From the Sports Business Journal:
The $43 million media rights deal that Conference USA signed with Fox last month may not be as final as the two sides originally thought.
The conference’s incumbent rights holders — ESPN and CBS College Sports — are questioning C-USA’s new deal with Fox, which was signed the first week in January.
ESPN believes its contract with C-USA gave it the right to match any offer. CBS College Sports, which has its own separate agreement with C-USA through 2016, believes it had the first crack at the package if it ever left ESPN, according to sources.............
Read the whole article here: http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2011/02/20110228/Media/Conf-USA.aspx
Monday, February 28, 2011
Lee Smith at the NFL Combine
Former Marshall tight end Lee Smith participated in the NFL Combine last weekend. Tight Ends and Offensive lineman were run through the various combine test on Saturday. How did Smith do?
Smith did his best work at the bench press finishing with 25 reps, third among tight ends. He struggled with the other events, running a 5.07 forty yard dash, recording a vertical jump of 29 inches, and finished 10th of 14 participating tight ends in the three cone drill.
ESPN’s NFL Combine Report had this to say about Smith: http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft2011/notebook?page=combinereport226&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fnfl%2fdraft2011%2fnotebook%3fpage%3dcombinereport226
• After a strong showing at the Senior Bowl, Marshall TE Lee Smith displayed a lack of top-end speed and athleticism at the combine. Smith showed off good inline blocking skills, savvy as an underneath route runner and strong hands in traffic during the Senior Bowl, but it's apparent on film that Smith's upside is limited by below-average top-end speed and athleticism. He helped confirm those assumptions during his underwhelming showing at the combine. His unofficial 40 time of 5.07 seconds is actually worse than anticipated and three-tenths slower than the three-year average for tight ends, and it will undoubtedly hurt his value come draft weekend.
On a personal note, I don’t think you can be surprised by Smith’s combine results. He is best evaluated on the field, just look at his Senior Bowl practices. Despite the slow running numbers and low vertical leap this blogger still thinks Smith can have a long NFL career as a blocking tight end. Only time will tell.
Smith did his best work at the bench press finishing with 25 reps, third among tight ends. He struggled with the other events, running a 5.07 forty yard dash, recording a vertical jump of 29 inches, and finished 10th of 14 participating tight ends in the three cone drill.
ESPN’s NFL Combine Report had this to say about Smith: http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft2011/notebook?page=combinereport226&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fnfl%2fdraft2011%2fnotebook%3fpage%3dcombinereport226
• After a strong showing at the Senior Bowl, Marshall TE Lee Smith displayed a lack of top-end speed and athleticism at the combine. Smith showed off good inline blocking skills, savvy as an underneath route runner and strong hands in traffic during the Senior Bowl, but it's apparent on film that Smith's upside is limited by below-average top-end speed and athleticism. He helped confirm those assumptions during his underwhelming showing at the combine. His unofficial 40 time of 5.07 seconds is actually worse than anticipated and three-tenths slower than the three-year average for tight ends, and it will undoubtedly hurt his value come draft weekend.
On a personal note, I don’t think you can be surprised by Smith’s combine results. He is best evaluated on the field, just look at his Senior Bowl practices. Despite the slow running numbers and low vertical leap this blogger still thinks Smith can have a long NFL career as a blocking tight end. Only time will tell.
Marshall Basketball: Did the Herd get Help this Weekend?
On Friday I posted an article about three Conference USA basketball games that could help Marshall’s league standing. http://marshallthunderingblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/marshall-basketball-important-c-usa.html
First a foremost Marshall needed to take care of business against SMU which they did with a 64 – 62 victory.
The Herd was also looking for Memphis, Central Florida, and Tulane to win on Saturday, how did those games turn out?
Memphis did not show up during a 74 – 47 road loss to UTEP.
Donnie Jones and Central Florida did Marshall a favor and beat Southern Miss 65 – 64.
