Tyler Tennis Player To Be Inducted Into Hall Of Fame

Tyler tennis player Bill Lust is one of four outstanding Texas tennis players chosen for induction to the Texas Tennis Hall of Fame. Bill Lust is a native of Minnesota, but he moved to Texas in 1947. His many tennis accomplishments include winning the 1953 Dallas Open, going undefeated in tournament play from 1956 to 1958 and winning the Sectional Doubles Championship in 1958 with partner James Schulze (a 1989 Hall of Fame Inductee), scoring the Men’s Singles 55 National Grass Championship in 1985 and retiring a East Texas Open trophy in 1966 after winning the tournament three times. He continues to be a champion player, winning both the Men’s 75 Singles and Doubles (with Ray Beall) tournament in 2005. Despite this, Lust notes that his most favorite tennis memories center around the people he has met while starting, and growing the East Texas Open into a major Adult Zone tournament, planning the Tyler Tennis and Swim Club, acting as President of the Tyler Area Tennis Association and hitting balls with junior tennis players to help develop their game.

The Induction ceremony is scheduled for November 4, 2006 at the Texas Tennis Museum and Hall of Fame in Waco. Tickets for the event are available to the public by contacting Maria VanVreede at the Texas Tennis Museum and Hall of Fame at 254-756-2307, or txtennismuseum@earthlink.net.

Fishing Tip: Back Bay Bass

Here is another fishing tip from Gander Mountain Pro Staff member Jake Dammarell:

As summer slips away and the nights begin to chill the water temperatures, bass start their migration back to the shallow waters of backwater bays and skinny shorelines. At this time of year, bass can be found in shallow water chasing shad that have migrated to the backs of these creek arms. The shallow movement is no secret, but catching them can be hard at times. Keep in mind that the bass will be traveling in schools and trapping baitfish either against the shoreline or a perhaps a shallow water break, such as a sandbar. Remember that these fish are highly motivated and are likely to travel large distances in a short time, so keep your eye on the electronics for baitfish. As soon as you see those arches, the bass are not too far behind.

Jake Dammarell
Gander Mountain Pro Staff
Merrillville, IN

KLTV 7 College Football Schedule For Sept. 9

Here are the college football games scheduled for September 9th on KLTV 7:

Washington @ Oklahoma
2:30-6:00pm
Regional Telecast


Ohio State @ Texas
7:00-10:30pm
National Telecast.

Gorman And Gorman

I got a very interesting e-mail from TK Gorman Principal James P. Franz today talking about Las Vegas Bishop Gorman, in town this week to play Gilmer Thursday night in the Trinity Mother Frances Football Classic at TMF Rose Stadium.

Bishop Gorman Catholic School in Las Vegas, which plays tomorrow night against Gilmer in the (Trinity Mother Frances) Football Classic, is named for the same person as the local Bishop Gorman School. Thomas Kiely Gorman was the first Bishop of Reno, Nevada from 1931-1952. From 1952-1959 he served as the Bishop of Dallas-Ft. Worth before retiring. (see http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bgormant.html)

It is very unusual in US Catholic schools to have two schools named after the same person; when it does happen, that person is usually a Saint, a pope or founder of a religious order.

Tyler Bishop Gorman football team and cheerleaders are hosting Bishop Gorman Las Vegas football team and cheerleaders to lunch on Friday at 12:10 here at the school. We will make a short presentation to them then. In addition, the Tyler cheerleading squad will be at the Gorman Las Vegas game cheering on the team.

Earl Campbell Dedication Set

TISD is set to rename the field at Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium, Earl Campbell field. The ceremony is set for 7:30pm, prior to the start of John Tyler's game against Texas High in the finale of the Trinity Mother Frances Football Classic on Saturday, Sept. 2.

Pro Pick 'em Contest To Start Thursday

A lot of people have been asking about our Pro Pigskin Pick 'em Contest. Yes, we will be hosting that contest again this year, where you can pick the NFL teams each week and win weekly prizes, as well as grand prizes at the end of the season. Look for that contest to start this Thursday, August 31.

