Press Releases That Have To Be Posted

These are some press releases that came into the Fang's Bites inbox while I was at the ESPN Media Workshop. I'll post them now.

First, ESPN says its final Monday Night Football exhibition game will take place on Monday.

MNF Preseason Final Game: Brett Favre and Minnesota Vikings at Houston Texans

ESPN’s final Monday Night Football preseason game will be televised Aug. 31 at 8 p.m. ET when newly acquired quarterback Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings face the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium. Favre is expected to play the entire first half in his second appearance since joining the Vikings on Aug. 18. Mike Tirico (play-by-play) and analysts Jon Gruden and Ron Jaworski will call the game, joined by reporter Michele Tafoya.

Coverage will begin with Monday Night Countdown at 7 p.m., hosted by Chris Berman with analysts Cris Carter, Mike Ditka, Tom Jackson, Keyshawn Johnson, senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen and NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

ESPN’s MNF preseason games continue to deliver strong ratings, with Monday night’s New York Jets-Baltimore Ravens telecast earning a 4.0 national rating, representing an average of 3,910,000 households (4,953,000 viewers – P2+). Through three preseason games, ESPN is averaging a 3.8 rating, 3,693,000 households (4,757,000 viewers).

ESPN Films has announced its schedule of airings for this fall as part of its "30 for 30" project.

Fall 2009 Slate and Schedule Announced for ESPN Films’ “30 for 30”

ESPN Films has released the final slate and viewing schedule for the first seven “30 for 30” films to be televised this fall on ESPN. Beginning October 6, the films will be aired on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET through November 10, with a special post-Heisman slot reserved for Saturday, Dec. 12. This marks the official beginning of ESPN’s ambitious “30 for 30” film project, a unique undertaking by ESPN Films to celebrate ESPN’s 30^th anniversary by engaging well-known filmmakers to create documentaries centered on the last 30 years in sports.

Some of Hollywood’s finest directors and producers such as Peter Berg, Barry Levinson, John Singleton, Ice Cube, Spike Jonze and Frank Marshall are among those participating in the “30 for 30” films project, exploring topics ranging from the end of the USFL to the title fight between Muhammad Ali and Larry Holmes to the story of the Baltimore Colts Marching Band which continued to march even though the team had moved to Indianapolis. Peter Berg’s film exploring the effects of the shocking trade of Wayne Gretzky from Edmonton to Los Angeles in 1988 will kick off the series Tuesday, Oct. 6.

The finalized titles and air dates of the first seven films:

Tuesday, Oct. 6, 8 p.m. – **Kings Ransom (Peter Berg)

Tuesday, Oct. 13, 8 p.m. – **The Band That Wouldn’t Die (Barry Levinson)

Tuesday, Oct. 20, 8 p.m. – Small Potatoes: Who Killed the USFL? (Mike Tollin)

Tuesday, Oct. 27, 8 p.m. – Muhammad and Larry (Albert Maysles)

Tuesday, Nov. 3, 8 p.m. – Without Bias (Kirk Fraser)

Tuesday, Nov. 10, 8 p.m. – The Legend of Jimmy The Greek (Fritz Mitchell)

Saturday, Dec. 12, 9 p.m. – The U (Billy Corben)

**Kings Ransom and The Band That Wouldn’t Die have both been named official selections of the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival’s Mavericks programme.

The Films

Kings Ransom (Peter Berg)

On August 9, 1988, the NHL was forever changed with the single stroke of a pen. The Edmonton Oilers, fresh off their third Stanley Cup victory in four years, signed a deal exporting Wayne Gretzky, Canadian national treasure and the greatest hockey player ever, to the Los Angeles Kings. Acclaimed director Peter Berg presents the captivating story of the trade that knocked the wind out of an entire country and placed a star-studded city right at the humble feet of “The Great One.”

