NFL star wide-out escorted from a female’s car at gunpoint. What now for the Pittsburgh Steelers?
At 1:30 a.m Hines Ward was allegedly a passenger in a woman’s car that got pulled over by Los Angeles police.
Hines and a woman friend were stopped in North Hollywood on their way home from a restaurant because she had reported the car stolen.
Wide out Hines Ward was calmed down during a Ravens football game. Photo courtesy
Sgt. Maria Morrison, who was involved in the case stated, “She had gone somewhere, misparked it, reported it stolen and found it later,” but failed to cancel the police report.
Ward was supposedly held at gunpoint by police for only a few moments, but he was released without being arrested, police said.
However, the two weren’t able to be released until the woman was able to prove the car was hers.
The Steelers’ organization have been experiencing issues with holding their players back from the media this week.
Starting running back Rashard Mendenhall just came off the best year of his career in the previous football season, but has been staring in the media by comparing the NFL players to slaves along with criticizing those who celebrate Osama bin Laden’s death.
According to USAToday, some other Steelers continued to distance themselves from Rashard Mendenhall.
The organization has yet to be interviewed over the Ward incident.
That was the time remaining in the second half of the April 13 game against Hempfield when Mariah Dimm snatched Penn Manor’s heart with her second goal. Now it’s time for payback.
Wednesday night Hempfield tied Cedar Crest 1-1, leaving them four points behind Penn Manor, and giving the Comets their first Section One Title since 2006. This has the girls ecstatic, especially the nine seniors who have yet to acquire a title. The girls also qualified for districts for the 13th consecutive year.
This rivalry has been around for years and Penn Manor’s not looking to end the regular season with Hempfield having its number. The last game took place at night, and it was a defensive battle with most of the game knotted at 1-1. In closing seconds Dimm got past the Penn Manor defense to receive a feed from a teammate and just slipped it by goalie Veronica Willig to seal the game with 14 seconds left.
At that time head Coach Bill Zapata said, “It’s a tough way to lose.”
Hempfield's Mariah Dimm and Penn Manor Lindsay Hutchinson in April 13th's game. Dimm dropped both goals in that game and clinched it with her goal with 14 seconds left. Photo courtesy of Lancsports.com
The Comets (11-2 in section, 14-2-1 overall) are looking to end the season on the best note possible and it’s important to them to beat the Black Knights.
Assistant coach Jason Hottenstein has been around for many seasons and Hempfield’s important to him.
“That’s why we play and coach…to beat Hempfield,” said Hottenstein
“They’ve reached goal number one and that’s all they wanted from the start of the year every one of them will tell you they couldn’t of got there without the rest of the team,” said Hottenstein.
Tonight the girls are looking to send a message.
Junior Sara Bennis said, “Now, it’s just more personal.”
“I’m really pumped because going into the game champs…It couldn’t get much better than that,” said senior Meg Wilson
“I’m excited because knowing we lost is going to make us come out stronger,” added another senior Emily Hess.
They all agreed that even though they own the Section one title, they still have a large goal in mind. One of the Comet’s strong offensive players Lindsay Hutchinson recognizes her sister Emily’s defensive presence and enjoys being on the same team with her.
“It was great to be a part of it especially since it’s my last year with my sister,” said Lindsay.
“We have the best defense in the L-L,” she also added.
Be sure to come out and support the nine seniors at 7 p.m. tonight at Comet Field. It’s sure to be another battle.
After shaking off a couple disappointing losses, the volleyball team had really hit their stride.
With the regular season coming to a close, these two games will be crucial in deciding who gets second in the section and if everything goes Penn Manor’s way, second in the league.
“I think we are playing well. We are coming together as a team and we are playing like it,” said Devon Reis a sophomore middle hitter.
Led by junior twins Dylan and Cheyenne Weber, the Comets are picking up their game with a very important week coming up when they play Hempfield and Ephrata.
Dylan Weber getting a kill against McCaskey. Photo Credit: Tornadoalley.com
“Cheyenne is doing a really good job spreading the ball around and tricking the blockers where the ball is going,” said Reis.
Dylan Weber, having a first team all league year, is leading the Lancaster-Lebanon league in kills and doesn’t seem to be looking back.
“If we get in the opponents’ head we will keep our streak going into playoffs,” said Reis.
The Comets hope to ride their five-game winning streak into the last week of the season and clinch the number two spot in the section.
“If we keep second in the section, we won’t have to play Hempfield as soon in leagues,” said Reis.
