Articles
December 10, 2011
Posted by: Capuano and Filed Under: Main
Most fans wonder what our SEC Network crew does after the regular season ends. Football doesn’t stop and neither do we.
I’ll answer that question with one picture: it’s Championship Time!
I snapped that photo on the sidelines this afternoon at Bowers Stadium in Huntsville, TX – home of the FCS #1-seed, Sam Houston State. Tomorrow, the Bearkats will host Montana State in a FCS Quarterfinal showdown – a game you can watch at noon ET on ESPN. I’ll be reunited with our SEC Network announcing team of Dave Neal and Andre Ware. The three of us will work together again – with most of the rest of our SEC Network technical/production team – at the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl on December 30th in Dallas (BYU vs. Tulsa at Noon ET on ESPN). Then, Dave and I will head to Atlanta to work with analyst David Diaz-Infante on the Chick Fil-A Bowl, featuring Auburn and Virginia, on December 31st at 7:30 PM ET on ESPN Radio.
In between tomorrow’s game and the back-to-back bowls, I’ll return to the site of one of my favorite events worked in my tenure with the ESPN Networks: the Division II National Football Championship. Last year’s game at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, AL, came down to the wire, when a field goal with time winding down helped Minnesota-Duluth beat Delta State, 20-17, for their second title in three years. Delta State is in the running to challenge for it all again – the semifinals will play out tomorrow.
My favorite part of sideline reporting assignments during bowl/championship season is the on-field trophy presentation that immediately follows the games (you can watch most of these unfold live, all postseason, on ESPN3.) To be in the middle of the celebrating throng and try to capture the reactions of the coaches and players is an unparalleled thrill. Emotions are always running high so most of the time I try to stay out of the way (and out of harm’s way!) and wait until the time is right to move in for interviews. I remember the MN-Duluth Bulldogs being a delightfully gracious group, fighting through the understandable speechlessness that stems from winning a title to grant us multiple interviews.
At this year’s Division II National Championship, I’ll have my first chance to work on the sidelines in a team with industry pioneer and dear friend, Pam Ward, and her 2011 analyst, Dan Hawkins. Check out that game Saturday, December 17th at 11 AM ET on ESPN2.
My final postseason football assignment will return me to “Sweet Home Alabama” for the GoDaddy.com Bowl in Mobile between Arkansas State and Northern Illinois on January 8th (9 PM ET on ESPN). PxP Rob Stone and I worked together last year in Florence… this will be my first time working a game with analyst Danny Kanell… but we’ve already been talking football for months in the newsroom of our ESPNU studio in Charlotte.
A complete list of the bowl game schedule on the ESPN Networks is here.
Every football postseason brings with it unique, indelible memories – I can’t wait to get this one started. Five different football games, four announcing teams, three new stadiums, two different Huntsvilles and a partridge in a pear tree. Let the postseason begin!
We’ll see you tomorrow at noon ET on ESPN from Huntsville, TX.
December 3, 2011
Posted by: Capuano and Filed Under: Main
I’ve said it before in this blog and I’ll say it again: I’ve been really blessed in this career. Yes, I’ve worked really hard… but the rewards have been outstanding and they keep coming.
What I’m referring to in this instance is that I’ve now had the pleasure to cover a Super Bowl (granted, it was Super Bowl XL – yes, the one in Detroit – so I feel like I’m due a “do-over” in a location like Phoenix, Miami or San Diego, but I digress) and last year, my first SEC Championship. Sure, the Super Bowl is bigger, but the SEC Championship – in my opinion – is more special.
If you’ve never been to Atlanta for one of these extravaganzas, and you’re a fan of the SEC, you owe it to yourself to take the trip one of these years (and, really, you could be a fan of ANY team in the SEC - your team doesn’t have to be participating in the game to fully absorb the awe and wonder of the event. I can say this firsthand because I don’t “have a team” in the league – of course, that means I also don’t have a team I love to hate… but hey, maybe you could come root against your favorite rival to spice up the experience?)
First of all, the events leading up to the showdown on Saturday are unique and impact the Atlanta community in more ways than the inevitable economy boost. Our own SEC Network studio analyst, former UGA All-American OL Matt Stinchcomb, participated in the annual “giving back” portion of the week, the Allstate SEC Good Works Day (something he does every year) and we talked about the impact it made on him not long ago. I could tell how much he enjoyed the day and it reinforced how much I want to start participating in those kinds of projects in my own community.
I think what hits me most about this event is the anticipation. Obviously, the rigors of the thirteen weeks of football leading up to it certainly play a role – but now that I’m here in Atlanta, having attended both the Coaches Luncheon and the press conferences this afternoon, I’m REALLY ready for kickoff! If you wonder why I’m here, with the entire College GameDay crew already in town and CBS providing the broadcast of the game… I’m serving as a reporter/correspondent for ESPNU. I’ll be on “The Whip” and also provide some contributions in a couple of SportscenterU hits during college basketball games in the early afternoon, leading up to kickoff.
Thanks to the SEC Digital Network, you don’t need a press credential to hear what Georgia’s Mark Richt and LSU’s Les Miles shared with the media this afternoon. You can watch both head coaches with this link here.
