Evander Holyfield Makes History... Again!

/PRNewswire/ -- Rocky Balboa couldn't have told a better story than Evander Holyfield. Saturday night, the 47-year-old Holyfield became the oldest man to capture the World Heavyweight Championship, the fifth time in his storied career that the "Real Deal" has captured world title honors. With the crowd at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas chanting, "Holyfield! Holyfield!," the boxing legend stopped Francois Botha with a right hook at 2:05 remaining in the eighth round to become the new WBF World Heavyweight Champion. The knockout win improves Holyfield's career record to 43-10-2, with 28 KOs.

"For me, this win represents the power of faith," Holyfield said. "I wanted to show people that you can win and achieve your goals no matter what because through God all things are possible."

Holyfield also said that he looks forward to bringing renewed attention and excitement to the Heavyweight Division.

The 47-year-old Holyfield was fighting for the first time since December 2008. He has always been known for his innovative, scientifically-based training methods, which have kept his body in peak condition well past the age when most fighters have retired. He soon will be introducing his own line of revolutionary nutritional products to the public to help people look and feel their best.

Next, Holyfield has his sights set on David Haye and the Klitschko brothers, Wladimir and Vitali, who all hold other major versions of the World Title. Following Saturday's victory, Holyfield issued a challenge to settle the score in the ring.

"There's only one world, so there should only be one World Heavyweight Champion," Holyfield said. "I am going to be the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the World again."

Holyfield is represented by Womble Carlyle Corporate & Securities/Sports & Entertainment attorney Bernard H. Coleman, Jr.

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Carmike To Show FedEx BCS National Championship and NBA All-Star Saturday Night, Live in 3-D at 35 Theatres in 19 States

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Carmike Cinemas, Inc. (NASDAQ: CKEC), the nation’s leading motion picture exhibitor in 3-D, today announced that it will be showing two upcoming Live 3-D broadcasts: the FedEx BCS National Championship Game between the University of Florida and the University of Oklahoma on January 8th and NBA All-Star Saturday Night on February 14th. Both events will be shown at 35 Carmike theatres in 19 states (list below).

“Cinedigm's CineLive(TM) Satellite Distribution Network is the only system that can distribute over a national theatre footprint, and we are delighted to collaborate with them to bring these premier sporting events for the first time ever to the viewing public, live and in 3-D,” stated Michael W. Patrick, Carmike’s Chief Executive Officer.

“With a growing slate of 3-D content planned for 2009 and beyond, Carmike has taken the industry lead in deploying digital 3-D technology. Our circuit’s first-run theatres are 100% digital, with state-of-the-art sound, stadium seating and other patron-friendly amenities at most locations. During the 2008 fourth quarter, we completed the conversion of Carmike’s entire theatre circuit to 3-D readiness, giving us 502 compatible screens of approximately 1300 3-D screens across the U.S.

“The major motion picture studios are solidly behind 3-D, and we share their excitement as this content is ideally suited to the customers in our markets. Importantly, movies continue to be added to the studios’ release schedules, with over 20 3-D films currently slated for debut in 2009 and 2010. In addition to professional and college sports in 3-D, there are a growing number of additional special events that we will be bringing in digital and or 3-D format to the Carmike circuit, including religious programming, concerts and arts-oriented productions such as opera and ballet,” concluded Mr. Patrick.

Carmike Theatre Locations BCS Championship and NBA All-Star Saturday Night
STATE		CITY		THEATER
Alabama		Mobile		Wynnsong 16
Colorado		Colorado Springs		Chapel Hills 15
Colorado		Fort Collins		Carmike 10
Florida		Bradenton		Carmike Royal Palm 20
Florida		Fernandina Beach		Carmike Amelia Island 7
Georgia		Columbus		Carmike 15
Georgia		Conyers		Carmike Conyers Crossroads 16
Georgia		Savannah		Carmike Wynnsong 11
Iowa		Johnston		Carmike Wynnsong 16
Illinois		Champaign		Beverly Center 18
Illinois		Dekalb		Carmike Market Square 10
Kansas		Manhattan		Seth Childs 12
Minnesota		Oakdale		Carmike Oakdale 20
Missouri		Warrensburg		Carmike University 8
Montana		Billings		Carmike Wynnsong 10
Montana		Missoula		Carmike 10
New York		Olean		Carmike 8
North Carolina		Asheville		Carmike 10
North Carolina		Fayetteville		Carmike Market Fair 15
North Carolina		Hickory		Carmike 14
North Carolina		Jacksonville		Carmike 16
North Carolina		Winston-Salem		Carmike Wynnsong 12
Oklahoma		Stillwater		Carmike 10
Pennsylvania		Pittsburgh		Carmike 10
South Carolina		Charleston		James Island 8
Tennessee		Dyersburg		Carmike 9
Tennessee		Franklin		Thoroughbred 20
Tennessee		Johnson City		Johnson City 14
Tennessee		Knoxville		Carmike Wynnsong 16
Texas		Edinburg		Carmike 20
Texas		El Paso		Carmike 16
Texas		Tyler		Carmike 14
Utah		Provo		Carmike Wynnsong 12
Virginia		Charlottesville		Carmike 6
Virginia		Roanoke		Carmike 10

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Shorter College Has Played Instrumental Role In NAIA Football Championship

In the past few years, teamwork and the relationships it nurtures have become a common trait and blessing for Shorter College’s athletic program.

