Union County All-LFL Team

I had an interesting Twitter discussion yesterday with Junction City softballer Courtney Lowe, who revealed a fondness for football. Not watching, by the way, but actually getting on the field and knocking heads.
For girls, playing football isn't a fantasy anymore, thanks to several leagues, including the Lingerie Football League, which airs on MTV2. The LFL's uniform is almost as revealing as beach volleyball but, other than that, the women, a lot of whom are former college athletes, play real football.
Courtney, or Big Red, will be playing college softball at Louisiana Tech next year. A pitcher and infielder, she has a strong arm. She has also won trophies in bench press competitions. So, when she says she'd like to play quarterback or linebacker, anywhere she can get to hit somebody, I have no doubts she'd be a good player on the gridiron.
It got me to thinking. C-Lowe isn't the only girl in Union County who could do some damage on the football field. With that in mind, here's my Union County All-LFL Team for this season.
At quarterback, obviously would be Lowe. The three offensive linegirls would be El Dorado's Traliese Ford, Smackover's Kayla Nelson and Junction City's Breanna Lee. These three girls are all strong and were apparently too physical for basketball as they were all constantly in foul trouble this season. Now, they can push and shove all they want without fear of fouling out.
The running back would be El Dorado track star Rickitha Hicks. She's short, at just around 5-feet, but her speed in undeniable as the defending 6A state 100-meter champion. The two receivers are El Dorado soccer standout Meredith Rice and Parkers Chapel basketball forward Caleh Wall.
Rice, as the goalkeeper, probably has the best hands in the area. Wall is an aggressive rebounder and, since she's rumored to be kicking for the Trojans' football team next year, is a natural selection.
Defensively, the two down linegirls are El Dorado's Charlotte Bradley and Junction City's Ebony Holyfield. Bradley is an obvious choice with her bull-in-a-china shop mentality. Holyfield often picked up two fouls during the lay-up line so she should feel right at home putting a headlock on opponents legally.
The linebackers are Strong's Bre Newton and, since Big Red wants to hit so bad, Courtney Lowe. These girls are hard-nosed and athletic and, probably mean enough to strike fear in opposing players.
The defensive backs are Norphlet point guard Samantha Marshall, El Dorado point guard Sequoia Snowden and, although she's currently injured, EHS basketball and soccer player Hannah Burroff at safety.
Marshall is quick and changes directions smoothly. Snowden is quick, aggressive and unrelenting. She's the shut-down corner. Burroff is athletic enough and competitive enough to get the job done. Plus, she got a yellow card in last year's state tournament. She's not gonna back down and that's what football is all about.
So, there you have it. The first, and probably only, Union County All-LFL Team.
Keep in mind, my team's uniform will have longer shorts and full t-shirts. This is about athletics, after all, and nothing else.

