Jared Reiner will return to the Ants lineup tonight. This will be a huge help as he will have Courtney Sims and Earl Barron to deal with from the Iowa Energy squad. To make room for Reiner we have waived Kyle McAlarney due to injury. This means we retain Kyle's rights and will bring him back when he recovers.
Everything is setup and ready for the big post-game concert tonight featuring 2009 Grammy nominated Sanctus Real. The concert will be taking place following the conclusion of the Mad Ants game. We have a ton of tickets pre-sold for this game and it should be the biggest crowd of the season to date. The pressure is on the team to pull out a big win against Iowa. We are currently 0-5 against league leader Iowa this season, with this being our last regular season game. Steve Warden had a story today detailing this exact topic.
The News Sentinel had a nice background story on Milwaukee Bucks assigned player Joe Alexander. Joe showed some glimpses of what he is capable of on Thursday and I expect to see him continue to improve tonight. The rust from being sidelines for 4 months is beginning to shake off. It will be good for the home crowd to have a "dunker" on the roster.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
I'LL BE BACK....AND I AM BACK
Looks like I am back to my old habits of being a lackadaisical blogger (akin to a lackadaisical "cover" when you don't hook the leg when going for a pin in pro wrestling). I don't have any excuses besides laziness. There have been plenty of things to write about. The Mad Ants being on VERSUS again last Saturday. Although the outcome of the game did not turn out well, I thought the quality of the broadcast was great, especially after the second week. Even though the Mad Ants don't play again on VERSUS for the remainder of the regular season, I encourage you to check out a game. They are on every Saturday night at 11pm EST.
A season ticket holder approached me last night with several questions about the current Mad Ants roster. We have had several changes/injuries occur and I can imagine it gets a little confusing for those playing along at home. So I thought it would be a great idea to go over where we are at with the current roster.
Oliver Lafayette: He is the starting point guard and healthy. Oliver is great because not only can he penetrate and dish, he can also shoot the three as well.
Jason Straight: Jason played with Dakota earlier in the season but later waived. We picked him up as our back-up PG with Kyle McAlarney being injured for last nights game. He had a nice outing dished out six assists in limited minutes
Kyle McAlarney: Kyle had some strained ligaments in his foot, but is feeling much better and could potentially be ready to go on Sunday.
Ron Howard: Mr. Mad Ant is sidelined with a broken finger. He should be back in approximately 3 weeks.
Rod Wilmont: Hot Rod is healthy as a horse and was a game changer in the 4th quarter last night in the win against Springfield.
Ryan Ayers: Ryan is also healthy and has really been improving over the course of the season. His corner three point shot is pretty much automatic at this point.
Rashad Anderson: Rashad was waived by Iowa and picked up by the Mad Ants earlier in the month. It was good timing as Rashad has managed to help fill in the hole that opened up when Ron Howard was injured.
Rob Kurz: Rob missed some games due to a sore back, but he is back to 100% and putting up some big numbers.
Jared Reiner: Reiner had some issues with his back but has just been cleared by the doctors to be at 100% and ready to return to action on Sunday.
Sean Sonderleiter: Sean is of course at 100%, his long wavy hair protects him from injury and also opens up a nice post-basketball career of male modeling.
Anthony Kent: AK had a slight abdominal strain but was able to play limited minutes last night. He will have a few days to heal up for Sundays game.
Joe Alexander: Joe is our NBA assigned player from the Milwaukee Bucks. He had not played with the Bucks all year due to a hamstring injury he suffered in training camp. He has been slowly upping his minutes with the Mad Ants as he gets his wind back. He had a thunderous dunk on Thursday night that showed he has not lost any of his vaunted jumping ability.
Well that is the rundown of the roster. Mad Ants are back in action Sunday Night (Jan. 31st) at 5pm against the Iowa Energy. This is the Mad Ants last regular season shot at beating the Energy! Sunday is also Youth Faith Night and we will have Grammy nominated Sanctus Real performing after the game.
I have a good feeling about this Sunday and the rest of the season. Injuries have been really holding the team back and we now have a nice home stretch for the guys to get healthy and back on track. See you at the game.
