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(10/19/11 9:35pm)
Some of the biggest success stories in college sports are those that deal with walk-on athletes. Walk-ons are students who were not recruited for that sport coming out of high school, and they enter try-outs in order to join the team. While Mercer’s football coaches are currently out and about on recruiting visits to drum up interest with high schools in the team before the official NCAA period begins in December (coaches can’t meet with players yet), the Bears’ head football coach Bobby Lamb wants Mercerians to consider trying out for the team.
If you are a freshman or sophomore that will be at Mercer for the first season in Fall 2013 and are interested in playing football for the Mercer Bears, then the Spring Semester will be your chance. There will be 15-20 spots opened up for walk-ons in the Bears’ first year of play. That initial year of play will be all practice and scrimmage in preparation for the coming season. In the middle of next semester, there will be try-outs for anyone who wants to play.
Coach Lamb is adamant that the campus has quite a few athletes who need to try out. “I’ve been watching some of those intramural basketball games, and I’ve seen quite a few guys I’d like to see come out for the try-outs,” said the head football coach. If you’re of the right age and have sufficient talent, then you might have a legitimate chance to be wearing the orange and black of the Bears in 2013.
Stay on the lookout for more information from the Mercer Athletics Department surrounding try-outs if you’re interested.
(10/06/11 2:09am)
After finding some rhythm towards the end of their non-Atlantic Sun start to the season, the Mercer Bears volleyball team came home to take on the defending champions Lipscomb and fellow Nashville school Belmont on Sept. 23-24. The Bears put it all on the line to try to unseat two of the Atlantic Sun’s best. Unfortunately, the Bears were unable to pick up a point against Lipscomb, and couldn’t overcome Belmont despite winning the first set. The Bears extended their losing streak (as of Sept. 24) to three games, falling to 4-11 overall, 0-2 in conference play. Lipscomb rose to 6-6, and Belmont rose to 11-6 overall. Lipscomb 3, Mercer 0.Mercer could never right the ship in any of the three sets, dropping them all at 25-19, 25-23 and 25-18. Despite leading 22-18 in the second, the Bears lost seven of the next eight points to see Lipscomb’s volleyball team take their first steps toward another title. Junior Charlayna Braxton carried the squad in her two sets, picking up five kills. She had a .333 hitting percentage. Braxton added a pair of block assists. Jamie Duffy got to 401 career digs on the night, adding four to her tally. Charlotte Harris’s chase of Mercer and Atlantic Sun records in digs was boosted by another 12. Amiee Frutchey had seven kills to lead the Bears. Madeline Dolny had 10 assists and six digs to further her streak of matches with at least 10 assists. Mercer was outdug 42 to 36, and both teams had six blocks. The Bears hit just .010 as a team. Belmont 3, Mercer 1.The Bears experienced more heartbreak the next day as the Belmont Bruins outlasted them. The Bears jumped out to a 4-1 lead, winning the first set 25-18. However, the luck would turn against the Bears, as they dropped three straight sets 20-25, 23-25 and 14-25. Mercer outblocked Belmont 7-5 with Jennifer Katona having six blocks on the day. Anna Coursey had 11 kills on 32 attempts. In the third set, Mercer got back to 24-23 before a Belmont timeout quelled all the momentum, allowing for a Bruin lead in the match 2-1. Meanwhile, Charlotte Harris had 22 digs as she inched closer to the record. Jamie Duffy had seven kills and nine digs. The Bears are 0-2 in conference play.
(10/06/11 1:53am)
Fan favorite and core member of the Mercer Bears basketball team, forward Brian Mills has signed a contract with Lusitania Angra Patrimonio Mundial, a team in the 12-team Portuguese League, better known to the rest of the world as Liga Portuguesa de Basquetebol or Portuguese Basketball Premier League. As for a comparison, this is the NBA for Portugal. He will not be the only American on the roster, either, as he will play alongisde Terrance Hundley of UC-Riverside and Momplasir Marcel of Rhode Island. The team is located in Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, Portugal. They are best known for having won the 2006-2007 Portuguese Cup over Benfica, one of the most powerful teams in the league to date. Lusitania went 7-15 last season. Mills will be the second-tallest individual on the team, adding size down low and depth to the post play. Not only does this promise Bears fans that a Mercer great will get to keep playing at the next level, but it will add more credibility to the Mercer basketball program. The more players that get to play professional ball, the more knowledge of Mercer spreads around the world. With Mills starting in his rookie season, there is even more facetime for him, his career and Mercer’s visibility. This is the sixth individual to get a pro contract under Coach Bob Hoffman’s tenure at Mercer, following Calvin Henry, Sidiki Straub, Daniel Emerson, E.J. Kusyner and James Florence. When speaking to the Mercer Bears Athletics’ website, Coach Hoffman said it was a great opportunity and that Mills’ “blue-collar style” will impress his coaches and fans in Portugal. For those unfamiliar with Brian Mills, the 2010-2011 season saw him lead the team up against tough competition and come out stronger. A first-team selection for the All-Atlantic Sun Conference team, Mills averaged 16.2 points per game and 6.0 rebounds per game in the final 33 games of his senior season. Mills led a youthful team into a close loss versus Belmont during the Atlantic Sun tournament. He is 20th on Mercer’s all-time scoring list, with 1,138 points. The tally is impressive when he had to compete for playing time during the early part of his career while behind the five who got pro contracts. Lusitania’s season starts on Oct. 15 against Sampaense. As for Mills himself, he is really excited and nervous to begin play. “The contract process was a bit nervewracking as a rookie. It was tough to be patient and wait for the call. It was a surreal feeling when my agent called me and told me I had an offer,” Mills said about the signing process. “Discovering that you’re getting to play basketball professionally is incredible,” he added. In two preseason games, Mills had 10 points and six rebounds, followed up by 17 points and six boards. Both were tough losses, but Mills started both games. He said that he had little to complain about because he gets to live near the ocean and play basketball. Speaking to his coach, Mills discovered that he was recruited primarily based on his stellar senior season, and will be asked to perform the same basic role that he did at Mercer. He will be the primary scorer and rebounder for a squad that was lacking height. The Cluster would like to once again congratulate Brian Mills on this terrific opportunity to start and succeed in the Azores, Portugal, and will continue to update his play overseas.
(10/06/11 1:29am)
I am willing to say that more people in America know that Bohemians FC is a bottom-of-the-barrel soccer team in the top division of the Irish soccer league from playing FIFA than from watching soccer games on the television or the Internet. I am also willing to say that more people know the depth charts of their favorite NFL team because of creating their own players in Madden to replace people than from actually watching games. Finally, I’m willing to say that sports video games have led to a higher incidence of people learning about the tougher-to-understand rules such as offsides in soccer. I firmly believe that sports video games are something that have boosted the visibility of players, teams, and sports that many people did not know about. American sport culture is not one that supports soccer as a mainstream sport (however, it is the fourth-most-attended sport in the United States), but between decent performances of the US National team and the growth of online multi-player video gaming, many more people know about the sport. With a game that sold well over 14 million copies worldwide (FIFA 11), EA Sports has proven that anything is playable with an online component. Teams and leagues worldwide know that the visibility in a game will boost them up, especially with the addition of game modes that focus on players and team-building like Ultimate Team in Madden and FIFA.I would have to agree that fantasy sports have done this for the major sports, but most of the individuals who do this are much more passionate about their sport in general. While I have known quite a few people who participate in fantasy football for fun or even in a pool, those that I have known are not as likely to keep following individuals or other teams. Money is the big factor. To me, fantasy games have traditionally been for the bigger fans. As a first step, sports video games are better to get someone intrigued.One of the main reasons this has happened was the growth of the social video game from the Wii. Due to this system’s growth, more people are playing video games that had not before. At least part of those people have started playing sports games, as sports games sales have been on the rise. Madden and FIFA have seen an unprecedented rise lately. Another reason for the rise in playing and growing to love the game is the growth of achievements and obstacles to unlock in the game, so people are opened up to different teams and parts of the sport they aren’t familiar with. Some proof for this is the current leaderboards in a new game mode in FIFA that sees fans support their club and give them virtual titles. Spain, Barcelona and Real Madrid are not the top of the table by a long shot, showing that people are finding different ones to support. In addition, this year’s NCAA Football made individuals play with different teams than they normally would to get harder achievements unlocked. Forcing gamers to branch out has made more fans.I know many people will argue that I’m trying to force something here that isn’t actually the case. However, I know of many people who follow much more in soccer because of what they learned in FIFA. They like to watch the game because they understand it, and the lack of understanding has been an often-used complaint by Americans who don’t watch it. I know I watched more hockey after playing NHL Hitz 2002.
