Hold tight! Take a wild sled dog ride with 4-time Iditarod champ Jeff King
TRIPOD CABIN During the heat of the day Saturday,AliyZirkleand her 14-dog team camped a mile and a half east of Tripod Cabin. TheBLMshelter cabin is located 35 miles down the trail fromKaltagand 45 miles fromUnalakleet, the first coastal checkpoint andInupiaqcommunity on theIditarodTrail.
Zirklesaid she chose to stop before the cabin because there was an incredible 360-degree view from that point of trail.
Looking west toward the warm, spring sun, there was a gorgeous view of Old Woman and theWhalebackmountains, hinting of trail to come. Hills seemed to cradle where she stopped. There was plenty of snow, and with black spruce trees surrounding her team in the distance, the view made it a nice place to cook a meal and enjoy the sunshine.
Walking toward her, no one would have had a clue of the ordeal she faced about 14 hours earlier.
Read more:After the scare of her life, Zirkle tries to keep her head in the game
Villanova Men"s Basketball: Feb. 27, 2016 - Highlights at Marquette
NEW YORK -- Before Villanova tipped off Friday night against Providence, college hoops play-by-play man Gus Johnson was chatting with Wildcats senior Ryan Arcidiacono about his habit of diving into the crowd for loose b***s.
I told Gus Johnson I was going for him, Arcidiacono said jokingly.
Arcidiaconodidnt dive into Johnson, but in the second half of the Big East Tournament semifinal Friday at Madison Square Garden, he did go airborne once again, soaring over a press table and three rows into the stands to bat the ball away from Providence guard Kris Dunn on a potential breakaway.
This has become Arcidiaconos trademark move.
Flying.
Into the stands.
Ive done it my whole life, Arcidiacono said after Villanova advanced to Saturdays Big East championship game against Seton Hall.
Thats the way Ive played my whole life, and thats what we do at Villanova, so it was a perfect fit for me to come here, and I just think overall, offensively, defensively, Im just a good fit here.
And all the dives and the charges and stuff, thats just a product of playing Villanova basketball.
It seems to happen once or twice a game.
Loose ball or an errant pass, and theres Arch flying over the sideline table, scattering notebooks and laptops, and landing in the stands.
The arena grows quiet for a moment, then a roar goes up as Arcidiacono emerges unscathed from this sea of humanity, climbs back over the table onto the court and assures his teammates hes fine.
If that was any other of my teammates, they would do the same thing, Arcidiacono said.
I just think I seemed to find the opportunities to do it. But I love it. I saw Kris Dunn back there by himself. I had to make a play on the ball."
No. 3 Villanova, 29-4, faces 24-8 Seton Hall in the Big East title game Saturday at 5:30 p.m.
Arcidiacono is playing well in his final Big East tournament. He has 34 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, three steals and two turnovers in the Wildcats wins over Georgetown and Providence, and hes made seven of 10 threes.
But the enduring memory of both games at the Garden so far is Arch flying into the stands.
The leader he is he gives his body up, said Josh Hart, Villanovas leading scorer. That could have been a nasty fall. He could have really got hurt and he did not care at all. Hes all in to this team. Youve got to love him.
Hart has seen Arcidiacono do this for three years now, and he said Fridays launch into the air to knock the ball away from Dunn at a key moment may have been Archs best acrobatic act yet.
Today was big, Hart said. Today might have taken the cake. Ive seen him jump over many stands, many tables, but today might have taken the cake.
He does whatever he has to do to win. If he didnt get that steal, that might have been a layup for Kris. That was a huge play. He didnt hit a three or have a crazy move or an assist to somebody, but that play was huge.
I think we had a turnover and they were going to have a for-sure two points, but luckily he was able to make that play.
Arcidiacono, who grew up in Bucks County watching Villanova and learning what it meant to play Villanova basketball an unselfish, team-first brand of ball said hes never gotten hurt launching himself into the stands.
