The Sabre Is Joining The Blog World

As always, The Sabre continues to look for ways to enhance the user's experience with the Web site and we have another exciting new feature on the way in the coming days. The Sabre is joining the hip world of blogging! And it is going to be free to read for all Sabre-ites!

The Good Ol' Blog will start by featuring blog entries from editor Kris Wright, the artist formely known as BoardHost Mike Ingalls, recruiting expert Chris Horne, blogger extraordinaire Rob Mahini, Best Seat in the House staffers like Jed Williams and Joey Mancini, and WCAV Sports anchors Marc Davis, J.W. Stehle, Dave Strumpf, and Kris Budden. We'll also be adding bloggers in the future to keep you knee-deep in Cavalier conversation.

Stay tuned this week for the launch of "The Good Ol' Blog" and check back daily to see Hoos blogging about the Cavaliers!

Kris Wright
Editor, TheSabre.com

Foottball recruiting .

Matt Conrath

As reported on the EDGE last week, Matt Conrath, 6-8, 255-pound DE/OT out of St. Rita High School (Chicago, IL), verbally committed to the University of Virginia. Conrath chose the Hoos over offers from Duke, Miami (OH), Purdue, Stanford, and Vanderbilt.

Conrath's commitment gives Virginia a total of 22 verbal commitments for the 2007 class. He will likely start out at defensive end at Virginia but could easily end up at offensive tackle.

With only a few spots remaining and less than a month until Signing Day (February 7, 2007), the 2007 class is coming to an end. Stay tuned to The Sabre for the latest on the 2007 class, including the 'Countdown to Signing Day' feature which will be released each Wednesday. CTSD is a guide to everything you need to know about the 2007 class and what remains until Signing Day '07.

QB Peter Lalich and LB/S J'Courtney Williams participated in all-star games this past weekend. Lalich turned in a solid performance, completing 9 of 13 passes for 166 yards and a touchdown in the East Meets West All-Star game in Orlando, Florida. Lalich played for the East, which fell 35-25.

Williams started at outside linebacker for the East squad in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl game in San Antonio, Texas. Unfortunately, Williams' team also fell, but Williams seemed to gain confidence in his own game as a result of the experience.

Stay tuned for updates on Lalich and Williams as they reflect on their respective experiences.

Also coming this week .

The latest on 6-4, 215-pound OLB recruit Romale Tucker. Tucker, who committed to UVa last September, is also seriously considering Syracuse at the moment with UNC also trying to get in the mix. Tucker was contemplating a transfer from his current school - Ballou High School in Washington, D.C. - to Milford Academy this month. If he does so, it would mean he would likely attend Syracuse. Stay tuned for the latest on this situation.

Basketball recruiting .

The EDGE featured an update on 6-8, 215-pound Hargrave Military Academy forward Mike Scott last Friday. Scott, who signed with UVa in the fall signing period, is performing very well for head coach Kevin Keatts. In Hargrave's most recent game, Scott turned in a 19-point, 11-rebound performance in a win over Findlay College Prep.

Stay tuned for updates on UVa's other three fall signees in the coming weeks.

Chris Horne, our resident recruiting expert, provides updates throughout the week for Edge subscribers about UVa's commitments and recruiting targets in football and men's basketball. To sign up for an Edge subscription, please check out the Sabre Edge Sign Up and Information Page. If you're already on board as an Edge subscriber, click the links below to catch up on recruiting.

Sabre Edge recruiting updates from the past week ...

Scott Performing Well at Hargrave
Four games into the season, Hargrave Military Academy forward Mike Scott suffered a sprained ankle in the opening game of the National Tip-Off Showcase. The injury slowed down the 6-8, 215-pound Scott for only a few games, though, and the talented prospect seems to be continuing where he left off before the injury.

Chicago OL/DL Commits to Cavs!
The University of Virginia football staff has brought in the New Year in style by landing commitment No. 22 for the 2007 recruiting class. Today, the staff landed a commitment from one of the top line prospects in the state of Illinois when Matt Conrath pledged to the Hoos.