(10/06/11 1:23am)
The Cluster sat down with head football coach Bobby Lamb to find out more about what makes him tick and some clues to the future of Mercer football. The emphasis on athletics was evident from his love of the game and the way he addressed football. There is evident passion for what Coach Lamb does in the way he spoke about his job. However, job is a bit of an understatement, as Lamb’s true calling in life is football. From growing up in it, going to college for it, to working his entire life in it, Bobby Lamb can go to work every day happy that his job is his passion and not simply a 9-to-5. To him, it is the ultimate team game, one that emphasizes real teamwork and connections with one’s teammates. All the parts must work together to have success. Coach Lamb loves this facet of the game.
The Cluster (TC): Why did you pick to play football growing up?
Coach Bobby Lamb (BL): I was a multi-sport athlete growing up, playing football and running track among a host of other sports. However, I came from a very football-rich family.
TC: Why did you go into coaching football?
BL: The long tradition of coaching and playing has been in my family for years. My father was in coaching for 52 years: 35 in high school and 17 in different levels. There was an opening for a graduate assistantship in coaching after I got done playing at Furman and the rest is history. Basically, it’s in your blood after playing and with a family history like mine.
TC: Who do you follow in college football beyond your alma mater?
BL: As for my favorite football team, I am a huge Alabama Crimson Tide fan. My father loved Bear Bryant. It was a day when there would be just one game on television on Saturday, and more than likely it was Alabama. When Bear Bryant instituted the wishbone, my father used it for the high school team. As for my favorite player, it’s former Chicago Bear and Crimson tide running back Johnny Musso. Most people will never know who he was except for Alabama fans from long ago. (Musso was elected into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2000. Also known as the “Italian Stallion.”)
TC: What did you study at Furman?
BL: I didn’t study much. I attended Furman University from 1982 to 1985, earning a degree in Health and Exercise Sciences before moving on to get a Master’s in Education as well.
TC: What were some of the benefits of that impressive winning record against the BCS-level opposition while you were in school?
BL: The team defeated South Carolina in 1982, Georgia Tech the next year, and then NC State the following two years, all as a lower division school. It was part of a very impressive run I was lucky to be a part of. This type of surefire success is very helpful for a team’s growth, as it can spur on the growth of a program. We’ve got to get the team when they’re at a lower point and reeling, and even though BCS schools normally have the depth to win in the fourth quarter, it could happen. Don’t expect it at the beginning, though, but a few years in, anything is possible.
TC: How has recruiting gone so far, and what are the challenges that you face as a non-athletic scholarship football squad?
BL: I’m very excited to be working at a school where academics do not find themselves shafted by a major athletics department. These bring in a high class of athletes that don’t forget about school, which is something Mercer prides itself in. While recruiting has been a great experience so far in trying to get the name of Mercer out there, recruiting for a non-scholarship football team that prides itself on academic excellence is a very delicate balance. I enjoy the process, and I can’t wait to get into December and later parts of recruiting where communication with the players is finally allowed.
TC: What are you and your staff currently doing?
BL: My staff and I are slowly putting together the pieces of puzzle of the Mercer football program. We are putting together the plans for the team’s uniforms, which should tentatively be announced by the beginning of next year. They are designing their building and fieldhouse that will be a part of the new stadium.
TC: Who inspires you?
BL: My greatest inspiration is his father, a man with over 50 years of experience in coaching football, including the past 17 at the University of Georgia, where he just retired this year out of the office of high school relations and recruiting. My father was more than just a coach, and this philosophy stuck with me as I grew out of childhood and into the game of football permanently. My father had close, personal connections with his players, and I was able to be involved at a very early age. I took this type of coaching with me for my own career.
TC: What do you think of conference realignment?
BL: I am very opposed to it. I am very old-school, and to think of rivalries being lost in the interest of money is appalling. Also, the game is getting beyond a proper experience for a student-athlete. It’s all about the bottom line. It is out of control.
TC: Bowls or playoffs?
BL: Playoffs, easy. I played in the system and coached it. It really can’t be duplicated. Instead of neutral fields, games would be home and away, showing home field advantage. It’s exhilarating. A playoff would generate more drama, intrigue, and passion instead of bowl games.
In essence, Coach Lamb is a charismatic individual who will be a great head coach at Mercer as the program begins. He has been in touch with Bill Curry at Georgia State, a place where a football team recently came to the campus. He has also spoken with officials from Stetson and Campbell, places where football is freshly stirring
Click here for the entire video chat with the new head coach. Special thanks to Mercer Athletics for their assistance in shooting the video.
(10/05/11 2:17am)
I submitted my first grad school application this past Friday, September 30. It was one of the most thrilling-yet- terrifying moments in my life to bring it to the post office. Holding the thick stack of essays and application materials made me realize just how close May 2012 is.
I know I’m preaching to the choir for my senior class, and I know that all of you who aren’t in my position really can’t relate to this unless you’re applying to some awesome program or internship in the near future.
You really can’t understand the feeling until you hold the application to your first-choice school in your hands. It is a little like what Plato describes with “The Cave,” as in having your eyes opened.
As for what I did, I plan on going to seminary/divinity school after this year. I applied to McAfee School of Theology at the Mercer-Atlanta campus.
The Early Decision deadline and scholarship consideration deadline is very soon, so I finally sent it out. I have been working on this for weeks. I wrote four full pages for one question alone, and I had four to do.
I spent ages working under the tutelage of Dr. Richard Wilson, to whom I owe quite a bit for having gone over them a few times, and I also owe a thank you to Professor Jenny Zimmerman for the editing. I also want to thank Dr. Brian Rood, Dr. Craig McMahan, and Dr. Janell Johnson for having written recommendation letters.
However, I don’t want to just thank people. I want to give tips to all of you about the process. While I have just sent one out, I also have two to three more in the works, as Campbell, Duke and maybe Wake Forest are all soon with their deadlines as well.
While it’s been tough to balance all of this with the massive amount of writing for classes lately, it has only better prepared me.
Longtime readers of the Cluster will remember that I wrote about procrastination a year-and-a-half ago, after some pretty serious issues in my life.
While I’ve bounced back well since then, the dangerous temptation of procrastination sits on the fence all the time.
That deadline will sneak up on you faster than you realize. It feels quite empowering to have gotten that big project, paper, application, etc. done ahead of schedule. Your work is also better.
While I was one to always say my best work came out under pressure, I learned that I can apply my own pressure early on in the project deadline in order to get similar and even better work. My grades have rebounded this year, and I might get to graduate cum laude or higher after all.
Anyway, this leads me to my first tip about grad school application: start applying as early as possible and force deadlines on yourself. Your professors are busy. Actually, they’re busier than you. You are not the busiest person on the planet, even though it’s easy to fall into that way of thinking.
This lesson was one I had to get over in order make sure that I didn’t just drop application materials and recommendation forms on a professor’s desk and ask for them to do it now. Okay, yes, I did this to you, Prof. Zimmerman, but it was editing an essay!
Most professors will gladly do a letter for you if you have a good relationship, but you just have to give them time. Hence, my second tip: identify your professors early on and tell them early on!
More than likely, you’re writing something. I know that this is redundant, but you are going to need to write the best essays of your life. They have to be on point and part of a greater body of work called your grad school application. I personally wouldn’t have been qualified for those essays if I hadn’t been writing continually for The Cluster, my own personal items, and writing-intensive courses.
A student majoring in something that doesn’t focus on writing needs to make sure he or she keeps writing in some regards in order to be prepared for the essay process in their applications.
