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Project 1057: M. J. Salesa, M. Antón, G. Siliceo, M.D. Pesquero, J. Morales, L. Alcalá. 2013. A non-aquatic otter (Mammalia, Carnivora, Mustelidae) from the Late Miocene (Vallesian, MN 10) of La Roma 2 (Alfambra, Teruel, Spain): systematics and functional anatomy. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 169 (2):448–482.
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Factory Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo will start tomorrow's MotoGP race at Jerez from pole position.
Lorenzo took advantage of the drying track to take pole position on his final lap of the session.
Compatriot Dani Pedrosa will start from second on the grid after battling with Lorenzo throughout the session for pole position.
Factory Ducati rider Nicky Hayden takes the final place on the front row, while team-mate Valentino Rossi will start from 13th on the grid - the slowest prototype rider.
Aspar Aprilia rider Randy de Puniet was the fastest CRT rider, qualifying in tenth position ahead of the prototype Ducatis of Rossi, Hector Barbera and Karel Abraham.
Brit Cal Crutchlow heads the second row, despite a crash towards the end of the session. World champion Casey Stoner again struggled onboard his factroy Honda, qualifying fifth.
James Ellison starts from 20th on the grid ahead of Colin Edwards, who crashed as he was caught out by the conditions.


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Orioles DFA Mountain Top's Wotherspoon
BY DONNIE COLLINS / Published: July 3, 2019
Matt Wotherspoon has lost his coveted 40-man roster spot.
The former RailRiders right-hander and Mountain Top native was designated for assignment by Baltimore, putting the 27-year-old's tenure with the team that provided him his first opportunity to pitch in the major leagues earlier this season at a crossroads.
Wotherspoon, who entered Tuesday on Triple-A Norfolk's active roster, had a 15.43 ERA in two appearances with the Orioles this season, the latest coming
June 23 at Seattle, when he allowed five earned runs in 2⅔ innings. He had a
4.93 ERA in 23 games with the Tides, a number inflated after he allowed five runs in 3⅔ innings in a start against Gwinnett on Monday. To fill Wotherspoon's spot on the 40-man, the Orioles selected the minor-league contract of veteran right-hander Asher Wojciechowski.
Designating him for assignment puts Wotherspoon's status within the
Orioles organization in a bit of a holding pattern.
The club essentially has seven days to determine what to do with him. He can either be placed on waivers or traded. If Wotherspoon is indeed claimed, he'd have to be placed on the claiming team's 40-man roster. If he clears waivers, the Orioles can elect to send Wotherspoon back to the minors, likely right back where he started Tuesday at Norfolk. He can also be released, but since he has less than three years of big league service time, he can't elect that option on his own.
Wotherspoon made a bit of local baseball history in 2016 when he became just the second player from the region — Hazleton's Russ Canzler was the first — to suit up for the RailRiders. He appeared in
16 games with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2016 and 2017, posting a 2.10 ERA.
dcollins@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9125
@DonnieCollinsTT on Twitter
Tweets from https://twitter.com/timestribune/lists/sports
HS FOOTBALL: Scranton's Rodo Brown sprinted all the way to college
Valley View grad Black earns starting nod for Cape Cod All-Star Game
HS FOOTBALL: West Scranton's Bailey Loureiro is a true leader
HS FOOTBALL: 85th Scranton Lions Club Dream Game final rosters
HS FOOTBALL: Honesdale's Isaiah Sims makes impact
HS FOOTBALL: Dylan Walck makes it three straight Dream Games for brothers
LOCAL GOLF: Price-Mitchell birdie way to McGowan championship at Elmhurst
Frazier gets help on defense from RailRiders coach Borbón
30-20-10 July 14, 2019
AROUND TOWN: Forest City youth slugging for shot at Williamsport

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Q: Problem with form direct submitting If I visit the link http://mega.1280.com/file/EKOZKE/, enter the captcha code and click the Download button, I can download the file.
I wonder if I can submit the form without clicking the 'Download' button? I mean typing the captcha code directly on the address bar and hit Enter?
I try http://mega.1280.com/file/EKOZKE/?code_security=xxxxxx where 'code_security' is the name of the textbox of the captcha code but it failed. Any ideas?

A: The form has a POST method. You can't emulate a POST request with a different url, that's what GET requests do.
Even if the server doesn't check the method of the request, you still have to provide every mandatory data. If you look at what is sent by the form, you'll see there are 3 other parameters (action, btn_download, file_id), and more importantly several cookies that the server need to recover your php session (PHPSESSID), which is in turn needed to match your security_code with the provided CAPTCHA.
Bottom line: you can emulate the request, but not by submitting a simple GET request. You have to use a real user agent, one that is able to send post requests and handle cookies.
...But of course, that's exactly what CAPTCHA are here to prevent you to do :-).
edit: to reply to your comment "I just want to find out the technique that this website use to submit form." :
This website doesn't submit the form, actually. It's your browser that submits the form, and it does so by conforming to HTML and HTTP standards. On the webpage, the form is coded
<form name="frm_download" method="post" action="">

So when you click on the "submit" button, your browser collects all the data from the inputs (text, hidden, whatever) and sends a HTTP POST request to the same url that the form originated from, with a bunch of HTTP headers (including a Cookie header that contains all the stored cookies information attached to this server domain) and a body containing the form data : a list of key/value pairs.
The server receives the request. It can check that it's actually a POST request. It can and will retrieve all submitted pairs of data (parameters). It can retrieve the cookies, and will do so to restore your php session. It will then compare your security_code parameter with the correct data stored in your php session. If the CAPTCHA matches, then it will send you a response containing the file pointed by your file_id parameter.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Our favorite Berlin-based dog lifestyle brand has partnered with travel brand TUMI. Moxie and Beasley put their collaboration to the test.
I dedicated the young-adult novel "Rotten" to my childhood dogs, Little Bit and Fluffy.
I dedicated the young-adult novel "Rotten" to my childhood dogs, Fluffy and Max.
In exchange for copious treats, fame, and glory, my 1-year-old Boston, Ace, let me stow her stool and write about it.
I championed this product through its fundraising period and just got it in the mail! Even better, I'm giving it to one of you.
Bill Wasik and Monica Murphy take a fascinating look at rabies through the ages.
The pair went on an eight-month journey of self-discovery and have written a book, "By Men or By the Earth."
A revolutionary device for sucking up dog poop is on the market. Should you get one?
Want to Review "The Fifth Paw" for Us?
The Fifth Paw is a leash attachment that keeps your hands poop bag free. And we'd like one of you to review it for Dogster.
A rundown of the eco-friendliest (or least environmentally toxic?) poop bags on the market. You'll never use that bright blue bag again!
Jake vs Floor: The Floor Wins!
No More Toilet Bowl Water for Me!


LasX understands your challenges to meet customer demands. Whether its material thickness, tighter tolerances or maximizing material yields, LasX is committed to providing digital laser services to meet these requirements. As a supplier to fabricators, LasX appreciates the need for confidentiality and trust in developing longstanding partnerships.
For 20 years, LasX has provided high-speed laser solutions for multiple industries. Our St. Paul facility has 10 workstations available to process a wide variety of sheet- or roll-format materials. With up to 2500 watts available, our lasers can process at speeds up to 5x faster than competitors' laser technology.
By taking advantage of LasX's cutting services, fabricators can regain focus and reposition resources toward jobs that are ideal for internal capabilities. Using LasX as a supplementary service expands your capabilities and product offerings, while enabling your organization to meet the needs of your customers' demands.
Questions about laser processing for Gaskets, Seals & Washers? Contact a LasX rep for more information.


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Employer-Provided Coverage
High-Price Drugs
Individual Coverage
Coverage@Work
STOP Initiative
State Affairs and Policy
Advocacy Coalitions
Member Message Guides
The Next Big Thing in Health Podcast
AHIP SmartBriefs & Newsletters
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AHIP Career Center
Advertise with AHIP
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Member Organization
AHIP Direct
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Associate Affiliate Organization
Careers at AHIP
Where Does Your Health Care Dollar Go?
Improving Access to Care for Communities of Color During COVID-19
Health Insurance Providers Respond to Coronavirus (COVID-19)
NEW DATA: COVID-19 Test Price Gouging Continues
Online Courses Login
Consumer Experience & Digital Health Forum 2020 ONLINE
Garth Graham, MD, MPH, FACP, FACC
by Jasmine Phiri
Vice President, Community Health,
Dr. Garth Graham, MD, MPH, FACP, FACC, is a Vice President of Community Health & Impact for CVS Health and President of the Aetna Foundation. Dr. Graham oversees community health initiatives, helping to drive the company's efforts to address social determinants of health through innovative partnerships and evidence-based grant programs with leading organizations.
A cardiologist and professor of medicine, Dr. Graham previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under both the Obama and Bush Administrations, where he also ran the Office of Minority Health. He directed the development of the federal government's first National Health Disparities Plan released under the Obama administration. Dr. Graham was also the assistant dean for health policy at the University of Florida School of Medicine, where he led several research initiatives looking at how to improve outcomes and readmission rates in cardiac patients in underserved populations. He contributes to several boards including the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Advisory Council, the Institute of Medicine Board on Population Health, the American Heart Association/American Stroke Associational National Quality Oversight Committee, the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Data Standards, the Harvard Medical School Diversity Fund (chair) and was named by the President to the U.S. Federal Coordinating Council on Comparative Effectiveness Research many others.
Dr. Graham has been featured in media outlets including Fortune, USA Today, The Hill, The Chicago Tribune, Essence, U.S. News & World Report, Quartz and Ebony. Dr. Graham holds a medical degree from Yale School of Medicine, an MPH from Yale School of Public Health and a bachelor of science in biology from Florida International University. He completed clinical training at Massachusetts General Hospital and Johns Hopkins where he trained in cardiology and interventional cardiology. He holds three board certifications including internal medicine, cardiology and interventional cardiology.
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The horses displayed below are Twin Oaks Farm's therapists. Humans give names to their horses, but horses' true names, those they give one another, remain mysterious. Nameless or not, each horse has a different appearance, temperament, and personality. As you interact with them, they will present you with uncanny metaphors and mirroring of your inner and social life. We invite you to give them the names that resonate for you in the present moment.
The horses at Twin Oaks Farm are the co-facilitators of psychotherapy, learning experiences, retreats, workshops, and summer camps. They are respected as sentient beings, and never used as tools. They are our colleagues, friends, and patient teachers.


