The 2012 Mustang Boss 302Dave Pericak, Mustang chief engineer, with the 2012 Mustang Boss 302.

In this issue of Premier Players, you can peek at this limited edition machine in various colors.

The All-NewFord rANger

Alex HolmesP/DP, UC Davis Aggies, senior

AliCiA Herronss, ohio state Buckeyes, Junior

AlisA GoleriF, Georgia Bulldogs, senior

AnnA CAHnlHP/DP, Cal Poly mustangs, senior

AsHley GUileDs, nebraska Huskers, Junior

AsHley HAnseniF, stanford Cardinal, Junior

DonnA BoUrGeoisP, Houston Cougars, senior

GionnA DisAlvAtoreiF, UClA Bruins, senior

HillAry BACHP, Arizona state sun Devils, Junior

JennA mArstonss, missouri tigers, sophomore

KAylA BrAUDoF, Alabama Crimson tide, sophomore

Kelly GrieveoF, tennessee lady vols, senior

Kenzie FowlerP, Arizona wildcats, sophomore

mereDitH HACKettiF, illinois Fighting illini, Junior

oliviA GAlAtiP/DP, Hofstra Pride, sophomore

rACHele FiCoP, lsU tigers, sophomore

sArAH HAmiltonP, Florida state seminoles, senior

stePHAnie BromBACHerrHP, Florida Gators, senior

vAlerie AriotoUt, California Golden Bears, senior

wHitney KiHnlP/oF, lipscomb lady Bisons, Junior

Vote for the 2011Premier Player of College Baseball and College Softball

The Polls will remain open until May 31, 2011.At that time, the 5 candidates with the most votes will be announced and placed in new polls

for fans to vote for the overall winner of The Premier Player of College Baseball andCollege Softball Trophy. The award will be presented in Atlanta, GA, in July.

Visit www.premierplayers.com for more details and to vote.

Alex DiCkerSonoF, indiana Hoosiers, Junior

AnTHony renDoniF, rice owls, Junior

C.J. CronC/1B, Utah Utes, Junior

DAnny HUlTzenlHP/1B/oF, Virginia Cavaliers, Junior

GeorGe SPrinGeroF, UConn Huskies, Junior

GerriT ColerHP, UClA Bruins, Junior

JACkie BrADley Jr.oF, South Carolina Gamecocks, Junior

JeD BrADleylHP, Georgia Tech yellow Jackets, Junior

JoHn STilSonrHP, Texas A&M Aggies, Junior

MATT PUrkelHP, TCU Horned Frogs, Sophomore

Mike MCGeerHP/oF, Florida State Seminoles, Senior

Mikie MAHTookoF, louisiana State Tigers, Junior

niCk MArTinioF, kansas State Wildcats, Junior

PeTer o’BrienC, Bethune-Cookman Wildcats, Junior

Sonny GrAyrHP, Vanderbilt Commodores, Junior

TAylor JUnGMAnnrHP, Texas longhorns, Junior

Tony zyCHrHP, louisville Cardinals, Junior

TreVor BAUerrHP, UClA Bruins, Junior

Tyler AnDerSonlHP, oregon Ducks, Junior

zACk MACPHeeiF, Arizona State Sun Devils, Junior

Bas

ebal

l

Sof

tbal

l

features & departments

features

6 Yes U Conn

12 2011 NFL Draft Preview

15 At Home With Josh Freeman

20 Texas A&M Stuns the Field

departments

10 Sound Off

24 Community

26 Travel (New York)

30 Player’s Ink

PREMIER PLAYERS �

there has never been a defensive back selected higher than third overall but Patrick Peterson has all of the tools to be the first DB to be picked number one overall.See story on Page 12.

