KAILUA, Hawaii (Reuters) - Taking what promised to be a very brief Christmas break from the ongoing struggle to avoid the "fiscal cliff" of tax hikes and spending cuts, President Barack Obama relaxed with his family on Saturday at a beach retreat in Hawaii.
Congress was to return to Washington next Thursday and Obama has pledged to work with lawmakers to strike a deal to avoid the economic shock from tax and spending measures set to take effect on January 1 if a deal can't be reached, which many economists say could push the U.S. economy back into recession.
The president is expected to indulge in some of his favorite pastimes on the island where he was born and raised: golf, an expedition for the local treat "shave ice," and an evening out with family and friends. He hit the links at the nearby Marine Corps base under sunny skies on Saturday afternoon.
On Sunday, he is expected to attend funeral services for Senator Daniel Inouye, the long-serving Democrat from Hawaii who died on Monday, but the president has no other public events on his schedule.
On Saturday, Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he had urged Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie, a Democrat, to name Inouye's successor "with due haste."
"It is critically important to ensure that the people of Hawaii are fully represented in the pivotal decisions the Senate will be making before the end of the year," Reid, of Nevada, said in a statement.
Obama's idyll was not expected to last more than four days, and he will likely retrace the more than 4,800-mile trip from the Aloha State to Washington after Christmas in a bid to cut a deal with Republicans, who failed on Thursday to agree on competing tax and spending bills of their own.
Before leaving Washington on Friday evening, Obama urged Congress to come up with a stopgap measure to spare the U.S. economy the jolt of $600 billion in tax increases and spending cuts economists say would likely derail the economy.
The president asked lawmakers for a stripped-down deal to continue lower tax rates on middle income earners and extend unemployment insurance benefits to avoid some of the worst effects of the "fiscal cliff" in the new year.
Obama's family holiday, in a quiet beach front community on the other side of the island from bustling Honolulu, should also provide some respite from the somber focus on the Newtown, Connecticut, school massacre and the consequent bitter debate over measures to change America's gun culture and prevent violence.
The president's weekly radio and Internet addresses, which in recent weeks have centered on his argument for extending tax cuts for all but the wealthiest Americans, on Saturday offered holiday greetings to U.S. military forces.
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Cleared Minnesota college coach fights suspension
Labels: SportsMINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Minnesota college football coach who was cleared of child porn charges is fighting a suspension, his union said Thursday, although neither it nor the university would say what prompted the punishment or shed light on his prospects for reinstatement.
Coach Todd Hoffner received a written notice from Minnesota State University, Mankato late Tuesday afternoon about a 20-day unpaid suspension that begins Jan. 7, the general counsel for the Inter Faculty Organization said in an email to The Associated Press. Connie Howard said the union has filed a grievance challenging the suspension.
Hoffner was put on paid administrative leave after videos of his naked children were found on his university-issued cellphone in August. A judge ruled Nov. 30 that the videos were not pornographic and dismissed the felony charges against Hoffner, accepting his testimony that the videos merely showed his children acting silly after a bath.
"The grievance charges that the university failed to follow progressive discipline and did not have just cause to issue the suspension," Howard wrote. She declined to provide further details and would not say what reason the university gave for Hoffner's suspension, whether it was related to the videos or what his prospects might be for being reinstated as head coach of the Mavericks.
The MnSCU system has a policy prohibiting the use of university-issued cellphones or mobile devices for personal business.
Hoffner was beginning a new four-year contract when he was escorted off a practice field in August, a few days after he returned his malfunctioning phone to the school. University technicians found the videos and notified university officials, who contacted police. Hoffner was not allowed back and had to miss the Mavericks' 13-1 season, including their appearance in the NCAA Division II semifinals Dec. 8. He had a 34-13 record in his first four years at Mankato.
Minnesota State issued a brief statement Wednesday night saying Hoffner's administrative leave ended Monday and he remains on the university's payroll, but Aaron Keen remains acting coach.
"One complaint against the football coach was investigated and the investigation has been completed. One complaint against Mr. Hoffner is pending and is under investigation," the statement said without elaboration.
University spokesman Dan Benson, citing privacy laws, told the AP he couldn't comment on the nature of the complaints.
"The word 'reinstated' would not be accurate," Benson said. "He is no longer on leave. He remains on the payroll ... but he has not assumed duties as the head football coach again at this time."
Hoffner could not be reached immediately for comment Thursday. He does not have a listed phone number. His civil attorney, Chris Madel, was in court and unavailable Thursday. His attorney for the criminal case, Jim Fleming, said he was not directly involved in the personnel case.
Minnesota State athletics director Kevin Buisman did not immediately return a call seeking comment Thursday.
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Coach Todd Hoffner received a written notice from Minnesota State University, Mankato late Tuesday afternoon about a 20-day unpaid suspension that begins Jan. 7, the general counsel for the Inter Faculty Organization said in an email to The Associated Press. Connie Howard said the union has filed a grievance challenging the suspension.