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Q: Check row Condition to copy and paste from 1 Workbook to the other Please look at the attached image

This is just dummy data.
My requirement is

*

*If Internal Asset ID (Column B) is unique, Copy row regardless selected or not (Column F).

*If Internal Asset ID not unique i.e. same Internal Asset ID is present column B
more than once, see against which Internal Asset ID is Column F marked as selected & then copy only that row.

*Copied rows are: 3rd row,5th row, 7th, 8th, 9th row"
This data is in Workbook1:Sheet1 and I have to copy it to Workbook2:Sheet2 The mapping of copy & paste has to be like mentioned below -
WB1:Sheet1 A to WB2:Sheet2 A
WB1:Sheet1 B to WB2:Sheet2 B
WB1:Sheet1 N to WB2:Sheet2 C
WB1:Sheet1 X to WB2:Sheet2 D
WB1:Sheet1 Y to WB2:Sheet2 E
WB1:Sheet1 AY to WB2:Sheet2 G
WB1:Sheet1 C to WB2:Sheet2 H
WB1:Sheet1 D to WB2:Sheet2 I
WB1:Sheet1 E to WB2:Sheet2 J
WB1:Sheet1 F to WB2:Sheet2 K
WB1:Sheet1 BI to WB2:Sheet2 R
WB1:Sheet1 AT to WB2:Sheet2 S
WB1:Sheet1 AU to WB2:Sheet2 T
WB1:Sheet1 AV to WB2:Sheet2 U
WB1:Sheet1 AW to WB2:Sheet2 V

The pasting in Workbook2:Sheet2 has to start from "A12"
My attempt:
Sub cpyCol()
    Dim wc As Worksheet, wa As Worksheet
    Dim lr As Long, I As Long, J As Long
    Dim uR As Range
    Dim eNumStorage() As String ' initial storage array to take values
    Dim x As String

    Set wc = Sheets("Test")
    Set wa = Sheets("Test")
    lr = wc.Range("A" & Rows.Count).End(xlUp).Row
    ReDim eNumStorage(1 To lr - 2)

    Application.ScreenUpdating = False
    For I = 3 To lr 'sheets all have headers that are 2 rows
        If (Not IsEmpty(Cells(I, 2).Value)) Then ' checks to make sure the value isn't empty
            J = J + 1
            eNumStorage(J) = Cells(I, 2).Value ' to store values of internal Asset ID in an array
        End If
        If wc.Range("F" & I) = "Selected" Then 'check if column F is marked as selected
            If (uR Is Nothing) Then
                Set uR = Range(I & ":" & I)
            Else
                Set uR = Union(uR, Range(I & ":" & I))
            End If
        End If
    Next I
    uR.copy Destination:=wa.Range("A13")
    Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub

Result (For testing I just tried copying & pasting from the same sheet to the same sheet)-

*

*I am able to copy rows which are marked as selected in column F

*I am able to store the values of Internal Asset ID in column B in array eNumStorage()

*So I am able to copy 3rd and 5th row

Where I need help -

*

*Not able to copy 7th,8th and 9th row.

What I tried to copy 7th,8th and 9th row
 If eNumStorage(J) = eNumStorage(J + 1) Then
        If wc.Range("F" & I) = "Selected" Then 'check if column F is marked as selected
            If (uR Is Nothing) Then
                Set uR = Range(I & ":" & I)
            Else
                Set uR = Union(uR, Range(I & ":" & I))
            End If
        End If
    End If

Issue -
Not working for later rows
Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks.

A: To determine which line has to be copied and which not you can use this formula
in column G
=IF(AND(COUNTIF(B:B,B:B)>1,COUNTIFS(B:B,B:B,F:F,"Selected")=1,F:F<>"Selected"),"-","copy")

Now you could even use filters to filter by column G.
Explanation

*

*COUNTIF(B:B,B:B) counts the occurrences of the "AssetID". So this is a test for uniqueness if it is >1 the ID is not unique.

*COUNTIFS(B:B,B:B,F:F,"Selected") counts the occurrences of non-unique "AssedIDs" that are "Selected". So if this is =1 it means one of the IDs was marked as selected.

*F:F<>"Selected" means the ID was not selected
In total the formula means: Mark all IDs as Copy but sort out these which are …

*

*not unique

*AND not unique and not selected

*AND not selected

and this basically means, keep all marked as copy which are:

*

*unique

*OR non-unique and selected

*OR selected

Or an example with VBA
using pretty much the same formula.
Sub Example()
    Dim ws As Worksheet
    Set ws = Worksheets("Tabelle3") 'your worksheet

    Dim lRow As Long 'last used row
    lRow = ws.Cells(ws.Cells.Rows.Count, "A").End(xlUp).Row

    Const fRow As Long = 3 'first row with data

    Dim i As Long
    For i = fRow To lRow 'run from first data row to last
        If Not (Application.WorksheetFunction.CountIf(ws.Range("B" & fRow, "B" & lRow), ws.Range("B" & i)) > 1 And _
           Application.WorksheetFunction.CountIfs(ws.Range("B" & fRow, "B" & lRow), ws.Range("B" & i), ws.Range("F" & fRow, "F" & lRow), "Selected") = 1 And _
           ws.Range("F" & i) <> "Selected") Then

            'copy this line

        End If
    Next i
End Sub

A: Alright I figured out a solution that does exactly what I wanted. Thank you @PEH for your help.
Sub cpyCol()
    Dim wc As Worksheet, wa As Worksheet
    Dim lr As Long, I As Long, J As Long, I2 As Long
    Dim uR As Range
    Dim wb, wb1 As Workbook
    Dim eNumStorage() As String ' initial storage array to take values
    Set wb = Workbooks.Open("C:\Users\Z003U8UC\Downloads\PP_Anan.xlsm")
    Set wb1 = ThisWorkbook
    Set ws = wb.Sheets("Procurement plan PM80 ->")
    Set wa = ThisWorkbook.Sheets("Test")
    lRow = ws.Range("A" & Rows.Count).End(xlUp).Offset(-3).Row
    I2 = 11
    Const fRow As Long = 2
    Application.ScreenUpdating = False
    For I = 2 To lRow 'sheets all have headers that are 2 rows
        If Not (Application.WorksheetFunction.CountIf(ws.Range("B" & fRow, "B" & lRow), ws.Range("B" & I)) > 1 And _
        Application.WorksheetFunction.CountIfs(ws.Range("B" & fRow, "B" & lRow), ws.Range("B" & I), ws.Range("AY" & fRow, "AY" & lRow), "Selected") = 1 _
        And ws.Range("AY" & I) <> "Selected") Then
'            If (uR Is Nothing) Then
'                Set uR = Range(I & ":" & I)
'            Else
'                Set uR = Union(uR, Range(I & ":" & I))
'            End If
            I2 = I2 + 1
            wa.Cells(I2, "A") = ws.Cells(I, "A")
            wa.Cells(I2, "B") = ws.Cells(I, "B")
            wa.Cells(I2, "C") = ws.Cells(I, "N")
            wa.Cells(I2, "D") = ws.Cells(I, "X")
            wa.Cells(I2, "E") = ws.Cells(I, "Y")
            wa.Cells(I2, "G") = ws.Cells(I, "AY")
            wa.Cells(I2, "H") = ws.Cells(I, "C")
            wa.Cells(I2, "I") = ws.Cells(I, "D")
            wa.Cells(I2, "J") = ws.Cells(I, "E")
            wa.Cells(I2, "K") = ws.Cells(I, "F")
            wa.Cells(I2, "R") = ws.Cells(I, "BI")
            wa.Cells(I2, "S") = ws.Cells(I, "AT")
            wa.Cells(I2, "T") = ws.Cells(I, "AU")
            wa.Cells(I2, "U") = ws.Cells(I, "AV")
            wa.Cells(I2, "V") = ws.Cells(I, "AW")
        End If
    Next I
    'uR.copy Destination:=ws.Range("A13")
    wb.Save
    wb.Close
    Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub

If this can further be improved speed wise please let me know.


Find this important note about our practice schedules next week. There will be NO practices at either Swansboro Pool or CSAC beginning Wed., November 21st. through Friday, Nov. 23rd. The City is closing Swansboro for the holidays on Wed. afternoon, and we had not planned to rent lane space at CSAC this day in anticipation of a light turnout.
We will resume our regular practice schedule on Mon., November 26th.
I hope everyone enjoys their time visiting with family and friends. Safe travels to all of our Racer families and coaches.


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Tillandsia 'Burnt Fingers' es un cultivar híbrido del género Tillandsia perteneciente a la familia Bromeliaceae.

Es un híbrido creado con las especies Tillandsia didisticha × Tillandsia duratii.