PUBLISHINGCEO & PUBLISHER

Carnell Moore

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSSteve WrightMarc JenkinsSam Smoot

CONTRIBUTING DESIGNERJennifer Dufek

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To submit editorials & ideas e-mail:editor@premierplayers.com or visit www.premierplayers.com

Write to us at:P.O. Box 341064

Tampa, FL 33694-1064Call us at:

800-470-0250

AP PHOTO CREDITSMark Humphrey p7, 10

David J. Phillip p10Amy Sancetta p10

Charlie Neibergall p10Eric Gay p10

John Raoux p11Patrick Semansky p18Stephen Nowland p21David Goldman p 30

OTHER PHOTOS COURTESY OFLSU Sports Information

Georgia Sports InformationTexas A&M Sports InformationClemson Sports Information

Carl Jensen p15-18

Content disclaimer & use the opinions expressed in Premier Players Magazine and on Premier Players Online do not necessarily reflect those of the editor, publishers and or their agents. For use of any material used in Premier Players Magazine or on Premier Players Online, please contact the publisher

at 813-833-3495.

12

6 PREMIER PLAYERS

in the beginning of the 2010-11 campaign, head coach Jim Calhoun and Connecticut found themselves on the outside of the preseason top-25 rankings and without many expectations. Just four weeks into the season, however, the Huskies jumped to seventh in the AP poll and ninth in the esPn/UsA today Coaches poll from being

Yes U Conn

a fter a long, grueling season filled with ups and downs that spanned six months, the Connecticut Huskies Men’s Basketball team has reached the top of the college basketball world again. The Huskies defeated the Butler Bulldogs 53-41 in the 2011 NCAA National Championship game to claim their third national title in just 13 years. The championship game itself wasn’t the most memorable but the Huskies journey to claim the title was one that will leave a lasting impression in the minds of many college hoops fans.

previously unranked in both. All this happened due to their torrid 5-0 start which included wins over wichita state, michigan state and Kentucky to win the maui invitational (which was the beginning of UConn’s undefeated tournament play during the year). much of UConn’s early season success was

Connecticut players celebrate with the trophy after the men’s nCAA Final Four college basketball championship game against Butler monday, April 4, 2011, in

Houston. Connecticut won 53-41.

by marc Jenkins

contributed by their superstar junior guard Kemba walker, who scored at least 20 points in nine of the first 10 games including three 30-point performances and one 40-point outburst. Walker’s exceptional play led the Huskies to a 10-0 record and a fourth ranking overall in both polls. However, their first two losses were right around the corner with the beginning of Big East play. The Huskies would travel to Pittsburgh and get crushed by the Panthers 78-63 on December 27th. Then following a victory against south Florida, in their next game UConn would lose to Notre Dame (73-70) leaving them just 1-2 in conference play. After the nail-biting loss to notre Dame the Huskies would roll off six straight wins (four in conference and two versus ranked teams) and appeared to be back on track with their 17-2 record. By this time during the season, walker had established himself as one of the top players in the nation and freshman swingman Jeremy lamb began showing much needed signs of improvement. Despite everything seeming to work in Connecticut’s favor trouble was lurking right around the corner in form of inconsistent play. Following their 78-68 victory over marquette on January 25th (the win which put them at 17-2), the Huskies would go on to lose back-to-back games versus louisville (79-78 in double overtime) and syracuse (66-58) which would just be the beginning of their woes. Those two losses began a trend that the Huskies would endure for the remainder of the regular season which saw them dropping seven of their final 11 games and seeming as if their entire season was slipping down a drain. At the end of the regular season UConn would find themselves with a 21-9 record sitting in ninth place in the Big east standings, ranked 19th in the coaches poll, 21st in the AP poll and uncertain how their postseason picture would be painted. After all of those lopsided losses at the hands of quality opponents, the Huskies didn’t appear to have any fight left in them and not a chance in either the Big East tournament or the Big Dance. once the Big east tournament began, the Huskies found themselves having to play in the opening round versus DePaul and that is when the magic began. The first stroke of the wand came when UConn pulled off the five consecutive victories in five straight days which earned them the Big East tournament title. First, there was DePaul (97-71), then Georgetown (79-62), next Pittsburgh (76-74), followed by syracuse (76-71), and then louisville (69-66) in the championship game. Now that the Huskies were successful in claiming the Big east tournament title they would receive an automatic bid to the Big Dance with better seeding in a bracket. Entering the NCAA tournament the Huskies were a perfect 8-0 in tournament play and had unbelievable momentum on their side thanks to steam rolling through the toughest conference tournament in the nation. The team even picked up a

