DENVER (AP) — Eddie Butler controls his emotions about as well as he does his pinpoint fastball.
On the eve of his major league debut, the Colorado Rockies’ prized pitching prospect is hardly showing any traces of tension. The team is bringing Butler up from Double-A Tulsa to pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday and is hoping he adds a spark to a scuffling starting rotation.
The 22-year-old is taking it all in stride. He said, “if I go out there and pitch six innings and have us in the ball game, that’s going to be a great day.”
Colorado made one thing very clear — the team is not counting on Butler to swoop in to rescue the season, only to keep the Rockies in games.
North Platte, NE- On Monday and Tuesday, June 9th & 10th, the 2014 Junior Ambassador Classic Two Day Tournament will take place at our local Lake Maloney Golf Course and River’s Edge Golf Club. Approximately 60 junior golf entrants ages 7 to 18, from around the western end of the state, will participate in one of the biggest junior golf tournaments Nebraska hosts.
The Schedule as follows:
Day 1: June 9th, play will start at Lake Maloney Golf Course at 10:00am – 3:00pm.
Day 2: June 10th, play will start at River’s Edge Golf Club at 9:00am – 2:00pm.
Special Event, Junior Slugfest Scramble, will be held June 9th at River’s Edge Golf Club at 6:30pm. Juniors will be randomly teamed up and will compete in a 3-hole scramble in competition for trophies.
Trophies will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in each division collectively through the two-day tournament. The trophy presentation will be held at the end of play on June 10th at Rivers’ Edge Golf Club around 2:00pm by 10th/18th green.
DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Rockies have placed right-hander Jordan Lyles on the 15-day disabled list with a fractured left hand.
Lyles broke a bone just below the knuckle of his middle finger when he tried to tag out Martin Prado at home after a wild pitch in the first inning Wednesday night. Lyles stayed in the game, but had to use two hands to catch the ball when it was thrown back to him. He finally left after the fourth inning.
The 23-year-old Lyles is 5-1 this season with a 3.52 ERA.
To take his place on the roster, the Rockies recalled right-hander Chris Martin from Triple-A Colorado Springs. Martin was 0-1 and had a 5.52 ERA with the Sky Sox.
“Be Ready.” Two words capture the excitement behind the upcoming University of Nebraska football season. The Nebraska Athletic Department wants Husker Nation to “Be Ready” to enjoy the enhanced fan experience in Memorial Stadium for the 125th season of Husker football which kicks off on August 30, 2014.
The $12.3 million Memorial Stadium Fan Experience Improvements project is underway and includes replacing the stadium’s existing sound system; installing a wireless network system to improve connectivity; creating a game-day smart phone application for all fans in Memorial Stadium; and the installation of an IPTV system.
“Each of these Memorial Stadium Fan Experience Improvements are designed to provide the best college football fans in America with the best game-day experience possible,” Director of Athletics Shawn Eichorst said. “It is extremely important that we strive to improve our fan experience and our customer service in all of our athletic venues. These initiatives in Memorial Stadium are a big step in ensuring that there is no better place to be on college football game day than at Nebraska.”
New Sound System to Improve Quality Throughout Memorial Stadium
The previous sound system at Memorial Stadium was more than 20 years old, and while it was still functional, the normal life expectancy of such systems is 15 years. With installation underway, a new, single-point source system will replace the current speaker cluster inside the stadium. It will use line array and beam focusing speaker technology that will provide consistent audio levels throughout the stadium. Voice and music intelligibility will also be much improved and will allow fans, in all parts of the stadium, to enjoy the full Nebraska game-day experience. In addition, all concourses, suites, and common areas will be driven by DSP(digital signal processing) technology. The DSP system will also deliver sound to the PA speaker amplifiers. Downs Electric has been awarded the contract for the installation of the new sound system with the assistance of BNT Productions and work began on April 14. Additionally, as part of the improvement, a new scoreboard design will be incorporated into the overall sound system structure. The scoreboard will display a 25-foot illuminated Nebraska “N” and topped with a graphic of a football, visible from both inside and outside of Memorial Stadium.
New State-of-the-Art Wireless Network System will be Largest Collegiate Stadium Installation
The new wireless network system has many advantages and will allow fans better access to internet applications from their smartphones, regardless of carrier or location in the stadium, which will also relieve volume to cellular networks for voice calls and text messaging. The system installed in Memorial Stadium will be the largest collegiate and second-largest Cisco ConnectedStadium deployment in North America. Other stadiums with Cisco Connected Systems include Pinnacle Bank Arena, AT&T Stadium (home to the Dallas Cowboys and the largest Cisco Connected deployment in North America), Beaver Stadium (Penn State University), Stanford Stadium, Amon G. Carter Stadium (TCU), Yankee Stadium and Bank of America Stadium (Carolina Panthers).
