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Sports Then and Now


Syracuse Seeks Victories as ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament Takes Place in Nations Capital This Week

Posted on March 12, 2024 by Chris Kent
Capital One Arena in Washington, DC is the host site for the 2024 ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament this week.

The regular season is over and now it is time to win or go home as Championship Week in college basketball is here. Syracuse heads to the 2024 Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament this week in Washington, DC with work to do to secure an NCAA Tournament bid. How the Orange fare in the ACC Tournament combined with what happens around the country in all the postseason conference tournaments this week will impact whether or not Syracuse gets an NCAA bid.

The Orange are trending in the right direction as they have been playing their best basketball of the season over the last month. Syracuse went 5-2 in its’ last seven regular season games. Included was an 86-79 home win over then No. 7 ranked North Carolina on Feb. 13 and a quality 87-83 road win at North Carolina State a week later on Feb. 20. The win over North Carolina started the seven-game closing surge and marked the first time the Orange beat a top-10 team since a 95-91 overtime win at No. 1 Duke on Jan, 14, 2019. Although a loss at Georgia Tech followed, Syracuse won its’ next four games to have a shot at getting a double bye in this week’s conference tournament. However the Orange fell out of that scenario and ultimately earned the seventh seed and a first-round bye in this week’s tournament. Syracuse will play on Wed. March 13 at 7 pm in the second round against the winner of Tuesday’s opening round game between 10-seed North Carolina State and 15-seed Louisville. Should the Orange win its’ second round game they would advance to play Duke, the No, 2 seed, in the quarterfinals on Thursday March 14 at 7 pm.

Syracuse head coach Adrian Autry succeeded the legendary Jim Boeheim and has guided the Orange to a 20-win season in this his first season as head coach.

In a year of transition for the Orange program following the retirement of hall-of-fame head coach Jim Boeheim, who spent 47 years at the helm, first-year head coach Adrian Autry has stepped in nicely as Boeheim’s successor. Autry has guided Syracuse to its’ first 20-win season since the 2018-19 season when it finished 20-14 overall and 10-8 in the ACC. Following the legendary Boeheim, who he played for and worked for both as assistant coach and associate head coach, Autry has done a commendable job this year in taking over the program. Autry has lead the Orange to a 20-11 mark thus far and finished with a winning record in the competitive ACC at 11-9. Two wins this season over a good and rugged Pittsburgh team, the No. 4 seed in this week’s ACC Tournament, the road one being a quad one win, help Syracuse’s chances for making the NCAA field. The NCAA selections will be announced this coming Sunday, March 17 on CBS.

The Orange will be out to surprise and make some history this week by making a run toward the ACC Tournament Championship game, something they have never appeared in. The furthest Syracuse has ever gone in the ACC Tournament is the quarterfinals where they are 0-4 (not counting 2020 when they advanced to the quarterfinals to play Louisville only to have that game and the rest of the ACC tournament be cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic). The Orange have never played more than two games in an ACC Tournament and they have an all-time record of 5-8 in the event. Syracuse is in its’ 11th season as an ACC member having officially joined the conference in the summer of 2013.

Guard Judah Mintz excels at driving to the basket to score and finding open teammates.

Lead by a group of six productive sophomores, the Orange are a young team. Sophomore guard Judah Mintz was just named to the All-ACC Second Team and leads Syracuse in scoring and assists with 18.7 points per game and 4.5 assists per game. His 4.5 apg and 2.10 steals per game were both third best in the ACC this season. Maliq Brown, another sophomore, became the first center in ACC history to lead the conference in steals per game at 2.23 en route to being named to the All-ACC Defensive Team. Brown shoots a team-best 69.3 percent from the field, mostly on the interior. Brown was inserted into the starting lineup in early January after 7-4 center Naheem McLeod – a transfer from Florida State – was lost for the season due to an injury. Brown has picked up the slack left by McLeod in the middle as he is scoring 9.5 ppg and leads the Orange with 7.0 rebounds per game.

