August 1999
Originally published by The Master Report (Sacramento, CA)
For an entire generation of kids growing up in the 70's and 80's, myself included, Julius Erving represented basketball grace. His stylish moves in running the court and canning seemingly impossible buckets was his trademark. Before Michael Jordan existed, there was Dr. J.
Well, it seems that no icon in America these days is without dirt. Early last month, it was revealed that Erving is the father of 18-year-old tennis pro Alexandra Stevenson, who was a semifinalist at Wimbledon. After denying the story repeatedly, he finally admitted it. What's wrong with that, you might ask? Well, for starters, Erving is already married. Second, he has four other children with his wife. And to top it all off, Alexandra's mother, Samantha Stevenson, is not only a prominent sportswriter, but also one who is notorious for stirring things up in the sports media department.Erving is Black. Samantha Stevenson is White.
Now, this should be no surprise to hardened, cynical sports enthusiasts who have grown quite accustomed to hearing athletes make the news just as much for various indiscretions as for game-winning, show-stealing headlines. But as for pure tastelessness and reprehensible tactics by a media that will stop at nothing to expose a public figure's feet of clay, this one take the cake.
I think the majority of us would be very offended if an outside source made an intrusion on our personal lives, keeping track of who we have had relations with and when. It's irrelevant, folks. An athlete's performance should supercede whatever he is doing behind the scenes unless he's breaking the law. What he decides to do in his own bedroom is his own business. Back in the old days, a carousing sports star was merely winked at. It was journalistically impossible to shout that the emperor had no clothes--not unless you wanted to keep your job in front of a typewriter. It was assumed that sports stars were your basic comic book, infallible heroes and family men. By now, however, everyone knows different. It's common knowledge that athletes and infidelity go hand in hand, and Erving is certainly not the first prominent athlete to sleep around with other women. Certainly, countless other males in our society have had irresponsible sexual relations with women. Erving was wrong for first having an extramarital affair, and then attempting to hide what the public already knew. Yet the whole way this was handled both amuses and exasperates me.
Does an athlete's stage include the bedroom? I think not. When a fan opens the morning paper at breakfast, does he look for a graph in the box score on how many women a certain player took to bed the night before? I don't think so. Does a fan ultimately keep his eyes peeled for headlines and information relevant to the game itself? I would dare venture to think a good majority of sports fans hold that paramount over a bunch of sickening gossip.
So why did we, at this late date, decide to vigorously pursue the matter of who is Alexandra's father? Where were we 18 years ago? And why are we so surprised and steamed over the news that Erving and Samantha Stevenson came to an agreement that Erving would support Alexandra financially but not be a part of her life? Whose child is this, anyway? While we're getting all worked up over Erving's promiscuity, has anyone any ideas or perspectives on the difficulty of being a single parent, which Samantha agreed to? Have standards slipped so much in the sporting world that we are compelled to have tabs handy not only on what a player's scoring average is, but who he is having relationships with? Is it any of our business? Granted, it is still a relative shock because until quite recently, it was considered both taboo and risky for a Black man to openly court, date and have sexual relations with a White woman. In many ways, that unwritten law still applies.
This is the 21st century, folks. We should not be too overly galled by anything we see and hear in this day and age, especially by a media that will peer down your throat and tell you what you had for dinner last night. Live with it. And while we're at it, get the scoreboards out of the bedrooms and back on the playing fields and courts where they belong.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
NBA: San Antonio Spurs
July, 1999
Originally published in The Master Report (Sacramento, CA)
So, the San Antonio Spurs finally went all the way to the NBA Finals and won. David Robinson finally enjoyed a title after 10 years suffering from the "soft" label. Tim Duncan showed so much smoothness that the NBC network was actually comparing him to a certain bald hero that once played the game. Which shows you the well-deserved reputation of sportscasters histrionics.
Maybe America just wasn't ready for a bunch of "rebellious slaves" as New York Knicks forward Larry Johnson callously put it, to dance on conservative rooted, family oriented, God-fearing suburbanites yet.
Fittingly, to wrap up a decade of unrest in media scrutiny, strained relationships with fans and players, and numerous sociological changes in this country, it was a clear-cut case of Good vs. Evil. Conservative button-down vs. Long haired (and dreadlocked) rebel rousers. Players who are silent and don't rock the boat vs. guys who aren't afraid to speak their minds.
On the right (wing) side, we had David Robinson, the goody two shoes charming king, with his sidekick Tim Duncan, the wondrous prince in shining armor. We also had there Avery Johnson, a comeback story who was cut multiple times before he made it with the Spurs. He and Mario Elie were charged with injecting some life into this heretofore "soft" team that was infamous for crumbling in the clutch.
Johnson and Elie were the vocal leaders of the Spurs. Without their presence, they likely would have had a much tougher time reaching the Finals, much less winning.
For good measure, let's throw in Sean Elliott, who was practically given up on by the Spurs not too long ago.
Gregg Popovich, a former military man, is now looked on as a genius by every "clean-cu" hoop follower in America after they beat the Knicks in five games in which practically every game was close. People, it doesn't take a genius to realize (1) When the other team is short-handed, attack that weakness. (2) When you have a Duncan and a Robinson and the other side lacks their Ewing, it doesn't hurt, either.
On the other side, we had the scrappy, scruffy, underdog, up from the bootstraps, never-say-die Knicks, who became the first eighth seeded team to get to the Finals and along the way stunned top seeded Miami, then Atlanta and Indiana to get into the round.
We had a sideshow Latrell Sprewell, who was absolutely excoriated by the media a year ago for his choking attack on coach P.J. Carlesimo and Chris Childs, who battled booze problems earlier in his career. Also on hand was Marcus Camby, who admitted to under the table misconduct with boosters while in college at UMass.
Don't forget Larry Johnson, whose "Grandmama" act earlier this decade paved the way for today's me-first, instant rich, money hungry players who in many cases aren't even old enough to hit the town after a game.
Throw in the formidable Gotham city and sports' most sophisticated, unforgiving, and passionate fans, and there you have it. The villains in blue and orange.
For once, the good guys wore black, but I could not help but get a little perturbed over the constant smooching of the Spurs by the network. It was as if they were plastic Barbie dolls--inflexible and could do no wrong. Yes, they proved they were the best, and they certainly have class, but I can see why Johnson cussed out the NBC reporters at one point.
Why is it that the media puts so much an emphasis these days on image, knowing full well that some guys prefer to let their actions at game time speak for themselves?
Why is it that when a ballplayer runs afoul of the law, the media and other hangers-on are the first to jump in line screaming about too many privileges and spoiled and selfish this and that, particularly, if the said player happens to be Black.
Our society is quick to praise these guys for hitting the threes and knocking down the J's, and just as easy to knock the players themselves down when they mess up, but what these people don't realize is the hard work and sacrifice it takes to get to that level.
I am not a pro athlete. I realized a long time ago I wasn't going to have any posters made of me, nor anyone wearing a jersry with my name on the back. I did, however, have other options. For most of these guys, playing the game was and is the only option, coming from unspeakable poverty and blatant racism that many people in this country will never be able to comprehend.
I would never be so naive to earmark athletes for instilling discipline and role models in our society, or lack thereof. There is a HUGE difference between admiring a person greatly, wanting to imitate them from afar and taking their words and actions as gospel.
For those who didn't want to see Sprewell back in the NBA, guess what? Even though his team lost, he played brilliantly and carried the offense at times. Camby? He did a courageous job of holding down Robinson, even though Robinson had his number. Johnson? He played with all guts on a knee that some said would sideline him for the whole shebang.
I take my hat off to the Spurs. I just wish that some of these self-smug, upright so-called righteous people around the country that call themselves "classy" people would realize that class is also overcoming long odds and personal issues (which some Knicks had) to get where you are. I liked this series because I like to see good basketball, which I did, and I don't like phonies.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Thank god, its finally over
May 19, 1999
Originally Published by The State Hornet (Sacramento State)
THANK GOD, ITS FINALLY OVER
So far as the Sac State sports world has been concerned, one of the best highlights of this past year was that the nine months came to a merciful close.
This is supposed to be an ideal location for recruited athletes to migrate to. Not everyone can attend a campus where both the mountains and the sea are two hours down the road on either side. Our administration must have been pretty inept to screw that up.
Our athletes' hands this year were tied. Not so much by the coaching or the inadequacies of the programs to provide decent facilities in which to play and practice; but by administrative incompetence.
Charles Roberts, Rene Jacques, and Antoine Bailey serve as whatever optimism Sac State can generate for next season's football and basketball campaigns.
Obviously it can't get any worse, but Hornet football and basketball fans can look to the future with confidence with the above names.
Despite all the musical chairs played upstairs, and all the promises to get us competitive, it was all a bunch of hot air - again. In the end, it was a year not unlike many other dismal sports years here - a lot of talk, but going nowhere. It was only made bearable by some dazzling performances by a select few.
Roberts nearly willed Hornet football to just below .500 with his NCAA rushing record of 2,260 yards. Andi Arnold was a standout for an excellent gymnastics squad all year. The duo of basketball leaders - Jacques and Bailey - will serve as a nucleus for what is hoped to be a very competitive Hornet men's hoops program in the very near future.
