Luck led off draft but will not lead NFL rookies in fantasy value
Here is an early reaction to the first round and thoughts on where the offensive skill players selected should be ranked by fantasy owners.
Luck is a great prospect, but the Colts are far from a good team right now. Luck has some fantasy value as a backup but he’ll be more help to owners down the line. The Colts have a couple of good receivers in Reggie Wayne and Austin Collie and they’ll likely be playing from behind a lot. On the flip side, the Colts offensive line could get Luck killed by Halloween.
Early Position Rank: No. 23 at QB.
Griffin is in a better spot to succeed early on in his career than Luck because the Redskins have a team that should challenge for a playoff spot. I like the look of this Redskins squad. Their speed on offense with Griffin, Roy Helu, Pierre Garcon, Leonard Hankerson and Fred Davis is scary. RG3 will make an immediate fantasy impact. He won’t put up Cam Newton-type numbers as a rookie, but at worst, Griffin will be a solid spot starter for fantasy owners like Andy Dalton was last year.
Early Position Rank: No. 18 at QB.
This was a home run for both the Browns and fantasy owners. Cleveland was the best possible landing spot for Richardson in terms of fantasy value. He’s going to come in right away and be the primary ball carrier for the Browns. This kid has it all and he should be a fantasy monster right away.
Early Position Rank: Richardson will be in the Top 15 in my RB rankings. He won’t get out of the second round in a majority of fantasy drafts. There aren’t many backs in the NFL that are going to get the number of touches Richardson will in 2012.
This was a great pick for Jacksonville. However, for fantasy owners hoping Blackmon would get paired up with a quarterback like Sam Bradford or Ryan Fitzpatrick, it’s a big disappointment. Even if Blaine Gabbert improves in 2012, the Jaguars’ offense will need to get better by leaps and bounds for Blackmon to have a lot of fantasy value. Blackmon will be a fantasy star someday; just don’t think that day will come in 2012.
Early Position Rank: Others are going to have Blackmon rated higher than I will. But there is a big difference between NFL football and fantasy football. Blackmon will help Jacksonville’s passing game improve but I don’t see enough production from him to be a fantasy starter at receiver. A great talent but he’ll probably just make my Top 50 next week.
Miami had to take a shot on Tannehill if they thought he was a highly rated quarterback prospect. Matt Moore is a decent stop-gap, but now the Dolphins have a legitimate option for the future. Tannehill likely won’t play much this year unless the Dolphins have an awful season and he gets the call in the final month. He just isn’t polished enough to come right in and be a starting NFL quarterback.
Early Position Rank: Outside of the Top 35 quarterbacks. For fantasy purposes I think he’s purely keeper league material.
This was one of my favorite picks in the first round. In Arizona, he’ll team with Larry Fitzgerald to give the Cardinals one of the most feared receiver tandems in the NFL. Floyd rates as one of the 10 best prospects in this draft, so I expect him to come in right away and contribute. I’m not ready to close the book on Kevin Kolb quite yet but I will be if Arizona’s offensive line can’t keep him upright.
Early Position Rank: Floyd will debut as one of the Top 50 receivers. He would also be one of my top targets in keeper leagues. This was a perfect landing spot for him.
Wright is going to help fantasy owners down the road, but considering where he’ll be on the pecking order at receiver in Tennessee, I’m not high on him for this season. Wright is the fastest player in this draft at any position. He’ll come in and provide some big plays for the Titans offense, but with Kenny Britt, Nate Washington and Damian Williams in the mix, Wright will have to fight for targets as a rookie.
Early Position Rank: Wright wouldn’t be in my Top 50 receivers at this point. He’s probably between 60-70 for me. I like him a lot more in keeper leagues than I do re-draft leagues right now.
The reason I liked Weeden to the Browns is because everything he does well fits what Cleveland likes to do on offense. Weeden is a quick decision maker and he’s deadly accurate on short-to-intermediate throws. Weeden looks ready to step in right away and lead an NFL offense, so Colt McCoy better get a lot better soon or he’ll be holding a clipboard.
Early Position Rank: Weeden will come in between 35-40 in my quarterback rankings. He could have fantasy value in 2012, but McCoy will likely begin the season as Cleveland’s starting quarterback unless he bombs in training camp.
Update: Reports say the Brows are shopping McCoy, and Weeden will start for Cleveland from Day 1. I think this makes Weeden an intriguing fantasy QB, especially if the Browns add more weapons at receiver. I like what Cleveland is doing. In that division you have to make bold moves. Weeden will now move into the Top 30 of my QB rankings.
I’m in the minority here but I love this pick for the 49ers. To me, Jenkins ranked as the No. 5 receiver in the draft, so I wasn’t surprised to see him go late in Round 1. I’m telling you right now that this kid can play. Just because these draftniks didn’t have Jenkins in their mocks doesn’t mean it’s a bad pick or a "reach." Jenkins caught 90 balls last year at Illinois with average quarterback play. People are going to criticize this pick but that’s just because they don’t know how good Jenkins is and will be in the NFL.
Early Position Rank: Jenkins will come in somewhere between 50-60 at receiver and is one of my top rookie sleepers. I wouldn’t be surprised if Jenkins ends up being one of the most productive fantasy rookies in 2012 .If you are in a keeper league, I would strongly suggest targeting Jenkins after the top guys go off the board.
