Tag: Sullivan Burgess’20
A Year in PC Sports: Men’s Basketball Recruiting Class
by The Cowl Editor on May 3, 2018
Friar Sports
By Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
The best Providence College sports moment of the year was earlier in the basketball season, when the announcement of the Providence College Men’s Basketball Team signing two ESPN Top 100 High School players: Massachusetts native A.J. Reeves and Rhode Island native David Duke.
With many of the starters of this season including Kyron Cartwright ’18 and Rodney Bullock ’18 graduating, PC students needed a silver lining for next season; luckily, that miracle came in October off the court. Point guard David Duke from Cushing Academy, ranked 46th on ESPN Top 100, declined offers from University of Florida, University of Kansas, Syracuse University, University of Rhode Island, and University of Connecticut to stay in his home state and join Ed Cooley to become a Friar. Duke grew up in Providence and his parents still live in the Elmhusrt neighborhood. Duke is the highest ranked player to commit to PC since Rickey Ledo came to campus in 2012.
He will be joined by shooting guard A.J. Reeves from Brimmer & May High School, who signed in June of last summer, after declining offers from University of Louisville, Villanova University, and the University of Virginia. Reeves, who is six foot six inches, was named the Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year during his senior season, where he averaged 27.1 points per game and 9.1 rebounds per game.
According to rivals.com, which ranks the recruiting classes for each team, Providence has the 22nd best class in Division I. Both Duke and Reeves are considered to be four-star recruits according to Rivals and ESPN. With the signing of these two, alongside the signing of power forwards Kris Monroe and Jimmy Nichols Jr. PC turned into one of hottest schools to sign with in the Big East.
Aside from making PC one of the stronger schools in the Big East, Reeves and Duke’s attendance at PC maintains the winning culture and mindset Head Coach Ed Cooley brings each season for the school. Both athletes attended this year’s Iverson Classic, hosted by NBA Hall-of-Famer Allen Iverson, and have been in the gym together working on one goal, bringing the March Madness championship to Providence.
Their chemistry will be pivotal this upcoming season to help develop a rhythm to mix together with our current players to find the strengths of any team that stands in front of the Friars. Reeves and Duke are the spark of light this school needs to be taken seriously as contenders for March Madness. Their addition to the team will attract upcoming future Friar recruits who are looking to come here and be a part of the Friar Family and culture.
PCI: Josh Allen will be the First Pick in the 2018 NFL Draft
by The Cowl Editor on April 26, 2018
PCI
By Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
In this upcoming NFL Draft, the first pick selected by the Cleveland Browns will be University of Wyoming quarterback, Josh Allen.
In a draft class filled with amazing talent at all positions, some standouts are in the quarterback, class of this draft. Despite all their talents, the one who stands out among the rest is Allen. The 6’5”, 223-pound junior is being compared to Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz, and has the skills and character to potentially be one of the NFL’s most elite quarterbacks.
At the NFL combine, Allen ran a 4.75 second 40-yard dash, and showed a vertical jump of 33.5 inches. One of his most notable abilities is his arm strength. At his pro-day, it was clear his strength was off the charts. Despite some reports and instances of inaccuracies, Allen has taken the offseason to work with QB coach Jordan Palmer to improve his footwork and focus, allowing scouts to put those inaccuracy reports behind him and focus on what he could bring to a team.
His anticipation when throwing the ball is still a bit rusty. As training camp and preseason progress, however, he will soon find what he needs to do in-game during the NFL season.
Compared to University of Oklahoma quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield, who is another potential first pick by Cleveland, Allen has showed his ability to work harder and improve the weaker parts of his game. Mayfield’s off-field drama with the law shows he may not have the character to survive in this social media world, while Allen has shown that he does.
The Browns shocked the world this offseason with ground-breaking trades for players such as wide receiver Jarvis Landry, quarterback Tyrod Taylor, and cornerback Damarious Randall.
If they were to add Allen alongside this roster, the Browns would be doing themselves a favor, which could eventually allow them to win a game or reach playoffs. Taylor, the former starting quarterback for the Buffalo Bills, would have to compete for the starting position against Allen. It is likely that Allen will win the starting role due to his arm strength.
