I didn’t know Dawn Hochsprung, the principal of the Sandy Hook Elementary School, who after hearing the first gunshots, apparently turned on the public address system in her office to try and warn her teachers of the impending danger coming their way and then ran toward the shooter in an effort to subdue him before being shot and killed.
But I wish that I had.
I didn’t know Mary Sherlach, the school psychologist, who was in a meeting with principal Hochsprung and who also ran at the gunman trying to stop him before being shot and killed.
But I wish that I had.
I didn’t know Victoria Soto, a first-grade teacher who made sure that each and every one of her students were safely hidden away from danger in closets and cabinets when the gunman appeared at her classroom door, telling him that her kids were all down in the gym before she was shot and killed.
But I wish that I had.
I didn’t know teachers Rachel D’Avino or Anne Marie Murphy or Lauren Rousseau, who all died trying to protect their students from the attacker’s gunfire.
But I wish that I had.
I didn’t know 6-year old Jack Pinto, who was a huge New York football Giants fan, or 6-year old Emilie Parker, who was learning how to speak Portuguese from her father. I didn’t know 7-year old Chase Kowalski, who had recently won his first mini-triathlon or 6-year old Jesse Lewis, who was starting to learn how to ride horses or 6-year old Ana Marquez-Greene, a budding singer.
I didn’t know 6-year old Noah Pozner, a “smart and lively kid” according to his uncle or 6-year old Charlotte Bacon, who, according to her uncle, “could light up the room” or 6-year old Olivia Engel, who was going to make a gingerbread house when she came home from school that day.
I didn’t know, Daniel Barden, Josephine Gay or Grace McConnell, all just seven years old, or Dylan Hockley, Madeline Hsu, Catherine Hubbard, James Mattioli, Caroline Previdi, Jessica Rekos, Avielle Richman, Alison Wyatt or Benjamin Wheeler, who were all only 6.
But I wish that I had.
In a sense, now, however, I know them all because of a sad, senseless act of violence that took place on Friday morning in Newtown that continues to defy the imagination. What would cause someone to do something so evil? What would drive someone to seek terrible revenge against innocent, unknowing children? What would make someone become violent to the point of mass murder?
We just don’t know.
The shock of this terrible tragedy is not going away any time soon, if ever. Already, there have been tears of grief, tears of anger and tears of heartfelt sadness. And there will be a lot more. A lot more. In the coming days, there will be funerals, memorial services and that tidal wave of sorrow will hit us all again, square in the gut like it did on Friday when the news first started coming from the Sandy Hook Elementary School.
And it’s going to hurt.
In the coming days, we will hear more stories. Heartwarming stories. Stories of love. Stories of life. Stories that, for a moment, might make us smile but will probably make us cry over and over again. The families of the victims will never fully heal from this tragedy but eventually, they will move forward because that’s all they can do. And across the state, across the country and across the world, we will pray for each and every one of those families.
Because that’s all we can do is pray. We can’t take away the families’ pain. We can’t take away their sorrow. They can’t say we know how it feels because we don’t know. We have no clue. But we can be there, to lend a shoulder, to whisper encouraging words, to do whatever we can to try and numb that pain, to ease that sorrow.
I didn’t know Dawn Hochsprung or Mary Sherlach or Victoria Soto or any of the other 23 innocent victims that lost their lives Friday morning at Sandy Hook Elementary.
But I wish that I had.
My Two Cents
Archive for 2012
Thinking about Newtown
Big East announces 2013 home and away football opponents
The Big East announced Tuesday the home and away games for the 2013 football season. UConn will play Louisville, Rutgers, San Diego State and South Florida at Rentschler Field and will play Cincinnati, Central Florida, SMU at Temple on the road. They will not play Boise State, Houston or Memphis
In addition, the Huskies will have non-conference games against Michigan, Maryland, Towson and Buffalo. UConn needs to add one more game to fill out it’s 12-game schedule.