Chambers develops hair-trigger release

Prevailing logic says all you have to do to stop a 3-point shooter is get a hand in their face.
When the shooter is Kansas State’s Brittany Chambers, that’s much easier said than done.
Chambers, on Monday, became the fifth player in school history to earn multiple All-Big 12 first team honors. The 5-8 junior was one of two players in the Big 12 to register 400 or more points, 180 or more rebounds and 60 or more assists this season. She ranks eighth in the league with 14.3 points per game and leads the Big 12 with 2.5 made 3-point field goals per game.
“What you have to do when you are guarding Chambers, is you have to quit looking at what is happening on the floor and focus on Chambers,” said Texas A&M coach Gary Blair.
“She has a great step back move and her range is from here to wherever she is from.”
From her hometown of Jordan, Minn., to Manhattan, Kansas is a seriously long shot. But, Blair isn’t exaggerating by that much.
Chambers is the focal point of opposing defenses and has to extend her range to well beyond the 3-point arc just to get off a shot.
“This year, I’m not getting the wide-open looks I got last year. Teams are guarding me and they’re switching screens so the easy three isn’t there. I’ve had to bring back more of the off-dribble game, shooting floaters and stuff,” said Chambers, who was asked about her shooting range.
“It depends. There are nights when I’m feeling it and I’ll shoot it from pretty much anywhere. It’s one of those things where I just feel if the game comes to me. If I feel like I’m on and I have a good look, I’ll usually take it seven feet back. Obviously, if it’s not that kind of night I’m not going to just chuck it up there.”
One of the most prolific long-range bombers in women’s college basketball, Chambers is far from a chucker. She admits it’s taken a lot of hard work since arriving at Kansas State to get to this point.
“When I was in high school, my shot wasn’t very good. It was okay but when I got to Kansas State, my coaches kind of changed my shot,” said Chambers. “They changed my footwork and they changed my shot. My release is a lot quicker. It’s something I really had to work on in college, something I had to adapt to the game because I wasn’t getting my shots off with the kind of pressure people were showing.
“I used to pull it down. They changed it so I kept it right at my shoulder the whole time. They eliminated extra movement in my shot, just little things that take even a millimeter of a second off. But, the big thing was not dipping it when I caught it. Most players like to catch it and then bend their knees and then go up. They changed it so I immediately catch and then shoot. In high school, I really didn’t shoot it well at all. I was very streaky. The elimination of the extra movement helped my accuracy a ton.”
Tinkering with a player’s shot can be a risky proposition.
“I was scared. I didn’t think I could do it and it was frustrating at first because you don’t make shots at first and you’re not used to it,” she said. “I was not shooting very well right at away. But, it came along faster than I thought it would. It started making a difference in my shot pretty quickly which was nice. Usually, that doesn’t happen.”
Chambers’ shooting motion is hair-trigger quick. Whether it’s catch-and-shoot or off the dribble, her lightning release is remarkable, especially considering the distance of her shots. Coming off screens, she actually catches the ball and shoots it in the same motion.
“The big thing for me is my feet and getting set before the ball even comes,” she explains. “I’m already thinking before it comes to me. I think that’s a huge part. You can’t set your feet down once you catch it. You have to be prepared already before it comes. That was something I had to work on. To get your shot up, you have to already have your feet set and ready before the ball ever hits your hand.”
Having a green light to always think shot first must help.
“Yeah,” she said with a giggle, “very much so.”
Getting a hand in Chambers’ face is a difficult task. She runs around a mine field of screens and has an impressive array of off-the-dribble step back moves. Still, as the Big 12 season wore on, teams have persisted and found ways to limit her looks.
“It’s tough,” said Chambers. “Normal, typical looks like off the screens and stuff just haven’t been there because they’re either double teaming or switching every screen. Going into games, I know that’s coming now so it’s not as hard. At the beginning of the Big 12, it was a lot tougher. It is a little bit of pressure because I know I have to score and find ways to score for my teammates. But, I also feel like we’ve gotten to the point with my team that if I don’t score, it’s not the biggest thing in the world. We’ve had games where I only got four shots because that’s all they’re giving me.
“That’s the thing I’ve had to work on, actually. My mindset was always getting open or making cuts to get myself open. But, I try to think about when I’m not getting a shot, I’m pulling two defenders so I find ways to cut so I can pull a defender with me so someone else can get a wide-open shot. That’s something I had to change that I never really used to think about, making plays or making cuts just to get other people open.”
Kansas State plays Iowa State in the Big 12 Tournament Thursday at 11 a.m.

