News and Notes: Monday Edition

Below, some news and notes for Monday...

• The Cornell freshmen photos are now posted on the official Cornell team website.  Additionally, the rookies and veteran players have commenced their limited individual/small group workouts with the training and coaching staffs.

• Louis Dale (Cornell '10) has reportedly agreed to terms with KAO Dramas (KAOD) of the Greek premier league, the A1.  KAOD was 9-15 a year ago and ranked 97th in the world in the FIBA rankings.  The Greek A1 is the 4th ranked league in the world with the NBA in the top position.  See multiple reports (in Greek) of Dale's acquisition by KAOD from Basket Plus Greece, On Sports Greece, Super Basket Greece, and Contra.

• What are Jeff Foote's (Cornell '10) chances with the Brooklyn Nets?  Nets Daily writes, "The Nets, as noted, have 13 players under contract. Another,[Donte] Greene, has a good chance of making the squad. What should we expect in training camp? NBA teams can invite as many players as they want to camp, but word is don't expect any surprises. Greene may very well be the highest profile player invited to camp. Dennis Horner and Jeff Foote could show up, but it's increasingly doubtful. Horner just received clearance to start practicing after breaking his foot in June. Haven't heard anything on Foote since the end of summer league."

• Former Cornell assistant coach and current head coach at Army, Zach Spiker, suffered a tragic loss of one of his former West Point players.

• ESPN ranks the Top 50 college basketball programs of the last 50 years.  Cornell ranked 3rd in the Ivy League over this 50 year period.  However, during the last 10 years, Cornell would most certainly be on the top of the Ivy League.

• Saturday Blitz argues that the Ivy League should consider participating in the NCAA football playoffs.  Saturday Blitz suggests there is a resurgence of Ivy League athletics, citing Cornell's Sweet Sixteen run in basketball during 2010 as evidence.

• From A Date in Cornell Basketball History.  When Cornell finished the 2009-2010 season ranked #17 in the country, it was first time in 59 years that Cornell had been ranked in a national poll in men's basketball.  During the 1950-1951 season, the team climbed as high as No. 14 in the Associated Press poll on January 3, 1951. The Big Red opened the season with nine straight wins, including a victory over Stanford. It fell out the following week after an  85-45 loss at Columbia. The previous two weeks, Cornell had been ranked No. 19 (December 19, 1950) and No. 18 (December 26, 1950).  Above, the original clippings of these A.P. Polls from the 1950-1951 season.  Cornell cracked the 2009-2010 USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll on February 1, 2010.  With Cornell's Errick Peck on the cover of the Big Red's weekly game notes, Cornell opened its national ranking defense on the weekend of February 5-6 against Yale and Brown.  Below, the Final USA Today/ESPN Top 25 Coaches Poll for 2010.  No Ivy League team since Cornell has finished the season ranked in the Top 25.