FIELD SET FOR WORLD BOWLING TOUR FINALS

ARLINGTON, TEXAS (October 24, 2011)  The finalists for the World Tenpin Bowling Association World Bowling Tour Finals presented by the Professional Bowlers Association were determined Oct. 22 after the conclusion of the AMF Australian Masters - the final event on the 2011 World Bowling Tour. 

The top three players in the final World Bowling Tour points list in both the men's and women's divisions advanced to the World Bowling Tour Finals, which will take place Nov. 17 in Las Vegas with a total prize fund of $40,000. 

Finland's Mika Koivuniemi took the top spot in the men's rankings with 198 points, while the United States' Sean Rash was second with 142 points. Jason Belmonte of Australia finished third with 120 points. On the women's side, the United States' Carolyn Dorin-Ballard finished first with 145 ranking points. 

A pair of Swedes were next with Nina Flack in second at 120 and Sandra Andersson third with 111 points. 

The World Bowling Tour is made up of various events around the world throughout the course of 2011. 

Players earn points based on how they finish in the event and those points were tabulated throughout the season to determine the top three men and top three women who will be invited to compete in the World Bowling Tour Finals presented by the Professional Bowlers Association. 

The World Bowling Tour Finals are scheduled to take place at the PBA's World Series of Bowling on Nov. 17. 

The event will be aired nationally in the United States. The top three men and top three women will bowl a stepladder finals format in their respective divisions at the World Bowling Tour Finals. 

The prize money for each division is the same, with the winner taking $10,000, second place earning $6,000 and third place winning $4,000. 

The World Tenpin Bowling Association, which is made up of 115 bowling federations, governs the sport throughout the world. For more information on WTBA and the World Bowling Tour, visit WorldTenpinBowling.com.

Houston Texans vs. Tennessee Titans: The Last Time Around (in 2010)

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2011 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (October 23, 2011) Today, the Houston Texans will face off against their AFC rivals, the Tennessee Titans with a 12 p.m. CT kickoff in Nashville.

The last time the Texans faced the Titans, Houston trailed 24-3 at halftime and never caught up in a 31-17 loss on Dec. 19, 2010 at LP Field in Nashville.

Texans quarterback Matt Schaub was 35-of-54 for 325 yards, but the Titans out-rushed the Texans 147-30.

Titans running back Chris Johnson had 130 rushing yards, while Tennessee held RB Arian Foster to a season-low 15 yards on 11 carries.

The Titans led the entire way after scoring on the game’s opening possession. Quarterback Kerry Collins threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Nate Washington two plays after throwing a 39-yard pass to Damian Williams on 4th-and-8 from the 42-yard line.

The Texans turned the ball over on their first possession after Foster was stuffed for a four-yard loss on 4th-and-1 from the 35.

On the next play, Titans wide receiver Kenny Britt turned a near-interception into a 52-yard gain to the 2-yard line.

Cornerback Glover Quin was primed to pick off Collins’ pass before safety Troy Nolan tipped it and the ball bounced right to Britt.

Four plays later, Collins threw a one-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Justin Gage on 4th-and-goal.

After a 23-yard punt by Matt Turk, the Titans only had to go 44 yards to make it 21-0 with an 11-yard run by Chris Johnson.

The Texans got on the scoreboard with a 37-yard field goal by Neil Rackers late in the second quarter.

The Titans answered with a 30-yard field goal from Rob Bironas on the last play of the first half.

On the first series of the third quarter, wide receiver Andre Johnson got the Texans within 24-10 with the 50th touchdown catch of his career on a 12-yard pass from Schaub.

The Titans went up 31-10 with a seven-yard touchdown run by Javon Ringer near the end of the third quarter.

With 6:28 left in the game, the Texans made it 31-17 after a four-yard touchdown pass from Schaub to Kevin Walter.

Houston Cougars Thump Marshall 63-28: Where Do They Go from Here?

By Robert H Kelly

Copyright 2011 TexSport Publications

Photo by Darla Tamulitis-La Vita Loco Photography, 

Copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved.

HOUSTON, TEXAS (October 22, 2011) What can one say after a football game that ends in a 35-point win for the home team and raises the team’s season record to 7-0?

Some may think that the score says it all and that nothing more needs to be said.

If the world was so simple that above statement would simply be enough.

More precisely, if the game of college football was so simple it might make for an easier time of understand the game as a whole.

But college football is not that simple. One must indeed look at what else happened in the game.

Yes, the Houston Cougars are now 7-0 after their 63-28 thumping of the Thundering Herd of Marshall.

Marshall came into Robertson Stadium sporting a 2-1 Conference USA record and leading the East Division of the conference.

The Thundering Herd controlled the ball for 42 minutes of the game. That means the Cougars’ defense was on the field for nearly 3/4 of the game.

No matter what one thinks about the Houston defense, that fact definitely had an impact on the game.

Add that to the realization that Houston has been struggling with their defense all season makes for a dangerous situation if their opponents offense ever gets on the move.

Case Keenum threw for 376 yards and six touchdowns in Houston's 63-28 win over Marshall. Photo by Darla Tamulitis-La Vita Loco Photography, Copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved

Houston gave up 506 total yards to Marshall. That is way too much.

Holding them to 28 points was a factor in the game, but the fact is Marshall failed to capitalize on their offensive drives and Houston scored easily when they did have possession of the ball.

Case Keenum had a very successful day. He competed 24 of 28 passes for 376 yards and six touchdowns.

That performance did enable him to become the NCAA's career total offense record holder.