Wireless coverage will also extend beyond the stadium to allow for an even greater area of connectivity, including the Hawks practice facility and practice fields, the Ed Weir Track, Champions Club (Surface Lot Only), parking garages 1 and 9, and parking surface lots 3, 4, 5, 8, and 12. CDW has been awarded the contract for the installation of the new wireless system and work began on April 28.
Smartphone Application to Deliver Exclusive Game-Day Information and Video
Nebraska Athletics is extending its contract with NeuLion, a leading internet video technology provider for live and on-demand interactive content for any Internet-enabled device, to develop an innovative in-venue game-day experience. Through a smartphone application, fans will be able to access in-depth information about the games, including exclusive streaming video content only available to those inside Memorial Stadium. Also available will be rosters and player bios, real-time stats and venue maps with concession stands, restrooms, and emergency stations. This experience will be added to the Official Nebraska Huskers App that is currently available to iOS and Android users. NeuLion has broad experience delivering high quality sports video experiences on multiple devices, including work with the Big Ten Network on the BTN2Go app, the National Hockey League, Ultimate Fighting Championship, the National Basketball Association and more than 175 colleges.
When asked about the impact the improvements within Memorial Stadium will have on those in attendance, Husker Athletics Director of Digital Media Kelly Mosier said: “As technology continues to improve, fans are engaging with college sports across all platforms of social media during games. Specifically addressing Nebraska football, we are excited that the added connectivity we are providing for the 2014 football season will give fans in Memorial Stadium greater access to engage in the conversations which are occurring online.” The game-day application will be ready for use when the 2014 season begins.
The exclusive video content will extend the HuskerVision experience beyond the existing big screens inside of Memorial Stadium and give fans control of their video experience on their own mobile devices. To meet this new avenue of engaging fan content, HuskerVision will expand its control room in a project that was awarded to Alpha Audio & Video.
IPTV System Brings Game Day Content into Memorial Stadium Concourses, Clubs and Suites
The Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) is a system through which television services are delivered using the Internet protocol suite over a packet-switched network such as a LAN or the Internet, instead of being delivered through traditional terrestrial, satellite signal, and cable television formats. IPTV deployments tightly manage network security and performance to ensure a superior entertainment experience, including the delivery of significantly more content and functionality. An IP-based platform also allows significant opportunities to make the TV viewing experience more interactive and personalized. With the advancement of the IPTV system, every channel we provide to fans will be in HD. We are also able to ensure the ability to provide unique camera angles and live, in-game stats. IPTV is a component of the Cisco Connected Stadium solution and that is being installed by CDW.
West Stadium to Incorporate Brick Design Element
Memorial Stadium improvements also include the addition of brick on the base section of West Memorial Stadium. The brick has been donated by Endicott Clay Products Co. of Endicott, Nebraska, to match the brick they have provided for other parts of the stadium. With the addition of brick on the West Stadium side, the West, North, and East Stadiums will all feature brick as a cohesive design element.
Seat Yourself Program Concludes June 10
Nebraska Athletics was also pleased to introduce a new, online ticketing program earlier this spring for the upcoming football season called, Seat Yourself. The Seat Yourself process was designed to help current and prospective Nebraska football season ticket holders who wished to explore the option of moving their season ticket(s) or acquire new seats. The new system improved the ticketing process and included the ability to have a 3D view of Memorial Stadium, view available seats, and make changes to current seats or select additional seats. Donors, season ticket holders and those who placed their names on the initial Request List have been assisted with tickets and upgrades as part of Phase I, which ended on May 21. It was an extremely successful launch and will expand to other Husker venues in the future. Phase II will assist all those on the second Request List which began on April 1.
All fans interested in purchasing football season tickets for the 2014 football season can go to Huskers.com/memorialstadium to get on the Request List. Season tickets are $56 per game, or $392 for the seven-game season package, a savings of $113 over single-game prices. Beginning June 16, fans will be able to view remaining available seats and immediately purchase season tickets online at Huskers.com/memorialstadium with the Select Your Seat process. Don’t miss the opportunity to be inside Memorial Stadium for the 125th season of Husker Football.