clever moniker along the way - Kemba and the Kids - due to the fact that walker was the leader of the squad and there were seven freshmen and two sophomores on the team. When the Big Dance began the Huskies were a very popular pick to advance deep and possibly make the Final Four but not many experts selected them to win it all. in their opening game of the tourney UConn would go on to dominate the Bucknell Bison 81-52 and advance to setup a Big east showdown in the next round versus the Cincinnati Bearcats. Connecticut would defeat Cincinnati 69-58 in a contest that seemed to go the Huskies way from the opening tip. In their Sweet Sixteen matchup with the San Diego Aztecs, the Huskies would get their first taste of a close game as the two teams would go back and forth for much of the game until UConn pulled ahead late and won 74-67. Up next was an Elite Eight matchup with the Arizona wildcats who seemed almost as hot as the Huskies. The Wildcats and Huskies had a terrific battle in this one, but in the end, walker and UConn were just too much as they would edge out Arizona by the score of 65-63 and sealed a berth to the school’s fourth Final Four appearance. In the National Semifinal game against the Kentucky wildcats, the Huskies didn’t appear to have the offense going as they did during many of the other tournament games. Walker had just 18 points in 40 minutes of action, and the entire team scored just 25 points in the second half that almost let the wildcats comeback and win the game. Yet, the Huskies held on and advanced to the national championship game where they would face the Butler Bulldogs. The title game featured one team who was just there last season and was expected to return (Butler) versus another who were completely inexperienced and no one predicted to reach this point (Connecticut). The hype leading up to the game was just as any other national title game, but the game itself failed to live up to the hype. It was one of the most offensively putrid championship games ever, but in the end, the only thing that mattered to the Huskies was the 53-41 outcome with them on top, allowing them to cut down the nets and claim the place on the throne as the top team in men’s college basketball. Kemba walker was named west regional and Final Four most outstanding Player as he and Coach Calhoun led their Huskies all the way to the promise despite not being ranked at the beginning of the year. The University of Connecticut is back on top and now the debate begins if they should be allowed in the conversation with the rest of the Blue Bloods (north Carolina, Duke, Kentucky, Indiana, Kansas and UCLA) as NCAA basketball royalty. either way, hats off to Kemba walker, Jeremy lamb, Jim Calhoun and the rest of the UConn Huskies men’s Basketball team. Right now, you guys are the kings of the sports world.

PREMIER PLAYERS �

� PREMIER PLAYERS

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PREMIER PLAYERS �

Ford launches three new personalization packages for 2012 Fiesta, including two interiorpackages and one exterior package offering customers the ultimate in customization.Shown here is the new premium sport appearance exterior package, inspired by theEuropean Ford Focus RS, it offers customers race-inspired blacked-out accessories,

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10 PREMIER PLAYERS

sound offNotre Dame fan Kevin Morrison, of Granger, Ind., arrives at Conseco Fieldhouse before the semifinals of the women’s nCAA Final Four college basketball tournament in Indianapolis, April 3.

Butler fan Chuck Pennington cheers before the men’s nCAA Final Four college basketball championship game against Connecticut, April 4.

Actress Ashley Judd, bottom right, joins fans in the Kentucky student section during a game

against Connecticut, April 2, in Houston.

virginia Commonwealth fans cheer before the game between Butler and VCU Saturday, April 2, in Houston.

Connecticut fan Brittany Gremus shows her support before the men’s nCAA Final Four college basketball

championship game against Butler, April 4.

Florida dancers perform during a break in a game against UC santa Barbara at a southeast regionalsecond round NCAA tournament college basketball game in Tampa, Fla., March 17, 2011.

