Charlie Davies May Repair Career, Image With D.C. United

February 1 2011 Last updated at 04:14 AM ET

Sixteen months after the fatal car accident that destroyed his World Cup dreams and nearly ended his career, Charlie Davies may be returning to the city where his life changed.

On Tuesday afternoon, D.C. United confirmed a morning report from The Washington Post's incomparable Steven Goff that Davies and his French club, FC Sochaux, were considering a season-long loan.

Davies is expected to join United in Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday, when he will commence "a week-long evaluation period, which will include training and game time with the first team and a full medical evaluation," according to the MLS club.

D.C. said the terms of the the loan "have already been negotiated."

If Davies proves himself and the move happens, it will generate a fair bit of publicity for United and MLS, while giving the former U.S. national team starter the opportunity to salvage both his career and his image.

His commitment to doing the former has been inspiring. His interest in the latter remains unknown.

Whether or not things work out in Florida, a loan for Davies is a necessity -- he has failed to see the field for Sochaux's first team and has made the club's 18-man match day roster just once. He has been playing for the reserve side, however, and prior to Tuesday there had been mixed messages from Sochaux about its interest in sending Davies out on loan.

Meanwhile, United has been crystal clear about its interest in acquiring scoring help. The club set an MLS record for offensive futility last year, and coach Ben Olsen already has acquired veterans Josh Wolff and Joseph Ngwenya to bolster the front line -- the pair combined for just three league goals in 2010.

Signing Davies would be a gamble, but not an unreasonable one for a team in need of a spark and a fan base beleaguered by three years of losing and an intractable stadium situation. There will be curiosity and enthusiasm on East Capitol Street, for sure.

And while United's technical staff surely will be looking very closely into whether Davies is fit, capable and worth their time and investment, American soccer fans should be equally as cautious and critical. There must be a separation between hoping he continues to recover from his injuries and lionizing him for doing so. There must be a separation between evaluating Davies the soccer player and Davies the person.

Why does Davies the person matter? Because he has represented the United States and wants to do so again. A professional athlete taking money from a for-profit franchise does not necessarily have an obligation to be a role model, or even a good person.

But make no mistake -- when you wear your country's colors, you are viewed as an ambassador. That was very evident at the World Cup, where the effort, commitment, perspective and demeanor exhibited by Bob Bradley's team was consistently noticed and appreciated.

On the character front, Davies appears to have some work to do. He certainly paid heavily for his October 2009 decision to break national team curfew and go out in Washington, DC, and for his decision to get into a car with a woman, Maria Espinoza, who had been drinking.

Everyone makes mistakes, and Davies deserves no further punishment. But he didn't seem to grow much as a result of the incident. His consistent tweeting and promises of recovery throughout last spring were an irritant and a distraction, to the point where Bradley issued a rare public criticism during his pre-World Cup training camp in Princeton.

Last fall, as the anniversary of the accident approached, Davies was pulled over by police near Sochaux for driving nearly 125 mph. It later emerged that an FCSM teammate actually was driving, but that Davies switched seats with him inside the tinted vehicle because the teammate feared having his license suspended. What first looked like reckless and bitterly ironic behavior turned out to be just Davies lying to the cops.

On the one-year anniversary of his accident, Davies tweeted:

"It has been one year to the day and I give thanks to the lord and all of you for supporting me throughout! It means a lot. We are blessed!"

Oct. 13 would have been the ideal time to extend a public and kind word to the family of the woman who was killed in the crash, Ashley Roberta. It's possible he was forbidden to do so by his attorneys since the case against Espinoza was still open. Or perhaps Davies preferred to make it about himself and the devotion he enjoys from both God and his fans.

None of these things make Davies a bad person, but they do call his maturity into question. Perception is important -- it's often reality, after all -- and it certainly may impact the reception Davies receives, his future with Bradley and the national team and his legacy.

Davies, who will turn 25 this summer, has worked tirelessly to rehabilitate his body. He shouldn't forget to devote some of his energy to erasing any doubts that might linger about his character. If he does come to MLS and join D.C. United, everyone with a stake in American soccer should hope he seizes the opportunity to do both.

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Pistons Play Only Six in Loss After Apparent Player Protest

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- The 76ers finally got even.

Elton Brand had 20 points and 17 rebounds, and the hard-charging Philadelphia 76ers reached .500 for the first time this season in a 110-94 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Friday night.