Mosley Finalizes Plans
Shortly after making his official visit to the University of Virginia on the weekend of December 9th, Henrico (Richmond, VA) athlete recruit Corey Mosley seemed very close to committing to the Cavs. But it is Virginia Tech, led by primary recruiter Jim Cavanaugh, that will get the final official visit before the 5-9, 190-pound prospect makes his collegiate decision.

Updates since the last SabreMail ...

• Williams Addresses Report
• Getting To Know ... Mark Ambrose
• U.S. Army Bowl: Checking in with J'Courtney Williams
• TheSabre.com's Postseason Top 30

Glenmore Country Club, nestled near the Blue Ridge Mountains just outside Charlottesville, is one of the most beautiful places in the Commonwealth. Just ask Al Groh, who lives there. But you don't have to be a resident (or a football coach) to enjoy what Glenmore has to offer.

Become a corporate or non-resident member and enjoy golf on its 18-hole, par-72 championship course designed by architect John LaFoy. Treat your employees or clients to a round they won't forget. Or host a fundraising tournament there.

While you're at it, how about holding your next board meeting in the Pinnacle Room at Glenmore? Enjoy lunch and an afternoon round of golf. Please check out Glenmore's Web site to learn more about all their great services.

Thank you for actively supporting the sponsors of TheSabre.com. Sponsorships are a critical component of our business and sponsors' success will permit us to continually improve our services to you, our community.

Former Virginia standout center Scott McCandlish died recently at the age of 56 after suffering from multiple sclerosis. McCandlish was a three-year starter at Virginia from 1970-72 and, as a senior, was a member of UVa's "Amazin' Cavaliers" that produced a 21-7 record.

McCandlish ended his career as Virginia all-time leading rebounder with 761 rebounds, which is still ninth in Cavalier basketball history. His career rebounding average of 9.6 per game is tied for second. McCandlish played in 79 games and scored 1,026 points. He was chosen by Portland in the ninth round of the 1972 NBA Draft.

Following his graduation, McCandlish coached for five years at South Florida. Later, he returned to Charlottesville and was the head basketball coach at Charlottesville High School. In 2004 he returned to his hometown of Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

Prior to the start of Wednesday's men's basketball game against Gonzaga the Cavaliers held a moment of silence to honor McCandlish. Charlottesville High School also held a moment of silence for McCandlish at its Friday night game.

Last week, a thread honoring the former UVa standout was started by Scott McCandlish's nephew, Kevin. The Thread of the Week follows:

Subject: Scott McCandlish
Posted by: Cavaliermac35 on Tue Jan 2 2007 10:38:16 PM
Message: To Wahoos whom it may concern,

Thank you very much for your concern. I have no idea if this will reach you or not, but I feel as though I should post this. My name is Kevin McCandlish, and Scott was my Uncle. It's been very hard on the family, with my father and other family members gone for christmas eve to visit him in the hospital and repeated trips from our hometown to Ithaca, New York were he had recently moved from his beloved Charlottesville.

Along with his tenacious fight with MS, he had contracted a serious case of pnemonia recently, causing his lungs to fill with fluid. This left him in a situation where he was being artificially fed air to live. Yet through all of this, he upheld himself with the heart and dignity that he always brought to the gymnasium. I thank god almighty that he was able to see another Christmas through and through, but shortly after, demonstrating his amazing personal strength once again, he chose that no machine should dictate his life, and surprised everyone at how long he lasted without the support equipment.

My entire family bleeds orange and Wahoo blue even all the way from new england. If there is one thing I knew about my uncle, it was that he never took anything for granted in life. He aspired to be on the top of the world and would never stop until he got there. For him, on top of the world meant being not just a good athlete, but being the best human being that he could be. His MS had certainly taken a toll physically, but his spirit was as strong as an ox.When one brought Virginia basketball of any era, a twinkle would shine in his eye bright as a beacon. Nothing compared to UVA sports except his family. If you asked him what the greatest misfortune he had seen in his lifetime was, he would probably say (sorry to bring it up) Chaminade.

