Varsity Sports
General Disarray
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
By Curtis Kalleward
GVL Columnist
Football more than any other sport most closely resembles soldiers engaging in military conquests.
Just as one football game consists of several plays between each team, war consists of several battles between opposing armies. Each play, or down, of a football game is strategically drawn out, rehearsed and planned to best attack the opposition’s weakness.
Success on each play, or battle, doesn’t guarantee winning the game, or war.
Make sense? Okay, stick with me and remember to keep in mind the parallelism of the situations.
Generals do the planning and organizing of each battle, relaying the battle schematics (calling the plays) to their field generals (offensive or defensive captains).
The field generals then delegate responsibilities to the foot soldiers (linemen) and the airmen (the receivers and the backs on either side of the ball).
After each battle concludes, the armies retreat and rendezvous (huddle up) to plan for the next attack. The battles rage on until a victor of the war is announced (the game ends).
And just as generals of armed forces units come under fire for personnel and personal mishaps, so too do head coaches of football programs across the nation. Some face this crisis right now.
University of Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez entered this year confronted with reports from several anonymous former players that he consistently violated NCAA rules last season. These violations included requiring players to workout and train for more hours in the off-season than what NCAA rules permitted.
Though Rodriguez vehemently denied the reports, even choking up several times during his news conference regarding the matter, the NCAA, Big Ten Conference and even officials at Michigan will keep him under investigation.
One more slip and he could find himself in a heap of trouble.
Oakland Raiders head coach Tom Cable, promoted before the start of the current NFL season, may encounter even tougher penalties than Rodriguez.
If the allegations of his having attacked assistant coach Randy Hanson (and in doing so, breaking Hanson’s jaw) prove true, Cable faces criminal charges of felonious assault.
The worst stories of football coaches contending troubles involve player deaths at practices. Such is the case of former Pleasure Ridge Park (KY) High School coach David Stinson.
Before the start of his first season last year, Stinson was directing practice in 94 degree heat when sophomore lineman Max Gilpin collapsed and later died due to complications from heat stroke.
No matter the verdict, Stinson now must suffer through reckless homicide charges and might never recover his career.
The spirit of war, getting caught in the adrenalized moment, can provoke even the best of humanity to make critical mistakes.
With today’s media coverage occurring in the blink of an eye, coaches must walk the ever-thin line of protecting themselves and their programs from controversy. If their news makes headlines in one market, rest assured it will across the nation.
After all, one miscue in war can ruin an entire country.
ckalleward@lanthorn.com
Posted 6:36 PM
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Apology Letter
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
By Curtis Kalleward
GVL Columnist
I like to think when it comes to sports, I’m mostly right.
Another Lanthorn writer feels the same way, as evidenced when he penned a column in last week’s paper blaspheming the so-called ESPN experts for lack of knowledge. He cited their prediction of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady having a horrible game against the New York Jets as his example of how he knew he was right.
But when the Jets finished eating him for Sunday dinner, Brady had failed to even meet ESPN’s mark and the Lanthorn writer was left with his error inked onto paper, his persona humbled.
Consider this my apology letter.
A brother and I recently had a friendly debate, during which he posed to me this question: Which will come first, the hapless Detroit Lions winning a regular season game for the first time in 20 attempts, or the seemingly unstoppable Grand Valley State University Lakers football team losing a regular season game for the first time in 47 games?
Naturally, as both a Laker and a Lions fan (I’m willing to admit it), I subjectively leaned towards the former. As a properly objective reporter, though, I pushed my personal feelings aside and considered the odds.
The lackluster performances of the Detroit Lions during the last decade have been more publicly documented than a Kanye West outburst, and they had shown few signs of improving over last year’s abysmal 0-16 season. When even the Wall Street Journal took the time in an edition last week to list the Lions as having the worst NFL defense, it’s clear their outlook this year is bleak at best.
Meanwhile, the mighty Laker machine was starting to show some chinks in its armor. Entering the 2009 season, Division II football pundits across the nation acknowledged the power of the boys in black and blue, yet each writer also happened to express concern in the team’s secondary.
After the Kansas City Chiefs drafted away defensive star Brandon Carr in the 2008 NFL Draft, the Lakers lacked strong cornerbacks. Senior Robert Carlisle was the only established player, but his season is in serious jeopardy after he twice broke his leg earlier this year.
