D’Brickashaw Ferguson’s Signing Day Decision

As D’Brickashaw Ferguson blew open holes at the Pro Bowl on Sunday night in Miami, my thoughts drifted back to National Signing Day in 2002. I sat with him that day at the Freeport High School library as he signed a national letter of intent.

It was a modest affair. Freeport teammate Jerry Mackey Jr., their parents, school administrators and coach Russ Cellan looked on as the dynamic duo made a fateful college decision. Mackey, a gifted linebacker, headed to Syracuse University.

Months earlier Ferguson became the first lineman in 22 years to win the Thorp Award as Nassau County’s best high school football player. He was also considered one of the nation’s elite offensive line prospects. So he could have gone anywhere. Ferguson chose the University of Virginia, an ACC school, as much because of its academic reputation as its football status.

And he never looked back. Ferguson started four seasons at Virginia and the New York Jets made him the fourth overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft.

For one reason or another, many of Long Island’s most talented high school stars never quite pan out in college. Jason Gwaltney (North Babylon) and Nicole Kaczmarski (Sachem) are the poster children of failed expectations.

Mostly, these prep stars are emotionally or academically unprepared for the next level. I knew Ferguson would be different. I had a chance to see and talk to Ferguson up close for three years in high school. And as dominant as he proved to be on the football field, I was even more impressed with his mind.

He was bright and had a wide range of interests beyond sports. So as I watched the oversized tackle start for the AFC squad in the Pro Bowl, I couldn’t help but smile. D’Brickashaw Ferguson finally realized his potential and reached the pinnacle of the game.

Ferguson generated a lot of attention in the months leading up to signing day. If he wanted to go to Miami or Michigan or Florida State – powerhouses of the time – he could have. But instead of reaching for the stars, he made a decision based on more than prestige.

His signing day decision is worth mentioning because Wednesday, Feb. 3, marks yet another National Signing Day. Long Island is not a football hotbed. More than 120 high schools collectively produce no more than four to 10 Division I prospects in a given year.

I write this in hopes that the hot prospect of the moment thinks about the path Ferguson blazed. The Cavaliers just completed a 5-6 season when he signed, so playing in the national title game wasn’t on the horizon. No, he chose Virginia for academic reasons. He carried a 3.8 GPA and a scored 1000-plus on the SAT in high school.

His college choice was calculated. It was sensible. And look at where it got him? D’Brickashaw Ferguson has developed into an elite NFL player, and he did it on his terms.

Blog originally posted at LI Pulse.com

LI Pulse: Hofstra basketball’s Charles Jenkins

Title: Pride And Passion: Charles Jenkins carries the Hofstra basketball program—and a weighty past—on his shoulders
Publication: Long Island Pulse magazine
Author: Jason Molinet
Date: February 2010
Start Page: 48
Word Count: 907

Charles Jenkins literally carries a burden on his back. And it has nothing to do with basketball.

The junior guard on the Hofstra University men’s basketball team wears No. 22 in honor of his brother, Kareem Albritton, who in 2001 was shot and killed in Brooklyn at the too-young age of 22.

The violent death of a family member is something you never really get past. Just ask his coach, who understands better than most because he endures the weight of his own loss.

“I’ve talked to him intimately about it,” Hofstra coach Tom Pecora said. “I lost my first wife in a car accident. His brother was killed in a shooting. The point is, it’s how you live your life after that. It’s all about the dash. When somebody dies, the gravestone shows the day they were born and the day they died. It’s all about the dash. What did you do in between that? And I’ve asked Charles, ‘What kind of mark are you going to leave?’”

Jenkins can’t escape his past. He knows this. His coach knows it. All the Hofstra star can do is acknowledge and honor it.

So Jenkins, 20, embraces this fact, melding the tragic with the remarkable. When he became the first sophomore since Chris Mullin of St. John’s University in 1983 to win the Haggerty Award as the New York Metropolitan area’s best basketball player, he used the opportunity to speak about his fallen brother.

“I try to keep it in mind every day I step onto the floor,” Jenkins said. “That’s why I wear the number 22. He died when he was 22. He’s a major influence in my life. I play for him.”

The 6-foot, 3-inch, 220-pound Jenkins plays with a drive that’s transformed him into one of the nation’s top guards and turned Hofstra into a contender. The Pride will challenge for the Colonial Athletic Association title and berth in the NCAA Tournament after going 21-11 a year ago.

It began on the road in November against No. 1 Kansas, the first top-ranked team Hofstra had ever faced. Kansas routed the Pride, 101-65, but the experience proved invaluable.

