KFDM COOP

www.usatoday.com 250 prep basketball players to attend NCAA summer session INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Almost 250 high school boys basketball players are expected to attend an NCAA conference this month in Florida to help prepare them for college. The four-day First Team Summer Conference Aug. 9-12 in Tampa will include sessions on recruiting, study habits, transition from high school and nutrition and training. The annual program began in Indianapolis in 2002 in conjunction with the National Federation of State High School Associations and the National Association of Basketball Coaches. "Being a part of the First Team program was an invaluable experience to me both as a student and as an athlete," said former participant Mike Conley Jr., a Memphis Grizzlies rookie who played at Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis and then at Ohio State. "I learned how to handle life situations, as well as how to use the sport of basketball to further my education."

I'm serious. I have noticed this throughout the years. >

Seems like to me even years ago when players leave the Astros they get better!!

Good Write!!

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NBA schedule opens with tripleheader, including Spurs Defending NBA champion San Antonio will open the regular season at home against No. 1 pick Greg Oden and Portland on Oct. 30, the league announced Thursday in releasing its 2007-08 schedule. The Blazers-Spurs game will be one of three played on opening night. Later, Houston plays the Los Angeles Lakers and Utah is at Golden State. Cleveland, which lost to the Spurs in the NBA Finals, must wait until Oct. 31 to open its season at home against Dallas (8 p.m. ET, ESPN). Cleveland visits San Antonio in an NBA finals rematch on Jan. 17. The Spurs go to Cleveland, where they wrapped up last season's title, on Feb. 13. The schedule includes a tripleheader of games on Christmas Day, featuring Miami and Cleveland (2:30 p.m. ET, ABC and ESPN Radio) and Phoenix at the Lakers (5 p.m. ET, ABC and ESPN Radio), followed by the first meeting between Oden and No. 2 pick Kevin Durant when Seattle visits Portland (8 p.m. ET, ESPN). Kevin Garnett makes his Celtics debut on Nov. 2 when Boston hosts Washington. The Celtics have the first three nights of the season off. Garnett returns to Minnesota for the first time on Feb. 8 (ESPN). Phoenix and San Antonio, which met in an epic Western Conference semifinal, meet for the first time on Monday, Dec. 17 at San Antonio. Allen Iverson hasn't played in Philadelphia since he was traded by the 76ers to Denver a mid-season a year ago. He'll get his chance on March 19. The two teams meet before that on Jan. 6 in Denver. The schedule concludes on Wednesday, April 16, with the playoffs set to begin on Saturday, April 19.

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State final single site not gaining momentum The chilly reception from the Texas High School Coaches Association of last December's single site Class 5A state finals in San Antonio has left the two-year trial run in jeopardy. The UIL approved the single site for the 5A Division I and II state finals for 2006 and 2007. THSCA executive director D.W. Rutledge said most coaches favor a return to the old format of the two competing teams deciding their sites individually.

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St. Pius poised to repeat After besting Kubiak's record, Noonan aims team at another title So with a calm demeanor and loads of confidence, the St. Pius senior quarterback knows exactly how he wants the Panthers to defend their 2006 TAPPS Division I state championship. "I feel like we need to win it again," he said. "Two is always better than one." There is reason to believe in Noonan and the Panthers. They return 13 starters overall and eight on offense from a 13-0 team. Four of their five starting offensive lineman are back, as well as the entire backfield. The man pulling the trigger — Noonan — already has two state championship game appearances and one title under his belt. He's entering his fourth year as the varsity starter, a rarity in this era. He has already started more varsity games than most high school quarterbacks do before college, and he already owns most of the major passing records at St. Pius. In the Panthers' championship win over Addison Trinity Christian last season, he broke Houston Texans head coach and St. Pius alum Gary Kubiak's school career passing yardage record. Noonan's total is 6,399 yards and counting. His combination of ability and experience make things easier for head coach Robin Kirk and offensive coordinator Deron Trevino. "He's the prototype passer — he just drops back and throws the football well," Kirk said. "Our scheme is so perfect for him, and he has started 39 varsity games. How many people get to say that? It's a huge plus." Noonan benefited from great talent around him. His three top receiving targets last season — Tarence Farmer (Alabama), Bakari Maxwell (Houston) and Darr Nieuwoudt (Texas A&M-Commerce) — were all college prospects. This season, with experience on the offensive line and leading rusher Jared Espinosa (1,358 yards rushing) returning, the onus will be on Noonan to develop a chemistry with his new receivers. His top two targets likely will be Gino Collins, who transferred from Cy-Fair and committed to UH, and Landon Johnson, a transfer from Fort Bend Baptist who had 1,293 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns last season. "Landon and Gino are great guys," Noonan said. "They want to win, and they want to get better. What me and Tarence and Bakari had was uncanny. We knew what we were thinking in each situation and what we expected of each other. You can't teach that. "I'm sure it won't be long before we develop that with Landon and Gino." With the defense losing several key starters from last year's team, it will be up to the offense to carry the load. But for Noonan, who played in a state title game when he was 14 and has virtually seen it all, the pressure means little. . "I'm over the insecurity and the nervousness that I used to have," Noonan said. "People expect things out of everyone, but they're not out there battling on the field. I'm just going to play the way I play. I'm not going to be perfect, but I'll be pretty good. "This year I feel pretty confident about this team. I think we have the tools and the heart to win a state title."

