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Imagine you're a college wrestling coach who, after ten years at his school, had won a string of conference titles, then taken your program to a second-place finish in the team standings at the 2014 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships, the school's highest placement ever. Your team could claim five All-Americans, including two who made it into the finals. For those accomplishments, you were named Coach of the Year by a leading amateur wrestling website. Then, months after these honors, you find yourself unemployed, unable to find any coaching position within college wrestling.

You'd say it sounds like a nightmare. But it's waking reality for Tim Fader, former University of Wisconsin-Whitewater head wrestling coach who experienced "non-renewal" regarding his reporting of an alleged sexual assault -- quickly recanted by the victim -- which took place Easter weekend in 2014.

How could this happen? InterMat sought to find out the story behind the story ... by contacting coach Fader himself.

Meet Tim Fader

Tim Fader was born in Ida Grove, Iowa, in the northwest part of the state, but grew up in Rochelle, Illinois, in the north-central portion of the Land of Lincoln, a bit more than an hour west of Chicago on I-88, the Ronald Reagan East-West Tollway. His father Pete, a former wrestler at Cedar Rapids' Coe College in the late 1960s, was a teacher and wrestling coach at Rochelle Township High School.

"I had an OK career in high school," said Fader, who quickly followed up by saying, "I was recruited by some Division I schools but didn't think I was Division I material." It was only in a quick follow-up, fact-checking interview that, when asked, Fader admitted he had been a finalist at the Illinois high school state championships.

"The very last week of high school, I got a call from Kevin Puebla (then head wrestling coach) of Augustana College," said Fader, referring to the Division III school to the west of Rochelle, in Rock Island, Illinois. "We'll struggle at first, but we will become a great team."

"By the time I graduated, we were a top five program."

Fader graduated from Augustana with a bachelor's degree in both Business Administration-Finance, and Accounting in 1991. What he didn't mention in his interview with InterMat was that he graduated summa cum laude (among the top scholars at his school), named Augustana Top Scholar-Athlete, and was a two-time GTE (now Verizon) COSIDA First Team Academic All-American. Nor did he talk about his individual accomplishments on the mat, as a three-time NCAA qualifier, and two-time NCAA All-American at 142 pounds. He also didn't say anything about being a two-time team captain, or that he was named the team's MVP ... all according to his official coach's bio at the UW-Whitewater wrestling website.

Fader stayed in the Quad Cities after graduation. "I took a position in Moline as a consultant, but, at 3:30, I felt the urge to be back in the wrestling room," Fader disclosed. "I worked things out with my job to be able to go back to Augustana to help coach. Did that for two years."

Continue reading here:
Former UW-Whitewater coach Tim Fader tells his story

2014 MLB.com Top Prospects: Jose Peraza has made significant improvements in 2013 and profiles as a top-of-the-order hitter

ATLANTA -- The Braves bid adieu to the longest-tenured member of their organization to create 40-man roster space for top prospect Jose Peraza and six other Minor Leaguers who will have an opportunity to experience their first Major League Spring Training.

Left-handed reliever Jonny Venters' long stint with the Braves' organization came to a close on Wednesday, when he and infielder Ramiro Pena were designated for assignment. The transactions created the space necessary for Peraza, third baseman Kyle Kubitza, left-handed pitcher Yean Carlos Gil and four right-handed pitchers -- Mauricio Cabrera, Brandon Cunniff, Tyrell Jenkins and Williams Perez -- to be added to the 40-man roster.

MLB.com's latest Top 20 Braves prospects list is headed by Peraza. Jenkins and Cabrera rank seventh and eighth, respectively, on the same list.

All Major League clubs have until Thursday at 11:59 p.m. ET to determine which of their Rule 5 Draft-eligible players will be protected by being added to the 40-man roster.