Did not have a lot of hope for Tulane beating Tulsa and that hope was squashed with a 66 – 59 Golden Hurricane victory.
So what do the league standings look like now?
1. UAB 10-4
2. Tulsa 9-5
3. UTEP 9-5
4. Memphis 9-5
5. Southern Miss 9-5
6. Marshall 8-6
7. SMU 8-6
8. East Carolina 7-7
9. UCF 5-9
10. Rice 4-10
11. Houston 4-10
12. Tulane 2-12
Marshall currently sits in 6th place and still has a chance to reach the top 4. On Wednesday I will dive into the scenarios that will lead MU to a first round C-USA tournament bye.
First a foremost Marshall needed to take care of business against SMU which they did with a 64 – 62 victory.
The Herd was also looking for Memphis, Central Florida, and Tulane to win on Saturday, how did those games turn out?
Memphis did not show up during a 74 – 47 road loss to UTEP.
Donnie Jones and Central Florida did Marshall a favor and beat Southern Miss 65 – 64.
Did not have a lot of hope for Tulane beating Tulsa and that hope was squashed with a 66 – 59 Golden Hurricane victory.
So what do the league standings look like now?
1. UAB 10-4
2. Tulsa 9-5
3. UTEP 9-5
4. Memphis 9-5
5. Southern Miss 9-5
6. Marshall 8-6
7. SMU 8-6
8. East Carolina 7-7
9. UCF 5-9
10. Rice 4-10
11. Houston 4-10
12. Tulane 2-12
Marshall currently sits in 6th place and still has a chance to reach the top 4. On Wednesday I will dive into the scenarios that will lead MU to a first round C-USA tournament bye.
Today's Marshall Sports News 2/28/11
From the Charleston Gazette, MU Alumni Game Brings Smiles to All
http://www.wvgazette.com/Sports/Marshall/201102271849
From the Charleston Daily Mail, Marshall basketball: Herd in thick of wide open conference
http://www.dailymail.com/Sports/MUSports/201102271748
From the Charleston Daily Mail , High school basketball: Kanawha Valley's top scorer Cuffee commits to Wright State
http://www.dailymail.com/Sports/201102271696
From the Herald Dispatch, Action heating up in Conference USA
http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/x450734840/Action-heating-up-in-Conference-USA
From the Herald Dispatch, East Carolina too much for Herd women, 48-44
http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/x450734830/East-Carolina-too-much-for-Herd-women-48-44
From HerdZone.com, Lipscomb Downs Baseball, 7-3
http://herdzone.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/recaps/022711aaa.html
http://www.wvgazette.com/Sports/Marshall/201102271849
From the Charleston Daily Mail, Marshall basketball: Herd in thick of wide open conference
http://www.dailymail.com/Sports/MUSports/201102271748
From the Charleston Daily Mail , High school basketball: Kanawha Valley's top scorer Cuffee commits to Wright State
http://www.dailymail.com/Sports/201102271696
From the Herald Dispatch, Action heating up in Conference USA
http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/x450734840/Action-heating-up-in-Conference-USA
From the Herald Dispatch, East Carolina too much for Herd women, 48-44
http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/x450734830/East-Carolina-too-much-for-Herd-women-48-44
From HerdZone.com, Lipscomb Downs Baseball, 7-3
http://herdzone.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/recaps/022711aaa.html
Friday, February 25, 2011
2012 C-USA Basketball Championships Will Make Return to Memphis
Per the Conference USA Website:http://conferenceusa.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/022511aag.html
IRVING, Texas - Conference USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky and Memphis Athletics Director R.C. Johnson announced Friday that the C-USA Men's and Women's Basketball Championships will be hosted by Memphis in 2012, as approved by the Conference Board of Directors. Events will be held March 6-10 at FedExForum and Elma Roane Fieldhouse.......
