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Last Updated: Thursday, Sept. 2, 2010 -  4 p.m.

RIVER CATS PLAYOFF TICKETS ON SALE

    WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Sept. 1, 2010) - Sacramento River Cats recently took over first place and currently hold a 2.5 game lead over the Fresno Grizzlies. With just five games remaining in the regular season fans should secure their Playoff tickets early. Tickets are now on sale at the Raley Field Ticket Office, www.rivercats.com and Ticketmaster. Individual game tickets are available as well as full Playoff strips, which provide the best value.
    The Comeback Cats “magic number” to clinch their ninth division title in 11 years is three (“magic number” refers to the combined number of River Cats victories and Fresno losses necessary for Sacramento to clinch the division, including the tiebreaker which Sacramento holds over Fresno as having the best record against clubs in the South Division). The River Cats have won a remarkable four PCL Championships (2003, 2004, 2007 and 2008) and two Triple-A Championships (2007 and 2008) in the franchise’s 10 seasons.
    Should the River Cats qualify for postseason play, the team will host games 1 and 2 (Sept. 8 and 9) of the five-game Pacific Conference Championship Series at Raley Field. Games 3, 4 and 5 (games 4 and 5 if necessary) would be played on the road. If the season ended today, the Cats’ first-round opponent would be the Tacoma Rainiers (Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners), who own a 3.5 game lead in the North Division.
    If the River Cats advance to the PCL Championship Series (also a best-of-five format) they would again host games 1 and 2 (Sept. 14 and 15) at Raley Field. Games 3, 4 and 5 (games 4 and 5 if necessary) would be played on the road. If the River Cats were to win this series and be crowned Pacific Coast League Champions, they would then play the International League Champion in the Triple-A Baseball National Championship Game in Oklahoma City on Tuesday, September 21.

CATS OUTFIELDER NAMED TO ALL-PCL

    WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Sept. 1, 2010) - Sacramento River Cats outfielder Chris Carter was named to the 2010 Pacific Coast League (PCL) All-Star Team, League officials announced Wednesday. The prestigious team, featuring the League’s best players at every position, is selected by the vote of the PCL’s field managers and media based on season-long performance.
    The 23-year-old Carter is currently among the top four PCL leaders in home runs, RBIs, runs and total bases. He is only the second River Cat player all-time to hit more than 30 home runs in a season. Earlier in the week, Carter was announced as the 2010 MVP and Best Offensive Player for the River Cats as voted on by Team Manager Tony DeFrancesco and local media.
 

RIDE THE TRAIN TO RAIDERS GAMES

    OAKLAND, Calif. (Sept. 1, 2010) - For the fourth straight season, the Oakland Raiders have teamed up with Capitol Corridor to provide Raiders fans an easy and environmentally friendly transit to Raiders home games.

    Raider fans receive a 25 percent discount on Capitol Corridor train rides to the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum during all regular season home games of the 2010 season. With up to 32 trains a day between Sacramento and the Bay Area, the Capitol Corridor offers an
enjoyable family experience and makes travel simple.
    "Capitol Corridor is proud to partner with the Raider Nation and help fans get to home games a bit easier," Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority Chair Jim Holmes said. "With our special Raider Nation discount you can save money, save gas and enjoy a stress-free, comfortable ride without the hassle of driving."
    Ticket buyers can log on to www.CapitolCorridor.org and enter code H842 to take advantage of the 25 percent discount offer, or call 1-877-9-RIDECC (1-877-974-3322) for details.

MOUNTAIN LIONS TO HOLD MOCK GAME

AT FOOTHILL HIGH THURSDAY, SEPT. 2

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Aug. 31, 2010) - The Sacramento Mountain Lions will hold a mock football game at Foothill High School on Thursday, September 2 from 7:30-9 p.m. Saturday afternoon’s mock game at Rio Linda High School was well attended.
    “It’s another chance for us to play on an artificial surface,” said Mountain Lions head coach Dennis Green, whose team will play its home games on a similar surface at Sacramento State. “And this time it’s at night and a lot of our games will also be at night.”
    Foothill High School is located at 5000 McCloud Drive in Sacramento. Admission and parking are free and open to the public. Mountain Lions staff will be on hand selling tickets and team merchandise. The team will also give away a Mountain Lions jersey.
    In addition to the mock game that evening, the team will hold a public practice at the Harvard Corporate Center from 8:45-11 a.m. Thursday. Training camp, always open to the public, will continue at the Harvard Corporate Center through September 10. The Harvard Corporate Center is located at 2241 Harvard Street, across from the Hilton Hotel. Free parking can be found across the street at the back of the Hilton parking lot.
    For season ticket information, fans may visit www.SacMountainLions.com.

RIVER CATS TIE FRESNO FOR FIRST

    WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Aug. 28, 2010) - Catcher Anthony Recker hit his third and fourth home runs of the series as Sacramento rallied for a 12-4 victory over the Fresno Grizzlies.