Wrong knows no color

I'm not in a good place emotionally, right now.
Something happened recently that's been eating at me. I don't like it when supposedly grown adults mistreat children. That bothers me. It especially bothers me when the mistreatment could possibly be racially motivated.
That pisses me the hell off. It makes me angry. It makes me very, very mad.
It goes both ways.
Several years ago at Strong, when four starters off a state championship team transferred, the lone returning starter was Maranda Parker. A white girl on a predominantly black team, Maranda was billed as the best player and got a lot of credit for the team's success the previous year.
Apparently, some Strong fans thought she got too much credit and thought it might have been because of her skin tone.
During a game at Magnolia, the opposing team double and triple teamed Parker, forcing her into turnovers and just a bad game. Some black fans screamed at her on the court and made derogatory comments about her.
That was wrong. Adults targeting a child is wrong. It pissed me off then.
Saturday, white fans yelled negative comments about a player on their own team, who happened to be black. No doubt, the comments were racially motivated just as much as those were against Maranda Parker.
They pissed me off.
Maranda lashed out at the negativity in her own way, which I won't put into print because I don't use that type of language.
She didn't handle it well but then again, she was a kid.
The player who was targeted Saturday didn't handle their situation any better. In fact, they handled it worse because they stopped playing. The player got benched and deservedly so. If you're not going to play, you sit. That's common sense.
In the end, the white, red-necked fan won. They wanted to run the black kid off the team and they did just that. It bothers me that the kid fell into the trap and cooperated in their own demise.
Then again, it's a kid.
Maranda had the last laugh several years ago. She perservered and led her Lady Bulldogs to the state quarterfinals in a year when they weren't one of the top eight teams in the state. She's now celebrated in Strong, perhaps even by the fan who heckled her back in the day.
Sometimes good trumps evil. Sometimes it doesn't.
It pisses me off when evil wins.
Racism is always a factor. Let's not be naive. I talked to Maranda on Saturday and she admitted, a black fan yelling at her affected her differently than if a white fan had yelled the exact same thing.
It's human nature. We're not color blind. I see color. You see color. Don't freaking lie and say you don't. We all do.
When you admit that, it will allow you a certain sensitivity. I don't know what it's like to be white. I'm sure people of other races face problems I don't know about and perhaps couldn't understand.
Being black ain't easy either, especially in a predominantly white environment. Especially when people don't want you to excel. Especially when people openly root against you.
Especially, when you're a kid.
Wrong is wrong, no matter what color in which it's packaged.

Almost in a class by herself

By TONY BURNS
She blocked a shot and wrestled away the rebound on one end of the floor and feathered a perfectly-timed alley-oop pass on the other. She also scored on a post-up, knocked down a pull-up jumper on a 1-on-1 clear-out, helped handle the ball and defended both on the perimeter and in the post.
No, she’s not Delaware’s Elena Delle Donne or Stanford’s Nnemkadi Ogwumike or even Baylor’s Brittney Griner.
Georgia’s Anne Marie Armstrong may well be the most versatile player in women’s college basketball. When it comes to all-around performers, like legendary NFL coach Bum Phillips once said about Earl Campbell, if she ain’t in a class by herself, it don’t take long to call roll.
Armstrong currently ranks among the top-10 statistical leaders for SEC games in 9-of-13 categories, including top five in scoring and minutes played, sixth in assists, blocked shots and defensive boards, seventh in rebounding, steals and assists-to-turnovers and ninth in field goal percentage.
"Anne Marie just gets better and better," said Georgia coach Andy Landers. "She has such a good sense for the game and she's unselfish. That's what makes her so much fun to watch. She'll help her teammates on defense and run the risk of her man scoring. She'll pass when other people are open and she is too. She's a fun player to coach and watch."
Thursday night, the 6-foot-3 junior scored 10 points on 3-of-4 shooting from the floor with seven rebounds and five blocked shots. With the game tied at 4.8 seconds left on the clock, she giggled before toeing the line and hitting the game-winning free throws in a 61-59 win at South Carolina.
“I was trying to get un-nervous,” Armstrong said. “I was a little bit nervous but I was trying not to think about it. I thought if I could make myself smile or laugh I wouldn’t be thinking about it as much. I’m glad I looked cool as a cucumber because I wasn’t.”
Armstrong’s deceptive looks serve her well on the court. Long and lanky, she almost looks out of place on the perimeter, where she shoots 37.9 percent from 3-point range. Her slender frame appears almost brittle in the paint, where she nudged her way to almost seven rebounds per game and is one of the league leaders in shot blocks.
“In high school I played mostly post but in the beginning I played point guard,” she said. “Coming here and being able to shoot the ball, that’s why I’ve been able to play in the games, being versatile, playing the two, three, four and the five. I would say my main position is at the small forward.”
A native of Norcross, Ga., Armstrong is a three-time state champion in basketball and volleyball and is a three-time state high jump champion.
“I’ve always been pretty tall,” she said. “My freshman year in high school I was like 5-11 so as far as high school, I was always pretty tall and I grew consistently through high school until I was 6-2, 6-3. Just developing as a player, I started off as a guard and then as I grew taller and became one of the taller players on my team, I had to play in the post some. Being on a team in high school where we were successful and playing different positions has definitely helped me be more versatile in the college game.”
Just like laughing when she’s nervous, Armstrong is difficult to judge. Is it possible to be gangly, yet smooth? A ballerina on stilts? She blocks shots in transition, can take the ball from the wing to the basket in one long stride and is a dead-eye shooter from long range - an American athlete with a European style.
“Nemanja Djurisic on the (Georgia) men’s team is from Europe and our game is kind of similar as far as being able to post up, shoot it, handle the ball and being able to pass the ball as far as seeing the court well. I guess I’ve heard that but not many people have told me that I have a European style,” she said.
“I think I’m pretty athletic. If I’m at the guard, my quickness is something I have to focus on when I’m guarding other guards especially in the SEC. At the four position, I can match up with almost anyone. I may be a little undersized against some players but I know how to use my length on defense. So, I think I’m skilled and athletic as well - maybe more skilled.”
Armstrong’s game isn’t ordinary. Perhaps her coach summed it up after a game this season against Furman.
“A couple of times tonight, Anne Marie reminded me of Larry Bird,” Landers said. “She has crazy size, point guard and forward skills and passes it well because of the way she sees the floor.”
Yeah, you could say some of those same things about players like Delle Donne and Ogwumike. So, Armstrong isn’t in a class all by herself. But, it don’t take long to call the roll.

