Saturday morning odds and ends

lee corso

If Steve Sarkisian proves to be as good a football coach as he is prophetic about the weather, the Huskies may really have something.

A few weeks ago, on one of the really, nice summer nights we were having in August, a reporter mused to Sarkisian it would be cool to have that setting for the LSU game. Sarkisian shook his head and said no, he'd rather it be a little stormy and rainy, what I think he said he'd heard was "Husky weather.''

He's gotten his wish as it's been raining buckets much of the morning here and the forecast doesn't indicate a change anytime soon.

So lots of time to stay inside, watch the other games, and prepare for tonight. ...

--- First off, I'm told Lee Corso picked UW in an upset over LSU tonight (I didn't see it as I was actually at my son's soccer game, which in this weather was a whole lot of fun). But I'll take everyone's word for it.

--- Here's my preview for today's game with some interesting comments from a couple players about how different the feeling is this year compared to last season. What most fans I'm sure want to see most, however, is that different feeling translate to improvement on the field.

--- Erik Lacitis, a newside reporter for the Times, has this look at how fans are revved up for the beginning of a new era of UW football.

--- Here's a preview story and some predictions from the New Orleans Times-Picayune. And here's the preview from the Baton Rouge Advocate.

--- The line remains at LSU by 17.5 to 18.5 with a total of 53. BetFirms.com picks LSU. You can also bet on the first half --- LSU is a 9.5 or 10-point favorite by the half.

--- Lots of Pac-10 links from the Spokesman-Review.

--- UW recruit Nick Montana threw for 152 yards last night as Oaks Christian beat Alemany 28-17 in what was a pretty good game

--- Mason Kelly, our new prep blogger, has this note on UW commit Chris Young along with some video.

--- Today is the final cutdown day in the NFL, which obviously could impact a few former Huskies. You can follow it here.

--- Finally, I'm planning on a pre-game chat, maybe around 6 p.m. or so. So check back then.

All for now.

Turnovers marred the University of Tennessee football team’s scoreless first quarter

ut football

KNOXVILLE — Turnovers marred the University of Tennessee football team’s scoreless first quarter against Western Kentucky on Saturday afternoon in Neyland Stadium, but the Volunteers ended the period with a first-down run to the Hilltoppers 15-yard line.

UT’s first two possessions started well but ended with turnovers. Senior quarterback Jonathan Crompton had a tipped pass intercepted by Hilltoppers true freshman cornerback Jamal Forrest on the Vols’ first drive, but that didn’t end the play. UT freshman tailback Bryce Brown promptly jarred the ball from Forrest, but linebacker Mike Gothard recovered it to give WKU possession near midfield with 11:22 left in the opening quarter.

UT’s second possession started with similar promise and ended in similar frustration. Senior tailback Montario Hardesty fumbled moments after catching a short pass in the flat, WKU strong safety John Garrett scooped it up and rumbled 13 yards toward midfield. Gothard forced the fumble for his second huge play of the first quarter.

The only real surprise in UT’s starting lineup was senior Marsalous Johnson getting the nod over sophomore Anthony Anderson and freshman Mike Edwards at cornerback. As expected, junior Dennis Rogan started over freshman Janzen Jackson at free safety.

Calera quarterback on 2011 ESPNU 150 watch list

espnu

Calera High School junior quarterback Brandon Wells is already reaping rewards from his spectacular debut to open the 2009 season.

Wells, who passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another as he led the Eagles to a 33-15 win Aug. 28 over rival Montevallo, found his name on the 2011 ESPNU 150 watch list, which was released this week by the ESPNU football recruiting Web site.

The 6-foot-2, 161-pound Wells finished with 199 total yards on offense in the victory.

Wells is one of 20 Alabama players on the watch list. ESPNU will follow the players on its watch list and release its complete ESPNU 150 list of the top high school players in the Class of 2011 in the summer of 2010.

Penn State football central: Your gameday guide against Akron

penn state football

Football fans from Altoona and points south and west heading to Beaver Stadium for today's season opener with Akron will have an easier drive than they had last fall.

Today's game marks the first regular season game that all four lanes of Interstate 99 will be open from the Pennsylvania Turnpike north to State College.

Last fall the northbound lanes were open to the Skytop area, where drivers were funneled onto two-lane Route 322 for a short distance - a 1.3 mile stretch between Skytop and the Mount Nittany Expressway. The southbound lanes of I-99 remained closed between the Mount Nittany Expressway and Port Matilda.

"Hopefully it will make travel through that corridor easier and quicker," PennDOT spokeswoman Marla Fannin said. "Last year, you could go into State College most of the way on four lanes, but the southbound lanes were not open until around Thanksgiving. Now that we have all four lanes open, that should help ease the traffic flow at the end of the game."

