Category Archives: Marvin Williams

Schaaf blogs about Olympic track-and-field athletes turned bobsledders & Wednesday links

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Bremerton’s Olympic bobsled pilot Bree Schaaf, who had a torn labrum repaired on her hip during the offseason, gets back into the swing of things at this weekend’s team trials at Lake Placid, N.Y. Here’s the story I wrote about Bree’s comeback.

And here’s a story Bree wrote about some Olympic track and field athletes, including hurdler Lolo Jones, who have been recruited by the bobsled team. Bree’s among a handful of U.S winter athletes blogging for teamusa.org.

Bree writes:

“You can’t help but wonder why someone would venture away from a lucrative (and notably WARMER) sport such as track and field, even if just to try bobsled for fun. Perhaps it’s somewhat akin to when Wham-O upped the game on the Slip ‘n Slide by adding a splashdown pool at the end. Maybe these ladies were looking for a little more excitement at the end of a sprint? I know first-hand that when you train so singularly for one Olympic moment that it can take a long time to find the inspiration to go another 4 years. Bobsled may be the perfect shakeup to refocus their talent.”

Wednesday links

Nike says it will continue to “support” Livestrong, but if it is really upset about Lance Armstrong, then let them take the money the company made off him over the years he was cheating – tens and tens of millions – and give it all to the fight against cancer.

That’s what Dan Wetzel of Yahoo! Sports writes about Nike’s reaction to severing ties with Lance Armstrong. Armstrong also stepped down as chairman of “Livestrong,” the organization that’s done so much good in the fight against cancer. Wetzel wonders if that was necessary in this commentary. In part, in reads:

“… Armstrong was no threat to anyone anymore. Banned from competition, stripped of his titles, aging, he had plenty of time for foundation work. He can’t win anything again. He can’t beat anyone again. He’s done as an athlete.

This should’ve been time to regroup and reload in a different way. This should’ve been time to stand stronger behind Armstrong because, from here on out, his purpose could be clear and true. This should’ve been a time for Armstrong to gain some maturity and grace and fight harder against the disease that tried to kill him.

The stakes remain way too big to let the fraudulent world of elite cycling destroy his work with Livestrong.”

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Spokane’s Mark Rypien, the former Washington State and NFL quarterback, just turned 50 and he’s giving the PGA Champion’s Tour a shot. Rypien shot a first-round 81 during the tour’s qualifying tournament on Tuesday.

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Bud Withers of the Seattle Times caught up with ex-Idaho/Wyoming/Washington State/Miami/Seahawks/Oregon State/ 49ers/Idaho/Arizona State football coach Dennis Erickson, who is helping his son coach football at South Albany, Ore.

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Raul Ibanez gives former Kansas City third baseman Kevin Seitzer credit for helping him find his batting stroke. It was May of 2001 and Ibanez’s big-league career was going nowhere fast at the time. In this story by SI.com’s Albert Chen, Ibanez also talks about what he learned from Edgar Martinez and Jamie Moyer as a 24-year-old rookie with the Mariners.

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Utah Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin describes Bremerton’s Marvin Williams as a “true pro.”

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New Jazzman, Marvin Gaye Williams, fitting in at Utah

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Marvin Williams is getting good early reviews in Utah, where he is starting to fit in with the Utah Jazz. Here’s a couple of links to stories in Utah newspapers.

“I’m going to compete. I’m going to play hard. I want to win,” the former Bremerton star said in this story in the Deseret News.

This story in the Salt Lake Tribune talked about all those expectations that Williams has had to live with since being the No. 2 overall pick in the NBA draft by Atlanta.

“People talk a lot about expectations and living up to expectations,” Williams said, “but I hit them up with the million dollar question every time. My question is: Whose expectations do I have to live up to?”

Marvin and the Jazz will play at Portland Feb. 2 and March 29.

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Babe Ruth World Series, Marvin, Rodeo & KAR

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Summer’s winding down fast, but if you’re looking for something do, here’s a few dates to circle on your calendar:

BABE RUTH WORLD SERIES: You’ve probably heard about the Babe Ruth 13-year-old World Series. There’s a parade (5 p.m. downtown Poulsbo) and banquet (6:30 p.m. at Kiana Lodge in Poulsbo) on Tuesday. The 10 teams start playing on Wednesday. First game is at 9 a.m. Opening ceremonies are 6 p.m. The host Kitsap County squad plays Bryant, Ark., at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Kitsap will play the late game (7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday) throughout pool play. A $5 ticket gets you into the ball park. For $5, you can watch 20 games from Wednesday through Sunday. Single-elimination begins Monday, Aug. 20 (two games). Semifinals are Tuesday, Aug. 21 (two more games), and the championship game is Wednesday, Aug. 22, at 6 p.m. All fans buying a ticket to the Babe Ruth World Series championship game will also get free admission to the fair, which opens that day. You can look for complete tournament coverage starting Wednesday. Click here to read a recent story.