UCONN’s 2013 SCHEDULE
HOME – Michigan, Maryland, Towson, Louisville, Rutgers, San Diego State, South Florida
AWAY – Buffalo, Cincinnati, Central Florida, Temple
2013 BIG EAST Football Schedule Breakdown
EAST DIVISION
UCF
Home: Connecticut, Houston, Rutgers, USF
Away: Cincinnati, Louisville, SMU, Temple
Cincinnati
Home: Boise State, UCF, Connecticut, Louisville
Away: Memphis, Rutgers, San Diego State, USF
Connecticut
Home: Louisville, Rutgers, San Diego State, USF
Away: UCF, Cincinnati, SMU, Temple
Louisville
Home: UCF, Memphis, Rutgers, San Diego State
Away: Boise State, Cincinnati, Connecticut, USF
Rutgers
Home: Cincinnati, Houston, USF, Temple
Away: Boise State, UCF, Connecticut, Louisville
USF
Home: Cincinnati, Louisville, Memphis, SMU
Away: UCF, Connecticut, Houston, Rutgers
WEST DIVISION
Boise State
Home: Houston, Louisville, Memphis, Rutgers
Away: Cincinnati, San Diego State, SMU, Temple
Houston
Home: Memphis, San Diego State, SMU, USF
Away: Boise State, UCF, Rutgers, Temple
Memphis
Home: Cincinnati, San Diego State, SMU, Temple
Away: Boise State, Houston, Louisville, USF
San Diego State
Home: Boise State, Cincinnati, SMU, Temple
Away: Connecticut, Houston, Louisville, Memphis
SMU
Home: Boise State, UCF, Connecticut, Temple
Away: Houston, Memphis, San Diego State, USF
Temple
Home: Boise State, Houston, UCF, Connecticut
Away: Memphis, Rutgers, San Diego State, SMU
Rutgers’ Mark Harrison of Stratford named to Big East Honor Roll
BIG EAST OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Teddy Bridgewater • So. • QB • Louisville • Miami, Fla.
Bridgewater came off the bench to lead Louisville to a 20-17 win at No. 25 Rutgers, helping the Cardinals win a share of their second straight BIG EAST title and the league’s automatic bid to the Bowl Championship Series. Playing with a cast on his left wrist and slowed by an ankle injury from his previous game, Bridgewater completed 20 of 28 passes for 263 yards and two touchdowns against a Scarlet Knight defense that was ranked fourth nationally in scoring and 14th nationally in yards allowed. Bridgewater finished the regular season as the BIG EAST leader in pass efficiency (161.6).
BIG EAST DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Aaron Donald • Jr. • DT • Pittsburgh • Pittsburgh, Pa.
Donald had five tackles, which included four tackles for loss and a sack, in Pittsburgh’s 27-3 win at USF to clinch bowl eligibility for the Panthers for the fifth consecutive season. He led a Pittsburgh defense that limited the Bulls to just eight rushing yards and 117 yards of offense. Donald finished the regular season with a BIG EAST-leading 18.5 tackles for loss, good for sixth nationally.
BIG EAST SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Tony Miliano • So. • K • Cincinnati • North Bend, Ohio
Miliano scored 10 points, making field goals of 38 and 42 yards and converting all four of his PAT attempts, to help Cincinnati to a 34-17 win at Connecticut. The win gave the Bearcats a share of the BIG EAST title for the fourth time in five years. Miliano finished the regular season as the BIG EAST’s second leading scorer at 7.5 points per game.
WEEKLY HONOR ROLL
Travis Kelce • Sr. • TE • Cincinnati • Cleveland Heights, Ohio
Had five receptions for 69 yards and two touchdowns and threw a 39-yard touchdown pass in a 34-17 win at Connecticut.
Nick Temple • So. • LB • Cincinnati • Indianapolis, Ind.
Had seven tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, a sack and a pass breakup in a 34-17 win at Connecticut.
Calvin Pryor • So. • S • Louisville • Port St. Joe, Fla.
Had seven tackles, two pass breakups and a fumble recovery in a 20-17 win at No. 25 Rutgers.
Matt Yoklic • Jr. • P • Pittsburgh • Gibsonia, Pa.
Averaged 45.4 yards on five punts, dropping three inside the 15-yard line, in a 27-3 win at USF.
Mark Harrison • Sr. • WR • Rutgers • Stratford, Conn.
Had five receptions for 131 yards and a touchdown in a 20-17 loss to No. 23 Louisville.
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WNBA’s Connecticut Sun fire Mike Thibault and his staff
The Connecticut Sun have decided to part ways with head coach Mike Thabault and his staff, it a press announcement just released by the team.
Here’s the release:
The Connecticut Sun announced today it will not be retaining head coach Mike Thibault or his assistant coaches for the 2013 season.
