Friday, October 29, 2010

Monroe in our sights

10:35 AM, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2010
BARRY MCKNIGHT (b_mcknight@yahoo.com)


The Troy Sports Network crew is Monroe-bound for Saturday afternoon's Troy-ULM football game! I don't have a lot of time, so let me just pass along a couple of quick notes!
The radio broadcast starts Saturday from Malone Stadium at 12:30 on the Troy Sports Network, and kickoff is at 2:30. You can listen to it on one of our awesome radio stations, or online at troytrojans.com. It is televised so, as always we respectfully suggest you watch the Trojans with the sound off and listen to us with the radio broadcast!
As of this weekend, you'll notice a name change: we are now "The Troy Sports Network", since IMG's acquisition of ISP Sports; starting with basketball season, we'll be referred to as "The Troy Sports Network from IMG College". It has meant that I've taken down the Troy ISP Facebook page, and will replace it as soon as I can remember how!
Wish us luck as the weekend unfolds; the last football trip to ULM saw, not only a Troy loss, but a flat tire on the trip back, just outside of Selma!









Monroe in our sights


10:20aM, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2010
BARRY MCKNIGHT (b_mcknight@yahoo.com)

Monday, October 25, 2010

PC for game week at ULM





7:50 PM, MONDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2010
BARRY MCKNIGHT (b_mcknight@yahoo.com)


Press conference day at Troy! The multitudes gathered from the finest media outlets in the Southeast and we finally --after two weeks-- had an actual game to ask the coaches and players about. The game at ULM Saturday afternoon represents the Trojans' return to Monroe for the first time since losing there in 2008 31-30. If you remember, Sam Glusman's field goal to win was a spoonful of Cheerios short from 56 yards and it remains the last game that Troy's lost in the Sun Belt Conference. Broadcasting Trojans basketball and baseball as I do, I've been to Monroe many times since that loss and still look at that stadium and wonder why Troy doesn't usually play their best there. Troy, of course, handled the Warhawks last year fairly easily in Troy in a game where I think Jerrel Jernigan caught a bazillion passes for a bazillion yards. At today's press conference, Jerrel was asked about his production in that game. When Larry Blakeney spoke to the media, I asked him about Jernigan's athleticism as compared to his intelligence and work ethic; Blakeney's response is about halfway through his comments. Sophomore DE Jonathan Massaquoi, who's very impressive and is one of the most thoughtful, poised men to represent Troy football in recent memory, responded to a question about how he spent his off Saturday last week, and QB Corey Robinson was asked about his off week as well.



Tuesday night is, as always, Trojan Talk, live from Santa Fe Cattle Company on Highway 231 in Troy. The coordinators, Jeremy Rowell and Kenny Edenfield, pinch-hit for Larry Blakeney last Tuesday during the off-week, but Coach Blakeney makes his return this week to take your calls toll-free at 1-866-736-5889, and your Facebook questions as well, from 7-8pm Tuesday night on the Troy ISP Sports Network and online at troytrojans.com. Trojan Talk has really grown over the last several years and, if you've been missing it, you've been missing a great hour of Troy conversation and fellowship!


Finally, a note about a Troy Trojan who's about to burst onto the national stage (with the help of the Trojan Nation). Jennifer McKinnon is a junior from Holtville, AL, and is about to enter the 5th Round of the Athlon Sideline Spirit Contest next week. Details are here, and Jennifer was joined by Troy cheerleading coach Amber Spradley at Monday's press conference to urge fans to vote and show their support. Here's the audio of their comments; remember voting begins on November 4th!









Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Trojan Talk is a Wrap

10:00AM, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2010
BARRY MCKNIGHT (b_mcknight@yahoo.com)

Last night's Trojan Talk was a blast, even without Coach Blakeney's presence. Offensive coordinator Kenny Edenfield and defensive coordinator Jeremy Rowell ably substituted during an off-week show and took a lot of phone calls. I appreciate their willingness to come in and help out on short notice!









Troy football is off until Saturday, October 30, when the Trojan go to ULM at 2:30 in a game you, of course, can hear on the radio with the Troy ISP Sports Network and watch on TV (with the sound turned down!) on the Sun Belt Network.