The Comets have improved to 7-2 in the section and 8-3 overall after last weeks victory over Cedar Crest.
Hempfield School District has set into action a pay-to-play system in which students will owe a fee to play sports and participate in extra-curricular activities. Another local school district, Lampeter-Strasburg, is considering the same.
This idea to increase revenue does not fly well with many here at Penn Manor.
Parents with kids in elementary schools playing youth baseball, rec basketball, or rec soccer expect to owe money for their son/daughters participation when they are on club teams, but the students on school teams at the middle and high school have always assumed a fee to play was non-existent.
Well, now all that has changed if you’re a Black Knight.
Junior Basketball Player Marc Summy imagines what it's like to hand off money to Athletic Director Jeff Roth for playing fees.
Not only will students have to pay to use district facilities during the week, they must submit $35 per high school activity and $20 per middle school activity.
The only bright side seems to be the $200 cap for families with multiple kids, and the exclusion of requiring fees from those in the free or reduced lunch program.
This system applies to many clubs, such as chess and jazz club, but excludes yearbook, newspaper, and student council clubs.
Perhaps the biggest change is the cost to use the district facilities. Teams must pay $15-20 per hour for use of the gymnasium and $10 to nearly $20 for the use of fields.
Hempfield School Board vice president Diane Gerlach explained, “We are just trying to recoup our costs.”
Lampeter-Strasburg’s school board voted 6-2 in favor of a similar system. Specific fees on different sports and activities have yet to be determined, but it’s clear they are ready to activate the plan in the 2011-2012 year.
This trend has Penn Manor students questioning their school district’s mindset on the idea.
“I’d probably still play because it’s my sport, but it will take away from underprivileged kids,” said Penn Manor senior and soccer player Julia Rios.
“I would still play my main sport,” said senior basketball player Dan Elliot.
Would students here have to give up a secondary sport? Would they be forced to pick and choose at the school’s expense?
Junior basketball player David Burch said, “I’m not playing sports if I have to pay.”
Penn Manor Athletic Director Jeff Roth knows that tight budgets are changing the way districts operate their sports programs.
“I have a lot of concerns and want to encourage kids to play and not [worry about] the financial constraints,” said Roth.
At least in Penn Manor, athletics will be relatively “free,” Jeff Roth reassured.
“Next year no pay to play,” he said.
That’s good news for now, but who knows what the future holds.
Penn Manor’s lacrosse team logged an impressive 13-3 record and celebrated with identical hair styles, with the emphasis on hair rather than style.
The varsity lacrosse players all got homemade mohawks last night for playoffs, or fauxhawks as many students and teachers walking in the hallways observed.
“It’s a great display of team unity,” said lacrosse coach Erick Dutchess. “If they are willing to look stupid together, then that says a lot about them as a team. Instead of calling it a flohawk though, I would classify as more of a flotastrophy.”
The hair event also touched off a good-natured rivalry between lacrosse players and the baseball team who also had contemplated going for the same team hair style.
Brandon McCormick, Spencer Barnett and Zach Campbell sport their team haircut. Photo by Cheyenne Weber
“The orginal idea came from the baseball team, but we didn’t have enough “flow” to do it,” said baseball outfielder Taylor Groff, a senior who added his review on the execution of the mohawk, saying they looked “choppy and unprofessionally done.”
And the baseball team has a shot of getting into playoffs with an overall 8-9 record.
The lacrosse players deny any rumors that they took the idea.
“No one stole nothing from nobody, we stepped up and did it,” said senior lacrosse co- captain Spencer Barnett.
‘They never had mohawks before, so it doesn’t matter,” said junior lacrosse player David Mohimani.
Evidently the lacrosse players didn’t think about what their hair would look like on upcoming senior pictures or for the prom.
“I was mad at the idea of Connor Rowe getting one (a mohawk) at first because of prom but it doesn’t look as bad as I thought it would,” said senior Emily Hutchison, his date for the dance.
Chas Alecxih and Jordan Gibbs have become the big men on campus at Pittsburgh University, returning as starters for the football squad next season.
The two long-time friends have had great success as high school players and continue to make Penn Manor proud.
“Their success sheds great light on the program and brings some notoriety to our football program here at Penn Manor,” Said Penn Manor football coach Scott Lackey.
Alecxih was a starter last season for the Panthers with impressive statistics and commendable leadership.
Chas Alecxih puts pressure on quarterback. Photo courtesy of http://1click.indiatimes.com
The 6’6, 280 pound defensive tackle was fourth on the team in tackles and recorded 7.5 sacks during his 2010-2011 season.
