Southeastern Conference, ESPN Announce New SEC TV Network
May 3, 2013
A new SEC television network which launch next year.
The Southeastern Conference and ESPN have signed a 20-year agreement through 2034 to create and operate a multiplatform network, which will launch in August 2014, it was announced today by SEC Commissioner Mike Slive and ESPN President John Skipper. The new network and its accompanying digital platform will air SEC content 24/7 including more than 1,000 events in its first year.
The network will televise approximately 45 SEC football games, more than 100 men’s basketball games, 60 women’s basketball games, 75 baseball games, and events from across the SEC’s 21 sports annually. Programming will also include studio shows, original content such as SEC Storied, spring football games, signing day and pro days coverage. Hundreds of additional live events from various sports will be offered exclusively on the digital platform. The network and its digital extensions will connect with each SEC institution and create opportunities for each school to produce and develop content.
“The SEC Network will provide an unparalleled fan experience of top quality SEC content presented across the television network and its accompanying digital platforms,” stated Slive. “We will increase exposure of SEC athletics programs at all 14 member institutions, as we showcase the incredible student-athletes in our league. The agreement for a network streamlines and completes an overall media rights package that will continue the SEC’s leadership for the foreseeable future.”
Each weekend throughout the season, the new network will air multiple top-tier matchups from the strongest conference in college football. Since 2006, the SEC has claimed seven consecutive football national championships. In 2011-12, SEC teams won eight national championships: football (Alabama), men’s basketball (Kentucky), gymnastics (Alabama), men’s indoor track and field (Florida), women’s tennis (Florida), women’s golf (Alabama), men’s outdoor track and field (Florida), and softball (Alabama). Since 1990, the SEC has won 149 national team championships for an average of more than six per year.
Skipper said, “The SEC is unmatched in its success on the field and its popularity with fans nationwide. The new network’s top-quality SEC matchups across a range of sports will serve all sports enthusiasts including the most passionate, die-hard SEC fans. Also, it will serve the needs of our multichannel distributors and advertisers by providing extremely attractive programming options across all platforms.”
As part of the agreement, ESPN will now oversee the SEC’s official Corporate Sponsor Program. In addition, ESPN and the SEC also agreed to extend their existing media rights agreement through 2034. ESPN has televised the SEC since 1982. ESPN’s existing networks present more than 1,600 hours of SEC action each year. The new network will focus exclusively on the SEC and add another outlet to deliver sports fans more SEC content than ever.
AT&T U-verse has been secured as the network’s first national distributor.
Blue Wahoos Lose To The Biscuits
May 2, 2013
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos returned home after a nine-game road trip but faced many of the same offensive issues they dealt with on the road in a 2-1 setback to the Montgomery Biscuits in front of 4,200 fans on Wednesday night at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
Both teams struggled offensively with 25+ MPH winds blowing in from center field throughout the game. Despite the elements, Montgomery was able to break through with single tallies in the sixth and seventh for the only runs of the game. In the sixth inning, Kevin Kiermaier reached an error with one out and two batters later, Mikie Mahtook singled him home to give the Biscuits a 1-0 advantage.
An inning later, the first two runners reached on singles against reliever Loek Van Mil, and Shawn O’Malley brought home an insurance run with a groundout to shortstop Devin Lohman.
Tucker Barnhart launched his second homer of the season to lead off the ninth, but Juan Sandoval retired the next three batters he faced to pick up his fifth save of the season.
With no run support, Chad Rogers (2-1) was the tough-luck loser for Pensacola despite his fourth consecutive quality start. Rogers went six innings allowing an unearned run on four hits while striking out a season-high seven.
Jacob Thompson (2-2) worked around a bases loaded jam with one out in the second and didn’t face any trouble throughout the rest of his outing. Thompson fired six two-hit innings while striking out three and walking four.
Pensacola will look to snap its two-game skid in game two of the series on Thursday against Montgomery at 7:00 p.m. Ryan Dennick will toe the rubber for the Blue Wahoos against the Biscuits’ Matt Buschmann.
story by Kevin Burke
Jay Beats Central To Advance In Regional Tournament
May 1, 2013
The Jay Lady Royals are moving on the regional finals Friday night after a win Tuesday night.
