opinion of what I’m waiting or or what I’m doing and I don’t even have an opinion, and that’s the truth

All things equal, would you rather play on the west coast? We always hear you are a “west coast guy.” How much will that play into your decision this offseason?

Jason Bay: The window for my career doesn’t last forever so limiting myself to one geographical spot really has no bearing on my decision

We have heard that Bay would consider the Seattle Mariners as he lives there in the offseason. With his wife being from the area and the Mariners having some money freed up from the departure of Kenji Johjima, the Mariners could make a big run at him.

Jon Heyman reported on his Twitter page that he thinks the Red Sox could offer Bay $15 million a year for four years. That seems a lot higher then what they had offered him during the season.

The question is though, will Bay take four years or will he seek five years?

Let’s hope Bay is willing to take four years and stay in Boston. Otherwise the alternative is Matt Holliday and it’s likely he’ll cost more.

Jason Bay chat wrap [Full Count]

On Tuesday afternoon, UConn police announced the arrest of three individuals in the stabbing death of UConn Huskies cornerback Jasper Howard. On Thursday afternoon, they announced the arrest of a fourth person.

Christopher Mutchler of Wethersfield, CT was arrested and charged with first-degree hindering prosecution, interfering with an officer, second-degree breach of peace, second-degree threatening, and an act of terrorism. He was released on a $15,000 non-surety bond and is due in court on November 10th.

Over the weekend, we had heard that someone out there was threatening potential witnesses. And now we know that it was allegedly Mutchler.

According to police the posting was part of a blog created through Bristol-based ESPN’s U Sports Network and the second was on a Facebook page that “was created to enable individuals to leave their condolences for the death of Jasper Howard and was viewed by over 8,000 people. Police had reason to believe that the postings were instilling fear and preventing witnesses from coming forward.”

It’s believed that Mutchler has no connection to the other three individuals who were arrested in this case and it’s unclear of his motive behind the threats.

In this day and age of cyber crimes, did he think he wouldn’t get caught? When you leave a comment or make a post just about anywhere, you leave a digital signature with your IP address that can be traced. So unless you’re a hacking professional, odds are you’re going to get caught.

Here is a press release from the UConn Huskies department of athletics concerning UConn and Gampel Pavilion being named as one of 16 hosts for the first and second rounds of the 2011 NCAA Women’s Tournament.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The University of Connecticut has been selected as one of the 16 first- and second-round regional sites for the 2011 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship, which were announced today by the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee.

Those sites, along with the four regional hosts, have been approved by the Administrative Committee of the NCAA Division I Championships/Sports Management Cabinet.

The University of Connecticut will host first and second round NCAA Tournament games in 2011 at Gampel Pavilion in Storrs. The selection will mark the 17th time that UConn has hosted NCAA Tournament games at Gampel Pavilion, with the most recent coming in 2009. The Huskies boast an all-time record of 28-2 in NCAA Tournament games played at Gampel.

Cities chosen to host first- and second-round games in 2011 include Albuquerque, New Mexico; Auburn, Alabama; Charlottesville, Virginia; Cincinnati, Ohio; College Park, Maryland; Columbus, Ohio; Durham, North Carolina; Knoxville, Tennessee; Salt Lake City, Utah; Spokane, Washington; Shreveport, Louisiana; Stanford, California; Storrs, Connecticut; University Park, Pennsylvania; Waco, Texas; and Wichita, Kansas.

The four selected regional sites are Dayton, Ohio; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Dallas, Texas; and Spokane, Washington.

“The committee was pleased with the level of interest in our championship that we found from cities, institutions and conferences across the country,” said Jane Meyer, senior associate director of athletics at the University of Iowa and chair of the Division I Women’s Basketball Committee. “Of the 20 preliminary sites for 2011, we have 11 different conferences represented, with Wichita and Shreveport hosting for the first time.”

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There was some good news to come out of UConn Huskies head coach Randy Edsall’s teleconference with the media on Thursday afternoon.

The emotional leader of the defense, linebacker Scott Lutrus, has been cleared to play on Saturday. From Desmond Conner of the Hartford Courant.

UConn Coach Randy Edsall didn’t even mention the linebacker from Brookfield’s name when he went through the injury report during his weekly pre-game teleconference.

But Lutrus, nagged with a stinger since Week 1, has been practicing full go since Tuesday and is ready for Saturday’s game against Rutgers.