The Band That Wouldn’t Die (Barry Levinson)

In late March of 1984, a moving company secretly packed up the Baltimore Colts’ belongings and its fleet of vans snuck off in the darkness of the early morning. A city of deeply devoted fans was left in shock and disbelief. What caused owner Robert Irsay to turn his back on a town that was as closely linked to its team as any in the NFL? Academy Award-winning filmmaker Barry Levinson, himself a long-standing Baltimore Colts fanatic, will probe that question in light of the changing relationship of sports to community. Through the eyes of members of the Colts Marching Band, Levinson will illustrate how a fan base copes with losing the team that it loves.

Small Potatoes: Who Killed the USFL? (Mike Tollin)

In 1983 the upstart United States Football League (USFL) had the audacity to challenge the almighty NFL. The new league did the unthinkable by playing in the spring and plucked three straight Heisman Trophy winners away from the NFL. The 12-team USFL played before crowds that averaged 25,000, and started off with respectable TV ratings. But with success came expansion and new owners, including a certain high profile and impatient real estate baron whose vision was at odds with the league’s founders. Soon, the USFL was reduced to waging a desperate anti-trust lawsuit against the NFL, which yielded an ironic verdict that effectively forced the league out of business. Now, almost a quarter of a century later, Academy Award-nominated and Peabody Award-winning director Mike Tollin, himself once a USFL employee, will showcase the remarkable influence of those three years on football history and attempt to answer the question, “Who Killed the USFL?”

Muhammad and Larry (Albert Maysles)

In October of 1980, Muhammad Ali was preparing to fight for an unprecedented fourth heavyweight title against his friend and former sparring partner Larry Holmes. To say that the great Ali was in the twilight of his career would be generous: Most of his admiring fans, friends and fight scribes considered his bravado delusional. What was left for him to prove? In the weeks of training before the fight, documentarians Albert and David Maysles took an intimate look at Ali trying to convince the world and perhaps himself, that he was still “The Greatest.” At the same time, they documented the mild-mannered and undervalued champion Holmes as he confidently prepared to put an end to the career of a man for whom he had an abiding and deep affection. In the raw moments after Ali’s humbling defeat in this one-sided fight, the Maysles footage never received a public screening or airing. Here for the first time is the unseen filmed build up to that fight, accompanied by freshly shot interviews by Albert Maysles with members from both the Ali and Holmes camps, as well as others who were prime witnesses to one of the last chapters of Ali’s legendary career.

Without Bias (Kirk Fraser)

More than two decades after his tragic cocaine overdose, the late Len Bias still leaves more questions than answers. When Bias dropped dead two days after the 1986 NBA Draft, he forever altered our perception of casual drug use and became the tipping point of America's drug crisis in the mid-80s. Future generations continue to face the harsh punishment of drug policies that were influenced by the public outcry after his heartbreaking death.Instead of becoming an NBA star, he became a one-man deterrent, the athlete who reminded everyone just how dangerous drug use can be. Amazingly, questions still linger about his death nearly a quarter-century later. How good could he have been in the pro ranks? Has he become underrated or overrated as the years pass? How could a University of Maryland superstar and Boston Celtics lottery pick be derailed by a cocaine binge? Was Bias a one-time user as we were led to believe, or was there a pattern of recreational use that led to his fatal last night? Did he fall in with the wrong crowd? In the most ambitious, comprehensive and uncompromising account of Bias’ life and death ever captured on film, up-and-coming director Kirk Fraser utilizes dozens of interviews with Bias’ closest teammates, friends and family in an effort to determine exactly what happened on that fateful night. Maybe it wasn't as much of a fluke as we thought.

The Legend of Jimmy The Greek (Fritz Mitchell)
The NFL Today on CBS was the preeminent sports program on television in the early 1980s. It was a perfect combination of reporting, analysis, predictions, humor and talent. But there was no personality on the show more popular than Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder. The son of Greek immigrants, Jimmy overcame early childhood tragedy, moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in the mid 1950s, and quickly became the biggest name in the world of sports handicapping. When CBS added him as an “analyst” on The NFL Today, “The Greek” not only further increased his stature as a sort of national folk hero, but he also gained an air of respectability never before associated with gamblers. Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Fritz Mitchell, who broke in as a researcher on The NFL Today, will examine Snyder’s impact on the growth of sports gambling, while also taking a fresh look at The Greek’s tragic downfall.

