Sports Then and Now

Championship Week in men’s college basketball is already in full swing across the country. By this weekend it will reach Ithaca, NY where the 2026 Ivy Madness tournament will take place March 14-15 at Newman Arena on the campus of Cornell University. The Big Red, the hosts, will also be competing in it following their strong finish to the regular season. Cornell (15-12, 8-6) earned the No. 4 seed and will meet No. 1 Yale (23-5, 11-3) on Saturday March 14 at 11 a.m. in the first of two semifinals. No. 2 Harvard (17-11, 10-4) will play No. 3 Penn (16-11, 9-5) in Saturday’s second semifinal at 2 p.m. The ESPN family of networks will broadcast both semifinal games live on Saturday with the opener on ESPNU and the second game on ESPN News. The semifinal winners will meet on Sunday March 15 at noon in the championship game with the winner earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Sunday’s final will be aired live on ESPN2.

It is the first time that Cornell has hosted Ivy Madness which was first held in 2017. This is only the eighth edition of Ivy Madness as the 2020 and 2021 tournaments were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Big Red are making their fifth straight appearance in Ivy Madness and sixth overall. The hoopla is already being felt by the Cornell players and coaches who are eager to compete while also maintaining a stoic approach as they prepare to face the top-seeded Bulldogs.

“It’s great,” said Cornell head coach Jon Jaques, who has guided the Big Red to the tournament in each of his first two years at the helm for Cornell. “It’s an exciting time of year obviously. Everyone wants to be playing in March and extending their season,” Jaques added. “So we’re really proud and obviously excited to have it on our home court. I know that doesn’t guarantee anything because we’re playing a very very good team on Saturday,” Jaques said. “However we’re thrilled for the opportunity for sure.”

One that Jaques felt his team earned through a hard fought Ivy League season.

“We’re proud to have done it, especially in the Ivy League where I think it’s the hardest conference tournament to qualify for,” said Jaques, who played for the Big Red from 2006-10 and served as a team tri-captain as a senior on the NCAA Sweet Sixteen team in 2010. “Only half the teams (four) in the league advance. So it is definitely an accomplishment, especially with how competitive and deep the league was this year.”

Only one win separated each of the top four teams in the final regular season standings. Furthermore, Cornell was in a tight race with Columbia heading into the final two weekends of regular season play to rise above them and claim the fourth and final seed adding to Jaques view.

“I don’t think there were any bad teams,” said Jaques, referring to the Ancient Eight this season. “Every team was tough and a challenge.”

The Big Red earned the fourth and final seed by ending the regular season strong with three straight victories. The stretch included a huge victory over Yale on Feb. 27. Jake Fiegen’s 3-pointer with one second left to play lifted Cornell to a thrilling 72-69 home win over the Bulldogs. The win allowed the Big Red to move up in the conference standings and launch their win streak. Wins over Brown and Dartmouth followed to end the regular season helping Cornell establish a positive vibe heading into Saturday’s semifinal against the Bulldogs, the defending regular season and tournament champions.

“We’re definitely clicking offensively and especially defensively,” said Fiegen, a 6-4 senior guard who was named first team All-Ivy League this week and is second for the Big Red with 16.8 points per game. “Peaking at the right time of year, March, is what kind of our coaches have stressed to us throughout the season as being what’s most important,” Fiegen added. “Obviously, you want to win every game you play, especially early in Ivy’s. However we want to be playing our best basketball in March and I believe we’re doing that.”

Cornell is doing so after overcoming an 0-3 start in league play with that final loss coming in a lopsided 102-68 setback at Yale on Jan. 17 in New Haven, CT. The 34-point defeat was the Big Red’s biggest loss of the season and forced the team to evaluate things.

“We had a rough start to Ivy play and kind of had to have some conversations with each other on kind of what direction we wanted to take it,” said Josh Baldwin, a 6-5 senior who scores 7.6 ppg. and pulls down 4.0 rebounds per game.

A quick turnaround was on the way as Cornell won its’ next three games with road victories at Brown and Harvard followed by a home win over Princeton to pull even at 3-3 in conference play after six games on Jan. 30. The Big Red would go 5-3 the rest of the way in Ivy play, part of an 8-3 finish over their last 11 conference games to complete an 8-6 league mark.

