The Man Atop the Statue to Sell Gold Medal

October 14, 2010

The Olympic medal earned by the man standing on top of the podium depicted outside of Clark Hall is up for sale.

Tommie Smith, former SJSU athlete and 1968 gold medal winner, reportedly placed the gold medal on an auction list in New York City.

Smith and fellow Spartan John Carlos held their fists in the air during the medal ceremony in Mexico City as a call for black equality.

The top finisher in ’68 refused comment to media sources, including the San Jose Mercury News. However, Merc writer Elliott Almond spoke with a representative from M.I.T. Memorabilia – the company auctioning the medal.

“Part of the reason is for money, but also he feels it is time to share it with the sports-collecting memorabilia public,” M.I.T.’s Gary Zimet told Almond. Zimet, who Almond was referred to by Smith’s wife, added that Smith does not want to give any statements on the issue.


I’m not so sure about that, sir…

October 13, 2010

Picture this: Jed wakes up to an alarm clock Monday morning. His National League Football team lost its fifth-straight game to open the season. What to do?

Well 49ers owner Jed York apparently decided to text someone associated with ESPN with a message – his team would win the NFC West title. This year. It would be the first time a team went from 0-5 to postseason.

Perhaps the two almost-win games against the Saints and the Falcons got him thinking that could happen. Both New Orleans and Atlanta are 3-1 against all teams but each other. In the head-to-head matchup, Atlanta beat New Orleans on an overtime field goal.

But with the Niners winless and under new control on offense, York has got to get real. I mean, work on what you can and shoot for next year. No reason to blurt early-morning messages through his cell phone. The division is weak – though perhaps not as weak as would be necessary for an epic San Fran comeback.


Video Blog: SJSU Spartan football postgame analysis

October 4, 2010

http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=15519968&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=3266cc&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0

Video Blog: Spartan Football Postgame Analysis from SJSU NEWS on Vimeo.

Senior staff writer Joey Akeley and sports editor Daniel Herberholz break down the SJSU football team’s 14-13 Homecoming loss to UC Davis.


Slideshow: Madeleine Ziegert and women’s golf team win NCAA tournament

May 11, 2010

Madeleine Ziegert leads the SJSU women’s golf team to victory in the NCAA Division-1 West Regional Tournament, held at Stanford University’s golf course on Friday and Saturday, qualifying herself and her team for the NCAA Women’s Golf Championships in Wilmington, N.C. on May 18.

Click on image to view slideshow.

Photo by Daniel Herberholz


A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Tourney

May 9, 2010

The sports editor, Kyle, and I just got back from the women’s golf 2010 NCAA Western Regional Tournament, where SJSU is in the top 10 in team play and sophomore Madeleine Zeigert tied for first place in individual golf.

It was beautiful weather at the course yesterday and today. As Kyle and I drove into the parking lot this morning, we had a little bit of a mess. There were so many car-related incidents, it was not even funny.

First, Kyle had to punch the breaks as a big white team van began moving backwards toward us. We were not sure what was happening, and our confusion heightened when the van stopped in its tracks and sat there for about 30 seconds. Once it began moving again, we watched as it almost skimmed the paint off of a nearby car. The van began re-positioning to avoid such an incident, and finally it moved through the parking lot without snagging a bit of a nearby vehicle.

Before we knew it, another car was backing up into us – this time from the junction to an additional lot for parking. It breezed through the junction, peeling back into the regulation parking lot and right towards us, the driver seemingly not bothering to look behind him/her.

Next, a car began driving toward us as if it owned the lot. Even though we had been sitting there for five minutes already waiting for the van to fix itself up, this car felt it had the right off passage through the parking lot intersection. That was alright, though – just odd. We moved on, passing into the additional lot.