“There are a lot of tough places to play in the CAA,” Hofstra center Greg Washington said. “But none of them will be like the crowd at Kansas. Drexel and UNC Wilmington—those are hostile environments. But Kansas is a different world. You step on the court and it’s like, ‘This is where Danny Manning played. This where Paul Pierce played.’

[Charles Jenkins] handled it like a man. He kept his head up and was always looking to make a play. 23 points is pretty hard to come by playing the No. 1 team in the country. He earned it.”

Then came a loss to perennial Big East power and 12th-ranked Connecticut, a game that the Pride actually led with 4:15 left.

“I thought that we had them,” said Jenkins, who finished with a game-high 25 points. “I thought we were going to win.”

No one has played a tougher early-season schedule. And facing the likes of Kansas guard Sherron Collins and UConn guard Jerome Dyson, each seasoned seniors with national reputations, Jenkins proved he belonged on the same stage. If Hofstra earns its fifth 20-win season over the last six years, it will be because of lessons learned facing these heavyweights in November.

“We will never play in a tougher environment,” Pecora said. “So for the rest of the year I can use that as a point of reference. ‘We’ve been to Allen Field House. The reason we went there is to be prepared for tonight.’”

Pecora has a disciple in Jenkins. The guard was born in Brooklyn, but grew up in Rosedale near Green Acres mall and starred at Springfield Gardens High School in Queens. St. John’s showed interest, but the Hofstra coaching staff found Jenkins early and developed a relationship that bloomed.

Mining for guards is a Pecora specialty. Coaches fell in love with Jenkins’ physical presence and work ethic. And at a mid-major program like Hofstra, outhustling and outmuscling the big boys is how you win. Jenkins is a hard-driving, physical guard who is a magnet to the basket.

“It makes it easy for you as a coach when your best player is your hardest worker,” Pecora said. “On the court. Off the court as a leader. In the weight room. With everything he does, he’s not only vocal, he leads by example. The guys have no choice but to fall in line.”

Jenkins, an All-CAA player as a sophomore, is the only returning player in the country who averaged at least 19 points, four rebounds and four assists per game last year. And he’s put up similar numbers for the Pride this season.

He became just the second player in program history to crack 1,000 career points as a sophomore and is on pace to finish his career as Hofstra’s all-time leading scorer. But the only statistics Jenkins cares about are wins and losses.

“We’re young and athletic and like to get after it,” Jenkins said. “We can have another 20-win season. It just depends on us.”

As the leader of the Pride, it’s a responsibility on Jenkins’ shoulders. When you consider his weighty past, you realize there’s nothing he can’t handle. Jenkins stares down bigger demons each time he slips on his No. 22 jersey, a reminder that every day is precious.

LI Entrepreneur Ferries Supplies To Haiti

There have been so many heartwarming examples of the Long Island community extending a helping hand to the Haitian people in the wake of the tragic earthquake earlier this month. But I stumbled across this travel journal by LI Pulse publisher Nada Marjanovich and it blew me away.

My wife ran supplies to a local church. I donated $10 online. But Marjanovich personally took a plane load of supplies to the devastated island nation. Amazing! Click on each photo for details: http://www.lipulse.com/nadas-travel-journal

Full disclosure: Yes, I write for LI Pulse. But this is a great example of a local entrepreneur going above and beyond.

Blog originally posted at LI Entrepreneurs.com

Stony Brook Hoops Renaissance

The best Division I men’s basketball program in the Metropolitan area? St. John’s used to own that title – easily. In the era of Lou Carnesecca and even Mike Jarvis, everyone else – from Hofstra to Manhattan – played in the shadows.

And then there was Stony Brook. The Seawolves weren’t even an afterthought. They played in total darkness. An exaggeration, yes. But not far from the truth.

Now here’s another truth: Stony Brook may have the surest path to the NCAA Tournament of any team in the area. The Seawolves improved to 14-7 after a 67-61 win over America East rival Albany on Sunday, Jan. 24, their best start since the 1991 season.

Stony Brook’s growing pains are easy to understand. The Seawolves made the quantum leap from Division III to D-I status in 1999. Steve Pikiell earned America East coach of the year honors a year ago after guiding Stony Brook to a 16-14 season, its best yet.

It’s a far cry from where the Seawolves once languished.

“We were on probation my first two years,’’ Pikiell said. “That sums it up. We had scholarship limitations. We had the lowest GPA in the conference. We had the lowest [Academic Progress Rate] in the conference. We had seven scholarship players. Four ineligible guys. Do I need to go on any more? Not good.”