“Mainly I feel like what helped us improve overall was our mindset,” said senior guard Cooper Noard, who garnered second-team All-Ivy League honors as announced this week and leads Cornell with 18.5 ppg. “Being processed driven over results driven. Just refocusing ourselves and figuring out what our identity was as a team was super important to us for those last 11 games,” Noard added.

Fiegen echoed those same thoughts.

“After those first three (Ivy) games we sort of started to find our defensive identity as a team,” Fiegen said. “We stuck to speeding up the other team and being the aggressors more as an undersized team. That is something that our coaches have stressed that we have to do is be aggressive and set the tone on defense.”

The Big Red and Bulldogs will be meeting for the fourth straight year in Ivy Madness. Yale has won each of the last three years including a 90-84 win in last year’s championship game. Cornell feels some motivation and will be out to change their fortunes against their conference rival.

“There’s definitely some of that hiding in the back of our minds I’m sure; but it’s just another game for us,” Baldwin said. “Just another week of preparation and maybe a little extra focus for the tournament. We’ve shown we can beat them,” Baldwin added. “We know we can. So there’s no thought for us to kind of make it like a revenge or anything. We’re just kind of focused on the task at hand and locking in to our preparation to do what needs to be done.”

In doing so, the Big Red will look to get back on track against their conference rival who has had the upper hand in the series in recent years. Cornell is just 3-8 against the Bulldogs over the last four seasons including a 3-5 mark in regular season play. Yale has won four of the last five Ivy Madness titles including the last two in staking their claim as the league’s dominant team. The Bulldogs have also won the regular season league title three of the last four seasons. With all this in mind, the Big Red has their work cut out for themselves as the prepare for Saturday’s semifinal against Yale.

“We’re confident and feeling good but understand that it’s a big challenge ahead of us this weekend,” said Jaques, who is 33-23 in his two seasons as head coach. “We have to play well for sure. It’s nice that we played them tough here a couple weeks ago and got a good result,” Jaques added. “They’re a hard matchup. They are big and physical and beyond that they’re very unselfish.”

Leading the way for the Bulldogs is Nick Townsend, a 6-7 senior forward who leads Yale with 16.5 ppg and 7.5 rpg this season. Townsend was also just named Ivy League Player of the Year this week and was a unanimous choice to the first-team All-Ivy team. Townsend is the main interior player for the Bulldogs who also has the versatility to step outside and hit perimeter shots.

“He’s a challenge,” Jaques said. “You got to be very focused no matter what you are doing. He’s a hard cover but I think the guys have a little bit of confidence after playing well a couple weeks ago.”

Baldwin used his 6-5 frame to defended Townsend much of the time in Cornell’s home win over Yale drawing a critical charge against him with :52 left to play and the Big Red leading by just two. Baldwin will seek to be a presence against the Bulldog veteran again.

“He’s a very talented player, strong guy, big guy,” Baldwin said. “I’m kind of our biggest guy playing in the starting lineup. I just want to make things difficult and do whatever I can to make his looks contested,” Baldwin added. “The kind of passes that he is able to throw, we want to contest those as best we can just to not let him get going so to speak.”

Townsend is also a threat from the outside where he is a capable shooter with the ability to hit the 3-pointer. Townsend shoots 50.9 percent (146-for-287) from the field and has converted 48.3 percent (42-for-87) of his 3-pointers this season.

“He’s definitely extended his game,” Fiegen said. “He has great footwork and touch, just a great overall player. I think we’re definitely going to be honed in on him,” Fiegen added. “I think we’re just going to be throwing everything we can at him to try to slow him down. Especially him because I feel like they feed off of him as a team, especially when he’s playing well and getting to where he wants to go.”

Townsend had 20 points and eight rebounds in the lopsided home win over Cornell on Jan. 17 but was held to just 14 points and six rebounds in the loss on Feb. 27 in Ithaca. More importantly, Townsend was not as efficient from the field in Ithaca where he shot just 4-for-13 from the field and was 1-for-4 on three-pointers compared to 8-for-10 and 4-for-5 respectively in the home win.