Leave it to the people up top to make it a difficult go, however, as evidenced by the short, unhappy tenure of Judith Davidson as athletic director. She was pushed out for Debby Colberg, head volleyball coach. But had we really heard the last of Davidson?
Obviously not. To compound this egregious middle-of-the-year shakeup, Gerth assigned Davidson to what is essentially a do-nothing position - and she still kept her salary.
The spring sports were a bit easier to stomach, but not much. The baseball team slumped this season, finishing the most games below .500 in quite a while.
They didn't hit well when they needed to, they didn't pitch well when it was necessary, and worst of all, they resembled mannequins at the plate with bats constantly on their shoulders.
Consequently Hornet batters suffered an inordinate amount of "caught looking" strikeouts. At first I thought it was because the umps behind the plate were visually impaired, but then I quickly realized there had to be a reason.
You don't score runs and win games if you can't get to first base first. And you sure don't get there if you don't take at least few cuts at the ball on a three-and-two count.
For turmoil and news impact then, none could top this year, and that's quite a statement, considering the long suffering silent seasons of sports years past.
Happily my readers should take note that I am going to stick to the newsroom and forgo any more baseball playing for the Hornets. It's just not conducive to my brain-matter functioning to get beaned.
I would also like to thank wholeheartedly all my loyal readers for taking interest in my column each week. Without you people, I'm nothing...
Has the apathy really stopped?
May 12, 1999
Originally Published by The State Hornet (Sacramento State)
HAS THE APATHY REALLY STOPPED?
by Mark Bryant
It has taken a lot of courage and an abandonment of tact you usually see here, but I have spent considerable time and energy calling attention to our sad sports program.
During this past week or so I have received a lot of feedback from those on campus that are just as disgusted with our program as I am. This is a step in the right direction.
Glad to see you will no longer tolerate such incompetence and an unwillingness to build the best possible sports program within reason.
Despite what the administration will have you believe, it is not the coaches or recruiters' fault we are not seen as a winner.
It is because certain members of the administration, who clearly are in over their heads, are settling for mediocrity.
They have no vision, no idea how to build a sports program that does justice to those who don't want to wear a paper bag when they go to see Hornet contests.
And that's not good
In the opposite direction of what the tabloid journalists at the Bee want you to go on believing, running a solid sports program - even at a commuter school like ours - isn't that complicated. The cardinal rule is that you put the best possible teams on the field in the best surroundings if you want to win. Period.
I don't live and die by Hornet sports. I don't base my existence on them. I'm the last person you'll see at games with my face painted green and gold.
However whether we are players or spectators, our collective pride in this university is directly linked to their success.
Face it, nobody wants to go to a university where the sports teams suck, if they can help it, of course.
It happens to be my opinion that for the hard-earned money we invest in this school, at the very least we should get a committed sports program that we can have pride in, one that is committed to attaining facilitates they deserve.
Save for an apathetic administration that clearly is settling for a lot of hot air and noise (but empty barrels) when it comes to athletics, we haven't been getting squat.
There has been a lot of talk, a lot of musical chairs, a whole lot of drum music, pomp and circumstance. But when the curtain goes up, the song remains the same.
Yet, people have the gall to be exasperated about the presence (or lack thereof) of Hornet fans at games, particularly football and basketball. Put it this way: if you were constantly presented with a product that was a perennial skunk and had no inclination to improve, would you rush out to buy it at first sight, when the makers constantly harrumphed about getting it right this time and yet didn't?
I hate to break your little bubble, but tennis, gymnastics, and volleyball are not draws like the big sports I just mentioned. That's the reality.
There are excuses offered up like a brunch such as money, land availability problems, lack of fees and involvement, and on and on and on.
However, we know the truth, and we will make our voices heard until a commitment to have teams that aren't a bag of fertilizer is forthcoming.
Slammed in the press
May 5, 1999
Originally Published By The State Hornet (Sacramento State)
SLAMMED IN THE PRESS
by Mark Bryant
The next time Sac State sports gets publicity in the media, they might want to do themselves a favor and not let President Donald Gerth speak.
On Sunday, April 25, there was a lengthy front-page sports story in the Sacramento Bee entitled "The captain of a sinking ship." In it Gerth rambled on about his failures to boost our athletic program.
Well, getting slammed in the press really burned my skin. It's one thing to catch criticism, but to get dogged by an unreliable source is totally ridiculous.
Yes, we have had our disappointments (namely, basketball and football) but "continuing to stumble"? Come on. The reports on the demise of Sac State sports are greatly exaggerated.
It's just too bad Gerth failed to address the issues we are dealing with - for one, a constantly changing athletic program that is hamstrung by administrative incompetence.
For another thing, Gerth doesn't know jack about athletics, let alone what it takes to build a winner. Even he will admit that.
"I want to build a program that is thoroughly appropriate for this institution," Gerth eloquently said in the interview.
But asked what he meant by "thoroughly appropriate," Gerth responded by saying: "It beats me."
In other words, he would like to build a consistent winner on campus, but does not have one iota of the wisdom to do so.
"I do not fancy myself to be an expert in athletics," Gerth concluded.
It shows.
It takes commitment to building a winning program, and Gerth doesn't seem to have any.
In fact, this has been one of the better years in Sac State sports. Don't think so? Consider this:
There are three Hornet teams - gymnastics, men's tennis, and women's volleyball - that have qualified for the NCAA postseason this year. This is the first time that's happened since the Hornets made the move to Division I competition in 1990.
Four other schools in the Big Sky have only put one team into postseason play and three others - Idaho State, Montana State and Portland State - haven't done anything.
Three teams in the playoffs in hardly the mark of a sinking ship, in my opinion.
Next, Gerth went as far as to admit that he doesn't feel comfortable in playing a role in athletics. It is, however, his responsibility to make sure things in this department are run smoothly. It's up to him to have everyone connected with athletics making sure that our athletes are committed to success, on the field and off. And that, folks, hasn't been happening.
Even after coaching here for 23 years, Debby Colberg was unsure what direction the program was headed when she took over as athletic director following the inevitable sacking of Judith Davidson.
It was a no-brainer that there will be no coaching changes for now. Head basketball coach Tom Abatemarco literally crawled on his knees begging to have his contract renewed toward the end of this year's 3-23 season. Trust me, he didn't need to go that far.
With the schedule they played and the motivation factor every opponent had (who wants to lose to Sac State?) it's a wonder the Hornets came out on top even once.
In short, I just want to see a committed athletic program that strives on and off the field, not necessarily with wins and losses being the main criteria. But since we got slammed, don't bet on it anytime soon.
The house that nobody built
April 28, 1999
Originally Published By The Sate Hornet (Sacramento State)
THE HOUSE THAT NOBODY BUILT
by Mark Bryant
The plan to construct a recreation center at Sac State took a major blow last week when Referendum #1 was soundly defeated in the campus elections.
And it wasn't even that close.
More than 300 votes separated the pros and cons in building a recreation/event facility.
Now it is obvious that we will not progress any further in improving our programs (contrary to the statements of various members of your administration) unless students know exactly what we are pouring our meager dollars into.
I have my own views on this.
Most of them I will choose not to discuss here, so as not to raise the ire of certain people, but I will share a few.
It sounded like a great idea.
We would get our own arena and stop having to hold our indoor sports in decrepit places such as the Mausoleum - oops, I mean downtown's Memorial Auditorium.
Finally we would possibly have a place to hold graduations rather than playing stepchild to Arco Arena.
But someone dropped the ball when it came time to school us on exactly what we were getting into, as far as the fee hike was concerned.
All over the campus, the refrain went something like this: "We want to have a rec center and arena here - we just don't want any more fees coming out of our pockets."
It doesn't rule out the possibility of getting it done in the future, but it makes that goal a whole lot bleaker, especially on the heels of a 1995 decision by students to pay fees for athletics.
Those that have a facility stay competitive and thrive.
And right now, what we have is a joke.
While our facilities have improved over the last few years, these places fall way short of what is expected at the Division I level.
Surely most of you are asking by now, what do I think we should do about getting the programs better.
I'm not foolish enough to think I have all the answers.
Nor am I naive enough to believe that just because we start winning some games, it automatically takes the place of important campus issues.
For those of you, however, who continually wander around here saying, "We stink at this and that," first consider that the sports program is fighting an uphill battle.
Sac State second baseman Jesse Krebs was wooed by San Jose State with a full scholarship. He turned it down because he wanted to stay home.
Since then, Krebs has become one of the Hornets' most solid performers. We would do well to get other standouts around here to follow in his footsteps, but not everyone lives in California.
Until then, when we are not attractive or even a selling point for consideration for most athletes with letters of intent, why are we surprised to be laughingstocks?
When you settle for bargain basement, you get what you pay for. In this case, it wasn't even worth that.
Smith will help point the way up
April 21, 1999
Originally Published By The State Hornet (Sacramento State)
SMITH WILL HELP POINT THE WAY UP
By Mark Bryant
Like most Sac State sports followers, I was pleased to hear the announcement recently that John Smith, head baseball coach for the Hornets, will serve as assistant athletic director to Debby Colberg.