Referencias
 BSI BCR Entry for 'Burnt Fingers'

Híbridos de Tillandsia

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Workspace residency is made possible with generous support by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Arts, Erie County Arts & Cultural Funding, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the New York State Council on the Arts.
In this workshop participants will gain insight into how moving image artists have used appropriated media in order to think through questions such as personal ethics for taking and using materials that are not yours, and how to situate appropriated material within in your own work and to what effect. The class will include a screening and discussion of these topics but the bulk of the class will be dedicated to making your own short work, finding sources through online searches and playing with the materials in (Adobe Premiere Pro). Everyone is encouraged to bring in personally shot material to work with whatever we come up with in class. This class aims to push participants understanding of how materials can be put in conversation or at play together in order to broaden the scope of what is allowed when making films.
Carl Elsaesser is a film maker from Maine currently residing in Iowa. His short films have screened internationally at festivals such as Antimatter and Ann Arbor where he won the Barbara Aronofsky Latham Award for Emerging Experimental Video Artist. His work is concerned with how images are constructed, encountered and interpreted. While these questions of representation are steeped in that age-old, impossible "art question" of what is real and fantasy, his work is far more interested in what is allowed to be real, and who is allowed to speak for this real.
Registration must occur at least three days prior to the start date of workshop. Cancelations must take place 48hrs before to receive a refund. No walk-ins accepted.