This leads me to my third tip, one that will really prove to be valuable if not self-explanatory and expected: practice writing in your discipline as much as possible.
In essence, most of these tips are probably already in your minds. This stuff might be unnecessary. However, you know that classes build up, and all of a sudden, you have four tests and a paper the same week as your application’s deadline.
Hence, my fourth tip: apply as soon as possible. You will do better and have more time to devote to it. I know that this is what saved my application from being lost in translation while my papers took over my life.
This leads me to my final tip: treat your application like a term paper or final project. You’ll do better and have a higher chance of getting into your dream job. This is something that everyone should pay attention to.
All in all, these five tips are something I came up with to help me get my application(s) out on time. I hope to hear back from my number one choice soon in the positive sense, but it’s in God’s hands now.
Hence, I pray and hope for the best. I don’t think you should do a shoddy job and hope to get lucky, but I think that having faith in yourself helps quite a bit.
I wish all of you the best on your grad school, program, or internship applications. I’m definitely in the same boat, waiting around for a reply now. I can’t wait!
Comments on this column can be sent to Garret.
mcdowell@gmail.com.
(09/22/11 1:47am)
For nearly a decade, Coach Noelle Rooke has repeatedly taken Mercer Volleyball into the Atlantic Sun tournament, and she has reached her 200th win as a head coach. She has taken the Bears to new heights and onto the cusp of greatness. Former Atlantic Sun Coach of the Year sat down with The Cluster and talked about her influences and legacy at Mercer.
The Cluster: Simply put, why volleyball?
Coach Noelle Rooke: Volleyball is a fun, fast-paced and exciting game to both play and watch.
TC: Why did you decide to coach?
NR: My college volleyball coach is actually the one who saw the attributes in me that she thought would make up a good coach and she is the reason why I got a head coaching job right out of college. I was also influenced by my dad, who was a high school football coach for 20 years, so I have been around the coaching profession all my life and have a passion for educating, teaching and giving back in a coach’s way.
TC: Who are your influences, whether it be in coaching or just life in general?
NR: My biggest influence right now is my husband, who is also a coach, and since we are in the same profession we are able to support each other and bounce ideas, tactics and game plans off of each other. He is also the best person I know and he makes me want to be a better person every day! As stated above, my dad and my college volleyball coach are also my biggest influences; however, I try to surround myself with colleagues and mentors who teach me and push me to grow every step of the way.
TC: What did you study in college?
NR: I majored in Psychology and minored in both Sociology and Criminology and I definitely use my major within my profession.
TC: How do you want to be remembered at Mercer?
NR: When my coaching career is complete at Mercer, I would like to be known for leaving the program better than it was when I got here, for having a 100 percent graduation rate, and hopefully for being a good role model for my young ladies to be upstanding people as well as student-athletes.
TC: What is your philosophy behind coaching?
NR: My philosophy is that hard work equals reward. I like to set the precedent that you have to work for everything in life and that nothing is handed to you on a silver platter. Also that honesty is the best policy.
TC: What is your favorite quote?
NR: I have several…
“I hear, I forget; I see, I remember; I do, I understand” – Confucius
“You don’t know unless you go”
“You don’t stop playing because you grow old; you grow old because you stop playing” - Ben Franklin
“Ability is what you’re capable of doing; Motivation determines what you do; Attitude determines how well you do it” - Lou Holtz
TC: What do you think of sand volleyball?
NR: I love sand volleyball. I was born and raised in Southern California so I played sand volleyball before I ever stepped foot indoors. I think that if every indoor player played sand first, it would make them more of a well-rounded and better all-around player because sand volleyball forces you to do everything, whereas indoor volleyball is more specialized and positional.
TC: Should Mercer field a men’s team in volleyball?
NR: I wish Mercer had a men’s volleyball team because my women’s team would benefit so much from practicing and playing against men. The issue is that there are very few NCAA Division I Men’s Volleyball teams, so it would be a lot of traveling, which means a big budget would be needed; and right now Mercer needs to focus on taking care of the sports we currently have.
Coach Rooke clearly loves what she does and lets it show when she is on the sidelines with her girls on the volleyball court. Watch her in her most comfortable environment as she continues to guide the volleyball squad this season.
(09/22/11 1:45am)
The current three-match winning streak (as of Sept. 17) for the Mercer Bears Volleyball team is part of a 4-2 stretch since the last match of the Bear Brawl. The Bears have really turned it around after six straight tough losses to begin the season. Despite a two-match stretch of not winning a set (Samford and Georgia Tech matches), the Bears have pulled it together under the tutelage of Coach Noelle Rooke. The Bears are now 4-8 on the year as they approach conference play.
Georgia Tech Regency Suites Invitational
Mercer 0, Samford 3
The Bears opened their play at the Georgia Tech Regency Suites Invitational with a loss to Samford by the score of 25-10, 25-22, 25-18 on Sept. 9. The Bears were outhit and outperformed in digs by the Bulldogs. However, the Bears were able to outblock the Bulldogs 7.5 to 5.0. Jennifer Katona led the Bears with six kills, and she had her third straight match with a hitting percentage above .270 (.273). Amiee Frutchey and Emily Rochefort led the team with nine digs each, accounting for half of the team’s digs between the two of them. Charlayna Braxton had more than half the blocks for the Bears with 4.0. Madeline Dolny had nine assists to lead the team. Samford was able to stay undefeated on the year behind stellar play from their two juniors: Emily Neisler and Lauren Hutchinson.
Mercer 0, Georgia Tech 3
The Bears were unable to make a dent in the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, despite going to tiebreakers in two of the three sets on Sept. 10. They lost 25-15, 26-24, 28-26. In this match, Charlotte Harris, the senior libero, passed 1,000 digs in her career with nine against the Yellow Jackets. When asked about what that career mark meant to her, Harris said, “Breaking 1,000 digs is a huge step for me in my career. I am very proud to have done so but I have many more goals I want to accomplish before the season is over.” In addition to Harris’ feat, Jennifer Katona was able to record 10 kills on just 19 swings. Tech was too strong, though, and they improved to 6-2 on the year.
Mercer 3, Georgia 2
The Mercer Bears won their second match of the season on the afternoon of Sept. 10 against the in-state rival Georgia Bulldogs 15-25, 25-18, 22-25, 25-21, 15-11. It was also the second time that Mercer has defeated an SEC program under Coach Rooke, and it was the first time that Mercer has ever defeated Georgia in school history. Amiee Frutchey and Jennifer Katona had 15 and 13 kills respectively, spearheading an attack that was the upset of the tournament. Anna Coursey and Jamie Duffy each added 10 kills to that as well. Madeline Dolny had 29 assists and 11 digs in his first-career double-double. Charlotte Harris added 15 more, bringing her career total to 1,023 through the Georgia game. She had this to say about what the Georgia game has done for the team in general: “As a team, we had a huge win on Saturday night over Georgia. I think the win will give us the confidence we need to accomplish our goals during conference play. Coming together as a team is our biggest hurdle. We are definitely beginning to do so and if we continue playing the way we are, we will be successful come conference time.” Her thoughts are echoed by her teammates and her coach.
Mercer 3, Georgia State 0
Mercer beat Georgia State for just the fifth time in 37 meetings with the Panthers, and it was the third time that Coach Noelle Rooke’s squad has beaten them in her time at Mercer. The Bears won 25-23, 25-20, 25-23, with the score showing how close the match really was. Anna Coursey led the way with 10 kills on Sept. 13. Jamie Duffy’s 23 digs led the Bears, but Charlotte Harris had 20, upping her career total to 1,043. Each set was not without drama, and Mercer’s leaders performed well with clutch points and capitalizing well on Georgia State mistakes.
Mercer 3, Florida A&M 1
On Sept. 17, the Mercer Bears dropped the first set but rallied to win the home match against the Florida A&M Rattlers 22-25, 25-19, 25-16, 25-22. Mercer improved to 4-8 on the year with the thrilling come-from-behind victory. Charlotte Harris upped her career total of digs to 1,058 with 15 more, just as Jennifer Katona had 16 kills to lead the team. Anna Coursey added 10 more.
