: Sports

Spring football drills to begin soon in Big 12

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 12:44 CST

by Jimmy Burch

Big 12 officials released the league’s 2012 football schedule Tuesday. Texas Tech begins its spring football drills Friday, becoming the first league school to take the field in organized workouts in preparation for next fall. Texas (Feb. 23) and TCU (Feb. 25) also are scheduled to begin spring drills in February.

Below is a look at the spring football schedules for schools that will be competing in the Big 12 during the 2012 season. The list also includes Texas A&M and Missouri, schools that are Big 12 members this season but will be moving to the SEC on July 1:

BAYLOR: Spring drills begin March 19. Spring game is April 14.

IOWA STATE: Spring schedule remains TBD.

KANSAS: Spring drills begin March 27. Spring game is April 28.

KANSAS STATE: Spring drills begin April 4. Spring game is April 28.

OKLAHOMA: Spring drills begin March 5. Spring game is April 14.

OKLAHOMA STATE: Spring drills begin March 12. Spring game is April 21.

TEXAS: Spring drills begin Feb. 23. Spring game is April 1.

TEXAS TECH: Spring drills begin Feb. 17. Spring game is March 24.

TCU: Spring drills begin Feb. 25. Spring game is TBD.

WEST VIRGINIA: Spring drills begin March 11. Spring game is TBD:

Current Big 12 teams headed to SEC next season:

TEXAS A&M: Spring drills begin March 31. Spring game is April 28.

MISSOURI: Spring drills begin March 6. Spring game is April 14.

NOTE: All dates are subject to chance at the discretion of the school.

TCU coach Gary Patterson releases statement regarding player arrests

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:31 CST

TCU Head Football Coach Gary Patterson:

"There are days people want to be a head football coach, but today is not one of those days. As I heard the news this morning, I was first shocked, then hurt and now I’m mad.

"Under my watch, drugs and drug use by TCU’s student-athletes will not be tolerated by me or any member of my coaching staff. Period. Our program is respected nationally for its strong ethics and for that reason the players arrested today were separated from TCU by the University. I believe strongly that young people’s lives are more important than wins or losses.

"This situation isn’t unique to TCU—it is a global issue that we all have to address. This isn’t just about bad decisions made by a small percentage of my team. It is about a bigger issue across this country and world.

"As a coach, I do the best I can to educate members of my team. We have programs in place that teach student-athletes about what they should and shouldn’t do and how to be successful in life. I talk to them about how to be students and upstanding men that uphold the TCU name and its traditions.

"At the end of the day, though, sometimes young people make poor choices. The Horned Frogs are bigger and stronger than those involved."

Details released on West Virginia, Big East settlement

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 12:44 CST

by Jimmy Burch

For those curious about the details of West Virginia’s settlement with the Big East that freed the Mountaineers to join the Big 12 for the 2012 football season, school officials already have released a 25-page settlement document to media outlets that submitted a Freedom of Information request.

Among the outlets receiving and posting the information is BlueGoldNews.com, a website that covers the school for Scout.com. In a post summarizing the settlement, the website reports that the documents show:

1. The total value of the settlement is $20 million.

2. The amount is due in multiple payments. West Virginia submitted a $2.5 million withdrawal fee in October when notifying the league of its intent to leave. A lump sum of $8.5 million is due to the Big East by Feb. 17 (Friday). West Virginia also agreed to forfeit all of its 2011-12 conference revenues, which is estimated to be $9 million. If the figure exceeds $9 million, the Big East will pay the difference to the school.

3. Both parties agreed that payments on West Virginia’s behalf could come from a third party (either the Big 12 or the private WVU Foundation would qualify). The documents show the WVU Foundation created a “Big 12 Transition Fund” to be used in the settlement. The Foundation is scheduled to deposit $10 million into the fund to cover the Big East’s $8.5 million payment by Friday. The money in the fund, according to documents, can be used “at the discretion of the university.”

4. West Virginia will not be entitled to any revenue distributions from the league after its June 30 exit, even if those revenues were earned while the Mountaineers were part of the Big East. That includes NCAA Tournament credits and withdrawal fees collected by fellow Big East departees Syracuse and Pittsburgh, two schools set to join the ACC in 2014.

5. West Virginia and the Big 12 pledged to use their “reasonable best efforts to help (Big East) conference members schedule additional football games for the 2012-13 season.” The school specifically has been asked to assist Pittsburgh and Syrcacuse in scheduling a game against a Big 12 member this fall “if possible.” The settlement document shows West Virginia is not required to take any steps in regard to scheduling “if another school announces it is joining the Big East for football for the 2012-13 season.”