KLTV 7 College Football Schedule For Sept. 2

Everyone always wants to know what college football games KLTV 7 will carry each Saturday. I'll try to give a heads up as early as I can. Here are the games for Saturday, September 2:

Northern Illinois @ Ohio State

Regional Game
2:30-6:00 PM

Notre Dame @ Georgia Tech

National Game
7:00-10:30 PM

A Look Inside ETBU's Football Scrimmage

Here are some pictures from East Texas Baptist University's intrasquad football scrimmage Thursday at Ornelas Stadium. Descriptions are below each picture:

ETBU’s 6-7, 320-pound sophomore left tackle Jeremy Ashcraft (78) battles defensive end Chad Glover (91) for control of the line of scrimmage.

ETBU sophomore quarterback Antroin Broom (red jersey) hands off to freshman running back Marcus Booker (32).

ETBU senior quarterback Phil Van Cleave loosens up with a throw downfield during pre-scrimmage warmups.

The Tigers will hold a second and final intrasquad scrimmage Saturday at 2 p.m. in Ornelas Stadium, with the season opener fast approaching on Saturday, Sept. 2, against Trinity University in San Antonio.

Cowboys Honoring Dat Nguyen Saturday

This from the Cowboys today:

The Dallas Cowboys will honor retired linebacker Dat Nguyen at the beginning of halftime during Saturday night’s game with the San Francisco 49ers at Texas Stadium. Nguyen retired in the spring after seven years with the organization.

Following a stellar career at Texas A&M, Nguyen was selected in the third round of the 1999 NFL by Dallas. He went on to start 65 of his 90 career games with the Cowboys before a series of injuries forced his premature retirement this year. He closed his career in Dallas with 665 career tackles, 34 tackles for lost yardage, 30 pass break-ups and seven interceptions. He had three seasons of at least 100 tackles and was the club’s leading tackler in all three of his final seasons where he played in 16 games (2004, 2003 and 2001).

Fishing Tip: Lure Colors

Here's another fishing tip from Gander Mountain. Chris Busalacchi talks about lure colors:

Lure color and light conditions go hand-in-hand. Time of day, water clarity, weather, i.e. clouds, fog, sun, etc. and waves, all have an affect on how your baits appear at depth. Glow, white, green, and blue are good during low -light periods. Yellow, red, orange, purple, and black shine when the sun is high. Depth also has a huge impact on these colors. Your bright colors loose their effectiveness below about 50’ due to lack of light penetration. Below 50’, glow, white, green, blue, and purple are predominant colors. Next time you are on the water, take this element into consideration.

Chris Busalacchi
Big Lake Gander Mountain Pro Staffer from Franklin, WI

Tyler Fall Softball League

The City of Tyler Parks and Recreation Department is now registering teams for the 2006 Fall Adult Softball League.

The cost per team is $245. Teams consist of 10 to 20 members. The eight game season begins September 11. Leagues offered are Men’s Church, Co-Ed Church, Men’s Industrial, Men’s 50 and Over, Women’s Open, Men’s Open and Co-Ed Open.

The deadline to register is Wednesday, August 30.

For more information, call Van Jordan at 903-531-1377.

East Texas School In Sports Illustrated

Sports Illustrated is getting into the high school football world, releasing their first high school football preview this week. The preview includes a preseason top 25. Lufkin made the list at #7. Southlake Carroll is #5. Hoover out of Alabama is #1.

2007 Nextel Cup Season Released

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) _ Next year's Nextel Cup schedule looks a lot like this year's. NASCAR announced today there will be no changes to the ten races in the 2007 Chase for the Championship, with much of the season's schedule the same as the 2006 version. The 26th and final qualifying race will again be at Richmond International Raceway, and the Chase will begin September 16th at New Hampshire International Speedway. Then it's on to Dover, Kansas, Talladega and a stop at Lowe's Motor Speedway in suburban Charlotte. From there the Cup series will go to Martinsville, Atlanta, Texas and Phoenix, with the champion crowned at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18th. There had been speculation NASCAR would add a road course to the final ten events. The season begins with the exhibition Budweiser Shootout at Daytona on February tenth and the season-opening Daytona 500 will be February 18th.

Kincade Out?

