The Sabre Interview: Jimmy Miller

Several times a year, TheSabre.com's founder Michael Ingalls catches up with some of the most interesting Hoos from the past and present for an exclusive in-depth interview. Most recently, The Sabre released "The Sabre Interview: Jimmy Miller" as Ingalls sat down with former basketball standout Jimmy Miller to talk about the Cavaliers' standout teams from the 1980's as well as the program today. Here's a brief excerpt from that article, available exclusively to EDGE subscribers!

Mike: Recruiting is far more challenging now with kids wanting to play right away. Coach Tony Bennett has endured a number of transfers, some because of lack of playing time their first two years. Can you address this?

MILLER: Kids need to have an appreciation for being part of a team. It happens everywhere. They're continuing to recruit and bringing in people in your spot and you're like, "Geez, what's going on?" You have to look at it as, "OK, these people can make me better." When I talk to young people, everybody wants to play in the pros. But not everyone is going to play in the pros. To create those years of memorable experiences, you don't appreciate it until years later.

For example, when I look back on our era of Virginia Basketball, it was the greatest era of Virginia Basketball. And going through it at the time I thought this is the way it's going to be every year. Right before I came in, it was Jeff Lamp, Lee Raker and those guys. And we continued to transition and had great guard play with Othell Wilson and Ricky Stokes, and Jeff Jones. And then Ralph was the overlap between those two sets of teams. I just assumed this was the way it was going to be forever. I can tell you that being years removed, the experiences of playing in those big games, winning those big games, and the camaraderie and fellowship with the guys on the team - of experiencing that success together, and failures - that's what you're going to remember.

I know it's hard. When you come in from your high school, you're the guy, the stud, the man on the team. Well now you've got 12-15 of those guys. I remember thinking, maybe it was my junior year, they were recruiting Tom Sheehey out of Rochester, New York, who was 6'9" and looked like a man. I mean, he had to shave three times a day kind of thing. I thought, "That's who I'm going up against? Why are they? ... That's a guy I'm going to have to go up against!" That was a guy I had to go head to head against every day in practice. And he was good, talented. In ways it made me better. But I don't remember that so much now. I remember thinking that at the time. But that junior year we ended up going to the Final Four. I think the kids miss that."

Read the full EDGE feature here.

This Week In Recruiting With Chris Horne

Lake Taylor (Norfolk, VA) defensive end/tight end Jalyn Holmes and Chancellor (Fredericksburg, VA) offensive tackle Steven Moss are two of the state's best prospects in the class of 2014. Both players have double-digit scholarship offers to consider, and both will be featured in EDGE updates this week.

Holmes, an impressive physical specimen with the potential to be an impact player on either side of the ball, was in Scott Stadium this past Saturday in the Group AAA Division 5 state title game. The Titans came away with the championship crown by holding off Stone Bridge, 20-14.

Moss was an all-region selection for his performance for the Chargers this season.

Also this week, check out another "Strategy Session," our regular big picture look at Virginia recruiting. I'll have the latest look at Virginia's projected 2013 season football roster as well as the latest news/analysis on potential de-commitments in the class of 2013 and more.

In some news on the recruiting front, one of Virginia's remaining targets in the 2013 class, Mountain View (Stafford, VA) wide receiver/defensive back DaeSean Hamilton, is now off the board. The 6'1", 185-pound senior committed to Penn State after making an official visit there this past weekend. He had previously made officials to Wake Forest and Virginia, and he also considered Duke, Miami, and Virginia Tech.

On the basketball front, be sure to check out the "Good Ol Blog" for an update on UVa recruits Devon Hall and London Perrantes. This week, I hope to check in with the Cavaliers' lone class of 2014 recruit, wing guard/forward B.J. Stith.

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 since the last SabreMail ...

Commits McDonald, English Talk UVa
It's no secret the remaining University of Virginia football staff has been hot on the recruiting trail this week with the primary goal of keeping the 2013 class intact. Visits to Boston College High (Boston, MA) offensive lineman Jack McDonald and St. Christopher's (Richmond, VA) defensive lineman/tight end Jack English appear to have been successful, as both prospects claim to be solid to the Cavaliers.