My favorite moment from the Coaches Luncheon was Miles’ response to a fan’s question about what he plans to do about his propensity to eat grass, given that the Georgia Dome is lined with artificial turf. Miles deadpanned that his sports information director, Michael Bonnette, brought along a jar of grass, just in case, and warned, “if I reach for the grass, you know something big is going to happen.” Drew big laughs from the crowd and Richt, needless to say.
In other links…
ESPN.com SEC Blogger Chris Low put up a stunning statisical comparison of the coaches this afternoon. Two men who know how to win.
Some entertaining Twitter noise leading up to the big game… no, I don’t follow any of these players, but I do follow beat writers who follow the players and will retweet their “best work.”
My two favorites came from two young men with major potential to help decide the game.
First, from Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray, clearly ready to erase bad memories of the season opening loss to Boise State… @aaronmurray11 shared with the fans, “Heading back to ATL! Gonna do it right this time #SECchampionship”
Meantime, the “Honey Badger,” a.k.a. Tyrann Mathieu of LSU, can’t contain his enthusiasm for playing on the big stage tomorrow. @TM7_Era tweeted, “Football is an art!!! AND IM THE ARTIST THAT EVERYBODY WANNA SEE- TM7″.
That’s definitely what I want to see… the art of SEC football, mano a mano, one more time (and maybe not for the final time this season.)
Sleep may not come easy tonight for this fired up football fan, but it better – I tape my first hit for College GameDay at 8:15 AM!!
Finally, my lasting visual from the afternoon, which hit me right as the whirlwind day began. Highlights from all 12 SEC teams were playing on a reel as we took our seats at the Coaches Luncheon… the montage of great shots set to rocking tunes ended with this image:
Five years running, the SEC Champion has gone on to win the BCS National Championship… “Where Champions Play,” indeed. Will history repeat itself? If LSU wins, will it face Alabama in the National Championship game, guaranteeing a sixth straight BCS Champ for the SEC? Even if LSU loses, will it still play for all the marbles in New Orleans? Answers to come. There’s a conference championship to be settled first…
November 25, 2011
Posted by: Capuano and Filed Under: Main
We start with song
Here we are. Week 13 of the regular season… I can hear the song playing in my mind that always plays when I’m nearing the end of something.
But that wasn’t the song running through my head yesterday. There is only one song that truly says “Thanksgiving” to me. Fifty million Elvis fans can’t be wrong… that said, I hope you enjoyed a special holiday with your friends or family. I know in many cases, friends become family. I’ve certainly been blessed with incredible friends where I currently live. One of them hosted a bunch of us “misfit toys.” Simply divine! (Viewing tip: “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” airs Tuesday, November 29th at 8 PM ET on CBS, per a commercial I just saw… as I’m watching CBS right now. See below.)
The Matchup
And so it comes to this. As I watch “The Battle for the Golden Boot” – which has considerably more implications this year (BCS Championship game invitation!) than playing for the 200 lb. trophy in the rivalry between LSU and Arkansas – I am prepping for our SEC Network regular season finale, Tennessee (5-6, 1-6 SEC) at Kentucky (4-7, 1-6 SEC).
What’s at stake? It’s pretty simple, really. With a win, Tennessee earns postseason eligibility, will get a bowl bid and enjoy an extra month of practices and preparation, not to mention another game (and all the joy of the bowl game swag bags.) The Volunteers are in this enviable position because of a 27-21 overtime victory vs. Vanderbilt in their home finale – UT’s first SEC win of the season. The Vols’ 6 SEC losses are the most since 1962 (also 6) – they’ve never dropped 7 or more conference games in a season.
Kentucky, with a win, will end the second longest active losing streak of any team versus an opponent. The Wildcats have dropped 26 straight to the Volunteers, last winning in 1984. It’s Senior Day at Commonwealth Stadium, as 21 student-athletes (which includes two juniors giving up their final year of eligibility) will be honored in a pregame ceremony and then play their final games in a Wildcats uniform. Kentucky was eliminated from qualifying for postseason eligibility with a 19-10 loss last week at Georgia… this game, for the Blue and White, is all about pride and finishing strong.
Postseason side note: Vanderbilt and Mississippi State also need victories in their season finales to qualify for postseason play. Vanderbilt is at Wake Forest, State hosts Ole Miss in the Battle for the Golden Egg.
What the writers are saying:
The beat writer five questions exchange for this regular season finale is between Kyle Tucker of the Courier-Journal (@KyleTucker_CJ) and Andrew Gribble of the Knoxville News Sentinel (@Andrew_Gribble). Good stuff from two really good guys.
Where to watch:
Thanks, once again, to the SEC Digital Network for the latest list of affiliates showing the SEC Network Game of the Week
Meantime, as LSU defeats Arkansas, 41-17, the SEC West is finally settled – as is the matchup for the SEC Football Championship in Atlanta: LSU vs Georgia. I was pleased to learn this week that I’ll be in Atlanta, working as a correspondent/reporter for “The Whip” and SportscenterU programming on ESPNU, leading up until the 4 PM ET kickoff on December 3rd. If you’re going to be checking out the SEC FanFare area before the game, come by and say hello to our crew!