Online: All games will be live streamed at prepzone.kitsapsun.com/baberuth/

Complete schedule and more info: kitsapworldseries.com

MARVIN WILLIAMS HOMECOMING: Bremerton’s NBA star, now a member of the Utah Jazz, has a busy week planned. “Bowling With Marvin” takes place Thursday from 6;30-9 p.m. at All Star Lanes. Kids 12 and under are free. A golf scramble will be held Friday (1 p.m. shotgun start) at McCormick Woods Golf Course with an auction and dinner to follow. Marvin will be at the Kitsap Mall for the Silverdale 3 on 3 Shootout on Saturday from 2-5 p.m. to sign autographs and he’s scheduled to be back on Sunday to hand out the championship trophies. All of these events are fundraisers for the Marvin Williams Youth and Recreational Center that’s scheduled to be built in downtown Bremerton. The New Life Community Development, a subsidiary of Emmanuel Apostolic Church, is running the golf tournament.

Hard to believe Marvin’s 26 and already has seven years of NBA experience under his belt. He’s averaged 11.5 points and 5.3 rebounds for his career.

THE KITSAP STAMPEDE: In past years, the Xtreme Bulls event has been on Sunday afternoon. This year, it’s kicking the Stampede off on Wednesday, Aug. 22. The PRCA rodeo has shows on Thursday, Friday and Saturday (Aug. 23-24-25), all starting at 7 p.m.As usual, the best cowboys and some of the best stock in the rodeo business will be at Thunderbird Stadium for the Stampede, which has been nominated for national rodeo of the year in its class three times. For a fast-paced, fun night, rodeo’s tough to beat.

KITSAP ATHLETIC ROUNDTABLE: Former Washington State football coach and color analyst Jim Walden is going to be in town for the Tuesday, Aug. 28, Kitsap Athletic Roundtable meeting at The Arena Sports Bar and Grille (4111 Wheaton Way). The KAR’s about 90 percent sure that a former Washington Husky head coach will also be there, and hopes to be able to announce the name soon. Dick Baird, a former WSU player who coached at Washington, will also have a few things to say. Former UW and WSU players from the area are also being invited. With WSU opening at BYU on Aug. 30 and Washington opening at home against San Diego State on Sept. 1. Cost for the Aug. 28 meeting is $45 and includes a KAR membership and a raffle ticket for prizes that will be awarded that night. The menu will feature herb roasted chicken and roasted pork loin.

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Marvin will wear jersey No. 2 in Utah

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Bremerton’s Marvin Williams was introduced to the press today in Salt Lake City. His trade from Atlanta to Utah was completed on Wednesday. His old number, 24 is taken in Utah and No. 4, his second choice, is retired (Adrian Dantley), so Marvin said he’ll go with No. 2. He’s taken a lot of heat for not living up to expectations after the Hawks used the No. 2 overall pick on him in 2005, but this is a new chapter in his career and perhaps he’ll prove all his critics wrong.

Here’s the AP story:

By Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY — Any apprehension Marvin Williams had about coming to the Utah Jazz was eased in a conversation with North Carolina coach Roy Williams.

“He thought it would be a new start for me,” Marvin Williams said Thursday. “Anytime he feels good about something, it definitely calms my nerves a little.”

Marvin Williams won a national championship with the Tar Heels as a freshman in 2005.

The 6-foot-9 small forward was drafted No. 2 overall a few months later, ahead of Deron Williams and Chris Paul.

While Marvin Williams never reached the superstar status of the two point guards, he still believes he has plenty of upside and can make the Jazz better.

“This is a team that’s already been established,” Marvin Williams said Thursday upon being introduced as the team’s newest member. “They made the playoffs last year, so whatever role I have to come in and fill, I want to go out there and do it to the best of my ability.”

Marvin Williams was acquired last week in a trade that sent Jazz point guard Devin Harris to the Atlanta Hawks. The deal was formally announced Wednesday when a league-wide moratorium on player signings was lifted. Utah also acquired point guard Mo Williams in a four-team trade last week.