This pick makes sense for Tampa Bay. Martin is a good pass protector and receiver, something LeGarrette Blount isn’t. Martin is an intriguing fantasy running back because I get the feeling coach Greg Schiano doesn’t love Blount. Tampa Bay would have drafted Richardson and then they traded back into the first round for Martin. The former Boise State star will see a lot of playing time as a rookie and his fantasy value goes up in PPR leagues because of his ability as a receiver. Don’t be surprised if Martin catches 50 balls this season.
Early Position Rank: Martin will most likely crack my Top 50 running backs. If he doesn’t, he’ll be just outside my rankings. I have a feeling that the closer we get to fantasy drafts, the more I’m going to like Martin.
A great pick. First of all, the Giants needed a running back. The only guy they really have is Ahmad Bradshaw, and while he’s a very good player, the Giants coaching staff doesn’t want like to overuse him. That’s smart because while Bradshaw is as tough as they come as he has played with foot injuries in the past. Wilson is coming into a perfect situation. He was my second ranked running back in this draft. Wilson is known for his speed but his power is underrated. Wilson led all backs in this class in yards after contact. Plus, he’s a home run hitter. Bradshaw is good but he’s not going to break off 80-yard runs. Wilson gives the Giants a big-play guy in the backfield. Wilson’s only drawback is he put the ball on the ground too much in college. If he does that early on in his NFL career, he could see his playing time decrease.
Early Position Rank: Wilson is one of my top-rated fantasy rookies. He should have a big role in the Giants offense from Day 1. He ranks among the Top 50 running backs and he should go really early in keeper league drafts.
Eric Mack: Rizzo leading next wave of prospects
While you were watching Josh Hamilton’s legendary night in Baltimore, you probably missed some noteworthy: firecracker-hot minor-leaguers. That’s why we’re here: To tell you all about the runs Anthony Rizzo, Wil Myers, Miguel Sano, Jurickson Profar and Trevor Bauer are on.
Last week’s prospect report lamented the dearth of intriguing prospects once Will Middlebrooks joined the arrival of Bryce Harper and Mike Trout. All three are working out well, don’t you think?
This week it was a game of can-you-top-this from that group of five above. It was quite impressive. Not four homers, a double, eight RBI and 18 total bases-impressive like Hamilton put up, but noteworthy nonetheless.
It is time to move each of these five players up a level, and for Rizzo, that means joining the Cubs and fantasy rosters.
1. 1B Anthony Rizzo, Cubs (25 percent owned)
We have been sucked in before here. Rizzo was too good for Triple A last year and wound up being a disappointment for the Padres and fantasy owners. This time feels different; we promise.
Rizzo posted his fourth multi-homer game of the season Tuesday night, giving him season totals of a .357 average, nine homers, 31 RBI, 20 runs, one steal, a .413 on-base percentage and a .643 slugging percentage. His six RBI Tuesday made him the night’s Triple A Hamilton story.
The knocks on Rizzo are his free-swinging ways — Middlebrooks-esque — and his performance against left-handed pitching. He is working on it, though.
"I’m working on the things that I have to work on that are going to get me to Chicago and [help me] stay for there for years and years," Rizzo told MiLB.com
"One day, that’s going to be exciting to be able to experience going up to Chicago and playing with those guys."
Rizzo could have been playing with those guys already if not for the Cubs’ instance on making notorious Quadruple-A player Bryan LaHair their everyday first baseman. LaHair has made the Cubs look wise with Rizzo-like numbers in Chicago: .374-8-17-14-0 (.470-.771).
But LaHair has some experience playing outfield in the majors, and the Cubs are merely getting by with light-hitting David DeJesus and Tony Campana alongside Alfonso Soriano. If you’re counting at home, that is exactly zero homers for a starting major-league outfield. The question is how ready are the Cubs to get a look at LaHair playing right field, or when can Soriano prove to be trade-worthy?
ETA: June 1
2. OF Wil Myers, Royals (13 percent owned)
The knock on Myers as a fantasy keeper prospect was his power, when, at 6-feet-3, 205 pounds, it shouldn’t be. It sure isn’t now.
Myers has homered in five of his past six games and is now at .339-11-24-27-4 (.394-.722) through 115 Double A at-bats. That is a way to "announce my presence with authority," Nuke LaLoosh-style.
Myers is one of the most intriguing impact minor-league hitters in fantasy right now and might even be one of the special ones that makes a big-league trip while skipping Triple A. We just have little faith in the Royals pushing a prospect.
Myers is making it hard for the Royals to justify holding him back.
ETA: July 31
3. 3B Miguel Sano, Twins (11 percent owned)
This Saturday, Sano, an elite prospect from the baseball factory of San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic, will no longer be a teenager. We want to know if he will no longer be down in low Class A ball, though.
Sano has gone on a Myers-like run, with four homers in his past six games, running his season’s totals to: .304-10-32-26-2 (.421-.670). With another organization, Sano would at least be in high Class A. Heck, with a New York team, he might even be on the verge of a call-up already.
Sano’s bat is the real deal and you can make a case he is the best long-term hitting prospect in all of the minor leagues right now. While his current numbers make him a candidate to move up the levels come June 1, he probably won’t be in the Twins’ major-league plans until …
ETA: June 1, 2013
4. SS Jurickson Profar, Rangers (15 percent)
In last week’s Inside Fantasy podcast, Will Carroll asked yours truly when Profar would join the ranks of Harper and Trout in the majors. It was laughed off as: No time soon.
