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PREVIOUS NUGGETS |
07.24.05: CIAA
trophy to be named after 'Big House' ... ECU hoops mirror
reflects Herd, Wave, Knights |
07.23.05: East
Carolina alum Mike Sutton taken off respirator
... Jury slaps recruiting guru with $30 million verdict |
07.22.05: Big
Ten stirs the pot of shifting bowl alliances |
07.21.05: Cal,
AF, road trip to Memphis on Vols' 2006 slate ... Mississippi
Valley State hires former USM coach |
07.20.05: Revamped
Big East striving to hold on to respect |
07.19.05: Rocky
Mountain football rivalry up in the air |
07.18.05: 'One-year
rule' presents quandary for recruiters |
07.17.05: Williams
unaware 'graduation gifts' prohibited |
07.16.05: Kansas
acknowledges violations under Williams |
07.15.05: Big
12, Big East divvy up Gator, Sun Bowl spots |
07.14.05: South
Carolina fesses up to "major" infractions ...
Player nabbed for trying to pass funny money |
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News Nuggets, 07.25.05
NOTES FROM ECU AND BEYOND...
Previous Day Nuggets...
Next Day Nuggets...
Compiled from staff reports
and electronic dispatches
Players still learning the ropes of redefined ACC
HOT SPRINGS, VA Two players from each
Atlantic Coast Conference school got together Sunday for a group picture at
the annual media kickoff, and the conversation quickly turned to the new
divisional alignments.
There was one slight problem none
seemed to know where his team fit.
With the ACC finally expanded to its
full 12 teams for the upcoming season, the league will split into the
Atlantic and Coastal divisions. The winners meet in the first championship
game Dec. 3 in Jacksonville, FL.
``I don't think anybody knows,'' North
Carolina quarterback Matt Baker said. ``We were all tapping each other on
the shoulder and asking. It's the first year and it's new, and no one has
played each other in the division yet. I think by the end of the season,
people will start checking out the standings, and that's when everybody will
know where they are.''
The teams aren't divided
geographically, so that led to the somewhat ambiguous names of the
divisions. The conference tried to come up with two equal divisions and
started the process by separating longtime powers Florida State and Miami.
Each division has two of the North
Carolina schools, and both Virginia and Virginia Tech are in the Coastal
with the Hurricanes.
``I think it's pretty even, everybody
has a fair shot,'' North Carolina State wide receiver Tramain Hall said.
``Whatever team comes out of this deserves to be there, because this ACC is
not easy.''
Boston College officially joined the
league July 1, ending a bitter split with the Big East and giving the ACC
enough teams to qualify for the lucrative championship game.
Former Big East members Miami and
Virginia Tech started play last season, and the Hokies surprisingly won the
title by edging the Hurricanes 16-10 in the final regular season game.
The Seminoles had dominated the
conference since becoming a member in 1992, finishing with at least a share
of first in 11 of the first 12 years. They finished a game behind Virginia
Tech a year ago, but equaling that effort might be difficult in 2005.
Already, Florida State has lost
cornerback Antonio Cromartie (knee injury) and quarterback
Wyatt Sexton (Lyme disease) for the season,
and the status of linebackers Ernie Sims and A.J. Nicholson is in doubt
after both had run-ins with police.
Sims was arrested following an early
morning fight with his live-in girlfriend outside a university residence
hall, and Nicholson had a pair or run-ins with local police, including a
misdemeanor DWI.
Also, defensive lineman Clifton Dickson
was declared academically ineligible and must graduate from a community
college before he can be readmitted to FSU.
``I think we're the same Florida
State,'' defensive end Kamerion Wimbley said. ``I just think other teams
have gotten better in our conference. The only thing that has kept us out of
the national championship is a few plays here or there, and if you switch
those around, we'd be right back where we've always been.''
Whether that's at the top of the
Atlantic division is another question not that Wimbley knows who the
Seminoles have to beat to get there.
``I don't know everybody that's in our
division, but I do know everybody in the ACC,'' he said. ``I know the teams
that have just joined. But I think as it goes on, everybody will learn who's
in what division.''
While the players struggled with how
the conference was broken down, none had any problems with why it was done.
``Bringing in more teams brings in more
money,'' Virginia Tech defensive end Darryl Tapp said. ``I'm in marketing,
so I know that.''
Huggins assistant acquitted of DUI charge
CINCINNATI A University of Cincinnati
assistant basketball coach says he hopes to return to work now that a jury
has found him innocent of drunken driving.
Keith LeGree was suspended indefinitely
following
his arrest in March. He claimed a sleeping
disorder caused him to fall asleep at the wheel of his Chevy Blazer, and
that he had not been drinking.
A Hamilton County Municipal Court jury
deliberated about five minutes on Friday before acquitting him of driving
under the influence.
LeGree said he now takes medication and is
undergoing tests for the sleeping disorder.
The university's athletic department
instituted a zero-tolerance policy for alcohol abuse after coach Bob Huggins
was convicted of drunken driving last year. Huggins
was suspended for nearly three months.
UC athletic director Bob Goin has said
alcohol-related incidents could result in firing if they bring shame on the
university or department.
Goin said he would decide Monday whether to
lift LeGree's suspension.
News Nuggets are
compiled periodically based on material supplied by staff members; data
published by ECU, Conference USA and its member
schools; and reports from Associated Press and
other sources. Copyright 2005
Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be
published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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