This is the first coaching change since the franchise relocated to Connecticut at the start of the 2003 season, and a search to replace Thibault is already underway. Assistant coaches Bernadette Mattox and Scott Hawk have also been released as part of this move.
“The decision to let Mike go was difficult based on our friendship and working relationship,” Connecticut Sun Vice President and General Manager Chris Sienko said. “Mike has had much success here in Connecticut over the past ten seasons. However, we felt it was time for a new voice and new direction for our players and our fans as we continue to try to capture that first, elusive title. We wish Mike and his family nothing but success and know our paths will cross again in the future.”
The only coach in the history of the Connecticut Sun, Thibault guided the team to 206-134 regular-season record and eight playoff appearances in 10 seasons. The Sun reached the WNBA Finals in 2004 and 2005, and the team advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals five times. The 2012 team finished 25-9, advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals with a sweep of the New York Liberty before losing to the Indiana Fever in three games. The Sun were eliminated from the playoffs on October 11th at Mohegan Sun Arena, falling 87-71 to the Fever.
“After much thought and consideration we have decided to make a coaching change with the hopes that this will allow us to achieve our ultimate goal of bringing a WNBA championship to Connecticut,” said team CEO Mitchell Etess. “We have the ultimate respect and appreciation for everything coach Thibault has done here, and he has played a huge part in establishing the Connecticut Sun as the model franchise in the league. However, our ultimate goal is the championship, and this change is made in with an eye to accomplishing just that.”
The Sun will begin formerly interviewing candidates immediately. However, there is no set timetable to name Thibault’s replacement.
“We are committed to bringing a WNBA championship to our loyal fans, who have given us tremendous support our first 10 seasons,” Sienko added. “We have several candidates in mind who we believe can help us accomplish that goal. Ultimately, we want to find the best fit for our athletes and this organization.”
What’s next for UConn?
With Maryland accepting an invitation to the Big Ten Conference and with Rutgers expected to accept an invitation tomorrow, what other college dominoes might fall as the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Big East Conference look to replace their departing schools?
UConn, perhaps?
The Huskies had been mentioned many times as a possible addition to the ACC but were somewhat surprisingly left out when the conference announced last fall that Pittsburgh and Syracuse were joining. Both the Panthers and the Orange – after paying the Big East a $7.5 million buyout from the league — will begin ACC play in 2013-14.
The ACC announced back in February that it was revamping its basketball league into two seven-team divisions but when Notre Dame joined this September, it brought the total to 15 and there was talk that the Huskies might become the 16th team. However, the ACC said that it would not add a 16th member.
Maryland’s departure will leave the conference with 14 teams for basketball but only 13 for football – the Irish will maintain their Independent status – so it remains to be seen if the ACC might look at UConn to fill that void.
And if the ACC or Big Ten decides to call, the Huskies would certainly listen.
“We have been monitoring the ever-changing national college landscape for a while now and we’ll continue to do so,” a UConn spokesman said Monday. “There’s really nothing else to say at this time.”
With the Big Ten adding Rutgers and Maryland to extend its eastern boundries, it will be interesting to see if they go after UConn and possibly another Northeast school to bring its conference total to 14 teams. There are strong ties with Huskies athletic director Warde Manuel, who spent six years at Michigan as assistant AD from 1998-2005 and played two seasons of football for the Wolverines before a neck injury ended his career. He graduated from UM in 1990.
Next season, Houston, Memphis, Central Florida and SMU join the Big East as all-sports members and Boise State, San Diego State will join the conference in football only, bringing the total number of football schools to 12 and basketball to 16. Depending on when Rutgers buys out its Big East membership (after the 2012-13 or 2013-14 seasons?) The Big East will need to add another all-sports school to balance its football and basketball divisional alignment.
Thoughts from the Connecticut 6 Classic
Got to see a little college basketball on Saturday, watching Sacred Heart rally from a 24-point second half deficit to beat Yale in overtime, 85-82 and then seeing Fairfield somehow win despite itself, hanging to nip Central Connecticut 64-63 in overtime, while making 19 turnovers.
Some quick thoughts:
Shane Gibson is going to be a lot of fun to watch this season for the Pioneers. The senior had 29 points against the Bulldogs, shooting 11 of 21 from the floor. He hit from the outside (three 3-pointers) and constantly attacked the basket, driving the lane to score. For fun, he threw in a block and six rebounds in 38 minutes. I don’t know how good SHU’s going to be this season, but Gibson is going to be worth the price of admission every night.
