Scholars and hollers. Bowling for bragging rights.

Hey sportsfans!

After a long week of semester final exams, Em and the Lady Knights traveled to Montgomery for the annual Scholar's Four hoops tourney. Hosted this year by 3A Montgomery Academy Eagles, the other teams included 1A Donaho Falcons from Anniston and 5A Sidney Lanier Poets from Montgomery. Missing this year is The Randolph School (girls team) from Huntsville, one of the original schools from when this tourney was created many years ago. 

This year the Lady Knights came in third in the tourney. They lost to Lanier and beat Donaho. Em played only during the first half of the Lanier game. She was on the wrong end of big truck vs. little truck while fighting for a 50/50 ball. Hopefully her left shoulder will calm down with some rest and physical therapy during the next few weeks. The Lady Knights (5-5, 2-0) will resume conference play after New Years.

Congrats to Mike & Mike for being elected to the National Broadcasting Hall of Fame. Well deserved. They certainly have been there for me during the past fifteen years. You must check out the Monmouth Hawks hoops bench when their team celebrates in game. Quite entertaining. Pete Rose is still on the outside looking in. Likely always will be. If the Missouri football players go on strike will they lose their scholarships? This issue is on a collision course and will be on the news very soon.  Have you seen the point spread for the Tulsa vs. Virginia Tech - Camping World Independence Bowl? VT is a 13.5 points spread. Ouch. How are your bowl picks looking? It's early, but mine are strong.  Did you catch the WWE event at Birmingham City Council meeting last this week?  Our menorah-lighting mayor and a council member got into some real fisticuffs that lead to both being treated for personal injuries. I'm sure litigation will be forthcoming. No word whether Rhonda Rousy will take on the winner at Railroad Park in  SummerSlam '16.  Meanwhile, the Council actually accomplished something of significance by voting approval for Uber to operate in the Magic City.

On to the farm and to the gulf for a few days.
Happy Holidays!
The Sports Guy 

Wing and a Prayer. 328. Lucky Seven are rolling. Finals are optional?

Hey sportsfans!

The banged up #22 ranked (MaxPreps) 2A Lady Knights are pushing through the heart of their season with determination. They have won three of the last four games and looked to continue their winning ways. Tuesday night they traveled across town to take on the always tough #12 ranked 5A Carver Rams (11-2). These playup (in class) games are designed to get the team ready for conference play. Last year the Lady Rams finished with  an impressive 18-11 record. These teams last played two season ago with Altamont hanging tough in a hard fought loss. Different story this year. 

Carver's lineup is filled with several upperclass players, including four in their starting lineup. Athletic, fast and strong - their roster of 14 players looked impressive.  They did not disappoint. Our guys did their best, but just could not keep up in this non-conference game. There were some good points in the game. The younger girls (Rachel and Abby) got in some valuable game experience against more experienced players. Em rotated between all five positions. (Not sure how she keeps them all straight.) EB and Em were able to hoist up several shots, mostly contested. The team broke the press several times. (Way to go parents!) However, this game was largely one to quickly forget.  On to the home game on Friday against conference foe and always tough Tarrant.

The boys team (9-0) is currently ranked #3 (MaxPreps) in Class 2A and #17 for all classes in Alabama. The Lucky Seven  is on a roll and playing like a real team. No prima donnas, just a good group of athletes with a common goal.  These guys want a title. They took care of the Carver boys with a 10 point victory.

Friday night was crazy. Every game is a tough one this year for the Lady Knights. No longer are they able to just cruise through conference play with ease as in years past. Friday night was no exception. In the 26–24 win, the Tarrant Wildcats gave our guys all they could handle.

A promising start to the game with the Lady Knights building at 10–2 lead in the first quarter. However, that lead evaporated in the second quarter as the winless Wildcats put up 13 points. The home team held a 15–13 lead at the half and walked into the lockeroom wondering what in the world just happened to their lead. 

The second half of the game was all business with the teams trading buckets and leads until the very end. EB lead scoring was 16 points. Emily provided some pretty solid defense. The win moves the Lady Knights to 4–4 (2–0) heading into semester finals. This upcoming weekend the team travels to Montgomery for the annual Scholars Four  tournament.

During this past weekend we skipped over to ATL for Em's tryouts with two top Atlanta-based travel squads. In between studying for finals, Em worked out both days for the coaches. She will learn this week if she receives invitations to join either of these teams. 

