North Carolina State University Athletics
Weekly Blog (Aug. 28-Sept. 3)
8/28/2006 12:00:00 AM | Pack Athletics
Saturday, Sept. 2, 2006
Former NC State baseball All-America closer Joey Devine was recalled to the Major Leagues Friday by the Atlanta Braves. Devine, who has suffered through a variety of injuries this season, has pitched well of late for the Mississippi Braves, going 2-0 with a 0.82 earned run average in his six appearances.
During one two-game stretch, Devine struck out 10 consecutive batters, showing that the hip and back injuries that have hampered him most of the season seem to healed. Devine began the season in Atlanta, making two appearances before being sent to Triple-A Richmond, where he pitched in one game before being diagnosed with a back injury. After a stint in extended spring training, he pitched in Myrtle Beach and Mississippi over the last two months.
Here is a story from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that details Devine's climb back from his rookie debut
Devine, a first-round pick in the 2005 Major League Draft, made several appearances for the Braves last year and was included on the team's post-season roster, but was known for becoming the first player in Major League history to give up grand slams in his first two career appearances.
Devine joins former teammate Chad Orvella, who was recently recalled to the majors by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, as former NC State baseball players in the majors.
Posted by Tim Peeler, 7:13 a.m., 9/2/06
Thursday, Aug. 31, 2006
Things were a little shaky on Thursday for NC State senior guard Engin Atsur at the FIBA World Basketball Championship. The Tokyo area was hit with a 4.8-magnitude earthquake at halftime of Turkey’s game against Lithuania, rocking The Super Arena where the game was being played.
No damage or injuries were reported, but Atsur made a big impact in a game in which the Turkish national team trailed by 11 points with 2 ½ minutes to play by hitting a driving layup with 21 seconds remaining to cut Lithuania’s lead to three points.
After Lithuania’s Linas Kleiza made one of two free throws with 19 seconds remaining, Atsur’s Turkish teammate Ender Arslan made a rare game-tying, four-point play by making the first of two free throws, missing the second, tracking down the rebound and scoring 3-pointer with 8.5 seconds remaining in regulation.
Turkey pulled away in overtime, thanks to 10 overtime points by Ermal Kurtoglu. Atsur finished the game with nine points.
For more information about the game, ESPN.com has a has a wrap-up of the day's action. Turkey (6-2) now advances to play France (5-3) in the fifth place game in Saitama, Japan.
Posted by Tim Peeler at 7:48 p.m., 8/31/06
Monday, Aug. 28, 2006
The 13th annual Jimmy V Celebrity Golf Classic had a stronger NC State presence than it has had in recent years, thanks in part to the return of former Wolfpack point guard and Valvano disciple Sidney Lowe as the Wolfpack’s head coach. Lowe and his entire staff of Monte Towe, Larry Harris, Pete Strickland and Quentin Jackson were among the participants at the day-long event at Prestonwood Country Club, which has raised more than $12 million dollars over the years for The V Foundation for Cancer Research.
Former basketball players Terry Gannon, a teammate of Lowe’s on NC State’s 1983 NCAA title team, and Vinny Del Negro, the MVP of the 1987 ACC Tournament, also participated, along with former Wolfpack football players Lin Dawson and Dewayne Washington.
Washington isn’t in an NFL preseason camp for the first time in 13 years, but that doesn’t mean he’s retired just yet.
“If someone calls, ” said Washington, who played in 16 games for the Kansas City Chiefs last year, “I am keeping myself in shape.”
Gannon, now a television analyst for ESPN and ABC, also participated in the Million Dollar Shoot-out, despite his introduction by ESPN co-worker (and UNC alum) Stuart Scott as a “former member of the North Carolina Wolfpack.”
Gannon, whose golf game is pretty good now that he is regularly doing PGA Tour events, dished some grief Scott’s way for the slip-up and proceeded to stick his 6-iron shot close on the 165-yard hole. (For an update on Gannon, here is a story by A.J. Carr from Saturday’s News & Observer.)
NC State associate athletics director Dick Christy was on a team that finished with the low net of 14-under on the Fairways course for the day, but his team lost three strokes because of its low handicap and finished tied for third.
Athletics director Lee Fowler also participated in the event. Just don’t ask him where his team finished.
But among all the celebrities, athletes and other personalities at the event, one of the more talented and accomplished performers on the course at Prestonwood did not participate in golf. That’s because star Wolfpack softball pitcher Shaina Ervin was working in the media tent, as part of her sports management and marketing internship.
Posted by Tim Peeler, 5:44 a.m., 8/28/06
HELLO, EVERYONE, THIS is Miranda Ervin, a senior on the NC State softball team.
I am also the secretary of the Student-Athletes Advisory Committee, a group of student-athletes who represent all members of our varsity athletics.
Last Monday, we all got the opportunity to go to Durant Nature Park in North Raleigh for our beginning-of-the-year retreat. This experience offered many lessons and victories for me as well as all the other athletes.
We all met at Case Athletics Center around 8 a.m., which is kind of early for me after sleeping in most of the summer. We got breakfast, yum, muffins and fruit, a great way to start the day. We loaded the vans, and we got the great pleasure of having Tonya Washington be our driver.
So we got to the park and the fun began, literally!
All of the activities dealt with developing leadership, listening skills and overall teamwork. We played Captains Ship (the girls won, of course!), Wizards, Elf’s, and Giants, and various other games to get us thinking.
My favorite exercise was when we split up in teams of 11 and we had two canoes, rope, three inner tubes and some boards to get across the lake. The rules were that everyone had to be tied together and afloat. My group let the guys take control. Of course ,we gave them some direction but overall they built our so-called floating device. My team got two people in each canoe and the rest attempted to get on the float It sunk so we had to make some alterations. I became a rower and our swimmers were on the back of the float kicking, an we made it to the other side of the lake.
It was a great feeling to know that we did that. We did it together and that was what the whole day was about.
For me, the whole day was a success. We learned leadership skills and had the ability to get to know each other better. By the end of the day, everyone was laughing.We took a lot out of this experience and we will be bringing what we learned to all of our teammates so that as a Wolfpack family we can become better together.
Until next time...
Posted by Miranda Ervin, 6:15 a.m., 8/28/06