The U (Billy Corben)

Throughout the 1980s, Miami, Fla., was at the center of a racial and cultural shift taking place throughout the country. Overwhelmed by riots and tensions, Miami was a city in flux, and the University of Miami football team served as a microcosm for this evolution. The image of the predominantly white university was forever changed when coach Howard Schnellenberger scoured some of the toughest ghettos in Florida to recruit mostly black players for his team. With a newly branded swagger, inspired and fueled by the quickly growing local Miami hip hop culture, these Hurricanes took on larger-than-life personalities and won four national titles between 1983 and 1991. Filmmaker Billy Corben, a Miami native and University of Miami alum, will tell the story of how these “Bad Boys” of football changed the attitude of the game they played, and how this serene campus was transformed into “The U.”

“30 for 30”

Other previously announced “30 for 30” projects are: Reggie Rock Bythewood (One Night in Vegas), Academy Award winner Bill Couturié (Guru of Go), Ice Cube (Straight Outta L.A.), Academy Award winner Morgan Freeman and Lori McCreary (One Simple Gesture), Academy Award winner Alex Gibney (Steve Bartman: Catching Hell), Jonathan Hock (The Best That Never Was), Academy Award nominee Steve James (No Crossover: The Trial of Allen Iverson), the duo of Lucas Jansen and Adam Kurland (Silly Little Game), Spike Jonze, Johnny Knoxville and Jeff Tremaine (Birth of Big Air), Peabody Award winner Dan Klores (Winning Time: Reggie Miller vs. The New York Knicks), two-time Academy Award winner Barbara Kopple (The Steinbrenner Family Business), Academy Award nominee Frank Marshall (Right to Play), Steve Michaels, Joel Surnow and Jonathan Koch (Charismatic), Academy Award nominee Brett Morgen (June 17, 1994), two-time NBA MVP and first-time filmmaker Steve Nash (Into the Wind), Academy Award nominee Ron Shelton (Jordan Rides the Bus), John Singleton (Marion Jones: Press Pause) and Jeff Zimbalist (The Two Escobars).

The remaining 23 films in the ESPN Films “30 for 30” project will be aired throughout 2010.

NBC Sports has announced of extension of its deal with U.S. Figure Skating to show the U.S. Figure Skating Championships through 2014.

U.S. FIGURE SKATING, NBC SPORTS ANNOUNCE BROADCAST CONTRACT EXTENSION

Multi-year agreement guarantees figure skating will be broadcast through 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia 

Colorado Springs, Colo. and New York (August 27, 2009)  - U.S. Figure Skating and NBC Sports announced today the continuation of their multi-year partnership to extend through the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. The agreement will ensure live primetime and afternoon coverage of the U.S. Figure Skating Championships as well as live afternoon coverage of the annual international Skate America competition for the next four years.

"The partnership with NBC has allowed figure skating fans to view numerous hours of live competition over the course of the last two years," said Patricia St. Peter, president of U.S. Figure Skating. "The extension of this partnership again shows the dedication of both U.S. Figure Skating and NBC Sports to showcase this popular sport not just in an Olympic year but for the next four years."

The partnership includes 12 hours of live event coverage on NBC Sports during the 2009-10 season, including live primetime coverage of the ladies free skate at the 2010 AT&T U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Jan. 14-24, 2010, in Spokane, Wash. The 2010 U.S. Winter Olympic Figure Skating Team will be determined at the conclusion of this event. Universal Sports, available in more than 56 million homes, will once again offer additional coverage and re-airs of Skate America and the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

"We're pleased to continue the great relationship with NBC," said David Raith, executive director of U.S. Figure Skating. "We appreciate the support of Dick Ebersol, the chairman of NBC Universal Sports and Olympics, as well as Jon Miller, executive vice president of NBC Sports, for making figure skating a broadcast priority."

