My Thoughts on Murray State's Football Schedule

You can't say you didn't know when the Racers were going to play this year if you read this. The schedule and times of the games are at the bottom of this article. I hope every game at Roy Stewart Stadium sells out. The football team deserves just as much attention as the basketball team got. There are only five home games this season so catch them while you can. 

The Racers have a tough schedule this year. If you look at the schedule, they have to play three of their toughest games on the road. Winning at EKU, Jacksonville State, and Forida State will not be easy. If the Racers beat Florida State, that would be up there as one of my top sports moments in my lifetime.

ESPN, Who Is Izaya Kanon?

After every game last year, minus Tennessee State at home, I waited until the next day to go to ESPN.com and watch the video highlights of the game. One thing I'll just never understand is the one consistent error the ESPN anchors made throughout the season. "Murray State's I-zay-ya Ka-NON hit's another three..." Now if Murray was a D-II school, errors like this wouldn't bother me. However, we were a top 25 school playing in Division One and CANAAN, which is pronounced the same way as "canon," was our best player.

Love's Olmypic Dreams Come to an End

Murray State's Alexis Love's Olympic Dreams came to an end tonight, sadly. But, Racer Nation should still be proud of what Love accomplished. Most of us can only dream of having a chance to make the preliminaries let alone the Olympics.

Love did more than that. She made it to the semifinals of the 200 meter run at the USA Olympic Track & Field Trials at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon. Tonight, Love ran 23.10 seconds from lane two.

MKY Sports is Heading to the Races

This weekend MKY Sports will be taking a different approach to our coverage of the Sprint Cup race. DJ Irvine and I will be in attendance for the race at Kentucky and will be covering the race as normal while including a review of our experience. It is sure to be an entertaining experience for us, as well as you the readers. We will be including pictures from the race as well as give you an insight of what a race at Kentucky Speedway is like. Here's a look at the top 10 at the start of the race tomorrow.

1. Jimmie Johnson 2. Kyle Busch 3. Denny Hamlin 4. Kevin Harvick 5. Ryan Newman 6. Clint Bowyer 7. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 8. Brad Keselowski 9. Jeff Gordon 10. Martin Truex Jr.

Former Murray State Football Player Heading to Detroit Lions

Leading off this weeks Twitter updates is the story out of Motown. The Detroit Lions have picked up Dontrell Johnson off of waivers. The former Murray State CB and punt returner, played two years for the Racers before moving on to the National Football League. We of course wish Dontrell the best and will be following his career, here at MKYSports.

Canaan, Daniel are Headed to LeBron James Camp

Isaiah Canaan and Ed Daniel must be on a mission to dominate next year. The two are off to another camp as they are headed to Las Vegas for the annual LeBron James Skills Academy.

The two will join the nation’s top 80 high school players and top 20 college players. The camp will feature many of the elite instructors in the game. The camp is hosted by three-time NBA MVP LeBron James for four days of intense skill development and competition in front of of members of the media and NBA scouts.

One Racer is a Step Closer to her Olympic Dream

Alexis Love made Racer Nation proud tonight. Love is trying to achieve an Olympic Dream as she was participating in the 200 meter preliminaries of  the Olympics Trials.

Love ran from lane three in the first heat and moved onto the semifinals with a run of 23.15. Her time was just shy of her Murray State/Ohio Valley Conference record of 23.08.

The OVC in the NBA

The 2012 NBA Draft has now concluded, with teams like Kentucky and North Carolina dominating the two round selection process. All we will hear about in this area over the next few days is the "Brow" and his former Wildcat teammates. But in this article, we are going to focus elsewhere. We are going to steer clear of talking about the power conferences and turn our attention to players coming out of the Ohio Valley Conference.

Before the millennium, the NBA was able to see the likes of former OVC greats like Anthony Mason (TSU), Popeye Jones (MSU), Carlos Rogers (TSU), and Bubba Wells (APSU). Since then, the talent throughout the NCAA has spread to more than just power conferences, making a small school star capable of being recognized as one of the best in college basketball. Every year there is some kind of Cinderella team led by future NBA prospect whether it was Stephen Curry of Davidson, Damian Lillard of Weber State, or our very own Isaiah Canaan of Murray State. These kind of players help build a school into an up and coming dynasty, and the OVC is now producing players capable of doing that more so than ever.