If he keeps this up, he should have no problem breaking both the NCAA all-time passing yardage record and the NCAA all time touchdown passes record.

The Cougars should have their next game against cross-town rival Rice. The Owls

sport a 2-5 record and should be no match for the Cougars. But the way college football is, nothing is guaranteed.

Houston head coach Kevin Sumlin needs to evaluate the defensive performance from today’s game and continue to tweak and refine where the defense is going.

To his credit, the Houston defense has shown improvement this year and is steps above when it was this time last year.

However, if he hopes to build on what has dome so far and continue to see improvement, he must expect…no, he must demand that the defense step up and do a better job than it did against Marshall.

After all, he has at least five games to go in 2011 and possibly two more if he gets to the C-USA championship game and the eventual bowl game that may come at the season’s end.

Add that to all the speculation of a possible move to the Big East Conference and all that implies makes the defensive situation crucial.

After all, this is college football and anything can happen.

Houston Golf Returns from Weekend Retreat

NavySEALs, team-building exercises prepare Cougars for 2011-12 season
HOUSTON, TEXAS (August 30, 2011) With the fall season less than two weeks away, the University of Houston golf team recently returned from a weekend retreat designed to inspire and energize the student-athletes.

Head coach Jonathan Diskmuke, assistant coach Chris Hill and the 2011-12 Cougar team recently took part in a retreat in The Woodlands. During that time, members of the team went through team-building activities and set goals for the upcoming campaign.

For Dismuke, getting away from the campus and the Athletics Department for a few days is a great way for the student-athletes to focus a little more and get to know each other better.

“We get away from the city for a few days and come together to establish goals and get our mind right for the beginning of theseason,” said Dismuke, who begins his third season with the Cougars. “This weekend was about establishing a championship culture for us and building what we want to become in the future.”

One of the highlights for all team members was listening to a pair of Navy SEALs. On Friday night, the team listened to an active duty SEAL member, who cut an impressive figure in his white uniform bedecked with rows of ribbons. That SEAL member, who could not be identified by name or in photographs due to his current status, shared his story of overcoming poverty to become a leader in one of the military’s most prestigious and lethal units.

SEAL Commander Mark McGinnis spoke to the Cougars on Friday night and Saturday morning. As a leader of more than 400 successful missions during his military career, McGinnis emphasized the importance of brotherhood among team members, attention to detail, organization and building a championship culture to the Cougars. With an engaging style and endless military stories, McGinnis held the Cougars’ attention for hours each day.

“The Navy SEALs are one of the most respected organizations in the world. The culture they have created is second to none,” Dismuke said. “Their hard work, dedication and sacrifice have established Navy SEALs as an example for the rest of the world. I couldn’t think of a better group to speak to, challenge and inspire our team, and we were very fortunate to have them come out this weekend.”

The Cougars open the 2011 fall season when they compete at the Gopher Invitational on Sept. 11-12 at Spring Hill Golf Club in Wayzata, Minn.

Houston Swimming & Diving Falls to Miami

HOUSTON, TEXAS (October 21, 2011) The University of Houston swimming and diving team fell to the University of Miami 136.5-103.5 Friday evening at the Campus Recreation & Wellness Center. The Cougars turned in four first place finishes and two NCAA “B” cut times in the losing effort.

The loss was the first on the season for the Cougars and the first under head coach Augie Busch. Houston was on the road last weekend and went 3-0 in Boston against Boston University, Northeastern and Boston College.

“I feel like our effort was there and that’s all you can control,” said Busch. “We’re really tired at this point with our training and nothing is coming easy to anyone right now. That’ where we should be right now.”

“We’re training really hard right now and we’ll be tired again next week. But this will be great work for our invite (Phill Hansel Cougar Classic Invitational) in four weeks.”

Heather Winn took first (10:18.56) in the 1,000 yard free to lead a strong showing by Houston as they finished 1,3,4 and 5 in the event. It was Winn’s third win of the year in the event.

Winn also registered an NCAA “B” cut time in the 500 yard free when she touched the wall in 5:03.98B to finish as runner up.

Reka Kovacs placed first in the 200 yard IM and notched another NCAA “B” cut time in 2:07.47. The junior delivered a strong back half of the event to overtake first place for her second 200 IM and third IM win on the season.

Junior Julia Lonnegren scored 13 points for Houston as she took first in the 1M and runner up in the 3M during the diving portion of the evening. Lonnegren dropped her first event of the year by less than five points.

“We’re still learning out there,” said head diving coach Jane Figueiredo. “My expectations go up every meet and we need to compete a little bit better. We are working hard but we have to keep going.”

The Cougars capped the evening off with a victory in the 400 free relay as Moira Fraser, Kim Eeson, Colleen Donovan and Maddie Clark teamed up to finish in 3:34.68.

Eeson turned in the fastest split of the squad (52.42) and finished as the runner up in the 100 and 200 yard freestyle. Frasier and Clark were on the second place 200-yard medley relay along with Beccy Hillis and Heather Coutts to open the meet.

The Cougars return to the water next weekend at Rice University for the Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Med Center Invitational. Houston will face Arkansas, Boise State, Nebraska and Rice on the two-day event.

Houston Cougars Football: Pregame Thoughts and Observations

(Photo by Darla Tamulitis-La Vita Loco Photography, Copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved.)

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2011 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (October 21, 2011) With about 1.5 hours until kickoff of the Houston Cougars and the Marshall Thundering Herd, I can be found sitting in the press box at Robertson Stadium enjoying a plate of nachos and drink a Diet Coke.