A season ticket holder approached me last night with several questions about the current Mad Ants roster. We have had several changes/injuries occur and I can imagine it gets a little confusing for those playing along at home. So I thought it would be a great idea to go over where we are at with the current roster.
Oliver Lafayette: He is the starting point guard and healthy. Oliver is great because not only can he penetrate and dish, he can also shoot the three as well.
Jason Straight: Jason played with Dakota earlier in the season but later waived. We picked him up as our back-up PG with Kyle McAlarney being injured for last nights game. He had a nice outing dished out six assists in limited minutes
Kyle McAlarney: Kyle had some strained ligaments in his foot, but is feeling much better and could potentially be ready to go on Sunday.
Ron Howard: Mr. Mad Ant is sidelined with a broken finger. He should be back in approximately 3 weeks.
Rod Wilmont: Hot Rod is healthy as a horse and was a game changer in the 4th quarter last night in the win against Springfield.
Ryan Ayers: Ryan is also healthy and has really been improving over the course of the season. His corner three point shot is pretty much automatic at this point.
Rashad Anderson: Rashad was waived by Iowa and picked up by the Mad Ants earlier in the month. It was good timing as Rashad has managed to help fill in the hole that opened up when Ron Howard was injured.
Rob Kurz: Rob missed some games due to a sore back, but he is back to 100% and putting up some big numbers.
Jared Reiner: Reiner had some issues with his back but has just been cleared by the doctors to be at 100% and ready to return to action on Sunday.
Sean Sonderleiter: Sean is of course at 100%, his long wavy hair protects him from injury and also opens up a nice post-basketball career of male modeling.
Anthony Kent: AK had a slight abdominal strain but was able to play limited minutes last night. He will have a few days to heal up for Sundays game.
Joe Alexander: Joe is our NBA assigned player from the Milwaukee Bucks. He had not played with the Bucks all year due to a hamstring injury he suffered in training camp. He has been slowly upping his minutes with the Mad Ants as he gets his wind back. He had a thunderous dunk on Thursday night that showed he has not lost any of his vaunted jumping ability.
Well that is the rundown of the roster. Mad Ants are back in action Sunday Night (Jan. 31st) at 5pm against the Iowa Energy. This is the Mad Ants last regular season shot at beating the Energy! Sunday is also Youth Faith Night and we will have Grammy nominated Sanctus Real performing after the game.
I have a good feeling about this Sunday and the rest of the season. Injuries have been really holding the team back and we now have a nice home stretch for the guys to get healthy and back on track. See you at the game.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Milwaukee Bucks Assign Joe Alexander to the Mad Ants
(Joe Alexander throwing it down)
As I predicted in a blog back in November (I am really full of myself), Joe Alexander has been assigned to the Mad Ants by the Milwaukee Bucks. Hoops fans will remember his run a few years back with West Virginia in the NCAA Tournament to the Elite 8. Joe suffered an injury in training camp and has been out all season. His time with the Mad Ants will be perfect to get back into game shape for the Bucks. Here is a clip of Joe to show what he can bring to Fort Wayne.
Joe is coming at a great time as we are currently without Jared Reiner and Ron Howard due to injury. Jared could be back fairly soon. Ron Howard is out four weeks with a fractured hand. Ron was having a great season, and we are hoping he makes a speedy recovery. Here is an article from Steve Warden in the Journal Gazette about the teams road trip.
Mad Ants are on the road tonight taking on the Austin Toros. Watch via Futrecast!
Friday, January 15, 2010
D-League Story of the Year!
Well I have been slacking, I admit that. We have had some good times and bad times while I have been away. We won a huge game against the Red Claws on Tuesday short handed, but then lost the next night in Erie. Oliver Lafayette had an amazing shooting performance in Erie on Wednesday, making something like his first 11 shots and going 6-8 from behind the arc. I think the team just ran out of gas in the 4th quarter (I apologize for the cliche). The schedule keeps getting worse for the Mad Ants as now the guys are in Sioux Falls with back-to-back games tonight and tomorrow. After Saturday the Mad Ants will have played 6 games in eight days. BRUTALITY!