‘We are going to try and make it as difficult as we can for him,” Fiegen said. “We know we can’t completely shut a player like that down especially in big games like this. All you can do is make it as hard as possible for him to get to his spots and get his feel for the game.”

In the first game against Yale this season, the Bulldogs lead by 10 points midway through the first half and never looked back in building a 23-point halftime lead. The Big Red got no closer than 20-points in the second half as Yale cruised to the win. The Bulldogs placed five players in double-figures scoring with sophomore forward Riley Fox leading the way with 21 points off the bench. Sophomore forward Isaac Celiscar scored 14 while junior guard Trevor Mullin added 13. Noard scored 14 points to lead Cornell.

The second game in the regular season round robin with Yale proved to be much different and had a different tempo to it. The Big Red took an 8-0 lead just over three minutes into the game and lead by as many as 14 in the first half. The Bulldogs pulled to within five, 35-30 at intermission. Cornell lead by as much as 13 in the second half before Yale ralliled back. Trailing by nine with five minutes to play, the Bulldogs used a 10-1 run to force a 69-69 tie with :07 left. Townsend’s layup over the front of the rim forced the tie before Fiegen’s dramatic 3-pointer on the ensuing possession put the Big Red in front 72-69 with :01 second left. After a Yale timeout, the Bulldogs’ inbounds pass was deflected out of bounds off Cornell just over the halfcourt line. The clock read :0.2 left but was adjusted to :0.7 after officials reviewed the play. Yale had one final inbounds play and Mullins missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer as the Big Red secured their biggest win of the season.

Fiegen scored a game-high 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead five double-figure scorers for Cornell which doubled up Yale on the night by making 14 3-pointers. Noard added 16 points and Baldwin had 13 with each grabbing six rebounds. Senior guard Adam Hinton had 11 points while sophomore guard Anthony Nimani added 12 big points points off the bench. It is this kind of balance and sharing of the basketball that has made the Big Red highly effective on offense this season and in recent years.
“I think that style is kind of built around and emphasized by coach Jaques allowing us to shoot shots that we work on,” Feigen said.

Working for good shots through spacing in the half court to create passing lanes has been part of Cornell’s identity this season and in recent years. While the Big Red likes to push the ball up the court and do a lot of passing to get good shots, they have recognized how they can still be effective without going full speed.

“We don’t have to have it be a track meet to be successful,” Jaques said. “I think we want to play with pace but we can do it in the half court a little bit. So playing fast but not necessarily shooting a shot as soon as you cross half court like we did maybe in year’s past,” Jaques added. “This group has done a really good job of figuring that out. Our identity is being a team that is less selfish and really hard to guard,” Jaques said. “I think we’re doing that in a little bit different way this year than maybe the last few years and the guys are getting more comfortable with that every game.”

Entering Ivy Madness, Cornell is averaging 21.2 assists per game and 13.0 3-pointers made per game, both of which lead the nation. The Big Red also sit in the top 10 in the nation in 3-point shooting percentage at 39.7 percent (351-for-885). This year’s Cornell team has already set school and Ivy League single-season records with 351 3-pointers and 572 assists. All this is a testament to how they emphasize the system that is in place through the coaching. The Big Red boast five players that have at least 50 assists on the season and this has aided their success.

“Our big motto is like sacrifice,” said Baldwin, who has 75 assists on the season and an average of 3.0 per-game, both second on the team. “Cooper (Noard) could score a few more points a game and so could Jake (Fiegen) and so could Adam (Hinton),” Baldwin added. “Those guys are super talented but they know if they sacrifice it makes us impossible to guard. If you can’t key on one guy then it makes it a lot more difficult, because we can beat you from so many different players and in so many different ways.”

