DC Basketball Blog traffic info

For anybody that might be interested, here's a graph showing the hits and page views for the past year. Keep in mind that the blog didn't start until January. The traffic was predictably highest in March, during tournament time, with a big drop-off after the season ended. It will be interesting (OK, probably not all that interesting) to see how the traffic progresses once the season starts.

SINCE JANUARY 12TH, 2006:

TOTAL VISITS: 8,748.........TOTAL PAGE VIEWS: 18,561

Wildcats get good press

Here's an article about the Western Michigan University basketball schedule. Davidson is mentioned as one of the teams that made the NCAA tournament last year that makes the WMU non-coference schedule "brutal". I love it!
Click here for the article.

Also, Jim Boeheim of Syracuse mentions playing "unbelievable mid-majors" such as Davidson, etc.
Click here for the article.

Thanks to Pete Wagner for the tip on the Boeheim article!!

(Note: Problems with the links are now corrected.)

Davidson's drama dept apparently rocks

Here's a little news I happened to come across. Since it's a bit slow for hoops right now, I thought I'd post it. This blog is, after all, subtitled "Coverage of Wildcat Basketball and all things Davidson". Therefore, why can't I veer away from hoops from time to time??

Perfect 10: Davidson sweeps drama awards

Davidson finished the evening a perfect 10-for-10 in the college and university category at the Metrolina Theatre Awards last Sunday, including the 'Outstanding' awards for director, production, actor and actress.

Although the college competed against UNC Charlotte, Gardner-Webb and Pfeiffer universities, Davidson often competed against itself, with at least two nominations in every category. Davidson had 21 nominations overall after receiving 11 at last year's awards.

Davidson's 'She Loves Me,' a musical similar to the movie 'You've Got Mail,' swept the awards.

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Pictured above: Ryan Creighan '07 and Hanley Smith '07 won best actor and actress awards for their lead roles in last spring's "She Loves Me."
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Let's hear it for the drama people. I don't know who they are, but they are apparently pretty darn good. Drama's not my thing, but I'll give them their due. Good job, drama people! It's not all just about basketball at good 0ld Davidson!

Note from the author

I guess I need to get geared up to do this all over again. Don't take that the wrong way. That's not lack of desire in my voice. I'm looking forward to it....it's just that the season has just snuck up on me. I still feel like basketball season just ended, and the new season is four or five months away. Hell, football just got started.

Last year, I didn't start this blog until mid-season (January), so my blogging activities only lasted for a couple of months, and it really wore me out by the end of the season. It got to be pretty intense trying to keep up with posting updates during the SoCon Tournament and the NCAA Tournament. It was, however, lots of fun. I'm not sure exactly what, if anything, will be different on the blog this season. I'll just let it flow and see where it takes us. Hopefully a few of you will read, and maybe even enjoy....perhaps post a comment or two?

I'm not sure how I even ended up doing this blog, to be honest. It just hit me last January that, unlike the big schools, there was not much of a way to keep up with DC basketball, other than the official website, which is very limited. I do love Davidson Basketball, but I'm not what you would really call a "basketball nut" by any stretch of the imagination. I don't follow stats (boring....can't stand all that fantasy football garbage), I don't watch basketball all the time during the season, and I try not to live and die by how my favorite teams are doing. (Life's too darn short for that type of approach.) I'm just pretty much an average basketball fan....and I happen to enjoy keeping up with the Wildcats. I figured there might be a few more of you like me out there that would enjoy reading this stuff and getting a few good links to articles about our team. So, I'll keep up the blogging this season. Hopefully we'll enjoy this year as much as last year.

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Incidentally, I am contemplating some changes (hopefully improvements) to this blog. I'm not sure what all I will get done. I'm sure it will be a work in progress. It will also depend on family time, work, etc. After all, I do have a wife, two kids, and a law pratice to keep up with. As hard as it may be to believe, I don't get paid for this!

Holy Cow...basketball season is 7 weeks away???

Is it just me, or does it seem like it was just March? Didn't football season just get going??

Well, the Wildcats tip off the hoops season on November 10th in Ann Arbor, Michigan. That's only 7 weeks away!!

....And there's an exhibition game only 6 weeks away!!

Where did the time go?

Tentative schedule released

Games against Duke, Michigan and Missouri are the big non-conference contests. All three games are on the road.

The Wildcats will play in two "events". First, they will be part of the John Thompson Foundation Challenge from November 10-12 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Then they will play in the Arizona State Hoops Classic from December 21-22 in Tempe, Ariz.

The SoCon Tournament will once again be in Charleston. Maybe that's a good omen for the Wildcats. Charleston has, after all, been pretty good to Davidson.

Click here to view the tentative schedule.

Get your 2006 SoCon Championship gear

Here's a link to get your t-shirts and hats to celebrate winning the 2006 SoCon Tournament. Honestly, it's pretty slim pickings, and the shirts aren't all the great, but our team still won!!

