Who To Watch in The NCAA and Highschool |
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Iverson on Iverson: "I had a lot of growing up to do, and a lot of times I learned the hard way. I think those experiences helped me be the way I am right now mentally. I went through hell here, with the media, coaching situations, even times with fans... everything. I really feel that I am a man. I feel that being here in Philadelphia helped me become just that. I wouldn't trade it for the world, because I think it made me a better player, it made me a better person, it made me a better father, it made me a better husband, a better teammate. I took my bumps but I've had my great times here."
Put your average NBA fan back-to-back with Allen Iverson, and they'll surely identify with him. At 6-0, Iverson doesn't tower over anyone like your typical superstar would. At 165, he might even give up a few pounds. Yet A.I. has managed to carve out an implausible career in the league that his pedestrian size makes us admire.
A career 27.4-point per game scoring average
16,738 total points
Most Valuable Player of the 2000-01 regular season
All-Star MVP in 2001 and 2005
Three-time First Team All-NBA (1999, 2001, 2005)
Owner of three scoring titles
Rookie of the Year in 1996-97
NBA Finals appearance in 2001
A.I.'s résumé has all of the things that we dreamt of accomplishing every time we took jump shots on our driveways as kids. When we watch him, we get to live out those fantasies, as well as draw strength from his incredible toughness.
Knocked around by opponents every time his slight frame and unrestrained style of play hits the floor, Iverson always gets back up. His penchant for playing hurt teaches us to get back up when life knocks us around.
And that's why we love Iverson. He inspires us with something even the little guy can have a lot of.
Heart.
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MPAA Rating
R - for grisly violence and gore, terror, language and drug content
Genre(s)
Horror, Thriller
Running Time
91 minutes
Starring
Donnie Wahlberg, Franky G., Glenn Plummer, Emmanuelle Vaugier, Beverley Mitchell, Eric Knudsen, Shawnee Smith, Dina Meyer, Tobin Bell
Director(s)
Darren Lynn Bousman
Writer(s)
Leigh Whannel, Darren Lynn Bousman
Release Date
Oct. 28, 2005
Web Site
Official Site for Saw II
Release
Wide Release
Technical Details |
 lady walked into a pharmacy and told the pharmacist that she needed some cyanide.
The pharmacist said, "Why in the world do you need cyanide?"
The lady then explained she needed it to poison her husband.
The pharmacists eyes got big and he said, "Lord, have mercy -- I cant give you cyanide to kill your husband Thats against the law Ill lose my license, theyll throw both of us in jail and all kinds of bad things will happen Absolutely not, you can NOT have any cyanide"
The lady reached into her purse and pulled out a picture of her husband in bed with the pharmacists wife.
The pharmacist looked at the picture and replied, "Well, now. You didnt tell me you had a prescription. |
TAMPA -- Antonio Tarver proved once again he can beat the man, but it's an entirely different thing to be considered the man.
That's what Tarver craves and feels he deserves after retaining his world light heavyweight title Saturday night with a unanimous decision against Roy Jones Jr.
"It's Tarver's time, and I think we showed the world what we're made of," he said. "I'd like to take my hat off to Roy Jones Jr. A lot of people were telling me he was a shot fighter, but I'm glad I wasn't listening.
"Any fighter he's faced over the last 10 years, he would have surely beat. But he just can't beat the champ, the Magic Man, Antonio Tarver. We're on the map now, baby."
Staying busier and landing more often, Tarver, who scored a stunning second-round knockout of Jones in May 2004 after losing a controversial split decision in their first fight, won the rubber match convincingly before a crowd of 20,895 at the St. Pete Times Forum. He now sets his sights on gaining public acceptance on the level of Jones.
"I like it up here, and I plan on staying," he said. "I just want the people to understand that I, too, have dreams, and I dream way past Roy Jones Jr. I would like to think that any fight that I'm in is a big fight. It's time for people to start recognizing that I am the people's champ, and I duck no one. I'm 36 years old and I'm not trying to do this too much longer, so line them up, baby."
Joe DeGuardia, Tarver's promoter, said future opponents for Tarver (24-3, 18 KOs) could include Bernard Hopkins, who will try to regain his undisputed middleweight crown Dec.3 against Jermain Taylor. "I like the idea of Tarver retiring the legends of the sports, so to speak," DeGuardia said in reference to Hopkins.
