The Final Standings for the Ladies at the U.S. National Figure Skating Championships:
1 Rachel Flatt
2 Mirai Nagasu
3 Ashley Wagner
4 Sasha Cohen
5 Christina Gao
6 Beatrisa Liang
7 Amanda Dobbs
8 Alexe Gilles
9 Emily Hughes
10 Alissa Czisny
11 Caroline Zhang
Sasha Cohen competed in the U.S. National Figure Skating Championships in Spokane, Washington in January, 2010. Sasha Cohen’s performance on January 23 most likely doomed her chances of making the U. S. Winter Olympics Figure Skating Team. See Sasha Cohen pictures below:
Sasha Cohen
Sasha Cohen on the Ice
See also: http://www.historyguy.com/sportshistory/cohen_sasha.htm
Tanith Belbin, of the skating team of Belbin and Agosto.
A couple of interesting historical sidelights to the NFL playoffs this weekend. While watching the Cardinals-Saints game today, a graphic was flashed on the screen comparing the number of Superbowl appearances for the Cards and Saints combined: 1 (Arizona lost the Superbowl last year). The comparison was with the combined number of Superbowl appearances between the Vikings and the Cowboys, who play on Sunday. They came in at a combined 12 Superbowl games between them.
An intriguing factoid about the Colts-Ravens matchup involves the fact that the Colts used to be Baltimore’s NFL team until the infamous midnight move to Indianapolis back in 1984. Baltimore eventually got a team of its own again, though the way they repaired their broken football hearts was to take another relocated team (the old Cleveland Browns became the Baltimore Ravens). You know that Baltimore fans, especially the older ones who remember the old Colts, are REALLY looking for a win over Indy!
And finally, if Indy and New Orleans do both make it to the Superbowl, that matchup will feature Peyton Manning, whose dad was the Quarterback for New Orleans from 1971-1982, playing against his dad’s old team. Plus the fact that Peyton was born in New Orleans while his dad played for the Saints, adds to the potential back stories that will be all over the television, the internet, and on the lips of football fans everywhere.
With their exciting 51-45 finish against the Green Bay Packers, the Arizona Cardinals travel to New Orleans to face the resurgent Saints. Ironically, neither team has an exceptionally long playoff history, despite fairly long (especially for the Cardinals) team histories. Examine their respective playoff histories at:
Arizona Cardinals Playoff History at http://www.historyguy.com/sportshistory/arizona_cardinals_playoff_history.htm
New Orleans Saints Playoff History at http://www.historyguy.com/sportshistory/new_orleans_saints_playoff_history.htm
Pete Carroll, USC’s coach since 2001, has, according to ESPN, agreed to take the job as head coach of the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks, who are owned by Microsoft Billionaire Paul Allen, fired Coach Jim Mora on Friday, January 8, 2010.
Coach Carroll previously coached in the NFL, serving as head coach for the New England Patriots from 1997-99 and for the New York Jets in 1994.
Carroll also worked as the Jets’ defensive coordinator from 1990-93, the defensive backs coach for the Minnesota Vikings (1985-89) and the Buffalo Bills (1984).
See also: http://historyguy.com/sportshistory/carroll_pete_coach.htm
An ESPN blog post (and that company would obviously have an inside lead on the details of this story), reports that Coach Mike Leach’s failure to apologize to the family of player Adam James led to his suspension, with pay, from his coaching duties at Texas Tech.
According to Tim Griffin’s post:
“Mike Leach’s reluctance to apologize to Adam James and his family led to his school-mandated suspension for the Valero Alamo Bowl.
The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal reported Tuesday that the Tech coach did not dispute the facts after ESPN analyst Craig James had complained to school officials about Leach’s treatment of his son, Adam, after he suffered a mild concussion last month.
The Avalanche-Journal reported that the school completed an initial investigation before suspending Leach. Leach did not dispute the facts, but also did not believe he had done anything wrong. The Tech coach also told officials that Adam James was “a slacker” and that Craig James was too involved in his son’s football career.
Leach had until Monday to write a letter of apology to James and his family. When he didn’t, Tech officials took action.
It led to Leach’s suspension, with pay, from his job as head coach.
Leach’s attorney, Ted Liggett, told the Avalanche-Journal that he hasn’t given up hope that Leach will coach the Red Raiders in Saturday night’s Valero Alamo Bowl against Michigan State in San Antonio. Liggett said he could consider legal action to get him back on the sideline.”
This sorry story is not over by a long shot. The attorney for Coach Mike Leach says they will resolve this in court.
I pity the poor players who have to deal with this drama so near to what for the seniors will be their last game as Red Raiders.
The sports blogosphere is full of banter over the suspension of Texas Tech coach Mike Leach on the cusp of his team’s Alamo Bowl game. Based on complaints from ESPN analyst Craig James, whose son is a Texas Tech player, the school suspended Leach from coaching the upcoming Alamo Bowl. Leach allegedly ordered Adam James, who suffered a concussion in practice, locked into a closet because he was not able to participate in drills due to the concussion.
The latest news is that Leach is looking into obtaining a court order to force his employer to allow him to coach the game. If the charges are accurate, Leach will likely lose his job. If the charges prove to be inaccurate, then forcing him out of the Alamo Bowl is unfair to Leach, and, more importantly, to his players and Texas Tech fans.
Given that the father levelling the charges is Craig James, who hold a lot of repect in the world of college football as well as in the sports media, the unbiased observer must take these allegations with added seriousness.
For more on Texas Tech Bowl History and Mike Leach’s bowl record with the Red Raiders, go to: http://www.historyguy.com/sportshistory/texas_tech_bowl_game_history.htm
Go to http://www.historyguy.com/sportshistory/rose_bowl_history.htm to see information on the Rose Bowl games of the 21st Century, including the two BCS National Championship Games played in Pasedena this decade.
The Maaco Las Vegas Bowl of December 22, 2009, is now history, with Brigham Young University (BYU) defeating the Oregon State University (OSU) Beavers in a very windy desert football bowl game in Las Vegas, Nevada. BYU defeated Oregon State 44 to 20. This edition of the Las Vegas Bowl was unique in that for the first time ever, both teams entered the game nationally ranked, with OSU ranked #14, and BYU ranked #18.
This game marked the most points ever given up by an Oregon State team in a bowl game.