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Doctors Duty
Administrative Assistant (Executive Assistant to the UNRC)
Please use the link below for your application:
https://careers.un.org/lbw/jobdetail.aspx?id=198177&Lang=en-US
United Nations in Maldives Follow
About United Nations in Maldives
Maldives became a Member State of the United Nations in September 1965, shortly after gaining independence on 26 July. The UN Country Team (UNCT) in the Maldives comprises FAO, IFAD, ILO, IOM, UNDP, UNEP, UNESCAP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNODC, UNOPS, WHO, and the World Bank, based in Malé, Colombo, New Delhi and Bangkok.
The UN in the Maldives supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through policy advice and technical capacity aligned to national development priorities outlined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF). The current UNSDCF covers the period 2022 – 2026 and maps out the UN Development Systems' collective and integrated response to development opportunities and challenges faced by the Maldives.
The main outcome areas of the UNSDCF include Livelihoods and Productivity; Human Development and Wellbeing; Natural Resource Management, Climate Resilience and Environmental Sustainability; and Transformative Governance, Justice and Human Rights
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text:
The Citadel vs. Western Carolina, to be played at historic Johnson Hagood Stadium, with kickoff at 6:00 pm ET on Saturday, September 12. The game will not be televised.
– Preview of Western Carolina-The Citadel from The Post and Courier
– Pregame "notes" from The Post and Courier
– Mark Speir on the SoCon teleconference
– Mike Houston's 9/9 press conference (includes comments from Tevin Floyd, Dominique Allen, and Mariel Cooper)
– Game story for Mars Hill-Western Carolina from the Asheville Citizen-Times
– Tevin Floyd was the SoCon Defensive Player of the Week after making eight tackles and returning an interception for a touchdown against Davidson. You may recall that as a freshman in 2013, Floyd recovered a fumble for a touchdown in the Bulldogs' 28-21 victory over Western Carolina in Cullowhee.
From my preview of last season's game:
…the Catamounts currently sport a 5-2 record that includes three SoCon victories, including two straight.
That 3-0 SoCon record is a very big deal for WCU, given that the Catamounts entered this season having only won four league games since 2006. Western Carolina had lost 29 of its last 30 conference matchups prior to 2014.
WCU hasn't been 3-0 in the league since 1994. If the Catamounts win on Saturday, they will match their best-ever league start.
It has taken time, but Mark Speir appears to have things moving in the right direction in Cullowhee. A competitive WCU program is good for the league, in my opinion.
Western Carolina won that game against The Citadel, 29-15, and moved to 6-2 for the 2014 season. The Catamounts then hit a major roadblock, getting drilled 51-0 by Chattanooga.
WCU lost at Samford the week after that, and later lost to Alabama, but picked up a home victory over VMI in between those losses. Western Carolina finished with a 7-5 record.
The Catamounts finished the 2014 season with the program's first winning year on the gridiron since 2005; its most wins in a campaign since 2001; and its best record in league play since 1992. It was a largely gratifying season for the Western Carolina faithful, and probably something of a relief as well.
Now the question for Mark Speir is this: what can you do for an encore?
It could be argued that one of the tougher things to do in college sports is to put together two straight good years after enduring many, many bad seasons. That is what Western Carolina is attempting to do in 2015.
More than a few people have newly-found confidence in the Catamounts. WCU was picked to finish third in the SoCon in the coach's preseason poll; the league's media voters thought even more of Western Carolina, ranking it second in the conference.
It's not altogether surprising that folks like the Catamounts' chances. The SoCon release notes that 23 players listed as starters returned from last year's squad, including all eleven on the offensive side of the ball.
However, there are still some doubters when it comes to Western Carolina, and that's perfectly understandable. Like I mentioned earlier, repeating success after a long period of failure isn't easy.
Just ask The Citadel about the 2013 season.
In 2012, the Bulldogs were 7-4, finishing off the campaign with three straight victories and a winning league record. It was the first winning season for The Citadel in five years and only the second winning year since 1997. The five SoCon triumphs were the most since 1992.
Hopes were high the following year. The Citadel returned many of its top players, and fans were ready for a great season.
Instead, the Bulldogs only won five games. It turned out not to be the start of something big; rather, it was the end of an era.
Statistical comparisons, 2014 SoCon games only (seven contests):
– The Citadel averaged 75.4 plays per game; Western Carolina averaged 66.1 plays per game.
– The Bulldogs' time of possession per game: 32:40. The Catamounts averaged 29:57 per game.
WCU actually held the ball longer than its opponents in five of seven games. UTC had an almost 2-to-1 edge in time of possession against Western Carolina, skewing that particular statistic to a certain degree. The other league team that out-possessed the Catamounts: The Citadel.
– The Citadel's offense averaged 5.6 yards per play; that includes 5.4 yards per rush and 6.8 yards per pass attempt. Western Carolina's defense gave up 5.9 yards per play in league action, including 5.3 yards per rush and 7.1 yards per pass attempt.
– Western Carolina's offense averaged 6.1 yards per play, including 4.8 yards per rush and 8.1 yards per pass attempt. The Citadel's defense allowed just over 7 yards per play, including 5.7 yards per rush and 9.1 yards per pass attempt.
– The Catamounts were sacked five times in league action in 2014, while the Bulldogs' D had eight sacks in seven SoCon contests.
– The Citadel's 3rd-down conversion rate was 46.3%, while Western Carolina's defense allowed opponents to convert 3rd downs 50% of the time.
Conversely, WCU's offense converted 3rd downs at a 45.2% clip, while the Bulldogs' defense allowed SoCon opponents to a 3rd-down conversion rate of 41.5%.
– On 4th down, The Citadel's offense converted 12 of 20 4th-down attempt (60%), while the Catamounts' D held opponents to a 40% 4th-down conversion rate (4-10).
Western Carolina's offense was 7-10 on 4th down in league play (70%). The Bulldogs allowed a 4th-down conversion rate of 52.9% on defense.
– In the Red Zone, The Citadel's offensive TD rate was 67% (18-27). WCU's defense had a red zone TD allowed rate of only 41.7% (10-24).
The Catamounts's offense scored touchdowns on 13 of 17 red zone possessions (76.5%), while the Bulldogs allowed TDs 15 of 25 times opponents moved inside the 20 (60%).
Western Carolina's defense close to the goal line in league play was impressive last season, and a not-insignificant factor in the team's win-loss record.
As its league campaign progressed, WCU started allowing more and more yards on defense. After a fine effort against Wofford (273 total yards allowed), the rest of the season for the Catamounts' D went like this: 400 yards given up versus Mercer, 443 allowed to The Citadel, 512 to Chattanooga, 461 to Samford, and 471 to VMI.
In those last three games, WCU opponents scored 112 points.
Western Carolina threw the ball 39.7% of the time in league play. Passing yardage accounted for 52.7% of the Catamounts' total offense in SoCon action.
Troy Mitchell is Western Carolina's alltime leader in total offense, a mark he set last week. A fair amount of that yardage has come against The Citadel:
– Troy Mitchell vs. The Citadel, 2012: 117 rushing yards, 67 passing yards (2 rushing TDs)
– Troy Mitchell vs. The Citadel, 2013: 106 rushing yards, 136 passing yards (1 passing TD)
There aren't many quarterbacks who have rushed for over 100 yards three different times against the Bulldogs. The native of Texas will have a chance to go 4-for-4 on Saturday.
Mitchell isn't the only Catamount who has had success running the football against the Bulldogs. Halfback Darius Ramsey had two 100+ yard performance versus The Citadel as a freshman and a sophomore. Last season, Ramsey settled for 72 yards (and a TD) on nine carries. His backup, Detrez Newsome, ran for 123 yards and two TDs on only eleven rushing attempts.
The starters on Western Carolina's offensive line average 6'2″, 288 lbs. There is a lot of experience on the o-line, though left tackle Zach Weeks is a redshirt freshman.
Spearman Robinson is a preseason all-conference wideout selection. Robinson is big (6'4″, 215 lbs.) and has good speed. He had eleven touchdown receptions last year.
His first TD catch of this season came on the first play from scrimmage against Mars Hill last week. Detrez Newsome threw a halfback pass to Robinson that went for 75 yards.
Karnorris Benson is also a talented receiver. He is a redshirt senior who caught 12 touchdown passes two seasons ago.
Western Carolina will miss Terryon Robinson, who had a huge game against The Citadel last year (10 catches, 183 yards). He reportedly broke his wrist just before the season started.
WCU will throw the ball to its tight ends as well. 6'4″, 240 lb. Tyler Sexton caught three touchdown passes last season; the sophomore had five receptions last week against Mars Hill.
The Catamounts usually feature four down linemen on defense (as part of a base 4-3), but as always, that might be adjusted against The Citadel's triple option attack. During his radio show, Mike Houston mentioned "split fronts" as a look the Bulldogs' offense might see on Saturday.
Though he did not play in the opener (injury precaution) and is not listed as the starter on Western Carolina's depth chart, expect defensive tackle Helva Matungulu (6'5″, 290 lbs.) to get a lot of playing time on Saturday.
Matungula is originally from Kenya, and played Rugby 7s before arriving in Cullowhee. Mike Houston specifically referenced Matungula ("he's an outstanding player") during the SoCon teleconference.
DT Ezavian Dunn (6'2″, 300 lbs.) started seven games as a freshman.
Defensive ends John McBeth and Caleb Hawkins have combined to start 57 games. Hawkins, in particular, will be a very tough matchup for The Citadel's offensive line.
Linebacker Daniel Riddle had 74 tackles last season, third-most on the squad. Another 'backer, Tyson Dickson, missed half of the 2014 season with injury, but did play against The Citadel — and made 16 tackles in that contest.
Sertonuse Harris is a LB/DB combo type who was a second-team All-SoCon pick by the coaches last year. Cornerback Trey Morgan was a preseason all-league choice. He had six interceptions last year.
Western Carolina's depth chart lists two possible starters at placekicker, Logan Howard and Blake Metcalf. Last week, Howard converted the PATs while Metcalf was the kickoff specialist.
According to the team's website, Logan Howard has "a black belt in martial arts and is a three-time world champion kick boxer."
WCU has a new starting punter this season, redshirt freshman Ian Berryman. Kickoff returns are handled by Detrez Newsome and Karnorris Benson, while C.J. Goodman is the Catamounts' punt returner.
Chandler Addertion is in his third season as Western Carolina's long snapper.
– The ESPN3 production will feature Kevin Fitzgerald as the play-by-play announcer and Sadath Jean-Pierre as the analyst. Fans of the Bulldogs know former defensive back Jean-Pierre, a 2013 graduate of The Citadel.
Fitzgerald is a recent graduate of Syracuse who has called games in a variety of sports, including radio play-by-play for the women's basketball team at the University of Vermont. This summer, he was the voice of the Fort Wayne TinCaps, a class A affiliate of the San Diego Padres.
– WCU did not play a game in SoCon action last season that was decided by fewer than 12 points. However, the Catamounts were 4-1 in league games decided by two touchdowns.
Western Carolina lost two non-conference games by five points last year. The Catamounts lost 36-31 in the season opener at South Florida (a game the Catamounts led at halftime), and 19-14 at Presbyterian.
The Blue Hose had two pick-6 TDs in the latter contest, the second coming with less than two minutes remaining in the game. WCU's offense was victimized by five turnovers, including four interceptions thrown by three different quarterbacks (Troy Mitchell got hurt midway through the third quarter).
– The Catamounts' roster features 53 players from the state of North Carolina, by far the most from any state (as would be expected). There are 25 natives of Georgia on the team, and 7 South Carolina residents.
I was a little surprised that there are as many Catamounts from Kenya as there are from Tennessee (one each).
The aforementioned Helva Matungulu is from Nairobi. The one native of the Volunteer State, freshman defensive back Mikey White, went to Science Hill High School in Johnson City; that's the same school sharing a stadium this season with East Tennessee State.
– Western Carolina's opponent last week, Mars Hill, travels to Chattanooga this Saturday to take on the Mocs. That game starts at 1:00 pm ET. Later in the afternoon, there may be some comparing of scores in the tailgating areas — or there may just be more eating and drinking.
Mars Hill, of course, is the alma mater of Mike Houston. On the CBS online college football schedule, the school is listed as "MARS".
– WCU had a good home crowd last week, with an announced attendance of 12,348. I wouldn't be surprised to see a sizable number of those fans make it down to Charleston on Saturday.
– Western Carolina-The Citadel is the first SoCon league game of the season, and the only one on this week's schedule. In fact, there is only one conference matchup per week for the next four weeks.
There won't be a full slate of conference games until October 10, when all eight SoCon teams compete in league action.
Mark Speir pointed out during the SoCon teleconference that after Saturday night, Western Carolina won't be playing another league game for almost a month. The same is true for The Citadel.
– Per the WCU game notes, this is the earliest league road opener for the Catamounts since playing The Citadel in Week 2 in 1998.
– Western Carolina's release also listed the three times in recent history that a matchup between the two schools has been moved or postponed: 1989 (thanks to Hurricane Hugo, with the game played at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia); 1999 (Hurricane Floyd); and 2001 (9/11).
– In a now-annual tradition, I want to officially criticize Western Carolina for blowing a chance at having a truly fantastic school nickname back in 1933, when "Catamounts" was chosen. The runner-up choice was "Mountain Boomers".
Mountain Boomers! How can you not pick Mountain Boomers as your nickname when you have the opportunity? C'mon.
– Western Carolina was The Citadel's opponent the last time the South Carolina Corps of Cadets was not in attendance for a home game at Johnson Hagood Stadium. That happened on November 20, 2004 (a 17-0 victory for the Bulldogs), while the corps was on Thanksgiving break.
After the game, a meeting of The Citadel's Board of Visitors was held. Action was taken:
The Board of Visitors passed a resolution that The Corps be present and in uniform at all Citadel home football games in the future. The resolution passed unanimously.
That is why The Citadel now always concludes the regular season on the road.
– Saturday's game is Military Appreciation Night. At halftime, the Parris Island Marine Band will perform. It always puts on a good show.
– This game has been designated as a "white-out". Fans are supposed to wear white; the Bulldogs are expected to wear white jerseys and white pants with their white helmets. I'm unsure if the corps of cadets will wear their standard summer leave uniforms, or if they will be wearing "dress whites" (which I believe would be unprecedented).
– Per one source that deals in such matters, The Citadel is a 3-point favorite over Western Carolina on Saturday. The over/under is 55.
– Unfortunately, the long-range weather forecast is not promising. Showers and thunderstorms on Saturday are "likely", according to the National Weather Service. There is a 50% chance of rain on Saturday night.
I expect this game to be close. It could go either way, though to be honest I am a bit pessimistic about the Bulldogs' chances. Which, to be fair, is my default outlook…
Last season, Western Carolina had seven rushes of 20+ yards against the Bulldogs. There were also three pass plays of 20+ yards.
Most of WCU's cast of characters from that game are back, most notably Troy Mitchell. The Citadel has not had much luck in recent years defending dual-threat QBs, and that certainly includes Mitchell.
He isn't perfect, though. In three games against the Bulldogs, Mitchell has thrown four interceptions. It's also true that The Citadel has won two of the three games in question.
While the Bulldogs did what they had to do against Davidson, I was a little concerned that The Citadel's defense only registered one sack (plus one hurry) against nineteen pass attempts. On the other hand, having a passes defensed rate of 42% tends to alleviate that issue.
Comparing how Western Carolina did last week against Mars Hill versus how The Citadel performed against Davidson is pointless. Neither SoCon team was challenged, though Mars Hill is probably better than Davidson.
WCU more or less took most of the second quarter off against the Lions, while the Bulldogs never let up versus the Wildcats. That's of no real consequence, though.
I think it's going to be a high scoring game. I feel reasonably confident about that, so a 13-9 final is inevitable.