Glen Johnson, whom Tarver decisioned to regain the light heavyweight crown after Johnson won their first fight, also could be an opponent for a third time. DeGuardia said Tarver fighting for a heavyweight title isn't out of the question, either. "He certainly has the ability and the frame to carry him up to heavyweight. If the right opportunity presents itself at heavyweight, he's told me he'd like to do that. He's really looking for the biggest fights that are out there."
Jones (49-4, 38 KOs) agreed with the judges that he lost the fight but felt he gained a measure of redemption after coming back from knockout losses to Tarver and Johnson in his last two fights.
"I love fighting, that's what I do for a living," Jones said. "How many people y'all know is crazy enough to come back after two consecutive knockouts and fight one of the guys that knocked you out? There's not too many people with the heart I've got."
Jones' dad, Roy Sr., worked his son's corner for the first time in 12 years and expressed pride despite the loss. "Roy is a true champion and I'm not just saying that because he's my son. He fought that fight not for the fans and not for me, but he did it for himself."
To see more of USAToday.com, or to subscribe, go to http://www.usatoday.com
© Copyright 2004 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.
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One of the Spookiest things of all about Halloween!
On October 31st of 1970 the estimated population of Planet Earth was 3,959,383,075
and only 31 years later
On October 31st, 2001 the estimated population of Planet Earth will be 6,196,461,172
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CANCUN, Mexico - Hurricane Wilma sent ocean waves surging over the narrow strip of land that holds Cancun's resort hotels Saturday, flooding streets several yards deep as some 30,000 tourists huddled in hotels and shelters taking on water.
The slow advance of the storm, which earlier killed 13 people in Haiti and Jamaica, gave Florida more time to prepare but meant another day of misery for people riding out shrieking winds in hot, leaky shelters with little food and water.
With the storm crawling across the tip of the Yucatan Peninsula, emergency crews were trapped inside by 115 mph winds and it was impossible to gauge the extent of damage. City and hospital officials had no immediate reports of deaths.
The storm shattered windows and tore off hotel roofs, turning hallways into wind tunnels and sending rain into rooms. Furniture pushed up against windows in improvised barriers was blasted aside by howling winds.
At least one shelter in downtown Cancun had to evacuate 1,000 people overnight because the ceiling threatened to collapse. Office furniture and other debris bobbed in the waters sloshing between buildings where some people watched from upstairs balconies.
After battering Cozumel Island with 140 mph winds Friday, Wilma came ashore overnight near Playa de Carmen in a sparsely populated area of luxury resorts about 30 miles south of Cancun and creeped toward this city, weakening to a Category 3 storm.
The storm was expected to pummel the tip of Yucatan all day Saturday before moving into the Gulf of Mexico, curling around Cuba's western end and sprinting toward Florida for an expected landfall Monday.
In Florida, residents began leaving the Keys and parts of the mainland Friday. Scattered gasoline shortages were reported and traffic jams backed up highways as people fled Florida's west coast.
Winds caused severe damage in Playa de Carmen, flattening dozens of wood-and-tarpaper houses and tossing rooftop water tanks and wooden window coverings through the air. Communications were cut off with Cozumel, a popular cruise ship destination 11 miles offshore.
Damage was intensified by the storm being nearly stalled atop Yucatan since Friday.
"This is the equivalent of having four or five hurricanes of this size pass over one after the other, given the amount of time we have been suffering hurricane-force winds," said Quintana Roo Gov. Felix Gonzalez Cantu, whose state includes Cancun. "Never in the history of Quintana Roo have we had storm like this."
Sea water flowed through Cancun's evacuated beachfront hotel zone, which lies between the ocean and a lagoon. Shop windows broke, falling trees crushed cars and pay phones jutted from waist-deep water.
At the Xbalamque Hotel in downtown Cancun, tourists and local residents listened in horror as windows shattered, the wind howled and the building shook.
"I never in my life wanted to live through something like this," said Guadalupe Santiago, a 27-year-old cook. "There are no words" to describe it."
Jan Hanshast, a tourist from Castle Rock, Colo., stood in the flooded hallway.
"My son's starting to lose it. He's tired and hungry," he said. As another howling burst of wind buffeted the building, he added, "Hearing things like that doesn't help."
Outside the shelter, the air was filled with debris, including pieces of buildings that were beginning to crumble under the constant lashing.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said the storm was "really clobbering" the areas around Cozumel and Cancun.
"It's going to be a long couple of days here for the Yucatan Peninsula," said Max Mayfield, the center's director.
Gonzalez Cantu called the destruction "tremendous," but information was limited because of downed communications. Officials did not expect to get to Cozumel until late Saturday at the earliest to assess damage.