Jay beat Central 16-6 in six innings. Chassity McCranie pitched four for the Royals, striking out five. Oliva Wright was 4-4 with a double, triple, a home run and five RBIs. Wright recently signed to play college ball at Wallace State. Ashlyn Geck was 1-5 with an RBI; Michaela Stewart was 1-4; Sydney Lowery was 3-5; Brittany Gillman was 2-3 and Taylor Moore was 3-4.
Jay will host the Chipley Tigers at 7 p.m. Friday.
Pictured: The Jay Lady Royals celebrate a win over Central Tuesday night to advance in the regional softball tournament. Photo by Diann Tagert for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Miracle League Selected For $10,000, Jimmie Johnson’s Helmet of Hope
April 30, 2013
Five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson has selected the Miracle League of Pensacola to be featured on the 2013 Jimmie Johnson Foundation Blue Bunny Helmet of Hope. The Miracle League will receive $10,000 and will appear on the helmet Johnson will wear during race weekend activities at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn on August 18.
The Miracle League of Pensacola provides a safe, organized baseball league and facilities for Gulf Coast children with mental and/or physical challenges where every player plays, every player hits, every player gets on base, every player scores and every player wins – every inning. Currently they serve nearly 200 players ranging in age from 4 to 64 years young.
Paul Hinson, a volunteer umpire for the organization, nominated The Miracle League of Pensacola for the Blue Bunny Helmet of Hope, saying, “We accept all players, regardless of their challenges, there are players confined to wheelchairs, players with Down Syndrome and players with attention and learning disorders.”
The League pairs up an able bodied person with each player, enabling the people of the community to form a bond with the players and also to see the happiness that the players gain by being able to play the game of baseball.
“We are honored to be recognized and will continue to provide a safe and organized baseball league for the Gulf Coast,” Shirley Godwin of the Miracle League said.
Pictured top: Miracle League of Pensacola players, coaches and volunteers offer a special “thanks” to Jimmie Johnson, driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet for Nascar, after their selection to appear on the Jimmie Johnson Foundation Blue Bunny Helmet of Hope and a $10,000 grant. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview Chiefs Receive State Championship Rings (With Photo Gallery)
April 30, 2013
The Northview High School Chiefs received their state championship rings during a ceremony at the school Monday afternoon.
Last December, the Chiefs won the District 1A State Football Championship in Orlando’s Citrus Bowl. It was the first state championship for the school in Bratt, and the only state football championship in Escambia County this year.
For a photo gallery, click here.
“For the first time in school history, you can say you are the state football champions,” Superintendent Malcolm Thomas said as he addressed the football players and student body. “You will always get to keep that pride knowing that you are part of something very, very special.”
Thomas presented a $1,000 donation toward the cost of the rings. Escambia County Commissioner Steven Barry, along with Century Mayor Freddie McCall and Eli and Sarah Miller, presented another combined $1,000 donation.
While every player received their ring Monday, the full bill is not yet paid. Donations are being accepted at the school to provide the rings to students in need.
Also Monday, members of the varsity cheerleading squad were presented with their State Championship Medallions.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Pictured top: Northview Chiefs Kahlil Grice, Ryan Lambert and Justin Halteman react upon seeing their state championship rings for the first time Monday afternoon. Pictured below: The District 1A State Champion Northview Chiefs. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Split Doubleheader To End Road Trip
April 30, 2013
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos settled for a split in their doubleheader with the Tennessee Smokies on Monday afternoon, winning game one 3-0 before falling in the second game 3-0 at Smokies Park.
Pensacola jumped on top early in game one, scoring in each of their first three at-bats. In the first, Travis Mattair snapped an 0-for-23 skid with an RBI single to score Ryan LaMarre. Brodie Greene smashed his second homer of the season an inning later to make it 2-0, and LaMarre capped the scoring with an RBI single in the third inning that scored Devin Lohman.
That was more than enough for Pensacola starter Josh Smith (3-2) who extended his personal scoreless streak to 16 innings with five shutout frames. Smith allowed just two hits, struck out four and walked two to win his third consecutive decision. Drew Hayes picked up his first save of the season with two strikeouts in the seventh.