Mercer goes on the road to Troy on Tuesday, but they open conference play against Lipscomb at home on Sept. 23. The Bears look to knock off the defending champions.
(09/22/11 1:42am)
So with the face of college football set to drastically change in the coming days, the time for a playoff is more readily apparent than ever. Those who want the BCS gone can finally yell for the destruction of the powerful bowl complex. However, what method of playoff seems best? There are many ideas, so I am going to throw mine into the mix.
I propose a 16-team playoff, one that wouldn’t cancel out the bowl system (as those would, for once and for all, just be postseason games that have no bearing on the outcome of the national championship, and only to those teams who didn’t make the playoff).
Who earns spots to the playoffs though? This is where my new conferences come in:
Lone Star Conference: made up of Texas, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Baylor, TCU, and SMU in one division, Houston, Rice, UTEP, Texas State, UT-San Antonio (both of which are FBS as of 2012), and North Texas in the other.
Big East Conference: made up of Massachusetts (FBS in 2012), Boston College, Pittsburgh, Army, Syracuse, and Rutgers in the North Division, and Navy, Louisville, Notre Dame, Miami (FL), South Florida, and Connecticut in the South Division.
Atlantic Coast Conference: made up of West Virginia, Temple, Virginia Tech, Maryland, Virginia, and Clemson in the North Division, Florida State, North Carolina, NC State, Duke, Wake Forest, and Georgia Tech in the South Division.
Southeastern Conference: still made up of Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, and South Carolina in the Eastern Division, LSU, Auburn, Alabama, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and Arkansas in the West.
Big Ten Conference: made up of Purdue, Indiana, Illinois, Northwestern, Cincinnati, and Ohio State in the Southern Division, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota in the North.
Pac-12 Conference: made up of Hawaii, Oregon, Oregon State, Washington State, Washington, and Fresno State in the North Division, California, San Diego State, San Jose State, USC, Stanford, and UCLA in the South Division.
Mountain West Conference: made up of Arizona, Arizona State, Idaho, Boise State, Nevada, and UNLV in the West Division, Air Force, Colorado, Colorado State, Utah, Utah State, and BYU in the Eastern.
Plains Conference: made up of Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa State, Missouri, Kansas, and Kansas State in the North Division, New Mexico, New Mexico State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Tulsa, and Arkansas State in the South.
Great Midwest Conference: made up of Buffalo, Akron, Bowling Green, Kent State, Miami (OH), Ohio, and Toledo in the Eastern Division, Ball State, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan, Marshall, Northern Illinois, and Western Kentucky in the West.
Big South Conference, made up of Troy, Alabama-Birmingham, East Carolina, Florida International, Florida Atlantic, UCF, and South Alabama (FBS in 2012) in the Eastern Division, Southern Miss, UL-Lafayette, UL-Monroe, Louisiana Tech, Tulane, Memphis, and Middle Tennessee State in the West.
Each one of these 10 conferences would have one automatic bid designated to their conference champion. The conference champions would be decided via 10 conference championship games held on the first Saturday of December across the board. There would be six spots remaining, set aside for the six highest ranked teams as per the new ranking system that would take into account overall record (with a preference towards all one-loss teams regardless of conference as opposed to any two or more loss team), their conference’s non-conference record for that year, and place in their conference.
The lower your overall score, the higher ranking you have. For each loss in your record, you receive one point. As for your conference’s non-conference record that year, the winning percentage is subtracted from one and added to your team’s value.
Finally, whatever place you finished in the conference is added to your value. For example, a team that finished 11-2, had a conference that won 66.7 percent of their games against other conferences and finished second in their conference would have a value of 4.333.
For at-large spots, the lowest possible value would be a 3.000 (one loss, second place, conference didn’t lose to any other conference).
While many would say that this playoff is too inclusive, I say that it truly eliminates the argument that every conference isn’t represented, and it gives teams that might have a legitimate argument (say one very close loss to the conference champions) to be in the NEW “Big Dance.” Each team would play a set 12-game schedule. Each would have eight conference games, playing their entire subdivision every year.
Also, each team would have a protected rivalry in the other division, meaning that their final two games would be opponents from the other subdivision that rotated every two years, meaning that you would play home and away before switching off. In the Big South and Great Midwest Conferences, they would have just one rotating opponent every year due to them each having seven teams in each subdivision.
As for the four non-conference games, all would be mandated to play against other FBS opponents. Many would find my system to be flawed, because there would be an impetus to play against the lesser teams in other conferences. However, I feel that there would be an impetus to play against who you feel are the better teams. Since you know that your conference will be tough, an insurance policy in case you don’t get invited to the conference championship game or lose in it would be to boost your national profile and ruin other good teams’ seasons that you’re competing against for an at-large position for the playoffs. Your conference needs a leg up, especially due to cellar-dwellers that will probably lose all four games they play. This adds an element of European sports into college football by focusing on the table, head-to-head match-ups, and victories over quality opponents.
Anyway, the 16 teams that qualify will be seeded based on the new ranking system. Number one would play number 16, two plays 15, and so on and so forth. It would be set up the exact same way a regional is set up in college basketball, so it becomes four games for the championship.
Logically, a team could be 9-3 or 10-2 and get in if they win their conference championship, but the quest for that perfect 17-0 team would begin. It adds four extra games at max to the national champion’s schedule (three if undefeated, not necessitating a play-in game if they lose in their conference championship and fall into a tie for sixteenth), but if they are the true best team in the country, then they can handle it. The season would finish in early January at this point, and the playoffs would begin the week after the conference championships. In the case of a tie at the 16th position, a play-in game would occur on the Wednesday following the conference championships, moving the next round game to that Monday.
I personally feel that this would eliminate so much melodrama from BCS rankings (many people complaining about what needs to be added or taken away from this new ranking system) and focus on what people want, more football and more drama-filled games. I would love to show how years past would be affected by this, but since I argue for a conference realignment in this as well, I can’t logically place teams into this playoff system and show you how it would work.
In essence, this is just another potential idea for a playoff to determine a real national champion year-in, and year-out. I would love to see an undefeated team or two rampage through this, to see two 16-0 squads play each other in the real National Championship game.
(09/22/11 1:30am)
The Mercer Bears’ cross country squads have started the season strong at several invitationals in the first half of September 2011. The Bears have traveled to Athens for the UGA Invitational to Americus for the Georgia Southwestern Remembrance Run, and have hosted the 10th Annual Mercer RunFit Sports Invitational in their hometown, Macon. The men and women have performed well in regards to the top-level competition that they have encountered.
On Sept. 3, the cross country squad traveled to Athens for the women to take on the Georgia Bulldogs, Alabama Crimson Tide, Georgia State Panthers, Tulane Green Wave, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Emmanuel, and Clark Atlanta at the UGA Equestrian Center.
The men also competed against Chattahoochee Tech and Morehouse. Kacie Niemann finished fifth overall, trailing just four runners from UGA. She eliminated 13 seconds off her previous personal best, set last year at the 2010 Atlantic Sun Championships. It was another school record.
The women finished sixth overall, beating Emmanuel and Clark Atlanta, and they finished just three points behind Georgia Tech. Sammy Woller finished second for the team, at 48th overall. Lena Hamvas, Kylen Hughes, and Christina Kivi rounded out the action for the women.
As for the men, Sony Prosper led a very good day for Mercer Bears cross country men. Prosper clocked in at 19th, Chris Svidesskis at 23rd, Mark Kushinka at 32nd, Jacob Law at 33rd, and Andrew Weems at 56th. The top four finished within 39 seconds of each other, suggesting that this season will be another step in the right direction for the Mercer cross country squads. Coach Ryan Bailey says the summer preparations would be vital to success this season. “I know they all worked hard over the summer and the result of their base-building efforts are showing through already,” Coach Bailey told mercerbears.com.
On Sept. 10, the women’s team traveled to Americus for the Georgia Southwestern Remembrance Run. The women were a mix of first and second team runners, and they still managed to finish third overall. Sammy Woller was the top finisher overall, and Lena Hamvas came in at fifth. Illiana Garcia finished 13th, and Kasie Knapper was six spots back. Caley Cranford did well, grabbing 27th place.