Until the weekly press conference on Monday, I'm going to be in the bunker catching my breath! As always, you can become a fan of us on our Facebook page for frequent updates and info, or follow me on my Twitter page as well!


Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Edenfield, Rowell Featured on Tuesday's Trojan Talk

1:40PM, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2010
BARRY MCKNIGHT (b_mcknight@yahoo.com)

Even though this week is an off-week for Troy football, we still invite the Trojan Nation to Trojan Talk tonight, either at our broadcast location at Santa Fe Cattle Company in Troy or by listening in on the Troy ISP Sports Network (affiliates are listed here) or online here. As we pointed out last week, Coach Blakeney is speaking tonight at the Montgomery Quarterback Club gathering, but there will be a couple of experienced hands to pinch-hit. Offensive coordinator Kenny Edenfield will take your calls from 7:00-7:20 and defensive coordinator Jeremy Rowell will do the same from 7:20-7:40! Both have been on Trojan Talk before and are very straightforward with their comments and in answering your questions, which can be submitted live by calling 1-866-736-5889. If you come out to Santa Fe to be a part of the show, we'll once again register for a drawing for an authentic game-worn Troy football to be given away, plus a free meal from Santa Fe's great menu!

The off-week also didn't stop the Troy coaches and players from their weekly press conference Monday at the Courtyard by Marriott. Jerrel Jernigan --the Sun Belt Special Teams Player of the Week this week-- was asked about his elbow injury and his instinctive ability to make people miss, and his response was typical Jerrel. He's an amazing player and an excellent representative of Troy. While I'm at it, here's audio from DE Mario Addison (whose first answer was about how his broken hand feels), QB's Corey Robinson and Jonathan Chandler (listen to his comments at the end especially), and Coach Blakeney.

Troy basketball has begun practicing, which means three things, all of which are good: the Trojans aren't far away from opening defense of their Sun Belt title, Taylor Bryan's media guide is not far away, and you'll be able to start following in earnest one of my favorite writers, basketball trainer Alyson Gramley, her blog, which can be found here. Head coach Don Maestri and senior Amazing Shooter Travis Lee met with the media on Monday and I was there to record it. Here's their audio.

Finally, the staff at Trojanvision on campus have done something this week that, if the response is positive, they'll try to do on a regular basis: Troy's win over Louisiana-Lafayette (and I will never call them "Louisiana") wasn't televised, but Trojanvision melded our radio call with the live video at the stadium and presented in on a tape-delay basis this week. If you happened to catch it and liked it, make sure to let them know. I think it's a great thing and excellent exposure for Troy athletics!

Friday, October 15, 2010

Cajuns Come to Call

8:30 PM, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2010
BARRY MCKNIGHT (b_mcknight@yahoo.com)

I've been getting a lot of emails, tweets, and Facebook messages over the last couple of months as I endeavor to go as digital as humanly possible (or as possible for me and my limited technical expertise) and I absolutely appreciate it! Part of our work here is to get as much out about our broadcasts as we possibly can, and to encourage fan interaction with us, whether it's our football, basketball, or baseball broadcasts, or with our weekly Trojan Talk with the Troy coaches. As Coach Blakeney has said, we've always had D-1 fans, and any input you give me/us can only help. Email me, or become a fan of our ISP Facebook Page, or follow me on Twitter!

That brings me to this: because next week is an off-week, Coach Blakeney has been scheduled to speak to the Montgomery Quarterback Club next Tuesday. He's been an annual guest of that great organization for years, and his visit is one of the most popular ones they host each year (you can find out more about the group --and it's one of my favorites-- if you live in the Montgomery area by logging on to www.mgmqbackclub.org). What it does, to use one of Steve Dennis's favorite phrases, is create an opportunity for next Tuesday's Trojan Talk for a couple of the assistant coaches to take your calls and questions. Offensive coordinator Kenny Edenfield will be there, and maybe we'll get one of the Trojan players out as well to take your calls. It's held every Tuesday at Santa Fe Cattle Company on Highway 231 from 7-8pm and we'll take your toll-free calls at 866-736-5889.

