Monday, August 30, 2004
Article on new HC asst coach
The Capital (Annapolis, MD)
August 14, 2004 Saturday
SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. C6
Cavs coach moves up to D-I
MICHAEL PIPER, Staff Writer
After the 2000-2001 basketball season, there came a time when Andy Sachs had to make a decision. Sachs was an assistant on a successful Indiana University of Pennsylvania basketball team, but he was having trouble landing a job in Division I.
Combine that with the fact that his fiance at the time was an accountant and needed to be near a metropolitan area, and Sachs decided to move back to Anne Arundel County, where he was raised and the rest of his family resided.
Little did Sachs know that his Division I coaching chance would come three years later after working for his friend, Mike Glick, at Archbishop Spalding High School. Sachs learned Thursday of an opening on Holy Cross College head coach Ralph Willard's staff. He talked with Willard on Friday and Monday and was offered the job on Tuesday.
"It happened so fast," Sachs said. "Coach Willard is an excellent coach and this is a program that won three Patriot League titles in the last four years, so it is a great opportunity. I wasn't just applying for any job that opened up, but when this did, I had to look into it. I feel truly blessed right now."
Sachs was so excited he called Glick Thursday morning to share the news when it essentially became official. The Spalding coach, in the process of moving, was awakened by the phone call but was thrilled when he heard the news.
"I'm ecstatic for Andy right now," Glick said. "He's worked really hard to get that opportunity and I think that's an outstanding job. It's great exposure and I was just happy to have him, a coach with his NCAA experience, for three years at Spalding."
Willard, who took Western Kentucky to the sweet-16 and also previously coached at the University of Pittsburgh, has worked under coaches like Syracuse's Jim Boeheim and Louisville's Rick Pitino. He's also seen four members of his staff move on to head coaching jobs in college. Former assistant Tom Crean is the most successful of Willard's proteges, taking Marquette to the final four in 2003. Jim Christian (Kent State), Bobby Jones (St. Fancis, Pa.) and Sean Doherty (Division III Salem State) have all become head coaches and a fifth, Troy Weaver, was one of Boeheim's top assistants and has gone on to the National Basketball Association in a scouting capacity.
Sachs would ultimately like to add his name to that list.
"One of the reasons I was so interested in this job is that a lot of Coach Willard's assistants go on to become head coaches," Sachs said. "You work hard here and he is proud to see you move on when you do. Ultimately, that's where I want to end up."
It wasn't easy for Sachs to break into Division I despite an impressive coaching resume. He was an assistant at Salisbury University from 1988-92 when the Sea Gulls went to two NCAA tournaments. Sachs then moved on to Virginia Wesleyan from 1993-96 and was part of a staff that went to the school's only NCAA appearance. In his five years at IUP, Sachs was an assistant on a team that went to the Elite Eight in 2000 and, after he left in 2002, a team comprised of many of his recruits went to the Final Four.
Still, however, when he applied for an assistant's job at Holy Cross, as well as several other D-I jobs, he was turned away. Willard, however, remembered his name.
"It is hard to break into D-I," Sachs said. "Unless you know some when, when the general job opens up at Loyola or somewhere, you're just not going to get it."
In this case, however, Sachs did have a connection. The veteran coach learned about the opportunity through former player, former Willard assistant and current Clemson assistant Kevin Nickelberry. That got Sachs in the door a second time and this time it landed him the job.
"I interviewed him four years ago and I was impressed with him and his background in college, even if it wasn't D-I," Willard said. "He had had a lot of success and he was well-educated and good dealing with people. He was persistent and, when this job opened up, he seemed like a good fit."
Sachs will be valuable on the recruiting front given his connections in the Maryland area, but he will indeed learn the coaching ropes in a broader sense with Willard. Sachs will recruit, serve as an academic advisor, work on game preparation and help with travel arrangements among other duties.
"I don't say that this is the recruiting coach and this is the floor coach or anything like that," Willard said. "It is my assistants' job to work hard for this program and it's my job to make sure they are better coaches when they leave."
Leaving couldn't be the further from Sachs mind, however.
"I'm just ready to work hard and become a better coach," he said.
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The Capital (Annapolis, MD)
August 14, 2004 Saturday
SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. C6
Cavs coach moves up to D-I
MICHAEL PIPER, Staff Writer
After the 2000-2001 basketball season, there came a time when Andy Sachs had to make a decision. Sachs was an assistant on a successful Indiana University of Pennsylvania basketball team, but he was having trouble landing a job in Division I.