The Cowboys have until September 2 to cut their roster to 53 players, but the likeliehood Troup native Keylon Kincade will be on that roster seems to be dwindling. Head coach Bill Parcells said today second-year running back Tyson Thompson will "be on kickoff return, I'll tell you that right now." With the Cowboys already set on Julius Jones and Marion Barber at running back, Thompson would become the third running back. The Cowboys aren't expected to carry more than that. His only shot may be as a special team "specialist."

Big Day At Valley Ranch

A lot happening with the Cowboys today.

Wide receiver Terrell Owens today said he re-aggravated his left hamstring injury when he returned to practice last week. It could mean Owens will miss his third straight preseason game. Dallas hosts San Francisco on Saturday. Owens first felt a twinge in his hamstring August 2nd. An MRI done three days later was clear. Owens says another MRI this week was also negative. When asked if he could play if this was the regular season,
Owens said, quote: "I doubt it, not the way I need to play."

Also today, Bill Parcells said backup QB Drew Henson won't be on the Cowboys roster this season. Henson was considered the quarterback of the future when he signed three years ago. Coach Bill Parcells today said he just didn't see enough. Parcells says Henson has -NOT- been waived. But the coach wouldn't elaborate when asked if the Cowboys were trying to trade the quarterback, who started only one game for Dallas. For now, rookie free agent Matt Baker is the number three quarterback -- behind Drew Bledsoe and Tony Romo.

Linebacker Scott Shanle was traded to New Orleans today for an undisclosed draft choice.

Several players were released today. They are 2004 3rd-round pick Stephen Peterman, former TJC standout corner Quincy Butler, tight end Erik Jensen and linebacker John Saldi.

East Texan In NASCAR

Tyler native C.J. Fambrough is making a name for himself on the NASCAR circuit. He is a rear tire changer in the Joe Gibbs Racing organization, working primarily with 16-year-old future star Joey Logano on the USAR Hooters Pro Cup circuit. But tonight, he will be on the pit crew for #75 Aric Almirola in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on the Speed Channel at 7:30pm. Check him out! He is going to be on a Busch Series or Nextel Cup Series team here before too long.

Omen For The Red Raiders?

Robert E. Lee cancelled their football kickoff party tonight due to bad weather. REL Football Mom's Club co-chairman Debra Cuba, whose son Tekerrian is on the team, just informed me the last time a Lee kickoff party was canelled due to bad weather, the Red Raiders won the state championship! Maybe it's a sign, I don't know...

Cowboys Coleman suspended?

The Dallas Morning News is reporting that Cowboys safety Marcus Coleman is facing a possible four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.

Timpson Coach Resigned

Word out of our sister station KTRE in Lufkin is Timpson head football coach Lucky Gamble has resigned for health reasons. More information is expected at Friday's school board meeting. Check out the article at KTRE.

Star Celebration For T.O.?

An interesting question is being tossed around right now. What will wide receiver Terrell Owens do to celebrate his first touchdown as a Dallas Cowboy at Texas Stadium? This Thursday, it will have been six years since Owens ran to the giant star at the center of Texas Stadium to celebrate two touchdowns while playing for the San Francisco 49er's. Ironically, the Cowboys are scheduled to play the 49er's this Saturday at Texas Stadium. If Owens were to score, will he make a beeline for the star? If so, how should Cowboys fans react? They put a bounty on his head last time. Is it OK to cheer this time, because now he's doing it as a Cowboy? I have a feeling the building would roar with approval. It all goes back to what former Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin told me earlier this year. Back then, he was doing it AGAINST the Cowboys. Now, he will be doing it FOR for the Cowboys. I, for one, hope his hamstring lets him play Saturday.

East Texan Fairs Well In Shooting Competition

Remember B.J. Norris? He's the 17-year-old speed shooter from Tyler who is trying to one day win a world championship. He took part in the Steel Challenge this past weekend in Piru, California. The Steel Challenge is the world speed shooting championships. Well, B.J. didn't win a world title, but he came awfully close. Here's an e-mail I just received from his Dad:


Kevin,
We got back from CA late last night. BJ finished sixth, not what he was hoping for but overall he was pleased with his performance. He started the day off in the second super squad and shot the first two stages well enough to be moved into the squad with the top shooters after his third stage. He won Roundabout, the stage you filmed him shooting, only .2 second off of the World Record and then finished the match strong with a stage win and set a new World Record on Accelerator. In addition to his sixth place finish he was High Jr.
Thanks again for the positive coverage.
Tim Norris

Congratulations to B.J.! I know he wanted that world championship but come on, he's only 17! Look out next year.

