Austin Hill becomes the fourth significant Arizona player to be potentially lost for the season because of injury following Rob Gronkowski, Jake Fischer and Adam Hall

Season-ending injuries to significant players debilitated the Arizona football program since its fortunes appeared to be golden after the 2008 Las Vegas Bowl win over BYU.

The Wildcats have been forced to endure season-ending injuries to starting tight end Rob Gronkowski (back), linebacker Jake Fischer (knee) and safety Adam Hall (knee and ankle) in the last four years. The UA’s top returning receiver, Austin Hill, a bonafide pro prospect, suffered a torn ACL last week in practice, requiring surgery and endangering his chance to play in the 2013 season.

Knee injuries have riddled the UA football program to the point that former defensive lineman Willie Mobley (who has transferred to New Mexico State) tore his ACL playing a pickup basketball game in 2011.

Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez was quoted as saying by Anthony Gimino of TucsonCitizen.com that he is “sick” about Hill’s injury.

“It just makes me sick, because he was such a great player. But he still will be,” Rodriguez said. “I don’t know when his time frame is to return, but he’ll be back bigger and stronger with the way technology is today and all that.

“I really felt bad for him. I know Austin is a tough, strong guy, and he’ll bounce back.”

Read the rest of this entry »

Michigan fans are fuming over some calls or non-calls in the Wolverines’ 82-76 loss to Louisville in the NCAA title game Monday night, but none of the Pac-12 officials were at fault.

That should be a relief for embattled Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott, whose league did not have a referee in the title game and only one — Randy McCall — who worked in the Final Four.

McCall, who splits his work between the Pac-12 and Mountain West, was one of the referees who took part in the controversial call at the end of regulation in the Arizona-Colorado game Jan. 3 at McKale Center. He and fellow Pac-12 ref Verne Harris and Big 12/Big East ref James Breeding watched video of Colorado guard Sabatino Chen’s last-second shot for five minutes and determined that Chen released the potential game-winning jumper a fraction of a second too late.

Arizona eventually won 92-83 in overtime. That call was significant in a season in which the Pac-12′s officiating operation made national news. The latest is the conference announcing that it is commissioning an independent review of the officiating program following the recent controversy involving former coordinator of officiating Ed Rush.

Scott announced the independent review of the officiating program today.

“Nothing is more important to the Pac-12, or to me personally, than maintaining confidence in our integrity,” Scott said in a statement.

Read the rest of this entry »

Have you bought your tickets yet??? putt-ingkidsfirst.org

— Blair Charity Group (@BCharityGroup) March 25, 2013

When I covered the Arizona basketball team in the 1990′s for the Arizona Daily Star, Joseph Blair was the most imposing figure I came across.

Former Arizona basketball player Joseph Blair is active in Tucson community development

At 6-feet-10 and 265 inches, he towered over most. He claimed his territory in the lane and banged his sizable body to keep it. He was such a competitive and fierce basketball player that one time he got thrown out of a pro game in Russia for fighting in a brawl that included many ejections and relegated the game to a three-on-three affair at the end.

Now 38, Blair physically looks like he can still muscle his way for a rebound or post up his defender on the blocks. Four years removed from his career overseas, Blair’s diligent work has changed from the hardwood to helping those suffering through hard knocks.

Based on all the charity work Blair has performed in Tucson over the last three years, his name should be on the ballot for city mayor.

Blair first organized the Arizona Basketball Alumni Foundation that performed various charity functions before ceasing operations last April. He is now the executive director of the Blair Charity Group. Its mission as stated at its Web site — BlairCharityGroup.org: Create and support programs that address the priorities of the Southern Arizona community, while still helping to strengthen the non-profit sector through collaboration and consultation.

Read the rest of this entry »