No, I thank my parents, I have a hard head, he said. I"ve done worse when I was younger.
I enjoy it. I like it and I embrace it. Anything I can do to affect the game on the defensive end and make the plays and get our team on top.
Arcidiacono on Friday became the first Villanova player ever with 1,500 points and 500 assists and only the second Big East player to reach those milestones since 2010. DePauls Brandon Young also did it.
But the post-game conversation centered on his high-flying dives.
That"s what he grew up watching, coach Jay Wright said. That"s all he knows. He grew up in Philly watching Villanova basketball and watching Allan Ray and Randy Foye. It"s like a kid growing up in Indiana watching Indiana basketball.
So I really don"t think anything of it. He does it in practice every day. He did it in high school. He did it before he came to Villanova. I love it.
Arcidiacono did miss his senior year at Neshaminy High School after undergoing back surgery, but he said hes never gotten hurt playing basketball.
Actually, no, he said. Strong bones? Ive had worse growing up. Never really had an injury that would keep me out. There were games I had to get stitches, but nothing that kept me out.
"I fractured my shoulder once fractured my shoulder when I was in seventh grade during football. There was a kid, we were running a drill and this kid hit me pretty good. It was like two cars going right at each other.
I came back the next year but I was very soft on the football field because I didnt want to get hurt for basketball.
So apparently Arcidiacono isnt just smart and tough and talented.
Hes also indestructable.
We dont even worry about him, Hart said. We dont even think about it. Just go make the play and put it in Gods hands.
West Virginia downs San Diego St., wins Las Vegas Invitational - College Basketball Highlights
Its officially March and the madness has begun. The West Virginia basketball team was able to narrowly escape Oklahoma after watching an 11 point lead slip away in the final six minutes, defeating the Sooners 69-67.
The Mountaineers dreams of a Big 12 title looked all but over until Jaysean Paige nailed a 16 foot jump shot to give WVU a one point lead with 13 seconds to go. Buddy Hield would miss a layup on the other end and forced OU to foul with just under two seconds to play. Jonathan Holton split his pair of free throws and then near magic happened. Hield caught the inbounds pass, dribbled to half-court and sunk what appeared to be a game winning buzzer beater to give OU the victory. After further review, the shot was still in his hand as the horn sounded and elation from the West Virginia side ensued.
Mar 11, 2016; Kansas City, MO, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers guard Jevon Carter (2) shoots a jump shot as Oklahoma Sooners forward Khadeem Lattin (12) defends in the second half during the Big 12 Conference tournament at Sprint Center. West Virginia won 69-67. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Jevon Carter carried most of the offensive load for the Mountaineers. He came out of the gates scorching hot, knocking down five three pointers in the first half and shooting 6-9 for the game from behind the arc. Paige wasnt his normal self offensively, finishing with 10 points on 3-10 shooting, but he still showed why he was the Big 12s Sixth Man of the Year by knocking down the eventual game winner.
Another scorer who didnt look like himself was Hield. After coming off his 39 point performance the night before, he was held to six points for the game. This was the first time all season he was under ten points for the game and it was the first time it had happened since late February of last season when he scored eight against Texas Tech.
The victory now gives the Mountaineers a chance at the Big 12 title with only Kansas standing in their way. The two teams split during the regular season, each winning on their home floor. The game is in Kansas City, so KU will have a substantially larger fan base, but it wont be anything like Allen Fieldhouse.
Perry Ellis has been his usual self throughout the tournament thus far. Hes recorded over 20 points in both games while shooting well over 50% from the field. Holton, who did not play in the WVU loss to KU, will most likely be assigned to the task of shutting him down once he checks into the game.
Devonte Graham has also been playing well of late for the Jayhawks. The sophomore has been scoring in double figures, five out of his last six games, providing a consistent scoring threat from the guard position.
Regardless of the outcome, both these teams are locks for the tournament, with Kansas being a one seed if not the top overall seed. West Virginia will probably be either a two or a three, with a slight chance of jumping to a one depending on how all the other games play out.