Having all my pre-game coverage completed, it also gives me time to put my fingers on the keys of this old laptop and to expound on some observations I made while walking to the stadium from the satellite lot where I parked my old Chevy truck.

This weekend is homecoming. The air is full of the atmosphere of any typical football, except it multiplied to the Nth degree.

There is more bar-be-cue, beer and red and white that this place has seen in a long time.

Yes, it is like that at any Cougars game, but this is homecoming weekend.

Alumni come from all over to visit the campus and see the spectacle that this game has become.

The Cougars are 6-0. The last time they had won their first six games without a loss was 1990.

Quarterback Case Keenum is on track to break two more records this season.

He needs 130 yards to pass Hawai’i’s Timmy Chang on the NCAA FBS All-Time Total Offense list.

Unless the ground opens up and swallows the entire Cougar offensive squad, that record will be broken today.

He also needs three touchdown passes to pass Texas Tech’s Graham Harrell on the NCAA FBS All-Time Touchdown Passes list.

Harrell currently holds the record with 134 TD passes.

That record could also go down today. In fact, I would be willing to bet the rent money that it does.

But setting all that aside, The Rob is the place to be in Houston this weekend.

Talk is all round about the idea of Houston leaving Conference USA and joining the Big East Conference.

Other talk is going around about the Mountain West Conference and Conference USA combining in football for a “super” 32-team conference.

But as in everything, talk is cheap and rumors abound at every turn

If any of those proposals, rumors, and scuttlebutt becomes reality, there will be time to discuss the pros and cons of them later.

Today is about the Houston Cougars football team winning a game. Today is about homecoming. Today is about Case Keenum breaking two NCAA records.

In closing, today is about the next four hours and what happens on the green grass inside Robertson Stadium

Hosuton Cougars Football. There is nothing like it in Houston on October 21, 2011.

Texas Aggies Football Hit Road; Look for Third Straight Win

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2011 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (October 22, 2011) Texas A&M will be seeking its third straight win, including its second straight on the road when the Aggies take on unranked Iowa State in a 2:36 contest on Saturday at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa.

The Aggies are coming off wins over Texas Tech in Lubbock and Baylor last Saturday in College Station as they gear up for the challenge from the Cyclones.

After sweeping its non-conference games, ISU has opened Big 12 play with losses to Texas, Baylor and Missouri.

With ISU as a tradition Big 12 North foe, the two teams have played just 10 games previously with A&M holding a 9-1 advantage in the series.

The Aggies have won the last two games since ISU’s lone win in the series in 2005 (ISU 42, A&M 14 in College Station).

A win over ISU would give Aggies ninth win in last 10 Big 12 contests, which would be the most successful run against Big 12 opponents ever.

The Aggies went 8-1 vs. Big 12 in 1998 (7-1 regular season, plus title game).

Quarterback Ryan Tannehill is 258 yards from becoming the 13th Aggie to hit the 4,000-yard plateau in career total offense in just his 12th game as a starter at quarterback.

Place kicker Randy Bullock is 15 points from becoming A&M’s fourth 300-point scorer, and five FGs from becoming fourth place kickers with 50 three-pointers.

Cornerback Terrence Frederick is one pass broken up from matching Wrecking Crew founder Chet Brooks and Donovan Greer at No. 9 on career PBUs list with 26.

Wide receiver Ryan Swope is 40 yards from 2,000 yards in career all-purpose while Jeff Fuller is five catches away from 200 career receptions.

Running back Cyrus Gray is just 228 all-purpose yards away from the 6,000-yard plateau.

A&M’s next fumble recovery will be their first since the 2010 Texas game, a span of seven games, 29 quarters and 640 opponent chances.

The Aggies were credited with a fumble recovery when OSU running back Justin Blackmon inexplicably dropped the ball and it rolled through the endzone.

“Tora, Tora, Tora” Honored With Lloyd P Nolen Lifetime Achievement Award

HOUSTON, TEXAS (October 10, 2011) Wings Over Houston Airshow honored “Tora, Tora, Tora” as the recipient of the 2011 Lloyd P. Nolen Lifetime Achievement in Aviation Award, which recognizes individuals, organizations, companies and corporations dedicated to the promotion or advancement of aviation.

As one of the most dramatic and visual acts in the air show industry, “Tora, Tora, Tora” performs twelve to sixteen airshows a year in the United States and Canada with its re-creation of the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor.

“Tora, Tora, Tora” began nearly 40 years ago when six replica Japanese aircraft were donated to the Commemorative Air Force. The Gulf Coast Wing requested assignment of the aircraft and began developing an act for presentation at air shows, which debuted at the Galveston Air Show on June 25, 1972.

A living history lesson, Tora’s re-creation provides breathtaking smoke, fire and explosions from the pyrotechnics team as a professional announcer explains the purpose, history and performance to the crowd. With the motto “Lest We Forget,” the Tora group flies with the intention to help individuals throughout the world understand that war does not discriminate in the pain it causes.

Bill Roach, executive director of Wings Over Houston Airshow, was quoted in a press release:

"Wings Over Houston is thrilled to honor Tora, Tora, Tora for their dedication and achievement in the aviation industry. The Tora team sets themselves apart with their strong sense of spirit and camaraderie. We are proud they call Houston home."

The Wings Over Houston Airshow will he held at Ellington Field on October 15-16, 2011.

USA Softball vs. Texas A&M moved to Monday due to rain showers

HOUSTON, TEXAS (October 9, 20110 The USA Softball Women’s National team doubleheader against Texas A&M University has been cancelled today due to rain and weather in the area.