WO-S preparing for heat, repeat Van Wade The Orange Leader High school football season is approaching in a hurry. The first official day of Texas prep football practice cranks up Monday and without question, a lot of preparation has got to go into it. At West Orange-Stark, equipment manager and assistant coach Ed Dyer along with trainer David Shaw are making sure that everything will go smoothly come Monday morning at 8 a.m. when the Mustangs report for the first time. “That first Monday, everything is pretty hectic,†Dyer said. “You have to have all your ducks in a row, that’s for sure.†The Mustangs basically have two equipment rooms, a small one that basically has all the game-time things such as game jerseys. The massive equipment room has stuff ranging from shoulder pads, rib rolls and mouthpieces. “When we issue out equipment, the kids usually get two different bags, a Monday-Wednesday-Thursday bag and a Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday bag,†Dyer said. “You have to do that, so that things can get washed up at the right time, you certainly don’t want a staph infection floating around the fieldhouse, that’s just bad news.†Being the main equipment man can certainly be a chore throughout the school year. Dyer has checklists and monitors an abundance of football gear including helmets, shoulder pads, thigh pads, knee pads, girdles, hip pads, butt pads, neck pads, rib rolls, arm pads, hand pads, practice pants, practice jerseys, game pads, game jerseys and game pants. “Without a doubt, this is a job within itself,†Dyer said. “I learned from the best. Coach (Cornel) Thompson, I think, handled equipment for 40 years and he’s always right there for pointers. Once you find the right system, it all gets fairly easy.†So what equipment gets changed the most during the first several days of practice? “It’s usually the helmets,†Dyer said. “You have to have a helmet that fits properly. That’s something you can’t have being too tight or too loose.†For head trainer Shaw, he has constantly had a busy summer. “A lot of the supplies we order for the upcoming season comes in during the summer and I’m stocking it and arranging it all,†Shaw said. “We’re constantly getting tape and bandages and such.†Of course, the trainer is always worried about kids getting the right items to thim before school starts. “Before school ends, I always preach to the kids about getting their physicals completed,†Shaw said. “Without a physical, you can’t do anything. I harp on kids to get it done as soon as possible and that way we’ll have everyone on file and in our system.†Shaw has also stayed busy with the summer recreational program. “We’ve had a tremendous turnout all summer long and I like to be involved in everything,†Shaw said. “It’s getting to be that time of year when everything gets busy. Volleyball season starts next weak too and the cheerleaders come to me to be taped up as well. It’s a steady job that’s going to get a whole lot busier real soon.†The Mustangs will get equipment at 8 a.m. Monday and will also meet in the baseball stands for head coach Dan Hooks’ “State of the Union†address. They will also hit the weightroom and run the Mustang Mile until 10:30 a.m. They will show back up to practice from 4 p.m.-6:15 p.m. The rest of the first week practice will last from 4 p.m.-8:30 p.m. with a break in the middle. WO-S has two scrimmage dates set. The Mustangs will travel to Mont Belvieu to face Barbers Hill Aug. 18 with the freshmen starting at 5 p.m. followed by the junior varsity and varsity. WO-S will play host to Vidor Aug. 25 with the freshmen starting at 5 p.m. followed by the junior varsity and varsity. WO-S will open the regular season at home Aug. 31 against Dayton and will also face Little Cypress-Mauriceville and Bay City in non-district before opening its defense of the District 21-3A title at home Sept. 28 against the Hamshire-Fannett Longhorns. The Mustangs have yet to drop a district game since they moved down to Class 3A three seasons ago. WO-S finished 11-1 last year and return four starters on offense and three on defense.