Profar was still hitting around .250 and spent much of the month of April near the Mendoza Line. Yes, at age 19, he is the youngest player in Double A, more than a full year younger than Sano above, but you need to put up numbers to keep up with all the oohs and ahhs the scouts’ glowing reviews heap on you.
Profar passes the eye test, but it has been mostly on the field. With a 19-game hitting streak, it is starting on the stat sheet now, too.
Through 119 Double-A at-bats, the numbers — .261-3-14-20-4 (.323-.462) — shouldn’t stick out at you. But, you do have to consider his age relatively to the level of competition and now you have to consider his hot streak.
In that podcast, this writer suggested Profar belongs in Double A for the full season. Now it appears he deserves to be the youngest player in Triple-A before the end of the year.
ETA: June 1, 2013
5. SP Trevor Bauer (47 percent)
The most-owned fantasy player currently in the minor leagues — even higher than the Yankees’ Andy Pettitte at 43 percent — doesn’t need any introduction. But after a pair of mediocre starts, by his lofty standards, maybe we need to reintroduce him.
Bauer is walking too many batters — five the last time out and 25 in 41 1/3 innings — but he is about as unhittable as they come. He allowed just one hit in seven shutout innings in Double A on Sunday and is limiting batters to a mere .188 average. He has also struck out 51.
Those numbers are not quite Dylan Bundy eye-popping (20 innings, 33 strikeouts, two hits, .032 batting-average against and one walk), but they are enough for the Diamondbacks to consider moving Bauer to Triple A soon. He just needs to post a few starts where he doesn’t walk anyone. Otherwise major-league hitters will knock him out of the box inside four innings due to high pitch counts.
ETA: July 1
Eric Mack writes fantasy for SI.com. If you miss his Monday baseball trends, Wednesday prospect report or Friday pitching review, you can also find him on Twitter, where you can mock him, rip him and (doubtful) praise him before asking him for fantasy advice @EricMackFantasy. He reads all the messages there (guaranteed) and takes them very, very personally (not really).
Ducks give coach Boudreau contract extension
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Boudreau took over from Stanley Cup-winning coach Randy Carlyle in November and revived the Ducks’ flagging fortunes with an impressive 27-23-8 record in 58 games last season.
“Since joining the organization last November, Bruce has done an outstanding job with the team,” Anaheim general manager Bob Murray said in a statement. “He’s committed to us and determined to lead us back to the playoffs.”
Boudreau was released by the Washington Capitals last year after leading them to four straight Southeast Division titles but with little playoff success.
“I’m really happy about this,” Boudreau said of the contract extension. “I’m convinced we have a great core of players and a bright future, and I’m excited to be part of it.”
(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)
Dubai Fighting Championship: Fights that matter
DUBAI The Dubai Fighting Championship taking place at the Habtoor Grand Beach Resort in Dubai Marina on Friday will further add to the growing popularity of the MMA in the UAE, according to UAE’s local fighter Malik ‘Smiler’ Omarov.
"Dubai in the near future will be the biggest destination for MMA," Omarov said. "Everyone these days is trying to host a show here and establish as they know that crowds come here in big numbers and people love watching this sport," he added.
“
Dubai in the near future will be the biggest destination for MMA.. Everyone these days is trying to host a show here and establish as they know that crowds come here in big numbers and people love watching this sport,
Malik âSmiler’ Omarov
Omarov will take on England’s Stuart Davies in the catchweight category before the hottest fight of the night between former UFC heavyweight champion Ricco ‘Suave’ Rodriguez and England’s rising heavyweight champion Stav ‘Crazy Bear’ Economou.
"I came here (Dubai) six years ago there was not much happening here. But now it’s become very interesting and it’s slowly expanding to other regions.
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"The interest is growing very much and it’s becoming very popular among the young crowd. They come and watch the fights and get inspired and take a liking to this sport," Omarov observed while noting that young fighters are encouraged here by providing them the right platform.
"We are looking for new fighters who are beginners. We not only have professional fights but also for amateurs where the starters can train and participate," said Omarov, who has over 50 Muay Thai fights in his career and is best known for his quick hands, slick combinations and killer instinct. About his opponent, Omarov, who trains at the Contender MMA Centre, said: "I think he is a good grappler but he is not that good a stand-up fighter and I will try to avoid ground work and fight him on stand-up.
Talented fighters
"I’m really excited about the fight and expecting a lot of friends to come and watch my fight. There will be pressure since everyone will be expecting you to win being the local favourite. But that is good since it will push you really hard," said Omarov, who returns to the cage after a one-year hiatus. "I’m fit and raring to go. I had a good 10-week camp so the fight night will show whether the camp was good or not," Omarov added.
CEO Tam Khan who is putting things together for the fight night, said: "We really want to show the UAE and the rest of the world that we have talented local MMA fighters.
"Together, we’re going to put the best MMA show the region has ever seen. We know exactly what we want and how we want to do it and I think that’s usually half the battle won, knowing what you want." Khan said.
He added that this was the best opportunity for fighters from the region to showcase their talent. "We have some very good fighters in the region and they are not getting the right opportunities.
"There are no shows to display their skills in so this is the right opportunity for them to do so," added Khan who stressed that the interest for the sport has hugely increased in the Middle East.