He brings a prodigious amount of winning experience and tradition to the job. The Hornets have suffered only five losing seasons since he became head coach in 1979.
During that period, Hornet baseball has been recognized as one of the more competitive programs on the West Coast. Smith has made good on his mission to build Sac State into a major Division I power by the dawn on the new century.
Their best days were probably a five-year period from 1988 to 1993 when they advanced to the NCAA Division II World Series (’88) and narrowly missed a spot Division I West Regionals three years in a row (’91-’93).
It is also the 10th year that the baseball program has been in the Division I level.
This is Smith’s 21st season as Hornets head coach, and it couldn’t be more fitting that he has been picked to assist Colberg in producing a winning athletic program.
Smith is, after all, a Hornet in every stretch of the name. He graduated from here in 1973 and served as a graduate assistant on the team that same year.
He resurfaced at Sac State six years later to take charge of a program that had had three different head coaches in three seasons and was floundering. His record since then speaks for itself.
Smith’s strong record as a recruiter and program administrator, including his status as a winning baseball coach makes him a most logical choice for the job.
Basically, Smith and Colberg have become institutions on campus where people such as them are rare in sports. They bring a combined 44 years of Sac State coaching to the table.
It is no coincidence that these people head two of our more successful sports programs.
And that, sports fans, is how you build a total program that is not only competitive, but also lasting.
It not only takes people in charge with a little know-how to build a winner in collegiate sports, it also takes bringing in people who know something about winning.
A winning program has to be constructed from top to bottom if it wants to succeed. Surprisingly; you won’t find many programs around the country that do that, which is why wins are so hard to come by.
Once, collegiate programs were a bastion of clean-cut spirit. Now, scandals and shenanigans have become commonplace. The rule seems to be cut as many corners as you can get away with as long as you get to the top.
Good programs make good decisions. Adding Smith to the lineup was a good one. Sac State has been “thumbs-down” on the field for a while, but Smith will help point the way up.
I can see it now...
April 14, 1999
Originally Published By The State Hornet (Sacramento State)
I CAN SEE IT NOW… “MY WORLD” JOINS THE SAC STATE BASEBALL TEAM
By Mark Bryant
The weekend of March 26 through 28 saw some dramatic Hornet baseball, with help from an unlikely fill-in.
Put me in, coach. I’m ready to play…today.
I was lucky enough to get my hands on a Hornet baseball shirt, which started this crazy business in the first place. It started out as a daydream, but turned into a serious lark.
What would result if a weekend warrior decided to try and crack the lineup of a collegiate baseball program? Yours truly was about to find out.
I was sitting in the State Hornet offices when I abruptly received a phone call from the coach, who was looking for a presence to inspire his team.
So, after taking batting practice and cranking a pitch into the left field pavilion (much to the joy of the Bums), I was the proud owner of a Sac State shirt and sitting in the dugout, where I would remain.
No, I didn’t change into my spikes in the phone booth, but the thrill of being part of the Hornet baseball tradition was indescribable.
As a kid, I made a rather futile attempt to pattern myself after my baseball heroes, such as the immortal weak-hitting Buddy Biancalana of the Kansas City Royals and flash-in-the-pan Jack Perconte of the Seattle Mariners.
That explains why my longest hit in organized baseball was a windblown pop-up that the shortstop and second baseman both lost in the sun.
But, as it turned out, the Green and Gold didn’t need my paper-thin bat, wooden legs or bad hands on Friday afternoon because the Hornets socked it to the Matadors, 8-3.
Jesse Krebs and Daniel Harkness both went 3-for-4 to lead the onslaught. And I sat.
Then next day, I still sat.
Then in the bottom of the 12th inning in game three with the score tied 3-3. That’s when I got my chance.
With the bases loaded and no one on the bench available, guess which direction Coach looked? ... That’s right.
Ever seen a deer staring into a truck’s headlights? The stance I took at the plate bore an eerie resemblance.
Forget trying to get the winning hit. I was doing my best to not get hit.
Which is precisely what happened. Here’s what took place: Fastball conked me right in the noggin. I dropped like a sack of potatoes. The winning run scored from third.
Game-winning stud. A complete klutz would be more like it.
Oh, the next day I read something to the effect that Harkness singled to center and drove in two runs in that very same inning to win the game, 4-3. Oh yeah? Then why is that bump on my head still as high as a three-story building?
I wonder if Coach Smith has anything up his sleeve for the road trip against Pacific.
Ya gotta admit, any sports fan would give his right arm to get close to a team and play. Any role other than being used as a crash test dummy… and getting bench splinters firmly lodged in his keister.
I like Sac State because...
March 24, 1999
Originally Published By The State Hornet (Sacramento State)
I LIKE SAC STATE BECAUSE…
By Mark Bryant
We have seen a lot of changes, tremendous upheaval, many disappointments, and a lot of talk about how to move forward with our athletic program this year.
So, what’s good to like about Sac State sports?
I like Sac State because, unlike some other places, hitting the books count just as much as what our players do on the field.
That means, we don’t have a pillbox factory turning out ready-made material, but students who happen to be athletes, and perform well, all things considering. Hence, our slogan, “Images of Excellence.”
I like our up-and-coming basketball program because head coach Tom Abatemarco did wonders, seeing how this was his very first recruiting class and the team had won only one game the year before.
We didn’t see an immediate string of wins for a long time to come, but Abatemarco was able to triple the wins from a year ago. Believe it or not, there is a plan to bring competitive basketball here.
I like it that Nate Murase was named Big Sky Conference freshman of the year. He averaged a team high 10.3 points. He and Rene Jacques are the two starting first year players that Abatemarco brought in.
I like it that spring sports are spring sports. In other words, they start on time and aren’t (usually) rained or snowed out. Some parts of the country don’t begin the season spring until we start summer.
I like the Bleacher Bums that bedevil opposing outfielders at the Hornet diamond each game. The left field pavilion at the high-rise garage overlooking the field is a danger zone for the other team’s fielder.
I like it that The Bums don’t let anyone slide. They are known to razz the green and gold guys if they aren’t playing up to speed- or even if they are.
Despite rumors to the contrary, the baseball team actually does have a locker room with running water, not nails and a hose as is commonly thought.
The basketball teams do have a play to play, not a hoop over a garage as is commonly thought.
The problem? It’s off-campus in the middle of downtown, smack dab in a neighborhood no person in their right mind would go after dark. Maybe even in broad daylight.
When I went to see the Hornets take on Eastern Washington here on a Saturday afternoon for win number three, I was mostly turned off by the lack of fans on hand. Did they come dressed as empty seats?
As it was, there were probably as many visiting fans behind the Eagles bench as there were Hornet fans on that side of the court.
What’s the answer? Let’s hit harder on recruiting, so we can attract the type of athletes we need in order to become successful in Division I.
There is talent, and we are not that far away, but we are finding out that it takes time and commitment to make that happen. If it does, I’ll like that.
Bleacher Bums On the Prowl
March 10, 1999
Originally Published By The State Hornet (Sacramento State)
BLEACHER BUMS ON THE PROWL
By Mark Bryant
Enter the left field vicinity at your own risk if you are one of the Sac State baseball team's opponents and are unlucky enough to play that spot. You will be in for nine innings of verbal harassment.
More than that, if you were a St. Mary's left fielder during the doubleheader on Feb. 27, which the Hornets swept 9-6 and 7-1, the taunting seemed to already be in mid-season form. The Hornets series against the Gaels was only the third time the Hornets have played at home this season.
Hornet Field has become the hallowed place of the "Bleacher Bums," through they will be quick to tell you this is strictly an informal moniker. They are situated on the sixth floor parking lot garage that overlooks the field.
It is an intimidating presence. And the Bums are brutal to the athletes.
Talk about a Green Monster.
During a game last year against the feared Stanford Cardinal, they got on the poor guy so bad, he returned the bleacher denizens with a one-fingered salute. It was not "We're No. 1," either.
That was the worst thing he could have done. For the rest of the contest, that guy got verbally beat up.
It's not quite Animal House, but it's entertaining, particularly on balmy weekend afternoons which are usually reserved for pelting rain at this time of year.
Rick Gonzalez, the Hornets' left fielder thins any home-field advantage is important, since they're hard to come by.
"Yeah, they're out there, and once in a while, they're pretty loud," Gonzalez said. "They'll give it to me, if I boot a ball or something. It'll be like 'C'mon, Rick, what are you doing?'."
But, more often than not, the sharper heckling is commonly directed at the visitors.
This is definitely not a place to bring kids or people with sensitive ears.
"We try to figure out who we want to yell at the most," frequent Bums' members Chris Bass and Todd Zancaner said. "Sometimes it can take a while, depending on what happens in the game. We like to yell."
It became evident in the Hornet-Gaels contests that the victims were, given the visitors' propensity for turning batted balls into comedy flicks. The Gaels committed five errors in the two games compared to the two errors by the Hornets.
"Lately we've been getting on their shortstop and second baseman, because they suck," Bass said. "They can't stop a ball to save their lives. But seriously, we just like to come out here and heckle the be-Jesus out of whoever's not doing good for the other side. As soon as we find that out, it's time to yell."