Pirates enjoyed benefits from spring practice Van Wade The Orange Leader VIDOR — In 2006, the Vidor Pirates were in the hunt in District 22-4A but lost several close games in the final half of the season to finish 3-7 overall, 2-5 in district. The Pirates welcome back five starters on offense and seven on defense but the Pirates are flying under the radar a little bit and long-time head coach Jeff Mathews kinda likes that. “I think our kids are going to fool a lot of people this season,†Mathews said. “We’ve had one of the best summers we’ve had since I’ve been here. We’ve had close to 95 kids a day, counting the varsity and the JV, that have been up here pretty much on a daily basis doing everything possible to get in excellent condition.†The Pirates, who held Spring Practice, will not have their first practice of the season until Aug. 13. “I’m really glad we went through Spring Practice this year,†Mathews said. “We’ve got several key kids back but we’re also counting on a lot of sophomores to step up and fill some major roles. We got a chance to look at those young kids early on to see what they could do instead of waiting to this point. I see a lot of positives.†The Pirates look to replace all-purpose back Brad Croak, who was such a fixture in the program the last three seasons and had over 1,600 yards of all-purpose yards as a senior in 2006. Also gone, is all-district offensive lineman Jerrod Gooch, who headed to Texas Tech. Quarterback Roman Franklin returns to the mix to help guide the offense. “I think we’re going to be okay on both sides of the ball,†Mathews said. “We have three young backs that will see a lot of time. We kinda have a three-headed monster in the backfield. Each kid brings something to the table, whether it’s speed, power running or catching the ball out of the backfield.†The Pirates will arrive at the fieldhouse Monday, Aug. 13 at 7 a.m. to get their equipment and then they’ll hit the practice field as soon as possible. During that first week, the Pirates will workout from 8 a.m.-noon. “I think are kids are already in pretty good condition,†Matthews said. “You still want to be careful early on and don’t have those practices in the hottest parts of the day.†The Pirates will only be involved in one scrimmage. Vidor will go to West Orange-Stark Aug. 25 with the freshmen starting at 5 p.m. followed by the junior varsity and varsity. The Pirates will not open the season on Zero Week. Instead, Vidor will host powerful private school Houston St. Pius Sept. 7. The Pirates’ other two non-district games include a road trip to Houston Jones on Thursday, Sept. 13 and a home date with Livingston Sept. 21. Vidor will open District 22-4A play Sept. 28 at Nederland. St. Pius will be quite a chore right out of the box for the Pirates. The Panthers went a perfect 13-0 last season to claim the TAPPS Division I title. They have quarterback Billy Noonan returning and his 2,597 passing yards and 32 touchdowns along with tailback Jared Espinoza, who zipped for 1,179 yards and 14 TDs. “We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us before St. Pius comes rolling in here,†Mathews said. “You’re talking about a team that didn’t lose a game last year and that has so many key people back. Heck, they have two receivers that are getting NCAA Division I looks. That’ll certainly be a major test for us right out of the chute.â€

it's a huge Buffet

:D

I spoke with him today! Great guy!

Haven't you ever noticed when players leave the Astros they suddenly become much better it seems like, It may just be me but i've noticed this for years.

Pistons' Saunders narrowly avoids bridge collapse DETROIT (AP) -- Road construction put Detroit Pistons coach Flip Saunders on the 10th Avenue bridge Wednesday in Minneapolis. The detour perhaps saved his life. "I usually take the 35W bridge, but the ramp was closed," Saunders said Thursday from Minneapolis in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "My daughter was driving in a car right behind me when the bridge collapsed -- about 20 yards away from us. It sounded like a bomb when it dropped. "I got out of my car and the first thing I heard was the kids screaming on the bus. I called 911. I didn't really know what else I could do." Sanders, a former Minnesota Timberwolves coach, was driving home after speaking at Tubby Smith's basketball camp at the University of Minnesota, where Saunders starred as a player. "A day later, I'm still in a surreal state of mind," he said. "I can still see what happened. It's kind of like having flashbacks." Divers checked submerged cars in the Mississippi River on Thursday for victims still trapped beneath the twisted steel and concrete slabs of a collapsed bridge. The eight-lane Interstate 35W bridge, a major Minneapolis artery, was in the midst of repairs when the bridge buckled during the evening rush hour Wednesday. Dozens of cars plummeted more than 60 feet into the river, some falling on top one of another. A school bus sat on the angled concrete.

;D

I know you'll be there!!!

Rockets to face Portland, Oden in home opener Season will begin on road with nationally televised contest against the Lakers The Rockets tip off the 2007-08 regular season with a nationally televised game against the Lakers in Los Angeles, then return to Toyota Center on Nov. 3 to open the home slate against 2006-07 Rookie of the Year Brandon Roy, No. 1 draft pick Greg Oden and the Portland Trail Blazers. This season's home line up again features two games with each of the Rockets' in-state rivals, with the NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs coming to town on Nov. 6 and Jan. 19. Reigning NBA MVP Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks make their way through Houston on Nov. 21 and Dec. 15. Other highlights on Houston's 41-game home slate include a pair of meetings with Kobe Bryant and the Lakers on Nov. 14 and Mar. 16. Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns tour Toyota Center on Nov. 17 and Apr. 11. Carmelo Anthony, 2006-07 Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Camby, Allen Iverson and the Denver Nuggets stop in Houston on Nov. 24 and Mar. 2. Former University of Texas standout Kevin Durant and the Seattle SuperSonics make a special 1:30 p.m. appearance on Jan. 21 and return on Apr. 9. The Rockets will host 22 games in the second half of the season, including 15 of 19 matchups between Feb. 7 and Mar. 18. The Rockets will be featured on national television a total of 23 times. TNT will broadcast six Houston games during the season, while ABC will air one contest. In addition, seven Rockets games will be broadcast on ESPN and another nine will air on NBA TV.

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I agree!