NO KIDDING YOU CAN CALL THEM THE COME-BACK KIDS
Last weekend on the Baylor Bear baseball web site they explained the losses in their first two games with this headline, “Dirtbags answer each Baylor rally to clinch series.” That made me think about comebacks and why they are the most exciting element in the organized fun and games that we call sports.
Comebacks mean that the faithful, who prayed and sprayed and replayed every twist and turn in the game, are rewarded at the end and allowed to feel that all those exhortations and supplications, delivered the victory. Often it was more of a mistake by the opponent, a coaching brain cramp, or a fortunate fluke by the home team, but the root of fanatic is fan and you know how fans are.
The best of the comebacks recently had to be the mad dash by Kevin Houston to run the court with 2.5 seconds left and run UCSB out of town before a rowdy homecoming night crowd of almost 3,000 in the ‘Mid. With LB trailing by a point I can’t figure out why the Gaucho brain trust didn’t deny Houston the ball but the name-tagged, balloon bashing alums loved the result. Doesn’t it mean that the recent darkness for Reynolds and company has lifted; well I’m not sure I would go that far but it almost certainly means a stay in execution for the head man but some assistant shuffling may still occur.
Oddly the LB entry that has a two game losing streak, women’s basketball losing at Cal Poly and UCSB, has the potential to create the biggest Beach post-season excitement. They earned a bye to the Big West semi’s and win that game LB would get a rematch with UCSB in the final with a NCAA dance ticket on the line. How tough is it to beat a team three times in a single season, well we’ll find out on a neutral court down in Anaheim.
PER DIEM DUST—If you see the boss please suggest a little extra in the envelope this month, just to cover the cost of gas running back and forth from the Mid to Orange County to Blair and back again. Houston is in town for the Bags this weekend and hoops keep playing until they stick a fork in ‘em.
For Beach baseball it may still be non-conference time but the opponents are look all-world. Houston plays a tough schedule and has a strong RPI, # 15 Wichita State up there is formidable and then #4 Fullerton comes to Blair Field in a non-conference series (do they call those friendlies?) This far the Weather men have won series over Arizona State, Saint Mary’s, San Diego State and Baylor but lost series to USC, and CAL.
More homecoming. Coach Alan Knipe has a lot of memories of volleyball matches in the sweat box known as the Gold Mine and with the CIF renting the Pyramid last weekend he went there once more and although it took five to beat Cal Baptist. The team returns to MPSF play Friday Night at UC San Diego. The more local connection is the Beach Softball classic at Mayfair featuring Florida, Indiana, SDSU, LMU and the home girls, still missing slugger Oli Keohohou while the Beach brass sort out paperwork. Hopefully she will see the field this weekend.
Why do we still fuss about that? Two reasons, the missing academic work ain’t in France, it is at Moorpark College, and the BYU transfer finished second in the nation in home runs in 2003 with 20, led the MWC in batting average, runs, home runs, slugging percentage, walks and on-base percentage and was popular--the BYU Most Valuable Player. End of sermon.—DR. DAN
Comebacks mean that the faithful, who prayed and sprayed and replayed every twist and turn in the game, are rewarded at the end and allowed to feel that all those exhortations and supplications, delivered the victory. Often it was more of a mistake by the opponent, a coaching brain cramp, or a fortunate fluke by the home team, but the root of fanatic is fan and you know how fans are.
The best of the comebacks recently had to be the mad dash by Kevin Houston to run the court with 2.5 seconds left and run UCSB out of town before a rowdy homecoming night crowd of almost 3,000 in the ‘Mid. With LB trailing by a point I can’t figure out why the Gaucho brain trust didn’t deny Houston the ball but the name-tagged, balloon bashing alums loved the result. Doesn’t it mean that the recent darkness for Reynolds and company has lifted; well I’m not sure I would go that far but it almost certainly means a stay in execution for the head man but some assistant shuffling may still occur.
Oddly the LB entry that has a two game losing streak, women’s basketball losing at Cal Poly and UCSB, has the potential to create the biggest Beach post-season excitement. They earned a bye to the Big West semi’s and win that game LB would get a rematch with UCSB in the final with a NCAA dance ticket on the line. How tough is it to beat a team three times in a single season, well we’ll find out on a neutral court down in Anaheim.
PER DIEM DUST—If you see the boss please suggest a little extra in the envelope this month, just to cover the cost of gas running back and forth from the Mid to Orange County to Blair and back again. Houston is in town for the Bags this weekend and hoops keep playing until they stick a fork in ‘em.
For Beach baseball it may still be non-conference time but the opponents are look all-world. Houston plays a tough schedule and has a strong RPI, # 15 Wichita State up there is formidable and then #4 Fullerton comes to Blair Field in a non-conference series (do they call those friendlies?) This far the Weather men have won series over Arizona State, Saint Mary’s, San Diego State and Baylor but lost series to USC, and CAL.
More homecoming. Coach Alan Knipe has a lot of memories of volleyball matches in the sweat box known as the Gold Mine and with the CIF renting the Pyramid last weekend he went there once more and although it took five to beat Cal Baptist. The team returns to MPSF play Friday Night at UC San Diego. The more local connection is the Beach Softball classic at Mayfair featuring Florida, Indiana, SDSU, LMU and the home girls, still missing slugger Oli Keohohou while the Beach brass sort out paperwork. Hopefully she will see the field this weekend.
Why do we still fuss about that? Two reasons, the missing academic work ain’t in France, it is at Moorpark College, and the BYU transfer finished second in the nation in home runs in 2003 with 20, led the MWC in batting average, runs, home runs, slugging percentage, walks and on-base percentage and was popular--the BYU Most Valuable Player. End of sermon.—DR. DAN
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