Once it became clear that the Cleveland Browns planned to part ways with QB Johnny Manziel -- a move that became official Friday -- many pointed to the Dallas Cowboys as a team that might have interest in him.
But even the Cowboys are keeping their distance from the former first-round pick. A source told The Dallas Morning News that the team will not even consider Manziel "until he gets his life back in order."
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was enamored with Manziel prior to the 2014 draft and reportedly wanted to take him with the 16th overall pick. However, he was persuaded not to do so, and Dallas instead drafted offensive lineman Zack Martin.
Manziel"s off-field behavior remains a serious concern, as his partying has affected his development, has resulted in a rehab stint and could land him in serious legal trouble. A grand jury will decide whether Manziel will face charges for an alleged domestic violence incident with his ex-girlfriend in January.
The Cowboys haven"t always avoided players with troubled pasts in recent years but are doing so in this case.From The Dallas Morning News report:
Jerry Jones clearly has an affinity for Manziel. He has shown an inclination during his time as Cowboys owner to minimize the negatives of a player in his desire to hit it big.
But Manziel finds himself in such a downward spiral over these past three months it"s hard for Jones or anyone else to see the potential reward through the risk.
Jones has expressed a desire to acquire or draft a young QB to learn under Tony Romo, who is recovering from yet another procedure on his troublesome left collarbone.
But Manziel apparently won"t be that QB.
In his two NFL seasons, Manziel has played 15 games (eight starts) and thrown for 1,625 yards and seven touchdowns. He has thrown seven interception and completed only 57 percent of his passes. He also has 259 rushing yards and a rushing TD.
Reading of a love letter from Ronald Reagan to Nancy Reagan
Hillary Clinton apologized Friday after gay-rights and AIDS activists assailed her for saying Nancy Reagan helped start a "national conversation" about AIDS in the 1980s, when protesters were struggling to get more federal help in fighting the disease.
Clinton, one of two contenders for the Democratic presidential nomination, made her initial comments in an interview with MSNBC during its coverage of Nancy Reagan"s funeral.
Soon after the interview aired, MSNBC"s Twitter feed was flooded with comments accusing Clinton of misrepresenting history and insulting the 1980s activists who pressured elected officials to step up the response to AIDS. Clinton soon apologized.
"While the Reagans were strong advocates for stem cell research and finding a cure for Alzheimer"s disease, I misspoke about their record on HIV and AIDS. For that, I am sorry," Clinton said on her Twitter account.
Many activists remain bitter at Ronald Reagan and his administration for what they view as a devastatingly slow response to AIDS. Though initial reports of the disease surfaced in 1981, President Reagan did not make his first public speech about it until 1987, by which time it had killed more than 20,000 Americans.
In her MSNBC interview, Clinton was complimentary to both Reagans with regard to their stance on AIDS.
"It may be hard for your viewers to remember how difficult it was for people to talk about HIV/AIDS back in the 1980s. And because of both President and Mrs. Reagan, in particular Mrs. Reagan, we started a national conversation, when before nobody would talk about it," she said."Nobody wanted to do anything about it.
"And, you know, that too is something that I really appreciate with her very effective low-key advocacy, but it penetrated the public conscience and people began to say, hey, we have to do something about this too," added Clinton.
Peter Staley, a veteran AIDS activist based in New York, tweeted that Clinton"s remarks were "the most offensive thing possible 4 my generation of LGBT Americans."
Clinton, in her race against Bernie Sanders, has received extensive support from LGBT advocacy groups and donors. The Human Rights Campaign, a national LGBT rights group, has endorsed her, incurring some criticism from Sanders supporters who say his record on LGBT rights is strong.
The president of the Human Rights Campaign, Chad Griffin, issued a brief statement Friday that avoided any criticism of Clinton.