You Win Some, You Lose Some

After two years of dating, and knowing for a long time I wanted to sign her for a long term deal, the time was drawing near for me to pop the question.

Except, I hadn't really planned anything. I had no idea what I was going to do. Not one iota.

And then it hit me, all at once, actually, like a ton of bricks.

It had to be public. It had to be planned. It had to be orchestrated.

But when? Where? How?

Let's rewind just a little bit, just to give it some background on the topic.

For the 2010-2011 season, Rachel (my fiance) and myself had attended the home game against Morehead State, in which the Racers clinched the OVC regular season with a decisive 70-62 victory.

She loved the game. I mean, how couldn't she? I pointed out the "Manimal" to her, referencing him as the dread-lock demon who stormed the glass with authority. I pointed out no. 3, the sharp-shooting Isaiah Canaan, who I knew would lead the team this year. I was screaming for Daniel and Aska, and the chants of "O-V-C" rained down onto the court as the Racers stormed to a huge lead.

Heat Loading Up for Repeat?

Coming off of their 2012 NBA Finals Championship, the Miami Heat organization is looking ahead to next season. While they are expecting to find a gem with the 27th overall pick in tonight's NBA Draft, they are more focused on finding veteran talent.

There have been many free agents reported to have interest in taking major pay cuts in order to play with King James and his court, and have the opportunity of winning an NBA championship. The most mentioned player being Celtics shooting guard Ray Allen.

7th Annual Mens Invitational at MMGC One Month Away

Photo Courtesy of Nick Kurnik

Miller Memorial Golf Course, home of the Murray State Racer Golf Team, will be hosting their Mens Invitational Open for the seventh straight year starting July 28th. In what has been a strongly competitive tournament, scores have varied from -11 to much higher than the 71 par for the course, showing that there is players of all skill levels who have enjoyed coming out for the tournament in the past.

Will Snodgrass, Director of Golf at MMGC,  is expecting anywhere from 100-105 players but has had as many as 120 show up for the tournament. Among those players will be some former Murray State Golfers. If that intimidates you, don't let it. After the first day the players are divided into different flights depending on what they shot the previous day. This, of course, is to insure the tournament stays competitive and everyone enjoys themselves.

Racer Football Talk with Conor: Quarterbacks

Every Wednesday night until football season, I am going to break down the Racers position by position. Tonight we will talk about the quarterback position.

Senior, Casey Brockman, Redshirt Junior, Spencer Phillips, Sophomore, Parks Frazier, and Junior, Anthony Hayes are the Racers four quarterbacks.

Most fans know by now that Casey Brockman is our starting quarterback. Let’s take a look at how he has done in the past and what he can improve upon for this upcoming season. Brockman is a senior hometown boy who played for Calloway County High School where he owns numerous records for the Lakers.

Joe Sakic inducted into Hockey Hall of Fame

Joe Sakic was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame yesterday, and he is my all time favorite athlete. I am a die hard Colorado Avalanche fan and Super Joe is a huge part of the reason why. Sakic was one of the greatest centers to ever play in the NHL. He was drafted 15th overall by the Quebec Nordiques in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft. His NHL debut would come on October 16, 1988, a game in which he registered an assist. That point was the first of 1,641, all of which were scored for the Quebec Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche franchise. Sakic played his entire 20 year career with the franchise, and captained the team for 16 seasons from 1992 until his retirement in 2009.

Super Joe had one of, if not the best wrist shot in the NHL. His accuracy was phenomenal and he would always score big goals when the team needed them. Sakic holds the NHL record for most Stanley Cup Playoff overtime goals, with 8. He would be on the ice for the Avalanche any time the game was on the line. In his career he scored 625 goals and added 1,016 assists. Sakic won the Conn Smythe in 1996 as the playoff MVP. In 2001 Sakic added the Hart trophy (league MVP), Lady Byng trophy (sportsmanship), and Lester B Pearson Award (now know as the Ted Lindsay Award, MVP as voted on by the NHLPA) to his accolades.