Now in his fifth season, Pikiell and the Seawolves are on pace for a breakthrough run. Not only are his players winning on the court, but the program has recorded its highest GPA ever. And 19 of 20 players have graduated during Pikiell’s tenure.

“It’s been quite a journey,’’ Pikiell said.

Aside from Iona (15-6), no D-I program in the area has more momentum heading into February. Certainly none is more underrated.

Forget for a moment that Stony Brook has actually played – and lost – to St. John’s and Fordham this season. The Seawolves are making it count where it matters most – conference play. Stony Brook already beat first-place Vermont on the road last week and is 8-1 at home.

Stony Brook leads the conference in scoring margin (4.9), is tied for the lead in steals (7.7) and second in turnover margin (2) and rebound margin (2.7). Collectively, the stats show a team that stresses the fundamentals and plays gritty man-to-man defense.

It’s time to stop overlooking the Seawolves. Stony Brook’s next game is Saturday, Jan. 30 at Pritchard Gymnasium. The women play Hartford at 4 p.m. followed by the men’s game against Boston University at 7 p.m. The school is billing the doubleheader as a “Celebration of Basketball.” The teams will welcome back basketball alumni and salute 1,000 point scorers from the past.

Sophomore point guard Bryan Dougher may join that group someday. He has certainly energized the Seawolves the last two seasons. Even during slumps. His three-pointer with 1:08 left against Albany on Sunday broke a tie at 58 and snapped an 0-for-9 start for the guard.

It’s an infusion of young talent driving the Seawolves. Dougher is one of three sophomores in the starting rotation. And two more are the first subs off the bench.

“It’s been a great class,’’ Pikiell said. “I have the leading rebounder in the conference in Tommy Brenton. He’s been the leading rebounder since day one. The first game of his freshman year he had 16 rebounds. Bryan Dougher is one of the top five scorers in the league and he’s the best three-point shooter in the conference. And I have a big guy in the post in Dallis Joyner who is moving up to the league lead in double-doubles.”

Muhammad El-Amin is the lone senior. And Pikiell has more talent stocked on the roster. Freshman Marcus Rouse scored 17 points off the bench against Albany.

After years of frustration, miscalculation and misfires, Stony Brook men’s basketball matters. We’ll see how much at the America East Tournament from March 4-13 in Hartford. A big finish earns the Seawolves the ultimate reward – a berth in the NCAA Tournament.

Blog originally posted at LI Pulse.com

An Amityville Kind Of Day

Some days are about more than the game. When you’ve coached as long as Jack Agostino, past and present can converge in memorable ways. The Amityville High School boys basketball coach enjoyed one of those moments on Friday, Jan. 15.

It started with a tinge of disappointment. The school had hoped to retired the No. 12 jersey of former hoops star A.J. Price. A rookie with the NBA’s Indiana Pacers, Price was in the area to play the New Jersey Nets that night.

But for the second time in a month, the ceremony was put on hold because, Agostino said, the Pacers wouldn’t allow Price to miss the shoot around.

“His coach will not allow him to be late to the shoot around,’’ Agostino wrote in an email. “They love taking rookies’ money.”

Turns out the afternoon game at home against rival Westhampton had a storyline all its own. The Warriors rolled to an 86-50 win, earning Agostino his 400th career win and locking up a spot in the Suffolk Class A playoffs.

Agostino is 400-92 in 23 seasons at Amityville and the Warriors clinched a playoff berth for the 23rd straight season, each remarkable feats in their own right. (Hempstead’s Ted Adams became Nassau’s winningest boys basketball coach in December with his 480th win.)

“My players kept hugging me and congratulated me,’’ Agostino said. “That was a special moment.”

But the day was far from over. Price gave Agostino 500 tickets to distribute for the Pacers-Nets game that night.

Price won a pair of state championships at Amityville, and lost in the state title game as a senior in 2004. He was a two-time Newsday Suffolk Player of the Year before going on to a turbulent but fruitful career at the University of Connecticut. Indiana drafted Price with the 52nd pick in the 2009 NBA Draft.

So Price is someone the entire Amityville community admires and roots for.

After Amityville’s big win on Friday, it was time to see Price do his best. A large contingent journeyed to the Meadowlands to see the point guard. The rest of the night? Better to let Agostino sum it up.