Cornell will be banking on that philosophy in hopes of making history in Ivy Madness. Never before has the No. 4 seed won the Ivy Madness Championship. Furthermore, only once has the No. 4 seed won a game in Ivy Madness and reached the final. That was Brown in 2024 who beat No. 1 Princeton 90-81 in the semifinals. Brown went on to lose to the No. 2 Bulldogs 62-61 in the championship game. That tournament was held in New York City and hosted by Columbia University. So Brown, as the No. 4 seed, won and advanced without the benefit of playing on its’ home court. The Big Red will have the benefit of playing on it’s home court, Newman Arena, this time around as the No. 4 seed. This is the first time that the host school has been in Ivy Madness as the No. 4 seed since Penn in 2017. Penn lost 72-64 to No. 1 Princeton in the championship game that year.

“Even though we are the four seed, that is nothing we pay attention to,” said Noard, who is a key for the Big Red from the 3-point line where he has shot 39.1 percent (79-for-202) on the season. “We know what we’re capable of as a team. We know what we can do,” Noard added. “It’s just about going out there and having the right confidence in us and the right trust in each other to go out there and execute the best we can.”

While it will be an upset if Cornell is able to dethrone Yale, the Big Red players are optimistic of their chances and putting the seedings aside.

“That’s not something at least that I’ve thought about at all and I can probably speak for my teammates and coaches and say it doesn’t matter to us at all,” Fiegen said. “All it takes is two games to win the tournament and then to go to March Madness. We’re more than confident that we’re going to do that,” Fiegen added. “Being at home is obviously nice and it will be a little bit of a plus. I think with how we have been playing recently, we’re playing pretty high level basketball and we’re reaching our peak,” Fiegen said. “I think I would take us over any team in the Ivy League right now.”

Along with playing on their home court and having the campus and local community behind them, Cornell will seek to capitalize on the familiarity they have with the Bulldogs. While Yale has mostly had the Big Red’s number in recent years, Cornell is out to change that.

“At this point in the season pretty much everyone knows what everyone does best and what everyone’s strengths and weaknesses are,” said Noard, who earned honorable mention All-Ivy League honors a season ago as a junior. “It’s just about how can we be connected as a group. How can we play together as well as we can and how can we perform to our identity each and every minute that we’re out there,” Noard added. “A lot of familiarity helps us. It also helps them too because they also know what we’re trying to do on offense and what we’re trying to do on defense.”

Should the Big Red win two games this weekend, they will become the fourth team in Ivy Madness history to win the title on their home court, joining Penn in 2018, Yale in 2019, and Princeton in 2023. The thought of joining those teams is an uplifting feeling.

“There’s a lot of inspiration there,” said Noard, who surpassed 1,000 career points this season during which he has served as team captain. “It’s a special feeling knowing that we’re going to get to compete for a championship in front of our community, our friends, our family, and loved ones and all that. It truly is a special thing to get to do it at home and there is a certain level of motivation that we’ve been close before like last year where it just didn’t go our way,” Noard added. “We would love to win one at home and it’s been our motivation. It’s all about being us for a full 40 minutes against Yale and then focus on the next game in the championship whoever we play,” Noard said. “We know what we’re capable of and it would be super awesome to win one in front of our community.”

Ivy Men’s Basketball Madness Historical Notes, 2017-2025
⦁ No. 1 seeds are 8-5 all-time
⦁ No 2 seeds are 11-2 all-time
⦁ No. 3 seeds are 1-7 all-time
⦁ No. 4 seeds are 1-7 all-time
⦁ A No. 1 or a No. 2 seed has won all seven championships
⦁ A No. 4 seed has never won Ivy Madness (0-7)
⦁ A No. 3 seed has reached the championship game only once (Yale, 2017)
⦁ A No. 4 seed has reached the championship game only once (Brown, 2024)
⦁ Five of the seven championship games have been No.1 vs. No. 2 seeds
⦁ No. 1 seeds have won two of the seven championships
⦁ No. 2 seeds have won five of the seven championships
⦁ Only once has the No. 1 seed not made the championship game (2024, Princeton)

In the NFL there are certain uniform numbers that have special meaning and status. Thanks to Jim Brown, O.J. Simpson, Franco Harris and others, number 32 was synonymous with great running backs for many years. The number 88 has a place of honor in the wide receiver room of the Dallas Cowboys and even outside of Dallas has been worn by many all-time greats. But the number that is probably most associated with a position and greatness is the number 12. There are currently six Hall of Fame quarterbacks who wore the number 12 during their playing days. That number will certainly grow once Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers take their rightful spots in the Hall of Fame in the next few years.