I don’t know why he didn’t start, but center Justin Swidowski came off the bench to score 17 points, grab four rebounds and make two steals in 23 minutes. Also, Louis Montes added a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds in 30 minutes. PG Phil Gaetano (6 assists) looks like a scrapper and Nick Greenbacker did some things (he has to do a lot more, through) in his 17 minutes.
Thay Yale win was head coach Dave Bike’s 1,000th game as head coach. I started covering Bike and the Pioneers in November of 1982 when I started working at the Fairfield Citizen-News, so that means I’ve probably been around for 600, 700 of those games.
Man, I’m old.
SHU plays tonight at Rutgers
As for Fairfield …
You would think after three seasons that Derek Needham would be a little more careful with the ball, especially now that Desmond Wade is running the point. Nope. Needham committed seven turnovers, making one mistake after the other. Hello, Derek! You can’t drive into traffic, get surrounded by three defenders and expect to make a pass. Take it all the way to the basket!! That being said, Needham fought through leg cramps (again, Gatorade and bananas before the game) and managed 18 points.
I though the new center, Josip Mikulic (say that three times real fast) did some good things with 12 points and eight rebounds. If he could give the Stags those kids of numbers on a nightly basis … wow. Yes, the kid needs to get used to the speed and the athleticism of the Division I college game but there’s potential there. Lots of potential. I saw it and Stags coach Sydney Johnson’s eyes were lighting up as we talked about it after the game. “There’s something there,” Johnson said.
I know Wade is the point guard now but that’s no excuse not to shoot the ball. Wade only took two shots and didn’t score (4 turnovers, 4 assists) battling foul trouble all night. (he fouled out after playing just 22 minutes). Not a very good first game at all.
And why is Colin Nickerson only taking four shots. I have never in my life seen a player pass up as many shots as Nickerson does. There are times when he’s WIDE OPEN and he passes the ball away. I tweeted during the game that Nickerson should be taking at least 10 shots a game – he’s probably the best pure shooter on the team – and if he doesn’t, Johnson should either bench him, or spank him. Against CCSU, he took four shots – four – and made two. He did make all four of his free throws and score 10 points but the kid could be a 15- or 17-point scorer every night. It’s you senior year, Colin, wake up and smell the basket.
It was nice to see Keith Matthews attack the basket. He took 14 shots (holy cow!) making six and finishing with 15 points and seven rebounds. Whatever you drinking, Keith, make sure you give some of it to Maurice Barrow, who only took seven shots and scored seven points in 35 minutes. He also had seven rebounds but this guy should be a double-double machine.
Fairfield plays tonight at Virginia in the Preseason NIT.
Finally, I wrote about the Connecticut 6 tournament for today. For some reason, I simply could not find the attendance for the 2011 event at the Mohegan Sun Arena. Thanks to Fairfield SID Jack Jones, who looked it up (I don’t know where) and found that 3,477 showed up that day.
So, for the four CT 6 Classics, attendances were:
2009 – Arena at Harbor Yard – 3,106
2010 – Mohegan Sun Arena – 3,829
2011 – Mohegan Sun Arena – 3,477
2012 – Chase Family Arena, Univ. of Hartford – 3,186
NCAA to decide today on NCAA East Region site. It’s likely Bridgeport.
There’s a lot of rumors flying around that Bridgeport’s Webster Bank Arena will be named as the host site for the 2013 NCAA Women’s Basketball East Region championship, replacing the Soverign Bank Arena in Trenton N.J., which was stripped of the event by the NCAA due to its regulations on legalized sports gambling in New Jersey.
Fairfield athletic director Gene Doris told me in a text message that the NCAA Administration Committee hasn’t decided yet but was meeting this afternoon. The NCAA told Doris that a decision would be made by 5 p.m. today.
The Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence and Philadelphia were the other sites in the running of the Regional.
The Arena at Harbor Yard/Webster Bank Arena has hosted four previous NCAA women’s tournament events. In 2004, 2008 and 2012, it hosted first-and second-round games. In 2006, it hosted the East Region championship.
While at the Arena today to see the new $3.5-million center hung scoreboard being worked on, WBA vice president of operation Charlie Dowd told me that the building was awating final word on the NCAA’s decision from Fairfield.
