Published: Wednesday, January 2, 2008
local
LOCAL
Zippy named Mascot
of the Year
AKRON — Due to an unprecedented outpouring of support from Univ. of Akron fans, friends and alumni, Zippy rang in the New Year with a national championship by defeating Goldy Gopher, from the University of Minnesota, in the Capital One Bowl Mascot of the Year Challenge.
Zippy was recognized as the winner of the exclusive competition during halftime of the Capital One Bowl between Michigan and Florida in Orlando, Fla., Tuesday afternoon.
"We are honored by the outcome of today's competition and grateful to the thousands of Zipsā fans across the country who made this possible," said UA athletic director Mack Rhoades. "This award is testament to the strength and loyalty of our fan base and is something we can all share and be proud of."
The victory capped off a perfect season for the UA marsupial, who went a combined 13-0 including a perfect 11-0 mark in the regular season. As the top seed, Zippy earned a first-round bye in the playoffs before defeating sixth-seed Otto from Syracuse University in the semifinals and eventually Goldy Gopher.
In addition to the Mascot of the Year title, the victory secures a $10,000 scholarship fund from Capital One to help support the University of Akron mascot program.
Zippy was one of 12 mascots selected this year to the sixth-annual Capital One All-America team, thus earning the opportunity to compete in the unique national event.
The squad was chosen from Div. IA and IAA athletic programs with college football teams.
Panthers-Penguins
game time changed
PITTSBURGH — The start of the Penguins' home game Saturday against Florida has been moved to 3:08 p.m. so it doesn't conflict with the Steelers' home playoff game that night.
The Panthers-Penguins game was to have started at 7:30 p.m., or a half-hour before the Jaguars-Steelers AFC wild card game — Pittsburgh's first home playoff game in three years.
The Penguins made the switch after the NHL approved the move. Neither the Penguins nor the Panthers play on Friday night, so neither team will be playing a day game following a night game.
Blue Jackets assign
Brule to the minors
COLUMBUS — The Blue Jackets assigned Gilbert Brule, their top pick in the 2005 draft, to the club's American Hockey League affiliate in Syracuse Monday.
Brule, 21, has just one goal and three assists in 31 games this year with Columbus. Brule, the sixth pick overall in the 2005 draft, has 12 goals and 15 assists in 116 NHL games.
NATION
Lamar Odom
suspended a game
NEW YORK — Los Angeles Lakers forward Lamar Odom was suspended for one game without pay Tuesday for committing a flagrant foul in the fourth quarter of his team's 110-91 loss to the Boston Celtics.
Odom threw himself into Ray Allen and knocked the Boston guard to the floor with 2:56 remaining Sunday night and the outcome already decided.
Besides the suspension, Odom was assessed a flagrant foul, penalty two, NBA executive vice president Stu Jackson said in a press release.
Odom, who had 14 points and 10 rebounds in the one-sided loss to Boston, will serve his suspension Friday night when the Lakers (19-11) play the Philadelphia 76ers (14-17).
Gatlin banned
until May 2010
Sprinter Justin Gatlin got his doping ban reduced, but not by enough to make him eligible to defend his Olympic 100-meter title this year.
The 25-year-old sprinter had a potential eight-year ban reduced to four years, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency said Tuesday. With the ban set to expire May 24, 2010, it means Gatlin will be on the sidelines for the Beijing Olympics in August. He needed the ban reduced to two years to be eligible for the Olympic trials in June.
"We have no higher priority than the commitment we have made to clean competition," U.S. Olympic Committee spokesman Darryl Seibel said. "If that means leaving behind when we go to the Games an athlete who has the talent and ability to break world records, but has also cheated, so be it.
That's an easy choice to make. It's what the American public expects, and it's what the overwhelming majority of our athletes who choose to compete clean deserve."
USADA general counsel Bill Bock confirmed the report to The Associated Press, saying arbitrators acknowledged the help Gatlin provided to federal authorities "in investigating doping in sport, to extent of wearing wire in communications with his former coach," Trevor Graham.
In 2006, Gatlin tested positive for a banned substance for the second time and, under anti-doping rules, was supposed to receive a lifetime suspension.
But because of the special circumstances behind his first positive test — he was taking medicine to treat attention-deficit disorder — he reached an agreement with USADA that called for a maximum eight-year ban.