Hoffner was put on paid administrative leave after videos of his naked children were found on his university-issued cellphone in August. A judge ruled Nov. 30 that the videos were not pornographic and dismissed the felony charges against Hoffner, accepting his testimony that the videos merely showed his children acting silly after a bath.
"The grievance charges that the university failed to follow progressive discipline and did not have just cause to issue the suspension," Howard wrote. She declined to provide further details and would not say what reason the university gave for Hoffner's suspension, whether it was related to the videos or what his prospects might be for being reinstated as head coach of the Mavericks.
The MnSCU system has a policy prohibiting the use of university-issued cellphones or mobile devices for personal business.
Hoffner was beginning a new four-year contract when he was escorted off a practice field in August, a few days after he returned his malfunctioning phone to the school. University technicians found the videos and notified university officials, who contacted police. Hoffner was not allowed back and had to miss the Mavericks' 13-1 season, including their appearance in the NCAA Division II semifinals Dec. 8. He had a 34-13 record in his first four years at Mankato.
Minnesota State issued a brief statement Wednesday night saying Hoffner's administrative leave ended Monday and he remains on the university's payroll, but Aaron Keen remains acting coach.
"One complaint against the football coach was investigated and the investigation has been completed. One complaint against Mr. Hoffner is pending and is under investigation," the statement said without elaboration.
University spokesman Dan Benson, citing privacy laws, told the AP he couldn't comment on the nature of the complaints.
"The word 'reinstated' would not be accurate," Benson said. "He is no longer on leave. He remains on the payroll ... but he has not assumed duties as the head football coach again at this time."
Hoffner could not be reached immediately for comment Thursday. He does not have a listed phone number. His civil attorney, Chris Madel, was in court and unavailable Thursday. His attorney for the criminal case, Jim Fleming, said he was not directly involved in the personnel case.
Minnesota State athletics director Kevin Buisman did not immediately return a call seeking comment Thursday.
Finding the right footwear a constant challenge for offensive lineman Sewell
Labels: SportsWhen Matt Sewell starts the season with a new pair of football cleats, he'll go to great lengths to make sure they last.
The McMaster Marauders hulking offensive lineman isn't superstitious or especially finicky about his footwear. It's just with size 17 feet, finding shoes that fit is a constant challenge.
So when the six-foot-eight, 340-pound Sewell gets his hands on a suitable pair of shoes, he goes the extra mile to ensure they stand the test of time.
"Shoes in general are hard to find but (football) cleats are probably the hardest," he said with a chuckle. "Once I find a pair I stick with them until they're completely gone.
"I just tape them up and hopefully they don't fall apart during the game because if I wanted a new pair of cleats it would be tough to find in mid-season.''
With size 17 shoes a rarity in the bargain bin, Sewell often surfs the net looking for footwear and orders them online. That will be put on hold shortly as Sewell will spend Christmas with his family in Mexico.
But only for a week. Then Sewell will resume his search ahead of what promises to be a very busy off-season.
Sewell is being considered to play in the 2013 East-West Shrine Game on Jan. 19 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. If chosen to play, Sewell will receive pro level coaching during the week-long practices and work out under the watchful eye of scouts representing teams on both sides of the border.
CFL teams are very aware of Sewell, who earlier this month was ranked second among the top-15 ranked prospects for this year's Canadian draft by the league's scouting bureau. Not only will Sewell be put through his paces by CFL scouts at the league's annual evaluation camp in Toronto but he'll also spend a lot of time answering questions in head-to-head interviews.
NFL teams have also reportedly taken note of Sewell's size and quick, nimble feet, which could also result in further workouts and interviews.
Add to that regular training sessions and it's shaping up to be a hectic off-season for Sewell as he auditions for the next phase of his football career.
"I'm looking forward to it," he said. "It should be an exciting few months for me and I think things will work out.''
Growing up in Milton, Ont., Sewell said he was more a fan of the sport than a specific team and thus has no real preference as to where he might start his pro career.
Sewell was an all-Canadian in 2012 for a second straight year and helped lead McMaster to another Vanier Cup appearance. The Marauders beat Laval 41-38 in double overtime to win a thrilling 2011 Vanier Cup final at B.C. Place before the Rouge et Or exacted some revenge by downing the Marauders 37-14 in last month's rematch at Rogers Centre.
Sewell played left tackle at McMaster, given the important task of protecting Hec Crighton Trophy-winning quarterback Kyle Quinlan's blind side. It's a position he'd like to line up at in the pro ranks.
"I think I have the body shape more for a tackle," he said. "When I was growing up all the minor coaches would tell me, 'If you're going to play offensive line, play left tackle,' and I've always played that position through my entire career.''
Sewell said working under the guidance of McMaster offensive line coach Jason Riley — a former CFL player with Montreal, Saskatchewan and Hamilton, — he feels he's ready to move up to the next level.