Syracuse gets most of its’ outside shooting and scoring from sophomores Chris Bell, J.J. Starling, and Justin Taylor. Bell is the best and most reliable 3-point shooter on the team as he converts at a team-best 41.5 percent clip from behind the arc. Bell made eight 3-pointers in a win at North Carolina State this season, one short of tying the single-game school record. Starling and Taylor are also threats from beyond the arc along with Mintz.
Bell, Starling, and Taylor have been mainstays with each starting all 31 games this season. Bell scores 12.0 ppg and has made a team best 81 3-pointers on the season. Starling counters with 13.5 ppg while Taylor scores 5.1 ppg. Starling shoots 46.0 percent from the field and his ability to penetrate and find teammates helps in the halfcourt. Taylor shoots 35.7 percent from the field and has made 25 3-pointers this season.

Quadir Copeland brings versatility and athleticism off the bench for the Orange and scores in a variety of ways.

The Orange are at their best when they are able to run, score in transition, and create steals to generate scoring opportunities. Mintz is the catalyst for that style of play as he can get to the rim and create scoring opportunities for others. While Syracuse can execute in the half court, they can go stale in that mode if their shots are not falling and they don’t get rebounds. Helping to combat that is the play of Quadir Copeland, another sophomore and a key reserve. Copeland brings energy and creativity with his passing and athletic ability. After playing in 20 games as a freshman, he has played in all 31 games this season and been a big contributor. As a freshman, Copeland averaged 2.1 ppg., 1.6 rpg., 0.5 apg., and 0.5 steals per game while playing in 20 games during which he shot 34.1 percent from the field. Copeland has improved upon all those averages this season while playing in all 31 games to date. He has per game averages of 9.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.5 steals. In addition, Copeland is shooting 48.1 percent from the field, a big improvement from a year ago which has given balance to the Orange offense. Copeland’s play came to the forefront this season on Jan. 20 when he drained a 3-pointer as time expired lifting Syracuse to a 72-69 home win over Miami.

More clutch play like that might be needed by Copeland and the Orange this week if they are to have a long stay in the ACC Tournament. A recent projection by NCAA bracketologist Joe Lunardi had Syracuse listed as a team that was being considered for an NCAA bid. The strength of the Orange resume is highlighted by their two wins each over Pittsburgh and North Carolina State along with the big win over North Carolina. Syracuse also has a neutral site win over Oregon. However the Orange missed opportunities for strengthening their resume with losses to both Tennessee and Gonzaga in the Maui Invitational back in November. Tennessee was ranked No. 7 and Gonzaga No. 11 in the AP poll at the time of those games. If Syracuse is to move onto solid ground, it will have to land some wins this week and hope that the results of other teams they are competing with for NCAA spots work to their advantage. The game results of the Orange and those of many other teams across the country this week will have much to do in determining the fate of Syracuse.

Big Ben Roethlisberger: Life After Football

Posted on March 02, 2024 by John Harris
Big Ben Roethlisberger retired from the NFL following the 2021 season.

Ben Roethlisberger retired from the NFL after the 2021 season, closing the book on one of the most successful careers by a Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback — or any QB, for that matter. But who is Ben Roethlisberger, and what is the larger-than-life “Big Ben” up to since hanging up his cleats?

“A boy from Findlay, Ohio, with NFL dreams, developed in Oxford at Miami University. Blessed with the honor of 18 seasons as a Pittsburgh Steeler and a place to call home. The journey has been exhilarating, defined by relationships and fueled by a spirit of competition,” he said in 2022.

“Yet the time has come to clean out my locker, hang up my cleats, and continue to be all I can be to my wife and children. I retire from football a truly grateful man.”

Who Is Ben Roethlisberger?

Roethlisberger spent his entire 18-season NFL career with the Steelers, building a resume worthy of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, for which he’ll be eligible — some say a shoo-in — in 2027. He was drafted 11th overall in the first round in 2004, and made an immediate impact by winning the AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Known for his competitiveness, toughness, and uncanny scrambling ability, Roethlisberger led Pittsburgh to three Super Bowl appearances, winning twice. He departed holding virtually every major passing record in Steelers history. Beyond the numbers, Big Ben defined an era of smashmouth AFC North football. His pump fakes, improvised plays, and come-from-behind heroics symbolized the gritty spirit of Steelers football.