The word is that Rob Kurz will be in Sioux Falls tonight to hopefully return to action. Let's hope the plane ride does not flare up the back injury. Jared Reiner is unlikely to see action this weekend but I know he wants to get back into action. We will just have to wait and see if he is healthy enough to go.
Some sad news also happened this week, as the Mad Ants released DeWitt Scott from the team. DeWitt is an IPFW grad and has been with the team for the past two seasons. He is one of the office favorites, as he is such a nice guy. He was always great at appearances at schools or with youth basketball. I have a feeling another team in the league will pick him up, and we could be seeing him on the opposite bench sometime soon. I wish him the best of luck.
The D-League Story of the Year has to be Sundiata Gaines hitting the game winning buzzer beater over Lebron and the Cavs last night. Gaines had just begun his second 10-day contract with the team. For those of you with short memories, Gaines was called up from the Utah Jazz during the D-League Showcase. He had been playing for the Idaho Stampede. Here is a clip of the big shot!
Just a tremendous story, and I am sure Sundiata is having trouble keeping a smile on his face all day today. Make sure to watch the Mad Ants tonight on FutureCast as they take on the Skyforce! Tip-off is at 8pm EST.
I will leave you with some pictures of my friends visit to a Mad Ants game a few weeks back. My friend from High School/College, Julie, was in town from Australia with her Australian boyfriend Justin and their baby Hayden. Of course they had to catch a Mad Ants game while they were in town. It is clear that even at four months, Hayden has some serious game!
(Hayden and the lovely Madame Ants)
(Hayden enjoying a visit from the Mad Ant)
Have a great weekend!
The word is that Rob Kurz will be in Sioux Falls tonight to hopefully return to action. Let's hope the plane ride does not flare up the back injury. Jared Reiner is unlikely to see action this weekend but I know he wants to get back into action. We will just have to wait and see if he is healthy enough to go.
Some sad news also happened this week, as the Mad Ants released DeWitt Scott from the team. DeWitt is an IPFW grad and has been with the team for the past two seasons. He is one of the office favorites, as he is such a nice guy. He was always great at appearances at schools or with youth basketball. I have a feeling another team in the league will pick him up, and we could be seeing him on the opposite bench sometime soon. I wish him the best of luck.
The D-League Story of the Year has to be Sundiata Gaines hitting the game winning buzzer beater over Lebron and the Cavs last night. Gaines had just begun his second 10-day contract with the team. For those of you with short memories, Gaines was called up from the Utah Jazz during the D-League Showcase. He had been playing for the Idaho Stampede. Here is a clip of the big shot!
Just a tremendous story, and I am sure Sundiata is having trouble keeping a smile on his face all day today. Make sure to watch the Mad Ants tonight on FutureCast as they take on the Skyforce! Tip-off is at 8pm EST.
I will leave you with some pictures of my friends visit to a Mad Ants game a few weeks back. My friend from High School/College, Julie, was in town from Australia with her Australian boyfriend Justin and their baby Hayden. Of course they had to catch a Mad Ants game while they were in town. It is clear that even at four months, Hayden has some serious game!
(Hayden and the lovely Madame Ants)
(Hayden enjoying a visit from the Mad Ant)Have a great weekend!
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Mad Ants Win!
The Mad Ants broke the five game losing streak last night against the Erie Bayhawks. Not even Mad Ants Asst Coach Steve Gansey's brother Mike could stop us with 19 pts and 10 rebs. The game got a little scary at the end with the Bayhawks climbing back from a 13 point deficit to get within one as the 4th quarter was running low. You can find the box score here.
The Mad Ants and Erie play again at 2pm today (Sunday). This is a big game for the Ants to get back on track, as after the home game against Maine on Tuesday we have a horrendous road trip coming up. We need to start stockpiling wins in a hurry!
For those wondering, Rob Kurz is out with a back injury but I do not think it will keep him out an extended period of time. He was traveling with the team and in street clothes last night.
The Tuesday Night home game on Jan. 12th is Tropical Vacation Night, so make sure to wear your Hawaiian gear! Tip-off is at 7pm.