At 11 a.m. EDT, the hurricane's eye was just outside Cancun and about 400 miles southwest of Key West, Fla. Hurricane force winds extended out 85 miles from the eye and gale force winds up to 200 miles.
Juan Luis Flores, an emergency services official in Quintana Roo state, said about 65,000 people had been evacuated before the hurricane hit Mexico. Civil defense chief Carmen Segura assured people "their families are protected as they should be."
Many tourists found themselves sleeping on the floors of hotel ballrooms, schools and gymnasiums reeking of sweat because there was no power or air conditioning. Power was cut to most of the region before the storm as a precaution.
Scott and Jamie Stout of Willisville, Ill., were spending their honeymoon on a Cancun basketball court with a leaky roof.
"After one more day of this, I believe people will start getting cranky," said Scott Stout, 26. "Things could get messy."
The Stouts, at least, had food and coffee. Devon Anderson, 21, of Sacramento, Calif., was sharing 10 rooms at a rundown Cozumel school with 200 other Americans.
"We are all sleeping on the floor," Anderson said. "There's no food, no water."
Hotels being used as shelters pushed furniture up against windows, but the wind blasted through the improvised barriers. Water poured into rooms and hallways through broken windows. People at some shelters slept under plastic sheeting.
Mexican officials said about 20,000 tourists were at shelters and hotels on the mainland south of Cancun and an estimated 10,000-12,000 were in Cancun itself. About 50 hotels there were evacuated.
Cancun Red Cross director Ricardo Portugal said the biggest problem so far were "nervous crises," and 11 pregnant women who had gone into early labor and had to be ferried to hospitals.
As the storm lashed Yucatan, it also pounded the western tip of Cuba, where the government evacuated more than 500,000 people. Forecasters said Wilma could bring more than three feet of rain in parts of Cuba.
Waves of up to 21 feet crashed on the westernmost tip of Cuba and heavy rains cut off several small communities. About 7,000 residents were evacuated from the coastal fishing village of La Coloma in Cuba's southern Pinar del Rio province.
Early Wednesday, Wilma briefly became the most intense hurricane recorded in the Atlantic with 882 millibars of pressure, breaking the record low of 888 set by Hurricane Gilbert in 1988. Lower pressure brings faster winds.
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AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - There are only seven unbeaten teams left in Division I-A, and two are from the Big 12.
The conference will have only one left after Saturday, when No. 2 Texas and No. 10 Texas Tech meet for supremacy in the South division.
``It has been a very good week of practice ... the most focused I've seen them because they can't wait until Saturday,'' Longhorns coach Mack Brown said. ``They know it is going to be a great test.''
The Longhorns (6-0, 3-0) have what looks like the final major challenge in their push to play for the national championship. None of their remaining foes, including whoever they would face in the conference championship, is likely to be ranked as high as the Red Raiders (6-0, 3-0).
Of course, that's all contingent on them actually beating Tech, which means slowing down the high-octane offense that's humming along under the direction of Cody Hodges, a fifth-year senior in his first year as a starter. The stat that jumps out is the 643 yards he threw for in a victory over Kansas State last weekend.
``That's ridiculous,'' said Texas quarterback Vince Young upon hearing Hodges' stats shortly after throwing for his own career-best of 336 yards in a victory over Colorado.
The teams the Longhorns and Red Raiders trounced last week will be back in action Saturday, both trying to bounce back at home. Colorado (4-2, 2-1) plays Kansas (3-3, 0-3), and Kansas State (4-2, 1-2) takes on Texas A&M (4-2, 2-1).
In other league games, Nebraska (5-1, 2-1) will try to become bowl eligible when it travels to Missouri (4-2, 2-1) in a game between early leaders in the North, and struggling Oklahoma (3-3, 2-1) will try avoiding an upset by rapidly improving Baylor (4-2, 1-2), which hasn't allowed more than 23 points in a game all season.
In Ames, Iowa, there will be the flip side of the battle of unbeatens in Austin - a matchup of two teams seeking their first league win. Iowa State (3-3, 0-3) plays host to Oklahoma State (3-3, 0-3). The Cyclones also started 0-3 in conference play last season before bouncing back to tie for the North crown.
The Red Raiders have been chewing up yards and records in recent years, but they've struggled against the Longhorns. Coach Mike Leach is 1-4 against Brown's Longhorns, including a 51-21 loss in Lubbock last year.
``We are a better focused team than we were last year,'' Leach said.
Tech is averaging 53.7 points and 472 yards per game, the stiffest test yet for new Texas defensive co-coordinator Gene Chizik, who never saw an offense like this in helping Auburn go 13-0 last season.