As for the men, only two Mercer runners competed: Geremy Skeen and Joel Aguilar. Skeen finished 47 seconds faster in Americus than in Athens.
On Sept. 17, Mercer hosted the RunFit Sports Invitational, where they took on 11 other schools. The women performed well, finishing second overall as a team, missing first by five points to SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design). They beat SCAD-Atlanta, Darton College, Clark Atlanta, Brenau, Young Harris, Truett-McConnell, Spelman, Lagrange, and Edward Waters College. Lena Hamvas, Sammy Woller, and Christina Kivi finished third, fourth, and fifth respectively, with Kylen Hughes and Iliana Garcia also finishing in the top fourteen. Kasie Knapper and Caley Cranford did not collect points, but finished very high in the standings as well.
As for the men, they squeaked out a close but narrow victory at the RunFit. They beat SCAD by just three points, capped off with four runners finishing in the top 10 – Sony Prosper, Chris Svidesskis, Jacob Law, and Marc Kushinka. Andrew Weems finished 13th, securing first for the Bears. It was a successful outing for the Bears.
Mercer’s cross country squads are next in action on Oct. 1 at the Greater Louisville Sports Commission Cross Country Festival in Louisville, K.Y.
(09/22/11 1:18am)
The upcoming Mercer Bears football team has officially announced their initial conference affiliation as the Pioneer Football League (PFL), one of three that plays non-scholarship football in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision, formerly known as Division I-AA. This football-only league will see the entrance of the Mercer Bears in the fall of 2013, along with their arch-rival Stetson Hatters, who also resume play in 2013.
Affiliation in the Pioneer Football League will not affect the Bears’ status within the Atlantic Sun, as the Atlantic Sun does not sponsor football competition. The Bears will take on Stetson, Butler, Campbell, Davidson, Dayton, Drake, Jacksonville, Marist, Morehead State, San Diego, and Valparaiso. The proposed format will make the conference into two separate divisions, with the Bears playing fellow newcomer Stetson, Davidson, Jacksonville, Campbell, and Morehead State every year.
According to Head Coach Bobby Lamb, Mercer will find a good home in the Pioneer Football League. It will provide much national exposure for the fledgling program, as they will be going all around the country to play teams on both coasts. With several homes games as well, the city of Macon will also find itself with an economic boost several times each fall. This will help a city that needs all the help it can get at the moment.
Mercer University is also in need of an identity in football, since it’ll be just another football school in Georgia, and the non-athletic aid conference will help Mercer gain some recognition. They are already one of the top schools for student-athletes in the southeast, and Coach Lamb implored that this Pioneer Football League will help Mercer stand out above the rest. With a massive recruiting blitz about to happen in the state of Georgia by the Mercer coaching staff, both the Pioneer League’s history of success and future success in the FCS (Football Championship Subdivision, formerly Division I-AA) will be a massive bargaining chip.
The PFL was founded in 1991, and Mercer will be joining in their 21st year of competition. This is something that will help bring guys in to a program that was 70 years in the making. That, combined with a good record at Furman for Coach Lamb, will help usher in plenty of new recruits.
The Pioneer Football League opened play on Sept. 1, with Morehead State helping usher in a new season of success for the conference. In 2013, Mercer looks to do the same. “We want Mercer Football to belong to Macon and the entire middle Georgia region and the Pioneer Football League is a big step with that identification process,” said Director of Athletics Jim Cole, speaking to Mercerbears.com. “It is our intent to have the exciting atmosphere and rivalries of college football, and to provide an affordable, family-oriented experience for our fans,” he added.
President Underwood also told the Athletics’ website: “A key component in the decision of our Board of Trustees to resume competition in intercollegiate football was the opportunity to affiliate with the Pioneer Football League.”
With the support of the administration fully behind it in all senses, Mercer football could rise to success very soon.
(09/21/11 10:57pm)
At the risk of sounding like a man who doesn’t want women in office, I am getting on my soapbox again this week to lament the impact that Elaine Lucas is having on the city of Macon.
She does not deserve public office, because she has abused the position and has helped lead Macon further away from a bright future that sees Macon become an important part of the Southeast.
She and her husband both have caused more racism and prejudice with their words and idiocy.
I will be honest; I have really only started paying attention this summer during the elections for the primaries.
I noticed a friend had posted on a Facebook page called “Remove Elaine Lucas from Office.”
I was really intrigued. I began to look through the pictures of the page that were screenshots of things she had said and written on public websites such as Facebook.
It was truly despicable, the rhetoric and vitriol that she had used to convince her voting constituents that there were still “carpetbaggers” and active KKK groups out to get them if she didn’t stay in office, along with the “nationwide plot to unseat Obama” running through her position in East Macon.
I could go on and on quoting the things she says, but the essence of what she is saying is that the Republican Party wishes to enslave and cripple the black/African-American population in Macon.
It is a sad day when she attacks her own party members with such hatred, only to see her husband lose his seat to Miriam Paris—who I hope will be a great improvement.
Chris Horne, supported by many people who share similar views with me, only lost by 126 votes, meaning that plenty of people are seeing what kind of fool she is.
Trenton White, former SGA President and a current SGA Senior Senator, spoke with me about what he has noticed.
I routinely saw him respectfully comment back to Lucas on her personal Facebook page, where she would dodge and ignore his intelligent comments.
“We don’t need that sort of unfounded slander in our local leaders,” White said.
He also told me that “[He] closely followed the summer’s citywide elections and was very disappointed by Elaine Lucas. Even now, Ms. Lucas consistently uses divisive and inflammatory rhetoric that undermines any sort of unity our community is building.”
Trent had the same emotions I, as well as hundreds of others, have. In fact, there is a campaign to bring her up on ethics violations for the harmful words she says.
To give proof as to the slavery comments, she wrote in August that “Republicans are our masters and really know what we need.
We ought to be happy that we have such kind people taking care of us. All they want us to do is behave like good little children and pick dis here cotton. Now let’s all get back to work or I’ll tell master on you.”
This is just another moment in a long line of idiotic and ignorant things she has said, only to fuel racial stereotypes and further harm the city of Macon.
Lucas might have supported upgrading Jeffersonville Road, supported the Marriott Hotel in her ward, sponsored the Booker T. Washington Center’s rehabilitation, and secured $500,000 for the Rosa Jackson Center.
However, a few improvements to centers and fixing a road is not enough to wipe out the bitter words that are now on the public response.
She has even insulted Macon residents on Facebook who don’t even have public office.
Nevertheless, her inflated ego is also a great stumbling block, simply because she has convinced herself that the road to Obama’s re-election for the U.S. Presidency runs through her position next year.
It is nice to know that our elected officials care more about national politics than the own areas they are supposed to represent.
Claiming that the Republican Party’s agenda is all anti-black and racist against African Americans is a bit extreme, especially since no one in the Republican Party is changing his or her name to include offensive hate organizations like she is—e.g. Erick Erikson to Erikkk Erikkkson.
The city of Macon would be better off without her involvement.
I’m not an expert, but any elected official who does not add any benefit to the city—she also has sponsored boycotting local restaurants— while saying some very horrible things needs to lose her position.
She doesn’t even support the mayor despite his being in office.
Elaine Lucas has been around since the 1980s. Her presence is bad news. She was brought up on faking sick leave in 1995 by the Bibb County Board of Education in the amount of $634.38, along with two others.
This culture of thinking that she’s above everyone else must be nipped in the bud, finally.
Hopefully the massive amount of complaints about her breaking the code of ethics will finally change something in this city.
As for you Mercerians, I urge you to get involved.
There are bound to be good and bad individuals at all levels of government, all around the country.
I want to get involved and see if I can help turn the tide against propagated racism in Macon.
Comments, questinons, concerns or rebuttals can be sent to Garret.mcdowell@gmail.com.
(09/08/11 1:29am)
Despite much early season preparation, the Mercer Bears volleyball team is 1-6 overall, having snapped a six-match losing streak to start the season with a great win over Norfolk State to close out Mercer’s Bear Brawl.