"We are proud to extend our partnership with U.S. Figure Skating and to broadcast expanded live coverage of their marquee events," said Dick Ebersol, Chairman, NBC Universal Sports & Olympics. "Figure skating is the most popular sport in the Winter Olympics, and the U.S. Championships is always compelling programming especially in Olympic years when the event will help determine which men and women will represent our country at the Vancouver Games this February and at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia."

COVERAGE ON NBC SPORTS:
Sun., Nov. 15, 2009 - Skate America - Ladies final - 2-4 p.m. ET (Live)    
Sat., Jan. 16, 2010 - 2010 U.S. Figure Skating Championships - Pairs final - 4:30-6 p.m. ET (Live)
Sun., Jan. 17, 2010 - 2010 U.S. Figure Skating Championships - Men's final - 4:30-6 p.m. ET (Live)
Sat., Jan. 23, 2010 - 2010 U.S. Figure Skating Championships - Ice Dancing final - 3-6 p.m. ET (Live)
Sat., Jan. 23, 2010 - 2010 U.S. Figure Skating Championships - Ladies final - 9-11 p.m. ET (Live)
Sun., Jan. 24, 2010 - Skating Spectacular - 4-6 p.m. ET (Live)
This is the third year of a multi-year agreement between NBC Sports and U.S. Figure Skating. The 10 hours of coverage of the 2010 U.S Championships on NBC Sports is the most network coverage of this event since 1998. In the first year of this agreement, the U.S. Championships on NBC Sports drew nearly 12.5 million viewers, up 164 percent over the previous year on ABC and ESPN2 (4.7 million). It was the most-watched U.S. Championships since 2003 when the event benefited from the lift that figure skating received from the 2002 Salt Lake Games.
WEEI.com says traffic to its relaunched website has increased over the last year.

WEEI.com Announces Massive Year-Over-Year Increases in Web Site Traffic and Digital Audio Consumption

Unique visitors to WEEI.com grow 173% over one year to reach all-time high for the website

Boston (August 27, 2009) – WEEI.com, the web site of the nation’s top rated sports radio station WEEI-AM, announced major growth in visitors and digital audio consumption over the one year since making its initial upgrades in content and design in August 2008. Unique visitors have grown a stunning 173% in the past 12 months, jumping from 247,531 to 676,716, according to Onestat Analytics.

WEEI.com has also significantly grown their page views, on-demand and streaming audio audience over the last year. According to Ando Webcast Metrics, the year-over-year statistics show:

• Along with unique visitors, WEEI.com page views grew 90% since July 2008, jumping from 2,275,405 to 4,279,677. This was the first time the site cracked the 4 million page views mark in a single month.
• On-Demand Audio Plays have grown 112% from 129,915 to 274,208.
• Live Streaming Hours increased 32% from 919,542 to 1,206,043. This makes WEEI the top internet radio station in the country in terms of streaming Average Quarter Hours (AQH) as percentage of market size.
• Live Streaming CUME jumped 69% from 42,413 to 71,779.
• Live Streaming Sessions are up 90% from 253,169 to 481,900.

AQH on Stream Monday-Friday between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. grew 12% to 3,393. The site now has a greater streaming AQH than multiple competing radio stations in the Boston market have on their terrestrial broadcasts.

Also this past July, 22,000 people accessed WEEI.com from mobile devices, utilizing their WAP site, FlyCast and the station’s recently launched iPhone application. Leveraging social media to increase their audience, WEEI has more than 8,500 combined fans/followers on Facebook and Twitter. Additionally, visits from search engines have increased 134% from a year ago.

“As WEEI.com has evolved and grown over the last 12 months, so has our audience,” said Tim Murphy, Vice President/General Manager of WEEI.com. “We’ve made WEEI.com into an easy-to-access portal for Boston’s best hyper-local sports content and the top sports talk radio in the country. We expect our growth to continue as the web site continues to provide Boston sports fans the coverage, insight and opinions of the sports landscape in the market.”