The games have been rescheduled for a doubleheader tomorrow at the Aggie Softball Complex in College Station. Game one is slated for a 5 p.m. first pitch. Game two will follow immediately.

Admission to both games will be free to the public. Both teams will be available for autographs after the games.

USA Softball will return to Cougar Softball Stadium in Houston on Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. for a match up against the University of Houston. Tickets from today’s cancelled games can be redeemed at the gate on Tuesday evening for admission. Both teams will be available for autographs after the game.

Houston Dynamo, Chicago Fire Tie 1-1 in MLS Action

(Photo by Darla tTmulitis-La Vita Loco Photography, Copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved)

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2011 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (October 1, 2011) In a match that saw the Houston Dynamo and the Chicago Fire head to the locker room at halftime tied at 1-1, the fans at Robertson Stadium saw no second half scoring and that’s how it ended; Dymano-1, Fire-1.

Houston is now 10-9-13 (43 points) on the season while Chicago moves to 10-9-13,with 37 points.

The Dynamo got on the board first in the 33rd minute when midfielder Colin Clark sent home a loose ball that deflected off Fire defender Jalil Anibaba and landed in the front of the net.

The goal was Clark’s fourth of the season, bringing his MLB career total to 13.

The Fire got even in the 43rd minute, when forward Dominic Oduro sent the ball home with a right foot strike. Midfielder Baggio Husidic was credited with the assist.

The score gave Oduro his 12th of the season and 26th of his MLS career.

The Dynamo had 13 shots, with six of them on goal, while Chicago had eight shots with five on goal.

Dynamo goalkeeper Tally Hall recorded four saves while is counterpart for the Fire, Sean Johnson, tallied five.

The Dynamo will next face Portland on Friday October 14 on the road. They return the Houston for their final regular home game of the season against the Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday, October 23.

Are the Hosuton Cougars Poised to Break Into the Top 25 after Playing UTEP?

(Photo by Darla Tamulitis-La Vita Loco Photography, Copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved)

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2011 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (September 27, 2011) The Houston Cougars (4-0) will head for west Texas for their next game as face the UTEP Miners (2-2) in a rare Thursday evening game at the Sun Bowl.

Thursday’s game marks the ninth game between the two teams and the rubber match in the series with each team winning four games.

Houston head coach Kevin Sumlin is 2-1 against UTEP in his three previous meetings, while UTEP head coach Mike Price is 2-6 vs. Houston.

Previously, Sumlin and Price served together on the coach staff at Washington State, where Sumlin was a graduate assistant under Price.

There are other ties between the schools as UH Director of Athletics Mack Rhoades was the executive senior associate athletic director at UTEP for seven years from 2000-06.

This Thursday’s game will be the fifth for senior quarterback Case Keenum against UTEP. In those four games, Keenum has completed 70.2 percent of his throws on 120-for-171 passing.

He has totaled 1,311 yards and nine touchdowns. Twice he has topped the 400-yard passing mark with 536 yards in 2009.

In last season’s game versus the Miners, Keenum suffered a mild concussion and left the game in the third quarter with 279 passing yards, but it snapped his 31-game touchdown pass streak.

The first meeting between the schools was on Oct. 26, 1946, which saw the Miners beating the Cougars 21-7.

Last year, Houston came out in top 54-24.

This season, the Cougars are ranked first in C-USA in total offense per game (595.8 yards), first in points scores per game (44.3 points), fourth points allowed per game (22.8) and sixth in total defense (400.5 yards).

The Miners best ranking is fifth in points allowed per game (22.8).

Baring any unforeseen issues, the Cougars should have little trouble raising their season record to 5-0 on by beating the Miners by at least three touchdowns.

However, the defense must continue to improve and contain a Miner offense that can come alive at any time.

If the Cougars indeed dispatch the Miners by a large margin, I foresee a possible move into the Top 25 next week.

Lamar survives fourth-quarter scare in 45-35 victory over Incarnate Word

BEAUMONT, TEXAS (September 18, 2011) Lamar University scored 42 points through three quarters Saturday night to seize a 22-point lead then held off a spirited University of Incarnated Word rally to post a 45-35 victory before a crowd of 15,367 in Provost Umphrey Stadium.

In improving to 2-1 on the season, Lamar rolled up 469 yards of total offense, but the host Cardinals allowed UIW to score two touchdowns in a span of 48 seconds early in the fourth quarter.

That spurt pulled the visiting Cardinals to within 42-35, but the host Cardinals put it away with a 31-yard Justin Stout field goal which was followed a few moments later by a clutch interception by linebacker Jacody Coleman.

“It was a very strange game,” said Ray Woodard, Lamar’s head coach. “In the first half, we did some good things offensively (to build a 35-20 lead), but we had trouble stopping the run defensively.

“We made some adjustments defensively at halftime, and they helped. We didn’t stop the running game in the second half, but we definitely slowed it down.”

After allowing UIW tailback Trent Rios to rush for 94 first-half yards, the host Cardinals limited him to 26 yards in the second half.

Meanwhile, Mike Venson, getting his most extended playing time of the season, rushed for 90 yards and one touchdown for the host Cardinals, and senior quarterback Andre Bevil passed for a season-high 226 yards and two touchdowns.

Redshirt freshman Jeremy Johnson spelled Bevil on a few possessions and ran for 47 yards on six carries and completed a 7-yard touchdown pass to senior split end J.J. Hayes, who had four receptions for a season-high 96 yards.