Combine that with the fact that his fiance at the time was an accountant and needed to be near a metropolitan area, and Sachs decided to move back to Anne Arundel County, where he was raised and the rest of his family resided.
Little did Sachs know that his Division I coaching chance would come three years later after working for his friend, Mike Glick, at Archbishop Spalding High School. Sachs learned Thursday of an opening on Holy Cross College head coach Ralph Willard's staff. He talked with Willard on Friday and Monday and was offered the job on Tuesday.
"It happened so fast," Sachs said. "Coach Willard is an excellent coach and this is a program that won three Patriot League titles in the last four years, so it is a great opportunity. I wasn't just applying for any job that opened up, but when this did, I had to look into it. I feel truly blessed right now."
Sachs was so excited he called Glick Thursday morning to share the news when it essentially became official. The Spalding coach, in the process of moving, was awakened by the phone call but was thrilled when he heard the news.
"I'm ecstatic for Andy right now," Glick said. "He's worked really hard to get that opportunity and I think that's an outstanding job. It's great exposure and I was just happy to have him, a coach with his NCAA experience, for three years at Spalding."
Willard, who took Western Kentucky to the sweet-16 and also previously coached at the University of Pittsburgh, has worked under coaches like Syracuse's Jim Boeheim and Louisville's Rick Pitino. He's also seen four members of his staff move on to head coaching jobs in college. Former assistant Tom Crean is the most successful of Willard's proteges, taking Marquette to the final four in 2003. Jim Christian (Kent State), Bobby Jones (St. Fancis, Pa.) and Sean Doherty (Division III Salem State) have all become head coaches and a fifth, Troy Weaver, was one of Boeheim's top assistants and has gone on to the National Basketball Association in a scouting capacity.
Sachs would ultimately like to add his name to that list.
"One of the reasons I was so interested in this job is that a lot of Coach Willard's assistants go on to become head coaches," Sachs said. "You work hard here and he is proud to see you move on when you do. Ultimately, that's where I want to end up."
It wasn't easy for Sachs to break into Division I despite an impressive coaching resume. He was an assistant at Salisbury University from 1988-92 when the Sea Gulls went to two NCAA tournaments. Sachs then moved on to Virginia Wesleyan from 1993-96 and was part of a staff that went to the school's only NCAA appearance. In his five years at IUP, Sachs was an assistant on a team that went to the Elite Eight in 2000 and, after he left in 2002, a team comprised of many of his recruits went to the Final Four.
Still, however, when he applied for an assistant's job at Holy Cross, as well as several other D-I jobs, he was turned away. Willard, however, remembered his name.
"It is hard to break into D-I," Sachs said. "Unless you know some when, when the general job opens up at Loyola or somewhere, you're just not going to get it."
In this case, however, Sachs did have a connection. The veteran coach learned about the opportunity through former player, former Willard assistant and current Clemson assistant Kevin Nickelberry. That got Sachs in the door a second time and this time it landed him the job.
"I interviewed him four years ago and I was impressed with him and his background in college, even if it wasn't D-I," Willard said. "He had had a lot of success and he was well-educated and good dealing with people. He was persistent and, when this job opened up, he seemed like a good fit."
Sachs will be valuable on the recruiting front given his connections in the Maryland area, but he will indeed learn the coaching ropes in a broader sense with Willard. Sachs will recruit, serve as an academic advisor, work on game preparation and help with travel arrangements among other duties.
"I don't say that this is the recruiting coach and this is the floor coach or anything like that," Willard said. "It is my assistants' job to work hard for this program and it's my job to make sure they are better coaches when they leave."
Leaving couldn't be the further from Sachs mind, however.
"I'm just ready to work hard and become a better coach," he said.
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Tuesday, August 24, 2004
Caterina to UNH
I had heard about it before, but here's the official word..
The Union Leader (Manchester NH)
August 19, 2004
Recruits Jamaal Caterina of Portland, Maine, has enrolled at the University of New Hampshire and will be eligible to play for basketball coach Phil Rowe's Wildcats in the fall of 2005.
Caterina is a 6-foot-6, 205-pound forward and played basketball at American University from 2002-2004. He played in 26 games for the Eagles last season.
"Jamaal is an outstanding Division I player and we are excited about his decision to join our program," said Rowe.
Caterina was a prep school all-America honorable mention three years ago at Brewster Academy. He was also named Mr. Basketball in Maine in 2001. @ 4:12 PM 0 HC Alums are angry about this post | Bitch about it on the PL hoops messageboard
I had heard about it before, but here's the official word..
