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SEAT and Yvan Muller receive their 2008 WTCC trophies in Monaco

The 2008 season drew to a close at the traditional FIA Gala Award ceremony in Monaco, where SEAT stood out and picked up the prizes that distinguish the brand and its representative driver Yvan Muller as World Touring Car champions.

SEAT and official driver Yvan Muller shared the spotlight at the event held in Monte Carlo, where SEAT Sport director Jaime Puig received the trophy proclaiming SEAT World Manufacturers’ Champion and Yvan Muller the World Touring Car Championship trophy. At his side, Gabriele Tarquini was given the runner-up trophy.

The three world champions were joined by their cars on stage at the event. The SEAT Leon TDI WTCC that Muller won the title with at the race held in Macau was one of the highlights, as it is the first Diesel powered car to win a World Championship in motorsport history.

Yvan Muller: “You have to do your best to win a world championship, but at the same time you have to rely on a great team to give you that opportunity. SEAT Sport gave me that opportunity. I also have to thank my mechanics and all my team mates, because we all progressed together and worked hard together during the season.”

SEAT Sport director Jaime Puig: “We are all enormously satisfied because after attending previous FIA award ceremonies we are finally the centre of attention thanks to the titles we’ve won this year. The SEAT Sport team has had an extraordinary season and the trophies we’ve picked up tonight are the recognition of the hard work and efforts of our entire team.”

College football will crown its national champion on January 8 in Miami, when Florida and Oklahoma meet in the BCS National Championship Game.

When the dust settles and a winner crowned, Kentucky will be well-represented inside Dolphin Stadium that night.

That’s because the winner will take home one of the most prestigious trophies in all of sports. It’s called the Coaches’ Trophy . We’ve all seen it — Waterford crystal crafted into the shape of a football, perched atop a pedestal of ebony.

That piece of beauty is assembled and housed here in the Bluegrass State.

I remember it first as the Sears Trophy. Former University of Miami assistant coach Bill Proulx is the inspiration behind presenting the winning school with the crystal trophy. In a telephone conversation last year, Proulx told me the NCAA’s wooden trophy/plaque, given annually to the national champion, wasn’t enough. They are a bit understated, he surmised.

I think he got it right.

The coach had always thought NCAA champs should receive a trophy as big as the school’s accomplishment. So Proulx, a member of the American Football Coaches Association, turned to Charlie McClendon for help.

McClendon was Executive Director of the AFCA and embraced the idea in 1985. McClendon, you’ll recall, was a standout player at UK under Paul “Bear” Bryant.

Proulx was working for a construction company in Miami at the time. With the help of his wife, who sketched the design for the trophy, and with inspiration from his sons, Proulx took his idea to Tiffany, the first producers of the trophy.

Waterford Crystal replaced Tiffany and the trophy was first presented in 1986, to Penn State. The NCAA still hands out the wooden plaques, but the Coaches’ Trophy has become the centerpiece to any national title.

Proulx and his wife reside in Bedford, Ky. His Black Dog Sports assembles and houses the trophies, which are now given to men’s and women’s national basketball champions, as well.

The trophy is valued at $30,000 and Proulx declined to allow WKYT visit his shop and see how they’re assembled, citing security concerns.

In addition to the Coaches’ Trophy, Black Dog also sells replica trophies — the collector’s edition, which is 24-inches tall, goes for $5,000, while the desktop version (14” high) goes for $1,500.

Several companies have sponsored the trophy — ADT has sponsored the trophy since 2003.

Proulx says he’s been busy traveling the country in attempts to get schools to replace the old wooden trophies with new crystal. UK has won seven national basketball titles, but currently only displays one crystal Coaches’ Trophy.

I’m told the crystal footballs and basketballs are blown and crafted in Europe, before being sent to Proulx at his ol’ Kentucky home. There, he marries the top piece with the ebony pedestal, creating the magnificent trophy we see handed out during the postgame presentation.

In just a few weeks, another beautiful piece of art will be presented to college football’s best team.  Artwork from Kentucky.

Those are the highlights… stay tuned.

BURLINGTON, Vt.—

Three members of the NBA champion Boston Celtics basketball team are due in Vermont on Monday along with the championship trophy. The Vermont appearance will be the first stop on a team tour of New England with the trophy. Celtic starters Kendrick Perkins and Rajon Rondo will be in Burlington along with reserve guard Tony Allen.

The three will appear in a rally from noon to 2 p.m. at the top of the Church Street Marketplace.

U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, Celtics President Richard Gotham and other officials also are expected at the rally.

Fans who attend the rally will have a chance to have their picture taken with the trophy.