Pure speculation here, but the beleaguered Gaels made several lineup changes for game two- maybe because they were so rattled. It didn't help.
Postscript: The next day it was dessert time for St. Mary's as the Hornets were beaten 21-4.
But for one bright day, it was: "Get out the broom- it's a sweep!"
Sac State needs an arena
February 17, 1999
Originally Published By The State Hornet (Sacramento State)
SAC STATE NEEDS AN ARENA
By Mark Bryant
IF WE BUILD IT…Now hear this. There is a master plan to bring CSUS in the limelight as far as first-rate sports and convention facilities are concerned.
It may not happen any time soon, but Associated Students, Inc. president Gary Davis is attempting to pass a referendum on the student ballot this spring that would propose an arena, complete with a recreation center, to be built on campus.
This proposed arena would house both the men's and women's basketball programs, both of which play their home games at the Memorial Auditorium downtown.
That setup began for the 1996-97 season; the hoops programs have been shooting it out there ever since. Prior to that, they played in the main gymnasium on campus, which of course is too tiny to house a program serious about shedding its poor image.
Now Davis is trying to convince the students to vote for something that would be legitimately ours. Not only would the basketball program have a true home, but it could also hold ceremonies for graduating students.
It's part of a two-decade future plan that is the blueprint for construction at Sac State in the years to come.
"Our gym we have presently would not be adequate," Shirley Uplinger, vice president of Student Affairs, said. "The volleyball team plays in there, and when the basketball backboards are pulled up for their games, the serves still sometimes hit them, because the place is simply too small."
When an athletics program is recruiting, one of the major decisions that an athlete weighs is the proximity of the sports facility to the site where they will be living and attending school for the next four to five years.
It's not much of a selling point when the player is informed that he or she will be trundling miles and miles to where they will be playing, sometimes to the outskirts of town.
An on-campus arena would spark our athletic program, especially those indoor sports that need it and produce revenue during the winter months. We have not had this type of venue, ever.
Of course, there is still the matter of whether this project would be feasible or not. This proposal would need to pass the ASI board of directors first. It is in no way a guarantee.
"If there is an initiative for this, the goal is to put it on the ballot," said Jason Bryant, ASI chairman of the recreation center task force. "The students would have to make an informed decision, not a select few. We want to give them an opportunity to decide if that's something they truly do want for our campus"
Question is, how do we pay for it? With sponsorships and naming rights, of course. The state doesn't like to pay for buildings like this, opting instead to whip out moola for things like classrooms and faculty offices.
"We're right on time, in the order of doing this project," Davis said, noting that the research has been ongoing since last June. "We've been going across the state and country, talking to other schools about their centers. Our goal is to put their strengths on our campus, and also to inject the students' needs to the facility."
Davis wants to hear the input when it comes time for elections during the week of April 19 through 23.
"We want the students to be driving force behind all this," Davis said. "We're almost there."
Where are the fans?
February 10, 1999
Originally published by The State Hornet (Sacramento State)
You have to work a little bit harder and longer when you're the little guy on the block.
In the race to become a major player in Division I sports, it is critical to create a large fan base. If you do, you get the cheers. If you don't you cry alone.
The reality of college athletics, such as it is today, is that a school needs corporate and community support to be successful in any sport, at any level. At CSUS, that task falls to Soloman Fulp, director of marketing and promotions.
"I try to put together corporate partnerships with Sac State and the community, and get everyone involved in our promotions," Fulp said.
Fulp also manages the season ticket campaigns for men's and women's basketball and football.
He conducts all the promotional activities at home, including halftime shows, band music and cheering and dance squads.
"This is my focus," Fulp said. "A lot of people here would obviously love to see a successful college program. It's my job to help create that."
It's no secret there is a void in the Sacramento area for affordable family entertainment. With time, money and support, the Hornets can fill that.
But they need more success stories, such as the rise of the football team with the help of a 2,000 yard season by Charles Roberts last fall. Roberts has generated a lot of interest, both locally and nationally, by being a marquee player.
It helps to have the nation's leading rusher in Division I-A right in your own backyard.
"Since we don't have a winning program yet, our goal is to keep the fans happy," assistant Zack Souza says. "We want to bring people out, let them enjoy the contest and have a good show."
This department does the dirty work at more than 110 games a year for CSUS. Co-assistant Doug Berrios and Souza both echo: "It would boost our teams' energy level and it would be highly advantageous with more student-body participation. Without them, we just can't be competitive."
You can break down the attendance at CSUS athletic contests by this: an inconsequential dab of community fans, families, friends and parents of players, and visiting teams' fans and players. Which did I leave out?
College sports are for college students to go bonkers over.
This is not an isolated outback realm such as Montana or Iowa where the collegiate sports scene reigns supreme and there are no pro franchises to corrupt them. We have a lot more places to go here, such as the Bay Area, Reno and Tahoe.
Pride isn't the issue. Time and money spent being entertained by a product is. And if people are going to spend their money on something when there are countless other diversions around less than two hours away, that product better be a good one with some substantial entertainment value.
"I believe college athletics is a necessity for every university in the country," Fulp says. "It really adds value to the college experience."
There is no room in anyone's book for bare-bones entertainment.
Originally published by The State Hornet (Sacramento State)
You have to work a little bit harder and longer when you're the little guy on the block.
In the race to become a major player in Division I sports, it is critical to create a large fan base. If you do, you get the cheers. If you don't you cry alone.
The reality of college athletics, such as it is today, is that a school needs corporate and community support to be successful in any sport, at any level. At CSUS, that task falls to Soloman Fulp, director of marketing and promotions.
"I try to put together corporate partnerships with Sac State and the community, and get everyone involved in our promotions," Fulp said.
Fulp also manages the season ticket campaigns for men's and women's basketball and football.
He conducts all the promotional activities at home, including halftime shows, band music and cheering and dance squads.
"This is my focus," Fulp said. "A lot of people here would obviously love to see a successful college program. It's my job to help create that."
It's no secret there is a void in the Sacramento area for affordable family entertainment. With time, money and support, the Hornets can fill that.
But they need more success stories, such as the rise of the football team with the help of a 2,000 yard season by Charles Roberts last fall. Roberts has generated a lot of interest, both locally and nationally, by being a marquee player.
It helps to have the nation's leading rusher in Division I-A right in your own backyard.
"Since we don't have a winning program yet, our goal is to keep the fans happy," assistant Zack Souza says. "We want to bring people out, let them enjoy the contest and have a good show."
This department does the dirty work at more than 110 games a year for CSUS. Co-assistant Doug Berrios and Souza both echo: "It would boost our teams' energy level and it would be highly advantageous with more student-body participation. Without them, we just can't be competitive."
You can break down the attendance at CSUS athletic contests by this: an inconsequential dab of community fans, families, friends and parents of players, and visiting teams' fans and players. Which did I leave out?
College sports are for college students to go bonkers over.
This is not an isolated outback realm such as Montana or Iowa where the collegiate sports scene reigns supreme and there are no pro franchises to corrupt them. We have a lot more places to go here, such as the Bay Area, Reno and Tahoe.
Pride isn't the issue. Time and money spent being entertained by a product is. And if people are going to spend their money on something when there are countless other diversions around less than two hours away, that product better be a good one with some substantial entertainment value.
"I believe college athletics is a necessity for every university in the country," Fulp says. "It really adds value to the college experience."
There is no room in anyone's book for bare-bones entertainment.
Fan is Hornet Believer
December 9, 1998
Originally published by The State Hornet (Sacramento State)
Mike Barnbaum is a fan.
Correct that. He is a true fan. In fact, he may be the most devoted rooter in these parts.
Barnbaum, a 24-year-old government major, was honored at CSUS' final football game on November 14 against Montana. He received ASI's award for 'Most Dedicated NCAA Football Fan.'
Barnbaum, who transferred to CSUS in 1995 from Cuesta Community College in San Luis Obispo, has only missed two road games since he began attending school here.
He has become a fixture at all Hornet gridiron clashes, home and away. His travels have taken him to such exotic locales as Pocatello, Idaho and Bozeman, Montana.
"For all the road games, I do my planning in advance," Barnbaum said. He concedes that much of his attendance would be impossible without his part-time job. He holds down the fort at Java City in the University Student Union.
What is the motivation for all of his support?
"I believe if I can do it, any student can if they schedule their time right," Barnbaum says. "As a Division I school, we've got to look at the more successful programs in the country and see how they have appeal. If you look at a school like UCLA or Notre Dame, you notice that teams like that have a nationwide fan base, even when they play on the road. It's not just parents and relatives, either. They have a proven fan base."
Barnbaum says he wants to be a role model for CSUS and its ever-changing athletic program.
"We certainly have the capability to contend for the playoffs and go to a bowl if we win enough games," he said. "Winning doesn't just happen with players and coaches. We've got to have fan support, even if we're playing a thousand miles away."
He also wants home attendance to improve.
"There is too big a comparison between a (Big Sky) conference opponent's home crow and our home crowd, and it's not good," he said.