Click here.

Former All-American Wildcat, John Gerdy, writes books

Air Ball: American Education's Failed Experiment with Elite Athletics

John Gerdy, former Wildcat, is now Dr. John Gerdy (PhD).....another example of how Davidson athletes are truly student-athletes. Click here for a profile. Click here for some Gerdy quotes.

"Lest his theories be dismissed as the sour grapes of a "nerd" who never competed in "elite" sports, Gerdy is a former All-American basketball player at Davidson College, played professional in the Continental Basketball Association. He served as associate commissioner of the Southeastern Conference from 1989-1995 and as a legislative assistant at the NCAA from 1986-1989."

Click here to read article from The Clarion Ledger (Mississippi)

Click here to read release from the University Press of Mississippi

Click here to read an article that John Gerdy wrote (May 2006) for The Chronicle Review "For True Reform, Athletics Scholarships Must Go"

This is not Gerdy's first book. In 2002, Sports: The All-American Addiction was published.

Former Wildcat Puff Summers making noise

Going job hunting
From the Culpeper Star-Exponent
Jeff Say
Sports Editor
Wednesday, August 23, 2006

The moment Lawrence “Puff” Summers walked into the gym in Raliegh, N.C., he stood out to USA Select Basketball general manager Sean Kilmartin.

It wasn’t because Summers blocked out the sun. The Culpeper native stands just 5-feet-9-inches –“ 5-10 on a good day,” “Puff” jokes.

Summers stood out for another reason. It was what he was wearing.

The 2005 graduate of Davidson College showed up for practice wearing a Davidson jersey, something that caused Kilmartin to laugh.

When the USA Select Basketball GM was a college player, he played for Davidson rival Appalachian State University. So when he saw Summers sporting a Wildcat shirt, it was strike one.

But that didn’t stop Kilmartin from choosing Summers for the USA Select team, a squad that will travel overseas to Europe Sept. 5 to play an exhibition schedule against the top teams France, England, Wales and Belgium have to offer.

Click here for the entire article. It's pretty long and all about the former Wildcat.

Wildcats get an apparent commitment

Aaron Bond

6-5, 180

"Georgetown Prep’s senior guard Aaron Bond has chosen his college this month. Reached yesterday via telephone, Bond shared 'I’m going to Davidson (College)'. "

"Bond, a 6’4”+, 180lb senior guard who attends Georgetown Prep (North Bethesda, MD), averaged 13 points, six assists, six boards, and three steals, while shooting 75% from the free throw line and 48% from the field as a junior"

Click to read both articles about Aaron Bond: Article 1 and Article 2

Here's Aaron (in black uniform) fighting for position during a game:

Non-Davidson: Goodbye, Steve

As everyone knows by now, Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter, tragically died while filming a documentary. He will be missed by many. Here is Steve sporting Davidson colors. Who knew he was a Wildcat fan? Thanks for everything, Steve.

Recruiting News

Andrew Beinert
Ht: 6-1.5 Wt: 165
Position: PG, SG
Birthplace: Floral Park, NY
Year: Class of 2007
High School:
Chaminade HS(Mineola, NY)





Year-old article:
New York Jr. Combo Guard Has Two Offers
Date: Sep 25, 2005

Andrew Beinert, 6-foot-2, 160 pound junior combo guard from Chaminade High School in Mineola, New York, has a trio of New York colleges following his play. One, along with Davidson, has offered a scholarship.

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Recruiting visit info:

School***Interest Level***Offer?***Visit Date
Davidson High Interest Yes 09/08/2006
Holy Cross High Interest Yes 09/15/2006

Davidson Football highlight: Big Hit

Here's a big hit laid by Adam Elmore (2002?) against an Emory and Henry receiver coming across the middle. Notice the receiver's helmet gets knocked off.

BARRY TEAGUE UPDATE

The article below got me curious about Barry Teague, so I ran a Google search.

I found a September 2002 Davidson Math Department newsletter entitled "The Bernard Society Review" that mentioned Barry A. Teauge, '65. I would certainly think this is the same Barry Teague mentioned in the article.

I quote from page 8 of the 2002 newsletter: "Barry A. Teague ’65 continues work as a financial planner."

Barry was also quoted in a 1995 article from The Charlotte Observer about Fred Hetzel. The article is reprinted on the archive page of the Davidson website. Click here to read that article.

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Barry was also apparently on the 1963 SoCon All-Tournament 2nd Team.

Here is the entire list of 1st and 2nd teams:

1963
FIRST TEAM
Fred Hetzel, Davidson
Bill Jarman, Davidson
Howard Pardue, Virginia Tech
Jerry Smith, Furman
Rod Thorn, West Virginia **

SECOND TEAM
Frank Alvis, Virginia Tech
Bob Harris, William & Mary
Tom Lowry, West Virginia
Jim McCormick, West Virginia
Barry Teague, Davidson

**NOTE: This is the same Rod Thorn of NBA executive fame. He is the one that Dennis Rodman used to lash out at every time Dennis got fined, if I remember correctly. He's now the GM of the NJ Nets. (How about that...a Dennis Rodman tie-in to the Davidson Basketball blog???)