"The interest is growing. They love this sport and there is a huge demand with young boys showing a lot of interest."
Fight night Schedule
Main Event (Heavyweight)
Ricco ‘Suave’ Rodriguez v Stav ‘Crazy Bear’ Economou
Catchweight
Malik Omarov v Stuart Davies
Lightweight
Mohammad Jamshidi v
Michel Maia
Omid Balkham v Matteo Piran
Nilson Lopes v Morteza Minbashi
Evan O’Relly v Shafeeq Iqbal
Welterweight
Fabricio Nascimento v Mohammad Naemi
Mounir Lazzez v Ashkan Mehdrdadpoor
Middleweight
Rafat Shawe v Bhupesh Kamble
Frank Spencer v Saber Ghorbani
Ali ‘Amir’ Taghinejad v Gudrat Mamedov
Featherweight
Fernando Cosenday v Hadi Rivandi
Venue: Habtoor Grand Resort & Spa, Dubai Marina
Tickets can be purchased in any of Virgin Megastore’s 7 outlets in the UAE or online at http://tickets.virginmegastore.me
Sprint drug cheat Chambers to find out fate next week
London: Dwain Chambers will hear he has been cleared to seek Olympic selection early next week in Jamaica.
While the Court of Arbitration for Sport has been deliberating on the legality of the British Olympic Association’s ban on former dopers, Chambers has been training with former world 100 metres record-holder Asafa Powell’s group in readiness for his 2012 bid.
Not even the BOA believe the judges will decide in their favour, having previously ruled against a similar IOC rule.
The BOA will have to pick up a £200,000 (Dh1.2 million) bill for challenging the World Anti-Doping Agency’s code. They will do so with good grace believing that their principled stand against doping will lead to a change in the Wada code before the next Olympics.
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Delhi’s top batsmen pile on the runs
New Delhi: Half-centuries from Delhi Daredevils’ top three batsmen lifted the hosts to an imposing total in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match against Mumbai Indians here last night.
Virender Sehwag (73), Mahela Jayawardene (55) and Kevin Pietersen (50no) all excelled to lead the table-topping Daredevils to 207 for five from their 20 overs.
After a 135-run opening partnership with Sehwag, Jayawardene was out when he attempted a switch-hit off Robin Peterson but only succeeded in spooning the ball to Rohit Sharma.
That brought Pietersen to the crease and he maintained the momentum, but Peterson soon struck again twice in an over to remove Sehwag, caught by Robin Singh at deep cover, and also Irfan Pathan, who went first ball to a catch by substitute fielder Thisara Perera on the long-on boundary.
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Seguin forces Game 7
WASHINGTON (AP) — Because Tyler Seguin and Tim Thomas returned to form, the Bruins are heading back to Boston for another
game against the Washington Capitals .
Seguin scored at 3:17 of overtime, Thomas made 36 saves, and the Bruins beat Washington 4-3 on Sunday to tie the first-round
Eastern Conference playoff series at three games apiece.
The defending Stanley Cup champion Bruins never trailed, but needed a stolen pass and a deft bit of skating by Seguin to finally
get the decisive goal and avoid elimination.
The series finale is Wednesday night in Boston. The first six games were all decided by one goal, three of them in overtime.
“It’s been a dogfight from start to finish,” Bruins coach Claude Julien said. “Both teams here are heading to Game 7 with
the same kind of confidence. For us, it’s time to take advantage of the home ice that we’ve fought hard all year to get. We’ve
got to make it count.”
Seguin led the Bruins during the regular season with 29 goals and 67 points but was scoreless in the playoffs until Sunday.
Thomas, a two-time Vezina Trophy winner, was generally outplayed by Capitals rookie Braden Holtby over the first five games
of the series.
Not so in Game 6.
Thomas had 35 saves in regulation, and Seguin contributed an assist before beating Holtby to end the game.
“It was a coming-of-age goal there in overtime,” Thomas said about Seguin, a 20-year-old with two years of NHL experience.
The pivotal play began when David Krejci intercepted a pass by Nicklas Backstrom and sent the puck to Milan Lucic, who passed
ahead to Seguin.
Seguin veered slightly to his right to draw Holtby from the net, then lifted a shot past the rookie to win it.
“I saw the goalie challenging, so I just tried to make a quick move and got lucky it went in,” Seguin said. “This series I’ve
had a lot of chances and opportunities and I haven’t been finishing them off. It’s just really nice to get that feeling of
finding the back of the net.”
Julien said, “For him to jump on that and be patient enough to skate around the goaltender, it’s great to see.”
That kept alive Boston’s bid to become the first team to win successive Stanley Cups since the Detroit Red Wings in 1997-98.
The seventh-seeded Capitals, on the other hand, face the prospect of having to win a third game in Boston to advance to the
second round.
“Game 7 is a grinding kind of game,” coach Dale Hunter said. “We’re used to playing it. Every game here has been tough game.
Both sides are, I imagine, a little bit banged up. But little bruises, they’ll forget about them come Game 7.”
The Bruins took a 3-2 lead at 11:51 of the third period on a goal by Andrew Ference, who put in the long rebound of a shot
by Seguin. Ference thrust his fist into the air in delight in front of the Bruins’ bench to celebrate after his first goal
of the series.
But Washington wasn’t done. Off a faceoff in the Boston zone, Alex Ovechkin controlled the puck with his left skate and promptly
ripped a shot that skidded between Thomas’ legs with 4:52 left in regulation.