In honor of December 12 (12/12), we have ranked the top 12 quarterbacks who have worn the number 12 during their career.

1. Tom Brady

Widely regarded as the greatest quarterback in NFL history, Tom Brady redefined excellence with his longevity, success, and leadership. Over 23 seasons with the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Brady captured seven Super Bowl titles, more than any other player or franchise. He holds numerous records, including career passing yards, touchdowns, and playoff wins. Brady’s ability to excel in clutch situations and adapt to different systems made him the gold standard for quarterback play.

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2. Roger Staubach

“Captain America” Roger Staubach was a cornerstone of the Dallas Cowboys during the 1970s, leading the team to two Super Bowl titles and six NFC Championship appearances. Known for his scrambling ability and poise under pressure, Staubach was a model of consistency and competitiveness. A Hall of Famer, he remains one of the most beloved players in Cowboys history.

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The Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York will add two hard hitting legends from by-gone eras with the selection of Dick Allen and Dave Parker by the Classic Baseball Era Committee.

Most baseball fans of the 1960s and 1970s have been questioning the exclusion of these two perennial All-Stars from the Hall of Fame for many years, especially considering some of the players who have earned induction in recent years.

Both Allen and Parker were bathed in controversy during their time in MLB, which is likely among the reasons that it took so long following the end of their careers for them to make it into the Hall of Fame.

Below is a brief look at the careers of these two new Hall of Famers.

Dick Allen – One of the most feared and influential hitters of his era, Allen played 15 seasons in Major League Baseball (1963–1977). Known for his immense power and unconventional batting stance, Allen broke into the majors with the Philadelphia Phillies, winning the National League Rookie of the Year Award in 1964 after hitting .318 with 29 home runs and 91 RBIs. His ability to hit towering home runs made him a consistent offensive force, while his versatility allowed him to excel at multiple positions, including third base, first base, and the outfield. Allen’s time with the Phillies was highlighted by his offensive dominance, but he also endured racial tensions and scrutiny from fans and the media during a tumultuous era in the sport.

Allen’s best seasons came in the early 1970s after joining the Chicago White Sox. In 1972, he delivered one of the most remarkable campaigns in baseball history, winning the American League MVP award. That season, he hit .308 with 37 home runs, 113 RBIs, and led the league in on-base percentage (.420), slugging percentage (.603), and walks (99). Allen’s contributions almost single-handedly turned the White Sox into contenders, earning him widespread respect as one of the game’s most intimidating sluggers. Despite his exceptional talent, Allen’s career was marked by frequent clashes with management and the media, which often overshadowed his on-field achievements.

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Professional football has a long and storied history as part of our American Thanksgiving tradition. Many of the greatest players and best teams in NFL history have made their mark on this holiday and thus become part of families across the country during this time of fellowship and giving thanks.

While many of the players who have shined on Thanksgiving Day were familiar faces and established stars of the game, there also have been a number of players whose one shining moment as a professional football player occurred on the big stage of Turkey Day.

One such player was former Dallas Cowboys backup quarterback Jason Garrett. Before serving as head coach of the Cowboys between 2010 and 2019, he was likely best remembered by most football fans for his nearly flawless performance in place of starting quarterback Troy Aikman on Thanksgiving Day in 1994.

In only his second career start, Garrett passed for 311 yards and two touchdowns to help Dallas defeat the Green Bay Packers 42-31.

However, while Garrett’s performance was impressive, it was arguably not the best or most memorable performance by a Dallas backup quarterback on Thanksgiving Day.

That honor would belong to a rookie quarterback from Abilene Christian who two decades before Garrett’s Thanksgiving performance made a lasting impression on the football world with a memorable Thanksgiving Day show of his own.

In the mid-1970s, the rivalry between the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins was emerging as one of the most interesting in all of professional sports.