Geoff Rushton, Penn State spokesman, also sees that as a positive.

"This completely eliminates people going over Skytop. That area could get pretty congested," Rushton said. "This should save people a lot of time."

Once fans arrive on campus, they will find some new regulations in place for the 2009 season.

One of them is a new university policy prohibiting glass bottles from the grassy parking areas near Beaver Stadium.

"We need to keep glass out of the grassy areas. It is not an alcohol issue. ... It is difficult to clean up broken glass in the grass," Rushton said.

He noted that the fields used for game day parking and tailgating are used the rest of the week for intramurals, Blue Band practice and pasture land for animals.

"It really is a safety issue," he said.

Another change is no smoking permitted inside Beaver Stadium - a result of the Clean Indoor Act of 2008. Previously, there were smoking areas on the concourse levels.

Penn State began implementing the policy at the Blue White game in April. Violators face removal from the stadium and possible loss of ticket privileges.

Anyone wishing to smoke during the game outside of the stadium is reminded that no re-entry is allowed for any reason.

"The American Cancer Society supports Penn State University's decision to provide Nittany Lion fans with a smoke-free environment, so fans of all ages are now able to enjoy great football without being exposed to the dangers of secondhand smoke," said April Sherry, cancer control director of the American Cancer Society Central Region.

For the second consecutive season, Penn State and Fullington Trailways will offer the Penn State Football Express to Beaver Stadium from Altoona and several locations in the State College area.

The service is designed to improve game day traffic and support the university's environmental goals.

"Considering the over 100,000 fans that pack into Beaver Stadium on football Saturdays, we want to provide a service that would be like a carpool to games," Penn State's Director of Transportation Services Teresa Davis said.

Reservations are required for the Altoona bus, which departs from Penn State Altoona four hours before kickoff and returns either one or three hours after the game. Round-trip cost is $18.

Top things to do in Fort Collins: A three-day planner

tour de fat fort collins

The Tour de Fat isn't a bicycle event; it's a bicycle party. The tour takes place Saturday, and details are mentioned below in this list of top activities the next three days in town.

Today

Art – The Masters ReMastered is on display at the Fort Collins Museum of Contemporary Art, 201 S. College Ave. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and noon to 5 p.m. Saturdays; admission is $5 adults, $2 senior and free to students and youths. The exhibit runs through Oct. 24. Info: www.fcmoca.org.

Art - The 28th annual Fabric of Legacies Art Quilt Exhibition, featuring the works of 29 artists, is on display at the Lincoln Center, 417 W. Magnolia St. Gallery hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and noon to 6 p.m. Saturdays; admission is free. The exhibit ends Aug. 28. Info: www.lctix.com.

Art - Through Warhol’s Lens and Warhol’s Flowers, two exhibits by famed artist Andy Warhol, are on display at the University Center for the Arts, 1400 W. Remington St. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays; the exhibits are on display through Sept. 25. Info: www.artmuseum.colostate.edu.

Football – Rocky Mountain is the first city team to play in the 2009 season; the Lobos host Horizon at 7 p.m. at French Field, 1300 W. Swallow Road. Tickets are $5 adults and $4 youths.

Music – The Passage Project has a 9 p.m. concert at Hodi’s Half Note, 167 N. College Ave. Tickets are $5 ($8 for those under 21). Info: www.hodishalfnote.com.

Theater - Bad Dates, a PG-13 comedy about life and love, starts at 7:30 p.m. at Nonesuch Theatre, 216 Pine St. The production runs 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays through Sept. 13; tickets are $20-$29.50. Info: www.nonesuchtheater.com.

Theater – High School Musical continues at Carousel Dinner Theatre, 3509 S. Mason St. Dinner starts at 6 p.m. with the show to follow; tickets are $39-$44. The performance runs at 6 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and noon Sundays through Sept. 26. Info: www.adinnertheatre.com.

Volleyball – CSU takes on Georgia Southern at 7 p.m. at Moby Arena. Tickets are $8 reserved, $6 adult general admission and $4 youth general admission. Info: www.csurams.com.

Friday

Film – Four movies open at Cinemark 16, 3721 S. Timberline Road, and/or Carmike 10, 3636 Manhattan Way. They are All About Steve, a PG-13 romantic comedy about a woman who does crossword puzzles (Sandra Bullock) who professes her love for a CNN cameraman and follows him around the country; Carriers, a PG-13 thriller about four friends who flee a viral infection and become powerful; Extract, an R-rated comedy starring Jason Bateman as an plant extract owner who must deal with personal and professional problems; and Gamer, an R-rated science fiction tale about future human beings who can control others in a gaming environment. Show times and ticket prices vary. Info: www.cinemark.com and www.carmike.com.