“We cut down on the mistakes we had been making in our first two games, and we cut down on our penalties (the Cardinals had only six infractions after averaging 12.0 in their first two outings). The game got strange in the fourth quarter when they (the visiting Cardinals) cut it to seven points.

“I called the defensive guys together and told them they were going to step up a start making some plays. The defense played better coming down the stretch.

“Obviously, we still have things that need correcting, and we still have a long way to go. The good thing is we have two weeks before we play our next game, so that will give us extra time to put in a few new wrinkles and get ready for Southeastern Louisiana.”

Bevil completed 14 of 19 passes, including touchdown strikes of 10 yards to Hayes and 25 yards to sophomore Kye Hildreth. Lamar’s other touchdowns came on runs of 21 yards by DePauldrick Garrett and 9 yards by Venson.

Bevil and Hayes combined on a 35-yard pass on the game’s first offensive play, and the host Cardinals moved briskly to a touchdown, going 65 yards on seven plays. Bevil scrambled for a 19-yard gain on a third-and-11 play from the UIW 31-yard line, and he found Hayes open in the back right corner of the south end zone for the final 10 yards on a third-and-eight play.

Devin Haywood’s 52-yard return on the ensuing kickoff gave the visiting Cardinals excellent field position at the Lamar 45-yard line, and they scored the tying touchdown on Rios’ 3-yard run off right tackle with 9:17 left in the first quarter.

The scoring parade continued as Lamar answered with a three-play, 64-yard that lasted only 1:02. Bevil hit Garrett on a screen pass for a 30-yard gain to ignite it, and Garrett completed it with his 21-yard run around left end with 8:09 left in the first quarter.

Not to be outdone, UIW responded with a six-play, 60-yard scoring drive highlighted by a 34-yard run up the middle by Rios. It reached the 4-yard line, and quarterback Paden Lynch scored on a 2-yard sneak two players later. Despite his team receiving an illegal procedure penalty, Thomas Rebold kicked the tying extra point from the 15-yard line, making it 14-14 with 6:24 left in the first quarter.

Johnson started Lamar’s third possession at quarterback and eventually threw the 7-yard pass to Hayes in the left corner of the end zone to put the home Cardinals up 21-14 with 2:32 remaining in the first quarter.

Lamar’s defense came up with a stop on UIW’s third possession, and the visiting Cardinals did the same on Lamar’s fourth as the first period ended on Kollin Kahler’s 42-yard punt. .

Lamar finished the first quarter with 198 total yards (103 rushing and 95 passing, while UIW had 119.yards (51 rushing and 68 passing).

Following a Johnson fumble early in the second quarter, UIW put together a 10-play, 56-yard drive to move to within 21-20 on Rios’ 3-yard run off left tackle with 7:05 left in the half. Cornerback Keinon Peterson blocked Rebold’s conversion attempt to leave the home Cardinals with the one-point edge.

They then extended the lead to 28-20 with a three-play, 62-yard drive sparked by a 44-yard hookup over the middle from Bevil to Hayes. A 9-yard Bevil pass to tight end Payden McVey gained the 9-yard line, and Venson broke off left tackle for the touchdown on the next play.

The home Cardinals gained separation with an eight-play, 61-yard drive capped by Bevil’s 25-yard pass to Hildreth over the middle with 11.6 seconds remaining before halftime. Stout’s fifth conversion made it 35-20 Lamar.

Lamar gained 340 of its yards in the first half with 209 coming through the air. Bevil went 9-for-12 for 189 yards and two TDs in the first half, while Rios rushed for 94 first-half yards on 17 carries for UIW.

Johnson was at the controls on Lamar’s lone third-quarter scoring drive. It covered 81 yards and ended on Logan’s 6-yard run up the middle with 5:13 remaining in the period.

Incarnate Word made it close by scoring twice in the 48-second span early in the fourth quarter. Lynch’s 1-yard sneak ended an 81-yard drive with 12:57 left, and Rebold’s two-point conversion run reduced Lamar’s lead TO 42-28.

Then UIW recovered Devion Wolford’s fumble at the 6-yard line on the ensuing kickoff, and two plays later Lynch sneaked in for the touchdown that made it 42-35 with 12:09 left.

The Cardinals will observe their open date next week then travel to Hammond, La. on Oct. 1 to take on Southeastern Louisiana in their 2011 Southland Conference opener at 3 p.m.

Texans Drop Colts 34-7, But Are There Still Questions To Be Answered?

(Photo by Darla Tamulitis-La Vita Loco Photography, Copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved.)

By Robert H Kelly

Copyright 2011 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (September 11, 2011) The Houston Texans came out of their week one matchup with a win over the Indianapolis Colts, but there are a few questions that have been answered, a few more that have yet to be answered, and a few that possibly should be asked.

In their convincing 34-7 win over the Colts, 71,444 fans were left wondering if this team is the wave of the future or is it simply a single swell that hits the shore and dies out soon after reaching land.

The Texans did put points on the board, including 17 in the first quarter and 34 in the first half.

They were driving on their first possession when Matt Schaub was picked off by Melvin Bullitt which quickly ended their first drive.

It is debatable if they would have scored on that drive, but with the way the offense was moving the ball, that possession could (and should) have led to their first score.

They also could have scored a touchdown again if they did not have to settle for the field goal at the 4:27 mark in the 1st quarter on a fourth and seven play.

Granted the Colts are a team on a downward swing. Without Payton Manning, their offense was mediocre at best.

However, the Texans’ defense was heads-above where they were last year.

Wade Phillips certainly has his defense loaded and ready to go.