    With the victory, Sacramento is tied with Fresno for first place in the Pacific Coast League South Division standings heading into Sunday’s series finale.

    A sellout crowd (14,014 fans), Raley Field’s eighth sellout this season, watched Sacramento jump to a 6-0 lead in the first inning. Recker smacked his first of two home runs in the first inning, a two-run blast to center field. In the eighth inning, Recker hit a mammoth home run to left field that landed over the Jackson Rancheria Home Run Terrace.

    Sacramento starter Clayton Mortensen (13-6, 4.02), who allowed three runs over 6.2 innings, moved into a tie for second place with Jason Windsor for most single-season wins in River Cats history with 13. Justin Duchscherer holds the single-season River Cats record with 14 wins in 2003.
 

MTN. LIONS MOVE SATURDAY'S

PRACTICE TO RIO LINDA HIGH SCHOOL

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Aug. 27, 2010) - The Sacramento Mountain Lions announced that training camp will be moved to Rio Linda High School for both practices on Saturday, August 28. The team will hold two training sessions, the first from 8:45-10:30 am, and the second from 2:30-3:45 p.m. Admission and parking are free and open to the public.
    The new location features a turf field similar to that recently installed at Sacramento State’s Hornet Field where home games will be played. It will also allow easier access for fans.
    “We are looking forward to having two practices over at Rio Linda High School – playing on the same surface where we will play five games this season (home games plus one road game),” Mountain Lions coach Dennis Green said. “In the morning we’ll practice – all aspects. And in the afternoon we’ll do a mock game . . . And it’s easy for fans to get to if people want to come out and watch.”
    Practice will resume as scheduled on Monday, August 30 at the Harvard Corporate Center, 2241 Harvard Street, across from the Hilton Hotel. Camp will continue at this location through September 10, unless otherwise announced. Parking for Harvard Corporate Center is located across the street at the back of the Hilton parking lot.

RAIDERS LAUNCH FACEBOOK PAGE

    OAKLAND, Calif. (Aug. 27, 2010) - The Oakland Raiders have joined the Facebook community. Please be sure to “like” the official Raiders Facebook page which includes an official fan page and features news, notes, photos, videos, exclusive merchandise offers, and an event calendar - with more exciting features to be added in the coming weeks. Be sure to visit often.
    The Raiders are leaders in providing online content to their fans around the globe and are excited to add Facebook as another way to communicate with and interact with the worldwide Raider Nation.

    Fans wishing to follow the team via Facebook can log on to http://www.facebook.com/raiders. Don’t forget that you can also follow the Raiders on Twitter.

RAIDER NATION CELEBRATION AUG. 27

    OAKLAND, Calif. (Aug. 27, 2010) - The Raider Nation Celebration is set for Friday, August 27 from 4– 6 p.m. at Frank Ogawa Plaza in downtown Oakland.

    This family-friendly event will feature current Raiders players and coaches, Raider Legends and the Raiderettes as well as chances to win exciting prizes.

    This FREE event features select autograph and photo opportunities with the Raiderettes and Raider Legends, the Super Bowl Trophies on display and live interviews with Legends and current players.

    The Oakland Raiders kick off the 2010 home schedule this Saturday versus the San Francisco 49ers at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Kickoff is slated for 6:00 p.m. (PT).
    Follow the Raiders at www.raiders.com and on Twitter for updates and more.

RAIDERS GET LOTTERY SCRATCHERS

    OAKLAND, Calif. (Aug. 26, 2010) - As part of the many exciting activities leading up to its 25th anniversary, the California Lottery will team up with California’s professional football for the first time ever to present fans with football Scratchers tickets.

    Tomorrow’s event with the Oakland Raiders – part of Back to Football: The Raider Nation Celebration – officially launches Oakland Raiders Scratchers tickets, a brand-new ticket for the Lottery. Fans that purchase these Scratchers tickets can enter their non-winners on the Lottery’s Replay website for a chance to win unique and exclusive second-chance Raiders prizes, including suites to games, trips to the Raiders Combine, a dinner with a Raiders Legend, autographed helmets and jerseys from current players, VIP ticket packages, and a trip to the 2011 NFL Draft.

CALIFORNIA LOTTERY OFFERS NEW SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS SCRATCHERS

    SANTA CLARA, Calif. (Aug. 27, 2010) - For the first time in its history, the California Lottery is teaming up with the San Francisco 49ers to put out a fantastic new Scratchers ticket that gives players a chance to win unique prizes like season tickets, luxury suites and tailgate parties, while also giving them the opportunity to take away instant cash.
    The new 49ers Scratchers ticket combines the action and the thrills of professional football with the excitement of the Lottery. It is a joint marketing arrangement designed to appeal to football fans and Lottery players.
    “This partnership brings two organizations with a great track record of achieving a common goal: entertaining their fans,” said Lottery Director Joan Borucki at a news conference this morning at the 49ers’ training facility. “It also gives fans of pro football and the Lottery another reason to get excited about the upcoming season.”
    Here’s how the ticket works – players scratch off the 12 helmets on the ticket, which features the 49ers logo and a picture of Candlestick Park, to see if they have won cash prizes of up to $20,000.
    But if you don’t win the first time around, there is nothing to worry about. All of these tickets can be entered on the Lottery’s Replay Program website, which gives players a second opportunity to win 49ers related prizes.