This past weekend’s Lakers game consisted of traveling more than nine hours to play the Michigan Technological University Huskies, a team whose sole success is predicated on their quarterback’s ability to pass. Though MTU would be without its star quarterback, I still had a sinking feeling that, similar to the women’s volleyball team earlier this year, their stellar winning streak would finally die away.
Oh do I realize how wrong I was.
MTU failed to score against the Lakers’ backup players for an entire half of football, while GVSU flattened the Huskies like pancakes on their way to a 55-7 blowout victory.
On top of that, the Lions overcame the odds to defeat the Washington Redskins and end the futility.
I’ll happily accept defeat, since both of my teams won.
But don’t worry, I’m sure I’ll know it all again next week.
Posted 6:32 PM
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Soccer: a different culture
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
By Curtis Kalleward
GVL Columnist
For those who have never attended a Grand Valley State University women’s soccer match, you are really missing out.
The pundits will say soccer is boring or the game lacks action and is hard to follow because it’s a bunch of people chasing a ball around a field for an hour and a half.
Don’t listen to those people.
I’ll agree, soccer can put me to sleep or force me to focus more on my homework – when I watch it on television.
But so can baseball, auto racing and Lions football, if I watch those sports on the boob tube, too, and I’m a guy who loves my fastballs, fast cars and fast-dashed Sunday hopes and dreams. The thing is, I have to have my sports in person.
Think of your favorite Broadway musical (I know this is a sports column, but humor me; I know you have one).
Would you enjoy it more from your couch or from the center of 10th row orchestra? What about when you listen to your favorite musicians? Rocking out to a live concert from the front of the stage beats sitting alone at home with your mp3 player any day. Sports are no different.
Let me give you an example. Knowing I needed to expand my horizons and get a feel for all of our Lakers varsity sports teams, I recently witnessed my first GVSU women’s soccer game.
It was a wonderfully lazy Friday afternoon- warm enough weather that shorts and sandals were adequate, yet just cloudy and breezy enough that it would have been a perfect moment for an outdoor nap.
I found a spot in the bleachers in what one could only assume was the self-appointed student section. Four rows of students were partially sandwiched between smatterings of parents and other well-wishers who were all past their own graduation dates.
The atmosphere at the soccer field was a complete 180 from football games at Lubbers Stadium. Though hard rock was audible through the complex’s sound system, the speakers were barely able to pump AC/DC across to the bleachers. The crowd was calm and peaceful.
That is, until the game started.
Though the intensely gregarious football fan mentality was absent from their speech, the fans nonetheless were very vocal.
Whenever a Laker made a strong drive to the goal or a crucial defensive stop, a loud cheer rang out. And if any of them made a mistake, the only words heard from the grandstands were words of encouragement.
Even as a reporter trying to stay as objective as possible, I couldn’t help but get caught up in the heat of the game.
A great sense of anticipation and excitement welled up inside me each time the team was attacking, and I had to stop myself from celebrating whenever they scored.
The game seemed to go much faster than the two hours it ran. There was always action out on the field and when the game ended, I was glad I had been there.
I’m glad I didn’t listen to those people.
Posted 6:20 PM
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Volleyball season off to less-than-stellar start
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
By Curtis Kalleward
GVL Columnist
Sometimes, life doesn’t always go as we plan it.
Maybe we are canceling a weekend trip because our professor announced a surprise exam on Monday, or we can’t buy those new clothes we saw hanging up in the mall because our car broke down. Part of living is holding it to high expectations, and sometimes we experience a giant snag. When that happens, we can either give up and quit, or we can adjust to life and make the best of things.
Take the women’s volleyball team, for instance.
The polling body for Division II women’s volleyball is the American Volleyball Coaches Association, similar to the Bowl Championship Series that determines the weekly college football rankings.
At the onset of the 2009 season, the AVCA voted Grand Valley State University as the fourth-best team in the nation. The team finished third at the end of last season, falling to eventual champion Concordia University, St. Paul in the national semifinal tournament.
Coming out of the season-opening Lady Buff Volleyball Classic, held in Canyon, Texas, with a 3-1 record cost the Lady Lakers two spots in the following week’s poll, but the three victories showed strong effort and the team pressed forward.
Two more tough losses followed at the Florida Southern Classic in Lakeland, Fla., knocking the team down to an 18th-place ranking last week, and Saturday’s home loss struck them with a double blow.
Not only did Wayne State send the Lady Lakers packing back to their apartments after their first regular season home game loss in the last 38, but Tuesday’s AVCA rankings sent them packing out of the national standings for the first time in more than four years.