For a team that has been through so many losses the last few seasons, things will begin to turn around on April 26 when NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announces that the Browns will take University of Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen.
Dance Team Ends Year With Success
by The Cowl Editor on April 19, 2018
Friar Sports
By Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
From April 5 to 7, the Providence College Dance Team made their way down to Daytona Beach, Florida to compete in their second appearance at the 2018 NDA National Championship.
Last year, the Friars made their debut at the 2017 NDA National Championship and outperformed expectations by placing seventh in the country in the jazz category. It was safe to say that the bar was set for this year, and the only way to succeed was to work twice as hard and completely outperform once again.
This was exactly the mindset that coach Claire Creighton had going into Nationals. Creighton, in her third year coaching the team, looked to find a way to exceed the already high expectations for her team. Competing once again in the jazz category and for the first time in the hip-hop portion of the competition, the Friars had to put together two intense, two-minute dances for the events.
After performing for the student body at the Nationals Send-Off in Alumni Hall, the team was ready for whatever Daytona had to offer them. For captain Katie Printer ’18 and co-captain Daniela Roberto ’18, this Nationals was bittersweet. They were both proud of the process they used to get themselves to Nationals, yet sad knowing this would be their last season as dancers for the school.
Knowing this was the last time they would be dancing motivated not only them, but motivated both the captains and their teammates. Despite having the job of pushing the team to their highest potential, the captains made sure to take time to appreciate what they were a part of.
This year’s motto for Nationals was “The work is worth it,” and that is definitely what the Friars used to conquer all that had stepped in their way of achieving their goal of advancing. For the jazz portion of the event, the Friars missed their advancement by just .18 points of qualification. They seemed, however, to find their rhythm in hip-hop.
In the final round of Hip-Hop, the Friars gave it all they had and did not look back. Their performance earned them fifth in the country behind Webster State University, Stephen F. Austin University, Boston University, and Sacred Heart University.
Coach Creighton was more than proud of how the team performed, especially in a new category, at their second time at this competition. Creighton stated, “This not only exceeds our expectations from all the long and dedicated practices each dancer went through, it also makes a name for ourselves to show future dancers that Providence is dedicated to making the most out of the dance team in order to make it the best.”
This team is shaping up to be one of the most elite collegiate dance teams, for in their second time National Championship, they moved on to the finals.
When asked what the next step to improving the already successful team was, Creighton’s response was simply, “Bigger and better.”
Her goals are to make the program much larger, as well as making this passion and strength long-term, as they now prepare for their third Nationals appearance next year.
For the incoming dancers who will soon try out, Printer and Roberto offered strong words of encouragement to future classes. Both stated how all dancers have nothing to lose in trying out, and how being on the team is equivalent to a family, providing constant memories of great practices and fun times all around.
PCI: The Portland Trail Blazers Will Win the NBA Finals
by The Cowl Editor on April 12, 2018
PCI
By Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
While the NBA’s Western Conference used to be dominated by teams such as the Lakers, Spurs, and Warriors, this season has shown that any of the eight teams from the est have an equal chance to win the NBA Finals. However, this year’s champions of the 2018 NBA Finals should be the Portland Trail Blazers.
Currently sitting third in the western conference with one game left, behind the Rockets and the Warriors, Portland looks to be the underdog in a conference full of All-Stars. While the Rockets have the best record in the NBA, stars Chris Paul and James Harden do not have the track record to finish a series in their favor, and will most likely lose in the Western Conference Finals in six games.
The Warriors will most likely not be able to get far into the playoffs, despite Kevin Durant playing outstanding basketball this season. They have no option in the guard area as Stephen Curry is still battling his MCL injury.
Point guard Damian Lillard and the rest of his team have the mindset to take over this year’s playoffs and prove they are championship team this season. Lillard has shaped himself into one of the best point guards in the NBA, averaging 26.8 points per game, 6.5 assists per game, and 4.5 rebounds, proving himself to be a top candidate for this year’s league MVP.
Lillard, in past experience, has had the ability to take over games in crunch time, and show up to be the closer to any opponent that stands in his way. Alongside Lillard is shooting guard CJ McCollum, who is averaging 21.4 points per game, elavating this duo to one of the best backcourt tandems in the NBA.
McCollum has the strength to throw off his defenders, making him one of the hardest players to guard, and the power to consistently make shots.
On the defensive end, Jusuf Nurkic stands out as one of the top 10 centers of the Western Conference as he averages nine rebounds per game. The bench has also come together to play good overall basketball as they prove to be reliable scoring options and defensive efforts to stop any team.
The Trail Blazers have shown throughout the season their ability to turn heads to prove them as the front runners of the west. The Portland Trail Blazers will go onto win the championship and bring the franchise’s second title in history.
Men’s Basketball Fights Hard in Big East Championship
by The Cowl Editor on March 15, 2018
Friar Sports
PC Falls to ‘Nova in the Big East Final
by Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
It is only two weeks into March and needless to say it has been a crazy few weeks for the Providence College Friars Men’s Basketball Team and for Friar fanatics.
The month began for the Friars with a trip to the Big Apple for the Big East Tournament held annually in the world’s most famous arena, Madison Square Garden.
The Friars began the tournament as a fifth seed in the Big East standings, playing against the third seed Creighton University Bluejays. This season the Friars went 1-1 with Creighton, so expectations were high coming into the game.
The game came down to the wire and ultimately had to be decided in overtime after battling back and forth over each half. The victory was handed to the Friars as they took over in the last few minutes to secure the win 72-68.
Small forward Alpha Diallo ’20 led the game in scoring for the Friars with 19 points and 9 rebounds. Point guard Kyron Cartwright ’18 after the game said he was excited about the atmosphere of the Garden and stated to the press, “It’s like, feels like our second home sometimes. We got a lot of great alumni who come out, a lot of great fans, a lot of students here from the New York area. They always come out. They support us. They’re really loud out there and we feed off their energy.”
The Friars played the next day in the semi-final against the one seed Xavier University, who came off of a strong victory against St. John’s University.
Again the game went back and forth throughout each half and overall had to be decided again in overtime. In overtime, the Friars played with confidence and strength and defeated Xavier 75-72 to secure a spot in the championship game.
Cartwright and Rodney Bullock ’18 came in clutch as they made many great plays to win the game, including 15 and 17 points, respectively.
The time had then come to show the world what the Friars are really made of as they entered the championship game against conference rivals, the two seed Villanova University Wildcats. To match the common theme throughout the tournament for the Friars, the game had gone to overtime, after the Friars came back in the second half.
Unfortunately, overtime went to the Wildcats as they out-scored the Friars 16-6 in overtime resulting in a final score of 76-66. In the end, Cartwright and Diallo were named to the All-Tournament Team in the guard and guard/forward position.
Despite the loss, Coach Ed Cooley stated to the press after the game “I thought we played great. I thought we played tough. I thought we played together.” These strong words were enough to boost the spirits of the fans and students.
The next day after the championship was more nerve-wracking than the championship, as it was Selection Sunday for the NCAA March Madness Tournament.
While fans were tense throughout the day, they were anxious to see the placement of the Friars in the tournament. The performance of the Friars in the Big East Tournament was definitely able to push the team from on the bubble to either a seventh, eighth, nineth, or tenth seed.
The team was ultimately placed in the west region at a 10 seed, playing against seven seed Texas A&M. Providence was one of the six teams from the Big East that made the March Madness Tournament, along with Villanova and Xavier at one seeds, Creighton and Seton Hall University at eight, and Butler University at No. 10. Overall the Friars are ready to go dancing this March.
The Cowl Makes Its Pick
by The Cowl Editor on March 15, 2018
Friar Sports
by Jack Belanger ’21
Sports Co-Editor
Members of the Sports staff put their brains together to come up with the official 2018 March Madness Bracket for The Cowl. Thanks to Sam Scanlon ’19, Sullivan Burgess ’20, Thomas Zinzarella ’21 for helping contribute. Here is breakdown of each region, semifinals, and the championship.