Marvin Williams said he has yet to talk extensively with coaches about their plans for him, but he could step into a starting small forward role if Gordon Hayward moves to shooting guard as expected.

The team also has Paul Millsap, who can play both forward positions.

Marvin Williams acknowledged Thursday he was a bit surprised at being traded, but had no major apprehension about coming to Utah — other than having to buy some new clothes to deal with the harsh winters.

The eighth-year pro said he already knows the team will compete hard, as evidenced by a four-overtime thriller the two clubs played in Atlanta last season.

“I get tired just rethinking it … four overtimes,” he said. “It was by far the longest game I ever played in. It just seemed like it would never end. Utah played so hard. I’m sure they were so exhausted. We were really exhausted after that one, but it was a fun game. I don’t know if I ever want to play a four-OT game again, but it’s fun to say that I’ve done it.”

Marvin Williams has worn No. 24 since he was a young teen, but knows Millsap already owns that jersey. His second choice was No. 4 — but that number was worn by Jazz great Adrian Dantley and is retired.

He said he settled on No. 2 for no reason — even if it’s his overall draft number.

“Some may say I do (still have something to prove),” Marvin Williams said. “My dream was to play in the NBA, period. I’ve been living my dream. The only thing I have to prove is to myself. That’s how I always felt.”

He points out he has been in the league seven years, played in the postseason and yet is only 26 years old.

Last year in Atlanta, he averaged double figures for the sixth straight season. He averaged 10.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists. He also shot a career-best 39 percent from 3-point range — an area of need for the Jazz, who shot .323 as a team, 27th in the league.

“It was my best year shooting from 3-point range, but I still feel like I can improve,” he said. “If Utah really needs that, I’m hoping I can come in and help them out in that area.”

Marvin Williams said he will know more after next week’s meeting.

For now he’s headed back to Chapel Hill for the first week of classes as he works toward finishing up his sociology degree. He had an 11:30 a.m. Friday class in sports management.

In the fall, it’s back to Utah.

“I’ve been in Atlanta the last seven years,” he said. “That’s all I’ve ever known. This is a new opportunity. I get a chance to play with new guys, play for a new coach, live in a new city. It’s all going to be something new for me, so definitely it’s an exciting time.”

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Marvin, Jackets, Kelly & Husky football

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MARVIN UPDATE: Bremerton’s Marvin Williams flew into Salt Lake City Wednesday night and was scheduled to be introduced at a press conference today. Nothing new here, but here’s a story from the Salt Lake Tribune. We’ll try to get hold of Marvin later and hopefully will have something later tonight. I think the trade from Atlanta to Utah is just what Marvin needed at this stage of his career. He never put up statistics to justify being a No. 2 overall pick (2005), but was never given a chance to show what he can do. He was always the fourth or fifth option and seemed to get lost in the flow at times. Maybe part of it was his own fault. Marvin’s never been a me-me-me guy and he seemed content to let others put up the numbers. The 6-foot-9 forward has developed into an above average defender and he can open the game for others because of the range on his jump shot.

Before moving on, here’s a bit of trivia about Marvin. Did you know that he was the firstTop 5 pick to be chosen in the NBA Draft without ever starting a game while in college? Yep, Marvin was a sixth man at North Carolina when the Tar Heels won the NCAA title.

NUMBERS DON’T LIE: The Kitsap BlueJackets are tied for last in the West Coast League in hitting (.238 average) and lead the league in strikeouts (225). And they are last in pitching (5.14 ERA). Their pitchers lead the league in walks and are last in strikeouts and have given up, by far, the most hits (378). Kitsap also leads the league in errors with 55. I should point out that Kitsap has played more games (36) than anybody in the league, so the stats are a little inflated, but it does explain the 9-27 record.

KELLY BACK AT IT: It’ll be interesting to see how Troy Kelly plays after last week’s breakthrough second-place finish at the PGA Tour’s Greenbrier Classic. He’s in Illinois for the John Deere Classic, where a lot of the early starters are going low. Ricky Barnes is the leader with a 7-under 64. The former Central Kitsap and University of Washington golfer tees off at 11:55 PST. The Golf Channel’s coverage is from noon to 3 p.m.

ANOTHER PGA PLAYER TO FOLLOW: Spencer Levin’s 5-under through 16. Levin’s another golfer with some local ties. His grandfather, Bucky, was a 1948 Bremerton High grad, Bucky’s son, Don, was a professional golfer in the Sacramento area. Spencer’s great grandparents were the late Roy and Florence Levin, both members at Kitsap Golf & Country Club. Spencer used to play at Kitsap when the family visited in the summer.

