February
21, 2005
Throck at Large - Sacramento Sports
By Throcksmorton
Do we need anything in the sports page regarding the acting/singing/dancing abilities of Kings VP Geoff Petrie’s wife, Ann-Marie? I say absolutely not. The fact that the Sacramento Bee would place such an article in its sports page is a sad commentary about sports in Sacramento. Does the love affair with the Kings now include their family members? Is the Sacramento Bee going to do a story about Mike Bibby’s old lady next? This article was a puff piece outlining that after a “career” in non-partisan fundraising she sought a challenging career on the stage after giving up this dream in New York in her early twenties. Why do I care about this? I don’t care about her, I don’t care about her kids, and I don’t care about Geoff Petrie, other than he assembles for Sacramento a good basketball team. Instead of the article on Anne-Marie Petrie, could we not see an article about the improvement of the Sac State women’s basketball team, or the emergence of the Sac State men’s basketball program? Heck, I would have been satisfied with a story about rodeo instead of this garbage. The only good thing about this article was that it could line a birdcage or wrap a fish.
Improvement of the Sac State women’s basketball
team...
Record Breakers
With
seven wins on the 2004-05 season, the Hornets are beginning to break records
from years past; Sacramento State's seven wins are the most since the 1995-96
season...the teams seven wins over Division I teams are the most since the
1995-96 season... the Hornets three Big Sky wins are the most since the 1999-00
season...the team is also off to its best conference start in program history...the
Hornets three road wins are the most since the 1993-94 season...when the Hornets
defeated Montana State, on Jan. 20, it was their first Big Sky win at the
Nest since the 2000-01 season...Sacramento State's home record of 4-6 is the
best for the team since the 1999-00 season... senior guard Tyeisha Brown,
who has a team-high 56 steals, is one steal away from cracking the top-10
for steals in a single season...sophomore guard Kim Sheehy has sunk 37 three-pointers
this season, tying her for ninth in program history for made three-pointers
in a career.
Defense, Defense, Defense
Sacramento State's aggressive defense is paying off in a big way. The Hornets
are averaging a Big Sky-leading 11.0 steals per game. The squad's ability
to wreak havoc on the defensive end of the floor extends to the entire team,
with five players averaging at least 1.3 steals per game, led by Brown's 2.5.
The Vallejo, Calif. native has tallied a team-high 56 steals this season,
ranking her first in the Big Sky. In conference games, Brown has increased
her average to a league-leading 2.78 steals per game. Sacramento State is
also forcing opponents into 18.8 turnovers per game.
Clackamas Contingent
Junior
guard Cindy Alldrin and junior forward Ashley Cadotte teamed together last
season at Clackamas CC, winning the NWACC championship. Cadotte is pulling
down a team-high 7.0 rebounds per game, and she also has three 10+ rebounding
games with two double-doubles. A hard-working, scrappy rebounder under the
boards, Cadotte is one of only two Hornets to start every game this season.
Alldrin, currently leads the team in assists with 2.3 per game, while averaging
7.0 points per game.
Senior Gamer
After coming off the bench in Sacramento State's first 17 games of the season,
Brown has now started the team's last five games. Brown has also scored in
double figures in the team's last four games, leading the team with 11.0 points
per game, 11th in the Big Sky. Brown also has three 20-plus point performances
under her belt this season, leading the team in scoring 11 times this season
and 18 times in her two-year career.
Bench Mob
Also contributing from the bench this season have been junior forward Lindsey
Heard and freshman guard Ali Mollet. Heard is averaging 6.2 points and 4.3
rebounds per game. A Kodak All-American at Umpqua CC last season, she has
led the Hornets in scoring four times this year.
In her first collegiate season, Mollet has started two games this year and
came off the bench in 18. Mollet had her best game of the year in a 59-58
win over UC Riverside, where she scored a career-high 10 points and dished
out a career-high five assists.
Always Reliable
Junior forward Katelyn Ciampi has tallied 21 steals this season, the Martinez,
Calif., native has scored in double figures seven times. Ciampi has now set
or matched single-game career highs in minutes (39), rebounds (13), free throws
attempted (9), assists (4), steals (4), blocks (3) and three-pointers made
(1). Ciampi has stepped up her play in conference, averaging 3.0 offensive
rebounds per game (third in the Big Sky), helping her team to average a Big
Sky-leading 12.67 offensive rebounds per game.
Senior forward Kristine Knowlton, the only four-year student-athlete on the team, scored a season-high eight points against Idaho State. Knowlton ranks first in Sacramento State Div. I program history with 148 career blocks.