It was not unlike Saturday’s game, when Thomas gave up a lamentable goal to Troy Brouwer in the closing minutes of Washington’s
4-3 victory.
Julien knew Thomas would bounce back Sunday, and the coach was right.
“I thought he played a huge game,” Julien said. “I knew he was upset (Saturday) after the game. Just by his reaction, I had
no doubt he was going to come up huge today.”
Boston’s Rich Peverley opened the scoring at 5:56 of the first period by deflecting a shot by Ference past Holtby. It was
the first time in five games and only the second time in the series that the Bruins notched the game’s initial goal.
The lead was short lived. After gaining possession of the puck on top of the left circle, Washington defenseman Mike Green
twice drew his stick back before choosing the right moment to launch a slap shot that soared past Thomas’ left shoulder and
into the net at 9:47.
But the Bruins went up 2-1 7 minutes later on a power-play goal by Krejci, who ended Boston’s 1-for-16 struggle with the extra
man. Krejci entered the center of the Washington zone, dropped a pass to incoming Lucic on the left side and then tipped in
the return pass.
In the second period, however, the Capitals’ penalty-killing efficiency came heavily into play. After Ovechkin received a
4-minute penalty for bloodying the nose of Zdeno Chara with a high stick, Washington limited the Bruins to a single shot on
goal while short-handed and even managed a decent shot of its own.
The Capitals pulled even with less than a minute left in the period. Backstrom charged down the right side and waited until
Thomas and Chara committed themselves before sending a backhand, cross-ice pass to Jason Chimera, who slammed the puck into
the net before Thomas could move back across the crease.
Washington outshot Boston 15-5 in the second period. It will take that kind of effort for the Capitals to prevail on Wednesday.
“We’ve already seen them six times. I don’t think anything’s going to change on our end,” said Washington’s Matt Hendricks,
who was not surprised at Boston’s effort Sunday.
“They’re Stanley Cup champs last year. They’re not going to die easy.”
NOTES: Bruins D Joe Corvo was scratched after being struck in the right knee by a puck Saturday .. This is the third time
the teams have met in the postseason. Each has won eight games … Washington’s Alexander Semin was held without a goal for
the first time in four games.
Al Shabab to face Lega Pro Italy in today’s final
Dubai: Al Shabab secured a narrow 3-2 win over Birmingham from the UK to reach the final of the second Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Under-19 Football Championship, which end at Al Nasr Club’s Humaid Al Tayer Stadium today.
Al Shabab will face Lega Pro Italy in the final after the Italians fought past RC Lens of France 4-3 on penalties after normal time ended in a 1-1 draw.
Former England manager Fabio Capello is scheduled to attend the final followed by the presentation of trophies. Other famous footballers, including Italian Fabio Cannavaro, will also be present.
So far, Al Shabab have shown good form in this tournament following their convincing 3-0 win over Al Jahraa of Kuwait in a crucial group match earlier this week.
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One of Syracuse coach’s accusers says it was all a lie
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Zach Tomaselli, reached by telephone on Friday evening at his home in Lewiston, Maine, said he lied about being abused by Fine, who was fired from his job as an assistant to legendary coach Jim Boeheim.
He first recanted his accusations in a phone call to the Syracuse Post-Standard on Thursday night, hours after his own sentencing on child abuse charges.
“I’m just ready to step forward and admit that I fabricated the Bernie Fine story,” Tomaselli said in a recorded call on the Post-Standard’s website. The audio was posted on Friday after the paper said it had confirmed Tomaselli made the call.
Separately, in an email to a reporter for Syracuse-area news website cnycentral.com, Tomaselli said: “I made the ENTIRE thing up. I have never met Bernie in my life.”
Asked by Reuters on Friday if those reports were accurate, he said: “Yeah, that’s correct.”
Tomaselli, 23, was one of three men who accused Fine of abuse. His was the only accusation recent enough to fall within the statute of limitations for prosecution, and federal authorities were investigating his claim that Fine molested him in a Pittsburgh hotel room in 2002.
The others accusers were former ball boys for the basketball team Bobby Davis and Mike Lang, who have since sued the university and Boeheim for calling them liars when they accused Fine of abusing them for years as children.
The university, located in Syracuse, New York, has one of the most prominent college basketball programs in the United States.
Tomaselli was sentenced on Thursday to more than three years in prison for molesting a 13-year-old boy at a Maine camp where he worked as a counselor. He is due to begin that prison term on Wednesday, he said.
In the recorded call to the newspaper, Tomaselli said he saw a news report last fall about Davis and Lang’s claims and started to make up his own story.
“I told a friend from New York to see if he would believe it when I grew up with him. I said, âBernie Fine abused me, Oh my God.’ You know kind of like a joke at first. He was like ‘Really?’ and I’m like well if I can get him to believe it…,” Tomaselli said.
“One lie led to another. It grew and grew and grew and it was amazing to see it grow,” he said of the media cascade touched off by the scandal.
Tomaselli said his lie was motivated in part by a “hatred” of Syracuse because he is a fan of a rival basketball team.
Syracuse University spokesman Kevin Quinn declined comment.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John Duncan, whose office was investigating the Tomaselli’s claim over the winter, did not immediately return a call for comment.