CRAMER EARNS PCL PITCHING HONOR

    WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Aug. 23, 2010) - Sacramento River Cats starting pitcher Bobby Cramer was named the Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week for the week of August 16-22, League officials announced Monday. This marks the second time a River Cats player has won the weekly award this season (Kyle Middleton won Pitcher of the Week from June 21-27).
    The 30-year-old left-hander made two starts during the week, finishing 1-1 with a 0.64 ERA over 14.0 innings pitched. On Monday, August 16, Cramer allowed seven hits, one earned run and struck out eight as the River Cats fell, 3-2, to the visiting Omaha Royals. He followed that performance allowing just two hits and striking out seven over 8.0 scoreless innings as the River Cats topped the Salt Lake Bees, 3-0, on August 21. Overall for the River Cats this season, Cramer is 2-1 with a 1.57 ERA in four games and 23.0 innings pitched.
    Cramer, a native of Anaheim, California is in his second stint with the River Cats. He appeared in six games with Sacramento in 2009, including one start.

DIVAC INDUCTED INYO FIBA H.O.F.

    GENEVA. (Aug. 20, 2010) - A total of 17 outstanding basketball personalities from 12 different countries will be inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame on September 12th during the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Istanbul, Turkey, FIBA announced on Friday, including former Kings’ center Vlade Divac.
    National icons Oscar Schmidt from Brazil, Arvydas Sabonis from Lithuania, Dino Meneghin from Italy, Divac and Dragan Kicanovic from Serbia are among the inductees for the 2010 Class of the FIBA Hall of Fame. Two of the best female players of all time, Cheryl Miller from the USA and Natalia Zassoulskaya from Russia, complete the list of players. A combined 14 Olympic medals and 15 FIBA World Championship medals underline the prominence of the seven players and three coaches inducted.
    The selected referees and contributors were at the top of the game for decades and belong to the most decorated in their field. “The 2010 Class has stardom, character and countless merits for the promotion of our game,” said FIBA President Bob Elphinston. “The inductees were and still are brilliant on and off the court. We are very proud to host the 2010 ceremony in the presence of all these great women and men during the FIBA World Championship and give them the public platform they deserve.” Here is the full list of the 2010 FIBA Hall of Fame Class:

PLAYERS
Divac, Vlade (Serbia)
Kicanovic, Dragan (Serbia)
Meneghin, Dino (Italy)
Miller, Cheryl (USA)
Sabonis, Arvydas (Lithuania)
Schmidt, Oscar (Brazil)
Zassoulskaya, Natalia (Russia)

COACHES
Gaze, Lindsay (Australia)
Gomelsky, Evgeny (Russia)
Novosel, Mirko (Croatia)

TECH OFFICIALS
Bain, Jim (USA)
Dimou, Konstantinos (Greece)

CONTRIBUTORS
Killian, George (USA)
Otto, Hans-Joachim (Germany)
Segura de Luna, Ernesto (Spain) (posthumously)
Seye Moreau, Abdoulaye (Senegal)
Ramsay, Al (Australia)*
* Al Ramsay was selected for the 2009 Class, but will officially be enshrined in 2010.

    The complete profiles of the 2010 FIBA Hall of Fame inductees can be found on www.halloffame.fiba.com.

COMPETITION FOR DAUNTE! NIGHTHAWKS SIGN FORMER 49ERS QB JEFF GARCIA

    OMAHA, Neb. (Aug. 18, 2010) - The Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League today announced the signing of quarterback Jeff Garcia. The UFL expansion team welcomes the former San Francisco 49ers star and four-time Pro Bowl selection to Omaha as head coach Jeff Jagodzinski prepares to open training camp this week.
    Garcia played five seasons with the 49ers during an illustrious career that includes time spent with the Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was MVP of the 1998 Grey Cup and a four-time all-star in the Canadian Football League while playing for the Calgary Stampeders.
    “I am delighted to sign a clearly talented veteran quarterback who will bring experience and a winning mentality to our team,” said coach Jagodzinski. “Jeff is a one of the game’s true competitors and will have a positive impact on his teammates and will be an exciting player for the Nighthawks fans to cheer at Rosenblatt Stadium.”
    Garcia is one of only eight quarterbacks in NFL history who have achieved back-to-back 30-touchdown passing seasons (2000 and 2001) at least once in their career. He was voted to three consecutive Pro Bowls from 2000 to 2002, and was honored again in 2007 as a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
    “I am so ready and excited to be heading to the great city of Omaha to represent the Nighthawks of the United Football League,” said Garcia. “I know that the state of Nebraska has a great passion for football and I can already see that the people of Omaha have fully embraced the Nighthawks. I still have the drive, commitment, and ability to play this game at the highest level and one thing that I definitely share with the people of Omaha is a passion for the game. I look forward to sharing these future experiences with the Nighthawks' great fans.”
    The Mountain Lions visit Omaha on Oct. 2 and then host the Nighthawks at Hornet Field on Nov. 13.
 

