Bear Down…and Blog!

Current and former University of Arizona athletes are always making news and not always in traditional mediums. We scoured the Internet and found Wildcats online by visiting these lynx

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TIGER WOODS, FURYK BOUNCED FROM ACCENTURE MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP

Former UofA golfer Jim Furyk gazes at his 2010 PGA Tour Player of the Year trophy. Furyk, who was eliminated in the first round of the Accenture Match Play Championships, has seen better days on the golf course. Luckily for him, it's a very long season. Allan Henry-US PRESSWIRE

A former University of Arizona golfer will not win this year’s World Golf Championship-Accenture Match Play Championship held in the backyard of their old stomping grounds.

Nor will any past PGA Tour ‘Player of the Year’ winners – of which ex-Wildcat Jim Furyk is both.

Furyk (2010 PGA POTY), Tiger Woods (2009 and eight other times) and Padraig Harrington (2008) were all eliminated in first round action on Wednesday in Marana, Ariz.-tournament that pits the top 64 World Golf money earners against one another in a March Madness-style tourney.

Furyk, the No. 10 seed, lost his opening round match to Ryan Palmer (2 up). Woods, No. 3, saw his comeback fall short in an extra hole to No. 62 Thomas Bjorn. Harrington, No. 30, lost to former Match Play champ Geoff Ogilvy.

The former Wildcats’ PGA Player of the Year title defense has gotten off to a sluggish start. Furyk has made the cut in only two of the four tournaments he’s played in, and finished in the top-25 once.

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While the top 64 World Golf money earners square off in the outskirts of Tucson, the balance of the PGA Tour is basking in the Mexican sun and sand traps at the Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya-Cancun. That includes former Wildcats Robert Gamez, Ted Purdy and Rory Sabbatini.

“Sticks are finally thawing out for Cancun. I’m ready for some golf.”

- University of Arizona sports hall of famer Ted Purdy, via Twitter

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TWITTER

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 “business project number 2…. complete. aye nothing but basketball on my mind this week/weekend now!”

- That’s good news for Arizona forward Derrick Williams and bad news for Southern California and UCLA, the Wildcats’ opponents this week

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“Today my brother Austin would be 5 years old. Love n’ miss my lil angel. Happy Bday bro”

- Arizona guard Brendon Lavender reminding us all that life isn’t always about sports

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“life is so good right now. Ball is great. Got the best girlfriend in the world and az is back to where it was. Just wish my bro was here 2c”

- Lavender’s teammate Kevin Parrom doing the same

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“Not going to Lie, feels good to have the spikes back on!!”

- Former Wildcat golfer Ricky Barnes, who’s played in two PGA events so far this season

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“The car next to meat sonic is stuck”

- Arizona wide receiver Dan Buckner, accidentally splicing two words together with an appropriate Freudian slip

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“Just left foot locker northpark mall its official the REEBOK JET SHARK shoe is on the runway only 24 pair available”

- Better get your pair of the new Jason Terry (AKA the ‘Jet’) sneakers before someone else takes off with them

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“Please teach your children water safety and if you don’t know how to swim it’s never too late to learn!!!”

- When a former Wildcat swim star and Olympic medalist such as Amanda Beard gives you swimming advice, you’d best listen

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Bear Down…and Blog!

Current and former University of Arizona athletes are always making news and not always in traditional mediums. We scoured the Internet and found Wildcats online by visiting these lynx

PHOTO

Douglas C. Pizac-US PRESSWIRE

LaMont “Momo” Jones

and the University of Arizona men’s basketball team watched as a chance to jump into the national rankings bounced from them with an 87-65 loss to BYU on Dec. 11 in Salt Lake City. The Wildcats have a chance to get back on track at home on Thursday in the Fiesta Bowl Classic against Northern Arizona and with a Sunday ACC-road matchup at North Carolina State.

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BOOKS

Despite being a multiple gold-medal-winner Olympic swimmer, you get the feeling that Amanda Beard knows what it feels like to drown. The former University of Arizona swimmer announced on Tuesday that she’s currently working with Touchstone on her memoirs.

“In the Water They Can’t See You Cry,” is a tell-all of Beard’s life outside the pool and her bouts with booze, drugs and eating disorders. The 29-year old plans to release the book in April of 2012, right around the start of the 2012 Olympic Games in London — where Beard is looking to add to her seven-career Olympic medals.