Without a doubt, the most overarching topic I hear every week is TV coverage plans for Troy football for that week! This week's home game against Louisiana-Lafayette has no plans for live TV, so you --the Trojan Nation-- have three choices: (1) get to the game! Tickets are available by calling in advance at 877-878-WINS (and basketball season tickets are on sale now, by the way) and it's a critical, critical game for the Trojans, (b) listen to it on the Troy ISP Sports Network, either via one of our outstanding affiliates, or online coast-to-coast and worldwide at troytrojans.com, or (d) my personal favorite: going to the game AND listening to it on the radio! Jerry, Chris, Ryan, and I set up at the Green Davis Tailgate Terrace for our pregame show, which begins at 4pm or, as I like to look at it, 15 minutes after Trojan Walk starts at Hawkins Hall at 3:45! You can listen at the game on our flagship station, 94.7FM WTBF in Troy. (For what it's worth, the cake pictured at the left is one of the wedding cakes at our studio host Mike Mote's wedding over the summer, and has nothing to do with this paragraph; I just liked it and wanted to plaster it up there).




Thursday, October 14, 2010

IN THE ZONE: CATCHING UP WITH FORMER TROJANS

12:05 PM, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2010
TRAVIS JAROME (
EMAIL)


I had a chance to sit down and talk with Troy University head women's basketball coach Michael Murphy this morning, and a former player came up in conversation.

Former Trojan Amy Lewis, after getting a shot with the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA, is back home in Australia and made a huge impact in her first game. Lewis scored 29 points for the Townsville Fire in the season-opener, playing 34 minutes. She connected on 8-of-14 field goals, including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc and missed just one free throw.

And why mention the WNBA and a former player you might ask, it is simple as Murphy pointed out that there are only 36 players drafted each year from the world (not just college basketball) and the Sun Belt Conference has had at least one, if not two, players picked in the draft over the last few years. And the conference should have another one this year in Chastity Reed from UALR.

News and Notes from around the world of Troy women's basketball
Don't look now, but there is another player making a move in the record books. Senior Donette McNair is currently looking to become just the fifth player in school history to score 1000 career points and grab 700 career rebounds in the Division I era. The senior has scored over 700 points and all ready has over 500 rebounds entering her senior year.

McNair is all ready the school's Division I era single-game leader and single-season leader in rebounds; setting the single-game mark against Morgan State last year.

The Trojans have been on the court since last week in preparation for their season opener against Stony Brook in Elon, North Carolina on November 12. Why so early you ask? The NCAA allowed the women's basketball teams to begin preparations 40 days away from their opener, while the men open up 30 days prior to their opener.

Stay tuned for more news and notes from the world of Troy women's basketball as the season nears. There are just 29 days before they will hit the floor against the Seawolves of Stony Brook.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Trojan Talk Resumes Tuesday Night!

After taking last Tuesday off for Troy football to win the Palladium Trophy for the fifth straight year, head coach Larry Blakeney and I are back at Santa Fe Cattle Company in Troy for another edition of Trojan Talk tonight from 7p-8p! Your calls and Coach's insights drive the show, so make sure you ring us up toll-free at 1-866-736-5889, and listen in either on one of our Troy ISP Sports Network stations or online at troytrojans.com. We once again will be featuring Santa Fe's outstanding menu (and we'll be giving away free food), and a chance to win an authentic game-worn Troy football jersey by registering at our broadcast table! If you're on Facebook, you can post your questions or comments by becoming a fan of our Facebook page.

This weekend the Troy rodeo team hosts the "Trojan Stampede" event at the Pike County Cattlemen's Association Complex south of Troy on Hwy. 231. Troy rodeo coach Josh Simmons spoke with the media yesterday and gave a preview: .

Also on Monday, Troy football again gathered at the Courtyard by Marriott for its weekly press conference. I recorded the digital thoughts of Coach Blakeney, senior WR Tebiarus Gill, sophomore DE Jonathan Massaquoi, and freshman QB Corey Robinson and senior WR Jerrel Jernigan, who spoke together.