Thanks to the contrast between Washington’s spirited head coach George Allen and the stoic leader of the Cowboys Tom Landry, the rivalry had gained steam and by 1974 was among the most anticipated battles on the NFL calendar.

When the two squads squared off on Thanksgiving Day in 1974 it provided a perfect venue for the renewal of this special rivalry. Playing on national television in an era before video games and cable television provided people with other entertainment options, the late afternoon battle between the Cowboys and Redskins was truly America’s afternoon dessert following the traditional Thanksgiving meal.

After a record eight straight playoff appearances, the Dallas Cowboys had struggled during the 1974 campaign. They opened the season with a 1-4 record and entered Thanksgiving Day with a 6-5 mark and clinging to very slim playoff hopes. With games remaining against Cleveland and Oakland, they were potentially looking at their first losing season since 1964.

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Louie Dampier’s name might not resonate as widely as other basketball legends, but the Sports Then & Now Vintage Athlete of the Month’s impact on the game, particularly during the American Basketball Association (ABA) era, is undeniable. Known for his pinpoint shooting, exceptional ball handling, and relentless work ethic, Dampier enjoyed a stellar basketball career that saw him thrive in both the ABA and NBA. As one of the most consistent and prolific guards of his time, Dampier left a lasting legacy, and his role in the ABA’s history solidified his place in the annals of basketball greatness.

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The world of baseball mourns the loss of Fernando Valenzuela, one of the sport’s most iconic figures, who passed away on October 22, 2024 at the age of 63. Valenzuela’s impact on baseball extended far beyond the pitcher’s mound, as he became a symbol of hope, pride, and cultural unity for millions. His unique pitching style, calm demeanor, and ability to deliver in big moments made him a fan favorite and a beloved figure in the Los Angeles community. Valenzuela’s career is one that epitomized greatness and resilience, as he rose from humble beginnings in Mexico to become one of Major League Baseball’s most unforgettable stars.

Early Life and Rise to Stardom

Fernando Valenzuela was born on November 1, 1960, in Etchohuaquila, a small village in the Mexican state of Sonora. Growing up in a family of farmers, Valenzuela’s love for baseball was evident from a young age. He played for local teams and developed a remarkable ability to throw a screwball, a pitch that would later become his signature weapon.

In 1979, at the age of 18, Valenzuela signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers and quickly made a name for himself in the minors. His dominance in the Mexican League and his performances with the Dodgers’ minor league affiliates caught the attention of team executives, and he was called up to the Major Leagues in late 1980.

Valenzuela’s arrival in Major League Baseball came at a critical time for the Dodgers, who were in need of a spark to propel them toward postseason success. Although he made only a handful of appearances late in the 1980 season, he was on the brink of something special.

The Birth of “Fernandomania”

Valenzuela’s official rookie season in 1981 would go down in baseball history as one of the most captivating and unprecedented stretches of performance by any player. In what came to be known as “Fernandomania,” Valenzuela captured the hearts of fans across the nation with his dazzling performances on the mound, his charismatic personality, and his unique pitching delivery, which involved looking toward the sky just before releasing the ball.

The 1981 season began with Valenzuela thrust into the starting rotation after an injury to Dodgers ace Jerry Reuss. In his very first start on Opening Day, Valenzuela threw a complete-game shutout against the Houston Astros. This was just the beginning of an incredible run: Valenzuela started his rookie season by winning his first eight starts, all complete games, with an astonishing five shutouts. His dominant pitching combined with his humble demeanor created a media frenzy, and fans flocked to stadiums to watch him pitch. “Fernandomania” spread like wildfire, not just in Los Angeles but throughout the country and especially in Latin America, where Valenzuela became a source of immense pride.

Valenzuela’s impact on the field was undeniable. He finished the strike shortened 1981 season with a 13-7 record, a 2.48 ERA, and 180 strikeouts, earning both the National League Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Award—an unprecedented feat. He was also instrumental in leading the Dodgers to the World Series title in 1981, where they defeated the New York Yankees in six games. Valenzuela’s performance in the postseason, including a critical complete-game victory in Game 3 of the World Series, further cemented his status as a star.

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