The Union Leader (Manchester NH)
August 19, 2004
Recruits Jamaal Caterina of Portland, Maine, has enrolled at the University of New Hampshire and will be eligible to play for basketball coach Phil Rowe's Wildcats in the fall of 2005.
Caterina is a 6-foot-6, 205-pound forward and played basketball at American University from 2002-2004. He played in 26 games for the Eagles last season.
"Jamaal is an outstanding Division I player and we are excited about his decision to join our program," said Rowe.
Caterina was a prep school all-America honorable mention three years ago at Brewster Academy. He was also named Mr. Basketball in Maine in 2001. @ 4:12 PM 0 HC Alums are angry about this post | Bitch about it on the PL hoops messageboard
Good Preseason Article from the Express-Times
Here's a good column hyping Joe Knight as the guy who will win Lehigh another basketball title @ 3:58 PM 0 HC Alums are angry about this post | Bitch about it on the PL hoops messageboard
Here's a good column hyping Joe Knight as the guy who will win Lehigh another basketball title @ 3:58 PM 0 HC Alums are angry about this post | Bitch about it on the PL hoops messageboard
Wednesday, August 18, 2004
Well this sucks
"Another change to the website will be the addition of American University to the CollegeSports Online network in late August%2C 2004. The Eagles join Army%2C Bucknell and Lafayette on the CollegeSports Online network%2C meaning all stories related to the Patriot League%27s 23 championship-sponsored sports will appear on the Patriot League website when they are posted on the institution%27s athletic website"
AU is going corporate with their website. Pretty lame if you ask me. @ 2:18 PM 0 HC Alums are angry about this post | Bitch about it on the PL hoops messageboard
"Another change to the website will be the addition of American University to the CollegeSports Online network in late August%2C 2004. The Eagles join Army%2C Bucknell and Lafayette on the CollegeSports Online network%2C meaning all stories related to the Patriot League%27s 23 championship-sponsored sports will appear on the Patriot League website when they are posted on the institution%27s athletic website"
AU is going corporate with their website. Pretty lame if you ask me. @ 2:18 PM 0 HC Alums are angry about this post | Bitch about it on the PL hoops messageboard
Tuesday, August 17, 2004
The Rest of the Schedules
ARMY
Nov. 20 THE CITADEL (Southern), 3-21, RPI 305, beat Army 82-58 last year
Nov. 22 SACRED HEART (NEC), 12-15, RPI 251, beat Army 55-51 last year
Nov 24 at Stony Brook (AmEast), 10-20, RPI 266, beat Army 69-44 last year
Nov. 28 at New Hampshire (AmEast), 10-20, RPI 273, beat Army 61-47 last year (notice a trend?)
Dec. 1 N.Y. POLYTECHNIC DIII
Dec. 4 at St. Francis (N.Y.) (NEC), 15-13, RPI 226, beat Army 68-54 last year
Dec. 6 ALBANY (Am East) 5-23, RPI 309, beat Army 68-62 last year
Dec. 9 N.Y. MARITIME DIII
Dec. 19 at Notre Dame (Big East) 17-12, RPI 49
Dec. 30 at Fairleigh Dickinson (NEC) 16-12, RPI 164, beat Army 57-48 last year
Jan. 2 CORNELL (Ivy) 10-16, RPI 269, beat Army 79-66 last year
Jan. 4 COLUMBIA (Ivy) 9-17, RPI 286, LOST TO ARMY 57-60 last year
HOLY CROSS
Nov. 20 at Boston Univ. (AmEast) 23-5, RPI 84, lost to HC last year 57-59
Nov. 23 at Harvard (Ivy) 4-23, RPI 308, lost to HC last year 59-67
Nov. 28 MARIST (MAAAAC) 6-22, RPI 288, beat HC last year 59-55
Dec. 1 PRINCETON (Ivy) 19-7, RPI 121, beat HC last year 61-55
Dec. 4 at Minnesota (Big 10) 12-18, RPI 156, their only good player left this year
Dec. 6 at Fordham (A10) 6-22, RPI 211, lost to HC last year 57-66
Dec. 9 at Boston College (Big East) 23-9, RPI 22, beat HC last year 64-51
Dec. 21 at Brown (Ivy) 13-13, RPI 209, lost to HC last year 43-69