 

Was the Heisman vote ever really in doubt? Did you doubt #2 would bring home Bama's second Heisman in the past six years? Dansby is coming home to the Braves. The Marietta native looks to compete for the starting shortstop position this upcoming season. Can anyone stop Cam and the Panthers? 13-0 and playing like Super Bowl contenders.  Forensic pathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu says that blows to the head (football, boxing, etc.) are similar to cigarette smoking. What do you think? Lots of medical data supports this, but others disagree. Did you see how much David Price signed for with the Bosox? Yawza! Hanukah, Hanukah, Hanukah. We lit about 328 candles without incident. Yeah, us.  LYB with great scores on her grades. Not too shabby! Go see Sid at the Crestline Pants Store. Big sales this week! Em is hunkered down this week, knee deep in her studies. Please do not SnapChat her.

Have a great week everyone!
The Sports Guy

The Grind. The Homecoming. The Rugelah.

Hey sportsfans!

The Grind. Right now. It is real. Three recent out of town lacrosse tourneys. Multiple hoops games weekly. Conference play begans. Homecoming week. Knee deep in recruiting. Late in the semester. Finals are fast approaching. Sunset daily around 4:30 pm.  A real MASH unit of walking wounded - ankle, ring finger, another ankle, shins and another finger. Time to heal or time to fold tent? Fight or Flight? 

Fight! 

Tuesday night the banged up Lady Knights captured a most important road victory to open conference play against Southeastern High School Mustangs. The Mustangs had previously put up 70 points against West End and had opened their conference play last week with the win over Sumiton Christian. In a well played thriller our guys won 48-45 and improved their record to 3-4 (1-0) on the season.

Leading 25-16 at the half on the strength of a 12-2 run, the girls turned up the heat. Lots of full court pressure. Lots of buckets. Lots of smiles. However, as is the norm, it did not last long. The second half was a different story. The Black and Gold are still learning how to handle the press. The Mustangs began pestering the inbounds and caused our guys to commit too many turnovers.  Sometimes ugly. Sometimes pretty. Lots of work to do, but they are showing improvement each game.

The fourth quarter was a nailbiter while the teams traded free-throws and fouls several times. Caroline, Katie and Sydney were tough under boards. Rachel played inspired with lots of hustle and timely steals.  EB and Emily lead the team in scoring, with Em putting in a season high 18 including two treys.

One play of note that, frankly was a shocker, occurred in the second quarter when one of their players got confused and made an uncontested layup in their own goal. Almost all the players on the court were confused but none more than their embarrassed shooter. The two-pointer helped make a difference in the final score. Never seen that before in high school basketball. Poor girl.

During Thursday Em played in the annual powder puff homecoming football game. It was reported that Em threw three touchdown passes in the 21-0 victory for the Juniors/Sophomores.

The girls did not have a Homecoming game this year because Holy Family backed out of their commitment to play. The boys though did play Friday night in an exciting game against arch rival Indian Springs (still no mascot). This game was much closer than expected. Our guys either were tight from playing in a rival game or they had dead legs from so much recent practice. Either way, Springs, led by former Knight and still current buddy, Ben Lasseter, kept the game close until the very end. A packed house was treated to the celebration of past Birmingham University School and Altamont star athletes and their achievements, but not before a buzzer beating 70 foot swish for three by Miles that sent the Lucky Seven into a halftime lead. The boys later closed out the game with a 38-25 win for their seventh straight win. 

Bama being Bama. Florida's D is very good. However, their offense should have just stayed on the bus. Just tuuuuuuurrible.  Did you see how UNC was hosed on the onsides kick against #1 Clemson? Refs blew it and cost them a chance. It appeared that none of the Tarheels were offsides. Michigan State's 22-play, 82-yard, 9-minute drive was a back breaker for Iowa and crushed the Hawkeyes' best season ever. It delivered a 16-13 victory that won the Big Ten championship and put the Spartans in the College Football Playoff. Muschamp to South Carolina? Most likely. Kirby to UGA?  Done deal. Give #2 the Heisman. He's breaking tons of the records, including those of Herschel Walker who is considered by most to be the greatest college running back ever.

More hoops games this week. No lax until MLKjr weekend. Sid is getting cranked up for the BSC Relay for Life annual fundraiser set for April. Finals are this week and next. The Kid comes home soon. Now accepting donations of fresh made rugelach. Anyone???

Happy 8 nights!
Have a great week everyone!
The Sports Guy