Who doesn't love the annual trademarked hoops tourney?

By Reggie Hayes

The News-Sentinel (Fort Wayne, Ind.)

(MCT)

NCAA trademarks prevent newspapers and other media outlets from using common phrases associated with the upcoming basketball event involving college-aged men. Here are some alternatives, at no charge:

March Madness: "Pre-April Schizophrenia."

Elite Eight: "Exclusive Pairs of Teams in Four Predetermined Regions."

Final Four: "The Absolutely Last Three, Plus One."

The Road to Detroit: "Looking to Score off I-94."

WOULD YOU TAKE AN IOU?

Denver Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler has requested the team trade him. The Detroit Lions have interest, but aren't sure they can meet the Broncos' steep demands for actual pro football players in return.

MANNY'S HAMMY

Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Manny Ramirez aggravated his sore left hamstring on Sunday, leaving his status doubtful for the start of the regular season. The good news is his wrist remains healthy enough to keep endorsing paychecks.

INFLAMED THROWER

Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland doesn't expect injury-prone pitcher Joel Zumaya to be ready for Opening Day because of inflammation in his shoulder. "I say that because he hasn't really pitched in two years," Leyland said.

To be fair to Zumaya, all the Tigers took last year off.

JONES' CAREER IN A SAND TRAP

Wide receiver Matt Jones was waived by the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday for violating his plea agreement over a 2008 drug charge. He told a judge he failed a drug and alcohol screening because he had been drinking beer while golfing. He promised it wouldn't happen again. That's easy to say, but golf can be very addictive.

TURN LEFT, YOUNG MAN

Television ratings for the first four NASCAR races of the season are down 11 percent from last season. Too few lead changes and too many cautions are among the possible causes. NASCAR officials are contemplating potentially popular changes, such as allowing drivers to wreck one Busch per week without penalty.

A LITTLE LIQUID, A LITTLE LESS TIGER

Did you see where golfer Phil Mickelson was treated for heat exhaustion and mild dehydration at the CA Championship in Doral, Fla.? He toughed it out, won the event and looked up to see Tiger Woods a full eight strokes back. Turns out Mickelson can stand the heat after all.

WHAT'S THE STORY?

Detroit Pistons guard Allen Iverson hasn't been around the team lately while he recovers from a sore back. Coach Michael Curry said Iverson's absence is because "he doesn't want to be the story." Or at least that's what it said in the Detroit Free Press story all about Iverson.

JOHNNY B. BAD

Florida State will appeal an NCAA sanction that would take away wins in 10 sports. The penalty was assessed because 61 athletes who took a music history course where test answers were provided. Way to go, NCAA. It's about time athletes took challenging college courses like music history seriously.

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© 2009, The News-Sentinel (Fort Wayne, Ind.).

Visit the News-Sentinel, at http://www.news-sentinel.com/

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

Seniors Shine at Suffolk County Wrestling Tournament

As the first day of the Suffolk County wrestling tournament came to a close on February 13, Smithtown East was left with only two remaining wrestlers; the 140 pound senior captain Ryan Kopiske and 215 pound senior Kevin Cassidy. These two highly experienced wrestlers were about to do what many wrestlers only dream of - placing in counties.

Kopiske went into his weight class as an underdog and after a great match with Commack wrestler, Anthony Cavallo, he fell short of a victory. But this loss didn't mean failure for Kopiske. Although he lost, he still took 6th in a very tough weight class.

Cassidy on the other hand was ranked 2nd in his weight class. But his county championship pursuit would be cut short by Eric Woodley of Happauge (who took 2nd in county). But with vengeance, Kevin embarrassed Patchogue-Medford wrestler Joe Clemente by destroying him 8-0 in a major decision victory. With that Cassidy took 5th to go along with Kopiske's 6th place.

With two place-winners in this years counties, Smithtown East now looks to expand on their success going into next season.

Live from Walt Disney World

TheMatadorOnline.com's sports columnist Matt Stopsky might be on a vacation in the most wonderful place on Earth but that doesn't stop him from working.

Stopsky called into SmithtownRadio.com Live Tuesday evening to battle it out with SmithtownRadio.com Sports Talk host Mike Donato over the A-Rod issue. The two were back on the air Wednesday afternoon for a live, special edition of Donato's show.