``All of the years we've played them, any quarterback they put back there always seems to break the records of the previous quarterback,'' Texas defensive tackle Rod Wright said. ``Their system works well for them.''
The Red Raiders' defense has a tough challenge, too, in stopping Young and the Texas offense. The Longhorns are fifth nationally in rushing at 265 yards per game and fourth in scoring at 45.6 points.
``You have to stay disciplined,'' said Tech defensive back Khalid Naziruddin. ``Everyone must keep their responsibilities and do their jobs. There can't be a hero.''
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New England linebacker Tedy Bruschi is officially back from the stroke he suffered in February, as the emotional leader of the Patriots defense practiced for the first time this season, setting up his return to game action some time in the near future. Bruschi was first cleared by his doctors to begin practicing, and on Oct. 17 he held a press conference announcing his decision to return this season. The impact of his return for the Patriots will be hard to gauge, and no one can tell if Bruschi is making the right move or not, but one thing is clear: Bruschi is happy to be back.
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The National Wrestling Coaches Association announced Thursday the matchups for the 40th annual NWCA All-Star Classic presented by the United States Marine Corps to be held at historic Gallagher-Iba Arena on the campus of Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Okla., on November 21 at 7 p.m.
The NWCA All-Star Classic pits the nation’s top collegiate wrestlers against each other in challenge matches that are often seen as a preview of the NCAA championships.
This year’s lineup ranks as one of the best of all time, as five NCAA Champions and six pre-season number one ranked wrestlers will take to the mat. There are currently four matches scheduled featuring the number one and two ranked wrestlers in the nation according to the NWCA Division I Coaches poll. The lineup is tentative and could be subject to change due to injuries or other reasons beyond the NWCA’s control.
The host Cowboys will be represented with all four returning of their NCAA champions in the event. Zack Esposito, last year’s champion at 149 pounds, will tangle early with three-time All-American Jon Masa of Hofstra.
Esposito beat Masa 6-2 in the quarterfinals of the NCAA championships last season in St. Louis. Masa rebounded after the loss to finish third. This is Esposito’s second appearance in the All-Star Classic. He beat Cornell’s Dustin Manotti 8-3 in last year’s event at Southern Illinois-Edwardsville.
Johny Hendricks is the second Cowboy champ to take to the mat, as he’ll square off with Michigan’s Ryan Churella. This is also a rematch from a bout wrestled in the 2005 NCAA championships, with Hendricks beating Churella 6-2 in the semifinals en route to a title at 165. This is the first appearance for both Hendricks and Churella.
It’s a little bit of Bedlam at 197 pounds, with two-time NCAA champion Jake Rosholt of Oklahoma State wrestling in-state rival Joel Flaggert of Oklahoma. Flaggert had a surprising run after falling in last year’s NCAA championship first round and winning six straight matches in the consolations before finishing fourth.
This will be the first All-Star Classic appearance for both wrestlers.
It will be a rematch of the Division I finals at heavyweight as two-time champion Steve Mocco of Oklahoma State will wrestle Minnesota’s Cole Konrad. Mocco beat Konrad every time last season, including a 3-1 victory in overtime.
This is also a rematch of last year’s All-Star Classic match at heavyweight, won by Mocco 2-1 in overtime.
It will be a rematch of the 2004 All-Star Classic at 125 pounds as Sam Hazewinkel of Oklahoma and Nick Simmons of Michigan State will take to the mats. Hazewinkel beat Simmons also beat Simmons for third place at the 2005 NCAA Championships.
Fans won’t have to wait long to watch two members of the U.S. National Team wrestle their contrasting styles.
Hazewinkel was a USA Wrestling senior national champion in Greco-Roman in 2005 and was a World Team Trials runner-up, while Simmons finished third in the World Team Trials in freestyle.
Wisconsin senior Tom Clum makes his first All-Star Match appearance against another first-timer, Minnesota sophomore Mack Reiter. Clum beat Reiter 2-1 in the consolation finals at the 2005 NCAA Championships.
This is the All-Star Classic first appearance for both wrestlers.
It will be a rematch of last year’s final at 141 pounds, with two-time champ Teyon Ware of Oklahoma wrestling Big 12 rival Nate Gallick of Iowa State. Ware beat Gallick 5-3 on the raised mat in St. Louis in the 2005 NCAA finals and the bout could be a preview of what’s to come just down the road in Oklahoma City in March.