Patriots Soccer Team Expected To Be Strong Again

They just keep winning and winning and winning... UT-Tyler's men's soccer team has established quite a program in it's short existence. They have been picked to win the American Southwest Conference Championship again.

How about this for the first four years of the program's existence:

2002: 13-5-2
2003: 19-1 (14-0 conference) USCAA National Champions
2004: 13-3 (10-3) Finished second in ASC season
2005: 14-4-1 (10-2-1) ASC Season Champions

Head coach Kenny Jones has done some amazing things with the program.

Lucy Continues To "Wow" At Dog Agility Events

I just received a phone call from Bill McFarlin, the trainer for Lucy the dog. He told me she wowed the crowd once again at her latest event. Bill and Lucy took part in the BARK dog agility show in Hattiesburg, Mississippi this past weekend. The show featured several top dogs, including a world class dog named Typhoon. Bill said Lucy beat Typhoon and the rest of the field by two seconds, twice!

Bill wears orange during competitions. He says he's noticed a fan club building at events for Lucy as people are starting to wear orange or fly orange banners. Lucy is creating quite a buzz with her athletic ability.

He feels pretty confident right now he and Lucy will receive a wild card berth to nationals this year. If not, then next year. He said, "this year, we're knocking on the door. Next year, we're going to kick it in!"

Holyfield's Image

It's funny. I'm watching the pre-fight festivities on Fox Sports Net for tonight's Evander Holyfield fight. They showed Holyfield highlights with a rap song playing in the background. It was slick, very well done. The problem is, Holyfield isn't a rap guy. He's old school 1970's. I spent the good part of three hours with Holyfield last Friday, watching him train, and yes, stepping into the ring with him briefly. He played the likes of Stevie Wonder, The Gap Band and Village People! Not quite wrap music.

He looked very good in his first fight in two years. He knocked out Jeremy Bates in the second round. Bates was able to sneak in a big round house that caught Holyfield off guard, but The Real Deal recovered nicely and pummelled Bates to end it in the second.

Holyfield is doing this on his own terms. He's out from underneath Don King. He's picking his own fights, he's training his own way, and he's taking his own path back to the top. Don't be surprised to see this old-school 70's funk music fan show the new-aged rap crowd a thing or to on his way to his unprecedented 5th heavyweight championship.

The Steers Are Moving Up The Rankings

How big of an impact have new quarterback Allen Webb and new tight end Justin Carter made on the Texas College football team? Victory Sports Network, a website dedicated to NAIA athletics, ranked the Steers #16 in the country in early July, PRIOR to the two players arriving on campus. Today, NAIA unveiled it's official preseason football rankings, placing Texas College at #14. They've also garned the number one preseason ranking in the Central States Football League. Webb transferred to Tyler from Kansas State, while Carter, a Division II 2nd-team all-american, transferred from Angelo State.

You can see the Steers in action Saturday in a scrimmage game at 5:30pm at the Texas College soccer complex on Martin Luther King Blvd.

Clint Dempsey Suspended

Major League Soccer announced they have suspended New England Revolution midfielder, and Nacogdoches native Clint Dempsey for two games and fined him $1,000 for violent conduct in the Revolution's 0-0 tie versus the Kansas City Wizards on Wednesday, August 9. The play occurred in the 57th minute when Dempsey and Wizard's defender Jimmy Conrad jumped for a head ball in midfield and Dempsey's elbow struck Conrad in the face. Dempsey's suspension is scheduled to be served over the next two games. The Revolution face the Chicago Fire at home on Sunday and the Columbus Crew at home on Sunday, August 27.

