Also across the pond, classmate Andreas Schreiber has been hard at work playing in Spain for CB Tarragona. Schreiber also opened his season Sunday with a loss, despite leading by six points with half a minute remaining. He played 25 minutes, scoring 13 points, 12 rebounds and an assist. Schreiber actually keeps a nice, detailed blog of his exploits in Spain, in which he discusses his games, seeing former Big 5 rivals and, of course, Jack Eggleston.
I have had to explain to my american teammates how the Ivy League games are back-to-back; something that I don't think any other conference experiences. The reason of course being that the ivy schools wants to limit the time away from school. If you play a lot of minutes, this means that you usually are dead tired on Sunday morning... unless you are Jack Eggleston of course.
Finally, on this side of the Atlantic, Conor Turley is already 10 games deep playing for the Pioneros de Quintana Roo in Mexico. He's averaging 5.3 points per game and shooting 70 percent from the floor. He's also started in half his games. I hope the crowd got free cheesesteaks for this one:
Before we start, let's get this out of the way: Yes, we did consider going Mano-A-Mano on the Battle for I-95 for the third week in a row. But we have come to accept that it's time to move on, so we're turning our attention to football. Penn has dropped its first two games and starting QB Billy Ragone has struggled, throwing two picks in each contest. Backup Ryan Becker got a few reps in during the blow-out loss vs. Lafayette, but rode the pine for the entire Villanova game, even despite Ragone's troubles. The curious — or not so curious — move by Coach Al Bagnoli prompted our own Alyssa Kress to make the case that Becker needs to be used more consistently, so we must ask ourselves:
Question: How should Bagnoli handle the QB situation going forward?
Brian Kotloff: First, a few concessions: The Quakers would not have repeated as Ivy League champions last season were it not for the stellar play of Billy Ragone. And you can't scrap all your plans after two bad games, especially if those plans worked to perfection just a year ago. But I don't think Ragone should have the quarterback spot 100-percent locked down. He played great in 2010, yes, yet only occasionally did he impress with both his legs and his arm. Plus, he seemed to take many teams by surprise and get by on sheer talent and instinct. This season, Lafayette and Villanova have already demonstrated the formula to shut him down: contain him in the pocket, cut off short routes and force him to beat you downfield. Of course that's easier said than done, but there are plenty of Ivy defenses loaded enough to execute a similar game plan. That's why I believe Ryan Becker, who has much better arm strength, should begin taking at least some of the snaps for Penn.
Kevin Esteves: I agree to some extent, but to all those clamoring for a consistent two-QB system, I still think it's way too early to change up the offensive philosophy. Ragone has definitely struggled, but the All-Ivy first-teamer is Bagnoli's guy. As a coach, I think you send a poor message if all of a sudden you start pulling your starter (even if it's just for a few drives per game) because A) that messes with Ragone's confidence and B) it affects the confidence level the whole team has in Ragone when he comes back into the game. To be fair, Ragone did throw for 250 yards last game, and his pick-six against Lafayette came on a freak play where the ball boinked right off his receiver's chest and into a defender's hands. He's definitely got some kinks to work out as we head into the all-important Ivy games but give him at least another pair of games to let him work it out.
BK: There's too much at risk to let him work out kinks when one loss might spoil your shot at a title. I'm not saying he should be benched in favor of Becker -- not at all, in fact. I just think Bagnoli needs to look into what exactly he has in Becker and give the decision substantial thought. The next two games provide a perfect opportunity to test his two signal callers. Work Becker in on a few series against middling Dartmouth to see how he fares against Ivy competition. Then use the Fordham game -- which is scheduled almost solely as a tune-up for the stretch run, anyway -- as Becker's tryout. Ragone should still take snaps to stay sharp, but Bagnoli needs to see whether Becker's big arm will give the offense the downfield threat it's missing. As a bonus, inserting him here and there will force the defense to adapt to two different styles behind center. And if it doesn't work, there's no harm in scrapping the idea and handing the keys back to Billy.
Just remember: This kid spent a year in Tallahassee practicing with FLORIDA STATE. He's at least worth taking a gamble on. Who knows? Maybe Becker will take the offense to the next level and Ragone will be better utilized as a wild card -- he did come out of high school with the "athlete" label as a potential wide receiver or running back...
KE: Well, just like you said, Dartmouth and Fordham aren't exactly top-notch competition, so I disagree — Ragone will have the opportunity to work out the kinks. If he's throwing picks left and right in the first half against the Big Green, then sure, you can bench him and let Becker do his thing. But there's not a huge risk in allowing Ragone to just play for these two games and get his confidence back up. After that, Coach Bagnoli will have a much better sense of what his QB situation really looks like. As far as Becker, I agree he should probably get some snaps here and there where he can use his stronger arm, but just to mix it up. Again, if Ragone's struggles continue, then it's a different story.