I have no doubt that my uncle is in a better place with both of his parents, watching the cav network on a 56" hd plasma with the big man in the sky, cheering on the Wahoos. For all with sorrow for this, I am with you, but I know that he is looking down on all Virginia fans, as any Wahoo supporter is as much family as I am.

God bless you all and go Wahoos.
Sincerely,
Kevin McCandlish

Subject: Thank you for writing to let us know of Scott's passing.He was
Posted by: corkydoggy on Wed Jan 3 2007 12:23:09 AM
Message: the backbone of that fine UVa club in the early '70's that really began modern Virginia basketball, with Chip Miller, Timmy Rash and Barry. He played hard but he played clean, and helped start something that continues to this day and beyond.

I am sure that many Virginia fans are saddened as I am that he's no longer with us to enjoy the good times in the future and remember those in the past. He will be remembered.

Subject: Scott was amazing (Story)
Posted by: Wahootie on Tue Jan 2 2007 11:37:42 PM
Message: I grew up in Charlottesville and came to love basketball because of people like Scott. In the early 70's Scott was on a team with Parkhill, Rash, Hobgood, Dewhitt, those Gerry brothers and some others that were the birth of UVA basketall. You can not imagine just how bad UVA basketball was before these guys and Coach Bill Gibson started to put things together.

I was in Jr. high school (now called middle school) when I first saw Scott play. He was such a competitor and gentleman. I tried to make myself play like him as I practiced every day on the playground. The players on the UVA team began to win and became heroes to us kids and celebraties around Charlottesville.

I tried out for the basketball team in the 10th grade at AHS. I had never played anything but playground ball and the skills of the players at the tryout were much better than mine. I was able to hang around for longer than I probably should have as others were cut. I somehow thought I had a chance to make the team.

But when the list of the final team was posted. My name was not there. I was crushed. I lost the desire to play ball and gave up on school for a while. Then, one day, a letter arrived in my mail box addressed to me from Scott McCandlish. The letter in his own handwriting (no typewriter and not written by some basketball secretary) told me of players that had been cut on their first try at basketball and then through practice made the team the next year and became stars. He told me of his struggles and how I should hang in there and not give up on basketball or school.

I can truly tell you that for a 10th grader Scott's letter to me changed my world and my view on life. How could someone like him know what had happened to me and then take the time to write?

I ended up going to another school and playing basketball and loving every minute of it. In fact I ended up playing five different sports before I graduated and went on to college. I am now 51 years old and still playing basketball in the city league here in North Carolina. In fact I play on two teams ...

I still have the letter in my box of important special things that I keep. I found out much later that Scott had run into my sister on campus and she had told him about what I was going through. He asked for my address and then sent me the letter. My only regret was that I never told him just how much a difference he made in my life.

I remember asking my father if he thought that if in Heaven I could play basketball. He said that if got that much joy out of basketball then certainly there will be a team for me in heaven.

Scott, may you rest in peace and now be able to once again play the game you loved so much! You will be missed.

To read the entire thread, click here.

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Fan of the Week

Every week, theSabre.com features a Fan of the Week photo on the front page of the Web site. (Archives are available in the Wahoowa! section.) So you want to be the fan of the week? It's easy - be the loudest Hoo at a live UVa event, wear some crazy Cavalier gear, or do something else to catch our attention. If Mike or Kris spot you and take your picture, you'll be in the running for Fan of the Week honors!

Around the World of Wahoo Sports ...