MOUNTAIN LIONS SINGLE GAME TICKETS

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Aug. 16, 2010) - The Sacramento Mountain Lions, a professional football team from the United Football League, will host a single-game ticket event on Friday, August 20, 2010, from 6-9pm at Hornet Field in Sacramento, to celebrate the start of individual game tickets going on sale. Up until now only season tickets have been available.
    To commemorate the occasion, a large group of Mountain Lions players will be on hand to sign autographs and interact with fans. Mountain Lions head coach Dennis Green will stop by as well.
    The Mountain Lions complete cheerleading squad, which includes 32 members, will perform publicly for the first time.
    The event will feature a limited amount of Mountain Lions merchandise and a quarterback-challenge competition that Mountain Lions fans can participate in, among other surprises. There will also be an enter-to-win contest where a lucky fan can take home an autographed Mountain Lions jersey.
    “We are really excited about this event. Coach Green put it best – usually a town introduces themselves to a team but we want to introduce Sacramento to professional football – show them that we are doing it the right way,” said Joe Wagoner, Mountain Lions Director of Business Management. “And this is a chance for fans to actually sit in their seats, check out sightlines and envision what it’s going to be like on opening night (first home game Sept. 25).”
    Also, being displayed for the first time at this event, will be a custom-painted Sacramento Mountain Lions Harley Davidson motorcycle.
    Mountain Lion season tickets are available at: www.tickets.com or Mountain Lion Ticket Office at (916) 383-LION (5466).
 

MTN. LIONS OPEN TRAINING CAMP

    JACKSONVILLE, Florida (Aug. 12, 2010) - The time for talk, analysis and anticipation is over. It is time for the teams of the United Football League to take the field.
    The first of the training camps for the five UFL teams participating in the 2010 season begin this weekend, as the Florida Tuskers report for physicals and conditioning tests on Friday, August 14 and then practice for the first time at the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando on Monday, August 16.
    Both the Las Vegas Locomotives and Hartford Colonials open camp on Monday August 16 and take to the field at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas and Sage Park in Berlin, CT, respectively on Wednesday, August 18.
    The Omaha Nighthawks report on Thursday, August 19 before making their debut at the city’s Kroc Center on Saturday, August 21. The Sacramento Mountain Lions are the last team to report on Sunday, August 22 before practicing at USAA Recreation Field on Tuesday, August 24.
    “There is a lot of anticipation for our second season to start and once teams get underway at training camp, there really is that excitement of the kickoff only being a short time away,” said UFL Commissioner MICHAEL HUYGHUE. “This year our fans can follow their teams’ progress in the five home cities and as part of our promise to bring the fans closer to the action, elements of all training camps are open to the public.”
    Each team’s daily practice schedule and player roster will be available at www.UFL-Football.com.

KINGS ANNOUNCE PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Aug. 12, 2010) - The Sacramento Kings today announced their 2010 NBA preseason schedule, which opens on Tuesday, October 5th at ARCO Arena against the Phoenix Suns (7 pm PDT).
    The Kings’ seven-game exhibition slate is highlighted by three home games at ARCO Arena versus the Los Angeles Clippers, featuring Blake Griffin on October 7th and Northern California rivals Golden State Warriors on October 12th.
    Rounding out the Kings’ four-game road schedule is a contest against the Warriors on October 10th, the Los Angeles Lakers on October 13th at the Thomas & Mack Center on the UNLV campus in Las Vegas, as well as an October 19th tilt at the Clippers and October 22nd outing at Utah.
    The Kings have a ticket plan for every fan, including season passes for less than $17 per game. Call 888-91-KINGS or log-on to www.Kings.com/tickets for more information.