But when the 53rd annual Russell Athletic-NAIA Football National Championship kicks off Saturday at Barron Stadium, the event culminates a total team effort by the entire faculty, staff and student body at Shorter – from the Sheffield-Thompson Administration Building to the Winthrop-King Athletic Centre.

“It’s meant a lot to Shorter to participate in an event of this magnitude and to work with the great representatives from Rome and Floyd County,” Shorter President Dr. Harold E. Newman said about the game that will pit Carroll College from Helena, Mont., the defending national champion, against the University of Sioux Falls (S.D.) in a rematch of last year’s championship game.

“I’m really proud of the hundreds of hours our staff has invested into this game,” he added. “It makes you appreciate the amount talent the college has.”

Shorter’s involvement in the national championship is one that started nearly two years ago when Shorter Athletic Director Bill Peterson and Head Football Coach Phil Jones planted the seed for the game, eventually coming up with a proposal that involved Shorter, Rome and Floyd County.

By the summer of 2007, a bid to host the game in 2008 and 2009 was finally submitted to the NAIA, which sent a delegation that made a site visit and evaluate what the hosts – Shorter, Rome and Floyd County – had to offer. Following a long and patient wait, the NAIA made its decision and last January the announcement was made by Shorter.

“I don’t think anyone knew how intense and comprehensive it would be,” Peterson said about the challenges the Rome Host Committee, which was established to tackle the logistics, has faced. “It was more than we anticipated. But everyone had a solid heart and enthusiasm. Now we’re so close to the finish line we know we can make it a great event.”

Peterson wound up becoming the co-chair of the event with Rome attorney Bob Berry and was joined by his peers at Shorter on being a part of the host committee that represented an entire spectrum of the entire community.

Naturally, Jones took an active part and will be handling Football Operations for the game, one that the Hawks came close to playing in when Jones’ football team earned its first-ever postseason berth in the NAIA Football Championship Series.

Two other staff members in Shorter’s athletic department, Director of Operations/Athletics Ricci Lattanzi and Sports Information Director Grant Kersey, joined the Host Committee with Lattanzi in charge of Game Day Operations and Kersey being named the NAIA’s Media Coordinator.

The host committee, however, benefited from the services provided by Shorter’s wealth of individual assets to round out the team.

Melissa Hickman and Gina McDaniel, professors in Shorter’s School of Business Administration, serve as Co-Chair for Ticket Sales; Dawn Tolbert, the college’s Director of Public Relations, fills the same role for the committee; Shorter’s Web manager Dana Thompson created and updates the championship game Web site; Ken Fincher, Shorter’s Vice-President for Institutional Development, plays a key role in the sponsorship plans for the game; and Rachel Rogers, who recently became Shorter’s Director of Athletic Development, has become a member of the host committee helping with the events planned.

“It’s been a good opportunity to show the community and others Shorter College’s strengths and the things we are capable of doing,” Fincher said, “and we want to be a good neighbor and support the community.

“This game shines a light on what we do and on all of Shorter’s teams, the athletes and the coaches we have. And we’ve had a lot of members of the Alumni Association asking how they can help, and the rank and file at Shorter College is really excited about this game.”

“It has helped us get to know the people who we’ve respected here even better,” Peterson pointed out, “and respect them even more.

“It’s been a great effort by Shorter and from everyone in the community. I know everyone who has been a part of it are glad they were involved with it. It’s a good feeling.”

The game itself caps what will be a busy week of events that begins with the arrival of the two teams Wednesday and includes two banquets to be held at The Forum in downtown Rome.

On Thursday morning the Fellowship of Christian Athletics Champions of Character breakfast, sponsored by Chick-Fil-A, will be held with Dr. Nelson Price, chairman of the Shorter Board of Trustees, delivering the invocation, and former Air Force Academy Fisher DeBerry serving as the guest speaker.

And on Friday the NAIA Banquet of Champions will take place with the two teams and this year’s top players being honored.

“There are so many firsts going on,” said Fincher. “It’s been somewhat thrilling to be a part of it. But the one thing we always come back to is that the game is for the young men and the teams who are playing for a championship.”

Jim O'Hara

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