As we drove through that lot, I looked left and saw a car backing up right into my door. I almost yelled “HONK!” but then I realized the driver would not be able to hear me. I knew Kyle hadn’t seen the car backing up into his car, so I reached over and hit the horn, right as the car bumped into us. The driver noticed – both from the bump and the honk – and stopped to pull forward. We then got out and checked Kyle’s car, only to find no damage whatsoever. We parked and got out of the car.

This, however, was not the end.

Kyle and I are walking through the lot, over to the clubhouse, when out of nowhere a car almost pulls right into my left leg. He stops short, and motions through his window that he was sorry.

In sum: a van almost crunched us behind it, a car backing up almost slammed into us, another car ignored everyone else in the lot, a car actually hit Kyle’s car, and a man almost backed his Hyundai into me.

Well, glad to know that it was all work it – SJSU is most likely going to Nationals, and Zeigert won the individual regional tournament crown.

-Daniel Herberholz


Audio slideshow: Champion Swedish golfer brings years of experience to SJSU

May 5, 2010

Madeleine Zeigert won a golf championship in Sweden at 14, and moved out by age 15 thanks to golf.

Click the image to view the audio slideshow.

Audio and Photos by Angelo Scrofani


Notes: Sharks vs. Avalanche, Game 2 Round 1 – Overtime goal lifts Sharks over Avs in an offensive affair

April 17, 2010

[8:16 p.m.] The Sharks spent their third power play of the first period getting closer and closer to notching a goal but don’t chip it in until the penalty is 6 seconds from over. Manny Malhotra fights for goal, his first of the playoffs, which ties it up with 41 seconds left in the period.

[8:20] Several times tonight, the video screen above the ice featured a blue-screen effect. The Sharks logo and an actual shark have been shown on the screen, with the former placed on workers jackets and the latter upon the ice while the players were skating around.

[8:21] Best line from the stands so far: “I drove all the way from Reno for this!”

[8:37] Goal by the Avs Chris Stewart, assisted by Craig Anderson, with 20 seconds passed in the second stanza. Crowd silent.

[8:41] The Sharks horn goes off again with an open-ice push shot by Rob Blake, off a pass from Joe Thornton. Patrick Marlowe also assisted on the goal.

[8:42] Avs answer back with a shot in the net by Milan Hejduk.

[8:47] Devin Setoguchi slams his fist into the air after stickplay gives him a goal on the Avs. His first goal of the playoffs was assisted by Ryane Clowe and Joe Pavelski.

[8:52] A slip or two by Torrey Mitchell prevents the Sharks from capitalizing on a breakaway.

[8:53] The Avs Darcy Tucker shoves a Shark on San Jose ice, to no penalty. Crowd boos.

[8:59] Timeout break question time: Including tonight, how many playoff games has Patrick Marleau played? Fan’s answer: 17. Real answer: 93. Little kid behind me: “What, did you think he was a ROOKIE?!”

(9:00] Same kid, on penalty called against San Jose’s Rob Blake: “He’s a FLOPPER! Did he win the OSCAR YET?!”

[9:07] Two consecutive near-fights on Avalanche ice.

[9:08] Colorado’s Brandon Yip sneaks one by Nabokov’s right foot. Avs 4, Sharks, 3. HP Pavilion somber-sounding.

[9:12] A quick shot from the middle of the ice by Jed Ortmeyer bounces off Scott Nichol’s stick for a goal. His reaction? Arms up, then knee down with fist pumping. Goal with 15 seconds left.

[9:13] Nichol and Avs’ Adam Foote end 2nd period with dual roughing penalties.

[9:17] San Jose 4, Colorado 4 at the end of the second. Former USA soccer player and San Jose native Brandi Chastain rides the Zamboni during the break.

[9:32] I just spoke with Austin Murphy of Sports Illustrated, who noted a good job by McLellan to play San Jose’s fourth line of Nichol and Malhotra. He said he is interested in how “the gold-medla-line” of Marleau, Heatley and Thornton have been “invisible” statistically.

[9:39] Chris Stewart zips an open-ice shot in from Nabokov’s left, past the goalie’s right shoulder. It is second goal of the game, third of the playoffs.