Rosemont, Ill. — The Big Ten Conference announced today that the Council of Presidents/Chancellors unanimously approved a recommendation from university administrators for future Big Ten Football Championship Games to be held in Indianapolis and for upcoming Big Ten Basketball Tournaments to be hosted by both Chicago and Indianapolis.
The Big Ten Football Championship Game will remain at Lucas Oil Stadium through the 2021 season. The Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament will rotate between Chicago and Indianapolis, with the United Center hosting the event in 2019 and 2021 and Bankers Life Fieldhouse serving as the tournament’s home in 2020 and 2022. Bankers Life Fieldhouse will also host the Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament from 2017 through 2022.
“The Big Ten Conference and member institutions are excited to return to Chicago and Indianapolis for future football championship games and basketball tournaments,” said Big Ten Commissioner James E. Delany. “These two cities have been tremendous hosts and partners with first-class facilities and an outstanding base of Big Ten alumni and fans who support conference events. We are proud of the history that we have developed with these two great cities and look forward to maintaining a significant presence in both locations.”
“To announce today that our community will host the first 11 Big Ten Football Championship Games at Lucas Oil Stadium and consistently bring the premier basketball events of the country’s marquee conference to Bankers Life Fieldhouse is simply incredible,” said Allison Melangton, Indiana Sports Corp President. “We continue to enjoy an amazing partnership with the Big Ten Conference, and we thank Commissioner Delany and the university leadership for placing their trust in Indianapolis once again. Locally, the support we receive from our financial partners, government entities, venues, committee members, and volunteers allows us to continually host the nation’s best events. It is truly a team effort.”
“Hosting the Big Ten Tournament in 2013 was an amazing experience for Chicago and with our hundreds of thousands of Big Ten alumni, the city was buzzing with excitement,” said Chicago Sports Commission Executive Director Kara Bachman. “We eagerly await the tournament’s return to our world-class city in 2015, and with it look forward to seeing an even broader, national fan base with the additions of Rutgers and Maryland, two great institutions with strong alumni networks in Chicago. We applaud Commissioner Delany’s vision and can’t wait to see it further realized in 2019 and 2021 when the tournament returns to the United Center. ”
The inaugural Big Ten Football Championship Game was held at Lucas Oil Stadium in 2011, the start of a five-year agreement with Indianapolis which now extends through 2021. The annual championship game has featured four different teams in the first three years, with two appearances each by Michigan State and Wisconsin and one trip for both Nebraska and Ohio State. The Badgers were victorious in the first two title contests, while the Spartans earned the win last December. The 2013 Big Ten Football Championship Game produced the highest attendance yet, with 66,002 fans at Lucas Oil Stadium.
The Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament has been held in either Chicago or Indianapolis through the first 17 years of its existence. The annual event returns to the United Center for the ninth time in 2015 and will be held at Bankers Life Fieldhouse for the 10th time in 2016, before making its first appearance on the East Coast when the 2017 event is held at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. The site of the 2018 tournament will be announced at a later date. Six Big Ten programs have officially won the tournament, including Michigan State claiming a fourth crown in March. Each of the last two tournaments have been sold out, including a conference record of more than 124,000 fans at the United Center in 2013 and over 111,000 fans at Bankers Life Fieldhouse earlier this year, the largest attendance in Indianapolis. More than 1.6 million fans have enjoyed the tournament since the inaugural event in 1998.
The Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament has been played in Indianapolis in 18 of 20 years since 1995. Bankers Life Fieldhouse has hosted the tournament in 12 of the last 13 seasons, while Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Ill., served as the event’s home in 2013 and will host again in 2015. Seven different Big Ten teams have claimed the tournament title, including Nebraska winning the event for the first time in March. The Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament has averaged more than 30,000 fans each year, including each of the last six events held in Indianapolis, with a tournament record attendance of 38,748 in 2012.
CHICAGO, IL – The United States Hockey League today announced that Tri-City Storm forward Garrett Gamez has been named the 2013-14 recipient of the USHL Curt Hammer Award.
The Curt Hammer Award has been presented annually since the 1988-89 season and recognizes the USHL player who distinguishes himself both on and off the ice by demonstrating outstanding performance skills, leadership, pride, and determination. The award is given in memory of the late Curt Hammer, who served as President of the Des Moines Buccaneers for three seasons (1984-87) and also held the role of Secretary for the USHL.
Gamez, a 19-year-old Chino Hills, California native, played his second USHL season for the Tri-City Storm in 2013-14 and was the team’s second-leading scorer with 34 points (6g, 28a) over 57 games. After being held off the scoresheet over his first 16 games of the season, he put up 23 points (4g, 19a) over the next 21 contests to help his team earn 11 victories in that span. He recorded a career high four assists in the 6-3 victory over the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders on December 7th, 2013, which also equaled a USHL season high for assists in one game.