MTN. LIONS DANCE TEAM AT BADGE VS. BADGE EVENT AUG. 13

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Aug. 11, 2010) - The Sacramento Mountain Lions dance team will be working the crowd at the Badge vs. Badge event on Friday, August 13 at the Radisson Hotel in Sacramento. Badge vs. Badge is an amateur boxing organization where Law Enforcement and Fire Fighters can fight for a sanctioned State or US Title, and be ranked under the IAB (International Amateur Boxing) organization. The competitors include firefighters, police officers and prison guards.
    Local fight fan Ed Ortiz is really excited to have the Mountain Lions cheerleaders at the event. He thinks that the fans of amateur boxing will be excited to support a professional football team in Sacramento.
    The event will include 15 bouts and three title fights. Proceeds from the event will be given to law enforcement and public related charities.
    Gary Shurley, promoter of the event, is excited for Friday and said: “This one of the best fight cards I’ve seen in 25 years. These officers are the top boxing public safety agents in the country. It is going be a sellout.”
    James Dorris, from the Folsom Police Department, will compete in the super cruiserweight title fight on Friday night. He is considered by some to be one of the best amateur boxers in the country.
    “I trained six months for my last fight in May and continued training for this one,” Dorris said. “I’m really excited to go out and represent Sacramento County to the best of my ability. I’m tired of hearing about how tough they are down south.”
    Members of the Mountain Lions dance team will be on hand with sales staff. They are looking forward to helping draw crowds to the event in support of a good cause in the community.
    This will not be the only time that the Mountain Lions support police and fire fighters. Guns and Hoses, presented by Pig Bowl, will be the featured charity when the Mountain Lions host the Omaha Nighthawks on Nov. 13.
    This event will take place at the Radisson Hotel (500 Leisure Lane, Sacramento, CA 95815) and is expected to draw over 2,000 spectators. Doors open at 5pm and the price is $25.
    For more information visit www.badgevsbadge.com.
    Mountain Lion season tickets are available at: www.tickets.com or Mountain Lion Ticket Office at (916) 383-LION (5466).

KINGS OPEN ON ROAD AT MINNESOTA

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Aug. 10, 2010) - The Sacramento Kings will open the 2010-11 regular season on the road for the seventh consecutive year when they travel to Minnesota for a tilt against the Timberwolves on Wednesday, October 27th (5 pm PST) in the first of a three-game road trip, which also includes stops in New Jersey (Friday, October 29th) and Cleveland (Saturday, October 30th).
    Having been featured on national television quite often in the early 2000’s, the Kings will make seven such appearances this year for the first time since the 2006-07 season. Sacramento will be featured once on ESPN, twice on TNT and four times on NBATV during the 2010-11 campaign. Four out of the seven national broadcasts will originate from ARCO Arena when the Kings take on the Los Angeles Lakers (November 3rd on ESPN), New Orleans Hornets (November 21st on NBATV), Denver Nuggets (January 6th on TNT) and Oklahoma City Thunder (March 11th on NBATV). The three nationally televised road games include contests against the Los Angeles Clippers (November 25th on TNT), Atlanta Hawks (January 17th on NBATV) and Portland Trail Blazers (January 24th on NBATV).
    The Kings host the Toronto Raptors at ARCO Arena in their season home opener on Monday, November 1st (7 pm) in the first of a four-game homestand, highlighted by an outing versus Kobe Bryant and his NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, November 3rd (7:30 pm). The Kings’ last home opener versus the Raptors occurred at the start of the 2004-05 season. Sacramento last opened up on the road against the Timberwolves during the 2006-07 campaign.
    Notable teams making early ARCO Arena appearances include the Utah Jazz, featuring Deron Williams (Monday, November 22nd), Miami Heat and their newly formed trio of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh (Saturday, December 11th), Yao Ming and his Houston Rockets that feature a pair of former Kings players in Kevin Martin and Brad Miller (Sunday, December 19th) and Denver Nuggets, powered by Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups (Thursday, January 6th).
    Sacramento’s season finale will take place at home when they battle the Los Angeles Lakers at ARCO Arena on Wednesday, April 13th.
    The Kings have a ticket plan for every fan, including season passes for less than $17 per game. Call 888-91-KINGS or log-on to www.Kings.com/tickets.

MTN. LIONS FAN CLUB PRESIDENT PICKED AS 'COMMISSIONER FOR A DAY"

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Aug. 10, 2010) - The Sacramento Mountain Lions have announced that Mountain Lions Fan Club President Andrew Skwara of Rocklin, Calif., is the winner of the UFL ‘Commissioner For a Day’ Contest.
    The online competition, promoted extensively through UFL Facebook and Twitter accounts, asked for written or video submissions from fans across the country explaining why they should be ‘Commissioner For A Day’ and Skwara submitted a written piece about his dedication to the forerunners of the Mountain Lions, the California Redwoods.
    UFL Commissioner Michael Huyghue will invite his new understudy to accompany him on a visit to one of the other four UFL teams’ training camps in August where Skwara will help make decisions, share valuable input and participate in all meetings and activities held that day.
    “I was actually kind of shocked to hear that I had won the contest,” said Skwara. “It was humbling.
    “My friends and I traveled down to every game in San Francisco and San Jose last year to watch the Redwoods play. We made an event out of it. The car ride down to the game and hanging out afterward were all part of the experience. We loved it.”
    Commissioner Huyghue also selected a best runner-up, Nick Schreck of Arlington, Nebraska, whose humorous video entry posted on YouTube has earned him a signed official UFL football.
    Overall winner Skwara works at a local television station in Sacramento. He truly embodies the spirit of a typical UFL fan - a person who loves sports and their hometown.
    “We all have our favorite teams in other cities, but the UFL was cool because it gave us our own team right here in Sacramento,” he said. “We were originally attracted because of the price. We were able to get season tickets at the same price that it would cost to get into one NFL game in the Bay Area. We could bring a lot of people to the game, see great talent, and not empty out our wallets.”
    Skwara takes his role as President of the Fan Club very seriously. “I really want to be able to build support here in the Sacramento community for this team,” he said. “I want to show how great the UFL is . . . We really appreciate the players out there on the field. Them coming here to play means a lot. They are here for us so we should be there for them.”
    Skwara sees this opportunity to shadow the commissioner for a day as an opportunity to be an Ambassador of all UFL fans not just fans of the Mountain Lions.
    “Well, I’m going to open a chat forum for fans from all over the league,” he explained. “That way if a fan in Omaha or Hartford had a question it will be on my radar too. I really want to represent the interests of all UFL supporters, not just the Mountain Lions.”
    Mountain Lion season tickets are available at: www.tickets.com or the Mountain Lion Ticket Office at (916) 383-LION (5466).
 