Head Coach Dan Muscatell
Dan Muscatell became the sixth Sacramento State women's basketball head coach
in the program's 38-year history last season, after spending four seasons
as an assistant at Oregon (1999-03). He earned his first win with the Hornets
on Jan. 14, 2004, with a 56-50 win at Portland State.
Muscatell has already collected seven wins this season, the team's best start since the 1995-96 season. Last season Muscatell's squad finished third in the Big Sky conference, averaging 8.67 steals per game. Sacramento State also finished fourth in conference with 3.44 blocked shots per game.
While at Oregon, Muscatell was involved in all aspects of the program, including the coordination of recruiting efforts and the coaching of offense and defense. He also worked with both the perimeter and post players.
While at Oregon, the Everett, Wash., native was responsible for bringing in one of the nation's top recruiting classes in 2001, a six-member class that was ranked 17th in the nation by All-Star Girls Report. Muscatell also coached or recruited current and former WNBA players Edneisha Curry, Jenny Mowe, Angelina Wolvert and Shaquala Williams.
During his four years at Oregon, the Ducks were ranked in the top 25 during three of those seasons, including two top-10 finishes in 2000 and 2001. The program also combined to post a record of 74-49 while capturing two NCAA Tournament berths (2000 and 2001), a National Invitational Tournament (NIT) title (2002) and a Pac-10 crown (2000).
From hornetsports.com
And the Sac State men’s basketball program...
JAMEEL PUGH NAMED BIG SKY PLAYER OF THE WEEK AGAIN
SACRAMENTO,
Calif. — For the second time in the last four weeks, Sacramento State
senior guard/forward Jameel Pugh was named Big Sky Conference Men’s
Basketball Player of the Week after leading the Hornets to home victories
over Montana and Montana State.
Pugh, who also received the award on Jan. 31, averaged 25.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game while burying 11 three-pointers in just 22 attempts (.500) last week. Pugh, who shot 45.9 percent (17-37) overall from the field, scored 25 points against Montana and followed up that effort with 26 points against Montana State.
In the win over Montana on Thursday, the Sacramento native went 9-of-19 from the floor, including 4-of-10 from beyond the three-point line. The senior swingman also had seven rebounds and two steals as he accounted for more than 30 percent of Sacramento State’s points during the game.
In the Hornets’ two-point (70-68) victory over Montana State on Saturday, Pugh knocked down seven three-pointers in 12 attempts (58.3 percent) and shot 8-of-18 overall from the field. Pugh’s seven three-pointers were one shy of the school record (eight) he set earlier this year against William Jessup. He also posted six rebounds and one steal in 34 minutes while accounting for over 37 percent of Sacramento State’s offense.
Over his last eight games, Pugh has put together one of the best stretches in recent memory as the Sacramento native is averaging 22.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game over that span while burying 40 three-pointers in 83 attempts (.482). He is averaging 5.0 three-pointers per game during the eight-game stretch and has scored at least 20 points in six of those eight games. Not coincidentally, the Hornets have posted a 6-2 record over their last eight games.
Pugh,
who will represent Sacramento State in ESPN’s 17th-Annual College Slam
Dunk contest on March 31 in St. Louis, is now fifth in the Big Sky in scoring
(14.8 ppg) and fourth in scoring against conference competition (17.2 ppg).
The high flyer has scored in double figures in 13 of his last 15 games, including
a Div. I (1991-pres.) program record 40 points against William Jessup on Jan.
25.
Pugh joins Joseth Dawson (2003-04) as the only Sacramento State players to earn two Big Sky Player of the Week awards in the same season since the Hornets joined the league in 1996-97.
Sacramento State (11-15, 7-6) is currently in a virtual tie for third place with Montana (6-5) in the Big Sky standings, with just one game remaining in the regular season (Feb. 26 at Northern Arizona). The Hornets have already clinched their third-consecutive Big Sky Tournament appearance, and with a win against NAU, would clinch a first-round tournament home game for the second-straight year. The Hornets have won 10 of their last 17 games after beginning the season 1-8.
From hornetsports.com, 2/21/05
The Lake Show
The Great Lakes States aren’t known as a hot bed for rodeo cowboys,
but after the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo, that may change thanks to wins
by B.J. (If You Know What I Mean) Schumacher and Ross Nevala.
SAN
ANTONIO — B.J. Schumacher has high hopes for his 2005 season after winning
the bull riding title at the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo.