Senior Charlotte Harris is currently third in the Atlantic Sun in both total digs and digs per set with 109 total and 4.74 per set. This puts her at 996 digs overall, and at her current pace, she should break into the thousands during the first set of the opening match of the Georgia Tech Regency Suites Invitational against Samford on Friday, Sept. 9. Also in Atlantic Sun play, junior Jamie Duffy is currently ninth in digs per set with 3.62 and eighth with 76 digs. Junior Monica Sanchez is ninth in the Atlantic Sun for assists per set at 6.57, and she is sixth in total assists with 151. Despite the conditioning efforts by Coach Rooke and her new assistants, the Mercer volleyball squad’s rough start was almost brokered into possibility by the tough schedule. The trial by fire for the team is not over anytime soon, as the Atlantic Sun play is fast approaching with the two-time defending champ Lipscomb coming to the University Center.
Mercer’s hitting percentage through seven matches is ninth in the conference at .099, but they are leading the league in limiting their opponent’s hitting percentage by a large amount at .176. Mercer is also second in blocks per set in the Atlantic Sun at 1.65. Mercer is outperforming the best teams in the league in several statistical categories, as that must be maintained if they are to perform well against Georgia Tech and Atlantic Sun play.
As for recent results, Mercer dropped five-straight matches 3-0 to open the season. Davidson (a future conference member of Mercer’s football team), Winthrop, University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Georgia Southern, and Troy all blasted the Bears with stellar play. Per the Bears’ outperformance, Mercer gained valuable game experience. Tennessee State overcame a 2-1 deficit to win the second game of the Bear Brawl against the Bears.
Anna Coursey received all-Bear Brawl honors for her dominating display of athleticism, including helping lead the Bears to their win over Norfolk State. She had eighteen kills and nine blocks in three matches. “I’m extremely proud of Anna’s steady court play and how she did her job consistently all weekend long. She deserved and earned a spot on the all tournament team,” Coach Noelle Rooke told the Mercer Bears’ athletics website. The first set was the only one that really mattered, as the 10 ties and three lead changes led to a solid Mercer victory there, as the Bears only trailed twice the rest of the match.
Mercer is next in action in Atlanta for the Georgia Tech Invitational. Their next home match is Sept. 13 against Georgia State.
(09/08/11 1:23am)
The men and women’s cross country teams are definitely looking to improve upon last season’s trip to the NCAA South Regional as a team. With seventh place finishes between the two squads at the Atlantic Sun tourney, Coach Ryan Bailey has been preparing the teams to chase down new heights as individuals and teammates. They put a heavy emphasis on summer preparations in order to prepare for the upcoming season.
“I told the team to come back in great aerobic condition to achieve the goals we have for this season. We gain confidence from competence, so we will be training smarter than ever this season,” Coach Bailey said. They are looking to have fast tempo runs lined up, so they can peak at the end of the season.
Most on the team are looking to the Royal Cross Country Challenge in Charlotte, N.C. on Oct. 14. That will be the final chance to work any kinks out of the line-up and perfect the running techniques by each individual runner. All runners expect to be in incredibly good shape and be breaking records over and over.
In order to prepare for this grueling season, Coach Bailey had the top guys on the team running 100 miles a week and the top girls at 70 miles per week. “Summer volume is the ‘fuel’ for the season. The more fuel you collect, the more you have to draw from once in-season training gets underway. I think, generally speaking, we have ample fuel for the season,” said Coach Bailey when asked about the conditioning that the team underwent on their personal time this past summer.
According to Bailey, the Bears have not hit their ceiling and will continue to elevate. This is the deepest the team has been in years, and everyone is focused and dialed in to compete at the various meets. Mercer will travel to Athens for the UGA Invitational, to Americus for the Georgia Southwestern Remembrance Run (women only), to Louisville for the Greater Louisville Sports Commission Cross Country Festival, to Charlotte for the Royal Cross Country Challenge, to Nashville for the Atlantic Sun Championships, and will once again host the Mercer Runfit Sports Invitational.
Mercer is looking to perform well in order to qualify for the NCAA South Regionals in Tuscaloosa in November. Who will represent the men at these meets this season is a story in itself, as Coach Bailey himself has gone on record to say that a lot of position changes could be likely, since the men were “hungry, so you can’t predict what will happen within the team standings.”
The women look to be led by Kacie Niemann again, but Sammy Woller is quickly catching up in terms of performance. Based on solid performances at the spring’s Auburn Invitational, the Bears have a lot to look forward to. Coach Bailey has also seen his certification level rise for several events by the USATF, or USA Track and Field.
With the highest possible certification for Endurance Events, the Bears can be sure that they are getting quality instruction as they attempt to rewrite the record books.
(09/08/11 1:15am)
With the departure of Texas A&M from the Big 12 currently in the news, the proposed SEC super conference is enough to begin the always-favored talk of the demise of the BCS. Even if just one team enters the Southeastern Conference, it would throw another wrench in the supposed balance of power and supposed shrunken disparity between teams around the country.
With Florida State, Clemson, and Missouri also rumored to switch (yes, I know that the latter two already said they were happy and not leaving, but let’s be real, who wouldn’t jump at the chance for the money and exposure from the SEC if given the opportunity) affiliations to the Southeastern Conference, it is only a matter of time until the argument that the SEC, or whatever conference begins the rapid expansion, deserves a bigger piece of the pie in the BCS and/or that the two (or more) best teams in the country are all in the same conference.
Despite the five last years all being SEC National Champions, there has been drama. In 2009, the two best teams in the country were obviously Florida and Alabama, and the de facto national championship game was the SEC Championship. However, all too often, there are several teams in the SEC that cancel each other out. You might have two to three one-loss teams that are all better than an undefeated cupcake squad. It’s rather upsetting to be a fan of a conference that routinely doesn’t get the credit it deserves, especially when put up against the likes of a Sun Belt or Western Athletic Conference (WAC).
For years, I railed against Boise State getting into the BCS mix, because I felt they were in a rather horrible conference. At least they have joined a somewhat respectable conference now in the Mountain West. However, TCU is about to leave them, so the conference really won’t have a leg to stand on with the additional loss of Utah. It goes back to the fact that the best teams in the country won’t be able to play for the national championship under the current system. If you had a 16-team playoff, I’d bet the SEC has the most seeds on any given year. That way, the SEC (or whatever power conference develops) will have a chance to show that they have the best teams in the country. Many naysayers say that the immense amount of money that bowl games provide for will always counteract the playoff push for FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision). I think with a 14-team conference or larger, you’ll see that conference will have such a large pull in the balance of power that their interests will become the norm. The smaller conferences would also support the playoff, because they know that they have a higher odds of making it into a national championship game via a playoff system.
I seriously want a playoff. I feel like it’d be a great way to see the best teams truly show who they are. One game could be a fluke, but win a few in a row against elite competition, and you prove that you’re the best. All we need is a power conference to form. Texas A&M could be the final domino that falls before the NCAA realizes a playoff is necessary for Division I FBS.
The PAC-12 might only last for one year before it becomes the PAC-16. Texas, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma State might join the mass exodus from the one-time great conference. PAC-12 commissioner Larry Scott will become the person that playoff lovers everywhere fall in love with, as his ruthlessness and desire to have the greatest conference will lead to the super conference that will eventually kill the BCS (along with the Department of Justice’s case against the NCAA and BCS).
I can only suspect that the SEC, prime examples of a perfect 12-team conference, will add Texas A&M. Florida State, Clemson, and Missouri seem prime to jump on board as well, as the money from the college game is just something that most people wouldn’t turn down. If you ask why Missouri and not Miami, you can see that the SEC increases its visibility in the Midwest and Great Plains states with the death of the Big 12. Now, the ACC, Big Ten, and Big East will seemingly try to survive as well, and the great college football shake-up will officially change the game forever. The landscape will forever have changed, and I think a third sub-division of Division I could happen.