"Coach Riley is a high school teacher by nature so he liked to teach us," Sewell said. "He certainly knows what he's talking about.''
Sewell has also shown he can overcome physical adversity.
During his high school career he suffered a knee injury that forced him to the sidelines. After completing his rehab, Sewell opted to attend a prep school in Massachusetts to not only play another year but make sure all was right with his knee.
Convinced it was, he returned to Ontario the following year looking to go to school near home and settled upon McMaster.
"I'm very proud of that (overcoming knee injury), I actually put a lot of work into it," he said. "Football has been great at Mac but most important for me was everything outside of football.
"I've been able to accomplish a lot (in football) but the biggest thing for me is I'm going to be able to graduate with a degree in commerce from one of the top business programs in the country. I think that's the greatest achievement from my university career.''
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The McMaster Marauders hulking offensive lineman isn't superstitious or especially finicky about his footwear. It's just with size 17 feet, finding shoes that fit is a constant challenge.
So when the six-foot-eight, 340-pound Sewell gets his hands on a suitable pair of shoes, he goes the extra mile to ensure they stand the test of time.
"Shoes in general are hard to find but (football) cleats are probably the hardest," he said with a chuckle. "Once I find a pair I stick with them until they're completely gone.
"I just tape them up and hopefully they don't fall apart during the game because if I wanted a new pair of cleats it would be tough to find in mid-season.''
With size 17 shoes a rarity in the bargain bin, Sewell often surfs the net looking for footwear and orders them online. That will be put on hold shortly as Sewell will spend Christmas with his family in Mexico.
But only for a week. Then Sewell will resume his search ahead of what promises to be a very busy off-season.
Sewell is being considered to play in the 2013 East-West Shrine Game on Jan. 19 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. If chosen to play, Sewell will receive pro level coaching during the week-long practices and work out under the watchful eye of scouts representing teams on both sides of the border.
CFL teams are very aware of Sewell, who earlier this month was ranked second among the top-15 ranked prospects for this year's Canadian draft by the league's scouting bureau. Not only will Sewell be put through his paces by CFL scouts at the league's annual evaluation camp in Toronto but he'll also spend a lot of time answering questions in head-to-head interviews.
NFL teams have also reportedly taken note of Sewell's size and quick, nimble feet, which could also result in further workouts and interviews.
Add to that regular training sessions and it's shaping up to be a hectic off-season for Sewell as he auditions for the next phase of his football career.
"I'm looking forward to it," he said. "It should be an exciting few months for me and I think things will work out.''
Growing up in Milton, Ont., Sewell said he was more a fan of the sport than a specific team and thus has no real preference as to where he might start his pro career.
Sewell was an all-Canadian in 2012 for a second straight year and helped lead McMaster to another Vanier Cup appearance. The Marauders beat Laval 41-38 in double overtime to win a thrilling 2011 Vanier Cup final at B.C. Place before the Rouge et Or exacted some revenge by downing the Marauders 37-14 in last month's rematch at Rogers Centre.
Sewell played left tackle at McMaster, given the important task of protecting Hec Crighton Trophy-winning quarterback Kyle Quinlan's blind side. It's a position he'd like to line up at in the pro ranks.
"I think I have the body shape more for a tackle," he said. "When I was growing up all the minor coaches would tell me, 'If you're going to play offensive line, play left tackle,' and I've always played that position through my entire career.''
Sewell said working under the guidance of McMaster offensive line coach Jason Riley — a former CFL player with Montreal, Saskatchewan and Hamilton, — he feels he's ready to move up to the next level.
"Coach Riley is a high school teacher by nature so he liked to teach us," Sewell said. "He certainly knows what he's talking about.''
Sewell has also shown he can overcome physical adversity.
During his high school career he suffered a knee injury that forced him to the sidelines. After completing his rehab, Sewell opted to attend a prep school in Massachusetts to not only play another year but make sure all was right with his knee.
Convinced it was, he returned to Ontario the following year looking to go to school near home and settled upon McMaster.
"I'm very proud of that (overcoming knee injury), I actually put a lot of work into it," he said. "Football has been great at Mac but most important for me was everything outside of football.
"I've been able to accomplish a lot (in football) but the biggest thing for me is I'm going to be able to graduate with a degree in commerce from one of the top business programs in the country. I think that's the greatest achievement from my university career.''
AP Sources: Jets could trade QBs Sanchez, Tebow
Labels: SportsFLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Mark Sanchez is no longer the face of the New York Jets. He could soon be a former member of the team.
And Tim Tebow might even beat him out the door.
A person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Thursday that the Jets will consider all of their options regarding the two quarterbacks during the offseason. That means both Sanchez and Tebow are in limbo and trades cannot be ruled out.
The person, who requested anonymity because the team's personnel plans are private, told the AP that the Jets have not made any determinations involving Sanchez or Tebow.