Wednesday Weekly Wrapup Brought to You By Right Lawns

As we draw deep into the summer months, I was wondering where my main provider of grass mowing has gone. I can't seem to get a hold of anyone associated with Right Lawns "We Get it Done Right" anywhere in the Louisville area. If anyone can help me out that would be much appreciated.  Now to this weeks weird, interesting and most important stories brought to you in satire. 

LEBRON WINS HIS FIRST OF SEVEN NBA RINGS: It has been exactly a week since several people paid over a million dollars to party with James and D-Wade after the Heat won the NBA Finals. Now I'd say the partying is over and Lebron must focus now on winning six more if he ever actually wants to impress anyone.

College Football Talk with Conor

I love college football. The excitement, the upsets, you never know what's going to happen. It's June and I'm excited for college football season already.

Every Sunday I am going to write a column about college football. This column will be called College Football Sunday with Conor. I will talk about what happened in the college football world that past weekend.

Things That Irritate Me - Twitter & Sports

This time of year, for me anyways, is like a dead period in sports. Some people love to follow baseball, golf, soccer, the Olympics, or whatever else, but my two loves include football and basketball. What stinks for me is both of them are now in the offseason, which leaves me writing about situations that are two or three months away. By the time football season gets here, players could have been traded, released, signed, retired, or benched....meaning a lot of future football reports I write could very well become irrelevant before the season even starts. Therefore, I am left with posting random topics on the Titans or NBA Finals (which is now over). Today I decided to spice things up a bit....

I'm sure we all know what Twitter is, but if you do not, Twitter is defined as the name of a social networking service and web site that limits the length of messages one can post to a certain number of characters. 

Austin Peay's Justin Blake Makes Mockery of NCAA Slogan.

The NCAA released an ad last season that read "Still Think We're a Bunch of Dumb Jocks?" A student-athlete in Clarksville, Tennessee has defecated all over it. Austin Peay will now be without one of their three seniors heading into the 2012 basketball season as senior guard, Austin Blake, has been ruled ineligible because of academic reasons. His failures to get his learn on match his subsiding efforts on the basketball court as his numbers have consistently dropped in his three years as a Governor. Blake averaged 5.8 points his freshman season, 5.1 his sophomore year and 3.3 last year.

Recruit Profile: Carlton (CJ) Ford

For the second of five installments of Recruit Profiles, we look at the one 2012 recruit who excites me the most. That is point guard CJ Ford. Since his recruitment last year, I have heard many good things about the young man. From his ability to get to the basket to the rumor that is spreading that he dunked on Ed Daniel in a scrimmage last season. Ranked 20th in his home state of North Carolina, CJ signed with Murray State in the fall. He chose Murray State over Miami University, East Carolina and Virgina Commonwealth.

Titans Talk: Hasselbeck or Locker?

This past weekend I was able to enjoy the Brothers of the Sun concert at LP Field that featured Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney with guests Jake Owen, the smokin' Grace Potter, and the beautiful Faith Hill. During Tim McGraw's encore performance of "I Like It, I Love It", Titans quarterback and current starter, Matt Hasselbeck, took the stage to throw out signed footballs in the crowd. I then got on twitter to tweet what just took place in front of the 50,000+ in attendance and something caught my eye. Hasselbeck was trending in Nashville, but majority of the tweets were asking why Jake Locker wasn't out there with Hass or instead of Hasselbeck all together. So that instantly gave me my next article idea for "Titans Talk"....

Looking back on the past...looking forward to the future

Murray State Football Cracks Pre-season Top 25

Along with OVC foes Jacksonville State (no. 25) and Eastern Kentucky (no. 9), Murray State University begins this year ranked no. 18 in Lindy's 2012 FCS Pre-season Top 25.

After finishing last season with a 7-4 record, Coach Chris Hatcher has led the Racers to back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1999-2000.

While the Racers lost special teams and defensive specialist Dontrell Johnson and backfield threat Mike Harris to graduation, Murray State returns a remarkably strong passing defense and prototypical "Hatch Attack" quarterback Casey Brockman, who is entering his final season as a Racer.

Brockman was named to the 2012 CFPA Awards Watch List after posting a monster 2011 campaign, completing 66 percent of his passes for 3,276 yards and 25 touchdowns and rushing 91 times for 390 yards and four touchdowns.