(09/08/11 1:06am)
After a disappointing start to last season, the Mercer Bears volleyball team performed well, making it to the Atlantic Sun Tournament as the fifth seed. They look to maintain improvement, even as they are picked to finish seventh in the preseason conference poll. Led by the outstanding Charlotte Harris, the Bears look to Coach Noelle Rooke, now in her eighth season as the head coach of the Bears. She looks to this squad to add to her 215 wins. The former Conference Coach of the Year sat down with The Cluster to preview the upcoming season.
The Cluster (TC): How will the hiring of Dan Follett and Greg Walker impact the program?
Coach Noelle Rooke (NR): Greg Walker has already worked at a few high-level programs on the women’s and men’s side and is very knowledgeable in Data Volley, a program that breaks down practice and game film, so that we can better prepare our team on a daily basis. Dan has played at a high level and brings another level of intensity to practice that we need. Both Greg and Dan are young, eager, and highly motivated to get their feet wet and help take Mercer Volleyball to the next level.
TC: What conditioning and programs have you instituted to mandate a better finish for the Mercer Bears this year?
NR: My staff, along with [Mercer’s] strength and conditioning department and athletic training department, implements the proper nutrition, lifting, conditioning, and training programs to help my players compete at the highest level of a Division I student-athlete. It is all about sport-specific training and preparation.
TC: What are you expecting from All-Atlantic Sun Charlotte Harris this year?
NR: To be honest, I think Charlotte puts more pressure on herself than I could ever ask or demand of her. Charlotte and I have high expectations for her and our team this season. Charlotte not only wants to leave her mark in the Mercer Volleyball record books, but in the Atlantic Sun’s as well.
TC: How will the addition of sand volleyball impact the indoor game at Mercer?
NR: I expect that we will bring in more dynamic student-athletes that will make an impact indoors as well as on the sand. Indoor and sand volleyball are two completely different games in almost every aspect, so we will need athletes who can play both.
TC: Do you think the preseason poll of finishing seventh was fair to the team, especially based on last year’s fifth place and the return of 2010’s Outstanding Player Charlotte Harris?
NR: It’s not how you start; it’s all about how you finish. As a coach, it is always difficult to predict who will have an immediate impact on the floor, us or our opponents. However, I do get “ambitious” in the hopes it will better prepare us for our conference slate. You have to compete against the best to become the best!
TC: How will the six new recruits impact the team?
NR: My hope is that our transfers will be hungry to compete, since they only have two years of eligibility left, and that my lone freshmen will gain valuable experience right out of the gate!
Obviously, there are some high hopes for this year’s team. They start the season off with the Winthrop Class, but the trial by fire really heats up with the Bear Brawl and Georgia Tech Regency Suites Invitational. From there, Mercer will begin to prepare and focus even more on what will be a daunting season in the Atlantic Sun.
Libero Charlotte Harris looks to expand upon her league-leading 638 digs last season, giving her 887 overall. That puts her well within striking distance of the top ten in digs, where 10th place is currently 1204, set by Mercer’s own Jackie Viren from 2002-2005. If she averages 5.45 digs per set again, then it is a definite possibility.
Coach Rooke praised Dan Follett and Greg Walker, but their records at Juniata College showed success. Greg Walker also had much success at Penn State. These records of success and postseason knowledge are sure to be called upon to help Mercer Volleyball advance past the first round of the Atlantic Sun playoffs for the first time in the program’s history.
Lipscomb was picked to three-peat as the Lady Bisons are looking to be the first team to do so since UCF (Central Florida) did it from 2001-2003.
Mercer opens Atlantic Sun play with the defending champions on Sept. 23 at 7:00 pm.
(09/08/11 12:51am)
For the next five years, Mercer Athletics will join the ranks of programs like Michigan and Nebraska in being sponsored by international corporation Adidas America. All 16 intercollegiate sports will be sponsored by the company, and they will have apparel and footwear provided by them as well.
“We appreciate their willingness to supply our student-athletes and coaches with top flight products that will aid in their development and training, while also providing apparel to enhance the look and presence for our support staff,” Athletic Director Jim Cole told MercerBears.com.
New head football coach Bobby Lamb has worked with Adidas in the past, and he is excited about the future. Adidas America will be a selling point in his upcoming recruiting blitz that will take him through the states of Ga. and Fla. as he attempts to sign a 40- to 45-person recruiting class. He was very optimistic and called it “great sports apparel.”
As for the rest of the department, men’s soccer, men’s basketball, and volleyball all already used Adidas products, so the rest of the athletic department will be sure to see the benefit of the products to organizations that have done well in the past few years. Daniel Tate is the assistant athletics director for marketing for Mercer, and he was the broker behind the deal. He believes in far-reaching benefits for the entire athletics department.
In Mercer’s effort to create a brand for themselves, Tate told the Mercer Bears website that he believes this will help brand and build a consistent identity. “There is also a certain ‘credibility’ that is added when a worldwide company such as Adidas is willing to put its name side-by-side with yours. That association will help us market Mercer Athletics in the future and could open the door to many other opportunities,” Tate said.
Mercer is the only team in the Atlantic Sun who will have a deal with Adidas, once again showing Mercer’s leadership. In 2013, Mercer will be one of just two squads (Drake University is the other) in the Pioneer Football League to wear Adidas products. This type of exposure and linearity will boost the Mercer name. When style and substance combine, the building of the football program will be benefited, according to Coach Lamb. Men’s Basketball Coach Bob Hoffman seconded this, saying that the results have been nothing but positive.
Adidas is definitely going to help Mercer along its way to success and winning more Atlantic Sun championships. This is the first time the university has had a deal that stretches across the entire athletic department.
(09/07/11 10:38pm)
I can’t stand Michele Bachmann. Blunt, yes, but the woman is not what the United States needs in 2012 or, frankly, ever.
I do not like the Tea Party that much, but I respect their origins in trying to stave off the debt crisis. Even though the recent debt ceiling crisis occurred, it wasn’t like they ignored it. Scott Brown—someone the Tea Party endorsed intelligently—is a beacon of light in this current political climate.
Anyway, I bring up Scott Brown just because of how much better he is than Michele Bachmann. She is a joke.
For example, she has repeatedly criticized and lamented the stimulus package, about which Americans are of mixed emotions still. That is perfectly legitimate and acceptable to critique, but you cannot then say that your district needed funds and defend the stimulus.
This flip-flopping, combined with other factors, cost John Kerry the 2006 Presidential Election. Bachmann is just trying to appease every voter possible, which actually might work in an uneducated voting populace.
She won the Ames Straw Poll, which is a big deal, and it also scares me. Luckily, the only individual who has ever won the Presidency after winning the straw poll is George W. Bush.
Nevertheless, another reason I cannot stand Bachmann is that she is against mandatory public service and criticizes AmeriCorps and other government organizations that are service-based.
While I can agree that everyone might not be cut out for AmeriCorps or other groups, telling the Minnesota Independent that they could become “re-education camps” for young people is a joke and just a fear tactic. It’s frustrating.
Another reason I cannot stand her is that she is willing to sacrifice the well-being of the country she wants to be in charge of in order to stick to party lines. In the aforementioned debt ceiling crisis, she repeatedly said that no compromise should be made on what the Republicans want. She advocated default.
Her current political momentum has even been attributed as one of the reasons that Standard and Poor downgraded the US credit rating from the pristine AAA rating. The reasoning is that if the current political climate has potential leaders advocating default, then the future of those bonds is not good.
She countered with her ridiculous plan that had the majority of government funded programs being penniless. Her refusal to work across party lines over something that was of grave importance to the future of this country was just another sign that she is bad news.
To continue this train of thought, her interview on Sunday’s “This Week” just proved her flakiness and ineptitude. She said that Social Security needs to be reformed because you shouldn’t run a program the same way for 80 years.
Now, unless you are very knowledgeable about politics, I wouldn’t expect the everyday American to know that Ronald Reagan actually fixed that program somewhat in 1983... just 28 years ago. However, I do expect and pretty much mandate that the Presidential candidate I vote for HAS to.
Bachman is an uneducated moron who is running off the uber-religious right who want to see the nation return to a more morally-oriented country that is respectable.