The Jets could be hard-pressed to trade or cut Sanchez, who is due $8.25 million in guarantees next season after having his contract extended last offseason.
But there are no such complications with Tebow, who will likely be traded or released after just one disappointing season in New York. Tebow has two years remaining on his contract, but would cost the Jets only a little more than $1 million against the salary cap if cut.
"Anything dealing with the future past Buffalo (the regular-season finale) will be handled after that," coach Rex Ryan said.
The futures of Ryan, general manager Mike Tannenbaum and offensive coordinator Tony Sparano also are uncertain.
Parting ways with Tebow, the immensely popular but little-used backup, appears a certainty, though, after he came to New York amid lots of hype but had little impact. The final indication that Tebow will not be part of the Jets' future came when Ryan went with Greg McElroy, the third-stringer, to start at quarterback instead of him against San Diego on Sunday.
"Sometimes, things just happen out of your control," Tebow said Wednesday. "Obviously, you might not be pleased with them or happy about it, but you just try to handle it as best you can."
There are several complications that could lead to Sanchez actually sticking around in New York — whether it's as a backup or starter. Sanchez, who received a contract extension in March, would cost the Jets a $17.1 million salary cap hit next season. They could, however, spread that amount over the next two seasons if he is cut after June 1.
New York could also find it difficult to find a trading partner to unload Sanchez, who isn't likely a very attractive option at the moment after turning the ball over 50 times since the start of last season. With Tannenbaum's status unclear, teams might not be willing to even talk to him about possible trades. Teams can't make deals or sign free agents until March.
If the Jets did wind up trading Sanchez, the salary cap hit for them would still be a costly $8.9 million.
"That didn't come from me or anything else," Ryan said of the trade rumors. "We have two games to play and that's where my focus is, so, that's news to me."
The Daily News reported Thursday, according to sources, that the Jets would be interested in Michael Vick and that the Eagles quarterback would come to New York if it was clear he would be the starter. The newspaper also said Ryan "loves" Vick.
"I'll just focus on the players we have on this roster instead of somebody else's players," Ryan said while laughing.
Sanchez, whom the Jets drafted fifth overall in 2009, was benched in favor of McElroy for at least the home finale Sunday against San Diego. Sanchez threw four interceptions and fumbled away the final offensive snap — and the Jets' playoff chances — in New York's 14-10 loss at Tennessee on Monday night.
He once drew comparisons to Joe Namath after helping the Jets to consecutive AFC title games in his first two seasons, but his lack of improvement the last two years have caused him to fall out of favor. Ryan was non-committal Thursday when asked about Sanchez's long-term future.
"Whether it's not a ringing endorsement or whatever, I have absolutely zero focus on that right now," he said. "Everybody knows I've been supportive of Mark Sanchez. I think he still has the skill set to be a good quarterback in this league and we've won a lot of games with him.
"Again, that's for another day."
Tebow was supposed to be the spark that got the offense going, but instead spent most of his time on the sideline. While he has been hampered the last month by two broken ribs, his numbers were far from special even before that. For the season, he has rushed for 102 yards on 32 carries and is 6 of 8 for 39 yards, and has a stunning zero touchdowns while participating in just 72 offensive snaps.
"I think anytime you look at those things, it's a combination of things, but I wouldn't use the words 'didn't work' at all," Sparano said. "We had a plan going into this thing, but obviously the plan always, at that particular time, was that Mark was the quarterback and Tim would have a role and to what degree the role was, if I remember correctly, it was one to 20 plays in a game. Some days it was eight, some days it was one, some days it was none."
But, many fans and media have said it appears Tebow never got a true opportunity to be the playmaker everyone expected.
"I'm not going to get into that fair shake, not fair shake, all of those kinds of things," Sparano said. "Tim played his role and has done his role as well as expected right now. In other words, he's done everything we've asked him to do so far."
Tebow repeatedly said he was "excited" to be a member of the Jets when he first came from Denver in a trade in March, and he reiterated that throughout the season. But he acknowledged that he was "a little bit disappointed" that Ryan chose McElroy to start over him — at least for Sunday.
Now, Tebow could be an ex-Jet less than a year after he came to New York with lots of expectations.
"I've always, since I was a young boy, believed in myself and the abilities that God has given me and I just look forward to having an opportunity to try to show those again," Tebow said. "I'm pretty positive and I look forward to the future and what's going to happen."
It won't be in New York, though. And the inability to consistently find a way to effectively use Tebow could end up costing Sparano his job, too.
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And Tim Tebow might even beat him out the door.
A person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Thursday that the Jets will consider all of their options regarding the two quarterbacks during the offseason. That means both Sanchez and Tebow are in limbo and trades cannot be ruled out.
The person, who requested anonymity because the team's personnel plans are private, told the AP that the Jets have not made any determinations involving Sanchez or Tebow.