The Colts’ turnovers were capitalized on and the Texans took advantage of the opportunities presented to them.

I was a bit concerned about the level of play in the fourth quarter.

It seemed to me the Texans were sluggish on both sides of the ball and really did not keep their heads in the game to the very end.

That is one aspect of the game they must improve if they hope to advance throughout the season and obtain their first-ever playoff berth.

In the case of the defense, the Texans did have 43 combined tackles and that may not seem like many when compared that to the Colts (65).

But when the Colts only had possession of the ball for a tad over 23 minutes, the Texans’ tackle total was more than acceptable.

The thing that everyone must remember that this season is a work-in-progress for the Texans.

Everything must come together week in and week out and when it does, hopefully everything will fall into place by the send of the season and the Texans will see themselves in the playoffs.

The next test for the Texans will be on the road Sunday, Sept. 18 against the Miami Dolphins.

Miami is scheduled to play the New England Patriots on Monday, Sept 12 for their week one game.

Lamar Volleyball Falls 3-0 to Northern Illinois

BEAUMONT, TEXAS (September 7, 2011) Northern Illinois All-America Lauren Wicinski pounded down a match-high 16 kills Thursday night at McDonald Gym as the visiting Huskies defeated Lamar University 3-0 (18-25, 21-25, 19-25) in a non-conference volleyball match.

The Lady Cardinals schedule will not get any easier this weekend as they host Baylor, Mississippi State and UTEP in the MCM Elegante’ Invitational. Lamar and Mississippi State will square off on Friday night at 6:30, with the Lady Cards facing UTEP on Saturday at 12:30 and then closing the tournament with Baylor at 7 p.m.

Lamar stands at 1-7 on the year, having lost its last six matches. NIU won its sixth straight match to improve to 8-2 on the season.

“I thought we were able to do some things offensively tonight that we wanted,” said LU head coach Justin Gibert. “However, we couldn’t stop them. They’re playing at a higher level than us. They’re a step quicker, and it’s just a pace we’re not used to.”

After dropping the first set 25-18, Lamar looked to even the match at a set apiece with a strong rally in the second set. The Lady Cardinals attacked at impressive .333 as a team in set two, and cut a 19-13 deficit down to one at 19-18.

However, NIU would not be denied the set. Behind Wicinski’s offense, the Huskies stemmed the tide and pulled out the set 25-21. As strong as Lamar was offensively in the set, NIU hit a match-high .370 with 14 kills on only 27 attempts with four attack errors.

The Huskies then hit .310 in set three to close the match with a 25-19 victory. In fitting fashion, the match ended on Wicinski’s 16th kill of the match.

While Lamar hit a solid .195 as a team, the Huskies were more efficient and finished with a 47-29 advantage in kills. NIU also finished with a 40-25 advantage in digs and a 9-7 advantage in service aces.

Sophomore outside hitter Sierra Whittaker had a strong match, finishing with eight kills and a .316 attack percentage. Whittaker added three block assists as Lamar finished with 8.5 as a team.

Junior setter Alex Morford saw her first action of the season as she continues to recover from a broken foot. Only cleared to play one set, Morford finished with five assists, a kills and two of LU’s five service aces.

“I thought she came out real competitive in that first set and I just wish we could have had her for more than just that one game,” said Gibert.

Sophomore outside hitter Megan McStravick added seven kills, five digs and a solid .294 attack percentage.

Allison McGlaughlin added eight kills for NIU, hitting an outstanding .412 in the match. She also finished with 10 digs, as did teammate Amber Walker.

UHs Keenum Earns Player of the Week Honors

(Photo bt Darla Tamulitis-La Vita Loco Photography, Copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved)

QB Return Performance Honored by C-USA and Rivals.com

HOUSTON, TEXAS (September 5, 2011) University of Houston senior quarterback Case Keenum took home the first Conference USA Offensive honor as he was named Player of the Week after his 310-yard, two touchdown passing performance in the Saturday’s win over UCLA.

This is the 10th all-time player of the week honor for Keenum, more than any football player in C-USA history. He also was honored by Rivals.com as the Player of the Week for Conference USA.

In his first game back since suffering a season-ending injury a year ago, Keenum threw for 310 yards and two touchdowns in Houston’s 38-34 victory over UCLA on Saturday. Keenum completed 75 percent of his passes with 30 completions on 40 attempts and committed no turnovers.

Keenum, who added 30 yards on the ground, currently ranks ninth nationally in total offense (340 yards). He orchestrated six scoring drives, all covering more than 55 yards, while leading two drives before the half that covered 130 total yards in a combined one minute and 20 seconds. Houston also converted 8-of-13 third-down conversions with Keenum at the helm.

The Cougars return to action on Saturday, Sept. 10 with their first road contest when they travel to Denton, Texas for a 6 p.m. matchup vs. North Texas.

Houston Downs UCLA 38-34; Did the Cougars' Defense Get The Job Done?

(Photo by Darla Tamulitis-La Vita Loco Photography, Copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved)

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2011 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (September 3, 2011) The Houston Cougars came right out at the start of the game and showed UCLA that this year was not going to be a repeat of last season.

The Cougars (1-0, 0-0 C-USA) downed a determined UCLA Bruins (0-1, 0-0, Pac-10) 38-34 in front of 31,144 fans at Robertson Stadium in Houston.

Houston is now 1-0 and has passed the first test of the season; beating a team that destroyed them in 2010.

But as they begin Sunday to prepare to face North Texas in Denton next Saturday, the Cougars still have issues that need to be addressed.