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LOOKS

The new look LEDs of McKale Center. Photo by Arizona Athletics via Facebook.

The basketball court at McKale Center will have a different look with some revamped LED lights around on the banners. Here’s a sneak peak via Facebook:

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NEWS

The Sporting News and the College Football News Today have named Arizona defensive tackle Justin Washington to their Freshman All-American teams.

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TWITTER

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“Mike and I are happy to share that our family will be a foursome by early summer. Ava is ready to be a big sister.”

- Annika Sorenstam, Arizona alum and retired No. 1 women’s golfer in the world, announcing the latest addition to the Wildcat family. Many congrats, Sorenstam family.

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“This “southern fried stings” show is a cross between cops, dog the bounty hunter, and cheaters”

- Isaiah Fox scratching his head while watching television.

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“I think it’s really dope when someone who looks like they have no interest in sports notices me… Old man in borders was cool as hell…”

- Ex-Cat Andre Iguodala, who stands at 6-feet, 6-inches tall and 207 pounds, surprised that he’s getting noticed out in public, presumably in the Philadelphia community where he plays for the 76ers.

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“First time Ive worked a 9 to 5 today.. Might not ever”

- Brendon Lavender better improve his 5.1 points-per game average if he’s to avoid the workforce.

(more…)

Bear Down…and Blog!

Current and former University of Arizona athletes are always making news and not always in traditional mediums. We scoured the Internet and found Wildcats online by visiting these lynx

PHOTO

Allan Henry-US PRESSWIRE

PGA Tour Player of the Year JIM FURYK poses with his newly won hardware. The former Arizona Wildcat also won the PGA Tour of America’s Player of the Year honors, as well as the FedEx Cup in what’s proven to be the best season of his 17-year career.

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NEWS

The Alamo Bowl-bound Arizona Wildcats have the longest regular-season losing streak (four straight losses) among all 70 bowl-bound teams. Other programs entering their respective bowls on a losing skid:

TEAM          CONSECUTIVE LOSSES          BOWL

Baylor          3         Texas Bowl

Iowa          3         Insight Bowl 

East Carolina          2          Military Bowl

Miami         2          Sun Bowl

Michigan          2          Gator Bowl

Northwestern          2          TicketCity Bowl

Syracuse          2          Pinstripe Bowl

UTEP          2          New Mexico Bowl

*Army (Armed Forces Bowl) can join this list with a loss to Navy on Dec. 11 in Annapolis 

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TWITTER

“We are thrilled w/@alamobowl selection. Congrats to our team, fans and coaches! We need u there… we told them our fans will travel.”

- Greg Byrne on the Arizona football team’s selection to the Alamo Bowl. The Wildcats will face Oklahoma State, in what will be the first of two meetings with the Cowboys in three games…counting next year’s week two contest.

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The Arizona basketball team weighs in on the Wildcats’ 73-62 win over Cal State-Fullerton on Wednesday night in Tucson:

“Good game clips. We learn and live.”

- Sophomore forward Solomon Hill doling out sage advice

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“Man that shh was weak.. But gotta dub so we good”

- Junior guard Brendon Lavender with a more humble social media approach.

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“Our new billboard campaign has started. You will see as you enter Arizona from almost every HWY and Interstate.” - UA Athletic Director Greg Byrne, via TwitPic.

“RT @TheNicWise Ooooooooooooooooweeeeee @BrendonLavender just lebron’d that fool from Cal St. Fullerton- lol Flightington ?”

- Ex-Cat Nic Wise enjoying the Wildcats and the play of Brendon Lavender all the way from his new home in Europe.

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“Got the W. Didn’t play well. Straight from mckale to a work out. Looked like last year. Not acceptable”

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“it has been a rough week…end of school semester,tech on sunday, sloppy game tonight. lookin forward to finish it strong in SLC on Saturday”

- Sophomore center Kyryl Natyazhko and his dual post-game posts.

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OTHER ‘CAT CHAT:

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“Driving to pipeline to check out the pipeline masters.

- Former Wildcat swimmer and Olympic gold-medal winner Amanda Beard Twittering along some winding North Shore Hawaii road; bound for the Billabong Pipeline Masters…aka the Triple Crown of Surfing. Sigh…please take me with you, Amanda. I don’t eat much, am quiet and small enough to fit into the trunks of most mid-size family sedans.

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