BK: Alright, ring the bell, this one goes to Kotloff in a TKO (I think the Ragone high school nugget was the final straw). But let me add one more knockout blow: Becker went to St. Thomas Aquinas high school in Florida. It's proven lucky for the Quakers once, and I think it will again.
On the same day that Penn picked up its second recruit from the Class of 2012, a targeted big man gave a verbal commitment to Ivy rival Harvard. Mike Hall, a 6-foot-10 forward from Woodward Academy in Atlanta, picked the Crimson over high-major programs such as Florida State, California, Mississippi State, as well as Penn, according to CBS Sports.
Hall told the Havard Crimson that Penn was his third choice, behind runner-up George Mason.
The Buzz spoke with Hall last month, and the senior listed the Quakers among his top five choices, along with the Crimson, Virginia Tech and George Mason. He said that both Penn coach Jerome Allen and Harvard's Tommy Amaker had been recruiting him hard. He also told the Buzz he planned to make his decision in early November.
Hall would have added much-needed size to Penn's roster. He's the latest in a string of high-caliber recruits who have been targeted by both Penn and Harvard, as the two teams looked primed to compete for Ivy titles for the foreseeable future.
Coach Jerome Allen and his staff received a commitment from Tony Hicks, a 6-foot-1, 175-pound guard out of Chicago today, according to multiple reports. Scout.com's Evan Daniels tweeted the news, citing Hicks' high school coach, Gary DeCesare, as his source. Hicks joins fellow guard Jamal Lewis in Penn basketball's Class of 2012 recruitment, and like Lewis, he seems like a highly talented pickup for the Quakers.
Rated an 87 by ESPN (Lewis is ranked an 84) Hicks previously had offers from Loyola, Dayton, and South Florida, according to this report.
Here's a snippet of the ESPN scouting report (which lists Hicks' commitment to Penn) on the guard's strengths, from late December of last year:
Some guys think they can play, others just go about their business. Hicks isn't the biggest wing prospect in the country but he's got moxy and wants it in crunch time. He brings a scorer's mindset to the equation.
“I wanted to go somewhere I was wanted the most,” Hicks said on Monday. “I felt Penn wanted me the most. They called me every day they could. It was just a really good feel. The team are a bunch of cool guys. The coaches had the same type of environment as St. Rita. You can’t get much better than them academically.”
“I think he’s one of the most underrated players around,” St. Rita coach Gary DeCesare said. “He’s done a very, very good job this summer working on his game. He’s a scoring guard, but he could also play the point.”
Lewis and Hicks both took visits to campus last weekend (the weekend of Penn's first football game) and they both sound like great scoring combo guards that will add even more firepower to Penn's future backcourt (that includes Miles Cartwright, Patrick Lucas-Perry, Steve Rennard, Cam Crocker). The search still continues, however, for a big man.
Football dropped to 0-2 this weekend with a loss to Villanova, a team they haven't beaten since 1911. For the second-straight week quarterback Billy Ragone threw two costly picks.
Women's soccer dropped its Ivy opener to Harvard, 2-0, Friday, but bounced back to shutout Stony Brook at home Sunday. Not how they wanted to start the defense of their championship. But the Quakers are putting up impressive numbers at home.
Sophomore Stephen Baker won co-Ivy Player of the Week honors, while freshman Duke Lacroix was ROTW.
Much like last year, Penn volleyball dropped a five-setter to Princeton in its first Ivy match. But unlike last year, Penn also fell to Delaware this weekend. Coach Kerry Carr says the early season matches won't matter much come November.
Weekend Win: This weekend's award goes to the portly referee who stole the show at the Battle for I-95. His hip-shaking dance that went along with each call was hilarious, and if you weren't there, you have no idea what I'm talking about. He also did the "count it" motion on an and-1 three times for each foul.
Extra extra: You have to see the newly installed Palestra video. There were actual instant replays at the Battle for I-95. Even LeBron James enjoyed the new toy, looking to affirm that he in fact had not committed a foul, thus making his LeBron-face appropriate.
Hakim Warrick's Team Philly took down Team Melo and his all-star squad Sunday night at the Palestra. The Phoenix Suns forward, affectionately known to his teammates as "Skinny," was happy to get a win for his city in his first ever game at Penn's historic gym.
Here he talks about the atmosphere in the Palestra and how the fans treated LeBron.