Tyler Roller Hockey Wins National Championship

From August 11 - 13, Team Texas 1997 participated in the "STATE WARS" national tournament in Bensenville, IL, which is THE major roller hockey event that takes place every summer where teams from many states compete for the United States Roller Hockey Championship. The USRHC (United States Roller Hockey Commission) is a national roller hockey organization that was formed to act as the unbiased selection committee to choose the top roller hockey players in the United States. The USRHC held open state tryouts in Tyler, Texas April 8 & 9 and chose the best players in each age division to represent their home state at State Wars. In the playoffs, Team Texas 1997 beat Wisconsin (8 - 0), Michigan (7 - 5) and Arizona (7 - 6) to win the Championship.

Lidge Out?

Word out of Houston is that Brad Lidge has lost the closers role. Astros manager Phil Garner announced that he's going with a closer by committee. He plans to use any one of four pitchers. They are Dan Wheeler, Chad Qualls, Trever Miller and Brad Lidge. The announcement comes in the wake of Lidge giving up a game-tying home run to Matt Murton in the 9th inning of last night's 18-inning loss to Chicago.

He's Back!!!

Hallelujah! T.O. is back! Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens was back practicing today after missing 14 practices, including the scrimmage. No word yet on whether or not he'll play in the New Orleans game Monday night in Shreveport, but I have a sneaky feeling he's not going to miss a prime time appearance. You can get all the latest on camp at the Cowboys Website.

Happy Days For Gorman?

I spent the afternoon at TK Gorman. They held their Media Day today. Interim head coach George Cumby seemed pleased with his team, saying he had three to four division one prospects. It should be interesting to see how the Crusaders progress under Cumby, who is a Gorman grad. He played collegiately at Oklahoma and in the pros with the Green Bay Packers. He's not the only former pro player on the Gorman staff. KLTV 7 NFL analyst Eric Williams is working with the defensive lineman. Williams played ten years in the NFL as a defensive lineman with the Detroit Lions and Washington Redskins.

Someone To Root For

Ireland's Padraig Harrington just gave me a reason to root for him to win the PGA Championship. There's a good espn.com article on the subject. Harrington is a friend of fellow Irishman Darren Clarke, who dropped out of the tournament to attend his wife's funeral. Heather Clarke died of cancer on Sunday. Several of Clarke's friends on the tour, including Harrington, were planning to withdraw from the season's last major to attend the funeral as well, but Clarke urged them to go ahead and compete. Harrington says that any money he wins in the tournament will be donated to the charity of Clarke's choice. That's a noble gesture, especially when you consider the winner of the PGA Championship receives $1.2 million!

The Babe Still The Greatest?

I got a fax from a viewer today, Allen Locklin of Tyler. He gave his best argument for why Babe Ruth should still be considered the home run king.

The 714 HR mark:
On his way to that milestone, Ruth hit a HR once every 11.75 times at bat and once every 3.5 games. Compartively, Hank Aaron's numbers were 15.81 at bats/4.153 games, while Barry Bonds numbers are 12.9 at bats/3.87 games.

Times At Bat:
Using these averages, and Ruth had batted as many times as Aaron (11,289) he would have hit 960 HR's. By the same yardstick, Bonds should hit 873 HR's when he reaches 11, 289 at bats.

Games Played:
Aaron played in 2,965 games on his way to 755 HR's.
Using the above averages for Ruth HR's every 3.5 games, he would have hit 847 HR's in 2,965 games. Bonds average of 3.87 games per HR should give him 765 HR's in 2,965 games.

More: Ruth started as a pitcher and had only a total of 20 HR's in his first five seasons. That is only 2.8% of his 714. Aaron, on the other hand had 140 HR's his first five seasons and that is 19.6% of his 714. Bonds slapped 117 HR's his first five and that is 16.4% of his 714.

By practically any yardstick GEORGE HERMAN (BABE) RUTH WAS AND IS THE KING OF SWAT.

Thanks Allen for the theory. The only hole I see in the argument is, no matter how you look at the statistics, it can't change the fact that Babe hit 714 home runs, while Hammerin' Hank hit 744. There's a lot to be said for consistency and longevity, which Aaron had.

Top East Texas Football Recruits

While the season hasn't even started yet, several East Texas high school football players are already receiving a lot of attention on the recruiting lists. Here's a look at a few of the top recruiting websites and their rankings.