“The Nets Pacer game was even better because so many of my former players were in attendance,” Agostino said. “Billy Kretz, Richard Payton, Eugene Nottingham and Trevor Mcintosh were all there supporting A.J. We are so proud of him. He still has great relationships with his guys from Amityville. A.J. played real well, exciting the fans with a couple of dazzling plays. He ended up with 8 points, 4 assists and a couple spectacular passes. We all hung out after the game and shared stories with A.J. and his parents. This day was a gift from God. I’m truly a blessed man.”

Amen.

Blog originally posted at LI Pulse.com

C.W. Post Hoops Still A Threat

This was supposed to be a rebuilding season.

After sprinting to the elite eight of the NCAA Division II Tournament last March before bowing out in OT to the eventual champ, the C.W. Post men’s basketball team wasn’t expected to recover from the loss of six heralded seniors.

Nick Carter, the son of former Knick Reggie Carter, is gone. So too are a pair of point guards – Kevin Spann and Jonathan Schmidt – who first made names for themselves starring in the Catholic league.

This is a much different cast than the one that rolled to a 30-0 start.

And yet C.W. Post is very much alive and kicking after Monday night’s hard-fought 98-85 road win over rival Queens College. After an uneven 3-4 start to the season, the Pioneers (9-4 overall, 5-2 conference) have won six straight and look like contenders again in the East Coast Conference.

Nemanja Jokic, a 6-7 Serbian senior, led C.W. Post with 24 points. Senior guard Roberto Macklin scored 16 of his 18 points in the second half and freshman Jonathan Kohler added 17.

Much to the chagrin of conference and Long Island rivals Molloy, NYIT and Dowling, C.W. Post coach Tim Cluess has this team headed on the right path once again. Post leads the ECC in offense (80.7 points a game), defense (69.5), field goal percentage (.488) and rebound margin (9.4). And Jokic is the conference’s third leading scorer and rebounder.

The Pioneers are 7-0 at home and that edge couldn’t come at a better time. C.W. Post will host first-place Bridgeport (8-5, 7-0) at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Pratt Recreation Center.

No, don’t dance on the grave of last season’s historic run. The Pioneers may not win 30 games again, but they are good enough to repeat at ECC champs. Believe it.

Blog originally posted at LI Pulse.com

Long Island Sports Figures of the Decade

With the first decade of the 21st century in the books, Long Island Pulse magazine decided to look back at the most significant figures on the Long Island sports scene. There were high profile athletes such as Kings Park and Houston Astros baseball star Craig Biggio and Hofstra and New York Jets wideout Wayne Chrebet. Prime-time events such as golf’s US Open at Bethpage (2002 and ‘09) and Shinnecock Hills (2004) put the region in the spotlight. Great teams abounded, from Speedy Claxton-led Hofstra in men’s basketball (2000) to the Bratton brothers-fuelled Huntington boys lacrosse run (2005-07). 

But the people who made the greatest contributions to Long Island sports in the last decade were often coaches and administrators, people on the bench or away from the public view. Others championed causes, opened the way for new sports to flourish or built the foundation for great teams. Here is our Top 10:

10. Louis Acompora: The Northport High School freshman died on March 25, 2000 after being struck in the chest by a ball during a freshman lacrosse game. Acompora, 14, suffered commotio cordis, a rare form of cardiac arrest. He could have been revived had there been an automated external defibrillator. His parents made it their mission to raise awareness and their son lived on through the Louis Acompora Foundation. The Long Island sports community reacted almost immediately, putting defibrillators at high school sports events. On June 27, 2002, with father and driving force John Acompora on hand, Gov. George Pataki signed into law a bill requiring one portable defibrillator in each high school. Louis’ Law was the nation’s first.

9. Sarah Hughes: The figure skating prodigy from Great Neck burst onto the world consciousness with a remarkable gold-medal performance at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. Then 17, Hughes jumped from fourth to first with a flawless long program and joined the ranks of local Olympic immortals Derrick Adkins and Al Oerter. Hughes has served as a spokesperson for breast cancer awareness and supported the outreach program Figure Skating Harlem. Younger sister Emily Hughes also developed into a figure skating star in her own right. Emily Hughes competed at the 2006 Olympics.  Sarah Hughes graduated from Yale in 2009.

8. Russ Cellan: The Freeport High School football coach turned a downtrodden program into one of Long Island’s best, developing talent and innovating along the way. The result was a feared program that played in six Nassau Conference I championship games this decade and won four. He popularized the spread offense on Long Island, coached NFL standouts D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Morlon Greenwood and led one of the great teams in state history, the 2003 Red Devils. Cellan closed the decade in November the way he began it in 2000, winning a Long Island Class I championship.    