Roethlisberger announced his retirement in January 2022 after Pittsburgh’s early playoff exit, going out on his own terms after a career filled with injuries and triumphs.

Roethlisberger walked away ranked eighth all-time in passing yards and 10th in touchdown passes. The six-time Pro Bowler got to go out in front of a cheering Steelers home crowd in Week 17, with Pittsburgh still in the playoff hunt. It was a fitting end to a storied career defined by clutch play in crunch-time moments.

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Virtual Sports in Online Casinos — The Blend of Gaming and Athleticism

Posted on January 11, 2024 by John Harris

Welcome to the realm of virtual sports, where the lines between reality and the digital world blur to create an exhilarating gaming experience like no other. To embark on this journey, it’s essential to grasp the core concepts that underpin virtual sports within online casinos like Verde Casino. Here, players can dive into a world where digital athleticism and strategic gameplay meet, offering a unique dimension to the traditional online gambling experience.

Definition and Concept: Virtual sports represent a fusion of cutting-edge technology and sports simulation. These digital recreations replicate the thrill of real sports events, from soccer and horse racing to basketball and motor racing. They are powered by complex algorithms and computer-generated simulations that mimic the unpredictable nature of live sports, delivering an authentic and immersive experience.

Development and Simulation: The creation of virtual sports is a meticulous process. Talented teams of developers and designers collaborate to recreate the sights and sounds of the sporting world. Advanced software generates realistic player movements, weather conditions, and crowd reactions. The outcome is an ever-evolving digital sports ecosystem that offers a constant stream of matches and competitions, irrespective of the time or season.

Key Features: What sets virtual sports apart are the features that make them truly engaging. Unlike traditional sports, virtual sports are not bound by real-world constraints. Matches are fast-paced, allowing for quick results and continuous action. They offer a range of betting options, making them a gambler’s paradise. Moreover, virtual sports embrace unpredictability, injecting an element of surprise into each event. These characteristics, coupled with impressive graphics and commentary, keep players on the edge of their seats.

  • Realistic simulations of popular sports
  • Continuous availability of matches
  • Diverse betting opportunities
  • Fast-paced action and quick results
  • Unpredictable outcomes for added excitement

Understanding the foundation of virtual sports sets the stage for a deeper exploration of their appeal, their design, and their role in the world of online casinos.

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New Investor Brings Hope to Udinese Calcio and Gino Pozzo

Posted on October 09, 2023 by John Harris

In recent reports, Gino Pozzo, his father Giampaolo Pozzo, and other Pozzo family members are interested in selling a considerable stake in Udinese Calcio, including a 10% stake in Watford FC. Currently, they have had talks with one unnamed investor.

As Udinese Calcio hasn’t seen success over the past few seasons, this new ownership could bring winning back to the franchise. Another objective of the investment is to improve resources for the club.

In all of Pozzo’s team ownership efforts, his goal is to always boost performance on the field. Being a dedicated football fan, he’s passionate about what he does on a day-to-day basis. With this dedication, not to mention his extensive business and management background, he has grown into a well-respected owner across sports. His professional experiences and Harvard Business School degree have shaped him into the influential leader he is today.

Taking Watford FC to new heights

One of Pozzo’s best accomplishments was when he enhanced the Watford FC program. After acquiring the team in 2012, he quickly made lasting improvements to the club. In fact, the team would join the Premier League after a very successful 2015 season. 

While Pozzo gained many of his skills from his schooling and experience, some of his talents were taught by his family. His father owned the Spanish football club Granada CF for multiple years, and his mother and father also had ownership of Udinese in the 1980s.

With the Pozzo family’s multi-club management strategy, they have been able to provide lasting benefits to the teams they own. For example, they have the ability to move players between clubs to achieve more success. Several popular Watford FC players used to play for Granada FC and Udinese, including Almen Abdi, Gabriele Angella, and Matěj Vydra.

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Why Slot Machines Are Popular Online?

Posted on September 28, 2023 by Mia Natalia

Online slots have been a prominent trend in the area of online entertainment and gambling in recent years. These computerized replicas of classic slot machines have become extremely popular for several strong reasons. We shall examine why slots like https://joker123-roma.xyz/ are popular online and why so many players are drawn to them in this post.

