Archive for September, 2009

Growing up about five minutes from Pittsburgh in the suburb of Woodland Hills, Luke Matelan can technically call Saturday’s season-opener against Pittsburgh a home game.  Matelan is excited about the chance to play in front of many acquaintances from his recent past.  I recently had a chance to talk with Matelan about YSU, cereal, and civil engineering.  By the way, pronunciation perfectionists, it is (MATT-a-lawn).

Paneech: How does it feel to play against the college you grew up watching on Saturday?

Matelan:  It’s going to be a good homecoming for me.  I get to play in front of my family and friends who don’t always get to make it up here for the games, I’m pretty excited.

Paneech: Why should Penguin fans buy into the notion that things are better this season?

Matelan: It feels like everyone is more together this year.  Last year we had some adversity and people parted ways, but this year I feel like everyone has each other’s backs and we are here for the long haul no matter what happens.

Paneech: Tell me who else recruited you and why you ultimately chose YSU.

Matelan:  Alot of Division 1-AA schools down South were recruiting me.  I chose YSU because I saw winners, and I want to win, so that’s why I came here.  I think we have alot of guys who can do special things here and we just need to put it all together and good things will happen for us.

Paneech: Tell me about your major and what classes you have had that you may have really liked or disliked.

Matelan: I am majoring in Civil Engineering.  I have about a year and a half of schoolwork to complete the requirements to graduate.  The classes are not really that fun, they are alot of work, so you have to make the best of it and enjoy yourself while you can.  Physics is not my favorite subject, but I just deal with it.

Paneech: Does playing football satisfy your phys ed requirements to graduate?

Matelan:  No (laughs), I don’t think so.  We take classes like golf in the offseason to meet the requirements.

Paneech:  How hard is it to keep up with schoolwork during the season?

Matelan:  It gets pretty tough because I am drained when I come back from practice.  I get some food and then I really buckle down and get right to the studies.  It’s tough sometimes, but it is manageable. 

Paneech:  Who is your favorite NFL player and team?

Matelan:  I’ll have to go with the Steelers because I am a hometown guy and I think James Harrison is fantastic coming off of the edge, that guy’s a beast.

Paneech:  Who is your favorite baseball team?

Matelan: I always liked the Seattle Mariners since I was young.

Paneech:  What happened to rooting for hometown teams?  What about the Pirates?

Matelan: We don’t have enough time to talk about the woes of the hometown baseball team right now.

One Word Answers

Favorite Cartoon Character:  I don’t watch cartoons.

Ultimate Vacation Destination: Somewhere in the Carribean on a nice beach.

Favorite Board Game: Scattegories

Favorite Soft Drink: I don’t drink pop.  Just water and milk.

Dream Car To Someday Own:  Some big SUV, like an Excursion.

Greatest Musician of All-Time:  Jimmy Buffet

Best Show On Television:  Burn Notice

One of the best answers I have ever got in my one-word answers follows, I had to print the whole answer.

Favorite Cereal and How Much Do You Eat?  Well, let’s start with the bowl size.  You have probably seen a salad bowl that people get when they eat out somewhere that feeds many people.  I just fill one of those bad boys up with Cinnamon Toast Crunch, it’s always a good pleasure.  I like to snack on that when I get a chance.

In the second game of a Mahoning Valley Scrappers – Jamestown Jammers doubleheader, one of the saddest things I have ever witnessed took place.  In the second inning, an unidentified four-year-old was struck in the head with a line drive foul ball.  The sickening thud quieted everything.  The next thing I saw was a father in a state of panic carrying the child from the first row seat just past the home dugout and frantically screaming for help.  An EMT met the father and the child and guided them into a tunnel leading to the lower-level corridor.

Everything was silent.  The game was halted as everyone held their collective breath for well over a minute.  Once play resumed, I heard the sirens of an ambulance.  I ignored the game for a moment to exit the press room and look over the balcony hoping to get an encouraging glimpse of the young child showing movement or sitting up with an ice pack on his head. 

When the EMT’s got the stretcher up the six steps and the boy was carried and gently laid down, I saw nothing to be hopeful for.  The child was motionless, the family was horrified, and anyone who saw what I saw was scared.

After the game ended, I drifted back to the locker room to get some thoughts from Scrappers Manager Travis Fryman.  Upon getting settled, I overheard Fryman relaying a status update to his team.  I could only get bits and pieces of what he was saying, but knew that it could not be good news.

When Fryman came through the curtain, I asked him to relay any information he had.  “The reports I have have not been optimistic.  A four-year-old boy was hit in the head with a line drive.  There are some cranial issues and some spinal issues that are going on here.  Obviously, the young man will need as much family and prayer support as anyone can give him.  I cringe as a dad and as a coach because I see so much of this, but I have never seen a death as a result.  I probably hurt more as a parent and a father right now as I do a baseball manager.”