7. Tim Cluess: The C.W. Post men’s basketball coach is a fierce competitor, a master tactician and a great teacher. He was a legendary high school coach, dominating the Catholic league at St. Mary’s. He went 262-87 in 14 seasons with the Gaels, winning a pair of state Class B Federation championships before tensions between he and the administration led him to leave in 2005. He coached current NBA player Danny Green. Cluess jumped to Suffolk CC-Brentwood and led it to the NJCAA Division III quarterfinals in 2006. Division II C.W. Post hired him weeks later.  Last year, Cluess guided a Long Island-heavy roster to a 30-1 season and the elite eight of the NCAA Division II tournament. He is very likely Long Island’s next big D-I prospect, a la Billy Donovan at Florida.

6. Jim McGowan: The longtime Bay Shore High School softball coach has dominated the game like no coach in any other sport. He is the winningest softball coach in state history and a pitching guru who has developed dominant windmillers throughout Long Island. This decade alone, Bay Shore won state Class A titles in 2000 and 2005 and five Suffolk titles from 2000-07. And the Marauders are in the hunt each season. They lost in the county championship series last spring. Beyond his work as a coach and an instructor, he’s been instrumental in building up the coaches association and championing the game. With former players now becoming coaches themselves, his influence will live on.  

5. Boomer Esiason: You know him today as a TV commentator and radio host. But the former East Islip standout and NFL quarterback is an iconic Long Island sports figure. Sure, he played in a Super Bowl and starred for the New York Jets. But he’s emerged as an even more influential force off the field. The Manhasset resident started the Boomer Esiason Foundation after his son, Gunnar, was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis in 1993. BEF generated $6.4 million in 2008. Meanwhile, Esiason turned his twin passions – football and fundraising to fight CF – to promote Long Island football. There’s no event quite like the Outback Steakhouse Empire Challenge, an all-star football game played each June at Hofstra before big crowds and regional TV. The Empire Challenge only strengthened the sport, giving Long Island coaches an opportunity to grow while helping the development of youth and high school programs in need. For example, austerity-plagued Roosevelt High School received game helmets and uniforms. By the way, graduating seniors got a first-class showcase event.

4. Don Buckley: The longtime athletic director at St. Anthony’s High School helped build the Catholic power into one of the nation’s premier sports programs. Sports Illustrated recognized the school as the best in the state from 2005-09. The football program won eight CHSFL titles in the decade and boys basketball captured a state Federation crown. Girls soccer has been a powerhouse and boys soccer finished ranked second in the nation in 2008. But the former track coach’s true love is running and the Friars have a boys and girls program with several hundred participants. Yet Buckley’s influence goes well beyond Huntington Station. Buckley has served as president of the CHSAA and the state Federation, forging a reputation as a key figure in New York high school sports.

3. Cathy Gallagher: The long-time executive director of Section XI was a pioneer in women’s sports and a strong voice in New York state high school athletics. She retired from Section XI, Suffolk County’s governing body for high school sports, in 2003 after 21 years at the helm. Gallagher first taught at Smithtown and Cold Spring Harbor. She officiated girls basketball, volleyball, softball and field hockey. Her career path became clear in 1972, thanks to the landmark legislation known as Title IX, which leveled the playing field for women and promoted a nationwide explosion in sports participation. At Section XI, she implemented scheduling of games, brought content online, oversaw the addition of numerous sports from girls lacrosse to girls golf, helped streamline procedure and educated schools on safety issues. Gallagher helped usher in the Long Island football championships and transform high school sports in the process. Ed Cinelli succeeded Gallagher and deserves mention. So does Todd Heimer in Nassau. But Gallagher was a ground-breaking administrator for three decades.

2. Jim Fiore: He’s presided over the rapid rise of Stony Brook University athletics. The Long Beach native took over as Stony Brook’s athletic director in August 2003. In the years since, Fiore has overhauled staff, upgraded facilities and set the Seawolves on a path toward Division I competitiveness. Football was non-scholarship when he arrived. Now it’s the only Division I program on Long Island. Under his watch, men’s and women’s lacrosse, baseball, softball and men’s soccer each qualified for the NCAA Tournament. Fiore also inked the first TV contact in school history, with MSG, in 2005. He helped secure $30 million in state funds for school facilities and opened the Goldstein Student-Athlete Development Center in 2006. With lacrosse primed for another NCAA run this spring, the Seawolves roar into the new decade as a force on the Long Island sports scene.