His 28 assists total ranked tied for 27th overall in the League, but some of his most impactful assists came off the ice. Even with the demands of the USHL schedule on weekends, he regularly attended church services at Grace Fellowship in Kearney, Nebraska and volunteered time to help in the church nursery. Gamez was also involved in the church’s Step Out & Serve Program, joining other youth in helping individuals in the community that were not physically able to maintain the upkeep of their homes. The program provided yard work, repairs, cleaning, and general maintenance for such houses in the community.
Gamez graduated from Kearney High School following last season and has used his role as a hockey player to help promote the game in his community, actively participating in the “Learn To Skate Program” at the Viaero Event Center, home of the Tri-City Storm. He also helped launch a reading program at a local elementary named “Reading Up a Storm” and then made regular appearances to promote the initiative and celebrate with students who met their reading goals.
Other community activities for Gamez during the USHL season included participation in a barn painting project that benefitted the Central Nebraska Make-A-Wish program, volunteering hours to ring the bell at local businesses in December for the Salvation Army, plus numerous visits to local schools to assist students and teachers.
Gamez also developed a special bond with his billet family that generated national stories for ESPN’s Grantland.com and USA Hockey Magazine. His billet mom, Deb Andersen, was deployed for military service just prior to the season, but despite her leaving for the year, Gamez remained committed to staying in the family home with his billet day, Tom Andersen, as he continued his hockey career with the Tri-City Storm.
Gamez becomes the second member of the Tri-City Storm to earn the prestigious Curt Hammer Award, joining Christian Hanson who captured the honor following the 2004-05 season.
Curt Hammer, a dedicated volunteer and supporter of hockey in the Des Moines community until succumbing to cancer in 1987, was one of the founders Hart-Hammer, Inc., a commercial heating and air conditioning ventilation equipment sales firm. The company still operates today providing extensive sales and engineering support in Iowa, Nebraska, and western Illinois. The annual USHL award was established to honor his commitment to the League and the perseverance he displayed in continuing his work through hockey while battling the illness.
Other USHL players nominated for the Curt Hammer Award this season included Dylan Steman of the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, Jake Bunz of the Chicago Steel, Christian Frey of the Dubuque Fighting Saints, Michael Babcock of the Fargo Force, Mason Jobst of the Muskegon Lumberjacks, Cole Bruns of the Omaha Lancers, and Cal Petersen of the Waterloo Black Hawks.
The Storm will once again head to Las Vegas for tryout camp this summer, and will hold evaluations June 16-21 at the Las Vegas Ice Center.
DENVER (AP) — Jack Elway, the son of Denver Broncos general manager John Elway, has pleaded not guilty to charges that he assaulted his girlfriend and pulled her from a car by her hair.
Court records show 24-year-old John Albert Elway entered the plea on Wednesday. He was charged with assault and disturbing the peace after the Saturday incident near a college campus in downtown Denver.
Police reports show Elway’s girlfriend told officers he shoved her to the ground when she tried to get back into the car, causing scrapes.
Police say Elway then fled the scene. He is free after posting $550 bond.
His attorney, Harvey Steinberg, did not immediately return a call for comment. A Broncos spokesman says the case is a personal family matter.
ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Experience, an interactive digital museum located at the conference’s headquarters in Rosemont, Ill., will open to the public on Saturday, June 7. The new museum brings the conference’s storied academic and athletic history to life and places it at fans’ fingertips.
Located at the conference’s headquarters at 5440 Park Place in Rosemont, the museum will be open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT on weekdays and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
Admission to the Big Ten Experience is free.
The Big Ten Experience features a collection of 13 interactive exhibits showcasing conference notables dating back to 1896, the year the conference was founded. Highlights include the Big Ten Theater which gives patrons a behind-the-scenes, immersive audio and video experience looking at student-athletes and traditions, along with radio and television features of notable accomplishments on and off the field of play.
In addition, touch-screen monitors allow fans to learn more about individuals making a difference in the world beyond the playing fields. Fans of all Big Ten schools will be able to learn about their favorites from each campus, including bios, prominent speeches and correspondence from notable alumni. The digital format of the Big Ten Experience allows for new content to be added on a regular basis.
A full list of Big Ten Experience displays can be found below:
This is B1G
A compilation of the conference’s “firsts,” “bests,” “icons” and “timelines” including notable speeches, membership and commissioner timelines, NCAA Championship teams, rivalry trophies, the Committee on Institutional Cooperation, national awards – including athletic and academic honors – and more.