Barnbaum, as you might guess, is an avid college football fan who sees a turnaround in the Hornets' fortunes quickly.
"I feel we will soon be able to compete with just about any other Division I program of any caliber. This program has seen vast improvement and the credit should go to the entire coaching staff," he said. "We are at least 500 percent better than the last two years, because we've placed a strong emphasis on academic performance and we've made the effort to get and retain talent."
Barnbaum was especially thrilled to be recognized on the day Charles Roberts made his rushing record.
"Roberts would not have gotten that record if it wasn't for outstanding team play, especially the line," he pointed out.
When it comes time to hit the road, Barnbaum usually relies on Southwest Airlines for transportation to those out-of-the-way places. He gets discount tickets from special offers on the Internet.
All of his devotion might not have come about, however, because CSUS football was perilously close to extinction just a short time ago. Barnbaum said he didn't know that the program was in jeopardy when he arrived here, but he would have done anything in his power to help put a stop to those plans.
"That would not have gone over easy on me. I would have gone out and tried to get whatever support I could," he said.
"Our program was unsettled back then. We now have a coach (John Volek) whose record speaks for itself. He's come into losing programs and turned them around. He'll get it turned around here."
As Barnbaum voices his optimism, one gets the feeling that come hell or high water, he'll be out there sweating and suffering with them, gritting his teeth. Because he's more than just a follower--he's part of the program.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
An embarrassing Raider loss
December 2, 1998
Originally Published By The State Hornet (Sacramento State)
It is not looking good for the Oakland Raiders. They were expected to manhandle the punchless Washington Redskins last Sunday, but instead were handed a 29-19 loss which has put their playoff hopes in jeopardy.
The Raider locker room was silent after this one. You could have heard a pin drop. Oakland knew they had to have this game, but Washington had nothing to lose.
The Redskins, for chrissake! They've replaced dear old Monica Lewinsky as the butt of jokes in the nation's capital and what do they do next? They beat the team that lives on "pride and poise." Which the Raiders showed very little of on this day.
So what was it this time? Lousy special teams play, a crummy defensive showing, and unstable quarterback situation. Take your pick.
Washington was certainly fired up with everyone having given up on them for this year, but there was not excuse for the Raiders' sloppy play on Sunday.
Not to mention that the coaching seemed to disappear during the game. Quarterback Jeff George started, but inexplicably was taken out at halftime. Donald Hollas was put in and didn't do any better.
By intermission, the 'Skins led 17-7 and the state was set for a stunning upset.
From the opening kickoff, the special teams, well, flopped. Washington's Brian Mitchell brought back the kick all the way into Oakland territory and the Redskins went on to take a quick 7-0 lead. The Raiders had several early chances to break the game open but failed, due to dumb mistakes, such as when a Washington. punt touched an Oakland player and wound up back into Redskin hands, giving them another scoring drive.
The 'Skins would stretch their lead to 26-7. Hollas would throw two late touchdown passes, but it was not the Raiders' day.
George may have played himself right onto the bench, as he is wont to do. Coach Jon Gruden said he may stick with Hollas at quarterback for the remainder of the season.
The team just didn't seem prepared. Heads may roll after this one.
So why was this loss critical? First, it was a key game they should have had in their pockets. Second, it was an eerie reminder of the typical way they played during their stretch run collapse in 1995.
That season, the Raiders started 8-2 and looked like a sure bet to face the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl XXX. But they lost their last six games; wound up 8-8 and didn't even make the post season party.
In those losses, they didn't seem ready to play and looked utterly listless. Though their roster turned over this year with a couple of coaching changes, the spineless look surfaced again in the Redskins loss.
Not that they risked the wrath of their fans with their poor performance. The game wasn't even sold out, and the few who did show up on this dreary, cold day seemed mute.
It would be nice if we could actually see a Raider home game on TV once in a while. They still play in Northern California, right? Has Al Davis relocated them again while our backs were turned? Every game is like a road game for the Raiders.
There were, however, a few crazies around. Like the Black Hole, a group of deranged rooters who bat around a dummy in the opposing team's colors. And the Boneyard, a group of skeleton outfit-clad fans who wave what appears to be bones.
They probably are human.
Given the fanatical nature of Oakland fans, I wouldn't doubt it.
Then there's the Skull Patrol, and I don't think I need to go into any detail on that zealous group.
But...
Until the Raiders prove they can win consistently, they will never steal the Bay Area from the 49ers. They have not made the playoffs since 1993. Will they find another way to lose, or will Gruden get them ready for the stretch run? Stay tuned.
Originally Published By The State Hornet (Sacramento State)
It is not looking good for the Oakland Raiders. They were expected to manhandle the punchless Washington Redskins last Sunday, but instead were handed a 29-19 loss which has put their playoff hopes in jeopardy.
The Raider locker room was silent after this one. You could have heard a pin drop. Oakland knew they had to have this game, but Washington had nothing to lose.
The Redskins, for chrissake! They've replaced dear old Monica Lewinsky as the butt of jokes in the nation's capital and what do they do next? They beat the team that lives on "pride and poise." Which the Raiders showed very little of on this day.
So what was it this time? Lousy special teams play, a crummy defensive showing, and unstable quarterback situation. Take your pick.
Washington was certainly fired up with everyone having given up on them for this year, but there was not excuse for the Raiders' sloppy play on Sunday.
Not to mention that the coaching seemed to disappear during the game. Quarterback Jeff George started, but inexplicably was taken out at halftime. Donald Hollas was put in and didn't do any better.
By intermission, the 'Skins led 17-7 and the state was set for a stunning upset.
From the opening kickoff, the special teams, well, flopped. Washington's Brian Mitchell brought back the kick all the way into Oakland territory and the Redskins went on to take a quick 7-0 lead. The Raiders had several early chances to break the game open but failed, due to dumb mistakes, such as when a Washington. punt touched an Oakland player and wound up back into Redskin hands, giving them another scoring drive.
The 'Skins would stretch their lead to 26-7. Hollas would throw two late touchdown passes, but it was not the Raiders' day.
George may have played himself right onto the bench, as he is wont to do. Coach Jon Gruden said he may stick with Hollas at quarterback for the remainder of the season.
The team just didn't seem prepared. Heads may roll after this one.
So why was this loss critical? First, it was a key game they should have had in their pockets. Second, it was an eerie reminder of the typical way they played during their stretch run collapse in 1995.
That season, the Raiders started 8-2 and looked like a sure bet to face the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl XXX. But they lost their last six games; wound up 8-8 and didn't even make the post season party.
In those losses, they didn't seem ready to play and looked utterly listless. Though their roster turned over this year with a couple of coaching changes, the spineless look surfaced again in the Redskins loss.
Not that they risked the wrath of their fans with their poor performance. The game wasn't even sold out, and the few who did show up on this dreary, cold day seemed mute.
It would be nice if we could actually see a Raider home game on TV once in a while. They still play in Northern California, right? Has Al Davis relocated them again while our backs were turned? Every game is like a road game for the Raiders.
There were, however, a few crazies around. Like the Black Hole, a group of deranged rooters who bat around a dummy in the opposing team's colors. And the Boneyard, a group of skeleton outfit-clad fans who wave what appears to be bones.
They probably are human.
Given the fanatical nature of Oakland fans, I wouldn't doubt it.
Then there's the Skull Patrol, and I don't think I need to go into any detail on that zealous group.
But...
Until the Raiders prove they can win consistently, they will never steal the Bay Area from the 49ers. They have not made the playoffs since 1993. Will they find another way to lose, or will Gruden get them ready for the stretch run? Stay tuned.
Quarterback quandry
November 18, 1998
Originally published by The State Hornet (Sacramento State)
If 44-year-old graybeard Steve DeBerg could make a successful comeback this year with the Atlanta Falcons and Donald Hollas, Jason Garrett, and Chris Chandler finally prove they can guide their teams to consistent wins, things are bassackwards among the quarterback pecking order.
If all five feet of Doug Flutie can come off the junk-heap in the CFL and back to pulling out wins in The Show, then you know it's topsy turvy as far as signal calling is concerned in the NFL.
John Brodie, the old-time 49ers' QB, said he didn't begin consistent performance until he passed 30 years of age. It seems that correlation has come full circle now.
So now I have prepared a list for the notable quarterbacks this year so far: the good, the bad and the just plain ugly (or stupid.)
THE GOOD: DeBerg, Hollas, Garrett, Randall Cunningham, John Elway, Flutie, Testaverde, Warren Moon. DeBerg, Hollas and Garrett? These guys have won while taking over for injured starters.
Cunningham possesses poise he never used to have. Maybe a few months putting together tiles will do that for you.
Elway's not the scrambler/gunner he used to be, but is still as poised as they come. Flutie climbed out of the CFL graveyard, Testaverde has proved he can deliver and Moon ends a storybook career in Seattle.
THE BAD: Elvis Grbac, Drew Bledsoe, Jim Harbaugh, Glenn Foley, Kordell Stewart, Jeff George, Charlie Batch, and Brett Favre.
Elvis has left the building and gone to the bench, the Chiefs have left the playoff race, and Grbac has been booed mercilessly at Arrowhead.
Bledsoe made it to a Super Bowl, but the jury is still out on whether he can have an Elway-like career full of mythical proportions. Harbaugh is old and sore-armed and Foley has played himself right onto the bench before September was out.
Stewart hasn't done anything to help Pittsburgh's offense; if it weren't for Bettis, the Steelers would really be in a fix.
At the Raider camp, the feeling is that the team responds better to Hollas than to George. Unfortunately, George has the better arm but can't shake the stigma of a loser.
Batch has slipped after a promising start since taking over for erratic Scott Mitchell.
Favre, the media darling of the Cheeseheads, has reverted back to his pre-'95 form, when he tossed pick after pick.
THE UGLY: Kerry "Quitter" Collins, Leaf, and Mitchell.
"Quitter" Collins got a second chance with New Orleans after bailing out on the Panthers but then got busted for DUIs. What the heck was that?
Originally published by The State Hornet (Sacramento State)
If 44-year-old graybeard Steve DeBerg could make a successful comeback this year with the Atlanta Falcons and Donald Hollas, Jason Garrett, and Chris Chandler finally prove they can guide their teams to consistent wins, things are bassackwards among the quarterback pecking order.
If all five feet of Doug Flutie can come off the junk-heap in the CFL and back to pulling out wins in The Show, then you know it's topsy turvy as far as signal calling is concerned in the NFL.
John Brodie, the old-time 49ers' QB, said he didn't begin consistent performance until he passed 30 years of age. It seems that correlation has come full circle now.
So now I have prepared a list for the notable quarterbacks this year so far: the good, the bad and the just plain ugly (or stupid.)
THE GOOD: DeBerg, Hollas, Garrett, Randall Cunningham, John Elway, Flutie, Testaverde, Warren Moon. DeBerg, Hollas and Garrett? These guys have won while taking over for injured starters.
Cunningham possesses poise he never used to have. Maybe a few months putting together tiles will do that for you.
Elway's not the scrambler/gunner he used to be, but is still as poised as they come. Flutie climbed out of the CFL graveyard, Testaverde has proved he can deliver and Moon ends a storybook career in Seattle.
THE BAD: Elvis Grbac, Drew Bledsoe, Jim Harbaugh, Glenn Foley, Kordell Stewart, Jeff George, Charlie Batch, and Brett Favre.
Elvis has left the building and gone to the bench, the Chiefs have left the playoff race, and Grbac has been booed mercilessly at Arrowhead.
Bledsoe made it to a Super Bowl, but the jury is still out on whether he can have an Elway-like career full of mythical proportions. Harbaugh is old and sore-armed and Foley has played himself right onto the bench before September was out.
Stewart hasn't done anything to help Pittsburgh's offense; if it weren't for Bettis, the Steelers would really be in a fix.
At the Raider camp, the feeling is that the team responds better to Hollas than to George. Unfortunately, George has the better arm but can't shake the stigma of a loser.
Batch has slipped after a promising start since taking over for erratic Scott Mitchell.
Favre, the media darling of the Cheeseheads, has reverted back to his pre-'95 form, when he tossed pick after pick.
THE UGLY: Kerry "Quitter" Collins, Leaf, and Mitchell.
"Quitter" Collins got a second chance with New Orleans after bailing out on the Panthers but then got busted for DUIs. What the heck was that?
Mile high magic
November 11, 1998
Originally published by The State Hornet (Sacramento State)
The 1998 NFL season is halfway over and clearly the best team so far is the Denver Broncos.
Denver ran their streak to 9-0 this week with another win over San Diego. The Broncos have become the latest threat to match the Miami Dolphins' 1972 unbeaten season. Back then, they went 14-0. No team has gone unbeaten since the league went to a 16-game season in 1978, but the Broncos do have a chance.
They have a powerful running game in Terrell Davis. He is the one reason John Elway finally won a title after going 0-for-3 in Super Bowls.
The Broncos also have a physical defense, good receivers in Shannon Sharpe and Rod Smith, and Jason Elam, a kicker with a strong leg. It might add up to another Super Bowl trip.
Denver made the punchless Chargers look horrendous last week. The Broncos basically made life miserable for rookie Ryan Leaf. Leaf's notorious hotheaded demeanor wasn't helped on this day. He got benched yet again for not producing.
In other news around the league, the 49ers just keep getting lucky. Their win over Carolina marked the third time they played an inferior opponent, looked lousy, yet still pulled off a win.
They barely escaped the New York Jets and Indianapolis.
The surprise team of the season? The Atlanta Falcons. Off to their best start in team history, 7-2, they are turning heads around the league.
A case could be made for the Minnesota Vikings and their awesome passing game, but I don't think they run the ball well enough to beat Denver if they advance to the Super Bowl.
Randall Cunningham has had two very different careers. The inconsistent, selfish, me-first Philadelphia Eagle has given way to a solid, mature leader in Minnesota.
The Raiders had their winning streak snapped last week with their controversial loss to Baltimore. But they still have surprised plenty of people after their sorry 4-12 season a year ago.
The Silver and Black were robbed of a possible win. They were denied a touchdown, which they clearly scored, then suffered through a no-call on the last play where there was pass interference.
Oakland can only hope they don't repeat their swan dive season in 1995 when they lost their last six games and failed to even reach the playoffs after starting out 8-2.
The Jets have never won their division, but don't tell that to coach Bill Parcells. They ripped the Bills, 34-12 to put themselves atop the AFC East for the first time in years.
"I don't think about the past," Parcells said.
Perhaps he'd better start because the last time the Jets were in this position, they looked horrible down the stretch. In 1986, they started out 10-1 and then lost their last six games, including their wildcard loss.
Back to the Broncos. They have the league's most rabid fans and the longest sellout streak in the league. It is close to impossible beating Denver in Mile High Stadium.
Whether they can repeat and win another title before Elway retires is another question. But they sure look good...
Originally published by The State Hornet (Sacramento State)
The 1998 NFL season is halfway over and clearly the best team so far is the Denver Broncos.
Denver ran their streak to 9-0 this week with another win over San Diego. The Broncos have become the latest threat to match the Miami Dolphins' 1972 unbeaten season. Back then, they went 14-0. No team has gone unbeaten since the league went to a 16-game season in 1978, but the Broncos do have a chance.
They have a powerful running game in Terrell Davis. He is the one reason John Elway finally won a title after going 0-for-3 in Super Bowls.
The Broncos also have a physical defense, good receivers in Shannon Sharpe and Rod Smith, and Jason Elam, a kicker with a strong leg. It might add up to another Super Bowl trip.
Denver made the punchless Chargers look horrendous last week. The Broncos basically made life miserable for rookie Ryan Leaf. Leaf's notorious hotheaded demeanor wasn't helped on this day. He got benched yet again for not producing.
In other news around the league, the 49ers just keep getting lucky. Their win over Carolina marked the third time they played an inferior opponent, looked lousy, yet still pulled off a win.
They barely escaped the New York Jets and Indianapolis.
The surprise team of the season? The Atlanta Falcons. Off to their best start in team history, 7-2, they are turning heads around the league.
A case could be made for the Minnesota Vikings and their awesome passing game, but I don't think they run the ball well enough to beat Denver if they advance to the Super Bowl.
Randall Cunningham has had two very different careers. The inconsistent, selfish, me-first Philadelphia Eagle has given way to a solid, mature leader in Minnesota.
The Raiders had their winning streak snapped last week with their controversial loss to Baltimore. But they still have surprised plenty of people after their sorry 4-12 season a year ago.
The Silver and Black were robbed of a possible win. They were denied a touchdown, which they clearly scored, then suffered through a no-call on the last play where there was pass interference.
Oakland can only hope they don't repeat their swan dive season in 1995 when they lost their last six games and failed to even reach the playoffs after starting out 8-2.
The Jets have never won their division, but don't tell that to coach Bill Parcells. They ripped the Bills, 34-12 to put themselves atop the AFC East for the first time in years.
"I don't think about the past," Parcells said.
Perhaps he'd better start because the last time the Jets were in this position, they looked horrible down the stretch. In 1986, they started out 10-1 and then lost their last six games, including their wildcard loss.
Back to the Broncos. They have the league's most rabid fans and the longest sellout streak in the league. It is close to impossible beating Denver in Mile High Stadium.
Whether they can repeat and win another title before Elway retires is another question. But they sure look good...
Smack talking
November 4, 1998
Originally published by The State Hornet
November's NBA schedule has become the latest casualty in the ongoing lockout, labor dispute and crib toy-throwing extravaganza between the league's players and owners.
The only stats on the hardwood to date: 194 canceled games total. There would be 69 games left for each team instead of 82 if they decided to start playing tomorrow. Sixteen games have been lost to television.
And oh, by the way: $200 million in player salaries lost.
Well, boo hoo hoo, you underpaid moron peasants. And a pox on you parsimonious, almighty slave-driving owners.
The only stat noteworthy here is: ticked off fans. Millions.
The consensus on the players' side is that the owners wouldn't dare call off the season. Therefore the players hold the upper hand.
Owners contend that they write the bottom line; therefore the National Babies Association cannot function.