In case you missed it but appearances can be downloaded on SmithtownRadio.com.

SmithtownRadio.com Live is an interactive radio show hosted by James Brierton, Dean Laurence, Amanda Boitano, Megan Russ and Trevor Higgins. Airs Tuesday evenings from 7 to 9 pm et.

Sports Talk airs Wednesday nights at 8 pm et on SmithtownRadio.com.

Editorial Note: A special congratulation to our own Matt Stopsky. After his appearance on air Wednesday afternoon, Stopsky was invited by Donato to become a permanent co-host of Sports Talk. Stopsky of course accepted the invitation.

A-Rod: 'Judge Me From This Day Forward'

By Phil Sheridan
The Philadelphia Inquirer

TAMPA, Fla. (MCT) - In a nationally televised news conference attended by many of his New York Yankees teammates, Alex Rodriguez admitted injecting a performance-enhancing drug for nearly three years as a member of the Texas Rangers from 2001 to '03.

"I screwed up big time," Rodriguez said at the end of the nearly 40-minute news conference. "The only thing I ask from this group and the American people is to judge me from this day forward. That's all I can ask for."

Rodriguez said a cousin, whom he declined to identify, brought an "over-the-counter" substance called "Boli" from the Dominican Republic in 2001. It is possible that "Boli" is slang for Perobolan, which is the substance that Sports Illustrated reported triggered Rodriguez's positive drug test in 2003. Perobolan is not legal in the United States even with a prescription.

"It was his understanding that it would give me a dramatic energy boost and otherwise harmless," Rodriguez said. "My cousin and I, one more ignorant than the other, decided it was a good idea to start taking it."

Rodriguez said his cousin injected him with the substance approximately twice a month for six months.

"Neither of us knew how to use it properly," Rodriguez said. "We consulted no one and had no good reason to base that decision. It was pretty evident that we didn't know what we were doing."

Rodriguez admitted using steroids from 2001 to 2003 after Sports Illustrated reported that he was one of 104 players to test positive during what was supposed to be anonymous survey testing in 2003.

Asked how a professional athlete in the first year of a 10-year, $252 million contract with the Rangers would risk using a substance he knew nothing about, Rodriguez, who was 25 at the time, said only that he was "young and stupid." He also said he was not sure whether the substance was a steroid or whether it even helped him.

"I'm not sure what the benefit was," said Rodriguez, a three-time AL MVP. "When you take any substance, it's half mental and half physical. If you take this glass of water and you say, I'm going to be a better baseball player, if you believe it, you probably will be. I certainly felt more energy, but it's hard to say."

If he "didn't think they were steroids," as he said, then why were he and his cousin so secretive about it?

"That's a good question," Rodriguez said after a pause. "I knew we weren't taking Tic Tacs. I knew it potentially could be something that perhaps was wrong. I really didn't get into the investigation. I wouldn't imagine doing something like that today, obviously. It's a different world, a different culture."

Rodriguez said he stopped taking "Boli" in 2003 after a neck injury that "scared me half to death" and because MLB began its drug-testing program with penalties in 2004.

"At that time," he said, "it became evident to me how serious this all was."

He said he had never taken human growth hormone but acknowledged using Ripped Fuel, a product containing the now-banned substance ephedra, "in the Seattle days." Rodriguez played for the Mariners from 1994 through 2000.

Asked about critical comments made by Phillies pitcher Jamie Moyer, his former Seattle teammate, in an interview with The Inquirer, Rodriguez said: "I'm sorry Jamie feels that way. He's definitely entitled to his opinion. . . . I'm going to focus on what I can do and move forward."

He reacted in similar fashion to questions about remarks made by MLB commissioner Bud Selig and Houston Astros pitcher Roy Oswalt.

When the subject of his possible pursuit of the all-time home run record and his legacy came up, Rodriguez sounded especially contrite. His public admissions, first in an interview on ESPN and Tuesday, are clearly part of a strategy to salvage his reputation and his potential admission to the Hall of Fame.

"My best year of my career, arguably, was when I was 19, 20 years old in Seattle," Rodriguez said. "My other best year was in '07, just two years ago. So I hope that after my career is over, the evidence falls in my favor. But if it doesn't, I also understand that."