Gibbs, on the other-hand, who was not named a starter last season until half way through the year, will be the Panthers starting left offensive tackle.
The left offensive tackle is the most important position on the line because of the crucial need to protect the quarterback’s blind side.
Both of these seniors have been good friends since high school and have been named leaders by coach Todd Graham who is taking over the head coaching job for Dave Wannstedt next season.
“It’s an honor to be called a leader, and I still think I have a long way to go in grooming my leadership,” Said Alecxih. “But again to be called those things by coach Graham is truly an honor and obviously where I came from, that makes it that much sweeter.”
Former high school coach Aron Basile had great things to say about these football stars.
“Those guys worked extra hard and they were there from the start of when our program started to turn around,” Basile said. “Both were leaders in their own ways, Jordan was a quiet leader and used his size and skill to lead the team while Chas was more of a vocal leader.”
As spring practices are coming to a close, these seniors are looking forward to the upcoming season to show Penn Manor, Pittsburgh, and the nation what they are made of.
The NFL lockout is back on, effective immediately. The reinstatement of the lockout was announced Friday during the NFL draft after the NFL was granted it’s stay until an appeal is heard.
U.S. District Court Judge, Susan Richard Nelson sided with the players Monday when she wrote an 89-page order that said the lockout was causing “irreparable harm” to the players.
The NFL however appealed the ruling, questioning whether Nelson exceeded her jurisdiction. The league asked for a “hold” or “stay” on her ruling until the appeal was heard. It was later dismissed by Judge Nelson.
When the lockout was first lifted, players were allowed to return to work. The training facilities were open to the few players who went into work, but players were not allowed to work out or speak to their coaches while in the building. After Judge Nelson reviewed the NFL’s request for a hold and dismissed it, the players were allowed to talk to their coaches and work out in the weight rooms.They were also allowed to collect playbooks, which is a big deal for teams with new coaches on the staff.
Commissioner Roger Goodell in mediation talks with Players association. Photo By baysportsjournal.blogspot.com
Even though the lockout was lifted, there was still no new collective bargaining agreement. That means there are no guidelines for contacts, free agency, trades, etc. The old CBA still comes into effect, allowing mandatory minicamps and voluntary off-season practices to begin under the rules of the old CBA. Players can potentially now earn their workout bonuses in their contracts by working out on their own if they have health insurance in place.
Players and coaches weren’t in contact very long. The lockout was re-announced shortly after players had arrived and left the team facilities. The good news was, before the lockout was reinstated, first round draft picks were able to talk and meet with coaches and the staff, and some even collected playbooks.
The 8th U.S Circuit Court of Appeal in St. Louis granted the NFL it’s stay. It was a 2-1 decision in favor of the temporary stay. Kermit Bye, one of the judges of the circuit, said the temporary stay should only be applied during “emergency situations”. The Appeals Court is expected to be heard next week for the NFL’s request of a permanent stay until the appeal is heard by Judge Nelson’s injunction. This process could take 6-8 weeks.
“The NFL has not persuaded me this is the type of emergency situation which justifies the grant of a temporary stay,” Bye wrote.
Judge Bye wrote the NFL hasn’t provided enough proof that the league would suffer irreparable harm without the lockout, and asked for the stay so the NFL wouldn’t have to run it’s business without a CBA in place.
“Routine grant of stay and totally expected,” said the lead players attorney Jim Quinn,”The only surprise is that Judge Bye is so strongly against giving them even a tiny stay because the league obviously can’t show it is necessary.”
Fans are becoming impatient and upset with the handling of the labor situation.
“They should get over being greedy and just play the game,” said Tyler Beckley, a senior at Penn Manor.
Players all over the league tweeted their opinions and feelings about the lockout being back on, some of them apologized to the fans about the way this has all turned out. Coaches and general managers alike are also disappointed with the lockout being back on.
“Nobody’s happy about any of this,” Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson said in an interview with CBS Sports.com, “But it is what it is. The lockout is back into effect.”
Running- his time to get away, his stress releaser, his passion.
Robert Wolpert, an eleventh grader at JP McCaskey had his heart torn out of him when he received the news that he wouldn’t be able to run anymore.
“I kinda cried,” he said. “I felt like I lost something real great.”
But Wolpert’s dedication to get through his crisis is an inspiration to students everywhere.