RIP Whitney

I always forget how quickly a gap surfaces between generations. I walked into the office Saturday afternoon to hear the news that Whitney Houston had died. It was almost as shocking as if a family member had passed away.
I'm not sure why I was so stunned. While I always appreciated the fact that Houston had one of the greatest voices of my generation, I was never just the biggest fan. Never bought any of her albums or anything like that.
But, the news of her death hit me in the chest like an anvil. I suppose it was just because she was such a large figure for my generation.
I found out that generation has passed, however, as the weekend editor at the newspaper, who is in her twenties, wasn't even sure if news of Houston's death merited mention in the Sunday edition.
I couldn't believe my ears.
Apparently, today's young 'uns were born too late for Whitney Houston and Prince and, maybe even Madonna. She really and truly didn't understand what the big fuss was about.
Well, I kicked and stomped and pouted and raised enough hell until she finally put the story on one of the inside pages of the newspaper. I even got her to tease to it.
I vaguely remember Elvis Presley's death when I was a teenager. Somehow, I knew the significance of it even though his music was slighty before my time.
Times have certainly changed.
RIP Whitney Houston. Even if some young people don't understand, your music left a mark that will stand the test of time. Well, at least for my generation.

Gotta get on the good foot

I've been trying to get myself going but lethargy is wearing me like a turtleneck sweater. I can't seem to get motivated to do anything productive, especially sitting in front of a computer.
I really need to do some serious re-writing on a couple novels. I think "Culled" and "White Flight" are close to completion with some tweaking. I have an idea of what I need to do. Sitting down and getting it done is the issue, especially since this is sure to be a tedious process.
I have to make some serious cuts to "Culled" and get rid of a lot of useless information. I'd really like to change the lead but, frankly, I can't come up with anything better than I already have.
As for "White Flight," I've thought of a completely different ending that I think will work better. For those who don't know, "White Flight" has a bit of a who-done-it flavor. I'm gonna change who-done-it.
Of course, "gonna change" and "changed" are two different things.

Coach Gisele?

Tom Brady's wife thinks the Patriots' receivers should catch every pass her husband throws.
Really? Is that what passes for a sports story these days?
If you didn't see or hear, Brady's wife, super model Gisele Bunchen, was being heckled by Giants' fans after the Super Bowl on Sunday. Gisele, obviously perturbed by the outcome of the game, said to no one in particular that her husband can't throw the ball and catch it, too.
It was her honest assessment of the game.
Don't blame her for saying it. She certainly didn't mean for it to go viral. She was just pissed. Lord knows I'm glad there's not a camera recording me everytime I get peeved.
But, there are actually sports stories turning her reaction into some sort of big deal. How do you expect her to react? She's a fan of her husband and his team. They just lost the Super Bowl. She's not in the mood to be politically correct, especially when she doesn't know she's being filmed.
Reporters went so far as to ask Patriot players what they thought of her reaction. Really?
"A super model said you should've caught that pass. Your thoughts?"
Well, gee whiz, I guess she would know.
If Tom Brady muttered under his breath how he thought the wings on the Victoria's Secret costume were too big, would that be big news, too?
Get a grip. We need to let human beings have human emotions and honest reactions.