Sabre Scoop: Updates On Commits
In this latest "Sabre Scoop," check out updates and analysis regarding the recent coaching shake-up, an update on Virginia-bound linebacker LaChaston Smith, and news on last weekend's official visitors.

More recent recruiting updates on The Sabre ...

• Season Check-In: Hall and Perrantes
• Kiser Reaffirms Commitment To UVa

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Caroline Miller Named Hermann Finalist

UVa Athletics Media Relations Official Release

Virginia senior forward Caroline Miller was named one of the three women's finalists for the 2012 Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy, the National Soccer Coaches Association of America announced on Thursday. Miller is the first Cavalier women's player to be named a finalist for the award, which is the most prestigious accolade in collegiate soccer.

Miller joins Crystal Dunn of North Carolina and Christine Nairn of Penn State as this year's women's finalists. Ryan Finley of Notre Dame, Jose Gomez of Creighton and Patrick Mullins of Maryland are the three men's finalists.

The finalists will be honored and the men's and women's winners will be announced at the Hermann Trophy banquet on January 11 at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis.

The 2012 ACC Offensive Player of the Year, Miller set single-season school records with 20 goals and 47 points this season.

Read the full release here.

ESPN: Matt Schaub presents challenge

From ESPNBoston.com

(Note: With the Houston Texans ready to face the New England Patriots on Monday Night Football tonight, ESPNBoston.com released an article on former UVa quarterback Matt Schaub. A piece of the article follows, but make sure to read the full piece here.)

Oh, and quarterback Matt Schaub is pretty good, too.

Pretty good? Schaub, who was drafted in the quarterback class that generated Eli Manning, Philip Rivers and Ben Roethlisberger, has not yet cracked the elusive QB code that provides access to the "elite" inner circle, where seats are reserved for guys named Brady, Brees, Rodgers and Manning(s). Like Matt Ryan in Atlanta, Schaub still is jockeying for position for his place among the game's top signal-callers.

A win against the Patriots in their building on Monday night could be a substantial step in that direction.

Since 2011, there isn't a quarterback among the aforementioned list who boasts a better record than Schaub (18-4). He continues to thrive in the play-action game; according to ESPN Stats & Information, his 10 touchdowns and 2 interceptions in play-action have generated a plus-8 rating, which ties him for the league lead. And over the past four seasons, only Drew Brees (54) and Aaron Rodgers (44) have thrown more play-action touchdowns than Schaub's 43.

Hoos Talking Airs On Monday Nights

Hoos Talking, TheSabre.com's radio partner from Richmond, is back on the air for its fourth season! The show airs on Monday nights LIVE from 6-7 p.m. on SportsRadio 910 AM (WRNL) in Richmond or on the internet for Hoos outside of the Richmond area.

Tonight's show airs in a special 5:30-6:30 p.m. time slot and features UVa's Dan Bonner and The Daily Progress' Jerry Ratcliffe.

Make sure to check out Hoos Talking on SportsRadio 910 AM (WRNL) or stay tuned to TheSabre.com for archived audio of the broadcasts, presented for FREE by Sabre sponsor St. Maarten Cafe.

Around the World of Wahoo Sports ...

• Aboushi Headlines Five Cavaliers on Inaugural Coaches All-ACC Team: Virginia football player Oday Aboushi was named to the inaugural Coaches All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) football first-team, as selected by the league's 12 head coaches. Steve Greer was a second-team honoree, while Morgan Moses, Demetrious Nicholson, and La'Roy Reynolds were named honorable mention selections. Aboushi and Greer were both first-team honorees on the media's previously released All-ACC team, while Nicholson and Reynolds were also honorable mention nods.
• Virginia Falls To No. 9 Maryland, 79-55: So here we are, eight games into the college basketball season, and Virginia coach Joanne Boyle still can't get a read on her team. The Cavaliers played tentatively and without conviction in a 79-55 loss to No. 9 Maryland on Thursday night, and afterward Boyle seemingly couldn't believe what she had witnessed. Virginia (5-3, 0-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) made only 12 baskets, shot 25 percent, was outrebounded 50-29 and committed 22 turnovers. "We had balls ripped out of our hands. There was no toughness to us tonight, which is just disappointing," Boyle said. "We're going to be challenged, because we really have got to figure out our identity and who we want to be this year. For a game-and-a-half now, I feel like we've been back on our heels."