Led by a resurgent Brand, the Sixers have rebounded from a 3-13 start to get to 29-29. Coach Doug Collins had already in his first season led the Sixers to more wins than they had a year ago. The Sixers have won 12 of 16 and are in seventh place in the Eastern Conference -- with the sixth-place Knicks in sight.

"This is a great night for our team and our fans," Collins said.

It was a clunker of a day for the Pistons.

Detroit used six players in the latest embarrassment for the fallen franchise. Several Pistons skipped at least part of Friday's shootaround and sat out their third straight loss.

Tayshaun Prince, Tracy McGrady, Ben Wallace and Rodney Stuckey did not start. Coach John Kuester wasn't around for the finish -- he was ejected in the second quarter after he was whistled for two quick technical fouls arguing a non-call.

Kuester called the personnel situation "an internal matter" and there was no word if the DNP'ers would be available for Saturday's home game against Utah.

"The guys at the shootaround were going to get the minutes," Kuester said. "I thought they played their hearts out. They tried so hard. I was proud of them."

The short-handed Pistons trailed by nine late in the third until Lou Williams and Jrue Holiday hit consecutive 3s that carried the Sixers into a dominant finish.

Andre Iguodala had 21 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds for the Sixers. Thaddeus Young shot 12 of 15 and scored 24.

Iguodala put the exclamation point on. 500 with back-to-back, fast-break dunks that wowed the crowd and sealed the win. Iguodala has tempered his desire to play as Philadelphia's No. 1 scoring option and has put up some of the best all-around numbers of his career since November.

He has the Sixers in prime position to grab a winning record Sunday at Cleveland. The Sixers have not finished above .500 since the 2004-05 season. They went 41-41 two years ago.

The Sixers believed so strongly in their developing nucleus, team president Rod Thorn balked at making a move by Thursday's trade deadline.

Brand scored 10 points in the third quarter. When Spencer Hawes missed a dunk off a perfect pass from Iguodala, Brand was there for the put-back.

The Sixers are 26-16 over their last 42 games and have the ninth-best winning percentage in the NBA since Nov. 27.

The Pistons mercifully want this season over.

"I feel badly for John Kuester," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "I think it's a black eye for the league. I know Detroit is in disarray right now at some level. You worry about a coach and, you know, his psyche after something like that happens."

Team spokesman Cletus Lewis said Richard Hamilton, Chris Wilcox, Stuckey and Austin Daye missed the bus for shootaround, with Stuckey and Daye able to arrive late.

Prince, McGrady and Wallace also missed the shootaround. Lewis said Prince had an upset stomach, McGrady had a headache and Wallace was tending to an unspecified family matter.

Told it was suggested the Pistons had other motives for skipping shootaround, Kuester said, "Sometimes perception is different than reality."

Kuester was tossed in the second quarter -- while McGrady and his teammates laughed as their coach headed toward the locker room.

The Pistons are far removed from the days when Hamilton, Prince and Wallace led the Pistons to the 2004 NBA title.

Will Bynum led the Pistons with 29 points, Charlie Villanueva had 17, and Ben Gordon and Greg Monroe each had 16.

Bynum played 48 minutes, Gordon 45 and Monroe 43.

"I sat and got DNP's for a month and a half, you think I was turning down 48 minutes? I ain't crazy," Bynum said.

For three quarters, the Pistons kept close on the strength of 52 percent shooting. They didn't have the fresh legs to keep up with a Sixers team that dunked their way toward easy buckets and a 100-87 lead in the fourth quarter.

Notes: The Sixers are 19-9 at home. ... Sixers G Evan Turner said he'll work with Philadelphia University coach and shooting guru Herb Magee in the offseason. Turner want to get more arc on his usual flat jumper. ... The Pistons are the first team to use six players since Golden State Nov. 24, 2009, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

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Several Pistons Miss Shootaround

February 25 2011 Last updated at 06:22 PM ET

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Several Detroit Pistons missed at least part of the team's shootaround before Friday night's game at Philadelphia, the latest incident on what has been a difficult season for the proud franchise.

Team spokesman Cletus Lewis said Richard Hamilton, Chris Wilcox, Rodney Stuckey and Austin Daye missed the bus, with Stuckey and Daye able to arrive late.

Tayshaun Prince, Tracy McGrady and Ben Wallace also missed the shootaround. Lewis said Prince had an upset stomach, McGrady had a headache and Wallace was tending to an unspecified family matter.