Dec. 28 NORTHEASTERN (AmEast), 17-11, RPI 154
Dec. 30 VERMONT (AmEast), 22-8, RPI 115
Jan. 2 at Rhode Island (A10), 19-12, RPI 82
Jan. 5 DARTMOUTH (Ivy), 2-24, RPI 324, lost to HC last year, 52-60
Jan. 18 IONA (MAAC), 11-18, RPI 203, lost to HC last year 55-68
NAVY
Nov. 19 at UMBC (AmEast), 7-21, RPI 299
Nov. 21 at Loyola (Md.) (MAAC), 1-27, RPI 322, Lost to Navy 54-58 in a battle of futility last year
Nov. 23 USMMA (DIII)
Nov. 28 VMI (Big South), 3-22, RPI 312
Dec. 1 MORGAN STATE (MEAC), 11-16, RPI 284
Dec. 4 at Ohio U. (MAC), 10-20, RPI 231, Beat Navy 63-52 last year
Dec. 6 at Belmont (At.Sun), 20-8, RPI 85, Beat Navy 88-71 last year
Dec. 11 STONY BROOK (AmEast), 10-20, RPI 266
Dec. 18 GETTYSBURG (DIII)
Dec. 21 at Mount Saint Mary’s (NEC) 10-19, RPI 261, Beat Navy 54-53 last year
Dec. 30 at The Citadel (Southern), 3-21, RPI 305
Jan. 3 at Air Force (Mt. West), 22-6, RPI 70, Beat Navy 86-46 last year
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Monday, August 16, 2004
AU Schedule Released
AU released their schedule this weekend, while I was distracted by beer and the Olympics (by the way, the Dream Team should have their passports taken away).
Here's the out of conference portion, with teams that made the NCAAs bolded (fyi, these records and RPIs are from before the tournament):
NOVEMBER
CATHOLIC (Exhibition) (DIII)
at Virginia Commonwealth (CAA), 23-7, RPI 54 - First Round Preseason NIT
at Niagara (MAC), 21-9, RPI 98 - Return game, beat AU in DC 75-72 last year.
WAGNER (NEC), 12-16, RPI 219
St. FRANCIS (Pa.) (NEC), 13-15, RPI 249, return game, beat AU in PA 75-63 last year.
VERMONT (Am. East) 22-8, RPI 115
at Towson (CAA), 8-21, RPI 278
OHIO UNIVERSITY (MAC), 10-20, RPI 231
at Maryland (ACC), 19-11, RPI 18, beat AU 79-48 in a laugher last year in College Park
LA SALLE (A10), 10-20, RPI 188
at Delaware (CAA), 16-12, RPI 130, return game, beat AU 72-63 last year in DC
at Missouri (BigXII), 16-13 RPI 51
at Yale (Ivy), 11-15 RPI 214, return game, lost to AU 73-84 last year in DC
Some thoughts:
AU released their schedule this weekend, while I was distracted by beer and the Olympics (by the way, the Dream Team should have their passports taken away).
Here's the out of conference portion, with teams that made the NCAAs bolded (fyi, these records and RPIs are from before the tournament):
NOVEMBER
CATHOLIC (Exhibition) (DIII)
at Virginia Commonwealth (CAA), 23-7, RPI 54 - First Round Preseason NIT
at Niagara (MAC), 21-9, RPI 98 - Return game, beat AU in DC 75-72 last year.
WAGNER (NEC), 12-16, RPI 219
St. FRANCIS (Pa.) (NEC), 13-15, RPI 249, return game, beat AU in PA 75-63 last year.
VERMONT (Am. East) 22-8, RPI 115
at Towson (CAA), 8-21, RPI 278
OHIO UNIVERSITY (MAC), 10-20, RPI 231
at Maryland (ACC), 19-11, RPI 18, beat AU 79-48 in a laugher last year in College Park
LA SALLE (A10), 10-20, RPI 188
at Delaware (CAA), 16-12, RPI 130, return game, beat AU 72-63 last year in DC
at Missouri (BigXII), 16-13 RPI 51
at Yale (Ivy), 11-15 RPI 214, return game, lost to AU 73-84 last year in DC
Some thoughts:
- The Catholic game is a welcome DIII addition-- a local team that draws from much of the same pool that AU does.
- The preseason NIT is a huge deal for AU, and representative of the upturn the program has taken since Jeff Jones took over.
- This is by far the toughest schedule announced thus far in the league. If AU finishes at .500 in preseason play, they will be my favorite to win the league.
- Teams AU should beat: Catholic, St. Francis, Towson, Wagner, Yale
- Teams AU should/could play close with: Vermont, Ohio, La Salle, VCU, Niagara, Delaware
- Teams that will beat AU: Maryland, Missouri, Wake Forest (if AU beats VCU)
- Average OOC RPI: 153, comparable to AU's 159 overall RPI last year.