The Mad Ants and Erie play again at 2pm today (Sunday). This is a big game for the Ants to get back on track, as after the home game against Maine on Tuesday we have a horrendous road trip coming up. We need to start stockpiling wins in a hurry!
For those wondering, Rob Kurz is out with a back injury but I do not think it will keep him out an extended period of time. He was traveling with the team and in street clothes last night.
The Tuesday Night home game on Jan. 12th is Tropical Vacation Night, so make sure to wear your Hawaiian gear! Tip-off is at 7pm.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
A touching moment in the D-League
Check out this video where Sundiata Gaines of the Idaho Stampede gets his NBA Gatorade Call-up....LITERALLY! A great moment and really what this league is all about.
By the way I found this video by visiting the best news site in the D-League, the one and only Ridiculous Upside. They have some great coverage on the D-League showcase which is going on now. The Mad Ants take on Idaho tonight minus the above mentioned Sundiata Gaines. Tip-off is at 9:15 est and as always can be watched free on Futurecast HERE. Let's hope the Mad Ants can take advantage of the timing of Gaines call-up and get the win!
By the way I found this video by visiting the best news site in the D-League, the one and only Ridiculous Upside. They have some great coverage on the D-League showcase which is going on now. The Mad Ants take on Idaho tonight minus the above mentioned Sundiata Gaines. Tip-off is at 9:15 est and as always can be watched free on Futurecast HERE. Let's hope the Mad Ants can take advantage of the timing of Gaines call-up and get the win!
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
70's Night Pictures
(Jared Reiner repping the 70's)
So we may have got beat pretty bad on Sunday by the Iowa Energy, but we did not let that stop us from having a good time! Here are some photos from 70's night courtesy of Mad Ants Photographer Randy Jackson:
(Madame Ants and a mysterious man practicing a dance pre-game)
(Our fearless leader Jackie Moon...I mean Jeff Potter)
(Coach Sanders getting into the 70's vibe)
(The Mad Ant looking good)
(Proving why I am the most powerful blogger in the D-League with my stunning attire)And now because I know the real reason most of you come to my blog, I present a new feature called "Random Madame Ant Pictures":
(What is Laura doing????)Saturday, January 2, 2010
Reiner to play on Sunday?
The Mad Ants will be taking on the Iowa Energy at home tomorrow (Sunday) with a 5pm tip-off. This will be a huge rematch after the triple overtime loss in Iowa last week. After being a game above .500, we have now fell back to a game under. To keep ourselves in the playoff picture we are going to need to beat Iowa at some point, so why not start tomorrow? Will Jared Reiner be back on Sunday? Let's ask Reggie Hayes and the News Sentinel.
You want to know about Jared's toughness? Do you want to know why I am asking so many questions in this blog? This quote from the article will answer one of those quesitons:
“I shot two free throws and had to hold my lower lip in with my upper lip, then spit blood under my jersey just to shoot free throws,” Reiner said. “Then the ref said, ‘You can’t play like that.’ They took me out and put the stitches in. I quit counting at 15, so there might have been a couple more.”
Taylor Griffin will be in town tomorrow, on assignment with the Iowa Energy from the Phoenix Suns. Griffin is an Oklahoma alumni and better known as the brother of 2009 Number 1 Draft Pick Blake Griffin. He is a 6'8 forward who gives Iowa another big body at that position. Just another reason we need Reiner back!
PS, tomorrow is 70's night! Get your outfit together.
You want to know about Jared's toughness? Do you want to know why I am asking so many questions in this blog? This quote from the article will answer one of those quesitons:
“I shot two free throws and had to hold my lower lip in with my upper lip, then spit blood under my jersey just to shoot free throws,” Reiner said. “Then the ref said, ‘You can’t play like that.’ They took me out and put the stitches in. I quit counting at 15, so there might have been a couple more.”
Taylor Griffin will be in town tomorrow, on assignment with the Iowa Energy from the Phoenix Suns. Griffin is an Oklahoma alumni and better known as the brother of 2009 Number 1 Draft Pick Blake Griffin. He is a 6'8 forward who gives Iowa another big body at that position. Just another reason we need Reiner back!
PS, tomorrow is 70's night! Get your outfit together.
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