12 PREMIER PLAYERS

with the 2011 nFl Draft fast approaching, it’s time to take some of the focus off of the ongoing labor situation and place it into the war rooms of the 32 teams in the league who are about to select this year’s new crop of players. During a three-day period beginning on April 28th and ending April 30th, 254 former collegiate football players will be selected by an nFl team and be one step closer to their dreams of playing professional football. There are some terrific prospects in this year’s draft and many of them staring on the defensive side of the ball. Here’s a look at some of the top players entering the 2011 NFL Draft and where they may end up.

Patrick Peterson, cB, LsU there has never been a defensive back selected higher than third overall but Patrick Peterson has all of the tools to be the first DB to be picked number one overall. At 6’0”, 219lbs, Peterson can run (4.34 40-yard dash time), tackle (137 career tackles) and make plays on both defense (seven career interceptions) and on special teams (39 punt returns for 422 yards and two touchdowns as well as 32 kickoff returns for 932 yards). Peterson is a once-every-decade DB who can be a huge playmaker for any team that selects him and there is a great chance that he’ll go number one overall. The Panthers, Broncos, Bills,

Patrick Peterson by marc Jenkins

Cardinals and 49ers are all possibilities for Peterson to wind up.

Von MiLLer, oLB, texas a&M von miller is the epitome dominance at the outside linebacker position. He is an excellent pass rusher who racked up 33 sacks during his four-year tenure as an Aggie and is also an effective run stopper. Miller is a tremendous athlete with great size (6’3” 246lbs.) who ran the 40-yard dash in 4.49 seconds, has vertical jump of 37 inches and was able to perform 21 reps bench pressing 225lbs. Miller could be selected as high as number one and it’s a chance Carolina, Denver, Buffalo and Cleveland are in the running for his services.

nick FairLey, Dt, aUBUrn nick Fairley was the anchor of a strong defensive line at Auburn and could be the anchor of any defensive line at the next level for the decade to come. Fairley is the ideal combination of speed and power in the middle of a defensive front and has the ability to not only stop the run effectively, but also create a strong pass rush from up the middle. At 6’3” 291lbs, Fairley will be the top defensive tackle selected in this year’s draft and will be an impact player from the moment he steps on the field. Each and every team that has a top five selection will be looking at taking him with their pick. So look for Fairley to go to Carolina, Denver, Buffalo, Cincinnati or Arizona.

BLaine GaBBert, QB, MissoUri Blaine Gabbert is by far the top quarterback entering the 2011 NFL Draft and will definitely be one of the first players off of the board on April 28th. Gabbert had an outstanding career at the University of missouri where he put up 6,822 passing yards and 40 touchdowns in basically two seasons (43 of those yards came in his first season). Gabbert is the prototypical sized signal caller at 6’4” 234lbs, has a very strong arm, makes good decisions and is very accurate (only threw 18 interceptions in 933 pass attempts). Any team that is looking for a franchise quarterback to select, Gabbert may be the guy this year. expect the Panthers, Bills, Cardinals and Browns to all have Gabbert near the top of their draft boards.

Da’QUan Bowers, De, cLeMson Da’Quan Bowers is the top defensive end available and will be an instant game changer at the next level. Bowers stands 6’4” 277lbs. and can impact a game with his ability to power rush the quarterback and also contain running plays toward his side of the field. During Bowers third and final season at Clemson, he recorded 67 tackles, 16 sacks, an interception and forced a fumble. At the scouting combine in February, Bowers ran the 40 yard dash in 4.7 seconds and lifted 225lbs. 22 times in 60 seconds during the bench press drill. Look for Bowers to go within the first six picks as some scouts are even saying he could be the best player. The Broncos,

PREMIER PLAYERS 13

Von MiLLer

14 PREMIER PLAYERS

Panthers, Bills and 49ers could all be teams that have him on their radar.