Tuesday, August 10, 2004
Bucknell OOC Schedule
Very impressive, thoughts to come later. Look at their preseason prospectus for now.
NOVEMBER
Thu.-Fri. 11-12 Coaches vs. Cancer Tournament (at Syracuse) TBA
(with Syracuse, Princeton, N. Colorado)
Fri. 19 RIDER 7 p.m.
Mon. 22 ST. FRANCIS (Pa.) 7 p.m.
Fri.-Sat. 26-27 at Iowa State Tournament TBA
(with Iowa State, Stephen F. Austin, N. Colorado)
DECEMBER
Wed. 1 at Penn TBA
Sat. 4 at Yale TBA
Tue. 7 ROBERT MORRIS 7 p.m.
Sat. 18 at Cornell 2 p.m.
Wed. 22 NIAGARA 7 p.m.
Tue. 28 at St. Joseph’s TBA
JANUARY
Sun. 2 at Pittsburgh 7 p.m. @ 4:21 PM 0 HC Alums are angry about this post | Bitch about it on the PL hoops messageboard
Very impressive, thoughts to come later. Look at their preseason prospectus for now.
NOVEMBER
Thu.-Fri. 11-12 Coaches vs. Cancer Tournament (at Syracuse) TBA
(with Syracuse, Princeton, N. Colorado)
Fri. 19 RIDER 7 p.m.
Mon. 22 ST. FRANCIS (Pa.) 7 p.m.
Fri.-Sat. 26-27 at Iowa State Tournament TBA
(with Iowa State, Stephen F. Austin, N. Colorado)
DECEMBER
Wed. 1 at Penn TBA
Sat. 4 at Yale TBA
Tue. 7 ROBERT MORRIS 7 p.m.
Sat. 18 at Cornell 2 p.m.
Wed. 22 NIAGARA 7 p.m.
Tue. 28 at St. Joseph’s TBA
JANUARY
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Monday, August 09, 2004
More Bad News About Jarion Childs
Apparently AU Alum Jarion Childs was involved in some bad business-- the AU student paper is reporting that he is "of interest" in some murder cases. Same said here by the Norwich Bulletin. Don't know what to say about this, but it is all seems very unexpected by those who knew Childs.
**
The Eagle
Former AU athlete killed, 'of interest' in murder cases
AU Athletics officials remember Childs
By Phil Turner
Published: Monday, July 12, 2004
Article Tools: Page 1 of 2
Posted Aug. 4, 2004
Jarion Childs, a standout defensive star and leader for the AU men's basketball team from 1997-2000, was shot and killed in his hometown of Groton, Conn. after breaking into a Dairy Queen shortly after midnight on June 28. His death has been ruled a homicide, according to WFSB, a news channel in Connecticut. Since then, Childs has also been named a "person of interest" involved in murder.
An autopsy revealed that Childs was shot fatally in the back once. The Dairy Queen's owner, Steven Botchis, fired the shot.
Police responded to a 911 call just after midnight on Monday, June 28. Police said Botchis was finishing up for the night, after the restaurant had closed at 10 p.m., when Childs, 27, broke in by prying the back door's lock with a crowbar, NBC 30, a local news affiliate in the Groton area, reported.
Botchis shot Childs after he reportedly struck Botchis three times with the crowbar.
Botchis was treated for injuries to his head and ribs and was later released from a local hospital. Childs, however, could not be revived.
Childs' funeral was held July 3, however, since then WFSB news channel in Connecticut reported that Childs may be responsible for three murders in southeastern Connecticut, though other news sources say he is linked to two. A police warrant used to search Childs' ex-girlfriend's Rhode Island apartment links Childs to the murder of A. Gordon Jeffrey, which occurred near Stonington, Conn., according to WFSB. Jeffrey, 89, was beaten and robbed on May 14 and died two weeks later, according to WTNH, an ABC affiliate news channel in Connecticut.
Also on May 14, Dr. Eugene Mallove, a world-renowned cold fusion scientist, was beaten and died of injuries to the head and neck, the Norwich Bulletin reported July 28. Mallove's van was found at a parking lot along Route 2, which leads to the part of Stonington where Jeffrey was beaten. Childs is "a person of interest," Norwich police Lt. Timothy Menard told the Norwich Bulletin. Also, the Norwich police and Stonington police are communicating during their investigations.