Wolpert has a condition called Spondylosis. Spondylosis is a degenerative
Anteroposterior view of lumbar spine. Vertical overgrowths from margins of vertebral bodies represent osteophytes.
disorder that may cause loss of normal spinal structure and function.
Running helps him get away from everything in his house, in his head and everywhere else. It releases the stress that goes on in his life.
Before his diagnosis, Wolpert was always a runner. Then in the middle of seventh grade he started experiencing all of the symptoms of Spondylosis, which consists of low back stiffness, difficulty walking and back pain coming and going. This would make almost everything he did on a daily basis painful. Simple things like laying down, were uncomfortable.
Boston Overlap Back Brace
When he finally went to the doctors’, they told him he had a bilateral-stress fracture on his L-5 lumbar. He was then “sentenced” to six weeks of wearing a Boston Overlap Back Brace. While wearing the brace, Wolpert must follow very strict rules. He is not allowed to participate in any type of sports, activities, events and he has to wear it from the time he wakes up to the time he goes to sleep. He is also not allowed to have lotion on his body because if his brace rubs against his skin, it may cause skin damage.
Not only does he have to follow strict rules, but having to wear the brace affects normal, everyday tasks, such as walking up steps or tying his shoes. It also gets very irritating because the brace has to be tucked inside his jeans.
Wolpert said that having to wear the brace affects his attitude most of the time. He gets really grumpy and angry at times, thinking about not being able to run.
“It’s very depressing to not be able to do something you love and are passionate about,” said Wolpert.
Although running is his passion, he still has “substitutions” for it. Since he can’t run, he goes for walks and listens to his ipod to ease his mind. He also said he likes to write poems and reads sometimes.
Wolpert still faithfully goes to every home track meet to support his team.
The Academy of Football has come to Penn Manor. Head football coach Todd Mealy has an upcoming program to teach some special interns the essential things about being a part of a football team.
“We are teachers first,” said Todd Mealy, when explaining in detail the nooks and crannies of being a football coach.
“Every coach on the staff has had someone to look after them at some point. Starting young has given me opportunities,” Said Mealy who began head coaching at 27 years old.
Coach Todd Mealy is looking for dedicated interns.
“One thing we (the coaches) learned with the exception of one year (2009), the players have been very green (inexperienced).” said Mealy.
This program can evolve to more than just a coaching future for these interns but turn them into professionals when it comes to being a businessman or businesswoman, according to Mealy.
Not only will this academy teach the interns the ins and outs of football but it will teach them many skills needed in life and for future jobs. They will learn organization, time management, responsibility, leadership skills in both conducting a football team and in daily life.
Interns will learn to conduct practices, motivate teens, manage the football website and film games and practices.
Having interns will free up times for coaches who may have other priorities in life like a family. Local students without family responsibilities are most likely to apply.
“The need to have patience, an open schedule and flexibility,” said Mealy.
This internship opportunity is offered to everyone, high school students, college students and parents. Both men and women are welcome to apply but the two most dependable interns will be selected. This will be based off of flexibility, commitment and references.
Applicants will be picked by May 16.
“We would be very proud to have a woman involved in the program,” said Mealy who mentioned Natalie Randolf who coaches at Calvin Coolidge High in Washington D.C.
As of now, no one from Penn Manor has applied but Penn Manor has had its share of alumni that have come back to volunteer. Mr. Eck, a history teacher at Penn Manor has been involved with the team. Zach Fisher and Micheal Trier, graduates from Penn Manor have both helped out volunteering.
“We want the football program to inspire,” said Mealy.
If interested, applicants should email Mealy at todd.mealy@pennmanor.net.
Well if you wanted drama and excitement you got it in this year’s 2011 National Hockey League playoffs.
From the start of the playoffs, there was vocal abuse between teams even before the drop of the puck. So far there has been hard hitting fantastic moves and a whole lot of drama, with overtime games and surprising upsets, as well as some questionable hits from game to game.
So far the teams from the east that have moved on are the Washington Capitals and the Philadelphia Flyers. The teams that have moved on from the west are the Vancouver Canucks, Detroit Red Wings, Nashville Predators, and the San Jose Sharks. Still undecided from the Eastern conference are Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning, Montreal Canadiens and the Boston Bruins.
So far the playoff points leader is Michael Cammalleri of the Montreal Canadiens, with Claude Giroux of the Philadelphia Flyers tied for the points lead.
The second round of the playoffs were set with a Boston Bruins win 4-3 in overtime and a Tampa Bay victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins 1-0 off of a Sean Bergenheim goal.