Football – Poudre takes on Boulder in the first game of the season for both teams starting at 7 p.m. at French Field, 1300 W. Swallow Road. Tickets are $5 adults and $4 youths.

Music – Foreigner, one of the top rock bands in history, has a 7 p.m. show at the Budweiser Events Center. Tickets are $35 and $50; the concert kicks off four days of fun with Thunder in the Rockies in neighboring Loveland. Info: www.comcasttix.com.

Music – The Poudre River Irregulars provide three hours of music starting at 4 p.m. at Avogadro’s Number, 605 S. Mason St. Tickets are $10. Info: www.avogadros.com.

Music – Infected Mushroom has a 9 p.m. concert at the Aggie Theatre, 204 S. College Ave. Tickets are $22. Info: www.aggietheatre.com.

Music – Hot Club Sandwich will light up the house at an 8:30 p.m. concert at Avogadro’s Number, 605 S. Mason St. Tickets are $7. Info: www.avogadros.com.

Poetry – Bring your best work to a First Friday Poetry Slam starting at 7:30 p.m. at The Bean Cycle/Matter Bookstore, 144 N. College Ave. Info: www.wolverinepublishing.org.

Volleyball – CSU hosts powerful Ohio State at 7 p.m. at Moby Arena. Tickets are $8 reserved, $6 adult general admission and $4 youth general admission. Info: www.csurams.com.

Saturday

Cycling – The Tour de Fat, one of Fort Collins’ zaniest events of the year, runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at New Belgium Brewing Co., 500 Linden St. A bike parade, entertainment, food, drink and more is on tap; admission is free. Info: www.newbelgium.com.

Gardening – Learn how to grow, harvest and preserve culinary herbs through a two-hour class starting at 10 a.m. at the Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 S. Centre Ave. Cost is $15. Info: www.fcgov.com/gardens.

Music – It’s pure country when Montgomery Gentry plays at 7 p.m. show at the Budweiser Events Center. Tickets are $39 and $50; the concert is part of four days of fun with Thunder in the Rockies in neighboring Loveland. Info: www.comcasttix.com.

Music – Cowtown performs at 8 p.m at Avogadro’s Number, 605 S. Mason St. Admission is $5. Info: www.avogadros.com.

Music – Half Color has a 9 p.m. show at the Aggie Theatre, 204 S. College Ave. Tickets are $5. Info: www.aggietheatre.com.

Volleyball – CSU faces Texas-Arlington at 1 p.m. at Moby Arena. Tickets are $8 reserved, $6 adult general admission and $4 youth general admission. Info: www.csurams.com.

Find out other things to do in Fort Collins and throughout Northern Colorado with our extended calendar listings at http://www.coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?CategoryEVENTS.

Lastly, the three-day weather forecast calls for more pleasant days with sunny skies and a high temperature in the mid 80s all three days.

Labor Day Fun At Woodstock Fair CT

woodstock fair

If you are traveling in Connecticut during this Labor Day weekend, don't miss the Woodstock Fair in CT. Enjoy family time, shopping and good music at the fair.

Woodstock agricultural society started its 149th Woodstock Fair in CT. Here is what you can expect this year from Woodstock Fair, which is always on Labor Day weekend.

The Midway

New England based Fiesta Shows provides carnival entertainment on the midway. Featuring clean, safe amusement rides and attractions as well as a full line up of games, the midway has something to offer fairgoers of all ages.

Open Horse Show

The Open Horse Show is one of the largest multi-day horse shows in the area with over 250 classes held from Friday afternoon until Monday afternoon with 3 show rings of activity. The broad spectrum of classes offered throughout the weekend has something for everyone.

Food and Shopping

Whether you are looking for an old fashioned bowl of chowder from one of our non-profit vendors or a new fangled sweet dessert to eat, you can find it among the 100 or so food concessions at our fair. At Woodstock Fair in CT you will find a wide variety of foods.

Family Fun Time!

Commerford Petting Zoo, Kid Zone, Sandtasia, Noodles the Clown, The Living Statue and much, much more!

Entertainment

Abba the Music, Sawyer Brown, Sara Evans, Herman's Hermits featuring Peter Noone, Truth & Rights, The Silver Dollar Band, and much, much more!

Agriculture at its Best

The Woodstock Agricultural Society proudly supports and promotes the diversity of agriculture at its annual fair. From the exhibition halls and barns, to the Agricultural Building, Barnyard Babies Birthing Center and the Brunn Barn Complex, the fairgrounds are brimming with locally grown and raised.

