Sports

Ohio State’s Cardale Jones Says He’s Staying with Buckeyes

Published

10 years ago

January 16, 2015

Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones leaves a news conference in Cleveland Thursday, Jan. 15, 2015, after announcing he would not declare for the 2015 NFL draft. Jones, 3-0 as a college starter including a win in the national championship game, says he will return to the Buckeyes for his final two years of eligibility. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)

RUSTY MILLER, AP Sports Writer

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Not so long ago, the only reason a lot of people knew Cardale Jones was for a thoughtless comment on social media about not wanting to go to school.

Now the national-champion quarterback is also a shining example for educators preaching to kids to get a degree.

It’s a turnaround almost as dramatic as the one he has taken in his Ohio State career over the past two months.

The big quarterback surprised a packed crowd Thursday, declaring at his old high school in Cleveland that he would stay at Ohio State rather than jump into the NFL draft.

“My decision was very simple,” he said. “I’m going to return next year for school.”

That sentence was met with audible gasps in the gymnasium, then applause from students and teachers.

Many thought that Jones, who could have jumped to the pros after a year spent at military school, a redshirt season and a year capped by starring for the Buckeyes, would make himself available for the draft.

After all, it was just over two years ago he posted on his Twitter account: “Why should we have to go to class if we came here to play FOOTBALL, we ain’t come to play SCHOOL classes are POINTLESS”

Coach Urban Meyer suspended him. Jones later apologized, and now calls it an embarrassing moment in his life. He said he has matured a lot since sending out that message. He proved it by saying he was coming back to the Buckeyes.

In his only college starts, he led Ohio State to wins in the Big Ten title game, the Sugar Bowl and Monday night’s national championship.

“It’s everybody’s dream and goal when they play football or any collegiate sport to make it to the next level,” he said, wearing a gray T-shirt with his nickname “12 Gauge” because of his uniform number and shotgun-like arm. “At my point in my career, I feel like it’s best for me to go back to school. One of the most important things for me to do is graduate.

“When I make that decision to play in the NFL, I want to be done with school. I want to devote all of my time and all my effort to the film room and getting better at playing the quarterback position.”

Just a few weeks after coming from anonymity to take over the Ohio State quarterback job, his decision was broadcast live on ESPN.

The cable network’s draft guru, Mel Kiper Jr., said Jones could go as high as the second round of the draft. He, like many football experts, believed Jones, who recently became a father, would jump to the pros.

“We put everything on a scale for him and education outweighed everything else. This shows the maturity he does have,” said his mentor and coach at Glenville Academic Campus, Ted Ginn. “I’m so proud. He’s a great kid, very intelligent, smart. I think the biggest thing to him was to be able to say to his baby, ‘I went back,’ and to set an example for all kids.”

Jones, his family, Ginn and Meyer met earlier Thursday in Cleveland.

The day after the championship game in Texas, Meyer had said there might not ever be a better time for Jones to make the move to the NFL.

“Cardale’s brand right now has never been stronger, might never be stronger in his life,” Meyer said.

Instead, the 6-foot-5, 250-pound redshirt sophomore will battle two-time Big Ten player of the year Braxton Miller, a graduate student still recovering from shoulder surgery, and this year’s quarterback of the year in the conference, sophomore-to-be J.T. Barrett (recovering from a broken ankle) for the starting job next season.

“I want to go back and compete for the spot,” he said. “I don’t want anything given to me.”

Barrett led the Buckeyes all season after Miller reinjured his shoulder 12 days before the season opener, setting school records with 3,772 yards of total offense and 34 passing touchdowns. But when he was injured in the fourth quarter of the last regular-season game, Jones took over in style.

He threw for 257 yards and three touchdowns in the 59-0 Big Ten title rout of Wisconsin and was selected the game MVP. Then, in the Sugar Bowl against top-ranked Alabama, Jones ran for 43 yards and threw for 243 yards and a touchdown in a 42-35 victory.