We end with song
Final thought – the Thanksgiving song isn’t actually my favorite by Adam Sandler. So much funukah. I remember seeing Angels games at what used to be called “the Big A” with my Dad featuring “Hall of Famer Rod Carew.”
Final image: Yam Yums. Long running family recipe – and one of my contributions to our holiday feast (they looked better before several large servings were scooped out – last time I end up at the back of the buffet line!)
November 19, 2011
Posted by: Capuano and Filed Under: Main
First, a lengthy aside about blogging:
I’ve learned a few things in my inaugural attempt at blogging this season. Tonight, a new lesson: trying to blog at a hotel with inconsistent, nay, dicey wi-fi connectivity is a fool’s game.
Earlier, another cruel lesson: WordPress isn’t simple to navigate. By no means do I considerate myself a computer expert, but I’m certainly computer-literate. I used to think I knew my way around my laptop… until that fateful night in Baton Rouge. I added a few pictures into a ridiculously lengthy post about Kentucky at LSU (our week 5 matchup). The insertion of one photo totally screwed up the format of my post… then, when I deleted it, it somehow sucked three huge paragraphs into its abyss… which I was unable to recover. As a result, avid readers may note there have been far less pictures since earlier in the season.
In a pathetic admission, the blog has also delayed the start of a very important new cyber-relationship in my life: that with my new Mac. I bought a Mac in August, hoping to make it my new travel laptop. Longer battery life, lighter computer, all the wonderful things I hear Mac can be. My iPhone is my favorite material possession and I know the Mac will only further tap into my 8th-grade-girl side… more CDs/playlists created for friends and family, countless monies spent buying songs on a whim from iTunes (for example, Wednesday night – when, after writing a whole post while humming “Let ‘Em In” by Wings, I absolutely had to buy the song. Sadly, portions of my lifelong music library are still found on vinyl or cassette. Oh wait, my Mom GAVE AWAY all my albums to a neighbor a few years ago… Barry Manilow’s Greatest Hits (the two-album fold-out where he looks like an angel on the front), my Xanadu soundtrack, Thriller, The Return of Bruno by Bruce Willis (I know every word to every song – nobody could do “preteen crush” like me, and David Addison was ALL MINE.) On an even further aside, during my childhood, Mom gave away my Death Star… I never thought anything could compare with the loss of the best Star Wars Action Figure Play Set of all time… the trash compactor, its resident monster, the foam pieces to represent the rubble… the working elevator. It was beyond cool – but, admittedly, the news that the albums were gone hit equally hard. Couldn’t she ASK me first? I was in my 20′s, I could’ve paid her to ship my 15 favorites. Sigh. I digress.)
HOW ABOUT THE GAME!?!
And now I’m singing “Magic” by Olivia Newton-John. Perfect segue into a few thoughts about our week 12 SEC Network Game of the Week: Kentucky (4-6, 1-5 SEC) at Georgia (8-2, 6-1 SEC).
Let’s face it, Kentucky may need a little magic to pull out the win at Sanford Stadium. Devastated by injuries and so thin at some positions that only one player is listed on the depth chart (Ridge Wilson will not travel this week, leaving true freshman Alvin “Bud” Dupree (who has THREE sets of high school highlights on YouTube) the lone SLB on the flip card Georgia handed out for the game. Defensive tackles Donte Rumph and Mister Cobble ARE on the depth chart/flip card, but they’ve been limited in practice by injuries all week. Safety Martavious Neloms, UK’s third-leading tackler, also isn’t making the trip either.)
Perhaps some of that magic can come from home cooking and playing in front of the hometown faithful. Including “Bud” Dupree (Wilkinson County HS in Irwinton), the Wildcats have 21 players on the 2011 roster from the state of Georgia – more than any other state other than Kentucky. In an odd twist, Georgia doesn’t have a single player from the state of Kentucky on its current roster.
Certainly the seniors will do whatever they can – many of whom played in the 34-27 win in Athens in 2009, which was Kentucky’s first win at UGA since 1977. Kentucky is riding a school-record streak of five straight postseason appearances – a source of major pride for the program. For some of these seniors, their playing careers will soon come to an end – that’s the reality at this level. As safety Winston Guy (who may have a chance to play professionally) told us Thursday, they all want to extend their Wildcat careers for that extra month.
But Georgia’s seniors will have their own motivation: finishing their careers with an SEC East Title. Win and it’s a done deal – the first of two postseason games will be played at the Georgia Dome on December 3rd. Georgia hasn’t been to the SEC Championship Showdown since 2005.
It will be “Senior Day” at Sanford Stadium – to celebrate the occasion, the entire senior class has been named Team Captains for this game. A closer examination of the Bulldogs depth chart reveals eight seniors in starting roles – three on the offensive line, their fullback, two defensive players and the specialists, P Drew Butler and PK Blair Walsh. Most were recruited into the program at a time when it was on an upswing. UGA went 11-2 in 2007, then 10-3 in 2008. Butler, then-LG Cordy Glenn, C Ben Jones and RT Justin Anderson all started that year, as freshmen – Anderson had a redshirt year to learn; Jones and Glenn were thrown right in, both with 10 starts that year.