1. Charles Wang: From merely big-named Long Island businessman as co-founder of Computer Associates to iconic figure in the community, Charles Wang is Long Island Pulse magazine’s sports figure of the decade. As owner of the New York Islanders, Wang is unquestionably the biggest backer of Long Island sports. He became part-owner of the struggling NHL franchise in 2000 and added immediate stability, ending speculation of a move and opening his check book to bring in fresh talent. Wang assumed full ownership 2004. The Islanders reached the playoffs four times in the decade, beginning in 2002 after a seven-year drought. In 2001, Wang relocated an Arena Football League franchise to the Nassau Coliseum. The New York Dragons won three division titles and made the playoffs six times before the league folded in 2009. He’s been in contentious negotiations with Nassau County to build a new arena and redevelop the area around the Coliseum. If the Lighthouse project ever does move forward, Wang might go down as Long Island’s most influential power broker since Robert Moses.

Blog originally posted at LI Pulse.com

Tobias Harris: Coming To A Gym Near You

Mark your calendar. Thursday, Dec. 17 at 5:45 p.m.

That’s the season opener for the Half Hollow Hills West boys basketball team. The Colts hit the road to face host Eastport-South Manor. It’s also the only glimpse you’ll get of New York’s best basketball player until after the New Year.

Tennessee-bound Tobias Harris is the rarest of sights on Long Island. He’s a transcendent player. The 6-8 senior is considered a top five recruit nationally and the most gifted talent the region has seen since Danny Green (St. Mary’s) and A.J. Price (Amityville) heated up gyms.

Both are in the NBA now. And if father-handler-promoter Torrell Harris Sr. can be believed, then Tobias Harris will jump to the NBA after two seasons of college ball. That’s the plan.

But Harris’ promise recalls another Long Island great: Jason Fraser. The 6-9 Amityville star created a buzz not equaled the last two decades as he led the Warriors on a path to a second straight state championship in 2002. He signed autographs before games, dunked ferociously on foes and no one ever raised an eyebrow when Amityville won by 50 points.

Running up the score? No, the Warriors were simply that good.

Injuries took a toll on Fraser’s pro ambitions. His heyday was in an Amityville uniform, and anyone lucky enough to see him play won’t forget him anytime soon, even if the rest of the basketball world has.

Here is your shot to see the latest and greatest hoops star from Long Island.

In case you forgot, Harris led unheralded Hills West to an undefeated regular season as a sophomore and then claimed the program’s first Suffolk Class AA championship. He transferred to Long Island Lutheran for greater basketball exposure and got it in spades. Harris guided LuHi to a state Federation Class A title last March and then promptly transferred back to Hills West.

This encore season with Hills West includes an added bonus. Tyler Harris is a fast-rising junior who would probably be getting even greater attention if he weren’t playing in the shadow of big brother.

Tobias Harris opens the season as a finalist for the Naismith Award, which goes to the nation’s top high school boys basketball player.

So warm up the car and get ready to follow the Harris Victory Tour as it makes a stop at a high school near you, from Riverhead to Deer Park – and maybe, just maybe the state Final Four at the Glens Falls Civic Center in March.

HALF HOLLOW HILLS WEST BASKETBALL SCHEDULE 2009-2010

DATE OPPONENT TIME
12-17-09 @EASTPORT 5:45 p.m.
1-5-10 @COPIAGUE 4:00 p.m.
1-7-10 DEER PARK 6:00 p.m.
1-12-10 @RIVERHEAD 5:45 p.m.
1-14-10 WEST BABYLON 6:00 p.m.
1-16-10 @ Springfield, Mass. 1:30 p.m.
HOOP HALL CLASSIC vs. Sacred Heart, Conn.
1-18-10 @ Baruch College 5:45 p.m.
BIG APPLE CHALLENGE vs. Bishop Loughlin, N.Y.
1-19-10 SMITHTOWN WEST6:00 p.m.
1-21-10 EASTPORT 6:00 p.m.
1-24-10 @ West Virginia University 12:00 p.m.
PRIME TIME SHOOTOUT vs. Chester, Pa.
1-25-10 @ BELLPORT 7:00 p.m.
1-28-10 COPIAGUE 6:00 p.m.
1-30-10 @DEER PARK 1:45 p.m.
2-02-10 RIVERHEAD 6:00 p.m.
2-04-10 @WEST BABYLON 5:45 p.m.
2-08-10 BELLPORT 6:00 p.m.
2-10-10 @SMITHTOWN WEST 5:45 p.m.
2-14-10 @ Trenton, NJ 3:30 p.m.
PRIME TIME SHOOTOUT vs. Christ the King, N.Y.
2-19-10 SUFFOLK PLAYOFFS

Blog originally posted at LI Pulse.com

Contemplating Long Island Without Hofstra Football

In a week of stunning announcements – from Tom Suozzi’s concession to ‘Junior’ Gotti’s mistrial – nothing compared with the sudden death of Hofstra University football.