At any rate, I'll be there on Saturday. Can't wait.
Filed under: Football, The Citadel | Tagged: Davidson, Helva Matungulu, Jay Harper, Kevin Fitzgerald, Lee Glazer, Logan Howard, Mark Speir, Mars Hill, Mike Houston, Mike Legg, Parris Island Marine Band, Sadath Jean-Pierre, SoCon, Tevin Floyd, The Citadel, Troy Mitchell, Western Carolina |	Leave a comment »
2015 Football, Game 1: The Citadel vs. Davidson
Posted on September 1, 2015 by Sandlapper Spike
…But one day, when across the Field of Fame the goal seemed dim,
The wise old coach, Experience, came up and spoke to him.
"Oh Boy," he said, "the main point now before you win your bout
Is keep on bucking Failure till you've worn the piker out!"
"And, kid, cut out this fancy stuff — go in there, low and hard;
Just keep your eye upon the ball and plug on, yard by yard,
And more than all, when you are thrown or tumbled with a crack,
Don't sit there whining — hustle up and keep on coming back;
"Keep coming back with all you've got, without an alibi,
If Competition trips you up or lands upon your eye,
Until at last above the din you hear this sentence spilled:
'We might as well let this bird through before we all get killed.'
"You'll find the road is long and rough, with soft spots far apart,
Where only those can make the grade who have the Uphill Heart.
And when they stop you with a thud or halt you with a crack,
Let Courage call the signals as you keep on coming back.
"Keep coming back, and though the world may romp across your spine,
Let every game's end find you still upon the battling line;
For when the One Great Scorer comes to mark against your name,
He writes — not that you won or lost — but how you played the Game."
– from "Alumnus Football", by Grantland Rice
The Citadel vs. Davidson, to be played at historic Johnson Hagood Stadium, with kickoff at 6:00 pm ET on Saturday, September 5. The game will not be televised.
The contest will be streamed on ESPN3.com, with Kevin O'Rourke providing play-by-play and Sadath Jean-Pierre supplying the analysis.
The Citadel Sports Network — Affiliates
Charleston: WQNT 1450AM (Flagship)
Columbia: WQXL 1470AM/95.9FM
Orangeburg: WORG 100.3FM
From three weeks ago: my de facto preview of the upcoming season for The Citadel, which is something of a statistical review of last year. Math is involved.
Other topics related to The Citadel's football program that I've written about over the past few months:
– A post in which I somehow wrote about both FCS non-conference football schedules and "The Man in the Brown Suit"
– A brief overview of the SoCon's 2015 football signees
– My take on the school's recent football uniform history (written before the latest "unveiling")
– The "Gridiron Countdown" series of posts, including analysis of attendance issues, among other things
– Season preview from The Post and Courier
– Game-week depth chart report from The Post and Courier
– STATS SoCon preview (The Citadel is picked to finish next-to-last)
– College Sports Madness SoCon preview (The Citadel is picked to finish sixth)
– SoCon media and coaches' preseason polls (The Citadel is picked to finish next-to-last in both polls)
– Game notes from The Citadel and Davidson
– Pioneer League weekly release
– Pioneer League preseason poll
– FCS Coaches poll
– Mike Houston's 9/1 press conference (includes comments from Sam Frye and Tevin Floyd)
– Paul Nichols previews the game on his coach's show
Davidson College was founded in 1837, and established on land purchased from William Lee Davidson II . The school is named for his father, a Revolutionary War general who was killed in battle in 1781.
The college was originally established as a Presbyterian institution and is still affiliated with that church, though mandatory chapel was discontinued more than four decades ago. Davidson is located just north of Charlotte, with a 665-acre main campus. Most of Davidson's 2,000 students live on that campus.
The college has an endowment of around $650 million. The school motto is Alenda Lux Ubi Orta Libertas, which is a Latin phrase that translates as "Let Learning Be Cherished Where a Basketball Goal Has Arisen".
Davidson played its first football game against outside opposition in 1898, losing its opener 11-0 to North Carolina but following that up with an 6-0 victory over South Carolina. The next year, five games were played; that 1899 campaign also featured a loss to UNC and a win over the Gamecocks. Indeed, Davidson's first four seasons of football all included victories over South Carolina, three by shutout.
That is, if 1898 was actually Davidson's first season of football. The most recent online edition (2013) of the school's football media guide includes two games allegedly played in 1897, and the Davidson "Quick Facts" sheet also lists 1897 as being the first year in program history.
However, the college's website references the 1897 "season" as simply consisting of matchups against area club teams. The two would-be 1897 opponents mentioned in the media guide are the same two schools that Davidson officially played in 1898 — North Carolina and South Carolina. Neither of those schools includes an 1897 game versus Davidson in their media guides.
Meanwhile, the College Football Data Warehouse lists four opponents for Davidson in 1896. It also identifies the Wildcats' first opponent in 1897 as North Carolina State, not North Carolina (and lists a different score than the school media guide). Just to make things more interesting, NC State does list Davidson as one of its 1897 opponents.
All in all, I'm a bit undecided on the "When was Davidson's first season?" question.
The Wildcats (a moniker acquired in 1917) continued to play regional opponents throughout the early part of the 20th century, including The Citadel. The first gridiron matchup between the two schools, in 1909, ended in a 0-0 stalemate.
In 1936, Davidson joined the Southern Conference, the same year The Citadel and Furman became members. The initial league campaign was a promising one for the Wildcats, as they finished 5-4 overall with a 4-3 record in the SoCon. However, that would be the last time Davidson finished with a winning record in conference play until 1954.
Davidson found something of a gridiron savior in the mid-1960s, with the arrival of Homer Smith as head coach. Smith, one of the more respected coaches of his generation, gradually built a title contender, thanks in part to instituting a two-platoon system that featured many more scholarship players. Everything came together in 1969.
That season, Davidson went 7-4, with a 5-1 record in the Southern Conference, sharing the league title and grabbing a berth in the Tangerine Bowl. It was the only time Davidson ever got even a piece of the conference crown. Incidentally, the Wildcats' solitary SoCon loss in 1969 was a 34-28 setback at The Citadel.
Smith had a reputation as an offensive mastermind, and that is reflected in some of Davidson's 1969 games. The Wildcats put 77 on the board against Furman, and 59 more versus VMI.
Entering the league finale against East Carolina, Davidson needed a win to clinch a tie for the conference title. ECU led 27-0 with less than a minute remaining in the first half, but Davidson scored six unanswered touchdowns and won, 42-27.
Things went south for the football program in a hurry, though, after that 1969 season.
It wasn't exactly a surprise. Prior to the 1969 season, Homer Smith told reporters that football was unwanted at Davidson by "most of the faculty and staff…at least 80%. These people are working, some feverishly, to do away with subsidized college football."
Smith also claimed the same was the case for Davidson basketball (!), but that Lefty Driesell's teams had been successful enough to essentially pay for themselves.
(The column linked above mentions that Furman had also moved at that time to reduce its football budget. Furman eventually reversed course. Davidson did not.)
By February of 1970, Homer Smith was no longer Davidson's football coach. Smith left (eventually taking the job at Pacific) after Davidson's board of trustees slashed the football budget by almost half.
Over the next three seasons, Davidson won a total of six football games. Then as the 1973 season wound down, the administration at Davidson went one step further, in the process winning that year's "Worst Communicators" award by acclimation. While the team was on the road at Air Force, a press conference was called. I'll let John Kilgo (at that time writing for The Robesonian) describe what happened:
Davidson decided to de-emphasize football. There would be no more football scholarships. They would be distributed on a basis of "need" only.
The press was brought in and told what the decision was — but no one bothered to pick up the phone and relay the word to [head coach Dave Fagg] or Athletic Director Tom Scott. Fagg, who was aware the action might be taken, was notified officially by a newsman who called to question him.
When Fagg and his team got back to [campus on] Sunday, Davidson president Sam Spencer was out of town. He had still not bothered to inform his athletic director or head football coach that the football picture had been completely changed.
If you're thinking that the Davidson administration couldn't have possibly been more obtuse, you're wrong:
The Spencer Administration did not accept [head coach Dave Fagg's] advice about scheduling. The coach wanted to play other schools that award scholarships on a need basis. This would have taken Davidson out of the Southern Conference football picture.
Dr. Spencer obviously disagreed.
He feels Davidson can play what he calls "the less ambitious schools" in the Southern Conference. Dr. Spencer was not available for comment, but when asked to identify some of these colleges, a Davidson spokesman replied: "That's a good question. I could not name the so-called less ambitious schools in the Southern Conference."
Kilgo theorized that Spencer was referring to Furman, The Citadel, VMI, and Appalachian State. However, he pointed out that Davidson had struggled against those schools even with scholarship players — and that it was "not clear how [Davidson hoped] to compete against them [with] no players on football grants."
In 1974 Davidson won two games, beating Hampden-Sydney and Defiance College (both Division III programs). A victory over D-3 Kenyon was the Wildcats' only triumph in 1975.
In those two years, Davidson played a total of six Southern Conference games, two each against VMI, The Citadel, and Appalachian State. The Wildcats lost all six contests by an average score of 48-6.
By 1976, Davidson was ready to make a move. At least, that was the idea.
Davidson College announced Tuesday [June 22, 1976] it is dropping out of the Southern Conference, where it has been a member for 40 years, to seek "national-level" basketball competition…
…[Davidson officials] consider as a possibility joining a new conference being discussed by six Southern schools. They include East Carolina, South Carolina, the University of Richmond, William and Mary, and Virginia Military Institute.
That potential league didn't happen. Davidson leaving the SoCon in 1977 didn't happen either:
Davidson College announced the school will not leave the Southern Conference in July [of 1977] as previously announced.
"Being in the Southern Conference gives our minor sports a chance to compete in postseason play," said athletic director Thom Cartmill. "There is an automatic NCAA tournament bid, and it makes scheduling easier."
In other words, Davidson didn't wind up in a new conference. The school thus had to decide whether to compete as an independent in basketball (and presumably most, if not all, of its other sports) or remain in the SoCon. It chose the safer route.
By this time basketball was the only varsity sport for which Davidson was offering athletic grants-in-aid. It seems rather clear that by then, Davidson had caught the "big time hoops" bug for good, and that sport has been the school's primary (if not sole) focus for the past forty years when it comes to decision-making on the athletics front.
It is obvious (at least to me) that the most influential person in the history of Davidson athletics is Charles G. "Lefty" Driesell. Davidson had never won the Southern Conference title in hoops before Driesell's arrival in 1960; by the time he left after the 1969 season, basketball was part of the college's ethos.
I think it is fair to suggest that if it weren't for Lefty Driesell, Davidson would no longer have a Division I athletics program. It is likely the school would have dropped down to Division III during the early 1970s if not for the success of his basketball teams.
Davidson did not technically compete for the SoCon title from 1974 to 1982, playing only one or two league schools (usually Furman and/or The Citadel) in most of those seasons. By 1983, though, the rest of the SoCon was ready for Davidson's football program to participate in the league, or else the college would need to find a new conference to call home.
Since it didn't have a lot of options at the time, Davidson agreed to play a league slate in football (a minimum of five games at first, later apparently increased to six). The immediate problem was that the Wildcats and the other conference schools already had their schedules set for the next several years, so a compromise was reached. What a compromise it was.
Davidson wound up playing in "designated league games" against the likes of Lafayette (twice), Penn (twice), James Madison (three times), and Bucknell (three times).
If you think that was bizarre, it gets better. Davidson's games in 1985 against Bucknell, Penn, and James Madison all counted in the standings. The Wildcats' games against Western Carolina, Furman, and The Citadel all counted in the standings that year too — but only for Davidson.
Western Carolina, Furman, and The Citadel were not credited with a league victory after each defeated Davidson, because the other league members that didn't get to play the Wildcats were not about to let those schools get an edge in the standings by picking up what was assumed to be an easy win (and in fact, those three schools outscored Davidson that season by a combined total of 102-7).
Things didn't get much better for the Wildcats in 1986. The squad went 0-9 overall, including a number of blowouts (63-14 versus Marshall; 63-6 against Appalachian State; 59-0 versus Furman).
In a four-year stretch between 1985 and 1988, Davidson won a combined total of two games (both against Wofford).
In the latter two of those four difficult seasons, the Wildcats were no longer playing in the Southern Conference.
A request by Davidson for an exemption from playing league football was rebuffed by the rest of the conference membership. The school's administration had earlier elected to place its football program in the newly formed Colonial League (later renamed the Patriot League).
The decision basically put the rest of Davidson's varsity sports in limbo, though the college actually remained in the Southern Conference for all sports except football and women's hoops (which was dropped by Davidson in 1986) through the 1987-1988 school year.
Davidson competed as an independent in men's basketball for two seasons, then joined the Big South for two years. The school would eventually return to the SoCon in all sports but football, starting in 1992-1993.
Of course, Davidson left the league again last year, this time for the Atlantic 10. However, from this point on in its varsity sports history I'm going to focus on Davidson's football program.
Two years in the Colonial League were enough for Davidson, which went 0-7 in league play in those two seasons. The school's board of trustees voted to move the program to Division III, though that stance would soon become moot; a 1991 NCAA bylaw change mandated that Division I schools would have to conduct all sports at the D-1 level (a decision occasionally referred to as the "Dayton Rule").
The program proceeded to compete as a I-AA independent for the next decade, generally playing D-3 schools during that time. The change in schedule led to more wins; Davidson went 5-3 in 1990, won five more games in 1992, and added six victories in 1993 and 1996.
Head coach Tim Landis won eight games in both 1998 and 1999, but then departed after seven seasons. He was replaced by Joe Susan, a former Princeton assistant coach.
The new boss led the Wildcats to a perfect 10-0 season, the most wins in school history. He then immediately left Davidson to become an assistant coach at Rutgers.
Susan is now the head coach of Bucknell. The coach he replaced at Bucknell was the same coach he had replaced at Davidson — Tim Landis.
Davidson joined the Pioneer Football League for the 2001 season, and its football program has remained in that conference ever since. The Pioneer League is a football-only conference for schools that compete at the Division I level but don't offer athletic scholarships in the sport.
For the past two years, the Pioneer League's champion has received an automatic bid to the FCS playoffs. There are eleven current conference members: Davidson, Campbell, Stetson, Jacksonville, Morehead State, Valparaiso, Butler, Dayton, Drake, Marist, and San Diego.
Mercer, of course, played in the league for one season before joining the SoCon last year.
Davidson's win-loss record while a Pioneer League member has ranged from decent to really bad. The "really bad" includes the last few seasons.
The program has won only eighteen games in the last seven seasons, and has only one victory over the past two years. Unfortunately for Davidson, even that lone win carries a huge asterisk.
You can watch highlights of Davidson's 56-0 victory over College of Faith (NC), assuming CoF's uniforms don't give you a headache. You can also read comments from an anonymous Davidson player on Reddit that were posted soon after the contest. Here are the first two:
I play for Davidson College, the team that played CoF last week. This was the most embarrassing [] ever…We had our starters out before the end of the first quarter and barely ran our offense because we felt bad for almost putting up 50 in the first half. If we had just kept playing I don't see how we could've scored less than 150. They were so bad and it sucks as a player to have to try and justify any reason why we should've been playing them to other people. It was embarrassing as an athlete. But I suppose it's a win, and we're moving on to the rest of our schedule now.
Also they didn't have athletic trainers… A bunch of their players got hurt and our trainers had to handle it for them.
The NCAA doesn't think College of Faith is a legitimate school, and isn't counting statistics for any future games played against it or any other schools the NCAA doesn't deem "countable opponents". In fact, College of Faith was specifically referenced when the NCAA made the ruling this past May.
Davidson had provisionally scheduled a game against College of Faith for this season, too, but in March the college replaced CoF on the schedule with Kentucky Wesleyan (which was another school that had played CoF last year).
(As an aside, East Tennessee State had also scheduled College of Faith for this year, but dropped CoF and replaced it with…Kentucky Wesleyan.)
When Davidson defeated College of Faith last season, it marked the first career victory as a head coach for Paul Nichols. It is also his only career victory as a head coach after two seasons at Davidson.
That is a far cry from his career as a player. Nichols was Davidson's starting quarterback in 2000 when the Wildcats went undefeated.
Putting aside the College of Faith game for a moment, it does appear that Davidson made progress in 2014, at least when compared to its wretched 2013 campaign, a year in which Davidson lost every game it played by at least thirteen points.
Last season, Davidson lost one game in five overtimes (against Dayton), another by one point (at Campbell; the Wildcats led until the final minute), and a third by six points (versus Stetson).
There were also some blowout losses. VMI beat Davidson 52-24, while Princeton defeated the Wildcats 56-17.
A trip to Des Moines did not go well, as Drake manhandled Davidson 51-14. The Wildcats were also thrashed on their own Senior Day, 56-0, by Jacksonville. In those two games, Davidson was outscored in the first half by a combined 72-0.
It didn't help Davidson's cause when starting quarterback J.P. Douglas was suspended from the team in October following an on-campus altercation. Douglas was charged with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury. The charges were later dropped, but his gridiron career with the Wildcats was already over by that point.
Here is a comparison of The Citadel and Davidson in select statistical categories for the 2014 season. The Citadel's stats are for SoCon games only (seven contests). Those opponents: Wofford, Chattanooga, Western Carolina, Mercer, Furman, Samford, and VMI.
For Davidson, I decided to throw out the College of Faith game, so the statistics below are for the other 11 games the Wildcats played last season. Davidson's opponents in those eleven games: Catawba, VMI, Morehead State, Princeton, Dayton, Drake, Campbell, Stetson, Jacksonville, Marist, and Valparaiso.
Davidson The Citadel
Offense 4th down conv % 58.6 60
Defense points allowed/game 43.36 25.86
Defense Red Zone TD% 70.3 60
The one common opponent for the two teams last season was VMI. Both games were played at Foster Stadium in Lexington, VA.
Davidson-VMI box score
The Citadel-VMI box score
Davidson describes its offensive package as "multiple". Last season, the Wildcats threw the ball (or were sacked attempting to pass) 56.6% of the time. Passing yardage accounted for 64.6% of Davidson's total offense. [Note: those numbers do not include the game against College of Faith.]
Taylor Mitchell will start at quarterback for the Wildcats. He started the final four games of last season following J.P. Douglas' arrest.
Mitchell, a 6'1″, 191 lb. sophomore from Buford, Georgia, was 81-161 passing last season, with two touchdown passes against eleven interceptions, averaging 4.78 yards per attempt.
Running back Jeffrey Keil rushed for 725 yards and eight touchdowns last season, averaging 4.7 yards per carry. He was named the Pioneer League's Offensive Freshman of the Year.
Another sophomore running back, Austin Wells, saw considerable time last season and also serves as the team's primary kick returner.
Davidson's best offensive player is probably senior wideout William Morris, a 6'1″, 179 lb. native of Dallas. Morris (a first-team all-Pioneer League selection in 2014) caught 98 passes last year for 1,224 yards, averaging 12.5 yards per reception.
Morris had 16 receptions for 208 yards against VMI last season. The Citadel's defense will certainly have him on its radar.
Average size of Davidson's presumptive starting offensive line (per its two-deep): 6'1″, 291 lbs. The five players combined to start 48 games for the Wildcats last season.
Both right tackle Josh Daryoush and right guard Matt Brantley started all 12 games for Davidson in 2014. Caleb Krause, the center, has started 31 games for the Wildcats during his career.
Last season, Davidson operated out of a 4-3 base defense (which I've also seen listed as a 4-2-5). The Wildcats could have a very different look on Saturday, of course, given the Bulldogs' triple-option attack.
Defensive end Chris Woods, a senior from Burlington, North Carolina, received some preseason honors. He had 5.5 tackles for loss last season.
Woods only weighs 214 lbs., the lightest member of Davidson's defensive line. Defensive tackles Grant Polofsky and Alex Behrend both started 11 games last year.
Linebacker Zach Popovec started nine games as a freshman. Fellow outside 'backer Ricky Tkac is the leading returning tackler for the Wildcats.
Senior cornerback William Curran started seven games last season. The other three listed starters in the secondary combined to start just two games in 2014.
Sophomore placekicker Trevor Smith had a solid year for Davidson in 2014, making 9 of 13 field goals and 28 of 29 PATs. He made a 44-yarder against Dayton (sending that game into OT), his longest made field goal of the season.
John Cook shared punting duties in 2014. He averaged 36 yards per punt, with a long of 55.
None of his punts were blocked, while 3 of his 26 punts landed inside the 20 (with no touchbacks). Cook is also the backup quarterback for Davidson.
Long snapper Conrad Mueller is in his second year in that role for the Wildcats.
The Wildcats averaged 20.7 yards per kick return last season, slightly better than average nationally (and almost two yards per return better than The Citadel). Davidson's kick coverage units were inconsistent from game-to-game; Princeton, in particular, dominated the special teams battle when the two teams played.
Davidson only returned one punt all season (for seven yards). I thought that was a typo at first, but it isn't.
– Paul Nichols is only 34 years old, and the Davidson head coach also has a very young coaching staff. College graduating class years of his eleven assistants: 2005, 2008, 2012, 2011, 2007, 2001, 2012, 2010, 2013, 2014, and 2015.
– Dave Fagg was the head football coach at Davidson (his alma mater) for two separate stints, 1970-1973 and 1990-1992. He was also the head wrestling coach at The Citadel for one season, 1964-1965 (serving as an assistant football coach for the Bulldogs in 1964). There probably are not too many people who have been Division I head coaches in both football and wrestling, and at different schools.
– Davidson has 95 players on its roster (as of August 28), and they come from 24 different states. North Carolina is home to 21 of those players, while 15 are natives of Georgia. Other states with significant representation: Florida and Ohio (nine each), Texas (eight), and Maryland (five).
Nick Wheeler and Derek Jones, both sophomores for the Wildcats, were classmates at Eagle High School in Eagle, Idaho.
Junior linebacker Nate Casey (Tega Cay/Westminster Catawba Christian) and freshman offensive lineman Daniel Runck (Mt. Pleasant/Wando) are the only two South Carolina residents on the squad.
– Of those 95 players, there are 13 seniors, 19 juniors, 29 sophomores, and 34 freshmen. Last season, Davidson reportedly had 77 freshmen and sophomores on its roster.
– After playing The Citadel, Davidson will host Catawba next Saturday. The Wildcats then have a week off before beginning Pioneer League play on September 26, travelling to Kentucky to face Morehead State.
– Earlier in this post I quoted from a John Kilgo article, a stinging criticism of the actions of Davidson's administration circa 1973. Kilgo has been an institution in the Charlotte sports community for more than 50 years.
He co-wrote Dean Smith's as-told-to autobiography (the two were good friends) and hosted Smith's TV show. Kilgo also enjoyed a noteworthy career as a radio commentator, and was a writer/publisher for a variety of newspapers.
In the mid-1960s, he was Davidson's sports information director. For the past 15 years, he has been the play-by-play voice for Davidson men's basketball.
– Per Davidson's game notes, 34 members of the Wildcats' 1965 squad will be in attendance on Saturday, dressed in red and seated behind the Davidson bench. According to Paul Nichols on his preview show, two assistant coaches from that year will be there as well: Dave Fagg and Dick Tomey.
After leaving Davidson following the 1966 season, Tomey would eventually have a long, successful career as a head coach at three schools: Hawai'i, Arizona (including the "Desert Swarm" years), and San Jose State.
– Famous people who attended Davidson but did not graduate include Woodrow Wilson, William Styron, and Stephen Curry.
If you're wondering why I wrote the previous sentence in that manner, it's because Davidson's list of alumni athletes on Wikipedia includes Curry but notes in parenthesis that he "did not graduate", singling him out despite the fact he is far from the only listed ex-player not to get his degree from the school. Apparently Curry's lack of a college diploma is a cause of angst in certain quarters.
– Mike Houston has faced Davidson once as a head coach. In 2013, his Lenoir-Rhyne team defeated the Wildcats 34-18. In that game, Lenoir-Rhyne rushed for 419 yards; the Bears also scored a touchdown on a 98-yard kickoff return. Davidson's William Morris, then a sophomore, had 119 yards receiving and a TD.
The contest was Paul Nichols' second game in charge of the Wildcats, and his home debut.
– The Citadel leads the alltime series against Davidson 31-21-4 and has won the last eight matchups (and 14 of the last 15). The two teams' last meeting was in 1985, a 31-0 victory for the Bulldogs.
Despite the fact the two programs haven't met on the gridiron in 30 years, Davidson has played The Citadel more times than any other school except VMI (which has faced the Wildcats on 58 occasions).
– The Citadel's fans are being encouraged to wear light blue to the game against Davidson (this request was also printed on the season tickets). Presumably the team will wear the traditional home uniform of light blue jerseys with white pants. At least, I hope so.
– Mike Houston's radio show will air on Wednesday nights this season from 7-8 pm. It will originate from Fiery Ron's Home Team BBQ in West Ashley. Mike Legg will host the show, which will be broadcast on WQNT (1450 AM) in Charleston.
– Per one source that deals in such matters, The Citadel is a 41.5 point favorite over Davidson on Saturday.
This game is not expected to be close, and I don't really think it will be. However, I am less than comfortable with the premature enumeration of fowl.
Regardless, I'm not expecting an absolute shellacking. Davidson's tendency to throw the football more often than not could pose problems for the Bulldogs; the program in recent years has not been noted for stellar pass D.
Offensively, The Citadel should move the ball without too much difficulty, though the Wildcats' statistics against the run last season were not that bad. The key will be making sure all the skill position players are on the same page, which could be an issue with a new quarterback, and the fact that it is the opening game of the season.
The experience and ability of the Bulldogs' offensive line should be a major advantage for The Citadel, however.
Assuming a victory, the final score probably won't be the best way to evaluate the Bulldogs on Saturday. Consistency of execution on offense, playmaking on defense, success on special teams — those are the elements that will matter in the long run.
I'm looking forward to this game. I've been looking forward to it since last season ended.
Haven't we all.
Filed under: Football, The Citadel | Tagged: Appalachian State, Bucknell, College of Faith, Davidson, Furman, Homer Smith, James Madison, Joe Susan, John Kilgo, Lafayette, Mike Houston, Paul Nichols, Penn, Pioneer League, Sadath Jean-Pierre, Sam Frye, SoCon, Stephen Curry, Tevin Floyd, The Citadel, VMI, Western Carolina |	Leave a comment »
Game story in The Post and Courier
Three points on the game (from The Post and Courier)
WCIV-TV report (video)
WCSC-TV report (video)
Postgame comments from Kevin Higgins and Ben Dupree (YouTube video)
Kevin Higgins' locker room speech (YouTube video)
Radio highlights
I'll write a little bit more about this game later in the week when I preview the game at Elon. Just a few quick thoughts:
– The Citadel did a lot of things right in this game, and it's a good thing, because Samford was a solid opponent. Before the game began, I thought the Bulldogs would have to play very, very well to win. They did just that.
– The use of sweeps to get outside against Samford's "bear" front was well conceived, as was the commitment to continue testing the middle throughout the game, which paid off. The fake punt was timely and perfectly executed.
– My only real quibble with the playcalling/game management on Saturday was the sequence that led to The Citadel punting from the Samford 33-yard line late in the game. You never want to put yourself in position to punt from inside the opposing 35.
– Given the opponent, that may have been the best defensive performance of the season.
– SoCon officials need remedial work in ball-spotting. That hurt both teams on Saturday.
– Samford's football video game coordinator was not happy with no penalty flag being thrown on the two-point conversion attempt, as can be seen in the comments to the ESPN3.com video highlights review. Those grapes are mighty sour.
Also, he's wrong. Sadath Jean-Pierre's coverage on the play was legal and excellent. The throw wound up closer to the end rifleman for the Touchdown Cannon Crew than the receiver (who did not run a particularly good pattern, in my opinion).
– While the effectiveness of the team's play has been questioned at times this season, the effort certainly has not been. There is no quit in this group.
I was very impressed with the Bulldogs' collective resolve while trailing 17-0. They didn't give up, they didn't go through the motions, they kept trying. On Saturday, that paid off with a victory.
To be honest, as I watched the fourth quarter, I knew that win or lose I was already satisfied with the performance. I had seen what I wanted to see.
Winning the game was nice, though.
Let's talk about off the field — specifically, the tailgating/homecoming scene. Three quick notes, and then a story…
– Tailgating can be educational. For example, I learned that in Chester, South Carolina, Bi-Lo's is the default option for quality fried chicken. If you're ever in Chester, keep that in mind.
– I didn't meet the gentleman, but I understand a member of the Class of 1943 was in attendance on Saturday, for what would have been the 70th reunion year for his class. Kudos to him.
– There were many, many outstanding tailgates in evidence. However, the biggest bash I saw was definitely the one for the Class of 1968.
The spread for the '68 party was so large, I wouldn't be surprised to find out next week that Sus scrofa domesticus was being placed on the endangered species list.
– Okay, story time.
About ninety minutes or so before kickoff, I was with a few friends of mine in the tailgating area adjacent to the Altman Center. As the filling for fish tacos was being carefully prepared, we were discussing important matters of state, such as The Citadel's urgent need for varsity lacrosse.
At that point, Nancy Mace walked into the area. As you may or may not know, Mace is the first woman to graduate from The Citadel as a member of the corps of cadets, and she is also campaigning for the U.S. Senate seat currently occupied by Lindsey Graham. Both Mace and Graham are seeking the Republican nomination.
It wasn't a surprise to see her at Johnson Hagood Stadium; after all, she's an alum. She had attended at least one other game earlier in the season. On Saturday, she was with her campaign manager and (I think) one other person.
Mace was introducing herself to folks, chatting tailgaters up, doing the kinds of things associated with retail politics, when a small group of about ten people entered the same space. From among them appeared none other than…Lindsey Graham.
The scene was riveting. The tension in the air was thicker than a tortilla shell. Some people were noticeably uncomfortable.
(Others may have been amused.)
Graham began greeting the same people who had been talking to Mace, shaking hands, talking, hugging at least one person. At least one observer thought Graham purposely avoided acknowledging Mace for as long as possible, which made the whole situation even more fantastically awkward.
Eventually, however, the two did talk. A détente of sorts was reached. Pictures were taken. One of them leads off my photo review of Saturday.
Filed under: Football, The Citadel | Tagged: Kevin Higgins, Lindsey Graham, Nancy Mace, Sadath Jean-Pierre, Samford, The Citadel |	Leave a comment »