In the national title game, he continually made huge plays. He ran for 38 yards on 21 carries and a touchdown, plus completed 16 of 23 passes for 242 yards and a touchdown in a 42-20 victory over Oregon.

Jones was asked what he would say to people who believe he’s making a mistake.

“I can’t say what I want to say to them,” he said with a laugh. “It’s my life. I have to live it. Not them.”

___

Follow Rusty Miller on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/RustyMillerAP

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Bay Area

Love Life Organization Shows Love

As part of Love Life Week, the Love Life Foundation was honored to produce the 1974-75 World Champion Golden State Warrior Day. It’s a shame that our first Bay Area World Championship team’s unique accolades had been lost in the pre social media era and the cultural revolution of the 1970s.

Published

5 days ago

October 28, 2024

Oakland Post

Members of the 1975 NBA championship team, Charles Dudley (left) and Clifford Ray (right) embrace Love Life Foundation leader Donald Lacy for his antiviolence mission. Courtesy photo.

City of Oakland Celebrates 1975 NBA World Championship Team

By Donald Lacy

Special to The Post

As part of Love Life Week, the Love Life Foundation was honored to produce the 1974-75 World Champion Golden State Warrior Day.

It’s a shame that our first Bay Area World Championship team’s unique accolades had been lost in the pre social media era and the cultural revolution of the 1970s.

The 1975 NBA World Championship team were invited back to the City of Oakland last Friday, to be properly celebrated for their ground-breaking performance in 1975.

The heartwarming ceremony highlighted the recent passing of the legendary coach of that team, Al Attlles, and his former players Clifford Ray and Charles Dudley were on hand to represent the “Cardiac Kids” as they were called back then for their ability to make great comeback victories during their run for the title.

Warriors great Chris Mullin and former spiritual advisor Gary Reeves gave heartfelt testimonies of their experiences under Attles’ leadership and their relationship with the inspiration they received from the NBA 1975 World Champion Golden State Warriors.

The City of Oakland provided proclamations to all parties with speeches made by city leadership including Mayor Sheng Thao and Deputy Mayor Dr. Kimberly Mayfield and activity host Love Life non-profit founder and Executive Director Donald E. Lacy Jr..

There will be a celebration of life event Nov. 9 honoring Attles’ legacy at Alameda College.

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California Black Media

Several Black Californians Are Playing Key Roles in LA 28 Olympics Planning

From politicians and businesspeople to athletes and community leaders, a number of Black Californians are contributing to the thought leadership that is shaping the planning of LA28, the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. At the forefront is Los Angeles’ first Black woman mayor, Karen Bass, who has, in many ways, become the face of the Games in the City of Angels.

Published

2 weeks ago

October 22, 2024

Oakland Post

From left to right: IOC Member Hong Zhang, IOC Vice President Nicole Hoevertsz, Rex Richardson, Mayor of Long Beach, LA28 President Casey Wasserman, James T. Butts, Mayor of Inglewood, IOC President Thomas Bach, Marqueece Harris-Dawson, the President of the Los Angeles City Council (IOC/Greg Martin)

By Lila Brown, California Black Media

At the forefront is Los Angeles’ first Black woman mayor, Karen Bass, who has, in many ways, become the face of the Games in the City of Angels.

“The 2028 Games present an incredible opportunity to unite our city and lift up every corner of Los Angeles,” said Bass during a historic event at Los Angeles City Hall on Sept. 13, when the Olympic and Paralympic flags were unveiled and installed.

The event marked the return of the Olympic flag to L.A. since 1984, when the city hosted the Olympics for the second time. It was the first time the Paralympic flag was raised in California’s largest city.

“From creating jobs to supporting small businesses, we are committed to ensuring that these Games benefit all Angelenos — not just for the summer of 2028, but for decades to come,” Bass added.

Nearly two months after the Olympic flag handover from Paris to Los Angeles, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach visited Los Angeles.

Bach toured several of the city’s newest world-class sporting venues, including the SoFi Stadium and the recently opened Intuit Dome, both located in Inglewood. At the stadiums, he was joined by two other Los Angeles County Black mayors, whose cities will be key to hosting LA28 events: Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts and Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson.