Venters' removal from the roster was certainly expected given that he underwent what might prove to be a career-ending third Tommy John surgery in September. Pena proved to be one of Atlanta's most valuable players before he underwent shoulder surgery during the third month of the 2013 season. But he never fully recovered from the surgery and experienced a disappointing 2014 campaign.

While the Braves bid adieu to Venters and Pena, they provided further indication that they believe Peraza could begin his reign as Atlanta's starting second baseman at some point next season. The speedy Venezuelan batted .339, stole 60 bases (75 attempts) and produced an .805 OPS while combining to play 110 games with Class A Advanced Lynchburg and Double-A Mississippi this year.

Peraza has played just 44 games above the Class A level and thus might not be Major League-ready at the start of the 2015 season. But the Braves have indicated he will be given every opportunity during Spring Training to prove how close he might be to being ready to rise to the game's highest level.

Jenkins' addition to the 40-man roster came just one day after he and Shelby Miller were acquired from the Cardinals in exchange for Jason Heyward and Jordan Walden. Jenkins is an athletic, hard-throwing right-hander who has tremendous upside if he continues to distance himself from the shoulder issues that have slowed his development. The 22-year-old hurler is expected to begin the season in Mississippi's starting rotation.

While Jenkins posted a 3.28 ERA in 13 starts for Class A Advanced Palm Beach this past season, Cabrera produced a 5.59 ERA and recorded 28 strikeouts in 29 innings for Lynchburg. The 21-year-old right-hander's stock has dropped since he enjoyed an impressive 2012 season for Rookie-level Danville.

See the article here:
Top prospect Peraza among Braves' roster additions

With these moves, the Tribe's 40-man is at its capacity.

While all five athletes are talented, the player of most immediate intrigue for the 2015 Tribe is Urshela, whose pure glove at the hot corner has combined with his greatly improved plate performance to make him a candidate for a '15 callup. The Indians' porous defensive effort in '14, which included 18 errors and minus-16 defensive runs saved in 114 games at third by Lonnie Chisenhall, make Urshela's defensive strengths an asset.

Alas, Urshela tweaked his left knee while running out a triple in the Venezuelan Winter League this month, and he was expected in Cleveland this week for an MRI exam. The Indians did not have immediate information on the extent of that injury and whether it will affect Urshela's readiness for Spring Training. He finished the season the Tribe's No. 13 prospect, according to MLB.com.

The 23-year-old Urshela, a native of Colombia who was signed by the Tribe at 16, split '14 between Double-A Akron and Columbus, hitting a combined .280 with 36 doubles, six triples, 18 homers and 84 RBIs. He made five errors in 220 total chances at Columbus.

Armstrong, 24, also reached Columbus this season. He went a combined 6-2 with a 2.41 ERA in 49 relief appearances between Columbus and Akron, and he pitched three scoreless innings for the Clippers in the International League playoffs. In his Minor League career, he has compiled a 2.43 ERA and an impressive 11.1 strikeouts-per-nine-innings mark in 162 2/3 innings. The strikeout rate alone makes him an obvious candidate for a spot in the big league bullpen at some point in '15.

Anderson, also 24, is a converted outfielder (he made the switch to pitching in junior college) with a low- to mid-90s fastball and developing slider that have put him on the big league radar. He was the organization's Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2013, though he did take a statistical step back with the jump to Double-A Akron this year. He went 4-11 with a 5.44 ERA in 25 starts for the RubberDucks. The Indians' hope is that when Anderson develops a better feel for his pitches, he'll be more aggressive down in the zone.

Like Anderson, Wolters, a former middle infielder, spent all season at Akron. It was his second season primarily behind the plate since converting as a result of the Tribe's glut of middle-infield talent. Wolters -- ranked as the club's No. 18 prospect by MLB.com -- hit .249 with a .633 OPS. In 66 games at catcher, he threw out 47 percent of would-be base stealers. He finished the year in the Arizona Fall League, where he hit .255 with eight RBIs in 15 games.