CARTER, LARISH RECALLED FROM CATS

    OAKLAND, Calif. (Aug. 9, 2010) - The Oakland A’s have recalled infielders Chris Carter and Jeff Larish from Triple-A Sacramento, the club announced today. To clear space on the roster, the A’s optioned outfielder Matt Carson to Sacramento and placed outfielder Matt Watson on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to August 8 with kidney stones.
    Carter was batting .262 with 27 home runs and 89 RBI in 113 games with Sacramento. He is tied for fifth in all of minor league baseball in home runs and extra base hits (58), tied for seventh in runs (84) and ranks eighth in RBI. The 23-year old ranks second in the Pacific Coast League in RBI and extra base hits, tied for second in home runs, third in runs and total bases (225) and tied for fourth in walks (68). Carter combined for a .233 batting average, 15 home runs and 54 RBI in 77 games over the first three months of the season but is hitting .321 with 12 home runs and 35 RBI in 36 games since the start of July. He has appeared in 94 games at first base, 15 in left field and five in right field but has made 11 of his last 12 appearances in left.
    Larish was claimed off waivers from Detroit on August 3 and went 10 for 24 (.417) with four home runs and 15 RBI in five games with Sacramento. He had three home runs and 10 RBI in a doubleheader Friday at Albuquerque, including two home runs and seven RBI in the second game. Larish began the season at Triple-A Toledo in the Detroit organization and was batting .275 with 15 home runs and 55 RBI in 84 games when the Tigers called on July 25. He went 2 for 10 (.200) with an RBI in three games with Detroit before he was designated for assignment July 30.
    Carson was recalled from Sacramento July 5 for his third stint with the A’s this year and went 7 for 32 (.219) in 12 games. He was batting .195 with a home run and three RBI in 16 games overall with Oakland and also hit .301 with nine home runs and 29 RBI in 51 games with Sacramento. Watson joined the A’s on July 5 and was batting .200 with his first major league home run and four RBI in 12 games. He began the year with the Lancaster Barnstormers of the independent Atlantic League and hit .317 with four home runs and 14 RBI in 30 games. Watson also batted .313 with eight home runs and 23 RBI in 28 games with Sacramento.
 

MOUNTAIN LIONS SELECT CHEER SQUAD

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Aug. 5, 2010) - The Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League have officially named their cheer and dance team the Lady Lions.
    “In picking the cheerleader team name it was important to create something that would last,” said Mountain Lions Cheer and Dance Team Director Lindsay Shoemaker. “I didn’t want to give this team a name that would be out of vogue five years down the line. The Lady Lions is timeless.”
    Mountain Lions fans were involved in suggesting team names, primarily chiming in on facebook.com.
    “I loved having the community and UFL fans involved with choosing the name,” Shoemaker said. “We had over 50 unique suggestions and ultimately the Lady Lions was a fan suggestion.”
    There are 32 cheerleaders on the Sacramento squad. The team was selected based on a three-part process that included dancing, personal interviews and judged performances.
    “The Lady Lions is a perfect description of this team of cheerleaders,” Shoemaker said. “They are strong, proud, beautiful and classy women.”
    The dance team will perform at all four Mountain Lion home games this fall and will serve as ambassadors for the organization throughout the season.
 

PARTY FOR SIGNING OF OTIS AMEY

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Aug. 4, 2010) - Team Dynamix will host a party that will celebrate wide receiver Otis Amey's signing with the Sacramento Mountain Lions.
    This celebration will take place on Friday, August 6, 2010 at Sacramento State. The Mountain Lions have been invited to take part in this Team Dynamix event and are excited to do so.
    The event, which will include Mountain Lions cheerleaders, begins at 5.45pm in the Sacramento State Alumni Center Ballroom. It will run until about 7.15pm.