Beginning in August 2008, WEEI.com made significant upgrades to the website’s design and content. The web site hired former Boston Herald reporter Rob Bradford as editor-in-chief and has since hired over a dozen contributors to the site, including former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling. In March 2009, the web site unveiled a major face lift and re-launched itself as “the sports page of the future.”

The Big Ten Network has announced a new slate of games for its "Greatest Games" series.

Big Ten Network Announces 24 New Episodes of ‘Big Ten’s Greatest Games’

Third season of classics kicks off September 1

CHICAGO – The Big Ten Network will be the place to relive stunning upsets, incredible finishes and stellar individual performances as the popular series The Big Ten’s Greatest Games returns for its third season.

Twenty-four new episodes will debut this fall, including two each week, premiering on Mondays, Tuesdays or Wednesdays. The first episode will be the 1989 Holiday Bowl between Penn State and BYU, scheduled for 8 PM ET on Tuesday, Sept. 1.

Many of this fall’s new episodes are scheduled to coincide with this year’s matchup. For example, in anticipation of the Notre Dame-Michigan game on Sept. 12, the Big Ten Network will air Michigan’s 1986 victory over Notre Dame on Sept. 8 and the 1997 win over the Irish on Sept. 9. In advance of the Ohio State-Michigan game on Nov. 21, the Big Ten Network will air the Buckeyes’ 1979 win and the Wolverines’ 1988 victory.

“We receive suggestions for Greatest Games literally every day,” Big Ten Network President Mark Silverman said, “and many of these new episodes are a result of those suggestions. These games give fans a chance to relive so many great memories.”

The network is in the planning stages for a third basketball season of The Big Ten’s Greatest Games. Fans are encouraged to nominate their favorite historical contests by visiting www.bigtennetwork.com/greatest.

The fall football season of The Big Ten’s Greatest Games is as follows:

September 1

• Dec. 29, 1989 – Holiday Bowl – #18 Penn State 50, #19 BYU 39

With BYU marching down the field in the final minute for the potential game-winning touchdown, Penn State’s Gary Brown stripped BYU quarterback Ty Detmer and sprinted 62 yards for the game’s final score. Halfback Blair Thomas led Penn State’s offensive attack with 35 carries for 186 yards and a touchdown. Detmer’s NCAA-record 576 passing yards weren’t enough for the Cougars.

September 2

• Aug. 31, 1991 – Champaign, Ill. – Illinois 38, East Carolina 31

Fighting Illini quarterback Jason Verduzco passed for 352 yards and three touchdowns as Illinois handed Jeff Blake and East Carolina their only loss of the season. The Illini jumped out to a big early lead and held on down the stretch as the Pirates’ late rally fell short.

September 8

• Sept. 13, 1986 – South Bend, Ind. – #3 Michigan 24, Notre Dame 23

The Michigan defense was on its heels for much of the afternoon as Notre Dame amassed 455 yards of total offense, but forced ND turnovers deep in Wolverine territory. The Fighting Irish failed to convert a golden opportunity with 18 seconds left as John Carney missed a field goal that would have likely won it for Notre Dame.

September 9

• Sept. 27, 1997 – Ann Arbor, Mich. – #8 Michigan 21, Notre Dame 14

After a two-year hiatus in this storied rivalry, Michigan coach Lloyd Carr and Notre Dame coach Bob Davie faced each other for the first time. Notre Dame held a 14-7 halftime edge before the Wolverines eventually gained a 21-14 lead. In the fourth quarter, Notre Dame recovered three Michigan fumbles deep in Wolverine territory, but the Michigan defense held the fort all three times and Michigan stayed on track for the 1997 National Championship.

