NFL Draft analyst Josh Buchanan files a quick update on Demons All-America offensive tackle Demetrius Bell, who is in El Paso preparing for Saturday's 4 p.m. "Texas vs. the Nation" all-star football game televised on CSTV. Bell will wear No. 79. Here's Josh's update after yesterday's workout:
"Bell has had interest from the Patriots, Browns, Packers, Ravens, and Cowboys. He has been inconsistent as he has shown dominance at times and struggled with technique at other points. He sometimes crosses his feet but has quick feet and shows good athletic ability. He is too high (in his blocking) at times but not all the time. He is inconsistent but very talented. Bell has certainly proved he is a top tackle and one of the best here."
Friday, February 01, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Reconnecting after 22 years
One of the fun things about this job, and this website, is the interaction we get with friends and supporters, including former athletes and coaches.
The pictures above are proof of that.
Earlier this week, we were able to help two former NSU tennis players reconnect via e-mail and put in motion plans for their families to meet this summer.
Graduate N Club Hall of Fame 2005 inductee Shayne Fitzwilliam (her family photo is above) was thrilled when athletic director Greg Burke forwarded her an e-mail that I'd gotten from Martin Aguirre, a member of the last men's tennis team at NSU (1986). Martin and Shayne dated until NSU reluctantly dropped men's tennis. He wound up heading to Iowa State to continue his college career, and in Shayne's words, "we were both heart broken at the time." They lost contact (there was no internet, Facebook, MySpace or cell phones at the time, as hard as that is to imagine for today's college students!) and through the years each had wondered about the other.
Martin and his family were planning a trip to Disney World this summer. He had heard Shayne was in Florida, and after checking our website, he e-mailed me from his home in Ecuador to ask if we could help get him in touch.
We also were able to get Martin in touch with his coach, Johnnie Emmons. Even though he spent only his freshman year here, he was very excited about having the chance to reconnect with his old coach. You can see a nice combined team picture above.
As a sidelight, it was great to hear from Shayne that she stays in touch with one of my favorite Lady Demon tennis players, Vicky Simms Newsom, who married my first fulltime assistant SID, Tommy Newsom. In fact, Shayne and Vicky joined a couple more teammates for a summer holiday in Maine recently to have fun with Jane Paterson, who has been in college coaching at Bowdoin.
The Newsoms are relocating from their McKinney, Texas, home this spring to Austin, where Tommy (or should we say Dr. Newsom) is the new president of the Art Institute of Dallas, a non-traditional but fully accredited university targeted toward commuters and online students. Vicky is continuing work on her doctoral studies and keeping track of their three kids, including pre-school twins.
Current Lady Demon coach Patric Dubois is doubtless hoping that perhaps one of the daughters of Shayne, Vicky or Martin may grow up to follow in their parent's footsteps and attend NSU.
Doug Ireland, SID
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Turn for the worse in rural Kenya
Joe Peterson, the Demon basketball assistant coach (1999-2001) now in Kenya as a missionary/teacher, filed a much more ominous update this morning, just a little more than a day after things seemed to be calming down:
"Written 1-29-08 at 5:25 AM PST
"Safe" is a relative term these days. I may have spoken too early in the last update. Mbita is much safer than most places in Kenya, but that doesn't mean we are always safe. Kenya is quickly becoming another Somalia where there is no government. This country is not being run by a government right now; it is being ruled by the mobs. The mobs tell you when it is ok to travel or not. They tell you when to open your shop or keep it closed. And they tell you when you can go to school or not.
Yesterday most schools around the Province opened. In Mbita things went on well, but on the news I saw many pictures in Homa Bay and Kisumu of parents rushing back to schools to retrieve their kids and bring them home when more rioting began. On Tuesday the schools in Mbita started their days normally. It was a great morning. The kids were so happy to be back in school and the teachers were busy teaching their lessons. Around 9:30 A.M. my phone began ringing furiously, and it didn't stop ringing for almost ten minutes. Parents were calling to inform us that riots had broken out in town and the mobs were targeting schools and teachers. All the schools in the area quickly dismissed their kids to go home. We rushed to the classes and asked the kids to get their things and come to assembly. After informing them of what was happening we prayed over them and sent them home. It was a dangerous situation. A mob from Mbita was coming in our direction and another mob was coming from Sindo, a nearby town in the other direction. Our teachers grabbed the littlest ones who could not walk fast enough and ensured all of the children's safety. I managed to escort the group of children living around Mbita town to their homes through some back ways. We are sure that all of staff and children made it safely to their homes.
People are protesting because of the violence that was inflicted on their Luo tribe over the weekend in other parts of the country, and also because a Member of Parliament from the opposition party (ODM) was assassinated at his home this morning. People were burning many tires all over town throughout the day. They went to a secondary school on Rusinga Island to attack the teachers there and vandalize the school. They also went to Mbita High School to threaten them, but eventually left after they were given money and about ten tires (so they can burn them). This mob was different than the ones I have seen in Mbita in previous weeks. In this one, most were armed with 1-2 machetes and there were even some bows and arrows.
