About 50 minutes after the hour, each hour this morning, NSU Demon basketball is showcased on ESPN's SportsCenter.
A play involving Michael McConathy and Jermaine Spencer is No. 6 on the SportsCenter "Plays of the Day." SportsCenter edition that originally was telecast last night is replayed throughout the following morning, providing tremendous exposure for NSU.
The play was also featured in the "College Basketball GameNight" show on ESPN last night as one of the "Gem Gyms." Of course, the highlight came from the Fox Sports Net Southwest telecast of NSU's 67-57 win last night at Stehpen F. Austin.
Hurry to your TVs for a look about 50 after the hour throughout the morning!
Thanks for your support of NSU and Demon basketball.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Monday, February 05, 2007
Super Sunday for Demons
Although no NSU Demons were on the field Sunday at Super Bowl XLI, there were a couple of reasons it was a super Sunday for Northwestern.
In a pregame feature on Bears’ legends Brian Piccalo and Walter Payton, it was moving to hear Joe Delaney mentioned by Payton after he set the NFL career rushing record.
Talking to media after the game, asked about what it meant to him to break the record, “Sweetness” said (and I paraphrase): “I think about guys like Brian Piccalo, David Overstreet, Joe Delaney, who didn’t get the chance I’ve been given …”
Wow. Did you know that in his Pro Football Hall of Fame acceptance speech, Marv Levy spent time talking about Joe? The text of the speech is on the Hall of Fame’s website.
Also Sunday, Demon offensive line coach Jeremy Offutt was a proud fellow. Colts rookie offensive tackle Charlie Johnson got a lot of praise from CBS Sports analyst Phil Simms for his performance after being rushed into action to replace an injured starter.
Offutt coached Johnson in the 2005 season at Oklahoma State. Johnson was a tight end in 2004 and was moved to tackle, the position Offutt coached at his alma mater, in the spring of 2005.
Doug Ireland, SID
In a pregame feature on Bears’ legends Brian Piccalo and Walter Payton, it was moving to hear Joe Delaney mentioned by Payton after he set the NFL career rushing record.
Talking to media after the game, asked about what it meant to him to break the record, “Sweetness” said (and I paraphrase): “I think about guys like Brian Piccalo, David Overstreet, Joe Delaney, who didn’t get the chance I’ve been given …”
Wow. Did you know that in his Pro Football Hall of Fame acceptance speech, Marv Levy spent time talking about Joe? The text of the speech is on the Hall of Fame’s website.
Also Sunday, Demon offensive line coach Jeremy Offutt was a proud fellow. Colts rookie offensive tackle Charlie Johnson got a lot of praise from CBS Sports analyst Phil Simms for his performance after being rushed into action to replace an injured starter.
Offutt coached Johnson in the 2005 season at Oklahoma State. Johnson was a tight end in 2004 and was moved to tackle, the position Offutt coached at his alma mater, in the spring of 2005.
Doug Ireland, SID
Friday, February 02, 2007
When in Jackson, Miss., …
… Check out the “Pig Stand” sports grill, featuring tremendous barbeque and a collection of memorabilia on the walls that soon will include NSU items.
It’s technically located in Madison, a suburb of Jackson, capital of the Magnolia State.
Former Demon quarterback Wayne Van owns the restaurant. The Monroe native has been involved in business in the Jackson area for several years.
Among the items, he’ll showcase a “Demons of Destiny” poster celebrating the 2006 NSU basketball team’s success, and a collection of photographs of former Demon defensive lineman Ed “BeBe” Orgeron, now the head football coach at Ole Miss.
We’ll probably also throw in a shot or two of former Demon defensive coordinator John Thompson, who recently joined Coach O with the Rebels.
It sure will be odd seeing those guys competing against Northwestern next Nov. 3 in Oxford. But at least we’ll have an even larger crowd of former Demon players who were alongside Orgeron playing and coaching when Thompson was at NSU on Sam Goodwin’s first staff beginning in 1983.
Doug Ireland, SID
It’s technically located in Madison, a suburb of Jackson, capital of the Magnolia State.
Former Demon quarterback Wayne Van owns the restaurant. The Monroe native has been involved in business in the Jackson area for several years.
Among the items, he’ll showcase a “Demons of Destiny” poster celebrating the 2006 NSU basketball team’s success, and a collection of photographs of former Demon defensive lineman Ed “BeBe” Orgeron, now the head football coach at Ole Miss.
We’ll probably also throw in a shot or two of former Demon defensive coordinator John Thompson, who recently joined Coach O with the Rebels.
It sure will be odd seeing those guys competing against Northwestern next Nov. 3 in Oxford. But at least we’ll have an even larger crowd of former Demon players who were alongside Orgeron playing and coaching when Thompson was at NSU on Sam Goodwin’s first staff beginning in 1983.
Doug Ireland, SID
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Back in charge
Former NSU volleyball coach Leigh Mullins has a knack for taking charge.
She did so well enough to breathe life into what was a long-struggling program at Northwestern. The Lady Demons became very competitive in the SLC in her four seasons, reaching the SLC Tournament for the first time in her final year.
That’s also the year she became a mother, and after the 2005 season, she and daughter Avery moved to North Carolina, where husband/daddy Ty Mullins is based. He is a helicopter pilot.