September 15

• Dec. 30, 1986 – Holiday Bowl – #19 Iowa 39, San Diego State 38

Iowa trailed 35-21 early in the fourth quarter before quarterback Mark Vlasic brought the Hawkeyes back with two touchdown passes and a two-point conversion to claim a 36-35 lead. With just 47 seconds remaining, the Aztecs converted a short 21-yard field goal to recapture the lead. But Iowa’s Kevin Harmon ran 48 yards to set up kicker Rob Houghtlin with the game-winning 41-yard field goal in the closing seconds.

September 16

• Oct. 7, 1995 – Ann Arbor, Mich. – #25 Northwestern 19, #7 Michigan 13

Northwestern defeated Michigan for the first time since 1965, a string of 19 consecutive losses. Wildcat defensive back Eric Collier set up the go-ahead score when he intercepted a pass from Michigan quarterback Brian Griese, giving Northwestern the ball at the Michigan 31. Northwestern quarterback Steve Schnur then capitalized on the turnover by completing a two-yard touchdown pass to Matt Hartl, giving the Wildcats a 16-13 lead, which they would ultimately turn into a 19-13 victory.

September 22

• Oct. 12, 1985 – State College, Pa. – #8 Penn State 19, #10 Alabama 17

Penn State came from behind to defeat Alabama 19-17 and hand the Crimson Tide their first loss of the season. The Nittany Lions went on to complete an 11-0 undefeated regular season. After Alabama scored the game’s first touchdown, Penn State climbed to a 12-7 lead, scoring all of their points on field goals. The Crimson Tide sliced the lead to two with a 45-yard field goal, but the Nittany Lions responded with an 11-yard touchdown pass from back-up quarterback Matt Knizer to push the game out of reach.

September 23

• Sept. 29, 2001 – Evanston, Ill. – #16 Northwestern 27, #23 Michigan State 26

With a mere 16 seconds left and down 26-24, Northwestern was buried inside its own 15-yard line when Zak Kustok’s “Hail Mary” pass was deflected into the hands of Northwestern wide receiver John Schweighar, who brought the ball within field-goal range. Wildcat kicker David Wasielewski then made a 47-yarder as the clock ran out to lift Northwestern to a 27-26 victory. The difference in the game was a pair of missed extra points by Michigan State, including one with 18 seconds left to play.

September 28

• Nov. 3, 2001 – East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State 26, #6 Michigan 24

This controversial game was settled on the game’s final play when Michigan State quarterback Jeff Smoker threw a touchdown pass to running back T.J. Duckett as time expired. The ending sparked much debate concerning the clock and timing of Michigan State’s winning touchdown. On the final drive, Smoker, who was sacked an astounding 12 times, drove the Spartans 45 yards in just over two minutes to hand Michigan its first conference loss.

September 29

• Nov. 27, 1993 – East Lansing, Mich. – #14 Penn State 38, #25 Michigan State 37

Penn State trailed by 20 late in the third quarter, but after an interception by Derek Bochna, Penn State’s offense exploded for three touchdowns in a span of about five minutes. Quarterback Kerry Collins had the second-best passing day in Penn State history, with 352 yards and three touchdowns, as the Nittany Lions edged Michigan State.

October 6

• Oct. 22, 1983 – Ann Arbor, Mich. – #10 Michigan 16, #12 Iowa 13

Michigan kicker Bob Bergeron drilled a 45-yard field goal with eight seconds remaining, keeping the Wolverines undefeated in the Big Ten. Iowa had erased a 10-point deficit by forcing three second-half turnovers, though it was an Iowa turnover that ultimately affected the game. Hawkeye running back Owen Gill fumbled the ball with 1:30 left to play, allowing Michigan to recover, advance and score the winning field goal.

October 7

• Oct. 7, 1995 – Minneapolis – Minnesota 39, Purdue 38

With less than two minutes to go, Minnesota quarterback Cory Sauter scored on a one-yard run and then completed a pass to Ryan Thelwell for the two-point conversion, as Minnesota rallied to defeat Purdue 39-38. The Golden Gophers had trailed 17-7 at halftime.