a.J. Green wr GeorGia Despite being suspended for the first four games of the 2010 season, A.J. Green still put up a terrific junior season for the Georgia Bulldogs. Green is the top prospect at wideout coming into this year’s draft and has the ability to help any offense in the NFL immediately. During his final season at Georgia, Green caught 57 passes for 848 yards and nine touchdowns. At the scouting combine Green ran the 40-yard dash in 4.48 seconds, recorded a vertical jump of 34.5 inches and completed 18 bench press reps. At 6’4” 211lbs, Green is a big physical receiver with great hands who will be a top ten pick without question. Green could go as early as three to the Bills or six to the Browns.

caM newton, QB, aUBUrn this article wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the 2010 Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton. Newton had an incredible season during his lone campaign at Auburn as he led them to a perfect season and a national title as well as cushioning his own draft stock. During his Heisman campaign, newton passed for 2,854 yards and 30 touchdowns along with rushing for another 1473 yards and 20 additional scores. Whether or not he will pan out to be an effective quarterback is yet to be seen but he is an interesting prospect that may be worth the risk depending on which team selects him. If he can improve on his pure quarterback skills, then he has a legitimate chance at being a top NFL QB for years to come. He could go as high as third to Buffalo or even as low as 25th to Seattle.

the draft will be here before we know it and it won’t be a moment too soon with all of the other distractions going on in the world of NFL football. It will definitely be interesting to see exactly what the buzz and hype will be surrounding the draft picks. I, for one, will be enjoying the draft and hoping that it isn’t the last official NFL event that takes place during 2011.

a.J. Green

Da’QUan Bowers

At Home With

PREMIER PLAYERS 1�

JOsH freemanby Steve Wright

At Home With

2010 was a big year for Josh Freeman. After sliding into the role of starting quarterback for the tampa Bay Buccaneers at the end of the 2009 season, the former Kansas state wildcats star took the nFl by storm in his second year. On the back of his poise and natural ability, tampa Bay went 10-6 and narrowly missed out on what would have been a genuinely surprising playoff berth. Freeman was rewarded for his big year by being named an alternate for the NFC in the Pro Bowl. with the 2011 season quickly approaching, Carnell moore, Ceo of Premier Players, was lucky enough to sit down and chat with Freeman about snakes, Braveheart, and a whole host of other topics to see what makes him tick.

Compare the 2009 season to the 2010 season and tell us what you attribute to the success of the team?Last year was a new year for the new regime. We had a new general manager, a first-year head coach and, you hate to say it, but it was a rebuilding year. We started out okay but we couldn’t win games. I felt like when I came in, we got into a rhythm at the end of the year and we continued that into the offseason, getting a few new

pieces. For me, personally, getting a full offseason to train and get better it allowed me to come out and play well from week one on.

How did you prepare in the offseason for last year?I covered everything, every aspect of my game. Whether it was watching film on myself and self scouting, or watching film on all our opponents and defensive coordinators to see their styles. I studied our playbook, the protection calls, to be able to go into the season and call the shots at quarterback. I feel like I made a big leap from year one to year two as far as feeling comfortable and understanding the offense to dictate the game. On top of that there was a lot of physical work, hitting the weight room, running, footwork and throwing drills which really helped improve my accuracy and completion percentage.

How do you plan on preparing for the 2011 season?I am going to keep working. My mentality going into every year is that I am fighting for my position. I want to continue and improve and not look back on last year and think it is going to come easy. I am going to continue to work and get better as a person both on and off the field.

what is the biggest difference between college and the pros?in the pros everyone is talented and because no one has to attend classes, the game and defenses seem so much faster because everyone knows exactly what they are doing all the time. It’s fun to be challenged though and come up with a different scheme each week to beat a certain defense.

16 PREMIER PLAYERS

You grew up in Kansas City, Mo. Are there any big differences between where you grew up and being on the East Coast?obviously, you move away from home but that hasn’t really been a big deal for me as I don’t get homesick. It is a bit of a whirlwind in your first year, and one of the things i wanted to get for my second year was a more permanent place to live and to surround myself with good people which was easy in the Bucs organization.

