Dallas upends Arizona 20-18 in Hall of Fame Game

Photo by Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2017, All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2017 TexSport Publications

CANTON, TEXAS (August 3, 2017) The Cardinals scored 15 points in the first quarter, but it was not enough to stop the Cowboys in the second half as Dallas came from behind to down Arizona 20-18 in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio on Thursday, August 3, 2017. 

The Cardinals struck first, taking the initial kickoff and moving the ball 75 yards to cap  he drive with  five-yard 
run by running back Kerwynn Williams. The four-year veteran from Utah State took the ball from quarterback Blaine Gabbert and swept around the left side for the score. The drive lasted 4:14 and took eight plays. They increased their lead to 15-0 six minutes later when running back Andre Ellington carried the ball the final three yards of a 64-yard drive for the second touchdown of the game. After two defensive penalties on Dallas, Gabbert kept the ball and rushed the final one-yard for the two points. He stated after the game “I felt like the offense did a good job coming back. … I thought we played better as it went on.”

Photo by Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2017, All Rights Reserved

The Cowboys quickly came back on their next possession and drove 89 yards in 3:54 to get on the scoreboard. Quarterback Kellen Moore connected with tight end Rico Gathers on a 26-yard pass for the touchdown. Sam Irwin-Hill split the uprights for the conversion to cut the Cardinals' lead to eight. Dallas added three more points to their first half total when Irwin-Hill booted a 23-yard field goal to make the score 15-10 with 7:51 remaining in the second quarter. The drive covered 83 yards in 12 plays and lasted 5:36. After the Dallas kickoff, the Cardinals started their drive on their 40-yard line, after Irwin-Hill shanked the kickoff out of bounds. After three-and-out, the Cardinals punted with the Cowboys fair-catching the ball on their own 20-yard line. With both teams feeling each other out for the remainder of the first half, the score remained 15-10 at halftime.

Photo by Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2017, All Rights Reserved

The Cowboys added a touchdown and two field goals in the second half to take their scoring to 20. The Cardinals booted a field goal in the second half to close out the scoring. Gabbert completed 11 passes on 14 attempts for 185 yards. Rookie Trevor Knight saw some action; went 5-of-14 for 68 yards while rushing for 12 yards. Cowboy starter Kellen Moore went 12-of-17 for 182 yards and one touchdown, while backup rookie Cooper Rush was 9-of-18 for 87 yards and one touchdown. T.J. Logan led all Cardinal rushers with four carries for 24 yards while Rod Smith tallied 64 yards in 18 carries for the Cowboys.

The Cowboys will next face the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday August 12 while the Cardinals play the Oakland Raiders on the same day.

Limited Edition Commemorative Framed PhotoTo Celebrate David Robinson’s Hall of Fame Induction

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS (April 6, 2009) He was born in Key West, Florida, the second child whose father was in the Navy. The family would move many times, to northern Virginia where he became a celebrated high school athlete.

But shortly before he made his Osbourn Park High School basketball team in Manassas, Virginia, the kid who was only 5 foot, 9 inches quit the game in junior high. Yes, David Robinson almost gave up on basketball. However, in the span of about four years, he suddenly grew to 6 foot, 7 inches. By his senior season, the coach added him to the team, where David earned all-area and all district recognition—but no college scholarships.

The rest is history. Robinson’s desire for an education (he had scored 1320 on his SAT) led him to the Naval Academy, where he majored in mathematics. But he also excelled in basketball and went on to become the greatest player in Naval Academy history.

Today, David Maurice Robinson is being recognized as one of the greatest basketball players ever. The Admiral, as he was known during his days with the San Antonio Spurs, will be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA in September (10-12). The announcement was made today in Detroit, site of the NCAA Final Four.

A career that began with the Spurs during the 1989-90 season, and ended with a second NBA title after the 2002-03 season, found the soft-spoken lefty being named one of the NBA’s Top 50 Players of all-time. It also saw him become the only male basketball player to ever play in three Olympics, including the 1992 US Olympic Dream Team that won the gold medal in Barcelona.

To recognize David Robinson for his monumental achievements as a Spurs player, and for his on-going contributions to the San Antonio community, Nikco Sports is producing only 2,009 framed and double matted 15 x 17 inch photos of the Spurs giant for his Hall of Fame induction. These will be sold on a first-come basis for $89.95, with the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central & South Texas receiving a portion of the proceeds. This special promotion helps to raise funds for many youngsters who have life-threatening medical conditions and who look to their local Make-A-Wish Foundation for support to grant them wishes.

This historic limited edition item can purchased by calling 1-800-345-2868 or by visiting www.nikcosports.com. Each officially licensed photo will be individually numbered. In recent years, Nikco Sports has donated more than $1.7 million to children’s charities throughout the country.


“David Robinson exemplifies everything that is good about athletics and his accomplishments both on and off the court for the San Antonio Spurs makes this special commemorative even more meaningful,” said Nikco Sports CEO Craig Bidner, whose company has continued to give back to the community since its inception in 1992, including several projects in the San Antonio area connected to the Spurs NBA championships. “We’re very pleased to play a small part in this salute, and to tie in this historic moment with the Make-A-Wish Foundation.”

