Sports News, Nuggets and Notes from East Carolina and Beyond

PREVIOUS NUGGETS

08.10.03: Big East's question: To split or not to split?... .. Mrs. Bower (and husband) to conduct clinic... .. Frogs safety felled by knee injury... .. More...

08.09.03: Rain drenches Pirates' drills; One more week of public sessions... .. Tulane spices up game days with concerts... .. More...

08.08.03: Gators quarterback carousel starts without Dosh... .. More...

08.07.03: Tigers football recruit gains release to pursue family ties at East Carolina... .. Four of league's kickers on Groza Award watch list... .. Trio from C-USA in contention for Wooden All-America team... .. Bearcats' Kirkland sanctioned but still on basketball team... .. More...

08.06.03: 'Voice' tuned for TV, Outer Banks appearances... .. ESPN solves Friday night game dilemma for BYU... .. Gamecocks-Razorbacks tussle set for prime time... .. More...

08.05.03: New Liberty Bowl radio pact has world-wide reach... .. UAB official seated on key NCAA baseball committee... .. Case closed on date, time for TCU vs. Cards... .. More...

08.04.03: Once again, police blotter touches Bearcats basketball... .. Sugar Bowl Classic pits UAB against LSU... .. USM vets and newcomers report for duty en masse... .. More...

08.03.03: Jurich: Big East move or not, Cardinals want in on BCS... .. West Point Class of '07 includes N.C. players... .. More...

08.02.03: Hamrick next up on UNLV's interview menu... .. East Carolina follows neighbors, kicks off three-pack deal... .. More...

08.01.03: Late 2003 recruit becomes official; Early 2004 recruit commits... .. World Wrestling Entertainment Unleashed! in Hattiesburg... .. More...

07.31.03: Rule change on punt returns: Call fair catch or else... .. TCU and Cincy sackmeisters pursue national honor... .. Bower extends benefit of doubt to indicted recruit... .. More...

07.30.03: Pirate football scores late recruiting find in Oklahoma... .. Carrier Dome towers above road ahead for 49ers... .. Slive pooh-poohs ACC raid speculation... .. More...

07.29.03: Studdard lends UAB-USM opener 'American Idol' magnitude... .. Pool of Rebels A.D. candidates shrinks... .. Court voids NCAA limits on 'exempt' hoops tournaments... .. More...

07.28.03: Blazers ink 'high-powered' radio deal... .. Tulane QB Losman riding publicity wave... .. Quartet of C-USA quarterbacks on O'Brien list... .. Billikens A.D. denies seeking UNLV job... .. More...

The decision on a new athletics director at Nevada-Las Vegas probably won't be made by university president Carol Harter until the end of the week at the earliest. Idaho athletics director Mike Bohn is scheduled for interviews this week. Montana athletics director Wayne Hogan and East Carolina athletics director Mike Hamrick have already undergone an extensive interview process. Hamrick, who worked in promotions at UNLV in 1980-81, was identified by UNLV search consultant Max Urick as a qualified candidate and took a look at the position with the approval of ECU chancellor William V. Muse. Hamrick is under contract at ECU through June 30, 2005 at $180,000 annually, not including bonuses.

RALEIGH — Not much went wrong for T.A. McLendon during his freshman season at North Carolina State. The tailback rushed for more than 1,000 yards, was named the Atlantic Coast Conference rookie of the year and became a guy defenders didn't want to meet head on.

"It says he weighs 215, but he runs like he's 300 pounds," Wake Forest defensive back Quintin Williams said of McLendon's hard running style.

But there were drawbacks to McLendon's bruising style. He played major parts of the season with injuries to both shoulders and a broken wrist, and was basically worn out by the time the Wolfpack beat Notre Dame in the Gator Bowl.

McLendon vowed Sunday that he'll be a changed runner when N.C. State opens the season Aug. 30 against Western Carolina.

"Last year, I went out and hit everybody like a bowling ball," McLendon said. "I've got to change my style if I'm going to stay healthy. If I want a future here at N.C. State or anywhere else I've got to run smart.

"Having a cast on, having two hurt shoulders, I had to figure it out for myself. But I had to find out the hard way, the stupid way."

Don't expect McLendon to abandon his old style when he's battling for a first down or some extra yardage inside. However, he's watched tapes of last season and said he can avoid some unnecessary hits over the course of a 12- or 13-game season.

"I'm still going to be aggressive, I'm just not going to try to run everybody over," he said. "I'm not going to try to put my shoulder into everybody. I'm going to protect myself a little more."

McLendon's health is key to the balance of the Wolfpack offense, which also has 3,000-yard passer and Heisman Trophy candidate Philip Rivers, and a host of talented receivers.

Fort Worth, TX — Season ticket sales for the 2003 Texas Christian Horned Frogs are on the rise as excitement continues to build for the upcoming season. The first mailing of season ticket orders will go out on Monday, August 11.

"At this point, we are ahead of last season's ticket sales," said Kevin O'Connell, TCU Associate Athletics Director. "I think the excitement of last year's conference championship and bowl victory, along with the expectations for this season's squad, have really piqued the interest of fans throughout Fort Worth and the Metroplex."

Season tickets may still be purchased by calling the TCU Athletics Ticket Office at 817-257-FROG or by ordering online from the TCU website, www.gofrogs.com. A limited number of seats between the 25 and 30 yard lines are still available.