What do you like about living in Tampa?obviously the weather, but it’s just a nice place with plenty of nice and down to earth people around which is important when you are this far away from home.

What do you like to do to relax?I like to call the offseason “me time” as the first couple of months are spent relaxing and recuperating. I have been fishing a couple of times, played some golf, and plan to go home to see one of my buddies get married. I like to have people over to play video games, shoot pool. . . it’s a pretty nice little bachelor pad.

Where do you fish?We went up to Tarpon Springs and have been to St. Petersburg. I really want to go Goliath Grouper fishing but haven’t had the chance yet.

How about golfing?we usually play at the Bayou Club over in largo as one of my buddies is a member and we can play without losing a whole lot of balls (big smile).

Handicap?no comment (laughs)

What about favorite video games?I play a lot of Call of Duty and some FIFA and Mario Kart. i like to stick to the basics and be really good at a few games. I have never been great at Madden and I like to dominate online so I stick with what I am good at.

Who is your competition on the pool table?Mike Williams. He likes to go around telling people he just kicked my butt, but all our games are close.

Is it true you play piano?I haven’t had time recently but did growing up. When my family comes up, though, they do like to play.

What do you like to do outside the house?i have a pool and hot tub and when it’s warm outside we get some pretty good bashes going on here.

Do you grill and BBQ?Being from Kansas City my barbeque should be much better than it is but i can cook up some good hamburgers!

Do you do any charity work in the offseason?i attend a lot of events for ex-players’ foundations like Mike Alstott and Derrick Brooks. I plan to setup my own after I’ve narrowed down what I really want to support. Alstott is a great example to me because of how much money he raises and how his presence in the community is changing people’s lives.

PREMIER PLAYERS 1�

What kind of snakes do you have and what are their names? I have two Ball Python’s and a Burmese python. The Ball Python’s are called CJ and illithia, and the Burmese is Calypso.

Why snakes and how old were you when you got your first snake? I got my first snake when I was 10 and lost it in the house that same week. I don’t know why, but I’ve always been fascinated with them. Plus, they are low maintenance, so it works well with my busy schedule.

Do you have any other pets? nope, i’ve been thinking about getting a dog but can’t settle on a particular type.

Favorite musical artist and song? That’s a tough one. I like a lot of the newer Top 40 stuff, but at the same time, i would have to say my favorite is

AC/DC. I don’t know if I’ve played a football game in high school, college or the Pro’s without rockin’ out to Thunderstruck first.

Favorite actor/actress and movie? my favorite actor is russell Crowe and my favorite movie would have to be Braveheart. Something about war movies inspires me to want to be great.

What do you think of the Tampa Bay Fans?We have some of the best fans. There is so much support in the community and it is so refreshing to see people who love their team as much as Bucs fans do.

What is your goal for next season?the big goals are to throw more touchdowns and less interceptions; be more efficient on third downs; and throw a higher percentage of completions. Every year you want to do better than the year before, and with our offense, we are in a great position to do that.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman (5) looks for a receiver during an NFL football game.

1� PREMIER PLAYERS

by Steve Wright

20 PREMIER PLAYERS

while Butler and Uconn played one of the lowest scoring national title game in the history of men’s college hoops, a women’s tournament filled with many twists and turns came to a completion with a new name on top of the world as the texas A&m Aggies overcame Notre Dame, 76-70. there was no dream ending for Uconn who was aiming to threepeat the college basketball world for the second time in a decade; Brittney Griner and her magnetic media pull were not in attendance as texas A&m (at the fourth attempt) beat the lady Bears when it mattered most with a trip to the Final Four at stake; and one of the best coaches in top level basketball history, Pat summitt, could not coax her tennessee team to another title game.