Coming off a 45-7 thrashing of Auburn last week, Georgia appears to have all the momentum. Said head coach Mark Richt after that game, “We just played great. I’m trying to think of another game where we played this well in a situation that was so important to us… We had tremendous execution. I know we haven’t done that for an entire game like we did tonight.”
Critics may declare that Georgia had the path of least resistance to Atlanta from the East. But even South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier didn’t disparage the scheduling discrepancy earlier this week, calling it “the rub of the green.”
Matt Hinton of Yahoo Sports (one of my favorite national follows for college football: @DrSaturday) did some number crunching on how the 2011 SEC schedule set up well for Georgia.
Know what I call it? Making the best of a beneficial situation. The Bulldogs still had to win all of those games – eight in a row since an 0-2 start, including six straight conference wins for the first time since 1982. UGA totally handled an Auburn team which beat South Carolina in Columbia earlier in the year.
WHERE TO WATCH:
If you can’t make it to Athens, here is a list of affiliates where you can watch the game.
A LATE PAYOFF:
Finally – a mystery I was supposed to solve several posts ago, when I asked, “who is this mystery man?” That gentleman is John Basso, our SEC Network Operations Producer. Each season, John has helped set up a team-building bowling event, and this year’s special occasion at Splitz Bowling Center in Gainesville was OUTSTANDING! We had our own four-lane VIP room, selected random teams to compete against each other and dined on pizza, nachos and wings (diet of champions, all season long!) while laughing, unwinding and really enjoying each other’s company. That’s what so neat about our group: we genuinely care about each other and like to spend time together. I can’t believe it’s already our penultimate week of the regular season. As we head into a week that is about giving thanks, I’m thinking of how much I appreciate my “road” family. I couldn’t make it through without them!
November 17, 2011
Posted by: Capuano and Filed Under: Main
Am I the only one who has been totally locked into the feast of college basketball this week on TV? Wait, I think “Feast Week” is next week on the ESPN Networks… but you know what I mean.
Of course I’m not alone. This outstanding article penned by pal Pat Forde reminds me of one of my favorite songs (I heart Wings. Actually, I heart all things Paul McCartney.) My Dad and I always jokingly sing the chorus to each other when we’re trying to find some room in our hearts for something or someone.
If you missed Coach Mike Krzyzweski’s record-setting victory, the emotional post-game moment with Bobby Knight (thorough explanation of their history together here, from Seth Davis) or the unbelievable showcases of talent that were Florida vs. Ohio State or Kentucky vs. Kansas last night, I hope you at least caught some of the highlights of the most magical moments on Sportscenter.
And now, I sing to you… “Somebody’s knocking on the door… Somebody’s ringing the bell…”
That somebody is Women’s College Basketball.
The ESPN Networks have an incredible lineup of nonconference games before the final tick of the clocks in 2011, the first two of which were shown last night as part of the College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon. Both games featured two teams ranked in the top ten of this week’s ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ Poll.
Defending national champion Texas A&M opened the slate with a 76-58 win over Louisville on ESPNU – but the Cardinals were without three players, including injured senior Monique Reid and suspended sophomore Shoni Schimmel. Louisville is one of several teams with tremendous potential to shake up the national scene.
The same can be said for Miami, who took on Tennessee in the State Farm Tip-Off Classic on ESPN2. The Lady Vols beat the Hurricanes, 92-76, in front of a sizable group of WNBA head coaches and scouts. What brought out the brass? Sheer, incomparable talent. Between seniors Shenise Johnson and Riquna Williams of Miami and Shekinna Stricklin and Glory Johnson of Tennessee, there were some plays that made my jaw drop and got me clapping. And that’s just from the players who are potential first round picks for the 2012 WNBA Draft (swishappeal.com with a thorough breakdown of what scouts are watching) - younger stars were doing their share of shining as well.
This Sunday, November 20th, at 2 PM ET, ESPN3 will feature (3)Tennessee at Virginia (a shameless plug is galaxies away from the point of this post, but I should note that I’ll calling that game with analyst Christy Winters Scott).
Then Monday, November 21st, one of the first games of Feast Week features (5)Stanford playing (4)Connecticut in Hartford, CT. That game tips off on ESPNU at 7:30 PM ET.
To wrap up your holiday weekend: Sunday, November 27th, watch (1)Baylor at (3)Tennessee on ESPN at 2 PM ET.
Somebody’s knocking on the door. Somebody’s ringing the bell.
Do me (and yourself) a favor. Open the door, let ‘em in.
November 12, 2011
Posted by: Capuano and Filed Under: Main
“Elimination Game.”
That’s certainly not the title I’d give to the game at Vanderbilt Stadium… but it’s how players from both sides have told our SEC Network crew they’re viewing the showdown between Kentucky and Vanderbilt tomorrow.