The Jets could be hard-pressed to trade or cut Sanchez, who is due $8.25 million in guarantees next season after having his contract extended last offseason.
But there are no such complications with Tebow, who will likely be traded or released after just one disappointing season in New York. Tebow has two years remaining on his contract, but would cost the Jets only a little more than $1 million against the salary cap if cut.
"Anything dealing with the future past Buffalo (the regular-season finale) will be handled after that," coach Rex Ryan said.
The futures of Ryan, general manager Mike Tannenbaum and offensive coordinator Tony Sparano also are uncertain.
Parting ways with Tebow, the immensely popular but little-used backup, appears a certainty, though, after he came to New York amid lots of hype but had little impact. The final indication that Tebow will not be part of the Jets' future came when Ryan went with Greg McElroy, the third-stringer, to start at quarterback instead of him against San Diego on Sunday.
"Sometimes, things just happen out of your control," Tebow said Wednesday. "Obviously, you might not be pleased with them or happy about it, but you just try to handle it as best you can."
There are several complications that could lead to Sanchez actually sticking around in New York — whether it's as a backup or starter. Sanchez, who received a contract extension in March, would cost the Jets a $17.1 million salary cap hit next season. They could, however, spread that amount over the next two seasons if he is cut after June 1.
New York could also find it difficult to find a trading partner to unload Sanchez, who isn't likely a very attractive option at the moment after turning the ball over 50 times since the start of last season. With Tannenbaum's status unclear, teams might not be willing to even talk to him about possible trades. Teams can't make deals or sign free agents until March.
If the Jets did wind up trading Sanchez, the salary cap hit for them would still be a costly $8.9 million.
"That didn't come from me or anything else," Ryan said of the trade rumors. "We have two games to play and that's where my focus is, so, that's news to me."
The Daily News reported Thursday, according to sources, that the Jets would be interested in Michael Vick and that the Eagles quarterback would come to New York if it was clear he would be the starter. The newspaper also said Ryan "loves" Vick.
"I'll just focus on the players we have on this roster instead of somebody else's players," Ryan said while laughing.
Sanchez, whom the Jets drafted fifth overall in 2009, was benched in favor of McElroy for at least the home finale Sunday against San Diego. Sanchez threw four interceptions and fumbled away the final offensive snap — and the Jets' playoff chances — in New York's 14-10 loss at Tennessee on Monday night.
He once drew comparisons to Joe Namath after helping the Jets to consecutive AFC title games in his first two seasons, but his lack of improvement the last two years have caused him to fall out of favor. Ryan was non-committal Thursday when asked about Sanchez's long-term future.
"Whether it's not a ringing endorsement or whatever, I have absolutely zero focus on that right now," he said. "Everybody knows I've been supportive of Mark Sanchez. I think he still has the skill set to be a good quarterback in this league and we've won a lot of games with him.
"Again, that's for another day."
Tebow was supposed to be the spark that got the offense going, but instead spent most of his time on the sideline. While he has been hampered the last month by two broken ribs, his numbers were far from special even before that. For the season, he has rushed for 102 yards on 32 carries and is 6 of 8 for 39 yards, and has a stunning zero touchdowns while participating in just 72 offensive snaps.
"I think anytime you look at those things, it's a combination of things, but I wouldn't use the words 'didn't work' at all," Sparano said. "We had a plan going into this thing, but obviously the plan always, at that particular time, was that Mark was the quarterback and Tim would have a role and to what degree the role was, if I remember correctly, it was one to 20 plays in a game. Some days it was eight, some days it was one, some days it was none."
But, many fans and media have said it appears Tebow never got a true opportunity to be the playmaker everyone expected.
"I'm not going to get into that fair shake, not fair shake, all of those kinds of things," Sparano said. "Tim played his role and has done his role as well as expected right now. In other words, he's done everything we've asked him to do so far."
Tebow repeatedly said he was "excited" to be a member of the Jets when he first came from Denver in a trade in March, and he reiterated that throughout the season. But he acknowledged that he was "a little bit disappointed" that Ryan chose McElroy to start over him — at least for Sunday.
Now, Tebow could be an ex-Jet less than a year after he came to New York with lots of expectations.
"I've always, since I was a young boy, believed in myself and the abilities that God has given me and I just look forward to having an opportunity to try to show those again," Tebow said. "I'm pretty positive and I look forward to the future and what's going to happen."
It won't be in New York, though. And the inability to consistently find a way to effectively use Tebow could end up costing Sparano his job, too.
Thursday's Scoreboard
Labels: SportsThursday's Games
(All Times Eastern)
NBA
Minnesota 32 Oklahoma City 18 (in 2nd)
Miami at Dallas, 9:30 p.m.
Denver at Portland, 10 p.m.
--
AHL
Peoria at Charlotte
Houston at Lake Erie
--
U.S. College Football
Poinsettia Bowl at San Diego
Brigham Young vs San Diego State, 8 p.m.