Accessibility and practicality:

The accessibility and convenience of online slot games are one of the main factors in their appeal. Players no longer have to go to actual casinos to play their preferred slot machines. They can play slots from the convenience of their own homes or while on the go if they have access to an internet-connected computer, smartphone, or tablet. Slot gaming has become more inclusive and appealing to a wider audience because of this level of accessibility.

A Variety of Games:

Slot machines online like http://promojoker123.com/ come in a remarkably wide variety of games. There is a game to suit every player’s preference, whether they prefer vintage fruit machines, video slots with intricate narratives and animations, or progressive jackpot slots with life-changing wins. Because there is such a wide range, gamers never grow tired and may always try something new.

Appealing Themes and Visuals:

Online slots’ visual and thematic components are a big part of their attractiveness.Slot machine creators put a lot of money into creating captivating themes, stunning graphics, and engrossing sound effects. Players are immersed in a variety of situations thanks to these elements, which ups the gameplay’s excitement and fun factor.

Abundant Bonuses and Promotions:

Slot machines played online are renowned for offering big bonuses and promotions. To entice and keep customers, the majority of online casinos provide alluring welcome bonuses, free spins, and continuous promotions. These bonuses can substantially increase a player’s bankroll, enabling them to play additional spins and possibly increase their winnings.

Progressive Jackpots:

Another motivating factor behind the growth of online slot games is the allure of progressive jackpots. As a portion of every wager is added to the prize pool, these jackpots increase with time. Players are drawn in by the chance to win enormous sums of money with only one spin, which inspires excitement and anticipation.

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50 Years Ago: King Beats Riggs in Battle of the Sexes

Posted on September 20, 2023 by Dean Hybl

It was 50 years ago today, September 20, 1973 when Billie Jean King struck a major blow for women’s athletics by defeating the flamboyant Bobby Riggs in a made-for-television extravaganza billed as the Battle of the Sexes.

It is hard to step back in time 50 years and remember just how different the perception of female athletes was at that time. While today great female athletes are revered for their talents and in some sports are regulars on network television and in front of large stadium crowds, in the early 1970s women’s athletics was given very little value by much of the general population.

While today women are generally judged athletically based on their own skills and abilities, in the early 1970s equal rights era many dismissed the accomplishments of even the best female athletes because they were obviously not competitive with male athletes.

In early 1973 former men’s tennis champion Bobby Riggs proved that by thoroughly dismantling Margaret Court, one of the top women’s tennis players of all-time and winner of 24 Grand Slam titles (a record she held alone for 50 years before being matched by Novak Djokovic earlier this month), 6-2, 6-1.

Before facing Court, Riggs had actually first challenged Billie Jean King, but King initially declined the match, which led to the contest against Court.

After Riggs defeated Court, he again challenged King and this time she accepted.

Their match was played in front of a huge crowd at the Houston Astrodome and in front of millions watching on television.

From the very beginning it was clear that this was not any ordinary tennis match. King entered the stadium carried aloft in a chair held by four bare-chested muscle men dressed in the style of ancient slaves.

Riggs followed in a rickshaw drawn by several scantily-clad models. He then presented King with a giant lollipop and she gave him a piglet named Larimore Hustle.

The match itself proved to be somewhat anticlimactic. Rather than aggressively attack the net, King stayed primarily at the baseline letting Riggs make mistakes. He was clearly not in his best shape and made many errors throughout the match.

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  • Vintage Athlete of the Month

    • Archie Griffin: 2-Time Heisman Winner
      December 11, 2022 | 1:42 pm
      Archie Griffin

      The Sports Then and Now Vintage Athlete of the Month is the only football player ever to capture college football’s top individual award twice.

      As a star running back for the Ohio State Buckeyes, Archie Griffin claimed the Heisman Trophy during his junior season in 1974 and then was able to repeat the honor the following season.

      Griffin joined the Buckeyes for the 1972 season, which happened to be the first in which freshmen were eligible to play varsity football, and made an immediate impact. After fumbling in his only carry of his first game, Griffin more than made up for it in his second game by rushing for 237 yards against North Carolina. By the end of the season, Griffin had rushed for 867 yards.

      Read more »

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