August 16 Blog
August 10, 2008 02:46 PM | General
Sad Story
Posted By John Antonik: August 16, 2008 (11:18 am)
If you ever wonder why star athletes sometimes appear aloof and guarded then you need to read Lester Munson’s recent story about Michael Vick on ESPN.com.
There is no question Vick made bad decisions which ultimately led to his imprisonment on dog fighting charges, derailing a lucrative professional football career. Equally damning are the associations Vick chose to make with shady financial people who bilked millions out of him through bad investments and excessive fees.
According to Munson, Vick was almost unable to come up with the nearly $1 million restitution the federal government required Vick pay to take care of the dogs found in Vicks’ kennel despite Vick receiving a signing bonus of more than $20 million from the Atlanta Falcons. In order to come up with the money to avoid more jail time, Vick turned to a Falcons teammate who in turn steered Vick toward another money manager. Vick’s debt to the government was soon paid, but it was discovered that Vick’s new financial advisor “wrongfully removed” at least $900,000 from various accounts during the process.
This person has also been permanently barred from working with any firm that trades on the New York Stock Exchange after taking more than $150,000 from two elderly widows while working at Wells Fargo Investments.
Another person hired by Vick to straighten out his finances is also being accused of taking Vicks’ Mercedes for personal use, charging exorbitant rates and lying about his qualifications.
Today Vick has filed for bankruptcy and once he is released from prison he will have to field a series of demands from creditors. It is conceivable that Vick could be insolvent by the time all of his bills are paid.
It’s a remarkably sad story and one told too frequently in sports today. And you wonder why star athletes are sometimes wary of strangers – even those with good intentions?
Lessons Learned
Posted By John Antonik: August 14, 2008 (9:34 pm)
Bill Stewart was frank when discussing the differences between his three seasons coaching at VMI and the man he is today.
“I’ve matured,” Stewart said. “I’m a whole lot more patient.”
Stewart’s teams struggled at VMI at a place where most coaches have struggled. Stewart’s best year there came in 1995 when his Keydet team posted a 4-7 record.
“The situation was a lot different because we didn’t have the caliber of team like we do here,” Stewart said. “I’ve mellowed a little bit and I think there is different ways to go about things now. I’m not near as vocal or demanding as I used to be and I’m in a different mode now.”
Twelve years ago Stewart said he tried to coach everything. Today he lets his coaches coach.
“The good things from there I brought here and the things we didn’t do well there I’ve learned from. That job has made me a better football coach; a better manager of people. I’ve learned to delegate and I’ve learned to trust coaches. I learned that I’m not the smartest guy in the cookie jar – if you know what I mean.”
Stewart’s three years at VMI taught him more about himself than anything.
“At VMI I was so blessed and grateful to be the head football coach down in Lexington, Va., and the Virginia Military Institute was very good for me. Hopefully it has made me a better man today and hopefully a better coach.”
Crossing Ts and Dotting Is
Posted By John Antonik: August 13, 2008 (9:24 pm)
Crossing its Ts and dotting its Is is one of the things that has made West Virginia football so successful. The Mountaineers will be doing a little more T crossing and I dotting this Friday when the travel squad goes through a dry run by spending the night at a hotel in Washington, Pa.
Coach Bill Stewart explains.
“We certainly appreciate our administration letting us take a trip. What we do is take a dry run and go to Washington, Pa., and stay up there at the hotel. What we’ll do is take the videographers and all of their equipment, we take the team, the coaches the managers and what have you and we go through an on-the-road type of situation for future road games.
“We will go up there and learn how to get on a bus, we will learn how to check into a hotel and how to act because when we go on a road trip at West Virginia University it’s a business trip. This isn’t a pleasure seeking joy ride. We don’t go with our guts wrenching all tight and tense but we also don’t go like it’s an eighth grade picnic to Washington, D.C., either.
“We’ll make sure the roommates are compatible although how much say they really have I don’t know – we kind of tell them who their roommates are by position, by age and what have you … then we come down and eat, have team meetings, etc.”
The team will watch a video before going to bed and then the next morning will go through their pregame meetings before hopping on the bus to go to the stadium.
“It’s kind of a dry run and it’s pretty good,” Stewart said. “They don’t know how to act if you don’t teach them and we start from the ground up.”
The dry run is also when the team has its annual “Gong Show” where players get up and perform skits in front of everyone. The coaches are fair game.
“We have a little Friday night routine with the freshmen and that’s cool,” Stewart said. “We just keep it clean and have fun.”
Wednesday Evening Practice Notes
“That hit got everyone excited,” Stewart said.
“I thought Noel ran tremendously well and Pat was on his game,” Stewart said. “He was hot and had some nice plays which were nice to see. There were some really nice things today and there were also some not-so-good things that we saw but that is what you need in camp.”
Stewart drew comparisons between North Carolina running backs Amos Lawrence and Kelvin Bryant, Navy running back Napoleon McCallum and Noel Devine in terms of Devine’s work ethic. Stewart helped coach all three standout running backs during his coaching stops at North Carolina and Navy.
“He has been an absolute role model and has helped our young backs,” Stewart said of Devine.
“If we keep Will healthy, then he should have a big year,” Stewart said. “He is going to be a guy that can catch the ball in the backfield, he can block and he can play tight end. He’s 230 pounds and the young man has so many natural abilities.”