Detroit entered the night 21-38 and is almost certainly headed to its third straight losing season. There have been signs of disharmony almost from the beginning. Coach John Kuester benched Stuckey barely a week into the season, although that was only temporary.

Kuester then benched Hamilton on Jan. 12, and he didn't play again until a Feb. 5 game at Milwaukee. Hamilton has missed every game since then. The team has said Hamilton has a groin injury.

The team was unable to trade Hamilton before Thursday's deadline. He's guaranteed $20 million over the next two seasons.

Wallace missed eight games in January. He's battled ankle problems and also left the team to tend to a family matter.

---

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Kuester has juggled the lineup quite a bit this season, trying to find combinations that might help propel the Pistons to a playoff spot, but so far it's been no use. McGrady has been a bright spot, staying healthy and settling in as a point guard, and rookie big man Greg Monroe is showing promise -- but Detroit has clearly fallen a long way since Hamilton, Prince and Wallace led the Pistons to the 2004 NBA title.

Owner Karen Davidson has been trying to sell the team, and that turned into a drawn-out saga after she said she hoped it would be done by the start of the season. On Feb. 11, Davidson confirmed she and investor Tom Gores had a two-week "exclusivity" period for negotiations.

On Friday -- exactly two weeks later -- there was no update from the owner.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

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Big Penalties for Broken Spoiler on Michael Waltrip's Winning Daytona Truck

February 23 2011 Last updated at 07:35 PM ET

When MIchael Waltrip crossed the finish line a winner in the Camping World truck series race at Daytona International Speedway Friday night with only half a spoiler to retard his progress, you knew NASCAR wouldn't stand for that, at least to a degree.

Despite the broken spoiler (above), it was an emotional, stirring victory for Waltrip, coming as it did 10 years to the day of his first Daytona 500 victory in 2001 in the race that took the life of his car owner and friend, Dale Earnhardt.

In the announcing booth after the truck race, Michael's brother, Darrell, confidently predicted that the victory would stand, but NASCAR would fine the team for the broken piece.

Darrell Waltrip's prediction was spot on, as NASCAR levied hefty penalties for the spoiler, which "did not meet specifications in post-race inspection," the sanctioning body announced Wednesday.

"As a result, crew chief Doug Howe has been fined $25,000 and placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31. Owner Billy Ballew has been penalized with the loss of 25 championship owner points," NASCAR's statement said.

Michael Waltrip, who is a booth announcer for SPEED for most truck races, swept past Elliott Sadler in a classic Daytona slingshot pass as the trucks sped into the tri-oval toward the checkered flag in a green-white-checkered, two-lap finish after a couple of big wrecks late in the race.

Waltrip, who led only the last lap in that race, picked up a purse (to be shared with Ballew) of $73,275 for the victory, or about three times the amount of the fine to the crew chief.

Asked after the race what happened with the spoiler, Waltrip said, "I don't know. I just know if it had fallen off before the checkered, they would have black flagged me.

"I guess that last push -- I think they said we went a second faster than we'd been all day long -- then the constant beating on the back of the truck from the other trucks, then that last push with me on Elliott, all the air off his truck and my truck onto the back, just knocked it loose. I'm just so thankful it hung on till the checkered 'cause I didn't even know it was an issue. I didn't even see it till after the race."

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In Honor of Tadanari Lee, A History of International Championship Winning Goals

Liverpool fans burned a Fernando Torres jersey on Monday night, furious that the striker their club pried from his hometown team in Madrid for tens of millions of pounds left Merseyside after three-plus seasons for Chelsea's tens of millions of pounds.

Torres probably didn't grow up dreaming of playing for the Reds or the Blues. His favorite team was Atl�tico, and he played at his boyhood club for a dozen years. Those ties were loosened only when Rafael Ben�tez came calling in 2007.

Liverpool fans may be angry, but Torres was never really theirs to begin with.

The final day of the European transfer window was yet another reminder that club soccer is a business first. Players are motivated largely by the trappings of the pro game -- the money, the titles, endorsements and prestige. That's not a criticism. It's the nature of the beast.

If it's inspiration, loyalty, permanence and passion that you're looking for, turn toward the international game. For the most part, national teams feature players wearing a shirt they've yearned to put on since they could walk. The money clearly is secondary, and they strive not for the next big contract, but for national glory, history, friends and family.

The soccer may not always be as good, and there's still a bit of recruitment here and there, but it's far more pure than what's on offer at the club level (except perhaps at Barcelona, which combines the best of both). Win a championship with your national team, and you're not a mercenary who earned his keep. You're a legend.