in some ways, what we were left with felt better than the aforementioned storylines. There was a fresh and vibrant feel to the Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M match that is not often felt in a sport that is as top heavy as they come. With the usual suspects having fallen by the wayside two number 2 seeds were left facing off at Conseco Fieldhouse in indiana with a real chance to put their programs on the map. According to figures, around 3.8 million people watched the game on ESPN. Last year’s national title game that saw perennial powers UConn go for their second championship in a row against Stanford had only 3.5 million views tune in. This year, viewers tuned in because they would get a close and exciting game between two sets

of players that would put everything on the line to win the contest, and in a tribute to both teams, nobody was disappointed. nobody, that is, except for the thousands of notre Dame fans that had taken the short drive to indy creating a virtual home game environment for their team. This atmosphere helped dictate the flow of the game as the two teams slugged it out in a competitive heavyweight battle that we had hoped for in the men’s title game shown just a day earlier. while it is true that you don’t see the high-flying dunks and out-of-this-world athleticism in the women’s game, you do get something that seems to have been lost with the men’s game. Watching the national title game, it became more obvious than ever that the team ethos lost from

Texas

A&M

Stuns the

Fieldby Steve Wright

Texas A&M

Stunsthe Field

PREMIER PLAYERS 21

Brittney Griner

Texas

A&M

Stuns the

Field

the men’s game is alive and well with the women. There is no place here for a succession of isolation plays and drives to nowhere. Nor is there the default option of bricking up threes when the game is still well within reach. instead, what you get is a purist’s dream of a team playing as a team, probing for holes and gaps, and capitalizing on any mistake in the defense. Look at it that way and what initially can be seen as slow and plodding will soon be recognized as methodically working out the weaknesses of a defense. That is exactly what the Aggies did to the Irish. with a combination of pushing the ball and working their half court sets, texas A&m were able to do just enough to hold off a feisty notre

Dame squad. Danielle Adams led the Aggies, scoring 30 points on 13-of-22 shooting and grabbing nine rebounds to earn Most Outstanding Player. As difference makers go, Adams was at another level that night. “We had a plan,” Irish coach Muffet McGraw aptly pointed out. “We just weren’t able to stop her. She’s just a great player. She’s got a big body and we couldn’t get around her.” though Adams was a beast inside throughout the contest, she got plenty of help from her teammates (A&M was 54.7% from the field), and in particular Tyra White. White had perhaps the biggest basket of the game as she knocked down a massive 3-pointer as the shot clock buzzer sounded with 1:07 to go. This shot put the Aggies up by five and was the

put-it-in-the-deep-freeze play that the Irish just couldn’t recover from. it was back and forth contest but both teams had their spurts and chances to pull ahead. Notre Dame was spurred by the play of skylar Diggins (23 points) and Devereaux Paris (21 points), but they could never hit that killer basket that would have put some serious pressure on the Aggies’ resolve. One small solace for the irish is that as other teams are gutted by graduations, they may come in to the 2011-2012 season as the team to beat. in six month, that may mean something, but for now the women’s College Basketball world belongs to the Texas A&M Aggies for the first time ever. In this case, something different is definitely a VERY good thing.

Tyra White (20) of Texas A&M celebrates with her teammates after the Aggies defeated Stanford University in the Division I Women’s Basketball Semifinals. The Aggies would celebrate even more after they defeated Notre Dame for the national title.

2011 Ford Explorer

[ ]The strong C-pillar gives the newExplorer visual linkage to previous models.

24 PREMIER PLAYERS

Polanco

Builds a FootBall

dynasty in sPainby Roger Kelly

community

ERNIE ELSDRIvES TOIMPROvE THELIvES OFCHILDREN by Sam Smoot

ernie els is one of the most successful golfers of all time. He currently ranks twelfth in the world and first in his home country of South Africa. Els has won over 60 professional tournaments, including two U.S. Opens, an Open Championship, and seven world Matchplay titles. However, as Ernie els will be proud to be remembered as a great golfer, what he really wants to be remembered for is his efforts to improve the lives of children diagnosed with autism. ernie els’ seven year old son, Ben, was diagnosed with autism in 2005. His son’s condition opened his eyes to the fact that one in 91 children is affected by Autism.