School president Stuart Rabinowitz made the announcement to immediately terminate the football program at a hastily-called press conference Thursday morning, and the news struck the Long Island sports community like a punch to the gut.

There’s no arguing the merits of the decision. Running a major college football program can be prohibitively expensive. And in these tough economic times, the small private school in Hempstead – investing $4.5 million annually on the sport – made a prudent call with the best interest of the institution at heart.

But that doesn’t mean there won’t be lasting repercussions. Football stirs a sense of pride – even among students who have never attended a game – that no other function or event can replicate.

The football program also served as a calling card to all of Long Island for 72 years. There was no better ambassador. The connections ran deep.

To name two: Wandy Williams began his career at Hofstra before moving on to the NFL in 1969 and then settling into decades as a successful high school basketball coach in Long Beach. Freeport football coach Russ Cellan, who just guided the Red Devils to the Long Island Class I championship, routinely called on the staff at Hofstra for coaching insight.

Hofstra regularly gave tickets to high school and youth league groups. The entire coaching staff, from Dave Cohen on down, served as a resource for coaches across Long Island. The skills camps the Pride ran helped aspiring teenagers grow.

Even the facilities were wide open to any number of events, including the Long Island football championships. The Road to Hofstra meant something to every budding high school athlete in Nassau County, hoping to make the playoffs and land a scholarship to play at the next level.

Now Hofstra’s 63 scholarship players, many of them from Long Island, must attempt to find new homes or give up the game. An entire football community must look elsewhere for inspiration too.

Sure, Stony Brook’s growing football program (this was their first year as a fully-funded scholarship Division I-AA team) will reap the rewards. Greater exposure. A monopoly of talent. It will even land a few of Hofstra’s best players in an instant talent infusion. But it cannot ever completely fill the void.

It’s a sad state for Long Island sports fans. The New York Nets of the ABA once played at the Nassau Coliseum. So did the Arena Football League’s Dragons. And the Saints of indoor lacrosse. The women’s pro soccer league Power played down the street at Mitchel Athletic Complex.

Let’s not forget that the New York Jets relocated their home office from Hofstra to new digs in New Jersey after the 2007 season.

Those are just a few of the pro teams that once called the region home. Now the Islanders are threatening to bolt if the Lighthouse project doesn’t get green lit. With a new Nassau County executive set to step into the fray, that’s a big if.

So Hofstra’s capitulation is more heartbreak on top of decades of heartbreak. Say it ain’t so.

Four former Hofstra stars are still carrying the banner by playing in the NFL, from New England Patriots cornerback Kyle Arrington, Dallas Cowboys defensive end Stephen Bowen, Pittsburgh Steelers tackle Willie Colon to New Orleans Saints receiver Marques Colston. Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris spent his formative years at Hofstra.

They will continue to represent Hofstra Pride for years to come. In fact, Colston converted a big third down in overtime on Sunday, setting the stage for Garrett Hartley’s 18-yard game-winning field goal as the Saints moved to 12-0 with a 33-30 win over host Washington.

Colston finished with two catches for 46 yards, highlighted by a second-quarter 40-yard touchdown grab. Colston is on pace for another 1,000-yard season. And his Saints may well reach the Super Bowl. His play offers some consolation.

Hofstra may have pulled the plug on football, but Hofstra football isn’t dead yet.

Blog originally posted at LI Pulse.com

LI Pulse: Giants Punter Jeff Feagles

Title: Ageless Wonder Of The Meadowlands: Giants’ punter Jeff Feagles keeps on kicking through 22 NFL seasons
Publication: Long Island Pulse magazine
Author: Jason Molinet
Date: December 2009
Start Page: 52
Word Count: 1,087

He’s the guy no one wants to see trot onto the field at Giants Stadium. An appearance by Jeff Feagles means something went wrong with the Giants’ offense. But few people are better at salvaging the moment and the 43-year-old punter has been doing it for a remarkable 22 NFL seasons.

In an era when dangerous punt return specialists lurk like pumas, Feagles owes his staying power to a unique skill—he is a directional punter. Through rain, snow or swirling wind—all common occurrences at the Meadowlands in December and January—Feagles can drop a football down a chimney and handcuff even the most dangerous return man.