As a matter of fact, I would like my leaders and elected officials to have morals and virtues as well, but I am not willing to sacrifice competent leadership for it. How she ever got enough support to win a Congressional seat in Minnesota is beyond me.
I know that you run on party lines to get primary votes, but there are certain things that can’t be erased. When asked how she was going to work with Democrats in the Senate to reassure markets of fiscal stability in this country, she simply said that she wanted to work on getting a filibuster-proof majority of Republicans there.
Yeah, that scares me, and it should scare anyone who actually cares about the U.S. surviving the next few years.
When you support Creation myths being taught as actual science, something is wrong. When you want to dangle nuclear strike capabilities in front of a somewhat hostile nation in Iran as a response, something is wrong. When you support nuclear power, you might actually have an intelligent thought. That is one thing I agree with her on.
However, she’s still a horrible choice and candidate for President. I hope that her campaign dies in the primaries much like her bills routinely die in committee.
(08/18/11 10:26pm)
In the preparations for any new season, a team has to look to the past in order to prepare for the future. With the fall sports season for your Mercer Bears’ teams just around the corner, here is a recap on their last outings.
VOLLEYBALL
2010 was an interesting year for the Mercer Bears volleyball squad. They finished 6-4 in the Atlantic Sun and 14-18 overall, but that was never a sure thing after the truly abysmal start. They dropped six straight matches to open the season and did not even win a set until their sixth match of the season at the Mercer Bear Brawl.
Mercer came back home after the North Carolina State Tournament at 2-10 and needing some change of pace. After an 0-2 start in Atlantic Sun play left them at 6-14 overall, the Bears came home to win eight of their last twelve matches, including a season sweep of Florida A&M. The Bears were 9-3 when at the University Center, but were 5-15 away from home and an ugly 3-8 in true road games. The Bears dropped the first game in the A-Sun tournament to Belmont, ending their season earlier than preferred. 2011 looks to be on the up and up, as six new recruits look to impact the underperforming squad.
MEN’S SOCCER
Growth and success continued in 2010 for Coach Brad Ruzzo’s boys, as the Mercer men continued their rapid rise atop the Atlantic Sun conference. They were sixth in 2008, fifth in 2009 with a berth in the conference championship game, and third a year ago. Based on 2010, they have been predicted to finish fifth again, but those predictions have proven to be misjudged for the Bears. They finished 5-4 in the Atlantic Sun and 10-6-1 overall. They were impressively 4-2 at home, 5-4-1 on the road and 1-0 in neutral games. They dropped the first game of the season on the road, but would rattle off a six-game unbeaten streak before going 5-5 the rest of the season, including a disappointing loss to Jacksonville in the first round of the A-Sun tournament. Nevertheless, that game was only possible with the three-game winning streak that Mercer went on to end the season. The offense was robust, outscoring their opponents 27-20 on the year and 13-11 in the conference regular season. They also beat nationally ranked Alabama-Birmingham on the road. Mercer averaged 381 fans per game last year. This is a promising sign that the team will be well-supported in years to come.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
After an incredible run that culminated with a berth in the NCAA Tournament, the Mercer Bears women’s soccer team had a fantastic 2010 season. They were only 10-9-1 overall, but a 7-3 record in A-Sun play helped give them a great seeding in the conference tournament. They took that great seeding and turned it into a 5-0 thrashing of Stetson and then outlasted Jacksonville in the final to get a berth in the NCAA Women’s College Cup. A first round exit at the hands of national powerhouse Florida is the building block for the future. They had a six-game winning streak snapped as well. At any rate, it was a great end to a season that, despite an opening win over rival Georgia Southern, endured a six-match winless streak to begin their season. Those fortunes changed in conference play. With a good portion of the team coming back and some electric new recruits in tow, this squad of ladies has high hopes for 2011.
CROSS COUNTRY
2010 was a good year for many Mercer teams, and cross country was no exception. The men and women both qualified for the NCAA South Regional, ensuring that the runners would continue to improve and compete on a national level. The men finished 16th and the women 21st, beating teams like Memphis, Central Florida, South Alabama, Tennessee Tech and Miami. It was truly a great year in intercollegiate competition, as the men finished fourth and the women finished fifth at the University of Georgia Invitational. Both squads finished seventh at the A-Sun Championships as well. The young squads have a lot to build off for the future, including sweeping the Mercer Runfit Sports Invitational last fall.
GOLF
The Mercer Bears Golf squads had great results with a fourth place finish for the men, passing four teams on the final day of competition at the A-Sun championships. They were spearheaded by freshman Hans Reimers, who finished second overall. Their final round play was both a school and conference record. The squad finished with several top-20 finishes. This season also saw several Bears named to All-Conference teams. On the women’s side, they were disappointed to only finish sixth at the conference championships, but it was definitely a long climb from past seasons, especially with a young squad. They performed well during the season as this will bode well for the future. A good note is the far margin of victory over the bottom half of the table.
(08/18/11 10:20pm)
United States fell flat on its face in the Gold Cup this summer; however, it has definitely improved the sport in this country. Former manager Bob Bradley took the team as far as he could go, and the individuals who called for his firing should also thank him for opening the door for Jurgen Klinsman, who will help bolster domestic soccer in America. We’re going from a manager who stresses foreign experience for his players, a la Clint Dempsey at Fulham and Stuart Holden at Bolton Wanderers, to a manager who wants homegrown talent, e.g. Brek Shea at FC Dallas and Teal Bunbury at Sporting KC. This alone will continue to bolster an already successful league.
Naysayers will claim that the MLS stands for Minor League Soccer, but when arguably one of the most successful managers in soccer, Sir Alex Ferguson, says that the league has “unbelievable possibilities,” that is very good news. With now over 17,300 fans attending every game on average (putting them fourth among professional sports leagues in America, higher than the NHL), the MLS definitely has hit the tipping point.
At 18 teams (with Montreal poised to become number 19 next year) cities across the country are jockeying for the next expansion, as the league has proven to become financially viable. New York, Las Vegas, Detroit, Orlando, San Diego, Atlanta and San Antonio have all had representatives in talks with the MLS to have an expansion team. Atlanta is trying to follow the Philadelphia Union’s structure, with Atlanta Falcons owner speaking with Jon Bon Jovi in order to sell shares of the Falcons to finance the construction of a soccer-oriented stadium in the Atlanta area. Orlando wishes to restart the MLS in Florida, where it flamed out in the league’s early years.
Wherever the new club turns, it is eminent that the MLS has desired to make a successful franchise in the southeast. It is very possible when international exhibitions are being held at the Georgia Dome and other stadiums to thousands of spectators. Even more, every expansion team has helped bolster attendance, with Seattle Sounders FC now over-capacity on average, forcing the upper deck to be opened for the first time, and over four million fans seeing MLS games last season.
As someone who has seen an MLS game (Columbus Crew versus Chicago Fire), I can say that the atmosphere is electric. While it still has a way to go to match that of La Liga, the Barclays Premier League, or the Bundesliga, people are coming and experiencing the economic success.
The Columbus Crew Stadium kick-started a wave of soccer-oriented stadiums which helped generate growth and expansion in areas needing an economic boost during a tough economy.
Since 2004, the league has become economically viable, prompting the expansion battle. It is truly great news for men’s soccer in America.
With the Women’s World Cup this past summer, there has been a rapid interest among fans. Even if only for the sex appeal, you can’t deny the interest in soccer in America has grown. Males and females have their heroes both at home and abroad, but the Americans are becoming household names. Everton F.C. lives and breathes by the saves of Tim Howard in the Premier League, while kids back home in America try to be as good as their hero, the same one who had ribs broken by the evil English a year ago in the World Cup.
There have been moments in American soccer that will be remembered as beneficial to the growth of the sport, namely the 1994 Men’s World Cup, 1999 Women’s World Cup, the 2002 Men’s World Cup, the 2010 Men’s World Cup, and the 2011 Gold Cup. Yes, we lost that, but the introduction of Klinsman is going to help bolster this nation and our version of the “Beautiful Game”. But in essence, the state of American soccer is good, and I can’t wait for the future.