[9:49] Immediately after the refs stop play to investigate a possible Sharks goal and decide it is not a goal, a goaltending interference call (on Devin Setoguchi) offsets another Sharks goal.

[9:52] Sharks enter 5-on-3 after Rob Blake called for an interference penalty. 38 seconds to kill on the two-men-down.

[9:54] Penalty killed.

[10:04] An otherwise quiet Dan Boyle looks like he wants to start a fight with a Colorado Avalanche defender. Sharks looking anxious to score while still down one with less than five minutes to go.

[10:05] Brandon Yip’s slashing penalty puts San Jose into it’s sixth power play opportunity – Sharks are currently 1-for-5 on such chances.

[10:12] After Sharks can’t capitalize on penalty, still down one with 1:23 left to go in the game. Timeout San Jose – its time for a magical pep-talk, McLellan.

[10:15] Sharks rally a score with 31.3 left to tie it at 5. Pavelski with the goal, his first of the playoffs. Heatley and Thornton assist (Thornton’s second) – making Heatley statistically “visible” for the first time in the game.

[10:31] Overtime begins. Next goal wins.

[10:38] Sharks scramble, a slap shot from goalie’s left flies wide right.

[10:39] Adam Foote’s third penalty (this time for interference) gives San Jose an overtime power play. And they score, goal by Setoguchi. Game over, Sharks avoid embarrassing 0-2 home deficit in series.


Audio slideshow: Spartans show potential on Saturday football scrimmage

April 12, 2010

Players push their way through preseason scrimmaging with head coach Mike MacIntyre.

Click to view audio showslides
Click on image to view audio slideshow

Audio and editing by Melissa Sabile
Photos by Thomas Webb


Audio Slideshow: Senior gymnasts reflect upon reaching graduation

March 22, 2010

Gabrielle Targozs, Jessica Koshnood and Tiffany Louie bond beyond the mat.

Click on image to view audio slideshow

Audio and photos by Jasmine Duarte


NCAA Tournament staff predictions

March 20, 2010

Matt Santolla Staff Writer

Final Four: Kansas, Kentucky, Kansas State, Villanova

Bracket Buster: New Mexico to the Elite 8

Winner and why: Kentucky over Kansas. It’s all about experience and guard play in the tournament. John Wall and John Calipari will have the Wildcats cutting down the final nets.

Marlon Maloney Staff Writer Final Four: Kansas, West Virginia, Baylor, Syracuse

Bracket Buster: Utah State to the Sweet 16

Winner and why: Kansas over West Virginia. Kansas will win because of the depth and experience of its roster. They just won it all in 2008, so Bill Self knows what to expect.

Daniel Herberholz Staff Writer

Final Four: Ohio State, Kentucky, Syracuse, Cal

Bracket Buster: Cal; Cornell to the Sweet 16

Winner and why: Ohio State over Kentucky. This team knows how to get things done, and it showed in its last-second win over bracket-worthy Illinois in the Big Ten tournament. Evan Turner and company will shock the Jayhawks in the Elite Eight and ride that wave to the championship.

Joey Akeley Executive Editor

Final Four: Kansas, Kentucky, Texas A&M, Syracuse

Bracket Buster: UTEP to the Sweet 16

Winner and why: Kansas over Kentucky. Kansas is the best team in the nation and everyone knows it. Cole Aldrich is better than everyone. Sherron Collins is better than everyone. Marcus Morris is better than everyone. Xavier Henry is better than everyone. I hope they don’t win. They’re just the best.

Husain Sumra Managing Editor

Final Four: Kansas, Kentucky, Duke, Syracuse

Bracket Buster: Saint Mary’s to the Sweet 16.

Winner and why: Kentucky over Kansas

The best thing to do while studying bracketology is to go with gut feelings. Picking upsets for the sake of upsets isn’t sound reasoning, so four first seeds will make the final four with Kentucky taking it all.


Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.