SoFi Stadium, known as the home of NFL teams the LA Rams and LA Chargers, will host swimming competitions during the LA28 Games, with a temporary pool set to make it the largest swimming venue in Olympic history, boasting 38,000 seats. Intuit Dome, Inglewood’s newest state-of-the-art venue and home to the LA Clippers, will host the Olympic basketball tournament in the 18,000-seat arena.

In an interview with California Black Media ( CBM), Butts highlighted Inglewood’s central role in the upcoming Games, stating, “Inglewood will host the Opening and Closing ceremonies, basketball, and swimming competitions of the 2028 Olympic Games. This will be our second hosting of Olympic Basketball, the first in 1984.”

Marqueece Harris-Dawson, President of the Los Angeles City Council, also attended the tour.

Harris-Dawson is one of the leading backers of PlayLA, a parks development program that promises to provide sports programming to “young Angelenos of all abilities.” The initiative is funded by a $160 million investment from the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the International Olympic Committee.

Black Californians serving on the LA28 Board include Businesswoman Mellody Hobson; decorated Paralympian Lex Gillette; former Netflix Executive Dana Smith; President of the LA County Federation of Labor AFL-CIO Yvonne Wheeler; and television host, retired sprinter and four-time Olympic champion Michael Johnson.

Rosalyn Brant Clark, a 1976 Olympic silver medalist and mother of three-time Paralympian Breanna Clark, said while the “Games for All” theme is promising, she is looking for more concrete action that impacts the lives of ordinary people, including Black Californians.

“They are going to need to show me more on that one before it gets my stamp of approval,” she added, challenging organizers to ensure genuine inclusivity.

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Bay Area

Ohemaa Nyanin Named GM of Valkyries WNBA Team

The Bay Area is filled with excitement, and much of the conversation is about the Bay Area’s newest WNBA team — the VALKYRIES! The Golden State Warriors were awarded the 13th team in the WNBA last October, and just four months ago, the team’s General Manager was announced — Ohemaa Nyanin.

Published

2 weeks ago

October 22, 2024

Oakland Post

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By Y’Anad Burrell

Nyanin’s parents are from Ghana, and she was born in Maryland. Nyanin’s experience in this industry precedes her both as a former college player and on the business side. Nyanin is an American University alumna who played on the Eagles’ women’s basketball team. In 2019, Nyanain joined the WNBA team, The New York Liberty, initially serving as the director of basketball operations before she became assistant general manager.

“No excuses,” Nyanin said. “We are here, first and foremost, as humans, and secondly to win basketball games. So how do we do that, and how do we do that in the most inclusive way?”

From viewing interviews that Nyanin has done since her arrival in the Bay Area, a constant theme in her conversations is talking about taking a “people first” approach. Nyanin talks about how she will be focused on the players, staff, and fans as she navigates and executes her role as general manager. Health, both mentally and physically, is important to Nyanin, as I’ve seen in her many interviews.

Just days ago, The Golden State Warriors announced the head coach for the Valkyries — Natalie Nakase.

Nakase has been the assistant coach for the Las Vegas Aces for the past three seasons, where she was a part of the Aces’ back-to-back championship run in 2022 and 2023. Before joining the Aces’ coaching staff, Nakase spent ten seasons with her hometown team, the Los Angeles Clippers, and their G League.

The Valkyries will practice at downtown Oakland’s Golden State Warrior space and play games at Chase Center in San Francisco. This is an excellent opportunity to experience both sides of the water.

The Valkyries WNBA season opens May 2025 at Chase Center in San Francisco, and the Valkyries website shows over 18,000 season-ticket deposits. For clarity, if someone is ‘interested’ in purchasing season tickets, a $25 deposit is required. The Chase Center’s capacity is a little over 18,000, so you can imagine how electrifying the stadium will be during all home games.

Ohemaa, welcome to the Bay and The Town!