The issue is the defense? What can I say? What can anyone say?

In Houston’s 31-13 loss to UCLA in 2010, the Cougars gave up a total of 365 yards to the Bruins.

This year, they gave up 554 yards and won the game.

Let’s start out and look at the positive outcomes of the win over their West Coast opponent.

Yes, the Cougars pulled this game out and beat UCLA.

Yes, Case Keenum looked healthy without any indication that he was hampered by his injury sustained against the Bruins last year.

Yes, the offense did crank out 469 yards, five touchdowns, one field goal and score 38 points.

Yes, they Cougars played like a team that was possessed and wanted some payback against UCLA.

But let’s look at the defense?

The Bruins had 42 carries for 232 yards while passing for 322 net yards.

Combined, Bruin quarterbacks Richar Brehaut and Kevin Prince went 20-of-29 in the air and were not sacked once or throw any interceptions.

But my question is how can a team expect to win week after week giving up over 500 yards on defense?

That strategy cannot work. The Cougars cannot hope to be successful this season by just simply outscoring their opponents.

They have to field a solid defense and hone the skills of those defensive players to a fine edge so that they give up as few points as possible.

Do not get me wrong. I am not coming down on head coach Kevin Sumlin and the preparation and hard work he has put into the past nine months to put a defensive scheme on the field that will be successful.

I realize the process is an ongoing affair. The defense will get better as the season goes on.

However, with what the Cougars want to accomplish this season, the defense cannot give up over 500 points every game and expect to have a successful season.

On a positive side, the Cougars had 34 unassisted and 46 assisted tackles. That comes out to 80 total tackles.

It is interesting to note that the Bruins had exactly the same total number.

Marcus McGraw led the Cougars with 16 tackles, five of those unassisted while Colton Valencia and Derrick Mathews had four solo tackles each.

A total of 20 Houston players got in tackles.

But where the sacks? Where were the interceptions?

The defense somewhat got the job done but they must get better.

Both Brehaut and Prince had time to stay in the pocket and look for receivers. If the receivers were not there, they both had ample time to look for other options.

The Cougars will now have six days to prepare to take on North Texas next Saturday in Denton.

The Mean Green dropped their season opener to Florida International 41-16 this past Thursday in Miami.

Bottles, Hilbun Named Southland Volleyball Players of the Week

Bottles led the Ladyjacks to its best start since 1992; Hilbun earns all-tournament honors

FRISCO, TEXAS (August 29, 2011) Stephen F. Austin senior MC Bottles and Texas State sophomore Ashlee Hilbun were named the Southland Conference Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively, to begin the 2011 season, the league announced Monday.

Offensive Player of the Week – MC Bottles, Stephen F. Austin

Bottles was key in leading the Ladyjacks to a perfect 4-0 mark over the weekend at the Georgia Southern Spring Hill Suites Invitational, guiding Stephen F. Austin to its first 4-0 start since 1992. The Rowlett, Texas, native hit better than .440 in the final three matches of the tournament and averaged 4.09 kills per set in those wins. The SFA middle blocker finished the weekend hitting a .336 clip and averaging 3.19 kills per set. Bottles hit .577 and notched 16 kills and three blocks in a four-set win over Jacksonville before backing that up with a 14-kill performance in a sweep of South Dakota State. In the final match of the tournament against Montana State, the senior hit .323 with 15 kills in the four-set victory.

Honorable Mention: Jessica Hays, Central Arkansas; Carli Kolbe, Sam Houston State; Logan Bourque, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

Defensive Player of the Week – Ashlee Hilbun, Texas State

Hilbun made a huge impact for the Bobcats defensively at the net and in the back row while earning a spot on the all-tournament team at the Bama Bash in Tuscaloosa, Ala. The sophomore middle blocker totaled 23 blocks in three tournament matches for an average of 1.77 blocks per set and also contributed with 27 digs for an average of 2.08 digs per set. The Austin, Texas, native flirted with triple-doubles in each of the first two matches for Texas State, finishing with 13 digs, nine blocks and nine kills in the season-opener against Alabama State before posting nine kills, nine digs and eight blocks against Austin Peay.

Honorable Mention: Keelie Arneson, Northwestern State; Kim Black, Sam Houston State; Madison Hanlan, Stephen F. Austin

Each school’s sports information director nominates and votes for the players of the week, though is not permitted to vote for his or her own player. To receive honorable mention, a player must receive votes from 25 percent of the Southland sports information directors.

Heat Provisions Announced for Houston Football Season Opener

HOUSTON, TEXAS (August 28, 2011) In an effort to help fans enjoy gameday to the fullest, the University of Houston Department of Intercollegiate Athletics has taken numerous steps to beat the heat at the Sept. 3 contest vs. UCLA.

"It is extremely important to this athletic department to provide a safe and enjoyable environment for our fans," UH Director of Athletics Mack Rhoades. "We want anyone who visits Robertson Stadium to feel appreciated for spending their day with the Cougars."

What UH will Provide
• For the UCLA game only, fans will have the ability to bring in an unopened, clear plastic bottle of water, one per person.

• The UH Department of Intercollegiate Athletics will be handing out "Buy One, Get One Free" coupons for cold water upon ticketed entry to Robertson Stadium.

• UH Dining Services will have three times the amount of water product normally sold as well as dedicated water stations to service patrons.

• Water misting cooling zones will be stationed in the four corners of the Stadium underneath the concourses inside Gates 1, 7, 8, 14.

• UH Dining Services will sell cups of ice for $1 from beverage-only concession stations.