Finally, on a personal note, I was downtown at the square on Saturday morning for the Troy Rotary Club's cancer awareness fundraiser 5k, and had a terrific experience. I was always told from my early youth onward that, if I worked hard and kept working towards my goals, it would ultimately pay off! This photo from Saturday affirms it. True greatness personified!

Coach and I hope to hear from you tonight on Trojan Talk. Here's to the school we love; we are Trojans one and all!

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Courtside: Former Trojans Excelling Abroad

12:04 A.M., SUNDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2010
TAYLOR BRYAN (EMAIL)

Several former Trojans have already started their seasons with club teams all around the world and several more are waiting to begin competition.


Three members of Troy’s 2010 Sun Belt championship squad used their team’s success on the court to secure professional contracts overseas. Michael Vogler (Nevezis - Lithuania), Antywan Jones (Astrum Levice - Slovakia) and Yamene Coleman (CSS BC Miercurea Ciuc - Romania) were able to pick up deals to play and have already seen action in a couple of games.


Brandon Hazzard and Richard Delk are also expected to ink professional deals at some point in the very near future.


I was unable to find any stats on Vogler, but Jones is averaging just over 3 ppg in about 16 minutes of action through four games. Coleman has played just one game, but scored 16 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in his first action.


The recent Trojans aren’t alone in the pro ranks. Former Mid-Major All-American O’Darien Bassett is spending this season in France with Stade Clermontois Basket Auvergne. He has played in two games and is averaging 13.5 ppg.


Scoring in double-figures in Germany is another former Trojan – Richard Chaney. Chaney spent just one year with Troy (2006-07) and is posting 11.5 ppg for club team Eisbaeren Bremerhaven in Germany.


A well-traveled European veteran, Lamayne Wilson has already played in five games with Budivelnyk Kyiv in Ukraine. He is averaging just more than 6 ppg and four rebounds in action that includes two Euroleague contests.


One last former Troy hoopster has already begun his professional season. While not overseas, Corey Hornsby is very much active abroad. Hornsby is dominating the competition in the Mexican league to the tune of 22.8 ppg and 7.9 rpg through 10 games with Huracanes de Tampico.


Several others former Trojans spent last season playing professionally around the world and are expected to be back in some location later this year and in 2011 including Richard Damus (Spain), Bobby Dixon (Italy/France), Herbert “Moo” Evans (Harlem Globetrotters), Cedric Jackson (Israel), Tom Jervis (Australia) and Rob Lewin (France).


The 2010-11 edition of the Trojans begin preparations for their title defense on Saturday, October 16. They will hit the floor first on November 8 against West Alabama in exhibition action.


Stay tuned to TroyTrojans.com and follow @TroyAthletics on Twitter for the latest on all of Troy Athletics.






Thursday, October 7, 2010

Tale of the Tape: What I Do

October 7, 2010-

November will mark my 10-year anniversary as a Certified Athletic Trainer. In that time as well as the other 4 years I spent here as a Athletic Training Student, I've worked closely with almost every sport at TROY. I've seen a lot of injuries and illnesses and witnessed many more head scratching moments. I've been fortunate enough to travel all over the United States, its territories, and even across the Big Water, all in the name of Troy University Athletics! What an awesome job I have! But it's more than a job.

Most of these little moments go unnoticed, like scores tickering across the bottom of the screen of your favorite sports channel or internet screen on the weekend. Occasionally, TROY student-athletes have the chance to display their talents for a larger audience and gain national media attention. I've received my fair share of texts/morning after emails saying "I saw you on TV"...."Why are you standing so close to Coach Blakeney?"...and so on. I'm not going to lie: I kinda' like be a celebrity for a minute or two. But...I'd trade that small glimpse of me on the back of a cart for not ever having to go out on the field. Ever again.

I have one daughter. She's a gem. But I have inherited children. Lots of them. Some are big, some little; some really tan, some not so much; some nice, some mean as snakes; and some, well, all of the above. And because those are my children out there, I watch this game a little differently.

First of all, I watch from the waist-down. No, I'm not a perv...but most football injuries are lower body injuries: ankles, knees, hamstring, back and such.

I don't see faces, I see bodies. After each whistle, I count "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11...okay. Everybody's up." Then I laugh or clap or cheer or whatever other response is appropriate for the play that just finished. That repeats a couple hundred times a game.

My mind is like a security camera that continuously tapes over itself. I often relate it to security cameras always videoing the Wal-Mart parking lot. They don't sit there and watch all the film every hour of the day, but if something goes wrong, they review it to find out what happened. What you see happen can almost always lead you in the right direction to find what part is injured.

So, what happens if I don't get to 11 after each play? I usually stand a little closer to the white line and say "get up, get up, get up," inching out onto the field a little further with each breath. I know they can't hear me, but it's my timing mechanism. Otherwise, I'd race out there everytime, only to have them jump up in front of me. The referees don't like that and the coaches REALLY don't like it. You see, once medical attention is on the field in football, the player has to leave the game for at least a snap. That could be bad if they weren't injured and I reacted too quickly.

We educate our players to stay down if they're truly hurt. If they're just pouting, they need to do that while they're getting back on the line! If they're just pouting when we get there, they may be suddenly struck by a swift kick in the rear, therefore being injured and needing our help after all. This happens at practice, but usually not in games.

There are times when we see the injury instantly, know it's bad and get there to help before we're summoned on the field. I've had a few instances like that in my 10 short years. One such incident at North Texas in 2003. It was a potentially catastrophic knee injury. So bad the young man spent a week in Dallas and flew back to Troy with an external fixator on his lower leg. Face down, not moving athletes are deserving of quick sprints out there, too.

Tuesday night, late in the second quarter elicited just such a response for the medical team. I wasn't involved in the immediate on the field evaluation because I was attending to my kids on the defense bench. I actually didn't know anything had happened until I saw it on the big TV. The next image I saw was the blue splint bag being carried onto the field. NOT GOOD!

The next few minutes involved a finely-choreographed-but-never-before-performed dance of assessing the injury, getting the leg immobilized, arranging for a cart to take us to the ambulance and a fast ride to the Emergency Room of the brand-spanking new Middle Tennessee Medical Center.

We practice worst case scenarios, but when the dancers (players, staff, doctors) are different and you're in a different place, you never know how effectively the plan will be executed. This time it worked like a well-oiled machine. The students and staff can almost read each others' minds at this point in the year and the execution of our Emergency Action Plan went down without a hitch. Hopefully it looked that way on TV.

If you've ever smashed your finger or kicked the coffee table, I'm sure you yelled out. Sometimes it's a simple "OUCH!" and for some it may be more colorful! (I fall into the latter of the two in case you were wondering. ) The young man Tuesday didn't even say ouch one time. I shared some of his thoughts with Ricky Hazel when asked at the ER how he was doing and his answer was "Phillippians 4:4 - Rejoice in the Lord always." The key word in that sentence is always...I'm sure Jamie wouldn't mind me sharing these things with you, as he's truly an encouragement to me and all of the others here. I look forward to having my "son" back in Troy in the coming days to take care of him.

That's what I do.

GO TROJANS!
Alyson

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Quick note

Great win for the Trojans in the Battle for the Palladium, but I'm heartsick for QB Jamie Hampton, who broke his leg in the second quarter. A short anecdote: After the game, our sideline reporter and post-game locker room host, Chris Blackshear, walked into the locker room and saw Jamie sitting there with his leg casted up (Jamie had made it back to the sidelines in the 4th quarter); Jamie smiled at Chris and asked, "How're you doing?"; Chris said, "Better than you, unfortunately." Jamie kept smiling and said, "Naw, man. I'm good. Everything happens for a reason."

Jamie Hampton is what's good about college football, young people, and Troy University, I promise you.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Gameday for MTSU

I promised some photos on Game Day, but I'm probably too amped up and focused on the radio broadcast ahead to take many more, to be honest. We're staying at an ultra-nice Marriott in Nashville by the airport, which is great for the student-athletes because they've comped the internet (despite the fact that it's a midweek game, the guys are still under the gun for tests, papers, presentations, etc.) to allow the players to work on school, but probably the main reason we're back is because this hotel brought us a win the last time we stayed here in 2008. Don't ever believe we're not a superstitious bunch!

We all prepare for gameday on the road in different ways: the players get to sleep in, because it's a late game. I co-hosted my morning radio show live from the hotel room, as I have to do a LOT because of my travels with basketball and baseball. Strength coach Richard Shaughnessy and head trainer Chuck Ash met in the lobby and went to work out. Assistant trainer Alyson Gramley went for a pregame run. The radio crew (other than me, 'cause I was on the air) meets in the morning downstairs and devours the local papers for nuggets they can use on the broadcast. We all get ready in different ways, but we'll all be ready at gametime!

Then, the radio crew meets to go tackle our pregame meal! For years --dating back to our old Atlantic Sun days-- a trip to Nashville always means a trip to Jack's Barbecue downtown, and this trip is no different. Jerry and I have eaten there dozens of times, Chris has eaten there but was too sick on our last visit (back in 2008) to truly appreciate it, and Ryan was a rookie. Ryan acquitted himself well, though: stepped right up and ordered the three-meat combo authoritatively and even played the Mac-and-cheese option as well. Our crew works very well together, and one of the secrets to that is that we all get along well together, especially where food is concerned!

Again, our broadcast is on the radio and online starting at 5pm CT (for the Birmingham members of the Trojan Nation, it won't be on our FM affiliate because of midweek obligations, but it again will be aired in Birmingham on WYDE AM 1260); we'll feature in our pregame show a visit from DE coach and recruiting coordinator Randy Butler and associate athletic director Tony Ferrante, plus all of the award-winning postgame locker room interviews and highlights after the game as well. It'll be televised on ESPN2 and, if you're away from the TV, it'll be live on the internet at espn3.com! Go Trojans!

Monday, October 4, 2010

Heading to Murfreesboro!

The Troy radio crew will be heading to Murfreesboro Monday evening for the big Troy-Middle Tennessee State football contest on Tuesday night. The way it normally works is that Jerry Miller, the Road Warrior, is behind the wheel until he just gives out, I usually handle the navigational aspects of the voyage (although Jerry and I have been to Middle Tennessee State so many times for football, basketball, and baseball that I don't have much navigation to do), Chris Blackshear is our social and dinner planner for the evening (and he hit a grand slam on the UAB trip), and Ryan Hayden is the newbie.

The radio play-by-play guy at MTSU is Chip Walters, one of the truly great guys in our league, and he had me on for a segment last week on the coach's show live from a restaurant in Murfreesboro. He actually cued the crowd to give me some applause, and I joked that it'll probably be the last applause anyone from Troy will get from the Blue Raiders. I, like many people around our league, have been looking forward to this game for a long time, and cannot wait for it to get here!

Troy is on an 11-game conference winning streak, and that has put the bullseye squarely on Troy's back. It's been that way for a while, but MTSU really has geared up to give the Trojans their best, and I think Troy will have to play well to earn the good fortune to come away with a win. Watch the turnover battle: Troy's defense --while struggling somewhat-- has been good at forcing turnovers, and the Raiders have given it up a LOT this year.

ESPN2 will televise it Tuesday evening, and we'll have the radio broadcast beginning at 5PM CT from Floyd Stadium. You can hear it on the Troy ISP Sports Network over the air, or online as well right here.

I'll be bringing along the camera, although I'm no Kevin Glackmeyer (who does a great job as Troy University's official photographer when he's not doubling as The Most Interesting Man in the World), so I hope to blog one more time prior to kickoff with some candid shots of the Trojan Nation. Let's hope the Trojans can bring back the Palladium Trophy for the fifth straight year!

One final note away from football: I participated in the Montgomery Half-Marathon on Saturday and sported my Trojan gear. It was GREAT to hear several "Go Trojans" as I ran! The Trojan Nation is strong!!! I'll be running this Saturday morning at the "Fight Like a Girl 5k" in downtown Troy to benefit breast cancer research. For more information on supporting the event and the cause, check out this link on the web.