The framed color photo of Robinson features the Admiral finishing off one of his patented dunks. To the side of the photo, inset into the matting, is an engraved plate that lists just a few of the many highlights in his career, such as:

· NBA champion: 1999 and 2003
· NBA MVP: 1995
· NBA Defensive Player of the Year: 1990
· NBA Rebounding Title: 1991
· NBA Blocked Shots Title: 1992
· NBA First Team: 4 times (1991-1992, 1995 and 1996)
· NBA All-Defensive Team: 4 times (1991, 1992, 1995 and 1996)
· NBA Top 50 All-Time Team
· Three Olympics: only male basketball player to ever play in as many Olympics

During the past several years, Nikco Sports has raised more than $1.7 million for charitable organizations across the nation with the issue of limited-edition sports memorabilia that has honored amateur and professional teams, as well as select athletes such athletes as Dan Marino, Brett Favre, Jerome Bettis, Ben Roethlisberger, along with Peyton Manning, Jim Kelly, Carson Palmer, Steve Young, John Elway, David Robinson, John Stockton, Lebron James, Magic Johnson, Roger Clemens, Don Larsen, Ryne Sandberg, Paul Molitor, Kirby Puckett, Edgar Martinez, Ichiro, Ozzie Smith, Mark McGwire, Ken Griffey Jr., Nolan Ryan, Tony Gwynn, Craig Biggio and Cal Ripken Jr.

About the Make-A-Wish Foundation
The Make-A-Wish Foundation® grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Born in 1980 when a group of caring individuals helped a young boy fulfill his dream of becoming a police officer, the Foundation is now the largest wish-granting charity in the world, with 67 chapters in the U.S. and its territories. With the help of generous donors and nearly 25,000 volunteers, the Make-A-Wish Foundation grants more than 12,600 wishes a year and has granted more than 168,000 wishes in the U.S. since inception.

NBC to Broadcast 2008 U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO (August 1, 2008) From 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. ET Sunday, August 3, sports fans across the United States can celebrate the achievements of the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame Class of 2008, presented by Allstate. NBC, home of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and broadcast partner of the United States Olympic Committee, will present the made-for-television national telecast. Jim Lampley, who will cover his fourteenth Olympic Games this summer, returns as master of ceremonies for the 90-minute program.

This year’s individual inductees are wrestler Bruce Baumgartner, marathoner Joan Benoit Samuelson, figure skater Brian Boitano, volleyball player Karch Kiraly, boxer Oscar De La Hoya, equestrian J. Michael Plumb, Paralympic swimmer John Morgan, basketball player David Robinson, swimmer Amy Van Dyken and shooter Lones Wigger, Jr. Figure skating coach Carlo Fassi was inducted posthumously in the Coach category and Olympic figure skating gold medalist Carol Heiss Jenkins was inducted in the Veteran category. The members of the 1996 Women’s Gymnastics Team, Amanda Borden, Amy Chow, Dominique Dawes, Shannon Miller, Dominique Moceanu, Jaycie Phelps and Kerri Strug, were honored in the Team category, while legendary Hollywood producer Frank Marshall was recognized as the Special Contributor.

Highlights of the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, for which Kleenex and AT&T were associate sponsors, include:
•A reunion of the “Magnificent Seven” 1996 Women’s Gymnastics Team
•Kristi Yamaguchi’s heartfelt introduction of her childhood hero, Brian Boitano, and their impromptu “dance” off stage
•Summer Sanders’ warm backstage interview with wrestler Bruce Baumgartner

“The legacies and contributions of this year’s inductees will now live forever as they join our country’s greatest Olympians in the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame,” said Lisa Cochrane, vice president of marketing at Allstate. “As a sponsor of the Hall of Fame since its celebrated revitalization in 2004, Allstate is proud to help protect and preserve this important part of our identity and source of American pride.”

Many distinguished members of the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame attended the induction ceremony to introduce the Class of 2008 honorees. Among those serving as presenters were figure skaters Dick Button, Peggy Fleming and Kristi Yamaguchi; gymnast Bart Connor; track & field’s Carl Lewis and the last U.S. male marathoner to win an Olympic gold medal, Frank Shorter.

Other presenters included Olympic Gold Medal swimmer Nancy Hogshead-Maker (Amy Van Dyken); USOC Chief Executive Officer Jim Scherr (Bruce Baumgartner); IOC member and USOC VP, International Bob Ctvrtlik (Karch Kiraly); U.S. Equestrian Federation President David O’Connor (J. Michael Plumb); Captain Ron Wigger (Lones Wigger, Jr.); CEO of 24 Hour Fitness Carl Liebert and 1996 U.S. Olympic Basketball Coach Lenny Wilkens (David Robinson); and Brigadier General Patrick Finnegan (John Morgan).

The U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame was established in 1979 to celebrate the achievements of America's premier athletes in the modern Olympic Games. The first U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame class was inducted in 1983 during ceremonies in Chicago. That Charter Class, which included Olympic greats Jesse Owens, Jim Thorpe and Muhammad Ali, remains the largest group (20 individuals and one team) ever inducted. In 2004, after a 12-year hiatus, the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame was revived through the support of Allstate Insurance Company as the presenting sponsor. This year, Allstate is again the presenting sponsor for the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, with second-year associate sponsors Kleenex and AT&T. With the addition of the Class of 2008, 213 athletes (including seven U.S. teams), two coaches, and 13 special contributors to the U.S. Olympic Movement have been enshrined in the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame.