The Lions will transition into the Atlantic Sun Conf

HOUSTON -- Reid Ryan choked back tears as he was introduced as president of his beloved Astros, the team he grew up watching in the days when his Hall of Fame father, Nolan Ryan, starred as a pitcher for Houston. "My ties with the Astros go all the way back to 1980 when my dad came over," Reid Ryan said. "Today really is a dream come true because you grow up an Astros fan if youre in Houston. Everybodys got their hometown team, and the Astros were mine. This is just a very special day." Astros owner Jim Crane certainly appreciates having the Ryan name associated with his team again, but was quick to point out that Reid Ryan is much more than simply the son of a famous ball player. "Its great to have your kid in the business, but now he can prove himself as Reid Ryan," Crane said. "His dads is a famed player, a very, very famous guy, but Reids the kind of guy that stands on his own, and I think youll see him stand alone in this position and do a great job." Since 1998, Ryan, the eldest son of Nolan Ryan, has been the CEO of Ryan-Sanders Baseball, which owns the Triple-A Round Rock Express and Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks. The 41-year-old Reid Ryan helped create the Express, an affiliate of the Texas Rangers and the Hooks, an Astros affiliate. Don Sanders, who co-owns Ryan-Sanders Baseball with Nolan Ryan, raved about Reid Ryan. He pointed out the work he did in luring fans to see his teams, which have often been ranked at the top of the minor leagues in attendance. Reid Ryan also came up with the idea for the Rangers to play two exhibition games at the Alamodome in San Antonio in March that drew more than 75,000 fans. "If I were going to buy a baseball team and I could have anybody in the country to run it, hed be the guy," Sanders said. "Hes just awfully good. I dont know that in this arena that anybody is any better." Reid Ryan takes over a job where he will be tasked with helping increase attendance and win back disillusioned fans to a team that has finished with 100 losses in each of the last two seasons and has the worst record in the majors again this year. He acknowledged that Houstons problems are complex and that theres no way he could know how he will work to get things back on track on his first day. But he did share a couple of keys that he will focus on. "We have to put the fans first in everything we do and then weve got make sure were taking care of the players, because its all about the players," Reid Ryan said. "If you dont have the players, youre really not going to have anything." While the team has been baseballs worst for the last couple years, Reid Ryan has been impressed with how the infusion of quality prospects from Houstons many recent trades has improved the organizations farm system. "We had a stretch where we finished last five years in a row in Corpus Christi, and it was tough and we didnt have a lot of prospects," Reid Ryan said. "Then (general manager) Jeff (Luhnow) started making some of the hard decisions he made ... now theres a lot of talent, a lot more than Ive seen in my time with the Astros." His father played for the Astros from 1980-88 and spent four years beginning in 2004 as a special assistant to the general manager in Houston before joining the front office of the Texas Rangers. His famous dad and former Astros great Craig Biggio were on hand Friday for the announcement. Though Nolan Ryan now works for Houstons in-state rival about 200 miles up the road, he still has a keen interest in the team he once played for. "He grew up an Astros fan. Im still an Astros fan. I follow them on a day-to-day basis," Nolan Ryan said. "Im very connected to the team and very connected to what goes on here in Houston with the baseball climate. So thats a part of us and will always be a part of us." Nolan Ryan said he hasnt shared any advice with his son about his new job, but he is very excited to see his son working for his former team. "Youre very proud when you see one of your children get an opportunity of this nature," Nolan Ryan said. "Im very proud of the fact that our kids grew up in baseball and have a relationship with baseball and enjoy it and want to be associated with it. So that makes you feel good." The younger Ryan takes over the position that was left vacant when George Postolos resigned on Monday. Also on Friday, Crane announced that he had agreed to a letter of intent to buy the Hooks. The sale is pending MLB and Ryan-Sanders shareholders approval. The Astros plan to assume control of operations of the Hooks at the end of the 2013 season. Vapormax Plus Womens Sale . The 25-year-old Japanese star has officially been posted by his club team, the Rakuten Golden Eagles. Vapormax Plus Sale . - Goaltender Philippe Desrosiers of the Rimouski Oceanic has broken a shutout record that was only three months old in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. http://www.airmaxplusstoresale.com/air-max-plus-tn-cheap/tns-ultra-discount.html .ca. Hey Kerry, big fan of yours, just finished reading your book. I think that we all saw the Canucks/Flames line brawl just after puck drop. It was obvious that something was about to happen, even to the referees because the fourth lines were on to start. Air Max Plus Se Sale . -- Derrick Rose shook off poor shooting early to hit clutch shots late and Carlos Boozer had 20 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 104-95 preseason victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night. Air Max Plus Miami Vice . Canada is now down to its 22-player limit, although but players wont be registered until Christmas Day. Changes could still be made as a result of a suspension or injury. (STATS) -- The Big South Conference continues to build in football, announcing Tuesday the University of North Alabama will join as an associate member beginning with the 2019 season.North Alabama will be rising to the FCS level from Division II, where it won national titles from 1993-95 to become the first school in NCAA scholarship football to win three consecutive titles. The Lions will transition into the Atlantic Sun Conference, which doesnt sponsor football, but has a partnership with the Big South for automatic associate membership in the sport.Campbell University announced last month it will move from the Pioneer Football League to the Big South in 2018. With North Alabamas arrival a year later, Big South football will have eight members, an all-time high.With the Lions strong and proud history in football, we know UNA will be an outstanding member,, Big South commissioner Kyle Kallander said.ddddddddddddWhile North Alabama will immediately play a full Big South schedule, its games will not count in the standings and the Lions will not be eligible for the conference championship or the FCS playoffs until 2022 when the athletic program receives active full-fledged Division I status.This season, UNA has advanced to the Division II semifinals in its 21st all-time playoff appearance. The Lions are under the guidance of former Temple coach Bobby Wallace, who is in his second coaching stint with the Gulf South Conference program.The Big Souths current football programs are Charleston Southern, Gardner-Webb, Liberty, Presbyterian and associate members Kennesaw State and Monmouth. ' ' '