For years, there has been controversy about who’s a better athlete LeBron James or Kobe Bryant.
Everyone knows that James is half man and half amazing, hence the name “King James,” but there is some fans that believe that the Black Mamba is the better athlete.
Straight out of high school, James was always someone to make notice of.
At the age of 28, both players had tremendous statistics but of course James was better.
At 28, James, currently has 21,081 points in his career. Aside from that, he has won the MVP three times and won two consecutive NBA championships. James also has 36 triple-doubles in his regular season.
Byrant, at 28, accomplished a total of 19,296 points and 14 triple-doubles. He had three NBA championships, but no MVP’s. Though this is a lot, it is still not better then James.
Off the court, Bryant came in third on Forbes’ list of jersey sales in 2011-2013, and James came in fourth.
Furthermore, James sneakers contract with Nike earns him at least $30 million in this year alone. No one in the NBA is currently making that much money off of sneakers. Kevin Durant is the runner up.
James is the new face of NBA’s 2k14 videogame, the first time in his career after having two incredible seasons. In this game James is nearly undefeatable, with a rank of 99.
In 2010, Bryant was the cover of NBA’s 2k10 but he was not ranked as high.
When it comes to playing against each other, the competition has been close. However, LeBron is 12-5 between the Cavs and Heat against Lakers teams with Kobe playing, including two runs of five in a row. Kobe averages 26.7 points, while LeBron averages 27.7 points, not to mention his ridiculous rebounding and passing numbers.
NBA fans and media have identified both players the next Michael Jordan. However, Jordan said that he would prefer Byrant over James as his go-to man in a game.
Jordan may have been the best player in the past, but now it is James time to shine.
James currently has nine NBA All-Star appearances, and is on his way to his third championship.
Coming straight out of high school James and Bryant have grown and become great players over the years. Bryant now holds five championship rings and James only has two. However, at 28 James is currently the only player in the league to have such statistics and he continues to flourish year by year. Bryant is still a great player, but is starting to slow down. He announced that he will no longer play in the Olympics and the Lakers have been playing bad the last couple of seasons.
Is Kobe’s age finally catching up to him? Looks like it, Kobe has been sitting out of the season due to a knee injury. In the past, Bryant has been able to play with an injury but his body may have taken its last beaten. James, currently working on his third championship has yet to fail my expectations.
Looks like the new field isn’t bringing any good luck for the Great Danes.
The UAlbany (1-7) women’s soccer team lost it’s home opener on Friday, 3-0 against the Columbia Lions (3-2).
Columbia’s defensive player Chelsea Ryan was the teams’ only scorer, achieving her first hat trick of her career. A penalty kick in the fifth minute of the game gave her the opportunity to score the first goal, giving Columbia the early lead.
“We knew that the service was good, and the players made good runs. We knew that we coached them to expect the ball to be in those spots. To Chelsea’s credit, she took those chances very well and obviously they were really good for us,” Columbia coach Kevin McCarthy said.
UAlbany’s defense in the first period was very weak, they didn’t trap players, giving Columbia the chance to move the ball around. The Lions were able to have better possessions, which lead to their first two goals.
As a new team of coaches and players, the Great Danes have been struggling to win.
“I think having a young team for us, there are going to be a lot of positives and negatives with that. But mostly for us, we think of it as a positive because we’re getting younger players experience now in their freshman, sophomore years, so that way, in two to three years, they are going to be the players with a ton of experience,” coach Caitlin Colfer said.
Great Danes back Alexa Schneider had four shots but couldn’t score, thanks to Lions’ goalkeeper Grace Redmon. Redmon had seven saves.
“I always communicate with my defense to stay connected, and before the game, we knew that Albany had a defender; Schneider who has a really strong kick and restarts. And any time she was in our half, just to always be prepared for a really long hard shot,” Redmon said.
The Lions haven’t played UAlbany since 2004. Since then, the Lions have been trying to maintain their position in the Ivy League conference, coming in fifth place in their 2011 season. McCarthy has coached the team for 17 years. After a tough defeat in Florida, the Lions needed this win to regain momentum.