“He could probably go on Saturday but I don’t know if we’ll let him go,” Stewart said. “He got rolled on in a drill and that’s going to happen. He could play if we needed him to play but again, we have two weeks to get ready for the season.”
West Virginia’s final two-a-day practice is Thursday. The team will have another scrimmage on Saturday and then will take part in Fan Day on Sunday. The first day of the fall semester at WVU is Monday, Aug. 18.
Monday Morning Notes
Posted By John Antonik: August 11, 2008 (11:51 am)
Add another former WVU standout to your list of Olympic athletes. Yelena Leuchanka is a member of the Belarus women’s basketball team that is presently 1-1 in the Group A standings, one point behind 2-0 Russia.
Earlier today, Leuchanka has 22 points to help Belarus defeat Latvia 80-57. Yelena scored 13 points in Belarus’ 19-point loss to Australia on Saturday. Belarus takes on Russia on Wednesday.
The updated list of Olympic participants:
Darius Reynaud also performed well in his professional debut for the Minnesota Vikings, returning one kickoff 53 yards and averaging 36.3 yards on three kickoff returns in Minnesota’s 34-17 preseason loss to Seattle. Reynaud is fighting for a roster spot as a backup wide receiver.
Former West Virginia All-American center Dan Mozes and defensive back Dee McCann are also in camp with the Vikings.
Harvey played for former Mountaineer player and coach Joel Hicks at Pulaski High School where he earned Southwestern Times player of the year honors. The Dublin, Va., native rushed for 650 yards in four seasons with the Mountaineers from 1981-84, playing on West Virginia’s Peach, Gator, Hall of Fame and Bluebonnet Bowl teams.
According to Smalls, Harvey, 45, was living and working in Pittsburgh as a corrections officer at the time of his passing.
Week One Camp Odds and Ends
Posted By John Antonik: August 10, 2008 (2:51 pm)
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On Friday evening, Coach Stew brought up the job his assistant coaches did in 34 days to put together the 25-player recruiting class signed last February. They not only had to hold onto several outstanding recruits inherited from the previous coaching staff including Parkersburg All-American Josh Jenkins (who from the looks of things is going to be a really nice player), but they also had to scramble to come up with some players late.
It looks like at least three of those late commitments have a chance of playing this year. Tight end Tyler Urban was once committed to Maryland before changing his mind to sign with West Virginia. The North Huntingdon, Pa., resident caught a 42-yard pass in yesterday’s scrimmage and is beginning to look like a guy that is physically and mentally capable of playing as a true freshman.
“I’ll tell you what,” Stewart said. “He will press Will Johnson for playing time. He’s a tight end/fullback and that was a big-time catch he made for an 18 year old. He is going to be a good one so that was really nice to see.”
Fullback Ryan Clarke (Glen Burnie, Md.) has also drawn raves for his toughness and soft hands. Once he slims down a little bit it appears Clarke has the talent to make an impact this season. Clarke is the first DeMatha player West Virginia has managed to land since quarterback Scott McBrien transferred out of the program prior to the 2001 season.
“Ryan Clarke is packing an extra suitcase and we’re slimming him down ever so slowly,” Stewart joked. “He’ll get it off and that guy is a freight train.”
Also getting plenty of props this fall is 6-foot-6-inch, 205-pound safety Robert Sands from Opa-Locka. Fla. Sands was a Doc Holliday discovery out of Miami Carol City Senior High who was one of the Top 25-rated players in Dade County and finished third in the state track meet in the triple jump. Sands is giving the coaches plenty to think about in the meeting room as they prepare to put together a two-deep for Villanova in the 2008 season opener.
“Sands keeps showing us a lot,” said Stewart. “And I really like him a lot.”
Freshman Terence Kerns had three carries for 48 yards during Saturday’s scrimmage and certainly passes the eyeball test, but he is still greener than the FieldTurf he’s running on. If he can show that he’s picking up the plays and can be trusted with his assignments without the football then he is a good candidate to back up Noel Devine at tailback. If he doesn’t pick things up then look for Jock Sanders to double up and play some tailback as well as being the team’s No. 1 slot receiver.
Stewart also mentioned Friday that he thinks next year’s recruiting class is shaping up into something really special.
Week one odds and ends …
Starks drew hefty praise from Stewart after practice.
“We don’t have any hesitation with playing No. 14 at quarterback,” Stewart said. “I thought he stepped up in the pocket and made a couple of nice plays. Brad Starks is a natural and I’m hoping that he can be the starting slot/wide out guy – be a little bit of both – and then be the third quarterback. That’s the plan. It was good for him to play and now he knows that he’ll be thrown into that situation.”
“I haven’t tackled in three years – since high school,” Sowers said after Saturday’s scrimmage. “That has been the biggest thing and I’m still working on that. As a safety, you have to concentrate on open field tackling because you’re the last line.”
Bill Stewart mentioned last week that tackling a shifty back in the open field is the toughest thing in sports to do – even tougher than hitting a baseball.
Work on Sunday will be done inside the Puskar Center with team meetings and film study before outside work resumes on Monday. Stewart outlined what he hopes to get accomplished next week.
“I told them we play the half. Next week, we’re going to get up to where we can play the second half,” Stewart said. “After that our scrimmage on the 16th and once school begins on the 18th, what we’ll do then is start getting ready for Villanova. We have one more week until classes begin.
“Those who are injured will not leave this building,” Stewart said. “Those who need work will not leave this building. This is Football 101 and we’re going to spend all next week with football.”