“A lot of punters are going to it these days because of the quality of returners in the league,’’ Feagles said. “I was a little ahead of my time. When you have Darren Sproles, DeSean Jackson and Devin Hester, players who can change a game on a punt return, directional kicking becomes even more of an asset.”

It’s transformed him into an unsung magician; a strategic weapon who can turn the tide of a game by altering field position with a single boot of his resilient right foot.

Feagles never had a powerful leg. He went undrafted out of the University of Miami in 1988 only to emerge as the surprise winner of the job in New England. By the mid-1990s as a member of the Arizona Cardinals, his third team, Feagles began his mastery of a technique only a handful of other punters showcased. Instead of driving the ball deep, Feagles finessed the ball like a golfer on the green. His game is about angles, trajectories and touch.

“It is a rare talent,’’ Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. “And of course we are a directional punt team and a field-position-conscious special teams outfit. And he does a very good job of that.”

After five seasons in Seattle, Feagles landed in New York in 2003. And the ageless wonder of the Meadowlands has padded his resume ever since. He won a Super Bowl with the Giants in 2007 and earned a trip to the Pro Bowl last season.

No NFL punter cracked the 40-yard net average—a benchmark on par with Maris’ 61 in 61—until 2007. It’s been done six times the last two seasons with the veteran Feagles earning a trip to the Pro Bowl with a 40.2 net in 2008. Feagles, 13 years between his last Pro Bowl, joined teammate John Carney as the oldest players to ever make the game.

That staying power has Feagles hoping to play into the next decade. Feagles, a team captain, has played in 344 consecutive games, an NFL record that may never be broken. He is third in league history for total games played (Morten Andersen kicked in 382 games over 25 seasons).

Too bad the position gets no respect. Take his consecutive games streak. Former Minnesota defensive end Jim Marshall, the next closest player on the list, played in 282 straight games. You’d expect Feagles to get more attention for his Iron Man feat. Just the opposite.

“There are people who don’t think it’s a big deal because I’m not in the game on every play and I understand that,’’ Feagles said. “That’s fine. But just to be able to show up and play for 22 years straight and not miss a game, there’s a lot that goes into that. You have to be lucky and avoid injuries. You have to be in great shape. More importantly, I’m proud of it because it shows how consistent I am. There’s only 32 guys in the world who do what I do. My team can depend on me.”

Numbers don’t lie. Feagles entered 2009 as the NFL career record holder for most punts (1,649), yards (68,607) and punts inside the 20 (531). Those are Hall of Fame stats. Just one problem: No punter has ever been enshrined in Canton, something that draws the ire of the otherwise affable Feagles.

“To not have a punter in the Hall of Fame to me is a disgrace,’’ Feagles said. “One day there will be one in there. Ray Guy is certainly deserving. It needs to be represented because it is an integral part of a football game. Field position is a huge aspect of football. For them not to recognize that—I think they’re blind.’’

This may be the final season for Giants Stadium, but Feagles has no plans to retire. Feagles is in the final year of a two-year contract. His negotiating strength lies in his accuracy. Feagles has the ability to pin opponents inside the 20 or point a punt toward either sideline.

“Coming out of college I really didn’t think I was going to get a shot at the NFL,’’ Feagles said. “You never think you’re going to play 22 years. You take them one at a time.”

Feagles has been around so long that former Hurricanes assistant Butch Davis—both members of the 1987 national championship squad—is now the head coach at the University of North Carolina, where Feagles’ son, C.J., is a redshirt freshman punter.

Distractions tug on Feagles, who lives in New Jersey. Spending time with family is important. He wants to see his sons play. And Feagles, an avid golfer, collects great golf courses the way teens stockpile Facebook friends. He spent a picture-perfect day in the Hamptons in July playing a round at Shinnecock Hills.

He understands like few pro athletes ever could, that each day in the NFL is a blessing.

“I’d like to play another couple of years. It all depends on the Giants,’’ Feagles said. “I know one day it’s going to come to an end. It’s difficult at 43 to keep in shape. There are a lot of things you battle on a daily basis when you get into your forties. Aches and pains and other things that act up. You wake up some days and go ‘Why does this hurt today?’

“I know I can keep going,’’ he added. “The tough part is one day someone is going to say you can’t. And you always are going to believe you can.”

Opposing players are not the enemy. The bracing winds of Giants Stadium no longer faze Feagles. He’s conquered them all a lifetime ago. Age is his greatest foe. The NFL’s Iron Man will soldier on in relative anonymity, putting the finishing touches on one of the great careers of any New York Giant, until he can no longer.

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