Last weekend, a relatively unknown, 25-year-old Japanese player named Tadanari Lee (photo) attained that status. The Sanfrecce Hiroshima forward, playing in just his second international match, scored the Asian Cup winner on a thunderous overtime volley against Australia.

The juxtaposition between Lee's singular transcendent moment and the near absurdity of the transfer window left us interested in tracking down similar goals. The goals that secured at title that the scorer dreamed of winning in the shirt he was wearing, the goals that brought glory to both the player and a nation.

Our definition of such a goal will be based on Lee's -- it broke a tie in the competition's deciding game and proved to be the final tally in a match concluding with a one-goal margin. A true winner.

These goals are milestones in the history of the sport, yet many were new to us. We think they're worth watching and celebrating, so have compiled many of them here. So, in honor of Lee, Torres and as a reminder of how meaningful soccer can be, here's a one-stop repository of the biggest goals ever scored:

WORLD CUP

The earliest goal we could find (sorry, Angelo Schiavio) occurred more than 60 years ago and doesn't look like much, but it still has plenty of meaning. As Brazil 2014 approaches, the nightmare of the Maracanazo will be brought up again and again. Here's Uruguay's Alcides Ghiggia, scoring the goal that won the game, 2-1, and the 1950 World Cup for La Celeste in Rio de Janeiro.

Four years later, the favorites went down again. A Hungarian team that blasted Germany, 8-3, in the first round probably figured it was on its way again when it took a 2-0 lead in the final. But the Germans, as they would prove for the next half century, don't go down easily. Helmut Rahn scored the 84th-minute winner to cement "The Miracle of Bern."

Germany won its second World Cup in 1974, again coming from behind against a favorite who became famous for playing beautiful, but ultimately losing soccer. Johannes Neeskens gave the Netherlands an early lead, but the Germans won the trophy on Gerd Muller's 43rd-minute strike.

The Germans recovered from yet another deficit in the 1986 final, but they couldn't stop Diego Maradona. His 83rd-minute pass split the defense and Jorge Burruchaga provided the deft finishing touch, breaking a 2-2 deadlock as Argentina won its second World Cup.

The only goal on this list that came from the penalty spot was the decider in a dour 1990 final in Rome. Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Goycochea already had guided his side through two shootouts, but he couldn't stop Andreas Brehme's 85th-minute effort. Germany was champion for a third time.

And of course, Andr�s Iniesta rescued the 2010 final in Johannesburg and brought Spain a deserved first World Cup title (FanHouse was there -- you can read the story from Soccer City here.)

CONCACAF GOLD CUP

Luis Hern�ndez gives lifts Mexico to 1-0 win over the United States and the 1998 Gold Cup title -- its third straight -- with this header just before halftime in Los Angeles.

Daniel Osorno salvages regional pride, and gives Mexico Gold Cup No. 4, with this golden goal against guest Brazil in 2003.

Benny Feilhaber scores American soccer's goal of the decade as the U.S. comes from behind to defeat Mexico, 2-1, in the 2007 final at Soldier Field.

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP

The Soviet Union won UEFA's first championship for national teams in 1960, defeating Yugoslavia, 2-1, in Paris. Viktor Ponedelnik headed in the overtime winner in a final between two countries that no longer exist.

A sharp, 84th-minute header from Marcelino Mart�nez lifted Spain to a 2-1 triumph over the Soviets in the 1964 final in Madrid.

Germany won its second European championship when Horst Hrubesch beat the Belgians in the 88th minute of the 1980 final in Rome.

Oliver Bierhoff introduced the world to the finality of the golden goal when his deflected shot confused Czech goalie Petr Kouba in the 1996 final at Wembley Stadium. Germany hasn't won a title since.

Four years later in Rotterdam, world champion France mounted an incredible comeback against Italy that was settled with David Trezeguet's overtime blast. Italy would get its revenge in Berlin six years later, when Trezeguet's shootout miss gave the Azzurri their fourth World Cup.

Greece ground out three stunning 1-0 upsets on its way to the 2004 title in Portugal. Angelos Charisteas scored the goal that defeated the hosts in the final.

Fernando Torres did the honors in 2008, leading Spain to a 1-0 win over Germany in Vienna and ending his country's 44-year trophy drought.