Class of 2007
ESPN 150
#32 - Dez Bryant - WR - Lufkin
#45 - Lennen Creer - RB - Tatum
#56 - Ryan Mallett - QB - Texas High
#96 - Curtis Brown - WR - Gilmer
#123 - Michael Huey - OG - Kilgore

Rivals.com Top 100
#27 - Mallett
#32 - Huey
#36 - Brown
#38 - Creer

Sports Illustrated Top 10 By Position
Mallett - #2 QB
Creer - #8 RB
Brown - #7 WR

Schoolsports.com Top 100
#17 - Mallett
#50 - Brown
#56 - Creer

Scout.com Top 100
#17 - Mallett
#39 - Brown
#68 - Creer

Class of 2008
Sports Illustrated Top 10
#2 Justin Johnson - RB - Gilmer

Schoolsports.com Top 10
#2 - Johnson

Camp Quotes of the Week

Here are some of the more interesting comments collected during Week 2 of Cowboys training camp:

"I think quarterback is a very important position. ... I know usually you don't win in pro football unless you have one. Or college football. Or high school football. Or Pee Wee football." _
Parcells on whether too much emphasis is placed on QBs.

"That's because it's not an exact science." _ Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, talking about ... medical science.

"He hit what he was throwing at. Most of those quarterbacks aren't very good if they don't hit what they're throwing at. ... That's a big thing in playing the position." _ Parcells, evaluating Drew Henson's performance in a scrimmage.

"I got me a big bottle of Vicodin and said we'll talk about that later." _ Jones, on his decision not to have a root canal because a local dentist couldn't isolate the source of his pain. He compared his negative test results despite ongoing pain to Terrell Owens' clear MRI despite his hamstring still nagging him.

"I learned a long time ago from George Allen: Let the runners run, the throwers throw, the catchers catch, the kickers kick and the defenders defend." _ Parcells on why he's not considering using speedy CB Terence Newman at WR. Newman got on the field for an offensive snap or two last season.

Toe-To-Toe With Evander Holyfield

It's one of those experiences that you can put a check next to on your life experience list.

"Spar with a Heavyweight Champion".

Check.

I got the privilege of strapping on boxing gloves and getting into the same ring with 4-time Heavyweight Champion of the World Evander Holyfield. He is training at the Horseshoe Casino in Bossier City, Louisiana for his August 19th comeback fight against Jeremy Bates in Dallas.

Let's just say, The "Real Deal" took it easy on the the "Big Red". He had several chances to knock me flat, but he sent his punches purposely wide of the my noggin. I am forever grateful for that!

Holyfield hasn't fought in nearly two years, but he says he's in the best shape of his life and ready to prove a lot of the sceptics wrong. He says he wants to go out on his terms.

I'll have more on the sparring session on the sportscast Monday night at 10pm. We'll make sure to stream it on the website as well.

From Mudbugs To Islanders!

Kudos to Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs play-by-play broadcaster Steve Mears. He is leaving the team after serving as the Director of Media Relations and Broadcasting for the past four seasons. Get this, Mears has accepted a position to be the radio play-by-play broadcaster for the NHL's New York Islanders! Mears is scheduled to make his NHL broadcasting debut on October 5th when the Islanders visit the Phoenix Coyotes. The search for the Mudbugs' new play-by-play voice will begin immediately.

Props For Van Native At Florida State

2006 Van graduate Lauren Young got a mention in an article posted on the Florida State website about the Seminoles volleyball team this year. Young is a "highly touted newcomer" on the team, hoping to make a big impact as a freshman.

Pro Scout In East Texas

An Atlanta Braves scout spent the morning at Grace Community high school looking at current and former high school baseball players from across East Texas.

Fishing Tip: Top Water Baits

Here's another fishing tip from Gander Mountain Pro Staff member Mike Ebach:

Fishing Top Water baits can be one of the most exciting ways to catch bass. The only drawback is that you have a lot of missed strikes or blow-ups that you can't hook. One way to improve your hooking ratio on top water baits like a Pop-R is to add a suspend-dot weight to the very bottom tip of the bait. This will make the bait settle in a more up-right position, which gives the bass a better target point and usually a better hook-up for you.
Always practice Catch and Release with your bass.