Eric Jokisch (3-1) took his first loss of the season by giving up all three runs on six hits in five innings for Tennessee.
Game two was scoreless headed to the last of the seventh before Jae-Hoon Ha launched a pinch-hit, two-out, three-run homer that gave the Smokies the walk-off victory. The Wahoos appeared to catch a break on the previous batter when Rubi Silva was held at third base on a hard-hit single off the right field wall, but Pensacola wasn’t able to escape before Ha’s blast.
The Wahoos mustered just one hit against game two starter Kyle Hendricks, a sixth-inning single from Lohman. Hendricks struck out eight over six innings but was dealt a no-decision. Marcus Hatley (1-0) picked up the win in relief by tossing the seventh inning.
Wilkin De La Rosa (0-1) took the loss for the Wahoos by giving up the three-run homer in the seventh. Tim Crabbe earned a no-decision despite five shutout frames in which he allowed just three hits and struck out three.
The Wahoos will have an off day on Tuesday before returning home for the first of five on Wednesday with the Montgomery Biscuits at Bayfront Stadium. Chad Rogers gets the start for Pensacola against Montgomery’s Jacob Thompson. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. All fans are encouraged to wear blue as part of the “BLUE OUT” as the Wahoos honor the Blue Angels throughout the night.
story by Kevin Burke
Wahoos, Smokies Washed Out – Again
April 29, 2013
As a result of two straight rainy days in Kodak, Tenn., Sunday’s doubleheader between the Pensacola Blue Wahoos and the Tennessee Smokies has been postponed. One of the games will be lost on the two teams’ schedules because they do not play each other the rest of the season, but they will play a doubleheader on Monday beginning at 11:00 a.m. CT.
Both games will be seven inning contests. The pitching matchups for Monday’s games have not been announced at the time of the postponement.
After an off day on Tuesday, the Blue Wahoos return home to open a five-game series with Montgomery. Wednesday will be a Blue-Out in honor of the Blue Angels. All fans are encouraged to wear blue as a show of support for the Pensacola-based flight demonstration team.
Argos Win Pace Tournament
April 29, 2013
The 11-year old travel ball team the Argos took home first place in the recent Spring Slam in Pace. Pictured are the undefeated Argos (bottom, L-R) Cole Mullins, John Pinette, Nathan Brewton, Christian Munoz, Jacob Bryant, (top, L-R) Trevor Norton, Chase Barcus, TJ McCants, Cameron Bailey and Sam Shackle. Coaches are Mike Norton, Levy Bryant and Matt Faust, all of Cantonment. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate Grad Golightly Named All-Sunbelt Conference
April 28, 2013
University of South Alabama women’s golf senior Kristen Golightly was named second-team all-Sun Belt Conference, the league announced Thursday.
Golightly, a graduate of Tate High School, finished with a 76.48 stroke average in 27 rounds this season after turning in a career-low 3-under par 69 in the final round of the SBC Championship to earn a career-best third-place finish at the tournament with a three-round, even-par total of 216. She earned three top-five finishes, and finished in the top 10 in two additional tournaments this season.
“I am very happy for Kristen making the all-conference team, she is very deserving,” head coach TJ Jackson said. “From day one she has worked extremely hard in all aspects of what it takes to be a successful student-athlete. Her take-no-shortcut work-ethic and team-first attitude is the makeup that any coach would want for their players to have, and in Kristen’s case those qualities allowed her to improve her golf game each year and succeed in the classroom.
“Because of her work-ethic and the pride that she takes in being a part of this team, Kristen has been a natural leader for the team not just this year but for most of her time as a Jaguar. Kristen has led the team in stroke average the past two seasons, which is quite an accomplishment, but the intangibles mentioned above are just as important. I am very proud of her for what she has accomplished here at South Alabama and for her recognition of being named to the Sun Belt all-Conference team.”
Golightly is the first Jaguar to earn all-conference honors since Elin Andersson in 2008. She played golf for four years at Tate High, and she was on the Lady Aggies softball team as a three-year starter as catcher.
Golightly is the daughter of Chris and Vicki Golightly
Photos: AND1 Steetball Hoops Show Rocks Local Fans
April 27, 2013
Northview High School featured the AND1 Streetball Tour 2013 Friday night.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.