Let me first extend a special thank you to the selection committee for creating the Spirit of North Carolina Award. It is my distinct honor today to present the inaugural Spirit of North Carolina Award to NC State University’s Coach Kay Yow.

Coach Yow’s achievements have inspired honors for her players as well, with 13 former players going on to either coach or play in the Women’s National Basketball Association.

No one embodies the concept of this award better than Kay Yow. 

As she begins her 33rd season, we are blessed to have her guiding our basketball program and serving as an inspiration to our students, our staff and our community. As NC State’s women’s basketball head coach, she has averaged 20 wins per season, directing the Wolfpack to 19 top three finishes in the final ACC standings and five ACC Championships. She was the first women’s basketball coaching ACC history to reach 650 career wins and has coached the USA Team to gold medals in two Olympics.

Her incredible accomplishments have been recognized through several awards and hall of fame inductions, including the prestigious Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and the well-deserved ESPY Award for Perseverance.

But her legacy goes well beyond women’s basketball.

While we are all familiar with her athletic successes, it is her positive approach to life and her commitment to helping others that really sets her apart. Coach Yow has triumphed over adversity with a passionate and determined spirit, while helping others in the shared quest for excellence. She started the “Hoops for Hope” charitable basketball game at NC State, centered around hope — hope for early detection, hope for increased survival, and hope for a cure for breast cancer. 

Coach Yow is truly one of those special people who impacts others with her grace, humility and strength in powerful ways.

And today, we want to recognize just how special you are, Coach Yow.

Kay Yow is a courageous fighter, an incredible leader and a tremendous role model. And the State of North Carolina wants to continue her legacy by forever after naming this award, The Kay Yow Spirit of North Carolina Award.

Trophies News from Salisbury, Massachusetts

Hundreds of people were in line in front of the Winner’s Circle yesterday as eager fans waited to have their picture taken with the World Series trophies from 2004 and 2007.

The 2-foot-tall, 30-pound baseball trophies were displayed on a table in the restaurant’s billiards room. The line had already formed two hours before the trophies were scheduled to arrive.

Young Colin Murphy, age 5, watched eagerly as Red Sox officials announced the start of viewing. After the Winner’s Circle management had their photos taken, Murphy and Colin were the first to get up close to the baseball trophies.

Yesterday some fans waited more than an hour to have their pictures taken by Lottery officials before the trophies had to leave to make another scheduled stop.

Kingston, N.H., Little League pitcher Logan Gordon was elated to see the trophies for the first time in person. His favorite Red Sox player is David Ortiz.

It was only natural he visited the Winner’s Circle with his mom to see the trophies in person. “It was good,” Logan said after having his picture taken. “I only ever saw them on TV.”

After the 2004 Red Sox World Series win, the baseball trophy was shown at several local locations.

Nearly 1,000 people went to Newburyport High School to view it in April 2005, when some waited in line for more than 30 minutes to get their picture taken with the baseball trophy.

Trophy news from Concord, MA

The Sudbury “Big Red” C team represents Sudbury and Lincoln 13-year-olds in summer Lou Thompkins All-Star baseball league against communities throughout Eastern Massachusetts.

The Big Red team completed its first three-week Round one with an overall record of 7-1 and captured the C Division Gold Trophy by defeating last year’s champions Boston South End.

The season opener vs. Acton was a pitching and defensive struggle. Eric Reale and David Hall teamed up on the mound to hold Acton scoreless through six innings. However Acton’s Larry Chan was equally effective pitching holding Sudbury scoreless as well. After Acton scored to open the seventh inning, Sudbury rose to the occasion.

Sudbury entered Round one Trophy Weekend paired against Medford. This game was a gem and ended in dramatic fashion. Both squads held each other scoreless in the regular seven-inning game. Thanks to several putouts by Ryan Wolfsberg in the outfield, key Medford runners were thrown out trying for extras bases.

In the eighth inning, after holding Medford scoreless again, Sudbury leadoff batter Eric Reale got on base. Henry Cousins was able to bunt for a single and advance Reale into scoring position. Jeremy LeBlanc lined a key single up the middle to score the walk off run and send Sudbury Big Red into the Trophy weekend finals.

Colton Hiler laid down a key bunt to bring in another run. Jeremy LeBlanc playing in the third base hot corner, snagged several hard South End shots down the line. Eric Reale pitched to hold a powerful South End offense nearly scoreless for the four final innings. In dramatic fashion, Cam Waggener dove for a line shot at shortstop and was able to regain his stance to throw the South End batter out. Hiler ran down another drive deep into left field to seal the Sudbury Gold Baseball Trophy victory.

Richard S. Johnson Gets First PGA Tour Victory Trophy