IRVING, Texas - Conference USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky and Memphis Athletics Director R.C. Johnson announced Friday that the C-USA Men's and Women's Basketball Championships will be hosted by Memphis in 2012, as approved by the Conference Board of Directors. Events will be held March 6-10 at FedExForum and Elma Roane Fieldhouse.......
Marshall Basketball: Important C-USA Games This Saturday
If you are like me and want Marshall to get a bye in the Conference USA Tournament you should be rooting for the following outcomes this Saturday.
Memphis @ UTEP : Go Tigers, UTEP needs to keep losing so the Herd and Miners finish with identical league records. If that happens Marshall will hold the tiebreaker with a (hopeful) win over UTEP next Wednesday.
Southern Miss @ UCF : This might be hard for Herd fans but root for UCF. The Knights won’t catch Marshall if we win out. If Southern Miss keeps dropping games tiebreaker projections favor Marshall with both teams finishing at 10 – 6.
Tulane @ Tulsa : I don’t think any one expects Tulane to beat Tulsa on the road but that would be nice. Marshall holds a tie breaker over Tulsa if both teams finish at 10 – 6.
Memphis @ UTEP : Go Tigers, UTEP needs to keep losing so the Herd and Miners finish with identical league records. If that happens Marshall will hold the tiebreaker with a (hopeful) win over UTEP next Wednesday.
Southern Miss @ UCF : This might be hard for Herd fans but root for UCF. The Knights won’t catch Marshall if we win out. If Southern Miss keeps dropping games tiebreaker projections favor Marshall with both teams finishing at 10 – 6.
Tulane @ Tulsa : I don’t think any one expects Tulane to beat Tulsa on the road but that would be nice. Marshall holds a tie breaker over Tulsa if both teams finish at 10 – 6.
Today's Marshall Sports News 2/25/11
From the Charleston Gazette, Herd notebook: Baines expands his repertoire
http://www.wvgazette.com/Sports/Marshall/201102241529
From the Charleston Daily Mail, Conference USA could have some late movement
http://www.dailymail.com/Sports/MUSports/201102241793
From the Charleston Daily Mail, Live chat recap: Herrion and Rock-afire Explosion
http://blogs.dailymail.com/marshall/2011/02/24/live-chat-recap-herrion-and-rock-afire-explosion/
From the Herald Dispatch, Herd misses first-place battle
http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/x1105302256/Herd-can-only-watch-battle-for-1st-place
From the Herald Dispatch, No. 25 Houston has too much for Herd women
http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/x1105302260/No-25-Houston-has-too-much-for-Herd-women
From the Herald Dispatch, MU tennis team hosts Eastern Ky.
http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/x1105302258/No-Headline
From the Herald Dispatch, C-USA reprimands UTEP coach for outburst at ECU
http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/x1105302248/C-USA-reprimands-UTEP-coach-for-outburst-at-ECU
From HerdZone.com, Baseball Plays Lipscomb in the Music City
http://herdzone.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/022411aac.html
http://www.wvgazette.com/Sports/Marshall/201102241529
From the Charleston Daily Mail, Conference USA could have some late movement
http://www.dailymail.com/Sports/MUSports/201102241793
From the Charleston Daily Mail, Live chat recap: Herrion and Rock-afire Explosion
http://blogs.dailymail.com/marshall/2011/02/24/live-chat-recap-herrion-and-rock-afire-explosion/
From the Herald Dispatch, Herd misses first-place battle
http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/x1105302256/Herd-can-only-watch-battle-for-1st-place
From the Herald Dispatch, No. 25 Houston has too much for Herd women
http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/x1105302260/No-25-Houston-has-too-much-for-Herd-women
From the Herald Dispatch, MU tennis team hosts Eastern Ky.
http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/x1105302258/No-Headline
From the Herald Dispatch, C-USA reprimands UTEP coach for outburst at ECU
http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/x1105302248/C-USA-reprimands-UTEP-coach-for-outburst-at-ECU
From HerdZone.com, Baseball Plays Lipscomb in the Music City
http://herdzone.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/022411aac.html
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