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Women’s College Sports in the Roanoke Area This Weekend

The ACC Women’s Lacrosse Championships will be played at Virginia Tech on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. Roanoke College is hosting the ODAC Women’s Lacrosse Championship Tournament. The Quarterfinals were played yesterday. The Semifinals will be played Saturday, and the championship is scheduled for Sunday. The ODAC Women’s Softball Tournament will be played at Salem’s James [...]

A Basketful of Memories

Donnie Johnston wrote a nice article about recently attending a Madison Mountaineers basketball game and how the memories came flooding back when he stepped into the gym and saw that many things were still the same. In the 70′s, the Madison Mountaineers had a phenomenal run of athletes who, over a 10-year span, achieved unbelievable [...]

Donovan McNabb’s yard vandalized by Arizona Cardinals fans

Two Arizona Cardinals fans hung their team’s flag in a tree and burned “Go Cards,” “Go Kurt” and “I heart AZ” in Donovan McNabb’s yard with diesel fuel. Read (ESPN)

Washington Redskins Lay Off More Than 20 Employees

The Washington Redskins laid off at least 20 employees at Redskins Park this week and an undetermined number at FedEx Field, according to several sources with knowledge of the situation. No coaches, trainers or scouts were let go. Cuts included at least one team vice president and members of the legal, marketing, information technology, public [...]

NASCAR blames economy for not filling seats for Richmond race

The large sign outside Richmond International Raceway off Laburnum on Friday said, “Tickets Available Now!” This has been a common sight at tracks that host racing events this season, but it is alarming when it occurs at Richmond International. The track has sold out every Cup race, 32 in all, over the past 16 years. [...]

Vick indicted on state dogfighting charges in Virginia

Michael Vick and three co-defendants were indicted by a grand jury Tuesday on state charges related to a dogfighting ring operated on Vick’s Virginia property. The grand jury passed on indicting them on eight counts of animal cruelty, which would have exposed them to as many as 40 years in prison if convicted. Read (AP [...]

Vick co-defendant expected to enter plea agreement

One of Michael Vick’s co-defendants doesn’t want to wait for trial. Instead, a plea agreement hearing has been scheduled for Tony Taylor at 9 a.m. Monday in the federal dogfighting conspiracy case. Taylor’s hearing was added to U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson’s docket Friday, a day after he and the other three defendants pleaded [...]

Joey Chestnut downs record 66 dogs, beats Kobayashi

In a gut-busting showdown that combined drama, daring and indigestion, Joey Chestnut devoured 66 hot dogs and emerged Wednesday as the world’s hot dog eating champion, knocking off six-time winner Takeru Kobayashi, who ate 33 hot dogs and buns, in a record-setting yet repulsive triumph. Read (AP via ESPN)

NFL nixes church’s plan to show Super Bowl

The NFL has nixed a church’s plans to use a wall projector to show the Colts-Bears Super Bowl game, saying it would violate copyright laws. NFL officials spotted a promotion of Fall Creek, Indiana Baptist Church’s “Super Bowl Bash” on the church Web site last week and overnighted a letter to the pastor demanding the [...]

High School Football Players Overweight

Heavy tackles and 300-pound nose guards are common in pro and college football. Now a study shows the trend toward beefier, overweight linemen is emerging at the high school level. Researchers at Iowa State University found nearly half of the offensive and defensive linemen playing on Iowa high school teams qualify as overweight, and one [...]

QB Michael Vick raises suspicion at Miami airport

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick was reluctant to throw away his 20-ounce water bottle at a Miami International Airport security checkpoint Wednesday morning. The reason, police say: The plastic bottle had a secret compartment that, when opened, had a dark residue and a pungent odor of marijuana. Read (Miami Herald) That wasn’t very smart. Let [...]

Marshall Football Team’s Plane Evacuated

A charter plane carrying the Marshall University football team to a game against East Carolina was evacuated Friday, 11/10, after smoke was reported in an engine, emergency officials said. No injuries were reported among the 200 people aboard, but the timing was eerie. Almost 36 years ago, on Nov. 14, 1970, a plane carrying the [...]

Citing Title IX, JMU to drop 10 varsity sports

In order to meet Title IX requirements, JMU is eliminating 10 sports. The mens teams being eliminated are archery, cross country, gymnastics, indoor track, outdoor track, swimming and wrestling. Womens archery, fencing, and gymnastics will be dropped. Read (AP via the Virginian-Pilot)

Quote of the Day

I received a call from my wife this morning, and the conservation went something like this: J.:Is there a Virginia Tech game today?Me:Yes, it’s the first game of the season, and it’s not on TV.  Why?J.:Because Walmart’s full of people who haven’t had baths, wearing Virginia Tech clothing, and buying cheap beer.Me:Apparently, they listen to [...]

NBA benches Roanoke Dazzle

The NBA has decided to cease operation of the NBDL’s Roanoke Dazzle franchise. Read (Roanoke Times) Another pro team finally realizes it can’t make it in Roanoke, just like the Roanoke Steam and the Roanoke Express found out. Let’s face it, Roanoke is unable to support a sports team. I wouldn’t be surprised if the [...]

Make the NIT Actually Mean Something

Tony Kornheiser has a good idea – make the NIT the championship of the mid-majors. It should invite 32 to 48 teams drawn exclusively from the lesser conferences, like the Patriot League and Colonial. Not only would also-ran teams from those conferences (like Hofstra in the CAA; Vermont in the America East) be eligible for [...]

Another Virginia Tech Quarterback Has Been Suspended

Virginia Tech football coach Frank Beamer announced Thursday that redshirt freshman quarterback Ike Whitaker has been suspended from the team indefinitely for a violation of team rules. Read (AP via Sports Illustrated) At this rate, maybe the person that wins the starting quarterback spot will be the guy who can stay out of trouble and [...]

Newer-style football helmet may cut concussion risk

A newer type of football helmet that gives more coverage to the side of the head appears to lower players’ risk of concussion. Read (Reuters)

Was Marcus worth all that trouble?

Virginia Tech’s reputation has been iffy over the years. In fact it hasn’t been that great or several years. That’s the problem with forgiveness: Forgivees take advantage. That coach Frank Beamer kept quiet his knowledge of Marcus Vick’s latest example of an “I’m a Vick at Tech, deal with it” attitude indicates more of a [...]

Marcus Vick arrested on firearms charges

Marcus Vick has been charged with three counts of brandishing a firearm. The crime happened at a McDonalds in Suffolk, VA Sunday night, 12/9, two days after he was kicked off the Virginia football team. Read (The Virginian-Pilot) When he said he was “taking it to the next level baby”, I didn’t think he meant [...]