Mallove, 56, ran the New Energy Foundation and was editor in chief of the magazine Infinite Energy. He researched cold fusion, the idea that energy can be released by passing an electric current through hydrogen found in seawater, according to the Discovery Channel. Mallove believed that scientists deliberately failed to replicate the experiment that would prove cold fusion's abilities because those researching hot fusion, like his alma mater, MIT, did not want to lose government funding. Though some have called his death a conspiracy, the police say it was a random attack.
Childs' death, and the manner in which it unfolded, shocked those who knew him during his time at AU.
Ed MacLaughlin, the assistant athletic director for facilities and operations at AU, said he met Childs in 1998 when the two worked together at a summer basketball camp in Bender Arena. He closely followed Childs' career at AU and said the former point guard was a positive role model for the campers, a leader to his teammates and just an overall good person.
"He was just a super nice kid," said MacLaughlin.
Because of this, MacLaughlin was surprised by the news of Childs' death.
"It was shocking, to say the least, because Jarion was one of the most good-natured and mild mannered young men I knew."
On the court, Childs excelled as AU's point guard. He was a two-time all-conference selection when AU was with the Colonial Athletic Association. In 2000, the association named Childs the defensive player of the year. Childs once ranked in the all-time top 10 NCAA Division I leaders in steals. He still holds the AU mark for career steals.
"He was a really good point guard and a great defender," said MacLaughlin. "He would eat guys alive."
Former AU player, assistant coach and head coach, Chris Knoche, coached Childs during his freshman year before leaving to become the radio voice for the Maryland Terrapins. Knoche said he knew Childs as "a very fine player and a good kid from a nice family."
While what happened to Childs in the years between his graduation from AU and his death remains speculation, in regards to the Groton incident Knoche hopes people don't look at this as some ordinary story of a good kid gone wrong.
"The sad part is that people hear these things and assume it's just another young thug who wound up in the wrong place at the wrong time," said Knoche. "The irony, of course, being that the Jarion we all knew on the court was always in the right place at the right time."
A funeral service was held at the Dinoto Funeral Home in Mystic, Conn. on Saturday, July 3. MacLaughlin said three of Childs' former teammates served as pallbearers. Childs is survived by his parents James and Eva, his older brother James Jr., three sisters, Sharon, Sendra and Sonya, his grandmother Eva Jennings and a host of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.
-Eagle Staff Writer Anne Godlasky contributed to this report.
Former AU athlete killed, 'of interest' in murder cases - The Eagle - Sports @ 3:22 PM 0 HC Alums are angry about this post | Bitch about it on the PL hoops messageboard
Apparently AU Alum Jarion Childs was involved in some bad business-- the AU student paper is reporting that he is "of interest" in some murder cases. Same said here by the Norwich Bulletin. Don't know what to say about this, but it is all seems very unexpected by those who knew Childs.
**
The Eagle
Former AU athlete killed, 'of interest' in murder cases
AU Athletics officials remember Childs
By Phil Turner
Published: Monday, July 12, 2004
Article Tools: Page 1 of 2
Posted Aug. 4, 2004
Jarion Childs, a standout defensive star and leader for the AU men's basketball team from 1997-2000, was shot and killed in his hometown of Groton, Conn. after breaking into a Dairy Queen shortly after midnight on June 28. His death has been ruled a homicide, according to WFSB, a news channel in Connecticut. Since then, Childs has also been named a "person of interest" involved in murder.
An autopsy revealed that Childs was shot fatally in the back once. The Dairy Queen's owner, Steven Botchis, fired the shot.
Police responded to a 911 call just after midnight on Monday, June 28. Police said Botchis was finishing up for the night, after the restaurant had closed at 10 p.m., when Childs, 27, broke in by prying the back door's lock with a crowbar, NBC 30, a local news affiliate in the Groton area, reported.
Botchis shot Childs after he reportedly struck Botchis three times with the crowbar.
Botchis was treated for injuries to his head and ribs and was later released from a local hospital. Childs, however, could not be revived.
Childs' funeral was held July 3, however, since then WFSB news channel in Connecticut reported that Childs may be responsible for three murders in southeastern Connecticut, though other news sources say he is linked to two. A police warrant used to search Childs' ex-girlfriend's Rhode Island apartment links Childs to the murder of A. Gordon Jeffrey, which occurred near Stonington, Conn., according to WFSB. Jeffrey, 89, was beaten and robbed on May 14 and died two weeks later, according to WTNH, an ABC affiliate news channel in Connecticut.