Vindicator staff/wire reports
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
LOCAL
Zippy named Mascot
of the Year
AKRON — Due to an unprecedented outpouring of support from Univ. of Akron fans, friends and alumni, Zippy rang in the New Year with a national championship by defeating Goldy Gopher, from the University of Minnesota, in the Capital One Bowl Mascot of the Year Challenge.
Zippy was recognized as the winner of the exclusive competition during halftime of the Capital One Bowl between Michigan and Florida in Orlando, Fla., Tuesday afternoon.
"We are honored by the outcome of today's competition and grateful to the thousands of Zipsā fans across the country who made this possible," said UA athletic director Mack Rhoades. "This award is testament to the strength and loyalty of our fan base and is something we can all share and be proud of."
The victory capped off a perfect season for the UA marsupial, who went a combined 13-0 including a perfect 11-0 mark in the regular season. As the top seed, Zippy earned a first-round bye in the playoffs before defeating sixth-seed Otto from Syracuse University in the semifinals and eventually Goldy Gopher.
In addition to the Mascot of the Year title, the victory secures a $10,000 scholarship fund from Capital One to help support the University of Akron mascot program.
Zippy was one of 12 mascots selected this year to the sixth-annual Capital One All-America team, thus earning the opportunity to compete in the unique national event.
The squad was chosen from Div. IA and IAA athletic programs with college football teams.
Panthers-Penguins
game time changed
PITTSBURGH — The start of the Penguins' home game Saturday against Florida has been moved to 3:08 p.m. so it doesn't conflict with the Steelers' home playoff game that night.
The Panthers-Penguins game was to have started at 7:30 p.m., or a half-hour before the Jaguars-Steelers AFC wild card game — Pittsburgh's first home playoff game in three years.
The Penguins made the switch after the NHL approved the move. Neither the Penguins nor the Panthers play on Friday night, so neither team will be playing a day game following a night game.
Blue Jackets assign
Brule to the minors
COLUMBUS — The Blue Jackets assigned Gilbert Brule, their top pick in the 2005 draft, to the club's American Hockey League affiliate in Syracuse Monday.
Brule, 21, has just one goal and three assists in 31 games this year with Columbus. Brule, the sixth pick overall in the 2005 draft, has 12 goals and 15 assists in 116 NHL games.
NATION
Lamar Odom
suspended a game
NEW YORK — Los Angeles Lakers forward Lamar Odom was suspended for one game without pay Tuesday for committing a flagrant foul in the fourth quarter of his team's 110-91 loss to the Boston Celtics.
Odom threw himself into Ray Allen and knocked the Boston guard to the floor with 2:56 remaining Sunday night and the outcome already decided.
Besides the suspension, Odom was assessed a flagrant foul, penalty two, NBA executive vice president Stu Jackson said in a press release.
Odom, who had 14 points and 10 rebounds in the one-sided loss to Boston, will serve his suspension Friday night when the Lakers (19-11) play the Philadelphia 76ers (14-17).
Gatlin banned
until May 2010
Sprinter Justin Gatlin got his doping ban reduced, but not by enough to make him eligible to defend his Olympic 100-meter title this year.
The 25-year-old sprinter had a potential eight-year ban reduced to four years, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency said Tuesday. With the ban set to expire May 24, 2010, it means Gatlin will be on the sidelines for the Beijing Olympics in August. He needed the ban reduced to two years to be eligible for the Olympic trials in June.
"We have no higher priority than the commitment we have made to clean competition," U.S. Olympic Committee spokesman Darryl Seibel said. "If that means leaving behind when we go to the Games an athlete who has the talent and ability to break world records, but has also cheated, so be it.
That's an easy choice to make. It's what the American public expects, and it's what the overwhelming majority of our athletes who choose to compete clean deserve."
USADA general counsel Bill Bock confirmed the report to The Associated Press, saying arbitrators acknowledged the help Gatlin provided to federal authorities "in investigating doping in sport, to extent of wearing wire in communications with his former coach," Trevor Graham.
In 2006, Gatlin tested positive for a banned substance for the second time and, under anti-doping rules, was supposed to receive a lifetime suspension.
But because of the special circumstances behind his first positive test — he was taking medicine to treat attention-deficit disorder — he reached an agreement with USADA that called for a maximum eight-year ban.
Vindicator staff/wire reports
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Due to an unprecedented outpouring of support from Univ. of Akron fans, friends and alumni, Zippy rang in the New Year...
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