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Penthouse in Kyrenia, unsurpassed views!
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Location: Grand Bahama Cay, Northern Berry island group.
Sea Angel left Ft Lauderdale, Florida, USA on Wednesday, November 24th for its first international destination.
New to me was the power and speed of the north bound Gulf Stream that passes very close to the coast of Florida. In addition we had left about 4AM in the morning darkness and entered the gulf stream just as 50 or 60 gigantic cruise ships were inbound (actually 5 or 6, but it seemed like way too many). It was a game of nighttime cat and mouse that had me perplexed. Our small boat was crabbing kind-of sideways in the strong current, with the direction traveled much different than the direction of the bow of the boat. It made it challenging figuring out why a ship I saw off to the port was actually passing on the starboard. We made it fine and powered through the stream passing the islands of Bimini to our south. We sailed the great Bahama bank through the afternoon and through the night, and arrived at the northern end of the Berry Islands just before dawn.
Captain Dave raises the quarantine and courtesy flags upon arrival at Grand Bahama Cay.
have been stamped. The courtesy flag is the flag of the country you've arrived to.
We took safe harbor at Grand Bahama Key marina where we later enjoyed Thanksgiving with the crews of a couple boats that arrived with us.
Yesterday we rented a "jeep" and toured the small island. Great Bahama Cay has a population of about 700 people and it is the largest of the Berry islands. It has a fascinating and at times a sordid history. We heard about an old lodge (now in ruins) that was built by the "Rat Pack" (Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop). It was their playground in the mid to late 1960's, entertaining the likes of Marilyn Monroe, Bridget Bordeaux, and other beautiful women. I had to find it. We succeeded at the remote north end of the island.
attractive getaway for the famous friends.
The lodge foundation overlooks the beautiful Sugar beach, but today sits in ruin and is totally overgrown. Long after the jazz, cigars, and card playing days of the Rat Pack, the lodge was taken up by a drug cartel who used it for their private escapades, of which there are interesting stories as well. I admit it was tempting to take a couple of bathroom wall tiles for coasters, wondering what those tiles might have seen in their time.
The view from the Rat Pack Playground, enjoyed by the likes of Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr.
The most memorable and reflective moment in Grand Bahama Cay was when we chatted with a fisherman that gave us a ride into the original town settlement on Thursday. I had asked him if he was from this island and he said no, that he was from a smaller island to the south. When he explained his bone fishing business and his life journey, he said, "No, I'm from the smaller Hoffman Cay to the south, I just moved here, in 1984." That is a pretty good indication of island time here.
In this first blog post I thought it appropriate to say a few words about the topic of "fear". This trip, this journey of over 10,000 miles by open sea to the South Pacific, the unknown of getting there and working in a culture and environment I do not know, of leaving family and friends, has finally come to fruition. It is interesting to me that what began several years ago, a calling, followed by simply putting one foot in front of the other, finally had lead me on November 3rd, 2014 to the lands-end. The time had finally come to actually face the inevitable outcome of specific decisions made over the last few years. I had said a year prior when someone asked me what the hardest leg of the trip would be, I said "the first three feet from the dock". I knew back then that the point would be uncomfortable, and it has proved itself to be.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR TREMENDOUS SUPPORT!
In the last few weeks of preparation and saying good-byes, the question among my friends of being afraid was prominent; it was sometimes masked in comments like, I would love to do that but I couldn't, or more specific like what about pirates, or storms, or…. Some may call it fear but since I don't really like that word, I chose to look at it as the feeling of simply facing the unknown. An absence of understanding. Stepping into faith. Whatever you call it, it is a distinct feeling that comes when we finally admit that we have to surrender control.
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Run by a French-Egyptian woman with impeccable standards, the Roma brings dignity, even elegance, to the budget-travel scene. The towering ceilings, fresh white-painted walls, antique furniture and filmy white curtains create a feeling of timeless calm while everything's kept neat as a pin. Most rooms share toilets, though many have showers. Rooms in the new extension have full bathroom and air-con.
You'll never be pressured to buy a tour here (they're not even an option), and staff are genuinely friendly and welcoming. Unsurprisingly, this place is popular with repeat guests, many of whom could afford more expensive places but prefer the old-Cairo atmosphere here.
Boasting a shared lounge and free WiFi, Pension Roma is situated in Cairo, 1.5 km from Tahrir Square. The property is set 2 km from Khan Al Khalili. The restaurant serves Middle Eastern cuisine. At the hotel, all rooms are equipped with a wardrobe. A continental breakfast is available daily at Pension Roma. Speaking Arabic, German and English, staff will be happy to provide guests with practical guidance on the area at the 24-hour front desk. The Egyptian Museum is 2.4 km from the accommodation, while Al-Azhar Mosque is 2.5 km from the property. The nearest airport is Cairo International Airport, 19 km from the property.