COPA AM�RICA

Uruguay defeated Chile, 1-0, in the 1987 final thanks to Pablo Bengoechea's rebound goal in the 56th minute. Chile has failed to make any of the nine finals since.

Rom�rio gives us a taste of things to come with the only goal of the 1989 final (against Uruguay at the Maracan� -- small revenge). It was Brazil's first Copa title in 40 years.

Argentina's most recent Copa Am�rica came all the way back in 1993, and it came thanks to Gabriel Batistuta. His well-taken 74th-minute goal was his second of the Guayaquil final and was enough to defeat Mexico, 2-1.

Mexico was the victim again in 2001 as Iv�n C�rdoba headed Colombia to the only major title in its history.

ASIAN CUP

Takuya Takagi brought Japan the first of its four continental championships with his first-half strike against Saudi Arabia in the 1992 final in Hiroshima.

Title No. 2 for the Blue Samurai came eight years later in Beirut. This time it was Shigeyoshi Mochizuki who bested the Saudis.

Perhaps the most improbable championship in the history of international soccer, Iraq's 2007 Asian Cup triumph was secured by Younis Mahmoud's 72nd-minute header in Jakarta.

AFRICAN NATIONS CUP

Nigeria was the villain of the piece in 1994. One year after Zambia's national team was wiped out in a plane crash on the way to a World Cup qualifier, the Chipolopolo embarked on an inspiring Nations Cup run in Tunisia. Emmanuel Amuneke, however, ended Zambia's hopes with his second goal of the final just after halftime.

Tunisia won its first and only championship in 2004 when Ziad Jaziri converted this second-half rebound against rival Morocco.

Shocking defending from Cameroon gave Mohamed Aboutrika the opportunity to break a scoreless tie in the 2008 final in Accra. Egypt won its second straight title.

This classy 85th-minute finish from Mohamed Nagy, known as Gedo, lifted Egypt to a 1-0 win over Ghana in Luanda, its third straight African championship and seventh overall.

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Making a name for himself infront of the right people

GrindTV NEWSWIRE via Maloof Money Cup- Today, a new world record was set. Aldrin Garcia landed a 45" high ollie in the finals of the Maloof High Ollie Challenge claiming the $10,000 cash prize and unseating Danny Wainwright who has held the world record of 44.5 inches since 2000. Garcia also beat out pros including Torey Pudwill, Levi Brown, Luis Tolentino, Steve Nesser, Austyn Gillette and Anthony Schultz.

Held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center as part of the new Ride Unltd...

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Cooper-Dyke Bringing Hall of Fame style, Broken Clipboards to UNC-Wilmington

TOWSON, Md. -- As Cynthia Cooper-Dyke turned to walk out a side door of the Towson Center to board the team bus for a seven-hour ride in the middle of the night back to Wilmington, N.C., it was gently brought to her attention that she had broken yet another clipboard in that night's game in frustration over her team's play.

"How many is that this year?" asked Cooper-Dyke.

"Five," answered an assistant coach.

There are three things that make that situation pregnant with irony. First, UNC-Wilmington, where Cooper-Dyke is in her first season as head coach, had just beaten Towson by 29.

Second, the win moved the Seahawks to a 21-6 overall record and to 13-3 in the Colonial Athletic Association, keeping them in contention for an at-large NCAA tournament bid.

Third, Cooper-Dyke had just said to a reporter the day before that the one thing she had learned in her transition from Hall of Fame player to college basketball coach was that she could be patient.

"What I had to realize was I wasn't Cynthia Cooper, the Hall of Famer, when I was 18-years-old, either," said Cooper-Dyke, who was enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame last August. "I made a lot of mistakes. I had to grow and I had to mature."

"Once I realized that, 'Hey, when you were in college, you were making the same boneheaded mistakes, you were inconsistent, so take yourself out of the professional ranks and off the podium at the Hall of Fame ceremony,' and you say, 'Hey, when you were 18 years old, you were making some of the same mistakes.'"

And you have to think Cooper-Dyke, a two-time WNBA Most Valuable Player and four-time WNBA Finals MVP, really meant it at the time.

"What I had to realize was I wasn't Cynthia Cooper, the Hall of Famer, when I was 18-years-old, either. I made a lot of mistakes. I had to grow and I had to mature."
-- Cynthia Cooper-Dyke But, with the Seahawks leading by 23 at halftime, all it took for that patience to evaporate was for her freshman point guard Alisha Andrews to commit a turnover on the first possession of the half, then try a behind-the-back pass on the next possession.