The math is simple… and explains why I wouldn’t call it “elimination time” yet, for either team: SEC teams need to get to six wins to be eligible for postseason play. Both the Wildcats and Commodores are 4-5, with three games to play. Both must win two of their final three games to earn postseason eligibility. Sure, one team will be one step closer at the final whistle in Nashville… but even the team that loses tomorrow could still win out and play on.
Kentucky finishes at Georgia (next week on the SEC Network) and home vs. Tennessee.
Vanderbilt finishes at Tennessee and at Wake Forest.
In other terms: Kentucky has one game, on the road, against a top 25 foe seeking an Eastern Division crown and a return to the SEC Championship for the first time since 2005… and another game, at home, against a team that has beaten them every year since 1985, a streak of 26 straight wins.
Vanderbilt finishes on the road, first facing a team that has beaten them five straight times, and then against a non-conference opponent having a solid season with postseason aspirations of its own… oh, and the Commodores haven’t won away from their home field yet this season.
Hmmm, peel back that first layer of the onion and you can start to understand the players’ collective sense of urgency, especially the senior classes. Kentucky’s seniors have enjoyed postseason play every year in Lexington and are looking to extend the team’s school-record run of five straight bowl game appearances. Vanderbilt’s seniors have a chance to become the first class in the program’s history to play in two bowl games.
Yes, there’s a whole lot on the line… which is why I can’t wait to see it play out. The energy on both sidelines is going to be intense, pulsating and palpable even to folks like me who have no stake in the game, other than to relish its importance to all of the people who are participating. I live to be on the sidelines for games like this!
LINKS to enjoy:
The head coaches of this SEC matchup will make conference history in this game. I’ve already talked to Vanderbilt’s James Franklin on the topic and will chat with Joker Phillips in pregame warmups (I planned to ask him about it on our conference call Wednesday, but sideline reporters gets to ask our questions toward the end of the call, and one Mr. Danny Trevathan was waiting to chat with our crew, so we had to take the “big name on the other line”.) I’ll be sharing their comments during our broadcast.
The Kentucky Kernel breaks down matchups to decide which team has the edge in this rivalry which dates back to 1896
Kentucky’s offense has enjoyed new sparks from unlikely sources – including a freshman QB and a walk-on RB! Jennifer Smith of the Lexington Herald-Leader on how that has helped the defense the last few weeks
Mike Organ of the Tennessean on the unique senior class at Vanderbilt - which has a chance to make history, despite being led by three different head coaches the last three years
Remember how I told you about the “Five Questions” tradition between SEC beat writers last week? The two writers who shared this week are Kyle Tucker of the Courier-Journal and Jeff Lockridge of the Tennessean
FINAL RANDOM THOUGHTS:
It’s Senior Day at Vanderbilt tomorrow. Under Franklin, the Commodores have a new policy: they’ll be honoring all “fourth-year student-athletes”on Senior Day. I’m sharing that note for any fans at Vanderbilt Stadium who experience momentary panic when they see Jordan Rodgers, the redshirt-junior quarterback who has sparked the Commodores offense, being honored before the game with 31 other teammates.
My pals Flint Harris and Dayne Young of HolyTurf.com asked me to be the “celebrity picker” for their website pick-em challenge this week. If my past attempts at picking games are any indication, you’ll want to go the other way of my choices.
Want to sharpen up your knowledge of NCAA Women’s Basketball? Tune in (or set the DVR, more likely) to ESPNU on Monday at 11:30 AM ET for our NCAA Women’s College Basketball Preview show. I lead the conversation between our SEC Network analyst Abby Waner and ESPNU analyst Brooke Weisbrod – a quick half hour refresher course to get you ready for the extensive coverage of women’s hoops on the ESPN networks this season. If you miss it, fret not: it re-airs Tuesday at 3 AM ET on ESPNU, appealing to insomniacs everywhere – a group which often includes me.
Here is a list of channels where you can watch the game
I’ll see you tomorrow at Noon ET/11 AM CT from the Music City!
November 5, 2011
Posted by: Capuano and Filed Under: Main
Ah, Homecoming. The pinnacle of color and pageantry in a school’s football season… I should know: I was crowned one of five Homecoming Princesses at Marina High School in what seems now like it was another lifetime (it’s a crowning achievement of my life, which is why I brought it up. See what I did there? “Crowning achievement?” Still thankful, decades later, to the Vikings Band for giving me a sizable edge in vote count.)
Vanderbilt (4-4, 1-4 SEC) at Florida (4-4, 2-4 SEC)
Last year, Florida saw a streak of 21 straight wins in Homecoming games snapped by Mississippi State… the Bulldogs earned their first win at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium since 1965. Will it be “deja vu all over again?” Vanderbilt has won only once at “The Swamp,” long before Steve Spurrier came up with the nickname – back in 1945.
FLORIDA NOTES:
As you’ve seen in newspapers all week, Gators running back Chris Rainey continues to deal with the ankle injury he suffered last week vs. Georgia – he is a game-time decision. I will ask head coach Will Muschamp tomorrow morning about Rainey’s availability – the interview will run on College GameDay.
There are a few keys that will mandate success for the Gators vs. Vanderbilt.
First, the offense needs to find more success in the running game. While the Gators rank 8th overall in the SEC in “conference games” in rushing offense, with 119 rush yards per league game… a closer examination of the last four games – all losses against BCS top 25 teams – shows that the rushing offense has dropped to 43.8 rush yards per game in that span. Vs. Alabama, Florida netted only 15 rushing yards on 29 carries (4 sacks affecting that number); vs. Georgia, the Gators netted minus-19 rushing yards on 22 carries (again, sacks a culprit - with UGA amassing SIX).
On defense, Florida ranks last in the league in Turnover Margin in all games, at -8 overall. Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn told us he has high expectations for the Gators’ ability to force turnovers because they spend a lot of time working on “Rips, Strips, Bats & Picks” (I loved that) in practice.
VANDERBILT:
There is a question mark at PK for the Commodores. Head coach James Franklin told us Thursday that his players compete for their starting positions every week in practice, so a competition over who will kick field goals and extra points has been consistent… however, the placekicking battle between former incumbent Ryan Fowler and Carey Spear was likely renewed when Spear missed a 27-yard field goal with time winding down to tie the game last Saturday vs. Arkansas. At the time of our call, Franklin wasn’t sure which player would be handling the duties on Saturday. Fowler kicked as a RS-Fr in ’09 and was 16-21 on FG and 20-20 on extra points, earning a spot on SEC All-Freshman team. Numbers went down for Fowler last year (8-13 FG, 23-24 PAT) and then Spear won the starting job during camp for this season, after handling kickoff duties last year.
Close home losses to Georgia and Arkansas leave the ‘Dores feeling like there are two more conference wins they could’ve had. Franklin told us that the mood in the locker room after the loss to ARK was one of frustration – VU felt like they gave that game away to the Razorbacks last week, but Franklin stressed – both immediately after the game and again at practice Sunday – that it wasn’t one play that defined the disappointment. Vandy is viewing it as a “team” loss… between untimely turnovers, turnovers Commodores players should have forced (several potential interceptions) and decisions made by the coaching staff (in one specific example, Franklin said he would’ve called a timeout on that final drive to stress the importance of getting into the endzone and putting the game away.)
Regardless, Franklin says, “week in, week out, we’re playing at a very high level… we’ve gotten better every week, vs. a very high level of competition.” He told us what he really loves about this VU team is how it keeps showing fight and resiliency: “I’m a firm believer that if we keep doing that, good things are going to happen.”
WHAT’S AT STAKE:
Both teams are 4-4, with all four losses coming against SEC opponents that are ranked in the BCS Top 25 this week.
Remember, SIX wins are needed for postseason eligibility, and time is running out for both teams.
After tomorrow’s showdown, the Gators three final games are at South Carolina, then home vs. Furman and Florida State. The Commodores are home vs. Kentucky (next weekend on the SEC Network), then finish at Tennessee and at Wake Forest.
SOME LINKS:
Scott Carter (@GatorZoneScott) shares 10 Things to Keep an Eye On and writes about how Will Muschamp believes staying the course will lead to success (he reiterated that theme with us in our meetings today.)
Vanderbilt beat writer Jeff Lockridge (@JeffLockridge) of the Tennessean asked Gators beat writer Rachel George (@osgators) of the Orlando Sentinel 5 questions regarding the Gators… she did the same, in turn, asking about the Dores. I love it when the beat writers participate in these – and most of them do… they all seem to have pals to exchange comments with, leading up to conference games. I’m a big fan of both of these writers, too, for what it’s worth.
Here is the latest list of affiliates for where you can watch this week’s SEC Network Game… consider it an early warm-up for what’s happening Saturday night, when South Carolina travels to Fayetteville AND LSU to Tuscaloosa.
By my count, that’s TWO SEC matchups pitting teams that are in the Top Ten in the BCS against each other. Clearly, they’re both MAJOR… but only one is #1 vs. #2. Check here for this Saturday’s SEC on TV lineup.
See you tomorrow from The Swamp. Coverage starts at Noon ET/11 AM CT.
In my next blog, I’ll explain how this mystery man made our crew’s Thursday night in Gainesville…
November 4, 2011
Posted by: Capuano and Filed Under: Main
As I told Steve Russell from WRUF-AM in Gainesville this morning, I’m so excited about tomorrow night’s (1)LSU at (2)Alabama showdown that I’m shutting my phone off before boarding my 7:50 PM flight home, walking straight to my car at the airport while averting my eyes from every TV at terminal dining establishments, leaving my radio OFF and beelining straight for my sofa to fire up the DVR and consume the showdown in its entirety, like all the lucky fans who have the pleasure of sitting down at 8 PM ET sharp.
WHAT TO READ:
The headline in this morning’s Tuscaloosa News reads, “ESPN crew gives game ‘Super Bowl Treatment’” – truer words never spoken. In the world of TV and ratings and ad sales and revenue, it’s an extraordinary occasion that could lead a company like ESPN to blow out the coverage of a major sporting event that isn’t airing on any of its network platforms. For ESPN to spend the week in Baton Rouge and Tuscaloosa and choose to air its “College GameDay” from the site of a game being shown by CBS speaks volumes to the magnitude of the matchup.