Mike Ebach
Pro Staff Member and Store Manager of Traverse City, MI

Also, the Texas Parks & Wildlife has updated it's Fishing Report for this week.

Lobo's On TV

The Longview Lobo's will have a televised football game for the second straight year. They beat Lee on Fox Sports Net last year. Fox Sports Net has decided to pick up the Lobo's matchup with Lufkin this year. As a result, that game is being moved to Thursday, October 5 at 7:30 at Abe Martin Stadium in Lufkin.

The Panthers will also play The Woodlands on ESPN on Thursday, October 26 at 6pm.

Mudbugs Release 2006 Schedule

The Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs have released their schedule for the 2006-2007 season. It's the Mudbugs' 10th anniversary.

The Mudbugs will also host the 2007 Central Hockey League All-Star Game at the CenturyTel Center on January 17, 2007.

The 64-game schedule begins on Friday, October 20 in Oklahoma City. Their home opener is scheduled for Thursday, October 26.

Real Student Athletes

We've long known Jarvis Christian student athletes have been a cut above when it comes to academics. The women's basketball team consistently ranks as one of the best in the Red River Athletic Conference when it comes to grade point average. Now, the entire athletic department is being recognized.

Jarvis Christine College student athletes were recognized and honored for having the highest grade point average (GPA) in the Red River Athletic Conference. Institutions of the Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) are ranked based on the cumulative GPA of all student athletes competing in RRAC-sanctioned sports. At the end of the academic year (2005-2006), Jarvis Christian College’s student-athletes posted the best cumulative GPA among all RRAC schools and claimed the conference’s GPA award.

While not surprised, Athletic Director and Head Women’s Basketball Coach, Elissia Burwell, was nonetheless thrilled and happy to accept the award.

“This is a great honor for our student athletes and Jarvis Christian College," Burwell said. "It is a testament of their commitment and work off the field or court of play. I’m proud of our students and I know that they take pride in their academic accomplishments."

Jarvis ranked first among the fourteen schools who are members of the RRAC, which is an affiliated conference of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Conference members include: Bacone College (Okla.), Houston Baptist University (Texas), Huston-Tillotson College (Texas), Jarvis Christian College (Texas), Langston University (Okla.), Northwood University (Texas), Paul Quinn College (Texas), College of the Southwest (N.M), Southwestern Assemblies of God University (Texas), Texas College, Texas A&M International University, University of Texas of the Permian Basin, Texas Wesleyan University, and Wiley College (Texas).

“Last year, we finished second in the running for the conference GPA award," Burwell added. "Our students have always been encouraged to not only excel in sports, but to also excel academically.”

The last time Jarvis Christian College won the GPA award was at the end of the 2000-2001 academic year.

The following listing of Jarvis student athletes were recognized by the RRAC for achieving a 3.0 GPA or better on a 4.0 scale: Ebony Bailey, Houston, TX; Roderick Braden, Natchitoches, LA; Jacoby Bobb, Beaumont, TX; Shamiah Bryson, Spencer, OK; Nathaniel Carter, Marietta, TX; Demarion Crite, Channelview, TX; Crystal Fisher, Crockett, TX; Skyla Gordon, Gladewater, TX; Terrance Harris, Beaumont, TX; Dawnette Jackson, Houston, TX; Tammy Jessie, Hawkins, TX; Trenton Johnson, Tyler, TX; Brandon Martin, Houston, TX; Dominique Mathis, Burton, TX; Isaiah McKibbin, Houston, TX; Ericka Medina, Columbia, South America; Hector Mercado, Ciales, Puerto Rico; Johnathan Pagan, Vega Alta, Puerto Rico; Jennifer Payne, Shelbyville, TX; Ruben Perez, Carolina, Puerto Rico; Clara Rayos, Pasadena, TX; Felix Rivera, Arecibo, Puerto Rico; Britni Robertson, Pasadena, TX; Tanisha Ruff, Dallas, TX; TaShea Scott, Lancaster, TX; Sheree Smiling, Tyler, TX; Lenard Taylor, Galena Park, TX; Axel Torres, Manati, Puerto Rico; and Sable Ward, Houston, TX.