Daily Sports Digest: Bringing in the New Year

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2011 is in the books and the start of the New Year offers us a time to open ourselves up to new endeavors and try something original. The New York Giants will be entering the playoffs for the first time in an eternity (or so it seems), while the Jets will be working on their golf games and their fans won’t be able to watch the Knicks or Rangers so they will be counting down the days till pitchers and catchers report.

The Baltimore Ravens wrapped up the No. 2 seed in the AFC with a 12-4 record this season. It seems like Maryland wouldn’t be local news it is when you consider the Ravens are led by New Rochelle’s own Ray Rice. Rice was recently named the conference’s starter in this year’s Pro Bowl and with 13 touchdowns and the fifth most rushing yards in the league it is easy to see why.

The New Year also gives us an opportunity to reflect back upon the colossal moments that helped shape our lives during the past 12 months. Anyone who knows me recognizes that my family and I are no strangers to a or two, but on New Year’s Eve the New Era Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium showed us someone in the press box who has become much bigger then any football game.

Former defensive end Eric LeGrand was paralyzed over a year ago making a tackle on a special teams play, but the big guy remains a huge part of Rutgers football. After the Scarlet Knights beat Iowa State 27-13 in the bowl game Head Coach Greg Schiano took the game’s trophy and shouted up into the press box.

"Hey Big E! Hey Big E! This one's for you, buddy," Said Schiano.

The fans in the Bronx chanted “Eric” as LeGrand sat up in the press box and smiled ear to ear proud of the way his team wrapped up the 2011 season.

Sports Illustrated recently unveiled their “Pictures of the Year” issue in late December and for the first time in its 57-year history the magazine took the decision away from the editors and left it up to the fans to decide. Eric LeGrand leading his teammates on to the field was selected for the cover art, and expectedly the big man had a big grin on his face when he heard the news.

To keep up on Eric LeGrand and his recovery efforts or to make a donation to the “Eric LeGrand Believe Fund” check out the site set up by the Scarlet Knights.

College Sports Note
Nyack College coach keeps on truckin’

“It never hurts to win,” notes Nyack College men’s basketball coach Ted Quinn, who also readily admits that losing can take something out of you.

“You still keep trying to do things to win, and endure the tough times and stay motivated,” said the Warriors’ fourth-year head coach, who doubles as the college’s assistant athletic director.

Quinn has good reason to stay motivated, as the Warriors, winless in 12 games, take on their last non-conference opponent tonight (Dec. 30) when they meet Dowling (2-5) in Oakdale at 7 p.m.

After this game, Nyack College opens a rough Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) schedule Tuesday, meeting Bloomfield (8-5) in New Jersey at 8 p.m. The Warriors return home to host Holy Family University (5-4) of Philadelphia on Jan. 7 at 3 p.m.

“The league seems to get stronger every year, and everything is a struggle. But we feel we can compete each night, we feel that way—that we can win every game,” Quinn said.

“We’re a young team, and it’s a process. It would be easy to get discouraged if we just focused on the record. We’re in a position where we have to always look at the final outcome, even if it doesn’t come tomorrow or next week. We just can’t focus on the losing. In fact, it might be just as tough not to get complacent if you won every game. We want to keep getting better, even if it’s not showing up in wins and losses.”

Not surprisingly, Quinn has several players who are performing at a high level, led by the veteran 6-foot-6 senior forward out of Staten Island, Lafayette Curtis, who is second on the team in scoring with 10 points per game.

“The last four or five games he has really come on,” Quinn noted. “He’s been averaging about 15 points and seven-eight rebounds. He’s shooting at a high percentage, and does a lot of good things.”

Also playing well as a young player is guard Jose Pena-Benjamin of Rahway, NJ, who is new to the program out of Colby Junior College in Colby, KS.

“He’s leading us in scoring (11.3 points per game), and he rebounds, gets assists and makes steals, without really getting his feet grounded. He’s still getting comfortable,” Quinn observed.

Another key player has been forward Ryan Woodard of Clinton, MD, who is averaging a team-high 5.8 rebounds per game, and is third in scoring at 8.6, in his second year with the program.

“He’s had several double-doubles (points/rebounds),” said Quinn.

Yesterday’s Results:

Sport: Ice Hockey (Friday)

Game: Pearl River vs. Ossining

Score: Pearl River Won 7-2

Highlights: Chris Alexander led the Pirates with two goals and an assist and Patrick Burns added two scores of his own. James Brosnan and Jake Camiliere each scored for Ossining in the loss.

Today’s Schedule:

Pearl River Schools are closed today and there are no athletic events scheduled. Pearl River sports resume Tuesday.