6. There is a “no disparagement” agreement between West Virginia and the Big East prohibiting each side from engaging in negative public comments about the other.

Those are the highlights. For the full report, click this link:

http://westvirginia.scout.com/2/1158842.html

Jimmy Burch: Big 12 shares a little love with release of football schedules

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 12:44 CST

Jimmy Burch

Typically, high-profile breakups -- especially bitter ones -- do not trigger good vibes on Valentine's Day.

But this is the Big 12, where counterflow is standard operating procedure. And fans from every school in the 10-member league, including newcomers TCU and West Virginia, had reason to smile Tuesday when West Virginia's long-delayed departure from the Big East became official, effective June 30.

The announcement removed the final legal hurdle in efforts to stabilize a conference in transition. But most fans will remember Feb. 14 as the day league officials finally released the 2012 Big 12 football schedule.

It took countless drafts. Tim Allen, the Big 12 senior associate commissioner who handles football schedules, said he quit counting after running 12,000 possible schedule combinations through his computer in December.

Allen said Tuesday the final total of options considered would be "significantly higher" than 12,000 before league officials decided that the new-look Big 12 would make its football debut Sept. 15, with TCU playing at Kansas in the lone conference game scheduled that day.

The Horned Frogs also will be one of eight teams to close the season on Dec. 1, with a regular-season finale in Fort Worth against Oklahoma. Other finales on Dec. 1, the day reserved for conference championship games in most other leagues, include Texas at Kansas State, Oklahoma State at Baylor and Kansas at West Virginia.

In a delicious bit of irony, Big 12 officials gave Texas an open date on Nov. 17 -- the same day longtime rival Texas A&M, a soon-to-be SEC member, has a bye on its 2012 schedule. The Aggies seek an opponent that day. But it won't be Texas.

Not only is the Longhorns' nonconference slate filled with three September games (Wyoming, New Mexico, Ole Miss), but multiple sources said Tuesday that the Texas-TCU game -- set for Nov. 24 in Austin -- is expected to slide to Thanksgiving night, Nov. 22, for television purposes. The planned shift explains why Texas and TCU have open dates on Nov. 17.

League officials released the 2012 schedule with a disclaimer that all dates are subject to change to accommodate television programming requests. Allen said additional tweaks are expected but league officials anticipate only "modest changes going forward."

Among the fall highlights on the Big 12 football front:

At least one conference game will be played each week for 12 consecutive weeks, from Sept. 15 through Dec. 1.

League officials can tout three reigning champions as part of the 2012 schedule: Oklahoma State (Big 12), West Virginia (Big East) and TCU (MWC).

Baylor makes the first road trip to West Virginia, on Sept. 29. It will be the conference opener for both schools.

Texas Tech and Iowa State will be the only teams to complete the nine-game league schedule without a bye. The schools open league play against one another (Sept. 29 in Ames, Iowa) and play each week through their finales on Nov. 24. The other eight schools finish Dec. 1.

West Virginia, Iowa State and Oklahoma State have the most home games (5). TCU, Kansas and Kansas State have the most road games (5). Texas, Oklahoma, Baylor and Texas Tech have four home games, four road games and a neutral-site contest.

The Texas-Oklahoma game will be Oct. 13 in the Cotton Bowl. Baylor and Tech meet Nov. 24 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington.

Texas Tech has the friendliest home schedule, with 2012 contenders Oklahoma, West Virginia and Texas headed to Lubbock. Oklahoma State is close, with home games against Texas, TCU and West Virginia.

Last year's BCS bowl winners meet Nov. 10 when West Virginia (Orange Bowl) plays at Oklahoma State (Fiesta Bowl).

TCU, last year's Mountain West champ, meets the Big 12's other reigning champions in consecutive road games: Oct. 27 at Oklahoma State and Nov. 3 at West Virginia.

Texas faces the toughest early stretch. The Longhorns' first three league opponents are OSU (Sept. 29), West Virginia (Oct. 6) and Oklahoma (Oct. 13).

Oklahoma, the preseason favorite, draws one of the toughest closing stretches: a home game against OSU (Nov. 24) bracketed by road games at West Virginia (Nov. 17) and at TCU (Dec. 1).

The Big 12 schedule was green-lighted Tuesday after officials from West Virginia and the Big East, in separate announcements, confirmed a reported $20 million settlement to dismiss ongoing legal challenges between the parties. In its announcement, the Big East said its directors voted to "terminate" West Virginia's membership, effective June 30.