We all saw what happened the last time that both sides were so complacent. Remember 1994? Baseball canceled the World Series.
If you think they are going to solve this ordeal overnight, keep dreaming, you must like sick humor. Here are three things I would rather do than attend a National Babies hoop contest:
Originally published by The State Hornet
November's NBA schedule has become the latest casualty in the ongoing lockout, labor dispute and crib toy-throwing extravaganza between the league's players and owners.
The only stats on the hardwood to date: 194 canceled games total. There would be 69 games left for each team instead of 82 if they decided to start playing tomorrow. Sixteen games have been lost to television.
And oh, by the way: $200 million in player salaries lost.
Well, boo hoo hoo, you underpaid moron peasants. And a pox on you parsimonious, almighty slave-driving owners.
The only stat noteworthy here is: ticked off fans. Millions.
The consensus on the players' side is that the owners wouldn't dare call off the season. Therefore the players hold the upper hand.
Owners contend that they write the bottom line; therefore the National Babies Association cannot function.
We all saw what happened the last time that both sides were so complacent. Remember 1994? Baseball canceled the World Series.
If you think they are going to solve this ordeal overnight, keep dreaming, you must like sick humor. Here are three things I would rather do than attend a National Babies hoop contest:
- Watch "My Three Sons."
- Stick my head into the vats at Three Mile Island.
- Get chicken pox again.
Here are three people I would rather meet than spend time with any player, coach, general manager or owner in the NBA:
- Andy Rooney.
- Jimmy Carter.
- Rush Limbaugh.
Here are three franchise moves that would greatly improve this sagging league:
- Boston Shell Tix back to the Boston Garden.
- Philadelphia '96ers back to the old Spectrum.
- Portland Jail Blazers to Soledad.
As hopeless as it seems, I do have a few improvements for games that could save the National Babies from extinction.
- Turn it into a blood sport. Allow them to whack, beat and wail on each other. Put boxing-ring ropes on the sidelines. No out of bounds. No rules. It's what's played in most inner cities, anyway.
- Take the go-go dancer, flying gorillas, fireworks and laser lights out of there. What the hell does that have to do with pure, honest basketball?
- Move the two minutes at the end of the game to the start. Make four quarters of two minutes each. That way you don't miss anything.
- Quit playing that "Rock and Roll, Part II" song. Make games a place for rousing but rabid fan support, rather than discos with basketball just happening to be going on at the same time.
And a few other thoughts...
How come most NBA teams have a coach you've never heard of, other than Pat Riley?
Where did all these teeny-boppers like Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant come from and what are they doing in a men's game? Think it's time for the junior-high schoolers to get in on the action?
Where are all the characters that used to be in the game, like Darryl Dawkins, Slick Watts, The Iceman Gervin, World B. Free, Doc, Magic, Bird, Kareem, Artis Gilmore, Bill Walton and Moses Malone?
It's become a madhouse soap-opera discotheque filled with bright, shiny, spineless, senseless butt-kissing droids.
So......pffffffftttt......this will forever be known as the year the ball went flat.
Padres spanked by yanks
October 28, 1998
Originally published by The State Hornet (Sacramento State)
Eating crow is not a specialty of mine.
It is not something I do very easily.
Sadly, I was forced to last week when that precision machine called the New York Yankees swept San Diego out of the World Series, four games to none.
The boys in pinstripes have now won their 24th World Series title (in 35 appearances) convincingly. San Diego also wears pinstripes--but we all know there is only one team that makes them famous. The Bronx Bombers.
It wasn't even competitive. Simply put, the Yankees out-executed, out-managed, and outplayed the Padres. In three of the four games, the Padres held a lead, only to watch it go up in smoke.
Which is what the swinging friars got. Smoked.
The Yankees proved beyond a shadow of a doubt they were the best team in baseball this year. Obviously they know how to win, because they didn't win 114 games in the regular season for nothing.
In fact, if it hadn't been for those pesky Cleveland Indians in 1997, the Yankees would probably have been looking at a three-peat this year.
They now have two world titles in the last three years, and only Atlanta and Cleveland have appeared in the postseason more often in the 1990s.
I don't necessarily think the '98 Yankees are the best team of all time. Let's see if they can add a few more rings in the next few years to pass judgment on that.
You could certainly make a case for the powerhouse Oakland and Cincinnati teams of the '70s, the Baltimore Orioles of the late '60s, the '27 Yankees, the '06 Cubs.
But the Yankees were so dominant this year because they had the best team, not the best individuals.
That's what set them apart. No superstars. No gimmicks. No catchy slogans or nicknames. Just a confidence that every time they set foot inside a ballpark, they expected to win.
In other words, Paul O'Neill, Bernie Williams, Chuck Knoblauch, Derek Jeter, David Cone and David Wells hardly match up to the mystique of fellows like Reggie Jackson, Thurman Munson and Don Mattingly, but that's beside the point.
San Diego and their fans were shaken up as this train wreck of a Series came to a conclusion, but the truth was that they were fortunate just to be there in the first place.
The Padres got past two teams who should have beaten them, Randy Johnson-led Houston and the always tough Braves. They were lucky enough to get momentum at just the right time.
It might be good enough to convince the city to build a new ballpark to keep baseball in San Diego. Anybody who says San Diego can't support baseball is nuts.
Hey, Ted Williams is a native San Diegan, for Chrissakes!
Along with a dilemma facing the future of baseball in San Diego, the majors also have to be concerned with the plight of small-market teams being suffocated.
Those that have--the New Yorks, Clevelands, and Atlantas--are steadily getting more. The Oaklands, Pittsburghs, Montreals and Kansas Citys are all starving to death. It is next to impossible for a small-market team to even be competitive these days.
Thus saved by Big Mac and Sosa, plus the spellbinding battle for the playoff seats, and the emergence of a powerhouse, baseball is off the respirator. Now we can enter the 21st century.
Originally published by The State Hornet (Sacramento State)
Eating crow is not a specialty of mine.
It is not something I do very easily.
Sadly, I was forced to last week when that precision machine called the New York Yankees swept San Diego out of the World Series, four games to none.
The boys in pinstripes have now won their 24th World Series title (in 35 appearances) convincingly. San Diego also wears pinstripes--but we all know there is only one team that makes them famous. The Bronx Bombers.
It wasn't even competitive. Simply put, the Yankees out-executed, out-managed, and outplayed the Padres. In three of the four games, the Padres held a lead, only to watch it go up in smoke.
Which is what the swinging friars got. Smoked.
The Yankees proved beyond a shadow of a doubt they were the best team in baseball this year. Obviously they know how to win, because they didn't win 114 games in the regular season for nothing.
In fact, if it hadn't been for those pesky Cleveland Indians in 1997, the Yankees would probably have been looking at a three-peat this year.
They now have two world titles in the last three years, and only Atlanta and Cleveland have appeared in the postseason more often in the 1990s.
I don't necessarily think the '98 Yankees are the best team of all time. Let's see if they can add a few more rings in the next few years to pass judgment on that.
You could certainly make a case for the powerhouse Oakland and Cincinnati teams of the '70s, the Baltimore Orioles of the late '60s, the '27 Yankees, the '06 Cubs.
But the Yankees were so dominant this year because they had the best team, not the best individuals.
That's what set them apart. No superstars. No gimmicks. No catchy slogans or nicknames. Just a confidence that every time they set foot inside a ballpark, they expected to win.
In other words, Paul O'Neill, Bernie Williams, Chuck Knoblauch, Derek Jeter, David Cone and David Wells hardly match up to the mystique of fellows like Reggie Jackson, Thurman Munson and Don Mattingly, but that's beside the point.
San Diego and their fans were shaken up as this train wreck of a Series came to a conclusion, but the truth was that they were fortunate just to be there in the first place.
The Padres got past two teams who should have beaten them, Randy Johnson-led Houston and the always tough Braves. They were lucky enough to get momentum at just the right time.
It might be good enough to convince the city to build a new ballpark to keep baseball in San Diego. Anybody who says San Diego can't support baseball is nuts.
Hey, Ted Williams is a native San Diegan, for Chrissakes!
Along with a dilemma facing the future of baseball in San Diego, the majors also have to be concerned with the plight of small-market teams being suffocated.
Those that have--the New Yorks, Clevelands, and Atlantas--are steadily getting more. The Oaklands, Pittsburghs, Montreals and Kansas Citys are all starving to death. It is next to impossible for a small-market team to even be competitive these days.
Thus saved by Big Mac and Sosa, plus the spellbinding battle for the playoff seats, and the emergence of a powerhouse, baseball is off the respirator. Now we can enter the 21st century.
The Padres: A team of destiny
October 21, 1988
Originally published by The State Hornet (Sacramento State)
Think about it. With all the hoopla going on in baseball this year, it's easy to overlook that no dog was as consistently as far under as the San Diego Padres. The Padres were the worst team in baseball just five years ago. They were playing this year not only to have a winning season, but to get their city to vote for a new stadium to keep them from leaving.
It was a foregone conclusion this spring that either the Padres would have a good season or their next address would be in northern Virginia, where a lot of baseball teams seem to be headed lately.