“We’d never lost at home before,” junior alternate Courtney McCotter said. “The record had stood since I was in high school, so we were really upset about it afterward.”
Potentially worse than falling to Wayne State and dropping out of the rankings, the Lady Lakers might have lost the home-team advantage their winning streak had carried.
“That upset us more than anything else,” McCotter said. “Teams would always come in and we’d have that home advantage in our arena because the teams knew how well we played at home, and now they might not even think about it.”
Lady Laker fans will remember last season’s squad featured All-Americans Danielle Alexander and Jamie Ashmore, who both graduated. Team chemistry was no concern during the summer, though, because six players – Janelle Beaudry, Whitney Tremain, Meghan Scanlon, Meredith Young, Kaity Gormley and McCotter – played on the same club team before attending GVSU.
However, personnel changes forced a new offensive scheme for the Lady Lakers, and the team has struggled to adapt to it so far this season.
“Coach [Deanne Scanlon] has been swapping everyone in and out, trying to find who works best,” McCotter explained. “It’s been a little hard to get into a rhythm sometimes, but we’re just trying to find the best match to win.”
The Lakers hope to get their season back on track when they travel tomorrow to rival Ferris State in a rare mid-week game.
ckalleward@lanthorn.com
Posted 1:04 PM
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Player follows father’s famous footsteps, carves own path
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
By Curtis Kalleward
GVL Columnist
Many current Laker football fans grew up without ever having heard of Grand Valley State University or knowing about its illustrious Division II sports programs.
Ian Evans is different.
As a high school senior in Clearwater, Fla., Evans was scouted heavily by colleges who wanted him to play football, including several Division I programs.
“None of the Division I schools were teams that had winning programs,” Evans explained. “I wanted to go somewhere where I knew I would be a part of a winning team.”
He knew exactly where he wanted to go.
“I pretty much grew up on GVSU football,” Evans said. “My dad took me to games as far back as I can remember.”
Ian’s father, Gary Evans, was the fifth All-American Division II football star in school history and became the first to play professionally when he played offensive guard for both the NFL’s New York Jets and the Denver Broncos. His GVSU jersey is mounted in homage to his school career.
“Playing at the same school as my dad is great,” said Evans. “I love going into the locker room and seeing his jersey on the wall every day.”
He may play at the same school as his father and respect what he did, but Ian isn’t afraid to make a name for himself, too. While Gary earned his reputation as a lineman, Ian takes snaps on the football field at tight end.
At 6 feet 3 inches, 285 pounds, Evans is not the prototypical size for a tight end, but he still fits snugly into head coach Chuck Martin’s offensive schemes.
“I’m in the game mostly as insurance for blocking,” Evans said. “We do a bit of passing plays when I’m out there, just to keep the opposing defenses from keying in on what we’ll do when I go into the game, but I’m pretty much there as a run blocker.”
Evans said he comes to expect more playing time during game situations when Coach Martin hopes to use an offensive attack that favors the run. Sometimes, though, planning ahead for such a case doesn’t always pan out in Evans’ favor.
“We thought about trying a run-heavy offense against West Texas A&M in the opener,” Evans said. “But their defense gave us wide open options in the passing game and we couldn’t have given that up. We just went with what works best.”
Though credit for winning is always given to the star players who rack up the statistics and the front page headlines, not nearly enough acknowledgement is made of the guys who work just as hard behind the scenes to help make the well-oiled Laker football machine run smoothly.
“I’d like to be the guy catching touchdowns,” Evans said humbly. “But I know what I’m best at. I just go with what helps the team the most.”
If it weren’t for a team full of hidden gems like Ian Evans, GVSU could never sit atop Division II.
ckalleward@lanthorn.com
Posted 6:46 PM
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Rain drops kept falling on our heads … yet still we stayed
Sunday, August 30, 2009
By Curtis Kalleward
GVL Columnist
Clouds, scattered rain showers and 58-degree air that sometimes felt like 38 degrees in the 16 mph winds.
Is this early April? Try late August.
The weather in Canyon, Texas, was a comfortable, enjoyable 85 degrees on Saturday while Grand Valley State University’s football team defeated the West Texas A&M University Buffaloes. None of that pleasant weather was able to make its way northeast, but GVSU was able to leave Kimbrough Memorial Stadium with a 37-23 victory.