In the 51st minute mark of the second period, a corner kick by Maya Marder set up Ryan’s header, allowing her to score the third and final goal. Albany’s offense wasn’t able to respond as the game clock ran out.
The season now continues for UAlbany on the road Sunday, when it faces Rhode Island.
Rip! There goes a new pair of jeans, ripped on the fence of the new field.
As time approached at the University at Albany’s football game kickoff, students began to climb the fence of the gates in order to get inside and avoid the long ticket lines.
The stadium filled with students, staff, alumni, friends and family. The fresh smell of popcorn and hotdogs filled the air. Students flooded the grass, as ticket holders packed the bleachers out.
Bright purple danger zone t-shirts and posters were everywhere. “This is crazy, it doesn’t look like Albany,” student Kenny Green said.
The bright lights at the each end of the stadium shined down on the turf, bringing the game to life.
“The lighting of the field makes it look like there is nothing behind it. It’s like we’re playing in the middle of nowhere and the only thing happening, is the game, “ student Sully Guzman said.
The fresh new turf was finally touched, not by the players but by a parachuter. The crowd screamed and cheered as he landed. The excitement had already begun in the stadium.
It was a slow start for the Great Danes, after the first kickoff. By 11:19 in the second quarter, the Danes were down 3-0 to the Rhode Island Rams.
Pass after pass was incomplete between the quarterback Will Fiacchi and his wide receivers Cole King and Kevin Chillis. However, the dancers and cheerleaders continued to keep the crowd motivated.
The night grew colder as the game went on. Cheers turned into shivers, and the game looked like it was slipping away from the Danes.
“He who hesitates, gets caught,” said a crowd member, as the crowd watched Fiacchi get tackled after faking a pass to wide receiver Jake Meek.
With eight seconds left before the half, the Fiacchi successfully threw a long pass just short of the end-zone, exciting the crowd. However, the Danes were unable to score, ending the second quarter down 6-0.
As the players went to the locker room, the band took the field. The band performed, as concession stands lines became long, and bathrooms became packed.
Students began to mingle amongst each other and the bleachers began to clear out. The Great Danes were losing and the wind was picking up.
The halftime show consisted of two students throwing a football and then running to the other end of the field. Their smiles glowed as they ran from one end to other. After, student assocation brought out the money machine; one contestant was able to go inside for 30 seconds and had to try to collect as much money as they could.
In the meantime, the Great Dane mascot was making its rounds throughout the crowd, showing his school spirit. The cameraman gave kids in the bleachers some camera time, as they danced and cheered for the Danes.
The stadium was alive.
What started as a project in 2003 has amazed and exceed all expectations. The Bob Ford field is named after the University at Albany’s only football Coach. Ford is retiring after this season; making it his 44th season at the university.
The field cost $18 million. The Whiting-Turner Contractor Co built it. It will be used for both the football and soccer team. Even though the field was a large investment the revenue and outcome of the first game show that it was a great and much needed investment.
“It probably cost a lot of money to create, but it’s an amazing field,” said Terry, a student dressed in an all purple suit .
The school spirit was incredible at the game. There were little kids with Great Dane hats on. There were students with paw prints tattooed on their face and purple and gold warrior stripes. More than half of the crowd had on UAlbany gear or were wearing purple for support.
As the third quarter got under way, the Great Danes were starting to show better offense. With 5:47 left in the third quarter, tailback Omar Obsborne scored the first touchdown. The crowd stood and cheered as they regained hope for their Danes.
The Danes had finally gained their momentum, and Meek scored another touchdown. This touchdown had tied the game at 13-13 at the end of the third.
Even though the crowd was decreasing, the Danes were making a comeback after a slow start to their home opener.
At 10:45pm the game finally ended. The Danes were unable to keep control of the game and lost to the Rams 19-13.
The Danes now continue on their season with their record of 1-2, in hopes of beating Connecticut next weekend, back on the new field.
“I guess it takes more than a new field and a packed stadium to win a game,“ Guzman said as she left the stadium shivering in disappointment.
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Pareese: So we’re here, at the home game, with Greg from Sondixo. Are you guys sponsoring this event right now?