South Region:
The University of Arizona looks poised to be the team to make it out of a tough South region. DeAndre Ayton is one of the best players in the country, averaging 20.3 points per game and 11.5 rebounds per game. Junior guard Allonzo Trier has been a great second option for this team all year, despite missing time for a failed drug test, averaging 18.4 points per game. This team has enough firepower to take down an inconsistent University of Kentucky Wildcats team and beat out University of Virginia, which has only scored 67.5 points per game as a team.
Loyola University Chicago is our Cinderella team in this region. This team was one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the country all year, shooting 39.8 percent behind the line, which makes them the 20th best in the country. The University of Miami is not a great defensive team, which could spell disaster for them early in the tournament.
Despite having a veteran coach in Rick Barnes, the University of Tennessee has not been to the tournament in four years, leaving the Volunteers inexperienced and suseptible to an underdog team like Loyola.
West Region:
It would not be a Providence College bracket without showing some love to the Friars. Kyron Cartwright ’18 was playing his best during the Big East Tournament. PC has a good chance of beating Texas A&M University and is certainly capable of pulling an upset over the University of North Carolina and winning in a rematch over the University of Houston (who will pull off their own upset over University of Michigan).
Ultimately, Gonzaga University is our pick to come out of the West. Coach Mark Few made it to the finals last year and knows what it takes to return to the Final Four. Gonzaga has six players who average over nine points per game currently, led by senior Johnathan Williams who is averaging 13.5 points per game.
East Region:
Despite many picking Villanova University as a favorite to win the whole tournament, PC would be much happier to see ’Nova lose in the Elite Eight. Purdue University is a solid choice to come out of a weak East Region. The Boilermakers shot 42 percent from the 3-point line which was second in the country. They can also beat teams underneath the hoop with two players in the rotation over seven feet tall in Isaac Haas and Matt Haarms.
Stephen F. Austin State University played tough in each of their last two tournament apperances and that should hold true again. The Lumberjacks force many turnovers and have a deep rotation. While Texas Tech University plays great defense, Stephen F. Austin has too many weapons to slow down. The Lumberjacks are another Cinderella team that can make it to the Sweet Sixteen as they will have an opportunity to play one of the last teams in between St. Bonaventure University and the University California, Los Angeles, who will upset an inconsistent University of Florida team.
Midwest Region:
Michigan State is not only our pick to win the Midwest region but also the whole tournament. The Spartans have two of the best players in the country in forwards, Miles Bridges and Jaren Jackson Jr., and one of the most respected coaches in Tom Izzo. Michigan State should have no issue making it to a Sweet Sixteen matchup versus Duke University where they could win in a close game.
Auburn University is a team that could easily lose their first round game if they are not careful, but they force enough turnovers and can get hot shooting to beat a better team like the University of Kansas.
Clemson University has not been the same since losing their best player, Donte Grantham, for the season due to injury. New Mexico State University has a player in Zach Lofton who has the ability to lead an upset. Lofton has averaged 19.8 points per game for the season, while the entire team plays tough defense.
Final Four Semifinals:
While Arizona has the better player in Ayton, Gonzaga has a more depth with a stronger bench and the motivation to get back to finals. Arizona has struggled playing defense all year and Gonzaga has too many scorers who shoot and take the ball to the rim.
In a matchup between two Big Ten powerhouses, Michigan State and Purdue face each other in a rematch that saw the Spartans beat the Boilermakers 68-65 back in February. Expect a smiliar result as Michigan State continues to ride with more talent.
Finals:
In a year where no team has stood head and shoulders above anyone else, choosing the finals was definitely not an unanimous choice. Both Gonzaga and Michigan State play well on both ends of the court and boast versatile players who can contribute in multiple ways. Few and Izzo are two of the best coaches in college basketball and certainly both teams will be prepared to compete. That being said, the combination of Bridges and Jackson will end up being the deciding factor and ultimately give the edge to the Spartans.