Currently as I write this, both sides of the political divide are arriving at County Hall in Nairobi to begin official negotiations with the mediating team, headed by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. Looking at it through my own eyes, a suitable solution that will bring long lasting peace is highly unlikely. Looking at it from a Biblical perspective, I know God is in control and everything is possible with him!
It doesn't look like we will be going to school for quite a while
"Written 1-29-08 at 5:25 AM PST
"Safe" is a relative term these days. I may have spoken too early in the last update. Mbita is much safer than most places in Kenya, but that doesn't mean we are always safe. Kenya is quickly becoming another Somalia where there is no government. This country is not being run by a government right now; it is being ruled by the mobs. The mobs tell you when it is ok to travel or not. They tell you when to open your shop or keep it closed. And they tell you when you can go to school or not.
Yesterday most schools around the Province opened. In Mbita things went on well, but on the news I saw many pictures in Homa Bay and Kisumu of parents rushing back to schools to retrieve their kids and bring them home when more rioting began. On Tuesday the schools in Mbita started their days normally. It was a great morning. The kids were so happy to be back in school and the teachers were busy teaching their lessons. Around 9:30 A.M. my phone began ringing furiously, and it didn't stop ringing for almost ten minutes. Parents were calling to inform us that riots had broken out in town and the mobs were targeting schools and teachers. All the schools in the area quickly dismissed their kids to go home. We rushed to the classes and asked the kids to get their things and come to assembly. After informing them of what was happening we prayed over them and sent them home. It was a dangerous situation. A mob from Mbita was coming in our direction and another mob was coming from Sindo, a nearby town in the other direction. Our teachers grabbed the littlest ones who could not walk fast enough and ensured all of the children's safety. I managed to escort the group of children living around Mbita town to their homes through some back ways. We are sure that all of staff and children made it safely to their homes.
People are protesting because of the violence that was inflicted on their Luo tribe over the weekend in other parts of the country, and also because a Member of Parliament from the opposition party (ODM) was assassinated at his home this morning. People were burning many tires all over town throughout the day. They went to a secondary school on Rusinga Island to attack the teachers there and vandalize the school. They also went to Mbita High School to threaten them, but eventually left after they were given money and about ten tires (so they can burn them). This mob was different than the ones I have seen in Mbita in previous weeks. In this one, most were armed with 1-2 machetes and there were even some bows and arrows.
Currently as I write this, both sides of the political divide are arriving at County Hall in Nairobi to begin official negotiations with the mediating team, headed by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. Looking at it through my own eyes, a suitable solution that will bring long lasting peace is highly unlikely. Looking at it from a Biblical perspective, I know God is in control and everything is possible with him!
It doesn't look like we will be going to school for quite a while
Monday, January 28, 2008
D-Bell update from El Paso
Josh Buchanan, a North Carolina-based analyst of the NFL Draft and a keen observer of FCS football, is part of the staff for Saturday's "Texas vs. the Nation" college football all-star game in El Paso involving Demon All-America tackle Demetrius Bell.
Buchanan, who visited NSU in 2004 when Appalachian State came to Turpin Stadium, has been a big advocate of Bell's pro potential since watching film of him last spring. He's going to provide, as he squeezes out a few minutes, updates on D-Bell and the all-star game scene this week from El Paso.
Bell has been working out at a center in Orlando, trying to add the bulk NFL teams want to see from him while retaining his speed. Ted Marchibroda Jr. is his agent -- son of the highly-respected former NFL head coach.
Today's report from Josh:
"Sunday was used as a day to check in and interview with some scouts. Bell told me he would weigh over 300 pounds after many concerns that he was only 285 pounds or less. He was 6-5 1/4, 301 pounds and his hands were 10 1/4 inches and his arms were 33 7/8 inches. He had a solid build and is a player that many people are looking forward to seeing. The first practice will be Tuesday. I will report on how he looked and the buzz after Wednesday's practice and then again on Friday or Saturday morning heading into the game."
Thanks, Josh!
Buchanan, who visited NSU in 2004 when Appalachian State came to Turpin Stadium, has been a big advocate of Bell's pro potential since watching film of him last spring. He's going to provide, as he squeezes out a few minutes, updates on D-Bell and the all-star game scene this week from El Paso.
Bell has been working out at a center in Orlando, trying to add the bulk NFL teams want to see from him while retaining his speed. Ted Marchibroda Jr. is his agent -- son of the highly-respected former NFL head coach.
Today's report from Josh:
"Sunday was used as a day to check in and interview with some scouts. Bell told me he would weigh over 300 pounds after many concerns that he was only 285 pounds or less. He was 6-5 1/4, 301 pounds and his hands were 10 1/4 inches and his arms were 33 7/8 inches. He had a solid build and is a player that many people are looking forward to seeing. The first practice will be Tuesday. I will report on how he looked and the buzz after Wednesday's practice and then again on Friday or Saturday morning heading into the game."
Thanks, Josh!