• Wigger Wins Harder Hall Invitational: Virginia senior golfer Leah Wigger took top honors at the 2007 Harder Hall Women's Invitational that concluded Sunday at Harder Hall Golf Club in Sebring, Fla. The invitation-only amateur event, with a field of 132 competitors, featured 72 holes of stroke play over four days. Previous champions include Morgan Pressel in 2005 and Natalie Gulbis in 2001.
• Four Cavaliers Claim Titles at Virginia Intercollegiates: Eric Albright, Mike Grogan, Rocco Caponi, and Scott Smith each claimed titles as Virginia finished second with 179 points at the Virginia Intercollegiates held Saturday at Granby High School. Virginia was the only team with four individual champions.
• Madison and Spice - A winning combination: Virginia field hockey coaches Michele Madison and Chris Spice have teamed up to help revive the Hoos' program. Their friendship began more than a decade ago and their strong bond is part of the reason they're having success at UVa.
• Rojas Named Head Women's Soccer Coach at Bowdoin College: Bowdoin College announced Wednesday that University of Virginia assistant coach Maren Rojas will be the school's new head women's soccer coach. Rojas, who has spent the past four seasons with the Cavaliers, takes over the Polar Bear program, which had been led by John Cullen for the past 22 years.

To read the full stories or gather more information on Virginia athletics, check out Virginiasports.com.

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Issue No. 15 - December 13, 2001

Offensive linemen commits to Hoos

D.J. Bell, 6-4, 300-pound offensive guard from Camden, Delaware, announced his commitment to play football for the University of Virginia this past weekend. Bell has a three-star rating and is listed as a Top 50 player at his position by Rivals100.com. We caught up with Bell last night, and this is what he had to say about his decision to play for UVa.

"[Committing to UVa] was the best choice possible for me - it felt right in my heart," Bell said. "I liked the coaches. All of them are young and they're all excited about the game. They have good ideas for the future."

Bell said that early playing time at UVa was definitely a consideration. Bell added that he has good leadership ability, and his strength is his ability to turn defenders around.

Big offensive linemen to visit this weekend

Speaking of offensive linemen, Randy Hand, a 6-6, 300-pound offensive tackle from Fort Meyers, Florida will be taking his official visit to UVa this weekend. Hand has a four-star rating and is considered the 8th-best offensive tackle nationally by Rivals100.com. He has high interest in UVa and North Carolina. Hand enjoyed his visit to UNC the weekend of November 30th, but says that the Cavaliers are still his favorite. Many are anticipating a commitment from him this weekend.

And another?

Do you see a pattern? In case it isn't obvious, UVa is in desperate need of quality offensive linemen who can play right away. The Cavs will lose four offensive linemen who have started at least two years of their career. One of the players who could certainly fill the role is 6-4, 300-pound offensive guard Shadu Moore. Moore had planned to take his official visit to UVa the past couple days, but rescheduled in order to take a visit to Syracuse instead. Sources say he is planning to visit Virginia this weekend. Moore had been leaning to Boston College, but may back off with the news that head coach Tom O'Brien may be taking the Georgia Tech head-coaching job. Moore has a four-star rating and is listed as the 19th-best offensive guard in the nation by Rivals100.com.

Coming Soon

January means that 2007 is officially under way and Virginia's winter sports are heating up. The Sabre will help you start the new year with plenty of content to keep you excited about the Hoos! Here's a sneak peak at some of the articles to expect on the site in the coming days:

• JHoo's Series Continuese
  JHoo continues to look back position by position at the 2006 football season.
• Stanford Photo Gallery
  The Cavaliers dropped their first game ever in the JPJ, but there were still some highlights to take a look at through the lens.
• What I Learned Against Gonzaga and Stanford
  The up-and-down nature of this basketball season continued with a win and a loss last week. What can we take from the split with Gonzaga and Stanford?
• Scouting UNC and Boston College
  The Sabre's newest basketball feature brings you exclusive scouting reports for this week's ACC games at North Carolina and Boston College. Former UVa and Clemson assistant Ben D'Alessandro gives you an insider's look at game preparation.

In Case You Missed It ...