Amid the sprinkles and the ominous skies, Lubbers Stadium played host at 7 p.m. Saturday to the official watch party for the Lakers’ opening game. The fans who took advantage of the free experience sat in the stands and watched Grand Valley Sports Network’s live broadcast on the video-board.
More than 100 students first covered the front railing of the Lubbers Stadium Student Section along the south end zone. However, the game progressed slowly in the first half, the events playing out on the screen were difficult to discern and the rain continued to fall. Gradually, the students filed out, off to warmer and drier destinations, until only 12 of the bravest were left shivering.
Jim Cox, a photographer who was the lone tenant in his Guest Suite, walked through the student section as halftime approached. Admiring the fortitude of the dozen strong enough to be left standing through the game so far, Cox graciously opened up the Guest Suite for their use. The students took off, splashing along the grandstands to cozier quarters.
However, much to the students’ chagrin, as soon as GVSU took a 14-9 lead into halftime, the event organizers ended the event prematurely. They decided before the game if the Student Section capacity ever dipped below 15, then powering the event would no longer be cost-efficient.
“I was disappointed that it was canceled, but not surprised,” said Nick Wahl, one of the students who was at the event from start to finish. “It was fun just to get back into the GVSU football atmosphere.”
Other students were not brave enough to watch the football game live at Lubbers Stadium, but rather chose to view the broadcast from the comfort of their own rooms.
“I definitely wasn’t dressed warmly enough,” said Alex MacGeorge, a Game and Event Operations employee. “My co-workers and I were under the assumption that the event was going to be held in the Laker Turf Building, so none of our staff had the proper clothing on for being outside all night.”
When the night’s event was canceled after halftime, MacGeorge chose to spend the rest of her night watching safely under a warm blanket on her couch with friends.
“After being cold and wet, I wanted to come home and put some comfy sweats and relax,” she said.
One pleasant surprise was the large amount of new students who initially turned out for the event. A secret to the success of Laker Athletics is the strong fan support, and this year’s newest fans seem to be just as devoted as any.
Posted 4:22 PM
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Friday, March 20, 2009
It is a nerve-wracking time for former University of Georgia quarterback Matt Stafford.
Stafford, who is about to enter the National Football League, has been the hot topic amongst the sports pundits on ESPN and other networks. Stafford is not a lock to be picked first overall by the Detroit Lions, and if the Lions pass on him, he could fall all the way to the 10th pick, which means far less money in his contract.
Players from huge Division I schools are not the only ones sweating out the drafting process. Players all over Division II and III are anxiously anticipating draft day, which is April 25-26. Just because a school does not play on TV every Sunday does not mean they cannot produce quality NFL players.
Grand Valley State University obviously has one of the top programs in the nation. It is no surprise they have generated solid players during their current run as a premier program. Some notable players to come out of the GVSU system include former Lions wide receiver David Kircus. Wide receiver Eric Fowler recently made the Lions practice squad. This past season, former GVSU standout cornerback Brandon Carr started for the Kansas City Chiefs, where he recorded 73 tackles and two interceptions.
GVSU is not the only Division II school to send players to the NFL. Within the GLIAC, there are many players who have gone to play on Sunday. Saginaw Valley State University’s Jon DiGiorgio now plays linebacker for the Buffalo Bills. Former Tiffin University wide receiver Nate Washington now plays for the Pittsburg Steelers. Outside of the GLIAC, Division II has sent many recognizable players to the NFL such as quarterback John Kitna, who went to Central Washington University, Tennessee Titans cornerback Nick Harper, who went to Fort Valley State University, and Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri, who went to South Dakota State University.
It is not hard to see Division II players can make a large impact in the NFL. This year, several former GVSU football players will try to make the jump from college to the NFL by entering into the draft. Entering the draft is not as easy as signing a piece of paper and waiting for your name to be called on draft day. The players must impress the NFL scouts enough to warrant a second look. On March 9, scouts from many NFL teams gathered in the Laker Turf Building to see what the former GVSU players and several others from the GLIAC could do.
One of those Lakers, defensive end Dan Skuta, has a great shot at making the NFL. He is 6 feet 4 inches and 252 pounds, giving him the size he needs to survive on the NFL battlefield. His 40-yard dash times are in the 4.60 range, which give him the speed to track down the top running backs and receivers he could face in the pro game. His workout went well, and his stock is rising as the draft approaches. His Division II status did not hold him back. If an athlete has the skill to play in the NFL, he will play, regardless of his school’s size.
Posted 3:24 PM
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