Greg: Yes, we’re actually the new food company for Ualbany.
P: Why are you guys our new source of food? What changed?
G: What changed, was that one of the old people that used to be here before; Chartwells, we underbid them and we are here now.
P: Okay. I hope your food is great and I can’t wait to try everything.
Pareese: So, we’re here with Pat, whose nephew is the sports coordinator of the football team. So, have you been to every game?
Pat: No, I live in New Hampshire. I come to probably four games a year.
P: What are your thoughts about the new field?
Pat: Oh, it’s amazing compared to the old field. It’s like being in college instead of high school.
P: Are you a huge football fan?
Pat: Yes.
P: Are you a fan of this team or in general?
Pat: In general.
P: What’s your favorite football team?
Pat: Well, obviously the Patriots because I’m from New England. Well, and of course, the Great Danes.
P: Thank you so much for your time.
Pareese: We’re here now with former Alumni George. How do you feel about the new stadium?
George: Oh, it’s gorgeous, it’s beautiful. We should have had this 30 years ago.
P: Did you play football when you were here?
G: No, I played soccer for four years. I also played basketball, and ran track and field.
P: Wow, very athletic.
G: That’s why I came to school.
P: Are you from the Albany area?
G: Yes, I went to Albany High, and then I went to SUNY for four years. I’ve got my double major and double minor. Then, I went to RPI and received my master’s degree in science and politics. I was one of the original students in the Equal Opportunity Program (EOP); Doctor Harry Hamilton and I.
P: Oh, that’s an awesome opportunity.
G: Yeah, I got my room, board, tuition, and spending money. I also had sports scholarships.
P: So, you said that you were good friends with Bob Ford. Does this mean you know him personally, or you’ve just heard of him throughout the years?
G: No, he was very supportive. I was involved with soccer as he was starting football. Soccer, in the United States, is always seen secondary to football. I was trying to promote soccer the same time as the football program. So, when he used to get advertising from Budweiser, I went to get it too, to make it equal. He’s a very great man. He’s a fantastic man. Matter of fact, one of the things that happened, was one of our soccer players, our goalie, Darri Orango, when Bob Ford was taking his team to the Alonzo Ball, the finals on ABC tv. He had one of our soccer players, do the field goal kicking and our goalie was practicing with them a couple of times before the finals. He kicked a 63-yard field goal to win the game, on national tv.
P: Wow, that’s awesome. What are some of your thoughts about this being his final season?
G: He’s had a great run. He is not only a coach but he has also been a leader. He leads by example and just like a lot of the great coaches I had. A sport is not just about football, he’s helping each individual; these young athletes become men. It transfers, what he teaches, to whatever they do in the future. For education, if they go to work for a company or their own business. It is very important, this discipline that he puts forth. Teamwork is very important, and it’s what you have to do in life too, wherever you are. This is what they are teaching in sports, so it’s not just in a classroom you learn but also on the sports field you learn. Also, of course, he’s has been very successful in doing that. I know that a lot of the football alumni are here and that’s a testament to him.
P: Thank you so much for your time and I hope you enjoy the rest of the game.
G: Thank you, and I will.
Pareese: I’m here with the purple man, Terry. So, what made you way dress in all purple?
Terry: Well, pretty much, all of the attention would be centered around me. I could pump people up, pretty much, like “wooooo, Albany.” Plus this is my first year here, and I really want to show that I have school spirit and this definitely helps.
P: Are you a fan of football?
T: I am a fan of all sports, but football is one of my favorite sports. I played sports in high school too.
P: Really, cool. So what sports did you play?
T: I was on track, all the time. I was the captain at my school.
P: You weren’t here for the field last year, but what are your thoughts about the field this year?
T: This field is freaking awesome. It probably cost a lot of money to make it. It’s really nice; it’s kind of like the field I had back in Long Beach. I’m from Long Island; they sort of have a field like this but not a big booth like that, that’s freaking awesome.
P: Are you going to dress like this every home game?
T: Yeah, every home game I can go to. I am going to do it for the basketball games too, and probably even soccer.
P Well, thank you for this interview and keep up the school spirit.