• UH Dining Services will provide complimentary water at the student entrance, while supplies last.

• A guest assist text service is available for fans who feel faint or ill in their seats. Personnel will assist in getting fans to the treatment areas. Text "UH" and message to 78247.

Tips to Beat the Heat
1. Stay Hydrated with water and sports drinks.
2. Avoid drinks containing alcohol or caffeine
3. Dress in light-weight, loose-fitting clothing
4. Eat small meals of carbohydrates, salads and fruit, and eat more often
5. Utilize cold or ice towels
6. Apply a liberal amount of sunscreen
7. Notify emergency personnel at the first sign of heat-induced symptoms.


* UH will have on-site medical personnel to assist with any heat-related cases.

A Houston Texans Win over the San Francisco 49ers Means What?

(Photo by Darla Tamulitis-La Vita Loco Photography, Copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved.)

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2011 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (August 27, 2011) The Houston Texans will travel to the west coast on Saturday to take on the San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick Park in the third preseason game of the 2011 season for both teams.

Game time is set for 8:00 p.m. ET (5:00pm PT).

Houston is coming off a 27-14 win over the New Orleans Saints this past Saturday evening at Reliant Stadium

The Texans and 2-0 in preseason while the 49ers are 1-1. .

This will be the last game before both teams must cut their roster to 75 players on Aug. 30.

Let's see what a win over the 49ers would mean for the Texans.

1. A Texans win would improve the team’s preseason record to 3-0, matching the most-ever wins by the Texans in the preseason (2006, 3-1).
   
2. A Texans win would possibly give the Texans two sacks to tie the franchise preseason record of 13.0, set in the club’s inaugural season of 2002. Houston is tied with Buffalo for the NFL lead this preseason with 11.0 sacks in two games.
3. A Texans win would give Houston its first win at Candlestick Park. The Texans have only visited Candlestick Park once, losing 20-17 in overtime against the 49ers on Jan. 1, 2006, closing out the 2005 season. Saturday will mark the first preseason meeting between the two teams.

The last time the Texans played the 49ers was Oct. 25, 2009 at Reliant Stadium.

It was game seven of the 2009 season and Houston came a way with a 24-21 win over San Francisco in front of 70,820 fans.

Let's see if the Texans can make it 3-0 in preseason games.

Was the Houston Texans' Defense the Key in Their 27-14 over the New Orleans Saints?

(Photo by Darla Tamulitis-La Vita Loco Photography, Copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved.)

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2011 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (August 20, 2011) Was the defense in the key in the Houston Texans' 27-14 drumming of the New Orleans Saints, taking their 2011 preseason record to 2-0 or did the offense just put more points on the scoreboard than the Saints?

Much has been written about Wade Phillips and 3-4 defense he has installed as defensive coordinator of the Texans.

In the post game interview, head coach Gary Kubiak was quoted on the Texans' defense:

I know they gave up a lot of yards but they made some big plays. The first drive of the game they (New Orleans Saints) go right down the field on them. You can get the ball moved on you defensively but if you step up and make a big play that's what it's all about and that's what they did. Antonio (Smith) made that big play early in the game that kind of flipped their emotions of the the game and got everybody going but I know we gave up too many yards and we got a lot of things to fix so we've got a long way to go.

That about says it all.

The defense was not a clean and concise as everyone would like to see, but remember this is just preseason.

When New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees was sacked by Smith, ending the Saints drive, that was one of the big plays Kubiak was talking about.

That sack was the Texans' eighth of the season, which matched the team's total from the 2010 preseason.

Mario Williams, who was playing in his new outside linebacker position, recovered the fumble.

These are the things that can turn around a team and take them onward throughout the season.

Xavier Adibi had the unassisted and three assisted tackles from the inside linebacker position, while cornerback Brice McCain had four unassisted tackles.

In fact, 21 defensive players contributed to the Texans' 43 tackles with nine players assisting on tackles.

The Texans' also had four sack, with outside linebacker Brooks Reed accounting for two of them.

It was obvious from the press box, at least to me, that the defense line needed to buckle down and do a better job of shutting down the run.

The Saints rushed for 113 yards and although that was less that the Texans (208 yards), they were not getting the job done on the run.

The same could be said about the secondary, as the Saints threw for 218 yards which was pretty even to the Texans (228 yards).

However I think defensive, the Texans need to build their confidence and continue to embrace the defense scheme that Phillips whats to develop.

I also believe the Texans concentrated too much on defending against the pass, knowing Brees was going to go to the air.

As a result, the Saints were able to gain yardage on some big runs.

As I see it, the Texans' need to play better against the run and let the passes happen. If they can become a team that shuts down the run, then their opponents will be forced to go to the air.

I saw good things out of outside linebacker Brooks Reed against the Saints. He had two solo and one assisted tackle and seemed to be learning the defense better.

Coming out of college, he was used to playing a 4-3 defense and now he has to make a complete switch to the 3-4.

I think he will continue to mature and will make a good addition to the Texans.

Defense end J.J. Watt also stepped up and played better this week than he did against the New York Jets.

He had a single tackle, but did seem to get into the game a bit better.

In addition, he needs to stay at the line a bit more and work against the block. He is improving, and with three more weeks until the regular seasons starts, he will get better and better.

I think this win over the Saints was a needed victory, but the true test will come when the regular season starts.

When the Texans take to the field on Sept. 11 against the Indianapolis Colts, things will be different.

Their two (and possibly two more) preseason wins will just be a memory.

Overall, the Texans' defense is coming along, but they still have a long way to go.