Doris Burke Wins 2018 Curt Gowdy Award
by The Cowl Editor on March 1, 2018
Friar Sports
PC Grad Continues to Make Headlines
by Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports staff
On Feb. 17, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced that former Friar and ESPN NBA analyst Doris Burke ’87 would receive the 2018 Curt Gowdy Media Award.
The award is named after American sportscaster Curt Gowdy, who served as the president of the Basketball Hall of Fame for seven consecutive years. The award is usually awarded to most outstanding basketball writers and broadcasters for all media outlets.
Past winners include Craig Sager, Jay Bilas, Dick Vitale, Marv Albert, and Jim Nantz. Burke sets a great example for newcomers trying to find their way in the world of analyzing basketball.
When she played for the Providence College Women’s Basketball Team for four years, Burke led in assists during three of her four seasons and was a three-time All-Big East selection. She ranks second in all-time assists in PC history with 602 in 113 career games.
She is not only a member of the Providence College Athletic Hall of Fame, with a newly retired number in Mullaney Gym, but she is also a member of the New England Basketball Hall of Fame.
Last year, for the first time in school history, Burke served as Master of Ceremonies for the annual PC Late Night Madness. It was a high honor to be brought back at the beginning of this year for Madness to hype up the students. She also had the opportunity to talk to Coach Cooley and Coach Crowley, as well as their respective players.
Burke’s media career began as radio analyst for PC until she eventually moved to the WNBA and began reporting for the New York Liberty. She made a name for herself and was finally hired by ESPN. She served as a sideline reporter and analyst for ESPN since 1991, Burke made headlines by being named a full-time NBA game analyst. This made her the first woman in the history of the channel to hold that role.
Burke has even appeared in the NBA 2K videogames in recent years as a sideline reporter and commentator. When discussing her career after receiving news of her nomination, she stated, “I fell into this. I thought I would be a high school teacher and coach, I started my career as an assistant basketball coach and wanted to have children and be a stay-at-home mom. I thought, Division I coaching and being a mom is sort of mutually exclusive, so I happened into the business… To be honest with you, when I was a kid, and even through college, public speaking terrified me. It still terrifies me. When I am on the air, I never think of it as, ‘Oh, millions of people could actually be watching this basketball game.’ Because if I ever thought of it in that context, I would freak out.”
While she might be nervous on screen, we certainly have never been able to notice, as Burke climbs the rankings to be one of the most popular NBA analysts of all time. As this is her first season serving as a full-time commentator for ESPN, time will only tell what else in store for Burke.
Villa-Game-Ova
by The Cowl Editor on February 16, 2018
Friar Sports
Friars’ Win Creates Big Upset
by Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
As the end of the season swiftly approaches, the Providence College Friars dominate the Big East Conference play, with a major win against the # 3 overall Villanova, with a final score of 76-71.
After suffering a heavy loss to DePaul last Saturday, 80-63, the Friars bounced back and came back better than ever beating Nova and securing a 8-5 record in the 2017-2018 Big East Standings behind Xavier, Villanova, and Creighton, and a 17-9 overall record in the NCAA.
While the season has been back and forth with significant wins and tough losses, the Friars hope to provide the burning energy and spirit needed as they head towards the Big East Tournament and hopefully an appearance in the March Madness Tournament. Some of these notable wins come from Big East play, including ranked rivals such as #5 Xavier, Creighton, Marquette, DePaul, and Butler when the team was on a four-game winning streak.
However, things took a turn for the worse when the team’s streak was snapped by back to back losses to Villanova and Seton Hall. The team found themselves back on pace with back to back wins against Marquette and Georgetown, but DePaul, as mentioned previously, came out swinging to hand the team their fifth loss. All hope was not lost as the Friars brought the win to Villanova and look to carry the momentum of this win into the end of the regular season.
In a game filled with jaw-dropping dunks, plays, and a court storming by the entire student section, the team now has something to celebrate. The Friars defense was able to stop Nova from shooting threes and allowed 19 turnovers that turned into some scoring opportunities. The offense was excellent as five Friars had double digits in scoring, including a leading 17 points from Kyron Cartwright ’18.