(Reporting By Barbara Goldberg and Dan Burns; Editing by Eric Beech)
Andy Staples: Whaley, Kovacs headline annual All Two-Star (And Fewer) team
Stewart Mandel can keep his job as steward of the SI.com All-America team. I’m happier choosing the annual All Two-Star (And Fewer) team, which honors the best underrated and — in some cases — completely unrated players in college football.
The 2012 team was especially fun to select. Walk-ons — the smartest, best-looking players on any college football team — filled several spots. How special is the moment for walk-ons right now? I had to leave one off the team because he was rated too high coming out of high school. I figured Missouri cornerback Randy Ponder would be a shoo-in for the 2012 team. Then I looked up his Rivals.com recruit profile and learned that Ponder was a three-star recruit with multiple FBS offers.
Walk-on or not, we can’t have three-star glory boys on this team.
And now for the annual disclaimer: This team is made up of players who will play college football in 2012. I know former Oklahoma State quarterback Brandon Weeden didn’t have a star rating. I know former Houston quarterback Case Keenum was a two-star. Please don’t e-mail to remind me. Also, I know current Wisconsin linebacker Chris Borland was vastly underrated coming out of high school. But as a three-star, he wasn’t underrated enough.
QB Riley Nelson, Sr., BYU (Two stars in Class of 2006): Despite being named Utah’s Mr. Football in 2005, this Parade All-American (as an all-purpose player) didn’t get much attention outside of his home state. Nelson chose hometown Utah State, where his father, uncles, grandfathers and great-grandfathers had all been athletes, but he didn’t plan to play immediately. He wanted to grayshirt and then serve an LDS mission beginning in June 2007. Instead, Utah State’s backup quarterback was dismissed in April 2006, and Nelson decided to join the team immediately. He wound up starting the Aggies’ final seven games. How old is Nelson? He got shellacked by Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan, who still had another season to play. Nelson transferred to BYU after a mission to Spain, and he won the starting job in 2010. But Nelson suffered a shoulder injury in the Cougars’ third game, and then-freshman Jake Heaps ascended to the starting job. By the start of the 2011 season, Nelson was the backup quarterback and a gunner on the punt team. But after leading a miracle comeback against — of course — Utah State, Nelson made it clear he was BYU’s best quarterback. He capped the season by channeling Dan Marino’s fake spike to beat Tulsa. That’s the kind of savvy the All Two-Star (And Fewer) team needs in its signal-caller.
RB Dominique Whaley, Sr., Oklahoma (Zero stars in Class of 2008): In the All Two-Star (And Fewer) hierarchy, walk-ons trump two-stars. (For some reason, there are no one-stars.) Furthermore, walk-ons who came from nowhere trump preferred walk-ons who were well known to the coaching staff for which they eventually played. For that reason, Oklahoma’s Whaley — a former Subway Sandwich Artist — will be one of the 2012 team’s co-captains. Whaley, an Army brat, never lived in one place long enough to establish himself as a player. Whaley played as a freshman at Langston, an NAIA school near Oklahoma City, but he left school when his parents were deployed to Iraq and Whaley moved to Texas to help his grandmother care for his siblings. He walked on at Oklahoma as a complete unknown. After practices in 2010, he walked across the street and made $5 footlongs. During those practices, Whaley shredded Oklahoma’s defense. In 2011, he led the Sooners in rushing with 627 yards despite playing only six full games. Whaley’s season ended when he broke his ankle on the first play of the Kansas State game. He’ll miss spring practice, but Whaley is expected to return for preseason camp. The good news? He’s been rehabbing this semester as a scholarship player.
RB Le’Veon Bell, Jr., Michigan State (Two stars in Class of 2010): Edwin Baker might have turned pro because he thought he was ready for a new challenge, or he might have left East Lansing because he knew he was the second-best back on the Spartans’ roster. The 6-foot-2, 237-pound Bell averaged 5.2 yards per carry and scored 13 rushing touchdowns while splitting time with Baker in 2011. Bell, who also caught 35 passes, will be a greater focal point of Michigan State’s offense in 2012. Bell grew up in the Columbus suburb of Reynoldsburg, Ohio, and played at Groveport Madison High, but Ohio State never offered. Michigan State gave Bell his only Big Ten offer, and the Spartans beat out Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan and Marshall for Bell.
OT Justin Britt, Jr., Missouri (Two stars in Class of 2009): As a 6-5, 267-pounder in Lebanon, Mo., Britt had only begun to examine the recruiting process when the Tigers offered. The only place Britt had ever wanted to play was Missouri, so he accepted that offer immediately. No one else pursued the state champion wrestler very hard. It wouldn’t have mattered if they had. In 2011, Britt was expected to play guard before a preseason injury knocked out left tackle Elvis Fisher. Britt, who now weighs 295, took over at left tackle and started all 13 games. He finished the year by holding his own against North Carolina defensive end Quinton Coples — a likely first-round draft pick — in the Independence Bowl.
OG Patrick Omameh, Sr., Michigan (Two stars in Class of 2008): Omameh makes his second appearance on the team after starting 13 games at right guard and helping the Wolverines to a Sugar Bowl win. Michigan, Michigan State and Cincinnati were the only AQ-conference schools with coaches who believed the undersized (236 pounds) defensive end from Columbus, Ohio, would grow into something special.
