Chris Lofton Played 2008 Season While Battling Cancer

I don't think I'm alone in feeling like an absolute ass this morning for my in season criticisms of Chris Lofton's play after leaning last night via the excellent article by ESPN's Chris Low that the Tennessee guard played the entire season recovering fromm testicular cancer. Lofton's play all season always seemed a bit off, particularly late in games when he always looked fatigued and was prone to costly turnovers and bad shots. Now with this news, it all makes sense.

Truly must read article from Low about Lofton's fight to get back on the court. What amazes me almost as much Lofton's quick recovery was that no one knew about it until now.

"It was a very tight circle of people who knew. That circle included Lofton's parents, the Tennessee coaches and medical staff and a handful of others.The only teammate Lofton told was fellow senior guard Jordan Howell, and that was late in the season. Lofton and Howell roomed together on the road. Even Lofton's other family members -- aunts, uncles and cousins -- didn't know."

I'm curious to know how many college hoops writers or reporters knew about this and just kept it under wraps for Loftons' sake. Either way, simply amazing in this day and age that this story wasn't leaked until one month after the season. Stay healthy Chris, we are all rooting for you

Going Pro in Something Else, With NCAA Money

Here at STF, we are plugged in to college basketball year round. The various conferences send news updates into our email box whenever there's something to report. Last night, we got one that actually gave us new information on an aspect of the NCAA that we were previously unaware of. Apparently the NCAA really does help student-athletes go pro in something else, as their public service announcements proclaim.

The NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship is awarded to 87 men and 87 women who have completed their collegiate eligibility while demonstrating academic excellence. The awards are given to athletes in any NCAA sport, and are spread from Division III up to Division I based on merit. The $7500 scholarships can be used at any accredited graduate school, domestic or foreign.

This year's sole DI men's basketball winner is Jack Leasure of Coastal Carolina, who made several academic all-america teams while averaging 16.8 ppg. Last year, two-time NCAA champion Florida Gator Lee Humphrey took home the cash. Some guys have all the luck, talent, brains, and hard work, eh?

In this case, I'm inclined to give the NCAA some credit for putting money where their mouths are. Yes, most of the time they muddy the student-athlete waters more than they clarify them, but this is a good thing. I'll be looking into this story further - I'd love to find out what some of these athletes have done with the money. Who knows? Your doctor could be a former NCAA hoops star.

[NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Program]

Quite A Week for Carolina Basketball

Still questioning Tyler Hansbroughs' decision not to test the NBA waters? Instead of tirelessly working out for scouts without much of a desire to really leave school, Hansbrough got to play basketball with a presidential candidate Barack Obama and...... jump off a roof into a swimming pool like he was the god damn king of Chapel Hill. Looks pretty damn fun to me. That is, of course, as long as he doesn't snap his neck in the process.


Also joining in the fun was Carolina reserve Bobby Frasor, who is coming off a season ending knee injury. If it's any consolation Roy, it looks like Frasor isn't going to be afraid of re-injuring his knee when he steps back on the court.




See Buzz, we are humanizing these players, not making fun of them. Honestly, I'm freakin' jealous of them.

In the Offseason, You Get Link Dumps

OK, it's the offseason, and Marco and I hate recruiting, but we'll still find stuff to post about every few days or so, so keep us in your favorites. For now, I've piled up a few links that have been sent my way over the past few days and will now forcibly eject them onto your monitors.

Hansbrough is transferring!!!! OK, it's younger brother Ben Hansbrough, heading from Mississippi State to Notre Dame. [ESPN.com]

STF friend of the program Jacob E. Osterhout (of CBS College Sports Going Mad fame) chimes in on Johnny Dawkins heading to Stanford as well as other college related goodies over at his weekly column for SI on Campus (SI on Campus)

Our Big East correspondent Ted Bauer got a big interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer. The anchor waxes poetic about baseball and sports movies amongst other things, but of most interest to us, he names a certain 1995 college basketball game as his favorite in-person experience. [ESPN the Magazine]

Stet Sports calls Grievis Vasquez the Telemundo version of Gilbert Arenas - with all that entails, I suppose. Anyway, General Grievis will be back at Maryland next year. Good choice, methinks. [Stet Sports]

After a contentious, up-and-down '07-'08 season, the folks in Lexington are starting to see what Billy Gillispie brings to the table. [A Sea of Blue]

Am I the only one who read this Quin Snyder-falls-on-hard-times article as a comedy piece? [ESPN.com]

Hansbrough for Vice President?

Barack Obama is trying to regain his momentum with a win in the North Carolina primaries, and he chose wisely by attending a UNC practice. This clever political ruse will force Hillary Clinton to align herself with the Duke Blue Devils, which will doom her candidacy.

Check out Hansbrough pretending that he can't reach that Obama shot. That kid's got a future in politics.

You may remember that STF endorsed Obama back in February.

A Match Made in Arkansas

College basketball fans were stunned when LSU coach John Brady was fired partway through the 2008 season. The first words out of the knowledgeable fan's mouth were usually "What? A Final Four isn't good enough?"

Coach Brady has landed on his feet... sort of. He's taken over at Arkansas State in the Sun Belt conference. Let's take a look at the matchup of coach to school:

Coach John Brady

Record: 273-203 (.574)

Prior Head Coaching Experience: Samford University 1991-1997 (89-77)

Louisiana State University 1997-2008 (192-139) with two NITs, four NCAA appearances, and one Final Four.

Former Players: Stromile Swift, Jabari Smith, Glen "Big Baby" Davis.

Arkansas State University

Location: Jonesboro, Arkansas

Nickname: Red Wolves (recently changed from "Indians")

Conference: Sun Belt

2008 Record: 10-20

NCAA Appearances: One - 1999, #15 seed lost to #2 Utah in first round.

Brady will likely have a very rough road in his first two seasons in Jonesboro. The real question is, when is another big-time program going to come calling? Brady has said all the right things about staying at ASU, but his resume is bound to excite some interest before too long.

Is it a match made in heaven? Or a marriage of convenience? I don't want to be a cynic, but I've been to Arkansas, and it's not for everyone. Especially in the summertime.

Hansbrough Returns to Chapel Hill, 2008-09 Season Rejoices

The 2008-09 college basketball season, a mere six months away (not like anyone is counting) has already gotten a gigantic boost in April with the announcement over the weekend that Tyler Hansbrough will be staying in Chapel Hill for his senior season.

Forget for a moment that fact that Hansbrough is probably going to earn an unprecedented fourth consecutive first team All-American honors , second consecutive AP Player of the Years and shatter Carolina’s all-time scoring record, college basketball fans should be excited that next season has a clear-cut, target-on-back, absolutely loaded #1 team. And trust me, this is going to be pretty damn fun for all parties involved, even Duke fans. As with all sports, things are just better when there is clear cut giant that everyone wants to take down. And this works much better when that team is blue-blooded North Carolina, not Florida, where basketball is clearly second to football.

If at least two for the three Carolina early entrees (Lawson, Green, Ellington) return, this team easily revivals 06’ Florida. Hell, throw in the return of super-sub Bobby Frasor and recruits Tyler Zeller, Ed Davis and Larry Drew and this team may map the floor with that Florida squad.
So it appears as if we already have our juggernaut for the 2009 season. As long as Ellington, Lawson and Green all don’t bolt to the NBA, all Carolina games are going to be must see next season.

Six months, it’s not that far away is it?