Greek News
Robert Kraft of Zeta Beta Tau is on the Cover of Sports Illustrated
With Super Bowl XLVI being the nation's big weekend event, the February 6th issue of Sports Illustrated features New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, a member of Zeta Beta Tau at Columbia, on the cover and in a feature profile entitled "Kraftwork". The profile describes how Kraft has turned the Patriots into the National Football League's model franchise. Also playing prominent roles in Sunday's game will be Patriots head coach Bill Belichick (Chi Psi at Wesleyan), New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (Sigma Nu at Mississippi), Patriots defensive end Ron Brace(Iota Phi Theta at Boston College) and Giants long snapper Zak DeOssie (Theta Delta Chi at Brown).
Two Greeks Named Head Coaches by NFL Teams
Two of the seven new head coaches hired so far by National Football League clubs since the end of the 2011 season are in NIC member fraternities. On January 20th, the Miami Dolphins named Joe Philbin, a Lambda Chi Alpha from Washington & Jefferson, as the 10th head coach in club history. He spent the last nine years on the Green Bay Packers coaching staff with the last five as offensive coordinator. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers hired Greg Schiano, a Phi Gamma Delta from Bucknell, on January 26th after 11 seasons as head coach at Rutgers. Previously, he was an NFL assistant coach with the Chicago Bears from 1996 to 1998.
KA’s Snedeker Wins Over A Million in his third PGA championship
At the PGA Tour's Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego, Brandt Snedeker, a member of Kappa Alpha Order at Vanderbilt, tied for the lead after four rounds with a 272 total, then won the second playoff hole to earn $1,080,000 for his third victory since joining the PGA Tour. Before earning his first Tour win in 2007, he trailed by five shots entering the final round. His second title at the 2011 Heritage came after trailing by six shots after three rounds. The Farmers event was similar to his earlier wins as he started the fourth round seven shots behind.
Greeks Receive Academy Award Nominations
With the official announcement of Oscar candidates on January 25th, several of Hollywood's leading Greeks in the motion picture industry will be in the spotlight when Oscar night happens on February 26th. Best Actor nominee Brad Pitt (Sigma Chi) starred in Best Picture-nominated Moneyball and also was a co-producer of the film. Pitt also had a leading role in Best Picture nominee The Tree of Life. Another Best Picture nominee, War Horse, was directed byStephen Spielberg (Theta Chi), who, surprisingly, did not get a Best Director nomination. Grant Heslov (Phi Kappa Psi) is a co-nominee for Adapted Screenplay on The Ides of March, which he co-produced.
Announcing the 2011 NIC All-Fraternity All-American Football Teams
The college football season and all the bowl games concluded a week ago. Players from a large number of fraternities and colleges have been selected on the attached press release. To review the leading Greek players and head coaches, click here.
Beta Theta Pi’s Ben Flajnik is “The Bachelor”
The 23rd season of ABC-TV's popular show, "The Bachelor", premiered on January 2nd with Ben Flajnik, a member of Beta Theta Pi from the University of Arizona, in the spotlight. The 29-year old California winemaker will "face off" against 25 single women who will be vying for his interest over the next several months. Prior to the show's opening episode, Flajnik was interviewed on the network's "Good Morning America" show.
Sigma Chi’s Donald Wraps up Historic Double
Luke Donald (Sigma Chi from Northwestern) has become the first golfer to win both the PGA Tour and European Tour money titles in the same year. After taking five weeks off from golf due to the death of his father and birth of his second child, he returned to play in the European Tour's Dubai World Championship and placed third with a four-round 272 total. Donald's earnings in Dubai put him more than $1.34 million ahead of second place finisher Rory McIlroy on the final European Tour money list.
Delt Randy Bullock Wins Lou Groza Award
At the ESPN College Football Awards Show in Lake Buena Vista, FL, Texas A&M's Randy Bullock, a member of Delta Tau Delta, was named winner of the Lou Groza Award as the top collegiate placekicker in 2011. The award's namesake was a member of Alpha Tau Omega at Ohio State before a lengthy pro career and ultimate election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Bullock led the NCAA in field goals with a 2.08 per game average on 25 of 29 attempts, scored 127 points in 2011 and became the school career scoring leader with 349 points. The Fred Biletnikoff Award for the nation's top pass catcher was presented by Biletnikoff himself, a member of both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame after becoming a member of Lambda Chi Alpha at Florida State. Also presenting an award was College Football Hall of Fame member and NFL great Calvin Hill, a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon at Yale. Taking part in some interviews during the two hour TV coverage was longtime ESPN analyst Lee Corso, a member of Alpha Tau Omega at Florida State.
KA’s Tim McCarver Chosen for Hall of Fame’s Broadcasting Wing
Longtime TV analyst Tim McCarver, a member of Kappa Alpha Order at Memphis State, was selected by a 20-person panel for enshrinement next July in the broadcasting wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. The 21-year major league catcher has called baseball on NBC, ABC and CBS before joining Fox Sports. His work has defined World Series TV analysis and he broadcast his 22nd Fall Classic in 2011.
National Football Foundation Dinner Celebrates Numerous Greeks
At the Waldorf-Astoria in New York on Tuesday night, the National Football Foundation's Annual Awards Dinner honored the best and brightest undergraduates and prominent alumni from NIC member fraternities. NFF Board Member and noted philanthropist T. Boone Pickens (Sigma Alpha Epsilon at Oklahoma State) provided the welcome address and Dr. Archie Roberts (Alpha Chi Rho at Columbia), a pioneering heart surgeon, accepted the NFF Distinguished American Award. The 2011 College Football Hall of Fame class was also honored and included wide receiver Carlos Alvarez (Alpha Tau Omega at Florida), fullback Bill Enyeart (Phi Gamma Delta at Oregon State), running back Eddie George (Kappa Alpha Psi at Ohio State), quarterback Sandy Stephens (Alpha Phi Alpha at Minnesota) and linebackerDarryl Talley (Kappa Alpha Psi at West Virginia). Quarterback Patrick Witt (Delta Kappa Epsilon at Yale) was presented as a member of the 2011 class of NFF National Scholar-Athletes. Ted Ruta (Sigma Phi Epsilon at Florida State) was the recipient of the NFF's Outstanding Football Official Award.