Lutrus reinjured the stinger during the loss to the Pittsburgh Panthers and hasn’t played since. Greg Lloyd, Jr. and Lawrence Wilson have played great in his absence and his return will only make the Huskies stronger on defense this weekend.

Earlier in the day on Thursday, we learned that the UConn Huskies men’s basketball team was ranked No. 14 in the Coaches Poll. Now the AP Men’s Basketball Preseason Top 25 Poll is out and we find UConn ranked No. 12.

Joining the Huskies in the Top 25 from the Big East are Villanova (5), West Virginia (8), Louisville (19) and Georgetown (20). Notre Dame, Syracuse and Pittsburgh are in the other teams receiving votes.

During the season when the polls come out, they will be posted along side each other. This will hold true in the women’s as well.

The ESPN/USA Today Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll was released on Thursday morning and we find our UConn Huskies men’s basketball team ranked No. 14 to start the season.

Joining the Huskies from the Big East in the top 25 are Villanova (6), West Virginia (9),  Georgetown (21), Louisville (23) and Syracuse (25). Notre Dame and Pittsburgh are listed in the other teams receiving votes.

After exhibition games with AIC (11/4) and UMass Lowell (11/8), the Huskies will kick off the 2009-10 season against William & Mary on November 13 at Gampel Pavilion.

While the New York Yankees are currently playing in the World Series (go Phillies btw), we can expect another battle to heat up between the Boston Red Sox and Yankees this offseason.

The prize, top Cuban prospect Aroldis Chapman.

For those who don’t know about Chapman, he’s a 21 year old Cuban left-handed pitcher who defected last July in the Netherlands, eventually establishing residence in Andorra and was declared a free agent by MLB in September. He can bring the heat as he was clocked at 102 during the World Baseball Classic.

Chapman was in Boston on Wednesday as he met with Theo Epstein and an unidentified member of the Red Sox. He was supposed to throw in the bullpen but the weather in Boston didn’t cooperate with those plans.

“Boston was one of the teams he was interested in from the start, and that certainly hasn’t changed,’’ said Chapman’s agent, Edwin Mejia. “It was a very good visit.’’

“This is a player who I believe is a special talent, and we’re trying to find the right place for him,’’ Mejia said. “That means the team, the city, even the fans. Aroldis is interested in every aspect.’’

What better place to play then Boston if he’s looking for all of that.

Chapman has already visited the Yankees and New York Mets. And if this report is true, we can expect the Seattle Mariners to get involved in the bidding as well.

The Red Sox could have an advantage in signing Chapman as Ian Browne points out as the Red Sox signed one of his teammates in Jose Iglesias, who is currently playing in the Arizona Fall League.

This should be very interesting to watch after the season ends. It’s a remembrance of the last time the Red Sox and Yankees did battle in the Cuban free agent market when the Yanks got Jose Contreras. Now, it’s the Red Sox turn.

Young pitching prospect Chapman visits the Sox [Boston Globe]

Red Sox meet with defector Chapman [RedSox.com]

M’s getting in on bidding for Cuban defector Chapman [Yahoo! Sports]

UConn Football links

Suspects in Howard death arraigned [Neill Ostrout – Connecticut Post]

Big East stock report [Big East Blog – ESPN.com]

UConn trying to get back to normal [Big East Blog – ESPN.com]

What to watch in the Big East, Week 9 [Big East Blog – ESPN.com]

Big East picks, Week 9 [Big East Blog – ESPN.com]

UConn fans will remember Howard on Saturday [Connecticut Post]

Bloomfield men arrested following Howard murder ‘escalated’ altercation [Connecticut Post]

UConn’s Offense Shifts Toward Pass [Hartford Courant]

UConn Murder Suspect Arraigned [Hartford Courant]

Suspects in UConn stabbing arraigned [New Haven Register]

Howard to be remembered at UConn-Rutgers game [New London Day]

UConn to honor Howard at Saturday’s game [Waterbury Republican-American]

Prosecutors: Witnesses identify suspect in stabbing [Waterbury Republican-American]

Fancy passing adds balance to UConn offense [Waterbury Republican-American]

Duke’s Lewis mourning UConn cornerback [Fayetteville Observer]

The Star-Ledger previews Rutgers football vs. Connecticut [The Star-Ledger]