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(All Times Eastern)
NBA
Minnesota 32 Oklahoma City 18 (in 2nd)
Miami at Dallas, 9:30 p.m.
Denver at Portland, 10 p.m.
--
AHL
Peoria at Charlotte
Houston at Lake Erie
--
U.S. College Football
Poinsettia Bowl at San Diego
Brigham Young vs San Diego State, 8 p.m.
It's official, Andersen is new Wisconsin coach
Labels: SportsMADISON, Wis. (AP) — Several schools tried to lure Gary Andersen away from Utah State.
Wisconsin finally got him.
Andersen was officially hired as the Badgers' new coach Thursday, and will be formally introduced at a news conference Friday morning. He replaces Bret Bielema, who left the Badgers for Arkansas this month.
"I don't know if I can really have a word for how excited I am to be at Wisconsin and have this opportunity," Andersen said in a video on Wisconsin's website. "I know I'm humbled, I know I'm blessed."
The 48-year-old Andersen just completed his fourth and best season at Utah State. The 18th-ranked Aggies finished 11-2 with a bowl victory against Toledo and won the Western Athletic Conference. One of those losses was at Wisconsin, where the Aggies missed a 37-yard field goal in the final seconds to allow the Badgers to escape with a 16-14 win.
It's been a remarkable rise for a program that had been near the bottom of major college football for years, and stuck in distant third in its own state behind BYU and Utah. The Aggies won nine games in the previous four seasons before Andersen took over. The last football coach to finish his tenure in Logan, Utah, with a winning record was Phil Krueger who went 21-12 from 1973-75.
Andersen drew interest from California, Colorado and Kentucky last month, but decided to pass on those opportunities and received a contract extension from Utah State.
When Wisconsin called, however, Andersen couldn't resist.
"It all came together," he said in a video on Wisconsin's website. "By no means was I sitting out there going, 'I've got to have a job, I've got to have a job.' But as soon as this one popped open, to me, this was a special, special place."
Before Andersen left Logan, Utah, however, he called his players — all 107 of them — so they would hear the news that he was leaving from him and not on TV or Twitter.
"I couldn't tell them yet that I had taken the job," Andersen told UWBadgers.com. "But I told them if I was offered the job I was going to take the job. There were a bunch of tears and hard conversations."
Andersen replaces Bielema, who left Wisconsin on Dec. 4, three days after the Badgers routed Nebraska to win the Big Ten title and a school-record third straight trip to the Rose Bowl. Athletic director Barry Alvarez has agreed to coach Wisconsin in the bowl at the request of the players.
Though the Badgers' 8-5 record going into the Rose Bowl is their worst since 2008, Andersen is inheriting a team loaded with talent through Wisconsin will lose Montee Ball, who set the major college record for career touchdowns this year and tied the single-season mark last year, along with linebacker Mike Taylor and standout defensive backs Marcus Cromartie and Devin Smith.
The Badgers still have James White or Melvin Gordon, who rushed for a total of almost 1,400 yards and 15 touchdowns. Jared Abbrederis has led the Badgers in receiving each of the last two seasons, and Joel Stave showed promise before the freshman broke his collarbone. Disruptive linebacker Chris Borland, who is second with 4 1/2 sacks and 95 tackles despite missing two games, also is expected back.
And while this will be Andersen's first job in the Midwest, one Big Ten opponent has no doubt he can succeed. When Alvarez was considering Andersen, he called Ohio State coach Urban Meyer, who had Andersen on his staff at Utah in 2004, when the Utes went 12-0 and won the Fiesta Bowl.
"(Meyer has) had some very good assistants," Alvarez said on UWBadgers.com. "Urban told me that Gary is in the top five of all of them; he's the real deal. I said, 'Would he fit here? Would he fit in the Big Ten?' He said, 'Absolutely.'"
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Wisconsin finally got him.
Andersen was officially hired as the Badgers' new coach Thursday, and will be formally introduced at a news conference Friday morning. He replaces Bret Bielema, who left the Badgers for Arkansas this month.
"I don't know if I can really have a word for how excited I am to be at Wisconsin and have this opportunity," Andersen said in a video on Wisconsin's website. "I know I'm humbled, I know I'm blessed."
The 48-year-old Andersen just completed his fourth and best season at Utah State. The 18th-ranked Aggies finished 11-2 with a bowl victory against Toledo and won the Western Athletic Conference. One of those losses was at Wisconsin, where the Aggies missed a 37-yard field goal in the final seconds to allow the Badgers to escape with a 16-14 win.
It's been a remarkable rise for a program that had been near the bottom of major college football for years, and stuck in distant third in its own state behind BYU and Utah. The Aggies won nine games in the previous four seasons before Andersen took over. The last football coach to finish his tenure in Logan, Utah, with a winning record was Phil Krueger who went 21-12 from 1973-75.