October 13

• Oct. 2, 2004 – Evanston, Ill. – Northwestern 33, #7 Ohio State 27

Noah Herron’s 1-yard overtime touchdown run was the difference in Northwestern’s 33-27 shocker at Ryan Field in Evanston. Though the Buckeyes rallied to score 10 points in the final nine minutes and force overtime, Northwestern handed the Buckeyes their first loss in Evanston since 1958. Herron scored three touchdowns and Mark Philmore had 134 yards receiving and a touchdown.

October 14

• Oct. 28, 2000 – West Lafayette, Ind. – #16 Purdue 31, #12 Ohio State 27

Purdue quarterback Drew Brees rallied his team for 21 points in the fourth quarter, including a 64-yard touchdown pass to Seth Morales with 1:55 remaining. Brees passed for 455 yards and three touchdowns. Purdue had three players with at least 100 receiving yards including Tim Stratton, Vinny Sutherland and Morales.

October 19

• Oct. 27, 2007 – Iowa City, Iowa – Iowa 34, Michigan State 27

Iowa freshman and third-string running back Jevon Pugh scored on a 1-yard run in double overtime, helping Iowa to a 34-27 victory over Michigan State. Hawkeye Albert Young had 179 yards rushing and two touchdowns for Iowa, and the Hawkeyes were able to recover from a 17-3 halftime deficit.

October 20

• Oct. 28, 1989 – Minneapolis, Minn. – Ohio State 41, Minnesota 37

Ohio State trailed Minnesota, 31-0, but staged an incredible comeback and defeated the Gophers 41-37, tying the record for the largest deficit overcome by a Division I-A team. In the first half, Buckeye quarterback Greg Frey completed just two of eight passes for 35 yards, and his two fumbles and an interception led to 17 Minnesota points. But in the second half, he was 18 for 23 for 327 yards. He also scored a touchdown and completed a pair of two-point conversion passes in the second half to spark the comeback.

October 26

• Oct. 10, 1981 – Madison, Wisc. – Wisconsin 24, #18 Ohio State 21

A sell-out crowd at Camp Randall Stadium saw Wisconsin end a 21-year losing streak against Ohio State. In the final minute before halftime, the Badgers used two Buckeye fumbles to turn a 14-6 deficit into a 17-14 lead. Quarterback Jess Cole found Marvin Neal for a 24-yard touchdown strike with 18 seconds remaining in the half. Moments later, on the half’s final play, Wendell Gladem drilled a 50-yard field goal. The Wisconsin defense intercepted Buckeye quarterback Art Schlichter three times.

October 27

• Jan. 3, 2006 – Orange Bowl – #3 Penn State 26, #22 Florida State 23

Two college football legends matched wits in the 2006 Orange Bowl as Joe Paterno and Penn State faced Bobby Bowden and Florida State. The Nittany Lions secured a 26-23 victory in an triple-overtime thriller. Penn State’s Kevin Kelly, who missed two earlier game-winning attempts, nailed a 29-yard field goal in the third overtime to win the game for the Nittany Lions.

November 2

• Oct. 12, 2002 – Bloomington, Ind. – Indiana 32, #23 Wisconsin 29

Indiana scored the game’s final 22 points to defeat Wisconsin for a second straight year. Hoosier quarterback Gibran Hamdan completed 24 of 36 attempts for 310 yards and four touchdowns, including a 20-yard scoring strike to Glenn Johnson with 2:16 remaining. The Hoosiers’ defense held Wisconsin quarterback Brooks Bollinger in check for much of the game, limiting him to just 113 yards on 11 of 23 passing.

November 3

• Oct. 7, 2000 – West Lafayette, Ind. – Purdue 32, #6 Michigan 31

Purdue erased a 28-10 halftime deficit behind quarterback Drew Brees, who completed 32 of 44 attempts for 286 yards and a pair of touchdowns to shock sixth-ranked Michigan. The final push in the Boilermakers’ comeback came from kicker Travis Dorsch, who had missed the go-ahead 32-yard field goal with just over two minutes left in the game. Dorsch recovered to kick a 33-yarder with four seconds to play to complete the comeback.