Schumacher (Hillsboro, Wis.) was one of two men to have a qualified ride in the Wrangler ProRodeo Tour round at the SBC Center Sunday afternoon. He rode Guidry Rodeo's Dippin XS Energy for 92 points to finish atop the U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company scoreboard. Schumacher's total of 266 points on three bulls earned him the San Antonio championship and $15,700. He also won the second round and placed in the first round of competition. Schumacher was the high money winner of the rodeo.
Prior to San Antonio's rodeo, Schumacher was not even listed in the Jack Daniel's World Standings. The three-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier is hoping the win will put him on pace for his first world championship. A year ago, he won the Xtreme Bulls event in San Antonio and led the world standings for much of the year until he had to undergo hip surgery in July. He still qualified for the 2004 Wrangler NFR and finished the season in seventh place with $130,762 in earnings.
"I feel like I'm riding good again," Schumacher said. "This sealed the deal today. That was a bull that Fred Boettcher (one of his traveling partners) won a round on at the NFR, so I knew I had an opportunity."
Contestants will compete in 10 of 12 stops on the Wrangler Tour, earning points for the championship event upon the Wrangler Tour's conclusion. The top 12 contestants in the standings after the final Wrangler Tour stop (May 8) in Guymon, Okla., will qualify for the Pace Picante ProRodeo Chute-out (June 17-18) in Reno, Nev.
The Great Lakes States have not been known as a hot bed for rodeo cowboys, but after the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo, that may change. Along with Schumacher from Wisconsin, steer wrestler Ross Nevala (Sebeka, Minn.) won a San Antonio buckle. Nevala had a total time of 13.9 seconds on three head to win the steer wrestling title and $12,701.
It was Nevala's second trip down south to compete in San Antonio. His success came in part from riding Alfalfa Fedderson's steer wrestling horse Elvis. Nevala entered Sunday's round tied for first in the aggregate with Joey Bell (Malakoff, Texas).
"I had a good steer, good horses and a good hazer," Nevala said. "When I saw Joey miss, I knew then I'd won for sure. This is the biggest thing that's happened in my career."
Winning the Wrangler Tour round with a run of 4.1 seconds was Bob Lummus (Folsom, La.).
Bareback rider Royce Ford (Hudson, Colo.) has been close to winning the San Antonio title for three years. This year he came into the Wrangler Tour round in first place and stayed there. Ford rode Calgary Stampede and Exhibition's French Wake for 88 points. He also captured the aggregate title with a total of 259 points on three rides and earned $11,876.
"My hat is off to this rodeo committee," Ford said. "They brought in some great horses. This is the best rodeo we've seen and I'm sure proud to win it."
The San Antonio Rodeo is also a favorite of tie-down roper Jeff Chapman (Athens, Texas). Chapman won the title in San Antonio in 2002 and has collected a check nearly every time he has entered. He won both the Wrangler Tour round and the aggregate in 2005. He earned $12,569 with a total time of 26.4 seconds on three head. He had a time of 8.9 seconds in the Wrangler Tour round, then settled back on his horse to watch Fred Whitfield (Hockley, Texas). Whitfield was in the lead, but a broken barrier cost him the title.
Saddle bronc rider Ryan Mapston (Geyser, Mont.) won the Wrangler Tour round with an 89-point ride on the world champion saddle bronc from Kesler Championship Rodeo, Cool Alley. Alan Bandy (Wainwright, Alberta) won the aggregate with 248 points on three rides.
In the team roping, Clay Tryan and Patrick Smith (Midland, Texas) dominated the competition. They won the Wrangler Tour round with a time of 4.5 seconds and the aggregate title with a time of 14.5 seconds on three runs.
Terra Bynum (Lubbock, Texas) won the women's barrel racing title with three runs adding up to 46.36 seconds. Winning the Wrangler round was Karen Morris (Elgin, Texas) with 14.81 seconds.
The next Wrangler Tour stops will be the San Angelo (Texas) Stock Show and Rodeo Feb. 27 and La Fiesta de los Vaqueros in Tucson, Ariz., Feb. 28.
From ESPN, 2/21/05
And now for the birdcage liner / fish wrap...
Ailene Voisin: Anne-Marie Petrie isn't the only talented one in family
That
familiar blonde with the skin-tight slacks and colorful pumps? The one dancing
at midcourt with Slamson? Gesturing wildly at the refs? High-fiving the players
after an emotional victory?
Hugging and kissing Geoff Petrie?
It's OK.
It's his wife.
In a recurring display of a marital contrast that begs for a Dr. Phil intervention, Anne-Marie Petrie, the lesser-known half of Sacramento's sports power couple, charges out from behind the curtains and dares anyone to keep pace. She stands by her man only when not otherwise sprinting into the lead. She craves attention, loves the stage, dares to read from an unconventional script.