TOUGH SLEDDING FOR UW: If Washington’s 3-3 after its first six football games, Steve Sarkisian and Husky fans should be happy. But can they get to 3-3? In order, here’s the first six games: San Diego State (home), LSU (away), Portland State (home), Stanford (home), Oregon (away), USC (home).

BUT DAWGS FUTURE LOOKS GOOD: You never know how all of these 4-star recruits are going to pan out, but on paper, Washington’s putting together what looks to be a stellar class for 2013. Check it out here.

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Villopoto and ESPYs, Willie B., Marvin & More

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Quick hits on a Thursday night while chasing deadline with the daily miracle:

Villopoto up for an ESPY Award
I’ve been out of action for a week, and I just noticed that Poulsbo motocross champion Ryan Villopoto has been nominated for an ESPY in the Best Male Action Sports Athlete category.
The 2012 ESPY’s will be televised live Wednesday at 6 p.m. on ESPN From the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles.
Villopoto’s got some stiff competition. Snowboarder adn X Games superstar Shaun White is a six-time winner of the fan-voted awarded. The world’s best surfer Kelly Slater, and best all-around snowboarder Travis Rice, are the others.
Villopoto won the AMA World Supercross and AMA Motocross titles in 2011, in addition to the $1 million Monster Energy Cup, and led Team USA to victory at the Motocross of Nations. He defended his Supercross title in 2012 but a knee injury prevented him from defending his outdoor AMA title.
Click here to vote for Ryan. Voting ends Monday, July 9 at 11:59 p.m.

Good times for SK big leaguers

Orioles pitcher Jason Hammel was nominated for the MLB All-Star game. A tough-luck loser to the Mariners on Monday, Hammel didn’t win the fans’ vote, but being nominated for the honor had to be satisfying. The 29-year-old’s got a chance for a big contract if he can keep it up through the second half of the season. He finished third in the fan balloting. We sent Jeff Graham over to talk to Hammel on Monday. In case you missed it, here’s his story.

Willie Bloomquist, now seeing action at third base and shortstop for the Diamondbacks, raised his average to .301 after another multi-hit game on Wednesday (3-for-5 with a stolen base). This guy makes an argument that Willie is more deserving of a spot in the All Star game than Atlanta’s Rafael Furcal.

And Aaron Cunningham hit his first home run and collected a couple of pinch-hit singles in recent games for the Indians. Little-used until now, maybe it’ll translate into some more playing time. Cunningham, by the way, got the silent treatment from his teammates after hitting his home run.

Marvin heads to Utah

The deal won’t be official until July 11, but it looks like Marvin Gaye Williams will be playing for the Utah Jazz next season. It’s the best thing that could happen to the 6-foot-9 Bremertonian. Seven years in Atlanta was enough. It wasn’t Marvin’s fault that the Hawks passed on Deron Williams and Chris Paul, to take him with the No. 2 pick. That was always going to be over his head. Plus, he was never an option on a team that seemed to have too many Marvin-like players. Now Williams gets a second chance to prove that he can be a 15-point, 8-rebound kind of guy. He’s already proven to be unselfish and willing to do the dirty work on defense.

On tap

The Babe Ruth World Series for 13-year-olds is coming Aug. 15-22 — and the host team is the Kitsap County All Stars, not North Kitsap All Stars as somebody wrote last week.

Next week’s West Sound Senior Games. The event for the over-50somethings runs July 11-14.

And Little League’s Western Regional Big League tournament returns to Gene Lobe Fields at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds, July 15-20.

The Kitsap Pavilion will be the site of a Reign Forrest Championship MMA card on July 21. Bristol Marunde is promoting the card.

Random thoughts

Is it just me, or does it seem like there’s not much of a buzz about the coming football season for the Washington Huskies? Seems like the Dawgs are now playing second fiddle to the Seahawks in the region.

Congrats to Bremerton’s Nathan Adrian on winning the 100 free at the U.S. Olympic trials. I’m sure he’s disappointed about not qualifying in the 50, but counting the relays, he’s still got a chance to win three medals in London. That, I think, would ease any pain he might be feeling about being KO’d in the 50.

Nobody ever asked my opinion about Seattle’s offensive woes, but after being laid up for a week or so and able to watch more Mariners’ baseball than I’ve watched in a long time, I’ve got a theory on the M’s hitting woes: Maybe it’s because of their youth, but as a group, Seattle’s hitters are not very selective when it comes to the pitches they flail at. Good hitters swing at strikes. I’ve never seen so many guys swing at bad pitches at the Major League level.