Joe Peterson's Kenya update
The latest from erstwhile NSU assistant basketball coach (1999-2001) Joe Peterson, a missionary and teacher in the turbulent country of Kenya:
"Schools are back open in Mbita now. The opposition party (ODM) had announced this past week that students should return to school. Since this part of the country is viewing ODM as the government, people obeyed. Christ's Gift Academy had a staff in-service day on Monday and our kids reported on Tuesday, three weeks later than the original opening date. Everyone is excited to finally be back in school on a daily basis.
As former United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan continues his mediation efforts to bring a long-term solution, much of the country is still dealing with outbreaks of violence. It is obvious that what is happening now did not originate from the election, but goes way back to the days of independence. Similar to many countries in Africa, leaders in Kenya have not distributed land and prominent positions on an equitable basis. Many of the violent outbreaks are people seeking revenge for what they feel are gross injustices to their families or their tribes throughout the over 40 years of independence.
Immediately following the election results many tribes throughout the country were directing their attacks against President Kibaki's Kikuyu tribe. They were chasing them from their homes, burning their farms, businesses and homes and in some cases killing them. Much of what has been happening recently in Nakuru and Naivasha has been cases of their tribe organizing and planning revenge attacks against some of the other tribes. Armed youths will block the road and make every vehicle stop. They insist on seeing every passengers' identity card and then take out their revenge on people from other tribes. They will also organize attacks on homes of specific tribes. It is very bitter and tearing this country apart. I was sick to my stomach tonight watching the graphic videos of what is happening in what used to be a peaceful country. It was even worse than the movie Hotel Rwanda. People were being pulled from buses and being hacked to death, lynched or stoned. In Naivasha Sunday, 16 Luos had fled from the mob and locked themselves in a house. They were burnt to death in the house they had gone to for refuge. Following that outbreak Sunday, Luos in Kisumu and Homa Bay erupted in violence. This is a country teetering dangerously on the verge of a full-scale civil war.
Mbita remains one of the safest places in the country. It is very rural, tucked away deep in Luo land. No one passes through Mbita on their way to anywhere else. It is at the edge of the country sitting on Lake Victoria. It is almost exclusively Luo, except a few from friendly neighboring tribes. We are thankful for the safety here, but our prayers go out to the many others throughout the country that are facing tension and uncertainty on a daily basis.
I just finished reading a great book about the Christian heritage of the United States. We are so fortunate that our founding fathers placed our country on a firm and Godly foundation. They understood the sinfulness of man and how corrupt a man can be when he is given power. The checks and balances put into our constitution have been a key to the success of our country. The mistakes made in Kenya and many African countries at the time of Independence have cost them dearly. It is not easy to fix after the fact. We are praying for a miracle. "
"Schools are back open in Mbita now. The opposition party (ODM) had announced this past week that students should return to school. Since this part of the country is viewing ODM as the government, people obeyed. Christ's Gift Academy had a staff in-service day on Monday and our kids reported on Tuesday, three weeks later than the original opening date. Everyone is excited to finally be back in school on a daily basis.
As former United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan continues his mediation efforts to bring a long-term solution, much of the country is still dealing with outbreaks of violence. It is obvious that what is happening now did not originate from the election, but goes way back to the days of independence. Similar to many countries in Africa, leaders in Kenya have not distributed land and prominent positions on an equitable basis. Many of the violent outbreaks are people seeking revenge for what they feel are gross injustices to their families or their tribes throughout the over 40 years of independence.
Immediately following the election results many tribes throughout the country were directing their attacks against President Kibaki's Kikuyu tribe. They were chasing them from their homes, burning their farms, businesses and homes and in some cases killing them. Much of what has been happening recently in Nakuru and Naivasha has been cases of their tribe organizing and planning revenge attacks against some of the other tribes. Armed youths will block the road and make every vehicle stop. They insist on seeing every passengers' identity card and then take out their revenge on people from other tribes. They will also organize attacks on homes of specific tribes. It is very bitter and tearing this country apart. I was sick to my stomach tonight watching the graphic videos of what is happening in what used to be a peaceful country. It was even worse than the movie Hotel Rwanda. People were being pulled from buses and being hacked to death, lynched or stoned. In Naivasha Sunday, 16 Luos had fled from the mob and locked themselves in a house. They were burnt to death in the house they had gone to for refuge. Following that outbreak Sunday, Luos in Kisumu and Homa Bay erupted in violence. This is a country teetering dangerously on the verge of a full-scale civil war.
Mbita remains one of the safest places in the country. It is very rural, tucked away deep in Luo land. No one passes through Mbita on their way to anywhere else. It is at the edge of the country sitting on Lake Victoria. It is almost exclusively Luo, except a few from friendly neighboring tribes. We are thankful for the safety here, but our prayers go out to the many others throughout the country that are facing tension and uncertainty on a daily basis.
I just finished reading a great book about the Christian heritage of the United States. We are so fortunate that our founding fathers placed our country on a firm and Godly foundation. They understood the sinfulness of man and how corrupt a man can be when he is given power. The checks and balances put into our constitution have been a key to the success of our country. The mistakes made in Kenya and many African countries at the time of Independence have cost them dearly. It is not easy to fix after the fact. We are praying for a miracle. "
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)