Senior football athlete Cole King from Syracuse, ranked second on his team with 35 receptions and 573 receiving yards this pass season.
Starting off as a red shirt his freshman year, he later received rookie of the week in 2011 for the Northeast Conference and came in second for rookie of the year. Since then, King has contributed to his team, helping lead them to numerous victories.
King’s father Emanuel King Jr. was a linebacker for the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals and the Oakland Raiders. Continuing in his fathers footsteps King hopes to one day be able to play for the Atlanta Falcons.
King’s love for both the sport and his teammates have him excited and anxious for this season of new beginnings.
Q: First game of the season you guys lost to Duquesne by two touchdowns. Do you think this has anything to do with you guys being in a new division ?
A:It has nothing to do with being in a new division. They’re are from our old division and we used to beat them all the time. Wagner, Duquesne, Bryant every year in year out. Us moving up to a new division just shows how we dominated that league.
Q:Are you guys ready to play on your new field? Do you think it will be any different than playing on your old field?
A:Yeah, it’s going to be a difference. University Field was…shitty honestly, grassy, they moved up the turf. It’s a lot better and you move a lot faster on it and it’s a beautiful stadium. I can’t wait to play on it.
Q: Have you guys practiced on it before or will this game be your first time playing on it?
A:We don’t get to touch it until a few days before… but I’ve been down there on my own time. Its beautiful down there, honestly.
Q:You currently have four new captains. Do you think they will lead you to a championship for the third time in a row?
A: That will be shown as the season goes on. Honestly, I have faith in my captains believe me, or I would not have voted for them. So I feel their leadership will put us in the right direction for a championship, doesn’t matter what league we’re in.
Q: Is there any team you have an eye out for in this division?
A: I can’t wait for James Madison. They got a real nice stadium, real good players. Old Dominion, too, their quarterback last year threw 700 yards in one game. 43,000 people in the stadium, I’ve never been in anything like that.
Q: What are your thoughts about this being your Couch’s last season?
A: Man oh man. I called it during the summer saying he was going to retire after this year. But even after predicting it, it still hurts. There aren’t too many Bob Fords….there aren’t any Bob Fords but Bob Ford. Yeah, I’ll miss him, honestly.
Q: So you have a good relationship with your coach?
A: Definitely, I have a lot of respect for him. He’s a good guy.
Q: Do you have any worries about the new coach? Do you think they’ll be just as good?
A: More than likely we have an assistant head coach right now, he’s the offensive coordinator right now. Robert McCarthy, Coach Mack. I know he can’t wait to get back there, I got faith in him. He’s been calling plays for the last five years.
Q: How do you feel when the ball is up in the air and you finally catch it and score the touch down?
A: It’s one of the best feelings, honestly. Catching the touchdown you just get a rush of adrenaline. Nothing beats it, that’s why I’m trying to have so much this year.
Q: Do you remember the first touchdown you ever scored as an athlete?
A: Yeah it was in the ninth grade, sadly, because I started playing in the fourth grade. I used to play running back, then, though, when I scored my first touchdown. It was pretty cool ,though. I don’t know though I’ve never really been the one to celebrate. It has something to do with my high school Coach, he didn’t play that.
Q: What made you change from running back to wide receiver?
A: My coach, I don’t know…High school I started out as running back then quarterback and then wide receiver.
Q: So wide receiver is your favorite position?
A: Definitely. I used to play safety too, I used to play defense.. yeah I miss safety, honestly. I tried to play it in college but they got me at receiver. I’m fine with it.
Q: What you do on your spare time ?
A: Most of the time I usually hang out with my teammates. I used to draw before I came here. I used to play guitar too but now I don’t even touch that anymore. It’s no time. Most of the time I usually just hang out with my teammates and sleep. That’s all I have time for and schoolwork unfortunately.
Q: Do you miss drawing or playing the guitar?
A: Definitely.. Definitely. I used to just relax and sketch up something. Play the guitar its fun but I guess you have to have priorities now as you get older.
Q: Do you ever just want to put down the football and just draw something?
A: Definitely. I don’t have a choice, next semester I’ll be taking a class though so it will be worked into my schedule and I’ll have no other choice but to draw.