And while we’re on the subject of Mariners’ hitters, who’s tired of watching Ichiro bail out of the box and hit those weak pop flies to the opposite field?

I really like the blue-collar approach of Kyle Johnson, Matt Friesen and most of the Kitsap Pumas. They’re not afraid to stick their nose in their and makes things happen.

That’s all I got. Deadline’s looming.

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Quick hits and a prediction

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While you’re here, I’ve got 10 things and a prediction for ya:

1) Silverdale’s Erynne Lee, a freshman at UCLA, is ranked No. 3 in Golf Week’s collegiate rankings after six tournaments. Duke’s Lindy Duncan and Sophia Popov of USC are 1-2 in the latest rankings. UCLA is the No. 1 team. Won’t be long before Lee’s cashing checks on the LPGA Tour.

2) Stephen Drew hasn’t recovered from a nasty broken ankle suffered last July, and that means the Diamondbacks will run Willie Bloomquist out at shortstop when the defending NL West champions open the season at home against the Giants on Friday, April 6. For Bloomquist, the Port Orchard native who took over for Drew last season, it will be his first Opening Day start. Willie hit .266 a year ago, right near his career average.

3) College basketball’s madness returned to normal this year. No Butler. No George Mason. This year’s Final Four is all royalty: Kentucky, Ohio State, Kansas, Louisville. Kentucky’s the obvious favorite. If the Wildcats win the championship game by three points or 11, I’ll hoist one to Mike Gaffke, who is probably running a March Madness pool somewhere. Hell, even if they don’t win by that margin, I’ll hoist one to Mike Gaffke. I’ll forever think of Mike Gaffke this time of year.

4) Bremerton’s Marvin Williams earned his dough on Sunday, playing 44 minutes in Atlanta’s 139-133 four-overtime win against Utah. I thought it might be a career high for the 6-foot-9 forward. I was wrong. He played 51 minutes in an April 8, 2007 game against Philadelphia. Marvin scored 16 points and had nine rebounds last night. His career highs for points? 33 vs. the Sonics in Seattle on Jan. 25, 2008.

5) Olympic College basketball coach Barry Janusch tells me he’s got a line on a 6-foot-11 center from Arizona by way of Philadelphia, and a guard from Tennessee who tried out at UT-Chattanooga might be on his way to Bremerton. Janusch, who doubles as the athletic director at the junior college, says he’s got some experienced candidates to sort through for the women’s basketball job that is open. He also told me that Seattle Community College is dropping its men’s and women’s basketball programs.

6) Aaron Cunningham’s still in contention to be Cleveland’s starting left fielder or the Indians fourth outfielder, but the South Kitsap grad hasn’t had the best of springs. Manager Manny Acta has said the job will go to the player who hits and none of the candidates, including Cunningham, have stepped up at the plate. Cunningham, traded to Cleveland by San Diego, was at .210 with one RBI in 10 spring games at last check.

Another SK grad, Jason Hammel, seems to have cemented a spot in Baltimore’s starting rotation. He could wind up as the No. 3 starter for the Orioles. He’s pitched 11.2 innings and has a 3.09 ERA with 12 strikeouts, five walks and 10 hits allowed in four spring starts.

7) Olympic College’s Colin Yoshinaga, the Japanese player whose style of play reminds you a little of Ichiro, can make all of the plays in left field, has a strong arm and a knack for bunting his way on base. The lefty singled in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning in an 8-7 victory over Wenatchee Valley on Sunday.

8) It’s a wonder some big school hasn’t hired Virginia Commonwealth basketball coach Shaka Smart. I’d hire him in an instant.

9) Warren Hood and the Goods. A really good band from Austin with a pretty good name. Marshall Hood and the Bads. His brother’s old band. Never saw ’em, but great name.

10) The Seattle Seahawks’ new battle cry: “Flynn Forever.” We’ll see. QB Matt Flynn still has a lot to prove, but signing him for three years with $10 million guaranteed is a relatively low risk deal with potential for some big-time rewards. At the very least, they’ve upgraded the position. If Flynn wins the starting job, and he should, then Tavaris Jackson gives you some pretty good depth at the most vital position on the team.

Prediction: Next Kitsap-area baseball player to get a chance to play professional baseball? Tyler Baumgartner, former Central Kitsap standout and cousin of Drew Vettleson, the switch-pitching star now playing outfield in the Tampa Bay Rays organization. Baumgartner had a monster year as a freshman outfielder at Bellevue CC, and is drawing a lot of interest from a lot of big-league teams. Tyler’s already signed with Oregon. If you want to see a sweet swing, you can watch him next Saturday when Bellevue takes on Olympic College at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds & Events Center. Doubleheader starts at 1 p.m.