OG Lane Taylor, Sr., Oklahoma State (Two stars in Class of 2008): Dipping into Texas to unearth hidden gems has helped Oklahoma State rise from Big 12 also-ran to Big 12 champion. Taylor is yet another one of those gems. The only other Big 12 school to offer the Arlington native was Kansas. Taylor won a starting job as a redshirt freshman and has started ever since.
C B.J. Finney, So., Kansas State (Two stars in Class of 2010): Finney, whose flat-top makes him look a little like Sgt. Carter from Gomer Pyle, declined an offer from Ohio University to walk on in Manhattan. The Andale, Kan., native grew up a Kansas State fan, and he’s honored to play for Bill Snyder. But that haircut makes people think Finney works for Snyder. Though Finney was only a redshirt freshman in 2011, plenty of people thought he was a coach. "Sadly enough, I get told that all the time," Finney told The Wichita Eagle in August. "I guess I look like a coach. Between wrestling and football, people are always coming up to me and asking, ‘Are you a coach?’ No, I’m a player. A freshman, actually."
OT Ricky Wagner, Sr., Wisconsin (Zero stars in Class of 2008): Given the paydays earned by former left tackles Joe Thomas and Gabe Carimi, it would seem logical that Wisconsin would have a stockpile of highly rated offensive linemen waiting to take over the position each time a first-rounder leaves. The Badgers do have such a stockpile, but Wagner, a former walk-on tight end, beat out all of his higher rated teammates. In 2012, he’ll try to help the Badgers to a third consecutive Big Ten title.
WR Jared Abbrederis, Jr., Wisconsin (Zero stars in Class of 2009): A quarterback and track standout from Wautoma, Wisc., Abbrederis originally planned to walk on at Wisconsin. Not to the football team, though. Originally, Abbrederis hoped only to make the track team. But Wisconsin’s football coaches offered a walk-on spot before preseason camp, and Abbrederis accepted. Abbrederis spent his freshman season fulfilling glamorous assignments such as simulating Wofford’s quarterback, but he quickly proved himself in spring 2010 when he got a chance to play with Wisconsin’s offense. In 2011, Abbrederis led the Badgers in receiving yards with 933 despite being the second option behind Nick Toon. In 2012, Abbrederis will be the first option in the passing game.
WR Cody Hoffman, Jr., BYU (Two stars in Class of 2009): Sacramento State would have been the only school to recruit Hoffman out of tiny Crescent City, Calif., had it not been for a local teacher named Terry Vance. Vance was a roommate of BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall when the men were students at Oregon State, and Vance took notice of Hoffman dominating his high school competition and contacted his former roomie. Now 6-4 and 208 pounds, Hoffman is BYU’s top receiver and kickoff returner.
TE Ryan Griffin, Connecticut (Two stars in Class of 2008): Londonderry, N.H., isn’t a recruiting hotbed, so coaches can be forgiven for missing out on the 6-6, 248-pound Griffin, who has the potential to play his way from two-star recruit to NFL draft pick. UConn and New Hampshire were Griffin’s best two offers, and he chose the Huskies.
DE Nathan Brink, Jr., Michigan (Zero stars in Class of 2009): If all goes as planned, the 6-5, 263-pound Brink will take over one of the open starting jobs on Michigan’s defensive line this spring. He spent 2011 as a rotation player, but even that is amazing considering the fact that Brink walked on at Michigan at 220 pounds. Brink, who also played basketball in high school, made his way to Ann Arbor from Holland, Mich., thanks to a Florida connection. Brink’s high school position coach told MGoBlog.com that then-Wolverines coach Rich Rodriguez knew Holland Christian coach Willie Snead from Snead’s days as the coach at Glades Central in Belle Glade, Fla. That relationship allowed Snead, in his first year at Holland Christian, to finagle a walk-on spot for Brink.
DT Nikita Whitlock, Jr., Wake Forest (Two stars in Class of 2009): Whitlock is listed at 5-11, which means he’s probably even shorter. Schools shied away from Whitlock because of his height, which is to be expected. While a too-tall nose guard presents his own set of issues, a 5-11 one probably can’t carry enough weight to be effective. Wake Forest was Whitlock’s only FBS offer, and that came at the 11th hour. "The reason I came to Wake was because it was either Wake or Iraq," Whitlock told the Winston-Salem Journal. He’s serious. Whitlock told the paper that he had already spoken to an Army recruiter. If Wake coaches hadn’t offered, Whitlock would have enlisted. Instead, Whitlock stunned coaches and opponents by dominating at 260 pounds. In 2011, he led the Demon Deacons in tackles for loss with 14.
DT Roosevelt Nix, Jr., Kent State (Two stars in Class of 2009): Only a few miles from where Le’Veon Bell got ignored by most of the Big Ten, Nix starred at Reynoldsburg (Ohio) High. Like Whitlock, Nix scared off recruiters with his lack of height. At a listed 5-10 coming out of high school, he didn’t look the part of a college defensive lineman. He only plays like one. Nix — listed at 6-0 and 244 pounds by Kent State — didn’t sneak up on anyone after winning the MAC’s defensive player of the year award as a redshirt freshman in 2010, but he still played well despite being the focal point of opponents’ gameplans in 2011. Nix led the Golden Flashes in tackles for loss with 17. He also forced three fumbles.