Game day has finally arrived and the Palestra should be rocking tonight, as Hakim Warrick leads his team Philly squad in a scrimmage against Carmelo Anthony's Team Melo. NBA stars LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Chris Paul will also be in the house, suiting up for Team Melo. Follow all the action on our live blog below beginning at 5:30 p.m.:
Here's everything we know about tonight's summer-league game to end all summer-league games at the Palestra:
The game is set to tip at 6 p.m., and tickets are sold out. But you can probably pick one up on 33rd street for a pretty penny. The game will be broadcast for free on SI.com, and the DP Sports crew will be liveblogging from courtside.
The Good: Quarterback Billy Ragone was noticeably able to get into a better passing rhythm with the offense, going 15-for-26 and passing for 250 yards and a crisp, 4th-quarter touchdown to wide receiver Ryan Calvertto keep the game interesting. The 250 yards are a career best for Ragone. He was efficient enough tonight that coach Al Bagnoli felt he did not need to put backup Ryan Becker in at any point.
The Bad: The way this one ended. You don't expect Penn to drive 60 yards with under a minute left and kick a game-winning field goal. That would be a heck of an ending, but a surprise for sure. But an interception to put the game away? That's bad. Credit Villanova punter Mark Hamilton with a stellar 52-yard punt to pin Penn at the four-yard line for that drive. This is Ragone's second-consecutive week with two interceptions, and the picks are really hurting Penn.
The Ugly: Chalk this week's ugly up to deja vu. For the second time in two weeks, Penn receivers have bobbled difficult passes only to watch the coverage on defense grab the lose ball and take it in for the score. This week a low pass to Calvert bounched off his hands and chest and into the waiting arms of Nova's James Pitt, who took the ball in for six points.
Also a statistical side note: 79 of Ragone's career-high 250 passing yards were to sophomore Tommy Eggleston on desperation plays that ended each half. Eggleston caught a 40-yarder to go into halftime, and a 39-yarder as the game expired. Good individual efforts by Eggleston, but really just padding out the stat book.
Video from the post game press conferences, first, Penn coach Al Bagnoli with defensive back Matt Hamscher and wide receiver Ryan Calvert. Villanova coach Andy Talley is joined by quarterback Chris Culicerto and cornerback James Pitts.
We're here at Franklin Field for Penn vs. 'Nova. The Wildcats will be the home team tonight, and they've brought their own inflatables to replace Penn's by the southeast corner of the stadium. Cal Silcox, Megan Soisson and Alyssa Kress will be bringing you the action tonight.
Follow along below or Click Here to open in a new window.
Penn hasn't beaten Villanova football in 100 years — the stat may be a little stilted; the two teams didn't meet between 1911 and 1980, but it's still a motivating point for the Quakers when the two teams meet tonight. So I posed the question to my co-editors: who for Penn needs to have a big game to break the streak?
Kevin Esteves: To me, it's obvious: quarterback Billy Ragone. You're not going to win too many games in which your QB completes just 8 of 23 passes and throws two picks, like he did last week against Lafayette. He'll have to be his usual dual threat self and keep the chains moving on offense. It's also a big game for Ragone in terms of his confidence and psyche heading into Ivy play. He needs a bounce-back game here, if we're looking at the bigger picture.
Megan Soisson: Aside from the obvious, I think you need to evaluate who was shaking off the rust last week and who just needs to step up and explode today. I'm inclined to say tight end Luke Nawrocki or wide out Ryan Mitchell, but when I think back to the Lafayette game I can't stop seeing Lafayette receivers getting away from Penn's cornerbacks. Anthony Marino and Justyn Williams need to stick with the Wildcats' receivers — we know Williams can run, and Marino is nearly as fast — and prevent big-yardage plays. Brandon Copeland and the defensive line can handle the short-yardage plays, and the Quakers can get back to their signature top-ranked defense.
Brian Kotloff: I'm going to go with coach Al Bagnoli and his staff. I think, as he admitted last week, he needs to put his players in a better position to win. The players executed poorly against Lafayette, but the coaching staff's offensive playcalling was also questionable. Especially against a team as talented as Villanova, Penn needs to get Ragone in a rhythm early. The playcallers can do that by establishing the run first and then calling some short, quick throws to help Billy gain confidence. Last week, it looked like the offensive coaches were expecting too much too soon from their offense, as many of the passing plays called for downfield looks off of play action.
Calder Silcox: Two words: Connor Loftus. Both teams know that this is going to be a physical game, and with rain today and a chance for more tonight, it's going to be a sloppy one as well. With that in mind, I think both teams are going to have trouble getting into the endzone with any frequency, and it might come down to kicking. Loftus took care of business Saturday but only got one real opportunity to show his stuff. He could really be tested today. As a side note, I still remember the Penn-Nova game my freshman year that the Quakes lost in overtime. If we were to find ourselves in a similar situation tonight, Loftus will surely be key. As another side note, he has a great name for a kicker: Loftus.
If you can't make it to the game, be sure to follow our liveblog right here on The Buzz, starting just before kickoff at 7 p.m.