Sabre articles since the last SabreMail

Stanford Sneaks Past Virginia
Virginia suffered its first loss in the John Paul Jones Arena on Sunday. Not surprisingly, it was of the heartbreak variety. The Cavaliers, who registered just one defensive stop in the final 3:30, held a one-point lead with less than 10 seconds to play but it wasn't enough as Stanford's Lawrence Hill lifted his team to a 76-75 triumph. Hill's game-winning shot with just 0.9 left on the clock silenced the 13,846 in attendance and sent a visitor home victorious for the first time since the JPJ opened its doors this season.

Best Seat in the House: Kevin McCabe & Chris Horne
Jed Williams welcomed quarterback Kevin McCabe to The Best Seat in the House on Friday to talk about his decision to transfer from UVa with one year of eligibility remaining. McCabe started one game last season before falling to No. 3 on the quarterback depth chart. TheSabre.com's recruiting expert, Chris Horne, also joined Williams on the show to talk about the Cavs' current recruiting class. Horne will visit with the Best Seat every week until signing day. Check out the free audio from the two show guests.

Photo Gallery: UVa 108, Gonzaga 87
Wednesday evening was a thrilling night for Hoo fans as the Virginia men's basketball team rocked Gonzaga in the John Paul Jones Arena, 108-87. Sean Singletary posted 37 points, Solomon Tat returned from injury, and the Cavs ran the Zags out of the building in the first half. In short, it was a near perfect night of hoops in Charlottesville. Check out 91 photos from the magical night in the John Paul Jones Arena.

Better Defense Fueling Cavs
Better defense. Back to square one. More energy and execution on that end of the floor. Have to guard people. Chances are that Virginia coach Dave Leitao has uttered any one of those phrases at times this season. Apparently, someone has been listening. Following the defensive debacle at the San Juan Shootout, the Cavaliers have defended mightily for the better part of two straight games.

Cavaliers Gallop Past Gonzaga
There must be something about Gonzaga that brings out the best in Sean Singletary. Last year, Virginia's star point guard scored a career-high 35 points in a loss to the Bulldogs in Spokane. On Wednesday at the John Paul Jones Arena, Singletary posted a new career-high with 37 points as the Cavaliers ravaged Gonzaga 108-87.

Jed's Best Seat Buzz: New Year's Wishes
Drop 10 pounds. 6:00 a.m. workouts five times a week. A monthly budget that I'll actually stick to. Yada yada yada. New Year's resolutions - all of them . and each and every one likely destined to disappoint. So why even burden you with the resolutions I'm bound to break when instead we can outline a series of motions whose success I care much more about? Those, naturally, pertain to Virginia Athletics (don't ever let anyone tell you we don't take our sports seriously enough here!). So here goes, a few New Year wishes for some Cavaliers.

5 Things I Learned Against American
Alarm bells sounded throughout Virginia's fan base after the Cavaliers dropped two of three games in the San Juan Shootout. While last Thursday's 90-71 home victory over American University did not erase the damage done by the debacle in Puerto Rico, it did provide some reason to step back from the edge and take a deep breathe of fresh air. So before the Cavaliers host Gonzaga, let's take a look at the 5 Things I Learned Against American.

Things I Learned About ... The Offensive Line
During the 2006 season, no unit - with the possible exception of the quarterbacks - was under the harsh glare of the spotlight more than the offensive line. Of course, I was part of the problem, providing weekly updates with my view of the offensive line's collective progress (or lack thereof). But progress was made in 2006. Much more progress, however, has to be made before 2007 can truly be a happy new year.

Photo Gallery: Virginia 91, American 70
Mamadi Diane and the Cavaliers dispatched a fellow Hoo to end 2006 when they topped American, 91-70, in the John Paul Jones Arena. Former Cav guard and coach Jeff Jones coaches the Eagles, but he could not guide his team to an upset of UVa as Sean Singletary and J.R. Reynolds combined for 59 points. Check out the action from the American game in this 31-photo gallery.

Every week, Sabre Edge provides you with exclusive articles, columns, special features, interviews and recruiting news, including daily recruiting updates. There's even a special message board just for subscribers. And to top it off, you get 10 percent off all of your UVa Bookstores purchases during your subscription.

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