text:
Global sports group: Should sports be considered essential during pandemic?
Jeff Metcalfe
Arizona State's Global Sport Institute planned to host its third Global Sport Summit this week in Phoenix.
The coronavirus pandemic forced a cancellation of the summit, which was to have centered on sport and the body, the Global Sport Institute's 2020 theme.
In lieu of the summit, Global Sport Institute CEO Ken Shropshire gathered seven sports experts from around the world to discuss the impact of coronavirus on sport.
Participants in the video conference Friday were:
Tracey Holmes, Australian journalist ABC News Radio
Andres Martinez, ASU professor and journalist
Ilhaam Groenewald, chief director of Maties Sports, Stellenbosch University in South Africa
James Skinner, director for sports business, Loughborough University, London
Natalie Welch, assistant professor for sports business and marketing, member of the Eastern band of Cherokee Indians
Simon Chadwick, director of Eurasian Sport, emlyon Business School, France
Stephen Ross, executive director of Penn State Center for the Study of Sports in Society
The wide-range conversation went over its allotted hour and easily could have continued much longer given the magnitude of sport at every level virtually shutting down in every country and opportunity that panelists say comes with the crisis.
Shropshire moderated the discussion, which included two polls for those watching. In the first poll, 60 percent of respondents believe sports should not be considered essential during the pandemic.
"I'm surprised by it," Chadwick said. "Sports constitutes a whole bunch of things. If we take it as being synonymous with health and well being, I would argue it's as important and relevant as it's ever been. If you're going to sit in your house for 10 weeks, you think about muscle wastage and clogging arteries, this is really important.
Skinner referred to a recent comment by an Italian coach that football (soccer) is the most important thing of the least important things in life. "That message is really resonating in the sense that people in the United Kingdom are saying we love sport, sport is powerful, it's what we are as a society, but saving lives is more important. The government is running that message and some players are singing to that tune.
"In the darkest times, sport does act a vehicle to bring us together and to get us through challenging circumstances. But in these situations, sport can actually be a catalyst to increase risk on communities and led to the spread of the disease, there's recognition there is need to stop for short periods of time and work out way through it."
In the second poll, 77 percent of respondents said the pandemic is a moment for sports to re-evaluate and re-set before competition resumes.
Holmes recounted a recent conversation with three high level Australian and international sport leaders. "All of them said this is a pause that needs to be used so wisely by everybody involved in sport to think about what it's going to look like when it comes out the other side to make it better.
"The one thing that was most evident was that return to community values and also the gender issue, that women's teams will be the first thing chopped off when budgets are redevised."
Martinez cautioned against romanticizing a return to a less commercialized post-pandemic sports world. "When the prosperity ends, what follows often brings with it greater inequality. We've had in the last few years in Latin America, the beginnings of viable women's football in Mexico, Peru, Argentina.
"Often times that has been the result of this influx of money where professional clubs have been told by FIFA and society pressures, if you're going to have a men's soccer team, you're going to have to afford a women's team too. It's not equal, but there has been tremendous progress. When I think about the reset that's going to come, a lot of those avenues are going to be pulled back similar to governmental public assistance for grassroots sports."
The panelist believe deferring to medical experts is a necessity in determining when sports can re-start.
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"To me this is ultimately an epidemiology and infectious disease problem of people how have medical degrees and not something for sports experts," Ross said. "When it is safe for athletes to gather and practice and compete then we can think about bringing a sport back at least on a streaming basis," perhaps without spectators.
Groenewald said, "The late Nelson Mandela said sports has the power to change the world. With this pandemic, we should remind ourselves what else can we do other than the things we are used to. Nelson Mandela spent 9,958 days in jail. If he could come out of jail and ensure a democratic South Africa, even with all of our challenges, we remain a resilient nation. I'm confident across the globe, whatever your contribution to sport, I'm sure you will find something to inspire you."
Welch emphasized the toll coronavirus is taking on Native American youth sports, especially pertinent in Arizona. "I want to stress the importance of taking advantage of this time we have to create a new normal. Our indigenous people value elders. They are a very important piece of our community. I challenge all of us to think about other ways we can engage our communities. We believe the creator does things for a reason, and this is a way for us to really reevaluate the way we're doing things."
Reach the reporter at jeff.metcalfe@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8053. Follow him on Twitter @jeffmetcalfe.
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