Who Wants to Be A Racer? Class of 2013 Recruiting Recap

4-Star Recruit Rashawn Powell

Steve Prohm signed a lot of his 2012 class early so we didn't get to see the effect last season had on recruiting so for the 2013 class could have the possibility of being the best class Murray State has ever had. Topping the list would be, when put nicely, two Hail Mary's for Coach Prohm. With Rashawn Powell and Robert Hubbs both ranked in ESPN's Top 100. 

(Click on the player's name for a video and more information)

Rashawn Powell: "Pookie" is a 6 ft 170 pound point guard from Orlando. This four star recruit has offers from big schools like Memphis, Miami, Kansas St, Mississippi St. and others. Currently ranked as the 78th best recruit in his class, I would say Murray State has a slim chance of seeing Powell on campus but if he does come...WOW! 

My Top Five Games from the Racers Season (MBB)

Basketball arenas may have shut down for the summer but I still itch and think about basketball season. So, I decided to take a break from the heat and recall the good ole days of last year’s memorable basketball season at Murray State. 

Not everybody knew who or where Murray State was last year. They just didn't know who we were. Then, the team got media attention and a lot of it. They deserved it. The Racers were the last unbeaten team as they started the season out 23-0. They finished the season with a 31-2 record. There only losses this past season were to Tennessee State and Marquette.

I picked five games that stood out to me during Murray State’s memorable run.

Daniel and Canaan Impressing NBA Scouts at Nike Camps

Photo courtesy of ESPN.com

Your Murray State basketball stars are getting a lot of attention from NBA scouts and agents at the Nike basketball camps. Ed Daniel who is currently at the Amare Stoudemier camp and Isaiah Canaan who is improving his skills at the Deron Williams camp are both increasing their chances of winning another OVC title and being drafted in 2013. Last night Probasketballdraft.com tweeted this

@SiP03 & @ED_EDD_EDDY_02 should give the Murray State fans and alums a lot to cheer about next season. Very impressive at the#Nike Camps.

Aska Scores 14 More; Virgin Islands Lose 78-73

Ivan Aska had another decent game versus the Dominican Republic, but the Virgins Islands dropped their third game of the Centrobasket 2012. The loss eliminates the Virgin Islands but Aska left his mark on the tourney. He added 14 more points, making that his average for the tournament. He also added 8 rebounds and two assists to the stat sheet in his 29 minutes of play.

You can check out highlights from all the games from the link below.


 http://www.fibatv.com/video/id/2005092

VCU To Murray Looking Less Likely?

Last season fans wrapped around the side of the CFSB Center waiting for the doors to open well before their Racers would square-off against St. Mary's in arguably the most anticipated game in Murray State history. This off-season the athletic department has been working on bringing in an opponent that could repeat that scene. The target was VCU, a 2011 Final Four participant and the winner of the CAA the last two seasons.

Titans Talk: Defensive Focus

Remember when the Titans first moved to Nashville? The team strived on a solid run game led by Eddie George and a sufficating defense led by a rookie defensive end, Jevon Kearse aka "The Freak". The team has changed drastically in the last 13 years, especially now that this is no longer a Jeff Fisher run organization. Instead of controlling the time of possesion while pounding the rock inside, the NFL has become a pass happy league and the Titans are on their way to becoming the same way. But we aren't here to talk about offense, we are here to talk what the Titans need to do so they can stop those pass happy teams.

This Weeks Twitter Feed

Every once in a while we would like to update #RacerNation on what some of our athletes are thinking. One of the best ways to do that is to show some of their Twitter highlights and we start with one from Murray State football player, John King.

The Unselfish King With a Ring

It started with a group of friends playing AAU basketball. A kid named LeBron James began to emerge. Then he starts four years in high school, wins three state championships and one national title. Next he decided to skip college and became the #1 draft pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers. He was THE man in the NBA and everybody loved him. He promised his hometown team a championship, but was never able to accomplish the task due to his surrounding cast.

Then came "The Decision." The criticism, the hate, and the jokes started to pour in on the self proclaimed king never being capable of getting a ring. But he was now with a friend, Dwayne Wade, and the Miami Heat were determined to accomplish one goal....win an NBA championship.