Her former assistant coach, nanny and successor, the effervescent Brittany Uffelman, passed along this update on Leigh: she is now a high school principal.
Leigh is laying down the law at a private school in Raleigh, N.C. Initially hired as a substitute teacher, her ability to handle kids so impressed administrators and parents that when the school was looking for a principal, they offered her the job.
So if you happen to be in the area, don’t dally in the hallway after the bell rings for class and keep your gum in the car! Mrs. Mullins means business.
-Doug Ireland, SID
She did so well enough to breathe life into what was a long-struggling program at Northwestern. The Lady Demons became very competitive in the SLC in her four seasons, reaching the SLC Tournament for the first time in her final year.
That’s also the year she became a mother, and after the 2005 season, she and daughter Avery moved to North Carolina, where husband/daddy Ty Mullins is based. He is a helicopter pilot.
Her former assistant coach, nanny and successor, the effervescent Brittany Uffelman, passed along this update on Leigh: she is now a high school principal.
Leigh is laying down the law at a private school in Raleigh, N.C. Initially hired as a substitute teacher, her ability to handle kids so impressed administrators and parents that when the school was looking for a principal, they offered her the job.
So if you happen to be in the area, don’t dally in the hallway after the bell rings for class and keep your gum in the car! Mrs. Mullins means business.
-Doug Ireland, SID
Monday, January 22, 2007
Former Demons land in Denver
Talk about a Rocky Mountain High for Bill Johnson and Brian Lawrence.
With their pro sports futures unsettled, they each have found new homes in Denver.
Johnson will be the defensive line coach for the Denver Broncos. Lawrence will be pitching for the Colorado Rockies.
The Broncos hired Johnson, 51, last week. The Rockies signed Lawrence, 30, on Sunday.
Johnson had spent the last six years doing the same job for the Atlanta Falcons, hired by Dan Reeves and retained by Jim Mora. While with Atlanta, the Falcons had 242 sacks, seventh-best in the NFL during that span.
“Smilin’ Bill” was a center for the Demons while playing from 1975-78, and began his coaching career by spending five seasons working under both A.L. Williams and Sam Goodwin at NSU. He went on to coach collegiately at Miami, Texas A&M and Arkansas before getting into the NFL. He already has coached for 27 years.
Lawrence left Northwestern as the 1998 Southland Conference Pitcher of the Year and worked his way to the major leagues in 2001. He pitched four seasons for the San Diego Padres, twice being their Opening Day starter, and has a career 49-61 record with a 4.10 ERA in 162 games, including 146 starts.
Brian’s No. 27 NSU jersey was retired in 2005. Last year, he was a free agent signee with the Washington Nationals, but missed all of last season with an injury to his right (pitching) shoulder that required major surgery. In October, he said he was ready to return to the mound and felt better than he had in 2-3 years.
The Rockies beat out Pittsburgh, Seattle and San Diego to sign Lawrence, who had more money on the table from the Pirates but liked the idea of pitching for the Rockies. He was on the losing end of the first, and only, 1-0 game at Coors Field in his last season with the Padres, whose bats seemed to take the night off when Brian took the mound. A good number of his 61 losses could have been wins with better run support.
He is expected to compete for a spot in the starting rotation as a pitcher who has chewed up 200-innings plus in three of his four full seasons in MLB.
Doug Ireland, SID
With their pro sports futures unsettled, they each have found new homes in Denver.
Johnson will be the defensive line coach for the Denver Broncos. Lawrence will be pitching for the Colorado Rockies.
The Broncos hired Johnson, 51, last week. The Rockies signed Lawrence, 30, on Sunday.
Johnson had spent the last six years doing the same job for the Atlanta Falcons, hired by Dan Reeves and retained by Jim Mora. While with Atlanta, the Falcons had 242 sacks, seventh-best in the NFL during that span.
“Smilin’ Bill” was a center for the Demons while playing from 1975-78, and began his coaching career by spending five seasons working under both A.L. Williams and Sam Goodwin at NSU. He went on to coach collegiately at Miami, Texas A&M and Arkansas before getting into the NFL. He already has coached for 27 years.
Lawrence left Northwestern as the 1998 Southland Conference Pitcher of the Year and worked his way to the major leagues in 2001. He pitched four seasons for the San Diego Padres, twice being their Opening Day starter, and has a career 49-61 record with a 4.10 ERA in 162 games, including 146 starts.
Brian’s No. 27 NSU jersey was retired in 2005. Last year, he was a free agent signee with the Washington Nationals, but missed all of last season with an injury to his right (pitching) shoulder that required major surgery. In October, he said he was ready to return to the mound and felt better than he had in 2-3 years.
The Rockies beat out Pittsburgh, Seattle and San Diego to sign Lawrence, who had more money on the table from the Pirates but liked the idea of pitching for the Rockies. He was on the losing end of the first, and only, 1-0 game at Coors Field in his last season with the Padres, whose bats seemed to take the night off when Brian took the mound. A good number of his 61 losses could have been wins with better run support.
He is expected to compete for a spot in the starting rotation as a pitcher who has chewed up 200-innings plus in three of his four full seasons in MLB.
Doug Ireland, SID
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