The pass found its way to teammate Kristen Hanzer, but she couldn't finish the lay-up. Next thing you know, the otherwise overmatched Tigers had trimmed the lead down to 19, and Cooper-Dyke was up off the bench calling a timeout, roughly 90 seconds into the half.

And the coach made the proverbial beeline right for Andrews, making her and the rest of the Seahawks aware of her, shall we say, disinterest in their temporary case of carelessness.

"We were never really in danger of losing the lead, but we just played a sloppy second half," said Cooper-Dyke, after the game. "For me, I just told the team after the game, 'The first 20 minutes we played, I need that for 30 minutes, for 35 minutes and for 40 minutes as we head toward our conference tournament.'

"If we want to be successful, then that's how we have to play. We can't take days off and we can't take halves off. We have to be able to finish games. Overall, I thought it was a good game."

With two games left in the regular season -- including a Sunday meeting at home with George Mason, whom they dispatched by 16 on the road last month -- the Seahawks have a chance to beat or surpass the school record for wins.

And while Andrews, who is second in the Colonial Athletic Association in assists and third in steals, is a key addition, Cooper-Dyke has turned UNC-Wilmington around with players who went 12-19 for former coach Ann Hancock, whose contract wasn't renewed after 10 seasons.

"She has a lot of energy," said senior forward Brittany Blackwell, the team's leading scorer. "She's very enthusiastic and competitive. I think it's just good for us because we feed off her. She makes sure that we get stuff done."

For Cooper-Dyke, the challenge all through her six-year coaching career has been to transmit the grit and fire that helped her lead the Houston Comets to the first four championships in WNBA history, to players who might share her passion for the game, but not necessarily her prodigious talent level.

"I've learned that I'm a lot more open and flexible as a coach than I thought I would be," said Cooper-Dyke, who led Prairie View A&M to three SWAC regular season titles and two NCAA tournament berths in five years there before coming to Wilmington.

"I go into every scenario with my wish list, with what I would like to get done and what I would like to run, but ultimately I look at the players on my roster and I formulate a plan for us to be successful, not to try to stuff my system down their throat."

"At the end of the day, it's my job to put my players in the best position possible to be successful and that's what I try to do."

Cooper-Dyke has an undersized, but scrappy bunch of players who lead the CAA in scoring margin and field-goal percentage, as well as assists and steals.

Those last two are due in no small part to the diminutive Andrews, who is generously listed at 5-foot-2, but that's only, as Cooper-Dyke puts it, when she's in sneakers with lifts.

Nonetheless, the Stone Mountain, Ga. native has already put a large stamp on the Seahawk program. Her 10.1 points-per-game are fourth on the team, while Andrews' five assists a game are good for second in the conference, and her three steals place her third in the league.

Andrews originally committed to Prairie View A&M, but when Cooper-Dyke got the job at Wilmington in May, Andrews got a release and followed the coach east.

"When we're in practice, we get in the gym before practice and she teaches me moves that I should be making and when to shoot," said Andrews. "She told me to work on my pull-up jumpers and also my driving to the hole off the screen and attacking."

"She knows the game and I want her to teach me the game just the way she played it. I want to be just like her."

Said Cooper-Dyke: "It's tough having a freshman point guard, but Alicia Andrews has so much heart that she plays like she's 5-foot-10. She's growing up right before my eyes. She's starting not only to play basketball but she's starting to lead my team. Before, she played point guard for UNCW. Now, she's a leader on the court for UNCW. That's just beautiful to see."

Cooper-Dyke's transition hasn't gone entirely smooth. She was forced to discipline assistant coach Johnetta Hayes, after Hayes punished a player for a September team rules violation by making the player roll up and down the court for 30 minutes. The player, guard Julia Finlay, vomited, and is not on the team's roster.

In the aftermath of the incident, Cooper-Dyke said she and her team tried to bridge the gap between themselves and area residents by performing more community service activities. Certainly that, and what may become the best season in school history, have gone a long way towards making people forget what happened in the fall.

Cooper-Dyke, 47, who coached the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA for two years, says she plans to be on the bench for the long haul, though how long she'll be in Wilmington is a mystery, especially if the Seahawks get an NCAA tournament bid this year.

After all, a high profile Hall of Famer with a proven track record at smaller schools would seem to be made to order for any BCS school with an opening that wants to make a splash.

They'd just better make sure they have a ready supply of coach's clipboards on hand.

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