The ball came off the bat of Scrapper Ben Carlson.  Fryman commented on Carlson, “Ben is one of the most genuine and sincere and caring young men I have had in two years here.  He is a great teammate, loves his teammates.  This is going to sit really heavy on him through the night tonight.”

It is with a tear in my eye and a prayer in my heart that I can only wish the best for the poor kid who was unintentionally hurt.  I will also pray for Ben Carlson who has to be devastated. 

I will continue to update this story as I receive information.

***Update 9/4/09 @ 1 AM  The boy underwent surgery and has since been transported to an undisclosed children’s hospital where he is said to be in an induced coma.

***Update 9/4/09 @ 12:43 PM  The boy hit by the line drive has been identified as Luke Holko.  Holko has since been moved to Akron Children’s Hospital where he remains in an induced coma.  He has undergone surgery for skull fractures and the next few days are critical. 

***Update 9/4/09 @ 10:40 PM  No change on Luke’s status as far as I could find out.  The Youngstown State baseball team is raising money for their own program by doing vending duties since most of the regular vendors have gone back to their colleges.  Every cent they made at tonight’s Scrappers game was donated to Luke’s cause.  It was great to see these young men working hard to raise money.  There is a benefit cookout scheduled to take place at Sam’s Club in Warren, Ohio on Monday, September 7 (Labor Day) from 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM.  The money generated from the cookout will be used to help offset medical expenses to the family of Luke Holko.  Scrappy The Dog will be on hand.  The address for Sam’s Club #6327 is 1040 Niles-Cortland Rd., Warren, OH.  I will continue to pass along updates as I get them.

***Status Update 9-5-09 @ 9 AM  Luke Holko’s condition is listed as critical.  His family held a press conference yesterday at Akron Children’s Hospital in which the boy’s mother, Nicole Holko, said she is happy that the community is flooding the family with e-mails, support, and donations.  The family also thanked EMT’s for their quick response at the game.  Luke underwent surgery in Youngstown to lift the fracture and take pressure off of his brain.  On Thursday, Luke was transported to Akron where doctors are waiting for the pressure to decrease before they can determine what the long-term effects of the injury will be.  It could take up to 5 days for the swelling to go down.  More updates to follow.

***Status Update 9-5-09 11:30 PM  Be sure to click on the comments at the bottom of this story, I recently received a comment from a close friend of the family which includes a direct quote from Luke’s father.  They are reading this blog and appreciate the support.  Travis Fryman and Ben Carlson traveled to Akron Children’s Hospital this morning where they spent time with the Holko family.  I talked with Ben Carlson after the game tonight.  I wish all professional athletes could see how they should have acted when they were 21.  Ben is doing better and thanks everyone for the support.  Travis also remarked at how incredibly grateful the Holko family is for the overwhelming support.  More updates as I get them.  Thanks for caring enough to check back.  Anyone who knows I was asked by the local television news media and only provided audio clips as an anonymous media source can explain that I am not following this story to promote my website.  I am merely trying to relay information to those concerned for the well-being of Luke, his family, and Ben.  Being the only media source reporting on the incident the night it happened has strengthened my own concerns for the above mentioned parties. 

***Update 9-7-09 5:15 PM  I attended the fundraiser held at the Warren, Ohio,  Sam’s Club to raise money for Luke in the theme of a Labor Day cookout (pictured).  Scrappy, the Mahoning Valley Scrappers Mascot was on-hand.  Several people were lined up to buy the picnic fare food to which all proceeds were being donated to Luke Holko.  I spoke with event coordinator and Sam’s Club grocery/produce manager Jendi Pregibon.  “The response has been overwhelming.  When we started at ten o’clock we had alot of the family members here.  Luke’s aunt is still here with the others volunteering their time.”

I asked Pregibon how she came to be involved in the project to which she very emotionally replied, “I had my family there [at that particular game] and saw it.  We [Sam’s Club] want to reach out to our community and show them how much we care.

In the first of two games at Eastwood Field, the Mahoning Valley Scrappers cashed in on a decent start by Clayton Cook (pictured) to post a 2-0 victory over the Jamestown Jammers.  Cook worked hard and got himself out of trouble a couple of times during his appearance.

Cook made the most of his start by going 5 innings, while only giving up three hits and a walk. The win improved Cook’s record to 5-3 and lowered his ERA to 2.97. He also struck out six Jammers hitters. Matt Packer pitched the final two innings giving up a hit and striking out two en route to his first save of the year.

Offensively, the Scrappers got an RBI each from Jason Kipnis and Ben Carlson knocking in Tim Palincsar and Jesus Brito respectively.

Both games were shortened to seven innings to make the rare doubleheader fit into a reasonable time frame.

The Scrappers have already clinched the division and are assured a playoff berth for the first time since 2004. The significance of the back-to-back doubleheaders is to jockey for home playoff positioning. The early clinching by the Scrappers was highlighted by a 20-6 August record, best in the league.