#StateOfHate

Kentucky is the state of basketball. It's taken very seriously in the Bluegrass State, as can be seen on any Twitter account, Facebook page, or blog that covers any corner of the state. The majority of the population bleeds blue for the Wildcats of The University of Kentucky. There are flags hanging from homes, cars, and buildings. You can bet the farm that more than one person will have painted themselves blue in the stands by tip-off time in Rupp Arena. Big Blue Nation (BBN) packs the house no matter where the Cats are playing. It is impossible to go anywhere in the state and not see the interlocking UK plastered somewhere. But there are other fan bases within the state lines, and they take it to heart just as strongly as BBN, though there are far fewer of them.

The Cardinals of The University of Louisville roost only 76 miles northwest of Rupp Arena at the KFC Yum! Center in downtown Louisville. The fans fill up the arena and deck out in red and have the occasional black out. The fans love their team just as much as BBN. Every year the Wildcats and the Cardinals take part in the Battle of the Bluegrass. It's far more than just a non-conference match-up when these two rivals meet. This is for basketball supremacy in the Bluegrass, a title that can be claimed only once every season. Except for this season when the two met in New Orleans for a match-up in the Final Four. For a fan of basketball, you couldn't have asked for a better scenario, other than it being for the Championship. We all know how that game played out, but I am not here to praise the Cats, nor am I here bash the Cards.

Coach Prohm Receives Citizen of the Year

It has been an amazing season for our Murray State basketball team. They had a great run to start the season, going 23-0 before losing their first and only game of the regular season. They won the OVC tournament and advanced past the first round of the NCAA tournament. Truly Steve Prohm and his players put together an outstanding season.

Awards continue to flow, even after the last string on the net was cut, for Coach Prohm. He was recently awarded Citizen of the Year by Murray-Calloway County Chamber of Commerce. Lance Allison, who is president and CEO of the chamber, stated that Coach Prohm was given due to his success with last season. It was also due to the sell-out crowds in the CFSB Center that positively affected local economy.

#L1B4 (Louisville First Billboards Forever)

Disclaimer: I grew up in the city of Louisville and interacted with Louisville Cardinal fans everyday, which is why I am not one. I understand that people who read this and people who write for MKYSports are Louisville fans and I do not wish to upset anyone. In our computer room at my house is a diploma from the University of Louisville that my father earned. I have friends who attend the University. However, my opinions of UofL and their fans are what they are and quite honestly I do not care for those flat-bill wearing, "L" raising  idiots. I now live over 100 miles from them and stories like the one you are about to read, bring all the hatred back and I feel as if I have no control over what I am about to say. Hopefully, my boss will allow this to stay on here. If he doesn't, this will be very a nice venting session.

When traveling westbound on I-64 from Lexington to Louisville, one may notice a billboard. I notice it every time I take this route even though I can barely stand to look at it. The sign contains the Louisville Cardinal logo and, in reference to logistics and their self-proclaimed excellence, reads "We're Miles Ahead." Even though I don't care for it, I must tip my hat to their creativity. Now a group of Louisville fans are trying to create a new billboard. This one is not to be placed on a highway near Lexington. No, they are attempting to get this one placed in the heart of "Cat Country."

Peralta's 8-game suspension is a joke

Tampa Bay Rays' reliever Joel Peralta was handed an 8-game suspension by Major League Baseball for being caught with pine tar on his glove in Tuesday's game against the Washington Nationals. The umpire didn't notice it, but rather was asked by Nationals' manager, Davey Johnson, to check Peralta's glove. This all occurred prior to Peralta throwing a live pitch in the game. Crew chief Tim Tschida said there was a 'significant amount' of pine tar on the glove in question. Peralta offered up little explanation for the substance, only stating that it was his batting practice glove.

Peralta pitched for Johnson in 2010 where he had a 2.02 ERA and hitters averaged .170 against him when he was with the Nationals. Johnson admitted to having a little bit of inside information and did not have Peralta's glove inspected on a whim. "I didn't just make it up or dream it up, but I mean, there was conversations before the game. He was out there and I was talking to some of the guys and I said, 'How'd we let this guy get away?' I thought he pitched pretty good for us, and I saw he's been a kind of an invaluable setup man for Tampa Bay. One thing led to another, and I got probably more information than I really needed. I don't know," the National's skipper said.

What's Poppin: Game 5 of NBA Finals

King James or Durantula?