Andersen drew interest from California, Colorado and Kentucky last month, but decided to pass on those opportunities and received a contract extension from Utah State.
When Wisconsin called, however, Andersen couldn't resist.
"It all came together," he said in a video on Wisconsin's website. "By no means was I sitting out there going, 'I've got to have a job, I've got to have a job.' But as soon as this one popped open, to me, this was a special, special place."
Before Andersen left Logan, Utah, however, he called his players — all 107 of them — so they would hear the news that he was leaving from him and not on TV or Twitter.
"I couldn't tell them yet that I had taken the job," Andersen told UWBadgers.com. "But I told them if I was offered the job I was going to take the job. There were a bunch of tears and hard conversations."
Andersen replaces Bielema, who left Wisconsin on Dec. 4, three days after the Badgers routed Nebraska to win the Big Ten title and a school-record third straight trip to the Rose Bowl. Athletic director Barry Alvarez has agreed to coach Wisconsin in the bowl at the request of the players.
Though the Badgers' 8-5 record going into the Rose Bowl is their worst since 2008, Andersen is inheriting a team loaded with talent through Wisconsin will lose Montee Ball, who set the major college record for career touchdowns this year and tied the single-season mark last year, along with linebacker Mike Taylor and standout defensive backs Marcus Cromartie and Devin Smith.
The Badgers still have James White or Melvin Gordon, who rushed for a total of almost 1,400 yards and 15 touchdowns. Jared Abbrederis has led the Badgers in receiving each of the last two seasons, and Joel Stave showed promise before the freshman broke his collarbone. Disruptive linebacker Chris Borland, who is second with 4 1/2 sacks and 95 tackles despite missing two games, also is expected back.
And while this will be Andersen's first job in the Midwest, one Big Ten opponent has no doubt he can succeed. When Alvarez was considering Andersen, he called Ohio State coach Urban Meyer, who had Andersen on his staff at Utah in 2004, when the Utes went 12-0 and won the Fiesta Bowl.
"(Meyer has) had some very good assistants," Alvarez said on UWBadgers.com. "Urban told me that Gary is in the top five of all of them; he's the real deal. I said, 'Would he fit here? Would he fit in the Big Ten?' He said, 'Absolutely.'"
U.S. slaps duties on China wind towers, high-level talks begin
Labels: BusinessWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Tuesday pressed forward with plans to slap steep punitive duties on wind turbine towers imported from China at prices deemed unfairly low, even as officials welcomed a high-level Chinese delegation for trade and economic talks.
The U.S. Commerce Department set final anti-dumping duties ranging from 44.99 to 70.63 percent on utility-scale towers manufactured in China and additional countervailing duties of 21.86 to 34.81 percent to combat Chinese government subsidies.
The department also slapped final anti-dumping duties of 51.40 to 58.49 percent on wind towers from Vietnam.
A U.S. trade panel has final approval over the duties and is expected to vote on the case in late January.
The action was the latest clash between the two countries over U.S. imports of green technology from China. It came as a Chinese delegation led by Vice Premier Wang Qishan was in Washington for the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade meeting, a high-level bilateral forum to address barriers to trade and investment.
Wang will attend a dinner on Tuesday evening hosted by U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk and Acting Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank and is expected to meet with U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner on Thursday morning.
CHINA EYES U.S. "FISCAL CLIFF"
The main meeting on Wednesday takes place as President Barack Obama and House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner try to negotiate a budget deal to avert the so-called "fiscal cliff" of automatic tax increases and spending cuts early next year.
The White House is also pushing for an increase in the nation's $16.4 trillion statutory debt cap as part of any deal. The U.S. Treasury expects to reach the debt ceiling by year-end and will likely run out of options to free up more borrowing capacity by sometime in February, risking a potential default.
China is the United States' largest creditor, giving it a deep interest in Washington's budget debate.
U.S. companies expect Wednesday's meeting to produce no sweeping new commitments, but hope for action on concerns ranging from Chinese barriers to U.S. farm products to policies pressuring U.S. companies seeking business in China to transfer valuable technology there.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday urged securities market regulators in both countries to resolve differences over sharing of confidential business information that China considers a state secret.
"Failure to reach an agreement will create regulatory dead-zones that harm investors and businesses. Furthermore, the threat of retaliatory actions by regulators, on both sides of the Pacific, may create a regulatory protectionism that will harm both economies," the business group said in a letter to the heads of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the China Securities Regulatory Commission.
The United States has also slapped anti-dumping and countervailing duties on billions of dollars of solar panels from China, despite strong objections from Beijing.
In Geneva on Tuesday, China's Ambassador to the World Trade Organization Yi Xiaozhun, criticized what he called U.S. "abuse" of anti-dumping and countervailing laws and accused Washington of blocking some Chinese investment in the United States for "ideological reasons."
LOST MARKET SHARE
The United States imported $222 million of wind towers from China last year and about $79 million from Vietnam. The custom-built steel towers support turbines that generate electricity from wind.