Travis Fryman was pleased that Cook was able to get the win despite not having his best stuff.  “Clayton wasn’t sharp today.  His last two or three outings have not been really sharp.  He got out of a jam in the first, he got a double play ball later, he kept us in the ballgame and we got some timely hits and came out okay.”

In the grand scheme of football, an opening day performance can make or break a team’s entire season.  The past four opening day losses YSU has suffered against Pitt, Penn State, and Ohio State twice left the Penguins scratching their heads.  Walking away with not a single touchdown in those four contests leaves everyone guessing how good a team really is, regardless of the quality or size of the opponent.

The 2009 YSU Penguins football team seems different in so many ways.  Skill position players are experienced and healthy, Coach Heacock has options, the players are hungry, and most importantly, no one cares about those other four openers.  It’s a new season and the positive vibe and authentic yearning to play makes me feel that this game can be alot closer than people will give it a chance to be.

Pitt is fast and has the Big East in their sights.  Their main weapon is their experienced QB, Bill Stull (6’3″, 215, SR).  Stull threw for 2356 yards last season and Coach Heacock respects his abilities.  “He is a veteran, and anytime you are dealing with Senior veterans, they are special guys.  I would be surprised if he doesn’t play a great football game,” said Heacock of Stull.

Pitt will also unveil true Freshman RB Dion Lewis.  Lewis is only 5’8″ but has another gear.  Pitt Coach Dave Wannstedt said that Lewis could touch the ball 30 times per game.

Heacock feels that if a team is going to play to win that they have to enter the contest with the notion that winning is an option.   “It’s a great opportunity for our guys, playing in those venues, but you have to keep things in perspective because of the numbers that those teams have.”

For YSU to be successful they will have to try their best to keep the Panthers defense off balance.  At Monday’s press conference Heacock used deductive reasoning to justify the matchup.  “Like most of the FBS teams, Pitt has talent that runs fast and plays fast, but we feel that we have some folks that can run fast and play fast also.”

The YSU backfield will see a rotation of two, if not three backs with Kevin Smith and Jabari Scott getting most of the carries.  Brandon Summers hopes he can pick up where he left off last season.  Summers will be looking for Donald Jones, Dominique Barnes, and Aaron Pitts to get into open space and make some catches.

Defensively, this Penguins team is so much different than last year.  Mychal Savage is a beast and he’s not hurt.  Crispin Fernandez is an all-conference DT and Mooney’s Taylor Hill transferred back from Michigan to start for YSU.  The talent is there, the timing seems to be there, and if there is one thing that I have not found yet, it’s nerves.

So all of you national sports geniuses and Pitt fans can laugh it up at my expense if I am dead wrong about Saturday.  I am not saying that YSU will win the game, but I refuse to declare they will lose either.  In 2005, I am aware of a 41-0 beating.  This is a new year.  Teams witnessed Appalachian State beating Michigan and know that these wins are possible.  Look for the Penguins to do more than score a TD and break that dry spell against FBS teams.

What kind of DH would Superman have been?  If we cut his head out of the picture and tape on Mark McGwire, we would have about the same physique.  So this means that Superman was probably juicing before this at-bat.  Kryptonite would have been a change-up, and the X-Ray Vision would have come in handy to spot a good corked bat to use.

Here are some stories from other great sites:

• Joe Sports Fan has pictures of the Monday Night Football crew being all euphoric because Brett Favre was playing.
• Josh Q. Public calls the Atlanta Braves Omar Infante “Mr. Clutch”, as he has been delivering for the Braves who are sneaking back into Wildcard contention.
• Sharapova’s Thigh unveils the list of the 40 most undeserving MLB Starting Lineup figures of all-time.
• Buster Sports is reporting that the Dave Matthews Band has been named the official band for ESPN College Gameday.
• NESW Sports has proof that a tatoo doesn’t wash off as some Seattle Seahawks fans are stuck with Mike Holmgren pasted to their bodies forever.
• Steady Burn takes a look at the world gravy wrestling championships, where a victory is to be savored.
• Not Qualified To Comment has proof that those Chinese people can’t be fooled with a bandana and glasses get-up like Steve Nash used to conceal his true identity.
• PSAMP has video of some questionable pee wee football blocking tactics.
• My Sports Rumors analyzes Brett Favre’s Monday Night Football performance and asks “what’s up with that? “
• Bootlegger Sports takes a look at the new Rawlings S100 batting helmet.
• The World Of Isaac posted Rich Rodriguez crying at his last Michigan press conference.  Man up when you get caught cheating!
• Jay Cutler Superstar weighs the numbers of the recent Bears-Broncos game.  Denver fans are gonna regret this trade and these numbers will show you why.
• Cincy Jungle, a Bengals website takes a look at the Andre Smith signing.