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

V-Sabre Holiday T-Shirt

$12.00-$13.00

The V-Sabre holiday santa hat T-Shirt is a left chest and full back design T-Shirt. This fun holiday item features a santa hat hanging off of the V-Sabre logo. Get yours today! (The UVA Bookstores would like to wish TheSabre.com community a very happy holiday season. We appreciate the support we receive throughout the year and would like to thank you by offering free UPS Ground shipping now through Dec. 15! No minimum purchase is required. Please use the coupon code: sabre2012. Sabre EDGE members, please note that only one code may be used per transaction).

Issue No. 78 - March 14, 2003

Hoos upset Maryland for second time this season

Virginia was on a slide of unimaginable proportions, losing seven straight, but pulled out of it when they defeated Maryland at home last Sunday in overtime, 80-78. The win gives UVa a winning regular season record and keeps their hopes alive for a berth in the upcoming NIT.

Seldom-used senior center Jason Rogers got his first start of his career and had everyone scratching their heads why he didn't get much playing time during his Virginia career. Rogers busted out of the gate early, blocking several shots, changing the direction of many others, snagging rebounds and contributing some points in the paint as well. While the Cavaliers struggled on offense and turned the ball over 21 times, Rogers' presence inside kept Maryland from getting into their offense. The defending national champion Terps shot a poor 38 percent from the field.

UVa lacrosse cruises past #9 Notre Dame

The top-ranked Hoos are on a roll. Last weekend they defeated #9 Notre Dame, 14-8. John Christmas led the charge for the Cavaliers with four goals and two assists. The Hoos will play Towson this Sunday at 3:30 PM at Klockner Stadium in Charlottesville.

Read SabreMail No. 78 here.

Coming Soon

The Sabre has you covered when it comes to Hoo news. Here are a few of the articles to expect on the site soon:

• Basketball Cheat Sheet: Sabre.com Editor Kris Wright gives you 10 quick things you need to know about this year's men's basketball team as the Hoos take a break for exams with an 8-2 record.
• Postseason coverage: Stay turned for articles on the football team's 2012 season.

In Case You Missed It ...

Sabre articles and blog posts since the last SabreMail

Mitchell, Hoos Dunk Delta Devils
Akil Mitchell led all scorers with 20 points as Virginia defeated Mississippi Valley State 67-39 on Saturday, The Hoos' seventh straight win on the season. The Cavaliers used size and quickness to easily dispatch the Delta Devils before a crowd of just more than 8,000 at John Paul Jones Arena. Justin Anderson and Darion Atkins joined Mitchell in double figures in the win.

Cavs Defeat Vols in Defensive Struggle
The Virginia offense sputtered down the stretch, but a sterling defensive performance helped the men's basketball team take care of Tennessee anyway on Wednesday night. The Cavaliers burst out to a 15-point lead midway through the first half and the lead never dropped to a one-possession score again as the Hoos prevailed 46-38. UVa has won six straight games to improve to 7-2 on the season.

Tennessee Primer 2012
After riding a strong second half to a 67-51 victory over Wisconsin-Green Bay, the Virginia Cavaliers (6-2) return to action Wednesday to face the Tennessee Volunteers (4-2) at the John Paul Jones Arena. Will the Wahoos win their sixth straight game, or will their SEC opponents be victorious? Find out in the Tennessee Primer.

The Sabre Interview: Jimmy Miller
When you open up the record book for Virginia Basketball you might not see former Cavalier great Jim Miller's name listed too many times. But make no mistake, "Jimmy" Miller is one of the most beloved Cavalier athletes of all time and one of the best to ever wear the Virginia uniform. During Miller's career, UVa won 97 games and in his first three years helped Virginia to the Sweet 16, Elite 8 and Final Four. Miller is the latest focus of The Sabre Interview.

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