The Finals that we all hoped for featuring some of the best young talent in the NBA squaring off against each other, the MVP up against the scoring champion, the Miami Heat versus the Oklahoma City Thunder...could game 5 be the end? Regardless what happens to finish the series currently led by Miami 3-1, either King James will finally get his ring or we will witness one of the greatest comebacks in sports history that will be put in the same category as the Red Sox coming back from down 3-1 to the Yankees in 2004.

As great as a comeback might sound to many of you LeBron haters out there, tonight the King will sit on top of his throne in Miami as a champion and here is why...

Gone Camping: Daniel and Canaan Hit the Road

As if team summer workouts weren't enough, both senior PG Isaiah Canaan and senior PF/C Ed Daniel have accepted invites to NBA workout camps occurring June 21-23 in Chicago, Ill.


Canaan, who finished his All-American junior year averaging 19.2 ppg, 3.3 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game, will be one of ten (possibly 12) up-and-coming point guards attending Brooklyn Nets PG Deron Williams Camp.

Alongside now-departed SG Donte Poole, Canaan was one of the most feared backcourt players in the NCAA last season. Canaan blistered opponents last season, shooting a ludicrous 47 percent from the field and 46 percent behind the arc, all while playing terrific defense and distributing the rock with authority. Returning for his senior season, Canaan is expected to be a top 25 player in the NCAA and lead the Racers back to the NCAA Tournament.

Titans Talk with Sweet Lee: Offensive Focus

Keith: "Do the Titans have a miracle left in them in what has been a magical season to this point? If they do, they need it now. Christie kicks it high and short. Gonna be fielded by Lorenzo Neal at the 25; he dishes it back to Wycheck; he throws it across the field to Dyson..."

Ryan: "He's got somethin'..."

Keith: "30, 40..."

Ryan: "He's got somethin'..."

Keith: "50, 40.."

Ryan: "He's got it! He's got it!"

Keith (voice volume increasing): "30, 20.."

Ryan: "He's got it!"

Keith: "10, 5, endzone...touchdown, Titans! There are no flags on the field! It's a miracle! Tennessee has pulled a miracle! A miracle for the Titans!"

What better way to start off my "Titans Talk with Sweet Lee" than with the greatest play in Tennessee Titans history, and one of the top plays in NFL history. For those of you that do not know me, my name is Lee Hargis. I live in Dover, Tennessee, and graduated from Murray State University in May of 2011.

I have attended all but two games since the Titans have moved to Nashville and would consider myself a true die-hard fan. Regardless if they are 12-4 or 4-12, I stand by my team... (I can't stand fair-weather fans!!!)

Not only do I plan on bringing you information on the Titans, but I also will try and inform you with some of the most recent Murray State Racer news that I can. Basketball & football are my key focus points in these blogs.

The Stage Is Set

Non-soccer fans will find irony in the headline of this article, seeing as how soccer players are known for dramatic over-exaggerating injuries in an attempt to draw fouls. For those of us who acknowledge the over-dramatic actions, but still find a love of the game; the headline is clear. The stage for Euro 2012 is officially set.

The group play round of the tournament ended Tuesday, as England and Sweden won the final matches for Group D, sending England and France into the quarterfinals. England's win over Ukraine not only secured them the Group D win, it denied Ukraine the upset of France, who by way of a win and a draw proceeded as Group D runner-up.

Aska and the Virgin Islands Pick Up their First Win

The Virgin Islands and Aska were 0-2 going into today’s game against Costa Rica. Not anymore. Aska and the Virgin Islands had no problem defeating Costa Rica by a score of 92-64.

Ivan Aska made Racer Nation proud again as he scored 17 points and shot 50% from the field. He also snagged five rebounds and recorded a steal in 27 minutes of play. Aska was second on the team in scoring and rebounding.

Wednesday's Weekly Wrap-Up Presented By Just Add Water Marine Inc.

 The weeks weird, interesting and most talked about 
sports stories presented in satirical form.


 5. Jim Rome completely ignored David Stern's question last week. In case you missed it, David Stern asked Rome a fair question that people have the right to know. He asked "Are you still beating your wife?" Rome brushed off the question saying "Now, I don't think that's fair." Of course it is, Rome. If you are still beating your wife, maybe someone ought to do something about it and that's what I believe Stern was trying to do. Bravo Mr. Stern! Most  people, like Janet Rome for example, have a hard time standing up to Jim and the fearless NBA commish went at him head-on.