Head Coach Ed Cooley stated to the press after the game, “Honestly, the greatest win I’ve ever had at Providence College.”
The team will look to continue this spark for the last few games, including the last home game of the season against St. John’s. Despite a few losses on the way, the players have played consistently good basketball throughout Big East games. Rodney Bullock ’18 has been leading the team in both minutes and points this season with 31.9 minutes per game and 14.6 points per game, as he continues to find a rhythm both on and off the court.
Cartwright has also been leading in assists with six per game, noticeably becoming the difference maker on the team. With games coming down to the wire, Cartwright has been putting the team on his back to provide the leadership needed for this squad.
The Friars must face each team this year without forward Emmitt Holt ’18, who is redshirting this year due to injury. However, Holt has been back on campus this semester and has been practicing with the team. This not only provides an on-campus energy used on game day, it creates the opportunity for Holt to teach the younger players and allow them to be stronger in the paint from experience.
These younger players include Alpha Diallo ’20, Kalif Young ’20, and Nate Watson ’21, all of whom have improved their game, including great offense and stellar defense against the Big East’s best players. With minimal games remaining in the regular season, it is now or never for the Friars.
Soon they will be sent off to Madison Square Garden for the Big East Tournament, hopefully taking down Villanova and becoming the champions again, which will hopefully make things easier after their upset. For now, Friar fans must wait and enjoy the last few games of the season while continuing to bring the constant energy to the Dunkin’ Donuts Center and help the team motivate each other to secure a spot in March Madness.
Birds Stun Pats
by The Cowl Editor on February 8, 2018
Professional Sports
Eagles Win Their First Title
by Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
In a shocking turn of events, the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII 41-33. In a game filled with trick plays, incredible catches, and beautiful runs, as well as a new Solo: A Star Wars Story ad, MVP stats, and a Prince tribute from Justin Timberlake, the Super Bowl brought a nail biting victory for the Eagles.
Not only is this the first time the Eagles beat the Pats in the Super Bowl, it is the first time the Eagles have won a Super Bowl in the history of their franchise. Before the game even began, the Eagles were on a whole new level of prepared and hyped as they ran out onto the field, with Meek Mill’s “Dreams and Nightmares” blasting through the stadium’s speakers.
Throughout the game, the Eagles played consistent defense against 2017 MVP Tom Brady. While Brady managed to set a record by throwing 505 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions, his arm and his offensive line could not match the strength and the speed of Fletcher Cox and the rest of Philadelphia’s defense. One play the Pats tried to use to trick the Eagles was a reverse to New England wide receiver Danny Amendola, who attempted to throw it to Brady, but Brady missed the ball as it hit his fingertips.
The Eagles at fourth and goal ran a wildcat counter to Trey Burton who threw it to Nick Foles for a touchdown in the 2nd quarter before halftime. Foles ended up winning MVP of the game for throwing 373 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception.
Granted Foles’s performance was not MVP status compared to Brady, we have to take into consideration that he was the second string quarterback for the Eagles coming into the season.
The original starting quarterback, Carson Wentz, a 2017 MVP candidate, suffered a torn ACL in December, ending his season. Credit must be given to Foles as he stepped up huge in a time of need and brought the spark needed for the team alongside veteran players such as Alshon Jeffery, Torrey Smith, Zach Ertz, Jay Ajayi, and LeGarrette Blount.
Blount and Chris Long are notable players who came from New England last season and have now secured back-to-back championships playing for different teams. One of the players who had one of the biggest impacts on the Eagles was undrafted Wisconsin rookie running back Corey Clement. Clement lead in receiving yards for the Eagles with four receptions for 100 yards and one touchdown.
On the other side, Amendola, who finished the game with eight receptions for 152 yards, stepped up alongside Rob Gronkowski after Brandin Cooks suffered a head injury early in the game.
Another notable player who did not play for the Patriots was cornerback Malcolm Butler, who intercepted Russell Wilson at the end of Super Bowl XLIX to secure the win for New England in 2015.