in the spring of 2009, els decided to establish the els for Autism Foundation. The main goal of the foundation was to open the Center of Excellence. The foundation has started a campaign to raise $30 million to open the 300 student school and research center. the Center of excellence will provide people from the ages of 3 to 21 with cutting-edge education and therapy. The school also has a digital learning program to allow families and individuals all over the world to receive support from the center. not only has els raised money to help children with autism, but he also has started the ernie els and

Fancourt Foundation. The EEFF’s goal is to provide talented young south Africans from families with limited services with schooling, coaching, golfing, and life-skill assistance. Members of the EEFF will receive funds for annual school and golf club membership fees and professional golf lessons. They will also receive all equipment needed to play golf from Callaway and will be entered in multiple tournaments. ernie els has continued to succeed in helping unprivileged young golfers and children with autism just as he has succeeded in golf. To help Ernie Els’ efforts, you can visit www.ernieels.com.

PREMIER PLAYERS 2�

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Merrill Lynch Wealth Management makes available products and services offered by Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (MLPF&S) and other subsidiaries of Bank of America Corporation.Investment products:

MLPF&S is a registered broker-dealer, member Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) and a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation. © 2010 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.

Are Not FDIC Insured Are Not Bank Guaranteed May Lose Value

26 PREMIER PLAYERS

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TOM’S RESTAURANT2880 BroadwayNew York, NY212.864.6137

NEW YORkAqUARIUMW 8th St. @ Surf AvenueBrooklyn, NY 11224

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TOM’S RESTAURANT2880 BroadwayNew York, NY212.864.6137

NEW YORkAqUARIUMW 8th St. @ Surf AvenueBrooklyn, NY 11224

TAO42 E. 58th Street212.888.2288

HARD ROCk CAFEINTERNATIONAL221 W. 57th StNew York, NY 212.459.9320

PREMIER PLAYERS 2�

The limiTed producTioN 2012 musTANg Boss 302

30 PREMIER PLAYERS

player’s ink

the latin phrase “Fortius Quo Fidelius”, translated to English meaning “Strength Through Loyalty”, is tattooed on the arm of new york Yankees starting pitcher A.J. Burnett. Born in north little rock, Arkansas, the right-handed pitcher has many tattoos, including an Aztec symbol on his right leg, an image of Bruce lee on his triceps, and the Pisces glyph on his left hand in honor of his children who both are Pisces.

A.j.Burnett

player’s ink

Custom Game Gear$85

SLK 9

100% NYLON PRO MESH with 100% NYLON DAZZLE Panels

and accent trimPro tapered v-neck

wide shoulder tank top

2” Waistband with drawstringStandard inseam 10.5” for Men’sStandard inseam 9.5” for Women

Standard inseam 9” for Youth

PrinteD or witH tACKle twill letterinG!!!!

Reverse Game Gear $80

SLK 3609

Great for both home & away! 100% DRI-MAX Polyester on the

Home siDe (wHite)100% NYLON PRO MESH on the

AwAy siDe (Colors)100% NYLON DAZZLE accent trimthe perfect combo of style & wear

Pro tapered v-neck2” Waistband with drawstring

Standard inseam 10.5” for Men’sStandard inseam 9.5” for Women

Standard inseam 9” for Youth

The Ultimate Practice Gear $45

STYLE 247RT-247S

100% DRI-MAX polyesterwHite side

100% NYLON PRO MESH on ColoreD side

standard scoop neck tank top,1’ straight hem, closed

2” Waistband with drawstring

Standard inseam 10.5” for Men’sStandard inseam 9.5” for Women

Standard inseam 9” for Youth

- Available in Men’s, Women’s & youth sizes. - Premier Players BRAND MARK on left hip -

TO ORDER CALL 813.833.3495 or vISIT WWW.PREMIERPLAYERS.COM

Custom Game & Practice UniformsPREMIER P LAYER