"Annie just has a natural flair for theatrical things," offers Geoff Petrie, with more than a hint of pride. "And like everything else about her, she goes after it full blast."
Having spent these last 11 years working in political and nonpartisan fund-raising and volunteering for charity and community endeavors that don't conflict with the Kings' schedule, Anne-Marie recently assumed a much higher profile: that of accomplished local actress.
A professionally trained singer, dancer and actress who years ago studied under Stella Adler in New York, Petrie plays a lesbian ex-convict in "Kimberly Akimbo," an offbeat B Street Theatre production that runs through Feb. 27. And differing sexual proclivities notwithstanding, the role isn't much of a stretch. As she drops noisily into a chair, lugs a 40-pound mailbox across the stage and aggressively punches out "Aunt Debra's" bawdy, often profane lines in her native New York tongue, Anne-Marie is very much in character. Even the unlaced black work boots and oversized grimy jeans seem to fit.
"We knew she could act," said theatre co-founder and artistic director Buck Busfield, "and after her first read, she said, 'I'm really close to this woman already.' It was just a matter of winding her up and letting her go."
It was hardly that simple, of course. It took 25 years, almost three weeks of rehearsals and 10 to 15 performances to get rid of the ring rust. Petrie, 52, who appeared off-Broadway and at Lincoln Center during her early 20s, abruptly abandoned the stage in 1980.
Financially spent, exhausted by the lifestyle and stressed by the competition for prime roles, she joined friends in Portland, Ore., and upon the advice of a wealthy uncle, pursued a second career in broadcast sales.
One
of her clients introduced her to 38-year-old Geoff Petrie, a divorced former
Trail Blazers star who shared custody of three young children. The two have
been together ever since, most recently living on a vineyard in Clarksburg.
Yet neither makes any secret of Anne-Marie's sacrifices and professional struggles. Having given up a lucrative job to accompany Geoff to Sacramento, in essence, arranging her life and aspirations around his frenetic career demands, the Boston University graduate has long been in search of an avocation. Her interest in sales waned. The fund-raising events were sporadic. The charity and community work proved fulfilling (she is on the board of WEAVE, as well as the theatre), but too often, the Kings and Monarchs games provided her most creative outlet.
For those stumped by the photo, envision a striking, animated brunette (the blonde makeover is recent) leaning forward in a second-row seat. Or dancing with Slamson. Or pointing at the refs. Or bantering with the players. Or approaching her reserved, soft-spoken husband in the tunnel area and bellowing, "Hey, babe," before tagging him with a kiss that he accepts sheepishly, with a knowing grin.
If the articulate, Princeton-prepped Kings executive never appears quite comfortable in front of a crowd, his face flushed, his pained demeanor hinting at a broken rib or abscessed tooth even during last week's news conference to announce his contract extension, the actress in the family is an almost ideal complement. She is engaging and opinionated, an intelligent extrovert who straddles the cusp of outrageousness, occasionally leaning over the edge.
Indeed, though they seem delighted by the company they keep, theirs is one of those dynamic opposites-attract couplings: He cooks and she cleans up. He likes wine and she prefers water. He plays the guitar in solitude while she gravitates to an audience, is apt break out into a solo dance at any time.
"I just love him," Anne-Marie says, unabashedly. "Geoff is really a great guy. I'll be honest with you, though; the first few years we were married, if the team lost and he was in a bad mood, I was like, 'Hey, don't rip on me!' Now I just give him some space. I think that's all part of maturing."
Similarly, in the short biography of Anne-Marie in the playbill, there is
no mention of her husband or his prominent position - but no offense taken.
Petrie said he fully understood his wife's intent to avoid detracting from
the other cast members, as well as her desire for an independent identity.
"This is something she has always felt she missed out on," he said,
"so it's great to see her have a second opportunity, a second shot. And
I'm biased, but I think she's really good."
Petrie has been in the audience twice. Ana Divac made a surprise appearance, as has Darius Songaila, Pete Carril and other members of the organization.
Asked if the grandfatherly Kings assistant was offended by the language, Petrie laughed. "Obviously, you were never in his locker room."
As for her budding new/old career, Anne-Marie, now openly intrigued, plans to audition again at the B Street Theatre and even explore the San Francisco scene.
"When I am out there on stage," she said, nodding, her eyes alight, "it just feels like home."
From the Sacramento Bee, Ailene Voisin, 2/18/05