If you’re a nerd like me (and if you’re reading my blog, you just might be), you’re probably also a big reader. I’ve NEVER read this much preview material for a game at which I’m not roaming the sidelines on a Saturday afternoon… and I’ve loved every minute of it.
Some pieces have been simply captivating. Here are a few that really stand out for me:
Wright Thompson of ESPN.com on how Les Miles tries to balance family and football
Andy Staples (@andy_staples) of Sports Illustrated on how this game, for some, means everything
Kevin Scarbinsky (@KevinScarbinsky) of The Birmingham News contrasts the success of Nick Saban & Les Miles
Pat Forde (@YahooForde) of Yahoo.com compares global perception of the two championship coaches with others’ realities
*side notes 1 & 2: if you do like to read, I recommend everything penned by Wright Thompson. He is absolutely brilliant. I’ll never forget his telling of the Toomer’s Trees/Harvey Updyke saga. As well, heartfelt congratulations to my dear colleague, Pat Forde, for his recent move to a new opportunity with Yahoo. Pat is a delightful person - I feel blessed that our paths crossed while both working for ESPN and can’t wait until it happens again at a stadium or arena some day.
WHAT TO WATCH:
Tennessee Lady Volunteers head coach Pat Summitt will be interviewed tonight for 20/20 by Robin Roberts – watch the story, in its entirety, at 10 PM ET on ABC.
Here’s a thorough preview piece from Robin this morning, to give you a taste of what you’ll see, and another snippet, about how Summitt and her son, Tyler, take care of each other.
*side note 3: Robin Roberts still worked in Bristol as an anchor for SportsCenter at the beginning of my tenure there in 2000. During my four years in CT, I learned it’s rare to see someone of her stature and fame be truly kind and engaging with everyone she comes into contact with in the workplace. She will forever be one of my favorite inspirational heroes, in this career but also as a strong, confident woman and as a wonderful person.
Now that I’ve lined up your Friday night/Saturday morning plans, the next blog entry will focus on this week’s game: Vanderbilt and Florida.
October 28, 2011
Posted by: Capuano and Filed Under: Main
What a wild week! This is the third year that I’ve worked an SEC Basketball Media Day then hustled to the town where we’re broadcasting our Game of the Week and switched straight into football mode. It never gets any easier. Yesterday was especially unique for me, because I was interviewed a couple of times to share my thoughts on the upcoming season.
I have many incredible notes to share with you, regarding the 24 interviews that colleague/analyst LaChina Robinson and I conducted with the coaches and team player representatives from the SEC women’s basketball teams yesterday. I hope to dive into some of those details on the blog a little closer to hoops season (and certainly during the broadcasts.)
Right now, it’s all about (10)Arkansas at Vanderbilt.
This will be among my lighter blog posts, out of necessity to spare myself more time to read and prepare for tomorrow’s 11:21 AM CT kickoff (and get some sleep tonight as well!) This week presented a special challenge, because Arkansas prefers to talk to the broadcast team on Friday afternoon instead of our weekly standard of Wednesday or Thursday.
First, I’d love to refer you again to some key Twitter follows for both teams.
ARKANSAS:
@ArkRazorbacks – official Twitter account of Razorbacks Athletics Department.
@cbahn and @JimHarris360 – from ArkansasSports360.com
@NWARobbie – Robbie Neiswanger covers the Razorbacks for the Arkansas News Bureau/Stephens Media.
VANDERBILT:
The official athletics Twitter feed, @vucommodores – as well as a Twitter feed for football: @VandyFootball.
@JamesFranklinVU – a rare head coach who actually handles all his own tweeting AND keeps active with the messaging.
@jefflockridge – he is the VU beat writer for the Tennessean.
What stood out most from today?
Vanderbilt defensive coordinator Bob Shoop is one of those unique, affable, super-smart, football-loving guys that I’d love to talk about the game with all day long. To start our chat, he jokingly admitted that he had his wife DVR the Arkansas Depth Chart special on ESPNU and he watched it last night with hopes to get to know the inner workings of Tyler Wilson’s mind a little better. The takeaway for Shoop? How much he enjoyed Wilson as a young man, student-athlete and leader of the Razorbacks team, “it’s hard not to really like the guy!” That’s how our crew feels about Shoop.
With four wins through seven games, Vanderbilt has already doubled its win total from both of the last two seasons. With this in mind, analyst Andre Ware asked Commodores head coach James Franklin how this team is performing, compared to his expectations. Classic Franklin response, “My expectation is to get better every day and every week. I want anyone who comes in contact with our program to say, ‘I have confidence in the direction this program is heading and the leadership that is behind it.’” With the effort his staff is putting into recruiting, the effort Commodores players are showing on the field and the positive results so far, I think it would be impossible not to have that confidence.
Here’s more from Coach Franklin, looking ahead to the matchup.
Once again, as they did during the bye week to prepare for Ole Miss, Arkansas is focusing on making a fast start. In our call this afternoon, head coach Bobby Petrino said they were talking this week about, “bringing out the competitive spirit, fire and hustle we need to win a game right at the start of the game.”
