Video Update

So my blog has fallen off the face of the earth again I fully admit it. My excuse is that I was out saving the world....not sure what Jeff Potter's excuse is! The Mad Ants are back from the All-Star break and return to action tonight in Erie. If you are reading this blog then you already know you can watch FREE, LIVE, and ONLINE via NBA Futurecast. The game tips off at 7:30pm EST.

We have some new faces with the Mad Ants (big surprise!) so let's quickly get everyone up to date on the roster.

Sean Sonderleiter and Sadiel Rojas have both been waived due to injury. Sadiel took a nasty fall in Iowa and will most likely be out for the rest of the season as he suffered a back injury. Sadiel is doing fine and will make a full recovery. He is getting excellent treatment from FWO and doing his physical therapy here in Fort Wayne. Sean is day to day right now. Mike Tisdale was waived due to personal reasons and he will not return to the team.

Devan Downey will return to the active roster after recovering from an ankle injury. He will be joined on the team by two new additions in NC State grad 6'9 Ben McCauley. McCauley has played overseas the past few years and also participated in a couple different NBA Summer League camps.

(Ben McCauley at NC State)

Another addition to the team is 6'8 forward Kevin Coble who Big Ten fans will remember from Northwestern. Let's have Kevin tell you a little about how he ended up on the Mad Ants roster via the Martz Madness I-Phone Interview...



Speaking of I-Phone interviews here are a couple more with Coach Steve Gansey and Darnell Lazare talking about their experience at All-Star weekend and also looking ahead to tonight's game in Erie.





I hope to see everyone on Friday and Saturday at the big Mad Ants home stand as we play Dakota on Friday and LA on Saturday. Tip Off is at 7:30pm both nights. The good news is it looks like LA's star player Gerald Green (2007 NBA Dunk Champ) was called up by the NJ Nets. We have had a real tough stretch this past month but I have faith that the Ants can pull it together and put together a good showing for what will be two of our biggest crowds of the season judging form presale tickets.

Back to the Fort

It feels like it has been a while since the last Mad Ants home game, and rightfully so with the last defense of the Colony being January 17th. The Mad Ants are back on the Coliseum hardwood Thursday & Friday (Feb 2nd/3rd) battling Eastern Conference rival Maine Red Claws.

Besides having a mascot that could pass as the Mad Ant's less cool half-brother... the Red Claws also have a former Mad Ant on the roster in center Anthony Kent.


There was some bad news today, as Mad Ants point guard Tory Jackson had a nasty ankle sprain at practice. It looks like he will be out for roughly three weeks, which is a real shame as Tory had been really stepping up as the starting PG with Walker Russell JR getting called up to the Pistons. That puts recent Mad Ant and Michigan State Spartan Travis Walton as the starter and causing the Mad Ants to sign a player out of the D-League Player pool.

That player is Devan Downey who played his college ball with the South Carolina Gamecocks. Downey finished his college career in 2009-10 averaging 22.5 points to go along with 3.5 assists.
Devan played in Turkey last season and this will be his first foray into the NBA D-League. He will be thrown in the mix and will be dressing for Thursday night's game. He actually will also be arriving on Thursday as I am picking him up from the airport tomorrow morning! That is a common story in the D-League and I hope Downey is a quick study!



Ron Howard is still injured and will be missing this week's home stand. Another loss to the roster is Darington Hobson who was just recalled to the Milwaukee Bucks a few hours ago.

So obviously we will be short on players tomorrow, so if you have ever wanted to play in the D-League show up at the Coliseum tomorrow for the game and Jeff Potter may just make your dream come true! Please note that Jeff Potter's blog was last updated on January 11th... but I guess he has still not went a year between blogs like this fella...(good thing Jeff never reads my blog *sob*)


Walker Russell Jr had the best game of his short NBA career as a Detroit Piston tonight as he put up 12 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists against the New Jersey Nets in a close 99-96 loss. Walker continues to play big minutes and prove he has earned his right to be on an NBA roster. Walker's NBA Call-UP banner will be going up in the Coliseum concourse tomorrow night and be put up for every Mad Ants home game for the rest of time.

There is all your Mad Ant's news... and I managed to go an entire blog without mentioning you should come Thursday and Friday night to see our brand new Assistant Coach/NCAA National Champion/Olympic Gold Medalist Christian Laettner on the sideline.

Basically you have no reason to miss this Thursday or Friday's game so I will ANTicipate seeing each and every one of your faces there. Tip off for Thursday is 7pm and Friday is 7:30pm. Still working on my Super Hero costume for Friday but I always seem to come through...