Prepared by Armen Hareyan based on the information provided by Woodstock Fair, CT official website at www.woodstockfair.com.

College Gameday: Starting the season

college gameday

A few short seasons ago, Larry Caper and Kevin Pickelman both were standouts on the local high school scene, stars on their respective teams on Friday nights.

Today, both will be standouts on the college football scene, looking to become stars on the same team on Saturday afternoons throughout the fall.

Caper, a Battle Creek Central grad, and Pickelman, a Marshall High grad, will both run out onto Spartan Stadium today and are expected to be on the field the majority of the time, playing for Michigan State University.

MSU opens its season against Montana State today at Spartan Stadium for a noon start.

The Battle Creek area hasn't had a player become a regular starter at Michigan State since 2001 when Marshall's Ryan Van Dyke was in the quarterback rotation.

This season the area has two players wearing green and white to root for.

Caper is among a small handful of running backs looking to take over for Javon Ringer at MSU after the Spartans leading rusher went on to the NFL.

Caper, a true freshman, is expected to get equal playing time with two other running backs during the game -- basically being named to share the starting spot today.

Pickelman has been named as the starting defensive tackle for the Spartans as a redshirt-sophomore after getting sporadic playing time last year.

It's an exciting time for both.

"When they told me, I had butterflies and got a little nervous. I'm a freshman coming in and now I'm possibly starting," Caper said. "But I'll be prepared for it and I'm happy and excited for the opportunity."

For Caper, it will be the first time playing against Division I competition and playing in front of 70,000-plus people.

For Pickelman, who played in several key games last year, mostly in passing downs, it will be his first start -- a step up in responsibility.

"It's exciting. I'll be nervous. But I knew if I worked hard over the summer I'd get this opportunity. I figured I had to work hard and good things would happen for me," Pickelman said.

Technically, Caper was listed as a backup running back to redshirt-freshman Caulton Ray. However, MSU coach Mark Dantonio said Ray, Caper and freshman Edwin Baker should see equal playing time throughout the game.

"Running back is a position of depth for us. We will work the three guys listed, in no particular order -- Caulton Ray, Larry Caper and Edwin Baker -- throughout the game. Those are the three guys that will take the majority of reps at running back for us," Dantonio said.

Caper, a 5-foot-11, 215-pound freshman was an all-state running back at Battle Creek Central last season.

MSU has a need at running back after Ringer left after his senior season last year. Ringer was the Spartans' entire running attack last season, accounting for 97-percent of the rushing yards for MSU. That meant the running backs already on the Spartan roster came in with little experience.

Caper was able to take advantage of that situation and open the eyes of the coaches -- meaning he will see the ball a lot today.

"We'll decide how and when they all will play. It depends on how many plays and what their stamina level is. We seem to move people in and out of that position at times," Dantonio said. "But we want those guys to get into a rhythm a little bit and show what they've got."

The opportunity has come fast for Caper. A top recruit coming in, MSU seems ready to hand the running reigns to a freshman this season -- either Caper or Baker... or both.

"This all has come a little bit faster than I thought," Caper said. "When camp started, it was like three weeks on the schedule and I thought that would take forever. But it has gone by real fast and now we are ready for game time.

"I'm just ready to take advantage of this opportunity. We have a lot of good tailbacks, more than just three. So you have to keep playing hard. Every day is crucial. If you have people pushing you like we do, you can't take a step back because if you take a step back, you go down the depth chart. And no one wants to go down the depth chart."

Pickelman has done his best to climb the depth chart since he arrived at MSU and even before.

Not highly recruited, Pickelman had verbally agreed to go to Central Michigan University before MSU offered a scholarship late in the process.

After redshirting his freshman year, Pickelman was given some opportunities last year as a backup.

Now he is the starter, following the departure of two-year starting defensive tackle Justin Kershaw, heading into his first game as a redshirt sophomore.

"I knew if I was given a chance I could do it. I just didn't get the hype that a lot of guys got coming out of high school," Pickelman said. "The key was gaining weight and keeping my quickness, showing good technique and learning the defense."

Pickelman left high school at around 230 pounds. But now at 6-foot-4, 270 pounds, he could become a force on the defensive line for the Spartans.

"In terms of what kind of player he is, he has a high motor," Dantonio said. "His play was limited last year, but he figures to be a starter for us this year -- a real high-motor guy."

With both local players taking the field, each know a big game today will help them to keep their status heading into the rest of the season.

"All I can do is smile and be thankful for the opportunity and go out there and play tough and play hard," Caper said. "You find out about people in game-time situations. So as long as you can be prepared, keep the butterflies real low, play intense and tough, I think you'll be alright."