Also on May 14, Dr. Eugene Mallove, a world-renowned cold fusion scientist, was beaten and died of injuries to the head and neck, the Norwich Bulletin reported July 28. Mallove's van was found at a parking lot along Route 2, which leads to the part of Stonington where Jeffrey was beaten. Childs is "a person of interest," Norwich police Lt. Timothy Menard told the Norwich Bulletin. Also, the Norwich police and Stonington police are communicating during their investigations.
Mallove, 56, ran the New Energy Foundation and was editor in chief of the magazine Infinite Energy. He researched cold fusion, the idea that energy can be released by passing an electric current through hydrogen found in seawater, according to the Discovery Channel. Mallove believed that scientists deliberately failed to replicate the experiment that would prove cold fusion's abilities because those researching hot fusion, like his alma mater, MIT, did not want to lose government funding. Though some have called his death a conspiracy, the police say it was a random attack.
Childs' death, and the manner in which it unfolded, shocked those who knew him during his time at AU.
Ed MacLaughlin, the assistant athletic director for facilities and operations at AU, said he met Childs in 1998 when the two worked together at a summer basketball camp in Bender Arena. He closely followed Childs' career at AU and said the former point guard was a positive role model for the campers, a leader to his teammates and just an overall good person.
"He was just a super nice kid," said MacLaughlin.
Because of this, MacLaughlin was surprised by the news of Childs' death.
"It was shocking, to say the least, because Jarion was one of the most good-natured and mild mannered young men I knew."
On the court, Childs excelled as AU's point guard. He was a two-time all-conference selection when AU was with the Colonial Athletic Association. In 2000, the association named Childs the defensive player of the year. Childs once ranked in the all-time top 10 NCAA Division I leaders in steals. He still holds the AU mark for career steals.
"He was a really good point guard and a great defender," said MacLaughlin. "He would eat guys alive."
Former AU player, assistant coach and head coach, Chris Knoche, coached Childs during his freshman year before leaving to become the radio voice for the Maryland Terrapins. Knoche said he knew Childs as "a very fine player and a good kid from a nice family."
While what happened to Childs in the years between his graduation from AU and his death remains speculation, in regards to the Groton incident Knoche hopes people don't look at this as some ordinary story of a good kid gone wrong.
"The sad part is that people hear these things and assume it's just another young thug who wound up in the wrong place at the wrong time," said Knoche. "The irony, of course, being that the Jarion we all knew on the court was always in the right place at the right time."
A funeral service was held at the Dinoto Funeral Home in Mystic, Conn. on Saturday, July 3. MacLaughlin said three of Childs' former teammates served as pallbearers. Childs is survived by his parents James and Eva, his older brother James Jr., three sisters, Sharon, Sendra and Sonya, his grandmother Eva Jennings and a host of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.
-Eagle Staff Writer Anne Godlasky contributed to this report.
Former AU athlete killed, 'of interest' in murder cases - The Eagle - Sports @ 3:22 PM 0 HC Alums are angry about this post | Bitch about it on the PL hoops messageboard
Thursday, August 05, 2004
Scheduling Changes and Why They Aren't Bad
I missed it the first time around, but last month a columnist for the local Army paper wrote about the upcoming changes in scheduling for this year. With regards to the elimination of the men and womens' doubleheaders that were previously typical, he says:
"Who's going to suffer? The women, of course. Radio conflicts are certain to fall in favor of the men's games, leaving the women for small college stations, less-desirable taped-delayed action or off the air altogether. Sports editors – especially those who take into account attendance trends – who may have been inclined to accept a short women's story on doubleheader dates may take a pass and likely follow the men."
I think that's not the case. People don't want to sit through two basketball games in a row. Hell, I spend a lot of time on this blog, and even I don't want to watch a women's game after I've watched the men play. I don't mean to take anything from the women of the league, who play just as hard as the men, but women's hoops just isn't men's hoops. Official attendance might decrease for the women's games, but let's be honest: not that many people are sticking around for them in the first place during the doubleheaders.
The dumb part of this article though, comes in criticizing the tournament changes:
The league has also scrapped its time-honored format for the postseason tournament, sending one piece here and another there...
Time-honored??? They've had this format for what, three years?
The first- and second-place schools will each host four teams in mini-brackets, with the winners advancing to the title game at the site of the highest seed the following week. A powerhouse school like Holy Cross could end up hosting a men's and women's mini-bracket, or four schools could conceivably host, stretching thin the league's resources when it matters most. Worse yet, the public will have little time to decide, and host schools will have little time to prepare since history has shown most league races have not been decided until the final day of the season.