"While I respect her advocacy in other areas including stem cell and Parkinson"s research, Nancy Reagan was, sadly, no hero in the fight against HIV," Griffin said.
Tanya Domi, a New York-based LGBT activist and staunch Clinton supporter, was relieved by the candidate"s speedy apology.
"There is no doubt in my mind that Hillary Clinton is very tired and committed a gaffe," Domi said on Facebook. "At the same time, keep in mind the Clinton Global Initiative"s work on HIV/AIDS has saved millions of people"s lives. Millions. But she made a mistake and quickly corrected herself. That is good enough for me."
UConn Women"s Basketball vs. East Carolina Highlights - AAC Tournament
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) Mike Francesa and a caller got into a heated exchange Wednesday over the WFAN hosts feelings about UConn mens basketball team.
Ed from Guilford, Connecticut, said Francesa harbored disdain for the Connecticut Huskies. Francesa insistedthat wasnt the case, that he was only calling UConn fans who want to see coach Kevin Ollie fired spoiled.
Francesa, however, did say he doesnt believe UConn will ever experience another run like it did under former coach Jim Calhoun again.
Georgetown hasnt been Georgetown since John Thompson left the original John Thompson. They havent been the same, Francesa said. St. Johns hasnt been the same since (Lou) Carnesecca retired. Sometimes its about the coach. And what UConn did with Calhoun was through the moon. It was outrageously good.
1998 NCAA Basketball Regional Final - Kentucky vs Duke
Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports
Rounding up the latest bracketologies from around the net.
The college basketball regular season is over as conference tournaments begin all around the nation.
That means the seedings for the NCAA Tournament are just about set as league tournaments usually don"t dramatically affect seeds outside of those automatic-qualifiers. However, history has shown that winning a conference tournament can boost a team"s seeding by a few spots, not to mention being the difference in leagues where multiple teams are vying for No. 1 seeds.
As for the Kentucky Wildcats, they"re pretty much set on being a 4 or 5 seed in the tournament, regardless of what they do in the SEC Tournament. In order to get a 3 seed, they"ll need to win their league tournament and have other teams ahead of them on the seed line suffer slip-ups this week.
ESPN"s Joe Lunardi has the Cats going out West as the 4 seed with No. 1 seed North Carolina in the West Region. The potential for a 4/5 matchup with California is there if the Cats win their first game. Both the Bears and Tar Heel are very strong on the boards and in the paint, an area where UK has struggled mightily at times this season.
Cal ranks 21st in the nation in rebounds per game (40.3) while UNC ranks ninth (41.5). Not to mention the Heels just out-rebounded Duke by a 64-29 margin. No. 2 Oklahoma is also in this region, which makes this essentially this year"s region of death if this comes to pass.
CBS Sports" Jerry Palm has the Cats getting a slightly more favorable region in the Midwest, but has UK falling to a 5 seed. Purdue comes in as the 4 seed, which is maybe the worst potential 4/5 matchup for UK. The Boilermakers have one of the best frontcourts in America withVince Edwards,A.J. Hammons and former UK targetCaleb Swanigan. This region also has Kansas as the 1 seed and Xavier as the 2 seed.
Shelby Mast of USA Today Sports has UKin the friendliest region of any recent bracketology, putting the Cats as a 3 seed in the South Region with Virginia being the 1 seed. A potential 3/6 matchup with Purdue looms, but Xavier makes this region as a 2 seed while Virginia comes in as the 1 seed.
SB Nation"s Chris Dobbertean puts the Cats in the East Region with Purdue as the 5 seed and Villanova as the 1 seed and North Carolina as the 2 seed.
The guys atBracket Matrix, who round up what every website and national outlet projects, has Kentucky registering an average of 4.00, meaning they"re pretty comfortably getting projected as a 4-seed. That number is down from the 3.84 average seeding UK got last week as it continues to look like the 4 seed is what the Cats are getting.
That is, unless some of those teams seeded ahead of them lose early in their respective conference tournaments this week.