4. I dont know if TCU is in a recruiting battle for players or not, but they sure did try to one up the "Murray State Anthem." with this video.

Murray State Football Standout Gets Cut From CFL Team

The Edmonton Eskimos, a Canadian Football team, officially let go of Derrick Townsel on Sunday. Eskimos head coach, Kavis Reed, told the Edmonton Sun that he had high expectations for Townsel, but "things just didn't work out." The Eskimos brought in a lot of talent at the Wide-out position and due to a league mandate stating that their can not be more than 65 players on a roster, Edmonton is being forced to send some of their players home.

Townsel graduated from Murray State in 2010 as a standout wide receiver and kick-returner. He went undrafted but was then picked up by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2010 before being waived a few days later. After which, he was picked up by the Houston Texas where he stayed on the practice squad before being promoted to the active roster in December of 2010. Townsel became a member of the Edmonton Eskimos after signing with them this past January. Unfortunately, his career with them was short lived.

Aska Continues to Make Racer Nation Proud

Ivan Aska and the US Virgin Islands may have lost a second straight game today. Somehow Aska continues to make Racer Nation proud. Jamaica defeated the US Virgin Islands 80 to 64 in the 2012 CentrobasketTournament.

But, Aska continues to fight hard for his team. He scored 11 points and grabbed three rebounds in his second game with the US Virgin Islands. Aska has proven himself to be a leader. He was second in points on his team for a second straight day. He may not have had his best day shooting the ball as he shot 5/14 from the field. But, his team is relying on him if he’s getting the chance to shoot 14 times.

Aska Represents Racer Nation in a Big Way

Ivan Aska recorded a double-double in his first game since his career ended at Murray State. Aska is now representing the U.S. Virgin Islands in Centrobasket 2012 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.  

The U.S. Virgin Islands may have lost 75 to 67 on Monday night to Mexico on day one of Centrobasket 2012. Aska played 27 minutes and proudly represented Racer Nation. Aska scored 10 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Aska also shot 5/8 from the field, had only two turnovers, and blocked a shot.

In the Clutch: Perception Vs Reality

Clutch:
adj; informal
1. Being or occurring in a tense or critical situation
2. Tending to be successful in tense or critical situations

The term “clutch” has become infused into sports jargon as a means to separate the elite from the average. Clutch represents greatness, success, and legacy. It is attached to those who nail the game winning fade away, throw the overtime touchdown, or hit the go ahead double in the ninth. Clutch is not only an inherent symbol of our athletic heroes, but it also lends legitimacy to those who are perceived to have this ability whether it is warranted or not.This is where the problem lies.

Recruit Profile: Erik McCree

Committing to the Racers back in September, Erik McCree became arguably the biggest recruit Steve Prohm has snagged so far. The 6-7 210 pound forward from West Orange High School in Florida, has the ability to make an immediate impact next year in a Racer uniform. Last year for West Orange he averaged 18.1 points per game and nearly 7 rebounds a game. ESPN has McCree ranked near the top 50 nationally and 15th in his state.

In an interview with Recruitingnationwide.com, McCree said that while at Murray State he hopes to "win multiple conference Championships and make a run in the NCAA tournament. That's why I chose to go there." He also acknowledged the history of Racer basketball being a big part in his decision to attend the school.

LaDainian Tomlinson: Sometimes a Jet, Always a Charger

The Chargers should actually thank Ryan Leaf, but I'm guessing they probably won't.

For all of his meltdowns and his abysmal record, he actually left them with an incredible parting gift.

LaDanian Tomlinson. (And consequently Drew Brees, who had a lot to do with Tomlinson's stellar career.)

After a miserable 1-15 2000 season, the failed Leaf Experiment (he went 1-8 on the season) led to the starting of now 49ers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh, who fared no better (0-5) as the end of his career was drawing near.

Obviously the no. 1 pick in the 2001 NFL Draft went to San Diego, but the Atlanta Falcons, who finished the season a paltry 4-12, held the highly coveted no. 5 pick.

