AUGUST 30TH IS APPROACHING AND HOOVILLE WILL BE ROCKING ONCE AGAIN!!!

  It never gets old to me as a former Virginia Cavalier football player or as a athlete period when this time of year approaches. August 30th will kick off the Cavaliers 125th season and it will kick off with a BANG!!!! The Cavaliers will open their season at Scott Stadium versus #7 UCLA a very quality opponent. Some may wonder what's Coach London's strategy with adding another ranked Pac-12 team to the schedule for a third consecutive season especially coming off another losing season?

   UCLA coming off of a 10-3 season and a huge Sun Bowl victory over the Virginia Tech Hokies will start this season with a #7 ranking. The Bruins will have their top gun back at the quarterback position in Brett Hundley who finished with over 3,000 yards passing and 24 touchdowns and a completion percentage over 67%. The Bruins lost a top target for Hundley in Shaquelle Evans but return two other top targets in Devin Fuller and Jordan Payton. The Bruins will also get help from their very talented back field which helped the Bruins offense last season with Jordan James and Paul Perkins. With Hundleys arm a  talented receiving core and running back tandem this may be a rough day for the Cavaliers. The Bruins are looking to start this season off strong and finish as the Pac-12 champions. 

   My Virginia Cavaliers had a rough season last year finishing 2-10 with nine straight losses to end the season definitely raised a few eye brows for fans. The Cavaliers returned 16 starters and will be looking for those starters to ignite a strong season for the Hoos to get them back to winning. The Cavaliers offense was very dismal last season but do have a bright spot with returning their first 1,000 yard rusher in over a decade in Kevin parks and Taquan Mizzell will assist with electrifying the offense. The Cavaliers will be starting a new quarterback in Greyson Lambert but will have returning vets in Keeon Johnson and Darius Jennings at the wide receiver position to help Greyson. Defensively the Cavaliers return nine starters and will have a huge task in containing Hundley and the Bruins offense. Season after season I stay true Navy Blue and Orange and as a former Cavalier I yell out WAHOOWA AND GO HOOS GO!! The Hoos will have their hands full and if they can walk away with a victory it will be the start of a great season for London and his Cavaliers and finishing with a winning season would take some pressure off of Coach London. Make sure you tune in saturday August 30th at noon on ESPN as the HOOS face off against the 7th rank UCLA Bruins. 

70 MPH PITCH, 13 YEARS OLD, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED COVER AND A GIRL!!!!!

   Most 13 year old children are enjoying their summers by going on vacations, going swimming , playing with their friends and dreading the idea of starting school in a few weeks. Mo'ne Davis had other plans this summer. She decided to play little league baseball but probably didn't think what she loves to do would put her in the national spotlight. A very athletic young lady who was first spotted at the age of 7 by little league coach Bandura playing football with the little boys while cleaning the baseball field. After inviting her to his basketball practice and noticing her eye for detail while watching the older boys run drills he knew she was very athletic. Davis has been pitching for Bandura since he discovered her and noticed that Davis had a knack for throwing strikes at an early age which was a definite plus. As Mo'ne got older her skill set got better. At the age of 13 she can pitch a fast ball, a change up and continues to practice throwing the breaking ball. Mo'ne has gotten to the point where she can see her mistakes, fix them and continue throwing strikes because of her keen eye to detail. 

   70 mph and two shut outs later Davis and the Taney little league team has found themselves in the little league world series title run. Davis first shut out which propelled her and her team to the tournament run came in Williamsport, PA. with a 4-0 win. After her second pitching shut out Davis began to get national attention at an alarming rate. She has been watched by celebrities Lil Wayne, Kevin Durant, Coach Auriemma and Adam Jones to name a few. Being 13 years old, very athletic, pitches a 70 mph fast ball and a female playing in an all boy sport what does that get you? How about the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine, the only little league world series player to grace the cover of the magazine, people from all backgrounds and both genders wanting her autograph and over 35,000 people to see her game yesterday versus a good Las Vegas, Nevada team. 

  Mo'ne Davis has began to change the course of history with out probably knowing it. She has made it very clear that females can play with the boys,  she has boost the self esteem of women and girls world wide and across all races. Mo'ne has brought major publicity to the Little League World series and network ratings has soared to incredible highs since throwing her two shut outs. What's Mo'ne Davis's ultimate goal? Davis likes playing baseball but wants to play for the UCONN Huskies women's basketball team and wants to make it to the WNBA. I definitely applaud her talent and abilities and wish her the best in the future. Let Mo'ne Davis's stardom be a jump start to other female athletes that are questioning their abilities. To those that are in her corner please continue to be a support system for her especially once the bright lights of hollywood start to dim and the cameras walk away. Mo'ne if you read this blog continue to be a great and humble young lady and never give up on your dream. #DARETOBEGREAT!  