As for why Penn football is playing its game Saturday against Villanova as the away team at Franklin Field, I haven't been able to find much of an explanation.
Both schools administrators handle the scheduling and this just seems to be what they worked out for 2011. Last year was a typical road game for Penn as they traveled to Villanova's stadium, and both years before that were typical home games against the Wildcats for Penn.
Despite the strange scheduling, Penn students will still have free admission with a Penn Card, as will any Nova students who come down the Mainline for the game.
With Philadelphia buzzing over Sunday's Battle For I-95, secondary-market ticket sales are cropping up all over the web. Tickets officially went on sale last tuesday, and were sold out online within 24 hours.
Popular ticket re-sale site stubhub.com had 31 tickets for sale late Thursday night, with prices ranging from $83 in the upper bowl to $295 for fifth row seats — under the basket.
By my count there were 52 tickets available on ebay Thursday night, going for roughly $75 to $125 per seat. None of the auctions had any bids. Scalpers were also cranking up prices nearly threefold on Craigslist. A search for "Battle for I-95" turned up nearly 100 results.
I got a chance to speak with both Hakim Warrick of the Phoenix Suns and Penn basketball coach Jerome Allen for my story on their efforts to set up the Battle for I-95, and their commitment to the Philly community.
Here's some stuff that didn't make the story:
Warrick on playing against the stacked Team Melo squad composed of an Olympic-level quartet of LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, and Chris Paul
Just o have those guys and to play against the best … they’ve got 4 of the top 10 guys in the league, easily.
I’m really looking forward to it, being able to have that, especially with the lockout going, you’re not going to find too many places with that type of talent on the floor at the same time.
He later added: "I know if you went and put this lineup in the NBA against four of the top 10 guys in the NBA, there’s a big mismatch, but knowing how I am and how everyone else it [on team Philly]… they’re going to have a chip on their shoulder."
Warrick, who grew up just blocks away from the Penn and Drexel campuses, has participated in a number of workouts at the Palestra, though he has never played an official game there — that changes Sunday.
The West Philly native was at the Palestra for the epic Strawberry Mansion vs. St.Vincent-St.Mary game that featured LeBron as a high schooler.
Jerome Allen on how he feels about the respect the Palestra has beyond the Penn community:
The same things that we cherish — the history, the architecture, the persona, the coach, all the things that we associate with the Palestra — [to] know that those same sentiments are shared with individuals that never attended the university ... puts a smile on my face.
The possibility of 76ers great Allen Iverson playing in Sunday's Team Melo vs. Team Philly "Battle for I-95" at the Palestra is looking more and more likely after ESPN.com published a report this morning. ESPN New York's Ian Begley quoted a "source with knowledge of the game rosters" that said Iverson is "supposed" to play in the game.
Rumors initially spread because Iverson is reportedly hosting an event on Saturday at a Philly night club. The addition of "The Answer" would give Team Philly some star power to counter Team Melo's LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony.
Game organizer Rahim Thompson continues to respond to questions about Iverson's participation with "no comment." But it appears we're in for some surprises once 6 p.m. on Sunday arrives. We'll keep you posted as we find out more.
Good news for those who didn't get a ticket to Sunday's epic showdown at the Palestra — and who don't want to shell out hundreds for scalped tickets: The game will be streamed by Sports Illustrated on SI.com.
According to the AP's announcement, this will be the first live basketball broadcast by the outfit. "It promises to be one of our most ambitious live video productions to date,"SI.com managing editor Paul Fichtenbaum said in a statement.
The so-called Battle for I-95, which will feature LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant and more, tips of at 6 p.m. Sunday at the Palestra.
The game was originally planned to be broadcast on thebasketballchannel.net, and the website's homepage still indicates that it will, and has an SI.com logo as well.
Of course, these streaming broadcasts won't have the same caliber of commentary as The Buzz's own liveblog, but they will have moving pictures. Why not watch both?
The debate on how best to compensate student athletes rages on — and was fueled by this recent piece in The Atlantic titled "The Shame of College Sports" by Taylor Branch. Yesterday, the magazine's website published a response from Wharton professor Kenneth Shropshire, who is the Director of Wharton's Sports Business Initiative.
Shropshire says he's all for better compensating college athletes, who often bring in millions of dollars for their schools but only receive basic grant-in-aid to pay for tuition.
There are reasons not to pay student athletes, and the leading one is equity issues related to Title IX. More broadly, as Branch points out, is who gets paid what? The logistics are head exploding if you reflect on it too long. Branch tells us essentially, to just let the markets determine who should receive what (the star quarterback vs. the high jumper vs. the top WNBA prospect). Is that too American? Not really, but it would be radically chaotic in its implementation.
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