Rutgers-Connecticut football capsule [The Register Citizen]

Johnson, UConn try to move on [Press Register]

What We Learned: Huskies deserve a win [Sporting News]

UConn Women’s Basketball links

Hayes Stepping Forward [Rich Elliott – Connecticut Post]

UConn Men’s Basketball links

Countdown: 16 [TheUConnBlog.com]

Poll Dance [David Borges – New Haven Register]

Other UConn related links

Men’s Soccer. Men’s Soccer Game Against Marquette Postponed [UConnHuskies.com]

Baseball: Tickets Available Online for 2010 Big Ten/BIG EAST Baseball Challenge [UConnHuskies.com]

Field Hockey: Wednesday’s Field Hockey Game vs. Albany Canceled [UConnHuskies.com]

Here is a press release from The Football Writers Association of American detailing the UConn Huskies football team’s nomination for the 2009 FedEx Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award.

DALLAS (FWAA) – The Connecticut football team is the weekly nominee for the 2009 FedEx Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award, to be announced at the end of the season. The Huskies are dealing with the tragic death of a teammate Oct. 18.

Jasper “Jazz” Howard, a starting cornerback, was stabbed to death during an altercation after a campus-sponsored party about 12:30 a.m. Oct. 18 – just hours after he helped UConn beat Louisville. Last Saturday, the Huskies played an inspired game at West Virginia, losing 28-24 in the final minutes.

The Huskies displayed Howard’s jersey and helmet behind their bench, wore “JH” stickers on their helmets, and received a warm ovation from the West Virginia fans. In the visitors’ tunnel at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium, a sign was posted with the message, “Today We Are All Huskies,” and thousands of signatures from students and fans.

“I just feel empty,” said UConn coach Randy Edsall, who is credited with helping keep the Huskies together through the emotional time, in the moments after the loss to West Virginia. “The kids played their hearts out and did what we asked them to do. They did a great job but came up a little short. I know ‘Jazz’ is proud of their effort.”

On Monday, the Huskies traveled together to attend Howard’s funeral in his hometown of Miami. They play Rutgers on Saturday.

“We’re all hurting,” senior receiver Marcus Easley said in the days after Howard’s death. “We lost a teammate, some lost a friend, some lost a brother, some lost a son. We’re all dealing with something.”

For the fourth straight year, the Football Writers Association of America and the FedEx Orange Bowl will announce a weekly nominee each Wednesday during the season. A blue-ribbon panel will determine the winner from all of the nominees. The winner of the FedEx Orange Bowl/FWAA Courage Award will be announced in December and be presented with the trophy.

Previous winners of the FWAA’s Courage Award are Tulsa’s Wilson Holloway (2008), Navy’s Zerbin Singleton (2007), Clemson’s Ray Ray McElrathbey (2006), the Tulane football team (2005), Memphis’ Haracio Colen (2004), San Jose State’s Neil Parry (2003) and Toledo’s William Bratton (2002).

The Orange Bowl Committee is a not-for-profit, 330-member, primarily-volunteer organization. It is a self-sustaining, independent organization that supports and produces activities and events that enhance the image, economy and culture of South Florida . The Orange Bowl Festival features a year-round schedule of events culminating with the FedEx Orange Bowl on January 5, 2010. In 2013, the OBC will again double-host both the FedEx Orange Bowl and the BCS National Championship. Other OBC core events include the MetroPCS Orange Bowl Basketball Classic, Orange Bowl Youth Football Alliance, Orange Bowl International Tennis Championships and Orange Bowl Sailing Regatta Series. For more information on the 2009-10 Orange Bowl Festival and its events, including promotional and volunteer opportunities through the Ambassador Program, log on to www.orangebowl.org.

The Football Writers Association of America, a non-profit organization founded in 1941, consists of more than 1,100 men and women who cover college football for a living. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include gameday operations, major awards and its annual All-America team. For more information about the FWAA and its award programs, contact Steve Richardson at tigerfwaa@aol.com or 972-713-6198.

2009 FedEx Orange Bowl Courage Award Nominees

• Sept. 23: D.J. Williams, Arkansas
• Sept. 30: Mark Herzlich, Boston College
• Oct. 7: Darius Nall, UCF
• Oct. 14: Ricky Rosas, USC
• Oct. 21: Derrick Coleman, UCLA
• Oct. 28: Connecticut Huskies