A tournament is supposed to bring together a league with its teams, its fans and the media. Now that the postseason will be scattered all over, the special playoff feel will be lost, as well.
Has this guy BEEN to the Show Place Arena? It's a horse barn in The Middle of Nowhere, Maryland, zip code 00000. The tournament was sparsely attended there year after year, with only psychopaths like me (and probably you if you're reading this) sticking around for most of the games. Having the tournament at the #1 and #2 seeds home courts makes the regular season much more important, since you're playing for home court advantage throughout the playoffs, instead of playing for home court advantage should you make the final game. Plus, it allows fans that aren't the kind of road warriors you or I might be to get involved in the games.
The only way the tournament system becomes a bad idea is if Colgate wins and I have to drive to (and stay in) Hamilton again. No man deserves that fate. @ 10:50 AM 0 HC Alums are angry about this post | Bitch about it on the PL hoops messageboard
I missed it the first time around, but last month a columnist for the local Army paper wrote about the upcoming changes in scheduling for this year. With regards to the elimination of the men and womens' doubleheaders that were previously typical, he says:
"Who's going to suffer? The women, of course. Radio conflicts are certain to fall in favor of the men's games, leaving the women for small college stations, less-desirable taped-delayed action or off the air altogether. Sports editors – especially those who take into account attendance trends – who may have been inclined to accept a short women's story on doubleheader dates may take a pass and likely follow the men."
I think that's not the case. People don't want to sit through two basketball games in a row. Hell, I spend a lot of time on this blog, and even I don't want to watch a women's game after I've watched the men play. I don't mean to take anything from the women of the league, who play just as hard as the men, but women's hoops just isn't men's hoops. Official attendance might decrease for the women's games, but let's be honest: not that many people are sticking around for them in the first place during the doubleheaders.
The dumb part of this article though, comes in criticizing the tournament changes:
The league has also scrapped its time-honored format for the postseason tournament, sending one piece here and another there...
Time-honored??? They've had this format for what, three years?
The first- and second-place schools will each host four teams in mini-brackets, with the winners advancing to the title game at the site of the highest seed the following week. A powerhouse school like Holy Cross could end up hosting a men's and women's mini-bracket, or four schools could conceivably host, stretching thin the league's resources when it matters most. Worse yet, the public will have little time to decide, and host schools will have little time to prepare since history has shown most league races have not been decided until the final day of the season.
A tournament is supposed to bring together a league with its teams, its fans and the media. Now that the postseason will be scattered all over, the special playoff feel will be lost, as well.
Has this guy BEEN to the Show Place Arena? It's a horse barn in The Middle of Nowhere, Maryland, zip code 00000. The tournament was sparsely attended there year after year, with only psychopaths like me (and probably you if you're reading this) sticking around for most of the games. Having the tournament at the #1 and #2 seeds home courts makes the regular season much more important, since you're playing for home court advantage throughout the playoffs, instead of playing for home court advantage should you make the final game. Plus, it allows fans that aren't the kind of road warriors you or I might be to get involved in the games.
The only way the tournament system becomes a bad idea is if Colgate wins and I have to drive to (and stay in) Hamilton again. No man deserves that fate. @ 10:50 AM 0 HC Alums are angry about this post | Bitch about it on the PL hoops messageboard
Tuesday, August 03, 2004
Does Anyone Like to Gamble?
Does anyone out there want to bet me that Fran O'Hanlon will actually stay through his brand new ten year contract at Lafayette? Few would have thought Jeff Jones would stay at AU for five years, but O'Hanlon staying at LC for another ten seems like a long shot. @ 4:28 PM 0 HC Alums are angry about this post | Bitch about it on the PL hoops messageboard
Does anyone out there want to bet me that Fran O'Hanlon will actually stay through his brand new ten year contract at Lafayette? Few would have thought Jeff Jones would stay at AU for five years, but O'Hanlon staying at LC for another ten seems like a long shot. @ 4:28 PM 0 HC Alums are angry about this post | Bitch about it on the PL hoops messageboard
This is a reminder to myself
I'm going to post something about this shortly: Bucknell Men's Basketball Class of 2008 :: Four newcomers to join Bison in 2004-05 @ 4:24 PM 0 HC Alums are angry about this post | Bitch about it on the PL hoops messageboard
I'm going to post something about this shortly: Bucknell Men's Basketball Class of 2008 :: Four newcomers to join Bison in 2004-05 @ 4:24 PM 0 HC Alums are angry about this post | Bitch about it on the PL hoops messageboard