It's not as if things have been iffy in San Diego before. They stunk up the majors so bad as an expansion team in the '70s that they were nearly headed to the nation's capital. Then Ray and Joan Kroc of McDonald's managed to save the team...
...while poisoning the rest of us with their hamburgers.
Remember the movie The Bad News Bears? In those days, when you went to see the Padres play, you couldn't tell the difference. They were that horrible.
The San Diego brass woke up after a over a decade of sloppiness. They wooed Steve Garvey away from the Los Angeles Dodgers, then lured Goose Gossage away from the Yankees.
Back then, they wore those insipid brown and gold colors that made them look like overgrown tacos. In 1984, they sneaked past the Cubs into the Series, only to be pile-driven by the Detroit Tigers.
Brown and gold gave way to brown and orange after that, but the swinging friars could not recapture their magic. Then came the blue and orange trappings, and still they stunk.
Until 1996, when they fought past the heavily-favored Dodgers to win the National League West. Then another appearance this year, which saw them get past two teams--Houston and Atlanta--which should have beaten them handily.
One constant over the years--Tony Gwynn, of batting title fame.
Here is one guy who could have split a long time ago. Nobody ever plays 15 years with one team anymore, let alone a whole career.
There are many obvious contrasts in this World Series.
In New York, you go to the game praying you don't get beat up or mugged. Yankee fans are so tough, they belt on each other. In San Diego, you go wearing shades and sunscreen. Padre fans don't bite, scratch, kick or throw things--except the occasional beach ball. Statistically, these two teams don't even compare. This season, New York had more runs, hits, homers, stolen bases, walks and they hit better. The Padres' only hope is to counter that with their good pitching.
No one, but no one will be surprised if the Yankees swat them aside like an annoying gnat in the Series. But the point is, they got there when no one expected them to. The blue and orange have nothing to lose.
I don't know about you, but I love an underdog. Which means I've been hurt more often than not--making the rare upsets all the more better.
Originally published by The State Hornet (Sacramento State)
Think about it. With all the hoopla going on in baseball this year, it's easy to overlook that no dog was as consistently as far under as the San Diego Padres. The Padres were the worst team in baseball just five years ago. They were playing this year not only to have a winning season, but to get their city to vote for a new stadium to keep them from leaving.
It was a foregone conclusion this spring that either the Padres would have a good season or their next address would be in northern Virginia, where a lot of baseball teams seem to be headed lately.
It's not as if things have been iffy in San Diego before. They stunk up the majors so bad as an expansion team in the '70s that they were nearly headed to the nation's capital. Then Ray and Joan Kroc of McDonald's managed to save the team...
...while poisoning the rest of us with their hamburgers.
Remember the movie The Bad News Bears? In those days, when you went to see the Padres play, you couldn't tell the difference. They were that horrible.
The San Diego brass woke up after a over a decade of sloppiness. They wooed Steve Garvey away from the Los Angeles Dodgers, then lured Goose Gossage away from the Yankees.
Back then, they wore those insipid brown and gold colors that made them look like overgrown tacos. In 1984, they sneaked past the Cubs into the Series, only to be pile-driven by the Detroit Tigers.
Brown and gold gave way to brown and orange after that, but the swinging friars could not recapture their magic. Then came the blue and orange trappings, and still they stunk.
Until 1996, when they fought past the heavily-favored Dodgers to win the National League West. Then another appearance this year, which saw them get past two teams--Houston and Atlanta--which should have beaten them handily.
One constant over the years--Tony Gwynn, of batting title fame.
Here is one guy who could have split a long time ago. Nobody ever plays 15 years with one team anymore, let alone a whole career.
There are many obvious contrasts in this World Series.
In New York, you go to the game praying you don't get beat up or mugged. Yankee fans are so tough, they belt on each other. In San Diego, you go wearing shades and sunscreen. Padre fans don't bite, scratch, kick or throw things--except the occasional beach ball. Statistically, these two teams don't even compare. This season, New York had more runs, hits, homers, stolen bases, walks and they hit better. The Padres' only hope is to counter that with their good pitching.
No one, but no one will be surprised if the Yankees swat them aside like an annoying gnat in the Series. But the point is, they got there when no one expected them to. The blue and orange have nothing to lose.
I don't know about you, but I love an underdog. Which means I've been hurt more often than not--making the rare upsets all the more better.
Lockout: Who are you Kidding?
October 14, 1998
Originally published by The State Hornet (Sacramento State)
The worst thing you can do, public-relations wise, is not play the game.
And that's what the NBA seems intent on doing, as we head close to what is supposed to be the season's beginning. The clock is ticking fast.
Let the National Babies' Association stay out.
Who are they kidding? The only losers in a scenario where there is a strike are the fans. In fact the fans are the victims, period. The average fan can't even go to a game these days--because it costs an arm and a leg.
The players and owners don't seem to care that high ticket prices are the result of their greed.
It's hard to feel sympathy for immature, spoiled athletes who make ridiculous amounts of money per year that 99 percent of this country's population will never see in their lifetimes.
And even that wouldn't be so bad if they would stop whining, cut down the cosmetic "entertainment" crap and play for the love of the game. Just like Magic Johnson and Larry Bird did back in the '80s.
This sport is so full of mercenaries, it's ridiculous. No matter how much money you pay these guys, they'll never have the loyalty and a team concept, like Johnson and Bird did about a decade ago.
However, since the greedy owners who want instant gratification--winning--are stupid enough to blindly dole it out to them without a second thought, I hold them just as culpable.
These prima donnas who aren't even willing to break a swear while playing need to realize that if not blessed with their talent, they'd be stuck out here making a living like the rest of us.
I'm not too excited about the upcoming season, if there happens to be one. Why should I be? This situation is so disorganized, it's unbelievable.
Let's take a look at the wretched local franchise, the Sacramento Things--oops, I mean Kings.
For years, the Kings tried to crane people's necks by shouting about turning it around. Year after year, they suckered fans into believing that they would become winners.
They are still losers. They are no longer a given sellout at home, because they have continually put trash in the lineup. This is due to the brainless idea that a fly-by-night, clueless rinky-dink operation could somehow compete with the big boys.
It doesn't matter who the new coach is, or what new talent they may have garnered this year, because nothing can change the fact that they are still losers.
It's one thing to be talent-challenged in a small market, but it's a whole different story when management doesn't appear to be trying to reshape their image.
You need to win, and you need to have the right people in the organization that know something about doing that. The Kings have had neither, and so around the league they get no respect.
Everyone--even the other sorry franchises--know they can get well on the Kings when they play them, so they all snicker while this city gets stuck with a joke.
Henceforth, they have been relegated to the Things. As in, "who are those nameless things?"
Just like we may be better off not having this season at all, Sacramento may be better off not having the Things, period.
Originally published by The State Hornet (Sacramento State)
The worst thing you can do, public-relations wise, is not play the game.
And that's what the NBA seems intent on doing, as we head close to what is supposed to be the season's beginning. The clock is ticking fast.
Let the National Babies' Association stay out.
Who are they kidding? The only losers in a scenario where there is a strike are the fans. In fact the fans are the victims, period. The average fan can't even go to a game these days--because it costs an arm and a leg.
The players and owners don't seem to care that high ticket prices are the result of their greed.
It's hard to feel sympathy for immature, spoiled athletes who make ridiculous amounts of money per year that 99 percent of this country's population will never see in their lifetimes.
And even that wouldn't be so bad if they would stop whining, cut down the cosmetic "entertainment" crap and play for the love of the game. Just like Magic Johnson and Larry Bird did back in the '80s.
This sport is so full of mercenaries, it's ridiculous. No matter how much money you pay these guys, they'll never have the loyalty and a team concept, like Johnson and Bird did about a decade ago.
However, since the greedy owners who want instant gratification--winning--are stupid enough to blindly dole it out to them without a second thought, I hold them just as culpable.
These prima donnas who aren't even willing to break a swear while playing need to realize that if not blessed with their talent, they'd be stuck out here making a living like the rest of us.
I'm not too excited about the upcoming season, if there happens to be one. Why should I be? This situation is so disorganized, it's unbelievable.
Let's take a look at the wretched local franchise, the Sacramento Things--oops, I mean Kings.
For years, the Kings tried to crane people's necks by shouting about turning it around. Year after year, they suckered fans into believing that they would become winners.
They are still losers. They are no longer a given sellout at home, because they have continually put trash in the lineup. This is due to the brainless idea that a fly-by-night, clueless rinky-dink operation could somehow compete with the big boys.
It doesn't matter who the new coach is, or what new talent they may have garnered this year, because nothing can change the fact that they are still losers.
It's one thing to be talent-challenged in a small market, but it's a whole different story when management doesn't appear to be trying to reshape their image.
You need to win, and you need to have the right people in the organization that know something about doing that. The Kings have had neither, and so around the league they get no respect.
Everyone--even the other sorry franchises--know they can get well on the Kings when they play them, so they all snicker while this city gets stuck with a joke.
Henceforth, they have been relegated to the Things. As in, "who are those nameless things?"
Just like we may be better off not having this season at all, Sacramento may be better off not having the Things, period.
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