Merritt went 13-3 with a 2.58 ERA in 25 starts at Class A Carolina this year, and he followed that up by earning Carolina League postseason all-star honors. He struck out 127 against 25 walks in 160 1/3 innings.

Anthony Castrovince is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his columns and follow him on Twitter at @Castrovince. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Read more from the original source:
Urshela among five protected from Rule 5 Draft

When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed a well-traveled defensive end by the name of Jacquies Smith three days after the regular season officially started, there were very little expectations for the second-year defender. But Smith exceeded all expectations and quickly developed into the team's top edge-rusher over the past month.

Smith's journey is another rags-to-riches NFL story.

The 6'4", 264-pound defensive end from the University of Missouri wasn't drafted in 2012. Smith signed as a free agent with the Miami Dolphins, but he didn't make it through the final preseason roster trimming.Smith then spent three months in Canada as a member of the CFL's Hamilton Tigers-Cats with little to no fanfare.

The defensive end eventually signed with the New York Jets as a member of their practice squad for the remainder of the 2012 season. He was cut by the Jets the following August before he became a member of the Buffalo Bills. Smith played well for the Bills during preseason, but he became a roster casualty once linebacker Nigel Bradham was activated to the roster.

Smith finally found a home in Tampa Bay when the Buccaneers signed him Sept. 10.

The well-traveled defender discussed his journey with Buccaneers.com editor Scott Smith:

Everybody has a story in this league. It doesnt really matter how you get hereits what you do when you get here when youre given the opportunity. Youve got a lot of guys buying into what the coaches are talking about and theyre comfortable in the playbook and things of that nature. Once you get your opportunity, you just have to go out there and do the best you can with the opportunity. Guys are making plays.

And Jacquies Smith is making plays after being given an opportunity to play a bigger role in the Buccaneers defense.

Over the past four games, the Missouri product registered three sacks and 11 quarterback hurries. Among defensive ends with over 100 pass-rushing snaps, the Tampa Bay edge-rusher is rated as the sixth-best at applying pressure, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Jacquies Smith manufactured a sack, quarterback hit or hurry on 15 percent of his pass-rushing snaps this season.

The defensive end told the team's website he's gained confidence with each passing game:

See original here:
Jacquies Smith Blossoming as Deadly Pass-Rusher Buccaneers Desperately Need

Director Francis Lawrence attends the premiere of Lionsgates The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 on November 17, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 opens in movie theaters around the country beginning tonight. Its the third in the series of films based on Suzanne Collins best-selling dystopian novels for young adults.

Here & Nows Jeremy Hobson talks to director Francis Lawrence about the rewards and challenges of bringing such beloved books to the screen.

Lawrence also directed the film adaptation of Collins second book Catching Fire, as well as The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2.

On why people gravitate towards The Hunger Games movies

Well I think it goes all the way back to the source material that Suzanne Collins created. She had this idea to write a series of books for teenagers about the consequence of war. I think every decision that she made was based on that idea. Then she created a really compelling story with great characters, especially the character of Katniss, which I think is going to go down as one of the greatest characters of all time and then you have the kind of magic of this cast populating those characters.

On fans who will compare the movie and the book

I love the book. We made this for the fans. I also think that the fans know that you cant exactly turn the book into a movie, especially when its so internal. Im sure there will be little sort of moments and pieces of dialogue Katniss though to herself that will never make the movie that theyll be disappointed about, but I think that theyre going to be really excited about the things that we did put in and the new additions. Some of that expansion actually allows to surprise even the strictest fans.

On how the use of propaganda in the movie evokes reality

Its pretty chilling when you see some of the ways that the ideas and imagery in this movie is sort of mirrored in what we see on the news today. I was just recently talking to Suzanne Collins about it, and she said unfortunately, it mirrors things that have been happening for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.

Continue reading here:
The Man Behind 'Mockingjay'

American Canyon homeowners and business owners can now make their properties more water and energy efficient through a property-tax based program already in effect throughout Napa County.