Reflecting on the first half last week at Ole Miss, Petrino said the defense sat back, compared to “being more aggressive and going after it in the second half.” As for the offense, he thought the Razorbacks were pressing in the first half to make the big plays. He’d like the offense to find success in the running game (as they did last week) and for Wilson to take the easy pass completions when they present themselves; the big plays will come when they come (for the Hogs, they can come in bunches: per the team’s notes, Arkansas has scored eight touchdowns of more than 50 yards in 2011.)
We also had the rare chance to talk to a player on the call! I’m so relieved that I’m not the only one who couldn’t make it through all of game 6 of the World Series last night. Tyler Wilson also needed sleep and had to turn it off… more on his tremendous chat with us during the broadcast tomorrow.
Where can you watch? Here’s our list of affiliates for this game.
As always, coverage starts at noon ET/11 AM CT. See you from Vanderbilt Stadium!
October 26, 2011
Posted by: Capuano and Filed Under: Main
Landed not long ago at my SEC-home-away-from-home airport, BHM. Folks who travel within the SEC know exactly what I’m talking about – Birmingham Airport is a conduit to University of Alabama, Mississippi State and all events-SEC-media-related. I’ve even flown in and out of BHM for a pair of bowl games the past two seasons, the PapaJohns.com Bowl in January of 2010 (which may forever be locked into my personal top five chilliest sideline experiences – it was FREEZING that day!) and the BBVA Compass Bowl in January this year.
But enough about football… for the next 24 hours, I’m strictly focused on basketball – and allowing myself to lock in and specialize. “Transition Time” is one of the toughest of the year, but it’s also one of the most exhilarating. I’m absolutely THRILLED about what lies ahead in women’s SEC basketball – and our SEC Network schedule has eight outstanding matchups lined up, starting January 8th.
You know how I know I’m excited?
Because last Saturday, at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, I cried.
Disclaimer: a well-written Hallmark commercial will turn on the waterworks… but on this day, it was that special brand of tears born of inspiration, anticipation and pride.
Valencia McFarland of Ole Miss is one of the young players in the nation with the most immense upside and potential – anyone who had a chance to see her shine her freshman season already knows that, and it’s why she was voted by the media this week to the Preseason All-SEC Second Team. Last week, playing for Team USA at the Pan-American Games, she set a new team record for steals, with seven. Seven… in THIRTEEN MINUTES on the court! A two-time Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year/Miss Mississippi Basketball for Raymond High School, she is a player that has been creating a buzz all around the Magnolia State since grade school. And you want to talk about someone who doesn’t understand the word “limitation?” At 5’4″, McFarland state the Class 3A State High Jump record… at 5’7″. She epitomizes “inspiration.”
“Anticipation” – well, that comes from knowing hoops season is JUST around the corner… my own first play-by-play assignment is tentatively scheduled for Sunday, November 20th (that’s so soon! First game I’ll ever have the pleasure to call before the end of football’s regular season – but that’s why it’s “tentative”; we need to make sure I can travel there after our Saturday SEC Network football game.)
As for the “pride” piece of it… this is a little more personal. Mine is a generation that would’ve never seen something like what I saw at Ole Miss last Saturday: a full-length commercial created with exceptionally high production value for the upcoming WOMEN’S basketball season, played on the glorious, gigantic video board to a crowd muted by rapt attention, until they burst out in cheers upon its completion. Simply. Awesome.
You can watch the commercial yourself at http://olemisshoops.com/ – click to the lower right on “click here for women’s hoops” and then you will see where to play the PHENOMENAL advertisement right in the middle of the page. Obviously, the women’s promo is near and dear to my own heart, but they also ran the men’s commercial during the football game on the video board, and it’s equally awesome, albeit in a totally different “supernatural” way. You’ll see what I’m talking about – please take a minute to check both out.
As well – some key links to get you ready for SEC Basketball Media Day:
Tennessee’s Lady Volunteers were chosen to defend their SEC Conference Title, in a survey of SEC and national media. Shekinna Stricklen of UT was chosen to repeat as SEC Player of the Year, with her teammate Glory Johnson, LaSondra Barrett of LSU and Jasmine James of Georgia also receiving votes.
Kentucky was chosen by media as the preseason favorite to win the men’s conference title, with Wildcats sophomore Terrence Jones selected as Preseason Player of the Year. Vanderbilt junior John Jenkins, senior JaMychal Green of Alabama and FRESHMAN Anthony Davis of UK also received votes.
With that, it’s back to my hoops prep work. I’ll try to blog some thoughts/observations on how the big day went tomorrow evening, while I’m traveling to Nashville for our football game.
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Though this is her first blog, Cara Capuano is a familiar face on ESPN Networks—having served as an anchor on ESPNews and SportsCenter. In the years following her first stop at ESPN (from 2000-2004), Cara covered a variety of teams based in the Pacific Northwest, including the Seattle Seahawks, Mariners, Storm and SuperSonics. In 2009, Cara returned to ESPN, primarily working for the SEC Network and ESPNU as a sideline reporter for college football and basketball, play-by-play for women’s basketball and softball and studio host.
