News Nuggets, 08.16.03
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

East Carolina's go-to running back sidelined for 2003

GREENVILLE — Senior running back Art Brown, a 1,000-yard rusher for East Carolina in 2002, has been lost for the upcoming season as a result of an injury to his right knee.

Brown, a preseason All Conference-USA selection, rushed for 1,029 yards and scored 17 touchdowns last season. He missed the final two games of last season with a groin injury.

"We are saddened by the loss of Art to this unfortunate injury," East Carolina coach John Thompson said in a statement Friday. "However, I am confident that his work ethic and determination will help him recover and be ready to play in 2004."

Brown is eligible to take advantage of a medical redshirt year and use his last season of eligibility in 2004.

Pirate football legends headed to Hall of Fame

GREENVILLE [ECU SID] — The East Carolina University Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2003 is comprised exclusively of former football players and coaches — and all are among the most prominent names in ECU gridiron lore.

The four selections include Jeff Blake (QB 1988-91), Ed Emory (head coach, 1980-84), Vinson Smith (LB 1984-87), and Dr. Henry VanSant (lineman, 1957-60; assistant coach, 1962-68; 1979; administrator, 1985-2001), all of whom will be enshrined on Hall of Fame Weekend, October 24-25.

Emory, Smith and VanSant will be inducted at a banquet on Friday, October 24 on the ECU Campus and then introduced to the public during halftime of the ECU-Louisville football game on Saturday, October 25.

Due to the National Football League (NFL) game between the Arizona Cardinals, quaterbacked by Blake, and the San Francisco 49ers that same weekend, Blake will be unable to attend the ceremonies and will be formally inducted at a later date.

Under the direction of Emory, ECU made its first appearance in the final national Associated Press poll in 1983 with a ranking of 20th after posting an 8-3 record, losing three games to Florida State, Florida and Miami (Fla.) by a combined 13 points. Emory served as the Pirates' head coach for five seasons from 1980-84. A native of Lancaster, SC, Emory earned three varsity letters at ECU in the late 1950s.

Smith cemented his name among the best linebackers to ever play football at ECU. As a junior and senior, Smith led East Carolina in total tackles in 1986 and '87. In 1986, Smith tallied 116 total tackles and followed that season with an 118 tackle campaign in '87. Smith signed with Atlanta as an undrafted free agent in 1988 and spent 12 years in the NFL, winning a Super Bowl ring as a member of the Dallas Cowboys.

VanSant's association with ECU spanned across six decades as he served as both coach and administrator at his alma mater. VanSant played on the Pirate football team from 1957-60 and then served as an assistant under Hall of Fame coach Clarence Stasavich.

VanSant began his administrative tenure at ECU in 1985 as assistant to the athletic director before being named Associate Athletic Director two years later, a position he held until he retired in 2001. VanSant also served as Interim Athletic Director following Dave Hart's departure in 1994.

Blake orchestrated the greatest season in Pirate football history leading ECU to an 11-1 overall record and a final national ranking of No. 9. During his senior season of 1991, Blake finished ninth in the Heisman Trophy voting and was named second team All-America and East Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Year.

The three new inductees brings the total athletes enshrined into the ECU Athletics Hall of Fame to 102.

'Uptown' Pirate Radio sets sail for football season

GREENVILLE — WGHB 1250AM has announced a new identity, a full slate of talk shows and East Carolina sports coverage, and a partnership with Bonesville.net to make its most strategic programs available to Internet listeners.

The radio station, which bills itself as "Pirate Radio 1250," will air several nationally-syndicated shows, including Bob and Sheri, Dr. Joy Browne, Jim Rome, Sam Donaldson, and Jim Cramer. Pirate Radio 1250 will also feature an extensive lineup of local programming, which it will broadcast beginning Monday, August 25th.

The drive-time show, on weekdays from 5 to 6 p.m., is called "Live@5 with Troy D and Ellerbe" and will be co-hosted by station owners Troy Dreyfus and Jonathan Ellerbe. The show is promoted as "Live, Local & Always Entertaining."

Local sports programming will include shows hosted by 'Voice of the Pirates' Jeff Charles, George Koonce, former ECU player who snared a Super Bowl ring as a member of the Green Bay Packers, and Kevin Monroe, former Rose High School and ECU star.

Pirate Radio 1250 will also produce a local Pitt County high school football preview show and game of the week each Friday night.

In addition to the programs it originates, Pirate Radio 1250 will carry the live broadcasts of ECU's games and will assist the Pirate Sports Radio Network with the production of the Coach John Thompson Radio Call-In Show Thursday nights from 7 p.m.-8 p.m.

WGHB 1250AM's agreement with Bonesville.net, the biggest independent Internet site covering ECU athletics, will result in the packaging and distribution in cyberspace of Pirate sports-related programming in Windows Media format. As a result, ECU football play-by-play coverage and all game-day programming, including 1250’s pre-game and post game shows, will be available on the world wide web for real-time streaming.

The station and Bonesville.net will also combine resources to offer digital encores of 1250's weeknight ECU sports programming, which will be archived online for streaming on demand.

Pirate Radio 1250, said the station's announcement, has also been named "The Official Radio Station of the ECU Alumni Association” and will be a marketing partner for all ECU Alumni events.

In preparation for implementing its programming plan, the station has moved its studios and offices to become a part of the revitalization of Uptown Greenville. Pirate Radio 1250 now broadcasts from its new studios at 525 South Evans Street.

"We are so excited to have the community station broadcasting from the heart of our community,” said Don Edwards, President of the Uptown Greenville Association. “Having this radio station here is a very positive step in the revitalization of the Uptown Greenville, and provides them great access to the University and City Hall.”

Additional information about the station is available online at www.pirateradio1250.com or by phone at 252-317-1250.

News Nuggets are compiled periodically from staff, ECU, Conference USA and its member schools, and from Associated Press and other reports. Copyright 2003 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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