Rodriguez's 10-year contract with the Yankees, signed before the 2008 season, includes incentives worth millions of dollars if he catches and passes Barry Bonds for the all-time home run record. He has 553 home runs; Bonds' record is 762. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said there was little the team could do to change the contract.

"It is what it is," Cashman said. "We have to approach Alex as an asset who is going to be on this team a long time. If this is Humpty Dumpty, we've got to put him together again and put him back up on the wall."

Last week, Rodriguez was approached by the Taylor Hooton Foundation, which is named for a 17-year-old high school baseball player who committed suicide while withdrawing from steroids. Don Hooton, who has made steroid education his life's work since the loss of his son, said Rodriguez could help reach millions of young people.

"He's the perfect person to talk about this," Hooton said. "We've never reached out to any of the other players implicated in this."

Rodriguez said he would work with Hooton to try to educate young people about the dangers of steroid abuse. He apologized to baseball fans everywhere, as well as the Yankees organization and his teammates.

"For a week here, I kept looking for people to blame," Rodriguez said. "And I ended up looking at myself at the end of the day."
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© 2009, The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Visit Philadelphia Online, the Inquirer's World Wide Web site, at http://www.philly.com/
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
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PHOTOS (from MCT Photo Service, 202-383-6099): rodriguez

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Posted By James Brierton to Matador: News at 2/18/2009 04:46:00 PM

A Day in the life of Tom Villani

One could only dream of being as good as Tom Villani. The all league soccer player is one of the best, and no doubt one of the coolest that ever lived! So one could only imagine what he does on a regular basis.
“Well, first I wake up, then go to school, play soccer, and go to bed,” said Villani on his amazing schedule.
But life as a soccer player isn’t always this much fun. “Soccer starts in summer,” said Villani. “We first start with our booster camp, much like footballs two-a-days. From there out my entire life is Soccer. If I don’t have a game, then I’m out at a pasta party with my team. On the weekends I hang out with my team, I barely even talked to my girlfriend during the season.”
What a commitment by Tom Villani, soccer team one, girlfriend zero! The commitment shows too. Villani has recently won an award, but is unaware of what yet. “I won All-League honors last year, so I’m hoping for All-County or All-Conference.”
Even though Villani is a great player he won’t admit that he’s the best player on the field. Villani talks about his team and his love with being with his guys. Villani said that one the biggest accomplishments of his season was defeating Centereach in the last game of the season. “When we first saw Centereach on our schedule we were pumped to play them because it was there homecoming. But around the 87th minute one of Centereach’s players scored a cheap goal. All we wanted then was revenge on Centereach.” Revenge is what they got. It was the last game of the season, they only needed one more win to get to play-offs, and their opponent was Centereach. The setting was perfect for getting revenge and Alex Nelson made it possible with the game winning goal. “The team went crazy! Everyone was jumping on each other, it was a great feeling.”
Unfortunately, the Smithtown East boys’ Varsity soccer team was eliminated in the second round of the play-offs by Bay Shore. But Tom Villani won’t end his astounding career on a negative note. Villani wants to play for the Catholic University of America, but oddly enough, it’s the only college on Villani’s top 5, that has not scouted him yet. Don’t worry though; Villani will be playing soccer somewhere in college to astound fans and critics alike. His commitment and talent will be greatly viewed by a national audience. Now what drives an athlete like Tom Villani? “Our greatest glory is in not ever falling, but in rising every time we fall.” That is a quote of a champion, which is a quote of Tom Villani.

Bulletin: Baseball star Alex Rodriguez

Bulletin: Baseball star Alex Rodriguez tested positive for steroids in 2003, sources tell Sports Illustrated.

Column; Cassidy Breaks Into County Rankings!

With the ending of the regular season, Smithtown East 215 pounder Kevin Cassidy, has gotten into the county rankings for Wrestling. The previously unranked Cassidy has been a powerhouse all year for East. His only real bad loss came in the hands of the #1 over ranked wrestler in the county.

Now that Cassidy is ranked 4th in Suffolk county he is looking to dominate leagues and have a running start into counties.