The HERO Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Program allows residents to install new plumbing as well as heating and cooling systems, and pay off the costs through long-term property tax assessments.

The cities of American Canyon and St. Helena recently joined PACE, following the communities of Napa, Calistoga and Yountville. Napa County also is a member.

HERO will help American Canyon and St. Helena save water and energy and enable local homeowners to make immediate efficiency-improvements to their homes, Liza Gray, HERO Community Development Manager, said in a press release. Based on our experience in other communities, we also expect HERO to create local jobs by increasing demand for construction services.

Program participants can repay the assessments in as few as five years and as many as 20 years.

Interest is tax deductible.

HERO provides property owners with a variety of environmental and plumbing options to have installed. These range from high-efficiency toilets and faucets to drip irrigation systems to drought-tolerant landscaping.

More than 200 cities and counties in California have adopted HERO Programs representing about $375 million in financing.

Visit http://www.HEROProgram.com or call 855-HERO-411 for more information.

Original post:
American Canyon joins water, energy conservation program

Natural ventilation used to be the best way to allow fresh outdoor air to replace contaminated indoor air in a home. But because todays energy-efficient homes are air-sealed and built more tightly for heating and cooling control, its essential to have a mechanical ventilation strategy for todays homes.

To maintain a safe and comfortable indoor environment, we must now mechanically ensure that contaminantshumidity, odors, dust, pet dander, grease, mold, formaldehyde and other chemicalsare constantly removed from the building. A proper ventilation system maintains indoor air quality and reduces the probability of mold formation.

There are two general types of ventilation: local (or spot) and whole-house.

SPOT VENTILATION

Spot ventilation focuses on removing contaminants from a specific place at a specific time, such as the ventilating fan in a bathroom that helps eliminate steamy mirrors, foggy windows and stale odors. Architects, builders and designers should consider a number of factors when installing a bath fan for spot ventilation use.

The Home Ventilating Institute (HVI) recommends that fans should have airflow of roughly 1 cubic foot per minute (cfm) for every square foot of a bathroom area up to 100 ft. For bathrooms larger than this, HVI recommends a ventilation rate based on the fixtures present in the bathroom, with a basis of adding together 50 cfm for each traditional appliance (toilet, shower and so on) and 100 cfm for larger items such as a jetted tub. If additional showerheads are installed, additional or increased ventilation should also be installed. These are rules of thumbgenerally, more cfm will take care of issues faster.

The loudness of the fan is also important to consider. Sound levels in fans are measured in sones, with lower numbers being quieter. A typical builder-grade fan is 4.0 sones while any fan rated at 1 sone or less is very quiet (1 sone is roughly the equivalent sound of a quiet refrigerator in a quiet room).

The HVI recommends that a fan remain on for a minimum of 20 minutes after each use of the shower or bath. Using a timer can help ensure that the bath fan is on for the allotted time needed. For those of us who may be hesitant to turn on the fan for fear of forgetting to turn it off, timers are great alternatives. Another great substitute to a fan switch is a humidity-sensing fan, which automatically turns ON when humidity rises and then turns OFF when the humidity returns to normal. This is a great solution for a bathroom used by the kids, who are notorious for forgetting to turn on the fan. Some models that have the sensor incorporated right into the fan itself are particularly effective as they sense humidity at the ceiling, where it is the most concentrated, and are triggered by a change in humidity over time rather than a set humidity level. These fans are also adjustable in terms of sensitivity and time delay.

Bath fan/light combinations are another great option. A builder can complete two remodeling tasks, lighting and ventilation, with one unit, and homeowners are always eager for a product that can fix multiple household issues at once. Many of these bath fan/lights come in decorative models that blend with existing fixtures but are actually fully functional ventilation fans. On top of that, theyre very easy to install. A fan/light can be installed in the same footprint of the existing fan, which means you can use the original wiring and wall switch.

WHOLE-HOUSE VENTILATION

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Breathe Easy

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