This is Ware’s third appearance in the All-Star Classic. He lost to Virginia’s Scott Moore in February of 2004, then beat Cory Cooperman of Lehigh in overtime in last year’s classic, the first year the event was moved to the beginning of the season.
Two-time All-American and 2003 NCAA runner-up Alex Tirapelle of Illinois will have an immediate shot at redemption against Iowa’s Joe Johnston in the All-Star Classic. Johnston edged the 157-pound top seed 6-5 in last year’s NCAA quarterfinals. Johnston continued on, beating four-time All-American Jake Percival of Ohio before falling to two-time champ Ryan Bertin of Michigan in the final. This is the first appearance for both wrestlers.
Iowa’s Mark Perry will be making a homecoming of sorts, as the Stillwater native and nephew of Oklahoma State coaches John and Pat Smith will wrestle Northwestern’s Jake Herbert at 174 pounds.
Herbert placed third last year as a redshirt freshman at 174, but Perry moves up from 165 where he finished second to Hendricks in 2005 after Perry knocked off returning NCAA champion Troy Letters. This will give fans the first look at how Perry will adjust to the bump in weight and see if Herbert is ready to be a contender for a national championship.
This is the first appearance in the All-Star Classic for Perry and Herbert.
It’s only one Bradley at 184, Iowa’s Paul Bradley will wrestle another wrestler moving up in weight, Illinois’ Pete Friedl, the fourth-place finisher at 174 last season. Bradley took fifth at 184. This will be the first of several meetings between the two this season.
This is Bradley’s second appearance in the All-Star Classic. He fell to West Virginia’s Greg Jones 3-2 in 2004.
One exhibition match will take place, with the University of Central Oklahoma’s Josh Leadingfox, a Division II All-American at heavyweight, wrestling an opponent yet to be determined.
Honorary coaches for the event are John Smith of the host Cowboys, Northwestern’s Tim Cyzewski, Dana College’s Steve Costanzo and Labette Community College’s Joe Renfro.
Tickets are $12 for reserved seating, $9 for adult general admission, and $6 for students and senior citizens.
2005 NWCA All-Star Classic presented by the United States Marine Corps
125: Sam Hazewinkel (Oklahoma) vs. Nick Simmons (Michigan State)
133: Tom Clum (Wisconsin) vs. Mack Reiter (Minnesota)
141: Teyon Ware (Oklahoma) vs. Nate Gallick (Iowa State)
149: Zack Esposito (Oklahoma State) vs. Jon Masa (Hofstra)
157: Joe Johnston (Iowa) vs. Alex Tirapelle (Illinois)
165: Johny Hendricks (Oklahoma State) vs. Ryan Churella (Michigan)
174: Mark Perry (Iowa) vs. Jake Herbert (Northwestern)
184: Paul Bradley (Iowa) vs. Pete Friedl (Illinois)
197: Jake Rosholt (Oklahoma State) vs. Joel Flaggert (Oklahoma)
285: Steve Mocco (Oklahoma State) vs. Cole Konrad (Minnesota)
Exhibition
285: Josh Leadingfox (Central Oklahoma) vs. TBA
Note: Lineup is subject to change.
2004 Results
At Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville
125 - Sam Hazewinkel - Oklahoma Defeated Nick Simmons - Michigan State 2-0
133 - Mark Jayne - Illinois Defeated Sam Hiatt - Northern Illinois 3-1
141 - Teyon Ware - Oklahoma Defeated Cory Cooperman - Lehigh 2-1 OT
149 - Zack Esposito - Oklahoma State Defeated Dustin Manotti - Cornell 8-3
157 - Jake Percival - Ohio University Defeated Ryan Bertin - Michigan 11-7
165 - Troy Letters - Lehigh Defeated David Bolyard - Central Michigan 3-2
174 - Chris Pendleton - Oklahoma State Defeated Ben Askren - Missouri 6-3
184 - Greg Jones - West Virginia Defeated Paul Bradley - Iowa 3-2
197 - J.D. Bergman - Ohio State Defeated Scott Barker - Oregon 8-3
285 - Steve Mocco - Oklahoma State Defeated Cole Konrad - Minnesota 2-1 OT
The National Wrestling Coaches Association, established in 1928, is a professional organization dedicated to serve and provide leadership for the advancement of all levels of the sport of wrestling with primary emphasis on scholastic and collegiate programs. The membership embraces all people interested in amateur wrestling.
The NWCA, through its organizational structure, promotes communication, recognizes achievement, recommends rules and regulations, sponsors events, and serves as an educational and informational source. Additionally, the NWCA strives to foster the  |
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