<==Rod Thorn in his days at West Virginia



Here's an article about the 1963 SoCon Tournament Finals: Mountaineers Claim Eighth Southern Conference Title

Random mention of Davidson Basketball

Not just about the pigskins

By Barry Byers · The Herald (Published July 6‚ 2006)

Last Thursday afternoon at Winthrop Coliseum, I ran into John Bramlett, an old friend and an assistant basketball coach at Northwestern.

I stopped by to congratulate Gregg Marshall on his decision to stay on as Winthrop's basketball coach and to check on a couple of facts for the stories we were writing concerning his big announcement earlier that afternoon.

"What are you doing in a basketball gym?'' asked Bramlett, who was working at Winthrop's youth basketball camp. "I thought you were a football man.''

Right and wrong, but thanks, John, for getting my memory bank spinning.

My late dad got me hooked on college basketball when I was still a tadpole. If the Davidson Wildcats were playing at the old Charlotte Coliseum, we were there. Even wrote a fan letter to Wildcats guard Barry Trague.

He never replied, breaking this then-12-year-old's heart. I still pulled for him.

That started a passion for the game and a habit of spending many dollars on publications such as Street & Smith's College Basketball Yearbook and the ACC Handbook, my favorite.

Click here for entire article.

1908: The first (?) DC basketball team

It is my understanding that this was the very first Davidson basketball team. It is also my understanding that they didn't play a game that year, but did have the team.

Click the picture to view a larger version.

SoCon preview on ESPN.com

Cremins is back, and C of C could be, too

Here's the Davidson portion:

Davidson loses seven seniors and 76 percent of its scoring from last season -- this after two consecutive 20-win campaigns (including a perfect conference record in 2004-05) and a valiant effort as a 15-seed in an eight-point loss to Ohio State in the NCAAs. So, it's fair to assume it's a rebuilding year.

"We lose leadership, chemistry, incredible work ethic, superb basketball IQs," coach Bob McKillop said. "We lose a lot, no doubt about it. I'm sure a lot of people are going to suspect that we're in a process of rebuilding ... when you look at us on paper, that's certainly the sense. But I think the mantle has been passed, and it's up to our returning players to carry it forward, to keep up the winning ways that have been part of the program since 1994."

Three players who averaged more than 15 minutes per game as sophomores in 2005-06 will step to the forefront: 6-1 Jason Richards (4.5 ppg/3.0 apg), Boris Meno and Thomas Sander.

"Richards will pick up the point guard position quite well," McKillop said. "He's ready to step into a leadership role, and I'm confident that he will. Meno can make plays with his size, length and athleticism. Thomas Sander is the the heart and soul of this team with his great work ethic. We'll build our team around those three juniors."

Given McKillop's run of success, it's within the realm of possibility that the large incoming class could jell and contribute quickly, but the real safe bet is that Davidson will re-emerge as a conference favorite in 2007-08.

Davidson: The most recognizable name in coach McKillop's large incoming class is 6-1 guard Stephen Curry, son of former Charlotte Hornets sharpshooter Dell, whose 40 percent mark from 3 range ranks him in the NBA's all-time top 10. But you know what they say about apples not falling far from the 3-point line. Curry the younger averaged better than 48 percent shooting from behind the arc in his senior season for Charlotte Christian.

(Thanks to wildcat12546 on davidsoncats.com for posting this article.)

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In the realm of the ridiculous, Joe Lunardi has already put together his 2007 NCAA Bracketology:

(Surely this is a joke!!)

Bracketology: Can Cremins be the difference? Joe Lunardi thinks so. In his very early look at the 2007 NCAA Tournament, our resident Bracketologist has the College of Charleston winning the SoCon's auto bid and landing a 14-seed.

Retrospective: 1967...from the days of Lefty

Victories over Wake Forest, Virginia, St. Joseph's and West Virginia highlight this season. A loss in the SoCon finals (I think it was the finals) ended the season. If I'm not mistaken, during this era, only the conference tournament champion went to the NCAA tournament.....regular season was meaningless to the NCAA tournament committee. (Please correct me if I'm wrong about any of this.)

Those are some sweet short-shorts they wore back then, weren't they? Also, did they actually have cheerleaders in 1967? There were no women admitted at that time. Were they Queens College students or am I just way off base thinking that the picture above is of Davidson cheerleaders?

On a sidenote, the 1967 Quips & Cranks is certainly the strangest yearbook I've seen, but probably not surprising coming from 1967. If you ever get to see this yearbook, you'll understand what I mean.

Click on the picture to see a larger version.

Retrospective: 1986

Click on the picture to see a larger version.

Retrospective: 1994

Click on the picture to see a larger version.