November 10

• Jan. 1, 1998 – Rose Bowl – #1 Michigan 21, #8 Washington State 16

Michigan wrapped up an undefeated season and captured the 1997 National Championship with a 21-16 victory against Washington State and quarterback Ryan Leaf. Michigan quarterback Brian Griese was named the game’s Most Valuable Player after throwing a Michigan Rose Bowl record three touchdowns and completing 18 of 30 passes for 251 yards. Tai Streets caught four passes for 127 yards, including a career-best two touchdowns, while the defense was led by Heisman Trophy winner Charles Woodson.

November 11

• Jan. 1, 2000 – Citrus Bowl – #9 Michigan State 37, #10 Florida 34

Michigan State kicker Paul Edinger booted a 35-yard field goal as time expired to give Michigan State a thrilling 37-34 victory against Florida under interim coach Bobby Williams. Spartan wide receiver Plaxico Burress caught a career-high 13 passes for 185 yards and three touchdowns.

November 17

• Nov. 19, 1988 – Columbus, Ohio – #12 Michigan 34, Ohio State 31

It appeared as though Ohio State might deny Michigan a trip to the Rose Bowl after coming back from a 20-point halftime hole to take the lead with less than two minutes to go. But Michigan wide receiver John Kolesar returned the ensuing kickoff 59 yards for a touchdown to lift Michigan to a 34-31 victory. The teams combined for 968 yards total offense.

November 17

• Nov. 17, 1979 – Ann Arbor, Mich. – #2 Ohio State 18, #13 Michigan 15

Ohio State’s Jim Laughlin and Ernie Andria teamed to block a Michigan punt midway through the final quarter and Todd Bell returned the bouncing ball 18 yards for the go-ahead touchdown. Unbeaten and second-ranked Ohio State won despite two long touchdown receptions by freshman wide receiver Anthony Carter from Michigan quarterback John Wangler. All-American Ohio State quarterback Art Schlichter threw for 196 yards.

The UFL's New York Sentinels have announced another round of signings including one familiar name to NFL fans.

UNITED FOOTBALL LEAGUE’S NEW YORK SENTINELS ADD 17 TO ROSTER

Tickets for October 29^th Game At Giants Stadium

On-Sale on Saturday, August 29^th at Noon

NEW YORK, NY (August 27, 2009) – The United Football League’s New York Sentinels announced 17 more names for its “Premiere” season roster including

DE Simeon Rice. Drafted by the Arizona Cardinals third overall in the 1996 NFL Draft, Rice is credited with over 120 sacks, earned three Pro Bowl selections and contributed to the Buccaneer’s Super Bowl XXXVII victory.

The complete list of players being announced today includes:

Pos. Player College

WR Brown, Preston Tulane

CB Brown, Trey UCLA

DT Davis, Dan Connecticut

DE Fountain, Maurice Clemson

TE Ghent, Ronnie Louisville

DB Hardin, Dre’Mail Stillman East

DT Harwell, Brigham UCLA

P Horvath, Ryan Drake University

DS Lofton, David Stanford

DB Mitchell, Lionel East Stroudsburg

OT Pruneda, Ramiro Monterrey Tech, Mexico

DE Rice, Simeon Illinois

OG Robertson, Erik California

DT Save, Bryan Colorado State

DE Spicer, Michale Western Carolina

RB Toefield, Labrandon LSU

DB Terrell, Fletcher Washburn

This is the second player announcement release for the New York Sentinels. For a complete Sentinels’ roster (as of today), please visit http://www.ufl-football.com/teams/new_york_sentinels/players.

As previously announced, the Sentinels will play three home games in its “Premiere” season at Giants Stadium at the Meadowlands Sports Complex on October 29^th, Citi Field on November 4^th and Rentschler Field in Hartford on November 12^th.

I think we've caught up with the press releases for now. Cool.