MY DMV SPOTLIGHT, MR. TINO ELLIS DEMATHA HIGH SCHOOL. TAKING OFF!!!!!!

  
  Here we go Here we gooooooo! I first would like to apologize for being out of commission since my last posting and truly appreciate everyone that has read my blogs and that continue to read them. I have my next DMV SPOT LIGHTTTTTTTTTTT and he's a talented rising junior. 
  Next up we have a sensational young man that as a sophomore help his Dematha Catholic High School football team win the 2013 WCAC title. I got the opportunity to sit down and interview my next DMV spot light athlete and it was a great interview. 

TAVON: Hello, before we get into the interview I would like for you to introduce yourself to everyone.

TE: Hello everyone My name is Tino Ellis.

TAVON: Thanks for sitting down with me Tino and doing this interview. 

TE: Not a problem at all and thank you for reaching out to me to do this interview I really appreciate it.

TAVON: The pleasure is all mines. Let's jump right into it and let everyone know a little more about Tino Ellis. What school do you attend? What grade are you going to? and what's your favorite sport?

TE: I attend DeMatha Catholic High School, I am a rising junior and of course my favorite sport is football. 

TAVON: Exactly I figured football would be your favorite sport and that's great a rising junior. So as a sophomore you got the opportunity to play on the varsity level in a tough league for a great program. Did your team finish strong in 2013?

TE: Yes as a sophomore I was running with the big dogs lol. It was a great opportunity for me as a sophomore to play on that level at such a great school and it showed that my hard work wasn't overlooked. The 2013 season finished great, we won the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference title. 

TAVON: WOW! that's an awesome accolade to add to your resume as an athlete to be a sophomore football player at Dematha and to win a championship. What position do you play and why that great position? 

TE: Yes definitely a great accolade to have as a sophomore in such a great league. I am a wide receiver at Dematha and I picked the wide receiver position because I knew I had the skill set to play the position. 

TAVON: That's great I almost dropped a tear lol. I played wide receiver in college at UVA and with the New York JETS. Not to mention the wide receiver position is the best position on the field but don't tell your Quarterback that lol. I know that you're a rising junior and with having a championship under your belt as a sophomore I know you have turned a few heads in college. What schools have expressed interest in you?

TE: LOL! I saw that you were a receiver as well and I'll make sure I don't tell my quarterback what you said so I can continue to get the ball thrown my way. Currently as a prospect I have Georgia, Penn st., Notre Dame, Michigan, USC, Maryland, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Virginia, Hawaii, Tennessee, Oregon, UCLA, Rutgers, Nebraska and Mississippi State. My top five schools in no particular order are Notre Dame, Maryland, Virginia Tech, USC AND Georgia.

TAVON: That's a very impressive list Tino but I have to talk to you one to one about your top 5 list. We got to get Vtech off of there and add Virginia lol I'm just saying. I am proud of you myself and very happy that such prestigious schools have shown interest in you already. Great job and keep it up. I have three more questions and we will be done.

TE: I knew you would say something about Virginia Tech being on my top 5 and not Virginia lol. I will keep working hard to increase my list by the end of my junior year. Keep the questions coming I am enjoying this.

TAVON: What is your ultimate goal in life?

TE: My ultimate goal in life is to be able to look at my past and be proud of myself for what I have done on and off the field.

TAVON: That's an adult answer for a young man. Most young men in your position would say make it to the NFL but you didn't you chose self reflection. Your mom and dad have the making of a wise man on their hands. If you had to the opportunity to work with anyone to enhance your football skills who would it be?

TE: Thank you Tavon for the compliment and that's what I truly believe. The one person that I would love to work with to help improve my skills as a wide receiver would  be Michael Irvin.

TAVON: That's a very great pick to work with my one person would of been Jerry Rice and still is my pick lol. My last question for you to close out your interview is what are some encouraging words for the younger kids that are inspiring to do what you're doing?

TE: Yes Jerry Rice is a great pick to learn from as well. My encouraging words for the younger generation would whatever sport that you play get whatever you can out of it and don't let the sport use you because it's not going to last forever. Also give 100% in whatever you do. 

TAVON: There you have it straight from Mr. Tino Ellis's mouth. Again thank you Tino for sitting down with me to do this interview and make sure everyone checks it out at formernyjet18.blogsport.com. If you would like to see this young man in action go to 
www.hudl.com/athlete/2906406/highlights/145003565