Game On (Interactive Game)
Attempt to catch a football, stop a soccer ball, or block a hockey puck through an interactive game that promises to test your speed, agility and hand-eye coordination.
University Cubes
Each institution tells its unique story through key statistics, important dates, fun facts and vibrant photos.
Honoring Legends. Building Leaders.
Read letters from notable Big Ten alumni written to Big Ten fans, watch “Faces of the Big Ten” 30-second spots featuring hundreds of Big Ten student-athletes, past and present, and learn more about the conference’s most prestigious honor – the Big Ten Medal of Honor.
Big Ten Connect
View live footage from Big Ten television partners on five screens and interact with the conference’s and schools’ social media pages as well as BTN2Go on one of four iPads.
Basketball Court with Interactive Radio Calls
A tongue-and-groove hardwood court featuring 14 program-changing audio calls from men’s basketball games throughout the years. Each call is located on the court where the actual shot took place.
Football/Basketball Touch Screen
Get your Big Ten football and basketball “fix” here. Fantastic finishes in football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball; incredible slam dunks; Heisman Trophy winners; and great Rose Bowl Game moments. Visitors can also view every Rose Bowl Game program cover dating back to 1902.
Heisman Trophy Photo Op
Strike a “Heisman” pose and snap a photo. The perfect keepsake for any Big Ten fan.
Big Ten Vault
Two video monitors stand back-to-back in the space just outside the Big Ten Theater. One contains video vignettes of awe-inspiring performances by student-athletes in a variety of sports. The other contains every Sports Illustrated magazine cover featuring a Big Ten team.
Big Ten Slideshow
A compilation of photos featuring Big Ten campuses, architecture, notable alumni and unique university programs.
Big Ten Impact
View BTN’s inspiring “LiveB1G” programs that shine a light on Big Ten students, faculty and alumni who are making a difference in the world through research innovations, education and local community outreach.
Current Big Ten Champions
Every Big Ten Championship team, NCAA Championship team, and/or individual champion for the current academic year is featured in this interactive touchscreen.
Big Ten Theater
Fans will get a truly unique, behind-the-scenes look at Big Ten student-athletes and Conference traditions in these three-minute films from each of our member institutions. Films include: Illinois Track and Field: A Work of Art; Indiana Basketball: Assembly Hall. Indiana’s 6th Man; Iowa Wrestling: The Pursuit of Excellence; Michigan Gymnastics: Go Blue. A Game Day Tradition; Michigan State Basketball: The Journey Starts at Midnight; Minnesota Men’s Ice Hockey: A Hockey State of Mind; Nebraska Volleyball: Honor the Past. Invent the Future; Northwestern Women’s Lacrosse: Games Aren’t Won on Gameday; Ohio State Marching Band: TBDBITL; Penn State Men’s Gymnastics: We are Penn State Gymnastics; Purdue Diving: Fear is Not an Option; and Wisconsin Football: Jump Around.
DENVER (AP) — Miguel Montero drove in a career-high six runs, Paul Goldschmidt hit a go-ahead, three-run double in the eighth inning and the Arizona Diamondbacks sent the Colorado Rockies to their sixth straight loss, 16-8 Wednesday night.
The Rockies led 8-5 before the Diamondbacks scored six times in the eighth to reclaim the lead. They were hardly done, adding five more in the ninth to turn a close game into a runaway win. The Diamondbacks tied a season high with 21 hits.
The top five hitters in the lineup each had three hits and combined for 14 RBIs. Montero drove in two runs on sacrifice flies, had a run-scoring single and hit a three-run homer in the ninth.
Brad Ziegler (2-1) got two outs in the seventh to earn the win. Rex Brothers (2-4) took the loss after the big eighth.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Matt Carpenter had a career-high five hits, including the go-ahead double in the 11th inning, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Kansas City Royals 5-2 on Wednesday night to snap a three-game losing streak.
After the Royals rallied with two runs in the ninth, Peter Bourjos worked a one-out walk off Royals reliever Kelvin Herrera (1-2) in the 11th. Carpenter then rapped his double to center field, drawing a roar from a crowd comprised mostly of Cardinals fans.
Allen Craig added a two-run single off Tim Collins later in the inning, and Pat Neshek breezed through the bottom half to end the Royals’ six-game winning streak against National League clubs.
Sam Freeman (1-0) earned the win with a perfect 10th inning.