That's a harsh word to characterize a breakup, especially on Valentine's Day. But it means the Mountaineers will join the Big 12 on July 1, in time to be part of the 2012 football season.

In Big 12 country, that's reason to celebrate enhanced stability in a league that needs it.

Jimmy Burch, 817-390-7760

Twitter: @Jimmy_Burch

Denver's Brewer to receive championship ring before tonight's Mavericks game

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 02:24 CST

By Dwain Price

DALLAS -- Corey Brewer will arrive at American Airlines Center tonight with both a heavy heart and some joy about himself.

The heavy heart comes from Feb. 6 when Brewer's 68-year-old father died due to complications of multiple illnesses, including diabetes. That forced Brewer to miss three games before he returned Saturday and helped spark the Denver Nuggets to a 113-109 upset victory at Indiana.

When the Dallas Mavericks (18-11) host the Nuggets (16-12) at 7:30 tonight, Brewer's heart will be filled with joy. That's because before the game the small forward will receive his diamond ring for helping the Mavericks win last year's NBA title.

Although he played in only 13 games for Dallas last season and averaged just 5.3 points and 1.8 rebounds per game, Brewer's contributions were measured in more than stats. He was one of the Mavericks' defensive stalwarts who brought a level of energy that was unmatched.

In Game 1 of the playoff series against the Lakers, the Mavericks trailed 60-44 with 10:38 left in the third period. Brewer entered the game for the first time with 10:37 remaining in the third quarter and made a 3-pointer and a two-point basket, and the Mavericks eventually cut the deficit to 64-61 before winning 96-94.

"That period in that game that he played may have been as important a period of time as any single player played in the playoffs," coach Rick Carlisle said.

"But it kind of defined who he is in his career. He's a guy that's always ready, and always gets in the game with great enthusiasm and great passion."

Carlisle expects to see that same enthusiasm and passion from Brewer tonight. The same passion that former Mavericks Caron Butler showed Monday when he received his championship ring and tallied a season-high 23 points when the Mavericks edged the Los Angeles Clippers, 96-92.

"[Tonight] when he comes in here -- all of these guys who are former Mavericks -- they want to come back and prove a point," Carlisle said. "So we're going to have to be ready for him."

Lock-down defender

On Monday, owner Mark Cuban got the ball rolling when he said that forward Shawn Marion is the second-best defender in the NBA behind Orlando center Dwight Howard.

On Tuesday, coach Rick Carlisle chimed in with his own thoughts on Marion.

"Marion's been a great defensive player his whole career, and for whatever reason he hasn't gotten the notoriety that a lot of guys get," Carlisle said. "But at this point in his career I don't think he's looking for notoriety."

Briefly

When someone told Rick Carlisle that Caron Butler's late 3-point attempt that could have given the Clippers a win on Monday was right on line, Carlisle said: "It was off. It didn't go in."

After setting a franchise record by going 15 consecutive games earlier this season without allowing anyone to score 100 points on them, the Mavericks have held their past eight foes under 100 points.

Dwain Price, 817-390-7760

Twitter: @DwainPrice

First-place UTA men taking on second-place Stephen F. Austin

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 12:44 CST

Michael Eldridge

First-place UT Arlington takes its school-record 15-game winning streak to Nacogdoches tonight for a bout against Stephen F. Austin.

During the nation's second longest active win streak, the Mavericks have relied on the Southland Conference's second-leading scorer, LaMarcus Reed, who has averaged 16.8 points per game this season.

Reed has led the team in scoring for 11 games during the run, including five in which he had 21 or more points.

"We want to win, nobody likes losing," Reed said. "We put a lot of effort to what we do on the defensive end and the chemistry we have on offense. Our goal wasn't to win 15 straight, it was on winning a championship and that is what we are working toward."

The teams meet as No. 1 and No. 2 in the Southland West Division. UTA won the previous matchup 63-54 in January. Stephen F. Austin won its last game at UT San Antonio 59-51 and has won five of its last six games.

Brahmas shut out Allen 4-0 for third straight win

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 02:06 CST

Adam Hogg had a goal and an assist and goalie Mark Guggenberger stopped all 26 shots he faced as the Texas Brahmas beat Allen 4-0 Tuesday night in Allen.

The Brahmas (23-17-8) scored on two of their six power-play chances to win their third straight and beat the Americans (27-12-8) for the second time in four days.

Hogg opened the scoring with a power-play goal two minutes in to the second period and Tyler Barr had the other power-play goal with 20 seconds left in the game.

The Brahmas host Dayton at 7 tonight.