PICKIN', GRININ' AND GETTING READY FOR THE GRAND OLD GAME
Welcome to our middle of the month session of “picks and pans”.
On the pans’ side we visit the continuing concern about men’s basketball in general and their heart and toughness in particular. A former student manager back in the Morgan days recalled a game at UCSB where, well let Viktor tell the story.
“When we entered the thunder gym for the pre-game warm up, the court was wet (mopped, but no one dried it). We stood around for 5 minutes. Nacho managers etc. saw us, knew we wanted to shoot, but no one greeted us or dried the floor. I then walked ("stormed" may be a better word) into their locker/equipment room, and asked them when someone will dry the floor so that we can warm up.”
“I received a weak, lackadaisical response. I then demanded the ball rack and some towels. After taking the items, I walked onto the hardwood and started drying the floor with towels under my feet. You should have seen the look on the Nachos' faces. We took over their gym within 5 minutes, and never gave it back!” Suffice to say he doesn’t see that now.
Back to picks, you should limo yourself over to Cirivello's Restaurant and Sports Bar on Wednesday, January 26th from 5-7 pm for the next session of “Coach Chat”. All the spring time skippers will be there and you can quiz them like you were a famous columnist and enjoy the Happy Hour and finger foods.
Another pick is Beach Tennis ranked # 58 to open the 2005 NCAA women's tennis season opens Friday at No. 7 USC. Senior Nicole Bouffler also earned a national-ranking, checking in at No. 113 and is the best of the Beach ladies and the schedule is great with nationally ranked Fresno State, Oregon, Penn, Cal Poly and Nebraska coming to campus.
A major pan to the parking administration pan handlers in front of the Pyramid. They have upped to right to land on paid-for state property from three bucks to five and some folks wonder why it is hard to build attendance. I support keeping the blue and red curbs clear but this is one revenue sport that is out of control.
A pan I share with Dan Le Batard of the Miami Herald who sums up my idea on the Matt Leinhart stay-in-school decision. “Student-athletes with pro potential should get paid as quickly as they can because this savage game doesn't offer any guarantees beyond that you will eventually get hurt playing it. And, besides, they're all getting used by a system that gives them no voice (adult coaches can skip out on contracts but the poor kids are penalized a year if they want to transfer) and no alternative as the NFL plows and protects the plantation that is its beloved minor-league system.”
Another pan and this isn’t what you hear when they are selling season hoop tickets. The grind it out style of the 49ers upsets more than just the home folks. This quote from a recent and victorious men’s basketball coach on playing Long Beach, “all of there games are ugly” won!
Closing Footnote after the women fast broke UCR Saturday night. Why do I think that somebody at LBSU has turned the calendar back two decades to 1985 when it was women’s basketball that kept the Niner Nation out of intensive care while the men suffered with six losing seasons in a row including a 4-23 Ron Palmer flop. In the same era the fast breaking women had six seasons of 24 or more wins, a shelf full of BWC trophies and two Final Fours.
Last add, hope to see you all tonight (Thursday) at the baseball Lead Off dinner and the Pro Alum fun at Blair starting at 11 on Saturday.–DR. DAN
On the pans’ side we visit the continuing concern about men’s basketball in general and their heart and toughness in particular. A former student manager back in the Morgan days recalled a game at UCSB where, well let Viktor tell the story.
“When we entered the thunder gym for the pre-game warm up, the court was wet (mopped, but no one dried it). We stood around for 5 minutes. Nacho managers etc. saw us, knew we wanted to shoot, but no one greeted us or dried the floor. I then walked ("stormed" may be a better word) into their locker/equipment room, and asked them when someone will dry the floor so that we can warm up.”
“I received a weak, lackadaisical response. I then demanded the ball rack and some towels. After taking the items, I walked onto the hardwood and started drying the floor with towels under my feet. You should have seen the look on the Nachos' faces. We took over their gym within 5 minutes, and never gave it back!” Suffice to say he doesn’t see that now.
Back to picks, you should limo yourself over to Cirivello's Restaurant and Sports Bar on Wednesday, January 26th from 5-7 pm for the next session of “Coach Chat”. All the spring time skippers will be there and you can quiz them like you were a famous columnist and enjoy the Happy Hour and finger foods.
Another pick is Beach Tennis ranked # 58 to open the 2005 NCAA women's tennis season opens Friday at No. 7 USC. Senior Nicole Bouffler also earned a national-ranking, checking in at No. 113 and is the best of the Beach ladies and the schedule is great with nationally ranked Fresno State, Oregon, Penn, Cal Poly and Nebraska coming to campus.
A major pan to the parking administration pan handlers in front of the Pyramid. They have upped to right to land on paid-for state property from three bucks to five and some folks wonder why it is hard to build attendance. I support keeping the blue and red curbs clear but this is one revenue sport that is out of control.
A pan I share with Dan Le Batard of the Miami Herald who sums up my idea on the Matt Leinhart stay-in-school decision. “Student-athletes with pro potential should get paid as quickly as they can because this savage game doesn't offer any guarantees beyond that you will eventually get hurt playing it. And, besides, they're all getting used by a system that gives them no voice (adult coaches can skip out on contracts but the poor kids are penalized a year if they want to transfer) and no alternative as the NFL plows and protects the plantation that is its beloved minor-league system.”
Another pan and this isn’t what you hear when they are selling season hoop tickets. The grind it out style of the 49ers upsets more than just the home folks. This quote from a recent and victorious men’s basketball coach on playing Long Beach, “all of there games are ugly” won!
Closing Footnote after the women fast broke UCR Saturday night. Why do I think that somebody at LBSU has turned the calendar back two decades to 1985 when it was women’s basketball that kept the Niner Nation out of intensive care while the men suffered with six losing seasons in a row including a 4-23 Ron Palmer flop. In the same era the fast breaking women had six seasons of 24 or more wins, a shelf full of BWC trophies and two Final Fours.
Last add, hope to see you all tonight (Thursday) at the baseball Lead Off dinner and the Pro Alum fun at Blair starting at 11 on Saturday.–DR. DAN
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