Otis Amey

    Amey was a standout receiver while at Sacramento State from 2001-05. He holds all of the Hornets' major receiving and return records including: career receptions (248), career receiving touchdowns (27), season receptions (76), receptions in a single game (15) and career kickoff return yards (1,687).
    He signed with the San Francisco 49ers in 2005 as an undrafted free agent. He worked his way through training camp and earned a spot on the roster. In his first regular season game against the St Louis Rams returned a punt 75 yards for a touchdown. He played in 11 games over the course of the season, averaging 17.2 yards per kick return and 11.4 yards per punt return.
    Amey has also played for the Atlanta Falcons (two preseason games), Austin Wranglers, Cleveland Gladiators, BC Lions and Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
    According to its website, the Team Dynamix mission is to be a catalyst of change. Not just in respect to the individuals’ or teams’ performance, but to change the essence of the athlete, individual, team, and coach and make them ambassadors of character on and off the field.
    Team Dynamix has selected Amey as a professional athlete that exemplifies hard work, perseverance and character both on and off the field.
    “I want to share my story with upcoming athletes,” said Amey, 28, about the upcoming event. “It’s about family and being professional and keeping track of things in your life and balance. There is more to this than just football.”
    Amey is very active in the community with mentoring and motivational speaking. He regularly volunteers at elementary schools to work with autistic children as well. Amey spends much of his spare time speaking at schools and churches and trying to spread positive vibes.
    Amey, who is married to his college sweetheart, is also an active ambassador to Sacramento State. He mentors and helps train student athletes on a weekly, and sometimes daily, basis.
    “Personally, after my father, (Amey) is the most selfless person I have ever met,” said Brandon Jackson, a Team Dynamix representative and a long-time acquaintance of Amey. “From breaking practically every receiving record at Sac State, to going undrafted (in the NFL), to signing an NFL contract – he never deviated from his true moral fiber. In fact the more and more success he attains, the more and more he tends to give back.”
    Mountain Lion season tickets are available at: www.tickets.com or Mountain Lion Ticket Office at (916) 383-LION (5466).
 

SHARKS HOOK UP WITH STOCKTON THUNDER

    SAN JOSE, Calif. (July 30, 2010) - San Jose Sharks Executive Vice President General Manager Doug Wilson and Vice President and Assistant General Manager Wayne Thomas announced today that the Sharks have signed an affiliation agreement with the Stockton Thunder of the ECHL for the 2010-11 season. The Worcester Sharks continue to serve as San Jose’s American Hockey League affiliate.
    “We are very excited to add the Stockton Thunder as our ECHL development affiliate,” said Wilson. “The Thunder have done a great job bringing winning hockey to their market and we think the proximity of our teams will provide mutual benefits for both franchises on and off the ice.”
    Stockton will also continue to serve as an affiliate for the Edmonton Oilers.
    "The San Jose Sharks have been one of the premier NHL organizations over the last several years and we're very excited to begin working with them this upcoming season," said Stockton Thunder President Dan Chapman. "For geographic reasons this affiliation makes a great deal of sense and we also look forward to their participation in making the Thunder an even better team in 2010-11."
 

KINGS ADD TO COACHING STAFF

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. (July 29, 2010) - The Sacramento Kings’ Head Coach Paul Westphal today announced an addition to his coaching staff, reaching an agreement with Otis Hughley to join the team as an assistant coach.
    "Otis has a wealth of experience working with young players and is ready to jump to the NBA,” said Westphal. “We're very excited to add him to our staff to replace Bryan Gates.”
    “It’s an exciting time,” Hughley said. “I’m looking forward to being with an organization that’s proven and that’s exhibited class. I’m really looking forward to working with Coach Westphal and his staff.”
    Hughley had coached at LeFlore High School in Mobile, Ala. for seven years (2004-2010), guiding the Rattlers to six straight regional appearances and a 6A state title in 2007. While at LeFlore, he coached current Kings center Demarcus Cousins. Before coaching at LeFlore, Hughley was an assistant coach at several universities, including Wright State, Liberty, and Southern. Hughley’s experience also includes coaching for the league's NBA China program and working over 10 years at Pete Newell's "Big Man Camp."
 

LIONS TO HOLD FINAL CHEER AUDITIONS

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. (July 26, 2010) - The Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League will hold their final dance team auditions on Friday, July 30, 2010 at 8 p.m.
    These final auditions will be held at Venue Events Center (1417 R Street, Sacramento, CA 95825). They will be open to the public and it’s free to attend.
    There are 15 remaining spots on the dance team as 17 spots have already been filled. There will be 30 dancers competing for these final spots on Friday.
    These 30 dancers were selected out of a group of 51 that showed up to tryout at Venue on Saturday, July 24.
    “They will be doing the dance routines that they learned on Saturday as well as their own choreography,” Mountain Lions Cheer and Dance Team Director Lindsay Shoemaker said. Cuts will be made on Friday night after the auditions.
    “I was surprised by the number (51) that showed up on Saturday – as opposed to 36 the first time,” Shoemaker said. “And the quality was much, much higher. It’s going to be even tougher now to cut down from 30 to 15. At this point any of these 30 could easily make it – it really comes down to showmanship and personality. Interviews will be at least 50 percent if not more.”
    There will be an after party at Venue following the dance team auditions. The dance team will perform at all four Mountain Lion home games this fall and will serve as ambassadors for the organization throughout the season.
    Mountain Lion season tickets are available at: www.tickets.com or Mountain Lion Ticket Office at (916) 383-LION (5466).