Q: You’re originally from Syracuse. What made you come to Albany instead of playing up there?
A: They didn’t recruit me whatsoever. They don’t really recruit out of Syracuse. There are only a few Syracuse natives on the team, from my knowledge, at least. I would have went to SU but I’m here now, everything happens for a reason. We might play them next year, so if I get that chance I’m going off in the dome.
Q: Would you have liked to play there or did you want to get away because you lived there mainly all your life?
A: I really never thought about getting away for college, it doesn’t bother me. I moved down South when I was in the 11th grade of high school and I didn’t like it that much and it was enough going away for me. Being in Albany, it’s not to far so I can go home every weekend if I wanted and my mom can always come see me play.
Q: Is your family your biggest fans or did they want you to play something else?
A: Definitely, my mom has been at pretty much every home game and my grandparents. My father flew from Mobile, Ala to come to my game at Duquesne last year and will be at the ODU game and two other games. My friends from high school from down South will be coming to games in Virginia. They are definitely are my number one supporters. A lot of them will be at our first home game.
Q: Is there anything you miss about being in Syracuse?
A: I miss being around my little brother because I’ve always been gone during what I feel are the most important times of your life besides college. I was here all the time, I just wish I can get that time back. So every chance I get to go back home I go and hang with him and talk with him. He just started seventh grade.
Q: Does he play football too?
A: Strictly basketball, he’s a tall slinky little kid. He doesn’t want to play football, he seen me get injured once playing in the dome and my dad told me that turned him away from football. He’s sticking to basketball. I don’t really care what he does as long as he goes hard.
Q: Do you have any other siblings?
A: I have one little brother and one older brother.
Q: What made you first become interested in football?
A: I actually started playing baseball first because you can start at an earlier age. My father played football, he played in the NFL, so of course if your father is playing football you’re going to want to do it too, so that’s when I got into it. I didn’t really like my first three years because I was on that Pop Warner team but it’s worked for me.
Q: Do you want to go to the NFL as well or is this just for college?
A: I wouldn’t put all this time into it just to do it in college. If you’re going to put your heart into something, you have to go all out. That’s what I’m going all out for, if it doesn’t work, I have a fall back plan so I’ll be fine. A lot of people seem to think I can make it. Two of our players from this year might sign, so anything can happen it’s about hard work.
Q: If you were able to choose the NFL team you could play for who would it be?
A: I like Atlanta because they have a wide receiver that actually went to Alabama, which is my favorite college team. My father went there so yeah, they have a good receiver, good quarterback, spread offense like what I need and it’s nice in Atlanta. They play in the dome; you don’t have to worry about weather. Actually, a player from Syracuse is on that team now.
Q: Do you feel like that could have been you?
A: Yeah, but I’m just waiting on my time. You have to have faith in the process.
Q: Have you played any other sports ?
A: I played baseball all throughout high school and track. The track coach from UB wanted me to quit baseball so I can run outdoor so he could recruit me. Baseball, I was actually thinking about playing in Albany. My high school coach thought I was good enough; I definitely would have done that, but it takes up too much time. Plus, baseball is during the springtime which takes away from football and what is more important.
Q: So you were never interested in basketball?
A: I played basketball in middle school and the first two years in high school but then I broke my arm in 10th grade so I didn’t play much that season. I didn’t really like the head coach at high school. Coach Zironi, I didn’t really like him. I’m cool with him now, but not before, so I chose not to give my services to him. I could have played, honestly, I would have started, but I started running track.
Q: So no track either?
A: Hell no. I don’t like running that much. I did high jump and triple jump so I hardly every went to practice. I’d just show up at the meets and just work on it there. I was pretty good, though, but I wasn’t going to get a scholarship for it.
Q: What is one thing you love about playing football?
A: Meeting people from totally different, all walks of life and its not about a race thing it’s not about whether you are white, black, Spanish. It’s about if you can play and through that you make good friends. My home boy from DC. I wouldn’t have met him if I didn’t play football, all of him and his foolishness. The bond you make, man, you have 100 brothers on your side at any moment. Purple family.
fallintocreativity 