DE Ben Gardner, Jr., Stanford (Two stars in Class of 2009): Gardner, a Mequon, Wisc., native whose only FBS offer came from the Cardinal, let down a legion of fans before the Fiesta Bowl when he sheared the best mullet college football has seen since Steve Taneyhill kept his business up front and his party in the back at South Carolina. No matter. Gardner, who racked up 10 tackles for loss in 2011, will bring his more aerodynamic look back in 2012 as part of a front seven that could be one of the nation’s best.
LB Khaseem Greene, Sr., Rutgers (Two stars in Class of 2008): Greene actually graduated from high school in Elizabeth, N.J., in 2007, but he spent a year at a Connecticut prep school to get his academics in order. Coming out of prep school, Greene had offers from Rutgers, Connecticut and Akron. He chose to return to his home state, and the Scarlet Knights are grateful. In 2011, Greene led Rutgers with 141 tackles.
LB Khalil Mack, Jr., Buffalo (Two stars in Class of 2009): Former Buffalo coach Turner Gill had to beat out Liberty to secure a commitment from Mack, who probably would start for all but a handful of schools in the country. As Tennessee prepared to face the Bulls last year, Volunteers coach Derek Dooley warned his offensive players repeatedly about No. 46. "He’s a hard worker," Tennessee offensive tackle Ju’Wuan James told the Knoxville News-Sentinel. "Coach Dooley said he’s a guy that’s on the wrong team." Mack finished third in the nation with 20.5 tackles for loss, and the 6-3, 248-pounder’s ability to disrupt an offense makes him perpetually fearsome. How fearsome? Mack even seems terrifying as he strums a Jason Mraz tune.
LB Daren Bates, Sr., Auburn (Two stars in Class of 2009): The All Two-Star (And Fewer) team may be running a nickel by next month. First-year Auburn defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder wants thicker linebackers on the Plains, and to achieve that end, VanGorder may have to move Bates back to safety, where he started as a freshman in 2009. That’s fine. With so many pass-happy teams out there, we’re more than happy to play with five defensive backs to get Bates — who started on a national title team — on the field.
CB Jordan Poyer, Sr., Oregon State (Two stars in Class of 2009): The Beavers beat out Idaho, Eastern Washington and Portland State for Poyer, who starred at Astoria (Ore.) High. Poyer was one of the few bright spots for Oregon State in 2011, and he was named to the All Pac-12 second team.
S Jordan Kovacs, Sr., Michigan (Zero stars in Class of 2008): Kovacs, another walk-on who came out of nowhere, joins Whaley as a co-captain. I first wrote about Kovacs in 2009 after he filled in admirably during the Wolverines’ win against Notre Dame. Since then, Kovacs has developed into one of the Big Ten’s best safeties. The kid who made the team from a student-body tryout has started 33 games, and he still has one more season to play.
S Hakeem Smith, Jr., Louisville (Two stars in Class of 2010): Smith followed his Big East Rookie of the Year season with a solid sophomore year. He finished second on the Cardinals with 84 tackles, and he broke up nine passes. The Cardinals plucked Smith out of suburban Atlanta without much competition. Smith committed to Steve Kragthorpe’s staff, but he has grown into a star playing for Charlie Strong.
CB Darqueze Dennard, Jr., Michigan State (Two stars in Class of 2010): Dennard should thank Christian Bryant every day for choosing Ohio State. Had Bryant, a four-star cornerback from Cleveland, chosen Michigan State instead of the Buckeyes, Spartans coaches wouldn’t have called Dennard in Dry Branch, Ga., days before National Signing Day with a scholarship offer. Dennard would have been choosing between Middle Tennessee State and Utah State. Instead, Dennard went to East Lansing, where he has become one of the Big Ten’s best young cornerbacks. Dennard also managed to exact some revenge on the home state team that ignored him. In the Outback Bowl against Georgia, Dennard’s third-quarter interception led to Michigan State’s first touchdown. Later in the quarter, Dennard intercepted another pass and returned it for a touchdown.
P Ryan Allen, Sr., Louisiana Tech (Zero stars in Class of 2008): Wait a second. Where is LSU’s Brad Wing? Well, this team has no place for hyped-up recruits who carried three stars with them to college. Allen, from Salem, Ore., walked on at Oregon State, but he didn’t play in two years on the roster in Corvallis. So he transferred to Louisiana Tech before the 2010 season. In 2011, Allen won the Ray Guy Award. He pinned opponents inside the 20-yard line 39 times and averaged 46.1 yards a punt.
PR Jared Abbrederis, Jr., Wisconsin (Zero stars in Class of 2009): He doesn’t just catch passes. Abbrederis finished third in the nation in punt return average in 2011 with 15.75 yards a return.
KR John Evans, So., Western Kentucky (Two stars in Class of 2011): Evans finished second in the nation in kickoff return average with 32.2 yards per return, and he proved once again that Hilltoppers coach Willie Taggart knows his home region. Taggart, once a high school star in Bradenton, Fla., plucked Evans from nearby Sarasota. Iowa State, Marshall and Middle Tennessee State were also interested, but Evans bonded with Taggart.
PK Drew Alleman, Sr., LSU (Two stars in Class of 2008): The exclusion of everyone’s favorite former Australian Rules footballer doesn’t mean LSU’s specialists won’t be represented here. Rivals.com listed Alleman as a two-star recruit, but he has delivered a five-star performance. In 2011, Alleman made 16 of 18 field goal attempts and 62 of 63 PAT attempts.