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Quick hits

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A little bit of this, a little bit of that:

Outside of bringing an NBA franchise back to Seattle and a new NHL franchise to town, the best thing about building a new arena? NCAA basketball. There’s no reason not to believe that Seattle would wind up a regular on the NCAA tournament trail. Boise, Spokane, Portland and Salt Lake host games all of the time. Why wouldn’t the NCAA want to come back to Seattle?

In a year, maybe two, I think Dustin Ackley will be starting in the outfield for the Seattle Mariners, possibly in right field if the M’s don’t re-sign Ichiro Suzuki at the dend of this season. Kyle Seager will be the second baseman. Vinnie Catricala will be the third baseman.

Speaking of the NCAA tourney, Joe Lunardi of ESPN bracketology fame, currently has the Huskies as a No. 10 seed in the Midwest and Gonzaga a No. 7 seed in the East. Lunardi has the Huskies playing San Diego State in Columbus, Ohio, and the Zags opening against Long Beach State in Greensboro, N.C. Of course, that will all change after the weekend games are in the books.

Tom, my favorite blackjack dealer who happens to be the biggest New York Giants fans in Kitsap County, tells me that Syracuse is going to win the NCAA tournament and they just might.

Outfielder Aaron Cunningham, a South Kitsap grad who sat out Cleveland’s intrasquad games on Wednesday and Thursday due to a sore left hand, took part in Friday’s morning workout. Manager Manny Acta has indicated that Cunningham should be fine to play in Saturday’s spring opener. With Brady Sizemore out 10-12 weeks after back surgery, Cunningham has an good opportunity to earn some serious playing time if he can put together a solid spring.

In case you missed it, here’s Marvin Williams denial of the rumors that surfaced about the Bremerton player asking to be traded from the Atlanta Hawks.

White Horse Golf Course in Kingston has plans for a new clubhouse and director of golf Bruce Christy tells me it will be similar in style to the one at Suncadia Golf Courses and Resort in Roslyn. Christy and a group from the Suquamish Tribe, which owns the course, took a look at several clubhouses in the Northwest before making a decision.

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Marvin denies asking Hawks for a trade

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Chris Broussard of EPSN reported earlier on Tuesday that Bremerton’s Marvin Williams wasn’t happy with his role in Atlanta and wanted to be traded.

According to the Hawks’ PR guy, it’s not true. “You know that’s not me,” said Marvin.

The Hawks are in New York to face Jeremy Lin and the Knicks on Wednesday.

Williams missed Atlanta’s last game to attend the funeral of a relative.

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Marvin still going hard for his college degree

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Some Kitsap-centric linkage to check out on a Saturday morning:

Bremerton’s Marvin Williams is still on a mission to get his college degree in African-American Studies from North Carolina. He was only a Tar Heel for one year, but he returns to Chapel Hill every offseason to take a few more classes. He said his parents never pushed him to go back. He’s doing it for himself and for his college coach, Roy Williams, who gave him the opportunity to play in Chapel Hill.

According to this story, he even spends time working on his school assignments during the NBA season.

“If I was to be able to inspire kids to either play basketball or get an education I would take the education,” he said. “I feel like I’ve accomplished a few things in my life, I’ve made it to the NBA. But once I get my degree I feel like that will be my greatest accomplishment.”

FYI: You can catch Marvin and Hawks on TV Saturday when they play at Portland (CSN, 7 p.m.). Wonder if Marvin will still be in the league when Seattle gets a new franchise?

RV is still the guy to beat on the Supercross circuit. Poulsbo’s Ryan Villopoto is coming off a monster season in which he swept everything, and he’s back on top after six races heading into Saturday’s race at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. SPEED is televising it live at 5:30 p.m.

Kasey Dunn, the former North Kitsap/Idaho star and former Seahawks assistant had the pleasure of coaching Justin Blackmon at Oklahoma State this year. He’s considered the top wide receiver available in the draft. Dunn offers some insight into what makes Blackmon so good in this story.

Erynne Lee, the UCLA freshman from Central Kitsap, led the top-ranked Bruins women’s golf team to a second-place finish at the Arizona Wildcat Invitational earlier this month. She was third overall. And Lee led the Bruins again the following week as UCLA won the Regional Challenge. She was third overall again in that tournament.

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