Anti-dumping duties announced on Tuesday were higher for two Chinese companies, Chengxi Shipyard Co. and Titan Wind Energy (Suzhou), than the preliminary rates they received earlier this year in the range of 20 to 30 percent.
Three other Chinese exporters also faced higher duty rates of around 45 to 50 percent in the final decision, but the top rate of 70.63 percent for "all other" Chinese manufacturers and exporters was down slightly from the preliminary level.
Final countervailing duties on Chinese wind towers were higher than the preliminary rates of 13.74 to 26.00 percent.
Final anti-dumping duties on Vietnamese towers were only slightly changed from preliminary levels.
The U.S. International Trade Commission has the final decision on duties. In February, the panel made a preliminary vote of 5-0 that there was a reasonable indication Chinese and Vietnamese imports have harmed U.S. wind tower producers.
U.S. producers say low-priced towers from Asia have cut into their market share and forced plant closings.
"Over the last years, in a period of peak demand, the U.S. industry should have been profitable," said Alan Price, an attorney at Wiley Rein representing U.S. producers. "Instead, due to the surge in dumped and subsidized imports, the industry lost market share and saw its profits collapse."
Read More..
The U.S. Commerce Department set final anti-dumping duties ranging from 44.99 to 70.63 percent on utility-scale towers manufactured in China and additional countervailing duties of 21.86 to 34.81 percent to combat Chinese government subsidies.
The department also slapped final anti-dumping duties of 51.40 to 58.49 percent on wind towers from Vietnam.
A U.S. trade panel has final approval over the duties and is expected to vote on the case in late January.
The action was the latest clash between the two countries over U.S. imports of green technology from China. It came as a Chinese delegation led by Vice Premier Wang Qishan was in Washington for the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade meeting, a high-level bilateral forum to address barriers to trade and investment.
Wang will attend a dinner on Tuesday evening hosted by U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk and Acting Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank and is expected to meet with U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner on Thursday morning.
CHINA EYES U.S. "FISCAL CLIFF"
The main meeting on Wednesday takes place as President Barack Obama and House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner try to negotiate a budget deal to avert the so-called "fiscal cliff" of automatic tax increases and spending cuts early next year.
The White House is also pushing for an increase in the nation's $16.4 trillion statutory debt cap as part of any deal. The U.S. Treasury expects to reach the debt ceiling by year-end and will likely run out of options to free up more borrowing capacity by sometime in February, risking a potential default.
China is the United States' largest creditor, giving it a deep interest in Washington's budget debate.
U.S. companies expect Wednesday's meeting to produce no sweeping new commitments, but hope for action on concerns ranging from Chinese barriers to U.S. farm products to policies pressuring U.S. companies seeking business in China to transfer valuable technology there.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday urged securities market regulators in both countries to resolve differences over sharing of confidential business information that China considers a state secret.
"Failure to reach an agreement will create regulatory dead-zones that harm investors and businesses. Furthermore, the threat of retaliatory actions by regulators, on both sides of the Pacific, may create a regulatory protectionism that will harm both economies," the business group said in a letter to the heads of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the China Securities Regulatory Commission.
The United States has also slapped anti-dumping and countervailing duties on billions of dollars of solar panels from China, despite strong objections from Beijing.
In Geneva on Tuesday, China's Ambassador to the World Trade Organization Yi Xiaozhun, criticized what he called U.S. "abuse" of anti-dumping and countervailing laws and accused Washington of blocking some Chinese investment in the United States for "ideological reasons."
LOST MARKET SHARE
The United States imported $222 million of wind towers from China last year and about $79 million from Vietnam. The custom-built steel towers support turbines that generate electricity from wind.
Anti-dumping duties announced on Tuesday were higher for two Chinese companies, Chengxi Shipyard Co. and Titan Wind Energy (Suzhou), than the preliminary rates they received earlier this year in the range of 20 to 30 percent.
Three other Chinese exporters also faced higher duty rates of around 45 to 50 percent in the final decision, but the top rate of 70.63 percent for "all other" Chinese manufacturers and exporters was down slightly from the preliminary level.
Final countervailing duties on Chinese wind towers were higher than the preliminary rates of 13.74 to 26.00 percent.
Final anti-dumping duties on Vietnamese towers were only slightly changed from preliminary levels.
The U.S. International Trade Commission has the final decision on duties. In February, the panel made a preliminary vote of 5-0 that there was a reasonable indication Chinese and Vietnamese imports have harmed U.S. wind tower producers.
U.S. producers say low-priced towers from Asia have cut into their market share and forced plant closings.
"Over the last years, in a period of peak demand, the U.S. industry should have been profitable," said Alan Price, an attorney at Wiley Rein representing U.S. producers. "Instead, due to the surge in dumped and subsidized imports, the industry lost market share and saw its profits collapse."
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