Ivan Aska Playing for the Virgin Islands

Ivan Aska college basketball career ended in March but he’s not done playing basketball yet. The Virgin Islands asked Aska to play for them in the 2012 Centrobasket tournament.

The 2012 Centrobasket tournament will be played in San Juan, Puerto Rico with seven other countries. The seven countries joining the Virgin Islands in 2012 include Jamaica, Costa Rica, Cuba, Bahamas, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Panama.

US Open Recap

Simpson and his caddie after saving par on 18 (Getty Images)

Well the US Open didn't end the way most people were thinking it would after Friday.  Tiger Woods was not the victor.  By Sunday afternoon he wasn't even in the conversation.  He had an excellent first two days and it was down hill from there.  Although it was interesting to see him play with Jim Furyk on Saturday, whose caddie just happens to be Woods' from his early days on tour.  He started Sunday shooting 6 over during the first six holes of the Open.  It could not have been a worse start for Tiger.  He managed to get back to plus 7 in a tie for 21st.  I think he is back but that is a conversation for another day.

This day is about Webb Simpson.  He was plus 5 going into the weekend and he wasn't on most people's radar.  I know he wasn't on mine.  Before the Open started, Andy North on ESPN predicted that the winner of the Open would be at plus 1 and that's exactly what it took.  Simpson fired back to back 68's over the weekend to finish plus 1.  Then it became a waiting game. He was in the clubhouse and there was still plenty of golf left out on the course.  When Simpson failed to birdie hole 17, no one was sure that his score would hold.  Furyk had to play par golf with a birdie at 17 and it would be over.  But things never seem to go the way they are supposed to.  Furyk hit what was most likely one of the worst drives he has hit on tour and it caused him to bogey the par five 16th.  Meaning he had to have a birdie on 17 or 18 to try and force an 18 hole playoff.  That didn't happen and it ended up being Graeme McDowell who tried to make things interesting.  He birdied 17 and had a chance on 18 to tie it.  He made it close but he needed his putt to go about a foot farther right to tie with Simpson.  So Webb Simpson became the winner of the US Open while sitting in the clubhouse watching the action unfold with his wife.  On a side note, Simpson attended Wake Forest and went there on the Arnold Palmer scholarship.  Olympic just happens to be the course where Palmer blew a lead in 1966 and ended up losing the Open championship.

Preserving Wrigley Field

Last month, I took my first trip to Chicago in many years for a chance to see my Cubbies take on the Phillies. My girlfriend and her parents have never been and they were generous enough to allow me to see my favorite baseball team play in their home park for the first time since before my age was in the double digits. The Cubs were destined to have a bad season, yet the excitement was building as we boarded the Red Line to Wrigley.

Dale Jr Honors His Father In a Big Way on Fathers Day

Throughout the history of sports, we have witnessed many events that warmed our hearts and reminded us just how special sports can be. Today, in the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Michigan, many were able to witness yet another of those events. After a streak of 143 races without a win, dating back to June 15, 2008, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. finally brought home the checkered flag. Not only did he bring home the checkered flag after a long streak without a win, but he did so on Fathers Day.

Many of us know what happened to Dale Earnhardt, Sr. in 2001 at Daytona. For those that may not, he passed away in an awful crash on the last lap of the Daytona 500. Earnhardt was one of the greatest racers in NASCAR, and his death left many friends, family, and even fans in tears at his passing. None could have been affected more than his son, Dale Jr., who finished 2nd that deadly race. 11 and a half years later and Dale Jr. has ended 4 years of winless racing and honored his father in one of the best ways with his win on Fathers' Day. 

Murray State Players in the Pros

 Daniel Calhoun 

Every Week or so here at MKYSports we would like to inform RacerNation on how their alumni are doing in the sports world. Today we look at two pitchers who graduated from Murray State, Daniel Calhoun and Mike Perconte. Calhoun started his first season in the Frontier League hurling for the Southern Illinois Miners. The southpaw from Evansville, Indiana has thrown in 17.2 innings thus far striking out 15 batters and posting an ERA of 5.09. Although Daniel has given up 10 runs in 4 games, he still has the edge on the Win-Loss count at 2-1. In his most recent appearance versus the Florence Freedom, Calhoun went 4 and 2/3rds innings surrendering 5 runs on 10 hits and striking out 5 in a 7-4 loss.