UFL ANNOUNCES TV SCHEDULE & TIMES

    JACKSONVILLE, Florida (July 26, 2010) - The United Football League announced today its 10-week, 20-game 2010 regular season broadcast schedule and kickoff times. Returning broadcasters VERSUS and HDNet are joined in 2010 by the New England Sports Network (NESN), which will broadcast two of the Hartford Colonials’ home games during the upcoming fall season. Games will also be streamed live on www.UFL-Football.com.
    “We continue to make progress in bringing our games to a wider television audience through three established and innovative broadcaster partners,” said UFL Commissioner Michael Huyghue. “VERSUS and HDNet were pioneers in introducing our quality product to the nation’s sports fans in 2009 and we are delighted to partner with them again and to also welcome another strong broadcasting ally in NESN.”
    VERSUS will feature eight regular season UFL games on Saturdays and one Thursday evening, beginning with the Sacramento Mountain Lions’ first home game against the Florida Tuskers at Hornet Stadium in Week 2 on Saturday, September 25 at 8pm PST / 11pm EST. VERSUS will also broadcast the UFL Championship Game on the Thanksgiving holiday Friday, November 26 at 3pm between the top two teams in the final regular season standings at a venue to be determined.
    “We look forward to the second year of the UFL on VERSUS,” said Jeff Goldberg, Vice President of Programming for the network. “Through our telecasts, these five teams will have national exposure on the fastest growing sports cable network in the country.”
    HDNet, whose Chairman Mark Cuban became a UFL investor in 2010, will broadcast ten regular season games, including the 2009 UFL Championship Game rematch between the Las Vegas Locos and Florida Tuskers at Sam Boyd Stadium on Saturday, September 18 at 8pm PST / 11pm EST. The much-anticipated clash moves back 24 hours from the original UFL schedule.
    “The game is fun, it’s exciting and the talent level is off the charts and we want to be a part of it,” said HDNet Chairman Mark Cuban. “We believe last year was just the beginning and the best is yet to come from the UFL. We are going to broadcast games in the highest quality nationwide and our priority is to grow viewership, grow the fan base and really help the UFL succeed.”
    The HDNet cameras will also televise the debut of the expansion franchise Omaha Nighthawks at Rosenblatt Stadium against the Hartford Colonials at 7pm on Friday, September 24 at 7pm CST / 8pm EST.
    HDNet is the independent network with unique and thought provoking content that is delivered in true high definition and is available on AT&T, Charter Communications, Comcast, DIRECTV, Dish Network, Insight, and Verizon FiOs.
    The UFL 2010 season-opening game will now be played in Hartford, CT, when the New England Sports Network (NESN) cameras capture the hometown Colonials at home to the Sacramento Mountain Lions at 2.30pm EST on Saturday, September 18.
    NESN is delivered to more than four million homes throughout the six-state New England region and nationally via DirecTV and Dish Network. The definitive home for New England sports programming; NESN has been the top rated regional sports network in the country for six consecutive years.
    “We are excited for this opportunity to help showcase the UFL,” said Joel Feld, NESN’s executive vice president and executive producer. “We feel that the UFL is a television property that offers us great upside and is poised to grow in the coming years once fans see the entertaining and competitive football action that the league offers.”
    For season ticket information, fans may visit www.UFL-Football.com/tickets.

Sacramento Mountain Lions 2010 United Football League Broadcast Schedule (Times are PST)
Week 1 - Sat., Sept 18, Sacramento at Hartford, 2:30 p.m. (NESN)
Week 2 - Sat., Sept 25, Florida at Sacramento, 8:00 p.m. (VERSUS)
Week 3 - Sat., Oct 2, Sacramento at Omaha, 7:30 p.m. (HDNET)
Week 4 - Bye
Week 5 - Fri., Oct 15, Las Vegas at Sacramento, 8:00 p.m. (HDNET)
Week 6 - Thurs., Oct 21,  Sacramento at Florida, 7:00 p.m. (HDNET)
Week 7 - Sat., Oct 30, Hartford at Sacramento, 8:00 p.m. (VERSUS)
Week 8 - Sat., Nov 6, Sacramento at Las Vegas, 8 p.m. (VERSUS)
Week 9 - Sat., Nov 13, Omaha at Sacramento, 8:00 p.m. (VERSUS)
Week 10 - Bye
Fri., Nov. 26, Championship Game, 12:00 p.m. VERSUS
 

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