Before the national anthem, Butler was informed that he would not be starting the game, which came as a shock to fans and even himself. Coach Bill Belichick, who called the move a “football decision” after benching a player who played 97.8 percent of the team’s snaps during regular season, stated, “We put the players and game plan out there that we thought would be the best, like we always do.” Recently, reports stated that Butler was benched for missing team curfew and other reckless activities, which both Butler and Brady denied to the press. Regardless of his presence off the field, it seemed the Eagles were in it to win in the long run.
Fans on campus had mixed emotions about the results of the game. Although New England fans were displeased with the outcome of the game, some shared that they were pleased the game was not a blowout.
Eagles fans on campus felt differently. Devoted Eagles fan Cayla Veverka ’20 stated, “Overall, I think the Eagles defense made a lot of good coverage plays. Foles had a great game with Ertz and Smith making amazing plays. I think the Pats missed crucial plays like the missed field goals and Brady dropping the pass. Fly Eagles Fly.”
Overall, this will go down in history as one of the greatest upsets and games in Super Bowl history. In the end, the Lombardi trophy is heading to Philadelphia for the first time in history. Philadelphia now joins New York City, Boston, Chicago, and Los Angeles as the only cities to win the World Series, the Stanley Cup, the NBA Finals, and the Super Bowl. Congrats to the Eagles, and best of luck to them and all the other teams in the upcoming NFL Draft.
Hall of Fame Introduces Four New Members
by The Cowl Editor on February 1, 2018
Professional Sports
By Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
On Sunday, July 29, 2018, Cooperstown, New York will welcome four new inductees into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. This marks the fourth time in history four players were voted into Cooperstown, compared to last year’s three players.
This year’s new members include third baseman Chipper Jones, rightfielder Vladimir Guerrero, designated hitter Jim Thome, and relief pitcher Trevor Hoffman.
To be entered into the Hall of Fame, a player must have first played in the MLB beginning 15 years before and ending 5 years prior to election. Second, the players must pass through a screening committee after five years of being retired. To be voted in, a player must take in 75 percent of the elector’s vote, which is 317 votes from the electors.
Jones lead this year’s ballot with 97.2 percent of the writers’ votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, which is around 410 votes of the 422 ballots. Guerrero, Thome, and Hoffman respectively finished behind Jones with 392, 379, and 337 votes from the writers.
Jones told ESPN, “It was waterworks.” With an overall career batting average of .303 percent, 2,726 hits, 468 homeruns, 1,623 RBIs, the Atlanta Braves’ eighth time All-Star, National League MVP, and 1995 World Series Champion, more than qualified for his eligibility for the Hall of Fame. He now joins Ken Griffey Jr. as the only other No. 1 draft pick to enter the Hall of Fame.
As for Thome, who ranks eighth of all-time on the home run list in his 22 seasons for teams including the Indians, the Phillies, and the Dodgers, his career was another no-brainer for the writers. Thome was also emotional after receiving the phone call from his former hitting coach Charlie Manuel, who stated “This is totally deserving and, for me, ranks up there with anything I’ve ever seen happen in the game of baseball. For someone that I met as a 19-year-old and saw improve as much as anyone over time, it makes me smile to think that all that hard work, all those swings in the batting cage, is now paying off for him.”
Guerrero, a nine time All-Star, is a generational hitter who was only one of 13 players to have numbers over .315/.550. He is still in shock about his election, as he is the first position player from the Dominican Republic to make the Hall of Fame, and loves to represent his country in the best way possible.
Lastly, Trevor Hoffman, a seven-time All-Star relief pitcher who marked 1,133 career strikeouts and is second in saves behind Mariano Rivera, the Yankee relief pitcher who highlights his first year of eligibility next year, was elected as well.
Fans of the game have said nothing but positive remarks for the players elected, yet as the reports went out for the rest of the voted players from the league who were not elected, the media and fans took note.
The two most notable players this year that remain on the ballot are Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens. Their careers are both filled with historic moments and controversey involving alledged steriod use that has caused a divide amongst voters.
Fans of these players remain optimistic about their future as they seem to rise each year in ballot votes and hope new votes in the future will finally bring them to Cooperstown.